What We Do - Andhra Pradesh

Family Renewal Programmes:

  • Family Renewal programme is arranged for 6 days. The whole aspect of Catholic life is concentrated in this programme. We take up one parish in a year and arrange this programme in the substations of that particular parish.
  • We visit the families, conduct prayers in the churches and insist on the practice of Sacraments, especially Eucharist and Confession. We project Biblical movies.
  

Adopting a Village :

  • Spiritual lives of the Catholics are taken care by this initiative.
    We adopt a village every year. Frequently we visit all the houses, talk to people, listen to their problems and pray with them and their families. We also conduct prayers in the Church insisting on the importance of the family rosary and reading the Bible. Screening the Biblical movies and conducting the Lenten services are also part of this program.
  

Basic Christian Community Prayer :

  • Catholic families are animated to be united with other families in small prayer groups for praying together, reading the Bible and sharing the reflections with one another and thus they are encouraged to imitate the first Christian Community in praying and witnessing.
  • We have introduced the Basic Christian community prayers and formed BCC groups. Through these groups, we conduct prayers in the families and in the church. Some people are trained and are appointed as the animators of these groups.
  

Children and Youth Programme :

  • We try to create a thirst for God and build up the value system among children and Youth.
  • We conduct seminars, prayer services, short programs, children camps, and youth conventions, for children and youth separately.
  • We use audio visuals, action songs and video clippings for the active participation of the children and youth. We also conduct games and distribute prizes.
  

Preparation of Sacraments:

  • We prepare children for receiving Sacraments, visit the families and prepare couples, if any, for rectification of marriages.
  

Enthronement of the Bible :

  • We intend to inculcate love for the Word of God among the people in the villages; we conduct enthronement of the Bible.
  • All the people of the village go in procession with the Bible, reciting rosary together they go from house to house, honour the Word of God which is kept ready in each house, read the word of God and say a prayer for the family. From there, the family continues to place the Bible in an elevated place, an altar, and read the Bible everyday.
  

Neighborhood Ministry:

  • We try to impart consolation and experience of God to those in the Homes for the differently abled, Homes for the Aged, Orphanages and Homes for the Blind.
  • We use Audio Visual programme and enthuse their spirits, screen moral, spiritual movies and give talks and conduct prayers on some occasions.
  

Vacation Bible School (VBS) :

  • During summer, we conduct VBS clases for five or ten days for the children in the parishes.
  • We screen Audio visual Bible stories. We narrate the Bible stories, about Biblical personalities and Bible quotations each day based on the different themes.
  • We organize enactment of the Bible stories and conduct games and quiz on the Bible.
  

Lenten Programmes:

  • We accompany people in their Lenten practices and enable them to experience the passion and death of our Lord during the Lenten Season.
  • We screen the movies on the Passion of Christ, conduct Audio-visual Way of the Cross and conduct penitential services in the villages.
  • We arrange confessions and prepare people for confessions in some of the areas.
  

Mission in Collaboration :

  • In collaboration with the Retreat Centres and Pastoral Centres, we travel to different places and expand our ministry.
  • We render music ministry, and help in the Retreats, Conventions, Night vigils, and youth programs.
  

Deeparadana:

  • This is a preparation programme to celebrate Christmas.
  • Carrying Baby Jesus and singing carols, every one holding a lighted candle goes in a procession from the church to every house and prays in each family.
  • After visiting all the families, everybody gathers in the church and have confession and mass.
  

Programmes on Catholic yearly theme:

  • According to the theme of the year announced by Pope, the JMJ Good News Center takes initiative to organize programmes and reaches out to many catholic villages.
  • Year of Faith, Year of Youth, Year of the Family, Year of Mercy and Year of the Bible are some of the programmes which enabled us to reach out to many people to renew their life and faith.
  

Music Ministry:

  • We teach liturgical hymns to the children and parishioners in the villages, and take charge of the choir in some parishes on feast days.
  

Prison Ministry:

  • In collaboration with Prison Ministry India we visit and interact with the prisoners to help them have a value based life and bring about a change of heart, if they have committed any crime.
  • We visit the prison every Sunday, meet the inmates personally, and through counseling we help them in their psychological and emotional health. We also give cultural programs based on social and moral themes, on special occasions.
  • We also attend State and National conventions conducted by Prison Ministry India.
  

JMJ Lay Association:

  • Lay people who are interested in the work of Evangelization are motivated and given training. They take oath every year and are a part of the JMJ Evangelization work.
  • JMJ Lay Associates involve with the Evangelization team in Prison Ministry, Family Renewal Program, Women Commission and visits to the families.
  

Parish Ministry:

  • Every community involves in the Parish Activities, visits the substations, teaches catechism and renders Pastoral service in collaboration with the parish priest.
  • Every community adopts a village and arranges different programmes in the villages according to the Liturgical calendar feasts. Lenten programme, Carol singing, and being the choir in charge, are some of the works carried by almost all the communities.
  

Daily Reflections Online:

  • Spread the message of Christ to many people through Media- The Evangelization team sends Telugu reflections of the gospel everyday in the JMJ Good news Channel with the name, ‘Okka kshanam…Nee Sannidhilo…’ through YouTube. ‘Saints for each day’ is circulated to many people daily through ‘WhatsApp’. Monthly reflections, and Sunday gospel reflections are also being circulated to many people occasionally.

Video Link : https://youtu.be/gCUYXKRSdXc

  

Women Commission:

  • The Evangelization team is networking with the National Commission for Women and is working for the Guntur Diocese.
  • We try to motivate women in the parishes and substations to form small groups and strengthen them with spiritual values and encourage women leadership in the Church activities.
  

Family Laity Commission:

  • The Evangelization team is collaborating with Family and Laity Commission.
  • Prepares young women and men of future families, conducts follow up programmes for couples who attend marriage preparation course and counsel the families in difficult times.