Tag Archive | Meetings

CBCI National Education Consultation

Nov18

The national CBCI Education consultation was done by way of a full day Programme on 14th  Nov 2018 for the National and Provincial Education Coordinators of Religious Congregations and it was attended by about 100 participants. It was held at Don Bosco Provincial House, Okhla. The inaugural session continued with the welcoming and felicitating of the Chairperson of the CBCI Office for Education and Culture Most Rev. Thomas D’Souza, Archbishop of Kolkata and the Member Bishops of the CBCI Office for Education Most Rev. Archbishop John Moolachira, Archbishop of Guwahati and Rev. Fr. Joy Jacob, Rector, Don Bosco Provincial House Okhla.

Delhi Meeting.jpgArchbishop John Moolachira said that even in the face of the multiple pressures that all of us have while running our institutions, we need to focus our attention and works for the Catholic children, organize scholarships for needy children and keep alive our option for the poor. Next, he led the participants to consider the qualities required for a Principal and imbibe the spirit of the Church, compassion for the needy and a heart for the poor. The need of the hour was to work in collaboration and adopt participatory management, continuously motivating the staff and training them and seek their full participation in the mission and full cooperation.

In the key-note address given by Archbishop Thomas D’Souza highlighted the salient and relevant features of the policy contained in the “All India Catholic Education Policy” and the importance of implementing them- namely: Provide quality and relevant education for all especially the poor; provide education that frees persons from the encumbrances of discrimination, illiteracy and whatever endangers life and respect and inculcate the values in life; promote respect for diversity and inclusiveness; provide education that humanises and allows all to play their rightful role in society, understand economic structures and political systems and promote transparency and accountability; impart education that energizes the young and promote nation building; impart education that shapes character, provides competence and promotes qualities of the heart; ensure promoting collaboration and cooperation and finally provide education that nurtures encounter with God and nourishes faith and teaches values.

Fr. Joseph Manipadam, Secretary for the CBCI Office for Education gave a presentation reporting on some of the very latest concerns posed by the latest Government policy changes after which he gave a report on the work of evaluating and certifying the Catholic institutions across the country on the effectiveness of implementation of the “All India Catholic Education Policy” by each institution and the overall impact in each of the 14 regions through the graphic analysis that had been done. He ended his presentation with the  inauguration of the  “CBCI Education Mastermind”, a commemorative national quiz for schools across the country to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the “All India Catholic Education Policy” to create awareness and onward enthusiasm generating commitment to implement the Catholic Education Policy.

Sr.Clara Saminathan

Economers’ Meet

May14

 

Economers’ meeting was held from 7 – 10 May 2018, at Auxilium Convent, Dum Dum.  There were 25 participants from different communities of the Province.  The days were animated by the Provincial Sr. Rose Ezarath and the Provincial Economer Sr. Annie Thevarakunnel.  Mr. Sanjay Mukherjea and Ashish Agarwal were also invited to enlighten and update the participants us with current issues of the Government regarding accounting.  The topics highlighted were Budget 2018, TDS, Income Tax, PAN card and FCRA.

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Sr. Rose enlightened us with Articles of the Constitutions and Conference of Mother Mazzarello regarding Poverty and she also reminded us the sacredness and the responsibilities of an economer. Sr. Annie Thevarakunnal helped us to renew our commitment in accordance with the Regulations of the Constitutions regarding Poverty. We were encouraged to clear our doubts and to be more efficient in performing our duties daily with accuracy and commitment.

Participants  from Delhi communities

7th UCPI   NATIONAL  MEETING ( United Christian Prayer for India) 

Apr4

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Mrs. Anita Gomes, a  staff from Auxilium Convent, Kalyani was privileged to participate in the 7th UCPI National Meet at Hyderabad, LEONIA HOLISTIC  DESTINATION from 22 – 24 February as a woman leader representative of the archdiocese of Krishnagar. Together with her, were Fathers Subash and Ruben Oraon  and the catechist, Mr. Paul from the Krishnagar diocese.

UCPI is a movement seeking one purpose along with the nation in our life time. 1101 members were present who were from 30 states, including our neighboring countries, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka with 25 Christian denominations in all. All types of Associations were present- Bishops, women leaders, youth leaders, priests both R C and CNI. Each day had a theme with Sessions that followed. DAY 1 : The Centrality of Unity through Prayer and Action.  DAY 2. The Centrality of Prayer and Action at the Local level.  DAY 3: Preparing for the Task as Documentation and Chronicles.

Day 1 commenced with a Welcome to all participants and an opening prayer by Arch Bishop CNI and R C .Each state was grouped together to discuss  about reaching the nation through united prayer and action. The Session for Day 2 focused on Celebrating our Heritage, being challenged by our Present; Biblical value and Planning. It also focused on Unity.

We are One, We are Christian and we will all preach the Gospel together and increase the % of Christians in India. We must join hands with missionaries to preach the Gospel and the Good news to other people as well. We ended Day 2 with a prayer for the whole of India. A map of India was drawn on the ground in the stadium and we came in procession and lit the border with candles signifying Christ as the true Light of the world to be spread.

Day 3 led us to a Session as ‘ How to leave a National Legacy.’. It began with a Prayer and a Vision for UCPI. A report of the 1st and 2nd day was read. Once more we were reminded of our tasks and responsibilities as denominations and Churches and finally asked to leave a national legacy to the 7th UCPI held at Hyderabad.

(Mrs. Anita Gomes – Kalyani)

Juniors Meet

Feb16

 

The Juniors meet was organized from 10th – 13th February 2017 at Auxilium Convent Dum Dum by the Province formation coordinator Sr. Teresa Adampakallel.

Sr. Rose Ezarath, Provincial began the session quoting the message of the Holy Father Pope Francis to the Priest and religious. She said that vocation is a unique and unrepeated call from God and it requires a free and responsible yes. She invited the participants to renew their personal encounter with Jesus unfailingly every day.

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On 11th February, Sr. Stella Potteparambil, the Education coordinator    transmitted the Document, the GEM (Guidelines for the Educational Mission of the FMA). Firstly she led us in prayer in keeping with the theme taken from John 10.10 “That they may have life and have to the full.” All the six chapters of the book were explained well by her with the help of various methods such as creative method of interaction, group work, power point presentation and composing song. She stressed on the living conditions of the changing world where young people find themselves Parallel, Multicultural, Virtual, Multi belonging, Uncertainty regarding future and Search for Spirituality,   globalization, new possibilities, imbalance between technology and ethical awareness etc. The educator should be able to create a conducive environment of acceptance, trust and responsibilities.

The videos extract from the films of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello boosted the participants enthusiasm to have preferential love for the young. The given guidelines were not just for the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians but for the entire educating Community. She stressed that the holistic formation of the young is very important and it is not only education and discipline but it is also their new forms of poverty, and the use of media.  She also stressed need  to visit  families where the young hearts are formed.

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On 12th February the Sisters had the joy of visiting the new Aspirantate at Bamunmura. They enjoyed the day being in the company of each other and promised their prayers and encouraged the candidates to be strong in their vocation.

On the last day with the help of Sr. Teresa A. the sisters evaluated the programme and took the following commitment:  “To renew the Relationship with God, with the members of the community and young with joy”.

 

Economers’ Meet

Jul25

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The Economers’ Meet was held from 15 – 17 July 2016 at Provincial House Auxilium, Dum Dum. 22 Economers participated in the meeting. It was organized by Sr.Annie Thevarkunnel, the Provincial Economer. In the introductory talk Provincial Sr.Rose Ezarath helped the participants to understand the meaning of the economer and highlighted three important values that are essential to be an efficient economer. She said that administration is not only taking care of the house but reaching out to the mission especially the poor.

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 Sr. Annie handled the topics of TDS, STDS, society and salary. She urged the participants to keep in mind the rules of the Church, Institute and of the nation. In the afternoon lawyer Mr. Tapas Chowdhury, dealt with the rules of Civil Law and stressed the need to update.

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The last session was on auditing account and bank account taken by Mr. Sanjay, the auditor. Sisters were enriched and doubts were clarified. He urged the sisters to be more accurate in the works and to be aware of the present demands of the government. Sr. Provincial concluded the meeting by appreciating and encouraging the sisters by saying, “Trust in the Lord and carry out the mission with love and commitment.”

Meeting of principals and vice- principals

Apr11

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The meeting of the principals and vice- principals of the province of INC from 28 – 29 March 2015, commenced with inviting the Holy Spirit to come and fill the ambience and awaken the hearts and minds of the participants.

In the absence of the provincial Sr. Maria Pettayil, Sr. Teresa Adampakallel, the vice- provincial delivered the inaugural address. Introducing the revised Educational Policy of the province she said, “Through this policy we wish to ensure that our institutions do not pursue the narrow goal of academic prestige, with strong focus on marks and medals, but instead aim to foster human values and spiritual maturity among the students and staff.” She then released the revised Educational Policy of the province by handing over the first copy of the book to Sr. Elizabeth Makil and Sr. Stella P, the education coordinators of the Province and to Sr. Elizabeth Valliyil, animator of Auxilium – Bandel.

Sr. Stella painstakingly prepared PPT on the Educational project of the province. She fittingly quoted Abbe Duvallet who acknowledged the pedagogy of Don Bosco, “You have your work, your schools, oratories and houses for the young but you have only one treasure; the pedagogy of Don Bosco. Preserve it, update it, strengthen it, enrich it with all modern discoveries and adapt it to the youth of today, their problems.  Change everything but preserve the treasure, teaching thousands the way to love and save the youth of today. In a world where the young are betrayed, withering away, crushed, exploited, God has entrusted you with a pedagogy which highlights the respect for the young, their greatness, their weaknesses and their dignity as children of God. Sr. Stella elicited candidly the striking characteristics of the Preventive System and its components. She concluded her presentation by reminding the participants about the recommendation of Don Bosco to all the educators. “Just as there is no sterile or barren land which cannot be made fertile through patient effort, so it is with a man’s heart. No matter how barren and restive at first, it will sooner or later bring forth good fruit.  It will begin by loving what is naturally good and ultimately advance to what is supernaturally good. Even the most callous youth have a soft spot. The first duty of the educator is to locate that sensitive spot, that responsive chord in the pupil’s heart and make advantage of it.”

Sr. Elizabeth Makil and Sr. Stella P with the aid of PPTs presented every letter and word of the revised policy so as to make the participants familiar with the policy. The two days meeting wrapped up with a few recommendations for the harmonious administration of the educational institutions of our Province.

 Sr. Celine A.

BRBC-CRI-CDPB Annual Meeting

Oct12

The BRBC-CRI-CDPB Bengal-Sikkim Regional Annual Meeting was held from 06-09 October 2014 at Loreto Convent Darjeeling. About 105 major superiors of different religious congregations and Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Kolkata, Bishop Cyprian Monis of Asansol, Bishop Salvadore Lobo of Baruipur, Bishop Joseph Gomes of Krishnagar, Bishop Clement Tirkey of Jalpaiguri and Bishop Stephen Lepcha of Darjeeling diocese were present for the gathering. Sr. Nirmala Tigga as the Provincial delegate and Sr. Mary Ann Abraham, as Local CRI secretary took part in the meeting.
The theme of the annual meeting was “Empowering Our Laity for Greater Pastoral Collaboration and Political Responsibility”.
The meeting started with the solemn Eucharistic celebration at 3 pm in the Cathedral church. Many laity from the parish and young people was invited to participate in the inaugural Mass. Archbishop Thomas D’Souza was the main celebrant, in his homily, spoke about the ‘Good Shepherd and the Lost Sheep’. He said that perhaps today not one sheep is lost but ninety nine. We need to look for them and care for them as good and caring shepherds.
After the Holy Eucharist the participants were welcomed through a traditional Nepali dance, staged by the young girls of the parish. This was followed by the Panel discussion on the theme. Mrs Monica Moktam and Mr. Rajen Baberjee, Sr. Anita IBBM and Fr. Sarto SJ shared their views on the theme.
On 07th October, Fr. Cyril Desbruslais SJ, the resource person of the meeting through his talk helped the group to understand the importance of making the laity an active collaborator in the Pastoral work of the Church. On the following day all the CRI secretaries and Bishops of the Regions presented last year’s Action Plan the reports. It was an occasion to learn from one another the good things done in each diocese and regions by God’s people for the spread of His Kingdom.
In the Pastoral Planning it was decided to give emphasis to SCC, Family Visits, formation of the PPC (Parish Pastoral Council) etc. The theme chosen for the next Annual meeting is: “THE FAMILY: Leaven for today’s world”.

Sr. Nirmala T.