E-service Newsletter 2015 - 03

Vol. 12, No. 29

SALESIANS OF DON BOSCO, PROVINCE OF ST. PHILIP THE APOSTLE

January 15, 2015

Provincial’s Calendar January 15-18 Office days 20-26 Visitation with the Salesian community at Don Bosco Residence, Orange, N.J. 27-31 Visitation with the Salesian community at Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J.

Birthday Celebrations January

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15 Fr. Paul Dzaitkiewicz 20 Fr. William Keane 21 Fr. Richard Authier

Bicentennial Year – 2015 For the past six years, we in the Salesian Family have been preparing for the bicentennial celebration of Don Bosco’s birth. Our preparation over those six years went through many stages. As we enter the final stages of this preparation, and enter the yearlong celebration, it might be good to take a wider view of this anniversary and its meaning for us Salesians of Don Bosco and the entire Salesian Family.

For the first three years of this preparation period, the Salesian Message from Family followed the relic of Don Bosco as it travelled on pilgrimFr. Provincial age around the world. Communications helped us appreciate the profound significance of this worldwide pilgrimage. We remember the excitement of the people in Argentina as Don Bosco’s casket began its pilgrimage in the place where Don Bosco had sent his first missionary expedition in 1875. Many of us were mesmerized when following the progress of the Don Bosco relic as it made its way through Latin America with ecstatic crowds of devotees welcoming Don Bosco to his sons and daughters. It was so heartwarming to see so many young people gazing wide-eyed at the relic of their beloved father and teacher. They reached out to place their hands on the glass in a moving spirit of prayer.

Most of us recall quite vividly the excitement that we felt when the casket of Don Bosco visited the St. Philip Province in the fall of 2010. Once again, the Internet postings allowed us to follow the progress of Don Bosco’s relic throughout its jour-

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Pray for the Sick

Fr. Dominique Britschu Bro. Jerry Harasym Bro. Thomas Higgs Fr. Jack Janko Fr. Jim Marra Fr. Jim McKenna Bro. Bernie Zdanowicz Thomas Donovan, Fr. Dennis Donovan’s father  Leona Rasor, Fr. John Rasor’s mother  Josephine Reynolds, Fr. Anthony D’Angelo’s sister

Remember the Deceased  Fr. Carmine Vairo  Bro. Noel DeBruton  Leslie Plaplan, daughter of Les and Elizabeth Ring

PHOTO: The relic of Don Bosco relic arriving at the airport in New Orleans in 2010.

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events honoring our father and founder. In a certain way, we have been encouraged by their enthusiasm to take up Don Bosco’s charism and mission anew in a joyful spirit of communion with God, our confreres, and service to young people who are poorest.

ney in our province from Marrero, Louisiana, to Surrey, British Columbia.

For many of us, that experience of hosting Don Bosco’s relic was a startling moment. The numbers who came out to give honor to our saintly founder were far more than we had ever imagined. Many of us, including the Archbishop of Vancouver, asked out loud, “Where did all these people come from?” “What drew them here?”

These days, we begin the heart of our celebration Don Bosco’s bicentennial (2015): the feast of St. John Bosco (January 31); the feast of Mary Help of Christians (May 24); Don Bosco’s date of birth (August 16). These three moments of our bicentennial year will be, for us (Salesians of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and the rest of the Salesian Family), moments of celebration and renewal in the heart of our vocation to Christian and consecrated life.

We began this bicentennial celebration as the animators of a pilgrimage in which Don Bosco encountered many of those who have found meaning in their lives through the charism of Don Bosco. We were encouraged by their enthusiasm in modeling their lives, spirituality,

The answer was, of course, the dynamic life-witness of St. John Bosco, friend of youth. During those three weeks, we realized fully that Don Bosco is a worldwide presence in the Church, far more than simply the founder of a religious congregation or family. Reflecting on that experience, we understood that the Don Bosco relic pilgrimage put us into contact with “that vast movement of men and women” who are committed to Don Bosco’s mission with the poorest young people throughout the world (cf. GC 24).

In the years since that powerful beginning, the preparation period for the bicentennial moved through three years of thematic study, reflection, prayer, and practice on Don Bosco: history, education, spirituality. During those three years, we have come to grips with the reasons why so many people were drawn to Don Bosco’s relic and the

Top left, the Don Bosco relic in Belle Glade, Fla. Bottom right, the relic in Montreal, Quebec.

Published weekly by the Salesians of Don Bosco for the territory of Canada and the Eastern U.S.A. Copyright © 2015 Salesian Society, Inc. - Province of St. Philip the Apostle 148 E. Main Street, PO Box 639, New Rochelle, NY 10802-0639 USA Very Fr. Thomas Dunne, SDB, Provincial Editor: Fr. Michael Mendl, SDB - salesianstudies@gmail.com Publisher: Fr. Dennis Donovan, SDB - ddonovan@salesians.org Send news items to salesianstudies@gmail.com When reading on a computer, iPad or other device, click on photos or links to be transferred to other media.

SALESIANS OF DON BOSCO

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ministry, and relationships on Don Bosco’s teaching and example.

As we move quickly toward the finale of this bicentennial year, we would do well to take up once again the animating ministry that characterized the beginnings of this journey during the relic pilgrimage. As Don Bosco reached out to all of his followers at the start of this sixyear preparation period, both within and outside the Salesian Family, it would be most fitting for us to bring this bicentennial to a finale in the same way as it began, together with the broadest assembly of those who hold Don Bosco to be their patron in serving the poorest young, and their model of holiness in everyday life.

Salesians and other devotees of Don Bosco filled St. Patrick Cathedral for the Mass in his honor while the relic was there on Oct. 1, 2010 Thomas A. Dunne, SDB Provincial

“With the spirit of Don Bosco we remain firm” ROME (ANS) – Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime said this week in a statement, “The horrors of today’s terrorism motivate us even more, as Salesians and as members of the Salesian Family, to work in those places where human rights are trampled upon, where life itself is at risk, and where there is great need of sympathy and support.” The Rector Major was referring to attacks that have occurred recently in various parts of the world.

This is not just about France. There is a long list of countries where terrorism is sowing violence and death, creating a situation of generalized alarm and suspicion among the population. In the light of all this, Fr. Fernandez wants to revive the commitment of the Salesian Family in the constant search for peace and, at the same time, to express his closeness to those working in the areas most at risk.

“The places where terrorism occurs today—I am thinking of Gaza, Syria, and Iraq, but also of Nigeria, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Kenya, and many other places worldwide—show without doubt ‘the cruelty of which man is capable,’ as Pope Francis has said. This motivates us even more, as Salesians and members of the Salesian Family, to work in the areas where human rights are trampled upon, where life itself is at risk, and where there is great need of sympathy and support.

“I join the voice of the Pope and all the religious leaders who appeal to all humanity at the present time to put aside feelings of hatred and resentment, and pledge to work together for peace, on the basis of mutual respect and human solidarity.

“Courage, Salesians! I am thinking especially of you who are in the areas where even the witness of your life may put you at risk. Courage! With the spirit of Don Bosco, we remain firm. I am with you, and I pray for you and the flock entrusted to you. Jesus and Mary Help of Christians will not fail to support us.”

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Cristo Rey Tampa High School: A Progress Report

by Fr. Steve Ryan, SDB TAMPA — Progress is still being made on a proposal to open Cristo Rey Tampa High School. God willing, it will be on the grounds of Mary Help of Christians Center in Tampa and will be sponsored or at least “endorsed” by the St. Philip Province of the Salesians. The feasibility study is in the sixth month. That study entails going through a major process of fundraising, acquiring job placement sites, putting together a board of directors, and building momentum to launch. The process is set up by the Cristo Rey Network—the parent corporation of all Cristo Rey schools.

If Cristo Rey Tampa High School at Mary Help of Christians does open in 2016, it will be the 31st Cristo Rey school in the network. Thirty-one is a good number for Salesians.

The 18 members of the SDB community at MHC are praying daily for a positive result of the study and invite all E-Service’s readers to join them in prayer. A Catholic school with the Salesian charism at MHC would have a

With facelift of façade finally finished, Salesian motherhouse is ready to welcome pilgrims TURIN (ANS) — January 2015 Work has been carried out at the Salesian motherhouse in Valdocco to cater better for the pilgrims who will come for the celebrations of the bicentennial of Don Bosco’s birth. On December 20, 2014, the restoration of the façade of the basilica of Mary Help of Christians was completed.

Now the basilica again has a beautiful façade, with its statues and bas-reliefs of Gospel scenes restored. The restoration work was guided by the Turin Artistic Commission.

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big impact on the education and evangelization of poor young people. Weekend retreat programs will continue, the Boys and Girls Club would be a feeder, and the little parish based at MHC might even gain momentum!

Right now Salesian Cooperators in Tampa are leading the effort to secure job placements and funding to make the school a reality. We are fortunate to have Cooperators Marcelo Sempe, Joshua Keleske, and Chris Yarnolds as team leaders. Additionally, press releases are being distributed all over the Tampa area to educate people about the possibility of Cristo Rey and how we need their help to make it a reality.

One-page documents for parents and students were completed as well as a brochure. These items were distributed to various stakeholders across the community. For info and flyers, call Nellie at Mary Help (813-626-6191).

Also, be sure to visit the Cristo Rey Tampa Website www.cristoreytampa.org to learn more. This project is an exciting endeavor for the Salesian apostolic mission in Tampa. Anyone wishing to get involved contact may contact center@mhctampa.org

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Salesians Archbishops Sturla and Bo named among new cardinals ROME (ANS) – During his Angelus talk on Sunday, January 4, Pope Francis announced the names of the new cardinals whom he will nominate at the consistory of February 14. He informed the crowd in St. Peter’s Square: “As was already announced, next February 14 I will have the joy of holding a consistory, during which I will nominate 15 new cardinals, who come from 14 nations and every continent, manifesting the inseparable ties between Church of Rome and the particular Churches of the world.”

Among the new cardinals are the Salesians Archbishop Charles Maung Bo, archbishop of Yangon (Rangoon), Burma, (center photo) and Archbishop Daniel Fernando Sturla, archbishop of Montevideo, Uruguay (above right, with Pope Francis).

Archbishop Bo’s nomination represents tremendous news for Burma, where the Catholic Church has been present more than 500 years; for the Salesians it represents and confirms the importance of their presence, which has been part of the Calcutta Province for 80 years.

Archbishop Charles Maung Bo was born at Mohla on October 29, 1948. He was ordained on April 9, 1976. He prefect apostolic of Lashio for six years (1985-1990); from 1990 to 1996 he was bishop of the newly-erected diocese of Lashio. Transferred to the diocese of Pathein in 1996, he continued as apostolic administrator of diocese of Lashio until 1998, and after that for a year as administrator of the archdiocese of Mandalay; in 2003 he was named archbishop of Yangon.

He is currently in charge of the Office of Human Development of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences, a member of the Commission for Religious of FABC, and a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture. Archbishop Bo is the first Burmese cardinal.

Archbishop Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet, SDB, was born on July 4, 1959, at Montevideo. After earning a

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bachelor’s degree in civil law at the John XXIII Institute, he completed his studies in philosophy and education at the Salesians’ Michael Rua Institute in Montevideo.

He studied theology at what was then called the Bishop Mariano Soler Theological Institute of Uruguay, earning a licentiate in theology in 2006. He entered the novitiate in 1979 and made his first religious profession on January 31, 1980. On November 21, 1987, he was ordained. After his ordination he served as vicar of the Salesian novitiate and postnovitiate, director of the Salesian aspirantate and master of novices, director of the John XXIII Pre-university Institute, and professor of Church history.

ANS On October 28, 2008, he was named Salesian provincial for Uruguay, and shortly after was elected president of the Conference of Religious of Uruguay. On December 10, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI named him titular bishop of Felbes and auxiliary bishop of Montevideo.

On February 11, 2014, Pope Francis promoted him to archbishop of Montevideo, Uruguay. Within the Episcopal Conference of Uruguay he has been put in charge of the Departments of the Missions and of the Laity.

“Let’s pray for the new cardinals, so that, by renewing their love for Christ, they may be witnesses of his Gospel in the city of Rome and in world, and with their pastoral experience may give me strong support in my apostolic service,” Pope Francis concluded.

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SDBs strengthening Haiti through education MADRID (ANS) — Five years after the tragic earthquake that sowed death and destruction in Haiti, Salesian mission offices in Madrid and New Rochelle remain committed to the country. Salesian missionaries continue working to rebuild schools, training centers, and infrastructure for the neediest. “Haiti needs not only walls and roofs, however. We undertake the education of children and adolescents, with the aim of restoring Haiti after this tragic event,” says Ana Muñoz, spokesman for Salesian Missions of Madrid.

Since 2010, Salesians have not stopped working, thanks to the support received from millions of people around the world in solidarity with Haiti. Today, more than 20,000 children receive education and food daily in the Little Schools of Father Bohnen; almost 800 children and young people go to the Timkatec school; 340 young people are trained in agricultural schools and vocational training centers in Cap-Haitien; about 1,000 children study in the center at Gressier; at Fort Liberté, 170 children receive basic training and 160 young adults will become nurses through the Nursing School; and now the ENAM vocational training center has reopened. In addition, street children in Port-au-Prince can be cared for in the newly rebuilt Lakay center.

But people still live in tent camps. Thousands of children and adolescents have no schooling. For this reason,

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Salesians assist multinational refugees in the Kakuma camp in Kenya by offering vocational and technical training.

Salesians continue working to build a pre-school at Gressier and a primary school in Les Cayes, and to build new workshops for street children. “Despite all that has been done, we cannot let our guard down because Haiti still needs our help,” warns Ms. Muñoz.

Men in Formation Bro. Lenny Carlino, SDB What has always been of appeal and personal impact to me is the joy and optimism which accompanies our Salesian spirituality. It was the fun and games which first attracted me to learn more about Salesianity. When a life of prayer is often thought of as dull and quiet (filled only with devotions and time spent in chapel), we as Salesians experience prayer both communally and with a spirit of celebration. And why not, because in the death of Christ on the cross is our great salvation, the great reward merited for us by this ultimate sacrifice of love. Further, our prayer is never limited to our “prayer times,” but our whole lives become prayer when lived for the glory of God. For me, then, I am called in my current life to show forth this joy, this reason for our hope (1 Peter 3:15), to the whole world, but especially to young people.

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Don Bosco Prep to host Sr. Helen Prejean Author of Dead Man Walking to speak on Feb. 9

by Rue Eisen RAMSEY, N.J. — Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ, author of Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States, will speak on the death penalty and her work in counseling death row inmates in a speaking engagement for parents and the general public on Monday, February 9, at 7:00 p.m. at Don Bosco Prep. Her second book, The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions, was released by Random House in December 2004.

The event will be held in the auditorium of DBP’s DeSales Hall. This event is free of charge. For information, please call 201-327-2049 or email advancement@donboscoprep.org.

Sr. Helen is presently at work on another book, River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey.

She has been instrumental in sparking national dialogue on the death penalty and helping to shape the Catholic Church’s newly vigorous opposition to state executions. She travels around the world giving talks about her ministry. She considers herself a Southern storyteller.

Sr. Helen is a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph. She spent her first years with the Sisters teaching religion to junior high school students. Realizing that being on the side of poor people is an essential part of the Gospel, she moved into the St. Thomas Housing Project in New Orleans and worked at Hope House from 1981 to 1984. During that time she was asked to correspond with a

death row inmate, Patrick Sonnier, at Louisiana’s Angola prison. She agreed and became his spiritual adviser. After witnessing his execution, she wrote a book about the experience: Dead Man Walking. It became a movie, an opera, and a play for high schools and colleges.

Since 1984, Sr. Helen has divided her time between educating citizens about the death penalty and counseling individual death row prisoners. She has accompanied six men to their deaths. In doing so, she began to suspect that some of those executed were not guilty, which has reinforced her opposition to capital punishment.

Mrs. Eisen is public relations director at Don Bosco Prep.

Pilgrimage Day at the Marian Shrine Saturday, May 23, 2015.

10AM Mass in Spanish; 12 noon Mass in English 3:00PM Rosary procession, concluding with the crowning of the statue of Mary and the blessing of Mary Help of Christians.

Confessions, picnic lunch, music and more. Mary guided Don Bosco in his vocation and in the founding of the Salesian Family. We turn to Mary so that we may be renewed in the Salesian charism and help young people today discover their call to serve the Lord.

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Fr. Jeremiah Reen: A Vocation Story

by Jennifer Kennymore

TAMPA — Fr. Jeremiah Reen was born in 1941. His parents had both immigrated from Ireland in the 1920s and landed in Boston. Eventually they met, and they married in 1940. Soon after, they had Jeremiah, then four other children. The Reen family remained in Boston while Jeremiah grew up. Even though he was only three or four years old, Fr. Jeremiah still remembers the days of World War II, for example the use of ration stamps.

Fr. Jeremiah’s first brother John was only 13 months younger, and therefore they were very close. They shared a room and a desk while they grew up.

One day a letter addressed to Jeremiah came in the mail. His mom thought it was a letter from her sister, so she had him open it—even though Jeremiah was also his father’s name. It was actually a mission appeal letter from Salesians in India and included a newspaper clipping and note encouraging Jeremiah to learn more about the Salesians. This was the first he had heard of Don Bosco or the Salesians. Eventually Jeremiah wrote to the mission coordinator, who passed his information to the vocation director—with whom, coincidentally, he ended up working in Belle Glade, Fla., years later.

Sometime after that mission appeal letter, Jeremiah learned about St. Dominic Savio and the Savio Clubs. He wanted more information, so he got in touch with someone in Paterson, N.J., who sent him Don Bosco’s life of Dominic.

During this time his brother John received a St. John Bosco holy card at school in honor of his name. John showed the card to Jeremiah.

Then one Friday night the doorbell rang. The Salesian vocation director was at the door, wanting to talk with Jeremiah about joining the Salesians. This led to a trip down to the Salesian high school seminary in Haverstraw, N.Y., for both Jeremiah and John. Meanwhile, he attended Mission High School in the Boston suburbs for Grades 911.

Jeremiah was discerning whether to be a diocesan or Salesian priest. One night on his way home, after reading from the writings of St. Louis de Montfort, he was struck by the road construction that was taking place and how youths and the poor have more struggles than others. This helped him determine that Salesian life would be best for him.

After getting permission from his parents, he enrolled

in Don Bosco Juniorate in Haverstraw for his senior year (1957-1958). Fr. Jeremiah says that year was one of the happiest of his life even though it was difficult being away from his family. One favorite saying from this time is that Mary is the Help of Christians and Mother of the Church.

Jeremiah made his first profession as a Salesian on September 8, 1959, which also happened to be his mother’s 50th birthday. He then did his college studies for two years at Don Bosco Seminary in Newton and three years at the Salesian Pontifical Athenaeum in Rome. When he returned to the U.S. he was sent to Cedar Lake, Ind., in 1964 for one year of his practical training, followed by two years at Salesian Junior Seminary in Goshen, N.Y. In 1965 Bro. Jeremiah made his perpetual vows. In 1967 he began four years of education in theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Worthington, Ohio. He was ordained in Columbus in 1971. Fr. Jeremiah then served at Sacred Heart Juniorate in Ipswich, Mass., for a years as prefect of studies before being assigned to Don Bosco College in Newton as catechist and dean of students, academic dean, and registrar (1972-1975). He also taught philosophy there while studying toward a doctorate at St. John’s University. He returned to the staff of Salesian Junior Seminary in Goshen from 1975 to 1982 while continuing his studies.

In 1982 Fr. Jeremiah put aside his studies and headed to Belle Glade, where he was assistant pastor of St. Philip Benizi Parish and worked with the Spanish and Haitian communities for over 26 years. In 2009 he was given a

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sabbatical year before he came to Tampa in the fall of 2010.

A few of Fr. Jeremiah’s favorite Scriptures are: Jeremiah 1:4-19; Numbers 6:24-26; and John 17:22-24. One quote from his father that he still remembers is, “You might be a whole lot to your mother, but you’re a pain in the neck to me.”

Fr. Jeremiah is grateful “to Father-God, all the Salesians who have been (and are) my life, and the ‘millions’

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I’ve loved and who have loved me in these more than 50 years.”

Miss Kennymore is a Salesian Lay Missioner serving at Mary Help of Christians Center in Tampa, Fla.

Click on these images to hear...

The Don Bosco Bicentennial song, “Da Mihi Animas” https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=vaZyh9K34CU&feature=youtu.be

Death Notices Fr. Carmine Vairo, SDB Bro. Noel DeBruton, SDB Two senior members of the San Francisco Province have died in recent days: Fr. Carmine Vairo, SDB, at 80 years of age on January 8 (left); and Bro. Noel DeBruton, SDB, at 79 on January 9 (right).

Fr. Carmine had been in the St. John of God Retirement and Care Center in Los Angeles for quite some time and died there. Bro. Noel, a member of the St. John Bosco community in Bellflower, had been ailing for several months and died at the Norwalk, Calif., skilled nursing facility.

Fr. Carmine was provincial in San Francisco from 1979 to 1985. He was master of novices for the men of both U.S. provinces, based in Newton, from 1976 to 1979. He guided Eastern Province luminaries Fr. Richard Alejunas, Fr. Paul Chuong, Fr. Richard Crager, Fr. James Mulloy, Fr. Richard Putnam, and Fr. David Sajdak.

Pope Francis begins his pastoral visit with the Philippine people today. BBC radio (Outlook) tells the story of Fr. Marciano “Rocky” Evangelista, SDB, who founded and runs a Salesian school for street children in Manila. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02g4n4w)

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Number of refugees and displaced persons increases ROME (ANS) — The report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on the mid-year trends for 2014 was published on January 7. It shows a further increase in the number of refugees and displaced persons in the world. In the first six months of last year, another 5.5 million people were forced to flee from their homes, primarily because of wars.

The report distinguishes between refugees (those who fled to a foreign country) and IDPs (internally displaced persons, i.e., those remaining within their own country). The latter number 26 million, but the statistics are lacking in many countries where UNHCR has no operations because the authorities have not asked it to intervene. Another report issued last spring, this time by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, spoke of 34 million IDPs. Refugees now total 13 million, the highest number for almost 20 years. In mid2014, the total number of people assisted by UNHCR stood at 46.3 million.

Among the countries of origin of refugees, Syria has the greatest number, 3 million. Just two years ago, Syria was not even in the top 30 countries of origin.

Now it is plagued by a civil war and the violence of the Salesians assist multinational refugees in the Kakuma camp Islamic State. Next are the 2.7 million Afghan refugees, in Kenya by offering vocational and technical training. a historic community which has been at the top of this dramatic list for 30 years. Other countries of origin include Somalia (over 1 million), Sudan (670,000), South Alongside the UNHCR and other international agenSudan (509,000), the Democratic Republic of Congo cies, the Salesians are active around the world in trying to (493,000), Burma (480,000), Iraq (426,000), and Colom- alleviate the suffering of refugees and displaced persons, bia (397,000). providing them with basic relief, education, and training, The phenomenon of refugees triggers a chain of eco- as well as human and spiritual support. Just to mention nomic and social effects, often borne by countries that are some of the many situations: Salesians are working in the already experiencing difficulty themselves. “The econom- Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya and in Juba in South Suic, social, and human costs involved in assisting refugees dan. They have repeatedly welcomed displaced persons and internally displaced persons are borne mainly by poor and refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo whencommunities who can least afford it,” said U.N. High ever socio-political emergencies have made it necessary.

Commissioner Antonio Guterres.

They still do so in the Central African Republic, Turkey, If we look at the ranking of the host countries, in first Lebanon, Pakistan, and even Syria. In many Western place we see Pakistan, where about 1.6 million Afghan countries, such as Germany, Italy, Canada, Austria, and citizens have found shelter. Next come Lebanon with 1.1 Spain, the Salesians run programs that help refugees find million people in refugee camps (almost a quarter of the work and be integrated into society. population within its borders), Iran (982,000), Turkey (824,000), Jordan (737,000), Ethiopia (588,000), Kenya (537,000), and Chad (455,000).

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Interview with Luca Pontassuglia, graphic artist who designed Strenna 2015 poster

by Fr. Gian Luigi Pussino

ROME (ANS) — Designing the poster for the 2015 Strenna was a big responsibility, given that 2015 is Don Bosco’s bicentennial year. The task was entrusted to a young man named Luca Pontassuglia. Here are some of his reflections on the work.

How did you get the job?

The idea was to have a strenna chosen “by young people for young people.” Hence it was decided to entrust the task to a young person like me.

During a visit to the Salesians in Vasto, Bro. José Luis Muñoz, director of ANS, heard about some of my work from Fr. George Zazza, former director of the youth center, and the pastor, Fr. Francesco Pampinella. Bro. Muñoz showed my work to the Rector Major and decided to offer me the chance, which I accepted with great joy, but also with great anxiety because of the huge responsibility.

Can you explain the image on the poster?

I’ll try. I might begin by referring to the words of the man who first thought up the idea, Fr. Bruno Ferrero, director of the Italian Salesian Bulletin. I worked with him in putting it together.

I’ll start from the beams in the foreground, which form part of a building under construction. This symbolizes something in the making, still evolving. It also represents the precarious situation and the challenges that young people face today. These young people are the builders of a new world. They mustn’t be left on their own, so Don Bosco’s there to guide them. He shows them the field where they’ll have to work.

Don Bosco is represented in shirtsleeves, ready to get to work in the service of others, particularly young people.

He has a serious look as if he’s still dreaming. This is a Don Bosco who after 200 years is always ready to reach out to young people in their everyday situations, even if it means going into dangerous places that seem to be suspended between heaven and earth, with no stable point to provide the minimum of security necessary in life. Don Bosco, however, isn’t alone. With him is the whole Salesian Family. On the beam we find a Salesian standing, a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians, and beside her a Salesian Cooperator. They work together to continue to realize a great dream which still continues to bear fruit.

What do you like best about it?

The first boy sitting astride the beam – he’s the Mickey Magone of the group. He’s looking at Don Bosco and thinking, “Where do you find the energy to stay with us all the time?”

And what did you find hardest?

There were many hard parts, especially since the image has to be understood clearly all over the world! I think Don Bosco’s right hand was the hardest part. I had to redo it several times because of the importance of that gesture.

One last question – a more personal one: what are you expecting from the bicentennial?

My hope is that it will remind us of the beauty of living as Don Bosco did, “with young people and for young people.” For my part, I’d like to be able to enjoy this great opportunity. This year will surely be something precious, a year when we remember to keep dreaming. My goal will be to try to absorb everything that is beautiful and true, and to keep on looking for inspiration to Don Bosco and of course to the One who always accompanied him on the journey!

Every community of the New Rochelle Province should have received at least 2 copies of the strenna poster. If more are needed, call Jo Ann Donahue at the provincial house: 914-636-4225.

Other members of the Salesian Family also may request posters (13”x19”), at $1.60 each plus postage.

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Contact Jeni Rosario at the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (914) 636-4225, ext. 612 or rosario@salesianym.com

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