Be with us
Mary
- Fr. Roger Miranda sdb
Students carry Our Lady in Procession
KOKOPO, EAST NEW BRITAIN: 22 May 2011 -- Vunabosco
Agro-Technical School in Kokopo, East New Britain, Papua New
Guinea celebrated the Solemnity of Mary Help of Christians in
advance last 20th of May 2011. The theme of the whole cele-
bration was “Be with us Mary”.
Students and staff participated well. It started with a Marian
Rally organised by the Marian Group of the school specifically,
Blue House. Everyone gathered at the soccer field for the first
station of the Luminous Mysteries. Some students from different
classes acted like a picture frame for each Luminous Mystery. A
Gospel reading depicting that mystery was read by Fr. Roger
Miranda, SDB, the Rector, and a short reflection was also read
by one of the students in that class. During the procession, eve-
ryone recited the rosary which was led by a sponsoring class
matched with Marian songs till the next station. Since the stu-
dents were divided by the house colours: Blue, Red, Yellow and
Green, the day became really very colourful. The Marian rally
ended at the gymnasium after the blessing of Mary Help of
Christians imparted by the Rector.
This activity was followed by the Inter-house Sports Carnival
held at the soccer field of the school. Students competed with
the different activities organized by Mr Henry Baining, the Sports
Coordinator. All four colours presented an item each in march-
ing, fancy drill and yell/cheering competitions, followed by the
track and field events in the different categories: 100m., 200m,
Fr. Roger Miranda sdb, Rector speaks
400m, 800m and 1500m Junior, Intermediate and Senior divi-
sions. The statue of Mary Help of Christians was also placed in
a prominent place as if watching the boys in their competition.
After the 800m competition, it started drizzling. Fr Rector whis-
pered a little request to Mary and after a short while, the rain
stopped! Pelting rain came when everyone had finished eating
their lunch and all the competitions were over. Yes, Mary was
really with us during that day! Red House was the over-all
champion for the track and field events. Yellow House got sec-
ond place.
On 22 May, Sunday, the school also celebrated Parents/
Guardians Day. Everyone gathered at the school gymnasium for
the celebration of the Eucharist in honour of Mary Help of Chris-
tians. Fr Rector was the main celebrant and together with him
was Fr Clifford Morais, the Principal. A short program organised
by the students followed after Mass. Two parents gave their
responses after the program and they were very grateful for
what Don Bosco was doing for their children. They were very
appreciative of the formation these Bosconians receive from the
Salesians and their educators. Everyone then gathered into their
respective classrooms and enjoyed the agape together.
It was a wonderful moment for everybody to celebrate Mary's
feast day. All throughout these days, Mary‟s presence was really
felt. Yes, Mary our Mother, be with us and guide us always
along the right path!
WORD Proclaiming the
- Fr. John Cabrido sdb
in Kiriwina
I arrived in Kiriwina two years late!
Fr. Sonny Fajardo, our Salesian par-
ish priest for the Trobriand Islands,
popularly called the “Isles of Love” by
the Polish self-styled anthropologist
Bronislaw Malinowski, first invited me
to give a Bible seminar for his parish
leaders in early 2009. Unfortunately, heavy rains during that time
had caused a shortage of yam crops and the parish initiative had
to be scrapped. So when Fr. Sonny renewed the invitation late
last year, I speedily accepted it not only for a chance to explore
Kiriwina‟s coral paradise but also to help out a confrere.
My luggage was definitely overweight. I had to bring all my
teaching equipment including handouts, a laptop and even a pro-
jector! More than that, Fr. Timothy Choi took the occasion to beef
up Fr. Sonny‟s pantry with canned goods and other food stuffs.
To top it off, Fr. Albert Swer also sent an air pump for the parish
bicycle!
After an unusually pleasant (and punctual!) flight with Airlines
PNG, I landed in Losuia to an unforgettable sight. The airport was
a tiny structure whose perimeter fence was packed with people. It
seemed that half the island‟s population of 40,000 was there to
ogle the new arrivals or await the latest mail. Mercifully, Fr. Sonny
was already around to help retrieve my luggage once these were
flung with total disregard on the grassy ground.
The Bible seminar began the next day, 09 May (Monday) and
was attended by some 120 parish leaders. These came from the
island‟s six Catholic communities. Mixed with the predominantly
elderly crowd were some 15 “youths”. Apparently, in Kiriwina, to
be called “youth” meant that the young person was an “out-of-
school” drop out. When I inquired why there were not that many
young people (since the villages we passed by all seemed like
“children-factories”), the par-
ish elders gently explained to
me that now was their time,
and that the “time” of the
youth would have to wait for
the future.
For the next five days I
gave three lectures and/or
conducted workshops daily,
two in the morning and one in
the afternoon until 4:30 PM.
The 15 talks spanned the en-
tire Bible and included bible
sharing sessions, dances, drama and art. What struck me with
this latest venture was the eagerness and consistent number of
participants whop walked for an hour to an hour-and-a-half jour-
ney on foot. To commemorate the beatification of our dearly be-
loved John Paul II, we viewed a two-part Italian produced film on
his life (in English, of course). The community of sisters, Daugh-
ters of Mary Immaculate (PIME Sisters), generously cooked our
meals.
I flew out of Kiriwina the next Sunday, 15 May, deeply im-
pressed by the warmth of the people and the paucity of opportu-
nity and the dearth of hope for the island‟s youth. The valiant
efforts of missionaries past (MSC and PIME) and those present
(Reparation Sisters in Gusaweta; PIME Sisters in Wapipi; and Fr.
Sonny) are truly inspiring. I deeply pray that our “sharing of the
Word” may sustain the people of Kiriwina in their trials and nur-
ture their faith.
TAVUR — The newsletter of the Salesian delegation of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
9