Three weeks ago today I woke up in Tijuana… nervous about bringing the relics of Don Bosco across the border into the USA to begin our phase of the pilgrimage… After the final mass in the Oratory in Castillo area of Tijuana (Fr Tim Ploch, provincial of California, concelebrated with Padre Cleofás Murgüia, provincial of Guadalajara), and a brief visit to the breakfast kitchen, Mexico Guadalajara's latest work in TJ, still under construction but fabulously operative, we boarded the vans and the trucks to cross into the USA.
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| Final blessing at final mass in Mexico (Castillo, Tijuana) |
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| Breakfast Kitchen for TJ's poor celebrates Don Bosco's coming |
Three weeks ago today… we reached the Mexico-USA border crossing at Otai. It seems that the agent from Argentina that was supposed to clear the exit from Mexico had not fully understood one of the Mexican protocols. In spite of this problem, the border authorities on the Mexican side did all to see us through. Then there was the difficulty with the American side: the drivers did not have the proper entry visas. Again, the American officials were very good to us and did everything to speed our crossing. All in all, it took us four hours to cross the border at Otai.
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| Provincials Cleofás and Tim on the phone in no-mans land |
Once we had crossed from Baja into Alta California, we a quick stop for fuel at the Otai Mesa Chevron, where a delegation of young people gave us a colorful welcome and greeting Don Bosco on his first stop in the United States.
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| Province youth meet us at the Chevron station |
From Otai, it took us eight hours to drive from to San Francisco and SS Peter and Paul. With our arrival at 2:00 am, three weeks ago today, after 14 months of preparation that involved so many people in very strenuous ways, our journey began.
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| Fr Tim Ploch at the festive Sunday mass in SS Peter and Paul Church when Salesian Jubilarians renewed their vows |
Two weeks ago today, I woke up in Bellflower, not know what to expect on the final two days in California with Don Bosco… Savio had organized so many possibilities, and the people of the parish and beyond responded. An estimated 8,000 people took part in the prayers and festivities of that Saturday, when we also stood by our brother Steve Standard making his perpetual profession.
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| Families at St Dominic Savio venerate Don Bosco's relics |
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| Don Bosco's Relics in Savio in preparation for evening mass |
The next morning, a church-full of parishioners and pilgrims at St Dominic Savio accompanied us as we loaded the relics on the truck for the last time. A few minutes later our little committee headed for Long Beach Airport … only to be redirected to the Ontario Airport because a heavy fog had settled in at Long Beach. Ontario Airport was ready to welcome us, but they did not have the proper equipment and so loading the relics on the cargo jet became a major task that took almost two hours to accomplish.
Loading our precious cargo on tarmac at Ontario California airport
Here I am, flying with Don Bosco's relics from Southern California to Louisiana
The flight took nearly 4 hours from Ontario to New Orleans, but we arrived to officially hand over the relics to the Salesians in Louisiana and the New Rochelle Province. The journey was finally over for us.
Meeting the Salesian Sisters from Texas upon my arrival in New Orleans
One week ago today, I arrived in Rome for the new semester… with the experiences of the relics of Don Bosco still very front and center in my mind and heart. Every night this week I have dreamed about the relics-journey: reliving the joy and also the anxieties (like, will we find diesel at the next stop? will we be able to get up those steps? will we be able to load this tiny cargo jet?)
In just two days, Don Bosco in his relics will complete his journey in the United States. The last stop is Chicago, on 4 October, and from there the crossing will be made into Canada.
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