"The Salesians have rendered an invaluable service to youth around the world for many years, and to the youth of the United States these last 100 years. How privileged San Francisco is to be the place in which your first American house was established! One cannot begin to estimate the blessing the Salesian presence has been to this archdiocese, in particular to this "City by the Bay": at SS. Peter and Paul's Church...and especially to our young people. We have been blessed with your presence, and rejoice with you all in this wonderful milestone: your Celebration of 100 years of service in the United States. To think that it all started here! Congratulations...!"
"Congratulations to the Salesian Community as you celebrate your Centennial. God has blessed you and through you the great Church. May you continue to flourish for many centuries... Only good things to you."
"May the Lord continue to bless the work of the Salesians not only in our country but throughout the world. Peace!"
"Thank you for your kindness in sending me the commemorative poster marking the USA Salesian Centennial, and also for the medal in honor of this event... May God bless the Salesians with a long and fruitful future in our midst."
"Thank you for the information and medal on the 100th anniversary of the Salesians in San Francisco and the United States....May God continue to bless...the Salesians."
"Thank you for all the information on the SDB Centenary. Congratulations, best wishes, and prayers. I see I won a Gold Medal too!"
"Thank you for sharing with me the beautiful poster of St. It is my fervent prayer that these jubilant celebrations will allow the members of the Don Bosco Family to rededicate themselves to their charism and mission....Congratulations on your Centennial, and for all that you do to make Christ known here in the United States and throughout the world."
"I am pleased to have this opportunity to offer my heartfelt and sincere congratulations on this important anniversary in the history of your congregation. We too, in Canada, have much to be grateful for as the American Salesians moved north!...May God reward you for all you have been and all you have done over the last one hundred years on this side of the Atlantic."
"I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere congratulations on the centennial of your coming to the U.S. May your work continue to prosper, and your society continue to be blessed with many vocations!"
"I wish to thank you for honoring me with the gift of the beautiful 1997 USA Salesian Centennial medal sculpted by Professor Enrico Manfrini. I am pleased to have it as a remembrance of the work of the Salesian Fathers and Brothers in the West these past one hundred years. I assure you that I will keep the Centennial celebrations and your work among the youth in my prayers, as well as the members of your community."
"Thanks for your kind greetings and all the good propaganda for Don Bosco. All the best for '97!"
+Archbishop P. C. Marcinkus, Sun City, AZ
"Thank you so much for the gift of the poster and the lovely medal of your great founder, St. John Bosco....As we say in Italian, 'Cent'anni!' Obviously, since you have completed one hundred years, I wish you a hundred more...."
"Congratulations to all the Sons of Don Bosco as you are marking your one hundred years of Salesian presence in the United States of America! I am indeed happy for your charism as a gift to the Universal Church and especially to the Youth. Please accept our prayers to accompany you throughout your beautiful and gracefilled celebrations during this 1997 year...."
"Thanks for all the information concerning the festivities marking the celebration of the Salesian presence in the United States. Congratulations...to all the Salesians! The Salesians have been faithful servants of Our Lord's work and have ministered diligently in so many dioceses throughout the United States... Be assured of a remembrance in my prayers...[during] this significant observance [of] the communities of the Salesians of St. John Bosco."
"Thank you for the information you sent concerning the 100th Anniversary of the Salesian presence in the country.... We are delighted to have your community in the Archdiocese, and they are now hard at work at San José [Parish]. I am hearing many good things....May God continue to bless you in the challenging work you have with your communities."
"The Diocese of Oakland is very grateful for the long relationship that it has had with the Salesians, in particular for their outstanding work in Catholic education at Salesian High School in Richmond....We sincerely congratulate the Salesian Fathers and Brothers on 100 successful years of working in the United States of America."
"On behalf of my brothers the monks of Marmion Abbey we wish to send you our congratulations on the 100 years of excellent work in God's ministry in the United States. We pray for your continued efforts and successes in doing God's work for the many years to come. Peace."
"...[T]hank you...for the beautiful medal sculpted for the 1997 USA Salesian Centennial....I thank you and the Salesians for all you have done and are doing for the Church throughout the United States and the world."
"Congratulations to...the [Salesian] community! May God continue to bless...all the Salesians in their work for His greater honor and glory and the salvation of souls."
"I am very grateful to the Salesian Fathers and Brothers. We have had a long association dating back to the days when I was Superintendent of Schools and Pastor of Resurrection parish in East Los Angeles. I pray that God will continue to bless your community with many vocations, and all of the blessings that your order needs."
"I am grateful for your invitation to join in the celebrations commemorating the centenary of the Salesian Communities in the United States.... This gives me the opportunity to thank you and all the wonderful Salesians who have served in the Archdiocese of San Francisco for this past century, and in a special way to express my thanks for those who are here now."
"I have always felt very close to the Salesians because of my association with the Order in San Francisco, and because of my cousin, Fr. Pio Scilligo, SDB....To you and to all the Salesian Community congratulations on the Centennial, and may you have a grace-filled year!"
"Thank you for the beautiful medal sculpted expressly for the 1997 USA Salesian centenary by Professor Enrico Manfrini. With gratitude for the work of the Salesians, with prayers for your continued success and with every good wish..."
"Congratulations to the Salesians as they celebrate 100 years of ministry in the United States. The Church is much richer because of the love and dedicated ministry of the Salesians. I will join you in prayers of thanksgiving to God for guiding you to the U.S. shores and for your ministry....May the Lord who guided you during the past 100 years continue to bless you abundantly."
"Fr. Prior Batholomew Leon and the Monks of Corpus Christi Abbey wish to thank you for the poster and the medal that commemorates the centennial year of the Salesians in the United States. Please be assured of our prayers during this most significant year in the life of the Salesian Society here in the States. As a former Salesian volunteer in Tijuana, it was a great experience doing what I like doing in the colonia de Ejido Matamoros under the direction of Fr. Alex K. Martinez, SDB. Thank you again on behalf of Rev. Prior Bartholomew and the Monastic Community."
"Thank you very much for sending to me the medal sculpted by Professor Enrico Manfrini commemorating one hundred years of service by the Salesian Community in the United States. Since arriving in San Francisco one hundred years ago, the members of the Salesian Order have served the Catholic Community and the wider community in the United States with outstanding dedication and commitment. How grateful to God we are for all you are and all you do to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those entrusted to your care and for all your efforts to enhance Catholic community. I wish you and the followers of St. John Bosco a blessed and holy new year…."
"Congratulations to...the community of the Salesians of St. John Bosco as you celebrate 100 years of your presence in the United States. Our Church, especially our youth, has truly been blessed and enriched by your ministry among us...."
"I wish...to assure you of my spiritual participation in your celebration of 100 years of Salesian presence in the United States of America. This is indeed an historic occurrence....Because of my special devotion to Don Bosco, as well as my great esteem for his Sons and Daughters,...I am close to you with my sincere congratulations for the past and prayerful best wishes for the future well into the third millennium."
"Thank you for your thoughtfulness in sending me a 1997 USA Salesian Centennial medal sculpted by Professor Enrico Manfrini. It is indeed a beautiful treasure worthy of such a monumental milestone. Congratulations to the Salesians of Don Bosco in this, your Centennial year. One cannot even imagine the number of lives which have been touched and enhanced by members of your Community throughout these one hundred years. I offer my blessings and prayers to each of you as you continue your ministry in His name."
"I extend my very best wishes and congratulations to you and all the members of your Society on this memorable and happy occasion. May God continue to bless your zealous and dedicated work for Christ and his Church."
"I have observed with admiration the spirit of the San Francisco province and your determination to be creatively faithful to the spirit of Don Bosco and to the youth of America. May God bless you all."
"The province of San Francisco is on its way to a beautiful future....I am sure this centennial activity and the whole year will carry great fruit."