Two young Salesians from India are preparing to come to our province as missionaries. They are due to arrive on Monday 28th September 2009.

Fr Cyril Edamana (33) from the Bangalore Province, and Br Jayaraj Mari Arulappan (31) from the Madras (Chennai) Province, spent a month with other missionaries in Rome and Turin as part of the 140th Salesian Missionary Expedition. On Sunday 27th September, in a group of nearly sixty Salesians, Salesian Sisters and lay volunteers, they receive their missionary crosses from the Rector Major in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians.

Fr Cyril (left) with Br Jayaraj in Valdocco, Turin

For many decades Salesian missionaries from the GBR province have been sent to other countries in Africa, India, South America and the Far East. Some died abroad or have now returned, but others are still active in Hong Kong, South Africa, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Tunisia and Brazil, among others. Meanwhile the Church has flourished in these mission countries. There are ten Salesian provinces in India, with well over two thousand Salesians, and it is a source of great joy that their generosity will help to bring new life to the provinces of Europe and our own in particular.

Fr Cyril Edamana will be going to our Battersea community in London and will be involved in pastoral work in the Sacred Heart Parish and Salesian College. Br Jayaraj will be going to Savio House to join our youth retreat team, before continuing with his studies in preparation for priestly ordination.

You can read more about the 140th Missionary Expedition on the web site of the Salesian News Agency (ANS). You will also find there a link to the live broadcast of the Mass and the presentation of the missionary crosses.