by Fr. Patrick Lepcha DBYA for BIS Mumbai

Don Bosco Youth Animation South Asia (DBYA-SA) organized an annual seminar on Youth Ministry for young Salesians from September 19 to 21 at Don Bosco Provincial House Matunga, Mumbai. It is also termed as Training of Trainers (TOT), a formative programme for young Salesians to equip themselves on various Salesian documents and methods to live the Salesian charism with the young people. There were 19 participants from the five provinces of South India since the seminar is organized alternatively for the Northern and the Southern Regions of South Asia Region. The seminar was conducted by four resource persons namely Fr. John Christy INM, Fr. Joji Yeruva INH, Fr. Leon Cruz INB, Mr. Peter Das and Fr. Patrick Lepcha DBYA.

The Day one began with the holy Mass presided over by Fr. Savio Silvera, the provincial of Mumbai Province where in he invited all to live by the dream and mission of Don Bosco. Don Bosco did everything because he wanted to give Jesus to the young people which was revealed to him during his first missionary dream at the age of nine and the congregation is celebrating the 200 anniversary of that divine dream. He also focused on the post 28 General Chapter six-year plan of the Rector Major, Cardinal Angel Fernandes Artime in which he challenges all to return to the neediest and poorest section of the young people.

At the inaugural talk Fr. Savio Silvera presented the relevance of the Strenna of 2024. He paraphrased the strenna by saying; “Dreamers who make young people Dream”. He elucidated that we need to pay attention to the aspirations of the young people and they are our point of departure and we need to leave a mark on the world just as Don Bosco did in his life time. He also explained about the four categories of young people who dream namely selfish dream, small dream, no dreams and given up dreams. The Salesians are called inspire dream, inflame dreams and leave a mark in the lives of these young people by live our lives as Don Bosco lived out his life.

The resource persons dealt with various themes like the current situation of the young people in India, Predilection for the young, Educating and evangelizing, Youth ministry a synodal experience, Preventive System, Art of accompaniment, Youth ministry dimensions, updated youth ministry documents and traits of Salesian youth ministers. Mr. Peter Das who has spent more than twenty five years in various News Networks and Radio channels presented how the visual media can be an effective means of communicating valuable lessons for the young people. He demonstrated how we can be creative and offer powerful information creatively through the medium visual media.

The group also discussed how to take forward the Salesian Youth Movement in our various settings in South Asia level.  There were also interactive sessions with the Salesian Youth Movement of Mumbai Province. The group was privileged to have the former Rector Major Rev. Fr. Pascual Chavez who celebrated the Holy Mass on the 21st Morning celebrating the feast day of St. Mathew, the Evangelists. During his homily he emphasized the need of giving Jesus to young people which is the best give gift we can offer. To do this we all need to leave our comfort zones just like Mathew who left his tax collection table and followed Jesus unconditionally. The seminar was brought to conclusion by the evaluation and drawing up some lines of action for the future young ministry activities.

In the evening, the participants got an opportunity to take part in Eco-Canticles which was a celebration of the Season of Creation through drama, dance, and singing. This was organized by the Salesian Youth Movement of Mumbai Province in collaboration with the Archdiocesan Office for Environment. The presence of His Excellency Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, the Most Rev. Leopoldo Girelli, Cardinal Oswald Gracias and the former Rector Major Rev. Fr. Pascual Chavez graced the occasion.