austraLasia #2991

'Western Australia Young Salesians' conduct Sumemr Bush Camp

PERTH: 17 January 2012 -- The 'Western Australia Young Salesians' group is an excellent example of how a Salesian presence can be extended by young people themselves, especially in the absence of a fully-fledged Salesian community. Western Australia, some 3,400 kms from other Salesian communities in the east of the country, has in recent years had one resident Salesian (earlier we had two parishes), and a Salesian confrere, the new Rector at Salesian College, Sunbury, Vic., who regards himself as a West Australian since that is where his family settled after they migrated from Burma.  Fr Will Mathews returns there for his holidays. We will let Will (also the SC Delegate for the Australia-Pacific Province) take up the story from here.

"The summer camp in Western Australia was in full swing from 8-13 January, 2012. About 30 campers gathered together with 12 capable leaders at Nanga bush camp site, near Dwellingup in WA.

Nanga Salesian summer camps have been running regularly over 25 years. It used to be led directly by Salesian priests and brothers.  Now it is totally run by lay leaders many of whom are young teachers, university students and active members of Catholic parishes.

The camp started on Monday 9th January with various ice-breaker activities.

Fr. Clayton Mitchell, a diocesan priest from Perth and Fr. Will Matthews SDB, a Salesian priest from Melbourne concelebrated a Mass for all campers and leaders in the evening on the first day.

It has been a fun-filled week in the spirit of Don Bosco for this group of young people at Nanga".