Sunday, December 1, 2013

Francis Parmar - New Provincial of Gujarat Jesuits, India

News Updates:

Fr.Francis Parmar S.j has been appointed as the New Provincial of Gujarat Jesuit province, on 30 November 2013 by the Superior General of Jesuit order, Rev. Fr. Adolfo Nicolas from Rome. He will assume charge a little later.

Fr.Francis Parmar was born in Nadiad, Gujarat on 02-12-1950. He began his initial training in the Jesuit order at Mt Abu, Rajasthan. After finishing his theological studies at Vidya Jyoti, Delhi, he was ordained a priest on 05-05-1979.

Having completed his B.A in Gujarati-Sanskrit at Gujarat University, he studied for M.A in Socio-Linguistics at the University of George Town, Washington D.C. He had also done Masters in pastoral theology at Vidya Jyoti, Delhi. All through out his life in the Society of Jesus, he has held very many responsible posts such as Juniorate in-charge, Rector of the formation houses, Dean of the theologate and Principal of two colleges. He was twice elected as the Procurator of Gujarat and he took part in the meetings of the procurators of the Society of Jesus in 1999 and in 2012. The Gujarat Jesuit Province is really blessed in having the first local Jesuit to lead the province as the New Jesuit Provincial of Gujarat. The Gujarat Jesuit Parivar extends best wishes and prayers for a fruitful service in his new responsibility.

With best wishes and in Union of Prayers,

Socius- Gujarat Province

Fr.Lawrence Dharmaraj

For More news: Click the link given below

http://formationguj.blogspot.in/

Friday, November 15, 2013

"Effect Francis"

For 50.8% of the priests, the Pope brings more faithful in church

TURIN, November 10, 2013 ( Zenit.org ) - L 'effect' Francis', so moved by appeals to rely on divine mercy of the new Pope a number of faithful back to church after years of separation, continues to be perceived more half of the Italian Catholic communities. This was revealed by a search of the sociologist Massimo Introvigne, which will be presented to the Cottolengo in Turin Monday, November 11. Introvigne had first tested the theory of 'effect' Francis' in April this year, after a month of the pontificate of Pope Bergoglio. Then the priests and religious who claimed to have seen an increase in their own community of people who recommit themselves to the Church or confess was 53%, and the phenomenon was also noted by 41.8% of the laity. The sociologist has now Cottolengo to the book "The secret of Pope Francis" (Sugarco, Milan, 2013), a look at the Argentine hinterland of the Pope and the first months of her Magisterium, where returns on the survey of April, which was greeted with interest and reviewed by magazines and newspapers also out of Italy, and in different countries had been repeated by sociologists with results that are partly similar and partly different.

At the conference of Turin Introvigne presents a new survey, six months after the first and on a larger sample. The result is that the effect Francesco is now perceived by 50.8% of priests and religious. As early as April, the perception is much higher among the men (79.37%), but remains majority also considering the priests and religious in their entirety. Again as in April, the laity perceive the effect Francesco less religious, but the percentage who notices it is still significant: 44.8%.

"The fluctuations around the three points - Introvigne explains - are statistically normal. The fact that the number of priests and religious who perceive the effect is slightly decreased and that of the laity is slightly increased is not decisive. The important fact is that, after six months from the first survey and seven months after the beginning of his pontificate, the phenomenon of the effect Francesco shows no signs of reflux, rather it consolidates. " "A little 'more than half of priests and religious - says the sociologist - an effect known in their communities Francis, that does not fade with the passing of months but persists. If we tried to translate the data in terms of numbers and on a national scale, with reference only half of the parishes and communities, we should talk in Italy of hundreds of thousands of people who recommit themselves to the Church accept invitations from Pope Francis. A massive effect and even spectacular. "

"Of course - the scholar concluded - the effect Francesco reports only the first movement of return to the Church. But, as stated by the Pope Francis in a speech October 14, 2013 at the plenary session of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, when the first announcement takes root must start a second time, catechesis. This, however, will no longer depend on effective communication of the Pope but by communities and parishes. If the consequences of the Francis will be really solid and lasting therefore depends on how the priests, religious and the laity and the movements will unleash the pastoral strategy of the Pope. "

Thursday, October 31, 2013

MAGIS Gujarat

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Fr Terrence Lobo goes home to His Father

13. Fr.Terence Lobo- a most successful Pastor and a Spiritual Guide

Fr.Terrence was born in Belgaum and educated in St Paul’s High School. Later he studied in St. Xavier’s College, Bombay, pursuing studies for a degree in mathematics. He had the good fortune of coming in touch with some of the great Jesuit stalwarts of the twentieth century, like Gaspar Balaguer. However, after acquiring his B. Sc. he joined a multinational company and worked for some years.

As a young man in Bombay, he was very active in the Marian Sodalities along with his relative Lovett Fernandes. Eventually, in 1957, Lovett joined the Jesuits to work in Gujarat. After six years, Terrence followed him and joined the new novitiate at Mount Abu. He received his early training in the Society from a most experienced novice master, Fr Gregorio Conget. Being a ‘late vocation’, all through the years of formation, he was a big brother and guide to his much younger companions.

An outstanding quality of Terence was his great facility to mix with all the ethnic groups. This had made him a much loved companion in every Jesuit community where he had been. His religious studies in the national institutes at Shembaganur and Pune gave him the opportunity to have contact with the whole East Asian Assistancy.

For his generation, Terence had been a most successful Pastor. He was known for his availability and he had been assigned to various mission centres and parishes. His services in the rural parish of Vadtal and the urban parishes of Sabarmati and Surat were outstanding.

Fr. Terence was a devout Catholic priest. A man of prayer, he used to be seen with his breviary or Rosary in hand and spending time before the Blessed Sacrament. This had an impact on the life of the people in the parishes. He sat for Confession regularly and thus drew people in his parishes to have recourse to the Sacrament. He spent time reading books and articles and prepared his sermons well. As a pastor, he had been most outstanding in caring for all his parishioners, rich and poor, locals and migrants. He used to visit all of them and offer them spiritual and material help. His capacity for remembering the names of all his parishioners, their place of their origin, and their various relations was fabulous.

Fr.Terence had been an excellent spiritual guide. At least four young Jesuits have been recruited by him for the Gujarat Province. He had a vast experience in pastoral ministry and many of his old parishioners used to seek his spiritual help.

Fr. Terence Lobo was a member of Sughadpanth, the Jesuit Pre-novitiate since December 2010. He was a true companion and a friend in the Lord. He was a well-read person. He used to find delights in the works and spiritualities of St Ignatius, St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross.

On 2 September 2013, Fr.Terence had an attack of viral fever. First he was taken to Gomtipur and then from there to ‘Life Care-Hospital’. He was in the Hospital for 3 days. Once the fever came down, he could walk and fend for himself. After getting discharged from the hospital, he was brought back to the Prenovitiate. However on 9 September once again the fever came up. He was rushed to Gomtipur and then to Pilar Hospital Baroda on 10 Sept. After an hour in the ICU at Pilar, he was taken to Bhai Lala Amin Hospital, where he was put in Medical ICU and then on a ventilator. He was succumbed to the disease called Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) sometimes called Landry's paralysis or Guillain–Barré–Strohl syndrome. It is an acute polyneuropathy, a disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system. This disease had already reached his brain stem and he was treated with a very expensive medicine called Immunorel 5 gm for 5 days. Later on he was brought to Lady Pilar Hospital for further treatment. He remained in the ICU over a month. Br.Malcolm and others tired their level best to keep him alive to complete his golden jubilee celebrations with his beloved province men in Gujarat. But the Beloved Lord had a different plan and the Lord invited him for a grand celebration with his dear cousin Fr.Lovett and with his very Dear Mother Mary.