FAMILY BOND (VINCENTIAN BULLETIN) Have Charity the Bond of Perfection (Col
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FAMILY BOND (VINCENTIAN BULLETIN) Have charity the bond of perfection (Col. 3:14) (For private circulation only) Vol.49 / No. 1 March 2015 I Editorial 03 II Vincentian Generalate 05 i. Events and Engagements ii. Other events iii. Directory Changes III. Mary Matha Province, Angamaly 14 IV. St. Joseph Province, Kottayam 28 i. Events & Engagements ii. News from Stations 1. Chethimattam 2. Chopra V. St. Thomas Province, Rewa 34 i. Engagements & Events ii. News from Stations and missions VI. Formation Houses 39 i. Bengaluru ii. Vidyabhavan iii. Nairobi iv. Ahmednagar VII. Education and Media 46 i. Higher Education 1. DiST 2. Edathotty 3. DiMS ii. School Education: 1. Kuravilangad 2. Rewa VIII. Social Service 52 1. Vinsa 2. History IX. History of Our Houses and Institutions 60 i. A Visit in African Missions ii. History of De Paul, Bengaluru iii. Kalichanadukkam X. Missions Abroad: 81 i. Australia ii. Africa XI. Popular Missions and Retreats 82 i. Mega Popular Mission ii. By Marymatha Province iii. By St. Joseph Province iv. By St. Thomas Province Please note: (1) The next issue of the Family Bond is to be published in June 2015. Kindly send your news and writings by 15th of June to keep our confreres up to date with your activities and information. We are all ears to hear from you. (2) In the previous issue of the Family Bond while writing the history of Choondal Ashram we missed inadvertently the name of Rev.Fr. Antony Kakkanattu in the list of the previous local superiors. Please add the name in page No. 66. Editor Family Bond - March 2015 I “WHAT ARE WE TO DO” (Jn.11.47) The Chief priests and the Pharisees were afraid of the inroads that Jesus’ teachings and signs had being making in their community. Caiaphas, the high priest of the year suggested the elimination of the ‘idealist Jesus’ for the nation and also to gather the scattered children of God into one (Jn.11.52). Hence the ‘liberator of sins’, who had been in Jerusalem to celebrate the first liberation of the progeny of Jacob from the slavery in Egypt, was humiliated and murdered in the most heinous way of crucifixion. But their plan catapulted. Jesus rose from the dead as he had foretold to ‘build the temple in three days’. Even the Roman centurion, who might have had to been witness of many crucifixions by living in a foreign and subjugated country said, “Truly this man was the son of God” (Mt.27.54). Jesus by declaring the policy of the kingdom of God had said at a previous occasion, “Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven” (Mt.5.12). An echo of the same could be seen in Paul’s letter to the Colossians, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, … for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Col.1.24). Peter and the other disciples too were happy even when they were at the receiving end of the persecutors’ hands for proclaiming the message of resurrection and the lordship of Jesus. They had at first refused to believe the message of resurrection from the angels and Mary Magdalene (Lk.24.11, 25-26, 41; Jn.20.24-25). But at the sight of the risen Lord fear gives way to bold witnessing. They set out to gather the scattered children of God, once they got the Spirit of Christ. It is possible to the Vincentians too as we are proving in our Missions. The process is simple for the committed people as St. Paul has put it: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from 3 Family Bond - March 2015 the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you” (Rom.8.11). Jesus was with the disciples for forty days after his resurrection lifting them from their depression and also showering his love and care and unfolding the secrets of the long hidden divine plan. Saul’s confrontation with Jesus on the way to Damascus converted him to be an ardent admirer of Jesus. In short only the personal experience had emboldened them to preach ‘Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God’ (1Cor.1. 23-24). In the course of time our little Congregation has grown and discovered ‘What are we to do’? It is to help everybody to realize the ‘image of God’ (Gen.1.26) in the selves and in others. It is that perfect image of the incarnated God, the resurrected Jesus, very often invisible, still had been recognized by Mary Magdalene and the disciples. Peter and Paul and other disciples boldly narrated the story of Jesus as the Son of God and asked the audience to repent and be converted towards: “ Be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt.5.47) - to be filled with love of God and of neighbour. No hindrance could stop them as we read, “… Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom.8.35-37). We shall ask the Lord only that we shall be able to carry the message of the Risen Jesus in compliance with Mt. 28.19 –20. Let us tell the people with St. Paul, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice” (Phi.4.4). By the lovely deed of anointing Mary won the appreciation of Jesus (Jn.12.3-7). By the stealthy deed for personal gain Judas Iscariot distanced himself from Jesus and the joy and peace he had enjoyed in the previous three years! May I wish you all the dear confreres the peace and joy of the Glorious Easter and greater success in our ministry at His Service! Fr. Varghese Chackumkuzhy VC Editor 4 Family Bond - March 2015 II Vincentian Generalate II. i. Events and engagements: Fr. Varghese Parappuram, Superior General, participated at the inauguration of the golden jubilee of De Paul English Medium School. Kuravilangad on 9th January 2015. Family Day 2015: Our annual Family Gathering at the Generalate level, along with the reception to the Golden Jubilarian, Silver Jubilarians and to the 18 New Priests was held on the 10th of January 2015. This gathering was a unique occasion for every one of us to express our jubilation and to greet and congratulate our New Priests and the veterans and to proclaim the unity and solidarity among the members of all the three Provinces of our congregation. The programmes started at 09.30 am with the inaugural session. In this session the Superior General spoke about the present state of affairs of the Congregation, the Provincial superiors on their Provinces, and the General Councilors briefly on their departments. Thanks giving Mass The Holy Eucharist at 11.15 am: The Golden Jubilarian, Fr. Appassery George was the main celebrant. The Silver Jubilarinas Frs. Puthuva Paul, Thazhathemuriyil Joseph, Elavumkal Mathew, Payyappilly Antony and Nediyani Sebastian along with the New Priests concelebrated the Holy Eucharist. Fr. Roy Varakath gave the Gospel message. 5 Family Bond - March 2015 The New Priests after the con-celebration Fr. Kanjamala Varghese could not reach here from Germany. Several of the family members of Fr. Appassery George were also present at the Holy Eucharist and the lunch thereafter. After the lunch the community gathered again to felicitate the Jubilarians and the New Priests. Fr. Athickal Jacob spoke about the Golden Jubilarian and Frs. Naduviledath Francis and Varghese Puthussery felicitated the Silver Jubilarians. Frs. Kunnel Jomson, Ponneduthakallel Anish and Thottungal John Paul introduced the New Priests. Then there was sharing of news and views by many others. About 110 of our confreres were present for the gathering. The Superior General participated in the Annual Day celebration of De Paul Higher Secondary School, Choondal on 9th January 2015. Fr. George Vettaparambil went to De Paul Institute, Bengaluru on 23 January to attend the “The Master Plan Committee” to plan the development of the De Paul land. Fr. Varghese Chackumkuzhy went to Andhra Pradesh to participate in the Silver Jubilee and Annual Day of De Paul School, Bhimadole. He visited our institutions at Chinna Autapalli, Janampet, Mangalagiri, Pinakkadimi and the Parish at Edara and returned here on 5th Feb.2015. Canonical Visits: Fr. Superior General and Fr. George Vettaparambil travelled to VH Thiruvananthapuram on 5 February for the canonical visit. 6 Family Bond - March 2015 Fr. Mathew Vattakuzhy went to Bengaluru on 07 February. He also proceeded to Ahmednagar to participate in the inauguration of the Silver Jubilee celebration of St. Paul Mission. Fr. Superior General went to Ahmednagar on 13 February to attend the inaugural function of the Silver Jubilee of the St. Paul Mission scheduled for February 15. Fr. Jojo Marippattu gave classes to Rev. Sisters in CMC Generalate, Aluva for three days. He took classes also at the ‘Priests and Religious’ retreat in Divine Retreat Center, Muringoor. Around 250 members participated in the retreat. The Superior General visited our Minor Seminarians at Nedumkunnam and Pala on the 20th and 21st February. He made a short visit to the Kottayam Provincial House on 20-02-2015. The Superior General visited Meenangadi Novitiate House on 6th & 7th of March and VH Mysore on 8 March. He visited the Novitiate House, Padamugham on 12th and 13th of March.