Fr. Steve Ryan SDB Fr. Steve Ryan, SDB Director of Vocations and Youth Ministry

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1 Volume 7, Issue 7 July 2010 Dear Friends, In this issue we have some exciting news about our Salesian Life Camps and about our upcoming visitation of the relics of St. John Bosco in just a few weeks. In September 2010, Don Bosco's relics will arrive in the United States of America from Mexico. The pilgrimage through the USA will begin on September 11, in California. After California, the relic will travel to New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 19, From there, it will go to St. Petersburg. Florida, Belle Glade, Florida and Miami, Florida. From Florida, the relic will travel to Washington, DC, where it will be visible at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The relic will then visit New York for several days, including a stop at the Salesians' Marian Shrine for a large Youth Rally and another at St. Patrick's Cathedral. From NY, the relic will travel to Chicago, from where it will prepare to cross yet another international border into Canada! The Relic will visit Toronto, Montreal, and Surrey, before it departs for the Far East on October 16, Why? Why this pilgrimage of Don Bosco's Body? The answer: Why not! Don Bosco's style, method and mentality of holiness needs to be celebrated! The mission that Almighty God gave Don Bosco --evangelizing and educating the young- is as important for the world right now as it was in Don Bosco's time. The world today needs Don Bosco. The world needs "New Don Bosco's" and hopefully you will be one of them. Are you coming to celebrate Don Bosco with the Salesians? Go to for all the information. Read over this little brochure that explains about relics and the pilgrimage. Write us soon. We want to hear from you-- salvoc@aol.com. In Don Bosco, Fr. Steve Ryan SDB Fr. Steve Ryan, SDB Director of Vocations and Youth Ministry H o l y R e l i c o f S t. J o h n B o s c o v i s i t s U S A a n d C a n a d a. Y o u t h R a l l y a t : M a r i a n S h r i n e F i l o r s L a n e S t o n y P o i n t, N Y S e p t e m b e r 3 0, D e t a i l s : w w w. D o n B o s c o A m o n g U s. o r g

2 he Salesian Vocation Office fered men aged an o Salesian Spirituality in the st designed for men who are in Christian and Salesian ident possibility of a SDB vocation Forty-four participants and s the camp in Tampa and New The men who attended got t ment of faith and fun. The w Bosco, Run, Jump, dance, S were so vivid and so forthrig tending were amazed at how campfires, skits, Olympic ga multiplicity of sports, as well surrounded by Salesian prie given these men a true tast have had a profound effect o For four days we stayed, pra ties of Mary Help of Christian Sacred Heart Center in New Some of the activities of the volleyball, challenge course, ter polo, ultimate Frisbee, Fr ketball. Life Camp is an initiative sp fice of Vocations. For more info or additional p please visit:

3 ofpportunity to experience yle of a camp. The camp is terested in growing in their ity and may be open to the. ix staff members experienced ton combined. o see the Salesian environords of our founder Don ing or shout but do not sin, ht that most of the men ateasy it is to be a Saint. The mes, prayer services, and as the fact that they were sts and brothers would have e of Salesian life and would n their hearts. yed and played at the facilis Center in Tampa and at ton, respectively. week included dodge ball, goofy games, canoeing, waisbee golf, football and basonsored by the Province Ofictures on the Life Camp, cation.com.

4 orn in the small rural town of Castelnuovo to a poor family, John's father died when he was only two years old. Despite dire poverty and severe family dysfunction, John's early life is characterized by great vivacity, deep religiosity and a willingness and ability to try to do almost anything. He demonstrated great aptitude for study, devoured books, had an incredible memory and great perseverance. He entertained young and old with his abilities at acrobatics and held them spell-bound with his talent for story-telling. At the age of nine, John had a dream, which influenced and gave great meaning to the rest of his life. In the dream John saw himself amidst a great throng of young people whom he was charged to care for by means of goodness, kindness and love, rather than by means of force and compulsion. Even as a boy he commented to his mother, Margaret, on the fact that priests when they met him on the road were cold and distant and never bothered to speak to him. "If I am ever a priest," he said, "I won't be like that. I shall devote my life to young people. Children shall never see me pass by them looking grave and distant. I shall always be the first to speak to them." Despite being forced to leave home at the age of twelve because of his relationship with his older brother, John persevered with his studies. To pay for his schooling, he took on part-time jobs and learnt skills including carpentry, tailoring and cobbling. He would later use these skills to train his own students. John entered the seminary and was eventually ordained a priest on June 5, The Abandoned Youth of Turin The middle decades of the nineteenth century were politically turbulent times on the Italian peninsula as the conglomeration of small independent states moved towards political unity, initially as the Kingdom of Italy and, subsequently, as the Republic of Italy. During this time relations between Church and State were severely strained, anti-clericalism was rampant and successive governments proclaimed oppressive laws against the Catholic Church. Simultaneously, the Industrial Revolution was gaining momentum and rural people headed for the cities. Here their hopes of a more prosperous life were dashed. Unable to cope with the sudden population influx, the result was overcrowded cities, F o r m o r e i n f o, g o t o : w w w. s a l e s i a n v o c a t i o n. c o m joblessness, slums, youth homelessness, crime and poverty. During his post-graduate course in Pastoral Studies, Don Bosco visited the jails, hospitals, streets and market places of Turin. Here he came into contact with the homeless, the unemployed and the poor. The young in particular were least able to fend for themselves and most in need of care - many were in the city without any family. Don Bosco began gathering the boys who roamed the streets with nothing to do - especially on Sundays. He organized games and activities for them, gave them religious instruction and held religious services for them. Later he purchased an old shed, which he repaired and renovated with the assistance of his boys. Thus, he established his first permanent "Oratory." In order to meet the needs of the "poor and abandoned" boys in his care, Don Bosco gradually extended his work to include the provision of food, clothing and accommodation. He even brought his aging mother to Turin to help care for them. He also began to use the trades that he had learnt as a young student to teach his own boys trades that might make them more employable. Thus began the educational project that would constitute his life's work. In spite of criticism from church and civil authorities, Don Bosco persevered and as the years passed, extended his work. He sought the assistance of fellow priests and some of his older students, some of whom "stayed with Don Bosco." He united these collaborators into a community, with St Francis de Sales as the patron. Hence, the name "Salesian" which Don Bosco gave to his fledgling group, which he later formed into a religious order within the Catholic Church. Later, he established an order of religious sisters known as the "Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians" to further his work amongst girls. A Living Tradition It is not surprising then that Don Bosco's work, spirit and spirituality quickly spread throughout Italy, then Europe and South America. When he died on January 31, 1888, there were 773 Salesians. Today there are in excess of 17,000 Salesian priests and brothers, and as many sisters, and tens of thousands of lay people working in every continent and most countries of the world to continue the spirit and mission of Don Bosco amongst the young. Salesians of Don Bosco, 315 Self Place, South Orange, NJ Ph: (973) W W W. S A L E S I A N V O C A T I O N. C O M

5 he Salesian Vocation Office offered men aged an opportunity to experience Salesian Spirituality in the style of a camp. The camp is designed for men who are interested in growing in their Christian and Salesian identity and may be open to the possibility of a SDB vocation. Forty-four participants and six staff members experienced the camp in Tampa and Newton combined. The men who attended got to see the Salesian environment of faith and fun. The words of our founder Don Bosco, Run, Jump, dance, Sing or shout but do not sin, were so vivid and so forthright that most of the men attending were amazed at how easy it is to be a Saint. The campfires, skits, Olympic games, prayer services, and multiplicity of sports, as well as the fact that they were surrounded by Salesian priests and brothers would have given these men a true taste of Salesian life and would have had a profound effect on their hearts. For four days we stayed, prayed and played at the facilities of Mary Help of Christians Center in Tampa and at Sacred Heart Center in Newton, respectively. Some of the activities of the week included dodge ball, volleyball, challenge course, goofy games, canoeing, water polo, ultimate Frisbee, Frisbee golf, football and basketball. Life Camp is an initiative sponsored by the Province Office of Vocations. For more info or additional pictures on the Life Camp, please visit: