Catholic Diocese of Jamshedpur

Vol. 47 No. 12                      Private Circulation Only                  December– 2017

 

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

First and foremost, I wish you all a blessed and joyful Christmas. Christmas brings a message of love and peace not only for Christians but also for the whole humanity. It is a story of an infinite love of a Father for His children. God sent His only Son to the world that the world may not perish due to sin and may Jesus, His Son, through his life, death and resurrection pay the price of our sin. In order to understand this unfathomable love of God we need to learn the purpose for the creation of humanity.

God is love and the source of all goodness. His heart is brimming with infinite love. It is to share this divine love that God created man and bestowed in him the ability to love and to be loved. God created man in His image and likeness that the he may experience love and share that love with his Creator. He filled man with an eternal soul and the ability to know and to understand the difference between good and evil. He blessed him with intelligence and gave him the freedom to choose. Anyone, with the use of his intellect and knowledge, acknowledges good and peruses it will be fulfilling the eternal design God has planned for him: to be with Him forever in heaven. And anyone who uses his abilities to peruse evil and turn himself away from the love of God will suffer eternal condemnation. 

Of all visible creatures, only man is "able to know and love his creator". He is "the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake", and he alone is called to share, by knowledge and love, in God's own life. It was for this end that he was created, and this is the fundamental reason for his dignity (CCC356).

William Shakespeare said,

“All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances; …

But the earth we live in, is not merely a stage, it’s an altar; and our deeds are not acts, but sacrifices on this sacred altar, the earth. Whenever man offers an offering pleasing to God, he makes the altar more holy. Whenever the deeds of man corrupts the offering, he defiles the altar, the earth. The changes that we see around, the failing of eco-system, natural calamities unexpected disasters etc., are often the result of tarnished earth by the acts of hatred and violence.

But God does not abandon his children. Every Christmas is a reminder of that infinite love God has for us. We know, Christmas is the celebration of God becoming man; God in His infinite goodness and love send His only Son into the world. And He was born of a virgin. Fulfilling His Father’s desire, Jesus came to the world with a specific mission. His mission was: to teach the people of God, as a prophet and teacher, the rudiments of Divine Love and strengthen them spiritually; to guide and shepherd the flock of God; and to offer Himself as an atoning sacrifice for the salvation of souls. Thus, the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth was Jesus’ ultimate mission.      

Jesus’s mission that began at the manger, culminates on the cross. His resurrection is the testimony of the foundation of the Kingdom of God.  Jesus’ through his birth, life, death and resurrection animates the Church with the Life of God and we become the members of his body, the Church; Our faith is strengthened, hope is rejuvenated, human love is united with the Divine and peace permeates in our hearts.  It is thus, the mission of Christ is accomplished.

The world has changed with the change of times. There are tensions between nations, wars have created chaos; internal and external terrorism in our country have ruined our peace and harmony. Corruption has permeated even into politics. The people who vowed to serve are often living a luxurious life at the cost of the common man. Religious fanaticism and narrow mentality slowly corrodes the very fabric of society. In the name of development tribals and the vulnerable are exploited. In our state, Christians and their identity is being tarnished. It is now, more than ever, the message of Christmas is relevant: God loves everyone and wishes that man reciprocates His love. It is only in love we can find peace. Let love remain supreme.  

Incarnation is the explicit expression of Divine Mercy. Let our celebrations be simple and noble. Let us celebrate it with our fellow brethren who are less-privileged, share with them the joy and happiness of Christmas. Let us pay more attention to the spiritual dimension of Christmas, let us try to reciprocate the love God has for us. 1Jn.4:20 says, “We love because He loved us first.  If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen”. It is by loving others we can love God and it is only then, we can really receive the Lord in our hearts and be gracious recipients of His blessings. I wish all of you a Happy and Joyous Christmas.

+ Felix Toppo, S.J

                                                                                             Bishop of Jamshedpur

The Annual Feast of Our Lady of Khuntpani

The annual Feast of Khuntpani in remembrance of the 145rd anniversary of the first baptism of tribals in Chotanagpur was celebrated with grandeur on 8^th November 2017. From early  morning onwards faithful from far and wide began to fill the beautifully decked campus. A long queue of girls dancing to the melodious tune of mandar led the celebrants Most Rev. Felix Toppo, S.J. Bishop of Jamshedpur and over five dozen Priests to the altar after the traditional rituals were performed at the SmritiPathar. Bishop Felix Toppo, S.J, who resided over the Solemn Eucharistic celebration spoke to the crowd about Mother Mary and her deep devotion to her son Jesus. Fr. Camille Hembrom later translated his homily into Ho for the convenience of many faithful. The choir from Jhinkpani and Maluka parishes with their hymns led by Rev. Frs. Dileep Marandi and Michael Jojo and the occasional commentary in Hindi and Ho languages by Rev. Fr. Bipin Barla made the liturgy more meaningful and prayerful.

Hearty congratulations to Frs. Junas Purty, Halan Bodra and the local community who made wonderful arrangements for the Khuntpani Feast. (Fr. Valerian Lobo)

Nature Took Care of Us; now it’s our Time To Pay Back

The earth is not going to be green forever. The longer that we take care of it, the longer it will last. Taking small steps such as recycling, saving energy and plantations etc., will help the mother Earth to survive for a much longer time. The more we can teach the conservation and value of Mother Earth to others the more we are helping to save the environment. Since we only have one planet to live on, we need to start to invest in the environment and save it for all of our generations to come.

Keeping in mind the above objectives, the Catholic Charities, Sundernagar organized a “GO GREEN EXHIBITION” at Basic School in Anandpur block. A teacher and two students each of 25 schools of Anandpur block brought their models to exhibit which were based on various environmental themes. Honourable Mrs. Jobha Manjhi  MLA of Manoharpur was the chief guest who in her speech  highlighted the importance of protecting and preserving the environment and also briefed the gathering about the various projects being implemented to save the mother earth by the government. Prior to that Rev. Fr. C.R. Prabhu welcomed all and spoke about the objectives of the programme. On this occasion Mr. Manoj Tiwari the BDO of Anandpur block, BEEO, Fr. Camille Hembrom and Fr. Alex Dodrai encouraged and congratulated the teachers and students for their good works. There were about 200 people present for the programme. All the schools were given a memento and a certificate. After the programme five Ashoka plants were planted by the Chief Guest and others in the premise of the Basic school. Fr. Alwin, Fr. Birendra, Sr. Luisa, Sr. Eliani and many staff of the Catholic Charities were also present for the same. (Fr. Birendra Tete )

Krus Vir Convention, Dhanbad

On 19^th November, 2017, Krus vir convention for Dhanbad deanery parishes was organised at Nirmal School, Govindpur. As per the schedule, children from different parishes gathered at the school campus with great enthusiasm. The krus vir children from Nirmal School led the opening prayer and welcomed everyone with prayer dance. The theme of the convention was “Krus vir –Parivar ka Anand” and Fr. Bipin Pani explained the theme through examples and stories. Quiz was another occasion to witness the enthusiasm and preparation of the children. Gomoh parish was the winner at the end. After lunch, children staged drama, dances and sang songs. At the end we had a “dhum-dham” Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Fr. Alex Sj. All the winners as well as the participants received gifts before they left for their respective destination. A big thanks to Frs. Bipin Pani, James Surin, Pascal Toppo, sisters and the dedicated staff of Nirmala School and hospital.

Catechetical Training programme at Divya Bharati, Chaibasa

On 22^nd and 23^rd Nov. 2017  a two-day ongoing training programme for the catechists was organised at Divya Bharati, Diocesan pastoral Centre, Chaibasa. The theme of the seminar was “The importance of family and how to accompany them in their journey”. The input sessions were based on Amoris Latetia – The joy of love. The various aspects and effects of Anti conversion bill too was discussed on second day. It was felt that many more catechists need to be encouraged to attend the ongoing formation.

St. Paul’s Church, Maluka

The solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe was celebrated at St. Paul's Church, Maluka with great joy. The faithful gathered at the entrance of the school gate. The Holy Eucharist was a carried in procession. People welcomed the King of kings in loud music and hymns. They recited rosaries and shouted "Jesus, Our King". The procession proceeded towards the church. After few minutes of adoration and we had a solemn Eucharistic celebration.

St. Paul’s Church, Maluka celebrated Bible Sunday on November 12 this year to remind and encourage our parishioners to read and reflect on the Bible, the treasury of the Church's teachings and a major source of inspiration and comfort for all who believe.  It was indeed a great joy that all our parishioners actively participated with full enthusiasm. They delivered the Word of God through Biblical poster and Biblical acts.  The main objective of these activities was to inspire or encourage our parishioners and their families to read Bible; reflect more deeply on the meaning behind God's Words and learn how they can be applied in their daily lives. The complete Bible was delivered in a nutshell.  The Faithful benefited a lot from this exhibition. After the exhibition, the Holy Bible was carried in procession with full reverence and placed on the specially prepared Lector by the main celebrant Fr.  David Vincent. He exhorted in his homily the real value of the living Word of God and how a person can carry in one’s own life and reach it to others. After the mass, Tea and snacks were served to the all parishioners. Congrats to all who worked hard to make it successful. 

St. Joseph’s cathedral, Golmuri

A grand First Holy Communion Day was celebrated at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Golmuri on 19^th November, 2016. The ceremony began with the solemn Eucharistic celebration. St. Joseph’s schoolchildren escorted the First Holy Communicants and the priests with entrance dance to the altar. Rt. Rev. Bishop Felix Toppo, S.J presided over the Holy Eucharist and Fr. Hilarius Kongari S.J. preached the homily. The preacher beautifully explained the salvation history; God’s love is higher than the ocean. God’s love is unconditional and he forgives the sins of people unconditionally. He exhorted the children to be at the state of grace to receive the Lord, not just on the First Holy Communion, but for the rest of their life.

The choir created divine atmosphere with meaningful hymns and melodies music. 36 children received Jesus in their hearts in the form of bread and wine and their joy knew no bounds. Soon after the Mass, there was prize distribution ceremony for the bible competition held at Golmuri, Mercy Chapel and Gyandeep. The names of winners of quiz, slogan, essay and poem were called out and Bishop Felix Toppo, S.J and Fr. Hilarius Kongari, S.J gave away the prizes to the winners. A good number of the faithful turned up for the celebration. Thanks and congratulations to Fr. David Vincent, P.P., other priests, sisters, well-wishers and teachers. (Fr. Manoj Tigga)

Birthday Wishes - December

03	Fr Junas Bhengra
04	Fr Ajay Tiru

                                        BISHOP’S ENGAGEMENTS

                                                          

DECEMBER 2017
02	Sat	05.00 pm	Closing of Diamond Jubilee St. Joseph’s School		Golmuri
03	Sun	07.30 am		Golden Jubilee. St. Xavier’s Church	Chaibasa
		06.00 pm		St. Xavier’s School, Annual Day	Saraikela
05	Tue	09.00 am		Diocesan Consult/ JDC GB Meeting	Golmuri
06	Wed	05.30 pm		Diaconate ordination of Br. Mukesh Kerketta	Golmuri
09	Sat	10.30 am		Mass. Golden Jubilee of Sr. Alma, M.C.	Dhanbad
10	Sun	07.00 am		Parish Golden Jubilee	Mosaboni
		06.00 pm		Golden Jubilee of Sr. Cabrini, SSH at Provincialate	Pardih
12	Tue	P.M.		Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mass	Telco
15	Fri	P.M.		Silver Jubilee of St. Xavier’s English School	Chaibasa
16	Sat	09.30 am		Christmas Milan	Golmuri
17	Sun	10.30 am		Jubilee Mass in the Parish	Sini
23	Sat	10.30 am		Christmas Milan at Catholic Charities	Sundernagar
		05.30 pm		Christmas Milan at Cheshire Home	Sundernagar

 Catholic Diocese of Jamshedpur wishes 

you a Blessed Christmas

 & 

a Joyous New Year 2018

 

Catholic Diocese of Jamshedpur

Vol. 47 No. 11            Private Circulation Only                  November– 2017

In the past kings ruled over all the countries. He used to be the supreme authority in the whole country. People held him at the highest esteem and major affairs in his kingdom had to have the consent from the King. Apart from all glory and glamour, he had the toughest job in his kingdom, to cater for the welfare of his subjects, to uphold justice in the kingdom and to protect them from internal and external enemies.

However, the people of Israel believed that there is only one King, Yahweh, for Israel. He is the Alpha and Omega, omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient; He is the creator of us all, merciful and just. The image of this king is actualized in the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus, the Christ.

The Feast of Christ the King was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist. The feast is intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ's royalty over individuals, families, society, governments, and nations.

Pope Pius XI hoped the institution of the feast would have the following effects. They were:

·    That nations would see that the Church has the right to freedom, and immunity from the state (Quas Primas, 32).

·      That leaders and nations would see that they are bound to give respect to Christ (Quas Primas, 31).

·    That the faithful would gain strength and courage from the celebration of the feast, as we are reminded that Christ must reign in our hearts, minds, wills, and bodies (Quas Primas, 33).

Today, the same distrust of authority exists, although the problem has gotten worse. Individualism has been embraced to such an extreme, that for many, the only authority is the individual self. The idea of Christ as ruler is rejected in such a strongly individualistic system. Also, many balk at the idea of kings and queens, believing them to be antiquated and possibly oppressive. Some even reject the titles of "lord" and "king" for Christ because they believe that such titles are borrowed from oppressive systems of government. However true these statements might be (some kings have been oppressive), these individuals miss the point: Christ's kingship is one of humility and service.

 Jesus said:You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to become great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:42-45).

Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?"... Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth (John 18:33b, 36-37).

Thus, Jesus knew the oppressive nature of secular kings, and in contrast to them, he connected his role as king to humble service, and commanded his followers to be servants as well. In other passages of Scripture, his kingdom is tied to his suffering and death. While Christ is coming to judge the nations, his teachings spell out a kingdom of justice and judgment balanced with radical love, mercy, peace, and forgiveness. When we celebrate Christ as King, we are not celebrating an oppressive ruler, but one willing to die for humanity and whose "loving-kindness endures forever." Christ is the king that gives us true freedom, freedom in Him. Thus we must never forget that Christ radically redefined and transformed the concept of kingship.

This year, on 26^th of November we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, the Second Person of the Trinity.  This feast establishes the titles for Christ's royalty over people: 1) Christ is God, the Creator of the universe and hence wields a supreme power over all things; "All things were created by Him"; 2) Christ is our Redeemer, He purchased us by His precious Blood, and made us His property and possession; 3) Christ is Head of the Church, "holding in all things the primacy"; 4) God bestowed upon Christ the nations of the world as His special possession and dominion.

Mt. 25:31-46 states, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” Next he will say to those on his left hand, “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels… Then he will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.”

If you wish to be His subject, let us share his love and compassion to our brethren. Let us be a sparkle of hope to the hopeless. Let us be strengthened by Faith, Hope and Charity and march towards his kingdom and pray, O! Christ the King, Thy Kingdom come!

Your Friend and Servant,

+Felix Toppo, S.J

Beatification of Sister Rani Maria

The Catholic Church in India rejoices on the occasion of the Beatification of Sr. Rani Maria and gives thanks to God for giving the people of India another Saint as a model to imitate and as an intercessor in Heaven. Sr. Rani Maria will be beatified on Saturday, November 4, 2017, at Indore. Cardinal Angelo Amato, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, is coming down specially from the Vatican to preside over the Ceremony. All four Indian Cardinals, the Apostolic Nuncio to India, nearly 50 Bishops and hundreds of Priests, Sisters and lay faithful will participate in the Solemn Ceremony.

Sister Rani Maria Vattalil, a member of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, was slain on 25th February, 1995. According to the Police she was stabbed 54 times in front of more than 50 bus passengers in a jungle area near Udainagar (Madhya Pradesh) allegedly at the behest of moneylenders affected by the nun's social work among village women, who were organizing self-help groups.

The Beatification of Sister Rani Maria is a declaration by the Pope as head of the Church that the deceased Sister had died a martyr's death and is now dwelling in heaven. As a process, the beatification consisted a long examination of the life, virtues, writings, and reputation for holiness. Sister Rani Maria will now be called “Blessed” and may be venerated by the faithful in India and some other specific places.

Samandar Singh, the man who served a prison term for the 1995 murder of Sr. Rani, told Asia News in 2010 “I accept full responsibility for my heinous murder of Sr. Rani Maria. I cannot say that I was instigated, because my own hands stabbed her repeatedly and for this, I will regret my actions till the day I die.”  He went on to say “In my own small way, I try to follow her example, helping those who are less fortunate than me, like Tribal Christians and all those who are marginalised.”

The whole Catholic Church, while being filled with joy also looks upon Blessed Rani Maria as a model of sacrifice and selfless witness; May the Blessed Rani Maria intercede for us in our work for the deprived and marginalized sections of our society.

St. Paul’s Church, Maluka

This year, St. Paul’s Church, Maluka celebrated the World Mission Sunday with great joy and lot of fun. The faithful were instructed and educated that Mission Sunday is a moment for all Catholics in the world to support spiritually and materially the evangelising activities of the Church in the mission territories. As one family, the Parishioners of Maluka came together to raise fund for this noble cause. The day was a remarkable one in the diary of 2017. Mission Sunday was celebrated on 22^nd October at St. Paul's church, Maluka. The day began with the Holy Eucharist. Fr. Dileep in his homily exhorted to share concerns of the universal Church and appreciate the work of catchiests and to generously support the Church to fulfil the duty of spreading the Good News. This year the parish had organised Food fest in the school campus. Soon after the mass, people actively participated and shared their love and joy. There were few games conducted and awarded with prizes. We also had special snacks, jal jeera in the menu. It was a great joy to see the women, men, children, youth, Sisters and Fathers going about doing their bit to raise fund for the missions Sunday. We could collect a handsome amount of ₹15000. Thanks to all who put their efforts​ to bring the day a memorable one. (Fr. Alex Darwin)

CDPI, Jharkhand Region Annual Convention at Catholic Charities, Sundernagar.

A two day CDPI (Conference of Diocesan Priests of India) JHAAN regional convention themed ‘Imbibing the spirit of Mother Theresa of Kolkata in the life and mission of a Priest’ was held at Catholic Charities, Sundernagar on 18-20 October, 2017. Priest delegates from all over Jharkhand region participated in this convention. The Convention was inaugurated by Rev. Sr. M. Sebastiano  M.C, the Regional Superior, Rev. Fr. David Vincent, the Vicar General, Rev. Bro. Shaji, M.C, Rev. C. R. Prabhu, Rev. Fr. John Crasta and Rev. Fr. Robert Dungdung. Sr. Sebastiano in her inaugural address emphasised the value of Prayer in our life and portrayed the life of Mother Theresa as ever shining example. Fr. Jerome Sequeira, S.J, the resource person, spoke at length about the importance of virtues of Mother Theresa in the life and ministry of a priest. Sincere thanks to all the office bearers for successfully organizing such an enriching event. It was unanimously felt that such programs should be organized at regular intervals. We look forward to next CDPI event. (Fr. Dileep Marandi)

Carmel Junior College, Sonari

Carmel junior college has been organizing BIBLICA, Believe in Bible Live in Christ Alone, an inter-school get together of all Catholic and Christian students of catholic and Christian schools, of Jamshedpur Diocese. It began as a thought of a student of standard seven and came into existence because of the support of management and faculty of the school. It aims at bringing the Christian youth of Jamshedpur schools together that they may know each other.  It gives the students a platform to showcase their talent.  This is not a competition. The programme aims at spreading the GOOD NEWS and get the youth into the habit of reading spiritual books. Various activities are conducted related to bible. Till date Gospels of Mark, Luke, Mathew and Acts of the Apostles has been covered.  The other topics covered through this programme were about Saints, Mother Veronica, and Mother Mary.  Schools like St. Mary’s English School, Loyola, Little Flower, Sacred Heart Convent School, and Carmel Junior College have been participating.

The 5^th ANNUAL PROGRAMME OF BIBLICA was conducted on the 28th of November 2017.  It was inaugurated by Rt. Rev. Bishop Felix Toppo. The programme began with the lighting of the lamp.  Fr. Pius Principal of Loyola school, Fr. Jilson, Secretary of the Bishop Fr. Valerian Lobo, in- charge of all religious activities of Jamshedpur diocese were present for the programme. The faculty, staff and the students along with the teachers and students representative took part in and sang the BIBLICA anthem.  Rt. Rev. Bishop Felix Toppo spoke on the topic ‘Virtues  of Mother Mary’. The talk was indeed enlightening and effective.

The  first event of the day was a quiz on “Mother Mary” students learnt from the material provided. The winners of the quiz were the students of Carmel Junior College, in the second place was Loyola and the third place was backed by Little Flower School. 

Other events of  were: • A skit on the Virtues of Mother Mary, • Compose and sing with ‘UNITY ‘as the theme, • Action songs, • Treasure hunt. 

The students were provided with snacks and lunch. Every student and teacher who participated in the programme received a memento and a participation certificate at the end of the programme. We congratulate Sr. Lini A.C, the principal, Staff and students for this wonderful programme. 

Diwali Celebration

Diwali, the festival of lights was celebrated in Catholic Charities, Samekit Jan Vikas Kendra and Vikas Bharati on 17 October 2017.  The main objective was to spread the message of ‘Sustainable Development Goals’.  The Director Fr. Alwin C.V shared the objective of the celebration and Fr. C. R Prabhu stressed that even in Sustainable Development Goals, the first goal is to ‘eradicate poverty”.  We should focus on lighting the lives of poor people.

The program further continued with lighting of Sustainable Development Goals made in the form of ‘Rangoli’. Further guest speaker Mrs. Ritu Kalipa representing Bharat Soka Gakkai, a Buddhist organization focused on cherishing every individuals. She highlighted on importance of eradicating negativity from one’s own life in order to understand the positivity in others.

The Vicar General of Jamshedpur Diocese, Fr. David Vincent shared that light is wisdom, light is positivity and one should focus on lighting own inner self. Among guest speakers, Mr. Rajkumar, Vice President, Zila Parishad appreciated the objective of diwali celebration. He was overwhelmed by the Rangoli on Sustainable Development Goals. 

The students from St. Peter School, Parsudih presented a classical dance and Skit on Save Earth. The Brothers from Pratisha presented a song. The program ended with vote of thanks by Sr. Luisa Joseph. The entire program was designed and implemented under the guidance of Fr. Birendar Tete. All Staff  of CCJ/SJVK and Vikas Bharati  made this event a grand success.

UCPI Prays for India

On 19^th Oct. 2017 the United Christian Prayer for India (UCPI) team from Jamshedpur gathered together in St. Robert’s School hall to pray for India. Around 80 people from different denominations took part in it. Fr. John Ottapalakal, the Parish Priest of St. Robert’s Church, Parsudih led the community into prayer followed by praise and worship. Through different prayers and short messages from selected people made the whole atmosphere really serene and holy. At the end, the Valerian Lobo thanked everyone present and concluded the prayer service with a prayer. At the end, tea and snacks were served to everyone.

Dhanbad Deanery Youth Convention

On 21^st and 22^nd October 2017, Nirmal School/Hospital campus was vibrant due to the presence of 61 youths of Dhanbad deanery. Incessant rains on 21^st morning could not dampen the spirit of these youth. The day began with prayer and the first session was animated by Fr. Bipin Pani, the Director of DSWC, Govindpur on the theme: Apne Apko Jano” through Jowari Window. Later on Fr. Valerian Lobo continued the session, closing the day with a short cultural programme. The following morning, Fr. James Surin led everyone into prayer and meditation. After the breakfast, the pros and cons of addiction of any kind were highlighted in detail with various thoughts and examples from our own society. The day concluded with a solemn Holy Eucharist presided over by Fr. Bipin Pani along with 5 concelebrants. During the Mass instead of homily, the meaning and the adverse impact of “Bhumi Adhigrahan Bill” And “Anti Conversion Bill” was explained by Fr. Valerian Lobo. The programme concluded with thanking one and all for whole-hearted co-operation. A special thanks to Fr. Bipin and his vibrant team.   

Jamshedpur Deanery Krus Vir Convention

On 29^th Oct 2017 was a day of celebration for all the Catholic children of Jamshedpur deanery. The venue for the convention was St. Mary’s English School, Bistupur. The day began with lighting of the lamp, Bible reading and a short prayer. Fr. Ranjit Minj S.J. was the main speaker of the day who in a simple but meaningfully explained the theme “Krus Vir: Parivar ka Anand”. Thereafter, the quiz competition kept the participants on their toes. After the lunch, a short film “Kirdar” was shown in order to bring out the meaning of the theme. The Holy Eucharist presided by Fr. Edward Saldana, the parish priest of St. Mary’s Church, and lovely homily by Fr. Jilson brought a bountiful blessings on everyone. At the end, everyone left for their respective parishes with hope that next year we will meet again. Thanks to all the people who generously helped to organise the convention so meticulously. (Fr. Valerian Lobo)

National Conference of Council of Catholic Women in India

The 24^th National Conference of Council of Catholic Women in India (CCWI) was held in Mumbai from 10^th to 12^th of October, 2017. The theme of the conference was ‘Women Builders of Bridges’. 250 women from all over India attended the conference. Mrs Nikunjbala Francis, Mrs Sushila Kipota , Mrs Manisha Topno, Mrs Emelda Jojo, Mrs Namlen Tirkey, Mrs Lusy Singh & Mrs Madhulika Toppo attended the programme from our diocese. An action plan was given at the Conference for 3 years. They are:

·         Building bridges in one’s family.

·         Building bridges in one’s unit and Church.

·         Building bridges in one’s community.

·         Start propagating Climate Change.

The New Committee of CCWI was elected on the last day of the Conference. Mrs Manisha Topno of Jamshedpur diocese has been elected as the Vice- President of CCWI. (Mrs Manisha Topno)

Bible Quiz -55 Mat.:20: 23-40

For us, the Christians, the Resurrection is very important. Our faith is based on the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus, in his teaching categorically emphasises, the importance of it and invites us to reflect and take part in this priceless gift. Let us thank the Lord for this generous gift and prepare ourselves for the new life.

• 1 The Sadducees did not believe in the Resurrection. Right or wrong?
• 2.      Who said that if a man dies childless, his brother must marry the widow and raise up children for his dead brother?
• 3.      Who said to whom : “Neither you know the Holy Scripture, nor the power of God?
• 4.      In the Resurrection, what will happen to men and women?
• 5.      Complete the sentence: “I am the God of Abraham, the God of  ________and the God of_______.
• 6.      Our God is not of the dead! Then whose God is He?
• 7.      According to Jesus, which is the greatest commandment?
• 8.      Whose feast is celebrated on December 03^rd ?
• 9.      What do you know about St. Francis Xavier? Explain in five sentences.
• 10.  Among the seven sacraments which are the sacraments received only once?

Dates to Remember

18^th November: Meeting of the Heads of Diocesan and Religious Schools at Bishop’s House, Golmuri at 9.30 am

25^th November: Meeting of the Superiors of the Religious Houses at Bishop’s House, Golmuri at 9.30 am

21^st November, to 24^th: Catechists’ Seminar at Divya Bharati Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Chaibasa.

Marriage Preparation Course

At Divya Bharati Diocesan Pastoral Centre: December 4^th Morning to 8^th evening. (₹800 for residents and ₹ 600 for non-residents (per person). The Recommendation letter from the Parish Priest is a must.

At St. Joseph’s  Welfare Centre, Golmuri: 28^th November to 2^nd December. For details, please contact Fr. David Vincent.

BIRTHDAY BABIES – November

Date	Name
01	JILSON T L
10	JONDKO KANDEYANG
11	VALERIAN LOBO
21	MOST. REV. FELIX TOPPO, SJ

                                                     

BISHOP’S ENGAGEMENTS

NOVEMBER 2017
02	Thur	03.00 p.m.	Mass at Beldih Cemetery	JSR
04	Sat	10.30 am	Golden Jubilee of Sr. Gerardine Lobo, Holy Child	Purulia
		05.30 pm	DSWC GB Meeting	Govindpur
05	Sun	03.00 pm	Mass at Divya Jyoti	Sundernagar
08	Wed	08.00 am	Annual Feast and Eucharistic celebration	Khuntpani
09-10	Thur..	09.00 am	Meeting on Tribal Affairs at SDC	Ranchi
11	Sat	09.30 am	Fr. Faustin Lobo at Cath. Charities	Sundernagar
12	Sun	10.00 am	Silver Jubilee of Sr. Tessy, H.C.	Pramathnagar
14	Tue	10.00 am	Meeting of the JHAAN RBC with Delegates at SDC	Ranchi
15	Wed	09.00 am	Meeting of the JHAAN RBC till 01.00 p.m.	Ranchi
18	Sat	09.30 am	Meeting of the Heads of the Dio. And Rel. Schools	Golmuri
19	Sun	08.00 am	First Communion and Confirmation	Khuntpani
20	Mon	09.30 am	CBCI- SME-NI Governing Board Meeting	Mandar
25	Sat	09.30 am	Meeting  with the Superiors of the Rel. Houses	Golmuri
26	Sun	01.00 pm	Feast of Christ the King. Mass/ Procession,	Telco
28-29	Tue…	AM-PM	RBC/CRI/CDPI Meeting	Ranchi