M e s s a g e F r o m F r. T i j o M u l l a k k a r a

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1 October 2012 St. Andrew s Lutheran Church, Soucy Place, Centerville, VA Weekly Mass: Sundays at 3:00 PM INSIDE THIS ISSUE -Message from Fr. Tijo Mullakkara 1 Dear Saint Jude Family, Sunday School: Sundays at 1:50 PM M e s s a g e F r o m F r. T i j o M u l l a k k a r a Praise Jesus our Lord and our Savior! Happy Feast! -Bible Quiz 2 Catechism Updates - Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath -Parish News & Events Mission Director: Fr. Tijo Mullakkara ( ) Trustees: Jilson Joseph ( ) Regi Alexander ( ) Paul Pottanat ( ) New to Parish 5 -Parish Council Contacts -Prayer Meeting schedule 6 Announcements & Thank you 7 -At your Service Advertisements 8 We celebrate the feast of our patron, Saint Jude. I d like to thank all the presudentees for their support for the Thirunnal. May Saint Jude intercede for them and their intentions. It is also the month of Holy Rosary. Blessed John Paul the Great always told that Rosary was most favorite personal devotion. I d recommend every family to pray the Rosary together every day. Remember the famous dictum A family that prays together stays together. Last month we were discussing about true devotion. The whole discussion was based on the great spiritual master Saint Francis de Sales. I d recommend Saint Jude family to journey with Saint Francis to the true devout life. If you try to do what Saint Francis shows us, that would substantially improve our spiritual life and relation with God. According to him, the first step to grow toward true devotion is purification. The first purification to be made is from sin, through the Sacrament of Penance. All of us need to confess our sins regularly, at least once a month. We need to seek a place or a confessor who would hear our confession. Jesus preached Repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1: 15). Before we arrive for the sacrament of penance, we need to do an examination of conscience. There are many booklets available to help us for examination of conscience. If you just browse the internet, you would find so many. We should not go for confession without due preparation and examination of conscience. If we have a tendency of forgetting soon, we should write down our sins. Examination of conscience should help us to find the evil spots in our soul, mind and body. We wouldn t find any without the help of the Holy Spirit. Then we have to reject sin with the greatest abhorrence with four things in our mind: that by sin we have lost God s Grace, rejected our share in Paradise, accepted the pains of Hell, and renounced God s eternal love. What happens to most of us in the first step of purification? We confess without due preparation, or we don t have any contrition, or we intend to go again to the same sins or sinful occasions, or have no intention of amending our lives. If we have done confessions like these, Saint Francis recommends a general confession (confession of all the sins of our whole life). Such a preparation would lead us to clearer self-knowledge, kindle shame for our past life and rouse gratitude for God s mercy which comforts the heart and refreshes the spirit. So the first step Saint Francis de Sales requires us to do is a serious general confession with due preparation and contrition. Sincerely yours in Christ Jesus Tijo Achan

2 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 2 Winner of the Bible Quiz for the month of September - Angelina Cherian Congratulations!!! Here is the quiz for the month of October. Please bring your answers to the church and put them in the Quiz Box 1. How many donkeys were gifted to Jacob by Joseph? 2. The seven fat cows ate the seven sleek cows - True or False? 3. Who pleaded with Jacob to send Benjamin back with them? 4. What is the other name for Goren-ha-Atad? 5. Who said 'And let there be no upsets on the way'? 6. Who was Joseph's father-in-law? 7. How long did it take for Jacob's body to be embalmed? 8. What word means 'God has made me completely forget my hardships and my father's House'? 9. Who was blessed by the right hand of Jacob? 10. Joseph promised his brothers that they would live in the region of along with their children and grandchildren 11. Who defiled Jacob's bed? 12. Who accused the brothers of Jacob of not listening to him and harming Joseph? 13. How many years did Jacob live in Egypt? 14. Who were accused of being spies by Joseph? 15. How many members of Jacob's family came with him to Egypt? 16. Benjamin was given and 5 changes of clothes 17. Whom did Joseph take as prisoner while asking the other brothers to fetch their youngest brother? 18. Joseph's brothers mentioned their occupation as 'shepherds' to the Pharaoh - True or False? 19. Four-Fiths of harvest belonged to the land owner whereas one-fifth of the harvest belonged to? 20. How many sons of Joseph's brother Judah migrate to Egypt with him? SUNDAY SCHOOL UPDATES Hint: This Month s questions are from Genesis Chapters Sunday school classes for year started on September 9th. All children between the ages of 2-18 are required to attend the Sunday school. In addition to the Sunday school classes, the below classes are also started. Holy Communion and Confirmation Classes. Malayalam Language Classes. Registration is still open. If you have not yet registered your children for this year, please do so at your earliest. Sunday School details below: Schedule: on Sundays from September 9, 2012 May12, 2013 in the Church. Grades Offered: K3 7th and Youth Syllabus / Text Book: Faith First Legacy Series Book / Material Cost (one time per year, due at registration): $50 for first child, $25 for each additional child. $10 for K3 students (ages 2 and 3) Class Timing: Sunday school: 1.50 pm 3.00 pm Holy Communion/Confirmation Class: 4.30 pm 5.30 pm Malayalam Language Class: 4.30 pm 5.30 pm We need more volunteers for the Sunday School. If you would like to contribute your time as a Sunday school teacher, please let us know. Contacts: Tomy Paul , Jereesh Jose

3 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 3 St. JUDE Community Welcomes Archbishop Mar ANDREWS THAZHATH Hearty welcome to Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath to Saint Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission, Northern Virginia. Archbishop Andrews is the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trichur and the President of Kerala Catholic Bishop s Conference (KCBC) and the Steering committee member of the Catholic Bishop s Conference of India (CBCI). We are blessed to have His Grace come here and visit us. Archbishop Andrews Thazhath was born at Pudukkad, Trichur on 13th December After having completed school education at Pudukkad and priestly formation at St. Mary's Minor Seminary, Trichur and St. Joseph's Pontifical Seminary, Aluva, he was ordained priest at Nandikkara for the Eparchy of Trichur on 14th March He holds Bachelor's degree in Theology (B.D.) from Aluva and Doctor's degree in the Eastern Canon Law (DOCL) from the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome. He served the Eparchy as Asst. Parish Priest, Parish Priest, Prefect of the Minor Seminary, Secretary, Vice-Chancellor and Chancellor of the Eparchial Curia, Rector of Dolours Basilica and Adj. Judicial Vicar and Judge of the Eparchial Tribunal. On 7th August 2003 Pope John Paul II conferred on him the honor of Papal Chamberlain. He was nominated the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Trichur and titular Bishop of the Aptuca on 19th March 2004 by Pope John Paul II when he was serving as the President of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Ordinary Tribunal of Ernakulam - Angamaly, the Syncellus of the Archeparchy, the Working Chairman and Managing Director of Jeevan Telecasting Corporation and the President of the Oriental Canon Law Society of India. He was ordained Bishop by H.G. Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy on the 1 st of May 2004 at Lourde's Metropolitan Cathedral, Trichur. He was nominated the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trichur succeeding Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy on 22nd January 2007 and was installed to the office on 18th March 2007 by his Beatitude Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil. In December 2010 Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath was elected as the President of Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC). October 2012 October 6 Calendar of Events Month of Most Holy Rosary St. Jude Novena starts in family units. Saint Anthony, pray for us! October 7 October 7 October 20 October 28 November 4 Celebrate Mass with Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath Perunnal Kodi Uyarthal English Choir Practice under guidance from Fr.Palakal Parish Thirunnal Feast of St. Jude Feast of All Saints ( organized by All Saints family unit) I thank God, for finding a lost item, through the intercession of St. Antony. -Roslyn Tomy

4 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 4 PARISH EVENTS ST. ALPHONSA FEAST: On July 29 th, the parishioners of St. Alphonsa ward celebrated St. Alphonsa feast with a procession and gathering after the mass. The girls dressed up as St. Alphonsa when she was growing up. The mass and homily were centered on St. Alphonsa's life. Thanks to all the ward members for making this a big success. NEW KIDS MINISTRIES With the aim of involving our little ones, three new kid s ministries were inaugurated by our mission director Fr. Tijo Mullakkara during the JINKLS retreat on September 22 nd. These are: 1) Angel s Army (for kids below the age of 5 years) 2) Little Flower Children (for kids from ages 6-9 years) 3) Marian Boys and Girls (for kids from ages years) Kids will be registered to these ministries and given a medal/identity pin.the Kid s ministry team will be sending out more information on this in the weeks to follow. ST. JUDE SEVENS SOCCER TOURNAMENT: Our church's first soccer tournament was held during the weekend of Sep 16th. This mega fun event was a huge success with active participation from everyone - from the big bellied soccer players to the tiny tots cheering for their dads! To add to the festive environment, the women's group (WINGS - Women In God's Spirit) served some delicious treats, enjoyed by the young and the old alike.. Special congratulations to the winners of St. Jude Sevens Soccer Tournament "Avial United"!! PARISH PICNIC : St. Jude Syro Malabar Family celebrated its third annual picnic on September 29. A total of 186 parish members got together at Bull Run Park in Centreville and spent the day engaging in different group games and fellowship. Thanks to all the volunteers that contributed food items and helped with grilling and entertainment.

5 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 5 On October 7th, Sunday, we celebrate Holy Mass with Archbishop Mar Celebrate Mass with Archbishop Andrews Thazhath as the main celebrant. The Mass is scheduled in the Morning 9:30 am at Boyd school. After the Mass there is an opportunity for our Children and Parents to talk with the Archbishop and ask questions regarding our Syro-Malabar Catholic identity. St. Jude Novena in Family Units In October month, St. Jude Novena will be held instead of the ward meetings on same schedule except below changes. 14th Sunday - Tysons corner ward 1 and 2 21st Sunday - Fairfax and Chantilly ward will join South Riding/Aldie wards. Choir Practice On October 20th Saturday 9 till afternoon : be prepared for the English Choir practice under the guidance of Fr. Palakal. He composed the music for the songs we use in Qurbana. All children and adult choir members are welcome. Exact time and place will be announced later. Church Thirunnal Festal greetings! Highlights for the month of October 2.45 : Holy Qurbana 4.15: Novena 4.30: Procession, Nercha, Chendamelam pm : Ganamela and prize distribution Hearty Welcome on October 28 for the celebration of Feast of Saint Jude. All Saints Day Celebrations On November 4th, All Saints Ward (South Riding/Aldie) will be celebrating the All Saints Day. New To The Parish 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 become the member of the parish, please register with the church. The Registration forms are available at the church and also can be downloaded from our church website: and submit it to frtijojoy@gmail.com or handover directly to Tijoachan. 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? If you wish to donate to church 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. Sergin John ( ) for further information. Lectors: If you would like to be a reader at Sunday Masses, please contact Mrs. Rinsy Jimmy ( ) 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. Catechism Classes: If you wish to enroll your child or volunteer for teaching, please contact Mr. Tomy Paul ( ). Fellowship and Refreshments: To sponsor refreshments for our community, please contact Mr. Sajith Thoppil ( ). Parish Bulletin: If you wish to contribute to our parish bulletin by way of articles, stories, or reflections, please contact Mrs.Shyla Joseph ( ). Advertising in the Parish Bulletin: For advertising space in the parish bulletin, contact Mr. Charles( ).

6 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page PARISH COUNCIL C O U N C I L M E M B E R S Fr. Tijo Mullakkara Paul Pottanat Jilson Joseph Regi Perimchellor Sujith Abraham Jojo Joseph Tomy Paul Rony Thomas Smitha Regi Joseph Ayoorkaran Sajith Thoppil Shaju Joseph Shyla Joseph Vinson Palathingal Antony Kalikka Dilip Vadakkot George Manalel Regi Jose Justin Jose Jereesh Jose Pushpa Andrews Amit Antony Thomas Thomas Jimmy Jose Jose Thomas SPECIAL OFFICES Johnson Myalil Saju Thomas & Sojan Alex & MINISTRIES Sergin John Joseph Jacob Rinsy Jimmy Marriage Preparation Courses The upcoming Marriage Preparation Courses: Date: Oct 26-28, 2012 Location: Mar Thoma Sleeha Cathedral, Chicago Contact: Fr. Joy Alapatt - joyalappat@gmail.com (201) ********************************************* Date: Nov 09-11, 2012 Location: St. Mary s Syro-Malabar Church, NY Contact: Fr. Ligory Johnson - kattiakaran@yahoo.com * Family Units Meeting Schedule 1st Saturday - St.Alphonsa Ward (Gainesville) and St.Thomas Ward (Centreville) 1st Sunday - St.Aloysious ward (Ashburn and Leesburg ) 2nd Saturday - St.Antony ward (Herndon 1) and St.Joseph ward (Herndon 2) October 14th - Perpetual Help ward (Tysons 1) and St. Sebastian (Tysons2) 3rd Saturday - St.George ward (Woodbridge) and St.Marys ward (Alexandra, Arlington) 3rd Sunday - All Saints ward (South Riding and Aldie) October 21 - Sunday - Little flower ward (Chantilly) and Sacred Heart ward (Fairfax) * St. Jude Novena will be held instead of ward meetings Charity Wing St.Jude church is starting a new charity wing this month. Currently we are looking for of good ideas for our charity. Please forward your ideas to sherly1810@gmail.com

7 S t. J u d e S y r o - M a l a b a r C h u r c h O f N o r t h e r n V i r g i n i a Page 7 The Season of Elijah-Cross-Moses This season (Sep 2 to Nov 3) points to the second coming of our Lord and the ultimate success of the cross. The main themes during this period are, the end of the world, death and the last judgment. This season exhorts us to be always alert against the temptations of the devil and to eradicate sin from our lives. Sunday Readings October 7, 2012 First Reading : Gn 2:18-24 Second Reading Heb 2: 9-11 Gospel : Mk 10: 2-16 October 14, 2012 First Reading : Wis 7:7-11 Second Reading : Heb 4: Gospel : Mk 10: October 21, 2012 First Reading : Is 53: Second Reading : Heb 4: Gospel : Mk 10: October 28, 2012 First Reading : Jer 31: 7-9 Second Reading : Heb 5: 1-6 Gospel : Mk 10: E D I T O R I A L B O A R D Shyla Joseph Sony Kuruvilla Binochan Pavu Asha Tony Jophy Jose A c c o u n t I n f o r m a t i o n - S e p t e m b e r T o t a l C o l l e c t i o n : $7049 Faith Direct: $4935 (Land & Building : $1990; Offertory:$2945) Sunday Collections: $2114 (Land & Building: $700; Offertory:$1414) For more information contact Mr. Jojo Mathew ( ). All your financial contributions to the parish are tax deductible. It s highly recommended to change your mode of contribution to Faith Direct. Faith Direct: Those who have not registered with Faith Direct so far, Please visit to sign up today: our parish code is VA492. Faith Direct enables us to make our church contributions to direct debit to your checking account. A weekly offering of $25 is recommended towards Land & Building fund. T h a n k y o u The members of St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Church of Northern Virginia expresses their sincere gratitude to Rev. Dr. Joseph Elamparayil and Fr. Tom Puthenkalam for celebrating Holy Mass. We thank the families of J Joseph (Monstrance), Sony Kuruvilla (Qurbana Vestments) and Tony Augustine (Altar boy vestments, Chalice, Kusthothy etc.) for donating to the church. C h u r c h S e t u p a n d R e f r e s h m e n t s Special thanks to the parishioners from St. Sebastian ward (Tysons) for setting up the refreshments and cleaning for the month of September. Special thanks to the families of Paul Pottanat, Babu & Shimmy Palackavayalil and Little Flower ward (Chantilly) for sponsorship in the month of September. All parishioners from Perpetual Help ward (Tysons Vinson Palathingal) are requested to volunteer for the month of October. C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S! We wish to congratulate Ullas Joseph and Dimple Mathew who have been blessed with a baby boy - JAYDEN MATHEW JOSEPH. We wish to congratulate James George and Jeena Jacob who have been blessed with a baby boy - EMMANUEL JAMES MANAYIL Charles Thomas Jeril Philip Alex Jacob Article Submission Deadline The deadline for submitting articles and announcements for the month of November is 19th October If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Shyla Joseph ( ). A big Thank You to all the contributors for this month. Nibu Wilson October Bulletin edited by Sony Kuruvilla

8 St. Jude Syro-Malabar Church Of Northern Virginia Page 8 Babu and Shimmy Palackavayalill