Por JC Montenegro, PhD

(Los Angeles, California) – This past Saturday, something out of the ordinary happened at the Salesian Family Youth Center. Instead of the usual rhythm of programs, meetings, and outreach, thirteen of us, staff from different sites across the city, stepped away together for a half-day retreat. It was a simple gathering, but it carried something deeper. It reminded us of who we are, why we serve, and the kind of presence we are called to offer.

We went shopping together, fired up the grill at Elysian Park, and cooked carne asada as a team. We played games, swapped stories, and had conversations that don’t fit neatly into work hours but shape the heart of a team. It wasn’t a training or a planning session. It was something more honest, more human, more real.

In many ways, the day brought to mind a decisive moment in Don Bosco’s life. When he took incarcerated youth out for a walk, without guards or restraints, he shocked the authorities. But Don Bosco understood something essential: trust heals. Presence transforms. That walk wasn’t just an outing; it was a statement of faith in the goodness of young people and a glimpse into a new way of accompanying them.

Our retreat echoed that same spirit. There were no walls, no agendas, just the space to be with one another. We serve in different places, such as Bravo High School, Roosevelt High, St. Mary’s Parish, and St. Isabel Parish, but on this day, we remembered that we are one mission, one heart, walking together.

These moments matter. They don’t always make headlines or fill reports, but they are where mission becomes real. They give us the strength to keep showing up with joy, creativity, and compassion.

As we packed up and returned to our work, there was a new energy among us, the kind of quiet conviction that says: our work is not just about what we do, but how we live. And just like Don Bosco walking through the streets with those young people, we walk forward together.