austraLasia #3006
Celebrating Don Bosco's Day
OUR REGION: 1 February 2012 --
The question came
from a young Salesian in Practical Training, after he offered
what they
had done (see further on below): "I
wonder how the other (formation) houses in the Region
celebrate Don
Bosco's Feast Day?"
We know that at Clifton Hill in Melbourne, they were
celebrating it
with a Final Profession (at nearby St Margaret Mary's, a
Salesian
Parish also), of Bro. Yongsik Kim Benedict, from Korea.
Hopefully our
tireless Fr Will, who is busy now as Rector of our large
school at
Sunbury, will post some further details on this in his
excellent SNAP
News. Any number of Australian Salesians will also have
celebrated
anniversaries of profession on this day. Not sure if other
provinces in
the Region 'employ' 31 January for that purpose.
And from Canlubang, Philippines, the following creative
approach:
We had the academy
on the eve of the Solemnity (last night, Jan 30). The hall
was packed
with seminarians, young people, Salesian Cooperators, FMA
sisters and
their aspirants, prenovices and novices. A group of students
of
theology who came all the way from Paranaque caught up just
in time for
the opening of the show! I attached the poster with this
message.
The story happens
in 1888 when John Bosco passes away and the angels who are
manning the
"processing zone" receive the news of Don Bosco's impending
entry to
the pearly gates. As what is customary, the angels have to
check their
records as to whether Don Bosco deserves to be admitted.
As the story
unfolds, personalities whom Don Bosco has met on earth are
eager to
welcome Don Bosco to heaven: the three boys, Garelli, and
even St.
Francis de Sales and Mary Domenica Mazzarello have to" pull
some
strings" so that his entry is facilitated.
In between the
scenes, the audience were treated to some episodes of Don
Bosco's life:
his dream at nine, his meeting with Dominic Savio, his
encounter with
Bart Garelli and even the 'resurrection' of the boy Charles.
And then, stepping outside our Region for a moment, but still
very much
in a formation setting (this one from the Novitiate in the
US), the
following link will take you to a celebrational
post-reflection on Don
Bosco's presence via the Casket. Well worth a look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mOEzq_RCl4
