Egidio Viganò – “Letter of the Rector Major” in ” Acts of the General Council of the salesian society of St John Bosco”

The Rector Major has just returned from mainland China, including visits to Beijing, Canton, Shiuchow, with brief stops in Macau and Hong Kong. He expresses deep gratitude to those who meticulously organized the details of his journey.

Reflecting on his experiences in Asia, particularly in China with its immense population exceeding one billion, he contemplates on the mystery of the Church and its charisms. Despite being two thousand years past Pentecost, the majority of the Chinese population remains unaware of the grace and redemptive message of the Risen Christ. The recent cultural revolution has positioned them on a metaphorical new launching pad, yet there’s a palpable need to discover sufficient fuel for a successful takeoff into the future.

Contents:

• Introduction
• The Feast of the Assumption at Peking
• Don Bosco’s missionary dreams
• The two salesian protomartyrs
• Brief contacts with the reality of Chinese culture
• The presence of “church” at the present day
• In communion of hope with the universal Church
• The outlook for our Hong Kong Province
• The importance of suffering for apostolic action
• Conclusion

Reference time period: 1987

Reference institution:
Direzione Generale SDB