Welcoming New Parish Members

Ascension Sunday - A call to continue the mandate of the Lord and recognize him in every day life. 

We continue to recognize Jesus in all situations of life. 
Today our Parish welcomed the new faces in the parish. 

Ms. Priti Tapale the wife of Alwyn Tapale

The two Carmelite Sisters (Sr. Emelia and Sr. ) who are setting up their new Convent and a Home for the Aged at Fernandes wadi.

Four New Teachers at India International School - Shruti, Vithal, Abhishek and Caledia

~ Fr. Calistus Fernandes

The Spirit of Love - Sixth Sunday of Easter

We cannot truly love and remain in love unless we are filled with the Spirit of love, which God promises to those who believe. Jesus promises to send us the Counsellor. 

As we come to the end of the Easter season, we can rejoice that Jesus has sent us this great Helper. 

It is because of his resurrection and ascension that he can send the Spirit into our hearts, and he never refuses us this gift. Jesus says that he does not leave us orphaned, and he is coming to us. He comes to us every day as we go before him in prayer, read his Word attentively, and receive him in the Eucharist. But the Spirit also encourages us to look forward to the time when he will come again in glory, when his kingdom will be fully revealed and evil will be no more. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with longing for that time and help us pray for it each day.

Lord Jesus, we thank you that you have sent us your Spirit to help, guide and comfort us as we try to follow you in this world. May we know your love more and more through the Spirit, and spread that love to those around us.

 ~ Fr. Calistus Fernandes

Let the little Children come to Me...five children sit at the table of the Lord!

The Divine Mercy Sunday was indeed a moment filled with grace as five little children sat at the Table of the Lord and received Jesus for the first time in the form of bread. 


The Eucharistic Lord filled all present with heavenly bread and joy was written all over the faces of these little children as they were so excited to receive Jesus for the first time. 

Wishing these little ones a meaningful spiritual growth as they mature into young catholic adults in the future!

~ Fr. Calistus Fernandes

Easter Vigil 2014...Welcomes eleven new members to Our Lady of Fatima Church

Easter Vigil 2014 was celebrated with joy as the local church welcomed eleven new entrants who have accepted the faith. Six adults and 5 children were baptized into the catholic faith and have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. 


The fruit of prayer, sacrifice and commitment was visible as each of the six adults accepted Jesus and were baptized with holy water and anointed with the holy oils. Fr. Xavier sdb was the main celebrant and Fr. Calistus the parish priest joined in as the concelebrant. 

The Vigil Service ended with a 'Saha-bhojan' with the entire Catholic Community gathered that night, which indeed made it a special night to remember, not only for the newly baptized but all who were present. 

Many thanks to Sr. Divya and her team of catechists who have done a wonderful work of laying the foundation of good catholic faith in the lives of each of the newly baptized. 

Happy Easter to one and all!












Have a wonderful Easter Season ahead!

~ Fr. Calistus Fernandes

Fifth Week of Lent...Life begins afresh!

Life and Life Everlasting...

A constant struggle to understand this life and then to realize our calling to a more deeper and profound life. Two women growing realization of the call to a deeper existence than the one we know of. Jesus could have been present at the time of death, but then he comes with a purpose to reveal the glory of God to a deeper form of life...a life everlasting...come join in as we are called to explore a deeper meaning of life that leads to life everlasting.


The neophytes are led to a deeper understanding of the Eucharist as they are called forward to join the inner circle at the time of consecration until the Our Father and then later they are sent out to deepen their faith through catechesis. 

Walking in the Light...Receiving the Word

The Neophytes were welcomed to the next level of Christian Community by Fr. Calistus Fernandes on behalf of Our Lady of Fatima Church, Karjat. They were presented with the Word of God and like alert Christians stood to hear the word and were later handed a copy of the Church Hymnal to respond to the Word of God.

Bro. Savio D'mello Sdb led the faithful to a reflection on the meaning of Lent on the 4th Sunday of Lent with a question - What is a Happy Lent? or Happy Good Friday?. He went on to explain the meaning of the saving act of Jesus and linked it with life and eternal life offered by Jesus. A life that is a call to enter into a special relationship with Jesus this Lent.


Let us make an effort to deepen our relationship with Jesus as he heals us from blindness and brings us to the light, a deeper vision of the Father and his love for us.

As the Church Extension progresses a few pictures for you to view and also pray that this work is completed as per plan.

~ Fr. Calistus Fernandes

The Mystery of the Church…Journey to Jerusalem

 The Catholic Faithful in Karjat were witness to the new aspirants to Christianity accept the Act of Contrition as a step towards receiving the baptism they were to receive at Easter.

After the Eucharist, Cletus led the group a journey along with Jesus along the road to Jerusalem. Starting with the journey of Jesus who stopped over at the well and began a conversation with the Samaritan woman, he led the group to realize the Journey that they were undertaking was the Journey to Jerusalem. Jerusalem symbolized the very central aspect of our faith, that is the Death and the Resurrection. The disciples on the way to Emmaus were actually moving away from Jerusalem and their eyes were closed (Luke 24:16). Their eyes were opened when Jesus who joined them on the journey discussed with the scriptures and revealed to them their foolishness. Later when they stopped over for the night, they had supper and at the table their eyes were opened (Luke 24:31). They then ran all the way back to Jerusalem to inform the community of their discovery as their hearts were burning.

 

Is our hearts burning within as we walk on the way to Jerusalem. We have probably y lost our fire because we have not actually broken bread at the table with Jesus. We have not stopped over at the well to sit with Jesus and chat with him. We  have not learnt from the example of Abraham, who learnt his lessons in life as he went through various levels of leaving and arriving, or like the woman at the well whose superficial understanding of what Jesus was offering turned to a realization that he was truly a prophet and finally to accepting him as “The Messiah”.

Am I willing to leave my land – my possessions, my concepts, my understanding and finally the very aspect of my life that is my central core to look at what Jesus is offering. “If only I can understand what Jesus is offering”. Yes only if I could understand…Take this step today. Understand what Jesus is offering as you sit by the well and be nourished at the Eucharistic table.

God Bless You!

~ Fr. Callistus Fernandes.