(ANS – San Pedro Carchá) – On 5 June, anniversary of the ordination of Don Bosco in 1841, in the village of Chiqueleu, in the Salesian Mission of San Pedro Carchá, the first Q’eqchi Salesian Oratory playground was blessed. This happy event was made possible by the support of Salesians and Salesian communities. It is part of a wider plan for the development of oratories and the formation of leaders in the whole territory of the Salesian mission.

The mission of San Pedro Carchá has recently been entrusted with the care of a parish of 250,000 people. In preparation for the Bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco it is paying special attention to the young people, and has resolved to open oratories in the Q’eqchi villages. In a short space of time, the number of Oratories has gone from three to nine, and it is hoped there will soon be more.

The Salesians are not alone in this work. In fact, the Oratory at Chiqueleu was started, thanks to the help of the Salesian parish in Arese, and to a generous donation from Fr Donato Bosco who passed on to this project the gifts that he received on the occasion of his priestly ordination last year.

Present for the blessing were Fr Roger Castillo, Fr Hector Hernandez, Rector of the Mission, Fr Vittorio Castagna, economer, four Salesian pre-novices and, naturally, a big number of Q’eqchi youth.

“Many of them” says Fr Castagna, “say that they had heard talk about an oratory, especially from the Salesians, but they did not know what the word ‘oratory’ meant. Now it is very different.  They also want to be like Don Bosco and help the more needy young people, practising the Preventive System with its four hinges – family, school, playground and Church.”

The young people are being formed at monthly meetings held by Fr Castagna who is in charge of the leaders and of the oratory project. At the most recent of these meetings, on 7 June, there were 25 Q’eqchi leaders present, all volunteers who were full of initiative, representing more than 60 villages. Thanks to Gloria Esperanza Xol Chub, a 25 year old leader, the Oratory of St Francis de Sales was started. Gloria devotes most of her time to caring for four orphan children.

The Oratory furthest from the Salesian mission is in the village of Tzapur, three hours away. The furthest village is nine hours away. In the Tzapur oratory, there is neither light nor water, and the people live in extreme poverty. Other oratories, like the one in the village of Chiseb which has a hand loom, help the poorer children to learn a trade. “These oratories are small seeds of Valdocco. Together they transmit the spirit that Don Bosco wanted to pass on to the young people,” said Fr Castagna.

Published 11/06/2013