By Fr. Peter Chinh, SDB

Saigon, Vietnam - At 3:00 of Saturday afternoon May 30th 2015, more than 1.400 young people from Salesian works in Saigon (South of Vietnam) came to Don Bosco Ben Cat community for a youth gathering to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Don Bosco’s birth.

Present at the youth gathering were Fr. Joseph Nguyen Van Quang, the new provincial of St. John Bosco province of Vietnam, Fr. Joseph Nguyen Van Chu, Dean of Go Vap Deanery, the rectors, the priests and the confreres of the salesian communities in Saigon, the sisters of some congregations and the young people from 18 salesian and diocesan parishes and from the salesian works.

The theme of the gathering was the theme of Strenna 2015: "Like Don Bosco, with the young and for the young." At the entrance of Don Bosco Ben Cat, the young can see a big banner with Don Bosco’s words: “It is enough for you to be young for me to love you very much”. Putting on the uniform of the festival and wearing the birthday hats, they really enjoyed the warmly and friendly atmosphere of the anniversary celebrations.

The first part of the gathering was animated by Fr. FX. Nguyen Minh Thieu SDB. All the young sang together the new Vietnamese songs of the bicentenary of Don Bosco’s birth which were composed by some young vietnamese salesians and then danced together.

At 4:00 PM, Fr. Joseph Vu Đuc Nghia, rector of Can Gio community, talked about Don Bosco to the young for 30 mimutes. He encouraged them to imitate Don Bosco by committing themselves to the good and by being the apostles among their friends.

After the break of 15 minutes was the procession of honouring St. John Bosco from the football ground to the platform where the Mass was presided by the provincial Joseph Nguyen Van Quang and 21 priests concelebrated. In the homily, Fr. Joseph talked to the young 3 important points: (1) Don Bosco loved them to such an extend that he gave them his life totally. He loved them with God’s love; (2) Don Bosco loved them and tried his best to help them having the happiness in God; (3) So, they should try to live holy lives by fufilling their daily duties like Dominic Savio. The provincial also reminded the salesians to be like Don Bosco in loving and serving the young.

At the end of the mass, the provincial and the concelebrants moved to the football ground where the big birthday cake of the bicentenary of Don Bosco’s birth was cut. The light dinner was also served to all youth groups.

The last part of the gathering was the musical performance of all youth groups. All turns focused on Don Bosco’s life and the close relationship between Don Bosco and Mary Help of Christians. Some catholic singers were also invited to come and to sing with the young.

At 9:30 PM, the gathering ended. All youth groups really enjoyed the festive atmostphere and wanted to bear witness to the joy of the Gospel when they returned home.