Salesian Lay Missioners Reunite in Program's 36th Year

Salesian Lay Missioners

Reunite in Program’s 36^th Year

by Clare Pressimone

(New Rochelle, N.Y. – September 13) – On the weekend of September 7-9, 35 women and men who have participated in the Salesian Lay Missioner program during the last 35 years gathered at the Marian Shrine and Don Bosco Retreat Center in Haverstraw, N.Y. Participants came from 13 states: Arizona, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The SLM program, established in 1983, is coordinated and sponsored by Salesian Missions USA, based in New Rochelle, N.Y. More than 800 women and men—mostly recent college graduates, but also some older volunteers and married couples, have participated.

This was the 2nd SLM alumni reunion, the first having occurred ten years ago. The 35 SLM alums who participated were commissioned in the years from 1999 up to 2017. They were missioned to Bolivia, Cambodia, the Hong Kong Province, India, South Sudan, USA, Vietnam, and Zambia.

Fr. Tom Dunne inspiring returned SLMs with his talk on Saturday afternoon.

The September 7-9 weekend included participation in the celebrations of the perpetual professions of three Salesians and the Jubilees Mass for 17 Salesians; a gathering of the Salesian Family; a talk by Fr. Tom Dunne, SDB, on the impact of SLMs around the globe; a breakout session in which the SLMs discussed how their mission experience influences their lives in the U.S; a Saturday vigil Mass celebrated by SLM alumnus Fr. Xavier Meiergerd, CFR; a dinner and a bonfire that were joined by several other members of the Salesian Family.

In his homily during Mass, Fr. Xavier reflected that “when you decide to follow Jesus, things get interesting.” The SLM alums were reminded of this as they shared their stories of mission and reminisced about what being an SLM and a member of the Salesian Family means to each of them. The importance and positive impact of the SLM program on each individual present was evident.

Many of the 35 attendees having traveled great distances, the gathering was filled with pure joy as SLMs met up with old friends, made new ones, and saw how the SLM family had grown over the years. (Some of the SLMs even brought their own families and significant others to join the fun.) Years after most had returned to the U.S., the continued commitment of the SLMs to the program which sent them to many corners of the Salesian world is a gift that would make the missionary heart of Don Bosco sing.

More information about the Salesian Lay Missioners: www.salesianlaymissioners.org

SLM alumni Fr. Xavier Meiergerd, CFR (Bolivia, 2001-2002), 

and Bro. Dan Glass, SDB (South Sudan, 2012-2013).

Clare Pessimone served as an SLM in Cambodia in 2014-2016 and now works at Salesian Missions in New Rochelle while pursuing graduate studies at Fordham University.