The precursor, 1 septembre 1966, Septembre - Octobre

THE PRECURSOR September=October 1966 The light of faith and the revealed truth would not shine on the face of the earth and the nations would not know and accept God’s Fatherhood, unless all Christendom supported in prayer and action the direct and immediate work of the missionaries who are so few for the great task.Indeed, what could the workers of the vineyard do, if the body of the Church remained inert and indifferent?Pope Paul VI Quoted in Southern Cross, Feb.9 OUR COVER: Music is part of Malagasy pattern of life.This young lady plays the flute with joyful abandon.Authorized as second class mail Post Office Department, Ottawa.Postage paid at Montreal. 2900 St.Catherine Road Montreal (26) Canada.THE PRECURSOR Bi-monthly magazine published by the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception with the approbation of the Ordinary of Montreal.NIHIL OBSTATs Reverend A.Cossette» P.M.E., April 28, 1966.No.5 September - October 1966 IN THIS ISSUE Vol.XXVII Operation Renewal 194 Sister Mur idle Dubé, M.I.C.In the Selva 202 Sister Bernadette Gagnon, M.I.C.Open Book and Lighted Lamp 207 A group of students Malagasy Musical Heritage 212 Sister Angèle Lemaire, M.I.C.Give Us Our Daily Rice 215 Mainstay of Life for Millions 222 Sister Blandine Simard, M.I.C.Straw — Cinderella Product of Japan 227 Sister Lucie Paradis, M.I.C.The Greatest Teacher China Ever Had 232 Wu Chih-Jen Moon Cake Festival in China 239 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. m r ’0»i um.-, i; In this conciliar springtime the Holy Childhood undertakes a thorough renewal.OPERATION RENEWAL by Sister Murielle Dubé, M.Î.C, After the example of the Church in Council who has examined and defined her situation in the modem world, the Holy Childhood has probed its basic elements and scrutinized its actual situation in order to fall into line with receiit fundamental ideas regarding pastoral activities.“ Before launching out into important structural alterations,” observes Jacques Grand’maison, “ we must be courageous enough to review our positions, to obtain a thorough knowledge of what Congar calls * actual circumstances \ Therefore, all the elements concerned are to be seriously examined and the corresponding doctrines profoundly investigated.”1 The Holy Childhood which draws its substance from the 194 revealed Message is fully situated within the mission of the Church.Its specific object — the flowering of the complete Christian — also corresponds to the present-day universal yearning after unity, justice, and brotherhood.Mission of the Church and Holy Childhood The mission of the Church and of the whole People of God has here below a triple aspect: pro- \\ Pope Paul VI, august Çrotector of the Work.hrough it, he calls upon children everywhere to collaborate in the evangelization of their brothers.The Holy Childhood is a Work of the Church not the Work of a particular Congregation.195 claiming the word of God, bearing witness to the unbounded charity of Christ everywhere, hemming all men within the one true Fold.The Church remembers the mandate, “ Go out all over the world, and preach the Gospel to the whole of Creation ” (Mark 16: 16).“ These are the directions I give you, that you should love one another ” (John 15: 17).“ That they should all be one ” (John 17: 22).Through her admirable fecundity, she gathers together all her members in the love of Christ Jesus, and in her zeal she proclaims the Glad Tidings of salvation to the entire world.She unceasingly reminds us that we each have the obligation of praying, of contributing financial aid, of promoting the missionary cause which is the cause of Christ, of His Gospel, of His glory.Just as she closely binds us, living stones, to the Cornerstone, she joyfully receives each new stone brought her to complete the edifice.Through her and in her, each day sees us draw nearer to the total Christ within whom is achieved the reunion of all, in love and in unity.Such is the Church and her universal mission.Grafted upon her, the Holy Childhood acquires from her the nourishment and the stamina which enables it not only to refuse to die out but to renew its vigour and its beauty.Holy Childhood’s specific mission : the formation of Christian character The Holy Childhood shares in the formation of young Christians until they reach adulthood.Baptized, confirmed, living members of God’s People, how can Christian children remain indifferent to the concern of the entire Church ?Educators, fully conscious of their role, make use of the Holy Childhood to open the mind of their charges to wider horizons, to plant in their heart thoughtfulness for the welfare of all mankind.They are keenly aware that the definite aims of the Holy Childhood are: to instill as early as possible in the soul of children the universal significance of faith; to teach them to really participate in the mission of the Church by their concern for the spiritual and material life of children everywhere.Over 700 million children destined to become Chris- “ Thy kingdom come .” First Grade Catechesis.Paulo interprets God’s reign according to what he knows of the universe.196 tians, have not the possibility to do so.This is a cause of deepfelt anxiety for the Church and, therefore, for all Christians even for the little ones.At the close of the Council sessions, a Catholic African layman speaking of the youth of old Christian countries and of mission lands, remarked, “ They have been bom in a world on the way to unification; all are conscious of a new destiny.They are eager to share in the tasks of building and of developing the city.They ought to be able to feel at the same time that they are engaged in essential Christian tasks." * This is a good resumé of the programme every Catholic educator should follow: to promote among the young a quickening of the apostolic spirit in order to provide the Church with staunch believers, dynamic Christians, courageous apostles.The Holy Childhood is a means to an end in order to attain this object.The world, our neighbour In this age of jets and rockets, all the world is our neighbour.Brought closer together by the shrinking of distances both physical and geographical, peoples and nations today feel the need of dialogue.At present, we are living on a world scale.Modem techniques of diffusion disclose numerous sociological factors which used to remain unknown, and cries of distress teach us from all over the world.This phenomenon of human life as it is lived everywhere links the Holy Childhood to the social context of the twentieth century wherein men long for unity, cooperation, fraternal love.The huge masses of the destitutes, of the famished which constitute, alas, two thirds of mankind, compel us to a collective appraisal of the situation, and stir up the will to eliminate progressively all economic, social, and racial inequalities."To Papa, Mamma, Paulo, Louis, on their way to the Lord’s house.All the people of the earth follow.JJ J.p.i qO* lç r^onde fo'J de J q ve.v»v Wi T Paulo learns about his brothers of other races and of other lands.humanise and to evangelise undoubtedly are distinct tasks, but Christ Jesus who has commanded us to evangelise will judge us at the end of our life upon our social works.” 3 The Church, human image of Christ upon earth, cannot close her heart to the cry of anguish which rises from so many lands at the present time.She urges us all to pray, to offer what assistance we can, and even to dedicate ourselves entirely to the relief of the suffering members of Christ.The Holy Childhood transmits her challenge to the children, teaching them to live in close fellowship with their brothers and sisters of all races and nations.Study of structures The spiritual greatness of the Holy Childhood having been reassessed, let us consider its institutional structures.It has been criticised as outdated, futile.Does this great Pontifical Work deserve such negative classification?There is no reason why its magnificent achievements should be thus set at naught.It would certainly help put things in their true light if a team composed of educators, catechists, and directors were to refashion techniques which may be out of date.The Holy Childhood must proceed to a renewal because it must live on as a Work of the Church.Abuses to be remedied Notwithstanding its rich and varied potentialities, the Holy Childhood cannot claim perfection in all its activities.In many places, its role has been travestied as just another means of rousing emulation among schools.The children, instead of making genuine sacrifices of their own pennies, wheedle money out of their parents.Such behaviour invites caustic criticism.Nevertheless, these deviations are far from being generalised.The splendid work performed by educators, religious as well as lay, and by promotors of the Work, counter- 198 .Hi mÊÊÊHÊÊKÊBÊÊIÊBËKKÊÊEÊk ¦ w w 1 m ¦' ' mnZ^il In his turn and in his own way he explains the African milieu.„.% - % P • ’ iieyyfc ms*. The brotherhood of all races mast be learned from early childhood.(à.I . balance in a positive manner these few negative aspects, Modern structures Collegiality so often mentioned during the Council sessions spreads to all sections of the People of God where all must assume a common responsibility.The era of dialogue beckons to intense fraternal collaboration.This collaboration already extant within the Holy Childhood Association framework creates a climate of dynamic comprehension.Meetings, exchange of ideas, information and coordination centres are uniting in order to launch a missionary movement fully a-dapted to the level of our students in the elementary grades.Educators responding to an interior renewal and urged on by the pressing demands of the Council in favor of the missions become, through their faith — light, salt, and leaven at the level of international communications.As Christians, they know themselves to be entrusted with « the glorious mission of proclaiming in our times and in all states of life the sovereign rights of God and His redemptive designs »* 1 * 3 4.That they have pledged themselves to serve the missionary cause to be revealed to youth proves their sincerity.Truly they bear the seal of authentic Christians: Unity in charity, humility, and truth.In a resolute and absolute manner The Holy Childhood Association having taken its « breath of fresh air » in the spring of the post-counciliar era, finds itself rejuvenated.September 1966 will mark a turning point in its career, following in the orientation of modem catechesis and the spirit of Vatican II.But, in order to be perfectly understood and to remain a sound instrument of missionary education, in order to accomplish thoroughly its « Operation Renewal », it needs your wholehearted collaboration, dear parents and educators.Note: For all information regarding the Holy Childhood Association contact: The Holy Childhood Office, National Secretariate, 3535, Saint Catherine Road, Montreal.Sources : 1 Jacques Grand’Maison, Crise de Prophétisme, Action Catholique Canadienne, 1964, p.191 * M.E.Adjakplay, Agence Internationale Fides, 13 octobre, 1965 3 Msgr.Soares, Agence Internationale Fides, 13 octobre 1965 4 B.Haring, Force et Faiblesse de la Religion, Desclée, 1964, p.40 PUCALLPA, PERU Luxuriant vegetation in jungle around Pucallpa.•• r,'.-«c ¦ ‘a?5>L ü .¦.IN THE SELVA Sis/er Bernadette Gagnon, M.I.C.Upon my arrival in Peru, I had to wait a whole month in Lima before obtaining my registration certificate.At long last, I was allowed to leave for Pucallpa, my new mission field, situated in the eastern forested valleys and plains of the Selva.The flight from Lima over the Andes was a thrilling experience for me.At first, we flew over the Costa with its sandy hills along the coast of the Pacific.Then, we started to climb higher and still higher as we crossed great mountain chains in the Sierra.Above the highest peaks, we had to make use of oxygen tubes supplied for passengers.From the air, I found that Peru presented a very rugged surface.After a flight of several hours, down we came to the Selva or jungle area where tropical forests and impenetrable undergrowth spread for thousands of miles.Pucallpa, a city recently risen from the jungle, now has a thriving population of 23,000 inhabitants.It has developed chiefly because of the abundance of timber found hereabouts.Nevertheless, the numerous thatch roofs capping its flimsy dwellings reveal a standard of living which as yet js not very high.According to the etymology of the Quechua word, Pucallpa, puca (red), allpa (earth), the name of the city could be translated as Red Earth.Quite a fitting appellation, since the soil here is covered with reddish clay.When it rains, the unpaved streets become mires in which pedestrians and vehicles flounder.Ten years ago, the district of Pucallpa which is very extensive was erected as an Apostolic Pre- 202 facture; in 1957 it was raised to the status of a Vicariate.It has as spiritual chief, His Excellency Bishop Gustave Prévost, P.M.E.Canadian confrères help him minister to Mie spiritual needs of a widely scattered flock.In the city proper, five religious communities are at work: Franciscans of the Holy Child from Italy, Apostolic Ladies and Dominicans of the Annunciation from Spajn, Antoniennes de Marie and Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception from Canada.The latter conduct a secondary school attended by 500 students, the majority of whom are extern.A boarding school welcomes those girls who come from distant districts.Bird’s eye view of Pucallpa, showing capricious flow of the Ucayali, an affluent of the Amazon.Photop.Granger, p.m.é ’’’•JV- !v„ » * ht: ¦ Besides teaching in the school, our Sisters make home visits in the surrounding villages.On my very first Sunday in Pucallpa, Bishop Prévost invited me to join a group of Apostolic Ladies and Sisters Aline Quirion and Jacqueline Breault, on an apostolic excursion along the Ucayali, aboard the motorboat Inmaculada, property of the Vicariate.My companions having fitted me out with rubber boots and raincoat, I gingerly climbed on board and stood for a while watching the turbulent muddy waters.As the boat, launched out on its journey, I felt a strange interior sensation of churning.But the sight of the captain, Mr.Lopez, calmly steering our craft ahead, reassured me.It takes an expert hand indeed to guide the Inmaculada along this - - 'I'm .sSKS - meandering shallow river which narrows dangerously in certain places.Here and there, fallen tree trunks lay across our way.At one point, one of these trees shot out, halfway submerged in the water, its branches emerging in a kind of salute to Our Lady’s statue placed at the prow.Mr.Lopez eased down the motor and swung his machete to lop off the obstacle.Along the banks on either side, small dugouts moored to tree trunks gave indication of the presence of villages.Suddenly, a group of little girls came romping down the river bank, jumped into a dugout, and quickly paddled in our direction.They shouted merry greetings then returned the way they had come.WËT* Pucallpa Secondary School conducted by _ , .Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Con- Typical village on the ception.banks of the Ucayali, in the district of Pucallpa.Dormitory for resident pupils from the Ucayali river district. It took us several hours to reach Santo Domingo, where the people were expecting the Bishop’s visit.A group of men came out in a small boat to greet their distinguished guest.The village streets were gay with flags and bunting.Massed on either ¦ side of the road, the children tossed flowers as their first pastor smilingly made his way to the school hall.Pennons bearing the captions “ Welcome! ”, “ All together we greet our Bishop ”, fluttered in the breeze at the entrance.There is no church or chapel built here as yet, so the meeting took place in the school where an altar of sorts had been set up in the largest classroom.After Mass, this classroom became a reception hall.One of the ladies present read an address.The mayor and his councillors presented the request to be allowed to build a chapel and to add a classroom to the school.This last building caught my attention, because I found it was constructed without a single nail or bolt.Pillars, walls, roof are held together by sturdy lianas.Within its humble precincts, 110 children learn the three R’s.I enjoyed their chatter as they gathered around us, proud to show off their knowledge.Afterwards, we went to take a look at the piece of ground set apart for the future chapel.Piles of timber stood ready in a comer.The Bishop encouraged the Mayor to go ahead with his plans, adding that for his part he was going to contribute nails.At this, shouts of approval went up from the crowd.It was about 2:00 p.m.when we sat down to the lunch offered by the Mayor and his assistants who ate with us.As we wanted to reach home before dark, we set out around 3:00 p.m.for the return journey.The people swarmed around Bishop Prévost whom they love as a good father, thanking him profusely for the encouragement given them by his visit to their remote village.For me, this first missionary trip was a source of deepfelt consolation.The fact that I learned Spanish when I was on the Cuban missions is certainly an asset in this, my new assignment.The people are overjoyed when they discover that I can converse with them in their own language.Students of Pu-callpa Secondary School bid farewell to Sister Claire Garceau, headmistress, recalled to Canada after six years in Pucallpa.f JKip+f m * HAITI 'W'*^ '« ¦ w.^ 5^«**^PP ' ^ 'i «* .V ^ * H - ::'M lE *•• > ^ » V v p •.r* , «i.« v> p I “OPEN ¦;.BOOK LIGHTED LAMP” by a group of Teaching College Students Basking in the sunshine, Mater Admirabilis Teaching College, Cap Haitien.In the fall of 1952 was inaugurated, in Cap Haitien, Mater Admirabilis Teaching College conducted by the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception from Montreal.The college, a rambling beige-coloured two-storey building, nestles in the foothills of Mont Rouge, facing Bay du Cap, and further on the majestic Caribbean Sea.Its ideal location gratifies us with many a glorious sunrise, when the waters of the Bay are flushed a delicate rose-gold, and many an exquisite sunset when, above shores of misty blue, the sky glows sapphire and jade green.Spacious balconies provide natural observatories from which may be admired on one side Carmel and the school for the catechists, and on the other the hills which encircle the good city of Cap Haitien.In a word, there is no spot on earth quite as lovely as our Mater Admirabilis campus or so we think.After obtaining the official elementary certificate, we pursue our studies another four years.207 1 We then sit for final examinations by the Department of Education which, if successful, empower us to receive professionnal credentials for teaching.Our curriculum embraces French and English literature, mathematics, general and local history, methodology of teaching, psychology, drawing, sewing, domestic science, and religious science.Our literary club, organized a few years ago, is called “ Friendly Gathering ”.Placed under the direction of the Upper Committee of Coordination, it encourages us to explore cultural fields such as sport, movies, painting, books, songs, religion.Our volleyball team has several victories to its credit — on nine games played against other schools, our students won seven.We are regularly invited to attend movies at Regina Assumpta College, in charge of Canadian Sisters of the Holy Cross.These films which are among the best produced are afterwards discussed as to their moral, artistic, technical, and educational value.Various lectures on interesting subjects also widen the bounds of our knowledge in literature, folklore, painting.A lesson in drawing.Room for improvement.* m I 208 WÊÊÊÊm Lately, during a local exhibition, we became acquainted with the primitives, with Picasso, and with our own Haitian artists.We were happy to discover in the latter, many hitherto unknown national values.Lessons in drawing afford us opportunities to present certain personal works — still-life, landscapes, flowers, portraits, miniatures.Sister Thérèse Forest, our teacher in this section, also guides our efforts in handicrafts.Under her inspiration, shells and marine leaves are transformed into pretty ash trays, book holders, work boxes, etc., which we are proud to add to our hope chests.Dance and song are cultivated with gusto.How deeply grateful we are to Reverend Joseph Augustin (author of Tamboula) whose musical genius has brought to light the riches of our Haitian folklore! To the throb of the conical drums, we merrily dance the meringue, the yanvalou, the djum-ba, while our voices are raised in the numerous songs inherited from our forebears.Wc do not, for all that, neglect foreign dances through which the culture of friendly lands is expressed.Another source of improvemènt we find in the well-stocked library.Its books and magazines The art of understanding a pattern taught by Miss Boisette.r*«: fern 209 V.keep us up to date on current religious, scientific, and literary events the world over.The chief social affair of the year at our college is the fashion show, grand finale to the tailoring — - -*r ^ , * ¦ .v à, > .ü, ^ ' ' a *¦! ¦' » v*.r k * j’ ¦ : bL, I « ' ,«• 4’^ ^.'~, ‘Si Seedlings are transplanted.Sister Angèle Lemaire (rear) looks on.1/4»;* W^'%2 /%4/H * j* jSfi > A cr ' 'K‘ .^¦'/ *|jf .- Rice fields crisscross the large plain surrounding Tananarivo; others are carved in the flanks of verdant hills.Like wheat or barley, rice is grown from seed.It requires a great deal of water, except the dry variety, and a warm and moist atmosphere.The rice fields yearly present a spectacular play divided into three acts.The first act is played in April and May, when the farmer prepares the seedlings.After being soaked till it is on the verge of sprouting, the grain is sown thickly in small patches flooded every night to a depth of two or three inches and dried by the sun during the day.This initial act is usually accompanied by prayer on the part of the sowers, « May this seed reach maturity.Bless our fields and grant us a lush harvest.» In fifty days or so, the patch is covered with sturdy plants about three inches high whose fresh, brilliant green gladdens the eye.Among the plantations of man, nothing exceeds in loveliness well-kept rice fields. Meanwhile the fields are worked over with angady, long narrow hoes.All the day long, the men labour in the hot sunshine, making sure that every lump of earth has been duly displaced.Their work is made easier by the fact that the red earth is soft and easy to handle.Next, the various sections are flooded and the zebus are let loose in them.The men shout, gesticulate, pull the tails of the excited animals causing Photo General Service of Information of Madagascar ¦ ‘»y>.' k vp it them to rush in a stampede.That is just what is required, for under their pounding hoofs the soil becomes smooth and ready to receive the tender seedlings.Now all is set for the second act performed mostly by women.The young shoots, ketsa, are pulled up, washed free of clinging earth, and carefully planted in tufts, usually leaving a foot between each tuft, as well as between each line.The women work for long hours, up to their knees in mud and water.Towards the end of May or the middle of June, comes “ operation puddling ”, when women and children again move into the green fields to remove the weeds and all kinds of aquatic plants.For their part, the men control the irrigation system and keep a sharp lookout on the two mortal enemies of growing rice plants — rats and cardinal birds.Scarecrows in general usage are not always sufficient to ward them away from the tempting grain.Children then zestfully take over.Among the plantations of man, nothing exceeds in loveliness well-kept rice fields.Not only do they reflect the blue of the sky which is denied to fields of potatoes or artichokes, for instance, but they react to human care with a sensitiveness which gives them added charm day by day.When the grain begins to turn a golden yellow, water is withdrawn from the fields which are allowed to dry during ten days or so.The crowning third act comes off in August when the grain is ready to be cut and bound into sheaves.There is no merrier season than this for the hard-working Malagasy farmer.Relatives and friends are invited to share in this last operation which falls to the men.Once again household gods are invoked: Sambasamba Andriamanitra, O gods we praise you! May our rice be securely stored in our bams! Long may we live, O gods! And may each harvest be good! Formerly, the first sheaf was always offered to the king.At present, the Festival of First Fruits, santa bary, continues to be held.On this day, delegations of villagers wearing their finest lambas and carrying ripe ears of rice file through the streets, headed for the mayor’s office.Musicians play their liveliest tunes as they accompany the cortege.After the exchange of mutual congratulations the officials offer monetary rewards, then all joyfully disperse.219 The precious grain is cut by hand.Photos General Service of Information of Madagascar i'we**# iling point for about twenty minutes.Rice, it is said, tastes best when cooked over faggots or a wood fire.It is served “ hot in the pot ” with fragrant herbs.Once or twice a week, meat is served as a side dish, the Malagasy being particularly fond of pork.The breakfast rice is cooked with a larger quantity of water which gives it the taste and appearance of gruel.Among the poor, rice is served at only two meals a day, maize mush being eaten in the morning.When rice crops are abundant, all goes well with the Malagasy.Unfortunately, crops seldom are abundant.Border dikes crumble, droughts occur, typhoons or cyclones destroy the growing grain.This drama is yearly enacted.There is only one remedy — the farmers must be convinced that it is to their advantage to adopt modem techniques of growing rice.The problem of ensuring abundant rice crops is not peculiar to Madagascar.It is for millions of rice-eating people the world over that FAO has dedicated 1966 as International Rice Year.Through- When rice crops are abundant, all goes well.* ¦¦ ' "" Photo General Service of Information of Madagascar "T- f 'A-' ¦¦ '• tT .i;.W H N fertilizer, mechanization programmes, pest and disease control, and better methods of marketing and of storage.Through science and technology, God will increase the yields of rice fields everywhere and provide his children with their daily rice.?221 MAINSTAY OF LIFE FOR *.41 -v fv-j i m-m ¦f'.' ?- ¦fS’ , - % ?.40 4ÊS* %* •».4 *+£¦¦#* *%*** ?w; "• ", ^ i * ; ‘