Mrs. Ann Gibbs with the Fr. Juan Edmundo Vecchi, after receiving the Salesian Centennial Medal at St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, CA.
I am very happy to have the opportunity to share some of my Salesian experience with you.
Serving on the Cooperator Provincial Council for the past six years along with Bernie and Sherrie Keelin and Erik Zandvliet has been an honor as well as a real pleasure. As a team, along with the guidance of Fr. Wes Izer, SDB, who was our first delegate and currently works in Phoenix, Arizona, and Fr. Gael Sullivan, SDB, who followed in his footsteps, we have made good progress in the growth of the Cooperators in the Western Province. Representing the Salesian Sisters on our council was Sr. Kathleen Conklin, FMA, who was our first Delegate and Sr. Ann Cassidy, FMA, now the Salesian Sisters Delegate for our Provincial Council. We are very grateful to all these dedicated Salesians for their support and guidance.
Fr. Wes Izer began setting a foundation for the council that would be the basis for growth and spiritual leadership for our Association. In the first years, we attended many inductions and met many times in prayer and planning. We also attended the first Salesian Family Weekend in Berkeley, CA, conducted by Fr. Gael.
Those of us who could get away attended the First World Congress of all the English-speaking Salesian Cooperators held in Hyannis, MA, August 27-31, 1993. Both of our delegates were in attendance as well as Mr. Paolo Santoni, world coordinator, Fr. José Reinoso, the world delegate, Fr. Antonio Martinelli, SDB, world Salesian Family councilor, and delegates from all over the English-speaking world. We were pleased to have both U.S. Provincials with us, Fr. William Schafer (West) and Fr. Timothy Ploch (East). Cooperators from the Eastern Province hosted the Congress and did a magnificent job.
We also had the opportunity of representing all our Cooperators at the International Congress in Bologna, Italy, and with this trip, experienced a journey we will never forget. We visited Don Bosco’s home town of Becchi, toured Valdocco, a district of Turin, where he began the Salesian Family: the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, his private rooms, now a museum, and the church of St. Francis de Sales. We knelt in the same place as St. Dominic Savio knelt in rapture for six hours—Dominic, not me—a very moving experience.
We visited Mornese, near Genoa, the hometown of St. Mary Domenica Mazzarello, co-founder with Don Bosco of the Salesian Sisters, and better understood her struggles, her complete trust in God and her perseverance. Her holiness is evident to all when we consider that her cause for sainthood was begun only 32 years after her death and she
The Congress itself was wonderful and we came to realize that we are truly a global Association. Globally our needs, difficulties and aspirations differ, according to our resources, culture and political environment, yet we hold much in common with our Salesian spirit and motivation for the betterment of youth.
We were encouraged to expand our focus of education, as an on-going process of "being." We must be risk-takers reaching out to all aspects of society, especially the young, seeking the common good, and justice. We were reminded by these thoughts: "leave your hiding place"; "if we only pray, we are not truly Salesian"; "do all in the Salesian way—with joy."
We returned home, filled with enthusiasm. Shortly after, our Cooperator Provincial Council began to plan our first regional formation program, and the pilot program was held in Southern California. Each part of this formation program was developed very carefully under the guidance of Fr. Gael, our delegate. With every session we visited a different Salesian site in the area, and each session was presented by the council and Salesians from the great experience for everyone. We sites. It was a are very grateful to the many Salesians who were kind enough to host us and share their Salesian spirit with us.
The Cooperator Provincial Council as it exists today has come to the end of its leadership service and will be turning over its duties to a new council in the near future. All of us have considered this a truly wonderful experience. Our lives have been enriched in such a wonderful way—to be Salesian is truly a blessing.
Finally, we are very pleased that this Salesian Bulletin is uniquely "for us" here in the West. It is filling a void in such a great way. Thank you.
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