Of minstrels, marvels and meanderings on the Rector
Major's Feastday
ROME: 24th June 2006 -- Q: Is it his birthday? A:
No - that is 20th December, close to Christmas. Q: Then, is
it his name day? A: No, with a name like Pascual, that sounds more
like Easter. Q: Then why today, 24th June? A:
because this was Don Bosco's name day and has been the traditional
feastday for the office of Rector Major ever since, the day on which
the Congregation comes together around the person who succeeds him.
And so it has been - a day of marvels and minstrels
too, on a hot Roman summer's day. As I write, a truly
international group, representing the worldwide Congregation has just
come away from an inspiring hour of song by Salesian minstrel - but
also Provincial of Recife - Pe. João Carlos Ribeiro and his young
troupe of guitarists and vocal accompaniste. As the Rector Major
said at the conclusion, this is evangelisation of a powerful kind and
of a truly traditional Salesian kind. João travels his country in
a 'Big Rig' with entourage, able to stop
anywhere and perform - what a way to make a Provincial
visitation! And there were nine so-called neophytes in that game
listening and watching this afternoon, including one from the EAO
Region!
Brazilians are not the only ones touring these parts
at the moment - or wanting to. no doubt. It is the desire
of many a Salesian to meet Don Bosco's successor 'at home', and to see,
too, the places where Don Bosco traipsed.
In a moment of healthy distraction this morning during liturgical
celebrations, the EAO Regional was meandering through some dreams and
realities of this kind from our region - which he later passed
on. When he (the Regional) left the islands of Samoa on 22nd May,
the newly appointed and first indigenous Rector of the community in
Apia said to him "My dream is to meet the Rector Major in person there,
and to visit the holy places of Don Bosco". May that dream be one
day realised. The Rector Major's call to Salesians to 'return to
Don Bosco' can also mean that. Parts of our Region are the
furthest geographically possible, but perhaps also culturally, from
Turin, Rome. It is good that this summer, the Region is
represented by a number of groups who will take or have taken to the
paths of Piedmont and Monferrato as pilgrims of the Salesian
charism. The writer is aware too of other individuals who will do
similarly. This is a news item, not a simple travelogue, so don't
feel left out!
In May we saw a group of Indonesians, with their
Filipino Salesian parish priest from Don Bosco Parish, Jakarta visit
Rome, Turin and Tibi Dabo (Spain) to discover their Salesian
roots. And in these very days, 55 teachers from the first
Salesian Institute in Macao, founded by St. LouisVersiglia, are
celebrating the Centenary of that Salesian presence by visiting Rome to
thank the Rector Major for his presence amongst them earlier this year.
They go on through Italy and France to various places of Don Bosco.
Yesterday they saw the original autographed copy of Don Bosco's famous
'Barcellona' dream envisioning the Salesian presence in China.
July will see a group of Korean Salesian Pilgrims -
PC2004 in Korea asked that all confreres after 15 yeaars of vows have
the chance to visit the Salesian holy places. This first group to
take up that desire, a group of ten, will be led by their Vice
Provincial Fr Bonetti, and the outgoing student, first graduate from
our Region of the new two year course in Spirituality at the UPS, Fr
Paul Na. He gained his MA in Spirituality just two days
ago. There will be others, too from Australia and elsewhere in
the region, who will meander these paths of the Father and Founder over
these months.
In his Good Night, the Rector Major announced that
the 26th General Chapter effectively commences as of today, and invited
all Salesians to 'return to Don Bosco', not just by nostalgic
meanderings and through oft-repeated slogans, but by studying and
knowing Don Bosco in his context and applying him in our context - by
taking up his apostolic passion once again. He did this in the
context of this week's announcement of the appointment of Cardinal
Bertone as Secretary of State, the coming week's proclamation of
another 60 plus Salesian Martyrs as 'Beati', and the future (by 25th
November) proclamation of Mamma Margaret as Venerable.
GLOSSARY
Big Rig: a 'rig' is a large
articulated vehicle, truck.
traipsed: to walk or trudge about -
implies a laborious effort.
___________________
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