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PROVINCIALS’ DESK

Gift to Our Lady: Become a Child of Mary

 Month of May is dedicated to Mother Mary – we feel her special protection during this month; we feel a special joy that shines and illuminates our hearts expressing the indispensable patronage of our heavenly mother becomes even more tender, more loving and full of visible mercy and exorable condescendence during her month of May. This month teaches us to love Mary Most Holy for the glory she rightly possesses and for all that she represents in the plans of Divine Providence. It also teaches us to be more constant in our filial union with Mary.

We should ask, through the mediation of Our Mother Mary, that God once again send us the Holy Spirit with the plenitude of His gifts so that His kingdom may be created anew and be purified by a renewal of the face of the earth. In the Divine Comedy, Dante wrote:“praying without the patronage of Our Lady is like wanting to fly without wings.”

Let us then confide to Our Lady this heartfelt yearning and desire. The hands of Mary will be for our prayer a pair of pure wings that will carry it with certainty to the throne of God.This month, therefore, could be an opportunity to return to the faith of the early Church, and together with Mary, to understand that today too, St. Pedro De San Jose Betancur province | News Bulletin - 05

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our mission is to announce and testify with courage and joy to the crucified and risen Christ through our various apostolic activities such as education, health care, caring the aged and orphan and leading the people towards God’s love.Dear Sisters, as you are ready to start the new academic year 2015 - 16, it’s quite just to think of our Mother Mary a Woman who was faithful and generous in serving God and taught her Son Jesus that His food is nothing but doing the will of God.

Let us hold the hands of Mother Mary and ask her to come on our way in order to teach us that the true happiness of our consecration lies on giving oneself completely to the service of others. Dear Sisters more than before, people are in need of our comforting hands, the youth of today need of our selfless love, the children and the aged need of our tender care. Let us forget ourselves and think of these persons for whom we have offered our life.

Here I would like to quote the words of our beloved Pope Francis to priests, nuns, and seminarians that one way to make sure Jesus is the centre of their lives is to ask “his mother to take you to him. A priest, a brother, a nun who does not love Mary, who does not pray to her — I would even say one who does not recite the rosary — well, if you don’t love the mother, the mother will not give you the Son.”

So dear Sisters let us ask the Virgin Mary to teach us to be faithful to our daily commitments, to live our faith in everyday actions and to give more space to the Lord in our lives, and not stop to contemplate his face. Wish you all the best Sisters; I accompany you all through my constant prayers before the Eucharistic presence of the Lord.

01st to 04th May Participated in the General Assembly of the Major Superiors- Bangalore

06th to 18th Organization for the new foundations at Bellary19thMay Simple blessing of the dispensary, convent –

Nandambakkam20th-21stMay Council Meet to nominate the Superiors to the new

communities.22nd to 31st May Organizing the sisters for the two new communities in

BellarySt. Pedro De San Jose Betancur province | News Bulletin - 05

Activities of our

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SR. MICHAEL MAZARELLA PUDHOTA- Adviser of Formation

1ST May to 4th May Participated in the General Assembly of the Major Superiors- Bangalore

5th May to 21st May Provincialate, Kothur Preparation of Materials for August Meeting and Juniors

Meeting. 22nd May – 31st May Novitiate, Bangalore 23rd May -25th May meet with the Juniors.

SR. MARIA AUXILIA ATHIMALA – Advisor of Apostolate

Continued to collaborate in the mission of the community of Muthupettai.

SR. MARY HILDA KOPPALA – Provincial Procurator Preparing the closure of Yearly Accounts and organizing the

Budgets to be sent to the communities.

SR. JAINMARY JOSEPH – Province Vocational Promoter

01.05.2015 went to Thangaccimadam for the vocation

02.05.2015 went to Verkodu.

03.05.2015 went to Dharmapuri

05th and 6th Vocation camp held in the community of Dharmapuri.

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Activities of the

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08.05.2015 went to Thenkanikottai.

09.05.2015 went to Porur

11th met candidate Regi.

12th and 13 went to Nandambakkam.

14th to 16th went to Muttukadu.

18th went to Kannathur.

19th went to Porur.

20th to 2nd family visit.

FORMATION

* 23rd May -25th May meet with the Juniors.Fifteen of our Juniors Sisters actively participated in the three days of meeting organized by Sr. Michael Mazarella Pudhota the Advisor of Formation helping them to be more conscious of their formation as juniors and to be clearer of their identity as Bethlemites.

* The three of our Sisters Alangara Mary Anthony Roselien Sudha Anthony Raj Baby Mary Buela Maria Louis

who are preparing for the Final commitment received the ratification by our Mother General Diana Lucia Torres and her Council for the 16th of July 2015. Let us

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News in the Province

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accompany them through our prayers so that their final YES to the Lord be firm forever.

ANNUAL RETREAT

* The second annual retreat was held in Bangalore – Novitiate from 25thMay to 01st of June. It was guided by Rev. Fr. Santhana Samy. Our Juniors Sisters and some of our final vows sisters attended this retreat and renewed their spirit to be effective instruments in the hands of God.

Rejoice- Wake Up the World1st May – 4th May

The general Assembly of the major superiors of India took place in Dharmavaram College, Bangalore from May 1stto the 4th of May. They were in all 800 religious who took part in the assembly including the major superiors. The days were organized very systematically filled with lots of enriching inputs to ponder, reflect and to execute them in our consecrated life.

The four days assembly was animated and enriched by spiritual leaders and eminent personalities of the secular world who hold great position of our present society.

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Experiences

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The eminent personality Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, who is a member of the core team of nine cardinals assisting the Pope in governing the church, was one of the speaker. The cardinal spoke of his experience of working with Pope Francis, enlivening his talk with heart-warming episodes about the Holy Father. He spoke in glowing terms of the Pope’s character and leadership and vision of the church. He stressed how the Holy Father gets his serenity and inner strength from his faith. He went on to explain what the Pope expects from religious, and how he sees the church. It was a simple, personal sharing from the heart, based on first-hand experiences of working with the Holy Father.

Then it was the Advocate Isaac Mohanlal of the Chennai High Court, a specialist in Constitutional Law, who has successfully defended the rights of minority institutions. He gave the audience confidence in tackling legal problems affecting our institutions, and insisted that the Constitution of India is a great protection for us. He also insisted on the need of transparency in all our dealings.

Next, was the Chartered Accountant Simon Rodriguez, who works with a number of church institutions, gave us a quick presentation of FCRA, and what we need to do to fall in line with its requirements.

The assembly concluded with a solemn Eucharist presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio to India, Mgr. Salvatore Pennacchio. In his homily, the Nuncio gave us the warm greetings of the Holy Father, and reminded the major superiors of the triple theme of the Year of Consecrated Life: Look at the past with gratitude; the present with passion and the future with hope.

- Sr. Michael Mazarella Pudhota Bethl

Pray and Plan Dream and DareTwo week course for the Junior Religious; which held in NBCLC, Bangalore, 27th April to 09 May 2015.

There were different topics explained by different Resource person, in order to be aware of the religious call. There was time to think, motivate, identify the importance of the call in order to deepen our religious sprit to bear fruit in our committed life to’ Wake up the world’ and to ‘Aspire to inspire before we expire’. We St. Pedro De San Jose Betancur province | News Bulletin - 05

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are called to reflect on the Consecrated life in our present society and Critical challenges of religious life of the juniors; Biblical perspective of Religious life; ’No’ to ‘comfort zone, ’Yes’ to committed life; Values for the religious life based on the parables of Jesus ; Pastoral Effectiveness of the kingdom of the Religious life; Eucharist and community living. ‘Formation of conscience and moral issues in Religious life; Catechetical ministry as the mission of the consecrated people and Emerging profile of the Religious in Indian Society. And also they gave us guidelines to be followedduring our Liturgical celebrations in the community.

We are motivated to be the Living Gospel –personal level Silence, creative and Ministry oriented -community level To Master over these in spite of fear,to go forward for conversion,

conviction, cross, commitment, courage.

We are grateful to the Provincial and Her team who have given us this opportunity to interchange our experiences with 67 sistersofother congregations and to share our identity in the midst of them, to have clear vision toproclaim, to love and to serve.

- Sr. Nirmala JosephTouching Experience

This year I have made my annual retreat in Dharmapuri in the Carmel retreat centre which gave me the possibility to review my life and to make a good confession which I have not done before in my whole life. It was wonderful experience of unloading everything and getting forgiveness from God and surrendering my life in the hands of God. The Sacrament of reconciliation was prepared and guided. The specialty of this retreat was the individual care of our spiritual life. There was confession, counseling, vision approach, personal prayer, 5 talks per day touching religious life, moment of adoration, very delicious food and lodging, everything with firmness and freedom. Everybody who has participated in the retreat received something: some physical healing, many inner healing, and grace of talking in different tongues. Some, who wanted to leave the congregation after the retreat, got the blessing of remaining and working for the Gospel. Everything helped to start a new life. I felt ashamed of my real situation and little knowledge of the scriptures and the prayer life. During the counseling the visionary sister showed me how God was with me and carried me. The word of God is powerful, God’s word is St. Pedro De San Jose Betancur province | News Bulletin - 05

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truth. The truth will free us from our ignorance and darkness and get all that we need for this world and for the next life. I understood this now even though it is not new to me. We were 54 sisters from 13 congregations. In this retreat our soul, body and mind is treated and it helps to celebrate our suffering and offer it to God. Let us offer our work, our prayers, our cries, our sadness, our failures, our tiredness, our faithlessness, all those who hate us, all those whom we hate and get the blessings from the Lord then our congregation and province will be blessed by God and nothing of our service will go vain. Sisters I have to tell you, during the vision moments the priest told me that many of our sisters are not in the right path. Let the blood of Jesus wash us and we may receive His redemption. The Holy church is in need of us and our faithful life. Let us stay with Him and preach his word wherever we are and turn the people towards God. Let us have the habit of reading the Bible and pray every time and everywhere. Let our Lord be our only permanent relationship. I request you to attend this retreat in the month of August which is for religious or visit the center at least for one day.Don’t postpone to decide to change, everything will pass and we will be asked how many souls we have brought to Jesus.Follow the first commandment. Don’t keep anything or anyone in the place of God that will be the only reason of our sadness.Offer everything to God even our sins. God wants to fill us with His grace but our sins become obstacles to receive those graces.Let us run to work with energy for God and take all the light that He is giving in prayer and get His enlightenments.I take this opportunity to ask pardon to all the Sisters whom I hurt and also I tell you that I forgive everybody. Let us be a special donkey which Jesus has used during the hosanna procession. That donkey has never carried anyone but only Jesus. The donkey becomes important only if it carries Jesus. Please pray for me that I may change my life. The retreat is like going for vehicle service, now I am o.k. but every time I should take care of this vehicle otherwise it will give trouble. Kaludayaga,Yarumsumakkadakaludaiyaga, Yesuvaimattumsumakkumkaludayagairukkaenvalthukkal.

- Sr. Mary PeriyanayagiLourdusamy

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Orientation for the teachers Teaching in Catholic Schools

- Gratitude is the Music of heart!- I am very much delighted to express my love filled hearts with the

sentiments of gratitude towards our provincial superior Rev. Sr. Leena Mary Medabalimi and her councilors for the opportunity given to us to attend the orientation for the teachers Teaching in Catholic Schools programmer held at NBCLC, Bangalore from 22 to 28 May 2015.

- The following sisters took part in this course.Sr.Alphonse Gade, Sr. Arokia Mary Adaikala Samy, Sr. Saleth Mary Savarimuthu and myselfSr.Ebinesa Palayathan.

I am glad to share the brief notes as follows:- Teaching is a service; it’s not a work- We Christians are only 2.6% in India. The rest of the 97.4% are

non-Christians. But we tiny minority contribute 33%of Education and 31% of healing ministry. Also we Christians offer quality education.

- From the Catechism of the Catholic Church the teacher is expected us to be such as;

- To know and love God.- Handing on our faith to the next generation by teaching the

knowledge and experience about God.- To help the people to believe that Jesus is the Son of God.- Believing that they have life.- To educate and instruct them to build up the body of Christ.- Look after the Catholics and Christians by giving the priorities in

our institutions. Through which we proclaim the Good News for the baptized Catholics.

- Look after the non-Christians that they are also children of God. Evangelize them to initiate the beginning of Christian faith.

- Look after the non Christians who will give us trouble because of their profession and ideology.

- Look after the Christian families who lost their faith. Re- Evangelize them.

- Present our faith in a new way through value education.

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Environmental Education:- The current environmental issues are- Deforestation- Global Warming- Land, water & air pollution- Scarcity of water- Extinction of wild animals- Climate change- Various ideas to be presented about environmental Education to

our students regarding above issues through health education- Encourage them to plant saplings in school as well as at home- Celebrate the World Environment Day on June 5- Giving project works on saving water- Presentation of plants in their birthdays- Encourage the term of Reduce, Reuse& Recycle- Conducting exhibition on Medicinal plants- Encourage painting on Nature- Explaining our role to be aware of Global warming- Arranging projects to cultivate the school garden.- Taking the students to hospitals, industries and nearby villages

and have interaction with the people.- Giving projects such as cleaning the campus and teach them

about personal cleanliness.- Media Education; and Awareness. And establish priorities- Inform and educate -people come to know what, when, how, why

the things happening- Teaching Values

The values can be taught in our class rooms are;

- Self Reliance-also called self confidence- Equality- Speaking up- Law & Order

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- Control- Speed but not Mechanistic- Capitalism but not Materialistic- Be an inspiring person to teach values through life- Doing things people normally wouldn’t do- Listen and act- Be accepting- Take the blame- Take risks- Sacrifice

Dear Teachers you are honorable persons. Please remember that…

- To the world you might be one person, but to your students you might just be the world, because you are warriors battling against the evil of ignorance.

- You are explorers: Exploring the immense possibilities of your student’s minds.

- You are sales persons: You sell hope and self confidence to your students.

- You are Evangelists: of optimism, you hold the smiles of the world in your hearts.

- You are researchers: Searching out for the talents and abilities buried in your student.

- You are lawyers: Pleading a case for the future of each student.- You are co-authors: With your students adding bright and colorful

pages to their lives.- You are Magicians: Performing real miracles that inspire students

and their families.- You are stars: Gently guiding your students with light and love.- You are architects: You build not sky scrapers or memorial towers:

you build those who build such magnificent edifices.- You awaken sleeping spirits- You communicate the joy of being a lifelong learners and share

with all.

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Mother India owes much to you because her future is shaped by you in your class rooms.

- Sr.Ebinesa Jaya Arokia Mary Palayathan Bethl

Junior’s meeting- May-2015“Resilience is feeling and facing the elements and staying rooted”

With immense joy and gratitude I take this opportunity to thank the Almighty God for His precious love and care for each of us. I would like to share about the junior’s meeting held at Bangalore on 24, 25 May 2015. The meeting was conducted by Rev. Sr. Michael Mazarella Pudhota the junior’s mistress. We were 15 juniors who participated in the meeting.

The first day Sr. Mazary introduced the general and specific objectives of the meeting. She quoted the words, “To discover practical ways of joyful living in personal and community living”. After the introduction we had a small discussion about the aspects of our life in the community and in the mission in which we are placed. Sr. Mazazy introduced the term “the secret of happiness”. The session was very useful in order to lead our life joyfully and spread this Joy to everyone as our POPE FRANCIS reminds us. And Sr. Shanthi Yethanapalli shared her experience about “self-care”. She made us to reflect our personal life how far we take care of our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual life. The session was very interesting and was very useful too.

The second day Sr. Mazary spoke about “Resilience” which we need it especially in the times of difficulties. This session helped us to reflect about our personal life and to have an account of this attitude to lead a life of optimism. Sister Mazary made us to be aware of this attitude in order live a better life which will make us “to surrender to the flow of the wind, to adjust our sails and to ride the next wave of our life”

The second day we had the quiz program on the life of our Mother Encarnación Rosal. We shared, laughed and enjoyed. It was very useful to know more about our Mother and to learn from her life. With grateful heart I thank Sr. Mercy who spends her time to prepare this quiz.

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I render my heartfelt gratitude to our Provincial Sup. Sr. Leena Mary Medabalimi for providing us the opportunity to enrich ourselves in order to live a better religious life. Thank you Sister for your love and care for each of us.

- Sr. Mercy Flora Antony Samy

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