BIS Mumbai
BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE # 3498
BISHOP LOURDES DANIEL BAPTIZES AND CONFIRMS BHINGARITES
By: Bento D'Souza
BHINGAR-AHMEDNAGAR, APRIL 29, 2013: A week long training in catechism was held to prepare one hundred and ten children for the sacraments of First Holy Communion and confirmation, from April 22 to 27, 2013 at St John Baptist Church, Bhingar camp.
The bishop of Nasik Diocese, Lourdes Daniel baptized one baby Aaron and administered the sacrament of confirmation to seventy seven children from urban and villages around Bhingar during the 8 o'clock Marathi mass on April 28, 2013.
Fifty seven children received Jesus for the first time in Holy Communion during the mass. Two days earlier thirty children had received baptism and eight marriages were rectified. The service had baptism, confirmation and First Holy Communion spread during the Mass and ended with satkar of the Bishop, Catechisms teachers, women helpers. Certificates were given to those who received the various sacraments.
For the whole week the entire parish rallied around the village children at the camp making this a truly participatory experience showing the power of the common priesthood in the development and service of charity.
The youth group sang with full zest at Mass. The entire parish was caught up in a moment of a sacramental "wow and euphoria". The children were energized with the new encounter of Jesus in their teen lives. The parents were relieved to see their children grow up properly as Christians.
The Salesian Priests and elders of the community were happy to see their young parishioners-future of society and church- grow up into practicing and literate Catholics. The Bishop was happy to see that we had given sacraments to clear up the backlog and the parish flourishing in faith and full participation.