And come they did! All the local confreres of New York and New Jersey came, plus those from Boston and Maryland (each a four-hour drive away), and confreres also from the far corners of the U.S. part of the province—from Chicago, New Orleans, and Tampa. Most of the SDBs from those three presences had come east or north in order to take part in the Rector Major’s meeting with Salesians in formation on Friday the 25th at Orange, New Jersey.

A total of 86 Salesians planned to attend the Thanksgiving feast, and it certainly looked like they all showed up.

The celebration began at 2:00 p.m. in the school’s main chapel with the thanksgiving service that lasted 22 minutes: prayers, hymns, and symbolic indications of what the confreres are grateful for (a globe, the Constitutions, and a cross) for our worldwide presence, our consecrated calling, and our faith in Christ.

Fr. Abraham Feliciano, director, welcomed everyone to Don Bosco Prep. He noted that this SDB community is the second-oldest in the province (founded in 1915), and the school is the oldest Salesian school in North America, presently enrolling 800 high school boys. The community includes 12 professed SDBs, a prenovice, and a candidate.

Fr. Ángel took part in the thanksgiving prayers and joined all the Salesians for a feast in the school cafeteria. He called all the coadjutor brothers out for a group photo, then posed for a photo with each brother individually. Later he posed with the Ramsey community and with the Polish confreres present. Don Bosco Prep began as a school for Polish immigrant boys, and although it no longer has that character, the continuation of Polish immigration has required a continued presence of Polish confreres in the province. Finally, he had everyone present pose for a group portrait in front of the statue of Mary Help of Christians.

Fr. Mike Mendl, SDB

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