austraLasia #2259
Japan's national festivities create vocational fervour opportunity
CHOFU: 23rd September 2008 -- The Autumn Equinox in Japan, celebrated on 23rd September, is both a national feast (established 1948 to commemorate ancestors but in fact also harking back to times of emperor worship long ago) and this year an occasion for Salesian aspirants to celebrate with their formators and the provincial at Chofu.
The Japan Province has three aspirantates: one at Yokohama, a second at Yokkaichi (between them 16 and 22 aspirants respectively, from middle and upper secondary school level) and a third at Chofu with 7 aspirants pursuing university studies. This is a respectable number for a nation where Christians are few in number comparatively speaking (though interestingly enough the newly appointed prime minister will be a Catholic).
Following Don Bosco means walking on roses with hidden thorns, so not all succeed on the journey, but it is a fact that most of the young confreres of the Japanese Province have come through the classic aspirantate model for young students.
The vocations festive celebration saw all the aspirants come together for a Mass and some important space for prayer, followed by an enthusiastic football competition and then a fraternal meal.
The formators firmly believe that the enthusiasm of this occasion reinforces the zeal and courage to follow Jesus along the sometimes prickly path noted in Don Bosco's famous dream.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2008 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
Title: australasia 2259
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces GIA aspirants
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2259
Japan's national festivities create vocational fervour opportunity
CHOFU: 23rd September 2008 -- The Autumn Equinox in Japan, celebrated on 23rd September, is both a national feast (established 1948 to commemorate ancestors but in fact also harking back to times of emperor worship long ago) and this year an occasion for Salesian aspirants to celebrate with their formators and the provincial at Chofu.
The Japan Province has three aspirantates: one at Yokohama, a second at Yokkaichi (between them 16 and 22 aspirants respectively, from middle and upper secondary school level) and a third at Chofu with 7 aspirants pursuing university studies. This is a respectable number for a nation where Christians are few in number comparatively speaking (though interestingly enough the newly appointed prime minister will be a Catholic).
Following Don Bosco means walking on roses with hidden thorns, so not all succeed on the journey, but it is a fact that most of the young confreres of the Japanese Province have come through the classic aspirantate model for young students.
The vocations festive celebration saw all the aspirants come together for a Mass and some important space for prayer, followed by an enthusiastic football competition and then a fraternal meal.
The formators firmly believe that the enthusiasm of this occasion reinforces the zeal and courage to follow Jesus along the sometimes prickly path noted in Don Bosco's famous dream.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2008 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at at http://sdl.sdb.org
Title: australasia 2259
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces GIA aspirants
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2259
