ROME: 9th March 2005 -- For anyone over the age of, well....let's not go down that path, 9th March used to be the Feast of St Dominic Savio.  In more recent times of course, that has been transferred to 6th May.  Had he lived long enough, Dominic might have become a past pupil of Don Bosco.  But then again he might have become an ardent follower of Don Bosco and put SDB after his name.  Another path not to go down?  Perhaps.  The reality is, of course, that in Don Bosco's mind, his past pupils were formed in the spirit of St Francis de Sales as he had transmitted it to them - therefore, SDB, even though he did not personally admit of that initialism!

    But 9th March, anyway, seems a good time to introduce the reader to one of the (many) treasures now available at www.sdb.org .  Now admittedly, you have to try hard to find it, but if you wish to reach the Past Pupils of Don Bosco website, nestled cosily within said sdb.org, then follow these instructions:  up top, on sdb.org go 'Salesian Family'.  OK?  Now go 'Family Links'.  OK?  I guess at this point you need a handbook of Salesian signs, because you are confronted with various logos images and whatnot.  If your screen is anything like mine, then click on the split globe in brown (the FMA are in blue, the Cooperators are in blue - we are next).  I agree - we should put a brief mention underneath of which is which.  Will do.  Anyway, click on said split brown globe.  Voila!  But choose 'English' (ENG).

    And there you have a world to follow up - the RM's statement to the recent Asia Australia 8th Congress (held, you recall, in Kolkata); what Past Pupils are up to in Brazil or Eurobosco; a formation section well worth a read - Lent as a time of conversion, tied neatly into the idea of self-giving at a most basic level as a missionary, with examples to boot.  But here again you need to do a little side-shuffle to the GEX (look to the left) site where Anna - perhaps that's her photo to the right but keep left! - will introduce you to her own and others' experience of lay missionary work.

    'Vale la pena' as they say in Italy - it's well worth the effort.  austraLasia recommends the Past Pupils site as just one of the many riches to be found on www.sdb.org if you have the time and the bandwith to go searching.

    The really good news however is that whatever riches there are to be found here, you may add to them.  Way down the bottom you can 'contact us' and send in news of the region - our region!  Why not?  We look forward to reading the addtions.