austraLasia #2819 Selamat Datang Don Bosco - welcome
JAKARTA: 11 March 2011 -- As readers will have
realised, the Don Bosco Relics are, perhaps for the first
time along this lengthy five year pilgrimage, in two places
at the one time! Naturally both items - the Casket and the
Statue, contain a distinguished ('insignis') relic. So while
the Statue is at St Joseph's College in Melbourne, right at
the moment, and we are awaiting further news and hopefully
some photos for ANS, in the interests of 'even-handedness',
all puns aside, here is a report from Jakarta on events
surrounding the Casket there.
On arrival at Jakarta's international
airport on 7 March, the Casket was brought to a special
place in the airport where a short Bible Service and
Welcome Ceremony was held, with the Provincial Delegate, Fr.
Yohanes Boedihararjo Soerjonoto officiating at the
Rite. After the simple but touching welcome, the relic was
put on top of a beautifully decorated, special vehicle and
was brought, slowly winding through the streets of Jakarta,
accompanied by a convoy of several cars, to the
Postnovitiate in Sunter. It was well past midnight, already
the 8th of March, when the procession reached the house,
seemingly on tip-toes, not wanting to disturb the people of
the city who were already sleeping. But once the Casket was
taken down, a lively chorus of “Giu dai Colli” by the
Prenovices, Novices, SDB confreres, Salesian Sisters,on
which were written the words “Selamat Datang, Don Bosco!
Welcome Don Bosco! Welcome to your home!” The Casket was
then placed in the Postnovitiate Chapel, after which the
Acting-Rector said a prayer of welcome, and the Community
recited Compline. After the prayers, in the silence of the
night, several preferred to stay awake for a much longer
time accompanying Don Bosco and contemplating in his
presence.
In the morning, almost all Salesians from
all the Houses in Indonesia and the Novices from Sumba
gathered in Postnovitiate Chapel for their recollection,
preached by the pioneer of DB’s work in the country, Fr.
Jose Carbonell, who spoke about the personality of Don Bosco
symbolized by his right hand which he used to bless people,
write letters, ask for funds for his manifold works of
charity, teach his boys skills in the shops, crack
chestnuts, shake the hands of his benefactors, etc. In the
afternoon, Salesian Family groups in Indonesia also made
their recollection with the Provincial Delegate preaching.
This was followed by the Mass at which Fr. Carbonell
presided, and the representative of the Apostolic Nuncio,
Mgr. Joseph Forro, concelebrated. The latter stressed, in
his few words before the final blessing, how the spirit of
St. John Bosco is much needed in today’s world as it was in
his time. More than a hundred years after his death, “he
continues to invite us – both lay and religious – to be
educators in the faith at every opportunity.We are invited
by him to walk side by side with the young so as to lead
them to the Lord Jesus, and “to discover in Him and His Good
News the deepest meaning of their existence, and thus grow
into new men.”
Following the Salesian Family Mass, the
glass Casket bearing Don Bosco’s relic was again put on top
of the special vehicle, and transported to the only parish
church in Jakarta bearing his name. There the parishioners
with their Pastor, Fr. Petrus Pehan Tukan, welcomed him with
great solemnity, amidst fireworks, sacred songs and the
pealing of bells. After a short Welcome Service the Casket
was put near the altar for everybody to behold. The last
activity of the day was the vigil organized by some of the
young Salesians from the Postnovitiate and attended by the
people of the 8 villages under the parish.
_________________
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