HONG KONG: 16th January 2006 -- The headline says it
all - another packed day for the Rector Major. The focus was
twofold: youth and the Salesian Family.
In the morning, the Rector Major went to Youth Outreach, the 16 storey
complex that has grown up - and up - and up, over the pat 15 years or
so. Fr Peter Newbery is the Director, but he has a staff of some
130, and thousands of young people under his care. Elsewhere in
austraLasia (2005 - #1286, #1288 ) we have
described Youth Outreach and its work for young people at risk in Hong
Kong and beyond, through the many programmes not only for young people
but also for those interested in responding to their needs. Now
it was the turn for Fr Chávez to see all this and be amazed, and he
was. In the words he addressed to people at Youth Outreach
yesterday, he traced the history of this kind of work in the
Congregation, especially its more recent development in terms of street
work stemming perhaps from Latin America. "It brings out the best in
the preventive system", he added, thanking Youth Outreach for being
such a sign of hope of disadvantaged youth in Hong Kong.
Then it was on to St. Anthony's Church for the
Centennial Mass for the Salesian Family. The main celebrant was
Bishop Zen, while the RM gave the homily, speaking of Don Bosco's five
dreams on China, a number signifiying that he must have loved China so
much.
Following the Mass he met with the Salesian Youth
Movement (SYM) in St. Louis' Hall. There were 300 youth leaders
there along with Salesians and FMA. SYM launched a book on this
occasion - "Trace the Star", the SYM experience in COlogne for World
Youth Day, and the subsequent pilgrimage to Salesian holy places in
Piedmont. The Rector Major exchanged views with the SYM leaders,
and encouraged them in their work.
The day concluded with a centenary dinner for 600
members of the Salesian Family. A feature of this occasion was
the launching of Fr Carlo Socol's Centennial History of Salesian China,
titled "The Dream Continues" and edited by Fr Domingos Leung. The
book contains 250 pages with many illustrations. The Rector Major
also used the occasion to present the SAL Sisters with their official
decree of belonging to the Salesian Family.
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