Bosco Bytes A Monthly Supplement to Bosco News Snapshots of June 2015 Young Adult Retreat II Good Times, Gratitude & Going Forth Social Media Announcement
Young Adult Retreat II I enjoyed being able to reengage with my Salesian Spirituality. The Adoration and Penance service was the most eye-opening and most beneficial experience.
Discover God in all things An excerpt from Laudato Si The universe unfolds in God, who fills it completely. Hence, there is a mystical meaning to be found in a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person s face. The ideal is not only to pass from the exterior to the interior to discover the action of God in the soul, but also to discover God in all things.
Good Times, Gratitude and Going Forth By: Fr. Abraham Feliciano, SDB need God has a wonderful way of surprising us, caring for us and giving us what we most, even when we don t know it. The challenge for us is to trust Him and be confident that He is doing so even when we aren t aware of it. St. Paul tells us, What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him, (1 Cor. 2:9). Three years ago the Salesian Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry was blessed with a wonderful surprise in the form of one Ms. Rachael Marie Piñeiro. Rachael originally came to us a volunteer, but she was almost not a volunteer. Many twists and turns under the guidance of the Holy Spirit led her to discern God s call to serve the Salesian Family for a year, and she did so quite effectively as a member of the Campus Ministry Team at Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon, New Jersey and at the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (then in South Orange, New Jersey). When the office was relocated to New Rochelle, New York, Rachael applied for and was chosen for one of the newly-created positions in the restructured office. During the next two years, Rachael would spend countless hours of dedicated service to the Salesian Mission and Family. From literally helping to create and organize our new office to revising retreats and programs to training and supervising Core Team members, she was very much a pillar and rock upon which our ministry was strengthened and extended. In short, without Rachael s generosity of spirit with her numerous gifts and talents, and her incredibly tireless work and effort, many less lives would have been impacted and our ministry would not be as effective as it is today. And all of this was done with tremendous joy, cheerfulness, and enthusiasm, not to mention the grace and elegance befitting a person who always remains a thespian at heart. She is a woman of genuine faith who never loses her flare for the dramatic! Now after blessing our ministry and family over the course of these three years, Rachael has discerned God s call to enter the sacrament of Marriage and to continue to serve His Church in parish Youth Ministry. (continue on next page)
Good Times, Gratitude and Going Forth By: Fr. Abraham Feliciano, SDB As often happened to the great figures in the Bible, this call has required Rachael to move to another land, specifically the great state of New Jersey. And, thus, we must say Goodbye! to Rachael as a member of the Salesian Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. Goodbyes can often be the most difficult part of ministry. Rachael herself knows this as she once stated, The most challenging part of my job was to interact with so many people throughout the year and know I was only going to see a fraction of them again... but I know that even if I only got to interact with a number of students once Jesus continues to walk with them. And He will never leave their side. However, we know that while she will no longer be the welcoming voice that answer phone calls about our retreats, while she ll no longer fly around Stony Point, NY in her Super Girl getup, and while she will no longer remind the rest of our staff how we need to update our glamour shots on the website, Rachael will always remain very much a beloved part of our Salesian Family. What s more, we are blessed that another disciple of Jesus Christ is bringing Don Bosco s charism to the wider Church. So, we recall the good times that the Lord provided for us with Rachael, and we thank Him for the multitude of blessings that He gave us through her and, we commit to praying for her as she continues to be a missionary to the Church of Archdiocese of Newark, and to family life as a wife and (eventually) mother. We know that in reality, we say not Goodbye, but See you later, since family is forever. Therefore, we can appropriately make our own the words of St. Paul as we say, I give thanks to my God always, remembering you in my prayers, as I hear of the love and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus and for all the holy ones, so that your partnership in the faith may become effective in recognizing every good there is in us that leads to Christ, (Phlm 1:4 6). Thank you, Ms. Rachael Marie Piñeiro. We love you, we ll miss you, but we know that you are doing great things for God and His young people. See you later!
Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry Social Media Plan Our social media is going through an update! Please, stay tuned to the changes by the end of the summer! This will be the last Bosco Bytes or Bosco News until our new Media Plan is in place. Visit our website for more updates on our events and programs!