austraLasia 1030
Don Bosco with an Asian face
BANDEL: 6th February 2005 -- The 8th Asia-Australia
Congress of Past Pupils of Don Bosco has reached its final day, this time at
Bandel, home of the famous Marian Shrine. In fact the Congress has
experienced something of the original Oratory experience of Don Bosco as it has
found a different setting each day for its meeting and other events.
One of the
Delegations (Thailand), has presented the Congress with a bronze statue of
Don Bosco weighing some 30 kg and approximately 80 cm tall. It was
sculpted by a past pupil and produced at his factory. Don Bosco looks very
Asian, and is leading a bare-foot lad by hand, the boy wearing shorts symbolic
of his Thai rural setting. Both Don Bosco's and the boy's face are red,
symbolic of life as the National President, Mr. Francis, of the Thai
Delegation explained.
The statue was blessed by the Vicar of the Rector
Major, Fr. Adrian Bregolin.
The final work of the Congress is being
conducted at the Bandel school, near the Shrine. Amongst other matters,
the location of the next Asia-Australia Congress will be settled on, to take
place in four years time. It's a little bit like waiting for the
announcement of the 2012 Olympiad! The Japanese Delegation, which has
members at this Congress for the first time, has already expressed an interest
in the possibility of hosting a future Asia Australia Congress.
__________________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian
Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based
in Rome. Try also www.bosconet.aust.com and Lexisdb
