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March 20, 2018Dear Fr. Larry, Mrs. Shawn, Church & School Staff, School children, St. Joseph’s Church Community and all benefactors who generously take care of us,
Wish you all a great day in the name of Jesus!
With immense joy, gratitude and love we like to share with you some events/news/happenings of our Sacred Heart Parish, Kundukulam.
School News
Christmas celebration
Christmas is a time to give and forgive. The children of the both Primary and High School celebrated their Christmas function in a fascinating way. A special assembly of the little children was held in both school grounds premises singing “We wish you a merry Christmas…” filled the air with festivity attracted more people walking on the road. Little Santa made a grand entry and gave adorable poses to click. The delight was uncontained especially as gifts, chocolates were given and Santa’s disco dance was the highlight of the day in both schools. The Chief Guest Mr. Michael, the Head Teacher of the neighbouring Middle School spoke for the High School students. He delivered an excellent speech on ‘how to make your life happy and joyful’ which included jokes and stories. The children enjoyed his speech. In the primary School the former local village President was a guest and he gave a nice talk for the little children. Finally the Santa arrived got a heavy applause among the children and he distributed sweets to the little ones and made them happy with his disco dance. (the Pictures were sent already)
Pongal Celebration
On 16 th On January, 2018 the High School Children celebrated their native Pongal day. It is a thanksgiving festival, widely celebrated in Tamilnadu State of India at the end of the harvest season. It is a way of expressing gratitude to the sun, soil, water and the oxen. Pongal is a sweet dish prepared from rice and jiggery with other ingredients like some nuts & spices. Once Pongal is cooked, it is removed from the stove and a prayer is said and then served to people. Unfortunately for the last two years due to shortage of rain the farmers were not able to celebrate it joyfully yet they render their gratitude to God by offering Pongal.
In the High School, the celebration was kicked off with a Pongal message by grade 8 th student. After Pongal was prepared, cultural programme was performed by grade 6 th and 7 th students. One of the teachers spoke of the significance of Pongal. The girls took active part in cooking Pongal as they have learnt it from their mums. The sweet Pongal prepared was offered with lunch to the students. Sugarcane was distributed to students by the village people as their contribution. In the Primary School the little ones were very enthusiastic in celebrating Pongal by singing and dancing distributing sweets and sugarcanes. The Pongal was prepared by the Noon-Meal scheme organizers. Grade V student gave a speech on ‘Pongal- a thanksgiving festival’. The Correspondent Fr. Britto congratulated Schools Head Teachers, staff and the students for organizing Pongal festival making the children happy and joyful. (See the pictures sent)
Republic Day Celebration
All the citizens of India celebrate the nation’s Republic day a gazetted holiday on January 26 th each year. It is a day to remember when India’s Constitution came into force on January 26, 1950, completing the country’s transition toward becoming an independent republic.
The 69th Republic Day was celebrated with patriotic fervour and gaiety in the High School. The celebrations commenced with the customary unfurling of the national flag followed by the National Anthem. Students pledged their allegiance to the flag and promised to carry their nation to greater heights and achieve success in various walks of life. The Chief Guest urged the students to maintain the dignity and glory of the country by working together to eradicate all social evils. In the primary School the celebrations began with a special assembly during which a few cultural items were presented by the students. Students were awarded with certificates. The Chief Guest motivated the students to initiate the change they wish to bring with a sense of responsibility and awareness towards their rights.
Parish News
There were three feasts in three sub-stations celebrated solemnly by the villagers during the months of January and February, 2018.
Feast of St.Sebastian at Villicherry (a sub-station)
The Villicherry village is situated 6 miles away from the Parish. The feast was celebrated on 28 th January evening with a solemn mass in which three priests concelebrated. It was attended by a large number of faithful including the relatives of the local people who mainly come to attend the feast expressing their solidarity with them. The colourful beginning is marked by stunning fireworks and melodious native music. The major attraction of St.Sebastian feast is the ceremonial procession of devotees carrying the graceful statue of St.Sebastian in all the three streets of the village. The villagers clean the streets and decorate their homes in order to respect the Saint who is always present there to guard and protect them. After the car procession they had their cultural programmes organized by the youth, both boys and girls. They preformed dances, enacted dramas and sang songs to entertain the devotees.
Feast of St. John De Britto at Itticherry Village (a Sub-station)
The feast of St. John De Britto was celebrated at Itticherry village situated 2 kms away from the parish Church. It was a solemn mass concelebrated by five priests on the 4 th of January. The local villagers organized the festival in a grand manner. The Church was decorated with colourful lights and illuminations that time. The high light of the feast was the colourful car procession which goes around almost all the streets of the village with a good number of faithful lining up for the procession carrying the decorated statue of their patron Saint John de Britto. At the end of the procession the village youth had organized the cultural programme consisting of dances, and songs and mono acting etc.
Feast of Our lady of Lourdes at Veeramangalam ( a sub-station)
Veeramangalam is a small village situated 10 miles away from the main Parish Church.
Hundreds of Faithful gathered to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes in the village of Veeramangalam on 10 th February, Saturday, 2018. The Church was decorated beautifully by the village organizing committee. After the solemn High Mass celebrated with four concelebrants, the car procession began carrying the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes into the decorated streets of Veeramangalam village. The beauty of the feast was the presence of many Hindu devotees who came to venerate Mother Mary from the neighbourhood.
Vincent de Paul Society
The Vincent de Paul Society at Kundukulam Parish is trying its best to organize members to render possible helps for the poor and needy. They do their routine work of visiting the sick, praying for their welfare and guiding them on both spiritual and temporal matters. On January 28th Sunday during the mass the Vincent de Paul Society distributed helps to three School children who were not able to pay their school fees and six adopted families who got some help to buy rice etc. In addition seventeen persons chosen from all the sub-stations were given a loan to buy a goat/sheep. Thus this year 26 beneficiaries received benefits. The Parish priest and the people of the parish really appreciated the service done by the Vincent de Paul Society members. They all remembered the visit of Shawn last year and expressed their gratitude and love and conveyed their wish of expecting Shawn’s visit over here again. They are ever grateful to the Community of St. Joseph’s Moorhead.
Kodimangalam Project:- Catching the eyes of the Neighbourhood
The construction of St. Sebastian’s Church at Kodimangalam is marching towards its completion soon. We are very grateful to you all for having helped us to continue its work which was stopped for nearly 2 years due to financial limitation and the diocese and others helped us maximum. But it still needs 4000 to 5000 US dollars to complete. The faithful are praying for the completion of their Church. They are very simple affectionate spiritual people who are really longing for the wish to be fulfilled: - the long awaiting entry into the new church built. They were really boosted up after the visit of Shawn to their place and trusting and thanking the community of Moorhead for its marvellous helps rendered.
Finally we thank you all for your kindness and generosity shown always towards these poor souls and assure you all of our daily prayers, rosary. You are remembered in our masses offered. Requesting your love and prayers. God bless you all!
Fr. Dr. John Britto Michael