Gaja cyclone has destroyed the future, people have built over by many years of their hard work. People of the Delta districts in Tamilnadu have lost the belongings at home and their source of income in the fields: Cultivation. They are not able to come to terms with the reality that they have lost everything. The Delta districts are known for paddy cultivation. After the issue of Cauvery and the uncertainly over the flow of water, most people have moved from paddy cultivation to cultivation of coconut trees, teak wood and red sandal wood trees. I know from my own experience that coconut trees can bend even reaching the ground, but they will not break. But here, in the Delta districts even the coconut trees have been broken by the cruel and ruthless Gaja Cyclone.
The extent of devastation is so much that it would take months and years for the life to return to normalcy. The scar that Gaja has left behind will take time to heal. When the food packets were distributed by Bon Secours College, Thanjavur, children, women and men were running to collect. Men were in tears explaining the loss. The Bon Secours sisters were in tears when we had a meeting with them in their Provincial House, Thanjavur as they explained the suffering of the people they witnessed.
After seeing the devastation and hearing from people who suffered loss, we, the Franciscan Family in Chennai, had meeting on 25th November 2018. In that meeting, we have decided to collect relief materials from Franciscan Family who are working in Chennai. During that meeting, it was decided that Sr. Anthoniammal FBS, Br. Victor Singarayar OFS, Sr. Arul Mary FMM, Br. Christy OFS and I would go to the Franciscan Congregations to collect relief materials. The response that we have received from Franciscan Family in Chennai is overwhelming. Everyone that we met so far has responded very positively. We are hoping to take the relief materials by this Friday. Br. Josephraj, Nesakkaram, Chennai
Date |
Name of the Friars |
Events |
Year |
01 |
Gabriel Mathias Carlos Dias |
Birth Ordination |
1950 1989 |
03 |
+ Sylvester McGoldrick |
Home |
1992 |
04 |
Vineet Kerketta |
Birth |
1995 |
05 |
+ Achilles Meersman Salim Joseph Nicolas Marak |
Home Ordination Birth |
1982 1994 1994 |
07 |
Rajasekhar Reddy Gopu Punitha Anthoniar Illam |
Birth Foundation |
1985 1992 |
08 |
John Chrysostom |
Birth |
1965 |
09 |
+ Prasad Cheely |
Ordination |
1998 |
10 |
Jugal Kishore Lakra |
Ordination |
2005 |
11 |
Paul Kallan |
Ordination |
1996 |
12 |
+ Liguory Mimpen |
Home |
2016 |
13 |
Francis Agnelo Rozario |
Ordination |
1997 |
14 |
Matthew Kootumkal Cajetan S. Lourenco Shalom Friary, Hyderabad Cajetan S. Lourenco + John Peter Bhaskar Reddy |
Birth Birth Foundation Ordination Home Ordination |
1963 1965 1975 1996 2005 2005 |
15 |
Ignatius Baa Joseph Raj M. |
Ordination Ordination |
2005 2007 |
16 |
Richard D’Silva Shanborlang Wartde Francis Kaviyil Babu Jose Pamplany |
Birth Birth Ordination Ordination |
1933 1989 1994 1994 |
17 |
Peter Saleth Nathan J. Ushar Kachhua Joy (George) Sebastian Jacob Tani |
Birth Birth Ordination Birth |
1978 1992 2010 1993 |
18 |
St.Francis Friary, Kochi Prasad Papabathuni Joy K.D. |
Erection Ordination Ordination |
1951 1998 1998 |
19 |
Parish at Chippilithode Vilas Baptist Correia Prashanth Wilson Fernandes |
Erection Ordination Ordination |
1997 2008 2012 |
20 |
Johnson M.V. Tojy M. Regi Matthew Ajit Kumar Dung Dung Tony Marshall Nelson Toppo |
Ordination Ordination Ordination Ordination Ordination Birth |
1999 2004 2006 2008 2009 1992 |
21 |
Abraham Vadana Davis Kallookaran Alphonse Moras Gerald Lobo Simon Pinto Paul K.L. + Angelo James Anthony New Church at Salbari |
Entry Entry Entry Entry Entry Entry Home Blessing |
1972 1972 1972 1972 1972 1972 2002 2013 |
22 |
+ Owen McLaughlin |
Home |
1974 |
23 |
Anthony Roobandass A. Singarayar A. Tom John Thomas A. |
Birth Ordination Ordination Ordination |
1978 1997 2002 2003 |
24 |
Johnny Anthony Benjamin Jojo John Sekar |
Birth Ordination Ordination |
1961 2005 2010 |
25 |
Pratap Reddy Salibindla Thomas Joseph Johnny Anthony Sandesh Manuel Varghese Lakra |
Ordination Ordination Ordination Ordination Ordination |
1991 1992 1992 2009 2010 |
26 |
Thaddeus Baxla Pradeep Kalliath |
Birth Ordination |
1968 2007 |
27 |
+ Paul Fernandes |
Home |
2004 |
29 |
Arok Sundar Sebastian Dharma L. Bernard Arun Prakash Lourdu Augustine Balaswamy Gundiga Peter Saleth Nathan J. Vijay Minj |
Entry Entry Birth Ordination Ordination Ordination Ordination |
1973 1973 1974 2006 2008 2012 2012 |
30 |
Parish at Nanasera Anthony Alex Martis Vijay Amirtharaj A. Nesavanam,Chennai New Church at Reddypalem |
Erection Ordination Ordination Blessing Blessing |
1995 2008 2008 2008 2013 |
