Father announced during Sunday Mass that
Sr Shimi Varghese has been transferred and that she will be leaving for her next posting the coming
Saturday. Since I had shifted to St
Thomas Parish I had been seeing Sister as a permanent face, a picture of
confidence and always wearing a warm smile.
The news that she is leaving us must have touched many hearts in this
Parish. How many would really get a
chance to thank her, have the time and opportunity to come up and say bye is
not known. The St Thomas Association of
Youth however thought of organising a farewell get-to-gather. It was Akhil who gave the idea but we missed
him on the actual day. We decided to
have the informal function on Friday i.e 19th July, 2015. With no holidays in between the arrangements
were discussed over ‘Whatsup’ and SMS.
Someone bought a token parting gift, someone got the cake and someone
the cool drinks. So it was a real team
effort. With so many, whose heart sister
had touched around, there were many volunteers.
After Mass we all descended to the hub or
the den of the church, the nerve centre, the control room, the board room, the
activity place – it is simply called the basement. But, everything that happens in the entire
parish whether it is the church or the 25 odd SCCs, the feast, the holy week services,
Christmas celebrations, passion play, choir, rosary, Legion of Mary, Vincent de
Paul, catechism, altar service, etc etc., all get planned in this humble place
simply called the basement. Members of
STAY and choir were there to bid farewell.
We had planned a meeting of Laxmibhai Nagar, Sarojini Nagar and Netaji
Nagar SCCs with STAY for the 3rd July function for the youth. So we had leaders of Netaji Nagar Unit also
joining. All were given a chance to
share what they feel about sister, about her leaving us. Surprisingly all mentioned about sisters
ready smile. A smile can do wonders to
your day, to your neighbour’s day, so why not.
Many of us are misers when it comes to offering a smile. Sister has been ever giving and we would miss
that bit of rainbow in the church.
Another quality that got mentioned about
was her unique way of reciting the first few words of a hymn during mass. The recitation made us think of the words,
its meaning and then its singing became more meaningful. This rendered the entire singing a prayerful
feel. It is universal truth that a good
choir, its singing, the hymns, the music all add to the solemnity of the
celebrations. It helps the congregation
to get involved in the celebrations and leads them to be part of it. It cuts of the outside world, its worries,
distractions and brings the persons in to the church both body and spirit. Sister’s such initiatives added further to
the prayerful atmosphere and all of us acknowledged that sisters way of
reciting the words of the hymn was a great help. She also sang the responses many a times
instead of just reading them. Every
individual is expected to join in the response.
Everyone may not sing along with the choir. But sisters singing solo or leading everyone
to sing the response helped in bringing the people together.
Choir of St Thomas Church has a quality,
it is hesitant, does not over-ride the Mass.
It does not always sing with full gusto and confidence. Sr Shimi, if present, the confidence of the
choir increases. When she sang, others joined
without any inhibition, without fear or doubt.
She has been the source of several new songs and tunes. When a person joins with conviction, with
confidence, with the purpose to carry through with the work or responsibility, come
what may, a leader is born. Sr Shimi has
shown the way. I am sure that our young generation
will follow her example.
Sister came in 2009 but before that she
was a hosteller at Prabatara for more than 4 years. Then she was working in Bikaji Cama Place. Her family is at Faridabad and parishioners
of Sector 5 Church. She has been posted to a town near kalka, around 25 km away.
It’s an industrial town with very few Christians. She will be involved in the Non formal
education ministry there. Sister has
been and will continue to keep each one of us in her prayers and we also
promise to pray for her and her ministry.
May God Bless.
.
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