HISTORY
BIRDY as a complex
- Youth Animation
- Don Bosco Shrine – Youth Pilgrim Centre
- Hospitality
- Don Bosco Pravahini – Communication Department
- Don Bosco Publishing House
- Vocation Promotion
1. Youth Animation
Bosco Institute of Research and Development for Youth (BIRDY) was officially inaugurated on June 23, 1996 by Rev. Fr. Thomas Panakezham, sdb and blessed by the Archbishop of Hyderabad, Rt. Rev. Mgr. S. Arulappa Samineni. Fr. Joe Arimpoor sdb was the founder Director of BIRDY. With his professional qualification and vast experience in youth ministry, he proposed the challenging vision of BIRDY, which was accepted by the then provincial Fr. Benjamin Puthota sdb and his council. It coincided with the idea of Fr. Benjamin Puthota sdb to set up a youth animation center going beyond the traditional activities of reaching out to the youth, to a Research and Development Center. Hence the name BIRDY – A new way of being a community. Salesians, other religious, and lay collaborators live together to carry out the mission of Don Bosco entrusted to this Institute.
2. Don Bosco Shrine – Youth Pilgrim Centre
The Don Bosco parish was started in May 1995 and all the parish activities were organized in the campus of the Provincial House. By the end of 1998, the chapel at the Provincial House could not hold the number of parishners. The sisters of Charity of Sts. Bartholomea Capitanio and Vincenza Gerosa rendered us the use of their Chapel for Sunday services. Soon it reached a state that even the bigger chapel could not contain even half of the growing number of the Catholic community. Hence the Salesians constructed a Church with all the necessary facilities for the functioning of the parish. It was made into a Shrine on 24th February 2003. Fr Pascual Chavez, our Rector Major, declared the Don Bosco Shrine as the Youth Pilgrim Centre. In 2007, Fr Sebastian succeeded Fr Chacko Thattil as the parish priest. In the recent past, many more new families have settled around the Shrine. Presently, the number of Catholic families are around 200.
3. Hospitality
As part of the self-sustainability, BIRDY’s rooms and facilities are utilized for providing hospitality for various groups and organizations.
4. Don Bosco Pravahini – The communication Department
Don Bosco Pravahini, the Social Communication Department of the province of Hyderabad is situated at BIRDY, since 2009.
OBJECTIVES
a) Conducting animation programmes in Andhra Pradesh. This covers students, management and staff, parish youth and youth educators. It also extends its services to the professionals, enhancing their holistic development;
b) forming youth groups in the rural areas as well as in the neighbourhood of BIRDY.
c) Evaluating the youth ministry of different groups.
d) Developing new creative programmes and services to reach out to more and more youngsters analyzing critically and suggesting suitable changes in the policies of youth and related areas
e) To deepen the Faith of the believers
f) To evangelize and proclaim the gospel
g) To make Don Bosco Shrine a Youth Pilgrim Centre
h) Neighbourhood apostolate to reach out different villages and govt. schools
i) Self-sustainability – utilizing the premises by providing hospitality.
BIRDY
DON BOSCO NAGAR POST
BANDLAGUDA JAGIR
HYDERABAD – 500 086
ANDHRA PRADESH
(040) 24 19 19 71
(040) 24 19 02 08
admbirdy@gmail.com