Growing day by day with the heart of Don Bosco

By Our Own Correspondent

Naeri, Korea, 4 November 2017 -- The novices are called in many provinces the 'flowers of the Congregation'. Indeed this important year of first experience of Salesian religious life makes a difference in our lives. Within our EAO region there are now being formerd 66 novices: 23 in Vietnam, 15 in Timor Leste, 12 in Indonesia, 7 in the Philippines (the international novitiate in Cebu), 6 in Fiji (international novitiate) and 3 novices in Korea.

The novitiate community of Korea (Naeri, Novice-director Fr. Timothy Choi, former missionary in Papua New Guinea) is assisted by a Socius (Salesian Brother Lawrence Bang) within a dynamic community of four priests, one Salesian Brother and one practical trainee.

Since 2011 the novitiate was transferred from Daejeon (city of 1.8 million) to this seashore rural setting of Naeri, about 200 km from Seoul, easily reached by car in two hours. All resource person - Salesians and lay people are willingly coming here due to the unique natural beautiful environment.

The educative - pastoral mission of Naeri is focused on the Don Bosco retreat center (http://www.pijung.com) that welcomes every year about 9000 young and adult retreatants (from children and youth to the seniors) with growing number of families. Among the different programs shines 'The School of Faith', summer camp in July - August period with more than 1500 high school students coming from 65 parishes for the 3 days faith experience.

The novices are also reaching out to the poor youth of the area (one group home) and witness the starting stage of the first local Center of Salesian Cooperators in Naeri-Tean.

We pray that all of our novices will experience deeply God presence in their life and would be growing day by day with the heart of Don Bosco - Good Shepherd.

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