The Week Long Provincial Chapter of St. John Paul II, Shillong concluded

Posted by INS Correspondent

Shillong 16 May: The week long provincial chapter of St. John Paul II, Shillong came to a close on the 14th May with the provincial community day and the jubilee celebrations of seven confreres held at Divine Saviour parish Nongthymmai. The chapter began on the 9th May with the recollection animated by Father Jerry Thomas on the theme ‘What kind of Salesian for the youth of today’. On the following day there was the official inauguration of the Chapter which was participated by Most Rev Archbishop Victor Lyngdoh of Shillong Archdiocese, Father Biju Michael, the regional councilor for South Asia, sister Elizabeth George fma the provincial of salesian sisters of Shillong Province in the presence of Father Paul O Lyngkot the INS provincial, Father KJ Anthony the moderator and 64 chapter members. Soon after the inauguration ceremony, the members listened to the ‘state of the province’ presented by the Provincial after which the members discussed his presentation in groups.

    The second day of the Chapter begun with the Holy Mass celebrated by Most Rev Archbishop John Moolachira dd, the Archbishop of Guwahati archdiocese. At 8:45am the member gathered in the Meeting hall for group reports on the ‘State of the Province’. Later the members were into their own groups for discussion on the chapter documents. In the evening session, the Provincial presented the ‘concerns of the Province’ followed by the ‘financial status of the province’ which was presented by Father James Thyrniang the Provincial Economer.

    Archbishop Emeritus of Guwahati Archdiocese Most Rev Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil presided over the Holy Mass that marked the third day of the Provincial Chapter. The first session that begun at 8:45am went into voting the various themes of the Chapter documents. In the evening of the same day, there were the discussions on the ‘Concerns of the Province’ and the ‘Overall Provincial Plan’.

    On the fourth day, the senior most confrere of Shillong Province Rev. Fr Gervasius Kozhuputhadam was the main celebrant to begin the day. At 8:45am, the chapter members gathered again in the Meeting Hall for voting on the various ‘Lines of actions’ and the OPP of the Province. In the late afternoon, Father John Zosiama, the vice provincial moderated on the revision of the Province Directory. After few modifications and voting the Province Directory revision was passed. By 8:15pm, all discussions and interventions came to a closed for the concluding ceremony of the Chapter. Father KJ Anthony, the moderator presided the concluding ceremony by giving his vote of thanks to all concerns for the smooth running of the Provincial Chapter, he then presented the Chapter Documents to the Provincial. The Provincial gave his concluding remark in which he asked through the chapter members to all confreres in the province ‘for qualitative and quantitative changes’. He also urged the confreres to stay united and to be generous especially to the poor and the marginalized in our society. After a short speech he declared the Provincial Chapter Closed. The Members then recited the Evening Prayers and it was concluded by the Blessings of Mary Help of Christians.

    The fifth Day was dedicated for the Provincial Community Day and the jubilee of seven of our confreres.

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