3-4 February 2006

The Rector Major was given a rousing welcome on his arrival at the Chennai Airport at 9.35 a.m. on 3 February 2006. Later at the Provincial House he was met by a huge number of Salesians and lay collaborators and young people.

Addressing a gathering of about 250 Salesians, he complimented the Province, which has been a mother to many provinces, for its high number of vocations, "not just because there are many young people but because you are working for the poorest of them with apostolic zeal". He emphasised the importance of learning about and truly knowing Don Bosco, especially in a context where Salesian India has become so important in the Congregation (see text on page 103).

In the afternoon, the Rector Major blessed the new Hall at The Refuge (Broadway) and addressed the members of the Salesian Family (see text on page 96). He then proceeded to St. Bede’s for the public reception and cultural programme, marking the province-level celebration of the centenary. As the Rector Major entered St Bede’s campus, some 15,000 youngsters, who had come from over 40 Salesian centers in the province to take part in the massive rally, stood up to cheer him.

"Take life as a dream to be fulfilled and as a gift to be shared", the Rector Major told the youthful participants, adding that it was the largest gathering he had ever addressed in his time as Rector Major.

On the morning of 4 February, the Rector Major preached at the Eucharist before his departure, likening the gathering there to the Upper Room where Mary kept the Apostles united in prayer and in expectation of the Spirit. "It is Mary who will help us to understand God's will in this new phase of Salesian history in India" he said. He drew on the 'home and school of Mary at Nazareth' as the home and school for Salesians today to learn from: Bethlehem as a place for contemplation, Jerusalem where she fulfilled the law at the Presentation of Jesus, Calvary where she received a mission to all humanity, the Upper Room where she revealed the Church in prayer and expectation of the Spirit (see text of homily on page 60).

After a very homely breakfast with the confreres, the Rector Major left for the airport to catch the flight to Tiruchy.

Tiruchy

4-5 February 2006

On arrival at Tiruchy airport, the Rector Major was received by the Provincial Fr Amalraj Susai and a few confreres along with Cooperators and Past Pupils. As he was driven through the city, he spotted several ‘welcome posters’ and billboards displaying his own smiling face. At the Provincial House, he was welcomed with Baratha Natyam, Arathi and ponnadai, accompanied by classical Indian drums and flutes.

At AMSAM, the Rector Major dedicated the new Church of Our Lady Help of All People, in the presence of a large number of faithful.

Addressing the perpetually professed confreres, the Rector Major said he was proud of the Salesian presence in India and exhorted them to ‘study Don Bosco’ as the Italians did in the beginning of the Congregation. Looking at the Salesians in front of him, he said, “You will have to bear that task today. Therefore, you should know Don Bosco well.”

Speaking to the Salesian Family, the Rector Major reminded everyone that, as apostolic and spiritual communities, “We need to be holy. We are sons and daughters of saints. We belong to a family of saints.”

Addressing the young confreres, he said, “You are a blessing for the Congregation, particularly for the province you belong to.” Then, pointing to a panel on the wall with pictures of the first group of Salesians who came to Tanjore with Fr. Tomatis, he said, “They sowed the seed and we are here to make it grow.” Finally he reminded them of the psalm that was prayed in the morning, ‘My soul is thirsting’ and said, “we need to keep on thirsting to become holy.”

The Rector Major left Tiruchy in the morning of 5 February for Thanjavur where he arrived around 10 a.m. In Thanjavur, the Rector Major blessed and inaugurated the newly built Centenary Auditorium, visited the St Xavier’s Industrial School where the first Salesian Missionaries started the work hundred years ago. The Rector Major prayed before the statue of Mary Help of Christians, brought to Tanjore by the first missionaries, which is still preserved by the diocesan authorities in the St. Xavier’s Industrial school.

He also visited the parish of Madhakottai, in the outskirts of Thanjavur, now under the care of the Salesians. An old chapel, built by the early Salesians and still standing in the midst of the village there, was re-dedicated by the Rector Major to mark the arrival of the first Salesian missionaries one hundred years ago.

In the evening the Rector Major presided over the concluding Eucharist of the Centenary celebrations and attended the cultural programme to conclude the centenary celebrations (see report on page 15). After dinner with the bishops of Tamil Nadu and more than 500 Salesians and 5000 youngsters who had come from the various Salesian institutions in the province, the Rector Major returned to the Provincial House in Tiruchy, from where he was to leave for Bangalore early next morning.

Bangalore

6-7 February 2006

After the grand celebrations in Thanjavur, the Rector Major flew down to Bangalore from Tiruchy via Chennai, accompanied by Fr Joaquim D’Souza, the Regional Councillor for South Asia and others. On his arrival at the Provincial House in Bangalore, the Rector Major was given a traditional welcome of triple arathi. In the evening he celebrated the Holy Eucharist with Salesians and preached the homily (see page 66). At the beginning of his homily, the Rector Major had this to say, “I am happy to visit one of the largest and strongest provinces of the Congregation, the province of Bangalore. You can find confreres of this province in many parts of the world -- Yemen, Africa, Nepal, and even the United States, which belonged to my region.” Later in his homily, the Rector Major emphasized that persons are more important than structures; that the main resources of a country are not its natural resources but human resources. He said that a new India should be a true, united humanity where all feel as part of one family.

Soon after the Eucharistic celebration, the Rector Major addressed the perpetually professed confreres of the province. He exhorted everyone to live a high standard of spiritual life without mediocrity, and learn to discern the will of the Spirit. He was making this reflection after visiting 80 of the 97 provinces of the congregation, and six regions of the total of eight regions within a short span of three years. He praised the South Asian Region as “the most fruitful region of the whole congregation”. As regards India he had this to say: “Salesian Miracle in India”. He attributed this to the pastoral zeal of the confreres and not merely because there were plenty of youngsters. He requested Salesian India to maintain this precious value. He put forward the role of Salesian India in three points. First, “Salesian India must know Don Bosco better, and study Don Bosco to make our own his heart, hands and feet. We need to be consecrated apostles.” Secondly, he stressed the need to change our mindset and “think of mission”. He wants Salesian India to go beyond geographical boundaries and structures. And finally, “be open to the new needs of the young so that we may not disappoint them.”

The next day (7 February) saw the Rector Major on wheels as early as 7.45 a.m., en route to Summanahalli for the blessing of the newly constructed BOSCO Life Skill Training Centre for Young at Risk. Seeing the work for the young at risk in Summanahalli, the Rector Major said, “This is a gem in the crown of the province.”

A colourful ‘umbrella welcome’ by the FMAs was yet another expression of love and gratitude to the successor of Don Bosco. During the message to the Salesian Sisters he said, “In the mind of Don Bosco, you represent his expression of gratitude to Our Lady.” He exhorted them to reproduce the attitudes of Mary – attentive to the Word of God, open to the will of God, and attentive to the needs of the poor.

A drive from the FMAs brought him to the portals of Kristu Jyoti College, where he was given a red-carpet welcome. In his address to the confreres, he talked about today’s challenges in Salesian Formation and invited everyone to make the lifestyle of Christ their own. In his meeting with the novices and young confreres, he said, “Don Bosco wants full-time collaborators, not part-time collaborators.”

Speaking to the members of the Salesian Family, he highlighted today’s challenges for the Salesian Family: first, the need to grow much more, emphasizing spiritual growth; secondly the need to be united to work together; and finally, he exhorted all to promote devotion to Mary Help of Christians in India through the Association of the Devotees of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA).

After a short tea break at Visvadeep, the Rector Major was greeted by over 500 representatives of various youth groups from Kerala and Karnataka.

The highpoint of the day, however, was the solemn Eucharist celebration in honour of the Sacred Heart and the impressive cultural programme attended by nearly 2500 people. Wishing everyone goodbye, he added, “You are all robbers. You have robbed my heart! I will come back next year. You have found a place in my heart.”

Hyderabad

8-9 February 2006

The last leg of the Rector Major’s India visit 2006 was Hyderabad where he spent 8-9 February. He arrived from Bangalore around noon on 8 February and was given a very cordial and colourful welcome by the Salesians, members of the Salesian Family and young people of Hyderabad province. A bust of Don Bosco at the entrance to the Provincial House was blessed by the Rector Major and a hundred centenary balloons released, commemorating the 100 years of Salesians in India.

The inauguration of the Centenary Dream Park was a highpoint of the various events on the first day. After the theme of the park was read out, the Rector Major blessed the park and declared it open. The park represents the dream of Don Bosco, dreamt again for India by Fr. Pascual Chávez. The new dream etched on black granite bears testimony to his and our hope for the future generations of young people.

The Centenary Dream, which the Rector Major read out, depicts four aspects of the original dream. On one side is the young Johnny Bosco's life-changing dream at nine years of age. Surrounding this is the second part of the dream -- the reality of present-day youngsters finding it difficult to live their lives with dignity. The third part of the dream presentation depicts boys who have become respectable and responsible in society because of the Salesians. The fourth aspect is the dream of the Rector Major for India, part of which is engraved on the plaque. A stream flows from one end of the park to the other and includes a fountain, all depicting the constantly flowing charism and mission of Don Bosco bringing love and fullness of life to the young. The Dream Park is a symbolic representation that the dream still continues and challenges us to be dreamers like Don Bosco himself.

The Rector Major opened the newly set up exhibition on Don Bosco and his life entitled: The Good News of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the Youth according to St. John Bosco. He unveiled a plaque, cut the ribbon and spent some time looking at the exhibits. He was so impressed that he sat on the floor at a point were he would find a place in future among his predecessors who are no more. Fr. Joaquim hoped that this permanent exhibition is maintained and built on with the same freshness.

In the evening, Fr. Pascual Chávez celebrated the Eucharist in the Don Bosco Shrine, blessed an urn containing a carved image of Don Bosco and gave a message to the Salesians and the members of the Salesian Family, inviting them to find new answers to the new problems of the youth of today. At the end of the celebrations, he dedicated the Don Bosco Shrine to the youth with these words: “I dedicate this Shrine of Don Bosco as a Youth Pilgrim Centre to all youth and especially to the youth of Andhra Pradesh.”

A cultural programme in the evening focused on the important apostolic activities of the province (evangelization, young at risk, empowerment and education) through cultural and folk art forms in a true blending of song and dance, communicating the development of Don Bosco’s charism in Telugu land.

In the morning of 9 February, the Rector Major celebrated the Eucharist with the Salesians and addressed the young Salesians and the perpetually professed Salesians and members of the Salesian Family in Andhra.

In the afternoon at Navjeevan, Ramanthapur, the Rector Major blessed the foundation stone for a Shelter for girl children at risk, blessed the Church at Borabanda and addressed the national gathering of Peer Leaders who are working with children at risk.

Finally, the confreres had a memorable evening and dinner with the Rector Major on a boat on the magnificent Hussain Sagar lake. “The best wine has been served at the end,” remarked the Rector Major as the day ended. The Rector Major bade farewell to Hyderabad shortly before midnight on 9 February and boarded the flight to Hong Kong to inaugurate the centenary celebrations of Salesian presence there.

Fr Louis Kumpiluvelil

Secretary, SPCSA