The Annual Salesian Family Day was held this time on the 25th of October 2014 in the Palliyawatta Parish with the participation of the Salesians, Salesian Sisters (FMA), the Salesian Cooperators, ADMA members, the VDB and the Past Pupils paricipating in it. There were more than 200 participants from Negombo, Dankotuwa, Uswetakeiywa, Dungalpitiya, Nochchiyagama and the Palliyawatta units. The days events were as follows: At 9.30 am the Eucharistic Celebration was presided over by Rev. Fr. Nihal Liyanage SDB our Provincial Superior. After a tea break there was the introduction and presentation of the newly translated book into Sinhala of Blessed Stephen Sandor, the Salesian brother, martyred in Hungary and the various programs for the Bicentenary Celebration to be held next yearby Fr. Dixon Fernando SDB, the Coordinator for theSalesian Family Commission. Then there was the presentation of the book to be readied and to be released very soon the life of Blessed Laura Vicuna by Fr. Bernard Fernando SDB and then before lunch there was a meeting the Provincial with all the heads of the various branches of the Salesian Family.
After lunch various units of the Salesian Family presented entertaining items to enliven the Salesian Family members and others gathered. It was a lively sharing of Family spirit lived in the Bosconian way. A big thank you to Fr. Felix Mellawarchchy SDB the parish priest of Palliywatta along with the Palliywatta unit of Cooperators who made all this possible and for all the units who actively participated in the Liturgy and brought all the necesaary food to be shared with all the rest. May the Salesian Family grow from strength to strength to work for the poor and abandoned youth. One of the results of this days gathering was to help the new aspirantate of the North to cultivate in the new land coconut saplings for future use.
