It was way back in the year 1946 that the Salesians of Don Bosco first landed in Goa with the arrival of three Italian pioneers, late Rev Fr Vincent Scuderi (the founder), late Rev Fr Joseph Carreno (the builder) and late Rev Fr Joseph Moja. Today, 75 years later, as one looks back, one can only thank God for bringing the Salesians to Goa where they have created an indelible impact on the lives of the youth, the poor and the marginalized.
No one will ever know what Fr Scuderi dreamt on that night he arrived at Panjim, April 4, 1946. I wonder whether he envisaged the extent that the Salesian work would spread all around Goa. It is said that the very next day of his arrival, he enthusiastically pumped his football which he had bought in Bombay and began bouncing it in front of the house. Boys came readily to play and with the few Portuguese words he knew, he began an Oratory. With the help of Br Cajetan Lobo and local help, he then began a Portuguese Primary school. To overcome his dilemma as to how to get across their activities to the people, Fr Scuderi started a monthly magazine or bulletin called Oratorio Salesiano and a weekly in Konkani called Aitarachem Vachop.
Yet, the first mission of the Salesians was to acquire land so that they could build an Oratory for their activities with the youth, a Shrine and a school. With the help of government authorities, they acquired around 40,000 sq. mts of land in Panjim where presently stands a beautiful Shrine, a magnificent school, a college building, an Oratory, and sprawling playgrounds. The Chapel in honour of Our Lady of Fatima was built in 1949, however, it was to be in 1972 that the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima was built in the Gothic style and the Italian design. This year, it completes 50 years since its inception. The English school of Don Bosco, Panjim was inaugurated in June 1947 with 36 students and three teachers. Fr Moja was the Headmaster. In 1970, the night school was started and finding the necessity for a higher secondary school, the Higher Secondary Junior College commenced in the year 1995. In 2001, the BCA course was started and in 2004, the BPEd course was also introduced. Today, the college also boasts of BBA, BBA (T&T), BAMC and BSW/MSW courses.
From Panjim, the Salesians moved to other areas within Goa. In 1962, a farm school and boarding at Sulcorna were started. Then in 1973, a technical school, Mass Centre and an Oratory were started at Fatorda. Today, it has an engineering college with four streams running successfully.
Later in 1987, a prominent Mass Centre began for the people at Odxel. Besides work for the youth of the village, there was a house for retreats and animations by the Odxel Beach. This was besides the animation centre and youth centre at Benaulim in the same year. Today, the Provincial house stands tall at Odxel. Further, in 1990, a parish, school and boarding were established at Tuem. And in the year 1994, at Loutulim, the Don Bosco Technical Institute where trades of steel fabrication, carpentry and electric repairs are imparted, came into existence.
In 2004, a Vice Province was formed, which in 2007, became the full-fledged Province of Panjim (Konkan). Presently, the Province comprises two houses in Maharashtra, ten houses in Goa and six houses in Karnataka. Institutes that cater as schools, higher secondary, colleges, open schools, animation centres, technical centres, youth centres, village development programmes, agricultural training college and counselling centres.
If one looks back, Don Bosco, Odxel was just a hut which was used as a picnic spot for the boarders and confreres of Panjim, while the land at Don Bosco, Sulcorna was a dense jungle. It took the Herculean efforts of the Salesians to change these places to what they are today.
The entrepreneurship of Rev Fr Scuderi who started only with his barracks, a dilapidated bicycle and a typewriter – coupled with the stentorian and dedicated efforts of the band that followed him in Goa, has no doubt sown the seeds of a rich harvest. Yet, if one goes back through time, the fact remains that people’s enthusiasm and support in accepting the Salesian’s works played an equally great role in helping them reach where they are today.
On September 6, to commemorate the completion of 75 years (Diamond Jubilee) of Salesian presence in Goa, 75 years of the school at Panjim and 50 years for the Shrine at Panjim, a Mass will be held which will be celebrated by the successor of Don Bosco and the Rector Major of the Congregation, Rev Fr Angel Fernandez Artime. The following day will be the installation ceremony of Rev Fr Clive Telles as the fourth Provincial of the Panjim Province. He takes over from Fr Felix Fernandes, who served a six-year term as the Provincial of the Panjim-Konkan Province. Fr Clive, presently Principal of DBHSS, Panjim, has served as the Vice Provincial for the last three years. This is certainly a moment of pride and joy for all the students, faculty, alumni and supporters of Don Bosco institutions across Goa.
