The retreat began by Provincial Sr.Rose  Ezarath inviting all the retreatants to wish and bless each other so that we may be a blessing to one another. She exhorted the sisters to keep exterior and interior silence so as to be attentive to the Spirit who speaks to us more strongly to attain configuration with Christ.

The retreat preacher Fr. CT Varghese SDB began the retreat by inviting the retreatants to take a glass of beer. Everyone was surprised at it but it was very different type of beer. The beer stands for Bible which will enlighten us, the Eucharist that will strengthen us and reconciliation that will free us to make a good and fruitful retreat.

He insisted on prayer which will help us to overcome all struggles in life. Our prayer must be simple and that will lead to a life of joy. Prayer and faith go together; one cannot exist without the other. Fr. Varghese exhorted us to be religious who are alive, vibrant and vital. Lack of prayer causes lethargy, indifferentism, lack of interest and dedication. We need to bring God into our life. Our ministry and Apostolate will be dead without God.

Another point the preacher insisted on is to focus on Jesus. When we focus on ourselves we are a failure. We face many difficulties in life because of our self centeredness. When we focus on God, all problems will easily be overcome. Focus on Jesus means to live in His presence.

Other key ideas which he dwelt were: Developing relationship with God; God predates our life and purpose before we were born. None of us are accidents in the world. God planned the purpose of lives so I must be a happy religious. Ask in faith and act in faith. Seek for neighbours who need our help, search for the young who are with us and around us. Knock at the life of people, who need our help to come up and grow in life. Leading people to Jesus is our mission. Many people are driven by guilt, resentments and anger, fear materialism, approval, position and power. If these are driving our force, they will destroy our lives. We must be driven by pastoral conversion. Knowing the purpose of our life gives a boost to our life, simplifies our life, focus to our life, motivates our religious life, and prepares us for eternity. At the end of our lives we have to answer God to these questions.

• What did you do with my Son Jesus Christ?
• What did you do with the talents, opportunities and relationship?
• What did you do with your neighbour?

One of the meditations was based on Jesus’ answer to the Apostles who were anxious about their greatness and who is the greatest. The greatness of a person according to the heart of Jesus is to have humility of heart, willing and not self seeking. Jesus allowed the apostles to learn from their mistakes. We need to detach ourselves from earthly things in order to attach ourselves to Christ.

The life is a rehearsal of the life to come which has no end. We cannot understand eternity but we can enjoy an unbroken fellowship with God which will lead us to eternity. He further delved into the need to see life from the view point of God. Life is a test, God continually test people. He tests our love, faith, obedience, integrity and loyalty. Life on earth is a trust. We are filled with talents, energies. We never own anything for ourselves. He wants us to use them for others. Life is temporary. We must make the best use of our life and consider ourselves as travellers passing through this world.

The reason for our being is to give glory to God. The whole creation itself is a glory of God. The best glory is seen in Jesus. We are commanded to recognize Jesus and live for the glory of God. It will be a great sin if we do not give glory to God. We can give glory to God in various ways: worshipping God, loving people, becoming like Christ, telling other about Christ, our apostolate, our involvement with our young, a committed life as consecrated people, and accepting our sisters. Every vocation is a gift of God; we cannot send away any vocation. We need to foster and nurture each vocation. What blocks us is our selfishness and pride.

Smile of God is the goal of my life. So the important task is how to please God. We can please him in various ways: when we love him supremely, trust and praise him completely, thank him continuously and use our abilities and talents fruitfully like Noah of old. We came to know the secret of how we can become best friends of God and the heart of worship is surrender “. Surrender is not the best way to live; it is the only way to live”.  We are made and formed for God’s family. We become members of God’s family through faith in Christ his Son (Baptism). All believers become our brothers and sisters and the church becomes our spiritual family. We have the privilege of having membership in our unique Salesian family – Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. When we live enthusiastically our identity as FMA, we will have many followers, many vocations.

The thermometer in Kurseong dipped down day by day yet the temperature within each one of us kept rising to find what matters most in our life. It is love. “Life without love is worthless”. Love hits the priority. Love for God and his people. Love is the secret, surest and shortest way to the Father.

Thanks to our spiritual guide Rev. Fr. CT Varghese sdb and the personal accompaniment of our dear Sr. Provincial Sr. Rose Ezarath. We cherish our moments of relaxation with Jesus. We received five times a day His blessings through the retreat preacher imparted to us after every exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. We did include all our community members to receive these blessings.

“Solitude, Silence, and Constant Prayer” was the clarion call and heralding words that Fr. James Mathew sdb, the preacher. He put us on a strong platform at the start of this Annual Retreat to ascend the ladder to sanctity and transformation, leading us into the silence of the manger with the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes to enter into the depths of our inner selves.

There were 52 participants of the Kolkata province gathered under the mantle of Our Lady of Bandel for the Mount Tabor experience to taste the sweetness and the goodness of the Lord and rest in His abode. Days of grace followed when we were made to reflect and contemplate the humanity of the Incarnate Word made flesh in the silence of the crib and to really recognize Him, know Him, be with Him and contemplate Jesus until he becomes incarnate in us. Like the attitude of the 3 wise men on their journey seeking Christ with our whole heart to offer Him profound adoration, total surrender and ready to return to a new way led by the star through Scripture and led by the cave through wisdom.We were made to realize that the day we feel love in our heart, then God lives in us. A strong conviction that surfaced was that if we lived by the Spirit we would be guided by it, even just calling upon the most powerful name of Jesus. Mt. 16-17.

The Feast of the Holy Family enabled us to see how this family after the example at Bethany, to wait upon God’s Word and to be doers of it not merely hearers. A strong conviction “Where your heart is there is your treasure”, Col: 3:17-17 enabled us see where our true treasure lay. The dynamic conversion of Paul on his way to Damascus and embrace Christ fully thereafter was an invitation for us to know that Christ lives in me and I in Him. LOVE TRANSFORMS EVERYTHINH. LET GOD LOVE YOU. This was soothing balm to truly understand that Jesus always looks on us with love and we would change (Samaritan woman) for He says ‘Come unto me and I’ll give you rest’ Jn. 1-2 ; Jn.15-15.

Our wish for the New year 2017 culminated in the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as we celebrate the 100^th Year of the Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima- to allow Jesus to penetrate and possess our whole being so completely that our life too may radiate his light and love to all, with an attitude of gratitude to our Blessed Mother at the start of this New year in the Spirit of the Magnificat.. The Eucharist, source and summit of our spiritual strength, freeing us from  every bondage led us to understand how each of us could become a real presence of Jesus for the young, needy and the poor with the same passion of Mother Mazzarello, Don Bosco and St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata.

“Look at Jesus” helped us ponder deeply the power to forgive, that God turns everything for good unto those who love Him (Joseph- Genesis) and the power to return to our original innocence and become like the image of Jesus. Act. 25; Act. 7-54. A home driving thought worth mentioning was to feel the presence of God in all situations of life and this awareness is brought about through Holy Scripture as in the case of the disciples of Emmaus. “Allow yourself to be loved by God “came all through this retreat.

Praying the Chaplet to the Divine Mercy was an awareness of God’s presence in our lives and to surrender totally to Him in complete trust. Time spent before the Eucharistic Lord was strengthening moments fully exposed to His Divine love, simply to meet the Lord in silence in the calm and peace of Bethlehem. Sharing of anecdotes, incidents and testimonies by Fr. James were realities in themselves and great lessons to learn from. The sacrament of Reconciliation was a trustful encounter with the faithfulness and the mercy of the father renewing our participation in the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection, reconciling us with our brothers and sisters in the Church.

The good nights of  Provincial  Sr. Rose was illumining and took us to renew our commitment and fidelity in our consecrated life as we reflected on Articles 34,39,42, 44, 48 and 50 of our Constitutions and on The Profile of the FMA. “Let God’s Word illumine us” she said recommending us to do with us what he wants not what we want, as would a painter on an empty canvas.

Finally as we came to the close of these days of intimacy with the Lord, it was a provocative interrogation to leave with: “How will I know that God’s increasing in me and I’m decreasing? It’s when I know how to accept and manage problems, difficulties, sufferings and allow the Spirit act in me. Renewing our vows we asked the grace “To choose holiness – perfect love and consecrate us in the truth”.

Now all good things did come to an end with a jolly bus ride to the Kuti gardens at the close of this retreat , all enjoying in a cheerful mood and as in a family….the boat ride and the train ride, the ‘ clicks’ in all directions and the good meal together. It was a happy day out.

In order to celebrate and conclude the year of Mercy in a worthy manner, a Retreat cum Seminar for Catholic/Christian parents and teachers of classes Nursery to XII was organised in Holy Child Auxilium School, Vasant Vihar on 19^th November 2016 from 8. 00 am to 3.30 pm. Rev. Fr. Johnson Pallatti C and his team animated and conducted the sessions in Hindi and English on the theme of conversion and family- the most beautiful, the most basic, the most important centre of Love, its visible threats, responsibilities and the importance of maintaining the family spirit, mutual love, unity etc. Around 600 teachers and parents attended it.

Preaching the Word of God was done by referring to suitable Bible quotations and various other sources such as supportive movie chippings and self composed songs about family, that were displayed through power point presentation simultaneously, along with an alternate incorporation of devotional action songs of praises and prayers.  These activities not only attracted the attention but also undoubtedly made the participants experience the miraculous ways of intervention of the Almighty.

Some of the important points presented include:

In a family, the husband, wife and children are bound in the bond of pure, self-sacrificing and self-giving love which makes life meaningful and sacred. Love between the couples is the strength and inspiration of the family, making the foundation of an ideal family. Lack of love between the couples has direct and lasting impact on the children. Every child is in need of proper parenting and parent’s love. Selfless love and fulfilment of the responsibilities is the foundation of the family unit that has to be extended to the moral education and spiritual formation of the children. Parents need to accept the children as a gift of God and take care of them in such a way that they become worthy gift to God. Parents must create a home where tenderness, love, forgiveness, respect and selfless service dominate. Home should be a place for the formation of faith and education of virtues and values.

The programme ended with the Adoration of the Holy Eucharist during which powerful prayers were recited by Father and all those who participated with zeal and enthusiasm received blessings from the Lord. May we be enabled to share this joy and insight by being merciful to others in words and deeds.

H.C.Vasant Vihar

140 students of Mazzarello Convent School , Ranchi  had their retreat  from 18 – 20 November 2016. It was animated by Rev. Fr. DeepaK Toppo S.J. Children were happy with the opportunity provided to them  to know and love Jesus more.

On 29^th and 30^th  October 2016, Retreat for the catholic students of St. Anthony’s convent school Jaigaon was held on the theme- the story of the Cross of Jesus. The retreat was preached by  Fr. Solomon Rai SDB from Don Bosco, Novitiate Siliguri.

The significance of the Cross of Jesus was explained vividly to the students with the help of many videos. God’s love and concern for his children was portrayed before us. We were shown a video of Arthur Blessett, the story of a person, who carries his  cross from 1962 till today telling about God’s love to all the people.

Many of the students acknowledged the fact that the Sacrament of Reconciliation helped them to renew themselves. They were also guided to say the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Rosary with sincere devotion. The Taize prayer was the most beautiful moment where we all placed our personal intentions before the Lord.

The students enjoyed the movie ‘Marcellino pane e vino’. The movie showed the virtue of innocence. On the following day 30^th October, retreat preacher guided  the students to  meditate . The Retreat ended with the celebration of the holy Eucharist and a sumptuous lunch. We are very grateful to our sisters and Rev. Fr. Soloman Rai for this wonderful opportunity given to us to love and come closer to God.

Prity Bhujel

Class XII

On the 6^th of October, a spiritual retreat for all the Catholic teachers of Auxilium Convent School Barasat was organized in the school chapel. Rev. Fr. Biji Thomas SDB, the rector of Don Bosco Liluah conducted the retreat. It commenced with a soulful hymn and the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The first part of the session began with the reading of the scriptures which facilitated us to understand how our thoughts can lead us to commit sins. It is not only through our action but we can be tempted by our evil thoughts  that are unclean.

The second part of the session mainly concentrated on the parables of the Gospel like the ‘Prodigal son’ and ‘The Good Samaritan.’ These parables teach us to reach out to people in need and think of the common good. We should not focus on things that we  ought not to do rather do the things that please God. Father, then explained to us that our body is a temple of God and our actions should always bring glory to God.The next moments were spent in prayer to make a good and fruitful confession.

The retreat was concluded with the celebration of the Eucharist. It was an enriching experience for all of us as we could ponder over our lives and grow deeper in our faith. At the end of the Eucharistic celebration Fr. Distributed a picture of St. Theresa of Kolkata and Sr. superior gifted us with a rosary each and recommended us to pray the Holy Rosary daily. It was a great opportunity provided to all the teachers by all the sisters. At the end of this fruitful retreat Ms. Isabella Anthony thanked Fr. Biji Thomas on behalf of all the teachers for transforming our lives with the word of God, Sacrament of reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. She also thanked the management for arranging this special day and taking care of our spiritual as well as material needs. ( Ms.Anumita Rozario)