Herma, 28th April 2020: On the 28th of April, 2026, the community of Bosco Home Herma concluded their Community Month with a grand and memorable celebration. The occasion was meant to be a joyful culmination of togetherness, brotherhood, and thanksgiving for the beautiful moments shared throughout the month.
The celebration began on the eve of 27th April, 2026 with a grand welcoming ceremony for the Rector of the House, Fr. Glorius Syiemlieh. The solemn welcoming ceremony commenced at 5:30 p.m., when all the members of the community gathered at the entrance of the house to express their love, gratitude, and appreciation towards their beloved Rector. The programme began with a warm welcoming address by Bro. Mark Shanbor Thyrniang, the Assistant, who eloquently highlighted the wonderful personality of Fr. Rector and acknowledged his fatherly care, dedication, and guidance towards the community. The address was followed by the honouring of Fr. Rector with a bouquet of flowers and the garlanding of a Kokborok traditional shawl by Fr. Santreki Muliar, the Counsellor. Thereafter, a Kokborok song was played while a group of brothers gracefully danced towards the front of the house. Upon reaching a particular spot, another group of brothers welcomed Fr. Rector with a royal robe, a shield, and a sword presented by Fr. Suman Kiro, the Vice Rector, symbolising Fr. Rector as the protector and guardian of the community. The group then led Fr. Rector towards the main entrance with a vibrant Boro traditional dance. At the entrance, another group of brothers took the honour of welcoming Fr. Rector by crowning him with a crown presented by Fr. Mani Kuchupura, the Confessor, depicting him as the king who possesses authority over the community. This was followed by the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon. Thereafter, the group led Fr. Rector to the community hall with a beautiful Khasi traditional dance, adding cultural richness and joy to the celebration. The solemn and meaningful welcoming ceremony was followed by a prayer service, thanking God for the gift of Fr. Rector and all the members of the community. The prayer service concluded successfully at 7:30 p.m., and immediately afterwards it was followed by the much-awaited Rock Nite programme. At 7:40 p.m., the anchor of the programme warmly welcomed the gathering with an introductory speech and led the whole assembly into a short prayer. This was followed by various entertaining and meaningful items such as dances, songs, speeches, and the distribution of prizes for individual competitions organised throughout the year, indoor games conducted during the Community Month, and the championship trophy of Community Month 2026, which was proudly carried by Fr. Counsellor’s group. After several entertaining performances, the programme was followed by a grand family supper. Simultaneously, individual items and performances were also displayed, creating an atmosphere of joy, unity, and fraternity among all the members. The Rock Nite concluded at around 11:00 p.m., followed by the clearing up of the venue and a lively jump session which continued until 12:00 midnight.
The following day, on the 28th of April, the community began the Community Day celebration with a solemn Eucharistic Celebration presided over by the Rector of the Community. The Holy Mass was offered in thanksgiving to God for the successful completion of the Community Month and for the blessings bestowed upon the community throughout the year. After the Holy Mass, the community gathered for breakfast and morning duties. At 9:00 a.m., the whole community was scheduled to engage in an exuberant community tournament. Unfortunately, the programme was disrupted by heavy rain. The community then arranged an alternative plan to conduct indoor games; however, that too turned out to be in vain, for just before the games could begin, a raging storm accompanied by heavy rain ransacked the entire house and filled many parts of the premises with water. After the thunderous rain and storm, the brothers were left with no other option but to clean and clear the mess caused by the calamity. Once the aggressive weather subsided, the brothers witnessed massive devastation throughout the campus. The tin roof of their piggery had been blown away and thrown onto the ground like sheets of paper, the boundary fence was torn into pieces, practically all the banana trees were broken in half, mangoes were scattered across the ground, and a large number of rubber trees had been uprooted. The destruction caused a massive loss to the community. The day, which was intended to be a joyful and festive celebration, unexpectedly turned into a sorrowful and heartbreaking moment that may leave a lasting scar in the minds of all the community members. Nevertheless, the brothers courageously involved themselves in clearing the debris and repairing the damaged fences until 4:00 p.m. In the evening, at 6:30 p.m., the community officially concluded the celebration with a Thanksgiving Adoration Service, thanking God for the beautiful year, the wonderful community, and the precious gift of brotherhood filled with love, unity, and happiness.
At the end of everything, even though the day did not unfold according to their original plans, the entire community wholeheartedly thanked God for protecting everyone from any major harm or danger amidst the destructive storm. They also expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the superiors for the successful completion of the Community Month.
Reported by Cl Mark Shanbor Thyrniang
