SYMBIOS

October 2015,

Mumbai Province

In a never-seen-before event, YOUTH EXPO 2015 was a fitting opportunity for youth from all
over the eleven Salesian provinces of South Asia to celebrate the conclusion of the
Bicentenary of Don Boscos birth! YOUTH EXPO 2015 was ably hosted by Delhi Province at
Don Bosco High SchoolAlakananda from 29-30th September 2015. Over 1300 delegates
from the various provinces celebrated through faith, felicitations and fellowship. Our
Province of St. Francis XavierMumbai participated with a 131 strong contingent from all
the various regions of our province. This itself was a milestone!
YOUTH EXPO 2015 was, for each of us, a journey to understand better the Salesian Youth
Movement. Preparations for YOUTH EXPO 2015 began well in advance with the many
animation and training programs, the moments for fellowship and interaction, and the
timely creative sparks that were ignited when talents were discovered and enhanced.
YOUTH EXPO 2015 provided the youth of our province to look at their youth groups
through a wider Salesian perspective. Suddenly the person of Don Bosco become alive in
their hearts and youth groups. A miracle had begun.
The presence of our beloved Rector Major, Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, the 10th successor of Don Bosco was an honor and
privilege. Language was no barrier and the scorching heat no obstacle! His warm embrace, penetrating gaze yet loving smile,
challenging words coupled with down-to-earth messages during the interview, love for youth and music were a reflection of
Don Bosco himself. Every youngster had just one wisha handshake and a selfie, and the Rector Major did oblige willingly!
Indias rich cultural heritage could well be seen during the Youth Utsav through the many dances, traditional costumes, art
and song. The various Multi Talent competitions with its many Sacred, Social and Salesian themes showcased youth potential
at its best. The presence of illustrious alumni, whether on the political or social scenes, was a story of the fruitfulness of Don
Boscos pedagogical system. The Youth Talk shows and the Catechetical Sessions touched on various aspirations and pain
points of the young! Not all answers were found, but at least the search had begun!
No doubt, much more could have been achieved. The gathering of youth from all corners of India was an opportune time to
give the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) a greater visibility and roadmap for the future. But alas, it wasnt so! Sharing and
interaction between delegates from provinces was given little attention. I would have loved to see the YOUTH EXPO as a
wonderful avenue for taking the Salesian Youth Movement to greater cohesion and commitment. Many of our youth did
share the same sentiment too. A lost opportunity at national level, but at least, as a province we found ours.
Fr. Jose Mathew, Provincial and Convener of YOUTH EXPO 2015, Fr. Babu Varghese and his committed team of Salesians,
Staff and Students of Don Bosco SchoolAlakananda, deserve our congratulations and appreciation. No doubt, to Mrs. Nellie
Dhillon and Master Vedant, our Province Manager and assistant,
we owe a deep gratitude!
Till then, we look forward to the next YOUTH EXPO..
Fr. Glenford Lowe sdb

SYMBIOS
October 2015,

Mumbai Province

The excitement of attending the YOUTH EXPO 2015 at first, was out of the
mere fact of visiting the capital of India. But little did I know that, visiting
New Delhi wouldnt be the greatest of my joys. Apart from knowing that we
were celebrating the bicentenary of Don Boscos birth, I had no clue as to
what was about to take place at the event. The joy of being a part of this
event began way before the EXPO itself. The meetings that were conducted
in order to plan for the various competitions that we would participate in,
broke the ice among the youth from Mumbai and gave the opportunity to
Bro. Avil Correa sdb interviewing the Rector Major know the minds of other young people from my age group.
Right at the start I was glad to meet up with people from different streams from within Don Bosco Centre for Learning, Kurla. It
was really nice to get to know the lives, goals and mind-sets of different people. This greatly facilitated the brainstorming of
ideas for the competitions and the cultural event. The practises helped me personally to witness the manner in which youth
function, when responsibility is entrusted to them. With a bit of motivation, youth can work wonders! The evenings that I
spent along with the others, while preparing the songs for the music event raised up my spirits. The several rehearsals
conducted for the cultural event, brought me to a better appreciation of every single person who was to participate in it. Each
meeting, practise session and the event itself was something I would look forward to everyday.
The train journey to New Delhi came in with a bunch of surprises. All of us being spread across three bogies, made surprise
visits to each other. The meals that we shared, the games that we played, the eagerness of having fun made the entire journey
a memorable one. Stepping inside the capital before dawn and being welcomed by the volunteers of the YOUTH EXPO, into the
historic city was amazing. I must say, that I was overwhelmed with the city of Delhi, i.e. the infrastructure, the cleanliness, etc
but the dedication with which the teachers and students of Don Bosco High School, Alaknanda were preparing for the event
was remarkable. I was touched by their hospitality. We were served a sumptuous north Indian breakfast at Alaknanda itself.
The meals thereafter too were tasty and filling. The ice breakers and the action songs that were conducted in the morning on
the first day itself, helped me to get to know the youth from Ahmednagar and Gujarat. The rest of the first day was spent in
practising our items for the next day.
We were provided accommodation at Holy Child Auxilium School, Vasant Vihar. We did face a minor water crisis, since there
were so many of us using water for our needs. This did test our patience for a while. Nevertheless, in due time, everything was
back to normal. The pleasant nights at the Sisters convent were worthwhile. They provided us an opportunity, to share the
happenings of the day, and the space to relax. The first
challenge that we faced every morning was to rise early, in order to reach the venue in time

SYMBIOS
October 2015,

Mumbai Province

Day 1 of YOUTH EXPO with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, by Bishop Anil Coutto, Archbishop of Delhi. After breakfast,
there was a Youth Talk Show. Thereafter, commenced the various multi-talent competitions. For me, the entire journey of
preparing for the music competition was an amazing experience, since it comprised of moments of togetherness which
brought a lot of happiness. Our group prepared for the competition with an intention of active participation and not with an
intention of winning the event. Sadly, since ours was the first group to perform, we were not able to balance the sound
between the various instruments and the vocals. Thus, our performance was a disappointment to ourselves.
The mime competition was next. The students from DBCL, Kurla put up the mime
based on the theme Youth Awake. Though we didnt win, it was a wonderful culmination of all the efforts that were put in. The group that participated in the rangoli
competition from our province, bagged the second prize, this was precisely because
they were able to portray the theme My Don Bosco artistically. The team involved in
the canvas painting competition too, were able to bring out the theme Youth for
Change. During the competitions, the spirit of involving oneself fully into the event
and giving out the best of what has to offer, was observed. I was reminded again of
the passion and the potential that lies within each youngster. If this energy is channelized in the right direction, no one can stop the good that can be brought about. I was also reminded of the cultural diversity in which we live. The manner in which everyone was cheering for each performance again led me to an appreciation of
variety of life.
In the evening, Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, the Rector major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, was welcomed and escorted
solemnly into the expo. The Bosco Utsav, i.e. the cultural programme was held in his presence. Together with the Rector
Major and the regional, the provincials of the all 11 provinces of the South Asian region were present. The Mumbai province
was again the first to put up their item based on the theme given to us on Social Networking. This was indeed a blissful experience. Ours was the only item that consisted of a powerful skit, integrated with a dance and an action song. We were able to
bring alive the spirit of Don Bosco. The other provinces did well in putting up cultural dance from their own regions, but
there didnt seem to be an effort put to portray the theme that was given. Thus we received appraisal from all sides, for our
item.

SYMBIOS
October 2015,

Mumbai Province

After a good dinner, we returned to the convent to rest, only to wake up early the next day for Day 2. A session on Youth
Catechesis was conducted in four different groups. I was a
part of a group, where Bishop Dominic Jala, spoke on Ecospirituality and Youth. Here the session was moderated by
Fr. Glenford Lowe. He did well in allowing youth from
different provinces to come ahead and lead the youth into
action songs and yells. It was indeed a lively start as we
grooved ourselves into some new actions. Bishop gave us
a talk, after which he was ready to answer any questions.
The responses that he gave to most of the questions were
brilliant. He used day-to-day examples that spoke to us
directly. This speaker at the end posed a challenge for us.
We were supposed to make our own little groups in our institutions to bring about a change in our ecology.
The Holy Eucharist was celebrated during the latter half of the morning. The Rector Major, Fr. Angel Artime broke the word
for the youth, with great fervour. Since he didnt speak English, it was translated to us. The fervour that he spoke with, didnt
really come through the translating, which was sad.
After lunch, a session was conducted during which, the Rector Major was interviewed by Delegates of different provinces. I
was fortunate to be the representative from the Mumbai province. The question that I was to ask the Rector Major was: We
see the Salesian Youth Movement vibrant throughout the world, but when it comes to India, this movement is having trouble
in starting up. With all the youth and the resources that we have at our disposal, what is your suggestion for us? His response
was thus, The context is different in different parts of the world. The youth all over the world, that have benefitted from the
Salesians return to Don Bosco and help the Salesians to serve the youth. In India, similarly we need to form these little
groups of youth, motivated to bring about a change for good. We the youngsters who have received much from Don Bosco
must continue with the same spirit wherever we go, in our workplaces, homes, etc. At the same time we should be one with
the Salesians who work to save souls. This moment of interviewing the Rector Major was the high point of my visit to Delhi.
The evening witnessed a grand conclusion, where eminent personalities like Hon. Ministers Piyush Goyal and Smriti Irani
were invited who themselves were past pupils of Salesian institutions. At the end of it all, I was taken up with the spirit of
Don Bosco that was shared by the youth from all over the country. It was indeed a blessing to get to know especially all the
youth from the Mumbai region personally. Don Bosco YOUTH EXPO 2015 was, is and will be one of the best experiences of
my Salesian life.
Viva Don
Bosco!
Bro. Avil Correa

SYMBIOS
October 2015,

Now that the YOUTH EXPO 2015 is over. What

can we as SYMINB do?.....where can we start?
The Rector Major challenged us not to wait for Messiahs to come and set
us free from the bonds that enslave us. He reminded us that driving away
evil was not as easy as depicted in the stage performances! He reminded
that we are all needed: God, Don Bosco and Youth need us today!

A TRIPLE NEED: We are needed by GOD, Don Bosco and YOUTH!

None of us is useless. We can change the situations of poverty and exploitation around us. We
have the light within to dispel the darkness, the courage to stand for what is right and true, the
salt to add flavor to an insipid life, the wisdom to transform, and the model to imitate in Christ
and Don Bosco. SYM-INB can make a difference! SYMBIOS is here to give it life. Here we start:
SYMG: SYM Gujarat has already made their plans to strengthen the Salesian Youth Movement.
SYM Mumbai has much to offer to the Province in terms of animation and formation.
SYM-Nagar, SYM-Nagpur, SYM-Pune and SYM-MP, SYM-Nashik have just begun to take shape.
The Rector Major invited us to go back to Don Bosco and form Youth Movements for change:

Get involved in Human Rights and Environmental Groups.

Add soul to the Social Media by being evangelizers of JOY.

Volunteer at works for Marginalized and Youth at risk.

Imitate the zeal of Don Bosco for Holiness and the Sacred.

Live the Salesian Youth Spirituality daily!

Mumbai Province

SYMBIOS

Mumbai Province

October 2015,

It was a great experience for me to be a part of this momentous event. Truly this celebration
united youth from across borders of states and regions providing a platform for us to showcase
our talents in the form of singing, skits, painting, dance etc. and our abundant love and respect
for Don Bosco and Rector Major. The enthusiasm and zeal showed by the Rector Major to
connect with the youth was something I will never forget. Inspite of the language barrier, he
came forward with one of the most powerful language - Love; an unconditional love, the same
love which Don Bosco had shared with the youth of his time. With this wonderful opportunity to
be a part of the amazing theme- Like Don Bosco, With the Young, For the young, I take forward
to be a Disciple and Witness of the love and kindness showed by Don Bosco, With other Partners
and Educators For the Vocation and Mission of Don Bosco.
- Alma Odil, DBYS, Matunga
The Holy Eucharist, Homily, Youth Talk Show, Multi Talent Competitions, Youth Catechesis, Family
Circle & Cultural Program helped me to climb up a new step adding a way to Learning of my Life.
Rev. Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, his presence helped me to ponder upon the way of life I am
living. My Jesus, now I can proudly say that YES the presence of Rector Major helped me to feel the
presence of Don Bosco in my Life. Salesians are blessed with Youth and the Youth are blessed
with Salesians. .e. a two way relationship that we are blessed keeping Jesus in the centre. Everything in this world is connected with each other. In the same way the connections with all the
Salesians that I met was a beautiful moment which will never be forgotten by me.
- Johnson Pillai, Don Bosco - Baroda
Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid
and heartwarming thats the experience of Delhi YOTUH
EXPO 2015. I felt so blessed to be having such a great
experience of Delhi YOUTH EXPO 2015. I was extremely
fortunate to meet our real Don Bosco for today in our
beloved Rector Major, Rev. Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime. I
experienced real Salesian Spirit and joy in the get together
of the Salesian Family. The time spent together with the
entire youth was opportune and meaningfully added colors
in my life. I am proud to be part of the circle of Salesian
Family. Long live SYM
- Sushil Parmar

We were full of enthusiasm to see our RECTOR MAJOR, Fr.

ANGEL FERNNDEZ ARTIME for the first time. He was such a
down-to-earth person! He always wanted the youth with him,
his views regarding the youth was remarkable. The songs he
sang and the interaction with the youth fulfilled us with joy.
He challenged and guided us on how to grow within the Salesian family and Youth Movement in our own premises schools
and parish. The Youth Talk show was awesome! Different
speakers shared views related to technology, society, and the
Thiar jail experience shared by sister made youth think about
their life and future!
The choir was good and the
prayer dance on both day
was mind blowing Stanley Singar, Pune

SYMBIOS
October 2015,

Mumbai Province

The two-day YOUTH EXPO 2015 event pulled out hidden talents of the youth, inculcated the teachings
of Don Bosco in them, increased their confidence level, gave them an opportunity to interact with new
people, explore different cultures at one common platform and return back home being a positively
changed person! The event was full of culture , entertainment , colour, creativity, passion towards
ones talent, an eye opener to the teachings of Don Bosco, positive vibes, energetic, well organized and
perhaps the best event any youth has attended so far. We at DBIT Kurla group are now challenged.we can set up a camp to help the needy street children and poor people and provide them
with required things like food ,clothes, medicines, etc.
- Siddhi Prabhu, DBIT Kurla

YOUTH EXPO 2015 was a wonderful experience overall. It was new and an excellent opportunity I
got. Through this EXPO, I learnt many new things namely; how to interact with youth from different multicultural backgrounds. I had a great chance to meet our Rector Major. I feel very fortunate to meet him as a person and to know what he felt about the youth in India and what are his
expectations from us. I really enjoyed all the programs organized i.e. Youth Talk Show through
which we could know different opinions from experienced persons. Thanks to Fr. Mayank and Fr.
Michael for allowing me to be part of such a wonderful experience!
- Dhonisha Silvester, DB Borada

Young people of India are highly talented and full of energy.

The Salesian Family is our real wealth and strength. They are precious
to us.

We are fortunate to be graced to be living with you young people!

Commit yourself to society to chase out evil from our lives.

God has a DREAM for each one of you. Discover that dream in you.

The future of India needs messiahs like you with your work, honesty,
upbringing, faith and youthfulness.

God needs you, Don Bosco needs you, the Youth needs you!

SYMBIOS
October 2015,

Mumbai Province

Don Bosco Youth Services (DBYS)Mumbai

Invites all young people to
contribute your suggestions to the
PROVINCIAL CHAPTER 2016
so as to enhance our YOUTH MINISTRY
in the Mumbai province, especially in the
areas of: Education, Skills Training,
Higher Education, Youth Centres,
Youth at Risk Projects,
Parishes and Missions,
Social Communications and
Formation of Salesians to Missions.
Ms. Marina DCosta has been
appointed to represent the
Youth of the province at the
Provincial Chapter discussion.
Please send in your interventions to:
Ms. Marina DCosta at hazeosta@gmail.com or to Fr. Glenford
Lowe loweglenn.sdb@gmail.com at your earliest convenience. The
first session begins on Oct 15, 2015. The second session will be
held at Don Bosco Lonavala from 7-12th February 2016.

Congratulations to
Bro. Michael Gaikwad sdb.
Our young missionary to
Cambodia!

This Mission Sunday pray for him.