https://salesianbulletin.org/2024/11/01/new-salesian-mission

By Judy Alvarez
Editorial Coordinator | Salesian Cooperator

(Los Angeles, California) – On the morning of Friday, October 25, 2024, the Province Salesian Mission Center in Los Angeles welcomed fifteen students from St. John Bosco High School (Bellflower) for their Junior Class Service Retreat Day. They were accompanied by school faculty members: Elizabeth Hunt, Max Olmedo, Walter Wippler, and Kyle Perera. The students came to volunteer their services to prepare the new Mission Center facilities. Other groups from their class were also engaged in service projects on and off their school campus.

Mission Center staff, including Anthony Rodriguez (volunteer service coordinator), Robert Rodriguez (volunteer service assistant), Judy Alvarez (Editorial Coordinator for Social Communications), and Fr. Peter Duoc Le, SDB (Mission Center Coordinator) welcomed the students’ arrival and introduced several areas of service opportunities for the students to choose. To begin the service retreat day, Anthony Rodriguez led the opening reflections on the importance of service in Christian life. He illustrated its significance through the life of St. John Bosco, whose mission to educate and journey with young people gives purpose and direction to the new Salesian Mission Center.

To help focus the students, Rodriguez shared his convictions, “The Catechism teaches that we are all called to know, love, and serve God. Sometimes, we forget that knowing about our Lord is not enough; we are called to be co-workers in the Lord’s vineyard. ‘You will be known by your fruits.’ (Mathew 7:15-20) To love is to serve, and when you act in charity, you are representing your parents and are testifying your faith.”

The students went to work with paintbrushes, rakes, shovels, clippers, and trash bags. They painted the entry steps and front-facing border of the Mission Center (former elementary school), cleared weeds and rubble from a play area, trimmed large flowering plants, and weeded a future garden area. They worked with enthusiasm and care—doing their best to serve and make a difference for good.

At the conclusion of the service retreat day students, faculty, and service staff gathered around the new statue of the Blessed Mother. There, Fr. Peter prayed a blessing for them and their families, reminding them that our Mother Mary is the guiding light for all our good works.