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Panama's Girl Scouts go camping
Don Bosco Procession on the Salesians' Panama centennial
At the American Society picnic
Pet of the Week needs a good home
 

Scenes from the Don Bosco Procession

photos by Eric Jackson

Don Juan Bosco was a Roman Catholic priest from the Italian Piedmont, who in 1845 founded the Society of St. Francis de Sales, a congregation dedicated mainly to education. The Salesians first came to Panama 100 years ago and were the founders of the Artes y Oficios vocational high school, which they soon turned over to the Panamanian government. Salesian headquarters in the country now is the Don Bosco Basilica on Avenida Central, from whence every year a procession of the faithful sets out. This year the celebration was particularly well attended, as it was the Salesians' centennial in Panama and attracted not only a huge crowd of Panamanians but also Catholics from several other Latin American countries.

Despite the international participation, and the fact that Don Bosco died 15 years before the Republic of Panama was founded, there was a lot "God and country" conflation of Catholicism and Panamanian nationalism both in the symbolism and the rhetoric at the event. That said, and despite the participation of various public institutions like the Cuerpo de Bomberos, this was not a day for the politicians.

There was also a lot of talk about how those in need of a miracle --- even if they lack faith in one --- ought to pray to Don Bosco for their salvation. However, it seemed that faith was not in short supply at the 2007 Don Bosco Procession.