some photographs of Family Diwas and Game Utsav prizes

Love is our Mission: The Family Fully ALIVE

 The audience enjoy the Family Diwas 

 “We are called to acknowledge how beautiful, true and good it is to start a family, to be a family today.  We are called to make known God’s magnificent plan for the family…as we accompany them amidst so many difficulties.”

Pope Francis, February 20, 2014

Chief Guest being welcomed with a bouquet of flowers

Long long ago we were members of Delhi Malayalee Association (DMA).  DMA would organise the annual Onam or Vishu programme with songs, drama, skits, mimicry, etc.  Perhaps, taking a cue from this we in the family used to organise a day of celebration, usually during summer or winter holidays along with neighbourhood kids. The stage was a double bed, very rare in those days, in the early seventies.  Bedsheets became the curtains for stage.  I never thought that I would be involved in something similar after more than 40 years.  The Family Diwas with 12 groups coming together to perform a skit, song or play brought back memories. 

One of the teams performing and the others keenly watching

2.        Father George Manimala, Parish Priest of St Thomas Church, RK Puram announced that the Central Deanery of Delhi Archdiocese is celebrating Family Day or Family Diwas on the occasion of Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia for the World meeting of Families.  The early Church Father Saint Irenaeus famously said that “the glory of God is man fully alive.”  In like manner, the glory of men and women is their capacity to love as God loves.  Life in a family is a summons to embody this love in everyday life.  What Catholics believe about human purpose, marriage, and the family – this is the substance of the following preparatory catechism for the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. 

      i.          

The Fr George Manimala, Parish Priest of St Thomas Church, R K Puram

       Mission of Love.  God works through us.  We have a mission.  We are in the world for a purpose.

     ii.    Two become one.  We are not made to be alone.  Human beings need and complete each other.  Friendship and community satisfy that longing with bonds of common interest and love.  Marriage is a uniquely intimate form of friendship that calls a man and woman to love each other in the manner of God’s covenant.

   iii.      Light in a Dark World.  At its best, the family is a school of love, justice, compassion, forgiveness, mutual respect, patience, and humility in the midst of a world darkened by selfishness and conflict. 

   iv.      A Home for the wounded heart.  Christian families should be sources of mercy, safety, friendship and support for those struggling with these issues.

First Prize winners : Sector 1 and 2 RK Puram and Mohamadpur

 3.       Two or three SCC units were clubbed together to produce and perform an item on the theme ‘Love is our Mission: A family fully alive’.  It was a challenge to our unit leaders, a challenge in creativity and a challenge in bringing people together.  Father made it clear that the objective is to depict how a family, SCC unit or the church can reach out to others and express love.  The time was limited, the demand great.  All are busy, work, children, family commitments, etc.  The unit leaders were faced with the task of bringing more than one unit together, to create and produce a five minute programme, involve the entire unit and compete with others. 

4.        The first confirmation came from Mr John Swaminathan of Arjun Nagar.  I was thrilled.  I waited for other confirmations.  Creativity does not come off the shelf or even internet.  We at Netaji Nagar and Laximibai Nagar spent two valuable meetings discussing what could be done.  A song or a game, a skit or a dance.  It was test of leadership.  I sent SMS after SMS to the leaders urging them to send the theme of their unit’s performance.  The first target was to get a commitment.  The moment the leader commits the topic, the theme, the title, the intention; he/she is committed to organise a performance.  This is a lesson for life.  The moment you commit, commit to someone other than yourself, you are compelled to deliver.  And deliver you will.  Whenever you want to achieve something in life, commit to yourself and then to others, you will be motivated to show results.  Declaring your goal to others requires guts and declaring the goal of a group of people shows leadership.  A declared goal, is like a writing on the wall.  You know the target, the target is visible and working towards it becomes easier and focused.  The Church of RK Puram, the Priests, the Core Team, the Parish Council, all acknowledge the leadership of each SCC unit who have taken the challenge, who have shown exceptional leadership qualities, who have brought the people together, of more than one unit, to come together and perform.

Third prize winners: Moti Bagh, Nanakpura, Satya, Anand, Shanti Niketan & West End

5.        What is leadership?  It’s the unique ability of infusing among the people the desire to come together, to compete, to bring out their talents, to trust in the leadership.  The leader has to bring his/her team come out of the shell, to perform without fear of ridicule, of failure.  It takes courage for a leader to instil the quality of an innocent child in each member.  They have to be enthusiastic, oblivious of their limitations, perform in public, exhibit talents that they never knew they had, not to be worried about public opinion, be childlike and innocent.  Perhaps that’s why Jesus liked children, they were totally themselves.  Can we be as innocent?  A leader has to work more than the others.  I am sure that our leaders were there before the start of each meeting, before the start of each practice.  They must have ideas, suggestions and practical ways of improving the performance.  The leaders have to convey a sense of confidence that what they are doing is the best.  A hope has to be felt by each member.  A leader has to lead from the front.  The dialogue has to be enacted so that the actor can learn and perform.  A leader must be ready to face ridicule too.  A leader has to be convinced himself and then must have the capacity to convince others.  He would have to continuously encourage, coaxing each member to deliver the optimum. 

6.        Two or three SCC units clubbed together.  12 groups were declared and each had to give one performance.  There was no option to quit.  It could be drama, play, skit, song, panel discussion, anything.    The limitation was that the performance has to be limited to 5 minutes, atleast 7 participants, participants from different families and on the given theme.  Not easy.  Everyone had a job or class or tuition or something important.  It is a matter of prioritization.  Where would you place God’s work?  Despite the compulsions of daily chores people got together.  They planned, schemed, they practiced, innovated, bonded as a group, sacrificed for each other, took pains, showed concern, etc.  In the process they bonded together as one family.  They came to know each other better.  They opened up and exposed a little of their inner self.   All this led to a better family, a better relationship, a better bonding. 

Second Prize winners : Netaji Nagar and Laxmibhai Nagar

7.        On the D day the event unfolded.  Ms Tania Lobo was the compere for the day.  Sr Ash Lata Karketta, Principal of Holy Child Auxilium School was the Chief Guest.  We had Bro Stephen, Bro Manojin  and Sr Lily as judges.  The performance was to be judged based on the concept, performance, creativity, adherence to time limit, number of participants and Public appeal. All the leaders were invited to a draw of lots, undertaken for deciding the sequence of performance. 

 Chief Guest and the Judges, 

Fr Jesuraj, Assistant Parish Priest, St Thomas Church, RK Puram announcing the winners

8.        The performance started.  The level of participation was very high.  There were more than 20 participants from some teams.  Three generations came together.  So the kids, their parents and their grandparents came together and performed.  Isn’t it great that individuals in a family who rarely talk to each other, are in front of the TV or glued to their mobiles, who don’t seem to be on the same wavelength were however, bonded together for the Family Diwas.  A great success and three cheers to our leaders. 

9.        Motibagh, Nanakpura, Satya Niketan, Anand Nikten, Shanti Niketan & West End came third.  Netaji Nagar Laxmibhai Nagar came Second.  Sector 1, 2 and Mohamadpur came FIRST.  Everyone worked hard, scoring was not the objective and I am sure the marks scored would have been close to each other.  Prizes were given away by the Chief Guest.  Prizes and certificates for the Game Utsav organised by STAY were also distributed.  Mr Bernard Toppo proposed a vote of thanks.

Man cannot live without love.  He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it.  This, as has already been said, is why Christ the Redeemer “fully reveals man to himself.”  If we may use the expression, this is the human dimension of the mystery of the Redemption.  In this dimension, man finds again the greatness, dignity, and value that belong to his humanity.

Pope Saint John Paul II  

Parish Directory release

 Release Parish Directory

  Felicitation of distinguished parishioners in the parish council meeting

 Wedding of Mr John Swaminathan's son

 A rare one.

Patron Saint of Catholic Priests

All of us have been called by name. But a priest has a special call.  It’s a tough call and a ‘Yes’ is a commitment for life.  It is a life of sacrifice.  Everyone doesn’t get that call.  Everyone who gets the call doesn’t answer with a ‘Yes’.  Who has the courage to say ‘Yes’?

 

2.   The feast of St John Mary Vianney is dedicated to the priests.  He was ordained a priest in 1815.  He was a parish priest of a remote place in France, where his reputation as director of souls made him known throughout Christian World.  His preaching and long hours of prayer before the Blessed Sacraments brought many souls to God.  He died on 4^th August 1859 at the age of 73.  He was canonised on 31 May, 1925.  His feast is celebrated as clergy day in the Church.

3.   The call for Priesthood demands a spirit of sacrifice, total dedication, commitment to Lord Jesus and obedience.  I have two priests in the family.  Fr Albert and Fr. Antony Francis.  We follow their daily joys and pains.  We are proud of them and love them.  A priest’s life is not simple.  We have learnt the benchmark or measure of the virtues of subjection and obedience from them.  In a ‘tit-for-tat’ society the level of obedience practiced by the priest is an experience.  Commitment to the call and the focus for the same is also a revelation.  No wonder they are different.  My tribute to all the priests and religious who had the courage to say ‘Yes’ to the Call. 

4.   We the laity place our priests on a pedestal.  Good, you should.  But you should also remember they are human beings.  We cannot prescribe rules for them.  We have no right to criticise them because they do not come up to our expectations.  Remember that it is not you who chose them but God himself.  What can and should be done by us is to pray for them.  In this world where the devil has his ways, where you and I also play the devil’s advocate, the only help can be through your prayers.

5.     How many of us feel that a priest is a part of our family?  The church provides several opportunities for us to feel that they are part of us.  There is the collection for seminarians, for the old and retired priests, the request for prayers, etc.  Believe me, unless you sacrifice you cannot generate love.  How many of us call them for a family meal, how many of us send a goodie to them, how many of us share a special preparation at home, how many of us wish them their birthdays, how many of us know of their personal challenges, how many of us know how they cope with parish challenges, how many of us give them companionship in their times of loneliness.  The list is endless.  Thanks to our Priests we get charged atleast once a week, we feel the sense of a community, of being part of a big family and most of all we feel the presence of God with us.