My beloved in Christ Jesus
The Year of the Youth has begun well. The Youth Commission of our Archdiocese has many plans to rejuvenate despair to hope, dullness to passion, corrupt to cosy into the lives of our youngsters. The spiritual, material, psychological, emotional and ethical formation of the youth is not the only concern of our Archdiocese; it must also be the concern of every parent, relative and friends. We need to co-exist to form our youngsters into the right attitude.
On the other side of our Archdiocesan history, we restore the Feast of Our Lady of Mylapore to the original date as per the decree issued from Rome. This is our Archdiocesan Feast. It will be celebrated every year on the last Saturday in the month of August.
Our Lady of Mylapore seated on a throne, her hands joined in prayer and her eyes piously looking down should remind us of the virtue of humility. She is our mother, who intercedes for us. She as the comforter of the afflicted comforts everyone who comes to her.
The statue of Our Lady of Mylapore, probably brought by the then parish priest Fr Gasper Coelho in 1543 is so remarkable that great missionaries were inspired and felt solace. The second apostle of India, St Francis Xavier who made a pilgrimage on foot from Nagapattinam to Mylapore, spent many hours in prayer before our Blessed Mother of Mylapore. Our Lady comes to our aid in times of trouble and turmoil.
During this month, we also remember the Assumption of Our dear Mother and the Queenship of Our Lady. We have the privilege of celebrating a triple feast in honour of our Blessed Mother.
Let us surrender our selves, our family, Archdiocese and our youngsters to Her that she may remarkably guide in every aspect of our being.
+ Most Rev Dr A M Chinnappa SDB
Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore
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