My dear Derebail Parishioners,

My prayerful greetings to you all. May the Holy Redeemer shower His choicest blessings upon you in abundance.

The month of February was replete with graces and blessings. I, along with Fr. Kevin, thank you for welcoming us joyfully during the annual house blessings. Your joyful welcome and smiling hospitality were truly delightful. We experienced your love, care, and concern. A few more houses are yet to be blessed, and we shall do so in the days to come. May your families be blessed with peace, joy, health, and benedictions.

Season of Lent

We are heading towards the holy season of Lent. The root word of "Lent" comes from the Old English word "lencten", which means "spring." For us, the disciples of Christ, this is a season of spiritual spring. It is a time of renewal and preparation for the great event of Easter. Lent is a time for special spiritual growth. Our parish is planning to organize a few programs. Let us make this season a season for personal renewal, a time of spiritual growth and reconciliation with the Lord and with one another.

Lenten Retreat

The Parish Lenten Retreat will be held from March 31 through April 2, preached by Fr. Alban D’Souza. May I kindly request all the parishioners to participate in this spiritual event.

24 Hours of Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament

To make this Jubilee Year a year of blessings, we, as parish community will spend 24 hours before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament on March 28th to 29. Let us fully avail ourselves to the Lord and spend the maximum of our time in His presence.

Visit to the Sick

We, the priests, will be visiting all the sick persons of our parish during this season and giving them spiritual assistance. The ward members are also welcome to join us.

Special Spiritual Evening with Devotional Hymns

Our parish will be organizing a spiritual evening with devotional hymns on March 30th. It will be a special and uplifting evening showcasing the talents of our parishioners. This evening will also bolster our spiritual thirst for the Lord. I invite all the parishioners to participate in this unique and colorful event.

Roof Repair

We will be taking up the work of church roof repair. We have noticed roof leakage during the rainy season. We hope and pray that this work will yield the best results.

Painting of the Parish Jubilee Hall

Very soon, we shall undertake the painting of the Parish Jubilee Hall. It has been a while since this work was last done, and it is now necessary.

Lenten Sacrifice

We shall participate actively and generously in the diocesan Lenten project of helping the needy and poor. Let us happily accept the envelopes given by the CODP and contribute generously towards this noble cause. I request you all to give joyfully, for God loves a cheerful giver.

May this season of Lent be a season of God's innumerable blessings. May all of us enter into the springtime of our salvation; let us accompany Jesus in His most significant days of preparation towards the great Paschal event.

I wish to shower my abundant blessings upon you. My special prayers go out to all the children who are preparing for their annual exams. May the Lord bless them, and may they reap joyful results.

Pope Francis Message for Lent: Lent is a time for conversion which comes from the realization that all of us are pilgrims in this life; each of us is invited to stop and ask how our lives reflect this fact. Am I really on a journey, or am I standing still, not moving, either immobilized by fear and hopelessness or reluctant to move out of my comfort zone? Am I seeking ways to leave behind the occasions of sin and situations that degrade my dignity?.

Second, a time to to journey together. The Church is called to walk together, to be synodal. Christians are called to walk at the side of others, and never as lone travellers. The Holy Spirit impels us not to remain self-absorbed, but to leave ourselves behind and keep walking towards God and our brothers and sisters. Journeying together means consolidating the unity grounded in our common dignity as children of God (cf. Gal 3:26-28). It means walking side-by-side, without shoving or stepping on others, without envy or hypocrisy, without letting anyone be left behind or excluded. Let us all walk in the same direction, tending towards the same goal, attentive to one another in love and patience.

This Lent, God is asking us to examine whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work and spend our time, we are capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of our own needs.

Rev. Fr Joseph Martis

Parish Priest