MESSAGE OF THE PROVINCIAL | JUNE 6, 2019

Dear Salesian Family,

As mentioned a few weeks ago, this edition of Salesian News gives special attention to the celebrations of Mary Help of Christians throughout the province and the graduation ceremonies of our schools.

Looking back on the numerous celebrations for Mary Help in local Salesian presences and where Salesian presences came together to celebrate, we can feel the Salesian spirit alive in our midst. In part, this is due to Mary’s motherly guidance and powerful intercession. With St. Joseph, Mary created a home in which Jesus “grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.” (Luke 2:40) Mary still creates this home for her children, where we feel welcome and encouraged. She makes this home a school of holiness for us, so that the favor of God may be upon us, like Jesus. In other words, she helps us become saints. We learn that holiness is for us too.

The graduation ceremonies of our schools are always moments of pride—for the graduates, the parents, and the educators. The pomp and circumstance associated with the ceremonies give due importance to this passage toward a new stage in life. For us Salesians, inherent in the ceremony is the challenge to provide continual accompaniment to the young people, even when they are not coming to school on a regular basis. It’s not unusual for a graduation speaker, toward the end of the ceremonies, to greet the graduates as the newest alumni. The sentiments of this type of greeting are found in Regulation 39: The community should maintain friendly relations with the past pupils, giving special attention to the younger ones. It should show a real interest in them and promote opportunities for meetings, formation, and collaboration.

Last week in Salesian News there was an article on communications by Jakeline Magalhaes, the province delegate for communications. If you haven’t read it yet, please go back and take the time to read it. Directors might reflect on the article in a Good Night or as formation with the EPC council. It is in line with the recommendations of Fr. Tim Ploch in the final report of the extraordinary visitation. This would also be a good time to become familiar with the Salesian Social Communication System (SSCS): Guidelines for the Salesian Congregation, the document mentioned in Jakeline’s article. You can see a digital copy here, or ask Jakeline for a printed copy.

Last weekend the province had the great joy of celebrating the priestly ordination of Eduardo Chincha and Juan Pablo Rubio, on Saturday, June 8, at 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Orange, NJ. They were ordained by the Most Reverend Manuel A. Cruz, auxiliary bishop of Newark, and a good friend of the Salesian Family. If you could not be physically at the celebration, please be united in prayer. Let us also pray for Bro. John Langan, who will be ordained a deacon on Sunday, June 16, in the Church of St. Anne in Jerusalem. Fr. Pat Angelucci will be representing the province at this celebration.

God bless you all,

Fr. Tim Zak