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 . 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 . 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'. It was an was videotaped and broadcasted in the local Parish. interactive session and women cable network on the occasion of Christmas The Village Chapel at Moracherra was Celebration. Fr. C. Abraham, CSC inaugurated and blessed by Bishop actively participated in it. Bro. Binod th Debbarma did the translation for Sr. Lumen on 16 December. The function Punita and made it very interesting. Mariamnagar Parish began at 8.45am by welcoming Bishop to Fr. Hormis John, CSC A local daily reported the following interview the village. The Chapel named after St. with Fr. Ronald SDB, Parish Priest of Andre was blessed and inaugurated by Khumlwng Parish Mariamnagar on Dec 15: Bishop Lumen. People expressed their Christmas on Wheels…with Barely nine days left for the celebration of gratitude to Bishop for his gracious Rocks! Christmas; the Catholic families would engage presence in their village. They were also St. Alphonsa Parish Khumlwng in the spiritual practice of Christmas carols from thankful to Fr. Thomas Pereira for shared the tomorrow for peace that has been passed down helping them to build the Chapel. Fr. message of since time immemorial and a constant in all Arul, CSC, the Parish Priest, thanked Fr. Christmas paths and religions. There are no hard and fast Thomas Pereira for taking all trouble to creatively rules to singing Holy Names,” said Fr. Ronald to build the chapel. “It was the result of Fr. this year. Times. After chanting hymns from the Thomas's pastoral zeal that brought the Carol Holy Bible in the evening, the priest and other church at Morachera” he added. The singing and crib making members of the church would visit houses of function came to end with a simple fellowship meal. Fr. Agi Paul csc News from the Diocese [ 3 ]

40 years in Tripura--Then 1973 and Now 2013 These are a few memories of the past as I am completing exactly FORTY years as a missionary in Tripura. I do it from a religious as well as secular point of view for the curiosity of those who go through LINK every month. Fr. Hormis, CSC Then (1973-1974) Now (2013-2014) ·Number of Church personnel -- 12 · Number of Church personnel -- 180 ·2 Parishes -- Mariamnagar and Kumarghat under Silchar Diocese. ·18 Parishes and under Diocese of Agartala. ·2 Schools, one Bengali medium (up to Class VIII) and one English ·35 Schools (all English medium) including one College. medium (primary level). ·15 Boarding houses for Boys and 16 for Girls. ·2 Boarding houses for Boys and one for Girls. ·Five men religious congregations, fourteen women religious ·One religious Congregation of men (Holy Cross) and one of congregations and five Diocesan priests. women (Bethany Sisters) and no Diocesan priests. ·JUST (Jana Unnayan Samiti Tripura) is engaged in other ·A credit society called Catholic Jana Songho operated in eleven development activities reaching out to all sections of society villages to promote Self Help Groups. with over 550 Self Help Groups. ·Liturgical language was English and Bengali. ·Today English, Bengali and Kok borok (Tripuri). ·No electric supply in both Mariamnagar and Kumarghat Parishes. ·No Parish or sub-centre without electric supply. ·One Ecumenical Christmas celebration at Agartala Children's Park ·Now we have Holy Eucharistic Procession every year. in 1973. ·The old building opposite to Agartala Buddha Mandir was a ·Today Nirmala Shishu Bhavan by MC Sisters caters for the haunted house and abandoned. marginalized and the abandoned ones. In the Secular field (1973-1974) In the Secular field (2013-2014) · On December 17th 1973 my flight from Calcutta to Agartala was · Today the fare is Rs. 3,000+ and there are 12 flights daily. Jam Air and the fare was Rs.100. · Now we pay Rs.69.80 per litre of petrol. · Paid Rs.01.35 for a litre of petrol · Today train service is up to Agartala and work is underway · Only one railway station at Dharmanagar in North Tripura. up to Sabroom in South Tripura. · Concrete bridges were a rarity including the two at Asthabal and · Wooden bridges are becoming a rarity. Battalla in Agartala Town. · My land phone for local calls got connected · I get connected at my will from anywhere in Tripura to anywhere in the world. · Did not hear about computer. · Impossible to live without one. · Congress Government was ruling the State. · Communist Marxist Party is ruling the State. · No Radhanagar Bus Stand, but a dumping ground and mosquito · A beautiful Bus Stand at Radhanagar, Nagerjala, and breeding pond. Chandrapur. News from JUST (Jana Unnayan Samiti Tripura) prepared and used for the plants. Mr. Monta Debbarma expressed his joy and Work shop on Gender Violence come into existence at the cost of many (Women Empowerment) thankfulness to JUST for providing such courageous women of different times. The training. He said that from now on he Resource Person gave some exercise on how to would be organic! Vincent Deburma fight against injustice against women in the society. On the second day the Resource Person Our Readers Write spoke on the qualities of a leader and human trafficking. Thank you. Another On 16th and 17th November, a work Achievement (FARM Northeast) good shot. shop on “Gender Violence” was Mr. Monta Debbarma lives at Tamakari Congratulations. + organized at Northeastern Diocesan Radhanagar under Hezamara block, George, Miao AP Social Service Society (NEDSSS) West Tripura. He is a farmer by It is in the first snow that the warm News from across Guwahati. The Resource Person was profession. He started cultivating LINK comes in carrying the happy Sr. Helen, Secretary of National vegetables like cauliflower, news of the Diocese of Agartala… Women Commission. The Workshop Palangshak, Dhania, Carrot, Brinjal, And reminds us that the brain has to began by a welcoming word and Chilli, Tomato and Beans from 2010. be put to use!...at times!... Conrad, introduction followed by general He had been using chemical Montreal , Canada introduction by all the participants. fertilizers from the time he started Activity reports by all the farming. He would spend Rs. 5000 to I received your kind email in which representatives of the dioceses of 6000 per cultivation for purchasing you have attached Link December Northeast were presented. The fertilizers. Mr. Monta Debbarma then came in 2013. Thank you very much for Resource Person then explained contact with the animators of FARM Project by sending the Link regularly. +Andrew gender violence in the society and how JUST and became a member of the Farmers Club R. Marak, Tura Meghalaya we need to create awareness in the under Tamakari Radhanagar. He attended a Thank you very much for December society so that all the people are training program on preparing traditional manure. LINK. Congratulations for all the informed about the injustice done to He then followed the process as taught and good works Sr. Cecilia, VSDB, women and the girl child. The prepared traditional manure in his house. He Shillong Resource Person also spoke on started using the manure in his farm and found fast Thanks for the LINK. The joke about different legal provisions that have changes in the crop. He was very happy as he the housemaid did make me laugh! could see good result from the manure he had Alan CSC, Nairobi, Kenya News from India and Beyond [ 4 ]

Pope Francis TIME's cause has been accepted as worthy Archbishop occasion of the Person of the Year Ferrao urged the faithful to pray for the 125th Birth TIME magazine has canonization of Blessed Vaz. Following his anniversary of named Pope Francis beatification in 1995, Blessed Vaz was made Maulana Abdul "Person of the Year the patron of the Archdiocese of Goa and Kalam Azad on 2013". The Daman. Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio was present and blessed November 11, international news 2013, which is magazine chose to the statues of Blessed Vaz and Blessed John bestow the honor on Paul II that were installed in the compound. also the "Education Day" and the Holy Father catholicnewsnetwork felicitated him for his excellent work largely because of towards the Minority community his humility and compassion. "In a Nelson Mandela dies at 95 and the Society as a whole. very short time, a vast, global, South African anti-apartheid hero Nelson catholicnewsnetwork ecumenical audience has shown a Mandela died peacefully at home at the age of hunger to follow him," TIME's 95 after months of fighting a The Pope from the new world managing editor, Nancy Gibbs, lung infection, plunging his On 24 November, a new documentary wrote in an article explaining their nation and the world into on the life and thought of Pope Francis, decision. "For pulling the papacy mourning for a man revered the man who has fascinated the world out of the palace and into the streets, as a moral giant. The former since stepping onto the international for committing the world's largest president and Nobel Peace stage earlier faith to confronting its deepest Prize laureate had been frail this year, was needs and for balancing judgment and ailing for nearly a year released in with mercy, Pope Francis is TIME's with a recurring lung illness Canada. It was 2013 Person of the Year." zenit.org that dated back to the 27 produced by years he spent in apartheid jails, including the the Knights of Blessed Joseph Vaz notorious Robben Island penal colony. But Columbus. The in Sri Lanka while his passing had been long expected, This new documentary delves into the has been President Jacob Zuma's announcement of the life story and thought of Pope Francis. petitioning the death shook South Africa. The streets of the He is the first Pope from the Americas, Vatican for capital Pretoria and of Johannesburg were the first Pope who is a Jesuit, and the Blessed Vaz's hushed, and in bars and nightclubs, music was first to take the name Francis. The hour- canonization turned off as people gathered to quietly talk long program features interviews from through the about the news. A somber Zuma told the nation around the world. The Pope's close national in a televised address that Mandela "passed on friends, his fellow priests and co- secretariat of peacefully in the company of his family around workers, his biographer, and the poor of the cause for his 20h50 on the 5th of December 2013. He is now Buenos Aires spoke about the man they canonization. Archbishop Filipe resting. He is now at peace," Zuma said. had come to know. Most of the Neri Ferrao of Goa and Daman interviews and much of the film were conveyed the good news to the Jesuit Father Felix Raj awarded by shot on location in Argentina. "Many small gathering during the details of Pope Francis' life, the work he Madrasa Board has done, and the ways in which he has Eucharistic service celebrated The West Bengal Board of Madrasa outside the Archbishop's House at defended the voiceless and Catholic Panjim-Goa on Nov.19.The process Education has nominated Fr. Felix Raj, SJ, principles still remain largely unknown for canonization of Blessed Joseph the Principal of St. Xavier's College to the public. This documentary delves Vaz has reached a crucial stage as (Autonomous), Kolkata, for the "Maulana into those stories" said Supreme Knight one of the miracles submitted for his Abdul Kalam Azad Award 2013" on the Carl Anderson (SJWEB via CNUA)

BISHOP’S PROGRAMME FOR JANUARY 2014 Visitors at Bishop's House 01: New Year's Day Parish Mass 04-05: Parish Sabah, Gandacherra Parish · Fr. Ronald Pereira, SVD, from Orissa 12: Parish Mass, Nandanagar · Fr. Augustine, SVD Provincial from Guwahati Holy Cross College Blessing, Agartala · Sr. Rosely, FMM from Delhi Province 13-20: Home Visit · Fr. Pradeep, CsSR from Krinshnagar 25: Hostel Blessing, Gachirampara · Bro. Jacob, SVD Economer from Guwahati 25-26: Kumarghat Parish Sabah, Kanchancherra 27: Clergy Meet & Recollection, Agartala · Fr. Uttam Bongcher, SDB from 28: Caritas Field Visit, Mandya · Bishop Stephen Rotluanga, CSC, from 29-30: Caritas DDC Valedictory,

Published at: Jeevajyothi Diocesan Centre, Bishop's House, Airport Road, Durjoynagar, Agartala 799 009, Tripura, Tel:91-381-2342401, Email: [email protected], www.agartaladiocese.org