austraLasia #2566
'Tell the story of Jesus' - an appropriate New Year's Greeting!
ROME and elsewhere: 1st January 2010 -- In one half of the world
it is already 2010 while the other half is in the throes of the
changeover! This seems like an appropriate moment, then to wish
readers a Happy New Year. austraLasia
has been silent for the week between Christmas and New Year - not for
lack of news, nor for lack of willingness, but while some of the world
is able to enjoy holidays, too many things just happened to fall on a
certain plate at this time of the year, and like the Christmas and New
Year repasts, it all gets somewhat indigestible after a while!
Make of that what you will!
The Strenna presentation on 31st, a
traditional event in the Congregation that has received its own
particular twist under the current Rector Major, was mainly taken up by
the video of this year's Strenna. (The commentary, which many
have been asking for, is now available on sdb.org, by the way, in seven
languages). The message of the Strenna recalls the
Emmaus event and the importance of telling the story of Jesus (a theme
already well explored in the Asian context now for several years) and
'bringing the Gospel to the young'. Hopefully the video has
reached all corners of our Region by now. It is a particularly
good one. In fact, over the recent years, much of the work of
preparing this media presentation has gone to Fr Donato Lacedonio, whom
many would know as the director of ANS. His skills and heart lie
particularly in the film medium and this year's Video is an example of
what can be achieved under his direction.
The same theme was taken up at Christmas time in
Cambodia under the heading of 'Tell the Story of Jesus in three days!'.
as
our correspondent puts it:
"R.I.C.E. (or Rich In Christ’s Experience) was the
theme of the renewal and inspiration of the “little flock” of the
newly-established parish in Phnom Penh City, Cambodia. It was, then, an
opportune moment to launch the strategy of “tell the story of Jesus”
during the Christmas celebration 2009. Through the drama “the greatest
story ever told” we shared and unfolded the joy and the enthusiasm of
the birth of Jesus as narrated by St. Luke, contemplated and
portrayed in Cambodian language, songs, music, dances, symbols
and cultural mixtures to the audience of Don Bosco Phnom Penh whose
cast was mainly composed of non-Christian children and youth. To deepen
the awareness that Jesus was born also for the Cambodian people, Fr.
Leo Ochoa, Rector of Don Bosco introduced the message during his homily
of the Christmas Eve (24th December) celebration for the Salesian
Family audience with a focus on the celebration of the history of
salvation. Fr. Cef Ledesma continued to focus on the babe as the cause
of blessings and joy for the hearers on Christmas Day Solemnity (25th
December) with the teachers and students challenging them to be renewed
and inspired to become bearers of joy and be blessings to their family
and compatriots. Fr. Roel Soto animated the whole evening of joyful
celebration (26th December) in music, sports, games, bazaars and
lotteries to the public. YAsia Fiesta Fever invaded the celebration
with their typically animating action songs. Culture dances and songs
were also there with their youthful body language movements to conclude
the joyous and memorable celebration of Christmas 2009".
That was Christmas 2009. Now it is the New
Year of 2010. Happy New Year to all!
_________________
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Title: australasia 2566
Subject and key words: SDB General 2010. Strenna
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2566
