By Fr Sunil Pinto SDB for BIS Mumbai

The community of Shelter Don Bosco welcomed Fr Savio Silveira, the Provincial of the Salesian Province of Bombay, for his Official Provincial Visitation on August 19, 2024. This visit marked the official commencement of his visitations across the Province this year.

The boys of Shelter Don Bosco greeted Fr Savio with a heartfelt welcome, featuring a special song they had prepared. The entire shelter community gathered to embrace the spirit of this significant event.

Fr Savio began his visitation by addressing the Salesian community in the Director’s office. During his opening conference, he invited the Salesians to engage in deep reflection, guided by the Dream of Don Bosco at the age of nine. He posed three pivotal questions essential to the Salesian mission at Shelter Don Bosco: 

1. Who are we working for? 

The youth in distress, those entangled in conflicting situations, and those from vulnerable backgrounds.

2.How do we work? 

By employing the pedagogy of kindness and patience, balanced with firmness.

3.Why do we work? 

To evangelise, which Don Bosco envisioned as the transformation and empowerment of the young.

The Provincial’s words resonated deeply with the community, providing a renewed sense of purpose and direction. Following this, Fr Savio engaged in personal conversations with each of the Salesian confreres, offering them individualised support and encouragement.

In the evening, Fr Savio joined the boys for Evening Prayer, where he delivered his ‘Good Night Thought.’ Revisiting Don Bosco’s Dream, he inspired the boys to dream big, reminding them that while dreaming is important, hard work is essential in turning those dreams into reality.

The following morning, on August 20, Fr Savio celebrated the Holy Eucharist with the Salesians. Later, he addressed the Youth at Risk attending the Monthly Mela at Shelter, delivering a message of hope and direction that left a lasting impact on all present.

The visit ended with a concluding conference, where Fr Savio guided the Salesian community through discussions on various plans and assisted in setting concrete goals for the year ahead. His visit was not just a formal inspection but in true Salesian fraternity, one that left the community motivated and spiritually enriched.