Priest to young Salesians: Joy, Jesus, Mary and determination needed for a holy life

By BETH DONZE
Clarion Herald

A four-hour gathering of 1,300 students from the West Bank’s six Salesian-founded schools rocked the campuses of Academy of Our Lady and Archbishop Shaw Feb. 22 as the two Marrero high schools co-presented “Young Salesian Day,” a first-of-its-kind assembly featuring Mass, outdoor games and fellowship.

In addition to the two coordinating high schools, special guests at the inaugural event were fifth, sixth and seventh graders from the West Bank’s four Salesian elementary schools: Immaculate Conception in Marrero; Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Westwego; St. Andrew the Apostle in Algiers; and St. Rosalie in Harvey.


Stay joyful always!

The day began with a 10 a.m. Mass inside Academy of Our Lady’s gym celebrated by Salesian Father Steve Ryan, the director/head of school at Archbishop Shaw. Holding up the day’s saintly honorees as role models – Salesian-taught St. Dominic Savio and Blessed Laura Acuna – Father Ryan reminded the young people that they do not have to wait until they’re older to be holy; they could start practicing holiness now.

“The person you are tomorrow is the person you are today,” Father Ryan said, using a singing teddy bear and posters during his homily to illustrate four things that help God’s children live holy lives: “Joy,” “Jesus,” “Mary” and “Determination.”

• The teddy bear’s pre-recorded song of “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy (Down in My Heart)” launched the priest’s comments on the importance of maintaining joyfulness. He said that although his congregants were supposed to “have fun when we’re young,” this didn’t mean they had to do “wrong things” to have a good time as they received their Salesian education and grew into adulthood.

“You can get involved in sports and activities and clubs. You can laugh throughout the whole day – at recess, during  lunchtime, after school, with your friends hanging out, in class even,” Father Ryan said. “But you’ve got to have the joy! The joy can’t leave your education. The joy can’t leave our (Salesian) formation, because the person you are tomorrow is the person you are today. If you’re a sourpuss now, you might end up being a sourpuss later!”

• Next, Father Ryan presented his second must-have aid to holiness: Jesus.

“We want to have a personal relationship with Christ, who is the way the truth and the life,” he told the young people.

“As we go through our Salesian education, it would be an epic fail if we did not say, ‘Jesus I love you and I need you. I want to walk my journey in life with you,’” Father Ryan said, noting that Salesian schools make Christ present in their commitment to daily prayer and offering of the sacraments of Confession and Eucharist.

• The Blessed Mother’s help on the road to sainthood can be found in Salesian schools’ devotion to the rosary and their encouragement of students to say three Hail Marys before going to bed each night, Father Ryan said. “We, as young people, can have a relationship with Mary that brings us Jesus,” he said. “Mary brings you Jesus! She’s the ticket!”

• Finally, determination – being the best you can be in all areas of life – was offered as a crucial ingredient for holiness and ultimate sainthood.

“If you want to be excellent in anything – whether it be academics, whether it be sports, whether it be cheer and dance and music – you’ve got work at it, and some of you do a great job,” Father Ryan said. “But you do not always work hard enough to become a saint. … I don’t  know why we do so well in football and basketball and in dance, but when it comes to our spiritual life, we are not determined enough. God will do the work, but we have to cooperate! You guys have got to become more determined to be a saint!”

Turning to the Mass’ Gospel from St. John, which detailed Jesus’  multiplication of loaves and fish to feed the hungry crowd, Father Ryan observed that a pivotal role was played by 12- or 13-year-old boy – the age of many who were sitting in the gym. Through the boy’s willingness to step out from the crowd and hand over everything he had to Jesus – five loaves and two fish – “he saved the day so that thousands could eat,” Father Ryan said. Giving of ourselves does not lead to depletion, but rather to abundance, he said.

“I invite you, young Salesians, to share your life with God, Jesus Christ, Mother Mary and with others,” Father Ryan said. “If you do this, you will be happy, and God will use you to do amazing things in this world. The goodness will spread – you’ve just got to be generous.”

Saints-themed fun on a school day

After Mass, the boys boarded buses to Archbishop Shaw and the girls remained at Academy of Our Lady for a pizza lunch and a fair-style array of outdoor games, each booth named for a different saint or faith-related word. Afterward, all six schools reconvened at Academy of Our Lady for the concluding activity: a theatrical production detailing the lives of the day’s two featured saints – St. Dominic Savio and Blessed Laura Vicuna.

Salesian Sister Michelle Geiger, principal of Academy of Our Lady, said Young Salesian Day was her and her fellow principals’ “dream” for two years, and was finally able to unfold after two difficult years of social distancing. She said the event's goal was twofold: to remind youth that there are other young people who “want to be good, who want to be holy”; and to remind them that “we have models in our own Salesian family of kids their age (St. Dominic Savio and Blessed Laura Vicuna) who have reached the heights of sanctity.”

“Being a saint is not difficult – it’s really just doing the right thing, at the right time, all for the love of God,” Sister Michelle told the assembled students.

Sister Michelle said the event was designed to fulfill all four pillars of Salesian youth ministry: providing “a home that welcomes” (by making the children feel at home at the two host high schools); providing “a playground where friends meet” (the outdoor games enjoyed by the guests); providing “a parish that evangelizes” (celebrating Mass and receiving the Eucharist together); and providing “a school that prepares for life” (the catechetical program on St. Dominic Savio and Blessed Laura Vicuna).

“Too often, young people today don’t see other young people who have their same values, who share their same spirit,” Sister Michelle said. “We have to intentionally provide that environment for them. If not, they get caught up in society and what society tells you young people should be doing and feeling.”

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