KUMGI: 14th October 2012
-- Don Bosco Technical School Kumgi inaugurated the year of
the Faith
on 12th October with a solemn high Eucharistic Celebration at
which Bishop Anton Bal, bishop of Kundiawa diocese,
presided.
Young Catholic students numbering 1000 from Kerowagi
Secondary,
Mingende Tech, Condiu Secondary and Don Bosco gathered in the
gymnasium
to celebrate the event.
In the opening welcoming introduction one of the students
addressed all
the young people gathered, in the following words: "In the
Acts of the
Apostles, we learn that God opened the door of faith for the
early
Church. But did you know that God has opened the door of faith
for each
one us and He invites us to step through the threshold into a
deeper
relationship with Him? The upcoming Year of Faith is an
opportunity for
every Catholic to turn to Jesus Christ, encounter him in the
Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and rediscover the Faith
and
Church".
With his Apostolic Letter of October 11, 2011, Porta Fidei, Pope
Benedict XVI
declared that a "Year of Faith" will begin on October 11, 2012
and
conclude on November 24, 2013. October 11, 2012, the first day
of the
Year of Faith, was the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of
the
Second Vatican Council and also the
twentieth anniversary
of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. During the Year of
Faith,
Catholics are asked to study and reflect on the documents of
Vatican II
and the catechism so that they may deepen their knowledge of
the faith.
Recalling to mind the invitation of Pope Benedict XVI
the
community of Don Bosco Kumgi, PNG took a day off from regular
school
activities and solemnised the event. In a colourful
celebration of
Culture and Faith the documents of Vatican II, Catechism of
the
Catholic Church and Catechism of the Catholic Church for PNG
and SI
were carried to the Altar with profound faith and placed there
for
everyone to see.
In his homily Bishop Bal recalled the words of Pope Benedict
and told
the students "The 'door of faith' (Acts14:27) is always open
for us,
ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering
entry into
his Church. The Year of Faith is a “summons to an authentic
and renewed
conversion to the Lord, the One Saviour of the world” (Porta
Fidei 6).
In other words, the Year of Faith is an opportunity for
Catholics to
experience a conversion – to turn back to Jesus and enter into
a deeper
relationship with him. The “door of faith” is opened at one’s
baptism,
but during this year Catholics are called to open it again,
walk
through it and rediscover and renew their relationship with
Christ and
his Church. May the good Lord open the hearts of Faith of each
one of us gathered here and we may become apostles of
Faith, Hope
and Charity to the people of Papua New Guinea".
The celebration was a joyful experience of coming together
like the
early Christians to share their talents in praying, singing,
dancing,
and playing together, giving hope to enrich their lives and
strengthening their faith in Don Bosco Way.