Cebu, the Philippines -- Last January 31, 2018, in commemoration of the feast of the well-loved father and teacher of the young, St. John Bosco, six young people, ages 21-22 years old, received the Missionary Cross at the Don Bosco Provincial House chapel. These generous and brave individuals have undertaken the preparation necessary to be Salesian Missionary Volunteers.
They will be the first batch to be sent for mission works in Don Bosco Technical School, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Some of them commit to volunteer for 6 months while others opt for 1 month. Four of them are set to depart on February 13, 2018.
The send-off rite took place within the celebration of the holy mass presided by the FIS Provincial Superior, Fr. Godofredo Atienza, SDB and concelebrated by the Commission on Missions Delegate, Fr. Arvin Abatayo, SDB and Pakistan Delegate, Fr. Eugenio Maglasang, SDB. Also present to give their support and prayers, were the starff of the Don Bosco Provincial house.
Fr. Godo compared this simple yet intimate celebration to the time when Don Bosco gathered young people who wanted to be missionaries just inside his office and he himself sent them off. Fr. Provincial added “…because of the missionary expansion that Don Bosco had started we have gathered as one family today. This is something… a milestone…hopefully this will become regular and we can send more volunteers to other bigger areas like Africa, Samoa, China, etc.” He also highlighted the Rector Major’s Strenna and encouraged everyone, especially the volunteers, to cultivate the art of listening and personal accompaniment in partaking actively in the mission for young people.
The activity culminated with the kissing of the relic of St. John Bosco.
