The Photo of the Week

The morning assembly of students 

at St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School,

Mohammadpur, Dhaka

Photo (Dhaka: January 21, 2012) © Jerome D'Costa

Archbishop Thomas Collins of Toronto Becomes a Cardinal

Archbishop Thomas Collins of Toronto

Photo courtesy: www.archtoronto.org/

 

Pope Benedict XVI, in an elaborate ceremony in the Vatican on February 18, elevated Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins of Toronto to the College of Cardinals along with 22 others from different countries.

These new cardinals swell their ranks to a total of 125. They are eligible to elect a new pope when an occasion arises.

Cardinal Collins is the last of the 16 Canadians who became cardinals since 1886. Other two living Canadian cardinals are Jean-Claude Turcotte of Montreal and Marc Ouellet of Quebec City.

Jim Flaherty, Federal Finance Minister of Canada, participated at the ceremony in Rome heading an official Canadian delegation.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper congratulated the new cardinal and, in a statement, said: “On the occasion of this great honour for Catholics throughout Canada, I wish our country’s newest cardinal all the best in his continued ministry.”

For more details on Cardinal Thomas Collins and his elevation to the College of Cardinals, you may read the following: Thomas Cardinal Collins Tribute Site and The Making of a Cardinal

The Quotation of the Week (March 4 - 10, 2012)

Snowfall in Toronto

Photo (January 10, 2010) © Jerome D'Costa

Doodle: A Bangali (Bengalee) Woman

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A Bangali (Bengalee) woman
Doodle (Dhaka: November 22, 1994) © Jerome D'Costa

Bangla (Bengali) Calligraphy: JESUS

Calligraphy on Jishu (Jesus) 

Calligraphy (Dhaka: Sept. 29, 1990) © Jerome D'Costa

The Photo of the Week

Snowfall in Scarborough, Toronto

Photo (Toronto: Feb. 11, 2012) © Jerome D'Costa

Ekushey (21st) February

Central Shaheed Minar, Dhaka

 Artwork (Toronto: Feb. 26, 2011) © Jerome D'Costa

Ekushey February

By Jerome D'Costa

Ekushey February has a meaning

Only when Bangladeshis enjoy freedom,

Freedom from hunger, freedom of the speech

Freedom of the press including the other media.

Ekushey February has a meaning

Only when there’s justice in the country,

Justice in the nation’s law and administration,

Justice in education and business, justice in employment.

Ekushey February has a meaning

Only when there’s equality everywhere,

Equality of all irrespective of race, religion, gender, education and profession

Equality that will heighten the bond of brotherhood and cooperation.

Ekushey February has a meaning

Only when Bangladesh’s mother languages get their proper places,

Mother languages of Bangla (Bengali), mother languages of 40 other ethnic groups

Mother languages that bind individual groups with a solid glue.

If Ekushey February is observed annually without freedom, 

Without justice, equality, and proper places of country’s mother tongues,

It becomes empty, it becomes fake, it becomes a lie,

It becomes a mere yearly show for the show’s sake.

Ekushey February should be a conscience, a guiding light,

Ekushey February should be a measuring rod

For whatever we do in Bangladesh.