By VIE SocCom
Xuan Hiep, Vietnam, 24 November 2024 -- The Mission Sector of Vietnam Province organized Salesian Mission Day in Saigon – Dong Nai – Western Region at 8:00 a.m, on 23 November 2024 at the Philip Rinaldi Theological Community, gathering more than 600 participants, including the Provincial, Father Barnaba Le An Phong, Provincial Councillors, Fathers, Brothers SDB, Sisters of the Charity of Jesus, Cooperators, Parents, relatives of Fathers, Brothers, Missionaries ad gentes, lay people and young people from Salesian communities and parishes.
After the opening and blessing by the Provincial, participants watched a video clip on the theme of SMD: “The builders of dialogue” and the 25th anniversary of the first missionary expedition Ad Gentes of the Province. In his address, Father Jerome Nguyen Dinh Cong, Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Vietnam, spoke on “Missionary leadership: a person of the culture of dialogue and the culture of love”. He helped each participant understand that the role of a missionary leader is to lead others to the holy and wise values of God. Secondly, a missionary leader must have a “liberating” vision of the Trinity, have the “opening” capacity of Christ and “initiating” in the Holy Spirit. Finally, he invited the community to change their mindset to be able to lead the mission, to walk together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to have a culture of dialogue and culture of love to develop the role of missionary leadership.
The program continued with songs and dances performed by guest singers along with the accompanying dance group of Pre-novices from the Cau Bong Community, Novices from the Ba Thon Community and the young people from Tam Hai Parish.
The heart of Salesian mission day was the Thanksgiving Mass for the 25th anniversary of the first missionary expedition of the Province. In his homily, Father Barnaba Le An Phong invited the community to become evangelizer through two verbs: “Know” and “Understand”. The evangelizer must first of all "know" Christ, have a close relationship with Him, and at the same time "understand" people, their context, culture, and needs, in order to bring the Good News to them, making their lives peaceful and happy.
Before the end of the Mass, the Provincial Delegate for Missionary Animation on behalf of the Mission Sector and the community to thank the Provincial, Provincial Council, all confreres, and all members of the Salesian Family. Before the final blessing, there was a sending-out ceremony, and after the Mass, everyone enjoyed a buffet, with the enthusiastic service of the music band and singers. Salesian Mission Day was over but each person felt a fire burning in their soul, calling them to go out and proclaim the Good News in their specific vocation and environment.
