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As part of its annual progamme, but with the added fervour of the bicentenary celebrations of the birth of Don Bosco, the Salesian community of Don Bosco Philosophate, Karunapuram organised a Youth Fest on August 31, 2014. There were 143 young participants from the neighbouring Parishes who were treated to a rich animation programme on the theme ‘Youth for Change’, by Fr Benny Joseph sdb, the assistant Youth Director of the Salesian Province of Hyderabad. The programme commenced at 10.45 in the morning and concluded with the Holy Mass at 5 pm.
All along the day, the animator inspired the youngsters to be catalysts of change rather than mere grumblers and ‘no-doers’ in the modern society. The concluding half of the day, witnessed the young people offer viable and challenging proposals to themselves, to address issues like unemployment, corruption, divisions in the Parish community, marginalisation in the society, civil and ecclesial scandal in the Parishes, lack of substantial faith and misunderstandings in the family. Earlier in the day they had themselves prioritized issues that plague their respective parish communities and the neighbourhood.
The programme commenced with a short inaugural session wherein the youth were invited whole-heartedly not only to the institution and the programme but also to journey with the Salesians towards the bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco. The bicentenary flag was unveiled and a short presentation made prior to the Holy Mass. The concluding Mass was presided over by Fr Mallavarapu Rayanna, the Rector of the Philosophate. The two sessions of the day were well animated by Fr Benny with a steady mix of information, entertainment and inspirational challenge. The Brothers in the community were fully involved in seeing to the nitty-gritties of the day.
The numerous youngsters who poured into the Philosophate for the day of animation, were in no way deterred by the heavy downpour which started off the day. Though delayed in commencing the programme, the youth never flagged in zeal and neither did the animator, with the assistance of the Brothers, let the spirit be dampened. Rather than merely provide the youth with some heavy input sessions and make them passive receivers of information or swing to the other extreme of only having some dance and song programme, this Youth Fest was planned to involve the youth themselves in identifying and trying out varied options for issues they face in their day-to-day life. Grading the day from that perspective, it certainly was a worthy effort and a move in the right direction.
