| FROM BISHOP’S DESK – FEBRUARY 2012 |
| 1. The Holy Father has appointed Most Rev. Dr. Lawrence Pius, the Auxiliary Bishop of Madras-Mylapore, as the Bishop of Dharmapuri Diocese and this provision was published on 13.01.2012. He will be installed as the Bishop of Dharmapuri on 20.02.2012 Monday at 5.30 p.m. The Diocese of Salem welcomes the new Bishop of Dharmapuri and wishes all success in his ministry and assures him our prayerful support. |
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| 2. Month of February is called ‘Press Month’. Print Media is still one of the effective means of evangelization and communication. Let us use this media for pastoral and evangelical activities. Pastors are requested to urge the Faithful to subscribe to and promote Catholic Magazines (weekly and monthly). It is desired that each Catholic home receives and reads at least one Catholic magazine. This is an opportune time to promote Nam Vazhvu, our Catholic Tamil weekly. |
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| 3. The World Day of the Sick is celebrated on 11th February every year. Care of the elderly and sick is an integral part of pastoral and evangelical ministry of the Church. I invite various initiatives to motivate all people to get involved in this ministry. Salem Diocesan Commission for Health will propose certain initiatives in this regard. Let us all cooperate. The Message of the Holy Father for the World Day of the Sick is given in this News letter |
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| 4. The Holy Season of Lent begins this year already in February (22.02.2012). Let all the Priests plan well in advance for various Parish level and Vicariate level programmes for the spiritual renewal of our people and for intense Catechesis on Life of Faith. A proper Catechesis is to be given our people on the obligation and meaning of Abstinence and Fasting during Lent. |
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| 5. Day of Consecrated Life is celebrated in Salem diocese on 05-02-2012, Sunday at Epiphany Centre, Salem, from 9.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. All the Men and Women Religious in Salem diocese are invited for the programme. The schedule will be as follows: |
| Time |
Programme |
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| 9.00 a.m. |
Registration |
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| 9.15 a.m. |
Opening prayer |
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| 9.30 a.m. |
Session I |
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| 10.30 a.m. |
Coffee |
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| 11.00 a.m. |
Session II |
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| 12.00 noon |
Holy Mass |
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| 1.00 p.m. |
Lunch |
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| 6. The Next Clergy Monthly Recollection will be held in the Bishop’s House, Salem, on 06.03.2012 with usual programme from 9.30 a.m. |
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| 7. Diocesan pilgrimage to the Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes at Agraharam will be on 11.02.2012 Saturday. The Feast Mass will be at 7.30 a.m. at the Grotto. In view of the pilgrimage to Agraharam, all Catholics schools are encouraged to declare the Saturday, 12.02.2012, a holiday to facilitate the students and the teachers to participate in the pilgrimage. |
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| 8. Pontifical Society for the HOLY CHILDHOOD is the Association to motivate the children below 14 years of age for missionary activity. This year the HOLY CHILDHOOD DAY is celebrated on 12.02.2012. All the parishes and Institutions (Schools and Boarding Houses) are urged to celebrate this day meaningfully. A SPECIAL COLLECTION FOR HOLY CHILDHOOD SOCIETY is to be taken on this day and the proceeds are to be sent to the Pontifical Society for Holy Childhood, Rome. The Parish Priests and Heads of Institutions are requested to send the Holy Childhood collections early to the diocesan Procurator, Bishop’s House, Salem. |
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| 9. Extracts of Registers of Baptism and Marriage are to be sent to the Bishop’s House immediately with entries up to December 2011. I request all the Parish Priests to act quickly to help the diocesan Chancellor to update the Archives. |
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| 10. Please check if you have already sent the Annual Statistical Form duly filled to our diocesan Chancellor. The due date was 23.01.2012. |
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| 11. Mr. William, beloved brother of Rev. Fr. S. Arulappan, passed away to his eternal reward on 24.01.2012. His funeral was held at Jayarakkininagar Naranampalayam Pudur with a number of Priests, Religious and Lay people participating in it. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Fr. Arulappan and his family members. May Mr. William Rest In Peace! |
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| 12. With the permission of the Bishop of Salem the Missionaries of the Order of Our Lady of Mercedari (Mercedarians) will begin their new Mission at Batlur in Solasiramani parish for pastoral and evangelical work to strengthen the faith of the new Christians of that area. We welcome the new Religious Community to our diocese. |
