austraLasia 1505
First 'pillar' of PNG's dream basilica blessed on Annunciation Feast
(and look below after you have read this, for the announcement of the 'towards #1500' comp)
PORT MORESBY: 26th March 2006 -- His Excellency Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, Apostolic Nuncio for PNG and Solomon Islands, blessed what could be called the first 'pillar' of the Salesians' dream basilica to Mary Help of Christians yesterday, 25th March, Feast of the Annunciation. It is the new Chapel of the Eucharist, located on the first floor of the church now under construction. The whole second floor will make up the Shrine or small basilica dedicated to our Blessed Mother, the Help of Christians. And so, PNG will have Don Bosco's twin loves, Eucharist and Mary Help of Christians prominently in place at Boroko.
The ceremony was an early morning ceremony. Bishop Panfilo was also present. After blessing the new chapel and the statue of MHC, the Archbishop presided at the Eucharist celebrating the Solemnity of the Annunciation. Frs. Roger Miranda, Valeriano Barbero, John Bosco Jiminez and Fermin (Nuncio's secretary) concelebrated. The Mass was animated by the brothers and aspirants, together with the girl boarders at the Salesian Sisters. Several Religious Sisters groups were there - FMA, CSM, OLSH, FMI, OSJ, RVM, along with Don Bosco Technical Institute staff, the Bosconian boarders and several invited guests. The Nuncio emphasised the importance of building the Living Church dedicated to Jesus in the Eucharist and devoted to Mary.
Following the Eucharist, the Rector of DBTI/Delegation Community, Fr. Roger Miranda, expressed gratitude on behalf of the two communities - Savio Haus (sic) Formation Community and DBTI. He thanked the Nuncio, Bishop Panfilo and all present, encouraging Bosconians in a special way to inculcate their love for Jesus in the Eucharist and their devotion to Mary, Help of Christians. He offered particular thanks to Fr Valeriano Barbero, the Salesian pioneer in PNG, who has been the instrument of God in bringing this chapel to fruition, along with his dedicated group of workers headed by Mr. Vincent Oberes.
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And on another matter! The winner(s) of the 'towards #1500' competition? This seems as good a time as any to announce that I have decided to award the DVD of St. Francis de Sales to the PNG/SI Delegation - which probably means one to PNG and one to SI! Why? I received a total of five entries from three individuals in that Delegation, and an email with additional comment from the same Delegation from a fourth. PNG has come alive over this past fortnight! If the ultimate, perhaps not explicitly expressed aim of the competition was to encourage interaction, news, 'conversation', a sense of the Region, then PNG/SI best represented that aim. But I believe the entries also met the criteria as laid down. They gave me varied material - some directly 'Salesian', some not. One item sparked another from elsewhere (always a good sign); some items they wrote up themselves, some they gave me the (abundant) material for and asked me to write it up. Both were valid approaches. All in all over the period involved, PNG/SI, THA, AUL (Aus and Fiji), FIS-Pak and INC offered directly usable material, and FIN, AFM and GBR interacted with material. Congrats to the winners. I still have material to use, but 'keep the conversation going' please. All items are welcome.
___________________________
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
First 'pillar' of PNG's dream basilica blessed on Annunciation Feast
(and look below after you have read this, for the announcement of the 'towards #1500' comp)
PORT MORESBY: 26th March 2006 -- His Excellency Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, Apostolic Nuncio for PNG and Solomon Islands, blessed what could be called the first 'pillar' of the Salesians' dream basilica to Mary Help of Christians yesterday, 25th March, Feast of the Annunciation. It is the new Chapel of the Eucharist, located on the first floor of the church now under construction. The whole second floor will make up the Shrine or small basilica dedicated to our Blessed Mother, the Help of Christians. And so, PNG will have Don Bosco's twin loves, Eucharist and Mary Help of Christians prominently in place at Boroko.
The ceremony was an early morning ceremony. Bishop Panfilo was also present. After blessing the new chapel and the statue of MHC, the Archbishop presided at the Eucharist celebrating the Solemnity of the Annunciation. Frs. Roger Miranda, Valeriano Barbero, John Bosco Jiminez and Fermin (Nuncio's secretary) concelebrated. The Mass was animated by the brothers and aspirants, together with the girl boarders at the Salesian Sisters. Several Religious Sisters groups were there - FMA, CSM, OLSH, FMI, OSJ, RVM, along with Don Bosco Technical Institute staff, the Bosconian boarders and several invited guests. The Nuncio emphasised the importance of building the Living Church dedicated to Jesus in the Eucharist and devoted to Mary.
Following the Eucharist, the Rector of DBTI/Delegation Community, Fr. Roger Miranda, expressed gratitude on behalf of the two communities - Savio Haus (sic) Formation Community and DBTI. He thanked the Nuncio, Bishop Panfilo and all present, encouraging Bosconians in a special way to inculcate their love for Jesus in the Eucharist and their devotion to Mary, Help of Christians. He offered particular thanks to Fr Valeriano Barbero, the Salesian pioneer in PNG, who has been the instrument of God in bringing this chapel to fruition, along with his dedicated group of workers headed by Mr. Vincent Oberes.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
And on another matter! The winner(s) of the 'towards #1500' competition? This seems as good a time as any to announce that I have decided to award the DVD of St. Francis de Sales to the PNG/SI Delegation - which probably means one to PNG and one to SI! Why? I received a total of five entries from three individuals in that Delegation, and an email with additional comment from the same Delegation from a fourth. PNG has come alive over this past fortnight! If the ultimate, perhaps not explicitly expressed aim of the competition was to encourage interaction, news, 'conversation', a sense of the Region, then PNG/SI best represented that aim. But I believe the entries also met the criteria as laid down. They gave me varied material - some directly 'Salesian', some not. One item sparked another from elsewhere (always a good sign); some items they wrote up themselves, some they gave me the (abundant) material for and asked me to write it up. Both were valid approaches. All in all over the period involved, PNG/SI, THA, AUL (Aus and Fiji), FIS-Pak and INC offered directly usable material, and FIN, AFM and GBR interacted with material. Congrats to the winners. I still have material to use, but 'keep the conversation going' please. All items are welcome.
___________________________
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
