RETREAT FOR YOUTH (SURAT DEANERY)

AT HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, BILIMORA

60 Youth from Surat Deanery - Vapi, Valsad, Navsari, Bilimora, Pandesera participated in a retreat at Holy Trinity Church, Bilimora.

                             

Youngsters from Mumbai conducted the retreat. The day was filled with personal testimony from the youngsters, religious action songs, talks, confession, Holy Eucharist.

                            

The youngsters gathered for the retreat participated in the retreat wholeheartedly and were touched by the personal testimony of the Youngsters from Mumbai. The action songs from time to time kept the youth active and involved. 

                             

Fr. Rakesh Macwan conducted the Holy Hour and Eucharist for the Youth. It was truly a beautiful experience for the Youth. 

The youth thanked Fr. Robert (Dean), Respective Parish Priests, Fr. Rakesh for organizing the retreat and inviting the youth from Mumbai to conduct the retreat.

A special word of thanks was rendered to Fr. John Valles (Parish Priest, Bilimora) and his team for hosting the event and for providing for all their needs. 

It was truly an enriching day for the Youth. 

 FR. LAWRENCE LOUIS RODRIGUES
(SOCOM.BARODA)

          KATHA ON THE PASSION OF OUR LORD          

HOLY CROSS CHURCH, NAVSARI

Fr. Ignas S.J. and his team conducted a two day Katha on the Passion of our Lord for the Parishioners of Holy Cross Church, Navsari on the 10th and 11th of March 2012. 

More than 150 parishioners participated in the Katha. It was truly a beautiful experience for those who attended the Katha. This is the first time that many of them have attended a Katha.

Fr. Ignas S.J. in his usual humorous and soul touching style conducted the Katha. The people participated in the singing wholeheartedly. You could see the people actively listening and responding. After the Katha was over many asked to have another of the kind in the near future. 

The Parishioners thanked Fr. Robert Machado (Parish Priest) for organizing the Katha.  

FR. LAWRENCE LOUIS RODRIGUES
(Holy Cross Church, Navsari)

                 SEMINARY DAY 2012                    

Celebrations unlimited! This was the feeling of each seminarian at Good Shepherd Seminary on the 17th of March. The long awaited day of the year had finally appeared. It was a day set aside to display our talents, creativity, confidence and seminary spirit. It was a day reserved to celebrate our vocation. Though it was Lenten time, there was a mood of celebration, a great surge of joy within all of us. It is just because we value our vocation whole heartedly.

A month long planning, round the clock practice and the meticulous arrangements contributed immensely to the success of the day. The day commenced with the Eucharistic Celebration, celebrated by Bishop Thomas Macwan. Bishop Thomas' homily helped us to focus our vocation to the priesthood. he highlighted that the fundamental element of the priesthood is to be in communion with Christ. The formation period in the seminary undoubtedly is a great help to each seminarian in this line. He made a clarion call to each one of us to have a dream, dream to be a good priest.

The cultural programme of the evening was the showcase of the entire celebration. Our Bishop Godfrey de Rozario, the patron of the seminary presided over the programme. The programme was fully loaded with dances, music, short skits and declamation competition. The Romantic begger (Skit) aroused romantic feelings, the 'AXE Effect' (Skit) not only brought the audience but even the angels down, the energetic Punjabi Lenten dance did some balle...balle... and the Kolaveri dance blew the roof off. The surprising thing was teh 'Declamation Competition' did not hinder the spirit of the cultural programme. Each seminarian performed brilliantly bringing back those sweet memories of our vibrant leaders of our country. Finally the three speakers Bros. Pradeep, Augustine and Joseph were declared winners. It was indeed a success. Bishop Godfrey in his address appreciated the seminarians for this quality show. It has really boosted our spirit and we are indeed glad to be seminarians. 

Bro. Pradeep (Seminarian)

SR. CELINE RMI

CELEBRATES HER GOLDEN JUBILEE

Dear Friends,

Our dear Sr. Celine is celebrating her GOLDEN JUBILEE today… On this beautiful day I would like to thank God for one more wonderful day in our lives and for all the blessings he has showered up on all of us and also to Sr. Celine and to our  wonderful Congregation.

The Word of God says in Jeremiah 1:5 -  "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; “.

It gives me an immense pleasure to thank God for the gift of life and gift of Vocation to Sr. Celine to our Congregation.

When I see Sister Celine ,I am reminded of the question asked by St.Thomas Aquinas’ sister to him – “ What do I need to become a Saint? “ .St.Thomas Aquinas replied in just 3 words – “JUST WILL IT“. It is the same willingness to serve the Lord with all her heart, with all her strength and all her mind  that has got Sister Celine where she is today and she has truly been a blessing for everyone she has interacted with so many people, fathers, brothers, young girls and children and also sisters in our congregation.

Sr. Celine was born in Moira, Goa on September 3^rd, 1926. She is the eldest in the family. She did her schooling in Goa. She had a strong desire to follow Christ and entered a convent. But her health was poor so she had to leave the convent. Later she met Sr. Cecilia D’silva RMI who encouraged her to give her services in Bombay at Regina Pacis. As she was helping the sisters Mother Corazon encouraged to join the convent. She was once again filled with the joy of following Christ with that she left India and went to Italy, Gensano along with three other companions. She entered the Postulancy on 23^rd February 1962, and Novitiate on 24^th September 1962.She made her 1^st vows in Gensano on 27^th of Sep. 1964 and final commitment to the Lord was in 27^th September 1969.

There is a saying – “ Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care”

Sr.Celine’s love and care  for the poor have been a stepping stone and an example for each and every one of us. She devoted herself without counting the cost to the care of the young girls in Goa, Bombay, Delhi, and women and children in the villages of Jhagadia. She is very good in tailoring and kind to the patients in the dispensary. Her simplicity, motherly love, hard work, welcoming spirit is outstanding. She has a special love for  priests specially the young priests. She always goes out of her way to reach out to the priests by offering them a hot cup of soup. 

Sister Celine, You have been a gentle mother to so many souls…Simple, and graceful. I would like to end this with a verse from Matt  3:17  where God talks about Jesus– “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased “..I am sure God is looking at Sister Celine right now and saying the same thing- “ This is my beloved daughter in whom I am well pleased.

Dear Sister Celine thanks for all your motherly love and presence in this community. May God Bless you with Good health, and happiness, peace and joy. May He shower upon you all the graces and blessings and let His face shine upon you always.

Sr. Ranipaul RMI