On Saturday, 17th of August the members of the Salesian Family based in Melbourne gathered at Salesian College, Chadstone to celebrate Don Bosco’s 204th birthday. The evening begun in a way that Don Bosco surely would approve of – with a mass celebrated by provincial Fr Will Matthews.
The back end of 2019 will see a variety of Salesian events occuring around Melbourne. A joint effort between the Salesian Family, Salesian Missions and Salesian Youth Ministry teams, all are encouraged to come to the events that suit them - the more the merrier!
On Saturday the 17th of August, to celebrate his birthday(the day before) The Salesian Family team will be hosting a dinner for all who are connected to the Salesians, in whatever capacity that may be. The event will be held at Salesian College Chadstone, begining with a mass at 5pm, followed by a three course dinner with drinks provided. Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased here. Please note that tickets sales close soon, so get in fast!
Monday the 2nd of September will see the first of the Missions Speaker Series, as Fr. Roel Soto will be speaking at the Aikenhead Wing at 7pm (it is attached to the St. John the Baptist church, 61 Queens Parade, Clifton Hill). Fr. Roel grew up and studied in his home country, the Philippines, where he experienced a desire to go beyond his homeland to assist in another part of the world. He has now been in Cambodia for over a decade and is the head of the mission in Cambodia for the Salesians of Don Bosco. His expertise, experience and enthusiasm is not to be missed! RSVP and more information here.
Fr. Roel's energy and enthusiasm are not to be missed!
Just four days later The 'Cambodia Trivia Night' will take place at the parish hall of Sts Peter and Paul, 377 Dorcas St in South Melbourne. It will be a night of games and trivia, aimed at rasing much needed funds for the Don Bosco Technical School in Phnom Penh. All money raised goes towards sponsoring the technical education of young people in Cambodia, creating opportunities for study, employment and ongoing financial stability for young people and their families - an extremely sustainable method of breaking the cycle of poverty. Tickets and meals are on sale now, however bear in mind that if you wish to have a meal on the night, it must be pre-booked in advanced. For more information, visit here or to purchase a ticket visit here
On October the 5th, a youth retreat will be held for young people aged between 17 to 25, exploiring the theme of this year's strenna, "Holliness is Happiness". It will be a free, day long retreat (meals included), taking place at the Don Bosco Retreat House in Lysterfield. Talks, discussions and activities will aim to affect particpants in mulitple ways, by inspiring, challenging and affirming them in theirr faith and sense of self as young Salesians, acknowledging the difficulties and pressures of life as a young person today and finally, come to a better understand the connection between holiness and happiness, through the experiences of others. RSVP and more information here.
The second of the Missions Speaker Series sessions will take place on Wednesday the 16th of October, from 7pm, once again in the Aikenhead wing at the St. John the Baptist church, found at 61 Queens Parade, Clifton hill. Romina Martinello, assistant director of the Cagliero project, will lead a panel discussion that will examine the ongoing world refugee crisis, and consider how refugees have been welcome in Australia. RSVP and more information here
Finally, the third Missions Speaker Series will take on Monday the 25th of Novemember, from 7pm, again, at the Aikenhead wing. This time, Fr Guillermo Basanes will be speaking, discussing his experience as a long-term missionary in Angola, as well as speaking to his role as the delegate for Salesian Misssions world wide; he will examine the global effort that the Salesians are taking in improving the living conditions of countless people. RSVP and more information here
Fr Basanes brings a wealth of experience and a trove of knowledge!
We are looking forward to seeing as many people as possible at each of these events!
Every now and then, the Provincial Council meets in a different Salesian community setting. This provides opportunity for the Councillors to gain a more personal appreciation of the house and the ministries that go on there, as well as enabling the “locals” to interact with the council on their own turf.
On Monday 17th of June. Br Joseph Vu left Don Bosco Youth Centre and Hostel for a well-earned month long holiday in his homeland of Vietnam. Although he will return for a little while when he gets back, he will be based in Clifton Hill for further studies.
Volunteers are the beating heart of the Cagliero Project. We are forever blown away by the generosity of young people, and young at heart, to give so much of their time for a volunteer experience with the Salesians in overseas communities.
