News Letter for January
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January 2014 Vol.18 No.01 Pastor’s Corner Editorial New Year Wish! New Year Time to be Thankful A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat Carrying forward' is something one does by his feet. He held up a sign which when accounting money from one month to said: 'I am blind, please help.' There another month, one year to the next and so were only a few coins in the hat. A man was on. Having just stepped into another New Year, we think walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took of what we now possess that can be carried forward into the sign, turned it around, and wrote some the New Year. words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by We think of all the good things we have enjoyed during would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot the year past. The love we received and gave, good deeds more people were giving money to the blind boy. That done to us and those we have done, success we enjoyed, afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how friendship we shared, and so on. These are things we things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, want carried forward, certainly. 'Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What There are also things we don't did you write?' The man said, 'I only wrote the truth. I said what want carried forward - the you said but in a different way.' What he had written was: hurts, the failures, our 'Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it.' unhealthy tendencies that cause Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing? Yes, in as much both signs told people the boy loss, shame, tears and tension, was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The and so on. No, we do not want second sign told people they were so lucky that these carried forward. they were not blind. We step into the New Year with grateful hearts aware of Moral: Be thankful for what you have. Be time given to us as talents to trade with. At moments of creative. Be innovative. Think differently reckoning such as this, it occurs to us that perhaps the and positively. Live life with no excuse, and small things we do every day are more important than Love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 the big things we do once in a while. reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Both as individuals and as a Diocese, we want to carry Face your past without regret. Handle your present with forward an even greater sense of trust in God this year, confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith because we do not know what awaits us. All we know is and drop the fear. A good way to begin the New Year! The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling… that as the psalmist says 'with God we shall do bravely'. And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the Even as we see and hear indications and reminders of reason behind it!!! time's winged chariot inexorably hurrying past, we Vol.18 of LINK heralds the beginning of the eighteenth year of resolve to be better and perhaps stronger, this New Year. the establishment of the Diocese. This is also the 205th issue of We seek grace to be bolder in our resolves, resolute in LINK which has been coming to you very regularly on the first our actions, and compassionate in our dealings. As we day of each month, month after month. I keep saying that LINK continue life's journey may we have the courage to stand is a humble and simple media tool keeping us 'linked' with each for truth come what may, venture out into unfamiliar other. I am grateful to those who help me in churning out an parts, and be unpretentious in our achievements. issue each month not an easy task given our many In this New Year, may our ties be firmer, relationships constraints! The new issue has a new format thanks to Fr. truer, our families holier. As we carry forward the best Prasad Rao. I also thank Fr. Pulinthanath, sdb, who despite his that we have into the New Year, may God Himself carry many jobs helps with the Editorial. Finally, I thank you dear us forward throughout this year and always. Happy readers for the steady stream of 'one liners' encouraging us in New Year! J. Pulinthanath, sdb our humble effort. +Lumen, CSC CONDOLENCES Fr. Daniel Dalsianmung, CSC (33), was laid to rest on LINK wishes all its 23rd Dec at the community cemetery in Agartala. On Readers A Happy & behalf of the Diocese Bishop Lumen said, “We Proseprous thank God for this young confrere and pray for the New Year 2014 repose of his soul. O God please grant Eternal Rest to our brother Fr. Daniel Munga. News from the Parishes [ 2 ] Moharpara Parish competition at every house already began by the nearly 63 Catholic families including Parish Feast first week of December. One creative crib was other families at Madya Kashipur and The Parish Feast (Immaculate beautifully made on the boat symbolizing Mariamnagar for the Christmas Kirtan Conception of Mary) was celebrated human life as a journey which is incomplete Later, talking about the Christmas vigil, th with due solemnity on 8 Sunday at without the birth of Jesus bagged the 1st prize in Fr. Ronald stated that in the first ages, Moharpara. Bishop the Parish. On 14th December, the enthusiastic during the night before every feast, a Lumen came on the parishioners organized a vehicle rally to share vigil was kept. In the evening the faithful previous evening the message of Christmas with all in the area. assembled in the place or church where and went to Sirduk There were about 30 cars and 25 motor bikes the feast was to be celebrated and village for engaged in the rally. Well decorated vehicle led prepared themselves by prayers, administering the baby Jesus, Joseph, Mary, angles and Santa readings from Holy Bible, etc. “The Sacrament of Confirmation. One Claus on the busy roads singing and playing Christmas day usually starts with side of the chapel was full of paddy drums. Christmas messages were given at three midnight Mass or at least an early bags for blessing of the first fruits. markets-Somarbazar, Bidibazar, Jampuijala morning Mass. This is the official On the other side were more than 80 and Khumulwng respectively. The rally began coming of the Christ child for which we people who were administered the at 11am and ended at 5pm. It was proud moment have been waiting all during the advent Sacrament of Confirmation. for the parishioners to share the message of period.” said Father Ronald. It is worth At Moharpara, Parish Feast Vigil Christ's birth-the message of GOD'S LOVE. mentioning here that the Easter vigil, was celebrated in a meaningful way. Fr. Arun Minj SVD namely, the Great Vigil of Easter, is a Fr. Bhuban gave a reflective talk on Tuikarmaw Parish service held in traditional Christian Mother Mary explaining the Retreat as part of Silver Jubilee churches as the first official celebration meaning of this particular Retreats are being organized as part of the of the Resurrection of Jesus. celebration. Fr. Binoy, CSC, helped ongoing with the Sacrament of celebration of the Kumarghat Parish Reconciliation and the Vigil ended Silver Jubilee year Kumarghat Parish has with an hour of Adoration. On of the Parish. got yet another two Sunday morning we began with the There were Village Chapels. The Holy Eucharist. A few Retreats at two Village Chapel at representatives from other mandolis different places at Kathalbari was had gathered for the celebration. I Ichacharra and Lokicherra for convenience and inaugurated and blessed thank His Lordship Bishop Lumen better participation of the faithful. The by Bishop Lumen on and Rev. Fr. Bhuban for their preachers were Fr. Pradeep Mondal and Fr. 15th December 2013. presence that added colour to the Puban Sarkar from Kolkata. There were more The function organized entire celebration. than 250 people took part in Ichacharra's retreat at Kathalbari began with a welcome Women Seminar on 20th and 21st Dec. Most Rev. Lumen ceremony for Bishop Lumen. Thereafter The women of Monteiro CSC, DD, Bishop of Agartala we had the blessing of the chapel Twithampui Village celebrated the concluding Eucharist and followed by the Holy Eucharist. There had a one day confirmed 40 young people. Retreat at was also short felicitation program Seminar with Sr. Lokicherra was meant for Reang circle and organized by the people of the village. Punita SJA, about 300 people took part from 22nd and 23rd The work of the Village Chapel was Diocesan Secretary begun by Fr. Thomas Pereira. During the for Women Dec. Carol competition too was held as part of th function, Fr. Arul acknowledged and Commission, on 14 the ongoing celebration of the jubilee year of the appreciated the initiative of Fr. Thomas December. More than 30 women from Parish. It took place at Itchacharra and 8 the village participated. The topic mondolis took part in it. The Carol competition to erect a Chapel in an interior area of the was, 'Managing the Family'.