By Fr. Jomar Bacucang
Salesian Family Delegate
FIS - Cebu
Cebu, The Philippines, 22 January 2021 -- Each SDB province and its Salesian Family has its own culture and traditions, including our province of Mary Help of Christians in Southern Philippines and Pakistan (FIS). Our first online edition of (39th) Salesian Family Spirituality Days at FIS province level concluded with a 'Toast of Hope' on 16 January 2021.
Fr. Godofredo Atienza, FIS provincial, proposed to the group if we could have a TOAST TO HOPE. Each participant should have a glass with the word HOPE stuck on it. We brought this idea to the FIS Secretariat after which we opened it up to the group chat. We decided to have it on the Second Day (16 Jan) after the Provincial Meeting.
Many posted their glasses in the Group Chat to tell the group that they were done. I encouraged the others to upload their glasses too to make a collage out of them. And so the FIS 'Toast to Hope' collage was born.
Before we went to breakout group sharing, we had a picture taking first showing our glasses of HOPE. After about 15 minutes of group reporting, we had another picture taking, this time seeping from our glasses. Fr. Godo led the participants in the TOAST TO HOPE with a beautiful concluding prayer:
"We thank you Lord,
for blessing us all with the grace of communion in the celebration
of the Salesian Family Spirituality Days, its 39th Year,
in the whole Salesian World, with this special way of being virtually connected.
Thank you for blessing us too with the GRACE OF HOPE through
the guidance of Pope Francis reminding us all of the LIVING WATER OF
THE CHRIST which we all drink as His Baptized followers."
Then we offer a toast...
"Cheers to Christ with EAGER AND DARING HOPE, to keep us living and
moving on in FAITH AND LOVE!"
Then we took a sip of whatever is in the glass...juice, water, herbal tea or else
with a little cheering:
"HOPE, HOPE, hurray!
"HOPE, HOPE, hurray!
"HOPE, HOPE, hurray!
MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS, PRAY FOR US!
And we concluded with the final blessing.
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