S.Maria D.MazzarelloTirupattur

Vellore

INDIA – MADRAS INMS.Thomasso Apostolo

The bifurcation of Mazzarello Home from Mary Immaculate Convent took place in

1974. Mazzarello home belongs to Vellore Diocese.

Today the diocese of Vellore is a beehive of evangelizations with

84 parishes 154 diocesan priests 42 religious orders and 1, 50,000 Catholics

176 schools 8 technical institutes 11 colleges 30 hostels for boys and girls.

The Diocesans, Salesian priests and sisters, Sisters of St.

Charles , Family of Nazareth Convent work in Tirupattur.

Seed of faith sown in our soil yesterday

Many Jesuite priests, Mill Hill Fathers, MEP Priests, Salesians and the Diocesan priests have worked over the years to build up the faith of the people of the diocese.

Faith took root in our soil through the work of the ardent missionaries who were zealously engaged in

making Christ known through witnessing life, prayer, the Word of God and Catechesis.

They used to visit families and reach out to the needs of the people in love and joy. This lead to conversion

and reception of the sacrament of initiation, marriage rectification and religious harmony.

Light and sound programmes, folk lore, slide shows, short plays etc were

means for evangelization.

Later Christian films such as Gnana Soundari, Karuna Murthi, St. Antony, Our Lady of Velankanni , Infant Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, The Passion of Christ were screened in the parishes, schools, boardings and hostels. This enabled people to know Christ and Christianity.

During Passion Week, light and sound programmes on the birth, passion and death of Christ were shown in the parishes to make known Christ. ‘Behold the Man’, ‘Good Shepherd’, ‘St Paul’ were some of the light and sound programmes shown through our diocese to

the people.

Arul Chittu is one of the initiatives taken by INM province to circulate, stories, interesting biographies of saints and Bible quiz to make known our faith.

Modern technology is used to spread Christian faith.

Basic Christian communities are

established to strengthen the faith of the Catholics.

To spread the Word of God the diocese organized dramas on the title of Jona, Job, The Prodigal son, The unforgiving steward, The good Samaritan etc.

.

celebration of the Bible weeks, various feasts, Good mornings, good nights, daily and Sunday Catechism, Value Education, Catechetical inspection and annual exams and Seminars on catechism of the catholic faith, documents of the Church are help to keep alive the faith of the students, staff and sisters.

Retreats, sacraments, seminars and workshops on the documents of the church, the word of God and training

of the catechists help to spread Christian faith in the multi religious

context of our locality.

Processions and pilgrimages help to keep alive the fire of faith in people

Young boys and girls joining

religious life is a sign of faith

among the laity.

The laity of our parish is involved in the socio pastoral activities and their generous contribution in the formation of self reliant parish is the sign of faith and commitment.

Celebrating the Love filled life of Mother Teresa

Martyrdom of Devasagayam Pillai Missionary life of Sr. Maria Troncatti

Challenges we encounter in living

the faith in the community and

the mission today

Dalit converts to Christianity are deprived of due constitutional rights, legal protection and various reservation facilities. They are twice discriminated community.

In spite of deprival of the rights and reservation facilities for embracing Christianity by the Government of India, they remain in true faith and witness to the values of the Gospel.

Catholics drifting away to other Christian sects to get material help and emotional satisfaction

Floating population of the Catholics

Utter poverty of the people

Falling apart of the Christian families

Dwindling of young people frequenting the church

Loss of meaning of life

Negative use of media

Less Percentage of Catholics in our educational institutions

Giving importance to transitory things that are of little significance.

New ways for a evangelization tomorrow

Find new practices of piety to see God in every person and in every reality.

Searching and researching mentality

Make efforts to know, understand and respect the sub culture of our sisters and our recipients.

Readiness to take on suffering and pain from our people

Develop feet washing spirituality

Defense of human rights and promotion

of human responsibilities.

Ability to contemplate the signs of the times

Inclusive spirituality with preferential option

Your life is a gift to us !

we offer our life in joy

to God & His

Children.

WE LOVE & THANK YOU

DEAR MOTHER.

Welcome to our land!