TOKYO-CHOFU: 28th October '04 -- Concluding a busy first day in Japan, the Rector Major celebrated the Mass of Blessed Michael Rua at the Salesian Seminary, Chofu, then visited the museum honouring the memory of Don Vincent Cimatti, Salesian Japan's great missionary figure whose cause for canonisation has been introduced.

    Don Rua was the first rector besides Don Bosco, at Mirabello, and at 28 years of age only was afraid of the task. 'Do in Mirabello what you see and experience at Valdocco', Don Bosco told him, and so it was to be.  Nobody knew as much about Don Bosco as Don Rua did.  He knew him off by heart!  'Three messages, then, that we learn from Don Rua':

1. Let's love Don Bosco by imitating him.

2. Let's put into practice the dreams of our Father and Founder.

3. Let's take Salesian holiness seriously living our vocation and mission with simplicity.

    After the Mass the Rector Major spoke about Vincent Cimatti, recalling the fact that Fr John Fedrigotti had spent his last months finishing his work on Cimatti's understanding of the Preventive System, first a formator amongst young Salesians in Italy in the immediate post-Don Bosco period, then for 40 years in Japan.  Don Cimatti is a shining model for all Salesians in Japan, the RM said.  'We can give thanks for the rich history of the Salesian charism in Japan and for all the confreres who have contributed to it in the Land of the Rising Sun'.