austraLasia #2540

 
Australia's original Boys Town celebrates 70 years

SYDNEY: 17th November 2009 -- This year Australia's original Boys Town at Engadine NSW, run by the Salesians since 1952, is celebrating its foundation in 1939.  The 8th November was a special occasion which gathered some 200 Old boys, including one from the early years (1940), who arrived at just 6 years of age!  It was a special occasion not only for them but for the many Salesians who have worked at Boys Town over the past 57 of those years.
    The group who came along on 8th November, largely from the 1960s and 1970s included many who demonstrated the value of their training as 'good Christians and upright citizens': a retired Catholic education Director, and a number of practising lawyers, doctors, psychologists and businessmen.  A feature of the day was the blessing of the restored statue of Don Bosco which has held pride of place at Boys Town since it was put there by Fr Ciantar many years ago.  Copies of this statue are to be found in a number of Salesian communities throughout the continent, all the result of the same Fr Ciantar!  Boys Town has also set up a small museum for the occasion.
    Fr Dunlea, a diocesan priest, founded Boys Town in 1939 following two inspirations: Don Bosco and Fr Flanagan who founded the original Boys Town in Nebraska USA in 1917.  Eventually the Salesians were called to help, and took over in 1952.  Fr Dunlea lived on until 1970, and the Salesians and Don Bosco's Preventive System have been at the core of the institution ever since, though involving now a lay director and many other facets of society. Family preservation and restoration is the focus of the Boys Town Program.
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 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 Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2009 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there.  Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org

Title: australasia 2540
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces AUL Boys Town
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2540