PTA First Annual Meeting of Jr. & Sr. K.G.

Fr. Crispino welcoming the parents for the PTA meeting

On Saturday 03 July, at 10.00 am the Parents & Teachers of the Jr. & Sr. K.G. met in the hall for their first PTA meeting. Fr. Crispino the Principal invited the Rector, Fr. Godfrey D'Souza to lead the members into prayer and he then gave his talk. 
He once again touched on 'Parenting by Example' and informed the parents and teachers that children first learn by seeing and doing and so our example as parents play a very important role in the upbringing of our children. Children do exactly as we do and say exactly what we say and so we have to take extra precaution to make sure we do not lead our children astray by our words and example.

Some of the parents at the meeting

Fr. Godfrey D'Souza, the Rector sharing his thoughts with the parents

on Parenting by Example

Fr. Crispino then introduced the teachers of the two sections and sent them to elect their representatives for the sections.

Fr. Crispino instructing the parents

He also informed them that now since the RTE has been passed that though it would not affect their children but that in time it would. He explained a little about what the RTE was about. He also informed the parents who had their children in the primary and secondary section that the four Don Bosco Schools would have a common syllabus and programme and that the classes for the secondary would get over at 01.50 pm.

The parents then left to go to the various places to have the elections of the PTA representatives.

SCHOOL HOUSE SYSTEM INAUGURATED

Inviting the dignitaries for the function

Today was indeed an auspicious day as we had the inauguration of the School House System. The students were all ready and waiting for Fr. Rector, Fr. Principal, the Administrator and the Supervisor. They marched in to music and took their places at the back of the hall.

The dignitaries entering the hall

The compere welcomed the dignitaries and the students to the inauguration ceremony of the School House System and asked for the blessings of the Lord as we  install the Leaders of the various houses. We began with the Our Father and then had the Pledge and the National anthem. The students then sang the School anthem with gusto.

The School Captain, Master Rudrash Azad, the Vice Captain Master Nigel Rodrigues and the others marched to the stage and took their places on stage. The House captains and vice captains were also accompanied on stage with their respective teachers in charge of the house.

The Red House Captain & Vice Captain marching to the stage

The junior Captain & Vice Captain marching to the stage

Those of the Yellow House marching to the stage

Next it was the turn of the Green House

The compere mentioned that World Environment Day was celebrated on the 5th June and as this year is the year of the Environment the school has taken as its drive for the entire year, 'Care For Creation'.

Each House then gave the meaning of their Colour, the mentor of their house and the element they would be focusing on.

The RED HOUSE would look at Conservation of Energy Resources

The BLUE HOUSE would look at Conserving the magic of Water on our planet.

The GREEN HOUSE would look at the Conservation of the Earth and

The YELLOW HOUSE would look at Air Pollution

After this we had the School Captain and the rest taking the oath in front of Fr. Godfrey D'Souza the Rector. Fr. Rector gave the School Captain and Vice Captain their ties.

The Principal was invited to hand over the charges to the various house leaders and to take their pledge. The Principal then gave the captains their ties.

The School Leaders

Fr. Rector giving the ties to the Captain & Vice Captain of the School

Fr. Crispino giving away the ties to the Class Leaders

Fr. Rector was then asked to declare the School House Systems Open. He then spoke to the students and told them of the exciting games that were going on and the teams that participated in FIFA. Some of the previous cup holders were already out of the tournament and were sad, disappointed and dejected as they were knocked out of this prestigious tournament. He stressed on TEAM: as Together Everybody Achieves More and asked each individual student to put his might into making his team successful.

Fr. Rector declaring the School House System Open

The students in rapt attention

After the ceremonies Fr. Rector together with Fr. Edwin the Administrator and the Supervisor went to plant a sapling in keeping with the school theme of Caring for Creation.

Caring For Creation

Mrs. Vidhya the Supervisor, Fr. Rector & Fr. Edwin planting a sapling

COMMUNICATION FOR PASTORAL LEADERSHIP – MUMBAI

MUMBAI, JULY 3, 2010: The Commission for Social Communications in collaboration with Tej-Prasarini, Don Bosco Communications Matunga, animated the Council Members, Rectors and various Delegates of the Mumbai Province to a compact and comprehensive one-day course in “Communication for Pastoral Leadership” at Don Bosco Provincial House Matunga, on July 2^, 2010.

Fr. Ronald Menezes the Delegate for Communications

Fr. Ajoy Fernandes, Vice Provincial, during the Eucharistic celebration, set the ‘Salesian Digital Immigration’ with a call to seeing ‘Communion in Communication’ as a point of departure.  The sessions began with a prayer song ‘His Grace is enough for Me”. Fr. Michael Fernandes, Provincial of the Mumbai Province, at the very start, congratulated the Commission for Social Communications for having implemented the deliberations of the Provincial Chapter 2010 and invited all to a fruitful experience.

Mr. Conrad Saldanha

The day began on a very high note with Mr. Condrad Saldanha, former Vice-President of the Time of India and presently the Principal Advisor of Don Bosco Centre of Learning, Kurla, inviting us to bridge the ‘Digital Divide’ and how the ‘context’ in which we live presents us with a new paradigm of life. Unless we become ‘Digital Immigrants’ we will never be able to communicate with the young who are today’s ‘Digital Natives’. Understanding the shift from the traditional ‘Culture of the Alphabet’ to our modern ‘Culture of Electricity’ should help us profoundly in our Pastoral Leadership with the young.

Fr. Nigel Barrett, belonging to the Archdiocese of Mumbai with a special passion for the well-being of youngsters in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) challenged the participants to use ‘Social Networking’ sites like Facebook, Orkut as an important tool in our pastoral ministry.

Mr. Angelo Dias, a Salesian past-pupil and Founder of Taproot India and much sort after in Indian Advertising spoke to the Salesians on “Advertising and its impact on Youth”. Many of his awards winning Advertisements for Times of India, Pepsi, Nike, Lead India we also screened.

Ms Carol Andrade, Editor of The Afternoon and Mr. Troy Ribeiro, Director of Litmus Public Relations spoke to the participants on the importance of ‘Press Conferences’. In a world of Information overload, it is the sensational that often catches the eye. We don’t have to fear journalists anymore. Knowing the rights and duties of the journalists and our own rights and duties and keeping in mind the ‘Inverted Pyramid’, Press Conferences can become an important tool for us to reach the Media correctly and confidently.

Fr. Joaquim Fernandes sdb, Director of Tej-Prasarini, Don Bosco Communications enlightened the members on being “Called to be a Communicating Church” while Ms. Tazin Mistry, took us to the world of the young working in BPOs. Fr. Ralin De Souza sdb, Professor of Don Bosco College, Panjim, spoke on the “Internet as a Pastoral Instrument”. Fr. Robert Pen sdb, Principal Divyadaan, Nashik, enlightened us on “Mobiles and their Impact on the Young”.

Release of the documentary  'Water for Life'

A documentary Video, “Water for Life” on the Watershed projects in Ahmednagar was then released by Fr. Provincial. Fr. Ronnie Menezes sdb, the main MC of the program did a splendid job through his eloquence and humor. Special mementos were presented to every speaker.

Special thanks to Fr. Joaquim, Delegate of the Commission for Social Communication in the Mumbai Province and to the staff of Tej-Prasarini for the professional way in which they arranged the entire program. Salesian Mumbai truly feels more confident in the use of ‘Communication in Pastoral Leadership’

By Fr. Glenford Lowe sdb

BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE # 1901

RECTORS MEET IN PROVINCIAL HOUSE

Fr. Godfrey D'Souza, the Rector of St Dominic Savio Boys' Home, Andheri, attended the three days meeting for Rectors and those In-Charge of communities at Don Bosco Provincial House, Matunga from the 30th June to the 02nd July 2010. 

The Rectors in the crypt readying for mass

The session began with the Eucharist in the crypt of the Shrine of Don Bosco Matunga. Fr. Provincial was the main celebrant and was flanked by new newly appointed Rectors, Fr. Anthony Santarita (Bosco Boys Home Borivili) and Fr. Cletus D'Souza (Don Bosco Lonavla).

Fr. Provincial with the two new Rectors: Fr. Cletus & Fr. Anthony

Fr. Michael in his homily spoke on Don Rua as we are celebrating the 150 death anniversary of Don Rua, the first successor of Don Bosco and a lad from the Oratory of Don Bosco. He spoke of the similarities of Don Rua and how he was known as the Rule of Life. The congregation flourished in the time of Don Rua and expanded. During the time of Don Bosco there were just 700 Salesians while in the time of Don Rua the Salesians were more than 3,000. During the time of Don Rua Salesians also went out of Rome and around the world as missionaries to begin works in different parts of the world, and in Asia and the far East. 

After the Eucharist we had a refreshment break and got down to business. Fr. Ajoy Fernandes took us through the programme of the next two days and welcomed Fr. Provincial to the dais. 

Fr. Ajoy Fernandes the Vice Provincial

Fr. Michael Fernandes, the Provincial welcomed each and every one present and then shared with us some news of the Province and all the happenings around. He touched on some topics that would help and assist Rectors in animating the communities. The Provincial took the entire morning until 11.00 am.

Fr. Michael Fernandes, the Provincial

Fr. Elson Barretto the Provincial Economer then came up after the Provincial and touched on some important matters concerning Administration and accounting.

Fr. Elson Barretto the Provincial Economer

Fr. Ajoy Fernandes the Vice Provincial then took the floor and we went through the calendar of the year highlighting some of the important features and events that were ahead and that we had to take note of.

Some of the participants during the meeting

At 12.30 pm we broke up for lunch and we resumed our meeting at 2.30pm. For this session the Vice Provincial dealt with issues regarding the Provincial Chapter that we had in February and how we could implement the same on the community level.

Going through the Chapter documents

Fr. Glenford Lowe touched on Salesian Youth Ministry and Salesian Youth Spirituality and very beautifully described to us the process and method of Don Bosco's System through the four aspects of Playground; Home; School and Spirituality.

Fr. Godfrey D'Souza then took on how the Chronicler should maintain records and how the House Chronicles should be kept and what were the salient points that one would have to look at in order to keep a record of the house. He quoted Don Bosco and said that Don Bosco exhorted his Salesians to keep records of their houses as that would help in knowing the history of a particular institution and work. Most of the history of the congregation was obtained from the Salesians who kept proper records of the chronicles.

Fr. Glenford once again came up to inform the gathering about the importance of sending news and articles for BIS (Bosco Information Services) so that our works and activities are known on the National and International level. He asked the communities to keep representatives for this important office.

The gathering dispersed after tea and a good number of Salesians went their way.

On the 01st July we began with Fr. Savio Silveira introducing the speaker of the morning. The topic was Rights-based Approach to Development and Dr. Yogesh Kumar a Pd.D in this took us through the pros and cons of working in this field. His message was loud and clear that if we come across obstacles it is something worth working for, and that we would definitely encounter obstacles. 

Dr. Yogesh Kumar on Rights-based approach to Development