SALESIAN MISSIONARY IN FOCUS
BRO. ISIDORE JAMES SDB
o you want to be a Salesian?
D
This how it all started, way
back 1992, I was completing
my grade six back in Bialla
West New Britain, I just wanted to enter a
Tvocational school and learn a skill and that
would be enough to find work. What made
me to have that type of thinking was
because of the educational system, which
not all who enter high school would reach
college or a university.
Now looking back, I would say it was not
by chance or luck that I
entered Don Bosco but for a
purpose. As Vunabosco was
just started in 1991, it was not
that well known yet in West
New Britain, but I came to
know about it through a friend
who told me he has a relative
studying in Don Bosco that it
was a vocational school.
Without really knowing what
kind of school it was, I
approached the parish priest
who was conducting the entry
test for Vunaboco. Fortunately
I passed my entry test and in
1993 I found myself at the
gate of Vunabosco, and to my
surprise it was not that type of
school I was imagining after
seeing the huge shops,
classrooms and dormitories.
After the interview with the
principal, my only question
was is this a vocational school
and to my amazement the
priest told me this is not a
vocational school, this is a
technical high school, I didn’t
believe myself I was in high school. And I
began my new life. One lasting impression I
have when I entered Don Bosco was seeing
the Brothers and Fathers with the joyful
smile playing with the boys in the football
field and basketball court, in the evening
they were praying the rosary with us, and I
told myself I would like to be like that brother
and I want to do the same
But I still have my dream to be an
automotive mechanic and I was just in the
perfect school to make that dream a reality.
When I was in second year high school, I
was assigned to clean the Rector’s office, so
one afternoon as I was cleaning the office,
the Rector than Fr. Dave Buenaventura sdb,
came in, and ask me, “hey Isidore do you
want to be a Salesian? And my immediate
answer was a yes. As years past and
reaching my last year I completely set aside
the thought of becoming a Salesian, but I
was entertaining the thought of looking for a
job because I have learned the skills and
trade I wanted most in life. But it happened
that the Rector then Fr. Eduardo Revilla
reminded me again, by asking me the same
question do you want to be a Salesian, and it
reminds me of my answers some two years
back and I once more said yes Father and
he gave me the form to be filled that was
1996.
By 1997 I found myself in the newly built
aspirantate in Boroko East, we were around
17 from two different batches, my group
were 12 who were doing our secondary
studies in Don Bosco Gabutu while the other
group who already completed their
secondary studies and were taking some
courses in Business. Life was quite tough
and one by one my companions started
leaving and I wanted to leave also. I went to
talk to our formator then Fr. Alfred Maravilla
and what he told me was, your vocation
doesn’t depend on others and that change
my mind because the only reason to leave
was my friends. I completed my secondary
studies in 1998, in 1999, we were the first
intake of Don Bosco Technological Institute,
during my second year college in 2000, I
made one of the great decisions in my life
that is when I applied for the novitiate. There
I had a hard time again because my only
classmate from my batch made up his mind
to leave also so I found myself alone so I
have to adjust myself to be with the other
batch. So we were four who were sent to
Cebu for the novitiate in 2001. I made my
first profession August 31, 2002 and went
back to Papua New Guinea to complete my
college. From 2003 to 2004 I did my
philosophical studies in Bomana Diocesan
Theological Institute. Again I was challenged
with my studies yet I was always encouraged
by my formator then Fr. Luciano Odorrico not
to give up and I finish that phase of my
formation.
In 2006 and 2007 I had my practical
training in Vunabosco, there I encountered
difficulties yet with prayers and openness to
the Rector I was able to overcome those two
years. At the end of 2007, I made my
application for theology, thinking I will have a
companion going for theology but at the end
I was told, Isidore, you will be alone for
theology and I remembered what Fr. Alfred
told me your vocation doesn’t depend on
others. May 15 2008 I arrived here in the
Philippines and began a new life meeting
different confreres with different cultural
backgrounds that really enriches my
Salesian vocation.
