Rector Major sent a special letter to all members of the Salesian Family

By Our Own Correspondent

Rome, 25 September 2017 -- In next few days the Rector Major will celebrate the 90th anniversary of Salesian presence in Czech Republic. After the celebration in Brno (Czech Republic), the 10th successor of Don Bosco will continue his journey to Bratislava (Slovakia) where he will attend the Beatification of Martys, Fr. Titus Zeman, SDB (1915-1969).

Next September 30, Saturday morning in Bratislava - Petrzalka Salesian Cardinal Angelo Amato will preside the Eucharistic celebration of Beatification of another martyr of communist persecution time, our confrere, Father Titus Zeman. This Salesian and Ecclesial celebration will take place just few hundred kilometers from Budapest (Hungary) where was living, martyred and beatified another Salesian martyr of those times, Blessed Brother Istvan (Steven) Sandor last November 2013.

For this occasion, at the last 16 August, the Rector Major sent a special letter to all members of the worldwide Salesian Family (full text available on the Boscolink). In brief Fr. Angel reminds the main data of his heroic life - vocation story, great passion for the young people, for vocations, for the Salesian charism but especialy his great fidelity to Jesus and to Don Bosco until the end.

"The heroic testimony of Blessed Titus Zeman is one of the most beautiful pages of faith written by the Christian communities of Eastern Europe and our Congregation in the years of persecution by the communist regimes of the last century. In him we see particularly a splendid dedication to young consecrated and priestly vocations, which was decisive for the future of faith in those territories."

And Rector Major continues: "I want Fr Titus to become, in our educative-pastoral communities and in our formation centres, our model and patron in the task of accompanying the younger generations, in accepting the call to share in the joy of the young people. Fr Titus is for us the incarnation, a role-model of credible adults and their cooperation as basic condition in the course of human development and vocational discernment of the young."

And Fr. Angel concludes: "I share the joy of the Church and of the Salesian Family in Slovakia, and I invite all of our communities and groups of the Salesian Family to celebrate the memory of the new Blessed, to get to know the witness of his martyrdom and to invoke his intercession for perseverance and fruitfulness of vocations."

Related articles:

• AustraLasia 4377 (III) Martyr for Vocation - Fr. Titus Zeman
• AustraLasia 4464 (II) Blessed Steven Sandor and (future) Blessed Titus Zeman
• Resource materials about the new Blessed Fr. Titus Zeman (including the full text of the RM's Letter - August 16,2017)

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