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Divya Kripa Church
Kasturi Villa, Plot – 44A, Sector 20, Kharghar,Navi Mumbai - 410 210.
Vol-1 / No.1
FROM INSURRECTION TO RESURRECTION
:
A curious way to introduce a reflection on a subjectof a serious nature. We need reverting options.For us Christians the week preceding Easter knownas Holy week is replete with high-drama, excitement,chivalry and the reverberations of the annual Paschalcelebration. Amidst this atmosphere of mirth, laughter,fun, entertainment, punctuated with religious fervour,one senses a rising crescendo of violent verbaldenunciation from a motley crowd. “If you release thisman, you are not Caesar’s friend”. The mumblings of an insurrection-people’s poweragainst Roman governance, baying for the blood of Jesus.An outward display of the rabble-rousers anger, revealing an inner insurrection of seething passions, unbridleddesires, and swerling impulses churching with humanheart, self-righteousness, prejudice, arrogance, power, jealousy. In every insurrection some goals are achieved,but there is a fall out as well. The rabble rousers putJesus to death, and with this died the tremors of the unsurrection.Roman supremacy remained intact, religious conservation unscathed, but out of this residue, by a strange logic, the one they killed arose from the dead.He was resurrected. Mens knowledge catapitulates before God’s wisdom.“ Unless a grain of wheat dies, it cannot give rise to new life”.In dying Christ buried our unruly passions, and seething desires and arose offering us a new life of Joy, Peace and Love.Happy - Easter
 – Fr.Gerry Fernandes
DOWN MEMORY LANE – DIVYA KRIPA PARISH
Looking Back – 2
During the latter months of 2004 the Indian economyimproved and building activity restarted in Kharghar.Since then an average of 40 to 50 catholic families havemoved in. In 2006 we had 120 families. We then decidedto split the E zone into 3 smaller communities andnumbered them E1, E2 & E3.Community E1 included Sectors 3, 4, 5. CommunityE2 included Sec. 7, 11, 12 & 15. Community E3 includedSecs. 14, 20 & 21. Sector 2 & 8 were still under development. The construction of Kharghar Railway Station, and Spagetti Complex was also underway.We organized the first Nativity Novena to our Lady in September 2004, and withthe exception of a year we have continued this tradition. All 3 communities joinedtogether to put posters of the theme for each day of the Novena. Since there wasonly one priest at St. Jpseph’s we could not have a mass each day. On the feast day we had a get-together for the community. One year we had only vegetarian dishes,as is done in many places on the Nativity feast day of our Lady, this every oneenjoyed the variety prepared by our ladies. The get-together not only helped buildup the community but also facilitated the newcomers too in making new acquaintances and friends.Since it was becoming very difficult for the Kharghar community to commute toSt. Joseph’s Church at Belapur, we had discussions with our parish priest, Fr. RyanFernandes, regarding formation of a separate parish at Kharghar. Fr. Ryan agreedthat it needs to be done, we therefore decided to talk to Bishop Agnello Gracias, theregional bishop of Navi Mumbai. We started a signature campaign and got preparedan appeal. Three of our Kharghar parishioners met him when he came for instituting the rite of confirmations at St. Joseph’s Church in April 2005. At that time BishopAgnello wasn’t in favour of a separate parish for Kharghar since a sum of nearly Rs.1.10 crore had been spent on the St. Joseph’s Church building. He told us to sendthe appeal to Archbishop’s house and he would go through it. We then decided thatthe next time Bishop Agnello visited Belapur, he should be taken around Khargharto keep him abreast with the development taking place and the difficulty of traveling to the church in Belapur. The next time Bishop Agnello came directly to Khargharand asked us to meet him at Prem Dan. After he was taken around Kharghar by us,accompanied by Frs. Ralph and Ryan Fernandes and Sunder Albuquerque, his outlookchanged. He called the animators present for a meeting immediately and informedus that we should work towards formation of a separate parish in Kharghar. Ourlong cherished dream became a reality on June 1
st
 2009.Many of our community members worked on Saturday’s and found it difficult toattend 7.00p.m mass at Kharghar. They attended the 8.30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s onSundays. This kept the community divided and planning various activities difficult.We therefore requested for the mass at Kharghar to be changed to Sunday morning at 10.00 a.m. We also said we would provide transport for the priest but Fr. Ryan wasnot in favour of the change due to activities of the church during the same time.Mass at Kharghar was not celebrated on major feasts days, the two big holidayperiod, Holy Week and Christmas. The laity at Kharghar found it difficult to travelto Belapur due to lack of buses and rickshaws, especially in the morning. Many walked 10 Km. back to Kharghar even late at night. Hiring a bus was out of questionas no contractor was available at Kharghar. When the laity from Kharghar attendedmass at Belapur the crowd overflowed on to the road at the rear creating a trafficproblem. Soon only those having vehicles and a few staying near the bus stops wereattending mass at Belapur. Rickshaws charged up to Rs. 150 from Kharghar to St.Joseph’s and back. Many of the laity decided to attend mass at Belapur only on big feast days.We decided to speak to Bishop. Agnello regarding these problems and see if hecould help in getting the mass timing at Kharghar or appoint another priest atBelapur to help out at Kharghar. Bishop Agnello said that it will be difficult to appointa 2
nd
 priest due to shortage but he will get the mass timing at Kharghar changed toSunday 10.00 a.m.(to be continued...) –
Clifford D’Souza.
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WOMEN’S VOICE :An Evening for Couples
On Sunday, 7 March 2010, the Women’s Cell organised a special day for the couples of our parish. 35 couples cametogether at 5.30 p.m. at Prem Dan to participate in thespecial Eucharistic celebration. The meaningful liturgyprepared with appropriate inputs from Fr. Gerry createda beautiful ambience, and invoked in us a feeling of nostalgia as we reminisced the special moments of our wedding day. The renewalof our marriage vows also felt special as we gazed into the eyes of our beloved spouseand re-declared our love for each other. On the wedding day, we were overwhelmedby the excitement and cheers of felicitation from friends and relatives. In the wakeof all the merriment some of the messages from the liturgy and homily were forgottenas we left the Church hand-in-hand as one. But here, after years of togetherness, we were blessed with an opportunity to re-affirm our feelings for each other andacknowledge our appreciation. As the gifts of flowers, candle, incense, and breadand wine were brought in procession during offertory we were reminded that familylife is made fragrant with the sacrificing love of couples. Appropriate hymnscentering on the theme of love between couples were chosen and they further addedmeaning to our renewals and reflections. The Eucharist was followed by aninteractive session conducted by Fr. Gerry, who with the help of visual aidshighlighted the emotional differences between husbands and wives further widening our vision. Enlisted below are the highlights of the session:
Six primary love needs of a woman/man-
She needs CARING/ He needs TRUST 
She needs UNDERSTANDING/ He needs ACCEPTANCE
She needs RESPECT/ He needs APPRECIATION
She needs DEVOTION/ He needs ADMIRATION
She needs VALIDATION ( feelings)/ He needs APPROVAL 
She needs REASSURANCE/ He needs ENCOURAGEMENT We left that evening feeling more enriched, and amidst gratitude and appreciationa radiant hope sparkled in our hearts-a hope to witness and participate in manymore celebrations of the kind. –
Mrs. Fatima GodinhoSecretary (Women’s Cell)
COMMUNITY HAPPENINGSMy First Holy Communion
 The greatest and most momentous event of my life was when I received my First Holy Communion on 28February 2010. We were 12 candidates-3 boys and 9 girls- who stood before Fr. Gerry, the parish community, ourcatechists, parents, relatives and friends as we receivedthe Sacrament of Holy Communion. We are also proud tobe the first batch of Holy Communion candidates in ournewly formed Divya Kripa Church, Kharghar.Our preparations started from June 2009. We were indeed blessed to be initiatedand prepared for our First Holy Communion by our catechists Fr. Gerry, Sr. Cresence,Sr. Elsa and Miss. Preethi. During our preparatory course we were helped, encouragedand supported by many people. We were often lovingly referred to as ‘the twelve disciplesof Jesus”. At home our parents guided and instructed us on the basic prayers.Our catechesis was arranged into four units. In the first unit, we learned aboutour loving Father, and on the feast of St. John the Baptist, we were accepted to the firstEucharistic programme. We were then presented ‘the Lord’s Prayer’ on 1
st
 October, thefeast of the Guardian Angels, at the Community mass. The theme of our second unit was ‘With Jesus in the Holy Spirit’. On the feast of the Presentation of our Lord we were presented ‘The Creed’.In the third unit, we were introduced to the Sacrament of Reconciliation throughlessons from illustrious stories of the Bible such as that of the Prodigal son, the sinner woman and the woman of Samaria among others.With the guidance and fatherly love of Fr. Gerry, we then entered into the fourthsolemn stage of preparation for our first Confession. Through his various inspiring sessions, he took away our anxieties and worries. And on 27
th
February, we, the FirstHoly Communicants along with our parents made our confessions. We prepared ourhearts to receive Jesus.And finally our most anticipated day, 28
th
Februray, dawned. We awoke with greateagerness in our hearts and prepared excitedly for our Communion mass. All dressedserenely in garments of white, we entered the church in procession with our parentsfollowed by the Eucharistic ministers and Fr. Gerry. The presence and activeparticipation of our parents, relatives, friends and our dear parishioners gave us afeeling of unity and acceptance. We participated whole-heartedly in the Liturgybeautifully prepared by Sr. Cresence. We took up various parts of the Liturgy whichincluded the Readings from the books of Exodus and 2 Corinthians, and an Offertoryprocession accompanied with reflective prayers on our symbolic gifts of offering.And then that memorable moment arrived when we all received the consecratedHost in a ceremonious and symbolic manner from Fr. Gerry. Our hearts were bursting  with joy as we beheld our most sweet Jesus, our dearest friend who loves us ‘as we are’ and always walks besides us. We then professed our gratitude and love for Jesus bysinging the hymn ‘I just thank you Lord, for making me ME’. We are convinced thatthis Holy Sacrament of Communion constitutes a solid moral foundation for our futureand will always guide us to live a virtuous life.
 –
Joel Justine
Jeevan Jyoti Ashram –A Beacon of Light in the Darkness of Human Suffering
At the mention of Jeevan Jyoti Ashram, we all envisage the Missionaries of Charity Brothers, bearing expressions of joyous humility and tranquility, and living lives of simplicity devoted to loving kindness. As parishioners of Kharghar, weourselves bear witness to the selfless service they offer to those who are oftenshunned and abandoned by family and society, thereby living the vision of theirfoundress Mother Teresa. These messengers of God’s love live a joyous adventureof charity and faith each day as they embrace and share the trials of those in misery
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and need. Their works of love and service are strengthened by their life of prayer, which includes daily mass and an hour of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.We interview Brother Emmanuel, Superior of Jeevan Jyoti Ashram (Kharghar),to learn more about their vocation of service and love.
Brother Emmanuel, could you give us a brief idea of the history of yourOrder and also Jeevan Jyoti Ashram?
Inspired by a need to find men who would work among the poor with the samezeal and spirit, Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity Brothers in1963. She appointed a young Jesuit, Ian Travers Ball, whom she met when hecame to Calcutta for his Tertianship, as the Spiritual Director and Superior for theBrothers. With permission from the Jesuits, he joined the Brothers and humblyled this small group of men to serve the poorest of the poor. He took the name of Brother Andrew, a name that we now know him by. Under his leadership and Mother Teresa’s gentle guidance, we grew in numbers, and have been able to reach out toour sick, lonely and rejected brethren. We seek to do small things, but infused with love for our fellowmen.On 31 May 2009, we started Jeevan Jyoti Ashram at Kharghar, a home fordestitute persons (adults and children) diagnosed with HIV or tuberculosis, a place where they are loved and accepted, and where they can be cared for and nurtured.Most of them had the streets or railway stations as their addresses. They are broughtinto our care by the police, social workers, non-governmental organisations andthe Missionaries of Charity Sisters. We ourselves make regular rounds of railwaystations and major hospitals such as J.J. Hospital, Sion Hospital and KEM Hospitalto look for destitute persons living with HIV or tuberculosis who would need ourattention. Here at the Ashram we are able to provide them the security of a homeand an environment of love and peace. We are able to help them improve theirhealth by providing palliative care and assisting them to complete their course of medical treatment accompanied with access to routine medical examination atthe hospitals. We also run two dispensaries, one each for treatment of HIV andtuberculosis.
Are the medications aided or subsidised by the Government?
 Yes, the medicines specific for the treatment of HIV and tuberculosis arecompletely Government-aided and we collect them from government centres atIrla and Vashi. However, we have to purchase medicines to treat other ailmentsthat affect our brethren.
What is the usual daily routine for the residents of Jeevan Jyoti Ashram?
Dependent on their health, the residents are encouraged to participate in simpledaily activities. In the mornings, they engage themselves in making rosaries andcleaning. Time is dedicated in the early evening for outdoor games. This is followedby a session of prayer and devotion. We are also planning to introduce candle-making. Every Wednesday, we conduct awareness programmes in the form of oralpresentations to help clarify their doubts and misconceptions.
What is the response you receive from the residents under your care? Doyou witness any changes in their interactions?
 Yes, each day, we are witnesses to small miracles of change and healing—not just of their bodies but also their wounded and bruised spirits. The constantassurance that there is somebody to look after them and care for their needs hashelped blossom their faith. The renewed faith gives them the courage to endurelife’s sufferings and tribulations. We are happy to notice a change in theirbehaviour—from one of indifference to a healthy participation in the activities atJeevan Jyoti Ashram and interaction with others.
How would you describe your mission of love?
We believe in preaching the Word of God through works of love, reaching out tothose deprived of acceptance and companionship. To serve the poor, we believe infirst humbling ourselves and living a simple life. By being one with the poor, wecan identify with their sufferings, and they find it easier to approach us with theirinadequacies and broken spirits. We do not make distinctions based on religion,caste or creed; with our hearts open to people from all faiths, we embrace theminto the circle of our love. We give freely what we receive in abundance from God.
In what ways can we contribute to Jeevan Jyoti Ashram?
Our main sponsorship is from our Mother House at Kolkata. Your acts of charity,however, will definitely aid our work. Apart from volunteering time, you can alsosponsor the daily meals through our booking system, and provide monetarydonations, clothes and food supplies. We would appreciate enquiries regarding ourother immediate requirements before you volunteer to make further donations. You can also help strengthen our mission by your simple act of encouraging yourfellow brethren to come forward to our aid. Most importantly, keep us always in your prayers
We are indeed deeply touched by your works of reaching out to our less fortunate brethren. You strive zealously to restore dignity to the rejected, abandoned and ostracised,transcending the barriers of race, creed, physical attributes, social class and health status. You feed their hunger for love, clothe them with acceptance and dissipate their loneliness. Thank you, Brother, for sharing with us your visionary ideals of doing the smallest of things with the greatest of love.
In order to contribute to Jeevan Jyoti Ashram, you may contact BrotherEmmanuel at Jeevan Jyoti Ashram.
 – Jacinta George
Prem Dan –The Gift of Love that every Child Deserves and Yearns for
Nestled at the foothills around Kharghar lies a place that embodies the spirit of love, service and goodwill, a place where we gather together every Sunday to celebratethe Eucharist, a place that has carved a place in the warm niche of our hearts, a place we all know as Prem Dan. Every visit to this home renews our appreciation of thebeauty and homely atmosphere of this wondrous place. We revel in the generosity of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary under whose guidance and administration thisinstitution has flourished. The grace and poise exuded by the resident girls during prayers and daily interactions never fails to amaze us. Yet, many aspects of their lives are unknown to most of us. And, so one evening,I sought the help of Sister to find out more about the institution and its work. With aserene smile and a warm embrace, she welcomed me to their home and humbly agreedto provide answers for my questing mind.
Sister, it would be wonderful if you could help us find out more about PremDan. I will commence by asking you to elaborate on the vision behind yourCongregation and the establishment of this institution.
In 1818, the Congregation of the Religious of Jesus and Mary was founded bySaint Claudine with the apostolic aim of providing young and deprived children affectedby the French Revolution with a solid religious and moral formation along withimparting elementary education and working skills. She always urged the Daughtersof the Congregation “to be mothers to the children, true mothers of body and soul”.And true to the visionary ideals of our foundress, Saint Claudine, Sister FelicityMorris, a Religious of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, has been working undauntedly towards the upliftment of the underprivileged girl child.Prem Dan is the outcome of Sister Felicity Morris’ long-cherished and deep desireto gift the underprivileged girl child with the security of a loving, caring and appreciativeenvironment. She initiated the child care project in 1975 under a tree in Mumbai.Her small steps of embracing a few girls then took the form of a home, and the tree isthe now site of the Thévenet Garden School, Prem Dan at Fort, Mumbai. In order toprovide a full-fledged home where the girls could be cared for, in 1998, Prem Dan at
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