austraLasia #2410

St Dominic Savio: PNG focus on Sacraments of initiation; Japan gathers young Religious

PORT MORESBY: 6th May 2009 -- Don Bosco Technical School in Port Moresby focused its celebrations for St Dominic Savio on the Sacraments of Initiation for many students.  Fr Roro Gueco, Rector and Parish Priest was the main celebrant for a Mass which swung to the beat of traditional instruments like the Garamut and Kundu at processional moments.
    Fr Luciano Odorico, the school's spiritual moderator, had prepared candidates for Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation from Years 9-12. On this occasion 20 students received adult baptism, 56 were confirmed and 32 made their First Communion. Some of the staff members from the school took on the role of godparent. The day also doubled as a celebration of 'Community Day/Rector's Day' with concert, festive meal, sports involving all classes.

TOKYO: 6th May 2009 -- Forty young members of Consecrated Life from 9 Congregations came together at the Formation House in Chofu, Tokyo, for a fraternal day of celebration. The Vice Provincial of GIA province, Fr Mario Yamanouchi,  was the principal celebrant and homilist at the Mass which opened the day; he focused the celebration, naturally, around the holiness St Dominic Savio, a Saint whom many of those present were able to encounter for the first time.
    The day followed a typical 'Salesian' timetable of festive activities, including sports events which, due to inclement weather, had to be held inside. And of course there was a grand luncheon and equally grand afternoon tea. It was at this latter occasion that all those participating took the opportunity to personally introduce themselves and express their contentment at being able to celebrate in a particularly Salesian way. Salesians wore T-Shirts bearing the number 150.  The Franciscans wore one with 800!!
    Occasions such as this are especially important in largely non-Christian Japan where the numbers of consecrated persons are fewer and the experience of coming together carries that extra sense of consolidation.
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GLOSSARY
Garamut: a wooden instrument, a type of slit gong made of wood with a wooden beater
Kundu: a drum hollowed out of a tree
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Title: australasia 2410
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces: PNG GIA Dominic Savio
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2410