HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 109 years of presence: from Versiglia until now the Missionary Spirit is alive in EAO
by Vaclav klement
On 13th February 1906 Fr. Louis Versiglia (33 years old) with other two Salesian priests and three Salesian brothers arrived to Macau – China. It was the first Salesian presence in our Region of East Asia and Oceania.
That means that today we celebrate the birthday of the first of 200+ communities in EAO. Congratulations!
After Macau landing in 1906 the following 22 countries received the Salesians of Don Bosco:
On this occasion was held the annual Religious Education Prefects meeting with 6 SDB and 25 Lay Mission Partners coming from 17 Hong Kong and Macau Primary and Secondary Salesian Schools. The half-day event was animated by the Vice-provincial and Provincial Delegate for the Missionary animation Fr. Andrew Fung, delegate for the Youth Ministry Fr. Martin Yip and with the presence of Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, CIN Provincial. There are about 12.000 students in the China province schools, among them only 660 are Catholics. Main focus of religious education is shifted to the initial proclamation of Jesus in the school environment by witnessing, fostering of good general environment and especially group activities. During the SWOT analysis of the faith education emerges the commitment, willingness of our Catholic teachers to share their faith and accompany the students on their faith journey. Also today were distributed the Salesian Mission Day (SMD) 2015 ‘Lord, send me!’ animation materials to all China province SDB communities, parishes, youth centers and especially 18 schools in Chinese language. On the SMD 2015 materials translation work participated three lay mission partners and five Salesians SDB during past 3 months of hard voluntary work. Useful links to SMD 2015 materials in Chinese version – both in the provincial and central SDB websites:
Apart of the Salesian Mission Day ‘official materials’ produced by the Mission Sector in Rome in Chinese version (on the website are available the seven video clips - interview with the missionaries, poster, animation booklet, prayer card) are offered also different modules (catechetical lessons) for the use of all these materials in the primary or secondary school, in the parishes and youth groups (sodalities in China province terminology) or youth centers.
Salesian Mission Week (local version of the Salesian Mission Day) is celebrated in the China province educative and pastoral communities around the February 25 (Feast of St. Martyrs Louis Versiglia and Callixtus Caravario) but this year due to the late date of the Lunar New Year (February 19) is transferred to the last week of March (March 22-29,2015).
Provincial commission or team for Missionary Animation is chaired by Fr. Andrew Fung and composed of five members: Br. Anthony Leung, Fr. Martin Yip, Fr. Savio Yeung (former provincial delegate for missionary animation) Br. Antonio and Ms. Kiko (YM office staff).
