(Sacred Heart College, Tirupathur) – For the first time in the history of the Salesian Province of Chennai (INM), Salesians holding doctoral degrees in theological and secular disciplines gathered for a collective academic reflection, marking a significant milestone in the province’s intellectual and pastoral journey. The Scholars Meet was held at Sacred Heart College (Autonomous), Tirupattur, as part of the college’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Gravissimum Educationis, the Church’s landmark document on Christian education.
The one-day meeting was jointly organised by the Bosco Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Public Theology (BIRCPT) and the Department of Life Education. It brought together 41 Salesian scholars, including two from the Tiruchy Province (INT) currently serving in INM, despite their diverse academic and pastoral commitments. At present, the Chennai Province counts 79 Salesians with doctoral qualifications, including nine currently pursuing doctoral studies—possibly the highest number per province in the Salesian world.
The programme began at the Thanthai Periyar Hall with a prayer song rendered by students of the Department of Psychology. Welcoming the gathering, Fr. Praveen Peter, Secretary and Rector, highlighted the significance of the dual commemoration and expressed appreciation for the presence of the Provincial, Vice Provincial, scholars, speakers, and coordinators.
The first session featured a Roundtable Conference on the “Goal of Higher Education.” Fr. Maria Arokiam Kanaga presented reflections on the orientations of Pope Leo XIV, describing Drawing New Maps of Hope as both a commemoration and a prophetic summons. Sixty years after Gravissimum Educationis, he noted, the Church is called to rebuild an educational culture that forms individuals who are wise, compassionate, free, and open to God. He emphasised that education is not merely an institutional responsibility but a spiritual journey capable of renewing humanity’s trust in the future.
In the second presentation, Fr. Antonyraj Chinnappan outlined the establishment and growth of the Department of Life Education at Sacred Heart College since 2018. He underscored Life Education as an effective means of transforming young people’s thoughts, attitudes, and behaviour, particularly when taught through problem-solving and activity-based methods. He advocated for a systematic Life Education programme across Salesian schools and colleges.
Building on these insights, Fr. Francis Vincent A. proposed further development towards Life-and-Death Education, inspired by the Taiwanese model. He described it as an interdisciplinary field integrating philosophical, religious, psychological, sociocultural, ecological, and biological perspectives to address existential questions, grief, spiritual growth, and life wisdom. He suggested that Life-and-Death Education represents the very essence of the educational process.
The Roundtable was followed by Focus Group Discussions, where participants worked in four interdisciplinary groups to explore how their research and specialisations could contribute to youth development and human well-being. The sessions and subsequent assembly sharing were coordinated by Vice Provincial Fr. John Alexander, Fr. Pathiaraj Rayappan, and Fr. Emmanuel Maddhichetty.
Concluding the Meet, Provincial Fr. Don Bosco Lourdusamy emphasised the relevance of bringing together the diverse expertise of Salesian scholars to design more incisive and contextually responsive strategies for the Salesian educational mission amid today’s complex youth realities.
Source: Don Bosco South Asia