Celebrating Faithful Service
Posted: Thu, 16 Jun 2011
For nearly 30 years the GBR Province has benefited from the expert financial assistance of Mr Raymond Elliot, a Chartered Accountant from Oxford. He has attended meetings of what is now the Finance, Investment and Property (FIP) Committee, overseen the drawing up of annual accounts for Rome and the Charity Commission, and made countless visits to communities to give advice on financial matters.
... Read More »
Loyal Service
Posted: Tue, 7 Jun 2011
There was a celebration in Thornleigh House Bolton on Tuesday 7th June 2011 to honour Mrs Paulene Whyte and Mrs Julie Tansey, who have each served the Salesians for 25 years.
Fr Charles Garrick, Fr Mervyn Williams, Mrs Paulene Whyte, Mrs Julie Tansey and Fr Hugh Preston
Mrs Paulene Whyte was appointed by Fr Michael Power RIP, then the Provincial Economer, in 1986 to help with the financial administration... Read More »
One Family in the Eyes - Salesian Student Charter
Posted: Thu, 2 Jun 2011 11:59
Organised by Fr James Gallagher SDB and Mr Kevin Regan, the 7th Annual Salesian Student Leadership Gathering took place at Savio House in March 2011.
The continued success of these events was evident in the presence of fifty three students accompanied by their teachers. This was the largest gathering to date.
As always the students met to share their ideas from across the six Salesian schools of the... Read More »
Images of the Developing World and the Risk of Disempowerment
Posted: Mon, 23 May 2011 11:59
One of the activities we do with BOVA volunteers during their training involves asking them to quickly jot down 5 words or phrases which "represent Africa to them" (and I'm using Africa here just as an example). Average responses include lions, elephants, vast skies, starvation, war, street children and so on. We then read the essay "How to write about Africa" by Binyavanga Wainaina, a Kenyan author.... Read More »
Salesian Youth Animator
Posted: Wed, 18 May 2011
Sue McDonald has begun her new role as Salesian Youth Animator for the Salesians of Don Bosco in Great Britain.
She writes:
I am very excited at the prospect of enhancing the profile of the Salesians within the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation (CYMFed) and look forward to working alongside some fantastic people already in this ministry.
As most people know I have worked within the Salesian family... Read More »
Easter Triduum at Brettargh Holt
Posted: Wed, 11 May 2011 11:59
During Holy Week, Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday, around 35 young adults took part in an Easter Triduum retreat at Brettargh Holt, a retreat house, run by lay volunteers and staff and home to the Salesian sisters.
Participants arrived in time for a Passover meal in the evening, remembering the Jewish meal celebrated my Jesus and his disciples. We then continued our evening by celebrating mass, including... Read More »
Phoenix Days Training Weekend
Posted: Sat, 7 May 2011 11:59
With the second Phoenix Days camp, 3 months away, we had our first meeting to get to know who we would be working with and what activities we would be doing in the summer.
Phoenix days is a holiday (We were explicitly told not to call it a retreat) for young people who wouldnât normally get the chance to go on holiday or for people that could benefit from having a holiday with other young people.... Read More »
Bridget in Kenya and Tanzania
Posted: Sun, 24 Apr 2011
Salesian life as a lay personá
One of my concerns before I came out here was how I would cope with the community and prayer life that the Salesians practise as part of their mission and charism. Over the last 5 weeks we have stayed - albeit for short periods - in 6 different communities and houses. (One more to go!) As one priest said to us, we could now become consultants on the Salesian houses... Read More »
Salesian School Chertsey and the Church School Awards
Posted: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:59
2010-11 marked the first year of the Church School Awards. Schools with a religious character in England and Wales were invited to submit an application stating ways in which they contributed to the wider community, locally, nationally and internationally, together with an account of the work of the RE Department.
Over 300 schools submitted applications and Salesian School Chertsey was judged to be... Read More »