(Port Moresby, PNG): On the first day of his four-day visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG), the first country of East Asia Oceania he has reached, Fr. Angel Artime shared quite a good time in the Caritas Technical Secondary School in Port Moresby, next door to the Don Bosco Technical Institute and the Delegation Center of PNG-SI.
Caritas Sisters of Jesus (CSJ) who belongs to Korean Province of Seoul, and 950 girl students welcomed the Rector Major and shared with him very joyful time during his first day of his visit to PNG. Among the school lay mission partners, five of them received from the Rector Major a special recognition for their 10-16 years long service to the school. The current Deputy Principal is among those past pupils of Caritas who shares the education she received for the younger generations.
During his short visit, Fr. Angel enjoyed the cultural presentation of dances and songs, and was introduced to the top art pieces of DB200 contest which was participated in by the students of the school (they were to draw 'PNG style' the images of Jesus—the Good Shepherd, Don Bosco, Mary Help of Christian, and Monsignor Cimatti). Two winning poems were announced in the multipurpose hall-school chapel as well.
In his short address, the Rector Major expressed great joy to visit another Caritas Sister’s apostolic setting (two weeks ago, he visited CSJ settings in Peru and Bolivia), to share the family spirit of this Salesian Family Congregation in this young country and Church.
After the gathering, the sisters asked the Rector Major to plant a tree in front of their new gymnasium. The new, though not yet completely finished structure for 2000 participants is a world class, and probably the best indoor gym in the whole country, and will be opened for the South Pacific Games, scheduled in Port Moresby this coming July.
At the end of his stay, there was a family moment of sharing in the convent of the Sisters between the Father of the Salesian Family and his daughters, accompanied by Fr. Valeriano (chaplain of the school), Fr. Horacio Lopez (personal secretary) translated from Spanish to Korean (and back) by the EAO regional councilor.
Rich moments of sharing family feelings, giving thanks for the support and spiritual assistance of the Salesians from the first time in Araimiri (1986) up to the present crown these precious family encounter.
The Caritas Sister of Jesus will celebrate next year 30 years of arrival to this country, with a serious work on the second educational presence in the Diocese of Kimbe.
At present the seven CSJ sisters accompany some 75 boarders in the school together with seven candidates for religious life, with two novices from the PNG in the Philippines (Quezon City, Manila).
The poem below
was awarded the first in the poetry competition, is by Lohia Gata, a
grade 11 student.
Don Bosco Father of all youths
Stood for one's growth
With loving tears
You overcome fears.
Struggles in life from day to day
You found a way
Through deepest dreams
You fill with beams.
Loving Father chosen to seek
One who is meek
In times of pain
Eager to gain.
