Sisters Of Mary Immaculate (SMI) Kolkata Province Celebrate Silver Jubilee

Saturday 28th November 2015 SMI Provincial House, 15 Gurusaday Road, Kolkata-19 wore a festive look - the occasion: SILVER JUBILEE of the Kolkata Province. The celebration began at 11 am, with a welcome speech by Sr Little Flower Payappilly, Provincial Superior, Kolkata Province.  She thanked the Almighty for His immense love and continuous blessing and recalled the day when SMI was formed in Krishnanagar 67 years ago in 1948 by Late Most Reverend Louis L.R. Morrow sdb.  The farsighted Bishop felt the need for women religious to work particularly among women by visiting their homes when their men-folk were out on work. The sisters used to go for house visits in the interior villages on their bicycles and soon became popular as “Smiling Cycling Krishnanagar Sisters”!     The Kolkata Province was formed on 31st January 1990 on the feast day of St John Bosco. Sister Little Flower thanked the founders and pioneering members for their service especially in the field of vocation to priesthood and healing ministry.   She thanked Archbishop Thomas D’Souza for gracing the occasion.

The Holy Eucharist was concelebrated by the Archbishop along with 12 priests viz. Fr Dominic Gomes-Vicar General, Fr Vincent Lobo-Dean of Calcutta, Fr Joseph Pathickal sdb, Fr John Mohan Das, Fr Albert sdb, Fr Hermil, Fr Robert Johnson and others. The choir of SMI sisters added life to the proceedings which included bringing the Bible in a procession and handing it over to the Archbishop for installation on the lectern.

In his homily the Archbishop said the fact that the Silver Jubilee was being celebrated in the auspicious Year of Consecrated Persons added greater significance to the occasion. He said that the SMI way of service was “doing small things with great love” as Blessed Mother Teresa said.  He cautioned against “Crisis of Faith” when primary things become secondary and secondary things primary. He congratulated the Superior General Sr. Lisette and Sr Little Flower, urged the SMI sisters to recount all the blessings received during these 25 years and exhorted them to forge ahead with the task of evangelization in the years to come.

There was a short power point presentation on SMI’s genesis and activities e.g. Village Apostolate, Pastoral Ministry, Catechetical Media, Healing Ministry, Teaching Ministry from running of schools to girls hostels, Empowerment of Women and Rescue from Human Trafficking.
Past Provincial Superiors and six Jubilarians were also honoured.

The celebrations ended with mouth-watering starters and a sumptuous lunch.

By Isaac Harold Gomes
isaacgomes@hotmail.com

Auxilium Parish Concludes 200th Birth Anniversary Of St. John ('Don') Bosco

By Isaac Harold Gomes

On 1 November 2015 Auxilium Parish Kolkata concluded the Marian Month and also the celebration of the Bicentenary of the Birth of St. John Bosco.  The program began with a concelebrated Eucharist at 3.00 p.m. led by Rev. Fr. Samuel Mondal. This was followed at 5 p.m. by a Eucharistic Procession around the streets of the Parish with the statues of Our Lady and St John Bosco; the Blessed Sacrament being carried on a canopied float (vehicle). What caught everyone’s attention was the youth band of Don Bosco Bandel  seminarians in their black trousers and white T-shirts. 

Then, in the open air Auxilium Theater began a cultural program of variety dance by the children, the youth and the mothers. There was also a slide show on the life and work of St. John Bosco.

The well-attended programme ended with a Community Dinner where representatives from all the subcentres viz. Nitika, Dhapa, Motijhil and Hatgachia joined in.