A Report

The Rector Major Fr Pascual Chávez Villanueva’s first visit to the region of South Asia took place from 24 February to 5 March 2005 and covered the four provinces of North India, namely: Kolkata, Dimapur, Guwahati and New Delhi in ten brief days, of which five were exclusively for the Team Visit. Flying in from Rome, on his way to Kolkata, the city of Don Bosco’s dream, to start his first India visit, the Rector Major made a brief halt at Mumbai airport in the morning of 24 February where he was received by the Provincial Fr. Ivo Coelho, several confreres, youngsters and collaborators of Mumbai province. The Rector Major spent about 15 minutes with them before emplaning for Kolkata.

24-25 February 2005

On arrival at Kolkata airport, around noon on 24 February, the Regional Fr Joaquim D’Souza and Provincial Fr. John Berger received the Rector Major at the door of the aircraft and escorted him to the arrival lounge where members of the Salesian Family welcomed him with garlands and bouquets.

Later in the afternoon Fr Chávez made an unscheduled visit to Ashalayam, the center for the Young at Risk in Howrah. Some 200 street children, both boys and girls, from the 17 centers and shelters in the city, along with some 40 members of the staff, consisting of Salesians, Sisters of three religious congregations and lay collaborators, gave the Rector Major a warm welcome. “I am happy to start my India visit in Kolkata, with this visit to Ashalayam,” said the Rector Major, to the thunderous applause of the children. “I can sleep to night, dreaming about all of you,” the Rector Major confessed to the children.

The Rector Major returned to the provincial house for evening prayer and the Good Night talk, during which he spoke to some 60 rectors and parish priests and confreres from neighbouring communities. Besides urging the confreres to a “God-centered life and fraternal communion,” he exhorted them “to give the most to those who have the least.”

On 25 February Fr. Pascual Chávez visited the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity and the tomb of Blessed Teresa of Kolkata. Sr. Nirmala Joshi, Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, along with her Councillors, welcomed the Rector Major on the very same corridor where Mother Teresa met visitors. Fr Chávez expressed his deep appreciation for all the works they do for the poorest of the poor. “Your congregation is the sign of the renewal of the consecrated life in the church,” he told Sr. Nirmala. She thanked him “for all the work of collaboration the Salesians of Kolkata province do for the Missionaries of Charity.

Fr. Chavez gave Sr. Nirmala a special silver medal of Don Bosco, while Sr. Nirmala gave the Rector Major some medals of Mother Teresa and holy pictures with her relic. The Rector Major spent a few moments in prayer at Mother’s tomb.

Addressing a gathering of confreres at NITIKA, the Rector Major said, "I want the Indian confreres to be found all over the world, just as the Italian missionaries are found. For that, it is not sufficient that you gift me just 25 missionaries on the occasion of the centenary of the Salesian presence in India. I need 3 Salesians from the province each year."

Later in the day, the Rector Major met with a group of some 700 young people, representing the various centers of the province, at Don Bosco Park Circus school auditorium. Addressing the youngsters, he said, "If you only knew the happiness of being a Salesian, you will all want to become Salesians." During his interaction with them, he explained to them the purpose and meaning of Don Bosco's system of education, which aimed at making God-loving people and honest citizens. He exhorted them to be convinced of their calling in life and to build on their positive qualities and to create synergy by their involvement in peer groups, movements and associations.

The highpoint of the day was the solemn Eucharistic celebration with some 80 priests and over 600 members of the Salesian Family during which the Rector Major called upon all members of the Salesian Family -- Salesians, Salesian Sisters (FMA), Sisters of Mary Immaculate (SMI), Missionaries Sisters of Mary help of Christians (MSMHC), the Salesian Cooperators, the Volunteers of Don Bosco (VDB) and the Past Pupils -- to "collaborate with each other, to create synergy where communion is created and to work for the rejuvenation of the Church” in the parishes and dioceses of the province.

In the Good Night talk, which took place in the Park Circus School courtyard, the Rector Major summed up his experiences in Kolkata. The next morning Fr Chávez left for the airport to catch the flight to Dibrugarh.

Dibrugarh

26-27 February 2005

The Rector Major arrived in Dibrugarh in the afternoon of Saturday 26 February 2005 and was received by Fr Thomas Mulayinkal, the Provincial of Dimapur, and several members of the Salesian Family and escorted in a motorcade to Don Bosco School, Dibrugarh, where he was accorded a grand floral welcome in true Assamese style. Thousands of youngsters from the different institutions of the region gathered at Dibrugarh to greet the Rector Major.

The cultural extravaganza presented by the youth of the different institutions of the Salesian Family of Dimapur province, manifested the rich cultural heritage of the region. Responding to the felicitations, an emotionally moved Fr Chavez said, “India has opened her large heart to Don Bosco and for that reason Don Bosco has become Indian. Don Bosco had a dream for India. It is already being realized. You are the realization of Don Bosco’s dream.”

During an interactive session with students from Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Assam, the Rector Major said, “India needs you. India needs persons that are well-formed with human values, professionally equipped, and at the same time, very proactive citizens.” After his talk, many boys and girls jumped on to the stage and asked him questions on issues like violence, parent-child relationships, media, his home country, his God-experience, etc.

In a conference to the pre-novices and aspirants, he said, “You have made the best choice of your life. I can tell you that if all the kids of the world knew how beautiful it is to be Salesians, all of them would want to be Salesians.”

Talking to the confreres, just before dinner, he said, “For me this is the most important moment of the visit.” He described Don Bosco as the greatest treasure of the Congregation. Then he added, “In a very concrete way, in Northeast India, you are Don Bosco…” Then he shared with the confreres his experiences of the World Congress on Religious Life to celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of the Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata. He spoke on the theme of the Congress, namely, “Passion for God and Passion for Humanity,” linking it up with the two Biblical accounts of the Samaritan Woman and the Good Samaritan. The Rector Major pointed out that religious life today should be like the two Samaritans: full of passion for God like the Samaritan woman, and full of passion for humanity like the Good Samaritan.

In his informal good night talk on 26 February, the Rector Major commented on the 4-word vision of Pope John Paul II for the world --Life, Bread, Peace, and Freedom -- which the Pope developed while addressing the 185 members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Vatican.

On 27 February, the Rector Major presided over the Eucharist and preached the homily (see page 52 for the text of the homily). Later he met the members of the Salesian Family of Dimapur province (SDB, FMA, MSMHC, SMI, Disciples of Don Bosco, Cooperators and Past Pupils) and told them how Don Bosco did not want to found a congregation, but wanted to set up a very big movement to share his passion for the young.

After a quick lunch the Rector Major flew to Guwahati along with Fr Joaquim D’Souza and several other confreres.

Guwahati

27-28 February 2005

On his arrival in Guwahati in the afternoon of 27 February 2005, a large gathering of Salesians, young people from various Salesian institutions in Guwahati and members of the Salesian Family welcomed the Rector Major. A colourful cultural programme helped the Rector Major to have a glimpse of the rich and varied cultures of Northeast India.

Turning to the young people he said, “Be what you are called to be. Do not just be consumers of goods, of sensationalism, but be protagonists”, in realizing your dreams for a better India.

Addressing a gathering of more than 400 members of the Salesian Family consisting of SDBs, FMAs, MSMHC, SMIs, and VSDBs, the Rector Major said, “Salesian Family members must share the passion of Don Bosco for young people, and must learn to work together.” He reminded them that Don Bosco was not just a founder of a Society, but a man who launched an enormous movement which stirred a passion for youth, a movement which was at the same time spiritual and apostolic.

The Rector Major said the Salesian Family in India has a historic responsibility in fostering missionary vocations and expressing solidarity with the worldwide mission of the church and the Salesian Family. He urged the members of the Salesian Family to be apostles and missionaries of the young by having a broad vision of the church.

Outlining a threefold goal for the Salesian Family in India the Rector Major stressed growth, unity and work as priorities. We need to grow both numerically as well as spiritually. Growth, he said, includes identifying ourselves more faithfully with the charism of Don Bosco, being happy in our vocation and having the heart and mind of Don Bosco.

Addressing a gathering of about 200 Salesians, the Rector Major said Salesians must be full of fire with “a passion for God and passion for humanity”. Pointing out the example of Mother Teresa, whose tomb he visited two days earlier in Kolkata, the Rector Major reminded them of the need to make a synthesis between passion for God and passion for humanity. He also cautioned against the danger of a vocational fragility, whereby one loses meaning in life, or loses the capacity to distinguish between what is good and what is evil.

Passion for God and passion for humanity are the two important hallmarks of the future of religious life. One cannot speak of God without having an experience of God. We also need to be sensitive to the needs of others, especially the young people. He lauded the credible witness of Salesians in India. We need to continue to guarantee that our life is rooted in prayer, he said.

New Delhi

The Rector Major flew into Delhi from Guwahati around 7.30 p.m. on 28 February, two hours behind schedule due to delay at Guwahati airport, and proceeded to the Provincial House to preside over the solemn Thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration to mark the inauguration of the centenary year of Salesian presence in India (see report on page 37).

The next morning (1 March 2005) the Rector Major inaugurated the South Asian Team Visit at the Provincial House. In his opening address, he underlined the importance of the Team Visit. He said it is one of the most significant events in the life of the Congregation, which enables us to know the challenges of the region, to assess our identity and vitality.

The participants of the “Team Visit” included the Rector Major and five of his councillors, the provincials and councillors of the nine provinces and the three vice-provinces of South Asia, numbering around ninety.

On March 2, the Rector Major inaugurated Bosco World, a permanent exhibition on Don Bosco and his works at the Provincial House. The Rector Major described the exhibition as an expression of the Salesian ‘grace of unity’, of planning for the future, a means for enabling on-going formation and a powerful means to foster vocations.

In the evening, the Rector Major blessed a newly acquired 4-colour Heidelberg printing machine at Don Bosco Technical School. Soon after the blessing, the members of the Team Visit and confreres of Delhi Province gathered around the Rector Major in the lawn of Don Bosco Technical Institute for a homely dinner and Good Night.

On 3 March, the Rector Major and the participants of the Team Visit took a day off to visit some of the important landmarks and places of historical importance in the national Capital. At Gandhi Samadhi, the Rector Major offered floral tribute and prayed for peace and harmony in the country and the world, and for the integral development of India and its youth. He thanked God for the gift of Mahatma Gandhi and prayed that all people in India and the world over may enjoy peace and human dignity.

Speaking to Bosco Information Service, the Rector Major said: “Gandhiji is one of the most prominent figures of the 20^th century and I admire his commitment to peace. His non-violent resistance is a great model for our youth. He teaches us how to face the challenges of the day. Gandhiji continues to be an example and inspiration to all of us, particularly to the youth on how to commit oneself to the cause of freedom, peace and human dignity.”

During the trip around Delhi, the Rector Major made a brief stop at Ashalayam (the Home for the Young at Risk) to meet the children and staff of the Home. He also stopped at SPCI House for a few minutes.

In the afternoon of 3 March, the Rector Major took part in the public function marking the inauguration of the Centenary Year at Don Bosco School, Alaknanda. The function was attended by around 3000 people consisting of civil and church dignitaries, religious and clergy of Delhi and other friends and well-wishers of Don Bosco.

After the conclusion of the Team Visit in the evening of 5 March, the confreres gathered around the Rector Major for a family get-together and farewell dinner. The Rector Major left India early next morning to start the Team Visit of the EAO Region at Hua Hin, in Thailand.

Fr Louis Kumpiluvelil

Secretary, SPCSA