austraLasia 1400
PNG-SI gives a lead for celebration for 24th January celebration
PORT MORESBY: 21st January 2006 -- With exquisite timing, the PNG-Solomon Islands Delegation, through its Social Communications Commission, has set up a three day training programme in communications for those in formation. The programme will be conducted by Frs Ambrose Pereira sdb, Director of Catholic Communications in the Solomon Islands, and Fr Edwin Genovia sdb from Vunabosco in Rabaul. The programme begins on 22nd January and concludes precisely on the Feast of St. Francis de Sales. Topics to be covered include matters to do with Salesian understanding and practice in the field, including the identity of the Salesian Social Communications System, then approaches to youth and pop culture, liturgical music and animation of music at Mass, the Church and the media, the anatomy of a newspaper, advertising. The sessions will include a visit to a radio station in Port Moresby.
In terms of timing, the expertise involved, the topics and the dynamic for the sessions, this event sends an important message that the Delegation is thinking and acting along the lines regularly promoted by the Social Communications sector in the Congregation, under its leadership from Fr Tarcisio Scaramussa and the Department which he heads. Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands may sound like exotic locations to some, but in a globalised world, any point on the globe can be the 'centre' of the world. PNG-SI are not 'exotic' but at the heart of today's global culture, where rap and hip hop, advertising, the influence of television and resultant attitudes are as much a feature of life as anywhere else, for young people.
In a distinct but connected development, the East Boroko College community was, just a week ago, 'rascalized' (see below for the meaning of a term quite specific to PNG). The night guard was tied up, TVs, 200 school uniforms, DVD player, computers and the school safe stolen. The safe was abandoned, contents intact; the lock was damaged but did not yield. As Fr Roger Miranda, Rector in East Boroko put it, "our schools have been rascalized several times. This is one reason why we need to stay in this country. We can help in the education of the young".
It is to be hoped that the rascals have left sufficient amount of equipment for Ambrose and Edwin to 'do their thing'! austraLasia is also hopeful that one fruitful outcome of the three day seminar will be a sustained outpouring of news and views with a Melanesian touch to it. Something we look forward to.
VOCABULARY
rascals, rascalize: rascals are gang members usually given to violence, including armed robbery. These gangs are often made up of young people who have come into Port Moresby (it is more a Moresby situation than in other parts) from the Highlands or at least from rural parts, and have no other forms of survival.
______________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml
PNG-SI gives a lead for celebration for 24th January celebration
PORT MORESBY: 21st January 2006 -- With exquisite timing, the PNG-Solomon Islands Delegation, through its Social Communications Commission, has set up a three day training programme in communications for those in formation. The programme will be conducted by Frs Ambrose Pereira sdb, Director of Catholic Communications in the Solomon Islands, and Fr Edwin Genovia sdb from Vunabosco in Rabaul. The programme begins on 22nd January and concludes precisely on the Feast of St. Francis de Sales. Topics to be covered include matters to do with Salesian understanding and practice in the field, including the identity of the Salesian Social Communications System, then approaches to youth and pop culture, liturgical music and animation of music at Mass, the Church and the media, the anatomy of a newspaper, advertising. The sessions will include a visit to a radio station in Port Moresby.
In terms of timing, the expertise involved, the topics and the dynamic for the sessions, this event sends an important message that the Delegation is thinking and acting along the lines regularly promoted by the Social Communications sector in the Congregation, under its leadership from Fr Tarcisio Scaramussa and the Department which he heads. Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands may sound like exotic locations to some, but in a globalised world, any point on the globe can be the 'centre' of the world. PNG-SI are not 'exotic' but at the heart of today's global culture, where rap and hip hop, advertising, the influence of television and resultant attitudes are as much a feature of life as anywhere else, for young people.
In a distinct but connected development, the East Boroko College community was, just a week ago, 'rascalized' (see below for the meaning of a term quite specific to PNG). The night guard was tied up, TVs, 200 school uniforms, DVD player, computers and the school safe stolen. The safe was abandoned, contents intact; the lock was damaged but did not yield. As Fr Roger Miranda, Rector in East Boroko put it, "our schools have been rascalized several times. This is one reason why we need to stay in this country. We can help in the education of the young".
It is to be hoped that the rascals have left sufficient amount of equipment for Ambrose and Edwin to 'do their thing'! austraLasia is also hopeful that one fruitful outcome of the three day seminar will be a sustained outpouring of news and views with a Melanesian touch to it. Something we look forward to.
VOCABULARY
rascals, rascalize: rascals are gang members usually given to violence, including armed robbery. These gangs are often made up of young people who have come into Port Moresby (it is more a Moresby situation than in other parts) from the Highlands or at least from rural parts, and have no other forms of survival.
______________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/rssala.xml
