4. Religious Services [ RC Diocese of Salem ]

Chapter – IV
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
The Religious Services of the Salem Diocese are the foremost among the various service-oriented activities rendered through the ages. The Bishop, the Clergy, the men and women Religious Orders and the Lay faithful are involved actively in promoting the religious services of the diocese. Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, during his life on the earth, gathered around him a special band of followers called the “Apostles” and gave them a mission to carry on His divine work to various parts of the world. Since the Bishop who is the head of the Diocese is unable to look after the entire religious functions of the Diocese, the responsibility is shared among the Diocesan Council, Diocesan Parish Priests- men and women belonging to various religious orders and the laity. The laity take an active part in all the religious activities of the Diocese.
1. Religious Services of the Diocesan Priests:
In discharging pastoral duties, the first place is held by the diocesan priests for they have fully dedicated themselves to the services of parishes entrusted to them. They are not only co-operators with the Bishop for rendering pastoral work but also play the role of block development officers in their respective parishes in the diocese.
(A) Sacramental Services:
The discharging sacramental duty is the most important religious service of the priest serving in a particular parish. It is through the following sacraments that the priests bring about the encounter of the individual with God.
i) Baptism
II) Eucharist
III) Confirmation
IV) Penance
V) Matrimony
VI) Anointing of the Sick
VII) Holy Orders
It is through the priests that these spiritual tasks are taken place in the whole diocese.
i) Baptism:
Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life. When a person is baptized, he is incorporated into the church and its mission. Baptism ordinarily takes place in the Parish Church. It is performed by the parish priest. After the baptism the priest records the details in a book. He enters the names of the sponsors [the godfather and godmother] date, place of birth, time and place of baptism. At the end of the year he sends a copy of this record to the Bishop’s office where it is kept in a vault.
The baptismal record serves as a base of reference for the entire life of the person. A few years later when he is given confirmation, notation of the confirmation will be made on the baptismal record. If a person is later married, particulars of his marriage will be noted on the same record. If a person is ordained, that fact will also be noted on the baptismal record. It gives all the essential facts of the status of a person belonging to a particular church. These records are used to prepare the census of the diocese once in 10 years.
ii) Confirmation:
This is the sacrament by which the baptized attain adulthood in the church. The respective parish priests are in charge of preparing the youth for receiving the confirmation. The confirmation is normally administered by the Bishop. This serves to bring out the community idea for it marks the meeting of the baptized and the Bishop who is the head of the local church.
iii) Eucharist :
This coming together of the faithful to celebrate Eucharist [Mass] goes right back to the beginning of Christianity. It is a community affair in which laity’s participation is must. It is especially in the Eucharist that the Bishop and his priests exercise their role of sanctifying. The ordained priest is the representative of the church in offering the mass on various occasions.
iv) Penance:
By the sacrament of penance, the sinners are reconciled to God and His church.
v) Anointing of the Sick :
By the blessed oil the sick are given solace and especially by the celebration of mass, the priests offer the sacrifice of Christ.
vi) Marriage:
Christian marriage is considered both as a sacred contract and a sacrament. The priest in the church administers the marriage contract between bride and bridegroom. Two witnesses are required to sign the marriage contract. The particulars of the wedding are noted in the baptismal records.
vii) Holy orders:
The church needs priests to teach the gospel to the lay faithful and to do sacramental duties as agents of Christ. The parish priest usually selects the youth for priesthood formation. The Bishop through the sacrament of Holy order ordains them as priests. The ordination of priests is held at the cathedral church .
(B) Services Through Epiphany Centre :
The Second Vatican Council says, “ By divine favour especially in modern times human genius has produced from natural material astonishing inventions in the field of technology. The press, cinema, radio, television and similar media are classified as instruments of social communication.” The Catholic Church has been commissioned by Christ to bring salvation to every man and is consequently bound to proclaim the gospel. Hence the church judges it a part of her duty to preach the news of redemption with the aid of the instruments of social communication.
Social communication, infact tends to make the world shrink to one big family where all big events are shared and where thoughts and feelings of different members are known to each other. It is therefore essential that catholic news, thought and culture be brought to the form of world and communications so as to make Christ present to the world to put him within the reach of the masses.
To attain this goal, Bishop Michael Duraisamy (1974 – 1999) who was the Chairman of CBCI Commission for Dialogue and Social Communication started a separate commission for social communications in Salem Diocese. He established Epiphany centre in 1977 in the premises of Infant Jesus Cathedral, Salem to facilitate seminars, retreats, pastoral programmes, the activities of various diocesan commissions, programmes of the pious organisations and to promote fine arts and cultural activities.
The centre functions under the guidance of a diocesan priest. The Biblical playlets, folk songs, folk dances, street plays and Christian films are well prepared at this centre using latest equipments for carrying out evangelical work in and around Salem. The centre has prepared 500 programmes so far
It is also a place for prayer and meditation, cultural activities and inter-religious dialogue. A reading room is available for the use of public. Further, eight track sound recording studio and an auditorium with the capacity 1500 seats are available there. This center has accomplished nearly three decades of noteworthy service in the field of Christian communication and social uplift of the people of this region.
The important activities of Epiphany Centre are
1. Leadership training to the laity
2. Preparation of Audio Visual Aids
3. Seminars on spirituality and effective teaching techniques
4. Fostering Inter Religious Dialogue
5. Dance school for boys and girls
6. Instrumental and percussion music school
7. Conducting Bible exhibition and competition at diocese level. The Surroundings of Epiphany centre are maintained with scenic beauty in order to create a conducive atmosphere for practising deep meditation.
(C) St. Xavier’s Minor Seminary:
The word of God to man is a vocation - a calling forth to go out of himself to transcend beyond to God. Christian life is founded on this very possibility of being able to be called by God to himself and man’s ability by God’s grace to be metania (within God.) .
The Church takes the major responsibility of training the young men to be ordained them as Priests. St. Xavier’s Minor Seminary located at Arisipalayam was founded in 1931 mainly to prepare the young men for priesthood. This formation centre develops the seed for the vocation. There about 32 candidates undergoing priestly training at present at this centre.
Vocation camp is organized every year at St. Xavier’s Minor Seminary for the young men of the Diocese who are ready to offer themselves for the service of God. Those who participate in this camp will get admission either in to +2 course or the initiation [Latin] course. Those students who show appreciable interest in spiritual activities seek admission in the apostolic school through their respective parish priests.
(D) Pilgrim Centres :
The people of Salem diocese are encouraged to go on pilgrimage to a shrine anywhere and renew themselves spiritually. In the diocese of Salem the following places are officially designated as pilgrim centres in view of Jubilee 2000 [Christu Jayanthi].
1. Infant Jesus Cathedral, Arisipalayam, Salem
2. Our Lady of Assumption, Mettur Dam
3. Shrine of St. Mary, Mathiampatty
4. Our Lady’s Grotto ,Agraharam
5. Sacred Heart Church, Yercaud
A plenary indulgence is granted on a visit to any one of these shrines mentioned above, if one prays for the intentions of the Holy Father [Pope].
(E) Services of Ecumenical And Dialogue Commission:
Integration of India depends on inter-religious harmony because it is a land with multi religious faith and cultural groups. India has welcomed the streams of people of diverse religions, cultures and languages. The various kingdoms that came up in the north and the south of the country have enriched our country with their distinct religions and culture. The great personalities like Gandhiji, Tagore and Arbinodo Ghosh have stressed the need for inter-religious harmony, tolerance, mutual respect and common brotherhood under the common destiny of humanity.
Gandhiji said, “ the different religions are like the different branches of a single tree each distinct from the other though having the same source”. In the long run the success or failure of India to keep its unity and integrity will greatly depend on its ability to ensure wide spread participation in decision making genuine pluralism and minority protection.
Pope John Paul II remarked, “One should discuss without the fumes of pride, without obstinacy of arrogance, without a spirit of contradiction or envy, but with holy humility, with peace with Christian unity. In 1966, the Second Vatican Council’s Decree “Nostra Aetate transformed the Catholic Church’s attitude of people of other religions. A secretariat for non-christians was established at Rome. It is now called the Pontifical Council for Inter – Religious Dialogue.
Inter Religious Dialogue:
An Ecumenical Commission is functioning in Salem Diocese to foster Inter Religious Understanding among the people of this region.
OBJECTIVES :
1. To cultivate a profound attitudinal change among the Christians.
2. To facilitate issue-based services like functional literacy for upholding human dignity and transcending all religious barriers.
3. To direct special attention to areas prone to religious and cultural disharmony, riots etc., and try to solve them through dialogue and reconciliation.
4. To mobilize the youth power of all religions.
5. To organize prayer and para liturgical services open to all religions and people.
6. To arrange the celebrations of national and religious festivals such as Diwali, Milad-ul-Nabi and Bakrid and
7. To organize a diocese care group to mobilize the people to strengthen the relations with the people of other religions.
Dialogue teams at Diocesan and parish level celebrate Diwali season every year by way of personal greeting and house visits to Hindu friends.The Pope’s Diwali message from Vatican is shared with the public. The Tamil version of the Pope’s message is prepared by dialogue team and is made available to the cross section of the society. In the Inter faith Dialogue meetings, which are organized frequently in a religious spirit and the special invitees belonging to various religions highlight the significance of their religious principles. As a result of arranging the inter-religious dialogue the unity, solidarity and the understanding among the various religious communities have been strengthened to a great extent in the areas, which come under the jurisdiction of the Salem Diocese.

2. Services of Religious Men and Women Congregations:
The men and women in the church who take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience and vow to lead a community life are called the religious. In the first two centuries celibacy was not a condition of bishops, priests or deacons. It became law only in 305 A.D. when the Synod of Elvira in Spain made celibacy obligatory for bishops, priests and deacons.
History witnesses the outstanding services rendered by the religious congregations in the spread of the faith and the formation of new churches from the ancient monastic institutions to the medieval orders up to the more recent congregations. The majority of the Bishops, pastors and assistants come from the ranks of the secular clergy who live in the world rather than monasteries. The secular clergy are assisted to perform multifarious ministries by many religious orders of both men and women. The Bishop of the diocese fosters various forms of apostolate [service] in his diocese and urges the religious to take up various ministries according to the needs of place and time.
A great majority of religious congregations in Salem Diocese engage in religious social, medical, educational and cultural services. According to the statistics of the year 2005, the total number of the religious congregations of both men and women is 38 and the total number of religious houses is 90 in the Diocese of Salem. Following are some of the religious orders of priests, brothers and sisters rendering various services in the diocese of Salem.
1. Religious Orders of Priests:
i) Carmelites
ii) Vincent Pallotine
iii) Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales [MSFS]
iv) Congregation of Holy Cross
2. Religious Orders of Brothers And Sisters:
i) Missionaries of Charity Sisters and Brothers
ii) Congregation of Brothers of Holy Cross
iii) Monfort Brothers of St. Gabriel
iv) Franciscan Servants of Mary
v) Salesian Missionaries of Mary Immaculate.
vi) Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod
vii) Congregation of Immaculate Conception.
viii) Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Bon Secours.
ix) Congregation of the Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo
x) The Good Shepherd Congregation
xi) Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery.
xii) Missionaries of Charity Sisters
xiii) Congregation of Sisters of St. Aloysius.
xiv) Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
xv) Congregations of Sisters of Carmel
xvi) Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny
xvii) Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ
xviii) Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph.
xix) Congregation of Sisters of St. Teresa’s Carmel.
These religious strive with intensity and in a modality of freedom humility, self-denial and mercy, with constant practice of prayer, penance and renewal. It is worthwhile to see the multifarious services of a few religious congregations in Salem diocese.
i) Carmelites:
Teresa was a Spanish saint of 16th century. She was a binding force in founding Carmelite convents, two of the foundations being laid specially for men. Carmelite priests run a spiritual development centre at Yercaud, Salem to share their spiritual experiences with the faithful and other visitors. Bishop Selvanather started a house for Carmelite Sisters at Yercaud on October 3, 1967. There are about 17 nuns rendering various religious services in Salem diocese.
ii) Vincent Pallotine Congregation:
Vincent Pallotine [1795-1850] founded the Society of the Catholic A postolate in 1850 in Rome. The main aim of establishing this society is to involve clergy, religious and especially the faithful in the noble task of evangelization of the world. Having Italy as the head quarters, Palatine priests, brothers and sisters carry on their service in more than 30 countries in the world. Pallotines have their mission stations in 5 districts in Tamilnadu. In Salem Diocese the Steel Plant Parish is looked after by the Pallotines.
iii) Missionaries Of St. Francis De Sales:
This congregation came into existence in 1838 in France. The missionaries came to India and established mission centres in Andrapradesh and other parts of Central India. The M.S.F.S. priests administer Uddayapatty parish in Salem Diocese. This congregation has a minor seminary centre at Uddyapatty, Salem. A good number of priests are missionaries in villages doing social services and proclaiming the message of Christ to the people.
iv) Congregation of Holy Cross:
Fr.Basil Antony Moreau founded it in 1837. The Holycross Priests and brothers came to Salem diocese in 1960 to involve in pastoral social and educational ministries. At present there are more than 200 Holy Cross Priests and Brothers in different parts of India. They have a novitiate centre in Yercaud and a house for aspirants at Uddayapatty.
vi) Salesian Missionaries Of Mary Immaculate:
The Salesian Missionaries of Marry Immaculate made their entry in to the diocese of Salem as early as 1931 during the period of the first Bishop Henry Prunier [1930-1949]. The sisters have an option for the poor specially the woman from socially and economically lower strata of the society. At present there are four communities working in Salem. Diocese - one at Attur, another at Yercaud and two at Salem. The SMMI Sisters have been known as catechist missionaries. They continue their tradition of going to the interior villages to meet the Christian children in order to teach them catechism and prepare them for the reception of sacraments during holidays.
vii) Congregation of Immaculate Conception:
The head quarters of this congregation is at Madurai. The main objective of these sisters is to change the life styles of the poor and the downtrodden through service, simplicity and love. The Sisters have 3 convents and one among them is a polio clinic centre at Mathiampatty.
viii) Congregation Of The sisters of St. Charles Borromeo :
These sisters have their convent at Yercaud. They are actively involved in Christian education of children and youth and evangelization through social services
ix) Sisters Of Cross Of Chavanad:
These Sisters engage in pastoral work, empowering women, education and family apostolate. They have two houses in the diocese of Salem- one in Namakkal and the other in Yercaud. They also have a retreat centre at Yercaud.
Most pastors and parish priests belong to the diocesan or secular clergy. Priests of religious orders are more apt to devote themselves to work of education, preaching and social service to the mission or to specialsed areas of the ministry. But often they too are called upon to take care of parishes and to assist diocesan priests in their pastoral work. Men and women religious for their personal religious life they remain in their communities subject to their religious superiors but their pastoral work is performed under the authority of the Bishop, who is the chief shepherd of the flock in each diocese. Thus all the people of a diocese, the clergy, men and women religious groups and the lay faithful are laborers in the vineyard of the Lord. Every one of them is possessing charisms and ministries, diverse yet complimentary work in the same vineyard of the Lord.
3. Participation of Laity in The Developmental Activities of the Diocese :
The Second Vatican Council defines the laity as “ all the faithful except those in holy orders and those in the state of the religious life specially approved by the church. The principal duty of laymen and lay women is to witness to Christ by their lives and their words, in family within their social circle and their working environment. The word layman is derived from the term “laos” which means people ie., the church community, body of Christ. A parish is essentially a religious grouping of Catholics in a locality. The lay apostolates participate in the mission of Christ and the church. The lay people fall in line with architects of Diocese namely Bishop, Clergy and Religious in contributing to the growth and development of the diocese.
a) The Diocesan Laity Commission: Seminars and Symposiums are arranged by the laity commission to create awareness among the faithful about the role of lay people in taking active part in liturgical service and parish participatory structures. The Commission also helps youth movements and other associations to involve in the catholic action programmes [Social welfare activities] and for the growth of diocese. It offers not only laity formation course for several parishes but also helps parish priests to conduct the parish council election.
b) Laity Sunday Celebration:
In the diocese of Salem, Laity Sunday is celebrated after the feast of St. Thomas Moore, the patron saint of laity in the month of June every year. Posters and leaflets are sent to all the parishes to highlight the duty of laity towards the development of church and the society.
C) Catholic Action:
It means the participation of the laity in the apostolate of the hierarchy. It implies in the laity leading of a true catholic life, the promotion of faith in all possible ways and the rendering of social service under the guidance of the clergy. All the catholics in the diocese have a definite responsibility to take part in catholic action. They have also a duty of charity and justice towards their neighbours. In order to perform the above said duties various youth movements, associations and pious organisations have come into existence in Salem Diocese.
They are
1. Society of St. Vincent De Paul
2. Legion of Mary
3. Sodalities of Our Lady
4. Diocesan Health Association
5. Salem Catholic Union
6. Y.C.S/Y.S.M
7. Diocesan Catechetical Association.
8. Christian Seva Sangam etc.,
i) Vincent De Paul Society:
Vincent De Paul started this society in 1660 in France. In India this society was setup on May 25, 1863. This society was started in 1968 in Salem Diocese by Bishop Selvanather. The society comprises of lay people as members. Several parishes in the Salem Diocese run this society. The Members of this society adopt poor families and do all kinds of charitable works with the help of funds raised from the parishners. The society has three particular councils in the diocese [ Salem, Krishnagiri and Vellandivalasu.]39
ii) Legion Of Mary :
This association aiming at rending social service was started in the diocese in 1954. This is one of the best movements in the parishes that encourages the committed lay people to realise their mission as Christians under the leadership of Mary.40 The legionaries visit the families and assist them to solve their problems. They also create awareness among the lay people about illiteracy, poverty, female infanticide etc.,
iii) Catholic Union of Salem:
This union was started in 14th August 1955 with the sole aim of social, economic and spiritual development of the lay faithful of the diocese. Several number of branches are found in different parishes of the diocese. The union strives for the betterment of the poor, marginalized, diseased and the victims of natural calamities. They render selfless service to the people irrespective of caste, creed and religion.
Other important lay apostolate associations such as Christian worker movements, Prison Ministry, Little way Association, P.M.V, Nurses Guild, Pontificial Mission Society, Sodalities Of Our Lady, Diocesan Health Associations and Small Christian Community operate in the diocese to help the people to realize their commitment towards the diocese and society.
iv) Role of Catechists:
Catechesis has been from apostolic times an essential ministry in the church.41 The images associated with catechism and catechists are products of catechetical fundamentalism, which equates faith formation with Christian belief. Catechesis deals greatly with Christ and his mystery of salvation.42 The Catechists present the word of God to the People especially through their catechetical instructions and assisting the parish priests, in his day to day church administration. They are lay apostles of God in the world. Lay people are yet commissioned to teach and be witnesses to deal with sacred things beside priests.43 They render evangelical service in the parishes to extend God’s kingdom with their pastors. They deepen and widen the faith relationship between the people and God. 44
Hence the layman is consecrated to the ordinary task of human living. But this living must be done according to the way Christ has shown.45 The laity are called in a special way to make the church present, operative and develop through their involvement in the church mission and its participatory structures.
Thus the Bishop and clergy involve in all the religious activities of the diocese. The ordained pastors perform their routine religious services in the different parts of the diocese such as saying masses, preaching sermons, baptizing and administering the other sacraments, giving instructions, visiting the sick, taking up a census and teaching in the parish school. Pastors give their people the intellectual good of sound doctrine, the spiritual nourishment of the sacraments and love and concern of a father. For this is the reason why the priest is called “Father”. Sometimes because of his position, age or achievements he is given an honorary title of Monsignor- a dignity conferred by the Pope. The religious of both men and women assist the Bishop and Clergy by engaging various ministries to fulfill the mission of the church. The laity take an active part in sacramental and other religious and social welfare activities of the church through various organisations at parish and diocese level.