Singapore, 16 April 2017 -- Among the 220 participants of the 9th EAO Regional Congress of Salesian Cooperators (Tokyo, May 7-10) is also one lonely member resident in Singapore. We share this frank and future open personal report of John Lester with a prayer for a future Salesian Cooperators Center in this small city-state country. His story is an open invitation not only for the FIN province but for all Singapore related members of the Salesian Family, especially the Don Bosco Past Pupils with Chinese roots.
I'm happy to see all of you in the EAO Regional Congress in Tokyo 2017, since from 2008 I'm the only Salesian Cooperator in Singapore, I will try to share about my work and life related struggles and joys.
- I started a Blog: https://salesiansinsingapore.wordpress.com/aboutsalesiansinsingapore - after the EAO ASC Regional Congress in 2011, to post on Don Bosco, as well as on how I’ve been trying to live and serve as a Salesian in Singapore.
- I had been active in Catechism, especially in Confirmation levels (13- to 15-year-olds) as well as in the youth ministries of my parish of the Risen Christ for many years. But in recent years I found it very difficult to cope with my work and family struggles and I stopped after my last class got Confirmed in November 2015.
- Still, I have been trying to conduct sessions on various topics for the youth ministry in my parish of Risen Christ. These include: Mary, Theotokos; History of the Church; One, Holy, Catholic & Apostolic — The 4 Marks of the Church; and The Communion of Saints / Saints of the New Millennium for the Rite of Christian Initiation for the Youth (RCIY) of Risen Christ; and Serving Next to God — The Role of the Altar Server for the altar servers of my parish at their annual retreat.
- I have also been supporting the leaders and members of the Catholic Youth Fellowship (CYF, since 1996) in my parish, by being an older friend and mentor to them. I pay them visits at their camps and sometimes join them for a meal after mass on the weekend. And also supported my parish youth initiatives such as an open Youth Assembly in December 2016 as a facilitator and helper.
- As part of my own spiritual growth and support, I have joined a weekly young adult community in my parish and have been actively participating and helping.
- In December 2015, at the long-time suggestion by Juan Carlos Escobar, I experienced the Don Bosco summer in Dromana (near Melbourne), run by Australian Salesian Youths. It was an eye-opening experience. I wanted to see the Salesian Centre for youths in Melbourne - Brunswick and I visited and took photos, and spoke to one Salesian Brother and some young people there.
- In July 2016, I went for World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland, together with Salesian Youth Australia, to experience WYD for the first time, for my own spiritual growth, and to learn what I can give to the. It was a fantastic experience, and I gave SYM Australia some constructive feedback on the program.
- I have met up with a few troubled young people to talk about their lives and struggles, and to support them, and to share my own struggles and perspectives from them.
- I pray the Rosary once a week for young people who are struggling in life or who have left the Church or turned their back on God. I also pray the rosary for Charlene’s vocation discernment - now as FMA Aspirant in the Philippines. I try to either go for Mass (after work) or Eucharistic adoration every day.
- I contributed a photo-story on how I became the first and only Salesian (Cooperator) from Singapore and the highlights of my DB200 experiences for a private Catholic magazine, Porta Fidei but I have not seen it published and the publisher has yet to reply if it was, and to give me a copy.
- I have been actively sharing about Don Bosco, Salesian saints and feast days, and other related topics on my social media accounts such as on Facebook and Instagram. I have been sharing with many people personally about Don Bosco’s approach and values, and the Preventive System, in dealing with the young or in youth ministry.
- Recently, I organised a class reunion for my Confirmation Catechism class of 2006. They are now 25 years old. The reunion went well and we shared deeply about our lives and our struggles in the Faith. I think the reunion went well, was inspired and moved by the Holy Spirit, and will at least at least provoke their thought and prick their hearts. I will try to continue to encourage them.
- I am planning to join the Philippines North (FIN) annual Cooperators’ retreat from this year onwards. I have not yet spoken to the person in charge but I will try to soon.
- For years, I’ve been thinking of running an awareness or interest group on Don Bosco and the Preventive System for people who work with the youth, whether in Church ministry as Catechists, youth mentors / formators, youth leaders, or professionally as teachers or in counselling. But due to my busy life I’ve not been able to find time or energy. I need divine assistance as it is very difficult on my own.
In 2015 I visited Turin and Valdocco for the second time on my own as a solo pilgrimage. I found out through Fr Vaclav Klement about the SYM - DB 200 gathering and registered on the spot (Day 2), there I was staying with my host, a Turing based Cooperator, Aldo Sacco. [Befriended on Facebook through Eriko Sato and met on my first solo pilgrimage to Turin in 2010.]
* I have even brought the Project of Apostolic life (PAL) with me every day for a long time, to find time to read but, even then, it has been difficult. I will try harder.
Please, pray for me and the future Salesian Cooperators of Singapore!
With Mother Yvonne, at World Youth Day Krakow 2016 (Salesian Youth Day) with some of the Salesian Youth Australia contingent, and at the Bicentenary of Don Bosco in Turin, Aug 2015, with some of the Philippine Cooperators and Sr Runita Borja, FMA General Councillor for Youth Ministry. [I am behind Sr Runita.]
