Kolkata – “We have discovered the force of the testimony of the charism [of Don Bosco and Mother Teresa] said Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco Father Angel Fernandez Artime recalling his visit to Mother House and meeting with the Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity Sr Prema at, 54A Lower Circular Road, this morning, 27 September.

On his maiden visit to India, with the first stop over at Kolkata, Fr Angel is attending the 3-day South Asia Salesian Family Congress at Don Bosco School Liluah with over 1,900 delegates from 11 Salesian Family groups deliberating on theme: One family, One Mission, 26-28 September.

Rector Major Angel, a Spaniard who has worked in Argentina, on his maiden visit to India yesterday visited Don Bosco Ashalayam (Hope Home) in Howrah which marks 30 years of caring for street children and has 25 centres in Kolkata. After interacting with children in Ashalayam, Fr Angel visited the Don Bosco Self Employment & Research Institute at Mirpara near Liluah, imparting skills training to school dropouts.

“It is a pilgrimage to find the spirituality centre of Mother Teresa’s charism,” says Fr Angel who preached at the Sunday Eucharistic celebration on 27thSeptember at the Mother Teresa’s tomb along with 12 provincials and heads of 11 Saleisan family groups.

Linking the scripture readings of the day from the Book of Numbers (11:29) where Joshua asks Moses to stop people who were not with him when God’s spirit descended on the elders, Moses admonished and replied –“ If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets, and the Lord gave His spirit to them all!”

Again the Gospel parallel of a similar situation occurred when John reported to Jesus about some one who was not of their group working miracles, Jesus tells : “No one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me.” (Mk 9:38)

Linking the above two incidents from the scriptures Fr Angel made a mediation of God’s love and how it reaches us through human beings.

“Sanctity grows in groups,” says Rector Major explaining how saints multiply in groups like at the time of Don Bosco in Turin and in our days like popes Blessed John XXIII, saint John Paul II, and Blessed Paul VI and blessed Mother Teresa.

“We prayed for the MC Sisters and for the poorest of the poor and marginalized young people of the Salesian Family all over the world,” said Rector Major who had “an excellent meeting and shared thoughts and prayers with the Sisters.”

“We experienced the great appreciation of Sister Prema and her sisters, and have discovered the force of the testimony of their charism,” said Rector Major who lit a candle and prayed at Mother Teresa’s tomb, and visited her room and interacted with the sisters.

The Missionaries of Charity novices sang a welcome song for Rector Major and his Councillors while Sr Prema and Rector Major greeted them from the balcony of the Mother House.

After visiting the upstairs chapel where Mother Teresa had her daily devotions, the 10th successor of St. John Bosco, and his confreres had breakfast before they left for the Salesian Family Congress events at Liluah. END