austraLasia #2398
Holy Week and Easter moments in
Cambodia and PNG
PHNOM PENH: 13th April 2009
-- "Don Bosco Technical School Phnom
Penh, Cambodia gave thanks to God on this Salesian Holy Year as we
celebrated the 30th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Fr. Leo
Ochoa, SDB and Fr. Ceferino Ledesma, SDB last April 9, 2009 with the
members of the salesian family, lay mission partners, students and
guests. The celebration commenced with a holy mass, thanking God
for
His faithfulness and love, followed by a tribute to Don Bosco through a
Khmer blessing. The youth and mission partners organized a
cultural
program with varied presentations, and welcomed Bro. Martin Tai, a new
missionary from Vietnam. The program ended with the giving of the gifts
to Fr. Leo and Fr. Ceferino, and the awarding of tokens for service to
the lay mission partners who have worked for five, ten and fifteen
years in the institution. It was, indeed, an appropriate occasion
to
thank God for His faithfulness and love."
-----------
PORT
MORESBY: "Good Friday—Thousands came on foot for the Archdiocesan Way
of the Cross which ended in the compound of Don Bosco Technical School
in Gabutu. After the Way of the Cross, the Archbishop of Port Moresby
John Ribat, MSC, assisted by Fr. Roro Gueco, SDB (Rector of DBTS and
Parish Priest of MHC Parish—Sabama) presided over the Good Friday
Service. The Service was held in the Church at DBTS compound—the very
same church where the late John Paul II was given an ecclesial welcome
on the occasion of his 2nd pastoral visit to PNG where he
also addressed the Catechists, Religious and Priests, and imparted his
Apostolic blessings on January 16, 1995.
After
the Good Friday Liturgy, the parishioners (especially the “mamas” i.e.
the mothers dressed in black and with mud on their faces) of MHC Parish
took turns in the “Haus Krai” put up just outside the Church. In PNG,
the Haus Krai is a house for mourning over the death of someone. In
this case, it was meant to be a place for mourning the death of Jesus.
The parishioners placed a big crucifix in the make-shift shelter called
Haus Krai. Mingled with their “cries of sorrow and mourning” are some
songs chanted in honor of our Lord Jesus. This morning, after the
Easter Sunday Mass, Fr. Roro, the Parish Priest led the ceremony of
officially “dismantling’ the Haus Krai. Easter Chants in Pidgin were
sung in honor of the Risen Lord. The “papas” (fathers) were the ones
tasked to tear down the Haus Krai.
Quite a unique way of celebrating
the Easter Triduum here in PNG…"
