The beginning of the catechetical Year 2011 – 2012 was marked by a beautiful and solemn inaugural mass on the 12th June 2011 which was also Pentecost Sunday. The altar was dressed in white with an orange banner bearing the theme of the catechetical year – “Creation manifests God’s Love.” The liturgy for the mass was prepared and coordinated by catechist, Linda Frois. Mass began with a solemn procession of catechists entering the church followed by the Altar Servers and the main celebrant, Fr. Tomas Lobo, our Parish Priest.

The introduction gave a synopsis of the theme and the day’s readings with a prayer to the Holy Spirit to help restore our relationship with our Creator and creation and live a life of love, peace, joy and righteousness. In his homily, Fr. Tomas spoke on the theme of the Pastoral year: “Covenant Between Human Beings And Creation: – Divine Love’s Manifestation.” He went on to say that we are the master pieces of God’s creation and the beautiful creation around us manifests God’s love for us. Jesus was born in a manger in natural surroundings. When Jesus preached the Word He used all examples from nature to give us the message of God’s love. Referring to the Pastoral Letter for this year he said the focus is on the need to love creation around us and to respect the laws of nature. Man by his selfishness has destroyed fields, polluted water and other natural surroundings thus bringing about disaster on himself. He ended his sermon by narrating a story creating awareness of our responsibility as guardians of God’s creation and exhorting us to work to make our world a better place to live in.

After Communion and the Thanksgiving prayer, all the catechists renewed their commitment before the altar with lit candles and Fr.Tomas invoked God’s blessings upon them. At the end of the Mass, before imparting the final Blessing, Fr. Tomas wished the catechists, the children and their parents a very fruitful catechetical year. The Cherubs enlivened the entire mass with their singing.

The inaugural service concluded with a time of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. At the end of the adoration, packets of sweets were distributed to all the children and they went home beaming with delight.

Let us strive to make our families what they are called to be: ‘cradles of vocation to the priesthood and religious life’. This was the message that echoed through the programme organized by the seminarians of Seminary Niwas, Duler at the Holy Family Church, Alto Porvorim. The programme was organized on the occasion of Vocation Sunday celebrated in our Archdiocese on 18th September, 2011. A video entitled “Apovnnem” prepared by the Rachol Seminary depicted the life of a seminarian from the time he enters the portals of the seminary till the time of his departure to work as a priest in the vineyard of the Lord.

Thereafter Sr. Agneta and seminarian Brian gave a sharing about their respective vocation. A skit based on the call of God to a young son of a family and the response of the youngster and his family to God’s plan was well brought out by the talented seminarians studying for the priesthood at the St. Xavier’s Higher Secondary, Mapusa. The parish children’s choir ‘Cherubs’ sang the song ‘Follow Me’ which was synchronized by a power-point presentation. Earlier the vocation Sunday mass liturgy was meaningfully organized by the young and energetic seminarians. Reminding the Sunday congregation of God’s immeasurable and overflowing generosity to give all a share in the work of building His kingdom, the parish priest Fr. Tomas Lobo, invited the young children to ponder, pray, discern and decide to follow God’s design in their lives and to respond generously, willingly and joyfully to God’s call to the priesthood and the religious life. The day’s programme ended with games, action songs and a questionnaire for the altar servers of the parish.