Bengaluru, INDIA: The celebration of the Feast of Father Claret, our Founder, added more joy to Bangalore Claretians. On 24th October Student Male Gunnanna made his Perpetual Profession in the congregation. The next day, on 25th October four perpetually professed Students received the Order of Diaconate during the solemn Eucharistic celebration presided by Most Rev. Peter Machado the Archbishop of Bangalore. Both the events took place at Claretian Seminary in Bengaluru. Owing to the Covid-19 protocol, the participation was restricted only to the local Claretian Fraternity and a few associates.

To mark the historical inauguration of the Claret Way Globally on the Feast Day of Claret, the Youth Ministry of Bangalore Province at different places on different dates, actively conducted various activities for the Youth at the local level. The General Prefecture of Youth and Vocation Ministry has introduced Claret Way to be conducted in every organism of our congregation.

On Sunday, 17th October, Barikhajuri Parish along with other centres of our Province, celebrated a full day seminar for the Youth on the occasion of the inauguration of the Claret Way +18 Network Globally. Various activities involved were, introducing the Claret Way to the Youth, Claret our lifestyle and role model, what and why of Claret Way, group dynamics, action songs, and so on. The purpose of celebrating the Claret Way locally is to get the Claretian Youth connected globally.

The youth participated actively in the celebration of the Claret Way locally and pledged with the lighting of candles to have a network of Claretian Youth Globally.

Bengaluru: On 14th October 2021, on the occasion of World Sight Day, The Project Vision organized Blind Walks in multiple locations in Karnataka, Kerala, and Chandigarh to express solidarity with 40 million visually challenged people globally. Participants pledged to donate their eyes to give them sight. ‘Love Your Eyes’ was the theme for this year World Sight Day.

Sumanahalli-Bengaluru: On Sunday, 19th September 2021, Sumanahalli Centre and Support Care Centre organized a get-together for their previous inmates. Most of them are happily settled in their lives at different places; they are married, have proper jobs and houses to stand on their own. It was a happy homecoming for these previous inmates; they consider Sumanahalli and Support Care Centre as their Motherhouse.

The day’s events included medical checkup for all, sharing and interactive games and song to share their joys. The young alumni also extended their support in beautifying the campus. From the part of Mother’s Meal dry ration kits were distributed to them. It was a happy moment for all, the alumni as well as the Centre to see the fruits of love and care extended to the needy and the blossoming of life in so many families.

On the occasion of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on 8th September 2021, a seminar was organised for the youth at Barikhajuri Parish. Keeping in mind the ongoing restrictions due the pandemic, the seminar was held only for the youth presently living continuously at homes or in the parish hostels after classes for 9th and 10th re-opened.

The seminar was organised by the parish core committee headed by Fr. Sunil CP and the team of youth under Azim Gidh. The day’s activities included input sessions by different persons on various relevant topics for the youth. Sr. Jais Maria, SD gave the inaugural address. Fr. Sunil spoke on the four dogmas concerning Mother Mary. Fr. Yashveer Minj spoke on Youth under the care of Parents. Fr. Jaipaul Thumma spoke on the Role of Mary in the life of Jesus. Fr. Regi Pymattathil spoke on St. Anthony Mary Claret and his devotion to Mother Mary. Catholic Sabha President, Mr Ajay Minj spoke on the relevance of the day and the purpose of the programme. Smt. Tharshilla Baxla, the Mukya of Madgadi Panchayat also was present during the event.

Nemi, Italy. September 1, 2021. A new month dawns and with it our prayer becomes a melody to begin a day dedicated to the election of the consultors and prefects who will accompany our Superior General during this six-year term.

Our confreres of the Province of Deutschland prepared and led the morning prayer on the care of our common home, reminding us that, for our Orthodox brothers, in fact, the ecclesiastical year begins on September 1 with the commemoration of the creation of the world. Thus, we Catholics, too, have been invited to dedicate time to the care of creation during the month of celebration that begins on September 1, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends on October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. We also celebrate this day the birthday of our brother Emmanuel Linus Olowo, of the Province of West Nigeria.

Already in the chapter hall, the Word of God began illuminating the election day with the proclamation of the Gospel text of the election of the twelve apostles. The presiding table was composed of the Superior General, Fr. Mathew Vattamattam, the vice-president, Fr. Gonzalo Fernandez, and the secretary, Fr. Joseba Kamiruaga. After approving the minutes of the previous day, the chapter assembly proceeded to the election of the governing council for this six-year term, according to the order established by the president.

With the presence of the seventy-six capitulars in the hall, the numbers of our Constitutions and of our Directory that concern the election and acceptance or not of the office on the part of the elected Claretians were read. In addition, a space was given for the Claretians present who had received the most votes in the previous day’s poll to express, according to their will, if they had any reason or impediment for not accepting the office in case they were elected by absolute majority.

With the due measures, the counting of the votes, the consultation and formal acceptance of those elected by the will of the chapter assembly, the consultors and prefects for the sexennium 2021-2027 are the following:

All the capitulars showed their joy and congratulations to the new general government with a loud applause and then thanked our brothers with a similar gesture Fr. Artur Teixeira and Fr. Gonzalo Fernández for their services to the mission and to the life of the Congregation during their respective terms, the former for six years and the latter for eighteen years in the General Government.

After noon, the capitulars discussed the proposals of the precapitular commission on interculturality and mission. Then, during the Eucharistic celebration, presided over by the Superior General and his council, we thanked the Lord for this new government that will continue with the processes already initiated by the previous government. Also before the final blessing, Fr. Mathew Vattamattam announced the confirmation of Father Joseba Kamiruaga as Secretary General and the appointment of Father Henry Omonisaye as Vicar General.

We wish our confreres a service that is rooted and audacious, grounded and fruitful. May the Spirit of the Lord, who is upon them today, enable them to live in communion and accompany them throughout their journey.

During the morning session of this Monday, August 30, 2021, the Chapter re-elected Fr. Mathew Vattamattam CMF, as Superior General of the Congregation of the Claretian Missionaries.

The election day began at 7:00 a.m. with the celebration of the Eucharist. During the Mass the light of the Holy Spirit was invoked to guide this discernment, transcendental for the life of our Congregation.

The formal session in the chapter hall began at 9:00 a.m., with 74 capitulars present in the hall, two of whom were virtually connected in their rooms due to quarantine, and two more, who were unable to travel to Rome due to Covid restrictions in their respective country. The session began with a heartfelt apostolic prayer.

Later, the capitulars gathered in the chapel in front of the Master Jesus to pray and be inspired by the Holy Spirit in the election of the Superior General. At 11:30 a.m. the election began in the chapter hall.

The moderator, Fr. Gonzalo Fernández CMF, who moderated the session, asked the usual question about the acceptance of the election. Fr. Mathew concluded by accepting this great responsibility. His words were greeted by the capitulars with warm applause and then everyone rose to greet and congratulate him.

Mathew Vattamattam CMF was born on October 4, 1959 in Kalathoor, Kerala (India), St. Mary’s Parish, Kalathoor. He did his basic studies at St. Mary School, Kalathoor, secondary studies at St. John’s High School, Kanjirathanam.

He entered the congregation at the Claret Bhavan in Kuravilangad on July 3, 1974. He made his first profession on May 31, 1978 and took his final vows on May 31, 1984. He was ordained a priest on May 10, 1986.

From 1986-1987 he served as assistant vocation promoter and assistant formator of aspirants at the Claret Bhavan Kuravilangad. From 1987 to 1988 he was appointed Vocation Promoter and formator in belgaum minor seminary right. From 1988 to 1989 he was assigned as assistant to the Parish Priest of St. Mary’s, Champakulam, Kerala.

From 1989-1994 he studied for a Licentiate in Systematic Theology and a Licentiate in Psychology at the Gregorian University in Rome. In 1994-96 he was appointed Director of the Claret Nivas Retreat House in Bangalore and assistant to the Master of Novices. From 1996-2003 he served as Novice Master of the Bangalore Province.

At the XXIII General Chapter, held in Rome in 2003, he was elected General Consultor and Prefect of Formation and re-elected to the same office in 2009.

In the XXV General Chapter he was elected 13th Superior General, a position he has now been ratified for six more years.

Dear brothers

Like the disciples walking to Emmaus with the Lord beside them (cf. Lk 24:13-35), we have been journeying towards the 26th General Chapter. The storm of the global pandemic took all of us by surprise and there were times of darkness, anxiety, and uncertainty which haunted many of us. From the perspective of faith, it is wonderful to walk forward even in darkness knowing that the hand of the Lord holds us, like a loving father who holds his child closely while crossing a dangerous path.

Our Congregation is a gift of the Spirit to the Church to share her mission through the charism of our Founder. Our reason to exist as Claretians can be found only in our fidelity to the Charism and its ongoing updating and renewal in different epochs. Let us situate ourselves in the present moment of our history to assume responsibility for living our charism today knowing that the past generations ran a good race and bequeathed a great charismatic heritage to us. Now it is our turn to live up to what we are called to be at a time of epochal changes and pass on the light of our charism to the coming generations.

Six years ago, in a similar Congregational event, the Lord was asking us to embark upon a journey of transformation to be able to be relevant in our times. We know how the short meeting with Pope Francis and his words, “adore, walk, and accompany”, have impacted the last General Chapter and its deliberations. During these six years we focused on the three processes of transformation: To be congregation going forth, to be a community of witnesses and messengers, and to be men who adore God in Spirit.

The General government took the call to transformation seriously and made it the base of its service of animation in the Congregation.

I am grateful to the Lord for the team of General Government who are endowed with different gifts, competencies, and personality traits. We could create a bigger holding space for the differences to enrich our ministry because the gospel values and the good of the Congregation guided the process of discernment rather than the particular interests and likings of any members. To a large extent the wisdom saying, “we must be the change that we want to see happen”, was present in our work ethics.

I am thankful for the accompaniment received from my predecessors especially Mons. Josep Abella and His Eminence Aquilino Bocos. I valued their insights when we had to take difficult decisions. Late Fr. Gustavo Alonso was present in our journey through his mails of wishes on important occasions until he passed away last June.

The free flow of charismatic energy within the Congregation that nurtured our presence in the Peripheries depends very much on the quality of relationships celebrated within the Major Organisms and the Organisms with the General Government, keeping Christ at the center of everything and the tender love of the Heart of Mary qualifying our manner of loving.

Each Claretian is a precious gift to our charismatic community. When I see how parents take care of their babies, I imagine how each of us was cared for by our parents with much sacrifice and they let their sons leave home to be part of our missionary community. They did it because of their love for God and the Church. Our missionary vocation, God’s project for us in the Church within his masterplan for humanity, is the only reason for all the efforts and sacrifices involved in our life and mission. Our vocation is the source of our joy and meaning of life, communion in community, and life-giving dedication in ministry.

Each of us lives our call experience, fraternal life, and ministry at different levels of maturity and integrity. How proud I am of my brothers when people speak of how grateful they are for their ministry! Our brothers who endure hard realities to be true to their vocation are treasures of our Congregation. On the contrary, it is heart-rending to know of situations when the limitations and sins of our brothers hurt people or cause suffering and division in community. However, our limitations, failures, and sins can become blessings due to the paschal mystery when we are willing to learn from our experiences, and allow the Lord to act in us.

We can be a truly prophetic community in the Church when the values of mutual trust, fraternal dialogue, mutual accompaniment and spiritual discernment become part of our everyday life at all levels. In the Church we have the three principles to guide our common life: synodality, collegiality and hierarchy. Synodality boosts collective ownership of our life and mission and prevents burn out of persons in responsibility; collegiality assures teamwork and prevent abuses and excesses of individuals; hierarchy helps maintain unity and direction, and prevent dispersion and anarchy. The principles of subsidiarity, subordination and collaboration in our life and mission guard the legitimate boundaries of the freedom of action and promote creativity in shared mission. The right balance of these principles is possible only if we are anchored in the Gospel love.

We are said to be at another great turning point in history marked by epochal changes. Ecclesial life and particularly consecrated life is experiencing the heat of this change in many ways. We know how change is disconcerting for many people. One can choose to be blind to the changes around and remain with nostalgic memories of a glorious past or fall into cynical attitudes which breed depression, or welcome the path of necessary renewal and transformation that the Spirit of the Risen Lord evokes in the Church.

Our Congregation is born during an epoch of political crisis and has lived through hard times of persecution and hostility to the Church and her institutions. Our martyrs endured their ordeal by being anchored in God’s love and faithful to the Church just as our Founder remained rooted in the Lord and proclaimed the Gospel with audacity. Rootedness and audacity are essential components of our charism and we need both of them all the more today.

In many ways, this General Chapter is different from what we have been used to in the past in the way we have designed it in the Major Superior’s meeting in Talagante in January 2020. It takes time and effort to change our mode of thinking and acting. There can be some initial hurdles to get used to electronic and online media avoiding the use of papers. When we share our struggles and walk together to make the path, the very journey will make the pilgrimage a beautiful experience of walking in the Lord.

Dear brothers, you have participated actively in the preparation for this Chapter through the generative conversations that we have had at different levels in spite of the limitations imposed by the pandemic. Honest conversations water the seeds of hope within us and empower us to face hard times by embracing a process of transformation. There are certain symptoms of discomfort in our congregational body that we should not ignore. Statistics show a decline in the number of Claretians after about 20 years of stability. Even after strenuous reorganization, many of our Organisms are not able to continue for long with their important ministries. We still have a number of Claretians who ask for dispensations and secularizations after many years of Claretian life. Long years of economic dependency of Major Organisms for ordinary expenses also raise questions about responsibility and empowerment. We have concerns about how we celebrate unity in diversity of age, of personalities, and of cultures. We wonder what is happening in the young men in the course of a decade of exclusive dedication to their initial formation in view of their future life and ministry and how every Claretian takes care of the unfolding of his own unique mystery as he grows in age. Above all, the crucial question is how our personal lives, community, and platforms of evangelization make Christ known and radiate the joy of the Gospel.

A General Chapter is an event of congregational Pentecost. It is a special moment of the Holy Spirit and us (Acts 15:28) in a beautiful time of co-creation. It is not a closed event, but a transformative phase in the life of a Congregation. It is helpful to distinguish two layers of changes that we should be open to during the chapter process. One is through strategic planning to address many issues identified as important. For example, we may consider giving more attention and energy to vocation promotion, greater coordination of the apostolate of education, or better schemes for old age, etc. Strategic planning is necessary to address issues, but they do not suffice in times of epochal changes.

A deeper dimension of change is the dynamics of transformation. It is something more than planning for adaptive strategies. How do we become courageous, new, and actualized expression of the joy of the Gospel in our times?

I am convinced that we need to open ourselves to a serious inner work of transformation as individuals and as communities which cannot be replaced by cosmetic changes in external behavior. What does this transformation entail? People can perceive it from the effects it has on persons and their communities. It is catching the fire that burns within without burning us out and spreads that fire wherever we go. It is this transformation that people perceived in the small group of the disciples who went about preaching the Gospel after Pentecost. It is this transformation that people saw in Claret and his companions as they went out preaching missions. For us Claretians, the transformation entails being men on fire with God’s love and spreading its flames wherever we go. Nothing would dount us… Let us visualize this definition of the missionary that Claret gave us coming alive in our personal lives, interpersonal relationships and ministry. When that inner fire is ignited, it will light up our way forward.

Numbers are important. Institutions are necessary. When our numbers dwindle and institutions are to be closed, it is a matter of normal concern. However, I would worry more if the fire of love that burns in our members and in our institutions goes out. Claret wanted us to live and love as Jesus did. The transformative process in individual lives and our community living is a progressive, spiral journey which should align with the journey of our fellow-humans in the one pilgrimage of humanity towards the fulness of life and love. Can we envision it together with Pope Francis who has called us to work for a new world of all brothers and sisters in the encyclical Fratelli Tutti?

I invite you to enrich the Chapter through your active and responsible participation through honest conversations. I wish that you return to your communities after the Chapter with a transformative experience as it happened in the life of the disciples who were on the way to Emmaus.

Dear brothers, let us open ourselves to the outpouring of the Spirit into our hearts and into the heart of our Chapter community. The rest is the surprises of the Spirit of the Risen Lord.

I declare the 26th General Chapter open.

Mathew Vattamattam, CMF

August 15, 2021

Claretian Seminary Malleswaram formation house inaugurated its Literary Association for the academic year 2021-22 on 25 July 2021. Rev. Fr. Valentine Anthony Raj, CMF was the Chief Guest of the day.

The event was marked by various cultural and literary programmes like Skit, Comic, Group Song, Speech, Dance etc., by the seminarians. Fr. Valentine addressing the seminarians highlighted the importance of identifying the individual and common talents and developing them for the overall growth during the formation process. Fr. Valentine explained the process with the help of five characteristics of mind proposed by Howard Gardner. The Disciplined Mind; the Synthesising Mind; the Creating Mind; the Respectful Mind; and the Ethical Mind are the characteristics of the mind that each person should develop to be well equipped to deal with what is expected, as well as what cannot be anticipated, in the future.

Literary Association is a platform wherein the seminarians get opportunity to develop their talents and fine-tune their skills for the missionary life ahead.

172 anniversary of the Foundation of Claretian Congregation was celebrated with a difference by Hope Society at SS Joseph and Claret Church Dasarahalli premises. On the occasion, on 16 July 2021, differently abled people were the main guests; 132 people with disabilities, HIV affected, Leprosy affected and Transgenders were given Covid-19 vaccination. The day also marked the First anniversary of Mother’s Meal Programme; dry ration kits were given on the occasion to the beneficiaries. Fr. Sabu Koottarappallil CMF, the Provincial Superior of Province of Bangalore inaugurated the event and handed over the Mother’s Meal kits. 

On the previous day, 15 July 2021, at the Project Vision Rural Campus, in collaboration with Manipal Hospital Team Covishield vaccine was made available for the youth (18+) with disabilities and their families.

On 6 July 2021, on the eve of third anniversary of The Project Vision Rural Campus, Hope Society in collaboration with TZU CHI CHARITY FOUNDATION and CARITAS INDIA distribute four Oxygen Concentrators for the neighbouring PHCs (Primary Health Centres) and 100 Medical Kits for the ASHA Workers to assist their efforts to deal with Covid-19. On the same day 200 survival kits were distributed for the vulnerable groups. Rotary Bangalore Kalyan Club distributed eight educational Tabs for the SSLC students on the occasion.

We are grateful to God for the founding of our congregation. As birthday is important to us, so also is the birthday of the congregation for all of us Claretians. 172 years before, St. Claret and the other 5 priests of the diocese came together to found the congregation. Our founder St. Anthony Mary Claret as he started the congregation on July 16, 1849, said “Today we begin a great work”. Even though our founder said that they begin a great work, it was a humble beginning with six of them. What made the congregation grow and spread to different continents is the Holy Spirit that animated and motivated St. Claret to begin this great work.

“Your rod and your staff give me courage” (Ps 22:4): the first sermon of Fr. Claret on the foundation day was based on this. When he founded the congregation on the Feast of the Holy Cross and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, to instil in the co-founders and also in the future Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the need to the devotion and confidence we need to place in the Holy Cross and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Priests whom the Lord had given the same spirit that motivated St. Claret. Any new beginning can last only when all those who are part of the venture take up the same ideals for which the venture was started by the founders. Our congregation could sustain and grow because the founder and co-founders and all those who joined the congregation stuck to the same vision and aim. “The aim of our Congregation is to seek in all things the glory of God, the sanctification of our members and the salvation of people throughout the world, in keeping with our missionary charism in the Church” (CC. 2).

On this day, we need to remember the purpose for which St. Claret and the Co-founders started the congregation. As St. Claret found that he alone could not give the good news to all people who were thirsting for the Word, he called together those who shared the same spirit. So we can say, the congregation was started to take care of a need that was prevalent at the time of Claret and something which is still prevalent in today’s world: the need to give Word to the world. First and foremost, this is the work that we, Claretians, need to do. Our Charism to be Servants of the Word rightly summarizes this aim of the congregation. We also need to realize that the Congregation was started not much for its members, but for others. The congregation, coming together of priests with the same spirit, was mostly to respond to the need of others. Others were the focus, members of the congregation had to keep others, those whom we are called to serve, and that is the focus of our ministry. So at no moment, being an apostolic congregation, its members became a priority, but always the priority was others, those who needed the Word, those who had to be served. 

?Today as we celebrate the 172nd anniversary of the founding of the congregation, what we need to do is to go back to the original spirit for which the congregation was started. Our focus needs to be those who are to be served by us, those people who thirst for the Word of God and we need to make use of all the means possible to address the needs of people which are urgent, using timely and effective? means. From self-centeredness, we need to move towards other-centeredness. From being in the centre of activities, we need to move towards the peripheries. For these, pastoral vibrancy and missionary commitment are necessary. Also, only when there is a vibrant community that is faithful to the precepts of the congregation, where the members jointly fulfil the mission entrusted to the community, we can say that we are true to the aim for which the congregation was founded. Let this anniversary challenge us to be authentic Claretians, Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

A very blessed Foundation Day to every one of you. May our Mother and her Immaculate Heart, and St. Anthony Mary Claret, our founder intercede for us. 

Fr. Sabu George Koottarappallil, CMF

Provincial Superior

On 30 th June 2021 Province of Bangalore organised an online seminar for all the members of the province on – “Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults”. Fr. James Kannanthanam, CMF was the resource person for the subject. Fr. James has now acquired vast knowledge on the topic through his special training in Rome at the Ecclesial level and his experience of giving seminars on the topic at various institutes. The seminar focused on the historical background of cases of offenses against children and vulnerable adults in the Church, among its institutions and individuals; the response of the Church to many of the cases, appeal to learn from the past experiences, invitation to protectchildren and to join in the mission of rebirth and spiritual renewal in the Church; and the care the members of the province need to take in personal lives and as responsible in our institutions. A similar seminar is envisaged for the staff and collaborators in our institutions.

On 16 June 2021, the Barwadih mission in the diocese of Daltonganj in the Jharkhand state of India will complete 25 years of dedicated missionary service to the people of this area. Here is a short description of the history and some notable contributions of the mission.

1. Purpose of the Foundation at Barwadih

The Claretian Congregation in India was looking forward to expanding her missionary service to the Hindi-speaking heartland of North India in the 1980s and 90s. Vast areas of North India was reeling under economic backwardness, illiteracy, oppression of backward classes, and several other socio-cultural evils, where missionaries could play the role of salt to the society and light to the people. So, from 1986, we began sending regents to serve in different dioceses in the erstwhile Bihar state, which also included the present Jharkhand state. Our first experiment at establishing a mission at Chanpatia in the diocese of Muzaffarpur in north Bihar lasted only 3 years (1990-93). Later in 1995, two fathers were sent for pastoral service in two different parishes of Daltonganj diocese; after a year, when they started residing together in a mud house at Catholic Ashram, Barwadih on 16 June 1996, our North Indian mission took a definite shape.  In April 2000, Barwadih was erected as an independent parish and permanently entrusted to the Claretians. The parish then consisted of around 200 Catholic families in 10 villages, a primary school at Barhania village and another primary school, convent, and church at Morwai village.

1. Fulfillment of the Founding Purpose – the Subsequent Chronology

The mission witnessed steady growth thereafter, through various developmental projects and initiatives in the fields of education, training, and health care, all aimed at empowering the people of the area. In 2002, the mission was canonically erected as a House in the Province. The same year, we purchased some 37 acres of land at Ledgain village near Barwadih, in view of the expansion of the mission. Then we launched a community development project and a health care project in the mission: as part of these projects, a health care centre and a community hall were inaugurated in 2003. This hall is used as the parish church and for different meetings and programs. The sisters serving at the health care centre opened their convent in the compound in 2006. We replaced the mud buildings of the two Hindi medium primary schools in the villages with modern buildings in 2006 and 2010; apart from these, we started an English medium school at Barwadih in 2006. The kindergarten section of this school was constructed in the mission compound in 2007 and the three-story main building at Ledgain was completed in three stages: in 2012, 2016, and 2020. A boys’ hostel was opened at Ledgain in 2014 and a girls’ hostel and convent in 2016.

1. Contribution to the Mission of the Church and Congregation

With the help of the above-mentioned developments, Barwadih mission is now enhancing the life of the Church and Congregation in this part of the world most visibly in the following areas:

• Pastoral, Youth and Vocation Ministry: The parish has grown to some 2,300 tribal Catholics from 375 families in 12 villages. Several spiritual and social activities are organized regularly by the parish for the youth, women, etc. Our vocation ministry has contributed to the Congregation 12 priests (sadly, 3 left later) and many more students in different stages of formation.
• Education Ministry: Our education ministry is providing value-based education to more than 1,000 students in the English medium high school and about 500 students in two Hindi medium primary schools. The boys’ hostel gives special formation to 60 Catholic tribal boys.

• Health Ministry: After running the health centre for 13 years mostly with the help of nurses and visiting doctors, from 2016, we got two resident doctors with post-graduate training. The centre provides affordable basic health care and lab facilities to more than 12,000 patients a year.
• Social Ministries: We have carried out several social projects from time to time in the areas of agriculture, literacy, horticulture, skills training, women empowerment, health care, social forestation, human rights, etc. Presently, the Claretians at Barwadih co-ordinate ‘Mary’s Meals’ project, providing mid-day meals to over 36,000 rural school students in different parts of the state. It is funded by an NGO of the IMS Congregation, called BREAD.
• In summary, we can confidently state that the presence of Claretian missionaries at Barwadih has effected a very positive impact on the people of the area, not just the Christians, but also others. Especially because there is much to be desired in the functioning of the government machinery here in the areas of education and healthcare, people have tremendously benefitted from and are very appreciative of our contributions in these areas. Our presence here as the ‘voice of the voiceless’ has emboldened the oppressed classes, at least to a certain extent, to stand and fight for their rights. For the Catholics, our presence and the parish activities have been instrumental in the creation of a vibrant parish community. As a corollary of this growth, in the past 25 years, several Catholic families have come from elsewhere and settled at Barwadih, because they found a strong base to rely on. And for the Bangalore Province, this mission has always remained a source of inspiration for others due to its true missionary service in the peripheries of Indian society.
•  

Online Talk for Consecrated Persons during Pandemic Times

We are all going through a very terrible and unparalleled time. None of us would have experienced anything like this before. Most of the countries are still in standby mode: roads empty; masks on; fellow beings suddenly becoming untouchables; guests and visitors unsolicited; gates and doors neatly locked; buses, trains and aircrafts in their shelters; shops closed; Churches, temples and mosques with no worship; schools and colleges online; hospitals houseful; ambulances a rare commodity; Oxygen shortage, something never heard before, dying lonely with no sacraments or prayer; dead bodies floating in rivers, river banks turning out to be makeshift graveyards, dear and near ones piled up one after another, in long queue with tokens waiting for cremation; burials with no prayers, rituals or relatives often by strangers and good Samaritans!  

In this bizarre and unusual time, where are we as Christians and as consecrated persons? Does life make any sense? Does our consecration as Christians or our special and particular consecration as consecrated persons make any sense? Where is our God? Is he missing from action? Has he gone hiding? Well, these are a few fundamental questions troubling the humanity today.

ICL: Institute of Consecrated Life ­– Sanyasa, a unique Institute in the Indian Church organised two-hour online talk, on 12th June 2021, to help consecrated persons to search answers for these existential questions and make sense of their consecration. Rev. Fr. Xavier Manavath, CMF, the founding director of ICL was the resource person who helped immensely the consecrated persons in this fundamental search as he shared his wisdom and vast experience on the theme, “Making Sense of Our Consecration during Pandemic Times”. 802 consecrated persons together with a few lay faithful registered and possibly a few more might have participated in the programme. There was also very good participation from Sri Lanka with many consecrated persons actively participating besides a few from Philippines, Italy, Tanzania, United States, United Arab Emirates and Nigeria. We hope to organise many more programs like these extending our service to the consecrated persons to the wider circle taking advantage of the benefits of the digital world.

Bengaluru: While the external limitations and restrictions continued for a second year in row, due to Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences, the spirit of missionary calling continued to inspire and awaken us. Once again the summer vacations, usual annual retreats and preparations were restricted or had to be abandoned due to the Covod-19 lockdown. However taking the clue from previous year, we in Province of Bangalore made alternate arrangements for our spiritual renewal, especially for our students as preparations for their professions and renewals.

The Province of Bangalore was blessed this year with four postulants entering the novitiate, four novices making their first commitment, one of our students making his perpetual profession in the congregation and nine of them renewing their vows. It was sad that all of this had to take place at different venues, without external celebrations and without the presence family members, well-wishers, even without the accompaniment of Claretian fraternity. However hope gives us courage that all these sacrifices will help us to be stronger to face the challenges.

Since the second wave of Covid-19 hit the country, SS. Joseph and Claret Church is fully involved in various activities for the spiritual and material wellbeing of the people. The parish continues with spiritual activities during the  lockdown time through on-line live streams of Holy Mass, Catechism classes, etc. Prayer and spiritual support are the main source of encouragement for the parishioners as well as people around. The parish used to celebrate the annual feast of St. Joseph the Worker solemnly on May 1 st , but this year due to lockdown it was not possible to celebrate. On the same day, Parish Priest and Asst. Parish Priest together with the trustees appealed to the parishioners to pray for one another as a parish community by reciting Holy Rosary in own homes to overcome all kinds of problems and difficulties, especially from Corona virus. A chain Rosary of 13 hours was planned, starting at 6am to 7pm. Each ward was given the time slot and accordingly the ward members had taken the lead to pray in their own families.

On Sunday, May 9, 2021, SS. Joseph and Claret Parish observed a day of prayer and fasting according to the guidance of Mandya diocese. There was a special Adoration led by Bishop Sebastian Adayanthrath on the day at 7 pm.
Covid-19 Support Mission in the Parish At this time of Pandemic when almost all the people are suffering, the parish community felt that it is their duty and responsibility to do the best for the people and express solidarity with those affected in the society. There are three levels of help desk in the parish which are monitoring constantly to deal with the Covid-19 situation mainly at the family level, ward level and parish level.
Family level: Use of preventive measures like sanitizer, preventive medicine, alternative medicines, social distancing, etc. are initiated and reminded of constantly. If Covid-19 symptoms are found, the information is shared to the ward representative for immediate help. The family is free to ask for the needed help like finance, personal assistance, ambulance, medicine, quarantine, counselling, etc.
Ward Level: There is constant communication among the ward members to assess the needs of the families and offer the possible help at the ward level itself; when required, parish help desk is approached for support. To support the affected families, the parish help desk ensures the availability of essential things like PPE Kits, Medicine, Oximeter, etc.
Parish Level: At the parish level a help desk is set up with health experts like doctors, nurses, health workers and volunteers. The parish responds to the request like finance, personnel, ambulance, food, medicine, counselling, etc. The information is passed from the ward representative to the parish help desk; if parish is unable to solve the issues, then it’s referred to the diocesan help desk.

Prayer Support: For constant prayer support, an intercessory prayer group through WhatsApp is formed in the parish. The group is constantly in touch with the families over with phone by call or message.
The Parish Strategy: The quickest response was to create a parish Covid-19 help desk at the parish level in which volunteers from youths, doctors, nurses; those who were willing to be volunteers to help the parishioners came forward to serve even by risking their lives. They are Eveready to verify and to pass on information regarding availability of beds, plasma, oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, etc. from the right sources to patients in need in the parish limits. When someone is Covid-19 positive and in need of food, decision was taken to supply self-cooked food to the families with the help of parish council members. Similarly, counselling and guidance for the mental wellness of families is provided regularly. Foreseeing the scarcity of vaccination dose, a vaccination drive was arranged with parish doctors and nurses at the church premises on 18 th April. A total of 232 members of 45 years and above benefited from the free facility. The parish Covid-19 committee members monitored the crowd following the guidelines given from the health department and BBMP. In order to respond effectively to the second wave of Covid-19, the parish help desk is ready with the preliminary assistance and requirements. The Claretian Province of Bangalore also has come forward to help the parishioners, in case of need, to provide home quarantine facilities in the seminary.

Bhattiprolu : On Divine Mercy Sunday, 11 April 2021, Christ the Redeemer Church Bhattiprolu celebrated the annual Parish Feast. The solemn Holy Eucharist was presided at by Most Rev. Dr Chinnabathini Bhagyaiah, Bishop of Guntur. While breaking the Word of God, Bishop inspired the faithful and urged them to have a strong faith in Jesus. 

The occasion also marked the conferring of the Sacrament of Confirmation to 37 youth. The candidates for Confirmation were well prepared by Sisters and Priests. It was spiritually rewarding for the parish community to come together along with their Shepherd and celebrate the joy of belonging to one family.  

Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Carmelaram conducted a General Medical Camp for the parishioners and poor people of the area on 7th March 2021. Around 165 people took advantage of the regular general health check-up and dental check-up. Free medicines were distributed to the poor.

It was a good opportunity for the people, especially during Covid-19 times, to get proper medical attention and care. There were health issues among poor parishioners and poor neighbours. Because of the fear of Corona many could not visit hospital for the last one year. So the parish took the initiative to provide this opportunity to have a general check-up for the people in and around Carmelaram. The Medical Camp was supported by the well-wishers of the parish, Muthoot Snehashraya and Soroptimist international.

Claret Youth Centre at Surepalli of the province of Bangalore has been rendering yeoman service to the poor unemployed youth and women of the locality. Since last three years there has been regular skills training programme organized at the Centre. So far the Centre has trained hundred women in tailoring and have given them sewing machines free of cost; have also trained the youth in electrical works and drum-music, a traditional tribal musical instrument of the area.

In February 2021 the second batch of the training in drum-music completed the course which lasted for four months. There was a colorful concluding ceremony and distribution of certificates on 20th February 2021. Officials of VRO and TRICOR were also present during the function. Many of the trainees shared their experience of how they have benefited from the training. It helps them in self-reliance, to find a livelihood and a support for their families. It also helps them to value their traditional music and impart it to the coming generation. On the final day the trainees also enjoyed a family meal. The Centre acknowledge with gratitude the generous contributions of VRO and the TRICOR AGENCIES in this noble work of empowering youth and women.

On February 1, 2021, amid highly motivating and cheerful speeches from the guests, St. Claret Institute of Management under the aegis of St Claret College, welcomed its first batch of MBA students. The inaugural was attended by students, parents and guests at the campus and many via YouTube livestreaming.

The inaugural function began with a prayer song and the customary lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries and the student representative. The Chief Guest for the function, Jayyanto Bhattacharjee, Head of Enterprise & Cloud Marketing, VMware India addressed the function virtually. Mr. Bhattacharjee shared his personal experiences and wished the students success and asked them to learn, unlearn and relearn with passion and by doing the right things in life.

Rev. Dr, Thomas Thennadiyil, the principal of SCIM called upon the students to excel in their academic pursuits and contribute to the society. The principal’s address was followed by invocation dance by students of St. Claret College. Rev. Dr. Sabu George, Provincial and General Manager, through his video message invited the aspiring youngsters to embark on a journey of exciting explorations.

The programme was presided by Rev. Fr. Benny Mathew, Manager, St. Claret Group of Institutions. He urged the students to follow a disciplined life and be uncompromising in their approach. He also called for maturity in relationships, acquiring skills and establishing a technology-integrated management process for the students to be equipped to face the outside world. He concluded by wishing the management and faculty best of luck in excelling in their new endeavour.

One day Youth Animation Programme was conducted at Bhattiprolu Parish on 17/01/2021. The day started with Rosary followed by mass. After the mass Fr. Chinnanna the Youth Coordinator for A.P and T.S  engaged the youth with different sessions such as impact of Covid 19 on the life of Youth, Importance of participating in the mass & confession etc. After the lunch few group games were conducted. 53 youth participated in the meeting.

The humanity has witnessed so many disasters from the very outset of its existence. We the novices have created the Crib drawing examples from the Bible, the first would be the proto punishment of the great flood and the symbol of redemption - Noah’s ark. The man was sinful and corrupt in the sight of God. God felt sorry that He created man, so He sent a big disaster upon the world. But, God didn’t forget the righteous. The righteous Noah, finding favour in the sight of God, was entrusted to build an ark to spare the universe. With the great flood, God resolves not to cast such a disaster upon humans again. But man provokes the patience of God again through immoral life. The decadence of Sodom and Gomorrah is an example for this. God destroyed the people and the cities, but spared the righteous family of Lot. The example of Lot’s wife, becoming salt pillar by turning back, reminds us not to doubt the promises of God.

Another personality, who manifests the fruit of trust, is job. Job was an innocent and God fearing man, yet, he had to suffer. Amidst all his sufferings, Job reminds us that God still loves us, He wants us to love Him above all that we have, and our own selves. Trust the Lord alone even amidst all the pains and sufferings. 

In the postmodern world, a world of selfishness and self-centeredness, small virus like corona teaches us that how much ever proud we are about our achievements, yet there remain some realities that are above us. Yet it could not devour the world, for God alone knows how deep His love is for humanity. In a world of hopelessness, a Saviour is born as a ray of hope, bringing consolation to the world. Jesus Christ is the hope, and the answer to all our questions.

God loves us and substitutes his invisible healing hands, through the visible hands of Doctors and Nurses. Yet this villain, in his invasion, remains defeated, it is because of the service and battle fought by the doctors and nurses.

The postmodern world has forgotten that they are social animals and are interdependent. The reality of Corona has broken the walls of individualism and indifference by making a culture of interdependence. Many institutions opened their closed doors of their institutions and hearts for the people, the food and the materials were shared among the poor and the needy, the family relationship was strengthened by finding time for one another, and the closed factories reduced the pollution and the contamination. Hence, corona isn’t God’s punishment but a reminder that we are all brothers and sisters.

The Province of Bangalore celebrated its 10th Provincial Chapter from 6th to 12th December 2020 at Claretian Seminary Malleswaram. It was a moment of grace for all the 42 chapter participants and the province as a whole under the leadership of Superior General, Rev. Fr. Mathew Vattamattam, the President of the Chapter.

Beginning with a day of recollection and prayer the Chapter proceeded with evaluative and envisioning phase with conversations, sharing, discussions and presentations.

On 10th December the new Provincial Government was elected – Rev. Fr. John (Sabu) Koottarappallil as the Provincial Superior and Frs. John Payikkattu, Siby Eravimangalam, Xavier Pereira and Jaipaul Thumma as the consultors.

With the new Provincial Government in place it was time for planning and setting up of a roadmap for the future. The Chapter was concluded on 12th December with renewed enthusiasm of being missionaries – marching together.

Claretian Bible Ministry Province of Bangalore, released Telugu Christian Devotional Songs: Aaradhana Neeke Yesayya (Adore You Jesus) by Rev.Fr. Mathew Vattamattam Superior General and Fr. Jose Koonamparambil Delegate superior. Lyrics and Music by Fr. Santhosh CMF. Orchestration: Samuel Raj.

Jharkhand, India: On 28th October 2020 Deacon Yashveer Minj CMF was conferred the Holy Order of Priesthood by Most Rev. Anand Jojo, the Apostolic Administrator of Daltonganj diocese. The celebration was a joint event, along with Yashveer another diocesan Deacon too received the priestly ordination at St. Joseph’s Community College premises, Chandwa, Jharkhand. Due to ongoing restrictions of Covid-19 many could not be present physically for the celebration; however a few Claretian confreres, diocesan clergy and family members of the new priests joined the celebration.