4542(I)_VDB 100 - Salesian Secular Consecrated Vocation: Testimonial from Chile

November 6, 2017

By The Salesian Bulletin (Chile)

Santiago, Chile, 5 November 2017 -- The celebrations of 100th Anniversary of the Volunteers of Don Bosco (VDB) - Salesian Women Secular Institute (1917. May 20 - 2017. May 20) was celebrated in public events in Valdocco last May with the presence of the Rector Major and other groups of the Salesian Family. Some of the EAO VDB members did participate at Valdocco celebrations and share through the social media some historical materials and their life witness.

Many precious VDB Centenary materials are available in English on the BOSCOLINK.

However for the sake of VDB vocation promotion is rather important to share their life witness, personal stories to help understand to other members of the Salesian family and of the Catholic community what is exactly the 'Secular - Salesian - Consecration' about.

The Salesian Bulletin of Chile offers a rare insight with personal photos of two VDB member - one VDB involved in the travel agency and other VDB as educator in the Salesian SDB school:

Juany Monsalves started her discernment as VDB already in the arrival period of the first members 40 years ago. Living the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience in her secular condition, is also daily nourished by the Eucharist and prayer life. At the center of Santiago (capital of Chile) has a small travel agency. At the center of her office shines a large world map, where is used to explain to her clinet, the distances. The world map is for her also a symbol of her service for the VDB around Latin America: "Our specific role is to live our consecration amidst the secular realities, where we are deeply rooted within the network of human and work relationship.... Also in my family they dont' know that I'm a consecrated person. Even my mother and my friends were always looking to introduce me somebody to marry... In my travel agency, i'm not looking so much for profit, but for service. It makes a great difference!"

Cecilia Yevenes is an educator in the special school of 'Santa Maria de Renca'. We found her in the playground among children with a visible down syndrom, cleaning the small garden. Also within the school she maitains her reserve, nobody knows about her consecration. She is just simply one of many teachers committed to the education work. She started her aspirantate in 2005 and now is already perpetually professed: "I was attracted by the contagious joy and belonging to the large Salesian family.... I discovered that we can live an independent life and live the community wherever you are! At each stage of initial formation she was looking if God is not calling her to other way of life. Walking with Jesus Christ as VDB is for me the main resolution in my vocation life."

Two simple but deep life sharing from Latin America are an invitation also for the EAO members of the VDB secular insitute to share their vocation stories in order to get know this beautiful vocation.

For download the full story in the Salesian Bulletin of Chile in Spanish (May 2017, issue 192, page 16-17)