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Ordination Of Fr. Ashwin (Don Bosco) and Garba and Bhumel ma Naatal

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Jesuit Ordination_Fr. Cyprian SJ

Fr.Cyprian Monis was ordained Priest by Bishop Aloysius Paul D'souza of Mangalore on December 27th..Two other Jesuits for the Karnataka Province were ordained together with him
The Ordination Ceremony ,con- celebrated by over 70 Priests, was a solemn and a spiritually enriching event, for the large crowd gathered at the St Aloysius College Hall..



Fr.Cyprian was led to the altar by his aged mother and eldest brother
A tastefully prepared back drop and a choir which led the Congregation in song, added to the solemnity of the service, which was completely in Konkani Apart from the fact that he was ordained ,Fr. Cyprian was also happy that there was a fairly large Jesuit contingent from Gujarat which included. Jerry Sequeira,Lawrence Lobo, Felix Gonsalves,Robert Mascarenhas,Erwin Lasrado,Maxim Crasta,Ronald Sanctis and Cedric Prakash.

Fr.Jerry, spoke at the public felicitation Ceremomy which followed the ordinations
Fr Cyprian s celebrated his first Eucharist on December 28th in his home parish of St Peter Claver(a Jesuit saint).in Arva...some 70 kms away from Mangalore.This Church was built almost one hundred years ago by a Jesuit and Fr Cyprian is the very first Jesuit Priest from the parish.The First Mass and the Parish reception which followed were indeed memorable events

Fr. Cyprian has been posted to Zankhvav,in the Baroda Diocese

News and photos by

Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ
"PRASHANT'
(A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace)
Ahmedabad,
Tel :079-27455913/Fax:079-27489018

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Fr. Francis Mendonca SJ Passed Away

A Jesuit priest Fr Francis Mendonca SJ passed away on December 28, 2010 in Baroda. Funeral is held at Rosary Church today on December 29th, at 11:oo a.m. He was born on December 1st 1931 & was ordained as a Jesuit priest on March 24th 1966.

Photo Courtesy: Gurjarvani

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CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS AND 600 YEARS OF AHMEDABAD

In a unique and creative way, PRASHANT, the Ahmedabad-based Jesuit Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace has tried to communicate the Christmas message celebrating 600 years of Ahmedabad.

When Jesus was born 2000 years ago in a little town of Bethlehem (Israel), the message that he brought to the whole of mankind was ‘peace on earth and goodwill to all’. This message celebrated the diversity of his time, a profound respect for all and that every human being has a right to enjoy the gifts of peace, justice, joy, hope and freedom.

Ahmedabad was founded 600 years ago by Ahmed Shah in an environment which was permeated with similar values of tolerance, harmony, peace, goodwill and diversity. These values have largely stood the test of time inspite of efforts being made by certain sections of society to incite hatred, prejudice, intolerance, violence and divisiveness.

The crib outside the gates of PRASHANT depicts the birth of Jesus in a traditional way but in the context of the rich, cultural and pluralistic traditions of Ahmedabad city. The crib is in fact outside the THREE GATES (Teen Darwaja) and the angel which brings the good news flies down from an exquisite CHABUTARA (traditional bird feeder). The sky is dotted with little kites depicting the many dimensions of the city and the great festival of UTTARAYAN (the festival of kites) which cuts across all differences and brings people together. A running video show in the background shows various landmarks of the city and how each one of them in a unique way contributes to spreading the basic human values which Christmas brings.

Around the crib on the outside are several banners with appropriate quotations highlighting the Christmas message.

This unique creation celebrating the birth of Jesus and 600 years of Ahmedabad has been the joint effort of many including well-known sculptor Karl Antao, interior designer Daniel Reubens, creative designer Lazarus Lopez, artist Fr. Aubrey Fernandes and the Gurjarvani Communications Team.

All are welcome to see this unique presentation. It is kept open to the public all twenty four hours from Christmas Eve (December 24th 2010, 6.00 pm), to January 2nd, 2011, 11.00 pm.

Fr. Cedric Prakash
Director

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Christmas Celebration At St. Anne_Nadiad

BBN WISHES YOU A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND TO YOUR FAMILY
Sharing the joy with all of YOU



St Anne School Nadiad celebrated vibrant Christmas on Monday with all the students, parents and staff.

The celebration with garba presented by young students,dances of young and K.G. Students and Holy family play with Magi Rajas on camels by Teachers were the special attractions of the celebration. It was a beautiful activity to spread and share the joy of Christmas. Please click to watch the vibrant Christmas celebration

About St.Anne,Nadiad

The congregation of “Sisters of Charity of St. Anne” founded in 1804 in Spain had its first beginning in Asian continent on 14th January 1951 in the state of Gujarat especially at ‘Sakshar Nagri’ Nadiad. The key purpose of their coming was to proclaim Christ through various ministries like health, education, social work etc. Bearing in mind the mission, the school that was started in rented school at Amdavadi Bazar got shifted at present venue at Kapadvanj road due to the increasing number of the students. The school has continued imparting knowledge giving preference to the poor and marginalized. The seed that was sown in 1951 has turned today in to a full-fledged tree consisting of nearly 4000 students from K.G to Higher Secondary with mediums English and Gujarari.

"May baby Jesus bless you and you family abundantly protect you and lead you in everyone of your plans. May the King of kings grant you all, your heartrs desire and fill you with His riches. May the Prince of peace fill your life with His peace, love and joy. HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!

News By Sr.Sunita

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TOXA NITE '10 Part-2

Beautiful Dances

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Beautiful Songs AT TOXA NITE '10

Please click



St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad has been in the list of well- known alma like Parveen Babi, Mallika Sarabhai, Rajeev Khandelwal and many more successful businessmen. To reunion the past students Xavier's had stared a group called TOXA(The Old Xavierites Association) to give a platform for opportunities to the past students and present students.

TOXA members organized a cultural evening on Monday wherein Shree Chimanbhai Trivedi who was the principal of Xavier's and has got many awards in Gujarati Literature was invited to light lamp with the present principal Fr. Vincent Braganza SJ. Fr. Braganza addressed the past 800 students to get together every year to relish the memories. He also said that TOXA has only YOUNG PEOPLE AND NOT SO YOUNG, TOXA does not have old people so any past stundent can become a member of TOXA. There is no age boundary for joining TOXA.

There was a beautiful cultural programme organized by the past and present students to reunion and share the joy of being Xavierites.Dance performances, singing were organized by them.

Please click to watch the beautiful songs of TOXA NITE '10

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TOXA NITE '10

TOXA is The Old Xavierite Association is a meeting place where Alumni of St.Xavier's College Ahmedabad have an opportunity to remain virtually connected to the college and know about the happenings..!!


Yesterday night there was a TOXA NITE '10 in St.Xavier's College, Ahmedabad.There were many dances organized by the past Xaverites. The College has given many opportunities to its all Xaverites and that spirit was seen in all the programmes arranged by them.

Please stay tuned will be back soon with all videos of the dances and songs on BBN . Keep reading.

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Bhajan Mandali–Competition_Petlad

Bhajan Mandali –Competition.

There was a Bhajan Mandali competition for Petlad Deanery on 18th December 2010 at 1.30 PM in Mariampura-Petlad.

This competition has been conducted every year in Amod this year changed to Petlad. There were six team from women and three teams from men finally the judges Fr.Paresh, Fr.Rajkumar and Sr.Meena of Vadtal were judges who awarded Khambhat men as first and Amod men as second it was the same

with women group.

Fr.Paresh in his speech mentioned that he is over joyed by seeing 30 years women to 82 year old women could take part at the same time keeping up the cultural heritage. But I am happy and trying to keep up the spirit of people because of the faith formation that we could give through this cultural uniqueness.

Above Photos of Khambhat women, and Amod men.

- Photos and news By

Fr. Charles
Amod

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કથા_Religious Story Telling

Advent KATHA

Please click to watch the Religious story Telling (Katha). This Katha is on this Advent season






Religious Story telling is the traditional way of explaining God and his works in India. Fr. Vinay Macwan SJ.who is a young Jesuit priest. He is a good singer and has very good knowledge of God to share with everyone, has also got a good command to spread the word of God by religious Story telling (Katha). With variety of subjects and with the examples of day to day's life and with new jokes and new stories, he comes to people in Katha and takes all people into the spiritual life at the end of Katha

Many people flock to listen to his katha. The given Katha is to prepare our hearts to welcome Baby Jesus. Please click to watch the beautiful Katha On Advent this will help each one of us to prepare our hearts for Baby Jesus. This Katha was organized by Fr. Jayant Rathod In St.Joseph's Church, Baroda.

Music which is used for credits in Katha
Courtesy: Gurjarvani

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COMPANION

MUST READ AND SHARE

PLEASE CLICK THE PLAY BUTTON OR SCROLL THE RIGHT HAND SCROLL BUTTON AND DRAG DOWN

Companion december 2010

View more documents from Vijay Macwan.

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Fr. Joseph Braganza, SJ, Passed Away

Please click to watch the funeral mass of late Fr. Joseph Braganza SJ






If not able to play the above video please click the below given video







Fr. Joseph Braganza, SJ,
A Jesuit and one of the founding fathers and former Vice-Principal of St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad passed away at 6:30 pm on 11th, at the age of 90. Fr. Braganza, an alumni of the Columbia University, New York, was posted as a Professor of English Literature in 1956 and was also in charge of the scholarships awarded to poor students. The college had a winning streak of about 25 years at the University Sports Championships under his wing as Director of Sports.


He also initiated the programme of educating the lesser privileged children of the College neighborhood slum called Gulbai Tekra, a torch which is still held high today. Today the Gulbai Tekra people were the once who missed Father Joe.

The funeral Mass was held today on 13th Dec, 2010 in St. Xavier’s Church, at 4:00 pm. The College remained closed today.

News Courtesy : Mr. Brendan Dabhi
Photo Courtesy Fr. Cedrick Prakash SJ.

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Hopeful future for Youngsters_Don Bosco

Please watch the video Of MLA on the activity Don Bosco does in Kapadvanj for BPL young people



Report

Kapadvanj Don Bosco Society offers a hopeful future for Youngsters Below the Poverty Line through the MORD Project
DB Tech is a network of 125 Don Bosco skill training centres spread across 25 states in the country making it the largest NGO engaged in livelihood training in India. All the centres provide employment-linked, market-oriented vocational training of short duration to the economically and socially marginalized youth. DB Tech has joined hands with the Ministry of Rural Development (MORD), Govt. of India, to impart vocational training to 40,000 youngsters over the next three years.

In July this year, Kapadvanj Don Bosco Society had started one domain under the DB Tech - MORD enterprise wherein it ran an IT Data Entry Course and Spoken English Course for the youth of Kapadvanj Taluka who are below the poverty line. Through this project we have recruited, skill-trained and placed these youngsters in a job to provide for their livelihood. The first batch had 27 students who successfully completed the three month training offered at the centre.

Today was an uplifting day as Kapadvanj Don Bosco Society had the inauguration of the second consecutive batch of students numbering 32, who have registered for this vocational training course. Present at this function was the MLA of Kapadvanj Constituency Mr. Manibhai Devjibhai Patel who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest; Mr. Khemchandani, DDM Nabard; Sr. Lavita D’souza, Director of the Social Projects at Pushpanjali Dakor; Fr. Mayank Parmar, Director Don Bosco Rural Integral Social Training Institute and Co-ordinator of MORD at Kapadvanj; Fr Isaac Arackaparambil, Director of Amrut Dhara: Don Bosco Animation Centre Kapadvanj; Social Staff together with the past and new batch of MORD Students with a few parents and other invited guests.

In his welcome address to the assembly, Fr. Isaac gave a gist of Don Bosco’s mission for the poor youth and emphasized that Kapadvanj Don Bosco Society not only skill trains the youngsters in particular trades, but also offers life skills for a healthy and holistic existence.

Mr. Kemchandani expressed that he considered poverty a more deadlier disease than cancer, and that the youngsters who were availing of the courses should use it as a stepping stone to alleviate their situation of poverty.


Mr. M.D. Patel in his speech said (Please Refer The Video)that while it is true that youngsters faced with poverty are economically backward, they should capitalize on the power of the mind. He also referred to people like Jamshedji Tata, Dhirubhai Ambani who in fact began very poor but made it big in life.
A few of the students of the first batch shared their success stories of how having been unemployed for a while after their schooling, they found their way in life by availing of the courses run by the MORD domain at Don Bosco Kapadvanj which trained and helped recruit them in companies.

Following this Mr. Patel, Mr. Kemchandani and Sr. Lavita distributed the certificates to the students of the first batch who had successfully completed the course, and Fr. Isaac with Mr. Sanjay and Sr. Lavita distributed the Identity Cards to the students of the new batch marking it as an official inaugural moment for the training ahead.
The students of the new batch put up a kawali song and a short skit on the evils of addiction under the coordination of Mr. Sanjay Parmar their trainer.

The function concluded with the vote of thanks delivered by Fr. Mayank Parmar.

Fr. Isaac F. Arackaparambil, sdb

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Puspanjali_Dakor

The Salesian sisters, in Dakor, Gujarat, are presently working among the most needy youth and children of the society. It is the Charism of the Father and Friend of the Youth, Don Bosco. Right from the opening of our Religious community, strengthenning of weak educational existence and social issues have been the top most priority in the field of activities. It is an enterprising venture, a challenging step and a planned activity towards growth promotion. In the recent past we the sisters have made endless efforts to study our localities and develop capacities of the most needy and provide basic requirements to build a better neighbourhood.

At the very outset charitable Institutions and local leaders extended support to cater to the health needs of women and children called the MCH Programme. Simultaneously drop out rate was on the rise too. hence a large number of youth and children were forced to hard labour with a very minimum and delayed payed wages by the haves. Remedial classes, called Evening tuition centres were opened basically to help children to acquire learning habits and cultivate a sense of purpose to a dignified living. With the opening of the typing classes for dropout youth and gradually through certificate computer cources and other allied trainings that a need for self-employment and to make a decent living, was created. Love, compassion and kindness are the key component of every activity. set times to share religious practices among those who want to attain fuller life and life in abundance has become a regular feature. we read reflect , share Gospel truths and help them comit eachother to good deeds. Formation of Chidlren's Parliament help them to know and enjoy their Rights.Women have been organized to form Self Help Groups for economic scale up and reducing social issues and practices. Presently we have signed a Programme agreement of DBTech, India called Bosco Academy for Skills and Employment, a skill building for BPL Candidate from the age group 18to35. With the completion of this 3 month classroom study and practicals that 116 number of youth are placed in long and short distant companies, hospitals and factories.

Today we believe that poor are bankable and that working together gives high achievements

Sr. Lavita
Don Bosco Sisters
Dakor

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The priestly meeting - Anand

From the time of Spaniad priests there have been priestly meetings in Gujarat. Today also there was a meeting in Anand Gamdi.The aim of meeting is that the priests come together once a month where they pray together and share their joys, sorrows and aspirations. In this way for past twenty to thirty years the meetings take place at Anand on every month. But the modules of the meeting has shifted to some input sessions by the experts which gives new way to the priests in the field. At times pressing problems of parish also dealt in the meeting so that the experienced priests help the entrants. At present Fr.Lawrence A. is the director of Patoral centre who arranges this meeting without fail.

Thanks
Fr. Charles G M.A.,M.S.W.
AMOD. Via. PETLAD
Anand Dt. Gujarat

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"દૂત" પરીસવાંદ એટલે પરબ્રહ્મ સાથે સવાંદ

દૂત શતાબ્દી નિમિતે શનિવાર અને રવિવારના રોજ પાસ્ટરલ સેન્ટર, નડિયાદ ખાતે એક સુંદર "દૂત" પરીસવાંદ એટલે પરબ્રહ્મ સાથે સવાંદનું આયોજન કરવામાં આવ્યું હતું . મોટી સંખ્યામાં 'દૂત' ના ચાહકો અને શબ્દાવલીના સથવારે સહકાર આપનાર લેખકો અને લેખિકાઓ અને કવિ મિત્રો તથા શ્રોતા મિત્રોએ હાજર રહી આ પરીસવાંદને સફળ અને જીવંત બનાવ્યો હતો. આ પ્રસંગે ઈશુ સંઘના પ્રાંતપતિ માનનીય ફા. જોસ ચંગનાચેરી એસ.જે. જેમણે દૂતના સહ તંત્રી શ્રી જસવંત મેકવાન, તંત્રી શ્રી જોન કાનીસ , માનદ તંત્રી ફા. વિનાયક જાદવ એસ.જે., પ્રકાશક અને મેનેજર ફા. જેરી સિકવેરા એસ.જે અને અતિથી વિશેષ ગુજરાત કેથોલિક સમાજના પ્રમુખશ્રી અન્તોન આપિયન પરમારની સાથે મળી દીપ પ્રગટાવીને ઉદ્ઘઘાટન કર્યું હતું.

દૂતના ઈતિહાસ અને ભવિષ્ય માટે ઉમદા વક્તવ્યો આપનાર વક્તા ડો. થોમસ પરમાર (નિવૃત અધ્યાપક એચ.કે કોલેજ,અમદાવાદ) શ્રી હસમુખ મેકવાન (સેક્રેટરી ,મીડિયા કમીશન, ગાંધીનગર), ડો. રોમન ભાટિયા(પ્રાધ્યાપક, દક્ષિણ ગુજરાત યુનિવર્સીટી, સુરત),અને ફા સેડ્રિક પ્રકાશ એસ. જે.(નિયામક 'પ્રશાંત ', અમદાવાદ) અને ડો. ફા રોબર્ટ પેન ( પ્રિન્સિપાલ,સલેશિયન યુનિ. ઓફ ફિલોસોફી , નાસિક ) સર્વનો ઉત્તમ ફાળો રહયો હતો.

આ પ્રસંગનું સમાપન પરમ પૂજ્ય ધર્માધ્યક્ષ શ્રી થોમસ મેકવાન ના આશીવર્ચન દ્વારા કરવામાં આવ્યું હતું

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Mother Teresa Express in Ahmedabad

Yesterday was the opening ceremony of Mother Express train in Ahmedabad railway station.Many people till today visit in Ahmedabad. Today is the last day of it in Ahmedabad.




Please click to watch the beautiful exhibition.

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InterArt_Vikram Sarabhai International Arts Festival

This event can be very useful for our youth. If you have a talent like live painting sessions and poetry readings, performances at Natarani, short film and photography competitions, and more.


InterArt, the Vikram Sarabhai International Arts Festival, is an annual arts festival at the Natarani amphitheatre, part of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts. Each year, InterArt brings the best of innovative, cutting-edge performance art from India and all over the world and showcases it during the three day festival held at the end of December.

This year, the 35th InterArt festival proudly presents: 600 Not Out - a fresh look at the people, places, and legends of Ahmedabad - a city with many stories to tell. This year’s theme was chosen to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the city of Ahmedabad, but is not simply a memorial to the past... this year's events, which include live painting sessions and poetry readings, performances at Natarani, short film and photography competitions, and more will give its audience a chance to re-imagine history and experience the 600 years of this city in their full vibrancy, comedy, mystery, and color.

This year's festival events take place through the month of December culminating on the 28th, 29th and 30th of the month.

Admission to the InterArt festival is free, but passes are required. To reserve passes for this year's festival, contact Murali Nair at +91 79 27556669 or write to natarani@darpana.com.


News and Photos By
- Murali

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