The aim of the day is to give every student an opportunity to celebrate the feast, not only liturgically but also in a practical way by discovering the joy of socialising in the many activities we organise for them. Don Bosco himself always insisted that a feast day should be a special day, a day to remember, and so all Salesian Schools like to maintain that tradition. Celebration is an essential part of our lives and certainly an essential quality of our educational system. Of course organising liturgies and activities for over 1,500 students is a complex operation. But with the experience of previous years to guide us, and the outwardly reluctant, but secretly enthusiastic co-operation of staff to inspire us we seem to manage a thoroughly enjoyable day each year.

The activities are wide and varied, ranging from ‘on-site’ activities; 5-a-side football, videos and board games for which we suggest a 50p donation to the Salesian Mission in Liberia, to more adventurous but slightly more expensive pursuits of go-karting, ice-skating, bowling, roller-skating. Each activity is organised by a member of staff who recruits a team of colleagues. Staff eagerly await the opportunity to sign up for a particular event. There have been rumours of serious malpractice by staff; bribery, signing in friends and even obliterating a signature in order to write their own in the much coveted place, Such is the competition for the popular events!

On our return to school after Christmas it is then time to offer the chance of activities to the pupils and students. A letter is sent home to parents explaining why we celebrate the feast of Don Bosco and asking them to choose a suitable activity for their son or daughter. This is one letter which does not get lost or made into a paper aeroplane. With the speed of concord it is signed by parents and returned the following day. We also feel that this letter is not merely one of information but serves also to draw the parents into the spirit of the feast day and to increase their awareness of Don Bosco’s influence on our school.

Collecting the thousands of pounds involved in such a day is no mean feat and staff are to be congratulated on the way they still manage to smile, although some have been heard to mutter ‘Don Bosco has a lot to answer for’. Break times become non-existent and staff begin to list to one side as the number of pound coins in their pockets increase. We remind the students that without the enthusiasm of staff this celebration could never happen.

As the dawn of January 31st breaks moments of doubt and panic are often experienced by the organisers of the day. Will the coaches come? Is it going to snow? Will the pupils behave themselves? Are the Mass sheets ready? Did I tell the canteen staff that the lunch is early? These and hundreds of other agonies flood the brain together with a strong resolution to delegate next year.

On arriving at school it seems that every member of staff is checking lists, answering phone calls or counting money, each immersed in their own plans for the day. The celebration seems to take on a life of its own and somehow becomes a powerful message of Salesian work. It certainly unifies staff and allows pupil/teacher relationships to develop which can only be beneficial in a subsequent classroom situation.

The logistics of the day are planned by the Liturgy Committee who organise the celebrants, venues and music for each of the liturgies. The 6th form students have a service during period 1 and the rest of the school celebrates Mass in the gym, school hall, or chapel during period 2. It is hoped that these liturgies are a reminder to both staff and pupils of why we are celebrating and also provide a firm basis on which the remainder of the day can rest. The trials and tribulations of a normal school day are forgotten and the pupils dressed in ‘non-uniform’ clothes (although they all seem to dress alike) can enjoy the day.

Of course things sometimes go wrong. It wouldn’t be a school if they didn’t. But in a strange way these stories this day creates keep the presence of Don Bosco alive. They are the basis of chatter and amusement over the next few months, stories embellished with the help of the Rector, of Fr Cunningham! There’s the one about the pupil who paid to go ice-skating, changed to bowling, missed the coach, went roller-skating but then got on the wrong coach to come home, so ended up in Manchester!

Perhaps the uniqueness of the day is best illustrated by an incident which occurred last year. A girl was being very sick in the toilets, probably due to the excitement of the day. Her mother was coming into school to take her home. Three members of staff were trying to clean her up, mop the floor and keep her near a sink. Suddenly there was a knock on the door to explain that it was nearly time for Communion in the Hall and so a Minister of the Eucharist was needed. Having washed my hands and smiled to myself at the contrast of the situation I made my way to the hall to be met with the sounds of children’s voices coming from the Masses in the gym and the hall – it was quite beautiful. This is what makes a Salesian School unique – celebrating with young people in both a spiritual and practical way. Of course we have our share of children for whom Mass in school is their only experience of Liturgy. Even so when we meet them years later, after they have left school, it is amazing how many speak with affection of ‘Bosco Day’ – and even recall the memories to their children. That’s celebration!