austraLasia #2499 “So Bosconian, So Papua New Guinean!”: DBTS Gabutu 24th
Foundation Day Celebrations:
Fr. Ramon Galve Borja, sdb
PORT MORESBY: 12th September 2009 -- “A real Salesian
success!” That’s how Fr. Luciano Odorico SDB, DBTC Rector, put it
succinctly, referring to the 24th Foundation Day Celebrations of Don
Bosco Technical School in Gabutu held last August. It was a
blending of prayer and culture, evangelisation and education, fun and
formation, all in a youthful Papua New Guinean way. Typically
Bosconian; undoubtedly Salesian!
First things first. Moments of prayer,
recollection and confession commenced the days of celebration.
Even non-Catholics approached our priests for guidance and blessing as
Catholic bosconians lined up for the sacrament. Even Fr. Vaclav
Klement SDB, assisted and was impressed in hearing the confessions of
our young people. An animated celebration of the Holy Mass was
held Thursday morning. As always, our Gabutu bosconians prayed
and sang hymns and praises, nay, they roared!
The whole school, as a family, under the leadership
of the ever-zealous principal-economer, Fr. Jess Escala, spent weeks of
preparing the place, the programs, but of course, most of all, the
people. Exhibits, cultural houses, the stage, the church,
classrooms and shops, they were all beautified and prepared. All
in the spirit of family for we believe that only in such can learning
and growth be achieved. As this year’s foundation day celebration
theme stresses: “More than just a School; We are a Family!”
Among the highlights of the festivity were the
following: the search for 'Mr. Bosco'; academic and technical exhibits
and competitions which highlighted the bosconian excellence in their
fields of competence; a whole day of so rich and so colorful Papua New
Guinean cultural presentations graced by some dignitaries, both foreign
and local, from the Church and society; and a well-participated and
most probably well-appreciated family day celebrations. At the
end of each lively day, especially at the end of it all, you see
Salesians, students and staff simply smiling… tired but inspired…
simply inspiring.
On one of these festive days, August 21 to be exact,
PM's Post Courier published a letter from Mr. Patirck Kaiuku, a
bosconian past pupil of DBTS Gabutu, Class of 1999, as a response to an
article featured by the broadsheet entitled ‘Don Bosco Folk, committed
like a Family’.
“At a time when PNG is contending with challenges
of nation building and realizing national goals of integral human
development, the Salesian philosophy of education provides a well
balanced and culturally appropriate alternative.
The objective of moulding young people into ‘good
Christians and honest citizens’ complements Don Bosco’s mission of
nurturing productive citizens. Before the education reforms of
the late 1990s when the so-called ‘drop-out’ system was ostensibly
employed to classify the academic potential of students, Don Bosco made
it possible for some of us to realize our potential in society. The instruction’s emphasis on respect for women
and the helpless, cultural identity, community service and productive
and godly living make Don Bosco schools an educational institution in a
class of its own. Indeed, as a former principal would say: ‘There are no second class
citizens in Don Bosco’s educational philosophy’.”
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Title: australasia 2346
Subject and key words:
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2346
