Circular 38/2025
- Nashik Catholic Diocese
- Nov 1
- 5 min read
November 01, 2025
My dear collaborators,
We have just entered into a new month: the month of November. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints: a day that is set aside to reflect on the call to live a life of holiness. All the Saints who are in heaven are given to us as models to live lives that are holy and just. Saints were human beings like us, but they made a conscious decision to walk in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ and to spread HIS message of peace, joy and happiness to all those around. As priests, religious men and women, we too received a call from Jesus and decided to imitate Jesus who came “not to be served, but to serve and to give HIS life as a ransom for many”. Hence, may I earnestly request you to ensure that you minister to your parishioners in a spirit of love, care and concern so that our people may recognize the living Jesus in and through your pastoral ministry. We celebrate tomorrow ALL SOULS DAY, a day which is special to those who have lost their loved ones and are in a state of grief. I am sure our people will come to the Church and most of you will also go to the villages to celebrate the Eucharist. Those parishes that have cemeteries, please see that as priests, you bless the graves as this is a special moment for our people and they would certainly be happy that you are blessing the graves of their loved ones. You may announce to the people about the Blessing of the Graves in the Church cemetery.
Children’s Day will be celebrated on Friday, November 14. Children are special gifts given to us by God and hence we have to take care of them; lead them by example; teach them values and most importantly, encourage them to pray and come to the Sunday Mass. There have been occasions in my ministry when I have seen a few children in the Church for Sunday Mass and Sunday School classes. At times, I wonder what is the future of the Church if we do not have children come for Sunday Mass!!! Could you, as priests, organize a programme for the children on Friday, November 14 OR on Sunday, November 16 and speak to the children about the importance of prayer and attending Sunday Mass. The Lord will most certainly bless you as you are taking care of the innocent ones in your parish.
We will be celebrating the 9th World Day of the Poor on Sunday, November 16. It was Pope Francis of revered memory who instituted the celebration of the World Day of the Poor in 2017. And since then the Universal Church has been celebrating the World Day of the Poor annually. Pope Leo has already announced the theme for this celebration as, YOU ARE MY HOPE (Psalm 71: 5).
May I request you to please see that the poor families of your parish are not abandoned. Please motivate the Animators of the Small Christian Communities to visit the homes of the poor and bring a ray of sunshine and joy into the lives of our brothers and sisters who are poor, and have no one to care for them. You could also visit such people and pray over them and bless them. Our people will never forget this act of generosity shown towards them. We would do well to take to heart the words of Pope Leo XIV in his first Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te On Love for the Poor no. 5, “Love for the Lord, then, is one with love for the poor. The same Jesus who tells us, “The poor you will always have with you” (Mt 26:11), also promises the disciples: “I am with you always” (Mt 28:20). We likewise think of his saying: “Just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). This is not a matter of mere human kindness but a revelation: contact with those who are lowly and powerless is a fundamental way of encountering the Lord of history. In the poor, he continues to speak to us.”
We will end the Liturgical Year with the celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the Universal King on Sunday, November 23. It is customary that we reflect on our role as priests and examine if we are really walking in the footsteps of Jesus who taught us to be servants and to refrain from taking the place of authority. One of the persons who has taught us to be service oriented is St Teresa of Kolkata; a person who reached out to the poorest of the poor in acts of joyful service. Could we become conscious of our role as priests and reach out to the marginalized, exploited and have-nots?? If only we visit such people regularly, I am sure, they will be delighted to receive you and your blessings. I quote from Dilexi Te no. 77, the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Leo XIV. Speaking about Mother Teresa the Holy Father says, “Her love for the poorest of the poor meant that she did not only take care of their material needs, but also proclaimed the good news of the Gospel to them: “We are wanting to proclaim the good news to the poor that God loves them, that we love them, that they are somebody to us, that they too have been created by the same loving hand of God, to love and to be loved. Our poor people are great people, are very lovable people, they do not need our pity and sympathy, they need our understanding love. They need our respect; they need that we treat them with dignity.” All this came from a deep spirituality that saw service to the poorest as the fruit of prayer and love, the source of true peace.”
The Season of Advent will begin from Sunday, November 30. Could you with the help of the Parish Pastoral Council members draw up a programme so as to make the Season of Advent, more and more a preparation to celebrate Christmas joyfully. One of the ways I am proposing is the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Could we, as priests, sit for Confessions every Friday or every Saturday or every Sunday?? I am aware of the fact that you are busy on Sundays with Sunday School classes, youth group meetings, etc. But our people come to Church in large numbers on Sundays. I am sure they will be delighted to make their confession and experience the peace of the Lord in their lives.
As I conclude this circular, I thank you for your selfless services towards the people entrusted to your pastoral care. You are doing wonderfully well. May we grow to be Missionaries of love in our Diocese drawing grace and strength from Jesus, our Lord and Master, and spreading His love especially to the poor and needy in our Diocese.
God bless you and with every good wish,
Yours in Christ,
✠Barthol Barretto
Bishop, Diocese of Nashik
OUR NEW DIOCESAN WEBSITE https://www.nashikcatholicdiocese.org
Please send a short report of the interesting news (Feast Mass, School Annual Days, inauguration of a significant event, yatras, Blood Camp, Youth Days, Seminars, etc.) along with two or three high resolution photographs to nashikdiocese@gmail.com and we will surely upload the same on the Diocesan website. |
CHRISTMAS GET-TOGETHER FOR ALL THE PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR DIOCESE
Date: Friday, December 19, 2025 from 10.30 a.m. till lunch Venue: Bishop’s House, Nashik
Programme details will be communicated in due course.
PLEASE BLOCK THE DATE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAMME. |
