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August 9

2012

USA West Province Newsletter • Building Bridges Between Communities

August 9, 2012

Dear Brother and Sister Salesians:

My plan was to reflect today on the

third element of the preventive system

(“education is a matter of the heart”)

which the Rector Major proposes we

need to reconsider in his short presen-

tation of the 2013 strenna. But let’s

postpone that until next week. Be-

cause I’m writing this on the 8th, feast

day of St. Dominic, founder of the

Order of Preachers.

“So what” you say? Has the provin-

cial gone Dominican? Well actually,

I think Dominic has gone Salesian!

Preparing for Mass this morning here

in the provincial house it struck me

how much the story of St. Dominic’s

life and mission parallels what we

Salesians are challenged to by both our

last General Chapter (GC 26) and our

next (GC 27).

If GC 26 measures our return to Don

Bosco by the four nuclei of the urgent

need for evangelization and the need

to call others (the mysticism of Give

me souls) together with poverty and

new frontiers (the asceticism of Take

away the rest), Dominic’s life story

shows us the same dynamic. Shocked

by the success of Albigensian preach-

ing (everything material is evil, so

Jesus did not take on flesh, procreation

is sinful, etc.), Dominic felt the urgent

need to preach the truth of the Gospel

and he called others to join him. He

understood why other Catholic evan-

gelists were not succeeding among the

ordinary people. Their lifestyles were

not as authentically evangelical as

those of the heretics! So his Order of

Preachers would live a life of poverty

that was visible, credible, and fruitful,

freeing them for the new frontiers of

a worldwide mission that would last

for centuries.

And if GC 27 will measure our fol-

lowing of Christ by the visible, cred-

ible, and fruitful witness we give to

the radical way of the Gospel made

specific for us Salesians in work and

temperance, Dominic’s life story again

shows us the same dynamic. There

were Catholic preachers to take on

the Albigensians, but the manner to

which they had become accustomed

was what inspired the muses of the

likes of Geoffrey Chaucer and later

Martin Luther. So Dominic formed a

band of itinerant preachers to preach

God’s Word while living lives of sim-

plicity, purity, community, authentic-

ity, hard work and temperance. Then

their preaching succeeded. Met any

Albigensians lately?

This feast of St. Dominic also gives

me the chance to warmly thank his

sons for lending us the auspices of

their School of Philosophy and Theol-

ogy in Berkeley to help us grow in our

own Salesian spirit. May God grant

holiness of life, faithfulness to our

mission, and more vocations to the

sons of Dominic Guzman and John

Bosco.

Sincerely,

Rev. Timothy Ploch, SDB

Provincial

P rovincial’s Calendar

August 2012

9-11 New Director’s Workshop, Fr.

Chinh Nguyen, SDB

12 Sunday Supply, St. Luke’s,

Stockton

13 Office Day

14 Arrival at LAX of new SUE

Novices

15 Reception of 2012-2013

Novices

16-18 Provincial Council Meeting,

San Francisco

19 Sunday Supply, St. Luke’s,

Stockton

20 Community Meeting, DBTI,

Rosemead

21 First Profession, Bro. Peter

Duoc Le, SDB

22-23 Office Days

Please Pray for our Sick

Mrs. Elizabeth Alvarez

Fr. Chris Woerz

Mrs. Thresiamma Paradayil

Val Colussi

Bro. Noel DeBruton

Bro. Druno DePretto

Bro. Tony Freitas

Fr. John Malloy

Bro. Phil Mandile

Dona Bucilla

May They Rest In Peace

MRS. CATHERINE

BACCARI

August 7, 2012

wife of Al Baccari

long time Sts. Peter and Paul

Parishioners

Salesian Cooperators and

supporters

InTouch 1 7.19.12

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Salesian Volunteers

Born To Serve!

Jessie Smith a young adult from

Wisconsin found the Salesian Vol-

unteer program through “catholic

volunteer network” she found the

opportunity that she was looking for

to serve our Lord being with young

people specially those in most need.

After participating in our discern-

ment retreat and filling out the

application Jessie was welcome to our

volunteer program and invited to be

part in our formation retreat. In this

retreat Jessie had the opportunity to

write her mission statement that we

would like to share with you. Jessie

has been assigned to serve in Ti-

juana Mexico

I hope you enjoy her mission state-

ment as we did...

Jc Montenegro

“It is not you who chose Me, but I

who chose you.” John 15:16. I love

this verse because it reminds me that

it is really a calling that I am here,

and it is God who has asked me to

give up this year of my life to serve

and grow closer to Him and His call

for me. During this year I also imag-

ine myself as Mother Teresa puts it:

“I am a little pencil in the hand of a

writing God, who is sending a love

letter to the world.” I feel incredibly

grateful for this opportunity as it has

been a desire in my heart for a long

time, and I know it is only the begin-

ning of the great adventure that will

be the rest of my life.

Upon entering the mission I will

carry with me not only my faith, but

the values instilled in me of respect

for all human life, honesty, positive

attitude, hard work, and the value of

Compassion. I will also carry with

me what I have been reminded of

on this retreat which is that we do

nothing for our own glory, or just to

help others, but for the glory of God

and to love and walk with others in

the every day journey.

Though I have small goals of im-

proving my Spanish abilities, learn-

ing about a new culture, and gaining

more skills to build my career as a

teacher, my greater personal goals

are learning more about myself and

growing in confidence in who I am,

as well as becoming proficient in the

practice of Don Bosco’s Preventative

System.

I will go into this year of missions

with an open heart in order to learn

about the people and place I will be

in, as well as be flexible to the tasks

asked of me. I want to be able to

use all my gifts to their maximum

potential in order to help others

around me. Most importantly I

hope to stay rooted in prayer and

the Eucharist because without

those it’s so easy to loose joy, focus,

and energy to serve and love those

around me with a pure heart.

JESSICA M SMITH

InTouch Provincial Newsletter

Salesians of St. John Bosco

1100 Franklin Street

San Francisco, CA 94109

Phone: (626) 280-8 622 #35

E-mail: intouch@salesiansc.org

Weekly publications will be

distributed on Thursdays. Please

submit news for publication by

Friday of each week.

Send contributions to:

intouch@salesiansc.org.

InTouch 2 7.19.12

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Salesian Volunteers

Thank You So Much!

From the bottom of our hearts we would like to thank all our volunteers who just finished their year of service: José

Hernandez (Tijuana), Reymundo Gomez (Laredo) Taaj Lewis (Bellflower) Carlos Sousa (East LA) Filiberto Cortez

(Richmond) and Van Tran (SJB) Thank you so much for your love and commitment to our Salesian Mission. Your

example has motivated more young people to give their lives to God as you did.

May God bless you always in this new chapter of your life. May all the skills that you learn with us be use for the good

of our young people specially the most in need. You are part of our family.

We the SALESIANS!

Welcome to our New Volunteers

After two weeks of formation our

2012-2013 Volunteers are ready for

this new apostolic experience. Our

volunteers are (from left to right)

Matt Flansbaum (Corpus Christi)

Jessica Smith and Marlette Espino-

za (Tijuana-MX) Alec Manley (East

LA) and Justin Fonteno (Laredo-

TX). In the following weeks we will

be publishing their mission state-

ments so you can get to know better.

May the Lord make the difference

in the life of the young people that

you will be ministering too.

Welcome home!

InTouch 3 7.19.12

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Around the Province

The third floor is complete-

ly painted and ready for the

door casing and the door

molding. It is amazing how nice a

spray gun can put a coat of paint on

the walls and ceilings. Before the

painting contractor put on the fi-

nal coat of paint, they inspected the

all of the rooms looking for wavi-

ness in both the ceilings and walls.

When they find any waviness, the

wall board hangers add a few more

screws to pull the gypsum board

closer to the two by six ceiling joists.

You think all of the sub-contractors

are on board and want to see this

project finished. But there is one

sub-contractor who is not on board.

And that sub-contractor is Mitsubi-

shi – the elevator contractor. Alfre-

do Urbirs, VINCOR, our construc-

tion foreman, phoned Mitsubishi,

and requested a time table when

they will begin to install the elevator.

Mitsubishi’s response was to send

the request in writing. So, Alfredo

e-mailed Mitsubishi the request but

after a week of waiting (more de-

lays) for a response, he phoned their

office and asked for the time table.

The Mitsubishi’s office response was

that they did not receive the e-mail

request. Alfredo sent the request

again and is now waiting for Mit-

subishi’s response. Mitsubishi is not

a friendly sub-contractor.

The electricians have installed the

new electrical panels. They will

connect the wires to the panels and

then call for an inspection from

both the City of Bellflower and SCE.

Once the inspections are completed,

SCE will turn on the power for the

building.

DE SALES HALL

The new electrical panel

Amazing spray gun!!

By: Bro. Joseph Lockwood, SDB

emergency so if someone is stuck

in the elevator, they can phone for

help. One phone line will be used

by fire department. Every time that

the smoke detector or fire alarm

goes off, the fire department will

respond to the facility. One phone

line will be used for the fax machine

and the last three lines will be used

by the various offices.

The evacuation plans for each room

is being prepared. These plans must

be in place before we can get an oc-

cupancy permit from the City.

VINCOR and flooring company

are re-visiting the floor covering.

We must bring down the floor cov-

ering cost. We are limited in floor

covering because of the plywood

sub-flooring. Plywood moves with

the weather. If it cold it shrinks, if it

is hot, it expands.

1. 2” conduit pipe for the 6 telephone lines. The conduit runs to the data

room. - 2. Carlos is mixing the joint compound (mud) for the second floor

taping. - 3. The painting contractor is spraying the final coat of paint on the

third floor.

Verizon has been contacted for the

six new phone lines for the facili-

ty. One phone line will be used for

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RECEPTION OF SALESIAN NOVICES

2012-2013

Very Reverend TIMOTHY PLOCH, SDB

Presiding

AUGUST 15, 2012

at 5:00 PM

St. Joseph’s Novitiate & Youth Renewal Center

Rosemead, CA

Simple dinner reception to follow

in Center Cafeteria

All members of the Salesian Family are invited.

RSVP

frbillfkeane@juno.com

626-280-8622 ext 21

InTouch 5 7.19.12

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Salesian Family Days: Don Bosco the Educator

An Opportunity for Formation and Fellowship

Featuring Fr. Joseph Boenzi, SDB, STD

October 13 Live at St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, CA, and

Salesian High School, Richmond, CA.

October 27 at St. John Bosco School, San Antonio, Texas via internet

broadcast

To prepare for Salesian Family Day we offer a series of reflections on the nature and origin of the Salesian Family.

The Salesian Family the Genius of Don Bosco

By: Fr. Chris Woerz, SDB

Happenstance or Design

Up to this point we have seen a young eager priest, Don Bosco, who has begun to establish himself not in a

comfortable parish or institution like the Refugio, but with a crowd of children and youth. He has no place to gather

them. He has no money. But he does have friends to help him. We have seen that by 1846 he had rented a shed

and a strip of land around the house to which the shed was attached. He converted the shed into a chapel and the

young people play in the small area around the house.

Every Sunday and Feast day Don Bosco, gathers 300-500 children and young people young people. Don Borel

helps faithfully and Fr. Cafasso, his mentor, also lends a hand when possible. The move to the Pinardi property

was in April of 1846. He had been forming his Oratory over a five year period wondering from place to place first as

a post-ordination student and then as the chaplain of the Refugio. He chose some of the older and better behaved

boys to help him especially with the recreation and deportment of the children.

How does he do it? He works until he drops. In June he collapses and contracts bronchial pneumonia. Fr. Borel is

able to continue the work. A primitive system is already in place. Don Bosco is away for months yet Oratory

continues. While Don Bosco is away some local priest friends15 step in to help Fr. Borel to keep the Oratory open.

They continued the Oratory as Don Bosco would have. On November 3, 1846 Don Bosco returns to Turin with his

Mother Margarita. She will remain with her son caring for the children of the oratory until her death November 24,

1856.

Happenstance or Design: was this development of the Oratory accomplished by design, a carefully thought out plan

developed by Don Bosco and his associates? Or was it simply the result of a series of random events that Don

Bosco responded to until he was so involved and overwhelmed that he had to continue. Certainly there was very

little design on the part of Don Bosco. Even from his childhood he had a keen desire to care for the young and

unfortunate. This was set before him in the dream at the age of nine. While his personal narration claims only that a

man and then a women were part of this strange dream, the Man did identify himself as the son of the woman John

Bosco’s mother taught him to pray to three times a day. In his dream it was Jesus who gave him his mission:

"Not with blows, but with meekness and charity you will make them your friends. Set to work at once, telling them

about the ugliness of sin and the beauty of virtue … because these things seem impossible to you, you must make

them possible by obedience and the acquisition of learning… I will give you a teacher. Under her guidance you will

become wise.

Mary comes into the dream and pointing to the animals now become children playing peacefully tells him:

"This is your field of work. Make yourself humble, strong and robust, and what you will see now happening to these

animals, you will do for my sons." 16

Don Bosco’s genius comes from his profound trust in Divine Providence, his faith in the guidance of Mary, the

Mother of God, his own natural intelligence and talents, and his ability to gather around himself people of all ages

willing to join in and help him. These generous helpers will become the Salesian Family: Salesian Priests and

Brothers, Salesian Sisters, Salesian Cooperators, Associates Devoted to Mary Help, Past Pupils of Don Bosco and

over the past century some 30 groups dedicated to youth. As our Rector Major attests: The Salesian Youth

Movement is a vast movement of people for youth 400,000 strong.

15 Ibid: Don Bosco History and Spirit, Volume 2, pg. 114-‐115 the names of the four priests are: Frs. Vola, Carpano, Trivero,

Pacchiotti.

16 Ibid Memoirs pg. 9-‐10

InTouch 6 7.19.12

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Salesian Family Days 2012

Don Bosco the Educator

Featuring

Fr. Joseph Boenzi, SDB, S.T.D

Salesian Family Day California

October 13, 2012

9:00 AM – 3:30 PM

St. John Bosco High School

13400 Bellflower Boulevard

Bellflower, CA 90706

Salesian High School

2851 Salesian Avenue

Richmond, CA 94804

Salesian Family Day Texas

October 27, 2012

9:00 AM – 3:30 PM

St. John Bosco School

5630 W. Commerce Street

San Antonio, TX 78237

The Salesian Family gathers to celebrate the heritage Don Bosco gave us. This is

a day of prayer, community and formation for the Salesian Family Groups:

Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB)

Daughters of Mary Help (FMA)

Association of Salesian Cooperators (ASC)

Association Devoted to Mary Help (ADMA)

Asociación de Damas Salesianas (ADS)

Women Volunteers of Don Bosco (VDB)

Association of Alumni and Alumnae of Don Bosco (AAADB)

(Sin Fronteras, Bosconians, Awakening ’68, Vietnamese)

Clip and Mail & & & & & & Clip and Mail & & & & & & Clip and Mail

A Donation of $10.00 / Person is asked to cover the cost of breakfast, lunch and the Program

I am Attending

5 October 13 in Bellflower

Mail Form to: Jose Vasquez, 11937 E. 16th Street Artesia, CA 90701

5 October 13 in Richmond

Mail Form to: Henry Moe, Salesian High School, 2851 Salesian Ave, Richmond, CA 94804

5 October 27 in San Antonio

Mail Form to: David Reyes, Tideford Drive, Del Valle TX 78617

Please Print

Name_______________________________________________ number of people _____

Address__________________________________________________________________

City____________________________________ State _____ Zip Code_______________

Email:________________________________________ Phone (______) _____________

If you belong to a Salesian Family Group please circle: SDB, FMA, ASC, ADMA, VDB,

Las Damas, Exal. Sin Fronteras, Bosconians, Awakening ’68, Vietnamese Past Pupils

InTouch 7 7.19.12