2014 Pilgrimage Newsletter

Issue #: [Date]
Dolor Sit Amet
IACA Pilgrimage Newsletter 2014
Published by Indian American Catholic Association (IACA), Washington DC, Volume xvii, No : 1
Archbishop Anil Joseph
Thomas Couto was born in
Goa, India in 1954 where he
completed his schooling and
seminary studies. In 1977 he
joined the Archdiocese of Delhi
and completed theology
studies in 1981 from the
Vidyajyoti College of Theogical
Studies. He was ordained
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priest on February 8 , 1981.
In 1994 he completed
M.Th. in Ecumenism at
Archbishop Anil Joseph
Vidyajyoti College followed by
Thomas Couto
a Doctorate in 1998 in
Ecumenical Theology at Saint
Thomas Aquinas Pontifical University (Angelicum) in Rome.
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He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Delhi on January 8 ,
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2001 and on February 24 , 2007 he was appointed Bishop of
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Jalandhar. On November 30 , 2012 Pope Benedict XVI
appointed him Archbishop of Delhi and he was ordained as
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Archbishop of Delhi on January 20 , 2013.
Presently, he serves as the Chairman of the Commission
for Clergy & Religious of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of
India, Member of the Governing Board of the St. John’s
Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India, Member of
Commission for Doctrine of the Conference of Catholic
Bishops of India (Latin Rite) and Member of the extraordinary
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Synod of Bishops to be held at the Vatican from October 5
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through the 19 of 2014.
OUR LADY OF GOOD HEALTH, VAILANKANNI
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17 Annual National Pilgrimage
Basilica of the National Shrine
of the Immaculate Conception
400 Michigan Ave, NE,
Washington DC 20017
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Program
1:00 P.M.:
Assemble in Memorial Hall (Lower
Level)
1:30 P.M.:
Confessions (Memorial Hall)
2:00 P.M.:
Rosary – Crypt Church
2:30 P.M.:
Procession to the Upper Church
3:00 P.M.:
Holy Mass – Upper Church Main
Celebrant Most Reverend
Anil Joseph Thomas Couto
Archbishop of Delhi, India
4: 15 P.M.:
Blessing & Dedication of Children
– Crypt Church
4:50 P.M.:
Novena to Our Lady of Good
Health, Vailankanni
5:00 P.M.:
Community Reception – Pryzbyla
Bldg, Food Court, CUA
IACA, 913 Hamiton Street NE, Washington, DC 20011
www.IACAUSA.org
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Issue #: [Date]
Dolor Sit Amet
Notice of Special General Body Meeting
The Indian American Catholic Association’s (IACA) Executive Committee representatives have been in
discussions with the Emmitsburg Grotto Director for some time to pursue IACA’s ambition to install a Vailankanni
Statue at the Grotto Shrine in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The costs for this project are expected to be approximately
$180,000.00 and the Grotto office wants to know our decision very soon. As costs keep on rising and the spaces are
allotted on an as available basis, the Executive Committee has decided to call for a vote by the General Body.
Therefore, there will be a short Special General Body Meeting of the Indian American Catholic Association to call
to vote on a proposal before the Executive Committee to establish a Vailankanni Statue at the National Shrine Grotto
of Our Lady of Lourdes, in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This meeting will be held at 5.15pm, on Saturday, September 6,
2014 during the Community Reception at 620 Michigan Avenue, Washington, DC 20017.
Annual Vailankanni Pilgrimage: Every September, IACA holds its Annual National Pilgrimage to the Basilica of
the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in honor of Our Lady of Good Health, Vailankanni. This year’s
Pilgrimage will be held on Saturday, September 6, 2014 from 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm. The Pilgrimage Mass will be
celebrated in the Latin Rite and the main celebrant will be Most Rev. Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, Archbishop of Delhi,
India.
The Annual Pilgrimage is a major undertaking for IACA that involves planning and preparation that begins more
than a year in advance and requires participation of over 150 volunteers and a strong financial backing from our South
Asian Catholic communities. This occasion also demonstrates genuine spirit and
unity amongst diverse cultures and traditions of our volunteers, benefactors and
First Saturday of each month
devotees who come together as one to honor our heavenly Mother. IACA is
fortunate to be able to attract a vast and diverse pool of talented volunteers who
Crypt Church
make things look easy while others take on the financial responsibilities. We ask
Basilica of the National Shrine
you once again to support the Pilgrimage by volunteering and/or making a
400 Michigan Ave, NE
financial contribution to the “Vailankanni Pilgrimage Account.”
Washington DC 20017
Make a Donation: IACA is a prominent organization in the nation, and
consequently the demands and expectations of the members of the Asian
Rosary, Holy Mass, and
Catholics communities have increased over the years. IACA’s annual budget
Novena to Our Lady of Good
exceeds $20,000.00, including approximately $17,000.00 expenses for the
Health
Annual Vailankanni Pilgrimage. We, therefore, ask you to make a special
donation in support of the 2014 Pilgrimage. IACA is a 501(c) (3) non-profit
4:30 PM – Rosary
organization registered in Washington, DC and as such all donations are
5:00 PM – Holy Mass
deductible for income tax purposes as permitted by law. Please mail your
5:45 PM – Novena
donation check payable to: Vailankanni Pilgrimage Account and mail to: Indian
American Catholic Association, c/o Mariaselvam Chinnappan, 913 Hamilton
Organized by:
Street, NE, Washington, DC 20011.
IACA, Tamils, Keralites, AngloIndians, Mangaloreans,
Monthly IACA Meetings and Devotions at the Basilica every first
Goans,
Bangladeshis, Sri
Saturday: Ever since IACA installed the Valankanni Oratory in 1997 at the
Lankans,
Pakistanis,
and other
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception it has been one of
South
Asian
devotees
the most visited Chapels at the Shrine. IACA takes great pride in achieving this
For More Information
Agnelo Gonsalves
Faustina Archer
Pushparaj Arokiaswamy
Mariaselvam Chinnappan
Joe & Sumathi Croos
Stephanie Gusto
Anil D’Souza
Marialena Faria
Manuel Fernandez
Dominic & Noela Francis
T.C Geevarghese
301 928 9604
301 338 3208
301 990 7708
202 316 1790
301 560 1832
202 368 2030
410 740 9054
682 558 9519
703 831 4757
703 922 5826
301 552 9332
Henry Gomes
Johnson John
Jacinta Mascarenhas
Bob & Rita Nathan
Jefreena Packianathan
Prema Packianathan
David Pavanal
Flora Peri
Puthupparampil Scaria
Fred & Valeri Semendy
John Whittle
301 434 0207
301 208 0645
703 830 2327
301 262 5599
301 351 3979
301 404 4828
410 859 3980
301 947 2768
301 404 7530
703 764 1450
301 770 9087
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President’s Message
Dolor Sit Amet
Dear Friends,
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Greetings and welcome to IACA. We are getting ready for the 17 Annual Pilgrimage to the Basilica of the
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National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to be held on September 6 , 2014. This year’s Pilgrimage theme is
“Mother Mary, Our Intercessor in Heaven”. The Pilgrimage Mass will be celebrated in English in the Latin Rite. The
main celebrant for this Mass is Most Rev. Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, Archbishop of Delhi, India I invite you to join
us with your family, friends and neighbors to celebrate the feast of our Blessed Mother.
Every year, this event attracts thousands of devotees from various parts of our country. This is a significant
evidence of our Mother’s healing power and IACA’s progress, success of its activities and the visibility it has attracted
over the past 21 years. I am proud to say that we are now positioned to take IACA to a new level.
Over the years, IACA’s main mission has been to facilitate Catholics and others from the South Asian
communities to come together to share their spiritual beliefs and ask the help of Our Lady of Good Health, Vailankanni
to intercede for their needs, while also promoting and preserving unity among the diverse Catholic communities from
India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka which IACA represents. This is accomplished through organizing
devotional activities such as the Annual Pilgrimage, monthly first Saturday devotions, Mothers Day celebration,
Christmas celebration and other special occasions; and supporting various charitable causes.
IACA is a Washington, DC based organization that is operated solely through the services of volunteers where all
the costs of its activities are being supported through the generous contributions from our well wishers. I want to
thank you for your continued support and making IACA a special family of faith and ask you to make this year’s
Annual Pilgrimage a memorable one with your presence and financial support on September 6, 2014.
Thank you and may God Bless you all.
Agnelo G. Gonsalves
President, IACA
milestone due to its active presence and devotional activities throughout this period. On the first Saturday of every
month, IACA or one of the supporting Indian American communities organizes Rosary, Holy Mass and Novena to Our
Lady of Good Health, Vailankanni in the Crypt Church from 4.45 pm to 6.00 pm. IACA also holds its monthly
executive committee meetings at the Shrine’s Visitor Center from 3.30 pm to 4.45 pm every first Saturday. Please
mark your calendar to join us for the Rosary, Mass and Novena in the Crypt Church of the Basilica every first
Saturday. All are welcome.
Mothers’ Day Celebration in Emmitsburg in May: It has been a tradition for IACA to celebrate Mothers Day in
the month of May on the Sunday following the Mothers’ Day at Mount Saint Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Maryland with Holy
Mass at the Grotto of Lourdes glass Chapel followed by a picnic at the historic Cunningham Falls State Park. Due to
the construction of the new National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, the last two Mothers Day Masses were
held at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception in the University Campus. Next year’s traditional celebration of
Mothers’ Day will be held on May 17, 2015. Please join us in celebration to honor the mothers in our communities. All
are welcome.
IACA Christmas Celebration and Annual General Body Meeting in December: IACA’s Christmas Celebration
and Annual General Body Meeting are held in the month of December every year. The program begins with a Holy
Mass followed by the Annual General Body Meeting, carol singing, Christmas play and other festivities of the season.
This year’s event will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2014 from 6.00 pm onwards. The time and place will be
announced later. Please “save the date” to join us to celebrate the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Membership: IACA supports year round devotion to Our Lady of Good Health, Vailankanni. It also supports
other religious events and charitable causes. These undertakings require a lot of volunteers’ time and financial
support to meet the incidental administrative expenses. Your annual membership fees help us to meet these
expenses. We are always looking for more individual to join IACA. Therefore, we ask you to complete the
Membership Form and return it to IACA along with your membership fee.
Support IACA: individuals who believe in the devotion to our heavenly mother support IACA through the
generous donation of time and resources. We are always looking for individuals to assist in the rosary, novena, choir,
music, altar serving and other liturgical functions; and for priests for the first Saturday and other masses organized by
IACA. We also need volunteers for website development and management, e-mails lists and addresses databases,
printing, labels, communications and fund raising. If you are interested in giving your valuable time, please contact
the IACA President, Agnelo Gonsalves at agg2100@gmail.com
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INDIAN AMERICAN CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION, Washington, DC
Dolor Sit Amet
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM for 2014
(Annual Fee: $20 for families and $10 for individuals)
Name:
________________________________________________
Address:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
City: ___________________State: __________ZIP: _________
Tel # ______________________ E-mail: __________________________
Amount of check enclosed: ____________________________________
Membership $ _________ for ______ Years, plus donation of $___________
If you have any questions, please contact the IACA President at: agg2100@gmail.com
Please make your check payable to: IACA, Washington, DC
And mail it to:
Indian American Catholic Association
913 Hamilton Street, NE
Washington, DC 20011
Indian American Catholic Association
c/o Mariaselvam Chinnappan
913 Hamilton Street, NE
Washington, DC 20011
Stamp