The day was attended by about 80 people most of them students and staff of the Salesian Thelogical Centre of Studies and opened with a greeting from Fr Sergio de la Cruz, Rector of the ITS.
After the showing of a video containing brief biographical references to Don Rua, and some short sketches there followed 4 talks in which the person of Blessed Michael Rua was presented from different perspectives.
The first speaker was Fr Francisco Castellanos, who spoke about the important contribution of Don Rua to the foundation of the Salesian presence in Mexico, in 1892, during the fourth year of his being Rector Major. In developing his talk Fr Castellanos made use of various researches he himself had made into the relevant documents, examining in particular the correspondence between the first Salesians to establish themselves in Mexico and Don Rua or those who on his behalf answered the letters.
Afterwards Fr Evaristo Olmos, a Salesian specialist in the History of the Church, gave some useful historical background to assist in understanding the development of the Salesian presence in Mexico, such as the first contact between Don Bosco and Mexico, through some students at the Pious Latin- American College in Rome; or the promise of the Saint of Youth that his successor would send the first Salesians to Mexico.
Later Fr Olmos provided some statistics regarding the development of the Salesian presence, including for example the fact that at the death of Don Rua, the first 5 Salesians in Mexico had become 50, and during the same period the first 18 orphans had become about 1000 pupils.
Completing the day was the talk by Sr Guadalupe Rojas, who dealt with the ties between the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) and Don Michael Rua, during whose time as Rector Major occurred the juridical separation of the Institute of the FMA from the Salesian Congregation; and finally Fr Jorge García Montaño gave a brief summary of the various biographies and books written about Don Rua.
Published 02/02/2010
