Circular: 01/2024
February 26, 2024
My dear Collaborators,
At the outset, I express my profound thanks to each one of you who made my installation ceremony a deeply spiritual moment for our Diocese of Nashik. Truly, you were the ones who laboured hard to ensure that everything planned and/or decided was meticulously implemented. I am touched by your thoughtfulness to come from near and far off places with your parishioners to pray for me – a moment which I will always treasure and never forget. May the Lord continue to bless and protect each one of you.
We are in the Season of Lent. Pope Francis, our beloved Holy Father, has exhorted us to take this season seriously. In his message to the Universal Church (Lent 2024: Through the Desert God Leads us to Freedom), Pope Francis invites us to reflect on the fact that just as the Israelites journeyed through the desert and God led them to Freedom, so also, God will accompany us through the desert moments of our ministry and life. May the Season of Lent be grace-filled for all of us so that through sincere prayer and constant reflection, we may continue to experience the hand of God in our lives: challenging us to say YES to HIM and NO to sin.
As a newly installed Bishop, it is my desire to visit all the Diocesan parishes and to interact with the priest(s) of the parish from March 01 to 15, 2024. A detailed programme is attached herewith. Please note that from June 01, 2024, I will visit all the parishes and Institutions of our Diocese in a systematic manner. During this visit, I will also be interacting with the parishioners. Details of this visitation will be communicated to you in advance.
May I communicate the following two programmes to you for which I require your participation:
1. Elections to the Priest Council Senate: All Diocesan priests who are incardinated in our Diocese are invited to participate in the elections of the Priest Council Senate on Thursday, March 07, beginning with half an hour of Adoration Service in the Cathedral of St Anne at 10.30 a.m. followed by the elections. I have requested Fr Michael Fernandez SDB to help us conduct the elections to the Priest Council Senate. The elections will be followed by lunch.
2. Chrism Mass: Thursday, March 21, 2024 at the Cathedral of St Anne at 5.00 p.m. Your presence for this Mass will be a sign of our brotherhood as Unum Presbyterium. I am confident of your participation in this Eucharistic celebration. After Holy Communion, I have requested Bishop Lourdes Daniel to share with us his words of gratitude after having served our Diocese for 13 years.
On your behalf, I thank His Lordship, Bishop Lourdes Daniel for the wonderful work he did, despite his health constraints, to take our Diocese forward and onward. I am amazed at his personality, his strong faith in God and his ever willingness to be of service. He will be residing at the Cathedral of St Anne and we wish him God’s abundant blessings always. I am confident that he will continue to pray for us. For your information: I have given Bishop Lourdes Daniel general powers of delegation – powers that will enable him to be at the service of God’s people in our Diocese.
God bless you and together we work for the growth of our Diocese.
Yours in Christ,
+Barthol Barretto
Bishop, Diocese of Nashik
VISIT TO DIOCESAN PARISHES, TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
March 01 - KOLPEWADI, KOPARGAON
March 02 - ADGAON
March 04 - RAHATA, PRAVARANAGAR
March 06 - KENDAL, RAHURI FACTORY, GHULEWADI
March 08 - TILAKNAGAR, BABHALESHWAR
March 11 - NEWASSA, GHODEGAON
March 12 - ASHOKNAGAR, HARIGAON
March 14 - MANMAD, DHULE, JALGAON
March 15 - NASHIK, DEVLALI
(Instructions about my arrival details will be communicated to you by my Office)