By Afia Enosa SDB

Melbourne, Australia, 5 October 2023 -- The Centenary Retreat was part of the Celebration of 100 Years of the Salesian presence in Australia and the Pacific and it was a truly special moment, bringing together sixty-seven Salesian Priests and Brothers, Salesian Sisters and lay people, from Fiji, Samoa, Australia and New Zealand. It was a remarkable opportunity for Salesian confreres in the province to reunite and get to know other members of our province. Many are working in different Salesian schools, retreat centre, parishes, youth centres, hostels and communities, so having the chance to gather together for a few days was a great experience, especially for young Salesians. It was a wonderful reminder of the beauty and strength of the Salesian family spirit. It was an opportunity to reflect on the incredible work that the Salesian mission has accomplished in Australia over the past 100 years, and to give thanks to God for the gift of those courageous Salesians who brought the mission to Australia in 1923.

Father Chris Ford SDB was the main preacher of the retreat, presenting a variety of reflective themes related to the charism of Don Bosco. One of the highlights of the retreat was his talk that was centered around gratitude and the love of Don Bosco as a good shepherd and the role it plays in the Salesian mission where it starts from the heart and grows out. He emphasized that gratitude is a sign of grace moving in the life of young people, and how compassion and kindness was Don Bosco’s pedagogy that touched the heart of his boys who later became successors and apostles of the mission. He also spoke about the influence of the Blessed Mother Mary in the Salesian Congregation and mission especially in the life of young John during his early childhood. Father Chris also mentioned how the Salesians are grateful heirs of Don Bosco's mission for young people. His words left a profound impact, reminding us of the importance of gratitude and how it can help us stay connected to our mission of serving diverse communities.

Sister Edna Mary MacDonald FMA was able to provide a brief history of their founder, Saint Maria Domenica Mazzarello and the mission of the Salesian Sisters around the world, which was an enlightening revelation of how the Salesian mission evolved through the cooperation of Don Bosco and Maria Domenica Mazzarello. Through her presentation, she spoke about the important role that the Salesian Sisters have played in the mission of the Salesians until today. Two significant figures stood out during her presentation: The Well and the Window. “The Well is a symbol of the life-giving waters of Christ, which quench our thirst and satisfy our deepest desires. As Salesian Sisters, we strive to draw others to the Well, so they too may experience the love and grace of God. The Window, on the other hand, signifies the openness and transparency of the Salesian Sisters. Our founder and Saint John Bosco, believed that we should be like an open window, allowing young people to see the light of Christ shining through us. We are called to be a visible sign of God's love and mercy in the world. We embody the teachings of Saint John Bosco and Saint Mary Mazzarello, who founded our order, by striving to live lives of prayer, humility, and service to others. We are called to be women of faith, hope, and charity, who bring the light of Christ to those in need.” she explained.

Throughout the Retreat, we were able to take time to reflect on our own Salesian vocation, and to refocus our efforts on the mission of the Salesians. We were reminded of the importance of our work in serving young people, and of the impact that we can have on their lives. It was a reaffirming experience, leaving us with a newfound sense of purpose and drive to continue moving forward.

The Retreat concluded with the Eucharistic celebration at Saint Margaret Mary’s Parish in Brunswick, celebrated by His Grace Archbishop Peter Andrew Comensoli (Archbishop of Melbourne) co-celebrated by Salesian Priests. The celebration was packed with more than five hundred parishioners, families and friends of Don Bosco. It was a solemn ceremony bringing to conclusion the Centenary Retreat, and a farewell to the relic of Don Bosco, which has been toured around Australia as part of the centenary celebration. hers, Salesian Sisters and lay people, from Fiji, Samoa, Australia and New Zealand. It was a remarkable opportunity for Salesian confreres in the province to reunite and get to know other members of our province. Many are working in different Salesian schools, retreat centre, parishes, youth centres, hostels and communities, so having the chance to gather together for a few days was a great experience especially for young Salesians. It was a wonderful reminder of the beauty and strength of the Salesian family spirit. It was an opportunity to reflect on the incredible work that the Salesian mission has accomplished in Australia over the past 100 years, and to give thanks to God for the gift of those courageous Salesians who brought the mission to Australia in 1923.

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