"It is rare that men religious congregations partner in joint mission ventures," said the Vincentian Provincial, complimenting the example set by Kolkata Salesian Province in offering two facilities in India and Nepal to Vincentian mission efforts. Explaining the mission of the new joint venture, the Vincentian Provincial said, "In a climate vitiated with bad news and fake news, hate speech, and mob violence, it is mandatory that we become agents of love, good news, and promote harmony among people.”
The new initiative in India situated in the Babubasa locality of Siliguri, close to the Nepal border, called Vincentian Mission @ MGN, is under the care of Vincentian Fathers: Fr. Xavier and Fr. Cyril. The earlier joint mission venture was at Don Bosco Centre Dharan in East Nepal, where the Nepal Don Bosco Society began activities in 1992. In 2018, the Dharan Centre was offered to Vincentian Fathers.
Salesian Fr. George Alakulam, who died in 2016, a pioneer of many parishes in Kolkata province, is the founder of the Messengers of Good News (MGN). MGN centre, started in 1992 by the late Fr. Alakulam, aims at renewing inter-faith families and building up young people as responsible citizens. The three pillars of the MGN movement are Prayer, Unity, and Service.
Earlier, the MGN Institute offered Spoken English classes for the youth of tea garden villages and free tuition classes for the children of the locality. There were also activities like a creche for babies of mothers working in the tea gardens, nutrition for children, education, and medical camps. The incumbents will start with tuition classes before launching out to other activities.
Some 130 special invitees and the director of Leadership Training Centre Siliguri, Rev. Alem Longchar, joined Bishop Aind for the solemn Eucharist concelebrated by 30 priests, scores of Sisters, and candidates of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians who formed the choir. Also present at the event was the Salesian Provincial of Kolkata Fr. Joseph Pauria, Vincentian Provincial Superior Fr. Jilson Mathew Kakkattupullil, and Vincentian Mission Superior Fr. Abraham Mundackal.
https://www.infoans.org/en/sections/news/item/17813-india-kolkata-salesians-in-joint-mission-with-vincentians#sigProIdf41e955083
