On the occasion of the YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE, the Religious working in the diocese of Varanasi gathered together on the invitation of the President Fr.Jerome, IMS, and the Secretary Sr.Jecintha S., UFS to reflect on the consecrated life and on CHARISM AT THE SERVICE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AT THE LOCAL UNIT from September 19 to 20, 2015. The Resource Person was Rev.Fr.Jerome, IMS. The Chief Guest for the inaugural session was Rev.Fr. Mahendra Paul, IMS, Superior General of the congregation. Dr.Fr.V.Sebastian, Director, Nav Sadhana expressed a hearty welcome to all present in the hall.
The seminar started on Sept. 19, 2015 at 10.00 a.m. with the prayer led by sisters of Asha Kiran (SA). The Chief Guest Rev.Fr.Mahendra Paul, IMS, gave the inaugural address. He insisted that the consecrated life is the joy of the Gospel, as Pope Francis pointed; the consecrated life entails experiencing joy and peace in the community and bringing God’s consolation, joy, peace to the people of God. A sad religious is a bad religious. In sadness there is no holiness. He called for introspection stating that why am I continuing to be religious, when other companions have left, who joined with me. His thoughts were very inspiriting and motivating for the hearers. The danger to religious life is individualism, materialism, consumerism and relativism. A paper on THE JOY TO BE A CHRISTIAN WITNESS AND RESPONSE TO THE SIGNS OF THE TIME was presented Dr.Fr.Jerome, IMS. He stated that the joy of witnessing to Christian faith is the strength of the Indian soil from early centuries. He stressed that the triple dialogue of ecumenism, Inter-religious dialogue and the dialogue with the poor, could be possible only by the practice of the dialogue of life and heart; we need to learn the content of the kerygma, the good news and make it our own. In this way we will learn the connection between evangelization and human development (EG 178). It is to know the love of God and communicate the same with others; the need of being socio-economic prophets and reformer as part of Christian living in today’s context. He has also proposed the challenges and need for new approaches to the today’s scenario in Agra Ecclesiastical Province as follows: Threats from the Religious Fundamentalists, Corruption, Minority Syndrome, Lack of proper idea of Mission and commitment, Power and leadership struggle. It was followed by Group discussion and reports. In the reporting session the following salient features emerged: We need to collaborate and co-operate with all people in common issues of socio-political nature; share the experience of God with the contents of one’s own faith in the spiritual dimension; inculcate and educate on ecology and environment as well as cleanliness; work for integral development of the youths; love the people through the language; understand socio-cultural ethos and world view of the local people. In the afternoon there was screening of CHARISMA OF CONGREGATIONS: Every religious congregation working in the diocese of Varanasi was invited to present their activities based on the charism of the congregation. Twenty five congregations presented it in the audio-visual form. It was ended with the high tea sponsored by Nav Sadhana. In the evening at 6.30 pm. there was adoration, celebration of our togetherness. On the second day the Eucharistic celebration was in the St.Mary’s Cathedral, Varanasi presided over by Most Rev. Eugene Joseph, Bishop of Varanasi as well as SHARING AND CELEBRATING THE CALL TO CHRISTIAN LIFE OF JOYFUL WITNESS, which ended with the dinner hosted by the local Ordinary.
