austraLasia #1850

Salesian Women with a history of "90 years of passion for the world"

ROME: 20th May 2007 --  The Volunteers of Don Bosco, consecrated women who live the Salesian spirit and whose group has full membership of the Salesian Family, today celebrate 90 years of consecrated fidelity. They are a Secular Institute by Pontifical Right. On 20th May 1917, three women began a kind of 'silent revolution' guided by Fr Philip Rinaldi, who at the time was director of the Salesian Sisters' Oratory at Valdocco. At that time they saw themselves as 'Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in the world'. It took until 1947 for these beginnings to emerge as an Institute of Consecrated Life and then in 1978 it was recognised by Pope Paul VI as a Secular Institute by Pontifical Right.
    What is of particular interest, for the East Asia Oceania Region, where the group is widespread, is that this SDB region contains two of the VDB regions (they are in five continents with around 1,300 members).  This makes it one of the strongest concentrations of members.  As part of the ecclesiastical structure foreseen under Canon Law, the Salesians SDB appoint an ecclesiastical assistant for a VDB region.  Interesting that two currently serving provincials (Fr Wong of Philippines norther province and Fr Lam of China province) are the ecclesiastical assistants for the two respective VDB Asian-Oceanian regions, and that Cardinal Zen was the ecclesiastical assistant for one of these regions until he was appointed as auxiliary bishop in Hong Kong.
    Serving under the ecclesiastical assistants are other Salesians who operate as locally based assistants.  It is a sign of their fervour too, in carrying out their task over the years, that the movement has grown and matured in the SDB EAO Region.  There number of SDBs involved is or at least has been around ten.  One of the VDB world councillors is from the Asian regions, China in fact.  We should note too that the current SDB Regional spent twelve years as an assistant to the VDB.  No surprise that he will find himself back where he started in this task, in Seoul, for the 90th anniversary celebrations there.
    'Passion for the world" is a phrase partly traceable to Fr Chavez, the Rector Major.  Despite his present heavy commitment to the 5th Latin American Episcopal Conference in Brazil, it is known that he has written the Institute his own letter of congratulations, which we can expect to find on their website shortly: http://www.volontariedonbosco.org.
    Things come in threes it seems - in addition to the VDB anniversary, we are already aware that the 20th May this time is the Feast of the Ascension in many dioceses throughout the world (transferred from the traditional 'Thursday'), and also the annual World Communications Day promoted especially by a Papal message, this year on theme dear to Salesian interests - children, and the challenge of education in a media world.
   
   _________________
 AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific.  It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome.  For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm   Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org. To contact austraLasia by voice on Skype, the Skype name is austraLasia.