On February 26, 2023 (Monday), a team of twenty-two selected  students from Don Bosco College of Arts and Science and SIGA from Kilpauk were ushered in at Deepagam Community Hall for the Youth Catechesis initiative themed: “Let’s Talk Faith”. Open Talk Forum - focused on Sacraments - is a catechetical initiative by Deepagam, Don Bosco Catechetical Center at The Citadel, Kilpauk; entire program was organized and coordinated by Fr. Jesudoss SDB, the Director of Deepagam. Four Salesian Professors from Becchi Don Bosco, Kavarapettai and five Salesians priests residing in The Citadel premises also came together for this face-to-face dialogue. Rev. Fr. Stanislaus Swamikannu, SDB (Rector, Don Bosco Youth Animation Centre, Ennore) was the moderator for this Open Talk program with Youth on Sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. John Christy, SDB Director of Province-level Youth Ministry introduced the participants.

This Open Talk Forum started at 4:30 PM and concluded at 7:15 PM in two sessions in the evening hour. Fr. Jesudoss (Director, Deepagam) gave Vote of Thanks and concluded this Forum on the completion of exchanges. The Forum Moderator, Fr. Stanislaus took up the proceeding and invited both the Youth and the Salesians to pose questions and seek clarifications on the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The Forum began with mystery of Evil in the world, Human Freedom, Human Fallenness, the meaning and nature of Sin, and Salvific/Liberative nature of Sacrament of Reconciliation. During the exchange, Salesians were responding to the attitude of youth towards Sacrament of Confession in this modern milieu of technological lifestyle. They shared the priestly outlook as administrator and recipient of sacrament of confession (seeking recourse to the sacrament and also being available for confession); one Salesian Father quipped that “Confessional is not an Interrogation Chamber”. Confession is to reconcile with God and fellow people; as such, it is instrument of God’s grace. Family plays vital role in forming youth conscience and motivation to grow faith commitment. 

A youth suggested that we must instill in children - during the Sunday Catechism - to motivate and to seek Sacrament of Reconciliation at their early age. Salesian fathers insisted that “Faith Conviction” is paramount for priest towards sacramental involvement. At the confessional, priests must be a father (reflecting God’s fatherly love), healer and teacher to the penitent. On the common question about role of priest in the confessional as medium (i.e. can penitent directly confess to God of his/her sin?), Becchi Fathers theologically enlightened the youth with Christ’s incarnational presence in the world, in and through the Church and therefore, need priestly mediation/instrumentation for the Sacrament. Salesians also taught the students about personal sin, social sin (injustice, poverty) and structural sin; every personal confession has social / community dimensions. Accordingly, there are personal confession, common confession, and combination of personal with common confession. Forum Fathers brought the youth to mind about the “confessional secret” in order for the youth to feel free and confident to go for confession with any Catholic priest available.

The Faith Forum initiated by the Deepagam was evidently a Synodal approach in which Salesians and youth interacted on the same platform. Youth are beset with lack of interest towards spiritual growth and opportunity to be in Divine Presence. Youth has to be convinced that God is loving and forgiving with an attitude of authentic faith; as Forum priest commented, “We must breathe our faith to live life”. In sharing the personal reaction to this Open Talk Forum, a youth said: “I didn’t believe, now I believe” and “I will go for confession, henceforth”.