2008 August


2008 August



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Nouvelles Salésiennes
Salesian News
AOÛT 2008 AUGUST No.108
Bulletin mensuel électronique
sdbsem@videotron.ca
ABOUT THE WYD, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.
I am happy to share a few thoughts on World
Youth Day, in Sydney, Australia. Our Don Bosco
Canada group was 44 people strong, from Missione
Maria Ausiliatrice (Montreal), St. Benedict (Toron-
to) and Our Lady of Good Counsel (Surrey, B.C.).
Our pilgrimage lasted from July 1 to 28. Sydney
was my sixth WYD experience; so while these most
recent thoughts come from Australia, they also
reflect the “WYD culture” that is growing within
the Church.
Through WYD, the ancient practice of spiritual
pilgrimage has been re-invented for modern youth.
It introduces them to the “catholicity” of the
Church, and to the importance of the role of unity
offered by the successor of St. Peter. It draws them
into the paschal mystery through fellowship and a
lived experience of the sacraments.
The physical journey to Sydney was an apt
metaphor for the spiritual journey that our young
people do desire to make. As a Salesian, I found it
was also a metaphor for our mission as faith
educators to the young. One line from Pope
Benedict’s homily at the closing Mass captured this
for me personally: One mission, lived fully, is more
important than a thousand options never taken.
WYD resonates for me as a Salesian with the
same pastoral genius as Don Bosco’s Oratory: the
power of the “educative environment” to communi-
cate a message even before a word is spoken; the
group experience that is for many young people the
first—if not the most meaningful—experience of
“Church.” In this faith-friendly environment,
inhibitions drop. Joyful throngs of young people
come to life in the simplicity of laughter shared in
good company. They participate spontaneously in
prayer, they experience a spiritual awakening and a
humble questioning of their faith. Many find new
courage to voice old fears and doubts that
previously lay silent in their hearts. They desire a
personal encounter with Christ in confession and
the Eucharist. As a confessor, it was inspiring for
me to be the Lord’s minister of forgiveness in 3
languages, to young people from across the globe.
As an ecclesial event, WYD has no parallel.
Where else can young people experience both the
“Magisterium-in-action” and the paternal leadership
of the episcopacy in such a personal,
unintimidating, youth-friendly way? At morning
catechesis, young people learn from bishops and ask
them questions. How easy it is to discuss the
bishop’s role to teach, guide and sanctify after
they’ve had the experience in a positive way!
Furthermore, in the light of the Pope’s charism to
attract crowds, linked with Benedict’s more
reserved character, it has become increasingly clear
to the young pilgrims that we attend WYD not to
see the Pope, but to encounter Christ, to whom the
Pope points and around whom the faithful gather in
unity for direction and leadership.
The theme for WYD Sydney was from Acts 1:8,
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you, and you will be my witnesses. In big
ways and in small ways, this new Pentecost has
begun. At the end of WYD, one Toronto pilgrim
shared her appreciation of the Holy Father’s words
at the Prayer Vigil regarding the Holy Spirit.
Because of that talk, she said, “I can now pray to
the Holy Spirit as someone I know, as someone I
can listen to. Before, I knew that I was supposed to
believe in the Holy Spirit as the 3rd Person of the
Trinity, but now He is much more alive for me.”
One Montreal pilgrim was touched by the Spirit at
Lake Garibaldi outside Vancouver, where the
“sheer beauty of the mountain and the lake made
me feel God so close to me, like never before. I had
to be alone for a while to say thanks.” Especially
for first-time WYD pilgrims, the power of the Holy
Spirit was felt in the sheer volume of Catholic

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young people, together in one place, simply because
they are Catholic. This was a powerful antidote to
the isolation of our post-modern age, in a world that
increasingly “privatizes” religion. The Holy Spirit
empowered the young to pray in public, and thus to
have taken one significant step forward as witnesses
to Christ.
Fr. Mike Pace
============================
MONTREAL Fr. Mike Pace and Bro. Bernie
Dubé, responsible for youth ministry at provincial
level, arrived from Toronto on June 9. They met
with Theo Vecera and Nadia Martone, the youth
ministers of our parish, to draw up common lines of
action.
In mid-June some 40 persons stopped here from
Surrey and Toronto on their way to Quebec City,
where they took part in the International Eucharistic
Congress. Bro. Bernie and Fr. George Harkins
accompanied them. Families of our parish gave
them hospitality, and the next day they were on
their way to the Congress. On the same day, we
welcomed Bro. Jim Zettel, hailing from New
Rochelle, N.Y., where he has spent the year
teaching in our high school. He is spending the
summer with us as animator at our summer camp.
Meanwhile Fr. Tito left for Toronto, where he has
studied English till the end of July so as to be more
prepared to exercise his ministry in our parish.
About 20 parishioners joined with those of the
Consolata Parish to participate at the conclusion of
the Congress. The inclement weather did not
prevent them from attending a very moving
Eucharist on the Plains of Abraham, presided over
by the papal legate, Card. Tomko. Pope Benedict
XVI delivered the homily live from the Vatican.
Our parish has a group called the “JP2” (John
Paul II); it is formed of young people who have
received the sacrament of Confirmation. They lived
a very original experience on June 23, a kind of
mini-retreat. About 50 of them bicycled from our
parish to the neighbouring Salesian parish of St.
Joseph. Upon arrival, they went into church, had a
half hour of adoration, and then bicycled back to the
youth centre, where they spent a pleasant evening
with their parents. Night prayer and the traditional
“good night” closed the day.
The day after the national feast of St. John the
Baptist, two busloads of pilgrims were on their way
to the sanctuary of the Sacred Heart in Beauvoir in
the vicinity of Sherbrooke, guided by Fr. Luc. They
also visited some sites of the city and stopped by
Savio Camp on their way back.
As you know, our parish also organises a
summer camp. It lasts 7 weeks, and Fr. Richard is
the camp director (in this, a faithful disciple of his
one-time “catechist “at St. Pat’s, Fr. Ted Ciampi.
Many will recall how Fr. Ted would solemnly
announce, after each camp season, “This is my last
season as camp master…!”). It began almost
immediately after school ended, and some 50
animators took care of those 430 youths divided
into various age groups. At mid-season, the
sacrament of Reconciliation was offered to all the
groups over 2 days; besides, every Friday, they
gather in church for a Eucharist. They then go on to
their daily recreational activities.
At the end of June, there was the registration for
catechism for the year 2008-2009. Until now, some
950 children and youths have signed their
inscription. On the feast of Sts. Peter & Paul, at the
Sunday English Mass, Fr. Luc presided over the
commissioning of 8 young adults who a few days
later joined those of Toronto to participate at WYD
in Sydney, Australia. All in all, some 44 young
adults, guided by Fr. Mike, spent a few days in
Vancouver to then went on to Australia.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SHERBROOKE. Hier, les vacances
commençaient; aujourd’hui l’année scolaire est à la
veille de recommencer…! Réchauffement de la
planète, accélération de l’histoire…? Qui a dit que
tout est en relation dans l’univers?
L’été au Séminaire se passe plutôt paisiblement.
Non pas que tout est en suspend… Il y a les
activités estivales. Les divers camps: les 3 semaines
de Bosco Bicycle ont pris fin le 18 juillet, le camp
Vivre l’Anglais prenait fin en même temps au Camp
Savio (et d’autres groupes se succèdent depuis),
Bosco II a été choyé par sa semaine dans les
Montagnes Blanches, le camp de jour du quartier
nord de la ville se termine le 8 de cette semaine.
Les travaux d’été à l’école avancent, tant à

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l’intérieur qu’à l’extérieur (l’aire de jeu). Et bien,!
comme presque partout au pays, la pluie nous
accompagne. Je vous fais grâce des statistiques;
c’est trop triste…
À la mi-juillet, Paul C. et moi allions donner un
coup de main aux prêtres de Marie-Auxiliatrice à
Montréal pour le sacrement du Pardon des
campeurs du DBYLC. Pendant la pause d’après-
dîner, nous en avons profité pour rendre visite aux
confrères de St-Joseph. Ainsi nous avons pu
admirer le jardin du P. Dominique. Tout ressent la
logique cartésienne; le layout est davantage français
qu’anglais. Malheur aux petits et moins petits
animaux qui essaieraient de sauter les grillages et de
se pavaner dans les allées tout en grignotant une
petite carotte ou un poivron!
Nous recevions du N.J., USA, la triste nouvelle
le 31 juillet du décès du P. Paul Avallone. Le
Canada salésien doit une grande dette de gratitude à
ce pionnier du St.Patrick’s High School de
Sherbrooke. Il en fut le 1er directeur-principal de
1955-1960. Il prit part aussi à la recherche et l’achat
du terrain- la ferme Mathieu- qui accueillera le
Séminaire Salésien de Boucherville.
Il y a quelques jours, nous avons accueilli le P.
Hector Pascal d’Haïti. Il fait maintenant partie de
notre communauté et prendra charge de la pastorale
du 2e cycle au Salésien. Tu es en territoire connu,
cher Hector; tu es chez toi.
Le grand événement religieux du mois, vous
l’avez deviné, fut la JMJ de Sydney. Nous n’y
étions pas physiquement, mais nous avons pu suivre
les principaux événements à Sel&Lumière et
EWTN. Comme à d’autres JMJ (Paris, Cologne), les
media australiens ont été amenés, malgré eux, à
corriger le tir et à couvrir l’événement d’une façon
plus convenable (il y aura toujours de ceux-là qui ne
voient que le négatif!). Le lendemain du départ du
pape, le Sydney Morning Herald portait la
manchette, «From theologian to pope of the
people.» Les jeunes du monde salésien étaient bien
présents, entourant le Recteur Majeur et d’autres
personnalités. Nous nous sommes unis à nos jeunes
pèlerins de Montréal, Toronto et Surrey qui ont fait
le voyage de leur vie (voir la réflexion du P. Mike
dans ce no.).
Les interventions et les gestes de Benoît XVI
tant sur le plan religieux que social ont donné à
l’événement une dimension d’intérêt planétaire. Par
exemple, il aborda des thèmes écologiques 7 fois,
commençant par l’une des questions posées par un
journaliste australien à bord de l’avion en route vers
Sydney. C’est un théologien devenu pasteur du
monde qui ne s’isole pas dans un univers à part ou
une tour d’ivoire et qui ne s’arrête pas aux
accessoires. Il fallait entendre la marée de jeunes
scander BE-NE-DET-TO…comme à Cologne. Oui,
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini… Béni
(benedictus en latin veut dire béni ainsi que Benoît)
soit celui qui vient au nom du Seigneur!
&&&&&&&&&&&&&
SURREY, B.C. Canada Day – July 1 was a busy
Tuesday when the National Anthem was sung at the
two morning Masses. Bro. Jerry led the
congregation “a cappella” after the 7:30 a.m.
celebration. Some time later about 47 WYD
pilgrims, under the leadership of Fr. Mike Pace,
SDB, arrived from the airport to enjoy the lunch
prepared for them by our Salesian Cooperators, who
were their hosts for the afternoon as they did some
teambuilding activities. Later in the day they went
to some Canada Day festivities at the Cloverdale
Fairgrounds, took in the fireworks display and
returned around 11:30 p.m. after a full and tiring
day to meet their host families from the parish,
where they would spend the next four nights. They
visited downtown Vancouver and Stanley Park,
were treated to a BBQ by the Knights of Columbus
and CWL, plus a youth rally prepared by the parish
Praise Team. They hiked on Mt. Garibaldi, where
an outdoor Mass was celebrated, enjoyed a late but
tasty pot-luck supper, spent their final mid-
afternoon adventure at White Rock Beach before
their grand farewell around 8:15 p.m. to the airport,
and their departure for Sydney.
King George International College, which rents
OLGC School during the month of July, took over
our facility and campus with about 200 Asian and
Spanish-speaking students who are here to learn
English. July 2 came alive with their youthful
voices.
The 2nd annual Don Bosco Sports Camp got
underway July 7 for two weeks from 9:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m. daily at our Don Bosco Gym facilities

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under the capable direction of Mr. Egitto and Mr.
Vilio, who have over 20 years teaching experience
combined. The camp is inspired by St. John Bosco,
its patron, and has Salesian spiritual leadership
provided by Fr. Dave. Activities and sports included
at the camp are: basketball, volleyball, soccer,
badminton, tennis, fitness training, core
conditioning, games, snacks, a pizza lunch on
Fridays, and tons of fun. They were completely sold
out on a first-come, first-served basis.
The PRAISE TEAM summer dance workshops
got underway in OLGC School Auditorium with
one-hour afternoon sessions beginning with tap,
then hip-hop, modern, etc. They have a large group
of energetic and youthful participants learning the
various steps.
July 10 had Bro. Jerry flying to Saskatoon,
Sask., and then by bus for two hours and a 40-
minute trip to Melford for his first family reunion of
the Lindberg generation (his grandfather—who
hailed from Denmark) on his mother’s side of the
family. About 100 of the clan journeyed from as far
as 900 miles by car from Nebraska, and from all
areas east and west for this special occasion.
Brother met third-, fourth- and fifth-generation
cousins he didn’t even know existed, many from his
grandfather’s brothers’ side of family. It certainly is
a small world when it comes to discovering
relatives, and it has created an interest in his family
tree especially on his father’s side of the family,
which originally hails from Austria (Galicia) and
Poland.
Our Praise Team dancers, by invitation,
attended the International Dance Challenge held in
Orlando, Fla., July 18-20.. They raised funds, and
with the help of sponsors were able to fly there and
pay for their accommodations. To the wonderful
surprise of all, and literally after numerous hours of
hard work and practice, they reached their peak and
were awarded first place honours in this
competition, winning not only one, but two
Platinum 1st Place finishes in different dance
divisions. They also received the Artstone Global
Entertainment Award, with an offer to buy the
rights to their arcadia dance routine. Mickey Reyes
(son of Beth Reyes, our youth coordinator) won a
dance scholarship to New York City. We are
certainly proud of our Praise Team’s
accomplishments.
The community enjoyed a deanery cookout at
St. Bernadette’s Parish on the evening of the 23rd,
and were also invited out to another dinner treat at
one of the parishioner’s the following night. In a
way, we have been spoiled with their many
kindnesses of home-cooked goodies of
thoughtfulness.
July 27 was 1st Communion Sunday for our
Chaldean Community with Fr. Sarmed Biloues
saying the Mass and doing the honours. He was
assisted by his brother, Deacon, Sameen Biloues,
who will receive the sacrament of Holy Orders Aug.
22 in our parish at the hands of his Chaldean bishop
from Chicago, and by Fr. Dave. The church was
packed for this very special occasion in their
community.
Fr. Mario recently returned safe and sound to
us from his visit to his homeland. He brought re-
furnished chalices and ciboria, plus other goodies
back with him, especially items for our parish gift
shop. It was good to have him back with us after
such a long absence.
Many have been inquiring about how Fr. John
Basso is doing after his eight-day stint in Surrey
Memorial Hospital. His gallbladder will eventually
have to be removed. He has lost about 24 pounds
through this ordeal and certainly has to watch what
he eats. Meanwhile he is still experiencing
weakness, no energy and sweating spells. At this
point, we are not sure if he is well enough to travel
to Montreal for our upcoming retreat at Manoir
d’Youville. According to Dr. Shek L. Wong, MD,
he may have suffered a minor heart attack. To top
everything off, he recently lost a filling and has a
temporary one until his dentist returns from
working in the mission fields of Mexico. Fr. John
would certainly appreciate your generous prayer.
This month has been extra busy with the usual
amount of weddings, funerals and Baptisms, plus
hospital visits keeping Frs. Dave and Jan on the go,
and Bro. Jerry bringing the Eucharist to the nursing
home residents while Fr. John has been available
for the numerous confessions. The weather has been
behaving too.
The latest and exciting news is that three of our
parishioners will be entering the seminary in
September. Our highland folk-dancer, Randy Sprott,

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age 17, from Cloverdale has been accepted to the
junior seminary of Christ the King High School in
Mission, B.C. Robert D’Anna, a late vocation, age
47, has been accepted to the Oblates and will begin
his training and studies also at Westminster Abbey
in Mission. Finally, Glen Reed, around 35, will
enter the Dominicans with the intention of
priesthood.
***********************
INTERVIEW: BRO. JERRY HARASYM
What can you tell us about your family?
I was born in St. Boniface Hospital in the city of
St. Boniface, Manitoba. My father was of Ukrainian
decent, whereas his mother was Austrian. My
mother, on the other hand, was of Danish decent
and her mother was of German origin coming from
Sugar Creek, Iowa. That makes me quite a mixture,
and being born a Canadian on November 12, 1936.
What about your childhood and youth?
I grew up in the Winnipeg suburb of East
Kildonan and attended the Redemptorist parish of
St. Alphonsus, receiving all my major sacraments
there. I attended St. Alphonsus School until the 9th
grade, which was run by the Sisters of St. Joseph of
Toronto. For grades 10 and 11 I went to St. Mary’s
College in Brockville, Ont., where I excelled in
public speaking and won the Junior Oratorical
Contest of 1953-54.
How did you get to know the Salesians and how
did your vocation come about?
Since my family couldn’t afford to send me to
St. Paul’s College in Winnipeg, I began working as
a lay person remained active in the parish setting. I
set up a vocation display for the whole month of
March – then known as “Vocation Month”—for my
former grammar school. In examining all the
materials, I think the brochures of the Salesians
stayed with me.
A few years later when I was working at St.
Patrick’s Orphanage in Montreal, my spiritual
director (who is a former Presentation brother, now
a diocesan priest), directed me to St. Patrick’s
School in Sherbrooke, Que., then run by the
Salesians. The rest is all history, for I acted on his
direction and corresponded with Fr. Paul Avallone
first, who was director at St. Pat’s, and then Fr.
Duffy, until I met my first Salesian, Fr. Joseph
Tyminski, as I entered the Don Bosco Technical HS
—coadjutors’ aspirantate—as a Son of Mary in
September of 1958 in Paterson, N.J.
What has been your Salesian itinerary?
My Salesian journey has been one with its ups
and downs of the 11 various places in which I have
served over these past 48 years. In all honesty, my
main objective has been to bring other souls to love
HIM in serving youth through cheerfulness in the
varied assignments that the Good Lord sent my
way: all phases of youth leadership, camp ministry,
office and parish life, including teaching visual arts
and world religions in our high schools. That saw
me give 22 years in the USA and the remainder here
in Canada.
What does being a Salesian brother mean to you
and what facets of ministry do you value most?
Being a Salesian brother has meant being a
“jack-of-all-trades” where I have worn many
different hats, bringing my acquired advertising
degree knowledge to good use as national director
of the St. Dominic Savio Club, where I was able to
reach out to mission countries, the poor, and to
expand a positive influence with our teens and
young adults in the five parishes where Divine
Providence has led me.
I valued my work with the inner-city youth at
the Boys’ Club in Columbus, Ohio, especially
because it challenged not only the way I lived, but
what I was dedicated to as a Salesian, and as a
person. “The poor we will always have with us!”
In many cases that means “spiritually poor.”
What would you consider as one of the most
meaningful experiences of your Salesian life?
After more than 25 years in the Congregation,
and in my 50th year I was allowed to take a
sabbatical. I spent three months with the L’Arche
Community in Ottawa. That period helped me to get
in touch with my humanness. Then for another

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three months, I was immersed in Creation
Spirituality at Holy Name College in Oakland, Cal.
That helped me to get in touch with my creativity
once again, and the final highlight of that special
year was three weeks, for my very first time,
visiting where our Father and Founder, Don Bosco,
was born, grew up, had his dreams and vision,
which in turn helped me to get in touch with my
spiritual roots. Beneficial? You bet!
Going back somewhat, here I would like to add
something about the place of our Blessed Mother in
my life. Roughly in May of 1956 when I was
nearing 20, a Friday night incident, after attending
May devotions, brought this sobering thought. A
friend had bought a second-hand, small, compact
Austin. A bunch of us piled in, and I being the
tallest sat in the back seat behind the driver. We
ended up on Henderson Highway, where he lost
control on an S curve, as they were enlarging the
highway and his back wheels caught the loose
gravel. The Austin rolled a couple of times, but the
strange fact was that none of us were seriously hurt;
we missed a six-foot ditch; there was no traffic
behind us or in the opposite lane, and yet we
crawled out of that upside down accordion. In
thanksgiving I bought two dozen fresh roses and
placed them on Our Mother of Perpetual Help’s
altar the following evening. The next morning,
which was a Sunday, as we had no Saturday
evening Masses in those days, I came to Mass and
went to check on the roses. Much to my surprise
they were all dead. I tried to revive them by
shocking them in hot water, cutting their stems, etc.,
but to no avail. I didn’t think much of it then, but
later on during one of our retreats, I honestly felt
that Mary spared our lives that evening, and took
the symbolic roses instead. In turn she led me to
Don Bosco and her title of Mary, HELP of
Christians, one of her few other titles that contain
that special word "help" in them.
Do you have any hobbies or particular talents?
The good Lord has graced me with many
talents, and they all boil down into one sensitive
hobby … ART. In that beauty I truly see and find
HIM in all His glorious colours and creation. It has
guided me through acting, radio, figure skating,
writing, dancing, singing, plus arts and crafts. Being
creative has been HIS gift to me. Not that I haven’t
had to work at acquiring these talents, but I truly
believe that for every natural gift one has, we—each
of us—have the ability to acquire another where a
person does have to “sweat bullets” ( so to speak) to
grow and mature finely tuned.
Would you like to transmit a message to Salesians,
as also to young people?
The message I would like to leave with my
Salesians and to young people is: DARE TO
DREAM as our saintly father, Don Bosco, did!
Never give up on your hopes. Wear a SMILE even
when your body is weary. A generous heart will
certainly be rewarded by our DIVINE LOVER. As
cheerful givers we will surely bring other souls to
love HIM, and in turn plant the seeds of vocations.
+++++++++++++++++++++
BONNE FÊTE!
15: Roméo Trottier
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATION!
15: George Harkins
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY OF PROFESSION!
11: Drago Gacnik
16: Richard Authier John Basso George Harkins
Joseph Ho Enzo Trigatti Romano Venturelli
22: Jan Staszel
28: James S. Zettel
&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Retraite des salésiens du Canada
Retreat of the Salesians of Canada
au Manoir d’Youville
Châteauguay, Que. (10-15 août)
HAVE A FRUITFUL
AND ENJOYABLE RETREAT!
BONNE RETRAITE SPIRITUELLE!
&&&&&&&&
LA COMMUNICATION
EST UN INSTRUMENT DE COMMUNION.

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