India - General Councilor for Youth Ministry concludes animation visit to 16 houses in Chennai Province (INM)

02 November 2022
India - General Councilor for Youth Ministry concludes animation visit to 16 houses in Chennai Province (INM)

(ANS - Chennai) - The General Councilor for Youth Ministry, Fr. Miguel Angel García Morcuende, visited the India-Chennai Province (INM) from October 25-31. Despite the little time, he was able to visit 16 Salesian houses, starting from the Provincial House where he met with the heads of the Salesian Institute of Graphic Arts (SIGA, in English), the Salesian Institute of Communication Arts (DBICA), and the Salesian Institute of Psychological Services (DBIPS) in Niraivagam. He was also at "St. Mary's Catholic High School - CBSC" and the Basilica, as well as the local shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes; he went to the "St. Gabriel" center, "Don Bosco Beatitudes," "Don Bosco Tech Campus," as well as "Don Bosco Gandhi Nagar," the Katpadi work, "Don Bosco Polur," in Veeralur, "Don Bosco ITI," "Don Bosco Matriculation School," and "Wisdom Town."

He spent a day visiting 6 presences in the rural areas of the Province in the areas of Vellore and Thirunavamalai. Here he reminded the youth in these most vulnerable areas that "money does not make us richer, because the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."

On each visit, he met with Salesians and students, especially from vocational training schools and centers. He opened a dialogue with them, asked them how they see the future and urged them with various messages, full of encouragement and motivation. "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

He also took part in the inaugural conference on "Youth and Climate" organized by the Province, which was attended by 800 young people. Following Pope Francis' thinking, he took up the concept of integral or holistic development and used it to talk about ecology, progress, development, the Salesian perspective, and youth formation.

He celebrated the Eucharist with the youth of the Salesian Youth Movement of the INM Province, at the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes; drawing inspiration from the Gospel of the day, he invited them to take on Lazarus' own attitudes of searching and determination. He held a formation day with the group of Salesians who coordinate youth ministry in the province’s various houses. He presented them with the profile of the coordinator, opened an intense dialogue, and reminded them that their role is "to invite to faith, that is, to educate the eyes; to teach young people to look at life in depth."

In the same manner, he celebrated the Eucharist at the Don Bosco Theological Center (DBTC) in Kavarapettai and held a training session on the Salesian educational-pastoral model. On the occasion, he recalled that "Salesian pastoral charity is gratuitousness in being and doing. The Gospel never speaks of receiving benefits and expecting rewards."

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