(ANS – Mumbai) – Nearly 4,000 children, youth and adults from all faiths came to witness the Bicentenary celebration of St John Bosco`s birth at the Don Bosco Shrine Grounds, Matunga, on 31 January. Towards the end of the Eucharistic Celebration His Eminence Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai launched the book entitled “Exploring Salesian Life Today” by Chrys Saldanha.

by Fr. Joaquim Fernandes

Fr Chrys Saldhana, SDB speaking during the book launch thanked Fr. Godfrey D`Souza, SDB the Provincial of Mumbai Province. He thanked Fr. Joaquim Fernandes, SDB, Director of Tej-Prasarini, Don Bosco Communications for publishing the book with his professional and competent team. He emphasised that this book deals with a broad spectrum of topics connected with the life and work of the Salesians of Don Bosco, such as life of contemplation in prayer, ongoing formation, vocation ministry, responsibility in the ethical use of the media, building community and youth ministry.

It also contains a few topics that are professedly Salesian, like the spirituality and educative method of Don Bosco, Salesian consecrated life in its two forms of Salesian priest and Salesian brother, the Salesian Superior and the Salesian Family. Each topic is a synthesis and therefore can be expanded or developed in a variety of ways.

Ms Chrisann Misquitta meticulously edited the book. The illustrations were conceptualised by Mr Gilbert D`Souza and Mrs Shalini D`Souza and the typeset and design layout was co-ordinated by Mrs Surekha Gangurde. The Art Director, Mr William Fernandes, designed the cover and printed the book at Intouch Graphics printing press. The book has been published by Tej-Prasarini, Don Bosco Communications, a unit of the Bombay Salesians Society.

Chrys Saldanha the author of the book is an alumni of Don Bosco High School, Matunga, Mumbai. He obtained his Baccalaureate and Licententiate in Theology at the Salesian Pontifical University, Rome, and on his return to India he taught Theology at Kristu Jyoti College, Bengaluru. Later, he did his doctoral studies at Maynooth, Ireland.  From 1982-1990, he was the Provincial of Mumbai. For the past 17 years he has been a member of the Formation Department of the Salesian Congregation in Rome.

Published 04/02/2015