(ANS – Dingli) – You can't fully understand the Salesian youth pastoral  work unless you consider the great efforts put into in the vocational accompaniment of young people. A constant responsibility that is accomplished through big events, like the "Boscofest", and the long-term youth activities.

Salesian Vocation Promotion in Malta mainly operates from Savio College, Dingli and consists in the animation of various youth activities which enable processes of spiritual growth in our youth. This spiritual growth is an accompanied growth, first on a group level and later on an individual level.

The formation programme for our young Salesian animators (over 16s) consists of monthly Lectio Divina’s, retreats, formation weekends on Leadership, Creativity and Salesianity and exchanges in other countries. One of the major activities held every two years is Boscofest, a Christian educational experience for young people from all over Malta through the mediums of art, music, animation and drama.

Organized by Fr. Louis Grech, sdb, and his team of Salesian Animators, Boscofest is an experience where education takes place with the heart of Don Bosco. There are more than 200 young people united together for the summer months and working together in a Salesian environment. During the summer months these young people meet for rehearsals and also spend some days at Savio College, living together, praying, playing and preparing for the production. Boscofest started in 2005 with the musical "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". Since then, there have been four other editions. Over these past seven years 1500 young people have benefitted from the Boscofest experience.

In 2011, Boscofest returned with Boscofest 2011 - Reaching Out! It was an incredible experience where for the first time, apart from having rehearsals, live-ins, and two great shows in Savio College, the Boscofest team went to visit other people to brighten their day in Id-Dar tal-Providenza (handicapped), St Vincent de Paul Residence (elderly people) and Dar Sagra Familja (children from broken families). “The concept of reaching out and exposing youth to the most vulnerable in society and doing voluntary work seems to be the way forward in our ministry with young people” Fr Grech has said.

Recently Boscofest was also given recognition by the President of Malta and made it to the final for the Presidents Prize for voluntary work.

Apart from Boscofest regular summer camps, live-ins, one day seminars, formation meetings are held for young people through the year. The “Friends of Domenic Savio” is a strong movement here in Malta. These experiences have been great opportunities for our young people to live together with the Salesian Community and to create a “vocation culture”.

Published 04/10/2012