The Rector Major, Fr. Angel F. Artime arrived in Seoul
Seoul, Korea, 21 October 2016 -- Fr. Angel F. Artime, the 11th successor of Don Bosco after arrival to the Incheon (Seoul) airport in the evening of October 21st was welcomed by the Provincial Fr. Stefano Yang and 10 young confreres in practical training. The first stop-over of the second visit to the EAO region started in the provincial house of Seoul.
After arrival and evening prayer with traditional Korean melodies the Rector major addressed the 80 confreres, novices and prenovices who gathered from all 13 communities of South Korea to welcome their Father. In his good night talk Fr. Angel expressed his feelings and gave encouragement to all present Salesians:
'I feel at home, after 22 hours without sleeping. on the airplane (Rome-Doha-Seoul). To meet personally with young confreres is already worthwhile of this long journey!
In past two and half years of my ministry i was able to meet personally already about 5870 Salesians in 44 provinces and 52 countries. And God willing, I hope to meet before the GC27 in 2020 twelve thousand Salesian confreres.
It's nice to pray with you, its better than in the General House, thanks to your beautiful songs and personalized prayer (many confreres offered spontaneous prayer in Korean for the needs of the Congregation).
I'm deeply convinced that we are living in a wonderful Salesian Congregation. The Award of Mediterranian Foundation, many Salesians working in the mission frontiers of Siberia - Yakutsk (100 degrees temprature difference between winter and summer), in Moskwa or in the Middle East countries are the best witness of hope in many parts of the world!"
The good night talk was followed by a family dinner on the 6th floor of the Seoul provincial house and the whole evening was concluded by the joyful Academy time with contribution of the formation houses of Neri (novitiate), Kwangju (postnovitiate and prenovitiate) and Seoul-DaeRimDong (postnovitiate and prenovitiate). A mixture of high standard Korean traditional and modern music, dance and magic show cheered all present.
At the end of the day the Rector Major offered his final greeting. After this short 'private visit' to Seoul, he will come for the pastoral visit next 2018 in November. Fr. Angel expressed his feeling to be in a family and asked all present confreres to maintain and growth our most precious Salesian heritage - the family spirit and joy, that was deeply experience this evening.
On Saturday, October 22 the Rector Major will celebrate the Eucharist in the FMA provincial house in Seoul and will depart in the early afternoon to Mongolia delegation to celebrate the World Mission Sunday there.
