4421(III)_“Purity: the Most Beautiful Virtue”

Salesian Youth Day for Elementary Students 2017

June 28, 2017

By Fr. Phyllis Tang, SDB

Hong Kong, 24 June 2017 -- The captioned event with the theme “Purity: the Most Beautiful Virtue” was held on 24th June 2017 in Salesian Yip Hon Millennium Primary School. It aims to promote the good example of St. Dominic Savio in pursuing the virtue of purity. It has been identified into 4 ways: good use of time, avoiding idleness, being a good example to others and putting oneself in prayers always. There were over 180 participants, coming from 8 elementary schools of the Salesian Family.

To start the day with warm welcoming, students from Salesian Yip Hon Primary School led the crowd to dance action songs. Then, the youth animators conducted some warm-up games.

The main theme activity consisted of 4 parts, in which participants are led to learn through games those 4 ways of which Dominic Savio had practiced purity:

1. To pray always - participants are asked to reflect upon their daily experience of listening to the Word of God, through which we obtains divine help in avoiding committing sins
2. Good use of time - For adults as well as children, we all need to fulfill the duties that God has given to each one of us. We have to work earnestly with Him in order to know and to achieve them
3. To be a good example to others – It is not always easy to communicate good messages to others. Therefore, we have to put extra effort in persistently doing that
4. Do good and avoid evil – Learnt from the heroic model of Dominic Savio, “death rather than sin”, we choose with wisdom good messages and decide to do good and to avoid evil

At last, the day of activity ended with a solemn prayer dedicated to our Lady. The young participants offered flowers which symbolized the many virtues of our heavenly Mother. The Provincial, Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti SDB, reminded them the precious value of the virtue of purity. From the examples of Sts. Versiglia and Caravario, who gave up their life for protecting the purity of three girls, firm determination is needed for the preservation of purity at times of difficulties. In addition, we have to be friends with Jesus and Mary, because only they can strengthen us in resisting temptations.

Fr. Antonio Leung, the provincial delegate of youth ministry, presented a thank-you card to Fr. Provincial, and then, explained to the participants the meaning of the souvenirs. With a pen and a notebook, the participants can record the good things they have done. On the other hand, they are invited to distribute the four bookmarks printed with the 4 ways of pursuing purity to their friends. That is exactly how they could help spreading good messages.

The Salesian Youth Day for elementary students was truly filled with great joy and enthusiasm.