Port Chester: St. John Bosco Parish Opens Media Studio

By Miss Julia St. Clair, Province Communications Director

(New Rochelle, NY – April 17) – Last month, St. John Bosco Parish opened a new media studio in Port Chester, NY.

"It was a spur-of-the-moment idea," Carlos Rodriguez, a Salesian Family member who volunteers doing communications for Port Chester revealed. "It’s been building since the pandemic, when we live-streamed Masses and the ordinations of four priests."

One parishioner, Carolina Ramirez, runs a group called Lucas 4:18. The group handled live steaming and usually brought their own equipment with them wherever they filmed. "It was a lot for them to load, set up, and take down the equipment, then repeat each time and everywhere they filmed," Carlos explained. "Carolina asked Fr. Pat [Angelucci, SDB, Port Chester Director], who found a small room for them, for a space. He later gave the go-ahead when she inquired about converting it to a studio where they could set up the equipment to interview people and do teachings."

After construction started on the room, Lucas 4:18 held a benefit concert to raise funds for the studio. The blessing happened in mid-March, and the studio was dedicated to Sr. "Maruja" Causa, SA. One week later, the studio opened, and its inaugural event was Carlos's interview with Fr. Provincial Tim Zak, SDB.

"Fr. Tim and I go way back," Carlos beamed. "We even went to the Holy Land together for 11 days."

Before the interview, Fr. Tim and Carlos discussed the studio and their vision for it. "He advised us to be concise on why we created this studio and who and what kind of programs we’d like to film there," Carlos shared. "He also mentioned there has to be a team of as many as 10-12 people so we’re not overworking ourselves or burning out."

Fr. Tim’s encouragement helped the Port Chester community define three areas they’d like to have in the media center. "We’d like to film programs on catechesis, evangelization, and education," Carlos exclaimed.

Fr. Tim’s second piece of advice is very important as the media studio currently has a team of three people. "We need the infrastructure to make this gift a blessing," Carlos explained. "We need to start off with volunteers. It would be great to have people who know most of Adobe Creative Suite, Final Cut Pro, Avid, Pro Tools, or Media Encoders. We also need people to manage cameras, sounds, and sonography."

If you or someone you know is near St. John Bosco Parish in Port Chester and would like to volunteer at the media studio, please contact Carlos Rodriguez at carlos@cm-rodriguez.com.