NEWS
Fr. Peter Vincent Lourdes, a pioneering Salesian priest and one of India’s first priest psychologists, celebrated his 100th birthday at Nitika Don Bosco, Kolkata, marking a century of remarkable service in counselling, spiritual direction, and education. The centenarian priest, who made his religious profession on December 6, 1944, and was ordained on December 5, 1954, continues to inspire with his resilience. He beat COVID-19 at 94 and hoisted the Tricolour on Independence Day 2020 before leaving Fortis Hospital.
The Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) South Asia celebrated its Silver Jubilee during its Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) on 17 and 18 January at Don Bosco Provincial House, Bangalore. The Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) South Asia, founded in 1999, is a non-profit group functioning under the auspices of the Salesian Provincial Conference of South Asia (SPCSA). It consists of members of the Salesian family trained in the psychological sciences, committed to deepening their professional knowledge and skills and offering psychological services and training, especially for those in the helping professions.
A two-day International Workshop on “Mobile and Pornography Addictions in the New Digital World” was successfully organized by the Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) at the Don Bosco Provincial House, Bangalore, on August 10-11. The event attracted significant participation, with 65 attendees comprising psychologists, counsellors, principals, teachers, social workers, and research scholars from across India.
In the heart of Guwahati, amidst the tranquil beauty of the Brahmaputra river, a beacon of hope shone brightly on a crisp March morning. Organised with meticulous care and dedication, a one-day seminar on mental well-being with the theme “Healthy Minds, Healthy Lives” unfolded at the esteemed Don Bosco Institute, Kharguli, Guwahati. The event drew a diverse crowd, including priests, religious, teachers, university students, youth leaders, staff, and lay leaders from various parishes and Salesian centres. Led by Fr. Marcus, the Youth Commission delegate of the Province of Guwahati, the event commenced with an aura of warmth and reverence as distinguished guests and esteemed resource persons were welcomed with traditional ‘phoolan gamochas’ and bouquets.
Don Bosco College Anagdikadavu successfully concluded a six-month certificate course in counselling psychology organized by the Department of Psychology. The ceremony, held at the college auditorium on February 13, saw the distribution of certificates to 35 participants from diverse backgrounds, marking the culmination of their journey into the realm of counselling psychology.
Don Bosco Sadan, a Rehabilitation Centre for Boys at Monvila, Thiruvananthapuram, was inaugurated by Antony Raju, Hon. Minister for Road Transport, Govt of Kerala, on November 26, 2022. Envisioned by the Bangalore Rural Educational and Development Society (BREADS) as part of its Drug Rehabilitation Education and Mentoring (DREAM) initiative, the centre provides children and youth in Kerala a way to sobriety and health.