Friday, 4 December 2015

Leadership training


Leadership training

          Fr. George Manimala, Parish Priest of St Thomas Church, R K Puram, New Delhi organized an evening get together of Parish Council Members, including SCC Presidents, Vice Presidents and church support fund Collectors.  As part of the evening programme a Leadership programme was conducted. Through a PPT presentation Father explained various aspect of Church leadership and the role each one of us are required to play for the growth of the church (the people) spiritually and in society.  Three short lessons or points touched me and which I think is very relevant in today’s times. 
 
Agents of Change.
       We are agents of change.  Each one present during the meeting is a leader representing a community.  The community looks at the leader and draws inspiration from their action and words.  It is for the leader to lead the people through the right road.  Seeing the way we deal with our family members, our neighbours our non Christian communities the members of the community learns.  It is rightly said that our children learn from our action and not from our advice, talks, scolding, etc.  They learn from seeing not by listening.  The eyes play a more vital role than the ears.  Leaders can and must be the agents of change.  The sheep is without a Shepherd.  The leader can lead the people to greener pastures.  As a Christian each one of us has to show the way to others.  Seeing the way the leader leads the people the way he/she behaves in the day to day life, others will learn.  If the leader does it right they will learn the right way.  
   
God given opportunity
       Most of us are nominated as leaders of the Small Christian Community, the Parish Council, the Youth, etc.  We are reluctant to take on responsibilities.  Many of us do not have the time.  However, we must remember that it is a blessing to get a chance to work for the Church.  It’s God’s work and it is He who calls.  Having accepted the chance to serve, each one has to use his/her talents to the full.  We cannot give the church activities the least priority.  If we get time, without disturbing our daily routine, without affecting our family visits, social commitments, cricket match, a relaxed evening, etc then when we are totally free and have nothing to do we grudgingly help out in the church.  If we realize and accept that this a rare opportunity granted to us then our priorities will change.

Have a Vision
          Another aspect touched upon during the training was the need to have a vision.  We are casual about the role we have to play.  Without a vision we won’t reach anywhere.  It is like the pilot of a plane who does not know where to go.  Without a defined destination no one will board that flight.  As leaders we need to have a vision, a vision known and internalized by each member of the unit.  Then we are on the right track.  A person who has a limited vision of less than a year will plant flowers, the one who has a vision of a couple of years will plant trees and those with longer vision will cultivate people.  We have to cultivate people so our vision should be long term.  There may be set backs or hurdles in the short run but keep the goal in sight.  Even if there is need to brake or divert we can switch back and focus on the goal.  

Thursday, 26 November 2015

Solemnity of Christ the King.


Hallelujah He reigns
Hallelujah The Lord almighty reigns.


            Christ the King for Delhi Archdiocese is the culmination of the year and the announcement of the Christmas season.  Christ the King brings the entire Delhi together as one family.  All the parishes are invited to join in the witnessing of our faith.  Every parish comes together as one family every Sunday.  Within our Small Christian Community we feel the sense of belonging, the feel of one family; we share our joys and sorrows in this family.  Every Sunday we experience the joy of belonging to the Parish church.  We realize that we are part of a bigger family.  It’s a joy to meet our brothers and sisters in parish and share greetings.  We feel the sense of belonging, belonging to a larger family. Once a year we come together on the Feast of Christ the King as one big Diocesan family.  

2.         This year the feast of Christ the King was on 22nd November, 2015.  It’s a day of rejoicing and proclaiming Jesus as our King.  It’s a day we shout out in joy.  The crowd, the togetherness, the family feeling, being with loved ones, being with those who share the faith, the conviction, and being at home – all brings out the joy in us.  We suddenly realize that we are part of a bigger family, a bigger community, the universal church.  We realize that we are not alone, that we have a family spread over the city, the country, the world, that there is no need to be depressed.  We belong.  It is a day that we meet many of our friends and relatives.  We meet our acquaintances, our ex parishioners, our neighbours, etc.    In the daily rat race we fail to take out time to meet with many whom we want to meet.  The feast of Christ the King brings us all together. 



            What a friend we have in Jesus
            All our sins and grief’s to bear,
            What a privilege to carry,
            Everything to God in prayer.


3.         We are indeed privileged.  We have been blessed with the grace of faith.  We have nothing to fear.  Our Lord will take care of us.  Lets pray for all the prodigal sons and daughters, all those who are not blessed with the faith.  We know how terrible it is to be unbelieving.  It robs us of our peace of mind, it robs us of our family, it robs us the feeling of one with the community. 


You alone are my strength, my shield
To you alone may y spirit yield
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship thee.



4.         Many of us faithful are embarrassed of our faith.  We are reluctant to profess or even reveal our faith.  It is not considered cool.  Is there an element of fear?   May be in some cases and in some situations.  Christ the King celebration is the professing of our faith, as a community to the world at large.  It should not be construed that we Catholics want to show our strength.  NO.  It is perhaps not even to tell our neighbours that we are Christians and we are proud of it.  I feel that it is an internal joy that brings us out as a community once a year.  It is the urge to share that joy.  The feast is celebrated on the last but one Sunday of November and in Delhi the weather has become cooler.  To spend a Sunday morning out walking in procession is difficult.  We are tempted to stay in bed.  There is no Mass in Church that morning so we have a ready excuse.  Apart from overcoming the laziness or moving from the comfort zone one has to have the courage and conviction to come out, to stand out.  To proclaim your faith you need courage which many of us do not have.  So we bury ourselves under the blanket.


5.         This year there was a big crowd.  It took nearly an hour to move out of St Columba’s school ground and most probably the head of the procession would be walking back into the ground when the last parish would have left the ground.  Don’t know what the general public watching the procession would have felt.  In India where such processions are a common site, it would have generated very little curiosity.  Some may observe the peaceful and prayerful nature of procession.  Some few might have been inconvenienced as there were traffic diversions although in a limited area and only for a limited time. 


6.         The exuberance of the congregation as the Blessed Sacrament was carried into the grounds in a procession was overwhelming.  The Alleluia and the chanting expressed the joy and acknowledgement of Christ as the King.  St John’s Parish, Palam Colony led this final stage of the procession with flags and ceremonial umbrellas.  After benediction the whole community had a meal together.   

             Until next time. Bye


Sunday, 15 November 2015

Milan 2015 St Thomas Association of Youth (S.T.A.Y)

MILAN 2015 : S.T.A.Y. comes out with flying colours
Overall Diocese SECOND position with a ‘Runner up Trophy’


The various events under Milan include the following:
     1.     Essay writing (Eng/Hin)                   
     2.     Photography
     3.     Comic strip
     4.     Poster making
     5.     T-shirt painting
     6.     Rangoli making
     7.     Pot painting
     8.     Tableaux



     9.                        Silent Play
   10.                        Bible quiz
   11.                        Group singing
   12.                        Choreography
   13.                        Delhi’s got Talent
   14.                        Best out of Waste
   15.                        Mob. Documentary
   16.                        Poetry
Tableaux FIRST position
     1.     Deepti Lakra
     2.     Joanita Maria Toppo
     3.     Ritu Toppo
     4.       Samir Kujur
     5.     Subhashni Minj
     6.     Praveen Kajur
     7.     Evon Nelson Sunny
     8.     Willksina Nelson Sunny
     9.     Sumit Minj
    10.                        Vivek Barla
    11.                        Akhil Varghese
    12.                        Roshner Minj
    13.                        Nishita Toppo
Group Singing FIRST position
     1.     Tania Lobo
     2.     Deepti Lakra
     3.     Martyn Solomon
     4.     Justin Baxla
     5.     Vivek Barla
     6.     Roselin Francis
     7.     Namita Kujur
     8.     Alwin Tete
     9.     Janet saldanha
    10.                        Angel Biju
    11.                        Avinash Singh
    12.                        John Wilsent
    13.                        Shalini Ekka
Poster Making FIRST position
Tresa Den C George
T-Shirt Painting SECOND position
Subhashni Minj
Long jump SECOND position
Shalini Ekka
Pot Painting THIRD position
Subhashni Minj
Poetry THIRD position
Tania Lobo
Bible Quiz FOURTH position
Deepti Lakra, Martyn Solomon, Merlyn Joseph



 The crowd at Edmund Rice Hall, St. Columba's School, New Delhi
Mr Sameer Kujur, President, STAY proudly holding the Runners up Trophy

























 Group Singing bagged the FIRST prize.












 Hard work always pays







 Doing it with passion




 The team which won on the Milan Stage, Congrats



 The felicitation in St Thomas Church, RK Puram.  Appreciation from the loved ones, at home.


 Fr George Manimala, the Parish Priest and Fr Jesuraj, Assistant Parish Priest congratulating the winners