austraLasia
#1850
Salesian Women with a
history of "90 years of passion for the world"
ROME: 20th May 2007 -- The Volunteers of Don Bosco,
consecrated women who live the Salesian spirit and whose group has full
membership of the Salesian Family, today celebrate 90 years of consecrated
fidelity. They are a Secular Institute by Pontifical Right. On 20th May 1917,
three women began a kind of 'silent revolution' guided by Fr Philip Rinaldi, who
at the time was director of the Salesian Sisters' Oratory at Valdocco. At that
time they saw themselves as 'Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in the world'.
It took until 1947 for these beginnings to emerge as an Institute of Consecrated
Life and then in 1978 it was recognised by Pope Paul VI as a Secular Institute
by Pontifical Right.
What is of particular interest, for
the East Asia Oceania Region, where the group is widespread, is that this SDB
region contains two of the VDB regions (they are in five continents with around
1,300 members). This makes it one of the strongest concentrations of
members. As part of the ecclesiastical structure foreseen under Canon Law,
the Salesians SDB appoint an ecclesiastical assistant for a VDB region.
Interesting that two currently serving provincials (Fr Wong of Philippines
norther province and Fr Lam of China province) are the ecclesiastical assistants
for the two respective VDB Asian-Oceanian regions, and that Cardinal Zen was the
ecclesiastical assistant for one of these regions until he was appointed as
auxiliary bishop in Hong Kong.
Serving under the
ecclesiastical assistants are other Salesians who operate as locally based
assistants. It is a sign of their fervour too, in carrying out their task
over the years, that the movement has grown and matured in the SDB EAO
Region. There number of SDBs involved is or at least has been around
ten. One of the VDB world councillors is from the Asian regions, China in
fact. We should note too that the current SDB Regional spent twelve years
as an assistant to the VDB. No surprise that he will find himself back
where he started in this task, in Seoul, for the 90th anniversary celebrations
there.
'Passion for the world" is a phrase partly
traceable to Fr Chavez, the Rector Major. Despite his present heavy
commitment to the 5th Latin American Episcopal Conference in Brazil, it is known
that he has written the Institute his own letter of congratulations, which we
can expect to find on their website shortly:
http://www.volontariedonbosco.org.
Things come in threes
it seems - in addition to the VDB anniversary, we are already aware that the
20th May this time is the Feast of the Ascension in many dioceses throughout the
world (transferred from the traditional 'Thursday'), and also the annual World
Communications Day promoted especially by a Papal message, this year on theme
dear to Salesian interests - children, and the challenge of education in a media
world.
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