Salesian Family Day 2020

The Texas region Salesian Family Day was celebrated on Saturday, January 11, 2020, in San Antonio. The festivities included beautiful testimonies on the lives of our deceased Salesian Sisters, Holy Mass, Cooperators and VIDES Missionaries inductions, contest award winners, music, great food, and fellowship. Thank you to everyone who participated in and contributed to this joyful occasion for our Salesian Family.

New Salesian Cooperators

The Association of Salesian Cooperators in the western United States joyfully announces the induction of eight new Cooperators! Their Cooperator Promise was received by Fr. Ted Montemayor, SDB, representing the Rector Major, and witnessed by Judy Alvarez, ASC Provincial Coordinator, Sr. Guadalupe Medina, FMA Salesian Family Delegate, Kristie Garza, Formator and Elizabeth Gamarra, previous ASC Provincial Coordinator. The new cooperators will be active in the Cooperator Centers of Austin and Laredo. Their names are Joseph Valdez, Samantha Hernandez, Teresa Hernandez, Adan Lopez, Anita Averill, Flor Ponce, Gracie Carrillo, and Elizabeth Carrillo.

Missionary Passion in Action

VIDES (Volunteers In Development, Education, and Solidarity) is an international and domestic volunteer program in which young adults are trained to serve in mission with our Salesian Sisters and Priests throughout the world. From January 6-20, 2020, we had four volunteers participate in the formation experience in San Antonio, Texas under the direction of Sr. Sydney Moss, FMA and Sr. Mary Gloria Mar, FMA. Please keep these young people in your prayers as they embark on their missionary journeys: Jocelyn Baca: Tampa, FL; Carolina Gomez-Salinas: Oaxaca, Mexico; Kennidee and Garrett Bohach: Philippines.

Here is a brief reflection of their experience: “We arrived on January 6th to start our training as VIDES volunteers. The first week was full of self-reflection, learning about the Salesian culture, and getting to know the Sisters through immersion into community life. The week culminated by joining the community at the Salesian Family Day where we were commissioned as VIDES Volunteers. The second week we put into practice what we had learned by running a Bible camp at the Archdiocesan outreach ministry for unaccompanied minors called St. PJ’s Home. The experience opened our hearts to the Holy Spirit and filled us with excitement for our upcoming missions.”