MONTH OF EASTER AND OF VOCATIONS

This month started with Holy Week

April’s fool is the main target of many. In the three schools it had been announced holiday earlier but some who boycotted class previously did not know holidays and came for class; they saw the closed door of the School. Cheating the school, finally they were cheated themselves.

On the first of this month, Br Efra arrived in our Community. On the following day was Holy Thursday, Br Subash said good-bye to our Community as well as to our Institute, though he is separated from our Institute, the teaching of the Holy Family is always with him as well those who passed through our Community. 

On these days there were no many priests or religious from other places so Brothers were involving in all the activities of the celebrations. In the Community too we had our own time to spend with the Lord.

On the Easter eve (Vigil) all participated, there were many faithful people, some time it is common to find other religious people to take part in it. It will be hard to find them out here, especially during the time of distributing Communion.

The schools announced holiday on Monday 6^th, which is not common here, so many who did not know, came to school and returned back.

On 9^th we as Community went to Pandripani for the Annual Retreat, where the Redemptorist Fathers are there, as the house for retreat was not over, we were staying in the place where Priests were living, they vacated for us for few days, sometimes they had to come to room take some necessary things.

During these days we had time to spend with Lord as well as sharing in Community; this place of our retreat is full of trees and there is good shadow.

On 15 we finished our Retreat and headed to Raurkela, where two of our Community members started their journey to Eluru where the Novices were taking first profession, and two Brothers returned to Community. On 18 Brothers from Kurdeg attended the Vocation Camp of Raurkela. It was like a competition where all the Congregations will present themselves in attractive manners.

The first profession was ended safe and sound with the solemn celebration with the Bishop of Eluru. Not so many attended at home, most of our dear ones were there, among the parents and relatives of newly professed Brothers.

As they were returning from Eluru Community, with them all the aspirants were returning too. Even those aspirants from Kurdeg parish came with the Brothers till Kurdeg.

On 21 we had the first Vocation Camp in Gumla district and diocese. Brothers were moving, leaving two Brothers at the service of the Community, for newly professed Brothers and aspirants were helping in the Camp. It was held in one of Jesuit Schools, as in previous years. Throughout the Camp, Br Abhay was not feeling well, and at the end got malaria.

After finishing the camp, Brothers used to visit the candidates’ families. This year was not easy because in the beginning no one knows each other, but in the end they know each other so they visited all the friend’s house.

On 26^th there was the second Vocation Camp held in Simdega, where Brothers were getting good number of candidates; all were accommodated in the diocesan Social Welfare Centre in Simdega. There they welcomed us very well.  A newly professed Brother and some of our aspirants were also helping us throughout the camp. On 29^th we finished our Camp with the results of 10^th standard (matric), which helped us to scrutinize some. After finishing our camps we went to the house of the candidates and met their parents. We returned to our community that same day evening.

During the family visit it has been sometimes hard tell the families that we are not taking their sons for our Institute while the boy and family is willing to send their son into our Congregation.

On 30^th there was also house visit in Jampani, Salgaposh and around Bolba; on the way back, Br Shishir came with us to our Community; he wanted to know our house in Kurdeg. He stays a couple of days in our house in helping us in the much he could.

These days in the Schools and in Parish all were preparing for the ordination of a deacon, Rajendra Xaxa, who is from this parish but to be ordained for the diocese of Ranchi. The celebration will be held on 2^nd of May. 

PRAYER, PENANCE AND PERSEVERANCE

Our Community started its own time to reflect the love of God during this Lenten season like reading the Rule of Life, austere meals as well as more and intense prayers.

March 1^st is the first week of Lenten season in this year. We had several Community meetings of formation. Here villages are far to reach so every day Priests are going to celebrate Eucharist in the villages with Sacrament of Reconciliation in the beginning of Eucharist as well as Way of the Cross was conducted in their own villages guided by their “Prachar” (Catechist).

The World Cup Cricket matches were going on; on the other hand, the 10^th and 12^th Students are sitting for their final examination. It is always a temptation that during this time writing exams while whole country is worried about Cricket.

On 5^th Friday, the Way of the Cross was done in different groups, it is done by School in different time so the people are free to join in any one of the School for Way of the Cross. The following day was “Holi” festival of colour. It is very hard to go out for People were being mad of throwing colour water to anyone who passes by.  

On 9^th we started final exams in all the Schools. Sometimes it is very hard that students do not prepare because it has been told that all the students will pass; exams will be till 18^th of March.

On 11^th our new cat from parish gave birth to four kittens in the office room in the absence of Brothers at home. Soon after the examination Brothers were busy in correcting papers of students. It is very strange that students bring something for the Class-teacher: we do not know whether it is to thank the teacher for whole year teaching or to make him/her pass at the last moment. As there were exams going on, the Way of the Cross was not done in the Parish, so we did ourselves very piously in our Community.

Br Abhay was taking care of Fist Communion class in the absence of a regent Brother, later he was given some hours every day for preparation of First Communion.  There were around 60 boys and girls. They will be taking First Communion on April 11, in the absence of Br Abhay who will be doing Annual Retreat at that moment.

On 23^rd was a Government holiday, we had recollection day in our neighbor Parish of Tainser. The assistant parish priest welcomed us well; that day we spent there, in the evening we returned to our community.

On 26^th of Br Efra headed to Eluru Community for meeting of the Advisory Council, on the way our vehicle got punctured as the train was at night so we reached well; in our community we used to be there in the station before at least one or two hours before the arrival of Train.

On 27^th Sisters form AP came for Vocation promotion; they stayed in our house; Brothers were helping them in “fishing girls”. Following day it was Saturday Fr Bipin came for Holy Mass, these days were holiday everyday so a Brother accompanied them to villages. Last year they took a candidate from this place, now she is continuing.

On Palm Sunday many people came; there was a long procession, more than usual attended the Eucharist. Unlike previous year new priests were here in assisting priests in confession and in Eucharist. Sisters did not move anywhere rather they helped in kitchen in cooking.

Brother Superior arrived from Eluru on the last day of the month, so our Community is again complete. We are preparing ourselves for the celebration of the Holy Week, in particular for the Easter Triduum.

RELIGIOSITY AND SOCIAL LIFE

What a wonderful month: Especially the beginning of this month was Sunday and then the following day was the Presentation of Our Lord. This very occasion is celebrated as a day dedicated to all the Consecrated men and women. This is year our Mother Church commemorates the Year of Consecrated Life. Many at times this day is also known as the candle day. In our early Eucharist in Kurdeg not so many had attended Holy Mass; we had short procession inside the Church with the candles.  During the day, we wished all our greetings to other Community Brothers through Viber, WhatsApp and Facebook, for these were the easy means to wish them though we get less coverage in our mobiles.

At the beginning of February, the whole Community ate out in Simdega were some works had to be done. There was Mela, which means funfair, and some of it will be moved to Kudeg after few days. These days the Schools have arranged sports day. It was held on 4^th of this month. All the schools participated well enough in all the competitions. As Chief guest was the Bank Manager and the Special guest was the S.I. of Kurdeg. All the staff members had been divided into groups, so the teachers has to be in their own group accordingly they were provided a badge of the colour to which they belonged. This made a competitive sense among the students as well as the teachers.

On 5^th there was a final Hockey Tournament which was held in Tainser. The final match was won by our school, many of the school staff have gone to encourage them. It is custom here that whenever the people get a prize (usually a goat), they used to bring it to all around and show the villagers and schools. It is a kind of encouragement and happiness they feel many times; the people who see also give something to encourage them.

These days we were moving to Mela (in Khalijore) where the whole village is gathered. At least to have a look at the things and shops which are there.

Around 9^th of this month all those who were going to write exams (Board Exams) had a Holy Mass before they leave from the Schools both Nirmala and St Anne; soon after the Mass there was farewell in the school. In the same day, there was also picnic with some of the staff members along with players of the school. 

On 11^th was the day dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes; as a Community we went in pilgrimage to Bagai, a village where there is a grotto of Our Lady at the top of the hill. It is not so far so we went by walk as some Brothers knew the way to reach that place. Soon after reaching the village there was a procession from the foot of the hill to the peak. We were praying Rosary. To reach top there is no proper way, many fell down while climbing the hill: there were young people who were very fast in climbing up and old people who were very slow to move. Downhill also many fell down; these was a kind of sign that everyone needed one another’s hand while walking. We were safe that none of us did touch the floor. Mother Mary showered rain with heavy wind on that day evening; unfortunately we had not any means to cover ourselves to return to home. One of the relatives of Br. Anand, who live there, aided in giving us umbrellas, which were not successful in sheltering us from the water because wind was so strong. Even a Brother, who came by bike, took Sisters in the scooty and fell down on the way because roads were so muddy and slippery to ride.

On 16^th of this month the Final exams of the 10^th students in Jharkhand started: teachers and parents were more worried about exams than students. Every day one or two teachers had to go to Simdega to greet them. It is also a custom that students have to go the centre of the District to write the exams.

In the meantime, Brother Superior was arranging papers for the purchase of the Land. Even headed to Ranchi, mostly he comes with news of unsuccessful work. It worries us especially our Community. In this place of Kurdeg we, Holy Family Brothers are more known as English Medium Brothers than whom we are. Sometime things are not done according to the expectation.

18^th was the Ash Wednesday, we celebrated Holy Mass with all the School students because on this day all students are allowed to receive the imposition of the ashes, included Hindus. We kept day of fasting and penance. Every year we do so, we remember Lenten season in spending time in fasting, penance and prayer. May the Lord bless all so that may our prayer and penance help us personally and the Community.

On 28^th we received the visit of the Jesuit Father and Advocate who is dealing with our Land; they came to Simdega and to Kurdeg. They had a look of the land, collected papers and other documents, had the lunch with us and went back to Ranchi. We hope that the Lord will help our Community so that we may flourish in this place of Kurdeg sharing our Charism by the means we could.