"Put Christ at the Heart of the Mission"

“Put Christ at the Heart of the Mission”

Rector Major’s Challenge to Salesians

(ANS – Dhaka, Bangladesh – October 12, 2026) – Following his visit to Japan, Fr. Fabio Attard, arrived in Bangladesh at dawn on October 9 for his first visit to the country. The visit marks an important milestone for the Salesian mission in the country, which began 15 years ago. He was welcomed at Dhaka airport by Fr. Sunil Kerketta, superior of the Calcutta Province, and Fr. Francis Alencherry, head of the mission in Bangladesh.

“What is God asking of me?”

Among his first meetings were those with aspirants and prenovices, with members of the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA), and with Salesian Cooperators. To the young people on their vocational journey, the Rector Major reminded them that a vocation is first and foremost a response to God’s will and not merely a personal choice. He invited them to discern what the Lord is asking of them, to be faithful to their daily duties, and to look to St. Dominic Savio, who made holiness the goal of his life. Holiness, he explained, grows through fidelity to ordinary life, and personal witness can inspire other young people to a life of faith and commitment. He proposed 2 questions for discernment: “What is God asking of me?” and how one might personally decide to become one with Jesus.

“For the Lord or with the Lord?”

Fr. Fabio Attard asked the Salesians gathered at Don Bosco Moushair to deepen their relationship with Christ, strengthen community life, and renew their commitment to the poor and young people. A personal relationship with Christ, he said, remains the foundation of religious life and missionary commitment. He invited them to examine their lives of prayer, meditation, and daily ministry, posing the question: “Are we working for the Lord or with the Lord?” He also emphasized the primacy of God in one’s vocation and the value of the vows as a path of self-giving. The reduced number of religious, he added, is not a limitation as long as they remain faithful to their prophetic mission and close to the people they serve.

Close to the poor and to lay collaborators

Fr. Attard presented community life as an essential dimension of Salesian identity and witness, not merely as an organizational necessity. He urged the communities to remain close to the poor, avoiding complacency or detachment from the reality of those they serve. He also recalled the importance of ongoing formation beyond the initial stages and invited the Salesians to accompany and support their lay collaborators, whose contribution to the educational and pastoral mission is invaluable.

Welcoming, growth, and example

During Mass, the Rector Major highlighted 3 dimensions of the Salesian mission: creating a welcoming home where young people feel accepted, helping them to grow as responsible and good people, and inspiring them in turn to guide others along the same path. Referring to Don Bosco and Mama Margaret, he explained that welcome is the starting point of education. He added that the power of personal example is decisive: small gestures of kindness, encouragement, and support are concrete expressions of the Gospel and can inspire others to lead a more generous and service-oriented life.

The Salesian presence in Bangladesh

The Salesian presence in Bangladesh comprises 19 Salesians: 10 local, 5 Indian, 2 Vietnamese, 1 African, and 1 Polish. Six Salesians are serving outside the mission territory. The first Bangladeshi Salesian priest was Fr. Victor Mankhin, followed by Fr. Johny Ruram and Fr. Sentu Lawrence Biswas. Two deacons, Ankur Boiragi and Dip Dinesh, are awaiting priestly ordination.