By Sr. Dr. Teresa Joseph, FMA –
Pope St. John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. The annual celebration was established by Pope John Paul II in 1997, to be marked each year on February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple by Mary and Joseph. Christ is the light of the world and every consecrated person is called to reflect the Light of Jesus Christ.
The many branches of consecrated life
In Vita Consecrata, the 1996 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Pope St. John Paul II wrote of the different forms of consecrated life as “the many branches which sinks its roots into the Gospel and brings forth abundant fruit in every season of the Church’s life.” These diverse forms include: Monastic Life, the Orders of Virgins, Hermits, and Institutes completely devoted to contemplation, Apostolic Religious Life, Secular Institutes, Societies of Apostolic Life, and new or renewed forms of the consecrated life (cf. Vita Consecrata, 6-12).
In Pope St. John Paul II’s words, the celebration of the World Day for Consecrated Life “is intended to help the entire Church to esteem ever more greatly the witness of those persons who have chosen to follow Christ by means of the practice of the evangelical counsels and, at the same time, is intended to be a suitable occasion for consecrated persons to renew their commitment and rekindle the fervour which should inspire their offering of themselves to the Lord.”
In the Parish Community
Even though the World Day for Consecrated Life is observed in parishes on the Sunday after February 2, Fr. Vivian D’Souza, SDB, the Rector and Parish Priest of Our Lady of Dolours Church, Wadala and his team of Salesians celebrated the World Day for Consecrated Life on 2 February 2019 together with the Salesian Sisters of Auxilium Convent, Wadala and Mazzarello Youth Welfare Centre Wadala and a number of parishioners.
The Eucharistic Celebration presided over by the youngest Priest Fr. Mylin Noronha at 7.00 a.m., with the melodious singing led by Loyid Nunes truly rekindled our fervour. The presence of Fr. John Samala during this Golden Jubilee Year of his Ordination spurred us on to offer special thanks to the Lord for His fidelity and unconditional love that accompany each one of us.
The Prayer of Consecration prayed in unison by the Salesian Fathers and Salesian Sisters in the presence of the Parish community did awaken in us a renewed sense of commitment to live our religious calling for the good of the people of God and for the building up of God’s Kingdom.
The Prayer of Consecration
God our Father, through the ages you have called women and men to pursue lives of perfect charity, through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
We give you thanks for calling each one of us to be courageous witnesses of your love and mercy; and through the pursuit of holy lives teach us to make a more perfect offering of ourselves to you.
We renew our consecration to live a life of poverty, chastity and obedience, according to the Gospel and as traced out by our Constitutions. Be our guide and strengthen us in our resolve to live our Religious calling for the good of the people of God and for the building up of your kingdom. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the Table of the Lord and after greetings the parishioners, the Salesian Fathers and Sisters met for the Salesian breakfast thoughtfully prepared by Fr. Rozario Vaz sdb and served by Frs. Kerketta Shilanand and Nunes Diego.
You called me, here I am Lord
The celebration of the World Day for Consecrated Life 2019 is an appropriate time to give a conscious quality lift to our commitment as consecrated men and women. It is an apt moment to rekindle the fervour within us to make striving for holiness our characteristic style of being and doing.
It is the propitious hour to hearken to the voice of the Lord of the harvest: Jesus told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Luke 10:2).
Grant o Lord to many young boys and girls the grace to listen to your call. Continue to create in our homes the spirit of generosity, sacrifice and dedication that vocations may continue to germinate within the families.