austraLasia 1382
A tale of six Bishops
From our Japan correspondent
TOKYO: 7th January 2006 -- Almost everyone in the Region
knows that on January 18, Fr. Peter Nguyen Van De will be
consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Bui Chu, in Viet Nam's north, but
perhaps only a few know that he is the sixth bishop coming out of a
bunch of
40 confreres who were living together in 21 Don Bosco Road, Cheung
Chau,
Hong Kong, some 40 years ago.
The first to become a bishop was the late Michael
Praphon (Thailand) at that time teaching Latin, followed by Leo Drona
(Philippines) then
in his practical training teaching logic and mathematics. The third was
Joseph Zen (HK) then teacher of philosophy. The other three, Hoang
Van Tiem (Viet Nam), Joseph Prathan (Thailand) and Bishop to be,
Peter Nguyen Van De, were then students of philosophy.
6 out of 40 is some percentage! Fortunately
not all the
formation houses can boast such a record, otherwise the Congregation
would be in real trouble, though perhaps to the good advantage of a
more youth oriented
Church!
On the occasion of the China Province centenary, next month, all
the Cheung Chau past pupils are invited to the celebration. One hopes
not only
the bishops will gather together and thank God for the generosity of
the China
province, our mother province in the Region.
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