| Ecuador – A new stage and a new version for the casket of Don Bosco on its travels |
| Ecuador – Salesians and Jesuits effective in protecting children’s rights |
The casket with the relics of the saint of youth will arrive from Perù on Thursday 8 April and remain in Ecuador until 28 April passing through the cities of Machala, Cuenca, Macas, Riobamba, Guayco, Quito, Cayambe, Ibarra, Esmeraldas, Manta and Guayaquil.
Fr Marcelo Farfán, the Superior of the “Sacred Heart of Jesus” Province of Ecuador (ECU), said that the arrival of the casket would be a stimulus for the Salesians and for all the people of Ecuador to renew their commitment to pastoral action and to the education of the young, especially those who are poor.
Fr Alfredo Espinoza, Provincial Economer and the national coordinator of the pilgrimage of the casket, recalled that the happy idea of the journey of the casket of Don Bosco to the various countries around the world was that of the Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez. The Economer pointed out that through the casket, a faithful copy of the figure of Don Bosco in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, people who have not been able to visit Italy and Piedmont now have the opportunity to draw close to him and pray to him.
The various events, religious, cultural and artistic which will take place in Quito when the casket arrives were explained by Sr. Lesvia Vicenta Jaramillo, Provincial of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA). Sr. Jaramillo appealed to people to take part in the welcoming ceremony to be held in the Great Square in Quito and at the Mass to be celebrated afterwards in the Cathedral of the city. This will be followed by processions, and visits of Salesian schools, Institutes, Centres and Universities.
Gustavo Noboa, former President of the Republic and a Past Pupil, spoke about his own involvement with the work of the Salesians over a period of more than 30 years in the evangelisation of poor youngsters. The Hon. Noboa said that Don Bosco was a positive model for the whole world given that the methods of the Preventive System can be applied in any form of education. “In education, in addition to reason there is also love, and if the educator does not love his pupils, he becomes just a professional not a real teacher” he added.
Fr Espinoza will welcome the casket at the Perù-Ecuador frontier. When it leaves it will go to Colombia. The pilgrimage of the casket around the world is connected with the celebratiions by the Salesians of the bi-centenary of thei birth of their Founder.
On the site of the Ecuador Province there are sections which provide material to enable people to follow the pilgrimage of the casket, including an interesting and entertaining video and a hymn specially composed for the occasion.
Published 07/04/2010
