The Birth Centenary Day of St. Alphonsa will be on 19th August 2010. As a preparation for the celebration we have already started 100 days prayer in Alphonsa Bhavan, Kudamaloor, the birth place of St. Alphonsa. The celebrations in Portiuncula will be on 7th August with Eucharistic Banquet at 11.00 am followed by fellowship meal and family gathering. The General Council has decided to give ‘Alphonsa Aid Fund’ for 100 poor children - Rs.5000/- for each and ‘Alphonsa Kit’ of one meal for 100 families.
A Tribute
The death Anniversary of Bishop Lavigne falls on 11th July. The First Superior General of Unified FCC, Late Rev. Mother Maurus completes 25 years of her demise on 20th August 2010 and Late Bishop Hippolytus Kunnumkal whose second death anniversary falls on 9th August 2010. We celebrate the feast of St. Alphonsa on 28th July. Let us remember and pray for these to whom our Congregation is very much indebted to.
Course
The Course for the New General Animators will be conducted in Portiuncula form 18th July to 22nd August 2010.
Coin release
Amid welling up of pious and fond thoughts of Saint Alphonsa as an eternal symbol of love, suffering and compassion, a commemorative coin in her name was released on24th August 2009, in the presence of a sea of faithful and a galaxy of dignitaries.
The event marked the initiation of the year-long birth centenary fete of India’s first woman saint.
Releasing the commemorative coin in Rs 5 denomination bearing the engraving of the saint and declaring the birth centenary celebrations on, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee remarked that the thoughts on Saint Alphonsa’s noble spirit and spiritual strength transcended across religions, geographic borders and all people. Observing that the saint had, in her short life of 36 years, been a fountain of selfless service, compassion and love, the minister said that Bharananganam, where she had lived most part of her life as a nun in the Clarist Order of St Francis of Assisi, now embodies lessons on religious harmony not only for Kerala, but the whole country.
05. 05. 2010 - Centenary Celebration Undivided Thrissur Province
The Centenary celebration of undivided Thrissur Province was really grace filled. It was off course a rich experience and proclamation of FCC communion. Our sisters from all the Provinces could attend the solemn function.
01.05.2010 - Final Profession
77 Junior sisters made their Final Profession in Portiuncula, Aluva.
FCC is again laurelled in the name of St. Alphonsa. “FCC Krupayude Padavukalil” has been awarded the Second Best Tele Film for the year 2008. Rev. Mother Ceelia, the Chief producer received the Award of the State Film Academy of Kerala Government on 24th March 2010 in Tagore Theater, Thiruvananthapuram from Minister of Education Shri. M.A. Baby.
Thanks giving mass - Concelebrated by his excellency Rev. Dr. gratian mundadan Bishop of bijnor diocese and all the priests present.
agape with benefactors and friends of FCC including Rev. Fathers, sisters from variuos congregations, parishners, representatives of laity from different walks of life, drivers working under FCC
release of the canonisation Souvenir and the book on "snehathinte martyre, sr.ranimaria"
cultural programmes presented by children and sisters from different provinces and portiuncula
The state level celebrations were held at Bharanaganam on 9th November. The former President of India, Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam inaugurated the function and it was presided over by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Oriental Congregation. A large crowd was present on the memorable occasion. The celebration was crowned by the concelebrated Holy Mass officiated by bout 75 Bishops and hundreds of Priests.
98 FCC novices received religious habit and made first profession at Alphonsa Nagar, Bharnaganam . Seven Bishops concelebrated the Holy Mass and many priests were present. Three sisters from Kenya (Africa ) made their Final Profession.
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Oriental Congregation from Rome, arrived to attend the canonization celebration organized by the KCBC at Bharanganam on 9th November.
A thanks giving Mass was offered at St. Lateran’s Baslica Rome. The main celebrant was Archbishop George Valiamattam and it was concelebrated by many bishops and priests. The Church was packed with priests, sisters and laity.
A grand celebration of the canonization of St. Alphonsa was observed in her native parish of Kudamalore. Mother Ceelia, the Superior General and many sisters participated in the public meeting on the final day.
Pope Benedict XVI canonised Bl. Alphonsa at St. Peter’s Square in Rome on Sunday, 12 October and she became the country’s first catholic woman saint. A large number of priests, nuns and lay people from kerala residing at different parts of the world attended the ceremony. The Superoir General Mother Ceelia and a good number of FCC sisters representing various provinces witnessed the Canonisation Ceremony. During the Ceremony Mother Ceelia offered St. Alphonsa's Relics to the Holy Father.
On the canonization day special prayers were offered during Mass on Sunday across Catholic churches in Kerala in thanksgiving for the raising of Blessed Alphonsa to Sainthood. At the time of the Canonization in Rome bells were rung and special prayers were offered all over Kerala.
