Merry Christmas & Happy New year 2015 Merry Christmas & Happy New year 2015 Merry Christmas & Happy New year 2015

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1 Merry Christmas & Happy New year 2015 Merry Christmas & Happy New year 2015 Merry Christmas & Happy New year 2015 Dear Fathers, Brothers, Sisters, Confreres, Friends, Benefactors & Well Wishers... Loving greetings to all. Christmas brings us together again as one family. It is a time to wish all the loved ones and to thank God for the gift of each one of us to the Mission and the Church at large. Dear friends and benefactors, we thank God for all that you are to us for our Mission in Mozambique and for the blessings and achievements that God realised through you. We thank you for your constant love, care and support and for your valuable prayers. May love, peace and justice reign in your homes and the hearts of each one of us as we celebrate the birth of our Lord. Today, more than ever, Jesus needs to be born in our life and in our world. Our world is darkened by selfishness, pride and sin. We need Jesus to reconcile us with God and one another. We need a Bethlehem experience in our life. The joy of Christmas is not for a day or a season. It is an eternal joy, a joy that no one can take away from us because it is the joy of Jesus Christ himself who is made present in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Christmas is not merely the celebration of a historical birth that took place over two thousand years ago. It is about becoming conscious of who we really are as human beings. It is the celebration of life in all its fullness. It is the celebration of the transformation of limit to limitlessness, of selfishness to selflessness, of bondage and fear to freedom and unconditional love. May the light of Christ continue to shine in you and illumine your lives and of all those you love. May He fill your life with Love, Peace, Joy & Happiness. Wish you all a very Happy Christmas & A prosperous Happy New Year Rev. Fr. Petrus Kullu MSFS Delegation Superior Khanimambo To the providence of God that comes through each one of you. To our Rev. Fr. Superior General, Rev. Fr. Provincial and Rev. Fr. Delegation Superior for your guidance and care. To all who participate in our mission work through your prayers. To our dear Benefactors, Well Wishers and Friends for your love, prayers, encouragement and support in many forms. To the Sisters who collaborate with us in our ministry in Bela vista, Katembe, Mavila & Ponto de Ouro. To all who support us in one way or the other in our God s work. Muito Obrigado.

2 News from Matola (Minor Seminary) It was on 08 th July 2014 evening that two of our minor Seminarians Bro. Lucas and Bro. Domingos left for Kenya for their Pre-Novitiate course. It was indeed a great day and a sign of growth for the Delegation of Mozambique. We had a small fare-well program with evening mass for these two brothers. We thank and appreciate them for taking the bold step to follow the life and example of our heavenly patron St. Francis de Sales. May the good Lord bless them abundantly so that they may persevere in their vocations. We wish both of them, all the best. Bro. Poomagan Sensuslass Dear Fr. Prabhudas, it is more than a year since you left us to wear the crown of glory in heaven. We fondly remember the moments we shared with you. We miss your simplicity and cheerfulness. Your submission to the will of God in times of sufferings and sicknesses challenges us in our mission work in Mozambique; and remains as a source of inspiration for each of us. You taught us to smile amidst pains and difficulties. Thank you very much for your great service to the mission in Mozambique. We and your people in Mozambique will miss you for ever. May the good Lord grant you eternal peace and joy in His kingdom. Hearty Welcome to MSMHC On 29th May 2014 two sisters landed in Maputo Mozambique of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christian (MSMHC), destined to work in the mission of Ponta do Ouro, SFS Parish, Belavista, Archdiocese of Maputo in collaboration with the Fransalians. The first indigenous Congregation in North East India was founded on October 24, 1942, at Guwahati, Assam, India, by His Excellency Stephen Ferrando, SDB. At present the Congregation has 1019 professed sisters belonging to about 50 ethnic groups which add colour and beauty to the fabric of the Congregation. The Congregation with its motto: Go proclaim the good news is indicated first and foremost to the Missionary Apostolate-Evangelization and Catechetical instructions especially of women and children in villages. Schools, boarding houses, oratories, dispensaries, mobile clinics, homes for the aged, orphans and street children, vocational training centres, schools for the disabled, rehabilitation of drug addicts and HIV/AIDS are various activities through which the MSMHC serve the Church and the Humanity. The arrival of MSMHC sisters is an historical event for the MSFS Delegation of Mozambique Mission. We in the name of Delegation of Mozambique Mission welcome them whole heartedly and wish them all the best in their ministry. Fr. Ranjit Tirkey MSFS

3 Jubilee Celebrations in Mavila On 10 th August the Parish of Saint Antony s Church Mavila celebrated 75 years of its foundation. The people of Mavila were eagerly waiting for this great day and preparations both spiritual and material, had begun long back. The celebration began with the week long pastoral visit by his grace Dom Andriano Langa, the Bishop of Inhambane Diocese. The pastoral visit concluded with the Feast day celebration. The faithful from distant communities came to the parish days before. On Saturday, the eve of Feast Day, a procession with the statue of Mother Mary was organized, followed by Adoration of our Eucharistic Lord during which the faithful received the sacrament of reconciliation. On Sunday, at 9 o clock, began the solemn Eucharistic celebration, the parishioners singing and dancing with great jubilation, decked in the Capulanas and T-shirts with the image of St Anthony, its patron saint, imprinted on them. The Mavila parish was blessed by the presence of two bishops Dom Andriano Langa the bishop of Inhambane and his grace Dom Januario the bishop emeritus of Pemba. The celebration was further solemnized by fifty faithful receiving the sacrament of confirmation. A great number of priests, sisters and brothers were present for the celebration and the church was packed with the faithful. The Eucharistic celebration concluded with a festive meal for all. Bro. Ashok Minj MSFS Mozambique Delegation Celebrates the Founder s Day Mozambique Delegation celebrated the Founder s day with a lovely get-together of all the confreres working in the country and spending a quality time in reflection, prayer and leisure. The day witnessed twin celebrations of Founder s day and the Birthday of dear Fr. Jijo Punchayil. Delegation organized an enjoyable trip to one of the preferred picnic spots in the country, Ponta de Ouro, where we have the newest community. We began the day with the solemn Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Rev. Fr. Jijo, and Fr. Paul breaking the Word of God. A friendly volleyball match was organized between SFS and Mermiers teams and fitting to the occasion, the latter stole the show trouncing the former convincingly. A delectable lunch was shared by the Fransalians and the friends from the vicinity. It was a graceful day spent together by all the confreres of the delegation. Fr. Jins Karakkadayil MSFS

4 Pilgrimage to the Pinnacle of Santa Cruz Santa Maria; one of the Sub-centers of SFS Parish Bela-vista is known for its Christian Faith. The community is 100 kilometers away from Bela-Vista. The journey to Santa Maria is always an adventure since we need to drive through a sandy road passing through the Maputo Reserved Forest, where there are wild animals like elephants, hippopotamuses, crocodiles etc. There is a Cross put on the top of a mountain in Santa Maria, 7 kilometers away from the Church. Every year on the Solemnity of Exaltation of Holy Cross the local Christians observe a special devotion on the hill top. This year Fr. Rajesh the parish priest made efforts to popularize this devotion across the parish. As a result the devotion expanded and many Christians from different sub-centers peregrinated to Santa Maria. One of the pilgrims writes a report on the pilgrimage. Reconhecer em Cristo Jesus o Salvador, é alcançar a vida Eterna Nos dias de Setembro de ano 2014, na paróquia de São Francisco de Sales, aconteceu uma peregrinação dos fiéis da mesma, para a comunidade de Santa Maria, a fim de celebrar com fé a Festa da exaltação da Santa Cruz, onde estavam presentes os Padres Henry e George. Foi um dia de cultivo da fé, da esperança e gratidão a Deus, dando louvores com alegria e emoções. A peregrinação teve início com a concentração dos fiéis na Paróquia pelas 10 horas, seguida, foi a partida dos peregrinos, sendo levados com dois minibuses e um carro. A viagem foi boa, que com a graça de Deus chegamos ao local pelas 18 horas. Fomos acolhidos com muito carinho e atenção. Em seguida, O Padre Henry, fez a abertura desejando boas vindas aos peregrinos/as, após, fomos ao jantar. Pelas 21 horas tivemos um encontro para apresentação do programa, ensaios da liturgia e divisão das atividades. Depois de tudo isto, o Padre Henry falou-nos da importância da Cruz nas nossas vidas e passou um filme da vida de Jesus que nos ajudou de coração a lembrar e rezar o sofrimento do Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo até a sua morte na Cruz. Pelas 5:30 horas do dia seguinte, iniciamos a caminhada para o local da Cruz, com orações da via-sacra, momento mais emocionante, a subida da montanha até a Cruz. Cruz não é adoração de um símbolo mas sim, adoração do nome de Jesus e o Pai que O levantou acima de todas as coisas. E é na Cruz onde está a nossa Salvação, vida e ressurreição em Cristo Jesus. Que emoção! Ver pessoas idosas subindo naquela montanha, onde com fé sentimos a dor que Jesus carregou na cruz por amor de cada um de nós. Ao chegar na montanha o Padre Henry fez uma bênção e deixou que cada um fizesse a sua intenção pessoal. Pelas 11 horas descemos retornando para a comunidade onde tivemos a Celebração Eucarística presidida pelo Padre Henry e concelebrante Padre George. Pelas 13 horas fomos ao almoço e despedida do povo local. Em seguida partimos, retornado a casa, onde tivemos algumas dificuldades; um carro dos peregrinos teve problemas. Mas com graça de Deus e na sua proteção chegamos bem. Por todas as maravilhas agradecemos também a Nossa Senhora que foi a nossa guia e protetora. Por isso, louvamos a Deus por este dom gratuito e reconhecemos com fé a sua presença nas nossas vidas. Irmã Florinta CIIC

5 PHOTO GALLERY Formation of Catechists from Ka tembe and Bela Vista. Sr. Leila ISMMP preaching retreat in preparation for the Christmas in Bela Vista parish. Thank you Mama Alice for your selfless service as the animator of Santa Maria Community for 22 years. God bless you! Special care and attention to the elderly in the parish was one of the objectives for the year 2014 of the Fransalians in Katembe. Fransalians after the Eucharistic Celebration on Foundation day in Lar Mermier. Zealous and young Fransalians after renewing their vows

6 PHOTO GALLERY Remembering and missing our beloved friend Rev. Fr. Prabhudas on his first death Anniversary in Bela Vista. Baptisms in Inhaka Procession during the Parish feast in Katembe Graduation ceremony of our pre-primary school in Bela vista Ka tembe Parish has a new assistant parish priest in the person of Fr. Jins. All the best dear Father. Keep up the same spirit and cheerfulness dear fathers...new priests day in Matola

7 PHOTO GALLERY Children proudly displaying their certificates on their graduation day in SFS Escolinha Katembe Fransalians with the General Councillors in Matola Celebrating the Community feast, Ponto de Ouro Christmas celebration with the children in Bela vista St. Antony s Church, Mavila on jubilee day Proudly receiving the medal of Apostolate of Prayer, Bela vista

8 PHOTO GALLERY Celebrating Christmas with children from the neighbourhood, Katembe. Thanks MAITRI. Fr. Jijo Thomas being installed as the assistant parish Priest of Bela vista. The tradition of promoting local vocations continues... Thank you dear friends of Goan Association Mozambique for the care and concern showed to the elderly in Katembe. Scholastics in Philosophy with their professors Bringing the joy and peace of Christmas to the families, Carol singing in Katembe

9 New Priests of Mozambique Delegation in 2014 The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest. God s abundant blessings and special care for the delegation showered upon in the form of three ordinations we had in the year Frs. Aajo Joy Therully, Jijo Thomas Punchayil and Jins Devasia Karakkadayil were ordained as priests on 1st, 3rd and 6th of May 2014 respectively. They are the third batch to become priests after opting to come to Rev.Fr. Aajo Joy Therully Ordination: My grace is sufficient for you (2Cor. 12:9) Mozambique for their theological studies. Their studies here helped them to master the Portuguese language and to get familiarised with the local customs and traditions and thus making them effective pastors. As we congratulate them we also wish God s c h o i c e s t blessings on them. May the good Lord continue to guide and help them to be compassionate and enthu- around the siastic missionaries in Mozambique and world. Would you like to have a priest in your family? Support a seminarian!!! Lead him to the Altar of God with your prayers and support. Accompany him in his years of formation.. Participate in the formation of future FRANSALIANS. Rev. Fr. Jins Devasia Karakkadayil Ordination : I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord (Ps. Rev. Fr. Jijo punchayil Ordination : For the Mighty One has done great things for me (Lc. 1:49) Congratulations to Fr. Rajesh Jayaseelan for successfully obtaining licentiate in philosophy. All the best. Thank you dear Fr. Kailas for being part of Fransalian family in Mozambique. We are grateful for your services in the parishes and in the formation house. God bless you. Missionários de S. Francisco De Sales Casa Fransaliana Rua Malhungule, 383(40), Bairro: Hanhane, Matola C. Maputo, C.P. 2396, Moçambique. Fax: (00258) , Tel.: (00258) Bank Account: ; BANCO INTERNACIONAL DE MOÇAMBIQUE Congratulations to dear Rev. Fr. Jacob Karamakuzhiyil for being elected as our provincial for a second term. Our prayerful wishes are with you and with the new administration! Editorial Team Fr. Jins Devasia (Editor in chief) Fr. Paul Gonsalves (Editor Content) Bro. Jinoy Koply (Editor Photography) Wish you a Very Happy Christmas and a grace filled New Year May the joy, peace and light of new born Jesus fill your life! Feliz Natal e Prospero Ano Novo 2015! WISHING YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015