Heaven on earth

The Schoenstatt Movement in India: Ordinations, Magazine, seminar for children and most of all: the Pilgrim Mother conquering hearts and homes

Misionera con su nieta Coordinator with her granddaughter Koordinatorin mit ihrer Enkelin
Ordenación Ordination Priesterweihe
Primera Misa First Mass Primizmesse
Bendición del Hogar de Niños Blessing of the Children’s Village Segnung des Kinderdorfes Fotos: Nellissery © 2006

INDIA, Fr. Johnson Nellissery. The Schoenstatt Movement in India closed the year with a lot of gratitude for spiritual growth and growth in numbers.

The Indian Schoenstatt Fathers community thanked our Blessed Mother for the gift of new priestly ordination of Frs. Dhanabal, Joe, Raymond and Sherin that recently took place in the respective parishes. This day was a day of fulfillment. The new priests will go to different parishes as assistant parish priests.

Sunrise, a Home for most loved little ones

The Schoenstatt Fathers in India responds to the needs of the society by opening a childrens’ village. Sunrise is a village with lovely homes dedicated to the children who lost their parents and family in the Tsunami. The blessing of the first house of Sunrise took place on 1st November 2006 in the presence of about 300 people. Twenty family homes for 8-10 children each, along with all basic needs, will be constructed in the village.

Mariadooth

After a long time of waiting, the Schoenstatt movement in Kerala was able to bring out a Schoenstatt Magazine in Malayalam, the regional language. The releasing of Mariadooth (Marian Message) was done by Msgr. Jose Kavungal, the Vicar General of the diocese of Irinjalakuda. Gracy Chethalan, one of the pioneers of the Ladies of Schoenstatt, received the first copy of Mariadooth. The goal of Mariadooth is to bring the message of Schoenstatt to the people in their own mother tongue. The theme dealt with in the first issue is the renewal of families according to Schoenstatt principles.

Seminar for children

The Schoenstatt movement in Kerala conducted a one-day seminar for children between five and ten years old on December 2^nd . Almost 300 children came from neighboring parishes. The focusing point of the day was how to make "Swargam" (Heaven) on earth. Under the leadership of Fr. Johnson Panthappillil, members of Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth and a few seminarians from Mary Matha Schoenstatt Bhavan, the day proved to be another day of success. After the seminar, several children came up with the intention of joining the Schoenstatt Youth.

An important step was the starting of the Pilgrim Mother Campaign for small kids. Baby Preema was the first child to receive the picture of the Pilgrim Mother and be her little missionary among other children.

Meeting of Coordinators of the Pilgrim Mother Campaign

The Coordinators of the Pilgrim Mother Campaign met on 9th December 2006. Almost 50 members came for the celebration. Fr. Raymond, the newly ordained Schoenstatt Father who worked with the Pilgrim Mother Campaign, had been greeted and Fr. Johnson Nellissery, who joined the team of the Pilgrim Mother Campaign, was welcomed. Two members of the Ladies of Schoenstatt also participated. The celebration winded up with the Eucharist.

The Pilgrim Mother, the great Missionary, seems to be willing to set out to many in India…