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BOSCO is an acronym for "BANGALORE ONIYAVARA SEVA COOTA"
- "the Organization of those who serve on the streets of Bangalore", or literally - "the Association of those who serve youngsters on the streets of Bangalore". The Salesians of Don Bosco have three centres of this kind, viz. Bosco Yuvakendra, D-23, 1st Cross, Magadi Road, Bangalore 560 023, Phone: 3359486; Bosco Yuvodaya, 91, B Street, 6th Cross, Gandhinagar, Bangalore 560 009, Phone: 2253392 ; Bosco Mane, 242, 4th Main, Chamarajpet, Bangalore 560 018, Phone: 624138.
These Centres care for those youngsters who dared challenge the status quo - youngsters who, on account of the callousness of their drunken parents or the vicissitudes of fate, have left their homes. After having taken the plunge to earn and to grow on their own, they often end up in a hotbed of problems: unbridled freedom, newly-found peer group gangs as a substitute for their families, and the `glorious attractions of city life'. With their roots cut, their addresses lost and family ties broken, they are on their own. They pride themselves on being earners - scrap collectors, rag-pickers, coolies, hotel boys, shoe-shines, call them what you will. They earn their daily bread, their daily entertainment and occasionally maintain their dear ones far away.
These BOSCO Centres venture into new areas, uncharted activities and innovative interventions on behalf of these disadvantaged youth. Their programmes include: contacting these youngsters, their placement, counselling, programmes for drug addicts etc.
The methodology followed aims at exploiting all the forces available in this sector including lay collaborators and the youth force. Consequently, the BOSCO staff team has on its role members of all sorts - heads of leading institutions, the street youth themselves, learned professionals and committed adults, fully honorary staff and as well as part-time volunteers and paid staff.
The origins of Kristu Jyoti College, the Studentate of Theology of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Bangalore, date back to 26th October 1967, when His Eminence Cardinal D.S. Lourdusamy D.D., the then Archbishop of Bangalore, blessed the College building in the presence of Fr. Aloysius Ricceri, the then Rector Major of the Salesians on 24th February 1968, thereby officially inaugurating the College.
The College serves students belonging to the different Salesian provinces of India, as also the students of the Order of St. Benedict (Sylvestrine), the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts, and the Congregation of the Passion. It has been affiliated since 1981 to the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Salesian University, Rome, conferring the Bachelor's Degree in Theology (B.Th.). With a view to a more qualified service to the Church in India, Kristu Jyoti initiated in 1992 - the year of the Silver Jubilee of its foundation - the experimental stage of the Second Cycle of theology studies, by offering a two year course in Youth Ministry and Catechetics at the level of the Master's Degree. Since 1995, the College has been aggregated to the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Salesian University, Rome, and offers a Master's Degree in Theology ( M.Th.), with specialization in Youth Ministry and Catechetics.
The College has a well-equipped Department of Youth Ministry and Catechetics. It aims at qualifying the students of theology, as well as others, in the fields of Youth Ministry, Catechetics and Communication. It also offers audio-visual programmes in the above and other fields. Since 1984 this Department has been offering a seven-month Diploma Course in Catechetics and Youth Ministry . The College began subsequently offering also a three-month Certificate Course in Theology , primarily as a feeder course of theological initiation for those wishing to participate in the Catechetical course - for which a basic knowledge of theology is an essential requirement . As a further response to a pressing need, the College has initiated a two year course in Philosophy from June 1996. The College has a well-equipped library with around 45,000 volumes which has been computerized. Provision has been made for its progressive expansion . The Students' Council ensures the effective and responsible participation of the students in the educative process. It is a body of representatives, directly elected by the students, which acts as the liaison between the students and the staff.
The College is a member of Inter-Sem and through this organization maintains friendly and educative contacts with the members of the other seminaries in Bangalore. The College publishes a Journal, "Kristu Jyoti"- a quarterly with a three-fold orientation : youth pastoral, theological and catechetical. In keeping with the charism of the Salesian Congregation, the Journal focuses its attention on youth. Various aspects of the Christian faith and their bearing on the life of young people are studied. Practical suggestions are offered on the methodologies to be adopted in presenting the Christian faith to young people in a relevant manner . The College also publishes "Bosco Udayam", a periodical which has the aim of building up communication among the Salesians of Asia and interpreting the spirituality of St. John Bosco in the light of the problems and possibilities of modern Asia with special attention to its youth. The College has a publishing centre of its own, "Kristu Jyoti Publications", which manages the journals and publishes books authored by the staff.
The Church pays special attention to the formation of her priests. Church directives require of priests a minimum of four years devoted to an intense and specifically priestly formation. These directives are implemented here at this College, with particular stress on the Salesian dimension.
A programme of Theology involves far more than mere intellectual assimilation and reflection. Among other things, it calls for the formulation of projects of pastoral action involving practical strategies pertaining to processes, methods, verification and rectification, all in the light of the Gospel and the signs of the times. In view of this , the students, through the communities to which they belong, are involved in a carefully programmed and guided pastoral experience as an essential part of their theological formation. It is the goal of Kristu Jyoti College to realize the formation of priests for India by integrating intellectual formation with spiritual growth and pastoral effectiveness.
President
Fr. Joaquim D'Souza, Regional Councillor for Australasia, Direzione Generale Opero Don Bosco, Via della Pisana 1111, C.P. 18333, 00163 Roma- Aurelio, Italy Ph: (00396) 6561 - 25 247, 26 85, 23 48
Members
Fr. Tony D'Souza - INB, Don Bosco Provincial House, Post Bag 16637, Matunga, Mumbai 400 019 e-mail: inb.dbph@axcess.net.in (Provincial Office), & peter.gonsalves@gems.vsnl.net.in - Tej-prasarini Communications Ph: (022) 414- 5223, 5230, 416- 3738, Fax: (009122) 4145226
Fr. Thomas Polackal - INC, Provincial House, Salesians of Don Bosco, 52 A Radhanath Choudhury Road, Calcutta 700 015 e-mail dbph.dbc@axcess.net.in Ph: (033) 244- 7851, 7972 Fax: (009133) 245 2144
Fr. Varghese Palathingal -IND, Salesian Provincial House, Don Bosco P.B. 40, Dimapur 797 112 Ph: (03862) 25590, 20479, 25704 Fax: 009113862 25350
Fr. Dominic Jala - ING, Provincial Office - Don Bosco, Guwahati 781001 Ph: (0361 510411, 546162, 510458 Fax: (0091361) 522822
Fr. Benjamin Puthota _ INH, Don Bosco Provincial House, Bosco Nagar, Himayatsagar Road, Kismatpur P.O. Hyderabad 500 030 Ph: (040) 257076, 257075, 257863, Pax: (009140) 246616 e-mail: DBPH@dbinh.uunet.in
Fr. Thomas Myladoor - INK, Salesian Provincial House, Don Bosco, 75 North Road, Bangalore 560 084 Ph: (080) 5463149, 5474958, 5461929, 5466759, 5461925, 5462492 Fax: (009180) 5474958 e-mail: salesians.donbosco@gems.vsnl.in & sdbph@ink.uunet.in
Fr. Francis Camillus Fernando - INM, The Citadel, 18 Landons Road, Madras 600010 Ph: (044) 641- 1310, 2124, 2125, 1723 Fax: (009144) 6411310
e-Mail: sdb.inm@xlweb.com
The above information is dated as of October 1996, and may change from time to time.
The Salesians help out at the Parish of St. Partrick's Church, Bangalore, and conduct all the Youth activities. Preparation of the Children for Confirmation by conducting classes with the help of some of the Parishioners.
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