AGARTALA DIOCESE GETS A SECOND PRIEST

Deacon Joshy Puthenveetil was ordained a Priest by His Lordship Most Rev. Lumen Monteiro, CSC, DD, the Bishop of Agartala, at St. Joseph’s Church, Durjoynagar, Agartala on 26th April 2009. The meaningful liturgy was concelebrated by over 30 priests and attended by many religious. Morethan two thousand faithful from 13 parishes of the diocese witnessed the ordination ceremony.

On this occasion the Bishop urged the faithful to pray for more vocations so that many more young boys and girls may come forward responding the need of the local Church and to serve the people of God in the diocese of Agartala.

Fr. Joshy was born at Vagaman in Idukki district of Kerala in the year 1976. He joined the diocese of Agartala in 2005 and he was send to different parishes of the dioceses for village experience. Then, in 2006, he was send to Orient Theological College for his theological studies. After completion of his studies, he was promoted to the order of Deacon in the year 2008 and did his diaconate ministry at St. Joseph Parish, Agartala.

Fr. Joshy is appointed as the Asst. Parish of the newly erected Khumlung Parish and we wish him all the success in his new ministry as a Priest.

PENTICOST EVENT IN TRIPURA CONTEXT

This painting portray the Penticost Event in the context of the tribal culture in Tripura, where the people begins to experience the joy of peace and harmony through the power of the Holy Spirit. (This is a painting of one of the deacons from SVD congregation at St. Arnold Parish, Ambasa, Tripura.)

ASSOCIATION FOR SOCIAL AND HUMAN ADVANCEMENT (ASHA)

a social service center, run by the Fathers of Holy Cross, Northeast Province, situated at Agartala.

ASHA YOUTH - DRAMA TROUP- 2009

About 25 youth had graduated in streetplay and drama training which was organised at ASHA for about 7 days. The participants are from different parts of Tripura who are ready to proclaim the message of peace through drama and skit.

At the concluding ceremony, Fr. Robert Mathias, CSC, the director of JUST, was the chief guest who encourages the members for this new venture and wish them all the success in this peace project.

Youth in action at ASHA for streetplay

About 25 youth are undergoing for Drama and Street play intensive training at ASHA from 15 of April 2009. The youth are preparing themselves to impart peace education to the people of Tripura through their simple and short streetplay and drama. ASHA will be organised tour to different places with these group and perform the skit.

Baptism on the Easter Vigil

The Good News of Jesus Christ cannot be stopped by human efforts, but it will spread more and more to every corners of the earth. The Risen Lord

The Light of Easter Vigil at Blessed Andre Parish, Bodjungnagar

The Easter vigil was meaningfully celebrated at Blessed Andre Parish, Bodjungnagar. There were hundreds of faithful gathered to witness the risen Lord from far and near. The easter Candle which symbolised Jesus Christ was leading the crowd carrying small candle in their hand, to the Church for the celebration.

Palm Sunday celebrated at Agartala

The irony of Palm Sunday is that none of the glory of the day would last beyond the following week. Such turns and twists and ironies are not unknown to each of us. We have all experienced the alternating course which life lays before us: acceptance/rejection, victory/defeat, hope/despair, love/loneliness. Jesus was exalted on Palm Sunday, but he knew it wouldn't last. Yet, his love and mercy remained intact; he would never surrender to despair or hatred. As we face the daily ironies of our lives, we would do well to remember Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday was meaningfully celebrated at St. Joseph's Church, Durjoynagar, Agartala. The procession began from Holy Cross School and there were many faithful participated remembering the great entry of Jesus Christ into the city of Jerusalem. The procession was followed by Holy Eucharist presided over by Rev. Shaji ML, CSC along with other eight priests.

It was indeed moment of witnessing Jesus Christ in the street of Agartala through which we proclaim to the people that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour.

The Passion of Jesus Is Our Reason for HopeBiblical Reflection for Palm Sunday

Father Thomas Rosica, CSB
TORONTO, APRIL 1, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Passion, suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord are the very themes that unite us as a Christian people and a Church during Holy Week.
This year on Palm Sunday, we listen attentively to Mark's Passion story of Jesus' final days and hours on earth. It is a story of striking contrasts. As we hear anew this moving story, Jesus' passion penetrates the numbness of our lives. This week in particular, we have a privileged opportunity to learn from what happened to Jesus and discover not only the identity of those who tried, condemned and killed him long ago, but also what killed Jesus and what vicious circles of violence, brutality, hatred and jealousy continue to crucify him today in his brothers and sisters of the human family.
In Mark's jarring Passion story, we witness the anguish of Jesus who has been totally abandoned by friends and disciples. Jesus is resigned to his fate. He makes no response to Judas when he betrays him nor to Pilate during his interrogation. In Mark, Pilate makes no effort to save him, as the Roman procurator does in the other three Gospels.
When we remember the events of that first Holy Week - from the upper room to Gethsemane, from Pilate's judgment seat to Golgotha, from the cross to the empty tomb, Jesus turns our world and its value system upside down. He teaches us that true authority is found in dedicated service and generosity to others; greatness is centered in humility; the just and loving will be exalted by God in God's good time.* * *

Holy Cross Superior Makes Pro-Life Appeal to Obama

Notre Dame Students Organize Prayer Rally Protest:

By Genevieve Pollock
SOUTH BEND, Indiana, APRIL 1, 2009 (Zenit.org).- A coalition of student groups at the University of Notre Dame will hold a prayer rally to protest the school's choice to honor President Barack Obama at this year's commencement.
The rally, to take place on Palm Sunday, is sponsored by Notre Dame Response, a coalition that formed to speak out against the Catholic university's decision to invite the U.S. president to give its commencement speech, and to receive an honorary law degree.
In a press statement released Tuesday, the coalition noted its hope "that through this prayerful and public demonstration on Palm Sunday, the university community will be respectfully reminded to celebrate its Catholic character and to defend those non-negotiable principles for which Notre Dame stands, including an overarching recognition of the inherent dignity and value of all human life.
The event will include an address on the role of Catholic institutions in the abortion debate, praying of the rosary and an offering of flowers at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.
The coalition reiterated its commitment to "acts of witness that will be characterized by respect, prayerfulness, outspoken fidelity to the Church, and true concern for the good of our university."

ST. PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH, KUMARGHAT

NEW PILGRIMAGE CENTER

St. Paul Catholic Church, Kumarghat has become the center of attraction, as many pilgrims flocked towards Kumarghat Parish in the recent few months. Pilgrims from Khumlung parish and St. Arnold Parish of Ambasa paid a to this place which is the second oldest Parish in the diocese of Agartala. On March 27, 2009 Friday, about ninety women and children pilgrims from St. Arnold Parish, Ambasa visited St. Paul Catholic Church, Kumarghat. They spent more than three hours in the Church praying, listening the word of God and the life of St. Paul. They also conducted Way of the cross and Holy Eucharist. They went back with lots of spiritual blessing which they experienced during this pilgrimage.

NEW PILGRIMAGE CENTER

St. Paul Catholic Church, Kumarghat has become the attraction of

HOLY CROSS MEDIA MINISTRY: SEMINAR ON PEACE AND MEDIA

HOLY CROSS MEDIA MINISTRY: SEMINAR ON PEACE AND MEDIA