【慈幼通訊社
─
2014
年
07
月
22
日中國香港訊】
─1944年7月19日，年僅12歲的陳日君於上海慈幼修院，在天主忠僕畢少懷神父的見證下，發願成為慈幼會士。畢少懷神父後來成為進教之佑中華會省的省會長。
1964年9月，陳日君神父取得哲學博士學位及神學執照，開始在長洲慈幼會遠東哲學院教授哲學。陳神父後來成為院長、省會長、助理主教、香港教區主教，最後成為樞機，卻從沒停止教授，不論是在慈幼會修院、聖神修院，又或是中國大陸的神學院（佘山、武漢、西安、河北、瀋陽等）。
因此，2014年7月19日是陳樞機在畢少懷神父見證下，發願成為慈幼會士七十周年紀念，並同時慶祝他教授神哲學五十周年紀念。曾接受陳樞機教導的八十多名不同年代的學士及同事，齊集筲箕灣慈幼會修院，感謝天主賞賜陳樞機多年的教導，並祈求天主使他的教導，在眾多學生以及他們身邊的人身上，有果效地生活出來。
香港教區主教湯漢樞機，也到場致以祝賀。湯樞機也是神哲學教授，與陳樞機共事多年，他們一起於1970年，成立跨教區及跨宗教的聖神修院神哲學院。在場到賀的，還有陳樞機的首批學生之一，慈幼會士韓大輝總主教，他現時為萬民福音部秘書長。另一位在場的早期學生，為香港教區輔理主教之一楊鳴章副主教。（香港教區剛任命了三名輔理主教，預期於八月底領受牧職。）
他們首先齊集在小聖堂誦唸晚禱，並聆聽陳樞機有關發願五十周年，以及教授七十周年的分享。他提及到有關編寫第一本書的夢想，這本書名為「鮑思高神父母親，麗達媽媽能理解的形上學」！祈禱後舉行家庭聚餐，彼此談笑唱歌，充滿愉快氣氛。
Cardinal Zen 70 years since entering the aspirantate, 50 of teaching
(ANS - CIN –HONG KONG, austraLasia #3471 , 22 July 2014) – On July 19, 1944, the 12 year old Joseph Zen was accepted as a Salesian aspirant in Shanghai by Servant of God Fr Charles Braga, the then Provincial of the China Province of Mary Help of Christians
In September 1964, Fr Joseph Zen, with a fresh Doctorate in Philosophy and a Licence in Theology, began teaching Philosophy at the Salesian Academy of Philosophy for the Far East in Cheung Chau, Hong Kong. Fr Joseph Zen, then as Rector, Salesian Provincial, Coadiutor Bishop of Hong Kong, Bishop of Hong Kong and finally Cardinal Joseph Zen, never ceased teaching, whether in the Salesian House of Studies or at the Holy Spirit Seminary College or in one or other of the Seminaries on mainland China (Sheshan, Wuhan, Xian, Hebei, Shenyang etc.).
So July 19, 2014, stood out as the 70th Anniversary of his acceptance as a Salesian aspirant by Fr Braga and was also used to mark 50 years of teaching. Some 80 past and present students and colleagues of Joseph Cardinal Zen gathered at Salesian Missionary House, Shau Kei Wan, to thank God for such a long magisterial service and to ask God to make such service fruitful in the lives of the students and of all who come in touch with them.
Among the well-wishers were the Bishop of Hong Kong, John Cardinal Tong Hon, colleague of Joseph Zen's as teacher of philosophy and theology and co-founder with him in 1970 of the present interdiocesan and interreligious Holy Spirit Seminary College. Happily present was also one of his first students, Salesian Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Another of the early students present was the Auxiliary Bishop Elect, Fr Michael Yeung, Vicar General of the Hong Kong Diocese. (Hong Kong has just had three Auxiliaries appointed, who are expected to be ordained Bishop in late August).
The gathering first prayed Sunday Vespers in the chapel and heard Cardinal Zen share his 70 years as a Salesian and his 50 years as teacher. He mentioned his dream of writing his first book, a textbook of philosophy entitled: “Metaphysics which Don Bosco 's mother, Mama Margaret could understand”! Prayer was followed by a family agape enlivened by speeches and songs.