FEATURE
Salesian Family Vocation Festival
goes online
T
By Asp. Ryan Paolo Tulaylay
he second Salesian Family Vocation Festival (SVFP) took place online from November 20 to 22, 2020. The event was organized by the Vocation Animators of the FMA and SDB, namely Sr. Ravena Dominguez, FMA from the Province of Saint Mary Domenica Mazzarello and Fr. Jayson David, SDB from the Province of Saint John Bosco – FIN with about 500 participants from the different groups and members of the Salesian Family in the Philippines. The first SFVF was held at the Don Bosco School in Sta. Mesa, Manila. The online SFVP became an opportune time to reach not just the young people of the FMA and SDB settings but also the others who were invited by their friends and educators to also discern about a possible vocation or calling to the Salesian Family. The theme of this year’s SFVF is “#FOREVER I’m Staying with Don Bosco” was taken from the decisive words of Don John Cagliero, when he was asked by Don Bosco to join the Salesian congregation: “Monk or no monk,
I’m staying with Don Bosco.” This little John Cagliero later on became a Salesian, the head of the first Salesian missionary expedition to Patagonia in Argentina, the first Salesian bishop, and later the first Salesian cardinal. Like John Cagliero, the members of the Salesian Family were presented as those who found real happiness in serving the Lord through youth ministry. During the three nights of the online SFVP, three to four groups of the Salesian Family were presented to the online assembly via Zoom. Each group presented a video and a short interview about their mission and their specific identity within the Salesian Family. After the presentation of the groups, the participants were divided into small groups in 59 virtual rooms for their sharing of insights about the groups presented. During the opening of the SFVP, Fr. Bobby Roxas, SDB, the SDB-FIN Provincial Delegate for the Salesian Family, gave the talk in which he presented an overview of the St. John Bosco Today | January-March 2021
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