austraLasia #2738 Summary of first part of the RM's visit to Korea Province
Seoul, 18 October 2010: Within a few hours of this item being
sent the Rector Major leaves Seoul for Manila. Here, thanks to the
dedicated pen of Fr Blanco, long-time and much loved missionary to
Korea, we have a blow-by-blow description, of the Seoul part of the
visit. It gives one the flavour of the Province, so read on ... Thursday 14
The Rector Major, Fr. Pascual Chávez
and his Vicar, Fr Adrian Bregolin, along with Fr Juan José
Bartolomé the RM's secretary, arrived at Seoul's Incheon
International Airport, a5 5.30 pm on 14 October. Officials at the
Airport ushered them into the VIP Room where many representatives of
the Salesian Family in Korea were waiting. Among them were the
Provincial, Fr Stefano Nam, Vice Provincial, Fr Stephen Yang, the
Rector of the Provincial Community, Fr Marcelo Baek and several other
Salesian priests and brothers, but also the FMA Provincial and
representatives of the Congretation of Caritas Sisters of Jesus,
Salesian Cooperators, Alumni, and a number of young people. The
children, who were dressed in traditional Korean costume, offered the
Rector Major a garland of flowers and two bouquets, one each for Fr
Bregolin Fr Bartolomé. The four novices displayed a banner
written in Korean and in English.
Fr. Stefano Nam gave the welcome address in Korean
which Fr Baek translated into Italian. The Rector Major answered saying
the he and his companions were very happy, because this was his second
visit to Korea, The first was in 2004, on the occasion of the 50th
anniversary of the arrival of the Salesians in Korea
On arrival at the Provincial House (a good hour away by
car) The boys of the technical school, about eighty in all, were
waiting in the playground and gathered around the Rector Major who
promised he would join them for night prayers. Meanwhile the guests
gathered in the refectory for supper together with the Salesians of the
Provincial Community (it was fun watching them use oriental chopsticks
in the place of the fork!). After supper and after a short visit to the
Blessed Sacrament in the Provincial House Chapel, they moved to the
Chapel at the Technical School, on the other side of the playground. On
time, at 8:00 pm the youngsters began prayers.
After the prayers they presented flowers to the
three guests and sang a song accompanied by xylophones played by some
of the 'virtuosi' amongst the youngsters. At the end, Fr Chávez
gave the Good Night recalling Don Bosco and his first boys in the
Pinardi Shed. The Rector, Fr Isidoro Hong, translated and added that
the Rector Major was paying for Pizzas and some refreshments for
everyone! (Traduttore-tradittore!) All eighty boys and also teachers
and Salesians from the community cheered. Saturday, 15
It is 'oriental autumn' in Korea, calm, warm, quiet,
with temperature between 10 - 20 degrees. This was Retreat Day for all
the Salesians of Seoul. There are seven communities in Seoul. By 7:30
am most Salesians were gathered at the chapel for the morning prayers.
Following breakfast the Rector Major ad his companions visited Fr Marc
Cuvelier, Belgian, who came to Korea in 1964 as a practical trainee,
together with his companion Bro. Luc van Looy!They brought much joy and
life to this Province. Bishop Luc Van Looy was Provincial one term,
from 1978 to 1984 and Fr Cuvelier was Provincial for two terms, from
1984 to 1996. Now he is ill with heart disease. The group spent twenty
minutes with Fr Cuvelier then they visited the different parts of
the Technical School which is a boarding house for the 120 youngsters
who frequent the Basic Mechanics Course.
At 10:00 am in the chapel at the Provincial House
the RM preached (translated by Fr Salesio Yung). Mass, in Korean. with
the Provincial as principal celebrant flanked by the Rector Major and
his Vicar and all Salesian priests from the Seoul communities. Some of
the Salesians in initial formation were also present. It wasn't all
'religion'! Korea prides itself as one of the 20 major economies in the
world. The Provincial presented the Rector Major with a 'cheque' with
the smiling face of Don Bosco in the middle and the main Salesian and
Korean anagrams - for USD 200,000. (They probably all had smiles on
their face at that stage).
Mass was followed by a fraternal lunch all together
in the big dining room. The early afternoon saw a gathering of all the
Rectors of the twelve Communities of the Province. By mid-afternoon the
three guests, together with the Provincial, left with the High Speed
KTX (Bullet) Train for Kwang Ju, 400 Km south of Seoul, where
there are two communities, the Junior and Senior High School with 1,500
students and the Formation House with 40 young Salesians. They were to
return to Seoul on the evening of the 16th by air. _________________ AustraLasia is an
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