1621 |Thailand Ordinations
austraLasia 1621

Thai ordinations also a chance to catch up on Mamma Margaret

BANPONG: 31st July 2006 -- The ordination of three Salesians to the priesthood on Saturday 29th (An earlier austraLasia detailed names) also became an opportunity to promote Mamma Margaret, a Salesian personality not so well-known in the Thai Church until now.  The 2,500 people in attendance at the ordination, carried out with Bishop Joseph Prathan SDB and the local Bishop of Ratchaburi diocese, were given the gift of a 40 page booklet, with coloured photos, all about Mamma Margaret in the Thai language.
    The gift of the book and the ordination went appropriately hand in hand, since the three ordinands, all students at the UPS, had translated the material piece by piece in their spare moments.  At Fr Ekasit's first Mass (he is a Banpong boy), the Provincial asked worshippers at the end if they had already read the booklet given them 24 hours earlier.  Most said they had!
    The Thai province is making real efforts in this special year when we think of Mamma Margaret, to launch or relaunch attention to Don Bosco's mother.  The initiatives include: the Salesian Cooperators annual retreat at Hua Hin in July, where some 150 ASC members gathered.  Fr Niphon was the preacher and focused his talks around the life and message of Mamma Margaret as the first Cooperator. Catholic churches in the country have all received a large poster and picture of Mamma Margaret.  There has been an extra edition of the Salesian Bulletin with materials about her, taken mainly from the Italian and translated obviously.  The Thai Catholic Weekly has promised an article on her in September.  November 25 this year will be Salesian Family Day in Thailand.  It is also strongly hoped that this is the day the Mamma Margaret will be declared Venerable by the Holy Father.
   The newly ordained will be moving around the province this week celebrating Mass for the communities.

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