This morning my community learned that the eldest memeber of our community had passed away during the night. Please pray for the repose of his soul, and for the consolation of our community. Fr. Mario was the chaplain at the Port of Newark in Newark, NJ. He was loved my many, and he served all. He was especilly loved by the sailors that he came into contact with over the years of his service at the Port. He never took a day off. May God grant him the rest that he has never had here on earth.

Today I went to confession; what a beautiful sacrament! As I reflect on what confession is, I am overjoyed with happiness that God gave us this wonderful gift. The Sacrament of Reconcilliation (Pennance, Confession) is truly one of the best sacraments that the Church has to offer, outside of the Eucharist of course. The Sacrament of Reconcilliation is a Sacrament that has great qualities. When one enters into the confessional, often times they are scared. Ofthen times they do not want to go through this expiereince for one reason or another. One thing that I have learned from my metaphysics class in the seminary, is that the sacrament of confession is not just the forgiving of sins, however, it actually creates us as a new person, ontologically. The sacrament for me has been a life saver, no pun intended. The strength that I get from going to Confession. I think that it is very important for one to have a confessor, as in, go to one priest, unless it is an emergency, to confess to. This will allow the priest to help you on your journey through this life to help guide you to heaven. It is not healthy for you to go to confession to one priest, to another, to another. It is imperative for one to have the consitancy. Consistancy, I think is very important.  It can help one to overcome the vices, and help them to overcome the temptations. 

Thanks for reading my rambling,

God Bless you!

Adam Dupre.

The Salesians of Don Bosco,(SDB) are not the only Salesians inthe world. There are over 20 branches of the Salesians. There are 23 officially recognized branches in the Salesian Family.

GROUPS IN THE FAMILY

There are 23 groups that are officially recognized as members of the Salesian Family
1.	Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB)	16.645
2.	Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA)	15.074
3.	Salesian Co-operators	35.000
4.	Past Pupils of Don Bosco	197.730
5.	Past Pupils of the FMA	130.000
6.	Women Volunteers of Don Bosco	1.308
7.	Daughters of the Sacred Heart	404
8.	Salesian Oblates of the Sacred Heart	262
9.	Apostles of the Holy Family	100
10.	Caritas Sisters of Miyazaki	1.074
11.	Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians	700
12.	Daughters of the Divine Saviour	109
13.	Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary	109
14.	Sisters of Jesus the Adolescent	43
15.	Association of Damas Salesians	3.000
16.	Association of Mary Help of Christians	35.000
17.	Catechists Sisters of Mary Immaculate Help of Christians	500
18.	Daughters of the Queenship of Mary Immaculate	57
19.	Volunteers with Don Bosco	62
20.	Witnesses of the Risen Lord TR 2000	650
21.	Congregation of St. Michael the Archangel
22.	Congregation of Sisters of the Resurrection	50
23.	Sisters Announcers of the Lord	23

(Source: Statistical data, GC 25, Rome 2002 – The value of the numbers are relative – Rome, 22/03/2006)

 

All of these different branches of the Family share in the mission of Don Bosco, the salvation of souls. Each branch of the Salesian Family must work together with eachother to fulfill this mission. In Matthew 12:25 the Gospel tells us that a house divded cannot stand. With this in mind i think that it is imperrative that we all stick together to complete this mission. The mission that we all work towards is the same, the salvation of souls, especillay the young. In the Chronicles of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, (FMA) Mother Mazzarello says this:

       “Dear Don Bosco!, He and his Salesians consider us part of their family! Our works would have neither life nor luck with out Don Bosco and his Sons. Woe to us if pride ever makes us think we can do with out them! We would be like a beanch cut off from the vine, nothing more.” (Chronicles FMA, Vol. II p. 333

I think that it is important for us to recognize the differnt gifts that each group has and for us to recognize that although our methods towards the mission are differnt, non is more important than the other. The mission is beautiful, the mission is strong! 

Let us remember our Strenna for 2009! Let us commit ourselves to making the Salesian Family a vast movement of persons for the salvation of the young

 

God Bless, 

Adam

Although I think that I have discerned that the religious life is for me, I know I must continue my discernment.

What is it that God is calling me to?

This is a loaded question. I am sure that God is calling me to be a priest with the Salesians…but in what kind of ministry? I am contemplating whether or not he is calling me to a life in the missions. Im not sure yet if this is my path, but it could be.

This past summer I spent quite a bit of time with the Salesian Missionaries from all over the world that were here in the United States making appeals for money for the missions. I became close to one of these missionaries in particular, who I think has had an impact on my life that I did not forsee happening. His name was Fr. Miguel Angel Ruiz, S.D.B. He is oringinally from Spain, and is now working in Pakistan. When he told me of the mission in Pakistan, I was overjoyed with what the Salesians did there. When the region was struck with deadly earthquakes a few years ago, the Salesians and their students there were some of the first to respond to the people most devistated in the area. They made huts for the people who lost their homes. They were Christians helping the Muslims in the mountains bordering India. They used the facilites in the school to build furniture, and other household items. The Mission in Pakistan has opened my heart, and my eyes to the possibility of a missionary vocation. Please keep the missionaries, and all Salesians in your prayers.

God Bless you all!

On August 25, 2008 the new men have entered the formation house, and the returning men came back. The professed, and the newly professed came back to Orange. It is such a great sight; to see so many young men ready to drop their social lives, their family lives, and their private lives, to live a life where they put the Lord first. To date, we have 19 men living in the house. 13 Sons of Mary (non-professed) and 5 professed brothers. The diverstiy of the house is vast, but the different diversities bring us together as we all learn about eachother’s cultures and families.

We have all come together from these different families, and cultures to form one culture, one family. We all have come as strangers, and acquaintances, to become brothers. All the men in the house get along in a way that suggests that they had all lived together for quite some time. It is a great thing to see so many young men from so many different backgrounds mesh so well together.  We have men from all over the US, and from other countries.  The places that these men come from are, Michigan (2), Ohio (3) New York (2) California (2) Florida (1) Kentucky (1) Arkansas (1) Minnesota (1) Louisiana (1) Rhode Island (1) Texas (1) New Jersey (1) and Haiti (2). So as you can see we come from everywhere, but we all have 1 mission, Da Mihi Animas, to save souls.

It is a great gift to have so many holy men in the house, each being a role model for the other. What one of us lacks, another has, an so on and so forth. We all learn from one another, we all teach to one another. Together we all function as a family. Each individual brings with him from his homeland a special task or gift that is used to help in the common mission of the salvation of souls. Some are good musicians, others are magicians, some are great planners and organizers, and some a good listeners, able to help out their brothers. All of us come to serve the young as Don Bosco did, as well as to serve one another.

To all who read this please keep praying for vocations, and please pray for the men here in this house. May God Bless you and keep you forever under his merciful eye.

God calls us all to discern what our call is in our lives that is His will. It is very important for us to open our ears, and more so our hearts, to God’s call to us. Every person should be open to the possibility of a vocation to the church, or to another state in life such as marriage, or single life. Pray hard. Pray often. Pray Always!

Christ our Hope, is the title of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the USA. Benedict, our Pope, is a man who has been called to the highest office of the Church, Christ’s Vicar on Earth. It was the will of God that he was elected, and he accepted, the office of the Papacy. Even in the older ages of persons, discernment is very necessary. It doesn’t mean that you are thinking about religious life, but about anything in general. Always Pray. It is a very necessary tool that we should be using every day in our conversations with the Lord.

God Bless,

Adam Dupre

This past sunday was really a special one for me. I woke up at 9am, I over slept. The Church bells woke me up (thank God) and I got ready for the day. I had a Confirmation class to teach at 10:15 and I wasn’t sure what exactly I was supposed to do. I just kept thinking to myself, let the Spirit be my guide. Yesterday I talked to my class about the Schism in the Church. We read about the Schism and then had a discussion on it. I then split the class of 4, in to two groups. Then I told them that they were going to participate in a ’schism’ exercise. One would be church and the other would be the state. The topic was, ‘Should the title ‘In God we trust’ be on the currency? It was quite a debate. No team one of course, because both provided applicable arguments to their arguments. I asked them how could this exersice be related to the schism. They are smart kids and they never fail to amaze me.

Later that day the Sons of Mary and Fr. Dominic went to a park in Newark, NJ to look at the Cherry Trees blossom. There was one big problem though, they weren’t blossoming yet. So we walked around the park for about an hour and we had alot of fun. We came to a row of trees in which we all climbed and had our picture taken. Then I climbed a tree in an act that surely defies modern physics, and gravity laws! I love hanging out with the guys. It is a good relaxing time away from the constant running around of life.

God Bless,

Adam Dupre

Hello everyone, I have been back from vacation for about 5 days now and I am so happy that I had the opportunity to see my family. I had a nice visit with them. Seeing them really reaffirmed my vocation. We have our differences, but seeing them allows me to realize how important family is to the vocation, and formation processes. Family is very important because they are your family. I know that their are some families who do not support their child’s vocation. Parts of my family didn’t completely support me in the beginning of my vocation journey. But they came around and accepted it. Now they are completely supportive. No matter what your families reaction maybe to your vocation you need to be open to God’s will, not your families will; or your own will for that matter. You have to be content with what it is the God is calling you to, and you need to follow that call with your heart.

Peace be with you!

Adam Dupre

On Saturday, March 8, 2008, The members of the formation house for the Salesians of Don Bosco of the Eastern USE (SUE) had our quarterly day of recollection. Fr. Pat Angelucci, S.D.B. as our preacher for the retreat. The weather was perfect in my mind for the recollection, it rained all day. It was the perfect setting at Our Lady of the Angel’s Parish is Allendale, NJ. Fr. Pat talked about Salesian Asceticism. Fr. Pat told and, and taught us what it means to be a Salesian, and what makes a Salesian. Fr. Pat talked about some very interesting points. When Fr. Pat described the Salesian he used a quote from the 18th Volume of the Biographical Memoirs of St. John Bosco,

“A Salesian is not like a Jesuit, a soldier, so to speak, of the sacred army or, one might better say, of the elect militia that the Church mobilizes against her fiercest enemies, and especially against this modern world which is so full of pride so conceited because of its knowledge and its valor. A Salesian is not like a Capuchin, the most popular of monks, for his austerity and severity, his contempt for worldly possessions, his absolute poverty both interior and exterior, which terrify us. The Salesian is not like the son of St. Benedict who lives in solitude, and spends his life in study, in the chant of divine praises and in the cultivation of the soil. The Salesian is not like a disciple of Joseph Calasanz, eminent benefactor, well deserving of the Church and of Society, but devoted only to one task. No, the Salesian is not any of these.

The Salesian is the man of self-denial and humility, the man who lives dead to himself, without even noticing it; who does good, thinking that he is doing nothing; who makes sacrifices without considering them, sometimes even unaware of them. He is the man who deems himself to be the lowliest servant of the Church when his last hour strikes. He goes wherever he is sent; he takes and adapts himself to things as he finds them, building his nest in either the exuberant branches of a tree rich in foliage, or amid the most sharply pointed, craggy stones or bare rock. His characteristic virtues are that he never complains, not even when everything is against him, and that he is never discouraged, but always puts his hope in Divine Providence.

The Salesian has something of the energy, of the industriousness, of the breadth and of the height of goals as well as the unconquerable courage of the Jesuit; he also enjoys something of the popularity of the Capuchin; he has something of the retiring spirit and working habits peculiar to monks; in short, he has something in common with all religious orders known to us, despite the fact that he truly is a new breed.”

I thought that this was something that will help me along in my formation process, always there to see who, and what makes a Salesian. the key points that I really took in were, “The Salesian, is a man of self denial; who is dead to himself with out realizing it…one who never complains, never becomes discouraged, and always puts hope in Divine Providence.” Any Salesian reading this, and has not heard this before, I suggest that you take this and use it in Spiritual Reading. Don Chavez said at the opening conference of the General Chaper that we should all be returning to Don Bosco, we should love him, study him, and imitiate him.

Fr. Pat went on to tell us of a story of when Fr. Vigano was the Rector Major. Fr. Vigano was in Ecuador with his secretary making visitations. Don Vigano’s secretary was originally from Ecuador so this was a speacial homecoming for him. When a member came to thank the secretary at the public audience he kept referring to the secretary as the Successor of Don Bosco, the Successor of Don Bosco, the Successor of Don Bosco. Don Vigano was getting alittle confused. He later went up to the man and asked him, “Why are you calling him the ‘Sucessor of Don Bosco?” THe man replied, “because in the program here it says it, S.D.B. Successor of Don Bosco. I thought that this was a great interpretation, and so did the rest of my house mates who made the retreat. We can all be Successors of Don Bosco, in fact thats exactly what we are. All Salesians need to be more like Don Bosco.

Fr. Pat Angelucci also talked about Salesian Poverty. I liked how he described it, keep life simple, take nothing, refuse nothing. Also, keep your heart detached from all worldly bounds. Keep your room simple. Do not put up ornate decorations in your room. Time for a Salesian is a very precious gift. To waste time, would be a very serious sin. Time is a poverty. We can never have enough of it.

Fr. Pat also touched upon Salesian Prayer. Salesians are not afforded a lot of time in the chapel in a community setting. If you are to spend a lot of time in the chapel, then you must do it on your own time. Salesian Prayer, is our work, when we are with the young, we are praying. It is an active life, not a monastic one.

We must love with the heart of Don Bosco, love like him, and care for the young like him. Lets all return to Don Bosco, through Mary Help of Christians!

God Bless,

Adam Dupre

Greetings!

On Sunday March 2, 2008 the 26th General Chapter of the Salesian Congregation officially was underway with the Rector Major giving a report on the Congregation from the end of the last Chapter until now. The theme of this Chapter is ‘Da Mihi Animas, Caeterra Tolle’; “Give me Souls, take away the rest’ this was the motto that Don Bosco lived by, and later assumed as the motto for the Congregation. Don Chavez, the Rector Major of the Salesians. He is the ninth successor of Don Bosco, is urging all Salesians to return to their ‘origins’. “We are being called to find inspiration in the apostolic passion of Don Bosco himself. We are being invited to draw on the living streams of the charism, and at the same time to open ourselves with daring creativity to new ways of expressing it.”

We are all being urged to study the spirit of Don Bosco. It is extremley important for us Salesians to draw continual inspiration from Don Bosco. We need to know him, we need to study him, and most of all, we need to love him. With out these essentials how can we be Salesian? Don Bosco laid for us a great framework on how to care for the young, poor, and homeless boys. We are all called to love with the heart of Don Bosco and to imitate him with our whole hearts, to love for and care for the young.

This General Chapter, is telling us to turn back to Don Bosco, to love him and to know him. We need to get back to the roots of our founder, to study him, and to know him. We need to learn to love him to imitate his gentle charity. We need to have Don Bosco’s charism. All Salesians are called to love their founder in a new way. Don Chavez says that the aim of this General Chapter is “touching the heart of the Salesians, so that every confrere is a ‘new Don Bosco’, his interpreter today.

In Jesus, through Mary

Adam Dupre