Don Bosco Prep – Ramsey Vocation Corner Salesian High School

Don Bosco Prep – Ramsey
A Winter Break Mission
Rue Eisen
Public Relations Director
Vocation Corner
Instead of spending Presidents' week
on vacation with their families, seven
students from Don Bosco Prep
traveled with three members of the
faculty and a parent to Managua,
Nicaragua, where they constructed a
house for a family living in the poorest
and most dangerous part of town, near
the city dump.
Led by Fr. Manny Gallo, director of
youth ministry and a native of
Managua, the group traveled under the
auspices of Hand in Hand Ministries, a
non-profit Christian ministry program
which sponsors immersion trips to help
the poor in Belize, Nicaragua, and
Appalachia.
Laboring in 90-plus degree heat, the
students and teachers worked mixing
cement, carrying and laying blocks for
walls, cutting steel and bending rebar
for earthquake-proof construction, and
building window and door frames for
the house. They worked in tandem
with the family who would occupy the
home within two weeks.
The group spent seven days there,
building the house in the mornings and
working in a soup kitchen, visiting local
schools, and spending time in the
afternoons with local families, whose
homes are no more than tin walls and
roofs with dirt floors.
It was an education for the students
to work in such stark contrast to the
metropolitan New Jersey area. While
the people were poor, they were
happy, said the boys. Francis Spencer,
a senior and a member of the football
team, put it this way, "For people who
had nothing, they had so much joy."
"They were nicer to each other than
people are here," said Pat O'Riordan.
“The families are a lot more closely
knit." Patrick Kennedy added,
"Families weren't ashamed of where
they lived. They let us in and
welcomed us. They were glad that we
came and they welcomed us back."
Funds for the trip were raised by tshirt sales and a dress-down day, and
each student’s family was asked to
contribute to defray transportation
expenses.
Fr. Dominic Tran, SDB
The 2009 NRVC-CARA study found that
“more than anything else, [candidates
and religious who participated in the
study] were attracted to their particular
religious institute by the example of its
members, and especially by their
sense of joy, their down to earth
nature, and their commitment and
zeal. Some 85 percent say the example
of members attracted them ‘very much.’”
Fr. Manny Gallo in the midst of the action
Linda Murray, director of the special
needs program, said, "I was so proud of
the boys. They were joyful working in 90
degree heat. They made the best of it
and ran wheelbarrow races to move the
dirt to and from the work site. As the
school's patron St. John Bosco said, "Be
happy in your work." Our boys certainly
followed his advice.
■
Guess who the most effective vocation
promoters are, folks?
And those who were attracted to
religious life also told us how promote
vocations!
Those four qualities mentioned as the
main attractions give us Salesians an
advantage.., when we strive to become
more and more who Don Bosco calls us
to be.
■
Salesian High School – New Rochelle – CHSAA Champions
Steve Sallustio, Advancement Coordinator
Salesian High School’s varsity basketball team repeated as CHSAA City Champions
March 6 at Fordham University. Following an undefeated league record this season,
the Eagles defeated St. Joe's by the Sea, 78-59, and now advance to the state
tournament. Senior Kevin Punter led all scorers with 31; Jason Alleyne added 18 and
Mike Cacciato contributed 15. Next, they will take on St. Mary's from Buffalo on
Saturday, March 12, at 1:00 p.m. at Fordham University.
(L-R) Mike Cacciato, Max Prinz, Steve Correale, Spencer Boateng, Ardit Bujaj,
Jason Alleyne, Joe Miressi, Dior Llewellyn, Kevin Punter, Nick Sedia
and assistant coach Marc Pray.