On June 12, 2009 Mathis Kumar und Rayappa Reddy were ordained to Deacon.
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On May 17, 2009 Br. Jayaraj Arepalli promised to live a life in obedience, poverty and chastity, according to the Constituitons of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, in the presence of the Delegate Superior, Fr. Mathew Mukkath, his parents, confreres and many well-wishers and friends. Br. Jayaraj did his First Vows in May 2002 and is at present doing his final year of theology in Eluru.
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Most of the fathers and all scholastics followed the invitation for the annual retreat in Bangalore. The former Delegate Superior, Fr. Sebastian Leitner, osfs, was invited to help the participants in their five days of prayer. The retreat began with a very touching movie about a young boy, "August Rush", who had the gift of listening to his inner 'music' and sensing music all around him ("Listen to the music. I can hear it, everywhere. It's all around us. All you have to do is listening"). Sebastian developed his talks around the questions: Do I want to listen to this music (God) that is playing within and all around me? How passionately am I longing for God? Am I actively searching for God? Do I practice prayer of the heart? Do I use my gifts well? And finally: What goes wrong in my life? He ended these five prayerful days with the "decalog" that was written by Pope John XXIII: Only for today. Thank you, Fr. Sebastian, for being with us during this retreat and for helping us to become more sensitive to the whispering voice of God in each one's life.
On January 7, 2009 John George was ordained as the 12 Indian priest of our Indian mission. The ordination took place in his home parish, St. Augustine church in Nellikutty. The ordaining bishop, Mar Lawrence Mukkuzhy, heads the Syrian diocese of Belthangady, Karnataka, where John George did his diaconate ministry.
Soon after the ordination John George celebrated his first mass and blessed the marriage of his brother. Frs. Mathew Mukkath, John Sankarathil, Fred, Josef, Xavier, Maichael, Vincent and the whole community of Salespuram were present at this wonderful celebration. ...more pictures
The Bishop of Guntur, Sri Sri Gali Bali, erected in his diocese a new parish in Nidumukkala on January 4, 2009 and it was entrusted to the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. Fr. Mathew Mukkath, Delegate Superior, appointed Fr. Xavier Manchu as its first parish priest. The parish is about 15 kms outside of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, and is surrounded by its 6 sub-stations. Around 600 catholic families live and work in these small villages. After almost 18 years in India the Oblate community took up its first pastoral work in a parish. ...more pictures