Super Bowl, Super Discernment

If you ask many people what they did this past weekend, they would say that they watched the Broncos take on the Panthers for the coveted 50^th Super Bowl Championship. However that was the only super event of the weekend if you ask some members of our Salesian family. This past weekend was not only marked by Super Bowl, it was also graced with one Super Discernment Weekend by the Office of Vocations. The vocation team led by Fr. Jim Berning, Br. Bernie Dube, and Fr. Dennis Hartigan hosted a special large contingent of high schoolers and young adult men who participated in the winter Come and See held at Don Bosco Residence from February 5-7.  The program provided the participants with fruitful Oratorian interaction with Salesian life in a variety of ways through ice-breakers, community-building games, festive meals, prayers, vocations stories, and even an engaging in-door soccer recreation at the Our Lady of the Valley Gym.  Given our overnight accommodations with the Salvatorian Fathers Monastery in Verona, NJ, the panoramic scenic overview of New York City was the “awesome” cap to the weekend as stated by the participants.

There was a diverse group of participants in attendance that brought members of the Salesian family from all over. The young men who made the journey to attend were:
Francis Vu of Allen, TX
Timothy Ripka of Salesian High School
Tommy Stika and Kevin White of Don Bosco Preparatory High School
Nikolas Filice of Toronto
Jonathan Rafael, Christopher Espinoza, Santos Rivera, Jude Eguia, and Dhivyan Grille of Don Bosco Christo Ray, Washington DC. 

The vocation team helped to foster an oratory environment that enabled the participants to feel right at home and aided them to search for the manner in which God was calling them to pursue their heart’s desire.  Nevertheless, an additional twist was added to this discernment weekend.  Tommy Stika, who made the discernment weekend earlier last October, was asked to be a young discernment team member.  The fact that Tommy shared from his own lived experience allowed the other participants to relate with a fellow journeyer on the same path of discernment.

The “take home” experience for many of the participants was a resounding sense of community.  The fraternal life from the weekend attracted the discerners to really consider Salesian life, an integral aspect of our living that is a centerpiece in General Chapter 27. As we thank God for the opportunity to facilitate the needs of these discernment participants through prayer, community, and understanding the Salesian charism, let us all commit to promoting the next discernment program scheduled for the Easter Tridium from March 24-26, 2016.  There will be an informational flyer posted soon!

Spread the Gospel like Wildfire

What’s the best way to gather thousands of college students for a faith experience during Christmas break? Get them to FOCUS on their faith!  

The Fellowship Of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) is an organization that grew out of Pope Saint John Paul II’s initiative to call for a New Evangelization particularly among young people.  FOCUS missionaries bring the joy and hope of Jesus Christ to one hundred college campuses throughout the United States.  These missionaries become evangelizers on their own campuses and help their peers to foster a personal relationship with Christ.

Br. Sal Sammarco and Fr. Jim Berning recently attended the leadership-driven FOCUS convention in Dallas, TX. From January 1-5, they were gifted with the opportunity to be in fellowship, prayer, and meeting with over 3,000 university students from all over the country. This opportunity to attend the convention was a very important one for the mission of the vocations office because since its inception in 1998, 500 FOCUS alumni have pursued religious vocations.

Curtis Martin, the founder of FOCUS, encouraged students in a keynote address to be missionaries in three ways.  First, missionaries are invited to encounter Christ by making themselves available to the light of Christ. This is a light which ultimately will lead them to eternal life.  Second, he emphasized that the way for students to experience the Mercy of God is for them to render corporal works of mercy out in the world. Martin highlighted for the crowd that we are called to be a people of service, and that it is when we serve others he love of Christ is magnified in the world.  Third, he explained that true discipleship needs to be grounded in positive relationships in order to build and sustain faith with others.  For Jesus, this happened when he invited the twelve apostles to join him.  For college missionaries, this relational faith reality occurs when just a few new students are invited to meet Christ.  This investment reveals how the power of discipleship can shape the faith of college students. 

Moreover, the FOCUS convention provided meaningful days for students to be in a faith environment while integrating missionary skills.  By intentionally witnessing their faith, FOCUS missionaries can go into the world and “spread the gospel like wildfire.” Being among the thousands of young people at the convention during a time after the first semester when others are typically resting or catching up with friends and loved ones, served as a testament that many of our young people have a strong desire to know God and grow in their relationship with Him. To see them worship together, learn together, and be joyful was a personal witness for Fr. Jim and Br. Sal that gave a positive boost to the start of the New Year!

Live Life to the Fullest: A True Joy to the World

Christmas is often thought of as a magical time of the year where the joy and anticipation at the coming of Christ is combined in great awe with the wonders of the lights and holly. Hope fills the hearts of us all as trees are adorned, love comes rushing in as plans to be with family are made, and belief in miracles surges as we are reminded of the true reason for the season. It is indeed a beautiful and magical time of the year that aims to remind of how we are called to live life to the fullest. In our own Salesian history, there are many instances that we can take great example from of the power of this wonderful season.

Fr. Eugenio Ceria, SDB captures a profound event that took place shortly before Christmas in the sixteenth volume of the Biographical Memoirs.  A woman came to the oratory with her nine year old daughter that had been paralyzed from infancy and could only speak with great difficulty.  Further, the doctors had given up hope that the little girl would ever get better.  Don Bosco had the girl placed on a sofa next to her mother, blessed the child, and then asked the girl what her name was.   She readily responded that her name was Mary, a response that surprised the mother.  Next, Don Bosco asked the girl to make the sign of the cross.  The mother went on to explain that her daughter had lost the use of her left arm, but when Don Bosco asked the girl to move it, she had mobility in the arm.  Don Bosco continued on to ask the girl if she was ready to walk.  The mother, again wary of her daughter’s abilities, explained to Don Bosco that the little girl’s legs were much too frail to move around on her own.  Don Bosco retorted “Her legs are alive,” and instructed the girl to walk. The girl got right on her feet and began walking, and with that Don Bosco said his goodbyes to the pair and sent them home. His faith and strong belief in God’s goodness was just the Christmas gift that this family needed, and it was certainly one that would impact their every days from that point on.

The sentiments of this story have a striking resemblance to the encounter between Bosco and Bart Garelli that gave birth to the Salesian apostolate.  The first thing that Don Bosco asked was the young man’s name.  When additional questions were asked, it became evident that Bart did not have the necessary skills to seek employment and Don Bosco offered to train him.  Then Bart learned how to make the sign of the cross and was asked to continue the lessons needed to make his first communion.  The turning point in the conversation occurred when Don Bosco asked Bart was he was good at.  Bart finally found his voice and said, “My friends say I’m a pretty good whistler.”  Once again, Don Bosco lovingly challenged Bart much like the young girl and her mother to have faith and see the great miracles that surround faith that is even as small as mustard seed.

The encounters with Mary and Bart express a Christmas message of God’s desire for us to live fully so that we can participate well in the kingdom at hand.  The young girl that came to the oratory was gifted with the physical mobility and speech that would enable her to live well with her family and friends.  Bart Garelli was gifted with a lived faith through religious instruction, he was trained in vocational skills, and he was given the confidence to see the possibilities of his life.  As we move into this Christmas season, let us remember all of the ways that we have been gifted in life. Whether they’ve been great big miracles or every day reminders of God’s love for us, let us never forget that the true meaning of Christmas is God’s desire to draw nearer to us, and that is indeed the best present of all! Merry Christmas and Happy, Blessed New Year!

Post Turkey Day Bowl

No this blog is not going to be a how-to on what to do with Thanksgiving left-overs.
The formation community ventured to Eagle Rock Bowling Alley in West Orange, NJ for a post Turkey-Day outing on November 27.  Given our boisterous approach to the game, many of the onlookers must have wondered how we could squeeze so much fun out of bowling.  There was one moment where I noticed the entire bowling hall stopped their games to observe the gregarious nature of our group. A bunch of consecrated men having rip, roaring fun?!?! Who would have thought?

For some of us, it was the first experience of bowling; for one who was a veteran bowler, he showed his stuff by getting four strikes in a row; for one who was in his 80’s, he showed the younger guys a thing or two; and for one athlete type among us, he showed us how to be a “switch bowler”.

During the second game someone added a shrieking call to sound off right at the moment a bowler released the ball.  Needless to say, many gutter balls ensued during the remainder of the game.

In the game of bowling, three consecutive strikes denotes a “turkey”.   In our Salesian outing, although we did not accumulate too many high scores, if fun was rated with a point system, we would have a “300” perfect game. The greatest take away from the experience was our ability to share in the joys of community life. With many schedules to attend to and the general busyness of all that we do as a community, taking the time to have a laugh and have some fun is a great reminder that we are not on this journey alone. St. John Bosco founded our Salesian community for the mission of bringing Christ to young and the poor through faith and fun; he encouraged playing and praying as avenues to grow closer to Christ. As he put it best, “My children- jump, run, and play, and make all the noise you want. But avoid sin like the plague and you will surely gain heaven.”  

Here I am, Lord in “Hoosier” Country

What comes to mind when you think of the word “Hoosiers”?  Perhaps it is the movie with Gene Hackman wherein  a small-town high school basketball team was led to a championship that seemed against all  odds, or maybe it’s a March Madness game that you watched featuring the Hoosiers of the University of Indiana, or maybe it’s the colorful way that the commentators of the Indy500 referred to the big event. Either way, the term Hoosiers has been a long standing word that seems at the core of the state of Indiana; and it recently also took on a special meaning of faith and evangelization. 

The National Catholic Youth Conference was held this past weekend in Indianapolis where 25,000 faith participants gathered for faith, fun, and fellowship.  This year’s conference was held from November 19-21 at the Indianapolis Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium which is also the home of the Indiana Colts.  The theme “Here I Am Lord-Aqui Estoy Señor” challenged young people to make themselves available as God’s agents in order to expand the kingdom of God.
 

One of the keynote speakers, Dr. Carolyn Woo, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services spoke about her lived-faith journey that brought her to leadership in the international humanitarian network.  After being raised in Hong Kong, she immigrated to the United States and attended Perdue.  At the onset, Carolyn only had one year to attend college, so she accumulated a total of forty-two credits.  Through the encouragement of a mentor, she applied for and was granted a scholarship enabling her to continue her college education.  At the core of Dr. Woo’s story of faith was her trust in God’s plan and her determination.  She shared how difficult it had been being an immigrant from a foreign culture trying to live in another culture that was far removed from her own in southeast Asia.  With the help of professors and others, she was able to be enculturated into American society.  In all these experiences that shaped her life, Dr. Woo offered us five practical ways to live for the sake of the kingdom:

 1.      Although we like to see “results” in life, we need to recognize that things will eventually work out according to God’s own plan.
2.      When the “door” of opportunity opens for us, it opens through mentors who help us find our way to God.
3.      Even if we do not feel a sense of “belonging” in a certain situation, there is still something we must learn and contribute in that situation.
4.      God is always with us and will not leave us as “orphans” (John 14:18).
5.      Always “desire” to be part of a solution even when you haven’t glimpsed the solution.

Another highlight to the experience was getting to be in the presence of Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez. Cardinal Rodriguez was ever present to all of the young people,  especially our many Salesians in attendance.  He brought a message of “mentoring” and it’s crucial importance for shaping ourselves vocationally.   Cardinal Rodregiez emphasized in his homily at the Salesian Family Mass during the convention that Fathers John Borel and Joseph Caffaso played a significant role in the pastoral development and mentoring of Don Bosco.  These skills equipped Don Bosco to meet the demands of shepherding masses of young displaced in the urban situation.

We, too, can profit by recalling those who have been instrumental in our own development.  Our very lives have been shaped by the reserves of faithful accompaniment offered to us by educational and pastoral mentors.  Coming on the heels of the bicentennial celebration, let us remember the vast reservoirs of faith that erupted in Don Bosco and have passed on to us to expand the kingdom of God for the young.