TRAINING AND FORMATION PROGRAMME OF SEMINARIANS

It is in obedience to the mandate of the resurrected Jesus and to prolong his mission on earth that our Society was founded with the specific aim of training and supplying wherever there is need, dedicated, hardworking and saintly missionaries. (Cf. Const. Art. 5) Thus Vocation promotion and Formation of the seminarians are very important as far as the specific aim of the Society is concerned and it will be the primary duty of all the members.

PROMOTING VOCATIONS :

The Vocation Promoters promote worthy candidates for the priesthood. The Province admits on an average 20 students a year into the Minor seminary. The students are generally admitted after they complete the 10th grade in the school. The average age of admission is between 15-17 years.

PERIOD OF TRAINING :

THE PERIOD OF TRAINING AND FORMATION OF CANDIDATES COMPRISES OF SIX STAGES:

1. Minor Seminary (i) Minimum 3 years for those who have completed the 10th class. (ii) Minimum 2 years for those who have completed the 12th class or equivalent. (iii) Minimum 1 year for those who have completed graduation. The Province has 1 minor seminary and is in the process of constructing another one in the Diocese of Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.

2. A year of Spiritual Orientation

3. Study of Philosophy lasting three years, during which the student obtains a graduation from a secular university too. The Society has its own Philosophy Seminary for all the provinces together.

4. A year of intensive training in pastoral life in the mission field, away from studies. This year helps the student to have a self evaluation and to decide about the future, as he would have passed from adolescence to manhood.

5. After this year, before commencing the study of theology, the student is inducted into the Society as a temporary member, which will be renewed every year until the perpetual promise and is given cassock.

6. Theology course lasting seven semesters (3.5 years). At the end of theology course, he makes his permanent commitment to the Soceity and is ordained a deacon. The Society has its own theology seminary for all the provinces together.

7. Diaconate Ministry and Ordination to Priesthood: The newly ordained deacons are sent to the missions to directly involve in the pastoral ministry for a period of 5 to 6 months. This helps them to equip themselves with practical skills in taking care of the missions. At the end of the pastoral ministry they are ordained priests.

The Formation Programme envisages the harmonious growth and integration of human, social, intellectual and spiritual dimensions in the person's life. The value of manual labour and the importance of hardwork is stressed in order to train dedicated, hardworking and saintly missionaries.

Water For Thirsty

In many villages there is acute shortage for drinking water. People drink polluted water from lakes, public tanks which are shared by human beings and animals alike. Most water sources are contaminated by sewage and agricultural runoff. Although access to drinking water has improved 75% of all diseases are related to unsafe water. In India, diarrhea alone causes more than 1,600 deaths daily.

Hygiene practices also continue to be a problem in the villages. Latrine usage is extremely poor in rural areas. In order to decrease the amount of disease spread through contaminated drinking-water, together with furnishing the village with safe drinking water, we work also through awareness programs to improve hygiene.

With $ 5,000.00, we can provide a village with a deep bore well and safe drinking water tank and ensure continuous healthy and safe drinking water supply.

Each of these villages are provided with clean drinking water, bringing poverty and hunger relief to thousands of people – not for one day, not for one week, but for years and years to come. Constructing deep bore well close to villages means that people no longer have to walk long distances to often unreliable water sources. Our water team oversees the project and ensures it is maintained and protected. We believe these water projects will relieve suffering, open doors to better health and economic development.

Provide a Village with Safe Drinking Water

With your contribution of $ 5.000,00 we can furnish a village with safe drinking water – Deep well and Water tank which ensure continuos healthy drinking water. There are thousands depending on your compassion

Shelter For The Houseless

For hundreds in the missions even the poor appearance of a house does not exist. Those who somehow or other manage to live with the limited income of a long day’s work, cannot certainly afford to project for building a proper shelter for themselves even if they have a piece of land to lay their head.

The question of shelter for the poor is of secondary importance as compared with that of their food-supply. However hundreds in both rural and urban areas have no place that they can call home, not even the meagre shelter of the one-roomed hut with which they would gladly be content. Added to the sufferings of hunger, they have to face the sharp and sometimes frosty air of the cold weather with scarcely a rag to their backs, and no doors, windows, or even walls to keep off the chilly wind. In the long monsoon season they have to make their bed on the damp floor or ground. Under such circumstances our goal is to build shelters for the houseless people. Compassionate service to the houseless is an urgent task to meet the housing requirements of the vulnerable sections to realise the goal of shelter for all.

For the victims of the natural calamities, we have established shelter homes in two different villages. After the devastating ‘Tsunami’ that hit India in the morning hours of 26 December, 2004, many remained without shelter. The shelter home in the eastern coastal area is a great relief for especially the fishermen, who during the time of calamities like ‘Tsunami’ and the frequent ‘cyclones’, remain without their thatched sheds.

Houses for the Poor

Our compassionate service extends to those very poor family members who after a whole day’s hard labour, are hardly able to feed themselves and who do not have a place to lay their head. With a total cost of US$ 3,000.00 we can build a house with two rooms, kitchen and a lavatry. Those family members who succeed in saving a little bit put their contribution of US$ 350.00 for the construction of their house.