BIS #2344 WAY OF THE CROSS AT BOSCO WADI

Patrick Corda
BOSCO WADI, MARCH 30, 2011: On March 29, 2011 a group of fifty people from Arnahala experienced the road to Calvary at Bosco Wadi, a spiritual Lenten program organized by Fr. Anthony Santarita, Rector of Bosco Boys Home. The service began at 2.00pm in the scorching heat where Fr. Bastin Thomas welcomed the group. After lunch followed; the station of the cross in Marathi. The station of the cross was an experience where every individual went through the pain, passion, and suffering of Jesus walking down the hill in that heat. The people participated in the way of the cross with complete devotion.

In the second part fourteen clippings from the Passion of Christ movie were explained by the Fr. Bastin through a power point presentation. After forty five minutes of the presentation the Blessed Sacrament was exposed by Fr. Ashwin Macwan, the group was then led into a time of repentance and preparation for confession by Br. Christopher and his music ministry. After confession the people were asked to write their sins on a piece of paper and walked in a procession towards the old wooden rugged Cross which was kept in a corner of the campus they were then asked to nail the paper to the cross by themselves. The wooden cross was then carried by the people to the sea shore where Fr. Ashwin removed all the papers and burnt it and then put them into the sea.

As a part of their participation in the walk to Calvary every individual got a Veil with the face of Jesus printed on it. Those present expressed their gratitude by a vote of thanks where, they thanked Fr. Anthony, Fr. Bastin, Fr. Ashwin and Br. Richard for the marvelous work they were doing for the youth of their village in Bosco Boys Home. The evening ended with a cup of tea and biscuits.

A similar session in Gujarati was also conducted for twenty one ladies who came from Bandra on March 26, which started in the evening at 8.00 pm and ended in the morning at 6.00 am with the Eucharist Service. The entire program was conducted by Fr. Ashwin and Fr. Bastin, thanks to Fr. Anthony Santarita who has given a new look to Bosco Wadi and also opening the doors to have spiritual activities, the next will be the hundred and fifty people who will be coming from Uttan to participate in the Station of the Cross.