Hajja Salesjana November December 2017

24 Day 6 – 13 th August 2017 This day was dedicated to visiting Valdocco and spending some time together in the place where Don Bosco began his mission with the youth of Turin. We had time to visit the Oratory, and were given guided tours of the whole complex. However, my favourite part was the adoration and penitential rites which were prepared by the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) Spain. The atmosphere in the Basilica was so incredibly prayerful that I found it quite emotional. The whole experience was rounded off with the opportunity for confession. We then headed to the San Luigi Oratory, where we were joined by the Rector Major and celebrated mass together. We ended the day at Valentine Park with some more dancing, games and a short evaluation in our international groups. Day 7 – 14 th August 2017 The seventh day was spent at Valponasca, where we celebrated Mother Mazzarello’s life and work. The morning prayer was animated by the Maltese group, and was followed by a short talk from our Mother General, Sr. Yvonne. Just like Don Ángel, Sr. Yvonne was a brilliant example of the Salesian spirit, very warm and ready to join in our activities, and she had a smile on her face all the time she was with us. We then had guided visits around Maria Mazzarello’s home, a pilgrimage to Mazzarelli, which I must admit was quite exhausting, and which made me appreciate Maria Mazzarello’s dedication to the Eucharist, and her sacrifice in hiking all that distance alone every day to attend mass in the village. After mass at the beautiful church dedicated to Mother Mazzarello, we continued our guided tours around the village, and ending at the Collegio in Mornese. We ended the day with a Marian Procession from the Collegio to the parish church, receiving our Good Night at the Mornese Parish church. Day 8 – 15 th August 2017 Our final full day of Confronto started out relatively early, with a walk in pairs to Castelnuovo. Along the way we had to meditate on the reading where Jesus sends out the seventy-two disciples, and discuss in pairs about our personal experiences in our The Maltese group with the Rector Major, Mother General and Fr. Fabio Attard SDB.