New Rochelle Province Commissions 9 Lay Missioners

New Rochelle Province Commissions 9 Lay Missioners

Led by Fr. Dominic Tran, SDB, the Salesian New Rochelle Province commissioned 6 men and 3 women as Salesian Lay Missioners for service in 3 countries during the coming pastoral year. The commissioning took place during Evening Prayer on August 14, vigil of the solemnity of the Assumption, in the chapel of the Don Bosco Retreat Center in Haverstraw, N.Y.

During the commissioning rite, each missionary was given a mission cross, and all were prayed over and blessed. Each read a short statement of purpose and signed a document of commitment.

The 9 SLMs come from the states of Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and South Dakota and the province of Ontario. Two of the volunteers are adults who’ve had careers; the younger adults range in age from 19 to 24. Seven are college graduates.

Fr. Tran places a mission cross
over the head of Matthew Heidenreich

Four of the men will go to mission territory in Amazonian Ecuador, sanctified by the holy labors of St. Maria Troncatti, FMA (1883-1969), as well as by Fr. Thomas Brown, SDB (1939-1995), an American medical missionary. Brendan Moorehouse, Matthew Heidenreich, Richard Lytle, and Keaton McCollum will be the first SLMs missioned to that part of the Salesian world. The Ecuador Province has been sending its mission volunteers there for years.

Two women, Noelle Chmelik and Veronica D’Andrea, will serve at Hogar Sagrado Corazon, a girls orphanage in Montero, Bolivia. Dozens of SLMs have ministered there over the years, but none since 2020.

Veronica D'Andrea reads
her mission statement

Craig Duff and Ephraim Black are going to the Salesian school and mission center in Okinawa, Bolivia, another work served by a lot of SLMs, but not recently.

Joanne Maher will serve at the provincialate of the Salesian Sisters in San Antonio, Texas.

Brendan Moorehouse signs
his commitment document

Under the direction of program director Adam Rudin, the 9 SLMs went thru 3 weeks of orientation in Port Chester, New Rochelle, and Haverstraw, including mission inculturation, introduction to Don Bosco and the Salesian charism, safeguarding, service projects, a retreat, and a hike in Harriman State Park. Mr. Rudin was assisted by 3 SLM veterans, Fr. Craig Spence, SDB, Douglas Hindman, and Angel Nunez.

Along Pine Meadow Brook
in Harriman State Park

In the SLM program’s 50+ years, more than 425 volunteers have served in 35 countries, including the U.S., mostly in Salesian or Salesian Sisters’ works, always on behalf of the young and the poor.

About 25 Salesians participated in 2026’s commissioning liturgy, along with 7 returned SLMs and about 20 youths from 2 Salesian schools who were at the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Haverstraw-Stony Point for a week-long service-retreat program.

Fr. Tran’s homily focused on God’s call to make Christ present, whether we do that in the missions or in our ordinary lives. The Virgin Mary models that for us; when she visited her relative Elizabeth, both Elizabeth and unborn John recognized the presence of Jesus immediately on Mary’s greeting her cousin, before she did a single thing.

Photos: https://linkit.shutterfly.com/FS9289

"Charity is patient; charity is kind"

“Charity is patient; charity is kind”

Fr. Fabio Attard unveils the theme of the 2027 Strenna

(ANS – Rome – August 19, 2026) – The rector major has officially unveiled the theme of the 2027 Strenna, offering the Salesian Family an in-depth reflection on the journey undertaken in recent years and on the prospects that lie ahead. The new theme, “Charity is patient; charity is kind – ‘Dedicated’ to the integral good of young people,” is rooted in St. Paul’s hymn to charity and in the pedagogical legacy of Don Bosco’s Preventive System. It invites every member of the Salesian Family to a renewed educational and pastoral commitment to young people, especially those most in need.

Three significant anniversaries

Presented at a time of great significance for the Salesian world, the 2027 Strenna forms part of the journey marked by the years from 1875–1877, a 3-year period rich in foundational events for Don Bosco, the Congregation, and the Salesian Family. Fr. Fabio Attard recalls the journey already undertaken with the 2025 Strenna, “Anchored in hope, pilgrims with young people,” dedicated to the first Salesian missionary expedition of 1875 and marked by the Church’s Jubilee, and with the 2026 Strenna, “Do whatever he tells you – Believers, free to serve,” focused on the foundation of the Salesian Cooperators and on Mary’s words at the wedding at Cana (John 2:5). To these 2 anniversaries is now added the 150th anniversary of the First Missionary Expedition of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, as well as the 150th anniversary of the writing, in 1877, of one of Don Bosco’s most important works: “The Preventive System in the Education of Youth.”

The choice of theme

The title of the 2027 Strenna draws directly on the words with which Don Bosco himself described the foundation of his educational method, quoting Saint Paul: “The practice of this system is entirely based on the words of St. Paul, who says: ‘Charity is patient and kind.... Love bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things.’” The 2nd part of the title – the call to be “dedicated” to the integral good of young people – takes up an expression that Don Bosco himself used twice in his writings, emphasizing how the director and the educator must be “dedicated [the Italian is consacrato] entirely” to their pupils, ready to face any hardship for the sake of their civic, moral, and academic education.

The structure of the 2027 Strenna

In the light of these references, Fr. Attard has structured the 2027 Strenna in 2 parts. The 1st part offers an in-depth reading of the context of St. Paul’s hymn to charity, contained in chapter 13 of the First Letter to the Corinthians, presented as “the most excellent way” leading to conformity with Christ.

Originally written in response to the divisions and rivalries within the Corinthian community, St. Paul’s eulogy of charity becomes, for the Salesian Family, a criterion for gauging the authenticity of Christian life and pastoral charity toward young people. “We may speak all languages, know the mysteries of God, possess extraordinary faith and perform heroic deeds; but without love we are merely noise, and everything we do loses its deepest value.”

The 2nd part of the strenna reinterprets the 3 pillars of the Preventive System – reason, religion, and loving-kindness – in the light of current educational challenges.  In terms of reason, Fr. Attard proposes rediscovering the Preventive System as a “pedagogy of encounter,” which places at its center not programs or structures, but each individual young person, with his own story and potential, drawing on the experience of Valdocco and the importance of educational networks built together with young people, not merely for them. In terms of religion, the rector major invites us to recognize the “spiritual thirst” that dwells in young people’s hearts, in an age marked by hyper-connectivity, loneliness, and a lack of spaces for silence, emphasizing the importance of accompanying them in recognizing God’s voice in their own lives. Finally, in terms of loving-kindness, Fr. Attard proposes Jesus the Good Shepherd and the pilgrim on the road to Emmaus as a model, capable of walking alongside his disciples, listening to them, and shedding light on their experience – a style characterized by closeness, gentleness, and kindness, already evident in Valdocco and directed with particular care toward the poorest young people.

The Preventive System: our treasure

“Charism and competence go hand in hand for the integral good of young people,” writes Fr. Attard, recalling that the Preventive System is not merely a method, but the gift of a charism entrusted to the whole Salesian Family throughout the world, to be loved, understood, and safeguarded with humility and intelligence, avoiding all superficiality.

With the presentation of the 2027 Strenna, Fr. Attard invites all members of the Salesian Family to celebrate joyfully the 150th anniversary of the Preventive System in the education of young people, turning it into a precious and providential opportunity for a deeper understanding of the Salesian charism and for a renewed educational and pastoral commitment to young people.

Later on, the official poster for the 2027 Strenna will be presented to the whole Salesian Family, while the full text will be available at the end of December 2026.

Fr. Attard’s presentation is already available in Italian, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Polish.

Salesians in Nigeria Finish Construction of New Residence

Salesians in Nigeria Finish Construction of New Residence
Project was funded by U.S. donors

(ANS – Ogidi, Nigeria – August 18, 2026) – The Salesians in Nigeria were able to complete construction of a residence and perimeter fence in Ogidi, Anambra state of Nigeria, thanks to donor funds from Salesian Missions in New Rochelle.

The project was completed in order to foster the Salesian mission and promote the holistic education of youth. The direct beneficiaries of the project are the 150 Salesians and close to 300 students who attend the Salesian institute, 300 youths who will use the facilities for the youth program, and 30 staff of the institute.

A Salesian explained, “The residence is now fully operational and provides a conducive environment for Salesian religious life, pastoral outreach, and youth education. Its completion significantly enhances the capacity of the Salesians to serve the young people of Ogidi with renewed dedication and stability.”

Ogidi is located in the southeast region of Nigeria, an area that has been experiencing persistent security tensions due to ongoing agitation by groups advocating for regional autonomy. This situation has at times created an unstable environment in the region.

Fr. Chris Ansu said: “We were truly encouraged when construction of the vocational training center began in Ogidi. At the same time, however, we faced a concern, wondering how to maintain this when there was no local residence for the Salesians. This project has come at exactly the right moment. We are deeply grateful that by the time the school resumes, the Salesians will already be living in the residence.”

Fr. Ansu added: “Our physical presence and visibility among the people of Ogidi allow us to support them in their daily lives. Establishing our presence in Ogidi will reduce idleness among youths who currently have nothing concrete to engage their time. In turn, this will contribute to a reduction in crime and create a safer, more hopeful environment for the entire community.”

About 64% of households in Nigeria consider themselves to be poor while 32% of households say their economic situation had worsened over a period of one year, according to UNICEF. Poverty still remains one of the most critical challenges facing the country, and population growth rates have meant a steady increase in the number of people living in conditions of poverty.

Two Salesians Make First Religious Profession

Two Salesians Make First Religious Profession

Bro. Tim Hughes (left) and Bro. Franky Chazhikattu (right)
with Fr. Dominic Tran

Bros. Francis Chazhikattu, SDB, and Timothy Hughes, SDB, made their first professions as Salesians of Don Bosco on August 15, 2026, at the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Haverstraw, N.Y.

Fr. Dominic Tran, SDB, provincial, presided at the Mass of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, received the brothers’ vows, and preached.

The parents of each of the newly professed assisted at their sons’ profession. So did about 40 of their Salesian confreres, more than a dozen FMAs, 9 men and women who had been commissioned the previous day as Salesian Lay Missioners, other members of the wider Salesian Family, and young people from Salesian parishes and schools.

Fr. Dominic opened his homily by noting that Mary’s Magnificat (in the day’s gospel reading) includes 15 statements, and God is the subject in 11 of them. Mary recognizes God as the actor in everything about salvation. He is the source of the blessing that she experiences. Similarly, by their profession Bros. Tim and Franky will praise God for what he does for the young thru Don Bosco under Mary’s influence.

Fr. Dominic also stressed the trust that following Jesus requires. Mary didn’t know what would follow her “yes” at the Annunciation. Nor do we know how God will lead us to our ultimate destination. It was so with Don Bosco too. His guiding dream at age nine didn’t include details, only the surety that Mary would be his teacher.

On their profession day, we pray that Bros. Tim and Franky will go forward with the same faith in Jesus that Don Bosco showed.

Early Formation of the Brothers

Bros. Francis and Timothy spent a year of novitiate under the tutelage of Fr. Joseph Nguyen, SDB, master of novices, and Bro. Thomas Dion, SDB, his assistant. There were 3 other novices in the class: two from Ireland and one from the San Francisco Salesian Province; they professed vows in their home provinces.

Before novitiate, both young men completed the Salesian prenovitiate program at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J. As prenovices, they taught religious education at St. John Bosco Parish in Port Chester, N.Y.; planned and ran youth retreats there; assisted in campus ministry at the Prep, and accompanied Don Bosco students on service programs.

Both young men were then admitted to the novitiate and moved across the country to Richmond, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay area. As novices, the 5 classmates learned more about St. John Bosco, Salesian spirituality, community life, Salesian traditions and the Constitutions, and had the opportunity to practice being Salesian educators.

The novices assisted in campus ministry at Salesian College Prep and the Salesian Youth Club in Richmond, planned parish retreats, and served at 2 summer camps. They also took up roles for the San Francisco Province’s annual Salesian Youth Leadership Conference.

Following their religious profession, the 2 new Salesian brothers will become part of the Salesian formation community at Orange, N.J. As “clerical” brothers, they’ll study philosophy at Immaculate Conception Seminary-Seton Hall University in South Orange.

Bro. Timothy Patrick Hughes, SDB

Bro. Tim Hughes was born in 1998, in Mission Viejo, Calif. He is the youngest of the 4 children of Patrick Joseph and Regina Hughes, members of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Carlsbad, Calif., in the San Diego Diocese.

Tim met the Salesians thru Fr. Steve DeMaio on a FOCUS mission trip to Lima, Peru. He felt an ease and kinship with the young priest, admiring his honesty, openness, and willingness to play games and hang out with the young people on the mission trip. Consequently, when Fr. Steve invited him to apply to the Salesian Lay Missioner program, he took it seriously because the invitation came personally from him.

During the SLM orientation in 2022, he met many Salesians from the New Rochelle Province. He and another young man then served at Casa Hogar del Nino Colimense in Colima, Mexico, in 2022-2023, experiencing the impact of Don Bosco’s mission to the young. He writes: “I came to have such a profound and arresting love for them, and at the end of the mission when they said goodbye to me, I was struck by their great love for me. It was being with those young people that made sense of one of Don Bosco’s great quotes: ‘For you I study, for you I work, for you I live, for you I am even prepared to give my life.’ Ultimately, I felt conquered by the overpowering love of God the Fr. and the love of those young people.”

For Novice Tim, the best parts of the year at Richmond were “living in community with my brother novices and experiencing the joy of fraternal life with them as well as accompanying the St. Anthony’s Youth Group [in Oakland] and seeing their growth and receiving their trust as young people.”

Bro. Tim hopes “to hit the ground running and truly discern how I can serve in the mission and encounter the young that God sends to us. I want to take seriously my Salesian identity and truly embrace this total self-gift that God is calling me to.”

In the longer term, he aspires to ministry in media. He states: “Prior to my discerning the Salesians, I was about to begin pursuing a career in acting. I already had extensive experience studying it, making film projects with friends, and performing onstage. After having read about the realm of communications within our mission as laid out in our Constitutions, it makes me see more the fertile ground there is here for evangelizing and educating young people within our provinces utilizing all forms of media and storytelling arts. I would be honored to utilize my gifts and the skills I’ve acquired in theater, film, and storytelling to help grow this key sector of our mission to the young for our province and the Congregation.”

Bro. Tim adds this coda to his story: “I am thankful to God for this vocation and that he has brought immense joy to my life. I hope that my simple living out of my Salesian life may be a testimony to the young that they may encounter Christ’s love and receive the joy He calls them to in their vocations. My advice to young people is, ‘Let God surprise you!’”

Bro. Francis Siri Chazhikattu, SDB

Bro. Franky Chazhikattu was born in Philadelphia on July 14, 2003. His parents are Siri and Reny Chazhikattu, and he has an older sister and 2 brothers. The Chazhikattus relocated to Brandon, Fla. (your humble blogger’s hometown[1]), just outside Tampa. There they belong to Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Forane Parish, part of the Syro-Malabar Diocese of Chicago. Before the Syro-Malabar parish had their own church, they worshiped and received religious education at Mary Help of Christians Center in Tampa.

At MHC, Fr. Steve Ryan was the first Salesian he got to know. “He showed me what it meant to be a true spiritual father. Despite directing a very busy place, he always prioritized the people he served, welcoming my family, learning our names, and making us feel at home.”

Fr. Steve encouraged Franky’s mother to enroll him at Cristo Rey Tampa Salesian High School, which eventually “brought me to the door” of vocational discernment. As he was growing up, he “was instilled with a strong sense of devotion—to hard work, to family, to those in need, and above all, to God.” He took part in a Salesian leadership retreat, where he “experienced God’s love in a new way and became more open to His call.” When Fr. Eddie Chincha invited him to serve at Mary Help’s summer camp, he accepted and discovered a new way of self-giving.

After Franky graduated from Cristo Rey Tampa, the Salesians continued accompanying him and inviting him into youth ministry. Thru the young people he encountered, “especially those on the peripheries, and a rambunctious yet wise Salesian community, I came to recognize Christ present in surprising yet very real ways, where others might not see Him in them.”

Thru all this, several specific Salesians “accompanied me at crucial moments, teaching me thru their example that even after leaving a place, I never left their thoughts and prayers, and ultimately they were the ones who ‘guided me to step thru the door’ of his vocation.” Franky recognizes “that God had quietly made the Salesians an integral part of my life long before I ever wanted to become one. Ultimately, I realized that God had been guiding and reshaping my entire journey to be ingrained in the Salesian charism, giving direction to that desire to devote myself to Him and leading me toward an ever-deepening and daily-renewing ‘yes’ to His call.” He came to see that he could serve the young generously as a professed Salesian himself.

The best part of Novice Franky’s novitiate year “was the many opportunities for personal formation. Thru the various classes, prayer life, examples of confreres and lay collaborators, and especially thru the young people who were a ‘burning bush,’ I was continually reminded of the need and way to grow. I came to recognize that almost every experience contained an opportunity for formation, one that I am glad to undergo, which continues to strengthen my desire continually to grow in my identity as a Salesian.”

As a postnovice in Orange, he aspires “to deepen the necessary knowledge, assimilate the Salesian charism and my vows, and become better prepared to serve Don Bosco’s mission in whatever reality I am sent. Ultimately, if I continue growing in my relationship with God and faithfully responding to His call, I trust that everything else will follow as I strive to live in the footsteps of Don Bosco and Christ the Good Shepherd.”

Bro. Franky is open to whatever mission God will call him to as a Salesian pastor-educator, ready to collaborate with lay people as well as his confreres. He looks for the prayers and other support of the many friends of Don Bosco.

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[1] See From the Eastern Front: Out of Brandon.

Homily for the
20th Sunday of Ordinary Time

August 16, 2026
Matt 15: 21-28
Is 56: 1-7
Our Lady of the Assumption, Bronx
St. Francis Xavier, Bronx

Jesus & the Canaanite Woman
(Francois-Hubert Drouais)

“O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish” (Matt 15: 28).

Jesus’ initial reaction to the Canaanite woman—who is not only not Jewish but probably is a pagan—puzzles us at first.  He seems harsh.  Calling someone a dog is insulting.

We believe Jesus is fully human.  True, his person, the core of his self, is divine.  But a fully human being has not only a human body but also a human mind and emotions.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting the 2d Vatican Council, asserts:

The Son of God … worked with human hands; he thought with a human mind.  He acted with a human will, and with a human heart he loved.  Born of the Virgin Mary, he has truly been made one of us, like to us in all things except sin.[1]

Jesus, a Jewish man of the 1st century in Palestine, struggles with his emotions, e.g., he gets exasperated at people’s lack of faith, and he agonizes in the Garden of Gethsemane about his coming passion and death. 

So here, outside Jewish territory in what is Lebanon today, he seems to be feeling a natural Jewish prejudice against their pagan neighbors.  It takes him a while to recall that the prophets like Isaiah had spoken of “the foreigners joining themselves to the Lord” (Is 56:6) and “all peoples” coming to the Lord’s house to pray (56:7).  It takes him a moment to perceive this pagan woman’s deep faith in him as “Lord, Son of David” (Matt 15:22), i.e., God’s chosen instrument of salvation.

Another possible interpretation of Jesus’ apparent harshness toward her is that he’s posing dramatically for an effect on his apostles.  They’re the 1st ones to object to her presence.  By seeming to take their attitude initially, he’ll make a more powerful impression on them when he hears her prayer in spite of her being a foreigner.  That’s a lesson that the apostles need to learn.

In any case, Jesus can’t resist the deep faith of this Canaanite woman.  God calls to faith and salvation people of every nation, every race, every language.  He  calls everyone with deep personal love.  Jesus acknowledges this:  “O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.”  This faith saves her daughter for the moment.  Such faith saves all of us for eternity.  As St. Paul writes, God wishes to “have mercy upon all” (Rom 11:32).

Whoever we are, however humble and unworthy, all we need do is turn to Jesus, “Lord, Son of David,” savior of the human race, and call to him for pardon, cleansing, deliverance from the torments of hell (cf. Matt 15:22); call to him for a place at his heavenly table, in the banquet of eternal life foreshadowed by the Eucharist we celebrate here.

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[1] CCC 470; GS 22.

The Salesians' Commitment to Young People

The Salesians’ Commitment to Young People

A resource for Botswana’s future

by Enrico Casale

Photo ©: Vatican Media

(ANS – Francistown, Botswana – August 14, 2026) – There is wealth here, but not the kind one might expect. No diamonds: in a country that ranks among the world’s leading producers of these precious stones, the Salesians are tending to the most valuable treasure of all – the human treasure, embodied by the young men and women. They are committed to nurturing this heritage which, more than the gems themselves, represents the future of Botswana, a country in southern Africa that is little known and rarely covered by the international media. In an economic context marked by profound structural changes, where dependence on mineral resources clashes with the urgent need for economic, social, and employment diversification, the challenge of education takes on the significance of a genuine gamble on the future.

The work of the Salesians

The Salesian presence in Botswana is recent. “The first pioneer priests entered Botswana on November 26, 2023, via the Kazungula border crossing, coming from Zambia,” recalls Fr. Vincent Tembo, who was part of the group. “The beginning of the Salesian presence,” he explains, “took place on December 8, 2023, with a Mass celebrated in the cathedral of Our Lady of the Desert by the late Bishop Anthony Pascal Rebello, who had invited the Salesians to the diocese of Francistown.”

The three pioneers

The process of taking root in the local community required patience. The first 3 Salesian pioneers were Bro. Sylvester Makumba, Fr. Irvin Lumano, and Fr. Tembo, who was in charge of the missionary presence. The launch of activities had to contend with the pace of local bureaucracy. “We encountered difficulties in obtaining work and residence permits,” the priest emphasizes, “and after 90 days we returned to Zambia while awaiting authorization. The bureaucratic hurdles were eventually overcome. We currently have just one community, in the diocese of Francistown.”

Catholics in Botswana

The Catholic presence in Botswana is small. A former British colony, the country has an estimated population of 2.6 million. The Catholic evangelization mission, begun in 1928 by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, has led to the formation of a community of around 120,000 faithful, accounting for 4.7–5% of the population, spread across the 2 dioceses of Gaborone and Francistown.

The Salesians have been entrusted with the pastoral care of the small parish of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus, which has just 72 parishioners. “We carry out our activities in a place called Monarch, one of the poorest areas of Francistown,” notes F. Tembo. “We live in a rented house 4 km from the center, and we plan to build a Salesian community house.”

True to their charism, the Salesians pay particular attention to young people: “We plan to set up a youth center so that the young people of Monarch can have a place where they can spend their free time constructively.”

Commitment to young people

The community has already launched an afternoon oratory at weekends, offering a concrete response to urban marginalization. The involvement of the laity is also proceeding according to a planned program: the formation of Salesian Cooperators began in 2025, and the first members are expected to take their promises in 2027. “On Saturdays we hold catechism classes followed by oratory activities,” the missionary explains, “and we are involved in the catechesis of young adults, also organizing Bible study groups for young people.”

The geopolitical situation

This pastoral commitment is set against a complex geopolitical and economic backdrop. Since gaining independence in 1966, Botswana has long been regarded as a model of democratic stability in southern Africa, thanks to a robust multiparty system and an efficient public administration. Today, however, the national development model is going thru a delicate phase. The country’s economy remains dependent on diamond mining, a sector which has historically accounted for around 30% of gross domestic product and up to 80% of export revenue, funding infrastructure and public services.

The employment crisis

The crisis in the global diamond market, however, exacerbated by competition from synthetic diamonds, has also reduced the resources available for public spending. The closure or downsizing of some mines has led to the loss of a regular income for large sections of the population and growing job insecurity in the mining sector. This has led to problems of unemployment, which exceeds 30% among young people, forcing many to seek alternative sources of livelihood in the informal sector or in subsistence farming. Despite this, the government continues to regard free education as a cornerstone of its policies, while recognizing the need to complement it with educational and training facilities spread thruout the country.

Developing human capital

The work of the Salesians is not carried out in isolation but forms part of a well-structured regional network. The mission is part of the Salesian vice province covering Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Botswana, which is based in Lusaka. International cooperation plays a crucial role in this initial phase: 6 months after the mission opened, the Salesian Cooperators from the Czech Republic visited the community in Francistown, helping the religious to introduce the Association into the parish and providing practical support for the oratory’s activities.

Against this backdrop of transition, the Salesian presence focuses on developing human capital. “The work in Monarch is a small beacon of hope. Creating a safe space for young people,” concludes Fr. Tembo, “means offering concrete alternatives to creeping poverty, supporting the growth of the younger generations with educational tools capable of going beyond the illusory wealth of precious stones.”

Source: Vatican News

A Network for Vocations

A Network for Vocations
Mission and Discernment Come Together in Medellin

by JC Montenegro, PhD

(ANS – Medellin, Colombia) – What happens when vocation ministry becomes the responsibility not of one person or one department, but of an entire Salesian network? This question inspired a Mission and Discernment Experience in Medellin, Colombia, where 14 young men from the Western Province in the USA (SUO) came together for an immersion in Salesian spirituality, service, community, and vocational discernment.

The initiative grew from ongoing collaboration among 3 areas of Salesian ministry: youth ministry, mission animation, and Salesian volunteers. Rather than approaching vocation promotion as an isolated program, these 3 areas began asking how their different gifts could work together to help young adults encounter Christ and discover God’s call in their lives. From that conversation emerged a simple conviction: vocation promotion happens most naturally when young people are invited into the heart of the mission.

Medellin provided a particularly rich environment for this encounter. With the generous support of the Salesians in Medellin, volunteers experienced the diversity of the Salesian mission thru Ciudad Don Bosco and ministries including CAPRE and Derecho a Soñar, as well as schools, parishes, and Salesian communities. The Colombian Salesians opened not only their ministries but also their homes, accompanying the group at key moments and helping create an environment where service, fraternity, prayer, and discernment could come together.

Thruout the experience, the young men encountered young people facing poverty, displacement, and difficult family and social circumstances. Yet they also encountered extraordinary resilience, joy, and hope. These relationships challenged the volunteers to move beyond their comfort zones and recognize that mission is not only about what one gives, but also about allowing oneself to be transformed by those one serves.

“At times it felt like the young people we met were teaching us more than we were teaching them,” reflected Raul. “This mission and young people taught me that humility and gratitude bring joy.”

For Diego Mendez, leaving what was familiar created space for a deeper encounter with Christ.

“I have learned how important it is to get out, to go somewhere totally different, somewhere we’re not used to, and get to know Christ’s love,” he said. The experience challenged him “not to be complacent and be more intentional” about his life and service.

The missionary environment also allowed vocational questions to emerge naturally. Daily prayer, formation, the traditional Salesian Good Night animated by the Salesians in the SUO Province, service, and informal conversations with Salesians created opportunities for participants to see vocation not simply as a decision about priesthood or religious life, but as a response to Christ expressed thru the gift of one’s entire life.

For Isaac Alejandro Esperilla, service became an opportunity to look more deeply at his own life. He said the experience helped him recognize fears and questions he had been avoiding and challenged him “to take the leap” and make his future and spiritual life a greater priority.

Hector Castro captured this same vocational challenge by looking beyond the days spent in Colombia: “I believe that the mission didn’t start when I arrived in Colombia, but when I arrived home. The real challenge is doing something with this experience.”

Others discovered that language and cultural differences did not prevent genuine relationships. Gabriel Galvan, who arrived concerned about his limited Spanish, discovered that presence itself could become a language of mission. “Without being able to hold a conversation, thru my presence I was able to still build connections,” he reflected. “We all come from different parts of the United States with different backgrounds and different stories, but God brought us here together for this moment.”

The young people taking part in this experience were also taken by surprise, like the rest of the Colombian population, by the earthquake on August 10. Altho the earthquake and its aftermath altered the program somewhat, prompting the U.S. delegation to keep the children in the community they were due to visit that day – the El Sufragio center in Medellin – calm and cheerful, this event also served to teach another lesson: that service requires a willingness to help and the ability to respond with faith in God when an unexpected need arises.

The experience demonstrated the strength of networking for vocation promotion. Youth ministry brought its experience of accompanying young people. Mission animation created opportunities for encounter and service. Salesian volunteers contributed a missionary framework. The province of Colombia, local directors, Salesian communities, educators, and lay collaborators provided spaces where the young adults could encounter a living Salesian mission. Each brought a different gift, but all contributed to the same vocational question: How is God calling me to give my life?

Andrew Paris, who first encountered the opportunity thru the Salesian presence at SEEK, expressed how this network opened an unexpected door in his own journey: “If not for them, and perhaps Blessed Laura Vicuña, I would not have known about this trip and probably wouldn’t have been exposed to Salesian spirituality. I am forever grateful for this experience and for getting to know the love and hospitality of the Salesians.”

that every participant will make the same vocational choice is not what the organizers hope for. Rather, each young man is encouraged to continue discerning how God is calling him to serve the Church, whether thru priesthood, religious life, marriage, lay missionary commitment, or another form of Christian service. For some, that next step may include formal discernment with the Salesians.

The Medellin experience offered a simple but powerful lesson for Salesian vocation ministry: when the mission is placed at the center and everyone brings their gifts to the table, new possibilities emerge. Promoting vocations is not the work of one delegate or one office. It is a shared responsibility of the entire Salesian community.

When youth ministry, mission animation, volunteer programs, local communities, and Salesian provinces work together, young people are given something more powerful than an invitation to consider a vocation. They are given an opportunity to encounter the living Christ, experience the Salesian mission from within, and ask what God might be inviting them to do with their lives.

Earthquake Hits 10 Communities in Salesian Medellin Province

Earthquake Hits 10 Communities in the Salesian Medellin Province

(ANS – Medellin, Colombia – August 11, 2026) – An earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter in the department of Chocó, shook large areas of western Colombia on the morning of August 10, causing serious damage to several Salesian institutions. The Salesian Medellin Province has confirmed that, so far, there have been no reports of casualties among the Salesians, staff, students. and beneficiaries of its educational and pastoral communities. But assessment work is continuing to verify the extent of human, social, and material damage, while support is being provided to families, staff, and young people associated with the works who have also been affected by the emergency.

Initial reports indicate that 10 of the province’s 18 communities have sustained damage that is hindering the provision of their educational, pastoral, social, and parish services. Among the most severely affected are the 4 Salesian works in Cali, the missionary work in Condoto (Chocó), the Salesian school in Dosquebradas, the Salesian presence in Tuluá, and the works in Popayan, Ibagué, and the Pedro Justo Berrio Salesian School in Medellin.

Furthermore, the Bogotá Province has reported damage to the Salesian presences in Tumaco and Buenaventura. Several buildings, particularly the older ones, have sustained structural damage which will necessitate the temporary suspension of in-person activities until safe conditions can be guaranteed for the entire educational community. Additionally, a religious community comprising 4 Salesians will have to be evacuated and relocated as a precautionary measure due to the risk posed by the structure of their residence.

From the very outset of the emergency, the Medellin Salesian Province has activated its response protocols to assist the affected communities, carry out technical assessments of the damage, and manage resources at both national and international levels to enable the restoration of the damaged facilities. The Colombian provinces have expressed their gratitude for the numerous expressions of solidarity received from the Salesian Family, the Church, and various aid organizations, and have called for unity in prayer and fraternal support to stand by those affected and ensure the continuity of the educational, pastoral, and social mission for the benefit of thousands of young people and families.

In response to the emergency, Misiones Salesianas, the Salesian Missionary Office in Madrid, has already launched a solidarity campaign.

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Homily for 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Homily for the
19th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Collect
August 9, 2026
1 Kgs 19: 9, 11-13
Ps 85: 9-14
Matt 14: 22-33
Villa Maria, Bronx
St. Francis Xavier, Bronx
Our Lady of the Assumption, Bronx

“Bring to perfection in our hearts the spirit of adoption as your sons and daughters” (Collect).

Who is God?  What kind of a creator and lord is he?

The collect (or opening prayer) reminds us that Jesus taught us to regard God as our Father.  We understand, of course, that the term’s a metaphor for the Almighty One who has begotten not only human beings but also the entire, almost limitless universe.  It’s a somewhat bold term to use for the master of that universe, which is why the collect, as well as the formula we use at Mass, speaks of “daring” to call him Father.

Yet so Jesus teaches us—to use the same term of endearment and closeness that he used:  abba, daddy, papa.  By pouring out on us his Holy Spirit, Christ has bound us to himself in a relationship of sisters and brothers—we are “the unity” or oneness “of the Holy Spirit” that our prayers refer to, made one with our Lord Jesus and with each other.

So we can dare to speak of God as our papa, our daddy, our abba.  (We might do that with some gusto in Carey Landry’s hymn, “Abba, Father.”)

Altho he’s truly the master of the universe, the creator and director of all things, yet he’s gentle and kind.  “After the fire, there was a tiny whispering sound” as the Lord passed by Elijah (1 Kgs 19:12).  In our Lord Jesus, he urges us not to be afraid and he calms the sea (Matt 14:27, 32)—not afraid of life’s storms and earthquakes (real or metaphorical), its noises and terrors, and not to be afraid of him or his abba.  We can pray confidently, “Lord, let us see your kindness,” “for he proclaims peace” (Ps 85:8-9)—peace in our relationship with him, peace in our dealings with one another.  “Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him” (85:10), fear meaning to reverence him in awe of his holiness.  He’s our papa, the papa of all of us who belong to Jesus.

Our abba doesn’t shout or scream at us, harshly, like a tyrant or a slavedriver.  He speaks quietly in the words of the Scriptures and in the Spirit’s whispers in our hearts.  That’s why we need silence in our lives, far more than we need our phones, TVs, or radios, or loud politicians who proclaim they’re our saviors.

In silence the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to perfect our attitudes and our inclinations, even our passions, to cling to our brother Jesus so that we might walk with him, walk in his ways, even in a world as slippery and treacherous as the Sea of Galilee was for its fishermen.  When we grasp Jesus’ hand, we won’t sink.  Rather, he’ll pull us along with him to the inheritance our abba has prepared for us (cf. Collect).

Fr. Joseph Nguyen to Be Installed as Provincial

Fr. Joseph Nguyen to Be Installed as Provincial

(Bellflower, Calif. – August 3, 2026) - The installation of Fr. Joseph Thinh Nguyen, SDB, as the next provincial of the Salesian San Francisco Province will take place on Monday, August 24, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at St. Dominic Savio Church in Bellflower, Calif. Fr. Hugo Orozco, SDB, regional general councilor for Interamerica, will presided over the Eucharistic celebration and the installation. The province welcomes all members of the Salesian Family and friends of the Salesians to join them in prayer and celebration for Fr. Joe as he begins this important leadership ministry.

Fr. Nguyen’s appointment was announced on March 20. Salesian provincials are appointed by the rector major with the consent of his council for 6-year terms. He has been serving as master of novices in Richmond, Calif.

Fr. Nguyen will succeed Fr. Mel Trinidad, SDB.

Fr. Joe Nguyen (at left) with Fr. Mel Trinidad (center),
Bro. Tom Dion (3d from right), and this year's 5 novices

Sharing God's Love with the Young at "SummerDaze"

Sharing God’s Love with the Young at “SummerDaze”

by Rosemary Nucara

This story was first published on August 6 in Salesian News of the New Rochelle Province

(ANS – Etobicoke, Ont. – August 6, 2026) – For 38 years, SummerDaze Day Camp has welcomed generations of children thru the doors of St. Benedict Parish in Etobicoke and has become a place where faith, friendship, and countless memories are formed. Leading it this summer of 2026 is a young woman who grew up within the movement. She shares her experience of growing up on this typically Salesian journey. “For me, it has also been a second home,” she states.

“Eleven years after I first experienced SummerDaze as a camper, I have had the incredible privilege to grow alongside it. I served first as a volunteer, then as a counsellor, next as an activities coordinator, and now as SummerDaze’s camp director. Thru every role, I have witnessed the same mission at the heart of SummerDaze: building God’s Kingdom by sharing His love with the young.

When I first stepped into SummerDaze as an 11-year-old camper, I was welcomed into the loudest, most energetic, most joy-filled environment I had ever experienced, a stark contrast to my own quiet and timid personality. By the end of that first week, I knew it was the best camp I had ever attended. I was also certain that, one day, I hoped to become one of the leaders who had made me feel so seen, valued, and loved.

At the time, I couldn’t explain what made SummerDaze feel so different from any other camp. Years later, after I returned as a volunteer and learned about the Salesians and St John Bosco's Oratory, I finally understood. The staff wasn’t simply running a camp; they were living the Salesian spirit. Thru their intentionality in every activity, conversation, word of encouragement, and shared laugh, they reflected St John Bosco's conviction that “It’s not enough to love the young; they must know that they are loved.”

Salesians at SummerDaze are Sr. Hae-Jin Lim, FMA,
Fr. Steve DeMaio, SDB (both at center front),
and Bro. Carlos Cerda (2d from right, front row)

Inspired by those leaders’ example, I have been grateful to return year after year. Altho each new role brought different responsibilities, my mission remained the same: to help every camper experience the same welcome and sense of belonging that first drew me to SummerDaze more than a decade ago. For me, this mission is lived most authentically in the everyday moments of camp. Whether joining nervous campers in their talent show acts, celebrating their efforts on the soccer field, or simply listening to stories about their weekend over lunch, these everyday interactions have become opportunities to share Christ’s love.

One of the greatest privileges of being part of SummerDaze for so many years has been seeing past campers come back year after year. It’s been a gift to witness their growth and watch their authentic selves flourish, especially as I’ve gotten to serve alongside staff members who were once my campers. SummerDaze has always been a place where young people can be themselves, discover their God-given talents, and know they are loved just as they are.

Looking back, I am grateful for the ways SummerDaze has formed me, both as a camper and as a staff member. It has been the place where I have grown in confidence, leadership, and faith, but, more importantly, where I came to recognize my identity as a child of God. As SummerDaze closes out its 38th summer, my prayer is that, thru every game, conversation, and ordinary moment, campers come to encounter Christ and leave knowing they are deeply loved by him.”

Fr. Steve DeMaio preaches to campers
assembled in St. Benedict's Church

Camp Bosco Bicycle from Sherbrooke

Camp Bosco Bicycle from Sherbrooke

Photo credit: Fr. Alain Leonard

This story was first published on August 6 in Salesian News of the New Rochelle Province.

(ANS – Sherbrooke, Que. – August 6, 2026) – Under the patronage of St. John Bosco and Mary Help of Christians, the educational Camp Bosco Bicycle cycling program based at Le Salésien in Sherbrooke, Que. – now in its 40th year – has brought its summer season to a close. The team of youth leaders accompanied over 200 young people through programs designed to foster personal and Christian growth in the Salesian spirit, including cycling routes along the lakes of Quebec, daily reflections, and moments of shared spirituality. On Sunday, August 30, a gathering of nearly 200 former youth leaders will take place at Camp Dominic Savio to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the camp, which was founded to offer young people a summer experience of sports, faith, and friendship in the educational style of Don Bosco.