By Fr Brian Moras for BISMumbai

The renovated province infirmary at St Dominic Savio Boys’ Home, Andheri, was inaugurated by the General Councillor for Formation, Fr Ivo Coelho, on the 20 of February, 2023 in the presence of Fr Savio Silveira, the Provincial of the Province of Bombay, the Provincial Team, ten members of the World Advisory Council for Formation, and the Salesian Community at Andheri.

While inaugurating the infirmary, Fr Coelho appreciated the beautifully laid out spacious rooms and prayed for all those who would avail of its facilities. The inauguration was followed by a prayer service during which all the different spaces and rooms in the infirmary were blessed. 

After the blessing, Fr Silveira thanked all those gathered and appreciated all those responsible for the completion of the infirmary.  Special thanks were reserved for the Salesian Community at Andheri, Fr Shekar Mariadas, who followed up most of the work, the architects and the contractor.  He ended by praying that the confreres of the Province stay healthy and the infirmary stays empty.

As a response to the needs of the Province and the increase in the number of Senior Salesians in need of specialized medical attention, the Province felt the need to either have a Seniors Home or to have a more specialized Province Infirmary.  A team of five Salesians was formed to study this need as also the suitable place for the same.  At the same time, the Vice-Provincial was asked to get in touch with the senior Salesians to get their opinion on this matter.  Following this study, the Provincial Chapter 2022, opted for a renovated infirmary at St Dominic Savio, Andheri.

The Infirmary is dedicated to St Artemide Zatti, the first Salesian Coadjutor saint.  This name was chosen given the fact that Zatti was a nurse and pharmacist who worked for poor sick people in Argentina. Zatti, whose vocation story begins when he himself was sick, believed that God could cure, promised to take care of the sick in case he recovered and this led to his miraculous recovery.  Following his recovery, he dedicated his life to the ministry of healing.  It was also important that Zatti's canonization was very recent, i.e.  on 9 October 2022, and therefore a very apt reason for naming the infirmary after him. 

We thank the good Lord for this beautiful infirmary and pray for God’s abundant blessings on all those who would need God’s healing touch in this place.