Friday, February 26, 2016

Visit to the Villages and conclusion of visitation at Pothnal

This morning after meeting the friars we visited two villages. There are 14 catholic villages, in each village there are 20 to 40 families......the friars send the post novices every week end to teach catechism and hymns to the children and youth....the villages are far from each other....the friars celebrate Eucharist three times in a month.....the people are very poor and heavily depend on the rains...if it rains good then they have good crop if not then....they have nothing....many farmers commit suicide because they borrow money to buy seeds and when the monsoon is not good...no crop...so no income to pay back the loans....
 The post novices put up a small entertainment program.....
 Maharashtrian brothers dancing a fisher folk dance.....
 The fraternity of Claravihar......there are six friars.....working together....parish, school, formation and social work.....

 Br. Satish is in charge of social work....this is his team....they have another 20 field workers in different villages....they work for the children....help about 1500 children to get educated



The parish priest Br. Anthony Raj has rebuilt about 3 village chapels with the support and help from various people and government too....he has another 10 chapels to rebuilt...they are all dilapidated and need a face up.....generous donors are most welcome....

 villages are simple and typical indian......visited one family....it is very hot here...about 40 degrees....

 An catchiest.....proud of four sons...very well formed in Catholic faith....lives with one son....with an old wooden house....


 Second renovated chapel.....here there are 40 catholic families....they have no cemetery..
 The youth with the parish priest Br. Anthony....



Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Success story of Pothnal




The friars have shown that hard work really rewards.....this area is drought affected always....less rains every year....people are very poor....the friars along with formation took up the villages of the catholics....began to visit them...revived their faith....brought them closer to the church.....concentration was on the children....the province began a school.....mostly poor children...the friars have put heart and soul....in bringing the school to a success.....there are about 700 children.....



 Three friars are teaching in the school....their presence makes a lot of difference....they maintain discipline and order.....they also save money....since the children are poor and cannot pay their fees....the presence of the friars does help.....it is difficult to pay the salaries at the end of the month to the teachers.....if the fees are not collected then it is a big worry for the management.....there 3 Ursuline sisters teaching in the school
 Yesterday evening we had adoration......

 School assembly......tiny tots and grown ups together....i addressed them.....it is English and Kannada medium school....

 It was sharing with the teachers.....


 visited the classrooms of the tiny tots....they all sang rhymes for me....


Clara Vihar, Pothnal, Raichur

 Cook who is like mother to our young post novices....she is hard working and loved by the brothers....she help here in the kitchen...
 They cut vegetables and meat....they get ready everything.....so she is happy to do other works....

The friary garden is well maintained.....though there is shortage of water as this year the rains were scanty.....they are already experiencing the drought......
 The mango trees are flowering....expecting a good crop....if the summer is very severe then it might not yield good fruits....

 Br. Sebastian, novice master of Maharashtra teaching the Theology of Cross from Franciscan perspective......

 New social centre building called Mercy......the friars do a lot of social work for the people around here since many years...

 Boarding for the poor children....they take care of 40 poor children...who study in our school....

 Drinking water project ......it is a sponsored project....it provides water at a cheaper rate for the poor people...
 He is an employee.....works for the friars....looks after the machine and sale of drinking water..

 Cook for the boarders....for last 6 years she happily cooks for the children...

 Church building


 warm welcome in a warm climate....