Syro-Malabar Church Celebrates Evangelization Year

The Syro-Malabar Church has declared the year from August 15th 2011 to August 15th, 2012 as the year of Evangelization. It is proposed to be celebrated in connection with the golden jubilee celebration of the Chanda Mision, the first missionary diocese under the Syro-Malabar Church, formed in 1962. The Evangelization year provides an opportunity to think about and to act with renewed vigour on the evangelical vocation of the Syro-Malabar Church. It proposes to awaken the evangelical conciousness, encourage missionary vocations, mobilize the necessary spiritual and physical resources and to rekindle missionary consciousness among the missionaries and priests. Mar Sebastian Vadakkel, Bishop of Ujjain dio cese, is the chairman of the committee for the evangelization year.

Evangelization in Jail

Lima : It was not only the life of Carlos Turin Willanuve, a terrorist in Jail, that was changed by the letter of Pope John Paul II.It transformed the lives of many other convicts. A letter written by the Pope was instrumental in one of the rarest of evangelization activities. Carlos reveals that it was the Pope's reply to his letter while in jail that enabled his conversion.While a convict in the Castro Jail in Lima he sent a letter to Pope John Paul II.To his surprise he got a reply from the Pope in which the Pope wished that he shall obtain comfort by his increased faith in Mother Mary, that the Pope will pray for him and his family.... This letter, in fact, transformed Carlos' life. Carlos was a member of a terrorist outfit known as the Shining Path which was strong in Peru in the 1990 s. They had a strong hold in jails. They hated christians and the latter were prey to their ire and were callously tortured. Yet they persisted in their faith, Carlos remembers.When his evangelization activities in the jail increased, opposition also increased.In spite of that the number of christians in the jail increased from 10 to 100. The jail witnessed a rare phenomenon of convicts proclaiming the Gospel to fellow convicts. In those days priests were not allowed inside jails. In that circumstance the evangelization activities of Carlos were a boon to the convicts. Gradually, every block in the jail had a christian community and they consecrated themselves to Mother Mary.

Annual Gathering of Spirit In Jesus - MARYLAND - SURYANELLY

On August 15, 2011 children of Spirit in Jesus came together at Maryland, Suryanally , their birth place to greet Holy Mary on the day of her Assumption. About 1500 people - men and women of all ages - gathered at the hill top, braving the intermittent rain and slippery slopes of the Munnar hills. They came from all the districts and dioceses of Kerala and outside the State. Since the event was unprecedented, natives and the local police watched the turn out with curiosity and in amazement. The program of the day started at 10 o' clock in the morning and continued till 7 o' clock in the evening without a break. Throughout the mighty presence of the Lord could be felt; the love and holiness of Mother Mary too could be experienced.