OzBoso is back!
By Michael Gartland
After two long years, OzBosco was able to return to an in-person event, to the great joy of all that gathered! Around 60 young people and teachers joined 2 SDBs and 2 FMAs for a weekend gathering, sharing in each other’s presence, joy and exuberance!
Beginning on the 26th of August, this fourteenth edition of OzBosco explored the theme of the Strenna, All Through Love, Nothing by Constraint. Gathering at the Don Bosco Camp in Safety Beach, the program begun on the Friday night in the way Don Bosco himself taught us – fun and games!
The campsite is located on the ancient lands that the Boon Wurrung Indigenous peoples have cared for over 50,000 years. We were lucky enough to have two of their number join us for a Welcome to Country ceremony, which included an astounding performance of the Yidaki; the instrument commonly erroneously referred to as a Didgeridoo – just one of the many fascinating aspects of Indigenous culture that was shared with us!
It was explained that the word "didgeridoo" actually refers to the sound the Yidaki makes.
We were then welcomed by our hosts for the weekend, the students from St Joseph’s college in Ferntree Gully. The made it their mission to be as welcoming, supportive, and friendly to all that had gathered from around Australia, and the excelled at from the moment OzBosco begun, to the moment everyone got in the busses to go home!
A selection of the amazing hosts from St Joseph's, with the incredible teacher Bronwyn who's guidance and passion encourages the students to excel!
For our first major activity for the weekend, we were split into our Oratory groups (groups of about 10 people) and begun to explore the central theme of the weekend. Everyone was asked to draw or describe some of the things they love on bits of paper, which once all the groups were complete, came together to form a giant jigsaw heart, a touching, personalized centerpiece for the rest of our time together.