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The Don Bosco House "Happily Ever After" gala on Aug. 7 empowered 270 young people in the Greater Toronto Area to seriously discern their vocational pathway.
Julia Krikorian
August 14, 2026
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Photo from UNRWA
The “Happily Ever After” gala, hosted by the Don Bosco House, drew 270 young Catholics from around the GTA on Aug. 7 at the Primavera Event Space in Woodbridge, Ont., for a high-class evening of fellowship and faith.
The black-tie formal event featured a cocktail hour, a buffet dinner and dancing. Event organizer Bella Tierney, 23, said the main focus of the event revolved around vocation discernment.
“We wanted to create a fun and relaxed environment where people could socialize, meet someone new, and potentially even meet the person they might one day marry,” said Tierney. “That is where the name ‘Happily Ever After Gala’ came from. The name was meant to be playful while also reflecting the deeper purpose behind the event, creating an environment where young Catholics can meet, form meaningful relationships and perhaps begin their own ‘happily ever after,’” said Tierney.
The Don Bosco House was founded by the Maronite Catholic priest Fr. Charbel Bousamra in 2023 to connect Catholic young adults around the GTA. The pastor at St. Elias in London considers preparing youth for a holy marriage to be an important aspect of his ministry.
“We all know Beethoven’s seventh symphony. If nobody had introduced Beethoven to music, we would not have his masterpieces. If no one had introduced Michael Jordan to basketball, he would not have become an amazing player. If tonight or sometime soon in your life, you don’t meet someone, many wonderful things won’t happen. The children won’t come, the house won’t be open, and there will be emptiness,” said Fr. Charbel in his opening remarks to the young faithful in attendance at the gala.
The Maronite cleric emphasized life has no meaning without living out your true vocation.
“You might try to fill your happiness with vacations and with money and with fun and with outings, but those things do not fill us because our Lord put it into your heart to have a vocation,” he continued.
Jacklyn Gilmor, a former contributor to the Catholic Register’s Youth Speak News column, said that the gala provided a unique opportunity to express faith in the community.
“Things are changing. My generation wants more for the Church and the world; we want to share our faith passionately, have fun and meet other Catholics while we do it. The gala was an amazing opportunity to come together in community and have fun while remembering what our mission is,” said the 28-year-old public relations account manager.
Tierney, currently pursuing a master's in Mechanics and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo, shared that the “Happily Ever After” gala is encouraging to young Catholics who want to live out their faith publicly.
“Events on this scale are important for young Catholics for several reasons. First, they remind young adults that they are not alone in living out their faith. In an increasingly secular world, it can sometimes feel as though there are very few people who share the same values and beliefs. Bringing hundreds of young Catholics together allows them to see just how large and vibrant the Catholic community actually is,” she said.
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