A group of senior staff and governors from Salesian Schools in the UK went on pilgrimage to Turin from 1st to 4th May 2009 to deepen their understanding of Don Bosco's charism. Fr Hugh Preston SDB, the GBR Province's Animator of Salesian Schools, writes about the experience:

The group in front of Don Bosco's Rooms at Valdocco

If you want a really good ice cream to cool you down after a couple of hours walking in warm spring sunshine, Turin is certainly one of the best places to go! That was one of the unanimous conclusions of the group of teachers and governors from our Salesian schools in England who spent last weekend visiting the Salesian 'Holy Places'.

Another unanimous conclusion was that there is no better place to go to deepen your understanding and love of Don Bosco and the growth and development of the Salesian family than Turin.

The fifteen of us who made up the party arrived at Valdocco on Friday evening and the warmth of the spring sunshine was more than matched by the warmth of the welcome we received from Brother Guido and the Salesian community.

The Temple at Colle Don Bosco

Saturday morning saw us visiting Chieri and the places associated with John Bosco's schooling and seminary life, and then in the afternoon a visit to Colle Don Bosco with its imposing Temple of Don Bosco and his humble childhood home was concluded by a mass in the Sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians where we prayed for each of the schools in the province. A quick visit to Mondonio where St Dominic Savio spent the last years of his life rounded off a memorable day.

The Duomo, or Cathedral, in Turin

Sunday up until lunch time was given over to a tour of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians and Don Bosco's Rooms and mass together in the chapel of St Francis de Sales, and then after lunch we set out on a walking tour of Turin and some of its many churches. Fortunately there was the occasional bar and ice cream shop to sustain us on our way!

And so to Monday morning, and as we waited for our flight back to London and shared some of the highlights of our weekend in Turin, it was very obvious that we had all been enriched by our visit and by meeting up with others who share our love of and enthusiasm for Don Bosco and his way of ministering to the young.