In the Spirit of Don Bosco: Building a Culture of Vocations

-Ms Jancy Dharamraj

“Do your duty today and trust God for tomorrow.”
— St. John Bosco

The Vocation Team Meet 2026 was held at Don Bosco, Lonavala, on 22nd and 23rd August 2026. Don Bosco High School, Matunga, was represented by Fr. Godfrey, Rector; Bro. Savio D'Mello; and teachers Ms. Jancy Dharamraj, Ms. Raveena D'Souza, Ms. Divya Immanuel and Ms. Natasha D'Souza. The two-day meet brought together Salesian priests, brothers and lay collaborators to reflect on the important task of helping young people discover and respond to God's call in their lives.

The first day began with a session on “Building the Church Together” by Fr. Mylin. He emphasised that the mission belongs to God and that priests, brothers, religious and lay collaborators are all called to work together. Drawing inspiration from St. John Bosco, the participants reflected on how different people, with different gifts and responsibilities, can collaborate in one mission, especially in serving and accompanying young people.

The sessions also focused on vocation promotion and the importance of helping young people discern God's will for their lives. Participants were reminded that vocation promotion is not about recruiting or manufacturing vocations, but about noticing, encouraging and accompanying young people. The lives of Bartholomew Garelli, Michael Magone and Francis Besucco showed how every youngster is unique and may possess different gifts and potential. We were encouraged to look beyond behaviour and appearances and recognise the seeds of goodness and vocation present in every young person.

A key message was that a vocation is like a seed that needs time, care and accompaniment to grow. The important question is not simply whether a boy wants to become a priest, but whether he is open to God and willing to grow. Prayer, friendship, generosity, openness to formation and a desire to serve others are some signs that can help educators and mentors accompany young people in their journey of discernment.

The second day began with the Holy Eucharist and was followed by a talk by the Provincial. He stressed that promoting vocations means creating a strong vocational environment where young people can discover God's plan for their lives. Every vocation is valuable, whether to priesthood, consecrated life or committed lay service. The participants were encouraged to help young people become generous, compassionate, grateful and ready to serve. A powerful message shared was that vocation is not a career, but a calling from God to fulfil His will.

An important session was conducted by Fr. Velasali and Bro. Royston, who presented the Five-Point Programme for Building a Culture of Vocations. The programme encouraged all Salesian institutions to focus on five simple and practical areas: Pray, Invite, Teach, Celebrate and Collaborate.

Pray encouraged regular prayers, Eucharistic Adoration and Rosary intentions for vocations. Invite stressed the importance of personally approaching and encouraging young people who may show vocational potential. Teach focused on helping students understand vocation, Salesian spirituality and the life and mission of St. John Bosco. Celebrate encouraged joyful participation in vocation-related events and celebrations. Finally, Collaborate highlighted the need for priests, brothers, teachers, parents and lay collaborators to work together and personally accompany young people in their journey.

One of the highlights of the meet was the beautiful night programme presented by the boys of Don Bosco, Lonavala. It was a wonderful and memorable programme, reflecting a great deal of hard work and preparation by Fr. Avil and the boys. The energetic and meaningful performances brought great joy to the gathering and beautifully reflected the spirit of the Salesian family, unity and shared mission.

Overall, the Vocation Team Meet 2026 was an enriching and inspiring experience. It renewed our commitment to notice, encourage and accompany young people as they discover God's plan for their lives and to work together, in the spirit of Don Bosco, to build a vibrant Culture of Vocations.

“Together we build a Culture of Vocations!”

“Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
— Matthew 9:38