by Ms. Sunita D’Souza
WADALA-MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 11, 2014: It was indeed a day to remember! The Josephites paid tribute to Don Bosco in a special way on their 97th Annual Thanksgiving Day on 31st of January 2014 – the feast day of Don Bosco.
They were honored with the presence of Rt. Rev. Dominic Savio Fernandes, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bombay, who was the Chief Guest, and Mr. Ramesh Dound, their retired teacher, the Guest of Honour. At the fabulous guard of honour by the NCC troupe and leaders, the guests were accompanied by the members of the Management, the Supervisors and the P.T.A. Vice-Presidents of the Primary and the Secondary sections. The comperes dressed as 'Yin' and "Yang' representing the evil and goodness of human nature warmly welcomed everyone and pepped up the evening through their amazing dialogue on negativity and positivity. Don Bosco, they emphasized, was a man who transformed the world with his positive thinking and we in turn have the power to bring about a positive change in the world. In the presentation ceremony, the dignitaries were gifted bonsai and tulsi plants which exude positivity.
The welcome song by the teenie minnie music lovers from the K.G. section kept all enthralled and brought a smile on everyone's face. The song 'Aye Khudavand Bata' based on Psalm 15 provided the profound melody and beats for a graceful prayer dance by the parents and Kg students. Fr. Vivian D'Souza then addressed the gathering and extended a warm welcome to everyone. The musical 'The Wide-Mouthed Frog' by the Primary students was a lesson on ‘Mummy care’ providing insights into a mother’s love for her young ones with much focus and self-belief.
Following this mini-musical was the annual school report presented by Ms. Nicole Britto, Headmistress and Vice-Principal. The slides in the power-point presentation zoomed in on all the fantastic activities conducted in the school and on the many students who brought laurels to the school over the past year. The Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour were then felicitated through specially prepared addresses and treasurable mementos. They in turn addressed the gathering and gave an insight into their world. The Prize Distribution Ceremony that followed brought the chart-busters into the limelight. These were presented with certificates and scholarships, and the special achievers were awarded shields to mark their victory.
After a short interval, the musical 'Don Bosco - A cantata' was then staged by the young Josephites together with their supportive teachers. It provided a glimpse into the life of Don Bosco, and the influence of people -especially Mamma Margaret -and Mary, Help of Christians, on his life journey. The musical, originally in Italian, was translated into English by Fr. Ian Doulton, sdb. The invigorating music, and the fantastic sequence of dance and songs, interspersed with snapshots of Don Bosco’s life and the Salesian works projected on the big screen, kept the appreciative crowd spellbound and engrossed.
In his vote of thanks, the Principal, Fr. Bernard Fernandes, thanked the staff and the numerous volunteers (students, past pupils and parishioners) who stepped forward generously in staging the day’s razzmatazz. He attributed the day’s success to the blessings of the Almighty and Don Bosco, and the hard work of committed individuals.
It was indeed a fitting tribute to the man behind all the action - Don Bosco! May the dream of Don Bosco live on and may we cherish always the three Rs he stood for - reason, religion and righteousness with loving kindness! Viva Don Bosco! Long Live Don Bosco!