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Don Bosco Provincial House, 19 November 2020: The Jubilee Celebrations viz., the Golden Jubilee of Priestly Ordination of Fr Thattil Chacko and Fr Alappat Jose; Golden Jubilee of Religious Profession of Fr Kollamparambil Joseph, Fr Mattathilani Abraham; Silver Jubilee of Priestly Ordination of Fr Ramanedi Balaraju, Fr Chinnabathuni Louis Babu, Fr Marneni Mariadas, Fr Vetacula Gnanaprakasam; Silver Jubilee of Religious Profession of Fr Maramereddy Vijya Prakash, Fr Santiagu Thomas and Fr Thathireddy Michael commenced at of Don Bosco Shrine, with a Solemn Eucharistic Celebration at 5.30 pm. The perpetually professed confreres along with the parents, relatives, priests and religious of the Arch Diocese and other dioceses were present.
Fr Thomas Santiagu, the vice Provincial expressed that all combined, that is 375 years of life in the Salesian Congregation! That is 375 years of lives penetrated by an apostolic spirit and their apostolic work permeated with contemplation. God has given us a mighty gift in the powerful testimony of their religious lives. It is our honour to be with them today, recognizing such a milestone and gift to the Church.
In 1997, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Pope John Paul II presided over the 1st World Day for Consecrated Life…an occasion for consecrated persons to “renew their commitment and rekindle the fervour which gives inspiration to their offering of themselves to the Lord.”
Fr George, in his homily quoted, Pope Francis’s advice. He would like those in the Consecrated Life to be “experts in communion.” “In a polarized society, where different cultures experience difficulty in living alongside one another, where the powerless encounter oppression, where inequality abounds, we are called to offer a concrete model of community which, by acknowledging the dignity of each person and sharing our respective gifts, makes it possible to live as brothers and sisters.”
He asks us to be: “… a credible sign of the presence of the Spirit who inspires in human hearts a passion for all to be one.” He asks us to be: “Experts in communion – to move from I to we to One”.
The eucharistic celebration concluded while the jubilarians and the parents and relatives were led to the Vechhi Hall for a felicitation programme.
Fr Bellamkonda Sudhakar welcomed the gathering to felicitate and thank the Jubilarians. He told that his is the desire of a Provident God – Cor Unum, one heart; what a noble, prophetic work this is for the next phase of your Providence journey.
The cultural programme began with a dance from the Don Bosco School girls of Motinagar.
Fr Thathireddy Vijaya Bhasakar, the Provincial, in his message said that in their Priestly and Religious life and their years of consecrated life, we see the work and the life of the Holy Trinity. We see the mystery of the love of God the Father, who has called them to a holy vocation. We see the mercy of Christ, who has consecrated them to be, as John Paul II says, a sign of the radicality and depth of the life of the baptized. We also see the power of the Holy Spirit, granting fidelity to their witness and an abundance of fruit to their ministry. He further felicitated all the jubilarians. Later, released the Autobiography and the Obituary Letter of Rev Fr John Lens.
Fr Alappat Jose, Fr Gnanam, the jubilarians poured out their inner sentiments of praises for God. They’ve recapped words of St Therese in the Story of a Soul, that “it is not to remain in a golden ciborium that God comes to us each day from heaven: it is to find another heaven more infinitely dear to Him than the first: the heaven of our souls, made to His image, the living temple of the Adorable Trinity.” Indeed, today, a mighty work of God continues to unfold before us.
Fr Sarath proposed vote of thanks while thanking everyone who invested their efforts for the Jubilee Celebrations of the Salesian Confreres. He addressed the jubilarians – Fr Thattil Chacko and Fr Alappat Jose; Fr Kollamparambil Joseph and Fr Mattathilani Abraham; Fr Ramanedi Balaraju, Fr Chinnabathuni Louis Babu, Fr Marneni Mariadas and Fr Vetacula Gnanaprakasam; Fr Maramereddy Vijaya Prakash, Fr Santiagu Thomas and Fr Thathireddy Michael …
• May you continue to love God much; may you also know the love our Provident God has for you.
• May you persist in loving one another and all others; may you also lean on the love and appreciate of all your brother and sisters in your ministry;
• And, above all, never forget the energy of love that is present here in this place as your associates, family, and friends gather with you to celebrate your 25, 50 years of loving God and loving others.
And I’ll let Pope Francis have the last word: “Go, wake up the world!”
The Jubilee celebrations concluded with a Festive dinner in the lawns of the Don Bosco Provincial House.
