Dehon Prema Nilayam

Dehon Prema Nilayam is located in the area of Gorantla, with amazing weather and a nice open area. Indian weather is very difficult to adapt to especially because our Fathers are coming from different places of the world. They are struggling to adapt themselves to this weather of Summer season. We have a lot of trees and plants around out house to reduce this heat. So, this is our minor seminary, where three batches are staying and living together.

There are Orientation boys. These boys are those who are training and preparing for a new life. Before telling about their situation after coming to the seminary, I would like to explain how they were chosen to enter this minor seminary.

The priests who are staying at the minor seminary go to different parish houses and they explain about our congregation, and invite boys to come for a vocation camp, usually held in the month of April. There are experienced priests, and brothers from theology, who choose which boys will enter the minor seminary program.

The new boys, or candidates, those who were chosen at the vocation camp, begin their program in the month of June. In the first month they will struggle to adapt themselves to this new life. They will feel bored and homesick, and some will try to leave the seminary.

They have a good, experienced English teacher. He plays an important role in our community with his knowledge and experience. His name is Lourdu Reddy, from the city of Guntur. In this house, the new candidates will discover their vocation in life. They will learn many things in the seminary. Their main subjects are English, liturgy, spirituality, including games…

All of our Fathers will conduct classes every day. They have a lot of expectations from the candidates, as they set their goals for the year. The Senior year candidates will work to make the new candidates happy, conducting games and cultural events, helping them not to feel homesick.

This year we have 12 new candidates from the last vocation camp. There are 8 boys in the second year, and 6 boys in the third year of seminary, making a total of 26 candidates. After the completion of the orientation year, the candidates will begin attending a local college, in Guntur.

We get good marks in our studies, and take part in sports. I can say that without our candidates, there is nobody in the college who can play so well. Fr. Guntoro did a good job teaching us basketball, volleyball, football and table tennis. We played on behalf of our college at the district and state level meets. We were winners in table tennis and football. In studies we got 1st rank for the last 3 years.

Not only enjoying ourselves, we also see to the salvation of street children, and poor people. Every Sunday we go to the 5 different sub-stations of the Gorantla parish, to prepare people for Baptism and Communion. We also teach them about liturgy. We have good bicycles to go to these places. The Orientation year boys go to the Sisters of Charity to help people and to share their lives. We have a good relationship with the Sisters from different congregations.

By God’s grace we have good formators from different countries: Fr. Valerio from Italy, Fr. Angel from Poland, Fr. Matai from Kerala, Br. Leonard from America, and Br. Joseph from Andhra Pradesh. They help us a lot in all of our activities.

Once a month we have a parents’ meeting so that we can share the negative and positive experiences with them. The Fathers will also speak with them about us, especially about the 2nd year candidates who went to work with the street children during the month of May, 2006, when every morning at 8:00am we went out to the railway station in Guntur to meet children, returning to the house at 8:00pm at night. Our aim was to get to know the street children and try to encourage them to come live at the shelter run by the Don Bosco Fathers.

During the month of May we also had the chance to go to Vijayawada to learn music, like the keyboard, guitar, tabla, etc..a

Every morning during the year we rise at 5:45am. Then we begin Morning Prayer at 6:15am and celebrate Mass. After breakfast at 7:30am, we have a short work period to clean house, and then begin classes and study at 9:00am. The 2nd and 3rd year candidates leave for college after an early lunch, and don’t return until the late afternoon, in time for sports. Adoration is at 7:00pm, followed by supper, and we have recreation until Night Prayers at 9:00pm. Then we have study time until lights out at 10:00pm.


I hope this gives you a good idea about our life here at Dehon Prema Nilayam.

Thank you.

R. Maria Joseph, 2nd year candidate.