austraLasia #3268
22 August 2013 -- We celebrated the jubilee of several SDB’s, FMA’s and SAL’s during the yearly birthday celebration of Don Bosco. Also, we took this opportunity to celebrate the 100th birthday of Fr. Ernesto Rescalli with the Salesian family members.
A Salesian Family gathering was arranged in which Fr. Matthew Chan delivered a talk on the reflection on the faith of the new generation and a guest speaker, Mrs. Yuen shared with us the problems and challenges of today’s Oratory. Fr. Matthew said that the youth now only focused on “ME”. They did not know how to connect with external entities such aemonstrates features of Don Bosco's pedagogy over a more or less thirty year period.s people, society, world, etc. Education should include the formation on the spiritual and the supernatural dimensions, and should not only concern itself with how to be successful and to raise the quality of life, but should take care to mould persons to become honest citizens and good Christians. Parents were also contributing to the ignorance of their children by neglecting the value of holy mass and focusing on their academic results only. The commitment of the teachers was very important. They can introduce religious and ethical issues into their teaching even when they were not teaching religion. Accepting the witness to the gospel, our Christian identity, the witness of our community and Jesus as our teacher were the true forces to motivate the society and the world. Mrs. Yuen shared her experience with the South Asian youths, depicting their distrust of other people and their difference religious practices. Her youth centre was trying its best to solve these problem and they had around 300 members now. They also used different group activities to help young people grow in the centre.
The Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Joseph Zen. Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, Provincial of China Province said in his sermon that we appreciated that the charism of Don Bosco was given by God and we were sharing this charism in different ways, as Don Bosco Salesians, FMA Salesians and Co-operator Salesians, etc. Don Bosco gives joy to those who know him. Children and youth possess the greatest value in the world, Don Bosco offered his life for them and this is one of his charisms. This is the second year for preparing the Bicentenary of Don Bosco’s birth and the theme for this year is Preventive System. Nature religious possesses rationality as its basic element. Atheism is not rational and denies rationality. It does not have educative dignity and value but is damaging to education. Don Bosco talked about the Christian and supernatural religion. The way to proceed is by loving-kindness, which is also pastoral charity. Loving-kindness is shown to the individual. God loves each one of us with the same love. We should have the greatest confidence in this loving-kindness. We must believe that the love of God is stronger than any hatred.
During dinner, Fr. Ernesto Rescalli shared with us his joy and sang a song for us. This brought a joyful Salesian family atmosphere to the whole gathering. Salesians also joined in to sing an Italian song, whereas an action song was sung by Salesian youths and young Salesians. Afterwards, the Don Bosco Prize was presented to the outstanding students to award their academic performance and community service. At the end, all were encouraged to imitate Don Bosco’s love for the young through their work in the Salesian Family.
22 August 2013 -- We celebrated the jubilee of several SDB’s, FMA’s and SAL’s during the yearly birthday celebration of Don Bosco. Also, we took this opportunity to celebrate the 100th birthday of Fr. Ernesto Rescalli with the Salesian family members.
A Salesian Family gathering was arranged in which Fr. Matthew Chan delivered a talk on the reflection on the faith of the new generation and a guest speaker, Mrs. Yuen shared with us the problems and challenges of today’s Oratory. Fr. Matthew said that the youth now only focused on “ME”. They did not know how to connect with external entities such aemonstrates features of Don Bosco's pedagogy over a more or less thirty year period.s people, society, world, etc. Education should include the formation on the spiritual and the supernatural dimensions, and should not only concern itself with how to be successful and to raise the quality of life, but should take care to mould persons to become honest citizens and good Christians. Parents were also contributing to the ignorance of their children by neglecting the value of holy mass and focusing on their academic results only. The commitment of the teachers was very important. They can introduce religious and ethical issues into their teaching even when they were not teaching religion. Accepting the witness to the gospel, our Christian identity, the witness of our community and Jesus as our teacher were the true forces to motivate the society and the world. Mrs. Yuen shared her experience with the South Asian youths, depicting their distrust of other people and their difference religious practices. Her youth centre was trying its best to solve these problem and they had around 300 members now. They also used different group activities to help young people grow in the centre.
The Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Joseph Zen. Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, Provincial of China Province said in his sermon that we appreciated that the charism of Don Bosco was given by God and we were sharing this charism in different ways, as Don Bosco Salesians, FMA Salesians and Co-operator Salesians, etc. Don Bosco gives joy to those who know him. Children and youth possess the greatest value in the world, Don Bosco offered his life for them and this is one of his charisms. This is the second year for preparing the Bicentenary of Don Bosco’s birth and the theme for this year is Preventive System. Nature religious possesses rationality as its basic element. Atheism is not rational and denies rationality. It does not have educative dignity and value but is damaging to education. Don Bosco talked about the Christian and supernatural religion. The way to proceed is by loving-kindness, which is also pastoral charity. Loving-kindness is shown to the individual. God loves each one of us with the same love. We should have the greatest confidence in this loving-kindness. We must believe that the love of God is stronger than any hatred.
During dinner, Fr. Ernesto Rescalli shared with us his joy and sang a song for us. This brought a joyful Salesian family atmosphere to the whole gathering. Salesians also joined in to sing an Italian song, whereas an action song was sung by Salesian youths and young Salesians. Afterwards, the Don Bosco Prize was presented to the outstanding students to award their academic performance and community service. At the end, all were encouraged to imitate Don Bosco’s love for the young through their work in the Salesian Family.
