Bishop cancels parish
Sunday Masses to encourage faithful to celebrate with Don Bosco
(A summary of an extensive set of reports from Fr Dheparat,
however from comments received back here, a number of readers are
looking for more!)
RATCHABURI: 30 Nov 2010 -- "It was a diocese that Salesians have
worked in for 41 years, Ratchaburi, and neither the people nor the
Bishop were about to miss an occasion to celebrate the arrival of Don
Bosco's Casket. On its arrival on 21 November, the Bishop and the local
clergy, 4000 students and a good number of parishioners welcomed
Don Bosco; one of the churches the Casket passed on the way greeted Don
Bosco with 40,000 fire crackers! On the following Sunday, the
Bishop cancelled all 9.00 am masses in the diocese to enable the
faithful to attend the Eucharistic celebration at the cathedral in
honour of St. John Bosco. The cathedral was packed and many faithful
were sitting in the tent outside. The bishop used most of his homily to
praise the Salesians for their good work for the good of souls,
mentioning many whom he knew personally and citing the good things they
did.
Then on to Banpong, a town where the first
Salesian school was founded in 1927. Now, there are two Salesian
schools, a senior students’ aspirantate, a parish and one FMA school.
The total number of Salesian students are 5,600 and they were joined by
1500 faithful who welcomed Don Bosco. And again a whole night prayer
and vigil with huge numbers for confession and holy communion.
Finally it was Suratthani diocese's turn to welcome
the casket from November 23-27. At present, there around 30 Salesians
helping the diocese in parishes,schools and pastoral centres in
three Salesian presences. Bishop Joseph Prathan sdb. followed the
casket throughout the journey.
On November 23, the day that the Casket entered the
Suratthani diocese, her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Sirindhorn
officiated at the grand royal opening of Don Bosco Home, Bangsak,
Phangna. Don Bosco Home Bangsak is the home for the tsunami-affected
children. It has already been open for 5 years but the invitation for
the Princess to inaugurate the Home was made four years ago. The way we
see it is that her acceptance to inaugurate Don Bosco Home during Don
Bosco’s visit was really a providential arrangement. Her visit
showed great honour and public approval for our Salesian work for
disadvantaged children and since Don Bosco could not visit the place
(as it is very far away on the western coast), the Princess did it for
him! At night in the daily television news, all channels reported on
the Princess’ visit to Don Bosco Home, allowing the public to
know more about Don Bosco and his work in Thailand.
It is worth noting that all the Salesian schools and
parishes celebrated a novena before the arrival of the casket. It first
went to Hua-Hin with a Salesian school with 3,600 students,
a retreat house, an aspirantate for junior high school students
and a parish.
Throughout the 5 day journey in the South, Don
Bosco’s casket visited the Cathedral, two Salesian parishes,
three diocesan schools ( two of which are under the care of the
Salesians), three schools run by other groups in the Salesian family.
Each place brought out its best welcome for Don Bosco, making it a most
important feast. At Bansaengarun school and parish, a hundred students
and parishioners used a big rope to move the casket, imitating the
local southern culture of using rope to move the car on which a statue
of Buddha stands. At Don Bosco technical school in Suratthani, the
teachers organized the vigil for Don Bosco until morning before sending
him off to other places
The journey in the south and elsewhere in
Thailand proved that Don Bosco arranged everything for his sons and
daughters so that nobody would be worried or under stress in welcoming
him. With such a long journey in the south of more than 1,000
kilometers and many visits, the casket always arrived on time, making
nobody tired of waitng for him. Everybody was happy. Nobody was
disappointed. Everybody could pray in front of Don Bosco’s relics and
touched the casket. Don Bosco made the miracle for us". _________________ AustraLasia is an
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