Tree Plantation at Lourd Mata Mandir

Tree Plantation

Each One Plant One

Easter Message

Meaningful Easter Celebration

          The liturgical calendar had a new meaning after I had completed my studies on liturgy during my seminary days. The two important seasons in the Catholic Church are the advent and lent, which culminated in two important and meaningful events in the life of Christ and celebration in lives of the followers of Christ.

          While advent is the time when “waiting” and “expectation” are the key words, when we wait with hope for “God to come in search of us”. Lent is the time when we are like pilgrims praying, fasting, giving alms, doing penance and many other Lenten practices, through which “we go in search of God”. The time spend meaningfully during lent will be the fruits of Easter.

          The celebration of the Pascal Mystery, the Holy Week is a powerful, relevant and meaningful event in the lives of all Christians. During my seminary days, I used to be the master of ceremony for the holy week celebrations. During my first year a lot of time was spent on preparing the commentary, but, during the next two years the holy week meant the most important, relevant and participative celebration. During the fourth year of theology, I was the main celebrant for the Easter Vigil Service. Looking back at those events meant a preparation and participation in a meaningful way.

          Easter is the most meaningful celebration in the Catholic Church. The time we spent meaningfully in spiritual preparation is culminated during the Easter celebration. It is a time for us to rejoice. We rejoice that the Lord is risen and we share this joy and happiness with our friends, neighbors and with every one around. The experience of joy is doubled when we enjoy and share with others.

          Easter is a time for us to thank God for the wonderful gifts given to us. During the entire year we pray to God for many blessings, guidance, inspiration, support and enlightenment. For all that God has been to us we pour out our gratitude to God. The spiritual renewal and transformation is experienced when we complete our the Lenten season and so we surrender and offer ourselves to God in thanksgiving.

          It is also a time for us to deepen our faith. If we do not believe in the resurrection, then our faith is in vain. It is a personal experience of deepening one’s faith in God and the eternal plan that God has for all of us. We are constantly reminded of the fact that our eternal home is heaven. We are only pilgrims here on earth. We live in faith that one day we would rise with Christ and be with Him in heaven. This deepening of faith is a meaningful experience of Christians.

It gives us hope. Any event, incident or experience we may go through, but ultimately the unshakeable hope that God has a definite plan for me and this plan God continues to reveal. The most meaningful experience is giving us hope, that nothing can distract us from this hope.

 Easter is the greatest miracle in the life of Christ. The relevance of Easter is that God intends to work this miracle in our own life. Every time we reflect on Easter events, we realize deeper meaning of God’s plan in our life and Christ’s personal commitment to each one of us and our own meaningful and relevant participation our the Easter Celebrations.

Fr. Amirtha Raj, OP.  

                  

Maundy Thursday

MESSAGE FROM THE PARISH PRIEST

Fr. Amirtha Raj OP

          Coming to St. Dominic’s Ashram is an intense feeling of joy and an experience of ‘home coming’. To be the parish priest of the Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary is an opportunity to minister to the people of the parish community. When unexpected events unfold, they help us to realize that God has a plan for us and after the surprise we accept His plan with grace and courage. There are many fond memories of residing at St. Dominic’s Ashram and St. Charles’ Seminary, Seminary Hills, Nagpur.

          On this special occasion, I extend a special word of gratitude to Rev. Fr. Justus Paul, OP who was the Prior and Parish Priest and Rev. Fr. Jose Thomas, OP who has been the Parochial Vicar for their selfless service, dedication and commitment towards the Dominican Community and to the Rosary Parish. My special gratitude to all the devotees of Mary for their dedicated service to make the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes a prayerful, meaningful, participative and peaceful celebration. May Mary our Mother continue to be with us guiding and leading us in the right path.

          The Grotto on the Seminary Hills dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes gets maximum number of pilgrims during the days of novena and the feast. The meeting point of all the faithful and the pilgrims of Central India on the 11^th and 12^th of February 2012 was the Grotto. Historically, about 120 years ago, the ‘Statue’ of Our Lady of Lourdes was brought from France. A small grotto was built in the tiger infested area of Nagpur, where that statue was kept. Within days Our Lady of Lourdes and the grotto began to attract people of all faith because of the powerful divine presence, because of the innumerable blessings, because many petitions were answered and also because of the scenic surrounding. Then the major decision was to have the Seminary built near the grotto. What has been happening at Lourdes in France also happens here at the Grotto at the Seminary Hills. The experiences of the people could be summed up as follows.

         

1.  People are drawn to the Grotto: Among the many people who come, there is a sizable number are of different faith. Once they reach the grotto, upon analysis they realize that they have been drawn to the grotto by an inner force. Often it is an inexplicable experience, a spiritual thirst, desire for a God experience. After the first few visits, they are almost spontaneously drawn to the grotto. Many do not have a convincing explanation about their coming to the grotto. The grotto has this ‘magnetic’ effect to bring the devotees.

2. “I am the Immaculate Conception”: The faithful had believed for a long time that Mary has been conceived immaculately. Our Lady had confirmed that belief through her conversation with St. Bernadette. Though Bernadette did not understand the meaning and the implications of what has been revealed, she simply accepted and believed what was revealed to her. Almost all the people have the first hand experience of ‘faith’ in God, faith in Our Lady, faith in the Eucharistic celebration, faith in what is preached at the grotto. Coming here is an experience of faith formation, an “intellectual assent”.  

3. Pray for Total Healing: Most of the visible miracles have been the miracles of healing, physical healing, mental healing, emotional healing or spiritual healing. There is a natural way of connecting faith and healing; that which is fundamental to a religion –faith- with the personal experience of healing. Healings are personal experiences which deepen and strengthen the faith of the faithful here at the grotto.

4. Conversion of Sinners: Perhaps the most touching personal experiences of many at the grotto is the conversion. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is meaningful and relevant at the grotto as every one wants to be forgiven by God and to start a new life.  

5. Prayers are answered: This is an undeniable experience of all people. Prayer of petitions is the one prayer of almost all the people. The prayers are answered, and so the natural response of the people is the prayer of thanksgiving as a complementary prayer.    

6. Personal Revelations leading to Personal Guidance: Another personal experience of many people is the inspiration and guidance directly experienced by many people. These personal revelations help them to make decisions according to the will of God, according to the revelation. Often the decisions help them to have a turning point experience or event and to begin a new life, a life centered on God, guided by Mother Mary.   

Our Lady of Lourdes of the Seminary Hills – Pray for us.      

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.