Retreat for St. Michael's Adoration Monastery, Meymemsingh, Bangladesh

From Dinajpur to Meymemsingh 10 hours journey by road was a unique esperience...the drivers don't  drive but they literally fly...the roads are pretty good but a lot repair work is on but the drivers have no patience,,,,I was literally carrying my heart in mouth....so terrified....and to add to all this is the honking which is never ending...noise pollutions besides the normal air pollution.....

 The country side is beautiful....all green ...paddy cultivation....a lot of ponds for breeding the fish....

 Meymesingh is quite big city....very crowded......the Catholic population is sizeable,.....

 St. Michael's monastery is 82 years old....

 The monastery is quite spacious....

 The garden and surroundings are beautiful

 The long and silent corridors....

 24 young and old sisters, very active and vibrant .....

 Very much interested to study about Franciscan spirituality

 Fr. Jerome D'Souza from the province of St. Fidelis of Lucknow...is their chaplain....he is here for last 12 years....lives in the bishop's house which is just right opposite the Monastery

Retreat for the St. Clare's Adoration Monastery, Dinajpur ends!!!!!!!

 Exchanging peace and reconciliation with one another.....all smiles after one week's intense retreat....

 Young and old sisters embrace and exchange sisterly warmth to live the Charism

 God loves us as we are so we need to love and accept one another as we are

 what we are before God, nothing more and nothing less....what we are is what God accepts....

 No prentensions in the presence of the Lord

 We are strengthened and renewed by the spirit of Francis and Clare

 All smiles on the face of the sisters and the guide

 Visited a 300 year old Temple....beautiful.....it is circular...on the wall you can see all the deities of Hinduism are depicted...a wonderful temple.....

 A Home parish of one of the priests of the diocese....

 Bishop's House Dinajpur , I was invited for Lunch by the Bishop/.....

 simple but beautiful Cathedral....

 A marian shrine run by the PIME priests.....they have been missionaries in this part of Bangladesh

Retreat cum Classes on Franciscan Spirituality and Charism,,,,,,,Dinajpur, Bangladesh

 The Pioneer `sr. Elizabeth from Kerala and now Bangladeshi....she is 86 years old....started the second foundation .....she is loved by all...

 The Monastery entrance garden is an attraction, young and old come to see ....some come to take photos and selfies......

 There are varieties of flowers....a feast for the eyes....

 Lovely pink and white roses......

 The chapel is nice and cozy....

 The sisters today sang in Bangla for the `mass.....they play tabla as well as harmonium....felt at home

 I am teaching them some simple Indian Christian Bhanjans....they like and sing well...

 St. Francis and `st. Clare.....

St. Clare's Monastery, Dinajpur, Bangladesh

The adoration monastery sisters are in Bangladesh since 1933 and they have grown ever since inspite many difficulties and problems....they have not Franciscan friars to look after their spiritual needs....the Indian adoration sisters do send their members for formation....there are two monasteries...In Dinajpur there are 16 sisters and all of them locals except one from Kerala who is the pioneer but she has now Bangladeshi passport.

 There are 2% of Christians here and the sisters receive a very little help from the locals but God is ever generous towards them..the Bishops are very close to them and send them all the necessary help

 The sisters are talented and they speak English ....

 Dinajpur monastery is very big and beautiful....surround by a Muslim village...they are very cordial to the sisters

 They are full of smiles and happy...I am preaching them retreat on Franciscan spirituality

 They want Capuchins friars to implant the Order in Bangladesh and according to them there are a lot of vocations....faith of Catholics is strong.....

 they are poor but happy....you are most welcome to send your support to them..