22 girls join ‘come and see’ program

Girls who joined ‘come and see’ program

Tinsukia, (Kaini Martha) – A group of 22 class twelve girls, from Northeast, who had a live-in experience at Auxilium, from May 10 –July 13, 2014, under the leadership of Sr. Kaini Martha and the community are all set to begin the aspirantate at Maligaon, on 18 July.

“Young friends, your stay here is an important phase of your formation. The package specially designed is to help you to discern your vocation,” said superior of the community Sr. Kaini at the inaugural of the ‘Come and See’ program.

‘Come and See’ program is an annual feature of the two months live-in experience for young girls at Tinsukia to recruit candidates for the Salesian Sisters of Guwahati Province. It is organized for girls who are awaiting class 12 results and desiring to join the Order.

“The candidates are the biggest resource of the province”, said Sr. Kathleen Taylor, Visiting Councilor from Rome, to the Superiors at the concluding gathering of her canonical visit to the Province, May 27.

At the two months experience, besides input sessions in Catechism, lives of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello, Bible, English Fluency and Relationship skills, there were co-curricular activities like music, computer, embroidery, debate, quiz, singing, dancing etc, which kept the girls enthusiastic and motivated. This year, two girls dropped out as they did not feel comfortable to go ahead.

Resource persons for the program included Sr. Pasqualina Susngi, Sr. Scolastica Kerketta, Sr. Jemella Joseph, Sr. Eliza Minj, Sr. Veronica Duithuiliu, Sr. Grace Pemmila, Sr. Kaini and Fr. Theotimus Lakra, sdb, Director, Don Bosco Youth Services, Dimapur. Sr. Grace of Auxilium, Itanagar did the yeoman job, animating and accompanying the girls all 24 hours of the day.

The girls expressed their joy for the rich experience and for inspiring them to discern their vocation during the orientation program.

Tangla FMA Alumni Unit comes alive

Auxilium Tangla alumni meeting with Sr Catherine

Tangla, ( Magdalene Gonmei) – Past Pupils of Auxilium Convent High School Tangla met on 20 June to revive the association and, elected their executive members. There were 20 Past Pupils who participated.

At the commencement of the meeting Sr. Kannampuzha Catherine, the Superior spoke on the aim and objectives of the Past Pupils’ Confederation of the Salesian Sisters (FMA). She also elaborated on the functioning of the Federation at the world, province and at the local level.

The Headmistress, Sr. Pattathil Mary Joseph told the gathering, “that as the Past Pupils Association has not been active for a long time, now it is time to revive it.”
Mrs. Mitali Borah was elected President while Mr. Mukut Barman and Mr. Ajay were elected as the secretary and treasurer respectively for a term of three years.

Alumni with Auxilum Tangla principal Sr Mary Joseph

Sr. Mary while congratulating the new team of office bearers exhorted them to live the values they have learnt in their school days and to extend the service of love. She further suggested some activities which could be taken up, like giving tuition to the poor and weaker children, collecting and distributing clothes and stationery, visiting the sick etc.

The World Federation of the Past Pupils was founded in March 19, 1908 at the FMA house in Turin, Italy at the encouragement of the then Rector Major Fr. Filippo Rinaldi, with the aim of sharing and spreading in their neighbourhoods the values of their educational inheritance.

New home for Maram College girls

Archbishop arrives at Auxilium

Maram, (Lucy Nedumala) – While Provincial of Guwahati, Sr. Elizabeth George inaugurated Auxilium Girls’ Hostel for college students from four North Eastern States (Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal and Assam), Archbishop Dominic Lumon, of Imphal blessed the Maram hostel on 13th May 2014.

“The hostel is a home away from home for the young girls of the region,” said the Vice Principal of Don Bosco College Maram, Sr. Lucy Nedumala. She welcomed everyone explaining in brief the dream for Auxilium Girls’ Hostel.

The hostel has a capacity of accommodating about 200 girls of various courses offered by Don Bosco College, Maram, i.e., BA, BSc, BCom, BSW and BCA.

Present for the day’s function were 13 Priests, 18 Religious Sisters of the neighbouring communities, village elders and young people.

The solemn concelebrated Eucharistic celebration which began at 10:30 a.m. was presided over by the Archbishop in honour of St. Mary Mazzarello, the Co-foundress, of the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco. In his message, His Grace spoke words of appreciation and highlighted on the opportunities provided by the Salesian Sisters for the education of the young girls.

Provincial Sr. Elizabeth George inaugurates Auxilium Hostel

To add to the solemnity of the day a short cultural programme was organised, giving the message through a one act play: “Love Conquers.” Addressing the gathering Sr. Elizabeth George said, “Let this hostel be a home that evangelises the young.”

Sr. Teresa Alluppillil, the animator of the community proposed the vote of thanks which was followed by a fraternal meal.

Media day at Holy Child Guwahati

Assamese Film actress  Zareefa Wahid at Holy Child  School

Guwahati, (Annie V) – A popular Assamese film actress was the Chief Guest of the Media day celebrations organized by the media club members on 24th June 2014 at Holy Child School, Guwahati.

Speaking on the occasion, actress Miss Zareefa Wahid invited the students,” to select only what is good and useful that the media presents to us and to discard all that diverts our real focus in life.

The Media club members put up a variety show such as skits, music, dance etc highlighting the blessings that media has brought to humanity and the need for wise use of it.

The ten year old Media club of Holy Child aims creating awareness among the students on the wise use of Media.

Last year they had it with the deprived children of Auxilium Ashalaya and donated stationary items like pen, pencil box, copy book and snacks to them.

In 2011 , the youth day was celebrated in the school mini-stadium in a grant scale in which several celebrities were invited. A beautiful cultural programme was performed to mark the occasion. Representatives of Media club members from two sister-schools ie, St. Mary’s Maligaon and St.Mary’s Guwahati too participated and performed items.

Media Club on stage

Before concluding the celebration , the President of the Media Club made an announcement that they would subscribe two magazines, ‘Down to Earth’ and Reader’s Digest for one year for the School Library. They had also planned to spend the afternoon out and pay a visit to G.L. Publications. But due to the inclement weather, they had to postpone it for another day in August after the summer vacation.

Flood in St. Mary’s School, Maligaon

St Mary’s Maligaon campus under water

Maligaon, (Lissy Rose) – St.Mary’s school was forced to close for summer holidays ahead of scheduled closure on 30th June on account of flood. The approach road to the school was disrupted with mud and flooding with drain water compelled the school authorities to announce early summer vacation.

“It is a difficult situation we face this year during the monsoon season. On school days you can imagine about 1700 students from four to eighteen years of age entering the school in the water. Some days the children had to stay on upstairs without even coming down to the playground”, says principal of the school Sr. Lissy Rose.

Explaining the situation further she said, “During the rainy season many places in Maligaon get flooded. The situation is worse this year with most places where the drains are not cleared forcing the water to overflow.”

Student finds her way in the flood

She added, “It is a fact that the drains are blocked since people built houses over them forcing the water to enter the school campus and the adjacent land causing great inconvenience also to the people in the neighborhood.”

As flood in Guwahati during the monsoon season is a usual phenomena the state Govt. has initiated the eviction of illegal occupants for the creation of a new drainage system in the city. However as Maligaon area comes under the Northern Frontier Railway, people demand a permanent solution to flooding with a new drainage system.

Udalguri Auxilium college felicitates first batch of 66 students

Meritorious students with the Sr. Principal and animator of the community

Udalguri, (Hathorky Goyary) – Auxilium College, Udalguri, Assam, organized a felicitation program for the 1st batch of 66 class XII students, who passed their Higher Secondary final exams on 3rd June, 2014.

The results were declared on 30th May 2014, a day before the 2nd anniversary of the College’s inauguration on 31st May 2012.

Of 66 students who appeared for the exams in the month of Feb-March, 40 passed in 1st division, 24 passed in 2nd division and 2 passed in 3rd division.

Chief Guest at the event, the District Commissioner of Udalguri, Mrs. Sadhana Hojai speaking to the students said, “Be always grateful to your teachers who taught you and remain connected with the Institution.”

District Commissioner hands over the Merit Certificates

While congratulating the Sisters and the teachers for their hard work and sacrifices in preparing the students, she encouraged the present students to follow the good example of their seniors.

Along with the DC, the animator of the community, Sr. Teresa Puthenpurakel, and the Principal, Sr. Rose Mary Kazhiia gave away the Certificates of Recognition to the students who secured the highest marks in various subjects in the College.

“The success of these students was a great boost for the present 43 class XII students to follow and also a way to attract many new admissions to the college.” said the Principal during the function.

“Many people in Udalguri were eagerly awaiting the results of the 1st batch to decide about seeking admission to the College.” said Sr. Teresa.

“We were almost in tears to see the fruits of our hard work” exclaimed an English teacher, Miss Nijwm Kungri Brahma with excitement.

“All of us are very much taken up by our seniors’ performance and we are also excited about what awaits us.” remarked some class XII students of the new batch.

Sisters hold news reporting workshop

News reporting workshop inauguration, 2 July 2014

Guwahati, (Lydia Komuhra) — The Salesian Sisters of Guwahati Province organized the first ever “News Reporting Workshop” for sixteen Sisters, representing the 30 communities of the Province, at St. Mary’s, Guwahati, 2-4 July.

Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Assam, Don Bosco University,
Fr. C.M. Paul, is the resource person.

“The workshop is aimed at introducing the participants to the basic concepts of news reporting and to enable them acquire skills and writing style, reporting and editing a report”, says Provincial, Sr. Elizabeth George.

Besides news writing exercises (picture sheet and slide frame), identifying news and assigning reporters, there were theoretical inputs on news, lead writing, human interest stories, interview, data collection, photo shoot, evaluating and editing news photo.

Further presentation on news portals and news blogs followed.

16 participants at news reporting workshop

Commenting on the workshop, Sr. Annie Villuviruttil, a participant says: “the Workshop is relevant and timely; it has put me in the correct perspective of the digital world. I realize now that the good that is done has to be announced on housetops”.

Sr. Srivilaiwan Khimnae from Thailand adds, “the workshop has given me a wide vision on how to write the news in correct, systematic and journalistic style. I am enriched and encouraged to express my thoughts and opinions better”.

Sisters concentrate on news reporting assignment.

Sr. Ivy D’Souza, former FMA Provincial of the undivided province of Shillong and Guwahati coordinated the workshop in collaboration with Sr. Kaini Martha, who welcomed the resource person and thanked Sr. Elizabeth George and Sr. Ivy D’Souza for their presence and encouragement on the inaugural day.

The workshop will conclude tomorrow (4 July) with participants uploading their stories completed during the workshop.