FR TARCISIO Pazzaglia has always believed in the usefulness of mass media in catechesis. Over time, he brought himself up to date and, with his video camera, filmed cleverly and tastefully recreated scenes that mediated messages of belief and morality. One day he had organised the famous ‘rain dance’. To make it more real, he had asked the dancers to present themselves in the traditional way: raffia petticoats, beads, ostrich feathers, drums, etc. Weeks of preparation ensured that no detail was missing from the colourful choreography. The dance was performed superbly and the numerous spectators were granted an encore.

As if to take everyone’s goodwill seriously, the sky moved and two days later a violent thunderstorm hit the area, with water never seen during the dry season. The wind carried away the rooves of many huts, the market and the dispensary.

The village chief came to Fr Tarcisio and without the usual compliments said to him: “Did you see what your unplanned and unauthorised dance did? Did you see the damage it did?”

Fr Tarcisio responded: “Yes, but it also did some to the mission. Look at the metal sheets it tore off the roof of the school!” Having ascertained that the heavens had spared no one, the chief left it at that.