Saturday, July 19, 2014

KARUNAIL KADAL – RAMESHWARAM

I took a train from Trichy by night and arrived in Rameshwaram early morning at 4am and Br.  Amaldass, provincial secretary received me. This town is a holy place for the Hindus. Here there are many big temples and the foot prints of Lord Rama.
In 1964 there was a big cyclone which wiped away one big island where many Catholics were living. Today it is a tourist place. The buildings and houses still stand dilapidated. There is big Church which stands as sign that the Catholics were in great majority as the size of the Church too is big.  The government of Tamilnadu has declared this place as inhabitable but still there are 500 people who live here surrounded by Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean.



Capuchin sisters working with friars in Rameshwaram. They have four postulants from Tamil Nadu. Both the sisters are from Philippians. I celebrated Mass and gave a talk on Capuchin Spirituality.
The machinery which is required for the college. Our Friars run a Polytechnic college. There are 510 students studying. The friars also run a hostel for the boys who come from far off villages.
 Br. Alexander has studied BE and is now teaching in the same college.
 a church dedicated to st, John di Britto. It is in this place that he was martyred.

The scene of his gruesome killing! He died for his faith.





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