austraLasia #3381
A day for China
ROME: 26 February 2014 -- Other than the serious matter of listening to and digesting reports from sectors and regions, other aspects of a General Chapter include important liturgical celebrations, some of which touch directly on particular provinces. Such as the case yesterday for a day that would have to be called 'China Day', though it can also be considered important for ITM since Callistus Caravario, one of the Saints being celebrated, lived and worked in Timor as well.
But the day was marked by liturgical celebration that highlighted the two Salesian protomartyrs in China) and his new council. Exciting days. One can expect the tempo to match the excitement.
Morning prayer in the Auditorium was the morning prayer for the Feast of Sts Callistus Caravario and Louis Versiglia.
Given that Mass was being celebrated in language groups, the English language Mass was celebrated in the lower church (there are two major churches which can hold the Chapter members - at a pinch - the lower church being the smaller of the two). The main celebrant was Fr Lanfranco Fedrigotti, Provinical CIN and an 'adopted' Chinese (goes under the Chinese name of Fr Fei) flanked by Fr Fung, a native Chinese, and Fr Wong, Filipino but with Chinese ancestry. His homily, understandably, was on the two Salesian martyrs, drawing in particular from the Letter written by the then Rector Major, Fr Egidio Viganò at the time of their Beatification.
Later in the day, at Evening Prayer time, Fr Fedrigotti gave the Goodnight and distributed holy pictures of Our Lady of China with a prayer printed on the reverse side.
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There are other events too, at a General Chapter. A feature of at least two Chapters now has been a man who goes under the pseudonym of Papi (his 'clown' name, since that has long been one of his ways of evangelising - or just livening up the party!). We are speaking of a man who first attended the 26th General Chapter as a delegate and is now attending as the Provincial of FRB (France-Belgium South). Fr Daniel Federspiel. He is one of those listed to provide a Goodnight during the Chapter, so we may be able to offer a brief summary of the contents of that commentary on FRB in due course, but in the meantime he has another way of peppering events with an acute sense of humour and perspicacity - cartoons.
Reminder of timetable for 26th February
Thursday 26 February
06.30 Prayer in language groups
Meditation
Mass and morning prayer together
09.00 - 10.30 Aula magna
Economy
10.30 - 11.00 Break
11.00 - 12.30 Aula magna
Interamerica - Italy-Middle East - Religious Discipline
13.00 Lunch
Later in the day (4.00 p,m, people gather for some time in reflection, adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. The retreat begins tomorrow.)
PS: The North American Provinces are running a Facebook page which will also help with information and background.
Terminology
If there is any terminology used that you are unsure of, and you don't have the app, look it up in the Salesians A-Z web page.
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There is another event going on in Rome at the moment and it too has good Salesian representation. The SIGNIS World Congress began on 25th February and will continue until 1 March. It has a theme which is very much in tune with Salesian youth ministry in a contemporary world: “Media for a Culture of Peace: Creating Images with the New Generation”. Over 300 delegates are attending from more than 100 nations. Two Salesian delegates immediately come to mind - Fr Sebastian Kolyadil from AFE and Fr Joaquim Fernandes from INB. Interesting to note, too, that one of the films being projected for the event is by ADB (Audio visuales Don Bosco), Ecuador. "Hombre de Dios, Apóstol de los pobres" relating the life and images of Salesian missionary Fr Carlos Crespi, pioneer of the use of film for education and evangelization in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador.
A day for China
ROME: 26 February 2014 -- Other than the serious matter of listening to and digesting reports from sectors and regions, other aspects of a General Chapter include important liturgical celebrations, some of which touch directly on particular provinces. Such as the case yesterday for a day that would have to be called 'China Day', though it can also be considered important for ITM since Callistus Caravario, one of the Saints being celebrated, lived and worked in Timor as well.
But the day was marked by liturgical celebration that highlighted the two Salesian protomartyrs in China) and his new council. Exciting days. One can expect the tempo to match the excitement.
Morning prayer in the Auditorium was the morning prayer for the Feast of Sts Callistus Caravario and Louis Versiglia.
Given that Mass was being celebrated in language groups, the English language Mass was celebrated in the lower church (there are two major churches which can hold the Chapter members - at a pinch - the lower church being the smaller of the two). The main celebrant was Fr Lanfranco Fedrigotti, Provinical CIN and an 'adopted' Chinese (goes under the Chinese name of Fr Fei) flanked by Fr Fung, a native Chinese, and Fr Wong, Filipino but with Chinese ancestry. His homily, understandably, was on the two Salesian martyrs, drawing in particular from the Letter written by the then Rector Major, Fr Egidio Viganò at the time of their Beatification.
Later in the day, at Evening Prayer time, Fr Fedrigotti gave the Goodnight and distributed holy pictures of Our Lady of China with a prayer printed on the reverse side.
----------------
There are other events too, at a General Chapter. A feature of at least two Chapters now has been a man who goes under the pseudonym of Papi (his 'clown' name, since that has long been one of his ways of evangelising - or just livening up the party!). We are speaking of a man who first attended the 26th General Chapter as a delegate and is now attending as the Provincial of FRB (France-Belgium South). Fr Daniel Federspiel. He is one of those listed to provide a Goodnight during the Chapter, so we may be able to offer a brief summary of the contents of that commentary on FRB in due course, but in the meantime he has another way of peppering events with an acute sense of humour and perspicacity - cartoons.
And you? Where do you come from?
As a Salesian I was born in the Becchi
I've already work out that at GC27 you queue up for everything!
We communicate with internet, SMS...
And we do it contagiously!!
Reminder of timetable for 26th February
Thursday 26 February
06.30 Prayer in language groups
Meditation
Mass and morning prayer together
09.00 - 10.30 Aula magna
Economy
10.30 - 11.00 Break
11.00 - 12.30 Aula magna
Interamerica - Italy-Middle East - Religious Discipline
13.00 Lunch
Later in the day (4.00 p,m, people gather for some time in reflection, adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. The retreat begins tomorrow.)
PS: The North American Provinces are running a Facebook page which will also help with information and background.
Terminology
If there is any terminology used that you are unsure of, and you don't have the app, look it up in the Salesians A-Z web page.
-------------
There is another event going on in Rome at the moment and it too has good Salesian representation. The SIGNIS World Congress began on 25th February and will continue until 1 March. It has a theme which is very much in tune with Salesian youth ministry in a contemporary world: “Media for a Culture of Peace: Creating Images with the New Generation”. Over 300 delegates are attending from more than 100 nations. Two Salesian delegates immediately come to mind - Fr Sebastian Kolyadil from AFE and Fr Joaquim Fernandes from INB. Interesting to note, too, that one of the films being projected for the event is by ADB (Audio visuales Don Bosco), Ecuador. "Hombre de Dios, Apóstol de los pobres" relating the life and images of Salesian missionary Fr Carlos Crespi, pioneer of the use of film for education and evangelization in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador.
