by Father Ajay Shelke for BISMumbai

On 20 July 2021, the local youth delegates of the Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh [GuRaM] region met at Don Bosco Dakor to plan, envision and chalk out initiatives and processes for the development of young people for the academic year 21-22. MumbaiSalesians' Ajay Shelke, Mathew Katara, Glen Fernandes, Mayank Parmar, Shaun D’Lima, Bosco Carvalho, Daresh Rathwa, and Jerome Edison Aruldass from 08 houses, were present for this meeting.

The meeting began with a hymn to the Holy Spirit for guidance and enlightenment. GuRam Zonal Youth Ministry coordinator-Father Shelke, highlighted 02 important texts – one from the Salesian Constitutions and the other from the Post-GC28 Document – as inspiration for youth ministry. Article 31 of the Salesian Constitutions focuses on the total development of young people helping them to become good Christians and honest citizens. GC28 urges the Salesians to accompany young people with the creative pedagogical and spiritual legacy of Don Bosco. In light of these texts, the GuRaM delegates prepared a yearly planner to facilitate the 04 dimensions of the Salesian Youth Ministry, with at least 01 programme every month. The programme includes: a monsoon trek, leadership camps, recollections, Symbios, vigil-services and the like. A systematic assigning of dates, time and venue for the events, wound up with discussing the Symbios event at length.

Father Shelke urged the confreres to accompany the young people at the local community level with formative sessions to build up their faith, visit their families and spend quality time with them, quoting from Don Bosco, “It is not enough that the young are loved; they should know that they are loved.”