Christmas Message

          Christmas is a time of blessings and it is a time when the Lord shares his life with us in the form of grace and it is a special time for all the followers of Christ. It is a time when we recall the great events in the life of Jesus and celebrate the greatest gift of God himself to all the believers. About 2013 years ago Christ was born in a manger in Bethlehem and the angels from heaven came down to sing the praises of God and to announce to the people about the birth of Jesus. The angels went to the shepherds near by and proclaimed the message and the shepherds hurried to meet the new born child in a cattle shed. Then the three kings from far off countries were guided by a star to reach the place of the birth of Christ. To their surprise they found the great contrast between the life of Jesus and the life of the kings. They offered to Jesus the gifts which they brought along with them. This occasion of joy is celebrated with the Christmas tree, with the coming of Santa Claus and the way Santa distributes the gifts and the sweets to the poorer and the under-privileged children. It is a time when we send greeting cards and wish everyone the very best for their life. It is a time of gratitude to God for sending his Son into the world to bring about life and salvation to everyone.

          This year we celebrate the midnight mass at the Grotto at 11.00 P.M. and before that we will have singing of the carols for an hour. The grotto has been given a new look and more facilities and an ambience of simplicity is manifested at the grotto. There is a new flag post about 65 feet in height and the flag itself is very big in size. The main attraction is the new roof above the grotto. The grotto itself is untouched and the roof above is to protect the entire building of the grotto. For the benefit of all, the room behind the grotto is removed and is shifted to the top of the adjacent room and it is now apt for ‘parikrima’. All around the grotto, the place where the people used to sit has been leveled and there is a visible conducive ambience for prayer, meditation and worship. At the grotto, HOLY OIL, HOLY WATER and the HOLY CANDLES available. In course of time we hope to have more and more additions to make the entire area into a true pilgrim center. I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a bright and prosperous New Year. God bless you.  

Fr. Amirtha Raj, OP

Director - Lourd Mata Mandir.

GROTTO FEAST 2013

          The feast of Our Lady of Lourdes at the Seminary Hills has devotion, charm and attraction and draws the devotees from Nagpur and from different parts of Central India. This year’s feast is in some ways different from other years. The focus of the celebration was faith in Our Lord and devotion to Mother Mary. From the very beginning the devotees and pilgrims were guided to spend the time with God in prayer, prayer and devotion to Mother Mary and in spiritual preparation through confessions, healing and retreat. Right through the novenas there was the atmosphere of spirituality, devotion, renewal, transformation and prayer and less of artificial decorations and extravagance. There were six areas of interest during the feast.

1.       The Eucharistic Celebrations: We had the Holy Mass, which is the culmination of the feast on the 10^th of February 2013. People had been sufficiently prepared to participate in a most devout and prayerful way during the Holy Mass. The altar and the sanctuary had been beautifully prepared for the most important celebration during the feast. Maximum number of people had attended the Holy Mass and received abundance of blessings from God. The homily on that day was focused on faith, because of the Year of Faith. Along with the Solemn Eucharistic celebration, there were masses in different languages on the feast day, which was attended by many people. It was an occasion to be deeply involved and feel the closeness because of ones own language. The nine Saturdays of novena preparation which was started on the 15^th of December and the nine days preceding the feast had the participation and animation by the different parishes of the city and those who could reach for the feast.

2.       Confessions and Healing service: From the very beginning of the novena the thrust was to have spiritual preparation and renewal, and emotional, mental and physical healing. This was possible with the availability of many priests to exercise their priestly ministry. Every novena day before the mass there was confessions and after the mass there was healing and the people flocked to avail of these spiritual services. This culminated on the feast day as many priests were available for confession in different languages and at 2.45 P.M there was the Eucharistic Adoration and healing service. Most of the pilgrims have been waiting for this moment as the priest-animators preached and guided the people to be totally and prayerfully involved in the healing service. At the end the priests anointed all the people with holy oil and the Eucharistic Adoration came to an end with the Benediction. It was a moment of grace and blessings as many people experienced spiritual and physical healing and renewal and transformation. Special help and assistance was given to the physically and mentally challenged and differently abled and the senior pilgrims. 

3.       A replica of Our Lady of Lourdes: The model of the Grotto at Lourdes in France where Mother Mary appeared to St. Bernadette reminded the devotees of the important role of Mary in reaching out to everyone and showering her blessings upon everyone. The beautiful and appealing replica roused among the pilgrims devotion and reverence. The long queue of pilgrims was a sign of their eagerness to receive the blessings and they all had the opportunity to see the replica of the Grotto and then move on to touch the statue of Mother Mary for blessings.  

4.       The Palanquin and the Procession: Every pilgrim center attracts devotees to the shrine and to be part of the spiritual celebration. The Palanquin is one of those attractions of the grotto which was very beautifully and artistically decorated. Everyone looked with awe and admiration at the palanquin and then had the opportunity to express their devotion by offering flowers and others offerings. They were all given “PRASAD” and the devotees moved on to the next place of piety. After the Holy Mass in the evening the procession with the palanquin was attended by thousands of pilgrims and devotees. It was with lighted candle and the recitation of holy rosary. The procession was marked with prayer, peace and blessings and the fulfilling of their prayers and petitions.

5.       The Preeti Bhoj: One of the big successes of the feast is when all participate in the festal lunch served to all. The preeti bhoj is given in the form of ‘prasad’. Everyone comes to experience the joy and togetherness during the feast and participate in the preeti bhoj. All those who had organized and prepared the Prasad did that with dedication, love and happiness and with the sole intention of bringing everyone together.    

6.       Free offering of all facilities:

 

 1. To the Pilgrims: Free accommodation was provided to all the pilgrims who had come from out stations. Most of them had come unannounced, yet the maximum help and facilities were provided to them so that they could participate in all the celebrations as pilgrims. We had this year about 400 pilgrims overnight and on the day of the feast about 800 from out stations. This is a sign that the people of Central India have accepted the Grotto as a pilgrim center for all.

 2. To the Food Stalls: The food stalls were put up by the seminarians from different religious houses. The proceeds from those stalls are used for social work and for the developmental purposes of the poor and needy and so all the facilities were provided for them freely.

 3. To the Books stalls and Religious Articles Stalls: The religious institutions had put up many stalls to sell the religious books and religious articles. The stalls were put up for them and other facilities were provided for them freely so that through these the people could deepen their faith and also to spread reverence towards God and devotion towards Mother Mary.

 4. To the Bicycle, Motor Cycle and Car Parking Stand: The parking was managed by the Anantnagar parish community. The proceeds are used for the purpose of uplifting the poor and the needy. So the needed help was freely provided for them and the necessary support was given to them.

 5. To the Exhibition: Every year Jesus Youth organize an exhibition and this year too they had put up an exhibition to deepen and to strengthen the faith, through the detailed presentation of the life and sacrifice of Blessed Deva Sahayam Pillai. He is a lay person who was accepted the Catholic faith and was martyred as he offered his life for God.

 6. To all the volunteers: Timely help and support was provided to all the volunteers and the choir members and those who assisted and helped on the day of the feast.   

          It is my privilege to be with and work with all the Mariam Bhakt, donors and volunteers. My gratitude to all the donors for their generosity and surely God would continue to bless all of them and their families and Mother Mary would have a special place for them. It was an opportunity for the priests, religious, devotees and pilgrims to show their commitment, generosity, dedication, cooperation and collaboration. In the process all those who have had any selfish interest and motives chose not to be part of the preparation, but participated in the celebration. It is through the generosity of all the devotees and donors who went out of their way to help and support through cash, kind, energy, time, effort, planning and guidance that the celebration of the feast was possible. It is most appropriate for all of us to acknowledge our special prayers and gratitude to all the donors and volunteers for their selfless and dedicated service to all the pilgrims to the grotto and to all the devotees of Mother Mary. May God bless you all.

Fr. Amirtha Raj, OP

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes at Lourd Mata Mandir.

Spiritual Retreat at Lourd Mata Mandir

Message from Parish Priest.

SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES

GROTTO AT THE SEMINARY HILLS

          The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is indeed a pilgrim center for all the believers and all those who come in faith to meet Mother Mary at the beautiful shrine at the Seminary Hills. The Grotto has a magnetic power because of the powerful presence of God and the innumerable prayers and petitions answered for the devotees of Mary. This shrine is more than 120 years old. Over the years the grotto has evolved to be what it is today. Some of the major concerns are to maintain the ecological balance, to sustain the natural ambience, to have more tree plantation, to focus on pilgrimage, to aim for spiritual transformation and to keep up the tranquility and peace.

 

1. Historical Background

          About 120 years ago two friends had gone to France, to Our Lady of Lourdes. They were absolutely fascinated by what they had seen and experienced. So they decided to bring a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes from France to Nagpur. Upon arrival, they approached the Bishop of Nagpur to select a suitable grotto for that statue. Seminary hill was identified as the most appropriate place and thus a small grotto was built and the statue was placed there. Within days the tiger infested area was transformed into a peaceful place and the place has almost a miraculous transformation from many atrocities to a place of peace and prayer.

          Over the years devotees began to come there during feast days and thus began the yearly celebration of the feast. Initially the place was known for its prayer and penance. But now it is a full pledged pilgrim center with not so many facilities, but the environment compensates for what is lacking. But from the very beginning in a small way celebrations, devotions and novenas have been associated with this shrine. But the important feast was always celebrated on the second Sunday of February and many people participate without failure in the nine days novena prayer, and for the nine Saturdays novenas. Year after year the number of people participating in these celebrations continues to increase. For more than one hundred years these celebrations have been going on and now every year roughly two to three lakhs of people come to this shrine. Now this is not a shrine only for Catholics, but it is for all people as the magnetism of Mother Mary brings people of all faith to this shrine to have blessings and experience of God and favours and presence of Mary our Mother. “A Shrine is a sign of God’s presence”. “A shrine is a place of the Spirit because it is a place where God’s fidelity reaches out and transforms us. People go to a shrine first of all to call upon and to receive the Holy Spirit, in order then to bring this SPirt to all the activities of their lives.” (The Shrine, 8 May 1999. Vatican City, No: 9)  This is a historical place to experience God and to receive his blessings and also to feel the powerful presence of Mother Mary and to receive manifold favours and healing.  

2. We have come with Great Expectation: We come to the Seminary Hills from far and wide, in fact from all over India. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI says that “I come before you as a son visiting his Mother, and I do so in company with a multitude of brothers and sisters…. I wish to present to [Our Lady of Lourdes] the joys and hopes as well as the problems and sufferings of each one of these sons and daughters of yours” (Benedict XVI, Prayer before the image of Our Lady, at the Shrine of Fatima, 12 May 2012) so that all our prayers may be answered and we may be blessed with miracles. Mother Mary draws us here to give an experience of God and to shower us with blessings and favours. It is a time of intense prayer, and it is a time of gratitude to God for all the blessings received and to pour out our hearts in hope for all the petitions and it is an opportunity to adore the God who is close to us and that he may give us an experience of Him.

3. Blessings and Favours through this Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.

          Mother Mary has appeared in this place and has worked miracles. This place has transformed from being a tiger infested forest, to a simple memorial place, to a parish to a shrine. It is a dwelling place of God to draw us to him and to receive blessings, favours and healing from God and from Mother Mary. Prophet Ezekiel reminds us of the most encouraging and hope filled message, that wherever God dwells “there shall be showers of blessings” (Ezek 34: 26). To have these blessings we ought to experience the closeness with God and allow God to direct the blessings upon us. In the book of Leviticus we read that the Lord will command the blessings to reach us, particularly when to go to meet Him ‘in a shrine’ where God dwells. “I will command my blessings upon you” (Lev 25: 21). Pope Benedict XVI tells us that, “When Christians of all times and places turn to Mary, they are acting on the spontaneous conviction that Jesus cannot refuse his mother what she asks; and they are relying on the unshakable trust that Mary is also our mother – a mother who has experienced the greatest of all sorrows, who feels all our griefs with us and ponders in a maternal way how to overcome them. How many people down the centuries have made pilgrimages to Mary, in order to find comfort and strength before the” (Benedict XVI, Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Etzelsbach, Germany, 23 September 2011) statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, here at the Seminary Hills. It is a chosen place for God to come down among us and shower the blessings. It is a dwelling place of Mary to reach out to every one and to listen to us.

4. Families are Blessed, when we follow God:

          We often wonder why so many people flock to this shrine and other holy places of devotion, because all of us long to be with God and receive his blessings. The blessings are not only given to individuals but also to every family. Most of the time people go to a shrine with the entire family, believing in the promise of God, “that a blessing may rest on your house.”(Ezek 44: 30) When the entire family is blessed, the presence and blessings of God animate the entire family to live according to the plan and holy will of God.

          We are in this shrine and we are assured of the inspiration from God, guidance and blessings if we follow the command, the guidelines and the directives of God. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn 14: 15) In the book of Deuteronomy it is told that “all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” (Deut 28: 2) It is so important for us to walk along with God, in the path of God and receive the blessings. Today we are present here in this shrine to receive the manifold blessings from God.

          As we prepare to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes we have great expectation. St. James in his letter reminds us to “confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5: 16) Through confession and spiritual transformation, we will be totally and completely healed. Surely we have the promise from our Lord that our prayers will be answered as we read in the Gospel of St. John, “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it” (Jn 14: 13). May Mary our Mother continue to be with us, working miracles for us, for our families and for the entire community of humanity. Let us thank God for all the blessings and healings we have received, and let us pray to God through the intercession of Mary our mother to be with us to guide, to bless, to lead, to support, to protect and above all to  heal us.  

Fr. Amirtha Raj OP