austraLasia #3491

Bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco – CIN -

Opening Ceremony & Salesian Family Jubilee Celebrations

HONGKONG. August 19 2014. China Province officially opened the celebration of the Bicentenary of Don Bosco’s birth and announced the coming 2015 events on 16 August 2014, we also celebrated the jubilee of several SDB’s, FMA’s and SAL’s. Moreover, we took this opportunity to open the renovated Discovery Centre in Hong Kong.

The Discovery Centre tells us about Don Bosco who is a dreamer, inspirer, promoter, educator, founder, communicator and saint. He started his journey of holiness and brought us many saints. He wants us to follow his path through knowing more about his life, mission and spirituality. And this is the aim of setting up the Discovery Centre.

The opening ceremony started with a video review on the events of DB200 already taken place. What followed were the sharing of Fr. Peter Ng and 2 young people, showing the fruit of Don Bosco’s charisma in youth and in the church. Fr. Peter said that although Don Bosco lost his father when he was 2 years old, he became the father of countless youth, and now all over the world through his successors and Salesian confreres. He learned his fatherly love from the Sacred Heart of Jesus which is the core of his spirituality and education. His love also showed a kind of motherly love which he learned his mother. This fatherly and motherly love was perceived and well accepted by the kids under his care.

Don Bosco’s charisma was further expressed by the publication of books. Fr. Lenti’s new books were presented to all groups of the Salesian Family during a ceremony to symbolize the continuation of Don Bosco’s charisma. Then, the launching ceremony for DB200 was held, to represent our one heart and one mind in the celebrations of 2015.

During the mass, a newly ordained priest from the Macau Diocese, Fr. Cyril Jerome Law shared, “I lost my father when I was young. Then, I came to know Don Bosco in my primary school. After entering into the seminary, I started to think that I could be a father of others like Don Bosco even though I had lost my own father.” He encouraged all of us to imitate Don Bosco’s love for God – the creator and to spread this love all over the world.

This important day of China Province ended with the dinner of jubilee celebration. All the performances during dinner showed gratitude to Don Bosco and his congregation. The Salesian youth showed their appreciation to the young Salesians who accompanied them throughout the past youth events. Several Mongolian youth were present in the dinner, they showed their gratitude to those who sponsored them for the pilgrimage which took them to the places related to Don Bosco. The young Salesians then sang a song in return. The dinner ended in a joyful family atmosphere.