5238(II)_24 October 1919-2019: A Sino-Marian Centenary
“Entrust everything... to Mary Help of Christians, and you will see what miracles are”
October 29, 2019
Hong Kong, China, 24 October 2019 -- Responding to the inspired and inspiring call of Provincial Fr. Joseph Ng Chi Yuen, today the local Salesian communities of CIN Province in its four Territories (CN HK MO TW), in the context of a Holy Hour or of an Evening Mass, have renewed the Consecration (Entrustment) of the “Missio Salesiana Sinensis” to Mary Help of Christians that was made exactly 100 years ago on 24 October 1919 in Shiuchow by the Salesian Protomartyr Saint Luigi Versiglia, the Servant of God Fr Carlo Braga, and a dozen other missionaries, in response to the grave and urgent needs faced by the newly born Salesian presence in Sinis.
The same Consecration (Entrustment) was repeated 30 years later in 1949, together with his missionaries, by Bishop Michele Arduino, the second successor of St. Luigi Versiglia in Shiuchow, again in response to the tragic turn over of events that had taken place that year in Sinis. One of the missionaries taking part in this renewal was dear Fr. Gaetano Nicosia, the second anniversary of whose death we will be soon commemorating on 6 November. Fr. Nicosia, who died in 2017 at the age of 102, was then a 34-year old young missionary. This year, therefore, besides being the centennial anniversary of the first Consecration (Entrustment) in Shiuchow by Fr Luigi Versiglia (not yet a Bishop), is also the 70th anniversary of its renewal in 1949 in the same Shiuchow by Bishop Michele Arduino.
Our revered and beloved Rector Major Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime chose to visit CIN Province this year, which he called the “Marian Year” of the CIN Province, to lead us in the commemoration of this Sino-Marian Centenary. Since he could not come exactly on this day (24 October 2019), he anticipated the renewal of the Consecration (Entrustment) during his visit from 10 to 17 August this year. When visiting each Territory of our Province, he concluded the festive Mass in each of the Territories with this act of Consecration (Entrustment) of “Missio Salesiana Sinensis” to Mary Help of Christians. This act, made by the Rector Major four times at the level of each Territory, has been today repeated at the level of the local communities.
The “Province of Mary Help of Christians” of China (since 1926), the whole provincial community feels strongly a need of Mary Help of Christians, both in Hong Kong and elsewhere. We are full of confidence that, as Don Bosco said to Fr John Cagliero in 1875 and as Cardinal John Cagliero said to departing missionaries in 1918: “Entrust everything to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary Help of Christians, and you will see what miracles are” (BM XI, 369). We will see that Saul can be converted to Paul. Mary Help of Christians is at work, at the side of her child Jesus, to continue her motherly care of our wounded CIN Province and to bring about in Sinis the wonders she revealed to her loving and faithful child St. John Bosco.
