austraLasia #3118
China Province celebrates profession, jubilees
HONG KONG 18 August 2012 -- 16 August is an occasion for various Salesian Family Celebrations for China Province. This year they celebrated jubilees of several SDB’s FMA’s and SAL’s, and the perpetual profession of Brother Carlos Cheung, clerical student at Salesian House of Studies. A special prayer meeting was held the night before to pray for Carlos.
The Profession Mass was celebrated by Cardinal John Tong, concelebrated by Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, new Provincial of China Province and Fr. Francis Hung, the Rector at SHS. During the Mass, Carlos made his perpetual profession witnessed by confreres, Salesian Family members and his parents and relatives. Carlos then thanked his parents for giving him the best in his life including faith. He thanked his younger sister for taking care of his parents when he entered the aspirantate in Form 3.
Cardinal John Tong, in his sermon, said it was difficult to choose the path of a vocation to holiness in this world, with its many distractions. It was especially difficult to observe the three vows. Poverty is to trust God wholeheartedly and to share one’s spirituality and talents happily with others. Celibacy is to open one’s heart completely to God, allowing the abundant love of Christ to enter. This was a transformation of personal affection/love to the love of others and letting God’s kingdom come into one's life. Obedience was to unite with one’s superior so as to build the kingdom of God.
A pilgrimage group has just returned from Italy after 13 days of pilgrimage. A sharing session was held before the Eucharistic celebration to share experiences. Fr. Fedrigotti told us that Don Bosco’s greatest characteristic is faith. Abraham is our father in faith, Our Lady is the mother of faith and Don Bosco is our brother of faith. He said that all of us should be full of faith and offer to God our weaknesses, and allow God to utilize our weaknesses for his work.
Fr. Simon Lam, as the leader of the pilgrimage group, proposed calling the pilgrimage “Finding our roots”. We should know, acknowledge and cherish the roots of the church and the Salesian Society. The pilgrims discovered that the statue of Don Bosco in St. Peter’s Basilica is above the statue of St. Peter.
Another impressive moment for the pilgrims was the visit to St. Luis Versiglia’s home town. The village elders felt very blessed and happy as their faith was strengthened by the visit of Chinese pilgrims. A seed from his home town was planted in China 100 years ago. And now, the fruits were back to the home town to celebrate God's graces.
Although a typhoon was approaching Hong Kong, many Salesian Family members joined the tea reception and banquet afterwards. The joyful atmosphere and performance were not affected that night.
China Province celebrates profession, jubilees
HONG KONG 18 August 2012 -- 16 August is an occasion for various Salesian Family Celebrations for China Province. This year they celebrated jubilees of several SDB’s FMA’s and SAL’s, and the perpetual profession of Brother Carlos Cheung, clerical student at Salesian House of Studies. A special prayer meeting was held the night before to pray for Carlos.
The Profession Mass was celebrated by Cardinal John Tong, concelebrated by Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, new Provincial of China Province and Fr. Francis Hung, the Rector at SHS. During the Mass, Carlos made his perpetual profession witnessed by confreres, Salesian Family members and his parents and relatives. Carlos then thanked his parents for giving him the best in his life including faith. He thanked his younger sister for taking care of his parents when he entered the aspirantate in Form 3.
Cardinal John Tong, in his sermon, said it was difficult to choose the path of a vocation to holiness in this world, with its many distractions. It was especially difficult to observe the three vows. Poverty is to trust God wholeheartedly and to share one’s spirituality and talents happily with others. Celibacy is to open one’s heart completely to God, allowing the abundant love of Christ to enter. This was a transformation of personal affection/love to the love of others and letting God’s kingdom come into one's life. Obedience was to unite with one’s superior so as to build the kingdom of God.
A pilgrimage group has just returned from Italy after 13 days of pilgrimage. A sharing session was held before the Eucharistic celebration to share experiences. Fr. Fedrigotti told us that Don Bosco’s greatest characteristic is faith. Abraham is our father in faith, Our Lady is the mother of faith and Don Bosco is our brother of faith. He said that all of us should be full of faith and offer to God our weaknesses, and allow God to utilize our weaknesses for his work.
Fr. Simon Lam, as the leader of the pilgrimage group, proposed calling the pilgrimage “Finding our roots”. We should know, acknowledge and cherish the roots of the church and the Salesian Society. The pilgrims discovered that the statue of Don Bosco in St. Peter’s Basilica is above the statue of St. Peter.
Another impressive moment for the pilgrims was the visit to St. Luis Versiglia’s home town. The village elders felt very blessed and happy as their faith was strengthened by the visit of Chinese pilgrims. A seed from his home town was planted in China 100 years ago. And now, the fruits were back to the home town to celebrate God's graces.
Although a typhoon was approaching Hong Kong, many Salesian Family members joined the tea reception and banquet afterwards. The joyful atmosphere and performance were not affected that night.
