austraLasia #2072

"There is a part of the history of the Church we are called upon to make": Cardinal Poletto to GC26 members in Turin

ROME: 26th February 2008 -- The buses have just pulled in, a number of others have arrived in private vehicles, a few flew back (mainly those with loads of preparation to do for the first assembly), and it is now late evening of the 25th as these words are written.
    The first thing readers might like to do is to trawl through a good number of photos available from Turin-Valdocco, and others will be added as they come to hand. The GC26 website now offers a link to a 'photo' page, which in turn makes the task of viewing photos easy, since they are collected in slideshow collections.
    The major event for today was Mass at the Church of the Consolata, Patroness of Turin and the church Don Bosco loved most in that city, other than the Basilica he built!  The Consolata was where he went on the death of Mamma Margaret and asked Mary to take the place of his earthly mother.  The main celebrant at the Mass was Cardinal Severino Poletto, the Archbishop of Turin, who expressed his great delight at the Salesian choice to begin with Turin, and his sincere personal affection for the Salesians.  His homily drew attention to the need to cast eyes heavenward to contemplate for a moment the host of Salesian Saints enjoying the beatific vision. He then focused earthwards, with the task of evangelisation: "There is a part of the history of the Church we are called upon to make....woe to us if we were to fail in our task of bearing witness to Jesus Christ before the men and women of our time!"
    His reading of the Da Mihi Animas was threefold: holiness of life, a better knowledge of the real charism of Don Bosco, and commitment to the formation of the young.
    The morning's first Assembly in the Aula Magna, other than for a few moments spent nominating secretaries, will consist of beginning with  the presentation of the activities and results of the last six years in terms of Departments and Regions, a task that will take two days.  It will be interrupted at 11.30 for the Funeral Mass for Fr Helvecio Baruffi, whose body arrived the previous afternoon and lies in the Don Rua Chapel.
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Title: australasia 20728
Subject and key words: SDB General GC26 Turin
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2072