We've Moved!

We’ve Moved!

It was long time coming, but—finally—on Saturday, January 26, the 5 Salesians who make up what is termed the Washington community relocated 6.7 miles from their residence in Silver Spring, Md., to a new one in College Park, Md.—2.3 miles closer to Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in Takoma Park, Md., where they serve as teachers, administrators, or volunteer staff.

The house in Silver Spring (317 Southwest Dr.)

A fine little ranch-style house in the Burnt Mills section of Silver Spring had been the SDBs’ rented home since mid-2013 when the province withdrew the community from Nativity Parish in Washington (hence its designation). Until June 2017 it was a 3-confrere community and the house served its needs well.

But in a reconfiguration of the province at that time, the community grew to 5 men. The 4 confreres freshly assigned that summer (after 2 others were given new assignments) were solemnly advised not to unpack except for what was essential “until November” because the community was about to move to new, larger quarters.

One of the moving vans at the garage door in Silver Spring

Part of a long unloading process at the new residence.

Which didn’t happen as quickly as anyone hoped.  At last, in March 2018 the province settled on and purchased a 1930s boarding house on U.S. 1 in College Park, about a mile south of the University of Maryland campus.  Ten months of design, debate, and renovations followed before the house was ready for occupancy at the end of January 2019.  There’s still some additional work being done.

The new house features a roomy chapel, a large dining room, and a large, modern kitchen. The original living room got some updating but is much the same as it was.  A 3d bathroom was added upstairs, leaving 7 modest bedrooms (or in the present arrangement, 6 bedrooms and an office for the confrere who works for the province)—1 for each of the 5 confreres and a guest room.

Office being unpacked--3 bookcases in, 3 to go

In the basement another bedroom was renovated for guests, the laundry was upgraded, and an existing bathroom is being renovated.  Most of the basement is being left open as future meeting space, but it also serves as a 2d TV room.

One way of measuring the difference in the morning commute to school is this:  your humble blogger regularly could say 5 decades of the Rosary along New Hampshire Ave. between Silver Spring and DBCR.  Now on Baltimore Ave. (U.S. 1) and East-West Hwy, it’s just 2 decades or maybe 2½.

The house at time of purchase, March 2018

The house was already graced last week with 3 distinguished visitors:  Fr. Dominic Tran, the province’s vocations director, Cardinal Joseph Zen (see previous post), and Fr. Joseph Ng, provincial of the SDB China Province.  Neither of our 2 guestrooms is ready yet, tho, to receive visitors.  As we did in Silver Spring, we have to put up our visitors at a nearby hotel.

After renovations, January 2019 (different angle from photo above)

Your humble blogger is happy to have an office in which to work (on the province newsletter and other communications matters, the provincial chapter, and Salesian books), after almost sitting on his bed while pecking at his computer for over 18 months in Silver Spring.