BIS Mumbai
BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE # 3323
DB BARODA ORGANIZES CHILDREN’S RALLY
Kenneth Pereira SDB
BARODA-GUJARAT, JANUARY 15, 2013: Some months ago, the parish priests of the Baroda deanery 
decided to hold a series of rallies to celebrate the Year of Faith. The first of these rallies to be held on January 13, 2013 was the Sunday School Children’s rally. It was organized by the youth and the Sunday School catechists of Don Bosco Parish Baroda.
About four hundred children std. V to XI from six different parishes turned up for the event, which spanned the entire day from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. After the initial prayer service organized by the sisters of Auxilium Convent Baroda, there was a substantial input session on Tips for Growing in Faith, held separately for the Gujarati group and the English group. Fr. Lawrence Rodrigues (ex SDB) addressed the Gujarati children while Fr. Lester 
Fernandes SDB addressed the English-speaking children.
Then followed a session of Bible-based games: Bible Housie, Holy-Land Pilgrimage, and other interesting games, all played outdoors in teams.
The solemn Eucharist at noon brought the curtain down on the morning’s activities. After lunch, the much-awaited inter-parish catechism quiz competition was held inside the church, with Frs. Lawrence Rodrigues and Kenneth Pereira as the quiz-masters. The participating teams juniors and seniors evinced an amazing level of preparedness in answering the questions. So eventually, all the finalists were declared winners, without any assignment of first, second and third place. Don Bosco Parish was among the winners in both categories: juniors and seniors.
After the quiz competition, the children were taken outdoors for a parish-wise presentation of skits depicting the faith of various saints. A lot hard work had obviously been put into the preparation.
Finally came the much awaited prize distribution. Children gleefully came forward to collect their prizes: ring-rosaries, ‘Jesus’ wrist-bands, ‘holy’ bracelets and medals…. And—dulcis in fondo—the winners of the quiz competition were each given a large 3D religious picture. The distribution of tea and biscuits to all brought the eventful day to a satisfying end.
The event was one more feather-in-the-hat for the youth of Don Bosco Parish, who spared no efforts to set a high benchmark for the other rallies that are to follow in the months ahead.
BIS INFORMATION SERVICE (BIS) MUMBAI
Don Bosco Provincial House,
Matunga, Mumbai - 400 019. INDIA
Email: bis@donboscomumbai.org
Website: www.donboscomumbai.org
News Blog: http://bismumbai.blogspot.com