(ANS - Utrail)- On 25 July at Utrail in Bangladesh, Fr Guillermo Basañes, General Councillor for the Missions presided at the opening of a Youth Centre which will offer young people a variety of training programmes.

  
Fr Basañes, arrived in Bangladesh on 24 July for a missionary animation tour accompanied by Fr Joseph Anikuzhikattil SDB, a member of the Missions Department.

The Youth Centre has about a hundred registered members, but many more participate spontaneously in its activities. The Salesians are hoping that the number will grow after the opening of the new building.  On Sundays about 300 young people attending the centre for activities at the Oratory.

After the opening ceremony, Fr Basañes said, "25 July 2014 is a red letter day in the history of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Today something small is born. The college is already in existence,  and likewise the parish, but today we have made ​​a significant contributionto the Church in Bangladesh. We must look after this newborn creature and help it to grow."

"Salesian work began with youth centres. Then came schools and parishes, fruit of the youth centres. Unfortunately, in our institutions we have lost our focus and the youth centres have become an appendix for Sunday afternoon. It is our hope that the Salesians be fully engaged in the education of young people through structures of this kind."

Fr Basañes congratulated the Rector of the community and the Salesians for the service they are giving in Bangladesh and in particular for making this Don Bosco Centre possible.

Upon his arrival Fr Basañes met the Salesian pre-novices and aspirants, and also visited some mission stations. "This is my first visit to Asia and I am happy to have started in Bangladesh."  He quoted Pope Francis and GC27, which urges us to go to the peripheries, when he said, "Bangladesh is truly on the periphery and my visit here is very significant.”

Posted on 28/07/2014