The Annual Retreat for brothers preparing for the Perpetual Profession and the Renewal of Religious Vows commenced on the evening of 17 May 2026 at the Provincial House, Panbazar, Guwahati. The retreat, themed “Remain in My Love” (John 15:9), is being preached by Rev. Fr. Kuriala Chittattukalam, SDB, and has brought together Salesians for days of prayer, reflection, silence, and spiritual renewal.

During the Goodnight Talk, Rev. Fr. Sebastian Kuricheal, SDB, Provincial of the Salesian Province of Mary Help of Christians, Guwahati, emphasized the importance of cultivating true inner silence in order to encounter God meaningfully during the retreat.

Fr. Sebastian explained that silence is not merely external but must also be interior. “Outwardly we may remain silent, but if our minds are preoccupied with many things, we will never be able to listen to the voice of God or understand what the preacher is telling us,” he said. He exhorted the brothers to maintain the spirit of silence throughout the retreat so that they may listen attentively to God and understand themselves more deeply.

The Provincial strongly encouraged the retreatants to avoid the use of mobile phones during the retreat days. He pointed out that constant attachment to mobile devices easily distracts the mind and prevents recollection and prayer.

“There is always a tendency to browse the mobile and remain connected with what is happening outside. We need to shut ourselves from these distractions and focus our minds on ourselves and on God,” he remarked. He requested the brothers to hand over their mobile phones to the Vice-Provincial for safekeeping during the retreat, assuring them that any emergency communication could still be managed through the community.

Calling the retreat “an opportune moment of intense silence and intense prayer,” he reminded the participants that these five days are meant to help them become better persons and deepen their encounter with the Lord amidst their studies and apostolic activities.

The Provincial also reflected on the approaching Feast of Pentecost and the Feast of Mary Help of Christians, highlighting the deep Marian devotion of Don Bosco. He recalled how Don Bosco always attributed all his achievements to Mary Help of Christians and pointed to Mary’s total surrender to the will of God as a model for every religious.

“One striking aspect of Mary’s life is her total availability to God’s plan. From the beginning until the end, she always said ‘yes’ to God,” Fr. Sebastian said. He encouraged the brothers preparing for their profession and renewal of vows to imitate Mary’s openness, surrender, and readiness for God’s mission.

“We too, through our religious profession, have said ‘yes’ to God and we continually renew that yes by making ourselves available to God’s work and mission,” he added.

Encouraging the retreatants to use the retreat as a time of personal reflection, the Provincial invited them to examine whether they are truly following God’s ways or merely pursuing their own plans. “If we seek our own ways, we may not succeed. But if we seek God’s ways and God’s plan in our lives, we will truly become successful,” he said.

He concluded by urging the brothers to seek the intercession and guidance of Mary Help of Christians during the days of retreat and the ongoing novena in preparation for her feast, so that they may grow into worthy followers of Christ in the spirit of Don Bosco.