4303_The Rector Major at the Theological Institute of Blessed Philip Rinaldi
The Rector Major visits to Salesian Family in Viet Nam (3)
February 22, 2017
HCM City, Vietnam, 20 February 2017 -- On the afternoon of 20 January 2017, the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, paid a visit to The Theological Institute of Blessed Philip Rinaldi at Xuan Hiep, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City. He was accompanied by Fr. Vaclav Klement, EAO Regional Superior and Fr. Joseph Nguyen Van Quang, Superior of Vietnam – Mongolia Province, together with The Provincial Council.
The Rector Major joined the community in their vesper, entrusting them to Mary, Help of Christians.
After the vesper, Fr. Ángel greeted them with fatherly affection. He pointed out that his main task during this 6 year term is to take care of all Salesian confreres and encourage them to be more committed in their service among the poor and abandoned youth. The Rector Major hopes that every confrere feels fulfilled as he commits himself for Salesian mission. Fr. Ángel emphasized that Salesians can only have that apostolic zeal if they take their formation seriously in all phases. Through formation, each Salesian draws his love and strength from Jesus, the Good Shepherd; with that, he is able to transform and imitate the Good Shepherd in the footstep of Don Bosco. Therefore, the aim of formation is to help Salesians put on Christ, The Good Shepherd and compel them to offer their lives for abandoned youth as Don Bosco did.
After his conference, the Rector Major listened attentively and gave advices to questions posed by theology students regarding their common life, studies and aspirations in their Salesian journeys.
The visit of the Rector Major to the Blessed Philip Rinaldi community was flavored with the supper filled with family spirit. The Salesians present showed their affection to the 10th successor of Don Bosco. Everyone enjoyed the fraternal meal, together with songs full of thankfulness and gratitude. The visit of Fr Ángel Fernández Artime is “Don Bosco among us” for the Province of Vietnam-Mongolia, particularly for the community of Blessed Philip Rinaldi on this occasion. This visit nurtures the affection of Salesians in Vietnam for the 10th Successor of Don Bosco and encourages them to serve the young more passionately in the Salesian mission, particularly for the youth of Vietnam.
