To all the Parish SCC Coordinators, Archdiocese of Bombay
My dear Collaborators,
Amidst the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, including the Omicron variant surge, we continue to strengthen our faith in a loving God who cares for us. This month, Fr Cliffton Mendonca, Cathedral of the Holy Name, Fort, shares some eternal truths with us in our monthly Reflection Paper (download here) . I am grateful to Fr Ajit Tellis ofm cap, Parish Priest, Our Lady of Bethlehem Church, Dongri for the Marathi translation. May I request you to disseminate the paper to all the SCC Animators and Coordinators, so that they, in turn, may circulate it among the cluster families. Please encourage all your people to reflect on the enclosed paper.
As the Synodal Process is under way in our Archdiocese, Ms Praneeta D’Souza, a member of the Archdiocesan Resource Team (ART) for the SCCs, and representing the SCCs on the Synod Coordination Committee, has shared a questionnaire that can be disseminated to the SCC Animators and Coordinators in your parish. The responses will help us in the Synodal process. ART Members will connect with you to support the process.
I take this opportunity to thank you immensely for all the wonderful work you did right through 2021. Together with you, your Animators and Coordinators have assisted you in the outreach programmes undertaken during the pandemic months. You have indeed walked that extra mile to ensure that no one is in want in the SCCs of your parish community. GOD BLESS YOU for this act of selfless service.
May I request you to remind all the people in your Communities and Clusters to pray the enclosed Prayer for the success of the Synod.
May I remind you of the following points:
Formation of clusters: Some Parish SCC Coordinators have already sent me the required information on the clusters formed in the respective parishes. Please send an email (to bombayscc@gmail.com) to inform me about the status of the cluster formation.
Quarterly Reports: Those parishes whose SCC Quarterly Reports for the period of October 2021 to December 2021 are still pending may send them via email to bombayscc@gmail.com by February 15, 2022. A BIG THANK YOU to those Coordinators who regularly keep to the deadlines.
Meetings: All the Steering Committee meetings and Core Group meetings should be held on a regular basis. Please ensure that all COVID-19 protocols are followed during such meetings, if held offline. .
Strengthening the system: Please identify those SCCs that need help - either in terms of increasing core group members (Animators), in organizing regular events for their SCCs/clusters, or even in terms of understanding the functioning of the SCCs. This training is best done at the Steering Committee meeting at the parish level, rather than at the Deanery and Archdiocesan level. Additional help (if required) may be requested from the Archdiocesan SCC Office; email details with the subject line 'Support required' may be sent to bombayscc@gmail.com
God bless you and the members of your family.
Yours in Christ,
✠Barthol Barretto Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay & Bishop in-charge of SCCs, Archdiocese of Bombay
February 1, 2022