By Novice Eugene Caranguian

DB Dumangas, the Philippines, 18 February 2025 -- The Don Bosco Sacred Heart Novitiate (SHN) community concludes its mid-year evaluation of the Novitiate Formation Plan. This community consists of 3 Salesians and 6 Novices including:

• Rev. Fr. Roneldo Vilbar, SDB (Novice Director)
• Rev. Fr. Joseph Kunle Ogundana, SDB (Socius)
• Cl. Arjay Montecillo, SDB (Brother Assistant)
• Novice Anjoe Dayday
• Novice Eugene Caranguian
• Novice Glenn Brian Justado
• Novice Julieto Cosep Jr.
• Novice Nicolo Lorenzo Cervantes
• Novice Niño Andirem Roxas

In this 9-day community formative experience, from 10-18 February, the Con Dio Novices together with their Salesian co-journeyers, were given the opportunity to meet the Salesian communities in the islands of Iloilo and Negros, while revisiting their journey for the first 6 months of their Novitiate.

The evaluation became a venue for highlighting significant observations, reflecting on deeper reasons for some concerns, and discerning ways forward with practical suggestions and proposals to revitalize the next half of their Novitiate journey. At the same time, their immersion in the Salesian communities allowed them to explore significant local landmarks, meet young people in various apostolates, promote vocations, and create meaningful encounters with the Salesians in community prayers, meals, and fellowship.

Salesian Novices at Don Bosco Dumangas

The Novices first visited the Don Bosco Boys Home Dumangas community in Iloilo City. They are welcomed with an evening program prepared by the boys, together with the Salesians, lay mission partners, and scholars. This showcased the talents of young people in music, rondalla, magic tricks, and fire-dance. In turn, the Novices also initiated special activities for the young people of Dumangas. They organized vocation promotion with senior high school students and TVET trainees, special games and encounters with the boys, and a special rosary in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes. The Novices also had their conferences with the Novice Director, Fr. Roneldo Vilbar, SDB, and a film watching of, “The Song of Bernadette”.

Salesian Novices at Don Bosco Mambukal

Upon reaching the island of Negros, the Novices toured around Don Bosco Mambukal Parish and then proceeded to Don Bosco Retreat House where they settled down. The Novices spent time presenting their proposals to their co-journeyers and agreed on it as a community. They also meet as a batch to reflect on particular concerns and observations that were brought up during the first half of the Novitiate year. The SHN community also hiked to the 7th Falls where they enjoyed their breakfast, prayers, and swimming.

As they departed from Mambukal, they visited the Don Bosco Retreat House in Granada where they toured around the first Novitiate House in the Philippines. This is followed by a trip to San Sebastian Cathedral where they met Bishop Patricio Buzon, DD, the Bishop of Bacolod. They also had the chance to visit “The Ruins” in Talisay and the house of Novice Glenn Brian Justado in Silay.

Salesian Novices at Don Bosco Victorias

As the SHN community arrived at Don Bosco Technical Institute (DBTI) Victorias, they toured around the facilities and encountered the educators and students who were celebrating Valentine’s Day. The Novices also had a vocation talk and invitational games with the Grade 12 students preparing for their search into the Don Bosco Formation Center – Lawaan alongside some Knights of the Altar from different chapels. The SHN community also gathered to listen to the fruits of batch reflection of the Con Dio Novices about the first half of the Novitiate year, including their ways forward for the succeeding months.

They also had their Victorias Tour where they visited local landmarks, including St. Joseph the Worker Parish, also known as “The Angry Christ,” Mary Help of Christians Chapel and Our Lady of Victory Parish. In each station, they organized a program for the birthday celebration of Novice Nino Andirem Roxas.

Salesian Novices at Don Bosco Dumaguete

The last community that the Novices visited was Don Bosco Dumaguete. They are welcomed by the Salesian community with fa estive dinner in Rizal Boulevard. Then, during the school assembly on the following morning, Novice Nicolo Cervantes shared his vocation story with the students, and the Novices sang two songs as part of their vocation promotion. Afterward, they had moments of Salesian Assistance with the students during lunch. This was followed by the Dumaguete Tour where they visited the Cathedral Parish of St. Catherine of Alexandria and the National Museum of Dumaguete. At night, they also joined the invitational games with the Salesians, lay mission partners, and young people of the community.

The Con Dio Novices concluded their visit to each Salesian community with a token of appreciation and singing of the official hymn of Jubilee 2025 entitled, “Pilgrims of Hope.” This is an outward expression of gratitude for the grace of hope that they found in their encounters with the Salesians and the young people as they made their pilgrimage to the islands of Iloilo and Negros, Philippines.

---

---