First 'pillar' of PNG's dream basilica blessed on
Annunciation Feast
(and look below after you have read this, for the announcement
of the 'towards #1500' comp)
PORT MORESBY: 26th March 2006 -- His Excellency Archbishop
Adolfo Tito Yllana, Apostolic Nuncio for PNG and Solomon Islands,
blessed what could be called the first 'pillar' of the Salesians' dream
basilica to Mary Help of Christians yesterday, 25th March, Feast of the
Annunciation. It is the new Chapel of the Eucharist, located on
the first floor of the church now under construction. The whole
second floor will make up the Shrine or small basilica dedicated to our
Blessed Mother, the Help of Christians. And so, PNG will have Don
Bosco's twin loves, Eucharist and Mary Help of Christians prominently
in place at Boroko.
The ceremony was an early morning ceremony.
Bishop Panfilo was also present. After blessing the new chapel
and the statue of MHC, the Archbishop presided at the Eucharist
celebrating the Solemnity of the Annunciation. Frs. Roger
Miranda, Valeriano Barbero, John Bosco Jiminez and Fermin (Nuncio's
secretary) concelebrated. The Mass was animated by the brothers
and aspirants, together with the girl boarders at the Salesian
Sisters. Several Religious Sisters groups were there - FMA, CSM,
OLSH, FMI, OSJ, RVM, along with Don Bosco Technical Institute staff,
the Bosconian boarders and several invited guests. The Nuncio
emphasised the importance of building the Living Church dedicated to
Jesus in the Eucharist and devoted to Mary.
Following the Eucharist, the Rector of
DBTI/Delegation Community, Fr. Roger Miranda, expressed gratitude on
behalf of the two communities - Savio Haus (sic) Formation Community
and DBTI. He thanked the Nuncio, Bishop Panfilo and all present,
encouraging Bosconians in a special way to inculcate their love for
Jesus in the Eucharist and their devotion to Mary, Help of
Christians. He offered particular thanks to Fr Valeriano Barbero,
the Salesian pioneer in PNG, who has been the instrument of God in
bringing this chapel to fruition, along with his dedicated group of
workers headed by Mr. Vincent Oberes.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
And on another matter! The winner(s) of the 'towards #1500'
competition? This seems as good a time as any to announce that I
have decided to award the DVD of St. Francis de Sales to the PNG/SI
Delegation - which probably means one to PNG and one to SI!
Why? I received a total of five entries from three individuals in
that Delegation, and an email with additional comment from the same
Delegation from a fourth. PNG has come alive over this past
fortnight! If the ultimate, perhaps not explicitly expressed aim
of the competition was to encourage interaction, news, 'conversation',
a sense of the Region, then PNG/SI best represented that aim. But
I believe the entries also met the criteria as laid down. They
gave me varied material - some directly 'Salesian', some not. One item
sparked another from elsewhere (always a good sign); some items they
wrote up themselves, some they gave me the (abundant) material for and
asked me to write it up. Both were valid approaches. All in all
over the period involved, PNG/SI, THA, AUL (Aus and Fiji), FIS-Pak and
INC offered directly usable material, and FIN, AFM and GBR
interacted with material. Congrats to the winners. I still
have material to use, but 'keep the conversation going' please.
All items are welcome.
___________________________
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