By Luis Chacon

Building Bridges of Collaboration: Salesian Missions Director and Salesian Volunteers Program Coordinator of the Western US Visits Salesian Province of the East Coast

Last week we had the opportunity to attend a convention in Washington DC, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of the Los Angeles Area. During this convention, we had the privilege to advocate on behalf of minorities, women, and people of color who operate small businesses, by meeting with members of the United States Congress.

Following the convention, we traveled to New Rochelle where we held some important meetings and stayed at the Provincial House. It was an excellent opportunity to build relationships and network.

As the Coordinator of the Volunteer Program for the Salesian Family of the Western United States, I am proud to share that JC Montenegro, the Delegate of Missionary Animation, and I recently visited the Youth Ministry, Salesian Lay Missionaries,  and Vocations Offices  of the Salesian Province of the East Coast of the United States. Our visit was a great opportunity to meet with Fr. Lou Molinelli, SDB, the Province Delegate for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Victoria Weekley,  Associate Director, Fr. Steve DeMaio, Vocations Director and the Social Communication Coordinator, and discuss briefly possible opportunities for collaboration among Salesian Provinces in the Missions, Volunteering, and Social Communication sectors. 

During the visit, we also had the chance to visit The Salesian Missions Office, which is located in New Rochelle, NY, and provides critical support to children, youth, and families in need around the world. As a Salesian Lay Missionary, it was inspiring to see firsthand the impact of Don Bosco’s mission of education, evangelization, and social development on a global scale.

The visit was a great experience for JC and me, and it motivated us to continue promoting Don Bosco’s mission in the Missionary, Volunteer, Vocational, and Social Communication sectors. The Salesian Family recognizes the importance of collaboration and working together towards a common goal, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with Salesian Provinces across the United States to spread the Salesian charism and the spirit of Don Bosco.

On behalf of the Salesian Family of the Western United States, I express our gratitude to Fr Timothy Ploch,  Fr. Lou Molinelli, SDB, Victoria Weekley, Fr. Steve DeMaio, SDB, and the Social Communication Coordinator for their warm welcome and the productive discussion during the visit. We are excited to continue working together to provide much-needed assistance to children, youth, and families in need and promote Don Bosco’s mission worldwide.