Don Bosco Comes to Saskatoon

By Fr. John Puntino, SDB, SDB Delegate, Salesian Cooperators (Canada)

Salesian Leadership and Service Retreats

For the past four years, Mariel Cabrera, former coordinator of youth ministry at St. Benedict Parish in Toronto, and Darryl Huevos, also of Toronto, have guided and assisted Viktoriia Marko, a representative of the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools in running a secondary school leadership and service retreat in the Salesian style and spirit.

In part one of the retreat, the students go through a series of experiential activities where they learn about teamwork, clear communications and decision-making, and about having a healthy relationship with God. In part two of the retreat, the participants work on a service project.

Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools and Icon of St. John Bosco

Viktoriia, who knew the Salesians in Ukraine before emigrating to Canada with her family, worked for the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon and the Catholic schools system before working full-time with the Catholic schools system.

This year, in contrast to feeding the homeless or other outreach programs, the 70 participants learned to create an icon of St. John Bosco. Fr. Ivan Nahachewsky, rector of Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of St. George, guided them in making the icon. Fifty of the completed icons will be given to the 43 elementary schools and 7 secondary schools of the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools system.

Byzantine Roots and a Salesian Cooperator

Inspired by the biblical image of hearts ablaze, the retreat program is called Byzantine Leadership and Zealous Evangelization (BLAZE).

Thus, a highlight of the weekend retreat was the Divine Liturgy at St. George Cathedral, celebrated by Most Rev. Michael Smolinski, CSsR, eparch of Saskatoon and the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan.

At the end of the celebration, Viktoriia Marko, who was in formation for the past two years, made her promise as a Salesian Cooperator.

In preparation for her promise, The Most Rev. Bryan Bayda, CSsR, former bishop of Saskatoon and now eparch of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto and Eastern Canada and chairman of the Patriarchal Youth Commission of the UGCC, recorded a video detailing the historical influence of the Salesians in the Ukrainian Catholic presence in Canada.

Don Bosco has come to Saskatoon through those who have experienced BLAZE retreats. His icon is soon to be enthroned in every Catholic school in the city. And the presence now of the Association of Salesian Cooperators in the person of Viktoriia Marko.