BLESSED TO BE SENT
TO FRANCE...
The most inspiring and encouraging experience that keeps me
always in movement is "God's compassion and love towards
me". I can never explain how deep this joy is to be a Salesian of
Don Bosco. My inner happiness is doubled by the grace and gift
to be a Salesian Missionary in Europe. I never chose or wanted
to be in France.
As with every missionary I must go through all the struggles in
the beginning, but God was, is, and will be with me. I feel really
loved by my confreres in FRB province. What more do I need
than this7 Even before coming to France I always shared with my
confreres my desire to communicate GOD's Love to young
people through Media. I never knew that this dream would get
its form in an unknown country, called France. God's plan and
His way of leading is extremely inspiring.
What is the "added value" or benefit of a young 508 coming
from a different continent to work in Europe? /s the Salesian
"Project Europe" stili in vigor?
Confreres coming from different continents to work in Europe
should not be seen and interpreted that "most of the confreres
are elderly here" and therefore the congregation is sending them.
We are an international congregation, receiving and sending
confreres to the places where they are needed. This is something
that is a part of our congregation's DNA
The question if Project Europe is still relevant should be
answered by each confrere who hves with young missionaries
coming from different continents.
You are working in both, Mission Animation and Socia/
Communication sectors in your province. Do you think it is
good?
Being in both sectors makes my work easy and less problematic.
I always had a soft corner for Mission Animation because I am a
Salesian. This flame will remain with me always. Don Bosco had
to face industrial revolution, we are facing digital and
technological revolution today.
Due to COVID-19 this digital revolution has come to hght and we
are able to see and experience its positive and negative effect. It
is time now for the Salesians around the world to ACT hke Don
Bosco with the one and only goal "to see our young people
HAPPY here and the next world".
▀ Fr. John Paul Swaminathan, SDB
salesien.com | dbima.eu | dbiem.org
Fr. John Paul SWAMINATHAN, SDB
* 1987, Tamil Nadu, South India
SDB province of origin INT (Tiruchi)
Member of FRB province since 2011 | Delegate far Socia!
Communication | Delegate far Missionary Animation
The principal response of the
Congregation to COVID-19 consisted of:
our educational, pastoral, spiritual and
religious services, all of them adapted to
the demands of quarantines and
lockdown. The world level coordination
under the Missions Sector also received
requests for about:
8.5 million euro for 282 projects of
which about 165 were supported with
about 6.5 million.
11 million people belonging at least
to 625,000 families were helped by
material assistance.
This became true Initial Proclamation by
focusing on the most marginalised,
forgotten, unwanted and stigmatised
people, reaching heroic proportions and
generating at least two Salesian martyrs in
service against COVID-19.
▀ Fr. MC George Menemparampil, SDB
solidarity.covid19@sdb.org
Human fraternity
For fostering human fraternity
and the Salesian spirit of loving kindness in France.
May the Lord give us the grace to live in full fellowship with our brothers
and sisters of other religions, praying for one another, open to all.
[Pope Francis' Prayer Intention]
