- Fr HENRY D'SOUZA, Parish Priest

Christmas is not the extravaganza of a one day wonder that we forget as soon as it is over. It is not just a time

for celestial peace, which the angels proclaimed or promised at the time of Christ's birth: “Peace to all men”. It is not heavenly music, which you hear in every home blaring through hi-fi digital music CDs. Christmas is the celebration of the true, ultimate LOVE pitching its tent in the midst of the harsh and stark reality of life.

When I think of the Son of God coming to earth and being born in a stable, I'd like to think of this event as happening in our lives daily. Christ being born every day in our attitudes, behaviour and thinking. God gives us the grace to make it happen.

Could I be like the donkey? – that carried Baby Jesus to Bethlehem? It takes a lot of strength and courage to bear the weight of others, to walk with others on their journeys of life. Donkeys sometimes get beaten and whipped. WE may be laughed at and get kicked on our back for going out of our way to help others. But it is worth being stubborn like a donkey and carrying on our mission in moments like these.

Could I be l ike the Shepherds? – who listened to the good news from the angels

and rushed to find the Messiah? Listening is an art and a grace from God. It needs to be nurtured and cultivated, exercised and developed. People around are crying out for help all the time, not vocally always, but as frequently noticed in their non verbal expressions. Are we ready to stop, listen and act?

Could I be like the Magi who came to place their gifts at the feet of Baby Jesus? What gift can I make to the Lord? Ample opportunities for acts of kindness to the Lord present themselves to us each day: smiling at strangers, visiting the sick, helping the aged even when it hurts.

Sometimes the young have a tendency to maintain a big gap between their ideals and reality. They could keep God on one side and their life experiences on the other and could think Christmas is merely an occasion for entertainment, there are others who are willing to serve in order to spread joy around and create situations of peace and unity among people.

If this feast is to have any meaning today, it should be an occasion to experience the presence of Jesus here and now. Christmas is every day. Jesus wants to be born in our hearts

if only we let him in. Let us, therefore, clean our “inns” and make them worthy places for the saviour to reside. Let us allow Him to work in and through us so that His joy, peace and love reign everywhere. Then we can truly say, Christmas is Everyday”

CHRISTMAS IS EVERYDAY

Editorial...........Bulletin of Sacred Heart Parish, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. Vol. XXXVI - No.-4, December 2017-February 2018

O HOLY NIGHT... IN SHEPHERDS' FIELDS- RITA PINTO

Wry smiles greeted the announcement of my Holy Land trip with Christmas in Bethlehem last year. Littlest but the loudest J u n i o r c a u t i o n e d a b o u t c l i m a t e temperatures; fashionista princess

narcisstically underscored that rugged and warm clothing would leave no scope for making neighbours envious. Darling hubby, always taking recourse behind newspapers wondered if I considered myself a peacemaker in a strife –torn region?

Despite family warnings, but doing what the heart and mind sang, I proceeded on the trip as the Angels trumpeted 'O come all ye faithful'. I went as a tourist, but more a believer...and GOD WAS THERE.

oOn Christmas Eve in 4 C faithful and tourists thronged the Nativity Church, currently under restoration. Patience in the queues was rewarded with deep genuflection and worship at the spot marked in Christ's name in honour of his birth. We witnessed the procession of Heads of religious groups, diplomatic representatives and local administrative heads, winding their way to the church.

But it was with palpating hearts and pulsating minds that our group proceeded for our blessing from the Little Babe. When the Tour Manager announced that our mid-night Mass would be in the shepherds fields – sceptically it was presumed to be the name

of the Church. But lo and behold!! Our group of 40 persons began our 15-minute walk through the SHEPHERDS FIELDS!!!

In a little tent set up for Mass for our Group, came Fr Biju of the Salesian Order, and a professor at the Jewish Seminary. Over stones and stiles, wrapped in woollen clothes, we walked through actual fields of dried grass, cracked earth and stepped layers, from where the Shepherds received the Good News. When Fr Biju requested us to put away our cameras and mobiles he captured the spirit of THE NIGHT. He advised us to treasure the memories in our mind, and capture the spirit in our hearts, and feel the experience of the Shepherds 2000 years ago on that starry night. But it was when he awakened us to the privilege we were offered, and urged us to pray for our loved ones back home and those who could not afford such sharing, that our hearts burst with gratitude.

In our soft rendition of 'O Holy Night', Mass commenced. But it was the stillness of the night, the sparkling stars and the soft strains of 'Silent Night', that overwhelmed us as we experienced the PEACE and JOY of the Little Babe Jesus. Bowed humbly in prayer

in that little tent, we thanked God fo r g iv ing us the experience of the simple shepherds; and in that starry night, we imagined the Angels singing 'Gloria in Excelcis Deo'.

It will not be a memory, nor an experience... the Little Babe of Bethlehem is now a reality of LOVE.

FAMILY – PRECIOUS GIFT- MICHAEL D'SOUZA – Sector 8

Christ's gift to us of the family begins in

Marriage. It is a covenant between two people in the Church, raised by Christ as a Sacrament. The ingredients of a Christ centered happy family are

1. Family Prayers2. Words of encouragement and responsibility: 3. Spend quality time4. Exchange Gifts including intangible gifts of

kindness, compassion etc5. Acts of Service6. Physical Touch7. Earning ones livelihood8. Teach Discipline and Obedience9. Develop Traditions

10. Keep the Spirit of love

We have the holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph as our role model.

WHY DO WE GO TO CHURCH?- OSCAR GOMES, Sector-6

A year ago, we have all been witnesses to a short man with white hair and grey beard attending evening mass everyday and going for communion. After mass, he would stand at the gate and people gave

him something for his daily bread. Once well-to-do now he slept on the pavement.

A few of us convinced him and sent him to an Ashram run by SEAL in Panvel. It was a Saturday night that he was taken. On Monday, he was back in Church. When asked why he gave up a comfortable existence, he only said “There was no Church there”.

The question is - Why do we go to

Church?We do not become Christians by merely going to

Church but if we are Christians, we should want to worship God along with our friends. It's where we learn God's word. Some Churches are religious edifices that look great on the outside, but there's nothing inside that

will really change anyone's heart. If we attend Church, we should be fed with the Word of God.

The main point is it will help you if you have a commitment towards Church. It affords you an opportunity to make friends who are like-minded with your beliefs and socialize on a moral level that will help you avoid worldly temptations. And then we can say proudly “Yes, there is a church”!

GRANDMA'S RECIPE: COUNTRY CAPTAIN- ANGELO VAZ, Sector-7

It is time we add one more page in the Vashi Vision. Why not a recipe page?

We'll start with a simple preparation from Grandma's Time. It is called “Country Captain”. It can be prepared from any meat or chicken. It might go well for the coming Festive Party.

Ingredients you'll need:1 kg. of any meat cut in small pieces 2 medium sized onions finely cut½ teaspoon turmeric powder1 tablespoon garlic paste2 teaspoons chili powder3 tablespoon oil1 tablespoon ghee/butterSalt to taste

Method of Preparation:Boil the meat in sufficient water with a little salt and

a pinch of turmeric powder till tender. Remove from heat and cool. Keep the soup aside and mix the meat with the chilli powder, turmeric, salt and garlic paste. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till brown. Remove the onions. Now fry the marinated meat in the same pan

adding a tablespoon of butter or ghee and cook till the meat begins to look dry. Mix in the fried onions and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes after adding the soup. Serve with rice or bread.

Share with me your grandma's recipes. Merry Christmas!

PARISH SPORTS DAY 2017- KIMBERLY ROWE, PPC Youth

Representative

The Sacred Heart Youth Group organized its annual event Parish Sports Day 2017 on Sunday, August 13, 2017 in the Sacred Heart School quadrangle. This year

saw a change in the format where Communities took the initiative to conduct creative and innovative games for fellow teams. This brought a new flavor to the sporting event with a number of parishioners actively participating in the games on a rainy evening.

While Demo Day held prior to the event, witnessed demonstrations of the games to be conducted on the day

of the event, Parish Sports Day realized the success of the teams in conducting the games. From magic carpets, hula hoops, lungis, goggles, tyres and balloons – the games involved a number of props to create fun telegames! The quadrangle was filled with more than 100 parishioners playing and cheering for their teams.

The winners of Parish Sports Day 2017 were St. Thomas SCC (Sectors 2 & 3), followed by St. Blaise SCC (Sector 10) and St. Paul's SCC (Sectors 11, 12, 28 & 29). We thank all Community teams for

their undying spirit of enthusiasm and sportsmanship as they joined in the games and look forward to next year!

See Photos of the event on the cover page...

3rd ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE HINDI PRAYER GROUPThe Hindi Charismatic Prayer group celebrated their

3rd anniversary on Wednesday, August 30, 2017. It was a beautiful day for the group members as they were excited on completing 3 years in their journey of faith!

The program began with the celebration of the Eucharist in Hindi by Fr. Baptist followed by a beautiful sermon which encouraged the congregation to participate in the Hindi Praise & Worship every Wednesday. The choir, which included children as well as adults, sang lovely Hindi hymns during the Mass.

Next was the Praise & Worship and Thanksgiving sess ion which was beautifully conducted by the prayer group leader Ms. Meena Lobo and her daughter Aishwarya. The session built up the spirituality of all those who were present and everyone participated enthusiastically in giving praise and thanks to God.

We were expecting around 55-60 members to attend the celebration. However, due to the

unprecedented heavy rain, there were only 33 members present. But nevertheless, the rains did not dampen the spirits of those present. We are happy to note that our Prayer Group is steadily growing in numbers and we are able to cater to the spiritual growth of our newly baptised Hindi speaking community.

The celebration ended with a sumptuous traditional meal enjoyed by one and all. Prabhu Yeshu Ki Jai Ho! Amen. Alleluia.

- RAYNA D'SOUZA & JACQUELINE CHUKKA

"When we remember a special Christmas, it is not the presents that made it special, but the laughter, the feeling of love, and the togetherness of friends and family that made that Christmas special." -Catherine Pulsifer

"Christmas is for everyone, adults and children alike. Allow this season fill your heart, and let go of the things you dislike." - Julie Hebert

"Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day." - Helen Steiner Rice

“Quote Hanger”

St. PAUL'S COMMUNITY PICNIC 2017- CLAYTON D'SOUZA, Sector – 12

Nearly 50 members of the St. Paul's Community family rose, bright and early on the morning of September 30, 2017, for our annual Community picnic. The venue this year was a charming river side resort called

'Farmer's Den' at Badlapur.The journey, which began with a prayer for a safe

journey and an enjoyable day, took us down narrow country roads full of scenic beauty. The venue itself was “a thing of beauty, a joy forever”.

After keeping our personal belongings in three reserved rooms and a delightful breakfast, we quickly settled down and the youth set the mood by conducting

fun-filled games that saw even the older Community members participating whole-heartedly. As the weather became hot, we cooled off in the swimming pool.

After a spell of relaxation post a delicious lunch, we played a noisy but fun game of housie and wound up the day with a refreshing cup of tea. As with every year, our picnic was a tremendous success, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the community members, who came together and made it a day to remember. The fellowship during the journeys, the games, in the pool, at meal time and throughout the day was exceptional.

Thanks to all Community members for their participation and involvement. It was indeed a fun and blessed day!

RECOLLECTION PROGRAMME FOR CONFIRMATION- STEFFI FERNANDES

On Saturday, 30th September, a Recollection was conducted for the Confirmation students of Navi Mumbai Deanery by the Sacred Heart Vashi - Charismatic Prayer Group in collaboration

with the Confirmation Catechists from Vashi. It began with an Action Song which got us into the

mood for the day followed by a encouraging talk given by Mrs Deepa Paul, from Nerul parish on the Word of God from Bible on the topic of 'The Prodigal Son'. It was an excellent approach of helping the youth connect with their parent's outlook and concern. We youth mistake it as constraints. She connected by sharing her own testimonies and experiences as a rebellious youth and her total conversion after Jesus touched her life. The students were then put into groups and instructed to be innovative. The talents of the students were unveiled at this session.

A meaningful Eucharist was celebrated by Fr. Baptist after which Bro. Ashley shared his

experience of God's calling in his teens. Post lunch, we played some games, each one having some significance. The students from the different parishes from Navi Mumbai interacted with each other, sharing their opinions and views.

A counselor from Kripa Foundation an NGO from Bandra which works for the rehabilitation of the victims of Substance abuse like Alcohol and Drugs, shared his experiences. It was an interactive session where we could clear our doubts, if any. A reformed victim of drug abuse shared the challenges he faced, his love for Jesus and desire to work in the Lord's vineyard.

A Group discussion followed. Finally, the awesome day came to an end. We thank our Catechists and all who helped to make this day such an informative and enjoyable one.

PEACE MARCH 2017 – THE JOURNEY CONTINUES- RANDOLPH ROWE, Parish Coordinator

The Parishioners of Sacred Heart Church marked October 2, 2017, the International Day for Non-Violence and Gandhi Jayanti by turning out in impressive

numbers for the Peace March that wended its way from the Church via Shivaji Chowk past the Vashi bus depot, Jain Mandir, and Fr. Agnel's School back to the Church. This is the second year that the Peace March has been organised and it is fast becoming a calendar event that is much looked forward to by the faithful of the Church.

In keeping with the theme, “When We Care, We Share”, the 300+ procession of committed and dedicated Parishioners displayed hand crafted placards and posters, in English, Marathi and Hindi, featuring catchy slogans and creative images, that created awareness regarding the need to show concern for children, teenagers and youth, women, the elderly, the homeless, animals and birds, prisoners, the terminally ill and the differently-abled. The messages addressed contemporary issues such as child labour, child abuse, dyslexia, juvenile de l i nquency, f ema le foeticide, substance abuse by children and youth, abandonment o f the elderly, harassment of a n i m a l s a n d b i r d s , disregard and ill-treatment of the homeless, prisoners, the differently-abled and

the terminally ill, and depriving women of equal opportunity, harassment of women and restrictions on their personal freedoms.

Shri Avinash Lad, Corporator, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) also participated in the march which was covered by the local media including the Vashi Times and Newsband.

After the march Fr. Henry D'souza thanked the Parishioners for their support and active participation. It would be appropriate to record here the comment made by Fr. Henry to the media: “The objective of this Peace March, which the Church has conducted for the second year, is to raise the level of civic consciousness regarding the difficulties being experienced by so many of our fellow travellers in the world”.

“Elaborating on the theme”, he remarked that, “Each one of us, has it in us, to care and share. Caring is all about creating a space in our hearts and minds, and once that space is created, sharing is the natural outpouring of not just material resources but also of emotions, time, and energy that lead to transformation of society”.

EUCHARIST CELEBRATED IN HINDI ON DIWALI DAY- WINNIE SEVERES, Sector – 6

On Thursday, October 19, 2017, as the world around us was celebrating the festival of lights 'Deepavali', Sacred Heart Church, Vashi celebrated this day proclaiming our Lord Jesus as our Light to this World by

celebrating the evening Mass in Hindi. The theme was 'Khrist Duniya Ke Prakash Hain'.

It was a very meaningful and well planned Liturgy and celebration, beginning with the Commentary, the Readings, and Prayer of the Faithful all done by our very own young school children. The celebration began with the young girls beautifully dressed up in traditional attire and flowers in their hair performing a beautiful entrance dance 'Aarti' with little diyas in their hands. The service was also enhanced by the melodious hindi hymns

sung by our 'Children's Choir'. All the prayers, hymns and responses were displayed on the overhead projection screen which enabled a full participation of the congregation gathered for this Eucharist.

Fr. Baptist who celebrated this Eucharist was very effective even preaching in Hindi. He said 'Diwali' is a festival of lights and each one of us can be a light to others, if we let the light we receive from our Lord Jesus be witnessed by the people around us through our words and actions. This will help us to contribute in our small little ways to make this world a wonderful place to live in. But are we willing to do so? The choice is ours.

As we went home, we took this message along with us and pray that our Good Lord gives us the strength and wisdom to follow the same. Our sincere thanks to all who helped to make this Eucharist so meaningful!

SKILLS FOR ANIMATORS TRAINING PROGRAMME- PRANEETA D'SOUZA, PPC Representative (Sector – 16)

The Skills for Animators Training Programme organised by FILMC (Formation and Involvement of the Laity in the Mission of the Church) was held in

Goregaon on 27, 28 & 29 October. There were four participants from our Parish, namely, Sherraine Tavares (St. Paul's Community – Sec. 11, 12, 28 & 29), Allwyn Mathias (St. Francis Xavier's Community – Sec. 9), Dolphy Mendonca (St. Thomas' Community – Sec. 2 & 3) & Praneeta D'Souza (St. Peter's Community – Sec. 16 & 16A).

The training programme, though spread over only two days was an encompassing one with insights into the effective working of Small Christian Communities (SCC). We learnt the importance of SCCs as 'little church cells' working towards the Mission of Christ – which is to transform the world into the Kingdom of God, here on earth.

The aim of the SCC is to animate parish life through these small communities, thereby bringing everyone closer to the Kingdom of God, here on earth itself. The purpose of the SCCs is to create a sense of belonging/ bonding in the neighbourhood, to promote grass-root participation in the Mission of Christ and to foster a spiri tuali ty of i n v o l v e m e n t / r e s p o n d i n g t o neighbourhood issues.

Though the role may be 'Voluntary', our purpose must be that of dedicated service. Our goal should not be that of

simply being 'Efficient'. We need to work towards being an 'Effective' animator, wherein our duties are carried out with love. An interesting analogy was discussed on the fate of piece of coal burning in a fire. If it falls loose, it burns for a while but eventually dies out. Same as with us, together, we burn bright as dedicated Christians, alone our faith can eventually die out. A scary thought!

There's no space for individualistic glory. It is essential for all Animators (Coordinators & PPC members inclusive) to carry out their roles keeping in mind our Leader, who in His own words came “not to be served but to serve”. Amongst the numerous characteristics of a Servant Leader, the ones that stand out include qualities of Listening, Empathy, Stewardship, Commitment to growth of people & Building community. Servant leadership is a lifelong journey that includes discovery of one's self, a desire to serve others and a commitment to lead.

Gospel Sharing is a foundation stone of the “new way of being Church”. Following the Seven Step method of Gospel-Sharing is essential to effective SCC core-group working. We learnt quite a few things that will better the experience within our core group

meetings, especially the Word of Life and the sharing to be done in the first person. Also, Visitations are the essential part of our community life. We were briefed on how to conduct visits within our communities and general principles for visiting homes.

We felt that the training programme was very informative and will definitely help everyone who is actively working to build the “Little Church Cells” – our SCCs!

OCTOBER - THE MONTH OF ROSARY- BALBINA RODRIGUES, Sector – 17

Praying the Rosary is a daily practice in most of the Catholic homes. Although today working people find it difficult to get back home for the family Rosary, some still make it a point to pray the rosary during

travel to and from their workplace.The community of St John Bosco, Sectors 17&18,

decided to unite the families into one large family to honor and sing praises to our Mother Mary by praying the rosary in the homes of the community members during October 2017. By the grace of God and the blessings of our Mother Mary, the SCC Animators coordinated with the families of

the community and gathered together for this devotion and fellowship.

This devotion to our Mother would begin with a prayer for protection and a reading of a Bible passage followed by praying the rosary lifting up various needs of the Community and the Church. After the rosary, we prayed to our Patron St. John Bosco asking for his intercession. This would culminate with a short fellowship.

Praying the Rosary as a community did make a difference as we got to know new families, meet new people, made new friends and most of all return home with new hope for the week ahead. We pray that our dearest Mother Mary intercede for us and keep her hands of protection and blessings upon all of us.

St NICHOLAS COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

- Deepak Correa, PPC Representative (Sector 9A/ 10A)

In October, we had urged all our Community members to come forward and donate funds to buy a secondhand sewing machine and some medical equipment as requested by the Pastors of the SEAL Ashram which houses over 250 destitute including women and children.

Our members donated money and very soon we had a family donate a sewing machine and a few others came forward with BP Machines, Stethoscopes, Nebulizer, Airways, Bed Pans, Foldable Toilet Chair, Adult Diapers, etc. We actually did not need the money

since most items which we needed were donated by the families themselves!

On November 11, 2017, our SCC Coordinator Elias DCosta and the PPC Representative Deepak Correa went to the Ashram and handed over the items. They were elated, since they plan to open a Hospital for the inmates and will soon be holding a musical event in Nerul to raise funds and increase the capacity of the home.

It was truly a rewarding experience to see the joy on their faces. We thank our St Nicholas Community members for once again rising to the occasion and showing everyone the values for which our patron saint stood for - Compassion and Giving.

THE RITE OF ACCEPTANCE- KIMBERLY D'SOUZA, Sector-9A

Rosaries were held throughout the month of October at our Parish family members' homes. Our Community Coordinator Uncle Deepak shared his beautiful 'Our Lady of Fatima' with us and

she went from house to house where the rosaries were being held.

The St. Nicholas Community rosary was held in my house on November 14, 2017. It was a very enlightening and fulfilling experience. The rosary is a devotion in honor of the Virgin Mary so a reflection from Mother Mary's point of view was read after each decade. The atmosphere was so prayerful. All the community members saying the rosary with one voice made us all feel so connected. The rosary was followed

by fellowship to know more about each other.On the next day, the rosary and Rite of Acceptance

was held in confirmation candidate Jaden Furtado's home. Jaden, Austin, Steven and I were called forward in front of the altar. Our parents stood behind us and the community members surrounded us. Uncle Deepak and Aunty Maureen conducted the Rite of Acceptance.

After reading out the significance of the Rite and the duties of the candidates, a member of the Community read a prayer for each candidate. The Rite concluded with the blessing of the candidates by the Community and handing over of a memento to each of us. I received a prayer bracelet from Aunty Jacqui, a card and a lovely flower spray made by Aunty Lydia.

On the day I was baptized, my parents promised to raise me in the Christian faith. I eagerly wait for my day of affirming my baptism vows!

VISIT TO SEAL ASHRAM PANVEL

-------: CAVEAT :------- The Publisher does not vouch for any claims made by the Advertisers of products or services. The team and the Parish Fathers shall not be held liable for any consequences; in the event such claims are not honoured by the Advertisers.

ROSARY FOR THE PEACE IN THE WORLD: BY ONE MILLION CHILDREN- Violet Almeida, Sector – 16

October is the month of Holy Rosary in the Catholic Church. This year, the prayer campaign is dedicated to the children. The International Catholic Pastoral Charity invited children to participate in the

Campaign.“One Million Children praying the Rosary can

change the World.” Children of all ages throughout the world prayed the Rosary on Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 9.00 am for unity and peace in the world.

We, the members of Queen of Angles Junior Presidium, Sacred Heart Church Vashi, along with our senior officers and senior presidia members gathered at 8.45 am to set the altar of which the center was a statue of the Immaculate

Conception with beautiful flowers and two lit candles which inspired us to begin the prayer of rosary.

Eight junior legion members led the introduction, the 5 intentions for each mystery, the Litany and closing prayer. The Litany of our Lady was led by Sr. Crisselle Fernandes followed by Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be led by Sr. Lynette Rodrigues for the intention of our Holy Father The Pope. The final hymn 'Come with Us Mary' was sung by all.

As Legionaries, we are called to be Apostles of the Rosary for it is a splendid instrument of grace for the modern world. As God himself chose three children of

Fatima in order to reveal the power of prayer that comes from the pureness of a child's heart, we as her angels thank you for this Rosary together for our communion around our Mother. May our Mother bless us all!

FIRST ENCLOSED RETREAT OF THE LEGION OF MARYMORNING STAR CURIA, NAVI MUMBAI

- BERNADETH HENRY

According to our Legion Handbook, every Legionary is bound to attend an Enclosed Retreat at least once a year. Our first residential Enclosed retreat began on Saturday, 18th November and ended on

Sunday, 19th November 2017 at Carmel Oasis, Karjat. In all, 40 legionaries from the Navi Mumbai Deanery participated.

The Carmelite sisters welcomed us with joyful hearts and smiles on their faces. When we entered the Ashram hall, we saw a beautiful chapel. The whole ambience gave us a very holy feel. After a delicious breakfast, our Spiritual Director Rev Fr. Baptist began the session with a joke to lighten everyone's mood. He then screened a short film and we were inspired and touched. Fr Baptist also shared many stories to e n l i g h t e n u s o n J e s u s ' relationship with God and Mother Mary, which was followed by the Holy Eucharist.

Our second session began with Divine Mercy Chaplet followed by Rev Fr Baptist conducting a quiz on the Old Testament. A video clip on Mother Mary was screened with an interactive discussion. Tea-

break was followed by a session on the importance of Bible reading by Br Leo and the Jo-hari window model of understanding human relationships by Sis Marlene.

The next day we visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima Church which houses Our Lady of Fatima brought all the way from Portugal in the year 1920 and blessed by the Holy Father. This church has the distinction of being called the first church in Asia to be dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. We were given a warm welcome by Rev. Fr Calistus Fernandes, the Parish Priest. We attended the Eucharist celebrated in three languages – Hindi, Marathi & English after which Rev Fr. Calistus shared the miracle of Fatima, the history of the church and the need to be calm and peaceful in life.

We felt very lucky and blessed that we were able to visit this Shrine. Overall, the retreat was indeed very peaceful and spiritual!

LEGION OF MARY ACTIVITIES

THE 10 FREEDOMS – VBJ 2017- NAOMI D'SOUZA, Sector – 16

The Vashi Bible Joy (VBJ) held this year from Monday, 23rd October to Sunday, 29th October was really exciting for me –this being my last year as a participant. The theme for this year was 'The 10

Commandments that set us free'.We learnt that the Ten Commandments

are not just rules handed down to us. They are a means to experience Freedom. When we love God and obey His Commandments, we experience freedom – freedom from sin, from fear, from what others think about us and from temptations. This experience of Freedom, brings us closer to Jesus and keeps us on the right track. We then become an example for people to follow our one and true God.

The assemblies and the lesson plans brought out this experience in a very simple and understandable manner. Our daily Assemblies conducted by the teachers, gave us a preview of the commandments we would be learning that day. Trisha along with the other Youth and Confirmandi made the assemblies vibrant and lively with action songs. After the assembly, we

would then proceed to our respective classesWe were divided into 3 groups – Sub-juniors,

Juniors and Seniors. My group, the Seniors, made up of students from the 7th to the 9th, was the smallest with only 9 of us. The sessions were full of activities, discussions and quizzes. The other classes had an equal

amount of fun learning these lessons to freedom. Also, one of the exciting features of VBJ was our breakfast sessions! We were treated to tasty and different items every day. On the Final Day our parents witnessed the performances by the groups, the teachers and the youth. Fr Henry and Fr Baptist gave away the Certificates and a memento.

A big thank you to the organising team of Fr Baptist, Uncle Peter Quadros and Aunty Maureen Lobo who ensured that VBJ was truly joyful. Our teachers, Aunties Carmen, Maria, Gracy, Sarita, Anita, Nithitha, Sr Nitya, Praneeta, Maureen, Rani made these sessions enjoyable and not in the least boring or tedious. Thank you to all the donors for all the provisions. We will miss VBJ and look forward to next year!

See Photos of the event on the cover page...

BIBLE, A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE- TERESA SEBASTIAN, Sector-17

On Sunday, November 12,2017,the Deanery Woman's Commission organised an interesting talk delivered by Sr. Philomena on Reading the Bible through the eyes of a woman. Over 50 women from the

different parishes of Navi Mumbai attended the session. We thank Fr Henry for hosting this session in Sacred Heart Vashi.

We believe that the Bible is the incarnate Word of God. It was written by men reflecting the culture and background of a male-dominated society. Hence, the authors were all profoundly pro-male. The Bible was written in many languages, subject to mistakes, lost in copying or translation. Interpretation of the Bible is human made and therefore, there can be no one absolute way of interpreting it.

By the latter half of the 20th century, there was a whole new wave of woman consciousness which pushed woman as a catalyst for radical change in a largely patriarchal society. This led to a raging debate on issues with regard to a woman's role in society. Women in the times of Jesus had no

authority or power. Her place was always in the shadow of man.

The question is what does God, our creator, say about women? God reveals to us that He made man and woman in His own image and likeness with exactly the same worth and equal value. Jesus himself was very fair and respectful in his interactions with women as is described in the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Till then, no woman had ever heard or seen a man like Jesus. Women followed him in deep faith, wherever he preached, and were with him even at his death, burial and resurrection.

Indeed, women are of great worth and value in God's eyes. Out of nothing (bara in Hebrew) he created man and woman in His own image and likeness with the same inherent qualities. This deeper understanding and perception has led to re-interpretation of the scriptures in order to illumine or give enlightenment for a better life as women - seeing ourselves, as God sees us, is

living in the truth. Not the truth our culture suggests, but God's truth.

We are deeply indebted to Sr. Philomena for throwing light on this aspect of reading the Bible from a woman's perspective

FREEDOM CUP 2017- DOLPHY MENDONCA, PPC Representative (Sector – 2)

Freedom Cup 2017 was not an ordinary Football Tournament. This year, the tournament saw over 100 parishioners participate in it. Hosted by the Youth Group

at Sacred Heart School on August 15, 2017, the tournament had a few firsts - the Somesh Quadros Memorial Rolling trophy and a skill competition for the non-qualifying teams.

The tournament began with a-la IPL style auctioning of players with eight team captains along with their team owners bidding for the best players. The entire set-up and organization was at par with any major league tournaments. The sportsmanship spirit was part of the package at this annual football tournament among the Teams and our Parish community members.

The experience is that the tournament isn't at heart an annual event only about football but it's more about community and fellowship. The tournament's 'Group Stage' identified the four strongest teams as the semi-finalists: Team Yellow (Capt. Dexter Peters), Team Orange (Capt. Joshua Dias), Team Blue (Capt. Staffan Thomas) and Team White (Capt.

Dalton Wilson).The football tournament concluded after close

competition saw Team Yellow crowned as the 2017 champions and Dexter Peters awarded the Best Player of the Tournament, Team Orange (1st runner-up), Team Blue (2nd runner-up). Team Black (Capt. Cedric Mascarenhas) and Team Grey (Capt. Ashlyn Almeida) won the Skill Competition. Kudos to the winning teams and our appreciation for teams Red, Green and White for their enthusiasm and team spirit!

While memories of what happened on the football pitch linger on throughout the year, it's what happens off the pitch that truly matters. It's the friendships that were made and the opportunity the event offered for fellowship during and after the event, which is why we will do it again next year!

NAVI MUMBAI DEANERY YOUTH DAY 2017- MARIA JOHN, Sector - 9

The Navi Mumbai Deanery Youth Day was held on Sunday, 27 August 2017 at Don Bosco School, Nerul, which was attended by more than 300 youth of the 12 parishes that comprise the Navi Mumbai Deanery.

After a refreshing breakfast served to the participants Bishop Agnelo Gracias celebrated the Eucharist. He motivated the Youth with his inspiring Sermon.

Thereafter a few ice-breaker games helped participants to introduce and familiarize themselves with other youth members. Everyone participated wholeheartedly and enjoyed it.

The day was filled with dance performances by the youth of all the parishes. Tributes to legendary dancers and singers were given including Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Rajesh Khanna, A. R. Rahman and many more.

The hall echoed with claps and cheers during all the performances! After the performances, there was a DJ session where everyone danced to the beats of popular English and Hindi songs.

A big thank you to Fr. Baptist Viegas – Navi Mumbai Youth Director, the organizing team and volunteers, and especially the youth, for being part of the event and making it a memorable day for all!

"It's funny how we don't like to hear correction as children, but later on when we begin to experience our own lives; we will understand the purpose of the training and correction." - Diane Winbush, Reflections of A Father

THINK ABOUT

IT!

SACRED HEART YOUTH CAMP 2017 at St. STANISLAUS VILLA, LONAVLA

- KIMBERLY ROWE, PPC Youth Representative

On Wednesday, 18th October, 54 young parishioners of Sacred Heart Church, Vashi, set forth enthusiastically for the most awaited event of the year 'Youth Camp 2017'

to St. Stanislaus Villa, Lonavla.The day began with an ice-breaker game with

everyone actively fulfilling a list of fun challenges by interacting with one another and building a network of new friendships. With the energy level set high, it was time for some learning with fun!

A team-wise trust exercise led to the realization of the importance of leadership and team-work for success in professional life and walking in the footsteps of Jesus, the practice of servant leadership, in our everyday life.

This was followed by a communication exercise with the youth overcoming internal and external barriers to be able to effectively send a message across and enable their team to complete the process of communication within the timeframe. During reflection, we were able to identify how to communica t e be t t e r t o facilitate understanding in a team.

A session on 'The Race of Life' presented a larger perspective for everyone to reflect upon, giving direction to our thoughts, dreams and aspirations. It gave voice to

many talents and an opportunity for us to channelize our strengths in the correct direction in our personal and professional lives.

After an evening walk to the Lonavla market, we spent time engaging in conversation with our youth animators sharing their personal, professional and spiritual journey with us.

Our morning began with the celebration of the Eucharist and a thanksgiving to God for bringing us together. Post breakfast, a line-up of sports activities – from Cricket and Football to Dodge ball and Throw ball – kept everyone on their toes!

While the two days came to a close, it marked the beginning of a new journey for the youth. Putting our takeaways into practice, we hope that more and more youth will lead the way and contribute their time and talent for the Church.

CONGRATULATIONS !...We are proud to congratulate our Sacred Heart

Youth for the following achievements:

1. Runners Up title among 12 teams at the Inter Parish Rink Football Tournament by Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana

2. 4th position in the DYC Make A Movie Competition 2017

We wish them all the very best for future successes!

FAMILY CELL- MAUREEN LOBO

The love of a Family is Life's greatest blessing. Keeping this in mind, Fr Henry Douza, decided to re design the Family Cell in our Parish. First, the Women's Cell activities were brought under the umbrella

of the Family Cell. Then, to enable the Family Cell to become more effective right from the grassroots level, each Community was directed to elect one couple to be a part of the Family Cell. The response has been overwhelming.

The initial brainstorming meeting was enlightening as many suggestions for activities, outreach, counselling, self development and spirituality came up. The pulse of the communities was ascertained. The members were given common family issues to discuss. Instead of the usual reporting, they were then asked to present their findings in a skit. All were amazed at the acting skills that were unearthed that evening!

A few days later, on Violence Free Family Sunday, some members of the Family Cell together with a few youth enacted a skit at all the Masses. Kudos to all the Narrators and actors for giving their time and talent to spread the message to the Parish in an effective manner. Special mention must be made of Santosh, Noeline and their little son Neron who sportingly acted for all

Masses!We look forward to infusing new vitality into the

Family Cell and thus enriching and empowering each Family in our Parish. It is said that no family is perfect-- we argue, we fight, we even stop talking to each other at times, but, in the end, family is family---the love will always be there.

The Parish has kept Family as the focus for this year, leading to our Silver Jubilee in April. Family Cell is organising Marriage Day and plans to have a special Eucharist ic Celebration every quarter for Anniversaries.

This Christmas season, let us reach out to families struggling under the weight of lack of communication, debt, substance abuse, loneliness, ill health, grief and apathy. Of our Parish Family it can be said----A circle of Strength, founded on Faith, joined in Love, Kept by God.

VASHI VISION Parish Bulletin of Sacred Heart Church

Vashi, Navi Mumbai

EDITORIAL TEAM Fr Henry D’Souza, George Thomas,

Dr Maureen Lobo, Rita Pinto, Kimberly Rowe, Peter Quadros, Romila Joseph.

DESIGN & LAYOUTFelix Rodrigues

SEND ARTICLES FOR VASHI VISION TO vashivision@yahoo.co.in

PUBLISHED BYParish Priest,Sacred Heart Church, Plot No. 67, Sector - 9A, Vashi,Navi Mumbai - 400 703. Tel.: 2765 0343 - 1392Church email: sacredheartchurchvashi@gmail.com

FB Page: www.facebook.com/sacredheartchurch.vashi

PRINTED AT

Web-page: www.sacredheartchurchvashi.org

Ryan Enterprises704 AB, Ram Laxman Tower,Near Mafco Market, Sector-18,Vashi, Navi Mumbai - 400705

1. 07-10-2017 - Mikael D'souza -child of- Sheldon & Cinderella D'souza, Sector – 17, Vashi. 2. 15-10-2017 - Mirelle Pinto -child of- Sherwin & Bearl Pinto, Sector – 12, Vashi. 3. 05-10-2017 - Clare Lopes -child of- Denver & Felicia Lopes, Sector – 9, Vashi. 4. 02-12-2017 - Adriana Maria D'souza -child of- Clyde & Huma, Sector – 28, Vashi.

1. 09-12-2017 - Sheila Sequeira with Nishant Pais

1. 02-09-2017 - Mark Jacob Soares - Age 75 - Sector 1, Vashi. 2. 15-09-2017 - Bertha Santan D'souza - Age 81 - Sector 17, Vashi. 3. 15-09-2017 - John Paul Fernandes - Age 93 - Sector 9, Vashi. 4. 16-09-2017 - Alexander Thomas - Age 54 - Sector 11, Vashi.5. 24-09-2017 - Albert Xavier David – Age 82- Sector 3, Vashi. 6. 28-09-2017 - Susan Jesudas – Age 79, Sector 14, Vashi. 7. 07-10-2017 - Thomas Arcanjo Correa – Age 91, Sector 17, Vashi. 8. 15-10-2017 - Brenda Pacheco – Age 85, Sector 15, Vashi. 9. 25-10-2017 - Rosy Pereira – Age 90, Sector 3, Vashi.

We are publishing the photograph of our dear Parishioners who are resting with Christ in the preceding/current month.

In case of death of our parishioner the family may handover the photo of the departed family member along with the name, age & sector to the Vashi Vision Team or in the Parish Office, in case they desire so. (deadline announced in Church Notices)

Baptism - Born in Christ

Marriage - United in Christ

Death - Resting in Christ

Parish Schedule

Confessions: - Every Saturday at 6.15 pm or on requestBaptisms: - Saturday at 6.30pm & Sunday at the 9.15 am Mass (by Appointment only)Children’s Sunday School: - 8.00 am Mass in the Church followed by Catechism for children.Mass Schedule: - Weekday: 7.00 am and 7.00 pm

- Sundays: 7.00 am, 8.00 am, 9.15 am and 6.00 pm Language Masses: - Konkani: 3rd Sunday - 7.00 am

- Tamil: 1st & 3rd Sunday - 10.30 am- Malayalam: 2nd & 4th Sunday - 10.30 am

Church Office: - Weekdays 8.30 am to 12.30 pm and 4.30 pm to 7.00 pm Sunday 8.30 am to 10.30 am Tuesday Closed (In Emergency contact the Parish Priests)

Do share your news, views, stories, achievements, inspirations and activities in various Church Groups and Associations which can be shared with the larger family of this Sacred Heart Parish through this News Letter Vashi Vision (It will be great if you can provide the articles as soft copy if not hard copy is always welcome).

- Articles & Pictures for printing in the future issues of Vashi Vision should reach the editorial

team latest by 15th of every preceding month of the issue. (Maximum 400 words per article)- email your views & articles and photographs & advertisements to vashivision@yahoo.co.in

- For Advertising in Vashi Vision kindly contact the Church office.

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