Novices on the home straight!
Posted: Wed, 27 Jul 2005
Our novices made their pre-profession retreat at Savio House in the last week of July 2005.
They are pictured here with Fr Francis Preston, who gave the retreat, and his twin brother Fr Hugh Preston, Rector at Savio House.
Jim Zettel (centre) is from the CAN (Canadian) province and will return to Canada to make his profession on August 28th. Matt Jeziorski (left) and Marco Villani (right) are from the... Read More »
Funeral of Fr James Conway SDB
Posted: Wed, 20 Jul 2005 09:49
Funeral of Fr James Conway
Fr Conway died on 9th July 2005 at the age of 84 after a long Salesian career. The funeral took place at Farnborough on 19th July. John Ward writes:
"We had the privilege of saying goodbye today to a wonderful Salesian, Father James Conway SDB, at his funeral in Farnborough. Among the congregation were many past pupils, sad to see such a lovely person go to his well-earned... Read More »
Memorial Mass for Fr Pat Kenna RIP
Posted: Fri, 8 Jul 2005
Fr Pat Kenna SDB, who died on 8th July 2005, spent three years in Bootle during his training as a Salesian and returned in 1995 to run the Don Bosco Youth Centre at Savio High School for seven years. He made many friends in the Liverpool area through these contacts and also through his work with HCPT.
Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy, Rector of the Bootle Community, arranged a Memorial Mass for Fr Pat Kenna... Read More »
Fr David O'Malley celebrates 25 years
Posted: Sat, 25 Jun 2005
At Thornleigh College, Bolton, on 25th June 2005, Fr David O'Malley SDB celebrated the Silver Jubilee of his ordination to the Priesthood.
During the Mass he spoke of elements that had led him on in his vocation and convinced him that he was right to 'stick with it': the profound questions about life and death that he had been forced to face at an early age, the support and stability provided by the... Read More »
Passing of a great Salesian
Posted: Sun, 5 Jun 2005
Fr Ainsworth passed away on 5th June 2005 after a short stay at Nazareth House, Manchester.
He had celebrated his 97th birthday on 5th May 2005 at St Joseph's, Bolton. Although his health had not been good recently, he rallied for the occasion, made a speech and joined in the community singing.
The Funeral was celebrated at Thornleigh College, Bolton, on 11th June, in the presence of members of his community,... Read More »
Province Retreat 2005
Posted: Sun, 29 May 2005
This year the Province retreat was held at Ushaw College, Durham, from 29th May to 3rd June 2005. Fifty two Priests, Brothers and Novices from every Salesian community in the GBR Province took part in the retreat, led by Fr Michael Connell SDB, who had travelled from Cape Town to be with us.
For several of the Salesians, this was a return to the place where they had studied in preparation... Read More »
Blaisdon Reunion: April, 2005
Posted: Mon, 4 Apr 2005 09:20
Blaisdon Easter Reunion
A small but excellent gathering of Past Pupils met at Blaisdon on 3rd April 2005, the Sunday after Easter for the now traditional Easter mini-Reunion. Some, as usual, made a weekend of the visit. This started at the Salesian graves in the churchyard at St Michael's with prayers for the deceased members of the Blaisdon Salesian Family. As this coincided with the death... Read More »
Cooperators celebrate at Savio
Posted: Mon, 31 Jan 2005
On the eve of the Feast of Saint John Bosco, Salesian Cooperators from the northwest of England gathered in Savio House, Bollington.
Assembled after Mass in the Chapel at Savio House.
Fr Hugh Preston, Rector at Savio House, gave a talk on Salesian Spirituality and after the Mass, led by Fr Provincial, all enjoyed a meal together. The very small cooperator at the front of the picture is a grandchild... Read More »
Salesian Family Celebrates in Rome
Posted: Thu, 20 Jan 2005
The participants gather on the steps of the Salesianum (Photo from ANS)
Fr Bernard Parkes SDB from Savio House has sent the following report:
The annual Days of Salesian Spirituality took place in Rome from 20th to 23rd January 2005. Our Province was well represented -- eight of us were present. Srs. Eileen McGarry, Elizabeth O'Donnell and Valerie Jackson travelled from Scotland, as did Tess John... Read More »
A remarkable gathering
Posted: Tue, 21 Dec 2004
After their visit to Italy at Christmas 2004, Fr John Dickson took our British (and Canadian) Novices back to Turin to celebrate the Feast of Mary Help of Christians at the Italian Novitiate of Pinerolo. They were surprised to find that the feast had also attracted the Novices from the other Italian Novitiate at Ginzano and those from Slovakia.
There were somewhere near fifty novices present at the... Read More »