Brother Mario drills the future Marist Apostles for three weeks.
From mid August to the end of the month Brother Mario accompanined the second year novices here at Matola trying to equip them with class management skills. In the long run, he managed to engage us all as his classes were not confined in the classroom. Of course he spent much time with the second years as the target group but when it came to leading songs, he ended up being the choir master. He taught Marial devotional hymns and short adoration hymns too.
He brought a creative way of Marial devotion prayers using power point with the help of the projector which he brought for us. We were glued to the screen seeing different images of Mary well explained with heart touching reflections. We could not use the traditonal rosary beads but senses of sight, feelings, pondering and having a taste of heaven like experience.
The other day he took us to the Way of the Cross powerpoint evening prayer which was also emotional and thought provoking.
He initiated the first years in groups into the Bible sharing and it seems they got him well beacuse they no longer use preaching method but very in sharings, sometimes with a song connected to the reading, other times repeating a good phrase or saying a prayer intention.
In class management he stressed the use of love and told them that a teacher is like taper who has to light the candles of his pupils and that in doing so his own candle will be diminshing.
When one of the novices came late in class, he could not close the door. He asked him whether his father was living in a tent. He said it is the polite way of helping pupils to close the door especially wehn they enter when it was closed. Novices repeated many stories he used in class to illustrate points of interest so as to be effective.
He brought us a new light blue Marist prayer booklet and taught us songs written in it which are new.
From the donotion got from a former student, he managed to buy spiritual books which have enriched our library. The very former student promised to keep on helping us as an expression of gratitude for what he got from the brothers in South Africa.
He gave us all a powerful powerpoint presentation on the critical use of mass media which seems to turn us all into slaves of new fashioanble products which consumerism society is swallowing without much reflection. He sees it moving slowly even among us religious as we consider on the things we buy.
Bravo Mario for opening our eyes and we shall expand the skills you have goven us by sharing with all those who will be entrusted to our care. We shall put the books you brought us to good use. Continue to thank for us the generous benefactor and we shall always keep him in our prayers. Come again and the abundant blessings from God and the intercessons of Mary and Saint Marcellin always follwow you as you extend sharing your skills generously with a wider range of people. When we knock at your door next time, please do not turn our invitation down. Feel at home here and make it your second home.
Simeon Banda, fms