5867(III)_Annual Seminar on the Spirituality of Saint Francis de Sales

By THA SC

       Hua Hin, Thailand, 14 September 2022 -- The Salesian Province of Thailand (THA) held a seminar with the theme “the Spirituality of Saint Francis de Sales” in two batches, the first batch from September 5 to 7, 2022, and the second batch from September 12 to 14, 2022. The seminar was honored by the presence of Rev. Fr. Wim Collin, SDB, professor of History and Spirituality of Saint Francis de Sales at the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS) in Rome. The event was held at the Salesian Retreat House in Hua Hin, Prachuabkhirikhan Province. The two groups of participants consisted of Salesians, members of the Salesian family, and lay mission partners (the first batch had 85 participants, and the second batch had 88 participants).

       There were nine sessions in total. It began with historical facts and the historical context. Then, Fr. Wim Collin led the participants in an exploration of Saint Francis de Sales’ vocation and ministry as given by God. Francis, a thoughtful man, enjoyed learning not only from academic subjects but also from all of the life experiences and obstacles he encountered. Due to this, he consistently emphasized the beauty of human hearts, which is always associated with God’s love. In addition to these subjects, the professor introduced the participants to the lives and examples of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph from the perspective of Saint Francis de Sales. Additionally, the connection between Saint Francis de Sales and Saint John Bosco was explored.

       This seminar was instrumental in fostering an appreciation for the Salesian charism, which Don Bosco was inspired by and motivated by the love of Saint Francis de Sales. Thank you to Fr Dheparat Pitisiant SDB, the THA provincial who organized everything with the support of the superiors of each group in the Salesian Family.

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