It was a memorable and happy day for the students, sisters and staff members of Janta H.S. School Jumaikela. They celebrated their annual school picnic day on 17th January 2017 in the school compound. Each class cooked their own food items with the help of their class teachers and contributed for the meal. Everybody enjoyed their delicious food prepared by themselves and went home happily .
The annual Sports day at Janta H.S. School Jumaikela was held on 13th January 2017.The school playground was filled with students in great zeal and happiness. The programme began with the march past led by scouts and guides. Rev. Fr. Patrik Tigga the parish priest and the Rev. Sr. Rose Kureekattu the animator of the community graced the occasion with their presence. The program was inaugurated by lightning the sport’s torch by our chief guest as he declared the sports meet open. The welcome speech was delivered by Sir Manoj Minj followed by welcome song by the students of class XII. There were Needle and thread race, sack race, balance race, 5o meters race, filling the bottles, long jump, high jump, etc.
The ABEO (Assistant Block Education Officer) preside over the function in the afternoon and conclude the sports day and to gave away the prizes to the winners. He expressed his happiness to see the school, the surroundings and the students. The program ended with a vote of thanks by Sr. Cordula Kullu, the Principal of the school. We praise and thank God for the beautiful day and His watchful care over us.
On 20th December 2016, Auxilium Convent School, Barasat, celebrated their much-awaited Parents Day celebration for the Primary sections, after almost one month of preparations and hard work. The chief guest for that day was Shri Ratin Ghosh, the honorable Chairman of Madhyamgram Municipality and Mr. Sunil Mukherjee, Chairman, Barasat Municipality.
The first went was the ‘Giubileo Fiesta’. With the school decorated in brilliant colours and the dancers in the glittering costumes it was truly a sight to behold. The dance was followed by a warm welcome speech by Sister Principal, Sr. Clara Saminathan and a cheerful welcome song by the junior students. The nest Programme was the play by the nursery and K.G students titled ‘Red Riding Hood’ and the dance by class I kids on the hit pop song ‘Bailando’ came after. The true majesty of our school was revealed in the evening when the sun had hit and the lights that had been hung all around the school was lighted. The school was bathed in the bluish and whitish glow and the trees in gold and red. It was a marvelous view.
The following programmes were the Musical Amalgam, the musical fusion of Hindi and English songs by High school students and the dance performance by the class II students on the popular number, ‘Into the Paradise’. Then came the programme that everyone had been most eager to watch. The musical play the High school students titled ‘Benediction of the Ignoble”. The play went without a hitch and the dance portions left the audience stunned with their gracefulness. They were also awestruck by the excellent performances by the actors. The play came to an end with a huge round of applause. This was followed by the class III dance performance called ‘Timber by Chikaz kids’. The last event of the day was the Christmas play called ‘Christ is Born’ by the students of classes Iv and V. The celebration came to an end with the Vote of Thanks by Sister Superior, Sr. Stella at about 7.pm in the evening, but this was just the first day and the next day had many more surprise waiting to be revealed.
On the 20th and 21st December, 2016 the students of Auxilium Convent school, Barasat had the gala celebrations of the Silver Jubilee of the school and the Annual day. The chief guests for the day were the Honorable Minister, Mr.Partha Chattopadhyay, the Education Minister, Ms.Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar Member of Parliament and Mr.Chiranjit Chakraborty MLA and Provincial Sr. Rose Ezarath. The event took place in the grounds and began at 3:00 pm The first event was ‘Giubileo Fiesta” by the students of high school. Then the parents and the Chief Guest were cordially welcomed through the welcome speech delivered by Sr. Principal.
We had a dance drama titled “Ritu Ranga” by the middle school students. It highlighted the exuberant, colorful and vibrant hues of the seasons of Bengal dexterously. This was followed by a foot tapping dance by the class II students titled “Into Paradise”. The next event was a mellifluous Jubilee song titled “Canzone D’ Argento” sung by the High school students. It brought out the spirit of the students of our school.
Next was the Musical Aamalgam performed by high school students, a musical play which focused on man’s redemption and struggle against evil’s iron grip, titled Benediction of “The Ignoble” by the high school students of class IV and V. This was followed by the Vote of Thanks delivered by Sr. Superior. The months of hard work put in by the staff and the students of the school truly bore fruit.
Reported by Bipasha Bhowmick and Maitreyee Roy
On 5 and 6 January 2017, a seminar on Education Policy, Child protection Policy and the current issues of Education was organized by the Province for the 56 sisters of the province at Auxilium Convent, Bandel. The resource person was Fr. Sunny Jacob SJ, the Secretary, (JEASA) Jesuit Educational Society of South Asia. Sr. Stella Potteparambil introduced the resource person briefly, highlighting his role as a great educator and competent person in the field of Education Policy.
On the first day he dwelt with the current challenges such as Demonetization, Religious Intolerance, Education Policy, Corruption, Minority Rights, Corporatization, Communalization and Centralization etc. He explained clearly the general background of Educational Policy and its evolution down the decades. To withstand today’s challenges Christians have three great powers to use – The Gospel power, Institutional Power and Ecumenical Power. He urged everyone to stand united to forge ahead to build a better and just society.
On the second day Fr. Sunny explained in greater length the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act 2012. He also brought out differed types of Child Abuses with many examples. This created more awareness to the participants on how to deal with the students of our school. He exhorted us to keep good rapport with the students and managing committee. At the end he explained to how to cope up with our Teaching Profession to meet modern challenges. The meeting concluded with words of gratitude expressed by Sr. Aruna Kispotta and Sr. Kanchan Bara to Fr. Sunny. All the participants were contented and enriched by the seminar.
Protima Sardar, our orphan girl finally had the joy of witnessing her nuptials with Benedict Francis Mandol. Benedict hails from a good Christian family. The nuptials Mass for Protima and Francis was at 10 a.m. followed by the reception at our School hall. Approximately 60 people participated from the bride and bridegroom’s side.
Sr. Mary Sarkar prepared Protima well with instruction and other preparations for the Bengali custom wedding, right from its initiation to the actual day.Fr. Raphael the parish priest in his brief homily exhorted the couple to remain faithful in all circumstances of life and be responsible to bring up a good Christian family. A new life has begun and this newness should be lived all along even through ups and downs of life and keep faithful to Sacramental life.
We congratulated the couple and wished them every best for a bright and happy future and a new life. By 5 p.m. Protima left with Francis and his family members to their village some distance further from Chadha. Nilsuri, our co-worker accompanied Protima to her new home. We prayed for Protima that she has a happy and bright future in the new set up.
“Solitude, Silence, and Constant Prayer” was the clarion call and heralding words that Fr. James Mathew sdb, the preacher. He put us on a strong platform at the start of this Annual Retreat to ascend the ladder to sanctity and transformation, leading us into the silence of the manger with the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes to enter into the depths of our inner selves.
There were 52 participants of the Kolkata province gathered under the mantle of Our Lady of Bandel for the Mount Tabor experience to taste the sweetness and the goodness of the Lord and rest in His abode. Days of grace followed when we were made to reflect and contemplate the humanity of the Incarnate Word made flesh in the silence of the crib and to really recognize Him, know Him, be with Him and contemplate Jesus until he becomes incarnate in us. Like the attitude of the 3 wise men on their journey seeking Christ with our whole heart to offer Him profound adoration, total surrender and ready to return to a new way led by the star through Scripture and led by the cave through wisdom.We were made to realize that the day we feel love in our heart, then God lives in us. A strong conviction that surfaced was that if we lived by the Spirit we would be guided by it, even just calling upon the most powerful name of Jesus. Mt. 16-17.
The Feast of the Holy Family enabled us to see how this family after the example at Bethany, to wait upon God’s Word and to be doers of it not merely hearers. A strong conviction “Where your heart is there is your treasure”, Col: 3:17-17 enabled us see where our true treasure lay. The dynamic conversion of Paul on his way to Damascus and embrace Christ fully thereafter was an invitation for us to know that Christ lives in me and I in Him. LOVE TRANSFORMS EVERYTHINH. LET GOD LOVE YOU. This was soothing balm to truly understand that Jesus always looks on us with love and we would change (Samaritan woman) for He says ‘Come unto me and I’ll give you rest’ Jn. 1-2 ; Jn.15-15.
Our wish for the New year 2017 culminated in the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as we celebrate the 100th Year of the Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima- to allow Jesus to penetrate and possess our whole being so completely that our life too may radiate his light and love to all, with an attitude of gratitude to our Blessed Mother at the start of this New year in the Spirit of the Magnificat.. The Eucharist, source and summit of our spiritual strength, freeing us from every bondage led us to understand how each of us could become a real presence of Jesus for the young, needy and the poor with the same passion of Mother Mazzarello, Don Bosco and St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata.
“Look at Jesus” helped us ponder deeply the power to forgive, that God turns everything for good unto those who love Him (Joseph- Genesis) and the power to return to our original innocence and become like the image of Jesus. Act. 25; Act. 7-54. A home driving thought worth mentioning was to feel the presence of God in all situations of life and this awareness is brought about through Holy Scripture as in the case of the disciples of Emmaus. “Allow yourself to be loved by God “came all through this retreat.
Praying the Chaplet to the Divine Mercy was an awareness of God’s presence in our lives and to surrender totally to Him in complete trust. Time spent before the Eucharistic Lord was strengthening moments fully exposed to His Divine love, simply to meet the Lord in silence in the calm and peace of Bethlehem. Sharing of anecdotes, incidents and testimonies by Fr. James were realities in themselves and great lessons to learn from. The sacrament of Reconciliation was a trustful encounter with the faithfulness and the mercy of the father renewing our participation in the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection, reconciling us with our brothers and sisters in the Church.
The good nights of Provincial Sr. Rose was illumining and took us to renew our commitment and fidelity in our consecrated life as we reflected on Articles 34,39,42, 44, 48 and 50 of our Constitutions and on The Profile of the FMA. “Let God’s Word illumine us” she said recommending us to do with us what he wants not what we want, as would a painter on an empty canvas.
Finally as we came to the close of these days of intimacy with the Lord, it was a provocative interrogation to leave with: “How will I know that God’s increasing in me and I’m decreasing? It’s when I know how to accept and manage problems, difficulties, sufferings and allow the Spirit act in me. Renewing our vows we asked the grace “To choose holiness – perfect love and consecrate us in the truth”.
Now all good things did come to an end with a jolly bus ride to the Kuti gardens at the close of this retreat , all enjoying in a cheerful mood and as in a family….the boat ride and the train ride, the ‘ clicks’ in all directions and the good meal together. It was a happy day out.
On 21st December 2016, Mazzarello Convent School, Ranchi had the Christmas celebration. Students from classes IX to VI prepared carol singing, dance, skit and crib. Everything was well organized with the help of Sr. Aruna and Sr. Phulkaria. Skit conveyed the message that Jesus came in search of lost. Audience remained dumb founded while watching entire program. Soon after the programm students with their class teacher had a moment of Christmas get together.
On 18th December 2016, the Oratorians of three centers, Banglatoli, House Oratory and Sahera had Christmas Crib competition. 97 children from all three oratories were part of the Christmas celebration. Each oratory presented a Christmas carol and a living Crib and tried to excel one another in creativity and conveying the message of peace and Joy. Sr. Rosalia T. the animator gave the Christmas message for the children, to welcome Christ Jesus, who came to save us. The Christmas gift for each child, along with the sweets bun and cake cheered each one as they went home happily to experience “Emmanuel – God with us”.
On 23rd December the tuition children had their Christmas gathering in the parish ground. The neighbourhood people and the youth of the parish joined for the celebration. At the end of the programme Fr. Jugal Kishore Digal, the parish priest congratulated the children for the beautiful Christmas enactment.
He also appreciated Sr. Prisca Bara and Mr. Jyotirangan Nayak for having prepared the children so well. The message of the celebration was to share love, peace and joy of Baby Jesus to everyone we meet. Finally Sr. Annie Theyattil offered a piece of cake and biscuits to all those who were present.
On 19th December a feeling of Christmas filled the air with angels, shepherds, sheep, kings and happy children in their best attire and colorful stars on the premises of Auxilium Kalyani. The program commenced with Sr. Geraldine welcoming the parents and greeted them a blessed and happy Christmas and a New Year filled with hope, peace, joy, love and prosperity. This was followed by a Christmas tableau: THE STAR enacted by the students of Classes 1 and 2 .Classes KG, Nursery and the toddlers were happy to sing and dance to the tune of “I’m just happy as a Christmas tree; Rocking along on a holiday and We wish you a Merry Christmas”.
The Bengali medium students took us to Bethlehem through dances “O come let us adore him” ; “Our Savior came for us” and “Let us pray, Jesus Christ was born for us”. The colorful stars that swayed in all directions reminded us of the “Star” we got to follow in our life’s journey to reach our heavenly abode. At the close of the program, sweets were distributed to the children.
Thereafter, the Final results of the Bengali medium were distributed with the first three rank holders announced and prizes given off.
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