4226_Don Bosco Formation Center celebration
December 12, 2016
Talisay City, the Philippines, 11 December 2016 -- Don Bosco Formation Center - Lawaan, had a soft-launching of a year-long celebration of its forty years as a Salesian house. The institution began as a minor seminary for high school students. Today, it is a full blown Formation Center for college aspirants. It is also home to the Center of Lay and Youth (CLAY) that runs programs for Catechists and Religius formation, the Social Communications office and the Retreat house.
The opening of the ruby year of began in the afternoon with three important blessing rites: first was the ground breaking for a new chapel for the novitiate house and the Balay ni Don Bosco (house of Don Bosco) -- a replica of St. John Bosco’s childhood home; second was to honor Fr Eduardo Espirtu and Fr John Peter Clifford, who were pioneers of the forty year old Salesian house and lastly the blessing of the whole Formation Center main building following the route of the first blessing in its inauguration day Dec 7 1976. The blessing concluded with the ribbon-cutting ceremony of an exhibit showcasing memorable pictures throughout the years.
A well-represented concelebrated Mass was celebrated and a dinner program that honored the alumni priests and brothers of the institution. To conclude the night, an academy in honor of the Blessed Mother, the Immaculate Conception was staged by the novices and seminarians, dubbed as “Wala”, a play on the word “empty” and “nothing” which highlighted inner goodness, openness and humility to God’s will as manifested by the Blessed Virgin Mary.
