Sunday With e-sermon By Sr. Smita Macwan

Please click to watch the Sunday e-sermon in Gujarati


BBN Thanks Sr.Smita Macwan for the e-sermon

Read More

Resurrection Of Christ By Prof. R.R. Parmar

પ્રો. આર.આર.પરમાર અમદાવાદની સેન્ટ ઝેવિયર  કોલેજમાં ગુજરાતી સાહિત્યના પ્રોફેસર તરીકે ફરજ બજાવી ચૂકેલ છે. તેમણે  આપણી  ધર્મસભામાં ઘણાં બધાં ભાષાંતર કરી પુસ્તકોનું યોગદાન આપેલ છે. તેમાં મોટું યોગદાન તે ગુજરાતી સંપૂર્ણ બાઈબલ છે. રેવ. ફા. ઇસુદાસ ક્વેલિ એસ જે ની સાથે મળી લોકો પોતાની ગુજરાતી ભાષામાં પ્રભુની વાણીનું પઠન કરી શકે તે માટે ભારે જહેમત ઉઠાવી આજે શ્રદ્ધા ને મજબુત બનાવવામાં ઉત્તમ ફાળો આપ્યો છે.

આજે BBN ના આમંત્રણને સ્વીકારી તેમણે ભારતની બહાર વસતાં અને ભારતમાં વસતા દરેક ખ્રિસ્તીબંધુઓ માટે  ઈસુના પુનરુત્થાનનો સંદેશ આપ્યો છે.

આ સંદેશ માટે વીડિઓ ઉપર ક્લિક કરશો.

Prof. R.R. Parmar is a retired Gujarati professor of St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad,Gujarat. He worked with Rev. Fr. Isudas Queli SJ for translating Bible into Gujarati language which is now known as "Sanpurna Bible". With beautiful and simple language he has translated the Bible for us.There are a lot many books of spirituality he has translated and written for the Gujarat Church.
               

Read More

Second Sunday after Easter By Fr. Vally de Souza SJ

Second Sunday after Easter – 1 May 2011

A NEW BEGINNING  -  John 20, 19-31

 (Original from José Antonio Pagola translated in English By Fr. Vally de Souza SJ)

Fr. Vally de Souza SJ

Terrified by the execution of Jesus, the disciples take refuge in a familiar house. They are reunited once  more, but Jesus is no longer with them. No one can fill the vacuum in the community. Jesus is missing. They cannot hear his words full of passion. They cannot see him tenderly blessing the unfortunate ones. Whom will they follow now? 

   Night is falling in Jerusalem as well as in their hearts. No one can console them in their sadness. Slowly fear takes hold of them all, but they do not have Jesus to strengthen their spirits. The only move that brings a certain security is to ”close the doors”. No one now thinks of taking to the road to proclaim the kingdom of God or heal life. How can they spread the Good News without Jesus?  

   John the evangelist describes in a marvelous manner the transformation in the disciples when Jesus, vibrant with life, presents himself in their midst. The Risen One is again right there with his followers. This is how it has to be always. Everything is possible with him: to free themselves of fear, to have the doors opened, to get evangelization under way.

   According to the story, peace is what Jesus first infuses into his community. There is no reproach for having abandoned him, no complaint, no disapproval. Only peace and joy. The disciples feel his creative breath. Everything begins anew. Driven by his Spirit they will continue to work for centuries for the same salvific project the Father entrusted Jesus with.

   What the church needs today is not only religious reforms and calls to unity. We need to see in our communities “a new beginning” starting with the living presence of Jesus in our midst. He alone must occupy the centre of the Church; he alone can bring about unity; he alone can renew our hearts. 

   Our own efforts and work will not be enough. It is Jesus who can bring about a change of horizon, freedom from fear and suspicion, the new atmosphere of peace and serenity we need so much to be able to open doors, and to share the Gospel with the men and women of our times.

   We must, however, learn to welcome his presence in our midst with faith. When Jesus presents himself again after eight days, the evangelist tells us that the doors still remained closed. It is not only Thomas who has to learn to confidently believe in the Risen One. The other disciples, too, have to overcome little by little the doubts and fears which still make them live with the doors closed to evangelization.

***************

The Risen Jesus is truly among us!

Let us spread His peace everywhere!

BBN thanks Fr. Vally de Souza SJ for this sermon 

Read More

Inauguration of BBN Office

Our immense joy to inform you all that now BBN e-ministry will be operated from its new office in Bhumel. The Office was inaugurated by Rev. Fr. Changanchery Sj (The Provincial Of The Society Of Jesus, Gujarat Province) on 24-04-2011. BBN Thanks all who joined the celebration of our e-ministry. We also thank and appreciate all who prayed for us and are praying for this e-ministry. We remember each BBN reader on this joyful occasion. Your visit and support will always make us happier. Do visit, Do come.
Please click for the inauguration photos.


BBN also Thanks Fr. Stany SFX,(Parish Priest, Vadtal)  Fr. Anthony Pichai SJ (Ahmedabad), Nadiad Sisters Sr.Saroj.Sr.Sunita,Sr.Surya,Sr.Anita (Australia).Rameshbhai Y. Parmar (Anand),Kinjalbhai Macwan, Kantibhai A Parmar, Kantibhai R Macwan, Rohit Macwan, Jantibhai P Macwan and the youth of Bhumel who helped us in arranging the programme.BBN also thanks its two pillars Of Bhumel Church Fr.Raj SJ and Fr. Vinayak SJ.

- Thanking you all.

- BBN

Read More

Good Friday In Gamdi-Anand

Please click on the video.



BBN Thanks Fr. Jimmy Dabhi SJ, Fr. Albert SJ (Parish Priest) and the Fathers Of Gamdi- Anand Church.

Read More

Last Supper_Gamdi Anand

Read More

Holy Thursday By Mr. Rajesh Christian

Dear All,

Please stay tuned for Holy Thursday Mass celebration of Gamdi-Anand. The Sermon was delivered by Fr. Jimmy SJ.

Will be available on BBN soon.


-BBN

Read More

Jesus Is With Us By Fr. Arana Sj

Rev. Fr. Arana Sj is in Vayara, Gujarat, He was the novice master and later was also the provincial of Gujarat province. He is the Spanish Missionary and people oriented Jesuit. He was one of the tree pioneers of tribal Church forty  years ago. He has spent 40 years among the tribal in South Gujarat  Please click to watch the sermon on Jesus Is With Us.


BBN is thankful to Fr. Arana SJ.

Read More

Palm Sunday -તાડપત્રનો રવિવાર

Note: This video was prepared last year in Bhumel on Palm Sunday.

Read More

Saputara- Girimata (Mother Of Hills) Shrine

Click to watch the beautiful Girimata (Mother Of Hills) Shrine

The Girimata Shrine at Saputara is new one. Its feast is celebrated on the First Sunday of December where people from all around come to Saputara, some on foot, others by vehicles and pay their homage to our Lady, asking for her intercession to her son Jesus Christ. Though it is in its initial stage the devotion to our Girimata

is picking up momentum as even tourists who come up to Saputara make it a point to have Darshan of Our Lady.

Fr.Ishwan SJ

Recently there was first holy communion ceremony at Girimata Shrine, Our Lady of the Hills, Saputara. This was mainly for the tribal catholic students studying in St. Anne's School, at Saputara. The ceremony took place on 03.04.2011, Sunday. As per our tradition in the Dangs, the holy Eucharist was celebrated in the Lingua Franca of the place, which is Dangi, though there were bits of things in other languages such as English and Gujarati .

The melodious singing was voiced by the local tribal of the Shamgahan Mission. Along with the reception of the Holy Communion by students, it was a day for some of our parish villages to gather together in Saputara at the feet of our Lady of the Hills and pray to her.

BBN Corner;

During the South Gujarat Church visitation, have visited Saputara Church. It is looked after by Shamghan Jesuits Fr. Iswan Gamit SJ and Fr. Raymund Chauhan SJ (Today he has given many songs to Gujarat Church). It is a beautiful place with nature and mountains it has sunrise point and many beautiful gardens and lake near the house in walking distance. Here, one can sit down for hours and hours to pray and enjoy the natural beauty. Many would like to be with God and this is a suggested place for retreat,reflection, prayers and camps. It helps one soul to be free from earthly values.


- BBN

Read More

PAKISTANI Christian girls, victims of forced conversions to Islam, rapes and forced marriages

Citing several examples, the Fides news agency reports that hundreds of Christian girls in Pakistan have been abducted, forced to convert to Islam, and raped or forced into marriages.

“The Christian girls are the weakest and most vulnerable, because their communities are poor, defenseless and marginalized, therefore easily exposed to harassment and threats,” said a nun who hides girls who have escaped their captors. Often they do not even have the courage to denounce the violence.”

“The trend is worrying,” she added. “There are hundreds of cases a year registered, and those that come to light are only a fraction.”

Source(s): the link will take you to the courtesy site.

Click: Christian girls, victims of forced conversions to Islam, rapes and forced marriages

News Courtesy: Agenzia Fides
Photo courtesy: Google

Special thanks to Bro. Agnel Vaz for sending the news for us.

Read More

Palm Sunday Special Bible Lent Katha _ તપઋતુ બાઈબલ કથા

તાડપત્રના રવિવાર નિમિત્તે બાઈબલ આધારિત કથા "તપઋતુ બાઈબલ કથા". 

લોક લાડીલા કથાકાર ફા. વિનય મેકવાન એસ.જે. જેઓ  હાલમાં દક્ષીણ ગુજરાતમાં આદિવાસી ધર્મસભામાં કથા દ્વારા શ્રદ્ધાને મજબુત કરવામાં ઉત્તમ ફાળો ભજવી ચુક્યા છે. તેમણે  કાટકુવા નામના એક ગામને શીમાડે એક પર્વત ઉપર કથા કરી હતી. કાટકુવા ગામના લોકોએ, લોકો વડે, લોકો માટે અને આજુ બાજુ ગામના લોકો સાથે મળીને નજીકમાં આવેલ પર્વત ઉપર વેદાનામુર્તી માતા મરિયમનું યાત્રાધામ શરૂ  કર્યું છે. આ પર્વત હવે કાલવારી પર્વત તરીકે ઓળખાઈ છે. પર્વત ઉપર જવાના માર્ગ ઉપર થોડા થોડા અંતરે મોટા ૧૪ સ્થાન  બનાવવામાં આવ્યા છે  તેનાથી પ્રભુ ઇશુની ખરી વેદનાની અનુભૂતિ થાય છે.   

આ પવિત્ર ધામ ઉપરથી ચારે બાજુ કુદરતનું સૌન્દર્ય જોવા મળે છે. આ પર્વતની ગોદમાં આવેલ કાટકુવા ગામ જાણે યરુશાલેમ  હોઈ તેવુંજ  લાગે છે. કાટકુવા ગામ દઢવાળા તાબામાં આવેલ છે. ત્યાનાં  રેવ. ફાદર જેમ્સ એસ. જે. નો આ પવિત્ર ધામ બનાવામાં ઉત્તમ ફાળો રહેલો છે.    

 કાલવારી પર્વત ઉપર બાઈબલ કથાનું આયોજન કરવામાં આવેલ હતું તે કથા જોવા માટે વીડિઓ ઉપર ક્લિક કરો.
  

BBN  ફા. જેમ્સ એસ. જે. અને કથાકાર  ફા . વિનય  મેકવાન  અને  તેમની  કથાટીમનો  હૃદયપૂર્વક  અભાર  માને  છે.  આજે દક્ષીણ ગુજરાતમાં  આદિવાસી યુવાવર્ગ  મોબાઈલ ઉપર  ઈન્ટરનેટ દ્વારા  BBN સાથે સંકળાયેલ છે તેનો શ્રેય દક્ષીણ ગુજરાતના તમામ ઈશુસંઘી ફાદરોને  જાય  છે. BBN તેમનો ખાસ અભાર માને છે. 

Read More

Palm Sunday Preparation By Fr. Vally de Souza SJ

Passion Sunday A - 17 April 2011  By  Fr. (Valentine) Vally de Souza SJ 

A Scandal and Madness  

The early Christians knew it. Their faith in a crucified God could only be regarded as a scandal and madness. Who could have thought of saying something so absurd and horrible about God? No religion has ever dared to profess anything similar.

Clearly, the first thing we all discover in the one crucified at Golgotha, unjustly tortured unto death by religious authorities and political powers, is the destructive power of evil, the cruelty of hate, and the fanaticism of lies. But, precisely in that innocent victim, the followers of Jesus see a God identified with all the victims of all times.
                                                                           

Stripped of all dominating power, of all aesthetic beauty, of all political success and religious aura, God reveals himself to us in the purest and unfathomable essence of his mystery as love and only love. There is not, nor will there ever be, an unfeeling, apathetic and indifferent God; only a God who suffers with us, undergoes our suffering, and dies our death.

This crucified God is not a powerful, controlling God, who tries to subjugate his children, always seeking his glory and honor. He is a humble and patient God, who respects the freedom of the human being to the end, even though we abuse his love time and again. He prefers to be a victim of his creatures rather than an executioner.

This crucified God is not the punishing, resentful and vengeful God who still troubles the consciences of many believers. God does not respond to evil with evil from the cross. “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” ( 2 Cor. 5,19).While we wrangle about merits, blame, and acquired rights, God welcomes us all with his unfathomable love and forgiveness.

This crucified God reveals himself today in all innocent victims. He is on the cross on Calvary and on all the crosses where the most innocent suffer and die: hungry children, battered women, those tortured by executioners linked to those in power, those exploited by our well-being, those forgotten by our religion.

Christians continue to celebrate a crucified God, in order never to forget the love of God “unto folly” for humanity and to keep alive the memory of all the crucified ones. It is a scandal and madness. But for those of us who follow Jesus and believe in the mystery of redemption hidden in his death, there lies in it the power that sustains our hope and our struggle for a more humane world.


**********Proclaim Christ crucified.*******************

Source: URL of José Antonio Pagola's Buenas Noticias Web site http://sanvicentemartirdeabando.org
Website for Spanish original and translations: www.eclesalia.net
Jose Antonio Pagola, vgentza@euskalnet.net , San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain.


- English Translation and sent to BBN by  Fr. (Valentine) Vally de Souza SJ.
  Email: vallydesouza@jesuits.net, Mandal, Gujarat , India.

Your Comments and greetings will be sent directly to Fr. Vally de Souza SJ. Please write your comments in the below given box.


BBN Thanks
Fr. (Valentine) Vally de Souza SJ for the translation.

Read More

Sunday With e-Sermon By Fr. Xavier SJ And Fr. Vally de Souza SJ

હવે દર રવિવારનો બોધ  અંગ્રેજીમાં text formatમાં  ફા. વેલી ડી'સોઝા એસ. જે. દ્વારા BBN ઉપર વાંચવા મળશે. ફા,વેલી ડી'સોઝા દક્ષીણ ગુજરાતની આદિવાસી ધર્મસભા શરૂ કરનાર ત્રણ ફાધારોમાંના એક છે.  BBN તેમનો  ખુબ ખુબ અભાર માને છે. 

  

તપઋતુના  પાંચમાં રવિવાર નો બોધ માટે વીડિઓ ઉપર ક્લિક કરો.

Fifth Sunday of Lent  -  10 April 2011

John 11, 1-45 – Our Hope

 The story of the resurrection of Lazarus leaves us surprised. On the one hand, we have never seen Jesus so human, frail and affectionate as on this occasion when one of his best friends dies; on the other, we have never been called upon to believe in his saving power so directly: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes  in me will live, even though he dies… Do you believe this?”

   Jesus does not conceal his affection for these three members of a family of Bethany who will unfailingly welcome him whenever he comes to Jerusalem. One day Lazarus falls sick  and his sisters send a message to Jesus: our brother, “whom you love so much”, is sick. When Jesus arrives at the  village, it’s four days since Lazarus has been buried. No one can bring him back to life now.

   The family is broken. When Jesus arrives, Mary bursts into tears. Nobody can comfort her. Seeing her weeping, he can contain himself no longer and he too starts weeping. On sensing the helplessness of everyone faced with death, he is torn apart. Who can comfort us?

   There is in us an insatiable will to live. We spend days and years struggling for life. We cling to science and, above all, to medical know-how to prolong biological life. But there  always comes  a final sickness from which no one can heal us.

   It wont help us to try to prolong life forever. It would be horrible to imagine a world of the aged, full of old men and women, a world in which life is not renewed. What we long for is a different kind of life: a life without pain or old age, without war or hunger, a fully happy life for all.

   Today we live in a society that has been described as “a society of uncertainty” (Z. Bauman). Never have human beings been better equipped to progress towards a happier life.   And still, never perhaps, have we felt so powerless before an uncertain and threatening future. In what can we hope?

   Like human beings in every age, we too live surrounded by darkness. What is life? What is death? How should we live? How should we die? Before raising Lazarus, Jesus says these words to Martha that are a decisive challenge for all his followers: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes  in me will live, even though he dies…   Do you believe this?”

 

   In spite of doubts and uncertainty, Christians believe in Jesus, Lord of life and of death. In him alone we seek light and strength to fight for life and to deal with death. In him alone  will we find hope for a life beyond the boundaries of life.

***************

Give a reason for your hope

Website for Spanish original and translations: www.eclesalia.net

English Translation by  (Valentine) Vally de Souza S.J.  vallydesouza@jesuits.net,   Mandal, Gujarat , India.

Read More

આંકલાવનો મેળો_Anklav No Medo

આંકલાવનો મેળો માટે વિડીઓ ઉપર ક્લિક કરો.

 આ પવિત્ર મેળામાં લોકો દુર દુર ગામડાંઓ અને શહેરોમાંથી પગપાળા આંકલાવ  આવ્યા હતા. અહી ઘણા લોકોએ સમુહમાં ક્રૂસના માર્ગની ભક્તિ કરી હતી. આ પવિત્ર  અંકલપૂરી ધામમાં પ્રભુ ઈશુના ક્રુસનો  અવશેષ રાખવામાં આવેલ છે   આ માનવ મેદની અને ભક્તિ કરતા લોકો પ્રભુ ઇશુની અને માતા મરિયમની શ્રદ્ધા રજુ કરતા હતા. વડોદરા ધર્માંપ્રાંતના  રેવ. બિશપ ગોડ્ફ્રી રોઝારીઓએ  બપોરનો ખ્રિસ્ત યજ્ઞ અર્પણ કર્યો હતો.

આ પ્રસંગ ટાણે BBN ફા. સુર્યા એસ જે. ના આત્માની શાંતિ માટે પ્રાથના કરે છે અને તેમનો ખુબ આભાર માને છે. ફા  સુર્યા દ્વારા આ ધામ અને મેળાની શરૂઆત થઇ  હતી. ફા. સુર્યા તેમના આંકલાવના જીવનકાળ દરમ્યાન ત્યાની ગ્રામ પંચાયતના સરપંચ તરેકે રહી ચુક્યા હતા જે  સમગ્ર ખ્રિસ્તી સમુદાય અને ધર્મસભાના માટે ગૌરવ ભરી વાત છે.  મધ્ય ગુજરાતની શ્રદ્ધા અતુટ બનાવવામાં એમનો મોટો અને અમૂલ્ય ફાળો રહ્યો છે. પ્રભુ તેમના આત્માને શાંતિ બક્ષે. આમીન.      

- BBN

Read More

Sunday With E-sermon

It’s an unforgettable story traditionally known as “The healing of the man born blind”. But it is much more since the evangelist describes it as the inner journey, of a man lost in darkness who finds in Jesus, “the Light of the World”.


We do not know his name. We only know he is a beggar, blind from birth, who seeks alms on the outskirts of the Temple. He doesn’t know what light is. He’s never seen it. He cannot walk around or find his way by himself. His life unfolds in darkness. He will never know a life of dignity.One day Jesus enters his life. The blind man is so much in need that he lets him work on his eyes. He doesn’t know who he is, but he trusts his healing power. Following his directions, he washes his eyes in the pool of Siloam and for the first time, begins to see. The meeting with Jesus is going to change his life.

The blind man's neighbors see him changed. He is the same man but seems to them to be someone else. The man explains his experience: “a man called Jesus” healed him. He doesn’t know more about him. He doesn’t know who or where he is. But he has opened his eyes. Jesus does good even to those who recognize him only as a man.

The Pharisees, well versed in matters of religion, ask him all kinds of questions about Jesus. He talks only of his experience: “ I know just one thing: I was blind and now I see.” They ask him what he thinks of Jesus and he tells them what he feels: “he is a prophet.” What he has received from him is so good, that this man cannot but come from God. This is how many ordinary people profess their faith in Jesus. They know no theology, but they feel that this man comes from God.

It’s not long before the beggar remains alone. His parents do not shield him. The religious leaders throw him out of the synagogue. But Jesus does not abandon those who love and seek him. “When he heard that they had driven him away, he went to find him.” Jesus has his ways to find those who seek him. No one can stop him.

When Jesus finds that man whom no one seems to understand, he asks him just one question: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” Do you believe in the New Man, the Man who is fully human precisely because he is an expression and incarnation of the unfathomable mystery of God? The beggar is willing to believe, but finds himself more blind than ever: “Sir, tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.”

Jesus says to him: “You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.” Now the eyes of the soul of the blind man are opened. He falls at the feet of Jesus and says to him: “I believe, Lord.” Only when we listen to Jesus and let ourselves be guided interiorly by him, are we on the road to the fullness of faith, and also to a more humble faith.

-By Fr. Valley D'soza.

Read More