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St. Joseph’s Express April - May 2011 My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards….!!! For most us Lent is just a
time for spring cleaning; to get rid of all the cobwebs, dust and dirt accumulated during the year. We pray for repentance.
We go to confess our sins. We fast from food and entertainment to punish or mortify the flesh. We make sacrifices to make
reparation for our past selfish and self-centred ways of living. We give in charity to feel good that we are helping the poor.
Our focus is a negative one: to make up for the good we have failed to accomplish. But the Gospel of the second Sunday of Lent - the Transfiguration - reminds us that our Lenten programme should
focus on what is positive, life-giving and transforming. Abraham is told by God
to leave his country and go to a new land where he and his posterity will be blessed. That would mean sacrificing his present
security and comfort for an unknown life. Abraham, in faith, trusting God's word, obeys and is blessed abundantly. During
Lent, God's Word tells us to give up our past way of life and embark on an unknown journey -not alone, but with Jesus, to
a destination filled with happiness beyond our imagination. St. Paul, writing to Timothy, warns us of the hardships and struggles
we must endure on this journey. Moses and Elijah strengthen Jesus, in all his humanness, to face his passion and death, while
the Father clothes him with the glory of his Resurrection. Like Peter, James and
John we hear the Father say to us: “Listen to Him”. So, like Abraham, like Jesus himself, we surrender to God's
call and no matter what the sacrifice, we bravely and with trust, journey onwards believing that the “suffering of this
life is not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us”. If we are ready to suffer so many hardships
and make so many sacrifices in our present way of life because of future benefits
and comforts, how much more must we not be ready to walk the Way of the Cross with Jesus to share his resurrected life? And so our journey of life
continues, beyond Lent and Easter and into eternity, but necessarily, thru “ this vale of tears”; this is where
our Blessed Mother aids us as we follow Jesus her Son and our Lord and God: “Do
what Jesus tells you,” says Mary, and lo and behold ! we are on our way to happiness and peace. May the peace and happiness,
joy and love of the Risen Jesus flood our homes and our hearts and make us a truly joyous “Easter People”. HAVE
A BLEST EASTER…!! Our next issue of the parish
Bulletin will feature, the new school academic year, a review of summer activities and quizzes and reports. So send in your
material for a selective publication of the same. May St. Joseph our patron intercede for us and God Bless us All. Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-charge Be reborn this Easter By Mitchelle Castellino Embrace yourself to the NO
word cause that is what you are supposed to do all of the Lenten season. No alcohol, no non-veg, no television, no shopping
and many other no's. And at the end of 40 days they all get converted to YES.
You go back doing what you did. So where do these 40 days leave
us as individuals? Back to our routine, back to the grind and back to our old selves? If yes is the answer then your 40 days
exercise was a waste. If no is your answer then you have blossomed out of yourself. That old impatient, unstable you has been
metamorphosed into a beautiful better you. Hence Lent is a time where
you have to dig into yourself for impurities and try to wash them away. Abstinence is a link not a method of purifying your
soul and making you a stronger willed person. But you have to take up the challenge and meet it. Look at the bigger picture
it provides you. a) A stronger willed person b) Better determination c) Able to control the mind d) In touch with your soul Hence Lent is that bridge you
must cross every year to get in touch with yourself once again. It is that destination you must reach to feel refreshed. And
after 40 days with sheer diligence you are sure to get connected with the new you. Do not let the DONT's of Lent
bow you down. Let the do's alleviate your condition. Do regulate your food intake. Do feel connected to the Lord Almighty
every day. Do read something everyday that enriches your life. You can also read something spiritual, job related, or investments:
anything that enhances your outlook. Do watch positive media. Media
includes television, magazines, newspapers, radio, anything that feeds you information. Watch motivational movies, they inspire
you to do the unbelievable. Do keep away from gossip. Do think of the good things god has given you before you complain. Do
keep a positive outlook. Plan your goal. Make a to-do
list. Work backwards against what you want in your life. There must be at least a 100 things you want to do. Pen them down.
Review your current scenario and think futuristic. Reaching the intangible means
stretching to do the impossible. So be very true to yourself when you plan, make it achievable. All this you must do being
true to yourself with a happy and willing heart. And then see the joy it releases. In
the Lenten 40 days try to break away from every negative and catalyze the same into positive. For instance instead of watching
Zoom TV or reading Page 3 of Bombay times, watch NDTV Good Times or read the International News. So you block yourself from
negative ideas. Instead of eating junk food, cook up some simple snack for everyone at home. Small things like these on the
outside will change you on the inside. And that prepares you for the joy of Easter. What shall I do This Lent? What shall I do this Lent Shall I forgo dainty foods?
Or will it be the television set? No, says the Lord, Neither of these is enough. What then shall I do this Lent? Shall I attend an extra Mass? Or may be a Bible study class? No, says the Lord, These too are not enough. Oh, Lord, what shall I do this Lent? Shall I endeavour to pray more? Or visit the sick or poor? No, says the Lord, These are still not enough.
Lord, I surrender! Ah, child that is the word I have been waiting to hear, Longing to hear From your heart. Surrender your will dear child, Immerse yourself in My love, Learn of that love, That complete love, That took Me to Calvary. Linger awhile my dear child, Lovingly gaze and gaze on me, Till you know of My love, That embraced all of mankind To give him eternal life Then go and keep your Lent For good company you have, Whatever you do this season, Will be done in love for Me. That is indeed enough.
- M.D – Passion Sunday The fifth Sunday of Lent, a Sunday of the first class, not permitting the celebration of any feast, no matter
of what rank, but allowing a commemoration of feasts which are not transferred. It is called Dominica de Passione in the Roman
Missal, and Dominica Passionis in the Breviary. Durandus and other liturgical writers speak of it as Dominica in Passione
, or simply Passio , or Passio Domini . It is also known as Judica Sunday , from the first word of the Introit of Mass; Isti
sunt , from the beginning of the first response in the Matins ; Octava mediana , it being the eighth day after Laetare Sunday,
called sometimes Mediana , or Middle of Lent ; Repus , an abbreviation of repositus , i.e. absconditus , or hidden from the
veiling of the Crosses ( Du Cange, "Glossar." s. v. repositus ). Among the Slavs it is the Nedela strastna (pain, suffering,
terrible), muki (painful, or sorrowful), gluha (deaf or silent ), tiha (quiet), smertelna (relating to death), or also cerna
(black), which appellation is also found in some parts of Germany as Schwartzer Sonntag . Since after this Sunday there are
not many more days of the Lenten season the Greek Church admonishes the faithful to special mortifications, and places before
them the example of the penitent St. Mary of Egypt . SELF-CONTROL Simon D'Costa We blame others for our shortcomings. It has been happening from
the beginning of time. Adam ate the forbidden fruit and said that Eve made him
do it. We do it almost every day. We
get angry and say that so-and-so made us angry. The truth is that we fail to
exercise self-control. Nobody else makes us angry. We get angry and the excuses, not reasons, for that can be hundreds.
We are not robots. God has created us able. We should be able to correct our faults. We are responsible
for all that is happening to us. This does not mean we are to be blamed for the
circumstances in which we find ourselves. But we are in charge of our lives and can choose how to act under the circumstances. Unfortunately, we do not want to accept responsibility for our lives, so that we can plead ' Not guilty,'
for the way we live. If we take responsibility for the way we act, we shall be
able to choose our response in every situation. Responsibility, in this sense,
means power. We begin to question ourselves and in the process, discover answers
that can make a difference to our own lives and the lives of people who come
into contact with us. Communication is an area that we particularly need to look at. It
can make or break relationships. Let us take an example. After a bad day in the office, you get into a bus to go home. The
bus is crowded and there is a lot of pushing taking place. You are disgusted
now. The conductor comes to you. You
ask for a ticket in an inappropriate manner. The conductor reacts and gives you
a large dose of what he thinks you deserve. There is a scene in the bus. You will agree with me that you did not ask for a ticket but asked for trouble. Our communication should solve problems and not create more of them. Many
of us communicate in an unbecoming manner. If one gets angry, it does not mean
one needs to react with anger. We are not dogs that every time another dog barks,
we need to bark back. We need to exercise self-control. Self-control is what makes us different from animals. God
has created us in His own image and likeness. This is both a privilege and a
responsibility We say we are not perfect and use that as an excuse for our wrong behaviour.
To say we are not perfect may be a fallacy. Jesus tells us to be perfect
as Our Heavenly Father is perfect. He does not tell us to become perfect. There is a big difference between to be (I am, we are, etc.) and to become (in which
some effort is called for). Jesus enlightens us and says we already are perfect. If we take responsibility for our actions, we shall not find it difficult to behave
in a manner that meets with the approval of God and humans alike. God did not
create us and leave us to fend for ourselves. He lives in us. The Bible tells us that we are temples of God. Whether to let God
live in our souls or not is left to us. God gives us the freedom to choose how
we wish to live our lives. The freedom is so complete that we can even say that God does not exist. Jesus came to save us but He cannot save us if we do not allow Him.
Let us make Jesus a permanent occupant of the temples that we are. Let
us no longer just say we are Christians; let us be Christians. o be a Christian, one needs to follow Jesus in thought, word and deed.
Just attending mass on Sundays and other days of obligation may not be enough. May Jesus enlighten us so that we can
be the light of the world that He wants us to be. Amen. Saints For Our Edification St. Mark Feastday: April 25 - Patron of notaries The second Gospel was written by St. Mark, who, in the New Testament, is sometimes called John Mark. Both he
and his mother, Mary, were highly esteemed in the early Church, and his mother's house in Jerusalem served as a meeting place
for Christians there. St. Mark was associated with St. Paul and St. Barnabas (who was Mark's cousin) on their missionary journey through
the island of Cyprus. Later he accompanied St. Barnabas alone. We know also that he was in Rome with St. Peter and St. Paul.
Tradition ascribes to him the founding of the Church in Alexandria. St. Mark wrote the second Gospel, probably in Rome sometime before the year 60 A.D.; he wrote it in Greek for
the Gentile converts to Christianity. Tradition tells us that St. Mark was requested by the Romans to set down the teachings
of St. Peter. This seems to be confirmed by the position which St. Peter has in this Gospel. In this way the second Gospel
is a record of the life of Jesus as seen throuhh the eyes of the Prince of the Apostles. His feast day is April 25. He is
the patron saint of notaries. St. Catherine of Siena Doctor of the Church Feastday: April 29 Patron Fire prevention 1347 - 1380 The 25th child of a wool dyer in northern Italy, St. Catherine started having mystical experiences when she was
only 6, seeing guardian angels as clearly as the people they protected. She became a Dominican tertiary when she was 16, and
continued to have visions of Christ, Mary, and the saints. St. Catherine was one of the most brilliant theological minds of
her day, although she never had any formal education. She persuaded the Pope to go back to Rome from Avignon, in 1377, and
when she died she was endeavoring to heal the Great Western Schism. In 1375 Our Lord give her the Stigmata, which was visible
only after her death. Her spiritual director was Blessed Raymond of Capua. St, Catherine's letters, and a treatise called
"a dialogue" are considered among the most brilliant writings in the history of the Catholic Church. She died when she was
only 33, and her body was found incorrupt in 1430. Saint Matthias Apostle Feastday: May 14 How does one qualify to be an apostle? The first act of the apostles after the Ascension of Jesus was to find a replacement for Judas. With all the
questions, doubts, and dangers facing them, they chose to focus their attention on finding a twelfth apostle. Why was this
important? Twelve was a very important number to the Chosen People: twelve was the number of the twelve tribes of Israel.
If the new Israel was to come from the disciples of Jesus, a twelfth apostle was needed. But Jesus had chosen the original twelve. How could they know whom he would choose? Peter had one criterion, that, like Andrew, James, John, and himself, the new apostle be someone who had been
a disciple from the very beginning, from his baptism by John until the Ascension. The reason for this was simple, the new
apostle would must become a witness to Jesus' resurrection. Two men fit this description -- Matthias and Joseph called Barsabbas. The apostles knew that only the Lord could
know what was in the heart of each. They cast lots in order to discover God's will and Matthias was chosen. He was the twelfth
apostle and the group was whole again as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. That's the first we hear of Matthias in Scripture, and the last. Legends like the Acts of Andrew and Matthias
testify to Matthias' enthusiastic embrace of all that being an apostle meant including evangelization, persecution, and death
in the service of the Lord. Saint Philip Neri Feastday: May 26 Patron of Rome If one had to choose one saint who showed the humorous side of holiness that would Philip Neri. Born in 1515 in Florence, he showed the impulsiveness and spontaneity of his character from the time he was a
boy. His father was not successful financially and at eighteen Philip was sent to work with an older cousin who was a successful
businessman. During this time, Philip found a favorite place to pray up in the fissure of a mountain that had been turned
into a chapel. He went to Rome in 1533 where he was the live-in tutor of the sons of a fellow Florentine. He studied philosophy
and theology until he thought his studies were interfering with his prayer life. He then stopped his studies, threw away his
books, and lived as a kind of hermit. Night was his special time of prayer. After dark he would go out in the streets, sometimes to churches, but most
often into the catacombs of St. Sebastiano to pray. During one of these times of prayer he felt a globe of light enter his
mouth and sink into his heart. This experience gave him so much energy to serve God that he went out to work at the hospital
of the incurables and starting speaking to others about God, everyone from beggars to bankers. In 1548 Philip formed a confraternity with other laymen to minister to pilgrims who came to Rome without food
or shelter. The spiritual director of the confraternity convinced Philip that he could do even more work as a priest. After
receiving instruction from this priest, Philip was ordained in 1551. Philip preferred spiritual mortification to physical mortification. When one man asked Philip if he could wear
a hair shirt, Philip gave him permission -- if he wore the hair shirt outside his clothes! The man obeyed and found humility
in the jokes and name-calling he received. Philip did not escape this spiritual mortification himself. Philip was very serious
about prayer, spending hours in prayer. He was so easily carried away that he refused to preach in public and could not celebrate
Mass with others around. Philip died in 1595 after a long illness at the age of eighty years. Feast of the Ascension The fortieth day after Easter Sunday, commemorating the Ascension of Christ into heaven, according to Mark 16:19
, Luke 24:51 , and Acts 1:2 . In the Eastern Church this feast was known as analepsis , the taking up, and also as the episozomene , the salvation,
denoting that by ascending into His glory Christ completed the work of our redemption. The terms used in the West, ascensio
and, occasionally, ascensa , signify that Christ was raised up by His own powers. Tradition designates Mount Olivet near Bethany
as the place where Christ left the earth. The feast falls on Thursday. History The observance of this feast is of great antiquity. Although no documentary evidence of it exists prior to the
beginning of the fifth century, St. Augustine says that it is of Apostolic origin, and he speaks of it in a way that shows
it was the universal observance of the Church long before his time. Frequent mention of it is made in the writings of St.
John Chrysostom, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and in the Constitution of the Apostles. The Pilgrimage of Sylvia ( Peregrinatio Etheriae
) speaks of the vigil of this feast and of the feast itself, as they were kept in the church built over the grotto in Bethlehem
in which Christ was born (Duchesne, Christian Worship , 491-515). It may be that prior to the fifth century the fact narrated
in the Gospels was commemorated in conjunction with the feast of Easter or Pentecost. Some believe that the much-disputed
forty-third decree of the Council of Elvira (c. 300) condemning the practice of observing a feast on the fortieth day after
Easter and neglecting to keep Pentecost on the fiftieth day, implies that the proper usage of the time was to commemorate
the Ascension along with Pentecost. Representations of the mystery are found in diptychs and frescoes. Customs Certain customs were connected with the liturgy of this feast, such as the blessing of beans and grapes after
the Commemoration of the Dead in the Canon of the Mass , the blessing of first fruits, afterwards done on Rogation Days, the
blessing of a candle, the wearing of mitres by deacon and subdeacon, the extinction of the paschal candle, and triumphal processions
with torches and banners outside the churches to commemorate the entry of Christ into heaven. Rock records the English custom
of carrying at the head of the procession the banner bearing the device of the lion and at the foot the banner of the dragon,
to symbolize the triumph of Christ in His ascension over the evil one. In some churches the scene of the Ascension was vividly
reproduced by elevating the figure of Christ above the altar through an opening in the roof of the church. In others, whilst
the figure of Christ was made to ascend, that of the devil was made to descend. In the liturgies generally the day is meant to celebrate the completion of the work of our salvation, the pledge
of our glorification with Christ, and His entry into heaven with our human nature glorified. ALEXANDER THE GREAT'S LAST WORDS Alexander , after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and lay on his death
bed. With death staring him in his face, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his
wealth were of no consequence. He now longed to reach home to see his mother's face and bid her his last adieu. But, he had to accept the fact
that his sinking health would not permit him to reach his distant homeland. So, the mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale,
helplessly waiting to breathe his last. He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon. I have three wishes which you must carry
out without fail." With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last wishes. "My first desire is that," said Alexander, "my physicians alone must carry my coffin." After a pause, he continued, "Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path
leading to the graveyard be strewn with the gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury". The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's rest and continued. "My third and last wish is
that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin". The people who had gathered there wondered at the king's strange wishes. But no one dared bring the question
to their lips. Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed it to his heart. "O king, we assure you that your
wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?" At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: "I would like the world
to know of the three lessons I have just learnt. I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure anybody.
They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let people
not take life for granted. The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to
the graveyard is to tell people that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but
cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to
chase wealth. And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty-handed
into this world and empty- handed, I go out of this world". With these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last. . . . LITURGICAL ANIMATION COURSE Mrs. Linet D'Souza, of our Parish, successfully completed a year long course on " Liturgical Animation" conducted
by the Diocesan authorities. This course deals with planning of Liturgies, liturgical animation and thematisation, proper
decorum and conduct of liturgical functions. Linet attended the sessions amidst her other commitments as a school teacher
a home maker and substitute catechists. Congrats to Linet and God Bless her. Sacrificed for Lent Ashok Saldanha It was a Sunday and I as is my wont I was in my shorts, bare chest and pot belly on exhibition, sitting in my
easy-chair, with the favourite tipple and “chaakna” I reserve for a Sunday within easy reach. One eye was reading
the newspaper while the other was watching “Lie to me” on the tube. In short you could say I was doing what in
today's parlance would be called “multi-tasking”, when the missus walked in with my eight year old in tow looking
red as a beetroot from the hot sun. One look at me sitting there like a beached whale reading the newspaper and sipping my drink made the missus
see red and the temperature inside the room slowly started matching the one outside the building. “What in heaven's name are you doing?” she growled. My eight year gave me a “Papa-this is-just-not-done”
sort of look. “Now what did I do?” I asked. “Don't you know it is Lent and you have to give up drinks?” the missus yelled. “Huh???” “Lent is a time of sacrifice. Imagine what type of an example you are setting for our daughter”. “Yes papa, my Sunday School Miss told me that one has to make sacrifices for Lent”, my eight year
old chirped adding more vinegar where none was needed. “See, even the child knows it is Lent” the missus fumed. “Shame on you! A grown man drinking
like a fish during Lent. I am aghast, surprised, astounded, flummoxed, stupefied…..basically I am at a loss for words
at your audacity to even think of drinking during Lent.” She ranted on. “Our daughter and I have given up chocolates as a sacrifice for Lent and she has also started
eating her vegetables without making faces and you…..” “Oh, yeah!” I thought to myself not wanting to spoil their “sacrifice for Lent” by informing
them that I had found a bunch of chocolate wrappers and a pile of uneaten “methi bhaji” while putting out the
garbage in the morning. Moreover bringing that up would have had the two of them gang up on me the whole afternoon spoiling
my siesta. The liquor started tasting like yesterdays dish water & the “chaakna” even worse. I pushed them away and told her, “I am only having a drink, and having a drink during Lent does not merit
capital punishment, moreover the Lord understands human weaknesses and …….” when the missus' cell phone
rang. “Hi, Rihanna! Long time no hear. How's things?” she said all syrupy, her anger melting like mist
in the sun. “What's the news like?” There must have been lots of news from Rihanna because the missus went “you don't say”, “that
two timing so and so”, “not married, huh”, “the shame”, “her husband does not go anywhere,
but she does”, “really now”, “that woman can't be trusted. I will have to be careful with my-you-know-who”
(looking at me and glaring when she said this). Then it was the missus' turn. Reputations were torn to shreds and people whom I knew for a fact were more solid
than the Rock of Gibraltar were being made to look like slimy muck. I was disgusted. My eight year old was playing a game on the computer and doing her best to look disinterested. An hour later Rihanna and the missus ran out of steam and masala. The call ended. I had my chance to get back at her. “So gossip and back biting is the done thing this Lent, is it?”
I smirked. “The Eighth Commandment can go out the window, huh? Giving up chocolates and having vegetables for Lent gets
more blessings than shredding reputations without proof, right? And the “methi bhaji” rotting in the garbage…….”
I trailed off thoroughly enjoying myself at her discomfiture. My eight year old had disappeared and was now busy finishing her homework. The missus was squirming and for the first time in our ten years together the cat had got her tongue. Point made. I returned to my drink and “chaakna”. They had never ever tasted better. But my victory
was pyrrhic. The missus like all good wives the world over had to have the last word. “Okay, just for this Lent I will allow you to indulge yourself on Sundays, but don't take that as a blanket
permit”. There was a long pause before she continued, “And when are you going to grow your beard for Lent. You
know one has to look like one is observing Lent”. I smiled into my glass, bit into a sausage and poured another “chotta”. Sunday School - Closing Ceremony Natasha Athaide Our parish had the Sunday School Closing Ceremony on 20th March immediately after the 9.15 m mass, as a tribute
to the past year and to commend students and teachers for the sterling work done in 2010-11. The ceremony started with Mrs.
Albina Almeida welcoming the chief guest, Mrs. Marina D'Cunha, a parishioner from Malad and the mother of Fr. Michael D'Cunha.
Mrs. Loretta thereafter formally welcomed Mrs. D'Cunha to the annual day and presented an outline of the ceremony as well as the Sunday School work done in the
parish. The first event was staged by students of Stds I, II and III who
sang a few action songs melodiously. Next, students shared their experiences of their visits to the Project places. Std VII &VIII presented a short skit
depicting the current social realities of slum redevelopment as well as tackling the problem of hygiene amongst children.
All the children played their parts flawlessly , being well trained by their teachers. Later Mrs. Doris and Ms. Karen submitted a detailed report of the activities undertaken during the current year
with special mention of the Christmas celebrations in the parish. The chief guest presented the students with very useful
gifts...piggy banks, tiffin boxes, water bottles and clothes hangers, encouraging them to attend Sunday School. The chief
guest spoke encouraging words to all the participants and congratulated them on their performances. She gave advice to the
parents and teachers on the importance of making their children attend Sunday School regularly and to take challenges in their
stride. The ceremony ended with a vote of thanks by our parish priest, Fr
Austin Norris. Benedict XVI to Beatify John Paul II Pontiff's Great Fame of Sanctity Acknowledged VATICAN CITY, JAN. 14, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is planning to preside over the beatification rite for
John Paul II on May 1, Divine Mercy Sunday, in the Vatican. A communiqué from the Congregation for Saints' Causes announced that today the Pope, in an audience with the
congregation's prefect, Cardinal Angelo Amato, "authorized the dicastery to promulgate the decree of the miracle attributed
to the intercession of Venerable Servant of God John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla). This was the final step in the process preceding the beatification rite, which will be celebrated on Divine Mercy
Sunday, a feast day instituted by John Paul II. The communiqué noted: "It is well known that, by pontifical dispensation, his cause began before the end of the
five-year period which the current norms stipulate must pass following the death of a Servant of God. "This provision was solicited by the great fame of sanctity which Pope John Paul II enjoyed during his life,
in his death and after his death. "In all other ways, the normal canonical dispositions concerning causes of beatification and canonization were
observed in full." The diocesan investigation into the cause for beatification of the Pontiff took place between June 2005 and April
2007. On Dec. 19, 2009, Benedict XVI authorized the promulgation of the decree on his predecessor's heroic virtue. Miracle The congregation then examined the report of a miraculous healing through the intercession of John Paul II: the
cure from Parkinson's disease of Sister Marie Simon Pierre Normand of the Little Sisters of Catholic Motherhood. The reports of medical and legal experts on the French nun's healing were submitted to the dicastery for scientific
examination last Oct. 21. The congregation noted that its experts, "having studied the depositions and the entire documentation with their
customary scrupulousness, expressed their agreement concerning the scientifically inexplicable nature of the healing." Thus, on Dec. 14, the theological consulters began an evaluation of the case, and "unanimously recognized the
unicity, antecedence and choral nature of the invocation made to Servant of God John Paul II, whose intercession was effective
in this prodigious healing." On Tuesday, during the ordinary session of the congregation, the members expressed their "unanimous approval."
The prelates expressed belief in the miraculous nature of the recovery of Sister Marie Simon Pierre, "having
been achieved by God in a scientifically inexplicable manner following the intercession of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II,
trustingly invoked both by Sister Simon herself and by many other faithful." The conclusions were then submitted to Benedict
XVI for approval. John Paul II's Body to Be Placed in Vatican Basilica VATICAN CITY, JAN. 14, 2011 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II's remains will be moved from the Grotto located beneath
St. Peter's Basilica to a chapel in the main Church, the Vatican revealed. “The transportation of the coffin will take place without exhumation," reported the semi-official Vatican
newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, "hence Pope [John Paul II's] body will not be exposed.” The newspaper reported that the body of John Paul II will be "enclosed" and that the placement of his body will
be marked "by a simple marble stone engraved with: Beatus Ioannes Paulus II.” The Pope's body will be placed in the Chapel of St. Sebastian, which is located between the Chapel of the Pieta
and the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. The chapel houses the remains of Blessed Innocent XI (1676-1689), and is named after the main figure in the mosaic
above the altar, which was completed by Pier Paolo Cristofari. Statues of Pius XI and Pius XII flank the right and left sides
of the altar, respectively. Pope to Youth: Spread Joy of Christ VATICAN CITY, FEB. 16, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI urged the youth present at today's weekly general audience
to spread the peace and joy of Christ, and to make room for him in their hearts. The Pope said this today at the weekly general audience after he delivered his catechesis on the figure of St.
John of the Cross, priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites and doctor of the Church (1542-1591). After greeting those present in Paul VI in various languages, he addressed the youth, the sick and newlyweds. “You, dear young people," he said, "make room in your heart for Jesus and spread his joy and his peace.” Addressing the sick, the Holy Father urged them to "offer your moments of trial to the Lord so that the doors
of hearts will open to the proclamation of the Gospel.” “And you, dear newlyweds," he concluded, "always be witnesses of the love of Christ, who has called you
to realize a common project of life." Benedict XVI Urges Youth to Be Heroes of Daily Life VATICAN CITY, FEB. 9, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is urging young people to be heroes in every day life --
and to do that through holiness. The Pope said this today as he concluded the general audience with his traditional greetings to youth, the sick
and disabled, and newlyweds. He recalled Tuesday's liturgical memorial of St. Jerome Emiliani, founder of the Somaschi, and of St. Josephine
Bakhita, "a daughter of Africa who became a daughter of the Church." “May the courage of these faithful witnesses of Christ help you, dear young people, to open your heart
to the heroism of holiness in every day existence," the Holy Father said. "May it sustain you, dear sick, in persevering patiently
to offer your prayer and your suffering for the whole Church. And may it give you, dear newlyweds, the courage to make your
families communities of love, marked by Christian values." Zone V’s Day Out Eliza Mathew March 3rd was Zone V's Day Out! The spot - Borivli National Park and the aim - simply enjoying the outing together.
We set off in the morning with prayers and hymns, singing and clapping, not willing to waste even a single moment, Father
Austin leading us all the way from the word go. After trekking to the coolest spot in the park, we kept a sharp eye on the monkeys before feasting on the idlis,
dosas and chai for breakfast. Adults and children jumped into the paddle boats and enjoyed the serene beauty of the pond.
Our minds relaxed and we enjoyed ourselves as we raced and nudged each others' boats. Games like kho-kho, cricket, dodge ball, dog-and-the-bone and badminton worked up a good appetite for lunch and
brought back nostalgic memories of childhood. The young and the not-so-young fought tooth-and-nail without giving an inch. The mini-train (Vanrani) ride had us clicking photos, admiring the deer and the green landscape and enjoying the ambience in one another's company. We became one with nature, as the train chugged along. Lunch was sumptuous and varied as we all spread out our packs for a buffet. Luckily all brought more than enough
to satisfy the hunger pangs brought on by the games. Heavy lunch meant no more running around, so Dumb Charades it was! The
fight was on to think of tougher movies and Fr Lincoln joined in the fun. CTC COURSE Mamta and Doris Learning, prayer, transformation, perseverance and love – these are important personal qualities for all
catechists and their true meaning and importance of the values were very well brought out for every catechist present at the
CTC course. The CTC course made us very confident and grounded in our faith and
taught us the four step methodology of imparting this faith to our children, to come down to their level. This methodology
will help our children get a lasting spiritual experience of God's love, motivating them to attend Sunday school regularly. The CTC course not only made us qualified catechists but also taught us a way of life. It taught us true love for our students, effective ways to share with them the message of the gospel, to
help them grow and mature in their faith. We reflected on how we would want our children to remember their Catechism teacher
so that through our teaching they would radiate the love of Christ in their day to day living and through our example they
too would one day want to be Catechists. St. Paul very beautifully put it, when he exclaimed that he was no longer the old
Paul, but Christ who lives in him. The CTC stressed that we are not isolated teachers but a community of teachers. We are a group of catechists
with the same goals, sharing ideas and encouraging one other. We collaborated on presentations, used interesting teaching
aids relevant to the lessons and special projects which would make the class vibrant and every lesson an encounter with God.
We thank God for this opportunity and pray that whatever we learnt will take root and grow gradually with His help and our
sincere efforts. ZONE X - FEAST Daisy Sequeira We (Zone X) celebrated our Annual Zonal Feast in honour of our patron. St. Gonsalo Garcia, on Sunday 6th February
2011. Prior to the feast, a three day Triduum was conducted in both the sectors on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings,
wherein novena prayers were held along with intercessions. The 9.15am Mass was offered as the feast mass. We had a celebration at Cardinal Gracious Hall, St. Pius College
from 5pm to 9pm. We began with the hymn “Bind us together” followed by the novena prayer and a short reflection
on St. Gonsalo's life. Then, people were divided in 4 groups for games. Cake, cutlets,
and sandwiches were served along with cold drinks / tea. We played and we danced. Fr. Austin's sms was read to the people conveying his best wishes for the programme.
We had Fr. Lincoln Rebello to grace the meal. People enjoyed the tasty food, both veg and non-veg, along with the yummy Gulab
Jamuns. WOMENS DAY CELEBRATION AT PARISH LEVEL Jennifer Pinto The year 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day .The Women's Cell celebrated this occasion
at Parish Level on the 6th of March 2011.Every woman was made to feel special by being welcomed with pinup flowers. The liturgy
for all the three Masses was prepared by the Women's Cell. The theme selected was “The Voices of Women Speaking Through
Mother Earth.” The drastic similarity between the goodness and exploitation
of Mother Earth and Women was the main focus. Women have to be strong and patient under various arduous circumstances. This
was beautifully brought out and conveyed through a Hindi Song 'Itni shakti hume dena data …' That was sung Post Communion.
A special thanks to All The Women of St. Josephs Parish……. A WELCOME BREAK Daisy Sequeira and Marie Forbes On 12th Feb 2011 we, the Legion of Mary and the Women's Cell comprising of 18 members, along with Fr. Lincoln
and Sr. Anastasia went to Gorai. We started after the 7am Mass and during the journey we sang picnic songs in Konkani, Hindi and Tamil and enjoyed homemade sandwiches and cake, and also stopped on the way for hot vada-pav. We reached the place around 9.30am. Breakfast was ready for us: hot tea, omelettes and bread . Amidst lush greenery and around a statue of Our
Lady of Vailankanni we recited the
rosary. We then headed towards the beach walking through the village. We relaxed
on the beach enjoying the cool breeze and golas, coconut water and toddy As lunch time drew near we made our way back to the
cottage. The Catena was recited and the Legionaries had their meeting. Tea and biscuits were served. Then Sr. Anastasia's
game 'Ruffle Shuffle' made us all wake up from our sleep and kept us squealing with laughter. All good things must come to an end and we packed our bags and left
with happy memories of a very enjoyable picnic with a wonderful group of fellow parishioners. We thank both the Fathers
for their constant support and encouragement extended to our associations and their keen interest in all our activities. It was truly a day to remember. Zonal Picnic – Zone 6 & 10 Ruby Silveira 27th February 2011 was a memorable day for the members of Zone 6 and Zone 10 who went for a picnic to Madh Island.
We left by a specially arranged bus for our destination –Our Lady of the Sea Church - in the morning. On reaching there,
we had a delicious breakfast after which we participated in the Holy Mass. We then left for the beach where all of us – young and old - participated in the games organized for us.
We had great fun during the group activities. Soon it was time for a lip-smacking lunch. Prizes were then distributed to the winners of the games, while sweets
were given to all. After this, some of us went back to the beach while the others sat back and relaxed. We thank the Lord for bringing us together for the picnic. We also express our gratitude to all those who arranged
for our travel, food and games and ensured that we had a great time!! AN “ON-THE-SPOT” PICNIC - Zone 1 Piedade Fernandes On Feb.27,2011, after 09:15 a.m. Mass, we 80 people of St.Mark Zone, Sectors IA, IB and IC, gathered together
at St.Joseph's Ground to celebrate our Zonal picnic. We started our celebration with an opening prayer. Then, Mrs.Jessy and Miss Clara had games like Passing the
Parcel, Housie etc. for all ages. We were served samosas, after the games. Fr.Lincoln visited our spot and gave us a small talk on how we could unite ourselves in community fun. Lastly, we were served Chicken Biryani as lunch. We had a great time and felt that God had united our Zone I
as one Community in this activity. We thank Fr.Austin, Fr.Lincoln, our PPCs and our Animators for all the efforts taken by them to make this Picnic
a grand success. A Holiday Nicole Flanagan We were sitting around the table, My mom, my dad and sis, Suddenly dad asks, “Do y'all want to go to Paris?” “Paris!” we laughed “That's too far away, How about we go somewhere, That's closer to Bombay?” “That's a good idea,' said Mom, “So let's go by car,' I snapped my fingers together, “Goa it is! It's not very far!” So the plan was all set, We packed and headed out, People around knew we had gone, It spread by word of mouth. We reached Goa at noon, The sun was just overhead, “Hmm...This is the perfect time for beer,' Mom and Dad grinned and said. Later on in the day, We took a ride in the car, We passed various landscapes, Until we came to Aldona. We saw the old cathedrals, And the ancient ancestral homes, With their beautiful sculptures, And incredible domes. We enjoyed lunch at Britto's With sausages and Calamari, I didn't like their sorportel though, It was just too watery! We arrived back in Panjim, And decided to buy some clothes, We thought we would spend just a few hours, But we ended up buying loads! I enjoyed my stay in Goa, It was certainly a lot of fun, We even went to the Calangute beach, And played football in the sun! It was such a nice experience, That we decided to go next year, Mom and dad agreed at once, Smiling over their glasses of beer “Cheers!” THE WORD OF GOD -Marie Forbes – READ THE WORD Both Old and New That you may know the way To make yourself anew HEAR THE WORD Keep it in your heart For that's the only way For evil to depart PRAY THE WORD Just like the psalmists do For in the calmness of your soul You'll find joy and peace therein LIVE THE WORD For all the world to see That you love your neighbour as yourself And that's the way to be SHARE THE WORD To kith and kin,friend and foe That all may know THE WORD MADE FLESH was , is ,and Forever will be. Who'll build the Church, We'll build the Church! Chelsea Saldanha Going for collections, every weekend is rewarding - not only for
the spirit that it fills us with but also the knowledge that you are going to do God's work! I have been going off and on for almost two years now. And each visit to a new Church is filled with excitement,
fun, and most of all, 'Hope' that people will donate generously from their pockets as well as give us loads of love through
their prayers and best wishes. It's a miracle. Every single time. You feel so touched when you see the parishioners and the resident priests open their homes and their Church
to us. They not only make you feel welcome but make you feel like you are one of them. Some of the Churches we have visited,
have parishioners sharing their journey of the struggle they had to go through to build their Church and how they persevered
and endeavoured, with a never-say-die attitude: WE WILL HAVE A CHURCH! In God's good time, of course. Transport is arranged for us as well as refreshments and lunch, not to forget we get to know more parishioners
from our parish but who knows, you might end up meeting that schoolteacher you troubled back in your school days, or some
of your family and friends. Trust me; we keep meeting people who ask us, 'Do you know Mrs. X or Mr. Y from your area?' We go to the same Church on two consecutive weekends. The first weekend we go around handing out envelopes after
every mass. Fr. Austin is our PR guy. He gets people noticing us with his flair
for languages by pitching to them our need to build a Church. There is no fiction involved. He lays down the facts straight
and simple - who we are, where we are located, how much we have collected, how much more
we need and how they can help us. The following Sunday we go back to the same Church to collect the envelopes and have people drop them in our
boxes. Simple isn't it? I encourage those who have never gone through such an experience to sign up for this challenge. You go out not
only representing St. Joseph but you go out as a witness to Christ. Moreover, as witnesses of Christ, this is our first small
step - standing proudly with our sashes and caps and dabbas, asking for help from our own brethren. Also, don't worry about breakfast, tea, lunch, snacks, etc etc... Your mama won't recognise you after Fr. Austin
is done feeding you all the wadas and chai possible! ZONAL PICNIC OF ZONE 3 AND 7 @ National Park , Borivali Savio Abraham On Sunday 20th February , Zone 3 and Zone 7 went for a picnic to
the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali . There were a total of 55 people, including children and some youth . We gathered
outside the park at 9 am. We found a cosy spot right inside the park , which gave us the exotic feel of the place. We began
our day with an opening prayer by Fatima . We then had breakfast , which we had arranged . Everyone relished the soft idlis
and coconut chutney , which was followed by garam cutting chai . After breakfast, people were
asked to form a circle and introduce themselves , while the kids were busy climbing the trees around ! After the introduction
, we began with the games. Loreta , Valarmathi and Fatima , took the lead in organizing the games. We broke for Lunch at 0130 . Piping hot Chicken Biryani was arranged, which was enjoyed by everyone. We then
asked everyone to explore the park and report back at 3 pm. We ended the evening with a closing prayer by Fr Lincoln . It
was good to see everyone bonding together before we left the park , which was the main aim and motive of the picnic ! A VISIT TO THE SLUMS (AAREY COLONY) Carol Mary Shaju Sunday School - Std. VIII In one's busy life one often forgets the troubles and sufferings of others.
To remind us of this, we the students of Class VII and VIII were taken to visit the slum area in Aarey Colony. For our Faith Celebration Day, we were given the topic 'Housing'. We
learnt about various types of houses, their escalating prices and how about 40% of the Indian population live in slums thru'
a Presentation shown to us by Brother Paschal. We had various group discussions
on this also. Our catechism teachers thought that the best way of teaching us was to actually see the life in the slums and
hence took us to Aarey Colony, Goregaon (East). After the children's Mass, we reached Aarey by BEST Bus. From there
we walked around visiting houses and giving them grains, soaps, tooth paste, biscuits and other necessities we had brought
along. We saw the way the slum dwellers lived: no proper sanitation, no proper water supply and unhygienic living conditions. We talked to them, asked questions and listened to them. The government has launched numerous schemes to make life better for people living here. However, they have only a little effect. We saw that some
houses there had electricity and some toilets have been constructed by the government,
but very far from the houses of the people. We shared snacks, prayed with them, talked to them, listened to them and took back a lot of knowledge as to how
to live in difficult situations. We reached the church and dispersed, each thinking of a way to help such people, who just took what was given
to them but were not greedy and did not ask for more. I silently asked God, 'Why do you permit this?' God did not answer for a while. But he then answered suddenly 'I certainly did something about it- I made you!!' FAITH CELEBRATION FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL CHILDREN Josin & Melna Mathew and Jewelyn Fernandes On 13th February 2011, the Sunday School children of 7th & 8th Stds of St. Joseph Parish went for their Faith
Celebration to Asha Kiran, St Pius Seminary, Goregaon. We met up with other children
from Our Lady Of Rosary and St.Thomas for the half day program which began at 8:30 a.m. and concluded at around 1 p.m. The program commenced with a small prayer service by the children of Our Lady Of Rosary. Then followed the ice-breaker
to enable us to get to know each other and overcome the initial discomfort that we all face at such events. We were then divided
into different groups and we sat in our new groups and got acquainted with each other. This was followed by the enactment of skits by the three Parishes. Our skit was the first, on the topic 'Housing'. A few months before the Faith Celebration Day, we were shown slides by Br. Paschal
on our theme, Housing; i.e. people living in slums, buildings and towers. A month
back, our Catechists, Sr. Theresa Fernandes, and Maggie and Darryl Fernandez, took us on an excursion to the slum area of
Aarey Milk Colony to get a first hand feel of the living conditions in the slums and the steps being taken by the Government
to provide better quality alternate accommodation for the poor slum dwellers. After this practical education, we were better
equipped to emphasize and put real feeling into our skit. We are thankful to our catechists for the trouble and patience shown
by them in training us for the skit. Through our skit on 'Housing', we tried to convey the importance of sanitation and how
public and personal hygiene prevents diseases. We also explained how people who have plenty of resources must use them sparingly
so that there is enough for all. Our Message from the skit was : Welcome to the Government's plan to re-develop the slums. It is for the betterment
of our Children- they have the right to live in a good and healthy environment! Next, the children of Our Lady of Rosary Church presented a skit on 'Pollution.' They explained the pollution
created by the amount of garbage generated by each family. They also coined an interesting term, 'garbage diet,' which actually
encouraged reducing the use of synthetic and non-biodegradable substances. In this way they spread the important message of
keeping our environment clean and also conserving our resources for future generations.
The final skit on 'Leadership' was performed by the children of St. Thomas Parish. They spoke about the three
different types of leaders:- a. Social leaders b. Political leaders c. Religious leaders They also touched upon the qualities of a good leader and projected Jesus as a good leader. They instilled feelings
of leadership and love for our country in our hearts through this enlightening skit. Then we had a short reflection on the three skits and questions were asked to ensure that the lessons from the
skits were understood by all of us. We then had a short break for snacks, followed by a very interesting quiz. The half day programme ended with Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Joe. The
St. Joseph children were in-charge of the Mass Liturgy. Fr. Joe thanked us all. He also thanked our parents and said that without their support and co-operation,
our Faith Celebration Day would have not been such a memorable one. The Best Way to Celebrate Bible Sunday Afra D'Souza The Best Way to Celebrate Bible Sunday Afra D'Souza One more good reason for looking forward to Bible Sunday in our parish is the Bible quiz held every year on this
very day. The Bible Quiz was on the 6th of March in the Mass hall and was professionally conducted by none other than our
Quiz Master Mr Lawrence Sahayadass. This time, Lawrence took assistance from his team of confirmation students who are ever ready to help him. All the ten zones participated in the quiz. Brother Pascal's opening
prayer was very enlightening. The mass hall was filled our parishioners who had come to cheer the participants.
There were five rounds, three of which were on the 'Book of Genesis', Exodus and the letter from St. Jude related to
'Care for Creation'. The fourth round was on 'Environment,' a General Knowledge
round on matter outside the Bible and the fifth round was on the 'Life of St Francis of Assisi'. There were two lifelines,
one was 50-50 and the other was expert's advice. The expert advice was given by Sr. Theresa. This year the topics were quite vast and those who were lucky got away with easy questions and rightly guessed
answers. Lawrence had also prepared some questions for the audience. Overall
the session was good and the names of the three winning teams were announced after two or three tie breakers. Fr Austin, our Parish Priest said the closing prayer and then a few words of appreciation for the
great effort made year after year by Mr Lawrence Sahayadass. Names of the Quiz winners : Team Sector Names of the participants
Score Rank Deer Zone IV
Shirley & Dafney
50 I (by tie breaker) Whale Zone VI
Ashok Saldanha & Gar
y Mendonca 50 II (by tie breaker) Camel Zone VIII
Celine & Pearl Parikh
50 III (by tie breaker) Tiger Zone VII
Fabina & Reynold
45 IV - Consolation prize Winners from the audience were : Patricia, Sheldon & Eliza. I strongly feel there should be participation prizes for the remaining teams, even if it is a Rs. 10 chocolate.
This will motivate them further and be apt recognition of their courage in participating in the quiz in front of the whole
parish. Their names are : Zebra
Zone IX Rakhi D'souza & Clinton Rodrigues 40 V Panther Zone III
Patrick Sequira & Fatima Alphonso 35 VI Elephant Zone II
Percy & Vernon
30 VII Horse
Zone V
Maria Pereira & Joson Mathew
20 VIII Lion
Zone X
Renita D 'souza & Flavia 20 VIII Cheetah Zone I
Leon Rasquinha & Anthony
5
Chinnadurai A Day to Remember Marie Forbes On 8th March 2011, the world celebrated the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. For the Women's Cell
of our Parish it was an extra special day as 7 members along with Mrs Veera Davies and Sr. Thelma Fernandes from the Prison
Ministry of the Archdiocesan Women's Commission visited the Women's Jail at Byculla. We were at the tall iron gates of the prison at 0940hr. As we entered, we were excited, yet a bit wary of what
lay behind those towering walls. As one walks through the barracks the atmosphere instantly changes…we are greeted with
smiles and looks of expectation from women, not in uniforms as they are all under-trials. The cells hold about 150-200 (at
times the number goes up to even 400 we were told) women inmates of different ages, religions, communities and walks of life. As we mingled with them and listened to the stories narrated by housewives, chartered accountants, a cosmetic
surgeon, a few foreigners …we realized that these were ordinary women like us who have been justly or unjustly accused
of offences ranging from robbery, forgery, family disputes, drug trafficking, etc Our hearts went out to the little children
and infants, the innocent victims of crime, forced to live in the prison and also for those children left at home who have
to face the trauma of having a parent in prison. Our programme started with a prayer in Hindi and then we sang a song about a woman's feelings while in prison
which they all liked and related to. We then played Musical Arms and Bombing the Cities. Next we had a dance session and it was clear that they all love
to dance and the bonding between the inmates and the women home guards was evident when they all got onto the floor. Prizes
were given to the winners and biscuits were distributed to the children. At the request of Vera and Sr Thelma the Women's
Cell then performed an impromptu skit “The Prodigal Daughter” in Hindi which everyone enjoyed. The programme then
ended with us singing “ Itni Shakti
Hamein Dena Data” .and we wound up with a fellowship lunch at a nearby restaurant. The visit to the prison was a special and unique experience for each one of us. It touched us deeply and left
us with great admiration for those in the Prison Ministry Women's Day was well spent and we were truly thankful that we had the opportunity of encountering Jesus - “When
I was in prison you visited me “ and found love where we would expect to find hatred and bitterness. A Letter From God to Women When I
created the heavens and the earth, I spoke them into being. When I
created man, I formed him and breathed life into his nostrils. But you,
woman, I fashioned after I breathed the breath of life into man because
your nostrils are too delicate. I allowed
a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you. Man was
put to sleep so that he could not interfere with the creativity. From one
bone, I fashioned you. I chose
the bone that protects man's life. I chose
the rib, which protects his heart and lungs and supports him- as you are meant to do. Around
this one bone, I shaped you. I modeled
you, created you perfectly and beautifully. Your characteristics
are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile. You provide
protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart
is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life. The rib
cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart. Support
man as the rib cage supports the body. You were
not taken from his feet, to be under him; Nor were
you taken from his head, to be above him. You were
taken from his side, to stand beside him And be
held close to his side. You are
my perfect angel. You are
my beautiful little girl. You have
grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, And my
eyes fill when I see the virtues in your heart. Your eyes...
don't change them. Your lips,
how lovely when they part in prayer! Your nose,
how perfect in form! Your hands,
how gentle in touch! I've caressed
your face in your deepest sleep. I've held
your heart close to mine. Of all
that lives and breathes, you are most like me. Adam walked
with me in the cool of the day, yet he was lonely. He could
not see me or touch me. He could only feel me. So everything
I wanted Adam to share and experience with me, I fashioned
in you: my holiness, my strength, my purity, My love,
my protection and support. You are
special because you are an extension of me. Man represents
my image, woman my emotions. Together,
you represent the totality of God. So Man......treat
Woman well. Love her,
respect her, for she is fragile.
Author Unknown CIRCLE-SHIP – a new kind of Friendship Sr. Maureen Fonseca fhic Any friendship built on true love should automatically develop into what I would like to call a 'circleship',
the circumference of which could envelop the globe. Let me explain. The whole of humanity is one big family starting with Adam and Eve [Gen. 3:20] and created by God to share and
participate in His love and creative power. The basic ingredient of any friendship
is LOVE, be it with couples, siblings, families, classmates, neighbours or co-workers. Friendships are necessary to activate our full potential in order to live a happy, victorious and productive
life – physically, mentally and spiritually. But if friendship does not
include a 'circleship', it defeats its purpose and the 'Our Father' has no meaning, for we all belong to the family of God. So 'circleship' is not an option. We in Mumbai have a spectacular display every year of the excitement, joy and success of some kind of 'circleship'
called Dahi-handi (curd-pot) clubs operating during the festival of Janmashtami. Young
men and boys come forward to help break the clay pot hanging about 15 metres above the ground by forming a giant human pyramid
to reach it. Don't wait for natural disasters like the recent tsunami in Japan to enlist in a global circleship of humanitarian
aid of whatever kind. There are plenty of silent and hidden unethical tsunamis
lashing and smashing in bureaucracies, institutions, corporates, families and individuals. Before it's too late, let us make a start with the POWER of the Holy Spirit to combat the forces of evil by starting
in our parishes 'circleships' of prayer after every Sunday Mass, standing for a few minutes holding hands, heads bowed and
verbalizing a few blessings or intercessions connected to the Gospel message. If
cricket team players do so under the gaze of the whole world before the game starts, why can't we? Not to win the World Cup,
but to gain everlasting happiness. CNN's catch-phrase 'Go beyond borders' will do well in motivating us to break the 'ghetto' tendency in every
parish, where folks meet and talk to the same people Sunday after Sunday after Mass.
There are many 'loners' in every parish who need to be freed from their bondages.
Getting them to join your 'circleship' of prayer is a highly rewarding challenge you can undertake for the glory of
God and love of neighbour. But let this 'circleship' not be confined only to
the parish. A circle is a sign of unity, equality and strength and when God is its centering force, it is capable of breaking
the deadly destructive power of any tsunami. Who will make this start? If it is you, be ready for a tsunami of
blessings in your life! Amen.
Shishu Welfare Trust of India - Gladys Pandhi After much planning and deliberation, we scheduled
our visit to Bal Vikas, an orphanage and adoption centre, nestling-between the
residential apartments of Valentine Complex, Malad East. for Saturday 29th January
2011 About 10 of us equipped with parcels of baby diapers and detergent powders reached Shishu Bhavan
at the allotted time. We were greeted by the coordinator and ushered straight into the kids' play area. Bal Vikas houses about 65 inmates ranging from the age group of 0 (just born) to 7 – 8 years. We were told that children of school going age attend the nearby schools. In the play area around 20 kids ranging from 8 months to 4 years in age were playing with one another.. Some were very young, while others could babble. As we entered, they all looked
at us in wonderment and awe. While playing with them, one could not help wondering what the future holds for them. The irony
was that most of them had been abandoned by their own parent/s and they are being
taken care of by complete strangers. We were informed that one particular 3 year
old girl child was abandoned by her mother probably because she was a girl child! Our short visit set us thinking of what we can do to make the situation better. For days the faces of these innocent children, their smiles and deep gaze lingered on. To begin with, we did spread the word around and we know more people have visited Bal Vikas. PARISH FEAST CELEBRATIONS Our Parish Feast celebrations got off to a start with the Triduum from 17th to 19th March 2011, on the topic: VERBUM DOMINE- The Word of God. The topic was dealt with under headings namely 1: Understanding the Word ;Day 2: Encountering the Word ; and Day 3: Proclaiming the Word. The preacher
for day one and three was Fr. Mario Mendes and for the second day, it was Fr. Roland Fialho. The preachers, with appropriate
use of audio-visual aids and examples and scholarship, explained this document in an easy and understandable way. The Triduum Masses were well attended and the parish choir and associations delegated to animate the Masses,
did their best to lead us in prayerful worship. The Feast Mass was scheduled for Sunday 20th March in the morning. But due to a local festival, we rescheduled
the Feast Mass and Fellowship to the evening hour. The Main celebrant for the Mass was Bishop Percival Fernandez and the Mass
was concelebrated by Fr. Austin and Fr. Lincoln. Bishop enlightened us on the role of St. Joseph as “ the Keeper and
the Doer of the Word.”. The Feast Mass was celebrated amidst festive surroundings, with a lovely backdrop crafted by
our Parish Liturgical Art Team and the choir, altar servers, the lectors and Eucharistic ministers, sacristans and ushers, all contributed to make the Mass indeed a ‘Feast Mass’..!! Fr. Austin
thanked one and all for their unstinted support in making our little parish a BIG hearted one. The fellowship that followed, consisting of games and food stalls- was a happy experience. Being the evening
hour people generally stayed back, relaxed and took part in the fun and frolic. Thanks to all the PPC and SCC members and
volunteers for their active support and cooperation, in making the festivities a grand success. Clues 1) May - Month of the .... 2) Jesus washes the Disciples feet at the Last .... 3) Patron of Throat Illnesses St. .... 4) Jesus Triumphal entry into Jerusalem 5) Feb 5 -Indian St. born in Bassein St. … 6) 3 April - Mid-Lent or .... Sunday 7) Governor who sentenced Jesus to Death 8) 1 May .... Sunday 9) ‘The Place of the Skull’ in Hebrew 10) 13 May O.L. of .... 11) Pontiff : Make Home a .... School 12) Secret disciple who lowered and buried Jesus 13) 27 May St. .... of Canterbury 14) Easter Sunday - ... of Jesus 15) 31 May The .... of Bl.Birgin Mary 16) Disciple who betrayed Jesus 17) 16 Apr St. .... of Lourdes 18) He carried the cross behind Jesus 19) 29 Apr St. .... of Siena 20) Good Friday -
The .... of Jesus Hello
Children, Put on
your thinking caps and solve this Puzzle, even if you have to get help from Mom and Dad and the rest of the Family. Rush your
answers to Sr. Maureen, by 30th May, 2011, the latest. Name:
Address
: Std. Tel. No.: Winners of the Feb 2011 - Mar 2011 Quiz Dhruv Athaide Gabriel D’Souza Liorah Monteiro Astor Fernandes Leon Rasquinha Clyde Rasquinha A TOURNAMENT TO REMEMBER Afra D'Souza For the first time, something whacky happened in our parish on the 13th of February at the Yashodham grounds.
Fr. Lincoln along with his gang of youth organised something unique. It was called the 'WHACKY CRICKET TOURNAMENT'. All the zones sent their teams comprising uncles, aunts, youth and even children. It was something unique because there were extraordinary rules, extraordinary umpires (in the sense they played
as well as did the umpiring), extraordinary teams (i.e. comprising of adults and children) and extraordinary spectators who
not only cheered their own team but the other teams as well. We were asked to assemble at 10.30 am and note down our match schedule which was
prepared in advance along with the timings of the match. Soon the atmosphere
was full of fun and laughter, not forgetting the dust filled air, as everyone started their practice on the day itself, unlike
the Indian Team. It was nice to see the aunties trying to get the ball on the bat. There were many snack and soft drinks stalls
put up. The youth group dressed in red Josephite T-shirts were looking smart.
Fr. Lincoln assigned them certain responsibilities like updating the score-board, umpiring, and taking care of discipline
and the rules of the game. The focal point was the table which was adorned with trophies shining brightly in the sun. It was fun watching the match. The participants put up the best show they could. Everyone played in the spirit
of the game. The matches were more fun-filled than competitive. Soon it was growing dark and the final overs were reduced. It was 5pm and time for the awards. The following participants received the awards : The
best youth (female) – Anita Menezes The
best youth (male) –
Edwin Lobo The
best adult (female) – Mabel D'Souza The
best adult (male)
– Edgar Mascarenhas The
winning team
– Sai Baba Complex, Zone
IV The
Runner Up –
NNP Warriors, Zone VIII There was a feeling of happiness, fun and togetherness in this tournament. Anxiously waiting for the 'Whacky
Cricket Tournament – 2012'. The Feast of Passover Mrs. Lucy N. Passover is one of the most important religious festivals in the Jewish calendar. Jews celebrate the Feast of
Passover to commemorate the liberation of the Children of lsrael, who were led
out of Egypt by Moses. The Story of Passover is told in the Book Of Exodus. The Children of Israel had been slaves in Egypt for 210 years. God promised he would release them from slavery,
but not before Pharaoh had refused their release and God had visited ten plagues on Egypt to demonstrate his power St Joseph Church Goregaon East celebrated The Passover meal on 29th March 2011. The main celebrant was Fr. Gerard
Rodriguez. 40 parishioners took part in this celebration. The Mass hall was well decorated with lovely drapes. Tables were set in place and were laid with a variety of
food items each of which had a symbolic affiliation.... • Unleavened bread
which is eaten symbolically three times during the meal. • Lamb meat to represent
paschal sacrifice. • An egg to represent
sacrifice, but which also has another symbolism. Food usually becomes soft and digestible when cooked, but eggs become harder.
So the egg symbolises the Jews' determination not to abandon their beliefs under oppression by the Egyptians. • Lettuce to represent
new life. • Salt water to
represent a slave's tears. • Four cups of wine
to recall the four times God promised freedom to the Israelites, and to symbolise liberty and joy • Charoset (a paste
made of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine) we used RED SAUCE to represent the mortar used by the Israelites to build the palaces
of Egypt. • An extra cup of
wine was placed on the table and the door is left open for Elijah. The participants washed each other's feet symbolising humbelness. Special Scripture readings with in-depth explanation
of each occurrence. The food was eaten in a ritual order which Fr Gerard explained its meaning and symbolism. It is the first
time that I have participated in such an event. It was indeed a wonderful feeling.
No wonder Passover meal is also called ''The Festival of Freedom " and is a celebration of freedom, not just in Biblical times,
but its importance to the individual today and throughout history. FORTHCOMING EVENTS ·
16th April ·
Lenten Pilgrimage to ·
Thane District Churches ·
23rd April ·
Easter Vigil Service at 8.30pm with Baptisms ·
17th April ·
Palm Sunday: ·
Blessing of Palms ·
at 8 am with Mass. ·
24th April ·
Easter Sunday ·
Just one Mass at 8 am. ·
18-19-20 - April ·
Confessions 6pm to 8pm: ·
On 20 April from 10 -12 noon ·
30th April ·
First Holy Communion Day ·
Mass at 8.30 am ·
21st April ·
Maundy Thursday: Mass at 7.30pm ·
1st May ·
Feast of St. Joseph the Worker: ·
Maharashtra Day ·
Month of May ·
Rosary at the convent Grotto ·
everyday at 6.30pm ·
22nd April ·
Good Friday ·
Day of Fast and Abstinence.
·
Way of the Cross ·
7 am in Hindi; 8 am in Konkani; ·
9 am in English for children; ·
10 am for adults ·
Service of the Lord's Passion ·
& Veneration at 6.00pm ·
3rd June ·
Novena in preparation for Pentecost ·
12th June ·
Feast of Pentecost Sunday School Re-opens *****************************************************
Parish Bulletin for -February - March 2011 My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards…..!! Amazing but true.. one month of 2011 is over…
and before you say “ My gosh…” we will be wishing each other: “Happy Parish Feast” ..such is
the juggernaut of “time”- the mean machine….!! But don't despair…..!! There are many hours in a day
and many moments in those hours, which can and will be special and “kairotic”- where God will touch our lives in and through the various Feasts and Liturgical celebrations. One such kairotic moment is the happy celebration
of the Silver Jubilee of the Late Pope John Paul II's visit to Mumbai and India way back in February 1986. Pope JP II”s
tenure was a path breaking one for the church and he touched so many lives, especially
of young people. His impending beatification is a testimony to his impact and efficacy.
“Our little parish with a BIG heart” has the unique privilege
of celebrating our Patronal Feast of St. Joseph in the heart of Lent… and
so be it… a welcome break on our journey to Calvary… a repast to further strengthen us to go the whole hog. St.
Joseph is our silent intercessor, egging us on to great heights in terms of our discipleship of Jesus and in our dream of
our very own Church Building and Presbytery 'in God's Good Time'. The month of March is the scary month of exams and
tests and “finals” and what seems to be a near-death experience for all – students and parents, mentors
and educators. But this is another kairotic moment or month which affords us the singularly warm and enabling companionship
of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who walks with us, strengthening us each
step of life's way. “Follow me” – He says..!! Our Blessed Mother, whom we honour under the title
of “Our Lady of Lourdes”..and who is universally celebrated with many efficacious titles also helps us along the
Via-Dolorosa. Our world, which is vitiated from all sides – weather-wise, nations in turmoil, economies on the brink
and people on the edge- surley can do with the calming and motherly touch of Our Blessed Mother, who can soothe us into calm
and composed adherence to what will make our life productive and worth living. So as we look forward to the ongoing kairotic moments
and benefit from them, let us pray for one another especially for our students and First
Communicants, who are in the preparatory mode in more ways than one. We look forward to your community reports, poems, articles, recipes and art work, so that a selection of the same may be printed
in the forthcoming issue of our Parish Bulletin. May St. Joseph bless us all and may Our Blessed Mother continue to intercede
for us. Happy Feast and God Bless..!! Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-charge Pope's Message for 2011 World Day of the Sick “The Cross Is God's 'Yes' to Mankind" VATICAN CITY, DEC. 19, 2010
(Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of Benedict XVI's message for the 19th World Day of the Sick, which will be observed Feb.
11, on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The Vatican press office published the message Saturday. Dear brothers and sisters! Every year, on the occasion
of the memorial of the Blessed Virgin of Lourdes, which is celebrated on Feb. 11, the Church proposes the World Day of the
Sick. This circumstance becomes, as the venerable John Paul II desired, the propitious occasion to reflect on the mystery
of suffering and, above all, to make our communities and civil society more sensitive to sick brothers and sisters. If every
man is our brother, much more are the weak, the suffering and those needful of care, and they must be at the center of our
attention, so that none of them feel forgotten or marginalized; in fact, "the true measure of humanity is essentially determined
in relationship to suffering and to the sufferer. This holds true both for the individual and for society. A society unable
to accept its suffering members and incapable of helping to share their suffering and to bear it inwardly through 'com-passion'
is a cruel and inhuman society" ("Spe Salvi," No. 38). May the initiatives that individual dioceses promote on the occasion
of this day be a stimulus to make care for the suffering more and more effective, also in view of the solemn celebration that
will take place at the Marian shrine in Altötting in Germany. 1. I still have in my heart
the moment when, during the course of the pastoral visit to Turin, I was able to pause in reflection and prayer before the
sacred Shroud, before that suffering countenance, that invites us to meditate on him who took upon himself man's suffering
of every age and place, even our sufferings, our difficulties, our sins. Contemplating him is an invitation to reflect on
what St. Peter writes: "By his wounds we have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24). The Son of God has suffered,
he has died, but he is risen, it is precisely because of this that those wounds become the sign of our redemption, of our
forgiveness and reconciliation with the Father; they become, however, a test for the faith of the disciples and our faith:
every time that the Lord speaks of his passion and death, they do not understand, they reject it, they oppose it. Even the
apostle Thomas manifests the difficulty of believing in the redemptive way of suffering: "Unless I see the mark of the nails
in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe" (John 20:25). But before
Christ who shows his wounds, his response is transformed into a moving profession of faith: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). 2. Dear sick and suffering
ones, it is precisely through the sufferings of the Christ that we are able to see, with eyes of hope, all the maladies that
afflict humanity. Rising, the Lord did not take away suffering and evil from the world, but he defeated them at their root.
To the arrogance of Evil he opposed the omnipotence of his Love. He has shown us, then, that the way of peace and joy is Love:
"As I have loved you, so must you love one another" (John 13:34). St. Bernard said: "God cannot
suffer, but he can suffer with." God, who is Truth and Love in person, wanted to suffer for us and with us; he became man
to suffer with man, in a real way, in flesh and blood. Into every human suffering, then, there has entered One who shares
suffering and endurance; he offers consolation in all suffering, the consolation of the participating love of God, which makes
the star of hope rise (cf. "Spe salvi," 39). I repeat this message to you,
dear brothers and sisters, so that you become witnesses through your suffering, your life and your faith. 3. Looking forward to the meeting
in Madrid, in August 2011, for World Youth Day, I would also like to address a special thought to young people, especially
those who live the experience of sickness. Dear young people, learn to
"see" and to "meet" Jesus in the Eucharist, where he is present for us in a real way, to the point of making himself food
for the journey, but know how to recognize and serve him also in those brothers who are poor, sick, suffering and in difficulty,
who have need of your help (cf. ibid., 4). To all of you young people, sick and healthy, I repeat the invitation to create
bridges of love and solidarity, so that no one feels alone, but near to God and part of the great family of his children (cf.
General Audience, November 15, 2006). 4. Contemplating Jesus' wounds
our gaze turns to his most sacred Heart in which God's love manifests itself in the supreme way. Especially you, dear sick
ones, should feel the nearness of this Heart full of love and draw from this font with faith and with joy, praying: "Water
from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. O good Jesus, hear me. In your wounds, hide me" (Prayer
of St. Ignatius of Loyola). 5. At the end of this message
of mine for the next World Day of the Sick, I would like to express my affection to each and every one, feeling myself a participant
in the sufferings and hopes that you have daily in union with Christ crucified and risen, that he give you peace and healing
of the heart. May the Virgin Mary keep watch over you together with him. We invoke her confidently under the titles Health
of the Infirm and Consoler of the Suffering. Dear brothers and sisters,
for this World Day of the Sick, I also invite the political authorities to invest more and more in health systems that are
a help and a support for the suffering, above all the poorest and the most needy, and, addressing all the dioceses, I offer
an affectionate to the bishops, the priests, consecrated persons, seminarians, health workers, volunteers and all of those
who dedicate themselves with love to care for and sooth the wounds of every sick brother or sister, in hospitals or nursing
homes, in families: in the faces of the sick know how to see always the face of faces -- that of Christ. I assure everyone a remembrance
in my prayer, while I impart to each of you a special apostolic blessing. From the Vatican, Nov. 21,
2010, Feast of Christ the King of the Universe Mini Reflections on the Sorrowful Mystery Sr. Maureen Fonseca,
fhic 1) Agony in the Garden: Praying in solitude is painful
and frightening. We need close friends to pray with us. Peter, James and John fell asleep. We too can be insensitive (fall
asleep) to the pain of others and leave them alone. But even if our best friends
desert us, God will send His Angels to comfort us. 2) Scourging at the pillar: Jesus could not run away when
He was whipped because He was tied to a pillar. We too can suffer a lot of
whipping through words, actions or inactions of others when we are trapped in a situation (e.g. a marriage, a business deal,
sickness, a loss, a mistake, etc.) from which we cannot escape. Take the whipping like
Jesus did though it will not be even 1% of what Jesus suffered. 3) Crowning with thorns: This was not only a mockery
of His true Kingship of the Universe but also caused pain to the most important and sensitive part of our body – the
brain, which made Him suffer physically, emotionally and spiritually – for He was, is, and always will be, the King
of Kings. When we are ridiculed
or snubbed and lose our reputation (even by gossip) or are tense, worried or afraid, we can feel tortured physically, mentally,
emotionally or spiritually – wear that crown of thorns like Jesus did. 4) Carrying of the Cross: Instead of being rushed to
the ICU of the nearest hospital, Jesus had to carry the heavy cross up the hill of Calvary.
He practiced what He had preached earlier: “If anyone wishes to be my friend, let him take up his cross and follow
Me to death on that cross.” No way of getting rid of it - till we die. 5) Jesus dies on the Cross: We all have to die –
painfully. But will we have peace and resignation in our hearts or will we be
angry or curse God for the pain? If we keep our eyes focused
on Jesus as we die in (go through) our daily crosses lovingly and peacefully, then we will have the grace to face our final
death with courage, peace and joy. Amen On St. Joseph, the Legal Father of Jesus He "Looks to the Future With
Confidence and Courage" Dear brothers and sisters! On this fourth Sunday of Advent
the Gospel of St. Matthew tells us how the birth of Jesus came about, taking the perspective of St. Joseph. He was the betrothed
of Mary, who, "before they lived together, was found to be with child by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 1:18). The
Son of God, realizing an ancient prophecy (cf. Isaiah 7:14), became man in the womb of a virgin, and such a mystery simultaneously
manifests the love, wisdom and power of God on behalf of humanity wounded by sin. St. Joseph is presented as a "just man"
(Matthew 1:19), faithful to God's law, ready to do his will. On account of this he enters into the mystery of the Incarnation
after an angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream and tells him: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your
wife with you. In fact the child that has been conceived in her comes from the Holy Spirit; she will give birth to a son and
you will call him Jesus: he in fact will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). Forgetting the thought of repudiating
Mary in secret, he takes her in because his eyes now see the work of God in her. St. Ambrose comments that "in
Joseph there was amiability and the figure of a just man to make the quality of his witness more worthy" (Exp. Ev. sec. Lucam
II, 5: CCL 14,32-33). "He," Ambrose continues, "could not have contaminated the temple of the Holy Spirit, the Mother of the
Lord, the fruitful womb of the mystery" (ibid. II, 6: CCL 14, 33). Although he had been concerned, Joseph "did as the angel
of the Lord ordered him," certain of doing the right thing. Also giving the name "Jesus" to that child who rules the entire
universe, he enters into the ranks of the faithful and humble servants, like the angels and prophets, like the martyrs and
the apostles -- in the words of ancient eastern hymns. St. Joseph proclaims the wonders of the Lord, witnessing Mary's virginity,
the gratuitous deed of God, and caring for the earthly life of the Messiah. So, we venerate the legal father of Jesus (Code
of Canon Law, 532), because the new man takes form in him, who looks to the future with confidence and courage, does not follow
his own project, but entrusts himself totally to the infinite mercy of him who fulfills the prophecies and inaugurates the
season of salvation. Dear friends, to St. Joseph,
universal patron of the Church, I would like to entrust all pastors, exhorting them to offer "to faithful Christians and the
whole world the humble and daily proposal of the words of Christ" (Letter Proclaiming the Year for Priests). May our life
be evermore conformed to the person of Jesus, precisely because "the one who is himself the Word takes on a body, he comes
from God as a man and draws the whole of man's being to himself, bearing it into the Word of God" ("Jesus of Nazareth," San
Francisco, 2008, 334). Let us invoke the Virgin Mary with confidence, the one who is full of grace, "adorned by God," so that
at Christmas, which is already near, our eyes may open and see Jesus, and the heart rejoice in this wondrous encounter of
love. (Pope Benedict XVI, December 19th, 2010, Vatican City) The Stranger... A while ago, my Dad met a stranger
who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated
with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our
family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on. As I grew up, I never questioned
his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me
good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger...he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours
on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies. If I wanted to know anything
about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able
to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger
never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind. Sometimes, Mom would get up
quietly while the rest of us were shushingeach other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet.
(I wonder now if she ever prayed for thestranger to leave.) Dad ruled our household with
certain moral convictions, but the strangernever felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in
our home... Not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that
burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger
encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipesdistinguished. He talked freely (much too
freely!) about sex. His comments weresometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. I now know that my early concepts
about relationships were influencedstrongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he
was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave. More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family.
He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as hewas at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den
today, you would still find him sitting
over in his corner, waiting for someone tolisten to him talk and watch him draw his pictures. Categorically, he destroyed
all the moral values, ethics, love, time foreach other and other good qualities we had in our family…..whilst addingsome
unnoticeable quantity of positive stuff also, which any way we wouldhave had even without him…… His name?....
.. . We just call him 'TV.’ (Note: This should be required
reading for every household!)He has a wife now....We call her 'Computer.’Their first child is "Cell Phone". Second child "I Pod" Mitchelle Coutinho Our life is now dependent not
on the air we breathe but the onions we eat. Everyone in India is faced with one calamity after another. Now it's the vegetable
prices that have soared beyond our home expense budgets. And who is this pinching the most? The common man, i.e., you and
me. Yes the Prime Minister intervened,
stopped export of the dear vegetable so that adequate supply is met internally. But on 14th January, 2010, a statement released
from the PMOs office stated that it has limited leverage over vegetables and fruit soaring prices. And so we are left to make
both ends meet with our limited means. Oh yes, there is a committee
organized and it will be headed by all -powerful babus say they will do all they can to regularize the prices. Stringent action
will be taken against those who hoard, and hike prices. We have heard this a million times over. Well, to the common man, the
Five Year Plan is just like the CWG games: everyone in it can broaden their horizons by emptying the government coffers. And
how will the Government then deal with the other segments that desperately need the funding? Simply - increase the tax burden.
So from every side, it is the common man who is made to slog from dawn to dusk and that is still insufficient. Chalta hai toh chalne doh is
the attitude flitting around the Halls of Parliament. And subordinates always act like their seniors and so this is the state
of business everywhere. Nothing substantial is done for the betterment of the people nor is there a backup plan in case of
scarcity or a price rise like we are facing. When the country's economic GDP depends on the agricultural output - and there
in the fields, the farmers toil with vintage tools to augment their productivity, how can anything be done? Well, all we can do is pray
for those decision makers, pray for those lobbyists and pray for ourselves. When we pray in one voice, God is sure to hear
us. I feel sad for the state of
play that we are all placed in today. But we should compliment ourselves on the way we adjust to this muddled field. We stretch
our minds and bodies to overcome every hurdle and teach our children to do the same. We are fighters of the 21st century and
nothing can bring us down. It is these inadequacies of the country that make us stronger individuals, developed thinkers with
spirited gusto. So there is a flipside to the shortcomings, let us look at these….. and sometimes, smile. Mummy, who is a MAOIST? Savio Abraham Till yesterday, our children
had a question, Mummy, who is a Terrorist? To which the child himself has found the answer today, thanks to our Bollywood
films, which have religiously dedicated a dozen films already to terrorism and also the hour long debates on news channels
about Terrorism! I am sure every child in India today knows who a terrorist is! Today, the same child asks
a different question, Who is a Maoist? And mummy could have answered this question , if only the TV hadn't been hijacked by
daily soaps like ' Bigg Boss ', KBC , Rakhi ka Insaaf , just to name a few ! But who are these Maoists? Where are they from?
What do they want? I think, I have found the answer in the word MAOIST itself! 'MAOISTS – Men At Operations In States
They Suffer! 'And surprisingly, that's exactly what a Maoist is! He/she is from a group of people from the backward and ignored
places of our country, where they are treated like cattle, where their women are raped by the guardians of law, where they
haven't seen a bridge in their village, to cross from one side to the other- and one day finally they decide to take up their weapons and fight against the system! There are more than 4-5 states in INDIA , infested by the MAOISTS . They plan guerilla-
style attacks, burn down police stations, kidnap policemen and then behead them, just to name a few of their day to day activities. It's indeed a pity that the very India, that donates 1 Million dollars as aid to a tsunami struck Haiti,
cannot build a decent road, or even bring in basic development that is ignored
in poor villages and small towns in poorer states! MAOISTS say they have suffered enough from the hands of the corrupt politicians
and the police, who have exploited them for years and now it's time to fight back to obtain their rights! Here is the difference
between a terrorist and a MAOIST . A terrorist fights against the country, a MAOIST fights against a system! But the big questions
still lies unanswered, Is violence a solution to their problem? As someone once said, 'Violence is never a solution to a problem,
but it raises the need to resolve the problem '! So, are the MAOISTS right in what they are doing? Is the Indian government
right in not sending the army to wipe out the menace of MAOISTS! Because MAOISM is derived from Communism, which like Islam
is often misunderstood for its teachings. And if that was the case, one would ask, are terrorists and Maoists the same? Both
kill innocent people, one in the name of religion and another in the name of region! It's an ongoing debate! I often feel there is a lot
to be learnt from, what happened to the LTTE in Sri Lanka: A violent group, that shot to popularity after assassinating Rajiv
Gandhi , who fought with the Sri Lankan government with the mission to form a
different country within Sri Lanka. They were nothing less, than MAOISTS are today in India. But what has happened to them today? They have been wiped out from the map
of Sri Lanka. Thanks to a dictator like President Rajpaksa who, without caring about the UN's Human Rights rules and laws,
went ahead in wiping out the menace from Sri Lanka. Was he right in doing so? Should the Indian government, send in the army,
and wipe out the menace? Our Home
Minister, P Chidambaram has said, ''MAOISTS are one of the biggest internal security threats to India'. What conclusion can
one draw from that statement? Yes, indeed it's a threat, a growing threat. What's the solution? Maoists never agree to come
for talks with the government, they cite odd reasons for this, raising the question again, whether, there is more to their
activities than just an honest, violent struggle for their rights ? Are you listening Ms Arundhati
Roy , probably the only dedicated sympathiser of the Maoists in India ? ! Probably, before even I end this article, the Maoists
might have already killed a few policemen somewhere in West Bengal or in Gadchiroli.
It's not finished. It won't be long, before the child asks the next question, Mummy, what's saffron terror??? JESUS THE ENVIRONMENTALIST Do you know that,
Jesus is one of the greatest Environmentalists? Read how. There are many reasons for
the environmental degradation of the present time. If we follow the example of
Jesus' life and his words from the Bible many of today's environmental problems would
be minimised or solved. The following are the root
causes of environmental problems and the solutions offered by Jesus: 1. Consumerist culture: Due to the increase in the purchasing
power of the rich, consumption has increased. When consumption increases, production
increases. Naturally, increase in both consumption and production increases the pollution. One of the latest news reports
says that, the new residence 'Antilia' of Mukesh Ambani consumes electricity equal to 7000 average Mumbai homes. This is one
example how desire coupled with money power can adversely affect the environment. Against this kind of culture
Jesus' great apostle says: “For we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have
food and clothing we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many
foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”
(St Paul to Timothy) 2. Hoarding by a few: Though the overall wealth
of the earth keeps increasing, its distribution is not equitable. The rich few hoard so much, tha, it is enough to feed all
the poor of the world. Thus hoarding by the rich section of the society creates imbalance between human wants and nature's
capacity to replenish the same. Against hoarding Jesus says,
"Do not save riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. Instead, save
riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal. For your heart
will always be where your riches are." (Matthew). 3. Increase in desires: As science and technology
progresses, new gadgets are discovered. Human desires keep increasing as the new discoveries are made. Say a decade ago just
one electronic item each like a telephone, TV, computer was used by an entire family. Today multiple numbers of these items
are used by most families. This increase in human desires has a direct bearing on production patterns, which in turn adversely
affect the environment. Against uncontrolled desires,
Jesus practices what he preaches, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has
nowhere to lay His head”. (Mathew) 4. Security based on material things and worry about the
future: Before the industrial revolution began, the agrarian society depended more on nature's (God's) providence. The primitive
generation lived one day at a time, with minimum material things. But the present generation puts their faith in material
security due to the competitive kind of life style. While sending His disciples
to preach Jesus says, “As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Heal the sick,… “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—
no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. (Matthew). Again about worry
of the future, Jesus says, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew) The above are the few root
causes for the present environmental degradation and the solutions provided in the Bible. If we have to minimise or solve
the present environmental crisis, we have to follow the example of Jesus and his words. Perhaps, this may be a tall order.
Though we may not able to literally change our life style and live the way Jesus lived, we can at least imbibe in us the spirit
of Jesus' life and His Words. (Courtesy: The Green Earth
Movement- Panvel) Prayer for the Staff of Life Phyllis de Souza Due to a quirk of
some unkind pressure, Bakers have sad
news now to usher. They will not be
given good quality flour, And the breakfast
spread will surely be sour. Mounds of butter
will pile sans bread, Imagine the measure
the baker will tread, He'll hop around
with loaves in his box, High priced loaves,
such a paradox! No piece-de-resistance
of the Irani tea shop, No piping hot pudding
in a fat dollop, Picturesque Pau
Baji stalls will vanish, Willy-nilly, the
main-in-the-street will famish. Dear God, our Daily
Bread do give us, In this our living,
commuting, working circus. Do hear the Bombayman's
humble prayer, That the government
gives us wheat on the square. LIFE Veronica Dias Life is never fair, And don't you know
it, Just when you're
down and out, It will kick you
in the butt. Slimming, exercise,
yoga, dieting, You do everything
to keep fit, Then Phutt, out of the blue, You don't know with
what you've been hit. Life is short, so
live it your best, It's just a journey
to a heavenly quest, Only of death are
you really certain, So why not prepare
for a beautiful return. Saints For Our Edification SAINT BLAISE Feastday: February 3 Patron of Throat Illnesses Many Catholics might remember
Saint Blaise's feast day because of the Blessing of the Throats that took place on this day. Two candles are blessed, held
slightly open, and pressed against the throat as the blessing is said. Saint Blaise's protection of those with throat troubles
apparently comes from a legend that a boy was brought to him who had a fishbone stuck in his throat. The boy was about to
die when Saint Blaise healed him. Very few facts are known about
Saint Blaise. We believe he was a bishop of Sebastea in Armenia who was martyred under the reign of Licinius in the early
fourth century. The legend of his life that
sprang up in the eighth century tell us that he was born in to a rich and noble family who raised him as a Christian. After
becoming a bishop, a new persecution of Christians began. He received a message from God to go into the hills to escape persecution.
Men hunting in the mountains discovered a cave surrounded by wild animals who were sick. Among them Blaise walked unafraid,
curing them of their illnesses. Recognizing Blaise as a bishop, they captured him to take him back for trial. On the way back,
he talked a wolf into releasing a pig that belonged to a poor woman. When Blaise was sentenced to be starved to death, the
woman, in gratitude, sneaked into the prison with food and candles. Finally Blaise was killed by the governor. Blaise is the patron saint of
wild animals because of his care for them and of those with throat maladies. In His Footsteps: Take time as Saint Blaise did
to find out how you can help wild animals. Find out what is being done to support and protect the wildlife in your area. There
is wildlife everywhere, even in cities. Even a birdfeeder can help God's creatures survive. SAINT GONSALO GARCIA (1556 – 5 February 1597)
St. Gonsalo Garcia was a Roman
Catholic saint from India. Born in the western coastal town of Vasai, an exurb of the city of Bombay,[1] he preached from
the Bassein fort during the time the town was under Portuguese colonial rule. The feast of St. Garcia has traditionally been
held on the first Sunday nearest to the neap tide following Christmas in Vasai.[1] Early history Gonsalo Garcia was born Gundi
Slavus Garcia to a Portuguese father and a Canarese (resident of the Konkan coast) mother in Bassein, on February 5, 1557.
He was the right hand of father St. Peter Baptist Superior of Franciscan mission in Japan. He was tutored by Fr. Sebastião
Gonçalves, a Jesuit priest working in Vasai, in the college near Bassein fort. Garcia studied under the tutelage of the Jesuits
for eight years from 1564 to 1572. Then, at the age of fifteen, Fr. Sebastião took Garcia to Japan. He soon managed to learn
the language and since was seen as an affable person; he soon became popular in the local community as a catechist. He resigned
and left to Alcao to set up trade. His business prospered and branches were opened in different locales in Southeast Asia. Gonsalo's long cherished dream
to be a Jesuit did not materialise and moved on to Manila in the Philippines as a lay missionary. In the Philippines, he was
influenced by a Franciscan priest, Fr. Peter Baptista and soon joined the Seraphic Order as a lay brother. After working with
the leprosy patients there he was formally ordained as a Franciscan as the Friars Minor at Manila. Martyrdom On May 26, 1592, the Spanish
governor in the Philippines sent Gonsalo on a diplomatic mission back to Japan along with Baptista. After working for four
years, the Japanese shogun suspected the missionaries of sedition and were placed under house arrest in their monastery in
Miaco (Kyoto) on 8 December 1596. A few days afterwards, when they were singing vespers, they were arrested, manacled and
immured. On January 3, 1597, the left
ears of twenty-six confessors among them Garcia, were exscinded; but were then collected in reverence by the local Christians.
On February 5, Garcia was crucified on Nagasaki Hills with twenty six of his companions. St. Garcia was the first to be extended
on, and nailed to, the cross, which was then erected in the middle of those of his companions. Fr. Gonsalo, the first to arrive,
went straight to one of the crosses and asked "Is this mine?". The reply was "It is not". Then he was taken to another cross,
where he knelt down and embraced it. The others, one after another, started doing the same. "That was quite a sight, the way
Br. Philip was embracing his cross. . . " comments one of the witnesses. Two
lances impaled his body through his heart. While being nailed, Garcia sang praises of God, earning him the martyr's title. Canonisation In 1627, Garcia and his fellow
martyrs were declared as Venerable by Pope Urban VIII. The martyr's feast day occurs on February 5 and in 1629, their veneration
was permitted throughout the Catholic Church. On June 8, 1862 Garcia was declared a saint by Pope Pius IX. The Gonsalo Garcia
Church in Gass, Vasai was built in 1942 and renovated in 1957. A week long feast is celebrated there in February followed
by a Novena in his honour. It was built by Msgr. Louise Caitan D'souza a Goan priest. ASH WEDNESDAY: 9th March 2011 Why we receive the ashes Following the example of the
Ninevites, who did penance in sackcloth and ashes, our foreheads are marked with ashes to humble our hearts and reminds us
that life passes away on Earth. We remember this when we are told "Remember, Man is dust, and unto dust you shall return." Ashes are a symbol of penance
made sacramental by the blessing of the Church, and they help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice. The distribution of ashes comes
from a ceremony of ages past. Christians who had committed grave faults performed public penance. On Ash Wednesday, the Bishop
blessed the hair shirts which they were to wear during the forty days of penance, and sprinkled over them ashes made from
the palms from the previous year. Then, while the faithful recited the Seven Penitential Psalms, the penitents were turned
out of the church because of their sins - just as Adam, the first man, was turned out of Paradise because of his disobedience.
The penitents did not enter the church again until Maundy Thursday after having won reconciliation by the toil of forty days'
penance and sacramental absolution. Later, all Christians, whether public or secret penitents, came to receive ashes out of
devotion. In earlier times, the distribution of ashes was followed by a penitential procession. The Ashes The ashes are made from the
blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year. The ashes are christened with Holy Water and are scented
by exposure to incense. While the ashes symbolize penance and contrition, they are also a reminder that God is gracious and
merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts. His Divine mercy is of utmost importance during the season of Lent,
and the Church calls on us to seek that mercy during the entire Lenten season with reflection, prayer and penance. SCARLET SANDS St John de Britto March 1st, 1647-
February 4th 1693 On March 1st, 1647, was born
into the powerful, aristocratic de Britto family of Portugal, a boy named John. At 11, victim to life–threatening
tuberculosis, intercession to St Francis Xavier restored him to health. Magnetically attracted to the saint, John joined the Society of Jesus at the age of 15, dreaming that he too would one day, like his hero, be
a missionary to the East. When a missionary from the East
arrived and invited John to join the Madurai Mission, the young man, confident
that it was God's answer to his prayer of longing, boarded a ship, constantly leading his co-passengers in prayer especially
when threatened by storms and other calamities on the long journey past the Cape of Good Hope to India. His first act in Goa was to
visit the Church of Bom Jesu, where the incorrupt body of St Francis Xavier lay. He prayed fervently to follow in his hero's
footsteps – to live in poverty, working with the poor in the neglected interiors of the country. Determined to establish
an Indian Catholic Church free of Western cultural domination, he dressed in saffron, learnt the local languages and became
a strict vegetarian. With great effort he trained good catechists, setting up
various centres for the faithful, now freed from the fears and superstitions engendered by their old religion, and run by
these very catechists. His firm stand in inculcating gender justice - a huge but necessary step for those times- led to his
martyrdom. Known as a pandaraswami or priest
of the untouchables, his catechists were called pandaras. Some travelled with
John while others managed the centres for the new converts. At Kalayarkoil, John suffered what is considered his first martyrdom.
Rolled over burning rocks and subjected to the inhuman 'water torture' with his head suspended upside down in a barrel of
water and the rest of his body trussed up tightly, he somehow survived. His trusted catechist, Siluvainathan's eye was plucked
out. John prayed over him and invoked St Lucy, the patroness of eyes. Miraculously , the catechist was cured. A petty prince (poligar) suffering
from leprosy arrived. John asked Siluvainathan to pray over him. The catechist read with great fervor the 1st chapter of the
Gospel of St John and interceded fervently with the Almighty for a cure. The prince was healed and expressed the wish to become
a Catholic. John took counsel with his catechists
and the elders of the communities he had started. The obstacle to the prince's conversion was the fact that he had 5 wives.
The only way he could be received into the Church was if he followed monogamy. The prince at once sent away his junior wives
and was baptized. This caused an uproar. The social
system was being undermined. Marriages were made for political reasons. The powers-that-be were outraged. John was arrested
and executed on the orders of the Setupal of Marava, in the forest of Oriyur, on a sandy patch. It was the 4th of February, 1693, almost exactly a month after he had baptized his royal convert. When the executioner
hesitated, John smiled, 'My friend, I have prayed to God. I have done what I had to do. Now you do your part.' The scarlet
stain of his blood remains indelible even today. Pilgrims gather some sand reverently to remember the man who joyfully welcomed
death in God's service. Joy in the Lord's service was
John's outstanding characteristic. He changed his name, John, to the Tamil equivalent, Arul, meaning 'grace'. But also added
'Anandar', meaning' full of joy'. He lived up to his name rejoicing in every tribulation that came his way and in the company
of his beloved converts and catechists. How could he not be joyful when his aged mother was so full of joy? On hearing of
her son's brutal execution, she forbade all mourning and came to meet people dressed in her wedding gown! Coincidences abound in John's
life- the arrival of Fr Balthasar of the Madurai Mission just when he had decided to go East,
his beatification on the tercentenary of the death of his hero, St Francis
Xavier, and his canonization on the feasts of St Thomas More and St John Fisher
who embraced death under King Henry VIII rather than give up their allegiance to the Catholic Church and the Pope. Pope Pius
XII who canonized him spoke of his 'double martyrdom'. The age at which he died - 46- is also significant. 'Destroy this temple
and in three days I will build it up again,' said Jesus. His antagonists murmured,
'It was 46 years in the building and you will build it up in 3 days?' We say a loud YES! Glory to God for saints like
St John de Britto who inspire us to live like Jesus, love as He did, evangelize, rejoice
in the difficulties that come our way and finally, meet death with a smile! Laetare Sunday 3rd April 2011 The fourth, or middle, Sunday
of Lent, so called from the first words of the Introit at Mass, "Laetare Jerusalem " -- "Rejoice, O Jerusalem ". During the
first six or seven centuries the season of Lent commenced on the Sunday following Quinquagesima, and thus comprised only thirty-six
fasting days. To these were afterwards added the four days preceding the first Sunday, in order to make up the forty days'
fast, and one of the earliest liturgical notices of these extra days occurs in the special Gospels assigned to them in a Toulon
manuscript of 714. Strictly speaking, the Thursday
before Laetare Sunday is the middle day of Lent, and it was at one time observed as such, but afterwards the special signs
of joy permitted on this day, intended to encourage the faithful in their course through the season of penance, were transferred
to the Sunday following. They consist of (like those
of Gaudete Sunday in Advent ) in the use of flowers on the altar, and of the organ at Mass and Vespers ; rose-coloured vestments
also allowed instead of purple, and the deacon and subdeacon wear dalmatics, instead of folded chasubles as on the other Sundays
of Lent. The contrast between Laetare and the other Sundays is thus emphasized, and is emblematical of the joys of this life,
restrained rejoicing mingled with a certain amount of sadness. The station at Rome was on this day made at the church of S. Croce in Gerusalemme, one of the seven chief
basilicas ; the Golden Rose, sent by the popes to Catholic sovereigns, used to be blessed at this time, and for this reason
the day was sometimes called "Dominica de Rosa". Other names applied to it were Refreshment Sunday, or the Sunday of the Five
Loaves, from a miracle recorded in the Gospel; Mid-Lent, mi-carême , or mediana ; and Mothering Sunday, in allusion to the
Epistle, which indicates our right to be called the sons of God as the source of all our joy, and also because formerly the
faithful used to make their offerings in the cathedral or mother-church on this day. This latter name is still kept up in
some remote parts of England, though the reason for it has ceased to exist. Catechist Recollection held on Sun 28th Nov 2010 at Our Lady of the Rosary Church Maria Vaz Eight of us Catechists from
our Parish attended the Recollection at Rosary Church.The group comprised of catechists from the three parishes i.e. St. Thomas,
Rosary Church and our parish, St. Joseph. We were given a warm welcome by Gracy
Pinto, the coordinator from St. Thomas. Fr. Daniel from Orlem Church then led us in the Taize prayer which is in the form
of chanting. After that we played a game
in which we had to form pairs making sure that our partner was somebody we did not know. Then one partner was blindfolded
and the other had to lead the blindfolded person round the room twice. No talking
was allowed and there was pin-drop silence. After two rounds were over, the other partner
was blindfolded and taken round the room twice. We then formed four groups to
discuss our experiences: when we were blindfolded, and also what it felt like to lead your partner. Some felt confident that
the person leading would not let them collide into anyone or any obstacle. Some felt afraid initially, and then confident, but all were very happy to remove the blindfold. When it came to leading, everyone
agreed that they felt responsible for the blindfolded person and they had to take care in steering the person safely. Fr. Daniel then explained to
us that we are stewards of God's Creation, and just as we felt responsible towards our blindfolded partner, so also we should
be responsible in caring for God's creation. We need creation and creation needs us. So we have to conserve nature, and as
teachers, we should try and encourage our children, to conserve nature. Water: We could start by telling
them to close taps when not in use, especially whilst brushing our teeth, since we tend to leave the water running. Also,
to get all taps repaired , so that water is not wasted. Use a bucket to bathe instead of the shower. After washing vegetables
or rice, instead of letting the water go down the drain, collect it in a basin, and use it to water the plants. Fuel: We could save on our gas
consumption by removing food from the fridge at least one hour earlier so it attains room temperature before we heat it. Once
water/food starts to boil, reduce the flame and cook till done. Make use of Public
Transport or Car Pool. Finally as teachers, we could set an example by walking short distances like walking to church etc.
and using cloth bags instead of plastic. Electricity: Switch off all
lights and fans when not required. Use C.F.L.bulbs and Solar Energy. Switch off the mains before leaving on holiday. We can
thus save on electricity. The session ended with
dinner and kulfi for desert. After interacting with the other catechists over dinner, it was time to say goodbye to an entertaining
and informative evening . December Report
– ZONE 7 Zone 7 had its Feast Mass on
the 4th of December and a get together with all the zonal members on the 5th of December.The gathering on the terrace of Sahyadri
Apts began at around 7:30 pm. We began the evening with an opening prayer, which was followed by g snacks including boiled chana , cake and cold drinks. This was followed by games, DJ and spot prizes. Fr
Austin and Fr Lincoln were also present for the evening. Dinner was a Chinese
buffet. Everyone enjoyed the evening. We ended the program by half past 9. There was a total turnout of 75 members from our
Zone. Christmas Wreath Service Zone 7 , sectors B and C, had their weekly wreath service on a cluster basis . There was a good turnout in both
the sectors for the services. Because of the lack of wreaths, the new idea proposed
by Fr Austin, of preparing the wreath on a thali, was appreciated by all. Moments spent in making intentions front of the
wreath were the highlight of the service. Zonal Crib and Star As usual, the Zonal Crib and
star were put up near Velentine Apartments at sector C. Sector B put up its first Star this year on Sahyadri apartments. We
had a daily prayer service in front of the Crib at half past 8. Goody bags for the poor During the Wreath Service at
sector 7 C, members donated generously towards the collection for the Goody bags for the poor. On Christmas day, PPC members
of sector B and C, animators and few members from our zone went near the Andheri – Jogeshwari flyover with around 32
Goody bags and distributed them amongst the poor on the street. Uncle Daryl Fernandez was dressed up like Santa Claus, and
the children were very excited to see the Santa. Christmas Party Sr. Maureen Fonseca It was a record breaking
event on 29th Dec when 20 charming members of the Parish Youth group invaded the corridors of the Convent and Assisi Bhavan
at 4.00 pm, gently escorting all the old and sick Sisters and Residents to the quadrangle for the surprise Christmas Party
they had arranged for them. The music, dance, singing and
games were enjoyed by one and all, and the delicious snacks of cake, crispy wafers and Mangola were excellent too. Fr. Lincoln
personally gave away the prizes for the games as the camera clicked away. The evening ended with a dinner
of sandwiches and hotdogs after which everyone was given a hand towel, soap dish and water bottle. I was really edified by the
trouble taken by the youth to show their love and concern for the old, their generous contribution and courteous behaviour. God bless them abundantly SOAR BEYOND FEARS – From the
Book "Why walk when you can fly" Once there was a king who received
a gift of two magnificent falcons from Arabia. They were peregrine falcons, the most beautiful birds he had ever seen. He
gave the precious birds to his head falconer to be trained. Months passed and one day the
head falconer informed the king that though one of the falcons was flying majestically, soaring high in the sky, the other
bird had not moved from its branch since the day it had arrived. The king summoned healers and
sorcerers from all over the land to tend to the falcon, but no one could make the bird fly. He presented the task to the members
of his court, but the next day, the king saw through the palace window that the bird had still not moved from its perch. Having
tried everything else, the king thought to himself, "May be I need someone more familiar with the countryside to understand
the nature of this problem." So he cried out to his court, "Go and get a farmer." In the morning, the king was
thrilled to see the falcon soaring high above the palace gardens. He said to his court, "Bring me the doer of this miracle." The court quickly located the
farmer, who came and stood before the king. The king asked him, "How did you make the falcon fly?" With his head bowed, the farmer
said to the king, " It was very easy, your highness. I simply cut the branch where the bird was sitting." We are all made to fly -- to
realize our incredible potential as human beings. But instead of doing that, we sit on our branches, clinging to the things
that are familiar to us. The possibilities are endless, but for most of us, they remain undiscovered. We conform to the familiar,
the comfortable, the mundane. So for the most part, our lives are mediocre instead of exciting, thrilling and fulfilling. So let us learn to destroy the
branch of fear we cling to and free ourselves to the glory of flight. Hello friends, Justin Fernandes,
Sector III-A, Class VI Wish you all a very Happy New
Year!!! On 28th December 2010, we had
a Christmas gathering for all our non Catholic friends of our Zone III-A at my place at 7.30 pm. Our parish councilor and sector animators were present at the venue to help carry out this community activity. We started the programme with
a beautiful prayer by Albina followed by carol singing and explanations of the actual meanings of Christmas, Crib and Christmas
Tree. Albina explained the meaning
of each article that is put on the tree, which surprised us all. For me, they
were just decorations but at the party I learnt the true meaning of each one
which led me to grow spiritually. Then we had a blast. We played several games like Bombing the City, Passing the Parcel, etc.
I was dressed as Santa Claus but no one recognized me as I danced and
distributed chocolates and gifts. But at last my friends recognized me. My friends were happy and enjoyed
themselves. They told me that today they had learnt the true meaning of Christmas. I thank Fr. Austin and
Fr. Lincoln for leading us in this activity enabling us to spread the word of Jesus among our non Catholic friends. Activity for December 2010 Daisy Sequira -
Zone X Zone X (B) – St. Gonsalo
Garcia We had Advent Wreath Prayer
Services. Initially, only a few people attended these services but as weeks passed, we got a very good response. The prayers
were held on a sector level, especially in those houses where activities were not conducted so that they would get motivated. The star was made keeping in
mind the theme “Care for Creation”. We made an eco-friendly star by using only bamboo, thermocol & paper.
Our star displayed the words, “Care, Save, Protect & Nurture Mother Earth”, through which we tried to convey
the message to save Mother Earth. The crib was also made keeping
in mind the theme “Care for Creation”. One side, (Today) was shown with complete greenery with mountains, huts
and waterfall and also displayed the birth of Jesus. The other side, (Tomorrow) was shown as a desert with sandy mountains,
barren land, skeletons etc which indicated our own future if we don't care for creation. The divider between them was the
waterfall. The crib was shown conveying the message Save Water (Natural Resource) so as to save (water, trees, nature…)
our future. Rosary was recited daily from Christmas Eve i.e. 24th Dec'10 to the Feast of the Epiphany i.e. 2nd Jan'11.
Individual families were asked to conduct the rosary each day; snacks were sponsored after the rosary by various families. A Christmas Party was organised
on 30th Dec'10 at the crib. We had invited all the members in the zone; the party was organised specially for the non-Catholic
children (approx. 35 children). We had Santa going round the society singing
Jingles, followed by a game (Housie). Snacks were then served to all. A token of appreciation was given to the non-Catholics
who helped in putting up the crib etc. On 2nd Jan'11, food items like
Rice, Dal, Sugar, Oil & Sweets were distributed amongst the slum- dwellers at Virwani, Aarey Check Naka, Opp. Hub &
Jogeshwari. It was a great experience for
all of us to share our joy with the poor and this deed was appreciated by all. Also, people involved in this noble cause have
decided to continue this activity frequently. BREAKING NEWS!!! - SENIORS DAY OUT Clasancio Fernandes 26th January - Republic Day
has become synonymous with our parish Senior’s Day Out Programme. After the flag hoisting ceremony at the convent, 42
of us boarded the bus, bound for Palm Beach Resort, Manori. The journey began with a prayer, continued with sing-song and
snacks. On reaching the venue, we checked into our dormitory which was well appointed and then made a bee-line for a hearty
breakfast. Then we all trooped down to
the cool beach front and waded into the sea. Some re-lived their childhood, feasting on golas and sherbat and frolicking in
the sea. Pictures were freely taken by Fr. Austin, Savio and Bernard. Maria Rodrigues had planned interesting and involved
games which was topped by community dancing. The buffet lunch was yummy and so were the forty winks thereafter. The day wound
down with tea and yet another game before we boarded our bus to return home. Our senior hearts say “Thank You.” A Ray of Hope Sr. Naina fhic The Women's Cell of the Parish
of St. Joseph, Goregaon, enkindled a ray of hope in the hearts of women belonging to other faiths at a Christmas party on
Thursday, 16th December 2010 at 5.30 pm at Nivara Hakk, Gokuldham. I attended the function along
with Sr. Anastasia. Literacy class students belonging to different faiths from
Santosh Nagar and Sanjay Gandhi Nagar performed skits on the birth of Jesus. They
also sang Hindi carols. They had games for which prizes were distributed and thereafter snacks were served. Upholding the dignity of women,
a woman student beautifully brought out the status of women in society through a poem composed in Hindi “Nari- hi Nari
ki Dushman”. I was happy to see the Women's
Cell doing a great job of encouraging and educating the illiterate and this was seen by the beautiful skits and songs sung
by them relating to the birth of Christ. Fr. Austin Norris explained
to the women students that Christmas is a grand feast as it is the birthday of Jesus, who came to bring Peace, Joy and Love
into this world filled with corruption and terrorism. He also said that when
you are educated you feel strong, confident, happy and successful in life. KUDOS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE
PARISH WOMEN CELL. Make Home a Virtue School, Pontiff Tells Families Urges Them to Be Servants of
Love VATICAN CITY, JAN. 6, 2011 (Zenit.org).-
Benedict XVI is encouraging Christian families to make their homes a nursery of virtues. The Pope said this last Sunday
before praying the midday Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter's Square. After a reflection on St. John given in Italian,
the Holy Father spoke in Spanish to those who had gathered in Madrid to "celebrate joyfully the value of marriage and the
family, on the theme: 'The Christian family, hope for Europe.'" "Dear brothers and sisters,"
the Holy Father told them, "I ask you to be strong in love and to contemplate with humility the mystery of Christmas that
continues to speak to the heart and to become a school of family and fraternal life. The motherly gaze of the Virgin Mary,
the loving protection of St. Joseph and the sweet presence of the Baby Jesus are a clear image of what every Christian family
must be: an authentic sanctuary of fidelity, respect and understanding in which faith is passed on, hope is strengthened and
love is kindled." The Pontiff encouraged the families
to live their Christian vocations with "renewed enthusiasm, as genuine servants of the love that welcomes, accompanies and
protects life." "Make your home a real nursery
of virtues and a serene and luminous place of trust, in which, guided by God's grace, it is possible to discern wisely the
call of the Lord who continues to invite people to follow him," Benedict XVI encouraged them. He commended the Madrid event
to the Holy Family of Nazareth, with the prayer that "there may be an increasing number of families in which joy, mutual giving
and generosity hold sway." Glory To God And Peace To All On Earth Little Voices –
A Beautiful Message!!! Ms. Karen Martins Sunday School Coordinator Yes, on the 30th of Dec 2010,
around 40 angelic voices from St.Thomas, Goregaon (E), St.Joseph, Gokuldham,
Goregaon (E), and Our Lady Of Rosary, Goregaon (W), proclaimed the message of the Lord's Birth through singing. It was the
Deanery Choir festival held in St.Thomas Parish. We started at 09.30a.m., with
a warm welcome from Fr.Joe D'mello. He welcomed all present on behalf of Fr.Barthol
and Fr.Denzil.This was not a competition but a festival. We were led in prayer by Ms.Gracy (Coordinator, St.Thomas). Ms.Loretta
(Coordinator, Our Lady Of Rosary) was the perfect anchor for the day. Fr.Barthol also had words of
appreciation for the DPC for organizing such programmes which enable fellowship between parishes. He urged more parents to
be present next year which would encourage and motivate the children and also, more children would attend. Christmas – The feast
of Christmas was truly a reason to celebrate, a beautiful season of Love, Hope and Joy. The children were well trained by
their choir masters as well as Sunday School Teachers. They brought out the message of Christmas perfectly to tell us that
'This is the best time of the year', a season to be jolly and make others happy. The children were dressed in the Christmas
colours: indeed a commendable ideat!!. Also a true Christmassy feeling was experienced. We cannot end without mentioning that
the children St.Thomas sang some compositions by their very own Choir Conductor-
Mr. Harry, especially the carol 'Its Christmas time' which was a very meaningful one. Ms.Fausta, Deanery Coordinator
had beautiful words of thanks for all present as well as the choristers for their beautiful messages. We had few spot prizes
for the choristers who answered questions like a) Why we use the Candy Stick
as a decoration and b) The names of the reindeer who pulled Santa's sleigh. The children were successful here as well, giving
intelligent answers…We thank Fr.Austin for his presence and the beautiful photographs. The programme ended with a vote
of thanks by Loretta and yes, the hungry stomachs of the children were filled with yummy snacks organized by St.Thomas parish. I can truly say Peace on Earth
to all men of Goodwill was the message spread and this Peace is the gift we all seek and long for in the days to come.. Wish you all the Peace of Jesus
and a Great New Year, 2011! Letter written by a father to his children. The following is a letter to
his son from a renowned Hong Kong TV broadcaster – cum- Child Psychologist: I am writing this to you because of 3 reasons
1. Life, fortune, and mishaps are unpredictable:
Nobody knows how long he will live. Some words are better said early. 2. I am your father, and if I don't tell you this,
no one else will 3. What is written here are my own personal bitter experiences
that perhaps could save you a lot of unnecessary heart-aches. Remember the following as you
go through life: 1. Do not bear a grudge towards those who are not
good to you. No one has the responsibility of treating you well, except your mother and I. To those who are good to you, treasure
the experience and be thankful. ALSO, you have to be cautious, because, everyone has a motive for every move. When a person
is good to you, it does not mean he really likes you. You must be careful; don't hastily regard him as a real friend. 2. No one is indispensable and there is nothing
in the world that you must possess. Once you understand this idea, it will be easier for you to go through life when people
around you don't want you anymore, or when you lose what/who you love most. 3. Life is short. If you waste your life today,
tomorrow you will find that life is leaving you. The earlier you learn to treasure your life, the better you will enjoy your
whole life. 4. Love is but a transient feeling, and this feeling
could fade with time and with one's mood. If your so-called loved one leaves you, be patient; time will wash away your aches
and sadness. Don't over-exaggerate the beauty and sweetness of love, and don't over- exaggerate the sadness of falling out
of love. 5. A lot of successful people did not receive a
good education: that does not mean that you can be successful by not studying hard! Whatever knowledge you gain is your weapon
in life. One can go from rags to riches, but one has to start from some rags! 6. I do not expect you to financially support me
when I am old and neither would I financially support you your whole life. My responsibility as a supporter ends when you
are grown up. After that, you decide whether you want to travel by public transport or in your limousine, whether rich or
poor. 7. You may honour your word, but don't expect others
to do so. You can be good to people, but don't expect people to be good to you. If you don't understand this, you could end
up with unnecessary troubles. 8. I have bought lotteries for umpteen years, but
I never struck any prize. That shows if you want to be rich, you have to work hard! There is no free lunch! 9. No matter how much time I spend with you, let's
treasure every minute we have together. We do not know if we will meet again
in our next life. LOVE IS A PERSON Mr. Simon D'Costa 1. Jesus has told us to love
our neighbour as much as we love ourselves. There is a misconception among many
of us that to love ourselves is wrong. We think it means being selfish. While it is right, that to be selfish is wrong.
Jesus defines selfishness differently. Jesus clarifies that to love ourselves
and our neighbour in equal measure is not selfishness. Besides, there may be
a benefit in living ourselves. When we love ourselves, we feel good. In this state of mind, it will be easier to love our neighbours.
How can we love our neighbours if we do not love ourselves? How can we
give to another what we do not have? We do not love ourselves but spoil ourselves. To spoil ourselves means not to strike the right balance. This could be one of the reasons why we find it difficult to love.
We say we love our children. However, we love them only when they please
us. Otherwise, we scream and shout and even use the stick. Did we feel loved when our parents had use the stick on us? Of
course, our children need to be corrected. This can be done better with tact
and patience. There is a lot of violence in the world and we need to introspect
why. Could it be because we teach our children that violence is good and can
be used to correct what is wrong? At times, we are justified in being displeased
with our children. It will be good if we can find a better way to express our
displeasure. 2. We are at a stage now when
we can ask ourselves if we know the meaning of love. We say that love is caring,
sharing, understanding and things of this sort. It may not be so. These are expressions of love. Love is something deeper which
makes expressions of this sort possible. We say that God is love. This prompts me to say that love is a person and not a thing. In
other words, we have to become love itself. We shall be love itself if we imitate
Jesus. To be a Christian, we are told we must be another Christ. Sadly, our actions are often not that of a Christian. We need
to do better. For example, we need to heal the sick. We may not be able to work miracles like Jesus. We can surely
think of giving them medicines. Those who are not blessed with a good bank balance,
big homes and cars can think of giving our time. In this way, we can heal the
sick. We also need to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. If we have the inclination, we can do all this. Unfortunately,
we spend all our time and energy in attaining worldly goals. There is nothing
wrong in Christians wanting to be successful in this world. As Christians, we
need to shift our focus from time to time from 'this only' to 'that also' so that we can be both successful people and good
Christians. We need to remember that we are created by God. We are His mouth, His hands, and His feet. God needs us and that is why we are here. 3. We say that we must listen
to our heart – that is another way of saying we need to listen to our inner voice – God's voice. God communicates with us through silence, through our conscience.
Of course, God speaks to us in many different ways. Very often, we are
too busy to hear that voice. That voice is often silenced by our mind. The mind will never allow us to love. It is a worldly thing,
too enamoured with the world and has no time for God. It says this is a 'you
or me' world. Love says this is a 'you and me' world. The mind says it is good to be important. Love says it is
important to be good. We are slaves of the mind.
We do whatever our mind tells us. Let us break free and run to Jesus and
all shall be well. Amen. Training Session
for Lay Leaders of Parish Organisations 30th January 2011
- Marie and Ralph. ( Orlem ) “Dear Maria, Ernest, Karen,
Romena, Louis, Lavina, Cedric, Raveendra, Sarah, Linet, Norma, Varghese, Gladys and Jacinta. It was a pleasure having you for the Session. The contribution
that each one of you made, was truly spiritual and thought provoking; it really did enrich the session we had with you at
St. Joseph's. We however missed the presence
of Fr. Lincoln and even more the presence of Fr. Austin because he's always there when we have our session. Do thank them for us. Please
do convey my thanks and the contents of this email to those who came; but did not give me their email addresses. Please do pray for Ralph and
me to give our best at the sessions for the rest of the parishes. Lots of love and God Bless each
one of you and your families and loved ones! Christmas Celebrations – Zone V Eliza Mathew Since Christmas is the celebration
of the birth of Jesus Christ, preparation for Christmas means preparing our hearts and homes for receiving Jesus. Christmas
celebrations for Zone V commenced with the Advent Wreath prayer heralding the arrival of the Advent season. The parish priest,
Rev Fr Austin, provided us with cluster-wise wreaths and ready prayer session capsules to conduct the wreath prayer services. These services were held on
the four Sundays of Advent leading to Christmas. The 1st candle- the candle of prophecy or hope, 2nd the Bethlehem candle or candle of peace, 3rd - Shepherd's candle or candle of love and finally the Angel's
candle – the candle of joy were lit beginning with the 1st candle being lit on the 1st Sunday of advent. We had meaningful services with
a good attendance, Bible-sharing, reflection and witnessing. Since the prayer sessions were conducted in clusters, groups
were small, encouraging a closeness and oneness with others which led to a lot of interaction and sharing. The highlight of
the Advent prayer service was the presence and involvement of Sr Naina and the novices from Assisi Bhavan for one of the services.
Sr Naina enhanced the session with her sharing of the immense love of Jesus in our lives which touched the hearts of all present.
The novices sang inspiring hymns in Hindi At the Advent prayer services,
the Bible reflections covered the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St Matthew.
Discussions revealed how St Matthew proved irrevocably that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied by the prophets hundreds
of years before the birth of Jesus by tracing his lineage to Abraham and David. Bible- sharing also included a brief understanding
of the generations of which Jesus is a descendant. The generations from Abraham to David are fourteen; and from David to the
carrying away to Babylon (exile of Jeconiah) fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the coming of
Christ, fourteen generations. The reflections also covered how Matthew records the birth of Jesus through St Joseph's perspective and
the doubts and strife he went through before accepting Mary as his wife and Jesus as his son. We also had the zonal star in
our area. The star was made, decorated and put up to spread the message
of Good News: that a Saviour is born to save us from our sins. The message on
the star was “Welcome Creator back to Creation”. This message was in keeping with the SCC theme - Care For Creation.
We cannot welcome the great Creator and Master of the Universe to a world spoilt, polluted, depleted and stripped bare of
all the bounty the Creator has blessed us with. The celebration continued with
the distribution of packets of provisions to a slum colony comprising 110 families which forms a part of our zone in the Bengali
Compound area behind Lakshachandi complex.. The food packets carry the message “Let Jesus bring hope, peace and joy
to you and your family all through the year” translated into Hindi. 'TFE' - Training
for family enrichment (By Gladys and Deepak
Pandhi, Family Cell) When Fr. Lincoln asked us to
attend TFE, we were game, blissfully unaware of its rewards / returns. Now that we have been through all the TFE sessions,
we feel like standing on roof tops and advocating that every married couple join the TFE and reap its benefits life-long. To begin with, having
been married for 10 years, we initially wondered what TFE would bring to our lives.
We assumed we were compatible partners, we heard we were good parents, we handled our finances pretty well and nothing
else could bother us. Anger, conflicts, finance, in-laws, sex, are matters we had no 'issues' with. Was there anything more we needed to learn? Let's first understand: do we
need such training sessions and do they really help? Marriage is a complex mission. Each spouse comes with a set of values, beliefs, perceptions, images of how a good
father/mother, husband/wife should behave. Putting together these two systems
and evolving another value system that is better than what either spouse had in mind
is what marriage is all about. Managing this mission successfully makes
marriage meaningful. The hurdle here is learning to adjust. How can this mission, then, be made easy? Will family enrichment
help? Perhaps you may wonder – our ancestors had good marriages,
there were hardly any divorces, they did not undergo any training, so what is the problem?
Why is family enrichment needed today? To answer this, we need to analyze
the past vis-à-vis the present. TFE is a simple, concise, no
high-funda course. Its down-to-earth approach helps the participant to connect with the real life scenario and grasp the various
skills required to improve the quality of a life of an individual and others. Training for Family Enrichment
– the course spread throughout the year* covers the following topics: § Marital Myths - “Marriages
are made in Heaven”, “Love can overcome all shortcomings”, “If you only remain positive, all problems
can be overcome”, “As long as sex is good, marriage will be fine”, children will settle all matters –
these are some of the marital myths that need to be exploded… § Listening skills –The exercise
on listening skills made us realize that we can be agents of healing to self and others. There is so much power in just listening. § Couple Relationship – Topics
on 'what is a relationship' and why do people still opt for marriage vis-à-vis the trend of 'live-in'. The downsides and upsides
of it. The legality involved etc. § Fighting skills –covered topics
such as learning to fair-fight, ground rules and the conflict meter, helped us analyze the topics on which we fought most. § Parenting Skills: Disciplining does not mean punishment but teaching the child to make good decisions. Developing the child's self-esteem through appreciation, affirmation and the spending of quality time becomes
important. § Family spirituality § Issues such as in-laws, household
chores etc § Dealing with one's sexuality § Gender differences § Church's teaching on family § and many more We have learnt that Marriage
means permanence, togetherness and happiness. Fr. Patrick D'mello, Coordinator
of TFE, in conjunction with Snehalaya, has put together the latest research on
the above topics. The 2010 batch
was the 8th batch in Mumbai and yet many couples in the city are not aware of this program.
We are ever so grateful to Fr.
Austin and Fr. Lincoln for giving us this opportunity and helping us to build on our existing spousal relationship. The Closing / Commissioning
Ceremony is presided over by none other than the Bishop himself giving us the message of the importance of this program. STOP PRESS…! A Very Enjoyable
Picnic at PICNIC-SPOT What we had planned for and
what transpired was awesome! Sixty of us and more, from Zone II comprising of Amritvan Complex, Navbharat, Yashodham and A. K. Vaidya Marg, bussed our way to the Picnic Spot, Aarey Milk Colony on 30th
January 2011. We arrived at the venue by 10.30
am. The spot was “ordinary” but our participation in the picnic turned it into an extraordinary experience. Of
course it reminded us of our many school picnics down the years. We were a happy blend of age, experience, youth and children.
We started off with yummy snacks
and then dived into interesting games like passing the ball, needling the confetti and joining the straws. The younger ones
frolicked to dodge ball and dog and the bone. A different housie and Quiz was another filler. The game that took the cake
was the creation of “Miss Josephite”- using newspapers and material from around the spot. This really had us all
in splits as we conjured up a memorable exhibit accompanied with an appropriate song. Lunch was a warm packet of Biryani
a la Pandu with lots of laughter and sing-song to follow. The experience left us in deep appreciation of each other as a community
and part of the Parish. All our Parish Pastoral Councillors as well as SCC Animators were there. Tea and biscuits and a prize
distribution followed after which we bussed back home at 5.30 pm. What a lovely
time we had….A Community Picnic indeed!! Totus Tuus A Requiem for Pope John Paul II By Fr. Austin Norris
n 4th April 2005 T – Tormented Poland raised
him O – Omnipotence claimed
him T – Trusted, studied,
made his way U – Undaunted and yielding
to God S – Said “yes”
on his Ordination Day T – Travelled as God’s
Pontiff U – Universally living
love, justice and care U – Until his very last
breath S – Surrendering to God’s
embrace John Paul II – Totus Tuus – Totally Yours Training Program for Councilors & Animators St Pius Seminary 29-31 Oct, 2010 Eliza Mathew A training program was organized
by FILMC (Formation & Involvement of Laity in the Mission of the Church) team for councilors and animators of the different
parishes in Mumbai. Our parish had the maximum representation with 10 participants, thanks to the perseverance and follow-up
by Fr Austin and Fr Lincoln. This two and a half day program was packed with sessions. The entire program was an enriching experience
with excellent speakers who ensured that each session was interactive, with workshops, case studies and questionnaires for
self-analysis. Besides, topics covered were relevant- · Deepening my prayer life · Building team spirit · Enabling leadership · Holistic growth · Working with people of other
faiths · Handling conflicts · Assertive behaviour The seminar was teed-off with
dinner followed by formation of teams by participants to take care of the various aspects of the seminar like introduction
of speakers, preparation of liturgical services, coordinating an entertainment program and even the arrangement of the room
for mass and lectures. The actual training program
commenced the next day with Holy Mass. Bishop Bosco was the celebrant. His Grace's homily was very inspiring. Bishop Bosco
explained that the word Animator comes from the Latin word 'anima' which means “soul”. He expounded on the role
played by an animator and the qualities required to obtain worthy results. Qualities required by us: · Prayer · Unconditional love · Humility What we need to do · Spend half an hour in prayer
and reflection everyday · Pray for each family in our
Zone daily · Believe that Christ is with
us · Believe that we are not here
by chance but because the Holy Spirit has chosen us · Visit our families regularly
and have unconditional love and faith even in the face of indifference and opposition The following topics were covered
in the sessions: I. Deepening My Prayer Life II. Building Team Spirit
III. Enabling Leadership IV. Holistic Growth V. Working With People Of Other Faiths VI. Handling/Managing Conflicts VII. Assertive Behaviour Besides detailed discussions
on these topics, we got to know each other and to understand how the other councilors and animators carry out the SCC activities
in their parishes. We thank Fr Austin and Fr Lincoln for giving us an opportunity to participate in this enriching training
program and recommend that all parishioners involved in the work of God should attend such programs for the enhancement of
self and service to God and to others. THE HOLY SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION Mrs Lucy. N Whilst all churches across
the nation celebrated 23rd January 2011 as “Vocation Sunday” St
Joseph's parish (Goregaon-east) had a twin celebration on this day “The Vocation Sunday & Sacrament of Confirmation”.
Bishop Bosco Penha celebrated the Eucharist and administrated the Sacrament of Confirmation to 47 young boys & girls.
The event commenced with renewal of baptism followed by a very attention-grabbing homily by Bishop Bosco Penha. Specially selected “GOD
PARENTS” from the parish, accompanied the confirmands for the Rite of Confirmation. The proud parents of the confirmands
walked the aisle along with the confirmands for Holy communion. All the confirmands handed over a Promissory note confirming
they would spend a minimum of 15 minutes in daily prayers and minimum 1 hour every week in service towards any assignment
undertaken. The entire celebration right
from the entrance hymn to the closing hymn was well organised. This was entirely the outcome of the eight months preparation
of the confirmands by two determined persons of the parish Mr Lawrence and Ms Elizabeth. Who can ever envisage the success
of such an event without the incomparable guidance of the primary person Fr Austin Norris. The interactive session conducted
by Bishop Bosco Penha after the Eucharist celebration was very interesting. Bishop asked questions to all the confirmands,
God Parents & Parents which were interrelated to the homily he had given. Bishop was very impressed and pleased at
some of the responses of the participant. Fr Austin gave away certificates
to all the confirmands which was followed by a group photograph. Snacks and coffee was served to all. This is one occasion
that would be remembered by one and all who had witnessed and specially the confirmands whose Life now becomes very meaningful. A SMILE ON THE FACES OF WIDOWS A Christmas Gift Mrs. Leena Cardoza On 2nd January,2011, Hope &
Life members organized a Christmas Party on the terrace of Navjyotirling Building,
Rdiddhi Garden. The party started at 5.30 p.m. with a welcome speech by Mrs.Leena
Cardoza. . There were 19 members . Our
spiritual director Fr.Austin Norris was also present for this get-together inspite of his busy schedule. We thank Fr.Austin
for his continued support, guidance, prayers and good wishes. We greeted one another the compliments of the season and also wished everybody a very happy year ,2011 full
of good wishes for the good health and happiness . Christmas cake was distributed
while christmas carols were played on the music system. All were in a festive
mood. The compare for the evening Mrs.Daphne Fernandes organised some games like musical chair, passing the parcel, guessing the amount of coins etc., As a forfeit the
members were made to play langdi, sing a song or dance. We heared songs in different
languages by our members that day. . There was dance and play all the while. There was laughter filled in the air. During recess , we enjoyed the
crisp chakli, vapours and drank rasna. A vote of thanks was given by Mrs.Anna
Mathai and Mrs.Rubertina Fernandes . After the grace before the meal by Fr.Austin, we all shared the hot chicken biryani and
mouth watering zuzubi and teel laddus. We want to place on record our
sincere thanks to all the members who have sponsored the foods items. Our heart goes out in thanking Mr & Mrs.Denis Cardoza,
for the music and game gifts. Mrs.Daphne Fernandes for the Christmas Cake and comparing
the show.. May God Bless all. Hope and Life Movement- Annual Day Mrs. Anna Mathai The Hope and Life Movement celebrated
their Annual Day on 30th January 2011 at St. Joseph the Worker's Church, Bandra. All units of the H & L Movement were
invited to attend the function. Accordingly, 21 members of the H & L Movement
from our St. Joseph Parish, Goregaon East attended the function. This was our first official attendance at the Annual Day
of the H & L, since we started our very own parish unit There were large number
of members of Hope and Life Movement from parishes all over Mumbai. At the beginning, the President of the Movement, Mrs.
Lorna D'Souza welcomed the guests and all present. This was followed by Concelebrated Holy Mass with seven Priests. The main
celebrant and the Chief Guest was Fr.Vernon Aguiar, Ecclesiastical Advisor of the Movement. He is the Parish Priest of Sacred
Heart Church and also the Dean of the Central Suburbs. Fr.Vernon Aguiar in his homily said Hope is life giving, Hope gives
power to life, to continue, to expand, to grow and to reach out and to give meaning to life. After the Mass the guests and
other dignitaries were felicitated with bouquets and tributes. Then there was short interval
for snacks, followed by a cultural programme. The one skit attracted everyone and enjoyed by all, was “the life of a
widow”. It brought out the life she enjoyed with her husband, their wedding, the happiness at the birth of their first
born child, birthday celebrations and at last her sorrow at her husband's death, etc.
There was another skit in Konkani depicting the story of a boy. He forcibly took a big amount of money from his mother
to enjoy life with his friends. One day he changed his mind and decided to become a priest. There were also group dances and
singing. The programme ended with vote of thanks by the Vice President. All ended well. ZONAL FEAST Linet D'Souza Zone IX celebrated their Annual
Zonal Feast in honour of their patron, St. Paul, on Sunday 30th January 2011. Prior
to the feast, a three day prayer was conducted in the three sectors on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, wherein a reflection
on St. Paul's life was meditated upon. The community met after the 9.15 am Mass
at around 12.00 noon at Raymond Mascarenhas place. We were around 100 parishioners
including children. We began the celebration with
the hymn 'We are gathering…..' followed by the novena prayer to St. Paul and a short reflection on his life. Then cake and cold drinks were served. Some games were organized
for the children, youth and adults. Some spot prizes were also given. Then we said the Grace before Meals and lunch was served. It
was a wonderful gathering with lot of love and joy. Everyone enjoyed the tasty
meal prepared by a community member, Mrs. Inacin Fernandes. Fr. Lincoln graced the occasion
with his presence. We are grateful to him and also to Fr. Austin whose blessings
and support made this event very successful and memorable. We ended with a vote of thanks
and the hymn “Bind us Together” and with a Hindi bhajan “Kehte hai dil mera dhanyawad Prabhu.” CLOSING FUNCTION
ON ‘CARE FOR CREATION’ Mr. Simon D’Costa The Diocesan Catechetical Centre
had organized a closing function on Care for Creation at St. Paul High School, Dadar (E) on 20th January 2011 at 4.00 pm. It was an entertainment programme on God's Creation, our de-creation, meaning damage
done to God's creation and re-creation or efforts needed by us to correct or arrest the damage already done to God's creation. Programmes in the form of skits and dances were put up by the children of the various
deaneries of the Archdiocese of Mumbai. It turned out to be a programme of entertainment,
prayer and contemplation. While there were moments to sing, dance and laugh,
there were also moments to cry. Every item had a powerful message. One of the most touching moments was when the tigers began praying to God to save them from humans. The children of Std. V and Std.
VI of our parish had put up a skit in which Mother Earth was screaming, “Save Me, Save Me,” while we were blaming
each other, just as the developed nations and developing nations are doing in reality.
The skit ended with the message that all of us shall have to come together to save Mother Earth. The sad part was that there were children who took
part in the programme, their teachers who trained them and very few others. The
programme needs to be seen by all the people irrespective of their religion. This
will also convince all concerned that Christians are indeed in the mainstream of things.
Since it was a closing function on Care for Creation, we should be under the impression that we do not have to do anything
anymore. Our efforts will have to continue.
We shall have to save water, electricity, avoid plastic, save trees, etc. for the rest of our lives. God's Creation will only be saved from continuous efforts of all. PARISH BULLETIN FOR DEC 2010 - JAN 2011 My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards....!! A Fruitful Advent Season to all of you. St. Bernard,
in a sermon for Advent, speaks of the three advents of Christ. The first advent, is what we now commemorate as Christmas;
the third advent is the Parousia, the advent in which Christ will come to judge the living and the dead, and to take us to
himself. Then St. Bernard explains the second, or middle, advent as the “time of visitation” by which Christ is now present and active
in each of our lives. It is there, where the first and the third advents appear on a personal and experienced level. Jesus’
verdict on Judgment Day must already be resounding now in our hearts. That, which has yet to arrive, is already now a reality. Norman
Vincent Peale, noted
minister and author from the previous century, tells the story of a young girl from Sweden spending
Christmas in big,
bustling New York City. She was living with an American family and helping them around the house, and she didn’t have much money. So she knew
she couldn’t get them a very nice Christmas present -besides, they already had so much,
with new gifts arriving every day. With just a little money in her pocket, she went out
and bought an outfit for a small baby, and then she set out on a journey to find the poorest part of town and the poorest
baby she could find. At first, she received only strange looks from passers-by when she asked them for help. But then a kind
stranger, a Salvation Army bell-ringer, guided her to a poor part of town and helped her deliver her gift. On Christmas morning,
instead of giving them a wrapped present, she told the family she served what she had done in their name. Everyone was speechless, and everyone was blessed - the girl for giving, the wealthy family for seeing
others with new eyes, and the poor family for receiving an unexpected gift. All of us have opportunities both large and small
to show kindness, especially at Christmastime. We can help strangers by delivering gifts to needy kids or serving homeless
families at a soup kitchen. Or we can simply look for everyday ways to be kind, like allowing someone to go ahead of us in
a lengthy line at the department store, or giving that bell-ringer
a little change and a few encouraging words. Maybe it’s because we’re in gift-giving
mode anyway that giving to others becomes so important at Christmas. Or because we’re more aware of our families and friends and communities. Or maybe it’s because two thousand years ago, the earth received the most perfect, most loving gift of all, helping us to understand true kindness. Whatever the reason, don’t let Christmas pass
you by without showing kindness to someone. Because it is truly more blessed to give than to receive. Participating in the
Advent and Christmas community activities, is yet another way of showing solidarity and helping each other to grow. In this beautiful season, Fr. Lincoln and I wish you
all A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR 2011. May we all continue to help our parish to be a community of love, sharing
and caring. May God bless you all and may Our Blessed Mother Mary
and Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-charge ******************************************************** Celebrating Christmas Everyday by Mitchell Castellino Christmas comes just once a year, But in your heart
you know for sure, Christmas isn ‘t Christmas If it doesn ‘t last forever. So goes the carol that dances on our lips all through Christmas.
Come New Year and we are back to Rihanna, Cold Play, Pink Floyd or Kishore Kumar. Of course, you complain, carols are to be
sung only during Christmas not otherwise. But what about living and feeling Christmas through the year? We jump-start our celebrations from Advent and love the feeling
this creates around us. Why? Stop and think. Is it because we have to buy new clothes or make sweets, attend balls or enjoy
house parties? Burn a few grey cells and the answer is sure to surface. Christmas brings a feeling of Spring within us and fills our hearts
with bliss. We love to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, be always ready to welcome him into our humble world
and make him a part of our lives. The feeling of Christmas is so overwhelming that it enfolds us
and we wait with eager hearts to feel the same year after year. Don’t we remember the things we did for Christmas in
our childhood, and the fun that filled our homes? It all begins with that benign feeling that enters our hearts and minds. So how do we keep this feeling burning all year long? It’s
not impossible but certainly is a tad difficult. Here are a few pointers that will help keep you on track: 1) The evergreen Christmas tree - the Fir tree is green all year
and hence used as the Christmas tree symbolising the hope that should always remain fresh in our hearts. 2) The star - the
8 pointed star, unlike any other star, decorates our balconies every year because it was the same star that the Three Wise
Men followed. The star symbolises that heavenly promises are fulfilled. 3) Santa - Christmas
is incomplete without Santa Claus. He has to be everywhere because he symbolises generosity and kindness. 4) Gift boxes - we
exchange gifts during Christmas as it was the ritual the Three Wise Men initiated when they visited Baby Jesus. The most expensive
gifts were laid before him - the symbol that we “ .should gift with all our heart. Keep this list in mind everyday and you will see it fuel more
value into your life. Small deeds of goodwill everyday go a long way in influencing the quality of life and make you far more
content as an individual. Then if the bus to office does not show up on time, or if you
missed the show you wanted to watch so desperately, your anger will be far more controlled as you will be able to see the
bigger picture in life. Petty issues will simply disappear. Hence Christmas is not a one-time festival. We have to weave its
character into our daily fabric called life. We have to tune ourselves a little towards being empathetic towards others and
thereby rooting happiness into ourselves. Slowly but surely, if one truly tries, it will come to live in each one of us. Merry Christmas! YOU
MUST LEARN TO WAIT, ANGELINA Teresa Aranha ‘Heaven is so empty today,’ sighed Angelina, the littlest
angel. Til ask the Almighty where everyone’s gone.’ ‘Yes, do,’ said little Serena. There’s no singing,
and the Almighty has been sitting for ages near his picture widow, not moving at all, looking down on earth.’ ‘Strange,’ said little Perfecta. ‘He is always
working.’ Angelina, carrying the pretty garland she’d made from roses
and lilies, reached the Throne of Light and softly said, ’Almighty.’ The great God she loved, adored and served turned. ‘Yes,
my dear?’ he asked gently. Are you troubled? Why those creases on your little forehead?’ ‘How can I be troubled when I am with you, Almighty? We
were wondering why heaven’s so empty and why you’ve been at your window the whole evening. Is something happening
on earth?’ ‘Yes, the most wonderful thing!. My beloved Son, Jesus,
has just been born on earth.’ ‘Come Angelina, sit on my lap,’ continued the Almighty
as she looked even more puzzled. ‘B-b-but, you love your Son so dearly. How could you bear
to be parted from him? What will you do without him?’ ‘Now, little Angelina, you must learn to wait for all those
answers. Just watch what’s happening. Call your friends too- I’ll enlarge my picture window and you’ll see
the greatest show on earth.1 All the little angels crowded round the window, speaking together! ‘Look at that light streaming over the hills and- angels
descending, using it as a path. Where are they going?’ ‘Wait, can you hear ? Glo-o-o-oria in Excelcis Deo- you
know that song, don’t you? But the Angelic Choir sings it only for you....’ * ‘Why can’t it sing for my Son too? Don’t you
know we are equal?’God smiled. ‘But why have they gone to shepherds?’ Prudence was
pointing at the shepherds huddled round a fire. ‘Because they are the very, very poor. They are the first
to be invited to see my Son.’ The little angels watched the angels on earth proclaiming their
message of peace and goodwill, heralding the birth of the Saviour. The shepherds ran, some to fetch gifts and some to be first to
see the Saviour. look where they are going,-to a poor stable!’ ‘Yes,’ God smiled, ‘my Son has decided to be
born poor and to live poor.’ The stable, encircled by an army of angels, glowed with luminescence.
There’s God’s champion, Michael, the The shepherds have reached! Almighty, is that your Son in the
manger where food is kept for the cattle?’ ‘Yes, he too will be food for my people one day. It is a
wonderful symbol, don’t you think?’ ‘B-b-b- but how ?’ asked a puzzled Angelina. ‘You will understand when it happens,’ smiled God.
‘Do not be impatient. You must learn to wait, Angelina.’ The shepherds are kneeling, offering their gifts,’ Prudence
said Hope called out, ‘One soft woolen shawl, one little lamb,
one warm robe for the mother, one pot of milk, two loaves of bread. How sweet!’ ‘But, they are so poor. How could they spare all this?’
It was little Charity. ‘It is the poor, my dearest, who love others and love to
share whatever little they have with others,’ God answered. ‘Look!’ exclaimed Perfecta. That mighty star with a tail has moved through the sky - and now it has stopped over
the stable.’ ‘And, ‘whispered Serena, in awe-’camels!’ Three camels slowly swayed over the hills carrying three richly
dressed men. ‘But they aren’t from ‘No. Distant nations have been awaiting my Son, studying
the signs and the prophecies. These humble, wise kings have followed the Star they’ve been waiting for. But my Son’s
own people, except for the very poor, will ignore him. They can’t believe that the promised Messiah could be poor and
not a king or a soldier, or both, like David. They’ve created their own image of their Redeemer in their minds.’ Innocence remarked, ‘Archangel Raphael, the Angel of the
Way, has been traveling with the Three Kings. He is the Guide of Travelers when they are on God’s business.’ The Kings are entering the stable carrying gifts,’ said
Prudence. ‘See, one is kneeling, offering the Babe a casket filled with gold- oh it will be of great use to the poor
parents, beautiful, pure Mary and her chaste husband, Joseph the carpenter.’ ‘No, no,’ smiled God. They are offering it because
gold symbolises a King.’ Perfecta exclaimed, ‘And the next King is offering—oh,
the smell of incense! They are worshipping him! But isn’t incense only used to worship you, Almighty?’ ‘Yes, and these Three Kings are truly wise. My Son is God
and King- and they have solved this deep mystery because they have wanted to. They have studied and read everything they could
about the Saviour of the World who is born today.’ ‘And why is the next King offering that - that- it smells
like myrrh- don’t they use it to preserve the dead?’ asked Angelina. ‘Yes, my Son is going to die a very cruel death - and the
myrrh is a symbol of his burial.’ Tears rolled down all the angels’ faces. ‘But why Almighty, why does he have to die? He is so pure,
so good so loving.’ ‘Because otherwise, my people cannot be saved. His precious
blood will wash away every sin of theirs, however bad. Then he will rise from the dead and thus destroy death. Satan’s
chains of sin with which he binds my people will be broken forever.’ The shepherds and the Kings departed. ‘Will the angels return
now, Almighty?’ ‘Not all. Some still have duties to perform. Archangel Gabriel,
The Announcer, who announced to Mary that she’d be the Mother of my Son will appear in a dream to the Three Kings and
tell them to return home by a new way. They told Herod, the evil King of Judea that they had come to worship the new born
King of the Jews. He was so upset - a new king posed a threat to him. So he asked the Kings return after they’d found
him so that he too could go and worship the Babe. But his intention is to kill my Son. Raphael will guide the Kings to their
own far-off Eastern countries by a different route.’ ‘And he’ll then come back?’ ‘No,’ smiled God. ‘Gabriel has to appear to
Joseph in a dream and tell him to take the Child and his Mother and flee to ‘And then they’ll surely return.’ ‘No, dear, they’ll have one more job left. When Herod
is dead, Gabriel will announce to Joseph that it is safe to return to his own land and Raphael will escort the Holy Family
back to To the stable in ‘No, they’ll make their home in The little angels stood at God’s picture window, looking
at the beautiful scene they would never forget. They worshipped God’s Son from Heaven above on that cold night as he
lay in the rough manger, warmed by the breath of the cattle and the love of his mother Mary and his foster father, Joseph. Christmas gifts Fr. Austin Norris Gaily wrapped and amply filled Love parceled out generously Accepted and duly acknowledged Grateful hearts leap joyously. Choices made, after deep thought Cards in shades of red and green. Warmth and love couched in words Linking hearts, friends, kith and kin A thoughtful gift of a Christmas Crib Mundane figurines, some surreal. Peaceful radiance emanates therein For there rests - Our King Emmanuel. Traditional goodies, yummy treats Leaving a hint of sweetness and bliss. Hand-crafted or bought off the shelves Seasons greetings - Merry Christmas. ****************************************************************** Saviour’s Day Cliff Richard Now we have been through the harvest Winter has truly begun Now we have walked in the chill of the night We are waiting for, waiting for For the saviour’s day Many have come from the valleys Many have come from the hills Many have started their journey home To be with someone with someone On the saviour’s day Open your eyes on saviour’s day Don’t look back or turn away Life can be yours if you’ll only stay He is calling you, calling you On the saviours day Here’s to the God of the present Here’s to the God of the past Here’s to the hope in the future he brings We will sing to him, sing to him On the savior’s day Joining the old and the young ones Joining the black and the white Meeting the need of the hungry is he We will ever remember him On the saviour’s day Open your eyes on saviour’s day Don’t look back or turn away Life can be yours if you’ll only stay He is calling you, calling you. ************************************************************************* Pope:
Life Must Be Protected With Greatest Care Prays for
Children Exposed to Abuse The Pope pronounced these words Saturday while presiding at vespers
for the first Sunday of Advent in St. Peter’s Basilica. The liturgy was preceded by a Vigil for All Nascent
Human Life, which was promoted by the Pontiff on Nov. 14. This vigil was also observed in union with the Holy Father in parishes, communities, movements and associations
throughout the world. Experience and right reason,” Benedict XVI said, “attest
that the human being is a subject capable of understanding and willing, self-conscious and free, unrepeatable and irreplaceable, the meeting point of all terrestrial realities, that demands to be recognized
as a value in himself and merits always being welcomed with, respect and love.”The Pope continued: “He has the
right not to be treated as an object to be possessed or as a thing that can be manipulated at will, not to be reduced to a
pure instrument for others’ advantage and interests. The person is a good in himself and his integral development must
always be sought. Furthermore, the Pontiff observed, “love toward all, if it is sincere, tends to become preferential
attention for the weakest and the poorest.” In the womb “In regard to the embryo in the maternal womb,”
he said, “science itself provides evidence of its autonomy, capable of interaction with the mother, the coordination of biological processes, the continuity
of development, the growth in the complexity of the organism.” “It is not a matter of an aggregate of biological material,”
the Holy Father asserted, “but of a new living, dynamic and marvelously ordered being, a new
individual of the human species.” “This is how Jesus was in
Mary’s womb,”
he added. “This is how it was for each of us in the mother’s womb.” The Lord’s incarnation and the beginning of human life,
in fact are intimately connected Benedict XVI pointed out. He explained that the former reveals that every human life has
an “incomparable dignity,1 to which the “great responsibility
toward all” is linked. The Pope noted that unfortunately, even after birth the lives
of many children continue to be exposed to abandonment, hunger, misery sickness, abuse, violence and exploitation He called
on politicians, economists and the mass media to promote a culture that is evei more respectful of life. Reciting the prayer for life at the conclusion o the celebration,
the Pontiff invoked the Creator’s protection of children, spouses, o; all those who suffer from the impossibility ol
having children, and of orphans. He asked for the light of the Holy Spirit to be shed on the decisions
of legislative assemblies and the work of scientists and physicians, so that progress will contribute tc the integral good
of the person. Saints
for Our Edification St.
Stephen Feastday: December 26 Patron of Stonemasons Stephen’s name means “crown,” and
he was the first disciple of Jesus to receive the martyr’s crown. Stephen was a deacon in the early Christian Church.
The apostles had found that they needed helpers to look after the care of the widows and the poor. So they ordained seven
deacons, and Stephen is the most famous of these. God worked many miracles through St. Stephen and he
spoke with such wisdom and grace that many of his hearers became followers of Jesus. The enemies of the could not answer his wise argument, so they got men
to lie about him, saying that he had spoken sinfully against God. St. Stephen faced that great assembly of enemies without
fear. In fact, the Holy Bible says that his face looked like the face of an angel. The saint spoke about Jesus, showing that He is the
Savior, God had promised to send. He scolded his enemies for not having believed in Jesus. At that, they rose up in great anger and shouted
at him. But Stephen looked up to Heaven and said that he saw the heavens opening and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. His hearers plugged their ears and refused to listen
to another word. They dragged St. Stephen outside the city of After such an expression of love, the holy martyr
went to his heavenly reward. His feast day is December 26th. Feastday: December 27 Patron of John is credited with the authorship of three epistles
and one Gospel, although many scholars believe that the final editing of the Gospel was done by others shortly after his death.
He is also supposed by many to be the author of the book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse, although this identification
is less certain. St.
Agnes Feastday: January 21 Patron of the Children of Mary 304 St. Agnes was a Roman girl who was only thirteen years
old when she suffered martyrdom for-her Faith. Agnes had made a promise, a promise to God never to stain her purity. Her love
for the Lord was very great and she hated sin even more than death! Since she was very beautiful, many young men wished to
marry Agnes, but she would always say, “Jesus Christ is my only Spouse.” Procop, the Governor’s son, became very angry
when she refused him. He had tried to win her for his wife with rich gifts and promises, but the beautiful young girl kept
saying, “I am already promised to the Lord of the Universe. He is more splendid than the sun and the stars, and He has
said He will never leave me!” In great anger, Procop accused her of being a Christian and brought her to his father,
the Governor. The Governor promised Agnes wonderful gifts if she would only deny God, but Agnes refused. He tried to change
he mind by putting her in chains, but her lovely face shone with joy. Next he sent her to a place of sin, but an Angel protected
her. At last, he was condemned to death. Even the pagans cried to see such a
young and beautiful girl going to death. Yet, Agnes was as happy as a bride
on her wedding day. She did not pay attention to those who begged her to save herself. “I would offend my Spouse,” she said, “if I were to try
to please you. He chose me first and He shall have me!” Then she prayed and bowed her head for the death-stroke of the sword. St.
Vincent Pallotti Feastday: January 22 St. Vincent Pallotti, Priest (Feast - January 22^
Born in St.
Timothy Feastday: January 26 Born at Lystra, Lycaenia, Timothy was the son of a
Greek father and Eunice, a converted Jewess. He joined St.
Thomas Aquinas Feastday: January 28 St. Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church,
patron of all universities and of students. His feast day is January 28th. He was born toward the end of the year 1226. He
was the son of Landulph, Count of Aquino, who, when When he became of age to choose his state of life,
After making his profession at At St. Blaise fourth century. Blaise’s feast day because of the Blessing of
the Throats that took place on this day. Two candles are blessed, held slightly open, and pressed against the throat as the
blessing is said. Saint Blaise’s protection of those with throat troubles apparently comes from a legend that a boy
was brought to him who had a fishbone stuck in his throat. The boy was about to die when Saint Blaise healed him. Very few facts are known about Saint Blaise. We believe
he was a bishop of Sebastea in The legend of his life that sprang up in the eighth century tell
us that he was born in to a rich and noble family who raised him as a Christian. After becoming a bishop, a new persecution
of Christians began. He received a message from God to go into the hills to escape persecution. Men hunting in the mountains
discovered a cave surrounded by wild animals who were sick. Among them Blaise walked unafraid, curing them of their illnesses.
Recognizing Blaise as a bishop, they captured him to take him back for trial. On the way back, he talked a wolf into releasing
a pig that belonged to a poor woman. When Blaise was sentenced to be starved to death, the woman, in gratitude, sneaked into
the prison with food and candles. Finally Blaise was killed by the governor. Blaise is the patron saint of wild animals because
of his care for them and of those with throat maladies. St. John Britto Feastday: February 4 1693 Jesuit martyr in ************************************************** A
PARENTAL BLESSING Sybil Dias Can anything in a Christian family equal in beauty the sight of
children who, from the youngest to the oldest, present themselves each night with reverence before their parents to receive
their blessing before retiring to rest? A blessing imparted in the name of God is more than a good wish:
it is also a Prayer. “The father’s blessing strengthens the houses of the children” (Sirach 3:9) The Patriarchs
of old in blessing their children extended their hands over their heads. With such a rite did Abraham bless Isaac, and Isaac
his son Jacob, and Jacob his 12 sons. Under the old Law,
only the fathers seemingly had the privilege of blessing their children:
but under the New Law, through Mary, women have been raised to a loftier position and ever since the one who is” blessed
among all women “was found worthy to be the Mother of God, the right of
blessing their children has been conferred also upon mothers. There are many Scriptural instances in which a parent’s
blessing is efficacious. Consider young Tobias. He had to undertake a long journey. Before departing he received the blessing
of his blind father in these beautiful words: May you have a good journey, may God be with you in your way and may his Angel
accompany you. God sent the Angel Raphael disguised as a traveler to accompany the young man. When Tobias returned, his father
was cured of his blindness - surely God answered the blessing of his father. Jesus wants children to be blessed. Certainly,
the blessing bestowed by Jesus is more efficacious than that bestowed by parents. So also is the blessing of a Priest. Even
so, parental blessing is something so holy and so powerful. It is easy for a child to see God’s representative in a
parent before whom he frequently kneels for blessing. With this recognition come the love, reverence and obedience that children
owe to their parents. The history of parental blessings presents many edifying examples
for our admiration and imitation. St Therese , The Little Flower whose simplicity and sanctity has made her so popular, tells
us that the custom of blessing the children prevailed in the Martin home. St. Francis of Sales reverently knelt every night
at the feet of his parents to receive their blessing, until the day when, after he received the Episcopal consecration, his
parents knelt in their turn before their son to receive his blessing. PARENTS! Open
up to your children this effective means of grace. Make a diligent and frequent use of this privilege. The parental blessing
instills into the hearts of children a greater and purer love for their parents, besides ensuring
forever their respect for you. Their filial affection grows daily by this impressive rite, in which the parent stands before
the eyes of his children as the representative of God. A very good time to give a daily blessing is at night or after
evening prayers. Parents ought to bless their children before going on a trip, before undertaking an important/dangerous task,
during illness, at the more important turning points in life - entering school/college, receiving First Holy Communion, marriage,
entering a convent or seminary. Send a blessing even to your absent children. Before retiring
at night, think of the absent sons/daughters. They may be in real need for your help. Your blessing is the most powerful help
you can give. St Ambrose says, “You may not be rich, you may be unable
to bequeath any great possessions to your children, but one thing you can give them: your blessing. And it is better to be
blessed than to be rich.” Oh Holy Family of Nazareth, model of the Christian family, bless
us. ************************************************************************************ TIME
OUT AT ROSARY TIME Ashok Saldanha I have this habit of sitting on the couch & yelling “ROSARYTIME”at
8.30p.m. I hear a groan from the kitchen - the missus, and “Oh no!
Not now!” from the bedroom - my eight year old. “ROSARY TIME” I yell again, irritation etched into each
word. Immediately, two very reluctant family members walk into the hall slowly as if being led to the gallows. “Let’s make it fast, papa, Harry Potter is on at 9,”
chirps my eight year old. I retort, “Mary of Nazareth is on right now & she comes first”. The Rosary starts & so also the yawns. Every third “Hail
Mary” has a yawn attached to it from my eight year old. The missus suddenly gets up & runs to the kitchen. She comes
back after a minute, “I am frying bombils & have to check the frying pan else they stick”. My eight year old intones the second decade & trails off into
silence. She has dozed off in mid decade. I nudge her & tell her that there will be no Harry Potter as it is off to bed
for her after dinner. This sends the sleep out of her but the yawns continue. The door bell rings - it’s the dhobi. The missus gets up to
collect the clothes & fires the man for tearing one of her favourite dresses. The argument goes back & forth and the
dhobi leaves without giving an inch to the missus. Mother Mary waits.... Deflated the missus goes in to check whether the bombils are leaping
from the frying pan. She comes back & asks which decade is going on. I tell her we are beginning the third. She starts reciting it, stops
and runs to the kitchen again as the pressure cooker hisses. She recites “Hail Mary full of grace........” loudly
from the kitchen as we reply with “Holy Mary” from the hall. She comes back & says “the rice you bought
is no good, it becomes all pachak in the cooker.....Hail Mary full of grace.......” Her cell rings. It is her boss. She gives me a sheepish grin &
speaks with him about the next day’s schedule. Finished, she continues “Glory be to the Father....”. I have
counted only seven Hail Marys on my rosary, but let it go as there has been an improvement. Last night the missus had said
five as the milk had boiled over & the gas burners had to be cleaned. Mother Mary must be
drumming her fingers
waiting.... The land line rings, it is my eight year old’s friend from
school asking her for the day’s home work as she had missed school. Seeing murder in my eyes, my eight year old quickly
tells her friend to call after Harry Potter is over. Somehow the fifth decade completes its run and as the Hail Holy
Queen starts the door bell rings again. It’s the Society Secretary for me. I get up to talk to him about some building
repairs & from the comer of my eye see satisfied smirks on the faces of the missus & my eight year old. The Society Secretary leaves & we are back to the Rosary. The Litany starts & I notice my eight year old missing quite
a few of the titles for Our Lady as she rushes through with it. I ask her what seems to be the problem. “Nothing, papa”. I look at the clock- Harry Potter is
two minutes away. The Memorare comes and goes with a whoosh. A short hymn is chosen
to be sung by the missus as she has to cut vegetables. Hymn over, my eight year old pecks me on the cheek, asks for my
blessing & before one can say “Harry Potter”, Harry Potter is on the tube. “Papa,” I can hear the complaint in her voice, ‘see
I missed five minutes of the movie. Now I won’t know the beginning......” she trails off as she becomes lost in
the movie. Ways to Show You Care Jennifer Pinto With the year dedicated to Care For Creation, I thought of suggesting
a few simple, and more importantly, easy-to-implement ways, to care for our Nature as well as our pockets. Switch off unused appliances ...Do not use plastic... oft heard
methods and hopefully, put into practice by many... The ways listed below, would not need you to go out of your way
but would surely need you to be much more alert and conscious about doing your bit to save our Planet Earth. Ways to care at Home • Drastically
cut the amount of energy your computer and monitor use by putting them in SLEEP mode when they aren’t in use. To activate SLEEP MODE, • Save
all work before leaving your computer. • From the Start menu, select Settings, then Control Panel. • Double-click
Power Management. • Set
the times that you want your system to go on standby, to shut off the monitor and to shut off the hard disks. • Click
OK. Your computer will go on standby according to the schedule you have entered. • Also
avoid screen savers-removing those moving images on your monitor can eliminate that extra money in your Electricity Bill too • Plug
televisions, computer equipment, game consoles and stereos into power strips that can be switched off at night or when not
in use. Even when you think these products are off, together their standby consumption can be equivalent to that of a 60-watt
light bulb running continuously. • Shop
for durable, long-lasting products. For example, use a metal razor instead of disposables. Buy gallon- or economy-size shampoo
and conditioner bottles rather than smaller ones to cut down on trash. • When
you are shopping, avoid the extra bags and wrapping from the shop if you don’t need it. • Reduce
your consumption of red meat and prepare food with more fish, chicken and turkey and supplement more with veggies. -That will
also be healthier!!! • If
possible, Eat More Raw, Uncooked Food. You’ll be saving your LPG at the price of a nice natural glow!!! • To
save water when making coffee or tea, measure and boil only the amount you need. • Make
your own compost in your garden and keep as much of the manure in your garden instead of ‘exporting’ garden waste
and having to buy fertilizers etc. • Why
buy bottled waters daily when you can buy water filters to filter the tap water. Even on your travels carry your own bottle
of water along. At Office To help reduce the
amount of paper your business utilizes, follow these principles: • Go
paperless when possible. • Switch
to electronic communications and only use paperwhen clients request it. • Opt
for online banking, bill payment and other statements and subscribe to electronic versions of trade magazines, trade journals
and newsletters. • When
you receive unwanted catalogs, newsletters or magazines, request to be removed from the mailing list. • Use a fax-modem
or online fax service (like e-Fax) to replace your paperfax machine. • Use
recycled paper. • Many companies are now offering paper that has been recycled. Look for these options
at your local office supply store. • If
you must print, print smarter and more efficient. Make it a habit to print on both • sides
of the paper or use the blank side of old documents you have already printed.. Random • Vehicular
pollution is the major cause of air pollution in big cities. While no one says, Stop driving cars, you can be smart about
it .Surveys show that vigilant owners can really make a huge difference. •
Inflate your tires once a month or as necessary. If everyone kept their tires properly inflated, we could save 2.8
billion gallons of gasoline a year- and help curb global warming. • Attend
all your vehicle’s scheduled checkups without fail, to keep your vehicle in good condition and intact .Give special
attention to the carburetor, and silencer of your vehicle. • Take
shorter showers. The average showerhead uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute; that’s 25 gallons down the drain in 10! • Hang
the Do Not Disturb sign on your hotel door to limit how often Housekeeping vacuums and washes linens. •
Neatly hang used towels to alert hotel staff that you’re willing to reuse them—a sure way to conserve water. • Use
cardboard, paper and glass. They are all recyclable materials, and once they have been recycled, they can be reused Follow the three important Three Green Rules 1. Reduce 2. Reuse and 3. Recycle ****************************************************************************************** Celebration
of St Jude Feast by Zone 6 Lucy Samuel Zone 6, Sectors A, B & C celebrated the feast of ST JUDE their
patron saint on 28th October 2010. Novenas to St Jude, held by each sector of the zone on 25th, 26th
& 27th, were attended by large numbers. A decade of the rosary, hymns and thanksgiving were some of the highlights of
the prayer meetings. The actual celebration took place at the 9:15 Mass on Sunday 31st
October 2010. The special mass said by Fr Austin Morris enlightened one and all and was followed by a get-together held at
St Pius hall. There were games for all age groups & spot prizes were given to winners. It was a well-organised social
event which was enjoyed all. This was followed by lunch and the popular dish from Indian cuisine, “BRIYANI”, was
served which everyone relished. ***************************************************************************************** The
‘M’ Factor ChelC Everything about me has changed... From my bob cut hair-do to my small yet prominent
paunch, from a happy-go-lucky-carefree girl to an often silent and lost woman now. I’m an adult - and not so thrilled about it. Remember when you were five years old and you just couldn’t
wait to grow up? You always waited for a chance for someone to ask you how old you were and standing erect with your head
high, you would utter, “I am almost five-and-a-half going to be six years soon!” I remember saying stuff like that. I also remember starting college
and everybody wanting to do the coolest ‘in thing’ at that age - hang out at clubs. All of us wanted to enter
the place but you had to look 18, right? At five-foot nothing, with pimples, you’re definitely not 18! Yet, here I am, 10-years later, panicking! Let’s not talk
about my allergic reactions bordering on occasional breakouts of rashes at the thought of reaching 30... *arrgh* And then
you have the usual “Susie just got engaged!” and “Have you heard the good news - Mary had a baby boy!”
Well Mary could give birth to a little lamb and I would still run as fast as my 25-year-old legs could to get away from that
conversation! Other than Big Boss, the hot debate/gossip/topic at this stage of
our young adult lives is - Marriage. I have a lot of girlfriends and boyfriends (boys who are friend’s
dad) whose parents, I think, were just waiting for the day ever since their little bundle of joy crossed puberty, to talk
about how they were going to find a nice boy/girl (what does ‘nice’ mean anyway?). Now I know a lot of nice boys
and girls. And plenty of them agree with me that they will tie the knot as and when they are ready to settle down and become
baby producing machines. Okay, before I go on, let me clarify - I am NOT against people getting
married. Heck, I have my wedding dress designed already and the names of my four kids (two borne by me and two adopted of
course) all ready. Only the tall, fair and handsome part is missing from the equation. All I am saying is give us a chance. Let us make that once in a
lifetime decision with your blessings and approval of course. But let us choose for ourselves. Don’t pressurize us to
do something we might end up regretting. The blame-game is something most of us would like to avoid with our lives as complex
as they are. A friend of mine recently told me how his parents wanted him to
marry a doctor or an MBA, basically any woman who was rolling in money. I was stunned. I have known him and his family forever.
While he says he is happily single for now, he just doesn’t understand this term - come from a well-to-do family. The
question I am itching to ask his parents - Does money really buy happiness? You tell me. Arranged marriages work, don’t get me wrong. A couple of friends
have told me how they fell in love with the life partner chosen for them. Well, good for you. Your parents picked a winner!
Same goes for those who fall in love and introduce their future partners to the good folks at home and it works out beautifully.
You clicked, and the rest as they say is history. That means it takes two to tango. Today, finding that partner to
tango with all the way down the aisle and for life, is tough, especially when you have a lot of variety, in terms of dancing
styles and partners. Some of us want to stay single, some want to study further, some
want to explore the world and then settle down, some want to work for awhile and then give up their job to raise a family. This is not the 1970’s where saying ‘I do’ was
the most exciting part of your existence, where settling down and starting a family was the be all and end all of life, where
who your parents chose was The One.’ My little rant is basically asking parents to take a step back and
not put undue pressure in making their young adults get into something they may not be ready for. Other than that, call me
for the wedding! Our
Braces According
to Dan: We had crooked teeth, Nicole and I, And when we used to smile, People would just pass us by. Of course that’s over - exaggeration But our teeth were really bad, But when we got our braces, We went totally mad! Nic got hers first. Boy, they were tight! It was kinda hard to eat, She couldn’t really bite! I laughed at her braces, Thought she looked mad, But when mom said she looked cute, I felt kind of bad... After a while, her braces were out, And she felt she had all the luck, ‘Cause when I saw her smiling like that, She called me a duck! Nicole
says: So Dan decided to put braces, So that she may look nice too But I still make fun of her, “I look better than you!!” So Dan still has her braces on, And there’s still a lot of time left, For them to come off, ‘Cause her teeth still have to set But she’s not complaining She loves the little things, FShe even shows them off to people And claps her hands and sings So basically we’re trying to tell you, That with braces you’re not a fool, But you’ll have a lovely smile later on, And you’ll look beautiful and cool!!! Danielle
and Nicole Flanagan THE
FUTURE THAT LIES AHEAD... Sanjana Jadhav Does it pinch your conscience every time you see a poor kid on
the street? Take a look around you. These are the less fortunate people who do not have a home to live in, who sell fancy
things on the streets and earn a living for themselves and their family. Many of them wish to go to school, to study and to
have a decent life like you and me, but the fact is, they have no one to look up to for help. Some of these kids can not only
be financially unstable, they can also be physically handicapped. They wish to be the future and can be the future of Helping someone with their difficulties in school or college,
sharing your food with them, bringing a smile on their faces is not only appreciated by them but also makes them feel happy.
Many of us who are fortunate and get what we need often fail to value them. Thank God for all that he has blessed you with,
care for God’s creation, help others around you and work towards the change you want to see. The future lies in your
hand. So go ahead and make the most of it... Cheers!! ********************************************************************************************** THE ANNUAL SCC RALLY Maria Chandwani The SCC rally held on 14th November 2010 was a great
success. People from all our zones attended in large numbers. Friends I meet from other parishes admire our solidarity. Although
we crib as parishioners, largely things are good
and that must be appreciated by us. However, I
believe what is good can always be better. The better our zone becomes, the more vibrant our parish will be.
In this context, our parish vision statement, to be vibrant witnesses of Christ in our family, community and nation through
our loving words and deeds, becomes important. All the skits and dances performed on the rally day
showed that there are many competent, talented people in our parish. A lot of credit goes to them for the wonderful show put
up that day. While the fun of the SSC rally was loved by all, we must not lose sight of the larger goal. We all need to be
witnesses of Christ, not passively, but actively. Whatever we may be, and in whatever we do, even the little we may do as
witnesses of Christ, needs to be well done, always, because we are his “brand ambassadors”. I compliment Fr. Austin and Fr. Lincoln and the lay
people for the wonderful work that is being done. I am proud to belong to ********************************************************** MUZO
ZOLMACHO GAUM By Mrs. P.R. Fernandes Goem Shiroda “Tarvollem” ho muzo sobit
zolmacho Gaum. Anga pautanch dadoxi zatam Aum, Jivpisso zata gheit zalear amche tarvolleche zhorichem
Naum. Hea udcan borem zata coslem gormichem duence tuca Zaum. Goem Shiroda Tarvolle ho sumdor gaum Muzo, 50 Vorsam adim tarvollem kitem Disso, Vattsur passun ekuch nodren zato Pisso, Itlosurop sumdor ho Torvolle gaum Muzo.. Burgeaponnar nachon uddon ami chikle ghoraunc Vocho, Horanchem horam fosso-fosso corun ami udcan Nacho, Vottan-paim amche bazo matt paimanc naslo Mocho, Chikle khaun jevonnui amcam borem Rucho. Tinsam vellar ami vocho sezereanchea Xettan, Conge ami punzaitalem odlea Jettan, Conge connache chodd zatat tern, aplea ghara vocho
Nettan, Matt amchem khelloup aslem ek Vottan. Fanthear ami utton vavourtalem sezeranchea zao &
zuieochea Bhagin, Tednam bhitant colonasli jilcutanani assot munn Nag
oh Nagin, Nachon ani uddon zaieo & zuieoancheo collieo caddi amchea supurlea
Hatin Khuxechea nadan horanchem horam oddou ghalun duco naslem amche Pattin ******************************************************* Legion
of Mary Tessera Norma Vashi With great joy the Legionnaires celebrated the birthday
of Mamma Mary (8"1 September)
on Sunday, 5th September
2010 at 5.00 pm in the Mass Hall. I am glad to be an auxiliary member. It was well attended by the Active, Auxiliary Members,
some of the residents of Sr. Daisy Sequeira welcomed us. The programme began
with a short prayer and Holy Rosary led by Sr. Anna Mathai before Blessed Mother and Her Child Jesus. We recited the Catena
Antiphons along with Sr. Pushpa Chettiar. Emcee for
the evening was Sr. Nathalin Godad. Each one
introduced themselves. We formed groups. Our memories were refreshed when Sr. Maria Rodrigues shot
out questions about the dates of feasts of Our Lady and her life. This proved how well we know Our Mother. We played “Passing the Hat”. Sandeep was the last one to wear the hat and
was stunned to be declared winner of the game. Prizes were distributed. Snacks and soft drinks prepared by the active members
were served. Bro. Kenny Godad acquainted us on their reaching out,
on their weekly visitation of homes of the sick, needy, lonely, praying with the bereaved families, providing spiritual guidance
and other information regarding the faith and sacraments and their book stall on Sundays.
Thus, bringing love and light of Mary in their lives. We need to thank Our Mother for building a pathway for each of
us to follow. Fr. Lincoln Rebello, Spiritual Director, gave us a
talk on his legion experience of visits to homes. He then blessed us all. The function concluded with a short vote of thanks
by Sr. Maria Rodrigues. A special thanks to Sr. Maria Rodrigues for her in
exhaustive effort and the active members who made the annual get together a prayerful and enjoyable evening. May Blessed Mary and Her Son, Jesus, protect and guide
the Legionnaires in their noble tasks. So come and join the Army of Mary and be a witness
of her love that meets every Saturday at 5.30 pm at Assisi Bhavan. ********************************************************** Time
Out- at Karjat Norma Vashi A big thank U Fr. Austin Norris for the Parish Overnite
Outing to Karjat on 16 Nov, stay at the Resort surrounded by tall pine trees, lush greenery, splash in cool pool, tasty food.
Before morning Eucharist U took us all into a world filled with calmness which filled us with appreciation of God’s
gift to us for healing body and mind. Ending our journey was with the sunset across the evening sky -gone too soon. Kudos
to Lucy Samuel and Shoba Alvares for the fun-filled fellowship. The Almighty’s Blessings on U Father dear for all that
U R The
Lord’s Prayer - A Prayer Service for Confirmation Students Vanessa
Fernandes and Wilma Fernandes (Daughter and Mom) Prayer
Service in preparation for the Rite of Presentation of the Lord’s Prayer (Called to a Filial relationship with the Father) We, Confirmands, had a beautiful prayer service on
26th September 2010. We
had prayerful moments, since we were accompanied by our parents, prayer guardians, and even Parish Counsellors with SCC animators. This was a very special day for us, Confirmands. Roohi was the MC for the entire Prayer Service. The
Opening Prayer was said by Sri Ernest Rozario, the Vice President
of the Parish Council. Lawrence Sir also said an Introductory prayer. Ms Anita Menezes, a Parish Counsellor from Zone IV gave
the introduction, when she spoke about the formation and guidance of the Confirmation candidates along the right path. The First Reading was read by Brian. We accompanied
Lawrence Sir in singing Alleluia to a new tune. The entire congregation joined us. Thereafter the Gospel was read by Sajitha. The Lord’s Prayer was blessed by Rev. Fr. Austin
and then solemnly distributed by him to all the parents of the girl students and by Sr. Catherine to all the parents of the
boy students. The parents took the prayer and handed it over to
their respective children. Thereafter testimonies were given by Alison, Then the parents shared their experiences of filial
love with their children. Rev. Fr. Austin spoke a word of thanks to Lawrence
Sir and Miss Liz for all the efforts taken by them to conduct this beautiful prayer service. Snacks and Fruity were served. We left for home uplifted
mentally and physically and completely satisfied, having received God’s blessing thru’ this prayer service. ***************************************************** A
tribute to our children Mrs. Veronica Bias Our arms have held and rocked you As babes, and now as you grow, Our eyes glaze with love and pride As you totter, walk, then soar. Our hearts flutter with joy and pain Through your ups and downs in life, You are the anchor that holds us fast Through our family storms and strife. Without you, our lives are incomplete- Though we rarely let you know, But today seems the perfect day Dear children, to tell you so. (Happy Children’s Day) **************************************************** Care for Creation = A Triple Contest An announcement about an open contest on the above topic, for
adults and children saw 47 participants give in their names for the same. The Triple Contest was held on November 7th in the
quadrangle of the Convent. The three categories which were, Essay writing, Poster painting and Creative craft, were brilliantly
executed by the contestants both young and old. As one watched the participants bent over their creations, one
could see resolve and purpose. The splash of colour, the slice of the scissors, the sticky and wet gum and paste all finally
resulted in mind-blowing creations out of pure waste matter. What was touching was the fact that parents and elders stood and
watched and encouraged the participants as well as help the organisers in conducting the contest. Refreshing frooti and snacks
were served. The judges were Rev. Sr. Shanti D’Souza, dhm and Sr. Isabelle Rodrigues, DHM, of Prem Ankur, St. Pius Complex.
They had the unenviable task of choosing the best and low and behold 29 out of the 47 participants were awarded certificates
as well as cash prizes. The other participants were also given certificates of appreciation. We place on record our heartfelt thanks to Rev. Sr. Maureen Fonseca,
FHIC, Sr. Theresa L. Fernandes, FHIC,
as well as the Sunday School Catechists who worked hard to make this day a success. Special thanks to Mr. Stanley Menezes
and the Catholic Sabha for their active support of the event. *************************************************************************** Pilgrimage
to Mount Mary Shrine, Bandra Sr. Annie Mathew On 20th September, a group of twenty widows and three sisters from our convent accompanied
Fr. Austin for a pilgrimage to the Shrine at Bandra. We left at 6.30am, praying the Rosary along the journey and arrived in
time for the 7am After Mass we wended our way into the Basilica and were greeted
by the sight of the most beautifully decorated altar topped by the famous statue of Mother Mary. The abundance of fragrant
and beautiful flowers on the altar were a fitting tribute to our Mother. We paid our homage, made our offerings and prayed for favours and intentions-
both personal and for the community, especially for our Church Building Project. Then we were treated to a hearty breakfast of cake, hotdogs, patties
and tea. The sisters of Mount Mary Convent, including the Provincial, were kind enough to offer us space to refresh ourselves.
Fortified with the breakfast, we wound our way down the steps, stopping at the various stalls selling sweets and other articles.
Though the fair was winding down, there were a few stalls where we made some purchases until we reached ***************************************************************************** ACTIVITY
REPORT OF SVP Freeda Jadhav and Fabina D ‘Mello The Members of the St. Joseph Society of St. Vincent
De Paul celebrated the feast of their Patron ST.VINCENT DE PAUL on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2010. The feast Mass at 9.15 a.m. was
celebrated by Rev. Fr. Austin Norris. An introduction explaining the philosophy and work of the SSVP was given both in English
and Hindi. The homily by Father Austin was very meaningful and apt for the occasion. There was a thanksgiving prayer as the
offerings were made. At the end of the Mass Ms. Rochelle, a young girl from one of our adopted families gave her testimony
as to how the SVP helped her and her family members in all walks of their lives. After the mass, we had a get-together of all the adopted
families at the BPCL Hall, Gokuldham. This was arranged by Brother Shaju, SVP member. We commenced with a thanksgiving prayer
by Brother Ivan followed by snacks and cold drinks. An informative presentation was shown to the families including ‘Personal
Cleanliness and Hygiene’. The explanation of the same was very well put across in Hindi by Ivan. Later a movie was shown
and we could see the kids as well as elders enjoying the comedy. Thanks to our member, Brother Ronald, who made the effort to organize and project the same. A session of games
like Passing the Parcel, Bombing the City, Forming Groups, etc. was organized for all the families and all the winners were
given prizes. The presence of Fr Lincoln for a short time was appreciated. Before lunch, the Grace was recited and an appetizing
lunch comprising of Veg. Noodles, Chicken Fried rice, Manchurian was served, followed by a sweet dish, Gulab Jamuns. The families
relished the lunch and enjoyed it to their heart’s content. The families were very happy and were grateful to
the members of the SVP for making them feel special. All of them and the members of the SVP returned home with great joy and
contentment. We conclude by expressing our gratitude to our parishioners
for the many times you’ve all helped us in bringing hope, happiness and healing to the less fortunate. Your timely contributions
in cash and kind and support to our various projects have helped and encouraged us to go forward with confidence. We pray
that Jesus, the giver of beautiful gifts, may bless your generous and kind hearts with the richness of his graces. **************************************************** Sunday School Smiles A Sunday school teacher was telling her class the
story of the Good Samaritan. She asked the class, ‘If you saw a person lying on the roadside, all wounded and bleeding,
what would you do?’ A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence,
‘I think I’d throw up.’ ************************************************************ Session
on Current Social Issues faced by Teenagers Ronald Rodrigues Every Sunday, the Confirmation students assemble for
class, but on 10th Oct at 10:30 am we Confirmation students were looking forward with awe and excitement to an innovative
session organised by the Women’s Cell of St. Anne’s Parish Orlem-Malad with the support and enterprise of our
Parish Women’s Cell, Parish Priest and teachers. The session was conducted by Ms Alene Alves, Rosa
Alphonso and Elaine D’souza of Orlem, three very vibrant women , having boundless knowledge. To begin with, we were
served hot crispy samosas and soft drinks. Father Austin Norris introduced the speakers from Orlem church. This was followed
by a prayer dance to Indian music which was gracefully performed by six aspirants of the convent who were trained by Sr. Superior
Catherine. Mrs Arlene started with a brief introduction about
the problems and issues that we as teenagers face in different situations: in society, family, peer group and in our colleges
and work places. Then to our astonishment we were divided into 6 groups of 8 members each. The groups were based on the fruits
of the Holy Spirit which is the essence of our Confirmation catechesis: love, joy, peace, kindness, faithfulness and self-control. Each group was then given an issue like smoking/ drug
abuse/alcoholism/sexual harassment/cyber crime/ ragging and care for creation. Each group had to perform a skit on the given
issue and write an appropriate slogan on a chart. There were also newspaper cuttings on the same issues which were displayed
on the walls of the Mass Hall. After each skit Mrs Arlene explained the problems giving a number of examples, personal experiences
and enlightening us on how to face such issues and overcome them. It was really an unforgettable session. We gained
knowledge that would help us face, fight and overcome difficulties in life and stand out as true disciples of Jesus Christ.
The session was something far beyond our usual classes...it built up our self confidence, motivating us to be strong and to
stand up in life, believe in Jesus and enjoy His Victory. I would like to thank the awesome and vibrant organizers,
Fr. Austin, Uncle Lawrence, Ms. Elizabeth, Aunty Norma and the Women Cell of our parish for their efforts and for giving us
an experience that helped boost our self-confidence and self-esteem. Aunty Danica proposed the Vote of Thanks and the session
ended with all singing “We are one in the Spirit” *********************************************************** HOPE
& LIFE RECOLLECTION AT VAKOLA Leena Cardoza On 28th October,2010, we 10 widows from St Joseph Parish attended a Recollection at Our function started at around 10.30 am with a recitation of the
Rosary and ended with the Eucharist at 2 p.m. The decades were said in Konkani and English. After the introduction of each
Parish by their respective Presidents, we started our Recollection. Fr.Antony Cardoz, (fondly known as Fr.Tony) from Fortunate are those who work for peace, they shall be called children
of God. Fortunate are
you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of
evil against you because you are my followers. Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for
you in God” He advised us to visit the sick and housebound and to spend some
time with them and pray with them. Also he told us to pray the Rosary daily, meditating upon it. He said it should be a reflective
Rosary. He taught us some Konkani hymns and told us to practice them and sing them after the Rosary in our homes and BCC’s
. He advised us to spend quality time with our family, reach out to others and give them hope and love. Our life’s journey
extends a long way and we do not know where it will end. But we should make the best of life by praying. We thank God, Jesus, and Mother Mary for this wonderful recollection.
We thank Fr.Austin Morris for all the timely help, the support and guidance we receive from him. ******************************************************************************************** Day
for Teachers and Elders The programme for Teachers and Elders was held on Sunday, 19th September 2010. It was organized beautifully by the
Family Cell and the Bombay Catholic Sabha. Fr. Lincoln in his welcome talk urged members to participate in such programmes
in large numbers. Then, little Rachel Menezes paid glowing tributes to her teachers. Maria Vaz shared how she started as a
hesitant teacher till she grew in confidence. There were many games and spot prizes. There was singing and dancing. Refreshments
were also served. When one of the elders was asked to say a few words of wisdom, he said, the greatest
words of wisdom ever spoken were by his close friend. He pointed to the tabernacle to say that it was Jesus he was talking
about. He said if we followed Him truly, we would never have any reason to regret it. The programme ended with many members
saying that it was a fine programme and that we should meet in this manner more often. CHILDREN SPEAK The Diwali Holiday Club 7-12, Nov. First of all, I want to thank Sister Maureen for organizing the
Holiday Club. We had activities like knitting, crochet, drafts, cards, carom, creative writing, public speaking, sports, Chinese
checkers, dancing and singing. The person who completed all the activities would get a prize. Every day Sister used to give
us a talk on different topics. Sister even gave us each a hymn book to take home. On the last day we had a pound party. All
the members of the club performed an item. We really enjoyed the holiday club. Alien Samuel, Class IX When I got the news of the Diwali Holiday Club and I joined it.
This time we learnt many different things at the club. Apart from public speaking, we learnt knitting, crochet and many games.
I enjoyed every moment of the 2 hours I spent there every day. I am very happy that my holiday was put to good use. I am grateful
to Sister Maureen for organizing the club and spending their precious time with us. Old aunty Maggie patiently taught us knitting.
Sister Cecilia took time out from her busy schedule to help us learn crochet. Sister Maureen fondly taught us to sing, took
music lessons for us and played different games with us. All this made the holiday club enjoyable and a good learning experience
for me. A special thank you to Fr. Austin for the sweets and the snacks. I love you Fr. Austin and Sister Maureen. Rachel Menezes, Class IV ******************************************************************************************** Feast
of St. Luke- Zone V Eliza Mathew Our Zone V, under the patronage of St. Luke celebrated our feast
on 18th October 2010. In fact, our Zone was preparing for this joyous occasion for many weeks. On 15th October, we had a spiritual gathering for our members to obtain
insights into the exemplary life of our Patron Saint -Luke, the Evangelist. Also, on 16th October, we had organized a session,
wherein we reflected on the message of “Rooted and Grounded in Love”. On 24th October, we had a Thanksgiving Mass
in the morning at our Church for the welfare of the families of our Zone. Prayer services and reflections were followed by a get-together with
dinner in the evening on 31st October. This celebration was attended in good numbers by the families which form our Zone.
Rev. Fr. Austin, our Parish Priest In-Charge inaugurated this celebration with a prayer thanking God for the gift of each
and every member of our Zonal Unit and their contribution to the Parish Community. Thereafter, games were organized wherein each of us was asked to form
a group based on the lines of the hymns which were given to us on paper slips. It was really heartening and fun to watch all
members of our Zone running around the room and singing the lines of the hymns to form their respective groups and finish
first. This was followed up by some snacks for us to boost up our energies. Later we had a Quiz programme for all the age
groups together. We also thank Rev. Fr. Lincoln, who despite
his busy schedule, of supporting the Church Building Project, took time to grace this occasion. We ended the programme with
delicious and steaming hot Chicken Briyani and scoops of mouthwatering strawberry ice cream. ****************************************************************************** PARISH BULLETIN FOR OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2010 My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards….!!! We are living in times which are both happy and
sad. Happy because of the Commonwealth Games in our country and sad because of the fear of the outcome of the Court's verdict
on Ayodhya. Whatever be the state of our minds, we have the Apostle of peace - Mahatma Gandhi to inspire us towards non-violence
and tolerance. As we continue to reflect on "Cre for Creation"
we need to examine how we use or squander the resources at our disposal. Even the little things of everyday life
and how we use them, can deplete or help sustain the gifts of the Earth. One of the recent Gospels on Sunday asked the
question: “Who is the good steward?” He is one who is given a task
and performs it in a way that is faithful, responsible and accountable to the master. So understood, we are all stewards or
trustees of God. The world around us, all we possess, all those in our care are entrusted to us. From the beginning God made man the steward of
Creation. To protect, foster and nourish it. So we see how important it is to take care of and protect our environment. To
keep our surroundings clean by a proper disposal of garbage. To beautify the place in which we live by planting trees and
having gardens. To use water sparingly. To use our property fruitfully. To save
electricity. All this is good stewardship. It is true religion. Again, our money and other possessions are given
to us not just for our personal advantage, to be spent on luxuries; or only for our families. We are expected to share these
with our less fortunate brothers and sisters, especially in these times of unemployment and rising prices. This is where our
Community Fund helps you to help others. Going further, the Church, starting with our
parish community is part of our stewardship. We are responsible for one another's growth. Not only spiritually, but also emotionally,
culturally and financially. If we do not come forward to serve our church community through indifference, we are not committed
stewards. This all round growth is effectively done in and through our small Christian communities and by involvement in various
organizations and cells. As we look forward to October, the Month of the
Rosary and the Kingship of Christ followed by the Advent Season, let us intercede with the Holy Spirit to be with us and guide
us towards Jesus, Our Lord and Master. The next issue of our parish bulletin will feature
articles on Christmas, New Year, and related topics. So send in your contributions, reports, poems and musings for a selective
publication of the same. May Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-charge ******************************************************* Saints
For Our Edification ST. TERESA OF AVILA Patron Saint of those suffering from Headaches Feast Day: October 15 St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Teresa lived in an age of exploration as well
as political, social and religious upheaval. It was the 16th century, a time of turmoil and reform. She was born before the
Protestant Reformation and died almost 20 years after the closing of the Council of Trent. The gift of God to Teresa in and through which
she became holy and left her mark on the Church and the world is threefold: She was a woman; she was a contemplative; she
was an active reformer. As a woman, Teresa stood on her own two feet,
even in the man’s world of her time. She was “her own woman,” entering the Carmelites despite strong opposition
from her father. She is a person wrapped not so much in silence as in mystery. Beautiful, talented, outgoing, adaptable, affectionate,
courageous, enthusiastic, she was totally human. Like Jesus, she was a mystery of paradoxes: wise, yet practical; intelligent,
yet much in tune with her experience; a mystic, yet an energetic reformer. A holy woman, a womanly woman. Teresa was a woman “for God,” a woman
of prayer, discipline and compassion. Her heart belonged to God. Her ongoing conversion was an arduous lifelong struggle,
involving ongoing purification and suffering. She was misunderstood, misjudged, opposed in her efforts at reform. Yet she
struggled on, courageous and faithful; she struggled with her own mediocrity, her illness, her opposition. And in the midst
of all this she clung to God in life and in prayer. Her writings on prayer and contemplation are drawn from her experience:
powerful, practical and graceful. A woman of prayer; a woman for God. Teresa was a woman “for others.”
Though a contemplative, she spent much of her time and energy seeking to reform herself and the Carmelites, to lead them back
to the full observance of the primitive Rule. She founded over a half-dozen new monasteries. She traveled, wrote, fought—always
to renew, to reform. In her self, in her prayer, in her life, in her efforts to reform, in all the people she touched, she
was a woman for others, a woman who inspired and gave life. Her writings, especially the Way of Perfection
and The Interior Castle, have helped generations of believers. In 1970, the Church gave her the title she had
long held in the popular mind: doctor of the Church. She and St. Catherine of Siena were the first women so honored. Ours is a time of turmoil, a time of reform and
a time of liberation. Modern women have in Teresa a challenging example. Promoters of renewal, promoters of prayer, all have
in Teresa a woman to reckon with, one whom they can admire and imitate. Teresa knew well the continued presence and value
of suffering (physical illness, opposition to reform, difficulties in prayer), but she grew to be able to embrace suffering,
even desire it: “Lord, either to suffer or to die.” Toward the end of her life she exclaimed: “Oh, my Lord!
How true it is that whoever works for you is paid in troubles! And what a precious price to those who love you if we understand
its value.” ********************************************************** St.
Jude Thaddaeus Patron of Desperate Cases Feastday: October 28 St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of
St. James the Less, and a relative of Our Saviour. St. Jude was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus. Ancient writers tell us that he preached the
Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia. According to Eusebius, he returned to Jerusalem in the year
62, and assisted at the election of his brother, St. Simeon, as Bishop of Jerusalem. He is an author of an epistle (letter) to the
Churches of the East, particularly the Jewish converts, directed against the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics.
This Apostle is said to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was then subject to Persia. The final conversion of the
Armenian nation to Christianity did not take place until the third century of our era. Jude was the one who asked Jesus at the Last
Supper why He would not manifest Himself to the whole world after His resurrection. Little else is known of his life. Legend
claims that he visited Beirut and Edessa; possibly martyred with St. Simon in Persia. Jude is invoked in desperate situations because
his New Testament letter stresses that the faithful should persevere in the environment of harsh, difficult circumstances,
just as their forefathers had done before them. Therefore, he is the patron saint of desperate cases and his feast day is
October 28. Saint Jude is not the same person as Judas Iscariot who betrayed Our Lord and despaired because of his great sin
and lack of trust in God’s mercy. ******************************************************** St.
Simon of Zealot Feastday: October 28 Simon was surnamed the Zealot for his rigid adherence
to the Jewish law and to the Canaanite law. He was one of the original followers of Christ. Western tradition is that he preached
in Egypt and then went to Persia with St. Jude, where both suffered martyrdom. Eastern tradition says Simon died peacefully
at Edessa. His feast day is October 28th. ******************************************************** St.
Charles Borromeo Patron of learning and the arts. Feastday: November 4 1584 Charles was the son of Count Gilbert Borromeo
and Margaret Medici, sister of Pope Pius IV. He was born at the family castle of Arona on Lake Maggiore, Italy on October
2. He received the clerical tonsure when he was twelve and was sent to the Benedictine abbey of SS. Gratian and Felinus at
Arona for his education. In 1559 his uncle was elected Pope Pius IV and
the following year, named him his Secretary of State and created him a cardinal and administrator of the see of Milan. He
served as Pius’ legate on numerous diplomatic missions and in 1562, was instrumental in having Pius reconvene the Council
of Trent, which had been suspended in 1552. Charles played a leading role in guiding and in fashioning the decrees of the
third and last group of sessions. He refused the headship of the Borromeo family on the death of Count Frederick Borromeo,
was ordained a priest in 1563, and was consecrated bishop of Milan the same year. Before being allowed to take possession
of his see, he oversaw the catechism, missal, and breviary called for by the Council of Trent. When he finally did arrive
at Trent (which had been without a resident bishop for eighty years) in 1556, he instituted radical reforms despite great
opposition, with such effectiveness that it became a model see. He put into effect, measures to improve the morals and manners
of the clergy and laity, raised the effectiveness of the diocesan operation, established seminaries for the education of the
clergy, founded a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine for the religious instruction of children and encouraged the Jesuits
in his see. He increased the systems to the poor and the needy, was most generous in his help to the English college at Douai,
and during his bishopric held eleven diocesan synods and six provincial councils. He founded a society of secular priests,
Oblates of St. Ambrose (now Oblates of St. Charles) in 1578, and was active in preaching, resisting the inroads of protestantism,
and bringing back lapsed Catholics to the Church. He encountered opposition from many sources in his efforts to reform people
and institutions. He died at Milan on the night of November 3-4,
and was canonized in 1610. He was one of the towering figures of the Catholic Reformation, a patron of learning and the arts,
and though he achieved a position of great power, he used it with humility, personal sanctity, and unselfishness to reform
the Church, of the evils and abuses so prevalent among the clergy and the nobles of the times. His feast day is November 4th.
******************************************************* St.
Margaret of Scotland Feastday: November 16 1093 Margaret was an English princess. She and her
mother sailed to Scotland to escape from the king who had conquered their land. King Malcolm of Scotland welcomed them and
fell in love with the beautiful princess. Margaret and Malcolm were married before too long. As Queen, Margaret changed her husband and the
country for the better. Malcolm was good, but he and his court were very rough. When he saw how wise his beloved wife was,
he listened to her good advice. She softened his temper and led him to practice great virtue. She made the court beautiful
and civilized. Soon all the princes had better manners, and the ladies copied her purity and devotion. The king and queen
gave wonderful example to everyone by the way they prayed together and fed crowds of poor people with their own hands. They
seemed to have only one desire: to make everyone happy and good. Margaret was a blessing for all the people of
Scotland. Before she came, there was great ignorance and many bad habits among them. Margaret worked hard to obtain good teachers,
to correct the evil practices, and to have new churches built. She loved to make these churches beautiful for God’s
glory, and she embroidered the priest’s vestments herself. God sent this holy Queen six sons and two daughters.
She loved them dearly and raised them well. The youngest boy became St. David. But Margaret had sorrows, too. In her last
illness, she learned that both her husband and her son, Edward, had been killed in battle. Yet she prayed: “I thank
You, Almighty God, for sending me so great a sorrow to purify me from my sins.” Let us take this saintly Queen for our example.
While we do our duties, let us keep in mind the joys that God will give us in Heaven. Her feast day is November 16th. *************************************************** St.
Elizabeth of Hungary - Religious Patron services, tertiaries, widows, and young
brides St. Elizabeth was born in Hungary in 1207, the
daughter of Alexander II, King of Hungary. At the age of four she was sent for education to the court of the Landgrave of
Thuringia, to whose infant son she was betrothed. As she grew in age, her piety also increased by leaps and bounds. In 1221,
she married Louis of Thuringia and in spite of her position at court began to lead an austerely simple life, practiced penance,
and devoted herself to works of charity. Her husband was himself much inclined to religion
and highly esteemed her virtue, encouraging her in her exemplary life. They had three children when tragedy struck - Louis
was killed while fighting with the Crusaders. After his death, Elizabeth left the court, made arrangements for the care of
her children, and in 1228, renounced the world, becoming a tertiary of St. Francis. She built the Franciscan hospital at Marburg
and devoted herself to the care of the sick until her death at the age of 24 in 1231. St. Elizabeth is the patron saint of bakers,
countesses, death of children, falsely accused, the homeless, nursing services, tertiaries, widows, and young brides. Her
symbols are alms, flowers, bread, the poor, and a pitcher. ************************************************** St.
Andrew Patron of Fisherman Feastday: November 30 Andrew, like his brother Simon Peter, was a fisherman.
He became a disciple of the great St. John the Baptist, but when John pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb of
God!” Andrew understood that Jesus was greater. At once he left John to follow the Divine Master. Jesus knew that Andrew
was walking behind him, and turning back, he asked, “what do you seek?” When Andrew answered that he would like
to know where Jesus lived, Our Lord replied, “Come and see.” Andrew had been only a little time with Jesus when
he realized that this was truly the Messiah. From then on, he chose to follow Jesus. Andrew
was thus the first disciple of Christ. Next, Andrew brought his brother Simon (St. Peter) to Jesus and Jesus received him,
too, as His disciple. At first the two brothers continued to carry on their fishing trade and family affairs, but later, the
Lord called them to stay with Him all the time. He promised to make them fishers of men, and this time, they left their nets
for good. It is believed that after Our Lord ascended into Heaven, St. Andrew went to Greece to preach the gospel. He is said
to have been put to death on a cross, to which he was tied, not nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still
preaching to the people who gathered around their beloved Apostle. Two countries have chosen St. Andrew as their patron -
Russia and Scotland. ********************************************************** St. Francis Xavier Feastday: December 3 FRANCIS XAVIER, ST. (1506-1552). Born in the
family castle of Xavier, near Pamplona in the Basque area of Spanish Navarre on Apr. 7, he was sent to the University of Paris
1525, secured his licentiate in 1528, met Ignatius Loyola and became one of the seven who in 1534, at Montmartre founded the
Society of Jesus. In 1536 he left Paris to join Ignatius in Venice,
from whence they all in tended to go as missionaries to Palestine (a trip which never materialized), was ordained there in
1537, went to Rome in 1538, and in 1540, when the pope formally recognized the Society, was ordered, with Fr. Simon Rodriguez,
to the Far East as the first Jesuit missionaries. King John III kept Fr. Simon in Lisbon, but Francis, after a year’s
voyage, six months of which were spent at Mozambique where he preached and gave aid to the sick eventually arrived in Goa,
India in 1542 with Fr. Paul of Camerino an Italian, and Francis Mansihas, a Portuguese. There he began preaching to the natives and attempted
to reform his fellow Europeans, living among the natives and adopting their customs on his travels. During the next decade
he converted tens of thousands to Christianity. He visited the Paravas at the tip of India. near Cape Comorin, Tuticorin (1542),
Malacca (1545), the Moluccas near New Guinea and Morotai near the Philippines (1546-47), and Japan (1549- 51). In 1551, India and the East were set up as a
separate province and Ignatius made Francis its first provincial. In 1552 he set out for China, landed on the island of Sancian
within sight of his goal, but died before he reached the mainland. Working against great difficulties, language problems (
contrary to legend, he had no proficiency in foreign tongues ), inadequate funds, and lack of cooperation, often actual resistance,
from European officials, he left the mark of his missionary zeal and energy on areas which clung to Christianity for centuries.
He was canonized in 1622 and proclaimed patron of all foreign missions by Pope Pius X. F. D. Dec. 3. ********************************************************** The
Feast of Christ the King Feast Day: 21st November “That in the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of those that are in Heaven, on earth and under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11 Christ Himself speaks of His Own kingly authority
[see link for Bible Citations]: in His last discourse, speaking of the rewards and punishments that will be the eternal lot
of the just and the damned; in His reply to the Roman magistrate, who asked Him publicly whether He were a king or not; after
His resurrection, when giving to His Apostles the mission of teaching and Baptizing all nations, He took the opportunity to
call Himself king, confirming the title publicly, and solemnly proclaimed that all power was given Him in Heaven and on earth.
These words can only be taken to indicate the greatness of his power, the infinite extent of His kingdom. What wonder, then,
that He Whom St. John calls the “prince of the kings of the earth” appears in the Apostle’s vision of the
future as He Who “hath on His garment and on His thigh written ‘King of kings and Lord of lords!’.”
It is Christ Whom the Father “hath appointed heir of all things”; “for He must reign until at the end of
the world He hath put all his enemies under the feet of God and the Father.” It was surely right, then, in view of the common
teaching of the sacred books, that the Catholic Church, which is the kingdom of Christ on earth, destined to be spread among
all men and all nations, should with every token of veneration salute her Author and Founder in her annual liturgy as King
and Lord, and as King of Kings. And, in fact, she used these titles, giving expression with wonderful variety of language
to one and the same concept, both in ancient psalmody and in the Sacramentaries. Pope Pius XI, Encyclical Letter, QUAS PRIMAS,
#11-12
************************************* GOD'S
EXISTENCE He was just a little boy, on a week's first day, Wandering home from Bible school, and dawdling on the way. He scuffed his shoes into the grass; he even found a caterpillar; He found a fluffy milkweed pod, and blew out all the 'filler'. A bird's nest in a tree overhead, so wisely placed up high, Was just another wonder, that caught his eager eye. A neighbor watched his zigzag course, and hailed him from the lawn; Asked
him where he'd been that day and what was going on. 'I've been to Bible School, he said and turned a piece of sod, He
picked up a wiggly worm, replying, 'I've learned a lot about God.' 'M'm, a very fine way,' the neighbor said, 'for a boy to spend his time.' 'If
you'll tell me where God is, I'll give you a brand new dime.' Quick as a flash the answer came, nor were his accents faint, . 'I'll give you a dollar, Mister, if you can tell me where God ain't'! ****************************************************** Immaculate
Conception 8th December Born of the Virgin Mary 487 What the Catholic faith believes about Mary
is based on what it believes about Christ, and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ. Mary's predestination 488 "God sent forth his Son", but to prepare
a body for him,125 he wanted the free co-operation of a creature. For this, from all eternity God chose for the mother of
his Son a daughter of Israel, a young Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee, "a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph,
of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary":126 The Father of mercies willed that the Incarnation
should be preceded by assent on the part of the predestined mother, so that just as a woman had a share in the coming of death,
so also should a woman contribute to the coming of life.127 489 Throughout the Old Covenant the mission of
many holy women prepared for that of Mary. At the very beginning there was Eve; despite her disobedience, she receives the
promise of a posterity that will be victorious over the evil one, as well as the promise that she will be the mother of all
the living.128 By virtue of this promise, Sarah conceives a son in spite of her old age.129 Against all human expectation
God chooses those who were considered powerless and weak to show forth his faithfulness to his promises: Hannah, the mother
of Samuel; Deborah; Ruth; Judith and Esther; and many other women.130 Mary "stands out among the poor and humble of the Lord,
who confidently hope for and receive salvation from him. After a long period of waiting the times are fulfilled in her, the
exalted Daughter of Sion, and the new plan of salvation is established."131 The Immaculate Conception 490 To become the mother of the Savior, Mary
"was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role."132 The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes
her as "full of grace".133 In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement
of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace. 491 Through the centuries the Church has become
ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace" through God,134 was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the
dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854: The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first
moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior
of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.135 492 The "splendor of an entirely unique holiness"
by which Mary is "enriched from the first instant of her conception" comes wholly from Christ: she is "redeemed, in a more
exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son".136 The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person "in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" and chose her "in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy
and blameless before him in love".137 493 The Fathers of the Eastern tradition call
the Mother of God "the All-Holy" (Panagia), and celebrate her as "free from any stain of sin, as though fashioned by the Holy
Spirit and formed as a new creature".138 By the grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long.
"Let it be done to me according to your word.
. ." 494 At the announcement that she would give birth
to "the Son of the Most High" without knowing man, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary responded with the obedience of faith,
certain that "with God nothing will be impossible": "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be [done] to me according
to your word."139 Thus, giving her consent to God's word, Mary becomes the mother of Jesus. Espousing the divine will for
salvation wholeheartedly, without a single sin to restrain her, she gave herself entirely to the person and to the work of
her Son; she did so in order to serve the mystery of redemption with him and dependent on him, by God's grace:140 As St. Irenaeus says, "Being obedient she became
the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race."141 Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly assert. .
.: "The knot of Eve's disobedience was untied by Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened
by her faith."142 Comparing her with Eve, they call Mary "the Mother of the living" and frequently claim: "Death through Eve,
life through Mary."143 [From the Catechism of the Catholic Church] Are
you angry, mama? Chelsea Saldanha Rain, rain why won't you go away? Little Chelsea
would like to go for a walk today! It's been raining pellets for over three months
now, and there are times, when I am at my brooding best, wondering if God is angry. Well it just feels that way, you know.
Lightning, thunder, heavy downpour... as if at any moment, the Earth will come to a halt. But imagine a population of 1.25
billion plus ants coming to a stop. Would seem unlikely right? Whenever you're out and about this larger-than-life
city, do you see and I mean really 'look'? If not, take a pause now and then, when you're sitting in your car at a traffic
light, or when you're waiting for a train to come. Just look around and what do you take in? Do you observe the pain and suffering
going on in those less fortunate than us? I question. Aren't we all God's children? Hasn't
He said - Love one another as I have loved you? Somehow I see a lot more hating than a lot more loving. Makes you wonder -
if you're one of those people who takes the time out to 'wonder' - when will it all cease to exist. When will we stop making
mothers and babies cry, while men sigh silently and look away. When will we heed nature's war cry while her womb is stripped
bare and dry. When... As far as I can remember I have always called
Nature - Mother Earth. In India we haven't really been taught to love and nurture nature. For a country so plentiful in everything,
we have learned to take our abundant supply of the goodness of her bounty for granted. Take food for example. Inflation is
what, 10% plus? When was the last time you saw a news piece of how the grains in our godowns are being feasted upon by roaches
and rats? When was the last time you read about farmer suicides? When was the last time you read about drought and starvation? In a certain way it does feel as if all these
flash floods, tornadoes, El Nino's, earthquakes, are a sign for our time. A sign maybe telling people to wake up to the fact
that we are exploiting Mother Earth to her bone. Telling us maybe we really are sucking out way too much marrow. Leaving just
figs and leaves. In my mind, I really believe Mother Earth isn't punishing us, or threat-ening us. How about just cleansing
us? Stories appearing in the papers everyday about
how some conglomerate or the other, whether domestic or international is eating away our land. With international avenues
drying up, the rich fertile lands of India are today prime targets for land acquisition. What does our government do? Sleep. What irritates me is how low people can stoop
or even how low people can turn a blind eye to the stench of corruption that plagues our nation. Why do we wait for reports
and court order judgments when blatant corruption is caught on tape? Why are the rich allowed to post bail when they commit
fraud? Why are people in positions of power always ALWAYS allowed to escape courts because they get medical ailments ONLY
after they siphon off crores? Why is it that our press is spineless as to not dig deeper, and get more details? Why are we
stuck on PR and Bollywood and Cricket? What are my options again? The time is going to come and soon for people
to stand up and face up to reality. Every time we turn a blind eye, there is someone getting raped and murdered. Every time
we glance away, someone's home is bulldozed or we lose an entire culture and civilization because land is cleared off, of
'so-called' encroachment by tribals or as I like to look at them the indigenous people of our rich heritage. Every time we
look away, someone is stealing tax payer's money; someone is robbing the poor and making themselves even more wealthy. Every time. “If we cannot love the person whom we see,
how can we love God, whom we cannot see..." Mother Teresa Beauty
of Nature Environmental Pollution Norma Vashi Nature is our Mother. She offers us all the facilities to lead a comfortable and peaceful life.
She brings us rain. She feeds human beings who are her children, plants,
trees, bushes and the grains we grow; all belong to Nature – God's Creation! Environmental Pollution is of three kinds. They are air pollution, water pollution and noise pollution. Air pollution is caused by factories which emit smoke and fumes.
Water pollution is contaminated water: factory wastes and gutter water are allowed to flow into sources of rivers. These are also collected in ponds. They
pollute the surroundings and cause disease and death to human and other forms of life.
There is no limit to the trees cut down by humans. This causes imbalance
on the surface of the earth which results in lack of rain and soil erosion. We
must protect trees in order to keep our surroundings fresh and lead a healthy and happy life.
Global warming will be reduced by greenery. Nourish the Earth with trees,
turfs, lawns. Make a Heaven on Earth. What we are doing to the forests of the world
is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another. Every time you admire something in nature, it's
a prayer to the Creator. ********************************************************* CHILDREN’S
DAY Children's Day is celebrated to honor childhood
and is celebrated on 14th November in India, the date which marks the birth anniversary of independent India's first Prime
Minister-Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was born on November 14. After his death in 1963, his birthday has
been celebrated as Children's Day. The reason for celebrating his birthday as Children's Day is because of his love and passion
for children. That’s the reason he is also known as Chacha Nehru. Apart from being known for his skills as a statesman,
Nehru was also immensely fond of children. The more popular and famous of Nehru's pictures show him with children. Universal Children’s Day is celebrated
on 20th November, every year. In the year 1954, It was recommended by the United Nations and UNESCO's charter that every year
20th November will be observed as Children's Day which will be a symbolic representation of a day of worldwide fraternity
and understanding between children. It was recommended that the day should be observed to promote the welfare of the children
of the world. In India, this date has been changed to 14th November. Even other countries have started observing Children’s
Day on days other than 20th November. In India the day is marked with a lot of activities
for children. But the fact remains that only a section of the country’s children actually have an opportunity to celebrate
their existence. Schools organize events and activities that their students thoroughly enjoy, but there is an entire populace
of young ones that are left ignored on this special day – the downtrodden street children Instead of celebrating it with pomposity in schools
and clubs and hotels, why not bring a difference into the lives of children who are unprivileged? While celebrating being
a child, the fortunate ones should be reminded about their good fortune to have all that they are endowed with, while there
are others who can barely feed or clothe themselves. Thus, while this day was globally instituted to provide children with
Basic Rights, maybe one can make a difference to a child’s life by doing something special. Parties and celebrations
happen all the time, but how about taking the fortunate children to homes that shelter street children and have them befriend
those kids, donating clothes, toys, stationery, books, etc.? The
Season of Advent Theme: Preparing for the Coming of the Lord Dates: Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas
and ends on the day before Christmas. Thus it begins on 28 November 2010 and ends on 24 December at sundown. (Christmas Eve
begins at sundown.) Colors: In most churches, the decorations are purple
or blue; royal colors to welcome the King. You can read more about color in worship. Scripture Readings: The Revised Common Lectionary appoints Scripture
readings for use in worship during the Season of Advent. The East: Orthodox churches do not have an Advent Season.
Instead, they have a Lenten season lasting from 15 November through 24 December. Advent originated as a period during which converts
prepared themselves for baptism through instruction, prayer, fasting, and reflection, much like Lent. The length of Advent
varied from three days to six weeks—six weeks being approximately 40 days, the length of time that Jesus spent in the
wilderness preparing for His ministry. The Western Church The general topic of Advent is the coming of
Jesus Christ, both in the manger in Bethlehem and in the clouds of glory. In the west during the Middle Ages, Advent became
a time to prepare for the Second Coming, because in those days, many people were convinced that all the signs pointed to the
imminent return of Christ. In time, Advent spread throughout the western Church and became fixed at its present length. Over
the last fifty years, Advent has come to anticipate the Nativity as well. For many people today, especially retailers, Advent
is just a ramp-up to Christmas. The Revised Common Lectionary retains the original
theme of Lent and uses John the Baptist as a transition to the events leading up to Jesus' birth: The First Sunday in Advent Jesus explains that no one knows the time of
the Second Coming, therefore we should always be prepared. The Second Sunday in Advent John the Baptist preaches repentance to prepare
for the coming of the Lord. The Third Sunday in Advent In Year A, John's disciples ask Jesus who He
is. In Year B, John explains that he is not the Messiah. In Year C, John explains how people should repent. The Fourth Sunday in Advent In Year A, Joseph learns that Mary is a virgin,
even though she is pregnant. In Year B, Gabriel explains to Mary that even though she is a virgin, she will give birth to
the Son of God. In Year C, Mary goes to Elizabeth and expresses her joy (the passage known as the Magnificat). Simon D'Costa We all pray.
In our prayers, we normally ask favours from God. There is nothing wrong
in asking favours from God. It only shows that we are not self-sufficient and
are dependent on Him for many things. Every breath we take is a gift from God. He gives us air, water, sunshine and plants for our survival. We cannot live without God. When we pray, we talk to Him. When we talk, God does not get a chance to talk to us.
It is, therefore, necessary to sit in silence before God, as often as we can, so that God can communicate with us. A thought may strike us or we may feel inspired to do something. In this way, we shall know what God expects from us. These
prayers, however, are time-bound. They last for one hour, two hours or whatever. Since, we are dependent on God for every second we live, we can use every second to
pray. All of us get lost in the activities we are required to do at home, at
work, or wherever else we may be. These very things we do can be prayers. I, therefore, suggest that we learn to pray with
our hands. This will require a different outlook.
It will require self-conversion. Let us discuss briefly what conversion
really means. Nobody can convert you; only you can convert yourself. Conversion is like being born again. It is a change of heart,
mind and the way we live. It is a transformation of one's personality. Conversion happens from within; it can never happen from without. There are allegations that we, Christians, convert people from other faiths. Our accusers charge us with something that is impossible. They also charge us with enticement which, in my view, would be tantamount to cheating, something which
God will not approve of, and hence, something which we will never do. I have
already digressed too much. Here we are more concerned with self-conversion. When this happens, everything we do can be a prayer.
In office, we can start by telling Jesus that whatever we do, we offer to Him.
We shall, therefore, have to be most kind, most patient, most understanding, most efficient and never angry. It is possible, if we do everything for Jesus! He will make
it possible. We also look for job-satisfaction. Job-satisfaction does not come from the job itself. It comes
from the spirit in which we do the job. Pray with your hands and job satisfaction
will be your constant companion. I am not fond of the word sacrifice (in this
context). It implies that certain jobs are unpleasant. How can anything be unpleasant, if we do it happily for Jesus! Let
us take the case of a lady who has decided to be a housewife. Everything she
does, including sweeping of the floor, can be a prayer; it can be a long song to Jesus.
A few years ago, there was a famous song: “Everything I do, I do it for you.” This song was sung by the singer for his lover. All of us
must have a lover whose name is Jesus. Many years ago, I had read a book on Mother
Teresa. She started her first home in Calcutta, now Kolkata. She went to a businessman who owned a biscuit factory. She
requested him to give her some broken biscuits. He spat on her face. She smiled and said, “The spit is for me. Now, please
give me some broken biscuits for the sick and dying.” He thereafter supplied her biscuits, free of cost, on a regular
basis. If we pray with our hands, miracles will happen. Amen. Your
Child's Love '...These are the children God has given me...'
Genesis 33:5 NCV It's easy
to complain about the things you don't have, and overlook or take for granted the things you do--simple things that enrich
your life! Maybe this story by Dr James Dobson will help change your perspective. 'Some time ago a friend of mine punished his
three-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became upset when she tried to decorate
a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said,
"This is for you, Daddy." He was embarrassed by his earlier over-reaction. But his anger flared again when he opened the box
and found it empty. He shouted at her, "Don't you know that when you give someone a present there's supposed to be something
inside?" The little girl looked up at him in tears and said, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty. I blew kisses into it. I filled it
with my love and I wrapped it up just for you." He was crushed. Quickly he put his arms around her, hugged her and asked for
her forgiveness. My friend told me that he kept that gold box
by his bed for years, and whenever he got discouraged he'd take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who
had put it in there. In a very real sense, each of us parents has been given a gold container filled with the unconditional
love of our children. There's not a more precious possession anyone could hold.' My
Grandmother My grandmother is a person, Who's sweet and kind, I've never heard her raise her voice, She's really nice and mild. Her day starts in the morning, Watching tennis or sports, “Yes! Djokovitch won! She claps her hands and boasts. In the afternoons, after lunch, She eats a chocolate or two, Then she opens the newspaper, And plays Sudoku In the evenings when it's cool, Mama takes her for a walk, Then they sit on the benches, And relax and chat and talk. My grandma goes to sleep early, Like all old people do, She sometimes even talks in her sleep, And she really scares you! My Grandma is a person, Whom we all really like, She's the sweetest little person, Never known to fight!! Nicole
Flanagan ******************************************************* Dear Fathers Austin & Lincoln, A VERY HAPPY FEAST TO YOU BOTH! May God's Choicest Blessings be showered on you today and always. Here's a little poem I have written for
you in appreciation for all you do for our parish. A Tribute To Our Priests Fathers dear, on this special day, there's so much to you we want to say. To thank you both for the time you've given, to nurture and care, in labour striven. To make for us our parish a place, where we have love and our own space. To grow onwards, to try and dare, just knowing you both are always there. Our wayward paths to God to lead, to guide and encourage us in our needs. Your homilies have helped us all, to feel enthused, to heed God's call. With love and gratitude we pray, to God, to bless you both this day. With SINCERE and Heartfelt wishes. Veera Dias Zone
VII visit to “Shanti Daan” Savio Abraham Our Zonal Visit to , ' Shanti Daan ' at Borivali
on sunday 26th Sept . We had a turn out of 54 people in total from all the three sectors (ABC), including children. We started
our bus journey with an opening prayer and a hymn to our Lady. We reached the
orphanage at around 3:15 pm. Brother superior at the Orphanage, Bro Lazar, greeted and welcomed all of us. The parishioners
were very generous in bringing offerings for the inmates at the orphanage. Families that couldn't make it for the visit, too
sent their offerings, through their respective Parish counselors. Bro Lazar to the families, and he then spoke a few words
about the orphanage and its history. Brother then took us to see the inmates. The
inmates were young boys to older men, all who are mentally and physically challenged.
They all smiled at us, some were silent and just looked at us, some were wounded badly and just lay on their bed. They all
seemed lost in a different world. It was sad to see their plight. We were all speechless. To lighten the mood up, one of the
little girls from our zone performed on a song in front of the inmates. It was nice to see them, clap at the end of the performance.
Many of the parishioners had many questions that
they wanted to ask brother, and brother very patiently answered our questions. After going around the orphanage, Brother was
very kind to offer us some snacks. By 4:45pm we all assembled at the entrance, where
I thanked Brother and all the other brothers and the staff at the orphanage on behalf of our parish and the members gathered
there, for welcoming us and showing us around. We had a prayer in the bus as we left, and also thanked the counselors and
animators of the respective zones, who were all instrumental in organizing the visit. We also thanked the parishioners who
came with us, for their continuous support for all our activities. The visit has been a very emotional and touching experience
for all of us, and just made us wonder, how fortunate we are, for what we have
! Praise the Lord and salutations to the lay Brothers at the orphanage who have dedicated their lives towards their service
for the children of God ! ******************************************************* ZONAL
FEAST - Zone IV Sybil
Diaz Come September, and it's that time of the year
when Zone IV (comprising of Sai Baba Complex, Dheeraj Valley and Assisi Bhavan) celebrates the Feast of their Patron, St Matthew. This year we celebrated the Feast on the 19th of Sept., the actual day being 21st
Sept. For the first time, we had a 3-day Triduum Prayer Service preceding the Feast Day. The prayers were held in the homes
of the members with 3 different themes for each day. The first day, we had a reading from Scripture pertaining to the call
of Matthew. The second day, we heard a reading on the parts of the body likened
to the Mystical Body of Christ, and on the third day we listened to a reading on the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles.
We also had a questionnaire on topics such as how our participation in the various activities has helped in building up the
community. This was followed by the "Prayer of the Faithful" when we prayed for various intentions; and then we said the Prayer to St Matthew. The prayer services began and ended with the singing of hymns. It was heartening to see the sisters of the convent
coming all the way to attend our Services, and Fr Austin being present in our midst on one of the days. He encouraged the
children who were present to also take part in the discussions. And the celebrations on Sunday, the 19th, started
with Holy Mass at 9.15 am offered for the intentions of the community. The same evening at 5.45 pm, we had a get-together
in the Mass Hall when the residents of Assisi Bhavan and some sisters joined us in the celebrations. A little prayer was said
by Sr Maureen followed by singing "We are gathering together". Next, a game, "Passing the Hat", was played. There were games for children and adults and a game of Housie for all. Refreshments were served and some
even put on their dancing shoes and danced to the music that was being played. There were spot prizes galore and many lucky
winners to claim them. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening. St Matthew, pray for us. ******************************************************** The
Glory of the Girl-Child Norma Vashi – Women's Cell September is the month when the feminine face
of God is revealed best. The feast of the Nativity and the Day of the Girl-Child
celebrate the wonder of womanhood. In the Mass Hall, Our Lady's Shrine was artistically
decorated with an arch of flowers by the Legionnaires. The Eucharist was celebrated
by Fr. Austin Norris at 7.30 pm on Wednesday, 8th September 2010. His homily
focused on the birthday of Our Lady and the Girl-Child. We need to be like Mary,
kind-hearted, sociable and humble towards all. We need to give girls and boys
equal rights in our society. The Liturgy was animated by the Women's Cell,
the theme being “Gift New Life to the Girl-Child (Mother Mary) and to our Planet (Mother Earth). Members prepared four placards with pictures which read “Preserve the Plant and Protect the Girl-Child”. Four little girls walked down the aisle with placards showing “Life and Dying
Nature”, and stood before the main Altar: l
Mother Mary is the highly favoured one of God, so is the Girl-Child, revere her. l
Our Blessed Mother teaches us to value the Girl-Child, Beti Bhachao, and all forms of life on this Planet. l
A tree, like the Girl-Child, has life. Protect her. l
Zero garbage, Zero tolerance for female infanticide. With the Spirit of our Mother's birthday in the
air, the parishioners left with cake, boiled chickpeas and Cadbury Perk. **************************************************** Be
A Tree... As the seasons change, be like a tree, and stand in quiet majesty. Even when conditions are harsh and disfavoring, remain tall and proud, strong and unwavering; bending and dipping but never breaking when the wind is fierce and the whole world is shaking. Remember that all you are goes deep and no storm can uproot the dreams that you keep. Take each rainy day as it comes for you can withstand any weather as long as your hope and your dreams stay together. Always set your faith in yourself up so high, that you can touch the clouds that flit softly by. *********************************************************** Legion
of Mary Tessera Norma Vashi With great joy the Legionnaires celebrated the
birthday of Mamma Mary (8th September) on Sunday, 5th September 2010 at 5.00 pm in the Mass Hall. I am glad to be an auxiliary member. The function was well attended by the Active and Auxiliary Members,
some of the residents of Assisi Bhavan and a few confirmands. Sr. Daisy Sequeira welcomed us. The programme began with a short prayer and Holy Rosary led by Sr. Anna Mathai before our Blessed Mother
and her Child Jesus. We recited the Catena Antiphons along with Sr. Pushpa Chettiar. Emcee for the evening was Sr. Nathalin Godad.
Those present introduced themselves. We were formed into groups. Our memories were refreshed when Sr. Maria Rodrigues shot out questions about the dates of feasts of Our
Lady and her life. This proved how well we know Our Mother. We played “Passing the Hat”. Sandeep was the last
one to wear the hat and was stunned to be declared winner of the game. Prizes
were distributed. Snacks and soft drinks prepared by the active members were
served. Bro. Kenny Godad acquainted us on their reaching
out, on their weekly visitation of homes of the sick, needy and lonely: praying with the bereaved families, providing spiritual
guidance and other information regarding the faith and sacraments and their outreach with the book stall on Sundays. Thus they bring the love and light of Mary into
lives. We need to thank Our Mother for building a pathway for each of
us to follow. Fr. Lincoln Rebello, Spiritual Director, gave
us a talk on his legion experience during visits to homes. He then blessed us
all. The function concluded with a short vote of thanks by Sr. Maria Rodrigues. Special thanks go
to Sr. Maria Rodrigues for her exhaustive efforts and to all the active members who made the annual get-together a
prayerful and enjoyable evening. May Blessed Mary and Her Son, Jesus, protect
and guide the Legionnaires in their noble task. You are welcome to join the Army of Mary that
meets every Saturday at 5.30 pm at Assisi Bhavan and be a witness of her love. *********************************************************** Devotion
to our Mother… A beautiful Novena Phyllis de Souza & Freeda Jadhav The 9-day Nativity Novena in honour of our Blessed
Virgin Mary was attended in large numbers. Each day was dedicated with a theme
well rehearsed and put up by our Parish children and catechists. The meaningful
homilies delivered by our fathers with short anecdotes and instances with a pep of humour rejuvenated our mind and we could
take back home some message. The hymns were beautiful as Fr. Austin made us practice
along with the outstanding choir with some good musical instruments and all sang perfectly well. All participated with much fervour in the daily devotion of our Blessed Virgin Mary. Each one of us was certainly blessed with various gifts during the novena days. But the best gift we all received was on Mama Mary's birthday when Fr. Austin unwrapped the news of the
provisional plan of our Church Building. As he explained how the structure will be built,
the direction of the altar, the various halls/rooms, etc. each one of us definitely visualized the entire picture of our future
Church. All were excited as we could see the faces light up with joy. Our prayers will be more strong and sincere towards the collection for the church building project. We assure our fathers to give our very best.
The Feast Day celebration highlighting the ‘Girl Child’, ended with the Legionnaires distributing cake,
boiled channas and chocolates. We are grateful to our fathers for this 9-day
enriching experience and helping us grow closer to Mama Mary. ********************************************************** SVP
REPORT Ivan Rodrigues The Society of St. Vincent de Paul holds the
Annual Vincentian Retreat every year at ATMA DARSHAN, Andheri. This year it was
held between 2.7.2010 to 4.7.2010. Four members attended this Retreat. The Retreat was conducted by Rev. Fr. Joe De Abreo, Jesuit. A
very powerful preacher, with a plethora of short stores and real life anecdotes to narrate every gospel message of God's love. As I share, St. Augustine in one of his sermons had mentioned that when you sing to
the Lord you pray twice as much. The mantle of providing the retreatants with
lively spirit filled and wonderful gospel music was a double blessing. The sessions
would start with Praise and Worship songs intertwined with intercessory Rosary. There was an atmosphere of Holiness, reverence
for the sacraments was adhered to. The ambience of the centre was enjoyable with
showers and exhibition of camaraderie, warmth, acquaintance and shared respect among the members when we met in the refractory
for delicious breakfast, tea breaks, lunch and supper. The Retreat was very much
meaningful and spirit filled. Our thanks to Fr. Lincoln, Spiritual Director
and Fr. Austin who are always supportive and encouraged members to attend the retreat in order to get a right perspective
of our vocation. LEAVING CLEAVING AND BECOMING ONE Date of Session: 18th of July, 2010 Venue of the Session: Church Hall Speaker of the Session: Genevieve Padikkal Topic of the Session: Leaving, cleaving and becoming
one. Audience: Married Catholic Couple between 1 to
10 years. Brief on the Speaker: Ms. Padikkal has worked
in a Pharmaceutical based Corporation and conducted many corporate training sessions. She undertakes various types of counseling
and gives sessions for marriage preparation courses; she also is an assistant to Bishop Bosco Penha. Summary of the Training Session: The session was predominantly for young married
couples, so that they could understand the reasons for their individual behaviors and act accordingly for effective functioning
of their married life. Two major topics were covered: 1.
Man and Woman - Differences. 2.
Conflict Resolution. MAN AND WOMAN -DIFFERENCES: l
Man and woman: differences of brain structure: - They think differently because their brain is structured differently
i.e. for a man; the right brain and the left brain have been compartmentalized. Because of this, he can do only one job at a time he is not always capable of multitasking. Vice-a-Versa for a woman- as
the right brain and left brain can work effectively together, they are capable for multitasking. l
Men are more rational and logical; on the other hand, women are stronger in their intuition or their sixth sense. For better relationships: men always like to
be loved. The more they are loved, the happier they are and vice-a-versa. Separation
from his partner can also lead to death for a man. On the other hand, women like to be appreciated for their efforts. The
more they are appreciated the happier they will be. Woman, though not necessarily, has to be physically beaten, to be hurt;
verbal abuse will also hurt her emotionally. CONFLICT RESOLUTION : Conflict in marital life is part and parcel of
a married couple's life and it is unavoidable. Conflict, if constructive, is good for development of new ideas and thoughts.
However, if conflicts are due to negative topics and thoughts they can destroy relationships and the family. Conflicts can be reduced and resolved to a certain
extent in the following manner: 1.
Listen- When one speaks the other must listen and vice-a-versa. 2.
Talk over any topic leading to conflict. Avoiding the same can fuel the matter further. Hence discussing and coming
to a conclusion on the matter works. 3.
Accepting each other with all the negative aspects is very important. Without this the relationship cannot work effectively. 4.
During discussions on conflicts do not use “YOU” terms, instead always use “I” terms. i.e.
“I don't like dirt in the house”. Conclusion: The session was an eye opener for all the married
couples regarding the reasons for individual behaviors and it highlighted the positive effects of proper communication in the marital relationship
HOPE
& LIFE RECOLLECTION AT KURLA Piedade Fernandes On 19th August,2010, we 14 widow ladies assembled at Garden Centre/Church Compound around 08:30 am and left for our destination,
Kurla, at 08:50 am. We arrived around 09:20 am at HCC, Kurla and were served Breakfast/Tea. We were told to sit in the church
after breakfast till the ladies of other parishes arrived. We were in total 400
widow ladies. Our function started at around 10:45 am with
a recitation of the Rosary. The decades were said in Marathi, Konkani and English. After this, introduction of each Parish
was done by their respective Presidents. Our Parish, St.Joseph Church Parish, was introduced by Mrs.Lorna as a new one in
the HOPE AND LIFE movement. Then, Fr.Amrut Foncesa arrived and gave us 2
presentations. There was a mother with only one eye. Her own son was embarrassed throughout his life to have her as his mother.
Only after her death he discovered that she had donated one eye to her son as he had lost one eye when their house burnt down
and she kept it as a BIG secret throughout her life. Fr.Fonseca told us not to keep any secrets of this sort from our children,
because if they know the facts when we are living, they will honour/respect us more. The other presentation was on "How we could make
a difference in someone's life" - be it our boss, teachers, students, parents
and children by honouring them with a blue or any other coloured ribbon. One
father honoured his son by giving him the
blue ribbon offered to him by his employee. His son was very touched. That night he had planned to commit suicide as
he felt life was meaningless to him and he had written a letter to his parents so that they would not be shocked. Fr.Fonseca
said we should love and adore our children as they are beautiful gifts from God, our loving Father. Also, we have to guide
them in all their ways and not pamper them. We were touched inwardly as this
helped us to examine our own consciences as mothers, as to where we go wrong
in the upbringing of our children. After the presentation, we had the celebration
of the Eucharist around 12:45 p.m. and Fr. Foncesa's homily was awesome as he said that we should give first place to God/Jesus/Mother
Mary in our lives, serving them, and not giving importance to money or the worldly
life. We felt blessed, stirred spiritually, turned inward and thought to ourselves that we were truly the Chosen Ones for
this fruitful recollection. Our life's journey extends a long way and we
do not know where it will have its end. But we should make the best of life by serving our loving Lord Jesus Christ. Our Eucharist
ended at around 01:20 pm and once again we assembled together to get back home. We could see the glow in each lady's face
and eyes as they all began to tell us as how much this recollection changed their heart, mind, body and soul. We thank and praise God/Jesus/Mother Mary for
this wonderful recollection. We thank Fr. Austin Norris for all the help, support and transport arrangements made by him for
the success of this recollection. ******************************************************* Pontiff
Says Mother Teresa "Invaluable" for World Sends Message to Missionaries for Her 100th Birthday VATICAN CITY, AUG. 26, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Mother
Teresa of Calcutta was an "invaluable gift" for the world during her lifetime, and she continues to be so through the ministry
of the order she founded, says Benedict XVI. The Pope affirmed this in a message to the superior-general
of the Missionaries of Charity, Sister Mary Prema. The message was made public today, the 100th anniversary of the birth of
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, the future Blessed Teresa. The Holy Father's message invites the Missionaries
of Charity to continue to follow Blessed Teresa's example. He said: "Having responded with trust to the
direct call of the Lord, Mother Teresa exemplified excellently the words of St. John: 'Beloved, if God so loved us, we also
must love one another. ... [I]f we love one another, God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us.'" "May this love continue to inspire you, Missionaries
of Charity, to give yourselves generously to Jesus, to all those you see and serve, that is, to the poor, the marginalized,
the abandoned. I encourage you to draw constantly from the spirituality and the example of Mother Teresa and, following in
her footsteps, to accept Christ's invitation: 'Come and be my light.'" The Pontiff expressed his trust that the year
of the centenary "will be for the Church and for the world an occasion of fervent gratitude to God for the invaluable gift
that Mother Teresa was in the course of her life and that she continues to be through the loving and tireless work that you,
her spiritual daughters, carry out." At Home According to AsiaNews, the message was read this
morning by Archbishop Lucas Sirkar of Calcutta during a Mass presided over by Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, archbishop of Ranchi,
India, in the Motherhouse of the Missionaries of Charity. Some 1,000 people attended the Mass, celebrated
in the center where Mother Teresa's remains rest, UCAN agency reported. Before the start of the ceremony, a simple homage
took place during which Sisters Nirmala Joshi and Mary Prema, Mother Teresa's first and second successors as superiors of
the Missionaries of Charity, released a white dove and balloons. For his part, Cardinal Toppo lit a candle and
put it next to the tomb. "In this centenary, we must listen to Mother's message that we have been created for greater things,
to love and to be loved," he said. The Mass was presided over by the Cardinal and
concelebrated by Archbishop Sirkar, as well as retired Archbishop Henry D'Souza of Calcutta, Bishop Salvadore Lobo of Baruipur,
and by the postulator of Mother Teresa's cause for canonization, Father Brian Kolodiejchuk. ******************************************************** VIANNEY
SUNDAY Anita Dsouza & Lucy Sameul On 8th August, 2010, as part of the closing ceremony
for the Year of Priests & Clergy Day, the Parish Pastoral Council group of St. Joseph's Parish organized a beautiful programme
to felicitate Fr. Austin, Fr. Lincoln and Br. Pascal. The programme started by the children of our
Parish warmly welcoming our priests with flowers. This was followed by an English group song organized by the Women's Cell
& the Legion of Mary, a beautiful song, enjoyed by all. While the programme entertained the people, we
had not forgotten that our Priests need our prayers too. All our PPC members along with their SCC animators and members of
the various zones put together a Spiritual Bouquet made up of 2595 Rosaries, 1377 Masses, 772 Holy Communion, 939 Sacrifices,
1024 Personal Prayers, 18 hrs. Fasting, 102 hrs. Bible Reading, 3 Novenas and 76 Acts of Charity. Some have been completed & rest is on-going for the full year……. The same was presented
to both our priests. The Legion of Mary, as every year, presented
their prayers to the Priests and so did the Hope & Life Movement group. As a token of our love & affection, instrumental
hymn CDs were presented as mementos to Fr. Austin, Fr. Lincoln & Br. Pascal. The youth of our parish did us proud with the
excellent tableau they put up which was very meaningful and touching. The script, dialogues, acting & direction clearly
showcased their talent. The Liturgy group put their creativity and innovative
thoughts together and designed a special card made up of a collage of different photographs capturing the different moods
of our Priests. The lovely poem and words of appreciation in the cards truly
brought out the sentiments of the parishioners. The cards were presented to both Fr. Austin & Fr. Lincoln. This was indeed
a surprise and an unique way to make their day memorable. Lastly, members of the Women's Cell & the
Legion of Mary sang the famous Hindi song … Baar Baar Din Ye Aaye Baar Baar Dil Ye Gaaye, Tu Jiye Hazaroon Saal Ye Meri
Hai Aarzoo……..Happy Clergy to You. The whole congregation joined in the chorus taking the celebration to a high
point. Br. Pascal on behalf of the priests and himself
expressed thanks and appreciated the beautiful manner in which the Parishioners had expressed their love and affection for
them. The celebration became all the more special because
of the very large gathering of parishioners who participated whole heartedly enjoying every moment. The programme concluded with a 'Vote of Thanks'. Lastly, but not the least, Three Cheers to our
Dear Fr. Austin, Fr. Lincoln and Br. Pascal and a Big Thank You for the cake to the Sisters. Festivals
of India…… Diwali, also called Deepawali or Divali, is a
festival which marks the victory of good over evil. This is a major Hindu festival and is celebrated with jubiliation and
enthusiasm by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. Deepavali is also known as 'Festival of Lights'. It is celebrated for five continuous
days. This day or festival is associated with lights, diyas (divas) and candles all around the house of the people. The
first day of Diwali is called DHANTERAS or DHANTRAYODASHI - "Dhana" means wealth which is associated with Laxmi and "Trayodashi"
means 13th day. So Dhanateras is the festival which falls on 13th day of the month of Ashwin. This day has a great importance for the Hindu
community as this day is celebrated to welcome the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. This day there is a tradition among the
Hindu community to purchase some gold or silver or at least one or two new utensils. Lakshmi-Puja is performed in the evenings
when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. The second day is called NARAKA-CHATURDASHI or
CHOTI DIWALI which falls on the fourteenth day of the month of Ashwin.There are many legends which are attached to this day.
There goes the story that Narakasur- demon king- ruler of Pragjyotishpur ( a province to the South of Nepal) after defeating
Lord Indra had snatched away the magnificent earrings of Aditi, the Mother Goddess and imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters
of the gods and saints in his harem. On the day previous to Narakachaturdashi, Lord Krishna killed the demon and liberated
the imprisoned damsels and also recovered those precious earrings of Aditi. As a symbol of that victory Lord Krishna smeared
his forehead with the demon king's blood. Krishna returned home in the very early morning of the Narakachaturdashi day. The
womenfolk massaged scented oil to his body and gave him a good bath to wash away the filth from his body. Since then the custom
of taking a bath before sunrise on this day has become a traditional practice, especially in Maharashtra Another legend is about King Bali of the nether-world
whose mighty power had become a threat to the gods. In order to curb his powers Lord Vishnu in the guise of a Batu Waman-
a small boy- visited him and begged him to give him only as much land as he could cover with his three steps. Known for his
philanthropy, King Bali proudly granted him his wish. That very moment that small boy transformed himself into the all-powerful
Lord Vishnu. With his first step Lord Vishnu covered the entire heaven and with the second step the earth and asked Bali where
to keep his third step. Bali offered his head. Putting his foot on his head Vishnu pushed him down to the underworld. At the
same time, for his generosity, Lord Vishnu gave him the lamp of knowledge and allowed him to return to earth once a year to
light millions of lamps to dispel the darkness and ignorance and spread the radiance of love and wisdom. The Third Day of Diwali is the day when actual
Diwali is celebrated. This is considered to be the most important of these 5
days and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and jubiliation among various communities . This day falls on "Amavasya" and
is considered to be a very auspicious day. Amavasya is that day of the lunar month when the moon completely wanes and comes
one day before the new moon day. Despite being on Amavasya, this day is considered to be very auspicious. The fourth day of Diwali is also known as Varsha
Pratipada or Padwa. This day falls on the new moon day and signifies the beginning of the new year in Gujarat. Gvardhan pooja
is performed in the North on this day. The fifth and final day of Diwali Festival is
known as "Bhai-Duj" in north India, "Bhau-Bij" in Gujarat and Maharashtra and
Bhai-Tika in Nepal. This day is observed as a symbol of love between sisters and brothers. It becomes imperative for the brother
to go to his sister's house to celebrate Bhai-duj. Mohandas K. Gandhi studied law in England and
then spent 20 years defending the rights of immigrants in South Africa. In 1914 he returned to India and became the leader
of the Indian National Congress. Gandhi urged non-violence and civil disobedience as a means to independence from Great Britain,
with public acts of defiance that landed him in jail several times. In 1947 he participated in the postwar negotiations that
led to Indian independence. He was shot to death by a Hindu fanatic in 1948. Gandhi was given the prefix "Mahatma" which means
Great Soul by his admirers. However Gandhi himself was not too keen on the prefix. Gandhi was one of the leading Indian politicians
of the Indian independence movement. However he was much more than a politician. He was a committed vegetarian and was devoted
to the principles of non-violence and pacifism. At the age of 36 Gandhi adopted
the life of brahmacharya —spiritual and practical purity—largely
associated with celibacy. Also, Gandhi placed great emphasis on his spiritual
practices: prayer, meditation, fasting and observance of silence once a week. It is said his last words were "Hey Ram" - "O
God” Gandhi was also devoted to promoting the underlying
harmony of the different religious traditions. Although brought up in the Vaishnava Hindu tradition Gandhi had tremendous
respect for other spiritual teachers and religions such as Islam, Jainism and
Christianity. Gandhi made great personal efforts to heal the rift between Hindus and Muslims that occurred in the period following
independence. ********************************************************* GOD-ENCOUNTER
SPECIALIST? Teresa Aranha In the chilling Hindi film, Ab Tak Chhappan,
56 dead was the tally of the 'encounter specialists'- as the special officers mandated to eradicate crime in Bombay were called.
'Encounter'
in the dictionary means 'a meeting'. But here, 'encounter' was a euphemism, a mild way of stating a harsh truth, actually
a 'fake encounter'. Equating murder with justice, the police argued that prolonged court cases saw vicious criminals out on
bail, negating all their hard investigative work. The Old and New Testaments are full God's dramatic
encounters with human beings, but how different! ADAM: Disobeying God and eating the Forbidden
Fruit, realizes he is naked after having walked blissfully unaware in that state for ages. God encounters him. He blames his
wife and she, the serpent. Result: exile from Paradise with a curse: to eat their
bread in the sweat of their brow and Eve to bring forth her offspring in pain. But God gave them a chance to justify themselves. CAIN: His gift of produce from his fields rejected,
but his brother's pure offering accepted by God, leads to fratricide fuelled by jealousy. God encounters him, asking his brother's
whereabouts. His classic answer? 'Am I my brother's keeper?' God curses him to roam the world- branded with 'the Mark of Cain'
- BUT no one can harm him. NOAH: God encounters him with instructions to
build an ark to save his family and every species of creature from the 40 day
flood - God's way of cleansing a sinful world. After the flood Noah worships God, who, bemoaning His harsh punishment, puts
a rainbow in the sky, symbol of His covenant with man. ABRAM: Encountered by God with stark instructions
to leave Ur of the Chaldees, his home, and go to a place God would choose, meekly obeys, with total faith and is called our
'Father in Faith'. Next encounter: incognito at Mamre, after enjoying Abram's hospitality, God promised him a son in his old
age, innumerable descendants, and changed his name to Abraham - 'father of a
multitude'. In a terrible encounter God demands he sacrifice his only son and Abraham is ready- what faithfulness! On Mt Morea,
the son, Isaac, is saved in the nick of time. He becomes the father of Jacob. JACOB:
Robbing his older brother's birthright for a bowl of beans, still remains God's – and his mother's – favourite!
His encounter, a wrestling match with the Most High, lasted the whole night. Having
'contended with the Almighty', he was now called 'ISRAEL'. He named the place Peniel, 'the face of God'- the God he had encountered.
The extended wrestling match symbolises perseverance in prayer. Jacob's 'opponent' leaves him at dawn, blessing him! Famine led the Jews to Egypt and the Great Slavery
,which resulted in the most memorable of God's encounters. MOSES: Brought up as a prince of Egypt, fled
the palace after murdering an overseer for harassing a poor Jew. While living as a shepherd, God encountered him, setting
him the impossible task of setting the Israelites free. Moses' dramatic encounters with Pharaoh followed
God's encounters with him every day. When, walking through burning sand, the freed but hungry Israelites grumbled, God sent
them food and water, but for a slight hiccup in his faith, Moses, 'the humblest man who lived', was punished: he would never
set foot in the Promised Land. On Mt Sinai, from the heart of a flaming bush,
God ordered him to cast off his sandals for he was on holy ground. Carrying the Ten Commandments inscribed on stone tablets,
Moses, face all lit up, came down Mt Sinai to the infuriating sight of the Israelites dancing before the Golden Calf, breaking the very first Commandment of God: Thou shalt have no strange gods before
me. A furious Moses flung the tablets down, smashing them. Constant encounters with God in his Holy Tent
which only he could enter, gave Moses' face a brilliant shine. It had to be veiled because the people couldn't look at him.
Finally God achieved His purpose through this great leader. SAMUEL: Encounters with the Lord were uncommon
when the Lord called to the child Samuel in the night (3 Sam:1). At the third call, his mentor Eli gave him his responses:
'Here I am Lord' and 'Speak Lord, your servant is listening'. After this encounter, the Lord 'did not permit any word of his(
Samuel's) to be lost without effect'. Samuel, following God's command, anointed Saul, and later, David, a young shepherd,
as Kings of Israel. DAVID:
beloved of God. We read of no direct encounter with God except at Hebron, his capital, chosen because the bones of
the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lie there. But experts say every prayer, psalm and victory of David indicates an
encounter with God. His youthful encounter with the Philistine giant Goliath must have taken place after a close encounter
with God. Later, God encounters him through a tongue lashing by Nathan the prophet for sinning by taking Uriah the Hittite's
wife after murdering her husband. SOLOMON: God's encounter with Bathsheba's and
David's son brings him proverbial wisdom and untold wealth because of his humble plea for ' an understanding heart to rule
Your people wisely'. In another encounter The Almighty blesses the magnificent temple Solomon built to house the Ark of the
Covenant, an honour refused to his father David because of his sin. ELIJAH: meaning: The Lord is my God. This Father
of the Prophets is encountered by God and sent to warn King Ahab whose Queen,
Jezebel, has imported a pagan religion- worshipping Baal. Harassed by her, he flees, but the Lord encounters him and sends
him to a wadi with a stream; ravens bring him food. When the stream dries up, a widow feeds him with her last morsel of food. From then on her store of oil and flour never diminish. Elijah also raises her only
son from the dead. God's next encounter with him sees him challenging the priests of Baal to prove their god's power. All their singing and dancing cannot
call down fire to burn their offering but a confident Elijah on Mount Carmel,
soaks his sacrifice with water and calls on his God : flames consume his offering! ISAIAH: begs God to cleanse him so he can worthily proclaim His holy word-( such a touching
part of the old Latin Mass). God does it in style: an angel cleans his lips with a burning coal! God's messages through Isaiah
ring true even today- 'What need have I of sacrifices? Devote yourselves to justice.' The coming of the Messiah and the detailed
picture of the Suffering Servant read every Good Friday are uncanny in their detail.( Isaiah lived 700 years before Christ!).
The Book of Comfort gives real hope! JEREMIAH: 'The Weeping Prophet', following his
encounter, stands on the streets, begging the Israelites to return to God and lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem by the
Babylonians. EZEKIEL: meaning 'God will strengthen' was called
to strengthen the Israelites enslaved by the Babylonians. His vivid description
of God's chariot and throne are echoed by John in the Book of Revelation. HOSEA:
His cheating wife was causing him heartbreak - and God sent him to tell Israel that she was like a wife cheating on
her husband (God), causing him intense pain! Did God feel that Hosea, having experienced the situation, would speak more forcefully?
Anyway, Hosea's wife Gomer repented and returned to him. Like God, Hosea forgave. AMOS: Prophet of Social Justice. Why is he not
projected more on Justice Sunday? God put very strong words in his mouth about
the Great Divide- between the rich and the poor. JONAH: No escape from the encounter specialist!
The reluctant Jonah trying to escape, is imprisoned in a whale's stomach and
vomited out on the sands of Niniveh. He preaches repentance and the king, the people and even the animals (!) fast and do
penance. The city is saved. Strangely enough, none of those encountered saw
God's face - because to see Him was to die. Scholars say that the first time Moses and Elijah saw God's face was on Mount
Tabor -at Jesus' Transfiguration! John the Baptist appears in the New Testament,
but is a continuation of the Old Testament prophets- pointing out to the Messiah. God had already encountered him in the womb.
His mandate: prepare a way for the Lord. Like Father, like Son! Note Jesus' many encounters
with people. Even on the Cross, the encounter with the Good Thief allowed him to steal into Heaven! And we? Every day sees multiple encounters with
people we should love, because Jesus loves them- just as He loves us- unconditionally. So, if, like Mother Teresa, we see
Jesus in the person we meet, shouldn't there be a change in our lives as in the case of most of those Jesus encountered during
his earthly life? If not, we are like the dead bodies that strew the path of the 'encounter specialists' of the Bombay Police. **************************************************
Ashok Saldanha “Mary and Joseph took Baby Jesus to Egypt
by private car as the taxis and rickshaws were on strike and the planes were flying full. The donkey was left at home as they
could not get a crate big enough to fit him”, broadcast my 8 year old last Christmas right in the middle of me carving
the suckling pig. The missus and I turned as green round the gills as the apple in the pigs mouth. There was a type of silence
at the table that even “Silent Night” could not beat. Our visiting relatives were kind enough not to
guffaw, though I did hear a giggle from grandma and a titter from Aunt Thelma who got a withering stare from me. I had to thank Uncle Theo who managed to save
us more embarrassment by switching on the TV and shifting the topic to the EPL that was in full swing. Football won over gaffes of faith. There and then the missus and I decided to give
our 8 year old grounding in the faith apart from what she got at Sunday school. One of the things we taught her was “Ask
and you shall receive” and my 8 year old well versed in the art of asking was very happy that the Lord had said that.
We told her that if one asked in faith, one would be sure to receive. She took us at our word Her night prayers from then on were full of loud
supplications for a variety of favors, including appeals for a bright, sunny morning on Annual Day, for flowers to bloom all
year round in the Convent garden, for her school to perform well in the Board exams….the list was long. Her menu also at times included “revenge”
or an 8 year olds idea of what revenge should be. “Please Lord give the measles to Miss Gautami” she pleaded,
“for giving me 5 out of 50 in Marathi.”But Miss Gautami looked none the worse for wear; in fact she looked even
better with each passing day. Reluctantly my 8 year old gave up on that petition. Then she came up with another one. “Lord,
let me faint at morning assembly” she cajoled the Saviour looking fervently at His picture. “Other girls drop
like nine pins, but not me. It’s not fair. I feel so jealous of them when they are fussed over and given juices to drink.
Lord, just this once. Please. I won’t ask you ever again, promise.” But no; He had decided to give her pleas the
deaf ear treatment again. The Lord though was kept very busy by my 8 year
old and I tried to keep a straight face in the face of all the innocent cajoling of the Almighty. One day her best friend
fell & fractured a bone in her foot. Her foot was put in a cast, and the friend turned into a hero overnight. My 8 year
old & I went to visit her. The friend’s POP cast was full of little encouraging messages with Smileys, flowers and
other “Get Well” designs. My 8 year olds heart was consumed with envy. That night back home, she was on her knees complaining
to the Lord. “Can’t you do anything for me?” She accused Him. “I want to feel important, too. I want
a fracture too.” She stopped her tirade, thought for a moment and then went on “You could break my hand…
No, I need my hands to do drawing. My foot may be. Yes, that’s it, but not the right one, please.”But my 8 year
old had no such luck. She leapt from the stairs. Slid down the banisters
and even jumped from a moving swing in the hope of breaking something. But all that she got in return was an unharmed body
and a summons from the Headmistress who punished her with extra homework and a note in the school diary asking us to control
our “little monkey”..... All her pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. –
“WHY WASN’T HE LISTENING?” she asked. Round tear filled eyes looking up and accusing us of lying to her
about asking & receiving.The missus and I tried our best to calm her hurt feelings and mend her faith in the Lord being
unbiased, as much as we could. She had not lost faith, but it was shaken. Late into that night I thought to myself how
much like me she was. I too had had fervent prayers as a child go unanswered. But then life moved on. I had grown into adulthood,
weathered many challenges of life and learnt the true value of prayers that go unanswered. That when He leaves some prayers
unanswered, it is His way of showing that He knows what is the best for us. He DOES ANSWER EVERY SINGLE PRAYER though but
in His own time and sometimes when a prayer goes unanswered THAT is His answer. Mission
Sunday 17th October All collections at the Masses will be for the
Missions. A newspaper Drive will be conducted on that day. Please bring your old newspapers etc when you come for Mass. All Saints 1st November Masses as usual All Soul's – 2nd November Masses in the morning at 6.30am and 7am. Masses
in the evening at 7.30pm and 8.15pm Children's Day Special ‘Best of Waste’ and ‘Care for
Creation’ Contests - painting, essay writing and creative craft - conducted by the Bombay Catholic Sabha and Sunday
School. Annual SCC Rally 14th November “Glorifying God's creation” is the theme. Programme begins at 5pm with March Past and presentations by the Ten
SCC Zones. Feast of Christ the King 21st November Mass at 7am in the Convent Chapel followed by
Zone-wise adoration in the Chapel from 8am onwards. NO OTHER MORNING MASSES. In the evening , processions from two main locations,
beginning at 5.15pm followed by Benediction. Then the concluding Solemn High Mass at 6pm in the quadrangle. ***************************************************************************** PARISH BULLETIN FOR AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2010 My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards…….!! The rains have been good and we thank God for “the showers of blessings”- in so many ways. Our Cardinal has declared this year as the “Care for Creation” year. What God Almighty has gifted us is
eternal and beautiful. But by our careless actions we, the human race, have destroyed it
and we are being called to repair, reuse, recycle and restore Creation to its original glory and stature. Each one of us – man, woman and child, young and old – have a duty, nay a divine calling, to put in our
best efforts and glorify God Almighty by saving and nurturing nature….So let us do just that in our own little ways.
There are suggestions in our bulletin towards this end. The months of August and September invite us to continue our prayers for
our priests and for vocations, as well as intercede with our Blessed Mother for the girl child and all children. The nest issue of our bulletin will deal with Peace and Harmony, Children and their Future. So send in your articles,
reports and poems and happenings etc for a selective publication. May Fr. Austin
Norris Priest
-in-Charge ***************************************************************************************** Care
for Creation Seven days and seven
nights Genesis records
it all- The earth, above
and below, The good Lord made
it all Birds in the air,
fish in the sea, Flora and fauna,
brilliance indeed! Animals on land,
fruits on trees, Care for creation,
'tis our creed. Sow and reap, fill
your belly; Recycle, reuse,
refill the earth, Treat it with care,
says the Lord, With grateful hearts
bring it to birth. What we have is
God's gift to us, What we give-our
gift to the nations. Cherish and hold
to heart the earth Men and women, care
for creation. St. Dominic Patron
of Astronomers Feastday:
August 8 b. 1170
d. 1221 St. Dominic
(1170-1221). Son of Felix Guzman and Bl. Joan of Aza, he was born at Dominic
spent the last years of this life organizing the order, traveling all over St. John
Berchmans Patron
of altar Servers Feastday:
August 13th Eldest
son of a shoemaker, John was born at Diest, St. Tarsicius Patron
of First Communicants Feastday:
August 15 Tarsicius
was an acolite or perhaps a deacon at St. Pius
X Patron
of Our Diocesan Seminary at Goregaon Feastday:
August 21 On June
2, 1835, Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto saw the light of earth at Riesi, Province of Treviso, in Venice; on August 20, 1914, he
saw the light of heaven; and on May 29, 1954, he who had become the two hundred fifty-ninth pope was canonized St. Pius X.
Two of
the most outstanding accom-plishments of this saintly Pope were the inauguration of the liturgical renewal and the restoration
of frequent communion from childhood. He also waged an unwavering war against the heresy and evils of Modernism, gave great
impetus to biblical studies, and brought about the codification of Canon Law. His overriding concern was to renew all things
in Christ. Above
all, his holiness shone forth conspicuously. From St. Pius X we learn again that “the folly of the Cross”, simplicity
of life, and humility of heart are still the highest wisdom and the indispensable conditions of a perfect Christian life,
for they are the very source of all apostolic fruitfulness. His last
will and testament bears the striking sentence: “I was born poor, I have lived in poverty, and I wish to die poor.”
His feast day is August 21. St. Bartholomew Feastday:
August 24 St. Bartholomew,
1st. century, one of the 12 Apostles All that
is known of him with certainty is that he is mentioned in the synoptic gospels and Acts as one of the twelve apostles. His
name, a patronymic, means “son of Tolomai” and scholars believe he is the same as Nathanael mentioned in John,
who says he is from Feastday: September 13th In 374,
he began to lead the life of an anchorite in the mountains near In 398,
he was elevated to the See of Constantinople and became one of the greatest lights of the Church. But he had enemies in high
places and some were ecclesiastics, not the least being Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, who repented of this before he
died. His most powerful enemy, however, was the empress Eudoxia, who was offended by the apostolic freedom of his discourses.
Several accusations were brought against him in a pseudo-council, and he was sent into exile. In the
midst of his sufferings, like the apostle, Sts.
Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and Companions Feastday:
September 20 The evangelization
of During
the terrible persecutions that occurred in the 19th century (in 1839, 1866, and 1867), one hundred and three members of the
Christian community gave their lives as martyrs. Outstanding among these witnesses to the faith were the first Korean priest
and pastor, Andrew Kim Taegon, and the lay apostle, Paul Chong Hasang. Among
the other martyrs were a few bishops and priests, but for the most part lay people, men and women, married and unmarried,
children, young people, and the elderly. All suffered greatly for the Faith and consecrated the rich beginnings of the Pope
John Paul II, during his trip to Saint
Matthew Patron
Bankers Saint
Matthew Feastday:
September 21st St. Matthew,
one of the twelve Apostles, is the author of the first Gospel. This has been the constant tradition of the Church and is confirmed
by the Gospel itself. He was the son of Alpheus and was called to be an Apostle while sitting in the tax collectors place
at His apostolic
activity was at first restricted to the communities of St. Matthew’s
Gospel was written to fill a sorely-felt want for his fellow countrymen, both believers and unbelievers. For the former, it
served as a token of his regard and as an encouragement in the trial to come, especially the danger of falling back to Judaism;
for the latter, it was designed to convince them that the Messiah had come in the person of Jesus, our Lord, in Whom all the
promises of the Messianic Kingdom embracing all people had been fulfilled in a spiritual rather than in a carnal way: “My
Kingdom is not of this world.” His Gospel, then, answered the question put by the disciples of Writing
for his countrymen of Sts.
Cosmas & Damian Patron
of Druggist Feastday:
September 26 Sts.
Cosmas and Damian were brothers, born in Patron
of charitable societies Feastday:
September 27 St. Vincent
was born of poor parents in the In 1605,
on a voyage by sea from It would
be impossible to enumerate all the works of this servant of God. Charity was his predominant virtue. It extended to all classes
of persons, from forsaken childhood to old age. The Sisters of Charity also owe the foundation of their congregation to Saint
Therese of Lisieux Patron
of the Missions Feastday:
October 1 1873
- 1897 Generations
of Catholics have admired this young saint, called her the “Little Flower”, and found in her short life more inspiration
for own lives than in volumes by theologians. Yet Therese
died when she was 24, after having lived as cloistered Carmelite for less than ten years. She never went on missions, never
founded a religious order, never performed great works. The only book of hers, published after her death, was an brief edited
version of her journal called “Story of a Soul.” (Collections of her letters and restored versions of her journals
have been published recently.) But within 28 years of her death, the public demand was so great that she was canonized. Therese
was born in France in 1873, the pampered daughter of a mother who had wanted to be a saint and a father who had wanted to
be monk. The two had gotten married but determined they would be celibate until a priest told them that was not how God wanted
a marriage to work! They must have followed his advice very well because they had nine children. The five children who lived
were all daughters who were close all their lives. Tragedy
and loss came quickly to Therese when her mother died of breast cancer when she was four and a half years old. Her sixteen
year old sister Pauline became her second mother — which made the second loss even worse when Pauline entered the Carmelite
convent five years later. A few months later, Therese became so ill with a fever that people thought she was dying. Without
realizing it, by the time she was eleven years old she had developed the habit of mental prayer. She would find a place between
her bed and the wall and in that solitude think about God, life, eternity. Therese
came to be known as the Little Flower but she had a will of steel. When the superior of the Carmelite convent refused to take
Therese because she was so young, the formerly shy little girl went to the bishop. When the bishop also said no, she decided
to go over his head, as well. Her father
and sister took her on a pilgrimage to But the
Vicar General who had seen her courage was impressed and soon Therese was admitted to the Carmelite convent that her sisters
Pauline and Marie had already joined. Her romantic ideas of convent life and suffering soon met up with reality in a way she
had never expected. As a cloistered nun she couldn’t even visit her father when he was ill. When
Pauline, her elder sister, was elected prioress, she asked Therese for the ultimate sacrifice. Pauline asked Therese to remain
a novice, in order to allay the fears of the others that the three sisters would push everyone else around. This meant she
would never be a fully professed nun, that she would always have to ask permission for everything she did. This sacrifice
was made a little sweeter when Celine entered the convent after her father’s death. Four of the sisters were now together
again. Then
in 1896, she coughed up blood. She died on September 30, 1897 at the age of 24 years old. She herself felt it was a blessing
God allowed her to die at exactly that age. she had always felt that she had a vocation to be a priest and felt God let her
die at the age she would have been ordained if she had been a man so that she wouldn’t have to suffer. Therese
of Lisieux is one of the patron saints of the missions, not because she ever went anywhere, but because of her special love
of the missions, and the prayers and letters she gave in support of missionaries. This is reminder to all of us who feel we
can do nothing, that it is the little things that keep God’s kingdom growing. St. Francis
of Patron
and Animals, Merchants &
Ecology Feastday:
October 4 b.1181
d.1226 Founder
of the Franciscan Order, born at In 1182,
Pietro Bernardone returned from a trip to Finally
a call for knights for the Fourth Crusade gave him a chance for his dream. But Francis never got farther than one day’s
ride from Francis’
conversion did not happen over night. God had waited for him for twenty-five years and now it was Francis’ turn to wait.
Francis started to spend more time in prayer. He went off to a cave and wept for his sins. Sometimes God’s grace overwhelmed
him with joy. But life couldn’t just stop for God. There was a business to run, customers to wait on. His search
for conversion led him to the ancient church at San Damiano. While he was praying there, he heard Christ on the crucifix speak
to him, “Francis, repair my church.” Francis assumed this meant church with a small c — the crumbling building
he was in. Acting again in his impetuous way, he took fabric from his father’s shop and sold it to get money to repair
the church. His father saw this as an act of theft — and put together with Francis’ cowardice, waste of money,
and his growing disinterest in money made Francis seem more like a madman than his son. Pietro dragged Francis before the
bishop and in front of the whole town demanded that Francis return the money and renounce all rights as his heir. The bishop
was very kind to Francis; he told him to return the money and said God would provide. That was all Francis needed to hear.
He not only gave back the money but stripped off all his clothes — the clothes his father had given him — until
he was wearing only a hair shirt. In front of the crowd that had gathered he said, “Pietro Bernardone is no longer my
father. From now on I can say with complete freedom, ‘Our Father who art in heaven.’”. From then on Francis
had nothing...and everything. Francis
went back to what he considered God’s call. He begged for stones and rebuilt the San Damiano church with his own hands,
not realizing that it was the Church with a capital C that God wanted repaired. Scandal and avarice were working on the Church
from the inside while outside heresies flourished by appealing to those longing for something different or adventurous. Soon
Francis started to preach. (He was never a priest, though he was later ordained a deacon under his protest.) Francis was not
a reformer; he preached about returning to God and obedience to the Church. Slowly companions came to Francis, people who
wanted to follow his life of sleeping in the open, begging for garbage to eat...and loving God. With companions, Francis knew
he now had to have some kind of direction to this life so he opened the Bible in three places. He read the command to the
rich young man to sell all his good and give to the poor, the order to the apostles to take nothing on their journey, and
the demand to take up the cross daily. “Here is our rule,” Francis said — as simple, and as seemingly impossible,
as that. He was going to do what no one thought possible any more — live by the Gospel. Francis took these commands
so literally that he made one brother run after the thief who stole his hood and offer him his robe! Francis
never wanted to found a religious order — this former knight thought that sounded too military. He thought of what he
was doing as expressing God’s brotherhood. His companions came from all walks of life, from fields and towns, nobility
and common people, universities, the Church, and the merchant class. Francis practiced true equality by showing honor, respect,
and love to every person whether they were beggar or pope. Francis’
brotherhood included all of God’s creation. Much has been written about Francis’ love of nature but his relationship
was deeper than that. We call someone a lover of nature if they spend their free time in the woods or admire its beauty. But
Francis really felt that nature, all God’s creations, were part of his brotherhood. The sparrow was as much his brother
as the pope. Francis
was a man of action. His simplicity of life extended to ideas and deeds. If there was a simple way, no matter how impossible
it seemed, Francis would take it. So when Francis wanted approval for his brotherhood, he went straight to Francis’
final years were filled with suffering as well as humiliation. Praying to share in Christ’s passion he had a vision
received the stigmata, the marks of the nails and the lance wound that Christ suffered, in his own body. Years
of poverty and wandering had made Francis ill. When he began to go blind, the pope ordered that his eyes be operated on. This
meant cauterizing his face with a hot iron. Francis spoke to “Brother Fire”: “Brother Fire, the Most High
has made you strong and beautiful and useful. Be courteous to me now in this hour, for I have always loved you, and temper
your heat so that I can endure it.” And Francis reported that Brother Fire had been so kind that he felt nothing at
all. How did
Francis respond to blindness and suffering? That was when he wrote his beautiful Canticle of the Sun that expresses his brotherhood
with creation in praising God. Francis
never recovered from this illness. He died on October 4, 1226 at the age of 45. Francis is considered the founder of all Franciscan
orders and the patron saint of ecologists and merchants. ********************************************************************************************* Creation's Renewal By Sr.
Maureen Fonseca fhic The 'Big
Bang' theory which tries to explain the genesis of the cosmos as we have it today, may be true in the material sense of the
word, but it fails to accept the fact that time, space and matter originated beyond time and space because God who created
it, is eternal. Our finite, created minds will never be able to fathom the infinite
uncreated mind of God. : 'Have you not heard how the world began? It was made by the one who sits on his throne above the earth and beyond the sky.'( Is. 40:22) From
the millions of planets in the galaxies, God chose to bring His life to our planet 'earth' with just 6 loving creative hugs
and kisses. For God alone is the source of all life. (Gen.1) Something similar happens when lovers hug and kiss. They
bring new life and satisfaction to each other. Creation
is the visible expression of God's love for each one of us, to help us live a happy, healthy and peaceful life. But what do we see, hear and read about every day? Nothing
but bloodshed, sickness and strife. How come?
What went wrong? How did it all start?
When, where, why? We shall soon see. The first
two lucky human beings to savour the beauty of creation were none other than our first parents Adam and Eve. God even walked and talked with them daily in the cool of the evening breeze. He must have told them about the love he had for them, the usefulness of nature and above all the beauty
and purpose of their body, mind and spirit. God must have also told them how
they should live. Love
is communicative and since God made us to His own image and likeness; we too like to communicate and socialize as God was
doing the in the Garden of Eden. No wonder then people all over the world are
hooked onto their cell phones, TV, radio etc. The good news is that God does
not depend on technology to speak to us. We hear Him doing so all through salvation history as recorded in the Bible. Though
Adam and Eve enjoyed their daily dialogue with God, Satan also tried to dialogue with them in the heat of the afternoon. Unfortunately, Satan's dialogue resulted in a spiritual 'Big Bang' which affected
the material world as well and the effects of this still ripple down the centuries to every human being, except one –
the Blessed Virgin Mary, because she was to give birth to the Son of God – the second Adam- who would reverse, or rather,
delete by His life, death and resurrection the effects of that spiritual 'Big Bang'. So the
genesis of all human problems and pollution began in the Garden of Eden with the first Adam, but Jesus the second Adam volunteered
to solve the problem in the We can
now look forward to a new earth and a new heaven as promised in Rev. 21:1, not only at the end of time but even today (Eph.
4:23, 24 and Col 3:10). This new heaven and new earth is very well spelt out
in Is. 65:17-25 and, I feel, is unconsciously embedded in all the agendas of the summit meetings of the UNO, G7, G15, etc. Every
time a spiritual conversion takes place as happened to Sts. Paul, Mary Magdalene, Augustine and a legion of others, Eph. 4:23,
24 becomes a reality, for every human being is composed of earth and heaven i.e. body and soul. The mass
media in communication today robs humanity of its harmony with God, with nature and with himself, thus giving rise to many
social evils from which we all need deliverance. Basically, disregard for the
10 commandments given by God to Moses is the cause of these evils: corruption, violence, exploitation, suicide, murder, divorce,
poverty, drug addition, alcoholism and depression. Therefore
the second Adam, Jesus, came to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-2 to bring deliverance and hasten the coming of God's
Kingdom. Yes, God is the King of the Universe (Ps 47:7) and only can He bring
peace, freedom and liberty through His Son, Jesus, who when reading this prophecy in the Synagogue at the start of His public
ministry, ended by saying, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” In the
'Our Father' Jesus desired that we pray daily for the coming of His Father's Kingdom in our daily living. Intimacy with God creates an intimacy with fellow-beings and with nature.
St. Francis of I would
like to conclude with the very consoling words of Jesus in Mt. 11:28-30, inviting us all to experience the REST He enjoys
ever since creation was completed: “Come to me all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke (teachings) upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find
REST for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden light.” To Creator through Creation Mamta Vats The recollection
on 20th June, 2010, was a superb experience for all the catechists: being together with the Lord and experiencing the greatness
of his creation. The topic for the day's recollection was 'God's Beautiful Creation: Nature and Man' . Catechists
from all the Goregaon parishes gathered together, had a hot cup of tea and biscuits
and the session began. Fr. Daniel conducted the session, giving us an insight into God's Creation. We were
split up into 9 groups consisting of 8-10 members each, given a few balloons and thread and asked to blow up the balloons,
tie them with the thread and build a tower which could stand. This helped us understand that a Foundation is critical for
any structure to stand firm and stable. Our actions are built on strong value-based foundations of spirituality. Each
group was given questions on their experiences with Nature and how we, in our own little ways, can save the natural beauty
around us. The groups discussed their childhood experiences and came up with
inspiring slogans, thoughts and sketches showing how through our efforts we could guide our catechism children to love
and care for nature, thus saving the planet from destruction. We took
up readings from Genesis (OT) and reflected on God's creation. Fr. Daniel
taught us some action songs which made the session very lively. We ended the session with a prayer and thanksgiving to the
Lord. The session ended with dinner organized by Fr. Joe: awesome biryani and kulfi, which were savored by all. ************************************************************************************************ A churchgoer
wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. 'I've gone
for 30 years now,' he wrote, 'and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't
remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.' This
started a real controversy in the 'Letters to the Editor' column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks
until someone wrote this clincher: 'I've
been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall
the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed
to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church
for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!' When
you are DOWN to nothing....God is UP to something! Faith
sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible! Thank
God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment! ******************************************************************************************* Who do you say Jesus is? Who do
you say Jesus is? This is the question posed to each of us in today's Gospel reading, not only for our own spiritual growth,
but also because our lives are billboards that display Jesus to the people around us who know that we call ourselves Christian.
Consider
what you're advertising when you need Jesus to rescue you from an unhappy situation. In today's first reading, Peter is rescued
by an angel. In Psalm 34, we declare: "The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him." Does your behavior say to others
that this is true for everyone? Which
(if any) of the following does your behavior advertise that Jesus is? A Limited
Human Being: Friends and family have let you down, so of course Jesus will too. You rely only on your own resources, because
you don't really believe you can depend on Jesus. A Cosmic
Force: Because Jesus ascended to heaven, he doesn't get involved in your everyday, earthly concerns. You don't ask for his
help while driving and wondering which route to take, or when selecting the day's clothing or choosing the right purchases. A Magic
Genie: Rub him the right way, and he'll grant your wish with a snap of his almighty finger. You perform religious rituals
perfectly and say the "right" prayers, and when nothing happens, you think it's because you didn't pray rightly. Santa Claus: Give Jesus your wish list and make sure you're a good girl or boy so that
he brings you whatever you want. You try to win him over by volunteering for parish ministries and talking a lot about religious
things using Christian buzzwords. A Marshmallow:
He's always soft; he understands why you sin and therefore it's okay to do it again. You rarely feel the need for the Sacrament
of Confession, and if you actually examine your conscience, you rationalize your guilt. A Punisher:
Jesus is watching your every move, waiting for you to do something wrong so that he can punish you. You assume that you'll
never be good enough to please God. You think you don't deserve to have fun or to receive good things. The Embodiment
of Love: When you picture Jesus, he is smiling. He knows you intimately and cares about you totally. Because he loves you
whether you deserve it or not, you proceed through hardships like he's already working a plan that will make everything turn
out good. Your positive attitude shows others that you're blessed because of him, no matter what happens. Who do
you say Jesus is? ************************************************************************************************ SPECIAL PRAYER SERVICE – ZONES VI
& VII Lucy
Samuel On Tuesday,
13th July 2010, Zones VI & VII held a prayer service especially for the confirmands.
The venue was my residence. The prayer meeting was well attended by the PPC members and their animators. All the students
came along with their parents. The ambience was one of holiness. The Confirmation
mentor, Mr Lawrence Sahayadas, conducted the entire prayer service meticulously
which speaks of his know-how on subject matter. He was well assisted by Ms Elizabeth along with PPC members and animators.
Participation
of the parents in the proceedings, specially the individual prayers & blessing for each of the confirmands made it a one
BIG FAMILY affair especially when all parents were asked to sign the certificate being issued to their children. The meeting
concluded on a very happy note as it was the first time such a prayer meeting
had been organised. While refreshments were being served the only subject talked about was of this special prayer meeting. We would like to thank our parish priest Fr Austin for introducing such a prayer meeting. **************************************************************************************************** Confirmation Prayer Service conducted in SCCs Thursday,
1st July 2010, was a very special day for the confirmands of Zones III. IV and V, which included Ronald, Nicole and myself
(Mervyn). Some of the confirmands could not make it. This prayer service was based on Lesson 2 in the Confirmation Class syllabus.
Parents
of the confirmands along with PPC members and SCC animators were present to bless the confirmands and pray for them. The session
included lovely prayers for the children by the PPC members and blessing of the children by their parents and animators. The
entire service took about 45 minutes, and was a wonderful experience, filled with the Holy Spirit and a good beginning for
the confirmands who are stepping into a world full of new responsibilities and challenges. I was
touched by the efforts taken by the Catechists, Lawrence Sir and Ms. Liz to make this session meaningful, inspiring and effective. Merwyn
– Confirmand & Jacintha
– Mother ********************************************************************************************** On 4th
July 2010, Sunday, we confirmands of Zone II, accompanied by our parents had
a get-together at Simon D'costa's residence. In fact it was not get- together, but an in-depth prayer service to invoke the
Holy Spirit. The entire
prayer service was conducted by Lawrence Sir, our Confirmation Class Catechist. Mr. Stanely
Saldanha, the animator of Zone II, began with an introductory prayer. After some moments of silence, we all sang “As
we gather”. We had an inspiring Gospel Reading from St. Luke. Thereafter, all the parishioners from Zone II blessed and prayed over each one of us viz., myself (Samantha), Sanjana, Alysha, Michelle M, Austin,
Wilson & Percy. We were
given a picture of the Holy Spirit with the words “May the Holy Spirit fill them and remain with them all the time.”
After
the inspiring session, we concluded with a word of “Thanks” to Lawrence Sir. After some snacks, we left with the
message to become better Christians. Samantha Barco (Confirmand). *************************************************************************************************** 11th July 2010 – Zone I -A, B & C. Teachers
and confirmands with their parents assembled at Mr. Selvaraj's residence on 10th July 2010 at 7.30 p.m. Mr. Selvaraj is the
father of Shedwin - a confirmand. Out of
the 9 students in Zone I, 4 were present for the solemn occasion. The students present were Josephine, Anthony, Dominic and
Shedwin. Lawrence Sir and Miss Liz prepared and presented the prayer session
effectively. The session started with the opening prayer by a Parish Councillor. The first
hymn was “As we gather”. Gloria and Alleluia were sung by Sir. The Word of God was read by Josephine, a confirmand.
While the parents of the confirmands were putting the sign of the cross on the foreheads of the confirmands, we sang “Send
forth thy Spirit “. The students
were given a picture of the Holy Spirit, blessed and prayed over by the elders of the Zone. We ended with the closing hymn
“Be with us Mary”. We were
served snacks and soft drinks / tea by Mr. Selvaraj's family. Their hospitality is worth mentioning. Without Mr. Selvaraj,
this prayer service would not have been a success Jessy Thothiyil Parish
Counsellor. ********************************************************************************* “Dropsy” Ashok Saldanha Ever
since my eight year old started going to school, the missus developed the habit of seeing that she was scrubbed, rubbed, dipped
in disinfectant and dressed in “khadak starched uniform” (as the missus called it) before being bundled off to
school. So when
my scrubbed, rubbed and dipped in disinfectant eight year old returned the other day from school looking like she had been
fighting in the wars and mud wrestling in the trenches, the missus blew a fuse seeing the dirty unstarched “khadak”
uniform and skinned knees. She wailed so loud the neighbours came out to see if I was beating her up. Then they also joined
the missus in wailing, for their kids too were looking like my eight year old with some even worse for wear and tear. The children
though were least bothered at our consternation. They were running round the building quadrangle and falling down awkwardly
as soon as someone tackled them from behind or from the sides. One chap did a double flip in the air, fell like a sack of
bricks and lay still. We rushed forward worried when he suddenly got up and walked away grinning, giving high fives to his
friends. The missus
shook my eight year old in unbelief at the state she was in and she went down with a yell then quickly got up laughing. This
was happening all around. Parents touched their children and they dropped like ripe mangoes from trees but instantly leapt
up as if nothing had happened. With
all sorts of various viruses and influenzas floating around these days the building residents wondered if this was a new strain
of an undetected virus rearing its head by attacking children. I did not think so. This was not “some kind of dropping
sickness” as residents started calling it; I was sure this was some new kind of school fad and wanted to get to the
bottom of it. I took
my eight year old by the arm and she collapsed in a heap. I hauled her up and sternly told her to cut it out and tell me what
this was all about. “Falling
is the “in thing” in school these days because it is the happening thing on TV. Grown men are falling down left,
right and centre when touched by other grown men”, she informed me. “Don't
be ridiculous!” I exclaimed. “Where on earth is this so called “in thing” of grown men falling down
at the least touch being shown on television?” “AT
THE FOOTBALL WORLD CUP”, she screamed. “See how Ronaldo, Kaka, Muller, Rooney and the rest of the footballers
fall. It's an art. One small touch and boom they go down as though axed. I have not yet learnt Drogba's style of falling like
he's been shot without anyone touching him yet, but I will”. “You
will do nothing of that sort” I told her. Relieved, I went and informed the other residents of this new fad and that
everything was well. All were mighty happy as they shepherded their wards back home. Dinner
over, we settled for the night. 1.30
a.m. and the building erupted awake to a strange noise. Residents rushed out thinking it was an air raid siren only to be
greeted by trumpets. The children were standing at various corners of the building and blowing on vuvuzelas for all they were
worth. I have
decided to stay away from football & watch chess on TV. It's more relaxing, fad free & Anand does not fall off the
chair every time he loses a pawn. ************************************************************************************** RAIN AND SUN MEDLEY Phyllis de Souza One morning
I stood on the footpath Watching
the night's aftermath, Reflected
in cool waters, And the
whirlpool Running
daintily in a swirl, With
dried leaves in amber curl, And the
staccato drops of rain, In the
monsoon's merry refrain. And ensconced
in rain cloud veil, The sun
was sliding, golden, frail, And it
begged an appearance, Bringing
beautiful medley of clearance, Giving
the rivulets a gold splendour, From
the Almighty, the beauty sender. *********************************************************** Because I am a Catholic girl… Mitchelle Coutinho The new
age woman – the many- handed human, the idol, the mother, the daughter, the wife… …we've heard it all about
them. She is praised in newspapers and poses on magazine covers. Men now feel like lesser humans thanks to bus seats reserved
for us, separate ladies line, special ladies bus, ladies train and the like. But a
closer peek into an Indian woman's life, and one will realize that our country is centuries behind the uplift of the woman.
She is still only an accessory in our movies, she is bound to the four walls in posh homes and some places used and often
abused. However
the life of a Catholic girl child is far better. The Times of India in the main edition on August 2009 published an article
about the development of women among all Indian religions and our women outshone and outnumbered their peers. All thanks to
our parents and our ancestors who have taught the community to treat everyone with respect. I sincerely
thank my mother, for what I am today. Had we been treated as lesser mortals we would never have been able to gather confidence
and pull through this vicious world; never been able to stand on our own feet and earn our daily bread. And of course, our
husbands are our rescuers! Our men do the chores, tiny or redundant as they may be, giving us a breather and some time to
ourselves : constant motivators, encouragers and best friends. This is a sincere
thank you for all your support. We must
thank the Church too for the huge role it plays in changing the mindsets of people. It's not easy to bend a mind with rigid
thought processes, direct it away from superstition and make it believe in a modern evolving world. But the Church has done
it. Moreover, it encourages girls and women to participate in church events: women are given equal opportunities to participate
in, and head groups. Sunday School teachers boost the morale of every student, be it a girl or boy, and give them a broader
picture of the Church and life ahead. Thank
you all for giving us girls air to breathe, a life to live, and above all, love that fills our hearts and keeps us motivated.
Three cheers to the Catholic community! ********************************************************************************* Parents’ Day Celebration Sunday,
25th July was a truly memorable day for our Parents and Grandparents. IT WAS
THEIR DAY – PARENTS’ DAY- in commemoration of the Feast of Sts. Joaquim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. At Mass the children prayed for their parents and Fr. Austin highlighted the respective roles of parents and children. After
Mass, the parents met in the Mass hall and there followed a delightful programme of song, dance and a skit. All this was well
performed and choreographed by the catechists and children of the Sunday School – and they did a wonderful job. Thanks
to one and all for their help in serving the snacks and the arrangement of the Mass Hall etc. The celebrations
continued in the evening where in most of the Zones and Sectors, the Parish Pastoral Councillors and SCC animators, put together heart-warming gatherings for parents, complete with cards and games and poems and
performances. WE DID ALL THIS FOR YOU- OUR DEAR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS. God Bless you always. *********************************************************************************************** “GIVE THANKS WITH A GRATEFUL HEART " Marie Forbes We all know the 3 powerful words Please ,Thank You and Sorry and their ability to change our attitudes and to uplift our
spirits. How often do we use them?.....That's for each one of us to answer. Let's focus on Thank You We know
being grateful and thanking God for all the good we receive every moment of the day is the secret of lasting joy within us.There
is such a lot to be thankful for and just by thanking people, events, situations around us for help,friendship,forgiveness
and love we become more hopeful and less bullied by the troubles around us. I came
across a book "Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude work for You" by a journalist, Deborah Norville. Her persuasive
book argues that gratitude is the secret key to unlocking one's full life potential..."Thank You." Can such small words hold
life-changing power? Yes! .Deborah Norville did a lot of research on the Angel
known as "Thank You Power " for both the good and not so good things that happen.
She found that once you invite this small gem of thankfulness into your head and heart
you will become happier,more optimistic, you will be bursting with new ideas
to solve old problems, you'll find strength to handle shocks and losses. Rooted in
science and presented from a spiritual perspective, Thank You Power brings
together for the first time the behavioral and psychological research that prove what people of faith have long known and
what we as Christians do believe --.giving thanks brings life blessings She goes
on to tell us to start by writing down 3-5 things each day to thank God / the Angel / Life / the World for- and you will be surprised with what you will discover .I say Thank You to all the people who touch my life
directly or indirectly-the vegetable and fruit vendors who come to the door, especially during the monsoons, sparing me the
hassle of going out in the rains; the sweeper who collects the garbage, the watchmen who work day and night to keep us safe.
I say Thank You for the troubling things too: for the rude boss, for somebody jumping the queue, for being able to deal with
them and not being like them, for fracturing my leg in Bangalore and thereby escaping the sweltering heat in Mumbai !And of
course the good moments will always outnumber the unpleasant ones. So go
ahead and meet your Thank You Angel and you will walk in the clouds !! ********************************************************************************************** Report from Women's Cell Danica Manoji On Saturday,
17th July 2010, ten members of the Women's Cell visited Sneha Sagar, an orphanage
at Malvani, Malad (W) . They have 10 branches in Mumbai. Sr. Sunita,
the sister-in-charge, has 3 novices to help her with the children. There are 17 children ranging from 11 months old to teenagers
but most had gone to school. We interacted with 7 of them and played games and danced and talked to them. The children were very happy. We had all taken some gifts like grains, biscuits etc for them. We spent
an hour there and left after saying a prayer with them. We then
went to Navara Haq center for a lunch of biryani and a game of housie. On Thursday,
22nd July 2010, a Fitness Workshop was held at St. Anne's High School, Malad
(W). It was conducted by Ms. Josephine Fernandes of Mulund. Two members attended. It was an informative session on exercise
and diet. 8th September
is a special day when we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lady. It is also known as Girl Child Day when we celebrate the joy and beauty of girlhood and our dignity as human beings. We know in NO TO
VIOLENCE YES TO
LOVE ***************************************************************************************** The
Girl Child A child
is born- A girl
child. Parents
mourn For it's
a girl child. A financial
thorn Is the
girl child; Into
a world of brawn Enters
this girl child; A helpless
pawn This
precious girl child; From
a breast is torn A little
girl child; Into
a river at dawn Sinks
the girl child; All love
withdrawn From
this girl child; They
stand forlorn By the
crib of the girl child And blow
a horn- If it's
not a girl child. Let her
love, Let her
live, Let her
learn, If she's
a girl child- And she'll
love you best- For she
is a girl child. Shonali Chinniah - ******************************************************************************************* I Asked God Sent in by Alison Vaz, Class X, Zone VI C I asked
God to take away my HABIT …. God said
NO It's
not for me to take away but for you to give up. I asked
God to grant me PATIENCE … God said
NO Patience
isn't granted, it is earned. I asked
God to give me HAPPINESS… God said
NO I give
blessings; happiness is up to you. I asked
God to spare my PAIN... God said NO Sufferings
draw you apart from worldly cares and bring you closer to me. I asked
God to make my SPIRIT grow… God said
NO You must
grow your own, but I will prune you to make you more fruitful. I asked
God for all things that I might ENJOY life… God said
NO I will
give you life so that you may enjoy all things. I asked
God to help me LOVE others, as much
as He loves me. ********************************************************************************* A Meeting of the Women's Cell Norma Vashi Mercy
Dennis accompanied me to the Annual Meet held between 4.00 pm - 6.45 pm on Saturday, 12th June 2010 at St. Blaise, Amboli,
Andheri, where Parish Women Cell members from Andheri, Malad, Borivli and Bhayander deanery had assembled. After registration, we helped ourselves to Merwan's patties and tea. Marcia
D'Cunha, Diocesan Co-ordinator welcomed the women present. The evening began
with the Women's Anthem, recital of the Women's Creed and the Pledge. This was
followed by Biblical reflection showing Mary as a brave, courageous and strong woman, unlike the meek and mild Mary projected
through the Middle Ages. A video
CD 'Silent Scream' featuring a puppet named Chitra was shown in a KG class to the teacher and kids, aged 3 to 4 years old,
who live in a world of innocence and are soft targets. In general, children may be at risk at tuitions, classes, and while
travelling alone with van or school-bus drivers. Parents and teachers should
teach children little sentences to say that remind them how to protect themselves. The
CD is meant for parents and teachers to explain to children the problem of child abuse.
It opens their eyes to the fact that the people to watch out for are in fact relatives, household help and those trusted
within the family. It takes them into the emotional trauma the child undergoes,
and helps them assist children to identify and stand up to Child Abuse. Safe
Children, Happy Children. A PowerPoint
presentation by Sr. Venita Fernandes, St. Catherine's Home showed women facing violence as they embark on a journey from oppression
to empowerment. A woman feeling hopeless needs to be led from the untruth that
she is useless, bad and to blame for everything, to the truth that she is a beautiful creation of God; from the darkness with
which she is surrounded and the death happening within her, to the light of discovering her own identity, her strengths, her potential, and to a glorious vision of living life in all its abundance. Child
Abuse and Domestic Violence are sins. We need to say No to Violence, and say
Yes to Love. The session
concluded with a prayer and the hymn, “Here I am Lord, I am listening.” ******************************************************************************************** The End Pieces In the
last year, my life has gone through some dramatic changes. I have lost my job and my wife of 14 years divorced me to go to another man. It has been a very humbling experience. Money
is very tight but luckily I have been able to put a roof over my head and food
on the table for my two daughters. While
fixing some sandwiches one day for my girls, I opened a new loaf of bread and
was about to discard the end piece like I always do when I froze. It dawned
on me that this end piece was the beginning of a whole loaf of bread. I immediately
thanked God for providing so much when others have even less than this. I also
knew I would not be discarding the "last" piece of bread in the loaf either because I was thankful for everything that would be provided in between. Now I
always enjoy making my sandwich with the "end pieces!” ( A Mountain
Wings Original by Von Blocker, **************************************************************************************** SESSION FOR EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS OF 3 PARISHES; ST.THOMAS, In all,
40 Ministers attended the sessions on 2 days,
i.e. 6th & 20th June, 2010, for 2 hours in the evening. In the 1st session, Fr. Put to us the question – Why do people attend Mass on Sundays and days of
Obligation? Then we were divided into groups to discuss the question. The
groups came up with different answers : Thanksgiving for the week gone by, Praise and Worship, Keeping the Sabbath, the beginning
of a new week, a day of obligation, devoting the day to the Lord, meeting as a community, and so on. It was explained that the Mass has 4 parts – the Eucharist, the
Memorial, the Covenant & the Passover.
The structure of the Mass has the Introductory Rite, the Penitential Rite,
the Liturgy of the Word, the Homily, the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist, the Concluding Prayer by the priest, with the Final Blessing. To attend the entire Eucharistic celebration is important. From the time you come into church, you have to prepare yourself to participate in this sacrificial service. In the
2nd session Fr. explained the role of the priest & other ministers in the Liturgy.
He focused on the 7th century at the time of Emperor Justinian, when only 2 ministers were present along with the Celebrant, i.e. the Deacon and the Lector. More were added during The explanation
of the functions of the different characters was as follows: DEACON:
Can assist & perform all priestly functions but is not permitted to say Mass & hear Confession. He is trained in the Seminary for 3-4 years. There are 7-8
Deacons in the city of READERS
(LECTORS): They should be well trained, able to use the mike properly & be
decently and modestly dressed as they proclaim the Word of God. COMMENTATOR:
Summarises parts of the Liturgical celebration from time to time in different languages for the benefit of the congregation.
He/she does not use the lectern. CHOIR:
Assists the congregation in singing hymns. Appropriate hymns should be chosen, for the day's celebration and also ones known to the congregation so that they can
participate. New hymns should be practiced before the Mass for better participation.
CANTOR:
A single person, who leads the congregation in singing and is appointed by the
priest or the Choir Master. PSALMIST:
Sings the responsorial Psalms. ACOLYTE:
Carries the cross in procession, presents the Missal to the priest, etc. on special occasions during the Mass celebrated by the Cardinals or Bishops. ALTAR
SERVERS: Assist the priest in providing what is needed during the preparation of the Holy Communion. Girls too are permitted to perform this function. He\she can become an altar server only after receiving
1st Holy Communion. THE LITURGICAL
TEAM: Controls the functions of all the characters at the liturgical celebration. It
has to prepare the Prayer of the Faithful according to the needs of the parish. USHERS:
See to seat arrangements, direct processions and take charge of the collections. EUCHARISTIC
MINISTERS: Are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, while the Priests and the Deacons are Ordinary Ministers. There are certain Norms\Guidelines laid down for the EMHC. They
are carefully & diligently chosen & approved by the Zonal Bishop and their commitment is renewed every year. They help in the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass, and also to the sick, elderly
and homebound. They should only receive the Holy Communion from the celebrant,
not take it themselves. They are not allowed to open or close the Tabernacle.
The H.C. should be taken straight from the church to the home of the sick or homebound.
In case the sick are not at home due to
some reason, the Host should be
consumed by the E.M. It is very necessary to prepare the altar in every home
they go to, to place the pyx on a white cloth with 2 lighted candles. The pyx has to be cleaned after distributing Communion
to the sick. Both
sessions conducted by Fr. Barthol were effective, educative and meaningful. Home-made snacks and tea were served at both sessions.
We are very grateful to Fr. Barthol Barreto for his inspiring sessions and also to our Priest-in-charge Fr. Austin Norris
for directing us to attend these educative sessions. ************************************************************************************************* REPORT ON LAITY SUNDAY - 27TH JUNE, 2010. Stanley D'Cunha & Maria Rodrigues A great
day to remember, as Laity Sunday coincided with the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour. Mamma Mary is ever-willing to succour her children who are willing to do the Will of God. Yes! It is a call to all, and you too are a chosen one. Would
you not heed to this Loving Call ? It is the example of Our Mamma Mary that we
have to follow, & surely we
will be close to our Saviour. 10 of our Parish Associations put up their banners with information that would enable
those not involved to enroll their names so as to serve the community & do
the Will of God through the Association of their choice. Members of every Association were present after both the Masses on Sunday for enrollment & some Associations were present after the
Saturday Mass also. The response was fairly good, but it could have been better
with more parishioners getting involved in the Parish activities. Snacks &
tea were served to all who volunteered to be at their Association enrollment tables.
The weather too was favourable and the work was carried on smoothly. Approximately 130 parishioners registered in different Associations. God Bless them all. This
did not end with just work: an educative, informative, entertaining & prayerful programme followed for all the Heads & Assistants at St. Mary's , Mazagaon, from 4-7 p.m. It was held to appreciate and thank all
those involved in Parish Activities and who by their work and example inspire the other
parishioners to participate in service of the Community. It made me proud
to be a parishioner of At St.
Mary's, tea and sandwiches were served, after which we were led to an exhibition, put up by the Green Cross Society, Justice
& Peace Commission, Eureka Forbes Institute of Environment & Garbage
Concern Welfare Society. The Exhibition had 4 divisions. In each division, there
were eminent speakers, giving information regarding the charts put up by them. Later
we were directed to the main hall, where the programme was to begin. The Compere
for the programme was Mr. Jude Fernandes. He welcomed everyone and made the programme
lively by his jokes. The programme began with a talk-show on the theme “Care for Creation” conducted
by Fr. Felix (Parish Priest ) of St. Blaise Church, Amboli. Fr.Felix interviewed the 5 eminent speakers regarding the
service rendered to the people by their societies. The 5 eminent speakers were
Mr.S.Shenoy from Green Cross Society, Ms. Deepika Singh from Justice and Peace
Commission, Mr.Rudolph D'Souza from Eureka Forbes Institute of Environment, Dr.Patravala
& Mr.B..George from Ecology (Environmental Education). Mr.Shenoy emphasized that when we face a crisis, e.g. Garbage is not collected for days together,
then we seek for a solution. He went on to say that a Biosanitizer could take
care of any foul smell given out. He explained that it treats polluted waste
water and converts into living\bio-water that could be used for growing plants and for washing purposes in homes & industries. Biosanitizer acts as a natural factory
that produces active oxygen using pollution as the raw material. It can be more
useful if housing societies use it in their tanks. Ms. Deepika
Singh from J & P Commisssion said that 100% of the global warming is human induced, as there is more production and more consumption,
and therefore more production of waste.
This situation could be reversed if awareness is created in schools, colleges, societies, families etc. An Energy Audit too could help a lot. If usage of our appliances at home is kept to a minimum and only
when necessary, the consumption of electricity would be less and costs reduced. It
is also advisable to reduce use of thermocol and flex banners, using paper instead. Mr. Rudolph
D'Souza of Eureka Forbes Institute of Environment gave information about Rain-water harvesting. It is a process to catch rain water in tanks or drums to use for bathing, gardening, in toilets etc. It has to be purified if it is to be used for drinking purposes. Housing societies could dig pits on the outskirts of their
boundary wall and direct the rain water to drain into the soil below. This would
improve the ground water quality and could provide an alternative source to meet future demand. In an area of 100 sq ms, rainfall will be 2000 mm which can provide 2,00,000 litres of water. The EFIE has been working to promote rain-water harvesting in Mumbai and by their efforts towards creating awareness, they are able to save 600
million litres of Rain Water annually. Dr. Patravalla, another speaker,
said that poor garbage collection results in pests & mosquitoes, which cause various illnesses like, Malaria, Dengue,
Jaundice etc. Care should be taken to pour kerosene oil where stagnant water is collected.
He gave the example of people living in Lastly
Mr. George emphasized that Environmental Education in schools is very essential and should be encouraged by having class-wise projects. He said that the life-style of each individual should be earth respecting. After
a break, the compere announced a Numerical Game. Placards numbered from 1-10 were given to members of 4 groups. A
certain number was called out, e.g. Year of India's Fr. Aniceto
Pereira- Director of the OLCM was then invited to the stage to address the audience.
In his speech, he said that it is up to us to know what we have to do. Steps
have to be implemented by our community to encourage caring for our Creation.
H called for the people to give a practical response to the message of Fr. Allwyn D'Silva
-To make our Church Green. Four members were felicitated for their outstanding
service by Bishop Bosco Penha. Bishop
Bosco Penha in his address, thanked the Laity for their selfless service of their community.
He gave examplesof: a man who goes for dialysis thrice a week and yet
does a lot of service in the church; a lady of 80 yrs from the Legion of Mary
is doing active work. He said that there are
many more who do a lot of work for their parishes, even after the age of 60 .
He concluded his talk with his blessings. The programme came to an end
with a Prayer Service led by Dr. Valerie, of OLCM. A procession
with a Cross in front was led towards the stage to proclaim Jesus as Our Redeemer and God as our Creator. Bible passages about God's creation were read in different languages.
It was to make us aware that we should recognize God's creation and avoid wasting the resources provided to us. Whatever we save can be utilized by generations to come. The prayer service ended with a hymn and a power-point presentation
at 7.40 pm. As we
left the hall, we were given snacks and a plant. Though the programme was quite
far from most of our parishes and involved a lot of time for traveling, it was
very beneficial, educative, informative and effective. The knowledge that we received will be passed on to others in our associations and put into practice. We should do what we can to save Our Environment.
As Our Holy Father said, “If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation.” ************************************************************************************************ Pontiff Notes Empty Promises Made to Youth Says
Consumer Culture Keeps Man From Understanding Himself SULMONA,
The Pope
met today with a group of young people in the Cathedral of Sulmona at the end of his apostolic visit to the city in “But
there are also false values and illusory models that are proposed to you and that promise to fill up life but empty it instead,”
he added. The Holy Father explained that “the current consumerist culture” tends to “flatten man to the
present, to make him lose the sense of the past, of history; but in this way it also deprives him of the capacity to understand
himself, to perceive problems and to build tomorrow.” “So,
dear young people, I would like to tell you: the Christian is one who has a good memory, who loves history and seeks to know
it,” the Pope said. Benedict XVI traveled to Sulmona on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the birth of Pope St.
Celestine V (1209-1296). Before
returning to the **************************************************************************************************** Kerala
is noted for its cuisine. Fish is prepared in various ways and here are two recipes FISH CURRY - Type 1 Ingredients
A 1 Kg
fleshy fish (Halwa /Surmai
/Pomfret /Mackerel ) Clean the fish and cut into medium sized pieces B Grind
to a fine paste: 1 Tbsp chilly powder, 1 Tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp
jeera powder, 1 tsp pepper powder, 5-6 cloves of garlic, 2 “ piece
ginger, 5 cashewnuts, 1 cup grated coconut,
2 tomatoes chopped,1 onion chopped
C 4 green chillies slit, few curry leaves,
tamarind to taste or 1 raw mango sliced, salt to taste D onion finely chopped Method In a vessel
put the ground masala, 2 glasses
of water and all the ingredients under section C. Mix
well and heat .When the mixture comes to
a boil, add the pieces of
fish, stir gently and cook on a medium flame till done. In another pan put a
little oil and fry the chopped onion (section D) till golden brown. Add to the
curry and mix well, taking care not to break the fish. Simmer for a few minutes . Serve with rice or chappatis. FISH CURRY -Type 2 Ingredients
Fish 1 Kg ( halwa/ pomfret / sardines
etc ) .Clean and cut the fish as required. 2 - 3 onions sliced, 4 – 5 green chillies
slit, tsp turmeric powder, 3 tsp kashmiri chilly powder, 1 Tbsp pepper corns crushed,
1 Tbsp ginger cut into thin juliennes,
1 Tbsp garlic cut into thin slices, 1 – 2
sprigs curry leaves, 3 tsp
vinegar, Salt to taste, 2 Tbsp oil Method
Heat
the oil in a pan. Add ingredients
1 – 5 and fry for a few minutes.
Then add the ginger, garlic and curry
leaves and fry well .Add enough water salt and vinegar and let it boil. When boiling, add the fish. Cook on medium
flame till done . Serve with rice. N.B.
Extra or less seasoning like chillies
, pepper powder can be used to your taste. More
Fish Recipes in the next Bulletin ******************************************************************************************** Parish Pastoral Councillors: 2010 - 2013
I ST. MARK - 25TH APRIL
(A) Adarsh Nagar,R.No. A/665, Aarey Colony Jessy Thothiyil (B) Vanrai MHADA,Ekta CHS, Bldg 88, R.No.33 Piedade
Fernandes (C) Doodhsagar / Checknaka, Sarvodaya Nagar, Aarey Road Gracy Gojer II ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER - 1ST MAY
(A) Amritvan, Green Crest, 16/13 ‘B’ Wing (B) Yashodham, 23 Mayur, Yashodham
Simon D’Costa
(C) A.K.Vaidya Marg, 004/C, Padmavati Society Kashma Gonsalves (A) Gokuldham (N), A/14, Sagar Tarang / 204 Remedia
Pinto (B) RMMS, C-24, 401-A, RMG Unit 12
(A) Sai Baba Complex, Sai Niketan, R. No B/11 Anita Menezes (B) (A) Gokuldham (S), Gurukrupa, A/45, R. No. 002 Gladys
D’Souza (B) Kanyapada, 1004/A, Lakshachandi Apts Eliza
Mathews (A) MHADA/MBH/Paathanwadi, (B) Dindoshi / BEST, Dheeraj Uphar, F-110, Behind Dindoshi Lucy Narapareddy
(C) Suchidham, Saryu, R. No. 004/B
Benny D’Souza (A) Sanjay Gandhi Nagar,
Shabana Basti, R/No.9/H
Jaysheela Harijan
(B) S - Buildings, A2/519,
Chitravani, Pimpripada Savio
Abraham (C) Valentine Apts, (A) NNP/Sankalp, Samta Bldg, NNP 4, Plot 16, R.No.303/C Victorino Fernandes (B) NNP, NNP-5, Shirish,, 5/C, R. No. 15 Flamsy
Rodrigues (A) Hanuman Nagar/BMC, Sector L, R. No. L-2/23 Angeline Corda (B) Jyoti Complex, Jai Bhim nagar, Bldg. No.B/5, R.No.504 Jyothi Joy (C) Santosh Nagar (West), 2/242, D’Souza Compound Linet D’Souza X ST. GONSALO GARCIA - 6TH FEBRUARY
(A) SSPL/NNP 1&2 New Mhada, Harmony, 26/B-603 Elvis
D’Souza (B) Santosh Nagar (East), B/4/6, Satpuda, NNP-1 Daisy Sequeira NOMINATED Catholic Sabha
Parish Youth Group Canisius
Sequeira Legion of Mary Kenny
Godad EX-OFFICIO
St. Joseph’s Church Fr. CO-OPTED Zone V Sector A
Ernest Zone II Sector A Sebastian
D’Souza Zone VIII Sector A Ronald
Fonseca SCC Coordinator - II A Vincent
D’Cunha **************************************************************************************************** FORTHCOMING EVENTS 1st August Parish
Pastoral Council meeting 10.15am. 15th
August Feast
of the Assumption and Indian Independence Day. Day of Obligation. Flag hoisting will be at 8.00am, followed by Mass and then,
the 9.15am. Mass 25th
August Training
programme for all heads of associations and assistant heads. 10.30am to 12 noon 30th
August Nativity Novena begins. Mass at 7.30pm everyday, prepared by the Sunday School children. Please attend in large numbers. 8th Septmeber Nativity
Feast and Day of the Girl Child. Feast Mass at 7.30pm. Perpetual
Succour Novena at 7.15pm 20th
September Teacher's
Day –cum- World Elders Day: 9.15am Mass, followed by a Felicitation Programme in the Mass Hall. 1st October Beginning
of the Month of the Holy Rosary. Continue to pray the rosary in your home. Also join your SCC cluster and sectors for the
same. 3rd October Thanksgiving
Day. Mass at 8.30 am followed by agape – a shared breakfast. Please carry some breakfast to share with others. Note
there will be just one Mass on this day. PARISH BULLETIN FOR JUNE
- JULY 2010 My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards…….!! Beginnings….turnover's…re-openings…..fresh
starts....whatever you call them…. These situations are a great way to say “ Hey world…!! Here I come….”…
here is an opportunity for a new start to whatever we have in mind. And so a BIG HELLO to all that the months of June and
July 2010 and thereafter, have to offer us…. For starters, as we conclude the Year of Priests,
which began last year on 19th June- Feast of the Sacred Heart and ends this year on 19th June, a BIG THANK YOU to all of you,
dear parishioners, for praying for your priests'. Believe me – we felt the difference…! This does not mean that you “stop praying
for your priests”, rather continue doing so as much as we your clergy pray for you daily. Thank you in anticipation. Our Sunday Catechism programme takes off with classes
for students from Std I up to Confirmation levels. The benefits of regular attendance and participation at these faith formation
sessions cannot be stressed enough. In this regard, parents – the first teachers of the faith to their children –
have an important and encouraging part to play. Our selfless catechists are there to guide, teach and role-model – it
is for the parents to do the rest and their best. Schools and colleges re-open and with that the excitement
of new books, uniforms, friends, classes, teachers and the “rat-race”. Yes, the urge to do and get the best results
in the final exams. Not only does this involve huge sums of fees and time and resources, but also comes with the loss of one's
childhood and stress and strain of over-achievement. We have seen this to be to the detriment of some students. We have an
article that will help parents and children to understand academics and academic progress of students in the right perspective
and take remedial action as well. On the parish level, we hope to move on with our
Church Building Plans and please God, we will get there in “God's Good Time”. Let us intercede at our daily family
prayers for this special intention. Our next issue will feature our Blessed Mother, the Girl Child and other related issues.
So send in your articles and reports, on community activities and poems etc, for a selective publication of the same. May Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-charge ****************************************************** Reawakening Devotion to the Sacred Heart Interview With Author Father Thomas D. Williams By Kathleen Naab Father Williams is author of “A Heart Like
His: Meditations on the Sacred Heart of Jesus”, a book of 32 meditations on the virtues of the Heart of Christ. “This is an amazingly contemporary, Scripturally
based devotion,” Williams says, “far from the musty idea it may still conjure up for some.” Devotion to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he asserts, “means devotion to Jesus himself, to the Word made flesh, to the humanity of
the Son of God, and, in a particular way, to the love of God in human form.” In this interview, ZENIT asked Father Williams,
a theology professor in ZENIT: What moved you to write “A Heart Like
His”? FATHER WILLIAMS: In recent years I have become more
and more convinced of the need for Catholics to get back to the core of our faith. We can easily get caught up in externals,
in social questions, and even in partisanship. We need to keep Jesus in the center: to know him, love him, and imitate him
in everything we do. After that, the rest falls into place. On the other hand, people are always looking for
practical tools to pray better and to grow in the spiritual life. This book is a series of short meditations, each one meant
to highlight a key virtue of the Heart of Christ. I try to introduce people to the real Jesus, just as he is revealed in the
Gospels. ZENIT: But isn’t devotion to Sacred Heart
outdated and “pre-Vatican”? We don’t hear much about it these days. FATHER WILLIAMS: Actually I can’t think of
any devotion that is more contemporary, and more in tune with the needs of today’s Christians. It was Benedict XVI who
recently said that devotion to the Sacred Heart “has an irreplaceable importance for our faith and for our life in love.” This devotion focuses on the love of God revealed
in the person of Jesus Christ. It seeks to know Jesus intimately, from the inside, and to allow his love for us to transform
our lives. Only by personally experiencing his love can we hope to bear witness of it to the men and women of our times. ZENIT: What is the goal of this devotion? FATHER WILLIAMS: There are two chief goals. The
first is getting to know Jesus, so as to fall more deeply in love with him, and to want to identify with him. This last point
— imitation — is very important. We cannot “do what Jesus would do” until we get to know him. Otherwise,
we have no way of knowing what he would do, and instead just impose our own criteria on him. How do we imitate Jesus? Not by letting our hair
grow long, or sporting a beard, or wearing a tunic or leather sandals. We imitate Jesus above all by having a heart like his. The second goal is reparation. That is, we try to
comfort the sorrowful Heart of Christ that is wounded above all by our indifference to his love. We accept his love, embrace
it, thank him for it, and try to make as many people as possible aware of it. So many people live as if Jesus hadn’t
died for them, and oblivious to the passionate love he has for them. For so many, this is still the best kept secret. ZENIT: Why the “heart” of Christ? Father Williams: In explaining this devotion, Pope
John Paul II said that when we speak of the heart, we refer to “our whole being, all that is within each one of us.”
The heart represents “all that forms us from within, in the depths of our being. All that makes up our entire humanity,
our whole person in its spiritual and physical dimension.” Devotion to the Heart of Jesus is devotion to Jesus himself. By concentrating on the heart, we pay special attention
to Jesus’ love for the Father and for each one of us. We also look to his deepest motivations — what made him
do the things he did. Knowing Christ involves much more than studying what he did, where he lived, and what he accomplished.
It means, above all, getting to know his Heart. ZENIT: So what are some of the virtues of the Heart
of Christ that Catholics should try to imitate? FATHER WILLIAMS: There are many, and in this book
I offer 32 — one for each day of the month of June, plus two bonus meditations, for the Feast of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus and the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. For example, I write about some typical virtues
of Jesus’ Heart: “A meek and humble heart,” “a compassionate heart,” “a merciful heart,”
but also some less common ones: “a courageous heart,” “a radical heart,” “a joyful heart.”
Some holy cards and images of the Sacred Heart present
a Jesus that doesn’t exactly inspire imitation, or even admiration. Some portray him as pasty white with an almost feline
look; others give him a languid smile and liquid brown eyes that make him look more like a Latin American soap opera star
than the Savior of the world. This doesn’t do justice to the real Jesus. Jesus’ heart was compassionate and humble,
to be sure, but it was also undivided, resolute, disciplined and magnanimous. One of the things I try to show in this book
is how well-rounded Jesus was, and how he truly presents us with the most exciting and inspiring example of humanity ever
known. ZENIT: Did you learn anything writing this book? FATHER WILLIAMS: I learned a lot. Writing this gave
me the chance to reflect and pray about what is so attractive about Jesus, and why he has inspired men and women (and even
children) to heroic lives of self-giving for the past 20 centuries. On a more personal note, it gave me the chance to reflect
on who Jesus is to me, and why I follow him. While I was writing the book I often reflected that
if readers get just a fraction out of the book of what I did writing it, it was all worthwhile. There is always more to discover
about Jesus, and just when we think we have him all “figured out,” he surprises us again. At the end of each meditation I offer a section
of personal prayer, in conversational form. I am convinced that we need not only to know about Jesus; we need to know him
as a person, talk to him, bring him into each decision we make and every aspect of our daily lives. This has been helpful
to me as well. ZENIT: In an ecumenical age, wouldn’t it be
better to focus on devotions that aren’t so distinctly Catholic? FATHER WILLIAMS: Quite the contrary. This devotion
is ecumenical to the core. In fact, I envisioned this book as a true bridge between Catholics and other Christians. Evangelicals
in particular will identify with the Christ-centeredness that permeates the whole book. Every meditation is drawn directly from God’s
Word as expressed in the Gospels. There is such a treasure contained in sacred Scripture that one book alone isn’t nearly
enough to even scratch the surface. Jesus’ personality is so rich, so multi-faceted, so deep, and so attractive, that
it cannot help but draw all Christians toward a greater communion. Father Jerzy Popieluszko: Priest and Patriot Solidarity By Antonio Gaspari Father Mariusz Frukacz of the
Archdiocese of Czestochowa, journalist and editor of the Catholic weekly Niedziela, emphasized this in an interview with ZENIT. The 37-year-old priest was
the chaplain of the Polish Solidarity movement, and was martyred in 1984 when Communist agents beat him and threw him into
the icy waters of the Some 400,000 people attended
his funeral, and since that day, 17 million have visited his tomb. Every October 19, a 24-hour vigil is held to commemorate
the day he was killed. A national Polish hero, he
has been recognized by the Catholic Church as a martyr and will be beatified in On the occasion of his beatification,
“Niedziela” collaborated to produce a musical CD to honor Father Popieluszko. In this interview with ZENIT,
Father Frukacz speaks more about the life and virtue of Father Popieluszko, and why he is an example not only for ZENIT: Who was Father Jerzy
Popieluszko? What were his heroic virtues and why is he being canonized? FATHER FRUKACZ: Father Jerzy
Popieluszko, killed in 1984, was vicar of the parish of St. Stanislao of Kostka in In his life, but also in his
teaching, especially during Masses for the homeland, he represented total fidelity to the Gospel of Christ, to the teaching
of the Church; in a special way he recalled in his homilies the thoughts and ideas of the Servant of God, Cardinal Stefan
Wyszynski, “Primate of the Millennium,” and teacher of John Paul II. Father Popieluszko promoted
respect for human rights, for the rights of workers and the dignity of persons, all in the light of the Gospel. He practiced, for His beatification is an example
for priests, in the light of his total fidelity to Christ. Moreover, he represents the symbol of the victims of Nazi ideology.
Nazism and Communism persecuted
the Polish people and their faith. For this reason, in the present time we need witnesses of the faith like Father Popieluszko.
ZENIT: Father Popieluszko was
chaplain of the Solidarity movement. How is his work as a priest distinguished from that of a political activist? FATHER FRUKACZ: Father Popieluszko
was a priest who always had with him the words taken from the prophet Isaiah and Luke’s Gospel: “He has sent me
to take the good news to the poor, to bind the wounds of broken hearts.” This phrase is on the stamp of his priestly
ordination. As chaplain of Solidarity he
was always with the workers during strikes; he helped the families of persecuted and imprisoned workers. Father Popieluszko was not
a political activist in the usual sense of the term, but he always reminded people that political action must serve the common
good, must recognize the dignity of persons and respect human rights. In this sense we can say that
Father Popieluszko, wishing to fulfill his priestly vocation to serve humanity, participated intensely in social life. The
aim of his actions was not of a reductive or particular political character. ZENIT: How did Solidarity,
Pope John Paul II and priests like Father Popieluszko succeed in defeating the powerful Soviet regime? FATHER FRUKACZ: Solidarity
was not just a labor union. It was formed from the beginning as a national movement of 10,000 persons. It was the first movement in
which the Catholic Church and the world of workers united. We must remember that, for
Communist ideology, the worker is a person who does not believe and in the name of materialist ideology must stay far from
the faith and the Catholic Church. Already from its birth in 1980, Solidarity represented the opposite of Marxist and Communist
philosophy. The Catholic Church and workers
were consistently and solidly together. To understand better the reason
for the defeat of the powerful Communist and Soviet regime we must look to the great and important role played by John Paul
II. It all began in John Paul II’s
first trip in 1979. It was the first trip of the Slav Pope to a country of Central and We must also recall the 6th
World Youth Day in August of 1991 in Jasna Gora and The Holy Father celebrated
Holy Mass on August 15 and three days later the Soviet regime fell. Personally, I think that we
must also look at the role of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, primate of They were very hard years,
in which it seemed impossible to survive Soviet domination. And yet Cardinal Wyszynski succeeded in organizing and guaranteeing
the religious and social activity of the faithful in It was Cardinal Wyszynski himself
who reinforced and defended the “Theology of the Nation” to reinforce the Catholic identity of Poles. ZENIT: How much did the Catholic
faith of the Polish people help in the defeat of Communism? FATHER FRUKACZ:As I already
explained, for the Polish people faith is also important in social life. It isn’t a private thing. Faith has a social
and national dimension. For us Mary, the Black Madonna
of Czestochowa, is the Queen of Poland. For us, the faith is united
to true patriotism, that is, love of God and of the homeland. Often seen on Polish flags is the phrase “God, Honor,
Homeland.” I think this identity and this
religious practice fueled the spiritual force that defeated Communism. I would like to recall that the Marxist-Leninist regime
placed itself against God (atheist) and against the nation (Communist Internationalism). We must also remember that
even Jesus loved his homeland and wept over the fate of ZENIT: There is a film in FATHER FRUKACZ: John Paul II
said that, thanks to the blood shed by Father Popieluszko, we Poles are in Father Popieluszko is a person
who has been inscribed in the history of May 12,2010 Fr. Austin Norris, Priest-in-charge The Editorial Team Goregaon (East) Dear Fr. Austin & Friends, I had some time free recently
and so looked rather carefully at your parish bulletin, April-May 2010. I was delighted and inspired by what I read. The bulletin
is so full of information, so substantial and a very good reporter of all the happenings in the parish. Right from Of course the parish is now
on a "high" as it has started to push towards the new Church for which the whole archdiocese has been waiting with breathless
expectation - a long wait indeed! I would imagine that the joy of this development has brought much life and vitality into
the parish as can been seen in many of the articles. One gets the impression that
In this context, it is meaningful
to-pray for the parish all the blessings and graces of another Pentecost. May the Spirit, the Animator ‘par excellence’
fill the parish with ever more Joy and with the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit in abundance. Affectionately & gratefully, sd/- Bishop Bosco Penha THE YEAR OF THE
PRIEST Cardinal Van Nguyen
Thuan: Witness to Hope Vietnamese Cardinal Francis
Xavier Van Thuan is on the road to sainthood- the road he has been walking along from his earliest childhood. He spent 13
years of his life as a political prisoner- 9 of these years were spent in solitary confinement. In Sept 2007, the What inspires a person to embrace
to road to martyrdom? In Thuan's case it was hearing about his ancestors, many of whom died for the faith. In addition, his
mother was constantly reading to him the lives of the martyrs. As a bishop, Thuan was a faith-fired
missile. In his diocese, the number of seminarians in the major seminary rose from 42 to 147 and the minor seminaries saw
a rise from 200 to 500 scholars. This was only a small part
of the work he did for his Church- and it would all end when he was incarcerated by the Communist regime on August 15th 1975.
He was jailed without trial to prevent him from becoming Archbishop of Saigon. But this was God's way of giving
him more faith and more hope and time to pen his great work, 'The Road of Hope'. In this he resembles the great In his book, Thuan writes about
how he kept his hope alive, managing to celebrate the Eucharist with 3 drops of wine hidden in his palm and a host smuggled
into prison in a torch. His great book was written on the back of used calendars. But was his being imprisoned
on the feast of the Assumption just coincidence? In God's plan there are NO coincidences. Bishop Thuan was released on November
21 1999, the Feast of the Presentation of our Lady! Pope Benedict, referring to
one of Thuan's books in his encyclical Spe Salvi(2007) says, ' During 13 yrs in jail, in a situation of seemingly utter hopelessness,
the fact that he could listen and speak to God became for him, an increasing power of hope, which enabled him after his release,
to become for people all over the world, a witness to hope- to that great hope that does not wane even in nights of solitude.' When Bishop Thuan was released
from prison and sent into exile from (Adapted by Teresa Aranha from
the article by Michelle Laque Johnson) On Mary's Example of Hope “We, Her Children, Live in the Same Confident Hope" Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, At the midday hour it is the Church's tradition to turn in prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, joyfully recalling
her ready acceptance of the Lord's invitation to become the mother of God. It was an invitation that filled her with trepidation,
one which she could scarcely even comprehend. It was a sign that God had chosen her, his lowly handmaid, to cooperate with
him in his saving work. How we rejoice at the generosity of her response! Through her "yes", the hope of the ages became a
reality, the One whom Some thirty years later, as Mary stood weeping at the foot of the cross, it must have been hard to keep that
hope alive. The forces of darkness seemed to have gained the upper hand. And yet, deep down, she would have remembered the
angel's words. Even amid the desolation of Holy Saturday the certitude of hope carried her forward into the joy of Easter
morning. And so we, her children, live in the same confident hope that the Word made flesh in Mary's womb will never abandon
us. He, the Son of God and Son of Mary, strengthens the communion that binds us together, so that we can bear witness to him
and to the power of his healing and reconciling love. I would now like to say a few words in Polish on the happy occasion
of the beatification today of Jerzy Popiełuszko, priest and martyr. I send cordial greetings to the Church in Let
us now implore Mary our Mother to intercede for all of us, for the people of
BRAVING A NEW ACADEMIC YEAR Dear Parents, Another academic year will soon commence, bringing in its train a host of tasks to be attended to & problems
to be solved. I understand too, the anxieties & fears, the dreams & ambitions that all parents have for their children.
I have gone through this myself & I know what it entails. But I am becoming increasingly aware that parents also need
to battle against the many forces affecting their children in today's world.. ....the increasing pressure of competition,
the continuing impact of the media, disturbed family life conditions & growing peer pressure.These forces are not easy
for parents to combat or contend with .Is there a way out? As the demand for higher percentages for entry into a stream, a college & a career increases, the pressure
of competition increases as well. The whole emphasis today is on the need for our children to perform & excel ( if they
are to survive), often irrespective of their own abilities & capacities. This leads to unrealistic parental & societal
expectations for our children, the communication of our own fears & anxieties to them & parental dissappointment &
frustration when these expectations & ambitions are not met.This in turn hits back on our own children making them feel
they are failures in life, that they have let their parents and family down , they feel rejected and suffer low self-esteem.In
the absence of strong,emotional family support our children succumb to these negative feelings & seek to find escape from
reality in wrong companions, unhealthy pastimes, drugs & alcohol, often leading to mental depression & even suicide,
when the pressure becomes unbearable. In this context parents need to remember that acceptance, love, encouragement & gentle motivation are the only bulwarks that can protect our children against the pressures of competition..Yes, we parents have a right to be ambitious for our children & to motivate them to do & give
off their best, but always respecting their limitations & remembering that 'people' are more precious than attainments
& material success. The impact of the media continues unabated today...in fact with increasing fury.In the absence of any controls,
our children can spend hours ( especially during vacation time), watching one T.V serial after another, switching channels
endlessly , playing video games which often reek of violence, surfing the Net
& visiting dangerous websites reading literature that is not meant for them
& even dabbling in pornography. And all these are within easy reach and just a click or button away. The impact that the
media has on young minds is unfathomable & its consequences can be devastating.Unless parents keep, from their children's
earliest years,a firm control on the programmes they watch, the material they read & the time they spend , it may be the
case of being too late to make amends. Parents have to start early & a 'loving firmness; is the best approach to follow. The rat-race lives we live today in turn results in disturbed family
life conditions. Economic needs often necessitate that both parents work, mothers as well, driven by a desire to make as much
money as possible. Career-oriented parents, single parents, married singles, separated & divorced couples are on the increase.All
these impact family life conditions resulting in lack of time for one's children, insecure children, the communication of
wrong priorities, faulty values & the absence of role models for our children to pattern their lives on.A loving, caring,
secure, supportive family milieu is the nursery for the foundation & growth of responsible, mature, young adults & this must be the kind of familiy environment
which we parents must strive to build for our children.. Finally, peer-pressure is another force our growing children need to contend with.Parents need to remember that
upto the age of about 10 or 12 , children want the acceptance & approval of their parents & teachers. After that,
they need the acceptance & approval of their peers & the young adolescent will go to any lengths to achieve this.
Getting into a wrong peer group, possessing values, ideals & beliefs contrary to one's own, can be a very painful experience
for our growing children, with damaging effects.Talking to one's children about the important need of choosing their friends
wisely, gently guiding them in what they should look out for in their friends,, encouraging them to bring their friends over
& welcoming them without being critical or judgemental are greart helps.Above all we need to assure our children of our
own faith & trust in them & our unflinching love for them, all of which can
help our children battle the
influences of peer-pressure. In conclusion then, dear parents,it is very evident that the only way to help our children contend with &
combat these growing forces that confront them today, is to make them feel accepted & loved, re-inforcing this through kindness, encouragement, appreciation, motivation & communication.We need to keep
talking to our children & to talk in a manner so that children listen & to listen in a way that encourages them to
talk.Above all, I believe that we parents must help our children develop a personal relationship with a Loving God,a relationship
that comes from simple, spontaneous conversations with Him ( for after all that is what prayer is), sharing with Him their
anxieties & fears, their secret dreams & hopes & through a firm belief that He loves them & cares for their
every need .Such a relationship, both for us & our children, is the only way to brave another new, challenging academc
year!! Dr. Elaine Ann Charles **************************************************** The I.C.C.U. Ashok Saldanha I had suffered a heart attack, and the Cardiologist being politically correct and not wanting to scare me referred
to it as a “minor event” that had occured when he examined me. He made it sound as if a cardiac arrest was a razzmatazz
show at the local 5 star hotel. Then he signaled a nurse and before I could say ICCU I was on a bed with more pipes than at
an ONGC oil refinery coming out of me & attaching themselves to monitors which were making “ping” & “pong”
sounds. Welcome to the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit (I.C.C.U.). Restful, though I would not recommend the place to anyone
seeking R & R. I was horizontal on a bed and told to lie still as tests were conducted. Since I could not contemplate my navel
I ended up watching a big fat black ant on the ceiling and betting against myself in which direction it was going to go next.
It was pretty exciting stuff to pass time, but my reverie was broken when a soft spoken nurse injected me, popped some pills
into my mouth, took an ECG, patted me on the head and told me in her best bedside manner that all was going to be okay. Bad news spreads & spreads fast. People came visiting & they brought with them grimmer faces than the
Grim Reaper. 30 people gave me 50 different types of do’s & don’ts. “Do not eat this”, “Do
not smoke”, “Do not drink this”, “Do not lift anything”, “Do not speak loudly”,
“Do not take stress” it seemed as if Yahweh was issuing the 10 Commandments all over again but only for me. I
knew they meant well and was real happy that these friends had made time to visit. It showed that people even in this fast
paced city still cared for each other. Further, I could practice my one line witticisms regarding my health condition and
set them laughing. It also gave me much needed respite from watching the ant doing its upside down antics on the ceiling, One personal friend though visited me the next day. The Shepherd with the healing touch dropped by. Gentle as
silence. What a pity that the rest of the patients in the ICCU (peoples of other faiths) did not have this kind of a friend
come visit. His coming made me appreciate the Eucharist that much more and thought to myself how Infinite Immensity had made
Himself so small that He could visit, reach & touch a finite being like me. I was going to be in the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit till the Cardiologist thought he had had enough of me. Two
days passed & the fat black ant had long gone to do whatever it is that fat black ants go to do, and I was left observing
a crack in the ceiling and wondering how much bigger it would become if there was an earthquake, when I was visited by a very
close friend who is an undertaker. He came into the ICCU as if walking on egg shells and with his best funereal expression
on. I grinned at him and his demeanor changed. “You won’t get any business from me” I told him when he enquired after my health. “Do not worry”, he said, “if something does happen, I will see that you are interred adjacent
to a pretty lady and have an attached bar in your designer coffin. Then you and the lady can have a drink and bay at the moon
on full moon nights”. This has been a constant piece of dark humour between us for a long time and what better place
than an ICCU to express it.. ”But you can be with her for only 18 months though…..”
he trailed off. This was something new. I asked him why. He told me that according to municipality rules after 18 months internment,
we both had to go into ICNUs - (Independent Cement Niche Units). We both laughed silently (no laughing loudly in the ICCU) till we
had tears in our eyes & the nurse grinning without knowing what we were laughing about firmly asked him to leave. I went back to watching the crack in the ceiling. ESSAY FROM A CHILD A teacher from Primary School asks her students to write an essay about what they would like God to do for them...At
the end of the day while marking the essays, she read one that made her very emotional. Her husband, that had just walked in saw her crying and asked her: - What happened? She answered - Read this. It’s one of my students essay. Oh God, tonight I ask you something very special: Make me into a television. I want to take its place. Live like
the TV in my house. Have my own special place, And have my family around ME. To be taken seriously when I talk.... I want
to be the centre of attention and be heard without interruptions or questions. I want to receive the same special care that
the TV receives when it is not working. Have the company of my dad when he arrives home from work, even when he is tired.
And I want my mom to want me when she is sad and upset, instead of ignoring me... And... I want my brothers to fight to be
with me... I want to feel that family just leaves everything aside, every now and then, just to spend some time with me. And
last but not least make it that I can make them all happy and entertain them... God I don’t ask you for much... I just want to live like every TV. At that moment the husband said:- ‘My God, poor kid. What horrible parents! She looked up at him and said:- ‘That essay is our son’s” 10 CHILD COMMANDMENTS FOR PARENTS \ 1.
My hands are small; please don’t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture or throw a ball. My
legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you. 2. My
eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely. Don’t restrict me unnecessarily. 3. Housework
will always be there. I’m only little for a short time, please take time to explain things to me about this wonderful
world and do so willingly. 4. My
feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs. Don’t nag me all day long. ( You wouldn’t want to be nagged
for your inquisitiveness). Treat me as you would like to be treated. 5. I
am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me
guidelines to live by and disciplining me in a loving manner. 6. I
need your encouragement to grow. Please go easy on the criticism; remember, you can criticize the things I do without criticizing
me. 7. Please
give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself. Permit me to fail, so that I can learn from my mistakes. Then someday
I’ll be prepared to make the kinds of decisions that life requires of me. 8. Please
don’t do things over for me. Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn’t quite measure up to your expectations.
I know it’s hard, but please don’t try to compare me to my brother or sister. 9. Please
don’t be afraid to leave for a weekend together. Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from
kids. Besides, it’s a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special. 10. Please take me to Sunday School and church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow. I enjoy learning
more about God. GOD'S ROSE A newly ordained minister was walking with an older , more seasoned preacher in a garden one day, feeling a bit
insecure about what God had in mind for him to do. He asked the older preacher for advice. The older man walked to a rose bush, plucked a tight rosebud and handed it to the young minister. 'Now open it
without tearing a single petal,' he said. The young man looked with disbelief at his senior, trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to
do with his wanting to know the will of God for him. But because of his respect for the older man he started trying to open
the rosebud, keeping every petal intact. It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this task was. Noting the young man's inability to unfold the rose, the older minister recited this poem to him: It is only a tiny rosebud, A flower of God's design, But I cannot unfold the petals, With these clumsy hands of mine. The secret of unfolding flowers Is not known to such as I; God opens this flower so easily But in my hands it will die. If I cannot unfold a rosebud, The flower of God's design, Then how can I have the wisdom To unfold this life of mine? So I'll trust in God to lead me Each moment of every day; I will look to God for guidance At each step of my way. The path that lies before me Only my good Lord knows; I'll trust Him to unfold the moments - Just as he unfolds the rose.
~Charlie Gilchrist~ From the Internet (submitted by Teresa Aranha) DID YOU KNOW... 1. MOPED
is the short term for 'Motorized Pedaling'. 2. POP
MUSIC is 'Popular Music' shortened. 3. BUS
is the short term for 'Omnibus' that means everybody. 4. FORTNIGHT
comes from 'Fourteen Nights' (Two Weeks). 5.
DRAWING ROOM was actually a 'withdrawing room' where people withdrew after Dinner. Later the prefix 'with' was dropped..
6. NEWS
refers to information from Four directions N, E, W and S.. 7. AG-MARK,
which some products bear, stems from 'Agricultural Marketing'. 8. JOURNAL
is a diary that tells about 'Journey for a day' during each Day's business. 9.
QUEUE comes from 'Queen's Quest'. Long back a long row of people as waiting to see the Queen. Someone made the comment
Queen's Quest. HOLIDAY CLUB Leticia D'Souza – Std. II Sister Maureen arranged a summer Holiday Club for us children in
the parish. She taught us many useful things such as making paper flowers, and rocking ducks from old greeting cards.
She gave us Balaji Wafers. We played carom and Book Balancing. We enjoyed ourselves and had lots of fun. Thank you Sister
Maureen and Fr. Austin. Rachael D'Souza – Std. V I enjoyed myself at the Holiday Club with my friends and Sister Maureen.
The Holiday Club started on 21st April. Sister Maureen is very talented. She taught us how to make artificial flowers from crepe paper, lanterns and rocking
ducks from greeting cards. She taught us two new songs: 'Hello Mr. Crow' and
'Two Little Magic Words'. My favourite activity was Book Balancing. Sister Maureen allowed us to play carom and gave us books to read.
She would give us nice things to eat, too. I will never forget the Holiday
Club. Rachel Menezes – Std. IV The Holiday Club was great fun. I felt I was in a fun school with
a fantastic teacher like Sister Maureen. Sister told us many stories about Jesus
and also taught us lovely things to make. She also gave us work to do at home
which I enjoyed doing. I made new friends.
Every day began with a prayer. I always felt the presence of Jesus with
us. I thank God for Sister Maureen and pray that God may always keep her safe. Clinton Joseph – Std. VI On the first day I got a shock. The Holiday Club was something new. I
liked Sister Maureen. I enjoyed
myself in the club. Sister taught me how to make paper flowers. She had understood me very well as she has taught me how to sing.
She taught us two songs. It was nice to sing and hear the songs. She taught us how to pray and talk with God.
HAPPY HOLIDAY CLUB! Flavia – Std IX In our Holiday Club, happiness was everywhere; all of us were praying,
playing, singing, doing craft, etc. I liked it very much because it showed us
how to really enjoy the summer holidays. The Holiday Club started on 28th April and finished at the end of May.
We were 19 children, taught by Sister Maureen. We had great fun singing,
telling jokes, playing games like carom and Book Balancing and reading story books.
It was a great joy when we talked about the power of Jesus. We liked to
pray and write letters to God. I liked this Holiday Club because it helped me spend my time usefully and taught me to talk with my friends and
do something good rather than to sit idly and watch television at home. I enjoyed this Holiday Club and pray that it will come every summer vacation. Daphne Therese Albert – Std VIII I joined the Holiday Club on 6th May. Sister Maureen taught us how
to make flowers with beautiful orange paper and green sticks. She asked us to
take story books and read them when were free at home. The next week Fr. Austin
also joined us and taught us how to play carom. We had fun when Father came. Sister Maureen gave us greeting cards with pictures of Jesus, bookmarks with nice wordings and blessed medals of Jesus,
Mary and all the Saints. She even taught us two wonderful songs: 'Hello Mr. Crow'
and 'Two Magic Words.' Whenever my sister and I saw a crow roaming around at
about 6 o'clock, we would sing 'Hello Mr. Crow' to him! We got wafers and Appy
that week. Sister Maureen gave my
sister and me two wonderful flowers to take home. My mom was very happy to see
these. I have made a lot of new friends. I even distributed chocolates
the day after my birthday. We had a Book Balancing race and the two winners were
Lianne and Valerina. Sister Maureen inspired us to write letters to Jesus about
forgiveness and thanksgiving. I loved Sister Maureen's classes. From my next holiday onwards I will be regular. By attending
Sister Maureen's classes I have learnt good manners. She even gave us stickers
of Jesus and Mary to stick in our cars. I thank the whole St. Joseph team for
organizing such a nice Holiday Club. Nancy Antony – Std V At our Holiday Club Sister Maureen taught us very nice things: paper
flowers, lanterns and ducks. She taught us two songs: 'Hello Mr. Crow' and 'Two little magic words'. On some days
she gave us some snacks and Frooti. I attended the class every day. Every day Mercy aunty reminded me not to miss this class. On
some days Sister Maureen gave us stickers and cards. She taught us to obey our parents. She looks beautiful. She is a very nice Sister. Sonal Alex Joseph – Std. VII The Holiday Club started on 28th April and ended on 27th May. On the first day, Sister Maureen showed us how to make paper flowers, lanterns and
ducks. She also taught us more about Jesus.
We enjoyed ourselves a lot playing games, reading books, etc. Sister taught us two songs; the first song is about the crow
and the other is about two little magical words.
In between we celebrated the birthday of my friend Daphne. I thank Sister
Maureen for organising a Holiday Club for us. Valerina Fernandes – Std VII The Holiday Club that started on 20th April was conducted by Sister
Maureen. There were 19 children in this club.
We learnt the poems 'The Crow' and 'Two little magical words'. We also
made paper flowers of different colours, lanterns and ducks. We played a game called Book Balancing. There were children
from Class I to Class IX. We were given pictures and medals to make a scrap book. I liked this Holiday Club so much - and
my wish, looking at my experience of this Club, is that more and more children join it in future. Melita Fernandes – Std. VII The Holiday Club organized by Sister Maureen started on 20th April. She
taught us how to pray and write letters to God. She also taught us to make flowers,
a lantern and a rocking duck. She taught us two songs - “Mr. Crow”
and “The two little magic words”. She taught us how to balance a
book by walking straight. In the free time we used to play carom and read story
books given to us by Sister. We were 19 of us, so we had two groups for the Book
Balancing race. We had children from the 1st to the 9th standard participating
and two winners emerged. We were given medals and stickers by Sister Maureen so we could make a scrap book from them. We truly enjoyed ourselves at this Holiday Club. It was fun making articles and playing
with the other children. This was a memorable experience. Rishab Tiwari – Std IX Before joining the Holiday Club, I was eating rubbish and watching television
and wasting time. But when I started coming to this church I learnt to
walk. I learnt many poems. One was
'The Crow' and the other was 'Two little magic words'. I learnt many things from
these poems. I learnt that if we want something we should say, 'Please can I
have that?' One big message I got from this club was we should not waste time
or things and should live life in peace and harmony. Now I am happy because I
have learned how to utilize time for my own benefit. Now my mother is also happy
that her child who was so lazy has learnt how to live. This church club has benefited me a lot. Harsh – Std VII The Holiday Club is a great club. There is a Sister Maureen. She is a great Sister. She always spoke
to us about God. She taught us two poems in the club – 'The Crow' and 'Two
little magic words'. We played carom and Book Balancing. There were many story books to read. We learnt how to make
flowers out of paper. It was a great experience for me at the Holiday Club. It was a great place to learn love and discipline. Sister told us how God made us. This is a place where you feel like heaven.
Here there is peace. ***********************************************
SUMMER HANGAMA I would like to thank Fr. Lincoln for organizing this summer hungama. It was a good thought to bring all the
children together, especially those who could not go for summer holidays. We had great fun playing outdoor games and indoor
activities, snacks cold drinks were very good. I made new friends and wish we could have many such hungamas in the coming
holidays. SHANE NARAPAREDDY STD: VII We played many games and had fun. We also learnt many new things like praying and sharing things with others. NAOMI STD: VI I enjoyed the summer club. I played cricket & football. Thank you Fr.Lincoln for giving us the summer club. WILSON STD: V
I enjoyed the summer club. I enjoyed all the games of the summer club. Thank you
Fr. Lincoln. ABHISHEK TIRKEY STD:
IV I loved the summer club because there were different activities. I made new friends and enjoyed every moment
of it. I thank God and pray to him that we have this summer club every year. NIKHAN RODRIGUES STD:
VI I loved the summer club because there were many activities in it. In the summer club they thought us many games
and activities. I enjoyed the summer club and I want it to be held next year too. I thank Fr. Lincoln and all who helped us. NIKIESHA RODRIGUES STD:
III My summer club had million moments each day each holiday a promise of fulfillment of my dreams and accomplishment
of some special plans by our youth group for us. My summer club meant lot to me not because I loved my club but I loved the
people in my club. The world says they are called friend but I call them my world. Each day was a joyful memorable experience
as I got to learn new games with my friends. SCHNELLA P DAS I loved my summer club as I got to learn the most important fact of life which life is to short so laugh a lot,
love truly, and forgive quickly don't regret accept and more and enjoy life at the fullest. Its memories were sweet and I
m going to cherish it. Summer club was a family to me, it was a team work where we where dependent of each other. VIVARN RIAS STD: VI Thank you fr. Lincoln for keeping summer hungama, please fr. keep next year also. LEUCDA D”SOUZA STD:
II I enjoyed the summer hungama a lot. There were many enjoyable games. We would like to have the summer hungama
nest year. Thank you fr.Lincoln for the club. LIANNE D'SOUZA STD:
VII We all enjoyed the summer club. There were different things to do daily & we played lots of games. JESSICA Thank you Fr. Lincoln for starting this special summer hungama club.
I have made so many new friends and have learnt many new games. Thank you for the snacks you have provided us everyday. we
really enjoyed them. I hope you will keep this club every year in summer vacations. I am very thankful to my parents for sending me for the summer hungama club. In the starting when I came for
the club I thought it would be quite boring but when I took part in the activities they conducted I enjoyed a lot. I would
like to thank the youth and Fr. Lincoln Rebello for conducting this club. And I hope the summer hungama club should be conducted
next year also. PATRICIA D'SOUZA I Like the Summer club. We learnt many new things form Fr. Lincoln. We played many games, like dodge Ball, throw
ball, Batminton, langadi Cricket, Standing KoKo and many more…we truly enjoyed all the days. LIAN BODY, MIND AND SOUL Simon D'Costa We are unhappy people. We are unhappy because we find somebody else better looking, somebody else with more money,
somebody else with a bigger or a better house and so on. We always have some reason or the other to feel unhappy. This tells
us something very important. We need a reason to be unhappy. Otherwise, we are
happy. God has created us happy. We do not need a reason to be happy. Happiness is our natural state. The happiness that I
am talking about is not the happiness you feel when you win a lottery. This happiness is a 'high' you feel for a reason which
will sooner or later turn into a 'low'. This is an artificial happiness, a happiness we put on. The God-given happiness is
a lingering happiness, contentment, peace all rolled into one. We are in this
state always. This is God's gift to us. God has given us a body, a mind and a soul. We must look after all these parts. They
form an integral whole which makes you and me. Our body is like a machine. It needs to be kept in a working condition. What we eat and drink (and how much)
matters a great deal. There are certain foods that promote health and there are
some which do not. Our body also needs exercise and proper rest. Most of us do not look after our bodies. Our body is God's
gift to us and, in my view, it is our duty to look after it well. The mind is defined in many ways. I like to distinguish between the brain and the mind. Brain is easy to understand
and does not need any explanation. Enough is said in the schools and colleges
about it. The mind is nothing else but conditioning. Our likes, dislikes, preferences,
prejudices, goals, desires, learning, pleasant and unpleasant experiences and memories, what we consider right and wrong,
what is good and bad – all these and the many people who have influenced us form the mind. We do what appeals to the
mind. We are prisoners of our minds. We need to shape our minds afresh. We need to unlearn a lot more than we need to learn.
Our quarrels are caused by the mind. We are reactive beings. We are hurt easily. Another
name for the mind is Ego. We each have a soul. Our soul is our real identity. I would not like to define the soul. The soul is so very
complex. How can one define something that is eternal? We walk, talk, breathe,
live and we are conscious and we have a conscience because we have a soul. It is “godliness” in each one of us.
If we hurt somebody, we become sad. The soul wants the good of all. It does not
plan or plot destruction. The mind or Ego is a total contradiction to what the soul is.
It is, therefore, easy for us to believe in Jesus and difficult for us to follow Him. A soul-person will live for him/herself
and for others in equal measure. A mind-person lives for him/herself alone. Our happiness, our security, comes from the soul.
Our insecurity, our distrustful nature comes from the mind. We Christians ought to be soul-people instead of mind-people.
May Jesus, Our Lord and Master, come to our rescue and make us soul-people. GRANDMA'S HANDS A Tribute to Grandma's and Mamma's .. Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench... She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring
at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and
the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK.. Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK.
She raised her head and looked at me and smiled 'Yes, I'm fine, thank you for
asking,' she said in a clear voice strong.
‘I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted
to make sure you were OK,' I explained to her. 'Have you ever looked at your hands,' she asked. 'I mean really looked at your
hands?' I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess
I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she
was making. Grandma smiled and related this
story: 'Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years.
These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I
have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. 'They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied
my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when
he went off to war. 'They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn
son. They wrote my letters to people I loved and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse. 'They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors,
and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet,
bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else
of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer. 'These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of God.' I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God
reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home. When my hands are hurt
or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed
and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face. EVOLUTION Simon D'Costa Evolution is one word that disturbs many of us. We think that it
negates what the Bible says. Not at all! The Bible tells the story of creation in a manner that people like you and me, who
are not trained scientists, can understand. The Bible is not a book of science. It is our Holy Book and has to be interpreted
in the context of our faith. The Bible says that God created the world and everything in it in six days and on the seventh
day He rested. Are we supposed to be rigid about this number? Far from it! God does not run an office. What we are supposed
to gather from the story of creation is that God created the universe - and you and me -in His image and likeness and put us in charge of looking after all that He had created. However, we are entitled to use what God
has created, but in a manner that will not harm God's creation. The truth is: we do not know how God created the world. We
only know what scientists are telling us in the form of theories. A theory is an attempt to explain things as they
may have occurred. The theory of evolution is an attempt to explain how you and I were created. As lay people, let us understand what the theory of evolution explains. It says that things evolve from one state
to another. This theory, among other things, states that you and I may have evolved from apes. Is this true? We do not know
yet. It has not yet been proved. If tomorrow it is proved that we have evolved from monkeys, apes or any other species, will
this prove that God did not create us? No, not at all! God's ways are mysterious and inexplicable. You may have heard of the
Big Bang theory. It attempts to explain how the world was formed. It says, for
lay people like you and me, that different gases came together, caused a huge explosion and that is how our world was born.
Does this prove that God did not create the world? Far from it! It again says that God's ways are beyond our understanding
and full of wonder. These theories, for us Christians, do not prove that God does not exist or that God did not create the
world. It only proves what Christians were always saying: that God is omnipotent
and everything is possible unto Him. The purpose of the Bible is to help us to live according to the will of God. The Bible tells us what will please
God and what will not. Our faith must be strong. The theories only prove that
God is great and His ways are beyond our understanding. Coming to you and me, God may have created us from monkeys but we
are no longer monkeys. Better things are expected from us. God has made things easy for us.
He sent His Son, Jesus, to tell us what He expects from us. We are expected to follow His eleven commandments, ten
that He gave Moses and one that Jesus added: we must love one another. We are not Christians if we do not love. Love is caring,
sharing, patience, understanding and all that is good. Ego is a false sense of who we are. Our Ego gets hurt at the least
provocation. God has created us equal, nobody is more and, therefore, nobody is less. We are all capable of sin. The choice before us is Jesus or our Ego. May God help us to follow Jesus. Ego can also be spelt as S-A-T-A-N. ***************************************************************************** BULLETIN FOR APRIL - MAY 2010 My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards….!! Happy Easter to all of you dear parishioners. May the fragrance of the love of God in Jesus our Lord and
Saviour flavour our lives each and everyday. Indeed, "we are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song…" Our preparation for Easter was heightened by our cluster-wise prayer around the Sorrowful mysteries. Thanks
to our PPC members and animators, your participation has helped all concerned as well as our parish as a whole to be better
prepared for the great Easter Triduum and hence we have genuinely celebrated a Joyous Easter. Praise the Lord….!! Our Parish Feast Triduum was well preached and well attended. We all came away with a sense of our blessedness
as Laity, Religious and Clergy. Our role in the Church – the Body of Christ- was highlighted and this must surely serve
as added motivation for us to do our best for the Lord. The Feast day was grand… yes it was…!! The day was sweetened by the joy of witnessing the Ground
Blessing Ceremony at the hands of Bishop Bosco Penha… Oh what joy..!! What relief..!! We now have our very own church
plot which, Providence willing, will translate into our very own church building "in God’s Good Time". Thanks to one
and all for making the Feast Day so very special….what with the exciting games and yummy treats and the fellowship and
camaraderie. A heartfelt word of thanks, and appreciation to our outgoing Parish Pastoral Councillors: They have rendered
yeoman service to our parish community and to me as Priest-in-charge. "God bless them and keep them and make His face to shine
upon them and give them peace…" They now hand over the baton to the new members and pray God, we will go on from strength
to strength… Our annual holiday season begins. And we can spend some quality time with our parents and elders. Attending
daily Mass is a good idea!!! On a personal note, I thank God for ordaining me His Priest - twenty five years ago; and celebrating
Holy Mass is my greatest joy, among many other pastoral duties and responsibilities. I prayed for all of you on 13th April
and do keep me in your prayers as well. The Holy Spirit, Jesus’ parting gift of love to us all, will aid us to continue to live wholesome and
godly lives. The Feast of Pentecost, at the end of the month of May, beckons us to count our blessings as well as intercede
for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, so that we can enliven our families and communities and our world at large. The merry month of May offers us an opportunity to tune in to our Blessed Mother – the Queen of May.
The Family Rosary and community rosaries in sectors and clusters will be an ideal setting for meeting together in prayer and
fellowship. The next issue will feature ideas for the beginning of the new school year. So come on , put on your thinking
caps and send in your holiday experiences and other material for a selective publication of the same. May St. Joseph our Patron,
bless you and your dear families. Happy Holidays and God Bless You. Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-Charge ***************************************************** St. Philip Feastday: May 3 Philip was born in Bethsaida, Galilee. He may have been a disciple of John the Baptist and is mentioned as
one of the Apostles in the lists of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and in Acts. Aside from the lists, he is mentioned only in John in
the New Testament. He was called by Jesus Himself and brought Nathanael to Christ. Philip was present at the miracle of the
loaves and fishes, when he engaged in a brief dialogue with the Lord, and was the Apostle approached by the Hellenistic Jews
from Bethsaida to introduce them to Jesus. Just before the Passion, Jesus answered Philip’s query to show them the Father,
but no further mention of Philip is made in the New Testament beyond his listing among the Apostles awaiting the Holy Spirit
in the Upper Room. According to tradition he preached in Greece and was crucified upside down at Hierapolis under Emperor
Domitian. His feast day is May 3. St. James the Lesser Feastday: May 3 Patron of Hatmmakers St. James the Less, the author of the first Catholic Epistle, was the son of Alphaeus of Cleophas. His mother
Mary was either a sister or a close relative of the Blessed Virgin, and for that reason, according to Jewish custom, he was
sometimes called the brother of the Lord. The Apostle held a distinguished position in the early Christian community of Jerusalem.
St. Paul tells us he was a witness of the Resurrection of Christ; he is also a "pillar" of the Church, whom St. Paul consulted
about the Gospel. According to tradition, he was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, and was at the Council of Jerusalem about the
year 50. The historians Eusebius and Hegesippus relayed that St. James was martyred for the Faith by the Jews in the Spring
of the year 62, although they greatly esteemed his person and had given him the surname of "James the Just." Tradition has always recognized him as the author of the Epistle that bears his name. Internal evidence based
on the language, style, and teaching of the Epistle reveals its author as a Jew familiar with the Old Testament, and a Christian
thoroughly grounded in the teachings of the Gospel. External evidence from the early Fathers and Councils of the Church confirmed
its authenticity and canonicity. The date of its writing cannot be determined exactly. According to some scholars it was written about the
year 49 A.D. Others, however, claim it was written after St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (composed during the winter
of 57-58 A.D.). It was probably written between the years 60 and 62 A.D. St. James addresses himself to the "twelve tribes that are in the Dispersion," that is, to Christians outside Palestine;
but nothing in the Epistle indicates that he is thinking only of Jewish Christians. St. James realizes full well the temptations
and difficulties they encounter in the midst of paganism, and as a spiritual father, he endeavors to guide and direct them
in the faith. Therefore, the burden of his discourse is an exhortation to practical Christian living. St. Barnabas Feastday: June 11 All we know of Barnabas is to be found in the New Testament. A Jew, born in Cyprus and named Joseph, he sold
his property, gave the proceeds to the Apostles, who gave him the name Barnabas. He lived in common with the earliest converts
to Christianity in Jerusalem. He persuaded the community there to accept Paul as a disciple, was sent to Antioch, Syria to
look into the community there, and brought Paul there from Tarsus. With Paul he brought Antioch’s donation to the Jerusalem
community during a famine, and returned to Antioch with John Mark, his cousin. The three went on a missionary journey to Cyprus,
Perga (when John Mark went to Jerusalem), and Antioch in Pisidia, where they were so violently opposed by the Jews that they
decided to preach to the pagans. Then they went on to Iconium and Lystra in Lycaonia, where they were first acclaimed gods and then stoned out of the city,
and then returned to Antioch in Syria. When a dispute arose regarding the observance of the Jewish rites, Paul and Barnabas
went to Jerusalem, where, at a council, it was decided that pagans did not have to be circumcised to be baptized. On their
return to Antioch, Barnabas wanted to take John Mark on another visitation to the cities where they had preached, but Paul
objected because of John Mark’s desertion of them in Perga. Paul and Barnabas parted, and Barnabas returned to Cyprus
with Mark; nothing further is heard of him, though it is believed his rift with Paul was ultimately healed. Tradition has
Barnabas preaching in Alexandria and Rome, founding the Cypriot Church, becoming the Bishop of Milan (which he was not), and
has him stoned to death at Salamis about the year 61. ************************************************************************************* God on the crowded bus by Mitchelle Castellino An ugly woman’s stomach was pressing into the concavity of my back, while the girl standing in front
fed me with her frizzy hair. Choked and claustrophobic, with one hand on the balance bar and the other unmovable, I and the
other 100 odd passengers oscillated as the bus trundled forward. While some squeezed to alight from the bus and immediately hopped into another, even more walked towards
the station. Another hour of tedious journeys, I thought, for commuters to finally reach their destinations. And when they reach, some will have egos crumpled like their attire, others will be teeming with frustration.
Anger then comes easily to us and we displace it on that office boy, a fresher or our loved ones back home. A messed up life
gets even more messed up. We wish to quit, give up this pressure cooker life and chill at home. But we yearn for that crowded
bus the very next day, it becomes our way of life where some of us learn the dirt of language and use it often. We curse the
driver, the co-passengers, the government and yes, sometimes even God. But may be God is on that crowded bus each day you climb in. Making sure no impediment comes your way and
you reach your destination safely. Acts 18:10: because I am with thee, and no man shall set upon thee, to hurt thee. So should we turn around and thank God for a choc-a-block life, you may ask? 4 hour travel, 8 hour service, 2 hour housework, 1 hour homework, 10 minutes for food, 5 minutes for bath, 3 minutes to
attend nature’s call, 2 minutes to brush, 1 minute to dress and 5 seconds for byes: leaving us with less than 8 hours
of sleep, leaving us with less motivation to live the next day. Then suddenly years pass by and you wonder where have they
gone? In work, in children or in that crowded bus? ************************************************************************************** THE YEAR OF THE PRIEST Adapted by Teresa Aranha From the article by Fr Michel Holman SJ (Jesuit Provincial, UK), Fr Alfred Delp- Committed to Christ Alfred Delp was born in Germany in1907 to a Catholic mother and a Protestant father. At 17, his free spirit
made him embrace Catholicism and three years later, the priesthood. So modern was he in his thinking that he liked to try
new things, do things his way and to show that he could succeed. This annoyed his Rector, who later became his Provincial. Alfred Delp’s modern outlook made him embrace the new humanism that was sweeping the Church in the
years before World war II- much before the Second Vatican Council emphasized it. This humanism was forged in an age of terrible
human suffering and stressed the importance of the human person, the uniqueness and dignity of each individual, and the wonder
of each person as a special creation of God. Alfred became an expert in the social teaching of the Church and preached it in the mid- 30’s, when
his homeland was in the grip of Hitler and the Nazis, and Russia’s totalitarianism too emphasized ’mass man’
and put the rights and dignity of the individual at the service of the State. Alfred was ordained a priest in 1937 and sent as pastor to a church in Munich. In 1941 the Nazis produced
a propaganda film explaining their policy of euthanasia, the mercy killing of the handicapped. From his pulpit Alfred denounced
the film. He spoke of the importance of those living with disabilities both as individuals and in terms of their significance
in the community and their importance in calling forth the best of human qualities- the God- like qualities- in the rest of
us. Towards the end of 1944, Fr Delp was arrested and charged with treason. He was suspected of being involved
in the plot to assassinate Hitler- which has been so well portrayed in the movie Valkyrie starring Tom Cruise. Friends brought bread and wine to Fr Delp in prison and he celebrated the Mass. He kept the Blessed Sacrament
with him always. Other friends smuggled in paper and pens in his laundered clothes. He wrote a diary and his reflections which
have been proved to be prophetic. But above all, his writings tell us of his struggle to remain committed to Christ, the struggle
to avoid compromise, and the struggle to live knowing that ‘God alone suffices’ as St Teresa of Avila wrote. On December 8, 1944, a Jesuit visited him in prison. Handcuffed, and with tears streaming down his face,
Fr Delp made his final profession in the Society of Jesus. In January 1945 he was put on trial. They found no evidence that
he was involved in the plot against Hitler. But the judge, who was a fanatic Nazi and hated Christianity, and the Catholic
Church and the Jesuits even more, sentenced him to death. On 2 ‘His ears were opened and his tongue was released.’ (Mark 7: 31-37)) Faith in Jesus is very, very rare. It is given to a few to read the signs of the times and hear the call
of Christ. To even rarer ones is granted what is needed to respond to Christ’s call with unspeakable love and generosity, This kind of generosity kindles flames in others. Delp inspired heroism in many. His secretary risked her
life to bring him pen and paper and take his letters out of prison and distribute them. He himself had been inspired by another
Jesuit priest in Munich- Fr Rupert Mayer who is now beatified by the Church for his uncompromising resistance to evil. But we? How accustomed to compromise with today’s evils have we become? To the assault on life, both
at its beginning and at its end, in an over- commercialized economy with an over- individualized social policy? This should open our ears and loosen our tongues- a radical step, but one that will mark us as followers of Jesus. Let
it not be said about us that faith in Jesus is very, very rare in this present generation of Catholics. ************************************************************************************* HOW TO STAY YOUNG 1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about
them. That is why you pay ‘them’. 2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. 3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle.
‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ 4. Enjoy the simple things. 5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. 6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is
ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive. 7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants,
hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge. 8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what
you can improve, get help. 9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country
but NOT to where the guilt is. 10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. ************************************************************************* Sunday School – a time never to return Valerian Sequeira How important is school in our lives? Nobody has to answer that one because all know the importance of education
today, but the price of good education is not so cheap. Still, all parents, despite their budget, see to it that their children
get the best education they can afford, all because they know the value of education and how important it is for their child’s
future. However, what happens when it comes to Sunday School? Why is there a drop in attendance? Perhaps because
it is free and if the child does not attend, the parents don’t lose any money. For some parents it may be a waste of
time, while some parents may feel pity that their children who have been getting up early everyday of the week for school
will find Sunday School after Mass too tiring. Parents are right in doing what’s best for their children, but perhaps
both parents and child lose out by the child not attending Sunday School. When children do not attend Sunday School, they miss out on leading a life more centered on God from an early
age in life. They miss out on all the teachings in the Bible brought out in detail by the Sunday School teachers. They also
miss out on their Catholic friends. Mostly Catholic kids who are kept away from Catholic circles tend to be more attached
to non-catholic friends. Shocking as it may sound, they know more about other faiths than their own faith. They are more participative
in non-catholic pujas and festivals. With the child only coming for Sunday Mass and going home, the Mass becomes just a schedule
rather than an obligation. So these children just know that they are Catholic and the basic story of God, Jesus, Mary and
creation; they will not know anything more of the faith if you ask them. Much later in life these same kids will be "outstanding
Catholics" who will stand outside the church for Mass even though there is place inside, and they will leave before the final
prayer because they have more important things in life to do than waste time in church praying to God. Sunday School instills values, principles and teachings of the Catholic faith. It teaches the child to have
respect for God, parents, elders, etc. It also teaches the Bible stories in more detail. Shy and backward children are encouraged
to be more participative and outgoing in Sunday School through the various programmes and activities that are organized for
Parent’s Day and the Nativity Novenas, etc. increasing their confidence. This is because of the Sunday School teachers
consisting of college and working youth, housewives and working people, who take time out from their busy schedule to teach
the children by preparing during the week for the Sunday School lectures. They are always there to support and encourage the
child whenever needed. Sunday School also organizes a picnic once a year for the children. Parents, give it a try; send your children for Sunday School. I know sometimes we may be too busy in life
or we may not be on good terms with someone in the church who may be part of the Sunday School, but still give it a try. Take
the first step forward – it will make a difference to your child’s future. Children only get to attend Sunday
School once in a lifetime: let them have an experience of it because it’s worth it. It is a time that once lost will
never return. ****************************************************************************************** A Garland of ‘Aves’ Phyllis de Souza Oh Creator’s Masterpiece! could we like Bernadette in great ecstasies, Dwell happily on the Rosary’s fifteen wonderful Mysteries? If you say "YES!" then come carry our thoughts, you Mystical Rose! For just a quarter hour daily to your Throne away from earthly woes. Teach us to make a reverent Sign of the Cross with YOU! Let us witness the same signal and, like Bernadette too, After conversing with you dear Mother, and hearing all you’ve said, Then on the Joyful scenes our hearts and weary minds will tread So that we could see with the eyes of our most precious soul, Your rapturous beauty, with the Beatific Vision as our goal! Like your Visitation, we also will visit our Church grotto, And recite ‘Aves’ which you requested should be our earthly motto. Let these ‘Aves’ be transformed into flowers that will pave Your pathway in Heaven as a sign of all the souls you’ll save. Let us see the reflection of your Magnificat in every Grotto’s spring, And your miraculous help to every corner of the earth do bring. Wreathe these ‘Aves’ as our passport to Jesus whom we cherish, So that the close of life may not see any soul sadly perish, But that every soul may hear the echoes of this May devotion time, Whispering at Death in the sweetest solace of an Ave’s rewarding chime. ****************************************************************************************** SATAN NEVER SLEEPS Teresa Aranha The Gospel of the 1 The horror of this Gospel scene was magnified in my childhood in Mangalore where Lent was not confined to
merely going to church. At home, my mother would take out her large book- at least 15" by 10’’, yellow with age,
and show us the sepia-tinted illustrations, reproductions of old, frightening woodcuts. The cover showed a huge, grinning
Satan with outspread, webbed wings, cloven- hooved, with a trident in his hands which ended in enormous claws. This horrifying,
evil creature we were told, was still at large in our world and as powerful as the angels, but doing evil in contrast to their
good works. His one ambition in life: to separate people from the love of God and this he cleverly does by filling them with
the love of worldly things: The Golden Calf worshipped by the Israelites while escaping from oppressive Egypt through God’s
loving kindness was Satan’s inspiration. Anything that hurts God pleases the ‘Black Man’ immensely. In addition, we attended Morality Plays in which the Devil tempts good people to disobey God’s commandments.
The contrast was brought out between those who resisted temptation and those who did not. And when the weak- willed ones fell
to the wiles of the Tempter and suffered the torments of hell, the Devil would gleefully dance, waving his trident, saying,
‘And who was it that tempted you? It was I.’ Said in Konkani, the words had so much more force! The fact that
older male cousins acted in these plays and often brought home their tight-fitting red and black devil costumes complete with
enormous tails which they waved about in front of us added to our childish fears. And when we yawned during the Rosary we
were told by the elders- ‘You see? The devil has his tail in your mouth.’ All yawns were immediately stifled! Often we heard the story of how Satan came into existence: God lived in glory surrounded by the innumerable
angels he had created- the host of heaven. All they did was fall down constantly before His throne and worship Him (described
in the Book of Revelation). The most beautiful and brilliant of the angels was named Lucifer, the Son of Light. His beauty
and talents went to his head. Considering himself greater than God, he said, ‘I will not fall down and worship’.
Pride and vanity - how often we little ones were told to beware of these deadly sins! When Lucifer defied God, a rival group arose to defend the honour of God. Led by the Archangel Michael, their battle cry
was: ‘Who is like unto God?’ A terrible war ensued in Heaven and Michael, God’s champion, triumphed over
Lucifer. To accommodate the ‘fallen angels’ God created the ‘bottomless pit’: Hell, Gehenna or Sheol,
where, as Jesus says, there (will be) is weeping and gnashing of teeth. These facts, which I thought were myths made up to
keep us children on the right track, are actually supported by several references in the Old and New Testaments as I have
found during my Bible reading as an adult (cf Ezekiel, Isaiah, Luke, Revelation, Peter, Peter, John, Jude). Now Satan’s
one ambition is to take revenge on God- and we help him by so easily falling into his many traps. Sometimes we think we commit
only small, negligible acts, but each act offends the infinite purity of God and His love for us. I very much regret the stoppage of the prayer to St Michael which was said earlier after every Mass: Holy Michael, Archangel, defend us on the day of battle; Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares
of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray, And do thou, Prince of the Heavenly Host, Cast down to hell, Satan and all
the wicked angels who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen There was something very comforting about this prayer and when I see the Church being attacked today I wonder
why we don’t say it now. An advanced theologian told me that the Mass being the Supreme Sacrifice, nothing should be
added or subtracted to take away from its preeminence. But I am a simple soul and would still like to call on St Michael-
after all, he did defend God’s honour while God sat and watched! The Old Testament story of Job illustrates the power of Satan vividly. The Devil challenges God: Job would
stop being faithful to Him if his wealth and prestige were taken away. God accepts Satan’s challenge- so sure was He
of His faithful follower. It upsets us that God could give the Devil so much power over Job. That just man was subjected to
every sorrow and pain that could be inflicted on a human being- losing his great wealth, his children, his health, his friends,
his prestige in society, sitting on a dung heap, scratching himself with a broken shard. But he remained faithful to God.
God won that war against Satan too. Job’s wealth and status were restored to him many times over. The story has no historical
basis, but makes very clear that Satan’s power is equal to that of the angels. Some today snort or sneer when the Devil is mentioned, but the plentiful references by Jesus- the Way, the
TRUTH and the Life- are proof enough that the Devil is no figment of anyone’s imagination. Jesus cast out demons by
the score- and they recognized his power and spoke in fear and anger: ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?’.
Jesus, when accused of having a devil himself and so being able to cast out devils asks his accusers with irrefutable logic,
" How can a kingdom divided against itself stand? How can Satan cast out Satan?’ Here the Devil is called Beelzebub.
The symptoms shown by some of those from whom Jesus cast out demons could be just diseases for which there was no name at
that time, eg epilepsy. In some cases, maybe. But even today, exorcism takes place in the Church and the exorcists are holy
priests, who following Jesus’ rebuke to his disciples who could not cast out devils, know and believe these can only
be driven out by prayer and fasting. Possession of human beings by the Devil is a fact, and Jesus refers to it in the Gospels.
Those who have seen the movie ‘The Exorcist’ need not think it is mere science fiction. John Milton, in his epic poem, ‘Paradise Lost’, has portrayed Satan so vividly that critics say he has inadvertently
made him the hero of the masterpiece! Christopher Marlowe, a contemporary of Shakespeare, wrote the play, ‘The Tragedy
of Dr Faustus’ about a brilliant scholar who in his intellectual pride (same sin as the devil’s) and lust for
even more knowledge and experience, sells his soul to the Devil. For one year he experiences all of history and acquires all knowledge, but exactly at the midnight hour, a year from
that day, Mephistopheles( the devil) comes to demand his soul. Marlowe depicts the grand panorama of history as Faustus visits
courts past and present, sees Helen of Troy and utters those unforgettable words, ‘Is this the face that launched a
thousand ships and burnt the topless towers of Ilium?’ And then he utters the plea- ‘Sweet Helen, make me immortal
with a kiss.’ But he has to move on and the day comes when he has to pay his debt. What a fearsome speech Marlowe puts
into his mouth as the Devil comes to take him away! The sombre background with the clock slowly striking the hour of 12 adds
to the grim horror of the moment. And then Faustus sees Christ’s ‘saving blood streaming from the skies’
and screams for it’s protection saying it was shed to save him too. But we well know it is too late. Wanting to be like
God, omniscient, all knowing, has been his down-fall. Leo Tolstoy, the author of ‘War and Peace’, tragic saga of Russia’s tragedy, used parables
to drive home a point. In ‘The Imp and the Crust’, he shows the devil, frustrated by his inability to wean people
away from God, calling a meeting of devils - big and small - to do something about it. Finally the littlest devil, the imp,
triumphs by tempting the peasants to use their grain to make alcohol instead of the bread needed by the people- and their
drunkenness and ensuing forgetfulness of God is the Devil’s victory. The Devil can overpower weak human beings though he is not omnipotent- that is an attribute of God alone.
But we are warned by Jesus to be on our guard always against ‘ the Prince of this World’(John12:31).He attempts
to take away from God what is rightfully His- our worship and reverence. In the form of a serpent he tempted Adam and Eve
in the Garden of Eden to eat the forbidden fruit and disobey God’s express command, saying that they would then be like
God. He uses the same ploy with Jesus, promising Him the world if He will only fall down and worship him. He covets our worship
which belongs to God alone- and sadly we play into his hands with our many ‘golden calves’- our TV programs, our
parties, our movies, our shopping, our greed for material goods. Revelation says Satan is a king but of the Kingdom of Darkness. His aims are destructive and his chief occupation
is putting hurdles in the path of those who want the Kingdom of God to spread. St John Marie Vianney, that holiest and most
committed of priests, was harassed night and day by the Devil- for his determination to bring his parish and eventually, the
whole of France which had abandoned God, back to His love through Confession and the Holy Eucharist. The saints warn us to avoid the traps Satan sets for us :St Paul tells us to put on the armour of God and
use faith as a shield. St Peter describes the Devil as a roaring lion going about to see whom he may devour. Peter had never
forgotten the day when Jesus said to him, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan’. For at that moment, Peter who had just
been praised for saying that Jesus was the Christ, was tempting Jesus to forgo his suffering and death- in other words, to
refuse to do the Father’s will. In Paradise God tells the serpent, ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring
and hers; and she shall crush thy head beneath her heel.’ Truly there is no better champion today in the fight against
the devil than Mary to whom we were entrusted by Jesus in His last moments. Revelation shows her glorious, with a crown of
seven stars, foiling the Dragon who has come to swallow at birth, the child she about to bring into the world - a symbol of
the Church. The child is snatched away and saved- and so will our Church be. Jesus came to destroy the works of the Devil and break the chains with which he had bound suffering humanity. His Resurrection,
which broke the chains of sin and death, must have been the bitterest blow for Satan, the greatest setback he experienced.
Let us not allow Christ’s terrible suffering and Glorious Resurrection go in vain: the suffering was the ransom He paid
for our sins, freeing us from our enslavement to the Devil; the Resurrection was the promise of true life- Life Eternal -if
we abjured the Devil and like Jesus, helped build communities based on love. ****************************************************************************************** Holy Week – St. Joseph’s Parish – A Reflection Lisa-Ann Fonseca After forty solemn days of Lenten fasting and abstinence during which we look deep within ourselves in prayer
with our Lord, the Easter week comes to us as a renewal and a chance to start anew , a life filled with the Risen Christ and
with the power He bestows on us. The Holy Week celebration this year at our beloved Parish of St. Joseph’s was a very spiritual experience
for us. Culminating in the joyous Easter celebrations, each and every Liturgical celebration, which included the Word of God,
the Homily, the singing, the Passion, the Vigil and all the rest, was conducted with a fitting blend of simplicity and depth. The importance of involvement came through loud and clear through the messages given each day. On Maundy Thursday, Fr. Stephen Fernandes spoke about the true nature of service and servant-hood, patterned
on that of the loving service of Jesus Christ Himself. Innovative Brother Rajesh steered a different path and came up with the idea of a walking pilgrimage of the
Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. This was well received and saw huge participation. It added a meaningful dimension to
our meditations through the 40 sorrowful days and left us all with a moving and real-life perspective of what Jesus went through
on the road to Calvary. As part of the homily at the evening service on Good Friday, Fr Mario Mendes left us with a very different
image of Jesus -an image which we can relate to in our everyday lives, a Jesus who is action-oriented and involved in changing
not only the lives of people but more importantly, involved in removing the deep-seated hypocrisy and rigid observance of
rules which were the mainstay of religious and social order at the time. This very different image of our Saviour from the
‘docile and sweet’ one we have, was an eye opener for us, as we do not think of Jesus in the true setting of the
times presenting love (action related) and service (involvement) when the norms of religious practice dictated ritualism,
renunciation and use of violence. Also we are so used to perceiving the Cross as the trials and tribulations in "our" lives. Fr Mario urged
us to look at the Cross differently – as symbolising the resistance we face and the anguish we undergo when we try to
alleviate other people’s suffering through bringing about a change for the better. This, he said, was the Cross that
Jesus wanted us to carry after Him. On Saturday night, the Easter Vigil was beautiful and meaningful with the little lit candles heralding the
peace and joy of Easter. Fr Lincoln with his characteristic vibrancy and joy spoke about how we should reach out in Love to
others boldly, with zest and true sense of fellowship. Only in loving others can we change the world: A tough message that
challenges us to live as true Christians. Two new entrants were brought into the Catholic faith and our parish family through Baptism and one through
the Sacrament of Confirmation. In a meaningful gesture, towards the end of the celebration, Fr Austin thanked all the people who otherwise
go unmentioned for their commitment and all their service towards the activities in the Church and also in making the Easter
Week celebrations such a success As a final touch to this meaningful experience, a point of minor but compelling significance - the backdrop
reflected the aura of the celebrations over the three days. n n n Was the theme on each of the three days, leaving me, as I am sure it did everyone else, with a reminder of
our true purpose in this life: as Christ’s true followers - and a reminder of the simplicity of our humble patron, St
Joseph. Yes! I personally would like to take back with me this thought of sacrifice and see how best I can leverage
it to add value to the lives of a few others. What is your take-away? ****************************************************************************************** It’s Warm at the Back Sinhue Noronha I I find that with every passing year, these services add great value to my otherwise very mediocre life. It was overwhelming to see the stark discipline, fervent attention and the solemn mood with which my fellow
parishioners participated in the services. The experience of seeing so many people from varied socio- economic and cultural back grounds congregating
and praying as one was truly humbling. The prayers, the hymns , the readings and the homilies all traced the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ
and left with us various thoughts and feelings.... such as Sorrow, Repentance, Betrayal, Love, Brotherhood, Sacrifice etc. But what moved me most and which i would like to be my take-away from this year’s service is...... Sacrifice: The sacrifice of our Lord so that we could be saved. The sacrifice of his mother and father, who allowed him to follow his chosen path. The sacrifice of his disciples who, on his word, dropped their worldly lives and embraced his spiritual one. The sacrifice of our priests and nuns who have dedicated their lives to carrying on his work and communicating
to us his greatness. The sacrifice of the congregation, in being present to receive the beautiful message. The sacrifice of those who worked towards making all the others comfortable. What is your ‘take away’..... ****************************************************************************************** Catechism Picnic At Erangel Beach Madh Island Joson Mathew Std. VI 27th February had arrived at last! We had all been waiting eagerly for this day –
to go for the Catechism picnic to Erangel Beach, Madh Island. We rose very early and began the day with the holy mass. Two
buses with took us children to the beach. On reaching the beach, we saw a beautiful sight: the golden sand and the light blue water against the calming
sky. We were served delicious Puri Bhaji for breakfast and we went outside and played many games on the sand like Dumb Charades.
After that we plunged into the cool water and enjoyed a good swim. Wet all over, we came back and changed into dry clothes.
We played Word Building and danced joyfully till lunchtime. We then opened our tiffin boxes eagerly and feasted on the yummy
food inside. We children played many games and then it was the teachers’ turn. It was hilarious to see them trying
to cheat during the games just to make it more fun for us to watch. After that, we sat down for an exciting round of Bible
Housie. The teachers then divided us into groups of ten with one teacher in each group. The teachers had to think of action
songs and then all the groups performed these action songs. Father Austin taught us a new action song for Easter. A short prayer in one of the oldest churches of Mumbai - Saint Bonaventure’s Church was a beautiful
way to end the memorable day. We bade farewell to Erangel Beach and arrived back at St. Joseph’s Church by evening.
It was a very enjoyable picnic and all of us Cathechism children wish to thank Father Austin and our Catechists wholeheartedly
for organizing this exciting picnic which we shall never forget! **************************************************************************************** First Communicants Day 11th April 2010 Linet D’souza On the 11 Our Parish priest Fr. Austin Norris, made it a memorable day for us, through his meaningful and inspiring
homily, stressing on the love and mercy of JESUS. He helped us relive our own communion day and also made us aware of our
responsibility, as parents, to instill in our children the love for JESUS. He stressed on the need for frequenting the sacrament
of reconciliation. The catechists ensured that all the communicants participated in the liturgy. Some of them reading while
some took the offertory gifs. A thorough practise was taken by the catechists and so everything went on perfectly. Fr. Austin
also took a thorough practise of the entrance procession and also prepared the children with the action song "I am Special"
which they sang beautifully after receiving communion. Children were given scapular, certificate and a statue of Mother Mary
gifted by Maria Chandwani, at the end of the mass, in an orderly manner. The children were than taken to the grotto where, their group photograph with their catechists and Fr. Austin was taken.
Tthe children were trated to a box of eats. The entire celebration, with the melodious singing of the choir, the thought provoking
backdrop prepared by Melino and Ashok and the beautifully decorated mass hall, indeed made the day very special for us and
our children. ***************************************************************************************** The Apple of my Eye Chelsea Saldanha the lush greenery that encompasses Assisi Bhavan. When he first joined our household he was this small fur
ball, with big gooey eyes, long bushy tail and as cute as a button. By the way, Cheechu is my pet squirrel, in case you haven’t
figured that out. The gardeners of the old age home placed him in this size eight shoe box where he slept day and night. Dad
and I would take turns feeding him a spoonful of milk containing two cubes of sugar. He loved it. Then he’d curl up
in the palm of our hands with his tail hiding his face and body and snore. Adorable. It is so easy to love animals. Anyone who ever had a pet or who has a pet will know what I am talking about.
Their love is unconditional, absolute and never-ending. Cheechu is one of those animals whose sole purpose in life is to eat
anytime and anything. He never says no to food, although he turns up his nose if you offer him the same food twice. He likes
variety, you know. After the initial two weeks, his dietary consumption changed drastically from milk to caffeine and from
white rice to biryani with a little vindaloo curry for flavouring. Pure-vegetarian, one always wonders how he came to be part
of a pure non-vegetarian family. But from the first moment we looked into his coal dark eyes, he stole our hearts, minds, souls. He is quick-
footed and loves disappearing into my dad’s prized coriander plants. We find him fifteen minutes later, paw deep in
mud, with a leaf dangling from his mouth - completely guilty, with dad bellowing CHHHHEEECCHHHUUUUU… lol. Well after
he gets a few fatkas on his mouth he stays grumpy for exactly five seconds. I swear the guy has such an awful memory, in the
sixth second he is running around doing his business as if nothing happened. His favourite hobbies are making number one and two on laptops, eating cigarette butts out of ashtrays, nibbling
at novels or hanging upside down from the curtain while yawning and stretching and sharpening his teeth on the border. He
knows he either is doing something wrong or has done something wrong when we call out his name. Then he will give this pious
angelic look which says ‘Who, me? You gotta be kidding???’ I tell you my chipmunk is a first class actor. He knows
when to milk it for all it’s worth. Take mom for example. She loves him to death, but from afar. I mean she feeds him nonstop warning us not
to bring him closer, but six months of having him as part of the household has already given him a paunch. No wonder when
we go to work and come back in the evening he turns his nose up in the air as if to say ‘HMPH! I am very angry with
you for leaving me home alone’. Then we all spend the next half hour bribing him with grapes and jalebis. But even before the hog fest there is the laad pyaar that he has grown accustomed to from all of us.
By nine am he’s awake, ringing his Christmas bell till everyone is scrambling to placate him with breakfast. After that
he has his power nap for about two hours and then wakes up wanting some love and affection. Now this involves a lot of petting,
hugging and kissing. It’s what a mother does to put her cranky new born to sleep. Well Cheechu is that way when he wakes
up. He needs a lot of TLC and as soon as you stop, he will open one sleepy eye and give you the ‘Hello, please continue’
look. To put him to bed at night dad composed a lullaby. He sleeps like a baby for the next eight hours. We all
kiss him goodnight and he crawls under his bedding, curls up and closes his eyes. He really is the apple of my eye. ***************************************************** Sunday School Closing Ceremony - 14th March 2010 M. Lawrence Sahayadass After a long year, 2009-10, the Sunday School children occupied the Mass Hall, along with their parents,
and of course, their teachers, to participate in the closing ceremony for the current year. Vina, Catechist for VII Std., took the mike and conducted the whole programme with her sweet voice as the
Mistress of Ceremonies. Our Chief Guest was Mr. Ralph D’Souza, the Lay-Coordinator of the Sunday Joy Club at Our Lady of Lourdes
Church, Orlem. He is also on the team of the Office of Lay Ministries. The entire group stood up and welcomed the Chief Guest with warm clapping. Lawrence, Catechist for Std VIII gave the welcome address. He said that Mr D’souza had come to our
parish to conduct training sessions for our Association Heads and he was also a Eucharistic Minister. Lawrence further added
that Mr. D’Souza is a family man, holding a regular job. Yet he makes time to be of service to his parish community.
He welcomed him and thanked him for being in our midst. On behalf of our Director Rev. Fr. Austin Norris and our Catechists
and Children of Sunday School, he expressed thanks and a warm welcome to Mr. Ralph D’Souza. Although our Director Rev. Fr. Austin Norris was physically not present, due to the collection drive elsewhere,
he reached at the end of the event and addressed the teachers and thanked Mr. D’souza before he left. The Chief Guest was felicitated with a floral tribute. Cute children from Stds I, II and III performed an
action song, which mesmerized the audience. It was good to see their teachers also shaking their bodies along with the children,
although they were sitting in the audience. Thereafter, Stds V and VI gave us a nice action song, which was loudly applauded. After this programme, we were supposed to have a snack break. But as it was late we continued with our programme,
Stds VII & VIII performed the drama, Pilgrimage, which was enacted by them earlier on 31.1.2010 during the Faith Celebration
Day programme at Asha Kiran. The drama was well received by the audience who were able to understand what are the dos’
and don’ts’ while going on a pilgrimage. The message was meaningful and well conveyed. The drama was written by
Lawrence and directed by Vina. Now the Youth took charge and distributed snacks to the audience, hungry by now. Cool drinks were also served,
kind courtesy, Rev. Fr. Austin. Once snacks were consumed, the programme continued. Sunday school Coordinators Ms. Karen and Ms. Doris read
out the Annual Report for the year 2009-10, in which they described all the programmes, events, picnic, Faith Celebration
day, tests and even the Bible Quiz, which made us realize the year had been full of activities. The children who attended 80% of the total classes were given prizes. All the students of Stds VII and VIII
who had actually worked for the Faith Celebration Day project were awarded with certificates from the Deanery. Mementos with certificates were issued to the following Sunday School Catechists : Daisy Lobo, Albina Almeida, Sr.Catherine Rodrigues, Doris D’costa, Anthony Chinnadurai, Maria Vaz,
Mamta Vats, Vina Cardoza, Lawrence Sahayadass, Mr.Luis Pereira, Sr.Maureen Fonseca and Bro. Rajesh Bansode, Elizabeth Joseph,
Maggie Fernandez, Sr. Anna Marquis The Chief Guest, in his final address, complimented the parents of the children who regularly send their
children for Sunday School. He also appreciated the good work done by Parish Priests. Mr. Luis Pereira, Catechist for Std IX proposed the Vote of Thanks. ********************************************************* Community Trip to The Little Sisters of the Poor Veronica Dias On 31st January 2010, the SCC Community of St Francis Xavier comprising Zone VIII-A (Sankalp)
& B (NNP), visited the ‘Little Sisters of the Poor’ (Home for the Aged) located at Mahakali Andheri (e). Our
PPC members & animators had arranged for a bus and we all met at 3.00pm, said a short prayer and set off for the Home.
When we reached there Sr. Agnes, the nun in charge, was there to greet us. At the home, we mingled with the inmates, though hesitantly at first. But they all greeted us with smiles
and readily spoke and interacted with us. They were happy to see us and talk to us. They were a mixed lot, with a few blind,
some lame, and some, physically challenged. But no matter what physical ailments they had, they all looked to be content .
It was not the bitter and ‘resigned to my fate’ attitude that they displayed. There were about 170 inmates. Some of the inmates have been there for17 years & more. Among them were
a few who were adept at crafts. Age was not a prohibitive factor when it came to producing artifacts. One was more than 85
years old and could barely sit, but there he was, busy making buntings. Others were busy making Christmas trees, flower pots,
ladies bags, paper bags, vases and many other things. It was amazing to see these people in their 70s and 80s busy at their
crafts with a smile on their face. They eagerly showed us their work and shared their experiences with us. We had contributed
in cash and kind as a community. This love offering was presented to Sr. Agnes. Here was a beautiful place serene and quiet and away from the hustle and bustle of city life, a place ideal
to calm nerves and soothe frayed tempers, a place that works wonders when age takes its toll and memories become the legacy
that we nurture to maintain our sanity. Inside was a beautiful chapel that invited you to spend a few moments in prayer, the entire place was well
maintained and had a manicured garden. Soon it was time to leave, and we said our good-byes. Back in the bus our PPC members were there welcoming us with a Frootie to quench our thirst. For most of us the visit was
a first-time experience and a real eye-opener. We were back at 5.30 p.m. and thanked our PPC members for the memorable visit.
We thank our Priests, our PPC members, and our animators for arranging this visit for us. *************************************************************************** INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATON Ms Norma Vashi To mark the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Archdiocese of Mumbai had a programme on 28th
Feb 2010 at St. Joseph’s Convent Hall, Bandra. Six members of the Women’s Cell attended including Sr. Anastacia.. The programme started with the Holy Eucharist, celebrated by Bishop Bosco Penha, assisted by Fr..Moses. In
his homily Bishop Bosco Penha spoke of the women in the Bible and the strong women of our country. After Mass, tea and snacks
were served. This was followed by a workshop titled "Nurturing the Beautiful You" which covered the different aspects of a
woman’s well-being . The welcome address was given by the Deanery Coordinator, Andheri. Then Sabrina Alberquerque along
with her cell members sang the Women’s Anthem. Marcia D’cunha then drew our attention to the articles in the VOW
magazine and also spoke about the panel of speakers conducting the workshop. Ms.Vandana Sanghvi, Psychology counselor at Sophia College introduced the panel of speakers .The first speaker
was Dr. Margaret Miranda. –ex Holy Family Hospital-Bandra, and now focusing on her own clinic. She stressed on the importance
of annual health check-ups and that all women should take them seriously .Women are to look after themselves so that they
in turn can nurture and care for their families. The second speaker was Ms. Linda Dakul -counsellor at Sophia College and also working at Praful, a
centre for Special Children. She spoke about a woman’s self esteem and her intellectual, emotional and physical
values. She emphasised that every woman should conduct an audit on herself - from the time she was a young girl till date
- and analyse the changes that have taken place in her. Unlearn the old ways of bringing up girls and boys. Learn to say ‘NO’
and give control to someone else who can do the job, so that you are more free. Act your age and accept it, grow with it and
understand it. The next speaker was Ms. Josephine Fernandes, a Fitness instructor, who spoke about keeping and staying
fit with a healthy diet .Even in the kitchen, while waiting for the milk to boil etc, do some simple bending and stretching
exercises . She also showed us a few exercises and explained their benefits. She emphasised the importance of exercise and
that a minimum of 30 minutes daily was a must. The last speaker was Ms Merlyn Fernandes-an Insurance Executive who spoke about Finance. She said women were
more successful than men when they ran their own businesses, but were scared to take a decision regarding their own money,
and would consult a husband, father, or brother. She advised women who had their own money to determine their financial goals
for themselves and their families, and to identify the right consultant for achieving them. Next Sr Vanitha introduced the two Achievement Award winners Ms. A. Thakur and Dr Astrid Gajiwala, a founder
member of the Women’s Commission, for their work towards women’s causes. Bishop Bosco Penha presented the
awards to the ladies and both thanked him and gave a brief account of their work for the uplift of women. Finally, Ms. Sabena gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the Women’s Commission. The function
ended at 1 pm . We were happy to meet some members of the other Women’s Cells. The workshop was very informative
and we learnt how important it is to do some self- introspection from time to time and to discover and nurture our inner selves.
********************************************************** Bible Quiz 2010 Loretta Silveira Our Parish celebrated Bible Sunday on 14 On the auspices of the Bible Sunday, we organized a Bible Quiz 2010 on 14 The Annual Bible Quiz involved participation of 10 teams, viz., one team representing each of the 10 Zones
of our Parish. The Quiz covered all the letters from the New Testament except the letters of St. Paul which was already
covered last year. We had five rounds in the following way :The First Round was ‘True or False’. The Second Round was ‘Fill up the Blanks". The Third Round was little different. For a change, this round was in the form of Dumb Charades. In the Fourth Round, there were questions for which answers were the name of a person or persons. This
round though it seemed difficult, was not really so, as a demonstration for the same was given. It was amazing to see each
of the participants making a conscious effort to make their partners understand what they were trying to say, through their
signs. The Fifth Round had questions related to our Holy Catholic Church. As usual Mr. Lawrence Sahayadass the Quiz Master, took us briefly through the entire programme. Loretta,
Jerome, Sharon Lobo, Daisy Lobo and Sarah, were the volunteers without whose contribution, the event would not have been such
a success. We had a break for a while and snacks were served to all. At that time we also had some questions randomly
thrown to the audience, to which we had a very good response and a couple of winners too. Agnes Godad and Nitu D’souza of Zone VI and Prashant Bhatula and Jennifer Pinto of Zone III were declared
the First and Second winners respectively at the " Annual Bible Quiz 2010". Afra and Allan Samuel from Zone II and Sheldon and Victor Fernandes of Zone VIII shared the III prizes. The Quiz ended on time and everyone was happy. *********************************************************************************************************** Visit to Shanti Bhavan and AIDS Hospice Freeda Jadhav As per our programme Shanti Bhavan, Kalyan and AIDS Hospice, Chembur, were visited by the Conference members
7 Members started their journey at 8.00 am in a mini bus with the recitation of prayers and thanking God for
appointing us to do His will. Following the day’s schedule, we first headed towards Shanti Bhavan, Kalyan. Br. Denis
and Sr. Mercy served us with a delightful breakfast of appams and mutton stew along with cake and wine. As they had completed
25 years of married life, we toasted them and enjoyed the breakfast in the bus itself. Watching the views outside and enjoying
Hindi filmi sangeet, we reached Shanti Bhavan. The inmates were anxiously awaiting us and greeted us warmly. We also participated in the Holy Hour, which
is arranged every Sunday for them by the Legionaries. A very interesting case was of an old uncle who is going to celebrate his 105 The sister in charge took us to various sections of the hospice reserved for men, women and children. A donation
of Rs. 2,000/- and biscuit packets were given on behalf of the Conference. Our journey was enjoyable due to the Hindi sangeet by Br. Ivan, Br. Paul and Br. Bosco who kept the journey lively. We
also enjoyed kheema pau on our way back prepared by Sr. Agnes. The journey was more fun as we were all in one mini bus and
for this we want to thank Fr. Austin. The whole day was an experience of contentment as we could reach out and share with
others a little of what we have…….!!!!!!! ******************************************************************************************** Valentine’s Day (Zone II – Sector B) Jacinta J. Chettiar never imagined celebrating Valentine’s day with my family in a manner which was so different from all
the other Valentine’s days that I had celebrated earlier in life: just an exchange of cards and may be, dinner out with
the family. But this experience was something new and refreshing and I will remember it always. At the outset, I would like to thank the PPC member and the animators for making such tremendous efforts
to organize this Valentine’s Day celebration and making it so special for all of us in my family. I feel proud to state that 58 members from our Sector B gathered for the Valentine’s Day celebrations
at the residences of Simon D’Costa and Peter Hubert who kindly offered their homes for the gathering. Fr. Lincoln graced
the occasion making it all the more special. The celebration started with an opening prayer followed by various games like
housie, number games, spot prizes and lots of fun. Prizes were distributed to all the winners. Cake, Jerusalem wine and snacks
were served as the games were in progress. The dinner thereafter was wonderful. The members of this sector had prepared different
varieties of delicious and lip-smacking food items with LOVE: chicken chilly, chicken masala, chhole, biryani, idli sambar,
rotis, etc. which everyone enjoyed to the full. The sharing gave us a feeling of oneness. There was ice cream for dessert.
Mercy gave each one of us a Rose as a memento. The jokes and fun we had still bring a smile to my face and I eagerly await
Valentine’s Day next year. On a personal note, I would like to give many thanks to this parish, for it has brought about a lot of changes
in the life of my family. My husband too has joined the SVP and is taking an active part in all its activities. I would like
to thank God for bringing us into this parish which is so full of unity and cooperation and for making us a part of this loving
family. ***************************************************************************************** Lenten pilgrimage to Manori, Gorai & Uttan Churches Mrs. Lucy Samuel On 24 Fr Austin elucidated to all that it was not a picnic for fun and frolic but a "Pilgrimage" which has a specific
significance especially during this Lenten period. A handout containing names & address of the churches to be visited
along with hymns was distributed. This holy expedition started at 8 Am in two buses, with the recitation of the rosary followed
with the ever-green hymn "If you wish to be my disciple". The drive took us back in time, with the narrow roads through the
villages with beautiful cottages in the green back drop of Mother Nature. The air was filled with the aroma of fish: it was
a feeling of going back home. Our first stop was at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour followed by Sacred Heart Chapel, Holy Magi Church,
Mata Vailankanni Tirth Mandir, St Andrew Church, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Our Lady of the Sea Church & Our Lady of
Bethlehem. It was a true blessing to see these magnificent churches in person and an incredible experience to learn the history
of these churches from the parish priests themselves. Breakfast was carried by each parishioner and it felt great sharing with others along with the sweet tea
provided at our first stop: "Our Lady of Perpetual Succour". The lunch was excellent. Authentic East Indian Cuisine
consisting of rice, dal & three different preparations of fish but the dish of the day was the grated mango salad. The
journey back home left most of us speechless and lost in thought after the amazing experience of the day. Our hearty thanks to our parish priests Fr Austin and Fr Lincoln for organising this "Lenten Pilgrimage". May the Lord
almighty bless Fr Austin who has been instrumental in organising such events. ***************************************************************************************** ******************* My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards…!! We have heard it said, "When it rains it pours…" and I dare say that it is literally pouring feasts
and celebrations over the next three months for our parish. And thankfully, these are only going to result in more blessings
for all of us… Praise God Almighty….!! We open our schedule with the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and her healing and comforting words, "Do as Jesus
tells you..", which brings us Jesus’ power and healing and then on to the Bible Sunday and Quiz, which hopefully will
spur us on to love the Word of God and read it daily - personally and in our homes. And then "love is in the air"..shouln’t
it always be..?? so valentine or no valentine, lets make it special for someone we love and care about and "appreciate them"
and show it…….. Then of course, one of the favourite seasons of the Church’s calendar – the grace-filled time
of Lent and Easter. What glory..!! what joy..!! to be able to walk with Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and drink deeply
of the graces that flow from his Passion, Death and Resurrection. What better companion than our Blessed Mother to accompany
us on our daily and annual via Dolorosa. May this season be for all of us – young and elderly – a time to come
closer to Jesus and Thank Him for his gift of Salvation and Redemption. We have lined up several programmes at the parish and cluster level, so that we will all benefit from this
season of grace and get involved at the community level. This will also be a great way to intercede for various needs, not
least of all for our children and youth, for their success in the semester and final exams. A much looked forward to date is our Patronal Feast of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary. This year we hope to
have the added joy of possessing our own piece of land and blessing it so that God will give us a "Church building in His
Good time…" So be it..!! Hail Saint Joseph, Hail….!! Happy Feast to all of you dear Parishioners. Thank you for
all that you do to make our little parish an active, involved and happy community. It will also be PPC elections time and a wake-up call to all to stand up and make themselves count. If you
are an involved parishioner in the Small Christian Communities and generally in the church and parish activities, you may
want to stand for election to the Parish Pastoral Council for the next three year term. This Parish Council is a guiding and
thinking body that will give a vision and direction to our parish community - so let us pray God to give us a good set of
Councillors. The next issue will cover summer time and summer activities…so go on..put on your thinking caps and
get us some articles and ideas as well as some reports and recipes and other fun activities for the next issue. May St. Joseph
our Patron intercede for us and God Bless us all….!! Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-charge ********************************************************************************************* Zooming in on Joseph Father Thomas Rosica, CSB TORONTO, DEC. 25, 2008 (Zenit.org).- In this article we are invited to reflect on the gift and mystery of
life and the blessing of family life in particular through the life of St. Joseph. In Luke's Gospel scene of the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem, we encounter four
individuals who embrace the new life of Jesus held in their arms: the elderly and faithful Simeon, the old, wise prophetess
Anna, and the young couple, Mary and Joseph, who in faithful obedience offer their child to the Lord. Simeon’s beautiful
prayer is nothing more than an anthology of the prayer of ancient Israel: "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your
salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to
your people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32). The whole scene of the Presentation, and the carefully chosen words of Simeon's prayer raise several questions
for us: How do I see God's glory in my life? Do I thirst for justice and peace? What are the new situations and who are the
new people who have entered my life in the last little while? How am I light and salvation for other people? Today I would like to borrow from my new profession of television production and zoom in on Joseph, one of
the characters found in this most touching Gospel scene of the Presentation. To "zoom" in on the foster father of the Lord
gives us some profound insights into the family background of our Savior. Joseph is often overshadowed by the glory of Christ and the purity of Mary. But he, too, waited for God to
speak to him and then responded with obedience. Luke and Matthew both mark Joseph’s descent from David, the greatest
king of Israel (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38). Scripture has left us with the most important knowledge about him: he was
"a righteous man" (Matthew 1:18). Joseph was a compassionate, caring man. When he discovered Mary was pregnant after they had been engaged,
he knew the child was not his but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the Son of God. He planned to divorce Mary according
to the law but he was concerned for her suffering and safety. Joseph was also a man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked
of him without knowing the outcome. When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child Mary was
carrying, Joseph immediately and without question or concern for gossip, took Mary as his wife. When the angel came again
to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left everything he owned, all his family and friends, and fled to
a strange country with his young wife and the baby. He waited in Egypt until the angel told him it was safe to go back (Matthew
2:13-23). We are told that Joseph was a carpenter, (more likely a builder), a man who worked to provide for his family. Joseph wasn't
a wealthy man, for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and Mary to be purified he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of
pigeons, allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb. Joseph revealed in his humanity the unique role of fathers to proclaim God's truth by word and deed. His
paradoxical situation of "foster father to Jesus" draws attention to the truth about fatherhood, which is more than a mere
fact of biological generation. A man is a father most when he invests himself in the spiritual and moral formation of his
children. He was keenly aware, as every father should be, that he served as the representative of God the Father. Joseph protected and provided for Jesus and Mary. He named Jesus, taught him how to pray, how to work, how
to be a man. While no words or texts are attributed to him, we can be sure that Joseph pronounced two of the most important
words that could ever be spoken when he named his son "Jesus" and called him "Emmanuel." When the child stayed behind in the
Temple we are told Joseph (along with Mary) searched with great anxiety for three days for him (Luke 2:48). Joseph’s life reminds us that a home or community is not built on power and possessions but goodness;
not on riches and wealth, but on faith, fidelity, purity and mutual love. The present challenges to fatherhood and masculinity cannot be understood in isolation from the culture in
which we live. The effect of fatherlessness on children is deeply alarming. How many young people today have been affected
by the crisis of fatherhood and paternity! How many have been deprived of a father or grandfather in their life? It is not for naught that St. Joseph is patron of the Universal Church and principal patron of Canada. If
there was ever a time when we needed a strong, saintly male role model who is a father, it is our time. And the feast of the
Holy Family is a very significant day to go to Joseph and beg him to send us good fathers who will head families. Joseph and Mary, more than anyone else, were the first to behold the glory of their One and Only who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth (John 1:14). May St. Joseph make of us good priests, religious and laymen who will imitate the humble
worker from Nazareth, who listened to the Lord, treasured a gift that was not his, all the while modeling to Jesus how the
Word becomes flesh and lives among us. ******************************************************************************************* Log in to Lent! Sign off Facebook! By Mitchelle Castellino A season of prayer and sacrifice will soon blossom in our parish, but are we ready to grow along with it.
Lent – 40 days off temptation is enduring what Jesus went through and by adhering sacrifice we inch closer to him to
emulate his kind of life. So no beef xhacoti or beef curry for a while in our kitchens. Television will be switched off and prayer
time will be switched on. This is what elders do every lent season. And the youth- school, college going and those in service?
Is it fasting or dieting for them? Will facebook and myspace occupy them the same every day? Will chatting on cell phones
and internet spaces be scheduled as before? "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom
he may devour." Peter 5:8 Lent is giving up what you like doing and spending the same time in prayer. So if you love electronics or
download softwares, it’s time to give it up and give in to prayers. Without surfing sites or googling for hours, our
day is just not complete. So followers of the internet it’s time to follow your God. Kids and youth in the US are urged to give up technology, myspace and facebook the Lenten period and dedicate
the saved up time to build a relationship with god. Besides giving up non-veg, movies, television, fast food alcohol, dance
and music can you give up texting, chatting and surfing the internet? If we follow the west so closely, can we follow them
in these positive acts. At the same time, giving up technology and not using it for prayer is an empty sacrifice. You have to do
something meaningful in the time you have saved. Thank god for the blessings you have and the life you are living in a distress
ridden country where more than 50% live below the poverty line. Thank your parents for giving you an education and a roof
above your head. For you can peek outside and see lovelorn nomads living in pipes and besides infested nalas. You can take time out to thank your children, siblings, relatives and friends for being good to you and always
being there for you. For you are one of the fortunate to always have someone stand by you unlike many that are lonely and
have nothing to live forward to. This Lent Season, 1. Fast from anger and hatred. Give your family an extra dose of love each day. 2. Fast from judging others. Before making any judgments, recall how Jesus overlooks our faults. 3. Fast from discouragement. Hold on to Jesus’ promise that He has a perfect plan for your life. 4. Fast from complaining. Think how Jesus gives you more than others. 5. Fast from resentment or bitterness. Work on forgiving those who may have hurt you. 6. Fast from spending too much money. Try to reduce your spending by ten percent and give those savings to
the poor. May you distance yourself from evil this Lenten Season to come closer to God, Almighty to be purged for a joyful Easter. ********************************************************* WHAT IS LENT? Sr. Maureen Fonseca The dictionary has it as ‘the Christian period of fasting and repentance before Easter.’ I’d
like to give it a different meaning – ‘Learning Essential Natural Therapies’. Unlike the academics children learn in school and college, learning Christ takes a lifetime, and so like
a good mother and teacher, the Church celebrates the annual season of Lent to enable us to learn more and more about the love
and mercy of God. Sinners that we all are, we find it very difficult to love and forgive others as well as ourselves. This
is the root cause of all our fears, complexes, aches and pains for which we turn to doctors, psychiatrists, yoga or therapies
which can treat only the physical or mental disorders. What about our spiritual disorders which greatly hamper our happiness
and freedom both in this world and the next. Lucky for us Christians, the Church attends to our spiritual growth and well being through the Sacraments
and the Liturgical cycle of celebrations throughout the year, with special emphasis on the Lenten Season. The painful and bitter passion and death of Jesus is a free package deal God the Father offers us each year
to guarantee us a safe and happy journey to Heaven, provided of course we follow the instructions of the Church sincerely
with regard to prayer, fasting, abstinence, and almsgiving, with love and not as a rule imposed on us. This ‘love’ will come only when we start building up a personal friendship with Jesus, who yearns
for our friendship and delights in our conversations with Him even if it is just arguments, question or baby talk. You will
never hear him say "I am busy now" as we so often do. Though Jesus wants us to be His friends, we must not forget He is also God whom we must obey. ‘You
are my friends if you do what I command you’ (John 15:15). So His command ‘Love one another as I have loved you’
fulfils all the Ten Commandments and the Precepts of the Church. As the years go by, we are supposed to learn more and more of the natural therapies of love, so essential
for a wholesome and tension free living, a therapy which only Jesus can teach us as we meditate on His bitter passion and
death. So let this Lent be a joyful remembrance or shall I say a surprising re-discovery of your best friend Jesus. ******************************************************** LESSONS FOR LIFE: For a Reason, Season or a Lifetime! Yanira Crespo People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will
know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come
to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient
time, these persons will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we
must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered
and now it is time to move on – both for you and for them. Some people come in your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring
you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you’ve never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it; it is real, but only for a season. LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas
of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. ********************************************************************* LESSONS FOR LIFE: Loving and Losing Yanira Crespo To love and to lose is one of the biggest tragedies in life, yet one fails to see the blessing in the loss.
We lose for many reasons – a death, a divorce, a broken friendship and the end of a relationship. At that moment, we
feel our life has come to an end. How are we to go on? A piece of your soul is taken leaving an empty hole in your heart. The question "why me" repeats itself in your mind but as the beauty of time progresses, we see the answer.
Loss makes us stronger and wiser. A loss helps us appreciate even the smallest, insignificant things in life. Our hearts become
softer and full of even more love than we had to begin with. A loss helps us to see that we can’t do it alone, that
we need faith and hope to get us through. We learn the mercy and grace of God. When the grieving and the healing have taken their course, we are renewed, ready to begin a new chapter in
our lives with a whole new outlook and attitude. Only then are we able to appreciate the lesson learned through that loss.
One never forgets those we lost, but we do learn to let go. We learn to keep living even though we don’t want to. We learn to treasure each moment and each person.
In turn, losses make our lives a lot richer. To love and to lose is a tragedy, but it’s not the end of our lives. It’s part of our journey. ********************************************************************** The Easter Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil Victor Hoagland, C.P History Christians have been commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus since Apostolic times, because his
death and resurrection are at the heart of Christian salvation. At least by the second century, Christians celebrated the
Great Easter Vigil, an event which began the night of Holy Saturday, continuing until dawn on Easter morning. During this
vigil, Christians commemorated salvation history, awaited the return of Jesus, and celebrated the resurrection of Jesus at
dawn on Easter Sunday. It was at the vigil that catechumens, after a three year period of catechesis, were baptized and received
first communion. The Easter Vigil was the most important day of the liturgical year. Eventually Christians expanded this celebration
to a three-day commemoration of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection, with the Easter Vigil being the high point
of the three day commemoration. Nonetheless, over time, as the liturgical year expanded, the Easter Vigil lost its preeminence,
although the three days celebrating the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus still held an important place in the Church
Year. Since the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the Easter Vigil, and the Triduum, have regained their position
of prominence in the Western Catholic liturgical calendar. The General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar
re-established the Triduum as a season following Lent in the Catholic Church From the events remembered these days, so sorrowful and so joyful, the church learns the deepest lessons.
In rites and words the mysteries of Jesus’ final hours are with us again, his passion, his cruel suffering, his rising
from the dead. And we discover the answer to age old questions: Does God love us? Is God merciful? Does God care for us? We have only to look and learn from Jesus Christ. These are days for fixing our eyes on the holy mystery of his cross and filling our ears with the words of
his gospel. Nowhere else does God’s love appear so vividly. In the love Christ showed for a sinful world we find the
beginning of our church, the source of our sacraments, the key to understanding the human story, and our hope for eternal
life. Holy Thursday The Easter Triduum begins with Mass on Holy Thursday evening, when Jesus sacramentally anticipated the gift
he would make of himself on the cross. His command to serve others is dramatically recalled this night in the ceremony of
the washing of the feet, which he performed in the supper room for his disciples. Like the Paschal lamb, killed and eaten
by the people, according to the Old Testament account read from Exodus this evening, he is a sign of God’s salvation.
Good Friday The Good Friday rites center around the reading of the Passion of Jesus. With simple dignity that story is retold, followed
by prayers for the entire world, for this powerful mystery brings blessings to the world. According to ancient tradition, an image or relic of the cross is venerated this day, and the
sacrament of Christ’s love for his church is received. It is a day of fasting and quiet mourning. The Easter Vigil The Easter Vigil is the high point of the Easter Triduum celebrating the passion and resurrection of Jesus.
With a rich display of symbols, rites and readings, the church in worship expresses her faith in the mystery that brings her
into being. Light conquers darkness The vigil opens with a service of light. Like the Jewish Passover, our Easter celebration coincides with
the beginning of spring, when the sun offers new warmth and earth is ready to flower again. Our words "lent" (from the Middle-English
word for spring, "lengthening days") and "Easter" (possibly Germanic or Anglo-Saxon in origin, signifying "the east", "the
rising sun") point to the long tradition of seeing this holy mystery through signs of the natural world. The lighting of the fire and the Easter candle go back to rites that long preceded Christianity. The candle,
carried with loving reverence and lyrically praised in word and song, is a sign of Christ, "the light of the world," and celebrates
the victory of light over darkness that humanity has ever longed for. God’s love endures forever A series of readings recalls the great interventions of God in history, from creation to the the redemption
of Israel from Egypt, and ends with the story of Jesus’ resurrection. The great "alleluia" proclaims with quiet joy
the triumph of God’s Son. Those preparing for Batpism then receive the sacraments of initiation. The blessed water sprinkled
over others signifies the blessing of new life. Rejoice! This night says as it brings before us the deepest symbols of our hopes and fears. The darkness,
sign of evil and death, has been overcome by light. A lamp, a candle has been lit; a fire is enkindled in our hearts; a nourishing
water flows through our lives; a baptism destroys what is unclean and brings to life again. Rejoice! this night says to all creation. The Word who made all things, as a new Adam, freshly proclaims God’s promise
of life. All creation celebrates God’s love. ********************************************************************* Hope And Life Movement - Mrs. Leena Cardoza On the 31st January 2010, five Widows from our Parish attended a function at St. Joseph the Worker Church
ground, Bandra (E) to celebrate Silver Jubilee of Hope and Life movement for widows in Mumbai. It started with Mass and concluded
with a cultural programme.Bp. Bosco, the pioneer of the movement was the Main Celebrant along with other priests. Pioneering
mmbers were also honoured. 1) Hope & life movement organises visit to sick,lonely homebound,recently and widowed women, 2) Visit to Clergy homes, homes of the aged and orphans, hospitals etc. 3) Organises Annual retreats, pilgrimages to the nearby pilgrim spots, picnics for widows, get-togethers
& cultural programmes. 4) Helping the sick and needy widows Once in a month or so there is a meeting with a reading from the scripture and sharing. We are thankful to our Parish Priest Fr. Austin Norris for sending us there. It was amazing to know that apart from our
family members there is somebody else who cares for the widows in their time of emotional stability, loneliness and sickness. ********************************************************************************* Christmas Party Report Norma Vashi & Lavina D’Souza The Women Cell celebrated Christmas on Friday, 18th December 2009 at Nivara Welfare Centre. The party started
with the opening prayer by Ms. Norma Vashi. Approximately 35 students and teachers were present. The room was filled with
the spirit of Christmas - well decorated Christmas tree, small crib and lovely Christmas carols being played. The party was celebrated with enthusiasm and active participation of all our students and teachers. The students
performed a skit on "What is Christmas?" based on the birth of Jesus Christ. By these plays, the message of the birth of baby
Jesus reached out to the students of different faiths, who in turn would relate the same to their families, friends and neighbours,
that Christmas is not Santa Claus and presents but it is "Jesus Birthday". This was followed by Christmas Carols sung by students and the teachers. Christmas is not about Santa Claus,
Gifts and decorations but about God the Father sending his only begotten Son for the salvation of mankind. This true message
of Christmas was beautifully brought out by them in the skit. It also explained the significance of Wreaths, Christmas Tree,
star, Bells etc. Fr. Austin Norris thanked the Women Cell Teachers for giving their time and effort to the students to read,
write and converse in English and Hindi. Christmas is an occasion of goodwill and joy of God, in the form of Teachers, who
give knowledge, which the students should take advantage of. We appreciate and thank the students for their efforts, for the beautiful costumes used for the act and for
actively participating in singing, dancing and exciting games. We sincerely appreciate our Spiritual Director, Fr. Austin
Norris for making time and attending the party. We thank him for appreciating the efforts of the students and the teachers
and for his valuable advice given to the students. The Vote of Thanks by Mary Ann included special gratitude to the Trustees of Nivara Welfare Centre for the use of their
hall premises since 23rd September 2006 for conducting literacy classes in English to women of other faiths
and for various functions for the students during the year by Women Cell Teachers. The party came to an end with everyone
wishing one another a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We all had a wonderful time. ********************************************************************************** ALWAYS MEAN WHAT YOU PRAY Praying to God everyday was not a part of my daily life. I used to hardly pray and even communicate with
God. Sometimes, even if I prayed accidentally, it was because I wanted something. One day I joined the Legion of Mary. In the Legion of Mary, every legionary has to recite the legion prayer
from the Quatina card everyday. I started saying it regularly without missing a single day. But still I will say, "I used
to say it because I had to as a legionary." Still understanding, feeling and communicating with God in my prayer was absent.
I used to say it just for the sake of it. Soon I learnt the prayer by heart. That day I felt very proud of myself. I thought
‘Yes’ now I am a perfect Catholic and a perfect Legionary. I felt ‘Yes’ I have come closer to Jesus.
I started reciting my prayers every morning and every night. I was very happy for knowing my prayers by heart like other Catholics
and could also boast like them. But I was wrong. I was saying my prayers but did not mean it any time. This I did not happen to know until one day an incident took place with me. I was severely molested by a
man one early morning while going to college. I started crying a lot that day taking Jesus’ name and cursing him for
what went wrong in my prayers that I had to face it. My prayers stopped for few days. Later, I read in one of the Rosary books
"Always Mean When You Pray". This punch line shook me. I realized where I was wrong. Prayer is not only a thing to be said by heart or to know each and every prayer as a Catholic is not a prayer.
It is when you mean from your heart. It is when you pray from your heart. The next day onwards I meant what I prayed and things
changed with me. That something was missing in my prayers and I found it. I found Jesus in my life; I got Him. Today, whenever
I go to college early in the dark mornings and am scared to walk on a lonely road, I can feel Jesus walking with me and protecting
me. This was missing in my life and in my prayers. So friends, always mean when you pray to God and God will change your life. Now I can feel Jesus whenever I take His name
because I mean my prayers. Hope you will all want to feel Jesus, so change the way you pray. ************************************************************************************ ZONAL FEAST The feast of St. Francis Xavier is on 3rd December but not being a Sunday we held our
celebrations on 6th with lots of fun. At about 5:00 pm, we started with the arrangements. The party was to start by 6:00 pm but started at 8:00
pm. We played and enjoyed ourselves. Among our games were musical chairs, both for adults and children, bursting the balloons
and much much more. Fr. Lincoln attended our feast and two other guests too. We took a break and had cake and soft drinks. Then we danced away. Later we prayed started our dinner of chicken biryani
and topped it with yummy gulab-jamuns. After dinner, we had a game of housie played and won. We closed at about 11:00 pm with
happy faces. ********************************************************************************** he Hippie Ashok Saldanha What was this hippie doing at Sunday mass? Most times I come in at least 5 minutes before mass starts, but this scraggly bearded guy with long hair
combed into a pony tail, wearing frayed and darned jeans, a long sleeved shirt which had seen better days looked like he was
in church much earlier. He was sitting erect and seemed deeply involved in prayer. At least his eyes were closed. Must be new in the parish. Wonder which zone he belongs to? God forbid, not my zone. Who would want an unkempt
hippie in one’s zone? As it is we have enough trouble getting people to attend meetings, with this chap around none
would show up - their daughters would not be "safe" and he might be on drugs were thoughts going around in my head as I sniggered
staring at him. My concentrated stare must have broken his reverie for he looked up, saw me, and smiled through broken teeth
which gave his gaunt features a rather grotesque look. I looked away. The mass commenced but every now and then I sneaked
a peek in his direction. He was now oblivious of me, totally concentrating on the celebration. The "Lord’s Prayer",
and his hands were raised high, and his loud voice made others stop & stare. He was a "Born again" I was sure. But why
were his hands gloved? Must be his hands are deformed, I concluded, but no, the fingers of the gloves were filled. Hope he
wasn’t carrying a gun. One never knows with such people. The Sign of Peace and the man sitting next to this fellow got a fright when instead of the usual casual "namaste",
he hugged him. I wanted to meet him. The chap intrigued me. What was he trying to do? Was he trying to show off his piety
and teach us veteran parishioners how to attend mass? Mass got over and as people exited they gave him a wide berth. Some glaring, some gesturing and commenting
loudly within his hearing. One lady made ring like movements with her index finger near her ears to indicate to her friend
that the man must be mentally challenged. The stranger seemed unperturbed by all this unwanted attention and was again engrossed
in prayer. He got up at last and made a bow so full of reverence towards the tabernacle, that I was ashamed of the half hearted
gesture I made in my rush to get out of church.. I said, "Hi! New to the parish?". "Hello there. Just moved in yesterday" he replied and as we walked towards the exit I noticed he had a limp.
Must be polio I thought. "Where are you putting up?" I enquired. "No place yet, I am just looking around". Not in my zone, I hoped fervently. Why the gloves? I asked. "You ask too many questions" he smiled showing his broken teeth. "Got hurt. Very
ugly. No one would like to look at it, hence the gloves, but not to worry, nothing a doctor can’t set right." "You a "Born Again" charismatic? He rolled his eyes heavenwards. "Questions, questions. No. Why do you ask?" "I have never seen anyone so immersed in prayer like the way you were just now and the dramatics at the "Lords
Prayer" were just too much. Whom were you trying to impress – the females?" I nudged him with my elbow in the ribs and
laughed. He winced in pain but did not take offence at my impertinence even though I had just met him. "But isn’t that the way to attend mass? You do not think of breakfast, lunch or dinner while watching a movie or attending a music show do you?" he countered. "Nnnn….no", I stuttered. "Then why at mass do people do everything except focus on the sacrifice taking place on the altar? I watched
the gent in front of me slyly feeding SMS text into his cell and his young son peeping to read what message was being sent.
I saw a girl tugging at her short hemline right through mass & two ladies discussing God knows what giggling during the
sermon. Some like you were staring at me as if I had just popped out of a flying saucer and I am sure if I asked you what
the Gospel and sermon was about you wouldn’t know? He was correct. I tried hard to think what the Gospel & sermon had been, I just could not remember. I
had been too busy staring at him. Suddenly from nowhere as we stepped out the exit, the convent Alsatian came snarling & barking at us.
I shied away like a startled horse & nearly took off. But this chap just held out his gloved hands and spoke calmly to the ferocious animal. The dog slowed down
in his charge & wonder of wonders put his head into his hands & wagged its tail like crazy. I was flummoxed. I knew
that dog. He did not take kindly to people, and this was their first meeting. The man was on his haunches now, talking and
petting the dog as if he had known it since childhood. Then without thinking the hippie removed his gloves to fondle the Alsation some more. I was taken aback as
I saw his hands. The wounds he had spoken about were uneven gaping holes going right through his palms. Jagged and black around
the edges. Still raw.. "Yuck," I said loudly in disbelief aghast at the ugly sight. Hearing me he let the dog go, and stood up. He looked at me with such warm brown eyes tinged with a certain
sadness I could not fathom, that I shifted my eyes guiltily. Putting on his gloves he shook hands & left me gaping after
him as he limped his way out of the convent premises. Like a flash of lightning the Sunday sermon suddenly hit me. The priest had said, "What if Jesus Himself
was sitting among us? How would we have reacted? How would we have attended mass? How would we have dressed? How would we
have……?" I ran after him, but the hippie had disappeared. ************************************************************************************* A SIGN OF OUR TIMES They lie on the table, side by side The Holy Bible and the TV Guide. One is well worn, but cherished with pride (Not the Bible, but the TV Guide) One is used daily to help folks decide. (Not the Bible: it’s the TV Guide.) As the pages are turned, what shall they see Oh, what does it matter?...turn on the TV. Then confusion reigns, they can’t all agree on what they shall watch on the old TV. So they open the book in which they confide (No, not the Bible.....it’s the TV Guide.) The Word of God is seldom read. Maybe a verse e’er they fall into bed. Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be... not from reading the Bible-from watching TV. So then back to the table, side by side, lay the Holy Bible and the TV Guide. No time for prayer....no time for the Word. The plan of salvation is seldom heard. But forgiveness of sin so full and free is found in the Bible.....NOT on TV! ******************************************************* LET’S GET INTO TROUBLE Simon D’Costa We, Christians, are good people, decent people. We do not want to get into trouble. That, in my view, is
the problem. We must get into trouble for Christ. He does not ask us to break the law. Yet we want to play safe. We avoid
politics like plague. Politics is for Christians. Politics is about doing good. Jesus has said that not all those who said
Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven but those who did the will of His (and Our) Father. It can, therefore, be said
that Christianity is less about going to church on Sundays and more about living our lives as Christians. I do not want to
be misunderstood. Of course, going to church on Sundays is important. We need God’s grace to follow Jesus. To follow
Jesus is not easy; we cannot do it without His help. If we examine our conscience, we shall see that we are Christian for one hour on Sunday. After Mass, we are
a bunch of self-seekers. When we discuss this aspect of our lives, we say that it is out of compulsion. Many of us feel that
it is easy for the priests to preach; they do not understand the difficulties we have to encounter. On many occasions, I have
also felt that the life of a priest is easier. On a closer examination of the issue, I realize that they have to preach Jesus
and, therefore, they have to say what they say. If they did not, they would be failing Him. We dismiss politics by saying it is a dirty game. It is not. The so-called leaders of today exploit politics
for their personal gains. They are cheats. It is exactly for this reason that Christians should get into politics. The present
lot of politicians has shown that they cannot be trusted with the job of serving people, without any bias. Jesus wants us
to love and serve all irrespective of caste, creed and religion. It, therefore, appears to me that Christians, among a few
others, are best qualified for the job. Jesus said that He had come to serve and not to be served. This sort of humility and
selflessness is the need of the hour. If we want to be true followers of Jesus, politics is a golden opportunity. May Jesus
enlighten us to follow the right path, even if it means politics. ************************************************************************************** Decalogue for Daily Living 1. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems
of my life all at once. 2. Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not
raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline
anyone except myself. 3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other
world but also in this one. 4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my
own wishes. 5. Only for today, I will devote ten minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food
is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul. 6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it. 7. Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and it my feelings are hurt, I will
make sure no one notices. 8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it.
And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision. 9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for
me as no one else who exists in this world. 10.Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and
to believe in goodness. Indeed, for twelve hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to
do it all my life. Bl. Pope John XXIII *************************************************************************************** Zone VI: Feast of St. Jude – 28th October Gladys Pandhi Dear St. Jude, As a boy, you had the privilege of being associated with the boy Jesus, and your life was dominated and filled
with tremendous love of God. Thus, we began to ask for your intercession in matters that seemed hopeless and continue to receive
your favors. With deep gratitude we thank you dear Saint. The feast mass was celebrated on Wed 28th October. A get together was organized for all on Sat 31st October.
Most family members from Zone VI comprising of Mhada, MHB, Pathanwadi, Dindoshi and Suchidham gathered at St Pius, to celebrate
the feast of their patron Saint as in the past years. Couple of members came a little earlier to make sure all arrangements were in place to make it a memorable
event. We commenced the celebration with the crowd mingling with one another over a plate of patties, wafers and
soft drinks. We then continued with an opening prayer followed by games. Human Housie was the first game, which got the entire
gathering together trying to figure out James F from James M and Louis F from Louis G! Soon after this we introduced a group game of enacting scenes from a bus, church, market and train. Each
group was picture perfect with excellent acting and presentation skills (so much of latent talent!).The bus scene was complete
with driver, conductor and passengers in place. The church scene was well brought out by a priest solemnizing a wedding mass,
flower girl, page boy, bride, groom and the entire paraphernalia. Market place was a hush-rush of activities selling inter
alia fish and no one could beat the train scene, with each stepping on the others toes, as we see it day—in—and—out. Ashok Saldanha our emcee for the evening played a round of ‘stand-as-a-statue’ for the kids and youth and also
managed to get the statues move in sync with his hilarious comments and devilish laugh. The winners were awarded with gifts
on the spot as well as spot prizes were bestowed on those who could come up to the emcee’s call. By this time, we could
hear the growls from our stomach and with due thanks to God rushed to have a sumptuous meal. We thank Father Austin and Father
Lincoln for attending this event albeit for a brief while, given their busy schedule of collections, mass etc, we were all
happy to see them encourage and support the PPC members and animators. ***************************************************************************************** Zone IX-Feast of St. Paul In preparation for the Feast of St. Paul, Patron Saint of Zone IX, there was a six day Rosary and prayer
preparation, which was well attended by all.The Feast Mass was held on 31 A get-to-gether was organised at St. Pius College where around 60 members gathered at 5.30pm sharp.We
began with a prayer and Gospel reading. This was followed by several group games in which all took part. Fr. Lincoln came
and announced some spot prizes which all enjoyed. Snacks were also served. Angeline Corda thanked the members present as well as those who helped her and Jyothi Joy in doing various activities in
the Zone, Sectors and Clusters. She requested members to be present in large numbers for the various activities planned and
conducted. Then we prayed the grace and shared a delicious meal. We missed Fr. Austin who could not join us because of the
fund raising drive. A big Thank you to all who made the evening a happy success ************************************************************************ School Recess Nicole Flanagan We have to study in school (of course!) For a while we have to bear The endless history, science and maths, But this is an incident I would like to share "I’m off to school!" I say to mom. She shouts back, "Have a nice day!" She puts my lunch in a bag Mmm…what has she packed for me today? As I hurry along to school, A spicy aroma tingles my nose, "Oh! It’s coming from my lunch bag!" I say, What’s in there, I suppose? After hours and hours of geography, Learning about the plateaus of Tibet, My stomach starts growling loudly, "Ooh…is it recess yet?" Ring! There goes the bell, Children shout, "Its recess!" They scatter their books here and there, And laugh and make a mess I quietly opened my Tiffin box, Really quietly, so no one sees, Suddenly my friend Nikita comes along, "I smell something good!" she teased. Suddenly Marc appears, "Hey, what you got in your Tiffin?" He tries to look inside and says, "Is there enough for me and Clinton?" Clinton walks in, sniffing the air, And said, "Something smells nice." He then looks inside and said, "Oohh…You bought noodles and chicken with extra spice!" Some vegetarian children sitting nearby, Turned their heads away, "Eww…she bought chicken!" "How horrible!" we could hear them say Of course we didn’t bother, We just dug in and ate, Mama had outdone herself, The food tasted great! Nikita, Marc and Clinton, Ate bite after bite, "This is so good!" We all exclaimed with delight. When I went home, Mama said, "Oh you finished everything?" "Oh yeah,’ I answered with a big grin on my face, "With a little help from Nikita, Marc and Clinton." ************************************************************** Visit to Shanti Daan, a Mother Teresa’s Home at Gorai Anna Mathai Visits to institutions of orphans, hospitals, homes for the old age, etc. has been some of the work suggested
for the Legionaries of Mary. Six legionaries of our parish along with a parishioner went to Shanti Daan on 17 The pitiable condition about the children is that they are not able to eat their food by themselves. Some
kind persons from outside come there to feed them or bathe or dress them. There are about 40 to 50 children. We met one of
the brothers there, who explained to us the difficulties and problems faced by them. There are 11 brothers in the Home to
take care of the inmates. They have sacrificed their life to do service in the Home. They also get transferred to other centres.
Some of the brothers we met are from Jharkhand and Orissa. God provides everything necessary for the Home. The brother said that donations are received for food, etc.
Many generous people go there to give donations in cash and kind. Can we go there once a month or so, so as to give a helping
hand to feed the children, bathe and dress them, etc. as they have no one except us? We understand there are still other Homes where spastic children are taken care of by Sisters at Versova, Andheri and another
Home run by the nuns for the leprosy patients. We look forward to visit these Homes. ******************************************************************** FAMILY DAY CELEBRATION Sharon David, Zone III-B Every year we celebrate Family Day in our church premises. It is full of enjoyment and masti. This year too
people attended. We were divided into different teams and each team was associated with a colour name. The host also was a
fun-loving person, Mr. Ashok Saldanha. At 5.30 pm sharp, the function started with a game of passing the ball underneath the legs. The game was
an enjoyable one. Every team was trying their level best to win it. There was a laughter moment all over. The second game
was started by collecting polo’s with straws. Each team was very excited to collect as many polo’s as possible.
It was a good sight to see people of all age groups participating in the game. The third game made all the team members /
players to remove their footwear, jumble them and then find them, wear them as quickly as possible. What an exciting game
it was, as there was complete mess finding one’s respective footwear. In between games, snacks were served comprising
hot dog, juice and cake. There was a Quiz game. It was a different one related with soaps which was in the form of a story. It was
fun as all were trying to match each and every soap names to make the story meaningful. There was also a Quiz game where the
names of fruits and vegetables were jumbled. The next game was the funniest one as every team had to make the tallest tower
with their footwear. Wow! It was like there was Oberoi Towers everywhere. Finally, there was a last game where we made a Live
Star. Last but not the least, Balaji wafers was distributed to all. There were even spot prizes. Thanks to Fr. Austin, Fr. Lincoln and the members of the Parish Family Cell for organizing the day. Thanks
to the Sisters who gave us the permission to celebrate the day. ********************************************************************* CHRISTMAS MAHOTSAV Sr. Maureen Fonseca confhic As an outcome of the Indian Mission Congress, our parish Parish Pastoral Council decided to invite people
of other faiths to our program in order to spread the message of Christmas. Each zonal animator was given invitation cards
with The Crib in Indian Art depicted thereon. The turnout was heartening; almost 175 invitees came along with a houseful of
our own parishioners, The program was held on 20 The importance of Christ at Christmas was beautifully inter-woven in the skit of ‘Santa Claus’
who boasted of his important status during the Christmas season, but in the end was deflated of his pride and haughty behaviour
on learning of the true meaning of Christmas from a child, who returned his gift in order to give it to a poor child. Finally, the Christmas Story was enacted by the children and grown-ups of the parish. This certainly helped
to bring to focus the message of Christmas- that God is love and Jesus is the manifestation of that love for all mankind.
The vote of thanks by Mr. Santanu Banerjee, one of the invitees, brought the program to a close. Refreshments were served to all. The invitees, our brothers and sisters of other faiths, were given a little something
in the form of Christmas sweets. ************************************************************************************ Faith Celebration day : 31 Mrs. Vina Cardoza & Lawrence, VII & VIII Std Catechists Faith Celebration Day was observed on 31 24 children and four teachers from our parish (Lawrence Sir, Vina Madam, Daisy Madam & Jerome Sir) assembled
at our Church entrance at 7.45 am. Rev. Fr. Lincoln said a prayer and blessed the students. His encouraging words thereafter
made the children delighted. 5 cars from the parish (by Mr. Vaz, Mr Albert, Mr. Shaju, Mr. Coelho and one of our Sunday School teachers
) ferried the children to Asha Kiran in St. Pius Complex, which was the venue for the programme. Lawrence Sir was in-charge for registration. All the children from the three parishes registered their names
and the badges were handed over to them. Children wore the badges till the end of the program on that day. St. Joseph was incharge of an opening prayer song, opening prayer and the Prayer of the faithful for
the Eucharistic celebration on that day. The English opening song was "All the lovely children" for which Lyrics were written by Mr. Lawrence, who
also had composed the song. The Prayer song was sung by our VII & VIII std catechism students. Mrs. Vina from St.
Joseph’s recited the opening prayer. A Total of 120 Children from three parishes participated; an Ice breaker – Queen of Sheeba Game
was arranged by St. Thomas Church. The first presentation on the topic "Made for Each Other" in the form of a skit was enacted by our Lady of
Rosary Church. When questioned, the audience responded very well about the message they drove home from the skit. Next presentation was made by St. Joseph’s. Our children enacted the play, "Pilgrimage", very well.
This play’s story and dialogue was written by Mr. Lawrence and directed by Mrs. Vina. After our play, children were asked about their opinions on the play. It was really surprising to see that
the children opined very well and they that a real pilgrimage is to help the one in need and not only visiting Churches and
praying. Mrs. Vina then shared with the audience our enriching experiences while working on this project, the reflections
& pilgrimage to Don Bosco Shrine conducted during the last six months. The efforts put in by all the children & catechist
in doing the research about 7 Pilgrimage centres in India as well as preparing the Charts and the rehearsals for the skit. Even teachers from other parishes appreciated that the play carried a meaningful message abolishing all the
blind faith about going on a pilgrimage and they now had understood what is the true meaning of a pilgrimage. After this second presentation, we had snacks break. During the snacks break, all the children went around
and saw our beautiful posters in the hall. After the break, we had the third presentation in the form of a girl child education awareness skit and dance
which was performed by St. Thomas. Children from St. Thomas made a nice presentation on the topic of Mass Media. Thereafter a Quiz was conducted from the 10 lessons of the book Kingdom History which were taught in Sunday
school during the 1 Rev. Fr. Joe D’mello said the vote of thanks to all the teachers, parish priests and the parents who
have supported the efforts made by the children. Thereafter the days event was concluded with the Eucharistic Celebration by Rev. Fr. Denzil Correa from St.
Thomas. Liturgy was prepared by Rosary Church. Choir group was from St. Thomas. Prayer of the Faithful was prepared by Mrs.
Vina was read by Daphne from St. Joseph’s. We could arrange the entire programme successfully only because of the total support of our Parish Priest
Rev. Fr. Austin. ************************************************************************************* SENIOR CITIZENS’ OUTING Ms. Maggie Martis We, the senior citizens of St. Joseph’s church, set off for a picnic after hoisting the flag being
Republic Day-26 We settled ourselves in the large dormitory where there were beds ready for us to rest and also kept our
bags, etc. Time was up for breakfast but seeing the queue, as many groups had come, the hunger was tense. Seeing the different
dishes we did not know what to take, besides the hot puries and nice masala tea. Oh! How we enjoyed our waited breakfast. We then walked along the pathway, holding each others hands lest we fall. From a distance we saw that the
tide was low and enjoyed in the water for sometime. We also picked up shells to play and to decorate our homes. The most exciting
was to see the gollawala and wished we could have remembered our young days. The sun was too hot, so we marched to our dormitory and relaxed, of course no time was wasted but eating
all types of starters and also dancing to glory although the aches and pains were there. The time was up for lunch and seeing the queue again we had to go slow. We all enjoyed our food. It was very
tasty, delicious and palatable. At last it was resting time and we quickly trekked in to bed. Once again it was games time.
We played passing the parcel where a lovely teddy bear was passed, then a game of housie. Fr. Lincoln was the Chief Bhat calling
out the numbers. Oh the numbers were not there which he called and thus we could not win. Time was passing fast and we had
to have our evening tea. We rushed and got ourselves ready and took our belongings. Before we could board the bus, Fr. Austin
took the group snap. Many other photos were taken during the day. Praise the Lord and my good friend St. Joseph, for me, being the lucky one to go for the picnic from Assisi Bhavan. I really
enjoyed myself and also hope this day will repeat soon. ************************************************************************************* 43 Chelsea Saldanha Do you know the Pope has his own Youtube channel? - The Vatican Not to mention his own website? - www.pope2u.net I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pope Blogged…. Oh wait he does! -http://popebenedictxviblog.blogspot.com/ Fr. Tony Charanghat who started off the programme says Pope Benedict XVI is a man of insight, depth and analysis.
He says the Pope finds when you communicate you build relationships. The Pope however fears that if the Church is not present
in the digital media, Catholics everywhere will lose out. The points he raises are: - - - - Age doesn’t deter one from engaging or learning about latest technologies and new mediums of communications.
Technology is what drives every economy, every decision undertaken by governments, every step that we take. Yet the small
turnout representing different Churches for the diocesan 43rd World Communication Day got many asking
– Where is the Catholic Church in the Digital Media? The presentations put forth for the undersized crowd were well scripted, presented and informative. Besides Pope Benedict XVI’s media musings, was the introduction of the Catholic Communication Centre
or the CCC by Fr. Melroy Fernandes. The CCC has worked on a vision with media professionals where their core concern is –
Are we communicating effectively? The Objective – To assist already existing structures in all forms of media The Thrust - Focus on social and Pastoral The Structure – Will have - - - - Neil D’souza shared with the audience online resources to make communication much more effective. Some
of them are mentioned below. Rapidshare – to send files 160 by 2 – sending group SMS for free Engadget – latest tech news To view the presentations please go to – www.cccmumbai.blogspot.com ************************************************************************************* SCC RALLY 24th January 2010, Don Bosco Grounds Matunga, Mumbai. Mr. Vincy D’cunha & Mr. Stanley Menezes. It was Silver Jubilee year for the SCCs. Usually most programs begin late, but this was not so. It
began on time, the MC’s were good and the arrangements right from seating, serving snacks, cold drinks, drinking water
etc. was done in orderly and systematic manner. The Event was fascinating. Our parish was represented by a busload of parishioners
accompanied by Fr. Lincoln. A standing ovation was accorded to Chief Guest, His Eminence, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, who praised His Lordship,
Bishop Bosco for his far sightness in starting the SCCs 25 years ago when he was Rev. Fr. Bosco at St. Thomas Church, Goregaon
(E). Since His Eminence, Cardinal Oswald Gracias was leaving for Rome, he was excused and he left before the programme ended. The programme started with a little children singing the hymn, ‘We are gathering unto him, & Kahta
hai dil mera danya Prabhu’. The SCC unit Uttan put up a good show informing us of the various steps taken by them towards
1) Not to serve liquor for weddings; 2) Protesting & protecting keeping their land which the Govt. was using as garbage
dumping ground. Their put up their show with placards displaying their messages. They said that their weddings without liquor
were ending beautiful notes. Then there was a dance, which is an expression of vitality, by the south Indian community. The Gujarati community
enacting the scene of the Samaritan woman at the well giving water to Jesus thru a dance. The Mulund unit conveyed thru 03
dancer with ribbons displaying Greed, Selfishness & Pride lure away the lay coordinator and animators from the PPC but
the priest did not give up and had hope thru cute children acting as Angels turned them to Love, Hope & Faith finally
brought the PPC members back to the fold Another was the talk show put up by Fr. Felix & his team conveying the message of SCC’s. The speeches given by His Eminence, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, and also by His Lordship, Bishop Bosco were translated in
Hindi. A Hindi CD named SILVER JUBILEE OF SCC BY Rev. Fr. Ramesh D’Souza was released by Bishop Bosco. His Lordship,
Bishop Bosco sang the SCC Anthem and later we all had to join in & sing. The Compere for the evening was Ms. Jennifer
Padikal and Fr. Mario Mendes. The happiest part was our lay coordinator Mr. Vincy D’Cunha got a spot prize for his moustaches,
wherein he had to compete with Rev. Fr. Felix’s moustache. Vincy had to be coaxed to take part and he won a prize. The
program ended on time and everyone was happy ******************************************************************* My dear friends,
Peace of Jesus and warm regards…..!! Does God answer prayers…?? Of course He does… Look at all the rain we have had – enough
and more than enough…!! After all didn’t we ALL storm heaven to bless us with – well, not storms, but thunderstorms..??
So we got them…!! Yes, yes, God does answer prayers. And Yes..!! We finally have it… India’s first, and Mumbai’s very own Sea-link, from Worli
to Bandra…. What an engineering feat! And what a beautiful marvel, spanning the Arabian Sea. Kind of reminds me of the
link that we all share through the invisible yet potent bridge called PRAYER….. a bridge that can bring harmony and
peace into our private and public lives and as well as supply all and sundry needs….. A YEAR FOR PRIESTS starting 19 Independence, Freedom, Assumption and Grace are all celebrated in the forthcoming months of August and September.
When we look across our borders and far into the world, and see the intimidating forces of war and dangerous religious bigotry,
we cannot but cherish and hold dear our SECULAR AND FREEDOM - GRANTING CONSTITUTION AND STATE… Praise God for the country
and society we live in and perhaps take for granted….. We must also make our voices heard on behalf of those who are
living under dictatorships and oppressive regimes…. The perilous status of women is also highlighted by the Church by adulating and celebrating the GIRL CHILD
and womanhood in general. What a privilege to have our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, as the Patron of our Nation as well
as of all Women all across the world. The world mourned and appreciated an icon called Michael Joseph Jackson, who passed away this month. We can
see from that life, that all of us are capable of influencing others by our lives, our talents and our contribution –
positive or negative – to the world. And a good way of doing this is to share your thoughts through our very own parish
bulletin. Our next issue will feature ideas and articles for the months of October and November relating to Children’s
Day, All Souls and All Saints’ Day, remembering our loved ones, caring for children etc. Children are invited (with
the help of their parents) to write poems and essays for our bulletin on the above topics. May St. Joseph our Patron intercede for us all and God Bless you and your dear ones. Fr. Austin Norris
Priest-in-charge ***************************************** Curé d’Ars: Model Priest By Karna Swanson After more than 2,000 years of existence, there isn’t much the Church hasn’t addressed, faced
or witnessed. Granted, times change. New challenges continually present themselves. Progress is made. And while the Church
continually works to keep step with the twists and turns of history, it sometimes breaks step and simply returns to the basics. This is what Benedict XVI did recently when he declared a year-long celebration of one of the most basic
and fundamental elements of the Catholic Church: the priesthood. Beginning today, (19 The Pontiff chose as the occasion for this jubilee year the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Mary
Vianney, known as the Curé d’Ars. By linking the Year for Priests with St. Vianney, who is also the patron of parish priests, the jubilee not
only celebrates the basics of the Church, but also the basics of the priesthood itself. As a priest, Father Vianney took upon himself many of the projects parish priests take on. He set about restoring
the parish church, he founded an orphanage and did acts of charity for the poor. He also did some pretty extraordinary things.
He had supernatural knowledge of the future and the past, and he performed healing miracles, particularly on children. But it was in the basic duties of parish life that he excelled, namely preaching, offering spiritual direction,
and, most notably, hearing confessions. Rocky road John Mary Vianney was born in Dardilly, near Leon, in 1786. His early faith formation took place within the
context of the French Revolution, which pushed the practice of the Catholic faith underground. Later in his ministry, he would
deal with the consequences of the revolution, which led many of the faithful to leave the Church. The road to the priesthood wasn’t an easy path for Vianney. After finally getting his father’s
permission to pursue his calling, he still needed to get caught up on his studies, as the Revolution had interrupted his education.
If he wanted to be a priest, he’d have to go back to school with children half his age to learn the basics of reading,
writing and Latin. Almost nine years later, in 1815, Vianney was ordained. He was 29. Less than three years later, in 1818,
the young priest was assigned as the assistant pastor of the church in Ars, a small village located about 25 miles from Lyon
in eastern France. This is where he would spend the rest of his priestly life. Arriving in Ars, the young priest noticed the loss of Christian faith and morals around him, a lingering
by-product of the French Revolution. Father Vianney soon began to awaken the faith of his parishioners through his preaching,
but most of all by his prayer and his way of life. His fame as a holy priest grew slowly, and Father Vianney soon became known
as, simply, the Curé d’Ars (priest of Ars). Not paparazzi, penitents. By the 1830s, his popularity swelled to the extent that the holy priest became somewhat of a prisoner in
the confessional, held there by the hundreds of faithful arriving daily at the village to see the holy curé. Between 1830
and 1845, sometimes as many as 300 people a day would pass through Ars for a chance to confess with Father Vianney. Overwhelmed with his own sense of unworthiness and weakness in the face of such a great mission, the holy
priest tried three times to escape, but all attempts failed. On the third attempt his parishioners actually sent out a search
crew in the middle of the night to find him and put him back in the confessional. He stayed there until the wee hours of the
morning — hearing confessions. In 1853, a group of diocesan missionaries came to the aid of the overworked parish priest, who couldn’t
seem to get out of his confessional, let alone out of his own parish to take a holiday. His own bishop even told him not to
attend diocesan retreats, as Father Vianney had too many souls to attend to in Ars. By 1855, the number of pilgrims had reached 20,000 a year, and some 100,000 in 1858. There are reports that
during the last 10 years of his life, he spent as many as 18 hours a day in the confessional, and that toward the end of his
life, he confessed up to 80,000 penitents a year. Father Vianney spent the last five days of his life hearing his confessions from his deathbed. Exhausted,
the Curé d’Ars died Aug. 4, 1859. He was 73. The parish priest was beatified in 1905, and declared the patron of the priests of France that same year.
He was canonized 20 years later in 1925, and declared the patron saint of all parish priests in 1929. A hero In 1959, Pope John XXIII wrote a 13,000-word encyclical on St. John Mary Vianney on the centenary of the
saint’s death. He hailed the holy priest an "outstanding model of priestly asceticism, of piety, especially in the form
of devotion to the Eucharist, and, finally, of pastoral zeal." He was a "tireless worker for God," the Holy Father continued, and "a hero." "His only motives were the love of God and the desire for the salvation of the souls of his neighbors," the
Pontiff affirmed. Pope John XIII offered St. Vianney as a model for other priests because the saint was a man of God. This,
he said, was the secret to the priesthood: "A man who is filled with Christ will not find it hard to discover ways and means
of bringing others to Christ." The Curé d’Ars is also a model for priests because he, like few others, knew what being a priest was
all about. "Holy Orders," he wrote in his Catechism on the Priesthood, "is a sacrament which seems to relate to no one
among you, and which yet relates to everyone." A priest, he continued, is "a man who holds the place of God — a man who is invested with all the powers
of God." "Everything has come to us through the priest; yes, all happiness, all graces, all heavenly gifts," St. Vianney
affirmed. "If we had not the sacrament of Holy Orders, we should not have Our Lord. "Who placed him there, in that tabernacle? It was the priest. Who was it that received your soul, on its
entrance into life? The priest. Who nourishes it, to give it strength to make its pilgrimage? The priest. Who will prepare
it to appear before God, by washing that soul, for the last time, in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest — always
the priest." St. Vianney spoke of the priest as the doorway to the treasures of heaven, "He is the steward of the good
God, the distributor of his wealth." "Oh, how great is a priest," he exclaimed. So great, he noted, that it would be impossible for a priest to
"understand the greatness of his office till he is in heaven. If he understood it on earth, he would die, not of fear, but
of love." And a priest, he continued, "is not a priest for himself." It’s often overlooked that a priest does not confess himself or administer the sacraments for himself.
All of his priestly duties and functions are done for others. "He is not for himself," the holy Curé reminds us. "He is for
you." When you see a priest, you should say, "There is he who made me a child of God, and opened heaven to me by
holy baptism; he who purified me after I had sinned; who gives nourishment to my soul." "The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus," he added. "When you see the priest, think of Our Lord
Jesus Christ." This year, we have the opportunity to just do that. ********************************** A little boy’s explanation of God It was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista , CA . He wrote it for his third
grade homework assignment, to ‘explain God.’ I wonder if any of us could have done as well? ‘One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there
will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grownups, just babies. I think because they are
smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He
can just leave that to mothers and fathers.’ ‘God’s second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since
some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or
TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought
of a way to turn it off.’ ‘God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t
go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have..’ ‘Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista
. At least there aren’t any who come to our church.’ ‘Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles
and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. ‘His dad (God) appreciated everything that
he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn’t have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay
in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to
take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.’ ‘You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one
of them is on duty all the time.’ ‘You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody
you want to make happy, it’s God! Skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This
is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway.’ ‘If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your
parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re
scared, in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water b y big kids.’ ‘But...you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and
he can take me back anytime he pleases. And...that’s why I believe in God.’ *********************************** Zone III – St. Anthony Novenas and Feast Day Celebration Daisy Lobo The feast of St. Anthony of Padua, a doctor of the church and the patron saint of Zone III was celebrated
with much gusto by the members of the zone. The feast was preceded by a nine-day novena. Members of Zone III gathered in huge
numbers to honor St. Anthony. While the novenas were held in different homes for nine days, on the tenth day, 13 June, 2009,
which was the feast day of St. Anthony, the novena and a rosary, was recited at the statute of St Anthony, near the grotto
in the convent. Later cake and tea was served to all those present. Everyone relished the cake, which was prepared by one
of the Zone members. The feast of St. Anthony was celebrated the next day by the members of Zone III. The celebration of the feast
began with a feast mass at 09.15 hrs. The celebrant was Fr. Austin Norris. After the mass a get-together was organized at
12.00hrs at the Income Tax Colony hall. A large number of Zone III members participated in this get-together, which began
with games followed by a quiz and housie. Everybody enjoyed the games and prizes were distributed to the winners. After the games, every zone member was thanked for attending the novena in large numbers and helping in making
the get-together possible. Fr. Austin was presented with a bouquet of flowers and he in turn, praised the members of the zone
for participating so actively in every zonal function. Then Fr, Austin recited the Grace before Meals and lunch was served. The lunch was delicious and everyone
enjoyed it before dispersing. We thank the Parish Councilors and Animators of our Zone for organizing the Novenas and celebrations which brought so many
of us together in prayer and fellowship. **************************************** WAITING Teresa Aranha I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined to me and heard my cry. Ps 40- a psalm of David Fifteen long minutes at the bus stop and then the long bus ride to keep a doctor’s appointment for
which I was disgustingly late. My usual exercise to avoid stress was to use the stream of consciousness technique. I recalled
others who had waited and traveled. First came to mind the Israelites- waiting for the One who would save them from their oppressors. They got
Moses and the prophets, yet they grumbled, rejected and stoned them, and finally, crucified the One sent to bring them true
freedom- from Sin and Death. Later, among those Jews waiting in continuous prayer for the Messiah was a teenager. Her training in the
Temple at Jerusalem had equipped her for deep prayer. Whether or not Mary prayed to be the mother of the Promised One as most
young maidens of the time were said to be doing, she did pray fervently for His coming. And God requested her, though His
messenger, to be the mother of his Son! After clarifying her doubts she accepted the great offer. Then Mary waited again for 9 long months. But gave
birth to the Redeemer in a lowly stable in Bethlehem, her husband Joseph’s ancestor David’s town, where he had
taken her for the Jewish census ordered by the Roman Emperor Soon they fled to Egypt to save their son from Herod, the murderer, waiting as refugees for years till the
angel told them it was safe to return. They set up home in Nazareth and Jesus endured a long wait, helping at home and in
Joseph’s carpentry shop till he was 30, the time His Father had decreed for the start of his mission. And when the message
came, he went for his anointing to his cousin John who proclaimed that he was the Lamb of God. But still Jesus waited. For
40 days, fasting and wrestling with the Evil One in the desert, he purified and strengthened himself. Then began his whirlwind
mission. But 3 years of waiting were still left - for the twelve men he had chosen to learn what he had learnt from his Father
were not on his wave length. It must have seemed a long time to him because of their thick- headedness and at times his impatience
comes out- How long have I been with you and yet-? The New Testament shows us the aged Simeon and the prophetess Anna in the Temple waiting. ‘Now,’
says old Simeon, ‘you may let your servant go.’- giving God permission to take his life as he had seen the Redeemer
of Israel- the babe presented in the Temple by Mary and Joseph! Jesus’ parables are filled with waiting :‘Wait, let the weeds grow amidst the wheat and then
at harvest time separate the good from the bad,’ orders the Master; the Wise Virgins wait well-prepared for the bridegroom’s
arrival and gain entry into the house; the servants on whom the Master himself will wait when he finds them faithful in their
duties during his long absence and waiting for him.(Lk12: 35); the Prodigal Father’s love for his good- for- nothing
son making him wait every day despite his age atop a hill for the vagabond to return- what an image of God! Jesus waited till the fourth day when told that Lazarus his friend had died. He was no show-man but knowing
that his time was limited, he wanted to prove the Father’s power over life and death. And so the rotting corpse of Lazarus
came alive at Jesus’ word after lying in the tomb many days. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asks the 3 disciples to wait while he prays and then a gentle rebuke to
Peter, James and John: ‘Could you not watch one hour with me?’ The poet Francis Thompson in The Hound of Heaven speaks of how God not only waits for, but pursues the sinful
soul: ‘I fled him down the nights and down the days, I fled him down the arches of the night, I fled him down the labyrinthine ways of my own mind, and in the mist of tears, Fled from him……. Adown Titanic glooms of chasmed fears From those strong Feet that followed, followed after; But with unhurrying chase And unperturbed pace Deliberate speed, majestic instancy They beat……’ What hope for sinners from this beautiful poem? In the Old Testament, God waits while Lot begs him to spare Sodom and Gomorrah from his wrath- he’ll
find 40 good men, he says; then 30 good men; then 20- and God waits, knowing Lot will not find even one good man there. The
cities are destroyed. Noah waits to get his enormous Ark ready and then waits through 40 days of unceasing rain to settle on land
again; Jacob falls in love with Rachel at the well and waits and works 7 long years for her. Then he waits long, sad years
before his beloved son Joseph, victim of his brothers’ jealousy, sold into slavery and ending up as Pharaoh’s
right-hand man, is reconciled with him - and in what a way! Moses waits for this same Pharaoh’s descendant to finally
surrender to his God’s will; the Israelites wait for the start of their journey to freedom, loins girded and staffs
in hand, and then wander through the desert for 40 long years waiting to reach the Promised Land. Samuel waited till he had seen all Jesse’s sons and according to the seemingly quirky will of God,
anointed as King of Israel, the 12 year old David who was not even considered worthy of being presented to him. Waiting is a vital part of the Christian’s life- but do we wait for or do we wait on?
The two prepositions create such a vast difference in meaning. We may wait for many things- like for our prayers to
be answered- but waiting on the Lord? That is the essence- when God’s will becomes the focus of our waiting-
we wait on him like well-trained and respectful servants waiting for orders, saying like the young Samuel, ‘Here
I am Lord/ Is it I Lord?’ Or the beautiful words of Scripture read just recently at all masses- As the eyes of the servant
on the hands of the master…As the eyes of the servant on the hands of her mistress – thus should our eyes be watching
for whatever is in God’s mind concerning His work and which needs to be done by us. In his beautiful sonnet ‘On his Blindness’, the poet Milton, going blind at the height of his powers asks if
God will expect him to produce brilliant poetry, ‘light denied’. Hiding his one precious talent (writing poetry)
is death to him. Will the Master ask for an account as in the Parable of the Talents, he wonders. Finally, realising there
are thousands to do God’s bidding, he ends with that touching line, consoling himself: ‘They also serve who only
stand and wait.’ But the able- bodied are to be like the Father who, according to His son Jesus who imitated Him, works
ceaselessly, remembering that ‘He makes all things beautiful in His time.’ ****************************** LAITY SUNDAY CELEBRATION AT ST.MARY’S, MAZGAON ON 28 THEME: ONE IN SPIRIT AND ALL IN SERVICE PROMOTING PEACE AND HARMONY The Laity Sunday Celebration at St. Mary’s was attended by four of us from Legion of Mary, SVP, Women
Cell and SCC Co-ordinator. We journeyed by a private bus organized by the IC Parish, Borivali, and experienced their friendly
welcome. We travelled for an hour and reached our destination at Mazgaon at 5.00 p.m. As we entered tea and biscuits were
served and later we went for the programme which followed on the arrival of the Chief Guest. The programme began at 5.20 p.m. in the presence of Bishop Bosco Penha and Fr. Aniceto Pereira along with
the members of the OLCM. Fr. Aniceto warmly welcomed the laity, all priests and nuns present for the function. He said that
he was proud of the lay people for doing commendable work in their parishes. Then followed a talk by an eminent speaker, Jesuit
priest, Fr. Cedric Prakash, from the Justice and Peace Commission. He has won National and International Awards for his outstanding
work. He said that the Laity is still not empowered in the Church. Jesus had wanted the laity to be empowered with leadership
i.e. servant leadership. Just as he washed the feet of his disciples, so also our service should be service to others. We
should take a firm stand for Truth and Justice and be aware of our fundamental rights such as to practice the Religion of
one’s choice. There are fundamentalists in our society but we as citizens should be committed and challenged. The divine
fire should ignite love and respect in us for one another. Don’t wait to take power but accept leadership. For entertainment, a game of Housie was played, the mike being passed to the members of the audience who
called out the number of their choice. It was different but enjoyable. Later three lay people were felicitated for their outstanding
performances by Bishop Bosco. Then a booklet written by Dr. Valerie was released by the Bishop. Bishop Bosco, in his talk,
thanked all the lay people for their dedicated parish work. He said that it is sometimes hard for the laity to devote their
time but it is the Spirit that enlightens their minds and hearts and encourages them to keep on working. He also mentioned
that he often personally calls up several lay persons and thanks them for their dedicated services. Pope John Paul II had
emphasised that every lay person should be involved in some Ministry. The programme ended with a prayer service which included a hymn, a Scripture reading and intercessory prayers
in various languages. Everyone was given a Holy Spirit Magnet, which Bishop Bosco blessed. A vote of thanks was given by one of the OLCM member and the celebration ended at 8.10 p.m. As we moved out
of the Auditorium, snacks and Fruity were served to all. We returned by the same bus and thanked the IC parishioners for their
kindness and friendly gesture which made us feel so much at home. We sincerely thank our Priest-in-charge (Fr. Austin) for
his encouragement and concern in enabling us to deepen our involvement in rendering Service to others. -Maria Rodrigues **************************************************************************** ********************************* INTERVIEW WITH GOD Contributed by Sr. Maureen Fonseca I dreamed I had an interview with God. "Come in," God said. "So, you would like to interview Me?" "If you
have the time," I said. God smiled and said: "My time is eternity and is enough to do everything; what questions do you have
in mind to ask me?" "What surprises you most about mankind?" God answered: "That they get bored of being children, are in a rush
to grow up, and then long to be children again. That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore
their health. That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, so that they live neither for the present
nor the future." God’s hands took mine and we were silent for a while and then I asked…."As a parent, what are
some of life’s lessons you want your children to learn?" God replied with a smile: · · · · · · ******************************** Happenings From the Women’s Cell Desk - Marie Forbes & Norma Vashi The holidays and the sweltering heat of summer have been forgotten as we soak in the smells and freshness
of the monsoon. We are refreshed by God’s showers of blessings and are rejuvenated. Aren’t we now ready to rededicate
and commit ourselves to our work in the church and do it all for the greater glory of God ? Laity Sunday was on 28 We at Women’s Cell are happy to welcome 4 new members, and extend our good wishes to all new members
of the other Associations. Women Cell Members of parishes in the Andheri, Borivali and Bhayander Deanery had their Annual Meet at St.
Blaise Church-Amboli on 04 July. We had an evaluation done of the last year’s programs and activities. Suggestions and
ideas were exchanged for the current year and future activities were listed. We had a Bible sharing and prayer session. We
women entrusted our mission and vision to Jesus for He showed us by His approach to the crippled woman and to so many
others that he came to break women from the shackles of society created by superstition and tradition – by his words,
"WOMAN YOU ARE FREE " Luke 13:12. Snacks were served and the meeting ended with the hymn ‘The world stands in need of liberation my Lord’.
It’s never too late to join -so please think again, and help make St. Joseph’s Parish Women’s Cell a
living witness to Christ’s vision and mission. SAY NO TO VIOLENCE - SAY YES TO LOVE. ****************************************** YOUTH RETREAT Clara Abhang Praise the Lord!!! I would like to share our experience at the youth retreat which was held in Tabor on
June 11th-14th.This four day retreat really helped all the youth who had come from different parishes in large numbers. About
8-10 youth from our parish had come for the retreat. It was really a wonderful experience. The Inner Healing, infilling of
the Holy Spirit, Confession & Counselling really helped us to change our minds and decide to take the right decisions
of our life. But it was really sad to see only a very few of the youth from our parish. Hope those who were
not able to come for this retreat may come in large numbers for the next retreat. On behalf of all the youth who attended
this retreat I would like to thank our parish priest for giving us this great opportunity. Thank you once again & may almighty God bless you. Family Life Michael Coelho With Laity Sunday just behind us, our memories are probably still buzzing with Fr Austin’s blistering
missile on the roles and responsibilities of "Us Laity" in the Parish. I for one received both the intended "bolt" from the
sermon as well as- hmm - to some divine intervention which helped open my eyes and my heart to play my role in the Parish.
The Parish is a union of families. Families from all walks of life, some with a truckload of talent shared
among the family members, some others with talent but waiting to be encouraged (or even threatened!), some with sorrows- with
some member being ill or possibly, someone having gone to the heavenly kingdom. But families they are! What makes a Family? A typical family comprises parents and children, and some fortunate families have the grandparents as well!
Each member plays his/her respective role so as to make the family what it is, or better still, give it its own identity in
the community or Parish. The identity is typically to do with how people around perceive the family by way of the conduct
of members, the manner in which they interact both within and outside the family, the ability to reach out to others, participation
in the Church and community activities at large. Like any other group of people, the identity for the most part is dependant on the extent to which the family
members are "Connected". In today’s world, the pressures and demands of society, education, work, extended family, etc
are defining factors that help establish the Connect between family members. These external influences aside, for the most
part it is the parents who help create the family culture, by establishing the practices or setting the frequencies on which
the family will operate. Parents have several roles to play within as well as outside the family and are commonly referred to as Father
/ Mother, Husband / Wife, neighbour, colleague etc. Focusing on the family aspect it is these roles of Father / Mother, Husband
/ Wife I’d like to dwell on. Are these roles interchangeable? Do they differ? Are they typecast? Is there an ideal role model for any
of the 4 roles? Are they tangible? The questions could be endless but the core remains the same, irrespective of one’s
lineage, caste or creed. The 4 roles were designed to create a foundation for the family to provide identity, security, a
symbol of love and togetherness and possibly, an example for others to follow. Parents like all human beings take their cue
or their "Parent / Spouse Model" from someone they admired when they were younger and probably developed a sense of the kind
of parent they’d like to be as and when the time was upon them. The spouses are influenced by their respective upbringings and those who influenced them in the way they act in their roles
as spouses. Parents, aunts or uncles could have helped them create a base model as spouse and parent which could undergo some changes with the advent of marriage or parenthood. I had the privilege of coming from a large family that comprised Mum, Dad and 4 siblings. Like all families
we had our highs and lows in our life together as family, the nature and severity of these changing with the years and changes
in the personalities and priorities of each member of the family. While there are endless memories of the "Good Times" (nothing
to do with Beer or Kingfisher!) some defining memories helped me form what I’d term ‘possible Role models’
for when I became a Husband, and in time, a Father. The Husband is not one who asserts himself with creating rules and ‘must dos’ for the family.
Instead, he is the one who influences through love and example what is most appropriate for the family. With marriage, family
life becomes a confluence of family ways and the priorities of both spouses. It is not necessarily the smoothest of transitions
as it involves human beings, but with time, patience and love the confluence assumes calm and reassuring characteristics.
My own upbringing helped me realise that there is no set domain for Father or Mother but both are meant to be complementary
in nature to ensure seamlessness in overlapping roles. Since my wife is out of town for a fair bit given the nature of her
job, I have the privilege of managing the house in terms of day to day operations, playing father and mother to our only child,
ensuring groceries are in place, managing the help and of course, ensuring the house is spotless when the Lady returns. I
love my roles as Father and Mother and hope like crazy that my son feels the same way. So in lighter vein, I become Mr and
Mrs Coelho for that bit when my wife is away from home. I do certainly relish the time when I get back to being Mr Coelho.
Obviously, Mrs Coelho is best playing Mrs Coelho and the overall atmosphere in our home is absolute proof of this. Playing Father and Mother to our son has not been as easy or successful as playing my role as husband. There
are so many attributes that are personal to my wife and in the way she plays her role as a mother. Not all of us have the
privilege of deciding our fate or careers and the less fortunate make the best of the given circumstances. That has been the
hallmark of my role as Father and/or Mother. Probably the most defining facet of the Mother’s personality is not being
a toughie and having that feminine quality which is endearing and most required for our son in demanding circumstances. The
patient and listening ear, the sensitive reaction to a painful experience, the soothing touch or, till not so long ago, bathing
our son when she was in town. The father’s temperament, with the (sometimes imagined) need to be tough and independent,
is not always the most appropriate approach to a situation and could create a natural disaster at home when it was least required. Both the above roles, can be far from being beds of roses. Misconceptions, hurt feelings, relationship disasters
are all part of the game. A family with perfect members would probably make for a lackluster family life with no real defining
features or excitement. One of the most telling lessons I learnt as a member of my family was that it finally is about Family. It is the easiest
thing to take family for granted and as part of this fallout, when one gains acceptance outside the family, the family
connection fails miserably. A real life example was when as part of my college life in Bangalore, the highlight of the summer
vacation was the summer camps organised in major parishes. During these camps, each of us siblings discovered new friends,
made new alliances and the like which at that time seemed far more exciting and endearing than our sibling relationships.
It was then that my Mother pointed out that as soon as the siblings gained external popularity or social acceptance, the family
ties suffered and hence it was important to maintain family orientation. Friends and fantasies were all temporary for the
most part, but not the family. While it seemed to be untrue and hard to believe when we had stars in our eyes and emotions
all over the place, it was with age and wisdom that I saw the truth in what Mum said. Each family has its own equations within itself and with the outside world, making it unique. The underlying
need to focus inwards on the family and accept our respective roles in the appropriate manner help towards a more fruitful
and loving family. To sum it up, I’d say it takes the Father and Husband in the Man and the Wife and the Mother in the Woman to make
the Home a nucleus of Love, Togetherness, Trust and Joy or in other words a Little Church. Children are born of the couple’s
love and take their cue from the message shared by the parents. And so, life goes. My parents nurtured and supported me as
my wife’s parents supported her. Our son, we pray, will do the same. A lovely song to learn, sing and help add a lovely
lilt to spousal love, is the one sung by the Seekers ‘There’s a New World Somewhere" ***************************************************************** PARISH BULLETIN FOR JUNE - JULY 2009 My dear friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards…..!! June and July the monsoon months are here and what sweet relief…!! It is back to books and school and
classes and lectures and work and what not… well one should not complain as our life is made up of the hustle and bustle
as well as the rest and recouping that is so welcome. Beginnings, even in terms of new academic endeavours, are a great time to plan, re-focus and re-invent. Sure,
one must plan the scholastic / university year so as to re-focus on priorities and re-invent strategies for success and greater
achievements. As we celebrate the year 2009 to be a Year of Peace and Harmony, the Holy Father has also declared, starting
19 The month of June is also synonymous with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Most
of our homes have altars whereon the frames of Jesus and Mary and the Crucifix and other patron Saints are prominently displayed
and around which we gather for our family prayer including the Rosary. This is indeed a wonderful and noteworthy tradition;
but we must put into practice what we pray for, and about, so that our witness to Jesus Christ will be meaningful and powerful
as well…. The month of July comes with is own unique flavour of first unit test fever and to sooth the same the warm
and loving feast of Sts. Joaquim and Anne, patrons of our dear Parents. And so once again we have the opportunity to say "
We thank you and Love you, dear Mum and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma".. through our cards and prayers and felicitation programmes.
So loosen your heart-strings and let your appreciation and gratitude flow…! On the parish level, we hope to move on with our Church Building Plans and please God, we will get there
in "God’s Good Time". Let us intercede at our daily family prayers for this special intention. Our next issue will feature
our Blessed Mother, the Girl Child and other related issues. So send in your articles and reports on community activities
and poems etc, for a selective publication of the same. May St. Joseph our Patron intercede for us all and God Bless you and your dear ones.Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-charge *************************** Eight principles to live by "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity..." Proverbs 21:5 NLT People who set goals accomplish much more than people of equal education and ability who don’t. With
that in mind, build these eight principles into your life. (1) Decide what you want. But first consult God. "Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the
Lord’s purpose that prevails" (Pr 19:21 NIV). (2) Think on paper. Writing your goals down gives them a sense of permanency, plus it energises you. "Good
planning and hard work lead to prosperity..." Wishy-washy objectives won’t get you where you want to go. (3) Establish a deadline. Without a definite beginning and ending it’s easy to procrastinate and get
nowhere. (4) Make a list of what you need to do to. Keep it before you at all times; it’ll give you a track
to run on. (5) Convert your list to a plan. Decide what you need to do first and what you can do later. An organised
plan is always better than trying to carry stuff around in your head. (6) Act immediately. "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of
every opportunity..." (Eph 5:15-16 NIV). Do something! A mediocre plan that’s implemented beats a brilliant one that’s
not. (7) Do something every day to move you forward. Build it into your schedule. For example, read systematically
through your Bible, call a specific number of clients, engage in physical activity for a given time. (8) Have a goal you’re willing to devote your life to. And keep your eye on that goal at all times.
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Ps 90:12 NIV). ************************************ Pope Gives Kids a Task: Teach Parents About Love Urges Them to Learn From Child Jesus NAZARETH, Israel, MAY 14, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is suggesting that peace in the Middle East could
be delivered by the hands of children, noting that youngsters following the example of the Child Jesus could teach their parents
about love. The Pope offered this idea today when he celebrated his largest Mass yet during his weeklong pilgrimage to
the Holy Land. He returns to Rome on Friday. An estimated 50,000 faithful turned out for the event at the Mount of the Precipice,
traditionally held to be the site where angry Nazarenes wanted to throw Jesus off the cliff (cf. Luke 4:29). As the local Church in the Holy Land is marking a year of the family, the Pontiff focused his message on
families and the key role they play in society. He began the homily reminding that the family in "God’s plan is based on the lifelong fidelity of a
man and a woman consecrated by the marriage covenant and accepting of God’s gift of new life." "How much the men and women of our time need to reappropriate this fundamental truth, which stands at the foundation of
society, and how important is the witness of married couples for the formation of sound consciences and the building of a
civilization of love," the Holy Father reflected.Peacemakers Referring to the Child Jesus and citing "Gaudium et Spes," Benedict XVI went on to consider the particular
mission faced by children in the Middle East, suggesting that they could have a key role in helping the region. "The Second Vatican Council teaches that children have a special role to play in the growth of their parents
in holiness," the Pope recalled, "I urge you to reflect on this, and to let the example of Jesus guide you, not only in showing
respect for your parents, but also helping them to discover more fully the love which gives our lives their deepest meaning.
"In the Holy Family of Nazareth, it was Jesus who taught Mary and Joseph something of the greatness of the
love of God his heavenly Father, the ultimate source of all love, the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth
takes its name. "Dear friends, in the Opening Prayer of today’s Mass we asked the Father to ‘help us to live as the Holy Family,
united in respect and love.’ Let us reaffirm here our commitment to be a leaven of respect and love in the world around
us."Women And for the second time during his pilgrimage in the Middle East, Benedict XVI dedicated a central theme
of his discourse to the defense of women. (On Sunday in Jordan at the open-air Mass in Amman International Stadium, he picked
up the same theme.) Mentioning Mary, the mother of the Holy Family, the Pope said: "Nazareth reminds us of our need to acknowledge
and respect the God-given dignity and proper role of women, as well as their particular charisms and talents. "Whether as mothers in families, as a vital presence in the work force and the institutions of society, or
in the particular vocation of following our Lord by the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience, women have
an indispensable role in creating that ‘human ecology’ which our world, and this land, so urgently needs: a milieu
in which children learn to love and to cherish others, to be honest and respectful to all, to practice the virtues of mercy
and forgiveness." But the Holy Father had a particular message for men as well. ******************************** PARISH PICNIC – 26 Anita Dsouza On Sunday, the 26 As soon as we reached, we started with mass, celebrated by Fr. Austin at Church of St. Bonaventure. After
mass, we had breakfast consisting of Puri Baji, tea, coffee and fruit. Eight teams were formed which were given funny names like Slum Royals, Delicate darlings Masakali & so
on. Warming up began with each team, one by one, dancing to the music played. We then proceeded to the beach for team games. All members, young & old participated despite the scorching
sun. Near each team was placed a bucket of water with a tumbler. The game began with each member holding a bottle
on the head, pouring water into the bottle while moving to the other end & emptying the water collected into another bottle.
After 5 mts., the team that collected the maximum amount of water won. Tug of War without the rope with each team member holding on to the other was hilarious with most of the
members falling down on the sand. Sack race wherein team members had to pick up sunglasses in between the race, circle a bottle & return
back. It seemed to be tedious for older people while youngsters jumped with the sack merrily. Balancing a balloon on the cheeks of 2 members at a time & moving to the finish without dropping was
dicey since it would slip down due to the sweaty faces. Most of us enjoyed golas on the beach. All of us then cooled down with lassi & began with ‘Housie". We then settled down for lunch which we had brought along & shared our lunch with each other. After a
little rest, we had a game for children & other games for adults like passing on the hat, hanger through the clothes etc. We then went for a walk & a dip on the beach which was followed by prize distribution. All of us got
into our respective buses & started our return journey through traffic jams which gave us more time for Antakshari. It was an enjoyable picnic, a community get-together. Our thanks to Fr. Austin & Fr. Lincoln & the organizers for
the wonderful time we had together. ************************************ Poem to MUM My son came home from school one day, With a smirk upon his face. He decided he was smart enough, To put me in my place. ‘Guess what I learned in Civics Two, that’s taught by Mr. Wright? It’s all about the laws today, The ‘Children’s Bill of Rights.’ It says I need not clean my room, Don’t have to cut my hair No one can tell me what to think, Or speak, or what to wear. I have freedom from religion, And regardless what you say, I don’t have to bow my head, And I sure don’t have to pray. I can wear earrings if I want, And pierce my tongue & nose. I can read & watch just what I like, Get tattoos from head to toe. And if you ever spank me, I’ll charge you with a crime. I’ll back up all my charges, With the marks on my behind. Don’t you ever touch me, My body’s only for my use, Not for your hugs and kisses, that’s just more child abuse. Don’t preach about your morals, Like your Mother did to you. That’s nothing more than mind control, And it’s illegal too! Mum, I have these children’s rights, So you can’t influence me, Or I’ll call Children’s Protective Services, Better known as C.P.S. Mum’s Reply Of course my first instinct was To toss him out the door. But the chance to teach him a lesson Made me think a little more. I mulled it over carefully, I couldn’t let this go. A smile crept upon my face, he’s messing with a pro.. Next day I took him shopping At the local Goodwill Store. I told him, ‘Pick out all you want, there’s shirts & pants galore. I’ve called and checked with C.P.S. Who said they didn’t care If I bought you K-Mart shoes Instead of those Nike Airs. I’ve cancelled that appointment To take your driver’s test. The C.P.S. Is unconcerned So I’ll decide what’s best. ‘ I said ‘No time to stop and eat, Or pick up stuff to munch. And tomorrow you can start to learn To make your own packed lunch. Just save the raging appetite, And wait ‘til dinner time. We’re having lamb’s fry and onions, A favorite dish of mine.’ He asked ‘Can I please rent a movie, To watch on my VCR?’ ‘Sorry, but I sold your TV, For new tyres on my car. I also rented out your room, You’ ll take the couch instead. The C.P.S. Requires just a roof above your head. Your clothing won’t be trendy now, and I’ll choose what we eat. That allowance that you used to get, Will buy me something neat. I’m selling off your jet ski, Dirt-bike & roller blades. Check out the ‘Parents Bill of Rights’, It’s in effect today! Hey hot shot, are you crying, Why are you on your knees? Are you asking God to help you out, Instead of C.P.S.?’ ***************************** A husband’s nightmare... A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud,
with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife’s car was open,
as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and
the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a
cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the
kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open
wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread
by the back door. He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his
wife. He was worried she may be ill, or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle
of water as it made its way out the bath room door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and
more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror
and walls. As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading
a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?" She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what
in the world did I do today?" "Yes," was his incredulous reply. She answered, "Well, today I didn’t do it." **************************************************************** ONE LIFE TO LOVE – DO IT WITH LOVE Norma Vashi Start the day with love Fill the day with love Spend the day with love End the day with love. Be happy, make others happy The world is full of beauty When the heart is full of love. DARE TO BE DIFFERENT Clinton Fernandes If you think you are beaten, you are, If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you like to win but think you can’t It is almost certain you won’t. If you think you’ll lose, you are lost, For in this world we find Success begins with a fellow’s will, It’s all in the state of mind. If you think you are outclassed, you are, You’ve got to think high to rise. You have got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize. Life’s battle don’t always go, To the stronger or the faster man, But sooner or later, the man who wins Is the man WHO THINKS HE CAN. ************************************** SUNDAY SCHOOL PICNIC Sheldon Fernandes On 19 When we reached Madh Island, we first had our breakfast. Then we went on the beach and played some games.
Some of the children went deep into the water. We also played housie and football. At about 1.00 p.m. we had our lunch. We brought our meals and shared it with our friends. Then we continued
playing more games. Once more we went to the beach and this time we had more fun than the previous time. More children got
wet, even the children who did not have spare clothes to change. We had played in the water for almost one and a half hour. At 4.30 p.m. we had to leave. At that time Father took us to the chapel and we thanked the Lord for the trip
and to take us safely home. Many children lost their things but it did not matter. There was Kevin Menezes, the expert in
Biblical Quiz and Sheldon Fernandes who was a good dancer on the place and many more yet to search. We enjoyed the trip very much and we requested Father to take us at least once a year. We thank our parents, teachers and the Fathers who made this day a special one for all of us. *********************** The World We Make A.G. Walton We make the world in which we live By what we gather and what we give, By our daily deeds and the things we say, By what we keep or we cast away. We make our world by the beauty we see In a skylark’s song or lilac tree, In a butterfly’s wing, in the pale moons’ rise, And the wonder that lingers in midnight skies. We make our world by the life we lead, By the friends we have, by the books we read, By the pity we show in the hour of care, By the loads we lift and the love we share. We make our world by the goals we pursue, By the heights we seek and the higher view, By hopes and dreams that reach the sun And a will to fight till the heights are won. What is the place in which we dwell, A hut or a palace, a heaven or hell We gather and scatter, we take and we give, We make our world—and there we live. ******************************** MONEY, MONEY, MONEY Mr. Simon D’Costa I read recently an article on financial planning. The author writes about financial planning as something
all of us need to do. While it is prudent and advisable to have a financial plan, I had a problem with the author’s
zeal in trying to sell financial planning as a cure for all ills. As I understood it, he seemed to be saying that money is
the most important thing in this world. Is money important? It is important as long as we are living in this world. Is it
the most important thing? I am afraid that if we introspect we shall find that many of us look at money as the most important
thing in our lives. We virtually worship it. As Christians, we should look at money as a gift from God and should be used
in a manner that will please Him. There are many people who live without food, shelter and clothing. Are we doing anything for them? I am not
competent to answer this question for you. As for me, I can say that I am hardly doing anything for them. Money is very important
for me, almost the most important thing in my life. To let go of a few thousand rupees hurts me more than the plight of many
who are dying of hunger. As a Christian, am I expected to do more? I would think so. Jesus told us that whatever we do to
the least of His brothers, we do unto Him. A question comes to my mind. Have we diluted Christianity? Again I am not competent
to answer this question for you. As for me, I must plead guilty. I interpret Christianity to suit me so that my life can be
comfortable and trouble-free. Many years ago I read this: money can buy me medicine, not health, money can buy me lovely beds
not sleep, money can buy me books not wisdom and many other lovely thoughts. Today, money has become my master and I its slave. To love one another, Jesus told us, is the greatest commandment. Money can be a wonderful means to express our love. There
are too many people in this world dying of hunger and for lack of medicine. They need our love. In one of the movies I saw
many years ago, the character in the movie meets God and tells Him to do something for the suffering millions. God replies,
"Why did I create you?" In another movie I saw the character scream, "Don’t tell me you love me, show it!" Many of us,
by God’s grace, are doing well. Let us just not say we are Christians; let us show it. ***************************** On the subject called LIFE Michelle Castellino Schools educate children in understanding the dynamics of this complex world we live in. Colleges take a
step further in adding enhancements to the individual talent and building his/her potential. However out of this cushy academic sojourn, and a dip into the corporate world, a fresher will tell you that
their first hand rendezvous with real life certainly put them off. While some are able to stand the test of time, others are
knocked out cold. Statistics reveal that 20% of new employees do not last a year. 1 in 10 employees go into a depression, while
some settle for low profile jobs. Ever wondered why these occurrences are common with a fresher? Well, it’s simply because no one trained
them on a subject called LIFE. No one told them about office politics, understanding company culture, the grapevine, work
stress and how to deal with it. When to speak - when not to, how to swallow criticism, how to build one’s USP and how
to work in a team and above all, how to build – ‘a never say die attitude’. In a cosmopolitan country like India, it is imperative to understand topics that touch or hurt another individual.
Besides daily homework, take time out to teach your child the nuances of the corporate world. This can be done by oral conversations,
giving them the right novel to read. There are movies too that give a learning experience on the fresher’s life. You have to instill confidence and faith in your child. Imbibe qualities like patience and endurance. So tomorrow, if anyone
tells them – ‘your worthless’, then instead of crumbling, they can stand tall because they believe in you
and your teachings. It is in our hands to make our children excel in the subject called LIFE. ************************************** Priests Urged to Open Their Hearts Wide Clergy Dicastery Prepares to Celebrate the Priesthood VATICAN CITY, JUNE 5, 2009 (Zenit.org).- As the Year for Priests is set to begin, the Congregation for Clergy
is encouraging priests to enter the celebration with a "wide open heart." Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, secretary of the Congregation for Clergy, wrote this in a letter he sent to the
priests of the world ahead of the June 19 inauguration. Benedict XVI will open the year with a celebration of vespers on the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The theme for the priestly year is "Faithfulness of Christ, Faithfulness of Priests." The year coincides with the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars, and
the inauguration event will be held in the presence of the relic of the Curé of Ars, to be brought to Rome by Bishop Guy Bagnard
of Belley-Ars. The Year for Priests will conclude with an International Convention in Rome, to be held June 9-11, 2010. The archbishop said the Year for Priests promises to be "an intense moment of faith" for the priests of the
world, together with Benedict XVI. He said priests are called every day — and much more so during this year — "to be ever more authentically
that which we already are, [to] conversion to our ecclesial identity of which our ministry is a necessary consequence, so
that a renewed and joyous awareness of our ‘being’ will determine our ‘acting,’ or rather will create
the space allowing Christ the Good Shepherd to live in us and to act through us." "Our spirituality must be nothing other than the spirituality of Christ himself," the prelate added, "the
one and only supreme High Priest of the New Testament." Archbishop Piacenza noted that the main work of the Year for Priests will be to "concentrate on the identity
of Christ the Son of God [...] and on his mission to reveal the Father and his wondrous plan of salvation. This mission of
Christ carries with it the building up of the Church: Behold the Good Shepherd who gives his life for the Church." The archbishop urged priests to take up the challenge so that "Christ’s manner of life may be the manner
of life made ever more manifest in each one of us." He continued: "We must exist for others, we must undertake to live with the People in a union of holy and
divine love — which clearly presupposes the richness of holy celibacy — which obliges us to live in authentic
solidarity with those who suffer and who live in a great many types of poverty. "We must be laborers for the building up of the one Church of Christ, for which we must live purposefully
and faithfully the communion of love with the Pope, with the bishops, with our brother priests and with the faithful. We must
live this communion with the unbroken pilgrimage of the Church within the very sinews of the Mystical Body." *************************************** Our Summer Holiday Club As teenagers, my sister Joyce and I had joined ‘Have-a-Heart’ Club started by the late Mr. Maurice
Concescio in the early 50s where we learnt the latest pop-hit songs. It was then that I developed a taste for music, singing,
dancing and socializing. When I joined the Convent in 1957, all of this took a back seat for many years. Though I did make a few small
attempts about ten years ago to revive the spirit of that club, it was only this May that I was able to do so in full swing. About 30 children from Stds. II to IX enrolled for the ‘Summer Holiday Club’ held twice a week
from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon in the Convent parlour where I enjoyed exploring all that was stored in my heart for the last
60 years. I praise and thank the Lord for giving me this splendid opportunity to share my joy as I taught them the
very basics of public speaking, creative writing, drawing, music, singing, dancing and drama. Thanks to Fr. Austin Norris who encouraged and appreciated my effort by sponsoring snacks for the children. Sister Maureen Fonseca *************** Our Summer Holiday Club was really very interesting and a fantastic one. It was held by our parish and was
conducted by Sister Maureen. She taught us many good things like being a brave and responsible person, and how to face different
calamities and first of all about Jesus our Saviour. I liked the way Sister explained to us each and every important thing. I really liked this club and enjoyed
very much. Last but not the least, a big Hurray for Sister Maureen. Manav Vats, Class: VII My friends, How are you? I want you all to know about our Holiday Club conducted by Sister Maureen. On the first day, she taught us about public speaking and gave us a good explanation. Then she told us to
speak for 1 min. to our friends. On the second day, we were taught about music; she told us that it came from God. In the
third class we were taught that dancing is very important because when we dance we praise God. In the fourth class we were
told to write our own story. Many children wrote funny stories, while some wrote serious ones. We enjoyed listening. In the
fifth class, we were told to sing songs for God and all of us sang the songs. In the sixth class, we were told to act a play.
We all acted different plays. Before each class, we were playing. Next year I want all to come for the Holiday Club. Joel Joy When the summer vacation started, it was announced in the church that Sister Maureen was to start a holiday
club in St. Joseph Convent. I enrolled for it. On the first day we were asked to introduce ourselves. Sister Maureen told
us that we would learn public speaking and creative writing but it was not only that, there were many other activities such
as singing, dancing, games and card making. We made cards for our parents and for Fr. Austin, whose birthday is on 19 One day, she offered us a pizza and we ate it greedily. On another day, she offered us samosas and soft drink.
You must have guessed by now that her class was never a boring affair. Whenever she found that we were getting tired or bored,
she would send us out to play. I will always remember Sister Maureen’s Holiday Club. Most of all, I will remember Sister Maureen as
a kind lady who cared for children. May God bless her and give her a long life so that she many help many more children like
us. When I grow up…..this is what I want to do / be: 1. I want to be a doctor 2. I also have a dream to become a dentist 3. I want to have good manners / behaviour 4. I will help others 5. I will be kind 6. I will be polite 7. I will be caring 8. I will be a good person 9. I will help my parents 10. But whatever I do I will do good. Simona Chandwani, Class: IV The Holiday Club began on 5 Jacelyn and Rachel Menezes, Class: III During the summer vacation, Sister Maureen started a Holiday Club for children and adults on Tuesday and
Thursdays at 10.30 a.m. This club was started for those children who were feeling bored at home and were not going out on
a holiday. The club was like a school for us and she was like a friendly teacher. On our first day, Sister Maureen told
us to write on our mother and as homework she told us to write on our father. She told us to come early so that we could play
carrom. She told us to be bold. She taught us a song. She told us about the story of David and Goliath. On some days we were
served chocolates, pizza, samosas and cold drinks. We enjoyed the club and we hope that every year we get an opportunity to join the club. Kevin Menezes, Class: IX The time that was being wasted became useful, because of the Holiday Club conducted by Sister Maureen in
the first week of May i.e. 5 Sister Maureen taught us creative writing, public speaking, music, storytelling, story writing, drawing,
jokes, illustrative jokes, exercise and many more. Sister Maureen also explained the importance of all the activities. She
gave us some homework so that we may be busy. The Summer Holiday Club has also given us lot of good work to do. Flavia Fds It was conducted by Sister Maureen on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10.00 to 11.30 am. Sister Maureen used
to teach us music, creative writing, public speaking, etc. On the first day, she taught us about Who is God. Then she taught
us about music and who invented it. Then she told us to write about My Mother and My Father. She also told us to write about
Parents’ Day and asked us to say what we have written like public speaking. She even taught us a song "Jesus loves me".
We played some games, wrote funny jokes and we used to have exercises. We used to write stories and would receive prizes.
I love the Summer Holiday Club. Valerina Fernandes I joined the Holiday Club on 19 Naomi Creado and Rhea – Class V *************************** BOMBAY CATHOLIC SABHA – ANNUAL DAY – 26TH April 2009 Stanley D’Cunha. Bombay Catholic Sabha function at St.Paul’s Church,Parel was well attended.The Key note address By
Maharashtra Governor His Excellency Mr.Jamir was very powerful touching the subject like present day politics including the
so called cry by fundamentalists on Conversion.He went on emphasizing the need for conversation of minds of people quoting
from the Holy Bible the story of the man who waited 38 years near the well till Jesus Cured him.He said even after 60 years
of freedom we are still waiting for some one to come and cure us. We are so grateful for the support and encouragement given to our Unit by You.May Jesus Bless you for all
that you are doing for the growth of the Sabha. His Eminence Cardinal Oswald Gracias Celebrated The Holy Mass and Praised the Sabha for the work done in
Socio Political arena and declared that the Bombay Catholic Sabha is the Official Lay man’s Association of Arch Dioceses
Of Bombay. We want to express our thanks to the Parishioners for their support extended to the Sabha. 26 people from
our Parish attended the Function. Our Unit was declared as one of the Best Runner up Unit along with Orlem. ********************************** CELEBRATION IN ZONE II The Zone II get-together was held on 30 The programme started with a prayer to St. Joseph, our patron saint.St. Joseph had an important part to play
in the story of salvation. He played his part perfectly but silently and selflessly. If we are given a part to play in any
event, we want to be seen, heard and appreciated. St. Joseph was different. It is, therefore, possible that he was picked
by God to be the foster father of Jesus on account of his selfless nature. Jesus said that He had come to serve and not to
be served. Could He have learnt this from St. Joseph? Jesus, besides being God, was fully man. Was He, therefore, influenced
by his foster father in some way? It is best to leave such questions for the experts to answer. I will only say that a good
Christian must be like St. Joseph – an unsung hero. I think I have already digressed too much. Coming to the programme, it can be said, without any doubt, that it was full of fun and frolic. Fr. Lincoln
with his delectable sense of humour, made it an evening to remember. Thes games were enjoyable and the prizes plenty. Then
came the most important part of the evening – the dinner. The dinner consisted of pulav, vegetables in gravy, chicken
curry, salad and papad. Fr. Lincoln instructed us to eat as much as we wanted but not to waste food. We did full justice to
the first part, with such wonderful fare, nobody was foolish to waste anything. Finally came the favourite of us all, young
and old – the ice-cream. There was plenty of it. Many had second and third helpings. We must thank Fr. Austin, Fr. Lincoln and, I think, the cook for this delightful evening. We must of course not forget
Mercy, Doris, Agnel, Charles, Stanley and Vincy. When we left that evening, these poor souls had not even eaten. ************************** CCBI National Symposium at St. Pius X College, Goregaon Francis D’Mello Under the auspices of the Theological and Doctrinal Commission of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India
(CCBI), 650 delegates from all over India participated in the National Symposium to reflect on the Church’s Social Doctrine
with regard to the theme "Promoting a Civilisation of Peace". The Symposium was held at St. Pius X College, Goregaon (E),
Mumbai from 13 The convention centered around five challenges facing us in India today viz. Poverty, Human Rights violations,
Euthanasia, Economic and Social Injustices, War and Terrorism. Based on the reflections on the various challenges some commitments were arrived at. Some points in brief
are as follows: Emphasis on a prayerful life, be a peace-maker in your locality/ neighbourhood, make your presence felt in
civic organizations, utilise existing mechanisms to fight injustice (RTI, Courts, Press, Public manifestations), promote pro-life
and respect for various cultures and sharing among youth through educational institutions, promote Inter-Religious dialogue,
promote ethics in the marketplace and fight corruption, promote justice and gender equality within the Church, be a responsible
citizen and foster political activism, do not tolerate discrimination against any person or community and especially against
the weaker sections, protest against Euthanasia (life from womb to tomb should be preserved), proclaim in word and deed the
truth contained in the "Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church". The symposium included many eminent speakers and delegates besides His Eminence the Cardinal, and Bishops. The laity comprised
over 30% of the delegates, which was very encouraging. A group discussion on the various themes involved everyone to air their
views and solutions. Two victims of the Orissa atrocities shared their spine-chilling experiences. The sessions commenced
with Mass in the morning and a Reflection in Prayer and an Indian traditional dance at the end of each day. ********************************** TEENAGER’S ORIENTATION PROGRAMME Aryil D’Souza – Zone V-B Teenager’s Orientation Programme is conducted every year for all students studying in SSC / ICSE. It
is organised in order to make us realise the new phase of life we are going to face after school. Five of us had attended
this programme from our parish. This programme was at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Malad on 26 The programme started with a prayer by Fr. Anthony. After the prayer, we were divided into four groups and
further many games were organised where there was a lot of fun. Then we had a break followed by sharing of a beautiful passage
in groups. This sharing brought out sparkling answers from all groups. Then again a guessing kind of game was organised called
‘Leader’ which everyone could not resist playing again and again. Then each group had to prepare a skit on how
people become puppets due to the corruption going on. The skits conducted were quite inspiring. The programme ended with a short prayer and an action song. It was very well organised which made each one of us enjoy
and contented all through the day. ***************************** FAITH FORMATION FOR CLASSES VII AND VIII Sheldon Fernandes We had our faith celebration on 1 The program began with Mass celebrated by Fr. Joe. There were two altar servers from our parish, Allen and
Sheldon. The Reading was done by the other parishes. After the Mass skits were presented by the parishes. The first skit was enacted by our parish. This was followed
by interval when snacks were served. After about half an hour, the next two parishes enacted their skits. Lastly, we had a
Quiz competition. There were eight groups. Each group answered confidently. The program ended with a Thanksgiving prayer and we returned home with loving memories. ****************************************************************************************** PARISH BULLETIN FOR APRIL-MAY 2009 My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards….!! The events of Holy Week give way to Easter glow, which in turn flows into the months of April and May….
ALLELUIA – The Lord is Risen indeed…..!! Alleluia…!! Easter, forever will always remain the greatest feast of the Church – if not the favourite..yes…!!.yes…..!!
I know that Christmas is the favourite for most of us. But surely we must need to outgrow that fascination and get to the
reality of who Jesus is. He is LORD AND SAVIOUR OF US ALL……He has risen to die no more. He lives so that we might
face tomorrow and have a better life. Jesus will help us to fill our everyday with the fragrance of His Resurrection and New
Life. His suffering and death is our guarantee for a happy life. So live as a free and happy child of God. You don’t
have to wait until Christmas to feel lovey-dovey about Jesus. Moving on from here….what better way to start our annual holiday season..?? With the exams and other
tests behind us…nature beckons us to some free time and may I add some quality time with our family and friends……In
this issue we have ideas for making your holidays useful as well as a learning experience. From sweets to creative hobbies,
to summer learning,…. We have it here for you. So go on and be a part of what is offered and get your friends along
with you too. Attending daily Mass is a good idea!!! The Holy Spirit, Jesus’ parting gift of love to us all, will aid us to continue to live wholesome and
godly lives. The Feast of Pentecost at the end of the month of May, beckons us to count our blessings as well as intercede
for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, so that we can enliven our families and communities and our world at large. May this Holy
Spirit help us to make a difference by dutifully and judiciously casting our ballot and getting good governance for our nation
and city and state. The merry month of May offers us an opportunity to tune in to our Blessed Mother – the Queen of May.
Family Rosary and community rosaries in sectors and clusters will be an ideal setting for meeting together in prayer and fellowship.
Let Mary "Mother us" and lead us to Jesus her loving Son…. Hail Mary , full of grace….!!! The next issue will feature ideas for the beginning of the new school year. So come on children and grownups and families
as well…. Put on your thinking caps and send in your material for a selective publication of the same. May St. Joseph
our Patron, bless you and your dear families. Happy Holidays and God Bless You.Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-charge ***************************************** Peculiar customs of Easter time Risus PaschalisThis strange custom originated in Bavaria in the fifteenth century. The priest inserted in his sermon funny
stories which would cause his hearers to laugh (Ostermärlein), e.g. a description of how the devil tries to keep the
doors of hell locked against the descending Christ. Then the speaker would draw the moral from the story. This Easter laughter,
giving rise to grave abuses of the word of God, was prohibited by Clement X (1670-1676) and in the eighteenth century by Maximilian
III and the bishops of Bavaria (Wagner, De Risu Paschali, Königsberg, 1705; Linsemeier, Predigt in Deutschland, Munich, 1886).
Easter eggs Because the use of eggs was forbidden during Lent, they were brought to the table on Easter Day, coloured red to symbolize
the Easter joy. This custom is found not only in the Latin but also in the Oriental Churches. The symbolic meaning of a new
creation of mankind by Jesus risen from the dead was probably an invention of later times. The custom may have its origin
in paganism, for a great many pagan customs, celebrating the return of spring, gravitated to Easter. The egg is the emblem
of the germinating life of early spring. Easter eggs, the children are told, come from Rome with the bells which on Thursday
go to Rome and return Saturday morning. The sponsors in some countries give Easter eggs to their god-children. Coloured eggs
are used by children at Easter in a sort of game which consists in testing the strength of the shells (Kraus, Real-Encyklopædie,
s.v. Ei). Both coloured and uncoloured eggs are used in some parts of the United States for this game, known as "egg-picking".
Another practice is the "egg-rolling" by children on Easter Monday on the lawn of the White House in Washington. The Easter
rabbit The Easter Rabbit lays the eggs, for which reason they are hidden in a nest or in the garden. The rabbit is a pagan symbol
and has always been an emblem of fertility (Simrock, Mythologie, 551). Handball In France handball playing was one of the Easter amusements, found also in Germany (Simrock, op. cit., 575). The ball may
represent the sun, which is believed to take three leaps in rising on Easter morning. Bishops, priests, and monks, after the
strict discipline of Lent, used to play ball during Easter week (Beleth, Expl. Div. off., 120). This was called libertas
Decembrica, because formerly in December, the masters used to play ball with their servants, maids, and shepherds. The
ball game was connected with a dance, in which even bishops and abbots took part. At Auxerre, Besançon, etc. the dance was
performed in church to the strains of the "Victimae paschali". In England, also, the game of ball was a favourite Easter sport
in which the municipal corporation engaged with due parade and dignity. And at Bury St. Edmunds, within recent years, the
game was kept up with great spirit by twelve old women. After the game and the dance a banquet was given, during which a homily
on the feast was read. All these customs disappeared for obvious reasons (Kirchenlex., IV, 1414). Men and women On Easter Monday the women had a right to strike their husbands, on Tuesday the men struck their wives, as
in December the servants scolded their masters. Husbands and wives did this "ut ostendant sese mutuo debere corrigere, ne
illo tempore alter ab altero thori debitum exigat" (Beleth, I, c. cxx; Durandus, I, c. vi, 86). In the northern parts of England
the men parade the streets on Easter Sunday and claim the privilege of lifting every woman three times from the ground, receiving
in payment a kiss or a silver sixpence. The same is done by the women to the men on the next day. In the Neumark (Germany)
on Easter Day the men servants whip the maid servants with switches; on Monday the maids whip the men. They secure their release
with Easter eggs. These customs are probably of pre-Christian origin (Reinsberg-Düringsfeld, Das festliche Jahr, 118). The Easter fireThe Easter Fire is lit on the top of mountains (Easter mountain, Osterberg) and must be kindled from
new fire, drawn from wood by friction (nodfyr); this is a custom of pagan origin in vogue all over Europe, signifying
the victory of spring over winter. The bishops issued severe edicts against the sacrilegious Easter fires (Conc. Germanicum,
a. 742, c.v.; Council of Lestines, a. 743, n. 15), but did not succeed in abolishing them everywhere. The Church adopted the
observance into the Easter ceremonies, referring it to the fiery column in the desert and to the Resurrection of Christ; the
new fire on Holy Saturday is drawn from flint, symbolizing the Resurrection of the Light of the World from the tomb closed
by a stone (Missale Rom.). In some places a figure was thrown into the Easter fire, symbolizing winter, but to the Christians
on the Rhine, in Tyrol and Bohemia, Judas the traitor (Reinsberg-Düringfeld, Das festliche Jahr, 112 sq.). Processions and
awakenings At Puy in France, from time immemorial to the tenth century, it was customary, when at the first psalm of Matins a canon
was absent from the choir, for some of the canons and vicars, taking with them the processional cross and the holy water,
to go to the house of the absentee, sing the "Haec Dies", sprinkle him with water, if he was still in bed, and lead him to
the church. In punishment he had to give a breakfast to his conductors. A similar custom is found in the fifteenth century
at Nantes and Angers, where it was prohibited by the diocesan synods in 1431 and 1448. In some parts of Germany parents and
children try to surprise each other in bed on Easter morning to apply the health-giving switches (Freyde, Ostern in deutscher
Sage, Sitte und Dichtung, 1893). Blessing of food In both the Oriental and Latin Churches, it is customary to have those victuals which were prohibited during Lent blessed
by the priests before eating them on Easter Day, especially meat, eggs, butter, and cheese (Ritualbucher, Paderborn, 1904;
Maximilianus, Liturg. or., 117). Those who ate before the food was blessed, according to popular belief, were punished by
God, sometimes instantaneously (Migne, Liturgie, s.v. Pâques). House blessings On the eve of Easter the homes are blessed (Rit. Rom., tit. 8, c. iv) in memory of the passing of the angel in Egypt and
the signing of the door-posts with the blood of the paschal lamb. The parish priest visits the houses of his parish; the papal
apartments are also blessed on this day. The room, however, in which the pope is found by the visiting cardinal is blessed
by the pontiff himself (Moroni, Dizionaria, s.v. Pasqua). Sports and celebrations The Greeks and Russians after their long, severe Lent make Easter a day of popular sports. At Constantinople
the cemetery of Pera is the noisy rendezvous of the Greeks; there are music, dances, and all the pleasures of an Oriental
popular resort; the same custom prevails in the cities of Russia. In Russia anyone can enter the belfries on Easter and ring
the bells, a privilege of which many persons avail themselves. ******************************************** THE AMAZING POWER OF THE HOLY ROSARY Jim Castle was tired when he boarded his plane in Cincinnati, Ohio, that night in 1981. The 45-year-old management
consultant had put on a week long series of business meetings and seminars, and now he sank gratefully into his seat ready
for the flight home to Kansas City, Kansas. As more passengers entered, the place hummed with conversation, mixed with the sound of bags being stowed.
Then, suddenly, people fell silent. The quiet moved slowly up the aisle like an invisible wake behind a boat. Jim craned his
head to see what was happening, and his mouth dropped open. Walking up the aisle were two nuns clad in simple white habits bordered in blue. He recognized the familiar
face of one at once, the wrinkled skin, and the eyes warmly intent. This was a face he’d seen in newscasts and on the
cover of TIME. The two nuns halted, and Jim realized that his seat companion was going to be Mother Teresa! As the last few passengers settled in, Mother Teresa and her companion pulled out rosaries. Each decade of
the beads was a different color, Jim noticed.. The decades represented various areas of the world, Mother Teresa told him
later, and added, ‘I pray for the poor and dying on each continent.’ The airplane taxied to the runway and the
two women began to pray, their voices a low murmur. Though Jim considered himself not a very religious Catholic who went to
church mostly out of habit, inexplicably he found himself joining in. By the time they murmured the final prayer, the plane had reached cruising altitude. Mother Teresa turned
toward him. For the first time in his life, Jim understood what people meant when they spoke of a person possessing an ‘aura’.
As she gazed at him, a sense of peace filled him; he could no more see it than he could see the wind but he felt it, just
as surely as he felt a warm summer breeze. ‘Young man,’ she inquired, ‘do you say the rosary often?’ ‘No, not really,’
he admitted. She took his hand, while her eyes probed his. Then she smiled. ‘Well, you will now.’ And she dropped
her rosary into his palm. An hour later Jim entered the Kansas City airport where he was met by his wife, Ruth. ‘What in the
world?’ Ruth asked when she noticed the rosary in his hand. They kissed and Jim described his encounter. Driving home, he said. ‘I feel as if I met a true sister of God.’ Nine months later Jim and Ruth
visited Connie, a friend of theirs for several years. Connie confessed that she’d been told she had ovarian cancer.
‘The doctor says it’s a tough case,’ said Connie, ‘but I’m going to fight it.
I won’t give up.’ Jim clasped her hand. Then, after reaching into his pocket, he gently twined Mother Teresa’s
rosary around her fingers. He told her the story and said, ‘Keep it with you Connie. It may help.’ Although Connie wasn’t Catholic, her hand closed willingly around the small plastic beads. ‘Thank
you,’ she whispered. ‘I hope I can return it.’ More than a year passed before Jim saw Connie again. This time her face was glowing, she hurried toward him and handed him the rosary. ‘I carried it with me all year,’ she
said. ‘I’ve had surgery and have been on chemotherapy, too. Last month, the doctors did second-look surgery, and
the tumor’s gone.. Completely!’ Her eyes met Jim’s. ‘I knew it was time to give the rosary back.’
In the fall of 1987, Ruth’s sister, Liz, fell into a deep depression after her divorce. She asked Jim
if she could borrow the rosary, and when he sent it, she hung it over her bedpost in a small velvet bag. At night I
held on to it, just physically held on. I was so lonely and afraid,’ she says, ‘yet when I gripped that
rosary, I felt as if I held a loving hand.’ Gradually, Liz pulled her life together, and she mailed the rosary back.
‘Someone else may need it,’ she said. Then one night in 1988, a stranger telephoned Ruth. She’d heard about
the rosary from a neighbor and asked if she could borrow it to take to the hospital where her mother lay in a coma. The family
hoped the rosary might help their mother die peacefully. A few days later, the woman returned the beads. ‘The nurses
told me a coma patient can still hear,’ she said, ‘so I explained to my mother that I had Mother Teresa’s
rosary and that when I gave it to her she could let go; it would be all rosary in her hand. Right away, we saw her face relax.
The lines smoothed out until she looked so peaceful, so young.’ The woman’s voice caught. ‘A few minutes
later she was gone.’ Fervently, she gripped Ruth’s hands. ‘Thank you.’ Is there special power in those humble beads? Or is the power of the human spirit simply renewed in each
person who borrows the rosary? Jim only knows that requests continue to come, often unexpectedly. He always responds
though, whenever he lends the rosary, ‘When you’re through needing it, send it back. Someone else may need
it.’ Jim’s own life has changed, too, since his unexpected meeting on the airplane. When he realized Mother Teresa carries
everything she owns in a small bag, he made an effort to simplify his own life. ‘I try to remember what really counts
- not money or titles or possessions, but the way we love others,’ he says. ********************************************** Of Samosas and Vadas Ashok Saldanha Ever since the missus and my eight year old discovered the "Art of healthy living", life as I knew it, changed.
What my aajoba and aaji ate with gusto and lived to see 2 world wars, the independence of India, the Indo-Pak
and Indo-China wars the liberation of Bangladesh and India becoming a nuclear power has now become anathema. I dig into my favourite potato chips, and immediately the missus pipes up, that they are "full of cholesterol.
Do you want to get diabetes and BP?" The potato chip goes limp in my hand. Pour a "chotta" on a Sunday afternoon and "why
are you drinking so much? You will get liver cirrhosis" comes wafting from the kitchen. The "chotta" begins to taste like
yesterday’s hangover after that. I attempt to munch into cheese straws, crackers, and biscuits at tea time and my eight year old hollers that
they are full of dangerously lethal doses of trans-fats. My eight year old goes further and says that her teacher said (Never
try to criticize teacher. God help you if you do. What "teacher says" is Gospel truth to all eight year olds at school), that
rats subjected to a daily intake of trans-fats indicated that it was a cause of "pattern baldness". I know my rodents, and
they eat anything and everything they can lay their paws on. I have yet to see a bald rat. But I do not tell her that. I wish to inform the missus and my eight year old, that these scientists have no work. They go about making
statements that in today’s health conscious world are taken as sacrosanct by the gullible. But then that would lead
to pouts and bouts of arguments and then as usual as the man of the house, I will have to put my foot down and have the last
word, "Yes darlings, you’ll are right" even though I would love to add "but I am correct", but then that would lead
to another fracas. Both the health freaks scan through the newspapers daily for little gems on how to "live healthy". One day
they read that these white coated laboratory rats called scientists found that red meat, eggs, dairy products, salt, sugar
and other nice things were bad for us. These things were full of pesky cholesterol and trans-fats and further these also lurked
in vanaspati and other hydrogenated oils used to cook them. Cholesterol and trans-fats also hid in cheese straws, biscuits
and other munchies like samosas, vadas, puris, paranthas, dosas and bhaturas. They were the Hulk Hogans of all fried foods.
Forget eating them, just looking at them would harden the arteries in your eyeballs. OK, OK, I know eyeballs do not have arteries,
but then I have not looked at a bhatura or samosa since that piece appeared in the newspaper. These things have been banned
from my home along with the red meat and other assorted dairy products. I tell them, that eating cheese straws or even a samosa or vada once in a while is not going to kill anyone.
Aren’t there a billion plus Indians around today? And didn’t we all grow up eating samosas, vadas, dosas, red
meat and what have you, all apparently chock-a-block with trans-fats and cholesterol? I am outnumbered and the voice vote
goes against me. Enough was enough. I thought of doing a bit of Gandhigiri to drive my message home, and one day brought green
grass into the house from the garden, washed it and began munching just as the missus and my eight year old walked in after
a trip to the market. They saw me eating grass. They were aghast and stopped me. I grinned inside my moustache that my subtle sign of protest was working. Hallelujah!!! Samosas,
bhaturas, paranthas and other banned things would now be back. My reverie came crashing when the missus said, "Do you want
to kill yourself? Don’t you know that grass is grown with fertilizer?" "Imagine the nitrates and other chemicals you
are ingesting", yelled my eight year old. "No more grass in the house" was their final verdict.. I have decided that from now on I am just going to live on love and fresh air. **************************************** Deck of Cards t was quiet that day, the guns and the mortars, and land mines for some reason hadn’t been heard. The young soldier knew it was Sunday, the holiest day of the week. As he was sitting there, he got out an
old deck of cards and laid them out across his bunk. Just then an army sergeant came in and said, ‘Why aren’t you with the rest of the platoon?’
The soldier replied, ‘I thought I would stay behind and spend some time with the Lord.’ The sergeant said, ‘Looks to me like you’re going to play cards.’ The soldier said, ‘No, sir. You see, since we are not allowed to have Bibles or other spiritual books
in this country, I’ve decided to talk to the Lord by studying this deck of cards.’ The sergeant asked in disbelief, ‘How will you do that?’ ‘You see the Ace, Sergeant? It reminds me that there is only one God. The Two represents the two parts of the Bible, Old and New Testaments The Three represents the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Four stands for the Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John The Five is for the five virgins there were ten but only five of them were glorified. The Six is for the six days it took God to create the Heavens and Earth. The Seven is for the day God rested after making His Creation. The Eight is for the family of Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives — the eight people
God spared from the flood that destroyed the Earth. The Nine is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy He cleansed ten, but nine never thanked Him. The Ten represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on tablets made of stone. The Jack is a reminder of Satan, one of God’s first angels, but he got kicked out of heaven for his
sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of eternal hell. The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary. The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings. When I count the dots on all the cards, I come up with 365, one for every day of the year. There are a total of 52 cards in a deck; each is a week - 52 weeks in a year. The four suits represent the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Each suit has thirteen cards — there are exactly thirteen weeks in a quarter. So when I want to talk to God and thank Him, I just pull out this old deck of cards and they remind me of
all that I have to be thankful for.’ The sergeant just stood there. After a minute, with tears in his eyes and pain in his heart, he said, ‘Soldier, can
I borrow that deck of cards?’ ************************************ Running Away For Good or Evil Chelsea Saldanha While exiting on Queen Subway I noticed an old woman with a faded sari underneath a heavy winter coat. Dark
lines creased her forehead. Her hands were laden with thick woolly gloves while she silently clutched on to her placard which
said "Stop the violence in Sri Lanka." I stopped. Stared. I have never really bothered if people were intimidated at my stare
or tried to stare me down. Till I had my fill, I continued to stare vacantly at her with thoughts running left, right and
centre as I anxiously waited for some kind of answer. An answer to what would motivate an elderly woman to brave this dreadful
weather and hold a silent protest, alone. I was wrong. I got out of my muted trance and exited the sidewalk only to bang right into a sea of black winter coats
holding large white signs screaming words like "Stop Tamil genocide in Sri Lanka" and "Rwanda genocide in Sri Lanka." Two
small black eyes shyly handed me a leaflet propagating their cause. A horde of students, husbands, wives, children, grandparents,
working people who took a half-day even with a recession on, yelled at the top of their voice "WE WANT JUSTICE." I do not think the Tamil government in Sri Lanka or even the LTTE heard or saw their human chain. Did Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper hear their shout? Was a statement released? Would Canada deploy
troops to save innocent blood from mass genocide? Your guess is as good as mine. Here are a few observations about the protest. I observed kids dressed up like punk stars, people feeding their faces, roaming around with Tim Horton paper
bags and coffee cups everywhere and you know, protesting. It made me wonder, how serious are you guys? You got out of Sri
Lanka. You were lucky. You had the money and you chose to leave. You packed you family and your bags and scrambled to safety. The people left behind are people who weren’t as lucky as you. They didn’t have the same advantages
as you, same benefits as you, didn’t come from the same social background as you. They didn’t have a choice. Because
those people who were educated, with the means to make a change in Sri Lanka left and are still leaving. Running away... miles
away. War, violence, natural disasters, these are things you can’t run away from, no matter how hard you
try. I am not saying the protest was futile. Heck! It showed that people were worried about their loved ones back home. They
braved the cold, didn’t they? But what is your protest really going to do? A silent peaceful protest for a couple of
hours in silent peaceful Canada? Same goes for all of us from Asia or Africa. Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese, Zimbabweans. All of us who keep running away
to America, Canada, Europe, Australia, all of us who want what they have ready-made, yet do not want to fight for it. They
fought for independence too, you know. When are we going to stop running and face up to reality? Face up to what is out there?
That what is OUT THERE is real. It exists. And running away from it no matter how hard we try... will not change anything.
Because in the end... you cannot escape death. *********************************************** SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION - Our Journey - The Sacrament of Confirmation forms a very important part of Christian life. Not because one cannot get married
until he is confirmed, but because he receives the gift of the Holy Spirit which helps to live a good Christian life. The Confirmation classes which were held at 9.00 a.m. became a regular feature of our Sunday schedule with
Ms. Elizabeth Joseph and Mr. Luis Pereira who conducted the classes, which really helped us in enriching our faith. The Confirmation classes were unique; they were interactive and deepened our knowledge about the Catholic
faith, thus guiding us to face the challenges of life. Uncle Luis shared with us his experiences and we loved his classes
because of his immense knowledge about the Church. Aunty Elizabeth’s classes were truly beautiful. She was always well
prepared and made sure that every student interacted in the class. Even Fr. Austin made time for us, teaching us about the
Sacrament of Reconciliation. We would like to thank Uncle Luis and Aunty Elizabeth for their effort to help us prepare for the ‘important
day’ which was to be 31 - Marossa & Valkyn Fernandes My Confirmation journey was an enriching and enjoyable experience. Through the various interactions with
my friends and teachers I was not only able to develop my personality but I also became spiritually more aware about God.
The effective teaching by my teachers (Uncle Luis and Aunty Elizabeth) had a great impact on my life. Their sessions were
lively and thought provoking. There was a close bonding between all the confirmation students and we had a wonderful time
together. - Roanne D’Souza On 31st January 2009, 37 students received the sacrament of Confirmation at the hands of Bishop Ferdinand
J Fonseca. As we waited patiently for Holy Mass to begin all of us wondered what was going to happen. Some said that the Bishop
was going to ask us questions, testing our knowledge to make sure we had prepared properly, while others spread rumours of
receiving a slap on the face along with the anointing. Even though we knew that this wasn’t going to happen we couldn’t
help but feel nervous. As we walked into the Mass hall there were butterflies in our stomachs and beautiful white doves over
our heads telling us of the fruits of the Holy Spirit that we had come to receive. The church was decorated beautifully and
the choir sounded great. The Mass went smoothly and we walked out of the church after a few photographs. Excitement replaced
our nervousness as the parishioners congratulated us. After six months of intense preparation, our Confirmation Day seemed
to have ended quite quickly!! I end thanking all those who made our Confirmation a special and memorable day for us. A special thanks to Fr.
Austin, Miss Liz and Mr. Luis Pereira for helping us prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation and also to our prayer
guardians who kept us in their prayers. - Valerie D’costa ******************************** The Sunday School Closing Ceremony Sr. Maureen Fonseca. The zeal and goodwill of the 17 catechists , with the support and encouragement of Fr. Austin Norris, saw
the fruitful culmination of their hard work put in for the 19 events spread out during this academic year, for the 200 students
of Sunday School in a befitting closing ceremony held on 29th March, 2009. The Chief Guest Fr. Joe D’mello had a tough time shaking hands with the prize winners - some
of whom came up to the stage three or four times. The ceremony began with a welcome song by the students of 1 Next came the Prize Distribution with group snaps taken with their respective teachers.All the catechists
received a religious musical CD. Our Chief Guest then said a few words of praise for the wonderful work done in the Sunday School by the catechists
who co-operated so well among themselves, with their Spiritual Director Fr. Austin Norris and with the Sunday School
Co-ordinator Ms. Karen Martins. Finally the vote of thanks by Fr. Austin Norris brought the ceremony to a happy and prayerful end followed
by a surprise party for all the catechists. *********************************** PARISH TRIDUUM AND FEAST N. Lucy Samuel The Triduum in honour of our Patron St. Joseph was held from 19th to 21st
of March followed by the Feast day on the 22nd of March, 2009. The attendance of the parishioners for the Triduum was good and all were engrossed in the sermons of the
guest preachers Frs. Clement, Barthol and Colman. The people reflected on the theme of the Triduum "A Josephite loves the
Word". The three days of the Triduum were conducted very well by the SVP, the Women’s Cell and the Bombay Catholic Sabha. The 22nd of March was a Sunday and the Feast Day was celebrated with great gusto, with
people turning in their Sunday best. The tastefully decorated altar bloomed with flowers, with lilies (the flower which is
the symbol of St. Joseph) taking most of the space. The statue of St. Joseph held centre stage. St. Joseph was placed in the
middle of a lily, and the movement of the lily in the breeze made it all the more surreal. His Lordship Percival Fernandez officiated along with Frs. Austin and Lincoln. Bishop Percival spoke on the
life of St. Joseph and how that simple man was entrusted by God to look after His Son along with Mother Mary. The Feast Mass over, the celebrations began in right earnest. Food and games stalls put up by the 10 SCC
units of the Parish were well patronized. St. Joseph bless us all!!! ***************************************** PASSOVER MEAL EXPERIENCE M. L. Sahayadass & FamilyThursday, 26 They have to pack their meal (unleavened bread), bitter herbs and honey, since there was no time left for
them to prepare complete meal. They left Egypt in a hurry and marched towards the promised land of Canaan. We started the procession with lighted candles singing a hymn, "On we go to Jerusalem". We were almost considering
that we were also walking like Israelites going out of Egypt. When we entered the Convent Mass Hall, we were surprised to
see the decorations, the candle stands, spread out tables with plates, wine glasses, water tumblers, etc., which was indicating
that we were going to have a real feast, similar to Last Supper. We started with taking wine, after which we washed each other’s feet to recall the Last Supper, where
Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. We then ate the Lettuce leaves, bitter gourd, roasted lamb with bread, each explained
by father, with intermittent hymns and description of the Eucharist we celebrate today. It was a wonderful experience to repeat the event which happened 2000 years back. We came out with full satisfaction,
both mentally & physically. Thanks to Fr. Austin and the host of dedicated volunteers and the Convent Sisters, who took all the pains for arranging
the materials and food prepared to relive the experience. *************************************** Lenten Devotions to the Five Sacred Wounds of Our Lord Coming together one day each week, during the five weeks of Lent, to pray, reflect and pay homage to the
Five Wounds of Jesus, was something we never did before. It helped us to have a deeper knowledge and love for the suffering
of Christ, which was manifested in the lives of St. Catherine of Sienna, St. John of God, St. Padre Pio, St. Francis of Assisi
and St. Faustina Kowalska, all of whom were stigmatists. The reading from Isaiah 53:3-5, showed us the severity and purpose of Christ’s passion and John 20:24-29 give us
an assurance of the Risen Lord. Our confession matches that of St. Thomas who exclaimed, "My Lord and my God". This devotion
has helped us to enter the Holy Week services with a proper frame of mind and a deeper appreciation for Our Saviour’s
passion, death and resurrection (Sisters of St. Joseph Convent and Residents of Assisi Bhavan).Our Parish Fathers guided all
the sector communities to this devotion. It was an awesome experience to prepare for the prayer and invite members. The prayer
was very inspiring. Indeed, we felt, "By His wounds we are made whole," (Sector III B)This gathering over five weeks made
possible an active and enthusiastic participation by children and adults. The cluster format was effective and enjoyable.
During the week the Cross in the family made it possible for prayer and reflection. (Sector V A)This initiative helped to
get people together. The order of the prayers allowed us to ponder deeply on the scriptures. The sharing by participants on
the Stigmatist for the day was very touching. ( Sector III A) ************************************** The exams are over. Yippee! And the holidays will begin and parents worry about how the children will pass
their time during these long hot days. If we put our minds to it we would be amazed at the number of things we could do, both
indoors and outdoors for eg. pursue a hobby , enroll in a craft/dance/music class , join a sports club, or do a project in
any of our favourite subjects or go for a camp . One of the best habits we should cultivate is reading - for with a book we would never be lonely… We could catch
up on our reading by making a chart and then exchange notes and views with our friends, thereby widening our interpretation
of others views. OH! THE LAZY HAZY DAYS OF SUMMER! Marie Forbes If you are a nature lover maybe you would like to grow a plant… Paint a flower pot in a nice bright
colour, buy a few flower seeds like sunflower or your mum’s favourite flower and plant it and watch it grow everyday
making sure that it gets enough sunlight and water and if you are lucky, it may flower in time for Mother’s Day…Wouldn’t
mum like that ? Our Sunday School children thoroughly enjoyed playing Bible Housie at their picnic. Isn’t it possible
to make your own Bible Housie…First you need to pick out 100 Biblical names of people and places giving each a
number and using the old housie board you could write out the names and in the same way you make out the
tickets .Your game is ready instead of calling out numbers you call out the names ..or ask a question to guess the name….which
means you have to write out 100 questions!! This will sure keep you busy ! In the heat of summer one’s lips get dry and chapped so this is for our young teens to look
gorgeous and have fun making their own lip gloss at home… Homemade Vanilla Lip Gloss Ingredients: l l l l Method: Put all ingredients into a large pan and heat them well for a while. Then leave the mixture to cool for one to two hours.
The lip-gloss is ready for use.Chocolate Lip Gloss Ingredients: l l l Method: Put all ingredients in a large pan and heat till completely melted. After this, blend the mixture using a spoon .One can
use this homemade lip-gloss on lips. Pour it into a small bottle and keep in a cool place to solidify. To brace against the summer heat children could cool off with this tasty summer craft. It’s a dessert! It’s
a science project! Let the kids shake up their own ice-cream. Ice –Cream in a bag ! What you’ll need:
l l l l l l l 1. Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag. 2. Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it. 3. Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully. 4. Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes. 5. Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully! Tips A 1/2 cup milk will make about 1 scoop of ice cream, so double the recipe if you want more. But don’t
increase the proportions more than that — a large amount might be too big for kids to pick-up because the ice itself
is heavy. You can make your own flavoured ice-cream by adding chocolate, flavoured syrup, bits of fruit or nuts Use 2 bags, one inside the other. Use a pair of gloves or a kitchen towel to hold the bag as it can be quite cold and wet . Enjoy the experience and the ice-cream. Today with the amount of information available on the internet and with the help of family and friends the choices of things
to do are endless…so put on your creative thinking caps and say goodbye to boredom…HAPPY HOLIDAYS ! ****************************************************** Recipe of "Dahi Batata Puri" Allen Samuel Ingredients: 1) 6 to 8 puris 2) Boiled potatoes 3) Boiled moong 4) Fresh coriander leaves 5) Salt to taste 6) Coriander and mint chutney 7) Garlic chutney (optional) 8) Tamarind chutney 9) Chaat masala 10) Fine sev 11) Dahi (2 cups) An adult can help to make the chutney (recipe on google) Method: 1) Arrange puris on a plate. Mix potatoes and moong and place this over the puris. 2) Pour the chutney over them as required. 3) Pour dahi on the puris. 4) Sprinkle chaat masala. Top the puris with sev. 5) Garnish with coriander leaves. Eat and have fun! ********************************************* REPORT ON THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN DAY CELEBRATIONS AT ARCHDIOCESAN, DEANERY & PARISH LEVEL Mrs. Maria Rodrigues Women Cell member. Archdiocesan Level : It was celebrated on 1 Cardinal Oswald Gracias was the Chief Guest. He appreciated the various works done by the women with great courage and
the outstanding achievement in the Church and the Society. He said that the women are actively taking part without enforcement.
The eminent speakers were felicitated by the Women Cell members and later they shared their work experiences which were very
touching as they worked very hard inspite of their family committments. Mrs. Vaishali Patil, works with the tribal people
in rural areas to make the women aware of their rights; Sr.Ananda of Sophia College for promoting Women Education; Mrs Virginia
Saldhana works for the upliftment of domestic workers and also participates in the inter-religious dialogues to bring about
unity and peace among different communities. It was very interesting and a large number of women attended the function.Deanery
Level: The deanery co-ordinator held the function at Orlem Nihar School premises on 7 Our most sincere thanks and God’s blessings to our spiritual director, Fr. Austin Norris, for the encouragement
and support we get from him , time to time to express ourselves and show our ability. ********************************** TAKE CARE - RESOURCES ARE SCARCE by Mrs.Norma Vashi. My soul magnifies our Creator He has given us this marvelous nature Which is full of resources and treasure Given to us in abundant measure To live we need air, water and soil Earth’s womb gives metal and oil Water is so scarce and precious While using, we must be cautious Nature bears plants and creatures Various seasons are its features We use, use, misuse and spoil In conserving nature we do not toil And in our haste, we do waste..... We must take care of all our resources Then only will we get God’s graces Let us live in harmony with nature The right to life to every plant and creature ! *************************************************************** MOTHER Phyllis de Souza Magnanimous is your love for the family; Odyssey of life with you was wonderful, Thoughtful towards everyone, Handsome compliment we give to you, Enlivening those around you, Redoubtable is your trademark. ****************************************** THE CROSS WAS HIS OWN They borrowed a bed to lay his head When Christ the Lord came down; They borrowed the ass in the mountain pass For him to ride to town. But the Crown that he wore, And the Cross that he bore, Were both his very own. He borrowed the bread when the crowd he fed On the grassy mountain side; He borrowed the dish of broken fish With which the crowd he satisfied. But the Crown that he wore And the Cross that he bore We both his very own. He borrowed the boat on which to sit To teach the multitude; He borrowed the nest in which to rest He never had a home even so rude. But the Crown that he wore And the Cross that he bore Were both his very own. He borrowed a room on the way to the tomb The Passover lamb to eat; The borrowed a cave for him for a grave, They borrowed a winding sheet But the Crown that he wore And the Cross that he bore Were both his very own. Anon ************************** MUSIC Sr. Maureen Of all the sounds upon the earth That spring from land or sea or sky, The thunder clap and the cry at birth Is music no one can deny. It’s music in the raw I guess But music all the same, Until it’s trapped in someone’s soul And blended with a special name. Music is a mystery though A spark of God’s creation, That nestles in the soul of man To be heard by souls in other men. To raise them high to realms of spirit, A momentary escape from the body’s cage, Until we reach the source of music, The God of love for every age. THE GOD OF STARS Sr. Maureen The God of Stars hung on the Cross Bloodstained, dead and cold. Sun and nature mourned the loss With rain and earthquakes we are told. This God who made the million stars To shine for all mankind. To make man know His mighty powers And thus His love to find. But all that man has found so far Is space and stone and gases. He cannot see the door ajar Thro’ his powerful lenses. The star within his mind and soul Has first to be explored. That star is God to be adored While endless ages roll. ******************************************** TEAM ST. JOSEPH SHINES AT THE BORIVALI UTSAV Valkyn Fernandes Our parish of St. Joseph is small but talented. Many parishes from the Borivali deanery gathered at the Utsav
held at I.C. Colony grounds on 22 A rink football and throw-ball competition was organized for the youth along with a dodge-ball and drawing
competition for the children. The participants of our parish were dressed in bright orange jerseys. The programme began at
8.30 a.m. and breakfast was served at 9.00 a.m. Darlene Mascarenhas made our parish proud by bagging the first prize for her beautiful drawings. Our dodge-ball
team played extraordinarily well even though they went down to I.C. parish in the finals. The throw-ball team too put up a
good show but was a bit unlucky to end up on the losing side. The St. Joseph football team was outstanding. They played with
grit and determination surprising all the other teams. In spite of being the youngest side in the competition, they made the
best teams like Don Bosco and O.L. of Remedies sweat it out on the football field. After being served some spicy biryani for lunch, the participants went to play some fun-filled games and enjoyed themselves
thoroughly. The event wrapped up by 3.30 p.m. All the participants had broad smiles on their faces as Ronald Rodrigues held
the dodge-ball runners-up trophy and Darlene showed her magic with the paint brush. The youth of our parish returned home
with fond memories and thanked Fr. Austin and Fr. Lincoln for this exciting opportunity. ********************************** FAITH FORMATION DAY Nikita Vaz It was on 1 The focus of this day emphasized sharing knowledge of ‘Inequality’, ‘Poverty’ and
‘Pollution’ in our society. This was presented to us in the form of skits prepared well in advance by the children
of the three participating parishes. Our teachers, Ms. Loretta and Ms. Mary, had prepared us for this day. The first skit on Inequality, presented by our parish, gave the message of inequality between the ways of
living in rich and poor families with reference to our country. The second skit on Poverty was presented by Our Lady of Rosary
Church, which gave an idea of a person who could not meet his daily needs but yet shared and helped the poor. The third skit
on Pollution was presented by St. Thomas Church. This skit informed us how we could keep our surroundings clean and our Mother
Earth safe by protecting it from all the dangerous hazards created by us humans for our selfish and luxurious needs. We also interacted with the children of the other two parishes during the quiz programme, which covered Sunday
School lessons. The programme concluded with a short prayer and vote of thanks to all teachers who helped us prepare for this day. We all
left with good thoughts and wonderful memories that will form a part of our life in future. **************************** Altar Servers’ Group Ronald Rodrigues The Altar Servers’ meeting starts at 5.30 p.m. every Saturday. From 5.30 to 6.00 p.m. we all play together
along with Brother Robert. We share our day’s experience like what happened at school, at home, etc. Then at 6.00 p.m. we all gather together. Brother Robert starts with a prayer. All 31 of us spend 15 minutes
in our respective groups with our group leader and group members. Bro. Robert has divided us into four groups, each group
with a leader and an assistant leader. This encourages our leadership qualities as well as makes us responsible and self-reliant.
The group leader sets the appointments for the week giving each one an equal chance to serve at Mass. The 9.15 a.m. Mass appointments
on Sunday are done by Brother himself. At 6.15/6.20 p.m. we all return together. Then Brother gives us a talk. He tells us the meaning of certain signs, symbols, the Eucharist, Altar Servers,
various Saints, etc. He also answers our queries. He questions us and we very attentively answer him. At the end of the meeting, he gives a prize for the best behaved altar server of that evening. He gives a
small gift which means a lot to us and thus he makes each one of us feel special. The meeting ends at 7.00 p.m. with a prayer and each one of us says at least one line of prayer. At times
he also arranges recollection, picnics, games, Lenten sheets of good deeds and many more fascinating things for us. We all
wait and talk with each other for a while even after the meeting. The meeting has really brought each one of us close to Jesus. Thank you Jesus for Brother Robert and the Altar Service. ********************************* Altar Servers’ Reflection Mervyn Menezes A Reflection session for Altar Servers was held on 7 We began at 6.00 p.m. sharp with a prayer asking the Lord to be with us to strengthen our faith. Then Bro.
Robert taught us how we should pray. He told us that we could sit anywhere in the Mass Hall but we must not talk to each other,
not look at each other, only reflect on Jesus, His passion, death and resurrection. For half an hour we kept perfect silence.
We spent our time in front of the Blessed Sacrament. After half an hour, Brother called us back and asked us how we felt?
What we felt? What we would do, etc. He gave us tips to change our lives and prepare for Easter. For example, during Lent we could help our parents,
sacrifice a chocolate, help a needy person, double our study hours, cut down on television programmes, etc. We felt better after this reflection. At 7.00 p.m. we ended the reflection with a short prayer. ************************************* THE HOLY SPIRIT – PENTECOST The essential rite of the Sacrament of Confirmation occurs when the celebrant anoints the recipient with chrism and says,
"Name, be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit." Isaiah told us the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Is 11:2 "The
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit
of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." Thus they are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These seven
gifts, part of sanctifying grace, complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make us docile in obeying
divine inspirations without need for reflection but always with full consent. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are greater than the theological and cardinal virtues. The virtues operate to
the limits of human power and volition, but the gifts bring divine assistance. We are to pray to the Holy Spirit and ask for one of these gifts. If He gives us a gift, we may ask for another,
and so on. The practice of virtue, enabled by the gifts seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, bring us the twelve fruits of
the Holy Spirit. When the Church speaks of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, she ordinarily means the gifts revealed to Isaiah.
But there were also seven gifts revealed to St. Paul. 1 Cor 12:8 "To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom,
and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ÿþto another faith by the same Spirit, to another
gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ÿþto another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish
between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ÿþAll these are inspired by
one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills." The Holy Spirit gave these gifts to the early
Christians to impart the extra graces they needed to start the Church in a dark era.The Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement
is focused on these gifts to ask the Holy Spirit for the extra graces that the Church may need in the dark era we live in
today. The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit grow in our souls with our practice of Virtue as enabled by the Gifts of the Holy Spirit:
The Fruit of the Spirit is a concept from the Christian New Testament of The Bible, specifically the Epistle to the Galatians
chapter 5. ‘Fruit’ is used to mean ‘end product’ or ‘harvest’, and hence the passage describes
what the writer expects to observe in someone in whom the Holy Spirit has been working. The relevant passage reads: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:19-23, New International Version) The virtues are given in a pleonastic style which rhetorician George Kennedy describes as "The cumulation
of a series of words which seem to come pouring out of his heart" (p. 90). This is a common stylistic feature of the Apostle
Paul’s writing. See Romans 1:29-31; 13:13; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:19-23; Philippians
4:8. 1. Charity 2. Joy 3. Peace 4. Patience 5. Benignity 6. Goodness *************************************** Sugar Craft - Easter Egg Making Mrs. Loretta Silveira Well it’s Easter Season…. and to add to the flavor of it, we the women parishioners approximately
25 of us, met up at Susan Noronha’s place on 28 A big thank-you to the team which consisted of Susan, Cheryll & Schenella who went out of their way to
share their recipes with those present.
PARISH BULLETIN FOR FEBRUARY - MARCH 2009 My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards….!! "Change" is the buzz word and "We can Change – yes we can !!" is the catch phrase these days. Befittingly
so as well for the grace-filled season of Lent, which will be upon us in mid February. Repentance-Conversion-Metanoia, are
the time tested words associated with Lent and perhaps the "new buzz phrase" would just give a fillip to our preparation and
participation in our Lord’s journey of forty days and more leading up to the glorious feast of Easter. The months of February and March are beautiful months – in more ways than one. Just the beauty of God-given
time and the seasons, the flowers and the beauty of ecology and nature – it all must make us raise our minds and hearts
in joyful praise, singing with the Psalmist " Great is your name Lord, your majesty fills the earth…." With all our
talents and inventions and progress, we certainly could do better, individually, and as a community, to preserve and protect
our environment and surroundings. May God help us in our endeavours – each and all… Love is in the air, as people celebrate Valentine’s Day, and this theme will continue in the closely
watched and imitated life of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ – the lover par excellence…!! May we also make
it a "Day of Appreciation" for all who make our lives lovely and meaningful, in so many ways….So go on, give a gift
to one and all….. Our Parish Feast will be celebrated in the middle of March. Our dear and loving St. Joseph, husband of Mary,
will be honoured via a Triduum and a Feastal Mass. Our hope is that we will turn up in large numbers to be enlightened during
these three special days. Holy Week will usher in a repentance time for all of us – to right our selves with God and each other.
Our devotions and para-liturgical services will aid us to ‘take up our Cross and follow Jesus’. May we attend
in large numbers and take part in the services at the Community and Parish level. Lent, followed by glorious Easter, will
give us once again an opportunity to align ourselves with Jesus and the things of God. All this should certainly augur well
for better protection by each one of us of our souls and our world – God’s world. As we come to a sort of closure in our Sunday School programmes, we will cater to our children’s hopes
and aspirations with a picnic and Closing Ceremony. Our Women will also have their day in and through the celebration of Inernational
Women’s Day and the little ones, the un-born and elders who suffer the fear of an early end to their existence through
‘assisted death’, will also have their causes highlighted. So let us all lift up each of these groups in prayer
for God’s blessings and favour The next issue will feature ideas for the Holidays…a fun issue. So come on children and grownups and
families as well…. Put on your thinking caps and send in your material for a selective publishing of the same. May St.
Joseph our Patron, bless you and your dear families. Happy Feast and God Bless You. Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-charge ************************************************* Saint Patrick Feastday: March 17 Patron Ireland, b. 387 d.461 t. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world’s most popular saints. Apostle of Ireland, born at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland, in the year 387; died at Saul, Downpatrick,
Ireland, 17 March, 461. Along with St. Nicholas and St. Valentine, the secular world shares our love of these saints. This
is also a day when everyone’s Irish. There are many legends and stories of St. Patrick, but this is his story. Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick. His parents were Calpurnius and Conchessa,
who were Romans living in Britian in charge of the colonies. As a boy of fourteen or so, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd
and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people
who held him. During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer. He wrote "The love of God and his fear grew in me more
and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and
in the night, nearly the same." "I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow
or ice or rain." Patrick’s captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream from God in which
he was told to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him back to Britian, where he reunited
with his family. He had another dream in which the people of Ireland were calling out to him "We beg you, holy youth, to come
and walk among us once more." He began his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained by St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre,
whom he had studied under for years. Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take the Gospel to Ireland. He arrived in Ireland March
25, 433, at Slane. One legend says that he met a chieftain of one of the tribes, who tried to kill Patrick. Patrick converted
Dichu (the chieftain) after he was unable to move his arm until he became friendly to Patrick. Patrick began preaching the
Gospel throughout Ireland, converting many. He and his disciples preached and converted thousands and began building churches
all over the country. Kings, their families, and entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick’s message.
Patrick by now had many disciples, among them Beningnus, Auxilius, Iserninus, and Fiaac, (all later canonized
as well). Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions.
After years of living in poverty, traveling and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461. He died at Saul, where he had
built the first church. Why a shamrock? Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity, and has been associated with him
and the Irish since that time. ********************************************* St. Gonsalo Garcia Feastday: Febuary 6 Born of a Portuguese father and a Canarese mother in Bassein, East India, about the year 1556 or 1557; d.
5 Feb., 1597. His early training was entrusted to the Jesuits, who brought him up in their college in Bassein Fort. At the age of twenty-four or twenty-five he went to Japan in the company of some Jesuit Fathers who were
ordered, in 1580, to leave Bassein, and join their mission in the former country. He quickly acquired a knowledge of the language;
and as he was of an amiable disposition he won the hearts of the people and did great service as a catechist for eight years. He then left this kind of work and betook himself to Alacao for trading purposes. His business soon flourished
and branches were opened in different places. During his frequent visits to Manila he made the acquaintance of the Franciscans,
and being drawn more and more towards them he finally joined the Seraphic Order as a lay brother. He sailed from the Philippine Islands with other companions in religion under Petrus Baptista, 26 May, 1592,
on an embassy from the Spanish Governor to the Emperor of Japan. After working zealously for the glory of God for more than
four years, the Emperor Taiko-Sama, suspecting the missionaries were aiming at the overthrow of his throne, ordered St. Garcia
and his companions to be guarded in their Convent at Miaco on 8 December, 1596. A few days afterwards, when they were singing vespers, they were apprehended and with their hands tied behind
their backs were taken to prison. On 3 January, 1597, the extremities of the left ears of twenty-six confessors, St. Garcia
amongst the number, were cut off; but were with great respect collected by the Christians. On 5 February of the same year,
the day of the martyrdom, St. Garcia was the first to be extended on, and nailed to, the cross, which was then erected in the middle
of those of his companions. Two lances piercing the body from one side to the other and passing through the heart, whilst
the saint was singing the praises of God during the infliction of the torture, put an end to his sufferings and won for Garcia
the martyr’s crown. In 1627 these twenty-six servants of God were declared venerable by Urban VIII; their feast occurs on 5 February, the anniversary
of their sufferings; and in 1629 their veneration was permitted throughout the Universal Church. The people of Bassein practiced
devotion towards the saint; after the severe persecution to which Christianity was subjected in that region, from about 1739
he was gradually entirely forgotten until a well-known writer recently undertook to write the history of the place, and drew
the attention of the public to St. Garcia Gonsalo. Owing to the praiseworthy endeavors of a secular priest, and the great
interest evinced by the present Bishop of Damaun in the promotion of the devotion towards the saint, the feast of St. Garcia
is now annually celebrated with great solemnity; and pilgrims from all parts of Bassein, Salsette, and Bombay flock to the
place on that occasion. ********************************************** ASH WEDNESDAY The name dies cinerum (day of ashes) which it bears in the Roman Missal is found in the earliest existing
copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates from at least the eighth century. On this day all the faithful according
to ancient custom are exhorted to approach the altar before the beginning of Mass, and there the priest, dipping his thumb
into ashes previously blessed, marks the forehead — or in case of clerics upon the place of the tonsure — of each
the sign of the cross, saying the words: "Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return." The ashes used
in this ceremony are made by burning the remains of the palms blessed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. In the blessing
of the ashes four prayers are used, all of them ancient. The ashes are sprinkled with holy water and fumigated with incense.
The celebrant himself, be he bishop or cardinal, receives, either standing or seated, the ashes from some other priest, usually
the highest in dignity of those present. In earlier ages a penitential procession often followed the rite of the distribution
of the ashes, but this is not now prescribed. There can be no doubt that the custom of distributing the ashes to all the faithful arose from a devotional imitation of
the practice observed in the case of public penitents. But this devotional usage, the reception of a sacramental which is
full of the symbolism of penance (cf. the cor contritum quasi cinis of the "Dies Irae") is of earlier date than was formerly
supposed. It is mentioned as of general observance for both clerics and faithful in the Synod of Beneventum, 1091 (Mansi,
XX, 739), but nearly a hundred years earlier than this the Anglo-Saxon homilist Ælfric assumes that it applies to all classes
of men. "We read", he says, in the books both in the Old Law and in the New that the men who repented of their sins bestrewed
themselves with ashes and clothed their bodies with sackcloth. Now let us do this little at the beginning of our Lent that
we strew ashes upon our heads to signify that we ought to repent of our sins during the Lenten fast. And then he enforces this recommendation by the terrible example of a man who refused to go to church for
the ashes on Ash Wednesday and who a few days after was accidentally killed in a boar hunt (Ælfric, Lives of Saints,
ed. Skeat, I, 262-266). It is possible that the notion of penance which was suggested by the rite of Ash Wednesday was was
reinforced by the figurative exclusion from the sacred mysteries symbolized by the hanging of the Lenten veil before the sanctuary.
But on this and the practice of beginning the fast on Ash Wednesday . *********************************************** A Different Approach to Fasting Lenten fasts have a tendency to be oriented towards things like giving up food or television. But there are
many other creative ways to welcome Jesus’ healing touch during Lent. Some suggestions you may want to consider: 1. Fast from anger and hatred. Give your family / friends an extra dose of love each day. 2. Fast from judging others. Before making any judgements, recall how Jesus overlooks our faults. 3. Fast from discouragement. Hold on to Jesus’ promise that He has a perfect plan for your life. 4. Fast from complaining. When you find yourself about to complain, close your eyes and recall some of the little moments of joy Jesus has given you. 5. Fast from resentment or bitterness. Work on forgiving those who may have hurt you. 6. Fast from spending too much money. Try to reduce your spending by 10% and give those savings to the poor. The Church helps us to keep a sky in our life and to look up, to keep our hand in God’s and hold on to him, to be
lifted above self in service for Christ, to see the good in others and praise it, to have a seeing eye, a feeling heart, a
helping hand, to do justly and walk humbly. It is a wake-up call to rediscover the true path that leads us to true life in
the Spirit. Let us make these our way of Life during this Lenten Season. *********************************************** PPC and SCC Training Programme Jyothi P. Devassy This training programme was held on Sunday 4 The resource person for the evening was Fr. Patrick D’Mello. The focus of the talk was "On being Proactive", to understand proactive behaviour as opposed to reactive behaviour. We were divided into seven groups and we had a sharing on the input. In the second half of the programme, the speaker focused on "Clusters". He stressed the need for formation of clusters, the various problems faced by the animators and clusters, levels of functioning and how clusters can help in community building. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks for Fr. Patrick and a sumptuous dinner. We all left the training pogramme enriched with proactive aids to pour animation. ************************************* Senior Citizens Picnic Ashok Saldanha Republic Day, 26 th January, 2009 was a red letter day in our Parish. 37 senior citizens went for a picnic to Madh Island.Immediately after the flag hoisting ceremony at Assisi Bhavan was over, the picnic was on. "Samara Gardens" was the name of the resort where the 37 landed around 9.30 a.m. Sitting under the shade of an old tamarind tree, reading the newspapers, chewing on tasty tamarind fruit and reminiscing about how one had gorged on tamarinds with salt and chilly powder while at school took up most of the time before a sumptuous breakfast was served. Filled to the gills, the golden oldies then had a quiz contest, and a sing-along, where Tamil, Konkani, Malayalam and English songs were sung with gusto. The water of the swimming pool at the resort looked inviting, but since no one had brought their swimming costumes, they satisfied themselves by dipping their feet in the water. Fr. Lincoln and Bro. Robert too made their presence felt but had to leave early. The buffet lunch which was served satisfied everyone completely. A lazy snooze for a couple of hours after lunch, followed by tea, housie and more games were heartily participated in by all. Looking at the enthusiastic group whose average age must have been over 65 years, no one would have said they were a year over 18. The enthusiasm was catching and even the shy shed their inhibitions and joined in the fun and frolic. Prizes were distributed to all the winners. Maria Rodrigues organized the games and the quiz competition, with Bernard Rodrigues taking on the role of DJ and providing foot stomping music. Cornelius Comello conducted the housie. The whole group returned at around 6.30 p.m. to the convent, tired but still wanting more. Thank you Fr. Austin, looking forward for one more outing like this next year. ************************************* Families That Eat Together, Stay Together Economist Points to Families as an Answer to Recession MEXICO CITY, JAN. 16, 2009 (Zenit.org).- It is no more complicated than sitting down together at the table, but according to an economist from the Catholic University of America, simply sharing family meals is a key factor in children’s development. And, the economist suggested, strong families are good not just for the children given life within them. They are also good for the economy. These were affirmations made by Maria Sophia Aguirre, a professor in the department of economics at Washington, D.C.’s Catholic University of America, during her address today at the 6th World Meeting of Families, underway in Mexico City. Her presentation focused on the multiple benefits of stable families based on marriage, for all involved parties. She cited statistics such as: marriage increases the likelihood of the father having good relations with children; divorce reduces the likelihood of children graduating from college and high school; married mothers have lower levels of depression than single or co-habiting mothers. Even physical health is better in families based on marriage, she said. Infant mortality is sharply reduced in this structure and there are lower probabilities of injury. On the contrary, Aguirre noted, "the breakdown of the family is a symptom of a sick and weak society." Problems of all sorts increase in irregular families: Women are more likely to be abused, kids are more likely to use drugs, and women and children of broken families have a higher probability of living in poverty. More than a meal And though it cannot be the solution for every problem, Aguirre mentioned that the simple act of eating together as a family has an effect on the development of children. According to a study done by the National Center on Substance and Addiction at Colombia University, when comparing adolescents who eat dinner 0-2 times a week with their families and those who eat dinner 5-7 times, those who eat with their families more frequently are 40% more likely to talk to their parents about a problem. Meanwhile, 71% of the teens who don’t eat with their families note more tension at home. Academic performance went up 38%. Kids were 42% less likely to smoke, 93% less likely to drink, 91% less likely to use marijuana and 69% less likely to have more than half of their friends being drug users. And predictably, a family composed of both parents is 3.5 times more likely to have dinner as a family than a single-parent household. More than money Aguirre then turned her attention to the economic benefits of stable families based on marriage. Giving a review of nations ranging from Canada to Chile, the economist concluded that families are simply better for the economy. "The breakdown of the family damages the economy and society since human, moral and social capital is reduced and social costs increase," she explained. The professor contended that family structure is quite relevant for wealth, and that there is evidence to support this from across countries. "The family is a necessary good for economic development," Aguirre concluded. "It should be promoted and protected if poverty reduction wants to be achieved." ******************************************** Zooming in on St. Joseph - Father Thomas Rosica, CSB n Luke’s Gospel scene of the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem, we encounter four individuals who embrace the new life of Jesus held in their arms: the elderly and faithful Simeon, the old, wise prophetess Anna, and the young couple, Mary and Joseph, who in faithful obedience offer their child to the Lord. Simeon’s beautiful prayer is nothing more than an anthology of the prayer of ancient Israel: "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel" (Luke 2:29-32). The whole scene of the Presentation and the carefully chosen words of Simeon’s prayer raise several questions for us: How do I see God’s glory in my life? Do I thirst for justice and peace? What are the new situations and who are the new people who have entered my life in the last little while? How am I light and salvation for other people? Today I would like to borrow from my new profession of television production and zoom in on Joseph, one of the characters found in this most touching Gospel scene of the Presentation. To "zoom" in on the foster father of the Lord gives us some profound insights into the family background of our Savior. Joseph is often overshadowed by the glory of Christ and the purity of Mary. But he, too, waited for God to speak to him and then responded with obedience. Luke and Matthew both mark Joseph’s descent from David, the greatest king of Israel (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38). Scripture has left us with the most important knowledge about him: he was "a righteous man" (Matthew 1:18). Joseph was a compassionate, caring man. When he discovered Mary was pregnant after they had been engaged, he knew the child was not his but was as yet unaware that she was carrying the Son of God. He planned to divorce Mary according to the law but he was concerned for her suffering and safety. Joseph was also a man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the outcome. When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child Mary was carrying, Joseph immediately and without question or concern for gossip, took Mary as his wife. When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left everything he owned, all his family and friends, and fled to a strange country with his young wife and the baby. He waited in Egypt until the angel told him it was safe to go back (Matthew 2:13-23).We are told that Joseph was a carpenter, (more likely a builder), a man who worked to provide for his family. Joseph wasn’t a wealthy man, for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and Mary to be purified he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb. Joseph revealed in his humanity the unique role of fathers to proclaim God’s truth by word and deed. His paradoxical situation of "foster father to Jesus" draws attention to the truth about fatherhood, which is more than a mere fact of biological generation. A man is a father most when he invests himself in the spiritual and moral formation of his children. He was keenly aware, as every father should be, that he served as the representative of God the Father. Joseph protected and provided for Jesus and Mary. He named Jesus, taught him how to pray, how to work, how to be a man. While no words or texts are attributed to him, we can be sure that Joseph pronounced two of the most important words that could ever be spoken when he named his son "Jesus" and called him "Emmanuel." When the child stayed behind in the Temple we are told Joseph (along with Mary) searched with great anxiety for three days for him (Luke 2:48). Joseph’s life reminds us that a home or community is not built on power and possessions but goodness; not on riches and wealth, but on faith, fidelity, purity and mutual love. The present challenges to fatherhood and masculinity cannot be understood in isolation from the culture in which we live. The effect of fatherlessness on children is deeply alarming. How many young people today have been affected by the crisis of fatherhood and paternity! How many have been deprived of a father or grandfather in their life? It is not for naught that St. Joseph is patron of the Universal Church and principal patron of Canada. If there was ever a time when we needed a strong, saintly male role model who is a father, it is our time. And the feast of the Holy Family is a very significant day to go to Joseph and beg him to send us good fathers who will head families. Joseph and Mary, more than anyone else, were the first to behold the glory of their One and Only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). May St. Joseph make of us good priests, religious and lay people who will imitate the humble worker from Nazareth, who listened to the Lord, treasured a gift that was not his, all the while modeling to Jesus how the Word becomes flesh and lives among us. ************************************* THE TYPE OF WORLD / EARTH I WANT TO LIVE IN Darlene Mascarenhas and family luxuries? Do you see & feel injustice and corruption? Do you feel the air pungent with pollution? Do you sense a complete lack of value for human life? Do you see our powerful leaders inciting hatred and fury? Do you see yourself as guilty and a contributor in some way to some of these visions? I am sure that you and I will come up with similar answers. Yes… the world around us today is proof of how mankind has abused itself through the last century and how we are dragging the world we live in down with us, at an alarming rate at that. For every single development mankind achieves in science and technology, we seem to lose track of a bunch of virtues, values and laws of nature upon which depended our very existence and survival on this planet. Vast knowledge and development in the fields of science, research & technology gathered and achieved over the past centuries has not taught us how to control the power we wield. We are happy to hide and immerse ourselves with short term conveniences and pleasures, so easily available today, while we try to wipe out all horrifying thoughts and visions of the future of our Earth – the very earth that we ourselves have unwittingly set on its path to doom. So what will tomorrow be like? Our planet’s not too distant future ironically seems to mirror civilization’s not too distant end. And this is no find ourselves a comfortable place to sit, close our eyes for a few moments and then try to reflect on the world around us, the way it was yesterday, the world as it is today and what it will be like tomorrow. Let us start by taking a good look at the world immediately around us, around our family, our home and our immediate neighbourhood. Then from there let us look further into our city, our country and then at our planet. While we seem warm and content with the creature comforts of our cosy home, surrounded by our close family and loved ones, we need to look further around us and further still. Now do you see happiness and people as comfortable as you? And do you see peace? Do you see love among men? Look harder, do you see humanity? Do you see virtue; do you see respect for life? Do you see innocent happy children and happy families? Do you see the earth around you in its abundance of greenery, wild life and clean fresh air? Do you see a promising future for us and the generations yet to arrive?? Or do you rather see terror, war, hatred between men? Do you see poverty, sickness, and confused souls? Do you see unchecked irresponsible exploitation of Mother Nature by the most powerful of nations and corporations? Do you see an absence of morals and virtue in our modern generation? idle threat, or foreboding. We can now reasonably expect a planet increasingly battered by violent weather, millions of acres of land rendered uncultivable due to the severe climate changes, over 70% of the population of the earth facing a crisis of survival due to food shortages and poverty. Large cities will submerge in time due to increase in levels of the world’s oceans as the polar ice keeps melting at alarming rates. The delicate balance of nature being disturbed means that entire species of plants and animals will be wiped out starting a disastrous sequence of imbalances in nature. These are just some of the side effects of an abused living planet. The effects of cross border politics and nations built on greed and others built on race and religion only mean that an impending world war will take precedence and end civilizations long before nature’s whiplash of fury bears down on us. So can mankind rise to the occasion & resurrect itself? Or are we doomed to perish like moths drawn to the flame? The answer lies in Hope, Determination, and a very simple formula: "Let each man live his life virtuously and harmoniously amongst his brethren and Mother Nature, and all good things will follow" Our success will lie in our individual efforts, all leading to a collective and wonderful result. We cannot change overnight all the terrible things we have done to ourselves and to this planet but we can start by each one of us playing our part sincerely, thus putting the brakes on our rush along the path to destruction. In time we will know if we can reverse the havoc we have brought onto this planet and onto mankind. From today I will hold myself responsible for my actions. I will live such a life that I will contribute to Mother Earth rather than live "off "mother earth. Ethics and virtues will guide me and the generations to follow. I realize that without ethics and morals I am as dangerous as a moving vehicle without brakes. I will use virtues and ethics to guide me and not Fashion & Style. I need to learn to live modestly and not lavishly. I need to understand that we cannot keep ravaging the planet with our unceasing wants and desires. Some person, some living creature, some part of Mother Nature has to pay or die every time I need to satisfy some lavish desire. Do I have the right to do that? Do I have the right to make someone suffer every time I satisfy some whim or fancy that is not necessary for my existence? Does the money I have really give me that right? Does it?? I realize now why my conscience is so important to my future…to the future of mankind. I need to accept responsibility for my actions. I need to pass on these values to future generations. I constantly need to ask myself, "Will this action, this project, this job, this career, contribute to the future of this planet or is it going to satisfy someone’s selfish desires, or my desires, at the expense of the life of some living creature on Mother Earth?" . I NEED to learn how to Respect my brethren and Mother Nature at all times in order to survive. This alone is the key to our future, and my conscience is going to be my guide. If my conscience is clear then I know the air I breathe is going to be clean and I know tomorrow is going to be a lovely day. I see greenery all around me , sweet smelling flowers gently swaying in the breeze, the sky is amazingly blue and bright, I hear other children like me playing on the grass and my loving parents looking down on me with pride saying, " Darling, we are so proud of you today!" THIS is the kind of earth I would like to live in, one where I and future generations can have the HOPE to LIVE. *********************************************** A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH - Ecology & Environment Anita Menezes Our beautiful earth is being subjected to so many of evils by us. Very often we throw a small wrapper or a piece of paper or plastic on the ground thinking this small act of ours wont effect the environment much, but it does. We ourselves are the reasons for making our lives miserable. We always complain – why are the roads dirty, why is the gutter blocked and water overflowing? Why, why, why….? The cause for all is no one but our own selves. God created this magnificent world for us to live in, enjoying peace, love and harmony but we don’t appreciate it and don’t realize its value. It’s only when something tragic happens to us is that we feel we have made a mistake. Overuse of resources also effects our environment. The unnecessary use of a/c’s, refrigerators, etc emits chlorofluorocarbons into the air leading to depletion of the ozone layer, unseasonal or no rains, extreme hot and cold climate. In spite of being educated and literate, people fail to understand that if each one of us changes in a small way our style of living we can bless ourselves and the coming generations by creating a better place to live in. We are talking about terrorist attacks but what about our own wrongdoings where nature is concerned. Throughout our school days we are told in science and geography about ecology, environment, scarcity of resources and the importance of conservation of resources but being selfish, we don’t put into practice what we learn. In a few years from now there will be no fuel, no water, no oxygen - then, what will we do? Have you ever thought about it? We say, "We shall se later what happens." Our attitude towards life is wrong. Some of us have understood, but many of us need to understand the importance of these matters. If we truly realise that our actions can change our lives and will bless the future with good, why not do it and feel happy about it? The proverb says, "God helps those who help themselves." So let us help ourselves so that later on we don’t curse God for our wrong doing. If we could make small changes in our daily life like not using plastic bags, taking a BEST bus instead of a car or rickshaw for short distances, throwing garbage in bins, not wasting water, etc… small contributions like these will help us and future generations to live on a new earth and a new heaven. ***************************************** Ecology, Environment and the Life we Live ….. - Michael Coelho continues to be a much touted topic as we live our daily lives. Its not for want of alternative subjects but for the very real and obvious reasons of our life styles today and their impact on Mother Nature, triggered by our individual behaviours……. causing imbalances, frequently referred to as ecological and environmental disasters. An appropriate approach to the topic is understanding what the terms mean. Ecology, simplistically is "The science of the relationships between organisms and their environments." ‘Environment’ is most commonly used to describe the "natural" environment and means the sum of all living and non-living things that surround an organism, or group of organisms. It includes all elements, factors, and conditions that have some impact on the growth and development of particular organism/s. It would be fair to conclude that it is the culmination of multiple ecological systems that make up the environment. "I" happen to be part of one such ecological system - the universal environment that is at the receiving end of the abuse being heaped on it by human kind, to whom it was gifted by God. The third dimension to this little analysis is, "Who am I?" Am I the passive observer who witnesses the chaos that prevails all around and other than mulling over the issues at hand, do precious little else? Am I aware of the damage being foisted on the environment due to people’s insensitivity or plain ignorance and do I play my part in making people aware of the problem and help in leading thought and action towards arresting this increasing assault on God’s marvellous creation? I, lets face it, have options: the responsibility and the privilege of deciding as to what role I’d like to play in protecting the precious environment or be a fence-sitter, watching the world go by or more relevantly, go DOWN!!! At the risk of flogging a dead horse ….. I believe I can share with you my perspective on the subject and probably a means to relate to the topic on a different plane altogether. Are ecology, the environment and I related in some way? Can I in my own small way positively impact the environment? Do I have the means to mobilize opinion and bring about a change in the way understand the correlation between the three? I am so very convinced that we can do our own little bit starting in the little individual circles that we tend to orbit in; be they within ourselves, our immediate families and the orbital circles amongst school mates, colleagues, building neighbours, Basic Christian Communities and so on. If I were to consider a single reason or probably a couple of reasons as to why we just may not be doing our little bit in taking on the responsibility for the beautiful environment God gifted us with, I’d probably put in down to lack of Awareness, Ownership and the Willingness to do SOMETHING!Awareness is what comes of being open to what surrounds us and relating to the circumstances or situation at hand. Do I believe that maybe the ecology and the environment are not evolving exactly as per God’s plan? Do I believe that I may have a responsibility in trying to save a piece of what God created for my benefit and comfort? More importantly, do I believe that God did create all this for ME? Poignant but relevant questions I probably feel uncomfortable to recognise and acknowledge, mostly because they are so close to home. But face them I must if I consider myself a responsible part of society and the environment at large. Awareness is a gift which most take for granted. For the most part, it is so convenient for people around to take all they have for granted, that they become blind to the possible negative impact it has on the environment. Take the example of a vehicle. It is through hard earned money that a vehicle is purchased and it becomes a symbol of achievement. It also becomes a means to an end – one of making the daily commute more convenient, safe and comfortable, the ability to provide a lift to a less fortunate neighbour or colleague. There are several reasons to justify a vehicle. On the flip side, the vehicle increases pollution, requires parking space and precious hydro carbon natural resources that are dwindling. Can I consider utilising my vehicle in a more responsible or justifiable manner? Can I regulate its use so as to minimise its negative impact on the environment? Can I probably offer its convenience and use to people around so that others with vehicles can consider the option of pooling so as to minimise consumption of fuel and reduce the overall pollution of the environment? Could I use a smaller vehicle that allows minimal fuel consumption, requires lesser parking space and so on? The ability to take ownership is the next consideration. Taking ownership is accepting the responsibility of contributing to the situation at hand. Having taken ownership, what naturally follows is the ability to decisively evaluate ways and means of taking corrective action - be it evangelization, reducing errant contribution to the growing hazard, mobilizing opinion, building consensus on ways to contain the unhindered increase of pollution or damage to various ecosystems and sub systems that ultimately will impair human life and its ability to sustain itself. The willingness to participate in, and contribute to, the betterment of the environment and make it more habitable for people in years to come should be a very important aspect of our attitude. This is what separates the men from the boys (at the risk of sounding sexist) and clearly is the most decisive action that can be taken by responsible people today. It is about declaring my concern, my responsibility, my commitment and ability to make the time to draw attention to what ails our society, our environment and because of our sense of ownership, proclaim all that we do or would like to do. A simple comparison to make this stark statement would be to compare ourselves with the situation the Samaritan found himself in when he came upon the hapless man who had been beset by robbers who stole him of his worldly possessions and left him lying injured in more ways than one. Do we want to be among the passers-by that either looked sympathetically but did nothing, or the others who pretended they had not noticed the state of the hapless man? Are we scared to commit ourselves to this important cause of protecting our environment from the plundering it is experiencing thanks to the insensitive populace or do we see a role in containing further damage by becoming responsible parents, children, citizens, neighbours and community leaders? It can be really quite simple if we desire change and have the courage and conviction to take charge and responsibility for our deeds. Ultimately society is what we make it. The environment is no different. Each of us has a leader somewhere within us – all it takes is to uncover this leader and put it to good use. Some of us need to acknowledge we need help to uncover this leader but with unity this is possible. Can we pledge our best efforts in making this beginning? Can we pledge our care and concern for what God has given us? Can we pledge our time to helping others discover the leader within? It’s a small beginning but one nonetheless!!!!!
******************************** THE EUCHARIST Ms. Phyllis de Souza, Assisi Bhavan E STEEMED for its healing properties,U PLIFTING our feelings of fresh life,C HARISMATIC gift our hearts to pleaseH ELPING us in life’s bitter strife.A SKING God to act is our great supplication,R ECEIVING Him in beautiful contemplation.I MMERSING and Investing in this great moment,S URRENDERING ourselves to His permeating presence,T HANKING Him for His touch with great reverence.******************************* THE PASSING YEARS Sr. Maureen In the light of death, these passing years Are like the foam of the restless waves, That leave a faint mark on the sands of time Which other waves will soon erase. In the light of faith, these passing years Are like the slopes of the mountain peaks, Which rise and fall but stand forever Echoing whatever man speaks. In the light of hope, these passing years Are like a journey across the sea, No matter how dead the horizon may be We move on for life we hope to see. In the light of love, these passing years Are like the dazzling sun, Which seems to be going round the earth But stands still and watches our fun. ********************************** WOMEN’S CELL COLLAGE Lavina D’Souza & Maureen Forbes Christmas season brings us the message of peace and joy. This message was beautifully brought out by our students of the literacy class at the Christmas party organized by the women’s cell on 18 th December, 2008 at Nagari Nivara Kendra. The programme started with a Christmas carol beautifully enacted by some of our students with their wonderful costumes. This was followed by a humorous skit characterizing the plight of a depressed queen who had everything in her life except peace.The students sang the Christmas carols and wished Happy Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. Each student was given a small Christmas gift served snacks. Fr. Austin appreciated the programme and said that the students have really brought out the true message of Christmas. A very special thanks to Fr. Austin for always motivating and encouraging the women’s cell members and their students. We would also like to thank Sr. Anastasia and Sr. Maureen for their presence. Everyone had a nice time and enjoyed the party. The programme came to an end with the vote of thanks by Mrs. Maria Rodrigues. ******** The Deanery Women’s Cell went to Our Lady of the Sea Church, Madh Island, for a picnic on 15 January 2009. Our members too attended and we all had a nice time. We shared on our work and experiences. We had fun games and a fellowship meal which we all enjoyed. The day was well spent amongst confreres who are engaged in the upliftment of our womankind. Our Cell meets on the first Saturday of every month at 7.30 am in the Mass hall . Women who wish to join us…may attend this meeting. ***************************************** My Animal Farm Chelsea Saldanha "CANDY WILL YOU STOP SCREECHING!!!!," I said, yelling at my tiny feathery friend who is letting me know quite clearly he doesn’t take kindly to my taste in music especially at 7 in the morning. His band of brothers and sisters (I still haven’t figured out which of them are male and female) pipe in along with him in chorus and continue to scream at me at the top of their tiny lungs till I cave in and switch the music off. They chirp in unison to let me know they approve and finally their murmurs die down. So you clearly see who rules the house. Big Budgie, Candy, Shorty, Spotty, Sweety, Sunny and Shibu are the seven budgerigars who live with me and my home away from home family in Canada. I remember when I first entered the house they were perched on their branch which was next to the window. Twelve black eyes were staring intently at the stranger in their midst. *Chirp* "Who is she?"… *Chirp Chirp* "What’s with all the luggage?" – I knew they were talking about me but I decided I would get to know them slowly since I was the outsider. Budgerigars popularly called love birds in India are small parrots with long flat tails. They come in different colours. I should know! The ones we have have colours ranging from bright blue, navy blue, multicolored, sea green and pale yellow. Not only are they intelligent and friendly birds but they also love socializing and interacting with humans. You can teach them to whistle, talk and tame them enough so they will sit on your shoulder or even in the palm of your hand. They took a while to get used to the newcomer. The first few weeks were spent in staring me down, a match which I lost, much to my shame. Sweety had just joined their family and was adjusting to all of them too so I felt I could relate to her. She still hadn’t developed her flight feathers so she was left to watch the others flying about the house. But she tried. With the few feathers that she had she wanted to fly and she was determined to soar right through the house with them. I would see her stumbling and falling but she pushed even harder. I wasn’t crazy but I kept encouraging her in English and she replied back in bird talk saying, "If I can do it why can’t you?" She flies like a pro today I must say. I slowly got to know each of them. Candy is my favourite. With his bright blue feathers, and that evil twinkle in his eyes he is the naughtiest of the lot. Big Budgie is the patriarch of the family. He was the first bird to be acquired and kind of lays down the law although I have seen Candy throw him off his perch a couple of times. You should see the beak vs. beak fights. Pure entertainment! Shorty and Sporty are multicolored beauties who look like twins from far. Sunny is fat. Well he just got fat over the winter and I keep reminding him politely to lose weight and he replies me equally politely "Look who’s talking." Sheesh! Shibu has just become part of the family and I see a little of Sweety in him although he is a little more shy. But he has started flying so I’m happy for him. I love talking to them. It may not be in English but they reply, and sometimes that chirp-chirp is enough of an answer to get you going. Sometimes just talking to them and getting your frustrations out helps. Cleaning their cage and changing their water and feed while they watch you do it is such a nice feeling. I thank God for these small ways in which he has made me come to appreciate who I am and what I am capable of. There is inspiration all around us. Just keep your eyes and ears open and believe. **************************************** wysiwyg Ashok Saldanha The advent of the computer and the cell or mobile brought about a sea change worldwide, and with the coming of the Internet, Planet Earth as we know it transformed into Village Earth. Suddenly everybody wanted everything fast if not faster, short if not shorter. Time was of the essence. At my home too, things have taken a drastic change. Conversation as I know it has stopped. After an argument with the missus, no more talking, instead, I get an SMS from the kitchen on my cell while sitting in the hall, telling me that dinner is ready and to come and get it. My 8 year old too does not lag far behind. She gives me "missed calls". One "missed call" means she will be home in 10 minutes. Two "missed calls" one after another; she is held up at her coaching class and will be late coming home. These are "standing instructions" from her. "Do not "pick up", as then she will lose 1 Rs/- "talk time" on the pre-paid scheme on her cell. God help me if I pick up the call. Sometimes I sincerely wish for the days, when we had to make trunk calls and wait for 1 day to be connected to Aunty Jane in Hyderabad or "lightning calls" and wait 12 hours to talk to Uncle Joe in Bangalore. The fun was in screaming "Hello, Hello" more than having a real conversation with the person called. The lines were that bad. Today it is "you sound like you are next door, instead of in Australia." Back to my 8 year old. Yesterday she was on the internet at home and typing for all she was worth with her two indicator fingers. She was "chatting" with friends on "Orkut", "Yahoo", "MSN, "Face Book", "Skype" and "G-Talk" all at the same time. How she did it I do not know, but she went from one window to the next faster than Usain Bolt at the China Olympics. Suddenly she was aware of me standing over her shoulder, and immediately the word "FOS" came up. She went on to the next site and typed "PIW". Then she typed "c u ltr lol" and exited. I wondered what all this code language was. She turned around, glared and told me not to read what she was typing. "It’s not the done thing, Papa". I apologized and told her that what she was typing was not English and asked where she had picked up the foreign language. She laughed, and told me that it was English, and it was "cool" and to "chill" and not to get "uptight". I scratched my head at the words she used and asked her what did "FOS" and "PIW" meant. Were they some sort of bad words which adults were not privy to? She looked at me like one would look at a 4 year old who had stopped growing mentally at 2 years and said "Papa, "FOS" means "father over shoulder" and "PIW" means "parent is watching’. Don’t tell me you did not know. How ancient? Let me educate you, so that next time you do not embarrass me in front of my friends. I looked at my 8 year old, young enough to be cuddled, teaching her father how to suck eggs. She continued educating me, "When one says "My bad" it is about making a mistake, "that’s money, dude" is about appreciation", "Sweet" means a cigarette, "cheddar or dough", does not mean I want cheese or bread, but that I want some pocket money. "Capish" understood." I started wilting like a 3 day old flower in a dry vase. My 8 year old went on. "Altered" means dumb. "busted" is ugly, "crunk" - crazy drunk, "emo" – emotional, "off the chain" – cool, "overchicked" – a guy who dates a girl more attractive than him, "That’s the sh.." - that’s all I know about the topic, "wired" - a person who has too much energy. I could tell you a lot more but for starters this will do." I just stared at her goggle eyed and then buried myself in the newspaper feeling like what the Neanderthal Man would have felt meeting Bill Gates. Next day at office, I tried my daughter’s lingo with the boss. I told him "Sir, can I bounce at 4 p.m. today?" He stared at me, and said "Why do you want to bounce at 4 o’clock? New type of exercise, huh?" I said "No, "bounce" meant that I want to leave early from work". He told me "Bounce right back to your desk. No leaving early." When the missus complained that I do not take her out, buy her things and stuff like other husbands do. I just answered "WYSIWYG". She is still wondering what "WYSIWYG" is. Ego stops her from asking me what "WYSIWYG" means. But there is no more comparing me with others. By the way, "WYSIWYG" is "What You See Is What You Get." ************************************************* BULLETIN FOR DECEMBER 2008 - JANUARY 2009 My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards…..!! Happy Christmas and a Great New Year 2009! As we wend our way through the preparatory season of Advent, we will ultimately arrive at the holy feast
of Christmas. For me the "best time of the year comes around".. I get quite mushy and what-not about Christmas. I wonder if
you share this feeling as well. Peace on earth and to all people of goodwill! PEACE, the gift we all seek and long for... Christmas is, and will always be, THE most favoured feast for all of us. Of course, different sections of
society will have different reasons for loving this feast. Children love this season because of the gifts, goodies and holidays.
Adults love this season because it gives them a chance to meet up with and do things together as a family. Business houses
like this season as it hikes their sales and profits. Soldiers at war get a day of peace if not more. And even orphans and
destitute get a payoff from this beautiful season. Christmas, in today's vitiated and grossly violated society, is a breath of fresh air and an opportunity
for one and all to connect with, and uphold, age-old and God-given values. We have been reeling under the hammers of violence
and death, we have been straining under the yoke of rising prices and recession, and have been struggling against the cross
currents of divisive politics and hatred…The 26th November terror attck in Mumbai, must surely rank as one of the darkest
moments in out recent memory. Even as we celebrate Christmas and welcome Christ - the Light of the World, our thoughts must
go out to the thousands of Christians who have suffered and are still in hiding in various parts of our country and the world
and will celebrate their own version of Christmas perhaps a better version than ours. Yes! Christmas is indeed a breath of fresh air...of hope and sanity, heralding all that our world should
aim to be….. HAPPY CHRISTMAS..! January 1st 2009, is annually celebrated as the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. What a beautiful way to
start off the New Year with our Blessed Mother. Ask Mary for her guidance in family, domestic, professional and national life.
She is the Mother who understands and will hold us in her arms, in all our struggles and lead us to glory. "Hail Mary, Full
of Grace…." When we look back, we can always see the areas in our lives that we need to change and do better, for example
"The International Year of Astronomy", we can also count our blessings and successes and say "Thank You Lord.." We can now
"make resolutions" to do better, not just because it is a New Year, but because we have New Hope and a reason to do better
for ourselves and those we love. Hope is not an overnight dream … hopes can sometimes take a lifetime to come to fruition,
will involve much hard work and resolve. But that should not deter us from going ahead and with more zest. Our church building
project is a case in point. I am thankful and amazed at the tenacity of you, my dear parishioners, at the hope that you hold
on to and which we all cherish, that Providence will give us a Church building "in God's good time…" Our next issue of the Bulletin, will feature ideas for life, environment and ecological issues, which concern
all of us. Please send in your thoughts, poems, reports, quiz answers at the very earliest. May St. Joseph bless you and your
families and God Bless you all. Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-charge **************************************** CHRISTMAS Sr. Maureen The mystery of the Incarnation Manifested on Christmas day, Enshrined a God in human form Which He had planned to share. For 33 years God lived as man Doing all that humans do, O Mary tell us if you can The marvel of His life with you. Did He regret for having done so When on the cross He died? I don't think so, for the day before He took His friends for a ride. Taking bread He broke it and said 'My body will be your food, To make you live with Me always' Can there be a greater fool? The Secret Throne Sr. Maureen Within the heart of every man There lies a secret throne, Where Jesus wants to take his stand And live as in a home. So patiently He waits outside Hoping to hear you say, 'Come in Lord, in me abide, And always with me stay.' Jesus is the King of kings But finds it hard to get, A single throne among the billions To lavish all His wealth. But once He's in, you can be sure Your life will blossom forth. And at His side you'll reign secure To drink in all His worth. New Year Thrills Sr. Maureen There heaves a sigh in every breast On a beautiful day like this, Of years gone by when out of the nest We flew to find life's bliss. The search was long, or so it seemed The path was narrow and uphill too, The ups and downs to be redeemed By one whose life was new. Each New Year seemed so full of hope Of dreams not yet fulfilled. That silver lining and the rainbow Beckoned us on with a thrill. But as the days and months roll by We face the stark reality of life, The life that was, and the life to be Is climaxed in the everlasting me. ******************************* MIRACLES AT MIDNIGHT Mrs. Teresa Aranha 2000 years ago, in Bethlehem, ‘the house of bread’, city of King David, lived ten year old Jonaton,
an innkeeper’s nephew, lame from birth. That year, every Jew, on Roman emperor Tiberius’ orders, went to the city
of his ancestors to be counted. Inn keepers, including Jonaton’s uncle, profited hugely, stuffing three families into
rooms meant for one. Jonaton, hearing a knock, opened the door to a young couple, exhausted and travel-stained. ‘No
room,’ shouted the rude innkeeper, but the boy hobbled to tell his aunt, ‘The lady is having a baby.’ She
whispered, ‘The stable…. ’ ***** The young woman Mary chatted with his aunt while turning the manger- the wooden trough for the animals’
food - into a cradle- (to hold other food- the ‘Bread of Life’, as the baby would call Himself later) "My mother
Anne is of David’s line as is my husband Joseph. So we’re in Bethlehem. The Angel Gabriel announced that I’m
to be the mother of God’s Son, Jesus, which means ‘Saviour’. What an honour for a poor village girl like
me!" ***** Jonaton, waiting outside, saw poor shepherds arriving with gifts: a woolen blanket, wild honey, dates, and
a lamb. Angels had told them to hasten and worship the Promised One of Israel, born in a stable in Bethlehem They now praised
God for choosing them, poor shepherds, to be His Son’s first visitors!’ ****** Jonaton could now miraculously understand the animals’ conversation. Donkey: I’ve nothing to offer the Child. Ox : You have patience and endurance. ‘You’re hardworking and reliable. You’ve brought
the Blessed Mother here and will have to carry her and the Child to Egypt soon when cruel Herod orders the killing of all
Jewish baby boys. Later, Jesus will ask especially for you when He enters Jerusalem in triumph- for great Kings come humbly,
not as conquerors on horses, but riding asses. Donkey : (Happily) How wonderful! It hurts us when stupid people are called donkeys or asses. Lamb : But what about you? Ox : We’re special too. The cows will provide Him with fresh milk. And David’s psalm says, ‘Every
beast of the forest is mine and the cattle on the hills’. We belong to a great God. And remember the ‘land flowing
with milk and honey’ promised by God to the Israelites? Lamb : (sadly) Only I am of no use. Ox : One day this same Babe will be proclaimed the ‘Lamb of God’ by John the Baptist, His cousin.
He will be sacrificed cruelly as lambs in the temple are, and then the sins of His people will be washed away. After that,
there’ll be no need to sacrifice lambs. ***** Jonaton: (to Mary) I have no gift for your baby. Mary : Yours was the best gift of all, Jonaton: compassion. Others were indifferent but you showed us this
stable and told your aunt about me. Here, hold my babe for a while. Jonaton: (holding the Babe) How happy and peaceful I feel! I can face life’s trials bravely now. ***** Hearing his uncle call, Jonaton handed the Babe to his mother. Clutching the manger to help himself up he
knew something was very different. He looked down - his twisted leg was straight! Now he could run and jump with other boys!
He whispered, ‘Thank you Jesus, the Promised One.’ Seeing him come bounding in, Jonaton’s uncle said, ‘Lead me to them, boy.’ Jonaton obliged. In his uncle’s
own words: ‘A mighty force pushed me to the ground. I fell prostrate before that Babe. And then…’ - he stopped,
embarrassed: the One for whom he had no room in his inn had found room in his, the innkeeper’s, heart. ****************************** A JOYFUL MYSTERY Phyllis de Souza Throw Aves around the Celestial Gate, Her Majesty with outstretched hands awaits, Entwining each Ave as it settles, Round her Throne like myriad rose petals, Our thoughts go back to Nazareth where, Sunset suffused a Virgin at Prayer, And the Angel Gabriel stood to tell, Rejoicing notes of how would dwell, A Young Messiah for the Virgin to bear. ********************************* DEVOTION TO OUR LADY C. Comello The Small Christian Community of Sai Baba and Dheeraj Valley devoted the month of October to Our Lady by
reciting the Rosary daily at every member's residence at 8.00 p.m. followed by snacks. The Rosary was well attended by adults
and children. On the last day, the Rosary was recited at Sai Sundaram. It was attended by all the families. After the Rosary
there were games for the children as well as adults, followed by a sumptuous dinner of mutton and chicken biriyani donated
by some of the members. Among other prizes a special prize was given to Feloy D'Souza who attended all the Rosaries. A souvenir
was also given to each family. We hope that next year the response will be the same if not better. Thank you all for making the devotion meaningful. ******************************* 2009 the International Year of Astronomy The United Nations, 62nd General Assembly proclaimed 2009 the International Year of Astronomy. The International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) celebrates the first astronomical use of the telescope
by Galileo - a momentous event that initiated 400 years of astronomical discoveries and triggered a scientific revolution
which profoundly affected our worldview. Now telescopes on the ground and in space explore the Universe, 24 hours a day, across
all wavelengths of light. The President of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Catherine Cesarsky says: "The International
Year of Astronomy 2009 gives all nations a chance to participate in this ongoing exciting scientific and technological revolution." The IYA2009 will highlight global cooperation for peaceful purposes - the search for our cosmic origin and
our common heritage which connect all citizens of planet Earth. For several millennia, astronomers have worked together across
all boundaries including geographic, gender, age, culture and race, in line with the principles of the UN Charter. In that
sense, astronomy is a classic example of how science can contribute towards furthering international cooperation. The IYA2009 is, first and foremost, an activity for the citizens of planet Earth. It aims to convey the excitement
of personal discovery, the pleasure of sharing fundamental knowledge about the Universe and our place in it, and the merits
of the scientific method. Astronomy is an invaluable source of inspiration for humankind throughout all nations. So far more
than 100 nations and numerous organisations have signed up to participate in the IYA2009 ‚ an unprecedented network
of committed communicators and educators in astronomy. For more information on the International Year of Astronomy 2009 please visit the website-http://www.astronomy2009.org/ ******************************** CONFIRMATION CLASS RECOLLECTION Valerie D'costa Our parish priest Fr. Austin said that "this years Confirmation students should consider themselves a privileged
batch…" and indeed they should. For on October 2nd 2008, a four hour recollection was conducted by Fr. Savio De Sales,
from St. Andrew's Church, Bandra, for all students of the Confirmation class. Fr. Savio started with an action song urging the 30 students who attended the session to proclaim that they
had "Joy in their Hearts". A lovely beginning to an even lovelier session that made us ponder over " Who is Jesus and what
kind of a relationship do we have with Him?". The idea behind the session was to bring us closer to Jesus and help us grow
in faith. We were divided into groups where we had to discuss certain questions put forward by Fr. Savio and share our experiences
of various encounters with God. We then had a half hour break during which we were served samosas, vadas and soft drinks. We returned for the second session where the topic of discussion was Discipleship. We had a small activity
where we searched the gospels for instances that portrayed discipleship. Fr. Savio explained how we could be disciples and
spread the word of God and the message of love, peace, justice and equality. With strengthened faith we sang "With Jesus in the Boat, We Can Smile in the Storm." Our last discussion
made us aware of certain facts about the Catholic Church and the violence against Christians in different parts of India.
We discussed ways to help the people in distress, for sometimes even a small effort can make a big difference. I end thanking Fr. Savio, Fr. Austin and both the confirmation teachers Mr. Luis Pereira and Ms. Elizabeth Joseph for their effort and the time spent in preparing such an enlightening recollection for us. ************************* Thanksgiving Sunday Lucy Samuel "COME IN, COME IN.YOU ARE PART OF THE FAMILY GIVING THANKS TO GOD FOR HIS BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS", read the
banner placed prominently over the altar. It was Sunday 5th October, 2008, and St. Joseph's Parish Goregaon (E) was celebrating
"Thanksgiving Day". There was a lot of excitement and anxiety in the crowd about what the breakfast menu was, as most of the
parishioners had decided to celebrate the day by bringing "a little something" to be shared as breakfast by all. The tables groaned under the weight of the goodies that the people of God had brought: Sannas, Sandwiches,
Sheera, Idli, Sambhar, Chutneys, Chicken curry, Cutlets, Kheema, Sorpatel, Kadak Pav, Kachories, Upma, Powa. The aroma of
the food was overwhelming and as soon as Fr. Lincoln blessed the food after celebrating Mass, everyone dashed to the tables
yet maintained a proper decorum. Hungry or not, it was a pleasing sight to see parishioners sharing not only the food but also smiles and
jokes as new friendships were made and old ones cemented some more, over juicy hot parathas dripping with chicken curry or
chole masala. Even those watching their weight gave their diets a go by, at least for the morning, as where else would one
get the opportunity to sample fare from the North, South, East and West of India. East Indian, Mangalorean, Goan, Malayalee,
Tamil, Andhra, and Punjabi - you name it and the tables had it. More than 200 parishioners and their families participated in this food festival with the theme of "Thanking
God for His Bounty", and like last year (when it all started) it was a grand success. The people missed Fr. Austin and a few other parishioners who had gone out to another parish on a more important
mission- that of collecting funds for building our new church. We thank God for this wonderful morning and the love and affection displayed by each of our parishioners ************************** REPORT ON THE AUXILIARY FUNCTION Theresa Sequeira On the occasion of Our Lady's Birthday, the Active and Auxiliary Legionaries got together on Sunday 28th
September 2008 at 5.00 p.m. in the Parish Mass Hall. The event was well attended. Fr. Lincoln was present. The function began with a short welcome followed by recitation of the Holy Rosary led by our most active
legionary, Maria Rodrigues. Fr. Lincoln said words of encouragement, highlighting that more auxiliary members could become
active ones, thus expanding Mother Mary's army. Kenny Godad briefed everyone on the work carried out by the active legionaries
in our Parish. He also mentioned the opportunity he got to visit Our Lady of Health Parish in Versova to brief those parishioners
about the work of a legionary. We were asked to introduce ourselves, thereby giving everyone the opportunity to get to know one's neighbours.
This was followed by a quiz. Solving the quiz was interesting. We were broken into four groups. We had 10 minutes to solve
the quiz. Most of the questions were based on Our Lady. Solving it proved how well we know Our Mother. This was followed by
a game of "Bombing the Countries". Then the Catena was recited. We enjoyed Maria's delicacies: ribbon cake& chutney sandwiches with wafers and juice. Winners were awarded
prizes. There were spot prizes as well. The evening ended with the recitation of the concluding prayer and the final blessing by Fr. Lincoln. We had a wonderful and fun-filled evening. ******************************** Sunday School VII & VIII Project Preparation M. L. Sahayadass The theme for the project chosen by our parish is "Inequality". The first of the three Reflections in preparation
for the project was held on Sunday 16th Nov. 2008. This was attended by 32 students. Fr. Lincoln inaugurated the session. Mary Sam briefly described what "Inequality" is and what difficulties
are faced by humans due to inequality. Loretta gave an introduction to the film, "I live in Behrampada" which is basically
about the Hindu Muslim clashes after the destruction of the Babri Masjid. There was an interval during which the children
were served snacks. After the film was over, 7 groups of children from different areas were formed. Eg: from Saibaba Complex,
MHADA, NNP, etc. Each group was given a title like 'housing', 'clothing', 'food', 'schooling', 'job opportunities', 'electrical
gadgets', 'higher education',etc., which basically are instrumental in leading to inequality. Children were advised to prepare
material on the subject allotted to them and bring photos, newspaper cuttings, articles etc. for the next reflection. The next two reflections are scheduled as follows: 14.12.08 : Development : (Featuring a play as given in the booklet, followed by group discussions). 11.01.09: Word of God (Freezing game) & Expression. ***************************************** CONTEST FOR RECITATION OF PSALMS & GOSPEL SINGING N. Lucy Samuel 2nd November, 2008 was a red letter day in our Parish, as the mass hall reverberated to the joyful voices
of the Sunday school children belting out Gospel songs and reciting Psalms. Fr. Anthony and Brother Robin were the judges
for the show. They were greeted with bouquets and snacks. The atmosphere was electric as child after child gave of his or
her best and it was hard to choose from the lot. Karen Martins did a great job as usual, anchoring the whole show with Doris and Princa helping her with the
line up of the participating kids. Some children forgot their lines, and were given another chance, one of them coming on stage and just giving
cute looks to the audience. But when her father sat in front of her she was off at full swing! Despite some minor glitches
all the kids performed with gusto once their stage fright was conquered. Brother Robert too chipped in with an action song, "David and Goliath", and the crowd participated whole
heartedly by dancing with actions. Your reporter too spiced up the festive atmosphere with a soulful rendering of that all
time favourite "One day at a time". Our chief guests Fr. Anthony and Brother Robin voiced their praise for the disciplined way the children conducted
themselves and congratulated the organizers for doing such a good job. Snacks and cool drinks were served for all children & parents. Congrats to all the participants and to the winners (whose names are listed below) as well. Psalm Recitation was judged on the basis of Choice, Diction, Audibility, Expression and Presence. 1) Samuel Passi (STD I) 2) Noella Pinto (STD II) 3) Manuel Pasi (STD IV) 4) Jason Mathew (STD V) 5) Melna Mathew (Std VI) 6) Ronald Rodrigues (Std IX) 7) Marosa Fernandes (Confirmation class) Gospel Singing was judged on the basis of Choice, Diction, Style, Pitch and Presence 1) Merwyn Menezes 2) Andrea D'Souza 3) Pepin Fernandes CHOIR CELEBRATES ST. CELCILIA'S FEAST The Adult as well as the Children's Choir of our Parish celebrated St. Cecilia's Feast Day (Patron of Choirs)
on the 22nd November. There was lots of noise, fun, games and eats with Karen Martins organizing the whole party and the games
with the help of Mary Sam, Alina Rodrick and Clinton Fernandes. Louis the Choir master cut the cake as we sang "Happy Feast Day to us". Prizes were there in plenty and all were stuffed to the gills with the eats. Fr. Lincoln was present and Fr. Austin sent the choir an SMS wishing them, from Parel where he was on a collection
drive for our Church building. This was the seond time the Feast Day was celebrated and hopefully it will be an annual affair. **************************************************************** SCC Rally The Small Christian Communities Rally of St. Joseph's Parish was held on Sunday 9th November 2008 from 4.30
pm to 7.30 pm. It was a day for the whole parish to get together and show their unity. The different zones of the Parish put
in great effort to organize various items of entertainment. At 4.30 pm, the various zones with their leaders holding banners assembled together at the gates of the convent.
The March Past started at 5.00 pm to the beat of the music. Zone after zone walked into the quadrangle. The compere for the
evening was Loretta Silveira. The Chief Guest was Rev. Fr. Gilbert D'Lima from St. Pius Seminary. Fr. Lincoln introduced the Chief Guest
and Rachel welcomed him with a bouquet of flowers. This was followed by the felicitation of the Parish Councillors and Animators. The first item was an action song put up by Zone 5. They really put us in the mood by singing rousing hymns.
This was followed by a dance item by Zone 9 "Aaja Nachle", which everybody applauded. A skit was put up by Zone 6 that showed
how people live in their own selfish worlds and do not even bother to help if an accident takes place. Keeping in mind the
theme "TEAM", Zone 3 presented a dance based on "Unity in Diversity" depicting four sub-cultures i.e. Punjabi, Catholic, Marathi
and South Indian. They ended with "Vande Mataram", an inspired idea, especially in these troubled times. They made us all
dance with them to the pulsating music. Zone 2 performed a dance. It was then time for a short break.All enjoyed the Frooti and patties after which the programme continued
- with a skit by Zone 7, followed by an action song by Zone 10, where the true meaning of Jesus' Resurrection was depicted.
A skit by Zone 8, titled "No Time for God" made us realize how we are all so busy with our own lives that we even do not even
remember the timing of Sunday Mass in our own parish. The Chief Guest then came on stage, full of compliments for the entire
show, which he said was a mind blowing one. The programme then continued with a song and presentation by Zone 4. Last but
not the least, Zone 1 came in with their dance "Pappu can't dance" but their Pappu was a break dancer. Parish Councillors from the various zones were called on stage with their placards / banners and the Chief
Guest was requested to give away the prize for the best banner. The prize was shared by Zones 2 and 3. The programme concluded with a short vote of thanks to our Chief Guest. Fr. Lincoln was pleased with the
Rally and announced that next year he would love to see more of the adults on stage. Fr. Lincoln truly did a fantastic job
that day. The absence of Fr. Austin, who was on a fundraising mission for our Church Building Project, was felt by one and
all. ******************************************************** NO PRAYER GOES UNHEARD Often we pause and wonder When we kneel down to pray Can God really hear, the prayers that we say? But if we keep praying And talking to Him, He'll brighten the soul that was clouded and dim; And as we continue, our burden seems lighter; Our sorrow is softened,and our outlook is brighter For though we feel helpless And alone when we start, Our prayer is the Key, that opens the heart. And as our heart opens, The dear Lord comes in, And the prayer that we felt We could never begin, is so easy to say - And the Lord understands And gives us new strength By the touch of His hands. ************************** GLORY TO GOD AND PEACE TO ALL MEN Mrs. Norma VashiGood News! Good News! The Prince of PEACE is born. The child Jesus wrapped
us in a Blanket of His Love. The Holy Infant came into the world to give us eternal life as a free gift. Go tell it to your
sons and daughters or for that matter, all those who gather for a family reunion. Put on your festive apron and make a wee bit of effort and you will enjoy tons of funSinful
Christmas Pudding Chop fine 50 gms cashew nuts, cut 50 gms halved black currants, 50 gms brown raisins, 50 gms
sultanas, cut round and fine slices of glace cherries, 2 dried dates. Place in a small glass bowl all the dry fruits and pour over the fruits one peg of brandy. Blend
together in large jar of mixer: 200 gms demerara brown sugar; 4 tbl dry bread crumbs, 1 whole lemon juice; 200 gms butter;
3 tbl jam or marmalade; 2 tbl cocoa powder; 1 tsp clove powder, ½ tsp baking powder; 1 peg brandy; 200 gms maida; ½ cup milk;
4 whole eggs. Pour mixture in a bowl and with a spoon mix chopped cashew nuts and the soaked dry fruits. Pour batter in
a greased round cake tin sprinkled with dry flour. Cover cake tin with foil, make a pleat in the centre of the tin. Place
water in a deep tray and place the cake tin in it. Steam in preheated oven at 1200 for 45 minutes. To check if it is done,
test by inserting a skewer or knife which should come out clean. Allow to cool. Unmould on to a serving plate. Top with a
cherry.Thalee Sweet Relish The previous night: Whisk 4 egg yolks separately. Whisk 4 egg whites to a stiff froth separately.
To this add 250 gms fine sugar little by little at a time and mix. Add 200 gms white butter or Amul butter and 200 gms of
fine sojee. Cover vessel and keep overnight. Next morning, grind fine one fresh coconut and mix into the batter. Add 50 gms
grated cashew nuts, ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tbl rose water. Leave for half an hour. Pour batter in greased small deep thalees.
Bake in preheated oven at 1500 C for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into half inch triangles. Serve with a million rupee smile!! **************************************** Christmas or ‘X’mas Chelsea Saldanha I don’t really know the meaning of Christmas anymore. Last year I struggled with the materialism
and the Santa Claus fanaticism that’s going around. This year I plan on finding Christmas in any small way I can. Christmas isn’t Santa Claus. Christmas isn’t about toys, clothes, jewelry and gifts under the tree. Christmas isn’t about how low cut your dress is or how many slits your skirt has or how
spiked and well gelled your hair is. *Especially at Midnight Mass* Christmas isn’t about which neighbour gave you sweets for Diwali - only then will I give
them sweets for Christmas. Christmas isn’t about party-sharties or Navy Balls. Christmas isn’t about hitting
the bottle, then hitting on girls and then hitting the streets. After watching the brutal atrocities committed by a few religious fanatics against our Christian
brethren, it’s sad to say, but I don’t really think I want to celebrate Christmas this year. How can we think of spending money on clothes, toys, gifts, sweets and parties when so many
have suffered - lost lives, lost homes and most of all, lost themselves. Is there anything we can do to help ease their grief? I know there is. Let’s try to focus on the value of family, of going to church as a family and showing
people that we are a peaceful religion and wish none of our countrymen, be them of any faith, any ill will. Let’s try
to unite as a parish, a community, a congregation to help promote peace and goodwill among ourselves. Most of all let’s
help those who can’t help themselves and who need someone to stand by them- if not stand up for them. I urge all my fellow youth group members from St. Joseph, my Christian friends,... my friends
from different faiths, even those who don’t believe but believe in the value of each and every human being, anyone who
reads this, to do something different this year and show someone who has suffered from these hate crimes... that no matter
what - we are here for you... This Christmas and every single day. Christmas is Christ. ************************** YOUTH CAMP TO MATHERAN 28-29-30 October 2008 Impressions and Happy Memories Valerie D’costaFor the first time the youth have come together for an overnight camp. A beautiful experience in a
calm environment. I loved the serene atmosphere that gave us a break from the honking cars of Mumbai. Something very commendable
was the way the youth bonded, gelled with each other. It made this camp a smooth one and a pleasant experience. The sessions
were educational and thought provoking. They were very relevant, which made it interesting. I also enjoyed the morning and
evening walks and visits to various tourist points. Most importantly I enjoyed the company of my good old friends as well
as the company of the new ones I made over the past 3 days.Samantha Alvares Opened up and voiced out my opinions Learnt to adjust in all situations Sessions inspired us to stop and think how things we created are ruling us? Made me value and respect my family more than the importance given to things Experienced joy in caring, sharing and loving Felt the true beauty of nature Had a close connection with God away from all the distractions Made me realize that life should be lived for the present and not for the future Enlightened about the various values affecting our lives, making us slaves. A better approach to life and the people living around me Made us put on our thinking caps and actually stress at the points in our life, that we require to change Made new friends and an instant bond was formed. Received a lot of knowledge about various factors that are causing a lot of harm to our youth. Learnt how to deal and tackle various obstacles Learnt a lot about the role our friends play in our life Most important is that we had self-realisation and we learnt how to work, not as an individual but as a ‘group’Valkyn I’ve not been to any over-night camp before. This trip was really special and will be cherished by
me throughout my life. In the hustle and bustle of the city, we fail to understand the adverse effects of city life, on our
lives. Speed, Convenience and extreme individualism had affected our lives so much that we never relaised how we were becoming
slaves of our own inventions (technology). This camp was really an eye-opener. It also brought us together as a youth group.
I would like to thank Fr. Lincoln, Calveena, Karen, Loretta & Br. Robert for their effort. Such camps enhance our personality.
Thank-you very much. Stacy D’cunhaThe camp made me realize, that the things that I do day to day are governed by things that we don’t
realize. It gave me a chance to meet different new people who on normal days I would have never known. The sessions conducted
were well thought of and filled with everyday examples. The games conducted were lively and full of fun. The best part of
the camp was the meditation conducted at different intervals. It helped relax and forget about every day routine. What I take
home today will be the awareness about thevalues like convenience, speed, extreme individualism and entertainment and how
they govern our lives and also how I am going to work towards living my life in a more planned and enjoying way. Jenivine A camp that changed our life. St Joseph’s Parish youth group went for a camp in Matheran organized by Fr. Lincoln,
which was indeed inspiring. This camp was thought provoking and an eye-opener to the youth. The camp had several sessions,
games etc which inspired the youth. Youth started helping each other. We really enjoyed the Matheran camp, because it brought
us to a calm, cool and clean environment from a polluted and noisy Mumbai. We really developed a lot and I feel there should
be such camps for the better development of the youth. We feel we are really very lucky to come for this camp because we learnt
a lot from it. Hope to go again and again for a camp like this. We are really thankful to Fr. Lincoln who inspired us to come
for this camp. ************************** Sadbhavana Melawa – 15 Mr. Stanley D’cunha Since the time our Christian Brothers were attacked in Orissa, the Catholic Sabha had been planning a Rally
with the participation of all organisations and personalities involved in fighting the fundamentalists. These very people
are the ones who were and are attacking our priests, nuns, pastors and the innocents who follow Christ and destroying
their places of worship and desecrating the sacred species. Soon after the attacks on our Nuns and Priests the Sabha organised a Press conference- cum-first hand information
session at the Holy Spirit Hospital at Andheri where the Priests who were attacked were undergoing treatment. Some of the
priests were bed-bound or on wheel chairs. A sizable number of citizens had gathered - making it two halls packed with agitated
participants. The narratives of those Priests, Nuns and Social workers were spine chilling. Those horrible and barbaric attacks
and the rapes of our Religious needed to be condemned in the most serious terms. So it was felt that a massive rally at an
appropriate site would show the world our firm refusal to be silent spectators to the divisive propaganda and violence of
these fundamentalists in future. More than 60,000 people from all walks of life, from infants in arms to senior citizens, gathered
at the Shivaji Park ground in the scorching heat. It showed that our people are really concerned about the present political
scenario in our country. Speaker after speaker like Mr.Rehman, Mrs .Teesta Setalwad, Bp. Bosco and Bp. Percival and others stressed
the need for peace and the rule of law. They spoke on the prevailing situation in India and condemned the attacks conducted
on minorities to appease the majority community only for the sake of political gains. We thank all our Parishioners for their whole hearted support and participation in the Rally. The Catholic Sabha takes this opportunity to thank our Parish Priest Rev.Fr. Austin Norris for supporting the Rally, providing
transport to and fro, for the soft drinks and snacks provided to all, and especially for his presence at the Rally. ************************************************** The Superstitious Missus Ashok Saldanha The missus has always been superstitious. When we entered our new flat and the Parish Priest had blessed
it and left, she went into the kitchen, boiled milk and let it spill over. When I asked her the reason, she told me that letting
milk boil over in a new house would bring overflowing prosperity. The rationalist in me bristled and I said, "What prosperity?
That was Aarey Special milk, you have made me poorer by Rs. 30/-". She goes about keeping shoes that have been put upside down the right way up, does not allow me to cut my
nails at night as "the devil will get angry", does not go out on the 13th of the month, and no getting out of bed if 13th
falls on a Friday. She insists though on getting a Housie ticket with the number 13 on it as it is "lucky for some". When the neighbour's missus delivered a baby boy, the missus and I went to visit her at home to check out
the little fella. There he was in his crib, red from crying from bawling, like a boiled lobster, with 3 or 4 black spots marring
his tiny face. I took a closer look to see if the neighbour had not given birth to a cheetah cub. I asked the neighbour about the black marks, and she told me they were to "keep the evil eye at bay". I rolled
my eyes heavenwards and told her that an educated lady like her should not believe in such stuff. My missus was livid. She
glared at me, and the neighbour put her hands forward towards the baby, curled her palms and touched them to her ears. She
said that after we go away she would take alum and burn it to see if it took on the shape of an eye. If it did, it meant that
I had the evil eye. I shivered. The missus tugged at my sleeve before I could voice any more opinions, and giving the excuse of an urgent
appointment dragged me off. Back home, the missus confided that she too had put black spots under the feet of our infant daughter
(without my knowledge) as I would not allow her to put them on her face. When the missus was pregnant, we had to order food from the hotel. She refused to cut anything as "there
was an eclipse on" and because the baby would be born "with a limb missing" if she did. Scientists & doctors go figure. The other day the missus' right palm was scratching. She went out and bought lottery tickets worth Rs. 200/-
as an itching palm meant "money was going to roll in". She won nothing, but spent over Rs. 500/- at the doctors, because the
itch was an allergy to a brand of washing powder. Even days of the week are not kosher. She does not allow me to shave on a Monday, (I have a shave at the
barbers on that day), does not wash her hair on Tuesdays or buy oil on a Saturday. What takes the cake, is when she does not
sweep or dust after sunset as the goddess of money would also be swept away. She got these gems from one of our non-Christian
neighbours. When we bought a new car the missus insisted we get a license plate with 786 on it, as it was a "lucky number".
I checked this out at the RTO and they told me I would have to pay Rs. 10000/- to have that kind of luck. I said no thanks.
Even the municipality it seems is cashing in on peoples superstitions and why not. If one is fool enough to believe in nonsense,
then people with sense can knock on wood that superstitions do not become extinct. But of all the superstitions the missus swears by and which I snigger at, I believe in one such, not because
it is true but because it is practical. It is the superstition of not cooking food in a house where death has occurred. The
superstition is that at this time, all the members of the family are considered to be "unclean" and "should not enter the
kitchen", and the neighbors are expected to cook and send food over. This belief probably results from the fact that when
a death occurs in a family, the relatives of the deceased, do not have the desire nor the time to cook. This practice is worthwhile.
It reinforces a sense of community in times of trouble. I have just been told by the missus to sneeze in "even" numbers as an "odd" number is "inauspicious". "Aachooo...Bless
you!". ************************************* Fund Raising Drive Marie Forbes St Joseph's Parish "HAVE A DREAM" to see " OUR CHURCH " become a reality and so The Fund Raising Drive to
other churches every Saturday and Sunday has started in full swing from the 05th Oct 2008,with many volunteers young and old
Up before dawn dressed in our Sunday best ,off to a church not ours, all the volunteers happy, excited and very focused on
what we were to do. The familiar huge banners of appeal put up in the church premises was a welcome sight and Our Parish Priest
Fr. Austin was always present to greet us at the gates of each church, then he would take us to the parish office, say a prayer
thanking God for the volunteers of the day and for the generosity of the parishioners of the church visited and last but not
the least a piping hot cup of tea to start off the day's work. He looked after us very well throughout the morning We then would don our yellow sashes and caps ,armed with our fliers and collection boxes, take up our positions
ready with our smiles, Thank Yous and God Bless, looking forward to seeing our boxes getting filled The Fund Raising Drive has been an unusual and joyful experience,...an opportunity to visit a church for
the first time,(for some),may be meet a priest we know, to bump into relatives, old colleagues and friends and maybe make
new ones but most of all to make "Our Dream" come true. In spite of small upsets like vehicle breakdowns, transport not coming
on time ,traffic jams etc no one panicked, no tempers flared and somehow we would reach the churches on time, God's hand was
always over us . This alone rekindles our belief in the goodness of mankind and the power of community spirit. We are privileged
and proud to be parishioners of St. Joseph's vibrant community. This Outreach has been a unique and faith-lifting experience. We enjoyed every minute of fund raising and felt good about it. Thank you Father Austin for your motivation and guidance.
Jesus and His Blessed Mother will definitely be with us in this venture to build our church to honour "Her most chaste spouse"
St. Joseph. ************************************ CHILDREN'S DAY SPECIAL Sharon David, Zone III A day especially for children was celebrated by our zone on 14th November. All the children gathered at Gokuldham
by 6.00 pm. The party started with a hymn. Even the parents of our zone were invited. All the children were very excited and
were beautifully dressed. Fr. Austin's arrival rocked the party. We began our party with a bhajan which was beautifully recited by Fr. Austin. Since Father was not present
for the actual Rally function, we showed him our zonal dance with full energy but we sang the song and enjoyed more due to
some technical reasons the CD wasn't working. Father appreciated our talents and enjoyed the songs of the dance. Soon we started with a game called 'The Pea and Straw'. It was an exciting game. Each child tried to win
it. Timings were allotted for this game. Clinton won the prize by getting 40 peas with the straws. Idlis and chutney were
stomach filling and delicious. Our next game was more interesting than the previous one called 'the big and small fish'. It
was a tricky game and very much enjoyable. Most of them lost very early. Ronald won it quite intelligently. Falooda and ice-cream
were served which was mouth-watering and very tasty. Everybody enjoyed the falooda. We then played housie in which parents
were also allowed to play. Everybody tried their luck and the luckiest ones won it. While our animators were busy writing
the names of the winners, we passed our time by playing dumb charades and antakshari. Father too was playing with us and helping
both the teams. At last, the gifts were given to the respective winners. Gifts were also distributed to the participants of
the rally. Parish Councillors and the animators thanked Mrs. Teresa D'Souza also for helping us to make the dance a success. Special
thanks to Mrs. Sandra Pereira and Mrs. Wilma Carvalho, Mrs. Remedia Pinto and Mrs. Fatima Alphonso for all they have done
to make this day a memorial one. A big than ********************************************************************************************* My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards…!! Sunny October… and Cool November… Well … sounds like the list of
smoothies on a menu card. And why not? Mother Nature gives us an unadulterated blend of pure magic and happiness as we look
ahead to lovely Christmas. In the meanwhile our hearts and minds are raised in songs of thanksgiving to the Lord of the harvest
and heavens. From October emanates the sweet fragrance of our Blessed Mother’s rosary beads;
the chanting of the beads in homes must surely rank amongst the most pleasant sounds that emerge from a home. The guardian
angels – Gabriel. Michael and Raphael – must surely be pleased with our Angelus, the Rosary and the various pointers
to Mother Mary’s intercession in our lives. The Guardian Angels along with their cohorts must be busy protecting all
of us, children and grownups, as we walk this "vale of tears". We can count on the intercession of the Saints in glory as we are fortunate to have
intercessors par excellence – so many saints, as many as the stars in the firmament – aid us in our life’s
journey. We await with bated breath the sainthood of Blessed Teresa of Kolkotta, and John Paul II of recent and happy memory. "In loving memory of …" makes tears well up and brings warm remembrances of
loved ones "gone before us marked with the sign of faith", in the hope of rising again. Our cemeteries on 2 Blood has flowed in Orissa. Karnataka and Kerala, mingling with the blood of martyrs,
saints and sages that has flowed down Christendom’s highway. While our Nation must hang its head in shame for its sham
of "twisted justice", and its leadership be answerable to all and sundry, we will not flag or fail for we have our Lord Jesus
– our Universal King – to lead us from the front. From the earth to the cross, from the cross to the grave, from
the grave to the skies of resurrected glory, Jesus Christ is the beacon for all of us to follow. Hail, Christ our King …
! Our Parish journey via fellowship, faith formation and church building continues.
While we have crossed one milestone of paying taxes for our church property, we labour on unitedly, to collect funds from
various parishes, so as to make our dream of a church building "in God’s good time", a reality. So help us God …! Our next issue will feature ideas for Christmas and New Year. You may send in your
articles and recipies as well as snippets, poems and community reports, as soon as possible. May St. Joseph our Patron intercede
for all of us and God Bless you all… Fr. Austin NorrisPriest-in-Charge ************************************** BANDRA FEAST IN GOREGAON! Sr. Maureen All generations will call her blessed, because along with Christ the new Adam (1
Cor.15:45) she is the true ‘mother of the living,’ the Woman of the new creation. Therefore, before it’s
too late, all nations, cities, suburbs, religions, castes, creeds and churches will have to call her ‘Mother’
to nurse this dying humanity back to life by the power of her spouse the Holy Spirit. I was very happy to see the children, youth and parents come alive as they cooperated
whole-heartedly with Fr. Austin Norris, Fr. Lincoln Rebello and the Sunday School catechists during the novena days in preparation
for the nostalgic feast of the Nativity of Mary. With prayerful reflections, mime, dialogue and song, they enacted the highlights of
Mary’s life at the Annunciation, Visitation, Magnificat, Presentation, Flight into Egypt, Finding in the Temple, Wedding
at Cana, by the Cross and at Pentecost, culminating in ‘A Ray of Sunshine for the Girl-Child’ on the 8th after
which all received a packet of boiled grams and a coconut cookie before going home. What was unique during the Novena this year was the concern, empathy and fervor of
the parishioners on the two Sundays, to show their solidarity with the people of Orissa. This took the form of a signature
campaign, a silent protest on the road, shoulder to shoulder, holding hands under banners of "All Indians are my brothers
and sisters" …. "from Goregaon to Orissa – peace" … "Father forgive them, they do not know what they do"
… "Stop killings in Orissa", all prepared by Ashok Saldanha in record time, and a half-hour of Adoration before the
Blessed Sacrament. The offerings made each day were distributed to the needy, but what all were most
in need of i.e. ’Mary in the Word of God’ was given in abundance during the Eucharist by way of homilies, prayers
and appropriate hymns sung by the choir, well trained by our dynamic and dedicated choir master Mr. Louis Fernandes. The spirit of ‘Bandra Feast’ is very well summarized, prophetically, in
the words of a hymn composed by the late Msgr. Eddie Fernandes and the melody composed by our late Novice Mistress Sr. Mary
Abelia fhic. Only the Mt. Mary nuns have been signing it for over half a century. Today, I take great pride in sharing it
with all of you dear readers.
1. Like the breaking of the day star, Thro’ the gloom of lonely night. Like the dawn of rosy morning On fair Bandra’s lofty height. Is the coming of the Virgin Fair Immaculate in birth. Bringing light and hope and goodness To our dark and sinful earth. Ch: Thy Nativity O Mary In this dear shrine we revere. May the blessings and the graces That we seek be granted here. Let Our Lady’s Mount be flooded With the rays of Heaven bright. Drawing India ever nearer To the faith and truth and light. 2. On Thy Birthday sweetest Mother, Loving gifts are brought to Thee. But thy heart accepts the offering Poor and lowly though it be. And the one gift Thou dost cherish. Is our sinful trusting heart. Take it, make it dearest Mother Of Thine own the counterpart. ********************************** THE HEART OF EDUCATION IS EDUCATION OF THE HEART Sr. Maureen This title was chosen as the theme for a Rally that was held years ago in Bandra. At first I was rather disappointed and puzzled, as it sounded a bit funny and vague, but later, as I took it
up for discussion in Std. VII and VIII I was both astonished and greatly enriched by the insights emerging in the course of
the discussion. To be very brief, I started by writing the theme on the black board without the last word and asked the pupils
to guess the missing word. Words like people, poor, rich, country and children were voiced which I managed to discard with
a humorous explanation e.g. "It must be people and not animals or birds that have to be educated. After finally eliciting the word ’heart’ I explained by means of questions the meaning of the first
half of the theme. If one’s arm or leg is injured or cut off, the person does not die. But if the heart is injured he
will surely die. Just as the most important part of the body is the heart, so also the most important part or the heart of
education is the education of the heart. Going by the common sayings ‘I love you with all my heart’ or ‘I hate you with all my heart’
we realize an educated person is naturally linked with the heart. What are the evident signs of a person who has an educated
or loving heart? To mention a few, he is kind, polite, helpful, concerned about others, responsible, faithful to his duties,
towards himself, others and God; he is honest, obedient and respectful. A person devoid of some of these qualities, though
he may have many academic qualifications, does not have an educated heart! What is the use of an education which does not have as its goal the education of the heart? ********************************* SIMPLE RULES TO FOLLOW IN LIFE Sharon David 1. Always make a quick and firm decision, make sure you stick to your decision ‘coz’ the first decision
is your last decision. 2. Think always positively in all situations ‘coz’ a negative thought brings a negative outcome
and a positive thought brings a positive outcome. So think positive from the beginning. 3. Stay chilled out and calm in all your hectic and tense situations ‘coz’ the more you become hyper
the less things work smoothly. 4. Do not gossip much ‘coz’ more you gossip the more enemies you invite in your life. 5. Do not play the game of politics ‘coz’ today everyone does it. Try to play the game of sincerity
that nobody does and you will be unique. 6. Make sure that you maintain distance from an unnecessary ‘diabetic smile person’ ‘coz’
that’s always bad for your health. 7. Always accept love and jealousy from a person ‘coz’ the more you love the more others feel jealous,
and the more others feel jealous the more you love. So have both in appropriate quantity. 8. Always know that your God is the only supreme power you need to believe and glorify. 9. Always ask the truth about yourself from your enemies ‘coz’ they are the true tellers of your
life. That’s why they are your enemies. 10. Lastly, do not follow all rules in life ‘coz’ the more you follow them the more you behave like
Hitler. ************************************* THE WINNER OF THE HUMAN RACE! Austin Fernandes I open my eyes … ah! The joy of a new day. No matter what comes along …. my happiness will stay. I take a deep breath …. I’m glad I’m alive, The rest of the day is a bonus …no matter how hard I strive. I’ll go for a walk … no matter what weather, I’ll walk in the fields …. smell the grass and the heather. I know I’m a winner … I see the right vein To me all of life ….is joy! Again and again. My work is just a game I like to play, I love the hunt … the chase … the fray. I welcome the challenge …. I’m a smiling gladiator, Impossible to defeat … a laughing mediator. When everyone says it can’t be done … Just get on with it and do it. When things become old … think a new thought to renew it. But remember!!! There are always two ways, The easy way and the hard. So just make the right choice and do it and you will be The winner of the human race. ************************** Catholic Sabha - in the forefront... S. D’Cunha I. Cemetery project: We have been trying to get land allotted for a cemetery since the Muslin community has
encroached upon the land allotted for Christians. With the help of local M.L.A., Mr. Gajanan Kirtikar, we have approached the Municipal Commissioner, R/S ward
office, Collector’s office and had a series of discussions and meetings. Addl. Chairperson of Minority Commission, Mr.
Abraham Mathai, also extended his support for the cause by having discussions with the Collector’s and Municipal Commissioner’s
officials along with us. Since the matter was not moving, we had another round of meetings with Mr. Kirtikar. He brought pressure on
the concerned officials and finally the Addl. Municipal Commissioner visited the location on 28 II. The crusade against the builders’ lobby was also taken up by us to protect the Pereirawadi people
by organizing morchas, dharnas and deputations to Government. Our intervention bore fruit. Now, the Chief Minister has issued
a stay-order on evicting people from Pereirawadi. III. We are organizing protest rallies on the Orissa carnage and the government’s inaction in protecting
the Catholics from the arsonists. We request the Catholics to gather in large numbers whenever Sabha calls for your participation
in organizing morchas. *************************************** Happy to Help! Michelle Coutinho Tired and weighed down after a days work I wondered if I could reach the bazaar so I tried my luck. For groceries I had to buy to make dosas, chutney sorak and chicken dry. Onion, tomatoes, vegetables and masala oh! I forgot fruits and some more roots I ended up 5 kgs in each hand all because of the increasing price band. I crawled to the nearest rick chalo bhayajji I said for the 20 bucks trip Another fatka to my emptying purse I’d blame inflation for making it tough I prayed I meet someone at my building so they carry the weight and I could come strolling But at the entrance I saw an old lady tugging a bag with pain in her leg. So I left my baggage right there and carried her bags For her blessings I think is what I need And like I helped a lady in need I pray someone helps my mother indeed. ****************************** VISIT TO CLERGY HOME Sharon David The legionaries including myself visited Clergy Home in Bandra on 29th July, 2008.. It was a rainy day, but
the weather was no obstruction to our earnest desire to visit our dear priests. The eleven of us squeezed ourselves into the
Maruti Van provided by one of our members. We reached our destination by 4.30 p.m. At the entrance we were welcomed by the
Sr.-in-charge, who also asked us to divide ourselves into two groups. We gave each priest a bookmark wishing him a "Happy
Clergy Day". It was very heart-rending to see so many of our active priests lying sick in bed, some retired and others very
old and weak. We also met our former priest Fr.Christopher Jeyakumar, who had met with an accident 8 months back. It was a
very painful sight, as he had multiple fractures and a rod in his left leg. Still he was very confident, cheerful and full
of life. We all prayed for his quick recovery. Fr.Trevor, the first priest we visited, gave us a book on ‘Stations of
Love’ written by him. He too had undergone heart surgery, but was still active and made us laugh with his jokes and
his zest for life amazed us. We met many other priests who were happy to see us and told us many interesting stories about
their former parish activities. One of them also played his mouth organ and told us to guess and sing the Hymn he was playing.
Another one gave us a lot of Ayurvedic knowledge on simple ways to maintain good health and how to stay fit. Everybody was
listening very attentively to his Ayurvedic information. It was really a very useful and most interesting visitation. We were
also offered sweets by one of the priests. It was good to see the holy fathers smiling in spite of all their illnesses. Before leaving, we visited the
Chapel and thanked Our Lord for giving us such wonderful pastors who had spent their lives of sacrifice in service to us.
May Our loving Lord Bless them and all other priests far and near and keep them under His care and protection. Mamma Mary
protect them from any harm. - AVE MARIA ***************************************** HOMEOLYMPICS Ashok Saldanha We Indians are known to be expert armchair sportsmen. If there were medals given for armchair sports, India
would be numero uno in the sport. Be it cricket, hockey, athletics or any sport we are the first to pass comments on how things
could have been done better and the last to take part. A Tendulkar, Pillai or Paes will be given our best unsolicited advice
on how to win when they have lost, and how to do better after they have won. This attitude was brought to the fore in my home at the just concluded Beijing Summer Olympics. D-Day. August 8th, 2008. I was all excited and returned early from work to catch the opening ceremony on the
tube. What I did not know was that the missus and my 8 year old daughter were just as excited. When the last Olympics in 2004
happened my daughter was all of 4 years, and did not care whether they took place at Athens or Thane and the missus was attending
cookery classes and practicing what she learnt there on me. But this year with all the media hype, "Free Tibet" protests and
drug taking scandals, the Beijing Olympics were high on their "To Do" list. The Opening Ceremony went on well and I was dazzled by its brilliance. The spanner in the works was thrown by
my beloved twosome. Sitting easy on the sofa they passed comments left, right and centre. "Can India do a show like this?"
said the missus. "Too much corruption in India" lisped my 8 year old. The missus agreed with her and sniggered "The Marathon
would take double the time as the runners would have to run around potholes on the road and the stadiums in India would not
take the strain of so many people sitting and would collapse". I was aghast at their talk. I told them that India had some
of the best stadiums in the world, and mentioned Eden Gardens as an example where a lakh plus people could sit. "Hmmph", said
the missus, "and what about the roads". I did not have an answer to that. We argued back and forth, with me batting for India
and the strides it had made, in spite of so many problems and they bowling more "doosras" than Bhajji at me. The ongoing argument
made things hotter than the Olympic flame and the opening ceremony ended with me not being served dinner and the tot going
off to sleep without wishing me good night. I know the missus does not know a volley ball from a basket ball, and the only sport she has played is Hide
and Seek and that too in her schooling days, where she used to mostly hide by going home to her mama to feed her face in the
middle of the game. My 8 year old too is cast in the same mould and the only exercise she gets is when she takes her Barbie
for a walk and goes for "extra" coaching classes "to do well" in school. But the amount of gyaan they had about all the disciplines
at the Olympics would have made Zeus looking down from Mt. Olympus proud. I on my part thought the missus and my 8 year old
could have got well paying jobs as "expert" sports commentators for Doordarshan any day. The Olympics carried on. I was engrossed with the weight lifting, when my 8 year old disturbed my attention
by saying that the way the Bulgarian was doing the snatch and the jerk, he would end up with a hernia. The missus chipped
in with "the Romanian looks like a cross between a water buffalo and a "gounty" chicken. Just look at his legs." The two of
them giggled at their little joke while I tore my hair in despair. Then came Synchronized Swimming, the twosome were at it again. "Look at that female’s shape," said the
missus. "That girl with buck teeth looks exactly like my class teacher," chipped in my 8 year old. My telling them to stop
commenting and just enjoy the spectacle, and marvel at the amount of training the athletes had undergone to compete at the
Olympics was like water on a duck’s back. More snide comments followed. Shooting, and I was rooting for India’s own Abhinav Bindra to get gold. But my home grown experts had
something to say about that too. "Abhinav should hold the rifle at an angle" said the missus. "He is looking squint-eyed," said my 8 year old and added,
"He can’t shoot straight with those glasses. He should have "Zeiss" glasses as shown on TV they are much clearer." I
told her he was the best in his field, and she should learn from him about perseverance, she laughed at me and said she could
bring down two "kairees" with one stone in the Assisi Bhuvan compound. "Could your Abhinav Bindra do that?" I was clean bowled. Boxing, where India got amongst the medals too, brought the violent side of the missus up. She was gung ho with
the right hooks and the left jabs and had comments flowing faster than the ring side commentators’. "He should have
blocked that jab, then he would not have got punched in the kidneys," she said as she flung an upper cut at me in excitement
and nearly dislocated my jaw. It’s a good thing she is a pacifist on other days, otherwise I would have had to wear
goggles to hide the black eyes that would have resulted. Gymnastics took the cake. My 8 year old who is too scared to stand on a low chair without holding the wall for
support, had her share of advice for the gymnasts. "She should have tumbled with her hands held in front of her, now she will
lose points. He should not have moved in the "crucifix" position. See Papa, his arms are twitching." Telling her that the
Roman Rings are the most difficult of gymnastic routines was of no use as she was hell bent on criticizing the athletes. The
missus too was not to be left behind. Her "That girl should have made two and a half twists with a half turn," made me put
an extra half twist of lime in my vodka with chagrin. It’s a good thing the Olympics are now over, and peace has returned to our home. "Saas bhi kabhi bahu
thi, Big Boss and Kasauti" are back vying for the awesome twosome’s eyeballs. I am now dreading the day when the Commonwealth
Games come to India in 2010. ************************************** Fr. Austin Norris, Parish Priest, August 13, 2008 The Editorial Team St. Joseph’s Express St. Joseph Parish Goregaon East Dear Father and Friends, This morning I had some time and was going through your bulletin for August -September 2008. The words that
came to my mind were "Solid and Substantial". What a world ofaterial for information and reflection! In greater detail: 1. Your editorial is very positive and inclusive of what lies ahead 2. The article on India is well done and informative. 3. The rich fare on so many saints "John Mary Vianney, John Berchman, St. Mathew, Vincent de Paul, Michael/Gabriel/
Raphael, Therese of Listeux, The Guardian Angels, Francis of Assist! I remember, when I was a seminarian, we had to read every
Thursday afternoon the lives of saints. What a great help to sanctity. 4. The feature ‘Dear God" was inspiring. It taught me to say to the Lord "I am thanking you right now". 5. The information on some of the communities was interesting. I hope to quote one of these in the next issue
of "Celebrating Community". 6. All the other articles on Human Values, the Elderly, Women’s Cell Choosing a Career, the Laity Sunday
Celebrations, the Pauline Year, The Right Turn of Life, Youth Leaders Khoj, the Parents’ Day Celebrations, Pope’s
Message to the Youth and the Flashback are all excellent material for the reader. 7. I was specially glad about the humour (the jokes on pages 8 and 9) and the hilarious article "Mauled at the
Maul" by Ashok Saldanha. The latter drew many chuckles from me. 8. Finally the poetic fare by Hayden, Darlene and Phyllis. As I said in the beginning - truly solid and substantial fare! My congratulations to all concerned. Thanking you and with affectionate good wishes. Gratefully, + Bosco Auxiliary Bishop Archdiocese of Bombay ********************************* FAITH FORMATION Leon J. Rasquinha – Class VI Our catechism teachers, Ms. Maria Vaz & Ms. Princa took us to Asha-Kiran. Some came with the teacher, some
came on their own. Everyone wore badges with their names and the Parish name on them. We were shown slide-shows. We played
games like fruit salads. We were taught how to differentiate between good and bad advertisements. The slide-shows included
commercials advertising Surf Excel, Bournvita, Clinic Plus, Parle-G, footwear, water purifiers, etc. In the first session we were shown the good side Then we had Mass celebrated by Fr. Joe D’Mello from St. Thomas Parish.This way the beautiful time ended.
The teachers and the children departed after a short talk. ************************************* "YOU ARE IN THE BEST OF HANDS [YOUR OWN]" - YOUTH SESSIONS, 24th AUGUST 2008 Valkyn Fernandes and Nishil Kamalan On 24th August, a session was conducted
for the youth of St. Joseph’s Parish by the members of the Women Cell of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Orlem. The first half of the session focused on how boys can become responsible men by scaling new heights. The
theme chosen for boys was ‘HIGH ON LIFE’. They were told that one cannot get high on life by smoking, taking drugs,
having liquor, attending late night rave parties or by being physically strong. Instead qualities like sensitivity, respect
for God, women, and all living creatures would help them get high on life. The underlying message of the session was, ‘If
you are in control of your life, you are high on life.’ The second half of the session focused on the theme, ‘WOMEN OF REAL SUBSTANCE’. The girls were
told beauty is not gauged by the external appearance but by the internal appearance of the heart and the soul. Women have the desire to look attractive and beautiful with the intention of being famous and attracting
everyone’s attention towards themselves. But fame is not achieved only for those women who are said to be pretty but
much more so by those who have achieved a respectable position in life. Sania Mirza, Kiran Bedi and Medha Patkar are some
women who can be our role models. Unfortunately today one sees more and more girls suffering from anorexia, blemishes, osteoporosis, chemical
infection, psychological problems, depression, etc. because they are trying for some ideal of beauty that really does not
exist and truly does not matter. Women should learn to respect themselves as they are - a unique creation of God. The ways a woman can make herself beautiful in the eyes of God, others and oneself are as follows: a. Believe in yourself b. Be prepared to take risks c. Think for yourself and take your own decisions d. Be self-confident e. Walk tall no matter how short you are f. Constantly update your knowledge g. Always aim for the best It was an inspiring session which helped the youth to develop a positive attitude towards life. The youth of our parish are thankful to Fr. Austin Norris and Fr. Lincoln Rebello for organizing this session
and we wish to have many more such sessions in the future. ************************************ NEIGHBOURHOOD YOUTH DAY Clinton Fernandes On 31st August, the Youth group of
St. Joseph Church had a programme at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Orlem, Malad. The theme of that programme was "Global Warming,
a step forward to save our Mother Earth." All the youth were first told to form groups. The "Global Warming" session was conducted by a priest. The
youth were questioned on this topic and they gave excellent answers proving that their minds were alert and active. We were
not only told to discuss saving our earth but also to take action because action speak louder than words. Then the youth were
shown a video of a 14-year old girl who delivered a speech at the UNO conference. It was mind boggling. Many youth present
were inspired by her speech. The next video gave them the message that "God is Green" and also the important values which
affect our attitude to nature. There were posters put up by the different parishes, filled with creativity and meaningful
messages. Some games were conducted by St. Thomas Church, Goregaon East. For lunch we were served the famous Indian dish "biryani"
which everyone enjoyed. In the last session of that programme, music was played to which the youth moved their bodies. They learnt, they enjoyed
and are now thinking of what action to take to save our Earth, because it is never too late to mend. The youth of St. Joseph
requested the other parishioners to stand up and take an oath to save our Mother Earth. ********************************** A UNIQUE RETREAT WE CHERISHED MUCH Romena D’Souza (SVP) Members from various Conferences of Bombay came together to attend this Retreat which started on the evening
of 22nd August and ended on the 24th evening. This Retreat is an annual feature organized by the SVP Central Council
Bombay for the benefit of its members. All members were in time, rooms were allotted and Retreat Programme was handed over
to each one. There were 57 members who attended this Retreat from all over Bombay, which included 6 members from our Conference. Fr. John Lobo, S.V.D. was the Retreat Director and the theme was "The Word and I". The focus of the retreat
was "Human Happiness" a must in our life. Fr. John Lobo stressed the need of perfect silence and discouraged us from taking
notes. We were asked to concentrate and experience God within, God around and God beyond. He made us recall the first few
things we learnt of our religion when we were young, like who made you? – God made me. Why did God make you? –
To know Him, to love Him, to serve Him and be happy with Him forever, therefore the main thrust was to be Happy. The following were the 5 key talks he delivered during the retreat: (a) The Word of God (Bible), (b) I or
Me (self awareness), (c) Sin and the need of forgiveness, (d) Love of God and love of neighbour, (e) Who is God and who is
Jesus to each one of us. Here are some of the highlights of the Retreat: The Word of God (Bible) speaks to each one of us. He is the
source of Happiness and Wisdom. God’s word enriches my life and leads me to Happiness. The secret of human happiness
is Love; therefore, we should show and give our love to all people, all the time and to the maximum extent possible. Sin breaks
our relation with God and our neighbour, hence forgiveness and healing is a must for each one of us. True forgiveness entails
never retaliating or taking revenge; forgiveness means we should be ready to help the person who has hurt us if she/he is
in need. At the final session the participants were introduced to each other. There were some discussions and clarifications about
the rules to be followed by the members. All the participants expressed their satisfaction with the retreat. It was indeed
a rich spiritual experience to be cherished along with beautiful memories to be treasured. ************************* Farewell Letter From A Genius - worth a thought on "All Soul’s Day...." Gabriel Garcia Marquez, famous writer from Colombia, and Nobel Peace Prize winner for literature, has retired
from public life for reasons of health. He has a form of cancer, which is terminal. He has sent a farewell letter to his friends. It is recommended reading because it is moving to see how one of the best and most brilliant of writers expresses
himself & with sorrow. (Even as I’m SURE this would have sounded TWICE as good in Spanish, let us enjoy the
English version nonetheless. ...) He says: If God, for a second, forgot what I have become and granted me a little bit more of life, I would use it
to the best of my ability. I wouldn’t, possibly, say everything that is in my mind, but I would be more thoughtful of all I say.
I would give merit to things not for what they are worth, but for what they mean to express. I would sleep little, I would dream more, because I know that for every minute that we close our eyes, we
waste 60 seconds of light. I would walk while others stop; I would awake while others sleep. If God would give me a little bit more of life, I would dress in a simple manner, I would place myself in
front of the sun, leaving not only my body, but my soul naked at its mercy. To all men, I would say how mistaken they are when they think that they stop falling in love when they grow
old, without knowing that they grow old when they stop falling in love. I would give wings to children, but I would leave it to them to learn how to fly by themselves. To old people I would say that death doesn’t arrive when they grow old, but with forgetfulness. I have learned so much with you all, I have learned that everybody wants to live on top of the mountain,
without knowing that true happiness is obtained in the journey taken & the form used to reach the top of the hill. I have learned that when a newborn baby holds, with its little hand, his father’s finger, it has trapped
him for the rest of his life. I have learned that a man has the right and obligation to look down at another man, only when that man needs
help to get up from the ground. Say always what you feel, not what you think. If I knew that today is the last time that that I am going
to see you asleep, I would hug you with all my strength and I would pray to the Lord to let me be the guardian angel of your
soul. If I knew that these are the last moments to see you, I would say ‘I love you’. There is always tomorrow, and life gives us another opportunity to do things right, but in case I am wrong,
and today is all that is left to me, I would love to tell you how much I love you & that I will never forget you. Tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone, young or old. Today could be the last time to see your loved ones, which is why you mustn’t wait; do it today, in
case tomorrow never arrives. I am sure you will be sorry you wasted the opportunity today to give a smile, a hug, a kiss,
and that you were too busy to grant them their last wish. Keep your loved ones near you; tell them in their ears and to their faces how much you need them and love
them. Love them and treat them well; take your time to tell them ‘I am sorry’;’ forgive me’,’
please’ ‘thank you’, and all those loving words you know. Nobody will know you for your secret thought. Ask the Lord for wisdom and strength to express them. Show your friends and loved ones how important they are to you. Send this letter to those you love. If you don’t do it today...tomorrow will be like yesterday, and
if you never do it, it doesn’t matter either, the moment to do it is now. For you, With much love, Your Friend, Gabriel Garcia Marquez **************************** INSTRUMENT OF PEACE Sr. Maureen O say what is this thing called peace Which the world can never give? What is the secret? O tell me please, So that we all can live. Come walk with me and you will see The spot from where it flows- You must climb Mt. Calvary, The place where no one goes. It’s hard - I know your feet will bleed, Your burden is too heavy, But if you walk along with Me The path will not be scary. The cross on which I died for you Is an instrument of peace. Be brave and all you have to do Is to live for love of me. ****************************** Feast of St. Matthew Sunday, 21 Mrs. Shirley Pinto The Feast of St. Matthew, the patron saint of Zone IV, was celebrated on Sunday, 21st September, 2008. Fr. Lincoln Rebello was the main celebrant for the Feast Mass
at 0915 hrs. This Feast Mass was offered for, and on behalf of, all the members of Zone IV. A get-together was organized as part of the feast celebrations at 1700 hrs. in the Mass Hall. Members of
Zone IV (including the residents of Assisi Bhavan, Sisters & members of Saibaba Complex & Dheeraj Valley) graced the
occasion. The programme began with prayers & a hymn by Sr. Leopoldina. All the members joined hands and along with
the children (beautifully dressed, colourful ribbons adorning their hands), sang the wonderful song: "We Are The World" -
so relevant, but so totally ignored in the present. The two comperes- Mrs. Priscilla and Mrs. Anita conducted the programme. A resident of Assisi Bhavan, Ms.
Phyllis D’Souza recited a poem- "The Roses" composed by her. Another resident, Ms. Phyllis Menor gave a beautiful rendition
of the song- "Pretty Flowers". They were both presented with gifts for their performances. The adults and children were then divided This was followed by a wonderful performance by the children who put up two action songs- "Lubi Lubi Looh.."
and "Once I Had.." thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Anita during long practice sessions. A request was made by all the members for old classics- English/ Hindi/ Konkani, so that past memories could
be revived. Children too were nudged to get up from their seats and sing. There was then a request by Sister to release the
residents of Assisi Bhavan as they had a fixed schedule and would not be able to participate further. The song-session continued.
Mr. Michael, Sr. Maureen Mr. Conrad, Mr. Anthony & soon everybody present, recreated the old magic with the rendition
of some melodious classics from yesteryears. Dancing followed. All good things come to an end and this celebration too ended with thanking God for the wonderful moments we had experienced.
Fr. Lincoln said the concluding prayer. Mr. Edwin gave a vote of thanks. ***************************** THE ALTAR SERVER TREAT Sheldon Fernandes, Class VII, Age: 11, Zone VIII-A We were in all 25 altar servers (boys and girls). Bro. Robert accompanied us. We went for a ‘secret’
movie to the Oberoi Mall, which is nearby. On reaching the spot, we were taking a head count, when Fr. Austin appeared. It
was 2.00 p.m. Then, we entered the Mall and went to the movie house. The film was ‘God Tussi Great Ho", which would
start at 2.20 p.m. We waited till 2.20 p.m. and then we rushed in. The movie house is huge. Bro. Robert bought us popcorn
and cold drinks. Then the picture started. We were full of excitement and concentrated only on the movie. We did not know how the time passed when the movie was over. We came out of the Mall, bid bye to everyone and departed
for home. Thank you Father Austin and Bro Robert for this wonderful treat. ******************************** MEET THE CLERGY Michelle Serrao Take some time from this hurried world to meet the clergy, More out of love and not out of mercy. Priests too are human, wanting someone to care; Someone who will be there, with few words of prayer. All they need is a listening ear, In the moments of life filled with fear. Life of isolation, devoid of worldly pleasures, They choose, to proclaim the Kingdom of God Without expecting treasures. As laymen there are things we cherish and hoard, But none of these would ease their load. Despite having all life’s luxuries We crib ‘How difficult life is’; If only we would put ourselves in the shoes of the clergy We would not dread this. A lesson well learnt from the clergy today, Is to reach out to others in the smallest way. *********************** ST. JUDE, APOSTLE OF HOPELESS CASES Phyllis de Souza ‘Midst the quietude of Nazareth’s hills, In a Jewish home amidst the sun’s golden spills, A boy named Jesus, and his cousin Jude, Wove an affection, a philosophical Prelude, To what was to follow in later years, When in Christ’s College midst other volunteers, As Christ’s aide-de-camp on Galilee’s shore, He followed him with esprit-de-corps And like his cousin and Master he grew, With fellow love, the sweetest virtue, And when Jesus’ ministry did commence, Jude proved his great eloquence. As his name implied "Giver of Joy", He was sent by Jesus as His own envoy, And finding his way into strangest terrain, He suffered torture, many souls to gain. And what proved an outstanding event, Was when ambassadorially he went To the King of Edessa who wanted a cure, And when Jude touched him, he was cleaned pure. The breath of love having come to abide, Jude’s apostolic work was much fortified, And his miracles in Syria and Lebanon Were the result of preachings marathon. In strange lands he was greatly revered, And pagan idols even disappeared, When idolaters quickly agreed After his planting of Christ’s word as a seed. Dear Saint, hear our present day desperate appeal- Come as messenger for the country’s weal. Inspired by missionary zeal God’s kingdom to launch. May India’s faith remain always staunch. *************************************************************************************** Migrating to U.S., Canada and other so called First World Countries… Thoughts from overseas - AnonymousThoughts of going abroad for some as an immigrant or even on a work permit can be a little
daunting. There are many - What If questions, questions people even living abroad can’t answer most of the time. Everyone
says - hey you’re getting a better deal man – clean air, amazing food, good schools, healthy way of living, and
the usual positives about going abroad. Yes, there are plenty of trees, you get a whiff of clean air now and then, the foods good till you see the
calorie intake, and there are plenty of hospitals and doctors till you find yourself sitting with a temperature in the waiting
room for eight hours before a doctor will see you. Whoever came up with that line ‘Jobs are available in plenty abroad’
is still living in India and making fools of people wasting their time by losing everything they’ve ever had just to
be part of a so called better way of life. The following are things which most people who live abroad or an agent who would love to send you packing
on the next available flight to Canada will not tell you: - The economies of the U.S. are crumbling, that means around the world people are losing jobs, including
first world countries. - Go online and start reading the newspapers of the country you plan on going to and see what they have to
say about the economy. You will find it starkly different from what your agent has been telling you. - I still have to meet one parent, just one skilled migrant worker from India, China, Jamaica and even Bangladesh
who has immigrated at the age of 25, 35, 45 even 50 and been asked to go back to school (known as a continuing education program)
learn their new country’s education and then find a job in that field if they are lucky enough to do so. - You have the GST, the PST, totaling 15%, on practically everything you purchase and many other taxes taken
out of your weekly paycheck. - People come dressed to Church in shorts, tank tops, spaghettis and to keep children quiet give them their
Barbie dolls and PS2’s. - All the experience you’ve gained in your home country is literally a waste. Unless you have connections
in really high places you won’t find a great job. - Everyone starts of working in fast food restaurants or general labour positions. I have met a journalist from Pakistan – he sits and sells calling cards to India and other countries.
At the restaurant I work at, there is a lady who has her Masters in Computer Science and another who has a Masters in Hindi.
They both flip burgers and make French fries. All three regret coming here. One can argue that the money you get paid abroad
is more, but so are your cost of living and daily expenditures. I find it appalling that people who have struggled and succeeded in their home country will think of giving up family and
friends hoping they are giving their children a better life than the one they have in India. I don’t think anything
or anyone can replace your homeland. When I see Indians faking an accent I don’t laugh but I do feel sorry for them.
You end up giving up on your morals and principles just to try and fit in. At the end of the day if you can sleep with your
conscience, I commend you. EDITORIAL My dear Friends, Peace of Jesus and warm regards….!! "To be .. or not to be…" I mean, "to be a priest or not to be one..".Well, for me, the answer would
always be the same: "Yes – Yes – Yes " I hope that does not disturb anyone. A thousand apologies, if it does… "The Lord does not call the qualified – he qualifies those whom he calls….." you’ve probably
heard that before and believe me, it could not be truer. In all humility and in deep gratitude to the Lord Almighty, we can
all – clergy and religious – count ourselves amongst that lot. It is with a grateful heart that each priest will recall his calling, his training in the seminary and the
years of pastoral ministry in the various institutions and parishes. What more can one ask for than the continued accompaniment
of the Lord Jesus, the love and concern of family and friends and the adulation (and sometimes, criticism) of one’s
parishioners?. This more than makes a priests’ day through every year of his life. Oh .. what joy…!! A word of thanks and deep gratitude to all of you dear parishioners, for your love, concern and appreciation
of us. Do continue to pray for us that we will continue to do our best to serve you as the Lord would want us to…. Thanks
once again August and September are the two months that give us a sense of where we are after the start of our journey
in our respective pursuits in June 2008. We have also done our good deeds – we have honoured our parents on the occasion
of the beautiful feast of Saints Joachim and Anne. We will soon begin our Novena in honour of our Blessed Mother’s Birthday.
We have started this tradition in our parish with the Sunday School children and Catechists taking charge of the liturgy;
we have attended the novena in large numbers and we hope to do that once again – in appreciation of our Blessed Mother
and her continued intercession on our behalf. We will move on to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day – a blessing and a luxury, considering
the fact that there are still parts of our world suffering under the heel of ruthless leaders and military dictatorships.
We will also honour our dear Teachers and Elders and show our appreciation of them for all that they have done and still continue
to do for us. My mind goes back to September of 2006, where we all rallied to the cause of our Parish Fundraiser at Mount
Mary’s, Bandra. We have moved since then and we are on the verge of a breakthrough in our church building process. Surely
our community prayers every Sunday, towards this end, are helping us to hold on to our hope and aspiration that we will have
a church building in "God’s good time.." The next issue will feature topics on Peace and Non-violence, as we honour Mahatma Gandhi and St. Francis
of Assisi. Community activity reports and special features, poems and snippets are also welcome. We also invite articles from
all our parishioners to be sent in by 28 Fr. Austin Norris Priest-in-Charge *************************** Mera Bharat Mahaan Country name: conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India History: Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the
earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. -
which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to
6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkic
in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had
assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both
World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence
in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war
between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India’s nuclear
weapons testing in 1998 caused Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. The dispute between the countries over the
state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. Despite
impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental
degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife. Population:1,147,995,898 (July 2008 est.)Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.5% (male 189,238,487/female 172,168,306) 15-64 years: 63.3% (male 374,157,581/female 352,868,003)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 28,285,796/female 31,277,725) (2008 est.)Religions: Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian
2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)Government type: federal republic Capital: name: New DelhiAdministrative
divisions: 28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu
and Kashmir, head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004) Flag description: three equal horizontal bands
of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar
to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band. ************************* FEAST DAY – ZONE NO. II Charles D’Sa Feasts are days eagerly awaited by everyone specially the children. On 12 For more than an hour, Fr. Lincoln conducted fun-filled and fun-thrilled group games / enjoyable activities
that made everyone mix, mingle and socialize. Winners were given attractive prizes. Mrs. Gracy D’Cunha led the concluding
thanks giving prayer followed by a fellowship dinner which was simple, mouth-watering, palatable and plentiful. SCC members
dispersed with a positive, indelible note in their minds that Jesus is loving, caring, nursing, guiding and brings his scattered
people onto one platform like a Good Shepherd. ***** Mass Celebrated - Percy D’cunha Our zonal feast is on lst May, but the Mass was held on 30 I do remember one important person of our zone who is no more in our midst– the altar table was just
covered with a plain white cloth, had Ms Letty been there that day, she would have decorated the table with decorative cloth,
and flowers. Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and let perpetual Light shine on her. Zone III Feast Celebrations Myron Carvalho and In the preparation for the Feast of St .Anthony of Padua there was a ten day rosary-cum-prayer novena, held in our zone.
People in large numbers attended the daily service which was held in the homes of parishioners.. On 15 ************************** Elderly Have a Key Role in Society, Says Pope In His Message for Lent (VATICAN CITY, JAN. 27, 2005) John Paul II in his Message for Lent exhorted the faithful to express their affection and respect for the
elderly, in the face of proposals to introduce euthanasia. In the text, whose title is a phrase from the Book of Deuteronomy "Loving the Lord ... Means Life to You,
and Length of Days," the Holy Father expresses the hope that this will help "to deepen the awareness of the role that the
elderly are called to play in society and in the Church." "The care of the elderly, above all when they pass through difficult moments, must be of great concern to
all the faithful, especially in the ecclesial communities of Western societies, where the problem is particularly present..
The commandment "You shall not kill" "applies even in the presence of illness and when physical weakness
reduces the person’s ability to be self-reliant," he said. "It is necessary to raise the awareness in public opinion that the elderly represent, is in any case, a resource
to be valued," the Holy Father added. Therefore, the papal message appeals for "economic support and legislative initiatives, which allow them
[the elderly] not to be excluded from social life." John Paul II believes that the elderly can carry out their role in society, as their "wisdom" and "experience" can "illuminate"
the path "toward an ever more complete form of civilization." ****************************** HUMAN VALUES WITH EDUCATION Mary Sam Mankind has been constantly striving for emancipation i.e. freedom to chose to live his own way of life in
his own sweet pattern. During his longr face of life he has actually come across the three main principles of life i.e. social
pattern, political pattern and economic pattern. Everyone knows society has a pattern of living i.e. some set of rules society to go on and to guide the society
from sudden harms and drawbacks. Along with this, society has also set up educational systems because education is also one
of the basic necessities of every individual to shape his or her personality. As one can see, education can only be countinued by a person if the person is truly conscious and likes to
participate in that field. What are basic values? Is this not a perfect question for an uneducated person? Why only for an
uneducated person? It can also be so for a full fledged person. Are we all filled with basic values of life i.e. respect,
honour, etc..? From where can we get our basic values?These types of questions are innumerable. Value norms actually develop in a particular society and, hence, are governed by the people. Values are not
only meant for citizens of a particular state, but for all human beings, and therefore we see that human beings differ from
animals. Human values help us to get rid of anger. Anger can destroy a person’s well being, his participation
in the society, because people like peace, harmony But this is not the work of one individual only. It has to begin in everybody
then only can we have a full fledged, ongoing society with its basic values present. As science and technology race far ahead
we should never forget that Basic Values must be inculcated with proper education. ***************************** WOMEN CELL HAPPENINGS Marie Forbes On Thursday, 19 June, the Women’s Cell of Orlem parish, Malad held a programme at the deanery level on
women’s empowerment and ensuring justice for women.Three members from our Women’s cell attended. The speaker at
this function was Dr.(Mrs) Avisha Kulkarni from Mahila Takran, Goregaon(W). Her cell nbr 9821524455. She made us realise that empowerment of women begins with self-empowerment which comes from the knowledge
of the working of the system at the local level, Hence an all-women political party should be formed as a medium to reach
out to women. She spoke of the plight of women in society and of how cases of rape,sexual abuse and domestic violence and
due to social stigma or embarrassment, women don’t report the case. Get justice. It is very important how the case is presented to the police,so that’s why she has set
up the Mahila Takran..she wants to have one in every locality,-where a desk manned by women for two hours twice a week will
be set up in the local police stations to register and file cases for women,solve minor issues and ensure that the case moves
forward. How to set this up and the necessary training she will help with. We were made aware of the difference between civil and criminal cases and procedures involved in filing an
f.i.r. or n .c. And the correct channels to approach to get justice. The talk was very informative and we learned something new. ***** **************************** PREPARING TO CHOOSE A CAREER Fr. Austin Norris " I am so confused… what must I do..?? What CAN I do…??" While some students and youth struggle
with this question, others opt for an easy way out and succumb to the malaise of easy money…or easy, come easy go…..
The noted developmental psychologist- Erik Erickson says that "identity and career choice are major problems that youth
face as they grow up…" There is no need to fear and panic when you think about life’s choices… There
is time for everything, and prudence and practicality will tell you that YOU NEED TO PLAN YOUR CAREER OPTIONS, so that you
are well prepared for any eventuality and you don’t miss the bus, or get on to the wrong bandwagon and be miserable
for the rest of your life. The very FIRST thing to keep in mind is the absolute importance of your SSC / HSC results. If you DO NOT
get the percentage that you need, your career begins on a bad note. You cannot choose what you want. A good percentage gives
you the luxury of making your choices in terms of academics and a college of repute. The SECOND thing is to plan what you want to do in life. Don’t wait for your SSC results to decide
what stream to take or what to do next. This does not work. You need to give your career a thought, besides just watching
MTV or WWF or partying and picnicking…. talk to your elders and other knowledgeable persons and find out details. Scout
around for the prospectus/syllabi of different courses and colleges, browse through newspapers and the website for related
information. The THIRD thing to do is to visit a Career Counsellor and do a proper Aptitude test, so as to know your abilities
and potential. Do this before you answer your SSC exams, as this gives you some indication of possibilities and the subjects
you need to work on. And FINALLY trust your parents and their advice and pray to God for wisdom and light to make the right decision
and have the courage to change your choices when you need to change them. YOU can and must make the crucial decision
regarding your future. Don’t panic ever, and you will see that you have begun well, believe me. Of course, in order to come up trumps in your school and college education, you need to plan and prepare
your study schedule. Many a career has been made or marred because of this. A wise person will do everything in moderation
– study, play and pray. We need to prioritise and realize that, while there will always be a time for reward and relaxation,
there is always a time for preparation and honing ones skills, so as to lay a firm foundation for the future. Please don’t
wait for the eleventh hour, your time may be up at 10.59… there is so much truth in this age old adage…remember
mum and dad say this..? So then let’s get on with it everybody; its never too late to take up the challenge of preparation
for the exams and a fulfilling career. There is a vast playing field for you and for everyone else, but there is also the
saying that the ‘early bird gets the (juiciest) worm’. So as you make up your minds, see, judge, and act, and
I have no doubt that success and peace and prosperity as well as fulfillment will come your way. ***** ********************** Pauline Year an - Invitation for All Christians Pope Says It Is Call to Be Missionaries of Gospel VATICAN CITY, JUNE 30, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI says the newly inaugurated Pauline Jubilee Year is
an invitation to every Christian to be a missionary of the Gospel. The Pope affirmed this on Sunday before praying the Angelus with thousands gathered in St. Peter’s
Square. On Saturday, he inaugurated the Pauline year at a ceremony at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. "Historians in fact situate the birth of Saul — who later became Paul — about seven to 10 years
after Christ’s," the Holy Father noted. "Thus, after the passage of about 2,000 years, I wanted to call this special
jubilee, which will naturally have Rome as its center, especially the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and the place
of martyrdom at Tre Fontane. "But it will involve the whole Church, beginning with Tarsus, Paul’s city of birth, and the other Pauline
places in present day Turkey and the Holy Land, which are pilgrimage destinations, as well as the island of Malta, where the
apostle came after a shipwreck and sowed the fruitful seed of the Gospel." The Pontiff said the "horizon of the Pauline Year cannot but be universal because St. Paul was, par excellence,
the apostle of those who, in regard to the Jews, were ‘distant,’ and who, ‘thanks to the blood of Christ,’
were drawn ‘near.’" "For this reason, today too, in a world that has become ‘small,’ but where many have not yet
met the Lord Jesus, the Jubilee of St. Paul invites all Christians to be missionaries of the Gospel," the Pope affirmed. "This
missionary dimension must always be accompanied by that of unity, represented by St. Peter, the ‘rock’ on which
Jesus Christ built his Church. "As is underscored by the liturgy, the charisms of the two great apostles are complementary in building up
the one people of God and Christians cannot offer a valid witness to Christ if they are not united." "The Pauline year, evangelization, communion in the Church and full unity among Christians," Benedict XVI listed, "let
us now pray for these great intentions, entrusting them to the celestial intercession of Mary Most Holy, Mother of the Church
and Queen of the Apostles." ***** ************************ MAULED AT THE MALL Ashok Saldanha I was taken aback the other day when my 8 year old daughter suddenly piped up, "Papa, I think WHATAHAMS is
wonderful. WHATAHAMS is cool". I nearly blew a fuse and immediately had visions of my 8 year old going steady with a chap
called Whatahams (the names they give kids nowadays, I thought). But then these days anything can happen. I was ready to climb a wall at the thought of her being friendly with a guy, when the missus told me to stop
behaving like a Neanderthal living in the Stone Age. WHATAHAMS she informed me, was a shopping centre at one of the malls
in our vicinity, and that our daughter needed a couple of outfits which "should not cost over Rs. 400/-;" at the place. I
must have passed WHATAHAMS umpteen times she jeered. "You must be seeing things with your eyes closed" was her closing comment. Before I could say "Oh yeah, I knew that all along. I was just kidding," the missus with the kid in tow were
dressed and ready for WHATAHAMS. With the score 2 – 1 against me, I was forced to go with them. Man, the mall was huge. The place was all lit up. Dim lights, spot lights, garden lights, moving lights,
display lights and lights within lights beckoned moths like us. Loads of people were already inside, scurrying here and there like lemmings just before they jump off the
cliff to their doom. My little tot squealed in delight and expectation. "Papa, WHATAHAMS is over there, come let me show you.
I have always wanted to go there. They have things for everyone, you and mummy too". I felt a twinge in my back pocket as
my wallet started to hyper ventilate when I saw the flunkies dressed in their designer ties and toothy grins. I decided to be firm as I entered WHATAHAMS. No over spending, get the tot her 2 outfits and get out of the
mall and into the real world pronto. Wishful thinking…… The two outfits had risen to six by the time we The missus then suddenly "remembered" she wanted "cut vegetables" "Cooking becomes so easy. The vegetables
are already cut and it saves a lot of time", she said "Will they not charge for overheads like cutting the vegetables and packing them?" I asked. "Hmmmph! Stop
beingUnca Scrooge. What are a few rupees more? Just imagine the bother of cleaning and cutting that it saves." was her reply,
as she walked away. Like a sheep about to get sheared I entered another cavernous shopping area. There were goods spread all
over in displays that called out for you to buy, buy and then buy some more, like sirens of yore. "Buy 2, get 3 free" said
one. "Discount up to 25% if you buy goods worth Rs. 3000/;" yelled another. All this "Buy, buy" stuff was giving the Gandhis
nesting in my wallet the shivers. The missus and the tot though were like ants in a jar of sugar while I was getting dizzy,
my BP was rising in degrees and the corns on my feet were complaining with all the walking around looking for discounts. We ended up buying things we did not need. The "cut vegetables" we had gone in to buy in the first place,
cost Rs. 50/- the other "essential" things "for the house" Rs. 1575/- including what we got "free". I will not tell you about the next place we went to at the mall. A place where one could shop, eat and celebrate.
We shopped, we ate and the owner celebrated. A cup of coffee cost Rs. 75/-. Need I say more? We had entered to buy 2 outfits for my daughter which were alleged to be costing around Rs. 400/-. But at the end I was
mauled at the mall for Rs. 7550.25 paise. It was nice of them to waive off the 25 paise because of "shortage of change". ************************ YOUTH LEADERS KHOJ By Vanessa Dias On the 6th of July 2008 the youth leaders’
khoj was held at St Pius College. The objective of the khoj was to train the newly elected members of office. The seminar
began soon after the registration at 10.00am it had youth from around 15 parishes from in the archdiocese of Mumbai
including a handful who had graced us with their presence all the way from Daman. The seminar was conducted by brother
Gavin with an attendance of about 60. We started off with a prayer followed by a few fun icebreakers that had
us mingling in minutes. We were divided into groups and given games and puzzles to solve. This really helped all of us get
out of our shells as in the excitement to win we bonded fairly well. It made us realize the importance of team spirit as was
later discussed. We had a 15 min break where piping hot samosas n masala chai was served All the groups were given props such as a paper clip, an umbrella, a piece of cloth, a duster, etc. and were
asked to think up a group name , a slogan or song and to perform a skit centered around the given prop. After about 45mins
of practicing each group put up its respective skits-most of which had an element of humor in it that kept us engrossed not
to mention rolling with laughter. We then had a talk by brother Gavin on the various responsibilities of a leader and the
various situations that we may have to encounter during our term in office. He also very graciously answered the various queries
raised by different youth. We then had a lunch break at 1.00 pm. After a deliciously mouth watering meal, We continued with more challenging
games- that included a lot of running around like the building was on fire-as a group that had us all in a frenzy but was
nevertheless fun. We then had elections for diocese level representatives. We were arranged according to our respective deaneries i.e. north,
south, Bhandup and Daman. Those interested in holding office were asked to come forward and elections were held thru ballot.
After the representatives were appointed the final prayer was said and we left with tea, biscuits and a lot more confidence
in our abilities to head the youth group. *************************** The RIGHT TURN of LIFE Mitchelle Coutinho After months of deliberation, everybody at last had decided on a date. So the picnic was on, with family
and friends!!! We set out at dawn with packed sandwiches and picnic fanfare, snug in a Sumo. After we flew 18 kilometres we stood on a diversion. Signage’s existed, but for aliens I think. So
we debated and argued and ultimately took the road everyone pointed to. At day break and 10 kilometres down the diversion
we met a villager who told us it was a wrong turn. I almost screamed in desperation. We would now be 8-10 hours behind schedule.
Some blamed the signage makers, while some the government. Disheartened we turned around. Contemplating on the incident I realised that life’s journeys too were very similar. After school we
still have our friends’ company and we drift in their current. They apply for commerce, so do you. They take BMM or
MBA, so do you? It is only a few years later, you realise that it was a wrong turn. Then you are either frustrated or adjust
to live. If we had taken details of the direction for the picnic or done some homework our journey would have been
smoother. Similarly if you take an interest in what you like to do and plan your career you will be far happier and healthier.
Begin with some homework: the internet is a well of information. Better still, ask working professionals. Dig into the profession
you want to take. Remember your life depends on it. A few questions to ask someone about your career: 1. What does the job comprise of? 2. What do I have to do? 3. What are the working hours? 4. What is a fresher’s package. How much can it increase? 5. What kind of mindset and personality do I need for the job? 6. What are the growth prospects after a fresher? *********************** PARENTS DAY CELEBRATION Mrs. Lucy Samuel Our Parish celebrated the feast of Sts. Joaquim and Anne (Parents of Mother Mary) on Sunday 27th July, 2008
as Parents Day. At a well attended ceremony, the Eucharist at the 9.15 a.m. Mass was celebrated by Fr. Austin. The homily
delivered by him was not only hilarious but also thought provoking. Asking for answers from both parents and children through
funny questions he had the congregation rolling in the aisle with laughter. Right from the board in church which conveyed an appropriate message for the day, to all the programmes, everything went
like clockwork. The altar was decorated by the members of the Legion of Mary and the Mass hall by the youth helped by Fr.
Lincoln. The cultural programme started immediately after Mass, with the First Holy Communicants performing the first item
with a song "Small world after all", which was well appreciated. They were taught by Doris D’Costa and the guitar
accompaniment was provided by Conrad D’Sylva. Karen Martins was next with a speech on parents. The "Rakhi Sawant show" took the cake literally, it was performed by the Confirmation children as cake was
served to the parents, and was howlarious. Nishil, played the role of Rakhi Sawant and he interviewed politicians Raj
Thakeray (Valkyn), Lalu Prasad Yadav (Clinton). The show then turned to Bollywood with "Rakhi Sawant" interviewing Gabbar
Singh (Valkyn again) and Thakur (Myron). The whole crowd was held enthralled by the performers. The prizes for the Drawing Competition organized by the youth were then distributed by Fr. Lincoln. This
was followed by a skit from the 7th and 8th standard children about a father working abroad and the problems the mother undergoes
to take care of 3 children. The play was directed by their teacher Loretta Silveira. The 8th and the 9th standard students
performed the all time favourite song "Mother of mine" ably conducted by the evergreen Sr. Maureen. Mrs. Shirley Pinto spoke on behalf of the parents and thanked the children for their performance. The youth of the parish rocked the small Mass hall with their rendition of "Rock the dance floor" All good things have to come to an end and the whole show ended by 11.30 a.m. with Fr. Austin using his baritone
to render "Mother of mine" & Father of mine", and thanking all the parents and children for attending and making the function
a grand success. The parents left in an orderly manner after collecting their Frooti and wafers. ********************************* Pope’s Message to Youth "In Our Name, Mary Said Yes" SYDNEY, Australia, JULY 19, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the text of the address Benedict XVI gave before and after
praying the midday Angelus, at the end of the World Youth Day closing Mass. * * * Dear Young Friends, In the beautiful prayer that we are about to recite, we reflect on Mary as a young woman, receiving the Lord’s
summons to dedicate her life to him in a very particular way, a way that would involve the generous gift of herself, her womanhood,
her motherhood. Imagine how she must have felt. She was filled with apprehension, utterly overwhelmed at the prospect that
lay before her. The angel understood her anxiety and immediately sought to reassure her. "Do not be afraid, Mary .... The
Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (Lk 1:30, 35). It was the Spirit who gave
her the strength and courage to respond to the Lord’s call. It was the Spirit who helped her to understand the great
mystery that was to be accomplished through her. It was the Spirit who enfolded her with his love and enabled her to conceive
the Son of God in her womb. This scene is perhaps the pivotal moment in the history of God’s relationship with his people. During
the Old Testament, God revealed himself partially, gradually, as we all do in our personal relationships. It took time for
the chosen people to develop their relationship with God. The Covenant with Israel was like a period of courtship, a long
engagement. Then came the definitive moment, the moment of marriage, the establishment of a new and everlasting covenant.
As Mary stood before the Lord, she represented the whole of humanity. In the angel’s message, it was as if God made
a marriage proposal to the human race. And in our name, Mary said yes. In fairy tales, the story ends there, and all "live happily ever after". In real life it is not so simple.
For Mary there were many struggles ahead, as she lived out the consequences of the "yes" that she had given to the Lord. Simeon
prophesied that a sword would pierce her heart. When Jesus was twelve years old, she experienced every parent’s worst
nightmare when, for three days, the child went missing. And after his public ministry, she suffered the agony of witnessing
his crucifixion and death. Throughout her trials she remained faithful to her promise, sustained by the Spirit of fortitude.
And she was gloriously rewarded. Dear young people, we too must remain faithful to the "yes" that we have given to the Lord’s offer
of friendship. We know that he will never abandon us. We know that he will always sustain us through the gifts of the Spirit.
Mary accepted the Lord’s "proposal" in our name. So let us turn to her and ask her to guide us as we struggle to remain
faithful to the life-giving relationship that God has established with each one of us. She is our example and our inspiration,
she intercedes for us with her Son, and with a mother’s love she shields us from harm. [After leading the Angelus, prayed in Latin, there were farewell addresses from Cardinals George Pell of
Sydney and Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Then, the Holy Father greeted the youth in
five languages. Finally, the Pontiff said:] The time has come for me to say good-bye - or rather, to say arrivederci! I thank you all for your participation in World
Youth Day 2008, here in Sydney, and I look forward to seeing you again in three years’ time. World Youth Day 2011 will
take place in Madrid, Spain. Until then, let us continue to pray for one another, and let us joyfully bear witness to Christ
before the world. May God bless you all. ****************************** A flash back of a Sunday School Teacher M. Lawrence Sahayadass Many of you know me very well as Lawrence. For some of you, who have seen me and not interacted with me or
nor spoke to me, I may be new. That needs some sort of introduction. Employed in a Public Sector Oil Company, prone to transfer every three years in the normal course, I have
completed 26 years of long service in the Company I am serving. During the past 10 to 15 years’ of my life, I have developed varied interests in extra curricular activities
mostly related to the religious life. I have also developed a passion for preparing and conducting Quiz programmes since almost
14 years. I have conducted 12 Bible Quizzes, apart from GK Quiz, Intellectual Quiz etc., After two years’ of my posting at Kandla / Gandhidham (2002-04), I returned to Mumbai and decided to
teach Catechism for Tamil speaking people. But Rev. Fr. Melroy influenced and convinced me to teach Catechism for English
speaking students, since there is no program scheduled for Tamil Speaking students. He told me to teach IX Std. in June 2004.
I later changed to VIII Std.. From that time, there was no turning back. I believe that I had an inner call to be with our
Parish children, teaching them Catechism. Here, I have completed four years teaching VIII Std. Students with a series of activities
throughout the year. When I started for teaching the VIII Std. students, I had some apprehension of teaching the Old Testament.
Once I started reading the Old Testament with respect to the syllabus given to me, I found it was not only very interesting
but also became a platform for me to learn. While teaching, I was also learning about the great personalities in the Bible
and their faith in Yahweh. Students for the past four years gave me tremendous support in the class except some stray incidents of some
naughty children. Encouragement by my Parish Priests Rev. Fr. Harry Vaz and Rev. Fr. Austin was outstanding given whether
in teaching or the Parents’ Day programmes or the Faith Formation day or the Outing to Korlai in Raigad or the visit
to the Dharavi slums. I had 16 children each year during the first three years and 27 children last year. My enthusiasm grew day by day by God’s blessing / his showing the path, the children’s untiring
cooperation, the sisters’ generosity for giving their place for various practices of drama / dance / action song, etc.
etc., Not only did the Sisters give their premises, but some sisters helped the children for the programmes we
had. Sr. Jebamalai Mary, Sr. Catherine and Sr. Elizabeth taught action songs, prayer songs, Marathi plays, Marathi dances
etc., etc., to the children. Not just God’s grace was there to give me inspiration, I had support from Priests, Nuns,
children, their parents and even others from the Parish. That’s why I never felt tired to doing the Sunday School Teacher’s job and experienced total satisfaction.
I also take this opportunity to remember some children who put in extra ordinary efforts to shine and had total dedication
during my four years’ tenure as Sunday school teacher: Macline, Merwyn, Sanjana, Ariyil, Sabina, Sharol, Valkyn, Valerie,
Jeneive, Alison, Vanessa, Josephine, Anthony, Percy and Sarah.Although I have taken a year’s break due to office pressure,
I intend to bounce back next year with all freshness to teach my favourite class, if it is God’s will. ****************************************************************************************** |
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CONGRATS AND A BIG THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING WHO SENT IN IDEAS FOR
THE NAME AND LOGO FOR OUR PARISH BULLETIN. Miss Maggie Martis, ************************** Editorial board: Fr. Austin Norris, |
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Published by St. Joseph’s Church, Pahadi Estate, Ciba Geigy Road, Goregaon East, Mumbai - 400 063 - India Tel. 2840 5106 EMAIL: joeschurch@yahoo.co.in WEB: http://joeschurch.tripod.com Printed by JRose Enterprises, Goregaon East, Tel. 2685 8970 St. Joseph Church Tel: 022-28405106 |
