Brief Report on Bettiah Catholic Sangh AGM held
on January 13, 2013
at St. Alphonso Church, Vasant Kunj Parish, New
Delhi
The
much awaited annual event for the members of Bettiah Catholic Sangh Delhi,
Christmas get-together along with Annual General Body Meeting, was held on
January 13, 2013 at the Vasant Kunj Parish House of St. Alphonso Church. We,
members of the Bettiah Catholic Sangh, extend our grateful thanks to Rev. Fr.
Vincent Salvatore for volunteering to invite us to his Parish House premises
and to make all facilities available. He
was generous to offer these facilities, each year, as long as he was posted at
the Vasant Kunj Parish.
2. Holy Mass: It is
noteworthy and very encouraging to let you know that the Bettiah Catholic Sangh
members were present in good strength, more than 80 in numbers, whether young
or senior citizens, old timers lost over the years, newly married couples or
first timer young faces. Thanks for your
participation and for the untiring efforts of the Executive Committee members,
under the leadership of our president John Benedict, to make the event
successful.
The
event started with Holy Mass conducted by Fr. Vincent in the overflowing Parish
Hall. While Fr Vincent’s sermon reminded
us of the sacrament of Baptism & its meaning in our Christian life, he also
carried us to the basic moral values and Christian family upbringing by our
parents and grand parents in Bettiah, not found as strong in other places. He elaborated on the days’ gospel of Baptism
when John the Baptist said, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is
coming will do much more. He will
baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire.
As for me, I am not worthy to untie his sandal.”
3. Choir: was conducted by Noreen, our Secretary,
in our old days Bettiah Parish tunes.
4. Refreshment: After the
Mass, everyone shifted to the open terrace where otherwise cold weather was
nice & pleasant to us that day.
Surrounded by greenery around, no building clusters and nil traffic, we
never thought that we were in Delhi.
Everyone was greeted with hot steaming tea, snacks of biscuits &
Christmas cakes specially brought by our members for community sharing. In the background, the most appetizing flavor
of typical Bettiah ways of meal prepared by Pradeep, Vijay, Anand and company
was floating in the air.
5. The Annual General Body Meeting of the
Sangh
started in the presence of our two Spiritual Directors: Fr. Vincent Salvatore,
Fr. Moben Michael, the Chairperson and other Executive Committee members.
·
The
President remembered the services rendered by one of our Founder Members – late
James Natal who left us last year for his heavenly abode. We all stood in silence for offering our
condolences and prayers for departed souls of Sri James Natal and other
Bettiahwallas, The President asked new
members and newly married couples to introduce themselves for the benefit of general
body members. They were: new members…6 and 3 newly married couples . As a token
of appreciation, one of the newly , couples that was present on the day, was
provided with a gift of wall clock. Senior citizens were also given a token of
love by Vincent Thakur, and our two Spiritual Directors were also presented
with a token gift each. In order to
cover everyone, head of each family and all children were also provided with
small gifts.
·
First Communion: Bishop of
Bettiah has agreed to fix a date each year during post Christmas one week for
those Bettiahwallah parents who live outside Bettiah but wish to get their
children receive First Communion in the Bettiah Church. Thanks to the efforts
of Sri Mukul Cherobin, Fr. Moben and the Executive Committee.
·
Holy Land
Pilgrimage:
The President also informed that he was in touch with travel agencies to
organize Holy Land Pilgrimage for those interested and if it is a group of
Bettiahwallahs, it will definitely have positive advantage due to common
language, culture, food habits and camaraderie.
He would communicate details to members whenever such plan takes some
concrete shape.
·
Bettiah Catholic
Sangh Blog & Website: The President and Sri Mukul Cherobin explained that
for the benefit of Bettiah Catholic Sangh members, a blog have been created by
name http:bthcatholicsanghblogspot.in and it could be accessed for detailed
activities of the Sangh. The President
and Sri Sabal David informed that London- based Sri Walter (Raju) Tobias has
developed an interactive website: christianityinbettiah.com where our members
can load or download articles, photographs, comments, etc related to
Christianity in Bettiah.
·
Google Group: Fr. Vincent
Salvatore also explained that he has developed a Google Group for
Bettiahwallahs and by accepting its membership, one can easily communicate with
the entire group of Bettiahwallahs in one go with news and views. It is therefore essential that each member
provides correct and the latest email ID to either Fr. Vincent or the
President.
The
President and the Secretary gave a report on the year activities and accounts,
including FDs of the Sangh, details of which would be available on
request.
Mr. James Natal
volunteered and invited everyone for the next gathering to be held a week after
Easter (tentative April 7, 2013) at his official Club venue at Safdarjung
Airport. Thanks James Bhai.
Towards
the end, with a word of thanks by the Chairman, the meeting was closed. Everyone was then invited to join and enjoy
the Lunch, prepared on site and by our own members, named earlier.
Bettiah Catholic
Sangh
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