You could not miss him, that figure in a white cassock welcoming you at the entrance to the Shrine of Don Bosco’s Madonna at Matunga with his trademark warm smile and twinkling eyes. He was none other than Fr Oscar Misquitta - an Unforgettable Salesian!
Though on the elderly side he had this uncanny knack of making friends with youngsters wherever he met them. And he moved around to meet them whether at the school recess time, around the grounds, even on the sidelines of the football or hockey matches, encouraging, applauding, egging the players on to give their very best. He had the heart of a youngster and moved so freely in their company. His ability to engage with the young was unique. He would barter stamps, entice with puzzles, display stickers, teach how to make rosaries and a host of exciting knick knacks that made boys just flock to him.
In striking up a friendship with them he would groom them to be altar boys and propose to them the Salesian vocation to the priesthood or the brotherhood. Several Salesians today owe their introduction to the Salesian way of Life to Fr Misquitta. His weekly contact with boys from different parts of Mumbai would take place in different Salesian institutions close to their homes. He was a man of prayer and his great devotion to Mary Help of Christians was infectious. Truly an Unforgettable Salesian priest.
If there was a Salesian who could come close to a perfect 10 with regard to talent and abilities it was Fr Eliseo Bianchi. He was highly disciplined, versatile in talents and one who would keep raising the bar of perfection really high. Mediocrity was not in his dictionary and was definitely not tolerated. He spent most of his years at Don Bosco, Matunga and Lonavla. Every boarder in these institutions benefited from his training in the school brass band, playing classical, jazz or other genres of music. A music composer and choirmaster par excellence, artist and set designer, carpenter, media creator, electrician; it seemed like he was a jack-of-all trades and master of them all. His knowledge of gymnastics, scouting and the outdoors was such that one began to discover abilities in oneself that one never knew one had. He taught you to understand and believe in yourself and to give your best. Being with Fr Bianchi meant in some sense you inherited something of him that made him unforgettable.
Since Salesians interact and work with youth, one would probably think that they are constantly in a highly active state. But then you come across a Salesian like Fr Joseph Dhyrianathan. He makes you stop in your tracks because he’s not the high energy type. Calm, cool, a good listener and an excellent teacher; you began to see a different man under that serious demeanour. There are times in a young person‘s life when he or she ought to get off the merry-go-round and if you have a person like Fr Joe D to catch you when you slip off the road of life you are indeed lucky. A warm smile and a gentle voice was what greeted you when you engaged with him. In the course of the conversation you felt you had met a friend who can listen to you, help you sort things out and send you on your way. He became your pillar of strength, your sounding board whenever you needed an opinion. You would find yourself going back to him because you discovered a wealth of practical wisdom and a dash of good humour too. Through his suggestion of book titles one cultivated a good habit of reading and reflection and quite often he would introduce you to classical music. These were his gentle ways of opening the doors of your head and heart. A priest who was highly intelligent, gentle and down-to-earth; he was like a compass that pointed you in the right direction. How do you forget a person like that? Never!!!!
Talk about fire in the belly, passion and a burning love for Jesus and Mary and there you have Brother P M Thomas. When observed closely one could not but be touched by the passion he brought to everything he did or said, be it on the hockey field, teaching his favourite subject Mathematics or simply sharing his insights about Jesus and Mary. At these times he would wax eloquent about devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and love for our Blessed Mother. He was a man who had fixed goals and there was never a moment to lose to achieve them so he was driven and could drive others to achieve their goals. He was always looking out for the welfare and the improvement of others. Blessed with the ability to think logically, he was the one that would bring logical thinking into the many debates that happened in communities. Not everyone accepted his inputs, but he never gave up. His simple lifestyle and few personal needs evened out the fire and drive that might have sometimes seemed over-the-top. Unforgettable people see instability and uncertainty not as a barrier, but as an enabler. They reorganize, reshape, and re-engineer to reassure, motivate, and inspire—and in the process make everyone around them more successful too. Such was our Br P M Thomas, an unforgettable Salesian.
“Love and compassion are necessities not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive”, said the Dalai Lama. In an institutional set up it is very rare to find someone who heads an organisation and who in all his decisions and interactions is guided by his sense of compassion. Fr Mauro Casarotti was such a man. A Salesian who spent all his years as a missionary and was willing to take citizenship of India speaks volumes of his love for the people of India. He recognised the need to nurture the Salesian vocation in the region of Maharashtra and together with like-minded Salesians strove to establish the aspirantate at Lonavla. The Lord blessed this venture with many vocations to the Salesian congregation and the Church. The years he spent in the Bombay province as the Rector of Don Bosco Matunga and then at Don Bosco Lonavala were years when he endeared himself to all the youngsters and the collaborators. Later on as confessor at DivyaDaan,Nashik, his compassion and spiritual guidance strengthened the resolve of many a young Salesian. Don Casarotti had this gift of reaching out to the poor and the disadvantaged and touching people with his heart. His understanding of what a young person was experiencing was phenomenal and he could empathise and draw upon all available resources to help the young in need. Quite often he would take the initiative to smile and make conversation in such a way that you felt comfortable. He somehow knew how to get into your feelings, calm you down or make the storm in your heart go away. Every act of his was one of generosity, kindness and forgiveness. He showed sincere excitement when things went well, sincere appreciation for hard work and extra effort. You felt you had a loving father who cared for you. He could be quite playful and was fun loving in a fatherly, caring way. That is something so rare and that is why he is fondly remembered to this day.
Unforgettable Salesians expect more — from themselves and from others. And they show us how to get there. And they bring us along for what turns out to be an unbelievable ride. They inspire others to achieve their dreams: by words, by actions, and most importantly, by example. Who can forget the Salesians who helped us achieve our dreams!
I certainly cannot — and neither can you.
