Caritas Tech hosts PNG and Solomon Islands Salesian event

Caritas Technical Secondary School, run by the Caritas Sisters of Jesus, was the venue for this year’s Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands Salesian Family.
The Salesian Family is a caring group of people from all walks of life and all corners of the earth, who are dedicated to making life better for the world’s poorest and neediest children and families.
It is led by nearly 30,000 missionaries including Salesian priests, brothers, sisters and novices who serve as Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB), the second largest order in the Roman Catholic Church.
The Salesian Family is joined by thousands of passionate volunteers, committed lay staff and generous donors.
Everyone gathered in the Cimatti Hall for the event, which kicked off with unfreezers animated by past pupils.
On behalf of the Caritas Sisters of Jesus, Sr Mazzarello Choi welcomed everybody.
SDB provincial superior Fr Alfred Maravilla also acknowledged the presence of different groups including the Association of Salesian Cooperators and past pupils.
Head of the Salesian Cooperators at Gabutu, Rica Lavilla, presented the life of Blessed Bartolome Blanco.
A Michaelite seminarian spoke about their founder, Blessed Bronislaw Markiewics.
The Salesian aspirants of Savio Haus presented, through a song, the life of Blessed Stephen Sandor and Blessed Titus Zeman.
After lunch, there were item presentations from individuals andgroups.
Br Reto Waner SDB performed with his accordion. Fr Eduardo Revilla SDB rendered a song in Spanish.
There were songs and dances from the Salesian Cooperators.
The Salesian aspirants entertained everyone with their dance.
The family event concluded with a Mass celebrated by the SDB Provincial with the other Salesian priests concelebrating with him.
The homilist was Fr Angel Sanchez SDB, the provincial delegate for the Salesian Family.
He reminded members of the Salesian Family about the Lord’s instruction to the nine-year-old Johnny Bosco in his famous dream: “Teach them the ugliness of sin and the beauty of virtue.”
He also encouraged and challenged everyone to be bearers and embodiments of “the beauty of virtue”, especially for the youth of Papua New Guinea.
Sanchez thanked everyone who made an effort to be present and be involved in the annual event of the Salesian Family.