FAITH FORMATION

HEALING SERVICE (MARATHI)

Every Last Thursday of the month, the Catholic convention group of Poona Diocese organizes prayer and healing service for the Marathi speaking group under the leadership of Fr. George D'Souza. Fr. Benny and the Team from Amala Ashram, Kolhapur conducts the Service without fail. The participants are not only the Catholics but also the people of other faith. The emphasis is given on catechizing people in Holy Eucharist, Confessions, Rosary and the Word of God. Many people have given testimony and witness for having received the touch of Jesus during the prayer and healing service. It's a wonderful experience. “COME all you who labour and and our heavily burdened and I will give you REST” Our Lord says.

PRAISE AND WORSHIP (ENGLISH)

Praise the Lord dear sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus; it is a great privilege for us to be writing for the first web page ever in the history of St. Francis De Sales Church, Pune.

It is about a year and half, so to say, since we started our own prayer group and we believe that it is a blessing to have these sessions happening in our own parish. The aim of this movement is to remind the people of God about the price our Lord Jesus Christ has paid to redeem us from the snares of the evil one and to remember to glorify the Holy Trinity for the freedom we have been given to make choices in our lives all for the glory of God alone and to live a joyous, peaceful and good life through the teachings of Jesus Christ and following the greatest commandments that he has given which are : [a] Love one another as I have loved you and [b] Forgive each other and be merciful.[ Lk.6:27-36 ]

THE DAY AND THE SCHEDULE

Every Monday we begin with the intercessory prayers at 5p.m. We pray for the intentions of the parishioners including their good health, for the people in hospitals and at home in dire need of prayer where medicine has failed, general prayers, prayers for our Priests, nuns our Holy Father the Pope and his intentions and above all for the betterment and prosperity of our Parish followed by the Holy Rosary at 5.45pm and the Holy Eucharist at 6pm and there after Praise and Worship in prayer and song followed by sharing of the Word by our visiting qualified and recognized members of the PST [Pune Service Team] Under the blessings, guidance and permission of His Lordship Bishop Valerian D'souza, the Bishop of Pune diocese.

LEADERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PST SHARING THE WORD

This prayer group is led by Mr. Carson Mendes. The core group members are Mrs.Sangeeta Mendes, Mr. Nelson Daniel, Ms Riana, Ms Anju and Mrs Elizabeth.

We are honoured to have Mr Ignatius Raj who is our spiritual motivator and guide who is also a PST member and shares the Word with us on every Monday between 6.30pm and 8.30pm after the 6pm mass.

So all of you dear parishioners and readers are welcome for this prayer service. Get blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ through this process of renewal and revival of faith. Remember Jesus loves us all forever.

Come now is the time to worship. Come now is the time to give your heart.
Come just as you are to worship. Come just as you are before your God.
Come.

ADULT CATECHESIS: ADULT CATECHISM

For this year we had about 7 adults for catechism. Fr. Albert trained these six adults in Catholic Catechism. Three among these received baptism and first Holy Communion. There are four more yet under training. We see a lot of research work done by these students. They show high respect and reverence towards Catholicism and are eager to know more about Christ. They are taught the basic catechism and the Catechism of the Catholic Church for a period of six months. They have shown a great interest in becoming Catholics. They are very regular for their classes.

PRE-BAPTISMAL CATECHESIS

The parish conducts pre-baptismal catechesis for the god-parents and parents of the children to be baptized on every 1^st Sunday in English and 3rd Sunday in Marathi. These classes are held to cater to the faith formation of the Parents, God parents and their children through persons concerned.

LEGION OF MARY ORGANIZATION

On 7^th September 1921 Frank Duff layperson from Dublin Ireland founded the Organization of Legion of Mary to enable the laypersons, parishioners of the church to participate in the apostolate activities and assist the parish Priest as link between the church and the Parishioners. It's two-fold purpose i.e. spiritual development of its members and advancing the teaching of Christ through the medium of our Mother Mary.

In 1965 Pope Paul VI recognized the activates of Legion of Mary in every country of the world and invited Frank Duff to participate in the second Vatican Council as a lay person.

In Mumbai (Bombay) there is Sanctus Head Office, which takes guidance from De Monfort House Ireland, and Curia Officers are under Jurisdiction of every Bishop who appoints spiritual Director for the Legion. In Pune we have Curia Officers at St. Anne's Church, Solapur Bazaar, with branches under many parishes. At present we have Six English Presidium: at St. Patrick Church, St. Xavier's Church, Immaculate Conception Church Quarter Gate, St. Anne's Church Solapur Bazaar and St. Francis De sales Church Shannwadi. There is also Tamil Presidium at St. Ignatius Church Kirkee, Dapodi and Pimpri. Every month various types of meetings are held, like, prayer meetings, Holy Hour and extension services. Curia office does regular Supervision of working of Presidium and quarterly report is submitted after proper scrutiny in the monthly meetings. At Presido level meetings are held every week for more than an hour of Rosary. The members visiting the sick persons in hospitals, homes for the aged, broken families and the poor and needy, do sharing of the undertaken work. All the sharing is well recorded in the minutes and attendance of the officers and other members is maintained. Parish Priests have provided the necessary accommodation to each Presidium. During the Novena Day's and the Annual Feast of the Church the Legionaries with the help of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul manage the Book Stalls. The Members also find interested Auxiliary Members and get them enrolled during their visit to the families who support the Legion by their daily prayers as per the Terrese Cards given to them by the Legion who are entitled to meet once a year to give suitable suggestion to the Legion.

We are very happy with the members and the support that we receive from the Officers and the Parish Priest. We thank God through the intercession of our Mother for His blessings we receive.

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

The Society's origin: Society of St. Vincent De Paul is a worldwide Christian lay organization founded in Paris, France with its first meeting at 38, Rue de Saint Sulpice on 23^rd April 1833. Fredic Ozanam, a second year Law Student of 20 years of age was the instrumental force and with him were another five students of like age group and Profession. Emmanuel Baily, the only elder member in his forties. The Society has been Catholic from its origin and it remains so including its men & women.

The purpose from its very beginning in France, the society of Vincent De Paul dedicated itself to feeding the hungry not just those hungry for bread, but those who were hungry for truth. Our founder blessed Fredic Ozanam, stressed the vital importance of nourishing people's mind and soul as well as looking after their maternal needs. In the words of blessed Frederic “yours must be a work of love of unlimited kindness; you must give your time, your talents and yourselves. You must study their conditions and often the injustices, which brought about such poverty with the aim of long-term improvement.” Yes this sums up the purpose.

The Society in India first formed at Pondicherry during 1852 – 53. Then a few Conferences were established in Calcutta around 1859. In Pune it dates back to year 1866, St. Xavier's Conference was the first then St. Joseph's Lonavala (1972), St. Ignatius Khadki (1974) St. Patrick's (1975) and after 1980's conference were formed.

Our SFS Conference with the handful of members began its work on 23/4/2005 and it is our 3rd successive year that the Society is doing well, having 12 active members.

We have adopted 12 families (8 Catholics & 4 non Catholics) 7 Families are given monthly Rations, 3 students are given School fees regularly throughout the year, 1 is given Bus pass to attend college and the other is given medical Aid. And all these is being done by the way of 2nd collection which is done every 2nd Sunday from our Parishioners.

We visit every adopted families every month and study their progress and guide them to develop their status.

Besides with help of neighbouring Conferences (Divine Mercy) we have re- built a new hut and other 2 huts were replaced with the leaking old tin hut with New Tin Sheet. Many casual help have been rendered. Some were helped to secure some odd jobs; sick and old people were assisted to receive Holy Communion from the Parish Priest. We are planning to start some project, which would help the needy to have regular income by way of tailoring, Candle making, etc.

Your prayers and generosity would lead us to complete our work and aim of St.Vincent De Paul's Society work of Charity.