austraLasia

?

Shortcut

PrevPrev Article

NextNext Article

Larger Font Smaller Font Up Down Go comment Print Attachment

SDB_7362.jpg



By Hilario Seo

(Seoul, Korea) At the approaching summit of Don Bosco’s bicentennial celebration, various members of the Salesian family in the Metropolitan area of Seoul gathered at the Provincial House last April 18. They attributed the joyful life and happiness they had to St. John Bosco. They also considered the difficult times they have lived in and the afflictions this has caused to the young. They pledge to be with the young and for the young with all their hearts. This is what, in a nutshell, the Salesian Family Spirituality Day held in Korea this year is all about.


The event was attended by about 300 participants including the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDBs), Salesian sisters (FMA), Caritas of Jesus (SCG), Cooperators, Volunteers of Don Bosco (VDB), Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) and the newest member of the Salesian Family, Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA). They examined the spirituality of Don Bosco and its application to the modern times, spending the whole day, sharing the joy and camaraderie of a family.


What is the Salesian Spirituality?


The event took off with the prayers and presentation given by the FMA Sisters. Amidst the lotus lantern projecting Don Bosco's image, which provided a beautiful atmosphere, the simple program was followed by sharing.


Small sheets of paper were given to the participants where they wrote down in one sentence the answer to the statement, ‘Salesian spirituality is _______.’ Soon after, they exchanged notes with each other, sharing what they wrote, which helped inscribed the meaning of Salesian Spirituality in their lives.


Among the striking comments which were presented read, “Salesian Spirituality is like a fast food: because it is the most favorite of the young,” or “It’s an insurance for goods and services, because even if we grow old we could still live happily and youthfully,” or “Salesian Spirituality is the smell of the feet, for it spreads a fatal influence.” Another was “It is like the internet, for most of the young are gathered there,” and so on. These witty comments provoked response and elicited smile from the participants.


Recollection and Hope


The activity was followed by the lecture of Fr Bernard Lee Junseok about the Strenna of the Rector Major for 2015. Furthermore, in the midst of the violent culture which has made the present society become so numb, the Salesian family has embarked in their resolve to care for the indigent teens in the suburbs, accompanying them in this kind of culture. The Sewol Ferry Tragedy that claimed the lives of 304 people a year ago has still caused trauma to the society. The passing of time has not healed the pain, but is said to increase it all the more.


Since the young people all over the world witnessed on the screen the people who were negligent in leaving the victims, most of whom were teens, aboard the sinking ferry, served as an eye-opener for them to be more discerning in giving their trust to their leaders. In this situation, truly the role of the good shepherd who sacrificed his life for his lambs, emphasized merely Don Bosco, who worked for the young and lived with them: and the Rector Major’s Strenna as a way to put into practice. Remembering the pain and betrayal, let us rise again through deep reflection, without forgetting that hope would spring up tomorrow and suggesting to take the lead in the reparation of distrust and betrayal felt by the young to the elder generation.


The Agape of Happiness


After lunch offered by Salesian, each group of the Salesian family opened up performances which added to the sharing and joy of the Day. The Salesian Aspirants received great applause by showing competently their talent through a beautiful song. Subsequently, the cheerful dance from the Salesian Sisters warmed up the heart of the participants. The Volunteers of Don Bosco showed up with masks to keep their 'riserva' and surprised the audience with their dance while the Cooperators refreshed the audience with their re-interpretation of the meeting scene of Don Bosco with Bartolomeo Garelli.


The Salesian Family Spiritual Day had the Eucharistic Celebration as a grand finale. Fr Stephano Yang, the Provincial said in his homily, “Even though we are living in a generation of great pain and trials, we must be the bearer of hope of Don Bosco’s optimism.” He also said, “To convey God’s love to the poor young, a big Salesian family was made through Don Bosco who was born 200 years ago. With this vocation, we should stress the significance of a person rather than the wealth, honor, work or interest, emphasizing the need to revive the mission of Nazareth and Valdocco.” He therefore said, “In this year, through the words of the Rector Major’s Strenna 2015, let us deeply engrave in our hearts the meaning of the message, 'the poor will be the our savior.'” He concluded his homily in promising to hasten to go out to the periphery, for finding the young who are most in need.


Since it is the bicentennial year of the birth of Don Bosco, this year’s Salesian Family Spirituality Day was a time filled with more abundant grace and blessings. As the participation of Cooperators, SYM's young boys and girls, especially the newly started Association of Mary Help of Christian's members, the great number of the lay people in Salesian Family, the Spirituality Day remarkably showed an increasing appearance and evaluated to have brought the fruit of intense preparation for the DB200 in the last several years.


We hope the Salesian Spirituality in Korea blooms more to the full and becomes good news to the youth in difficulties.


SDB_7343.jpg


SDB_6861.jpg


SDB_6876.jpg


SDB_6882.jpg


SDB_6906.jpg


SDB_6944.jpg


SDB_6967.jpg


SDB_6971.jpg


SDB_6988.jpg


SDB_6997.jpg


SDB_7007.jpg


SDB_7017.jpg


SDB_7039.jpg


SDB_7067.jpg


SDB_7091.jpg


SDB_7098.jpg


SDB_7132.jpg


SDB_7161.jpg


SDB_7182.jpg


SDB_7228.jpg


SDB_7305.jpg


SDB_7374.jpg



Attach

Drag and drop your files here, or Click attach files button.

Maximum File Size : 0MB (Allowed extentsions : *.*)

0 file(s) attached ( / )

  1. 3632_Mary Help of Youth and Women's Day in Don Bosco Kep

    By Fr. Albeiro Rodas, SDB Kep City, Cambodia, May 25 - Fr. Gianluca Tavola, PIME missionary and Kampot Parish-priest, was the president of the Solemnity of Mary Help of Youth at the Don Bosco Birth's Monument in Kep City, while Mgr. Olivier...
    Date2015.05.26 CategoryCamb. Reply0 Views1821 file
    Read More
  2. 3631_EAO Mission Offices report 2014 (AUL & KOR)

    By Br. Hilario Seo, SDB Melbourne and Seoul, May 24 - Salesian Missions Newsletter 2014 (The Australian Salesian Mission Oversea Aid Fund: ASMOAF) and the Don Bosco NANUM 2014 Year report (The Korean Salesian Mission Office) recently publis...
    Date2015.05.25 CategoryEAO Reply1 Views1668 file
    Read More
  3. 3630_3_Final Professions in Melbourne

    By Fr. Bernie Graham, SDB Melbourne, Australia, May24 - A wonderful ‘four-pronged’ celebration was held at Clifton Hill, Melbourne on Sunday 24 May. Firstly it was the Feast of Pentecost, the feast of the Holy Spirit. Secondly it was the Fe...
    Date2015.05.24 CategoryAUL Reply0 Views2029 file
    Read More
  4. 3630_2_Grand Feast of Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco

    An opportunity to become more authentic followers of Don Bosco By Br. Hilario Seo, SDB Seoul, Korea, May 23 - Korean Salesian Family held a Grand Feast for the Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco. On the 23rd of May, the vigil of Pentecos...
    Date2015.05.24 CategoryKOR Reply0 Views1860 file
    Read More
  5. 3630_1_Salesian Family Honors MHC @ 200

    By Br. Donnie Duchin Duya, SDB 23 May 2015, Parañaque City, Philippines — The members of the Salesian Family of the Philippine Province of St. John Bosco North (FIN) held a Eucharist honoring the Blessed Mother under her title Mary Help of ...
    Date2015.05.24 CategoryFIN Reply0 Views4422 file
    Read More
  6. 3629_Called. Consecrated. Commissioned

    By Fr. Randy A. Figuracion, SDB Cebu City, Philippines, May 23 - The Philippine Province of Mary Help of Christians (FIS) received a great gift from God: a new priest. Fr. Generoso A. Llenos, SDB is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Celeste Llenos. A...
    Date2015.05.23 CategoryFIS Reply0 Views10733 file
    Read More
  7. 3628_Thanks to God, we have a wonderful Congregation!

    EAO bishops at Valdocco 2015 By Our Own Correspondent The fifth historical meeting of the Salesian bishops, as one of the highlights of the Bicentenary of Don Bosco’s Birthday, is going on at Valdocco. A moving Eucharist presided by archbis...
    Date2015.05.23 CategoryEAO Reply0 Views2544 file
    Read More
  8. 3627_Renewed Catechesis for Children and Youth

    By Fr. Randy A. Figuracion, SDB Talisay City, Cebu, Philippines - In his January visit to the Philippines, Pope Francis gave this challenge: “We need to protect, guide and encourage our young people, helping them to build a society worthy o...
    Date2015.05.22 CategoryFIS Reply0 Views1984 file
    Read More
  9. 3626_Bicentenary encounter of the Salesian Bishops with the Rector Major

    By Our Own Correspondent Torino, May 21 - Five years from the most recent encounter of the Salesian Bishops around the Rector Major (Turin, May 2010) as part of the DB200 official events, some 90 SDB bishops are coming to Turin for 4 days e...
    Date2015.05.22 CategoryWorld Reply0 Views6311 file
    Read More
  10. 3625_Pope's appeal for World Day of Prayer for Church in China

    By Our Own Correspondent You might know that this year is also the 200th anniversary of the declaration of the feast of Mary Help of Christians. And many EAO countries or provinces are under the protection of MHC. EAO province dedicated to ...
    Date2015.05.21 CategoryWorld Reply1 Views2867 file
    Read More
List
Board Pagination Prev 1 ... 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 ... 545 Next
/ 545