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 6th, which is not common here, so many who
did not know, came to school and returned back.
On 9th
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 26th
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 29th we finished our
Camp with the results of 10th 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 30th
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 2nd of May.