By Miss Nilam Rodrigues for BIS Mumbai
The staff of Don Bosco High School and Junior College, Borivli, gathered on the morning of October 6, 2025 for an enlightening and thought-provoking conference conducted by Rector, Fr Manuel Murzello.
Fr Murzello began the session by expressing his heartfelt gratitude to the management team for their constant and active support in ensuring the smooth and efficient running of the school’s daily operations. He then went on to share updates from the Mumbai Province, beginning with the installation of Fr Ashley Miranda as the new Provincial and Fr Robert Pen as the Vice Provincial.
He also placed on record his deep appreciation for Fr Savio Silveira, the outgoing Provincial, for his tireless service and valuable contribution to the Province, especially to Don Bosco, Borivli. Fr Murzello further informed the staff that Fr Provincial would be undertaking his first official visitation to our institution of on December 10, 2025, and encouraged everyone to prepare fruitfully for the same.
Transitioning into the main theme of his conference, Fr Murzello began with an intriguing question originally posed by Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato Si “Why are we here, and how are we related to nature?” This question set the tone for a deeply reflective and meaningful session.
Fr Murzello emphasised the importance of nature as an integral part of God’s creation, reminding everyone that as human beings, we are entrusted with the sacred responsibility of caring for it. He pointed out how, over time, humanity has grown increasingly selfish, seeking to dominate and exploit nature for personal gain. This greed and disregard, he warned, have led to ecological damage and environmental imbalance — consequences that could one day prove disastrous for humankind itself.
He poignantly remarked, “Ecological damage, once done, is often irreversible. If we do not know how to fix it, the least we can do is stop causing it.”
Fr Murzello then skillfully connected this global concern to the local reality of Don Bosco, Borivli, inviting the teachers and staff to reflect on their own roles in fostering environmental consciousness within the school community. He opened the floor for an interactive discussion, encouraging practical suggestions and collective reflection.