VALUES AND TRADITIONS

At the hostel— a student from South Africa—writing a note of apology later.

Students and young people rising up before elders and teachers are customs common to all in India.

Customs and traditions are built into the culture. They give smoothness to life, avoid conflicts and respect the boundaries of interaction.

What are our values and traditions?

We have to look at the family life of Kerala and see how it was integrated with our faith.

The following are some of our religious traditions and practices:

Participation in the Sunday masses

Marian devotions –part of the family life

Family prayer time in the evening--rosary

Fr.Paton’s remark on the habit of the families of Kerala--of the evening prayer and of the saying of the rosary.

Participation in church festivals

Any celebration in the church becoming a family event

Holy Week devotions—Holy Thursday bread and milk—a way of communicating the truths of salvation.

Observance of Good Friday and fasts in the season of Lent.

Way of the Cross during the Lent

Churches and Schools—participation financially and labor-wise

The Church –the center of our lives—

How can we bring back those traditions and overcome the power of a secular culture:

Life according to the faith—more emphasis on values than on accumulation of money…

More time with the children….They won’t go by traditions.. They want our faith to be seen practiced in our lives…

Evening prayer---Recitation of the Rosary.

Participation in the Eucharist—through our example and our insistence –participation in Sunday masses should become part of their lives.

These are some of the ways in which our practice of faith can be affirmed.

Why this new diocese?

The same question might have been raised in the beginning when there was a demand for an Indian Hierarchy for Kerala

The establishment of churches, schools, colleges—changed the face of Kerala.

St.Berchmans’ college –how it started.. and similar Catholic and non-Catholic colleges—Non –Christian educational schools and colleges—changed the face of Kerala…

This is a vision with immense possibilities

What will become of this child?

The question asked at the birth of John the Baptist will be asked again and again.