Berkeley Meeting Prepares Missionaries for Salesian Mission Day 2026

Berkeley Meeting Prepares Missionaries for Salesian Mission Day 2026

(ANS – Berkeley, Calif. – March 16, 2026) – On March 11, Salesian missionaries serving across the Western United States gathered in Berkeley, Calif., for a day of reflection, formation, and fraternity in preparation for Salesian Mission Day 2026. Coordinated by JC Montenegro, delegate for mission animation, Fr. Fabian Cardenas, delegate for youth ministry, and Luis Chacon, coordinator of the Salesian Missionary Volunteers, the meeting brought together missionaries from various countries serving young people thruout the province. Fr. Alejandro Rodriguez opened the day with a spiritual reflection on missionary identity within the Salesian charism, recalling the early expeditions of St. John Bosco and the first Salesians who arrived in the United States. Participants reviewed the “Welcome Manual for Salesians” arriving from abroad, a resource designed to support their integration and accompaniment. A shared breakfast preparation reflected the spirit of fraternity, while a Zoom session with Marco Fulgaro from the Congregation’s Mission Dept. in Rome offered insights into discernment and missionary formation. The day concluded with fellowship, a walk among the redwoods, and the presence of Fr. Mel Trinidad, provincial, reaffirming that the missionary spirit remains central to the Salesian vocation.