Visit of Rev. Fr. Miguel Angel, Garcia Morcuende, the General Councillor for Youth Ministry to INK province

The week that just passed by was a period of great joy for the Sacred Heart province of Bangalore as Rev. Fr. Miguel Angel Garcia Morcuende SDB, the general councillor for Youth Ministry made his maiden visit to the province from 5^th to 9^th March 2023. He was received with great warmth and hospitality by the Salesian communities of North Karnataka region like Bidar, Gulbarga, Yadgir and Hospet. He made use of this short visit to meet the Salesian confreres, lay collaborators and the beneficiaries of our mission and to interact with them. The representatives from various youth groups from the region of Karnataka came together and spent some time around Fr. Miguel Angel in Don Bosco Chitradurga. He also visited Don Bosco Tumkur and met the aspirants and the confreres. He had a grand reception at Bosco Bangalore and was greatly impressed by the ministry that the Salesians are carrying out on behalf of the poorest of the poor in the society. Fr. Miguel also found some time to visit and interact with both the salesians and the staff of the mission office and the office of the PDO of the province. He visited the provincial house on the evening of 8^th March and presided over the Eucharistic celebration which was followed by dinner with the neighbouring Salesian communities.  On 9th morning, he celebrated the holy Eucharist with the staff and students of Kristu Jyoti College and in the evening addressed the students of theology at KJC auditorium. In the afternoon at 3:30 pm he was the chief guest at the inaugural function of Don Bosco College, Bangalore, flanked by Rev. Fr. Biju Michael SDB, the regional councillor of South Asia, and by Fr. Jose Koyicakal SDB, the provincial of the Sacred Heart Province of Bangalore. In his inaugural address Fr. Miguel warmly exhorted the students of the college to see their chance to study in the Don Bosco College as a golden opportunity that will shape the destiny of their life. Trust and patience are required, he said, in order to make the best use of this opportunity. In the evening of the same day he concluded his visit to the province with a short visit to Visvadeep, the institute of Catechetics and Youth ministry. Throughout this animation visit Fr. Miguel emphasised the need to be Salesians with a heart of Jesus the good shepherd, for the young people. He exhorted the Salesians not to allow any forces to prevent them from going to the young people, especially to those most in need, with the overflowing paternity of Don Bosco.  As a province we are immensely grateful to Rev. Fr. Miguel Angel for his visit and for the energy and enthusiasm he has transmitted to the mission of Youth Ministry in our province.