Photo Album: Fellowship Celebration - Pondicherry

On Sunday, February 04th 2024, the Holy Spirit Church in Tagore Nagar, Pondicherry witnessed a steady human-tide from neighbouring Salesian parishes and houses from the early hours in the morning. Poor Children, Youth and Adults (mostly women) from Pavunjur, Jeevanadhapuram, Gedilum, Maranodai, Kalvisolai, Cuddalore, Thennangudi-Karaikal and Thirukazhukundram congregated in Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Puducherry. In all, nearly 1000 people came together to Tagore Nagar parish. After due registration, breakfast was served for all gathered for the Celebration of Fellowship. Together with Tagore Nagar Parishioners, Deepagam community arranged the Dominic Savio Hall and other facilities for this day of Catechetical Celebration.

Young boys from Pavunjur played the “Chennai Band”; this they did, during the program-intermissions, all through the day. All congregated before the Holy Spirit Church and marched in procession with the Paschal Lamp lit and an open Bible Pictogram to Dominic Savio Hall at around 10:30 AM. In his welcome address, Fr. Jesudoss, the Director of Deepagam introduced the nature of this Faith Festival by reminding the celebrants that ‘Pondicherry is also known as Friendship City’. Salesians belonging to Pondicherry Region felicitated all community members present for this Faith Event. Also, the Bible Sponsor Mr. Sagayadoss, a Civil Engineer from Santhome-Chennai was introduced and complimented for his generous gesture of sponsoring 500 Tamil bibles to the Festival Congregations. So far, he has sponsored 1500 bibles during these Faith celebrations (Vellore, Tirupattur and Pondicherry regions). The celebration began with simultaneous catechesis for children, youth and parents in three different places, as usual.

Children Catechesis: In Dominic Savio Hall, Fr. Kirubakaran R., SDB begun animating the Children (around 300) through Children Catechesis. Most of the children came from Salesian homes for children at Jeevanadhapuram, Gedilum and Maranodai. Fr. Kirubakaran commenced his catechesis through greeting ovations such as, Hai Children! Hello Children! to actively engage them in the session. In the afternoon, Lutheran Pastor Ravindhran (an ecumenical initiative by Deepagam) who is a professional puppeteer, used his communication skill to infuse this biblical message in children: “Taste and see that the Lord is good” with chocolate motif. He also used animation action songs to get children involve in the catechetical sessions.

Youth Catechesis: In Parish Youth Centre, Youth Catechesis was animated by Fr. Arockiadoss Lourdusamy SDB (from Don Bosco Kalvisolai, Thattanchavady-Puducherry) for college students (who numbered around 100 youths). Fr. Arockiadoss, while interacting with the youth community, narrated his personal experience of youth outreach during the Covid pandemic. He was positive about the success phenomenon in sharing the Word of God using Social Media. Nevertheless, he insisted that what is important is Life Testimony/Witness, which cannot be alternated by anything else. In fact, Catholic youth has lesser placement in professional and government services (2%) while the Catholic Church is the second largest contributors to quality Education in India, apart from Government sectors. Youth motivation/goal in life should not be just family-making, child-rearing and aging. They must get involved in social issues in their neighbourhood, addressing positively to the violence against women, attacks on Christians, crimes and injustice. During the afternoon session for youth, Fr. Kirubakaran employed narrative theology for catechesis. The focal point of his session was, in Pauline words, ‘authentic Jesus Experience makes no significance to everything else (Philippians 3:8). He also reminded the youth that Jesus came to save the repented sinners and not the righteous persons. Fr. Jesudoss in his session for the youth, urged them to take part in the political issues as mature and witnessing Christians.

Adult Catechesis: Rev. Fr. Maria Arul Raja, SJ took up the adult catechesis for parents (around 300) in Holy Spirit Church. Fr. Raja introduced the Sacred Scripture to lay participants who received their new bible, distributed by Salesians during the celebration today. He taught the parents to identify the Catholic bible from Protestant using ‘biblical canon’ and publication information. He highlighted the ecclesial nature of the Church as One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. His interpretation of Catholicism (Universalism) is acceptance of goodness from anywhere. He conscientized the laity on how Jesus was put to death by false condemnation as traitor of politics and religion. Fr. Raja, SJ also introduced the lay people to read and interpret the Gospel in our times and in our cultural settings using Gospel narrative on woman with haemorrhage.

While the Catechesis for the adult (parents) was going on, youth and children viewed the screening of anti-addiction YouTube documentary: Zinga Manga - Drink Addicts Awareness story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TfQp41gS-o

Using this video clip, Fr. P. Siluvai Muthu (Director, Aruloudhayam Ashram, A. Kattupadi, Vellore) gave awareness session on drug addiction and alcoholism to young people. After the lunch hour, cultural programs commenced in Dominic Savio Hall. It was entirely School Children performances; the highlights of the cultural program was God’s Creation, Don Bosco’s Dream for the Young and several folk dances by children. The cultural programs concluded with Eucharistic Adoration led by Fr. Jesudoss and Mr. Victor (a retired BSNL staff) while the Salesians administered Sacrament of Reconciliation to the people participating in the Faith Event.

Setting the devotional mood, the entire congregation of people prepared themselves for the solemn Eucharistic celebration. Most Rev. Fr. L. Don Bosco, our Provincial, joined the faith assembly in the evening for the holy mass, as main celebrant; while, Fr. Jesudoss preached the sermon, he exhorted the parishioners to joyfully share in the sufferings of Christ Jesus in our daily struggles of life. Rev. Fr. Provincial thanked Fr. Jesudoss and Salesian communities in Pondicherry region for hosting this meaningful faith celebration to rekindle faith experiences in youth and families from rural and mission parishes of Salesian Presence.

Entire people’s congregation gathered outside Dominic Savio Hall for the mega group photo session, which was followed by serving of tea and snacks to the people who returned back home with Catholic Bible, eventful memories and rich experience of faith as community in Salesian way.