To all the Parish SCC Coordinators, Archdiocese of Bombay
My dear Collaborators,
As we begin the month of February 2023, we have several important days that call for our attention.
On February 11, the Church celebrates the World Day of the Sick on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. It may be a good occasion to visit the sick and homebound in our clusters and SCCs and assure them of our prayers and best wishes. This year, we could include special children and those with some disability.
February 22 is Ash Wednesday – the start of the Lenten season. I am sure that our SCC Coordinators and Animators will help us all to pray, do penance and reach out to the less fortunate, so that NO ONE is in Want. You may use the Lenten Season to initiate some new outreach to the families in the clusters (through the weekly Way of the Cross, visits to charitable institutions, etc.)
As part of our reflection process on the World Day of the Sick, I am happy to inform you that Sr Manisha Gonsalves RSCJ, a veteran in building and animating SCCs in the Archdiocese of Bombay, and currently part of the SCC Animating Team at St Anthony Church, Malwani, has prepared the attached paper. As usual, I request you to disseminate the attached Reflection Paper (download here), so that it reaches all the families in the clusters. Please try and motivate the SCC Animators to reflect on the paper in the Core Groups and cluster meetings. I express my gratitude to Fr Ajit Tellis, Priest in-charge, St Anthony of Padua Church, Kalwa who has translated the paper into Marathi.
The next Archdiocesan meeting of all the Parish SCC Coordinators will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Salvation Church Hall, (Ground Floor) Dadar West. Please mark your calendar. I would be extremely happy to meet you as this will be our last meeting for the academic year.
May I remind you of the following points:
1. SCC Quarterly Reports: Those Parish Coordinators who have not yet sent the SCC Quarterly reports for the months of October, November and December 2022 must send them by email to bombayscc@gmail.com latest by February 15, 2023. 2. Parish SCC Rally: Those parishes that have not yet organized the Parish SCC Rally are requested to do so by April 2023. Please do not wait for the last moment. Several reports are posted on our website. 3. Identifying your Successor: Those Parish SCC Coordinators who have completed their six-year term (besides the extension of one year due to COVID-19) and/or have been members of the Parish Pastoral Council for six years (even if they have completed only three years as Parish SCC Coordinators) have to identify their successors with the help of the Priest in-charge of the SCCs at the parish level. As mentioned to you earlier, we need to have a proper handing over to your successor. 4. Steering Committee Meetings: I am happy to inform you that many parishes in our Archdiocese have already started conducting Steering Committee meetings, comprising the Priest in-charge of the SCCs, the Parish SCC Coordinator and all the Community Coordinators. Those parishes that have not yet started these meetings are earnestly requested to do so immediately. A report of the Steering Committee meetings, as and when held, may be sent to bombayscc@gmail.com. 5. Synod on Synodality: With the ongoing Synod process, I request you to kindly pray the attached Synod prayer daily in your homes and during the SCC meetings.
With every good wish,
Yours in Christ,
✠Barthol Barretto Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay & Bishop in-charge of SCCs, Archdiocese of Bombay
February 1, 2023
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