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.

"The Shroud: A Challenge to the Intellect"

“The Shroud: A Challenge to the Intellect”
Mary Help of Christians Basilica in Turin will host 4th Symposium on the Holy Shroud

(ANS – Turin, Italy – August 5, 2026) – As has been the custom for several years now, Mary Help of Christians Basilica in Turin will host the symposium dedicated to the Shroud on September 14 – or a date close to it – which this year marks its 4th edition. Since September 14 this year falls on a Monday, the event has been brought forward to Saturday, September 12.

The date September  14 holds particular significance for at least 3 reasons:

• it’s the liturgical feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, to which the basilica’s crypt is dedicated; it houses 2 fragments (10×17 cm) of the wood of the Cross of Jesus, now placed on the high altar.
• it’s the anniversary of the opening of the crypt, which took place in 1934, also known as the Chapel of the Relics.
• September 14, 1578, is the most widely accepted date for the arrival of the Shroud in Turin.

The overarching theme of the 2026 Symposium is “The Shroud: a challenge to the intellect,” an expression used by St. John Paul II during his visit to Turin on May 24, 1998, and one that remains highly relevant today. The Holy Father also recalled that “the Church entrusts to scientists the task of continuing to investigate in order to find adequate answers to the questions connected with this Shroud which, according to tradition, is said to have wrapped the body of our Redeemer when he was taken down from the cross.”

With this in mind, Don Bosco’s basilica will have the pleasure of hosting several distinguished speakers.

Following a welcome address by the host, the rector of the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians, Fr. Michele Viviano, the symposium will be opened by Prof. Emanuela Marinelli, recipient of the Gold Medal for Merit in Catholic Culture and author of numerous books on the Shroud, who will present an up-to-date summary of the current debate.

The keynote address of the evening will be delivered by Dr. Tristan Casabianca, a French researcher whose investigations into the Shroud – published in international academic journals (Archaeometry, The Heythrop Journal, Theology and Science) – have led him to challenge the validity of the 1988 carbon-14 dating. The professor is a member of the Scientific Council of the Centre International d’Études sur le Linceul de Turin and of the board of the Shroud of Turin Education and Research Association. The title of his talk will be: “Can we date the Shroud? The most recent scientific investigations.”

The event will be concluded by Prof. Bruno Barberis, professor of mathematical physics at the University of Turin and vice president of the Confraternita del SS. Sudario, who will share his reflections on the subject.

The fascinating mystery of the Shroud will thus once again be examined and explored in depth at the Salesian motherhouse in Turin, on a date of great significance for the entire Catholic community, the people of Turin, and the Salesian community of Valdocco.

Oratory Environment Enlivens Tampa's Camp Mary Help

Oratory Environment Enlivens Tampa’s Camp Mary Help

By Genaro Cantú, Salesian candidate

The campers and counselors gather for a fun photo on the final day of camp, in front of Mary Help of Christians Parish. Credit: Alex Gonzalez

(ANS – Tampa – July 30, 2026) – Home. School. Church. Playground. Salesians know these as the four pillars of Don Bosco’s Oratory. At Camp Mary Help of Christians in Tampa, these same pillars have come together uniquely. Local Tampa youths learn valuable life skills, share quality time with one another, and at the same time grow steadily to “discover their home in God's Church,” in the words of Stephen Watkins, the camp director. “Fun” and “faith-filled” are two words he uses to encapsulate the camp’s mission.

One of the aspects that has truly set Camp Mary Help apart is celebrating the camp-wide Mass daily before any activities. It’s celebrated by a Salesian priest on each day of the 7-week summer camp season. Campers are encouraged to participate actively by being an altar server, joining the camp choir, or serving as a lector.

A 10-year-old camper said of the opportunity to altar serve at camp, “I don't get to do it a lot, so I like doing it here.” He added that he found it “exciting.”

Activities at camp range from archery to canoeing on the lake, from arts and crafts to paying a visit to the barn on the complex (it's appropriately named Mary Has a Little Farm, with chickens, goats, and many other animals present). A caring and energetic team of counselors — many of them former campers themselves — assists the young and helps them to feel at home.

At Mary Has a Little Farm, campers got to experience firsthand 

the shearing of Shamrock, a 6-year-old sheep. Credit: Arturo Sabogal

“When children come to camp, we work hard to help them feel as if they are part of our family,” Mr. Watkins shared. “We build trust, share our love, and give them a role in our community, which in turn allows them to better understand how God wants them to use their talents outside of camp.”

Tubing on the lake is a favorite among the teenage groups, while the water slides and water balloon fights seem to be most popular among the smaller campers.

Faith time takes place in the afternoon. This is a period devoted to interactive catechesis in an age-appropriate setting, plus weekly “witness talks,” and an opportunity for campers to share about their life in Christ. Each week, a specific theme is emphasized. Important virtues such as forgiveness and prayer took center stage recently.

Bro. Pascal Mukuye, SDB, shared that witnessing campers approach God's mercy during forgiveness week was especially meaningful to him. “To see our young people adoring the Lord, getting to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation, and being able to pause was just beautiful and very inspiring,” he noted.

The week of camp concluded with a lively Friday afternoon talent show, complete with cheerful animation, skits, karaoke, and an awards ceremony. Finally, to cap the week off on the highest of notes, a time of song and worship of the Blessed Sacrament occurred.

Camp Mary Help, which just concluded its final week for 2026, can certainly be described as a tremendous success. The young in the Tampa area were able to spend their summer alongside Christ and enjoying themselves. By doing so, they learned to value a life in which grace and unity with Him is not something boring or old-fashioned. Don Bosco’s saying “Run, jump, shout, but do not sin!” truly came to life, made possible by the cheerful assistance of the counselors and by the camp leadership and Faith Team. But in the end, it's all made possible by the intercession of our mother, Mary Help of Christians, for Don Bosco says that every one of those sent this summer to that bit of paradise in Tampa made it there only by her hand. And for that, thanks be to God.

Camp Mary Help’s counselor team gets together for a group photo. Credit: Stephen Watkins

Homily for Feast of Transfiguration

Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration

Aug. 6, 2026
Collect
Dan 7: 9-10, 13-14
2 Peter 1: 16-19
Matt 17: 1-9
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

Church of the Transfiguration
(Mott Street, NYC)

The Lord’s Transfiguration confirms a mystery of faith for Jesus’ 3 favored apostles, confirms for them that he walks in the steps of Moses and Elijah, confirms that he’s the Father’s “beloved Son” who much pleases his Father (Matt 17:5), and confirms the apostles’ faith in what lay in the future.[1]

Peter, James, and John are “eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Pet 1:16) in a way that exceeds what they’ve perceived in his miracles.  They can see that he shares the glory of God the Father (1:17), the glory foretold by Daniel in his prophecy of the Son of Man’s presentation to the Ancient One to receive “dominion, glory, and kingship” (Dan 7:13-14).

At the same time, the Transfiguration “wonderfully prefigured our full adoption” as God’s children, destined in God’s plan “to become co-heirs with” Christ (Collect).  Even a non-Christian like Benjamin Franklin perceived God’s intention.  That Deist left this epitaph for his tombstone:  “The Body of B. Franklin, Printer; Like the Cover of an old Book, Its Contents torn out, And stript of its Lettering and Gilding, Lies here, Food for Worms.  But the Work shall not be wholly lost:  For it will, as he believ’d, appear once more, In a new & more perfect Edition, Corrected and Amended by the Author.”  God means for us, too, to be perfected, to “shine like the sun” and be clothed in “white like light” (Matt 17:2).

This perception of the Lord Jesus is for us “a lamp shining in a dark place,” the darkness of our human frailty and sins.  He is “the morning star that rises in [our] hearts” (2 Pet 1:19) giving us hope of sharing a glorious future with him as God’s beloved children.

---

  [1] Anastasius of Sinai, sermon, LOH 4:1285.

Three Martyrs Priests of Monte Sole to Be Beatified

Three Martyred Priests of Monte Sole to Be Beatified

Including Salesian Fr. Elijah Comini

(ANS – Rome – August 5, 2026) – On Sunday, September 27, in the basilica of San Petronio in Bologna the following will be beatified: Fr. Ubaldo Marchioni, a diocesan priest, Fr. Elijah Comini, a Salesian, and Fr. Martin Capelli, a Dehonian, 3 priests killed in 1944 during the Monte Sole massacres.

Elijah Comini was born on May 7, 1910, in Calvenzano di Vergato (Bologna). There, he soon entered the “school of fire” – a school of faith and charity – led by Msgr. Fidenzio Mellini. He was directed toward the Salesians at Finale Emilia. His encounter with Don Bosco inspired young Elijah, who embarked on his formation with the Salesians. He was ordained a priest in Brescia on March 16, 1935. He obtained a degree in literature from the Royal University of Milan with a thesis on Tertullian’s De resurrectione carnis and was assigned to the Salesian houses in Chiari (Brescia) and Treviglio (Bergamo).

He never forgot his native place and returned there in 1944. His pastoral support, as events came to a head, led to a heroic priestly act in defense of the people and, ultimately, to his martyrdom for having remained, as a “good shepherd,” alongside his flock. He was killed, along with other innocent people, by the German SS on October 1, 1944, near the Canapiera reservoir in Pioppe di Salvaro. He had been taken prisoner together with Fr. Martin Capelli, SCJ, while he was bringing the last sacraments to those dying in the Creda massacre, and was severely humiliated. He used his body as a shield to protect a man who was saved. He ended his earthly life reciting the Litany and crying out “Have mercy!”

A word from him:

“Pray, pray for me, for I have a mission to fulfil.”

“… one pays the price for practicing charity; soon I shall go to receive my reward.”

Ubaldo Marchioni was born on May 19, 1918, in Vimignano di Grizzana (Bologna). Upon entering the seminary, he became friends with John Fornasini (a martyred priest who was beatified in 2021) and met Luciano Gherardi, who later became a leading figure in the archdiocese of Bologna. He was ordained in Bologna on June 28, 1942. From May 1944, he served as parish priest of San Martin di Caprara and of Santa Maria Assunta di Casaglia, in the hills. Fr. Ubaldo, aged just 26, did not abandon his flock when the wolf came, knowing he faced a high risk of being killed. He died on September 29, 1944, at Santa Maria Assunta in Casaglia, where – on his way to celebrate Mass for the children in Cerpiano – he had stopped to consume the consecrated Hosts, thereby saving them from the fury of the advancing Nazis. Separated from his people (who were in turn massacred a short distance away), he was killed at the foot of the church altar, beside the ciborium pierced by the very same bullets. Years later, Fr. Ubaldo’s father, Augusto, would be among the very few to advocate forgiveness for Walter Reder, one of those responsible for the massacre, thereby sowing a small yet significant seed of hope for reconciliation, renewal, and peace.

A gift of his words:

“If my people remain, I must remain with them. – But they’ll kill you! – I know, that’s how it will end, but I cannot move from there.”

“I must fulfil my duty. I must reach Casaglia to consume the consecrated elements. Pray. It will be as God wills.”

Nicola Capelli was born in Nembro (Bergamo) on September 20, 1912. At the age of 12, he was admitted to the school of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Dehonians), saying: “I have come to be a priest, and that’s enough for me.” In religious life, Nicola took the name Martin Maria and, deeply moved by a talk on the Mexican martyrs, asked Our Lady of Guadalupe for the grace to become a martyr himself, thus directing his consecration – within the reality of daily life – toward a profound self-giving. He was ordained in Imola on June 26, 1938. A man with a desire to serve on the front lines of the apostolate, he was called upon by his superiors to study at the Biblical Institute in Rome and to take up a teaching post. In 1944, he agreed to settle for a time in Salvaro to assist Msgr. Fidenzio Mellini: there, he established a priestly fraternity with Fr. Comini and accepted Fr. Marchioni’s invitation to preach. On September 29, 1944, he rushed with Fr. Comini toward the “Creda” to bring the ultimate comforts of the faith to those dying in that massacre. In his final moments, he implored “Forgiveness,” and as he lay dying traced a great sign of blessing in the form of a cross over the many brothers whose lives were violently cut short that day, along with his own.

A gift of his words:

“O Mary, be my earthly Mother too. I renew my consecration to you.”

“O Virgin, Queen of the Mexican martyrs, grant that one day I too may be a martyr for Christ the King and for you, Immaculate Virgin.”

For further information, please write to: postulatore@sdb.org 

Positio super Virtutibus of Bp. Giuseppe Cognata

Submission of the “Positio super virtutibus” of the Servant of God Bishop Giuseppe Cognata
Salesian bishop and founder of the Salesian Oblates of the Sacred Heart

(ANS – Vatican City – August 3, 2026) – On July 31, the volumes of the Positio super Vita, Virtutibus, et Fama Sanctitatis of the Servant of God Giuseppe Cognata, SDB (1885–1972), bishop of Farsalo, formerly bishop of Bova, and founder of the Salesian Oblates of the Sacred Heart, were submitted to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican.

The Positio had Bp. Maurizio Tagliaferri as its relator, Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, SDB, as postulator, and Dr. Cristiana Marinelli as collaborator. The structural elements of the Positio – which presents, in a detailed and comprehensive manner, the entire body of documentary and testimonial evidence concerning the virtuous life of the Servant of God – are: a brief introduction by the relator; the General Introduction; the Informatio super virtutibus, that is, the theological section in which the virtuous life of the Servant of God is demonstrated; the two Summaria containing testimonial and documentary evidence; the Biographia ex Documentis; the Final Sections and the iconographic material. Attached to the 2 volumes of the Positio is the petition for the review of the process against the Servant of God, prepared by a group of Catholic jurists led by Dr. Giuseppe Viola.

In particular, the Biographia ex documentis presents the biographical account of the Servant of God on a historical, critical, and documentary basis. It is systematically divided into 8 chapters with the following content: Chapter I – Historical, geographical, political, and ecclesial context; Chapter II – Birth and early years (1885–1909); Chapter III – The early years of his priestly ministry (1909–1933); Chapter IV – The Servant of God’s episcopal ministry in Bova (1933–1939); Chapter V – The events at Casal Bruciato (1936–1939); Chapter VI – The beginning of the Servant of God’s long ordeal (1940–1949); Chapter VII – Toward Rehabilitation (1949–1961); Chapter VIII – The Last 10 Years of the Servant of God’s Life (1962–1972).

Following its submission, the Positio will be examined by the theological consultors of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. It will then be examined by the cardinals and bishops. These detailed stages of study and evaluation will enable the Supreme Pontiff, should the outcome be favorable, to declare Bp. Cognata a “Venerable Servant of God.” A miracle attributed to his intercession will then be required to pave the way for beatification.

This news has been met with great joy within the Congregation of the Salesian Oblates of the Sacred Heart and among the Association of Salesian Oblate Laity, within the Salesian Family, in the dioceses of Tivoli and Palestrina – which is responsible for the inquiry – and in the archdiocese of Reggio Calabria-Bova, where Bp. Cognata carried out his episcopal ministry.

The Servant of God Giuseppe Cognata was born in the Templi district of Girgenti (Agrigento) in Sicily on October 14, 1885, the 2d son of a prominent middle-class family. His father, Vitale Cognata, a lawyer by profession, was a member of the local Masonic Lodge, as was his paternal grandfather, a doctor and senator of the Kingdom of Italy. From childhood, Giuseppe demonstrated a wealth of moral and human qualities, nurtured by the Christian upbringing he received chiefly from his mother, Rosa Montana Cognata, a devout and intelligent woman with a strong and lively temperament. At the age of 12, he entered the Salesian school in Randazzo (Catania) and on May 5, 1908, made his perpetual vows among the sons of Don Bosco. On August 29, 1909, he was ordained a priest in Acireale and carried out his educational mission in Sicily, the Veneto, the Marche, Umbria, and Rome. In 1933, he was appointed bishop of Bova and, on December 8 of the same year founded the Congregation of the Salesian Oblates of the Sacred Heart. In 1939, on the basis of false accusations, he was condemned by the Congregation of the Holy Office, stripped of his episcopal office, and expelled from the institute he had founded. He humbly accepted returning to the status of a simple Salesian priest without office or honors, and withdrew into the silence and solitude of the Salesian houses in Trento, Rovereto, and Castello di Godego.

In 1962, he was reinstated by St. John XXIII and, in 1963, St. Paul VI appointed him titular bishop of Farsalo. In this capacity, he took part in the Second Vatican Council. He died on July 22, 1972, in Pellaro (Reggio Calabria), the original base of the Salesian Oblates’ missionary activity. He is buried at the generalate of the Oblate Sisters in Tivoli.

In the light of mercy and the mystery of the Heart of Christ, Bp. Cognata stands as a unique witness to the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. He was not afraid to forgive those who accused him, those who slandered him, and those who condemned him. As he made his way up to Calvary, he gazed upon the Crucified Christ, and, following his example, offered consolation and forgiveness. “Rejoice and be glad” (Matt 5:12), says Jesus to those who are persecuted or humiliated for his sake. He wrote in a memoir from 1949: “I never cease to thank the Lord for granting me an inner peace, never before experienced so fully and deeply, and for the tranquility of a life free from special responsibilities, in which I can attend well to my spiritual needs and to the great matter of my eternal salvation. And how many consolations the merciful Lord has bestowed upon me during these years of salutary penance! Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo!”

Homily for Tuesday, Week 18 of Ordinary Time

Homily for Tuesday
Week 18 of Ordinary Time

Aug. 4, 2026
Jer 30: 1-2, 12-15, 18-22
Ps 102: 16-23, 29
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph Residence, N.R.

Jeremiah on the ruins of Jerusalem
(Horace Vernet)

Reading Jeremiah today, we might think that God has mood swings.  In one breath, the Lord says, “Incurable is your wound” (30:12), and in the next, “See!  I will restore the tents of Jacob” (30:18).

In the 1st instance, God’s pained by Israel’s infidelity, their attention to false lovers, viz., pagan gods.  In the 2d instance, he’s open to repentance and restoration of the covenant:  “You shall be my people, and I will be your God” (30:22).

Israel’s story is our story.  Plenty of people feel “there’s none to plead [their] cause, no remedy for [their] running sore, no healing for [them]” (30:13)—because their sins weigh them down or because life is beating them down.  Nevertheless, God always looks with compassion on us and promises to everyone, despite our infidelities, laughter and glory (30:18-19)—to everyone who trusts him.  “He regards the prayer of the destitute” (Ps 102:18), which is to say of all of us.

So we pray to the Lord on our own behalf and on behalf of all humanity, so severely wounded morally and socially, so longing for restoration and healing.  We trust the Son of God to restore us spiritually and, to the extent that we carry out his teachings, also socially:  the Son who “looked down from his holy height, from heaven beheld the earth” (Ps 102:20), the Son who descended from that height to become one of our own, our leader from our kin (Jer 30:21), incarnate of the Virgin Mary, to lead us back to God.

Wedding at Cana, a Key to Understanding Preventive System

The Wedding at Cana, a Key to Understanding the Preventive System
The Rector Major Addresses Salesian Cooperators

(ANS – Rome – August 3, 2026) – The 5th Meeting of the Association of Salesian Cooperators of the Italy–Middle East Region took place from July 31 to August 2, at the Fraterna Domus in Sacrofano, on the outskirts of Rome, to mark the 150th anniversary of the Association’s foundation by St. John Bosco. The meeting’s theme was “Drawn by Your Merciful Love.” The highlight of Saturday, August 1, dedicated to the motto “We want to love you again by doing good,” was the 2-part address by Fr. Fabio Attard: the morning talk “Do whatever he tells you” and the homily during the Eucharistic celebration.

Cana, the key to the Preventive System

In his morning talk, the rector major presented the wedding at Cana (John 2:1–11) as “an interpretative key that brings together the 2026 Strenna and the charism, the Gospel and Salesian pedagogy,” emphasizing that this isn’t “an artificial juxtaposition.” Fr. Fabio invited the assembly to “look closely at the scene” at Cana, identifying within it 4 elements that summarize Don Bosco’s educational style:

1) Mary’s gaze, capable of noticing that “they have no wine” before anyone else;

2) her words, which “evoke in the servants a response of trust and faith in Jesus”;

3) the atmosphere of engagement that arises from this, where the servants “fill the jars to the brim” out of free will and not thru blind obedience;

4) and finally, the active role of the servants themselves, whom “the Lord doesn’t bypass” but “involves in his work.”

On this Gospel foundation, Fr. Fabio developed the 3 pillars of the Preventive System:

• Reason: an invitation to look at the world of young people “not thru the lens of fear, judgment, or nostalgia” but with a gaze that can also recognize “the signs of God, the deep desires, the thirst for authenticity” in young people in urban peripheries, in countries at war, among migrants, and in digital contexts.
• Religion: the need to “listen to God” in daily prayer as the foundation of all pastoral action, bearing in mind that “without daily listening to the Word, we risk creating many generous initiatives that are not very evangelical.”
• Loving kindness: a style which, modeled on the servants at Cana, “doesn’t create dependence, but shared responsibility,” making young people and laypeople “agents of good, capable in turn of drawing from and bringing the new wine to others.”

The Rector Major concluded his address by referring to the words of the master of the banquet at Cana – “You have kept the good wine until now” (John 2:10) – as an image of hope for the Association: “Celebrating 150 years of history doesn’t mean nostalgically preserving a vintage wine: it means believing that the Lord still has new wine to serve thru us, and that the best of our vocation isn’t behind us, but ahead of us.” He then entrusted the meeting to Mary Help of Christians, “the watchful Mother of Cana,” and to Don Bosco, asking for the grace to be “that humble and fruitful leaven which makes the dough rise.”

The homily: consistency as daily martyrdom

The Feast of Herod & the Beheading of the Baptist
(Giovanni Baronzio)

At Mass, Fr. Fabio commented on the gospel account of the martyrdom of John the Baptist (Matt 14:1–12), drawing a parallel between the theme of the meeting and the story of Herod, “a tragic figure who encounters the message of grace yet refuses to be drawn to it.” The rector major observed that Herod “doesn’t encounter Jesus; he merely catches an echo of him,” filtered “thru his restless conscience,” and pointed out how the tetrarch “never truly makes a decision: his decisions are made by others,” held captive first by fear of the crowd, then by the human respect of his fellow diners.

Fr. Attard contrasted this barren figure with John the Baptist, who, tho “chained and destined for death,” remains free and fruitful because “he doesn’t compromise the truth, nor does he bend it to the convenience of the palace.” Hence the central assertion of the homily: “We shall not be witnesses as long as our faith remains an opinion, exposed to the winds of public opinion …; we shall be witnesses to the extent that faith becomes conviction, conviction becomes witness, and that witness is prepared, if the Lord asks it, to pay a price.”

Addressing the Salesian Cooperators directly, the Rector Major clarified that the martyrdom required today isn’t necessarily one of blood, but one “of consistency: to say ‘this isn’t permissible’ when everyone else is silent, to remain faithful when it would be more convenient to turn away, to keep the Gospel intact in a world that would have us be more pliable, more conformist, more tamed.” He recalled that this consistency “doesn’t come from our own strength, but from having allowed ourselves to be loved first,” echoing the very motto of the meeting. He concluded by entrusting the assembly to Mary Help of Christians, “the first to be drawn to him,” and to the witness of John the Baptist, “the friend of the Bridegroom.”

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Camping Again at Island Pond

Camping Again at Island Pond

July 25 was the first Saturday in July when I didn’t have an evening Mass.  So Bro. Lorenzo D’Alessandro and I went camping in Harriman State Park on Friday the 24th. 

We parked on Kanawauke Rd. a couple of miles west of 7 Lakes Drive.  There were just 5 other cars in the lot, plus one up the road at Island Pond Road.  We left the lot at 4:10 p.m. and reached IPR via the White Bar Trail from the parking lot.  Heading up IPR, we met an older couple coming down the road with trail bikes (that’s a no-no, destructive of the trails), then a pair of young fishermen.

We got to our site near the pond around 5:00.  After pitching our tents, we fetched water, prayed, prepared supper, and went for a swim.  There were some fishermen on the pond, but otherwise we had the place to ourselves till about 7:00, when a gang of youths came down the trail and hung out at the pond for an hour or so.  They were out of sight and not very loud.

We made a fine fire and lingered by that, chatting, till about 9:00 p.m.  On Saturday morning, I got up around 5:30, went to the pond with camera and Divine Office, returned and had breakfast,

and read Smithsonian till Bro. Lorenzo got up.  After a suitable interval, we celebrated Mass,

went for another dip, had lunch, and broke camp.  There were some kayakers on the pond, and on its north shore a couple of campsites.

We left the site at 1:25 p.m., met one couple heading to the pond and saw a pair of guys veer off IPR on the Nurian Trail toward Green Pond.  The parking lot was jammed with vehicles.  In it, one young woman struggled with a huge backpack and moved out north, apparently heading for the White Bar Trail or Island Pond Rd.  We were back to the house in N.R. around 3:50 p.m.

Photos: https://linkit.shutterfly.com/wiJJ83 

Homily for 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Homily for the
18th Sunday of Ordinary Time

August 2, 2026
Collect
Is 55: 1-3
Matt 14: 13-21
Our Lady of the Assumption, Bronx
St. Francis Xavier, Bronx

Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden
(Lucas Cranach)

“Draw near your servants, O Lord, and … with unceasing kindness restore what you have created and keep safe what you have restored” (Collect).

What has God created that we pray him to restore and keep safe?

The 1st chapter of the book of Genesis tells us:  “God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them” (1:27).

We’re asking God in his “unceasing kindness” to restore his own divine image in us, to restore an image that we’ve clouded, even broken, by sin.  All the brokenness in the world is the result of a broken relationship between the Creator and his creation.  That’s a big theme in the opening chapters of Genesis.

The Scriptures this morning tell us how God does his restoration work, then keeps it safe.

In the 1st reading, the Lord invites “all who are thirsty” to “come to the water” (Is 55:1).  Water’s precious, necessary, and life-giving everywhere, very notably so in the arid Middle East, where God spoke these words thru his prophet.

Scientists get excited when space explorations find some evidence that there may once have been water on Mars or some other celestial body.  Where there’s water, there may be life.

Closer to home, one of the humanitarian projects our Salesian mission office supports, especially in Africa, is the drilling of wells and installation of pumps so that remote villages may have clean water for the people, their livestock, and their fields.

The Indian Express, Aug. 17, 2021

Yet closer to home, for years 7 Western states have been discussing water rights to the shrinking Colorado River for their cities, farms, and industries, unable to agree on how to distribute the water, and facing a resolution handed down by Washington.

Our hearts thirst for water, too; not the physical water of a well or a river, but the water of a healthy relationship with God.  And this God offers us, as Christ taught Nicodemus, the Pharisee who came to him secretly, seeking the kingdom of God (John 3:1-15); he offers us a new birth, a new creation, by water and the Holy Spirit.  Thru Baptism God restores what he created, viz., the divine image in a man or woman.  That image is a reflection of God’s Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

A soul filled with grace is a living, glorious image of Christ our Lord.  St. Irenaeus of Lyons, a 2d-century Father of the Church, taught that the glory of God is a fully alive human being, a restored image of God himself.

God, thru Christ, has also provided for the safekeeping of the divine image in men and women.  That’s foreshadowed in what Jesus does in today’s gospel.  Moved with compassion for a hungry crowd, Jesus takes a few loaves of bread, blesses them, breaks them, and gives them to his disciples to distribute.

Last Supper window
OL of the Assumption, Bronx

At his Last Supper, he also “took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, ‘Take and eat; this is my body’” (Matt 26:26).  Still moved with compassion for us, he repeats those sacred actions when his bishops and priests celebrate the Eucharist.  The sacrament of the Lord’s body and blood, the mystery of our faith, keeps safe what Jesus has restored, the divine image in our souls.

The disciples gave Jesus’ multiplied bread to the hungry crowd.  But really it was Jesus giving it.  It’s Jesus now who turns bread and wine into his body and blood and distributes those gifts to his hungry and thirsty followers. 

“All you who are thirsty, come to the water!  Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare” (Is 55:1,2).  Come and be given life; come and be restored.

Oratory Environment Enlivens Tampa's Camp Mary Help

Oratory Environment Enlivens Tampa’s Camp Mary Help

By Genaro Cantú, Salesian candidate

This article was published originally (July 30) in Salesian News, weekly newsletter of the New Rochelle Province.

The campers and counselors gather for a fun photo on the final day of camp, in front of Mary Help of Christians Parish. Credit: Alex Gonzalez

(ANS – Tampa – July 30, 2026) – Home. School. Church. Playground. Salesians know these as the four pillars of Don Bosco’s Oratory. At Camp Mary Help of Christians in Tampa, these same pillars have come together uniquely. Local Tampa youths learn valuable life skills, share quality time with one another, and at the same time grow steadily to “discover their home in God's Church,” in the words of Stephen Watkins, the camp director. “Fun” and “faith-filled” are two words he uses to encapsulate the camp’s mission.

One of the aspects that has truly set Camp Mary Help apart is celebrating the camp-wide Mass daily before any activities. It’s celebrated by a Salesian priest on each day of the 7-week summer camp season. Campers are encouraged to participate actively by being an altar server, joining the camp choir, or serving as a lector.

A 10-year-old camper said of the opportunity to altar serve at camp, “I don't get to do it a lot, so I like doing it here.” He added that he found it “exciting.”

Activities at camp range from archery to canoeing on the lake, from arts and crafts to paying a visit to the barn on the complex (it's appropriately named Mary Has a Little Farm, with chickens, goats, and many other animals present). A caring and energetic team of counselors — many of them former campers themselves — assists the young and helps them to feel at home.

At Mary Has a Little Farm, campers got to experience
the shearing of Shamrock, a 6-year-old sheep. Credit: Arturo Sabogal

“When children come to camp, we work hard to help them feel as if they are part of our family,” Mr. Watkins shared. “We build trust, share our love, and give them a role in our community, which in turn allows them to better understand how God wants them to use their talents outside of camp.”

Tubing on the lake is a favorite among the teenage groups, while the water slides and water balloon fights seem to be most popular among the smaller campers.

Faith time takes place in the afternoon. This is a period devoted to interactive catechesis in an age-appropriate setting, plus weekly “witness talks,” and an opportunity for campers to share about their life in Christ. Each week, a specific theme is emphasized. Important virtues such as forgiveness and prayer took center stage recently.

Bro. Pascal Mukuye, SDB, shared that witnessing campers approach God's mercy during forgiveness week was especially meaningful to him. “To see our young people adoring the Lord, getting to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation, and being able to pause was just beautiful and very inspiring,” he noted.

The week of camp concluded with a lively Friday afternoon talent show, complete with cheerful animation, skits, karaoke, and an awards ceremony. Finally, to cap the week off on the highest of notes, a time of song and worship of the Blessed Sacrament occurred.

Camp Mary Help, which just concluded its final week for 2026, can certainly be described as a tremendous success. The young in the Tampa area were able to spend their summer alongside Christ and enjoying themselves. By doing so, they learned to value a life in which grace and unity with Him is not something boring or old-fashioned. Don Bosco’s saying “Run, jump, shout, but do not sin!” truly came to life, made possible by the cheerful assistance of the counselors and by the camp leadership and Faith Team. But in the end, it's all made possible by the intercession of our mother, Mary Help of Christians, for Don Bosco says that every one of those sent this summer to that bit of paradise in Tampa made it there only by her hand. And for that, thanks be to God.

Some of the Mary Help camp counselors. Credit: Stephen Watkins