4305_Salesian Family on the move!
Animating - Joy - Witnessing:
The Rector Major visits to Salesian Family in Vietnam (6)
February 24, 2017
Dalat, Vietnam, 24 February 2017 -- The third full day of Vietnam visit was quite a busy time. After early breakfast in Xuan Hiep Provincial House (HCM City) the successor of Don Bosco embarked on one full day journey with three stop over - FMA Sisters Provincial House (HCM City, Tam Ha), Lien Khuong (Bao Loc Province) parish of Mary Help of Christians and finally the Blessed Michael Rua Postnovitiate community in Dalat City. The whole movement took about 15 hours non-stop!
The whole morning time in the large Tam Ha compound of FMA Sisters (in Vietnam since 1961, 270 professed sisters and 43 novices) was started with a lively interaction amidst the migrant school children. Then follow the encounter with the FMA sisters, novice, postulants in the Provincial House Hall. After a brief presentation of 56 years FMA history in Vietnam Fr. Angel shared from his heart about the value of communion within the Salesian Family and in a specific way between the SDB and FMA. The peak of the whole program was the Eucharist presided by the Rector Major in Italian. Soon after a short lunch the whole group accompanying the Rector Major (21 person) moved to the airport.
After a short 30 minutes flight (300+ km distance) to Dalat airport the second leg of the Vietnam visit started. In the Southern Highland region are located 5 SDB communities including the Postnovitiate. In the Lien Khuong parish of Mary Help of Christian was prepared a meeting of Salesian Family from this region with 500 participants, animated by the Association of Salesian Cooperators (Provincial Coordinator Mr. Peter Bao) - lively animation, presentation of each group (VDB, DB and FMA Past Pupils, Salesian Cooperators, SDB with different friends of Don Bosco, parishioners from 7 nearby SDB parishes and parents of the Salesians). The whole event was very lively due to the youth musical band and many cultural dances also during the dinner prepared for all. Inevitable photo sessions (including many selfies) were prepared before the Eucharist in the parish church.
After a short 30 minutes car drive from the Lien Khuong parish the Rector Major finally arrived to the City of Dalat, Don Rua Community. In spite of the late hour (after 9 PM) he was welcomed by few hundreds of our confreres, postnovices, aspirants, university students and Salesian Cooperators of Dalat. After few action songs and prayer the happy but tired successor of Don Bosco shared a traditional Good Night Talk (about the good night talk at Valdocco) and highlighted the precious gift that we Salesians can feel at home even in the house we visit for the first time.
On the 24th February is scheduled in the morning time the second meeting with Salesian confreres and in the afternoon a Salesian Youth Movement meeting including the Eucharist.
