4120(III)_Community celebration - Blessed Steven Sandor 2016

Unique in the EAO - inter-regional community for Salesian Brothers - Sandor

September 2, 2016

By Bro. Arun Raj, SDB
India-Chennai province

Paranaque, the Philippines, 1 September -- Although the whole Salesian Congregation after the GC27 aims to raise more international and intercultural communities, there are very few inter-regional communities around the world. The Blessed Steven Sandor community in the Philippines, Metro Manila - Paranaque is one of them. Started initially with a canonical erection in 2010 as point of reference for the specific formation of Salesian Brother in our EAO region, since last school year 2015-2016 was open also to other 12 provinces of South Asia.

Two year academic course is sustained by the Don Bosco Center of Studies in Paranaque with a sacrificed contribution of many professors and the formation community with four formators, three Filipinos and one Vietnamese, two Brothers and two Priests is a place

'We are happy here in Sandor community. Life here of our inter-cultural community is really enriching with lot of new experiences everyday. The experience which I get from the experienced formators is really unique. I have been able to contribute to the community in whatever way I can, not only as photographer but also with daily patient keeping of the Chronicles. I hope to give more for the growth of our fraternal community composed this year of 13 Salesian Brothers from 3 countries (Vietnam, India and Indonesia) and from 5 different provinces. There is happy community better than last year and when I think, that even I am part of this happy community - I feel happy.

We pray that every year more young Salesian brothers in the 23 Salesian provinces of East Asia - Oceania and South Asia will benefit from this specific formation community. In this way our Salesian Brother vocation may growth in quality, depth and identity for the good of the whole Congregation!