austraLasia 1438

China: some preliminaries to the coming days

HONG KONG: 9th February 2006 --  Just two days now till the arrival of the Rector Major and the Salesian China Centenary goes into full swing.  Below is a summarised version of some materials the Provincial, Fr Savio Hon, has prepared for those who are actually visiting and invited.  Some of the material will be of wider interest.   

1. China has 130 confreres, 3 pre-novices and 12 communities (6 in HK, 3 in Macao, 3 in Taiwan). The major works are: schools (14 in HK, 4 in Macao, 1 in Taiwan, all together serving 20,000 plus students daily), Parishes (2 in HK serving 12,000 parishioners, 3 in Taiwan serving 2,000 plus), special centers for youth (Youth Outreach in HK, 2 Youth centers in HK, Boys Town in Taiwan, EDLV center in Macau, Don Bosco network in Macau). There is also 1 retreat house, 3 publishers (more or less united now), Development office, Youth Ministry office, 2 central Secretariats for education HK and Macau, Lay Collaborators Formation office, DBF office and so on without counting services for the chaplaincies and branches of the Salesian family. 
   
2. CIN was established as a province in 1924, though the SDB presence has been in place for 100 years. The territory is of the so-called greater China(Mainland, HK, Macao, and Taiwan). 
   
3. The main theme of the Centenary DB100 is: Unite the Salesian Family and Love the Youth in China. 
   
4. The province in its plan highlights “Holiness” as the chief aim of the six year period rom 01 – 07.

These are the basic details of the province.  Fr Savio goes on to develop the final point, given that it is clearly the priority of the Congregation as well.  Different themes of the annual retreats like Holiness, Salesianity, Holy Eucharist, Lectio Divina and Adoration, are very much in tune with the Salesian ideals and at the same time are ways leading to Holiness. Different workshops for rectors, bursars, youth ministry people, principals, SDB and lay helpers, have been run for the enhancement of the work in view of the re-birth of holiness. Provincial Visitation is designed that way: Fraternity in joyful communication, decision and visibility of Holiness, personal plan of life, Extraordinary Visitation, love for the Congregation (as the link between the personal and community planning), and now the Sequela Christi as the Salesian commitment after 100 years. In terms of message, confreres are motivated.  After pointing out all of this he adds that its effects are tangible both for individuals and communities.
    One of the big challenges in the China Province is to balance consecration and mission.  The mission is demanding, and the median age is high, all of which places pressures on the other priority.  There is a need for a planned reshaping of work.  The province has established a Development Office to help with this planning.
    The celebrations over the next week will give a fillip to the hard-working and deserving members of the Province, always aware that there is Don Bosco's dream, not just a vague desire but a quite precise dream, behind the past 100 years and the next 100.
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