Walking Together: A Synodal Journey with the Salesian Family in the Jubilee Year and Beyond

 

“When we forget our origins—the struggles, sacrifices, and vision of those who came before us—we risk losing our identity and mission.”

Introduction: Remembering Our Roots

On July 14, 2025, the first reading at Mass reminded us of a haunting reality: “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph” (Ex 1:8). In his homily, Fr. Francis Alencherry drew a profound connection to our own Salesian journey. Pharaoh’s ignorance of Joseph’s legacy led to fear and oppression of the Israelites. When we, too, forget our spiritual ancestors—Don Bosco, Mother Mazzarello, and the pioneering missionaries in our region—we risk falling into a similar pattern: fear, complacency, and disconnection from our original charism. He emphasized that forgetting our spiritual origins and the centrality of Christ, has the same dangerous effect on us.

As the Salesian Province of Kolkata (INC) enters its centenary phase, and as the global Church celebrates the Jubilee Year of 2025, this is a kairos moment—a graced time—to look both backward and forward. The story of our beginnings is not just nostalgia; it is a compass guiding us into the future. Our forebearers imparted invaluable lessons through struggle and sacrifice. To forget them is to risk drifting into fear, routine, and loss of purpose.

The vision of Don Bosco was not confined to 19th-century Turin. His dreams were global, missionary, and inclusive—centred on Christ, the young, and the Church. The General Chapter 29 (GC29) of the Salesian Congregation boldly affirms this by urging every Salesian and lay collaborator to walk together on a synodal journey—listening, discerning, and building community.

The Role of Leadership in Preserving Charism

Imagine Don Bosco’s early Oratory scene—a prototype of pedagogy and community.

Leadership is not merely about administration. It is, at its heart, about safeguarding the spirit and ensuring that institutions remain faithful to their original fire. This insight was powerfully reinforced with the recent appointment of Fr. Mauro Mantovani as the Rector of the Salesian Community at the Holy See (July 12, 2025). In his installation message, Fr. Fabio Attard emphasized three essential marks of leadership that apply equally across our province and works:

• Christocentrism: A Salesian community must shine with the light of Christ. We are not social workers or educators first—we are disciples. When Christ is at the center, our mission finds its true energy and direction.
• Relationship with Jesus: If our roots are not deep in personal prayer and love for Jesus, our works may become efficient but hollow. Without Jesus, our Preventive System loses its soul.
• Community as Family: In a world marked by fragmentation and loneliness, young people are not seeking perfection or performance—they are hungry for authenticity, for belonging. A Salesian home must be just that: a home.

These principles are not exclusive to Rome. They are just as urgent in our houses in Kolkata, Krishnagar, Siliguri, Bangladesh, Nepal and beyond. Whether a Rector with decades of service or a young priest entering leadership, we are all called to be animators of communion, upholding Don Bosco’s legacy and translating it into new contexts. Salesian leaders are called to build “bridges of fraternity and service” by upholding Don Bosco’s charism and responding creatively to emerging challenges.

Collaboration with the Laity: A Synodal Imperative

The Synodal Church envisioned by Pope Francis calls for a radical shift: from doing things for the people to doing things with them. This is not a new idea for us. Don Bosco always believed in partnership—be it with Mamma Margaret, the first Co-operators, or his early lay supporters. Collaboration is not just strategic—it is theological. Vatican II and subsequent Salesian directives have emphasized the partnership between religious and laity in mission. This synodal “walking together” echoes the early belief of Don Bosco.

Today, that same vision is bearing fruit through vibrant lay movements and structures within the Salesian Family:

• Salesian Co-operators carry the spirit of the Preventive System into homes, workplaces, and parishes. Their daily witness makes Don Bosco’s dream tangible.
• Past Pupils are the living fruits of Salesian education, now making a difference in society—as professionals, politicians, parents, and priests.
• Associations like ADMA, Savio Clubs, SYM, and Vincent de Paul groups are cultivating faith, service, and joy among the youth, creating new spaces of encounter with Jesus.
• Parish Pastoral Councils and Economic Commissions ensure shared governance and accountability, embodying the principle of subsidiarity and empowering the baptized laity to exercise their full dignity and responsibility.

This synergy between religious and laypersons is not optional. It is a synodal necessity. It is the only way forward for our Province, especially as vocations among clergy decrease and the complexity of our mission grows. Lay formation, therefore, cannot be an afterthought. It must be at the heart of every Salesian institution. For a future Church with fewer clerical vocations and greater societal complexity, they are essential. Emphasizing lay formation and encouraging co-responsible leadership is crucial.

The Centenary Challenge: Renewing Our Mission

As we stand at the threshold of the 100th year of the Salesian Province of Kolkata (INC), it is a time not only for celebration but also for sincere examination  and intentional evaluation and commit to renewal. The spirit of a Jubilee is not triumphalism but teshuvah—a biblical return, a recommitment to the covenant.

Some urgent questions confront us:

• Are we faithfully transmitting Don Bosco’s charism to the next generation? Charism is not inherited automatically. It must be reinterpreted and re-owned by every new era. Are our schools, parishes, youth centres, and formation houses alive with Salesian passion and pedagogy?
• Are our structures and ministries still serving the poorest and most marginalized youth? Don Bosco’s preferential option was always for the abandoned and vulnerable. Have we become too institutional, too comfortable, too self-preserving? Where is the slum child, the tribal girl, the dropout boy, in our pastoral planning?
• How can we strengthen lay formation and leadership in our works? Formation is not just for novices and seminarians. Laypeople also need spaces for theological, spiritual, and leadership training—spaces that honour their vocation and equip them to co-lead the mission.

This centenary is a sacred challenge. It invites every Salesian house and work to look afresh at its vision, staffing, outreach, and effectiveness. This centenary is not simply a milestone—it is a mission calling. It demands review, prophetic choices, and courageous solidarity with those on the margins. It calls for both reform and revival—bold decisions, prophetic choices, and renewed solidarity with the poor.

The Spirituality of Walking Together

“Synodality” is not just a new buzzword. It is a spirituality—a way of being Church. Pope Francis describes it as “journeying together: laity, pastors, the Bishop of Rome” embracing shared mission and discernment. For the Salesian Family, this means rediscovering our identity as a people on the move—pilgrims and companions on a shared mission. GC29 embodied this through its structured working process—listening, discerning, proposing—across six commissions with intercultural participation.

Synodality demands listening—not only to the Holy Spirit but to each other. It requires letting go of clericalism and embracing shared discernment. It opens up space for voices from the margins: women, youth, lay leaders, persons with disabilities, and those from diverse cultures and faiths.

The Salesian way has always been communal and incarnational. From the Oratory of Valdocco to the schools of Siliguri, Nepal, Bangladesh, Krishnagar, hill institutions,  to the shelters in Kolkata, our strength has come from family spirit, from being among the people—not above them.

As Don Bosco once told his boys, “For you I study, for you I work, for you I live, and for you I am ready even to give my life” —this encapsulates the heart of synodal walking: humble, hopeful, and inclusive. That same pastoral heart must guide our journey today: humble, hopeful, synodal. We must recognize the voices of the margins—laywomen, youth, multicultural members, and those living on society’s peripheries—and truly listen.

Conclusion: A Future Built on Fraternity and Fidelity

In this Jubilee Year of 2025 and the centenary ahead, we embrace the Rector Major’s call: “Live your mission with passion and fidelity.” Passion invites us to dream anew; fidelity keeps us anchored to Christ and the charism. These twin beacons light our path forward. As we gather in various moments of community life—whether meetings, retreats, assemblies, or agape meals—let us do so not merely to organise events but to kindle communion.

As a Salesian Family—religious and lay, from youth councils to parish assemblies, from formation houses to mission fields—we recommit to the synodal journey. We plant ourselves firmly on the foundations laid in Turin—and at the oratory in Valdocco—but look ahead into the promise.

Passion means daring to dream again. Fidelity means remaining rooted in Christ and the charism. Together, they form the compass for our future.

The Jubilee Year 2025 is not the end of a journey—it is a new beginning. As we walk this synodal path—with the Salesian Family, with young people, with the Church universal—let us carry with us the memory of our founders, the courage of our predecessors, and the joy of the Gospel.

May Don Bosco, Mary Help of Christians, and all Salesian saints accompany us. May our unity, our shared mission, and our synodal way renew Don Bosco’s dream, transforming lives for generations to come.

"The Salesian Family does not walk alone. Together, in communion with the Church, we walk the path of renewal, fraternity, and mission—faithful to the dream that once began in a humble oratory in Turin, now blossoming across the world."

Bibliography

• Alencherry, Francis. Homily on Exodus 1:8 (July 14, 2025). Salesian Province of Kolkata, July 14, 2025.
• Attard, Fabio. Installation Address for Fr. Mauro Mantovani. Holy See Salesian Community, July 12, 2025.
• Bozzolo, Andrea, and Eunan McDonnell. "The Synodal Method in the General Chapter," Salesian Bulletin (Turin), March 4, 2025.
• Salesian Congregation. GC29: Working Document. South Asia Province. 2024.
• Salesian Congregation. "Chapter Members Working on the Three Core Themes of GC29." Salesian Bulletin, March 7, 2025.
• Salesian Congregation. "GC29: Walking Together with Unity and a Synodal Method." ANS – Turin, March 3, 2025.
• Vatican Council II. Lumen Gentium and Apostolicam Actuositatem. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1964.
• Vatican. “Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for Lent 2025: Let us journey together in hope.” February 6, 2025. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/lent/documents/20250206‑messaggio‑quaresima2025.html
• Vatican II. Gaudium et Spes. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1965.
• Vatican II. Gravissimum Educationis. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1965.

FROM DOUBT TO DEEP FAITH

The Touch that Transformed

Imagine that intimate, unforgettable scene in John’s Gospel (20:24–29):
The Risen Christ stands before His disciples, but Thomas was not there the first time. When the others tell him, he boldly says, “Unless I see… unless I touch… I will not believe.”

A week later, Jesus returns. He does not rebuke Thomas. Instead, with mercy and tenderness, He invites: “Put your finger here… stretch out your hand and touch…” And Thomas, overwhelmed by this grace, utters one of the greatest declarations of faith in all of Scripture: “My Lord and my God!”

This touch transformed his heart. It was not merely the physical contact, but the encounter with the living Christ—wounded, risen, real—that changed doubt into devotion, fear into faith, and a disciple into a missionary.

For us too, this image speaks. This one moment—this touch—is not just the image of one man’s conversion. It is the image of our human journey. Like Thomas, many of us need to see, touch, ask, think, and question. Jesus does not reject that. He gently leads Thomas from questioning to belief, from fear to faith, from doubt to mission. We are not scolded for our questions. Like Thomas, we are invited to seek, to touch, to believe. This scene is our story—a journey from distance to intimacy, from hesitation to conviction.

Faith That Sees Beyond

The life of St. Thomas, as seen in the Gospels, reveals a deeply human apostle—courageous in action, sincere in questioning, and committed to seeking truth. Among the apostles, he stands out for his bold willingness to die with Jesus saying, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him" (Jn 11:16), his honest openness in moments of uncertainty. It was St Thomas who had the simplicity and honesty to ask Jesus, "Master, we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?", and the Lord had responded "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life"(Jn 14:5).

Thomas insisted on personal encounter before belief in the Resurrection, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in His Hands and put my finger into His side, I will not believe" (Jn 20:25). Far from being merely a "doubter," Thomas reflects the spiritual journey of many—those who struggle, question, and long for authentic experience. His story consoles those with spiritual anxieties and inspires all to approach God with simplicity and conviction. Once his doubts were dispelled, he became a missionary of great zeal, travelling far to bear witness to Christ, ultimately laying down his life in martyrdom. In him, we find a model of faith that is tested, thoughtful, and transformative—a beacon for all who seek true commitment and certainty in following the Lord.

St. Thomas did not stay where it was comfortable. Thomas’ journey is the journey of India’s faith. He did not remain in comfort or stay back in Jerusalem. He dared to travel to faraway lands with courage, conviction and committment. He left Jerusalem, travelled far, and arrived on the shores of India—possibly in Kerala around AD 52. He brought the light of the Gospel to our soil, to our people. His message was not just about religion. It was about relationship—a faith that integrates truth, love, and life. He preached, healed, taught, baptized, and built up communities of faith—especially among Brahmins and others who were open to dialogue. Tradition tells us he was martyred in Mylapore, Chennai.

His was not a faith of easy slogans—it was a tested and thoughtful faith. His journey to India shows that authentic faith is never passive—it acts, it moves, it crosses borders—geographical, cultural, and spiritual.

Therefore, Thomas’ doubt was not weakness. It was the doorway to a deeper truth. His honest questions led him to the ultimate answer—Jesus Christ. And this shows us something powerful: Faith is not blind. It is a decision to trust what we have seen, what others have shown, and what the Spirit has revealed.

Besides, Faith is not private. It is shared. It builds community. It is like the body of Christ—the Church—a family, a house of unity where each member lives in faith and love, contributing to one another’s growth.

Thomas teaches us that faith has three dimensions:

• Seeing – recognizing Christ in the wounds of our people, in the poor, the broken, the marginalized.
• Judging – reflecting critically, asking questions, engaging with reason and tradition.

• Acting – courageously living out the Gospel in our own time, as witnesses of truth and love.  So did many missionary priests and nuns who followed in his steps 

 In today's India—a land rich in spirituality, pluralism, and paradox—Thomas' apostolate calls us to be Christians who are deeply rooted and widely open. Faith is not an escape from reality, but an engagement with it.

As Pope John Paul II reminded us: “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.” Thomas used both: he doubted, he questioned, and then he witnessed—even to the point of death.

His contribution to India is not merely historical but spiritual:

• He planted a Church that survived centuries.
• He modeled a faith that dialogues with culture.
• He exemplified a Church that respects differences and embraces truth.

In a time when religion is sometimes used to divide, Thomas calls us to a faith that unites—across castes, creeds, and communities. His journey mirrors the Indian spirit of seeking truth through openness, just like our sages, saints, and seekers—Gandhi, Nehru, Kesab Chandra Sen, Brahmabandhav Upadhaya, and many others—all who believed in truth through dialogue.

 “My Lord and My God” – A Cry of Wonder and Conviction

Thomas’ confession is not just doctrinal—it is emotional, existential, and intimate. He does not say, “You are the Lord” but “My Lord and My God!” It’s a cry from the heart—a cry of surrender, a cry of wonder. A sigh of awe. He saw, he touched, and then he believed. That is faith—not just accepting ideas, but encountering a Person—Jesus.

It is also a faith born from experience—not second-hand, not imposed. And that makes his profession even more powerful. Thomas needed to touch. And Christ allowed it. Why? Because faith does not mean ignoring our questions. It means being brave enough to bring them to Jesus. We may come with questions. We may come with wounds. But we are invited to touch the living Body of Christ—in the poor, in the broken, in the Church.

In India today, as young people face conflicting ideologies, as minorities face marginalization, as consumerism replaces contemplation, Thomas reminds us to seek authenticity—to say with conviction: “I believe, not because it is easy, but because I have encountered Christ in life.”

St. Thomas’ faith grew stronger through his doubts. So too, our own struggles can lead us to greater trust. This feast reminds us that faith is freedom—freedom to be, to believe, and to belong. Not blind belief, but a faith that is open, searching, and alive—in dialogue with others, like Gandhi or Nehru sought through interfaith understanding.

Let this be our cry too—in the midst of suffering, confusion, or joy:

“My Lord and My God!” A whisper of awe, a shout of faith, a sigh of wonder. Not blind obedience, but a faith that sees, thinks, and acts.

Concrete Applications in Our Indian Context:

 

1. Interfaith Dialogue: Like Thomas who came into a land of multiple beliefs, we are called to respect others while bearing witness to Christ’s love. Let us promote dialogue, not division—listening and learning from one another.
2. Faith and Reason: Encourage our youth to not fear questions. Use platforms like YCS/YSM (“See, Judge, Act”) to build critical, committed Christians—open-minded, but firm in faith.
3. Community Building: In a society fractured by caste and class, let us build the Church as a “spiritual sanctuary”—a home for all. Let each parish, each small Christian community, become a place where Christ is touched through love, service, and solidarity.
4. Faith as Public Witness: Faith is not private. Like Thomas, our witness must reach the streets, schools, and struggles of the people. In political, educational, and social spheres, let Christians be known not for fear, but for fearless love.

Conclusion:

Let us remember the the fearless and courageous young military man who refused to be a bartender because he was meant to serve the country, and stood firm in his convictions. He was misunderstood.  So too, St. Thomas was misunderstood—but Christ honoured his integrity and gave him a mission.

Let us be such Christians: not ashamed to ask, not afraid to act, and not hesitant to believe. Let us be inspired by Thomas, whose journey from fear to faith, from Jerusalem to India, gave birth to a Church that still lives in our hearts and lands today.

Help us echo your words each day—not with lips alone but with lives transformed by grace:

“My Lord and My God!”