SUDAN

El Obeid

    The following are some of the main events of this Centre during these past months:
05.01.01 An outing was organized for the senior group. This is an annual event, much waited for by the members. It was another occasion for the Members to come together and spend a day playing, chatting, eating and praying together.
   04.02.01 Celebration of the First Holy Communion. A group of 31 children coming from the main Centre, together with those of Rokab, Tayba and Comboni Primary School, received their first Holy Communion. A special programme of preparation was organized for these children the week before.
   08.02.01 Feast of St Josephine Bakhita. (The name Bakhita means the lucky one). The day before, being a Wednesday, all the parish children were invited to our Centre at Comboni School for a mass and a special programme in honour of the newly-canonized Saint. Hundreds of children attended this very joyful and colourful celebration that was animated by one of our groups attending at Rukeyba Centre, and led by the sdc Candidate Munir Samir. Fr Butrus Zambroni, a Comboni priest who has been serving in the Sudan for the past forty years, celebrated the mass. After mass, all the children were given some biscuits, a holy picture of St Bakhita and a beautiful medal of the saint, kindly provided by the Canossian Sisters.
   11.02.01 Confirmation. A two-day programme was also organized for the young adults who were candidates for this year's Sacrament of Confirmation. During this programme, the group met to pray and also to be greeted by the parish priest, Fr David Ferroboschi. It was interesting to note that this year, all those who received this Sacrament had a God-parent who wasn't any of the catechists. This is a clear sign that we are moving from the first-generation Christian Church to a more mature and adult Church. A small party was organized just after the celebration.
   12.02.01 Anniversary of the Birth of our Founder. For the first time, a new Preparatory group attended the first special programme, thus joining the senior Members.
   17.02.01 Elects' Ceremony. Nine adolescents became Elects during a ceremony that was held at the school's library. SDC Member Paul Mamo and Candidate James from Khartoum, came over to share this special occasion with us and Paul delivered the speech.

KHARTOUM

Baby Jesus' Procession in Khartoum

On different dates, our Members in Khartoum held processions of Baby Jesus at Mayo, Hay Rahman and Sebil centres. They were exactly the demonstrations our Founder intended them to be. During the processions, Baby Jesus was held high in the hands of one of the girls, in order to be seen by one and all. We went out of the Centre's compound singing carols and hymns about our Lord Jesus Christ amidst the Moslems who either were just passing by or were gathered in groups after their evening prayers. They watched attentively and seemingly approving of this demonstration of Jesus Christ whom they hold as a great Prophet. Many children took part in these three processions. They enjoyed singing and carrying colourful candle-lit torches all along the way. Some grown-ups were also moved with enthusiasm and joined us. Afterwards, the prize-giving ceremony and a party in which some of the children's parents also attended, were held.

Special Programme for the first prospective Co-operators in Sebil's centre.
   For several years, the Members of our Society in Khartoum have been regularly giving Christian formation in Sebil's centre, which is a part of Banat parish. Lately our Members took responsibility for the sacramental classes and established the Preparatory and Elects classes. Besides, quite a considerable number of adults, males and females continued to attend steadily. Their diligence and co-operation encouraged our Members to take the first steps to establish the Co-operators' section there. Five males and three females, who were chosen to be the first prospective Co-operators, officially received the SDC badge of the Verbum Dei in a special programme held on the 7th December, 2000. They appreciated the fact that they were the first chosen ones and kept coming regularly both for the Christian formation group as well as for special meetings with them twice a month intended to form them in the spirit of our Founder. Let us pray for them, so that the Lord will help them to bear witness to this way of life in their locality and persevere them in living this spirit.
   A ceremony for two Candidates, Jube and Daniel was held on Saturday, 18th March. We congratulate them and wish them perseverance. Then on the 30th March, an Elects' Ceremony was held at Mayo Centre.

AUSTRALIA

Annual General Meeting 2000

   The Members of the Society of Christian Doctrine of the Australian Region gathered at Aquinas College, Adelaide, for the Annual General Meeting from 28th December 2000 concluding on 2nd January 2001. The theme for the AGM was 'Open Wide the Doors to Christ - Yeast of Our Hope'.
   During the week, the Members reflected on this theme and on the past year, studying ways to make their mission of educators in faith more relevant to these times. Reverend Charles Gauci, Chaplain to the SDC in Adelaide, was present during the week.
   Mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of Adelaide, Leonard Faulkner on 30th December. The Members of the SDC took this opportunity to thank the Archbishop for his support and recognition of their work during his episcopate.

Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving on the Beatification of Father George Preca
   This Mass for the Region will be celebrated by Archbishop George Pell and will be held at St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne, on Sunday 17th June at 2.30 p.m. Bishop Joseph Grech will deliver the Homily.

Candidates' Ceremony
   Two young men from Rooty Hill, Joseph Bonello and Antoine Mangion were received as Candidates on Sunday 26th November.

BRIXTON
   Catechetical Courses: All the courses in preparation for the Sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation, started on the first Saturday of October.
   First Holy Communion. There are over sixty children being prepared for their First Holy Communion this year. They are divided in three groups:
   Baptism. This year group of eight children is being prepared, to receive the sacrament of Baptism. The children meet on Wednesday.
   Confirmation. Over twenty children are attending their first year of preparation for confirmation and another twenty-three are coming regularly to the second year of the same course. The latter group is going to be confirmed on the 6th of April this year.
   Post-Confirmation. A post-confirmation session takes place on Friday evenings.
   Parents. The parents of children attending to the above-mentioned courses, were invited to attend three meetings in the past three months. The attendance was a satisfactory one.
   Sunday Sessions. This year we have experienced an increase in the number of children attending the Sunday Session. During the first part of this session, those present are given the opportunity to pray on the Gospels and to get to know more about our Society and its Founder. Afterwards, indoor games are organised.
   Christmas Activities. During the Christmas season, the following activities were organised:
   Novena. The Novena was spread over three meetings. These took place during the week before Christmas. The attendance was quite good considering the fact that evenings are not the best time of the day for meetings.
   Carol Singing. On Saturday 23rd December a good number of children attended to the Carol Singing. As usual we displayed the image of Baby Jesus supported with the words 'Verbum Dei caro factum est'. We feel that such demonstrations are very effective at this time of the year.
   Presentation. On Sunday 24th December, we invited the parents of those attending to our classes for a Celebration. During this celebration, we stressed on the importance of the Mystery of Incarnation. This message was enhanced through a drama prepared by the same children. The 'Verbum Dei' badge was given to those who attended regularly to the Sunday sessions. At the end, gifts were given to those present.

KENYA
   Ruiru Centre and Murera Branch. During this scholastic year, we have two work-shops operating at our Technical School in Ruiru, that of motor mechanics and carpentry. Thanks to our benefactors, the well which is to supply fresh water to both our school and Centre has now been completed and ready to operate. At Murera, a nursery was opened, in which some 65 children are already attending. Unfortunately, one of the female Aspirants, Monica Fracis, passed away on the 14th February 2001. Monica became an Elect during a ceremony which was held on the 28th February, 1998. May God grant her eternal rest.

MALTA
   Work is now well underway at the Chapel in Blata l-Bajda where both our Founder and the first Superior General Eugenio Borg will be laid to rest. Last February, newly-elected Cardinal H.E. Roberto Tucci visited Malta in conjunction with the Pope's visit. During a lunch, given to his honour at Dar Óanin Samaritan, Mgr Tucci said that it is a grace for the whole Church to be in a position to share and be enriched by Fr Preca's charisma. He said that for the past 90 years, Malta was the recipient of this grace, but now that the Pope will beatify Fr Preca, his spirituality will be a source of inspiration to the whole Church.
   The second phase of the course on Missiology was held at Dar Óanin Samaritan for the duration of seven weeks, between January and March. Sixteen Members, who are willing and ready to be sent to any of our Centres outside Malta, attended the course. The course dealt with topics such as affluence, celibacy, friendship, community-living, self-awareness, SDC lifestyles and prayer.

ALBANIA
 Korcë
   On 2nd December 2000 our Members had a very positive experience when they met the President of the Republic of Malta, Prof Guido de Marco, who was on a state visit to Albania. The meeting took place in the capital Tirana where they were hosted at the Palace of the Brigades. This was the official residence of the President of Albania in the time of the Communist dictatorship.
   Our Members had a one-hour meeting with the President and his delegation, including Dr Joe Borg, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Dr Joe Cassar, Ambassador of Malta for Albania. Mr Vincent Mangani, headmaster of Preca College, presented the President with two gifts: an Albanian plate made of pottery and a glass paperweight with the emblem of the College. President de Marco donated him a silver plate with the emblem of Malta and with his signature.
   After the meeting, the President invited our Members to have lunch with him. Then they accompanied him to Sukth and Durres, where he visited the Maltese Domenican priests who are working there.
     We are very grateful to our President for the great honour he bestowed on us, which served also as a boost for the school and a great encouragement for us.