austraLasia #3177
SEOUL: 6 January 2012 -- Young salesian priests in quinquennium from the Korea and Japan provinces gathered for their biennial meeting in Seoul, provincial house with 19 young priests attending, among them 5 from GIA, including 1 accompanying confrere, Fr Mario Yamanouchi, the Vice provincial. The event took place from 29 to 31 December 2012.
The KOR-GIA quinquennium meetings began in 2003 in order to help the formation of young priests in both provinces, deepening the understanding of each other, promoting exchange and sharing the ministerial experiences between the two provinces. The meeting takes place every two years, alternating the host province, Seoul-Tokyo, and this time it was the turn of South Korea, so Japanese young priests visited Seoul.
“It will be a good chance to recognize our mission to the young especially for those who are most in need, confirming our unique identity as youth ministers in the Church, particularly with sharing the communion as sons of Don Bosco, the practical experience of the Preventive System in Salesian priesthood and visiting the places where it is being realized by the Korean confreres. Above all, I believe that it will give good inspiration for establishing and developing Don Bosco's youth mission in each province where there are cultural similarities and geographical closeness”, said Fr Chang Michael Chang, Economor of KOR, and who was running the event.
The participants, over three nights and four days, spent time building friendship and fraternity: with a conference and seminar by Fr Michael on the Preventive System, visiting diferent Salesian places, like the Youth Dream Center in Seoul, a new presence entrusted to us by local government, the Salesian Youth Center in Daejeon, and some meaningful sites for cultural heritage like the Martyrs' Shrine in Seoul.
They dedicated much time to sharing their pastoral view as young priests according to the theme of this year's meeting, realization in their own cultural context and sharing experience with the Preventive System. They were in full agreement with the belief that true relationship with youngsters is the inevitable starting point, at the same time the target of the preventive system because it is the secret to opening and attracting the youth's mind.
“Just as there were many people who contributed to forming our founder, Don Bosco, as a priest, apostle of poor youth, we have to remember that also there are many people who have helped us through their sacrifices to reach our priesthood. Now as Salesian priests, we meet young through the community's mission and share the pleasure and pain of daily life with the confreres. I believe that it's absolutely necessary, as a young priest of Don Bosco to experience a moment of faith in which we entrust ourselves to the Lord and to Our Lady. We thank you for your hospitality, we spent a really enjoyable and useful time at this meeting. I would like invite you all to the next meeting in Tokyo. I am convinced that we should build the large Salesian Family of Don Bosco in the world in such way, through sharing and living in communion”, Fr Yamanauchi concluded as he issued the invitation to the next meeting.
Korea-Japan Quinquennium Meeting
SEOUL: 6 January 2012 -- Young salesian priests in quinquennium from the Korea and Japan provinces gathered for their biennial meeting in Seoul, provincial house with 19 young priests attending, among them 5 from GIA, including 1 accompanying confrere, Fr Mario Yamanouchi, the Vice provincial. The event took place from 29 to 31 December 2012.
The KOR-GIA quinquennium meetings began in 2003 in order to help the formation of young priests in both provinces, deepening the understanding of each other, promoting exchange and sharing the ministerial experiences between the two provinces. The meeting takes place every two years, alternating the host province, Seoul-Tokyo, and this time it was the turn of South Korea, so Japanese young priests visited Seoul.
“It will be a good chance to recognize our mission to the young especially for those who are most in need, confirming our unique identity as youth ministers in the Church, particularly with sharing the communion as sons of Don Bosco, the practical experience of the Preventive System in Salesian priesthood and visiting the places where it is being realized by the Korean confreres. Above all, I believe that it will give good inspiration for establishing and developing Don Bosco's youth mission in each province where there are cultural similarities and geographical closeness”, said Fr Chang Michael Chang, Economor of KOR, and who was running the event.
The participants, over three nights and four days, spent time building friendship and fraternity: with a conference and seminar by Fr Michael on the Preventive System, visiting diferent Salesian places, like the Youth Dream Center in Seoul, a new presence entrusted to us by local government, the Salesian Youth Center in Daejeon, and some meaningful sites for cultural heritage like the Martyrs' Shrine in Seoul.
They dedicated much time to sharing their pastoral view as young priests according to the theme of this year's meeting, realization in their own cultural context and sharing experience with the Preventive System. They were in full agreement with the belief that true relationship with youngsters is the inevitable starting point, at the same time the target of the preventive system because it is the secret to opening and attracting the youth's mind.
“Just as there were many people who contributed to forming our founder, Don Bosco, as a priest, apostle of poor youth, we have to remember that also there are many people who have helped us through their sacrifices to reach our priesthood. Now as Salesian priests, we meet young through the community's mission and share the pleasure and pain of daily life with the confreres. I believe that it's absolutely necessary, as a young priest of Don Bosco to experience a moment of faith in which we entrust ourselves to the Lord and to Our Lady. We thank you for your hospitality, we spent a really enjoyable and useful time at this meeting. I would like invite you all to the next meeting in Tokyo. I am convinced that we should build the large Salesian Family of Don Bosco in the world in such way, through sharing and living in communion”, Fr Yamanauchi concluded as he issued the invitation to the next meeting.
