Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Visitation of St. Francis Assisi Friary, Nainital, Uttarakhand

 This friary is 125 years old....the Capuchins who came here began a school and other ministry....the friary is built in European style and is still strong.....the friars who lived here for number of years handed over the school to Gabriel brothers......the parish is small with 20 families....it is a hill station and in winter it is very cold....it snows every year.....the schools are closed here for three months....
 The friary has got old paintings which are very valuable one....the prices in art market would be huge....
 There are three friars who are chaplains to the sisters and brothers.....the religious run boarding schools which are in demand and popular
 Many tourist come to visit this friary and they prefer staying here as it is cheaper than outside....

 The friary has got many rooms and a big library.....the chapel is also very beautiful

 The entrance of the Friary


 It is a hill station....looks like Swiss.....there are lakes.....big ones....

 From this point you can see the Himalaya when the weather is good.....we could see something but not very clear....

 The highest point here.......the lake looks like a mango.....

 Another old Church belonging to the Methodist......it is a masterpiece of European architecture....

Sunday, February 26, 2017

From Vijayawada to Lucknow, St. Fidelis Province.......Visitation continues


 The Parish is very lively and active....very good choir....Hindi is the language....around 300 faithful were present.....every Sunday they have more faithful but today the Diocese of Lucknow has organised some program and many faithful have gone there to participate
 Br. Kuldeep is the parish priest and Guardian of the Provincial Curia......welcomed me with flower bouquets
 The altar boys and girls posed for a photograph with me....
 This morning I celebrated the Eucharist in Hindi......preached too in Hindi......

 The Hospital garden of the sisters.....Medical sisters.....

 We visited Br. Wilson Andrade, a friar who is in coma for about two months....he was working in Dubai and there he had heart attack....just four days before he was flown to Lucknow from Dubai ....they tried their  level best......this morning his condition became critical so we all rushed to the hospital....prayed over....he is on the life support.....please pray for him....he is just 60 years old...

 The friars have got some rabbits and hens.....good to see them all around......

 Month of December and January....north India blooms with variety of flowers....here the Provincial curia garden is adorned with plenty of flowers.....it s feast for the eyes as you enter the compound of the Curia....
 A grotto right in front of the Church here in Lucknow.....many school children come and pray before they enter into school compound......