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ALA_5543

Manila, Philippines, 31 December 2020 -- Since 21 November 1970 when the first local Center of the Association of the Salesian Cooperators was established in Canlubang 50 years have passed. Due to Covid19 restrictions there were not any major public celebrations, but the October-December 2020 issue of the Philippines Salesian Bulletin (St John Bosco Today, vol 50, number 2) highlights the ASC on this occasion.

With a beautiful Valdocco statue of Mamma Margaret, the cover points to the 'Preventive System lived to the Hilt! - Salesian Cooperators celebrated 50 years of Presence in the Philippines. Six articles over 10 pages document the 50 year history, anticipated by the promise of the first 15 Salesian Cooperators in 1968, through the first ASC Center established in Canlubang and the spread all around the two Filipino provinces (FIN-FIS) until today.

Through the Salesian Cooperator storytelling the Salesian Family and Friends of Don Bosco can get to know their most significant and creative apostolates, like their ASC Cooperative in the MHC National Shrine (Paranaque), ASC Makati Center tutorial apostolate for the TVET trainees or the Mamma Margarets of DB Youth Center Canlubang.

The ASC Golden Jubilee in the Philippines offers a good insight into the heart and spirituality of the Salesian Cooperators, who committed themselves through their promise to live like Don Bosco for the Young and with the Young - the Salesian Lay Vocation. We pray these pages will foster also a new vocational spring for the Salesian Cooperators Association founded by Don Bosco in 1876.

Last, but not the least, in this issue of 'St John Bosco Today' we also see the change of generations - in the Editor's Note we read greetings of Fr Bernard Nolasco (Drans), who cared for this publication over past years (2013-2020) and the first greetings of its new 'Editor-in Chief' Fr. Donnie Duchin Duya, SDB.