Shillong, October 22: A live concert a historical musical drama on Fr. Constantine Vendrame, the first Salesian (Don Bosco Father) missionary to the northeast India was staged for three consecutive days on 19, 21 and 22 October at Sacred Heart Theological College (SHTC), Mawlai.
Over 1,500 audiences witnessed the musical, wherein Fr. Marius Thongnibh (parih priest of Mawlai), Mr. Sylvester Kurbah (Headman MawlaiPhudmuri) and Mr. R.V. Lngdoh (Minister of Urban Affairs) were the chief guests.
“He is one of the greatest missionaries God has ever sent to our land. We cannot explain much about him within this few hours. And the new generation may not know much about this man but through this play we surely hope to learn something about him,” said Mr. R. V. Lyngdoh the Minister of Urban Affairs.
The original script and music score of Dr. Barnes Mawre the College President brings life in the musical on a great Italian missionary‘Vendrame’, who came to Shillong in 1924. He is known as the ‘apostle of Shillong’ and the pioneer of Catholicism in the region. Besides, the artisticdirection of Br. Jomon Augustine, has brought the reality in the acting.
The director of the play acknowledged, “It’s a great pleasure to direct and stage this drama on great missionary like Fr. Vendrame, whom people appreciate so much, especially in areas where he has evangelized.”
Mr.Sylvester Kurbah, headman MawlaiPhudmuri, exalted Fr. Vendrame in his speech on the second day of thestaging of musical, for the legacy he left behind for the uplift of Khasis in Shillong. “He has contributed a lot for Khasi people here in Shillong both spiritually and intellectually. In the beginning he built a small chapel at Mawlai but now it has turn into a Holy Shrine. We need to pray for the speedy canonization of Fr. Vendrame to the sainthood. He left his home and family for the betterment of Khasi People in here,” he added.
The SHTC has been successfully bringing out the musical drama once in every two years. The next musical drama will be in 2019.
