Diocese of Dibrugarh

An unprecedented event, the news of which is still ringing around the world: Benedict XVI has renounced the Papacy. The Pontiff himself made the announcement with simplicity and solemnity before a group of cardinals: from the evening of 28 February the Episcopal See of Rome will be vacant and immediately thereupon a conclave will be convened to elect the Successor of the Apostle Peter. This was specified in the brief text which the Pope had composed in Latin and read at the Consistory.

The Pontiff made his decision months ago, after his Journey to Mexico and Cuba and its confidentiality was absolute, after "having repeatedly examined" his conscience "before God" (conscientia mea iterum atque iterum coram Deo explorata), due to his advanced age. Benedict XVI explained, with the kind of clarity that he is known for, that his strength is "no longer suited to an adequate exercise" of the immense task of one chosen to "govern the barque of St Peter and proclaim the Gospel".

For that reason, and for that reason alone, the Roman Pontiff, "well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom" (bene conscius ponderis huius actus plena libertate) renounces the ministry of Bishop of Rome which was entrusted to him on 19 April 2005. And the words that Benedict XVI chose indicate in a transparent way his respect for the conditions prescribed by Canon Law for the resignation from a post that is entirely unique in the world because of it weight and spiritual importance.

It is well known that Cardinal Ratzinger in no way sought his election to the Pontificate, one of the quickest in history, and that he accepted it with the simplicity of one who really does entrust his life to God. That is why Benedict XVI never felt alone, in an authentic and daily relationship with the One who lovingly governs the life of every human being, and in the reality of the Communion of Saints, sustained by the love and the work (amore et labore) of his co-workers, and nourished by prayer and by the love of so many people, believers and non-believers alike.

It is in this light that we must also interpret his renunciation of the pontificate, free and above all trusting in the providence of God. Benedict XVI knows well that the papal service, "due to its essential spiritual nature", is also carried out "with prayer and suffering", but he underlined that "in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith", to be Pope "both strength of mind and body are necessary", strength that in him is naturally deteriorating.

In the words with which he addressed the cardinals, who were at first astonished and then deeply moved, and with his decision, which is without a comparable historical precedent, Benedict XVI shows a lucidity and a humility that is first of all, as he once explained, adherence to reality, to the earth (humus). So, feeling no longer able to "adequately fulfill" the ministry entrusted to him, he has announced his renunciation. And he did so with a humanly and spiritually exemplary decision, in the full maturity of a pontificate that, from the outset and for the duration of almost 8 years, day by day, he has never ceased to amaze us and he will leave an indelible mark on history. Such is the history that the Pope interprets with confidence in signs of the future that is God's.

Sources: www.vatican.va

Go to Top

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI FOR LENT 2013

"Believing in charity calls forth charity" “We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us” (1 Jn 4:16)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The celebration of Lent, in the context of the Year of Faith, offers us a valuable opportunity to meditate on the relationship between faith and charity: between believing in God – the God of Jesus Christ – and love, which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and which guides us on the path of devotion to God and others.

1. Faith as a response to the love of God

In my first Encyclical, I offered some thoughts on the close relationship between the theological virtues of faith and charity. Setting out from Saint John’s fundamental assertion: “We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us” (1 Jn 4:16), I observed that “being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction … Since God has first loved us (cf. 1 Jn 4:10), love is now no longer a mere ‘command’; it is the response to the gift of love with which God draws near to us” (Deus Caritas Est, 1). Faith is this personal adherence – which involves all our faculties – to the revelation of God’s gratuitous and “passionate” love for us, fully revealed in Jesus Christ. The encounter with God who is Love engages not only the heart but also the intellect: “Acknowledgement of the living God is one path towards love, and the ‘yes’ of our will to his will unites our intellect, will and sentiments in the all-embracing act of love. But this process is always open-ended; love is never ‘finished’ and complete” (ibid., 17). Hence, for all Christians, and especially for “charity workers”, there is a need for faith, for “that encounter with God in Christ which awakens their love and opens their spirits to others. As a result, love of neighbour will no longer be for them a commandment imposed, so to speak, from without, but a consequence deriving from their faith, a faith which becomes active through love” (ibid., 31a). Christians are people who have been conquered by Christ’s love and accordingly, under the influence of that love – “Caritas Christi urget nos” (2 Cor 5:14) – they are profoundly open to loving their neighbour in concrete ways (cf. ibid., 33). This attitude arises primarily from the consciousness of being loved, forgiven, and even served by the Lord, who bends down to wash the feet of the Apostles and offers himself on the Cross to draw humanity into God’s love.

“Faith tells us that God has given his Son for our sakes and gives us the victorious certainty that it is really true: God is love! … Faith, which sees the love of God revealed in the pierced heart of Jesus on the Cross, gives rise to love. Love is the light – and in the end, the only light – that can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working” (ibid., 39). All this helps us to understand that the principal distinguishing mark of Christians is precisely “love grounded in and shaped by faith” (ibid., 7).

2. Charity as life in faith

The entire Christian life is a response to God’s love. The first response is precisely faith as the acceptance, filled with wonder and gratitude, of the unprecedented divine initiative that precedes us and summons us. And the “yes” of faith marks the beginning of a radiant story of friendship with the Lord, which fills and gives full meaning to our whole life. But it is not enough for God that we simply accept his gratuitous love. Not only does he love us, but he wants to draw us to himself, to transform us in such a profound way as to bring us to say with Saint Paul: “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (cf. Gal 2:20).

When we make room for the love of God, then we become like him, sharing in his own charity. If we open ourselves to his love, we allow him to live in us and to bring us to love with him, in him and like him; only then does our faith become truly “active through love” (Gal 5:6); only then does he abide in us (cf. 1 Jn 4:12).

Faith is knowing the truth and adhering to it (cf. 1 Tim 2:4); charity is “walking” in the truth (cf. Eph4:15). Through faith we enter into friendship with the Lord, through charity this friendship is lived and cultivated (cf. Jn 15:14ff). Faith causes us to embrace the commandment of our Lord and Master; charity gives us the happiness of putting it into practice (cf. Jn 13:13-17). In faith we are begotten as children of God (cf. Jn 1:12ff); charity causes us to persevere concretely in our divine sonship, bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal 5:22). Faith enables us to recognize the gifts that the good and generous God has entrusted to us; charity makes them fruitful (cf. Mt 25:14-30).

3. The indissoluble interrelation of faith and charity

In light of the above, it is clear that we can never separate, let alone oppose, faith and charity. These two theological virtues are intimately linked, and it is misleading to posit a contrast or “dialectic” between them. On the one hand, it would be too one-sided to place a strong emphasis on the priority and decisiveness of faith and to undervalue and almost despise concrete works of charity, reducing them to a vague humanitarianism. On the other hand, though, it is equally unhelpful to overstate the primacy of charity and the activity it generates, as if works could take the place of faith. For a healthy spiritual life, it is necessary to avoid both fideism and moral activism.

The Christian life consists in continuously scaling the mountain to meet God and then coming back down, bearing the love and strength drawn from him, so as to serve our brothers and sisters with God’s own love. In sacred Scripture, we see how the zeal of the Apostles to proclaim the Gospel and awaken people’s faith is closely related to their charitable concern to be of service to the poor (cf. Acts 6:1-4). In the Church, contemplation and action, symbolized in some way by the Gospel figures of Mary and Martha, have to coexist and complement each other (cf. Lk 10:38-42). The relationship with God must always be the priority, and any true sharing of goods, in the spirit of the Gospel, must be rooted in faith (cf. General Audience, 25 April 2012). Sometimes we tend, in fact, to reduce the term “charity” to solidarity or simply humanitarian aid. It is important, however, to remember that the greatest work of charity is evangelization, which is the “ministry of the word”. There is no action more beneficial – and therefore more charitable – towards one’s neighbour than to break the bread of the word of God, to share with him the Good News of the Gospel, to introduce him to a relationship with God: evangelization is the highest and the most integral promotion of the human person. As the Servant of God Pope Paul VI wrote in the EncyclicalPopulorum Progressio, the proclamation of Christ is the first and principal contributor to development (cf. n. 16). It is the primordial truth of the love of God for us, lived and proclaimed, that opens our lives to receive this love and makes possible the integral development of humanity and of every man (cf. Caritas in Veritate, 8).

Essentially, everything proceeds from Love and tends towards Love. God’s gratuitous love is made known to us through the proclamation of the Gospel. If we welcome it with faith, we receive the first and indispensable contact with the Divine, capable of making us “fall in love with Love”, and then we dwell within this Love, we grow in it and we joyfully communicate it to others.

Concerning the relationship between faith and works of charity, there is a passage in the Letter to the Ephesians which provides perhaps the best account of the link between the two: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God; not because of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (2:8-10). It can be seen here that the entire redemptive initiative comes from God, from his grace, from his forgiveness received in faith; but this initiative, far from limiting our freedom and our responsibility, is actually what makes them authentic and directs them towards works of charity. These are not primarily the result of human effort, in which to take pride, but they are born of faith and they flow from the grace that God gives in abundance. Faith without works is like a tree without fruit: the two virtues imply one another. Lent invites us, through the traditional practices of the Christian life, to nourish our faith by careful and extended listening to the word of God and by receiving the sacraments, and at the same time to grow in charity and in love for God and neighbour, not least through the specific practices of fasting, penance and almsgiving.

4. Priority of faith, primacy of charity

Like any gift of God, faith and charity have their origin in the action of one and the same Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 13), the Spirit within us that cries out “Abba, Father” (Gal 4:6), and makes us say: “Jesus is Lord!” (1 Cor 12:3) and “Maranatha!” (1 Cor 16:22; Rev 22:20).

Faith, as gift and response, causes us to know the truth of Christ as Love incarnate and crucified, as full and perfect obedience to the Father’s will and infinite divine mercy towards neighbour; faith implants in hearts and minds the firm conviction that only this Love is able to conquer evil and death. Faith invites us to look towards the future with the virtue of hope, in the confident expectation that the victory of Christ’s love will come to its fullness. For its part, charity ushers us into the love of God manifested in Christ and joins us in a personal and existential way to the total and unconditional self-giving of Jesus to the Father and to his brothers and sisters. By filling our hearts with his love, the Holy Spirit makes us sharers in Jesus’ filial devotion to God and fraternal devotion to every man (cf. Rom 5:5).

The relationship between these two virtues resembles that between the two fundamental sacraments of the Church: Baptism and Eucharist. Baptism (sacramentum fidei) precedes the Eucharist (sacramentum caritatis), but is ordered to it, the Eucharist being the fullness of the Christian journey. In a similar way, faith precedes charity, but faith is genuine only if crowned by charity. Everything begins from the humble acceptance of faith (“knowing that one is loved by God”), but has to arrive at the truth of charity (“knowing how to love God and neighbour”), which remains for ever, as the fulfilment of all the virtues (cf. 1 Cor 13:13).

Dear brothers and sisters, in this season of Lent, as we prepare to celebrate the event of the Cross and Resurrection – in which the love of God redeemed the world and shone its light upon history – I express my wish that all of you may spend this precious time rekindling your faith in Jesus Christ, so as to enter with him into the dynamic of love for the Father and for every brother and sister that we encounter in our lives. For this intention, I raise my prayer to God, and I invoke the Lord’s blessing upon each individual and upon every community!

From the Vatican, 15 October 2012

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

Go to Top

‘Financial Policy of the Diocese of Dibrugarh 2013’ released

On Bishop's 36th Ordination Anniversary, in a simple ceremony after the Thanksgiving Holy Mass on November 27, 2012 in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Dibrugarh, in the presence of many Fathers and Sisters, Bishop Joseph Aind sdb released the first ever comprehensive ‘Financial Policy of the Diocese of Dibrugarh 2013’ and gave away the first copies to the Vicar General, the Chancellor and the Financial Administrator of the Diocese. The Decree for its promulgation was signed on November 5, 2012.

Guided by Canon Laws and pastoral charity, much dedicated work has been carried out to formulate this first ever comprehensive ‘Financial Policy of the Diocese of Dibrugarh’. Bishop put on record his sincere appreciation for the cooperation that he have received from all his Diocesan priests, members of the Diocesan Senate, members of the Finance Committee and members of the Diocesan Council, as they undertook the tedious task of preparing the ‘Financial Policy of the Diocese of Dibrugarh 2013’. which will come into effect on April 1, 2013.

Go to Top

‘Franciscan Sisters of St. Mary of Angels’ at Woka Parish

Bishop is happy to welcome the congregation of “Franciscan Sisters of St. Mary of Angels (FSMA)”, of Jaipur Province to the Diocese. On 4th November 2012, with the solemn Eucharistic celebration he established the first FSMA convent in the Diocese of Dibrugarh, at St. Peter’s parish, Woka. He warmly welcomed the first batch of sisters: Sr. Sheila, Sr. Salomi and Sr. Nobline. He has named the convent as, “Assisi Bhavan”. He was grateful to Sr.Samina, the provincial who accepted his invitation and sent the sisters to minister the people of Woka parish.

Prior to the ceremony of blessing and inauguration of the Newly constructed Girls’ Hostel Building, the sisters were solemnly escorted by the people to the residence amidst the drum beats and dance. The sisters will help in the pastoral work of the parish and also look after the village community school at Ratanpur, under the parish.

Bishop wished them God’s blessings in abundance and prayed that they may serve the Lord and His people with the true Franciscan spirit. Further, they have a fruitful ministry at St.Peter’s Parish, Woka. He take that opportunity to express his sincere appreciation for the hard work put in by Rev. Fr. Caesar Henry, the Parish Priest of St.Peter’s Parish, Woka and all his collaborators in making the arrangements for welcoming the congregation of “Franciscan Sisters of St. Mary of Angels (FSMA)”, into the Diocese of Dibrugarh.

Go to Top

Golden Jubilee Celebration of St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary

The two-day Golden Jubilee Celebration of St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary which was established in 19 January 1962 under the initiative of Reverend Orestes Marengo, the first Bishop of Dibrugarh, concluded on 08th November 2012. The first day of the Golden Jubilee Celebration began on 7th November with the hoisting of the Jubilee flag and blessing of the Jubilee Memorial Statue of St. Joseph by Bishop. This Seminary can be proud of the fact that it has offered 182 priests to the Catholic Church.

On 7th November 2012 at 09.00 am a seminar on “Effectiveness of Minor Seminary Formation” was conducted. Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Poovathumkudy did a good job in coordinating the seminar. After the Seminar, Bishop concelebrated a solemn Hoy Eucharist with Most Rev. Andrew Marak, the Bishop of Tura, and 90 priests. At 02.30 pm Past Pupils’ fellowship was marked with an interesting basketball match between the Past pupils and the Seminarians. After the refreshment at 05.00 pm a Jubilee Entertainment was organized.

8th November 2012 was marked by a Solemn Eucharistic Celebration which was presided over by Most Rev. John Moolachira DD, the Archbishop of Gawahati, and concelebrated by Most. Rev. Akasius Toppo, the Bishop of Tezpur, Bishop Emeritus Robert Kerketta of Tezpur and myself. The 98 priests who joined the Eucharistic celebration gave fitting praise to God for the gift of St. Joseph’s seminary. After the Holy Mass a felicitation programme was arranged for all the guests. The presence of the past Rectors of the seminary made the occasion memorable.

Go to Top

Seminar on Marriage and Family Life at Jamuguri T.E

From November 15 – 18, 2012, Fr. Timothy Saldanha and his team have successfully organized a seminar for the tea garden community of Jamuguri, under St. Peter’s parish, Woka on Marriage and Christian family life. About 80 couples participated in the three day long programme besides many children and youth.

Fr. Timothy explained the Biblical background of the Christian marriage and the Catholic teaching on marriage, while Mr. Lawrence Minj highlighted the various practical issues and the problems of families and ways to handle those problems in Faith and in charity. Sr. Emma MSMHC stressed the need of family prayer to the parents and urged the importance of education to the youth and children, besides teaching catechism to them.

Through the medium of catechetical films; group discussions and talks, the various topics on family life were explained to the people. The importance of Holy Eucharist and the sacrament of confession were given priority during the programme. The moral issues discussed during the sessions were really an eye opener to the people who have married for many years. The programme was well accepted and benefited by the people. It was an experience of reliving their marital promise which they had made at the time of their marriage.

Go to Top

Laity built two village-churches in Tinsukia Parish

Kochujan Catholic community of Tinsukia Parish has 35 catholic families. Last year people decided to collect the necessary fund for the construction of their new village church. Every family cooperated in this fund collection. In the beginning of this year, under the initiative of Mr. Michael Bara, Mr. Vijay Barla and Mr. Vincent Thomas, Church construction started. The Local MLA too gave some help. The community is blessed with required skill workers and so all the work for the church construction was done by lay people themselves. The beautiful church of Mary Help of Christians at Kochujan was blessed by Bishop on 9th October 2012.

Hukan Pukhuri is a small but fervent catholic community of 16 families in Tinsukia Parish. Here too we see the story of active cooperation of the Laity to build their Village church. Mr. Thomas Xalxo together with Mr. Vincent Thomas met a good part of the expenses for the church construction. The Local MLA too offered his financial support. So a worthy place for worship was ready with the active involvement of all the Catholic families in Hukan Pukhuri. The Church of the Holy Rosary in Hukan Pukhuri was blessed by Bishop on 31st October 2012.

Go to Top

Bishop's pilgrimage to DHORI MATA

The miraculous wooden statue of Mary with infant Jesus in her arms was found in a Coal Mine at DHORI, in erstwhile Bihar, now in Jharkhand, on 12th June 1956.

As Rupa Satnami, a Hindu, was cutting coal in a Coal mine, he heard a gentle voice: “I am here”. He saw a statue and brought it out of the coal mine. His pickaxe had hit the right arm of the statue and broke it. At the request of Fr. Albert Varbrankan S.J, the statue was brought to Jarangdih and installed there.

As the statue of Mother Mary was found in Dhori Mine, it was called “DHORI MATA”. In 1957 the statue was sent to Mumbai and Pune for research analysis. Now it is certain that the statue was carved from Jackfruit tree wood. When everything had turned coal, only a miracle could have preserved this statue from becoming a piece of coal!

A pilgrim centre ( Tirthalaya ) was inaugurated on 30th October 1983. Thereafter, the feast of DHORI MATA is celebrated on the last Saturday and Sunday of October. Bishop was privileged to be invited by Most. Rev. Charles Soreng S.J, the Bishop of Hazaribagh, and Fr. Vikram Tirkey, the Parish Priest, to participate in the feast of DHORI MATA and to offer Holy Mass on October 28, 2012. It was indeed a spiritually enriching experience for Bishop.

Go to Top

Diamond Jubilee of Little Flower Hr. Sec. School, Dibrugarh

One 6th October 2012, Bishop joined the Salesian Sisters ( FMA ), staff and students of Little Flower Hr. Sec. School, Dibrugarh in a thanksgiving Mass at the beautifully decorated School auditorium, as LFS School celebrated its Diamond Jubilee of educational services to the Church and Society. The Holy Mass was followed by a well prepared and tasteful felicitation programme.

The students performed graceful dances and other items to entertain everyone present. It was indeed an apt moment for the Management, Staff and students to raise their hearts in thanksgiving to God for the many blessings that the Lord has showered upon the institute through these past 60 years. The presence of many former Superiors, Headmistresses, Sisters and Teachers made the day meaningful.

May the School Park which was inaugurated as a part of this Diamond Jubilee celebration of Little Flower School Hr. Sec. School, Dibrugarh always remind us all what Abraham Lincoln once said: “Die when I may, I want it said by those who knew me best that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.”

Go to Top

Syro-Malankara Catholic Church gets a Cardinal

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI created His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, the Major Archbishop of Trivandrum the new Cardinal of the Universal Church in the Consistory held on 24 November 2012 in Vatican. He is the first Cardinal of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and youngest of the universal Church. High dignitaries, both religious and political, witnessed the investiture ceremony at Vatican. The official delegation of the Government of India, headed by Sri. P.J. Kurian, Honorable Deputy Speaker of Rajyasabha was present to greet the new cardinal on behalf of our nation. As we congratulate the New Cardinal, we pray for his ministry as the ‘Prince of the Church’.

Go to Top

Beatification of Sister Maria Troncatti

Beatification of Sister Maria Troncatti, a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians took place in Macas, Ecuador, on 24 November 2012. Sr Troncatti's Beatification is a privileged sign of God's love for the entire Salesian Family and for the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in particular. It is significant and moving, in this Year of Faith, that the Church officially recognises the holiness of this daughter of the Church, wherein she becomes a sign of hope in a world where religious illiteracy is spreading and on the increase.

Go to Top

Resources: