The Salesians of the Gujarat region launch the bi-centenary of the birth of Don Bosco

 Don Bosco must have been rejoicing in heaven on 16 August, his birthday, because it was celebrated with the type of boys he loved most – the poor, the rejects, the ones who have been hurt most by society namely the street boys. Because of Don Bosco’s immense love for boys who lived on the streets, the inauguration of the bi-centenary year of his birth, was held at Don Bosco Snehalaya, Baroda which is a home where street children are helped to get back into the mainstream. The 16th of August, the birthday of Don Bosco, is also the day when we celebrate the birthday of all the boys in the home since almost all of them don’t even know when they were born.

The Salesian Fathers together with the different congregations of sisters and the Salesian Co- operators, who are guided by Don Bosco’s spirit and driven by his mission gathered to celebrate this event and to recommit themselves to working for the mission of Don Bosco. It was family affair where the members of the Salesian family gathered around the spiritual father of the diocese, Rt. Rev. Godfrey D’Rosario.

The Eucharist was considered by Don Bosco to be one of the pillars of his system and so the celebrations began with the celebration of the Eucharist presided over by the Bishop of Baroda, who in his homily compared Don Bosco to great visionaries who not only dreamt great dreams but with God’s help brought them to fruition. While praising the Salesians for all that they had achieved so far, he invited all the members of the great Salesian family to work towards continuing Don Bosco’s work and thus bring his dream to fulfillment. He also stressed that to do this we would have to become men and women of faith like Don Bosco, seeing God’s directing hand in every work and every moment of our lives.

The standard of the programme that followed, though short was really excellent and Bishop himself said so repeatedly. Many in the audience remarked that it was a pity more people were not invited, such was the quality of the items put up by the Don Bosco institutions of Baroda, Snehalya, Kawant and Chhotaudepur.

The high point of the programme was the release of the new magazine in Gujarati meant especially for the young, “BOSCO-G” prepared by a team comprising of Fr. Charles, Fr. Ashwin, Fr. Mayank and Fr. Jerome. The Bishop also released a booklet with three sets of novena prayers in honour of Don Bosco. This was crowned with a short video clip on the profession of faith in the Salesian mission followed by a personal commitment to the same mission by the Fathers, Sisters and Salesian Co-operators. They committed themselves to growing in love for and knowledge of Don Bosco, to being led by him, imitating him and becoming like him a saint, father, teacher and friend – a friend whose love young people see and experience.

The whole function ended with a grand fellowship meal that was enlivened by friendly conversation, laughter and joy after which we bade farewell to each other confirmed in our vocation to work for “poor and abandoned youth”