Merry Christmas from Sacred Heart Mission

Jackets for St. Thomas Orphans

A couple days before Christmas, Fr. Varghese visited St. Thomas School in Panduru to deliver blessings and 30 jackets to little orphans, a gift he provided through the help of his "friendly circle" back in America.

God's creatures add life to Sacred Heart Mission

 Gowry the mission cow is as loving and mischievous as any pet. Named for a famous Marian shrine in India (Nirmalagiri, Mary Martha Shrine near Gowripatnam), she came to Fr. Varghese at a previous mission when a grateful villager had prayers answered, and presented her as a gift to the missionary. She has a tendency to wander and explore, and was already caught far from the mission compound, down by the seashore.

"She's a part of my life now," says Fr. Varghese, shown here with Gowry and Alpha the dog. When Gowry was younger, she would come knock at the shutters to tell Fr. Varghese she was hungry, and he would hand her a plantain out the window.

Although Father now serves a city mission in Kakinada, his compound is home to a lively variety of animals, which bring a little country into the city. They delight visitors of all ages, help provide food for Father and hungry families (his buffalo were gifted by a family in the U.S. and provide good, pure milk), guard the mission, and are even used in ministry.

When a quarreling married couple comes for counseling, Fr. leads them to the lovebirds who live so companionably, preening each other and cooing in harmony. He says, "See how God's creatures care for each other? You need to do that, too!"