OFM Franciscans - India

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LAUDATO SI WEEK 2020

22 May 2020, Madurai: Our Blessed Father Francis, in his beautiful canticle, reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. This ‘Laudato Si week 2020’ commemorates the fifth Anniversary of Pope’s Encyclical ‘Praise be to You’.  Pope Francis invites us to show mercy to our common home and care for the creatures. It is an invitation for people especially for the Catholics, based on the theme “Everything is connected”.

Concrete plan makes things easy. We had a good and detailed action plan in connection with Laudato Si week 2020.On 16th May 2020, the first day of Laudato Si week, we began the celebrations with the process of examination of conscience. It was a beautiful journey through the reflections of Pope Francis which made us to realize the importance to take care of our common home. It was a time of experiencing the presence of God and giving thanks to Him and His creation. Through this examination of conscience, we listened to the cry of the earth and the poor and asked pardon for the shortcomings, hence we decided to re-live with the nature.

So, on the second day, we had beautiful experiences with the nature through the guidance of the group in-charge. We experienced the warmth of the brother sun, the gentle touch of the sister air, embracing the care of the mother earth by walking through clay and the cleansing and freshness of sister water by washing our feet mindfully and drinking fresh water. The next four days, particularly we prayed the rosary for the universal intentions of Holy Father that the people may learn to respect the creation and care for it as a gift of God. We prayed the Rosary in different places united with the nature and on the final day of the Rosary we had the candle light procession with the statue of Mother Mary.

On 22nd May, which was the day, dedicated to the Divine Mercy of Jesus, pleading mercy for the whole world. The penultimate day, we, individually took pledge to care for creation and stop harming it by means of our disrespect and carelessness.

On the last day of the Laudato Si week, we had a walking meditation for half an hour, after that we gathered together and concluded the ‘Laudato Si week’ with the message of the Holy Father Pope Francis that each creature has its own purpose and none is superfluous.

Being Franciscans, Laudato Si week, was a thought provoking time for us to safeguard our mother earth. Each day led us to be in union with the nature and to pray for it. We promised our prayers for the mother earth and to care for it in our daily life. So that we may make the world a more fitting place for all to live by protecting the whole creation.

 

                                                                                                          ‘Praise be to you my Lord.’

                                                             (Postulants)

 

 

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

ST. FRANCIS

ST. FRANCIS

FRIARS' BIRTHDAY (July)

Date

Name of the Friars

Events

Year

01

Anthony Alex Martis

Birth

1976

02

Pratap Reddy Salibindla

Henry Jose

Birth

Birth

1960

1992

03

+ Thomas the Apostle – Patron of the Province

Amaladass Manickam

Atma Jyothi, Mysore

Abhishek M.

Feast


Solemn Vows

Blessing

Birth



1982

1987

1995

04

Praveen Henry D’Souza

Ordination

2007

05

Martin Sangma

Birth

1992

06

Jugal Kishore Lakra

Birth

1976

07

+ Michael Haliday

Baikim Chandra Minj

Stephen Lamin Gashnga

Home

Birth

Birth

1976

1982

1983

08

Dominic C.J.

+ Bede Worham

Birth

Home

1959

1991

09

Mukti Prakash Ekka

Arun Junes

Solemn Vows

Ordination

2000

2006

12

Anto Leo

Birth

1988

13

Sidney J.M.

Arvind Kerketta

Birth

Birth

1941

1970

14

Michael Anand

Simon A.

Deepak Xalxo

Avinash Toppo

Birth

Birth

Birth

Birth

1977

1981

1992

1996

15

+ Bonaventure

Feast


20

+ Blaise Lobo

Home

1997

21

Lawrence of Brindisi

James N.

Feast

Birth


1966

22

+ Leonard Fernandes

Home

1980

27

+ Cornelius D’ Souza

Phyrnai Lyngdoh

Home

Birth

2009

1983

28

+ Alphonsa

Feast


30

Trevor D’ Souza

Entry

1985

31

Joseph Prasanna Kumar

Birth

1985