Dienstag, 10. Dezember 2013

SCC - KCG Nationalversammlung in Indien

http://mattersindia.com/scc-national-convention-final-statement/


SCC national convention – Final Statement 

Published: 10:56 pm, November 22, 2013 Story By: Bosco de Sousa Eremita



SCC Rally

Old Goa: We thank Almighty God for having brought us bishops, priests, sisters and lay animators from all over the country here in front of the Basilica of Bom Jesus from November 19 to 21, 2013, for the First National Convention of Small Christian Communities (SCC).


We felt privileged and blessed to be present in the premises of this Basilica where the holy mortal remains of the zealous missionary, St. Francis Xavier, are preserved – a reminder and a challenge to us to continue the work of evangelization he so faithfully carried out. We acknowledge the significant role played by the National Service Team for SCCs under the chairmanship of Bishop Thomas Dabre, and the Goa Archdiocese, under the guidance of Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, in making this First Convention a reality.


The presence of Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Nuncio to India, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the CBCI President, scores of archbishops and bishops, hundreds of priests and sisters and over 7,000 active lay animators, categorically affirms that SCCs now occupy a central place for a new way of being the Church and that the Church in India intends to promote SCCs as Home and School of Communion for the 21st century.


It is in these SCCs, rooted in the power of the Word and the Eucharist, that the believing community experiences a genuine spirit of fellowship and loving service to one another thereby resulting in a deep living of the Christian faith which has been so faithfully transmitted to us.


We realize that it is not enough to attend Mass, but we need to allow that celebration to transform us into Eucharistic communities in our neighborhoods, witnessing to love of our Lord Jesus who poured out his love in abundance for the salvation of humanity. The Convention has powerfully reminded us that the broken bread and the poured out wine is given to express solidarity, especially with the poor and the oppressed so as to build a just and human society.


We carry with us happy memories of the gathering in 26 centers spread out in 19 deaneries of Goa on November 21, celebrating the Eucharist joyfully with the people there, visiting families, participating in the gospel sharing and exchange of experiences and partaking of a meal with them. We could witness for ourselves how God is constantly renewing things in our midst creating a new heavens and a new earth.


The Convention has helped us to experience a strong movement of the Spirit in our hearts and in the community to dedicate ourselves more fully to SCC building. At the same time, it has kindled in us a willingness to open our hearts to the wider society in our quest to be Church in a more authentic way. We see now that the love of Jesus demands love for all those around us and a readiness to be at their service. While we rejoice in these grace-filled experiences during the Convention, we realize that all of us must work hard to make each SCC strong and mission-minded in our neighborhoods.


As we mark the closing of Year of Faith, we pray that the Convention may result in a new enthusiasm in all the members of the Church to grow in love of the Word and to celebrate the Eucharist meaningfully.


This will motivate us to offer our loving service for the promotion of SCCs so that we, in turn, can build a Church according to the heart of Christ – caring, sharing mutually helpful and God-centered, reaching out to children, youth and all around us, especially the poor and marginalized, a catalyst for hierarchical communion, ‘national integration’ and nation-building.


We emerge from this Convention with the conviction that the SCCs are a powerful means of evangelization and can give us new ardor in the challenge of ‘New Evangelization’ thereby building up the Kingdom of God. As we take up this challenge, we entrust our efforts to Mary our Mother, the Star of Evangelization.