【慈幼通訊社
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2015
年
1
月
13
日斯里蘭卡可倫坡訊】
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1月12日傍晚，教宗方濟各離開羅馬前往斯里蘭卡，展開亞洲之旅的第一站，稍後他將到訪菲律賓。這將是一個充實的牧民之旅；在這國家慈幼會有它特色的臨在。
Gian Francesco Romano供稿
教宗一抵達可倫坡機場時，便這樣評論說：「我這一次到訪，展示了教會對全體斯里蘭卡人民的愛與關懷。」一會兒後他又說：「斯里蘭卡經歷了連年的內部衝突，人民活在恐怖之中，現在正是時候重建和平，並要治療多年所受的創傷。」
教宗到訪斯里蘭卡的其中一個重要原因，正是要宣揚修好的信息。國家剛選出新總統，舉國上下都期望從此能走出內戰的陰霾。這場內戰從1983年開始，一直持續到2009年，期間造成超過10萬人喪生。
此外，他的到訪，就是要對遠離教會中心（羅馬）的小小天主教羊群（佔全國人口7.4%），表達一份關懷。他說：「作為一位普世天主教會的牧者，我來與這裡的天主教徒會面，勉勵他們，並與他們一起祈禱。」他到訪的一個重要環節，就是定於1月14日（星期三）舉行的真福若瑟•瓦茲神父的封聖典禮。
最後，這次牧民之旅展示了一個重大意義，就是教宗願意向亞洲教會表達關注之情 ─ 追隨同樣曾到訪菲律賓及斯里蘭卡的前任教宗保祿六世及若望保祿二世的芳蹤。教宗方濟各已將亞洲大陸視為基督宗教「廣闊的疆界」。教宗在這次到訪的會面之中，毫無疑問將致力把福音喜訊傳揚到這些地域。
慈幼會士於1956年，展開在這片稱為「印度洋珍珠國」的事業，他們於內貢博開設了第一所中心。目前，島上共有81名慈幼會士，分佈於19個地點，其中71名為本地人。斯里蘭卡最初隸屬於慈幼會印度清奈會省，於2004年成為准會省，以聖若瑟為主保。
慈幼會士於國內九個教區服務，他們從事青年職業教育、堂區管理，以及處於危險境地的青年的培育及社會服務工作。
The Pope’s trip to the Pearl of the Indian Ocean
(ANS - Sri Lanka –Colombo, 13 January 2015) – Yesterday evening, 12 January, the Holy Father Pope Francis left Rome for Sri Lanka, the first leg of an Asian tour that will take him in the coming days to the Philippines. This will be a busy apostolic visit, in a country where there is a significant Salesian presence.
By Gian Francesco Romano
"My visit is intended as an expression of the Church’s love and concern for all Sri Lankans," the Pope remarked immediately upon landing at Colombo airport. A short time later he said: "Sri Lanka has experienced the horrors of civil strife, and even now is trying to consolidate peace and to heal the wounds of those years."
One of the main reasons for the Pope’s visit to Sri Lanka was precisely to promote reconciliation. The country has just elected a new President and hopes finally to get over the aftermath of the civil war which lasted from 1983 to 2009 and left more than 100,000 dead.
Among other reasons for his visit, there is definitely the care of the small Catholic flock (7.4% of the population) far from the centre of the Church. "As universal pastor of the Catholic Church,” he said, “I have come to meet and encourage the Catholics of this Island, as well as to pray with them." One of the highlights will be the canonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz, scheduled for Wednesday 14 January.
Finally, this apostolic visit assumes significance in view of the attention that the Pope wants to dedicate to the Church in Asia - following in the footsteps of his predecessors Paul VI and John Paul II who both went the Philippines and to Sri Lanka. The Asian continent has already been defined by Pope Francis as "the great frontier" of Christianity, and in his meetings during these days there is no doubt that the Pope will try to transmit the joy of the Gospel in those lands.
In the so-called "Pearl of the Indian Ocean" the Salesians have been present since 1956 when they opened the first centre in Negombo. At present there are 81 Salesians on the island – 71 of them indigenous – in 19 locations. At first Sri Lanka was part of the Salesian province of Chennai, India, but became a Vice-Province in 2004 with Saint Joseph as its patron.
The Salesians are in nine dioceses of the country, engaged in the technical education of the young, as well as in the care of parishes, formation and social services for young people at risk.