Bento D’Souza sdb
AHMEDNAGAR, AUGUST 18, 2011: When Deacon Rolwyn asks me this Sunday during his ministry visit to St Anne’s Parish, in his typical style, “What’s happening in Bhingar?” This is what I will tell him.
A packed audience attended the Maha-Aradhana on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 from 7.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. in SmajMandir, Agardgaon Village, Bhingar under the open sky. Under the experienced guidance of the spirited Parish Priest, Fr Michael Bansode, the youth group of the Parish made every effort to conduct a Grand Adoration Service that was attended by more than hundred Christians with rapt attention. Four villages; Ratadgaon, Khandke, Tokewadi, joined together, in Agardgaon for the event. No effort was spared by the team. Multi- media was used powerfully and together with the music ministry gave a soul-exploding performance. The youth worked beautifully together as one energized team with regards to the program and the executing of it. The service began with a welcome, and then went on to a rite of sorrow and confession of sinfulness for all. Touching Marathi
Songs were sung while visual and words were projected in front of everyone’s gaze, while the people sung along.
A charismatic experience followed; comprising of the Word of God proclaimed in mesmerizing music, evangelical preaching and meditations on visuals from the film ‘Passion’. The faithful were in a space, where sacred silence reigns supreme and touched a chord of ‘metanoia’ and renewal in every one’s psyche and consciousness. The service included a prayer for healing for all present. No hands were raised, no voices praised aloud, everything happened in the quality of prayerful silence pervading. The crowd absorbed the all pervading Presence of the Lord in the Eucharistic Sacrament for three glorious hours. This was the first time an event like this was being held in an outstation of Bhingar, to counter the influence of the Protestants in conducting Altar Calls for Surrender of Life. This is the promise of more happenings to come.
People relish this sort of events and responded totally to the movement of the purging Spirit, by weeping and committing their lives anew to their spiritual growth. The people came with the pressures of life, their worries and concerns and left the place joyful. Light hearted and relaxed, free to face their life with courage and hope. After the celebration of praise and worship, satkar and honour was bestowed on Fr. Bansode and his team by the giving of shawls and roses. The whole Parish Council of Bhingar Church accompanied the group of youth and participated in the religious function. The highlight of the ceremony was the simple agape community meal of rice, curry, pickle and traditional lapsi sponsored by the Catholics of Agardgaon for all the villagers of the four hillock hamlets.
This served as a preparation for September 16, 2011, the feast of the Founding day of St. John the Baptist Church, 160 years ago. This year also marks the Celebration of the Silver Jubilee of the parish.
AHMEDNAGAR, AUGUST 18, 2011: When Deacon Rolwyn asks me this Sunday during his ministry visit to St Anne’s Parish, in his typical style, “What’s happening in Bhingar?” This is what I will tell him.
A packed audience attended the Maha-Aradhana on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 from 7.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. in SmajMandir, Agardgaon Village, Bhingar under the open sky. Under the experienced guidance of the spirited Parish Priest, Fr Michael Bansode, the youth group of the Parish made every effort to conduct a Grand Adoration Service that was attended by more than hundred Christians with rapt attention. Four villages; Ratadgaon, Khandke, Tokewadi, joined together, in Agardgaon for the event. No effort was spared by the team. Multi- media was used powerfully and together with the music ministry gave a soul-exploding performance. The youth worked beautifully together as one energized team with regards to the program and the executing of it. The service began with a welcome, and then went on to a rite of sorrow and confession of sinfulness for all. Touching Marathi
Songs were sung while visual and words were projected in front of everyone’s gaze, while the people sung along.
A charismatic experience followed; comprising of the Word of God proclaimed in mesmerizing music, evangelical preaching and meditations on visuals from the film ‘Passion’. The faithful were in a space, where sacred silence reigns supreme and touched a chord of ‘metanoia’ and renewal in every one’s psyche and consciousness. The service included a prayer for healing for all present. No hands were raised, no voices praised aloud, everything happened in the quality of prayerful silence pervading. The crowd absorbed the all pervading Presence of the Lord in the Eucharistic Sacrament for three glorious hours. This was the first time an event like this was being held in an outstation of Bhingar, to counter the influence of the Protestants in conducting Altar Calls for Surrender of Life. This is the promise of more happenings to come.
People relish this sort of events and responded totally to the movement of the purging Spirit, by weeping and committing their lives anew to their spiritual growth. The people came with the pressures of life, their worries and concerns and left the place joyful. Light hearted and relaxed, free to face their life with courage and hope. After the celebration of praise and worship, satkar and honour was bestowed on Fr. Bansode and his team by the giving of shawls and roses. The whole Parish Council of Bhingar Church accompanied the group of youth and participated in the religious function. The highlight of the ceremony was the simple agape community meal of rice, curry, pickle and traditional lapsi sponsored by the Catholics of Agardgaon for all the villagers of the four hillock hamlets.
This served as a preparation for September 16, 2011, the feast of the Founding day of St. John the Baptist Church, 160 years ago. This year also marks the Celebration of the Silver Jubilee of the parish.