BIS #2941 CALLED TO BELONG TO CHRIST

BIS Mumbai                                  

BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE #2941

CALLED TO BELONG TO CHRIST

Cl. Romero D'Souza sdb

NASHIK, MAY 26, 2012: On the Solemnity of Mary Help of Christians, eight young men – (Avil Correa, Ferreira Chris, Sagar Makasare, Mathias Liam, Nigel Pinto, Benson Po, and Kiran Ruptakke) made their First Religious Profession in the Society of St. Francis de Sales at 6.30 pm in the Chapel of the Salesian Training Institute, Nashik. "The twelve months that the novices have journeyed on the spiritual road has reached its peak to experience the horizon but for a new beginning in the form of their first profession!"

 

The Provincial of the Salesian Mumbai Province, Rev. Fr. Michael Fernandes sdb presided at the solemn meaningful and well-animated Eucharist; with nineteen other priests concelebrating. In his homily, the Provincial spoke on the theme they had chosen: "Called to Belong to Christ." He reminded them that, the call to belonging lies in fidelity to the vows and observance of one's duty. This is not always easy, but the Lord assures us of his constant presence by our side and the assistance of the Holy Spirit. After the homily, the eight young men professed the vows publicly; they were given the cassock and the book of the Constitutions and Regulations. The gracious moments were when they donned the cassocks and members of the Salesian congregation helped them button the cassock and when they received the Constitutions. There was yet another graceful occasion to be joyous about – four parishioners of the Don Bosco Parish, Nashik made the promise to be Salesian Co-operators and Cl. Rickson Fernandes sdb renewed his temporary vows for one year – a step closer to his calling to be a Priest.  

 

Following the Eucharist, there was a short felicitation and thanksgiving programme for which the newly professed expressed their gratitude to Don Bosco in the name of the Salesian Congregation, to the Provincial, the Novice master and the Formation staff.

 

On the same day, fifteen new novices joined the novitiate in Nashik. We had a simple yet solemn ceremony held in the Novitiate Chapel, Rev. Fr. Michael Fernandes sdb officially entrusted the new novices to the Novice Master, Rev. Fr. Solomon Rapol sdb. In his brief homily before the entrustment, the Provincial exhorted the novices to be totally open to their Novice Master and place all their trust in him. By instructing them the fourfold purpose of living as a novice the Salesian way – by accepting the call to the Divine vocation in living the religious life, in by listening and accepting the role of staff in one's life as a religious, learning to know the congregation through the constitutions and regulations, and finally to discern and to grow in the gift of Salesian vocation. All this will happen only if you (novices) shape your religious life with Christ as the model.

 

Our hearty congratulations to the new Salesians and the new novices!
God Bless You!!!

BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE (BIS) MUMBAI

Don Bosco Provincial House,
Matunga, Mumbai - 400 019. INDIA
Email: bis@donboscomumbai.org