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.
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.
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