“Now I know your province better” he said. “We have a very dynamic province, working essentially with the poor youth, in simple, unsophisticated works. It is a young province, thanks be to God and one that is growing with many vocations. The province has more than 300 SDBs, with an average age of 42, and with two beautiful traits – the great treasure of more than 60 Salesian Brothers and great missionary generosity that reaches the whole Congregation!”
Fr Ángel also expressed his gratitude and admiration for his Salesian confrere, the Bishop of Thai Binh: “I admire and I was deeply touched by the Salesian heart of Bishop Peter De - with the open-door Church compound welcoming everybody to the football field. I felt really at home... I recommend this open Oratory as a model for every Salesian Community in Vietnam!”
Speaking with his confreres, he added: “Put all your energies into the mission for the poor youth of Vietnam, with a special effort to develop our presence in the Northern part of your country, strengthening our communities with more and committed confreres. The missionary outreach for the Salesians is concentrated so far in the South!”
“Since the main works are parishes, we need to make all of them truly Salesian parishes: missionary, open to the common people and the young, and reaching out with education services also to the non-Christian youth around us!”
“I'm enthusiastic about your mission and family spirit! Keep on animating your confreres with new enthusiasm - it's contagious! Never be tired of animating with enthusiasm!”
“Take care of the fraternal life in your communities, take good care of the person of each Salesian! The danger of clericalism as Pope Francis often points out is also for religious and it is one of the greatest dangers in the Catholic community today - take this temptation seriously!”
“We were born for the young, never forget that young people are at the centre of our heart and of our life! Take seriously the two most frequent questions of the young in our meetings - about education in the use of social media and about a variety of issues blurred by the confusion in present-day society such as solid preparation for marriage, how to face the many temptations of the consumerist society and how to live a more authentic Christian life”.
