By Royston Colaco for BIS Mumbai

Don Bosco Aspirantate, Lonavla, hosted its annual “Come & See Camp” on September 20-21 2025, drawing over 32 Class 10 boys from across parishes in Mumbai, Vasai, Virar, Pune, Vadodara and Alirajpur, who were eager to experience the Salesian life. The two-day residential programme offered participants a close encounter with the spirit of Don Bosco, combining prayer, discernment, fellowship and witness.

The camp opened on the morning of September 20 with registration at 9.30 a.m. Young participants were welcomed into the rhythm of community living and guided through a schedule that blended reflection, sharing and spiritual practice. The fee of ₹500 kept the camp affordable and accessible to families.

The programme unfolded in five sessions, each designed to highlight a distinct facet of Salesian formation. Fr Avil Correa led the first session on the Salesian Spirit: Joy, Friendship & Service, underlining the values that shaped Don Bosco’s mission. Fr Kiran Salve followed with Meeting Jesus Daily: Prayer & Sacraments, emphasising how personal prayer and regular reception of the sacraments sustains spiritual growth.

Fr Blany Pinto animated the third session with Don Bosco’s Story: Dream Big, Live Bold, presenting the founder’s life as an inspiration for courage and vision. Later, he also moderated A Path Unfolding, where aspirants themselves shared their experiences of vocational discovery, giving the younger boys a glimpse of the journey ahead. Br Royston Colaco completed the sequence with God’s Eternal Plan: Discovering My Vocation, inviting participants to recognise discernment as a vital step in aligning with God’s call.

The sessions collectively addressed five guiding movements: Inspiration through Don Bosco’s life, Witness through aspirant testimonies, Discernment of God’s call, Spirituality rooted in prayer and sacraments, and Identity anchored in Salesian spirit. Each theme was presented in a manner that encouraged reflection and dialogue.

Beyond the talks, the camp fostered moments of prayer, recreation and fraternity, ensuring that participants experienced the holistic character of Salesian life. Meals, liturgies and group activities created an atmosphere of joy and belonging, reinforcing the sense that vocation emerges within community.

The camp concluded on September 21 at 4 p.m., after two days of intensive engagement.

Thanks to the parish priests and rectors who sent the boys. They were already guiding in faith formation and vocational discernment.  The camp thus became a space where faith, friendship and future possibilities converged.

At its heart, the Come & See Camp offered young boys not just information about Salesian life but an experience of it—planting seeds of discernment that may grow into lifelong vocations.