austraLasia 1698

Thailand gathers at St Dominics to celebrate Mamma Margaret
(from our Thai correspondent)

BANGKOK: 25th November 2006 -- St Dominic's School, Bangkok, was the chosen setting for the Salesian Family Thailand celebration of Venerable Mamma Margaret, and at least 200 members of the family were present for a prayerful celebration that lasted the whole morning. Fr John Bosco Thepherat Pitisant, Provincial, began the day with an address in which he invited the Salesian Family to celebrate the event with love and joy.
    Mamma Margaret Day is an annual event in Thailand, celebrated each occasion in one or other centre belonging to the groups represented within the Thai Province.  This time, fittingly, it was the SDB school of St Dominic Savio in New Petchburi Road in Bangkok.
    Fr Joseph Banchong Santisukniran followed the provincial with a talk on Mamma Margaret's spirituality, based on material provided by Fr Enrico Dal Covolo, the Salesian Postulator General.  Fr Dal Covolo, in fact, gave the same talk in its original version to the Rector Major and Council members remaining in Rome, the Salesian Sisters' General Council and members of the community at the Pisana in Rome, yesterday evening.  Fr Banchong has already translated this material into Thai so that it can be available to all members of the Salesian Family. The contents of this material stress that it is Mamma Margaret who is, in a special way, behind Don Bosco's spirituality, and lending a truly feminine, maternal element to the Preventive System.  Indeed, the Rector Major has spoken of her as a 'co.founder' of the Salesian Family.
    All prayer and talks make Jack (and Jill) a dull boy and girl, so the Thai event then enjoyed a series of slides prepared by Bro Chitti Upakarn and the Salesian Information Technology Centre, followed by games which created much laughter and fun.
   At the Eucharist, Fr Provincial encouraged people to imitate Mamma Margaret's life. She took care of children in need, and the Thai province is doing similarly in works such as the new outreach to tribal youngsters in Chiang Mai. Also today in Bangsak, Takuapa District, Phang Nga Province, the Salesian Family has taken in 80 children affected by the Tsunami two years ago. Just like Mamma Margaret, the Salesian Family in Thailand is responding to the needs of poor young people.
    The day concluded with a special Chinese lunch.  Fr Cais, president of the Salesian Family Commission, thanked everyone who came and especially those from St Dominic's who made the day possible.
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