Fr. John writes:

I was at Shrigley 1946-48 in Rhetoric and returned after novitiate for philosophy 1949-51 and stayed on for a 'limbo' year which included some teaching 1951-52. In 1960 after ordination I was sent to Manzini in Swaziland until 1988. Since 1988, apart from two years back in Swaziland, I have been in Walkerville (St John Bosco, Daleside) south of Johannesburg.

Here I am part of the Bosco Youth Ministry team which gives retreats for schools, parishes, confirmation retreats and leadership. The principal retreat programme is the five days LoveMatters, a virginity affirmation programme, a response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which inculcates responsible choices in life and so affects the whole of their future life choices in every sphere. As a follow up to that I am a member of the Archdiocesan HIV/AIDS Commission to mobilise the diocese to a response. I hope to encourage a parish based on-going follow up to support courses like ours. I am also Provincial Secretary, a job I have done now for 14 years or more. A time consuming job is organising Work Permits and visas for missionaries coming to join us.

 

Also here in BOSCO is Fr Ivo Pisacane, he was the year ahead of me in Rhetoric. After ordination 1958 he came to South Africa and spent most of his life here in BOSCO when it was a school. After six years in Hanover Park, the gang parish in the Cape Flats, he has returned. Now fairly deaf, he keeps active doing all the odd jobs of keeping the place in working order.