Bishop's Message

Holy Mother the Church has blessed us with a Year of St Joseph which was inaugurated by our beloved Holy Father Pope Francis on 08 December 2020. The month of March therefore is especially dedicated to the devotion of St Joseph who loves and protects us with a father’s heart because that is how he loved Jesus as his foster father. Hence let us continue to approach him through our devotion to him offering prayers and petitions during this month. What we all must learn from his simple, humble and dedicated life is his tremendous sense of silence which meant that he was not a victim of gossip and unnecessary vociferous chit-chat but always spoke what was essential without giving any scope or room for unnecessary chit-chats or wasting of time and words.  “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Mt 5:37) is what Jesus has taught us; he had lived with Joseph his foster father and was edified by his life of silence and the manner of interaction with others. The silence of St Joseph was not his weakness but his strength because he is known as a ‘Just man’ which meant that his words carried weight and they were all fair and truthful. Let our speech be truthful and words comforting, soothing, encouraging, friendly and a blessing to the needy, sick and downtrodden, the lonely and the desperate and for all a source of blessing.

On 19 of this month, the Holy Father Pope Francis will declare the Year of the Family. If there is one institution which is indispensable to the all round growth of human life, then it is the family. It is not only the backbone of the society but also the domestic church which nurtures and nourishes the faith of its members in the Triune God. Let love dominate in our families which is the uniting and binding force, joy prevail and peace pervade leading its members to love one another as God has loved us in Christ and continues still to do so.

From 28 of this month, we will enter into the Holy Week during which the Triduum will take us to most precious days lived by our Lord during His life journey which led Him to the Cross, the symbol of our redemption and promise of new life: the resurrection. Hence, while celebrating these precious days, let us pray God to make us holy and worthy of His grace, mercy and blessing through the participation in the solemnity of Easter which will follow thereafter.

May St Joseph, the loving member of the Holy Family and foster father of Jesus bless us and take care of us all with his fatherly heart; may the holy week we will celebrate make us holier, happier  and grace-filled. May God bless all of you abundantly is my wish and prayer for you.