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| Saturday, 04 September 2004 |
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The Salesian Province delegation in Sri Lanka becomes a vice province by E. Weerapperuma
Salesians of Don Bosco famous for its service and social activities among the youth and the destitute children, is a household name among the people of this country ever since they came to work in the midst of Sri Lanka poor. They are on the eve of celebrating their presence in the country. While they are busy in preparing to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of their presence in this beautiful Island, news from Rome came to them on December, 24, 2003 informing that the Rector Major in Rome has elevated the status Sri Lanka Province Delegation to that of a Vice Province. Rome also announced that Very Rev. Fr. Anthony H. Pinto SDB, the winner of national awards for working among the abused children and presently the Director, Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre at Nochchiyagama has been appointed to the High Office of Superior of the new Vice Province. Thus Fr. Pinto, will go down in the annals of Salesians of Don Bosco Religious Community as the First Sri Lankan to have been appointed to this high office. The installation ceremony of Fr. Pinto as the First Superior will take place on September 8, the day celebrated as the Feast of Our Lady's Nativity. On June 17, Fr. Pinto met Very Rev. Fr. Rector Major of the Salesians as requested and consented to take over the post of Superior of the New Vice Province trusting fully in the Lord and Virgin Mary, the Blessed Mother of Jesus, on June 19, 2004. Salesian community is very confident that Fr.Pinto with his wide experience in many fields would do justice to this delicate and important responsibility and at the same time work towards realizing all his dreams for the Salesian Vice Province and would reach greater heights in the years to come in establishing God's kingdom, the Don Bosco way. The elevation of Sri Lanka Provincial Delegation to that of a New Vice Province was something they expected. They knew that this would come to pass as they had received prior information from Rev. Fr. Joaquim D'Souza (unofficially). Fr. D'Souza was here from August to make an assessment of the Salesians. His e-mail said that the Council in accordance with Article 156 of the Constitution, has approved the elevating the status of Sri Lanka Provincial Delegation to a Vice Province. The mission of the Salesians is the educational broad human development of poor, disadvantages, abandoned/orphaned children and youth, so that they may not only earn a decent living for themselves and their families, but also become responsible, restrictive citizens of their communities an the nation. Salesian operations began in 1956, with the arrival of Fr.Henry Remery being the first Salesian to come to Sri Lanka 80 years after the assurance given by Don Bosco himself as early as 1876 to an Italian Missionary Fr. Louis Piccinelli working in Sri Lanka to a send his missionaries to Ceylon. Fr. Piccinelli had made that request while he was spending his vacation in Italy. He pleaded with Don Bosco to send his men to work among the poor in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). Fr. Remery, the first Salesian in Sri Lanka arrived in Colombo in 1956 and having found a permanent place in Negombo, a costal town in the Western Province with a largely Catholic population in 1963 set up the first Salesian Institute, the Don Bosco Oratory and Technical Centre at Eththukale. As a good Salesian, he immediately started training youth and looked for local vocations but it was very unfortunate that he had to go back to France in 1972 as he was ill and the future of the Salasian community and its mission was left in the hands of a few young local Salesians and they, true to their vocation, continued to carry on with their mission against all odds. In 1993 Sri Lanka was declared a Provincial Delegation and Fr. Joseph Giaime was appointed as the First Delegate with its office at "Bosco Sewana Uswatakeiyawa" orderly planned and sustained development of the Salesian and the seat of the Salesian Delegation was sifted to Don Bosco, Dungalpitiya in the year 2000. Fr. Benjammin Puthota took over from him as the Second Delegate until 1999 and Fr. Jansz succeeded him. This year the Provincial Delegation was raised to a Vice Province and the canonical founding of the Vice Province took place on August 15, 2004. Salesian operations thus begun in Sri Lanka in 1956 was first registered by Deed No. 841 as the Don Bosco Technical Institute on 20th July 1977. This has subsequently been amended as the "Don Bosco Trust" by Deed No 2291 of 21.6.2000. Their dedication to the cause began to bear fruit and the community grew in numbers and expanded its service to the Diocese of Kandy (1976) and in 1987 Colombo Diocese handed over the Palliayawatta Parish which for many years was run by the Fathers of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the Diocesan priests. In the same year the first real aspirantate, or minor seminary was opened in Dankotuwa. When Don Bosco found his Salesian community of Missionaries, there was a request from Don Bosco wrote to Fr. Cagliero, then in America, to hurry back, learn English and then go "to start another very important mission in Ceylon". Don Bosco could not send the Salesian at that time, but gave the solemn assurance; "We shall go to Ceylon". And it took them 80 years to arrive in Sri Lanka. The Salesian presence was consolidated and better coordinated when the Major Superiors set up the Provincial Delegation of Sri Lanka in June 1993. The first great and vital challenge was to organize and consolidate a program for the formation of the young Salesians and increase their number. So in 1994 the aspirantate of Dankotuwa was completed and today it can accommodate 80 young men. In 1995 the Novitiate House was inaugurated in Kotadeniyawa and the following year the Post Novitiate was started in the same place. With the ordination of five new priests in 1996 some missionaries were sent to the House for the Abused Children in Uswetakeiyawa and the missions of Elpitiya was set up in the same year. Don Bosco Youth Centre at Arabegama was begun in 1999, and in the year 2000 they undertook the caring of the Catholics belonging to St. Sebastian Parish Church and opened the Don Bosco Centre at Nochchiyagama. They also have a Youth Centre in Bibile from 2001, and put up the Delegation House, at Dungalpitiya in the same year. This Delegation House managers all the Houses of Don Bosco in Sri Lanka. At present there are three invitations for the Salesian presence in the Island - in the Diocese of Kurunegala, Diocese of Mannar and Diocese of Jaffna. By now Don Bosco is present in 10 places and prepares to move to other pastures. The Salesinas have to-date established four Vocational Training Centres, manages three parishes, three seminaries, and three rehabilitation centres for sensually abused children and one Apostolic School. The Centres are located: In Western Province: 1. Bon Bosco Technical Centre, Negombo. 2. Mt. Carmel Parish, Mamaa Margaret Turning Centre and The Youth Centre, Palliyawatte. 3. Child Rehabilitation Centre. 'Bosco Sewana', Paranambalama, Uswatakeiyawa. 4. Don Bosco Post-Novitiate Formation Centre, Kotadeniyawa. 5. Don Bosco Delegation House, Dungalpitiya. North Western Province: 6. Dominic Savio Apostolic School, Dankotuwa. Central Province: 7. Don Bosco Technical Center and Boy's Home, Andy. 8. Don Bosco Insatiate (Novitiate), Arabegama, Warallagama. Southern Province: 9. Sacred Heart Parish and Youth Centre, Elpitiya. North Central Province: 10. St. Sebastian Parish and Don Bosco Technical School, Nochchiyagama, Anuradapura. Uva Province: 11. Don Bosco Technical Centre, Bibile. (being established). Mannar District: 12. Don Bosco Technical Centre and youth Centre Murungan, Mannar Diocese begins on September 9, 2004. These Centres are known for their Pastoral and Educative formation and contribute in various ways to uplift the very poor children and youth at risk. They also launch awareness programmes among them and their neighbourhood daily, after normal school hours. The work of the Salesians in Sri Lanka has been appreciated by the Hierarchy, the Government and the public. The Salesians are considered model parishes in the different Dioceses. The government run school system has created a permanent practice of tuition after school hours, the fees for which are heavy and which most parents can hardly afford. Hence the need for Salesian Centres to conduct free tuition classes for children of the neighbouring areas, have proved very popular. In the world of commerce and business, youth trained by the Salesian Institutions are in high demand for their technical training, discipline and good behaviour. This in itself indicated that much impact and progress has been made. The Salesian ministry for the underprivileged and marginalized youth and children are very much high lighted by all the sections of the people. What won the hearts of the people in general is our fight against abused children. |
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