Anniversary of Profession and Ordination of Salesians in CIN
By Mr. Phyllis Tang
Senior Youth Program Coordinator
Hong Kong -- On 16 August 2017, the 202th birthday of our saintly founder Don Bosco, the China Province gathered into one to celebrate the 80th, 70th, 60th, 50th and 25th Anniversary of Profession and Ordination of Salesians and Salesian sisters. And two young Salesian clerics, Leung Po Tak Anthony SDB and So Ming Hong Peter SDB, made their perpetual vows.
The celebration began in the afternoon with a sharing session on the Salesian charism in the Hall of Kowloon Tang King Po School. It aimed to let the members of the Salesian Family share about their ways of living the Salesian charism and to make better known the booklet “The Charter of Charismatics Identity of the Salesian Family”.
The sharing started with an interview with the two clerics who were about to make their perpetual profession conducted by young people. Cl. So Ming Hong Peter SDB was born in a Catholic family. He used to help out in the Parish of Mary Help of Christians, which is located in the campus of Kowloon Tang King Po School, as an altar server. He was very much attracted by the scene that the Salesians gathered and prayed together. One time, when a Salesian treated him for a meal, he was asked about the future plan for his life. The seed of vocation since then began to germinate.
On the other hand, Cl. Leung Po Tak Anthony SDB was baptized when he was studying Form 5 in Kowloon Tang King Po School. He was impressed to see that Salesians approached the young and took care of them with a sincere heart. And he was personally touched by the Salesians when he was encouraged to face challenges with bravery.
Both of the clerics mentioned also the difficulties and downturns in the growth of their faith. Cl. Anthony worked day and night after graduation from school. He rarely attended the church and spent less time with the family. Although he earned a fair amount of income, he was in a low spirit and felt lost. Providentially, a Salesian helped him to regain strength in the Lord and at the same time, he begun to get interested in the missionary vocation. Cl. Peter instead shared his experience on having disagreement with his companion Cl. Anthony in novitiate due to the differences in temperament. Through praying together for the guidance of God, they were able to resolve the problem and get to know each other more.
The second part of the sharing session was conducted by the Salesian Cooperators. They introduced the background of formation and the content of the manual on the identity, mission and animation of Salesian Family. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Don Bosco transformed his charismatic and spiritual experiences into the Salesian Family nowadays. Then, it was followed by a sharing on the Association of Past Pupil – its structure, activities, contributions and vision. At the end, Fr. Matthew Chan SDB, the Salesians Cooperators Provincial Delegate, concluded with a prayer using article 47 in the Common Identity Card.
The Eucharistic celebration was presided by Cardinal Joseph Zen SDB, together with Cardinal John Tong and Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti SDB, the Provincial. In his homily, Fr. Fedrigotti talked about the authority of baptism that Jesus gave to his disciples. This has ensured us that Jesus remains with us always in the proclamation of the gospel. For Salesians, to pursue the goal of evangelization, it requires sacrifices, like marriage and family life, but it turns out that one comes across with another form of family life in the church community. The Provincial also mentioned the experience of Fr. Nicosia SDB, who was celebrating 80th anniversary of religious profession, in gaining permission to make his vows and his mission with the patients of Hansen disease.
After the Holy Communion, the Salesians and different groups of the Salesian Family, namely the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the religious sisters of Announcers of the Lord and the Salesian Cooperators renewed their promises. In the thanksgiving speech by the two newly perpetually professed Clerics, they expressed their gratitude for the support of their parents and family members and the inspiration and guidance of Salesian confreres.
A supper gathering was then held. With the presence of many members of the Salesian Family and young people, the atmosphere was filled with great joy. To close such a memorable day, the Provincial led the crowd to sing a thanksgiving song to our loving Father.
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