By Tr Vijaya Ratna for BIS Mumbai

“It is not enough to love the young; they must know that they are loved.” – St. John Bosco

These timeless words formed the heart of the seminar on “The Don Bosco Way” conducted by Fr Peter Gonsalves at Indian English Academy School (IEAS) in Salmiya, Kuwait on August 23, 2025. The session was both enlightening and inspiring, offering fresh insights into the life, vision, and legacy of St John Bosco, the friend and guide of youth.

Fr Gonsalves began by introducing Don Bosco as a friend, father, and guide of young people who believed that every child carries within them a spark of goodness waiting to be nurtured. He explained Don Bosco’s unique Preventive System of Education based on reason, religion, and loving-kindness. Unlike systems that rely on fear or punishment, Don Bosco’s method builds discipline through trust, understanding, and compassion.

The seminar also shed light on the need for educators, parents, and mentors to become companions in the journey of the young—guiding them with patience, protecting them with kindness, and encouraging them with love. Fr Gonsalves reminded the teachers that education is not limited to knowledge and skills but extends to the building of character, values, and faith. With anecdotes from Don Bosco’s own life, he illustrated how patience and love can transform lives far more deeply than authority and rules.

What made the session truly special was its practical relevance. Fr Gonsalves stressed that in today’s fast-paced world, young people face confusion, loneliness, and pressures that often distance them from their true selves. The Don Bosco Way, with its focus on empathy and accompaniment, offers timeless solutions to these challenges. By being companions rather than mere instructors, teachers can provide encouragement, hope, and direction to the younger generation.

Participants left the seminar enriched and inspired, with a renewed sense of responsibility to bring these values into their daily lives—whether at school, at home, or in society. It was not merely a seminar but a call to action, urging each of us to be instruments of love, guidance, and hope in the footsteps of Don Bosco.

The event concluded with heartfelt thanks to Fr Gonsalves by Fr Principal, James Tuscano for his insightful session that touched both hearts and minds, and to the organizers for making it a memorable occasion. Truly, the Don Bosco Way continues to shine as a path of love, guidance, and hope for generations.