St. Andrew s Lutheran Church, Soucy Place, Centerville, VA MAJOR ARCHBISOP OF THE SYRO-MALABAR CHURCH. Upcoming Parish Events

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1 Volume 2 Issue 6 St. Jude Syro-Malabar Community of Northern Virginia (S M Mission of Greater Washington) Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago We gather for worship, Sunday school and other activities at JUNE St. Andrew s Lutheran Church, Soucy Place, Centerville, VA Weekly Mass: Sundays at 3:00 PM Sunday School: Sundays at 2:00 PM INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Director s Desk New to Our Parish Announcements & Thank You (s)! Calendar of Events Our Faith : Saints, Facts and Legends Promises to the Sacred Heart 5 Children, Summer Holidays And Building Self-Esteem Youth Gathering Updates 5 At your Service Advertisements HIS BEATITUDE MAR GEORGE ALENCHERRY MAJOR ARCHBISOP OF THE SYRO-MALABAR CHURCH It was with great joy that I came to learn that the Holy Spirit, working through the Syro-Malabar Bishops gathered in synod for the first time to elect a Major Archbishop, blessed us, the Syro-Malabar Church, by giving us Mar George Alencherry as our new Major Archbishop. Praised be God for His great gift to us. We pray as a Community that the Holy Spirit continue to bless the Major Archbishop with His Charismas, Gifts and Fruits so that he may be able to guide our church into becoming the true kingdom of God. Dark clouds are visible on the horizon. Let us strengthen him with our prayers that he be empowered to dispel all darkness with the power of the Spirit. His deep spirituality and broad knowledge, devotion to the church and simplicity of life, and winning personality and pleasant character will stand him in good stead, I believe, in leading the Syro-Malabar Church into a united church of great faith and love for one another, a church of true faith and peace. JUNE: THE MONTH OF SPECIAL BLESSINGS From the Director s Desk For the Northern Virginia Community, June is the month of a torrential outpouring of Divine Grace. The Renewal Retreat of the first weekend is a time of spiritual preparation for us in becoming an independent Mission. The next weekend (June 12) is the Feast of the Pentecost, the feast of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and of the official inauguration of the Church. As a young Community, the Feast of the Pentecost reminds us of our great need of the Holy Spirit as we come into existence as a new Mission. The next weekend (June 19) is the feast of the Holy Trinity. As a Community, we are to be modeled on the Holy Trinity. And the ultimate goal of our life, work, and mission is for the glory of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And the weekend of June 26 is so very special to us. It is the Feast of the Precious Body and Blood of Christ. It is on that day, our Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath is expected to declare the Northern Virginia Community as an independent Mission and administer the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Confirmation to a number of our children. It is a time of Community celebration for the many different ways God blesses our Community. Sanctified by the Holy Spirit, we have been given the grace of being members of God s own family and being nourished by the Body and Blood of Jesus Himself. June is for us a month of special thanksgiving and praising God for His ineffable favors and gifts. It is also the time of a deep awareness of our obligations and responsibilities. We have to become witnesses and messengers of God s infinite love and favors to us. It is our mission. Mission Director: Fr. Mathew Punchayil ( ) Trustees: Jilson Joseph ( ) Regi Alexander ( ) Fr. Mathew Punchayil (Mission Director) Upcoming Parish Events Bishop Jacob Angadiath Visiting our Community On 26th June, our Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath of St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago, will be visiting our Community to administer the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Confirmation to children of our Community. Come join us in these celebrations at 2 pm on 26th June at St. Andrew s Lutheran Church, Centreville, VA.

2 Volume 2 Issue 6 St. Jude Syro-Malabar Community of Northern Virginia Page 2 N E W T O T H E P A R I S H We extend a warm welcome to all our new members! Please contact the trustees or any council member if you have any questions. Do also reach out to them to understand how to get involved and become active members in the parish. To receive updates about our community and apply for membership, please join our group at : For up-to-date information, please visit community calendar at L o o k i n g f o r W a y s t o C o n t r i b u t e The church is proposing to buy a sound system to be used during our weekly Mass. If you wish to sponsor in anyway and help the church buy a sound system as a well wisher or an active member of our parish please do contact our Trustees. If you wish to donate to church or contribute to church for any specific reason or even have Mass Intentions, please contact the Trustees or Council members. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and would be used towards introducing new activities or improving existing activities for kids, youth, choir etc. In addition we are always in need of volunteers especially in the areas highlighted below: Altar Service: The church is seeking volunteers for altar service. If you are interested in becoming an Altar Server, please contact Mr. George Parappurath ( ) for further information. Lectors: If you would like to be a reader at Sunday Masses, please contact Mr. George Manalel ( ) for further information. Music Ministry: Do you love to sing? Come, get acquainted with a great group of adults and kids. Have some fun! No prior experience required. Please contact Mr. Shaju Joseph ( ) for further information. Malayalam Classes: Proud to be a Malayalee? Come, help us teach our kids Malayalam this summer. Contact Mr. Tomy Paul ( ) for further information. Fellowship and Refreshments: Coffee and light refreshments will be served each week after the Holy Mass to give everyone an opportunity to meet and greet fellow parishioners. To sponsor refreshments for our community, please contact Mr. Sajith Thoppil ( ). Parish Bulletin: We encourage you to contribute to our parish bulletin by way of articles, stories, or reflections and bring your talent to the limelight. If you have one ready to publish or are planning to work on one, please contact Mr. Charles Thomas ( ). Advertising in the Parish bulletin: For advertising space in the parish bulletin, please call or R e a c h o u t t o o u r C o u n c i l m e m b e r s Bejoy Thomas Charles Thomas George Alex George Manalel George Parappurath Jimmy Jose Johnson Myalil Jose Thomas Joseph Jacob Joshy Joseph Rani James Sajith Thoppil Saju Thomas Shaju Joseph Sujith Abraham Teji Manalel

3 Volume 2 Issue 6 St. Jude Syro-Malabar Community of Northern Virginia Page 3 Sunday Readings June 5, First Reading : Acts 1: Second Reading : 1 Peter 4 : Gospel : John 17 : 1-11a June 12, First Reading : Acts 2 : 1-11 Second Reading : 1 Corinthians 12 : 3b-7, Gospel : John 20 : June 19, First Reading : Exodus 34 : 4b-6, 8-9 Second Reading : 2 Corinthians 13 : Gospel : John 3 : June 26, First Reading : Deuteronomy 8 : 2-3, 14b-16a Second Reading : 1 Corinthians 10 : Gospel : John 6 : A c c o u n t I n f o r m a t i o n M o n t h o f M A Y Sunday Collections : $1587 Sound System Contributions : $ 500 Total Collection Amount: $ 2087 For more information contact Mr Jojo Mathew ( ). All your financial contributions to the parish are tax deductible and hence, in order to receive acknowledgment for your contributions at the end of the fiscal year, please make your contributions by check payable to Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission of GW:NVC or if you are contributing in cash, please enclose it in a sealed envelope with your mailing address. Thank You The members of St. Jude Syro - Malabar Catholic Community of Northern Virginia expresses their sincere gratitude to Rev. Fr. Matthew Punchayil, Rev. Fr. Joseph Elamparayil and Rev. Fr. Anthony Mannarkulam for celebrating Holy Mass and homilies and also for their spiritual guidance for the month of May. C a l e n d a r o f E v e n t s July 3, Charles Thomas Dukhrana August 14, Celebration of the Feast of Assumption of Our Lady and Independence Day September 11, September 17, October 30, December 3, 10, 17, December 25, January 7, 2012 Onam Celebrations Parish Picnic Celebration of St. Jude s Feast and Parish Day celebration Christmas Carols Christmas Mass Christmas and New Year Celebration E d i t o r i a l B o a r d Sismi Menachery Refreshments: Special thanks to the parishioners from Aldie and South Riding area for setting up the refreshments and cleaning for the month of May. All parishioners from Centreville and Herndon area are requested to volunteer this month. Congratulations We wish to congratulate Rajesh V Joy and Neena Paskal who have been blessed with a baby girl - Alicia Maria Joy on 4th May Proud Sister: Angelin Maria Joy Article Submission Deadline : The deadline for submitting articles and announcements for the bulletin for the month of July is 21st July. If you have questions, please contact Mr. Charles Thomas ( ). A big Thank you to all the contributors for this month. Dilip Vadakkoot Neena Mathew Smitha Regi Sony Kuruvilla June Bulletin edited by Dilip Vadakkoot

4 Volume 2 Issue 6 St. Jude Syro-Malabar Community of Northern Virginia Page 4 Our Faith : Saints, Facts and Legends - FR. Joseph Elamparayil, OCD St. Paul wrote: You are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19). As members of the Catholic Church, we are members of the family of saints. One of the many ways of knowing our family of faith is to know the stories of our saints. St. Ambrose said: The life of the saints is the norm of life for all others. Stories of saints are often fascinating for all, especially for the children. This column is prepared for our beloved children in our community. Dear boys and girls, you may learn the ABCs of our faith by reading Our Faith: Saints, Facts, and Legends. Always ask questions about saints. Save this page and memorize the fascinating facts about saints for an annual Quiz. Remember, great prizes are saved for the Winners. OFL8: Blessed Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan The first half of her life, Mariam Thresia was called "Thresia," the name given to her when she was baptized on May 3, She wanted to be called Mariam Thresia since she believed that she was asked to add Mariam to her name by the Blessed Virgin Mary in a vision. And so it was as Mariam Thresia that she was professed in 1914, the foundress and the first member of the Congregation of the Holy Family. Mariam Thresia was born on in April 1876, the daughter of Thoma and Thanda Chiramel Mankidiyan in the village of Puthenchira, Trichur District, Kerala. Though once a rich and noble family with extensive property, the family became poorer and poorer as Thresia s grandfather married away seven daughters, one after the other, selling the property to pay for each costly dowry. Such was the family background in which the future pioneer of the Family Apostolate was born. The third of five children, two boys and three girls, Thresia grew up in piety and holiness under the loving guidance of her saintly mother Thanda. As she wrote later in her Autobiography (a small document of hardly six pages written under obedience to her spiritual father), from early childhood Thresia was moved by an intense desire to love God. She fasted four times a week and prayed the Rosary several times a day. Seeing her so thin at eight years of age, Thanda tried to dissuade Thresia from her severe fasts and night vigils. But Thresia wanted to be like the suffering Christ. When Thresia was only twelve, her mother died, which was also the end of her elementary school education. She was now set on a long search to discern her own vocation in life. In her love for Jesus, Thresia wanted to be like him in his toil and apostolate. She and three companions formed a group of prayer and of apostolate. They placed their trust in the help of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. In 1903 Mariam Thresia requested her bishop s permission to build a prayer house of solitude, but Mar John Menachery, the Vicar Apostolic of Trichur, decided to test her vocation. He suggested to her to consider joining the newly founded Congregation of the Franciscan Clarists, but she did not think that she was called to it. Finally, in 1913 Mar Menachery permitted Thresia to build a prayer house and sent his secretary to bless it. Her three companions joined her soon. They led a life of prayer and austere penance like hermits but continued to visit the sick and help the poor and the needy irrespective of religion or caste. On May 14,1914 the bishop accepted their house and named it the Congregation of the Holy Family. Mariam Thresia's three companions were enrolled as postulants in the new Congregation, and she was appointed its first Superior. Today the Congregation of the Holy Family has more than 2000 professed Sisters, serving in Kerala, in the mission areas of North India, in Germany, Italy, and Ghana, with a total of 176 houses in 7 provinces and 119 novices. Thresia received several mystical gifts like prophecy, healing, aura of light, sweet odor, frequent ecstasies and levitations. On Fridays people used to gather to see Mariam Thresia lifted high and hanging in the form of a crucifix on the wall of her room. She also bore the stigmata. Perhaps to help her keep humble amidst such mystical favors, the Lord let her be tormented by diabolical attacks almost all through her life. She was repeatedly submitted to exorcism between 1902 and 1905 by Fr. Vithayathil. She also had to fight temptations particularly against faith and chastity and she passed through the dark night of the soul. From 1902 until her death she opened her heart fully and confidently to Fr. Vithayathil and followed his advice. Of her existing letters fifty-three out of fifty-five are addressed to him seeking advice and spiritual guidance. Mother Mariam Thresia died on June 8, After her death the fame of Mariam Thresia spread as she continued from heaven to help the sick and the needy through miraculous favors. On June 28, 1999 the Congregation for the Causes of Saints promulgated a decree stating that the Servant of God Mariam Thresia had practiced Christian virtues heroically, and so she was entitled to be called Venerable. In his homily during the beatification of Marian Thresia on Sunday, April 9, 2000, Pope John Paul II said: From childhood, Mariam Thresia Mankidiyan knew instinctively that God s love for her demanded a deep personal purification. Committing herself to a life of prayer and penance, Sr Mariam Thresia's willingness to embrace the Cross of Christ enabled her to remain steadfast in the face of frequent misunderstandings and severe spiritual trials. The patient discernment of her vocation eventually led to the foundation of the Congregation of the Holy Family, which continues to draw inspiration from her contemplative spirit and love of the poor. Convinced that God will give eternal life to those who convert sinners and bring them to the right path (Letter 4 to her Spiritual Father), Sr Mariam devoted herself to this task by her visits and advice, as well as by her prayers and penitential practice. Through Bl. Mariam Thresia s intercession, may all consecrated men and women be strengthened in their vocation to pray for sinners and draw others to Christ by their words and examples. NB: Pls do share your suggestions regarding this article for our children with Fr. Joseph at jelampara@yahoo.com/

5 Volume 2 Issue 6 St. Jude Syro-Malabar Community of Northern Virginia Page 5 Promises to the Sacred heart - Roslyn Tomy The Month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which represents Christ's love for mankind, is very widespread in the Roman Catholic Church. Thus, as Catholics let us observe June as a month of special devotion to the Sacred Heart by leading a life of prayer, devotion and reflection. The devotion to the Sacred Heart became more popular after St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun, had a personal revelation involving a series of visions of Christ as she prayed before the Blessed Sacrament. Beginning on December 27, 1673, through 1675, Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and gave twelve promises for those devoted to His Most Sacred Heart. They are as follows: Promises for those devoted to the Sacred Heart: 1. "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life." 2. "I will establish peace in their homes." 3. "I will comfort them in their afflictions." 4. "I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death." 5. "I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings." 6. "Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy." 7. "Tepid souls shall grow fervent." 8. "Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection." 9. "I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored." 10. "I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts." 11. "Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out." 12. "I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment." This month, we can think about all these promises and find a way to receive special blessings from our Lord. Most of us have a picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in our homes. The special devotion to the Sacred Heart will restore the family to Christ because the family is putting Our Lord and His interests first. In return, the Sacred Heart takes over the interests of the family. Our Lord himself has promised that He will bless and sanctify those families who crown him as King. We know God loved us, still loves us, and will forever love us. In return, he wants us to love him with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. Well, we cannot love God without praying. Thus, we cannot love our neighbor without prayers too. Let us all take prayer as our important work as Christians and spend some extra time with the devotion to the Sacred Heart this month! Youth gathering updates We had the second youth get together on Saturday, 21st May,. We had two youth leaders, Jubin Joseph and Melvin Paul from Baltimore who joined us on this day. We had a session on philosophy by Dr. Francis. He also pointed us towards the idea of using reasoning to find God. The interactive sessions included, answering questions like "Why I believed in God?" to a non believer. We ordered pizza again and this time onwards we decided to get participation from Youth for food, with the idea of making this get together more self sustainable. We will be planning our next get together on the second Sunday of June along with the youth mass with the idea that it will be easier for parents to bring their children. More details about the gathering in June will follow via . Children, Summer Holidays and Building Self-Esteem - Smitha Regi Most of us with school aged children look forward to June with a sense of excitement and alarm. School closes, the pools open and the summer stretches ahead with no end in sight! A quick vacation here and there and we are back to the normal grind of the early drop offs at camp and rushing back to work. This summer, let us change the pace a little and try and work on building our children s self esteem. Why is this important you may ask? All children need a sense of belonging to help build their self-esteem. Self-esteem is the value we place on ourselves. It is the feeling we have about all the things we see ourselves to be. It is the knowledge that we are lovable, we are capable, and we are unique. And as parents, we hold the biggest responsibility in shaping our children s selfworth. So where do we start? Begin with building family ties. Spending time with grand parents, aunts and uncles and countless cousins are all things that we enjoyed during our childhood. Our children get a glimpse of family maybe a couple of weeks a year. Let s stretch that as much as possible. Go visit them, invite them over, and in short, do whatever works for your family. Next is building community ties. Our little community in Northern Virginia offers us a sense of community like never before in fact it s our extended family. Knowing they belong to a community allows children to have pride in their family s ethnic and religious background and allows them to appreciate our heritage much more. So reach out to families in our parish plan a prayer night, a play date or a barbecue night. It s the getting together that matters. When we help build our children s self worth, know that we are developing and maintaining our own. So this works for children and adults alike. So here s to a summer filled with love, laughter and strengthening our family and community ties...

6 V o l u m e 2 I s s u e 6 St. Jude Syro-Malabar Community of Northern Virginia P a g e 6 CUSTOM BUILD KITCHEN CABINETS & GRANITES Basement Finishing, Home Theater, Remodeling and Addition. Contact Mr.Tony Palack (Babu)