Tỉnh Dòng Slovenia và Tỉnh Dòng Việt Nam đang thu thập tài liệu về Cha Maicen để đề nghị phong thánh.

Fr. Andrej Majcen

A Giant Salesian Missionary

(Sinh 30.9.1904 - Qua đời 30.9.1999)

Baptized (Rửa tội): 9.10.1904

Novitiate(Nhà Tập): 1924/1925

First Profession(Khấn Lần Đầu): 4.10.1925

Perpetual Profession(Khấn Trọn): 9.1.1932

Ordained(Linh mục): 2.7.1933

Departure in missions(Ra đi Truyền Giáo): 15.9.1935

China (Kunning): 1935-1951

Kakao: 1951-1952

North Vietnam: 1952-1954

Hongkong: 1954-1956

South Vietnam: 1956-1976

Taiwan: 1976-1979

Slovenija: 1979-1999

Lời Cha Maicen để lại "Các con yêu quí, đời cha dấn thân là một Salêdiêng và sẽ tiếp tục cho đến hơi thở cuối cùng cho dù chung quanh mọi vật cũng sẽ qua đi, cha sẽ tiếp tục dấn bước... với Mẹ Maria Phù Hộ Các Giáo hữu, với Don Bosco, với Thánh Tâm của Chúa Giêsu. Cha học được tất cả những điều trên trong năm đầu của nhà tập...

Cho đến hơi thở cuối cùng, cha luôn ngợi khen Thiên Chúa đã trao ban cho cha ơn gọi Truyền Giáo Salêdiêng. Qua những quốc gia cha đã đi qua, Don Bosco đã lèo lái và đưa đẩy cha cách nhiệm mầu trong bàn tay quan phòng của Thiên Chúa... Tại Việt Nam, cha đã đi trên những con đường phải nói là trên "đe dưới búa," qua những vùng bom lửa mà cha chẳng sợ hãi gì cả vì trong tay cha luôn có chuỗi hạt và ảnh Mẹ mà Don Bosco tin tưởng rằng Mẹ đã bảo vệ cha qua khỏi hiểm nguy. Cha hy vọng các con tiếp tục..."

Lời cha gửi lại cho các thanh thiếu niên "Cha đã nói nhiều lần và cha vẫn sẽ còn gửi lại các con: đừng để đánh mất những tài năng các con đang có, hãy thức tỉnh khỏi con người ích kỷ. Đừng lãng phí thời gian nữa."

Cha Maicen được gửi đến Việt Nam vào ngày lễ Thánh Têrêsa Hài đồng 3 tháng 10 năm 1952 để lo cô nhi viện ở Thái Hà Ấp, và từ đấy cha đã trở thành nhà đào luyện cho nhiều thế hệ Salêdiêng tại Việt Nam.

 Fr. Mario Acquistapace

A Great Salesian Missionary

(Italy 1906 - Hongkong 25.9.2002)

 Fr. Mario dedicated 76 years to the missions of China and South East Asia. He kept the Salesian spirit and presence alive in China and Vietnam during times of great trial. Vietnam now has 17 works operated by 168 Salesians. In 2001, the Vietnamese Salesians have begun and are sponsoring a new work in the capital city of Ulaanbataar, Mongolia. This is the first Salesian mission work in Mongolia.

     Fr. Mario Acquistapace died on September 25, 2002 at Braga House in Hong Kong at the age of 96.

He left his native Italy for China on July 16, 1926 and first arrived in Macau. Ordained a priest in 1931, he was assigned to Hong Kong as a teacher. In 1947, he was sent to Peking (Beijing) where he founded Don Bosco Home. Fr. Mario gath­ered the poor, the abandoned and the young to whom he gave most of his time through teaching and spiritual direction. In the late 40's the north of China came under the control of Mao Tse-Tung and the communists.

On the night of September 24, 1952, Fr. Mario was forced to leave China and was declared a persona non grata by the Maoist regime. Before departing, he bade goodbye to the many boys to whom he had devoted the best part of his life. Fr. Mario was the last Catholic priest to leave Peking. The Salesians never left China totally. While all foreign missionaries had to leave, many Chinese Salesians remained in the underground Church. Unfortunately, over the years, most were never heard from. The ousted missionaries moved on to Vietnam, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

From 1952 to 1958, Fr. Mario served as Provincial Superior of the Philippines, Vietnam and China. When Fr. Mario's term of office ended, the Philippines had schools like Don Bosco Tarlac, Victorias, Cebu Boystown, Mandaluyong, and Makati, as well as the Parish of San Iidefonso. They were flourishing and renowned. He visited the Philippines every year in spite of economic and traveling difficulties of the post-war years then he went and stayed in Saigon, Vietnam.

It was particularly in Vietnam that Fr. Acquistapace was able to work at length. In 1952 he visited Hanoi when the Salesians first started the orphanage at Thái-Hà-Ấp. But once again, with the arrival of the commu­nists in Vietnam, the lives of many Christians were endangered. In 1954, Vietnam was divided into two: the North with the Communist and the South with the Republican.

Fr. Mario continued with his usual youthful dynamism and optimism. With a few confreres he was able to build the hous­es of Gò-Vấp, Thủ-Đức, Dalat and the orphan­age of Gò-vấp which sheltered more than 600 boys.

He continued this work of constant assistance to the poor and did not inter­rupt his teaching activity until 1974, when he had to leave Vietnam because of the imminent taking over of the commu­nists. He transferred to the island of Coloane near Macau where he gathered the remains of the Chinese and Japanese martyrs and opened the Center of Relics of Martyrs. He stayed there until 1990 and then settled in the community of elderly confreres in Hong Kong. He remained very active. Up to the last day of his life he would welcome friends and alumni, who went to him for spiritual direction. He invited all to a life of active faith.