March Madness: Vocation Style

The Salesians at the Don Bosco Residence had its own version of March Madness with a young adult discernment group this past weekend.  Members of Reborn Young Christ, a Korean ministry located in Stony Point, New York came together for fun, faith, and discernment in true Salesian style from March 18^th-20^th.  The four participant- Rono Yick, Jae Kim, Peter Chang, and Woojin Chae- experienced days in the life of our formation house to get a chance to see what it means to live communal vocation. They were able to participate in Mass, in vocation formation sessions, work period, recreation, praying the rosary, community building games, a Korean noodle social, and hearing vocation stories from some of our guys in initial formation.  One of the community building games featured “Whose Line Is It Anyway,” an improvisational comedy show that originated as a British radio program and later aired in America.

 For sure, the Salesian faith-based Reborn Young Christ organization provided common ground for participants to understand a Salesian context for discerning religious life. Another take on our March Madness for a new group of discerners will take place over the Tridium with participants traveling from Champaign, IL/ Tampa, FL/ and the Westbank of New Orleans.  

Vocations Festival, Everyone!!!

In my recent travels all around to different Salesian works, I have noticed two messages resonated throughout them all. One is that when the Salesian Family comes together, we do so in amazing ways to celebrate being Salesian, honor Don Bosco, and give glory to God. The second message, which has fueled my work as the director of vocations, has been that everyone in the Salesian family values vocations and helping those who have a call from God explore and follow that journey. Fr. Gus Baek organized a Vocation Festival for the Korean community on Sunday April 26 at the Marian Shrine in Stony Point, NY.  There were about five hundred youth, youth ministers, parents, religious and clergy in attendance from parishes in the tri-state area.  The day consisted of a youth music rally, a mass, a Korean food festival in the picnic area, and vocation talks. The audience was filled with joy and excitement about being together in fellowship and supporting vocations in our world.

 

The homily drew from Pope Francis’ words on World Day of Prayer for Vocations.  A Christian vocation is meant to draw us out of ourselves so that we have a greater capacity and yearning to serve and find God’s presence revealed to us in new ways.  We gain forward movement in our vocation when we leave our egos behind and place Christ at the center.  If we live our Christian vocations as an “Exodus journey,” by leaving behind what is not needed, we can then recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd. I can’t wait to see where else my travels take me next on my own Exodus Journey!