Visiting the Salesians at Edmonton, Alberta

 I have just arrived from a very emotional visit to our Salesian presence in Edmonton, Alberta. I was picked up by my relatives (Marivic, Chris, and their children Miel and Mark) at the airport and stayed and bonded with them the whole of Friday. On Saturday they brought me to St Joseph Villa (Salesian house) where we met Fr Romano Venturelli, SDB, the pastor St. John Bosco Parish. Then we proceeded to the Church for the Saturday evening Mass. My relatives headed back home to River Bend and I stayed with Fr Romano for the night at the villa. 

The following day after the 9:30 and 11:30 am Masses, Fr Romano and I went for lunch at Chianti's and after visited Fr Bernard Gilliece, SDB former pastor of St. Dominic Savio Parish for 15 years. Fr Bernie now stays at the Youville nursing home in St. Albert.  The Youville home sits beside the La Chapelle du Pere Lacombe (the first mission church in Alberta).  Now St Dominic Savio Parish has been turned over to the Archdiocese again. We used to have Mary Help of Christians (Chinese-speaking Parish) before with Fr. Joseph Ho. Fr Joseph is now in Ontario helping out at St. Benedict's.

Then we visited our three other confreres who were resting at the cemetery. We said some short prayers. I was inspired to be standing on holy ground, on the grave of heroes. I was proud to be standing on the shoulders of salesian priests who worked for the Church before me and carved a name for the Salesians of Don Bosco in the hearts of the people of Edmonton, Alberta. For them, I am grateful.