austraLasia #3084

A Cause on the way, and an ordination

BANGKOK: 13 June 2012 -- A confrere, writing from Bangkok on 12 June has this to say:
"I cannot but manifest my great joy today because this morning there were about 800 persons (if not 1,000) participating in the Opening ceremony of the Investigation Process for the cause of beatification of Fr. Carlo Della Torre. The participants were 2 bishops (Mons. Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij, the archbishop of the archdiocese of Bangkok; and retired Bishop Joseph Sangwan Surasarang), priests, religious men and women and faithful. Among the participants, there was a large group of SF members (SDB, FMA, SIHM, Salesian Cooperators, ADMA, VDB, Past Pupils and both groups of DQM). From 10.00 to 12.00, there was the Opening ceremony. In the afternoon, there was a Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Joseph Banchong Santisukniran (Vice Postulator) together with Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni (Postulator), Fr. Paul Prasert Somngam (Provincial of THA Province) and 4 other priests. Only the members of DQM (both groups) participated in this Holy Mass".

Fr. Carlo Della Torre SDB (1900‑1982) was born on 7 July 1900. Fr. Carlo Della Torre was a ‘late’ vocation, as he became a Salesian only after his military service.
For formation he was in The Cardinal Cagliero missionary institute at Ivrea (1923‑1926). Then he left for Macau where he began his novitiate, but completed it in Thailand (BangNokKhuek). It was there that he made his religious profession. Thus, Fr Carlo was one of the first group of Salesians who initiated the works of Don Bosco in Thailand.
During the period 1932‑1936, while completing his theological studies, he was assigned by his superiors to be the spiritual director of a group of young women employed at the mission. When he saw that they were ready to live the consecrated life, he set up the nucleus of a new religious family with them.

This group, which had the blessing of the Bishop and was erected canonically in 1954, took the name of the Secular Institute of the Daughters of the Queenship of Mary Immaculate.

Fr. Carlo continued to take an interest in the institute he had founded, and he animated it with the Salesian spirit and apostolic dedication, particularly towards the poorest young people. He was incardinated into the archdiocese so he could devote himself entirely to the spiritual formation of this group. Shortly before his death on 4 April 1982, Fr della Torre was again admitted to the Salesian Congregation.

The Daughters have now formed a second group as a Religious Institute of Sisters of the Queenship of Mary, in addition to the Secular Institute. They are both members of the Salesian Family.

TURIN 13 June 2012 -- Fr Francis Xavier Doan Quoc Ky was ordained priest last weekend in Turin by Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia, archbishop of Turin.

The newly orained priest, whose Salesian vocation began in Vietnam, is a missionary to Lithuania. He received his missionary cross in Turin in 2006, before departing for Lithuania for his practical training. He completed his theological studies at the Crocetta, in Turin.