Written by KOR SocCom

Daejeon, Korea, 9 January 2025 -- On 3 January 2005, a flower that skipped a year bloomed at the Jungnim-dong Novitiate. Two new novices start their Salesian life through the acceptance ceremony. The protagonists of the day were Francis Park and Francis Kim, who began their holy journey to embody the life of Jesus Christ in accordance with the spirit of St John Bosco. On this day, the acceptance ceremony was attended by 20 Salesians who were completing their annual retreat at the Salesian Education and Pastoral Center, and they congratulated the new Salesians on their new faith journey and prayed together for them to become good Salesians.

At the acceptance ceremony, Father Marcello Baek, the provincial, explained the essence of discipleship using three nouns: “abandonment,” “departure,” and “following,” and emphasized, “You cannot truly follow Jesus without completely abandoning what you own.” He advised them to keep in mind that the novitiate is a time to learn and practise and that they must empty even the smallest lingering attachment in their hearts as they have boldly shaken off worldly achievements and comforts and entered the path of a religious.

In particular, the provincial said, “The novitiate is a time of emptying, not filling, just as a sculptor carves out unnecessary parts to reveal the true shape, and a metalworker heats iron to make it pure steel. And the novitiate will help you to become a true Salesian religious. So the novitiate can be compared to an artist's workshop, where you will be well-polished by the hand of God.” He explained the meaning of the novitiate by comparing it to the work of an artist.

They also expressed their determination to devote themselves to their novitiate. “I feel that I am gradually beginning to take on the scent of a religious, Through this novitiate, I hope to savor that aroma even more deeply.” said Francis Park in a humble confession, while Francis Kim expressed his determination to ”meet the Lord who lives and breathes within me through the novitiate and gain the strength to live out the three vows fully.”

Fr Felix, the novice master who has been able to escape unemployment (!) on this acceptance ceremony, promised to faithfully accompany the two novices on their journey, saying, “I will walk with you, helping you to mature in your novitiate with pure passion for God as your only goal.”

The novitiate, the flower of the religious congregation! Although they begin with new resolutions and commitments, it is a journey that will not be smooth because they will have to face many obstacles and emptiness. We pray that the holy journey that has just begun will bear abundant spiritual fruit as we expect them to grow into faithful disciples of Christ and true Salesians with the grace of God and the support of the community.

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