Cause of Beatification and Canonization of Fr. Andrej Majcen,
Servant of God
By Fr. Alojzij Snoj, SDB
Vice-postulator of the Cause
Rakovnik - Ljubljana, Slovenia, 28 September 2019 -- Friday 27 September, the Salesian Family of Slovenia with many distinguished SDB guests from Vietnam and from Rome celebrated the closure of the diocesan inquiry in the process of canonization of the Servant of God, Fr. Andrej Majcen (1904-1999) - Don Bosco of Vietnam. The 3 day program includes rich content and nurtures the missionary spirit in both provinces related to the Servant of God.
Among those present was the SDB Postulator General, Fr. Pier Luigi Cameroni, the Viceprovincial of Vietnam-Mongolia province Fr. Joseph Am, the Salesian Bishop of Thai Binh (Vietnam) Mons. Peter De and about 50 participants, mainly from Slovenia.
Fr. Cameroni highlighted the missionary spirituality profile of the 'Patriarch of the Vietnamese Salesians' with the 6000 pages of his 'spiritual journals' and many testimonials gathered during the diocesan process. The Archbishop of Ljubljana, Stanislav Zore, strongly encouraged the whole Salesian Family of Slovenia to 'disturb God through the intercession of Fr Andrej Majcen' asking the necessary graces in the daily life and mission.
The celebration continues on Sunday September 29th, with the Slovenia Salesian Family Day
- 09.30 Welcome: Majcnova hiša - The House of Majcen
- 10.00 Talks: Fr Pierluigi Cameroni SDB (Postulator General)
- Sr. Brigita Zelič, FMA (former provincial)
- Dr Lodovica Zanet (member of the SDB Postulation office)
- 12.00 Lunch: Majcen House
- 13.30 Visit to the tomb of the Servant of God at Ljubljana Central cemetery
- 14.30 Documentary on the Life of Fr Andrej Majcen: Shrine of Mary Help of Christians, Rakovnik
- 15.00 Solemn Eucharist: Presided by Archbishop of Ljubljana, Stanislav Zore
The servant of God, Fr. Andrej Majcen - Don Bosco of Vietnam, was a role model for his novices, including the present Vietnam-Mongolia provincial, Fr. Joseph Quang and many Salesians of the first generations.Fr. Majcen was also a good communicator in many languages. In the missionary museum in Ljubljana we find his letters in Chinese, Vietnamese, Slovenian, English and Italian. He might be a good patron of the EAO translators. His departure for heaven matches with 30 September - the International Translation Day (UN) and Feast of St. Jerome. His simple biography is available on Boscolink.
Related news articles:
- AustraLasia 2724: Vietnam celebrates 11th anniversary of Fr. Majcen's death (2010)
- AustraLasia 5072 (I) Gratitude to the missionaries who worked in Vietnam is the strongest motivation today
- AustraLasia 2723: Vietnam and Slovenia rejoice on the opening of diocesan process
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(ANS - Ljubljana Rakovnik) September 29
"We conclude the diocesan process for the Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God Fr Andrej Majcen", with these words Msgr. Stanislav Zore, archbishop of Ljubljana, closed the diocesan inquiry into the cause of beatification and canonization of the Servant of God Andrea Majcen in the parish hall of Ljubljana Rakovnik on Friday 27 September. Then he urged: "Do not give peace to God! Go to Him through the intercession of Father Majcen, ask and seek God's help!"
Many were the guests and participants in the concluding session: the members of the diocesan tribunal and the historical commission; confreres from Vietnam with the bishop mons. Peter Nguyen Van De and the provincial vicar John Nguyen Van Am; the Postulator General, Fr Pierluigi Cameroni, the collaborator Dr Lodovica Zanet; the vice-postulator Fr Alojzij Snoj; Slovenian Salesians with the Provincial Fr Marko Košnik; the FMA sisters with the Provincial Sr. Mojca Šimenc and members of the Salesian Family; benefactors and faithful of Rakovnik.
In Rakovnik on Sunday 29 September there was a meeting of the Salesian Family to deepen the testimony of the Servant of God: Fr Cameroni presented Fr Majcen through four significant dates of his life: birth, baptism, priestly ordination and delivery of the missionary crucifix. Dr. Zanet presented various aspects of the numerous writings of Fr Majcen: the spiritual diaries, where one sees the attentive care for one's spiritual life, and the writings of the memories requested by the superiors. Sister Brigita Zelič, FMA, brought her personal testimony of the meeting with Fr Majcen and of the benefit received thanks to his intercession.
In the afternoon the solemn Eucharist was held in the shrine of Mary Help of Christians on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the death of Servant of God Fr Andrej Majcen, with the public conclusion of the diocesan inquiry chaired by the Archbishop of Ljubljana Msgr. Stanislav Zore, with the presence of numerous priests. The liturgical celebration with the many ministers and the choir composed by the members of the parishes of Rakovnik and Kodeljevo was highly choreographed and evocative.
In the homily, the Archbishop underlined the relationship of Fr Majcen with Mary Help of Christians. As a young man he exclaimed: "Mary Help of Christians, pray for us!"; and at the end of his life he thanked her: "Mary Help of Christians, thank you for everything!" She also recalled the thought of Fr Majcen: "I ask the Good Shepherd to be a good sacristan of the hearts of my Salesian confreres". The Archbishop wished that today's Salesians let themselves be guided by the witness of Fr Majcen and to be, like him, signs of the paternity of God with a heart full of compassion and mercy.
The substantial documentation consisting of 8,000 pages of documents in the Slovenian language and as many in the Italian translation will be forwarded to Rome at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.