Salesian Domestic Volunteers

Check out this video from our guys in Salesian Formation about the Rosary! From Don Bosco Music Ministry! Our Online Oratory!

“I have been humbled, a hundred times over, by the fact that God always knows me better than I know myself.”

A reflection by: Salesian Domestic Volunteer Kelly Schuster in Washington DC

When I arrived at Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School to start my year of service, I was nervous, determined, and I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I had a plan of how I would teach my classes and what my involvement in Youth Ministry would look like. Nothing has gone according to my plan… thank goodness.

I have been humbled, a hundred times over, by the fact that God always knows me better than I know myself. I wanted to teach full time and I was not sure how well I would fit into working in Youth Ministry; I had no idea how much it would teach me. DBCR’s Youth Ministry program has given me the opportunity to get to know the students outside of the classroom. It is not always easy for me to walk up to students I do not know and just strike up a conversation. Co-running retreats, for example, has given me a constructive time and space to work with students in a different environment. I have found this time with students to be invaluable for they are more relaxed and express themselves differently than they do in the classroom. It has also given me a chance to get to know students in other grade levels since I only teach Juniors. And as I look back, I realize that it has also allowed me the space and the opportunity to open myself up to the students. This in turn has helped me to open myself up in the classroom and has changed my teaching style. The advice that is often given to teachers when they enter a new school is, “Don’t smile until Christmas”; that has got to go. At DBCR I have learned “Love your students, and let them know that they are loved” (St. John Bosco).

How can the above statement occur? Out of the many things that make a Cristo Rey school unique one aspect that is particular to our school is that it is Salesian. Working in an already well established Youth Ministry program is unique in that it is not so much about the programs that you run; it is about creating an atmosphere for students to feel welcomed and loved. While it may seem contradictory to say, since I spend much of my time planning and implementing programs, the day to day ministry of students stopping into the office or chatting with you in the hallway is incredibly valuable. While a retreat can impact students and programs can strengthen their leadership skills, being present with them day in and day out in their struggles and in their joys; that is where some of the greatest impact can occur.

While the above paragraphs are true, the time I’ve spent learning these values has not been easy. At the end of the day I am an instrument of God’s work and therefore it is not so much about what I do but about how much room I allow God to work through and with me. When Jesus says to Peter, “Come” and walk out onto the water with Him, Peter walks into a stormy sea. It is not calm and placid water, it’s tumultuous. It is no wonder that Peter becomes frightened. In my service to Him, God has called me into a storm, but there is no need to fear because He is standing in the storm with me. He was there first, I came to Him, and He will not leave me to fall. As I persevere with His strength, I learn more each day what it is to trust and walk with Christ.

“Overall, God is at the center of all the believers that guide me through this time of service and growth.  I hope to always put God at the center of my life.”

John Taylor: Salesian Domestic Volunteer at St. John Bosco Parish in Chicago A reflection on his experience in Chicago over the past six months

John spends the bulk of his work assisting with the strong catechesis program, RCIA and scouting program at the Parish as well as being a mentor and accompanying the young people in the Oratory.

At the beginning of this experience, I was not sure what to expect of the other Domestic Volunteer and the religious community at Saint John Bosco parish for which I was joining. They have all been very warm at heart and caring for what I do and how I am feeling during my stay.  Throughout this duration, my mind and soul have been tested and expanded in order for me to grow in my human and spiritual growth.

In mind and soul, I have learned a great deal from learning about the Salesian spirituality and charism.  Their spirit of joy fits well with my attitude for sharing smiles and corny jokes.  In addition, I was able to see the Relic of Saint John Bosco and learn about his life and mission.  He seems to be incorporated in the daily lives of Salesians.  The religious communities’ openness to new ideas and change is refreshing and puts my “everything is okay” attitude to the test.  We should be open to change if we are to grow and remain in an ever-changing world.  The priests and brother have been enthusiastically caring about my well-being both physically and spiritually. The church, or people united for worship have been very good to me and I don’t know how I would ever repay them.  They are wonderful guides and have shown me what it means to be spiritual and in love with Christ.  They have more fully introduced me to a greater world of prayer.  For instance, I have become more acquainted to the Holy Rosary, praying in front of Jesus in adoration, asking for the intercession of saints (Saint John Bosco).  Overall, the community exhibits a great deal of love, devotion, and faith for Jesus.  I look to have as much faith as they do.

The religious and general community here has shown what it means to be of service to others.  Their openness and love have been felt in all activities and programs; namely, through the courses in which I assist Brother and during the community time we spend together in prayer and for meals.  For example, Brother asks for my opinion of his lesson plans, and he delivers a great message that is relevant and exciting for the students (and me). Overall, God is at the center of all the believers that guide me through this time of service and growth.  I hope to always put God at the center of my life.

John Taylor in the center with young people on a Gospel Roads service program in New Orleans

Our young people are walking the path to holiness by bringing faith and fun together in Don Bosco’s mission!

Ready to answer God’s call to serve?

Come discern if the Salesian Domestic Volunteer program is right for you!

Our Discernment dates for 2011

March 11th-13th 2011   Berkeley, CA

Salesian Center for Studies

April 15th-17th 2011  Chicago, IL

St. John Bosco Parish

June 10th-12th 2011 South Orange, NJ

Salesian Retreat House

Relic of St. John Bosco tours through United States and Canada!

Check out donboscoamongus.org for pictures, videos and articles!

New U.S.A. Volunteers

Fr. Mike Mendl, SDB

On Saturday, August 7, Fr. Tom Dunne (photo, far left), provincial, commissioned 28 young women and men as Salesian Lay Missioners (SLMs) or Salesian Domestic Volunteers (SDVs) at the close of a week of retreat.

For the 22 SLMs the retreat was the culmination of four intense weeks of orientation by their director, Adam Rudin (photo, far right next to Fr. Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions), and other staff.  The weeks included initial Salesian orientation and getting acquainted, cultural and other issues (together with volunteers from several other organizations, at Maryknoll), a week’s “practice” with kids in the summer camp of our Port Chester parishes, and finally the retreat and final issues to be addressed before they head in the next few days or weeks for their missions in Bolivia, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Rwanda, and one other country.

The SLMs come from all over the U.S. and represent both the San Francisco and the New Rochelle Provinces.    In days of yore there were SLMs who served within the U.S. provinces, e.g. at Watsonville, Birmingham, Paterson, and NYC.  But for the last two years (at least) the New Rochelle Province has been putting together a specific in-country program – the SDVs.  It’s directed by Megan Fraino (above photo, back row, 2nd from right) of the Youth Ministry Office in South Orange.  Their orientation was basically this week of retreat.  The 6 men and women just commissioned are the first for this program and will serve in Salesian or Salesian-affiliated presences in Washington (DBCR), Chicago (SJB), Philadelphia, and Ridgewood, N.J.

The week’s retreat coincided (deliberately) with the annual retreat of some 20 Salesians at Don Bosco Retreat Center in Haverstraw-Stony Point.  Despite some confusion (“Was that announcement for the SDVs or the SDBs?”), the young people very much livened up the SDBs’ experience, as Fr. Tom Dunne noted in his letter in Aug. 5′s E-Service. (He also lauds the efforts and the results of Adam and Meg in their respective programs.) The volunteers, in turn, deeply appreciated their interaction with the SDBs at liturgy (both Hours and Eucharist), meals, the Friday evening  entertainment, and elsewhere – and their “outing” to the first profession of Sr. Josiane Phanord at North Haledon.

For most of the SLMs, if not all of them, the retreat week was the highlight of their orientation, closely followed, they said, by the week with the kids in Port Chester, which was for most of them their first real experience working directly with children.

Returned SLMs Sr. Anna Kupin, SSC (Bolivia, 2000-01), and Jayne Feeney (Ethiopia, 2009-10) helped orient the new class and shared their enthusiasm for Don Bosco’s mission.

The Salesian Domestic Volunteer program launches its new website!

The office  of Youth Ministry has been hard at work preparing the Domestic Volunteer program for the Eastern province of the Salesians of Don Bosco.  This site will help members of the Salesian family, current volunteers and prospective volunteers learn about our program and where we serve.

Take some time to browse the website and see what we have going on!

WHERE THE HEART OF A YOUNG PERSON BEATS, THERE BEATS THE HEART OF DON BOSCO