17 November 2023: Sannidhi, Shimoga:
"I must thank you, the Directors of Commissions for the work that you do for the church and especially our diocese. Very soon we will have the Year Plan 2024. Next year is the Year of Youth. While we conclude the Year of the Woman and the Girl Child, we also inaugurate the Year of the Youth on 25 December at Midnight Christmas Mass", said Bishop Francis Serrao SJ, the Chairman of the Shimoga Diocesan Pastoral Plan Implementation Committee.
He was speaking on the occasion of the Meeting of the Diocesan Directors of Pastoral Commissions held on 17 November 2023 in Sannidhi, the Centre for Pastoral Renewal. It was an Evaluation-Report-Action Plan 2024-Budget Proposal meeting. There were 18 participants including the Bishop, Vicar General and the Deans.
Earlier, Fr Duming Dias, the Coordinator of Diocesan Pastoral Commissions, by way of introduction, gave a few instructions to the directors, namely, challenges and problems they had encountered, report of the past three months, action plan for 2024 and Budget proposed for their activities.
The directors read out the report and presented the action plan. Thereafter some of them presented the budget. The reports were resourceful and satisfying.
NEW LEARNINGS/VENTURES:
During our discussions on various Commissions, there were genuine concerns shared especially with regard to BECs. It was observed that 7 step method was not that interesting. Fr George wanted to introduce CCBI and Regional Framework, that is, Media Desk, Rosouce, Council, etc. A genuine discussion took place, at the end which a committee comprising of Fr George Lobo, Fr Veeresh Moras, Fr Stany D'Souza, Fr Steevan D'Sa and Fr Richard Anil D'Souza was formed to look into and propose other means.
Secondly, so far there was no Joint Secretary for the Commissions. It was decided that a lay person could be appointed as Joint Secretary for each of these commissions. In this regard, the directors were asked to send three names at the earliest.
Thirdly, there was a suggestion to have a book on prayer for different occasions. A committee comprising of Fr Anthony Peter as Convener, Fr Santhosh D'Almeida, Fr George KA and Fr J. B. Castelino was formed to come out with a prayer book which contains prayers services for different occasions.
Earlier, the meeting began with a prayer by Fr Lawrence D'Souza. Fr Santhosh D'Almeida welcomed the gathering while Fr George K A proposed the vote of thanks. The meeting got concluded with the recitation of the Angelus by Sr Helen Moras, SCB.
