Honoring Blessed Mother Teresa

South African students from a local college joined Missionaries
of Charity in celebrating Mother Teresa's feast. Fr. Varghese
hosted an evening of prayer at his mission, and many of the
students learned to pray the Rosary for the first time.

Missionaries of Charity who live down the road in Kakinada, plus local college students from South Africa, joined Fr. Varghese and his faithful in honoring Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta in the days leading up to and including her feast day on September 5, 2014. The sisters teach catechism classes at Sacred Heart, often accompany Fr. Varghese on home visits, and join in whole-heartedly in mission feast celebrations and events. 

Learning to pray the Rosary.

Mother Teresa's birthday is August 26, although she called August 27th, the day she was baptized, her "true birthday." Her day of death was September 5, so for a week or so, prayer and activities at Sacred Heart Mission centered around this nun, who loved to serve Christ in His poor. 

South African students delight in singing songs from
home for Fr. Varghese and the Missionaries of Charity on the
Sacred Heart Mission porch.

"We had a good and small celebration, sisters were very happy," wrote Fr. Varghese, after hearing confessions and celebrating Mass at the Missionaries of Charity convent in Kakinada. "I spoke about the good works of Mother Theresa and her Charisms." 

Students far from their South African home and
unused to Indian food were thrilled to join the
Missionaries of Charity and Fr.Varghese in a meal
of chicken and fries.

A Friday night Scriptural Rosary and Eucharistic procession involved the whole parish.  Faithful wrote prayer intentions to present to the Lord, which were then burned -- symbolic of giving the intentions over to God, and of the prayers rising to heaven, just like smoke. At Sunday Mass, local teachers were presented flower garlands, and prayed for by Fr. Varghese and the congregation. 

Honoring Mother Teresa at Sacred
Heart Mission began with the traditional lighting
of an oil lamp, an "inauguration" ceremony that
symbolizes the light of Christ. 

On the actual feast, Fr. Varghese invited South African college students who study nearby, and who sometimes come to him for counseling. Many are homesick and struggle to adjust to the different culture and food of India, so Fr. Varghese invited them to join Missionaries of Charity in praying a Rosary. Afterwards came a little party, with the students getting lively singing songs from home. They were thrilled to enjoy a meal that gave them a break from the unfamiliar tastes of Indian food -- chicken, french fries and a bite of feast day cake. Friends from the U.S. sent the funds for this special night, that provided a real uplift to the students in a way that would have delighted Mother Teresa.

Honoring Missionaries of Charity with roses.

Praying before Our Lord in the Eucharist.

The whole mission joined in a Eucharistic procession 
on mission grounds.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Pray For Us!

Feast of the Queenship of Mary

Fr. Varghese leads a Eucharistic adoration procession at Sacred Heart Mission in Kakinada on Friday, August 22, 2014, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. Just as the monstrance bears the Eucharistic Jesus, the Blessed Mother is a living monstrance, still bearing Jesus to the world. Her mission as Queen of Heaven, is to pray and intercede for us, leading all to her Son. 

Mission work day

The front entrance to Sacred Heart Mission in Kakinada was so muddy and uninviting, volunteers joined Fr. Varghese and visiting priest, Fr. Mariadas, in late August, in laying a concrete slab. Faithful of all ages pitched in, eager to improve their new little mission.

With a fledgling congregation and scarce funds, Fr. Varghese needs parishioners to lend a hand in  beautifying their mission. 

Despite heat and grit, workers had a fine time forming a work crew.

Digging earth by hand with primitive tools made a tough job tougher.

 Frs. Varghese and Mariadas helped form a "fire brigade" to move gravel.

Workers took a welcome break to enjoy a meal. Shown above, Fr. Mariadas lends a hand serving.

The mission signpost for Sacred Heart has script
in both English and Telegu.

A feast and an engagement

Feast of the Assumption festivities continued, when Fr. Varghese traveled from Sacred Heart of Jesus Mission in Kakinada, north to Fr. Baskhar's forest mission in Kothakota, August 16. Traditional Indian dancers welcomed the procession for the Mass, held outdoors because Fr. Baskhar's schoolhouse-turned-church was too small to host the event.

Fr. Baskhar's Infant Jesus Church looks transformed from
when he first took over his remote assignment in June.
Visiting priests and faithful cleaned the compound, painted
and arranged for weeks.

Youth sit patiently awaiting a flag-hoisting ceremony. The
Indian tri-color is raised, celebrating India's Independence Day.

The Blessed Mother is decked in a sari for her Feast.

Rain held off, so the Mass proceeded peacefully.

Fr. Baskhar is both pastor and musician, and
accompanies the choir at mission Masses.

Wearing Indian flags to mark Independence
Day, celebrated by all India on August 15.

Fr. Varghese distributes communion.

Volunteers from Kothakota and scattered villages
added to the celebration.

While Fr. Varghese was in Kothakota, he was asked to be Master of Ceremonies for a formal engagement ceremony for Fr. Baskhar's nephew and his bride-to-be.