by Judy Alvarez
Anaheim, California – The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has gathered Church and catechetical leaders for the annual Religious Education Congress for over fifty years. This three-day gathering is an expo of faith formation, catechetical training, special events, prayer, and the exhibition of numerous organizations and vendors for the renewal of those who serve the catechetical mission of the Church. Participants hail from all the dioceses of California, and the Congress welcomes numerous other national and international church leaders.
Before the pandemic, expecting as many as 40,000 participants for the RE Congress at the Anaheim Convention Center in southern California was customary. Though the numbers are now rebuilding, the spiritual vitality of the Congress never waned. Supporting this extraordinary experience of the Church, the Salesians of Don Bosco, St. Andrew’s Province, USA West, has maintained and developed a Congress exhibit booth for over 30 years. Intending to share the educational philosophy of St. John Bosco, the booth offers visitors various ways to learn and experience Don Bosco’s preventive system.
This year, the booth welcomed again the expertise of Fr. Alejandro Rodriguez, SDB, who offered new and accessible resources on leadership and the preventive system in Spanish and English. Sr. Mary Greenan, FMA, also returned with two versions of the Salesian Matrix, an assessment resource for living the preventive system in both school and family settings, also available in English and Spanish. The conversations regarding the educational philosophy of St. John Bosco were supported by the presence of the province delegate for youth ministry, Fr. Fabian Cardenas, the delegate for vocations, Fr. Vien Nguyen, the delegate for social communications, Fr. Peter D. Le, and the province school coordinator, Br. Al Vu. This area of the booth included Diane Gihring, the director of SJB Global, who shared the opportunity to take online theology classes through St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California.
This year, Salesian Cooperators provided an extension of the booth where visitors joined Don Bosco in sharing their dreams for youth. Three Salesian Family pillars gathered the dreams of our visitors – a visual testimony to a church that cares for the young. The exchange of dreams prompted conversations where many visitors gained a new understanding of the Salesian mission. This area of the booth also offered resource books, including the theological reading of “Don Bosco’s Childhood Dream” by Fr. Andrea Bozzolo, SDB, the Rector Major’s video of the 2024 Strenna, a video montage of Salesian Cooperator life, Salesian apparel, and rosaries.
The prominent presence of a Mary Help of Christians statue was a magnet for many visitors. Sr Ann Cassidy, the FMA Salesian Family delegate and members of the Province Office of Youth Ministry, offered visitors the chance to pray to our Mother by writing their intentions on paper hearts, which they attached to ribbon streams held in Mary’s hand. The deep devotion of the people made the booth a sacred space where many needs were entrusted to the tender care of Mary Help of Christians.
The outcomes of the Salesians of Don Bosco exhibit booth will unfold in the coming months. With new relationships formed and old friendships renewed, further momentum was set for realizing Don Bosco’s Dream more fully in the Church and ministries of St Andrew’s Province in the western United States.
