Missionary project

BEZDA community – January 2015

1. Location of the community and of its Mission:

We are called to live the mission of the congregation, province and community in relation
to the local context and situation of the local Church and community.

History of the Community:

In the year 2002 we wanted to start a house at Kolkata as transit house and for study
purpose of our sisters thus sisters consulted the Arch bishop Lucas Sirkar, SDB, he
proposed Bezda mission. Sisters of bambino were living in this place for one and half
years and due to certain problem they left the place. The church in Bezda is 50 years
without any religious presence (priests and sisters). 50 years back fathers from
kamarchowki, neighbouring parish priest came here and baptized the people and they
were going to that parish for the spiritual needs which is 26km far from this place. They
also used to go to Hatigurd (Orissa) which is 25km far away. Few years later one more
substation called Salboni became parish and Bezda became substation of that parish.
People of Bezda mission had Holy Eucharistic every Sunday in this place in a small hut.
Our house is community is situated in between the NH 60 and south eastern railway line
and it is 3km away from Nekurseni railway station. It is also 50km away from Kharghpur
main station

On 1st may 2003 we started our community at Bezda. Sr. Thresiamma Karivelil and Sr.
Suma were the first community members. The land belongs to the Archdiocese of
Kolkata and there was a small house with asbestoses roof with 2 rooms where we started
our community in the beginning. There was no electricity and no communication
facilities (telephone). The sisters stayed for 2 years in this house
Sisters started to involve in all aspects of mission especially in faith formation. Sr.Prakasi
and Sr.Sahayam joined the community during this period. By seeing the mission of the
sisters, the diocese build the house for us and it was blessed on 27th Dec 2005 by Arch
Bishop Lucas Sirkar. Priests from Salboni and Kamarchowki were coming for the
spiritual needs of the sisters.
Short Description and characteristics:
- of the place and people and socio – political situation of the region:

Bezda is a small village with 218 families with population of 15000. People belong to
different casts of Bengalis and adivasis (mainly Kora and Santhals tribe). Thus village
belongs to Manoharpur Gram Panchayat, in Dantan block II in the District of west
Midnapore, west Bengal. It consists of different religion like Hindus, Christians, and
Muslims. Majority of the people belong to different tribes and they are very poor. Most
of the people are agricultural labourers and few have small plots of land where they
cultivate paddy and seasonal vegetables for their home use. Other times they go for

1
coolie work. Normally the Bengalis in this area have better standard of life and they
belong to the middle class family.

People are very simple and very poor. People live in small mud houses with minimum
facilities. Though there is electricity to these areas the rich people make use of it but
poor people do not use it since they are economically poor. Majority of the people are
illiterate and they are ignorant about the society what is happening around them. Many
people are working out side village in the big cities and involved in construction works,
companies, and as salesmen. Women are working as domestic workers and they become
victims in the hand of traffickers. Women are mainly working as agricultural labourers
and they play a vital role in earning their daily bread.

Of the Parish and its Orientation:

There are 115 catholic families of Kora and Santals and there other three villages like
Bezda, Nimapada, Sayapada and Prathpur, Amda, Bangoda, Kakrajit, Lalpur, Nilpura,
Ekra Monaharpur where few catholic live and belong to this quasi parish. There is
multipurpose hall where the Eucharistic celebration and other spiritual activities take
place. We sisters were taking care of the faith formation of people here till the entry of the
new religious congregation.

On 12th January 2007 society of Divine Word (SVD) fathers came here to work as
missionaries. Fr.Telosper Bilung is the 1st priest in-charge for this place.

Main orientation of the quasi parish is faith formation and active evangelization.

Of the Diocese and its Orientation:

The Archdiocese of Calcutta (Kolkata) covers the greater part of West Bengal. The first
Christian settlements in Bengal appeared at the end of the sixteenth century around the
Church of Bandel, on the banks of the river Hooghly. At Kolkata, the first Catholic
Chapel was established in 1700. Vicariate Apostolic of Bengal, with Kolkata as its
headquarters was established in 1834 by the Society of Jesus. Its jurisdiction extended far
beyond the boundaries of the present Archdiocese of Kolkata.

Total Catholic population : 29,048,374

Language Spoken : Bengali, English, Hindi, Santali, Tamil, Nepali,
Khasi & Malayalam
Total Diocesan Clergy : 80
No of Parishes : 42
No of Quasi Parishes : 15
No of Religious Brothers : 121
No of Religious Sisters : 945

Bishop Thomas D’ Souza, Bishop of Krishnagar, was nominated on March 12, 2011 as
the Coadjutor to Most Rev. Henry D’ Souza. Archbishop Henry resigned and retired from
the Archdiocese on March 31, 2002 and on April 2, 2002 Archbishop Lucas Sirkar sdb

2
was installed as the eighth Archbishop of Kolkata. He retired in February 2012.

On 12 March, 2011, Bishop Thomas D’Souza of Bagdogra was appointed Co-adjuctor

Archbishop of Calcutta. And then, on 23 February, 2012, he was appointed Archbishop of
Calcutta. He currently holds this office.

Diocese gives more importance for spiritual aspect of the faithful and have specific
mission of evangelization, Charity and Developmental programs for the poor and
marginalized community.

2. Apostolic presence following Christ according to the Charism of our foundress

Composition of the community
There are four sisters (Namely: Sr.Suma, Sr.Thankamma and Sr. Runu) in the community
and between the age group 64 to 33.This status is as on January 2015

Mission that was entrusted to the community by the congregation for this place, for
this milieu, perhaps for other places:

Vision of the community:

“To live the salvation mystery in us, among the people for whom we are called through a
commitment, responding to the needs of the people thus people experience salvation in
their lives.

Pastoral work:
Specific mission was entrusted to our community to concentrate on the faith formation of
the people since there was no pastor. We are taking care of the spiritual growth of the
local people such as preparing for the Sacraments of child and adult Baptism, First Holy
communion (young and adult), Confirmation and for marriage. Conducting village
prayers, Gospel sharing in the SCC groups (Small Christian Community), active
participation in the village Eucharistic celebrations, teaching catechism for all age groups
(children, youth, mothers), attending all the spiritual program of the parish to help people
to deepen their faith in God and to practice their religion meaningfully experiencing the
love of God.

Education:
Status and quality of education is very low in this place. Considering this issue our
community has a great role to build up awareness program for the parents and children on
the importance of Education and thus promote a better society.

With the support of the diocese we help very poor10 children for their education through
sponsorship providing educational materials, monthly School fees, School uniforms etc…
there are so many children who reached their higher secondary school.

Many parents and children understood the value of education in today’s growing world
and there is great respond to educate their children. But due to poverty many children are
unable to continue their study.

3
We identify these children and providing partial financial support to complete their basic
education.

Providing tuition for the weaker children from class 1 to 10 with qualified teachers from
out side and sisters too involved in giving tuition for the poor children who are not able to
pay the tuition fee.

Responding to needs of the place we started to give Skill development training program
for the young girls (drop out) and unfortunately we discontinued due to some practical
problems.

Health:
Being aware of the situations of the people and the place we concentrated on the health
ministry. We conduct awareness program on health related issues, preventive methods
and the importance of being healthy and hygienic.
People are very poor and they are unable to meet the expenses of the medicine and many
people suffer like this. By seeing the condition of the people the community reflected
together and started a dispensary to treat the common diseases with minimum charges.
There is a visiting doctor who comes once in a week and he treats for all sickness and we
refer the serious patients to other hospitals like Balasore, Cuttack and Dantan PHC.
The sisters are available for the people always.
We provide health education classes and trainings with the support of other health
Departments for the mothers and adults on different issues like TB, HIV/AIDs, Women
related sickness, etc…
Annual health check up for the people is conducted with support of the Diocese, Dantan
Primary Health centre and Balasore Catholic (Jyothi Hospital) Hospital.

Social Apostolate:
We are concerned about social development programs of our people. Almost every year
people are affected by the natural calamities like flood, cyclone, drought etc…and poor
people loose their houses, crops, livestock and other belongings. We provide emergency
relief to the affected people (in the form cooked rice, drinking water, dry food, cloths,
tarpaulin, kitchen utensils etc… in cooperation and collaboration with Seva Kendra
Calcutta (Diocesan Social Service Society) CRS (Catholic Relief Services) and Caritas
India.

We work for the livelihood of the people like farmer’s club, promotion of solar renewable
energy, and providing skill development training to assemble solar lanterns and earn their
daily income.

Sisters conduct awareness building programs on different social issues like Trafficking,
Climate change, global warming, early marriage, peace building and promotion of Self
Help Group (SHG).

4
The Concrete apostolic activities of each sister and how they fit into the mission of the
community:

Sr. Runu Singh is in-charge of the Pastoral work and children’s catechism
Sr.Thankamma is in charge of the dispensary and mothers group in the parish
Sr. Suma is superior of the community and in-charge of Sponsorship program, and youth
in charge in the parish.
Sr. suma is working in seva Kendra project on climate change and solar renewable energy
from 2015 January to 2017 and it is for three years project and her role is field supervisor
and working in 2 Block, Dantan Block -1 and Keshiary Block and covered 8 villages and
4 Animators under her.
Co-operation with others:
Cooperate with Diocese and Parish for the faith formation of our people in all aspects
and evangelization.

There is very good co-operation with like minded people in order to work for the
wholistic development of our people.
We cooperation with the diocesan Social service Society and other like minded NGOs
for the social development of our people

Cooperation with Diocesans Education Department (Sponsorship) for the educational

support for the poor children of our village

Collaborate with Health Departments like government Primary Health Centres,

nearby hospitals and other NGOs to avail health facilities for our people.

We work together with all for the every one without any discrimination of cast and
religion.

Efforts for becoming more and more mission oriented community that corresponds
to the Gospel (see- R.L. Orientation, General chapter)

Our objective is “to be convinced that salvation in Jesus is realized progressively

through human development, by reading the signs of time, to be aware of the
suffering and needs of the people and help them to meet the challenges”.
“To be identified with poor and dehumanised”
Becoming aware of our community objective we are open to the people and to be
available. We planned to learn the languages, accept the culture and custom of the
place thus be one with them.
Be with the poor and suffering by responding to the needs of the people within the
given situation.

3. Means that we make use of/ that help:

Organization of the Community:
5.30am : Morning Meditation
6.15 am : Morning Prayer

5
 6.30am : Eucharistic Celebration

8am : break fast

1pm : Lunch
6-7 pm : personal prayer and adoration
7pm : Evening prayer
8pm : supper
8.45-9.15 pm : Being together and sharing

Adoration : Every Tuesday

Gospel Sharing : every Thursday
Community Recollection : 3rd week Thursday by Fr.sudhir
Community Mass : every Wednesday & Friday
Community meeting : Every Saturday at 3 – 4 pm

Community Spiritual sharing (exchange), celebrations

Community spiritual sharing is done during our community meeting. Community
meeting is conducted every week on Saturday where we share our experiences at the
spiritual, community and mission level. It helps us to support one another and to be
part of our common mission. We also share information of the week and information
from the province and congregation and keeping us updated.
We celebrate every one’s birthday as a community and other important feast days,
foundation day, Christmas, Easter etc… celebration helps to experience the family
atmosphere and exchange of joy and happiness.

Community Prayer:
We have personal prayer, common prayer in the morning, and evening together.
Creative prayers are prepared on special days with special intention. Every sister has
given chance to conduct prayer.

Community also takes care of each one’s annual retreat, monthly recollection and
sacrament of Confession.
In order to have balanced life we have a time of recreation and home holidays

Evaluation (review) of the missionary project:

Evaluation of the missionary project is done every six months and during the canonical
visit of provincial superior and also during the visits of Superior General. We also share
our missionary project while a new member joins the community and it is updated time to
time with the new member with new responsibilities.

Did our community life and apostolic life correspond to the orientation agreed upon
and to the mission entrusted?

Yes, our community life and apostolate always based on our orientation and mission of
the place wherever we are inserted. Orientation is a basic guideline from the
congregation/ province and we live accordingly to witness as SDS.

6
7