MACAU - Escola Dom Luis Versiglia
Celebrations of the 100th birthday of Fr. Gaetano Nicosia, born just 100 years after Don Bosco in Sicily, near Catania in 1915, arrived to China Province in 1935 - were prepared in a wonderful way by the Macau - EDLV Salesian community.
Fr. Gaetano Nicosia in now already leaving in the St.Mary's Home for the Aged, Aberdeen, Hong Kong - but his spirit is still in Macau. He started the Salesian Mission for the Hansenians in Macau - Coloane in 1963 (Missao de Nossa Senhora das Dores) and in 1984 he founded the Escola D.Luis Versiglia de Ka Ho close to that village.
Three events were attended by some 300 participants - members of Salesian Family of Macau and Hong Kong (SDB, FMA, Salesian Cooperators, VDB), many disciples and past pupils of Fr. Nicosia, the second most senior member of China province. Indeed his older brother (102 years of age) is still fully alive and vibrant in his native Sicily.
10 AM Eucharist (Liturgy of St. Luis Versiglia) was presided by Macau Bishop José Lai Hung-seng and preached by the provincial Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, SDB. Some 20 Salesian, other religious an diocesan priests concelebrated in the Chapel of our Lady of 'Dores'.
Eucharist was followed by a wonderful Academy of D.Luis Versiglia School educative-pastoral community in the school hall, with drama perfomance of the students and distribution of Vine-bottles prepared by the EDLV students (form 3) with a small gift of Fr. Nicosia (Jesus my Friend accessory).
Third part was a meal shared in the gym of the Centro de Formacao Juvenil Dom Bosco in front of the school and SDB community building, concluded with picture taking. During the whole day the feeling about Fr. Nicosia was like Don Bosco in his last years, on the wheelchair still sharing his deep joy and faith.
The main message of Fr. Nicosia was always focused on Jesus discipleship. "Yes, I'm very happy, because God loves me! - Please, follow Jesus and follow Don Bosco. But i'm also not-so-happy, because there are still many millions of young people who don't know about the love of Jesus, love of God for them."
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We visited Coloane in June 1964. Fr. Nicosia was there with the lepers. We got the impression that his unassuming presence made him very much loved among the lepers.
Best wishes to him.
Fr. Rolando Fernandez, SDB, East Timor