"To Tell The Story Of Jesus', Vasai Diocese Mission Congress

VASAI, APR. 17, 2008, 09.30 Hrs (CBCI News):

For the first time in India, the Diocese of Vasai held its Mission Congress und er the theme –'To Tell the Story of Jesus', from 11 to 14 April 2008. The scope of the congress was to review various rights and responsibilities that the Mother Church has bestowed on every baptized Catholic, to analyze through experiences the mission work that has been done so far and then to focus attention on more pressing needs of the faithful, through which the story of Jesus will become more real in their life. This was in the foot-steps of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences' Mission Congress held in Bangkok in October 2006.

Bishop Thomas Dabre of Vasai Diocese inaugurated the Mission Congress on Friday 11 April in the 500-year-old-Portuguese-built church in Vasai Fort, by lighting the Lamp in the presence of hundreds of priests and nuns working in the diocese, with lay faithful responding in thousands. In his homily Bishop Dabre emphasized the need to unfold the story of Jesus, especially to the poor and the down-trodden people and to enhance their living conditions. In his opening speech Msgr. Francis Correa expounded the appropriateness of this historical place to begin the Mission Congress, where pioneer missioners like St. Francis Xavier, who in 16th century began evangelization in Vasai and surrounding places such as Mumbai and Thane, and the English Jesuit priest Fr. Thomas Stephans, who besides Goa also lived in Vasai fort for some time and wrote 'Kristapurana' in Marathi; and diocesan Saint Gonsalo Garcia, who grew up in Vasai Fort before going to Japan on an evangelization mission.

For the next three days, the diocesan priests, men and women religious, delegates from Parish Councils, representatives from the various diocesan institutes and other special invitees, numbering 255 in all, attended well planned deliberations and forums of discussions, finally to arrive at some resolutions. In all there were 12 Sessions, beginning with 1. Current Situation of the Diocese; 2. Jesus, the only Saviour; 3. Jesus, found in the culture of Vasai; 4. Telling the Story of Jesus through the Media; 5. Women's participation in telling the Story of Jesus; 6. The role of the Youth in spreading the Story of Jesus; 7. Echoes of the Story of Jesus as heard from other religions; 8. The Story of Jesus in the Education field; 9. The story of Jesus in various Health Care Services; 10. Socio-Economic base for the Story of Jesus; 11. The Story of Jesus as experienced in Politics and 12. Resolutions of the Congress, followed by celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

At each Session, the main speaker elucidated on the theme and the responder elaborated on the same, followed by heart-rending personal testimonies. At the end of the day a work-shop was held, wherein participants discussed various issues of the diocese and drew conclusions and recommendations. The seventh Session deserves a special mention, for the testimonies given by four non-Christian brethren were really awe-inspiring.

The last Session consisted of resolutions that were passed with two-thirds majority of the participants. The resolutions are: 1. To start a diocesan level Commission for holistic growth of children; 2. To involve people from different age-groups and of various professions to work in the developing areas of the diocese; 3. Every diocesan institution should have Catechism and value based education so that people will grow in faith; 4. Considering various challenges of the present situation, Counseling Centers on the diocesan level should be opened; 5. To start a 'Diocesan Mission Development Fund'.

At the end of the XII Session, the Mission Congress was officially concluded with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in which Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes of Gandhinagar, Bishop Edwin Colaco of Aurangabad and local Ordinary Bishop Thomas Dabre, alongwith hundreds of priests, nuns and lay faithful.