By I P Sarto

Dumka: The animators of the Small Christian Communities in Dumka diocese have decided to celebrate St. Joseph’s year solemnly in this year. This was decided by the animators from nine parishes who attended an orientation on “Trinitarian Church” held January 15-17 in Dumka.

Some participants decided to celebrate March 19, the feast of Saint Joseph with procession, special liturgy, cultural programs and talks on the foster father of Jesus. Others proposed to celebrate on another day convenient for the people.

Pope Francis on December 8, 2020, declared the Year of St. Joseph for the Universal Church, which will end on December 8, this year.

The SCC groups of Dumka diocese will recite special prayer to St. Joseph every day, said Father Christopher Hembrum, the Jharkhand regional SCC coordinator.

“We shall remind people how St. Joseph protects us as he protected the Holy Family, said Mr. Albert Hansda, a SCC animator. Thus SCC families in the villages will pray to St. Joseph for his protection during this pandemic time,” he added.

Always we pray to Jesus and Mary, and we seldom pray to St. Joseph, said Mrs. Sunita Marandi, another Animator. This is an ideal opportunity to pray to St. Joseph, said Marandi, an animator for three years. All the families will keep a photo or Statue of St. Joseph to remind us his intercessory power in our families, said Jerome Tudu, an SCC animator for ten years.

The orientation sessions were facilitated by Holy Cross Sister Christin Joseph. As the Trinity is united to share the love of God, the SCC families need to be united to witness, added Sister Christin who initiated SCCs in Dumka diocese two decades ago. Through various examples, she elaborated the impact of SCCs in the families, villages, parishes and in society at large.

The SCC animators also decided to conduct orientation in the villages during February and March 2021, said Rekha Tudu, Dumka diocesan SCC animator. The parish animators created a WhatsApp group to share the report of SCC meetings to be held in all the units. I am happy to attend this SCC orientation after nearly a year, said Teresa Besra of Dumka. Due to pandemic, no diocesan or parish orientation was held during the last 10 months.

During the orientation Bishop Julius Marandi of Dumka felicitated Rekha Tudu for her active animation sessions on social distance and mask wearing in Dumka. Father Sonaton Kisku, director of the Social arm of Dumka was congratulated for his initiatives to help the migrant laborers with food during the pandemic for two months. Bishop Marandi also congratulated Rajesh Murmu, a youth for making videos on Christian themes and circulating to the SCC groups during the pandemic time.