Sailing Towards a Stronger Faith.

On the 16th– 17th of November, 2013, the Salesian Youth Movement [SYM], Virar organised an All Night Vigil at the Resurrection Parish, Virar [East] from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
The Night Vigil had the theme of “Sailing towards a Stronger Faith” in context with the Year of Faith.
The opening message was given by Fr. Lawrence D’Souza , sdb, with a few inspiring stories of how our faith can be tested, but how we m
ust stay strong.    
The ‘ Vigil Lights & Praise ’ group conducted the Praise and Worship sessions which got the whole congregation dancing and singing and energised for the Lord.
The first session of the night was given by Fr. Lester Fernandes, sdb. This session was based upon faith in context with adults. The session was quite meaningful. The Vigil Lights & Praise group animated the praise and worship sessions throughout the night, which kept the congregation along with the youth, rejoicing unto the Lord.
The SYM Virar had also put up a skit. With dance performances Choreographed to different songs, the skit depicted how the life of a youth can be tested in this modern world of material desires, how God is willing to accept us no matter how we are and how he fights evil to get us back to him. The skit was creatively enacted. After the skit, we had a tea break.

The tea break concluded with the beginning of the session by Fr. Cleophas Braganza, sdb, who spoke on the topic of faith in context with the youth. He showed us various slide shows depicting pictures of the World Youth Day held at Rio, Brazil in July 2013. The session was an interactive one as he told us to form groups to discuss the questionnaire that was distributed to every person in the congregation. He concluded the session by leading us into dancing for the song “Shout to the North”.
After the session, there was the Taize prayer of worship. Three volunteers from the Don Bosco Youth Services ( DBYS ) came to our parish to conduct the Taize Prayer. The prayer session was conducted very meaningfully. The whole congregation participated by coming in front with lighted candles and kneeling before the cross,  beautifully surrounded by silk drapes.
After another beautiful praise and worship session by the Vigil Lights & Praise, the congregation got ready for mass. The mass was celebrated by Fr. Lester and concelebrated by Fr. Lawrence D’Souza, sdb, and Fr. Cleophas Braganza, sdb. The mass was animated beautifully with the Vigil Lights & Praise group singing for the mass.
The mass ended with a vote of thanks proposed by one of our youth. All in all, it was an amazing and a beautiful experience in prayer just one week before the start of the season of Advent.

THREE POPES AT :

THE RESURRECTION CHURCH, VIRAR

Gratitude, was the sole-cause. The Church in Virar, felt the need, for all that Pope Benedict XVI did and was, as Vicar of Christ. His fatherliness, his understanding, his nobility in being so humble, than when, incapable of executing his responsibility as the Pope, he stepped down. This made the Church come together  in the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, on 13 March 2013, from 6.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. Great many people, inspite of work, joined in the thanksgiving Hour of Adoration. Our Gratitude to a Pope. This was the first Pope we remembered on 13th March.
Just around midnight, we were happy to hear of the election of a  new-Pope for the Church, at the conclave of the cardinals in Rome. The Pope elected  is Pope Francis.
The second Pope, remembered at the Resurrection Church ,Virar.
 On the 14th March, Resurrection Church Virar, was privileged to have the visit of the Relic of Blessed Pope John Paul 2nd. And the crowd of the faithful that kept coming, to venerate, was indeed a blessed occasion.  The Third Pope remembered!
Long live the Popes.                                                                                                                                                                       Long live the Church.                                                                                                                                                               Long live the Catholic-Faith.

By An Admirer of the Church

MIRACLES AT RESURRECTION CHURCH  BLESSING / CONFIRMATION                                                                                                                       

On the 27^th of January, 2013, fifty- one candidates; belonging to the Resurrection Church, Virar (East)              and the Mary, Help of Christians Church (Naigaon – East) received the Sacrament of Confirmation, administered by the Bishop of Vasai Diocese, His Grace Archbishop Felix Machado, in a solemn Eucharistic ceremony, concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Michael Fernandes, sdb, the Salesian Provincial of the Mumbai Province; and Rev. Fr. Orville Coutinho, sdb, the Parish Priest of the Mary, Help of Christians Church, Naigaon (East); Rev. Fr. Lawrence D’Souza, sdb, the Parish Priest of the Resurrection Church Virar (East) and Rev. Fr. Osborn Furtado, sdb, the Assistant Parish Priest of the Resurrection Church, Virar (East).  

After a warm welcome by the First Holy Communicants, the Parish Pastoral Council Members, the Eucharistic Ministers, the Catechism Teachers and the Salesian CoOperators, His Grace Archbishop Felix Machado and Rev. Fr. Michael Fernandes, sdb, proceeded to bless the newly – installed life – size statues of Mary, Help of Christians and St. John Bosco respectively.                                                                                                     The Church, most beautifully adorned with fresh  flowers, was packed to capacity and outdoor seating arrangements with a huge screen were provided for parishioners, who followed the service outside the Church.  In his homily, His Grace Archbishop Felix Machado dwelt on the analogy of the human body used by  St. Paul in his Letter to the Corinthians, ( 1. Cor. 12:12 – 30 )to drive home the message that each of us, plays, a vital role in the Church – no one should consider themselves insignificant as each of us contributes to keep up the vitality and the vibrancy of the Church, Christ being the Supreme head. The newly confirmed candidates were encouraged to always be actively united with the Church.         Fr. Lawrence D’Souza,sdb, expressed his gratitude to His Grace, Archbishop Felix Machado,  & the Salesian Provincial, Rev. Fr. Michael Fernandes, sdb, and the Catechists of the two Parishes. The Vice – President of the Resurrection Church Parish Pastoral Council Mr. David Castellino officially thanked our esteemed celebrants for the occasion.                                                                                                                                            After the Eucharist, a variety of home – made snacks and beverages were sold by our parishioners on the church grounds to satiate their hunger.                                                                                                                                                  We pray that with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the newly – confirmed candidates will experience in a special way the richness and the fullness of a grace – filled Christian life.                                                                                                                                                              

   

 

Faith of our Fathers

“The Door of Faith’ (acts 14:27) is always open for us, ushering us into the life of Communion with God and offering entry into his Church”… Pope Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei for the induction of the Year of Faith, from 11^th of October, 2012 to the  24^th  of November, 2013.

We the parishioners of The Resurrection Church, Virar (E) assembled in the Church premises at 6.30 pm on 11^th October, 2012, the first day of the year of faith, which is the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) and also the twentieth anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The Parish Priest, Fr. Lawrence D’Souza hoisted the Flag with the Logo of the Year of Faith, proceeding with a detailed description of the logo, which shows the image of a ship, symbolizing the CHURCH, the mast of the vessel is a CROSS with full blown sails which form the monogram of Christ (IHS) and in the background the sun representing the Eucharist.

The Parish Priest Fr. Lawrence then opened the doors of the Church and welcomed the parishioners, who made their entry into the church with a lit candle in their hands, a symbol of clear light and enthusiasm in the journey to encounter Christ.

The Celebration of the Holy Eucharist began by blessing the congregation with Holy water. The Homily highlighted on the Gospel, choosing St. Peter, the rock, on whom the Lord built his Church, as an inspiration to rediscover and entrust our lives to Christ with courage and conviction. The seven points given by the Archbishop of Vasai Diocese, His Lordship, Felix Machado, was once again shared with the faithful gathered, emphasizing predominantly on the family prayers and the role of the parents to deepen in their children the knowledge of Faith.

The celebration concluded by thanking the children, altar servers, cross bearers, other associates, who volunteered to help in making an solemn entry into the year of faith and the entire congregation who inspite of a working day had gathered in a large number, affirming their faith and renewing their relationship with Christ and his Church.

Parishioner

The Resurrection Church 

CELEBRATING YOUR COMMITMENT: SALESIAN JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS

MATUNGA, NOVEMBER 1, 2011: "This celebration of God's faithfulness must stimulate the quality of our own fidelity to the Covenant that God made with us both as individuals and as a Province." These words summed up the mood of the jubilarians: Fr. Tony D'Souza, Fr. Nelson Falcao, Fr. Alexander Fernandes, Fr. Dominic Lisboa, Fr. Blany Pinto, Fr. Ignas Macwan, Fr. Edison Fernandes and Fr. Edwin Colaco.

Fr. Ashley Miranda, in his toast, reiterated that the theme 'Celebrate Your Commitment' was an occasion for the Province of Mumbai to rejoice with the jubilarians because God had used them to spread the magic of Don Bosco, the faithfulness of Mary and the love of Jesus in blessing the lives of many (especially the young) to whom they had ministered to with zeal and commitment.

Fr. Michael Fernandes, Provincial of the Mumbai Province, while presenting a citation to each jubilarian sketched their many qualities. He stated thus: 'In Fr. Blany Pinto, one notices the dedication to pastoral ministry and his formative skills in building communities and apostolic groups.

In Fr. Edwin Colaco, is reflected the youth minister who uses creativity to enthuse and empower youth.

As a Province, we thank them for their examples of fidelity and let us sincerely believe in the Lord's faithfulness who assures us with the words: "I shall be with you till the end of time.

AT HOME WITH DON BOSCO'S RELIC - VIRAR

AUGUST 11, 2011: Vasai’s love affair with Don Bosco goes back many decades. Although it is only the recent years that have seen Salesian institutions being established in this region, Don Bosco has been a household name in Vasai for the past few generations. So great is the fascination for Don Bosco in this quaint suburb of Mumbai, that when Vasai did not feature on the original itinerary drawn up for the pilgrim Relic, Archbishop Felix Machado of Vasai personally requested that the Saint’s Relic should be brought to his diocese. “Vasai has great devotion to Don Bosco, it is unthinkable that he will not be visiting us,” the good Archbishop had insisted.

On August 11, the appointed day for Vasai’s tryst with Don Bosco, the town was abuzz with excitement from the wee hours of the morning. At 6.30 a.m., when the vehicle carrying the casket with the Relic approached the railway-crossing at Virar, the crowd of students and devotees gathered there broke out into a roar of ecstatic applause. They then accompanied the casket in procession to Resurrection Church, Virar East, with the Don Bosco School, Naigaon band playing along. The Church was already packed with parishioners and devotees, who had come to venerate the Relic and seek the blessings of Don Bosco. At 8.00 a.m. the Eucharist was celebrated, with the Parish Priest Fr. Lawrence D’Souza being the principal celebrant. A visibly moved Fr. D’Souza reminded the gathering that they were privileged to received such a singular grace. “Having the Relic of Don Bosco with us here in Virar is an extraordinary blessing, an event that we can never forget,” said an emotional Fr. D’Souza. 

The next stop for the day was St. James Church in Agashi. The Relic was once again taken in triumphant procession from Virar to Agashi, led by a motorcade of youth on their motorcycles, waving flags and raising slogans in honour of Don Bosco. At 10.30 a.m. the Relic arrived at Agashi and was immediately kept open for public veneration since a huge crowd of devotees had already gathered. As the minutes ticked by, the crowds began to swell rapidly, giving rise to fears of a possible stampede. Even the Eucharistic celebration had to be delayed since the stream of devotees kept pouring in and the atmosphere in the Church was highly charged with emotion and fervour. 

At 3.00 p.m. the Relic departed from Agashi for the Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace at Papdy. This time the procession was led by a motorcade of past pupils, who had turned up in huge numbers. With the band playing jubilantly and the entire crowd singing ‘Raise Your Voices’, the Relic was solemnly ushered into the Cathedral. The grand Eucharistic celebration at 6.30 p.m. had Archbishop Felix Machado as the principal celebrant, with about fifty other priests concelebrating. Not just the Church, but even the adjoining school grounds were filled to capacity by the massive crowd that was present for the celebration. Quoting extensively from the writing of Don Bosco, the Archbishop in his homily spoke on the attitudes and the approach we should have in dealing with youth. “Youth are a precious part of our society,” the Archbishop pointed out, “and we need to learn from Don Bosco how to help them grow into good Christians and honest citizens, so that they can be the future pillars of the Church and the society.” After the Mass, public veneration of the Relic carried on till 10.00 p.m.

A significant event of the day was the launching of the Salesian Cooperators Movement in Vasai. Fifteen past pupils of different Salesian institutions got together to officially begin the first unit of Salesian Cooperators in Vasai, on the occasion of Don Bosco’s visit to this area. “The past pupils did a splendid job in organizing the entire day and they were really overjoyed to have the Relic in Vasai,” said Fr. Wilfred D’Souza Provincial Delegate for the Salesian Family. “The initiative to form this unit of the Salesian Cooperators came from the past pupils and it certainly was a fitting event to mark this memorable day,” added Fr. D’Souza.

The Relic has already left Vasai, but the Salesians and the Salesian Family will continue to keep alive the legacy and mission of Don Bosco in Vasai – a land where the people are passionately in love with this great saint!

Induction of the Parish Pastoral Council

Induction of the PPC at Virar

By Loreen Fernandes

The newly-elected members of the Parish Pastoral Council of the Resurrection Church, Virar (E), were formally inducted at the 8.00 am Eucharist, on Sunday, March 6 by Fr. Lawrence D’souza, the newly appointed Rector and parish Priest, assisted by Fr. Blany Pinto.

Over the past 3 years, the parish team has rightly emphasized the pivotal role played by small Christian communities in creating leaders and sustaining a vibrant parish. We have 13 communities and each community is further divided into clusters consisting of 10 -15 families headed by a cluster leader. There are 13 community leaders and 38 cluster leaders. There are a number of cells/associations actively functioning in the parish. Each cell has 3 leaders which form the executive committee. All this has given an opportunity to the parishioners to blossom as leaders and they are extremely grateful to the parish team.

During the month of January and February, elections were conducted for the posts of community leaders and cluster leaders. The result of the process mentioned above is a ready willingness on the part of many individuals to volunteer for leadership posts in the parish, a phenomenon not witnessed earlier.

As the newly-inducted Parish pastoral council members pledged to be servant-leaders, modeled on the example of Christ, we wish them tenure of fruitful service.

Bosco Bonding 2011

Bosco-Bonding 2011

Loreen Fernandes

The 9 day novena to Don Bosco culminated on Sunday, January 30 with a festive mass at 9.30 am. In his homily, the parish priest explained Don Bosco’s educative system and exhorted the Parents to be guided by it as they bring up their children.

The Bosco- Bonding 2011 - the much awaited annual parish event provided a fitting platform for the entire parish to celebrate the feast in the evening. Around 900 parishioners joined for the evening programme. The grand inaugural march that witnessed an unprecedented participation set the ball rolling for an evening of housie, spot prizes and music and dance which culminated in a sumptuous dinner for all. The MC added spice to the programme with timely humorous jokes. The Winners of the raffle tickets that were being sold in aid of our up-coming burial ground were declared. The presence of Fr. Edwin Colaco among us, who initiated the mega-event last year, was much appreciated.

Kudos to the cultural committee for planning out such a lovely evening. The raffle committee displayed efficient organization skills in coordinating the prize distribution. We indeed feel proud and privileged that we belong to Don Bosco and to a Salesian parish. The vibrancy and sheer dynamism of the parish is truly contagious. Long live Don Bosco!