Tony Galcius, a former Salesian who worked in England and South Africa during his ministry, describes a beautiful gathering of a branch of the extended Salesian Family.

 

On the vigil of Don Bosco's feast day, a group of men and women gathered in a house on the hill overlooking the city of Stoke. We had gathered, from various parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland, to celebrate Mass in honour of Don Bosco, who had had such a benign influence on our lives either directly or indirectly. All the men had been educated by the Salesians and all of them had tried their vocations as Salesians. The four women - three wives and a widow - had all come under Don Bosco's patronage through marriage. In fact, the house in which this event was taking place, belonged to Elizabeth, whose husband John Collins died three years ago. They had been hosting these  reunions for many years.

We sat in the lounge around a coffee table at which a Salesian priest, Fr Tony Frain celebrated the Mass. His concelebrant, Fr Bill Bergin, is now Parish Priest in Motherwell. How close it was to the Last Supper, which was so visually presented to us. As a participant, I was greatly moved by the piety of all present. It was not difficult to realise that, as at every Mass, both the Last Supper and the Crucifixion were being made present to us in that very room.

 

 

Following on from the liturgy, in a characteristic Salesian way, a tasty evening meal was shared, accompanied by a generous flow of excellent wines. Stories were told, experiences shared, reminiscences expressed as the laughter grew longer and louder. How Don Bosco would have looked on with such satisfaction.

 

No, it was not a Salesian house, or school, or community, but it had all the hallmarks of what we used to call 'salesianitá' - joy, love, a family spirit, which was what Don Bosco himself emphatically taught his followers. We were the extended family of the Salesians in this country and the world.

 

Salesians are not just about children and youth. We, older Salesians in Stoke, were attempting to follow Don Bosco's charism as we did when we were children and youth. And as we recalled the names of those who taught us, and those whom we taught or laboured among, how gratifying it was to know that we had been part of and contributed to that achievement. 

 

And the ladies present? They had been totally included, to the extent that each one felt Don Bosco was probably comparing them to his mother, Mamma Margherita, who had helped him in his work for the young.

 

What we did that evening has been a custom of ours for over ten years and please God, we intend to go on meeting, praying, and enjoying every January ad infinitum.

 

Tony Galcius, January 2019