Page 3 - Salesian Bulletin 2014 [01] January-March

Courage to Dare, p.4
The Crib isn’t Child’s Play!, p.6
Don Bosco’s Devotion to Blessed Virgin, p.12
Our Time in City of Joy, p.14
Friends Make Us Grow, p.16
St Francis de Sales, Salesian Patron, p.18
RT e a p i n g t h e F r u i t s
he relic of Don Bosco came on pilgrimage to our shores last February. The DVD of the Visit is now available (see page 8). That pilgrimage was our first
step towards celebrating the 200th anniversary of Don Bosco’s birth on 16 August 1815.
As we move into 2014, we have taken another step towards that celebration, with the hope we will become more like Don Bosco – witnesses to young people of the bottomless riches of God’s love for each of us, revealed in God’s own time in the coming of his only Son, Jesus Christ. That step is the setting up by the Provincial Fr Michael Casey of a team, proposed by the last Provincial Chapter, to build a vision and strategy for Salesian Youth Ministry in Ireland for 2020.
Its work is being facilitated by Patrick Sullivan and Rose O’Connor, who helped plan the pilgrimage of Don Bosco’s relic to Ireland. Members of the team are Br Padraig McDonald, Frs Koenraad Van Gucht, Paddy Hennessy, John Campion, Eunan McDonnell, Casimir Raj, Martin McCormack.
The process so far has involved Patrick and Rose having conversations with individual Salesians. This was followed by a Vision workshop on 8 December in the Midway Maldron Hotel, Portlaoise, attended by almost 50 Salesians. It sought to take stock of our past experiences and explore new ways to be of service to young people in their present-day complex, rapidly changing and often challenging realities.
Official Bicentenary Logo
An implementation plan is to be drawn up for this April. Further steps will be taken over the coming months as we try to treasure the heritage passed on to us in Don Bosco’s life, his preventive system and his fun-loving spirituality.
16 August 2014 - 16 August 2015.
“The Mission of Don Bosco with and for young people.” The icon depicts the impact of the figure of Don Bosco and that of young people and the Salesian Family. They are the main actors in a history of Christian friendship that in now approaching two centuries.
SDB 3