St. John Bosco Today July-September 2020 by St. John Bosco Today

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

Contents St. John Bosco Today

Volume 50 I Number 1 | July-September 2020

A Magazine of Information and Religious Culture of the Salesian Family in the Philippines Message of the Rector Major �� 3 Editor’s Note �� 5 SALESIANITY 101 How St. John Bosco Handled an Epidemic ........... 6 MAIN FEATURE: THE SALESIAN BAYANIHAN We Go the Extra Mile ................................................ 8 What Goes Around Comes Around....................... 12

EDITORIAL TEAM Owner Salesian Society of St. John Bosco Printer Don Bosco Press, Inc. Publisher Don Bosco Press, Inc. Editor Fr. Bernard P. Nolasco, SDB Associate Editor Fr. Joel Camaya, SDB Copy Editor Fr. Mario Baclig, SDB Coordinators Fr. Keith Amodia, SDB (FIS) Sr. Rachel Flor, FMA & FMA Past Pupils, Sr. Sophia Akiko Oshita, SCG, Imelda Benitez-Domitita ASC, Dr. Victor B. Endriga DBAPNF, Maria Junifer Maliglig, ADMA, Evangeline Dolliente FADS Art Director Early Macabales Graphics & Design Studio DBPI-Creative Arts Section Circulation Commission on Social Communication For subscription, please contact Commission on Social Communication 3/F Don Bosco Provincial Office, Don Bosco Compound, C. Roces Ave. cor. A. Arnaiz Ave., Makati City, Philippines Tel (02) 8893-8227 loc. 114 | Telefax (02) 8892-8174 Annual subscription (4 issues) P300.00 Send your comments and suggestions to salesianbulletinphilippines@gmail.com Visit us at www.sdb.org.ph Copyright© 2020 by Don Bosco Press, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

The FMA Response to the Covid Pandemic......... 15 Witnessing to the World in this Time of Change.. 17 Because we Care: The Cooperators’ Proactive Response................................................................. 19 Ubi Caritas Et Amor, Deus Lbi Est......................... 21 The Sowers of Hope................................................ 22 Salesian Solidarity in the Heart of Every Bosconian................................................. 23 GENERAL CHAPTER NEWS Rev. Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, SDB, Re-elected Rector Major ........................................ 25 Fr. Stefano Martoglio, SDB is Rector Major’s New Vicar ................................................................ 26 Elected Members of the Salesian General Council....................................................... 27 My Valdocco G28 Experience................................. 29 GC28: A Narrative and Reflections from a Catipular ..................................................... 31 No Place like Valdocco............................................33 Journeying through the 28th General Chapter..... 35 SALESIAN FAMILY NEWS The Salesian Family News...................................... 37 The 6th Don Bosco Film Festival Winners........... 38

The grace that comes from the Lord and to which I abandon myself, your help, the help of all the Salesians in very diverse places of the world, and the love that all of us have for our young people, especially the poorest, give me the peace and courage that I need.

Dear Salesian Family and Friends, At the beginning of my second term as Rector Major, I wish to share with you what I feel in my heart. First of all, I thank God, in whose loving hands we all find ourselves and in whom we all move and have our being. God has guided us right up to this moment. The “Yes” I once again pronounce stems from my trust in God and in all of you who form the great soul and the great heart of our beloved Family. My emotions are running high. I still feel overwhelmed at being a successor of St. John Bosco and the “father and center of unity” of the entire Salesian Family. I am left speechless yet again when I read in St. John Bosco’s Spiritual Testament what our father left us in writing about this: “Before leaving for eternity, I have some duties to fulfill toward you and, thus, fulfill a wish most dear to my heart. I am leaving you here on this earth, but only for a little while… Your Rector is dead, but another will be elected who will take care of you and your eternal salvation. Listen to him, obey him, and pray for him as you have done for me.” (Biographical Memoirs, XVII, p. 232) The words of our beloved father, St. John Bosco, resound in my mind and heart as both balm and fire

MESSAGE OF THE

RECTOR MAJOR

simultaneously. His figure is so great that I inevitably feel small and unworthy. Only the grace that comes from the Lord and to which I abandon myself, your help, the help of all the Salesians in very diverse places of the world, and the love that all of us have for our young people, especially the poorest, give me the peace and courage that I need. Many confreres have asked me how I feel. My answer has always been the same: very peaceful and very free. This is what I have felt the entire time, during the Chapter and during discernment. This is what I felt both before and after the elections: peaceful and free because I was not and am not looking for this task of service. I was spiritually ready to continue because I felt that the six previous years have been years of grace, albeit, not without difficulties, but ones that took away from me neither hope nor my desire for personal fidelity to the Congregation. However, I was also ready to end my service, if that had been the sentiment of the assembly gathered in the name of the Lord. It is with this peace and freedom that I hold close to my heart what has been said about the expectations concerning the Rector Major. I will try to be, as much as I can, a true man of God, with an identity deeply founded on our St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

charism and ministry, forward-thinking and farseeing, and capable of reading the reality of things with the perspective of faith and hope. It is my deep desire to continue to be, as much as I can, a man capable of fatherhood and fraternal affection, and of accompaniment and closeness to our confreres. I believe I shall put much of my energy into becoming a man capable of building unity, of involving others, of accompanying, of creating a common vision,

Finally, I turn my gaze to young people. They are for us the “sacrament” of our encounter with God. They constitute “the burning bush” to which we draw near in his name. They are the sacred place that God has given us in St. John Bosco for our sanctification and the sanctification of all.

of bringing differences together in harmony, of building communion, of teamwork, and of delegating responsibilities. Finally, I turn my gaze to young people. They are for us the “sacrament” of our encounter with God. They constitute “the burning bush” to which we draw near in his name. They are the sacred place that God has given us in St. John Bosco for our sanctification and the sanctification of all. The presence of young people at the General Chapter filled our hearts with emotion, thanks to the power of their youthful words. The young people asked us to stay with them, not to abandon them, not to leave them alone in their fate. They asked us to love them, to love them truly, because they long for us and love us. They asked us to accompany them along the journey of life. And they asked us to be men capable of telling them about the love that God has for them. They did not ask us for buildings, or more walls, or management plans, or even activities. In his message to GC XXVIII, Pope Francis said that the young people were co-founders with St. John Bosco. “That’s why they and the sound of their voices,” writes the Holy Father, “are and must be our best music. We are therefore called to permeate the lives of many abandoned, endangered, poor, rejected young people who await a gaze of hope, who await that Salesian who will be a brother, sometimes a father, and always a friend.” We cannot but be faithful if we keep children, adolescents, young people, and their families before our eyes. They expect of us a double fidelity: a fidelity to young people and a docility to the Holy Spirit. It was important for us to have held the GC XXVIII in Valdocco. The Holy Father himself spoke to us about what he called the “Valdocco choice/ choice/OPTION?” This choice/OPTION I translate into dreams that are already becoming real but must become ever more so. Like St. John Bosco I dream that the 21st-century Salesian is a man full of hope and strongly passionate about Jesus Christ. I dream of a Salesian Family that has the spirit of Valdocco, just as St. John Bosco established it to be, living for and with children and young people, loving them truly in the name of the Lord. I dream of a Salesian Family in which the poorest and most abandoned, the “throw-aways,” the excluded, and those who have suffered any type of abuse and violence are the priority, just as they were for St. John Bosco. If all these be so, then our Mother, the Help of Christians, will continue to do everything for this Congregation and for this Salesian Family. So, to all of you, I repeat the words of Pope Francis with great affection: “Dream “Dream and dream big. Dream and help others dream.”

Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, SDB Rector Major 4

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

Dear Readers, Two major events took place in this first half of 2020. In the Salesian world, the SDBs celebrated their 28th General Chapter. In the whole world, the COVID-19 unleashed itself as a pandemic. As this July-September issue was being prepared, the 28th General Chapter was concluded ahead of schedule because the COVID-19 pandemic was already invading not just Italy where the chapter was going on, but many more countries worldwide. Transportation was coming to a standstill with more places locked down under quarantine. On March 16, Rev. Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, SDB, the just re-elected as Rector Major, closed the chapter. Here then are some important highlights and insights that give us a glimpse of what took place in Turin during this truly memorable General Chapter. (See pages 25-36.) The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the Philippines and other countries around the world. We feature the Salesian bayanihan or solidarity among the different branches of the Salesian Family (on pages 8-24). In varied ways, they have been and still are instruments of the Divine Providence to reach the poor, the sick, the lonely, the hungry and thirsty, and the homeless. The Salesian Family took to heart what Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40) We thank the gracious Lord for the gift of newly-professed SDB and FMA (on page 39). We also congratulate all the winners of the 6th Don Bosco Film Festival (on page 38-39). With the so-called ‘new normal’ you may now avail of the regular periodicals published by Word and Life Publications not only in print but also in digital through its official website. (See back cover for details.) Finally, I invite you to welcome the incoming Editor of the St. John Bosco Today, Fr. Donnie Duchin Duya, SDB. You will get to know him more in our OctoberDecember issue. Let me thank you for all the support and appreciation you have given and continue to give to our quarterly magazine.

editor’s note

Viva Don Bosco!!! Fr. Bernard P. Nolasco, SDB Editor in Chief St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

 c s o B  h o J .  Ho S  i m e d i p E Handle A By Donal Anthony Foley he COVID-19 coronavirus is a new threat to our society, but mankind has faced even more serious ones in the past, including the Black Death in the 14th century, when between 30-60 percent of Europe’s population fell victim to the Bubonic plague. Later, in the 19th century, a cholera epidemic ravaged Europe at the same time that St. John Bosco – popularly known as “Don Bosco” – was building up his Salesian Order, which would do so much for Catholic education around the world. The cholera epidemic struck Italy hard in 1854, with a death rate of up to 60 percent. Turin, where Don Bosco’s Oratory was located, was badly affected. The saint had told his pupils in advance about the disease, but comforted them by saying that they would be safe if they followed his advice; this was to avoid sin, have recourse to prayer, and in particular, to wear a blessed Marian medal. When the cholera epidemic that Don Bosco had prophesied struck Turin in the summer and autumn of 1854, the city authorities set up “lazarettos” – temporary hospitals – to deal with the victims of the disease. But they found it almost impossible to staff them, such was the general dread of cholera.

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

On the evening of Saturday, Aug. 5, the feast of Our Lady of the Snows, Don Bosco spoke to his pupils of Our Lady’s powerful intercession in combating the disease and her advocacy as the Mother of Mercy, who alone could help them. He advised them that the best means of protection against it was a good confession and Holy Communion received worthily.

Salesianity 101 On the evening of Saturday, Aug. 5, the feast of Our Lady of the Snows, Don Bosco spoke to his pupils of Our Lady’s powerful intercession in combating the disease and her advocacy as the Mother of Mercy, who alone could help them. He advised them that the best means of protection against it was a good confession and Holy Communion received worthily. He promised that if they did that and remained in a state of grace, then not one of them would be stricken by the disease. Later on, when Don Bosco and his priests became involved in caring for the victims of the disease locally, he went even further. He spoke of the misery of the many cholera victims, and how there had been deaths because there was no one to care for them. He then asked for volunteers from among his pupils to help him in this work. As a result, over 40 of his boys volunteered to assist him. They were given basic training in nursing and put to work in very demanding conditions. They were divided up into groups and given various tasks, including helping in the lazarettos, helping victims in their homes and searching out those who had been abandoned by their relatives. Don Bosco was their model in all this, with his great devotion to the sick and dying. But even so, to their everlasting credit, the youngsters had to overcome a great repugnance in dealing with the victims of the outbreak, who would often be contorted with pain and dreadful convulsions, and foaming at the mouth. This work went on for over two months and left the boys completely drained. Finally, the worst of the cholera outbreak was over, and just as Don Bosco had promised, not one of the boys had caught the disease. The lesson for us is surely that the best antidote to the coronavirus, or similar threats to health and life, is to remain in a state of grace, pray with fervor, and in particular, to have a real devotion to the Blessed Virgin. This devotion can be expressed practically in the wearing of the Brown Scapular or a blessed medal dedicated to her, such as the Miraculous Medal, and by praying the Rosary, the prayer she emphasized so much at Fatima.

The lesson for us is surely that the best antidote to the coronavirus, or similar threats to health and life, is to remain in a state of grace, pray with fervor, and in particular, to have a real devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

Donal Anthony Foley is the author of a number of books on Marian Apparitions, and maintains a related web site at www. theotokos.org.uk. He has also written two time-travel/adventure books for young people, and the third in the series is due to be published later this year – details can be seen at: http://glastonchronicles.co.uk

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

We Go the Extra Mile By Fr. Bernard Nolasco, SDB

n March 16, 2020, the Philippine government placed the entire Luzon area in the Philippines under “enhanced community quarantine” (ECQ). It was effectively a lockdown that restricted the movement of the population as a means of “flattening the curve” of the growing pandemic, Corona-virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Additional restrictions closed non-essential shops and businesses. The Catholic Church responded proactively to this ECQ by suspending all public celebrations and activities to prevent the faithful from gathering in churches and chapels and thus lessen the spread of the virus. The Church turned to the Internet and social media. The livestreaming of the Holy Eucharist and the rosary offered the people the possibility of praying together. Unable to receive the Body of Christ in the sacrament, they received him spiritually through the Spiritual Communion prayer. Even the peak moments of Holy Week and the Easter Triduum were celebrated in this manner. The Salesians moved in solidarity with the Church and the Filipino people, and even dared to go the extra mile!

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

The Salesian parishes, schools, and individual Salesian priests went online and offered the faithful the daily celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Several Salesian communities offered the daily livestreaming of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Holy Week recollections and retreats were opened to all via the Internet by Salesians, among them, Fr. Armand Robleza, Fr. Francis Gustilo, Fr. Juvelan Samia. Fr. Stephen Placente continued his Bible Study, this time, online, via the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians. Fr. Ernie Cruz gathered video recordings of families reciting the rosary and posted them online, one family for every day. Don Bosco schools in Pampanga, Tarlac, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Paranaque, linked up with their educators and students for online learning. Inspired by St. John Bosco, who showed concern for the spiritual as well as the temporal needs of people, particularly during the 1854 cholera epidemic in Italy, the Salesians went the extra mile for the sake of countless Filipinos badly affected by the pandemic. In Legazpi, the Salesians and the young trainees staying with them in Bankerohan began their “Farm Gardening sa

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The Salesian parishes, schools, and individual Salesian priests went online and oﬀered the faithful the daily celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Community Quarantine: #Covid19 – Something to do when seemingly nothing to do.” By March 27, they were sharing the first fruits of their harvest and organizing their first outreach to families. By April 1, they were on their second outreach, tagged as #DonBoscoLegazpi #Bayanihan, with many more to come. The forecast of Fr. Ronilo Javines was right. The Bosconian Young Farmers had planted these vegetables, foreseeing the serious effects of the ECQ to needy families. In Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong, the Salesians, together with their migrant youth living in the Pinardi House, started producing face shields for the frontliners in hospitals as early as March 24. Fr. Chito Dimaranan appealed for support via Facebook. The crowdsourcing brought in acetate sheets, adhesive tape, foam, and garters, as well as cash donations from friends and past pupils here and abroad. In two days’ time, they made their first delivery of face shields to the Philippine Orthopedic Hospital, Philippine General Hospital, and Makati Medical Center. By March 28, fourteen hospitals in Metro Manila received close to 1,700 face shields, with many more requests from Tarlac, Bulacan, Navotas, Taguig, Cagayan de Oro, and even Virginia, USA. The Mandaluyong Team produced and distributed facial shields, aerosol boxes, and washable face masks. They have been reaping grateful praise in local and international mainstream media, most especially with their Philippine-made ventilator, engineered by Bosconian past pupils. Faced with more requests, they have geared themselves for an endeavor that would last a couple of months. The Salesians and alumni of DBTI Tarlac organized “Move as Juan” and invited students and friends to be one in prayer. They also raised funds to send ready-to-eat meals to front liners and poor families through #HapunanParaSaBayaniNiJuan. St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

Don Bosco Makati generated Php212, 941 through its Hope Donation Drive to help the school’s thirty-four maintenance personnel, thirteen security guards, and the migrant youth staying in the campus. PROJECTJAMBOSCONIAN of the JHS Student Council donated 291 full body PPEs, 991 face masks, 500 shoe covers, and 500 head caps to the medical workers and front liners of the Philippine General Hospital. A project that started from Bosconians singing a cover of “Heal the World,” gained additional PPEs for medical workers and front liners. The young alumni instead provided 30,000 face shields through their 3D Painting for a Cause (3DP4AC). Young Salesians in the formation houses, besides being the prayer warriors during this pandemic period, did their own bayanihan, too. In Paranaque, the Salesian brothers of the Sandor community and the students of theology of the Seminaryo ng Don Bosco took up a similar challenge, and set up their own version of the face-shield assembly line. They have been producing from five hundred to a thousand face shields every day. In Canlubang, the post-novices helped in the repacking and distribution of donated goods for poor families.

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

Solidarity inspired also the Salesians in the different parishes. On March 23, St. John Bosco Parish-Makati started distributing the Lenten Penance food baskets to poor families of Barangay Pio del Pilar. On March 26, the parish, with the help of the business sector, contributed to and assisted in the Oplan Damayan of Carita Manila, helping around 1000 families with gift certificates and food packs. On March 28, they converted the funeral chapels and Roozen Hall into comfortable rooms to welcome and assure much needed rest for the front liners of the Makati Medical Center. With an ounce of creativity, Fr. Greg Bicomong prepared thirty-five beds, and provided food and toiletries, along with free coffee and bread, with the help of the parish benefactors. Similar accommodations for front liners were also offered by the Salesians in Mandaluyong. The Oplan Damayan of the St. John Bosco Parish-Tondo facilitated the distribution of gift checks worth Php27M with the help of Caritas Manila. Private individuals who desired to remain anonymous generously shared their resources with the sole purpose of assisting those who were most vulnerable—not just the financially poor but also the front

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In the face of great need, the Salesians of Don Bosco all over Luzon, together with their lay mission partners and youth, walk in solidarity with the people. The abundance of love and solidarity enables them to walk the extra mile. Even in this Covid-19 pandemic, they are living one of the principles of St. John Bosco: “Do your ordinary duties in an extraordinary way.” liners. They shared sacks of rice, baby diapers, milk, canned goods, frozen meat, fresh vegetables, and bottled water. All these were distributed to the seventeen barangays within the parish and the nearby barangays, particularly Barangay 105 where hundreds of houses turned into ash in the April 19 fire. The St. Dominic Savio parish community in Mandaluyong, also with the help of Caritas Manila, distributed Php1M worth of gift certificates to 2,400 families in the parish. Together with their volunteers, the Salesians, also organized the Adopt A Tricycle Driver Program which provided basic goods for 650 families. Through its Care for the Elderly Program, the parish distributed multivitamins and food packs to 400 senior citizens. The parish 4 o’clock Habit took care of the young by providing merienda to 200 young people, barangay tanod, and security guards. In the San Ildefonso Parish, Makati, the young people, with the support of the Salesians, spearheaded the preparation and distribution of fresh eggs and food packs to poor families to supplement what the government agencies were giving. In Paranaque, the Salesians and parishioners of the

National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, championed the Adopt A Family Program, providing rice to poorer families as supplement to the government’s program. The online daily Bible Quiz and Vlog Challenge were also organized via its Facebook page to keep alive the spiritual health of parishioners. In the Mary, Help of Christians, Parish of Mayapa, the Salesians and youth volunteers produced face shields for the San Pablo Hospital. Through their very creative Kindness Station, they prepared and distributed food packs for the poorer families. The office of Provincial Services, under the supervision of Fr. Elu, distributed to the Salesian communities and nearby barangays goods, such eggs, bread, and cheese, donated by Mc Donald’s Philippines through the Golden Arches Development Corporation and HAVI Logistics, Inc. In the face of great need, the Salesians of Don Bosco all over Luzon, together with their lay mission partners and youth, walk in solidarity with the people. The abundance of love and solidarity enables them to walk the extra mile. Even in this Covid-19 pandemic, they are living one of the principles of St. John Bosco: “Do your ordinary duties in an extraordinary way.” St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

d n u o r A s e o G t Wha : d n u o r A s e m Co Sharing of life during the COVID-19 Pandemic By FIS Social Communications

“L

ook at how life revolves in a circle.” This was the first line in the caption of Mr. Abby Banuag for his post on social media. He was sharing photos of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) being donated to the social workers of DSWD 7. They were the very ones who had helped protect and provide a second chance to the young clients of Magone Home in Don Bosco-Liloan (Cebu). He continued: “Now, the same clients whom they have helped are the ones who are helping protect our beloved social workers, by making and giving them these face shields.” A full circle indeed: they who once came in conflict with the law and were

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

given a second chance in life are now helping the helpers in protecting people’s lives. Mr. Banuag was once an orphan welcomed into the Don Bosco Boys’ Home in Liloan. He lived and studied with the Salesians and later became a psychologist. He chose to serve in the Magone Home Aftercare Program as its psychological services supervisor. He has found his mission of coaching young boys to discover meaning in life, presently, as they help to produce PPEs for frontliners. The COVID-19 pandemic caught everyone off-guard. No Salesian house in the Philippine South Province was

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A full circle indeed: they who once came in conflict with the law and were given a second chance in life are now helping the helpers in protecting people’s lives.

prepared for it. It had no precedence. It upended the normal and overturned everything, as if putting a brake on the wheel of life. Each Salesian community had to figure out how to respond to the situation. The first, almost knee-jerk, reaction was to protect oneself and one’s community. First on the list was to stay at home, suspend public activities, and keep physical distancing. But in the heart of every Salesian was the question and the challenge to shepherd the sheep just when the sheep were herded away from the shepherds. Bosconian alumni linked up with Fr. Lan Guiao, SDB, regarding the possibility of manufacturing improvised ventilators, using existing open-source projects and readily available components and materials and parts. Once students, now engineers, they volunteered to serve. They knew that their technological background and know-how could be put to good use in the pandemic. The Salesian communities of Sto. Niño Parish in Pasil and Lourdes Parish in Punta Princesa knew the dangers that the quarantine could bring to the poor communities. Quarantined at home and prevented from working to earn their daily wage, these poorer families were at the risk of hunger and the temptation to go against the law in order to survive. The parish priests put out a plea for help. The Lourdes Parish activated their 555 Challenge, asking people to donate five kilos of rice, five tins of food, and five packs of noodles. People, some outside the parish communities, responded generously. A first batch of two thousand families were helped. More disturbing to the Salesians was the question of feeding spiritually hungry souls because of the suspension of public celebrations. How could the faithful meet God and practice their faith especially in the most sacred times of Holy Week and Easter? Since the faithful could not come to church, the Church went to reach out to them. Digital experts set up cameras, laptops, and Internet connections to live stream the celebration of the sacraments and popular devotions. In St. Louis School-Don Bosco, Dumaguete, two teachers, with previous experience in cameras during the Misa de Gallo masses in Don Bosco Lawaan, volunteered to set up and man the livestreaming of religious services. Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu, aware of the loneliness endured by COVID-19 patients, thought of how the Church, as a mother, could still hold her children’s hands in their St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

suffering. He asked that Don Bosco’s workshops produce “comfort crosses,” to be distributed to patients in the hospitals. Salesians and technical instructors in Liloan, Pasil, and Labangon volunteered to produce five hundred crosses. Friends working in the government also worked hand in hand with the Salesians. The retreat house of Lawaan accommodated the DOH-7 front-liners working in Talisay City. The barangay captains of Suba and Pasil helped the Salesians broadcast the Mass through the barangays’ public-address system. The staff of St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Victorias City, Negros Occidental, lent logistical support for the social amelioration programs in farflung barangays. Youth of the Sangguniang Kabataan, who would come to the youth center, were tipped by their professors and came to DBTC to look into the possibility of fabricating misting machines. Two machines, assembled from materials in the shops, were successfully deployed to improve sanitation in the public markets. DPWH officials also came to ask for help. They needed wooden beds for COVID-19 patients. They had the wood but did not have the equipment. Soon enough the workshops came alive with the sound of machines and the sight of DPWH personnel, Salesians, and technical instructors working together. Locked down in their religious convents because of the pandemic, the Salesians faced the prospect of losing their way of life. They had been touched, formed, and inspired by St. John Bosco and his untiring love for the poor. All around were lives that had to be saved, poor who needed help, and young who were volunteering to serve. While business establishments and agencies closed down and families stayed at home, the Salesians have creatively defeated the pandemic. By choosing to act, and to act together, among themselves and with others, they—along with many other religious groups—have stood up to the challenge of saving, transforming, and enriching lives.

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

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The FMA Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic By: Sr. Debbie Ponsaran, FMA

he Covid-19 pandemic has created a time of uncertainty, fear, hunger, illness, and death but we are also witnessing a tremendous rise in charitable acts and volunteerism in the whole world. Our faith teaches us that there is light in the darkness. We can be this light as we respond in unique ways with love and compassion and with new means of building communities of faith, hope, and love. The government put Metro Manila under lockdown on March 15, 2020 and the entire Luzon on March 17. Affected were the eleven FMA communities in Luzon out of the seventeen in the Philippines. The earliest solidarity response of the FMA was the donation of thousands of N95 face masks to the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines on March 24, in response to the emergency call to protect medical front liners. We, the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians, in the Philippines, respond to this pandemic as witnesses and bearers of the Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compassion, collaborating with our educating communities, our VIDES volunteers, our past pupils, parish church-workers, local government units, charitable organizations, and private individuals who share our passion for helping people in need. Below is a summary of the FMA Covid-19 relief operations from March to June and those that are still ongoing, made possible, thanks to our generous donors, both local and foreign (notably, CHARIS-Singapore, CaritasManila, and ACTS-Singapore). The Sisters also contribute to the funds from their Lenten savings. These are the initiatives:

Our faith teaches us that there is light in the darkness. We can be this light as we respond in unique ways with love and compassion and with new means of building communities of faith, hope, and love. St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

 Donation of 3,065 pieces of N95 face masks to the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines relief operation; hospitals in Manila, Calamba, and Cebu; and security front liners.  Production of 1,740 face masks (home-made washable cloth) in Cebu and Mindoro.  Donation of fifty reusable PPEs (personal protective equipment) for a hospital in Manila.  Donation of forty improvised face shields for a hospital in Calamba.  Distribution of 9,876 food packs containing rice and canned goods among the poor families in Pampanga, Metro-Manila, Laguna, Mindoro, Palawan, Cebu, Cavite, and Negros Occidental.  Distribution of 231 cash vouchers among the poor people in Sta. Mesa, Manila.  Distribution of 113 kilos of vegetables among the poor people in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.  Preparation and distribution of 1,620 packed meals among front liners in Calamba, Mindoro, Quezon City, Manila, and Palawan, and the poor people in Manila, Quezon City, Taguig City, and Palawan.  Cash donations to the Office of the Vice President-Relief Operation, Caritas-Manila, and the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP).  Financial assistance to the employees in the different FMA communities. There are limited ways for us to coordinate with our educating communities because of the lockdown. Mostly, we get in touch via social media. The union of spirit in strong moments of prayer is felt by the educating communities. Each Sister shares words of encouragement and assurance of prayers with their respective groups of students, friends, family members, past pupils, here and abroad, thus making them experience a deep solidarity. They acknowledge this and are grateful that they are remembered during these critical times. We strongly feel that each one’s faith is growing stronger and the sense of being family is becoming more evident. We have additional prayers for the intention of stopping the spread of Covid-19, like the daily Eucharistic adoration, the Oratio Imperata, daily prayers to Mary, Help of Christians, and other prayer initiatives from different sectors. Some communities use loud speakers for the Oratio Imperata and the praying of the Rosary so that their neighbors may join, while other communities invite people to link with their online Rosary. There are also online activities, academic and spiritual, facilitated by the Sisters, lay teachers, and youth leaders for students and young people. This crisis is bringing people closer to God and to one another. We see more clearly the essential things in life, such as faith in God and concrete love for neighbor. This crisis is also giving birth to a multitude of living saints throughout the world. We do not lose hope because we firmly believe that God is in our midst in these moments. May we grow more in our awareness of the interconnectedness of all beings. May we strengthen our commitment to the common good so that we may always be a collective prophetic voice to give comfort to God’s people.

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

Main Feature THE SALESIAN BAYANIHAN

By Volunteers of Don Bosco

“T

he consecrated person is not afraid of authentic changes that leave her upset and destabilized by the animation of the Spirit.” (cf. New wine in new wineskins, 3) There have been a lot of changes since Covid-19 entered the picture and disturbed the lives of millions. Just like the rest of the world, most of us, Don Bosco Volunteers, have been in quarantine as mandated by the government. There were many shifts in the daily routine, but we remained courageous and ever docile to the leadings of the Spirit. We have turned to modern technology to “receive Jesus” in the Eucharist and spend time in Eucharistic adoration to satisfy our inner hunger for Jesus. More than ever, we have become, as Olga Krizova, our former president general wrote, “a living tabernacle in the world.” Called to be signs of God’s presence and communion wherever we are, we have striven, still in Krizova’s words, “to be more actively and responsibly present, in keeping with each one’s ability and possibility, in the environment in which we live and work.” Many of us were locked down with our families. Those who were “working from home” had more time with the family. We did our best to be the hope-filled presence of God in those dark times and a ﬁgure of joy in our homes. We journeyed together with our families to deeper union with the Lord through closer communication, appreciation of each other’s giftedness, and common prayers together. For many of us, the shift of work from office and school to the digital space was a big and stressful challenge. We had to learn new skills and adjust to attending online meetings, classes, and conferences, and even organizing and hosting webinars. We had to master quickly the ropes of social media to remain updated and connect with others. The pandemic forced us to leave our comfort zones and utilize modern technology whether in education, health care, or business. We had to cope with tech-savvy students and the new demands in the world of work. St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

The world is changing and moving toward the “new normal.” We are grateful to God who renews our distinct call and enables us to shine as his witnesses in this time of change.

In a way, we were pressed into service as effective new evangelizers, marked by our distinct secularity that found its home in the cyberworld and enabled us to practice our professions while spreading God’s Word. Despite the pandemic, we became more conscious of and persevering in our practice of the Salesian Preventive System. The educators among us had to be more compassionate and understanding in online meetings with students, many of whom were experiencing heightened anxiety and lingering depression. We were their adult guides as they navigated through this period of uncertainty. We accompanied them, checking attendance thru Zoom, Hangout, and Google Meet, and following up the absentees through Messenger, text, email, and phone calls. Their concerns were myriad: nostalgia for friends, conflicts with family members, poor internet connection, heavy workload, difficult requirements, lack of available materials, and the anxiety that they were not learning as much as when they were in the regular classroom. We encouraged them in all these. Those among us in youth ministry organized activities for those under their care and even extended their reach to other youth-groups. These sessions proved effective in helping the young people discern the signs of the time, experience enhanced support from others, and strengthen their life of prayer. We were able to set aside a portion of what we earned to help each other and to donate to established organizations helping those in need. Although financially independent, we were challenged to humility because of the challenges of old age, sickness, lower income and benefits, and unforeseen expenses. We learned to ask for help from each other and to extend help to one another.

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

For the first time, we did our annual spiritual retreat individually and in our homes. This was a big challenge to our option of “serene reserve.” We followed the retreat schedule of prayers and reflection while continuing with our chores and tasks at home. We missed the celebration of the “communion of life” that we always looked forward to in our retreats and the intimate moments of “being quiet with the Lord.” Some succeeded in meeting online for the sharing of insights, inspirations, realizations, and challenges. Centuries before Christ, Heraclitus already wrote: “The only thing that is constant is change.” Today, we realize that God is the ultimate constant in our lives. When God becomes the center of our ever-changing lives, no matter what happens, we know that in him we have faith, hope, and love. The world is changing and moving toward the “new normal.” We are grateful to God who renews our distinct call and enables us to shine as his witnesses in this time of change.

Main Feature THE SALESIAN BAYANIHAN

Because We Care:

The Cooperatorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Proactive Response By Imelda Benitez-Dometita ASC

Though we are constrained by the lockdown, we facilitate remittances and online cash transfers to relatives, families of household help, and friends in dire need.

ecause we care, we, [Salesian Cooperators] in this move together during this Covid-19 crisis. As individual members, we reach out to the taho vendors, street sweepers, water delivery boys, street dwellers, barangay tanods, janitors, garbage collectors, pedicab drivers, and front liners whom we meet every day. We prepare food packs and hot meals for them and help them out financially. Though we are constrained by the lockdown, we facilitate remittances and online cash transfers to relatives, families of household help, and friends in dire need. Many of us are able to do work from home (WFH); what we save from our previous expenses for fare, gasoline, office meals, and coffee, we give as donations to those in need. Some of us provide personal protection equipment (PPE) and supplies of alcohol and disinfectants to front liners in checkpoints and hospitals.

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

We are united in prayer. We constantly monitor the safety and wellbeing of all our members. Because we care, we continue to give our proactive response.

As local centers, we pool our resources together to reach out to front liners as well as to the poorest of the poor and the informal settlers. In Pampanga, Laguna (Mayapa, Canlubang, Sta. Rosa), and Paranaque we purchase and pack rice and groceries, and distribute them in coordination with Salesians and NGOs. To the single message of appeal for help from a Salesian in Calauan (Laguna), forwarded by the local center of Canlubang to all the ASC centers, we immediately respond as one. We are united in prayer. We constantly monitor the safety and well-being of all our members. Because we care, we continue to give our proactive response.

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

Main Feature THE SALESIAN BAYANIHAN

Ub Caritas et t s E  Ib s u e D ,  o m A By Sr. Sophia Akiko Oshita, SCG

“W

here there is charity and love, God is there.” The poorer communities of our country were hit hard by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). So also the middle class families, because of the limitations to movement and activities and the “No work, no pay” policies of companies. While the government and several NGOs focused on the poor, families in the middle class had to fend for themselves. We at Caritas Don Bosco School are in the center of Laguna Technopark and the surrounding villages, right where the middle class live and work. When public transportation was suspended, people found it hard to purchase food because there were no markets nearby. Parallel to this was the plight of farmers whose crops could not be transported and sold and were left to waste. CDBS filled the gap for our communities in Biñan. With the help of friends, we purchased directly from farmers truckloads of rice. We helped them by buying their harvest. We helped our middle-class families too and supplied much needed food. Where there is charity and love… Our alumni took the initiative to help out their fellow alumni who served as healthcare front liners in Muntinlupa and Santa Rosa. They raised funds to provide them personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies. Solidarity is very much alive in the Salesian Family here in Laguna. In this time of the pandemic, we have even become more enterprising and courageous. Why fear? Where there is charity and love, God is there…

“Where there is charity and love, God is there.” St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

ure Main FeatNIHA N THE SALESIAN BAYA

The Sowers of Hope By Gene Hilado FADS

he FADS Mamma Margarita Center remained true to its vocation and mission as “Sowers of Hope” amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In proactive response, the FADS sponsored a Feeding Program on April 12 and April 20 for poor families of Creekside Annex 35, Barangay Don Bosco, Paranaque City. One member opted for a simple yet heartwarming act of love. Every day, she would leave some packs of mangoes under Mary’s statue in front of her house. Free for anyone to get! Some members sent in donations to support the initiatives and programs of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians. All through these months, the FADS members were one in prayer with other families and other branches of the Salesian Family. They prayed for those infected by the virus, for those who died, and for those who needed to remain safe and well. The pandemic is far from over. But even beyond the pandemic, the FADS are determined to continue their mission and programs among the poorest in their community.

The pandemic is far from over. But even beyond the pandemic, the FADS are determined to continue their mission and programs among the poorest in their community. 22

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

Main Feature THE SALESIAN BAYANIHAN

ecause of the Covid-19 community quarantine, a group of young trainees of the Don Bosco Mandaluyong TVET Center had to remain locked down inside the campus. They were the so-called “Pinardi boys,” migrant youth housed in DBTC’s Pinardi House. Remember the dilapidated building that St. John Bosco purchased from Mr. Pinardi for his ﬁrst youth center? In God’s mysterious ways, these Pinardi boys became the backbone of DBTC’s “Protect the Frontliners” program. This was DBTC’s humble response to the acute shortage of medical supplies and equipment for those at the forefront of the fight against COVD-19. Using their technical skills, the Pinardi boys started fabricating face masks and face shields, and attracted donors of aerosol boxes and PPE sets.

Salesia Solidarit i the Heart of Ever Bosconia By Chito de la Vega St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

Eventually, needy neighbors and displaced workers received goods. Health workers too from the Lourdes Hospital were provided with accommodations. The Don Bosco Mandaluyong Alumni Association, led by its president, Fletcher Von Aquino, and the Bosconian International Chamber of Commerce (BICC) also gave their full support to these endeavors. The alumni donated supplies, gave financial support, and offered their time to distribute them. More than that, the alumni blazed the trail and focused on equipment urgently needed in the fight against the pandemic. Since the highly contagious virus was attacking the respiratory system of its victims, patients needed ventilators in order to breathe. With less than 2,000 ventilators in the whole country, and each unit costing almost a million pesos, a frightening scenario loomed ahead. The challenge to the Bosconians was to fabricate low-cost, quick-to-build, ventilators. Rising to the challenge were the DBTC alumni and InnoVision Center, under Romel Pasia. In his April 2 Facebook post, Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB, wrote: “Bosconians all over the world: I am calling on you to support a team of fellow Bosconian engineers based in Manila, Cebu, Singapore, USA, and others who are right now developing a workable, doable and cheap ventilator. They can only do so if we have the funds to do a prototype. PLEASE HELP. Contact DBMAAI President Fletcher Aquino for your donations and help. We can do it. Together, let us do it!”

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

Engineers, like Marlou Madrio, an IT professional and rail practitioner in Singapore, worked round-the-clock to design the prototype. Doctors, like Dr. Jose Pepito Amores, a clinician pulmonologist, joined the team. In one of the government briefings in Malacañang, the DBTC ventilator project was given due credit by the Department of Science and Technology. Another long-term response was the fabrication of disinfection chambers for hospitals. On April 7, Fr. Chito posted: “A growing number of DBTI Makati, Victorias, Pampanga & Tarlac alumni are linking up with us. #TatakBusko.” On that same day, Fr. Chito recalled the example of St. John Bosco. “Don Bosco was at the front lines during the cholera epidemic in Turin in 1854. His sons are following his footsteps, true to their original, once-upon-a-time motto PRO DEO ET PATRIA... for God and country.” The battle to curb the onslaught of COVID-19 has been raging. Many have benefited from DBTC’s effort. Many more are still in need. Engineers from other schools, after learning of the advanced phase of DBTC’s program, have been giving their support to the ventilator project. Someone once remarked that in the darkest of nights the stars shine brightest. In this period of human history, certainly one of the darkest, the spirit of solidarity and Filipino “bayanihan” has been lighting up the sky. In the heart of every Bosconian, this is Salesian spirit of generous service, shining bright!

General Chapter News

Rev. Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB Re-elected Rector Major

ANS - Rome —The 28th General Chapter of the Salesian Congregation renewed the mandate given to the present Rector Major, Rev. Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, for the years 2020—2026. The choice was decided on the ﬁrst round of voting. Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, SDB, 59, was born on August 21, 1960 in Gozón-Luanco, Asturias, Spain. He made his ﬁrst profession on September 3, 1978, his perpetual vows on June 17, 1984 in Santiago de Compostela, and was ordained priest on July 4, 1987 in León. Originally from the León Province, he was the Youth Ministry Delegate, Rector of the school at Ourense, member of the Provincial Council, Vice Provincial, and from 2000 to 2006 Provincial of León.

He has a doctorate in Pastoral Theology and a licentiate in Philosophy and Pedagogy. He was a member of the technical commission that prepared the 26th General Chapter. In 2009, he was appointed Provincial of South Argentina; thanks to this responsibility, he was able to know and collaborate personally with the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Card. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, our present Pope Francis. On December 23, 2013, he was appointed Provincial of the new province of Mary, Help of Christians, in Spain, an oﬃce he was not able to take on because on March 25, 2014, the 27th General Chapter elected him as the tenth successor of St. John Bosco.

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

s General Chapter New

Fr. Stefano

Martoglio, SDB is Rector Major’s New Vicar

ANS, Rome —The 28th General Chapter of the Salesian Congregation elected Fr. Stefano Martoglio as the Vicar of the Rector Major for 2020—2026. He was then the Regional Councilor for the Mediterranean region. Fr. Stefano Martoglio was born in Turin, Italy, on November 30, 1965. He entered the novitiate at Monte Oliveto in Pinerolo in 1984, made his ﬁrst profession in the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians. in Turin on September 8, 1985, and his perpetual profession on September 27, 1992 in Castelnuovo Don Bosco. He was ordained a priest in Turin on June 11, 1994. He served as a member of the House Council in the community of Pinerolo and of St. Dominic Savio, Valdocco, before becoming the Rector of the Mother House of the Congregation in Valdocco in 2004. In 2008, he was appointed the Superior of the Special Circumscription of Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta. He participated in the 25th General Chapter. He was part of the pre-capitular commission for the 27th General Chapter, the chapter that elected him as the 1st councilor for the Mediterranean region.

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

General Chapter News

Elected Members of the Salesian General Council ANS, Rome, March 12, 2020 — The 28th General Chapter of the Salesian Congregation elected for the 2020—2026 term the Councilors for the departments: Formation, Youth Ministry, Social Communications, Missions, and Economy. Fr. Ivo Coelho, SDB was confirmed for a second sixyear term as Councilor for Formation. Fr. Ivo was born on October 15, 1958 in Mumbai (India). He entered the Salesian novitiate in Yercaud in 1976. He made his first vows on May 24, 1977 and the perpetual vows on the same date, seven years later in Mumbai. He was ordained a priest on December 27, 1987 in Panjim. He was the Provincial of IndiaMumbai (2002—2008) and a moderator in the 26th General Chapter. Fr. Miguel Angel García Morcuende, SDB was elected Councilor for Youth Ministry. He served in this Department from 2010 to 2017, and was involved in the sector of schools and technical-vocational training centers. Fr. Miguel was born on September 29, 1967 in Madrid (Spain). He entered the Salesian novitiate in Mohernando, and made his first profession on August 16, 1986. He took his perpetual vows in Arevalo on June 11, 1994, and was ordained a priest on April

Front Row (L-R): Interamerica Regional Councilor Fr. Hugo Orozco Sánchez, SDB, Vicar of the Rector Major Fr. Stefano Martoglio, SDB, the re-elected Rector Major Fr. Angel Artime Fernandez, SDB, Councilor for Formation Fr. Ivo Coelho, SDB, Councilor for the Missions, Fr. Alfred Maravilla, SDB Back Row (L-R): South Asia Regional Councilor Fr. Michael Biju, SDB, Councilor for Social Communication Fr. Gildásio Mendes dos Santos, SDB, Mediterranean Regional Councilor Fr. Juan Carlos Pérez Godoy, SDB, America South Cone Regional Councilor Fr. Gabriel Romero, SDB, Economer General Bro. Jean Paul Muller, SDB, Africa-Madagascar Regional Councilor, Fr. Alphonse Owoudou, SDB. Not in photo: Councilor for Youth Ministry Fr. Miguel Angel García Morcuende, SDB, East Asia Oceania Regional Councilor Fr. Jospeh Nguyen Thinh Phuoc, SDB, and Central and Northern Europe Regional Councilor Fr. Roman Jachimowicz, SDB

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

5, 1997 in Madrid. Before his period of service in Rome, he had already served in Youth Ministry in his home Province (2003—2010), then “Spain-Madrid.” Fr. Gildásio Mendes dos Santos, SDB was elected Councilor for Social Communications. He was previously the Provincial of Brazil-Campo Grande (BCG), and was just installed last February as Provincial of Brazil-Belo Horizonte (BBH). He was born on March 18, 1963 in Conceição do Barra. He entered the Salesian novitiate in São Carlos, and made his first vows on January 6, 1984. He made his perpetual profession on February 11, 1990 in Campo Grande. He was ordained two years later on December 12 in Rondonopolis. He gained his experience as Provincial Delegate for Social Communication (2004— 2005 and 2009—2015) in the BCG Province. Fr. Alfred Maravilla, SDB was elected Councilor for the Missions. He was currently the Superior of the Vice Province of Papua New Guinea-Solomon Islands (PGS). Fr, Alfred was born in Silay City, Negros Occidental (Philippines), on July 31, 1962. After completing his novitiate in Canlubang, he left as a missionary in Papua New Guinea. Here, in Gabutu, Port Moreseby, he made perpetual vows on March 24, 1988. After studying theology in Cremisan, Israel, he was ordained in his hometown on August 15, 1992. For him it was a return to a department where he had already served from 2008 to 2017, and where he had focused on the formation and accompaniment of missionaries. Bro. Jean Paul Muller, SDB was reconfirmed as Economer General. He was appointed to this office by the Rector Major, Fr. Pascual Chávez, on January 27, 2011, and later confirmed by the 27th General Chapter. Born on October 13, 1957, in Grevenmacher, Luxembourg, he entered the novitiate in Jünkerath on August 16, 1978. He made his first profession on August 15, 1979, and his perpetual profession on August 15, 1984. He participated in 23rd, 24th, and 26th General Chapters and was a member of the pre-capitular commission of the 27th. On the following day, March 13, the 28th General Chapter of the Salesian Congregation elected the seven Regional Councilors, thus completing the team supporting the Rector Major for the 2020—2026 term. For the Africa-Madagascar Region, Fr. Alphonse Owoudou, SDB was elected. He was the Superior of the Equatorial Tropical Africa Vice Province (ATE). Fr Owoudou was born in Ebolowa (Cameroon) on April 30, 1969. He did his novitiate in Lomé (Togo) in 1989, and made his perpetual vows on August 9, 1997 in Yaoundé (Cameroon). He was ordained a priest on July 11, 1999. He was the Dean of the Post-Novitiate of Lomé (2011-2015) and the Dean of the Salesian institute of Yaoundé. He obtained a doctorate in Psychology from the Salesian Pontifical University (UPS) in Rome. Elected for the America South Cone Region was Fr. Gabriel Romero, SDB until then the Provincial of North Argentina (ARN). Fr Gabriel Romero was born on September 10, 1971 in San Miguel de Tucumán

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

(Argentina). He did his novitiate in La Plata, professing as a Salesian on January 31, 1991. His perpetual profession was on October 5, 1996 and his priestly ordination in Cordoba on December 11, 1999. He was a professor of Philosophy and Educational Sciences, specializing in Youth Ministry. He also participated in the 27th General Chapter. For the South Asia Region, the Chapter elected Fr. Michael Biju, SDB until then a councilor of the Province of India-Guwahati. Fr Biju was born on May 20, 1970 in Idukki (India), did his novitiate in Shillong, made his first vows on March 20, 1988, and his perpetual vows on May 24, 1996. He was ordained a priest on July 30, 2000 in Moolamattam. He holds a Doctorate in Moral Theology and a Masters in Bioethics. From 2011 to 2017, he was the Dean of the Salesian Theological Studentate “Ratisbonne” in Jerusalem. For the East Asia Oceania Region, Fr. Joseph Nguyen Thinh Phuoc, SDB currently serving in the Missions Department, was elected. Born on November 2, 1955 in Quang Ngai (Vietnam), he completed his novitiate in Tram Hanh, and made his first profession on August 15, 1974. He professed his perpetual vows in Dalat on August 15, 1980 and was ordained a priest on September 9, 1995 in Fountain Valley (USA). He was a councilor and the Delegate for Formation in his home province. For the Central and Northern Europe Region, Fr. Roman Jachimowicz, SDB was elected. Until then, he was the Provincial of the Province of Poland-Piła (PLN). Fr Jachimowicz was born on November 13, 1967 in Gorzów Wlkp (Poland), did his novitiate in Swobnica, made his first profession on August 22, 1987, and his perpetual profession on July 31, 1993 in Rumia. He was ordained a priest on May 25,1995 in Lad. He was also the Delegate for the Past Pupils for the “St. Adalbert” Province of Poland. He is fluent also in German and Russian. For the Inter-America Region, the elected Councilor was Fr. Hugo Orozco Sánchez, SDB who until then was the Provincial of Mexico-Guadalajara. Born on June 30, 1968, in San Luis de Potosí (Mexico), he completed his novitiate in Chula-Vista, and made his first vows on August 16, 1989 and his perpetual profession on September 10, 1995 in Tlaquepaque. He was ordained in San Pedro de Tlaquepaque on March 15, 1997. He had served previously as Delegate for Youth Ministry and Formation for the MEG Province. For the Mediterranean Region, Fr. Juan Carlos Pérez Godoy, SDB outgoing Superior of the Salesian Province of Spain-St James Major (SSM) was chosen Councilor, to replace Fr. Stefano Martoglio, elected Vicar of the Rector Major. Fr Pérez Godoy was born on November 5, 1959 in Burguillos. He made his first profession on September 8, 1978, and his perpetual profession on August 15, 1984. He was ordained a priest on June 5, 1987. Previously, he served the Province of Seville as Delegate of Youth Ministry, Vicar, and Provincial. He has a Diploma in Magisterium and Catechetics and in Youth Ministry.

General Chapter News A strong feeling of nostalgia came over me when I set foot in the “Casa Madre” or motherhouse of the Salesian Congregation in Valdocco, Turin, Italy. I remembered my first visit during the 2011 pilgrimage of my novitiate batch. I recalled the second in 2018 during the mid-term session of Provincials with the Rector Major. This was my third, and I was there for the 28th General Chapter. My earlier visits were truly inspiring. We visited the Pinardi shed where all the Salesian work began. We had the solemn experience of walking through the rooms of St. John Bosco. This time, there were other renovations being rushed and more places to be made accessible. The idea to celebrate the 28th General Chapter with the Rector Major in Valdocco was truly inspired. Our Rector Major wanted all of us, chapter participants, to go back to the original place where St. John Bosco lived and initiated the work God entrusted to him. His was a clarion call to renew the spirit of our origins right in the very place where our founder had his first encounters with the young of his time. True enough, in such an ambiance, he was able to place us in the right disposition. He was able to lead us into prayer for the grace of discernment and renewal and for the gifts of docility, fidelity, and hope. The 28th General Chapter began with the Holy Eucharist in the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians, on Sunday, February 16, 2020. Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, Rector Major, welcomed us, and recalled the last time the General Chapter was celebrated in Valdocco sixty-two years ago. Our minds and hearts were filled and inspired with these historical and deeply meaningful symbols. We began the serious work of the Chapter and were divided into four commissions. The working paper and the juridical discussions were also entrusted to us. Our working document was the synthesis of the documents submitted by the Provincial Chapters under the three topics: 1. Priority of the Salesian Mission Among Today’s Youth 2. Profile of the Salesian Today 3. Together with Lay People in the Mission and in Formation We worked on this document, following the three-step process: Recognizing, Interpreting, Choosing. It was a beautiful experience of being together. We truly felt what Pope Francis meant in 2015 when he gave a renewed meaning to the “synodal Church.” “A synodal church is a listening church, aware that listening is more than hearing. It is a reciprocal listening in which each one has something to learn.” This was the 28th General Chapter: sharing of wisdom and experiences of the capitulars, probing into the realities of our ministry for the youth who are immersed in different social, psychological, economic, and political realities, particularly the marginalized, the abandoned, and those at risk. We gathered in the Teatro Grande for the plenary sessions, two hundred twenty-two delegates and twenty observers representing eighty-nine provinces and vice-provinces. We celebrated our Eucharist together in the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians, and took our meals in the large hall underneath it. Though many of us were billeted in hotels around the venue, we were together for the Chapter process. A synodal experience indeed! One important paradigm we came to recognize was the removing of our sandals before the holy ground of every young person. We learned to consider the hearts of the

MY VALDOCCO

GC28

EXPERIENCE

By Fr. Godofredo Atienza, SDB St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

young as a sacred place of encounter with God. We saw them, besieged by many complex social, cultural, and religious forces, and flooded by the distractions of technology and the confusing messages of social media. They were with us from March 2 to 6: fifteen young people from the Philippines, Syria, USA, India, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Uruguay, Vietnam, Chad, France and Chile. They were in our plenary and commission discussions, shared their ideas, and crafted a letter to us, the delegates. As Salesian youth ministers, we accepted the demanding challenge of listening deeply to the young, in hearts throbbing with their vulnerabilities and dreams. We were donned in the charism of Don Bosco, reliving the spirituality of the Preventive System that was ablaze in the early years of the Valdocco Oratory. Thus, we resolved to engage the young more meaningfully in the fields of education and evangelization by making them protagonists of their life and shaping them for responsible involvement in the mission of St. John Bosco and in society. We were challenged to provide them contextualized opportunities, safe and healthy environments for study, professional training, and integration into the world of work. Other areas required our renewed resolve. We humbly addressed the attitude of clericalism and the superficial living out of our consecration. We faced the recurring lament over our diminishing visibility among the young, within our educativepastoral communities, and in the Salesian Family. We confronted our irregularities in spiritual life and ministry, our waning fervor in our personal and communal formation, and our inconsistent witnessing to an honest, accountable, and transparent lifestyle. We considered more seriously these affirmations: every Salesian Community is a formation house; every confrere is a formator; every mission is a formation setting. These paved the

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

way to a sincere effort to correct all forms of superiority, individualism, and superficiality. Again, the importance of leadership in our communities came to light. Together we went through our principles. That the Rector takes to heart his primary role of leadership, animation, and governance. That his task is to bring about and sustain real and lasting renewal in the life, formation, and mission of the Salesians and their lay mission partners. That as Rector he inspires his confreres, the Salesian family, and the educative-pastoral community by his example. We also reflected on our Salesian life as a calling to a “sequela Christi,” (being like Christ) and “imitatio Christi” (doing like Christ). We had been expressing this through prayer and the sacraments, the Word of God, and devotion to our Blessed Mother. We saw in this theological foundation the antidote to address superficiality in our living of the Salesian consecrated identity. More discussions led to more realities calling for immediate attention and resolutions. We focused on the missionary character of our Salesian identity; this urged us to be more present among the young primarily as spiritual guides, and to be guided ourselves by a spiritual director. We also saw the need of reenvisioning our Salesian ongoing formation, not only as a continuing personal and community process, but as process to be done, in special cases, together with our lay collaborators in the ministry. We were carried by a strong impetus in our youth ministry as SDBs and with the Salesian Family: to be more active in the formation of families and turn “the ministered” to ministers of families. Toward the end of February 2020, COVID-19 escalated in Italy and brought us news of increasing numbers of persons testing positive and dying. On March 5, the Rector Major informed us of the government directive to limit the movement of people. Pope Francis had been scheduled to be with us on March 7. He was advised to cancel his trip and take a rest. In a call to the Rector Major, which was broadcast in the meeting hall, the Holy Father promised to send a written message to the General Chapter. The words of Pope Francis became the focus for even deeper thought and reflection. He provided us with a renewed vision for our Salesian ministry among the young of today. He encouraged us to let the charism of St. John Bosco guide and revitalize us and the Salesian Family toward greater faithfulness and creativity. He urged us to keep alive and share St. John Bosco’s dream and vision, and continue bringing hope, optimism, and joy to the young, especially the poor. Ultimately, the difficult decision was taken to anticipate the election of the Major Superiors and shorten the General Chapter. On March 14, Fr. Angel Fernandez, re-elected as Rector Major, presided over the concluding Eucharist in the Basilica of Mary, Help Christians. We were all there in humble and grateful prayer, the newly-elected Major Superiors and the members of the 28th General Chapter. The journey home took on different paths for the capitulars. Bro. Ed Villordon and I arrived in Cebu on March 18, and went immediately into quarantine in Don Bosco Lawaan. The fourteen days of isolation became an extension of my reflection on my Valdocco experience. The GC 28 challenge of renewal fused with the longing for the normal day-to-day routine and the prayer for safety and healing in front of COVID-19. The Risen Christ never shone as brightly as in those post-Chapter moments.

General Chapter News

GC28: A NARRATIVE AND REFLECTIONS FROM A CAPITULAR By Fr. Joel Camaya, SDB Introduction: The General Chapter (GC)

“I want it to be as solemn as possible. It will give our Congregation a new look… It will be a giant step! How good it makes us feel that we are forging ahead year after year.” Thus did St. John Bosco introduce the First General Chapter of the Salesians in April of 1877. It was held in Lanzo, in the province of Turin, in September of that year. The Salesian Congregation, whose constitutions were approved definitively by the Holy See in 1873, would, from then on, hold a general chapter every three years and from 1904 hence, every six years. There have been twenty-eight general chapters through 143 years, spanning the terms of eleven Rectors Major from St. John Bosco to Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime. The latest Chapter, the 28th, from February 16 to March 14, 2020. In St. John Bosco’s words, the general chapter is the Salesian Congregation’s way of “forging ahead year after year,” or, in our modern parlance, of “being relevant in the ever-changing times.” The Constitutions of the Salesians of Don Bosco describe the general chapter as “the principal sign of the Congregation’s unity in diversity… the fraternal meeting in which Salesians carry out a communal reflection to keep themselves faithful to the Gospel and to their Founder’s charism, and sensitive to the needs of time and place.” Among its main functions is to lay down the laws of the Salesian Society, to treat of matters of greater importance, and to elect the Rector Major (the superior general of the Salesians) and the members of the general council. The general chapter is thus the most important gathering of Salesians from all over the world. As Rector Major, Fr. Angel Fernandez welcomed the Salesians to GC 28 and described it as grace-filled days, not as a business or international organization making strategic plans for profitability, but rather, as the Society of St. Francis

de Sales. The Salesians of Don Bosco celebrate the General Chapter, looking with faith at the present times and planning for the future with fidelity.

The 28th General Chapter (GC28)

The theme of GC28 was a question: “What kind of Salesians for the youth of today?” It was, according to the Rector Major’s letter convoking the chapter, a result of an extensive and profound reflection that considered the path that the Church has taken most recently, especially with the celebration of the two Synods of Bishops on the family (2016, 2017), and that on the “young people, the faith, and vocational discernment” (2018). From the theme emerged three realities: 1. The priority of the Salesian mission among today’s youth; 2. The profile of the Salesian for today’s youth; 3. Together with lay people in the mission and in formation. These became the three talking points for the whole Congregation. GC28 began even before the capitulars gathered in Valdocco in February. The convocation in May 2018 signaled the start of reflection on the GC28 theme in the local Salesian communities of the different Salesian provinces around the world. There was discussion and sharing among the members of the communities. The ideas that emerged were collated and discussed further in the provincial chapters. Proceedings of the chapters were then forwarded to the GC28 secretariat in Rome. There, the pre-chapter commission prepared the “working paper” that was indeed worked on in the general chapter. Rehashed and polished, it was approved as the final document to set the direction of the Congregation for the following six years.

The Persons in the Chapter

The 1st General Chapter of the Salesians was made up of twenty-three members, including St. John Bosco. The St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

28th General Chapter was ten times bigger. Gathered in Valdocco were 234 chapter members, or “capitulars,” from Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas. Sixty-six nationalities and 134 countries! From the twelve Salesian provinces of the East AsiaOceania Region (EAO), one of the seven regions, were twenty-four chapter members. There were seven Filipinos: four from the Philippines (Fr. Gerardo Martin, Fr. Joel Camaya, Fr. Godofredo Atienza, Bro. Edward Villordon); one from Indonesia (Fr. Andrew Wong); one from Papua New

Guinea (Fr. Alfred Maravilla); and one from Cambodia (Fr. Roel Soto).

A Return to Valdocco

In 1958, the 18th General Chapter was held in Turin. The following chapters (GC19 to GC27) were held in Rome. GC28 was a historic return to Valdocco, Turin, to the Motherhouse of the Salesians and the place of the first Oratory of St. John Bosco. It was “coming home” to what the vast Salesian Family and Movement consider home.

Highlights of the 28th General Chapter Presentation of the Report of the Rector Major

In first days of the chapter, the Rector Major and his council presented the state of the Congregation and of the different sectors. The regional councilors also reported on the provinces within their region. The Rector Major concluded with the global vision for the Congregation and words of hope: “Day after day, we must begin our journey, not so much with optimism as with hope, a hope that has its roots, yes, in faith and in the presence of the Spirit.”

Days of Spirituality and Ash Wednesday Recollection

Wednesday to Friday in the first week were “days of spirituality.” The chapter members reflected on the three aspects of the theme through talks, personal silence, and Eucharistic celebrations. Ash Wednesday, in the second week, was reserved as recollection day. The Rector Major Emeritus, Fr. Pascual Chavez, shared his reflection on St. John Bosco’s “Letter from Rome.”

Solemn Inauguration and Election of Salesians for Special Tasks at GC 28

GC28 was solemnly inaugurated on the first Saturday. Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, presided over the Eucharist, together with several cardinals and bishops. The following week, the capitulars elected the moderators and secretaries of the assembly. They also chose their working commissions for the rest of the chapter. The editorial team tasked to write the final document was set up, one member from every commission. I was fortunate to be part of this editorial team.

The Work on the GC28 Theme and Juridical Topics

For two weeks, the commissions worked on the GC28 theme and certain juridical concerns. Each topic in the working papers went through the synodal process of recognizing, interpreting, and choosing, before being presented to the assembly.

Young People at the GC28

From February 29 to March 4, GC28 was graced with the presence of young people from the different provinces. Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, only fourteen were able to make it. Two came from the Philippines: Zenaida Ann Miranda and Andre Launio. They participated in the commission meetings

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

and the plenary assembly. They also worked on the contributions of the young people from the Salesian settings worldwide and crafted the message of the youth to the Salesians of the GC28.

The Election of the Rector Major and the General Council

In the final week, the assembly elected the Rector Major and the members of the General Council for the next six years. The discernment process was guided by Fr. Pier Luigi Nava, SMM, the Undersecretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. A full day of reflection and prayer preceded the actual election process.

Epilogue: An Unfinished Chapter?

The Chapter was planned to run for seven weeks but was shortened to four. The threat of COVID-19 kept growing until northern Italy turned into a critical hotspot. It was a difficult decision, but the Rector Major opted to anticipate the election process and suspend discussions on the theme and juridical concerns. On March 13, the Rector Major concluded the chapter. The following day, everyone gathered in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians for the concluding Eucharist. On Easter Sunday, April 5, the Rector Major wrote a letter to the Salesian Family with a message on GC28. He wrote about the return to Valdocco, the presence of young people in the chapter, the inability to draw up with a final document, and the missed chance of Pope Francis joining the capitulars and spending a night in Valdocco. How do we look at this chapter that was unable to draw up a final document? The Rector Major has his response. Instead of chapter documents, there will be chapter reflections to set the agenda and guide the Salesians from 2020 to 2026. He writes: “I would like to reiterate clearly that it is not a failed General Chapter we are talking about, but rather a ‘special’ Chapter for its duration, its substance, and its form…. May St. John Bosco continue to take care, in God, of his Congregation and his Salesian Family. Amen.” God indeed has his ways. If every chapter is meant to keep the Salesians relevant in ever-changing times, here is the 28th General Chapter, face-to-face with the COVID-19 pandemic and the “new normal,” inspiring the Salesians to forge ahead and move with the times.

General Chapter News

Participating in the 28th Salesian General Chapter was a “homecoming” experience for me. I was coming home to the house of my father, St. John Bosco. It had been a long while since I last set foot in Valdocco, Turin. I realized that I had seemingly gone far but by God’s design I was returning home in a process of personal renewal. A perfect resonance with the significance of choosing the venue of the 28 General Chapter: going back to Valdocco to re-discover the roots and origins of the Salesian charism and mission for the youth of today. During the long trip to Italy, while everyone was fearfully watching the spread of the Covid-19 virus, I kept looking ahead in my mind and imagination what it would be like to stay in Valdocco for almost two months. I was thinking how it would be to participate for the first time in a General Chapter. I was imagining how I would spend time in the first Salesian house where St. John Bosco lived and worked, and along the hallways where he used to walk with the Salesians and the youth of his time. These thoughts made that plane trip somehow short and pleasant. Fr. Godofredo Atienza, Provincial, and I, delegate of the FIS Province, arrived in Valdocco in the early afternoon of February 15, 2020. We were welcomed by the Salesians, offered a hearty meal, and asked to register and get further instructions. I immediately went to meet St. John Bosco right there in his tomb inside the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians. I felt refreshed and encouraged. I paid him homage and thanked him and the Blessed Mother for this singular opportunity. This then became my favorite spot. Every day, I made it a point to visit St. John Bosco in the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians. Like any son of St. John Bosco, I opened my heart and soul to him with filial sincerity. As the General Chapter progressed, these daily visits became very interesting moments for me. The first week of the Chapter were spirituality days. Through the conferences and moments of prayer, I became aware of myself as a Salesian Brother of Don Bosco. Then I made a good confession and stayed in prayer by his relic. In my succeeding daily visits, the fruits of those spirituality days and the sacrament of reconciliation continued to manifest themselves. I saw in myself the image of the prodigal son as I gradually retraced the difficult moments in my past experiences as a religious. Realizing my frailties, I felt I was so distant from “home” and lost in my weaknesses and lack of

NO PLACE LIKE

VALDOCCO

By Bro. Edward Q. Villordon, SDB

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

zeal in the Salesian religious life. I felt that I had squandered away the gifts of the true joy and peace enjoyed by a faithful son of St. John Bosco. Sensing a deeper hunger inside of me, I looked up and sought his intercession for the grace of fidelity as I renewed my commitment as a Salesian Brother. Mine was the refreshing experience of coming home to a father’s welcoming and forgiving heart. In Valdocco, I was given the opportunity of returning, not just to the place where the Salesian Congregation started, but also to the moment when I became a Salesian of Don Bosco. I continued my daily visits to the Basilica, praying for the gift of fidelity to my vocation and to the mission entrusted to me and my community. I resolved to renew my commitment at every Eucharistic celebration and reinforced this resolution when I received from the Rector Major the new Salesian cross of the Good Shepherd. Of course, the 28th General Chapter was a coming home to Valdocco and a way forward, not just for me, but above all, for the participants, both Salesian and young. The Rector Major underlined the fact that the Chapter was returning to Valdocco, the cradle of the Salesian charism, after sixtytwo years. “Welcome to Valdocco, where we were all born as Salesians…. the place of the first permanent Oratory and the birth of our Congregation.” By returning to Valdocco and determining how the Salesian Congregation would move forward in the coming years, the Rector Major and delegates paid homage to our Father and Founder in the very place where it all started. The Chapter had come to answer the question: “What

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

kind of Salesians for the young of today?” Here were the capitulars, face to face with the humble yet charismatic beginnings of the first Salesian house, reminded at every step of how Valdocco was a welcoming home for the young, a playground where friends enjoyed each other’s company, and an evangelizing community that nurtured upright citizens and good Christians. St. John Bosco, then and now, was reminding his sons to take to heart the Valdocco experience as a lasting criterion for discernment and renewal. Pope Francis joined the quest for answers and wrote a letter from Rome to the Salesians of 28th General Chapter. Much like St. John Bosco in his 1884 letter from Rome, the Holy Father shared his wisdom on how God guided the celebration of the General Chapter back to Valdocco after several decades. He clearly acknowledged that the Valdocco option was the good opportunity to reconnect with the sources of St. John Bosco’s “Da mihi animas, cetera tolle.” He proposed that it be the appropriate response to be able to configure the kind of Salesian for the youth of today and shape the mission of the Salesians for the youth in various situations. He described Valdocco as the place where the foundational “dream at nine” started to come true. He then concluded with an invitation: “Do dream… and make others dream as well.” There was no place like Valdocco, for me as I returned home to myself and rediscovered my Salesian vocation. I was truly renewed by those daily encounters with St. John Bosco, by the discernment and dialogue of the Chapter process, and the Eucharistic celebrations. But even more significantly, there was no place like Valdocco for all those who participated in the 28th General Chapter and charted out the way forward for the Salesians in the midst of the youth of today.

General Chapter News

Journeying through the 28 General Chapter th

By Andre Launio It was only in high school that I became a Bosconian after going through primary education in another Catholic school. But because of those four years, I have always been proud to say that a big part of who I am was because of Don Bosco and the spiritual and fatherly accompaniment that the Salesians gave me. After graduation from my Alma Mater, Don BoscoMandaluyong, I carried a deep desire to go to the places where St. John Bosco had lived and grown. He had touched my life so powerfully. He inspired me so much that I wanted to have a glimpse and understand why he became the Saint John Bosco we all know and love. To hear stories about him was one thing, but to be able to be physically in the places where he had been was an altogether different thing. Back then, that was wistful thinking. Today, I can only rejoice because I was able to fulfil this dream of mine, and so soon in my life. I was invited to journey through the 28th Salesian General Chapter right where it all began. All throughout this journey, I genuinely felt that Mary and St. John Bosco were with me. Forever, I shall be grateful to God for this wonderful blessing and for making me realize things that I could have learned only in the Salesian holy places. When we went to Colle Don Bosco, where Johnny Bosco was born and grew up, I came to understand the simple beginnings of this great saint. Most significant for me were their farmhouse and the bedroom where the

“dream at nine” must have occurred. St. John Bosco—the saint who never fails to make you feel that he has a personal relationship with you—did not miss this opportunity. He touched me and I turned emotional, goosebumps and all, while I was walking toward his bedroom. I felt that the Father of youth was telling me: “I dreamt of you here.” He was emphasizing the fact that young as we are, God has wonderful plans in store for us. I could imagine the loving God leaving it up to young people to answer his call. In that holy place, I prayed that amidst the complexity and chaos of today’s world, my fellow youth and I would continue the dream of Colle Don Bosco. Journeying to Chieri, the place where much of the St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

education and formation of St. John Bosco took place, my fellow youth delegates and I felt that St. John Bosco was walking with us. Each and every corner was a fruitful experience that nourished us mentally and spiritually. In Chieri, the student Johnny Bosco met a lot of people who helped him become the priest and saint whom we all love and look up to. Saint Joseph Cafasso was the most significant. He was Johnny’s townmate, also from Castelnuovo d’Asti. He convinced Johnny to enter the seminary and to take seriously both his studies and his growth in spirituality. I was struck and inspired. I could not but relate this with my present involvement in the Bosconian Thomasian Youth Movement. Many memories were awakened: my efforts to take my studies seriously, my bonding with fellow Bosconians in the university, and our common journey in the Salesian and Dominican spiritualities. I remained amazed at how God paved the way for St. John Bosco to meet persons who formed him for his mission, and at how He was also at work in my life through the wonderful people helping me in my growth. Being in Valdocco could not but make my Bosconian heart beat faster. Those were eight fruitful days in the 28th General Chapter. I was deeply aware of this rare privilege of participating in the vast assembly of Salesians from all over the world. Furthermore, I was walking the very hallways where St. John Bosco made the first steps in his mission. I made sure to take time to be alone in deep reflection and prayer. I frequently entered the St. Francis of Sales

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

Chapel, praying before the Blessed Sacrament in the place where St. John Bosco saw St. Dominic Savio in the state of ecstasy. My prayer: that, like St. Dominic Savio, the youth of today be steadfast in advocating what is true and holy in this complex world where the wrong often becomes the normal. I entered just as often the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians. I would pray at the resting place of St. John Bosco. Often, I did not utter any word. Just tears flowing down from my eyes as my heart spoke to St. John Bosco and my soul listened to him. My reflections on the life of St. John Bosco brought to light his unconditional and unwavering faith in God and devotion to our Blessed Mother. No wonder he triumphed over all the uncertainties and trials and over every road block. My journey through the 28th General Chapter and the Salesian holy places was indeed a great blessing. I cannot fail St. John Bosco, who believed fully in the potential and capabilities of young people. I cannot fail the young in today’s complex world. May I, along with all young men and women, continually strive to fulfil God’s wonderful plan day after day.

Salesian Family News

First Religious Profession

Canlubang, Laguna—First Religious Profession of Cleric Anthony Rodriguez, SDB last July 5, 2020 at the Diocesan Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians. (Cl. Anthony together with his parents and Fr. Gerry Martin, SDB, FIN Provincial Superior)

First Religious Profession

Canlubang, Laguna—Sr. Kate Joan Amores, FMA, made her First Religious Profession last May 23, 2020 at the St. Mary Mazzarello Novitiate, Canlubang, Laguna.

First Religious Profession

Talisay City, Cebu, — June 24, 2020, First Religious Profession of seven Salesians of Don Bosco of the Philippines-South Province and the Papua New Guinea/Solomon Islands Vice Province at the Don Bosco Formation Center. Front Row (L-R) Cl. Vanjo Gila, SDB, Cl. Jasper Jayno, SDB, Cl. Arjay Montecillo, SDB Back Row (L-R) Cl. Thomas Warwara, SDB, Bro. Perry Cervera, SDB, Bro. Jose Miguel Ramirez, SDB Cl. Joshua Tarere, SDB

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

THE 6TH

DON BOSCO FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the awarding ceremony for the 6th Don Bosco Film Festival, scheduled on April 18, 2020, was cancelled. The situation remained unfavorable even in June, before the official news release in this July-September issue of St. John Bosco Today. Hence, the DBFF organizers decided to let go of this year’s formal awarding. To all the finalists, nominees, winners, our big congratulations!!! We give special mention to the St. John Bosco Parish, Sta. Rosa (Laguna), for “DapitKahapon” that won all the awards in the short film category. We likewise congratulate Don Bosco Technical Institute, Tarlac City, for “Gising” that won the SalesianaBooks’ Choice Award, a special award given by the Don Bosco Press, Inc. With great honor we give the Hall of Fame Award, the first of DBFF (already on the sixth year) to Mr. Kyle Justin Dorado of Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong City. He won the Best in Film Editing three times – 2017, 2018, 2019. Kudos to him and to all those who were part of his success! We also congratulate all the finalists for their wonderful and praiseworthy entries, and all those nominated in the different categories. We thank the sponsors for their support: Ayala Malls, Don Bosco Press, Inc., Don Bosco Technical Institute – Makati City, Cabalen, David’s Salon, Enchanted Kingdom, Global Business Power, Magnolia Chicken, Mayor Menchie Abalos, Mayor Abby Binay, Philippine Airlines, San Miguel Corporation, SM Foundation, Under Armour, Word and Life Publications, and Yuujin Japanese Restaurant. Details for the 7th Don Bosco Film Festival will be announced soon. We invite you to visit, like and share the Don Bosco Film Festival Facebook page for updates. https://www.facebook.com/Don-Bosco-FilmFestival-719951711356326/

Viva Don Bosco!

SHORT FILM CATEGORY

DAPIT-KAHAPON

ST. JOHN BOSCO PARISH STA. ROSA,LAGUNA Best Short Film Poster Best in Film Editing: Peter Mendoza Best in Lights and Sound Best in Cinematography Best in Screenplay Best in Acting: Nikka Borja Best Director: Ryan Termoso Best Picture

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020

ANIMA DELLA MUSICA DON BOSCO TECHNICAL INSTITUTE MAKATI CITY Best Documentary Film

SPECIAL AWARDS HALL OF FAME AWARD

KYLE JUSTIN DORADO

Don Bosco Technical College Mandaluyong City Best in Film Editing 2017, 2018, 2019

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD YouTube - Most Number of Likes and Views

SALESIANABOOKS CHOICE AWARD

TAGPUAN

Don Bosco Technical Institute Tarlac City

St. John Bosco Parish Makati City

DOCUMENTARY FILM CATEGORY

GISING

Salesian Family News

DOCUMENTARY FILM CATEGORY

BOLUNTIR

ONE-MINUTE ADVERTISEMENT CATEGORY

DON BOSCO TECHNICAL INSTITUTE TARLAC CITY

TAWAG

KATEKESIS ON WHEELS

Best Documentary Film Poster Best Documentary Film

Best One-Minute Advertisement

Best One-Minute Advertisement Poster

SAN ILDEFONSO PARISH MAKATI CITY

LIST OF OTHER FINALISTS AND NOMINATIONS SHORT FILM CATEGORY Finalists and Nominations

ANG PAGSIBOL NG KATOTOHANAN Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong City Nominated for Best Short Film Poster DAPIT-KAHAPON St. John Bosco Parish, Sta. Rosa (Laguna) Nominated for Best in Acting: Krey Flores GISING Don Bosco Technical Institute, Tarlac City Nominated for: Best Short Film Poster Best in Editing (Angelo Basco) Best in Lights and Sound Best in Acting (Joshua Lansangan) Best in Screenplay Best Director (Jelo Villaroman) Best Picture INCOGNITO Don Bosco Academy, Mabalaca,Pampanga Nominated for: Best Short Film Poster Best in Editing (Bandon Nicolas) Best in Lights and Sound Best in Cinematography Best in Screenplay Best Director (Allen Punsalan) Best Picture LINYANG MAY HANGGANAN Don Bosco Technical Insititute, Makati City Nominated for: Best in Acting (Anton Avellana) Best in Screenplay

NO MAN CRY Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong City Nominated for: Best in Editing (Elian Idioma, Robbie Ison, Layla Lipana) Best in Lights and Sound Best in Cinematography Best Director (Kowalski 18-20) Best Picture TAGPUAN St. John Bosco Parish, Makati City Best Short Film Poster Best in Editing (Peter Manuel Zamora and Vaughn Paje Ileto) Best in Lights and Sound Best in Cinematography Best in Acting (Maki Orquita) Best in Screenplay Best Director (Aira Joanna Masaganda) Best Picture

Other Short Film Finalists BYAHE Don Bosco College, Canlubang (Laguna) EMMANUEL St. John Bosco Parish, Makati City HABILIN Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong City HUMPAK Don Bosco Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas

DOCUMENTARY FILM CATEGORY Finalists and Nominations

ANIMA DELLA MUSICA - Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati City Nominated for Best Documentary Film Poster

NO HOLDS BARRED Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong City Nominated for Best Documentary Film PAG-ASA NG BAYAN Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong City Nominated for Best Documentary Film Poster Best Documentary Film

ONE-MINUTE ADVERTISEMENTS Finalists and Nominations

IDOL Don Bosco Technical Institute, Tarlac City Nominated for Best One-Minute Advertisement Poster Best One-Minute Advertisement KATEKESIS ON WHEELS San Ildefonso Parish, Makati City Nominated for Best One-Minute Advertisement TAWAG Don Bosco Technical Institute, Tarlac City Nominated for Best One-Minute Advertisement Poster TURON Don Bosco Batulao, Nasugbu,Batangas Nominated for Best One-Minute Advertisement

Other Finalists INSPIRASYON Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong City SI JOSE Don Bosco Technical College, Mandaluyong City TSINELAS - Don Bosco Batulao, Nasugbu ,Batangas

St. John Bosco Today | July-September 2020