1451 CIN Centennial Mass and dinner
austraLasia #1451

Youth Outreach-Centennial Mass-SYM-Centennial Dinner

HONG KONG: 16th January 2006 --  The headline says it all - another packed day for the Rector Major.  The focus was twofold: youth and the Salesian Family.
In the morning, the Rector Major went to Youth Outreach, the 16 storey complex that has grown up - and up - and up, over the pat 15 years or so.  Fr Peter Newbery is the Director, but he has a staff of some 130, and thousands of young people under his care.  Elsewhere in austraLasia (
2005 - #1286, #1288 ) we have described Youth Outreach and its work for young people at risk in Hong Kong and beyond, through the many programmes not only for young people but also for those interested in responding to their needs.  Now it was the turn for Fr Chávez to see all this and be amazed, and he was.  In the words he addressed to people at Youth Outreach yesterday, he traced the history of this kind of work in the Congregation, especially its more recent development in terms of street work stemming perhaps from Latin America. "It brings out the best in the preventive system", he added, thanking Youth Outreach for being such a sign of hope of disadvantaged youth in Hong Kong.
    Then it was on to St. Anthony's Church for the Centennial Mass for the Salesian Family.  The main celebrant was Bishop Zen, while the RM gave the homily, speaking of Don Bosco's five dreams on China, a number signifiying that he must have loved China so much.
    Following the Mass he met with the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) in St. Louis' Hall.  There were 300 youth leaders there along with Salesians and FMA.  SYM launched a book on this occasion - "Trace the Star", the SYM experience in COlogne for World Youth Day, and the subsequent pilgrimage to Salesian holy places in Piedmont.  The Rector Major exchanged views with the SYM leaders, and encouraged them in their work.
    The day concluded with a centenary dinner for 600 members of the Salesian Family.  A feature of this occasion was the launching of Fr Carlo Socol's Centennial History of Salesian China, titled "The Dream Continues" and edited by Fr Domingos Leung.  The book contains 250 pages with many illustrations.  The Rector Major also used the occasion to present the SAL Sisters with their official decree of belonging to the Salesian Family.

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