Happy New Year

31 Dec. As the year 2006 comes to its fag end and a bright, promising year 2007 round the corner, we wish you a very happy, prosperous, contentment filled new year. May you have better things in store for you this year. May it be peaceful for all of you.

Cooling Off

29 Dec. Don’t you think in the heat of hard work you need to cool it down? And if at that moment someone special appears at your door! And that special turns out to be Mr Anil Pinto from Bangalore!

The  next thing you do is take those around and dash off to a cooling place; it helps to unwind; it helps to cool off. Well, everyone deserved a break. Though, a few more could have been present! They missed by a whisker!

Next time better luck!

SAC Campus Turns Filming Studio!

29 Dec. Officially, it may be vacation for SAC; but not to everyone. On the one hand, the Dept of Journalism has been converted into a newspaper office. On the other, the campus has virtually been turned into a filming studio by the Journalism students, who in association with other subject students are busy working on their films for “Shooting Stars 2007″. The work has begun in all earnest; some shooting at places like hospitals, homes, and other public places. Many of them find SAC Campus too tempting to record. And there they are.

In the coming days, you will see some more rookies and pros applying greese, shooting, directing, and may be  “running round the trees” (SAC has some trees too!). Here is wishing them all the best!

New Theme for Christmas

29 Dec. It may have come a couple of days too late. Never mind; it still speaks of the Christmas spirit (I don’t mean, that is Christmas all about, though!)

Enjoy the variety.

In the meantime, our Journalism students are giving those final touches to their Dhwani - dream baby! Wish them good luck.

Ordaining a Young Jesuit

28 Dec. It is a great day for Fr Olvin Viegas SJ, who is ordained this morning in Badyar, near Guruvaynkere (roughly 75 km from Mangalore).

Fr Olvin belongs to Karnataka Jesuit province. He has opted to work in Russia! He joined Russian band some six years ago; learnt the language and ways of life there. He completed his Theological studies in Gregorian University in Rome, and now is ordained.

We congratulate Fr Olvin on this important occasion of his life. The Society of Jesus in Karnataka, Russia and the world over rejoices with him. Good wishes to him for a fruitful work as a Jesuit priest.

Neighbourhood Christmas Celebration

                             Asha Kiran Jesuits Share Christmas Joy with the Neighbours27 Dec.    A short fellowship programme was organized at Asha Kiran to share the Christmas Joy with the neighbours. It was a harmonious gathering of people from different regilions emphasizing the need of buidling the mutual understanding among the religions through love, peace and Justice. Prof. N. D. Shetty, the HOD of Kannada Dept of St. Aloysius College gave the Christmas message enumerating  the need of living in harmony and celebrating life amidst the routeen struggles of life. He compared Lord Jesus Christ and Lord Krisha for their mission of establishing God’s Kingdom here on earth (Dharma). The examples of Lord Ganesh and Bali Chakravarthy helped us to understand the beauty of wellbeing of every person.

    Br. Austin along with Clarence conducted games for children and the elders. Solon and his team touched the hearts of the people with the Xmas carols. Santa Claus Isidore danced with young and old and won the appreciation of all. Rohan made all the arrangements for the distribution of Xmas Kuswar. Our neighbours felt good about the programme and expressed the desire always to live in harmony with the principle of “Live and Let Live”

Asha Kiran is a Jesuit Brothers’ House of Karnataka Jesuit Province, wherefrom  College-going scholastics do  their undergraduate studies, at St Aloysius College. Dr N.D. Shetty is seen addressing the gathering in the 5th photo (wearing Kurtha)

On Progress of – Dhwani

27 Dec. A mammoth task is on the verge of completion. Dhwani – the student journal of the Dept of Journalism, is at an important juncture. Students are at work – you will see the interest and enthusiasm back on the face of the students. They are busy editing, writing, rewriting, looking for alternative ways of making things brighter… Probably, a few more days; Dhwani the fruit of students’ sweat and blood. 

Hope for the best, wish them the best. If you are a part of this effort, you would admire it…

[In the picture you see two of the final years - Nishanth and Vini- busy working at the computer - giving a shape to  Dhwani.

One More Student Succumbs to Malaria

27 Dec. Bad news in the air. Sachin Martin Pinto, a first PUC student of St Aloysius PUC succumbed to malaria coupled with jaundice.

Sachin  was studying in PUC-I, science, at SAPUC. On 20 December, Wednesday, he ran a fever. Upon testing, he was told that he was negative on malaria. But, since he still had fever, he took some other tablets. On Thursday, Sachin sat the mid-term exams. Friday, like most other hostellers of SAC Hostel, Sachin also gave in writing to the Hostel Director that he was leaving home on Christmas vacation. Seemingly, Saching went to Kadri, to his relative’s house.

Saturday, once again, Sachin had fever, and was diagnosed with malaria. They admitted him to Fr Muller’s Hospital on Sunday. On Tuesday, the doctors at Fr Muller’s had given up hope. Fr Prashant Madtha, Director of boys’ hostel, visited the boy and his family, and took stock of the situation. He also made arrangements for blood, in case of necessety. But before that, Sachin breathed his last on Wednesday morning (27 December) at 8.30.

We offer our deep felt to Mr Stanley Pinto & Mrs Flossy Pinto, Sachin’s parents. Funeral will be held in Moodigere, Sachin’s native place, on Thursday.

After the Storm Comes a Calm…

26 Dec. The storm of activities in the context of Christmas have come to a temporary end; there rules a calm in the Campus. Just a mini break.

Christmas was a great time to all of us. We enjoyed with our friends, Jesuits, well wishers, and in the evenings, with our families.

In the Dept of Journalism, you have got students whose ‘never-say-die’ spirit is seen in their dedicated work at Dhwani, their practice journal. Vini, Anisha, Nishanth, and Arron are at computers to make their voices heard.

I am preparing for an ordination on 30 Dec in Taccode! Then there is an interview to appear for, on 27 December. I have applied for project by the Government of Karnataka through the Sahitya Academy. Hope things go on well. In the meantime, I have applied for another DVD project from a Bangalore agency.

George Fernandes at SAC Christmas Celebration

For more photos you could visit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/65963340@N00/

24 Dec. It was a meaningful celebration of the Birth of the Lord Jesus at St Aloysius College, at 8.00 pm, here this evening. Besides the spiritual grandeur and dignity, giving much social importance was Mr George Fernandes, former Union Minister for Defence.

Fr Rector Francis Serrao SJ was the main celebrant at the Christmas Vigil. Concelebrating with him were Rev Frs Eugene Lobo (Principal), Gilbert Saldanha (High School HM), Denzil Lobo (IT), Clifford Sequeira (Middle School), Leo Pereira, Elvis Lewis, and Anand Pereira.

“Christmas is a hard reality,” said Fr Eugene Lobo, preaching a meaningful homily. It was hard for the parents of Jesus; they had no room of their own to give birth to Jesus. It was hard for the people of that time, who had expected the messaia. It was hard for the shepherds who received the good news of God’s birth. But they joyously took the good news to everybody else!

“Christmas was a hard reality for Jesus. He had no room of his own at his birth. But, he who had no room, made room for you and me!” Fr Lobo went to elucidate the message of Christmas – a festival of peace, joy and love. He exorted the 1000-odd congregation of the faithful to go and live this love, peace, and joy.

Fr Rector, at the end of the Mass, welcomed the special guest and our alumnus Mr George Fernandes to His Alma Mater. The respected former minister, who has done much to St Aloysius and to Mangalore.

In a chat with Fr Richie Rego, editor of the blog, he recalled his students day. Mr Fernandes was very sentimental, when he recalled how in 1942, he was studying in the Middle School; and there was agitation in the SACC Campus concerning Indian Freedom struggle. As the police started firing at the freedom-fighter students, Mr Fernandes , along with his few friends, collected a few stones and attacked the police from the Red Building (Now Aloysius or St Aloysius College Museumm).

A feeble Mr Fernandes, seemed to be very moved to be back at the SAC Campus, quite unwilling to go back!

Earlier, Fr Walter Albuquerque’s Christmas choir, ably assisted by Fr Denzil and others successfully heralded Christmas mood before and during the mass. Mr Lionel, Bukelo, High School and College staff with many other devoted people made this day and evening meaningful.

(photo credits: Ms Sandhya D’Souza & Mahima Bhat, II Yr Journalism & Fr Richie Rego). In the photograph above is seen Ms Mahima Bhat.