austraLasia #1778
Australia: Salesian 'stalwart' since mid '40s continues to inspire the young

MELBOURNE: 9th December 2006-- The 2006 Leadership Camp for Salesian leaders took place at Don Bosco Camp, Dromana, Victoria, from 3-7 December.  There were sixty young people in attendance, ranging from school leavers to university students and recent university graduates.  All of these young people are gathered from past “campers.”  That means that at some stage of their lives they have been to Don Bosco Camp, Dromana (founded in 1945) as kids who simply enjoyed the program.  However, they have become so fascinated with what is done in this Salesian setting, and more importantly, HOW it is done, that they want to play a role in the ongoing life of the Camp.
    On Monday, December 4, the Provincial, Fr Frank Moloney, spent the day with these young people.  Despite the widespread myth that Australia has already fallen victim to the consumer society, and is unrepentantly secularised, these young people respond with enthusiasm and urgency to the many challenges that the program of the Camp raises for them.  A mixture of input talks from Salesians and senior leaders, role-modelling the various activities and games that they must lead during the summer camps, and the development of a sense of a serving community, the Camp is an important event in the calendar of the Salesian Province of Australia and the Pacific.
    Fr Moloney was deeply impressed by the rapt attention he received as he spoke to them about the fact that this camp is named after “Don Bosco.”  This is not just another summer camp … and he urged the young people to come to know the man Don Bosco better and better so that they might be inspired, as he was, in their care for the young people at the camps.  Many of the youngsters who come to the summer camps are poor and abandoned, and are able to have this time at a beach camp because they are supported by their parishes, and other Catholic and Christian groups.  It is to these that the Leaders are especially sent, in the way of Don Bosco.
    The Provincial also spoke of the need for the Leaders to be people of the Gospel.  They are not at the camp to “baby-sit,” or hold hands with youngsters.  They are to challenge them – even if only by the generosity of their service – with the lifestyle and the Word of Jesus.  Finally, Fr Moloney spoke of the need for the leaders to continually engage in creative imagining.  Fr Moloney first came to know the Salesians at this camp in 1948, where he was 8 years old.  He reflected on that past, and rejoiced in the fact that the camp is still such a large influence in the lives of many young people – starting with the leaders themselves.  This is only possible because the Salesians and all the many Leaders who have helped them have been creative over more than 60 years.  The Camp is not what it was in 1948, nor should it be. There was a sense among the young people present that they were glad to be part of this challenge.
__________________
  AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific.  It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome.  For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com   Use BoscoWiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm A separate service entirely is called F/OSSERVATORE to help us keep abreast of trends in the digital world.  To contact austraLasia by voice on Skype, the Skype name is austraLasia.