Bangladesh Church 'needs more support'

 

Father Andrew Small, OMI with a child in Sylhet of Bangladesh

The Catholic Church in Bangladesh needs more prayers and support from the Universal Church to carry out its missionary activities, according to Father Andrew Small, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States. 

Fr Small, a confrere from the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate congregation, was speaking yesterday at the end of a week-long tour of the country. Fr Small’s tour included visiting parishes and tea estate villages in the newly erected Sylhet diocese in northeastern Bangladesh. 

He also made a courtesy call on most of the local bishops at the Apostolic Nunciature in Dhaka, visited the country’s only Holy Spirit National Major Seminary and saw a remote mission center in Shimulia in Gazipur district. 

Appointed last year Fr Small praised the local Church saying it is making a significant difference in the lives of the poor and powerless in spite of the limited resources and influence at its disposal. 

“I was surprised to see the extreme poverty here, it was not known to me,” he said. “The world and the Church need to know this story,” he observed, adding: “People have lot of love and respect and joy with the little support they have from us, but they need to have more of our prayers and support.” 

He said the world needs to learn more from the Church in Bangladesh about how it has found a very good way to coexist in a Muslim majority country. 

Oblate Bishop Bejoy D’Cruze of Sylhet said Fr Andrew’s visit has brought renewed hope for the local Church. 

“The Church has lot to do for the poor and needy but lacks resources. Poor Catholics have strong faith amid numerous challenges they face every day and they do need more support from us,” he said.

END

Original Article:

Church 'needs more support'  

Bandura Holy Cross High School marks centenary

Illuminated front view of Bandura Holy Cross High School. Photo: Rock Ronald Rozario

Bandura Holy Cross High School, a pioneering Church-run school in Dhaka archdiocese has celebrated the centenary of foundation with three day festival over the weekend.
About 14,000 alumni and current students attended the program along with families including several hundred flying home from abroad on Jan. 12-14 at Bandura in Nababgonj sub-district, 44 kms south of Dhaka.

Among the dignitaries present were Holy Cross Archbishop Patrick D’Rozario of Dhaka, three bishops, information and cultural affairs minister Abul Kalam Azad, Catholic state minister for cultural affairs advocate Promod Mankin, local parliamentarian and state minister for housing and public works advocate Abdul Mannan Khan and former minister barrister Nazmul Huda.

The school has been lauded often locally and nationally several times for academic and extra-curricular excellence. In 2001, the school was awarded ‘The Best Educational Institution’ in the country by Education Ministry.

Among the famous alumni include Servant of God Holy Cross Archbishop T.A. Ganguly of Dhaka and almost all Catholic bishops of the country and Catholic state minister Promod Mankin.

The centennial celebration was marked with a grand rally, discussion meeting, sharing of memoirs by alumni, cultural function with national and internal artistes, memorabilia including shirts, key ring, court pins, flags and a magazine and fraternity meals.

Set up by Holy Cross Congregation and particularly by American Holy Cross missioner Father John Jack Hennessy on Jan. 8, 1912 with just 157 students, at present Bandura Holy Cross High School has 1,550 students.

Over the years the school enlightened tens of thousands of students from the area and other parts of the country. Many of its students became prominent social, political, religious and business leaders.

One of the greatest contributions of the school is helping local Catholic Church grow.

More than a hundred diocesan and religious priests completed their high school education from the school given pioneering Little Flower Seminary located just beside it.

In his speech information and cultural affairs minister thanked the Church and school authority for the great contribution in country’s education sector over the years.

“On behalf of the government I thank the Church and the school for laying cornerstone of success for thousands of students in last hundred years. This school is not only considered model in education but also extra-curriculum. I congratulate the authority, alumni and current students for marking hundred years of success,” said the minister Azad.

He also assured that his government will assist Church authorities who are in a venture to set up first Church-run University in the country.

A number of alumni shared that how this school helped them succeeding in life.
“I’ve flown all the way from USA to attend the centenary of my alma mater. This school has helped me to establish in life, I’m grateful to my teachers. Today I’m happier to be here because I have met many of my old friends,” said Catholic Khokon Stanley Gomes.

Shyamlal Paul, 52, a Hindu and government official recalled, “I’ve studied in the school for ten years. I’ve learned good English, hand writing, discipline and co-curricular activities. Whenever I pass beside the school I stop for while and relish my school days.”

Present headmaster Holy Cross Brother Chandan Benedict Gomes reiterated the motto of the school saying, “Come for education and go for mission- has always been our motto. I thank everyone for making the historic event for the school so successful.”

The headmaster added that with donation collected from the alumni and benefactors the school will set up a modern auditorium to mark the centennial celebration.