My Summer Experience 2013

I had a diverse and wonderful experience during this summer 2013, especially in the months of July and August. During this summer I had the opportunity to visit my family, to live in two communities in India, participate the ordination of Daniel Pajuelo in Spain, to visit the tomb of Venerable Faustino in Valencia, to visit our Lady of Pillar Saragosa and to visit Marianist sisters in Barsalona along with it seeing the Sagrada Familia cathedral. This summer was a memorable one!

St. Joseph's Church Adakkathode, my Parish

Family Visit

After staying two days with the brothers in Chaminade community in Bangalore after reaching from Rome, I went to visit my family in Kerala. I was meeting them after two years and I was so excited as they were. I was very happy to spend three weeks in home with my parents, brothers, and other family members. The days went very quickly even though it was raining every day and I could not go out very often. I spent lots of quality time with my family and then I ventured out in the rain to meet relatives and friends. Along with my mother, I visited her family members who live far away from our home. Moreover, we had memorable time with her family.

With nephew and niece

A view from the Hills

Community Experience

Knowing that I would be spending two weeks in the Novitiate and two weeks in Asha Deep community, Bindha, I headed first towards Nirmal Deep, Novitiate from Bangalore after completing my home visit. I was very happy to be back to the Novitiate. Staying there helped me to get to know the novices. I had the opportunity to teach them some courses on scripture and sacraments. I also guided them to practice meditations. I had a great time together with Fr. Ignatius for a short time, since he had to go to Bangalore for meetings and with Bros Delmar John, John Paul, Chinnaia and Fr. Joseph.

Novitiate, Ranchi

Independence Day celebration at Bindha

Head Master Bro. Sanjay SM

I was excited to go to Asha Deep and thought to do some useful work there. I enjoyed being with children for preparing the Independence Day programs and serving the Eucharist with Fr. Marianus Lugun for Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary. That was the first time I served Mass in India. It was a very meaningful for me to participate in the faith of many people who gathered to celebrate the solemnity. I had the impression that the brothers were very happy to welcome me into their community. We had quality time to talk during meals and gatherings. 

I had opportunities to visit other communities in Ranchi. I participated the promise day celebration of the FMI novices and visited Singhpur community. I also visited Gyan Deep community and the FMI community in Lovadi. I was happy to be part of a MLC discussion meeting at the FMI. Over all, I was very happy to be part of our communities during this summer. 

With Fr. Jose Salveri near the tomb of Ven. Faustino

Visit to Spain

A view of Our Lady of Pillar from the river Ebro

Even though I was too tired to travel after the Journey from Bangalore via New Delhi and London to Rome I went to Spain with other seminarians for the ordination of Daniel Pajuelo. During the time we were in Valencia, we had the occasion to visit the tomb of venerable Faustino and had a meeting with Fr. Jose Maria Salveri who was the principle of Faustino. Fr. Jose explained to us the life of Faustino. It was a moving experience.

Our Lady of Pillar

We also visited Marianist communities and schools and a parish. We were so happy to meet many Marianist brothers. We also visited the city of Valencia and also met couple of families of Marianist Lay members who are friends of Bro. Javier.

The ordination and the first of Mass of Fr. Daniel Pajuelo were simple and beautiful. There were many marianists, friends and family members of Fr. Daniel to witness this important celebration. We were blessed to meet many marianists and others.

The column in the our Lady of Pillar

Sagrada Familia

After the first Mass of Fr. Daniel we went to Saragosa and stayed in the community at via Chaminade. Fr. Lauranzo Amigo gave us an orientation about the community and showed us the building. He also was our guide for walking in the footsteps of our founder and father blessed William Joseph Chaminade. We visited the Church where he must have celebrated Mass daily and the place where he must have stayed, which is now a bar (a coffee shop). Then we advanced towards an old church with different building styles that was built by different changing dynasty in Spain. Finally we were in the basilica of our Lady of Pillar. We had ample time to pray and envisage Fr. Chaminade being there at the foot of our Lady praying. We were blessed to kiss the column that is traditionally considered as the one that is left by our Lady who visited St. James and encouraged to continue his endeavors in preaching the good news to the people. We also visited other churches and important places.

We went to Barsalona after the two days of visit in Saragosa. A Marianist sister was waiting for us at the railway station. She took us to their house by bus. And after having cena, (supper) we went with two sisters to see Sagrada Familia in the night with lights on. Of course, we could not enter into the church but saw the huge church from all the corners. We went around and so gothic style buildings too. The sisters had planned to take us to the Sagarada Familia the next day. Sagrada Familia is a cathedral began constructing hundred or more years before and still not completed yet. This church is an enormous church in gothic style. Emiritus Pope Benedict XVI opened it to the public service in 2010. We spent an entire morning in this church admiring the beauty and the amazing structures. After the visit we went back to the house and had lunch. In the afternoon we visited couple of other beautiful places. We also had a areal view of Barsalona being in a hanging trolley. We also visited the school that is administered by FMI sisters. We thank our sisters for their generosity, hospitality and motherly care.

Inside Sagrada Familia

In front of Sagrada Familia

Inside Sagrada Familia

After a successful and very enriching visit to Spain we returned to Rome on 5^th September. On 8^th we participated the first vows of Edmond from Albenia who is a member of Italian province. In the evening of the same day we went to Nemi to the SVD house for our annul retreat. Fr. Francesco, our rector preached the retreat. The main theme was meditating on the Creed. We had a prayerful and inspiring retreat.

Retreatents

After the annual retreat we came back to our house and began a workshop on Mariology of Marianist guided by Fr. John Roten SM. We had a very good course and discussions with Fr. Roten. We are grateful to his generosity and talents.

By Bro. Jinu Muthukattil, SM