BACK IN THE SADDLE - OCTOBER 2016

I will never leave you or forsake you. Dt. 31:6

See, I have carved you on the palm of my hands. Is. 49:16

“Then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, gathering you again from all the peoples among whom the Lord your God has scattered you.” Dt. 30:3 

God stands by His promises but not in my wildest imaginings could I have dreamed that within two months, God would not only restore all I thought I had lost but would restore it in double measure. Not only is He a God of surprises He is a God that cannot be outdone in generosity. 

When I said my goodbyes in late July 2015 leaving behind my home, my family, and everything I loved to look after an ailing, aging, mother-in-law whom I also loved, I never imagined that I would be back in the blink of an eye. At least in the blink of God’s eye, for a 1000 days are but one in His eternal now. But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 2 Peter 3:8 

When I left I carried with me a heart weighed down with sorrow, for I was leaving all that was dearest to me. I left alone and I felt alone. The memories of the warm goodbyes, the kind words of affection and regard made the parting so much harder. Feeling like an exile in a strange land I took a cab from the airport to the place that would now be home. My frail mother-in-law looked pleased and grateful to have me with her and I vowed never to let her know how much suffering the parting had cost me. 

Every day of the two long months away from all those I held dear seemed almost too hard to bear. I longed for the dear familiar faces, for the routine that was mine for so long and in which I had reveled. I missed the Catechism ministry, I missed the children who kept me alive and young, I missed my fellow-catechists for they had become dear friends. 

I prayed as I had always done in the past when faced with a crisis in my life and there have been many as I look back. Prayer was my comfort. I prayed all the time. I woke up early and went for the first Mass, I prayed the Holy Rosary as I walked to church. I prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 O’clock and I prayed the Holy Rosary again. In the evenings I went to the Adoration Chapel and spent half an hour before the Eucharistic Lord. I read God’s Word. God was my only Friend, my lifeline whom I clung to as desperately as one who is drowning. 

Tomorrow it will be one year since the Lord called my mother-in-law home. In less than two months God ended my exile and restored all back to me.

I returned in October and asked our Parish Priest Fr. Blany, if there was a place for me in the Catechism Ministry, I was assigned to teach Class 6. I will be honest and confess I felt a twinge of regret that I was not placed in Class 4 where I had for five years, helped to prepare the children to receive the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. But this was where I was needed as the catechist assigned to this class would be leaving soon.

On the first day, I was pleasantly surprised to get a rousing welcome when I was introduced to this class as a few of my former children whom I taught in year 4 were here. I was home again and I could not have been happier.

God is good all the time and all the time God is awesome!

Myra D’Souza / 19 September 2016

A BRIEF CATECHESIS - Fr. Franco Pereira sdb

THE HOLY MASS THE SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE

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THE HOLY EUCHARIST A FORETASTE OF THE HEAVENLY BANQUET

THE BREAD OF LIFE & THE CUP OF SALVATION

The second session in the ongoing preparation of the children in the Parish of St. Therese held on 13th and 14th January 2014 was attended by parents and children. 
Fr. Franco Pereira sdb, the Catechetical Director for the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, was the celebrant on both days and the theme was on the Holy Eucharist.

In his introduction father said that the purpose of conducting this special Eucharistic celebration was to enable both children and parents to better understand the Holy Mass. He would also offer a brief catechesis on the Eucharist, which would help us, all to cherish this great Sacrament.

The first few points to remember when we come together to celebrate the Holy Mass are:

Preparation: Begins at home. If we come early, we must sit in silence and pray.

Holy Water: When we enter the church, we dip our finger in holy water and sign ourselves with the Sign of the Cross calling to mind our baptism, the Holy Trinity and the Cross of Christ.

White cloth on the Altar: Reminds us of the Resurrection of Jesus as well as our Baptism.

The lighted candles on the Altar: are a symbol of the Resurrection and a reminder that Christ is the Light of the world.

The Bread and Wine symbolize our work and the fruit of our labor. We bring to God that which He has given to us.

Two Tables : The table of the Word represented by the ambo and the table of the Meal which is the Altar on which we place our offerings of bread and wine.

Holy Mass begins with the entrance procession. We sing a joyful hymn to welcome Christ in the person of the priest celebrating Holy Mass.

In the Penitential Rite, we ask for forgiveness for our sins. On Sundays, we sing or recite the Gloria we then have the Opening Prayer called the Collect. When the priest says, "Let us pray," we pray silently, bringing our prayers of petition before the Lord, the priest collects these prayers and offers them to God in one common prayer.

Next is the Liturgy of the Word. We have two readings on Sundays one taken from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament followed by the Gospel reading. God speaks to us through His Word, so we must pay careful attention.

Not only must we know our prayers well but we must ensure that our children do too. We can participate more meaningfully in the Holy Mass when we know the proper responses to the prayers.

Father said that there is a danger of us being Catholics only in name. To safeguard against such apathy we must understand the power and beauty of the Sacraments instituted by Christ and administered to us by His Church. We can begin by using the proper terms. We do not say that we are going for Mass or for a service. Rather, we say we are going for Holy Mass or the Holy Eucharist. We encounter Christ in this Sacrament, if we understand the beauty of this Sacrament and speak of it with reverence, our children too will to do the same.

Father's homily, based on the Gospel reading taken from Luke 24:13-15 (Road to Emmaus) was a reflection on the way we must walk with Christ. He also gave further insights in understanding this Sacrament.

The Gospel narrative begins with the two disciples walking sadly on the road to Emmaus. Jesus joins them, walks with them and enters into conversation with them. They speak of the events that have taken place in Jerusalem and Jesus responds by taking them through the Scriptures beginning with Moses and the prophets. We too must we walk with our children, not behind them or before them but side by side with them.

As parents we too must enter into dialogue with our children and explain what each part of the Holy Mass means. When Jesus walked with the disciples, He spoke to them of spiritual matters. Father reminded the parents that imparting the faith to their children was not the responsibility of the Church rather it is the primary responsibility of the parents and godparents who undertook to teach and bring up their child in the faith.

Once the two disciples reached their journey’s end Jesus made as if to move on but the disciples invited Him to stay with them. They had journeyed many miles, it was evening, it was dark and their encounter with Jesus had stirred their soul. Their hearts were open and ready to receive Him more fully this is why they said, "Stay with us Lord." The disciples invited Jesus to come and share a meal with them.

Reading Scripture prayerfully everyday as a family will help us encounter Jesus in a more meaningful way and we will invite Him to stay with us. When the children come for Holy Mass, they must be encouraged to sit in the front. Ensure they know what the different parts of the Holy Mass signify. Instill in them a longing to receive Jesus in their hearts. Pray with them asking that they receive this hunger and thirst for God. Only when they understand what the Eucharist is will they be able to long for Jesus in this special way in which He comes to us. Encourage them to make Jesus their best Friend.

Parents readily accompany their children to their various cultural activities but when it comes to spiritual matters such interest is often lacking. Children get the wrong impression when they see and hear their parents give priority to everything else over the spiritual. In this year in which our Bishop has declared to be the Year of the Church in our Vicariate let us take the time to know more about our Church and our faith.

The Prayer of the Faithful follows our Profession of Faith it is a time when we pray for the needs of the Church, and for the people of the world.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist involves our senses. Our whole being is involved when we participate in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the right manner.

Sense of Sight – Jesus sat at table with the two disciples. He took the bread, said a blessing, broke it and it to them. It involves sight – we see Jesus, in His Body and Blood. Each time the priest lifts up Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and says, “Behold the Lamb of God.” “This is my Body.” “This is my Blood.” let us look at Him for He is truly present on the Altar. When go to receive Him and the priest says, "the Body of Christ," look at Jesus.

Sense of Hearing – It involves sound. When we approach the priest to receive Jesus in Holy Communion and he says, “The Body of Christ.” We must listen to the words of the priest and respond clearing by saying, “Amen.” Our Amen says yes, we believe that what we are about to receive is truly Jesus.

Sense of Touch – We receive Jesus physically on our tongue. We touch Him. No other religion has so a great privilege. When we receive Jesus on our tongue let us do so properly and reverently.

Our children will first receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is important to approach the Eucharist with clean hearts in this Sacrament of healing. When the children make their first confession, it is mandatory for the parents to make their confession as well. There is no greater witness for the children than to see their parents going for confession. Children will form the habit of going for confession if they see their parents going regularly as well.

When Jesus prayed a blessing and broke the bread, it reminded the disciples of the Last Supper. Every Eucharistic celebration must help us re-evaluate what happened at the Last Supper. After Jesus shared the bread with them He vanished from their sight and they, recognizing the Lord, exclaimed, “Were not our hearts burning within us!”

When we receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, our hearts must burn with desire for God. Frequent reception of the sacraments will help us to grow in our love for the Eucharist. As elders, we are witnesses to our children. They learn from us.

During the Offertory, we have the offertory procession where we bring to God our offerings of bread, wine as well as ourselves. This is the time when we offer our work, our studies, our parents and all the good things He has given us. The Bread is made of many grains of wheat and the wine from the juice of many crushed grapes. They symbolize our labor. Just as Jesus transforms them into His Body and Blood, He transforms our life when we offer it to Him. The Eucharist becomes more meaningful when we bring ourselves to God.

During the Offertory, we have the collection. It is a reminder to share what God has given us. The money we give the church contributes to the upkeep and maintenance of the church. It is pleasing to God when, like the widow in the Gospel who gave the last two copper pennies, we too give to the Lord a small part of what we have received from Him. Let us encourage our children to put a little of their pocket money so they too can make their own little contribution.

Post Communion is a time for silence for talking to Christ who present within us and to listen to what He wants to say to us. Our hearts must burn with love for Him now that we have received Him.

The third part of this Gospel passage tells us that the disciples returned to Jerusalem. They returned to their spiritual roots and shared their experience with their companions. They became missionaries.

At the end of the Holy Mass when the priest says, “Go the Mass is ended to love and serve the Lord,” we are sent as missionaries into the world to preach the Good News. We go back to share what we have heard and to put our faith into action.

Finally, father reminded the parents that the event of a child's first Holy Communion takes place in a family and community setting. It is a joyful family and community celebration and is a spiritual benefit and blessing for all.

The Eucharistic Celebration concluded with a vote of thanks to all who had help to make this session so beautiful and meaningful.

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“Put on Christ”: He is waiting for you in his flesh in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of His Presence and His sacrifice of love, and in the humanity of the many young people who will enrich you with their friendship, encourage you by their witness to the faith, and teach you the language of charity, goodness and service. - Papa Francesco

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For the First Session see link below

BRIEF CATECHESIS ON THE SACRAMENT OF HEALING - FR. BLANY PINTO sdb

BRIEF CATECHESIS ON THE SACRAMENT OF HEALING - FR. BLANY PINTO sdb

The Sacrament of Conversion, Confession, Penance or Reconciliation

“Put on Christ”: he awaits you in the sacrament of Penance, to heal by his mercy the wounds caused by sin. Do not be afraid to ask God’s forgiveness! He never tires of forgiving us, like a father who loves us. God is pure mercy! - Papa Francesco

In the ongoing preparation of our children who will be receiving First Holy Communion this year, our Parish Priest Fr. Blany invited the children and parents to attend a special Mass on 25th and 26th November 2013. The theme for this Eucharistic celebration was the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

In his introduction father said that this was an opportunity for him to offer the parents a brief catechesis on Confession to refresh and deepen their knowledge and to revise and reinforce what the children have already learnt about this Sacrament in the Catechism class. 

In his homily, Fr. Blany asked the children a few pertinent questions related to sin, its definition, the ways in which we sin, the effects of sin on the soul and the perfect remedy provided by the Church for the forgiveness of sin. The children and parents enjoyed the several interesting aids father used to illustrate how sin affects our relationship with God and with each other. Father spoke of original sin, venial sins and mortal sins. 

Father explained the different ways in which we can obtain God's forgiveness when we sin. Baptism washes away original sin making the soul pure as God intended it to be. When our soul is free from sin, our prayers go directly to God and we hear Him when He speaks to us, but when we commit venial sins, although the link with God is not broken, they erect obstacles between God and us. These sins act as barriers and make it difficult for us to hear God speaking to us. All venial sins are forgiven at every Mass when we ask forgiveness from God and from our brothers and sisters during the penitential rite. Venial sins are also forgiven when we pray and when we perform acts of charity. 

Mortal sin kills the soul hence the word mortal, which means death. It destroys our relationship with God and all communication with Him is severed. For a sin to be mortal, these three elements need to be present, full knowledge, grave matter and full consent. When we are in a state of mortal sin, we cannot receive Holy Communion; our soul is dead and only in the Sacrament of Reconciliation life to the soul is restored. 

Father then spoke about perfect and imperfect contrition. If our motive for going to Confession is because we are afraid or want something from God then our motives are selfish, this is imperfect contrition. However, if we go for Confession because we are sorry for having offended God who is our loving Father, then we have perfect contrition.

Father concluded by urging parents to ensure that grace abounds in their home through prayer, making attendance at Holy Mass a priority and by going to Confession often. He reminded the parents that they are role models and if the children witness their parents living a holy and sacramental life they will emulate them not only now but even as they grow into adults.