NORTHEAST INDIA PROVINCE, MSFS PROVINCIALATE

GPO Box No. 308, GUWAHATI – 781 001

Tel: 0361 2648507 / Fax 0361 2648510

Website: www.msfsnortheast.com

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GPA/06 Circular – July 2014

Dear Confreres,

On August 15, the Universal Church celebrates the solemnity of Mary’s Assumption. Mary’s assumption is another pledge and guarantee of our own resurrection and return to our Heavenly Father. It is also a reminder that we will be saved body and soul. This is a reaffirmation of the greatness of the human body, of the whole human person. St Paul presented two Jewish ideas which were fulfilled in Mary. These ideas are old but also ever new. The first is the idea of the first fruits. The Jews were an agricultural people and every year as their harvest began to come in they were bound by their religious law to take the first fruits of their harvest to the Temple and offer them to God. The Jews treasured the idea, because for them it symbolized the coming of a harvest, the means of remaining alive for the next year. Paul applied the idea to the entire human race and Christ. Christ himself was the first fruit of the salvation of the entire race. Although the woman mentioned in the Book of Revelation is probably the Church, the Church has long used it in an accommodated sense to apply to Mary, whom the Church also calls the Ark of the Covenant, the chosen of God, and the Mother of the Church.

Look, Mary went with haste the 85 miles from Nazareth down to Ain Karim in a very difficult time of the year, through great personal sacrifice, to be of help to her cousin Elizabeth who in her old age was pregnant with John the Baptist. She was a woman of service – a woman who wanted to do good things – but she was also, as Luke’s whole passage reveals, prayerfully reflective, and a woman of deep feeling and strong conviction. Elizabeth referred to her as blessed. But God revealed in her life the paradox contained in blessedness – not only a beautiful crown of stars but also a sword of suffering. And Mary’s beautiful prayer, which has come to be called Magnificat, contains a revolutionary message. Yes, she speaks of revolutions – not one, but several. One side of the revolution is moral. Mary says, for example, that God has brought low the arrogant of mind and heart. People who believe in Jesus and compare themselves with him can’t remain proud. Mary says also that God has thrown down the mighty from their thrones, but lifted up the lowly. This is a social, political and economic revolution inasmuch as Jesus would identify himself with the poor, the naked, the jailed, the sick, and the otherwise outcast. Mary also said that God has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty.

As Mary’s assumption is the first fruit of the redemptive love of Jesus, the humans are supported to be part of that harvest. Because of Jesus, humanity is destined for glorification; because of Mary, humanity is shown to be already involved in the fullest realization of its potential. It is a reminder for all of us that Jesus touches the whole human being, who is social, political, economic, and spiritual. We, like Mary, have also a body, not only a soul that is sacred. We must regard it as such. We, like Mary, must not allow it to be used in any kind of immoral way. And we, like Mary, must have faith, a faith that is meaningful, a faith that leads to commitment to the poor and the needy.

On August 15, the confreres in India also celebrate India’s Independence Day. Those of us in India need to relive the spirit of the “Tryst with Destiny” of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who addressed the nation on August 14, 1947. The following selection of the same speech still challenges us: “Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity….Freedom and power bring responsibility. It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. This is no time for petty and destructive criticism, no time for ill-will or blaming others. We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell.”

Rev. Fr Abraham Vettuvelil, our beloved Superior General, through his letter dated July 9, 2014, has already declared “Year-2015 as Year for Mission in our Congregation.” Father General’s vision for mission in some way implies the messages of the Solemnity of the Assumption and India’s Independence Day, which call for commitment to the poor and the marginalized. For Father General, the purpose of the Year for Mission is “to channelize our rich missionary energy to the poor, rural and frontier missions of the Congregation.” In the same vein Father General continues, “This is a year for all of us to think congregationally in merging our resources together and promoting our collective visibility as a missionary congregation at a time when we most need missionary dynamism.”

The primary mission, the most indispensable task of Religious life, is to make Christ known and loved. It is to make Jesus present to the world through an authentic personal witness, which is the flower of Christian life attained through an ongoing process of growing in conformity with Christ the poor, the chaste and the obedient. Mission is that task of making Jesus present in people’s lives, in their homes, in their places of work, in the web of their socio-economic existence. We are in mission by virtue of our religious consecration to which we bear witness in accordance with our charism inherited from our beloved Founder Fr Peter Mermier, a missionary religious par-excellence. For him, authentic religious life and missionary commitment meant to be inseparably related, like two sides of the same coin. From the time he was professor at Melan College, he felt very strongly attracted towards faraway mission lands. For instance, during his days at Rome, he devoted his leisure hours to the study of the geography of Malta Brun. He did it in order to inflame his missionary zeal, to be filled with the Spirit of God. “It has convinced me more than ever of the need to have missionaries who are filled with the Spirit of God, who pray, who study, who mortify themselves, who love their brethren and also the women religious who love our Lord and his holy Cross” (Jean Rey, Father Peter Mermier: Founder of the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales and of the Sisters of the Cross of Chavnod, Visakhapatnam: SFS Publications, 1980, p. 73).

During the forthcoming Year of Mission, let us pay heed to the very words of our Dear Founder by becoming persons led by the Spirit of God, who pray, study, and mortify. Then we will definitely be more loving persons whose mission will be to proclaim Jesus’ love to all.

Superior General Approves the Revised Provincial Statutes of the Province

I am very glad to inform you that Very Rev. Father Superior General has approved the revised Provincial Statutes of the province. I quote from the approval letter, “With the consent of the General Council, I gladly approve the Province Statutes of the North East India Province. May these Statutes provide guidelines for our confreres to live religious life, community life, and apostolic life in the spirit of our Constitutions, General Directory, and teaching of the Church and in the spirituality of St Francis de Sales and in the missionary dynamism of Father Peter Mermier”. I take this opportunity to thank all the members of the province, especially the members of the drafting committee, for their sincere effort in formulating the articles keeping in mind the particular context of Northeast India Province. The new Statutes will come into effect in the province from August 01, 2014.

Handing over of Responsibilities

At the handing over of responsibilities in our centres, during transfers, there will be two present as witnesses: one provincial councillor and Provincial Bursar / one member from the Finance Committee. Kindly ensure that handing over of charges is done properly as per the constitutional requirements.

Animation Programme for Local Bursars

There will be an Animation Programme for all Local Bursars of the Province on August 29, 2014, at our Provincial House, Narengi, convened by Fr Joseph Kannamangalath, and animated by experts invited by Fr Emmanuel Uppamthadathil.

Agreement with Archbishop of Guwahati

An agreement between the Archdiocese of Guwahati, through its Archbishop Most Rev. John Moolachira and the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales of Northeast India Province, through its Provincial Rev. Fr George Panthanmackel, on the modalities of entrusting the Inter-diocesan Philosophate at Bebejia, Nagoan, was signed on July 9, 2014, in the presence of Fr Emmanuel Uppamthadathil msfs, Fr Athnas Kerketta msfs, and of an Archdiocesan representative for a period of twenty years. The philosophate is expected to be functional from 2016, after the completion of the construction of the building. May I thank Archbishop and other member-bishops of the Regional Conference for their trust and confidence in the MSFS of the Northeast India Province, in entrusting the project to us.

Tentative Structure of Extended Apostolic Community Meeting

1.  Begins with Half an Hour Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament Animated by one of the Provincial councillors

2.  Meeting and Presentation of Reports from each Local Community (each Local Community may present an integrated report of 15-20 minutes followed by 10 minutes clarification = a total of 30 minutes. Each report contains the following: A brief account of community life, parish activities, school and boarding activities, Financial Statement)

3.  Free discussion and interaction for 30 minutes

4.  Concluded with Eucharistic celebration

Appointments and Transfers

  • Fr James Pezhathummootil is designated to be appointed Associate Priest at Sindukpathar and appointed Headmaster of SFS School, East Harina, Tripura, with effect from September 28, 2014.
  • Fr Daniel Chennala is designated for Pastoral Work in USA.
  • Fr Francis Huwn is designated for Southern African Region.
  • Fr James Madapallil, belonging to Southern African Region, is designated for German Course.

Additional Responsibilities

Ø  Fr Antony Avittapallil is appointed Editor of Province News-bulletin with effect from September 10, 2014.

Ø  Fr Pratap Kerketta is appointed Priest-Incharge of New centre at Bulburia, Tripura, with effect from September 28, 2014.

Advisory Committees

1.  Committee for Church Construction at Narengi

Fr Emmanuel Uppamthadathil (Convenor)

Fr Benoy Veliyath

Fr Joseph Kannamangalath

Fr Kurian Ovelil

Fr Shaibu Ezhanikatt

Fr Jose Karipadathu

Fr Stephen Marayikulam (Sr.)

Fr Shibu (George) Poovathunkal

2.  Committee for Planning and Development of Retreat Centres

Fr Reji Kizhakethalackal (Convenor)

Fr John Kuttikottayil

Fr Joby Kurikilamkattu

Constitution of Advisory Boards

May I request all Local Superiors, in consultation with the member/s of your communities and under the guidance of Fr Emmanuel Uppamthadathil, to constitute advisory boards in all our centres with participation from prominent citizens of locality so that they can be of assistance to you in your planning and development of the centres.

Results of BA Examinations of SFS College, Aalo, 2013-2014

The results of the BA examinations at SFS College (RGU Itanagar) have been announced. May I take this opportunity to appreciate and congratulate all our confreres and collaborators who are involved in the ministry of education at SFS College, Aalo.

Sl No. / No. of students Appeared / No. of students Passed / No. of Students Failed / Pass Percentage
I BA / 110 / 75 / 35 / 68%
II BA Pass Course / 35 / 20 / 15 / 58%
II BA Honours / 30 / 20 / 10 / 67%
III BA Pass Course / 19 / 17 / 2 / 89%
III BA Honours / 19 / 15 / 4 / 79%
Total / 213 / 147 / 66 / 69%

A Province that Prays Together Stays Together: Province Retreat Preached by Fr Joseph Pulloppillil

May I thank Fr Joseph Pulloppillil who preached the two Province-retreats: from June 30th to July 5th and from July 12th to 17th 2014 at MSFS Study House, Shillong. The zeal, commitment and personal conviction with which he preached the retreat will definitely enable all the participants to remain faithful to our specific vocation as Missionaries of St Francis de Sales. I would like to thank also all the participants of the retreats and the organizers of the retreats (Fr John Kuttikottayil the Rector of the MSFS Study House, Fr Praveen Kumbattu the Administrator of the House, Fr Joseph Kannamangalath the Provincial Bursar and all the confreres of the Provincial House) who facilitated the praying-together by the members of the Province. All those confreres, who were unable to participate in the retreats due to unavoidable circumstances, are requested to attend the next retreat arranged for the scholastics at the MSFS Study House, Shillong, in February 8-13, 2015

“Father’s Day” Celebrated at Yingkiong

Divine Mercy Parish, Yingkiong, celebrated the “Father’s Day” on June 22, 2014. The celebration began with the Holy Eucharist celebrated by Fr Daniel Lalmuanzela msfs and concelebrated by Fr. Jacob Raising msfs. The importance and speciality of the day was highlighted by Fr Jacob through his inspiring homily. During the homily he underlined the important role played by the fathers in the family by stating, “If the father of the family is good…then the family will be good, the church and the society as well….” A good number of fathers were present during the Holy Mass and some came from the nearby villages as well. Special felicitation programme was organised soon after the Mass in honour of the fathers. Beautiful dances and songs were presented by the youth and the mothers. Each of the fathers was presented with a gift by the women group to show love, respect and appreciation.