Photos, St. Peter's Cathedral Gizo
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
Consecration of Gizo Cathedral, rebuilt after the tsunami.
Blessing and inauguration of the diocesan center
The diocese of Gizo celebrated with joy and pride the rebuilding and the consecrating of the diocesan complex at the St Peter’s compound in Gizo. Representatives from all parishes with the many guests, made the occasion meaningful and impressively striking.
The diocesan center comprises the newly consecrated St Peter’s Cathedral, the new Hall for the use of the diocesan and parish community, the youth center hall for the youth to develop their artistic, and youthful talents, a newly recognized Training center which already runs programs for 50 youth in building, mechanical, electrical, air-condition repairs, life skills technologies by the very effective “learn by doing” style already well established by the catholic Diocese of Gizo Church Education Authority.
The three Solomon Island Catholic Bishops joined the main celebrant, Bishop Emeritus Bernard O’Grady in the blessing of the church and the newly constructed buildings of the Diocesan Compound. Civil authorities and many guests graced the occasion which started Saturday night with a ‘"remembering the history, renewing the present challenges and envisioning for the future".
The great Solomon spirit of cultural joy was very visible together with the commitment to make the occasion an occasion of grace and not of sin.
It was a real experience of faith and brotherhood where all barriers fall and everyone feels thankful for the past, inspired by the present enthusiasm and looks forward with courage to a fruitful future in building the kingdom of God as best as we can, here on earth, in spite of our limitations, failures and shortcomings.
We take this opportunity to thanks the many benefactors around the world that made our post-tsunami reconstruction a reality in Gizo and other parts of the diocese. We look at the future with confidence and are ready to reach out courageously to the Choiseul province.
The Catholic Diocese of Gizo renews its commitment to join all other national initiatives and organizations to build those values that will make our nation a truly Christian one not in words but in deeds of truth, charity, love peace and Justice, through the evangelization and education of our whole population and our youth in particular into Good Christians and honest citizens.
|
|
|
| Shortlands Procession | Feast (Kai Kai) |
Bishop Luciano Capelli, Salesian of Don Bosco,
Italians, Again Help Out on Projects
|
Italian Volunteers are again in our diocese to carry out current construction projects which are likely to be finished early this year 2011. Most of them have already been here in the Solomons helping built the Don Bosco School at Henderson, Tetere Mini Hospital Honiara etc. They are here in our diocese to finish off the St. Peter’s Cathedral Gizo and other buildings like the Training Centre for Boys and other small construction projects. Especially the Cathedral; the stained glass has now been installed.
|
Workers to Complete the St. John School
 |
 |
| Workers on to work | Some of the workers prepare for work |
14 builders are here to complete the St. John Secondary School at Nila Catholic Mission. The head builder, Mr. Willy Wania said, “They are here by the request of Rev, Bishop Luciano Capelli sdb to help out finishing the St. John Secondary School”. He said, most of the boys were graduated student from Don Bosco technical school. With them also 6 Vanga Rural Training Center graduated students.
 |
 |
| St. John School Building. (picture 2009) |
A View- School Building with 2 Staff House. (Picture 2009) |
At the school they will form co-groups so that they can work cooperatively and manage the construction.
The construction of the St. John Secondary School began November last year. The school will have form 4, 5 and to 6.
Mr. Willy said, to finish this school, they depend mush to the helps of the communities at Nila parish.
At the moment they did small constrictive works for the diocese here in Gizo.
Materials Arrive for The New Church Building
Unloading Sand from the Barge Community Work
Tonnes of loaded Church Materials are arriving to continue the Church building. Materials are from Italy and expecting tonnes will arrive soon. The Cathedral was left untouched since March this year.
The Diocese is expecting more volunteers from Italy to continue the St. Peter’s Cathedral Gizo.
New Cathedral progress
Radio Happy Lagoon interviewed our Bishop, Most Rev, Bishop Capelli on the 22nd January about the church building.
During the interview, Bishop Capelli said, the reconstruction work was carried out after the major structure of the old church building was damaged by the April 2007 Tsunami and earthquake that devasted parts of Western and Choiseul Provinces. The church started to be demolished on November and by December we begin to rebuild the church. Bishop said, the sitting capacity will about 360, then on both sides sits.
Bishop Luciano said, “actually the church is almost the same as the old cathedral, it will have double roofing on top and on both sides. It will look in style to give a homely touch.
“Funding for the church was made possible through the efforts of many people including Bishop Chris Cardone with his friends from the United States, Bishop Capelli and friends from Italy, the volunteers and the people from the Diocese. He said, “it was a community effort which almost totaled up to $1 million Solomon dollars.
Bishop Capelli said , “The same volunteers, architects, leading men and people who built Don Bosco school and mini-hospital at Tetere came here to help us rebuild our church. They financed themselves. That is the true spirit of the volunteer”.
Bishop Luciano said, the great thing that is happening in our church is the renewal of the people and the ability to cope uwith the tragedy of the Tsunami, but the most important aspect is to stick close to the people in their needs for their daily livelihood. So after we did that for 1 year we started to return to church work in the second year.
Bishop Capelli said, “The best message from this church building is, we have to learn to be volunteers. These volunteers are here just to help us, and they should inspire us to go back to our Melanesian values of community work. So let us put aside some of our time to build our community. Let's not ask what the church can do for us, but what we can do for the church and for our society to make it a better world”
Gizo Cathedral Progress
The new Cathedral is going very well with the workers putting in long hours six days per week. Click on the new photo gallery (right) for later photos.
All Souls Day and Cathedral de-construction
The following photos show the All Souls Day procession to the tombs as well as deconstruction work on the badly damaged Cathedral. Click on an image to show it full size. You can also drag photos around your screen so you can see several enlarged ones at once. Click on the new photo gallery (right) for later photos.
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
