Way to swing that ax Fr. Greg, and so good to see Br. Bene ;-)
Good stuff!
AMDG,
44
Greetings from India!
I have been quiet for a while. I am at the moment in Chennai (South India) for my doctoral studies.
I just wanted to share with you all some latest news about our St. Paul Miki School in Pandabir. I attach two pdf files. You will see the photos of the ground breaking ceremony for the school in Pandabir.
Fr. John Deeney, SJ regularly visited this place for Sunday masses on his bicycle. Memories are still fresh in my mind when I used to travel with him in 1983 as a Jesuit novice. He was certainly faster and skillful than I was in cycling those village roads. His regular and relentless service to this place saw the establishment of this parish and now the school.
I was thrilled to see the crowds in these pictures gathered for the ground breaking ceremony (students, their parents and the villagers). This school project was delayed a bit as there were already one or two school projects in hand and they needed more attention.
You will also see Fr. Edward McGrath, SJ in the pictures (he is one of five Maryland Jesuits working in Jamshedpur Province in India at the moment).
I know many of you Deeney family contributed generously for the St. Paul Miki School project in Pandabir. I am sure the parishners of Pandabir Parish and particularly the children in Pandabir school are very happy to see their school building coming up with more facilities for thier education.
I am sending this mail to the addresses I have in my mail box. You may forward this to other people who might like to read and know the latest on St. Paul Miki School in Pandabir.
Thank you very much for all your support to continue Fr. John Deeney's work among the Hos in Jharkhand, India. I am sure he is interceding from heaven for all the people at Pandabir, the Jesuits at Jamshepdur province and the Deeney family.
AMDG
Jerry Cutinha SJ
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Berchmans Illam, Loyola College, Chennai 600 034
Ground Breaking by Greg D’Silva, SJ
Provincial Mike Raj, SJ and Ed McGrath, SJ greet parents and students
Provincial Flanked by Bene Kichingia, SJ & Greg D’Silva, SJ.
BORDOR (PANDABIR)
On 8 October we had the Ground Breaking Ceremony of St. Paul Miki School building. To witness and participate in the event many of our students’ parents and local people came. People’s leaders like two Ward Members, the Mundas of two villages, the Mukhya of Bara Lagia were also present on the occasion. The presence of local people and their leaders on this occasion was an indication that they have been eagerly waiting for the new school building to come up for the children in their locality.
During the prayer service, Provincial Fr. Mike T. Raj, SJ prayed for the safety of the workers in the time of the building construction and for the students. He also blessed the site with holy water, broke coconut as part of Indian tradition and then drove the first stroke of pickaxe into the ground. The Jesuits and the local leaders present also did the same. The popular prayer song – “This is my prayer to Thee, my Lord” - composed by Rabindranath Tagore was sung by the school children, led by Gulshan Kujur. Also present for this auspicious occasion were Greg D’Silva, SJ, Ed McGrath, SJ, Hilarius Kongari, SJ and Pascal Kerketta, SJ. At the end of the programme refreshment were served to all. The construction work has already begun. This new school building with nine classrooms and two office rooms will be completed by June 2012, and it will be able to accommodate about 500 students.
- James Samad
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Thank you for your sharing! I like your posts very much,they are interesting and meaningful!
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