Salesian Gospel Roads 2024

By Fr. Steve DeMaio, SDB, Province Vocation Director

(New Rochelle, NY – August 28) – From Sunday, August 18, to Saturday, August 24, the province office of youth and young adult ministry animated Salesian Gospel Roads in Port Chester, NY. There were seven participants from Our Lady of the Valley Church in Orange, NJ, and one student from Regis High School who worked at Camp Echo Bay in New Rochelle, NY. These young people were accompanied by Br. Rafael Vargas, Fr. Steve DeMaio, Ms. Victoria Weekley, Ms. Vicky Chogllo (OLV), Ms. Kayla Sullivan (MHCA graduate), and Jaruwat Maendl (OLV).

We lived in the Savio House Convent attached to the Corpus Christi-Holy Rosary School (CCHR). Our two main work sites were the CCHR school with the Salesian Sisters and the Don Bosco Community Center. It was a fruitful week of serving with and for the Salesian Family and participating in the beautiful mission very much present in Port Chester. The work included pulling up carpet, sanding railings, landscaping, cooking and serving food at the soup kitchen and helping with different projects at the center.

On Monday, the Salesian Cooperators provided food and spent time with the young people. Salesian Gospel Roads provided a beautiful space for the young people to live in community, reflect on Catholic social teaching, encounter the poor, and strengthen their prayer life.

We want to thank the SDB and FMA communities of Port Chester and Jerry Rodriguez, Andres Alvarez and Carmen Lopez de Linero from the Don Bosco Center for all their hospitality. This year our province hosted two SGRs (New Orleans and New York). We would love to add a few more.

If you have any questions on how to start up a Salesian Gospel Roads in your community, please reach out to the office.