Posted January 14, 2008
Kenya – Working for displaced people
(Nairobi) – From information we have received from Kenya, we found that the Salesian houses in Kenya have not been directly involved in the violence of recent days.
The Salesians in the St. John Bosco Province, which includes Kenya, Sudan and Tanzania, are working with the Development Office to find ways to help the people affected by the violence and chaos in the country. There are about 300,000 displaced people who are living in very precarious situations in police stations, public gardens or as refugees with relatives and friends in more peaceful parts of the country.
Bishop Cornelius Kipng’eno Arap Kori, of the Eldoret diocese, while condemning the violence that he says is the result of political and ethnic tensions, has launched an appeal for an immediate cessation of hostilities and “conditions to be created to make dialogue, peace, reconciliation and a return to normal possible.”
Bolivia – Salesian students victims of a serious accident
(Santa Cruz) – Some youngsters and staff from the Granja Moglia House for street children in the Montero district about 25 miles from Santa Cruz, were involved in an accident when the vehicle they were travelling in overturned. The accident occurred on Janaury 1, 2008 while the youngsters were on the way to Santa Cruz. They were due to join other youngsters from various houses for street children run by the Salesians to attend Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.
While trying to overtake another vehicle the driver lost control of the van. When he tried to regain control, the vehicle overturned. Several youngsters were injured, some of them seriously. Providentially a docotr was passing by and he gave first aid to the injured and called emergency services.
The Rector of Hogar Don Bosco, Fr. Carlos Longo, says that once the news of the accident spread a number of benefactors came forward to offer to help the injured. At the moment there are still two in serious condition, but they are expected to recover over time.
Ukraine – The first publications of the Don Bosco Publishing House
(Lviv) – Don Bosco Publishers, set up just last year (2007) in the Ukraine by the Salesians of the Byzantine-Ukraine rite Delegation has published its first two books.
St. John Bosco, Educator of Youth, by Milena Rudnytska, and The Salesian Spirit by Fr. Onorino Pistellato, S.D.B., Superior of the Delegation, are the first two publications of the Publishing House. The works were produced in response to the call of the Rector Major to reexamine our educational system in his Strenna for 2008.
Don Bosco Publishing House in Lviv, is directed by two Salesians and has several lay collaborators. They work to publish religious books in the Ukraine language to introduce the Saint of Youth, St. John Bosco, known and to promote the Christian education and training of the young.
Cameroon – The St Augustine Theological Study Center opened
Yaoundé – On Saturday January 5, 2008, the St Augustine Salesian Center for Theological Studies opened at Yaoundé, the capital of the Cameroon.
All of the Rectors of the Salesian communities in the Our Lady of Africa Vice Province of Equatorial Tropical Africa (ATE), which includes Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Gabon and the Congo, and Fr. Francesco Cereda, the Councillor for Fromation attended the opening. There was also a large representation of some groups of the Salesian Family, especially the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the Fr. Variara Sisters, the Salesian Cooperators and the Past Pupils. There were also some journalists from the St Francis of Sales Group. Representatives of other Congregations and religious Orders as well as local authorities and people from the district where the new center is located were also there.
During the open air Mass, Bishop Christophe Zoa, Auxiliary Bishop of Yaoundé ordained the Salesian Eleuterio Vita Role to the diaconate.
Before the opening ceremony, Fr. José Antonio Vega, Superior of the ATE Vice Province, briefly recalled the various stages leading up to the building of the St Augustine Center, beginning with the time it was considered during a meeting of the Rector Major with the young Salesians from ATE and French-speaking West Africa in 2001.
Brasil – Merry Christmas, Recife
Recife – In the central Square in Carmine, in front of the Basilica, around 10,000 people gathered on December 28, 2007 to take part in the traditional Christmas Show Merry Christmas, Recife promoted by the missionary association, Amanecer (AMA) which is run by the Salesians.
During the Show those present also took part in a Mass presided over by the Salesian Bishops, Evaldo Gonçalves, bishop emeritus of Maceió, and Antonio Possamai, bishop emeritus of Ji-Paraná.
During the musical program, Dunga and Eliana Ribeiro, two well-known singers from Cançao Nova, performed, along with Fr. João Carlos Rodrigues, the Salesian Provincial of Recife and president of AMA. He performed selections from his Consagraçao collection.
During the seven hour long festival, some 1,500 pounds of imperishable foods were collected for distribution to the poor in the Holiday Camp, a Salesian initiative for the coming school holidays. Merry Christmas, Recife was possible thanks to the generosity of the Salesians, local civil authorities and Catholic organizations.
India - SYM in India goes national
Thanjavur - The Salesian Youth Movement in India, at a meeting at Thanjavur, Tiruchy Province, from December 29th until January 2, 2008, formed a National Youth Council, electing its officers from among the young representatives of Salesian youth ministry in India. All of the officers took their solemn oath of office during the New Year Mass celebrated by Fr. Amalraj Susai, S.D.B., Provincial.
The final two days of the meeting were given over to the presentation and animation of themes linked to the main theme of the conference: Life in all its expressions. The sub themes studied were: leadership, Eucharist and vocations. On the fifth and final day Fr. Joe Arimpoor, S.D.B. and Fr. Dominic Sequeira, S.D.B. gave presentations on the Salesian Youth Movement and Groups Dynamics. On the final day, the participants also worked on an Action Plan to build the SYM at the Province and local level.
Holding this Assembly at Thanjavur was significant for the Province, indeed, for all of India. It was here, a century ago, that the Salesians began the ministry for young people in India.
Son Replaces Father in the Salesian Congregation
By Lucas Naw
Edited by Salesian Missions
“Although Leo left the Congregation due to the complicated political situation of Burma in 1960s, today his son Bosco has replaced him in the congregation,” said Leo`s younger brother, the Salesian provincial of Myanmar Fr. Joaquim Ye Maung.
“It is a glorious day for the province of Myanmar because of the fact that Fr. Bosco A.Z. is ordained Alter Christus. Together with Fr. Bosco and his family and friends, we praise and thank the Good Lord, for the many things the Lord has done in his life,” said Archbishop Charles Bo in his homily. He reminded the faithful of Don Bosco`s saying: “Vocation is a gift of God to the family.”
Bosco was born at Mohla village situated in the Sagain division of central Burma. The Mohla village has fostered the vocations of many priests and religious including the Archbishop Charles Bo and Fr. Provincial Joaquim Ye Maung. Bosco is related to both Archbishop Bo and Fr. Provincial. His father Leo U San Aung, a former Salesian Lay Brother, is the older brother of Fr. Provincial.
Bosco A.Z. joined the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1997 and made first profession at Anisakan, Pyin Oo Lwin. In 2000, he went to India for his philosophical studies at Divyadaan Nasik. After gaining a Master`s degree in Philosophy, he returned to Myanmar where he did his practical training. In 2004, he went to Salesian University Rome for his theological studies making his final profession on May 23, 2006 at the Sacred Heart Basilica, Rome.
After ordination, Fr. Bosco Aung went home with his parents and relatives to celebrate Mass in the various villages in the neighborhood of Mohla. He will join the staff of St. Joseph Studentate of Philosophy, Anisakan, Pyin Oo Lwin as the Prefect of Studies in February 2008.
Email contact:Aung Bosco, aung_win@yahoo.com
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