SUOJanuary 10%2C 2013


SUOJanuary 10%2C 2013

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USA West Province Newsletter
Building Bridges Between Communities
January 10, 2013
Provincial’s
Letter
January 10, 2013
Dear Brother and Sister
Salesians:
With this Sunday’s Feast
of the Baptism of the Lord
we come to the end of the
Christmas season. Jesus
was born among us, he
took on our flesh, in order
to save us by the public
ministry he began imme-
diately upon coming out
of the waters of the River
Jordan. By his baptism
in the river, by his death
on the cross, by his three
days in the tomb, and by
his glorious resurrection,
Jesus is our savior!
These last few days of the
Christmas season corre-
spond with the end of Na-
tional Migration Week.
And the first dew days of
Ordinary Time, after the
Feast of the Lord’s Bap-
tism, correspond with
the start of National Vo-
cation Awareness Week
(January 13-19).
The ministry that Jesus
begins after his baptism
is a ministry of voca-
tion awareness! All
throughout his public
ministry Jesus is keenly
aware that his own life
on earth is a gift from
God to him and to us.
His life on earth is God’s
call to him to offer his
life back to the Father
as a gift, which he does
to the last drop of his
blood on the cross. And
the ministry that Jesus
begins after his baptism
is a ministry of voca-
tion awareness for all of
us too. He preaches the
Good News and invites
us all to follow him.
Evangelization and vo-
cation awareness are
linked together insepa-
rably.
On a practical note I
am happy to announce
that upon the advice of
the DeSales Hall local
council and with the
consent of the provin-
cial council I have ac-
cepted two of our can-
didates as pre novices.
Filiberto Cortez and
Benito Guerrero will
spend the next eight
months as pre novices,
preparing for and test-
ing their option to be-
come novices this Au-
gust. Thanks be to God!
And congratulations
to Filiberto and Benito
for seeing their lives as a
call from God, like Jesus’.
Congratulations to Filib-
erto and Benito for being
willing, like Don Bosco, to
hand over their lives to Je-
sus for the salvation of the
young.
If all goes well, the De-
Sales Hall community will
finally be able to move in
to their renovated com-
munity residence this
week. At last! And what
an appropriate time it is,
right after the Lord’s bap-
tism, during Vocation
Awareness Week, and just
10 days or so before the
feast of the community’s
patron, St. Francis De-
Sales.
I invite the entire prov-
ince community to live
Vocation Awareness
Week with attention
and purpose. Let us all
recommit ourselves to
the Salesian vocation
we have received. And
let’s dust off our com-
munity vocation plans.
It’s always a good time
for this kind of effort
to create and promote
a vocation culture, but
especially in Don Bos-
co’s month and Voca-
tion Awareness Week.
Sincerely,
Rev. Timothy Ploch, SDB
Provincial
Congratulations to Benito and Filiberto
for being willing, like Don Bosco, to hand
over their lives to Jesus for the salvation
of the young. Fr. Tim Ploch, sdb

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wLeikoeffDeroonyfojBuoonysgtchopertoohpuleeghetdhauecGatoosrpe, l
pedagogy of kindness
RTefvstaaEdhieisionDumitninchcItSeksafaiCduitsapnoOlnlptlrgiyhVd,neawaaEikibntrnReeositdoIanueNturrtotGeorspDobcdrTamaeeoaHwtlnyldeaE.eoteBWdoirPcolofRitdendsoiEctsateVbso,hrdrEh’eapsliNyitanaesnlTrxg“lPtdpoIciiVrtaeceleEurtotrveoitnlSeedaaYlgnnir,i”SneftceeiTrelivxynEaeaepsMgxcsSoroiaaseyfintnasnss---r.
hh Fr. Pascual Chavez, SDB
STRENNA 2013
PROVINCIAL’S
CALENDAR
January 2013
10-11 Office Days
12 San Francisco Salesian Boys
and Girls Club Crab Feed
13-15 Office Days
16 Members Meeting, St. John Bosco
High School, Bellflower
17 Travel East
18 Faculty Inservice, Don Bosco Prep,
Ramsey, NJ
19 Postnovitiate Curatorium,
Orange, NJ
20-21 Family Visit
22 Travel West
24-26 Office Days
January
month of
Don Bosco
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tweet
with
the Rector
Major
January 4, 2013 – Salesian GHQ
Tweet with the Rector Major: PascualChavez
(ANS – Rome) – Several days ago the Rector Major became a “friend” of Twitter. By joining one of the most popular social
networks, referencing some of his messages, Fr. Chavez wants to “create synergy for the good, for the great causes of the
young like Don Bosco” and “circulate better values over a wider range.”
His contact - @ PascualChavez5 - is open to all and is available in Italian, English, Spanish, and French. He personally
responds to the messages and interacts with Salesians, laity, and young people, with his customary friendliness.
“A little word in the ear”or a“thought for the Good Night”? The structure of this social network adapts in new ways these
two Salesian pedagogical practices of Don Bosco himself at Valdocco – practices still alive in the everyday actions of
anyone inspired by his charism.
The persona of a young Christian as someone who:
Fr. Pascual Chavez
11lives life as a
11is able to be
vocation;
silent, to listen
to
the
11111v1iidlssoiviokaiecpnlesooeghonw,ifsantGodcaocahsediolpa;yptpcaeoenamrcsneomd,naiotnopmdftecicmonomtilsslammwb;uiotnhraiomtinoa,n- ;
11thpueirraiatrtysioaannnsddaspneadrriotpiuceisrpsnapetesescs;tiivnetshoefghruemataans--
ity and of the Church.
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PROVINCIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Position Changes at Salesian High School, Richmond
Effective January 7, 2013
Fr. Mel Trinidad, SDB
Director and CYM
Sr. Mary Greenan, FMA
Ass’t. Principal for Student Life
by appointment of President Fr. Nick Reina
and Principal Tim Chambers
The ministry that
Jesus begins after his
baptism is a ministry
of vocation aware-
ness! All throughout
his public ministry
Jesus is keenly aware
that his own life on
earth is a gift from
God to him and to us.
Fr. Tim Ploch, sdb
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Salesian Youth Movement USA West
Rock
Out
Youth
Poverty
2013
Empowering young people
to respond with the eyes of Christ
to immigration reform
through music, dialogue, and prayer.
1:30 PM Registration/Check-in
2:00
Welcome
Opening Prayer
Keynote
3:00
“Walk in My Shoes”
Activity
5:00
Discussion and
Debriefing
5:30
Dinner
Bands
Exhibits
7:30
Closing Prayer
8:00
Dismissal
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Salesian Family Youth Center
2228 East 4th Street, Los Angeles
Admission: $10.00
For more information contact sdbyouth@salesianym.org

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BOSCO TECH
TO HOST OPEN HOUSE
ON JANUARY 27
Contact: Karen Krynen
Phone: (626) 392-9967
kkrynen@boscotech.edu
www.boscotech.edu
Don Bosco Technical Institute
1151 San Gabriel Boulevard
Rosemead, CA 91770-4251
www.boscotech.edu
(626) 940-2000
ROSEMEAD, CA. – January 7, 2013 - Don Bosco Technical Institute
(Bosco Tech) will host its Open House on Sunday, January 27, 2013, from
12 noon to 3 p.m.
Prospective students, their families and members of the community can tour
the school’s extensive applied-science technology labs where unmanned aer-
ial vehicles and competitive programmed robots will be featured. Laboratory
science displays and engineering demonstrations will also be available for
viewing.
“We understand that choosing a high school is not an easy process,” said
Rudy Herrera, the school’s Director of Admissions. “Events like this expose
prospective students to the exciting things a technology-based high school
has to offer. If a student is thinking about becoming a doctor, engineer, ar-
chitect or working in one of the emerging green technologies, Bosco Tech
should be a school on his list.”
A Catholic Mass will precede the Open House in the school’s Fr. Felix Penna
chapel at 9:30 a.m. During the service, the current freshman class will re-
ceive their class ties, presented by the school’s alumni association. The as-
sociation will host a breakfast for all returning alumni following the Mass.
Bosco Tech is California’s only Catholic high school with an integrated ap-
plied science and engineering program, uniquely blending a college-prepara-
tory course load with a comprehensive, four-year, project-based science and
technology program. The curriculum allows students to exceed university
admission requirements while completing extensive integrated coursework
in one of several engineering-related fields: Architecture and Construction
Engineering; Computer Science and Electrical Engineering; Integrated De-
sign, Engineering and Art; Materials Science, Engineering and Technology;
and Media Arts and Technology.
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Getting to Know
December Issue
Now Available Online
CLICK HERE
This issue of “Getting to Know Don Bosco” is
packed with rich insights.
We begin with insights from this November’s
gathering of Salesian scholars in Turin, we get a
sneak preview of what is to come in future study
guides that focus on Don Bosco’s spirituality.
Then Fr. Giuseppe Buccellato shares a diagram he
made that outlines Don Bosco’s Spiritual Roots.
The third part of this study guide is a short intro-
duction to Fr. Joseph Cafasso’s Religious stance,
written by Lucio Casto and translated by Fr. Arthur
Lenti.
The spotlight article by Fr. Joseph Boenzi delves
into the historical context of Don Bosco’s Youth.
SaleessiiaannStudies.org
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Salesian Volunteer
PERSEVERANCE
Jessie Smith
I have another story of a beauti-
ful person that I met. This young
woman who uses a wheelchair I
had seen several times after mass
roll herself up to the large image
of the Virgen de Guadaloupe in
the front of our church and spend
several moments in prayer. This
always caught my eye because she
is a very beautiful young woman
only about 18 years old and she
seemed very faithful. Just the other
week we ended up going to her
house to have a meal. It was there
that they told Father Francisco and
I her story. Just 2 years ago she had
been a normal teenager like all the
other youth who play soccer, sing
in the choir, and participate in our
oratory. She herself was a very ac-
tive member of the oratory. It end-
ed up that she began to have bad
headaches and they found a brain
tumor and had to operate. After
the operation she was no longer
able to talk or even to walk. She
had to relearn all her speech and
movement. Along with the help
of her supportive parents and sib-
lings she is now able to speak very
well and is just starting to walk
using a cane. She seems incred-
ibly motivated because she is also
sticking with her studies in order
to graduate highschool. This really
struck me because many people
here loose motivation with their
schooling after 5th grade and often
times don’t finish their highschool
degree. Hearing her story and see-
ing how far she had come along
with enjoying her company and
sense of humor and kindness at
the table really inspired me. I was
really thankful to God for her ex-
ample in my life. I hope to get to
know her more as the year goes on.
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Two reflection questions from our volunteer
Lorena Zamora who is in Bolivia…
What are the gifts that Christ
has given to me in this Christ-
mas season?
The biggest gifts that Christ has given me this Christmas season are patience and
acceptance, as well as happiness and the gift of service. It really felt like a special
Christmas this year. A Christmas that I will never forget, a Christmas that I will
experience once in my life time.
This year Christmas really felt like it was about baby Jesus and not about the pres-
ents and all the consumerism that I am use to in the States. It actually felt kind of
nice not having to shop for everyone I know back home. I just had to worry about
my three site partners here in Okinawa, Bolivia. And we didn’t have to give each
other extravagant gifts like I’m usually use to giving, just a simple pair of cheap
earrings or a keychain or a pack of marshmallows made us happy.
What I absolutely loved was having dinner with a poor family that the Salesian
Sisters here choose from the outskirts of Okinawa. The family enjoyed their din-
ner, they were shy but very appreciative and they enjoyed the Christmas gifts
the sisters gave them, some toys and most importantly food. After that we went
to Mass and it felt so special. People here don’t decorate so extremely like in the
states, but they do have nativity scenes everywhere. The focus is always about
baby Jesus and no one else.
Every night before Christmas Eve we would pray a novena alongside the Sisters
and people from the community. It was so great; it really reminded me every
night about what we were preparing for...the coming of Jesus Christ. It was so
spiritually filling and I really took advantage and prayed for my family and friends
back home. All in all, it was a simple Christmas but a very special one.
How do I feel
about sacri-
ficing your-
self for God?
It feels great. But I also feel that I am
no super hero or someone so amaz-
ing doing God’s work. I’m just show-
ing the love that HE taught me and
sharing it among others. But I feel so
great sacrificing myself for God and
for others. I’m beginning to feel some-
what complete inside, like I’m filling
up something in my heart that was
missing before. I am so glad I made
this choice, and I don’t regret it one
bit. Of course it is very hard some-
times, but that is also what makes
this journey so worthwhile, because
I’m learning so much about myself
and becoming a braver woman for it.
I wouldn’t change this experience for
the world. =)
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Gospel Roads
Tijuana!
By Idaelia Preciado
mingo Savio.” It inspires me how
the people from this oratory have
the calling to serve others without
expecting anything in return.
What I learned from this trip was
how to be a good Christian by be-
ing an active member in faith, ac-
tion and love. This trip has helped
me to realize how we can be love
bearers to others. Just like Psalm 63
clearly explains, “For your love is
better than life, my lips will speak
your praise. So I will bless you all
my life, in your name I will lift my
hands. My soul shall be filled as
with a banquet, my mouth shall
praise you with joy.”
Participating in the Tijuana Mis-
sion Trip 2012 was one of the most
inspiring and uplifting experiences
I have ever had. What I felt in Ti-
juana was a sense of family with
two common grounds: the love for
God and living examples of Don
Bosco today. I was impressed of
how welcomed I felt at the “Ora-
torio San Francisco De Sales.” The
volunteers, staff and priest were a
true reflection of Don Bosco today.
I loved their wise words during the
“good nights” and the energy and
interest they had towards us. But
most importantly, I loved how dur-
ing prayer time we all shared the
same love for God. During those
minutes there was no distinction
between priest and lay people. We
were there gathered as a Salesian
family sharing and honoring the
presence of God amongst each
other through prayer.
Furthermore, the people of Ti-
juana inspired me. It was inspir-
ing to see their dedication to their
work despite their circumstances.
Among these people was a man
named “Don Lazaro” who had a
hard life struggling with alcohol.
This struggle with alcohol caused
him to lose his family. However,
it was amazing to hear his story
of struggle turned into a story of
God’s love. Don Lazaro believed
that God transformed his life for
the better and now he dedicates his
time at the “Oratorio de Santo Do-
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Dear Salesian Family:
I just want to share with you some news from our Mission
Animation Office
1.- We have two more volunteers working in our Province
2.- New video and pictures from our Gospel Roads Tijuana
3.- We need volunteers - Please help us recruiting
4.- January 12, 2013 – Second Meeting with the Animation
Teams from Youth Ministry Social Communication and Mis-
sion Animation.
5.- Trip to Rome
1.- First of all I would like to welcome Armando Prieto, our
new volunteer from Venezuela, who is volunteering in Rich-
mond for one year. Armando arrived on January 6th in Rich-
mond. I would like to also welcome Stephanie Gasper from
Wisconsin who is volunteering in Tijuana for 6 months. She
arrived in Tijuana on December 26th. To the two of you, wel-
come and thank you for your commitment to the Salesian Mis-
sion. Please know that will be praying for you both!
2.- On January 4th our group of young adults came back from
Tijuana, we had an amazing experience. To watch the video
and the pictures please visit our Facebook page at www.face-
book.com/salesianvolunteers you can also watch the video at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvA1xLTJGzc&feature
=share&list=UUvaIiWlmvPyUXk6z6brXGBQ
3.- At this point we have two volunteers for next year, we need
at least 6 people to keep providing volunteers to the communi-
ties where we already have volunteers. Please help us to pro-
mote our volunteer program. Here are some ideas how:
If you are at a school, please ask the religion teachers to show
any of our videos and to reflect upon them. If you are at a par-
ish show any of our videos to the youth groups and ask them to
reflect upon them. To watch all the videos that we have about
our program you can visit our YouTube account at www.you-
tube.com/kawarim. Lastly, you can also invite me to come and
speak to your young people regarding the missions.
4.- On January 12, 2013 the three Animation Teams from
Youth Ministry, Social Communications and Missions will
meet for the second time to talk about ways on how we can
serve the province. Please keep this meeting in your prayers.
5.- I have been invited to be part of the Salesian World Wide
Mission Animation Council Team. So I will be going to this
meeting in Turin. Please keep me in your prayers as I will keep
my province in mine.
I think that is it for now, let’s keep transforming this world.
Make a difference! Jc
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DE SALES HALL, BELLFLOWER
What was the result of the
January 3, 2013 inspection?
By: Brother Joseph Lockwood, SDB
Well, Mr. Christopoulos from the City of Bellflower
met with us as planned at 11:30 am on January 3,
2013. The result from the meeting was that some
of the doors were not in compliance with the ADA
(Americans with Disabilities Act) in regards to ac-
cess to buildings (also known as Title III Public Ac-
commodations).
The regulations state that an exit slope from a door-
way has a fall of 1/4” per foot. That means that for
every foot, the slope lowers by a 1/4”. The south
side dining room and chapel exterior (exit) doors
are not in compliance with ADA regulations. Also
the sliding glass door, the eastside of the dining
room has a 1 1/4” step down. The two common
bathrooms on the second and third floor are not in
compliance with the ADA regulations.
Add to this, the new lighting fixtures both on the
second and third floors obscures the four exit sign.
Mr. Christopoulos suggested that we apply for a
“temporary occupancy permit”. Allowing us to
move into the building with the understanding that
within a date specified by the Bellflower
Building and Safety Department that we would
make the corrections as spelled out in his letter ac-
companying the temporary permit.
When a building receives its permanent condi-
tional occupancy permit, not only the owner of the
building but also the city that issued the permit be-
comes liable to any law suits or fines. It is the city’s
responsibility to make sure that the building is in
compliance with the building code and ADA regu-
lations (Title III Public Accommodations).
Bathroom entrance: The elevation of the bathroom
floor and the hallway floor are not in compliance
with ADA regulations.
Patio Door: The difference of elevation between the
dining room floor and the patio area is 1 3/4”. The
ADA regulation states that the fall between the two
elevations is 1/4” per foot. Not in ADA compliance.
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HUMAN LIFE
PLEASE PRAY FOR
A OUR SICK
AS A SPIDER WEB
f
‘If you touch it anywhere,
you set the whole thing
trembling - The life that
I touch for good or ill
SbhrFaorst.hbSeetrecvoLemaDreruysmeardaiovisui’ssselddyaihdlli,,mLaanywdesrSetetnercvdeea,’sy
D to come to Phoenix.
Fr. Steve is out there now.
He and the family appreciate
your prayers.
will touch another life,
and that in turn another,
F
Fr. Mike Mendl
f
until who knows where
the trembling stops or in
what far place and time
VINCENT GUILLEN
G Salesian Boys & Girls Club
of Los Angeles
double pneumonia and
my touch will be felt. Our
lives are linked. No man,
H
heart attack
no woman, is an island.’
The gift of friendship with
others is contagious.
J
MAY THEY REST IN
THE PEACE OF CHRIST
Please pray for the repose
of the souls of
K
e
From 'A Canopy of Stars’
Fr. Christopher Gleeson SJ
Bro. Xavier “Dave” Verrett, SDB
L
(SUE)
January 3, 2013
Tampa, FL
aged 88
Z
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Care Ministry
By Louis Kun, Care Ministry
The parishioners at St.
Joseph’s in Rosemead kicked
off the New Year by remembering the
Mexican tradition on the Feast of the Epiph-
any. We were treated after Mass with the special
bread prepared for the occasion. Whoever bit into
“Baby Jesus” would host the fellowship event for February
3, 2013. So the fun went on, searching for Baby Jesus amidst
pieces of delicious pastry. For many of us old timers from St.
Joseph, our morning had started with a special treat: among the
church goers, Fr. Carmine stood tall and proud, glad to be with
family friends, the Villalobos Family, who brought him back
for a Sunday outing. Fr. Carmine co-celebrated Mass with Fr.
Chris. His broad smile ushered in the sunshine through the
stained glasses. I told myself: “Search no more, we have our
treasure among us today – a holy man, a dedicated Sale-
sian”. Thank you, Samuel and William, for making
our Epiphany one of the most memorable days
by honoring our senior Salesian. Can you
locate Fr. Carmine from the sea of
smiling faces?
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