Daltonganj, India: On 20 April 2017 Deacon Mathias Bodra was ordained priest by Most Rev. Anand Jojo, Apostolic Administrator of Daltonganj Diocese. The ceremony took place at St. Anthony Mary Claret Church, Barwadih, the native parish of Mathis Bodra.

A seminar on study skills was conducted for high school student at St. Claret School, Narsannapeta by Squadron Leader Jayasimha. Squadron leader Jayasimha, the president of World Memory Sports Council for India, the only Indian to hold maximum Guinness Records in the world, the nation’s leading trainer in memory and soft skills, taught a few techniques, simple and effective to remember the lessons that are taught.

The seminar was effective, beneficial and genuine to channelize the blooming minds of the young learners. Mr.Jayasimha’s seminar has left an indelible influence in the minds of our students. Principal, Fr. Pasala. Anthony especially appreciated availability and services of Mr.Jayasimha in training the students.

St. Claret English Medium School, Narsannapeta, is well known in many mandals of the Srikakulam district like Narsannapeta, Kotabommali, Jelumur, Polaki, etc. because of its academic standards and discipline. As in the past years, in the year 2016-17 to the school got very good results in the SSC Examination. A total of 84 students had appeared for the public examination and all of them passed, majority of them with distinctions and seventeen of them got 10/10. It’s the fruit of the dedicated faculty and management and the hard work of the students.

Sanyasa, the only Institute of Consecrated Life in India, organized a three-day Congress on ‘Communion for Mission - Joyful Fraternal Religious Community for God’s Kingdom’, which began on the 2nd of February 2017. The seminar began on the very day dedicated to consecrated life, at 9:00 a.m. with an enthronement of the Word of God followed by prayer and lighting of the lamp and declaring the opening of the Seminar. Fr. Arul Jesu Robin CMF, the director of Sanyasa gave an overview of the seminar. About 200 men and women religious participated enthusiastically and benefitted immensely from the seminar.

Renowned men and women religious spoke on “Communion for Mission” from various aspects. There were papers presented on the themes like “Mission-shaped Communities: Biblical Inspiration”, “Anthropological and Theological Traits of Mission-shaped Communities”, “Founding Vision: The Essence of a Religious Community”, “The Importance of Eucharist and the Word of God in Religious Communities”, “Formation for Fraternal Life in Community”, “Challenges for Living together and a Way Forward”, “Intimacy and Friendship in Religious Communities”, “Compassionate Care for the Elders, Sick and Difficult Members of the Community”, “Joyful Community Life – The First Apostolate”, “Authority at the Service of Fraternity and Mission”.  The speakers challenged the participants to start afresh to make the religious communities a mission-shaped community and be partners of the Holy Spirit.  

The Congress posed many challenges to the religious: awareness that we are in the era of the Holy Spirit; conformation to the person of Christ; fueled in the charism of the founder; making the community life a celebration. It also gave time for interactions between many young religious whole heartedly participated in it. On the final day, there was also panel discussion in which many questions raised by the religious were answered by resource persons. The Congress came to an end on 4th February 2017 with the solemn Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Fr. George Panthalanickal, CMF, the Superior and Secretary at Sanyasa.

In collaboration with Sanyasa, Fr. Xavier Manavath, CMF, the Rector of Claretian Seminary, Malleswaram, Bengaluru organized a one day seminar on the same theme on 29th January 2017 at Malleswaram itself. Above 150 religious participated and appreciated our effort in offering quality service for the ongoing formation of the consecrated persons of India.

Sumanahalli Society is now developed with multifarious activities reaching out to six groups of destitute people, viz. those affected by LEPROSY, HIV/AIDS, Disabilities, Orphan Girls, Street Boys and Children in Conflict with Law. It is 40 years since the Government invited the Bangalore Archdiocese to establish a Centre for the welfare and rehabilitation of the leprosy affected persons and other destitute groups.   

Today, Sumanahalli LRTC (Leprosy Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre) is  taking care of five Leprosy colonies in Bangalore and coordinating with 32 other Leprosy colonies in Karnataka, a hundred bedded Rehabilitation Centre, an ongoing case detection and distribution of Multi Drug Therapy, information Education and Communication (IEC) activities, Educational Programme  (both Formal and Non Formal) , Capacity building, Vocational Training Programme, Prevention of Impairment and Deformity, Follow-up Services and Comprehensive Rehabilitation Activities reaching out to 75 BBMP wards and beyond.

Recently, Anti-Leprosy Fortnight Programme was inaugurated by the Government Leprosy division on 30 January 2017 at   our Leprosy colonies in Chikkanayakanahalli and Sarjapura Road- Bengaluru. The programme was organized jointly by District leprosy officer and Sumanahalli Society. The Taluk Medical officer, PHC medical officers, KannahalliPanchayat President and Panchayat Members were present.  The Joint Director (Leprosy) was the chief guest.

During the fortnight, from 30 January to 13 February 2017, Sumanahalli Society conducted several special activities in the given area by creating awareness through Power Point Presentation and Movies, showing the scientific facts about Leprosy which gives a clear explanation and the real need to fight against Leprosy. During this programme, besides different other activities, 6,500 students were screened in seven schools and through BBMP (Megacity Survey) 12,500 families were surveyed, covering over 62,500 people.

Along with Anti-Leprosy Fortnight Concluding Programme, Sumanahalli Dr. Hansen’s Award Ceremony was held on 02March 2017 at The Indian Institution of World Culture in the presence of Rev. Dr. Jacob Arakkal John CMF, Vice Chairman of Sumanahalli Society, the Chief Guest, Dr.Pushparaj, the Joint Director of Leprosy of Karnataka, Mr. Jose M.V, Director of AIFO Bengaluru, and Dr. Prasad, along with other invited guests from various institutions, staffs and students from various Nursing colleges and well-wishers and friends of Sumanahalli Society.

To recognize and appreciate the tireless service rendered in the field of Leprosy, Sumanahalli Started the Dr. Hansen’s Award. The awardees for the year 2016-17 were:Dr. N. Mani Mozhi – Head Medical coordination AIFO- India, Bangalore, National Consultant -NLEP, Central Leprosy Division, MoHFW, Government of India, who was working in the field of Leprosy since 1983.  Dr. D. Adihisayanathan – who joined Sumanahalli in the year 1985 as a Para- Medical worker and in the year 2000 was appointed to the post of Non – Medical supervisor in SET- (Survey Education and Treatment) and Chief coordinator in 2012.  He has served for 40 years in this field of Leprosy and still continues his service as a field coordinator of Sumanahalli LRTC.

The Youth Coordinators of the different Provinces and Delegations under the Association of Claretians in Asia (ASCLA) West Conference gathered at the Provincial House of Bangalore in Malleswaram, Bengaluru, India, for the ASCLA West Youth Ministry Coordinators' Encounter from Monday, 30th of January to Sunday, 5th of February.

Brother Carlos Verga, General Prefect of Youth Ministry and Vocation, who called for this encounter and main resource person, spoke on various themes like youth ministry and pastoral vocations from a congregational perspective, the challenges of youth ministry and pastoral vocations, the objectives and criteria of our Youth Ministry and the vocations for the congregation. Likewise, other resource persons were also invited during the Encounter. Fr. Regi SDB in his session spoke on how to be a youth animator and goals and principles of youth ministry. Fr. Divya Paul, the Bangalore diocese youth director presented a paper on CHALLENGES AND DYNAMICS OF YOUTH MINISTRY. The presentation included how to animate our youth in our parishes and institutions in the changing scenario of globalization, technology and changing values.

The encounter had been a platform for the participants to know each other and to plan out future programmes in the respective Organisms. The participants were enriched by the sharing by different youth animators and decided to actively participate in the youth ministry of the congregation to make this mission more vibrant and dynamic. The focus of the encounter was centered on the theme “YOUTH MINISTRY IN THE JESUS WAY”.

On December 3, 2016 Snehajyothi, Centre for the physically challenged, celebrated its 15th Annual Day and the World Disability Day. The day was marked by an awareness walk across the streets of Athani with slogans of equality and opportunity and not to treat the disabled as cursed or burden in the society. On that day the students of Snehajyothi presented various cultural programs which were well appreciated by the guests and inmates alike. Shri. Amareshwara Maharaja, a well-known swami of Athani, Mr. Mahaveer Padnad, congress leader, Mr. Dange, who donated uniform to all our students and Dr. Kumbar, Health Department Athani, were the main guests present on the day. On the previous day of the celebration, on we had organized annual sports day for the students and prizes were distributed to the winners.

Sumanahalli has been working since 1977 for the Welfare and rehabilitation of persons affected by Leprosy, HIV/AIDS and Person with Disabilities; and since last 8 years we are working for HIV/AIDS destitute by providing residential care for 25 patients and also through various awareness and training programme in villages, schools and colleges.

As part of “Continuing Nursing Programme” Sumanahalli Society, in collaboration with Shri Lakshmi College of Nursing, organised half-day seminar on the eve of World AIDS Day Programme on the 1 December 2016 at Shri Lakshmi College of Nursing Auditorium, Magadi Road, Bengaluru. It was followed by Silent March from Shri Lakshmi College to Sumanahalli, SUPPORT (Community Care centre) and concluded with taking of pledge along with inmates. There were 1210 nursing students from 10 different nursing colleges who participated in the programme. The Rtd. Deputy DGP Mr, Ponnappa, Founder of Sri Lakshmi Educational Group, Fr. Lindo Francis CMF, Director of Sumanahalli Society, Fr. Thomas Thanniyanickal CMF, Director of SUPPORT HIV Centre, Mrs. Bhagyalakshmi, Principal of Shri Lakshmi College of Nursing, Mr. Michael Babu Raj, Deputy Director of K H P T were the dignitaries of the day.

One of the most important celebrations in Chodavaram parish is the annual feast of the solemnity of Christ the King. After the intense preparation through Holy Rosary, the reflection on the different aspects of Christ the King, Triduum and Holy Eucharist, on 17 November 2016 we celebrated the parish feast in the presence of a large gathering of faithful from in and around our parish. The celebration proper began with procession of the image of Christ the King. His grace Mallavarapu Prakash, the archbishop of Visakhapatnam, presided at the solemn Holy Eucharist.  The presence and prayers of Rev. Fr. Peter D’Souza, the vice provincial, was a great blessing and a moment of fatherly encouragement. The participation of 23 priests from our Claretians communities and from the archdiocese, a good number of women religious from neighboring communities and the faithful brought showers of blessings for the parish.  The felicitation of the guests, cultural programmes by the parishioners, followed by fellowship meal for all added more solemnity to the feast.

On 17 November 2016, eight of our 2nd year theology students made their first step in participating in the ministerial priesthood in the Catholic Church. During the Holy Eucharistic celebration Rev. Fr. Jacob Arakkal John, the Provincial Superior, conferred the orders of Lector and Acolyte on Birajman Tigga, Chetan Kumar, Jayaraju Oddepogu, Jessin Joseph, Kevin Prem, Nelson P. Thomas, Siljo Michael and Tony Mathew. Father Provincial expressed his sentiments of joy and hope, seeing eight young missionaries readying themselves for God’s work, and thanked them for the gift of their commitment in the Claretian Congregation. He urged them to strive to live more fully their missionary vocation and to be moulded more perfectly in the likeness of Jesus the Master and our founder, Father Claret.