Sangam All-Faith Climate Change Conference 2019

CHRISTINE CRAMER

The conference began at 9.30 am. The conference engaged faith communities to mitigate human caused climate change. Religious leaders from all faiths spoke about religious imperatives for promoting environmentally sustainable practices and the use of renewable energy.

Distinguished and renowned speakers having vast experience in Environmental Education, writers, documentary filmmakers, Professors in social work, Founders and Directors presented the current impacts and imminent dangers of climate change to the world.

Dignitaries

Three faith based multi-track workshops were held, followed by an input session, group discussions, a general assembly with workshop reporting, a youth open house action for climate change, and the presentation of the mission statement.

Consul-Generals

This was followed by the Green Awards Ceremony, where significant persons and institutions who have taken special efforts to create a better home on this earth were felicitated. One of the institutions recognised was the Loreto Congregation, represented by Sr. Sabrina Edwards, Provincial of the Loreto Sisters. The day ended with the Sangam Tree of Hope lighting ceremony.

Kolkata Christmas Festival 2019: Inauguration Ceremony

CHRISTINE CRAMER

The Annual Kolkata Christmas Festival was inaugurated on the 16th of December, 2019 at 6 pm at Allen Park. The Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Srimati Mamata Banerjee, lit the Christmas tree to inaugurate the festival.

The Blessing of the Crib was done by Most Rev. Archbishop Thomas D'Souza of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. Mr. Shane Calvert, the MLA of the WB Minority Commission welcomed the Chief Minister. A Christmas message was delivered by Dr. Ivan Satyavrata, Chairman and Administrator,  Assembly of God Mission.

Most Rev. Thomas D'Souza and Srimati Mamata Banerjee addressed the people and set the example of being united as ONE FAMILY. The vote of thanks was given by Ms. Nandini Chakravorty, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism, West Bengal.

This ceremony was followed by a cultural programme. The Archdiocesan Bengali Choir, the Loreto Sisters Choir and Kalyan and Sukanya Banerjee performed Christmas Carols. The evening ended with some fun live music performances from Priscilla Corner, Shayne Hyrapiet and Krosswindz.

The festival will continue till 26th December, 2019. It is a time of celebration and fellowship. We encourage all to join in and be a part of the festival. 

 

Kolkata Boy Felicitated in Cyber Cop of India Awards

Kolkata, 6 December, 2019: Christ the King parishioner Dennis Lakra, was one of three contenders for the Data Security Council of India Excellence Awards 2019 in the category “India Cyber Cop ofn the Year.” In the contest, B.P. Raju, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Central Bureau of Investigation took the title, but Dennis, too, was felicitated for his podium win.

The objective of these awards is to “recognise and honour an Officer who has done the most outstanding investigation in solving a cybercrime AND to recognise and honour a state police/police agency for efforts made in overall capacity building through workforce development, investigation & forensics capability development, skill enhancement through trainings & workshops, etc.”

Dennis is an Inspector at the Cyber Crime Department of Kolkata Police and an active parishioner at Christ the King, where he is well known for his efforts to keep people hydrated during the day with his “Water Boys” service during Good Friday. Dennis was also in charge of Security for the recently concluded Small Christian Communities National Convention in Hindi held at Kolkata.

SCC National Convention Evaluation was a Booster!

Kolkata: The evaluation of the SCC National Hindi Convention proved a great energizer to the Kolkata Archdiocese in its effort to progress the SCC which has been existing in the Archdiocese for the past 30 years. The evaluation was held at Archbishop’s House on 9th November, 2019. In spite of the bad weather conditions, due to cyclone Bulbul, on 9th November 2019, the Religious Priests, Sisters and lay Animators attended the meeting held in Archbishop’s House at 10:00 am. The Meeting started with a Bible procession, a song sung by Fr. Dominic Gomes, Vicar General, and the participants.

The Word of God was read in Hindi and Bengali. Words of appreciation were given by Fr. Dominic Gomes, to the Parish Priests, Sisters and lay Cooperators who came forward to make the National
Hindi Convention a great success. He also apologized for some issues which went wrong as regards transport, etc. on 25th October, the first day of the Convention.

There was a sharing session, from the parishes, which iterated that the SCC must be spread in the Kolkata Archdiocese in order to strengthen the faith of each other. Many Parishes expressed that though the weather was bad, the people moved with full support and dedication to meet the delegates at the railway stations/airport or and to pick the outstation delegates from their parishes and take them to the houses/parishes/institutions. They also shared how difficult it was in the beginning to convince
the parishioners to keep the delegates in their homes but as time came near, the parishioners just came forward themselves and volunteered to play host to the delegates. There were some delegates who reached at midnight, but that also did not stop the families from welcoming them into their homes.

The 26th October 2019 “Exposure Program” held in every parish was a real lifetime memory event, as in most of the parishes all the parishioners participated and gave support in whatever way possible. It made everyone realise that neither age nor color comes in the way when everyone comes
together as one family in Christ. Everyone realized that the Holy Spirit was present and working  through each and every member so nothing could affect whether it was the bad weather condition or transport not reaching on time or even if it did not reach, everyone was at the St. Xavier’s College Ground on the 25th and 27th October 2019.

The touching point of our delegates staying with us was that they became a part of our families. There was no barrier of language and they too, like family members, visited houses around them. The
departure made great impact on our Parishioners. They were in tears while departing from each other. As a result, they are now in touch with them. Some parishes have made WhatsApp groups. Some offered gifts as a token of their love and the outstation guests also too have invited them to their houses. Some of the points to reflect and a strong message given by Father Soosai, it was that it was
an extraordinary moment of Grace descended on all. We now need to capture this beautiful opportunity and not allow it to fade but keep our churches alive vibrantly with SCCs – the grassroot Churches in every neighborhood. The meeting ended with a fellowship meal.

SCC NATIONAL HINDI CONVENTION 2019

ALTHEA PHILIPS

Kolkata, 25 October 2019:When it rains it pours. And poured it did, that too, quite mercilessly, on Friday, the first day of the SCC Hindi National Convention 2019. But neither the rains nor the flooded muddy field of the St Xavier's College ground could deter the 5000 faithful who had turned up from 50 parishes across the Hindi-speaking parts of the country; including the 1500 from parishes across Kolkata.

Held for the second time in the country, the three day national convention’s theme this year was "The prophetic role of SCC today." Even as the choir sang hymns in praise of Yeshu, the archbishops and bishops trooped in, at sharp 9 am for the inaugural ceremony. All the guests were received on stage and welcomed with flowers and utorios. After the lamp lighting ceremony His Grace Thomas D’Souza, Archbishop of Calcutta addressed the gathering. Then a Bible Procession saw the Bible being brought on a palanquin to the stage where it was enthroned by Bishop Clement Tirkey, regional SCC chairperson.

Bishop Anand Jojo of Hazaribagh then started the proceedings by dwelling on the theme this year. He stressed that God wants us to be united in love and harmony despite the diversity in society. "We need to return to the Lord, listen to Him understand and imbibe his teachings. Remember there is strength in unity. We must serve society selflessly."

After a prayer for the success of the Convention and a dance performance, Rev Fr Francis Scaria set the tone of the day by defining the term “prophet.” According to the Old Testament a prophet is one
who is called by God, anointed by God faithful to God and who listens to God. No one can become a prophet by himself. God has to choose him and make him a prophet. A prophet stands at the breach
as he has the task to remove the weakness of the community. He is the guard of Gods people, a warrior for the Church. The life of a prophet is a message. He is the one who reconciles people with the Lord.

Rev Scaria went on to outline the six points which a true prophet must follow.
1. He has to listen to God
2. He has to save what he has heard and learnt in his heart and make his path pure.
3. He has to create a special relation with God
4. He has to dutifully follow His words and live according to His will and His words.
5. He then has to make the people listen to him by spreading it fearlessly.
6. He has to consult with God.
We need to beware of false prophets, said Scaria, pointing out that Jesus was like the greatest prophet of the Old Testament, Moses; but also so much more.

Up next was a CD release made by the Morning Star seminary; and Rev Fr Ignatius Sarto's vote of thanks brought the morning session to an end. After a short tea break, the Inaugural Mass commenced with Archbishop Thomas D’Souza as the main celebrant, and about 15 other prelates and 100s of priests concelebrating.

In his sermon His Grace dwelt on the two seas the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea: While the first was life giving the latter was not. We needed to be like the Sea of Galilee and serve society to make our lives meaningful, said the archbishop. Holy Communion saw 30 Fathers giving communion to the gathering, under colourful umbrellas.

In the post lunch session, Bishop Gerald John Mathias underlined the duties of a prophet. Our mission as SCC units was not just prayers and social service but to use SCCs as instruments to transform people's lives. We need to light the world and bring people back to the right path. He stressed that it would be a good idea to go back to the early church by recapturing its spirit. We are living in a society full of social evils so it is our duty as prophets to clean it and raise our voices against these evils. We can make a start by doing things like carpooling, not wasting food, water and electricity, self employment opportunities and fight for our human rights. We need to know how our
brethren can use the various government schemes on offer. Christians need to shine like stars in the sky to lead the people who have lost their way.

Five people were invited to share personal testimonials on how SCCs had benefited them. Fr Avinash from Asansol; Sameer from Ajmer; Peter from Tezpur; Fr Lucas from Barielly and Custudio from Delhi, all spoke emphatically for the time allotted to them. Most Rev Vincent Aind the Bishop of Bagdogra then took the stage to speak on the importance of the Eucharist. It is the symbol of unity love happiness and purity and is Jesus's presence in our lives, he concluded.

The eagerly awaited segment of the day was the cultural programme. The SCC teams from Hazaribagh, Delhi and Khandwa put up short plays on their SCC meetings while the teams from Orissa and Assam put up superb dance performances. The evening ended with songs from the Kolkata Christian Choir, led by Dilip Gomes.

On 26 October, Day 2 of the Convention, delegates stayed at their host parishes instead of coming to St. Xavier’s. There, along with the local community they shared Mass, meals, prayers and cultural shows. Each of the 13 participating Parishes had a bishop as guest, or an SCC National Team member, too.


27 October, Day 3 of the SCC National Convention kicked off on a musical note with the charismatic Raymond Baptiste singing hymns like Shukriya, Aaj Yeshu zinda hai, Parmeshwar Pita and Ho teri stuti aur aradhana.

The special guest for the day was Most Rev Anil Couto, the Archbishop of Delhi. Rev Fr Peter Emmanuel and Rev Fr Thomas Vijay conducted an interactive session with the SCC animators where they were asked what challenges they had to face to do God’s work among the masses. Like on Friday, few were called on stage to share their success stories in their local SCCs. Addressing the gathering Archbishop Anil Couto said we need to keep God before us to fulfill our mission forgetting our petty differences, cultural and language, etc.

After a short tea break and an action song Nachoonga gaaonga, Sister Christine Joseph and Rev Ignatius Mascarenhas summarised the events of the Convention in a power point presentation. Fr Ignatius said we need to be aware of the signs of the time and work together to combat the evils that have crept into society. A prophet is one who is never made on his own strength but on what God had
told him to do. The word of God is the prophet’s food. Jesus as a prophet transformed the mind of the people. We need to make Jesus our icon.

Sister Christine comparing food to the word of God said don't rush but enjoy the food in small amounts in the same way savour the word of God. If we savour God’s words, we become the word of God. Prophets have to be the conscience keepers of today's society. Rev Ignatius pointed out that meeting and communicating has become the biggest challenge today. We need to bring people together and heal their hearts. The need of the hour is unity and harmony and listening to the cry of the poor as Pope Francis urged. Prophets have to be the paths themselves to transform society from within. Christ is a living God and he is on a mission and it is through the SCCs that His mission can be fulfilled.

Holy Mass followed with the chief celebrant being Archbishop Anil Couto. In his homily he pointed out that it is difficult to share with one another but this has been made possible with the help of the SCCs. In fact India is setting an example to the whole world and the West is looking to us to guide them. Remember there is no end to reflecting on the word of God. God has chosen you all to be his prophets so go forth fearlessly. Jesus has taught us how to bear our cross and walk behind him as humble apostles of peace. This is a big responsibility for the SCCs but it's a joyful one as you have been chosen to give light to be the salt and bring about newness everywhere.

Twenty four priests gave Holy Communion to the around 5000 gathering, in a very efficient manner. Finally, Rev Fr George Jacob gave the vote of thanks. Calcutta’s Archbishop Thomas D’Souza and the Vicar General, Msgr Dominic Gomes were felicitated with shawls and mementoes for hosting the national convention so beautifully. Sister Christine and Fr Thomas Vijay were given a standing ovation for their untiring efforts to make the event such a great success, too. Fr Faustine Pinto gave the concluding remarks while Archbishop Thomas D’Souza gave the final blessing, after which the Bible, and the convention were formally closed and the gathering went for a scrumptious final lunch before departure.

Many at home across the country watched both days of the Convention at St. Xavier’s on their phones and Internet devices as the event was webcast Live on the Calcutta Archdiocese website and shared on various Social platforms, too.

More photos of the event on: fb.me/calcuttaarchdiocese
Live stream archive clips of the event: www.youtube.com/c/archdiocesannewsnetwork

The Annual Sunday School Catechists' Day 2019

FR. ROBERT JOHNSON

The Annual Sunday School Catechists' Day was celebrated on 2nd October 2019 at Don Bosco School, Park Circus from 9 am to 4.00 pm.

The day began with Solemn Eucharistic Celebration by Fr Duming Gonsalves, Executive Secretary, CCBI Commission for Catechetics,  the Chief Guest ,  Fr Dominic Gomes, Vicar General, the Guest of Honour of the Archdiocese of Calcutta, Fr Robert Johnson,Director of Catechetical Commission of the Archdiocese, Deans, Parish Priests and Clergy.

A short  a Cultural Programme was performed by the Sunday School children of the various parishes of the Archdiocese. Thereafter, the Catechists of the 4 deaneries of the Archdiocese were felicitated with mementos for their contribution and hard work in teaching the Sunday School children.

Tribute to Mother Teresa

CHRISTOPHER EVERS

September 5, 1997: Mother Teresa, the Angel of Calcutta, dies at the age of 87. Mother Teresa, the Macedonian nun who dedicated her life to helping the poorest people of the Indian city of Calcutta and those in need across the world, died on this day in 1997. September 5th 2019, death anniversary of our beloved St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa MC) is observed as International Day of  Charity.

Mother Teresa, known for her undying dedication towards the downtrodden people and who devoted her life to work for the poorest of the poor in the slums, The International Day of Charity was officially declared by the UN General Assembly in 2012. This day also got support of the Hungarian Civil Society with the support of the Hungarian parliament and Government.

The Catholic Association of Bengal (CAB) under the Leadership of President, Mrs. Angelina Mantosh Jasnani and Team organized a prayer service on Thursday the 5th of September 2019 to pay tribute to Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta at Allen Park, Kolkata on her 22nd Death Anniversary. His Grace, Most Rev Archbishop Thomas D’Souza, Vicar General, Father Dominic Gomes of the Archdiocese of Calcutta, Sister Prema, the Superior General of the Missionary of Charity, Hon’ble Mayor Firhad Hakim and Hon’ble Minister Javed Ahmed Khan were present for the Prayer Service among other distinguished delegates who paid floral tributes to the Saint.

There were many school children from Park English, Albany Hall, St. Thomas Day School, Harrow Hall, Loreto House, St Aloysius and Loyola High School who participated in the prayer service. The choir of Park English School sang Mother’s favorite hymns ‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and the famous Bengali hymn which our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sang in Italy on the way to Vatican. “Bisho Pita Tumi Hey Probhu’

Archbishop Thomas D’Souza thanked the President of the Catholic Association of Bengal and the members for organizing the prayer service. On Behalf of CAB, we thank each and everyone for taking out time and coming together in honor of St. Mother Teresa. God bless you all.

Interfaith Prayer for Peace on "Inspiration Day"

ISAAC HAROLD GOMES

Kolkata: An Interfaith Prayer for Peace & Harmony was held at Mother House, Missionaries of Charity Headquarters, Kolkata on 10th September 2019, at 4.30 pm, commonly known as ‘Inspiration Day’. In his welcome address and brief introduction to Prayer for Peace, Fr Francis Sunil Rosario, Director of Diocesan Commission for Dialogue & Ecumenism – Archdiocese of Calcutta said 10th September is a historic day, for on this day Mother Teresa received special inspiration to her new mission to work for the downtrodden and the dying destitute. This inspiration gradually resulted into the birth of Missionaries of Charity. The day also coincided with festival of Muharram.

The programme began with Invocation ‘Asato Ma Satgamaya’ by Mrs Paromita Chatterjee, followed by ‘Sangachadhwam’ by Ms. Saswati Basu Mullick and group. This was followed by Lighting of the Lamps around the tomb of St. Teresa of Kolkata, by Archbishop Thomas D’Souza and Sr. Prema, Superior General, Missionaries of Charity. Representatives of various faith communities also joined in lighting the lamps. Mr O.P. Shah - Forum for Peace said, “Peace is much desirable and urgently required.” He said all saints worked for peace and we all need to work hard for promoting peace. For this Indians need to practise Secularism in the true sense. This means respect for all religions and for the sensibilities of each citizen. He said throughout her life, Mother Teresa preached equity and justice to promote peace. Gandhiji said when there is doubt about a particular course of action, if one thinks of how the action will impact the poorest of poor, peace will be promoted automatically.

Mr Irfan Sher, a veteran Muslim spoke on the significance of Muharram in building peace. He gave a biblical interpretation to the celebration of Muharram. Mr Pritpal Singh Bedi, before starting Kirtan said all religions have the same DNA. With his team, he rendered a very inspiring devotional song on peace. Host of others who sang at this Interfaith Prayer were Mr. Dilip Rozario and his choir, Mr. Amitava Dutta, Ms. Sandipta Bhattacharya, Lavinia Girls and Mrs. Paramita Chatterjee. Two significant testimonies were given of the miracles through the intercessions of St. Teresa of Kolkata, a couple Mr. & Mrs. Murray who had their first baby boy after many years of their marriage and Ms. J. Brenger who gave testimony to the miraculous cure of two cancer patients in her family. Both those testimonies were a moving experience for the entire assembly at Prayer service.

Archbishop Thomas D’Souza said Mother Teresa must be very glad to see the afternoon’s reflection on peace by representatives of different faiths taking place at her house. It was on this day in 1946 she heard deep in her heart a very personal call from Jesus to be a light in the lives of the poorest of the poor. Mother said yes to this call and the rest is history. Rev Martin Pakhare, member of Church of North India (CNI) said “Today was the first time he visited Mother’s House and her tomb. Although in his college days he had worked in Mother Teresa’s projects in Madhyamgram, he felt honoured by this invitation to pray for peace.

Representatives from Ahmeida Muslim, Maulana Muslehuddin Saadi and Buddhist monk, Bodhipala emphasised on the importance of peace and that Peace and Mother Teresa were two sides of the same coin. The common strain was the absolute need for all leaders of faith and their followers to sit together frequently so as to promote peace. Sr Prema Superior General of Missionaries of Charity said Mother Teresa must be present in each of us today to fill us all with humility. Let us ask Mother to teach us humility and purity of heart. Archbishop Thomas said the final prayers and gave all his blessing. In today's world, particularly in India, there is an urgent need for more frequent interfaith dialogues and putting the deliberations into practice.

109th Birth Anniversary of Mother Teresa

Mumbai (AsiaNews): On 26th morning Abp. Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta, presided over a mass in memory of the 109 years since the birth of Mother Teresa, the saint of the poorest of the poor. Father Dominic Gomes, vicar general of the archdiocese, told AsiaNews: "It was a splendid celebration. The 109th anniversary of the birth of our beloved Saint Mother Teresa was a moment of thanksgiving through prayer and joy. The chapel was packed with people of all social origins.”

Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, was born on 26 August 1910 in Skopje (ex-Yugoslavia, now Macedonia), to an Albanian Catholic family. At 18 she decided to enter the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto. She left for Ireland in 1928, the following year she was sent to India, where in 1931 she took her first vows taking the new name of Sister Mary Teresa of the Child Jesus.

The turning point of her life dates to September 10, 1946. Sister Teresa is on the train, headed for Darjeeling for spiritual exercises, when she hears her "second call": the cry of Jesus on the cross who says "I am thirsty!" It is the call to dedicate oneself to the poorest of the poor, whom she sees in those who die every day along the streets of Calcutta. In 1948, on August 15, she left the sisters of Loreto to become Mother Teresa. On 7 October 1950, the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity obtained diocesan approval.

Mother Teresa died in Calcutta on the evening of Friday 5 September 1997, at 9.30pm. She was 87 years old. In the mass for her canonization, which took place on September 4, 2016, Pope Francis called her "a model of holiness for the whole world of volunteering," declaring her the patron saint of volunteering. This morning the Archbishop of Calcutta recalled in his homily: "Jesus invites us to love one another. Mother served the poorest of the poor with selfless service and passionate love, giving them to Jesus through her work."

Later, Abp. D’Souza lit a candle on the decorated tomb of Mother, then those present sang a greeting song. Sister Mary Prema, current superior of the congregation, said: "Mother always repeated that we are called to be faithful, not to be successful." Today is also the Archbishop's birthday. At the end of the function in honor of the saint, Abp. D’Souza was celebrated by the staff of the diocese in the archiepiscopal house. In the garden, in front of the statue of Mother Teresa, he paused for a brief recollection in prayer together with the faithful.

ICYM National Youth Sunday 2019

JOVITA J. TIGGA & ALISHA D’CRUZ

“The Lord works out everything to its proper end – even the wicked for a day of disaster” –Proverbs 16:4 was the most fitting verse that all participants would relate to on a day of rain and thunder. The premier event of ICYM Calcutta – National Youth Sunday was celebrated in St. Patrick’s Church, Dum Dum on the 18th of August, 2019. Around 330 plus youth from 23 parishes across the Archdiocese came be a part of the extravaganza. It is noteworthy that the youth came despite the uncertain weather, some even wading through flooded streets.

The day started with animation team from Our Lady of Vailankanni Church, Picnic Garden, making the youth jump to their feet with action songs and games. After setting the tone for the day, the guests for the day were felicitated with a token of appreciation. The youth were blessed by the auspicious presence of Fr. Upendra Nayak, Fr. Joy Mondal, Sr. Teresa Adam, Sr. Esther Abraham, Br. Charles D’Souza, Sr. Joyful Mary, Sr. Shanti, Sr. Cyril, and Brothers from the Sacred Heart Congregation and Morning Star College.

Post felicitation the youth were given the main session of the day on“Christus Vivit” – a post-synodal exhortation by the Holy Father to the young people. The four speakers Mr. Jibin, Mr. Jovita, Miss

Sabrina and Miss Preza, tried to highlight the importance of the document and lovely message from the Holy Father. Following a short snack break, the 330 odd youth headed towards the Church to

celebrate the Holy Eucharist. The main celebrant for the mass was His Grace Archbishop Thomas D’Souza who is ever willing to be with the youth. In his homily, he spoke about Prophet Jeremiah

whom the Lord chose despite his young age. Citing the Christus Vivit he insisted how the youth of today are agents of change.

After a scrumptious lunch it was time for some fun. The parishes were segregated and the various events took off. The events were namely Non-fire Cooking, Dress Making out of Newspaper, Best out of Waste and Triathlon. The instructions were given to the youth who were restricted to a stipulated time period. The various competitions saw the active involvement of the participants with great zeal and enthusiasm. Meanwhile the judges were on their rounds doing their part. The perfect icing on the cake was the DJ evening. The youth danced to the thrill and brought down the curtains on a successful NYS 2019.

Finally the moment arrived for which everyone was waiting – the prize distribution. After competing in good spirit the following parishes made it to the medals tally: Dress Making:1st - St. Teresa’s Church, Moulali; 2nd – St. John Bosco Church, Liluah; 3rd – Mother Teresa Church, Mathkol and Rupantor Community Centre. Non-fire Cooking:1st- Mother Teresa Church, Matkol; 2nd – St. Patrick’s Church, Dum Dum; 3rd – Infant Jesus Church, Behala and Stella Maris Church. Best out of Waste: 1st – St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church; 2nd – St. Damien’s Church; 3rd – Auxilium Church, Gobra. Triathlon: 1st – Our Lady of Vailankanni Church; and 2nd – Christ the King, Park Circus. Teaser-making Competition: Winners - Stella Maris Church. Mother Teresa Church was judged as the overall Winner for NYS 2019.

Archbishop’s House a venue for Dialogue and Peace-building Mission

FRANCIS SUNIL ROSARIO

Kolkata: On Sunday, Aug. 18, an Inter-Faith dialogue meeting was held at Archbishop’s House. His Grace, Most Rev. Thomas D’Souza welcomed all the members to take part in the brain-storming discussion towards evolving a strategy to build peace and harmony in society. All those who came,
from cross-sections of society, belonging to various faiths, traditional and cultural backgrounds, voiced their deep concern for the changing pattern of leadership in the country.

This initiative to hold a gathering of some veteran leaders who are already engaged in the process of dialogue through various fora, came from two activists in peace building, namely Mr. Satnam Singh Ahluwalia and Mr. Imran Zaki, representing two faith traditions, Sikhism and Islam. They both uphold their belief in the religion of humanity. “To be human is to be divine.” It was an initiative to go beyond our own religious boundaries and parameters and put the tenets of each religion into
practice to build humanity. All religions in fact, are committed to build a new humanity of freedom, justice, fellowship and peace.

India being one of the largest democratic nations in the world and a secular country, it is the duty of all citizens to voice their concern to preserve Secularism and allow people of all faiths and cultures to uphold the dignity of individuals, allowing all to live in freedom. Hence, it’s a clarion call to build up consensus among the citizens of our country and stop any infringement into the human rights
and dignity of individuals, those who are most vulnerable of the society.

Archbishop D’Souza highlighted the need for dialogue in present scenario. Dialogue has become almost imperative and essential for every one as we live in a pluralist society. People of all faiths
and cultures live here in harmony. Our economic, political and social issues that affect the lives of common people should be looked into, in the spirit of dialogue, respect for human dignity and life and deeper understanding.

Mr. Satnam said, “Religion should play a positive role to build humanity and peace.” Rev. Franklin Menezes, Director of Seva Kendra said, that there are others who may not believe in any religion, but
they too uphold human values, they should also be included into the process of building peace. Mr. Syed Irfan Sher said, “The very idea of India is under attack today.” Mr. O. P. Shah, Forum for
Peace, said, “We need to have an introspection of mind and try to understand deeply our national issues.We should also include those who are opposed to our views and how we can respond together to sort out those differences and continue our process of dialogue to build humanity.”

Among others who spoke were Qari Fazlur Rehman, Imam, Bhikkhu Pala (Buddhist Monk), Mr. Gurbux Singh, Gold Medalist in 1964 Olympics in Hockey and member of Minority Commission, West Bengal), Mr. Sunil Lucas, former President of Signis India and Brahamakumari from Bangur Centre. At the end of discussion, the organizers said that a realistic plan for further discussion will take place soon.

Some of the proposals that came out from the floor were to organize workshops to understand the urgent need for dialogue, some introspection of our own state of mind, by way of panel discussions to remove some of the misconceptions, ignorance and baggage we carry against certain religions. Some proposed that our social media should play a positive role in promoting harmony and peace towards a better humanity.

SCC National Convention Venue is St. Xavier’s, Park Street

DOMINIC AND SYBIL AZAVEDO

Kolkata: St. Xavier’s College Ground is the venue for the National Hindi SCC Convention which will be held from October 25th to 27th, 2019. This very happy news was announced by Fr. Dominic Gomes, Vicar General, who, in the absence of Archbishop Thomas D’Souza who is attending the CBCI Meeting in Bangalore, expressed his thanks and appreciation to Fr. Dominic Savio, Rector and Principal of St. Xavier’s College for his generosity and understanding.

To shift to St. Xavier’s was finalised at the Preparatory Meeting for the Convention held in Archbishop’s House on 11th August, 2019. There were 12 members present from the National SCC Team including Bishop Ignatius Mascarenhas of Simla/Chandigarh, Chairman of the National SCC, Bishop Gerald Mathias, Bishop of Lucknow, Fr. Vijay Thomas, SCC Asian Secretary, immediate past SCC National Secretary and the National Coordinator of the Convention, Fr. George, (the new) National SCC Secretary, other NST members, Fr. Cassian Pradhan, Sr Christin Joseph, Sr Grace Mary, Fr. Faustin J. Pinto, Mr. Emmanuel John, Mr. Mathew Roy, Mr. Sameer Francis and local Heads of the various Committees.

The venue has been shifted as St. Xavier’s is more spacious and there will be enough space for cars and buses to be parked, as well as, space to put stalls for refreshment, a help desk, Media, Press, etc. There will also be one big shamiana on the St. Xavier’s grounds.Fr. Dominic Gomes, the local Coordinator, said that although he with his team has been spent a lot of time and energy from June 2019, requesting Parish Priests to help in providing accommodation, still there is a need to accommodate more than 1000 outstation delegates from 51 Dioceses.

The programme will start at 9 a.m. and go on till 6 p.m. On 26th October, the guests will spend the full day with the Parishioners in many of our City Parishes from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., having a solemn Bible procession and veneration, solemn Mass, a cultural programme, witnessing an exhibition of the origin and growth of the SCC in the Parishes, Gospel Sharing, lunch, tea, dinner, etc. There will be at least one Bishop in each of our Parishes. (The detailed programme has already been sent to the Parishes to prepare for 26th October to welcome the outstation guests in the Parishes).

The Media Committee has already started posting Convention news and photos on a Facebook page (fb.me/calcuttaarchdiocese) and is already active with 600/700 participants. In September – posters will be sent to city parishes and Advertisements put in The Herald. A Press Release to Secular Media, Flexes and Banners are also being prepared. 

St. John Vianney Feast Day Celebration

FRANCIS SUNIL ROSARIO

Kolkata: The diocesan clergy of Calcutta assembled at Christ the King Church, Park Circus on August 6th to celebrate the feast of St. John Mary Vianney, patron of the Parish priests and all the priests in the Universal Church. Nearly 70 priests came from the four corners of the Archdiocese to
take part in this annual Feast day celebration.

His Grace, Most Rev. Thomas D'Souza was the chief  celebrant. It was also an occasion to felicitate the Ruby Jubilarians, who completed their 40 years of priestly journey, serving the people of God in various capacities. The four Jubilarians were, Rev. Henry Saldanha, Rev. Rudolph D'Souza, Rev. Patrick Rodrigues and Rev. Francis Sunil Rosario.

The call to be a Diocesan priest is a special call given by God to serve the People of God in their respective dioceses administered under the Diocesan Bishop. The specific charism of the diocesan clergy is to love God wholeheartedly in His people and in the context of socio-cultural and pastoral realities. Finding the will of God in varied situations and challenges, they are the agents to bring transformation in society and the Church.

Their own personal sanctity inspires all, following in the footsteps of Christ through many trials and sufferings of the post-modern days, they bring fulfillment to God’s plan of salvation. “It is not you, but I have chosen you,” says Jesus while He invites them to be partners in God’s mission to save the world. Thus, the call of Diocesan priesthood is to remain united with God 24/7, loving people from various ethnic, socio-economic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, to build fellowship among the fellow clergy of the Diocese and being obedient to God’s will by accepting the leadership of the Bishop, who represents Christ visibly in the creative and saving plan of God.

This year the feast of St. John Mary Vianney was on Sunday, August 4th. The
Archdiocese chose the nearest day, August 6th, to celebrate their common feast day. Soon after
the Mass, a felicitation program was held in the Parish hall and the day’s program concluded with a fellowship lunch.

This yearly event was organized by the Diocesan Priests Welfare Committee (DPWC). It was to bring the Diocesan clergy together to share their joys of priesthood and build communion among the clergy. The priests, serving the four deaneries, i.e. Kolkata, Midnapore, North 24 Parganas and Howrah-Hooghly, came together to share their fellowship. Rev. Fr. Basil Bimal Mandi, present Parish priest of Christ the King Church, helped in facilitating the day’s event.

Nitika Don Bosco Introduces “10 Tips for the Young” by the Youth of the Archdiocese of Calcutta

Kolkata: Nitika Don Bosco together with the Salesian Youth Department and the Archdiocesan Catechetical Commission introduced the “10 Tips for the Young” derived from the Post-Apostolic Exhortation of  Pope Francis, Christus Vivit on 3 August 2019 at Nitika in the presence of Archbishop Thomas D’Souza and 90 youth and animators from the Archdiocese of Calcutta. The “10 Tips” was the brainchild of Fr. Gilbert Choondal SDB, the catechetical Director of Nitika Don Bosco.

Though the participants received a free copy of the “10 Tips”, extra copies were available for Rs. 5/- per copy after the event. “We want our youth and animators to value what they receive. By putting a nominal price tag, they will not take for granted this attractive message of Pope Francis. When they buy another copy, they can gift it to another young person or their companion. That is evangelisation. The animators and heads of institutes can reach out to their students and boarders. That is how we need to disseminate the work of Pope Francis,” said Fr. Gilbert, the creator of “10 Tips”, during the vote of thanks. The programme commenced at 4:30 pm with Psalm 23 expressed through the body language of Miss Angela, a student of Loreto School, Entally. Fr. Robin Gomes SDB, the rector of Provincial House Community welcomed all to Nitika. Archbishop Thomas D’Souza released the “10 Tips” with a message to the youth and animators. He emphasized the role of youth in the Church as missionaries.

The most important part of the session was the presentation of the “10 Tips” by 10 Young people from the Archdiocese. “We wanted the other youth to learn this art of spreading the message of Pope Francis this way in their own parishes and schools, colleges and hostels,” said Fr. Gilbert. They explained each tip with conviction and personal experiences. “We were moved and touched by the sharing of the young boys and girls who presented the message of Pope Francis convincingly,” expressed Sr. Carmella IBVM. Fr. Patrick Lepcha SDB was the live wire of the programme with his lively compering. The surprise presence of the day was a group of Egyptian youth with a Coptic priest who attended the programme. Fr. Robert Johnson, the catechetical secretary for the Archdiocese thanked all, especially Archbishop Thomas D’Souza, Fr. Gilbert, the creator of “10 Tips”, and all the participants.

Shashi Tharoor at SXUK Convocation

Kolkata: Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor and writer warned that jobs were scarce and degrees were abundant and if this mismatch continued many qualified graduates would end up jobless. An alumnus of St. Xavier’s School, Kolkata from 1969 to 1971, Tharoor stressed the need to identify the actual demand for engineers, advocates, medical, legal and high technology service industries before increasing or decreasing “seats for these in our institutes” to close this skill gap.

Tharoor was delivering the convocation address at St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata on Saturday, July 27. "I am sure this won’t be a problem for the graduates I am addressing today at St Xavier’s University. But you must be aware of the broader national picture,” Tharoor said. “Some 60 per cent of our engineers for instance find themselves in jobs that do not require an engineering degree, and I am not even counting those engineers who get no jobs at all. We are releasing graduates into an ecosystem that does not know how to use them: they settle for a constable post as an alternative”, he said.

“You don’t create graduates for the real world without knowing what the real world wants… Too many of our graduates are overqualified for the jobs available. For the talent we have, we don’t seem to know what to do with it.” Father Felix Raj, the Vice-Chancellor of St Xavier’s University, presented a report where he spoke in detail about the activities of the university in the last one year. The university gave postgraduate degrees to 135 students at the convocation held on the New Town campus. Father congratulated all the degree awardees.

“This is a historical moment for us and the students who received the degrees on this occasion will be remembered for years to come. They are the first fruits of this tree (university) and I thank the entire university community that has helped to build this great institution… St Xavier’s University, Kolkata, is just a two-year-old infant, but it has already taken great strides by contributing towards knowledge creation,” said Father Felix Raj.

Tharoor said that almost half of the country’s population was under 25 and approximately 65 per cent
under 35. As a young and productive workforce, Indian graduates are primed to take over the world,  not only India's but the international society's greatest challenges. Tharoor said that “how to think” was far more important than “what to think” and the big successes in life were those who were able to think out of the box and to think beyond what was in the textbook. “…The big examination called life has a habit of asking you questions for which you couldn’t prepare answers from a textbook,” he said. Tharoor said he was looking forward to the New Education Policy aimed to create a new approach to education in the country.

Card Gracias tells youth to be true missionaries of Christ

Mumbai (AsiaNews) – Card Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), led the inaugural Mass of the 14th International Youth Conference currently underway in Kerala.

All the baptised "are called to have relationships with Jesus, to become disciples of Jesus, to transform the world and relationships so that we can be true missionary disciples,” the prelate said in his address.

“Dream dreams of becoming true disciples of the mission at work, at home and in society," he told the 3,000 people in attendance. “Set all your worries and anxieties aside, present them to the Lord,” he added. “This is a moment for a two-way communication with Jesus.”

Led by Fr Augustine Vallooran, an internationally renowned preacher, the International Youth Conference is being held from 21 to 26 July at the Divine Retreat Centre in Muringoor, Kerala. This year's theme is ‘Kindle into a flame’, from the Second Letter to Timothy (2 Tim 1: 6).

Card Gracias referred to his participation in the Synod on Young People, when young Catholics from all over the world sent a clear message to the bishops, asking them to listen to them, to trust them and to accompany them.

In this regard, the cardinal noted that listening means paying attention to what is said. “Our youth cried out”, asking that they not be treated as “mere children.” Instead, “we are responsible, and know that we can to things well,” they said.

This message "is also for all parents”. In fact, “society must learn from our youth, give them responsibilities, know and accept that our youth are generous, authentic, wanting to transform the world for the better, full of energy and enthusiasm."

When it comes to the bishops, young people at the Synod asked the prelates to accompany them: "Walk with us, be at our side, don’t leave us alone; if we make mistakes correct us, don’t neglect us.”

Card Gracias went on to tell his audience to take advantage of the conference to "dream, to dream Jesus is with you, learn to dream dreams for a better world, a better society, a better India. This is a sign that the Holy Spirit is with you.”

Urging youth to be missionaries to the world, he explained that "We are not meant to be islands; we are called to be part of a community". Finally, he ended repeating "Christ lives", which is also the title of Pope Francis’s postsynodal apostolic exhortation Christus Vivit.

Baruipur Diocese consecrates Fr. Shyamal Bose as their Co-Adjutor Bishop

ISAAC HAROLD GOMES

On 24 March 1961, when the fourth child, a son, was born to Martin and Geeta Bose at Gosaba, a remote village in the Sunderbans, one wonders whether his parents envisioned that one day their son would fill them with God’s Glory by first becoming a priest and then by his transition to Bishop of
Baruipur Diocese. In fact in an interview taken by Joachim Ashim Campoo, Fr Shyamal Bose had revealed that the cherished dream of his father (who came from a lineage of Catechists) was that at least one of his sons would one day be a priest.

Therefore, Monday 24th June 2019 was a golden day in the annals of the Diocese of Baruipur as it was the Episcopal Ordination of “Gharer Chelay (the local lad)” Fr. Shyamal Bose. Prior to this on 17th May 2019 Bishop Theodore Masceranhas, Secretary General of Catholic Bishops Conference
of India (CBCI) had circulated a letter that Pope Francis had appointed Fr. Shyamal Bose, Financial Administrator & Chancellor of Baruipur, as Co-adjutor Bishop of the Diocese.

The crowning glory of the Episcopal Ordination was the presence of all the three bishops of Baruipur: Bishop Linus Gomes (98 years), who had ordained Fr Shyamal Bose and was the first Bishop of Baruipur from 1978 to 1995, Bishop Salvadore Lobo his successor, and the incumbent
Shyamal Bose who was ordained as the joint Bishop of Baruipur Diocese today at a three-and-a-half hour Eucharistic Celebration witnessed by 3500+ faithful at the Holy Cross High School grounds.

Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of the Archdiocese of Calcutta was the main celebrant along with Bishop Salvadore Lobo, Bishop Emeritus Linus Gomes, Bishop Joseph Suren Gomes, Bishop Stephen Lepcha: Darjeeling, Bishop Vincent Aind: Bagdogra, Bishop Cyprian Monis: Asansol and
several other Bishops. Also present were Monsignor Partick Saw Zay Han: First Secretary Apostolic Nunciature Delhi and Rev. Fr Laurentue Dankuja from the Pontifical Academy of Rome.

While ordaining Rev. Fr. Shyamal Bose as a Bishop, Archbishop Thomas resonated that a Bishop’s prime duty was not to rule but to tend to his flock and listen patiently to their suggestions for wholesome growth of the community. After praying with all fellow bishops, Archbishop Thomas
D’Souza put his hands on Fr. Shyamal Bose’s head, anointed him as the new Bishop and presented to him the Bishop’s ring, cap, crown and Crosier.

Thereafter the Archbishop, all the bishops, Vicar General and Provincials greeted him with warm hugs. In his address, Bishop Shyamal Bose first thanked his father as his first teacher & catechist
and his late mother. He went down from the altar to his aging father to seek his blessing. Then he thanked Bishop Linus Gomes who ordained him on 5th May 1991, Bishop Salvadore Lobo for being his mentor, and all his religious colleagues.

The memorable event ended with a brief cultural programme and a short presentation on the
life sketch of Fr Shyamal Bose (now Bishop) prepared by Joachim Ashim Campoo. The Liturgy was admirably conducted by Fr Kanauj Roy and Fr Tushar Augustine Gomes. Considering Bishop Shyamal Bose’s interest in empowerment through education, it will be quite an engaging task for him to be a Fisher of Men and to teach his flock the Art of Fishing to address unemployment or under-employment in his diocese.

Sr. Inigo Challenges the Religious of Kolkata to be Mystic Missionaries

FR. GILBERT CHOONDAL, SDB

Kolkata: “Kolkata is one of the most beautiful places on earth where great wise people taught through their lives. They were mystics and missionaries of this land. Today’s Religious are called to be mystic missionaries.” These challenging words of Sr. Inigo to CRI of Kolkata City stirred circa 100 Religious who had gathered at the auditorium of the Holy Child School of Sisters of Charity at CIT Road on 6 July 2019.

Former mother general of Sisters of St. Anne of Madras (Madhavaram), Sr. Inigo, is a national Religious celebrity for challenging the status quo of Indian Religious life through her powerful rhetoric. To help them review their religious life, she presented a series of great personalities, beginning with the wise men from Kolkata.

She began her reflections by introducing the life and teaching of St. Mother Teresa, Tagore, Vivekananda, and Subash Chandra Bose. They all sanctified the land of Kolkata in their own ways! Then, she brought in examples of Mahatma Gandhi, Pope Francis, Nelson Mandela and St. Oscar Romero. “Normally, we Religious always look up to Catholic personages for inspiration. She projected great people from non-Catholic sector for our spirituality,” said one of the participants.

The half day programme at the auditorium was a reflection cum discussion on the theme, 'Commitment in Religious Life'. Sr. Pushpa, the president of CRI-Kolkata ably organised the half day programme well. There were moments of introspection and group sharing on the theme animated by Sr. Inigo.

Preparation for National SCC Hindi Convention

DOMINIC AZAVEDO

Kolkata, June 22-23: Fr. Vijay Thomas, SCC National Coordinator for SCC had organised a two-day animation programme for the SCC animators and Parish Team members in preparation for the National SCC Hindi Convention. After a Bible procession and veneration of the Bible at the Archbishop’s House venue, Fr. Vijay assessed the accommodation position. Till now, 832 Families have offered to welcome the delegates into their homes, provide breakfast and dinner on October 25 and 27, 2019; and also dinner for those who arrive on 24 October.

All Dioceses who are sending delegates to the Kolkata Convention are having their own Convention to be effective in Kolkata. Fr. Vijay recounted being in Bilaspur for the preparatory Convention – about 1000 participants were coming from outside and the Bilaspur people were ready to warmly welcome them into their houses. As people were saying that houses in Kolkata are small, Fr. Vijay gave an anecdote to show this was not relevant, concluding that it is the generosity and the bigness of one’s heart that is seen and not the space in the house. The food offered must also be very simple for people; they are not coming for food, or to see the size of the house but to build fellowship for Christ. “Occasions will pass away but Memories will remain! The First Convention in Goa was held in 2013 and people still have fond memories; and still write and keep contact with each other, this is SCC Fellowship!” Fr. Vijay said.

23 Bishops will be coming for the Convention and hence on 26 October, for the parish exposure day, there will be at least one Bishop per Parish. Fr. Vijay told the participants that they will have to go back and mobilise their parishioners and invite all parishioners on 26 October, when the outside delegates will be their guests.Fr. Vijay emphasised that an SCC Day is a must before the Convention - like a rehearsal. The participants were then put in groups, Parish-wise. All the groups reported that “SCC Day” is being planned and scheduled in July/August, 2019, they are also getting the non-SCC members in the Parishes to be aware of SCC and they are trying to form more SCC groups in the Parishes. Committees for Welcome, Liturgy, Food, Cultural programme, Finance, etc., were being set up according to the programme given to them by Fr. Dominic Gomes, Vicar General and SCC Coordinator for the Calcutta Archdiocese.

On 23 June, the garlanding and aarti was done by Bishop Clement Tirkey of Jalpaiguri (SCC Regional Chairperson for the Bengal/Sikkim region.) Fr. Vijay gave a great session on the Art of Listening – he concluded the session by putting the participants into groups of three: one to talk, one to listen and one to evaluate according to the talk he gave. The programme ended with a meaningful, lively Mass - Fr. Dominic played the synthesizer and guitar, singing in Bengali, Hindi and English. Mrs. Daisy Samuel proposed the Vote of Thanks. Both Fr. Vijay and Fr. Dominic are to be commended for their unceasing hard work towards planning the Convention, and this important animation programme.

St. Anthony’s Holy Relic Installed at St. Anthony’s Shrine/ St. Joseph’s Chapel, 19, Market Street, Kolkata – 700087

JOHN BROWN

Kolkata: A First-class Relic (a part of the Saint’s body) of Saint Anthony of Padua is now permanently housed at St. Anthony’s Shrine/St. Joseph’s Chapel.

The Holy relic was solemnly blessed and installed on 13 June 2019, the Feast Day of St. Anthony of Padua, at a solemn and moving Eucharistic celebration presided over by Rev. Fr. Dominic Gomes, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Calcutta, in the presence of hundreds of devotees who had flocked the shrine from all over Kolkata.

This historic shrine is the only shrine in the city to house a First-class Relic of St. Anthony of Padua, the Wonder Worker. The 156 year old shrine is known for its miracles and spiritual powers and divine assistance by the powerful intercession of St. Anthony and it attracts hundreds of devotees from all faiths and walks of life throughout the year.

“The Holy Relic which is permanently installed at the shrine for the sake of the devotees will certainly boost the already existing devotion of people to St. Anthony and deepen our faith in God,” says Mrs. Maya D’Souza, one of the regular visitors to the shrine.

United Christian Prayer for India (UCPI) convenes State-Level National Engagement Meeting in Kolkata

DOMINIC AZAVEDO

Kolkata: Nearly 100 leaders from ten denominations gathered for a two-day meeting on unity, prayer and action on 27th – 28th May 2019 at Calcutta Boy's School, organized by United Christian Prayer for India (UCPI). Established in 2014, UCPI is a voluntary movement of churches across the nation that seeks to bring together the whole Church in India in united prayer and action. 

 

Participants heard presentations and biblical messages, engaged in table and small group discussions, and participated in corporate prayer and worship.The vision was cast that church members be envisioned, engaged, sent and supported by their leaders to pray for the nation and so that every person in India may be prayed for by name (and hear the Gospel in a way they can understand).

UCPI is organizing State-Level National Engagement Meetings(SLNEMs) in about 15 states, and meetings have already been convened in Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Punjab, among others. 

Most Rev. Thomas D'Souza gave the welcome message. Fr. Gilbert Aranha, the Executive Secretary to the CCBI Commission for Ecumenism and the Co-Convener and Secretary of the UCPI Theological Forum, presented on “Why Now? Why You? Why UCPI?” giving the background and urgency of the movement (Participant's Book pp. 6-7, and Statement of Agreed Truths, p.4). 

Rt. Rev. Chacko Thottumarickal, Bishop of Indore Diocese and Convener of the UCPI Advisory Forum, shared his testimony of his involvement with the movement, including the result of requesting the priests in his diocese to distribute UCPI prayer cards to every parish member to pray for up to 10 people or families who don't yet know Jesus.

Pr. Arun Philip of the UCPI Central Team, Delhi, gave Biblical Message #1 on unity and prayer (John17) and Biblical Message #3 on the parable of the minas (Luke 19:12-27). He also served as facilitator with Mr.Abishek Sharma, Manager of Church Development of Jatiyo Khristiyo Prochar Samity, who translated.

Sr. Christina Sheela, UCPI Central Team Liaison for the UCPI Volunteer State Team – West Bengal, presented on the UCPI Vision Statement key terms and Common Ground, and onChristian Contributions to Nation Building. Mrs. Bina Nathan, of the Jabez Fellowship, gave Biblical Message #2 on John 17 and the UCPI 5 Action Steps. 

Mr. Raja McGee, Executive Secretary of the Bengal Regional Conference, MCI, Principal of Calcutta Boys' School, and member of the UCPI WB SLNEM Core Planning Team, officiated the inaugural lamp lighting ceremony and presented the invitation to give, including sharing how MCI, including Calcutta Boys' School and Lee Memorial School, have supported the UCPI movement and why. 

Rev. Sukamal Mohapatra, Assistant General Secretary of the Baptist Churches' Council of Eastern India (BCCEI) presented the case study of how the BCCEI had conducted a National Day of Prayer on 2nd October in Kharagpur. For the first time, they partnered with the Roman Catholic church to organize the event and invited members of the community, including members of the government and the armed forces, to participate and be prayed for. 

Pastor Enosh Nazary, Founder/Director, North East Vision, Pastor, Vision Baptist Churches Association of Assam, and Senior Volunteer of the UCPI Volunteer Regional Team–North East India, presented the case study of how the Boro Baptist Church Association had journeyed from their senior leader first catching the vision at a UCPI National Meeting, to sharing the vision and strategy throughout the association through ICMs and trainings, to church members being equipped and sent to pray and share the Gospel. 

The Formiees of Prerona Missionaries of St. Paul, residing in Krishnanagar, contributed songs throughout the program. Morning praise and worship sessions were led by Rev. Nilav Kolay and his team from Kolkata Christian Fellowship.