3691_EAO 2013 Salesian Brothers Congress materials published

July 31, 2015

By Br. Raymond Callo, SDB

Good news for many in the EAO Region: almost two years after the 2013, Thailand - Hua Hin EAO Salesian Brothers Congress, the materials are available online and also printed and being distributed to the provinces. Br. Raymond Callo ('Mon') EAO Formation coordinator does present this publication:

Dear Confreres,

It is with great joy that I present to you the proceedings of the East Asia and Oceania Salesian Brothers’ Congress held on 18-23 August, 2013 at Salesian Retreat House, Hua-Hin, Thailand.

The congress comes at a timely period for several reasons: the last congress was held almost 7 years ago (20-25 August 2006) at Don Bosco, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with the theme: “Care and Promotion of Salesian Brother vocation”; second, our region is experiencing the greatest growth in terms of Salesian Brother vocations compared to other regions in the congregation; third, we have already a regional centre for the specific formation of Salesian Brothers in Manila, Philippines; and most of all, we are preparing ourselves for the bicentenary of St. John Bosco’s birth.

The theme of the Congress: “The Salesian Brother: History, Pedagogy and Spirituality, moving towards the bicentenary of Don Bosco’s birth” has been a great help for the 73 participants coming from 11 provinces of our EAO Region and RMG in deepening their appreciation of St. John Bosco and his vision of the Salesian Brother for the Congregation, the Church and Society. Furthermore, the revisions to the Formation of the Salesians of Don Bosco (FSDB/ Ratio) pertaining to the Salesian Brother is also included in this booklet as it was presented during the Congress.

May these proceedings help us in appreciating our Salesian charismatic identity, specifically “Don Bosco’s marvellous creation of the Salesian Brother under the inspiration of Mary Help of Christians”.

May we be inspired to care for and to promote the Salesian Brother vocation for the benefit of the young who are poorest.

Table of Contents

• Introduction by Bro. Raymond Callo, SDB 3
• Foreword of Fr. Vaclav Klement, SDB 4
• Letter of Bro. Jean Paul Muller, SDB 6
• Don Bosco’s History in Relation to the Salesian Brother – Bro. Michael Harris, SDB, AUS 9
• Don Bosco Pedagogy – Bro. John Baptist Thanad, SDB, THA 16
• Don Bosco’s Spirituality – Bro. Raymond Callo, SDB, FIN 39
• Revisions to the “Ratio” regarding the formation of Salesian Brothers 49

Appendices:

• Report on the Top 5 Action Plan of each Province/Delegation from EAO Seminar on Salesian Brother Vocation Promotion and Care, Cambodia,2006,21-25 August 58
• Program Schedule 62
• Delegates Directory 65
• Stephen Sandor, Salesian Brother 69
• Blessed Artemide Zatti, Saintly Nurse of Patagonia 87
• EAO Congress Evaluation Summary 92
• Photo collage 94

The publication was made thanks to the Blessed Sandor Community of Salesian Brothers (Paranaque, Philippoines) and is available online in Boscolink