Catholic Diocese of Jamshedpur
Vol. 47 No. 5 Private
Circulation Only May–
2017
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Jesus,
The
month of May is the "month which the piety of the faithful has especially
dedicated to Our Blessed Lady," and it is the occasion for a "moving
tribute of faith and love which Catholics in every part of the world [pay] to
the Queen of Heaven. During this month Christians, both in church and in the
privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent
and loving homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of
God's mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance" (Paul
VI: Encyclical on the Month of May,
no. 1).
This
Christian custom of dedicating the month of May to the Blessed Virgin arose at
the end of the 13th century. In this way, the Church was able to Christianize
the secular feasts which were wont to take place at that time. In the 16th
century, books appeared and fostered this devotion.
The
practice became especially popular among the members of the Jesuit Order — by 1700
it took hold among their students at the Roman College and a bit later it was
publicly practiced in the Gesu Church in Rome. From there it spread to the
whole Church.
The
practice was granted a partial indulgence by Pius VII in 1815 and a plenary
indulgence by Pius IX in 1859. With the complete revision of indulgences in
1966 and the decreased emphasis on specific indulgences, it no longer carries
an indulgence; however it certainly falls within the category of the First
General Grant of Indulgences. (A partial indulgence is granted
to the faithful who, in the performance of their duties and in bearing the
trials of life, raise their mind with humble confidence to God, adding — even
if only mentally — some pious invocation.
The Month of Mary and the Popes
The
pious practice of honoring Mary during the month of May has been especially
recommended by the Popes. Pius XII made frequent reference to it and in his
great Encyclical on the Sacred Liturgy (Mediator Dei)
characterized it as one of "other exercises of piety which although not
strictly belonging to the Sacred Liturgy, are nevertheless of special import
and dignity, and may be considered in a certain way to be an addition to the
liturgical cult: they have been approved and praised over and over again by the
Apostolic See and by the Bishops" (no. 182).
Paul
VI wrote a short encyclical in 1965 using the Month of Mary devotion
as a means of obtaining prayers for peace. He urged the faithful to make use of
this practice which is "gladdening and consoling" and by which the
Blessed Virgin Mary is honored and the Christian people are enriched with
spiritual gifts" (no. 2).
In
May of 2002 Pope Saint John Paul II said, "Today we begin the month
dedicated to Our Lady a favourite of popular devotion. In accord with a
long-standing tradition of devotion, parishes and families continue to make the
month of May a 'Marian' month, celebrating it with many devout liturgical,
catechetical and pastoral initiatives!"
This
devotion had a profound impact on the devotional life of Pope Francis. As
archbishop of Buenos Aires, he introduced and encouraged the devotion to Our
Lady, Undoer of Knots. The devotion was so intensely popular throughout
Argentina and Brazil that the British Guardian called it “a religious craze.”
The
Prayer to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots is as follows:
“Virgin
Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a
child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children
because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your
heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that
exist in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am
bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the
knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my
life. No one, not even the Evil One himself, can take it away from your
precious care. In your hands, there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful
Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with your Son and my liberator, Jesus,
take into your hands today this knot. (Mention your petition here.)
I
beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all. You are my hope. O my
Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble
strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from
my chains. Hear my plea. Keep me, guide me, protect me, O safe refuge.”
This
beautiful prayer, similar to the “Memorare,” moves us to invoke the compassion
of our Blessed Mother. In her maternal care for each of us, she wants us to
remain close to her Son, Jesus. Never would she want the burdens of life to
cause us to lose hope or despair.
Devotion to Mary
The
Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church and therefore the example, as
well as the guide and inspiration, of everyone who, in and through the Church,
seeks to be the servant of God and man and the obedient agent of the promptings
of the Holy Spirit. Wherever there is faith there is the example of Mary,
because she lived by faith as the Scriptures remind us....
Mary and Our Spiritual Life
In
our observance of the Marian month we should take into account the season of
the Liturgical Year which largely corresponds with the fifty days of Easter.
Our pious exercises could emphasize Our Lady's participation in the Paschal
mystery and in Pentecost with which the Church begins. The pious exercises
connected with the month of May can easily highlight the earthly role played by
the glorified Queen of Heaven, here and now, in the celebration of the
Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist.
The
following practices which are recommended by the Magisterium are offered as
suggestions for honoring Our Lady during Her month.
The
Regina Coeli
The ecclesial community addresses this antiphon to Mary for the Resurrection of
her Son. It adverts to, and depends on, the invitation to joy addressed by
Gabriel to the Lord's humble servant who was called to become the Mother of the
saving Messiah.
The
Rosary
Also called the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Rosary is one of the
most excellent prayers to the Mother of God. Thus, "the Roman Pontiffs
have repeatedly exhorted the faithful to the frequent recitation of this
biblically inspired prayer which is centered on contemplation of the salvific
events of Christ's life, and their close association with the Virgin
Mother."
Litanies
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
These consist of a long series of invocations to Our Lady, which follow in a uniform rhythm, thereby creating a stream of prayer characterized by insistent praise and supplication.
These consist of a long series of invocations to Our Lady, which follow in a uniform rhythm, thereby creating a stream of prayer characterized by insistent praise and supplication.
Consecration
and Entrustment to Mary
The Roman Pontiffs have frequently expressed appreciation for the pious practice of "consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary" and the formulas publicly used by them are well known.
The Roman Pontiffs have frequently expressed appreciation for the pious practice of "consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary" and the formulas publicly used by them are well known.
Louis
Grignon de Montfort is one of the great masters of the spirituality underlying
the act of "consecration to Mary". He "proposed to the faithful
consecration to Jesus through Mary, as an effective way of living out their
baptismal commitment."
The
Brown Scapular and other Scapulars
The scapular is an external sign of the filial relationship established between
the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Mount Carmel, and the faithful who
entrust themselves totally to her protection, who have recourse to her maternal
intercession, who are mindful of the primacy of the spiritual life and the need
for prayer.
Medals
These are witnesses of faith and a sign of veneration of the Holy Mother of God, as well as of trust in her maternal protection.
These are witnesses of faith and a sign of veneration of the Holy Mother of God, as well as of trust in her maternal protection.
The
Church blesses such objects of Marian devotion in the belief that "they
help to remind the faithful of the love of God, and to increase trust in the
Blessed Virgin Mary."
The Litany of the Blessed Virgin
The
Litany of the Blessed Virgin–also called the Litany of Loreto–is one of the
many Marian litanies, or praises of Mary, composed during the Middle Ages. The
place of honor it now holds, in the life of the Church, is due its faithful use
at the shrine of the Holy House at Loreto, which, according to tradition, was
the small cottage-like home where the Holy Family had lived and which was
miraculously transported by angels, in 1291, from the Holy Land to its present
location in Loreto. It was definitely recommended by Pope Clement VII and
approved by Sixtus V in 1587, and all other Marian litanies were suppressed, at
least for public use.
Its
forty-nine titles (fifty, or fifty-one, or even more, in some versions: with
"Mother of the Church" and "Mother of Mercy" and being the
'official' 'newcomers' in recent times and which are included on the Vatican
website version) and invocations set before us Mary's exalted privileges, her
holiness of life, her amiability and power, her motherly spirit and queenly
majesty. Reflection on the titles of the litany, therefore, will unfold before
us a magnificent picture of our heavenly Mother, even though we know little
about her life.
In
form, the Litany of Loreto is composed on a fixed plan common to several Marian
litanies already in existence during the second half of the fifteenth century,
which in turn are connected with a notable series of Marian litanies that began
to appear in the twelfth century and became numerous in the thirteenth and
fourteenth. The Loreto text had, however, the good fortune to be adopted in the
famous shrine, and in this way to become known, more than any other, to the
many pilgrims who flocked there during the sixteenth century. The text was
brought home to the various countries of Christendom, and finally it received
for all time the supreme ecclesiastical sanction.
Sixtus
V, who had entertained a singular devotion for Loreto, by the Bull
"Reddituri" of 11 July, 1587, gave formal approval to it, as to the
litany of the Holy Name of Jesus, and recommended preachers everywhere to
propagate its use among the faithful.
I invite all the
priests, religious and the faithful to partake in the veneration of Mary in the
Month of May with love and devotion. Let’s pray that God’s kingdom, love and
peace may reign in every family. (+Felix
Toppo, S.J)
Catholic Charities -Program Evaluation
This
year too, Catholic Charities, Samekit Jan Vikas Kendra and Vikas Bharati
organized a two days’ program from 25th-26 April. It was conducted
with the objective to do critical analysis of the entire programs for the
period - April 2016-March 2017.
The
program was inaugurated by Mr. Sidhartha Shankaran, District Manager, NABARD,
East Singhbhum. In his speech he shared that he knew about the organizational
activities but with the intention of being motivated by the activities he
accepted the invitation. He motivated everyone to do their own analysis of
Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat - for moving forward in right
direction.
Fr.
C. R. Prabhu in his welcome message addressed that it’s a time to think BIG
with specific goals. He encouraged us to learn from challenges. He stressed
upon changing our strategy from project mode to program mode.
In
these two days, staff presented their work, based on specified format. The work
mostly covered food security, livelihood, women empowerment, education and
health. During
the program, the President of the organization Most Rev. Bishop Dr. Felix Toppo
SJ and Vice President Fr. David Vincent also motivated the staff by their
encouraging words. The
entire program was designed by Assistant Director Fr. Alwin C.V., Fr. Birender
Tete along with the coordinators.
The
World Earth Day Celebration
It’s
the perfect time to start thinking about the planet we live on – and how to
save it. It is very necessary to maintain the natural assets of the earth in
order to continue the life on the earth. In the rush of the crowd, the most
intelligent creature of the God called human is slowly losing its humanity and
forgot to take care of the planet that gave it life and started using its
resources very ruthlessly. Therefore, the earth day is marked to make the human
race get aware the importance of their planet. It also recognizes a collective
responsibility to promote harmony with nature and the earth to achieve a just
balance among the economic, social and environment needs of present and future
generations of humanity. The United Nations has kept the theme for 2017 is
“Environmental & Climate Literacy.”
Catholic
Charities Jamshedpur, in collaboration with Jharkhand government and Dalma
Rotary Club organized the World Earth Day in the premises of Golmuri Block on
22 April, 2017. The program began at Karandih chowk, where the students of five
neibouring schools namely S.S. High School, Karandih, St. Jude’s Middle School,
Sundernagar, St. Peter’s High School, Karandih, St. Xavier’s High School,
Khasmahal, Holy Cross School, Ghasiajhopri gathered for a rally. The honourable
chief guest Mrs. Parul Singh the BDO of Golmuri along with the Mr. Rajkuamr
Singh the vice president of Zila Parishad flagged off the rally. The students
of S.S. High School, Karandih drew the attentions of all with their mind
blowing nukkad natak performance. There were around 1000 people present to mark
this day. Fr. C.R. Prabhu in his speech highlighted the importance of the day
and the necessity of doing something worthwhile for the earth our common home.
On this great occasion Mr. Rajkumar the vice president of Zila Parishad, Mr.
Suman the president of Dalma Rotary Club and many other distinguished guests
were present. At the end the mementos were given to all the principals, guests
and the head of the different institutions.
A
Rally on World Earth Day
The
Catholic Charities Jamshedpur organized a rally to mark the World Earth Day on
21 April in Tentla Panchayat of Potka Block, where three schools namely Primary
School Tentla, Rajkiya middle school Gitilata and Tirildih participated. There
were more than 500 students. The main
purpose of it was to create awareness among the students. It was very nice to
see the students participating whole heartedly as they shouted slogans on
preserving the natural assets and the earth. The mukhiya of Tentla Panchayat
Miss Dipantari Sardar was the chief guest who in her speech made the students
aware of the present situation of the earth and environment. She also
congratulated the Catholic Charities for having organized it.
St.
Joseph’s Cathedral, Golmuri
May 1st was a remarkable day for the
parishioners of St Joseph’s Cathedral, Golmuri. The Parish Day was celebrated
with lots of joy, pomp and glory. The festivity began with the solemn
Eucharistic celebration presided by Ret. Rev. Bishop Felix Toppo, S. J. at 5.30
P.M. In the Eucharistic Celebrations the faithful prayed for all the workers
and sought blessings on everyone. Bishop blessed all the workers and their tools
in the Mass. Cultural Programme at the welfare center presented by the
parishioners was appreciated by all. In this function, many parishioners were honored
for their service to the Parish. Congratulations
to Frs. Camille Hembrom, Fr. A. Alphonse and Fr. Maria Charles for the
successful Parish Day Celebrations.
Vocation
Promotion Camp-2017
Vocation Promotion
Camp was held in the month of April 2nd to 7th at Vianney
Niwas in Sundernagar. There were 56 boys from different dioceses all around
Jharkhand. Resource persons for the Vocation Camp were Rt. Rev. Bishop Felix
Topp, S.J and Frs. David Vincent, Jerry Cutinha, SJ, Dileep Marandi, Joseph
Surin, SJ, Jerome Sequeira SJ, C. R. Prabhu and Sr. Sushila SCJM. All the
resource persons instilled in the minds of the young men the seeds of vocation.
One day was set
aside for Jamshedpur Darshan. The candidates visited Jubilee Park, Loyola
School, XLRI, St. Mary’s English School and Bishop’s House. After many
interviews the diocese selected 15 boys and the province selected 41 boys for candidacy.
Congratulations to Frs. Michael Deogam and Ranjit Minj SJ for their meticulous
arrangements and planning for the success of Vocation Promotion Camp-2017.
(Bro. Balaji)
Chrism
Mass
This year Chrism
Mass was celebrated on 11th April, 2017. The day began with the
Clergy meeting proceeded by a talk and Benediction. There were many priests and
religious for the Mass and the Cathedral was packed with the faithful. The celestial
choir by the Cathedral parish added beauty to the liturgical celebrations. On
this gracious occasion, four priests, namely, Frs. John Sumbrui, S.J, Fabian
Bhuinya, S.J, Xavier Ekka, S.J and Ranjit Beck CsSR were felicitated for their
25 years of service to the Church as Priests of the Lord.
Rev.
Deacons Fabian Toppo and X. Darwin Alex will be elevated to the Order of
Priesthood on 10th May, 2017 at Sacred Heart Church, Kurdeg, Simdega and
21st May, 2017 at St. Mathew’s Church, Pallam, Tamil Nadu respectively. Kindly
pray for the ordinati and attend the ceremony if possible.
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
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MAY
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|
|
Date
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Name
|
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07
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Alwin C.V.
|
|
13
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Fr. Robert Toppo
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JUNE
|
|
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Date
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Name
|
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14
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Fr. Prince Dibash
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16
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Fr. Halan Bodra
|
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16
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Fr. Baldeo Hembrom
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22
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Fr. Georage Ekka
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24
|
Fr. Michael Jojo
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|
30
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Fr. Roque Cardoza
|
BISHOP’S ENGAGEMENTS
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MAY 2017
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|||||
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01
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Mon
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06.30 am
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Mass: Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
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Golmuri
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02
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Tue
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AM-PM
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JSR to Ranchi to Bangalore
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||
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03-05
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Wed..
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AM-PM
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CBCI Standing Committee Meeting
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Bangalore
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|
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06
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Sat
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AM-PM
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Bangalore to Ranchi to Dhanbad
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||
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07
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Sun
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07.00 am
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Confirmation. St Anthony’s Church
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Dhanbad
|
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PM
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To Delhi
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|||
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08
|
Mon...
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AM-PM
|
Meeting in Delhi, CBCI Commission of
Tribal Affairs
|
Delhi
|
|
|
09
|
Tue
|
AM-PM
|
To Ranchi to Simdega
|
||
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10
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Wed
|
06.00 am
|
Sacerdotal Ordination of Dn. Fabian
Toppo
|
Kurdeg
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|
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14
|
Sun
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07.00 am
|
Confirmation, St. Joseph’s Church
|
Gua-Kiriburu
|
|
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16
|
Tue
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09.30 am
|
Diocesan Consult/JDC Governing Board
Meeting
|
Golmuri
|
|
|
18
|
Thurs
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07.30 am
|
Jubilee of Fr. Fabian Bhuinyan, S.J in
Keduda Villa.
|
Omra
|
|
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21
|
Sun
|
07.30 am
|
Confirmation, St. Joseph’s Cathedral
|
Golmuri
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|
