By Fr. Shane Reade, SDB

Our Don Bosco Bi-centenary celebrations at Sydney, St Marys were very successful and fun weekend event. Celebrations commenced on the Saturday night (August 15) at Penrith local community centre were over 280 people enjoyed a fantastic night. The young people from the parish and 6 local schools preformed various dances, choirs, solo singing and Gymnastic acts. During intermission a light supper with drinks were served, and after the show coffee and sweets were available.

On the Sunday (August 16) the 10.30am Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish was celebrated in honor of Don Bosco with a Philippine youth choir. Concelebrating priest were Fr Brendan (parish priest), Fr Guy (assistant parish priest), Fr John (YC Co-Director), Fr Chris Riley (Founder and Director of Youth Off The Streets), Fr Shane (Rector). Also Br Thuy (Youth Center assistant) as the only Salesian Brother in Sydney was present. FMA community of St Marys (Sr. Jenny, Louis, Faye) was involved in the whole preparations and a number of Maltese, Philippines and South Americans past pupils well attended.

After Mass parishioners and young people continued the celebrations in the Don Bosco Youth Centre. Activities and entertainment included a dance by Our Lady Of The Rosary primary school. Cultural dances by the Samoan community, Atafu Lotomau Tokelau and the Kajo-Keji Community are both from South Sudan and the Madi Ethnic Community. There were Gymnastic and Trampoline displays, circus and Unicycle displays. Many children had their faces painted by the Spanish Sisters resident in our Parish. And there were Pool and Table tennis competitions finals. There was a live band led by Br Jeff Miller, Carlos Escobar and Malia who came from Melbourne. The whole five hours and half long festivity was attended by some 1500 youth and local population, really a fantastic time to make Don Bosco known!

Congratulations to the organizers, to Co-Directors Fr John, Sr Jenny, assistants Br Thuy and Sr Faye, and the many volunteers for their devotion and support, particularly Joe and Sue Bradley and Richard and Barbara Trehy. Thanks also for the cooperation of the Penrith Youth Inter Agency officer Katarina Tahija, Jackie Green City Councilor, Karen Culture officer and many others local officials.

The whole two day celebrations aimed to bring together many fellow citizens in our suburb (St Marys in Parramatta diocese) to express our gratitude to God for the gift of St John Bosco the Holy Founder of the Salesians, who not only loved the young but also made it known to them in all his deeds. It’s amazing that in all what Don Bosco was doing for the young through his entire life there was always just one goal - salvation of their souls.

The Salesian presence in Sydney goes back to 1946 (Engadine Boys Town) and the second in St Marys was started 23 years ago in 1992 with the Youth Center. At present there are 2 SDB and 2 FMA communities in Sydney area.