The Animator of the Sodality (Mariadalam) lecturer Sehu Babu, giving orientation class to the members. And praying for the World needs.

A "sodality" is a group in the Church that focuses on prayer 

and charitable works. The Mariadalam Sodality at Holy Family 

formed to pray for world needs and the Church, and to do

church cleaning, family visiting, visiting the sick, and other 

charitable activities.

Sehu Babu (at right), gives an orientation class,
and leads the group in praying for world needs.

At center, pastor Fr. Varghese Kalapurakudy and
lecturer Sehu Babu.

Mariadalem ladies wear blue to show their love
of the Blessed Mother.

Happy Ordination Anniversary, Fr. Varghese!

On May 5, 2005, Varghese Rince Kalapurakudy was ordained a priest. Happy ordination anniversary, Fr. Varghese!

An elder honors Fr. Varghese by presenting him with a special
shawl. At left, is Fr. Sridhar, who is moving to a new mission
assignment of five outposts on the Bay of Bengal. At right (head)
is Fr. Bhaskar, who is moving to a remote mission with no
electricity nor phone service. 

The focus of any faithful priest is Our Lord in the Eucharist.
Fr. Varghese during Holy Week, 2013,
in Holy Family Church.

In a recent letter to a friend in America, Fr. Varghese spoke of himself and his fellow priests:

"We love Christ as you love Him. We are happy that we are born in India and more happy that we are priests, to celebrate the mystery of faith. Please love us, help us, pray for us."

Eucharistic Adoration in the colorful Holy Family Church.
Father had the mural painted to incorporate elements of the
story of redemption, and to reflect local culture -- see the
grass-topped hut upper right.

The missionary celebrates Sunday Mass at his Yelleswaram
church, then  heads out to his mission outposts in scattered
villages to celebrate Mass, often not returning until 9-10 PM.

Fr. Varghese often celebrates holiday Masses such as
Easter Mass outside in a tent, due to overflow crowds who
travel in from surrounding villages.

Father and his people built this Marian shrine out of rocks
gathered near the church.

These days, Fr. Varghese is often on a work team with volunteers, preparing his property for the June 2 Confirmation ceremony. Below, the work team prepares a frame for pouring a new concrete stage.

Above, Father Varghese makes home visits.
A good, holy priest spreads light to a suffering world.
Fr. Varghese during Easter vigil Mass, 2013.

"You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." -- Psalm 110

Confirmations Postponed until June 2

A volunteer enjoys a meal break at
Holy Family Mission.

First, the good news. Activity peaked at Holy Family Mission around a week ago, when a compact diesel-powered cement mixer started churning out cement for the foundation of the new stage.  Volunteers carried stones, sand and cement, filling the forms to create foundation walls. In spite of brutal temperatures around 109-degrees F., people's spirits were high. When the forms came down, sturdy walls remained.

Something to celebrate:

Now, for challenging news. Building activity slowed this past week when funds ran dry. Fr. Varghese met with his workers and everyone agreed the work needed to pause. Father refuses to go into debt for this project, so the cement roof and floor of the stage can not be poured until more funds appear.  At this point, not enough time remains to pour the cement and let it cure for the original May 8th Confirmation date. 

When Fr. Varghese called the Archbishop's office, the secretary said, "Oh, Father. The Archbishop was asking to change the Confirmation date due to the heat." Temperatures have been hovering around 109-degrees F., so that May 8th date needed to change, anyway. That buys the workers a little extra time, but not much.

Working outside all day in 100-plus temperatures
is grueling. A worker takes a needed break.

People have signed vouchers promising donations, but struggle to cover basic living expenses in a state where 69% of the population earns less than $2 a day. Most people can't give a donation until payday, at the end of the month. Meanwhile, laborers are willing, but supplies are scarce. 

"People have learned very well" in their Confirmation classes over the past weeks since Easter, says Fr. Varghese. Their spiritual preparation is coming along nicely. So why the urgency to build a stage?

This group of faithful  took special vows of penance
 during Lent. No sooner was Easter celebrated, than the Mission
entered an intense and special period  of formation for
Confirmations, a time Father has called
 a "Way of the Cross."

"We expect nearly 2,000 people" on Confirmation day, explains the priest. "The church can accommodate a maximum of 1,000."

Since Father's mission covers scattered villages and four mission outposts besides Holy Family, tribal people will travel in from far and wide for the event.

Although Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu feared temperatures would be too intense for participants on the original May 8th date, volunteers have continued gathering at the mission nearly daily to clean and beautify the buildings and grounds. Altar boys scrubbed Father's little house with whisk brooms, and now the house wears a new coat of paint. Everyone wants to honor their Archbishop and the coming of the Holy Spirit by making their mission shine.

Please consider donating to help these people who are so faithful and willing to labor for their God, but who need a helping hand.  100% of donations that come through the Paypal donation button at right, go directly to Fr. Varghese and his people, for their mission's basic operating costs and for their new stage, which will serve the community for years to come. God bless you for your prayers and generosity!

Altar boys scrubbed Fr. Varghese's two-bedroom house
so it could be painted.

Text by Marianna Bartholomew

Photos by Fr. Varghese

Pray for our dream and a miracle

Holy Family's new stage will benefit the mission 

and the surrounding community for years to come.

The old, crumbling concrete slab has given way to this 

new framework.

The concrete base of the new stage is curing and Fr. Varghese, his altar boys and other volunteers are watering the pillars to keep them from drying and cracking under the fierce sun. Will their new stage be completed by the May 8th deadline?

Unlike America, "we don't have latest equipment or techniques to make work go faster," says Fr. Varghese. "We always depend on manual and daily labor."

Just a few days ago, funds ran dry and volunteers stayed home. A few concerned friends sent a donation to provide supplies. But more funds are needed for this project to be completed by May 8th, when Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu arrives to celebrate the first Confirmations held at Holy Family Mission in ten years!

Holy Family Church is too tiny to fit the projected overflow crowds accompanying 200 Confirmandis, their sponsors and families. A crumbling concrete slab on the property was an eyesore and had to go. Day after day, volunteers have been arriving by foot, bicycle and scooter, and working toward this dream: a worthy setting for their Confirmation ceremony and other future events. 

Volunteers are smiling in spite of 109-degree F. heat!

Even non-Catholics in the area are interested in the new stage taking shape, says Fr. Varghese, and some have donated supplies like stones. When the structure is complete, the mission can rent the stage out for community events, generating much-needed income to cover basic expenses like water and electrical bills.

Volunteers are also helping to build a staircase to the top of Father's two-bedroom home two miles outside Yelleswaram, India. If the staircase is ready in time, Father will invite the Archbishop to climb up and take a meal under the leaves. 

Scrubbing Fr.'s presbytery is one way to cool down.

With no air conditioning in Father's home and temperatures reaching 109-degrees F., the new rooftop nest will do more than offer visitors a shady retreat. The hottest midsummer nights drive Fr. Varghese from his stifling house. He lies under a tree trying to catch a breeze, hoping cobras and other wildlife keep their distance. A rooftop retreat will allow for better sleep, a precious gift to a missionary often awakened for emergency calls to the sick and dying.

Cooking up a meal to feed volunteers.

Volunteers are excited to help beautify their little mission.

"Please pray for our dream," urges Fr. Varghese. 

He and his people have their hearts set on a suitable setting for their Confirmations and have been putting all their heart and efforts toward that goal. All funds sent through this site's donation button until May 8th will help Holy Family Mission with construction and daily maintenance costs, and with preparations for May 8th Confirmations. 

See previous posts for more amazing photos!

Text by Marianna Bartholomew

Photos by Fr. Varghese

"In my temple always there will be food" Malachi:3-10

Yesterday we had food for all the volunteers, because they worked until evening. 

Classes and construction continue for May 8th

Sisters of St. John Bosco in Yelleswaram, India, are helping Fr. Varghese teach the faithful in preparation for May 8th Confirmations. Around 200 candidates aged 12-45 will be standing up before Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu of the Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam.

Volunteers are laying the last framework for a new stage for the event, since Holy Family Church is too tiny to hold the projected overflow crowds. Today, Fr. Varghese said families were working in 43-degree Celsius temperatures (that's 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit)! The foundation is scheduled to be poured tomorrow, and Father promises to send more photos. The deadline for completing the stage is very tight and funds are scarce, so please keep Holy Family Mission in prayer. Any funds sent through this site's donation button at right will be sent in their entirety to aid the Mission in preparing for its Confirmation ceremony on May 8th. 

See more photos and info. about their stage project here.

This pious organisation named "MARIADALAM SODALITY" helps me in prayer and parish activity

We formed this group for pious activities and as a payer group. They do church cleaning, family visiting, visiting the sick, donation collection, Saturday prayer leading, free cleaning of the mission compounds, and they pray for different intentions of the world and the Church.