The measure of love is love without measure.
Transcription
The measure of love is love without measure.
We car e. We shar e. PALI HILL ST. ANNE S CHURCH AnneMater “To build a Community that is United, Caring and Witnessing” PARISH VISION STATEMENT (for private circulation) Parish Bulletin of St. Anne’s Church, Bandra • Jun-Jul-Aug 2013 • VOL. XIII # 6-7-8 Have ‘Faith Made Effective Through Love’ (Galatians 5:6b) T he month of June signifies a new beginning and a fresh start in many ways. Children begin a new academic year with enthusiasm, the rains bring with them freshness and new life to the environment. Even in the life of our parish, the months of June and July are the time when the different parish associations and groups resume their ministry and work in full swing after the summer holidays. Laity Sunday, which was celebrated on the 23rd of June, reminded us that the clergy and lay persons, have their own special roles to fulfil and are co-workers in building up the Body of Christ i.e. the Church. call to be of service to the Church by joining a parish association, being an SCC animator, using your God-given talents in community building activities or by being actively present at parish or community programmes? The parish needs YOU! All of us can be of service. The only requirements are a heart animated by love and a humble and willing attitude. of love e r u s a e m “The is asure.” e m t u o h t i love w les ncis de Sa ~ St. Fra This mutually enriching partnership is seen in the functioning of the Parish Pastoral Council and other Associations as also in the Small Christian Community (SCC) movement which as a ‘new way of being church’ invites everyone to be involved in parish life not just at the parish level but also at the community level. Can we find it within ourselves to heed the In this Year of Faith, as we begin the novena in preparation for the feast of our patroness, St. Anne, let us pray that we as a community may be able to shake off our indifference and take a few concrete steps to enhance the knowledge of our faith so as to live it out fully in service. We could read a book explaining the faith or browse Catholic sites on the internet (check out the Examiner website at www.the-examiner.org for links to other sites), etc. so as to possess a faith that has been understood; a faith that is strengthened by God’s grace and a faith made effective through a life that is lived out in love. Happy Feast! God bless! ~ Fr. Leon August 4th is the feast of St. John Marie Vianney, the patron of all Priests Dear Frs. Clement, Prax, Roque & Leon Thank you for your ministry to us and be assured of the love, support and prayers of all your parishioners. Happy Feast! God bless you all!! St. Anne Anne, is glorious among the saints because it was in her that the Immaculate Conception of Mary took place, thus making her the grandmother of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus. According to Church tradition, Anne and Joachim conceived after many years of childlessness. In thankfulness, they dedicated their daughter Mary to God’s service. Tuze ge nau, naval pari. Anna tu ge, kurpen bharli, Kurpen aasta, tujem sargi, Devan tula apli aaji keli. ~ From the traditional Marathi hymn to St. Anne May Sts. Anne and Joachim bless our parish family. Wish you a Happy Feast! Novena in preparation for the feast of St Anne, our patroness “Have faith made effective through love.” (Galatians 5:6) Day/Date Theme Liturgy by Community/Association Friday, 19th July Saturday, 20th July Sunday, 21st July Monday, 22nd July Tuesday, 23rd July Wednesday, 24th July Thursday, 25th July Friday, 26th July Saturday, 27th July Sunday, 28th July Rajan Ladies Sodality Sherly Prayer Group Malla SVP & Legion of Mary Pali Hill & Scheme Hope and Life Movement Pali Pathar/Ambedkar Rd Parish Council Faith seen in…living a life of mercy Faith seen in…spending time with Jesus Faith seen in…loving service Faith seen in…following Christ Faith seen in…doing the Father’s will Faith seen in…bearing good fruit Faith seen in…living a life of humility Faith seen in…unity and fellowship Faith seen in…perseverance in prayer Faithfulness in God’s family On Saturday, 27th July Sale of snacks, entertainment and game stalls – 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. On Sunday, 28th July Feast Mass at 9:30 a.m. There will be no evening Mass. St. Anne’s Fiesta - ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. T The St. Anne’s Good News Club he Annual Closing Ceremony of the St. Anne’s Good News Club was held on 17th March 2013 at the Kiddies Corner. Multi Colored Dream Coat’. The Annual Report for 2012-13 presented by Catechist Sunita D’Souza emphasized some of the activities that we had during the academic year like the Psalm recitation activity, Mission Sunday sale, GNC picnic to Green Hill Resort, Christmas play, GNC Monthly Activity sheet, Bible Quiz competition, etc. The children and their parents were warmly welcomed by the compere, Catechist Pinnette Reynolds. The programme kicked off with our tiny tots from KG/I/II & Std. V who performed various action songs accompanied by Judith Fernandes on the guitar. ‘Judgment day’ a play depicting the virtue of righteousness v/s unrighteousness was enacted by students of Std. III. As a finale they sweetly danced to the musical track ‘Heaven’. The First Holy Communicants enacted a play on the virtues of St. Joseph followed by a few action songs; while the students of Std. VII & VIII staged ‘Any Dream will Do’ based on the musical ‘Joseph and his AnneMater The vote of thanks given by Catechist Evelyn D'Sa was followed by the award ceremony wherein children with regular attendance were awarded certificates and chocolates. The programme ended with the distribution of snacks and cold drink at the snack counter under the supervision of Catechist Natasha D’Souza and the other catechists. ~ Marylou D’Souza Co-ordinator of the Good News Club 2 June-July-August 2013 Lives of the Saints Saint Thomas the Apostle, also called Doubting Thomas or Didymus (meaning "Twin," or "Thomas" in Aramaic) was a Jew and was called to be one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. He was a dedicated but impetuous follower of Christ. He is best known for questioning Jesus' resurrection after death when he was first told of it. Eight days later, on Christ's second apparition, Thomas was gently rebuked for his skepticism and furnished with the evidence he had demanded - seeing in Christ's hands the point of the nails and putting his fingers in the place of the nails and his hand into His side. At this, St. Thomas became convinced of the truth of the Resurrection and exclaimed: "My Lord and My God," thus making a public Profession of Faith in the Divinity of Jesus. He is said to have traveled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, traveling as far as India. Tradition says that at the dispersal of the Apostles after Pentecost St. Thomas was sent to evangelize the Parthians, Medes, and Persians. He ultimately reached India, carrying the Faith to the Malabar Coast, which still boasts a large native population calling themselves "Christians of St. Thomas." He was speared to death at a place called Calamine. His feast day is July 3rd and he is the Patron of Architects. St. Lawrence is believed to have been born in Spain, at Osca, a town in Aragon near the foot of the Pyrenees. As a youth he was sent to Saragoza to complete his humanistic and theological studies. It was here that he first encountered the future Pope Sixtus II, who was of Greek origin. The future Pope was one of the most famous and esteemed teachers in what was then one of the most renowned centres of learning. Eventually, both left Spain for Rome. When Sixtus was elevated to Patriarch in 257, he ordained Lawrence even though he was still young and appointed him first among the seven deacons who served in the patriarchal church; therefore he is called Archdeacon of Rome. This was a position of great trust, which included the care of the treasury and riches of the church, and the distribution of alms among the poor. The Roman authorities had established a norm according to which all Christians who had been denounced must be executed and their goods confiscated by the Imperial treasury. At the beginning of the month of August, 258, Emperor Valerian issued an edict commanding that all bishops, priests, and deacons should immediately be put to death. Sixtus was captured on August 6, 258 and executed. After the death of Sixtus, the Prefect of Rome demanded that Lawrence turn over the riches of the Church. Lawrence asked for three days to gather together the wealth. Lawrence worked swiftly to distribute as much Church property to the poor as possible, so as to prevent its being seized by the Prefect. On the third day, at the head of a small delegation, he presented himself to the Prefect, and when ordered to give up the treasures of the Church, he presented the poor, the crippled, the blind and the suffering, and said that these were the true treasures of the Church. One account records him declaring to the Prefect, "The Church is truly rich, far richer than your Emperor." This act of defiance led directly to his martyrdom by roasting on a slow fire on the 10th of August, his feast day. AnneMater 3 June-July-August 2013 Good Shepherd Sunday J esus said: 'The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me." (John 10:27) The fourth Sunday of Easter is known as Good Shepherd Sunday and is the “World Day of Prayer for Vocations.” Pope Paul VI instituted the World Day of Prayer for Vocations on 11 April, 1964. In the years since, successive Pontiffs have called on the Church to focus and pray for vocations. The scripture lessons for this day concern the role of the shepherds of God’s flock in the Church. Each year on this Sunday, we reflect on the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd who devotedly and kindly takes care of his flock. Through the gospel, Jesus teaches one of the central aspects of the ministerial priesthood: the priest as shepherd. Pope Benedict XVI released his message for the 50th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, held on 21 April 2013. The theme was: “Vocations as a sign of hope founded in faith.” His message says “vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life are born out of the experience of a personal encounter with Christ, out of sincere and confident dialogue with him, so as to enter into his will.” Whenever a disciple of Jesus accepts the divine call to dedicate himself to the priestly ministry or to the consecrated life, we witness one of the most mature fruits of the Christian community, which helps us to look with particular trust and hope to the future of the Church and to her commitment to evangelization. Love of God, which priests and consecrated persons are called to mirror is the motivation for answering the Lord’s call to special consecration through priestly ordination or the profession of the evangelical counsels. But above all, the Eucharist should be the heart of every vocational journey- the journey for every Christan to mature into an active evangelizer of the faith. If you experience God’s call to a vocation in the Church, please contact the Parish Fathers or Sisters or the Diocesan Vocation Service Centre, opposite Mount Mary’s Basilica or call on 26555500/26422556 Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God: First fill your own house with the fragrance of love. Go not to the temple to light candles before the altar of God: First remove the darkness of sin from your heart. Go not to the temple to bow down your head in prayer: First learn to bow in humility before your fellowmen. Go not to the temple to pray on bended knees: First bend down to lift someone who is down-trodden. Go not to the temple to ask for forgiveness of your sins: First forgive from your heart those who have sinned against you! Rabindranath Tagore Perhaps, Tagore was inspired by the words of Jesus: “If you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there on the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother and then come and offer your gift” (Mt. 5:23) ~ Contributed by Clarissa Barrett AnneMater 4 The Ladies Sodality warmly invite other ladies of the parish to join as members & to share in the benefits of a deeper understanding of Scripture, joyous fellowship and interaction & the learning of useful skills. Meetings are held every Wednesday evening,from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Parlour The Consecration of new members will take place on Thursday 15th August 2013. For any further details, please contact Elaine Charles at 26432893 June-July-August 2013 Celebrating the Church and the Body of Christ as ONE T he Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is also known as the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, which translates from Latin to "Body of Christ." The Feast of Corpus Christi is one of the ten Holy Days of Obligation in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. It is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, which falls one week after Pentecost Sunday. This Feast goes back to the 13th century, but it celebrates something far older: the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. This feast calls us to focus on two manifestations of the Body of Christ, the Holy Eucharist and the Church. The primary purpose of this feast is to focus our attention on the Eucharist. The secondary focus of this feast is upon the Body of Christ as it is present in the Church. The Church is called the Body of Christ because of the intimate communion which Jesus shares with his disciples. The Feast of Corpus Christi is commonly used as an opportunity for public Eucharistic processions, which serves as a sign of common faith and adoration. Our worship of Jesus in His Body and Blood calls us to offer to God our Father a pledge of undivided love and an offering of ourselves to the service of others. Pope Benedict aptly summed up the meaning of this feast day in a discourse in 2008 using three key words: "gathering, walking and kneeling... we gather around the altar of the Lord, we walk with the Lord and we kneel before the Lord in adoration." In continuation to this feast, the month of July has been dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus. The Feast of the Precious Blood, established by Pope Pius IX in 1849, is celebrated each year on the first Sunday of July. T The Feast of the Assumption and Independence Day he Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady is celebrated by the Church as a major feast on 15th August, coinciding with the day of India’s Independence. It is the acceptance of Mother Mary into the glory of Heaven. paid on this day to the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives and fought to free our nation. It is a day of pride and glory. It is also a day that reminds us of our responsibility to continue to fight for human rights and justice. In the midst of the Independence celebrations, the feast of the Assumption gives us the hope and assurance that our dream of a less corrupt, less violent and more humane country can come true. The Vicar of Christ, led by the Holy Spirit, was inspired to announce the feast of the Assumption as a dogma so as to bring forth a new outpouring of grace for the Church through the intercession of Mary and also that the human family can more profoundly appreciate what God has done in her, and wishes to do through her for us. Having assumed into heaven, Mary does not replace our Lord. She stands beside Him, as the Queen beside her King, as our intercessor in our earthly struggles and as our hope that we too will one day stand in heaven with her. It is also a day on which we Indians celebrate our Independence with great enthusiasm and it is but fitting that Mary is the Patroness of India. Rich tributes are AnneMater Fr Payton constantly asked people to pray the Rosary for the conversion of Russia. What seemed impossible became possible by this simple devotion. To save our nation too, it would be appropriate to pray the Rosary. Mother Mary always listens to us, she is always close to us, and being Mother of the Son, she participates in the power of the Son and in his goodness. We can always entrust the whole of our nation, our leaders and our lives, to this Mother, who is not far from any one of us and who is a perfect role model of all time. 5 ~ Ida Ferreira June-July-August 2013 Fr. Clement’s h t 25Anniversary Celebrations The Eucharistic Celebration 25 JOYOUS YEARS OF THE PRIESTHOOD Tuesday, 9th April 2013 was a red letter day indeed, in the annals of St. Anne's as it marked the 25th Sarcedotal Anniversary of our pastor, Fr. Clement De Lima. A thanksgiving Mass was offered that evening by our Jubilarian, with his uncle, Bishop Ferdinand Fonseca , concelebrating with him. After Mass, the people were invited to partake of the Silver Jubilee cake. But the big parish celebration was scheduled for Saturday, 13th April 2013, with the priests & people of St. Anne's sharing in the joy and thanksgiving of their pastor, at a Eucharistic Celebration at 7.00 p.m. that evening. After Communion, Fr. Clement was presented, on behalf of the parish, with a spiritual bouquet by Jean Prabhu and a beautiful cross of the Crucified Lord by Oscar Cardoz, mementos of the love and appreciation of the people of St. Anne's for their pastor. The felicitation function that followed in the St. Anne's School hall was attended by over 450 parishoners. In fact there was such a demand for invitations to the function that the organisers were compelled to print an additional 100 cards. Fr. Clement cutting the cake with his Mum... With Elaine Charles compering the function, Fr. Clement, along with his mother and other family members were welcomed into the hall with a loud round of applause.The Senior Choir sang, "Let the rafters ring" and then a beautiful Silver Jubilee cake was cut, with everyone joining in "He's a jolly good fellow". Mr. Vijay Lazarus raised a scintillating toast to Fr. Clement on behalf of the Parish and little Jessica Fernandes presented him with a lovely hand-drawn plaque made by Ms. Kassandra Fernandes. ...and with his family The vote of thanks Melville Mendonca took us on an interesting flight down memory lane, recapturing for us the high points of Fr. Clement's life & priesthood.The Good News Club entertained the audience with a medley of songs by the children and "I will follow Him" sung by Joanna Pinto. Soup and snacks were served around, while Community Singing, led by Ernest Flanagan continued. Fr. George Athaide, a former Assistant priest at St. Anne's, who had been ordained with Fr. Clement and who was present at the celebration, shared what it has meant to him to be a priest for 25 joyous years. In his vote of thanks, Fr. Clement said he was overwhelmed by the love & appreciation shown to him by the people of St. Anne's although he has been here for just about two years. He thanked all those who had helped to organize such a beautiful function. Kudos to Vijay Lazarus & Jean Prabhu for co-ordinating the entire event, assisted by Melville Mendonca, Oscar Cardoz, Sandra Fernandes, Celine Mistry, Michelle Lawrence & Elaine Charles. It was truly a Sarcedotal Silver Jubilee to remember!!! With the plaque presented by the parish... AnneMater 6 ...and with the parish team June-July-August 2013 Parish The Novena in preparation for the Feast of the Divine Mercy began at 3 p.m. on Good Friday, 29th March, 2013. The Divine Mercy Chaplet was prayerfully conducted by the Divine Mercy Group every day. The Feast Mass was celebrated at 9:15 a.m. on the 7th of April by Fr. Anand Gaikwad from Pune who in his sermon spoke about St. Faustina and the devotion to the Divine Mercy and encouraged us to live out the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Gathered Around the Cross of Jesus It was an interesting evening on 13th March, 2013. People gathered in large numbers for the Way of the Cross organised by the Rajan community. Each station brought out the realities of our lives and the true happenings of the modern world. The cross transforms lives, it gives us the grace to respond to His call, the spirit to carry on with our daily chores and the wisdom to face the challenges of this world. While we progress spiritually, our hearts should expand to embrace community, society, country and the world beyond. The risen Lord will surely make the difference through our efforts and prayers. For with Him all is possible. A special prayer was said for those who prepared the way of the Cross and the readers for making the stations meaningful. The treat on the way was a surprise. People who were generous should be complimented. So when you pray ask less and thank Him more. “Have a Wonderful Easter”. ~ Russel Pereira Rajan Community In preparation for the feast of Pentecost, a triduum was organized from the 16th to the 18th of May after the evening Masses. Spirit filled preachers like Fr. Ashlyn, Br. Ashwin and Fr. Martin from Tabor Ashram gave insightful teachings followed by praise and worship. On the eve of Pentecost, a vigil service was also conducted. AnneMater Bishop Percival administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to the children of our parish on the 14th of April 2013 at the 9:30 a.m. Mass. We appreciate the commitment of the catechists - Ms. Joan, Srs. Priscilla and Rita, Br. Pravin and many others who guided the children throughout the year and helped with the arrangements on the Confirmation day. As part of their Outreach Programme, the Ladies Sodality visited the ‘House of Charity’ at Versova, on Thursday, 25th April. Run by the Congregation of the Minor Carmelites of Charity, it houses 31 inmates from 7 to 70 years of age, all of them physically or mentally challenged. They are looked after by a dedicated band of 6 Sisters, assisted by committed Lay Collaborators, many of them parishoners from the adjoining parish of Our Lady of Health, Versova. They say that it is the experience of Christ's presence in the poor & suffering that strengthens & sustains them in their work. The Sodalists spent time going around & interacting with the inmates, but what made it an 'Unforgettable Experience' , was the love, care & concern with which the inmates are looked after by the Sisters & the Helpers, who translate into action Christ's assurance that, " Whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren, you do unto Me" The Goldies – Senior Citizen Group celebrated a thanksgiving Mass on 5th May at 6 p.m. followed by a get-together in the Kiddies Korner. The chief guest for the evening was Mr. Robert D’Souza, former president of the group who in his speech recalled the beginnings of the group and asked the current members to continue to support and help the Goldies grow from strength to strength. The lively music, entertaining games, snacks and dinner and good old fashioned fun put together by the organizing committee helped to make the programme a memorable one for all. 7 June-July-August 2013 Parish Records - March 2013 to June 2013 BAPTISMS BURIALS 2nd March – Kyra D’Costa – daughter of Mark and Heeral 23rd March – Megan Violet D’Souza – daughter of Kevin and Pearl 23rd March – Selena Fay Ferreira – daughter of Mark and Rochelle 6th April – Luke William Colaco – son of Mario and Caryl-Ann 31st March – Rosy Fichardo – daughter of Suresh and Sunanda Dhanawade (Adult Baptism) 11th April – Jasper Peter D’Silva – son of Jordan and Brunella 13th April – Veer M. D’Souza – son of Conrad and Divya 4th May – Keisha Anne Gonsalves – daughter of Clovis and Loretta 12th May – Trisha Das – daughter of Tirthankar and Dominique 18th May – Javion Cardoz – son of Agnelo and Cynthia 8th March – Anthony Pereira of Rajan, aged 57 years 23rd April – James Aubery Clarence of Malla, aged 52 years 1st June – Cajetan Lodjerio D’Souza of Scheme, aged 73 years 4th June – Margaret Almeida of Rajan, aged 92 years We thank the outgoing Parish Pastoral Council 2010-2013 for their hard work and commitment in animating our parish. We also congratulate and extend our support and best wishes to those who will serve on the New Parish Pastoral Council for the period June 2013-2016 “Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14) Articles, anecdotes, poems, etc. for publication in the next issue of AnneMater for the months of Sept-Oct-Nov (feast days and special occasions during these months to be kept in mind) may be sent by e-mail to [email protected] latest by the 31st of August 2013. The ED Team reserves the right to choose what is published and to edit the matter that is chosen for publication. OTHER TIMINGS MASS SCHEDULE Weekdays : 6.00 a.m., 6.45 a.m. 7.00 p.m. Sundays : 6.30 a.m., 8.00 a.m. 9.15 a.m., 6.00 p.m. Confessions Baptisms Good News Club (Sunday School) Church Office Tel: 26481923 : Every Saturday at 6.30 p.m. or on request : 2nd & 4th Saturday at 5.30 p.m. : After the 8.00 a.m. Mass : 9.00 a.m. - 12.00 noon & 5.00 p.m. - 7.00 p.m. • E-mail: [email protected] | PUBLISHED BY: Fr. Clement de Lima | EDITING, DESIGN & LAYOUT BY: Felicity, Gina, Anusuya & Fr. Leon | E-MAIL: [email protected]