Australian Salesian Bulletin

The celebration of Christmas Day is so important that the Church has prepared three Masses to be said for the Feast. There is the traditional "Midnight Mass," still popular at midnight in some cultures, especially in Samoa, but nowadays in Australia it is mostly celebrated late in the evening of December 24. In many places this has become a "children's Mass," as the excitement of presents from Santa Claus, family, and a special meal rightly take over on December 25, especially for the children. On Christmas Day there is a special Mass at Dawn, to recall the dawning of a new era in human history, the day in which we rejoice because a Saviour has been born to us. Finally, there is a Mass to be celebrated at any time of Christmas Day. On Christmas Day priests, who normally celebrate one Mass per day, are allowed to celebrate all three Masses. I know that these are only external signs, but they indicate the wonder of the moment: on Christmas Day we celebrate the gift that God gave to us: his Son.

Each of the Masses has its own Readings. The Midnight Mass and the Dawn Mass describe the birth of Jesus and the visit of the shepherds from the Gospel of Luke. These are the images that remain with us at this time of the year, so important for our Christmas carols, the Crib, the cards we exchange, and many other elements of our joyful celebration. However, at the Mass during the Day the Church uses one of the most solemn readings that can be found in the Gospels: the first page of the Gospel of John.

On Friday afternoon, 14th October, almost 200 young people from the three Salesian parishes in Samoa assembled on the grounds of the Don Bosco Technical Centre, Alafua for an activity packed, fun filled and prayerful week-end. "Fiafia i le Alii" ("Be joyful in the Lord") was the theme of this first Gathering of Don Bosco Youth in Samoa. In spite of the longer distance travelled, the "overseas" contingent from Salelologa on the "Big Island of Savaii" arrived first, soon to be followed by the youth of Leauva'a and Sinamoga/Moamoa. Naturally gregarious, it took little time for the youngsters to get acquainted, and the "icebreakers" that started off the Gathering added to the genuine spirit of Salesian joy that was to be the feature of the days to come.

Coming from four States and representing more than a dozen Salesian centres about 150 young people, together with their teachers and adult leaders, Salesians and Salesian Sisters, gathered at the Valdocco Campus at St Joseph's College, Ferntree Gully in Melbourne for OzBosco 2011 to share a weekend of celebration, activities, sharing, learning and 'Salesian presence'.

A tremendous feature of the weekend program was that it was prepared, animated and led by a group of the young people themselves. The 'Core Team' was made up of experienced Salesian Leaders who also participated in the Pilgrimage to the Salesian Places in Italy and World Youth Day in Madrid earlier in the year. Under the guidance of Ashley Trethowan, Director of Salesian Mission at Don Bosco Camp, the 'Core Team' developed a program that engaged, entertained, encouraged and challenged all those participating.

Michael Billington shares his experiences in Samoa.

Michael Billington volunteered for the Cagliero Project, the Australia-Pacific Province's volunteer missionary programme, after hearing about it from friends who had worked as Cagliero missionaries in Thailand. After six years as a student at St Joseph's College, Ferntree Gully, a year as a trainee IT Technician at his old school and a solid grounding in Salesian youth leadership at Don Bosco Camps, Dromana, Michael is thoroughly Salesian and thought twelve months as a Cagliero volunteer would be a "good chance to catch a different perspective on Don Bosco". He was certainly right there.