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Kolkata Salesians in joint mission with Vincentians

Siliguri

A join'ed' venture

Kolkata Salesians in joint mission with Vincentians

20 April 2023

Missions,

News written by: Fr CM Paul sdb

Kolkata Salesians have partnered in joint mission efforts for a second time with St Joseph’s Province of Vincentian Fathers by offering existing Salesian facilities in Nepal and India. Bishop Vincent Aind of Bagdogra in Siliguri blessed the existing Salesian facility, christened it Messengers of Good News and offered it to the Vincentians on April 19, 2023. Called Vincentian Ashram, the facility is situated near Champasari-Debidanga in Siliguri, the commercial hub of North Bengal.

“It is rare that men religious congregations partner in joint mission ventures,” said Vincentian Provincial complimenting the example set by Kolkata Salesian Province in offering two facilities in India and Nepal to Vincentian mission efforts. Explaining the mission of the new joint venture, the Vincentian provincial said, “In a climate vitiated with bad news and fake news, hate speech and mob violence, it is mandatory that we become agents of love, good news, and promote harmony among people.”

The new initiative in India situated in the Babubasa locality of Siliguri, close to the Nepal border, called Vincentian Mission @ MGN, is under the care of Vincentian Fathers Fr Xavier and Fr Cyril. The earlier joint mission venture was at Don Bosco Centre Dharan in East Nepal, where the Nepal Don Bosco Society began activities in 1992. In 2018 Dharan Centre was offered to Vincentian Fathers.

Salesian Father George Alakulam, who died in 2016, a pioneer of many parishes in Kolkata province, is the founder of the Messengers of Good News (MGN). MGN centre, started in 1992 by the late Fr Alakulam, aims at renewing inter-faith families and building up young people as responsible citizens. The three pillars of the MGN movement are Prayer, Unity and Service.

Earlier, MGN Institute offered Spoken English classes for the youth of tea garden villages and free tuition classes for the children of the locality. There were also activities like a creche for babies of mothers working in the tea gardens, nutrition for children, education and medical camps. The incumbents will start with tuition classes before launching out to other activities.

Some 130 special invitees and the director of Leadership Training Centre Siliguri, Rev Alem Longchar, joined Bishop Aind for the solemn Eucharist concelebrated by 30 priests, scores of Sisters and candidates of Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians who formed the choir. Also present at the event were Salesian Provincial of Kolkata Father Joseph Pauria and Vincentian Provincial Superior Father Jilson Mathew Kakkattupullil with Vincentian Mission Superior Father Abraham Mundackal.