Thai ordinations also a chance to catch up on Mamma
Margaret
BANPONG: 31st July 2006 -- The ordination of three
Salesians to the priesthood on Saturday 29th (An earlier austraLasia
detailed names) also became an opportunity to promote Mamma Margaret, a
Salesian personality not so well-known in the Thai Church until
now.
The 2,500 people in attendance at the ordination, carried out with
Bishop Joseph Prathan SDB and the local Bishop of Ratchaburi diocese,
were given the gift of a 40 page booklet, with coloured photos, all
about Mamma Margaret in the Thai language.
The gift of the book and the ordination went
appropriately hand in
hand, since the three ordinands, all students at the UPS, had
translated the material piece by piece in their spare moments. At
Fr
Ekasit's first Mass (he is a Banpong boy), the Provincial asked
worshippers at the end if they had already read the booklet given them
24 hours earlier. Most said they had!
The Thai province is making real efforts in this
special year when
we think of Mamma Margaret, to launch or relaunch attention to Don
Bosco's mother. The initiatives include: the Salesian Cooperators
annual retreat at Hua Hin in July, where some 150 ASC members
gathered. Fr Niphon was the preacher and focused his talks around
the
life and message of Mamma Margaret as the first Cooperator. Catholic
churches in the country have all received a large poster and picture of
Mamma Margaret. There has been an extra edition of the Salesian
Bulletin with materials about her, taken mainly from the Italian and
translated obviously. The Thai Catholic Weekly has promised an
article
on her in September. November 25 this year will be Salesian
Family Day
in Thailand. It is also strongly hoped that this is the day the
Mamma
Margaret will be declared Venerable by the Holy Father.
The newly ordained will be moving around the province this
week
celebrating Mass for the communities.
___________________
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