Visit of Mr. & Mrs.Christof & Madeleine Siffert

Mr. & Mrs. Christop & Madeleine Siffert from Switzerland came to St. Dominic Savio Boys Home this morning and spent some time with us. Fr. Godfrey D'Souza the Rector was in touch with them via email as they wanted to send some gift items for poor deserving children and youngsters. They had collected a lot of stuff such as clothes, stationery, toys etc from the children of Switzerland.

They came with their little daughter and young son and they were entertained by our yougsters with a welcome song and a couple of christmas carols that the brass band played. They enjoyed mingling with the youngsters and at the end of their short but sweet visit gave some chocolates to the boys.

They also brought with them a beautiful set of football uniforms of the Swiss National Team and a number of footballs for our youngsters. We are indeed very grateful to them for their generosity and sharing.

Fr. Godfrey in his welcome introduced the Sifferts to the boarders and thanked them for all the trouble they took to bring so many gifts for children in Mumbai.

The Sifferts with us in our Boys Home

The Sifferts with their children

Listening to our band play christmas carols

Showing the Swiss National Football Uniforms

Some footballs that they brought along

Cultural Day of Std. I

On the 12th December Standard I had their Cultural Day. The theme was Christmas. The youngsters were in their best outfits waiting to come on stage and enact scenes from the Nativity with the reindeers, cows and other animals. Mary and Joseph were indeed surrounded by worthy little street urchins and scientists.

The youngsters began with a prayer dance and then the different little items that they did so very well and beautifully. It was amazing to note that they were just standard I and did to perfection.

The hall was indeed packed with parents, grandparents and relatives for the Cultural Day.

A Welcome song by the youngsters for the parents

The angels bringing the Good News to poor children

Not without a dance to swing to the beat

A Farewell song

Santa was here

NBA Cares Inaugurates Basket Ball Court at St. Dominic Savio's

It was indeed a Red Letter Day for the Institute, as on the 9th December we were privileged to have NBA Cares come to inaugurate the newly refurbrished basketball court that they sponsored. Together with Mr. Harish Sharma, the Secretary General of the BFI (Basketball Federation of India), and Mr. M. Venkatesh a Savio Club basketball member, who was very instrumental in getting us the sponsorship of the NBA, we had the NBA Legend, a seven plus footer, Mr. Dikembe Mutombo himself with us to inaugurate the court.

The NBA Cares logo on the court

NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo 7'2"

Fr. Godfrey D'Souza in his welcome thanked NBA Cares and Mr. Harish Sharma and the sponsors, Tata Consultancy Services and HP for their contribution in making this venture possible for youngsters who have the passion for Basketball.

The event began at 16.00 hours and there were a number of youngsters who had come for this inauguration and clinic after the inauguration. Mr. Dikembe in his speech said that anyone can become a good basketball player but we need to be good human beings who make a difference in the lives of others and society.

Dikembe Mutombo speaking to the crowd

Some of the youngsters present

Some of the girls present for the clinic

After the introductions and speeches we had the unveiling of the plaque by Dikembe Mutombo.

Unveiling of the plaque

Soon after the unveiling we had the NBA representatives who conducted a basketball clinic for all the youngsters who were present on the grounds. We had the boys of St. Dominic Savio's; the girls from Divine Child and Canossa schools who were also present for the clinic. The clinic went on for about an hour.

Training during the clinic

Training during the clinic

Dikembe Mutombo during the clinic

Give me five with one of the participants

With some of our youngsters of Dominic Savio's

Some of the younger participants

Many of those who came for the clinic did receive a memento from Dikembe of his photograph when he played for the Rockets. They were indeed delighted to have something to remember of this great legend of the NBA.

The memento he gave to each youngster

PROVINCIAL VISITATION

On the 26th November 2009, Fr. Michael Fernandes, our Provincial came to St. Dominic Savio's Andheri for his official provincial visitation of the community. He arrived at 02.00 pm and he was welcomed by the Rector and some of the confreres of the community and the boarders got together and sang a welcome song. He began his visitation with Prafulta and Balfrafulta by meeting the staff of Prafulta at 02.30 pm. Fr. Godfrey D'Sa the Director of Prafulta welcomed Fr. Provincial and introduced him to the staff. He gave a brief description of the works and activities that are being done by Prafulta and the team of experts of Doctors and Therapists that make up Prafulta. There was a discussion that followed and Fr. Provincial said a few words in appreciation of the great work being done by the experts and Prafulta and congratulated them for being involved in this field of counselling and therapy.

At about 03.45 pm the Balprafulta team next met the Provincial and once again Fr. D'Sa introduced the Provincial to the team after which he gave an idea of the works and activities being carried out by Balprafulta. Mr. Santosh Shinde then highlighted some undertakings that were carried out by Balprafulta and some of the cases of child labour they were looking into. The meeting with them got over at around 04.40 pm.

At 05.00 pm Fr. Provincial had his conference with the confreres of the community. He spoke on aspects of community living and how we can help sustain community living and growth by accepting one another.

At 06.00 pm he met the Salesian Cooperators and spent some time with them. He shared some news of the salesian family and informed them of the new members of the salesian family such as the VDBs (Volunteers of Don Bosco) and the ADMA (The devotees of Mary Help of Christians) and the Mamma Margaret group (parents of salesians). At the end of the meeting the Cooperators who were present took a photograph with the provincial and the delegate of the Cooperators, Fr. Godfrey D'Souza.

Fr. Provincial and Fr. Godfrey with the Cooperators

At 07.00 pm Fr. Provincial went to meet the children of the Evening Study Classes. They assembled on the first floor of the school building in front of the Principal's office and put up a small programme for Fr. Provincial reading out an address and a dance by the girls.  Fr. Provincial thanked the group and the children and encouraged them to make the best of the facilities available for their study, recreation and growth.

The girls of the ESC dancing

Some of the children of the ESC watching the dance

A closer view

After this Fr. Provincial met the Past Pupils at 07.30 pm. and Fr. Blaise Fernandes the Delegate of the Past Pupils asked each member to introduced themselves. Fr. Provincial informed the PPs to have a vision and to see how they could be involved in a greater way in reaching out to the marginalized or to see if they were able to adopt a muncipal school and help the children in such settings. He also suggested that he would be happy to see either the cooperators or past pupils running some of the institutions such as the Shelter Home in Lonavla or Karjat or even taking up the Evening Study of the children from the bastis and slums.

It was already 08.15 pm and the salesian community gathered around the provincial for dinner. After dinner there was a short good night prayers and after that a welcome address read out by Master Steven Fernandes and then Fr. Provincial gave the good night to the boarders.

At the Eucharist with the Provincial

On the 27th morning, the community gathered together for meditation at 06.10 am and then went for the Eucharist with Fr. Provincial as the celebrant. All the boarders were present for the Eucharist and sang well during the mass.

At 08.00 am we had the school assembly of the secondary students with the scouts leading Fr. Provincial, Fr. Rector, Fr. Principal and Fr. Vice Principal. Fr. Godfrey D'Souza the Rector of the Institute introduced the Provincial to the gathering and informed them that this visit of the provincial was an official visit that is made once every year. The students had as their theme "Save Water, Save Life.' They put up a skit showing how water should be saved and conserved and that one should take care of this precious gift that preserves and sustains all life.

The skit put up by the boys

Some of the salesians present at the school assembly

The students watching the school programme

Fr. Provincial addressing the school gathering at the Assembly

At. 09.00 am there was the Primary school assembly and once again Fr. Provincial was present for this gathering of the primary kids. The kids began with 'If I were a butterfly.....' and then put up a couple of songs to welcome Fr. Provincial. They also put up a skit that conveyed a message that said if Love is what we first seek, all the other things such as wealth and success automatically follow.

The primary section with their welcome song

Say it with flowers

After the School assemblies the Provincial had time to go around the campus and meet the confreres. At. 01.30 pm he had a staff meeting of all the staff members: the Kindergarten, the Primary, Secondary and NIOS together. Fr. Rector welcomed the provincial once again and for the records he informed the provincial that the school has a set of dedicated and committed teachers who give their life to the kids in instilling right values and principles. Fr. Provincial in his talk to them gave them five points of effective teachers. After his talk he asked them if they would like to say or share anything with him. They commended on the salesian staff and the way things were done and that there were a lot of changes for the good and that the school was clean.

At 02.30 pm there was the assembly of the Pre-NIOS and the NIOS in the school hall. A welcome address was read out to the Provincial and a floral tribute was given to welcome him. With this the provincial had met all the groups in the complex.

At Assembly with the Pre-NIOS & NIOS

Fr. Provincial saying a few words to the NIOS school

At. 03.00 pm he had the concluding conference to the confreres of the community and a few points of appreciation and some suggestions for improvement. After the conference we had a photograph together with Fr. provincial and all the boarders before he left for the Provincial House.

A group photograph with Fr. Provincial

It was nice having Fr. Provincial, our Don Bosco in our midst, for the last day with us.

Welcome again Fr. Provincial.

CULTURAL DAY FOR STD III

On Saturday the 21st November, Standard III of the Primary School had its Cultural Day. Many parents of the children were present and had come to witness this Cultural Programme. The students put up a variety show with poems, dances and songs. This Cultural Day was taking place after a long gap and it was, as explained by the Principal, Fr. Crispino D'Souza, an encouragement for the young students to come up with confidence to act and speak in public displaying their creativity and talent.

The welcome song for parents by the boys

Some of students dressed up in costume

One section at the recitation of the Lion and the Mouse

A glimpse of the parents who attended the Cultural Programme

Fr. Rector in his speech to the parents highlighted the importance of having children and that they were the best gift God gave them and to take care of the children and spend as much time as they could with their children.

The theme for the programme was "I AM SPECIAL," a reminder to each parent that their child was special and more precious than silver and gold.

DIVYADAAN STUDENTS VISIT BOYS HOME ANDHERI

It certainly was a delight to welcome seventy-three students and staff members from our Philosophical Institute at Nashik. They were on an excursion tour visiting salesian houses in Mumbai. After a trip to Kurla and Don Bosco Borivili and Bosco Boys Home, they came to St. Dominic Savio Boys Home for lunch.

The confreres welcomed them with a good spread at table and after the lunch there was an address read out to welcome the students and staff of Divyadaan. The boys sang a welcome song and then the band played a piece for them.

The brothers themselves said a few words of appreciation and had an address read out by Denver thanking and appreciating the boys and the confreres for their welcome and hospitality. They then sang a Thank You song.

Fr. Godfrey D'Souza, introduced the group to the boarders and later some of the boarders spent time with the young salesians chatting and asking them a hundred questions.

The students of Divyadaan being welcomed by our boarders

Our boarders

Cleric Denver D'Silva reading our the address

PRE-NIOS & NIOS DON BOSCO MATUNGA TEACHERS SEMINAR

On Thursday, 19th November, we had the Supervisor of the Pre-NIOS & the NIOS of Don Bosco Matunga, Ms. Preema Noronha, together with seven teaching staff who came in for a three hours animation seminar conducted by Fr. Bosco Pereira and Fr. Godfrey D'Souza. The theme of the seminar was "Creating Your Own Experience."

The seminar helped the participants to look at themselves squarely and realize that each one is responsible for all that happens and that we create our own experience. The sessions were lively on account of a greater participation by the staff in the discussions and sessions.

Everybody has a look,
Everybody has an attitude,

Everybody has a certain role.

Some might call it Personality,

and some might call it your Style.

The participants went through a series of Personality styles to check which one they belonged to or were inclined towards. It helped to have a greater awareness of oneself and how we either act or react towards others in our behaviourial patterns.

Some of the video clippings and power-point presentations made it enriching and beautiful.

The sessions ended at 01.00 pm with a vote of thanks from a staff member, Larry.

SPORTS FESTIVAL II - CHILDRENS' DAY CELEBRATIONS

The second day of the Sports Festival began with the semi-finals and finals of Football, Bucket Basket-ball, Throw-ball, Kho-kho and the Fun games. This took us to lunch time at 12.30 pm. At 01.30 pm we began the athletic events with the 100m & 200m for the V to the X standards. Simultaneously, there were the shot-put, and long jumps taking place for the various classes.

The race by the VI & VII standards

The relay by the VI & VII standards

The staff at a point of discussion

The IX & X at their 200m race

A show of strength at the tug-of-war

The staff tug-of-war the Primary side headed by Fr. Blaise

The tug-of-war the secondary side headed by the Principal

The Rector cheering the tug-of-war participants

The Winner takes it all - The Red House over-all Champions

with their House Teacher Valeri Mascarenhas

A tie between the Yellow & Green House

Fr. Principal giving away a trophy to the Red House

A view of the staff in a relaxed mood !

Lowering of the flag at the end of the festival

As it always happens all good things come to an end. The two days of hectic activity on the field came to an end with one and all enjoying themselves and having a wonderful time. Fr. Rector said a few words on Children Day asking them to stay young and not grow old too fast and to cherish the values that they have of sensitivity, honesty, goodness, thoughtfulness, love and compassion.

Fr. Rector at the concluding speech to the students

Fr. Principal gave the vote of thanks beginning with the Almighty for the two bright and excellent days we had during the Sports Festival. He then thanked the staff and the coordinating committee and the non teaching staff for all the trouble and time they put in to make this event a success. The salesians community with all the fathers and brothers and the boarding masters were also thanked by the Principal.

All good things come to an end and when all was done and the Festival over it began to drizzle and we began to have God's showers of blessings on us.