austraLasia

?

Shortcut

PrevPrev Article

NextNext Article

Larger Font Smaller Font Up Down Go comment Print Attachment

20190815_CIN.jpg


By Fr Savio Yeung, SDB


Coloane - Macau, China, 14 August 2019 -- In 1906, Macau became the first territory within the EAO region where the Salesians of Don Bosco arrived with the first missionary expedition led by Saint Louis Versiglia. So the 'Mother House' of the Instituto Salesiano also becomes also the Mother house of the entire EAO region, now stretching across 23 countries - territories.


But at the 'far end' of Macau (Coloane island) the Salesian work spread thanks to one lively Italian missionary from Sicily, Fr Gaetano Nicosia. He was given permission from the superiors to live and work in the Hansens disease patients village, and over the long years of his presence in this place, Salesian work expanded in a marvellous way up to the present complex of the Don Bosco Youth Centre, Residential care for youth in need, Louis Versiglia school, public chapel and an SDB and FMA community.


The 10th successor of Don Bosco, Fr. Ángel, paid a visit to Coloane Chapel in Macau, built by Fr. Nicosia. The visit took place during the morning of 12 August 2019. Fr Nicosia is buried at Macau cemetery near Yuet Wah College, and his memory is very much alive among his former students, disciples, lay mission partners and especially among his fellow Salesians. He is loved by many. Cardinal Joseph Zen brought him to Rome on the occasion of this 100th birthday for a general audience to meet Pope Francis.


The visit of an hour, with minutes spent in Coloane chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows, was a time of prayer, guided visit and shared reflection, while walking around the complex. People ask the Rector Major what this humble place means for the Salesian charism in China province - which became a DNA for the lively and dynamic growth of the Salesian charism even beyond Macau. The legacy of Fr Nicosia is really very rich and not easy to grasp immediately:

  • Preferential love for poor people and youth in need: from the small, restricted access area of the Hansens disease patients in Coloane over the years, came the present Salesian site of Coloane with its Don Bosco Youth Center, Residential Services, EDLV (Escuela Dom Luis Versiglia) for Macau's youth in need). Although these works developed gradually, the youth who need Don Bosco are always at the centre of attention.
  • His tireless and passionate mission for the poorest is deeply rooted in his deep mysticism of 'Da mihi animas, cetera tolle' expressed especially in his strong love for Jesus in the Eucharist and his devotion to Mary, Help of Christians.
  • Volunteers of Don Bosco: the first ever VDB group in Asia came precisely from among the Hansen Disease women, who became the first professed VDB in China and within the whole Region.
  • A tireless story teller of his vocation and mission, strong vocations promoter and a living Salesian model for many. A few years ago one lay group even produced a short movie about 'The Angel of the Hansenians' (link)
  • Missionary zeal, sharing the Gospel, empowered him to be 'never afraid' of any external limitations from his surroundings, or legal restrictions. Fr Gaetano was always focused on the needs of other persons, on their 'soul'.

At the end of this Coloane visit to places that Fr. Nicosia had occupied, his room, his chapel and the small village, the Rector Major asked the Salesians to collect testimonials about Fr. Nicosia in view of a possible process of beatification, which can be officially opened once 5 years after his death have arrived (2017-2022). There is not much that this holy Salesian put into writing, since he 'spoke' more through his deeds of Christian charity.


Related news article




20190815_CIN1.jpg


20190815_CIN2.jpg


20190815_CIN3.jpg


20190815_CIN4.jpg


20190815_CIN5.jpg


20190815_CIN6.jpg


20190815_CIN7.jpg


Attach

Drag and drop your files here, or Click attach files button.

Maximum File Size : 0MB (Allowed extentsions : *.*)

0 file(s) attached ( / )

  1. 5446(IV)_First Native Vocation in Taiwan Perpetually Professed

    ALA_5446 Salesian Brother Paul Giligiliaw Tamauwlul By Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, SDB Taipei, Taiwan, 16 August 2020 -- Today, 16 August 2020, was a golden letter day for the Salesian Family in Taiwan. In the afternoon, the Saint John Bos...
    Date2020.08.17 CategoryCIN Reply3 Views865 file
    Read More
  2. 5445(I)_Annual Retreat 2020 for Hong Kong - Macau SDBs

    ALA_5445 By CIN provincial secretary Hong Kong, China, 13 August 2020 -- Between August 2 - 8, 2020, some forty Salesians of China Province held the second batch of annual retreat with the theme of GC28: "What Kind of Salesians for the You...
    Date2020.08.16 CategoryCIN Reply0 Views460 file
    Read More
  3. 5441(I)_Farewell to Fr. John Ma - one of the Taiwan pioneers

    ALA_5441 First Rector in Taiwan (1926-2020) By Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti Taipei, Taiwan, 9 August 2020 -- At about 14:00 hours on Friday, 07 August 2020, the Good Lord has called to himself our beloved 93-year-old Fr John Ma Yeong Ding (192...
    Date2020.08.10 CategoryCIN Reply0 Views765 file
    Read More
  4. 5434(II)_When we serve, we become like Jesus!

    ALA_5434 First profession of two Salesians in Hong Kong By Cl. Andrew Chan and Cl. Thomas Li Newly professed Salesians Salesian Missionary House, Hong Kong, China, 30 July 2020 -- The 12 novices for 2020-2021 in Lawaan - Cebu (FIS), Novice...
    Date2020.07.30 CategoryCIN Reply0 Views755 file
    Read More
  5. 5415(III)_Ordination of Anthony Pun Ming Chi

    ALA_5415 By Ms. Phyllis Tang Hong Kong, 7 July 2020 -- Last Saturday, July 4, Deacon Anthony Pun Ming Chi was ordained priest in St Anthony’s Church, where he had been baptized, confirmed and served as an altar boy during his childhood and...
    Date2020.07.07 CategoryCIN Reply0 Views584 file
    Read More
  6. 5414_Statistics on Religions and Churches in China

    ALA_5414 Upcoming feast of 120 Holy Chinese Martyrs By our own correspondent Rome, 3 July 2020 -- The liturgical feast of China's Catholic Martyrs (July 9) - St. Augustin Zhao and Companions - is coming soon. We celebrate the 120 Catholic ...
    Date2020.07.05 CategoryCIN Reply0 Views969 file
    Read More
  7. 5403_Macau Bosco Youth Service Network Annual report 2019

    ALA_5403 By Ms Jacqueline Leung Bosco Youth Service Network, Macau, China, 18 June 2020 -- As is the case every year, this June 2020 too, the Bosco Youth Service Network has released its 2019 Annual Report (download: Boscolink). Almost one...
    Date2020.06.18 CategoryCIN Reply0 Views615 file
    Read More
  8. 5400(II)_Macau, Instituto Salesiano starts rebuilding (2020-2024)

    ALA_5400 By Fr. Joseph Hung Instituto Salesiano, Macau, 14 June 2020 -- Founded in 1906, the first Salesian work in South China, the Instituto Salesiano, Macau (a primary and secondary school) is undergoing an extension construction projec...
    Date2020.06.15 CategoryCIN Reply0 Views1234 file
    Read More
  9. 5397(IV)_Miss Audrey Donnithorne, Extraordinary Laywoman, Salesian Parishioner, Lover of Don Bosco, R.I.P.

    ALA_5397 By Fr. Lanfranco M. Fedrigotti, SDB Hong Kong, 9 June 2020 -- Miss Audrey Donnithorne died today, 9 June 2020, in Hong Kong, aged 97. She was born in 1922 in Sichuan Province (China) of a missionary couple of the Anglican Church M...
    Date2020.06.10 CategoryCIN Reply2 Views1177 file
    Read More
  10. 5387(II)_Interview with Archbishop emeritus of Taipei, Joseph Ti Kang, ASC

    ALA_5387 By Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, SDB Taipei – Saint John Bosco Parish, 26 May 2020 -- On the Feastday of Mary Help of Christians (24 May 2020) Archbishop Joseph Ti-Kang, emeritus of Taipei (92 years old, Archbishop of Taipei: 1989-200...
    Date2020.05.26 CategoryCIN Reply1 Views1350 file
    Read More
List
Board Pagination Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 24 Next
/ 24