Bishop’s Message
Dear Fathers, Sisters and Brothers,
Greetings of the Season of Lent!
I am sure most of you would have already gone through the Message of Pope Leo for Lent this year on the theme ‘Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion.’ Beginning his message by reminding us what Lent truly is: a sacred time in which the Church, with maternal care, invites us to place the mystery of God back at the centre of our lives. Amid anxieties and distractions of daily life, Lent becomes a season of renewal, a God-given time to return to the Lord and rediscover the heart of our faith. Every genuine path towards conversion, the Holy Father notes, begins by allowing the Word of God to touch our hearts and transform us.
From this foundation, he highlights three essential dimensions of our Lenten journey, viz. listening, fasting and (walking) together. Listening is the first act of relationship. God himself reveals that He is one who hears the cry of the oppressed (cf. Ex 3:7) which is the beginning of the story of liberation. The Pope says that even today God shares with us what is in his heart. In a world flooded with competing voices, Lent calls us to cultivate interior silence so that we may hear the Word of God, recognize and respond to “the cry of those who are anguished and suffering” with compassion and responsibility.
Secondly, fasting, in turn, prepares our hearts to receive that Word. It is not merely an external discipline but a way of ordering our desires. In a culture of consumerism and instant gratification, fasting becomes a prophetic sign. It helps us rediscover what truly nourishes us and keeps alive our hunger and thirst for justice. The Pope also proposes a very practical form of fasting for our times like “refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor” and “avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves.” Instead, he encourages us “to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities.” This form of fasting in our families, presbyteries, parish councils, social media and public life can transform relationships and build communion.
Thirdly, Lent is not a solitary effort; rather, it is a shared journey undertaken together. Drawing from the biblical image of the Israelites gathering to hear the Law and fast as one community, the Holy Father reminds us that our parishes, families, anpiams and religious communities should become spaces of “listening to the word of God, as well as to the cry of the poor and of the earth.” Conversion touches not only personal conscience but also the quality of our relationships and our communal witness. As priests, religious and lay faithful, may we embrace this holy season of Lent with renewed seriousness and hope, so that our communities may become places where God’s voice is heard and the cry of the suffering finds a compassionate response.
From January 1 this year, we have set ourselves on the path of concretely implementing the decisions and recommendations of the Diocesan Synod 2024 in different phases across our parishes and administrative bodies. What we prayerfully discerned together through prayer and dialogue as the diocesan community from Nov 1, 2023 to Nov 15, 16 and 17, 2024 has now entered the stage of lived practice. Meanwhile, the formation of facilitation teams at the diocesan and vicariate levels shows our serious commitment to guide, accompany and animate this process in a spirit of collaboration and responsibility.
I come to know that there are difficulties faced right at the beginning of the implementation of the decisions and recommendations in some of our parishes. We are aware that as with any meaningful renewal, there may be initial challenges, resistance and even setbacks. And that’s also quite natural. But these should not in any way discourage us. Yet, if we persevere with transparency, dedication and fidelity to the Synod’s vision, the fruits will surely emerge in God’s time. This journey, at the same time, calls for a wholehearted cooperation of all the priests, religious and faithful of our diocese. Together, with patience, honesty, and integrity, let us faithfully implement the Synod’s decisions for the greater good of our diocese.
The students of Standards X and XII of our schools, along with other students of the State, who are appearing for their public examinations this month are in our special thoughts and prayers. This is an important milestone in their academic journey, and we appreciate their hard work, commitment and perseverance. We wholeheartedly wish them every success in their examinations. May God bless them abundantly with wisdom, clarity and confidence throughout this time of their examinations! May the loving protection of Mother Mary be with them, guiding and strengthening them each day! May they also be assured of our constant prayers and wholehearted support!