The Catholic Directory of Bombay: 2007-2008

The twenty-fifth edition of the Catholic Directory of the Archdiocese of Bombay is now available at Rs 70.00 during the Office hours (9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.) at the following places upto October 31, 2007:

a) Bandra - Diocesan Catechetical Centre - Ms Vitaline Serrao
b) Fort - Archbishop’s House - Fr Barthol Barretto
c) Goregaon - St Pius X College - Fr John Rodrigues
d) Thane - St John the Baptist Church - Fr John Rumao
e) Uttan - Muktisagar Prabodhan Kendra - Fr Hilary Fernandes

From November 01, 2007 the directories will be available only at Archbishop’s House, Fort.

BOMBAY: Vianney Sunday - Archbishop's Wishes

Vianney Sunday (Aug 5) in Bombay Archdiocese

On Sunday, August 05, we celebrate the feast of St John Marie Vianney, patron of priests engaged in the pastoral ministry. I invite our clergy, religious and faithful to pray very specially for our priests and seminarians, for vocations to the sacred priesthood, for our retired clergy and for those priests who have already gone to their heavenly home.

May I take this occasion to thank all the priests in our Archdiocese who are engaged in the pastoral ministry. I know the dedication and commitment with which you work for our people. May God through the intercession of St John Marie Vianney inspire you to give your best in your priestly ministry.

I express my sincere gratitude to all those who support our Diocesan Seminary, Goregaon and the Clergy Home, Bandra with their prayers and their offerings. I thank the Administrators and the whole Staff of the Clergy Home who together with the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master dedicate themselves so selflessly for the service of our retired clergy. I thank the Rector and Staff of St Pius X College who together with the Poor Sisters of Our Lady care for our seminarians. It would interest all to know that this year there have been eighteen new admissions to the Diocesan Seminary, five being candidates for the Archdiocese of Bombay. God willing, we should have six Ordinations to the Priesthood for our Archdiocese next April.

The collection at all the Parish Masses on Vianney Sunday and cheques made out in favour of “Archdiocese of Bombay” are to be sent to the Diocesan Fund, for sick and retired priests, at Archbishop’s House by the end of August 2007.

+Oswald Gracias
Archbishop of Bombay

July 28, 2007

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On Sunday, 5 August 2007, Archbishop Oswald Gracias will celebrate mass at:

9.30 a.m.: Feast Mass, St Ignatius Church, Jacob Circle

6.30 p.m.: Vianney Sunday Mass, Holy Name Cathedral, Fort

Cardinal Ivan Dias - 25th Episcopal Anniversary

Cardinal Ivan Dias marks the 25th anniversary of his ordination as Bishop

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Cardinal Ivan Dias the prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and Grand chancellor of the Pontifical Urban University is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his ordination as a Bishop.

On 8 May 1982 Pope John Paul II appointed him Titular Archbishop of Rusubisir and Pro-Nuncio Apostolic to Ghana, Togo and Benin and on 19 June that same year in St Peter's he was ordained a bishop by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, the Pope's secretary of state.

Cardinal Dias will mark the anniversary with a special concelebration of the Eucharist at 6pm in the Chapel of Urban University. Together with the officials and staff of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples the Cardinal will thank God for these 25 years of service as a bishop and pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to pour out His gifts and sustain him in his task of guiding the evangelisation of peoples and Catholic missionary cooperation all over the world.

Ivan Dias was born in Bombay on 14 April 1936. He was ordained a priest in Bombay on the 8th December 1958. He studied at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome (1961-1964). He has a degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University (1964).

In the same year 1964 he worked in the Secretariat of State to help prepare Pope Paul VI's visit to Bombay on the occasion of the International Eucharistic Congress.

Between 1965 and 1973 he was secretary at various Nunciatures in Europe, Asia, Africa. Between 1973 and 1982 he was Department Head in the Secretariat of State. On 8 May 1982 he was appointed Titular Archbishop of Rusubisir and Pro-Nuncio Apostolic to Ghana, Togo and Benin (1982- 1987) and ordained a bishop on 19 June that same year. Between 1987 and 1991 he was pro-Nuncio Apostolic to South Korea. Between 1991 and 1997 Apostolic Nuncio to Albania. On the 8 November 1996 he was appointed Archbishop of Bombay and installed as such on 13 March 1997. He was President Delegate at the 10th ordinary general assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October 2001.

Pope John Paul II created him a Cardinal on 21 February 2001 of the titular of the church of Spirito Santo alla Ferratella. On 20 May 2006 Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. (Fides)

MUMBAI: BCS Opposes SEZ at Uttan-Gorai

Bombay Catholic Sabha Supports 'No SEZ At Uttan-Gorai' Campaign

MUMBAI, Maharashtra (May 29, 2007) -- Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS), an influential Christian rights organisation, has openly opposed the setting up a special economic zone (SEZ) at Uttan-Gorai area here.

At a public rally held May 25 at Salvation Seva Kendra, the BCS supported the people of Utan-Gorai in their fight against the SEZ being planned in their area for the development of tourism and entertainment.

The various aspects of the proposed zone, the possible ill effects it would have on the people, the environment and the cultural heritage were highlighted at the rally.

BCS president Dolphy D’Souza welcoming the gathering said that the “actual understanding of SEZ is ‘Special Exploitation Zone’.”

He assured the residents of Uttan-Gorai the full support of BCS in their struggle and offered “all help”. There cannot be any development on the debris of humanity, he said, adding that the Sabha would arrange a meeting of Christian residents of the area with the Church authorities to enlist their support for the cause.

He said the Sabha units would start an awareness drive and collection of signatures to protest against the SEZ, besides displaying “We oppose SEZ” stickers.

President of Dharavi Beth Bachav Samiti, Joseph Gonsalves, spoke of the plight of the people in the 10 villages that would be affected by the proposed project -- seven of which are predominantly Catholic and three predominantly Hindu.

The project would ruin the lives of many people and “it would be the first instance of our own elected representatives displacing us and making a ‘foreign’ settlement within the State. The SEZ, he said, would lead to disintegration of the community economically, spiritually and socially and would put into oblivion the haven of rest and recreation for many of the citizens who used these areas to de-stress at the weekend.

Noted writer and environmentalist, Darryl D’Monte, drew parallels with similar movements of the past and the success stories of those groups who challenged the development and managed to retain their identity, culture and society.

Surekha Dalvi from the National Association of People’s Movement said the SEZ proposal was more than a local issue and was essentially a national problem, which called for a people’s movement against the special zones across the country.

Every political party was supporting SEZs and took just two days to get the draconian Act approving such zones passed, she said. (SAR)

MUMBAI: Gospel Music Concert - June 2007

Gospel Music Concert at Mumbai on June 3, 2007

Torchbearers for Christ / Lilly of the Valley Youth Cell (Mira Road) will presents Rejoice 2007, An evening of Live Gospel Music at St. Joseph's Church Ground Mumbai on June 3, 2007.

Details of the event are as follows:

Venue: St. Joseph Church Ground, Sheetal Nagar, Mira Road (E)
Date: Sunday, 3rd June, 2007
Time: 6.00 pm onwards

Entry to the Concert is free.