C-T BUTINYA(LORETO HOSTEL) SHARING ITS CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA (March 19, 2016)

We, the SSJ Sisters and Loreto Hostel Ladies had a joint preparation for the Feast day of St. Joseph. We had the Seven Sorrows & Joys of St. Joseph and a Triduum to honor him and to be inspired by his exemplary life.

The following were the themes of the Triduum:

1^st Day – Joseph, the Man Who Knew How to Believe and Trust in God

2^nd Day – Joseph, the Man Who Loved Mary and Jesus

3^rd Day – Joseph, the Man Who Made God’s Saving Plan Possible

We prayed St. Joseph’s Seven Sorrows and Joys with the Hostel Ladies for 7 consecutive Sundays while the Triduum from March 16 to 18.  Both prayers had been very touching and meaningful experiences for all of us. The ladies shared their experiences of faith, love and trust in God. Like St. Joseph, they have a deep experience of how God answers their prayers and continues to be faithful to them especially during the most difficult moments in their life. A deepening on the virtues of St. Joseph always followed the sharing during each Sunday or each day.

Finally, we had the actual celebration of the feast of St. Joseph last March 19, 2016 with its theme: “Sharing our Joy in Learning and Realizing Our Dream through Skills Training Program – The Nazareth Way!” It was held at Loreto Hostel and participated by all of our sisters in PNG Cluster together with all our collaborators at ASAC and Korobosea and our Hostel Ladies. We started the celebration with the Holy Mass presided by Bishop John Rivat. After which we had breakfast together.

The next event of St. Joseph's Feast was the Exhibit Show at Archdiocese Social Apostolate Training Centre. It is the usual part of the program of ASAC that Skills’ Training students showcase their cooking skills through cooking food that they are going to sell during the exhibit together with their products sewn.

All the preparations for this event were done in a team work by the Cooking and the Sewing classes. The Cooking students prepared their food for sale like cakes, pansit and cookies. They also showed their care for Mother earth as they included for sale the pot coasters they made from old telephone directories. The Sewing students of Groups 1 and 2, on the other hand, exhibited their ready-made projects such as pot holders, apron and dresses.

The program for the Exhibit Show started with the Community singing, followed by the Opening Remarks of Fr. Silvestre Saladaga, the Director of ASAC., the opening Prayer by Ether our volunteer trainer, and Bishop John Ribat’s Inspirational Talk which inspired and excited the audience to go and see the Exhibit Area. The presentations of Sewing 1 and 2 entertained all and the words of gratitude from Gabby Henao completed the program.  Bishop John Ribat, Fr. Silvestre Saladaga, Pime , Sr. Carmen  Evalles, SSJ and Tahuni Sariman  officially opened the Exhibit Area as they pulled down the curtains signaling that everybody can now move on to see, watch and buy the items/ products of the students. 

All were in the familial and joyful mode as family members of our students give their support by being there and joining the occasion. They felt so proud of the achievements of their wives, mothers, daughters and sons.

In the afternoon before the refreshment was served, we presented tokens of gratitude sewn by the Basic Sewing 2 students to our guests. Meanwhile, the children were having fun watching movie: “The Epic” at the ground floor of the Drug and Alcohol Training Hall. This was our way of conscientizing them with regards to the care for our environment. They had also a wonderful and happy moment when they joined the birthday celebration of Henao with cakes and lollies. 

During our dinner which was our last activity, the ASAC-STC students were happy telling stories of their own experiences of the event. We saw and felt that they truly gained confidence in sharing the skills they learn at ASAC – STC and that they grow as persons and as children of God. We also felt happy and grateful to God for making us as his instruments in bringing out the best in them

Truly the celebration of St. Joseph’s Day had been very meaningful in our Nazaret journey as a cluster and as C-Ts.