FEATURES Not of the World, But for the World

FEATURE NOT OF THE WORLD, but FOR THE WORLD

By a Volunteer of Don Bosco

My 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 ful ll 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 di erent members of the Salesian Family. It was the rst 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.

VOLONTARI CON DON BOSCO (CDB)

CDBs are secular laymen who chose to live a life of consecration to God. The name of the group was drawn from the words of Cardinal John Cagliero “Monk or no monk, I stay Con Don Bosco.” They live with their families and have their own jobs as ordinary lay men, in other words, they are fully inserted in the secular world.

But what sets them apart from the other lay persons? It is their consecration to God that makes the di erence. They profess the vows of the Evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, imbued by the Salesian charism. They keep a certain “reserve” with regard to their membership in the Institute so as they can e ectively live out their vocation and guarantee their complete engagement with the world.

As a consecrated secular layman, they live their consecration through work, in their professional lives, and in ordinary circumstances of life. As professed Salesians, they have a preferential love for the young.

I asked Fr. Bobby again how I can get to know more about the CDB and he told me that Fr. Eli is taking charge of the group and by that time, there were already four young men who were discerning this kind of vocation.

Having heard of this news, I spent time praying and discern for God’s call. Is it a sign of God to pursue my vocation as a CDB? Do I really want to live a consecrated secular life in the style of St. John Bosco? My answer is certainly “yes” because my whole life was nourished by the teachings of St. John Bosco. But to live a consecrated secular life is di erent for it is a radical choice.

Days and months of prayer and discernment were spent as I prepared myself for this decision. On the celebration of the 200th birthday of St. John Bosco, I presented a special gift to him, I nally decided to choose the CDB vocation as my gratitude to the saint whose life has been an inspiration to me.

I went to Canlubang and talked to Fr. Eli about my desire for the CDB vocation. After few months, I had the chance to join the regular meetings of the group together with the other young men who aspire to become CDBs.

I wrote my letter of application for the discernment period on the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and got the news that I was accepted on the Feast of St. Joseph the following year. It was the o cial start of my process of becoming part of the Institute.

We spent almost a year for the discernment period with our monthly formation and meeting with Fr. Eli. We got to know more about ourselves and the CDB. After the discernment period, we spent another three years for the initial formation to know more about the vocation of the CDB. It is like spending your years of formation “outside the seminary.”

Towards the end of our last year of formation, we were asked to write down our letter of application for our rst profession; I really spent the time praying for it. The news from the CDB Central Council on the approval of our application gave joy to my heart but a bit of sadness had sunk within me. COVID-19 pandemic had a ected a lot of lives. We are not sure if the rst profession will happen because of the situation. A few months after, the Central Council gave us the green light to have the profession on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We were happy then but anxious about the internal and external preparations. But more than these, is the life after the profession since we will be the rst members of the CDB in the FIN province and in the East-Asia-Oceania region. Questions like who will guide us and tell us what to do and how to’s of a CDB surface again in our minds. A message from a CDB brother during my preparation has assured me of the life I am about to take. He said, “you are actually living out your life as a CDB by being involved in the youth ministry. This time, during your profession, you are making it o cial in front of the altar of the Lord. What will make the di erence now is that you will consecrate your life to God and profess the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. You will still live a secular layman but will live in a more profound way because you are also as a consecrated Salesian.” These words had struck me and guided my way towards our profession.

On December 8, 2020 – together with a fellow CDB aspirant, we said our “yes” to consecrate our life to God. We had our rst profession of vows in the Institute of the Volunteers with Don Bosco (CDB).

Looking back on my journey in my CDB vocation, I can say that it was full of grace as I also describe the day of our profession. The Lord has prepared me for this day through the di erent events of my life. Young people and youth ministers may also share the same journey that I had. We just need to listen to our hearts. The Lord is speaking to us in the di erent youth ministry activities we are enjoying at. We just need to hear Him clearly most especially in our prayer moments in the youth activities. Maybe someday you may respond to His call to become Christ’s salt of the earth and Don Bosco’s dusty feet in the world and join us as we live our life as a Salesian consecrated secular layman: in the world, not of the world, but for the world.