Activities

Unveiling the Heart Behind Holy Cross High School: Meet Fr Barthol Machado

1. Explore the Spiritual Journey of our Manager

Embark on a spiritual odyssey with Fr Barthol Machado, the esteemed Manager at Holy Cross High School. Ordained in 1987 for the Archdiocese of Bombay, his journey has woven through the vibrant tapestry of faith.

2. Parishes That Shaped Him

In the scenic landscapes of Talasari, the bustling Mahad, the serene Uttan Chowk, and the vibrant Majiwada, Fr Barthol served diligently, leaving an indelible mark in each parish within the Archdiocese of Bombay.

3. Our Lady of Nazareth Church Era

Venture into the past as Fr Barthol led the faithful as the parish priest at Our Lady of Nazareth Church, Bhayandhar. His pastoral prowess and practicality were evident as he steered the spiritual ship with unwavering dedication.

4. Holy Cross High School Welcomes a Shepherd

With a rich history of service, Fr Barthol Machado took the reins at Holy Cross Church, a pivotal moment in the school's journey. His appointment brought a breath of fresh air, infusing new vigor and a pastoral touch to the institution.

5. The Pastoral Prodigy

Father Barthol is not just a manager; he is a pastoral prodigy. His approach to various pastoral problems is marked by discipline and a keen understanding of grassroots issues. His practicality and punctuality are the cornerstones of his efficient work ethic.

6. Behind the desk : A Kind Soul

Beyond the ecclesiastical attire, Fr Barthol is known for his kindness and approachability. He extends a warm embrace to all, fostering an environment where individuals feel heard, valued, and understood.

7. Fr Barthol is a very kind man at heart

As we unravel the layers of Fr Barthol Machado's journey, we discover not just a manager but a shepherd, a guide, and a compassionate soul. Holy Cross High School is not merely an institution; it's a testament to the spirit of service and leadership embodied by Fr Barthol. Join hands, support the mission, and be a part of this extraordinary journey of faith and education.

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AT HOLY CROSS HIGH SCHOOL

The 20th of December, 2023, marked a memorable day as the school came alive with a vibrant assembly, heartwarming carol singing, and a delightful array of activities to usher in the holiday spirit. The day commenced with Rev Fr. Norbert addressing during the school assembly. His words conveyed the Christmas message with a sense of peace and goodwill.

A Living Nativity: Adding a unique touch to the celebrations, a lively troupe of students embarked on a journey through the school corridors, donned in enchanting costumes portraying characters from the Christmas story. The air buzzed with excitement as Mary, Joseph, and the Three Wise Men roamed the halls, bringing the magic of the season to life.

Sweets, thoughtfully prepared and shared among the students, added a touch of sweetness to the festivities. The joy of indulging in delectable treats served as a collective celebration, bringing everyone together in the true spirit of Christmas generosity.

To the tunes of Christmas carols: No Christmas celebration is complete without the soul-stirring melodies of timeless carols. The Holy Cross High School choir, adorned in festive attire, graced the assembly with a musical brilliance that resonated through every heart present. Their renditions of classic carols added a melodic layer to the festivities, creating an atmosphere of pure Christmas magic. In conclusion, the Christmas celebrations at Holy Cross High School on the 20th of December, 2023, painted a vivid tapestry of joy and togetherness.

Tech-fest – Don Bosco Institute of Technology, Kurla

Our students were invited by the engineering students of Don Bosco Institute of Technology, Kurla for their college festival (Tech – fest) on Wednesday 4th March, 2020 at 11 am. 150 students accompanied by their teachers attended the Exhibition and an interactive session with the robot ‘Rashmi’. Students got to learn a lot from the exhibits on display and also interacted with the college students who accompanied our school students and explained to them everything in detail. The special appearance of robot ‘Rashmi’ was indeed praiseworthy and gave our children a wide exposure on robotics in real life. Students were offered light refreshment and dispersed at 1.00 pm.

Investiture ceremony – 4th February 2020

The investiture ceremony of the newly appointed council members was held on Tuesday, 4th March, 2020. Students of Std IX were elected as student council members for the academic year 2020 - 2021.

The following students were elected as the student council members:

Ms. Kyra Devadiga - Head girl (English Medium), Ms. Vanshika Badala (Red House), Ms. Parnavi Chauhan (Green House) , Ms. Jancy Patalikadan (Yellow House), Ms. Iram Shaikh (Blue House), Ms. Sanika – Head girl (Marathi Medium). The head girls of both English and Marathi medium were instructed about the duties to be fulfilled and the rules and regulations of the school to be abided by. The head girl Ms. Kyra Devadiga along with her team of council members pledged an oath in the presence of Principal Rev. Fr. Norbert D’souza, Asst. Head Mistress Mrs. Aldila Miranda and the other staff members. The ceremony concluded by the assurance of each student council members that they would fulfill their duties and responsibilities well. The Principal and the staff members wished them best of luck for their forthcoming endeavors.

- Mrs. Meenakshi Apte

LEAD 2020, Alibaug – 29th January 2020

A seminar was held by Lead 2020 – An Edelweiss initiative on the topic ‘Start Up’ on 29th January, 2020. 22 schools across the city had participated in the event which was held at Fountainhead, Alibaug. Each school had to register one teacher and three students for the seminar. Schools were asked to assemble at Gateway of India by 7.30 am. I-Cards were dispatched to the teachers and students on arrival at the Gateway of India. Thereafter, all were taken by the private launch followed by the connecting bus to the venue.

Students got great exposure on the topic of ‘Start Up’ from the following speakers: Mr. Ketan Gawand (Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker & Crypto Expert), Dr. Megha Bhargava (Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax & associated with the organization – Samarpan), Mr. Anirudh Kumar (Partner – Rainforest Venture Network). Each speaker concluded with a brain storming session along with the students.

An activity was conducted post lunch wherein the students were asked to make products they would like to sell in the market as a – start up. Due to the bad sea weather, the seminar had to be wrapped up by 4.30pm (than the allotted time of 5.30 pm).

- Mrs. Christabel Pereira

Christmas Party, 20^th & 21^st December 2019

Christmas tree celebration was held on 20th December 2019 for all the children from Kindergarten to 10th std. Children sang Christmas carols and danced to the songs. Santaclaus, dressed in red and white, danced to the tune of ‘Jingle bells’ and children enjoyed with him. They received food packets and toys as gift from Santa at the Christmas party.

Christmas party was also organized for the teaching and non-teaching staff on 21st December 2019. It included prayer service thanking God for all the good that we have received the entire year and praying for a bright new year. This was followed by some amazing games, spot prizes and carol singing. Refreshments were served at the end. The program ended on a joyous Christmas spirit.

Wishing one and all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2020!

Principal’s b’day celebration, 18^th January 2020

The school children and staff celebrated Fr. Principal’s ruby b’day in anticipation on Saturday, 18th January 2020 with lots of surprises and a fun-filled program.

Each section expressed their love, fondness and conveyed their best wishes and blessings through flowers, cards, heartfelt wishes, meaningful words and broad smiles. Special assemblies were conducted and children sang the birthday song.

The entire school staff organized a special birthday celebration for Fr. Principal which included a surprise where the beloved parents of Fr. Norbert D’souza were also invited. The celebration began with a prayer service. No birthdays are complete without a birthday cake. Hence, a cake was ordered to make this event more sweet and memorable one. This was followed by a short PPT presentation and a warm speech by Miss. Gwen D’mello, Head teacher of English Primary Section. A special birthday card and a laminated birthday poem were handed over to Fr. Norbert as a token of love and appreciation. To bring in some giggles and laughter, we had the Kindergarten teachers along with the MIEB teacher put up a skit cum dance performance. The primary teachers danced to the tune of Goan Masala and the secondary teachers put up a dance performance on a fusion of bollywood songs. Fr. Principal then addressed all and expressed his joy and happiness on this wonderful day. Fr. Manager also conveyed his love and gratitude to Fr. Norbert for his hard work and help all throughout the year. It was a joyful occasion where the whole school came together to greet and wish Fr. Principal. Mrs. Aldila Miranda, Vice-Principal of secondary section ended the short program by extending a vote of thanks to all.

Age is just a number to embark on a new journey and we wish Fr. Norbert many more years of joy and happiness as he continues to work in God’s vineyard.

Annual Sports Day, 7th December 2019

School Annual Sports Day was held on 7th December 2019 at 7:30 am on our school grounds in which all the students from K.G. to class X participated with great fervour and manifested their athletic skills with an unimpeachable finesse. The chief guest for the day was Mr. & Mrs. Gaikwad, proud parents of Miss. Aditi Gaikwad who is an ex-student of our school and also the 2nd place merit holder at the SSC examination held in March 2019. Rev. Fr. Manager Anselm Gonsalves, Rev Fr. Principal Norbert D'souza, along with the Vice Principal Mrs. Aldila Miranda, Head Teacher of Primary section Ms. Gwen D'mello, Head Teacher of MIEB Section Mrs. Rachana Shinde and our Chief guests were led by the slow march girls and the band to the school ground. Taking God’s blessings is of paramount significance; hence a Sportsman prayer was recited by our head girl of Secondary section Miss. Giselle Savichan. This was followed by the Lighting of the Torch and the Floral Welcome to our Chief guests Mr. & Mrs. Gaikwad. All the row houses along with our School band gave a bang start with their march past followed by an oath taking ceremony. Inspection of the troops was conducted by 2 RTO officials. This was then followed by the legim by the Marathi section students. The Holy Cross school band also gave their best performance who also won a consolation prize at the ‘L’ ward level. The day saw the finals of many events on the track. Parents and ex students also took part in various events. The day ended with certificates and medals been awarded to the students who gave in their best at the sports meet. The event ended with the announcement of the results of the row winners in various events. Red row won the championship trophy and was also declared as the best house. Blue row won the trophy for the March past. The event concluded by singing the School Anthem 'Lead kindly light'

Annual Prize Distribution Day, 14th December 2019

Annual Prize Distribution cum Parent’s Day was held on 14th Dec 2019 to felicitate our students for their excellence in academics. The chief guest for the day was Mr. Avinash Sanas, Deputy Commissioner at State Election Commission and the guests of honor Mr. & Mrs. Umesh Shinde (Proud parents of Miss. Shrusti Shinde our SSC topper of March 2019). This year the theme of the Annual Day was – India – A Celebration of Music and Dance. The program began with a prayer dance by the secondary section and a welcome song by the English Primary Section. Children put up folk dance performances of different states for e.g. Bihu, Goan, Gujurati, Koli and Sambalpuri. The Kindergarten section children put up a wonderful performace in their Koli costume. The MIEB section also put up a dance performance featuring the harvest festival. Four of our teachers completed 25 years of their service this year – Mrs. Sushila Rodricks, Miss. Bina Pereira, Mst. Jerald D’souza and Mrs. Velena D’souza. They were felicitated for their hardwork and efforts put in all these years to shape the minds of young achievers. Our students were then felicitated for their excellence in academics and best behavior in school. The annual report (MIEB & SSC board) was read out along with the PPT presentation which showed our school's performance at the 'L' ward and school level. The program ended on a high note where the high school students put up a dance performance to bring out the theme. It was indeed a day worth remembering.

Children’s Day, 14^th November 2019

A ‘Fun-n-fair’ was organized by the school on the occasion of Children’s Day on 14th November 2019. Every year Children’s day is celebrated to mark the birthday of our India's First Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru fondly known as Chacha Nehru among children. He advocated for children to have fulfilled education. The program at the school began at 8 am for Secondary section and 9 am for Kindergarten, MIEB and Primary section. Games stalls, food stalls, Disco Fever were some of the things arranged for the children. Children enjoyed playing the games and dancing to the tune of disco as they walked from one stall to the other and relished some mouth watering snacks and soft drinks. All the children had a great time and they went back with smiles on their faces.

Singing Competition, 18th November 2019

Singing competition for the students of Standard 1st to 4th and Senior KG was held on 18th November 2019 in the School hall. The eminent judges were Mrs. Cynthia Mendes and Mrs. Rheanka Ferreira. Both the judges are an ex-student of HCHS, Kurla and were glad to come back to their Alma Mater to judge the competition. All the students sang in their melodious voices and certificates were awarded to the students for their excellent singing. The program ended around 5pm and on a happy note.

Global Handwash Day, 15^th October 2019

15^th October 2019, was also observed as ‘Global Handwash Day’. A special assembly was conducted by the students of Holy Cross High School English Primary section marking the importance of washing their hands. A video consisting ‘7 steps on how to wash their hands’ was shown to the children in their respective classrooms. The children then participated in the activity where each one washed their hands and followed the steps accordingly.

Manager's Day Celebration

Our dear Manager, Rev. Fr. Anselm Gonsalves' birthday was celebrated in anticipation on 19th October 2019. A special assembly was conducted by the students of the secondary & primary section which included a prayer service and birthday celebration. Children gave bouquet of flowers, birthday cards and sang the happy birthday song for our dear father Manager. A cake cutting ceremony was also held. Fr. Manager also expressed his sentiments.

World Food Day, 16th October 2019

‘Roti Bank’ along with their donors on World Food Day, 16^th October 2019 distributed pre packed meals to children, pavement dwellers and needy persons in our vicinity. At the morning assembly the students were informed about the value of food and the problem of hunger. The students were asked not to waste food and share their food with the less fortunate. World Food Day also pays tribute to farmers who work to make food available to us. Let us pledge to end the scourge of hunger in our city of Mumbai by avoiding food wastage and sharing with others during the upcoming festive season.

Vachan Prerna Divas, 15^th October 2019

On the occasion of former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s birth anniversary, 15th October 2019 was observed as ‘Vachan Prerna Divas’. A special assembly was conducted by the students of Holy Cross High School English Primary section marking the importance of this day with special emphasis on making reading a habit everyday. Each student was given a story book to read in their respective classrooms with the help of their teachers wherein they showed great interest in reading the story books.

Farewell party of Mrs. Maryanne and Mrs. Rubertina

Mrs. Maryanne Colasso and Mrs. Rubertina Barretto from the Kindergarten section were bid farewell on 28^th September 2019. The teachers were warmly welcomed in the Church community hall in the presence of Rev. Fr. Manager Anselm Gonsalves, Rev. Fr. Principal Norbert D’souza, Rev. Fr. Milton Gonsalves, Head teacher of English Primary section Miss. Gwen Dmello, family members of both the retiring teachers and all the teachers of the English Primary and KG section. The program started with a prayer service conducted by the KG and Primary teachers which included also singing of hymns, praying to the Lord to continue blessing them during this next phase of their retirement life. Bouquet of flowers and gifts were given to dear teachers as a token of love and appreciation and a cake cutting ceremony was held as both the teachers celebrated their birthdays recently. Our Kg teachers, Mrs. Arfina Vegas and Mrs. Silvia Vaz spoke a few words about Mrs. Maryanne Colasso and Mrs. Rubertina Barretto respectively. The retiring teachers also shared their sentiments and thanked the management for all the help they received throughout their tenure in the school which was followed by their family members sharing their parent’s fruitful journey in school. The program ended with a surprise farewell song sung by the teachers and some photographs that were clicked as memories to be cherished forever. The teachers also joined in a dance that followed with wishing and bidding adieu to Mrs. Maryanne Colasso and Mrs. Rubertina Barretto.

Wall Painting Activity, 12^th October 2019

Kindness Unlimited, a city non profit organization that inspires people to be kind for no reason, brought together volunteers from across the city to paint the walls of our school Kindergarten section which also hosts the MIEB Board for the Marathi section. The volunteers comprising youth artists helped our parents to paint the entrance and the passage leading upto the stairs to create an inspiring theme of connected images of persons, inspiring others to nurture and support each other.

Kindergarten is German for children's garden and the theme very aptly depicts the school as a garden that plants seeds of good deeds which will inspire them to pass on the goodness of life. The activity was conducted to build up to International Kindness Day which will be observed in Mumbai on 13^th November. The school has partnered with Kindness Unlimited on many such causes that bring together people from all walks of life around simple acts of kindness.

For the children who walk into school to see the colourful decor, Kindness Unlimited, you have left your mark in the smiles of the little ones. You can visit Kindness Unlimited on Facebook and also their website https://www.kindnessunlimited.in/

Fr Norbert D'souza

Holy Cross High School, Kurla

Solar Lamp Assembly Workshop, 2nd October 2019

The 150th birth anniversary of the Father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi was celebrated in a unique way by our school. The school partnered with IIT Powai, held a Solar Lamp Assembly Workshop. About 160 students participated in this workshop. The workshop began at 7:30 am. Our Principal Rev. Fr. Norbert D'souza spoke to the students regarding the importance of the workshop. This was followed by a presentation on climate change and a brief explanation of the components of the solar kit. The students were then divided into groups and they moved towards the allotted classrooms with their teachers. Each student received the solar kit and with the help of the step-by-step instructions provided by the teachers, they successfully assembled their Solar lamps. The workshop came to an end at 1:00 pm. The students thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and in a small way did their part to conserve energy.

- Ms. Andrea Pinto

(Teacher, Secondary Section)

Session on 'Careers in the Indian Navy', 3rd October 2019

Students of Holy Cross High School, Kurla along with students of Michael High School & Marceline Junior College attended a session conducted by the Navy on 'Careers in the Indian Navy' as part of their ongoing 'Know your Army' awareness program.

The session was conducted by Commodore Sachin Pawar and Lt. Puja.

Commodore Sachin Pawar is an avid trekker, Marathon runner and photographer. He specializes in gunnery and missile warfare. Lt. Puja has been in the Indian Navy for 5 & 1/2 years and has specialized in Air traffic control.

The session was an excellent one, giving a detailed and comprehensive insight into the various careers available for girls and boys. Students and parents who were present also had an interactive session with the officers at the end of the session.

- Mrs. Aldila Miranda

(Vice Principal, Secondary Section)

Teacher’s Day, 31st August 2019

Teacher’s day was celebrated in anticipation on 31st August 2019. The day commenced with a Eucharistic celebration attended by all the staff members. The main celebrants were Fr. Milton Gonsalves and Fr. Anselm Gonsalves. Special prayers were prayed during the mass for all the teachers that they may continue to lead the students to greater inspirations, constantly remembering the needs of the students in their care. The students of the Secondary section then put forth an hour of entertainment for the teachers with their singing, dancing and some spot prices which was hugely appreciated by one and all. The program continued thereafter with the teachers of the Primary section leading the teachers in games. The special surprise for the teachers was finally out – teacher’s received a customized table calendar each with their personal memories at various events in school. It brought great joy among the teachers and they were thankful for the memorable & well-cherished gift. The program ended with a meal together and happy faces.

Holy Cross Feast (School Feast) 14th September 2019

School feast was celebrated on 14th September 2019. The priests and the teachers were accompanied by the school band in a procession from the Main building to the Church. Students and teachers participated in the Eucharistic celebration. Fr. Norbert D’souza was the main celebrant.

“Know your Army”

Come summer and everyone looks forward to a good break after a lot of stress due to the exam fever.

This year some of our children had something exciting to look forward to …… a camp up to Sikkim at an army base. At the invitation of the convener (Mr. Peter deSouza), of the B.I.R.D Group we were blessed to be part of this party! With a lot of planning that went into the making of this trip and with meetings of parents concerned to give them a blue print to schedule the day, was finally at hand.

Children came along with their big bags accompanied by their parents assembled in the school premises where a bus was arranged to reach them to the CSTM railway station. At the station the teachers were there with their registers to take the attendance and this time the children felt extra alert to respond to their name when called out, for the celebration had begun. As the train took off from CSTM station one could see the freedom that the children felt as they were away from their loved one’s probably for the first time. The journey time flew with lots of chatter, fun and sing song sessions. On reaching New Jalpaiguri station the men in uniform were already there to receive us with big broad smiles and reaching out hands to carry our bags as if they had their own relatives come over and lead us to their buses.

On reaching Sikkim – Sevok we were warmly welcomed by Major Abhishek Bakshi who briefed us about our National Integration Tour 2019, giving us a glimpse into what was to come during our stay (7-14 May).

Then began Brigadier Abhinaya Rai, who organized some exciting events with his men who show cased displays such as para trooping from heights, drills like slithering from helicopters, a visit to see the equipment and historical silver pieces which is a rare thing because no amount of money could buy this experience. We were then treated to an evening of relaxation with bonfire as we had the officers display their talents while they played lovely music and the icing on the cake was the Piper’s band and performances from the seven schools that had come from Mumbai for the camp. This was followed by a sumptuous dinner that was informal and one could freely chat with these so called ‘officials’.

A trip to Bagrakote is where we saw a display of a bunker buster drill that gave us an idea of how these men in uniform risk their lives for us at every given moment even though we may not be related to them in any way – this is the spirit of sacrifice for which we need to salute them!

Going up to Gangtok made us understand that nothing is taken for granted when we all had to undergo health checkups as we had to went up to a higher altitude. The fineness and care of these physically tough men came to light when they took care of minute details of every single individual on this trip both back and forth. In each bus that carried us up we had a medical team with an emergency kit along with military commandos who travelled by jeeps alongside in case of any emergency – a royal treat indeed!

Nature was at its best as we saw snow and ice clad mountains and had a chance to touch the same. Finally the day that we all looked for came as we travelled to Nathula pass to visit the Indo – Chinese border; a moment of God’s grace indeed, for entry there is not permitted to any ordinary person and even for officers themselves.

Coming down we stopped at the Baba Harbhajan Mandir and the beautiful Tsomgo Lake where cameras rolled out to get pictures of nature and huge yaks as they posed for us. We also had a day out at the Bengal Safari and got to see animals such as the Bengal tiger, bears, leopards, elephants, deer’s and more from real close quarters as we travelled in meshed jeeps.

A visit to the war memorial is where we paid our respects to all those martyrs who have laid down their lives for us. With a sense of pride and gratitude we stood in a moment in silence praying for them and their families who paid the price for our safety which so often goes unnoticed. We also had the privilege of meeting with Major Deepika who shared her testimony of climbing Mount Everest not once but Twice!!!

To top it all each school was given a memento and each individual a certificate of participation and an Indian army cap. No words of praise or gratitude would suffice for the meticulous planning for this trip by the men in uniform would suffice and so a big God Bless!!! We are extremely proud of our Army who are the soul of our nation! – Jai Hind!!!

Special gratitude to our dear Principal, Fr Norbert Dsouza without whom this trip would not have been possible. It is because of his association with the convener of the programme that Holy Cross High School got this gift of a life time. Sure it will be etched in the memory of all who were part of this trip. Thank you Aldila Teacher, who followed us up every single day by staying connected.

Sr. Joyce

Counselor, Holy Cross High School

Independence Day was celebrated in our school along with students, parents and parishioners. The Chief Guests for the event were Mr. and Mrs. Anthony and Molly Fernandez who are parishioners of Holy Cross Church, Kurla. Mr Anthony Fernandez worked in the Indian army and was a Shipwright. He has worked on India's first indigenously built INS Vikrant and was part of the 1965 war.

The function started with the members of Inter Religious Dialogue Cell of Holy Cross Church leading the gathering into prayer for the country. The flag was hoisted by our chief guest, which was followed by the students of primary and secondary section singing patriotic songs. Speeches by students on India's freedom struggle also brought in the zeal among the students to work tirelessly for the country’s betterment. The event ended with the shouting out of slogans led by our secondary teacher.

International Day of Yoga

International Day of Yoga was observed on 21st June 2019. Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. Children from the Secondary, English Primary and Kindergarten section performed yoga asanas to mark this day.

Mr. Rakesh Shukla from the Secondary section was bid farewell on 02nd August 2019 by the students and the staff bid him farewell on 03rd August 2019. The program was held in the Main building School hall in the presence of Rev. Fr. Manager Anselm Gonsalves, Rev. Fr. Principal Norbert D’souza, Rev. Fr. Ryan Alex, Vice – Principal of Secondary section Mrs. Aldila Miranda and all the teaching and non-teaching staff of the secondary section. The program started with a prayer service, praying to the Lord to continue blessing him during this next phase of his retirement life. Bouquet of flowers and gifts were given as a token of love and appreciation. Our teacher, Mrs. Gloria spoke a few words about Mr. Rakesh Shukla. Our sir also shared his sentiments and thanked the management for all the help he received throughout his tenure in the school. The program ended with a mixed feeling of sadness and joy, sad because our dear sir will be missed by teachers and students hereafter and feeling of joy for having blest our school with a wonderful teacher with his immense knowledge which helped our students to excel in all walks of life.

Activities

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