Baroda views Don Bosco’s relic

On Friday, devotees in Baroda had the privilege of praying at the relic (body remains) of St Don Bosco, one of the best known saints of the Catholic Church who is very popular in India. Three bishops of Gujarat -- Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes (Gandhinagar), Bishop Thomas Macwan (Ahmedabad) and Bishop Godfrey de Rozario (Baroda) presided over the ceremonies.

The relic will be in India till November, on its journey to 130 countries across the world which will continue up to 2015, the year Don Bosco was born, when it will return to Turin, Italy, the place of his birth.

Don Bosco (1815-1888) was an Italian priest, educator and writer who dedicated his life to the betterment and education of street children, juvenile delinquents and other disadvantaged youth and employed teaching methods based on kindness rather than punishment, a method that is known as the preventive system.

He founded the Salesian Mission which is involved in both formal and informal education, the Salesian Sisters, the religious congregation of nuns dedicated to the care and education of poor girls and the Salesian Cooperators, who work in primary and secondary schools, professional and technical colleges and universities, hostels and university residences, oratories and youth centres, parishes and mission, reception centres of various kinds and specialised projects for youngsters in difficulties.