Salesian Brother Paul Giligiliaw Tamauwlul

By Fr. Lanfranco Fedrigotti, SDB

Taipei, Taiwan, 16 August 2020 -- Today, 16 August 2020, was a golden letter day for the Salesian Family in Taiwan. In the afternoon, the Saint John Bosco Parish in Taipei saw a gathering of about 400 people coming from Northern Taipei and Southern Tainan and Pingtung, to celebrate: The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into Heaven; The 205th Birthday of Don Bosco; The Perpetual Profession of the 1st Native Vocation of Taiwan, Br. Paul Giligiljaw Tamauwlul; The Diamond Jubilee of Profession of Br. Dominic Savio Wong Kin Kwan and The Diamond Jubilee of Ordination of Fr John Baptist Zen Shing Yeh (who, however, could not be present because of ailing health).

As you can see, it was a celebration of the two forms, so to say, of the one Salesian Vocation: Brother Salesian and Priest Salesian. These two forms, however, appeared in the context of the many other forms of Salesian vocation in the Salesian Family: Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Salesians Cooperators, Past Pupils of Don Bosco, Friends of Don Bosco… Representatives from all these groups were present.

The Assumption of Mary Mass and Perpetual Profession was presided over by Taipei Archbishop Thomas Chung An Zu, while Taiwan Provincial Representative Fr. Alphonsus Cheng Tai Kei, Rector of Taipei, received the perpetual vows of Br. Giligiljaw in the name of the Rector Major. Archbishop Thomas Chung is a Salesian Cooperator and Past Pupil of Don Bosco. In 1971 he was one of the second batch of graduates of our Salesian School in Tainan (1971). For the last few years he has also been Salesian Cooperator, having received the diploma directly from the Rector Major. In his homily, Archbishop Thomas encouraged all members of the Salesian Family to a DonBosco-like filial trust in Mary, Mother and Help.

The celebration naturally focused on the perpetual profession of Br. Paul Giligiljaw Tamauwlul. During the entrance procession, he was accompanied to the altar by veteran Brother Dominic Savio Wong Kin Kwan, who also was the witness of his vow-taking together with a Salesian priest. From Wan An, the native mountain village of Br. Paul in Pingtung County, about 100 fellow villagers came together with his family, most of them dressed in their beautiful traditional tribal clothes. When making his perpetual profession, Br. Paul, too, was wearing the festal tribal costume sown for the occasion by his mother. Given the CoronaVirus contact restrictions, the peace embrace of fellow-confreres to the newly perpetually-professed was replaced by a gentlemanly mutual bow, with Br. Paul giving each confrere a beautiful medal with the images of Mary Help of Christians and Saint John Bosco. At the preparation of the gifts of the Assumption Mass, his fellow villagers performed a beautiful tribal dance to accompany the gifts of bread and wine presented to the altar by the mother and step-father of the newly-professed.

In his words of thanks Br. Paul Giligiljaw mentioned how his vocation blossomed, like that of Don Bosco, when he was a 9-year old orphan of father accepted into the Salesian Boystwon near his native village. The example of many Salesian Brothers was decisive for the growth of his vocation. Among them, most impressive was the splendid faith witness given by the recently deceased Br. Paolino Lin Yin Nien who suffered 35 years in prison for refusing to renounce his allegiance to the Pope. To show his gratitude to all Br. Paul sang the Our Father in the Paiwan language.

Before the conclusion of the Mass the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the Salesians Cooperators, and the Don Bosco Past Pupils present all renewed their commitment to God, to the Church, and to the world, each group using its own standard form of vow or promise. Together with newly perpetually-professed Br. Paul, with God’s help, the Salesian Family in Taiwan will continue to sow with great hope the seed of Don Bosco’s charism in this beloved Beautiful Island (this is what Ilha Formosa, as the Portuguese seafarers called it, means).

Live streaming of the perpetual profession Mass (2 hrs 40 min)

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