THE DISTRICT OF INDIA Vol: 17 Issue: 4 THE DISTRICT UPDATES Fr. Sudhir, Dr. Kandasami, Bro. Lucian and Ms. Amala. Meetings with the Auditor Fr. Sudhir, Bro. Darwin, Bro. Lucian, and Ms. Amala met the auditor, Dr. Kandasami, on November 4th. The meeting took place in Bangalore and aimed to seek clarification on the new auditing rules, the new tax implications for us, and other online requirements. Dr. Kandasami was very helpful in enabling the administrative team understand the various new rules. He expressed his continued support for strengthening our mission in India. Council’s Communities Visits The councilors visited the communities across the District from November 8th to 28th, receiving full cooperation and fraternal support from the Brothers during the visitations. The councilors are extremely grateful to the Brothers for their hospitality and kindness that was shown to them during the visitations. The councilors noted that the Brothers are committed and doing well in their ministries. Bro. Dennis Bro. Dennis Schmitz is in the District visiting communities from November 15th to December 1st. The purpose of this visit is to strengthen the ongoing relationship between the U.S. Province and the District of India. Prabhat Tara School, Singhpur. Prabhat Tara School, Singhpur The Marianist Brothers took over the administration of Prabhat Tara School, Singhpur, Ranchi from the Ursuline sisters in 1992. The Marianists have guided the school successfully for the past twenty five years, regardless of various legal and political issues. The school has made a big difference in the lives of many children from kindergarten to the tenth standard. This year, 1292 students are enrolled in the school. It has twenty-five teachers and five Brothers who are committed to bring goodness to the lives of the children. The winners. Fr. George Zewysen, S.J., was the founder of Prabhat Tara School in Singhpur, Prabhat Tara School in Dhurwa, and many other schools and
Transcript
THE DISTRICT OF INDIA Vol: 17 Issue: 4
THE DISTRICT UPDATES
Fr. Sudhir, Dr. Kandasami, Bro. Lucian and Ms. Amala.
Meetings with the Auditor Fr. Sudhir, Bro. Darwin, Bro. Lucian, and Ms. Amala met the auditor, Dr. Kandasami, on November 4th. The meeting took place in Bangalore and aimed to seek clarification on the new auditing rules, the new tax implications for us, and other online requirements. Dr. Kandasami was very helpful in enabling the administrative team understand the various new rules. He expressed his continued support for strengthening our mission in India.
Council’s Communities Visits The councilors visited the communities across the District from November 8th to 28th, receiving full cooperation and fraternal support from the Brothers during the visitations. The councilors are extremely grateful to the Brothers for their hospitality and kindness that was shown to them during the visitations. The councilors noted that the Brothers are committed and doing well in their ministries.
Bro. Dennis Bro. Dennis Schmitz is in the District visiting communities from November 15th to December 1st. The purpose of this visit is to strengthen the ongoing relationship between the U.S. Province and the District of India.
Prabhat Tara School, Singhpur.
Prabhat Tara School, Singhpur The Marianist Brothers took over the administration of Prabhat Tara School, Singhpur, Ranchi from the Ursuline sisters in 1992. The Marianists have guided the school successfully for the past twenty five years, regardless of various legal and political issues. The school has made a big difference in the lives of many children from kindergarten to the tenth standard. This year, 1292 students are enrolled in the school. It has twenty-five teachers and five Brothers who are committed to bring goodness to the lives of the children.
The winners.
Fr. George Zewysen, S.J., was the founder of Prabhat Tara School in Singhpur, Prabhat Tara School in Dhurwa, and many other schools and
2
DECEMBER 2017#4
parishes in Ranchi. Every year Prabhat Tara School, Dhurwa, holds a football tournament in honour of Fr. Zewysen. This year the girls’ football team of Prabhat Tara School, Singhpur, won the football tournament on November 10th, which was an immense joy for the students and teachers of the school. Bro. Prakash Kujur congratulated the players for their outstanding performance during the tournament and wished them many more successes in the coming days. Let us join them in wishing them success and gratitude for 25 years of teaching commitment to the poor children.
Maria Nivas, Odisha
Bro. Lucian, Frs. Rajesh, Jinu, Sudhir and Bro. Dilip.
The Brothers at Maria Niva Community, Budakata, Odisha, inaugurated a new building along with the District Administration members on November 17th. The new building has twelve classrooms which can be used by the Roro Mission School (Odiya Medium School) and St. Joseph’s School (English Medium School). A few Marianist Brothers from Ranchi, the local political leaders, and the parents of the children participated in the inaugural event. Fr. Sudhir blessed the new building which was followed by a cultural program performed by the students of the schools and the Chaminade Rural Development Project (CRDP).
Bro. Beenit teaches spoken English to the students.
Maria Nivas Marianist Community, Budakata, Odisha, has three ministries: an English Medium
School, an Odiya Medium School, as well as a CRDP project. Bro. Beenit Tirkey is the Program Director of the CRDP in Budakata, Odisha, which aims to teach the young men and women to learn spoken English, computer skills and tailoring. It has three staff members. Bro. Beenit teaches spoken English to the students. He finds the program brings hope to the rural young men and women to learn some new skill which might be useful for their future career.
St. Joseph Chaminade Academy, Annual Sports Day
Bro. Saju conducts games for the children.
Bro. Saju Chittadiyil, the headmaster of St. Joseph Chaminade Academy, shares that the school has a theme and an event for each month of the academic year. The theme for November is "Children" and the school hosted its annual sports day on November 18th. Thus, the school had various activities for the physical development of the children and included a painting competition and a fancy dress competition, Aventura 2017.
Children’s Day Celebration in Maria Nivas Community, Patna
Bros. Victor and Tony Nesam with the children.
Children's Day in India is celebrated every year on November 14th. The day aims to bring a better
3
DECEMBER 2017#4
awareness to people about the rights, care, and education of children. The first prime minister of India was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru whose birth date was November 14th. He emphasized the importance of children’s well-being in India, so after his death November 14th has been celebrated as Children’s Day. A year ago Maria Nivas Marianist Community, Patna, started an outreach program through which it intends to assist poor children who have no means to pursue formal schooling. The Marianist Community, Panta, hosted a Children’s Day program on November 18th in which nearly 250 children participated and were given refreshments. The Brothers and the volunteers brought joy to these children by organizing some games for them in their community front yard.
REDS Ranchi, 20th Annual Celebration
From the right in the front row Bro. Paulus, Mr. Christopher Francis, Fr. Sudhir and the Brothers and the special guests of
the annual day celebration.
Ragpickers Education & Development Scheme
(REDS), Ranchi, continues to bring hope and joy
into the lives of many children in Ranchi. This year,
REDS Ranchi enters the 20th anniversary of its
foundation with great hope and an enthusiasm to
carry out its founding mission. REDS Ranchi
commemorated its foundation day at Nirmala
School, Samlong, Ranchi, on November 19th.
Around 1,300 children participated in the annual
celebration.
Nearly a month ago, Bro. Paulus Lakra, the director
of Ranchi REDS, along with Gyan Deep community
members and the REDS staff, began the work to
organize the annual celebration. The children from
various centres started to arrive at the venue by
8:00 in the morning and were given breakfast
upon their arrival.
Some children’s day participants in Ranchi.
The day’s annual celebration began with a prayer
and lighting of the lamp at 9:30 in the morning,
followed by cultural programs by the children of
various centres across Ranchi. The chief guest of
the program was Mr. Christopher Francis, the
principal of St. Anthony School, Doranda, Ranchi.
Mr. Francis has been very generous to the REDS
Ranchi Program for many years and he continues
to assist the Program through his generous
contributions. The children from various REDS
centres performed dances, dramas, and songs
which included a wide variety of languages and
costumes.
Fr. Xavier with the children.
The children were given a grand lunch and left for
their homes as the sun set for the day. Bro.
Paulus Lakra expressed happiness over the day’s
successful annual celebration and thanked the
Brothers, the staff, and the donors for making the
annual celebration a festive day for the children.
4
DECEMBER 2017#4
REDS Bengaluru, Children’s Day
Celebration
Some children’s day participants in Bengaluru.
On November 19th, REDS Bengaluru combined its
Children Day’s celebration with the 25th
anniversary of the Marianist Brothers taking REDS
from BMSSS (Bangalore Multi-Purpose Social
Service Society). Since then, the Marianist
Brothers have sponsored REDS and supported it
over the years with their personal involvement in
its activities. The chief guests of the day were Shri.
N.A. Haris, MLA; Shanthi Nagar, Assembly
Constituency; and Ms. Suja Warrier, senior
member of CSR team Infosys. Mr. Haris
congratulated REDS Bengaluru’s efforts to
motivate the slum children and helping them to
realize the importance of formal education.
Ms. Suja Warrier with the children.
Ms. Suja also spoke about the importance of
formal education and appreciated the REDS’s
efforts to educate the slum children. The special
invitees distributed prizes to the children. The
children from the REDS centres performed various
cultural shows, which were followed by meals for
all the children and their parents. Bro. Doss and
the Infant Nilaya community’s Brothers are
grateful to all the local donors who generously
contributed to make this event successful and
memorable.
Personnel Updates Bro. Larry McBride has returned to Maria Nilaya
Community, Patna.
Bro. Balaswamy is assigned to the Scholasticate
Community, Bangalore, where he will assist in the
University of Dayton’s Deepahalli Program.
Bro. A. Arockia Doss (Mullai) is transferred to
Chaminade Nilaya.
Happy Christmas and Happy New Year On behalf of the District Administration, we wish
you a merry Christmas. May this Christmas fill your
