Farewell and Conclusion

The farewell for the third year students and the conclusion of the Academic year 2011-2012 was held on March 20, 2012 at St John's Regional Seminary, Kondadaba. The first and second year students planned, organised and made special the farewell for the 28 outgoing students of the seminary with a grand felicitation programme in the evening and a solemn Mass the following morning.

The whole programme was aimed at thanking them for their generous service to the Seminary

and presenting them with a message for the life ahead. The theme of the evening was a challenge to be the light to all. Besides a song, dance and a gospel based skit, the community prepared a very different backdrop for the evening gathering with each letter of the farewell message containing a photo a joke about the third year students. Each of the final year students was gifted with a candle, crown and a personal card, as a reminder of the message of the evening.

The third years expressed their sentiments of gratitude and appreciation for everyone through the narration of a story depicting their three year stay life in the Seminary as a journey and a meaningful song to sum it all up. As a parting gift to the Seminary they presented the community with two emergency lamps for the study halls and three large printed photos of Sts John and Maria Vianney. During supper a couple of the outgoing students came forward to thank the staff members individually and the students for their invaluable role in their life. For the evening programme the lawn in front of the dining hall was well lit up and arranged. The pleasant weather added an extra zing to the gathering. The Mother Teresa and Speed n' speed groups helped out in serving the meals for all in the lawn itself.

During the Mass, a creative offertory procession with paper crucifixes, flowers and hearts was animated by the first year students. Fr Wilson, presiding over the Eucharisitic celebrations, reminded the students to be faithful to Christ wherever and whatever they would be entrusted to them.

The students left the Seminary happy and serene carrying with them the wishes and prayers of the rest soon after breakfast. Most of the students went straight for their summer holidays at the end of which they would report to their respective Bishops and be assigned with their places for regency.