(ANS – Quito) – While symbolically opening the book of the Memoirs of the Oratory of Saint Francis of Sales, Fr Marcelo Farfán, Provincial of Ecuador and Fr Fernando Peraza, on the staff of the Salesian Regional Centre for Ongoing Formation (CSRFP), opened the Continental Congress on the Memoirs of the Oratory of Saint Francis of Sales, held between  9 and 15 September in the CSRFP in Quito.

About 80 members of the Salesian Family took part from the Provinces of the Antilles, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Perù, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico, Paraguay, Chile, United States and Venezuela.

“The Salesian Family throughout the world is preparing to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Don Bosco, the charismatic root of this large tree which draws its life from the waters of Gospel dreamed of by the poor and the weak,” Fr Farfán said in his opening address.

For the occasion the Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez, had sent a message in which greeting those present he said that for the Salesian Family celebrating the bicentenary meant pursuing a path that would take it closer to Don Bosco, so as to know him n more deeply, love him more intensely and imitate him more faithfully.

In the first year of preparation for the bicentenary the  Rector Major had entrusted to the Salesian Family the reading of the Memoirs of the Oratory of Saint Francis of Sales, written by Don Bosco himself at the explicit request of Pope Pius IX. As well as this “family book” – written by the Father for his sons – the study of a serious history of Don Bosco had been recommended so as to come to know better  the man, the educator and the saint and to indentify his inspirations, motivations and choices on behalf of those  most in need in order to  put them into practice at personal and  community level

With this in view and with the support of the Province of Ecuador, the Salesian Regional Centre for Ongoing Formation organised this Continental Congress. In preparation, in various Provinces of the continent, there had been national or province congresses.

In the context of the Congress which will end next Saturday, various round table discussions have been planned on the issues studied in relation to the present situation. Province groups will discuss the areas assigned to them and then present their findings to the Assembly. Finally general conclusions and follow-up work will be presented and approved.

Published 12/09/2012