Vietnam. On 19-21 of April, sixteen Salesians who are being in practical training had time together to study the Frame of Reference for Salesian Youth Ministry under the guidance of the Provincial Delegate for Formation and the former Novice Master.
This was the second session for them which focused upon the Preventive System [Chapter 4 and EPC as well as SEPP [Chapers 5 and 6]. They had ample time to reflect these inspiring teachings against their current background as practical trainees who are working in formation houses or vocational training schools.
The atmosphere was strongly inspired by the Easter Season when the Church celebrated the Octave with the Risen Lord. Each Salesian is called to meet the Risen Lord and dedicate their lives to bring the young to meet Him in their daily life.
These young Salesians were also reminded by the examples of the first two Salesians who passed away in this beautiful country of Vietnam. They were:
- Fr. Dupont [French Salesian working as a chaplain in Vietnam [during the WW II, but also with a group of orphans]. Instead of getting away to avoid the persecution which certainly led to an eventual death, he chose to stay with his poor boys, under the reason that the persecutors, once discovering him, would let his boys unharmed. He was brought to a river to be killed and thrown into it [1945]. His boys were indeed unharmed afterwards.
- The first native Vietnamese Salesian who died [1974] was a practical trainee on duty. He got drown into the sea during his assistance to the orphan boys on one beach outing.
May these first examplary Salesians intercede for our practical trainees. They spent their life for the poor orphans to their last breath to be examples for all Vietnamese Salesians.
