Savio Bhavan is situated at Azimganj in Murshidabad district about 220 km north of Kolkata city. In sixties Salesians came to this area with the aim to spread the kingdom of God around this place especially among the Santhals. Savio Bhavan is just half a km away from Don Bosco welfare centre and school campus. The aspirantate was started for both Santhali and Bengali speaking groups of Murshidabad and Nadia districts respectively. The origin of it was in Don Bosco School and then in 1987 when the building of Savio Bhavan was completed the aspirants shifted to the new house where there was hardly any population around the area. Now the situation of the area has changed very much with many more families that have come and settled around this place and so the population has increased. Many mud and thatch houses have been made into concrete houses. There is electricity supply in the locality.

However the old set up for the boys from classes VI to X continued till 2005. By this time it produced many priests both for the diocese and the Salesian congregation.  Due to some reason this set up was closed and the new set up consisting of come and see and the pre-novices began in 2005. The come and see set up of Mirpara and the pre-novitiate set up of Auxilium parish were put together under the direction of five Salesians. Therefore today there are both come and see boys and the pre-novices staying under the same roof.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE COME AND SEE OR ASPIRANTS

SETTING

       The Salesian province of Calcutta has its preparatory year of aspirantate (I^st course as it is called), for candidates to the priesthood and brotherhood at Savio Bhavan, Azimganj. This caters to boys who have passed class 10/+2/graduation level exams either from home or from an apostolic school and have been selected by the vocation promoter or the confreres of the apostolic school. These aspirants are from different states of India or even from other areas falling under the jurisdiction of the Salesian Province of Calcutta, such as Nepal or Bangladesh.

GENERAL GOAL

      To provide a firsthand experience of living in community, to know about Don Bosco and the Salesian Society, to reflect and study more about one’s own vocation to priesthood or brotherhood and to lay the basic foundation in English language so as to enable him to continue with his required studies at Bandel or Pre-Novitiate. At the same time the community also studies the candidate and guides him to find his right vocation.

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION TO THE ASPIRANTATE

The following criteria are to be kept in mind while selecting a candidate to join aspirantate.

a) Family background (Before bringing the boy to the aspirantate either the vocation promoter  

    or the one sending the boys should visit the family and study the suitability of the candidate).

b) The candidate should have sufficient intellectual ability to pursue his future studies prescribed     

    or demanded by the congregation.

c) The candidate should have sufficient desire to be a Salesian. (They should be screened to see    

    what is their real motivation within the possibilities).

d) Candidates should have successfully completed class X, +2, Graduation or other equivalent exams. (The minimum percentage required in class X, number of years he has failed in the past, age etc., should be considered in view of the admissions at Bandel or Sonada).

e) The candidate should be physically healthy and strong to fulfill his normal duties without any undue difficulties.

 REQUIREMENTS WHILE JOINING THE ASPIRANTATE

@ Academic certificates conduct certificate and mark sheets (original)

@ Certificate of baptism

@ Certificate of Confirmation

@ Parent’s Marriage Certificate

@ Parish Priest’s letter of recommendation

@ Confidential letter of the parish priest as per the form supplied

@ Guardian’s letter of consent

@ Candidate’s own application letters expressing his desire to join aspirantate.

@ Letter of admittance from the vocation promoter

 DURATION

   Normally the candidate stays at aspirantate for a period of nine (9) months unless he has been asked to stay for another year before joining the next stage of formation by the community during the final evaluation. This is only to help the candidate to prepare him sufficiently when he is judged as a promising candidate.

 OBJECTIVES

a.       Human Maturity attained through sufficient physical, emotional and intellectual growth along with the ability to reflect on self, other people and events. This implies also successful completion of academic studies as required.

b.      Social Maturity is acquired in the art of establishing and sustaining healthy relationships and of living and working with others in community (both PNC and I^st Course) especially with those of other cultures and backgrounds.

c.       Christian Maturity received through adequate knowledge and acceptance of his faith through a regular sacramental and prayer life, and guided reflection on life and events.

d.      Basic Knowledge of Don Bosco and the Salesian society is offered.

e.       Discernment of Vocation is done through an experience of spiritual direction and bi-monthly assessments enable him to make a free and personal choice to continue in his vocation either at Bandel or in the pre-novitiate.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE PRE-NOVITIATE  GROUP

The Salesian pre-novitiate of the Province of Kolkata offers an ideal location to venture out on his first experience to be future Salesian and an ambience to discern his vocation. It is close to the parish which provides ample opportunity to witness the missionary work for the poor people of the Santal region. The nearby Salesian communities such as Don Bosco Welfare centre and St. John Bosco Parish help the candidates to have a firsthand experience of our various apostolate. A number of other men and women congregations belonging to the region also help the pre-novices to strengthen their vocation. The pre-novitiate is in a village setting that offers the inmates ample scope for direct contact with the poor socio-economic background.

The pre-novitiate is the stage of the initial formation of the candidates who asks to enter the Salesian congregation to dedicate their life to the Lord in the service of youth. It's a period of special preparation immediately prior to the novitiate to deepen the candidates' vocational choice and verify his suitability for beginning the novitiate. (FSDB 328).

The Constitutions of the Society of St. Francis de Sales describes the pre-novitiate as follows: “To anyone who is thinking of becoming a Salesian, an environment and suitable conditions are offered to enable him to discern his own vocation and to mature as a man and Christian. In this way, and with the help of a spiritual guide, he is able to make a choice with greater awareness of what he is doing, and without any external pressures.

A period of special preparation is required immediately prior to the novitiate to deepen the candidate’s vocational choice and verify his suitability for beginning the novitiate. This preparation is made through an experience of Salesian community and apostolic life”(C.109) .

GOAL

­The pre-novitiate aims at providing an environment and suitable conditions to anyone who is thinking of becoming a Salesian to enable him to discern his own vocation and to mature as a man and a Christian. The emphasis is-on the human formation. At the same time it is the specific phase, which takes account of the family situation, social conditions and the level of education and faith of the candidates (FSDB 328-329)

Objectives

01. Maturing as a man and as a Christian.

02. Getting to know his own vocation and deepening his vocational choice under the guidance of 

      those responsible for formation.

03. Experiencing community and reflecting seriously on Salesian life.

04. Verifying whether he has the necessary suitability - to begin the novitiate.

05. Making a decision in the knowledge of what he is doing and free from          internal and external

      pressure.

06. Adopting a clear attitude of commitment to his own formation.

DURATION  

The pre-novitiate begins on the 7^th of June and ends by 27^th May (approximately one year).   

PERSONNEL

There are four full time staff members: the Director of the pre-novices who is also the rector, the Dean of studies, Administrator and a brother Assistant.

METHOD

As far as the method is concerned, "the teaching and assimilation of the contents is to be carried out at two constantly integrated levels: that is study and reflection, and that of practice and experience." (FSDB 205-276). To comply with the above guideline we have adopted these following methods which are of particular value: weekly conference, regular classes, seminars, quizzes on various topics of interest and relevance to the pre-novitiate formation, guided study, book reviews, film reviews, weekly essay writing, reading of spiritual classics, the Biographical Memoirs and other Salesian literature, village ministry, community day celebration, Marian Month, Bosco Month, prayer experience and reflection, family visits, assimilation and personalization of values, bi-weekly family gathering, each one teach one, monthly spiritual direction, sharing two by two, manual work, Biblical and secular movies, yoga/physical exercise, outdoor games, Sunday walk, monthly recollection, vernacular Mass, short adoration in the morning, Ashalayam experience, Parish ministry during Easter etc.

SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMUNITY

There are mainly two activities of the present community such as village ministry and spoken English classes.

Village ministry

On every Sunday the pre-novices in two groups visit two villages – Banipur and Mahali para. They go always with a Salesian accompanying them. After reaching the place they visit all the Catholic and some of the non-Catholic families as well. They pray in every family and finally gather in one of the families and pray the rosary in Santhali or Bengali language. The pre-novices in turn also read the Gospel and give some reflection on the word of God as well in their language. The entire rosary and singing are lead by the pre-novices. These people are also invited for all the major events of the community such as Don Bosco’s B’Day and feast day, Month of the holy rosary and for the feast of St. Dominic Savio. Now the people are friendly and they are regular with Sunday Mass.

Spoken English Class

Every year from the month of June to December the community reaches out to 30-40 young people of all religions through spoken English class. The admission is done in the month of May and classes begin in June with the arrival of the new batch of pre-novices. Classes are held on three days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) from 5pm-6.15pm. The students should have completed class X or doing their further studies. Classes are taken by the staff and one or two pre-novices. The course goes on till December and it ends with a written examination and all those who pass the examination are given a certificate of participation. It has been proved useful for the young people of the locality. So far the response has been so good.