austraLasia #2163

Impressions of a Salesian Cooperators Congress

BANGKOK: 30th May 2008 --  Today, after receiving #2162, someone who was at the Macau EAR Congress, offered his own reflections on the Congress.  They are worthy of repetition here - obviously they come from Thailand and it is of interest to note that Thailand has been chosen as the venue for the next such Congress in 2011.
    "The first impression was the election of the Regional Councillor for Formation. After having voting for the World Councilor (Mr. Juan Carlos Escobar) and Regional Councillor for Administration (Mrs. Brenda Ramirez), we (SDB & FMA Delegates plus Provincial Coordinators and Provincial Councillors) voted for Dr. Philip Yu as Regional Councilor for Formation. I thought that he would refuse to take the position because has worked a lot and has spent much time for the ASC during the last 7 years. But he said: “My body says NO, by my spirit says O.K.” I was very much moved by this word. Everybody clapped his acceptance because he is worthy of this job. When a lay person can accept the Will of God willingly in such difficult situations, he must have a spiritual life and a great love for Don Bosco and the ASC.
    My second impression was the Solemnity of Mary Help of Christians during which 18 aspirants from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, Mongolia and Singapore made their promise. Cardinal Joseph Zen presided at the Mass and Dr. Philip Yu led the Promise ceremony where the aspirants made their promise in their own respective languages. It was a great event for the Salesian Cooperators in the East Asia Region.
    My third and last impression was the procession of Mary Help of Christians on the evening of May 24. We went to the Salesian school in Macau in order to join the children and the faithful in procession. Fr. Simon Lam (Provincial of CIN Province) led the opening prayer and then the procession of Mary Help of Christians from the school up the hill, through the streets of Macau to the chapel of Our Lady of the Rock. There were a lot of people (close on a 1,000) joining the procession. It was the most beautiful picture I saw when the procession passed through the village. I think that we walked no fewer than 3 kilometres up the hill. All (even small children and old ones) prayed the holy rosary fervently and sang Marian hymns loudly in different languages. The China Province gave us a good example of devotion to Mary Help of Christians.
    The next Regional Congress or Regional Assembly will be in Thailand in 2011. Usually the Regional Congress is held every 6 years, but many Cooperators requested that it should be held every 3 years. Therefore during the Formation of the Delegates to the Salesian Cooperators Seminar – Workshop, they decided that the next Regional Assembly will be held in Thailand.
    In all there were 14 participants from Thailand - 4 SDB, 2 FMA and 8 ASC.
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Title: australasia 2163
Subject and key words: Salesian Family ASC Macau, Salesian Provinces THA
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|216