About a hundred people took part in the opening ceremony including Salesians, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) and members of the various groups of the Salesian Family. Among those present were: Fr Adriano Bregolin, Vicar of the Rector Major, Fr Norbert Wolff, President of the Salesian Historical Association (ACSSA), Fr Pier Fausto Frisoli, General Councillor for the Salesian Region of Italy-Middle -East, Sr Piera Cavaglià, Secretary General of the FMA and Fr Stefano Martoglio, Salesian Superior of the Circumscription Piedmont-Val d’Aosta. Representing the city of Turin was Dr. Marco Borgione, responsible for Social Policy and a Salesian-Cooperator.
After Fr Pier Fausto Frisoli, in his capacity as Chairman of the proceedings welcomed everyone, the first documents of the V Congress were read. Then Fr Francesco Motto, Director of the Salesian Historical Institute explained the general process to be followed and this was followed by Fr Enrico dal Covolo, Postulator for the Causes Saints of the Salesian Family who spoke about a comparative study that had been carried out between the causes of beatification and canonisation of Don Bosco and Don Rua. Fr dal Covolo explained: “In fact, rather than a simple copy of the founder he emerges as someone who made of the spring a stream and of the stream a river.”
The two talks in the afternoon concerned two biographies of Don Rua: the first written by Don Francesia, was presented by Stanislaw Zimniak, Secretary of ACSSA and member of ISS; the second published recently is by the French Salesian historian Fr Francis Desramaut, and it was presented to the Assembly by Fr Aldo Giraudo, professor at the Salesian Pontifical University. In his presentation Fr Giraudo underlined how the work by Fr Desramaut brings out the importance of the first successor of Don Bosco in the process of formation, in his affectionate and tireless devotion to Don Bosco, and the prudent and at the same time brave management of the Congregation.
After the talk by Fr Giraudo those attending the Congress went to the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians for the opening of the exhibition on Don Rua prepared by Fr Motto. Fr Bregolin, Fr Frisoli and Fr Martoglio together cut the ribbon to the exhibition entitled , “The second Don Bosco”.
Before the “Good Night” given by Fr Lotto, Rector of the Mary Help of Christians community of Valdocco, there was the showing of a DVD produced by Missioni Don Bosco of Turin, entitled: “Don Rua, the Successor.”.
A video of the meeting is available on ANSChannel.
Publshed 29/10/2009
