3805(I)_Witness of joyful life

By Fr. Peter Kim, SDB

Seoul, Korea. November 14, 2015 - EAO regional meeting of the missionary animation delegates (Nov 10-13) in Seoul according Fr. Guillermo Basanes was a very successful encounter and brought many fruits. The focus and zeal of the delegates and the synergy produced among the Youth Ministry and Missions will bring many fruits in the future.

However the fit agenda of this meeting did not prevent the Councilor for the Missions to experience the missionary reality of the local Korean reality, like walking with the four SDB novices 5 km on the return to the Provincial house.

In the provincial house at Shin Gil 6 Dong district of Seoul is located also the Provincial mission office (Director Fr. Peter Kim San Young) an the Fr.John Lee Foundation (http://www.frjohnlee.org). Both organizations are at the service of the Salesian Missions in the world, with a special focus on Africa and Korean SDB missionaries locations. The councilor for the missions appreciated these two tools for the missions and shared some suggestions to their development.

The 7-floor building of the Provincial house is serving also as a venue for many Youth, Catholic or Salesian family activities. Fr. Guillermo witnessed the finals of the Don Bosco Rock Festival 2015 at 7th floor theater hall and enjoyed also the Salesian History Hall with many items of the first missionary in Korea (Fr. Archimede Martelli) as well those related to late Fr. John Lee Tae Seok.

On Saturday the Mission Councilor presided the morning Eucharist in the FMA provincial house chapel (110 Sisters and 12 candidates) and shared a dynamic homily focused on the Holy Spirit as the main protagonist of the Missions. During the morning time payed the visit to the Caritas Sisters of Jesus (Seoul province center) with a short conference to 25 sisters about the prophetic witness of intercultural communities in today's global world.

In the afternoon Fr. Guillermo visited the Seoul Mother House 'Dae Rim Dong' and encouraged also the most senior confrere of the provinces Fr. Jesus Molero (Spanish missionary, 88 years of age) and enjoyed a meeting with former Southern Africa (Lesotho) missionary Fr. Paul Kim, at present a spiritual guide for the Seoul archdiocesan movement of Street Mission.

For his last supper in Seoul Fr. Basanes was invited by Fr. Provincial Stefano Yang to join the Salesian Brothers in the context of Salesian Brothers Week. He invited the Brothers to a joyful life witness as their best contribution to the Charism and to the Mission.