7/11/09 - Youth Director MCYM, Fr.Warner's (Visit to Rome)
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Scroll with MCYM names placed on the tomb of the Patron of the Youth of Mt.Carmel Church, Bandra, Mumbai, India. If you signed your name on the scroll, please tag yourself on the photograph by - Clicking Here
1/11/09 - Youth MASS - REFLECTION (Homily)
In
the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, under
the commanding mosaic of Christ in glory, are six pillars. Atop each is
a statue of a Saint. There, side by side, are the figures of a queen (St
Elizabeth), a vagrant (St Benedict Joseph Labre), a cook (St Zita) a doorman
(St Conrad), a Mystic (St Gemma), and a parish priest (St John Vianney).
For some of them, the road to holiness was easy, for others very hard.
Some saints had gifts of great natural talent; others seemed devoid of
it. Some saints were fiery, others gentle. Some were gregarious, others
loners. There are old saints (such as St Anthony of the Desert, who lived
to be 105) and young saints (such as Aloysius Gonzaga and Maria Goretti).
There were brilliant saints (such as Thomas Aquinas) and dense saints
(such as Joseph Cupertino). There were tough saints (such as Teresa of
Avila) and emotional saints (such as Therese of Lisieux). There were innocent
saints (such as Dominic Savio) and reformed sinners who became saints
(such as Augustine). There are also saints who did not always agree with
each other, such as Jerome and Augustine, who had a running battle of
words for years. Nevertheless, the saints belong together. They all responded
to God’s invitation to sainthood commemorated in today’s liturgy.
What makes something holy???
Old Testament- things became Holy through contact with other Holy things
which became Holy through contact with God. (Exodus 29:37 gives the command:
For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the
altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy. A similar
command is given in the next chapter concerning the Tent of Meeting and
many of the things used for worship: "You shall consecrate them so
they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy."
Jesus calls for a complete reversal of conventional values and standards.
- worldly wisdom says “Blessed are the rich for they can have everything
they want.” But Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
i.e. those who put their trust in God rather than wordly possessions.
- the world says, “Blessed are those who live it up” But Jesus
says, “Blessed are those who mourn.” It is only those who
are capable of loving who are capable of true mourning. To open one’s
heart is to begin to live.
the world says, “Blessed are those who are tough.” But Jesus
says, “Blessed are those who are gentle.” Gentleness is not
weakness as many think, but a form of true strength.
- the world says “Blessed are those who hunger for power, status
and fame.” But Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger for
justice and what is right.” To live rightly is what life is all
about.
- the world says, “Blessed are those who show no mercy and give
no quarter.” But Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful.”
Happy are we who make allowances for the weaknesses of others, and whose
greatness is in their ability to forgive.
the world says, “Happy are those who have clean fingernails, clean
teeth and clean skin!” But Jesus says, “Blessed are those
who have clean hearts.” If the heart is clean then all that flows
from it will be clean.
- the world says, Blessed are the fighters and the bullies.” But
Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Happy are those
who spread understanding and bring reconciliation where there is conflict,
they are true children of God.
- the world says, “Blessed are those who lie and cheat and get away
with it.” But Jesus says, “Blessed are those who make a stand
for what is right, no matter what the cost.” The wounds they bear
will be honourable wounds.
The beatitudes then are the mark of a true disciple of Jesus, they are
the standards by which we measure holiness. The beatitudes are ultimately
the attitudes of Christ and the saints which all of are meant to have
in our daily life.
Fr. Joe Pereira a priest serving at Mt. Carmel's Church, Bandra,will receive the Padma Shree Award from the President of India for his tireless efforts in the field of alcohol and drug rehabilitation through t Kripa Foundation.
On 11th March at 8 pm, a felicitaion reception was held at Mt. Carmels. Here, are a few photographs of the evening.
Mt.Carmel's Church Bandra, CONFIRMATION - Batch of 2009
On the occassion of Id , Fr. Byron visited 4 mosques in the area and greeted the muslim community of behalf of the Christian community.
Click on the image above to download & read articles that we featured in - THE EXAMINER
Church organises community to protest for injustice
CLICK HERE TO READ BANDRA-KHAR PLUS ARTICLE
Pereirawadi finds support on World Wide Web
CLICK HERE TO READ BANDRA-KHAR PLUS ARTICLE
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We congratulate Elton as he begins his walk on the Road to Priesthood.
More Coming Soon
