austraLasia #2524
Act of entrustment of Salesian work - a 'who's who' of
Salesian history
HONG KONG: 16 October 2009 -- In the presence of the Regional
for East Asia Oceania, and led by the Provincial of China Province Fr
Simon Lam, the Salesian Family in Hong Kong solemnly entrusted its work to
the maternal protection of Mary, Help of Christians in the church named
after her in Kowloon. It was the third time in history that this
Act of Entrustment has been solemnly repeated in China Province and the
entire story reads as a 'Who's Who' of the Salesian missionary story.
The act of Entrustment used on this occasion was the
same first used by Fr Louis Versiglia on 24th October 1919 in a tiny
chapel in Shiuchow. Versiglia led the mission that had only recently
arrived in China and wished to entrust the future Salesian work to Mary
Help of Christians. It was repeated a second time, in 1949, by
the then Bishop Michele Arduino.
The Prayer of Entrustment has its own very
interesting story, one which throws light on a month dedicated to
missions, but also on the Salesian Family. In fact it was not
just the SDBs who gathered in Kowloon on 11th October. There were the
FMA, Salesian Cooperators, ADMA, Past Pupils and the Sisters Announcers
of the Lord. There was very good reason for this.
The Act of Entrustment which the now canonised Louis
Versiglia used had been written a year prior, in 1918, by Fr Paul
Albera who, as Rector Major, had placed a golden sceptre donated by
Princess Czartoryski (Salesian Cooperator - don't confuse her with the
Prince and Priest Agustus!) into the hands of the image of Mary Help of
Christians. He accompanied it with the prayer he had written entrusting
all Salesian work to Her. A peculiar feature of this prayer is
that even though the term 'Salesian Family' was not in vogue at the
time, the prayer mentions "Salesians, Daughters of Mary Help of
Christians, Cooperators, men and women....". Albera then asked all
Salesian communities, FMA communities and Salesian Cooperator homes and
families to entrust themselves to Mary Help of Christians with this
prayer.
There is more. Just a few days before that
date, on 6th June 1918, Fr Albera had missioned the first seven
Salesian missionaries to China - the famous missionary expedition with
Versiglia at its head. The Bishop who celebrated in the Basilica on
that occasion was Louis Olivares (now Venerable) and John Cagliero, who
had been created Cardinal in 1915, preached the homily. Cagliero said
to them: "What last word shall I give you in particular? The
word that Don Bosco gave me and my companions at the first expedition
in 1875: 'Look for souls, not for money or fame or honours. Da mihi
animas cetera tolle! Take special care of the children, the poor,
the aged, the sick and you will gain the blessings of God and the good
will of men. Recommend and spread constantly the devotion to Jesus in
the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary Help of Christians and you will see
what miracles are".
There is more to the history of this Act of
Entrustment, so should readers wish to follow up on it, go to SDL
(http://tinyurl.com/yzrlx7u if you cannot access that link)
where you can read the Act itself, it's history and, if you read
Chinese Provincial's recent letter! The other items are in English.
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Title: australasia 2524
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces China act of entrustment
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2524
