SGR Stony Point: Small but Mighty

By Fr. Steve DeMaio, SDB

(New Rochelle, NY – August 27) – From Saturday, August 9, through Saturday, August 16, the province office of youth and young adult ministry animated a Salesian Gospel Roads (SGR) at the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians (the Shrine) in Stony Point, NY. The program began with the Rise Up! Festival and ended with the first profession of the five novices.

We were a small but mighty group of 9 young people and 8 adults from three different local works. Three young people came from Our Lady of the Valley in Orange, NJ; another three journeyed from Salesian High School in New Rochelle, NY; and the last three came from Mary Help of Christians Academy (Mary Help) in North Haledon, NJ.

It was a beautiful week of prayer, service, and community. We worked mainly at the Shrine, but also helped at St. Gregory’s Parish in Garnerville.

We also went into New York City with the Midnight Run to help with their outreach to the unhoused population.

One reflection from a student from Mary Help sums up the spirit of the week. She realized during one of the days of service at the Shrine that she was “giving back to the place that brought her back to the faith.” She had attended the Valdocco Retreat the previous year and was grateful to serve at the Shrine, which many young people from her works considered to be a second home. I was filled with a lot of hope to see how the young people worked hard without complaining and were open to learning about Catholic social teaching. I’d like to thank the Salesian Family, especially Fr. Manny Gallo and the Shrine community, as well as the Salesian Cooperators from Stony Point, Port Chester, and Goshen, for their support throughout this week.

This summer, as a province, we sponsored three Salesian Gospel Roads, and we hope for a few more in the year to come. If you have any questions, or if you want to bring SGR to your local community, please contact the office of youth and young adult ministry.