DON BOSCO IDAYA DEEPAM – NOVITIATE, YELLAGIRI
1. The Novitiate
Don Bosco Idaya Deepam, built by Fr. Francis Guezou, and situated in a spacious building amidst pleasant surroundings and with adequate facilities, is the Novitiate for the Provinces of Trichy and Chennai. Ever since the beginning of this house, for the then undivided Province of Madras, in 1994, 269 confreres have passed through the novitiate here. Special attention is given to formation in prayer by initiating the novices to various forms of prayer, and by encouraging personal prayer and the listening to the Word of God. Knowledge of the life of Don Bosco and other Salesian Saints is inculcated through reading, discussions and making summaries. The novices are given sufficient opportunities to work in teams in 4 sodalities. They are well looked after by the Novice-master and his team. They are serene, happy, well motivated and receptive to the guidance of their superiors. There is a good family spirit prevailing in the community.
The Salesian staff is well united and dedicated. It meets once a month for an assembly of confreres and for a council meeting. They also meet together on Wednesdays when the novices have night prayer in their sodalities. The informal occasions of community building such as meal time, monthly family circle, and recreation are used well to build up the fraternal spirit. A monthly meeting with the Dean provides the novices a forum to express their mind. Manual work is done everyday, with the confreres taking part both at manual work and in games. The relations between the Salesians and the FMA are cordial and mutually helpful.
Neighbourhood Apostolate
i). Catechism and Value Education
All the Novices are given an opportunity to visit neighbouring schools - St Charles Higher Secondary School, St. Charles Primary School, St. Charles Matriculation School and the Government High School - on Wednesdays to teach Catechism or Value Education to the students. The Prefect of Studies is directly in charge of this ministry.
ii). CFCA – Children and the Aged
The CFCA Tamilnadu SDB Project has a sub-project for Yellagiri Hills, called the Mangalam Sub-Project, given to the community, under the responsibility of a confrere to coordinate with the help of an Asst-coordinator paid by the CFCA. In this project, there are 27 sponsored children and 5 non-sponsored, 25 sponsored aged people and 72 non-sponsored from 13 villages.
iii). Evening Study Centres
In the past years, the novices explored various villages to start Evening Study Centers and Oratories, which they called Mandrams and Evening Study Centers in the different localities. They visited the Evening Study Centers during weekdays and the Mandrams on Sundays. Slowly the Mandrams evolved in shape, but later due to some problems, visits to the Mandrams were stopped. From 2002 onwards, the novices go to the Evening Study Centres alone on Wednesdays. They are assigned one of the nine centres (8 villages and the Government Hostel) that are run by the community with the help of funds from the CFCA. Nearly 260 children attend these Evening Study Centres regularly, assisted by 10 lay teachers. The Coordinator of the CFCA Sub-project Mangalam is directly in charge of this ministry.
iv). Camp Site
The Don Bosco Camping Centre is given to the community for its running, maintenance and development. Spread out over an area of about 4 acres, it is hired out to scouting groups and other educational institutions for camping purposes. The camp site has 4 small rooms, a hall and prepared places for tents. Another hall and a playground are under construction. To date, nearly 650 people (13 groups) have camped here since June 2006, and requests for accommodation are on the increase.
v). Chaplaincies
The priests take turns to go to Amalanjali, the Convent of the Salesian Sisters close by, on week days to celebrate the Eucharist with them. On Sundays, they come to the house for the Eucharist. The priests also go to Don Bosco Center at Athanavur once in a month for the sacrament of Reconciliation for their students. The Confessor of the house goes to St. Charles Convent at Athanavur for the sacrament of Reconciliation, once a month.
3. Farm
The Novitiate community has a farm in its vicinity of about 14 acres, which is being used for cultivation of paddy, ragi, coffee, plantains, mango and guava trees. The cultivation mainly depends on the monsoon rain. Vegetables, paddy and fruits are cultivated for use by the community. Cows, goats, geese, dogs, pigs and poultry are also reared. Besides this, in Mettukanniyur, 2 acres of land is made use of to cultivate ragi and samai, while silver oak trees are planted on 1 acre. The Administrator takes good care of the farms, ably assisted by 6 farm workers. In Mangalam, 1.8 acres of land, is mainly used for the children who come for the evening study.
Idaya Deepam Novitiate
YELLAGIRI HILLS - 635 855
Vellore Dist
