by BIS Correspondent
MUMBAI, MAR 18, 2019: “Our Lady accompanies us in all the circumstances of our lives,” said Father Angel Fernandez Artime, the Rector Major of the Salesians and the tenth successor of Don Bosco, while in Mumbai on November 14, 2017. . He was on a day-long visit to preside over the jubilee celebrations of three Salesian institutions in the city of Mumbai: the Diamond Jubilee of the Shrine of Don Bosco’s Madonna, the Platinum Jubilee of Don Bosco High School Matunga, and the Centenary of St Joseph’s High School Wadala.
Come March 23, 2019, Father Artime will be in Mumbai again for an official visit to the 'Province of St Francis Xavier'. In Salesian tradition, the Rector Major officially visits all provinces across the globe once during his term of office to meet and interact with confreres, members of the Salesian Family, the young, and lay collaborators.
At the stroke of midnight, Father Artime will land at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Later in the day, he will meet with Father Godfrey D'Souza, the Salesian Provincial of Mumbai, and his Councillors from 9:30 am to 1 pm. He will then meet Sister Ritha Dora Thomas, the Provincial of the Salesian Sisters of the Province of Mumbai, and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) at 4 pm at Auxillium Convent, Wadala.
At 6 pm, Rector Major will celebrate the Holy Eucharist with young people from Salesian institutions across the city, confreres, and members of the Salesian Family at the Shrine of Don Bosco’s Madonna. A felicitation programme and dinner will follow.
Pune will be the centre of attention on 24th March as Father Artime makes his visit to the city. Following a welcome ceremony at Don Bosco Youth Centre, Koregaon Road at 10 am, he will meet Salesians from various institutions from 11 am to 1 pm. He will then proceed to Sacred Heart Parish, Yerwada, at 4 pm before celebrating the Holy Eucharist on the parish grounds at 5:30 pm. A felicitation programme and dinner with the Salesian Family will follow.
On day three, Father Artime will return to Mumbai. He will interact with the novices and share lunch with them between 12 noon and 2 pm. He will then meet and interact with the Salesian Family from 4 to 5 pm.The spotlight will move to Baroda, Gujarat on March 26. The Rector Major will arrive in the city at 7:35 am and drive to Don Bosco Makarpura. He will meet the Salesians from the Gujarat zone between 11 am and 1 pm; have tea with the Salesian Family at 4 pm, and meet with youth from all Salesian institutions at 4:30 pm. He will celebrate the Holy Eucharist at 6:30 pm. There will be an hour-long felicitation programme followed by dinner.
On the final day, the Rector Major will return to Mumbai at 9:10 am. He will visit Dominic Savio High School Andheri. The Golden Jubilee programme of the institution will be from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. He will then have lunch with the school staff and the members of the Salesian Family of the institution. At 6 pm a farewell programme will be held at Don Bosco Matunga to end the Rector Major’s official visit to the province. He will leave at 6:30 pm for the airport to fly to Goa for his official visit to the Salesian Province of Panjim.
Today the Salesian Province of Mumbai has 34 houses with around 210 Salesian confreres working with the young. Father Artime will visit only three cities in the Mumbai Province, but his presence will give thousands of confreres, members of the Salesian Family, youth, and collaborators an opportunity to meet the man who carries the torch set alight by Saint Don Bosco himself.