Happy New Year!
Korea begins Strenna 2012 'on the way to 2015'
NAE RIN: 1
January 2012 --
The small Salesian community at Nae Rin, on the coast, a
little south
of the airport at Incheon, is only celebrating its
second birthday,
but building-wise it is now pretty much complete. Nae Rin is
the
novitiate and also a retreat centre. Four novices are due to
begin
their novitiate shortly, but in the meantime, the community is
the
setting for four of the 2012 series of Retreats for the
confreres. This
one is being preached by Fr Klement. Others will be preached
by Bro
Hilario Seo and Fr John Chong (the latter is novice director).
Given
that the Rector Major has only just launched his Strenna for
2012, this
particular Retreat is timely: Return to Don Bosco is its
theme, and it
is based very much on materials that are in preparation for
this
strenna, but more particularly for the 2015 birthday bash (or,
more
respectfully, Bicientenary!) It might be interesting to
see what this
group is up to, take a brief peek at how their Retreat is
tackling the
main theme....
The main sources in use, other than the Constitutions,
naturally, are the Memoirs
of the Oratory
in Korean translation (completed 1998) and a booklet prepared
by CISI
(the Italian Salesian Provincial Conference). If readers
are unaware
of this latter, it could be worth their while seeking it
out. It is
excellent, and some parts of our Region have already
begun, in some
cases completed, its translation into local languages. In this
case Bro
Hilario has been responsible for the translation into Korean
of the
material prepared by Fr Aldo Giraudo, acknowledged expert in
all things
'Don Bosco' (and who, incidentally, will be presenting some of
his
ideas at the upcoming Salesian Spirituality Days later this
month in
Rome).
One interesting little ploy suggested by Giraudo back in 2007
when he
gave the Retreat to the General Council, was to devise a
Salesian
'rosary' based on the MO. People may have their own views of
such an
exercise, but for what it's worth, here it is 'Korea' style: Mysteries of Don Bosco's
vocation:
1. The Dream (Where it all begins)
2. Villa Moglia ("The most joyful and adventurous period in my
life")
3. Clothing Day as a cleric (a great source of inspiration for
his early resolutions)
4. The CHieri period (spiritual diretion in particular)
5. Priestly ordination 1841 (another important set of
resolutions) Mysteries of Don Bosco's
mission
1. The encounter with Bartholomew Garelli (Foundational story)
2. Recovery from serious illnes ("I will spend my life until
my last breath for my poor boys")
3. 1844 Dream (Here sheep turn into shepherds - hints of the
future Congregation)
4. The Wandering Oratory (faith and patience)
5. Mamma Margaret comes to Valdocco (Wonderful scene, and her
readiness "if it is God's will") Mysteries of founding of the
Congregation
1. 24 January 1854, (The first Salesians gather in Don Bosco's
room)
2. Difficult times (the ongoing tensions with Gastaldi, the
Archbishop of Turin)
3. 1874 (approval of the first Constitutions)
4. 1875 (First missionary expedition)
5. 1887 Sacred Heart Basilica, in tears of gratitude ("I have
understood my whole life...").
All in all, not a bad way to ring in the new year.
