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ALA_5491

Hsipaw, Northern Shan State Myanmar, 23 October 2020 -- We would like to share some news from our Salesian Aspirantate - Prenovitiate Community, Hsipaw (diocese of Lashio) Myanmar. This school year we have 4 priests, one deacon and one Salesian to be ordained as a deacon, one practical trainee and 12 aspirants - prenovices. The aspirants - prenovices hail from different parts of the country, and belong to different dioceses and tribes. Half of them are from Salesian settings and half are from non-Salesian backgrounds. Their ages are between 18 and 25. Only two of them are College graduates and the rest are still doing their College studies. There are some 10 other candidates who want to join us this year, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions we are not able to accept them yet. We will try our best to welcome them as soon as possible.

Two of our candidates share their vocation motivation and background:

"First contact with the Salesians was on the occasion of the National Youth Congress held at Nazareth, Salesian premises in Anisakan, and seeing the Salesians so active, dynamic, systematic, enthusiastic in animating thousands of young people attracted me and motivated me to become a Salesian. I'm here with the Salesian community to discern my vocation, to learn more about Don Bosco and Salesian consecrated life. My dream is to share what I am and what gifts I have with the young especially with the poorer ones." (John Joseph, 25 years, College graduate from Mawlamyaing diocese a non-Salesian parish)

"I come from Man Pan village with 67 Catholic families, Don Bosco - Salesian parish, 15 miles away from Hsipaw and whenever the priests and nuns go to my village, my grandparents and parents have been taking care of food and lodging for several years. Since my childhood onwards I have been in contact with the Salesians which attracted and motivated me to become like Salesians, especially with their joyful, simple and approachable manners. My dream is to uplift the integral development of the poor youth like Don Bosco." (David, 18 years, College student, Lisu tribe, Hsipaw parish)

Hsipaw (or Thibaw) is a small town on the way to Lashio (center of our diocese), where we are entrusted with a large parish spread around many villages around, with a boarding house for school students and the initial formation house of aspirants - prenovices.

We invite all AustraLasia readers to pray for the formators and candidates to Salesian consecrated life in Myanmar!