Annual Spiritual Retreat Begins at Provincial House, Panbazar

The Annual Spiritual Retreat of the Province commenced on 8 December 2025 at the Provincial House, Panbazar, gathering Salesians from across the Province for a week of spiritual renewal. The retreat, held from 8 – 14 December 2025, is centered on the theme “Journey of Growth with Don Bosco.” The preacher for this year’s retreat is Rev. Fr. Roy Antony Parackal SDB, who opened the retreat with a profound introductory talk on the life and mission of Don Bosco.

In his opening address, Fr. Roy invited the participants to rediscover Don Bosco not merely through anecdotes but by entering into the inner world of the Saint—his motivations, convictions, struggles, and spiritual depth. Quoting St. Pope Paul VI, who called Don Bosco “a giant of a saint,” Fr. Roy posed the fundamental question: What made Don Bosco the saint he became? He emphasized that Don Bosco was not a “born saint” but one who grew gradually, allowing grace and life experiences to shape him into a model of holiness.

Drawing from The Memoirs of the Oratory, which Don Bosco wrote between 1873 and 1878, Fr. Roy described the text as the “jewel of Salesian literature,” offering not simply a biography but a spiritual testament meant for his Salesian sons. Don Bosco himself insisted that the Memoirs were written to show how God guided every step of his mission, to offer lessons for future challenges, and to reveal the heart of a father who loved his sons deeply.

Fr. Roy further contextualized Don Bosco’s mission within the major socio-political currents of 19^th century Italy, the Restoration, the Risorgimento, the Church – State conflict, the Industrial Revolution, and the mass migration of poor youth to cities like Turin. These forces shaped the world in which Don Bosco lived and moved, highlighting the urgency and relevance of his mission to the “poor and abandoned” young people.

He described Turin of Don Bosco’s time as a city overflowing with struggling youth, orphans, migrant workers, factory children, and apprentices working long hours under harsh conditions. It was in this challenging environment that Don Bosco’s Oratory took root, becoming a haven of faith, education, and hope.

Reflecting on Don Bosco’s personal qualities, Fr. Roy highlighted his deeply human yet profoundly spiritual nature, his capacity to learn from every life experience, and his unwavering tenacity. From his childhood dreams and the early death of his father to his priestly formation under Fr. Cafasso, Don Bosco allowed every moment to mold him into a shepherd of the young.

Fr. Roy concluded by reminding the participants that saints are not born but made through daily fidelity, openness to grace, perseverance in trials, and wholehearted dedication to God. As the Salesians embark on this week-long retreat, he invited them to walk with Don Bosco, grow as he grew, and emerge renewed in spirit and mission.

The Annual Spiritual Retreat continues through the week with moments of prayer, silence, reflection, and deepening of the Salesian charism.