(ANS – Rome) – During August many Salesian novitiates celebrate first professions, mostly on 15th, Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, and 16th, Don Bosco’s birthday. We take a look at these events to highlight and remember them, because the future of the Congregation begins here.

East Asia and Oceania
On 1st August four novices in Sumba, Vice-Province of Indonesia and East Timor, gave their first ‘yes’ to serving God in the style of Don Bosco. Accepting their vows was the Vicar of the Vice Province, Fr Apolinario Maria Ornai Neto.

Today, Tuesday 14th August, thirteen novices from Vietnam are making their profession. In the next few days the Salesian Province will be celebrating seventeen perpetual professions and seventeen ordinations.

Western Europe
Tomorrow, 15th August, five novices make their first profession. They come from León (2), Madrid, Seville and Portugal. Three are heading for priestly life, two for the life of a brother. Fr José Miguel Nuñez Moreno, the Regional Councillor, will preside.

Northern Europe
On the same day, at Poprad-Veľká in Slovakia, a further four young men, all from the Province, will make their vows into the hands of Fr Karol Maník, their Provincial. Three are candidates for the priesthood, one to the life of the Salesian brother.

Africa and Madagascar
Tomorrow twelve novices from the Morogoro novitiate in Tanzania, East African Province, will also make their first profession. Nine are from the Province, two come from Sri Lanka and one from Ethiopia. They are all heading for the priesthood. Fr Gianni Rolandi, the AFE Provincial, will receive their vows.

Also tomorrow, in the presence of the Superior, Fr George Chalissery, five novices will make their first profession, four as clerics, one as a brother, at the novitiate in Lusaka-Makeni, Zambia. One comes from the Vice-Province of South Africa. On 8th September another novice will be professed.

On 16th August it will be the turn of the novices from Lomé-Gbojomé, Togo, in French-speaking West Africa. There are thirteen, all heading for the priesthood. Four are from Tropical Equatorial Africa. Don Manolo Jimenes, the ATE Superior, will receive their professions.

The Regional Councillor, Fr Guillermo Basañes, will be at Butare, Rwanda, to receive the vows of six novices, all candidates for the priestly life. Five are from the Great Lakes Province, one from Tropical Equatorial Africa. They will be joined by a diocesan priest who will thus become part of the Salesian Congregation.

24th August will be the day for nineteen novices from Kansebula, sixteen priestly candidates and three brother candidates, all from Central Africa. The Provincial, Fr Jean-Claude Ngoy, will preside.

Central and North America
On 16th August there are three novices to be professed at Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. One from the Antilles Province (ANT), two from the Vice-Province of Haiti. Fr Victor Pichardo Moronta, ANT Provincial, will receive their vows.

In Mexico there will be nine making their vows, still on the 16th August: six from the northern province and three from the southern. There is one brother candidate. The Provincial of Mexico-México, Fr Miguel Agustín Aguilar Medina, will receive their vows.

16th August will also be first profession day for seven novices from San Antonia, Venezuela. Five are from the Province, one from Ecuador and one from Colombia. Fr Luciano Stefani, Provincial of Venezuela, will preside.

Finally on 21st August there will be two separate ceremonies where one priestly candidate from the Western United States and two priestly candidates and one brother candidate from the Eastern United States will make their vows in the presence of their respective superiors.

The next group of professions in the Salesian Congregation will be celebrated on 8th September.

Published 14/8/2012