Students from St John Bosco College Battersea went to India during half term with their Head Mr Paul Dunne and staff. The students are part of the 6th Form Don Bosco Ashalayam group, which supports and makes connections with the project in Kolkata. 

On Sunday, Fr Andrew celebrated Mass at Auxillium Parish Church, Kolkata, which was a beautiful way to celebrate his birthday. The group spent time with the children and young people at Don Bosco Ashalayam and shared gifts with them, and also visited the Green Wave Centre for Visual Arts, where they met young artists and admired their work.

 

Their busy schedule in Kolkata included a trip to Don Bosco School to meet the pupils and headteacher Fr Bikash, and a very special visit to St Mother Teresa's house in Kolkata - the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity, where the saint is buried.

 

 

Before leaving Kolkata, the group visited the Jewish school for girls, and enjoyed and a special tea party.

 

The week closed with a journey north to Sonada in Darjeeling, where they met Fr George and Fr CM Paul at Salesian College, and saw Radio Salesian 90.8 in action. This project, known as 'The Voice of the Hills', is a community web radio station set up by the Salesians in 2016.

 

We hope to hear more soon from the students about their impressions of the visit.

 

Info and photos:  Maria Budzynska