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.

Praising God for bed, solar panel and new "decree"

Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu attended a special Mass
at Infant Jesus Church in Kothakota, declaring the erection 
of a new church.

Fr. S. Baskhar publicly gave thanks for receiving a bed and other gifts, at his new forest assignment at Infant Jesus Mission in Kothakota, India. His missionary friend, Fr. Varghese Kalapurakudy, had told friends in America about Fr. Baskhar's lack of a bed. The need coincided with two young brothers in the friends' Chicago-area homeschool community asking for donations for Fr. Varghese in lieu of gifts at their birthday party. Fr. Varghese was so worried about Fr. Baskhar sleeping on cobra-infested ground in the country, that he turned over the brothers' gift to Fr. Baskhar, so his fellow missionary could buy a sturdy wood bed frame and mattress. 

Other priests gave Fr. Baskhar (shown here at his mission gate) an amplifier and a solar panel. 

"So, today he is blessed by many gifts," wrote Fr. Varghese.

Visiting missionaries from across the Archdiocese of
Visakhapatnam prepare for Mass at Infant Jesus Mission
in Kothakota.

Missionary priests and faithful uplift each other, or fledgling missions could never survive. This gift-giving for Fr. Baskhar took place at a special event for Catholics in rural Kothakota. Catholic villagers here have waited to worship in their own church for many decades. Faithful are scattered across as many as ten villages around Kothakota and largely make their living in agriculture.

Fr. Varghese Kalapurakudy traveled hours north by bus from his Sacred Heart of Jesus Mission in coastal Kakinada, joining other priests and faithful in volunteering days of labor. They settled Fr. Baskhar into his new little rental house in town, near an ancient Hindu site honoring Goddess Durga. They scrubbed, arranged, and decorated mission grounds and the old school used for a church. Then they celebrated a special Mass with Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu, marking an important event: the Archbishop announced the "Church Erection Decree," launching a church-building project at Fr. Baskhar's Infant Jesus Mission.   

Faithful gathered in Kothakota from surrounding villages for
the special Mass mid-July with Archbishop Prakash
Mallavarapu.

Missionaries from across the Diocese of Visakhapatnam
process for the Mass. 

A traditional oil lamp was lit to inaugurate the event.
The flames signify that we are all called to be the Light of Christ.

The choir shelters under a tent, safe from rain.

Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu blessed the tabernacle, and
presented the new pastor, Fr. Baskhar, with the keys to 
his mission.

Traditional Indian dancers welcomed the Archbishop,
visiting priests and the faithful.

Preparing to build a jungle church

Villagers help Fr. Baskhar prepare his schoolhouse-church 
and grounds, at Infant Jesus Mission in Kothakota.

After fellow priests helped Fr. Varghese Kalapurakudy settle at his new mission in Kakinada, India, the crew turned to help Fr. S. Baskhar at his jungle mission. First, visiting priests and faithful cleaned Fr. Baskhar's rented house, mission grounds and the school used for a church at Infant Jesus Mission in Kothakota. They concelebrated a welcoming Mass attended by villagers scattered across a wide area. In mid-July, Frs. Varghese, Sridhar and other priests returned to again help clean Fr. Baskhar's compound, preparing to welcome their archbishop and fellow priests traveling in from across the Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam. The event? A special Mass declaring the official decree to erect a church in Kothakota.

A local Hindu man paces around a Neem tree
 at the site of an ancient Hindu temple across
from Fr. Baskhar's little rented house. 

Rain made everything soggy. To find a network connection
to send these photos, Fr. Varghese climbed atop
a mission roof.

New paint freshens the schoolhouse-church.

A workday starts with Mass and prayer.

Every mission starts with humble beginnings.