austraLasia 806
FIJI: YOUNG SALESIAN HELPS VILLAGERS LAUNCH CD
SUVA: 8th February '04 --"The usually conservative Catholic Church has taken a new step in releasing a CD of music today called 'We shall not give up'. The CD title comes from one hymn in the collection but the whole CD demonstrates the Church's message to young people facing difficulties in our modern world". So said the National Fiji One TV News coverage this evening.
The CD is really the work of a young Salesian theological student, Bro. Isaia Bourne, who decided that one of the rural sectors of the local parish had musical talent, but lacked the experience and know-how to perfect their music and to put it on public display by means of communications technology today. For six months he trained their choir, assisted the local choir leader, made the contacts with the University of the South Pacific music recording studio and a local publisher who agreed to help with the CD cover. Today, before a packed Church with as many as 800 parishioners present, and with representatives of national media in attendance, "We Shall Not Give Up' was launched.
Bro. Isaia has gained something of a name for himself throughout Fiji for his musical talent but also for his ability to inspire others to produce their own best musical productions, especially the young. His work with the Toga village choir is an outstanding example of this. Fiji's FM radio stations, national TV and the Fiji Times Daily Newspaper have all hailed the effort.
Perhaps one 'tale told out of school' should be recounted! The Parish priest had indicated to Bro. Isaia that he should, naturally, let the Archbishop of Fiji know about the launch and the CD's contents, partly as a matter of courtesy and partly because it may gain quite public acclaim (which indeed it has). But the parish priest assumed this might take some weeks or longer to arrange. Imagine his surprise to discover a few hours later that Bro. Isaia had by then already had dinner with the Archbishop, given him a copy of the CD and received an enthusiastic 'imprimatur', if that is the word appropriate to this kind of launching! Bro Isaia was able to add one further nice touch. Fiji One announced this evening that the CD was dedicated to Fiji's Archbishop Petero Mataca.
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