Kolkata, India, 8 March 2019 -- A group of Salesian Alumni coordinated the visit of Salesian Cardinal Charles Bo of Myanmar, current archbishop of Yangon to Kolkata. The Cardinal was on a two day visit to meet with his ailing brother Mr Bernard Aye Maung.
Cardinal also met his former Superiors and confreres at Salesian Provincial House, and paid a courtesy visit to Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta. He also visited the historical Marian shrine at Bandel with his brother Bernard and family.
From 1939 to 2004 Myanmar delegation was part of Salesian Province of Calcutta.
Cardinal met with former Salesian Provincials Fr Sebastian Alencheril and Fr Thomas Polackal at Provincial House Kolkata, as well as the current Provincial Dr Nirmol Gomes and his Council, 7 March 2019.
Don Bosco alumni welcomed the visiting Cardinal and escorted him right from the arrival of his Thai Airways flight which landed in Kolkata past midnight, and put him up at Westin Hotel near the airport. They also arranged his visits to the various events in Kolkata, from 7 to 8 March 2019.
Cardinal Bo was also Executive Guest at the International Women’s Day events held at Intercultural Poetry and Performance Library (IPPL), situated in the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), 8 March 2019.
The Rabindranath Tagore Center, Kolkata, the cultural flagship of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), was inaugurated on June 1, 2008 by then President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee.
On his return to Yangon the Cardinal wrote, “Everything went well though a bit in a hurry. With your arrangements and whole time with accompany of [Don Bosco alumni], I benefited much from my two-day stay …. With my prayers and appreciation, Charles Bo.”
Photo: Cardinal with Kolkata Salesian provincial and Council
