EDUCATING FOR A HAPPY LIFE IN “DON BOSCO’S WAY”

Just came upon a wonderful resource for all educators and anyone who has anything to do with the young. It is easy to use and just the thing to make you reflect on what is happening in your interactions with the young. Check it out! Here is its scope and goal in the words of the team behind it!!!

This website is an attempt to present Don Bosco's Way to the multi-religious, multi-cultural population of South Asia and beyond. It offers educators, parents, social workers and youth leaders the opportunity to be enriched by the genius of Don Bosco and his educational method, even though they may not share his beliefs, or accept his original writings that are clothed in cultural and religious vocabulary.

THE TRAGEDY IN HAITI – GLIMMERS OF HOPE!!!

Even as we speak the tragedy of Haiti continues to unfold in ways that are surreal. It has all the ingredients of a doomed humanitarian aid project. Tremendous destruction and loss of lives, very poor infrastructure and desperate poverty suffered for decades amidst ethnic and political unrest. As someone said: "It would be very hard to find a worse place for a tragedy of this magnitude!"

But, even in this situation one cannot but notice signs of hope. The way the world is waking up led by many NGOs and FBOs (faith-based organizations) is amazing. My very own Salesian family is doing its best to reach out to those afflicted by the tragedy. Undaunted that the hardwork to build structures for education and human development - begun from 1935 - may have just been razed to rubble, the work for a new beginning is on.

Well, first here is a tribute to some who may have lost their lives. Here is a beautiful video of the children from the SDB ""National School of Arts and Trades" singing in happier times. At least 200 of them are among those not accounted for. We raise a prayer for the dead and pledge to do what we can for the living.

SOME PICTURES FROM EARLY TIMES…

I have posted some pictures from my childhood on Facebook and got some comments. This is my response to one who commented on how cute we all look when we are young.

Guess there is a little bit of angelic greatness in all of us. Sadly sometimes the winds of change and the sands of time obscure that. Its good to go back to the past and maybe recover something for the present and the future. May the past be the impetus we need to build a wonderful future. Happy New Year again…

ANOTHER TRAGIC DEATH

My first post in the New Year 2010 comes with some sad news. I just read about the tragic death in a car accident of one of my theology companions in Kristu Jyoti College. Fr. Nicholas Lakshman SDB, known as  Nethasinghe, was the vicar to the Superior of the Vice-Province of Sri Lanka. In the last few months I have often remembered him in my conversations with the theology students from his Vice-Province who study in Sacred Heart Theological College, Mawlai. Fond memories remain of a dedicated and convinced religious who was always cheerfully going about his business of personal formation. There is a report of his accident here.

For now the least we can do is to whisper a prayer and ask the Lord to welcome Nethasinghe into His Heavenly Abode.