Hey guys! I’m going on mission! This first blog post will be
more informative in comparison to the rest of my posts. Why? Because I want to take this opportunity
to explain who the Salesians of Don Bosco are and what the Salesian Lay
Missioner (SLM) program is having me do this next year. I feel the best way to go about doing this is
to copy my friend and fellow missioner, Taylor, and write in a
question/answer format. Ready? Here we go:
 |
| The Salesian Lay Missioners (I'm the one in the orange!) |
Wait, so what are you doing?
Good question. (Especially because the plans I’ve told some
of you have changed.) Upon discovering
the SLM program and embarking on their 3 week orientation, I was slated to go
to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Plans changed
while on orientation, and on September 16 I will be leaving for
one year to serve as a Salesian Lay Missioner in Tampa, FL instead. I will be living with the Salesians of Don Bosco
(SDB) at Mary Help of Christians Center. You can learn more about Mary Help
here: http://www.mhctampa.org/ (It's a huge facility with lots to do!) I will be working with the youth that come to
this center by teaching them about our beautiful Catholic faith as well as being
a witness of Christ’s love for them.
What exactly are you going to be doing down there?
There is plenty to do at Mary Help of Christians and I look
forward to it all! As far as I know, I will be working at the Boys and Girls
club with the youth during the week. On weekends I will help host and run retreats
at their retreat center. I will also be teaching CCD and assisting in a youth
group. I will be assigned many other roles once I get down there too. But with
all that said, all of those roles I just mentioned are subject to change.
That’s the exciting thing about missionary work!
Who is Don Bosco?
This response doesn’t do him justice but St. Don John Bosco
was canonized a Catholic Saint in 1934 by Pope Pius XI. The word “Don” isn’t
short for Donald (as cool as that would be). “Don” means "father" in Italian.
John Bosco was ordained a Catholic priest for the diocese of Turin, Italy in 1841.
Little Johnny was born on August 16,
1815 not too far from Turin, Italy. When
he was two years old his father passed away and his saintly mother, Margaret Bosco raised him. After becoming a priest in
1815, he began his ministry in Turin. Turin attracted lots of young people
because of the Industrial Revolution. He “gathered poor boys and young men that had no place to live and
little education and established a place called an oratory where
these young people could gather and call their home.” He
focused his priestly ministry on bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the
young. In 1859 Don Bosco founded the Salesians
of Don Bosco! (quote and info from Salesians.org and a Salesian booklet)
Who are the Salesians of Don Bosco?
It’s one of the many religious orders that make our Catholic faith so rich and diverse! Religious orders are Christian communities
of men or women who take life-long vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience and
commit themselves to a particular ministry or role in the Church. The Salesians
of Don Bosco are committed to the service of the young and have a special
dedication to the Eucharist, Mary and the Pope. They are named after St.
Francis De Sales, who was an inspiration to Don Bosco. In other words, they’re
a large group of consecrated brothers and priests who have given their entire
lives to serving God by ministering to the young.
What can you do for me?
Oh, I'm so glad you asked! Please pray
for me, but more so, please pray for the children, staff and Salesians that I will
be with! Also, if you’re yearning for a saintly Christian
to imitate and be inspired by, then I’d recommend watching a film or reading a
book on Don Bosco’s life. I watched a film on his life and boy, what a witness of Christ he was! His mother, Margaret Bosco, as well as Dominic Savio are great inspirations as well.
