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Becchi beckons. Indian Youth in Turin.

A lifetime experience for India Youth at WYD and Turin Oratory

11 August 2023

Youth, Youth Groups,

- Michael Makri sdb

The Indian youth, with Salesians attending the World Youth Day celebrations in Lisbon, Portugal, proceeded to Turin and relived the Oratory experience. The Indian contingent of 66, accompanied by Salesians, moved to Turin after the solemn concluding Mass of WYD at the sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima.

Recalling the spiritual experience at WYD, Zareen Warlarpih, from Shillong Province, said, "WYD23 was a spiritual journey, and we were touched by the spirituality of millions of youth across the globe". "What touched me most was the love and respect the youngsters have towards the Pope, the head of the Church," said Rajni Chirmako of Kolkatta.

For many of them, the WYD was a life-changing experience, meeting with over 1.6 million youngsters charged by the Holy Father to shine, listen and be courageous. As soon as the World Youth Day ended with a pilgrimage to Fatima, led by Fathers Robert Simon and Patric Lepcha, the former and present DBYA animators, left for Turin and visited Becchi on their first day of the Salesian sanctity tours. While at Becchi, “the explanations given by Father T Reddy were like listening to my favourite songs on iTunes. I have known the full history of my Father Don Bosco and other saints' said Jerin Nelson, a SYM member from Mumbai.

"I was in tears as I came to know the struggles of the Bosco family and Mama Margaret, who sacrificed her life for Johnny Bosco," said Ruokuo from Dimapur. Pranali Desai of Panjim Province was in tears as she attentively listened to the life and works of Don Bosco.

After the enriching experiences at Becchi, the group came to Turin, to the Oratory of San Luigi - the second oratory started by Don Bosco. The SYM youth relived the Oratory of 1884 with games, songs, dances, prayers and encounters in a family Spirit. In fact, 'it is the happiest day of my life to have lived with Don Bosco here at San Luigi,' confessed a pilgrim.