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Don Bosco School, Gunadala , 26 October 2019:The Salesian Family day is officiated at Don Bosco School, Gunadala on 26th October with a theme “Salesian Holiness” which is an extract taken from the Strenna of the year ‘Holiness For You Too’. The Salesian family day brought everyone, exclusively Salesians, Co-operators, Sisters such as MSMHC, FMA, Disciples of Jesus, ADMA and Past Pupils as well. These all share the spirit and charism of Don Bosco in common. It’s indeed a joyful day for all the Salesian family associates to have 102 members together as one assembly to disseminate the spirit of Don Bosco. The Salesian family day has commenced at 9:30 am, with lighting of the lamp by the Salesian family members from various regions of Andhra and Telangana states.
The day is fragmented into four sessions. The first session is beautifully animated by Rev. Fr Thathireddy Vijaya Bhaskar, Provincial of Hyderabad Province. He welcomed everyone cordially and extended a warm welcome to all the Salesian family members. The emphasis of the first session is on the preliminary stages of the then oratory days. It poses how Don Bosco had ventured through several challenges to shelter the homeless and wayward youth in Turin. His sojourns and shifts of oratory from one place to another never exhausted his vision for youth. Fr Provincial also threw the light on the struggles of Don Bosco to get the approval from the Holy See for the inception of the congregation and fulfillment of the other visions he had for the young of his times. Once he concluded his talk, there was a release of the ‘Inauguration of the Constitution for Salesian Co-Operators,’ translated from English to the regional language Telugu. This is translated by Fr Matthias Reddy a diocesan priest.
The second session resumed at 11:30 am, addressed by Fr Thomas Santiago, Vice-Provincial of the province of Hyderabad. His talk was indeed inspiring. He presented that the holiness is affordable, practical and possible for human beings. He also quoted the encyclicals of Pope Francis and Strenna of the year to substantiate that holiness is possible for all. He referred a few biblical verses from Genesis and the epistles of St Paul that say humans are created in the image and likeness of God and they are created to be holy and blameless. The concept of holiness has geared up group discussions to elicit the means and ways to be holy in day-today life. After the group divisions the Salesian family members gathered for fellowship meal.
The third session began at 2:00 pm and shared various ways and distinct paths towards reaching holiness from the groups. The significant points presented by various groups are as follows.
- Contemplation of daily word of God
- The pious practices and precepts of the Catholic Church and its teaching
- Development of daily personal and familial prayer
- Faithfulness towards one’s duties and responsibilities
- Service to the Church and the neighbours
- Cultivating the habit of cheerfulness
- Almsgiving not when one wishes but when it’s needed fetches the holiness.
As this group presentation, Fr Carlo Gaddam sdb, presented the objectives and significance of Salesian family spirit. The most essential objective is to spread and share the spirit of Don Bosco with those within the family and those outside the family as well. He in his presentation mentioned the challenges, opportunities and hopes of Salesian family. He said, ‘every group focuses only on the progress of its particular independent group’. This deprives us all of connectivity with one another. The presentation also mentions that everyone should have the knowledge of Salesian family from the preliminary stages of formation.
After the session by Fr Carlo Gaddam sdb, there was a small break, after which everyoneall assembled to participate in the breaking of the bread. Fr. Provincial along many Salesian fathers presided over the holy Eucharistic celebration. This spiritual animation enhanced faith and convictions of Salesian family members.
During the concluding ceremony, Fr Vice-Provincial thanked all the participants. He expressed his special gratitude to the community of Don Bosco Gunadala, for their hospitality and arrangements. Their generous heart made all the participants feel comfortable and feel at home. The Salesian family day has not ended but ignited… with a photo session.
