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2024 Centenary of EAO Initial Formation of Salesians (with a meaningful 60th anniversary)

By CIN SocCom

China Province, 30 January 2025 -- One hundred and one years ago, on 06 January 1924, the first 8 missionary Salesian "ascritti" (the pre-novices of that time) from abroad arrive in Macau with the 9th Expedition of Missionaries to China (15 missionaries in all). In Macau, they join the first three local Chinese "ascritti" of the newly-born Salesian Vice-Province of China. Vice-Provincial veteran missionary Fr. Ignaz Canazei brings them all to Shiuchow, the Apostolic Vicariate of Bishop Luigi Versiglia. Thanks to the painstaking historical work of veteran missionary Fr. Mario Rassiga in his "Breve cenno storico sull'opera salesiana in Cina", we can know something about this first EAO Novitiate.

On 29 January 1924 Feast of St. Francis de Sales, the Vice-Provincial inaugurated the Novitiate in Hosai, Shiuchow. The First Master of Novices (first in China and East Asia) was Fr. Bassano Lareno-Faccini (he would be murdered as a 55-year-old on 19-05-1945 in Shiuchow while doing his pastoral work). His Socius was Sc. Alessandro Terpin. Bishop Luigi Versiglia would lend a helping hand as Extraordinary Confessor of the novices. The first 11 novices (first in China and East Asia) included 5 Brothers and 6 Scholastics: Of the five Brothers, three were Chinese, one was Portuguese, and one was Italian. The six Scholastics were all Italian.

The three Chinese Brothers were: Michele Leung Kai Man (professed, but on 08-09-1933 did not make his perpetual profession and left), Carlo Li Tseuk Piu (professed, but did not persevere), Simone Tse Ping Yuen (a.k.a. Tse Wong Sam) professed and so he was the first local Salesian of Don Bosco in China and EAO, who persevered till his tragic death; he would die on 11 January 1926 together with the three aspirants whom he was accompanying to Shanghai when the ship on which they were traveling sank just at the mouth of the Shanghai harbor; the one Portuguese Brother was Federico Regna (†04-10-1995 in Portugal) and the one Italian Brother was Giuseppe Borri (†07-03-1966 Italy).

The six Italian Scholastics were: Natale Avalle (†23-11-1974 Italy), Clemente Benato (†06-12-1959 Italy ), Guglielmo Bertoldi (who did not finish the novitiate), Mario Calvi (†20-03-1972 Italy ), Anselmo Fornato (who did not finish the novitiate), and Pietro Pomati (†27-03-1994 Hong Kong).

The Chronicle of the Novitiate tells us that in April the Vice-Provincial visited the Novitiate and held the first Quarterly Scrutiny. From 25 May to 1 June 1924, the novices had Annual Spiritual Exercises organized as follows: for Italian-speaking novices, Meditations preached by Fr. Galdino Bardelli, Instructions preached by Fr. Carlo Braga; for Chinese-speaking novices, Meditations and Instructions preached by Vice-Provincial Fr. Ignaz Canazei.

On 25-26 June the Provincial Council held its second meeting to discuss matters related to the Novitiate; among other things, it decreed that the novices, at lunch, be given a little cup of grape wine (Fr. Mario Rassiga comments: "Oh! The great tenderness of our ancient Superiors!")

In the summer of 1924, there was great political turmoil in Shiuchow, to the point that the Provincial Council began considering the transfer of the Novitiate from Shiuchow to Macau. The turmoil is instigated by Soviet Russia's agitators (Borodin and Joffre), advisors to the Chinese Republican Army. Thus, SDB's initial formation in China coincided with China's initial formation in Communism. "Soviet Russia's Borodin and Joffre", writes Fr. Mario Rassiga, "under cover of legitimate nationalism, smuggled Communism into China".

On 10 November 1924, with the 11th Missionary Expedition to China (13 missionaries in all, including Sc. Callisto Caravario), 8 new "ascritti" of different nationalities arrived in Macau. They were: Michele Arduino (future Bishop of Shiuchow, †18-06-1972 in Italy), Luigi Bongiovanni (who would not finish the novitiate), Adalberto Janega (who would not finish the novitiate), Carlo Koditek (who would not finish the novitiate), Pietro Mussi (who would profess, but not persevere), Mario Rassiga (the historian mentioned above, †02-01-1999 in Hong Kong), Michele Suppo (†13-11-1972 in Hong Kong), and Giuseppe Valko (who, though admitted to profession, just before profession was encouraged not to profess his vows and to return home).

On 11 November 1924, notwithstanding the turmoil, the 8 new "ascritti" went to Shiuchow accompanied by Fr. Ignaz Canazei and Fr. Carlo Braga. On 23 November 1924 novices Bertoldi and Fornato returned to Italy. The Chronicle records the comment of Vice-Provincial Fr. Ignaz Canazei: "These are painful things (and costly!), but, unfortunately, necessary".

On 07 December 1924 the second year of Novitiate began with the 8 newly arrived. They would profess on 08 December 1925. This tradition of beginning the Novitiate on the Vigil of the Immaculate and of professing on the following year's Feast of the Immaculate was kept in CIN for many years (until 16 August became the normal day of profession).

On 11 December 1924, the Provincial Council admitted all remaining novices of the first batch (3 Chinese and 6 non-Chinese) to the profession of temporary vows. On 7 January 192,5 the second batch of novices began their Novitiate. From 20 to 29 January 1925 the required 10-day Spiritual Exercises (8 full days of retreat, plus day of beginning and day of conclusion) were made involving the novices of both the first and the second batch.

The Chronicle of the CIN Mother House records for us the day of the first profession of Salesians of Don Bosco in China and EAO: "On 29 January, our Patron Feast [of St. Francis de Sales], with the intervention of Don Bosco College of Shiuchow and of Salesian Sisters, there took place with great solemnity the rite of religious profession of 5 Italian Scholastics and 3 Chinese Brothers. It was the first time that Salesians, who had done their Novitiate in China, made their profession. What made, and forever will make, memorable this day is the fact that for the first time 3 Chinese novices, by professing [as Brothers] the Holy Vows, joined our Congregation. They are: LEUNG Kai Man [...], from Pok Wan in Heung Shan [...]; LI Tseuk Piu, from Siu Lam (Heung Shan) and already for several years printer-apprentice in the Orfanato [CIN Mother House in Macau]; TSE Ping Yuen [...], from Seui Hang, near Shiu Hing, already cobbler-apprentice in the Orfanato of Macau. The Scholastics who professed are: Avalle - Benato - Calvi - Pomati - Regna. The Scholastic Borri, having lost 27 days in hospital, could not make his profession with the others [he will make it on 24 February 1925]. The profession took place in St. Joseph Church in Hosai (Msgr. Versiglia could not be present because he was doing his pastoral visitation to Nam Yung). The rite of the profession, carried out in Chinese with the sermon also in Chinese [by the Vice-Provincial Fr. Ignaz Canazei], made a great impression on the pupils who took part.

To conclude, when did CIN stop to receive "ascritti" coming to China from abroad for their Novitiate? It stopped 60 years ago, with the arrival on 15 November 1964 of our well-known Carlo Socol. He was only 16 years old. Before him, some of the "ascritti" sent to CIN were only 14 years old, like Fr. Julian Carpella and Fr. Mario Rosso; some were 15 years old, like Fr. Francesco Pezzola and others (this, in the history of Catholic missions, must be a record worthy of the Guinness Book of Records!) Carlo Socol was the last such "ascritto" who made his Novitiate in China. After him, all other young CIN missionaries came after the completion of at least their Novitiate in their home Province. Best wishes for your 60 years of missionary life, dear Fr. Carlo Socol!

This was written on 11 November 2024, the 149th Anniversary of the 1st Salesian Missionary Expedition (11 November 1875-2024), by Fr. Lanfranco M. Fedrigotti in Dili, Timor Leste, for the Meeting of the EAO Regional Formation Commission.


 

 

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