With Don Bosco in Tijuana

This morning I arrived in Tijuana together with Fr Tim Ploch, provincial of the USA-West province, Roberto Bertoli, who works on the Don Bosco pilgrimage from Torino, and Fr Bruce Craig of Miami. We went to the Salesian volunteer house in Castillo, and later to participate in a celebration of the relics in the zone of Sanchez Tavara.

The experience was very moving and very enthusiastic as Don Bosco visited the neighborhood and the Oratorio San Domingo Savio.

 Truck to transport relics

Rather than talk about it, I include some photos that I took of the relics being unloaded from the truck and mounted for a procession through the neighborhood.

Men guide the urn out of the truck and ready it for the procession

All through the procession people shouted cheers and sang. It was a festive demonstration. In no way was it solemn, but it was very reverent.

There were women in colorful indigenous dress who danced ahead of the urn… youth in Don Bosco Tshirts, children in school uniforms.

There was even a mother and child dressed up like Mamma Margherita and Don Bosco. The poor boy did not smile much, but his mother smiled the entire time.

And in the Oratory church, after a short prayer service and a lot of songs, first the children and then the people were able to venerate the relics of Don Bosco. Many were moved to tears. All were joyful. At the end there was a lunch provided in the oratory playground… and more music and time for visiting quietly with Don Bosco.

On of the cheers that took over all of Mexico and was repeated many times this morning sums up the whole experience "¡Si, si, si! Don Bosco es aquí! -- Yay, yay, yay! Don Bosco came today!"