Circular 12/2025
- Nashik Catholic Diocese
- Apr 1
- 4 min read
April 01, 2025
My dear collaborators,
I am writing to you as we begin a month that is special to us: a month in which we are going to celebrate the Gift of our Priesthood along with the precious gift of the Most Holy Eucharist (Maundy Thursday) and remember that Jesus died for us out of love (Good Friday) and rose triumphantly from the dead (Easter Sunday). All of us will sing joyfully: Christ is Risen and Alleluia is our song of joy. We have two weeks remaining before we enter the Week of Weeks: Holy Week, a special time when we are going to reflect on the mysteries of our faith. May this week unite us to Jesus who is our Salvation, Inspiration and the Treasure of our lives.
I wish to also highlight that we will be celebrating the CHRISM Mass on Thursday, April 10, at St Anne’s Cathedral at 5.00 p.m. As your newly installed Bishop, last year I experienced tremendous joy to interact with each one of you along with the religious men and women of our Diocese: you are indeed my collaborators ministering to the people cheerfully entrusted to our care. Without you and your constant collaboration, my ministry would have been tough, but with you by my side and most importantly, with the graces from the Lord Jesus and with HIS accompaniment, I have experienced and continue to experience joy and happiness in my life. May I request you to block Thursday, April 10 and to participate in the Chrism Mass at 5.00 p.m. Immediately after Mass, we will have a festive dinner at Bishop’s House to celebrate the gift of our Unum Presbyterium.
As we have two weeks of the Lenten Season to go, please download Pope Francis’ notes on 10 Tips on How to Make Lent Meaningful.
I am aware of the fact that this should have reached you earlier, but we had Pope Francis’ message for the Lenten Season which I sent you last month. I am sure you will use Pope Francis’ notes for your personal reflection and make the remaining days of the Lenten Season grace-filled. I also urge you to pray personally and with your parish and religious communities for the good health and total recovery of our Holy Father Pope Francis.
May I gently remind you what I have been informing you constantly namely, to ensure that as Trustees you are called upon to see that the Change Reports are filed and that your name as Trustee is added on Schedule 1, as per the Charity Commissioner’s Orders. This is an important document, failing which you could get into trouble and the
Church Trust could lose its identity. During the last Diocesan Clergy meeting, I had requested you to send a copy of the documentation to Fr Anil Gonsalves OFM Cap, Financial Administrator. Those Parish Priests who have not complied with this request are requested to write to Fr Anil Gonsalves and explain the status of the matter by April 15, 2025.
Apart from the above, please take utmost care of the Church property/properties. Kindly see that the property is well guarded and fenced after having done the Government Survey. As mentioned to you in an earlier circular, please put up a sign board in the property/properties indicating the name of the Church Trust: Plot bearing CTS No./Survey No. …………………… belongs to the …………………… (name of the Church Trust). You may choose to write the text in English and/or Marathi. This is urgent and important and must be adhered to at the earliest. I do not want any of our Church Trust properties to be encroached upon by known and unknown persons.
As we come to the end of yet another academic year, I thank you immensely for all the selfless work you are doing. Please note that you are a GIFT to me: Each of us is God’s gift and together we have a responsibility placed on our shoulders, namely to bring hope to the people whom we are ministering to. May I gently remind you particularly during the Ordinary Jubilee Year 2025 to visit your parishioners with Holy Communion, celebrate with them the sacrament of reconciliation and receive the Lord in the Eucharist, especially those who are sick, the aged and in the hospitals: may they experience the living Christ ministering to them through the exercise of your priestly ministry. I believe our brothers and sisters will never forget what we have done for them by bringing the joy of Christ into their lives. The Chrism Mass is a reminder to us that the holy anointing at our Ordination is for service and ministry as we are called to let the oil of anointing flow through us to our people especially through the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, the Eucharist, and Anointing of the Sick.
I take this opportunity to wish you A HAPPY EASTER, in anticipation. May the joys of Easter which we have experienced inspire us to share the gift of Hope with those we minister to in our parishes and institutions. May our people continue to experience the JOYS OF THE RISEN CHRIST who is our Hope amidst the challenges and difficult situations they face in their lives. May the Risen Christ continue to accompany us and use us for the growth of the Kingdom of God in our Diocese.
God bless you and with every good wish,
Yours in Christ,
✠ Barthol Barretto
Bishop, Diocese of Nashik