Witness of Joy and Happy Vocation
Rector Major visit to the FMA Vietnam
HCM City, Vietnam -- On Morning, February 23th, 2017, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, the Rector Major visited the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians at Tam Ha, Thu Duc, Vietnam.
Accompanying him was Fr. Horacio Lopez – the personal Secretary, Fr. Vaclav Klement – EAO Regional Councilor, Fr. Joseph Nguyen Van Quang – Provincial of Vietnam_Mongolia and some priests and brothers.
After welcome songs of sisters, novices, postulants, kindergarten children, primary and secondary students of gratis education, teachers, collaborators and past pupils, Sr. Rosa Vu Thi Kim Lien – the Provincial sent thank notes and expressed the gratitude of FMAs, representatives and pupils to Father Rector Major.
Next, kindergarten children and pupils offered the Rector Major, Fr. Horacio and Fr. Vaclav, fresh flowers.
After having photographs with everyone, the Rector Major went to the community’s chapel.
Then he had the encountered with FMAs, novices and postulants. To begin the encounter, Sr. Teresa Kim Duyen, a representative of the Province presented the "History of FMA Congregation in Vietnam" in 17 minutes. After that, the Rector Major had his talk to the community, in which he emphasized four points: Be happy FMAs in the vocation; each one must take a journey of human maturity to be able to overcome challenges in life; need discernment of vocation and companionship to help candidates recognize their vocational motive; and finally, the Salesians should open eyes, open ears, open mind and open our hearts to meet the needs of those who need us. Next was asking and answering questions.
The climax of the meeting was the Mass officiated by the Rector Major, along with Fr. Joseph – the Provincial and 8 priests. The Rector Major gave his brief, clear and understandable homily with Gospel messages: become simple as a child. Our Founders at Valdocco and Mornese had no power in their hands but the Holy Spirit had His own ways…With small numbers at the beginning, today the SDB and FMA are present all over the world. Therefore, our strength and our pride do not consist of numbers but simplicity and serve. Simplicity is the safe path of Gospel.
The visit of the Rector Major was closed with fraternal lunch.
"We thank to the Rector Major for his presence among us, which left his fatherly and precise messages in our hearts. We have seen joy and happiness filled in his eyes. Dear Fr. Angel 'You become a lively testimony of a happy vocation for us. Today, you are here with us. Together with young people, we are a family, a family full of joy and happiness ..."
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.
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