(Bangalore, India) “Ham hai nah?”- “We are here for you” -was the message of the homily by Fr. Ashwil Dias C.Ss.R. in the Eucharist celebrated with the children of an orphanage on the feast of Rakshabandhan on last Sunday, 22nd August. This is a beautiful feast in India, celebrating the bonding between brothers and sisters.
The nine Pastoral Year Fathers and their two formators chose to spend the day with the children in one of the orphanages of the Sathya Seva Sisters. We began the day with the concelebrated Eucharist, along with the inmates and the sisters in charge. The young fathers themselves prepared a delicious meal for all, with biriyani, among other items. Then games were conducted to entertain the children and to enjoy the fun. The children were happy to share their talents in singing, dancing and storytelling. It is said that blood is thicker than water, meaning that family bonding is stronger than friendship. But we experienced that Spirit is stronger than blood, in the sense that spiritual relationships can be stronger bonding than even family relationships. These children are from broken or dysfunctional families; for some, the family itself is a nightmare. But their faces brightened up with the fraternal affection they experienced from the Fathers. It was indeed an enriching experience for everyone.
Fr. George Puthenpura C.Ss.R.
