2012 n. 2
DON BOSCO’S POLITICS
EMBODIED IN THE
OUR FATHER
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Founded by St. John Bosco in 1877, the
Salesian Bulletin is the medium of
communication, animation, and formation
of the Salesian Family around the world,
published in more than 50 editions. Salesian
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Copyright 2012 The Salesian Society, Inc.
Volume 93, n. 2 • Late Spring 2012
www.salesians.org
www.donboscowest.org
Cover U.S. Capitol (SXC). Don Bosco (www.sdb.org)
Getting to Know Don Bosco
The Column
Don Bosco’s Politics:
Embodied in the Our Father
Holiness in Don Bosco’s Style
Salesian Alumni Exemplify
“Good Christians and Honest Citizens”
Youth Culture in the ‘10s
Under the Same Roof
Salesian Family News
Around the Salesian U.S.A.
Around the Salesian World
Recently Deceased Salesians
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6
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22
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Fr. Thomas Dunne, SDB
Fr. Timothy Ploch, SDB
Publishers
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Executive Editor
Fr. Michael Mendl, SDB
Editor
Fr. John Itzaina, SDB
Judy Alvarez
Sr. Juanita Chavez, FMA
Sr. Denise Sickinger, FMA
Editorial Board
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Business Manager
Jo Ann Donahue (New Rochelle)
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Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 5/10/12 11:03 PM Page 2
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GettinG to Know Don Bosco
The Column
Devotion to Mary Help of Christians and her sanctuary is
at the heart of Salesian work
By Pascual Chavez, SDB
With his usual skill as a story-
teller, on a cool evening in May
1862 Don Bosco said: “Try to pic-
ture yourselves with me on the
seashore, or better still, on an out-
lying cliff with no other land in
sight. The vast expanse of water is
covered with a formidable array of
ships in battle formation, prows fit-
ted with sharp, spear-like beaks ca-
pable of breaking through any
defense. All are heavily armed with
cannons, incendiary bombs, and
firearms of all sorts—even books—
and are heading toward one stately
ship, mightier than them all. As
they close in, they try to ram it, set
it afire, and cripple it as much as
possible.
“This stately vessel is shielded
by a flotilla escort. Winds and
waves are with the enemy.
“In the midst of this endless sea, two solid columns, a short distance apart,
soar high in the sky; one is surmounted by a statue of the Immaculate Virgin at
whose feet a large inscription reads Auxilium Christianorum (‘Help of Chris-
tians’); the other, far loftier and sturdier, supports a Host of proportionate size and
bears beneath it the inscription Salus Credentium (‘Salvation of Believers’).
“The flagship commander—the Roman Pontiff—breaking through all resist-
ance, steers his ship safely between the two columns from whose summits hang
many anchors and strong hooks linked to chains, and moors it to the two
columns, first to the one surmounted by the Host, and then to the other, topped
by the statue of the Virgin. At this point something unexpected happens. The
enemy ships panic and disperse, colliding with and scuttling each other.”
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A Name New and Old
Fr. Paul Albera tells us that one evening in December that year, after hearing
confessions until about 11:00 p.m., Don Bosco went for his supper. He looked
very pensive. He suddenly remarked: “There were a lot of confessions tonight,
but truthfully I hardly know what I said or did, because all the time I had some-
thing on my mind. I kept thinking: Our church is too small. We have to pack in
our boys like sardines. We must build a larger, more imposing one under the
title of Mary, Help of Christians. I don’t have a penny, nor do I know where to
find the money, but that’s not important. If God so wills, it will be done” (BM
7:196). He also confided his plan to Fr. John Cagliero: “Up to now we have cele-
brated the feast of the Immaculate Conception with pomp and solemnity. . . . But
the Madonna wishes us to honor her under the title of Mary, Help of Christians.
The times are so bad that we sadly need her help to preserve and safeguard our
faith” (BM 7:197).
In the first months of 1863 he set to work obtaining the necessary permis-
sions. In 1865 the foundation stone was laid, and in 1868 the work was finished.
The Icon That Speaks
Don Bosco was moved not only by practical considerations (to have a larger
church) or political and religious ones (the fierce anticlericalism that was threat-
ening the Church). The picture of Mary in the painting by Lorenzone above the
high altar expresses very well Don Bosco’s innermost thoughts. His understand-
ing of the history of salvation led him to place the Church at the heart of the
world, and at the heart of the Church he saw Mary Help of Christians, the all-
powerful Mother who conquers evil.
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The mosaic above the main altar at Mary Help of Christians Center in Tampa takes
a different approach to Don Bosco’s idea, presenting the universal Church (at least
the clerical and religious portion of it) at the left (with St. Peter’s Basilica above and
St. Petersburg’s St. Jude Cathedral below), looking toward the Madonna, and at the
right members of the Salesian Family, with laity well represented (with Valdocco
above and the Tampa Salesian house below).
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The Madonna was always present in Don Bosco’s life. In the dream he had at
nine years of age, Jesus introduces himself in this way: “I am the son of the
woman whom your mother has taught you to greet three times a day.”
But the focus for his devotion to her has a specific location: the church in
Valdocco. “And this,” Fr. Egidio Viganò writes, “will remain the definitive Marian
icon: the point of reference for an unceasing increase in vocations and the center
of the expansion of his charism as founder. In Mary Help of Christians Don Bosco
finally recognizes the features of the Lady who was at the origin of his own voca-
tion and who was and would always remain his Inspiration and Teacher.”
Mary Has Built Herself a House
The Valdocco sanctuary becomes the real, tangible sign of Mary’s presence in the
life of Don Bosco and of the Congregation. This is the “mother church” of the Sale-
sian Family.
Popular opinion immediately discovers the marvelous understanding between
Mary Help of Christians and Don Bosco: Mary Help of Christians now will always be
Don Bosco’s Madonna. And Don Bosco is the saint of the Help of Christians. Very
rarely has it happened that a title of Mary, almost unknown, has spread so quickly
throughout the world.
Humbly Don Bosco said: “I am not the one responsible for the great things you
see; it is the Lord, it is Mary Most Holy, who deigns to make use of a poor priest. I
have put up nothing of my own: Aedificavit sibi domum Maria (‘Mary has built her-
self a house’). Every stone, every decoration represents a favor she has granted.”
The Valdocco sanctuary is the church which Salesians all around the world see
more with their hearts than with their eyes. And it is here that everyone feels “at
home.”
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Don Bosco’s Politics
Embodied in the Our Father
By Benoît Deseure and Michael Mendl, SDB
Should Christians be concerned
about politics? Do they have some-
thing to say on the major issues of
the day? “Yes,” answer the American
bishops, who every four years pub-
lish a document on major issues
with which Catholic voters should
be familiar and on which they
should bring to bear Gospel values.
This is nothing new: educating
for citizenship was one of St. John
Bosco’s priorities in the 19th century.
Civic Education, Don Bosco’s Way
Salesians, as passionate educators, seek to form “good Christians and honest
citizens,” in Don Bosco’s well known phrase: to help their students and parish-
ioners become builders of a safer, healthier, more dignified society. They seek to
educate people not only to their rights but also to their duties, to teach them re-
spect for the law and integrity. This is what the bishops of the United States call
“faithful citizenship.”
What did Don Bosco mean by “honest citizens”? Don Bosco Aujourd’hui asked
Fr. Jean-Marie Petitclerc, who deals with government offices and serves underprivi-
leged young people in the slums of French cities.
DBA: What does “to be a citizen” mean to you?
JMP: I would say that citizenship is the feeling of
belonging to a group in which all share the same
values. For example, in France today to be a citizen
is to be a member of a state in which the values of
the Republic, “liberty, equality, fraternity,” are lived
in a democratic setting.
This belonging is synonymous with rights re-
ceived from the group and duties imposed by the
group. This is true for all groups. For example, in a
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Catholics have a long history of fidelity to both God and country.
Painting in Our Lady of the Valley Church, Orange, N.J.
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Translated by R.G. from the March-April 2012 Don Bosco Aujourd’hui,
and adapted by the Salesian Bulletin U.S.A.
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Fr. Jean-Marie Petitclerc at a presen-
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Salesian Bulletin in 2009.
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group of friends, belonging allows one to count on the solidarity of the others,
but requires a commitment to be present when expected. The same goes for the
nation. Many situations are therefore possible. If one gives a lot and receives lit-
tle, there’s a situation of exploitation. If on the other hand, one gives little and re-
ceives a lot, we have a “welfare” situation. So I would define citizenship as the
balance between giving and receiving, between rights and duties.
In the French context, “liberty and equality” are rights; “fraternity” is a duty. If
fraternity is missing, fundamental rights are endangered. Education to citizenship
is first of all teaching people to respect others’ rights.
DBA: Isn’t respect the first right?
JMP: A child has rights already at birth: the right to growth, to health, to edu-
cation, to help when in danger, etc. But, indeed, the first right is respect. Only if a
child feels respected will he learn to respect others. Twenty years as an educator
for troubled teens has taught me that the least respectful adults usually are those
who weren’t respected by adults.
Don Bosco’s pedagogy—and this was new in his time—is based on respect
for the child. As was strongly stressed at the Preventive System Congress in Rome
in January 2009, Don Bosco’s pedagogy is built around respect for children’s
rights (see SBWinter 2009).
DBA: And how about their duties?
JMP: A child will learn to be a citizen only if he dis-
covers that respect for his rights is on a par with the obli-
gation to respect the rights of others.
At Don Bosco’s Oratory a young person was called
upon to discover that all the Salesian educational institu-
tion could bring him in terms of security, affection, op-
portunity to study, etc., called for him to respond by
participating in the life of the house and the duties that
fell upon him.
The sodalities were a tremendous tool for civic education—associations in
which the youngsters developed both friendship among themselves and solidarity
with those who had more difficulty adapting to life at the Oratory. Sodality mem-
bers were invited to help those in need.
DBA: How do rules fit in such an educational environment?
JMP: Too often children think rules prevent them from living fully; that’s why
they’re tempted to break them. We must help them discover that, to the contrary,
rules enable people to live together by taking individual differences into account.
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Don Bosco privileged group games to teach this. Far from considering these
games merely as diversions, like many educators of his day, he used them to
teach that the only way to have fun playing together was to follow the rules. A
soccer game without rules or referees to enforce them will quickly degenerate
into violence. With rules and respect for the referees, the pleasure of playing will
last for the whole game.
DBA: Honesty was an important virtue at the Oratory. No cheating in Don
Bosco’s house!
JMP: No cheating with the rules, nor any cheating with oneself! That’s why
it’s necessary to teach children consistency between what one says and how one
acts. At Valdocco, one practices what he preaches.
This is an absolute in an educational system based on trust, like the Preven-
tive System. To trust a child means to be able to count on his word. “Without
you, I can do nothing,” Don Bosco liked to say in his Good Night talks. Those
who give the most problems in Salesian institutions are those whose word isn’t
taken seriously.
The use of this system demands, of course, that the educators also be trust-
worthy, since their credibility is founded on consistency between what they say
and do. That’s what honesty really means. Broken promises and political corrup-
tion have destroyed the image young people have of government today.
DBA: Besides honesty, Don Bosco also wanted commitment from his young
people.
JMP: Indeed, Don Bosco wanted them to be first of all committed to life at
the Oratory, giving special care to the weakest. That’s what distinguished the
three adolescents who most impressed Don Bosco: Dominic Savio, Michael
Magone, and Francis Besucco. But he also wanted them committed to life out-
side the Oratory. One just has to recall what the Oratory youths did during the
1854 cholera epidemic in Turin.
That was for Don Bosco a true political commitment: political in the root
sense of the word (service to the city) and not in the partisan sense. He emphati-
cally refused to allow his teachers to induce the young to join dangerous public
demonstrations (the uprisings of 1848-1849).
This position earned him the respect of many who were aware of his commit-
ment to the poorest youths in the city, and the hostility of others who were angry
when he kept his teenagers from joining the ranks of the revolution. Several at-
tempts were made against his life.
DBA: What ties did Don Bosco have to political forces?
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JMP: Don Bosco met several times with Piedmont’s
minister of the Interior, Urbano Rattazzi, a notorious
anticlerical. Since this minister was impressed by
Don Bosco’s way of educating and his success in
preventing delinquency, their relationship was ex-
cellent. So Rattazzi wanted to see Don Bosco’s
work develop. Earlier, as minister of Grace and Jus-
tice, he hadn’t hesitated to entrust Don Bosco with
teenagers at risk (the famous outing from the
Generala jail). Later, Don Bosco was invited to
discuss with government officials in Rome how
to deal with youths deemed delinquent.
DBA: What program would Don Bosco support
today?
JMP: When speaking of the political dimension of Don Bosco’s work, we
must remember that he never wished to commit himself in the political arena, to
belong to a party.
When asked about his political preferences, he would inevitably answer, “My
politics are embodied in the Our Father!”—in other words, the politics of “Thy
kingdom come!” (See Biographical Memoirs 8:260). This was not a pious wish,
but a commitment to partake on a daily basis in building a more just and frater-
nal world, one in which each of “these little ones” has his true space. It’s in this
sense that he awoke young consciences to the political arena while respecting its
autonomy from the spiritual one. Don Bosco was always faithful to the Gospel:
“Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Looking toward November 2012
More than at any time since 1960, religion has
been a focus of the 2012 political campaign in the
U.S. Christians, and more specifically Catholics, have
good reason to take a serious look at their political in-
volvement. In their statement “Forming Consciences
for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsi-
bility” (2007, reissued 2011, cited below as FC), the
American bishops teach that “responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participa-
tion in political life is a moral obligation. . . . We are called to bring together our
principles and our political choices, our values and our votes, to help build a
better world” (p. 4).
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Anticlerical politician Urbano
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“Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship” may be downloaded at
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/forming-con
sciences-for-faithful-citizenship-document.cfm
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Candidates at all levels, from
state legislatures up to the Presi-
dency, are taking stances colored
by religious convictions consid-
ered non-negotiable. In a society
where Church and State have
been separate for over 200 years,
how does a believer (or non-
believer!) remain faithful to his
convictions without imposing
them on others? A French writer,
Marc Baudriller, writes in a recent
book: “The day when Christians
give up their will to change society,
to make it better, to bring more
happiness to all members of that society (Christian or not), to restore ethical limits, …
the day they’re tempted to cease doing all that in order to live peacefully among
themselves—that day they will have abandoned their vocation. Catholic networks are
the manifestation of an ideal.”
Why Should the Church Get Involved?
Politics are of interest to Christians. They interested St. John Bosco in 19th-
century Piedmont. Similarly, the American bishops propose that Catholics should
“exercise their rights and duties as participants in our democracy” because “we
are members of a community of faith with a long tradition of teaching and action
on human life, and dignity, marriage and family, justice and peace, care for cre-
ation, and the common good. As Americans, we are also blessed with religious
liberty which safeguards our right to bring our principles and moral convictions
into the public arena” (FC, p. v).
The bishops continue: “The Church’s obligation to participate in shaping the
moral character of society is a requirement of our faith. . . . The obligation to
teach about moral values that should shape our lives, including our public lives,
is central to the mission given to the Church by Jesus Christ. Moreover, the
United States Constitution protects the right of individual believers and religious
bodies to participate and speak out without government interference, favoritism,
or discrimination” (FC, pp. 3-4).
What Message Should the Church Give?
According to “Forming Consciences,” the core values enshrined in Catholic
socio-political teaching are “the dignity of every human being, the pursuit of the
common good, and the protection of the weak and the vulnerable” (FC, p. 4). The
bishops want Catholics to develop well-formed consciences so that they will be
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Citizens exercise their First Amendment rights to speak
freely and to petition the government in favor of a more eth-
ical society by protesting against abortion every January.
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prepared to address spe-
cific political and social
questions in ways that
truly will advance or pro-
tect those values (FC, p. 9).
In a political world
where Christian thought is
a minority opinion, where
Christian values aren’t
shared by the majority,
the Church can’t state
only broad principles of
social justice but must
speak clearly and reasonably in the light of its experience on specific subjects.
So, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops proposes six broad areas of concern
in current policy debates (FC, p. vi):
1. abortion and other threats to human life and dignity;
2. efforts to force Catholic institutions (health, education, social services)
to violate their consciences;
3. efforts to redefine marriage and enact measures that undercut marital
fidelity and fruitfulness as a basic institution of society’s common good;
4. the economic crisis in its national and international effects, the national
debt, and the necessity of protecting the poor and vulnerable;
5. “failure to repair a broken immigration system”;
6. war, terrorism, violence, and the use of force.
The document breaks each of these six areas into numerous specific issues and
summarizes Catholic teaching about them (FC, pp. 19-28).
The bishops point out that not all of these specific issues carry the same
moral weight. They insist on “distinctions between different kinds of issues in-
volving human life and dignity,” starting with the right to life: “The direct and in-
tentional destruction of innocent human life from the moment of conception
until natural death is always wrong and is not just one issue among many. It must
always be opposed” (p. 9).
But, they go on, such distinctions aren’t a valid excuse to “dismiss or ignore
other serious threats to human life and dignity,” such as unjust war, unjust dis-
crimination, an unjust immigration policy, capital punishment, failure to respond
to the hungry and the sick. “Catholics are urged to seriously consider Church
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teaching on these issues. Although choices about how best to respond to these
and other compelling threats to human life and dignity are matters for principled
debate and decision, this does not make them optional concerns or permit
Catholics to dismiss or ignore Church teaching on these important issues,” the
bishops write (FC, p. 9).
Who Gets Our Vote?
There should, however, be no such thing as a “Catholic” vote. For as many
leaders and citizens as possible, Catholic should indicate service for the whole of
society. In the economy or government, there are several legitimate options, and
neither the bishops nor any other group can justify “canonizing” any particular
candidate or party.
Don Bosco knew, and
so do those who follow
him, the danger of being
“labeled” or of giving the
impression of being tied to
this or that politician, of
belonging to this or that
party: “My politics are
those of the Our Father,”
of making God’s kingdom
evident in people’s lives.
Likewise, while Ameri-
can Catholics will make their voices heard during this year’s political campaigns,
the Church does not identify herself with a particular candidate or party. “‘Form-
ing Consciences for Faithful Citizenship’ … does not offer a voters guide, score-
card of issues, or direction on how to vote. It applies Catholic moral principles to
a range of important issues” and warns against reducing “Catholic moral con-
cerns to one or two matters, or justifying choices simply to advance partisan, ide-
ological, or personal interests” (FC, p. v).
Readers may supplement “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship”
with these additional texts of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
“Faithful Citizenship: An Exploration of Sacred Scripture and Tradition”
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/loader.cfm?csMod
ule=security/getfile&pageid=42855
“Our First, Most Cherished Liberty”
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/our-first-most-cherished
liberty.cfm
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HOLINESS IN DON BOSCO’S STYLE
Salesian Alumni Exemplify “Good Christians and Honest Citizens”
By Juanita Chavez, FMA
Preparing young people to live as “good Christians and honest citizens” involves far
more than political involvement. It touches one’s life in the family, in the parish, at
work, and in volunteer service. Following Don Bosco, Salesians aim “to alert [the
young] to the role they must play in the Christian transformation of social life” (SDB
Constitutions, no. 27), which is a path of Christian holiness for both the young and
their mentors.
Don Bosco knew it was impossible to reach the whole world with his desire to
help disadvantaged young people by himself. Nor were his congregations of conse-
crated religious enough; he needed an organization of secular Christians—an active
laity—to make a reality of his dream of “good Christians and honest citizens.”
There are many young people who live on the margins of society. On the streets
we see the homeless, young offenders, displaced persons, young people who don’t
have the opportunities that others enjoy or who are looking for real meaning in our
affluent society. These young persons need to be found and helped with Don Bosco’s
Preventive System of education to become “good Christians and honest citizens.”
Today St. John Bosco’s educational vision is expressed by accompaniment: pre-
ventive work, dialog, imparting values, and inspiring social responsibility. Don
Bosco’s legacy is alive—a vast lay army of alumni and Cooperators involved in a vari-
ety of aspects of work that help young people in need to live fully their human and
Christian life. Some even raise children who come into the world as drug addicts or
are found with rare physical or psychological disorders. Don Bosco’s family works
hard to provide clothing,
food, shelter, work, study,
recreation, joy, friendship,
family, and dynamic faith.
Many students who
have encountered Salesian
priests, brothers, and sis-
ters in schools and youth
centers are inspired to pur-
sue careers that allow
them to give to others in
need and thus to follow in
Don Bosco’s footsteps.
As Salesian alumni they
continue to extend the
Salesian mission and
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The San Francisco Province places much importance on training students
and young parishioners to offer service to others in both home and for-
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charism among the young. These sons and daughters of St. John Bosco faithfully take
up a vocation to be “signs and bearers of God’s foreseeing love to the young.” They
live their vocation as honest citizens and guides to youth.
Jim Box: Civil Servant, Salesian
The importance of being a good citizen on earth and ultimately a holy citizen of
heaven impressed Jim Box. His life and vocation are a consequence of his having re-
ceived a Salesian education. For him it was a must to be of service to the less fortu-
nate and to serve the community at large, on both personal and professional levels.
Having been influenced by Salesian sisters, brothers, and priests, he considered it a
logical choice to pursue a career in
local government in order to pro-
mote social justice.
For 25 years Jim has worked
in various municipal
service
positions:
recreational, educational, and social. For 12 of these years he has served as a city ad-
ministrator to a lower-income community in the heart of Orange County in Califor-
nia. At present he is assistant city manager and director of Parks and Recreation
Services for Stanton, a city of about 39,000 people, approximately 75% of them be-
longing to minority groups.
As a city administrator he has been able to implement changes and create a
“Salesian-style” management team incorporating the Preventive System of St. John
Bosco. The department heads serve as conscientious leaders and animators who
strive to communicate, motivate, involve, challenge, and continually discover talents
and energies among their staff. Jim’s goal is to create a sense of communion by foster-
ing a spirit of cooperation and communication, promoting collaboration and growth
through a sense of belonging.
Jim Box and students whom he tutors after school
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Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 15
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Working together, the staff members build, improve, and support Stanton’s quality
of life, while striving to address community needs, especially through young people.
Jim has led his staff to focus on helping youths growing as responsible persons. Young
children through teens have available to them many activities to keep them off the
streets. During holidays, activities such as games, crafts, drama, singing, and science
projects are organized for all ages.
Teen programs promoting growth in self-esteem and confidence are offered.
Young people get involved and have a voice by joining the group called Youth Action
Alliance. These teens offer peers participation in the community through service op-
portunities. The goal is to engage teens in positive and productive activities during
the non-school hours.
St. John Bosco told his early Salesians that it was going to be much more difficult
to practice the Preventive System rather than the “repressive method” then in vogue.
Jim has been engaged in this demanding task. By modeling the Preventive System, he
has seen phenomenal results. “What a change for the better I have witnessed, not
only with our city staff, but with residents, young people, and the community as a
whole!”
Jim says that he has been blessed by having received a Salesian education which
laid a strong foundation to help him through many struggles and much frustration
both professionally and personally. He remembers a Salesian sister who told him that
in order to celebrate the joy of Easter one must first experience Good Friday. Those
words echo in his mind, and he has learned to “offer those frustrations and sufferings
to our Lady, Help of Christians.”
As a parent, he takes responsibility to teach his son Brandon the importance of
prayer and the spirituality of St. John Bosco. He exposes Brandon to Salesian teach-
ings, ideas, practices, and the Preventive System. His Salesian spirituality motivates
him daily and helps him through the challenges that life presents. Even now, many
years after he went to Salesian schools, he continues to be close to many Salesian
priests, brothers, and sisters and is willing to offer his support in any way he can.
Abe and Grace Rangel: Parents, Public Servants, Cooperators
Don Bosco’s dream of reaching youth throughout the world has been expressed
by the Rector Major, Fr. Pascual Chavez. He has invited the Salesian Family to “en-
sure that special attention be given to the family, the cradle of life and love and
where one first learns how to become human.” Fr. Chavez has spoken to young peo-
ple about how their lives are marked and filled with special faces, in particular, that
of their mothers. It was his mother’s face and smile that made it possible to read the
word “love.” It was a love that spoke of gratitude and tenderness, protection and the
heart of God. Through her each child came to recognize the face of his/her father,
Je
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re
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“Salesian spirituality motivates him daily and helps
him through the challenges of life.”
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16 Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012
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and through
mother and
father each sibling
was discovered,
experienced,
and loved. In this
family atmosphere,
life and love foster
communion and
sharing.
Fr. Chavez
emphasizes that
“in order to arrive
at a definitive
choice of marriage
or celibacy for
the Kingdom of
God, one must be
ready to educate the heart. Love is always and only a gift; and young people are chal-
lenged to look around, to discover urgent needs, even if they’re not always striking.
They are to listen to the cry, often silent, of those in need, starting from their own
family situation. They are encouraged to foster dialogue, heartfelt listening, daily ex-
pressions of service, and generous forgiving.”
Some of our Salesian Cooperators and alumni live this challenge in special cir-
cumstances. One such couple are Abe and Grace Rangel. They’re among the many
who daily continue to use those inner resources acquired from a Salesian education.
Like most parents they’ve heard their children tell them they’re “old school.”
They don’t take offense because they know that a strong foundation in the Catholic
faith and a good education are invaluable.
They carry memories of when they attended schools run by the Salesian sisters
and priests. Within the Salesian atmosphere and family spirit, both Abe and Grace
were set on a path leading them toward a vision not only of raising respectful, spiri-
tual, and compassionate children, but also toward a reality of nurturing young people
who would find, in turn, opportunities to make a difference for those not able to find
their way on their own.
Throughout their school years Grace and Abe encountered sisters and priests
faithful to the spirit of Don Bosco who were living examples of faith, love, and friend-
ship beyond the classroom. From these experiences Grace and Abe learned to “walk
the walk” along with their Salesian educators, who were always present and took an
interest in them. The foundation they received was crucial to their path as they began
their life together. They both wanted to give to others what they’d received. They
wanted to contribute to society and be advocates for those who might need one.
H
eather C
osner
Grace and Abe Rangel with their three children
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Abe became a police officer in Los Angeles and found himself on some of the
most violent streets in the nation as well as in one of the most diverse communities in
L.A. The Wilshire Division is one of great contradiction, one of the most affluent and
at the same time most poverty-stricken districts in California. Within 15 square miles
there are distinct and opposing groups on both ethnic and religious levels. While
working on these streets Abe relied heavily on his Catholic, Salesian education. He
recalled what he learned about how Dominic Savio as a young boy devoted himself
to doing what was right “especially when right was the least popular decision.” In the
midst of crime, poverty, and much suffering he tried to work with compassion and
justice. He then transferred to the center of the “murder capital of the world,” where
he was involved in numerous altercations, pursuits, homicides, riots, and gang-re-
lated crimes. He began to focus on making society a safer place to live.
While Abe patrolled the troubled streets, Grace worked full time in a hospital and
had the opportunity to guide many in need. This work had its challenges, yet it was a
joy to give back to the community and contribute toward the needs of youth. There
were many opportunities for donating clothes, books, school supplies, and food.
Grace loved reading to the small children during her free time, and she was always
organizing the food boxes and other necessities for the next drive being proposed.
At the birth of their first child, one who needed an advocate was placed right in
their hands. Alyssa was born with a rare chromosomal disorder. Doctors didn’t have
answers, nor were they encouraging about the girl’s future. Instead of reacting with
anger and confusion, the young couple looked toward the future. They had each
other; their love was real, they wanted Alyssa, and they were a family. Grace re-
sponded to a driving force within and made every effort possible to obtain services
for children in need. She discovered that these were not easily obtained, and that it
was necessary to cut through much red tape. She continued her search with determi-
nation and was steadfast in her pursuit of services, not only for their child, but for oth-
ers as well.
Reflecting on the
situation with their first
child and seeing drug-
addicted mothers and
violent gang members
who had total disregard
for their own healthy
children, Abe was
struck once again with a
revelation about St.
John Bosco, who’d been
so devoted to the
young, especially the
less fortunate. Abe real-
ized that this was God’s
Abe Rangel instructing youngsters on safety issues
Lo
s
A
ng
el
es
P
ol
ic
e
D
ep
ar
tm
en
t
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18 Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012
plan for Grace and him, “to devote their lives to Alyssa as no one else could,” and to
touch the lives of others. Abe considered that if Alyssa had been born to one of these
drug-addicted mothers, or to an uncaring member of society, there would’ve been lit-
tle future for her. He turned toward early intervention in the lives of young people
and provided them with opportunities to avoid drugs and gangs. Neither Grace nor
Abe stopped with their own child. They reached out to others.
With young people in mind, and a determination to lead them to become honest
citizens, Abe implemented programs in over 200 schools in South Central Los Ange-
les, instructing and stressing drug awareness and prevention. He implemented
fundraisers for the bone marrow transplant unit of Children’s Hospital and other chil-
dren’s charities. He founded Tips for Tots, motivating officers to volunteer as waiters
at local eateries and donate their tips to the bone marrow transplant unit. He founded
the LAPD Cops 4 Tots Car Show for children’s hospitals. He has coordinated outreach
programs and implemented sports mentoring programs in the inner city and has been
a part of early intervention mentoring to high risk youth offenders. No wonder he has
received the Central Traffic Division Motor Officer of the Year Award!
As a married couple Abe and Grace have been called to be Alyssa’s special advo-
cates. Following their example, their two boys have learned to become compassion-
ate young persons. Abe and Grace didn’t volunteer for this challenge, yet, believing
that their child provided an opportunity to return to God the gifts that He had so
freely given them, they’ve responded well and reciprocated with strength and grace.
Walking in Don Bosco’s giant footsteps toward a vision has been a strong founda-
tion for this family. The young people in this home are on their way to becoming
good Christians and honest citizens because of the adults who’ve accompanied them
and have sought to inspire them to be socially responsible. Attending church services,
visiting hospitals and centers for the disabled, taking part in youth sports or other ac-
tivities, they did so as a family, and now the boys are volunteering on their own with-
out their parents. As part of Don Bosco’s lay legacy, Abe and Grace have formed a
true Christian community, a community of love, under the umbrella of Don Bosco’s
“family spirit.”
These three alumni are among the multitudes who make St. John Bosco’s legacy
for the laity a dynamic component of the Salesian Family. They strive to live the
Gospel in the world, and continue to live the invitation and challenge of Fr. Chavez,
who invites all members of the Salesian Family to be true spiritual guides for the
young, “to become Don Bosco for the young people of today.”
“All members of the Salesian Family are to be true
spiritual guides for the young.”
Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 5/10/12 11:03 PM Page 18
For more information, please visit www.salesianvocations.org
The Salesian Sisters, Brothers and Priests are the largest congregation in the world. They
bring Jesus Christ to the young in grammar schools, high schools, youth centers, retreat
centers, young adult ministry, and summer camps. They live, pray, and celebrate the
the young and the poor, consider a call to Salesian religious life.
Is G
od c
allin
g
you
to sh
are
your
gift
s an
d
your
life
wit
h
the
youn
g?
Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 19
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20 Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012
Under the Same Roof
A Daughter’s View
By Alessandra Mastrodonato
I look in the mirror and realize I’m
grown up, a young woman of 26. I
want and need to “spread my wings,”
to experience a greater freedom out-
side the warm and welcoming nest of
my family. Yet I’m part of that 58.6% of
young people aged 18 to 34, accord-
ing a 2009 report, still living at home,
in that army of “big babies” that more
and more often and for various reasons
decide, or more often are forced, to
stay at home with mom and dad.
True, for some of us this may be an
easy solution, motivated by fear of
growing up and having to make defini-
tive choices. But for most of us putting
off leaving home is our only option,
seeing the insecurity and uncertainty
facing young people of the third mil-
lennium, not only in work but also in
relationships and in life in general.
This doesn’t mean staying at home should be a frustrating experience for us
young people.
It’s quite normal for a young person who’s growing and creating new ties out-
side the family therefore to develop a healthy desire for detachment and auton-
omy, to want to learn to take care of herself and to make her own decisions, with
all the misunderstandings and difficulties that may arise in her relations with her
parents. To the point that many young people end up feeling hopelessly “out of
place” even at home, no longer able to share their hopes and fears with parents
who often don’t accept the idea that their children are growing and who, hence,
struggle to set their parental role on a new basis.
Translated by Patrick Egan, SDB, and published in the
Irish Salesian Bulletin, April-June 2011
Youth culture in the ’10s
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Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 21
In short, as the children grow, it’s inevitable that family relationships change
and be remodeled. But this doesn’t necessarily weaken them. Indeed. The greater
maturity gained by the children can make possible a qualitative leap in the rela-
tionship with parents, allowing many of the tensions and conflicts of their adoles-
cence to be overcome, and move into a more adult and balanced relationship,
in which shared responsibility takes on a new meaning.
Then a young person
can rediscover the impor-
tance and the beauty of
dialog and good com-
pany within the family.
She can experience the
pleasure of dealing with
her parents in a more
equal relationship and
understand that the fam-
ily atmosphere depends
on the care and concern
shown by all, including
children.
Y
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Rector Major Announces Theme for GC27
Fr. Pascual Chavez on April 4 announced the topic for
the SDBs’ 27th General Chapter, which will open on Feb.
22, 2014, and will consider how SDBs can be “Witnesses
to a radical, gospel-informed lifestyle.” The Rector Major
proposes four subtopics: (1) living the Salesian consecrated
vocation in unity and with joy; (2) making Jesus’ way of
living and acting one’s own and becoming seekers of God;
(3) building in our communities a fraternal way of life and action; (4) dedicating our-
selves generously to the mission, walking beside the young to give hope to the world.
GC27 will also elect a new Rector Major and general council and assess some of the
Congregation’s governmental structures. — ANS
56th U.N. Commission on the Status of Women
The 56th Commission on the Status of Women sat at U.N. Headquarters in New
York, Feb. 27-March 9, to discuss “The empowerment of rural women and their role in
eradicating poverty and hunger, development, and challenges.” The Salesian Family con-
tributed to the Commission’s work through interventions co-authored with other NGOs
and through sponsorship of two side events. The discussions pointed out that women’s
contributions in societies throughout the world are significant and often serve as the cor-
nerstone for social progress. When women are included in decision-making and given
access to education, funding, and opportunities, growth occurs in every dimension of a
community’s life. — ANS
SX
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GC27 2014 ANS
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22 Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012
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InterAmerica Cooperators
Hold Regional Meeting
The Second Regional Meet-
ing of the Salesian Cooperators
of InterAmerica took place in
San José, Costa Rica, March 2-
4, with 64 people taking part
from Mexico, the United
States, Canada, Haiti, the Do-
minican Republic, Puerto Rico,
and Central America.
The meeting’s theme was “Strengthening our fidelity to Don Bosco, as we
move toward the bicentennial” of his birth. Each national group gave a presenta-
tion of the work undertaken, the challenges met with, and what they are plan-
ning to do to celebrate the bicentennial of Don Bosco’s birth. They considered
the spiritual life, fidelity to the Salesian charism, and the need to learn more
about Don Bosco’s life.
— ANS
The Salesian Youth Movement and Me
When Fr. Michael Pace of St. Benedict’s Parish in Toronto told me I was part
of something called the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM), I thought it was a fancy
term he’d made up for young people like me who were involved in Salesian ac-
tivities. In fact, the SYM was something bigger than I could imagine.
I don’t come from a Salesian parish or school. Like many Catholic youths in
Toronto, I was introduced to the Salesians on a leadership retreat in high school.
Something about the Salesians stuck with me; I returned as a leader the following
year and stayed involved with the parish. In the summer after I finished high
school Fr. Mike first mentioned the SYM. That sounded impressive, but if there
was a movement, where was it?
That summer, I found part of it in New York when I took part in Gospel Roads
(GR). The young people on GR expressed a vigorous Christian faith through their
Salesian spirit. I hadn’t seen that back home. The same applied to my GR II expe-
rience the following summer.
But the SYM seemed to exist only south of the border—until this spring,
when Fr. Mike told some of us we were “pioneers”—involved with St. Benedict’s
A
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and slowly bringing the SYM to life in Canada. This summer Toronto will host the
first Canadian GR program.
It’s hard for me to think of myself as a youth minister—mostly because I still
think of myself as a youth—but I’ve been working hard as an adult leader to pre-
pare for GR Toronto and to understand what it means to minister to youth. New
insights I’ve picked up at conferences feel natural because I’m already involved
with the Salesian community, who, guided by Don Bosco, show a special love
for young people.
That charism keeps me close to the Salesians, with whom I always feel at
home. Evangelizing through youth ministry, music ministry, and service—all of
which have been central to my Salesian experience—are the best ways I know to
live out my faith.
— Luc Rinaldi
Who Are Don Bosco’s Past Pupils?
The World Confederation of the Past Pupils of
Don Bosco recently celebrated its centennial. Their
rules say, “Past pupils are those who, by attending
an oratory, school, or any other Salesian work,
have received a preparation for life according to
the principles of Don Bosco’s Preventive System.”
Their number is beyond counting. Most are ordi-
nary people whose lives exemplify Don Bosco’s
slogan “good Christian and honest citizen.”
The association
began with a celebra-
tion of Don Bosco’s
name day in 1870. In 1884 more than 300 of his past pupils set up a formal
structure, committing themselves to preserving the education they had received,
continuing to work for needy youngsters, and cultivating friendship among them-
selves. The first rules were drawn up in 1911 at the first international congress.
Sa
le
si
an
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rc
hi
ve
s
A
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Don Bosco with some of
his earliest pupils at the
Oratory in Turin, and
Italian Salesian students
on a recent field trip to
Valdocco
Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 5/10/12 11:04 PM Page 23
,
g
,
The association has over 83,000 members and a long tradition of continental
and world-wide events. On April 26 the most recent international congress of
past pupils convened at the Salesian motherhouse in Valdocco, drawing about
280 participants from 22 nations. The congress included inspiring talks, visits to
Don Bosco’s native places and sites in Turin, and sacramental celebrations. The
Rector Major’s address stressed the past pupils’ commitment to both Church and
society. “Real past pupils are those who have succeeded in being the honest citi-
zens and good Christians Don Bosco wanted,” Fr. Chavez said. “You’re responsi-
ble for bringing Christian and Salesian educational values into society.”
— ANS
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Bosco Young People in Action
J.C. Montenegro, Salesian
Volunteers, SDB Western
Province; Megan Fraino,
Salesian Domestic
Volunteers, SDB Eastern
Province; Hae-Jin Lim and
Sr. Jeannine Landry, FMA,
VIDES Canada; Sr. Denise
Sickinger, FMA, VIDES+East
USA; Adam Rudin,
Salesian Lay Missioners,
New Rochelle; and
Sr. Mary Gloria Mar,
FMA, VIDES+USA
The directors of the six Salesian lay volunteer programs in North Amer-
ica met at the FMA provincial house in Haledon, N.J., March 22-24, to eval-
uate, streamline, and standardize their application process and formation
programs. They want volunteers to receive similar Salesian and missionary
training and be similarly accountable.
The use of the social media, especially Facebook, to promote mission
awareness and recruitment was another key topic. One marketing strategy
adopted is collaboration on a banner and polo shirt that will display the
logos of each of the individual groups and of Bosco Young People in Action
(BYPIA).
To see some of the work that BYPIA has done, visit
http://boscoyoung.org/ or look for them on Facebook under “Bosco Young
People in Action.”
— Juan Carlos Montenegro
Josefa Magrogan
Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 5/10/12 11:04 PM Page 24
Gospel Roads III Brings Holy Week to El Salvador
On March 31, ten missionaries departed for Gospel Roads III, labeled “El Sal-
vador for Holy Week,” to evangelize, catechize, and lead prayer and liturgy in rural
villages. The program linked the 10 Americans with 20 El Salvadoran volunteers.
The 10 U.S. volunteers were youths Pedro Silva, Eric Munoz, Marisa Mas-
sery, Sarah Khanjian, Maria Romero, Jennifer Rodriguez, Jerry Rodriguez, and
three SDBs: Bro. Miguel Suarez, Bro. Michael Eguino, and Fr. Stephen Ryan.
Each went to a different village, accompanied by two Salvadoran volunteers. The
Americans were separated from each another for the week but lived in commu-
nity with two partners. Each night the groups shared the experiences of the day,
prayed, journaled, and had a Salesian Good Night.
Calvario Parish in San Miguel, El Salvador, has 14 mission communities at-
tached to it—all on dirt roads miles from the city, each home to 60-200 families.
The villages have outhouses, polluted water, and lots of kids. Fr. Nelson, the pastor,
gets to visit his mission churches for one or two hours once a month, and he was
delighted that these missionaries had come to be with his people for the week. Lay
leaders in the villages do their best to catechize and preach the Word to their com-
munities. Knowing that Salesians were coming filled them with joy because they
knew the young people of the
villages would be a priority.
Although they slept on
mats or hammocks and were bit
by insects, although roosters
crowed all night long, and al-
though they all got diarrhea, it
was a fast week for the U.S. vol-
unteers. They gave daily cate-
chism lessons to the kids, visited
homes, prayed with the sick, ran
youth programs, and led the
people in prayer, especially the
Holy Thursday, Good Friday,
and Easter Vigil services—with-
out priests except for Fr. Ryan,
Ten missionaries from the New Rochelle Province for Gospel
Roads El Salvador with some of their Salvadoran missionary
partners
Salesian Y
M
O
ffice, South O
range, N
.J.
Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 25
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26 Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012
Salesian Boy Is Youth of the Year
who heard hundreds of
confessions (“They loved
going to a priest who un-
derstood about 10% of
what they said”), anointed
the sick, and celebrated
many Masses.
The missionaries expe-
rienced God’s love through
the faith of the poor.
Marissa Massery, 24,
from Pittsfield, Mass.,
served in Zapotal. She
said: “I feel most con-
nected to Jesus when I am
with the poor. In their midst it is so easy to see Christ alive in them.”
Jennifer Rodriquez, 27, from Long Island, served in El Jardin. She said:
“I couldn’t believe how involved every person in that community is—liturgical
preparation, processions, drama, music, and decorations. The motto for the
people is ‘Only the best for God.’”
Maria Romero, 23, is an aspiring teacher. She was at El Manguito and said
later, “I always liked to work with kids, but now it is confirmed for me—I know
that this is my calling.”
Eric Munoz, 24, from South Dakota, served at El Salzo and said that “through
their poverty, simplicity, joy, and love I encountered Christ.”
GR III–Holy Week in El Salvador showed the Salesian Youth Movement in ac-
tion, helping to build a missionary culture in our young people.
— Stephen Ryan, SDB
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Bro. Miguel Suarez leading a youth retreat with all of the
young people from the different villages
Dennis Ojogho, Youth of the Year of Salesian Boys & Girls Club of Los Ange-
les, was named co-winner of the Youth of the Year competition among all the Los
Angeles area Boys & Girls Clubs on March 15 after making a spectacular speech
in front of a sell-out crowd at the California Science Center. He advanced to
state-level competition for Youth of the Year. Dennis’s accomplishments have
made the entire Salesian Boys & Girls Club proud of him. He has been accepted
into Harvard University.
— Thomas Mass, SDB
Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 5/10/12 11:04 PM Page 26
Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 27
A
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, S
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On March 17 both the boys
and the girls basketball teams of
Salesian HS in Richmond, Calif.,
won their Division IV NorCal
championship games and ad-
vanced to the state champi-
onship finals in Sacramento on
March 23.
The students and the coach-
ing staffs, headed by Bill Mellis
(boys) and Steve Pezzola (girls),
put in an incredible amount of
hard work to attain their titles: long hours of practice, the administrative quagmire of
scheduling, and incessant encouraging and cajoling of players.
The boys team entered the season with high expectations and were regularly
lauded for their skill and unselfish play. The girls, though, were the league’s “Cinderella
story,” a young team that had never even made the playoffs. In a time when sport has
become a commodity and sports personalities overflow with ego, these young men and
women seem to have learned the value of working together to achieve excellence.
On March 23, Salesian’s boys (34-2) defeated Price High School (Los Angeles), 70-
56, to claim the state title. The girls (31-4), however, fell to La Jolla Country Day
School, 72-41.
— Mary Greenan, FMA
Salesian Girls & Boys Make History
Fr. Lenti’s Don Bosco Published in Spanish
On March 2 Frs. José
Antonio San Martin, Jesus
Graciliano Gonzalez, and
Juan José Bartolomé pre-
sented to the Rector Major
the final volume of Don
Bosco: historia y carisma,
a three-volume Spanish
translation of Fr. Arthur J.
Lenti’s Don Bosco: History
and Spirit. Fr. San Martin is
director of Editorial CCS
publishers in Madrid, which published the work, and Frs. Gonzalez and
Bartolomé translated it. Fr. Lenti’s study of Don Bosco’s life, times, and charisms,
seven volumes in English, has had several translations and adaptations and is an
important contribution to Salesian historical writing.
— ANS
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Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 5/10/12 11:04 PM Page 27
Training the Young in Fort Liberté
Condensed
from ANS
Hot Meals for Neediest People in Swaziland
Bosco Project: Giving Life in All Its Fullness
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On March 4, several events were celebrated
at the Salesian center in Fort Liberté, Haiti, a city
damaged in the 2010 earthquake. A new section
was opened for the school of nursing; the third
graduating class of nurses was certified; the sec-
ond-year nursing students received their nurse’s
caps; and the SDBs commemorated 75 years in
Haiti and 10 years in Fort Liberté. Archbishop
Louis Kebreau, SDB, of Cap-Haitien presided over the festivities, including Mass at-
tended by hundreds of children and teens from the Don Bosco Polytechnical Center. He
urged the young people to demonstrate God’s beauty through their lives and behavior.
He said the young are the main capital that Haiti possesses, and the best gift they can re-
ceive is an education enabling them to become “good Christians and upright citizens.”
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The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
has donated 75 tons of food for distribution to thousands
of poor children, the elderly, and the disabled in Swazi-
land in collaboration with Salesian Missions of New
Rochelle and the SDBs at Manzini. The food will be avail-
able nationwide. A ceremony on March 27 inaugurated
the program. American SDB Fr. John Thompson is in
charge of the center for homeless children in Manzini.
Fr. Vaclav Klement, general councilor for the missions, and Fr. John
Thompson with students of the Salesian school in Manzini
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The Bosco Project has been actively working for the rights of children abandoned on
Bangalore’s dangerous streets for 22 years. Run by SDBs with the help of many lay volun-
teers, it takes about 6,000 children and teens off the streets every year and offers them study,
recreation, outings, a safe refuge, and hope for the future.
Fr. George Payyamthadathil, Bosco’s director, explains: “It’s about following the Lord’s
command to leave the ninety-nine and go after the lost one. We want to give these children
dignity. Our motto is to give life in all its fullness, as spoken of in the Gospel.” According to
Fr. George, “About 50,000 children live and work on the streets of this city alone. They beg,
they rag pick, they are victims of substance abuse, they are abandoned or orphaned children,
many are runaways. It is the girl children who face the most difficult situations.”
Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 5/10/12 11:04 PM Page 28
Sierra Leone SDBs Launch Children’s Helpline A
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Don Bosco Fambul has launched the Don Bosco Child Help Line in Sierra Leone’s
capital, Freetown. The hotline operates countrywide and is staffed around the clock by
social workers, lawyers, and nurses. HIV/AIDS, child labor, rape, personal and family
problems, child trafficking, female genital mutilation, sexual abuse, school problems,
youth unemployment, legal problems, marginalization are some of the problems young
people in Sierra Leone are confronted with.
Don Bosco’s Relic Visits Congo, Mozambique
Salesians Honored for Service to Humanity
Don Bosco’s relic began its pil-
grimage among the people of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo
on March 16, continuing until April
15. It was greeted, venerated, and cel-
ebrated in many stops throughout the
vast country—almost twice the size of
Alaska—by a cardinal, bishops, civil
officials, priests, SDBs, FMAs, other
religious, parents, children, teachers,
and many others. Salesians renewed
their vows and Cooperators their
promises in the presence of the relic,
and people also demonstrated their
profound devotion to Don Bosco in various spontaneous ways.
On April 16 the reliquary moved on to Mozambique, where diocesan clergy and other
religious congregations took enthusiastic part in the pilgrimage. The relic was venerated not
only by Salesians and bishops but also by a former President and a sitting cabinet member.
Children and teens paid their respects with prayer and traditional song and dance.
Youngsters in Kinshasha, Congo, pass by
Don Bosco’s reliquary
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• Salesian Missions of Madrid received the Alma 2012 Award on March 9, along with
tenor Placido Domingo, UNICEF, athlete Oscar Pistorius, and the Spanish Emergency
Military Services. All were recognized for contributions to society—Salesian Missions for
being “present in all the dark corners of the world for over a century ... where there is
need for someone to teach, educate, and encourage the young generations.”
• On April 27 the SDBs from Don
Bosco Fambul in Freetown, Sierra
Leone, were received by President
Ernest Bai Koroma and given the
Presidential Gold Medal in recogni-
tion of their role in addressing issues
affecting disadvantaged children
(photo). Don Bosco Fambul cares for
street children. The ceremony was
broadcast live on national TV.
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Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 5/10/12 11:04 PM Page 29
Fr. Laurence
Byrne, 89, died
in Oakland,
Calif., on March
3. Fr. Byrne was
born in Dublin and ordained for the
then-Anglo-Irish Province, where he
became an expert math teacher, having
earned an advanced math degree from
the University of London.
In 1966 Fr. Byrne transferred to the
San Francisco Province. He taught
math at St. John Bosco High School in
Bellflower (1966-1974) and then at
Salesian High School in Richmond
until his retirement in 1996. He also
served as director of the summer
camps in Aptos and Middletown,
Calif., for many years, and for more
than 30 years was a “Sunday supply”
priest at St. Callistus Church in Rich-
mond—supplementing his Sunday
ministry with visits to the sick and
dying. After his retirement he contin-
ued to tutor students in math as well as
to hear confessions and generally be
present to the young.
Fr. Byrne didn’t teach math; he
taught kids. Math was not his life’s mis-
sion; the young were. Along with his
Irish wit, it was his priestly soul and his
shepherd’s love for his students and
parishioners that captured their hearts.
Fr. Laurence Byrne, SDB (1923-2012)San Francisco Province
By Timothy Ploch, SDB
30 Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012
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Sr. Rose Segarini, FMA (1927-2012)
By Catherine Altamura, FMA
Sr. Rose
Segarini, 84,
died at the FMA
Provincialate in
Haledon, N.J.,
on March 6.
She was born in
Pontevico (Brescia), Italy, entered the
FMAs in 1951, and professed first vows
in 1954. Requesting to become a mis-
sionary, she was sent to the U.S. in
1955.
She served in FMA works in North
Haledon for 19 years, Tampa for 14
years, Aptos, Calif., for 4 years, New-
ton, N.J., for 12 years, and Haledon for
8 years, dedicating herself to various
jobs—such as treasurer, cook, grounds-
keeper, plant manager, and laun-
dress—with diligence, organization, a
spirit of sacrifice, and availability.
Sr. Segarini never spoke of herself,
but was always delicately attentive to
the needs of her sisters and the young
people in her care. She had a great
love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
and for Mary Help of Christians. She
enriched the FMA Eastern Province
with her fidelity to her missionary vo-
cation, which she lived in a silent and
generous donation of herself to her sis-
ters and to the young.
H
aledon Province
RECENTLY DECEASED SALESIANS
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Sr. Christine
Hellen, 93, a
member of the
FMA Provin-
cialate commu-
nity, died on
March 27 in
Wayne, N.J. She
was born in Borkenwirthe, Germany, and
entered the FMAs in 1938, hoping to be-
come a missionary. Professed in 1941,
she served in FMA centers in Italy until
her missionary request was accepted and
she came to the U.S. in 1949.
Sr. Hellen served the young in FMA
communities in California, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, and Florida as superior, as-
sistant to the aspirants and postulants,
catechist, treasurer, and sacristan. Her
artwork adorns chapels and the cafeteria
at Mary Help of Christians Academy in
North Haledon.
Sr. Hellen displayed the qualities of a
good mother: gentleness with firmness.
She’ll be remembered as a caring and
welcoming sister. On her 65th anniver-
sary of profession, she wrote: “My soul
sings to the Lord because He has worked
marvels in my life. Every moment has
been a gift of the infinite love of God.”
Sr. Christine Hellen, FMA (1918-2012)
H
aledon Province
By Catherine Altamura, FMA
Fr. Paul Caporali, SDB (1923-2012)
By Timothy Ploch, SDB
Fr. Paul
Caporali, 88, a
member of the
community of
St. Joseph’s Re-
newal Center in
Rosemead, died
on March 6 in
Arcadia, Calif.
He frequented the Salesian oratory in
his native Terni, Italy, and became a
metallurgist. During World War II his
fiancée, mother, and other relatives
were killed in a bombing raid. Paul de-
cided to stay with Don Bosco and be-
come a priest. Professed in 1945, he
volunteered for the missions and was
sent to California. He was ordained in
Fresno in 1954.
“I understand,” he wrote, “how my
having been engaged to marry might
be useful in helping young people with
their relationships and problems. But
why did I have to spend four years in
college studying metallurgy if I was to
become a priest?” He found his answer
when he helped found Don Bosco
Tech in Rosemead and taught metal-
lurgy for 27 years. At various times he
was also dean of technology and de-
velopment director.
Fr. Caporali also served at St.
Joseph’s Renewal Center for 19 years
and at St. Dominic Savio Parish in Bell-
flower for 12 years. He ardently pro-
moted devotion to the Blessed Mother.
Young people loved him for his jokes,
magic tricks, and winning smile.
San Francisco Province
Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 5/10/12 11:04 PM Page 31
Salesian Theme (Strenna) for 2012
Sa
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Share the blessings of the Lord with His poor.
When you give to the Salesians, you help
poor youngsters and others in need with a
Catholic education, a trade, and social
programs, and you support seminarians.
The legal title of the
Salesians of Don Bosco is
Salesian Society, Inc.
For further details contact your
nearest Salesian school, parish,
youth center, or:
Salesian Provincial Office
148 Main Street
New Rochelle, NY 10801-0639
(914) 636-4225
www.salesians.org
Salesian Provincial Office
1100 Franklin Street
San Francisco, CA 94109-6814
(415) 441-7144
www.donboscowest.org
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3
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD:
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE
FOR HIS SHEEP
(JOHN 10.11)
LET US MAKE THE YOUNG
OUR LIFE’S MISSION
BY COMING TO KNOW AND IMITATE DON BOSCO
2012 Strenna of the Rector Major Fr. Pascual Chavez
PAINTED BY MANUEL MONTES, DB PAST PUPIL
SAN JOSÉ DEL VALLE (SPAIN)
Salesian Bulletin Late Spring 2012 5/10/12 11:04 PM Page 32
