Bangalore (Fides) - Twenty five years of service to help the poor, educate and evangelise youth, assist street children, provide pastoral care for families, encourage dialogue with Hindus: this is the record of activity of Salesian Fathers in Bangalore, Karnataka state in southern India, who this year are marking their silver jubilee. This Salesian province covers territory in Karnataka, Kerala and Andrha Pradesh states.
One of the most satisfying fruits has been a flourishing of local vocations. When the Province was opened in 1979 it consisted of 15 communities with 184 members. Today it has 38 communities with 304 Religious. Rapid spread and growth called for a new Province to be opened in 1992, Hyderabad province, which today has 16 communities with 81 members.
Commenting on the “excellent results” obtained by the Province, Father Joaquim D’Souza SDB, Provincial Superior for Southern India ascribed the success to blessings from the Sacred Heart of Jesus to whom the Bangalore province is dedicated. Father D’Souza told Fides that thanks to the flourishing of vocations the Province also has men on mission in Africa, Yemen and Nepal.
During silver jubilee festivities in Bangalore attended by Archbishop Ignatius Pinto of Bangalore, Father D’Souza congratulated the local Salesians encouraging to keep up the good work, especially the missionary efforts.
New projects undertaken by the Salesians in Bangalore include a new Youth Centre at Pachalam, development projects for fisher folk in Kochi, Kerala, and a rehabilitation centre for street children in and around Bangalore.
(PA) (27/2/2004 Agenzia Fides 27/2/2004 lines 22 word 298)