Besides the Rector, Fr. Matteo Di Fiore, Fr. Pasquale Cristiani, Provincial of South Italy – from whom depend the Salesian Houses in Albania and Kosovo – his Vicar, Fr. Angelo Draisci, and the Delegate for Youth Ministry, Fr. Fabio Bellino, were also present at the feast.
The Salesians have many reasons for which to thank the Lord: the Salesian presence, born among difficulties, in a field full of bunkers, spread during the years and now does a wide-ranging educative-pastoral service, comprising the senior high school, the vocational school, a department of vocational courses, the elementary and junior high school, the oratory and youth centre, a day centre for needy children and young people, and the parish which is dedicated to Mary Help of Christians, with a joint branch in Breglumasi.
The feast began under a great tent with the greeting of the Rector, who thanked all for the good that has been done and invited to believe even more in the Gospel, as Don Bosco did. The morning celebration then proceeded with dances, plays, monologues and other cultural manifestations.
During the feast, there was the distribution of diplomas to the children and the young who had completed the different school courses and of various prizes to the pupils who had obtained the best results or who had the best behaviour, so as to show them as models and examples to their younger schoolmates.
The Salesian community highly appreciated the presence at the feast of so many parents and relatives. “A house without guests is a house without blessings”, said Fr. Leka Oroshi, SDB, quoting an Albanian proverb.
At the end of the feast, Fr. Cristiani invited all to be witnesses to the Lord in the lands of Albania and Kosovo – where the majority are Muslim – so that all may see the heart of Don Bosco at work and the merciful Love of Jesus.
