by Cl Ambrose Monteiro for BIS Mumbai

The boarders of Dominic Savio Boys' Home, Andheri (E), recently concluded their 19-day "Don Bosco Mini-Month 2025" celebration, held from January 13th to 31st. This annual event honors St. John Bosco, the founder of the Salesian congregation and a revered figure for youth. The mini-month aimed to deepen the boys' understanding and appreciation of Don Bosco's life and teachings, fostering their spiritual growth, personal development, and overall well-being. The celebrations took place at St. Dominic Savio Boys' Home, Andheri (E), Mumbai.

The festivities commenced on January 13th with an inaugural ceremony Following a moment of silence and prayer, Fr Francisco Pereira, the Rector of the Salesian community, shared inspiring details about St John Bosco's life and legacy, encouraging the boys to emulate his cheerfulness and love. Each boy received a St John Bosco bookmark as a souvenir. The mini-month calendar and team assignments were unveiled, and the ceremony concluded with a hymn dedicated to the saint.

The following day, January 14th, marked the start of a league-type ground tournament featuring football, box cricket, and frisbee. These games continued throughout the mini-month, with team scores accumulating towards a final tally. On January 15th, the boys participated in a Spiritual Recollection, dedicating an hour to prayer and confession for spiritual renewal. A Spelling Bee competition commenced on January 16th, challenging the boys daily with four words each. A leaderboard tracked the top performers, culminating in a final round during the Don Bosco Nite 2025.

On January 18th, a special movie screening on St. John Bosco's life provided the boys with a visual and engaging learning experience. January 21st saw the celebration of New Priests' Day, where newly ordained Salesian priests from the Mumbai province interacted with the boys, sharing their experiences and answering questions about their vocation. This provided valuable insights into the priesthood and its motivations.

The Don Bosco Novena began on January 22nd, with daily masses held in the school chapel for nine days. Different Salesian priests and brothers from the Andheri community delivered homilies on various themes during these masses, culminating in the feast day mass on January 31st. A Don Bosco group song competition also took place on 23rd January, encouraging the boys to learn about the saint through hymns and develop their singing talents.

January 26th was designated as Visiting Sunday, allowing boarders' parents to spend time with their children. A special 30-minute session was organized for the parents, featuring a presentation on St. John Bosco's life, from his childhood dream at age nine to the global impact of Salesian works today. Following the session, the families enjoyed several hours together.

A Don Bosco Trivia Quiz competition engaged the boys on January 27th, testing their knowledge on various topics, including food, sports, movies, general knowledge, India, and, most importantly, St. John Bosco. This event aimed to broaden their knowledge base, foster sportsmanship, and encourage participation in quiz competitions. The quiz scores contributed to the overall team standings.

The highlight of the mini-month, the Don Bosco Nite 2025, took place on January 29th. This event was a vibrant mix of games, quizzes, spot prizes, coloring activities, skits, advertisements, and the final rounds of the Spelling Bee. The 90-minute program was filled with music and energy. Lean Kinny, Roman Martin, and Luciano Rozario emerged as the Spelling Bee winners. Team Rinaldi clinched the overall mini-month championship, followed by Team Rua, Team Albera, and Team Cagliero. All boys received prizes based on their team rankings, including a common hamper of everyday utilities and a chocolate selection.

The grand finale, the Feast of St. John Bosco, was celebrated on January 31st with great enthusiasm. The feast day mass at 10:30 am was attended by neighboring clergy, school teachers, Salesian cooperators, past pupils, and boarders. A festive lunch was provided for all guests. The boarders enjoyed a Don Bosco boarding housie with chocolate prizes and a movie screening.

The Don Bosco Mini-Month 2025 was a resounding success, with its diverse activities catering to the intellectual, social, physical, and spiritual development of the boys.