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At Chiari, in the Salesian house of San Bernardino, over 1500 people – 1100 pre-adolescents, 200 assistants and 200 leaders – gathered together to celebrate St Dominic Savio and Blessed Laura Vicuña on “DLDay 2011”, based this year on the motto “Who turns the wheel?”
Inspired by the example of the holiness of the two Patrons of the celebration, the youngsters were helped to think about the importance of finding one’s own role in education and to have a good spiritual guide to help think things through.
After everyone was made welcome early in the morning, the Theatrical Group from Chiari put on a performance of “Who turns the wheel?” , in which a miller symbolises the person who helps to discover one’s place in the world and leads eventually to Jesus the Eucharistic Bread.
The rest of the morning was spent in team games involving everyone in gaining points. The centre of the day was the Mass at which Fr Enrico Ponte, Provincial Youth Ministry Delegate presided. In the afternoon after the games were over, the Theatrical Group from Chiari spoke about some of the ideas in the show they had put on in the morning, and prizes were awarded to the winners in the games.
As usual at Jesolo, there was the Youth Festival organised by the Salesian Youth Movement in Triveneto. Over 3,700 youngsters between 10 and 14 years of age were involved in the various events which were entertaining but also instructive.
Fr Igino Biffi abd Sr Anna Peron, Youth Ministry Delegates for the Provinces of the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, spoke about the vocational message in the Strenna of the Rector Major in musical terms suggesting to the youngsters that they were part of a great concert, each with an instrument to play – their own lives – but for which a Conductor is needed and someone to teach them how to play properly in the great concert of life.
The Festival programme opened with a show performed by Gigi Cotichella and the “DBlive” Group in which the guitarist Massimo Varini also spoke about himself and his experience. Mass followed at which Fr Roberto Cappelletti presided. In the afternoon the beach at Jesolo was the site for 140 specially prepared games and competitions to entertain the youngsters and also make them think. Finally in the Palace of Tourism there was the presentation of the musical score to which the youngsters had contributed throughout the day during the games and a final “See you next year!”
Making the day of the Festival possible was the great contribution of 150 youth leaders and the same number of youngsters – Group Leaders - to the organisation and the final preparations.
Published 01/04/2011
