On Sunday we travelled to see Fr. Pasala Leeno whom we have known since the time of Linda Lambeth being in charge of Missions. So over 20 years I think. We went to mass at his parish, Our Lady of Fatima. My favourite! And they have a beautiful shrine to her. She is a regular Our Lady of Fatima but she also has beautiful Indian cloth around her. Fr. Leeno is a quieter man than I imagined him to be from his emails to Linda. He writes so enthusistically but in person he is rather mild mannered it seems. Also I think he is maybe less comfortable speaking english. In any case his whole parish welcomed us so warmly. We were late but they waited for us to celebrate mass. Fr. Emmanuel celebrated with Fr. Leeno and he preached the homily. Last year we sent their parish one of those giant wall rosaries. It now hangs around the processional type cross at the front. He said many people come and pray with it and there have since been many blessings and miracles! How wonderful that the goods we sent our so prayed with and cherished.
These parishioners seem pretty serious about there faith. I think that is generally the case here in India as they are such the minority and also religious practice of some kind is the norm. They are surprised here when we say that people at home believe in nothing. No God at all. Here everyone has a faith whether it is Hindu or Muslim or Catholic. Many of the parishioners were wearing brown which is sign of penitence. They wear it all through lent and take on strict fasting and much extra prayers and giving of alms. It isn’t mandatory and people just discern each lent whether it is something they should take on. If they feel called they do so.
At the end of mass we of course took lots of pictures following some devotional prayers at the statue of Our Lady. We met lots of the people and then we rested and ate. We have a very beautiful meal with Father Leeno. I asked him about this young priest who had been writing to Linda. He said ohh Fr. Thambi, he is here! So in 5 minutes in comes Fr. Thambi. So better than asking about him we got to meet him. He told me about the mission parishes he works in and how far he travels and what it was like being a priest in this area. He is hoping to get a motor bike to travel. Fr. Emmanuel said to me, yes times are changing now here. Now the young ones want a motor bike but in my day we would just cycle many kms. LOL! But its true the young priests essentially are on their own to receive funds so if they have tiny out stations they don’t have any money. Fr. Emmanuel is speaking though about about how much Andhra is developing. From what they describe even 15 years ago, things are changing a lot here. I think it really was quite rural and simple here and certainly people did not have motor bikes but now a lot more families can afford to have one. It seems a lot of this is due to increased education. It makes a big difference in people being able to improve circumstances for their families. We have learned that Christians here do not often own land, so being educated is quite a focus for them.
Sunday evening we had such a treat! Fr. Emmanuel is very musical and composes music and sings. So he took us to the local music school his friend runs. His friend has a doctorate in sacred music and plays 40 instruments. So the students played some music for us in Carnatic style. It is a style from south India common among Telugu speaking peoples among others. Fr. Emmanuel also studied it. Wow the music is so beautiful. After the students played Father sang and our friend Kishore played keys while Father’s friend played the Indian flute. It was wild. They are so talented. Then we got a tour of all the Indian percussion instruments and also the recording studio. I was a little in heaven. I wish I could have stayed longer. It was nice to have an evening to just spend time with our friends too. We see that father does not work ALL the time and that he has his joys and passions. They told us that the three of them will come together at 10pm sometimes when Father finishes work and then stay up till 3am writing music and recording it. It’s on YouTube so you can all enjoy!
Monday we went very far again….to the last bus stop of the diocese as Philo says. It is the edge right on the ocean. We went there to see Fr. Praveen. He is a youngish priest whom we have known for a few years. He also happens to have been Fr. Emmanuel’s assistant for a year. They have real brotherly affection for one another. Fr. Praveen’s parish is very small and isolated. There are not many Catholic families. Only 20 and they travel a long distance to come to the parish because it is build outside of town. He also has some even smaller out stations. The whole parish came to welcome us. We could only stay for a short time because it was a long drive away. It was very good to meet Fr. Praveen and see his circumstances. He is kind and jolly :). He is working very hard for his parishioners. They are a small but mighty group I think. The diocese obviously helps them out because I think it is likely that have almost zero funds. But last year they were able to even build a small chapel at one of the out stations.
On the way to see Fr. Praveen and on the way back we stopped at one of the convents of our sister guardians. It is a larger one and has 7 sisters. It continues to be a joy to meet more and more of these Little Sisters of Jesus. Their superior Sr. Maria welcomed us so warmly. She is a small woman but obviously with a big spirit. We stopped briefly for tea on the way but then on the way home we all had dinner together. It was lovely to see the sisters interacting and laughing and teasing Fr. Emmanuel. He knows them well because they are diocesan. Again we are fed so well. I am actually gaining weight in India…you will see when I come home. All I have to do to gain weight is eat three times the amount I eat in one day LOL. Probably difficult to maintain at home. Again it was sad to leave the sisters. At this point I was starting to think how soon we will be leaving India and I am feeling a little heart broken about it.
Monday morning before we left to see Fr. Praveen Sr. Jasmine and I had a long chat. We talked all about our communities. She said they are taught to be like butterflies not like birds. Birds will only stick with there own kind but Butterflies will go all over the place and be with others who are different from themselves. She said they should go out to other and take what they take, eat what they eat and be together with them. I’m sure you can see more and more why we feel at home with these Little Sisters of Jesus. Now that I know her better I also asked all my burning questions about their diocese and about what I have observed. Some questions I felt were a little delicate so I have waited to ask them. I want to honestly tell her what I saw and ask if it is correct. She was very gracious in her answers. Also we talked all about begging and being simple. ….and well about personal things I won’t write in this blog :). She is a good woman. She is given to the Lord and very obedient to her community. Certainly she sees the will of God in this and receives her grace through her surrender. She has been a superior for many years now in different places. Please pray for her.
Now we approach our final day in India….
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