Getting to Know ISS Participants

The richness of these Salesians from all over the world continues to present a key component to the experience of Salesian Ongoing Formation.  The fall 2013 semester has brought to the ISS two provincials, one finishing his term and another taking a break between two terms.  Fr. Mario Peresson of Bogotá has completed his term as provincial in the Bogotá Province in Colombia (there is also a Province in Medellin).  Fr. Mario indicates that the Rector Major has granted him this break at the ISS.  Fr. Chavez has also given permission to Fr. François Dufour to take a four month break before taking up a second term as Provincial in the South African Province.

This semester is also enriched with the gentle presence of Fr. Gaetano Riolo from Australia, who plans to take both semesters of the ISS.  Our newly ordained priest, Fr. Chuyen, completes the group of four Salesians in the ISS.  Also in residence at Don Bosco Hall are two visiting professors from the Universitá Pontificia Salesiana( UPS), Fr. Gustavo Cavagnari (new professor for Spiritual and Pastoral Theology) and Fr. Michal Vojtas (new professor for Salesian Pedagogy).  Gustavo is a Salesian from Argentina and Michal comes from Slovakia.

In the month of September, we enjoyed the presence of Fr. Francisco Sanchez Leyva, former Novice Master in the Mexico City Province.  Fr. Paco came for a month of strengthening his English before going to Rome to complete a doctoral study in theology at the Gregorian and another doctoral study in Philosophy at the UPS.  This young and brilliant Salesian came on the tails of Fr. Renato Butera, Professor of Social Communications at the UPS and editor of Notizie at the UPS.  Fr. Renato also stayed for one month during the summer.

All of these men, past and present, students and visiting-professor-Salesians, have enriched the Don Bosco Community.  All have encouraged the work and ministry here at Don Bosco Hall.  All have lent their own world experiences and training to the improving of the ISS experience.

We came to October, then, capping off these visits with a return visit of Fr. Frank Moloney who came to launch Fr. Joe Boenzi’s recently published book, St. Francis de Sales: Life and Spirit.  Frank’s return reminded us at Don Bosco Hall of his parting words last April when he cautioned our province never to lose the foothold we have in Berkeley—never to waste the opportunity to develop programs for Salesians and for the Church in this place so blessed by its association with the Graduate Theological Union and the Cal Berkeley Campus.

That foothold has demonstrated its richness with the presence of college students now living at Don Bosco Hall.  The most recent arrival is a young man named Ivan. He is in his second year at UC Berkeley, and came to us through his brother, Juan, who worked in the Salesian Volunteers.  He has a passion for serving the poor, for immigration reform, and for helping peers in trouble navigate their way toward meaning and success, both academically and in life itself.

Please continue to pray for the growing and fluctuating community at Don Bosco Hall.  Pray for the future of this foothold that we Salesians can reach out to the Salesian International Community, to the young people in this University World, and to the Church at large.  The potential is amazing.