by BISMumbai Correspondent

Unlock 1.0 with the ease of lockdown restrictions, was to be a welcome relief from the pandemic. However, Nisarga put paid to the expectations, with disruption of power lines, uprooted trees, and withdrew albeit briefly, only to make its boomerang curve count through convective clouds battering rain pellets mercilessly on the maximum city. On 03 June, India had recorded 216,824 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 6,088 deaths. Caught between the COVID-19 devil and the depressive Nisarga, this was a serious time for introspection.

This was an apt moment for the monthly 'recollection', which takes place once each month in all the Salesian houses, following the practice of 'an exercise for a happy death', a tradition started by Don Bosco. The MumbaiSalesians under lockdown at the Provincial House, spent the evening introspecting, reflecting and in adoration praying for each other and all those who had requested prayers.

Father Glenfor Lowe led the 'recollection' with 'How Great Thou Art' a hymn-video made for the One Sound One Hope event on 31 May 2020, by 'Yeshua Ministries', Hindi worship band led by Cameron Mendes. The hymn-video is a collection of translations of the famous hymn by Stuart K. Hine, in different Indian languages and dialects, a collaborative project featuring artistes from across India. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyGRnn7LFs0]

This was followed by a testimonial documentary 'The Singing Priest' about Father Rob Galea and @frgministry as broadcast on Australian national television [ABC] on the 10 May 2020. A powerful testament of his life, faith-experience, vocational discernment, ministry, talents, and passion, to serve God, it kept the Salesians glued through its run time of 28 minutes.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uebcVjpOgf4].

Truly an evening to recollect, rethink, reconsider, refocus on the non-negotiables, and reconnect with God and others.