I have picked up this line, “My good friend, what’s your name?” from the conversation Don Bosco had with a young lad, Bartholomew Garelli. He was beaten up by a sacristan for not knowing how to serve for Mass. Don Bosco rescued him from the sacristan, but the sacristan was angry at Don Bosco and said, “What does it matter to you?” Don Bosco, with the heart of a Good Shepherd, said, “It matters plenty. He’s my friend.” He took the boy aside and started his first catechism lesson. Don Bosco mentions that this incident has opened the way to put into action his project for the boys on the street and released young prisoners.

“My good friend, what’s your name?” – Pedagogical Approach

The world sees, like the sacristan, that something is not good in the boy and it is his fault. But Don Bosco saw him good, a boy who is borne in God’s image, endowed with dignity and worth. Later he instructed his followers, “In every young person, a point of goodness is accessible.” The educator’s role is to discover this ‘point of goodness’ and help young people achieve their full potential. He always took the side of the victim, called them by name, and helped the individuals to build their identity.

“My good friend, what’s your name?” – Ecological Approach

From the same perspective, we need to address the ‘natural environment’ – a good friend. Today’s ecological crisis is due to seeing the natural environment as less perfect and being subjugated to human needs. This understanding of nature, through the hierarchical lens, fails to capture the goodness, uniqueness and richness of diversity in creation. Everything in the created world has to be seen from a mystical perspective of unity of all in God. Laudato Si clearly states, “The ultimate purpose of other creatures is not to be found in us. Rather, all creatures are moving forward with us and through us towards a common point in arrival, which is God.” Together with our natural world, we are pilgrims of hope.

Happy Feast of St. John Bosco!

Fr. Ricopar Royan

(DBGA South Asia Regional Coordinator)