InTouch 2_2_12


InTouch 2_2_12

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Feb 2
2012
USA West Province Newsletter • Building Bridges Between Communities
February 2, 2012
Presentation of the Lord
Dear Brother and Sister Salesians:
It’s a letter from Don Bosco himself!
We often refer to his famous Letter
from Rome of 1884, but this is his
Letter from Heaven of 2012. I’m
referring of course to the Rector
Major’s message to young people of
the Salesian Youth Movement on Don
Bosco’s feast day last Tuesday: “I am
writing to you as a father and friend,
through my ninth successor.” Please
be sure to go to sdb.org for the full
text and listen to our father speak.
“With the warm language of the
heart” Don Bosco tells young people
in this remarkable message that what
he wants to do is “find the best words
for tackling the mysterious, complex
way to your heart, a heart so often
hurt by adult indifference or betrayed
love.”
Once having found the way to their
hearts, Don Bosco challenges them: “I
am asking you young people to make
a leap in quality, tackle things with
renewed energy.” Later he invites
them “to dream with your heart
inclined to God and your feet firmly
planted on the ground,” referring
to his own dream at the age of nine
which, though he did not understand
how at the time, shaped his whole life
according to God’s plan.
Just like he did in his Letter from
Rome of 1884, here too he has a
word or two for us adult Salesians.
We Salesian educators and
evangelizers, disciples and apostles,
must
§ “conceive of our lives as a
service of love”
§ “teach from an educational
tradition of listening and
respect rather than of
preaching or tongue lashing”
§ “suffer silence that reveals
love and expectation rather
than harsh scolding”
§ with the impact “of authority
flowing from a consistent and
blameless life, rather than of
power stemming from our
role, or the law.”
If we fail to make ourselves loved
(much more than respected, obeyed,
feared, understood), if we fail to lead
our young people to know that they
are loved (like the Good Shepherd),
then, Don Bosco continues, “young
people would die of cold,” because
the shadows of reason alone bring
no light or warmth. Jesus is the way,
the truth, the life. Jesus is the light.
We Salesian educators cannot just
“teach,” we cannot just “organize,”
we cannot just “administer,” we
cannot even just “preach.” We must
love, enlighten, accompany our
young to the fullness of life in Jesus.
Please read and discuss Pascual
Chavez’s letter signed by Don Bosco
himself. Receive it as Don Bosco’s
message, on the 124th anniversary of
his death, both to his beloved young
people and to us his fellow Salesians.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Timothy C. Ploch, SDB
Provincial
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Provincial’s Calendar
February 2012
2
Provincial Council Meeting,
Soto Street
7
Members Meeting, St. Fran-
cis CCCHS, Watsonville
8-9 Office Days
10 Travel to TX
11 25th Anniversary of the FMA
Western Province
San Antonio, Texas
12 Travel to NY
13-14 Joint SUE/SUO Provincial
Council Meetings
Stony Point, NY
15 Personal Day
16 Travel West
Pray for Our Sick
Juan Trinidad
father of Fr. Mel
heart, lung, and kidney problems
home hospice care
Fr. Paul Caporali, SDB
surgery for colon cancer
February 6, 2012
Fr. Harry Rasmussen, SDB
Tri-City Hospital, pneumonia
May They Rest in Peace
Mrs. Rebecca Hood
January 29, 2012
Mother of Chris Hood-Rosales,
former SDB

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Around the Province
Don Bosco’s Feast Day Goes Viral
By Judy Wilber Alvarez
While the province and local
communities celebrated the feast
of Don Bosco in manifold ways like
rallies, feast day liturgies, retreats,
service opportunities, game shows
and prayer, digital spaces also gave
way to the celebration. In days
leading up to and on the feast,
Facebook updates were active with
feast day greetings and YouTube
channels transmitted videos new and
old celebrating the blessing of Don
Bosco in our lives. Moreover, Don
Bosco was highlighted in Catholic
networks and online publications. In
short Don Bosco’s feast went viral.
Below are some highlights!
On the morning of
the feast, January
31, Sean Bryan, SUO
novice, also published
on YouTube and
Facebook channels a
video put to the tune of “Dynamite,”
a parody written by the FMA novices
and sung by children at the Salesian
Boys and Girls Club LA. This video
highlights images from Don Bosco’s
Relic pilgrimage and Salesian youth
ministry. It was also shared with
Region XI Diocesan YM Directors and
staff at the NFCYM Office in D.C.
Bosco Night - Don Bosco Relic Tour
In the early morning
hours of Monday,
January 30, Joey
Zarate, friend and
collaborator in
many of our works,
published on his YouTube channel a
video, which he shared on Facebook
as a feast day greeting for all the
Salesian Family. By the evening of
January 31, it had been viewed 932
times! If you have not seen it, you
can enjoy it now:
Feast of St. John Bosco - Trailer
The United
States Catholic
Conference of
Bishops also
got into the
celebration
with two
Facebook
status updates, one a trivia question
and the answer an hour later which
led to their sharing the Letter of the
Pope on the occasion of the 26th
General Chapter of the Salesians.
USCCB Facebook page
A little later in the
morning an email
arrived from our
own Br. Tony Matse
which opened a link
to The Word Among
Us website. There they had posted
an article by Bert Ghezzi entitled
“Leading Kids to God – Don Bosco
Style.” In it Ghezzi states, “Although
a priest and never married, St. John
Bosco (1815–1888) was a naturally
gifted parent.” The article explores
key ways Don Bosco was a gifted
parent. Salesians, east and west,
posted it in Facebook. Leading Kids
to God - Don Bosco Style
All told who came to these online
celebrations? Over 1100 people and
still counting! Check out the links
and have some fun!
InTouch 2 2.2.12
Know, Love and
Imitate Don Bosco
Memoirs of the Oratory
The Rector Major has urged all the
Salesian family, including youth, to
read this year Don Bosco’s Memoirs
of the Oratory. Recently www.sdb.
org made a copy of the Memoirs of
the Oratory available as an epub –
an ‘open’ ebook format which any
e-reader can open and read (except
Kindle, but there are easy conversion
methods from e-pub to Kindle
format). You can download one at:
Memoirs of the Oratory
Last weekend parishioners at St.
Dominic Savio were able to place
orders for Memoirs of the Oratory,
which was on display after all the
masses. The Social Communications
Office will soon fill those orders. If you
too would like a paperback copy of
this book, which costs $10.00, please
call the Social Communications Office
by Monday, February 6 at (626) 280-
8622 #35 or email info@salesiansc.
org.
We Are Salesian DVD
Perhaps another
way to know, love
and imitate Don
Bosco is to revisit
what stirred in our
hearts during Don
Bosco’s Relic Pilgrimage. To this end
the province DVD “We Are Salesian”
is now available online at the Salesian
Family YouTube channel. It is divided
into four video parts:
Opening Reflection
Called to Holiness
For the Young and the Poor
To Be Don Bosco Today
You may also purchase a copy of it
from the Salesian Communications
Office for $5.00 per copy. Happy
viewing!

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Around the Province
Celebrating the Feast of St. Francis De Sales
January 24, 2012
By Br. Joe Lockwood SDB
Fr. Ted Montemayor, pastor of St. Dominic Savio Parish,
Bellflower, invited the local Salesian community of FMA
sisters, their postulants, our pre-novice and candidates, a
few friends and the St John Bosco & De Sales Hall Salesian
communities to celebrate the feast of St. Francis de Sales.
At 4:15 p.m. the postulants led the community in an
evening prayer service followed by the Good Night given
by Fr. Ted. He spoke to the community about the virtues of
St. Francis and how Don Bosco had adopted these virtues
for his own personal life and for us Salesians.
Postulant Theresa Khong, Bro. Steve, Marianne
Giovingo, Sister Vicki and Eva Dickson (Fr. Harry’s
Caregiver) enjoy the hors d’oeurvres.
After evening prayers, the community was invited to
the rectory patio for a BBQ organized by Fr. Ted and
Mrs. Myriam Rodriguez, Salesian Cooperator. The hors
d’oeurvres were prepared by Valentino Colussi, Salesian
Cooperator, and Mrs. Elisa Pinedo, the SJB community
cook. The desserts for the feast were provided by the
mother of Myriam, Mrs. Myiram
Delgado.
Mr. Larry Arelano cooking the carne asada.
Quotes from the Rector Major’s
homily on the Feast of St Francis
de Sales:
For Salesians “celebrating his
feast is an invitation to work in
all situations of life with that
kind, patient and active love, so
as to fill with a Christian spirit
all ecclesial, social, political,
economic and cultural structures
to make them more human.”
Myriam Rodriguez serving dessert to
Sister Josephine Ochoa.
“Let us ask from the Lord the
grace to discover and make our
own the great virtues of Saint
Francis of Sales, those which led
our Father to choose him as his
and our model.”
“Los Tres Amigos” Jhoni Chamorro, Julio Beltran
(with the guitar) and Joaquin Oliveros provide
musical entertainment after dinner.
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The communities gathered first for prayer
led by Fr. Ted.

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Around the Province
Albert Mantes’ Going Home
By Fr. Jose Lucero SDB
On January 19, 2012, the brother of Fr. Jesse Montes was buried at The National Cemetery in Santa Fe, NM.
Fr. Jesse was accompanied by Fr. Joe Farias, sdb, Fr. Jose
Lucero, sdb, and his father, Deacon Juan S. Lucero.
Fr. Jesse presided at the ceremony which included favor-
ite family hymns. The ceremony began with the Hymn
Amazing Grace sung by Fr. Jose, Deacon Juan and Fr. Joe
and concluded with the singing of How Great Thou Art.
Fr. Jesse’s sister- in-law, Mary, and her three daughters,
Carole, Leslie and Kelly and their families were all present.
The Honor Guard did full Military Honors and presented
the American Flag to Albert’s widow Mary at the conclu-
sion of the ceremony.
InTouch 4 2.2.12
Steve Rael, Fr. Jesse’s nephew, gave an eloquent and
moving eulogy.

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Around the Province
Don Bosco Service Day
By Juan Carlos Montenegro
On January
28, 2012 one
hundred young
people from 4
different Salesian
Communities
(St. Dominic
Savio Parish,
St. John Bosco
High School,
Salesian High
School and Don
Bosco Technical
Institute) got together to support the East Los Angeles neighborhood.
The day engaged them in varied activities, opportunities to deepen their
spirituality through service and building relationships with others and
Christ. In the first part of the day the young people cleaned the streets
of the neighborhood. Upon return, the youth created an oratory with
the children of the community. Before the end of the day, the young
people meditated on where they found Christ in their experience.
Fr. Tim Ploch, provincial, gave a Good Night for all gathered at the
conclusion of this Don Bosco Service Day.
SDB Birthdays
Jerry Bonjean
16
Paul Maniscalco
19
Dave Purdy
20
Pat Barbariol
21
Tom Juarez
22
Mario Rosso
22
InTouch Provincial Newsletter
Salesians of St. John Bosco
1100 Franklin Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (626) 280-8­ 622 #35
E-­mail: intouch@salesiansc.org
Weekly publications will be
distributed on Thursdays. Please
submit news for publication by
Friday of each week.
Send contributions to:
intouch@salesiansc.org.
InTouch 5 2.2.12

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Rector Major’s 2012
Message to the Youth
of the Salesian Youth
Movement
Around the Salesian World
Silence and Word: Path
of Evangelization
January 31, 2012
Youthful dreamers, sons and
daughters of a father who forever
dreamed
My beloved children,
Dear young people of the Salesian
Youth Movement,
I am writing to you as a father
and friend, through my Ninth
Successor. The meeting with you
in Madrid, on 17 August, in the
huge courtyard at the Salesian
Institute, Atocha, remains firmly
etched on my mind and in my
heart. That was an unforgettable
experience emotionally speaking,
but especially significant from a
Salesian point of view. I enjoyed
seeing your sense of responsibility,
your pride at being young people
committed to living your faith. I
admired your desire to make your
life an investment in God’s plans for
you and in the dream you nurture
in your hearts…
RM Message to SYM (complet text)
(ANS – Vatican City) The
centrality of the human person in
the processes of communication
and the balance necessary
between the word and silence
- these are the themes in the
message of the Holy Father for
the 46th World Communications
Day issued January 24, the
liturgical feast of Saint Francis of
Sales, patron of journalists.
“Word and silence: learning to
communicate is learning to listen
and contemplate as well as speak.
This is especially important for
those engaged in the task of
evangelization: both silence and
word are essential elements,
integral to the Church’s work of
communication for the sake of a
renewed proclamation of Christ in
today’s world.”
-Pope Benedict XVI
“Attention should be paid to
the various types of websites,
applications and social networks
which can help people today
to find time for reflection and
authentic questioning, as well
as making space for silence and
occasions for prayer, meditation
or sharing of the word of God.
In concise phrases, often no
longer than a verse from the
Bible, profound thoughts can be
communicated, as long as those
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taking part in the conversation do
not neglect to cultivate their own
inner lives.”
-Pope Benedict XVI
Silence and Word (complete text)
Called to Make the Word
of Truth Shine
On January 26, the Message
of Benedict XVI for World
Mission Day, which will be
celebrated on 21 October 2012
was published: “Called to Make
the Word of Truth Shine”. The
importance of the missionary
proclamation and the sharing of
faith are highlighted. The General
Councillor for the Missions refers
to the Salesian participation in
the commitment of the Universal
Church.
Called to Make the Truth Shine
Poverty USA
To promote understanding of
the reality and consequences
of living at the poverty line, the
Catholic Campaign for Human
Developemnt (CCHD) produced
an updated video on poverty in
America. 
Today, more than 46
million people in America are
living below the poverty line —
far more than the population of
our largest state. This is POVERTY
USA. Find out more about it here:
Living in Poverty USA
https://www.facebook.com/
povertyusa

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Mission Animation
Volunteer
Recruitment
Vocation
The Salesian Mission Animation De-
partment was present for the Service
Fair at St. John Bosco HS to promote
mission opportunities for students.
People wonder: “What is Religious Life?”
A group of Sisters, Brothers,
Monks and Nuns invites
you to meet us, and to
get some insight
into our
life...
This workshop
is an educational event,
NOT recruitment. Of
course, if you are interested in
religious life...you have some great
resources gathered in one room!
Sessions: The History and Theology of
Religious Life; Why are the Communities
so Different?; Vocation Stories: Why We
Joined and Why We stay!
Provincial Center
Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary
441 N. Garfield Blvd., Montebello, CA 90640-2901
Breakfast and lunch provided!
RSVP! Space is limited… Name, e-mail or phone @
NRVC11S@gmail.com; or 310-426-8148.
$10 helps us to cover expenses. Pay at the door.
Vocations California
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Mission Animation
Titolo n otiziario
Nome società
Newsletter for Salesian Missionary Animation
A Publication of the Mission Department for the Salesian Communities and Friends of the Salesian Mission
De a r S a l e s i a n
missionaries and
friends of the
Salesian Missions,
Last November25-27, 2011
the first meeting of the 30
young missionaries in eight
European provinces with
their superiors took place in
Rome for two days. Their
enthusiasm, joy, spirit of
faith and commitment were
surprising without hiding the
challenges they face.
Over the past 10 years about
80 confreres have been sent
to strengthen the different
provinces in Europe, half of
them after the start of the
Project Europe in 2008. This
is just a drop but a young
confrere coming from
halfway around the world
produces many fruits in an
old and monocultural
Province: he brings hope and
rejuvenates the provincial
community. Being close to
young people there are also
vocational fruits and he helps
to be close to many young
migrants.
It takes great faith and
commitment on the part of
all the Salesian Provinces of
the world in order to
revitalise the Salesian
charism in Europe. During
the second meeting of the
Provincials of Europe in 2008
the Rector Major pointed out
that Project Europe is an
unparalleled spiritual
proposal. As we pray for
more missionaries in Europe,
let us ask ourselves how we
can contribute to this project
of the whole congregation .
What contribution can I make to Project Europe?
At the conclusion of the GC 26 Fr. Chávez explained the raison d'être of
Project Europe: «Today, more than ever, we become aware that our
presence in Europe needs to be re-thought. This consideration as I al-
ready said in the address to the Holy Father on the occasion of the Audience
he granted to the members of the GC26 – is “aimed at re-dimensioning our
Salesian presence for greater impact and effectiveness in this continent. That
is, seeking a new form of evangelisation in order to respond to the spiritual
and moral needs of these young people, who to us appear as wanderers with-
out guides and without destination.”
It is a question therefore of rejuvenating with Salesian personnel those Prov-
inces most in need to make the Salesian charism more significant and fruitful
in today’s Europe. I intend to make clear therefore that:
• This is a project of the Congregation ;
• It will involve all the Regions and Provinces in sending personnel ;
• Strengthen the communities, called upon to be intercultural and to make
Don Bosco present among the young, especially the poorest, the abandoned
and those at risk ;
• The whole process will be entrusted to the coordination of the three Depart-
ments for the Mission.
This project will obviously demand structural changes in the communities of
the Old Continent. “New wine in new wine-skins”. It is not therefore a work of
the simple “maintenance of structures”, but a new project to express a new
presence beside today’s young people. We are moving with the heart of Don
Bosco, rich in his passion for God and for the young, in order to collaborate in
the social construction of a New Europe, so that it may really have “a soul”, so
that it may find again its strong spiritual and cultural roots, so that at the
level of society it may make room for and give equal opportunities to educa-
tional and cultural proposals, without discrimination or decisions regarding
social exclusion.
Among the priorities I indicate the most important :
• Creating new presences for young people,
• Encouraging dynamic and innovative initiatives ,
• Fostering vocations.
All this should help the Salesians who are working in this context to achieve a
way of thinking that is more and more European, strengthening the synergy
among Provinces in the different sectors and re-enforcing collaboration at Re-
gional level». What contribution can I make, then, to Project Europe?
Fr. Václav Klement, SDB
Consigliere per le Missioni Participants at the first meeting of the Salesian missionaries in Europe - Pisana, Nov 25-27, 2011
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Mission Animation
As a missionary I must hand on Don Bosco’s charism
to local Salesians
During my post noviciate in Nashik, India, I used to attend the
monthly ’Mission Day,’ and it was on one of those occasions that I
discovered my missionary vocation. The various mission videos
that I saw, constant prayer and a deep relationship with God were
great helps in deepening my missionary vocation.
I am grateful I had the chance to attend the Course for New Mis-
sionaries in Rome and the pilgrimage to the Salesian holy places in
Piedmont. It helped me to value my Salesian missionary vocation
on two fronts: the theoretical and the experiential. The aspect
that struck me during the many inputs that I heard was the impor-
tance of learning the language well as the key for inculturation.
On the experiential level it was the pilgrimage to the Salesian holy places which helped me relive the roots of
our Salesian charism and made me more aware that as a missionary I am a bearer of this charism which I must
guard, deepen and hand on to the local Salesians in Hungary!
Although there is a lot of work that needs to be done because there are very few Salesians in Hungary, I also
realised that as a missionary I must resist the temptation of frenetic activism and take great care of my spiri-
tual, intellectual, emotional formation as well.
I also realised that as a missionary it is important that I
strive to inculturate myself patiently and humbly wherever
I am sent, be it in India, Hungary or any part of the world
so that I can bring Jesus Christ to the people I am sent to
and share with them Don Bosco’s love for the young
through his preventive system of education.
Cl. De Rossi Raja
Indian, Missionary in Hungary
February 27, 2012
A special remembrance in prayer
for all Salesian missionaries
on the feast of our Salesian protomartyrs
Salesian Missionary Intention
HAITI - For the Journey of rebuilding the Salesian Mission
That the Salesians of Haiti continue with courage the rebuilding of the
Salesian Mission
Two years after the terrible earthquake of January 12, 2010 there are already some visi-
ble signs of new development in the communities in the capital, Port-au-Prince. How-
ever, there is still a long way not only to raise the walls of the houses, but above all to
rebuild our mission in the poorest country in the American continent.
All previous issues of "Cagliero 11" are available at purl.org/sdb/sdl/Cagliero
InTouch 9 2.2.12