Message from Parish Priest Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ

Greetings of Joy, Love and Peace.

As we have the Family Fest on 7th Feb.

2020, I thought to pen few lines on the

IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY FEST.

We live life in a constant rush of doing things and rushing from one point to another in our lives, accomplishing much but never really standing still to relate with one another and recount our blessings.

We all work and live separately, we don’t know each other, but for celebrations we come together, we wish everyone, and we connect with everyone. A celebration is all about connecting with the rest of life around us. All celebrations are accompanied by feasting and dancing and singing as well as meaningful ceremony appropriate to the occasion.

Now a days in these busy life-styles, feasts are the only days for meeting other members around us and spending time with them. Feasts play an important role in every one's life. During

feasts, all the family members meet at a place. Celebrate the festival together. As I write this message, we are preparing with full dynamism for the Family Fest. Main Gate is already up, Joji Sabastian with his team working overtime to ready the main entrance gate before 31st January. Every day we

have one meeting or another. Mobile phones must be ringing round the clock in one place or another (more income for Du and Etisalat) to organize different events and things. It is very beautiful to see how all work together to make our family fest a successful event.

Family Fest should be like superglue in our life. It helps us to build, renew and strengthen our relationships. When we are together as a Parish family, it creates a sense of unity. Unity is the most powerful weapon to fight with any obstacle in life.

During this family fest all the families come together and have fun. Spend time joyfully. That’s why I think feasts are important in our life. When the families are connected on the family fest, it’s most precious and joyful time.

At the heart of our celebration of being together is to celebrate ourselves as the spiritual beings that we are. Let us become joyful messengers of the Good News as we spend our time together. May it bring us closer to one another and may we experience Jesus Christ present in our midst with joyfulness as we greet, meet and share with one another.

May God bless you all and your families. Fr. Maxim Cardoza, OFM. Cap.

St. Paul, our patron, has many imageries to describe our life’s journey. One such imageries is the Race!

‘I race forward and run towards the

goal, fixing my eyes on the prize to

which God had called us from above

in Christ Jesus.’ (Phil 3:13)

Volume 3 Issue 2 Februuary 2020

Not a rat-race that has no aim or goal, just running for running sake. Very often our busy life gives us impression of running across the field while we just keep running at the starting point progressing nowhere.

The imagery of race can generally give us a sense of competing and defeating someone or other. But the race that Paul proposes is one of spurring on to the goal along with others. Some may reach their goal ahead of us, which in no way under value our striving. In our life’s journey we are not in

a competition but rushing to reach the goal. Success of life is not in how easily you reach the goal or how much you excel others in running your race.

This instance supposed to have taken place at the Seattle Olympics for the mentally challenged in 1976 or so. The kids started off from the starting point. When one of them tripped and fell, all other stopped running and came to the rescue of the fallen kid. Then all holding hands together walked up to the finish line and won the prize and the applause of the people. In a way, the thrill of our journey towards God is in seeing that many are in the same journey as we are, and in delighting that many can reach the goal. Therefore, there is no place in our lives to put down others or undervalue others or discount others. Rather you can be helping someone to reach the goal as you do. The Council of Second Vatican envisages the Church not merely as a city on the hill-top, rather a pilgrim Church in journey towards the Kingdom of God along with every other walks of faith. The Church is not anymore competing with other faiths or threatened by other faiths.

Paul presses forward to the goal ‘forgetting what is behind me, I race forward and run towards the goal.’ The past is not anymore there, except in our memories. Past experiences can teach lessons, never should they scare us and victimize us. Letter to the Hebrews say, ‘let us lay aside every encumbrance and sin that so easily restrict us, and run with perseverance fixing our eyes on Jesus…’ (Hb 12:1,2)

Hand in hand with Christ our brother We shall march forward!

Fr. Divakar OFM Cap.

BIBLE QUIZ FEB-2020

1. Which book has more chapters in the Bible? 2. Which book in the Bible has the “Sermon on the Mount”? 3. Who was the first son Jacob had with Rachel? 4. Which city’s wall fell so that Joshua and the Israelites could

conquer it? 5. Who spoke from the clouds when Jesus was baptized? 6. What did Pilate do to “cleanse himself” of the crucifixion he

sentenced Jesus? 7. How many deacons were chosen to help the apostles to distribute

food to widows? 8. In which city were Jesus’ followers first called by the name

‘Christians’? 9. Where is the fruit of the Spirit listed in the Bible?

10. Where did Jesus’ family go when Herod wanted to harm him as baby?

Feb 2 : Presentation of the Lord

Feb 7 : Family Fest 2020

Feb 10-14: Konkani Annual Retreat

Feb 17- 21: Malayalam Annual Retreat

Feb 22 : Chair of St. Peter

Feb 26 : Ash Wednesday

Your answers along with your name, age and contact

details shall be submitted at the parish office on or before

1st March 2020.

Dear Parents, Encourge your children to participate in Voice of

St. Paul’s Monthly Bible Quiz.

Bible Quiz Winners January-2020 1. Pariniti Ullas Raj Grade -3 2. Melonie Pereira Grade-2

Congratulations!

We invite your Spiritual Messages, Articles & Special Activity Photos (Prayer Groups & Communities) Please Contact Editorial Team OR Parish Office.

Church

Events

Do You Know . . .

Wedding Anniversary Celebration during the Month of January-2020

Photo Corner

"Beautiful and Blessed Memories from the Papal Visit to UAE - A year ago (3-5 Feb 2019)"

Konkani Community Celebrated St. Francis Xavier Feast on 3rd December

Editorial Team: Fr. Maxim Cardoza OFM Cap, Jerry Gomez (Chief Editor), Jean Zibbin, Shibu Thomas, Shital Mohan, Suresh Saldana

Blood Donation Camp held on 12 January-2020, 35 Parishioners Donated

Entrance Ritual For Grade 7