By Our Own Correspondent

Torino, May 21 - Five years from the most recent encounter of the Salesian Bishops around the Rector Major (Turin, May 2010) as part of the DB200 official events, some 90 SDB bishops are coming to Turin for 4 days encounter with the tenth successor of Don Bosco. The Rector Major and almost complete general council will meet around the Feast of Mary Help of Christians at Valdocco from May 21-25. Also the Rector major emeritus Fr. Chávez is taking part in this encounter.

There are three sessions with a special topic related to the Salesian bishop life and mission:

• GC27 ‘Witnesses to the radical approach to the Gospel’ (Rector Major)
• Year of consecrated life: Promotion of the consecrated life in the diocese (Card. Ezzati, Chile)
• Formation of priests: Formation of Don Bosco in the Convitto (Fr. Giraudo, UPS)

Among the Salesian life experience sharing were chosen Bishop Ruvezi (RD Congo-Africa), Archbishop Dominic Jala (India-Asia) and Bishop Luc Van Looy (Belgium-Europe).

From the EAO region are present at the gathering eleven bishops:

• BUZON Patricio, Philippines (Kabankalan) bishop
• CANTILLAS Precioso, Philippines (Maasin) bishop
• CAPELLI Luciano, Solomon Islands (Gizo) bishop
• COSTELLOE Timothy, Australia (Perth) archbishop
• HON TAI FAI Savio Vatican-Congregation for the Evangelizaiton of Peoples, Hong Kong-China, archbishop
• MAUNG BO Charle, Myanmar (Yangon) archbishop, cardinal
• NGUYEN VAN DE Pierre, Vietnam (Thai Binh) bishop
• PANFILO Francesco, Papua New Guinea (Rabaul) archbishop
• PRATHAN SRIDARUNSIL Joseph, Thailand (Surrathani) bishop
• VAN LOOY Luc, Belgium (Gent) bishop
• ZEN Joseph, Hong Kong China (emeritus) cardinal

For the reasons of health or others 3 are absent:

• MIZOBE Francesco Xavier Osamu, Japan (Takamatsu) bishop emeritus
• DRONA Leo, Philippines (San Pedro) bishop emeritus
• Ximenes Carlo Belo, East Timor, bishop

On the occasion of the Bicentenary of Don Bosco and exposition of the Holy Shroud in the Cathedral of Turin, there will be a Eucharist (May 22) in the ‘Duomo’, meditation about the holiness of Don Bosco (Fr. Cameroni) and Eucharistic celebration in the Basilica of Don Bosco at Colle Don Bosco, presided by Myanmar Cardinal Charles Bo (May 23) as well the celebrations at the City Theatre Hall of Turin. The whole gathering is concluded at the Pentecost Sunday with the traditional 3 kilometer long procession with the statue of Mary Help of Christian (May 24, 20:30).