JP/26: 25 November2004

My Dear Confreres,       Loving Greetings and Prayerful wishes to each one of you.   ANNUAL RETREAT – Constitutions Retreat   As you are aware the Constitutions Retreat of the province was conducted from 4-8 October in Charis Bhavan and from 11-15 October in Vinayalaya. We had confreres Joseph Pulloppillil, Provincial of Nagpur Province and Devasia Manalel, North East Province as the Preachers. I thank God for the gift of the Constitutions Retreat. It has been a journey into the inner life and mission of the Congregation. The preachers guided us by their inspiring reflections enabling us to interiorize the charism and mission of the congregation. The retreat has been a reminder for all of us that the entire congregation, the entire province, is in the service of God’s mission seeking to live the spirit and spirituality of Saint Francis De Sales in the various ministries – we are one and many, one in mission but different in our ministries. The preachers constantly reminded us of the origin of the congregation, the vision and mission of the Founder, the zeal and commitment of the pioneering missionaries and challenged us to put into concrete expressions the call of our Founder ‘I want Missions’.

In this Circular.... Constitution Retreat Animator of Junior Priests Ordinations Appointments Congratulations Founder's Day SFS College Silver Jubilee Change of Address

Constitutions Retreat for the Scholastics:  The annual retreat 2005 of our Scholastics will be Constitutions retreat. The respective rectors have already made the arrangements for the same. Please Note: Those confreres who could not attend the Constitutions Retreat due to their studies in various Colleges/Universities are requested and expected to attend the retreat during the summer holidays. As of now the retreats in all the provinces have been conducted. In case another retreat is arranged common for all the provinces since some could not attend due to various reasons then they may join this retreat and will be informed on time. Otherwise they are expected to join with the senior scholastics retreat in May 2005 in Vinayalaya. ANIMATOR OF JUNIOR PRIESTS   The Provincial Council has made a Policy decision to appoint an Animator for the Junior Priests of the Province.  All those who are within Five years of Priestly Ordination form the group of Junior Priests in the Province. Hereby I am happy to constitute the Office of the Animator of Junior Priests of the Province. The role of the Animator is to help the junior priests to grow in their priestly commitment and assist them in their ongoing formation as they are in the service of the mission of the Church and the Congregation.   The office of the Animator of Junior Priests is established for the first time in the province. We need to articulate his role and the areas of responsibility searching together, in consultation with the larger community of the province in mission and the provincial administration in particular. It would take its own time to evolve and to function creatively with an inner structure to augment the life and mission of the province.    This office comes into effect from 8 December 2004. All the priests of the province who are within five years of ordination as on 8 December 2004 will belong to this group. All  are requested and expected to collaborate with the efforts of the Animator. It is mandatory for them. Fr. Abraham Vettuvelil is appointed Animator of the Junior Priests of the Province with effect from 8 December 2004. It is for a term of Three years.   ORDINATIONS   Deacon Georgekutty Puthiyidom has been promoted to the Sacred Order of Priesthood. He will be ordained on 25 November 2004 at St. Joseph’s Church, Josegiri, by Most Rev. George Valiamattam, Archbishop of Tellicherry.   Deacon Sathish Vellaramkunnel has been promoted to the Sacred Order of Priesthood. He will be ordained on 27 November 2004 at Infant Jesus Church, Baleswaram, by His Lordship Jacob Manathodath, Bishop of Palakkad.   On behalf of the province and the Congregation I extend to both of them hearty congratulations, prayerful wishes, and abundance of God’s blessings in their priestly and missionary life.   APPOINTMENTS Fr. Aloysius Kuzhuppillil is appointed Correspondent of SFS School, Kuknoor, North Karnataka with effect from 22 July 2004. Fr. Abraham Vettuvelil is appointed Animator of Junior Priests (up to 5 years in ordination) with effect from 8 December 2004. Fr. Justin Chirackal is appointed Co-ordinator of Syro Malabar Pastoral Ministry in the district of Kolar with effect from 8 December 2004. The then archbishop Most Rev. Ignatius Pinto has entrusted us the pastoral service of the Syro Malabar Catholics in Kolar district by his letter dt.24 May 2002. Fr. Thomas Anchanickal is appointed Associate Pastor of St. Peter the Apostle. Kindly take note of his new address: Fr. Thomas Anchanickal, St. Peter the Apostle, 2061 Patton Chapel Road, Birmingham, Al.35216, Phone: Res:205-823-2192, Office:205-822-4480 Fr. George Valliamthadathil is appointed Assistant Parish Priest and In-Charge of the Syro-Malabar Catholics in the diocese of Clifton, England. CONGRATULATIONS   Fr. Y. Mathias has passed B.Ed with distinction. On behalf of the province I extend to him hearty congratulations for his excellent performance.   Fr. Abraham Vettuvelil has defended his Doctoral Thesis on 15th September 2004 in the Catholic University of America, Washington D.C. The title of his doctoral thesis is: A Clinical Pastoral Training Program in Family Counselling for Lay Associates of the Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales in Kerala, India. The Project focuses on the use of Family Systems theory as a tool to address the unresolved emotional reactivity to one’s family of origin, which is the most important unfinished business in one’s life. The project designs a programme to train those interested in family counselling to address family imbalance, dysfunction, and individual anxiety. He has passed with distinction.  Fr. Abraham has been a student of excellence throughout his doctoral studies. The University has high appreciation for his academic performance. The Director of his Dissertation wrote to me stating that the University would be happy to have more students like Fr. Abraham.   30 SEPTEMBER 2004 – A Day of Blessings for the Congregation.   1. South Indian Bank – Extension Counter at Mermier Nagar, Hebbagodi.   I am happy to inform you that a new extension Counter of South Indian Bank has been opened in our campus at Mermier Nagar. The bank runs in the last room of the Kannada Medium School adjacent to the Highway. A separate entry-door has been fixed for the bank opening to the direction of the highway.  I had the joy of blessing the Extension Counter on 30 September 2004, on the Feast of our Founder Servant of God Peter Mermier. On 11th October 2004 I was privileged to inaugurate the bank in the presence of many religious and other important lay persons of the locality. The extension counter is called “SFS College Extension Counter”. As per the regulations of the Reserve Bank of India it would be raised into a branch after three years.   2. Blessing of the Foundation Stones –   ICSE School –Presbytery – SFS College    Taking into consideration the growing needs of Education the Mermier Bhavan Community has already initiated ICSE program in the existing school. This has necessitated another school building. The first phase of the Degree College is to be initiated with immediacy. The community of Mermier Bhavan chose 30th September to be the day for blessing the foundation stones of these proposed buildings as this is the Day of Blessings for us MSFS – the Day of our Founder. By blessing these Foundation Stones, together with the community of Mermier Bhavan I have dedicated these new efforts to the leading of the Spirit of God and His Providence. It requires a lot of Finance, Personnel and other resources. I entrust these projects and ministries to the powerful protection and intercession of our Founder Father Peter Mermier and to the patronage of Saint Francis De Sales.   SAINT FRANCIS SALES COLLEGE - Hebbagodi, Bangalore.     I am happy to inform you that we have received all the necessary permissions from the Government of Karnataka and from the University of Bangalore for the Degree College in Hebbagodi. We have started one combination during this academic year – Journalism, Psychology and English Literature.   Dr. Mark K. Sripathy M.A., Ph.D., D.LITT – We are fortunate to have the service of an eminent educationist Professor Emeritus Mark K Sripathy as the Administrative Officer of the College. He was in charge of administering to the administrative and academic needs of 59 Departments and 114 Affiliated Colleges of the University. He is a Research Guide and Professor Emeritus of University Grants Commission. SFS College, Hebbagodi Bangalore, Karnataka, India   SACERDOTAL SILVER JUBILEE Fr. Jacob Parappally begins his Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee Year on 16th November, 2004. Fr. Thomas Chennakattukunnel begins his Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee on 22nd November 2004 Fr. Sunny Paul Aranjanil begins his Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee on 29th November 2004 On behalf of the Province I extend to Fathers Jacob, Thomas and Sunny Paul, hearty, prayerful sentiments of Jubilee. We wish them a grace-filled year and abundance of blessings as they begin the Jubilee Year. Ad Multos Annos.   Change of Address:   Kindly take note of the change in the address of Fr. Jose Puthiaparambil (Jr): Jose Thomas Puthiaparambil, 40 Rue de l’Amazone, B-1060 Bruxelles, Belgique.         THE YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST October 2004 - October 2005   Holy Father has inaugurated the Year of the Eucharist from October 2004 – October 2005 with a special Mass at Vatican on Sunday 17 October. For this special year he has addressed the entire church with an Apostolic Letter ‘Mane Nobiscum Domien – Stay with us Lord’ (Lk.24/29). Holy Father wants to enlighten the entire Church the depth of Eucharist in our life. He places his letter recalling the passage of time and the growth in the church from the Second Vatican Council and the Great Jubilee. He expounds the reality of Eucharist saying “Stay with us Lord, for it is almost evening” (Lk.24/29).   Click here to read the whole text: Mane Nobiscum Domine       With Prayerful wishes Yours Sincerely,   Fr. Jose Parappillil MSFS e-mail: jcparappilly@yahoo.com   | Back to Provincial Circulars