PATNA: The Catholic Church is gearing up for celebrating the jubilee year of the ‘Divine mercy’ , and Bihar plans to celebrate it with a slew of ‘events’ in its various parishes.
The Most Reverend Archbishop of Patna William D’Souza SJ on Wednesday, speaking to some 200 delegates, and many ‘youth’ from different parishes, chose to highlight the ‘problems that adversely affect family life’ at a two-day meeting of the Patna Archdiocesan Pastoral Council organized at Navjyoti Niketan.
At least 200 delegates from different Parishes of the Patna Archdiocese participated in the annual event.
Priests, nuns, laypersons and women were invited as representatives by the church to discuss the events to be held next year.
“Problems that break the love, unity and dignity of family life need our special attention and remedial measures can be taken only when each one of us experiences and bears witness to ‘Divine Mercy’ revealed in Jesus,” the Archbishop was quoted as saying. He also reminded the participants of Pope Francis’ message of living life as consecrated persons by “looking at the past with gratitude, living the present with passion and embracing the future with hope.”
While Fr Francis Rajendran SJ and his team suggested different ways to observe the ‘Jubilee Year of Divine Mercy’ (2016), Sr Dipasha AC threw light on Pope Francis’ declaration of this year as the ‘Year of Consecrated Life’.
The Jubilee Year of Divine Mercy will commence on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary on December 8 this year.
“The archdiocese paid homage to four ‘martyrs’ -Catholic priests who were killed or murdered in the service of the Church : Fr Alphonse Goveas SJ, Fr F Martinsek SJ, Fr Mathew Mannaparambil and Fr Mathew Uzhuthal. 21 senior religious men and women who spent their lives in the service of Patnaites,” Rev. Mattathilani, the press advisor told a local newspaper.
The meeting concluded with Holy Mass at the Notre Dame Academy auditorium followed by a cultural programme.
But how much real participation took place? Newsnet bumped into two young participants , both young men, who had ‘bunked’ a ‘boring’ video on ‘some churchy, religious topic’ produced by a local Catholic. Why were they in Patna? Said the young man Pawan Deep from Jehanabad, ” It’s some workshop or meeting to do with the Church.
My priest sent me to Patna. It’s the usual stuff that nuns and priests do. Talk about God and all.”
Said a tribal young man from Bodh Gaya, whose family members are constantly chosen to represent the parish in all sorts of church related meets and events, ” Sister said to come. It is a Parish Council meeting. what to do? The sisters and fathers compel us to take part in all this ‘jabardasti’. Our family owes a lot to the Church, so its okay, we have to follow the wishes of the clergy and fathers I suppose. It’s also a chance to take sponsored trips and meet new friends, so I’m not complaining. I like to participate in Church events. But it’s really very boring when they talk about the same old things again and again.” This youngster will soon be back in Patna for another church sponsored ‘programme’.
Archbishop speaks of family in Patna run-up to Jubilee added by editor1 on
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The comment by Allen Bhai led me to this post.
After reading through. I disagree with Allen totally.
Cannot see any ‘attack’ here that would make me want to ‘skin’ the writer. It is true. Priests and nuns have their favourites whom they send to attend free church functions. These people are not chosen for their brains, but they are chosen because maybe they go to church, or many times there is nobody interested, so they send them to fill up the parish quota.
It’s a fact. Bishops should see this is corrected. My opinion is that the writer is doing his job: warning the church of its errors!
i AM KINDA SURPRISED . HOW CAN YOUR WRITE SUCH SCATTING ARTICLES ABOUT OUR CHURCH. [ COMMENT OF THE ABIBASHI YOUTH]IF YOU HAD WRITTEN IN SUCH A BITTER MATTER AGAINST THE SANSTHAN OR BAJRANG DAL THEY WOULD HAVE YOU SKIN. LUCKY FOR YOU OUR CHURH IS SO LIBERAL.
Newsnet stands for facts. Is Allen Bhai suggesting that his Church should be as intolerant and blind to self-evaluation as the ‘Sansthan or Bajrang Dal?