Song for a New Beginning

Let me start again
Take the pieces of my brokenness
Fill the spaces in my emptiness
Let me start again
Let me start with you Lord
Everything begins with you
All my winnings and all my losings
All begin in you

What inspiring words! On 1st January 2011, we heralded the start of the new year. It is the time to start anew. New beginnings, new promises, new efforts and renewed hope. Perhaps the last year was not one of our best years. Perhaps we encountered failures, faced numerous challenges, had many anxious moments. Maybe our hope lies diminished, our mind is weary and body tired. But let us remember that each new dawn brings with it new hope. Hope for a better tomorrow, a happier and healthier tomorrow. For nothing is impossible for the Lord. He can take all our yesterdays, our sorrows, our failures, our disappointments and make something beautiful out of it.

The Lord's disciples were not successful, clever or educated men. And yet the Lord chose them for his

good work. So this new year let us turn ourselves over to the Lord in a spirit of trust and surrender. Let us take courage and trust that we are secure in his hands. That nothing will befall us that is not his will or beyond our bearing capacity. And that he will lead us every step of the way this new year. Let me end with another beautiful stanza of the song.

Come take my living into your life
Let my breath echo your side
All my fortune needs you Lord
Take complete control
May my life end to see me
Trusting for your power to heal me
Fill my fragmentation, Jesus
You can make me whole
Come let me rise to greet the morning
Let me catch the dew a falling
Let the tidings of the new day
Keep my courage strong.

(This song is taken from a CD by Fr. Peter Gonsalves)

Fr. Leo Soares S.J. and Maria Jain

Saint John Bosco accomplished what many people considered an impossibility; he walked through the streets of Turin, Italy, looking for the dirtiest, roughest urchins he could find, then made good men of them. His extraordinary success can be summed up in the words of his patron Saint, Francis de Sales: "The measure of his love was that he loved without measure". He was born in 1815 in the village of Becchi in the Piedmont district of northern Italy and reared on his parents' small farm.

Although his life was hard, he was a happy, imaginative child. Even as a boy, John found innocent fun compatible with religion. To amuse his friends he learned how to juggle and walk a tightrope; but he would entertain them only on condition that each performance begin and end with a prayer. As a seminarian he devoted his spare time to looking after the ragamuffins who roamed the slums of the city. Every Sunday he taught them catechism, supervised their games and entertained them with stories and tricks; before long his kindness had won their confidence, and his "Sunday School" became a ritual with them. After his ordination in 1841, he became assistant to the chaplain of an orphanage at Valocco, on the outskirts of Turin.

The first oratory was established and named for Saint Francis de Sales. Enrollment increased so rapidly that by 1849 there were three oratories in various places in the city.

Don Bosco went to Rome in 1858 and, at the suggestion of Pope Pius IX, drew up a rule for his community, the Society of Saint Francis de Sales (Salesians). Four years later he founded an order for women, the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians, to care for abandoned girls. Finally, to supplement the work of both congregations, he organized an association of lay people interested in aiding their work.

Don Bosco died on January 31, 1888. The Salesians grew so rapidly in number and fervour that at the founder's death, there were already 200 houses and these had fostered 2500 vocations.

He was canonized in 1934 by Pope Pius XI. The work of John Bosco continues today in over a thousand Salesian oratories throughout the world. No modern saint has captured the heart of the world more rapidly than this smiling peasant-priest from Turin, who believed that to give complete trust and love is the most effective way to nourish virtue in others.

Dr. Nicolas Antao

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit we begin our short writing with the Trinity. The subject of my writing is the number "3". Animate and inanimate beings have many illustrations of the number `3'. We started this piece with the Trinity. Only when beings have a philosophical or theological relation we shall make mention of them. The three angles in a geometrical figure are used to throw light on the Trinity. St. Patrick used the "Shamrock" to convert Ireland ie. a plant with one stem and three leaves.

In Scripture we come across several examples of the number `3'. In the beginning God created Adam, Eve and the serpent (Gen 2). Later on in Genesis, 3 persons came to visit Abraham (Gen 18). In the New Testament, three wise men came to greet and worship the new born king (Mt. 2:1-12)

On Mount Tabor Jesus strengthens his three apostles: Peter, James and John for his passion and death (Lk. 9:28-36). In the temple Jesus spoke about his rising from the dad after three days. But the Jews at that time thought that he was referring to the temple that took forty years to build.

At the Last Supper, Jesus foretold Peter's three-fold denial (Mt. 26:34). In the Garden of Gethsemane in his agony Jesus cried three times for the same intention, "Let this chalice pass from me (Mt. 26:42). Peter re-established his closeness to Jesus by his three- fold repentance (Jn.21)

The Tridentine Canon has the mystical No.3 (Eucharist Prayer I) namely gift of Abel, sacrifice of Abraham Our Father in Faith and the Bread and Wine offered by your Priest Melchizedech.

The idea of expatiating on the number three is to rivet our attention to one thing and find similarities and thus cement our religious beliefs. As the noted American author James Hudson Taylor once said: "Three are three stages in the work of God- Impossible, Difficult & Done".

I end with the words taken from St. John's Gospel: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life". The way is narrow, the truth is bitter and unpalatable, yet vital and eternal life is our only consolation and final goal.

Dunstan Nunes

The Christmas season and the New Year provides us with an opportunity to witness Christ to the non-Christians. The Chakala community began this witnessing by taking out a procession on the feast of Christ the King. Children, youth, and elders, numbering over 200, came in procession from the community to the church, carrying placards and flags, and singing hymns.

Another way we witnessed was by going around in our area, singing carols and distributing sweets. The third way was by putting up cribs with various themes. The standout crib being the one put up by the youth of Chakala. The spirit of generosity is active during Christmas time and so we have our community

distributing Christmas hampers to the underprivileged families with the help of sponsors. Some go a step further, by distributing sweets to the bereaved families. A couple of members of our Community sponsored hampers for the underprivileged families of the First Holy Communicants so that they could at least cook a decent meal at their home and distribute snacks to their neighbours. The receiving part was by way of advent talk, the theme for this year was, "The Joy of Receiving and Giving". The talk was in English and Konkani. The celebrations in our Chakala community were rounded off by having a grand Christmas tree for all. There were games, housie, singing and dance. The young and the old had a gala time.

John Fernandes

Together towards the fullness of life in openness and involvement this is our parish vision statement. This was the buzz word for the celebration of our parish feast on January 9, 2011. The feast was preceded by a Triduum.

We began our celebration with a concelebrated feast mass at 9.30 a.m. The theme of the celebrations was `I love Holy Family'. The celebration began with a prayer dance by the Ashadeep children, Then the live band took over! Yes, it was our parish choir in its new avatar as the Holy Family Band. And they kept the crowd rooting for them all through the evening. As they took the parishioners through the newly composed theme Song We Thrive, the gas balloons were released by the children.

The senior parishioners gave us a glimpse into the celebration of the feast 50 years ago. The youth gave their interpretation of where Holy Family Parish stands today, and the Altar Servers zoomed twenty years ahead and gave us a peek into Harmony 2030 Holy Family Kal, Aaj, aur Kal!

Then followed the Mr. and Mrs. Holy Family contest for the seniors which tested their memories and

wit. And when the winners were announced, there were loud cheers and applause for them.

The Jesuit fathers of our Parish had us all in splits as they sang their hearts out celebrating their Jesuit life, having tweaked the words of a popular song. All through the evening, the aroma of sheekh kababs and sorpotel had the crowd making a beeline for the food stalls and many of our families decided to make a night of it and had their dinner there. The games stalls put up by the youth of our parish kept the young and not so old enthralled with their contests of skill and dexterity. These stalls also afforded an opportunity for many to meet long lost friends and acquaintances and the buzz in the area was testimony to the fact that at Holy Family, we are very much one community. We also jogged our memories a bit as we watched vignettes of our parish life during the past ten years.

Holy Family parish also played host to the children of Divya Jyoti convent. These children put up a beautiful dance for us and they had the time of their lives. The parish thanks the members of the PPC and the large team of volunteers who put together the entire event. May this spirit of a common purpose and common vision keep us going right through the year and thereafter!

Mary Saldanha

300 years ago on the 16^th of January 1710, Fr. Joseph Vaz passed away and we celebrate his passing away from this earth to heaven. During his life time, he did a lot to restore and spread the faith not only in Goa but in Mangalore and Sri Lanka too. He had to undergo the hardships of travel, hunger, sickness and the fear of being caught by people like the Dutch Protestants. His preaching was accompanied by many cures and miracles. His witness to the faith deserves our respect and honour. Not much is known about him by the people. But that is being remedied by books written about him and even a movie, on his life being made. As a son of the soil of India we can be sure he will intercede for us and that our petitions will be granted. We pray that we too might imitate his heroic faith and that he be raised to sainthood in the Church.

Fr. Leo Soares S.J.

A programme titled "Catholic and still loving it" was organized by the Family of Faith Foundation, Mumbai, on our School Grounds on 13 January 2011 and was presided over by Bishop Agnelo Gracias. Bishop Agnelo, in the introduction, exhorted the gathering to `taste the treasures of our faith'. The main speaker was Steve Ray, a renowned apologist, who will be giving a series of talks in India on various topics related to our faith. In his opening talk, he spoke of his own spiritual and biblical journey toward the Catholic faith. He spoke of the ancient Church that Christ founded-the Catholic Church and took the assembly through a brief but spellbinding journey back to the time of the first Christians such as Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna and Justin Martyr. He ended with an allegorical reference to `The Ships and Rafts' to explain the fullness of our faith, which we as Catholics, often fail to appreciate. The infusion of prayerful hymns filled the gathering with an enduring sense of God's presence and a thirst for more.

Marietta Azavedo

"God's Word is His Pledge" - A beautiful feeling experienced by the children and the organizers of Vacation Bible Joy 2010. The 3 days of joyful moments made us realize that God will allow His "Word" to remain with us and by it He will allow us to feel our strength. With the word with us we can find our way in a strange land, our justice in the midst of injustice, our support despite uncertainty, our strength in work, patience in suffering. Vacation bible joy made us experience joy in the Lord. Let us pray that this joyful spirit of VBJ continues to be a part of our parish for many more years to come.

Rupa Fernandes

Chakala - On Saturday 15th January, 2011 the 52^nd Annual East Indian Singing Competition was held at the Chakala bazaar ground. 31 singers from all over Bombay and Salcete Island took part. They were accompanied by Alwyn's band from Khar. The people enjoyed themselves regaled by the music, food and drink. The young boys group with help of Shiv Sena of Chakala, the Papia group with Mr. Charlie Sangle deserved to be congratulated for organizing this cultural programme.

Fr. Leo Soares S.J.

For your attention : Those desiring to write a topical article for Family Khabar are welcome to do so. Kindly do so in 250 words and send it to the Editors by the 15th of the month. All matters sent in are subject to acceptance and editing by the editors.

Fr. Leo Soares S.J.

Thank you Note : Members of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul thank all our generous parishioners for helping to make Christmas 2010 gift hampers for the poor and needy of our Parish a grand success. Looking forward to new members, youth, housewives, working women and men joining us. We meet every Wednesday at 7.45 p.m. in the Parish Mini Hall.

S.V.P. Members

As we come to the end of the season of Lent, we enter Holy Week with the solemn liturgies before the feast of Easter. It is the most important feast of the Church as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus - his victory over sin and death. And just as at Spring the whole of creation comes alive, the church comes alive . We wish our parishioners, a happy Easter….the peace and joy of the risen Lord.

We have an article on the meaning of Easter in this issue besides a write up on the saint of the month - St. Joseph. You can check out how much you know about this feast by doing the quiz. Besides we have the usual news items or happenings in the parish.With Easter, God is no longer distant and Christ does not remain in the past as the risen Christ is here….the Gospel throbs with life…the Church is not merely an organization but communion in the Trinity, our common worship not a mere ceremonial or duty but a memorial and anticipation of the fullness of life.

St. Joseph was the guardian of Our Lady and the foster father of the incarnate Word Jesus. Because of his role in our salvation history, he has been declared patron of the universal Church in 1870 and in 1955, Pope Pius XII added the title, Patron of Workmen and this feast is celebrated on 1^st May which is workers day throughout the world.

There is little mention of St. Joseph in the Bible in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. In Mt 1:20 we have the angel appearing in a dream to Joseph asking him to take Mary as his wife. In Mt2:13 we have an angel telling Joseph to take Mary and the child and flee to Egypt and in verse 19 he is told by the angel that

Herod had died and to return to Israel with Mary and Jesus. All these things he did as a good husband and father.

What does it mean to be a good husband and father? We can get clues to the answer by contemplating the life of St. Joseph. He was a devout man , a man who cared for his wife and son and in this quiet, self effacing way proved to be a good father and husband. His daily work as a carpenter enabled him besides earning his bread to walk the way of sanctification.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

Fr. Leo Soares S.J.

Tarun Bharat community visited the Home of Charity which is run by the Sisters of Carmelites at Versova, Andheri West.

The Home has about 34 children and they are looked after very well by the sisters.  Sr. Carol took us around the home and introduced us to the children. It is basically for children who are handicapped and it was sad to see some children who cannot see nor hear and they had to be fed by tubes. The Home was kept very clean and neat.  The sisters give hope to the poorest of children, those who are orphaned, abandoned or vulnerable by enabling them to grow within the love

of a family and the security of a home.  Our Community goes for such visits every year during the season of lent.

 Also during the Lenten season, Stations of the cross is conducted in our clusters on Sundays.  Each cluster organizes the station of the cross on Sunday evening from 5 pm to 6 pm.   After the service, we have a short talk given by the Ministers of the word.  On the last Sunday of Lent, the Station of the Cross is followed with Praise and worship conducted by the Word Ministry.  We have a good attendance for the entire services conducted during the Season of Lent.

Mrs. Josephine Vaz

Three common features of the Post Easter appearances (from God of Surprises of Gerard Hughes S.J. ) of the Risen Christ.

1. The First Feature: Those to whom the Risen Lord appears are portrayed as being in a Negative State of Mind - the women in Marks Gospel (Mk 16:3) are terrified out of their wits, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus(Lk24:14) are sad and disillusioned. Mary Magdalene is near the tomb weeping (Jn 20:11) the disciples are hiding behind closed doors.

2. The Second Feature : The slowness of those to whom Christ appears to recognize that it is the Risen Lord. The 2 disciples take a few hours and quite a few miles walking before they recognize

Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Mary Magdalene mistakes him for the gardener, the disciples in Galilee think it is a ghost (Jn:20)

3. The Third Feature : Those to whom HE appears are commissioned to go and tell others. - the women tell John and Peter, the two disciples tell the others and Jesus himself tells Mary Magdalene" go to the brothers and tell them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God (Jn20:17) So don't worry if youn are sad and disheartened or disillusioned. Become aware of his joyful and comforting presence and go and tell everyone that the Lord has risen indeed- Alleluia Alleluia!

Fr. Simon D'Souza S.J.

Mumbai Hindi, Apli Marathi, Amchi Bhas, English he observed no language barrier! With his down to earth style, Fr. Avon sfx. drove home his point to every person in the congregation whether he spoke about the need for a "God Experience," the importance of prayer, marriage, love for one's spouse and for the church, etc, etc.

His talks were interspersed with anecdotes from his own life both in Mumbai and Arunachal Pradesh. And his earthly metaphors and parables using everyday life incidents were so Jesus like (as brought out by Fr. Gerard in his `thank you' speech)

Fr. Avon offered simple solutions: For a God-experience avoid sin and become aware of God's presence in your life.

• When you pray- don't bribe God with flattery and praise for make endless petitions; just express your trusting dependence on him

• For a healthy marriage - use LOVE as an acronym:

L Listening to the other

O overlooking his/her fault

V let God be victorious in your married life

E quality of both partners.

• For a proper relationship with the Church remember the four `B's: Bricks, Birds, Bees and Butterflies.

Don't be a brick (cold and unrelated to the other bricks), or a bird (flocking with your own kind,) or a bee (that stings with criticism and anger) Be a butterfly (that draws nectar, distributes life giving pollen and gives joy to others)

The Missions were an enriching experience, for which we thank Fr. Gerard and his team.

As if a heroic life of a Missionary (Being arrested, tortured and imprisoned) wasn't enough, Fr. Avon touched our heart strings when, after exposing the Blessed Sacrament he lay prostrate on the ground in adoration for several minutes.

May God bless him and his works.

Cres D'Souza

20^th March 6 Tarker Aitara Dis, Kristi Jivit Somundien (CLC), Konkannint Ek Recolection Manddun Haddlelen. Skallim 10.15 Thavn,Donpanram 1;15 Porian Hem Recolection Choloun Velem. Ho Dis Povitr Pustokacho Aitar (Bible-Sunday) Zaun Asullo Dekun, Fr. Addolfan, Povitr Pustok, Soglleanchea Somor Ugto Korun Dovorlo, Ani Povitr Pustok Vo Devachea Uttra Vixim Prostavon Dilem. Uprant Recolectionacho Sondex Ghetlo, Mk: 1:15, "Kall Bhorlo Ani Devacje, Raj Lagim Pavlam. Mon Bodlat Ani Bori Khobor Sotmanat" Hea Sondexacho Ekuch Hetu Zaun Asullo, Hea Prachit Kallant Ami Sompoornn Thoran Jezuchea Ut'tram Pormannem Amchem Jivit Porivorton Korchek. Hea Khatir Povitr Pustokantlem Ek Sobit't Kuttumbik Ghoddit Luke:10:38-42, "Jezu, Mori Ani Martachea Ghora Veta, " Ho Vixoi Gheun, Kuttumbik Jivitache Odhik Mohotvachea Ud'dexa Voir, Dev, Monxechea Jivita Thaun Kitem Axeta? Hem Som'zonn Kannghevn, Prosnnam Udexim, Devachea Ut'trannchim Gunddai Sodun Kaddunk, Hazir Aslelea Modem Veg-Veglle Zome Korn (Group Sharing) Vanttun Ghetlem. Hea Vanttun Ghetlelea Prosnnachi Zovab Oxi Mel'lli Ki, "Dev Boro, Monis Kitle', Pautt Devak Patt Korun Patak Korit Tori, Dev Sodach Bhogxita, Ani Apnna Sorxim Haddunk Chinta."

Hea Vixim, Hazir Aslelea Sobdanchea Munniareanim (Word Minister's) Bho'nn Leenan Ani Bhav Joseph Hannim Bov Gunddien Xikounn Dili.

Hem Recolcetion Manddun Haddlelea Aloysius D'souza Hannem.

Aloysius D'Souza (CLC)

The Eco Club of our Parish celebrated World Sparrow Day on March 20^th. Mr. Biju Augustine and Mrs. Luna Murzello conducted a sparrow colouring competition and making of bird feeders for the children. There was a talk on the need of preserving sparrows whose population is declining due to loss of habitat and food and water. Mr. Salim Ali the birdman of India was remembered: we planted a sapling of `Singapore Cherry' which draws birds and put up name boards of trees provided by United Way.

Fr. Leo Soares S.J.

Try out this simple Lenten quiz :-

1. For how many pieces of silver did Judas Iscariot betray Jesus?

2. What does Gethsemane mean?

3. What colour was the cloak that Jesus wore when he went to the cross?

4. Who helped Jesus carry his cross?

5. Who rolled away the stone from the mouth of the grave in which Jesus had been placed?

6. Why do we receive ashes on Ash Wednesday?

7. What is the Triduum?

8. How is the date of Easter determined?

9. With which Jewish festival is Easter coincident?

10. What is celebrated 50 days after Easter?

Marietta Azavedo

A little girl was sitting on her grandfather's lap as he read her a bedtime story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her own cheek, then his again. Finally she spoke up, "Grandpa, did God make you?"

"Yes, dear," he answered, "God made me a long time ago."

"Oh," she paused, "Grandpa, did God make me too?"

"Yes, indeed, honey," he said, "God made you just a little while ago."

Feeling their respective faces again, she observed, "God's getting better at it, isn't he?"

] ] ] ] ]

A tour guide was showing a group of Americans around a church in Ireland. "And here is the skull of
St. Patrick."

One of the tourists challenged him, "You showed us St. Patrick's skull in another church yesterday!"

"Ah yes," the guide answered, "but that was his skull when he was a little lad."