A man with outstanding faith and a sense of mission

Victorin Galabert was born in Montbazin (Hérault) November 6, 1830. Little is known about his early years, which Fr. Victorin tried to downplay in later life. He studied medicine at the University of Montpelier and received his doctorate in 1854. His dissertation was entitled A Historical Essay on Smallpox. After meeting Fr. d’Alzon, he received the religious habit on June 29, 1855, in Nîmes. The following year he went to Rome where he studied theology and canon law. He made his final profession in Rome at the altar of the Confession of St. Peter on June 30, 1856. After obtaining his doctorate in canon law, he was ordained a priest o June 7, 1857, and wrote articles for the publications of Fr. Chaillot, a reputed canonist.

A full days in Osaka, Japan. After celebrating Mass with the sisters, Dinh and I  set off on different paths - Dinh to Kyoto to visit a friend and Sister  Christina and I making the rounds of the RA ministries in Minoo, an upper middle class area, and in Osaka City, where a community of RA's serve the large  homeless population there.  The first stop was a brief talk to the Junior and Senior High girls at the Assumption school in Minoo at their student assembly. This is a K-12 school, all girls except for the kindergarten, with a decided minority of Catholics and Christians, reflecting the demographics of Japan (.03% Christian).

On the Second Sunday of Advent (December 5, 2010), the residents and guests at the Assumptionist Center in Brighton shared their diverse backgrounds, experiences and rich insights into the Advent-Christmas mystery.

In the predominantly Buddhist country of China, where Catholics represent 5% of the population and non-Catholic Christians are10%, the government keeps a tight control on matters of race and religion. It is difficult to live the faith openly, so religious practices are more often personal and insular. Following the reception of Confirmation, many people become lapsed in the living out of their faith. In addition, there is still much ancestral worship taking place.

Reflecting on the Advent/Christmas experience of the people in the Philippines, which is a predominantly Catholic country, it is common to celebrate this season from October through February. This time focuses on the family, with parents emphasizing the importance of sharing, though this is not easy among the poor. A particularly strong cultural and religious tradition is to prepare for Christmas beginning on Dec. 16^th where by an early morning Mass each day gains momentum as the 24^th approaches. This tradition which gathers families and extended families evokes life-long happy memories.

The site assomptionorient.altervista.org is addressed to brothers, sisters, and friends of the Assumption who would like to know more about Assumption's work in the East and the reality of the Oriental Church.

Besides, it is addressed in a special way to the brothers and sisters of the Assumption who are in the East, who have as their goal to be a locus of exchange and sharing for all.