Circular - September 2023

To all the Parish SCC Coordinators, Archdiocese of Bombay ​ My dear Collaborators, We have just entered the month of September, and I am sure you will be occupied with a number of activities at the parish level. I wish you all the very best. and pray that the Lord continues to bless you, all the Community Coordinators, Animators and your Clergy Team, as you journey along to ensure that there is no one in want in your SCCs (Archdiocesan SCC Vision statement). ​ Ever since the promulgation of his encyclical, Laudato Si’ (2015), Pope Francis instituted the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, now being celebrated as the Season of Creation (September 01 to October 04). The Church desires that we become men and women who pray and work together to protect the environment –our common home. May I earnestly request you to take initiatives in your SCCs and see how best you can translate Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’ into reality. Activities such as planting a sapling, batti bandh, separation of dry and wet garbage, avoiding wasting water, keeping the surroundings clean, etc. should be promoted in the SCCs. You could get people of other faiths involved in such activities. For more information regarding the Season of Creation, you may log onto SeasonofCreation.org and www.mumbaiscc.in. The Church is in the midst of the Novena in preparation for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our school-going children and youth will be excited to make a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, Bandra. May Mary, our Heavenly Mother intercede for us so that we become committed disciples of her Son Jesus. A reflection paper, MARY SET OUT IN HASTE (theme of the World Youth Day 2023) has been prepared by Fr Gavin Lopes, one of our Professors of Systematic/Dogmatic Theology at the Archdiocesan Seminary (St Pius X College, Goregaon). (Download the paper here) Please disseminate the paper to all the SCC Coordinators and Animators so that it reaches all the families of the parish. Fr Ajit Tellis, Priest in-charge, St Anthony of Padua Church, Kalwa has been kind enough to translate the reflection paper into Marathi. One of the ideas proposed during the SCC Evaluation (2017) was the formation of clusters in the SCCs. The SCC Evaluation Booklet (2018) has a clear reference made to clusters. It is my desire to see that clusters are formed in all the SCCs and an Animator is assigned to each of the clusters. At the recent Meeting of the Parish SCC Coordinators held on Sunday, August 13 at Dadar, we explained to you the methodology of cluster formation. Subsequently, we also sent you a PPT on CLUSTERS. May I earnestly request you to ensure that clusters (a group of 10 to 12 families in close proximity to each other) are formed in the SCCs at the earliest, and that meetings are conducted regularly in the clusters by the SCC Animators. I feel happy to inform you that a number of our parishes have started organizing Steering Committee meetings either monthly or bi-monthly or once in a quarter. Minutes of these meetings are being sent to bombayscc@gmail.com. May I request those parishes that have not had the Steering Committee meetings to do so regularly and to send the Minutes to the above-mentioned email address. Should you require any clarifications please do not hesitate to send an email to bombayscc@gmail.com. May Fernandes works in the SCC Office on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. A few business points: ​ Cluster Families Parish: One of the proposals that came up during the Archdiocesan SCC Evaluation in 2018 was the formation of clusters and meeting in cluster families. I am happy to inform you that a large number of families are meeting in their clusters. This, for me, is a good sign. I am happy, and I want to encourage those parishes that do not have meetings in their clusters to do so at the earliest. You may take the assistance of your predecessor, if you are a new Parish SCC Coordinator. (Ideas for Cluster meetings are on the SCC website.) ​ Skills for SCC Animators and Coordinators: We have 60 participants for the Skills for SCC Animators and Coordinators on September 10-11, 2023 at Sarvodaya, Goregaon). SCC Quarterly Reports: Reports for the months o July-August-September should be sent to bombayscc@gmail.com immediately, but not later than October 15, 2023. Mission Sunday and World Day of the Poor: We will be celebrating Mission Sunday on October 22 and the World Day of the Poor on November 19. Could you start thinking of ways how best we could celebrate both the Mission Sunday and the World Day of the Poor in our SCCs? ​ Deanery SCC Rally: I am aware that a few Deaneries have already started having meetings with a Core Committee to plan out the Deanery SCC Rally. A checklist has already been sent to the Deanery SCC Coordinators. They will surely contact you when the details have been finalised. May I request you to motivate all the Community Coordinators and Animators to attend the Deanery SCC Rally. For a Synodal Church - Communion, Participation and Mission: The Church will start the first phase of the Synod next month in Rome, starting October 04. May I request you to recite the enclosed prayer daily so that all of us benefit from the deliberations of the ongoing Synod. God bless you and the members of your families. With an assurance of prayer and good wishes, I end ​ Yours in Christ, ✠Barthol Barretto Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay & Bishop in-charge of SCCs, Archdiocese of Bombay September 1, 2023