Implementing a radical
Gospel approach, reshaping the presences in the Province, and revising the
Provincial Directory – these were the three big tasks of the 25th
Provincial Chapter of the Salesians of Don Bosco, which was held in the
Salesian Retreat House on Cheung Chau Island from Easter Monday 28 March until
Easter Saturday April 2.
After a year-long
preparation process, the Provincial Chapter has given answers to the present
day challenges of the Salesian Congregation in Hong Kong,
Taiwan and Macao. The first challenge was to implement
the guidelines of the General Chapter 27 (Rome Feb-Apr 2014), which require a
renewed radicality in living and proclaiming the Gospel. Consequently, the
Chapter pointed out a threefold way of conversion: the primacy of God, the
fraternal community, and humble service to the young, especially the poorest.
The second challenge of the Chapter was the task to reshape the presences in
the Province. In this regard, the Chapter made three fundamental options:
first, do everything possible to deepen the conversion of the confreres;
second, set up communities that have a sufficient number of confreres and can
guarantee apostolic quality; third, give special attention to the 10% neediest
youth in and outside the Salesian works. Finally, the third big challenge was
to revise the Provincial Directory from 2007. The newly revised version
concretizes practical ways of the Salesian mission today.
Among other things, the
Chapter voted for a stronger cooperation with and participation of lay mission
partners, and for providing the respective formation programs for/with them. As
a matter of fact, the Salesian mission for the young and the glory of God has
to be shared by the different groups and lay mission partners of the Don Bosco
Family! The Don Bosco Family in the Province comprises Salesians of Don Bosco,
Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Salesians Cooperators, Past Pupils of Don
Bosco, Sisters Announcers of the Lord, the sodalists of the Mary Help of
Christians Association, and others.
Several guests were invited
during the Chapter. They enlightened and inspired the Chapter members through
their sharing. Invited were Salesian confreres from the Province, our
missionary in Mongolia
Fr. Paul Leung Kon Chiu, Salesians Cooperators, Past Pupils of Don Bosco, Fr.
Stephen Tong of the Society of Jesus, and Cardinal Joseph Zen. The latter
pointed out that there are a lot of problems in the Congregation and the
Church, but he encouraged us to cultivate a strong sense of belonging and joy,
because: the Congregation was founded by a holy man – St. John Bosco – through
the initiative of the Holy Spirit. And it is the Lord Jesus and his sanctity
that makes every renewal and conversion possible, and guarantee a life in
abundance!
FOR THE SUNDAY EXAMINER, HONG KONG
Salesians of Don Bosco - Provincial Chapter 2016
By a Salesian of Don Bosco
Implementing a radical Gospel approach, reshaping the presences in the Province, and revising the Provincial Directory – these were the three big tasks of the 25th Provincial Chapter of the Salesians of Don Bosco, which was held in the Salesian Retreat House on Cheung Chau Island from Easter Monday 28 March until Easter Saturday April 2.
After a year-long preparation process, the Provincial Chapter has given answers to the present day challenges of the Salesian Congregation in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao. The first challenge was to implement the guidelines of the General Chapter 27 (Rome Feb-Apr 2014), which require a renewed radicality in living and proclaiming the Gospel. Consequently, the Chapter pointed out a threefold way of conversion: the primacy of God, the fraternal community, and humble service to the young, especially the poorest. The second challenge of the Chapter was the task to reshape the presences in the Province. In this regard, the Chapter made three fundamental options: first, do everything possible to deepen the conversion of the confreres; second, set up communities that have a sufficient number of confreres and can guarantee apostolic quality; third, give special attention to the 10% neediest youth in and outside the Salesian works. Finally, the third big challenge was to revise the Provincial Directory from 2007. The newly revised version concretizes practical ways of the Salesian mission today.
Among other things, the Chapter voted for a stronger cooperation with and participation of lay mission partners, and for providing the respective formation programs for/with them. As a matter of fact, the Salesian mission for the young and the glory of God has to be shared by the different groups and lay mission partners of the Don Bosco Family! The Don Bosco Family in the Province comprises Salesians of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Salesians Cooperators, Past Pupils of Don Bosco, Sisters Announcers of the Lord, the sodalists of the Mary Help of Christians Association, and others.
Several guests were invited during the Chapter. They enlightened and inspired the Chapter members through their sharing. Invited were Salesian confreres from the Province, our missionary in Mongolia Fr. Paul Leung Kon Chiu, Salesians Cooperators, Past Pupils of Don Bosco, Fr. Stephen Tong of the Society of Jesus, and Cardinal Joseph Zen. The latter pointed out that there are a lot of problems in the Congregation and the Church, but he encouraged us to cultivate a strong sense of belonging and joy, because: the Congregation was founded by a holy man – St. John Bosco – through the initiative of the Holy Spirit. And it is the Lord Jesus and his sanctity that makes every renewal and conversion possible, and guarantee a life in abundance!