3376 Beginning from Rome
austraLasia #3376

 

Beginning from Rome
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GC27 EAO membership   Correction  Other resources  Korea SYM Congress

ROME: 22 February 2014
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Let's begin from Rome where the majority of Chapter participants have gathered before going to Turin, leaving around 50 or so to arrive in the northern city where it all really began, to join the rest on their arrival at Valdocco today ...

Mass of welcome to the Pisana yesterday
In his homily, Fr Giuseppe Nicolussi, himself a former member of the General Council (he was in charge of Formation before Fr Cereda took that role 12 years ago), recalled for the 150 or so Chapter members at the Mass that on this occasion 6 years ago, sadly they were holding a Requiem Mass for the then Regional for America South Cone, Fr Helvecio Baruffi - another reason why we have placed the Don Bosco 'Tango' pic above, since he was the regional for that area. Fr Baruffi had been very ill in Brazil but decided to return anyway for the Chapter. In the event he was taken directly from Fiumicino airport on arrival, to the hospital where he died a few hours later. Fr Nicolussi asked the confreres to remember this good man in their prayers.

He then took the readings of the Feria for Friday 21st February and broke open the Word of God in the following way:

The Word that has been proclaimed encourages us to live joyfully  and with the radical approach of the Gospel. This radical approach of the Gospel is joy before it is anything else: experiencing the joy of having encountered Christ, aware that he is the surest gain we can have, the certain promise of fullness of life.  Pope Francis tells us this in the opening words of his Exhortation: "The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. With Christ joy is constantly born anew."

He went on to say that the Gospel just proclaimed is also challenging and requires courage to follow "Christ's paschal way". He linked that to the final article of the Constitutions: "“Our living Rule is Jesus Christ, the Saviour announced in the Gospel, who is alive today in the Church and in the world, and whom we find present in Don Bosco who devoted his life to the young.”  then added: "whom we find so admirably present in so many confreres and communities who are giving their lives to the young each day."  It is after all "The radical approach of the Gospel: the joy of following Christ and placing him at the centre of our life, the courage to do this daily through Salesian life spent for the salvation of the young".

Then taking up James' message about faith with good works, he said we must do things as Don Bosco did them - his good works are to be ours.

He reminded them finally that "We who represent the entire Salesian world must not forget to give thanks for so many communities and confreres, for so many young people, laity who every day, in very different circumstances, practise the Word we have just heard: may they experience the joy of belonging to Christ,  proclaim the faith and the Salesian vocation through their works, to us to be joyful and generous missionaries of the Gospel."
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And now, a little info as to who is taking part in GC27 from our region.

Fr CHAMBERS Gregory Prov. AUL Australia
Fr FEDRIGOTTI Lanfranco
Prov. CIN China
Fr CRUZ Eligio, Prov. FIN Philippines North
Fr MILITANTE George Prov. FIS Philippines South
Fr CIPRIANI Aldo Prov. GIA Japan
Fr GUTERRES João Paulino Sup.Vice Prov. ITM Indonesia - Timor
Fr NAM Stephanus (Sanghun) Prov. KOR Korea
Fr VALLENCE Maurice Sup.Vice Prov. MYM Myanmar
Fr PRASERT SOMNGAM Paul Prov. THA Thailand
Fr TRAN Hoa Hung Giuseppe Prov. VIE Vietnam
Fr GRAHAM Bernard Del. AUL Australia
Fr FUNG Ting Wa Andrew Del. CIN China
Fr GARCES Alexander Del. FIN Philippines North
Fr GERONIMO Honesto Jr. Del. FIS Philippines South
Fr YAMANOUCHI Mario Del. GIA Japan
Fr SOERJONOTO Yohanes Boedirahardjo Del. ITM Indonesia – Timor
Fr YANG Stefano,Del. KOR Korea
Fr SOE NAING Mariano Del. MYM Myanmar
Fr SUPHOT RIUNGAM Dominic Savio Del. THA Thailand
Fr NGUYEN Thinh Phuoc Giuseppe Del. VIE Vietnam
Fr NGUYEN Ngoc Vinh Giuseppe Del. VIE Vietnam

Bro. CALLO Raymond Invitee FIN East Asia-Oceania
Fr BAQUERO Peter Invitee FIN Delegate PNG and SI
Fr BICOMONG Paul Invitee  Prov. designate. FIN
Philippines North

Also of interest, since they originally came from our region
Bro. VU Alphonse Del. SUO United States West, San Francisco (orig. from Vietnam)
Fr SARMENTO Adolfo de Jesus Del. MOZ Mozambique (orig. from ITM)
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Minor correction to arrangements in Turin for the 'Giraudo' material: these 'talks' will be delivered simultaneously in the three languages (en, es, it). Joe Boenzi (en) and Horacio Lopez (es) will base their material on Aldo Giraudo's. You will be able to find his original text (in English translation) after the event in each case - expect that links will be provided.

And don't forget:
The North American Provinces are running a Facebook page which will also help with information and background.
       If there is any terminology used that you are unsure of a
nd you don't have the app, look it up in the Salesians A-Z web page.

 “You are the light of the world”:
Third Korean Salesian Youth Congress

light of the world

DAEJON: 14-16 February - The third Salesian

Youth Congress, organised by SDB, FMA, SCJ and the youth themselves who belong to the Salesian Youth Movement and VIDES, led by the SDB e FMA respectively  took place in Daejon, Korea, at the Salesian Youth Centre there, from 14 to 16 February 2014.
 
The first Congress was held in 2010. This third one had the theme: “You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:14). Some 280 young people and religious took part in the event.

Our experience has been that this Congress is a privileged opportunity for forming the Salesian Youth Movement in Salesian spirituality throughout Korea.  The 3rd Congress aimed at increasing their sense of belonging to the Salesian Family through solidarity and empowerment, involving other young people and offering them too the chance to re-energise their faith and Christian identity.

Each day had its own sub-theme:  the first day was a wish and a question “Peace be with you - Are you at peace?”; Day two: “You are the light of the world” and the third and final day: “Let us walk in the light of the Lord”. On the first day, by inverting the Lord's invitation :”Peace be with you-Are you at peace?” the young people rediscovered peace that has been lost in the darkness of a troubled world - light and shade - and experienced the joy of following Christ. They shared their hopes for tomorrow.  The symbol for the Congress was on the stage - the burning bush. The young people, split up into groups explored and discussed the programme before them. They then placed their expectations of the Congress in written form on the “burning bush on the stage”. After Mass at which a good number of SDBs concelebrated , Fr Marcello Baek, who was the president for the Congress, declared it officially open. 

Day two involved a 'dialogue between light and darkness’. Frustrations and conflicts caused by the world around, making them suffer - and at this point they drew light from the Gospel and the Pope's words. The “Ephata”, presented through BIZ, enabled participants to experience the breakdown in communication that goes on between human beings and with God. They were sent two by two to the surrounding hills with a mission to carry out. This 'walk of love' was to impress on them the light and courage that God's Word could arouse in them through nature.

The culmination of the Congress was a celebration carried out via a radio program under the title : ”On a starlit night”, led by 2 presenters who enthusiastically spoke of their lives. This involved the band made up of Salesians in formation and young people - it was a huge explosion of joy. In the night, prayer began with the young people crying out for the true light revealed through the cross. This was mimed: contrast of adoration of the cross and physical beauty, hedonism and wealth. They processed with the cross, made an examiantion of conscience, spent a long time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, then reconciled with God with a well-prepared and heartfelt confession, gaining peace and comfort.

The final day led them to recognise the grace of God found at the Congress and in the light God had given them, and they made good resolutions. They made a wooden chain to express how they could live according to that light. Finally they shared words of hope, life and resolution for 2014. The final Mass was celebrated with the Provincial, Fr Stephen Nam and many Salesians.

Preparation for the Congress took six months, carried out by a group called “Testimonies of faith”, made up of SDB, FMA and committed SYM young people. The Salesian Family in Korea, in preparation for the Bicentenary of Don Bosco's birth, is aiming to elad young people to the way of salvation and holiness, and with this third Congress, has enkindled a new light of faith, hope and charity in them.