COLLEGE DAY CELEBRATIONS
14th February 2014
Welcome Address
Dear Friends,
It gives me immense joy to welcome each and every one of you
to our 45th College Day celebrations. Our Chief Guest today is Dr K KKundu, Principal and Director of
Kingston College, Barasat. Morning Star
extends a very warm welcome to you, dear DrKundu, and we thank you for
accepting our invitation to be present with us today. Your presence in our
midst is a tremendous assurance that the bond
between Morning Star and Kingston College will be further strengthened
in the years to come, particularly as your philosophy of life will always find
a resonance in the hearts of all our
students:
Work hard, Commit
yourself to the assigned work, and contribute something to the nation and the
world at large.
Some information about the formation programme
of Morning Star College
Morning Star College offers two streams of studies- a regular
University General BA Course, and Bachelor degrees in Philosophy and Theology.
Our academic programme, though tight and
challenging, includes some non-academic and co-curricular
activities. We motivate our students to
develop effective communication skills
like stage acting, debates, elocution. Following the Gandhian model of Tolstoy
Farm, they also assist in the general
work of their College, like house cleaning, tending to the farm and the
gardens, and keeping physically fit through regular exercise. On weekends, they
are also engaged in diverse types of social action , visiting and interacting
with leprosy patients and their
children, the poor and disadvantaged
children of our neighbourhood, senior citizens living in Homes for the Aged,
the Centre for the Dying and the Destitute, Rehabilitation.
Centres to interact with
patients who are Aids infected, and suffering from alcohol and chemical
dependence. All--in-all, we aim to provide an education that is truly holistic,
motivating our students to a life of selfless love and service, and in keeping
with our thrust for today, upholding the dignity of all human beings.
Some Transfers and new Faces on our Staff
After many years in the Pastoral ministry, FrAlphonso Francis joined the Staff of
Morning Star in July 2012. He has utilized his multi-faceted talents as
teacher, singer, musician and Animator
to enhance the quality of the spiritual,
academic and artistic life in the College.
Fr Victor Fernandes, on completion of his doctorate in
Moral Theology, joined the Staff
immediately on his return, and besides his arduous teaching assignments in both
our theology and philosophy departments, leaves no stone unturned to ensure
that we shall soon have a fully equipped, state-of-the-art library on our
campus.
Fr T J Abraham, after a year as Spiritual Father
and Animator, is now our Minister, and we thank him for his yeoman services to
us.
FrArokiasamy has returned to resume his history
teaching with undiminished vigour and dedication.
SrRakkini SSA was a great asset as assistant in
our library.
Sr Mary DSA began a second innings in charge
of our Catering Department, in tandem
with SrDebopriya. Their loving
presence gives us full assurance that this important area is in safe hands.
We thank Fr. Saroj Roy CssR for his incalculable
assistance to our Community as Animator and Counsellor.
The health of our students has vastly improved under the
efficient and loving care of SrPierlisa.
FrsAjith SSCC, Robinson
OCD, and ChristurajaCMF facilitate the spiritual growth of our
brothers.
We hope to welcome Frs. Fabian Toppo, Samuel Lepcha, Arul
Dass and Arun Francis Tamang, along with Fr. Henry Bright CPPS, and Fr.
Harry Solomon OMI to join our Staff team in due course.
Morning Star now has a Resident Staff of
seventeen, including four religious sisters. Seven religious Congregations work
hand-in-glove with our Diocesan Clergy, a model of collaborative servant
leadership, and a microcosm of the Universal Servant Church
Highlights of the year
At the onset of this Academic year 2013-2014, we had 203 students
on our rolls, including 42 men and women religious. On November 21st,
2013, after their Comprehensive Examinations and Pastoral Course, 37 of them,
including SrLitty of Providence,
were awarded their BTh Degrees. They have departed to their various Dioceses.
Most have already been ordained Deacons, and will become priests in the course
of the year.
The University undergraduate(BA) results of our Philosophers,
while not being overly spectacular, were nevertheless immensely gratifying, as,
with very few exceptions, their overall performance was satisfactory. The vast
majority of last year’s Third Year philosophers completed their BA degree
successfully and are now in Regency, the next stage of their priestly
formation.
Eleven of our new priests returned to their Alma Mater on
January 23rd for the New Priests’ Day. It was truly a memorable
occasion to join them in prayer and wish them well at the onset of their
priestly service in the Church.
Formation of the Christian Laity
In recent years, Morning Star Seminary has taken the lead in
Laity formation. Thanks to the initiative of FrRomus, the Dean of Theology, we organized last year a series of
lectures on the Documents of Vatican II that were highly appreciated.
We have begun a three-year Diploma Course in theological
education that has also become hugely attractive. We hope to continue and
institutionalize this wonderful apostolate of laity formation in the Seminary in
the coming years.
Conclusion
Emblazoned on the stage curtain is the theme of today’s
College day: Upholding human dignity. The sanctity of the human person and human
life is a fundamental value that needs to be stressed more today than ever
before. We are witnessing rampant abuse and exploitation of the weak and the
vulnerable, women and children, and we are determined to change it, to ensure
that all sections of society, in particular the infirm and the dying, the
handicapped and the underprivileged, the needy and the oppressed, whom we
believe are created in the image and likeness of God, find an opportunity to
live their lives commensurate with their God-given dignity and respect , a life
which is fulfilling and productive, and
does not depend on the largesse of anybody else. This is our ardent hope and
prayer.
God Bless You all.
Fr. J.A. Santhanam
Rector
Morning Star College
