Circular: 30/2025

September 01, 2025

My dear collaborators,

We begin a new month from today, a month dedicated to Our Lady. We celebrate the Birthday of our Blessed Mother on Monday, September 08. All of us in the parishes are busy with the Novena in preparation for Our Lady’s Birthday. Truly, it is wonderful to see the children, youth, adults and the elderly participate in the Novena services. May Our Heavenly Mother intercede for all of us as we continue to strive to be dedicated disciples of her Son Jesus. A thought that has struck me and which I want to share with you is: September 08 is also the Day of the Girl Child. Could we do something in the parishes to focus our attention on the Girl child so that our society does not take girls and women for granted. The atrocities committed against girls and women are unimaginable, and we need to do something to conscientize our people to understand that each child is a gift of God to us; what we do to the child(ren) is our gift to God. I am sure you will get the Parish Pastoral Councillors and the Religious Women of the parishes to organize at least a one-hour programme (including a short talk) for the girls of your parish so that they go back home convinced that no one in our society can take them for granted.

Pope Francis of revered memory on the occasion of the 10^th anniversary of Laudato Si declared the Season of Creation from September 01 to October 04 (Memorial of St Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Ecology). Across Asia, we see creation groaning under the weight of human indifference and abuse by acts of deforestation and biodiversity loss: rainforests are being devastated displacing indigenous communities and threatening biodiversity. Added to this, is the rising sea levels, and coastal displacement, air pollution and health impacts, agricultural crises and other ecological tragedies. All these have affected our country’s poorest and most vulnerable communities: coastal families whose homes are washed away, farmers who can no longer grow crops and a number of us are suffering from polluted air and water. As stewards of God’s creation, and in particular, during the Season of Creation, could we motivate our parishioners towards an ecological renewal by educating people in our Small Christian Communities about the importance of caring for the earth and not to indulge in cutting of trees, not to waste water, etc. In this Jubilee Year 2025 and most importantly as “pilgrims of hope”, could we engage actively in the restoration of creation? I am sure you will do something to conscientize your parishioners to care for creation and to engage in some acts so that creation is not exploited, but preserved for a long time to come. I am confident of your wholehearted support and collaboration in this regard.

We are nearing the end of the Jubilee Year 2025.  Just 4 months to go and the Jubilee Year will come to an end on December 28, 2025. I am sure you are organizing activities to ensure that our people who are experiencing hopelessness in their lives should not give up: please visit your parishioners and offer a listening ear to our brothers and sisters for whom life is becoming a burden: please offer them hope; pray with them; give them God’s blessings and I believe our brothers and sisters will never forget this act of gratuitous service done to them. As mentioned to you earlier, if there are cases where the situation is terrible and our people are finding it difficult to pay their medical bills, please write to me on the letterhead of the Church requesting for help: also, please mention how much the Church has offered financial assistance towards the person in need, and I assure you we will try our level best to assist in rendering medical assistance. Besides medical assistance for the needy parishioners, I have requested Fr Kishor Vidhate, Coordinator, Jubilee Year 2025 to organize some programmes (Diocesan level) for different groups of people. You will definitely get the required information much in advance.

A point of concern that I have in mind is that you need to look after your health. If you keep good health, you will most certainly be in a position to minister to the needs of your parishioners. There have been moments when I have reflected on the health care of each one of you: I am truly concerned about your health: please eat well and rest well.

Since the month of September is quite hectic: novena services, yatras, etc. we have decided not to have the monthly meeting during this month.

Much has taken place in the Diocese since the past few months. I thank God for the numerous blessings which HE has bestowed on us: priests, religious men and women and our Lay Faithful. I believe God has accompanied us and motivated us so that we may strive to make our Diocese a reflection of HIS Kingdom on earth. THANK YOU for all that you are doing in your parishes and institutions of our Diocese. Even in the midst of difficulties which you are experiencing, your relentless services towards the people entrusted to your care will never be forgotten. You are in my prayer each day when I pray the Office of Reading and the Lauds.

As I end these lines, may I request you to pray for me: please pray that the Lord may continue to inspire me to listen to HIS voice so that I may be a shepherd after the heart of Jesus Christ, leading our Diocese to greater heights.

God bless you and with every good wish,

Yours in Christ,

✠Barthol Barretto

Bishop, Diocese of Nashik