Don Bosco Pakistan: A Growing Presence
Five Salesians (two first Pakistani priests, Fr. Sami and Fr. Noble, two Filipino missionaries Fr. Eugene and Fr. Joel, a Pakistani practical trainee, Cl. Bernard Alfred met in Lahore Don Bosco for four full during the visit of the EAO regional councilor Fr. Klement Vaclav last November 6-10. They have drafted the Road Map for the Pakistan delegation 2020 after time in prayer and fraternal listening and sharing.
Twenty years after strarting our Pakistan mission the few confreres present in the country are called to make concrete their shared vision: Trust in God – Great Optimism and Excellence in personal growth. Through the sharing were discerned 10 strategic points to move forward according a shared vision: ongoing formation of all Delegation confreres, working on more personnel for the Delegation (vocation promotion, lay missionaries, temporary commitment from the FIS province and EAO region and missionaries to be send by the Rector Major).
The two communities of Lahore and Quetta cater to hundreds of poor youth through academic and technical education, boarding school, oratory and social outreach.
During the visit of the regional Superior the Salesians also attended the thanksgiving Mass of Fr. Samuel Adnan Ghouri in Lahore Don Bosco. They were able to meet the archbishop of Lahore, Sebastian Francis Shaw, OFM and bishop of Quetta Victor Gnanapragasam, OMI. They als had a short encounter with the family of our late Bosconian Akash Bashir (martyr on March 15,2015) in the nearby Youhannabad parish.
Other significant moments of the visit of the regional superior included the encounter with the 9 candidates (Come and See, Living in) who attend the College studies, He also met with teachers and staff meeting of the Don Bosco Technical School and gave morning talk to the whole Educative – Pastoral community.
Indeed the face of Don Bosco is slowly becoming Pakistani. Our Salesians try to share our founder’s Charism with our Past Pupils and candidates to the Salesian religious life.
Let us remember the Pakistan delegation every 12th of each month in our EAO prayer circle. Let us also pray for the other Salesians and candidates studying or waiting for the entry visas: two prenovices in Lawaan (FIS), one postnovice in Canlubang (FIN), Br. Francis Nhat (Manila), Fr. Gabriel de la Cruz (Rome) and practical trainee, cleric Saram Sathiya (Sri Lanka).
The Salesians in the country believe in the prayers of the Salesian family. At the same time the youthful and dynamic Catholic community of Pakistan continues to offer the world a wonderful life witness of being part of the Body of Christ.
(Contributor: Fr. Vaclav Klement)
