Don Bosco relics renew faith in Asia

(March 11, 2011) Continuing a worldwide tour, the relics of St. John Bosco, popularly known as Don Bosco, have stopped in various Asian locations, bringing together thousands of Catholics. The relics began a 130-nation pilgrimage on Jan. 31, 2009, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Salesians of Don Bosco. They left the United States and Canada last October, and headed for Asia, with stops planned in 17 nations. They are currently in Indonesia, before heading to China on Saturday. In Jakarta, some 3,000 faithful attended the evening Mass at the community house where the relics were on display. When the relics were in Thailand, some 2,000 people visited them on the first day. The Salesians of the China Province (comprising mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) are awaiting their leg of the tour with hopes that their founder's relics will inspire more vocations. The relics will be in Hong Kong on the feast of the Annunciation, March 25.