austraLasia #2812 Versiglia, Caravario: Salesian Feast, Chinese
Solemnity - and brush up on your Chi.... er, Latin, you'll
need it!
HONG KONG: 27 February 2011 -- February 25, the
community of Salesian Missionary House in Shau Kei Wan (Hong
Kong) celebrated the liturgical Festum of Saints
Louis Versiglia and Callistus Caravario as a Solemnitas.
Why? Because one third of this community has them as their
Patron Saints and so, according to the liturgical calendar,
their feast can be upgraded to solemnity.
The Solemnitas Mass was consequently celebrated with
all solemnity: three readings, incense, Kyrie, Gloria
sung, (Credo recited), Sanctus, Agnus Dei,
using the beautiful, simple musical score that is popular in
the churches of the mainland. Main celebrant was a
hard-working middle-aged Chinese priest who was born on this
very day exactly 50 years ago (Happy Birthday, Domingos!)
Taking part in the Mass was also a young missionary whose
Chinese name (in imitation of the sounds of his Filipino
name) is the same as that of Saint Louis Versiglia (Happy
Nameday, Versiglia!) Concelebrating in the Mass was Cardinal
Joseph Zen. What more could you demand?
This Shau Kei Wan community (the
formation community of our Province) has a very special
relationship with our dear two Saints. It was born in the
year of their martyrdom in December 1930. The oldest
building housing the community (an old Chinese villa, still
standing, something like the Casa Pinardi of Hong Kong
Salesians) was chosen by Bishop Versiglia himself in one of
his last visits to Hong Kong. The wonderful history of this
community shows that it is the fruit of the martyrdom of our
Protomartyrs. Thanks to their blood, God and Our Lady
blessed this formation community not only with the fidelity
unto death of the first ten missionary graduates (who were
ordained 80 years ago in 1931 and who all died Salesian
priests), not only with the martyrdom of 5 Chinese confreres
who suffered and died in prison for the faith (2 priests, 2
brothers, and 1 cleric), but also with the call to the
Apostolic Succession of 5 confreres from other provinces who
studied in this community when it was stationed in Cheung
Chau (2 in Thailand, 2 in Vietnam, and 1 in the Philippines)
and 2 our own confreres now totally dedicated to the service
of Holy Mother Church. By adding up these three facts, are
we not witnessing the dawn of the “wonders” to be seen in
our great fatherland and foretold by Don Bosco shortly
before his death?
_________________
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