by Father Osborn Furtado for BISMumbai

As the city of Pune tries to find its new normal after the onslaught of the pandemic, Salesian Catechetical Centre Pune [SCCP] is planning to open its doors to the people of Pune, eager to be of service once more.

Opening the day’s proceedings, DBYC [Don Bosco Youth Centre] Rector-Father Ian Doulton, a one-time director of Salesian Catechetical Centre (SCCP), invited those present to help Puneites build up Pune. He mentioned that there was a generous fund of resources in the city of Pune that is just waiting to assist the SCCP in making this dream come true.

Fatima Oliver, the next speaker of the morning, fleshed out this dream by offering the institutions ways and means of addressing the needs of the schools, their teachers, students and even their parents in this post-pandemic time. She told the principals: “you have that weapon in your hands. She added that the principals have an innovating and coordinating role in the educational system. Surely the pandemic had caused the largest disruption in modern history. The lockdown had caused immeasurable disruption to the lives of children and parents around the world.” She spoke about the digital divide, the rural, urban and the socio-economic divide. The children are our future. The principals, she said, were like actors on stage where their script, story, cast and costumes had all changed in order of performance.

Oliver admitted that the principals no doubt had done a great job so far. She advised them to have faith in their teachers, express an attitude of gratitude to them, and plan to have programs at different levels for children, teachers, parents, and alumni. She exposed some challenges, such as mental health, learning inabilities, child abuse, parents and job losses, losing a loved one, single parenting during the lockdown.

After lunch, Myrtle Francis began with a bit of post-lunch activity, namely, “Say What I Say and Do what I Do,” which had all the participants on their feet and laughing. Following this, the participants formed seven groups. They noted down their suggestions, culminating in a session where participants shared their ideas and the team of SCCP.

The day’s proceedings came to a close by the vote of thanks by DBYC Director-Father Osborn Furtado, followed by the awarding of ‘Certificates of Participation’ with tea and a group photograph. The SCCP team comprises Salesian priests Ian Doulton and Osborn Furtado, Fatima Oliver, Myrtle Francis, Maggie Menezes and FMA nun Teresa Joseph. With the involvement of principals, DBYC is gearing up to chart a new course for the calendar of SCCP November 2021- November 2022.