On 8 October 2022, 16 people set out on a Salesian Co-operators Pilgrimage to Turin and Rome, in the footsteps of our great patron, Don Bosco.
Sister Ella Flynn FMA from the Easterhouse Community was one of our pilgrims together with co-operators from Chertsey, Streatham & Friends from the St Don Bosco Parish in Erskine Scotland.
It was a very special time to be in those 2 cities, as the Canonisation of Artemide Zatti had just taken place in Rome and many Salesians from all over the world had travelled to Rome for that special day & then on to Valdocco, Turin, afterwards.

We were all blessed to be in the places associated with Don Bosco, re-living his work and celebrating the work that has been continued by his Salesians.
We were also blessed to be present at the most beautiful Funeral Mass for
Don Iddau Leonardo 19.01.1929 - 07.10.2022, in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Valdocco.
The main celebrant was Giuseppe Baturi SDB, Archbishop of Cagliari, Sardinia,
with many Salesian priests concelebrating...most beautiful and a privilege for us to witness.

We travelled on to Rome and on arrival visited the Basilica of the Sacred Heart
where Fr Sanjay SDB took us to visit Don Bosco's Rooms, such a significant Basilica and Rooms for all Salesians.

Our stay in Rome was at Villa Palazzola at Castel Gandolfo -the Retreat Centre of the English College Seminary in Rome
On our visit to the Basilica of Saint Paul's Outside the Walls, Fr Andrew Berhans,
resident priest at this time in Palazzola, celebrated Mass for us in chapel of Saint Benedict, where our group photo (attached)was taken.
My thanks to Marie Docherty former Teacher at the Don Bosco Primary School in Erskine for arranging Travel for our
Pilgrims from Scotland.

Eamonn Mcdonald - Cowley Salesian Co-operator

Image from Salesian Cooperators