In California, the Centennial celebrations began on January 20th and will continue through March 11th. The celebrations are over a year long, continuing into 1998 remembering the Salesians arrival in New York in 1898. In New York City, on May 1, 1998, there will be a Gala Dinner at the Park Ridge Marriott. On May 2nd, there will be an all-day Youth Rally at Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey. On May 3rd, there will be the closing Centennial Liturgy at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
February 1st: Group picture of clergy and congregation prior to the unveiling of the memorial plaque honoring the Salesian Pioneers.
Here on the West Coast, the first major celebration was on January 31, 1997 in San Francisco. This day was the Feast of St. John Bosco and the Mass was for the clergy and religious of the San Francisco Bay Area. Officiating were Pio Cardinal Laghi, Prefect of the Roman Congregation for Catholic Education. This Vatican office oversees all the Catholic universities and seminaries. Cardinal Laghi is a great friend of the Salesians and received his elementary education in the Salesian School in Faenza. His seminary studies were also subsidized by the Salesians of Faenza. Other celebrants were the Rector Major of the Salesian Society, Very Reverend Juan Edmundo Vecchi, the eighth successor of St. John Bosco. He was elected at the 24th General Chapter of the Salesians in Rome on March 18, 1996. It was a great honor and privilege to have him at the major celebrations. Present also were Archbishops John R. Quinn, former Archbishop of San Francisco, Adam Exner, Archbishop of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The bishops concelebrating were Patrick J. McGrath and Carlos Sevilla, S.J., auxiliaries of San Francisco, Bishop John Cummins of Oakland and Bishop Francis Quinn, former bishop of Sacramento. Over 130 priests, diocesan and religious, concelebrated and several hundred sisters, brothers and laity were present for a standing-room-only congregation.
The Mass began at 7:00 p.m. preceded by a fifteen-minute "Grand Entry" which featured the presentation of colors by the Saint John Bosco Branch #599 of the American Legion, Mr. Joseph Bava, Commander. This was followed by a procession of 121 flags of the nations where the Salesians work throughout the world. After the flags came the representatives of the Knights and Dames of Malta, the Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, the Knights of Columbus, the parish banners, viz., the Madonna della Guardia, the Madonna del Lume, the Madonna Addolorata, the Holy Name Society, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Chinese Fellowship, the Italian Catholic Federation, and the Guadalupanas. These were followed by the children of Sts. Peter and Paul School bearing flowers in honor of the Blessed Mother.
After the "Grand Entry" came the procession of visiting religious, Sisters and Brothers, numbering almost 200. Following the religious came the diocesan and religious priests vested in alb and stole. Then came the Salesian priests and brothers, those staffing Saints Peter and Paul and from other works around the United States.
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February 2nd: Sunday parish celebration of the Salesian Centennial. V. Rev. Juan Vecchi, Rector Major presided. |
Various dignitaries then processed in: the first group was Very Reverend William P. Schafer, S.D.B., Provincial of the San Francisco [Western] Province of the Salesians. With him was Very Reverend Timothy Ploch, S.D.B., Provincial of the New Rochelle [Eastern] Province. The second group, gracing the occasion, were the provincial of Canada, Very Reverend Richard Authier, S.D.B., the provincial of Haiti, Very Reverend Jacques Mesidor, S.D.B. and the provincial of Mexico City, Very Reverend Luis Felipe Gallardo, S.D.B.
| Father David Purdy, SDB, pastor of Saints Peter and Paul. |  |
As mentioned above, Very Reverend Juan Edmundo Vecchi, S.D.B., the Rector Major of the Salesian Society, which numbers over 17,000 members, was present for this weekend. There followed the above mentioned members of the hierarchy and lastly, Cardinal Laghi who gave a 20-minute lecture entitled: Don Bosco's Educational System: Reason, Kindness and Religion.
Following the lecture came the liturgical procession. The music was provided by Fr. William Vaughn and Sister Sharon McMillan, S.N.D. The whole congregation enthusiastically joined in the singing throughout the Mass.
A marvelous homily by Fr. John Schlegel, S.J., President of the University of San Francisco told the story and sang the praises of the Salesian presence for the last 100 years.
The whole affair, lecture, Mass, music and singing was a truly inspiring experience. Many at the reception and dinner following the liturgy expressed their extreme gratification and tried to describe the spiritual "high" they felt.
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