austraLasia #2760
Bishop cancels parish Sunday Masses to encourage faithful to celebrate with Don Bosco
(A summary of an extensive set of reports from Fr Dheparat, however from comments received back here, a number of readers are looking for more!)
RATCHABURI: 30 Nov 2010 -- "It was a diocese that Salesians have worked in for 41 years, Ratchaburi, and neither the people nor the Bishop were about to miss an occasion to celebrate the arrival of Don Bosco's Casket. On its arrival on 21 November, the Bishop and the local clergy, 4000 students and a good number of parishioners welcomed Don Bosco; one of the churches the Casket passed on the way greeted Don Bosco with 40,000 fire crackers! On the following Sunday, the Bishop cancelled all 9.00 am masses in the diocese to enable the faithful to attend the Eucharistic celebration at the cathedral in honour of St. John Bosco. The cathedral was packed and many faithful were sitting in the tent outside. The bishop used most of his homily to praise the Salesians for their good work for the good of souls, mentioning many whom he knew personally and citing the good things they did.
Then on to Banpong, a town where the first Salesian school was founded in 1927. Now, there are two Salesian schools, a senior students’ aspirantate, a parish and one FMA school. The total number of Salesian students are 5,600 and they were joined by 1500 faithful who welcomed Don Bosco. And again a whole night prayer and vigil with huge numbers for confession and holy communion.
Finally it was Suratthani diocese's turn to welcome the casket from November 23-27. At present, there around 30 Salesians helping the diocese in parishes,schools and pastoral centres in three Salesian presences. Bishop Joseph Prathan sdb. followed the casket throughout the journey.
On November 23, the day that the Casket entered the Suratthani diocese, her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Sirindhorn officiated at the grand royal opening of Don Bosco Home, Bangsak, Phangna. Don Bosco Home Bangsak is the home for the tsunami-affected children. It has already been open for 5 years but the invitation for the Princess to inaugurate the Home was made four years ago. The way we see it is that her acceptance to inaugurate Don Bosco Home during Don Bosco’s visit was really a providential arrangement. Her visit showed great honour and public approval for our Salesian work for disadvantaged children and since Don Bosco could not visit the place (as it is very far away on the western coast), the Princess did it for him! At night in the daily television news, all channels reported on the Princess’ visit to Don Bosco Home, allowing the public to know more about Don Bosco and his work in Thailand.
It is worth noting that all the Salesian schools and parishes celebrated a novena before the arrival of the casket. It first went to Hua-Hin with a Salesian school with 3,600 students, a retreat house, an aspirantate for junior high school students and a parish.
Throughout the 5 day journey in the South, Don Bosco’s casket visited the Cathedral, two Salesian parishes, three diocesan schools ( two of which are under the care of the Salesians), three schools run by other groups in the Salesian family. Each place brought out its best welcome for Don Bosco, making it a most important feast. At Bansaengarun school and parish, a hundred students and parishioners used a big rope to move the casket, imitating the local southern culture of using rope to move the car on which a statue of Buddha stands. At Don Bosco technical school in Suratthani, the teachers organized the vigil for Don Bosco until morning before sending him off to other places
The journey in the south and elsewhere in Thailand proved that Don Bosco arranged everything for his sons and daughters so that nobody would be worried or under stress in welcoming him. With such a long journey in the south of more than 1,000 kilometers and many visits, the casket always arrived on time, making nobody tired of waitng for him. Everybody was happy. Nobody was disappointed. Everybody could pray in front of Don Bosco’s relics and touched the casket. Don Bosco made the miracle for us".
_________________
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 2010 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
Bishop cancels parish Sunday Masses to encourage faithful to celebrate with Don Bosco
(A summary of an extensive set of reports from Fr Dheparat, however from comments received back here, a number of readers are looking for more!)
RATCHABURI: 30 Nov 2010 -- "It was a diocese that Salesians have worked in for 41 years, Ratchaburi, and neither the people nor the Bishop were about to miss an occasion to celebrate the arrival of Don Bosco's Casket. On its arrival on 21 November, the Bishop and the local clergy, 4000 students and a good number of parishioners welcomed Don Bosco; one of the churches the Casket passed on the way greeted Don Bosco with 40,000 fire crackers! On the following Sunday, the Bishop cancelled all 9.00 am masses in the diocese to enable the faithful to attend the Eucharistic celebration at the cathedral in honour of St. John Bosco. The cathedral was packed and many faithful were sitting in the tent outside. The bishop used most of his homily to praise the Salesians for their good work for the good of souls, mentioning many whom he knew personally and citing the good things they did.
Then on to Banpong, a town where the first Salesian school was founded in 1927. Now, there are two Salesian schools, a senior students’ aspirantate, a parish and one FMA school. The total number of Salesian students are 5,600 and they were joined by 1500 faithful who welcomed Don Bosco. And again a whole night prayer and vigil with huge numbers for confession and holy communion.
Finally it was Suratthani diocese's turn to welcome the casket from November 23-27. At present, there around 30 Salesians helping the diocese in parishes,schools and pastoral centres in three Salesian presences. Bishop Joseph Prathan sdb. followed the casket throughout the journey.
On November 23, the day that the Casket entered the Suratthani diocese, her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Sirindhorn officiated at the grand royal opening of Don Bosco Home, Bangsak, Phangna. Don Bosco Home Bangsak is the home for the tsunami-affected children. It has already been open for 5 years but the invitation for the Princess to inaugurate the Home was made four years ago. The way we see it is that her acceptance to inaugurate Don Bosco Home during Don Bosco’s visit was really a providential arrangement. Her visit showed great honour and public approval for our Salesian work for disadvantaged children and since Don Bosco could not visit the place (as it is very far away on the western coast), the Princess did it for him! At night in the daily television news, all channels reported on the Princess’ visit to Don Bosco Home, allowing the public to know more about Don Bosco and his work in Thailand.
It is worth noting that all the Salesian schools and parishes celebrated a novena before the arrival of the casket. It first went to Hua-Hin with a Salesian school with 3,600 students, a retreat house, an aspirantate for junior high school students and a parish.
Throughout the 5 day journey in the South, Don Bosco’s casket visited the Cathedral, two Salesian parishes, three diocesan schools ( two of which are under the care of the Salesians), three schools run by other groups in the Salesian family. Each place brought out its best welcome for Don Bosco, making it a most important feast. At Bansaengarun school and parish, a hundred students and parishioners used a big rope to move the casket, imitating the local southern culture of using rope to move the car on which a statue of Buddha stands. At Don Bosco technical school in Suratthani, the teachers organized the vigil for Don Bosco until morning before sending him off to other places
The journey in the south and elsewhere in Thailand proved that Don Bosco arranged everything for his sons and daughters so that nobody would be worried or under stress in welcoming him. With such a long journey in the south of more than 1,000 kilometers and many visits, the casket always arrived on time, making nobody tired of waitng for him. Everybody was happy. Nobody was disappointed. Everybody could pray in front of Don Bosco’s relics and touched the casket. Don Bosco made the miracle for us".
_________________
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 2010 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
