Youth formation paramount to Don Bosco Salesians

The Second Provincial Chapter (PC) of the Don Bosco Salesians Sri Lanka (DBSSL) Vice Province was concluded after a hectic five day session with Most Rev Dr Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo attending the closing ceremony at the DBSSL Headquarters , Dungalpitiya, Negombo.

PC was inaugurated by His Excellency Most Rev Archbishop Joseph Spiteri, Apostolic Nuncio in Sri Lanka. The second day session was inaugurated by His Lordship Vianie Fernando, Bishop of Kandy, third day session was inaugurated by His Lordship Norbert Andradi, Bishop of Anuradhapura and the fourth day session was inaugurated by His Lordship Rayappu Joseph, Bishop of Mannar.

At the conclusion of the PC Rev Fr Anthony Humer Pinto, Provincial Superior, Don Bosco Salesians Sri Lanka Vice Province remarked that though this Chapter is closed he did not feel like it was closed, but feels that a new leaf was dawned to serve the young and the youth who are still in frustration.

The theme of the Provincial Chapter was the implementation of the 26 General Chapter held in Rome – going back to Don Bosco – meaning going back to youth. PC evaluated the implementation of the directives of the last Provincial Chapter, such as the life of Salesians – the community, the economic directory, formation plans, etc , all of which are connected to youth and the children and also emphasis was made to attending to the war affected youth and children.

Fr Pinto said that education is paramount to youth formation and education has a great influence on youth and on the country as a whole. He noted that it is a great pity that the country’s educational system appears to be producing utterly undignified lawlessness that has now enveloped the entire country. He said that a simple example to prove the utter lawlessness is the way the roads are used today.

Fr Pinto said that educational institutions could be run by anybody and they could also produce doctors, engineers, technicians and a host of other professionals, but the practicality of real education is to create an environment which could release good and responsible citizens.

He urged everyone to join hands to eradicate the culture of mal-education, the culture of disrespect to others that has led to undermine the rule of law. He said that there are only a very few people who respect others and respect and ensure the rights of others.

As the whole exercise of the Second Provincial Chapter was on youth and children, the attention invariably paid to the youth and children affected by war in the North. Don Bosco Salesians are thus poised to take up this great challenge of rehabilitating large number of war affected youth and children covering all the aspects of life with a total solution to make them good and responsible citizens.

To fulfill this task there should also be cadres in place and therefore a campaign is launched on Salesian Formation to enroll more and more to become Fathers and Lay Brothers in the Don Bosco Salesian Society.

- Asian Tribune -