3674_Great surprise and gift: from Lashio to Rome

July 16, 2015

By Fr. Václav Klement, SDB

Thanks to a benefactor from the Pontifical Lateran University yesterday, Fr. Lucas visited without any previous notice the General house in Rome. He is a frontline missionary in the most remote and not-so-easy accessible zone of Lashio diocese (former Apostolic Vicariate entrusted in 1976 to the Salesians) and it's his first visit - pilgrimage to Italy in his life time.

His coming is also deeply symbolic - since the MYM Viceprovince is the only Circumscription in our Region without any pilgrim group to the Holy Places of Don Bosco. After few days in Rome he is leaving for 3 days to Torino - Valdocco and Becchi.

Within the half a day of visiting the General House community, he was able to meet personally also the Rector Major and most of the Councilors for the Sectors (Economy, Social Communication, Formation, Missions), the EAO regional councilor and share the greetings and life stories of Myanmar Salesians.

After many years of isolation from the rest of the Congregation, the Rector Major asked a closer accompaniment of this young and promising Vice-province with 80 confreres. Within next twelve months are scheduled the visits of not less than three General Councilors and also the EAO Economers meeting next March is hosted in the Retreat House in Anisakan.

Every 17th of the month the EAO Salesians are invited to pray for Myanmar. The short but intense visit of Fr. Lucas was a nice reminder that the Burma missions dreamed by young Don Bosco is very much alive and already sending missionaries to the other parts of the Congregation.