Circular April 2023

To all the Parish SCC Coordinators, Archdiocese of Bombay ​ My dear Collaborators, We are in the month of April, and from tomorrow, we will begin the Week of Weeks: Holy Week – a time of grace when the Church invites us to focus our attention on Jesus who is our Salvation, our Inspiration and the Treasure of our lives. Our belief is that Jesus accompanies us, and assures us that HE is with us till the end of the world. And so we have nothing to fear. In God, we move, live and have our being!!! ​ In this week, we will be celebrating the PASCHAL TRIDUUM - Maundy Thursday (the Mass of the Lord’s Supper), Good Friday (the celebration of the Passion of the Lord) and the Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday. I am sure you will be participating in the services, so that we can truly become like JESUS – instruments of service to ensure that “no one is in want” in our SCCs (the Archdiocesan SCC vision statement). May I earnestly request you to visit the sick, homebound, the senior citizens, the lonely, abandoned, “those on the peripheries” (words of Pope Francis) and spend time with them – listening to them and praying with them, so that they feel strengthened to “carry their Cross” and experience in you another Simon of Cyrene or Veronica or Mary, the mother of Jesus, who comforted Jesus in HIS moments of agonizing pain. Please find enclosed a reflection paper entitled, ‘The Cross always foreshadows the Resurrection’ written by Fr Herold Quadros, an Assistant Priest at St John the Evangelist Church, Marol, Andheri East. (Download the paper here) The paper is thought-provoking, and I am sure it will help all our SCC Animators and Coordinators and cluster families to draw inspiration. Fr Ajit Tellis, Priest in-charge, St Anthony of Padua Church, Kalwa, has been kind enough (as usual) to translate the reflection into Marathi. Please see that the reflection paper is sent to all the families in the clusters. As we come to the end of yet another academic year, I thank you sincerely for your wholehearted collaboration and keen interest that you have taken right through the year. Your very presence in the parish community and selfless service have contributed much to the growth of the SCCs, both at the parish level and at the Archdiocesan level. Several of you are completing two consecutive terms as Parish SCC Coordinator. As mentioned to you during our (recent) March 12 meeting at Dadar, it is my earnest desire that if you have finished your tenure as the Parish SCC Coordinator, you continue to offer your services at the parish level. Our ministry, as baptized Catholics, does not end with the six-year term. I am confident that you will continue to support your successor and accompany him/her so that the good work continues to produce fruit IN HIS TIME. You may serve in various ways, including as a Community Coordinator/Animator/in charge of Cluster Families. ​ A few business points to be noted: ​ 1. SCC Quarterly Reports (for the period January to March 2023) must be sent to bombayscc@gmail.com by April 15, 2023. 2. I reiterate the point that those who have served two consecutive terms in the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) are not eligible for another term in 2023-26 (as per the PPC Constitution), even though you may have been on the PPC in different capacities. 3. Parish Priests are requested to write an email (by June 20) to bombayscc@gmail.com with details of the newly appointed/elected Parish SCC Coordinator from June 2023. 4. The Continental Phase of the Synod is over; all eyes are now on the Synod in October 2023. This process marks an important period in the Church; please pray the enclosed Synod prayer. 5. Please find ways to ensure that the structure of Cluster families is utilized to bring people together; the month of May offers us opportunities to pray the Rosary in clusters. ​ 6. The next issue of Celebrating Community will reach you by May 28 - Pentecost Sunday. Please share the online version with all the families in your parish. ​ 7. There will be no Circular and Reflection Paper in May 2023. We shall connect again in June. ​ I take this opportunity to wish you the joys of Easter. May the Paschal Triduum enable us to experience the joy of Easter, and may we spread this joy to the people we encounter, expressing the fact that we are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song of joy. ​ God bless you and your families. ​ Yours in Christ, ✠Barthol Barretto Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay & Bishop in-charge of SCCs, Archdiocese of Bombay March 31, 2023