3763(I)_Servant of God Fr. Charles Braga - process is moving on

By Fr. Vaclav klement, SDB

Manila-Hong Kong, October 2015 - One of the Paranaque Curatorium fruits (October 1, 2015) was another encounter of the Vice-postulator for the cause of the Servant of God Carlo Braga Fr. Nestor Impelido (FIN - Manila) and the China provincial Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti.

After the opening of the diocesan investigation for the beatification and canonization of the Servant of God Father Carlo Braga opened in a solemn ceremony in the Cathedral of San Fernando (Pampanga - Philippines) on January 2014 there was no major progress in the cause. After the resignation of Archbishop Paciano Aniceto of San Fernando (Pampanga) was installed a new Archbishop Florentino Galang Lavarias on 25th of July 2014. The tribunal for hearing the testimonials on the life of the Servant of God was appointed, but due to multiple commitment of its members in the archdiocese no witnessed were heard either in the Philippines or in Hong Kong.

In the short dialogue about the situation both in China and Philippines, emerged the constant animation work of Fr. Nestor Impelido in promoting the knowledge about the Servant of God in various parishes and dioceses near Manila as well the willingness of many senior confreres - disciples of Fr. Braga still living in China province, to share their testimony about their beloved Father. We hope the incoming visit of the Rector Major to the Philippines (March 2016) will help to move ahead with this initial stage of the process.

The deeply human, joyful, optimistic and hardworking model of the Salesian missionary of Fr. Braga influenced many generation of Salesians in China and in the Philippines. He was also the confessor of the Vice-postulator of Fr. Nestor Impelido when he was in the Aspirantate in Bacolor. To spread and know deeper the Salesian missionary spirituality of the early missionaries like Carlo Braga might help our young Salesians to live this missionary month of October with more focus and enthusiasm.

On the BOSCOLINK there are available materials on Fr. Carlo Braga (Autobiography, Short biography, Photos and Prayers)

Prayer to implore the beatification and canonization of the Servant of God Carlo Braga

Father most powerful and merciful
You have called Father Carlo Braga to follow Christ
along the way traced out by Saint John Bosco,
so that the might follow his examples, inherit his spirit
and multiply his work in China and in the Philippines,
on behalf of the poorest youth.

Grant, that
welcomed by You in the eternal joy as your faithful servant,
he may be for us a generous intercessor.

Give us the gift of his glorification,
so that he can be a joyful example of holiness
for the Salesian Family and for all those
who dedicate their life for the needy youth.

We ask You this
through the intercession of Mary Help of Christians,
whom he loved and honored with the heart of a son,
and through the mediation of Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.

(With ecclesiastical approval + Paciano B. Aniceto, DD
archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines)