The precursor, 1 juillet 1966, Juillet - Août

THE PRECURSOR juiy-August 1966 “On all the laity falls the glorious burden of toiling to bring the divine off er of salvation ever more and more into the reach of all men of all times and all over the world.They must have every path opened to their wholehearted personal participation as their strength and the needs of the time allow, in the saving work of the Church.” — Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution De Ecclesia.OUR COVER: Musical break at Marymount Secondary School, Mzuzu, Malawi.Sister Françoise Sau= cier performs on the accordion.Authorized as second class mail Post Office Department, Ottawa.Postage paid at Montreal. 2900 St.Catherine Road Montreal (26) Canada.THE PRECURSOR No.4 July-August 1966 Vol.XXVII Bi-monthly magazine published by the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception with the approbation of the Ordinary of Montreal.NIHÏL OBSTAT: Father A.Cossette, March 2, 1966.\ IN THIS ISSUE Maya Religion — Past and Present 147 Sister Gabrielle Ouimet, M.I.C.Tecun Uman 155 Marie Albertine Galvez G.Catavi 162 Sister Marie Annette, M.I.C.Two Weeks in Catavi 167 Sister Simone Sabourin, M.I.C.Les Cayes Minstrels 171 Sister Marie Thérèse Laperrière, M.I.C.Mzuzu, Flourishing City 175 Sister Céline Laurin, M.I.C.To love as Jesus Loved 183 Sister Saint Patricia, M.I.C.Banquet for the Tots 189 Sister Marie Paule, M.I.C.Wedding Bells in Japan 191 Sister Joseph of the Holy Family, M.I.C.Subscription Rates: $ 1.50 a year $ 2.50 2 years $ 5.00 4 years $30.00 for life In case of change of address, please send both: the old and the new. 4bf«r; Old Maya temple, overgrown with vegetation, in the forests of Yucatan.:• %•, i tm- - v r ¦**TlC ' ^ 4| ;#rVV PS»'.1» «(fr -4.MI #1"'' THE MAYA RELIGION PAST AND PRESENT by Sister Gabrielle Ouimet, M.I.C.SECOND PART : TODAY Synthesis of Maya religion Before going on to the second part of this article, I will resume the history of Maya religion in order to give a rough estimate of this religion and to stress its evolution.Sylvanus Griswold Morley’s book The Ancient Maya will serve as guide.The origin of the Maya people as well as that of their religion remains obscure.Morley offers the following explanations: it appears that the Maya religion consisted at first in the adoration of natural elements.This form of worship did not call for ceremonies, priests, temples.During the age of agriculture, religion gradually became an organized whole with priests and temples, ceremonies and rites.Between the introduction of agriculture and the invention of the Maya calendar, no practical modifications took place.From the fourth century of the Christian era, the Maya clergy developed a religious philosophy of life.Deities of the sky, of time periods, and of numbers became predominant.It seems that Maya religion was not then marred by blood and human sacrifices, although there are authors who believe that the Mayas practised such sacrifices from the very beginnings of their history.We have no archeological proof that the Maya religion underwent considerable alterations during the Classic Period, but the Mexican invasion brought about remarquable innovations.For his part, Morley affirms that the bloody character of the Maya religion such as it existed at the time of the Spanish conquest was due to Mexican influences and had been introduced into Yucatan by Mexican invaders in the tenth century of the Christian era.Mexican religion was clearly less sacerdotal than the Maya.Warriors as providers of “ selected ones ” shared with the priests intimacy with the gods.No longer could the latter pose as sole mediators between divinity and man.Finally, Morley points out that even after a certain conversion to Christianity the people still clung to their ancient creed. _______.' v JH.ZÊÈS, wæ z— •‘.JD’Çt*"- * .ÆT'- >'.V ^ These Maya ruins in Zaculeu (now Huehuetenango) resume the old Maya religion: left, temple of the moon; centre, temple of the sun; right, temple of the star.Village street in Peten where time seems to stand still.Map of Maya territory at the time of conquest.It comprised Yucatan, Campeche, Quintana Roo, part of Honduras, British Honduras, Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas.OF THE MAYA AREA Manuel Maldonado Photo V PWt 4MiA 1 %A«C or MAP at Of mnmPOU mmmmmmm toomr V kV Bit A»f A 'M; Ssfeï Vrv4 rtktxii .» —T* k_ SCO *__U, I *1 •«MARHOI P"' / M fE< X V M S T HAKuRI im V Me C m) I A PA S\ t \ I O.xO^ •y' NÔNÜVfi A Conversion of Maya to Christianity Here we must have recourse to a flashback in order to see how the Mayas came to be converted to the Christian religion.Were there any elements in the existing Maya religion which might have facilitated the fusion of the two?Had other religions been integrated into the Maya religion?What were the obstacles to be hurdled?Finally, what is the present-day religious situation among the Mayas?These questions will be answered in the following pages.How did it come about that the Mayas who had resisted the earlier impact of alien cults such as that of the Mexican Kukulcan accepted Christiani- United Nations Photo ty ?Jean Babelon gives a vivid account of this in his book, La vie des Mayas.A brief outline will be sufficient for our purpose.The most ancient ruins of a Christian church in America are found in Cozumel.Within its crumbling walls may still be seen the altar erected by Hernando Cortez in 1519.Catholic tradition was early introduced into Yucatan.Evangelization was conducted here at the same time although independently of the military conquest.In 1545, The Franciscan Friars arrived in Cham-poton, Campeche, and Merida.The first to work there were Juan de la Puerta, Luis de la Villalpando, and Diego de Becal.Pagan temples were allotted * 'ft to them to be used as monasteries.But an important aspect of this history is the antagonism which brought into conflict friars and warriors.These dissensions unfortunately all too visible to the Indians aroused the latter’s distrust of the military as well as of the ministers of the Gospel.For this reason several attempts at evangelization failed.Conversion to Christianity was not, of course, forced on the Mayas, but apostasy was liable to be punished by death.Bishop Landa even went so far as to have the ashes of dead apostates thrown to the winds.Nevertheless, this Franciscan friar who reached Yucatan a few years after the Spanish conquest was a man of unquestionable ability.His interests were broad and considering what he had to do he was amazingly objective.Eric Thompson says of him in the work already mentioned: He has been criticized for his severity in stamping out recrudescences of paganism, but in that he merely reflected the views of his century; namely, that the soul is more important than the body and that the ends justify the means.Who are we to criticize ?We have substituted political beliefs for the soul, and retained the second view.In 1562, he decreed that idolatry must be stamped out of Mayadom at any cost.Accordingly, he ordered an auto-da-fe of mostly all Maya manuscripts which, he states, “ contained nothing in which there was not to be seen superstition and lies of the devil.” This work was carried out so thoroughly that of the hundreds of “ books ” only three escaped the holocaust.However, we are indebted to him for a history of Yucatan which is a precious source of information on Maya customs, religious beliefs, and communal rites.Without this book, it is doubtful whether the glyph decipherment could ever have been achieved.He is the one source of the habits, virtues, and foibles of the Mayas.Mostly syncretism Misguided zeal was the cause at this epoch of several deplorable failures in the evangelization, of the burning down of churches, of the massacre of missionaries.Even when the Indians appeared sincerely converted to Christianity, they often reverted to idolatrous practices or amalgamated the two religions to their liking.The Chacs or rain gods were renamed after the archangels; the moon goddess was made to represent Our Lady; saints of the Catholic Church and Maya day names shared the prayers whispered by the people before crosses set at the four world directions.The filibuster Oexmelin who wrote the history of the buccaneers towards 1680 relates the following fact.After the Spanish conquest, the Indians of eastern Yucatan were obliged to welcome at certain times of the year a Spanish priest sent to convert them to Christianity.While this priest remained in their midst, they carefully omitted idolatrous ceremonies, but no sooner was he gone than they reverted to pagan practices.Other similar reports testify that the converted Mayas were tom between loyalty to their ancient ruling classes and fidelity to their new found faith.The Mayan attitude of live and let live, their spirit of friendly cooperation induced them to keep a foot in both camps.They accepted Christianity, although not as a substitute for their old gods.On the contrary, they blended the two religions into a smoothly functioning pantheon.René Aigrain has summarized in one paragraph the elements which facilitated or opposed this perfect fusion.Confusion and superstition.The missionaries’ preaching was facilitated by the identification established between symbols of the ancient religion and the great themes of the new doctrine.Thus, the Vahomché, tree of life, (which for the Maya was the ceiba, wild cotton tree) arbour of a symbolical bird, was transformed into the Cross, above which was placed the dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit; the statue of Ixazaluoh, mother to Itzamna, depicted holding her child in her arms, for the Mother of Christ.Such adaptations which at first served the purpose of the missionaries, were not without presenting drawbacks.They favoured a syncretism which encumbered religion, no matter how sincere, with numerous superstitions: remnants of idols neighbouring with crucifixes; a mixture now naive, now disquieting of sincere Catholic faith and of fidelity to a vague pagan creed which four centuries of Christianity have been powerless to erase.Were other religions ever integrated into the Maya religion?We find interesting notes on this subject in a monograph on the industrialization of Cantel, Guatemala, wherein the author devotes a whole chapter on the practices and beliefs of the people.This account allows us to appreciate clearly the present day status of the Maya religion not merely in Cantel but in the Maya milieu as a whole.The chapter is divided into three sections: (1) the Christian experiment; (2) the so-called folk-Catholicism; (3) esoteric beliefs.150 1 - The Christian experiment.In Cantel the Catholic religion takes precedence.It is represented by the pastor who has been living here for over two years.One curate and several lay assistants conduct two organizations and attend to multiple parochial duties.The bishop of Quetzaltenango Preparing “tortillas”, flat unleavened cakes of maize, baked on heated iron or stones.V- H L*'.i t 'in Sk lillilj United Nation» Photo wèBBÊBI «•5 » it * ?' 1 ^ mk msUm ^ÜW»CiW^ï; ¦ Church built in the Spanish architectural style of the 16th century, Campeche.makes periodic visitations throughout his diocese.Outside of the ceremonies marking baptism, marriage, funerals, religious life does not play an important role in Cantel.In addition to the Catholic Church, there are four Protestant Churches.Of these sects, three have been imported from North America and one has originated in Guatemala: Presbyterian, Seventh Day Adventist, Pentecostal, and Gramarista.The Presbyterian Church is the only one with a resident pastor; the others depend on the good offices of ministers from neighbouring towns.Nobody knows exactly how many people belong to these sects as the people transfer from one church to the other as they fancy.The author goes on to say, “ The 152 n , r g t t n f • The basilica of Our Lady of Quadelupe, Mexico, recalls the Blessed Virgin’s apparition to the Indian Juan Diego.Canadian Pacific Photos.striking difference existing between the Catholic Church and the Protestant sects naturally consists in the doctrine of free admittance to one church or the other.” 2 - “ Folk-C.atholicism ” is defined by the author as follows: “ By Popular Catholicism is meant those aspects of religious beliefs and practices which co-exist with the dogmas and rites of the Catholic Church.In a word, Mexican religions were integrated with an imported Catholicism tinged with syncretism and expressed in popular local customs.3 - Esoteric beliefs.Mr.Nash gives the following ëxplanation of the third division: esoteric doctrines are based on the ancient divinatory calendar 153 United Nations Photo A typical case of syncretism of the old Maya religion and of Christianity: incense is burnt on church steps in honour of pagan gods.* of 260 days.Adepts of these esoteric beliefs are of two classes: the sorcerers who practise hoodoo, and soothsayers who prophesy and cure the sick.Pictures of San Simon or of Judas are sometimes used in these practices.This concrete example of the present-day situation among the Mayas proves once again that the ancient gods and the Christian saints have been welded into a unit having the Christian God at its head.In certain regions, a difference of functions between saints and pagan divinities continues to be stressed, the former being assigned the government of cities and the latter reigning over the forests, the cornfields, and the county folk.Nevertheless, very few among the Mayas would be capable of marking differences between the Christian and the pagan elements of their religion.Indeed, they would protest indignantly if they were charged with being still partially pagan.Christianity then has not completely triumphed in Mayadom and the old religion, discarded in its essential aspects, has not totally disappeared.SOURCES Charles Gallenkamp, Maya, the Riddle and Rediscovery of a Lost Civilization, New York, David McKay Company, 1959, 240 p.Sylvanus Griswold Morley, The Ancient Maya, California, Stanford University Press, 1956, 494 p.Manning Nash, Machine Age Maya, The American Anthropological Association, Vol.60, No.2, Part 2, April 1958, Memoir No.87,118 p.J.Eric Thompson, Grandeur et décadence de la civilisation Maya, Paris, Payot, 1958, 304 p.J.Eric Thompson, Maya Archæologist, Norman, University of Oklaoma Press, 1963, 284 p.154 GUATEMALA TECUN UMAN Condensed from the essay “ Tecun Uman, Defender of our Liberty ”, by Maria Albertina Galvez.1 The dominant event in our history doubtless is the conquest, in 1524, of the kingdoms of Guatemala by Captain Pedro de Alvarado nicknamed by the Indians Tomatiuh, child of the sun, because of his handsome figure.Upon their arrival, the Spanish invaders found the remains of what was perhaps one of the world’s most amazing civilizations, a civilization remarkable by the political and social organization which governed the Maya Quiche.This people held up as a model by certain sociologists and jurists, lived under an aristocratic monarchy.At the head of the Maya city-state stood the halach uinic.He was the man, the real man, the true man, endowed with plenary powers and restrained only by a council of nobles presumably related to him by close blood ties.The invasion of the land by foreign troops wounded the pride of our ancestors, instigating a chain reaction of bitterness and resentment.They fought courageously to defend their rights as citizens, for they were fiercely proud of the beautiful land of their birth, the Land of the Turkey and the Deer.Troubled by the frequent incursions of cacchi-queles, the peaceful existence of the aborigines was shattered when the great Mexican city of Tenoch-titlan was attacked by the conquistadores in 1519.Emperor Moctezuma, called Heavenly Arrow, dispatched swift messengers to the Quiche kings, warning them of the invasion of his territory by an army of white men.This dire news caused the demise of the old king, Quicab Tanub, known as Quicab the Great.The author of Danse de la Conquête depicts this noble figure in a historical study where- in Tecun Uman plays the chief role.From this book I have borrowed the following significant dialogue similar to a ballad : Come, my children, rise! Why so sad and wan ?Let not heaven offence Take at my temerity.; Listen to me, Who am cruelly afflicted.Moctezuma, great emperor Of Mexico land Thus writes in his own hand: “ Don Quicab, my stair Has set.A foreign king My realm has conquered; Alas, how sad my lot! “ This king on conquest bent Wants to make you slaves, To gather spoils, the thief! His warriors are clever, The art of war is theirs.Their thunder blasts, Their fire reduces to ashes.“ Strong and disciplined, His warriors Easily conquered mine.“ They are brave and bold.Their God is powerful.All this, my children, Weighs me down with woe.My heart is broken, All the day I mourn and weep.” 1 Translated from the Spanish.Coll.Minima 155 K Nrr - :M.'- .« ^ * A&+ i ;., * M+tk.• •* * •^é,.'rzr^z —¦ l^-^T % %*vMM '•?•V f :ft «s* -JPw awî; MBSac Canadian Pacific Photos Lake Atitlan.Quiche women carry water as in the days of Tecun Uman.< -,r-'*.' ¦pi&vt.-•.V Awesome beauty of Quiche land.Poliman Volcano belches white smoke above Lake Atitlan.A profound unrest spread among the peaceful inhabitants who saw their liberty and their independence threatened by strangers.Then it was that the noble Quiche people rose as one man, ready to defend their rights and their inheritance.Earth, sea, and volcanoes throbbed; days grew dark; faces reflected anguish and determination.The death of Quicab the Great brought about a change of government.Tecun Uman, tall and dignified of bearing, noble of heart, and keen of mind, was elected Nim chocoj-Cawek, Great One of the House of Cawek, a function similar to that of our modem Minister of National Defence.War whoops echoed from mountain and valley; the clash of cymbals and the throbbing of drums announced the opening of hostilities.Messengers fairly flew over the roads carrying important military orders from one end of the kingdom to another.Axes and silexes were sharpened; arrows whizzed through the air; ways of communication were severed by road blocks; round shields and bludgeons were distributed to all men of age to bear arms.According to Hernando Cortes, Captain Pedro de Alvarado left Mexico December 6, 1523, accompanied by 300 cavalry men, crossbow men, and mercenaries armed with fowling pieces.The latter 157 Flute player, and drummer boy at entrance of church, Patzum, Guatemala.Finely checkered aprons mark them as Quiche.The splendid cathedral of Antigua.At the death of Tecun Uman, last Quiche ruler, Christianity had already spread through the land thanks to the Spaniards.Canadian Pacific Photos 4- % v v ' '' -/ '-r-, - , * i WM !'p - t: .* - _______-* J r __I %«5 '•SUBj r> y.ir*’ -4JI " heart of mining district.Canadian Pacific Photo by Sister Simone Sabourin, M.I.C.It was with alacrity that I accepted the invitation of Sister Gisèle Picard, superior of our Catavi mission, to spend a fortnight with her, while her two companions, Sisters Marguerite Simard and Marie Annette, went to Cochabamba to attend religious instruction courses.I had had some more or less interesting experience while passing through the Oruro region some time last year, so this once I bought my ticket for Catavi a whole week in advance.On the day agreed upon for the departure, I went to the bus station good and early.Already passengers were converging on a large streamlined bus.I followed them, stepped in, and dropped down in the No 1 seat as indicated on my ticket.No sooner had I made myself comfortable however than a portly gentleman got in and remarked that this was the seat indicated on his ticket.A girl who sat close by, nudged me after a glance at my ticket, “ Madre ”, she whispered, “ I think you are on the wrong bus.” Much to my confusion I realized that I was indeed in the La Paz-Cochabamba car.Out I stumbled and climbed into a smaller vehicle marked Oruro, where I settled down in the right No 1.With luck we might expect to reach Oruro by noon.We were making fairly good time, when suddenly our conveyance stalled.The driver announced that the road ahead was blocked by a bus which had developed mechanical trouble.As this is a one-way route, there was no alternative but to wait.Placidly accepting the delay, the passengers piled outside for a few breaths of fresh air.I followed them as they stood in little groups around the stalled car.Reparations were going at what seemed to me a desperately slow pace.But, nobody 167 .Reverend Guy Brault proudly shows church “bell to Sisters Gisèle Picard and Simone Sabourin.' V > ».V ¦ •' v 4^ § -w J < >,«' CXZm M0HH Lake Tranque, flashing jewel in denuded mountain setting.Llallagua municipal plaza.'»• > ¦ .: showed the least impatience, so I curbed my fiery Canadian temperament and smilingly adapted myself to my milieu.At long last, after three hours of delay, we were on our way to Oruro once again, the broken-down vehicle having been pushed to one side of the road.The stranded passengers gaily waved to us as we drove past.They would have to wait for another car coming from La Paz to pick them up.At what time would they reach Cochabamba ?I could not help wondering.Our own vehicle picked up speed, the driver being intent on making up for lost time.The passengers were strangely hushed; they probably had exhausted their subjects of conversation during the long hours of waiting on the mountainside.All around, the landscape presented a chaos of magnificence and beauty such as no other mountains scenery in the world can show.I felt like the “ blessed damozel ”, not leaning out from the “ golden bar of heaven ” but peering out at its vestibule! We reached Oruro at 3: 00 p.m., not so very late after all.In front of the station were lined up several colectivos, a sort of station wagon, which ply between the town and the mining centres.I located one driver and was assured I could ride in his conveyance.“ How soon ?” I naively asked.He scratched his head, and nonchalantly replied, “ Oh, in about half an hour, Madre.” These colectivos, I learned, run on no definite schedule.Everything depends on the time it takes to round out the quota of passengers.The half hour stretched into two hours; at last the driver honked his horn and we started on the last lap of our joy ride, packed as compactly as sardines in a can.Impossible to budge without jostling your closest neighbours.To add to the diversion, the road was a nightmare of ruts, boulders, and washouts.It took us four endless hours to arrive in Catavi.Sister Gisèle Picard had come out to meet me and take me home.The sight of her smiling face and the warmth of her welcome made me forget in a moment that I was dead tired.Our missionary Sisters have been in this mining centre for only three months, but they already have more work on their hands that they can manage to do.A few days after my arrival, the Missionera Cruzados de la Eglesia, a community of Bolivian Sisters, invited us to have dinner at their convent in Uncia.Everything in this house spoke of evangelical poverty.A cursory glance at the walls and ceilings disclosed the fact that the building was anything but waterproof.We spent a few pleasant hours with these cheerful, courageous Sisters who find their greatest happiness in devoting their time and energies to the poor.One Sunday during my stay in Catavi, I accompanied Reverend Guy Brault, O.M.I., to the outpost of Tranque.After a drive of about twenty minutes winding through steep mountain roads, we came to Lake Tranque, shimmering in the sun.Vegetation and water were painted in golden browns, delicate canary yellows, jade greens, warm russets, and royal amethysts, as if some gigantic finger had played about in rock and waves.This coloration is due to the presence of metal in surrounding soil.As we sailed across the lake, I never tired admiring the breathtaking panorama.We landed at a spot so high in the mountain that we had to descend by the cablecar used by employees of the hydroelectric company.I dared not glance down the gorge.After crossing a long tunnel we emerged in the yard of the school where Mass was to be offered.I watched as the sacristan summoned the faithful, using as bell the half of a metal hoop used to bind the planks of a barrel together.Swung from a metal holder and struck with a metal rod it emitted a strangely penetrating and not unpleasant sound.Meantime, a good number of adults and children had assembled.The altar was made ready; nothing was missing, not even the flowers placed in cans with the food labels on.An empty ketchup bottle and a plastic pill container did duty as altar cruets.I was edified by the deeply recollected atmosphere which reigned in the assembly.My fortnight in Catavi was all too soon past and I returned to the capital.With what enthusiasm I hailed the white-capped, majestic Andean peaks which crown La Paz with glory! “ Surely this is the most beautiful spot on God’s earth,” I murmured to myself as the car entered the city proper.Without knowing it then, this was my parting salute, at least for the present, to the Cordillera Real.When I reached the convent, I learned that I was being transferred to Lima.Farewell then, dear Bolivia, since this is the Master’s will and.hail Peru! 170 i V t?w 0 Ob n ,riS U HAITI LES CAYES MINSTRELS Late last year I was appointed to teach in the primary school conducted by our Sisters in Les Cayes, Haiti.This was my initial contact with the good people of the coast, a contact which brought me many a pleasant surprise.On the first Sunday I attended Mass at Sacred Heart parish, for instance, I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the great number of men, women, and children who sang and prayed with genuine fervour, who really and truly participated in the Holy Sacrifice.It did not take me long to discover that this was due to the zeal of the pastor, an Oblate Missionary Father, Reverend Father Roland Lussier.His eighteen years of apostolate in Haiti having enabled him to understand that the by Sister Marie Thérèse Laperrière, M.I.C.Haitians possess an inborn gift for music, rhythm, and song, he determined to make this fact work for the spiritual advancement of his faithful.One of the activities he launched, upon assuming his duties as pastor of Sacred Heart parish, was the organization of a mixed choir.Some time ago, I had a friendly interview with several members of this choir known as the Les Cayes Minstrels.I am sure you will enjoy learning more about these twentieth century minstrels.Q.— Mr.Guichon, could you tell us how and when your choir started 1 A.— Five years ago, at the close of 1960 to be precise, our devoted pastor, Father Lussier, discussed 171 his plans for a mixed choir with some of the teachers in the Les Cayes educational establishments.All being willing to lend a hand or rather a voice, the choir made its successful début on Christmas Eve.After a while, a committee was organized with our dear friend, Mr.Gérard Chalviré, as president.It was then that we chose to be called the Les Cayes Minstrels.Q.— How many members are there at present ?A.— We now number one hundred strong.However, as the majority are in the teaching profession, we lose a few every year who are assigned elsewhere.But, newly arrived teachers are always eager to join our ranks.Reverend Roland Lussier, pastor of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart parish, Les Cayes, who launched the mixed choir.¦ Q.— Miss Fougère, may I inquire why you appear so happy to belong to the Les Cayes Minstrels ?A.— Because I believe that music and song wield a bénéficient influence over our lives.Q.— What is the spirit which animates the association ?A.— Ours is above all a family spirit.We work together as brothers and sisters, intent on securing mutual understanding, solidarity, respect for the personality of others.The rules of the association emphasize order and discipline.We do not get together to gossip, but to discuss current problems with calm and serenity.Each member is free to make suggestions, to state his or her opinion.Q.— Mr.Guillaume, does your association have role to play in the liturgical renewal"! A.— Certainly.Our pastor has but a word to say and we are at his disposal for the singing during liturgical offices.We rehearse a good deal before the most important feasts such as Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, Feast of the Sacred Heart.Moreover, our choir sings with the faithful at Sunday Mass or at Benediction.Q.— Do you specialize in religious singing ?A.— We are interested also in wholesome entertainment which has an important role to play in a country like ours.Already, we have staged a few theatrical performances before the general public.On our programme figure classical numbers, light comedy, interludes of Haitian dancing, and folk songs.We have received generous encouragement from a dynamic Haitian priest, Reverend J.Augustin, author of typically Haitian dances and songs.Thanks to him, we are making new discoveries in the field of our rich cultural heritage.We are dreaming great dreams for the future of Haitian itiusic.Occasionally, our group goes to see a particularly interesting movie.The show over, we gather at the home of one of the members to sip coffee and munch douces (Haitian cookies), while discussing the merits or demerits of the film.Several times a year we go on picnics organized by our devoted pastor to Camp Perrin, Cherette, Saut Mathurin, or .other beauty spots which abound in the vicinity.Such outings prove an excellent means of getting to know onç another better and of strengthening the bonds of brotherhood.Q.— Have the Les Cayes Minstrels a rallying or theme song ?172 The Les Cayes Minstrels present Ghéon’s “The Mystery of the Mass”.Mr.René Quichon held principal role in play.Les Cayes Minstrels’ direction committee.Team is made up of dynamic lay apostles with Mr.Gerard Chalvire (first on the left) as director. The Les Cayes Minstrels mixed choir.A.— They have.Each gathering opens with the following chorus: A flower in our hair, A song upon our lips, A heart merry and true.Q.— Does your association consider unity and brotherhood as its chief aim'i A.— For my part, I do think a certain evolution in this direction is taking place.It might be summarized in a word: collaboration.Each minstrel according to his or her specialization works for the common good; teachers with their teaching techniques; musicians with their instruments; masons with their trowels; carpenters with their tools; dressmakers with their scissors; singers with their songs.All endeavour to brighten the lives of others and to ease their burdens.Our motto is — Church and neighbour.Thank you, dear minstrels, for this friendly interview.I understand better now the reason for the admirable spirit of unity which reigns in the Sacred Heart parish of your dear city of Les Cayes.How true is this saying of Saint Augustin, “ The harmony of voices prepares the harmony of hearts!” 174 MZUZU, FLOURISHING CITY It has been said that the laboratory of the ethnologist is the soil.The missionary’s laboratory may also, in a certain sense, be said to be the soil.It is in order to work it that he goes out among the people, listens to their conversations, visits their homes, observes their customs and mores, inquires about their traditions.Thus he comes to know and to love them better.For us, at present, our soil is Mzuzu, the most flourishing city in northern Malawi.When, in 1956, Msgr.Saint Denis, W.F., established the seat of his prefecture in Mzuzu, only a handful of Europeans lived there.It took plenty of spunk to settle in what was then the bush.Within the next ten years, Mzuzu mushroomed into a village which in no time expanded into a town.Mzuzu Estate as it used to be called has turned out to be an important industrial and commercial centre, a bustling terminus.by Sister Céline Laurin, M.I.C.A flashback will help us understand something of its phenomenal growth.Fifteen years ago, Mzuzu was not even mentioned on the map of Malawi (former Nyasaland).But, since 1964, the geographical aspect of this country has been completely transformed, and Mzuzu now appears in the very centre of the northern region.It is fast catching up with the more important cities such as Blan-tyre-Limbe, Zomba, Lilongwe, Salima.The pleasant temperate climate and the fresh green mountains girdling the youthful city beckon to an ever increasing population.Mzuzu is justly proud of its residential areas and of its spacious governmental offices.The Ministry of Health has its resident doctor and its veterinary officer; the Ministry of Agriculture follows with particular attention work in the Vipya pine plantations.Electricity is distributed in all quarters, thanks to the efforts of the important Escome Company.Running water is also available in all city homes.There are active press and radio centres of information.Notable progress has been achieved in the field of communications and large planes linking Blantyre to Mzuzu daily take off from the new Air Malawi Airport.Moreover, an excellent service of buses runs throughout the province.There is nothing like a walk about the city streets to feel the heart-throb of a population.The ad- ministration centre is the first thing that strikes your eye as you enter Mzuzu.Off Main Street are found the police station, bus terminus, banking offices, post office, garages, Anglican churches and C.C.A.P., and, last but not least, the buildings of the tung oil processing plant which provides work for hundreds of labourers.Your shopping may be done at Kandodo’s or at Mandala’s which carry everything you may need or almost, but where prices are relatively high; Pine plantation in Mzuzu.*4e f ¦ 2 r ^3 - à» .a, • ¦" ' i : * 4 * r.'-t-JOTr stylish garments, liquors, frozen meat, eggs, butter, cheese, ice cream ($1.50 a pint), prunes, candied fruit, chocolates, cigarettes, etc.At the outdoor market you will meet young African housewives going from one booth to another, eager on striking bargains.Many among them try to put into practice the cooking lessons learned at the Domestic Science Centre.Their straitened budget does not allow them tô buy any luxuries, Kandodo General Store.but they do manage to cook nourishing and appetizing meals for their families.Like the ethnologist, the missionary observes the people as they go about the business of daily living.No better observation point could be found than the Mzuzu outdoor market.Situated at a short distance from Kandodo’s, it is one of the most animated spots in the city.Colourful booths reflect the originality of ownem.Here you can k-