By Bro. Jomar Cstillo, SDB

Canlubang, the Philippines, 23 January 2016 - The Don Bosco Postnovitiate Community in cooperation with the Don Bosco College and Prenovitiate Salesian communities of Canlubang, FIN, organized a Salesian Youth Day on January 23, 2016 to celebrate the gift of Salesian Youth Spirituality, to learn inputs from the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC), and to close the bicentenary celebration of Don Bosco's birth. The theme was lifted from the IEC "Christ in You, Our Hope of Glory."

The youth day gathered more that 800 young people from Don Bosco College, Mary Help of Christians College, Caritas Don Bosco School, Mary Help of Christians Parish, Canossa School and other public schools where the Salesians do their catechetical instruction and youth animation.

The day started with a the Eucharistic Celebration presided by Fr. Favie Faldas, SDB, the rector of Don Bosco College. He challenged the young people to share the love of the Lord to others by responding to the Lord's call for each one of us. A plenary talk followed that was delivered by Br. Jomar Castillo, SDB, an alumnus of DBC Canlubang and currently the Economer of the Postnovitiate, challenged the young people to deepen more their relationship with Jesus through the Eucharist, and to communicate the love of Jesus through the witness of their lives. After the session, the participants broke into 5 smaller groups and moved around different prepared activities in through a carousel organized by the postnovices. The five stations were the "vocation talk show" where SDBs, FMAs and married individuals stood as guests to promote the different vocations in the Church. The Salesian Family Booth-Hopping served as an opportunity to get to know the branches of the Salesian Family in the Philippines. The Caritas Sisters of Jesus (SCG), the Salesian Cooperators (ASC), the Archconfraternity of MHC (ADMA), the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) were present to promote their vocation, the Postnovices also installed a booth for the Volunteers of Don Bosco (VDB) and the Volunteers with Don Bosco (CDB) to help promote their vocation. Moreover, there was also a special rosary and adoration which are very Salesian in character. The youth games and film viewing tied with group processing and sharing among the participants added to the formative and festive atmosphere. 

To cap the day, the postnovices invited the participants to make a commitment. Each of them answered the questions at back of their name tags: How will I follow Jesus? How will you keep the falme of Salesian holiness burning? They were asked to sign it with other witnesses. The closing ritual was to pass the light from the Paschal Candle to the young people. A short youth jam followed where the theme song of the Don Bosco Canlubang Foundation Day Celebration entitled "Look Up!" composed by Cl. Julius Ysulan, SDB and Br. Jomar Castillo, SBD was introduced.

The day ended with big smiles form the young people who were energized and inspired to continue living the Salesian Youth Sipirituality and sharing youthful holiness to their families and communities. 

Viva, Don Bosco! Forza, Don Bosco! Serve the Lord with Holy Joy. 

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