“To meet and old friend in a distant country is like the delight of rain after a long drought.”

Chinese Proverb

By Fr. Reechee Espiritu,SDB

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, PHILIPPINES - While the rainspoured on the sugarcane fields of Negros, a smiling Fr. Vaclav Klement, accompanied by the FIS Provincial, Fr. Godofredo Atienza disembarked from the September 27 early morning Cebu Pacific flight to Negros without much fanfare except for the fact that the announcement of the EAO Regional’s arrival in connection to the recently concluded Don Bosco’s 200th birthday celebration was already announced in the local papers a day earlier.

Fr. Vaclav and Fr. Godo were directly brought to Bacolod City, where they were graciously welcomed to the home of Rosita Uybico for the enthronement and consecration of the home to Mary Help of Christians and a hearty breakfast with native delicacies. Mrs. Uybico or TitaInday as she is fondly called is presently a member of the Board of Trustees of St. John’s Institute (SJI) - Bacolod. She incidentally was one of the earliest and closest cooperators of the late Monsignors John Su and John Liu, the two Chinese priests and founders of SJI or originally called Hua Ming (Brilliant China).

Immediately after breakfast, the visitors were then accompanied to the Queen of Peace Church, the Filipino-Chinese Chaplaincy of Bacolod located within the campus St. John’s for the 10:00 AM Mass. Fr. Vaclav in his homily before motley of churchgoers including Johnians and a sprinkling of Bosconians with their respective families, expounded on the Church as being inclusive following the footsteps of Jesus the Master – ‘No one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us’ (cf. Luke 16). Fr. Vaclav likewise spoke of the story vocation to the Salesian priestly life: how he nurtured it in his then communist-controlled native Yugoslavia; how he made his escape to Italy, the land of St. John Bosco; and how he continued to serve the Catholic Church as a Salesian Priest.

Fr. Vaclav concluded his homily an obvious reference the key elements of thesalesian spirit, by asking the people to find out what is it in their respective lives that make them follow Jesus each single day that leads them to joyfully serve their brothers and sisters in the Church.

The entire afternoon was then spent by Fr. Vaclav and Fr. Godo visiting the Salesianpresences of St. John Bosco Shrine and Don Bosco Retreat House both in Minoyan, Murcia ably headed by Fr. Reynaldo Garcia, SDB – Rector and Parish Priest. The little entourage then proceeded to Bacolod Boys’ Home where Fr. John Cardinal, SDB serves as Director; and then to Don Bosco Retreat Center in Granada, Bacolod.

Fr. Vaclav’s last stop was in the historic 1stSalesian presence in the Philippines, Don Bosco Technical Institute, Victorias. The Salesians prayed the Holy Rosary together followed by Solemn Vespers presided by DBTI Rector Fr. Eugene Maglasang, SDB. Dinner was spent together with some members of the Salesian Family – SDBs, SalesianCoopertors, Salesian Sisters, Volunteers of Don Bosco, Alumni and memebers of the salesian Youth Movement to honor Fr. Felix Furlan who celebrated his 73rd birthday. Grazie Mille!

---

Animation Visit Concluded

Fr. Vaclav Klement, Regional Councilor for East Asia Oceania concluded his 4-day visit to the Province of Mary Help of Christians – South Province on September 28, 2015 with a Eucharistic Celebration at Don Bosco Formation Center, Lawaan, Talisay City. The members of the different Salesian Family joined him in thanking God for a fruitful encounter aimed at animating the whole Province to bring forward the gains of the bicentennial commemoration of the birth of St. John Bosco.

He echoed the Rector Major’s challenge to live the five fruits of the bicentenary since 2015 has really been a year of grace for the congregation. As he dreams big for the whole congregation, he does so also for the FIS Province that each salesian be happy with his vocation; that we become men of faith filled with God; we are filled with passion for the young especially the poorest; we become real evangelizers and educators of the faith; and we become missionaries always.

Fr. Klement took time to meet with Fr. Godofredo Atienza, the FIS Provincial and his Council. During this meeting, he was briefed of the progress of the new Pakistan Delegation headed by Fr. Eugene Maglasang, SDB. He then visited St. John Institute and met with its Board of Trustees in Bacolod. After dropping by Don Bosco – Mambucal and the Retreat House in Granada, he joined the birthday dinner of Fr. Felice Furlan in Don Bosco Technical Institute, Victorias.

Back in Cebu, he showed concern for the vocation growth of the Province by meeting with the Don Bosco – Lawaan Formators discussing, among others, the multi-cultural dimension of the candidates. Towards the end of the visit, he also met with the Coordinators of the Association of Salesian Cooperators and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. A cultural program was presented by the Aspirants, Postulants and Novices to cap the intense animation visit that brought encouragement and greater challenge for the FIS Province.