Wyoming: Father Antony Vailatt is in Wyoming Valley in the United States for a few days to raise money for the Salesian priests of Bangalore to help orphans in India.

The Indian priest says more than 100 trains arrive daily in Bangalore, a southern Indian city, where his Salesians of Don Bosco of the Sacred Heart congregation is located.

Those trains carry several boys and girls seeking refuge — children who have left their homes because they have been neglected or abused.

“We always can find these children — the poorest of the poor — and we offer them help,” Vailatt said. “We give them shelter, food, education with the goal of returning them to society.”

Vailatt, celebrating 25 years as a priest, is in the U.S. to, as he said, “find new friends” — friends willing to donate to Bangalore Salesian Mission.

Vailatt visits the U.S. every three years and, when he is in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He stays with the Crossin family — owners of Bonner Chevrolet in Kingston. Rich Crossin, co-owner of the automobile dealership, said his grandfather, J.R. Bonner, founder of the company, started the tradition of helping the Bangalore Salesian Mission some 25 years ago.

“It’s the Lord’s plan,” Rich Crossin said. “We’re Catholics and we want to help as much as we can.”

Crossin said India is comparable in size to Texas, but the difference is there are 27 million people living in Texas, compared to 1.3 billion people in India.

Vailatt said “friends” like the Crossin family have helped children they have never met — giving much to children who have nothing.

Vailatt said it costs about $300 per child per year to provide the necessary care.

“If these children are not helped, many could become criminals or terrorists,” Vailatt said. “That’s why I am here — to meet with as many people as I can to ask them to help.”

Vailatt said about 8,000 “street children” have been helped in the Bangalore province. He said, when it’s possible, the children are returned to their parents. Vailatt wants to build housing for homeless people in his home country.

Vailatt’s business card includes the story of “Jyothi,” who was forced into child labor at the age of 8. Jyothi said her mother, who was ill, wanted her to study, but the family couldn’t afford an education for her. Jyothi said when she was 10, she was “rescued by the Don Bosco fathers,” who offered her constant support.

Jyothi was able to enroll in school and eventually complete her master’s degree in social work. She credits the Don Bosco fathers for molding her into the person she is today.

According to the Salesians website, the Salesians are a family of men and women founded by a Catholic priest, Fr. John Bosco, which, in Italian, translates to Don Bosco. Bosco began his work in Turin, Italy, in the mid-1800s by gathering poor boys and young men who had no place to live and little education. He established a place called an oratory where these young people could gather and call their home.

Don Bosco died in 1888 and was canonized a saint in 1934. Since then, his Salesian Society has been known as the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Source: Times Leader