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Leaders of the Catholic church during the 13th triennial provincial meeting which concluded on May 10 at Dimapur.[/caption]
Dimapur, May 12 (EMN): The 13th triennial provincial chapter has concluded on May 10 at Dimapur. The Salesian College at Dimapur issued a press release to the media informing about the event.
The 13th triennial provincial chapter has concluded on May 10 at Dimapur. The Salesian College at Dimapur issued a press release to the media informing about the event.
Fr. Kuruvachira Jose, provincial superior of the Salesian province of Dimapur, formally closed the 13th triennial provincial chapter of said province on May 10, the updates stated.
This event of the 37-year old province was officially inaugurated at the Salesian provincial house in Dimapur. The theme of the event was “What kind of Salesians for the youth of today?' the updates stated.
The second day of the event, May 6, commenced with the morning Eucharist which was presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Panipitchai, DD of Miao, eastern Arunachal Pradesh. He was stated to have exhorted the 81 chapter members: “As Salesians, we need to be spiritually motivated to be at the service of the young, especially the poor and the marginalized.”
During the rest of the day's event, Brother MA Abraham, scripture professor at the Sacred Heart Theological College in Shillong in Meghalaya, moderated the talks, the updates stated.
On May 7, the day's programme began with the morning worship presided over by Bishop Joseph Aind, DD of Dibrugarh Diocese. During the homily, he urged the members to keep alive the missionary spirit of Don Bosco and to inspire youths and people by living an exemplary life.
In the afternoon, there was a special session with three youth representatives. Reni Ghosh and Jenpui Rongmei bore witness to the fact that their encounter with Fr. Jerry Thomas and Bosco Institute (MSW College) at Jorhat "saved their lives from total wreck and enabled them to be successful social workers," the press release stated.
Likewise, another youth Pushpalata Mili narrated a similar story of her meeting with Fr. Kalapurackal Thomas, director of I-Card at Jorhat, "which saved her from abject poverty and failure and propelled her to a national stage as a social worker." The youth acknowledged the enriching Salesian accompaniment in their life, the press release explained.
During the morning Eucharist on May 8 Coadjutor Bishop Albert Hemrom of Dibrugarh thanked the Salesian missionaries who brought the Gospel message to upper Assam. He invited the Salesians to continue addressing the multifaceted problems of tea garden youth, the updates stated.
The 5th day of the chapter commenced with Holy Eucharist presided over by Bishop George Palliparambil, DD of Miao Diocese. In his homily, he congratulated the Salesians for what the press release termed the excellent scholastic results. He exhorted them to go beyond and to endeavour to 'usher in holistic development of the youth, especially of the poorer ones.'
On May 10, the concluding day of the 13th provincial chapter, Fr. Kuruvachira Jose presided over the holy mass. In his homily, he challenged the members to draw strength from the Eucharist for their daily work to be fruitful like their founder St. John Bosco in their youth ministry.
The main points of the 13th provincial chapter will be sent to the headquarters of the Salesian Society in Rome, to be incorporated and deliberated upon during the 28th general chapter (GC28) of the said Society with said theme to be held from the month of February to April in 2020, the press release stated.
Provincial superiors from across the Salesian world, together with their delegates will participate in GC28 in Rome, the press release stated.
