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 Evangelization: Having received the good news through the untiring efforts of Missionaries from Europe, the Young vibrant Missionary Diocese of Kottar has as its central concern the proclamation of the Gospel. All our activities, both at the level of the Diocese and that of the parishes, are geared to deepening the faith-life of the Christian and sharing the Gospel among Non-Christians, especially through Basic Christian Communities in all villages of the Diocese. There are 143 Churches with resident priests. Each parish has an average of three to four Mission Churches. The various Associations, Organizations and other Apostolic Movements are actively participating in this evangelization process. Trained lay catechists are also fully involved in the mission of evangelization. All the parishes are engaged at the grassroots level in evaluating themselves and drawing up a pastoral plan. VOCATIONS: Kottar Diocese is blessed with numerous vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Every year about 100 young men and women respond to the call of the Lord to serve in Kottar Diocese or in other parts of the country as missionaries. Tamil Nadu Xavier Mission Home, a Tamil Nadu regional institution situated in Kottar Diocese, trains candidates to priesthood to serve as missionaries in the Northern Dioceses of India. The Diocese has 186 Seminarians, half of them in various major Seminaries. Every year about 12-15 men are ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese. The aid received from Rome is not enough to support the education of the seminarians. The families are too poor to educate them. The Bishop has to spend about US $ 30 monthly on each Seminarian. A gift of $ 1 cents a day could help towards the education of a student for the priesthood in Kottar Diocese. The Bishop has also the task of maintaining 266 priests of the Diocese. Many of the Parishes are unable to maintain their pastors. The Bishop would need about US $ 1000 annually as additional aid for each priest. Education Kottar Diocese has given much importance to education both at the elementary school level and higher levels to improve the lot of the people. Though the Government pays the salary of the teachers and the non-teaching staff, the Diocese has to find funds to construct new school buildings or renovate the existing ones. The schools established or upgraded after 1991 are denied this aid. This has created a big added burden on the diocese.
We need funds to maintain the schools already started and to construct new ones. Socio - Economic Developement: As most of our people are either fishermen or farmers, working in other's farms, their income is unsteady. Poverty and unemployment make them easy targets of exploitation. The Diocese faces challenges also in the area of housing, sanitation, protected drinking water, employment and ensuring better hygienic conditions. The Diocese tries to respond to such challenges through its social action wing: Kottar Social Service Society and Kuzhithurai Integral Development Social Services. Here are some of their involvement programmes. » Kaikal Women Self Confidence Programme » Dalit Delopment Programme » Coastal Peace and Development » Inland Fisher People's Organisation. » Rural Motivation Programme » Community Health Development Programme » Promotion of Self Reliant and Self Sustaining People's Federation » Save a family Programme » Short Stay Home » Family Units » St. Lawrence Technical Training Centre » St. Joseph's Catholic Industrial School, Kadiapattanam » St. Mary's Community College » Boat Building Centre, Muttom » Nanjil Milk Plant » Carpentary Unit |