Australian Salesian Bulletin

Cagliero 

After a successful journey for ten young people in 2009, the Cagliero Project Samoa Immersion will take place again in June/July of 2010. Once again the group will travel to Leauva’a where the Salesians are in charge of St Michael’s parish. There has also been a strong focus on developing a youth centre/oratory for the young people in the parish. The group travelling from Australia will assist in the youth centre and will be running another leadership camp. They will also visit the new school in Salelologa on the island of Savai’i. The Cagliero Project hopes to be able to send multiple long-term missionary volunteers to the school in January 2011 in order to support the Salesians during the initial stages of setting up the school. After Savai’i these young people will travel back to the island of Upolu and spend some time at Don Bosco Tech and in the parishes of Sinamoga and Moa Moa –it will be a busy but rewarding journey! 

The young people who travelled to Samoa in 2009 were primarily leaders from Don Bosco Camp in Dromana. In an exciting development this year many Salesian works will be represented from across Australia: Salesian College in Chadstone, Xavier College in Gawler, St Joseph’s College in Ferntree Gully, St John Bosco High School in Engadine, Dominic College in Glenorchy, Nagle College in Bairnsdale and Don Bosco Camp, Dromana.

Due to the diversity of the group a Retreat weekend was held in preparation for the journey at Don Bosco Camp in Dromana. It was a great weekend and it gave the participants an opportunity to learn more about Samoan culture and Salesianity. A highlight of the weekend was a Kava ceremony hosted by Brothers Ralph, Pati and Tony. They not only performed, but explained the traditional ceremony for the group. In addition to the Samoan Brothers, the FMA Provincial Sr Margaret Bentley attended the weekend, as did the SDB Delegate for Youth Ministry, Fr Bernie Graham.

The Retreat weekend was an important and special time for the group to get to know one another; however, there was also a lot of hard work in preparation for the camp and oratory afternoons in Samoa. After our experience last time we knew that we would be expected to perform in some way at the final Fia-Fia (party/ celebration), so Saturday evening was spent choreographing and rehearsing a dance to wow the Samoans. After a couple of hours of rehearsal the group was proud to have practised and perfected 1 minute and 14 seconds of music. There is a long way to go, but we have made a good start. There are many talented dancers among the bunch but Sr Margaret stood out as a star – sadly she will not be in Samoa when we need to perform the dance!  There are currently two Cagliero volunteers in Samoa for the year who will join the group and offer guidance in Samoa. Paul Poutney and Michael Gatumu are both living and working at Don Bosco Technical School in Alafua.  They will both assist and support the group during the camp and for the duration of the Immersion. Everyone is looking forward to their insight after six months already in Samoa.  Both volunteers have been great contributors at Don Bosco Tech. Both Michael and Paul are teaching in their respective disciplines. Paul has even made a name for himself on the rugby field AND is assisting in coaching the cricket team.

It is a very special event that takes place in our Province as it gives a chance for young people Australia-wide to engage with the Pacifican part of our Province. This program has also been a large part of the reason that the Cagliero project has grown rapidly over the past 12 months. It gives young people a taste of what working in a mission is like. From the group of ten who attended last year, two decided to give up their time this year to spend abroad as volunteers with the Cagliero Project. Both volunteers attribute part of this decision to the time they spent in Samoa. May the blessing of the Lord be with them in their travels.