| FROM BISHOP’S DESK – JULY 2010 |
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| 1. Salem Diocesan Clergy Retreat will be held from 26th September to October 1st 2010 at Thiruchirapalli. Please mark the dates in your calendar so that no one accepts any other programme on these dates. |
| 2. The Feast of St. Mary Magdalene will be celebrated at Mathiampatti on 22.07.2010 as usual. Priests are requested to be available for confession and blessing of the pilgrims at the shrine. |
| 3. May I remind the Parish Priests to remit the amount of the SPECIAL COLLECTION for the Pontifical Society for St. Peter the Apostle, Rome,taken on 27th June 2010 Sunday, to the Diocesan Procurator early for onward transmission of the amount to Rome. |
| 4. Catechism and Moral Instruction are very important duties of every Catholic Educational Institution. The time and days allotted to Catechism of Catholic children should be conducive for their faith formation and hence it should receive top priority in every Catholic School in arranging the timetable. |
| 5. The Clergy Monthly Recollection for July will be at the Bishop’s House on 6th July 2010 Tuesday from 9.30 a.m. as usual. |
| 6.The Salem Diocesan Education Fund for Poor Children. With the generous contribution of the Clergy, Parishes, Religious, Institutions and Lay People of our diocese, we were able to raise in the year 2009 Rs. 226231 for the Salem diocesan Education Fund. The Salem Diocesan Education Fund Committee, consisting of 18 members, scrutinized the applications received and decided to grant help to 1385 students. Rs. 100 each was given to 947 students of VI to X std. and Rs. 200 each was given to 438 students of XI-XII std. The total amount distributed this year was Rs. 182300. The balance amount is added to the Diocesan Education Fund for Poor Children. The amount distributed to each student is very small but it is a token of the involvement of the Catholic Community in the education of our poor Catholics in the diocese. In order to give a sizable amount as help to the poor students next year I appeal to all Priests, Religious Communities, Catholic Institutions and Lay People to contribute generously to this fund. Let us make this as one of our important expenditure for the benefit of the poor. One can contribute to this fund in cash or cheque in favour of Salem Diocese Societyby sending it to the Diocesan Procurator, Bishop’s House, P.O. Box 703, Salem – 636007. |
| 7. Belgium Students’ (ICHEC) Housing Project is undertaken this year at Attur, Paramathi for building 8 houses each and at Kunnamalai to construct the new building for the primary school. We appreciate the concerned parish priests for their hard work for the benefit of the poor people. |
| 8. The Commissions are the arms of the Diocese. I ask all the Secretaries of Diocesan Commissions and Directors of various Apostolate to work together for the growth of the diocese. During the Clergy Monthly recollection in September 2010 the Secretaries of Diocesan Commissions will be presenting their report to the clergy about the activities of their Commissions. May I request all the Secretaries and Directors to send your Reports to Rev. Bernard, Coordinator of Diocesan Commissions before 15th August 2010. |
| 9. St Francis Xavier Minor Seminaryof the Diocese of Salem has admitted 3 new students this year for Minor Seminary course. There are 12 other students in the Minor seminary, who are going to different colleges for their degree courses. |
| 10.The International Year of Priests was concluded in Rome on 11.06.2010 with a grand celebration at St. Peter’s Basilica in the presence of 15000 priests from all over the world. The message of the Pope on that occasion is given at the end of this Newsletter. |
| 11.The Year of the Youth. The Church in Tamilnadu has launched a Year of the Youth from June 2010 to June 2011. I request all the Diocesan Commissions, Parishes and the Institutions in our diocese to plan various activities and programme for the youth in coordination with our diocesan Youth Commission. Please contact Fr. Jai Bernard Joseph, Epiphany Center for your assistance. |
| 12. The new Parish of Masilapalayam is erected on 05.06.2010, bifurcating the parish of Mettur Dam. The new parish of Masilapalayam comprises of Masilapalayam, Kombaikadu, Kullaveeranpatti –Meenvarcolony and villages on the Kolathur road till the borders of Savariarpalayam. The church of St. Sebastian will be the parish church of the new parish and a new presbytery has been built last year. |
| 13.The new Parish of Nagalur is erected on 06.06.2010, bifurcating the parish of Yercaud. The new parish of Nagalur comprises of Nagalur, Don Bosco Nagar, Semmanatham and villages on the loop road from Kadukkamaram crossroad. The church of Our Lady of Christians at Nagalur is the parish church and a new presbytery is built just recently. |
| 14. The new Quasi Parish of Thiurmanur is established on 24.06.2010, bifurcating the parish of Valapadi. The new Quasi parish of Thirumanur comprises Thirumanur and Mangalapuram at present. The church of St. John the Baptist will be the headquarters church for the new quasi parish. |
| 15. The Religious Priests of Claretian Missionaries have opened a new Community at Yercaud. They will concentrate on their own ministry of the Word of God through writing and publishing Catholic literature, preaching in parishes and conducting seminars on Bible. Their address is Claret Premnivas, 221/4A, Tipperary Road, Yercaud – 636601. Tel. 09433675508 & 9443437572. |
| 16. The College of Consultors of the Diocese of Salem consists of the following members. Those who were members already: Msgr. I. Mariasusai, Fr. A. Arockiarayar, Fr. Peter Francis, Fr. Theodore Selvaraj, Fr. D. A. Francis, Fr. John Bosco Paul. Those who are added now from among the members of the Council of Priests: Fr. Victor Sunderaj, Fr. A. Singarayan, Fr. Gregory Rajan, Fr. Selvam Francis Xavier and Fr. Clement Raj. |
| 17. The Council of Priests of Salem Diocese was constituted on 08.06.2010, the details of which are given below. I welcome all the members of the new Council and I thank all the members of the previous Council for their service to the diocese. |
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| SALEM DIOCESAN COUNCIL OF PRIESTS 2010-2013. |
| Elected members: |
| 1. |
Rev. Fr. M. Alphonse |
| 2. |
Rev. Fr. R. Victor Sunderaj |
| 3. |
Rev. Fr. S. Irudayaselvam |
| 4. |
Rev. Fr. A. Belevendiram |
| 5. |
Rev. Fr. A. Singarayan |
| 6. |
Rev. Fr. D. Madalaimuthu |
| 7. |
Rev. Fr. I. Gregory Rajan |
| 8. |
Rev. Fr. A. John Alphonse |
| 9. |
Rev. Fr. A. Jacob |
| 10. |
Rev. Fr. M. Christuraj |
| 11. |
Rev. Fr. M. Clementraj |
| 12. |
Rev. Fr. Benjamin Sandanaraj. |
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| Ex-Officio Members: |
| 13. |
Rev. Fr. I. Mariasuai |
Vicar General |
| 14. |
Rev. Fr. A. Arockiarayar |
Procurator & Chancellor |
| 15. |
Rev. Fr. John Bosco Paul |
Manager of Schools |
| 16. |
Rev. Fr. M.S. Martin |
Rector of the Minor Seminary |
| 17. |
Rev. Fr. Selvam Francis Xavier |
Director of Salem Social Service Society |
| 18. |
Rev. Fr. Jai Bernard Joseph |
Director of Diocesan Pastoral Centre. |
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| Nominated Members: |
| 19. |
Rev. Fr. Manuel Raj SAC |
Representative of Religious Priests. |
| 20. |
Rev. Fr. K. John Joseph |
Representing those in school ministry. |
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| The Elected Office Bearers of the Diocesan Priests’ Council: |
| Secretary: |
Rev. Fr. R. Victor Sunderaj. |
| Executive Committee Members: |
| Rev. Fr. I. Gregory Rajan |
| Rev. Fr. A. Singarayan. |
| Members of the Reconciliatory Board: |
| Rev. Fr. A. Belevendiram |
| Rev. Fr. S. Irudayaselvam. |
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| Bishop S. Singaroyan. |
