Tuesday, March 31, 2015

April, 2015

DIVINE LOVE AND MYSTERY OF SUFFERING
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,                                
As we enter into the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, I would like to reflect on Divine Love and the Mystery of Suffering. The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ is beyond the comprehension of human intelligence. Our Lord suffered physically, spiritually and mentally. We ask many questions to ourselves and others, “Why did Our Lord suffer? Was it necessary for him to suffer to save us? Often seeing the human beings, specially young and innocent suffer, we ask, “Why is he/she suffering? For whose sin is he/she suffering?”
Passion of Our Lord: Concerning the sufferings of Jesus the Messiah, the Scriptures have given answers and though we don’t fully understand we accept them as the right answers. Prophet Isaiah says, “Yet ours were the sufferings he was bearing, ours the sorrows he was carrying, while we thought of him as someone being punished and struck with affliction by God; whereas he was being wounded for our rebellions, crushed because of our guilt; the punishment reconciling fell on him, and we have been healed by his bruises” (Is.53:4-5). “By his knowledge, the upright one, my servant will justify many by taking their guilt on himself (Is.53:11 b) and “he was bearing the sin of many and interceding for the rebellion” (Is 53:12 b). The sufferings of Our Lord, reveals the mystery of God’s immense Love he has for us, his creatures.
The Earth an Altar for Praising God: The sufferings of human beings are very much connected to Divine Love. God is Alpha and Omega. Everything on earth and heaven is created by God. Everything comes from God, is for God and everything returns to God. Every creature, animate or inanimate, is expected to give praise to God. In fact the earth was to be an expansive altar to render everlasting praise to its Creator. The earth ought to sing praises to God who created it, but, sadly speaking, the earth is full of sin. Therefore, it must be the altar of endless expiation and sacrifice, on which the victims are consumed.
Human beings Responsibility to Praise God: The countless stars continuously sing the praises of God with their voices that are light and motion in the infinite spaces of firmament for thousands and thousands of years. The earth also sings praises to God spontaneously with its winds, water, the voices of animals and birds, rivers and mountains, trees and plants. But this is not sufficient, because on earth there is man, the perfect creation, superior to all living beings, gifted with spirit like the angels of heaven. He is destined to know, to love and to possess God, intelligently and voluntarily in order to repay God for granting him life on earth and Heaven after death.
Expiation of Sins Needed: God is self-sufficient. Yet God-Love wanted to have love. He created in order to receive love. What can God get from his creation? Only love!  This intelligent and free love, gifted only to the human beings on earth is the glory of God. This is the love which becomes the offering of love on the altar of the earth. If the earth omits the praises and entreaties of love, it will cease existing, because once love is extinguished, the expiation also would cease. Consequently, the earth would become a hell and the wrath of God would destroy it. Therefore, the human beings must love God freely and intelligently in order to exist. But the truth is this that the fallen and redeemed human being is sinful, offends God and needs to expiate for his sins. For expiation he needs to sacrifice victims, which are pure, spotless and faultless. These are the only victims agreeable to the Lord.
Sufferings are Gifts of God: The Earth has two-fold sacrifice to make: one of praise and the other of expiation. This is because mankind, living all over the earth, has sinned in Adam and Eve. Consequently, the relationship of human beings with God was ruptured. Mankind is continuously sinning and is adding to the sin of Adam and Eve, its countless sins and drifting away from God. Mankind, created in the likeness and image of God with intelligence and freedom, is endowed with divine grace, is becoming more and more sinful. Stars and planets, animals and birds, trees and plants, air and water, all obey God and praise him as best as they can. Men do not obey and do not give sufficient praise to God. That is why the victim-souls are needed so that they may love and praise God and expiate for the sins on behalf of everybody. These are the innocent children, who, though unaware, pay for the bitter punishment of sorrow for those who can do nothing but sin. They are the saints who willingly sacrifice themselves for everybody.
Perpetual Sacrifice of Jesus Our Lord: In the Old Testament times we see that the people, in order to praise God and to expiate their sins, offered sacrifices of bullocks, rams, lambs, doves, etc. But this was not sufficient. In the New Testament, the Son of God, Jesus Christ sacrificed himself as the Great Victim for giving highest praise to God and for expiation of the sins of mankind. Love consumed Himself for the Love of God and made it a perpetual Sacrifice. Only this Sacrifice of Love pleases God. It is a great mystery that God had to become incarnate to appease divine Justice for the great Sin of Adam and Eve and many sins of human beings. It shows that only the sacrifice of love and spirit can appease the Lord. Jesus through his life and sacrifice revealed the Love of God. After the sacrifice of Jesus, man has to understand the love and replace himself as a victim of love and expiation, on the model of the Lamb of God, his Master and Redeemer. He should not consider sorrow as a punishment, but as a gift of perfect love. Sorrow is not a punishment, when one knows how to accept it and use it rightly. Sorrow is like priesthood open to everyone and confers great power on the heart of God. Sorrow is a great merit. Sorrow can appease the Justice, because God can use for a good purpose also what Hatred created to give sorrow. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not choose any other means to cancel Sin, because there was and is no greater means than sacrificing himself.
May the lord bless all of us during the Holy Season of Lent and Easter!
                                                                                                                   +Felix Toppo, S.J.
                                                                                                                  Bishop of Jamshedpur

CONFERENCE STATEMENT
13TH National Conference of Diocesan Priests of India (CDPI)
Nagpur, 24-27th February 2015

We, the Members of the Conference of Diocesan Priests of India, after pondering over the discussions and deliberations that emerged from the Vatican’s Extra-ordinary Synod on the theme “The Family”, assembled at Nagpur on 24 -27 February, 2015 for our 13th National Council in which 65 of our member - priests participated and reflected on “The Effective Ministry to the Families in the light of the synod”.

While we immensely rejoice over many of our Christian families which strive to live their Christian faith more fully, we also realize that poverty, migration, caste-system, domestic violence, heightened materialism and consumerism, new age movements, rise of new philosophies and dangerously changing cultural and thinking patterns on socio-moral and religious issues in India, have subjected the institution of marriage and the family to tectonic shifts leading to a widespread erosion and disregard for traditionally held Church teaching on conjugal love and the Christian family.

The culture of violence and sexually immoral activity is blatantly being promoted in the media in the garb of ‘tv shows’, ‘video games’, movies, cyberspace and advertisements.

Threats to the sanctity of marriage are getting increasingly noticeable in the rise of pro same-sex marriage campaigns and civic bodies and NGO’s espousing the cause for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexuals, Transgenders) and even questioning the validity of Church teaching on such groups of people.

The declining sense of sin and need for repentance is the fall-out of such changing ideologies and trends in society at large. In this present scenario the priests are called-upon to protect the Faith and the Family from this tsunami of moral degeneration.

This conference reiterates firmly that the Church unbendingly insists on the doctrine on marriage on the basis of reason and in the light of Divine Revelations has a prophetic voice in the current mentality shaped by relativism, hedonism and materialism.

Despite the dismal situation, the CDPI considers it absolutely necessary to be kind and compassionate in communicating the church teaching through empathetic dialogue instead of insensitively turning the faithful away. Our priestly ministry calls us to render greater and meticulous care towards estranged couples and families that have their spiritual life at stake.

With the help of the laity and adequately trained professionals, priests must engage in actively preparing partners, both before and after marriage. Accompanying the couples after marriage at various stages of their lives, through various programs must serve to strengthen the bonding. The exemplary married couples can be encouraged to serve as out-reach teams to help those preparing for marriage and to assist as counselors where couples and family relationships are in the doldrums. Priests, together with spiritually and morally mature couples have the obligation to reach out to children and elderly in gearing them up to guard themselves from the harsh and erosive forces in society that threaten their growth into mature and fully human persons.

Priests not only need to update themselves with the changing trends in society, but need to be well informed about the encyclicals and church teachings on Marriage and the family and incorporate them effectively in their preaching and programs for couples and the family.

We, priests, have the responsibility to preach more fervently, with conviction, but with kindness and compassion of the love, mercy and forgiveness of God to keep couples and families together and reach out to those who have gone astray. When couples and families are spiritually strong, the world becomes a better place to live in. We priests can effect that change through our ministry.

Given this day 27th February, 2015 at Pallotti Animation Centre, Nagpur, India.
                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                Fr. I. Raymond Joseph
                                                                                                Executive Secretary for CCBI
                                                                                                Commission for Clergy
                                                                                                CCBI Centre
                                                                                                Banglore - 560084

WOMAN: YOUR ARE TENDER, NOT WEAK
On 8th March, 2018 the women of Jamshedpur diocese joined together at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Telco to celebrate the International women’s day. More than 259 women from different parts of the diocese came together to reflect on how important they are in building up the nation. The program began at 10:00 am with lighting the lamp. Rev. Fr. Camille Hembrom was the Chief Guest of the gathering. Dr. Kavita Pasar was the main speaker of the day who highlighted the indispensable place of women in every sphere of life in the society. In her speech she advised the women to be aware of the various evils and stand firm against it. There was also some slide show on girl child trafficking of the country and particularly in Jharkhand.

OUR LADY OF NATIVITY CHURCH, SINI

The high school Catholic students of Sini gathered for a day program to reflect on their career building as well as to prepare for the Easter. The program began at 8:00 am with lighting the ceremonial lamp. Fr. Linus Kindo facilitated the students in their program. Fr. Sijumon MSFS too came and encouraged the students. The participants had rich and good experience in the program. In the evening they received the sacrament of reconciliation. The program ended with the Holy Eucharist. Thanks to Sr. Jessy Francis and the community for organizing the Catholic students! May God bless you all!

CATHOLIC  CHARITIES /SAMEKIT JAN VIKAS KENDRA / VIKAS BHARATI
International Women’s  Day.
Over 600 Self-Help groups of women, federated into 12 Cooperatives came together on 10th March to celebrate women’s power. These women put up various stalls in the Campus of Catholic Charities, exhibiting all sorts of rural wealth, what they -produce through their Income Generating programmes. Ms Ranjana, the Director DRDA, East Singhbhum was the Chief Guest; Bishop Felix Toppo SJ along with Commandant of CRPF/RAF, Sundernagar, the BDO of Jamshedpur and several other VIP were the Guests of Honour.  Nearly 1000 women participated in this event. Ms Dilit Castleton and Dr. Nilima Bara also addressed the gatherings. The programme was crowned with various Tribal Community Dances. The SHG s also organized a small lottery to help them cover some of the expenses. Congrats to the women of Jamshedpur.

Diocesan Strategic Health Planning
CCJ/SJVK organized a very special session on planning Health in this diocese. Sr. Rosita SRA, director of Chabi-jan with her team was the resource persons. Nearly 25 Sisters involved in promotion of Health participated in this One Day Strategic Planning.  Due to various reasons, most of the rural based health centres are not functioning well and nurse –sisters are struggling to keep the Health Centres going. It is hoped that new, innovative methods in the field of rural health are adopted and health becomes an important mission in the diocese. Thanks to Sr. Rosita and Chabi-jan  for infusing new spirit among our health personnel.

ADOLESCENT HEALTH AND CHILD RIGHTS
UNICEF, JHARKHAND is entering into East Singhbhum  with a program promoting adolescent health among young boys and girls and  awakening people against child /early marriage, sex-abuse and child-abuse. They have invited SJVK  and some 5 NGOs to join them in this movement.  There was already a preliminary meeting on 19th afternoon.  SJVK has agreed to challenge and work in a couple of blocks of East Singhbhum. SJVK is becoming more involved in East Singhbhum.

SUSTAINABLE  DEVELOPMENT
Dka-Austria  has been supporting Catholic Charities in the field of Women’s Empowerment and NGO-Networking.  Recently, their Indian-Team (Gerry Rosario (Bihar-Sheriff) and Edlina Kerketta from Dibrugarh) spent 4 days in CCJ/SJVK visiting different villages where the programs are being implemented. They interacted with of our Partners and Women’s Co-operative officials.  This team was in high praise for CCJ/SJVK for the wonderful  work that is being done in villages strengthening women and other  CBOs and  small NGOs.

The program was concluded with a solemn Holy Mass presided over by Fr. Leo D’Souza. At the end of the Mass all present in the program shared the fellowship meal.

GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY FOR RETREAT CENTRE AT SUNDERNAGAR
On 19th March, Feast Day St Joseph, Bishop Felix Toppo S.J. blessed the foundation stone and led the ground breaking ceremony of residential block and prayer hall of Divya Jyoti Renewal Centre, Sundernagar. Rev Fr David Vincent, Vicar General; Rev Fr John Ottaplackal Parish Priest, Parsudih; Rev Fr Oscar Beck, Director Pratiksha; Rev Fr Alwin Jose Asst. Director Catholic Charities; Bro. Joyson DDS, representative from Cheshire Home, Holy Cross and St Ann’s, the village Mukhya and nearly 50 people mostly from Parsudih attended the ceremony. Presence of five Vincentian Priests from different centres added more joy to the occasion. With the completion of the building we hope to start regular retreats in the centre. (Sebastian Kallath VC)

LENTEN RETREATS BY DIDYA JYOTHI, JSR AND POPULAR MISSION CENTRE, BARELY

Rajaparam Mission Station: From 13-15 March, we conducted the Lenten Retreat at the Rajaparam, a village station of Chakradharpur parish. Every day the number of people kept on increasing and on the last day more than 400 people attended the retreat. Rev Fr. Prabhul Kumar Kerketta VC from Popular Mission Retreat Centre, Bareilly, UP was the main preacher. Some of the preaching was in Ho and we gratefully remember the service of Mr. Densor Hembrom for his preaching in Ho. Full time presence of Fr. Richard Miranda and his Holy Eucharist in Ho was very inspiring.

St. Robert’s Church, Parsudih: It was a gracious occasion for the faithful of St. Robert’s Church, Parsudih to participate in annual renewal retreat and prepare themselves spiritual to celebrate the great feast of Easter. The retreat began on 18th March, 2015 and continued till 22nd of March. According to their convenient people devotedly took part strengthened their faith in the risen Christ.

St. Joseph’s Cathedral and Mercy Chapel: “God has a plan for you, a place for you and the time for you” was the motivational statement of the retreat preachers for the faithful of Golmuri parishioners. In both the places a God experience retreat was preached simultaneously from 26-29 March, 2015. Prior to the retreat the preachers visited all the Catholic families of the parish and got acquainted with the family members. Special prayers were offered for the students, youth and family. The opportunities for counseling and for the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation was given to all the faithful. A large number of the people percolated and profited from this beautiful retreat.

Jisu Marsal Church, Chandil: The same team led the renewal retread at Jisu Marsal Church, Chandil from 30th of March to 1st of April. It was definitely an great opportunity for the faithful of Chandil Parish to participate this retreat. From far away villages people came took part and received the blessiong for their families and community. Thanks to the retreat preachers and Parish Priest for giving such a rare opportunity.

St. Barabara Church, Mosaboni: In preparation of Easter the parishioners of St. Barbara Church Mosaboni also organized a renewal retreat from 20-22 March, 2015. Fr. Oscar Beck was the preacher who helped the faithful to reflect and meditate their life during these three days. All the faithful of the parish participated in this retreat and prayed for their special intentions. Jadugora Mission Station too had the same nature of renewal program from 27-28 March. It is a small community but very actively took part throughout the prayer service.

The Call to the priesthood… Can you hear it?

The Diocese of Jamshedpur and Society of Jesus, Jamshedpur province has programs such as vocation seminar and meetings for prospective candidates for priesthood from 12-17 April, 2015 at Pratiksha (Seminary), Jamshedpur. 10th & +2 pass boys please contact to the Vocation Offices for more information at following address:



The Vocation Promoter
Bishop’s House
P.O. Golmuri
Jamshedpur-831003
Jharkhand
Phone No.: 09572752429

The Vocation Promoter (S.J.)
Inigo Niwas, Candidate House
St. Xavier’s High School
P.B. No. 10, Chaibasa P.O.
W. Sighbhum-833201
Phone No.: 9798736320/09546721569


HAPPY BIRTHDAY

APRIL
Date
Name
03
Richard Miranda
12
Leo John D’Souza
16
Sahaya Thason
19
Paulus Bodra
24
Pascal Minj
MAY
07
Alwin C.V.
13
Fr. Robert Toppo

Sunday, March 1, 2015

March, 2015

FINAL MESSAGE
OF THE 27th PLENARY ASSEMBLY OF THE CCBI,
 HELD AT BENGALURU
FROM 3-9 FEBRUARY, 2015

I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10)
We, the 130 members of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India gathered for the 27th Plenary Assembly at St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru from 3-9 February, 2015, wish to convey our greetings of joy, peace and love of Our Lord Jesus Christ to our Priests, Religious, Lay Faithful and all People of Good Will.
In the light of the theme of the Plenary Assembly, “Liturgy and Life”, we deliberated upon liturgical renewal in the Church in India and reflected on the intrinsic relationship of liturgy to the life of the People of God.  We were encouraged and inspired by the message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis to our Conference in which, quoting Evangelii Gaudium 24, he invites us to reflect that “the Church evangelizes and is herself evangelized through the beauty of the liturgy, which is both a celebration of the task of evangelization and the source of her renewed self-giving”.
Thanks to the Second Vatican Council, liturgical renewal has enabled us to value and experience the beauty, splendor and majesty of the liturgy of the Church.
While considering the relationship between liturgy and life, we could not ignore the fact that our country is going through challenging times. Even as the Country has progressed economically, the benefits have not reached the poor and the marginalized, and at times have even worsened their situation. We are anxious about the increasing marginalization of the poor, the Dalits and the Tribals often in the name of development. 
Rising fundamentalism and communalism threatens to tear the social fabric and the secular nature of our beloved Country. We feel sad that the law abiding Christian community appears to be especially targeted. It was in this spirit that we bishops took part in a “Peace and Harmony March” in order to express our solidarity with Christians in different parts of our country who are affected by these atrocities, especially with the Church in Delhi where recently several churches have been vandalized and desecrated.
We were conscious of the teaching of the Second Vatican Council that “the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows” (Sacrosanctum Concilium 10). In the light of this Conciliar vision, many suggestions and recommendations were proposed for a liturgy that is celebrated in a proper, effective and relevant manner. Accordingly the National Liturgical Commission has been entrusted with the task of bringing out comprehensive liturgical guidelines. However, at this juncture, we would like to state:
1.      In order to promote a full, conscious and active participation in the liturgical celebrations of the Paschal Mystery, we urge all ministers and faithful to celebrate the liturgy, with due sense of the sacred and of beauty and with joyfulness, leading to a personal and communitarian encounter with God and transformation of life. Care should be taken to observe the prescribed norms in order to maintain the dignity and decorum of the celebrations. The holiness of the priest is the leaven of the liturgical celebration.

2.      At the National, Regional, Diocesan and Parish levels, and in the Formation and Religious Houses, well planned measures have to be undertaken to help the communities to celebrate the liturgy in all its richness.

3.      An extensive and regular liturgical catechesis will prepare the faithful to participate actively in the liturgy and allow the transforming power of the liturgy to flow into their lives.

4.       We are convinced that inculturation is demanded by faith in accordance with the exigencies of human nature (Sacrosanctum Concilium 37-40). At the same time, given the multi-cultured nature of our society and keeping in mind that cultures are ever evolving and transforming, the sensitivities of the people and of various groups are to be addressed when efforts are made to promote inculturation.

5.      Heeding the Holy Father’s exhortation that sometimes there is “an ostentatious preoccupation for the liturgy, for doctrine and for the Church’s prestige, but without any concern that the Gospel have a real impact on God’s faithful people and the concrete needs of the present time” (Evangelii Gaudium #77), we shall strive to make the liturgical celebrations also opportunities for catechesis on our missionary and social responsibilities, especially through Homilies and Prayers of the Faithful.

6.      As the Universal Church prepares herself for the Synod on the Family in October 2015, we recognize the importance of the communion of families in neighborhoods which are the Small Christian Communities (SCC) that always relate liturgy to life and vice versa. It is through the communion of families in the neighborhood, that the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church becomes Eucharistic like the early apostolic communities (Acts, chapters 2 and 4). We therefore pledge ourselves to strengthen the SCC as the true way of being the living Church.
May this Year dedicated to Consecrated Life be also a time of liturgical renewal in the Communities of the consecrated persons.

This Plenary Assembly was celebrated in a year full of grace with the recent canonization of three more Indian saints: St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara, St. Euphrasia Eluvathingal and St. Joseph Vaz.  We are grateful to the Church for giving us saints as models for imitation and as our intercessors in heaven.

May Mary, the Mother of the Word Incarnate, be our guide and our protector. (Fr. Stephen Alathara, Deputy Secretary General, CCBI)

ANNUAL DAY OF ST. PAUL’S SCHOOL, GOILKERA
The Staff and students of St. Paul’s School Goilkera, celebrated the annual day on 7th January, 2015. Certainly, it was a joyful day for the school family as well as all the participants of the programme. Varieties of sports activities were conducted to give the opportunity to every student to discover their talents. The presence of Honorable Mrs. Joba Manjhi, MLA brought tremendous enthusiasm in students and staff. She encouraged them verbalizing her interests to help out in the field of education to the Staff, students and the parents.

Rev. Fr. James Quadros was the Guest of Honour who also encouraged the people of Goilkera by his very presence. Many other priests and nuns too witness this great memorable event. Well done! Staff and students of St. Paul’s School, Goilkera. We wish all the best.


UNITED CHRISTIAN PRAYER FOR INDIA
In the eve of 11th February, 2015 A prayer service was organized at St. Joseph’s Welfare Centre, hall in protest of the attacks on Church in New Delhi. Over 1500 Christians of Jamshedpur gathered at 5.00 pm and prayed for the welfare and unity of every citizen in the country. Various Churches’ leaders conducted the beautiful prayer service. It included Bible reading, the sermon of Bishop Felix Toppo, S.J., prayers for various needs, oath taking by all present in the service etc. As the media people were present in the prayer service a strong message went to the people of the place that we need unity. We are peace lover. The following day a well prepared memorandum addressing to the President of India and copy to Prime minister of India was submitted to Deputy Commissioner of Jamshedpur.   

PARISH FEAST/CONFIRMATION, TEPASAI
Parish Day was celebrated by the faithful of St. John’s Britto, Church, Tepasai on 15th February, 2015. On the same day 23 boys and girl received confirmation and 15 boys and girls received the Holy Communion from Bishop Felix Toppo, S.J. Bishop and 7 priests were led to the altar with beautiful entrance dance. Due to Mage Feast the crowd was less. Whole liturgy was very devotional. Everyone participated actively in the liturgy and prayed for the boys and girls who received the confirmation and First Holy Communion.

There was a short cultural program to felicitate the Bishop as well as the boys and girls. Everyone enjoyed the program. At the end all shared the snacks and happily went their home.

BLESSING OF NEW CLASS ROOMS, MALUKA
St. Paul’s School, Maluka gets a complete view with the completion of 2nd floor. The blessing and inauguration of this new block took place on 12th Februay, 2015. Mrs. Geeta Kora, MLA was the chief guest who inaugurated the new class rooms by cutting the ribbon. Bishop Felix Toppo, S.J. the Guest of Honour prayed and blessed it. To honour the invited guests the staff and students of St. Paul’s School staged a short cultural program. The well prepared program was enjoyed and appreciated by all. Congratulations to the staff, students and management of the school!

CATHOLIC CHARITIES JAMSHEDPR(CCJ), SAMEKIT JAN VIKAS KENDRA (SJVK), VIKAS BHARATI (VB)

FR. PRABHU BECOMES A GOLDEN JUBILARIAN:
Month of February kept everyone at CCJ/SJVK/VB extremely busy. Since year 2015 is the Golden Jubilee year (1966-2015) of priestly Ordination of Fr. Prabhu, the entire staff of these 3 organizations who had gathered for their monthly meetings felicitated Fr. Prabhu on February 02, on his 50th Ordination Anniversary.  In the evening, the Fathers of Parsudih parish, Pratiksha and Vianney Niwas joined Fr. Prabhu for a Thanksgiving Mass and then had a quiet family meal together.  Fr. Prabhu mentioned that of the 18 of his ordination batch, 5 priests have already gone ahead & beyond, 7 are on wheelchairs and sick-beds and only 6 are presumably in good health and are actively working. Fr. Prabhu went to Kottayam for 3 days for a Jubilee get-together of his priestly classmates in the Seminary.

KISAN MELA
CCJ/SJVK organized 4 Kisan Melas during this month at Chakulia, Tonto, Kuchai, and Tokhlo.  Hundreds of farmers exhibited the agricultural produce.  One farmer at Tokhlo brought to the Mela big pig 5.6 feet long. The local MLA gave him a big prize. At all places, many of the Block officers with their staff visited these Melas and encouraged the farmers and thanks profusely CCJ & SJVK. These efforts were a grand success.

During this month, apart from having regular trainings, Viks Bharati hosted the annual convention of Diocesan CRI with 75 participants, 115 B. Ed college professors and students of St. Xavier’s Patna, 55 Prof. and students of XISS, Ranchi who had come to Jamshedpur for their exposure programs. Fr. Alwin  has been  busy visiting  villages in different parts of our diocese; he also has been attending various meetings on Social Works in Ranchi, Bihar-Sheriff and Puri.

GOD SAVES HIS PEOPLE
 On 19th February, a group 35 farmers and CCJ/SJVK staff members from Kuchai  area went to  Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jagannthpur on an exposure cum training programme on an hired small bus.  On their way back  round 5.30pm, at Tungluia village about 5 kms from Chaibasa, the driver  trying avoid an overtaking motorcycle, applied brakes which caused the bus to turnover.  Fortunately, the whole village along with its Mukhia ( a catholic) helped the group to come out, and got the bus on the road. All of them were ferried to the Sadar Hospital, chaibasa. After the first Aid, 6 people were admitted to St. Angela’s hospital, Chandmari. The Mukhia and the local leaders got the Bus and the driver from Jhinkpani Police thana. Till date, only one injured is in the hospital.  Fr. Alwin and our staff worked all night through, reaching those 30 people back to their homes. Our thanks to God, Chandmari Hospital and to the Mukhia and his group. 

ST. XAVIER’S SCHOOL, PURULIA
The sky of the month of February seemed a little murky, overcast with dark and dense clouds as the heftiest cloud of the third and the Final term exams now rests solely on the rooftop of St. Xavier’s School, Purulia. High pressure and humidity creates in a lot of perspiration in the students as they equip themselves and face the onslaughts of exams with their final masterstroke. Yet, these viscous clouds do drop a few hailstones, which were well greeted by the whole school with hearty-admiration and sustained-gratification.

Just at the periphery of the exams, an unanticipated ‘Badminton Tournament’ was organised for the students, just as to ease them off from the mounting pressure and tensions of the final terminals. The tournament declared open for the students of classes VII-IX, was conducted between 27th -29th of January, and even at this verge of exams, to our amazement, students numbering over 50, highly energised and enthusiastic participated in the tournament. Divided into groups, matches were held in knock-outs, followed by semi-finals, wherein Afrid Ahmed, a student of class IX qualifies for the final, comprehensively defeating his fellow classmate Umang Shah, thereby claiming the winning trophy and certificates with pride, passion and glory. The appeasing and the retreating winter had thus been vehemently glorified with a passionate and remarkably successful contest and thanks to our Principal, Fr. Eugene Ekka for his support and encouragement for such a Herculean contest.

Another noteworthy event of this recoiling season, had been the ‘Science Festival’15’, organised by the District Science Centre, Purulia, in which our school too participated along with 15 other participating schools of the district. The exhibition was held between 27th-31st of January 2015, with ostentatious display of over 60 flamboyant models and the manifestations presented by our school students of class IX on their models of ‘Global- Warming’ and ‘Electric Power System’ had highly been applauded and acclaimed. Their hard- work, diligence and intelligence procured in prizes and certificates even for quiz competitions held there itself, thereby elevating the graph of the reputation of St. Xavier’s School, Purulia, higher and steeper.

With these bombardments of events and glories, torrential rains of the final terminals begin, from the 6th of February 2015, continuing till the 14th of February 2015, followed by the extremely soothing session break. Students are now subjected to the aggressive blitzes of 80 marks’ papers and we all pray with our fingers crossed that each of them give their best shots and take off to the next class with flying colours. The report cards are to be distributed as on the 7th of March 2015, with the new session commencing on from the 16th of March 2015.

DSWC, GOVINDPUR
With the inauguration of Reconstructive Surgery (RCS) on 17th February at Nirmala General & Leprosy Hospital, a unit of DSWC, history was relived at Damien Social Welfare Centre (DSWC). With the support of Damien Foundation India Trust (DFIT) DSWC has started RCS after 17 long years for the benefit of all those leprosy patients, whose hands, feet or eyes are disfigured due to this dreaded disease of leprosy. For RCS this time Dr. Mathew Jacob and Dr. Ashish Wague of DFIT conducted RCS of 9 patients in three days (17-19 February). At least thrice a year RCS will be conducted at Nirmala General & Leprosy Hospital and every time doctors from DFIT will conduct these surgeries.

 There was capping ceremony took place at Nirmala Nursing School, a unit of Damien Social Welfare Centre (DSWC) on 20th February at 11.30 am, when 10 ANM students of Nirmala Nursing School received their uniform and took oath to serve the community with dedication. Mr. Niraj Singh, the Deputy Mayor of Dhanbad was the chief guest, who thanked DSWC for its effort to serve the society and congratulated the Nursing Students on this special day.

Announcements:
In collaboration with Ratan Nidhi Charitable Trust (RNCT), DSWC is going to organize a three days (11 April to 13 April) camp for the benefit of all the disabled people.
RNCT is world renowned Trust, who prepares well known Jaipur foot (calipers) for all those because of some reasons lost their foot. They also give crutches to polio victims and hearing aids to those, who find difficult to hear.

From 11 April to 13 April experts from RNCT will be at Nirmala General & Leprosy Hospital, Govindpur, a unit of DSWC and meet the needy and take the measurement for the required equipment. Then as per the need 2nd camp will be organized and distributed the equipments among the deserving candidates.

Contact for the Registration before 20 of March: 8987540422/9470925353/8877183384

KINDLY PRAY FOR THE SICK
Fr. Manu Horo is admitted to St. John Medical College, Bangalore for further investigation and treatment.

The Call to the priesthood… Can you hear it?
The Diocese of Jamshedpur and Society of Jesus, Jamshedpur province has programs such as vocation seminar and meetings for prospective candidates for priesthood from 12-17 April, 2015 at Pratiksha (Seminary), Jamshedpur. 10th & +2 pass boys please contact to the Vocation Offices for more information at following address:



The Vocation Promoter
Bishop’s House
P.O. Golmuri
Jamshedpur-831003
Jharkhand
Phone No.: 09572752429

The Vocation Promoter (S.J.)
Inigo Niwas, Candidate House
St. Xavier’s High School
P.B. No. 10, Chaibasa P.O.
W. Sighbhum-833201
Phone No.: 9798736320/09546721569


BIRTHDAY (MARCH)

Date
Name
13
Chonhas Xalxo
14
Elvius Dungdung
21
Dilip Marandi
27
Raphael Monteiro
29
Hermon Tigga
31
Henry Sequeira
31
Nicholas Kerketta