ESL North
by Kevin Cavaluzzo
This past July, I had the privilege to be a part of the building process of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) here in our province. The term “SYM” is a relatively new term in our parts, even though it has been mentioned quite often over the past two years. The most common questions that have been asked about the movement are: “What is it?” and “When is it coming?” Now, after attending the ESL Seminar (Empowering Salesian Leaders), I have the answers to both questions. The first answer is that we, the Salesian youth, are the Movement. It is not held at the Marian Shrine, or at any of our beloved Gospel Roads sites--it lives within us, and it will be played out back home in our respective communities, in our everyday lives. When is it coming? Well its not. It’s already here. The long arrival of the much talked about SYM is here, and our first gatherings will begin this fall.
One thing I learned from ESL North (and I am sure our southern counterparts would agree with me) is that this whole movement is much bigger than any of us could have imagined! Picture being on a Leadership Retreat, and you finally get to the 4th day and you discover that instead of going home that day, you get to do it all over again the next day. That’s how the first day of our meeting felt. Needless to say, we were all fired up to get the show started.
For the extent of the week, the twelve of us worked extremely hard at figuring out what special ingredients were needed to make this a success. It was a lot of work, but as many of you know, Salesians also pray hard and play hard. We had many laughs…many due to Sister Angelique (a Sister who was on the retreat at the Marian Shrine) cracking a joke on one of us. It was truly a Salesian good time, but by the end of the week, we all saw where the SYM was heading, and we couldn’t have been anymore excited. The week eventually came to a close and many of us realized we had learned a lot more than we expected too. We learned the value of a team and how to be leaders; also, we are now experts on Don Bosco Jeopardy. Most importantly, we had a great time doing God’s will, and for me, that’s what being a Salesian is all about.
This is a monumental time in the Salesian Family. The SYM is here, and the sky is the limit. As you all know, we are a family; and while we are strong as individuals, we are unstoppable together. We will need everyone’s help, prayers and dedication if we are to leave the gigantic footprint on the world that we all dream of making. The only question left to ask is, “Where will you be when the Salesian Youth Movement starts in your parts?”
“How consoling is it in the evening to find oneself tired and worn out because the whole day was spent in work for Gods glory and the salvation of souls.”
- St. John Bosco -
One thing I learned from ESL North (and I am sure our southern counterparts would agree with me) is that this whole movement is much bigger than any of us could have imagined! Picture being on a Leadership Retreat, and you finally get to the 4th day and you discover that instead of going home that day, you get to do it all over again the next day. That’s how the first day of our meeting felt. Needless to say, we were all fired up to get the show started.
For the extent of the week, the twelve of us worked extremely hard at figuring out what special ingredients were needed to make this a success. It was a lot of work, but as many of you know, Salesians also pray hard and play hard. We had many laughs…many due to Sister Angelique (a Sister who was on the retreat at the Marian Shrine) cracking a joke on one of us. It was truly a Salesian good time, but by the end of the week, we all saw where the SYM was heading, and we couldn’t have been anymore excited. The week eventually came to a close and many of us realized we had learned a lot more than we expected too. We learned the value of a team and how to be leaders; also, we are now experts on Don Bosco Jeopardy. Most importantly, we had a great time doing God’s will, and for me, that’s what being a Salesian is all about.
This is a monumental time in the Salesian Family. The SYM is here, and the sky is the limit. As you all know, we are a family; and while we are strong as individuals, we are unstoppable together. We will need everyone’s help, prayers and dedication if we are to leave the gigantic footprint on the world that we all dream of making. The only question left to ask is, “Where will you be when the Salesian Youth Movement starts in your parts?”
“How consoling is it in the evening to find oneself tired and worn out because the whole day was spent in work for Gods glory and the salvation of souls.”
- St. John Bosco -