FEATURE
NOT OF THE WORLD, but FOR THE WORLD By a Volunteer of Don Bosco
M
y simple childhood dream was to serve at the altar wearing a cassock–nothing more, nothing less. However, all these years, this simple dream has brought to a journey of life that I would never imagine. The invitation of my classmates to join the Rondalla Club of Don Bosco Youth Center in our parish paved the way for me to fulfill my dream. After a year or two, I had the chance to move to the Knights of the Altar (KOA). By that time, the name Don Bosco was new to me. My membership in two groups that I joined in the youth center was the start of my journey of knowing Don Bosco, not only as a place to gather young people but a Saint whom I can look up to.
LIVING THE SALESIAN SPIRITUALITY
Through the help of our Ates and Kuyas, our leaders in the youth groups, I got to know about Don Bosco through our catechisms, formations, and other activities in the youth center. The presence of the Salesians, the priests, and most especially the students of theology who had their apostolate in the youth center, helped me to know more about Don Bosco through their way of life. They talked to us, played games, and join our activities just like our Ates and Kuyas. I was really fascinated by how they live their lives as priests and brothers. Being an altar server at that time, I slowly got attracted to the “things of the Church,” and desired to enter the priesthood. I joined an overnight vocation talk to help me more to listen to His call. My parish priest had arranged a vocation camp for me and even paid for the registration. But I didn’t join since I was anxious back then about what would happen to me in the camp. I just felt then that I was not ready yet to enter the seminary. Years passed, and the thought of entering the seminary has been extinguished in my mind and heart. My involvement in the youth ministry work led me to know more people and had the chance to live out the spirituality of St. John Bosco which was cultivated in me from my encounters with Salesian priests and brothers, youth leaders, and youth ministers. In one of the youth gatherings in 2009, I got struck by the sharing of Fr. Bobby Roxas, SDB about the different
members of the Salesian Family. It was the first time I heard about the CDB or Volontari con Don Bosco (Volunteers with Don Bosco). However, it was only in a youth gathering in 2015 when I became serious with my discernment on my vocation. In one of the sessions, I was struck with this question, “What vocation do you think God is calling you?” But felt that God is calling me to single blessedness. The thought of being single for the rest of my life did not end there. The idea of becoming part of the CDB was revived in my heart. So, I made some research on the internet if the group is still existing. Most of my search on the internet would lead me to VDB or the Volunteers of Don Bosco, a female counterpart of the CDB. Luckily, I saw a document of the CDB on the internet and to my surprise, it was Fr. Eli Cruz, SDB – then provincial superior of the FIN province, who authored it. CDB is present in the Philippines! I read through the document and got more interested in the way of life of the CDBs. St. John Bosco Today | January-March 2021
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