(ANS – Tokyo) – Last Friday, 3 May, the Salesian Province of St Francis Xavier in Japan celebrated the official opening of a New Salesian Residence at Tokyo-Machida. The building will facilitate the pastoral service of the Salesians to the young people of the adjacent Technical School.

The Salesians came to Tokyo-Machida in April 2006.  On Friday last they inaugurated the new site of the Salesian Technical College, previously located in Tokyo-Suginami. Until a few days ago there was no residence for the Salesian Community and the confreres working there had to commute between Tokyo-Machida and the house at Chofu where they resided.

In the late morning of 3 May. The Provincial Fr Aldo Cipriani, surrounded by about 30 Salesians, conferred a medal of Don Bosco on the architect Mr Imaoka and the directors of the building company as a mark of gratitude for the work they had done. Mass was then celebrated in the chapel of the new house. Fr Cipriani reminded the confreres that the chapel was the centre of the work and the Christian life of the confreres. After Mass, the various rooms of the residence were blessed.

The new house will be home to a new religious community – two priests, one brother and one confrere in practical training – all completely dedicated to the all-round formation of the young people and the educative community of the Salesian Technical College, an institute attended daily by more than 140 teachers, 20 administrative staff and 800 young people aged between 15 and 20.  There are four sections: Industrial Design, Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computers.

Published 09/05/2013