Chris Valentino sdbMUMBAI, SEPTEMBER 08, 2009: The Salesian Family of the Mumbai Province celebrated a day of recollection at Auxilium, Pali Hill, Bandra-Mumbai on Sunday, September 6, 2009. At a day dedicated to the theme “My Commitment Today” the Family members gathered in large number, 97 to be precise - to pray, reflect, commit and renew their vocation. They came, they stayed and they went back rejuvenated.
The day began with ‘nashta’ and thereafter proceeded to heavier things as Sr. Teresa Joseph, a renowned speaker, writer and animator-trainer addressed the members with an inspiring power-point programme. She had the members glued to every word she uttered on Don Bosco’s Charism, the joy of belonging to the Salesian family, the Rector Major as the centre of the unity, pastoral charity, Da Mihi Animas, and the key elements of the Preventive System. She said “we are all called to work for the common mission… making the gift of our Charism to the Church and to society and by asking ourselves: What is Don Bosco asking me to do today?”
Later Sr. Phyllis with great experience and acumen expressed her views on what the word “commitment” entailed for us all. In a talk peppered with apt humour and genuine reflection she expounded in a very lucid manner the importance of commitment and what it means to us today, as members of the Salesian Family.
The family then celebrated a well-animated Eucharist, presided over by Fr. Christopher. Speaking during the homily, Fr Christopher dwelt on the Salesian Family as a Movement and drew examples from ordinary life to explain how ours is a movement with a difference. He stressed: “in order to commit ourselves to the mission and dream of Don Bosco we need to know ourselves better, form ourselves together and then work together in peace and harmony.”
Fr. Elias Dias, the Provincial Delegate of the Salesian Family thanked the FMA Sisters of Pali Hill for hosting and animating this recollection pilgrimage, Fr. Christopher for celebrating the Holy Eucharist and his homily and all the members of the Salesi
an Family present for the occasion, for their love and sacrifice.After lunch all the members of the Salesian Family walked to Mont Mary’s Basilica singing hymns and reciting the Holy Rosary. In the Basilica they held a short prayer service and then dispersed back to their own hearths with a heart filled with Don Bosco and our Blessed Mother!
