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VOL. XXI - No. 08 - August 2017 Pastor’s Corner August 15Two Important Festivals Editorial WeSome are Backyard the Cathedral Matters Thank You Lord The 15th of August makes me nostalgic--as a It is a known fact that the Catholic institutions in citizen and as a believer! It is the day when the Tripura, without being exclusivist, cater to the Catholic Church commemorates the Assumption of welfare of the indigenous people mostly. The Church Mother Mary, a tradition present since the 6th has its reasons for it and by and large, no one has century, and in 1950 Pope Pius XII emphatically serious problems with that. Except for a few Agartala declared that "the ever Virgin Mary, having schools and their completed the course of her earthly life, was cosmopolitan clientele, all assumed body and soul into heavenly glory." Church institutions and service The other is India's becoming independent from British rule. At centres are located in tribal areas. midnight in 1947 Pandit Location is not everything but it is a Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled message, a statement about one's the National Flag at the red preference and intent. Fort to mark the freedom The contribution that Church, of our country with these through its educational and other institutions, makes to the tribal words, “At the stroke of the groups in Tripura is perhaps not as voluminous as it is elsewhere; midnight hour, when the but they are definitely very evident and unambiguous. People world sleeps, India will across social and ethnic divides acknowledge its contribution in the awake to life and field of education in a major way, and to a lesser extent, its health freedom.” care and social uplift efforts. While India has made rapid strides especially on the economic The Church in Tripura has not only been unabashedly pro tribal, but front (India is the world's third-largest economy on purchasing it has also become quite pronouncedly a 'tribal Church sans power parity), many social problems continue to haunt us. tribalism' in the sense that most of its members are tribesmen, According to Viraj Mehta, Director and head of India and South emanate a tribal fragrance and yet strive to be Catholic. With the Asia, India faces seven key challenges: passage of years the sights and sounds that adorn our services are “Education and Skills-- India has 487 million workers, but more becoming increasingly tribal. Perhaps, rightly so. than two-thirds of Indian employers report that they struggle to In such an emerging scenario, one assumes there is more than mere find workers with the right skills. cordiality and civility between those that together constitute the Urbanization-- More than one-third of Indians live in cities. Church laity, religious, clergy. One assumes there is heartfelt Meeting their needs while safeguarding the environment will relationship, ties made strong by Faith. require innovative models of urban development. With a relationship of that sort supposedly in place, how can one not Health-- India faces the double burden of infectious diseases and be surprised at the intolerance and aggression that some member a dramatic rise in non-communicable diseases, now estimated to individuals display towards Christian or Catholic Institutions? account for more than half of all deaths. How is it that in times of crisis in an institution, the chief antagonists Sanitation-- Many health challenges are linked to sanitation. P.M. are, in some instances at least, 'our own' people? (I keep qualifying Modi has introduced 'swach bharat'. But the challenge is to these near rhetorical questions with 'some', ''few', lest I be blamed identify and implement the right way to provide 1.2 billion for generalizing). Often this is more disturbing than the very Indians with a clean environment! problem that engenders it. Gender-- There is a need for India to closely examine the norms It surely does make us think. Where, who, what has gone wrong? that allow violence and a broader pattern of gender discrimination J. Pulinthanath, SDB to continue. Water-- India's large population places a severe strain on its LINK wishes its Readers natural resources, and most of its water sources are contaminated by sewage and agricultural run-off. Happy Pastors Day on Transparency-- The vast majority of Indians say transparency is August 4, the Feast Day of their number one concern. Transparency issues are not just a daily irritation; they are a drag on the whole economy, hampering St. John Mary Vianney. competitiveness, growth and development.” There are other challenges like communal disharmony, human trafficking, cross border terrorism, vigilantism, environmental degradation, etc.; the list goes on. Challenges of this complexity LINK wishes everyone and magnitude cannot be solved by governments alone; they Happy Independence Day require a collaborative approach involving business and political and Happy Feast of our Lady leaders, members of civil society and academia, youth groups and social entrepreneurs, YOU and ME. On this Independence Day of the Assumption on let us, in the words of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru “take the pledge of August 15. dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.” +Lumen, CSC Parish News [ 2 ] KHUMULWNG PARISH oneness among the members. We Farewell & Welcome to Priests Topics like early church at Jeevadhara Minor Seminary leadership, Biblical leadership, community celebrated the family and Christian vocation to lead a nd rd feast on 22 and 23 of June with value based life was discussed. the motto “Reach to Enrich”. To The Leaders were asked to talk make the celebration more about their leadership role and colourful and enriching we responsibilities in their local divided the community in to two communities. At the end of the groups namely St. Alphonsa and training an Action Plan was St. John Maria Vianney. There discussed and agreed upon that were ample opportunities for the all Leaders would take utmost Seminarians to unleash their interest in organizing and helping hidden talents and capabilities, the Priests to animate the faithful sharing their innovative ideas and pastorally in the Parish. June was an important day for St. strategies to emerge as winners Late Ananda Sing Jamatia Alphonsa Parish and Diocesan Minor in the competitions. Everyone got Football Tournament enough chances to come forward Seminary at Champaknagar. Two To mark the third death and explore their talents and events- farewell of Fr. Roshan Kujur anniversary of late Mr. Ananda abilities. The meticulous planning SVD and welcome of Fr. Stany Sing Jamatia, St, Mary's Parish and hard work of Fr. Rector and Periera SVD- took place Tuikarmaw organized Football the Staff kept everyone simultaneously. The parishioners Tournament for the Catholic Youth preoccupied and in a spirit of and the seminarians felicitated them of the Parish. Eight teams healthy competition throughout with lovely cultural items- singing, participated in the Tournament the event. Fr. Stany Pereira, SVD dance and skit. Farewell of Fr. which began on 15th July 2017. Roshan brought sadness but Ms. Alponsa Jamatia daughter of TUIKARMAW PARISH welcome to Fr. Stany brought joy late Mr. Ananda Sing inaugurated and happiness to the congregation. Village Chapel Feasts the Tournament. Late Mr. Ananda The parishioners and seminarians During the months of June and Sing Jamatia who was the Hostel expressed their heartfelt gratitude July three village communities-- Warden and the Office Staff of and thankfulness to Fr. Roshan for Pothicherry, Laximcherra and Holy Cross Mission, Tuikarmaw, his commitment and dedication to Bortoli celebrated their village was a very responsible and the parish and the Minor Seminary. feasts respectively, after the generous person and was a great Fr. Stany was welcomed three patron saints. Prior to the assert to Tuikarmaw mission. Fr. wholeheartedly to the Parish and the Feast Day celebrations the Alfred, CSC Seminary. The joyful occasion ended faithful were prepared spiritually the three days of Novenas and with fellowship lunch in the parish AMBASSA PARISH premises. Fr. Arun Minj SVD special Adoration followed by Women's Annual Sabha Reach to Enrich - Jeevadhara Charismatic Inner Healing prayer Minor Seminary service was conducted. The faithful experienced the special blessings of God during these days of preparation in view of their Feast. Fr. Paul CR, CSC the Parochial Administrator of the Parish animated the Charismatic Inner healing Prayer in these Women of Ambassa Parish villages. New Catholics in these organized Women's Annual Sabha villages received Baptism. Every th at Village Bagmara on 24 and village community organized th 25 June. There were 200 competitions for children and participants from various villages youth. At the end of every feast of the Parish. The program began day celebrations there was festive with the lighting of the lamp by meal served for all. Family feast is a unique celebration the Resource Person and Women of every formation house. It was Leadership training Seminar leaders of different mondolis. time for the community members to 50 Parish Leaders from all the Mrs. Lata Marak Women President come together as a family and villages gathered at the parish of Ambassa Parish welcomed the celebrate the joy of being in a Centre on July 16for a daylong Resource Persons and all the community and acknowledge the Seminar on Leadership in the participants. Women from talents, skills, potentialities and local Church. Fr. Cyprian Pinto different villages presented their capabilities and foster a sense of SVD was the Resource Person. Annual Reports. Sr. Susheela News from the Diocese [ 3 ] Xess SSpS was invited by the Installation and Blessing of first X-Ray Machine at St. Joseph Women of the Parish. There were Hospital, Agartala Input Sessions on various topics “It might take a year, it might take a day but like Family devotion to Mother what is meant to be will always find its way.” And th Mary; Women empowerment; indeed it has found its way on 5 July 2017.

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