News & Events

REGION JHARKHAND: 16th to 18th September 2019 – EMM OCT2019 (MCA) Programme
Between the 16th and 18th of September, we had 35 Diocesan Directors from 7 dioceses of the Region of Jharkhand participating in the Regional Directors Meeting at the Catholic Charities Diocesan Social Development Centre, Jamshedpur. All the sessions were packed with missionary activities that involved both education and planning, although the group was largely from the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood Associations (MCA).

(1) Veteran missionary Fr C R Prabhu, who is also Diocesan Director for Jamshedpur explained the three stages of the growth of the missionary enthusiasm in the region. Elaborating the metamorphosis of the missionary movement, he used the exemplary lives of several missionaries (Saints, foreign, local, current-times) to explain the challenges and delights involved in New Evangelization.

(2) Fr Valerian Lobo, Diocesan Director for the Pontifical Society of Missionary Childhood Associations (MCA), Jamshedpur, highlighted the role of the Apostolic Letter Maximum Illud and the key areas from it that ignites missionary zeal for one and all.

(3) Most Rev Telesphore Bilung, the Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Jamshedpur educated the gathering on the missionary dimension of our faith. While highlighting that the socio-political situation may call for our prudence and caution in approach, he encouraged that the participants ought to march forward with the encouragement of adding good works for the mission.

(4) National Director Fr Dr Ambrose Pitchaimuthu re-oriented the gathering with the activities of the Pontifical Mission Societies emphasising on the need to make EMM OCT 2019 relevant, meaningful and enthusiastically participative among all the faithful. Highlighting the vision of Pope Francis for the missionary month, he shared various ways in which our mission has become a movement and that which is now celebrated across.

(5) Regional Director Fr Edward Coelho who organised the two-day meeting ensured that the participants carried with them the right action-plans to be implemented in their respective dioceses.