2007 March


2007 March

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Nouvelles Salésiennes
Salesian News
Mars 2007 March No.91
Bulletin mensuel électronique
SDBsem@videotron.ca
TORONTO-HAMILTON. Like all the
Salesian communities, we spent most of this
month working on the final drafts of our
themes in preparation for our upcoming
provincial chapter. This has been a good
Salesian learning experience.
Our community hosted Fr. Cecil
Noronha on February 7 on the occasion of
his 25th anniversary of ordination to the
priesthood. He celebrated Holy Mass with
us. Fr. Bernie Gilliece, who was visiting
with us, gave the homily. This was followed
by a supper meal in a fraternal atmosphere.
Fr. Joseph Occhio and Fr. Joseph Ho
represented our community at a gathering
held at Transfiguration Church to greet our
new Archbishop, His Excellency Thomas
Collins. He comes to us from Edmonton.
Maria Mancini, our residence cook, lost
her mother Angela in Italy at the age of 96
on February 9. Our community held a
memorial Mass with her family members the
next day.
Over 50 teenagers from 7 different
schools participated in our second Annual
Salesian Leadership Retreat at Jackson’s
Point on Lake Simcoe from February 16 to
18. Everyone profited greatly from the
experience.
Two Masses were held for the entire
student body and staff of Don Bosco
Secondary in their auditorium to honour St.
John Bosco. The Masses were presided over
by Fr. George, who also delivered the
homily on Salesian spirituality. During these
days the priests of our community are
involved with three grade schools as well as
Don Bosco Sec. for the Lenten reception of
the sacrament of Reconciliation. We know
how dear this sacrament was to the heart of
Don Bosco.
Mr. Frankie Iacobazzi represented our
Toronto-Hamilton community at the pre-
chapter meeting for lay collaborators held in
Montreal on Feb. 26.
Mr. Michel Jobin, our local coordinator
for the Salesian Cooperators, will be leaving
soon for a six-week stay among the poor of
Haiti. We wish him a safe and successful
journey.
Our confrere Bro. Bernie Dubé has been
forced to one month of rest due to a nasty
fall on the ice near our residence. He broke a
rib and cracked a few others. It is quite
painful and will be slow to mend. Please
keep him in your prayer.
*****************************
SHEBROOKE. Je rédige ces quelques
lignes pendant la semaine de relâche. Nos
adeptes de sports d’hiver, personnel et
élèves, s’en donnent sans doute à cœur joie
sur les magnifiques pentes des environs : ski
alpin, ski de fond, planche, etc. Pendant que
les hispanophiles des classes d’espagnol de
Patricia sont sous un ciel plus bienveillant,
explorant la Route Maya au Mexique- un
groupe de 35 jeunes. Autour du Salésien,
des amoncellements monstres de belle neige
blanche ; d’ici quelques semaines, elle
perdra sa blancheur immaculée! Le Fr.
Marcel dit et redit à qui veut l’entendre que

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la marmotte nous a trompés cette année. Ou
serait-ce que les changements climatiques
ont déréglé son flair prophétique?
Le 10 février, le P. Trottier se trouvait à
Montréal pour participer au conseil
provincial des salésiens. Le soir même, la
paroisse Ste-Claire clôturait les fêtes de son
centenaire par la Fête des Retrouvailles sous
la présidence d’honneur des PP. G. Parent et
R. Trottier. Ce dernier tint le discours
d’occasion, rendant hommage, entre autres,
aux anciens curés salésiens, défunts et
vivants. Le lendemain, il descendait en auto
à Stony Point, à une demi-heure de NY City,
en compagnie du P. Authier, Provincial, et
du Fr. Bernie Dubé, pour la rencontre du
SNAC (Salesian North American Councils
—quelqu’un faisait remarquer que ça fait un
peu loin pour un snack!), c.-à-d. les conseils
provinciaux de San Francisco, NY et
Montréal.
La 1ère journée rassemblait les conseils
SDB, la 2ème, les 6 conseils, ajoutant les 3
C.P. des sœurs salésiennes (San Antonio,
Texas; Haledon, N.J.; et Montréal). La
dernière journée pour certains se déroulait à
Orange, N.J., où se trouve la communauté
de formation initiale. Nous y avons
rencontré notre prénovice montréalais Luigi
et notre torontois, Jim Zettel, qui termine
son postnoviciat. Revenus jeudi soir, nous
avons pu constater l’abondance de neige
déversée sur le Québec pendant notre
absence.
Durant ce mois, nous avons rappelé la
mémoire de Mme Rose Cossette, décédée il
y a 10 ans le 16 /02, et du P. Maurice Petit,
décédé également en ’97, le 1 mars.
Commémorer la mémoire de ceux qui nous
ont quittés constitue une leçon de vie.
Il y a quelque temps nous avons accueilli
Mgr E. Paulhus, auteur et éducateur bien
connu.
Il a présidé l’eucharistie
communautaire et a partagé le souper avec
nous. Lors de rencontres et de conférences à
travers le monde, il eut l’occasion de visiter
plusieurs maisons salésiennes. Il nous a
présenté et offert sa dernière publication,
Cheminement vers la Maturité Chrétienne.
Depuis quelques semaines, Louis-
Philippe Renaud, nous arrivant de Rimouski,
vit avec la communauté. Il est en stage à
Sherbrooke jusqu’en juillet, accompagnant
les jeunes de la rue.
Pour que notre prochain Chapitre
Provincial puisse profiter de l’apport—
expérience et réflexion—de nos
collaborateurs, s’est tenue à Montréal
récemment une rencontre des collaborateurs
laïques de nos œuvres de Sherbrooke,
Montréal et Toronto. M. Raymond Lepage,
dg du Salésien, a représenté ses collègues à
cette table.
Samedi le 3 mars étaient célébrées à St-
Sévérin-de-Proulxville, en Mauricie, les
funérailles de Daniel Trottier, frère du P.
Roméo, décédé à l’âge de 51 ans le 24
février. Sont venus de Sherbrooke le P. Paul
Cossette, les Frères Richard et Gauthier et
l’abbé Paul Brault, et de Montréal, le P.
Joseph Costamagna, représentant le P.
Provincial, Sr. Micheline Bertrand, FMA,
accompagnée de 3 coopérateurs/trices. En
ces moments douloureux, nous nous
manifestons d’une façon particulière comme
membres d’une grande famille.
SURREY, B.C. February 1 brought us some
warm, Spring-like weather, while Bro. Steve
caught West Jet’s first flight of the day to
Toronto to take in and participate at his
brother’s weekend wedding. Some time
later, Fr. John Basso also flew to Toronto to
visit his aunt who is very sick and not
expected to live.
February 3 ushered in the feast of St.
Blase and the blessing of the throats after all
the Masses. Faith and Light also held their

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fund raising supper in the Don Bosco Youth
Center. Door prizes, as well as a 50/50 raffle
were held. Over 300 were in attendance and
enjoyed the disc jockey’s group dancing
specials. Bro. Jerry did the grace before
meals, and acted the role of the Pope in
mime that was later performed by the
disabled and adults. He was teased with the
title Pope Jerry I.
During the first part of the 2nd week, the
parishioners experienced a pre-Lenten
Retreat given by Fr. Fernando Suarez, CC,
and Fr. Jeff Shannon, CC (Companions of
the Cross). They preached to an overflowing
church. It was so packed on Wednesday
evening for the closing healing Mass that
there was only room for a single-file
procession of the altar servers, readers and
concelebrants down the main aisle to the
sanctuary. It lasted close to three hours.
From here they took the ferry to Victoria,
B.C., where they preached at St. Andrew’s
Cathedral Church, then back to Immaculate
Conception Church in Delta, B.C. (our
neighbouring parish), returning to us on
March 1 for a few days’ rest before heading
to Calgary.
On Ash Wednesday all personnel were
on deck for the distribution of ashes during
four English Masses, two in the morning and
two in the evening, with a fifth being the
Polish Mass beginning at 8 p.m. Ashes were
also distributed to all our CCD classes, and
RCIA people.
Every Friday during Lent we have the
Stations of the Cross beginning at 7 p.m.,
followed by the Holy Mass. The Polish
Stations begin around 8 p.m. followed by
the Chaldean Rite Stations at 9 p.m. Of
course every Wednesday evening is our
Mother of Perpetual Help Novena and Mass,
plus the various parish groups, choirs, etc.
with their regular meetings, practices and
training for the reception of the sacraments.
Revenue Canada is again offering its
services to our seniors, new immigrants,
students and the poor to file their tax report
at OLGC Mary Help of Christians Hall
every Saturday.
Although a short month, it has been a
busy one with everyone on the go for souls.
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in
your heart.” (Romans 10:8)
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH: FR
BERNARD GILLIECE
Fr. Bernie, you have been a Salesian for
over 50 years. How did you come to know
about the Salesians?
I first came to know of the Salesians when
Fr. Pierre Decarie came to Montreal to look
for vocations. He got the list of all the
students who graduated with honours from
grade eight and who were accepted to
Catholic high schools. The list was
published every July in the Montreal
Gazette. My friend, Tom Petitclerc, was
listed and his parents got a call from Fr.
Decarie to visit the family and speak to
Tom. Tom asked me to go along with him to
meet Fr. Decarie. He asked Tom if he ever
thought of becoming a priest. He said no.
Would he like to go to a high school
seminary in New Jersey and see if he liked
it? He said that if his mother approved he
would go. Then Fr. Decarie turned to me
and asked if I would like to go also. I said
that if my parents didn’t object, I’d go with
Tom. My father was against the idea, as he
said I was too young to leave and go so far
away for high school. But my mother
prevailed on him to let me go, and if I didn’t
like it the door was always open to return.
So I suppose you two went ahead as
planned?

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Well, we got our passports and were to leave
Montreal by train on September 7 for New
York City and then to Newton, N.J. Two
days before leaving, Tom backed out and Fr.
Decarie asked me if I still wanted to go. I
said I would give it a try. And that is the
way God hooked me for the Salesians, as a
substitute for Tom. Back then it was real
strict, but we didn’t know the difference. I
did my four years of high school in two
different places, Suffern, N.Y., and West
Haverstraw, N.Y.
Your high school finished, you gave
Salesian life a real try and went on?
Yes, I then went to Newton, N.J., for
novitiate and took my first temporary vows
on Sept. 8, 1950, and finished my college
degree of BA in the humanities and was
assigned to teach for three years in Jacquet
River, N.B., in a boarding/day school with
French boarders and English day students
from the surrounding area. I taught in the
English section of the school. Making my
perpetual vows on Sept. 8, 1956, I was off to
our theologate in Aptos, Cal., where for four
years I studied the various disciplines in
preparation for ordination to the priesthood.
I was ordained on June 4, 1960, and
assigned by Fr. Felix Penna, the provincial,
to be the vice-principal at St. Patrick School
in Sherbrooke, Que. For two years I
administered and taught and enjoyed every
minute of the time. I was then assigned to
St. Louis de Kent, N.B., one year, where I
taught English and religion.
I believe that you exercised your Salesian
apostolate also in the States. How did that
come about?
Fr. August Bosio, the provincial, saw a need
to have a Canadian priest in the juniorate in
Ipswich, Mass.. to give support to the
Canadian high school seminarians who were
studying there since there was no Canadian
seminary. I was appointed prefect of studies
for two years and then became director for
the next three years. These were happy and
productive years, helping young men discern
their vocation in life. We did not have much
as regards an adequate facility, but the spirit
was great and the energy level was high.
Was your desire to eventually come back to
Canada?
Indeed I wanted to come back to Canada and
was assigned to be prefect of studies at St.
Mary’s Junior High in Edmonton. For the
two years I was there, I enjoyed the
proverbial Western hospitality and treasured
the time I spent helping youngsters who
were in many ways disadvantaged to get an
education and life skills to prepare them for
life. I went back to USA in 1970 as a teacher
in Salesian High School in New Rochelle,
N.Y., where with a fellow Canadian, Fr.
John Vetere, I taught French and English
literature. Fr. John and I wanted to get back
to Canada, and the Montreal Catholic
School Commission offered us jobs as
chaplains in high schools. I spent six years
as a chaplain and teacher of religion at
Msgr. Harold Doran High School. Then in
1977, the call came to go to Toronto and
take over a high school operated by Basilian
Fr. Thomas Mohan. Together with Fr.
Quenneville and Fr. Bruce Craig, I went and
taught one year at Fr. Henry Carr High
School and then went with Fr. Mohan to
start a new high school named Don Bosco
Secondary, which opened its doors in 1978.
For 18 years I taught and was principal of
Don Bosco Secondary through its three
phases of existence. First on Dixon Road for
three years, then at Transfiguration
Elementary for two years, and finally in the
once public school of Keiller McKay
Collegiate.

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What do you consider as the most
memorable experiences of your Salesian life
as an educator?
The best times of my life as an educator
were spent in Toronto, where we fought the
government for funds for a new school until
the Davis government forced the Etobicoke
Public School Board to vacate one of its
schools due to dwindling enrolment and give
it to the Metropolitan Separate School Board
for the students of the Don Bosco school
community. It was during that time also that
the government also decided to fully fund
Catholics schools up to Grade 13. In 1995
Fr. Richard Authier asked me to come to
Edmonton and start a new career as pastor of
St. Dominic Savio Parish. The church was
renovated in 1997, and it’s been 12 years
that I’ve been privileged to be the pastor of
this great and wonderful community. The
future is in God’s hands. I thank God every
day for His many blessings and especially
for the people He sent me throughout my
life.
In your many years in the field of education,
how would you rate the relevance of Don
Bosco's system for today's Canadian youth?
Don Bosco’s system of education is most
valuable in forming friendships with young
people, where there is a trust shared by
young people. They are able to open up and
seek help when they need it. There is no
need of physical threats or punishment when
young people implicitly trust their mentors.
Judging from your experience, what are the
essential values that a young Salesian
should be attentive to in his formation?
The values of trust and a prayerful attitude.
A prayer life is necessary if there is to be a
permanent influence on young people.
May I let you know, in case you are not
aware of it, Fr. Bernie, that you are
considered one of the “wise men” among
the Canadian confreres. Thank you for
having shared these thoughts with the
readers of Salesian News.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&7
VATICAN. Les jeunes, une priorité pour
les
prêtres
Au cours d’une conversation spontanée avec
les prêtres du diocèse de Rome, Benoît XVI
les a exhortés à rendre l’attention pour les
jeunes une priorité. Selon ZENIT, Agence
internationale d’information catholique, en
répondant aux questions des prêtres, le
Saint-Père a affirmé: “Nous savons que la
jeunesse doit être vraiment une priorité de
notre travail pastoral, parce que la jeunesse
vit en un monde lointain de Dieu…Trouver
dans le contexte culturel actuel la rencontre
avec le Christ, la vie chrétienne et la vie de
la foi, c’est très difficile….Les jeunes
nécessitent beaucoup d’accompagnement
pour pouvoir réellement trouver ce chemin.”
En définitive, a-t-il expliqué, il faut faire
comprendre aux jeunes que le Christ n’est
pas un grand prophète. En lui, nous voyons
le Visage de Dieu, le Visage du pardon et de
l’amour.
ANS - 23 février 2007

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ROME. A Seminar to improve the
quality of Salesian information.
The formation Seminar for Provincial
Delegates for Social Communication and
ANS Correspondents from the Regions of
Italy-Middle East, North Europe and West
Europe has begun. It was opened with a
video message recorded by Fr. Pascual
Chávez to the 43 participants. “Yours is
very much Salesian work!” the Rector
Major declared. “Don Bosco was
convinced that it was not enough to do
good: this needed to be made known.
Social communication is one of the four
great areas of the Salesian Mission.”
Beginning the practical work, Fr. Tarcisio
Scaramussa, councillor for social
communication, said, “I invite you to think
on a large scale with the broad vision that
Don Bosco would have had of the situation
in Europe and of the young around the
world. Don Bosco had grasped the power
that information had in animating his
spiritual family and in mobilizing society
in his mission on behalf of the young.”
Following the careful evaluation and
reorganisation that ANS has been
conducting, it is becoming an almost daily
online news service and a means of
communication for the Salesian
Congregation. Thanks to the work
undertaken in the central editorial office
and to the net work of a variety of
correspondents and collaborators, ANS is
providing news and information about
what is happening, and events and ideas
associated with the central offices of
government and animation of the
Congregation; the life and involvement of
Salesians and of the various groups of the
Salesian Family; young people; matters
concerning education and training; and
issues of the Church especially as regards
Consecrated Life, the young, education
and culture…. The programme for the days
will include training modules on various
topics and workshops on communication
and journalism especially for the web.
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JOYEUX ANNIVERSAIRE
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
de naissance :
Romano Venturelli : 7/03
Bernard Dubé : 19/03
de profession religieuse :
Mario Villaraza : 1/04
d’Ordination Sacerdotale :
Roméo Trottier : 5/03
Ivan Dobrsek : 16/03
Georges Parent : 21/03
Joseph Costamagna : 26/03
Frank Kelly : 3/04
Joseph Ho : 3/04
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