Faith Connections Issue 4 - Easter Edition

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022





Faith Connections











Faith Formation Newsletter, St. Thomas Syro-Malabar

Catholic Forane Church






Message from Our Vicar
PAGE 3

A Father's Easter Memory
PAGE 4
A Mother's Role in Faith
PAGE 5
CCD Students-Easter Messages
PAGE 6
CCD Student Lent Q&A
PAGE 13
CCD Admin Interview
PAGE 15
Raising Hope - Soup Kitchen
PAGE 17
CML Lenten Chart Editorial Message
PAGE 18
Feasts & Seasons of the Church Hello everyone, and welcome back to another edition
PAGE 19 of the newsletter! First off we would like to thank
Altar Server Ministry
PAGE 24 everyone that submitted artwork or writing. We could
Toast Masters/Gavel Club not have made this without your help and support!
PAGE 24
Youth Section - Syro 5 K Run This edition revolves around the passion, death, and
PAGE 25 resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As
Youth Section - Egg Hunt
PAGE 26 you read this newsletter, keep in mind the sacrifices
Passion Play our Lord made for our salvation. We would also like to
PAGE 27
Good Friday Reflections reiterate with this edition that we are accepting new
PAGE 28
members! It is a wonderful opportunity that is open
Sunday Bible Readings
PAGE 34 to 8th graders and above. We hope you enjoy reading
CFC-Green Army Garden the newsletter and please consider submitting in the
PAGE 37
Birthdays! future.
May-June-July
PAGE 38

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022




EDITORIAL BOARD




























Ethan Kallarackal Maria George
Project Manager, Grade 10 Editor, Grade 10





















Rose Maliekal Naomi George
Project Manager, Grade 9 Editor, Grade 9




















Terissa Alex Angelyn Mangan

Editor, Grade 9 Graphic Designer, Grade 8





PAGE 2 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022




Message from our Vicar,


Rev. Fr. Antony Pullukattu (Fr. Tony)



Easter is the Feast of God’s triumph over sin and death. Nature is
also celebrating life all around us during this springtime. The trees,
which otherwise looked dead after fall, are coming back to life with

beautiful flowers and leaves. I think that nature is rightly inviting

us to understand the miraculous work of God. Humanity after fall
also experienced death and was awaiting a new life which was made

possible by the self sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Let us all be part of
this new life by our humble efforts to overcome every sinful

tendency through our trusting faith in the merciful love of God.


We are continuing our journey through the pandemic. To fight against Covid virus we had 2
shots of vaccine and a booster dose. I heard that another dose is almost ready and we may have

to get more doses in the future as well. With each dose we are getting equipped to fight against

the new variants of the virus. In the same way in our spiritual journey we need to be equipped
to fight against the new variants of evil. All our Sacramental celebrations are giving us the

grace to do so. Remember that we need more doses of grace to continue our fight against the
sinful tendencies of the day.



Easter is the Feast of all feasts which is also the foundation of our faith. Let this Easter help us

to journey together as Pope Francis invited us. I am taking this opportunity to encourage all of
you and your family members to participate in the survey for the synod 2023. Let us prayerfully

bring our voices together and make our faith journey a vibrant one addressing the needs and
challenges of the time.



May the Risen Lord Jesus Christ bless you and your family with His Peace and Hope.



In Christ Jesus,




Tony Achan








PAGE 3 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022






A FATHER'S EASTER MEMORIES


By Josemon Joseph



I left my parent’s home for studies right after 10th grade, at
the age of 15. At that time I thought I had become a man by
leaving from home to live in a college hostel and living on my
own. However now when I look at my teenage sons who are
high schoolers, I realize I was still a small boy at that time!
Anyway, since that time Easter has been a happy time of
family get-together for me. We were a big family of 8 siblings,
and all were staying away from home at different places for
studies and work. Easter was a time when we all came
together. The whole holy week is part of Easter memories. All
of our family members getting together around the dining
table on Holy Thursday evening, reading the Bible, my father
cutting the unleavened bread (we call it Kurisappan, meaning
bread with a cross on it) and serving it to all my family
members is always a nostalgic memory. On Good Friday after
the celebration of the Passion of Christ at the church, we used
to have a procession to the top of a hill, commemorating the
Way of the Cross along the way.

This hill was the highest point in our village. A huge concrete cross was erected on the
rocks on top of the hill. That hill was called “Kurisu Mala,” meaning the hill with a cross!
Participating in the way of the cross procession to the top of Kurisu Mala and looking
down and observing our little village town from that top point is still fresh in my
memory. Our Easter vigil mass used to be at 3am Sunday morning. Walking to the church
in the early hours of Sunday with sleepy eyes and participating in the Easter vigil mass is
another sweet memory of Easter!


Years passed by and here we are at our brand-new, beautiful St. Thomas Syro Malabar
Church in New Jersey. We adults who grew up in Kerala have these sweet memories and
experiences of Easter from our childhood based on Kerala traditions. I’m sure our
children are building their own Easter memories and experiences in their own unique
way at our church. We are trying to preserve and follow those beautiful Syro Malabar
Easter traditions at our church and our children are embracing those traditions. The fact
that our children are publishing this Easter newsletter is a testament to their dedication
to our church and its values and traditions.

The message of Easter is peace and it is universal. The peace of our savior Jesus Christ.
The peace He earned for all of us by His passion, death on the cross and resurrection.
Today’s world is facing a lot of crosses such as the devastating war in Ukraine, the
COVID19 pandemic, and the oppression of freedom and human values across the world,
to name a few. During this Easter season let’s pray that the world follows the path of our
Savior by going through these difficulties and ultimately bringing the peace of Jesus to
the entire world. Wishing you all the Peace and Joy of Easter!






PAGE 5 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022





A MOTHER’S ROLE IN THE GROWTH



OF THE CHURCH



By Smita Annie Maliekal









Like the mothers in the Bible, who have been the channel of faith
for generations, we the modern day Moms are the pulse of the
Church.
Like Eve the Mother who was Tempted; Sarah the Mother who
Waited; Hagar the Mother who Endured; Rebekah the Mother who
Believed; Jochebed the Mother of Moses who had a plan; Hannah
the Mother who kept her Promise; Elizabeth the Mother who
believed in Miracles; Salome Mary the mother with ambition of
heaven for her sons; Mary the Mother who is Blessed among
Women for her compliance to the will of God.
In Isiah 49:15 God says “Even should she(a mother) forget,. I will never forget you”. It is
through our mothers that we know of our heavenly Father who loves us more dearly than
our Moms and who laid His life for us to show us the way to heaven. For generations past,
present and future it is the Mother’s faith that has been an anchor for the family to ride
the storms of hopelessness and rise up to a new dawn.

Every mother is a daughter first getting to know God as her Creator and Savior through
the teachings of the Church. She then evolves into this mighty warrior staying vigilant to
nourish and guard the souls that God has entrusted in her care and by learning from the
wisdom of the Mothers in the Bible. A Mom is teaches her children to pray daily, waking
them up in the morning with the Sign of the Cross on their forehead, kneeling together
every evening for family prayers, setting up dinner with the family and eating a meal
together to build the bonds of sharing and caring, reading a bed time story and tucking
the kids into bed with a loving kiss and a marking cross on the forehead for a good night
sleep and waking up refreshed the next morning.

Moms work hard inside and outside the house to support the financial needs of the family.
Modern day Moms are teachers, nurses, doctors, technicians, analysts, administrators,
programmers, who are diligently balancing their responsibilities within the home and the
Church community that they are entrusted with. Every Mom yearns for love, respect, and
care from the family and community she helps nurture and in the larger scheme of things
is an instrument in the hand of God to build the kingdom of God.












PAGE 4 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022

CCD Student's





Easter Messages

















By Aaron


George


Kindergarten
























By Irene


Thomas Grade 4


























PAGE 8 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022







My Easter Experience





By: Evin Anthony, 6th grade





Easter is something that I celebrate with my family every year
and always enjoy celebrating. The only hard part about Easter

would be the fact that we have to always give up something
every year. However, this is a small sacrifice to pay compared

to the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. During Lent, I usually
give up all meat and sugar with my family. Even though the 50

days are long, there are always activities at church that keep
me upbeat. The Easter Egg hunt is a very fun tradition where

we try to find hidden eggs with cool prizes inside of them, such
as toys or candy. During Easter week, my family and I always

have traditions we do every year to prepare for Jesus’
resurrection. On Holy Thursday, we make unleavened bread

with the palm leaves in the shape of a cross and pal (sweet
milk) to signify the Passover. On Good Friday, my family and I
fast the entire day, only eating Vattayappam and water. My

parents don’t want me to use any technology, but I do watch
The Bible movie CDs on the TV with my brother the entire day

leading up to Good Friday mass. The next day is Easter mass
where we sit for a 3 hour Qurbana where we celebrate the

resurrection of Jesus after 3 days. I love Easter because right
after, I get to stuff my face with the meat I had given up for 50

days. My family and I always have a huge feast after Easter
mass. Easter is a time where we remember Jesus’ sacrifice for
our sins, but I also see it as a time for self growth and sacrifice

for myself. These sacrifices I make every year help me to grow
spiritually in my faith in Jesus Christ and become a better

Christian.






PAGE 6 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022













By Leona




Jain




Grade 1
































By Maria




Murickan





Grade 5



















PAGE 9 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022










Easter: a time of reflection




By Sionna Jain, Grade 5




What does the day Easter bring in your mind? Easter egg hunts,

the Easter bunny, candy, chocolates, and other things like that,

right? Easter is really all about how Jesus rose from the dead

after he died for us, to give us eternal life, and to take away our

sins. During the season of Lent, we reflect on this and how we

can work to be better people. During Easter, we remember how

Jesus died to give us eternal life and rose on the third day even

after dying by the hands of His enemies, who crucified Him even

though He did nothing wrong. He suffered greatly for us, and He

even died for us, so we must try to be better people, and make

Jesus’s sacrifice worth it. The Easter bunny and the Easter eggs

have hidden meanings, though. The Easter bunny symbolizes

Jesus’s new life, and the Easter egg symbolizes Jesus breaking

out of the eggshell, which is the tomb, with new life. Even though

the Easter bunny and egg have meanings related to Jesus, we

should still make sure that whenever we think about Easter, we

think of Jesus’s sacrifice for us. Easter is a time for joy, so we

must celebrate with joy in our mind and soul, while also having a

good time celebrating with family and friends, for Easter is one

of the most important days in our Christian calendar, since it is

when Jesus died and rose from the dead to give us Eternal Life in

Heaven with Him.






PAGE 7 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022















By Anna




George




Grade 3


















About my last Easter...




By Norah Albin

3rd Grade


When I think about last Easter, there are a lot of memories

which comes to my mind. Last year, I took 50 days of lent for

the very first time. It was a little hard, but I did it. I took lent for

sweets and meat which were my favorite things. I was eagerly

waiting for Easter eve. After holy mass, we broke our lent with

a delicious meat. The next day, we did an easter egg hunt in


our backyard. My brother was really fast so he got more eggs

than me. It was a fun day. This year also I am planning to take

lent to prepare for Easter.






PAGE 10 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022







Short Easter Stories




4 Stories About The Resurrection


By: Aaron Stephen, 5th grade







1: Mary Magdalene
It was dawn on the first day of the week and Mary Magdalene, along with some other
faithful followers, was going to the tomb of Our Lord. She was still thinking about
the horrible crucifixion of Jesus. When she arrived at the tomb, she gasped! The
stone was rolled away! Even more shocking was that an angel was sitting upon the
stone! The angel told them that Jesus had risen in glory. Then He told them to tell
the apostles. They rushed to the apostles, but only Peter and John came. Peter,
John, and Mary Magdalene hurried to the tomb. John recalled what Jesus had said
about rising from the dead. Yes! But while Peter and John went to tell the other
apostles, Mary Magdalene stayed behind. She was distressed. She knew that the
body of Jesus was gone, maybe stolen by wicked men! She began to cry. Then a voice
behind her said, “ Woman, why are you weeping?” Her eyesight blurred by tears,
Mary looked and thought it was the cemetery gardener. But when He said, “Mary,”
she recognized his voice. “Teacher!” she cried. Jesus then told her to tell the
apostles He had truly risen.



2: The Road to Emmaus
Two disciples were walking on a road from Jerusalem. They were headed home to
Emmaus. They were discussing the events that had happened in Jerusalem about the
crucifixion of Jesus. On the way, Jesus came to them and asked what they were
talking about. The disciples, not knowing it was Jesus, said, “Don’t you know about
what happened in Jerusalem, about Jesus getting crucified?” So they continued
discussing with Jesus and were amazed at what he said. Soon, evening came and
Jesus said, “I must be going now, for it is getting dark.” But the disciples insisted
that he stay with them because it was dangerous to be out at night alone. So Jesus
stayed with them and went to their house. At supper, Jesus blessed the bread and
gave it to them. At this moment, their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus.
Then Jesus disappeared.















PAGE 6 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022





3: Doubting Thomas
Jesus made many more appearances. Once, he appeared to his disciples when
Thomas wasn’t with them. When the apostles told Thomas, he didn’t believe it. “
Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my hand on his side, I
won't believe,” he told them. A week later, Jesus appeared again. This time
Thomas was there. Jesus said to Thomas, “ Put your finger here and see my
hands. Put out your hand, and place it on my side. Do not be faithless, but
believe.” “ My Lord and My God” answered Thomas. Jesus said to him, “You
have believed because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen
and yet believe.”


4: The Story of Easter Eggs
This is one of the stories of how Easter eggs came to be ….
Along the road to Calvary, the crowd stood silently, watching Jesus lug the cross to
Calvary. A man named Simon the Cyrean, who was thought to be a chicken farmer,
was watching him. Since he was horrified by what was happening, he helped Jesus
take the cross to Calvary. It was so heavy even with Jesus also carrying it that Simon
could not even bear to think how Jesus could have taken it himself! They both fell
twice when they could not take the weight. Finally they reached Calvary. The soldiers
took away the clothes of Jesus. Then, they nailed Jesus to the cross. After hours,
Simon managed to bring himself home. But when he looked in his chicken coop, he
saw the colorful eggs under the chickens! Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple,
pink and decorated eggs were under the chickens. Three days later, when the eggs
hatched, Simon could not believe his eyes! Colored chicks we










BY IRENE



STEPHEN


GRADE 3
























PAGE 6 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



CCD Student Lent



Q&A










What is your favorite part about Holy


week?






Anna Vellara (Grade 12) Aleena Thomas
(Grade 11)



My favorite part is Easter, because My favorite part of Holy Week would
everyone comes together to celebrate. be coming to church for all three
Throughout Holy Week, we are all days in a row. Also I love watching
anticipating Christ’s Resurrection, and the passion play because it’s people I
it culminates in the Easter Mass and know that are acting in it so it’s
subsequent dinner. really interesting and fun to watch.
Seeing everyone
dressed up on
Saturday night for vigil mass is fun.
Anna Mary Francis

(Grade 10)


Johan Justin
Sunday where
My favorite part of Holy Week is getting ready
everything (Grade 9)
just comes
taken a lent for
together, the waiting of the lent. Since I had
something,
giving up My favorite part of Holy
something, then Easter is the day, the final
day. So there is this kind of joy that we get
Jesus.
Week is the resurrection of
Seeing
all of my
when we accomplish something successfully
and offering it all to God on that day seems
friends on a happy, holy day
very special. It’s like offering up all, and it’s
makes me happy too.
kind of a day of celebration where we meet
with everyone and share our joy. It’s just a
fun day, and there is a lot of meaning behind
it, and remembering those meanings, and the
whole festivities and days that lead up to
Easter are also a very important part of it.





PAGE 11 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022





What did you give up for lent?








Elizabeth Thekkanath (Grade 6)



I gave up candy for Lent because I have way too
much candy in my room and I like candy.





What is your favorite Easter family


tradition?






Siona Jain (Grade 5) Aimey Sebastian
(Grade 12)

My favorite Easter tradition is doing
an Easter Egg Hunt because it’s fun My favorite family tradition on
and I like to do it with my friends. Easter is to eat appam and beef curry
Every year I host one at my house with my family.
with my friends and I get a lot of

candy!





What is your favorite Easter meal?










Jacob George (Grade 5)
Sarah Mathew (Grade 10)




My favorite Easter meal is My favorite Easter meal is chicken
curry and appam for breakfast on
having palappam and duck Easter Sunday
curry.







PAGE 12 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



CCD Admin Interview




Recently, the CCD administration underwent a huge change.
After countless years of hard work and dedicated service,

former principal Renny Polo and former vice principal Nisha
Alex relinquished their roles and handed over these

responsibilities to the new admin team. The new principal of
the CCD program is Minesh Joseph. The role of vice principal

is now being fulfilled by three people: Marydasan Thomas,
Jojimol Kallarackal, and Teseline James. We interviewed the

new CCD administration to understand some of their ideas
and the thought processes behind the work they wish to do.
Here are their responses.




How does it feel to be a CCD director?




It is exciting and daunting at the same time. Thankfully we
are a team of four, so that makes it easier for us.



I feel humbled and blessed to be a Director of our Faith
Formation Program. To be honest, I was initially hesitant to

take up the enormous responsibilities of the role. We needed
more hands and I am thankful for being able to have a great

administration team. Our CCD program is one of the best in
the diocese today primarily due to the hard work of previous

administration teams. I thank them for their tremendous
efforts in growing this program over the years. Today we
boast an enrollment exceeding 300 students in our program

and 85 volunteers.



It is a God given opportunity to serve and also it is a great
responsibility!








PAGE 13 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022







What are some ways in which you hope to


improve CCD?



One of the visions we CCD admins share is creating a conducive
environment for families with children who have special needs at
church. All of us are children of God and deserve his love.



Each CCD teacher has the power to impact the life of a child in a
profound way. The challenge is to connect with the child, making
the class engaging for them. It is not just knowing the facts
about the faith. It's living the faith out and developing that
personal relationship with Jesus. We are also looking at getting

additional resources including guest speakers, Theology of the
Body classes, summer retreats, and training resources for
teachers. We are also looking for volunteers who are passionate
about teaching kids.



1. Involvement from parents is very crucial in imparting faith to
the next generation. Few examples; a) having a family prayer
every day is very important to make sure every child learns the
prayers that we use often. b) The situation here in the USA is
completely different from what we have in Kerala. There the

houses are more or less closer to every church and kids could
go alone by walking to church. But here, unless parents drive
them to church, they cannot be part of the church activities.
2. To give more opportunity for kids to attend holy mass in the
language they understand.

3. Intercessory Prayers for our children - we need to offer more
and more prayers for our kids as they go through very
challenging situations in their spiritual life here in the USA.


The new CCD administration is full of bright ideas for the future.
Keep a lookout for upcoming projects by these leads, and be sure

to stay updated on their plans.









PAGE 14 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022


Raising Hope - Bronx Soup Kitchen


12April2022





















































































PAGE 15 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



Easter Mass CML Lenten Offering
























































































PAGE 28 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



Feast Days


April


Easter: This year, Easter fell on April 17. During Easter, we celebrate
the Resurrection of Jesus. Fun fact: the Easter egg actually has
religious significance!
St. George: St. George’s feast day is on April 23. St. George was a

soldier in the Roman emperor Diocletian’s army who died as a martyr.
PuthuNjayar: The Sunday after the feast of resurrection (Easter) is
known as “New Sunday” we commemorate the proclamation of faith in

Jesus by St. Thomas, the Apostle on this day.
Divine Mercy Sunday:This feast was established by Pope John Paul II
after he canonized Saint Faustina, a humble Polish nun to whom Jesus
revealed his message of divine mercy. Jesus said to St. Faustina "I
pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the

fount of My mercy"
May

Month of Mary: May is the month th at is dedicated to Mary.
Oftentimes, people will pray the Rosary, say other special Marian

prayers, and crown a statue of Mary with flowers during this month.
St. Joseph: May 1 is the feast of St. Joseph, the patron of the working
class. This feast day was established to help combat communism,
which was a prevalent force in the 1900s. This feast highlights the
goodness of work and God’s plan for it in human life.

The Ascension: The Feast of the Ascension will take place on May 26,
and it is a day of obligation. It celebrates the day when Jesus rose
gloriously into Heaven.
June

Pentecost: Pentecost falls on June 5 this year. It always occurs 50

days after Easter, and it’s the commemoration of when the Holy Spirit
descended on the apostles in the upper room and gave them the
ability to speak in tongues and preach the Gospel.
St. Mariam Theresia: St. Mariam Theresia’s feast day is on June 8. St.

Mariam Theresia was a Syro Malabar nun who founded the
Congregation of the Holy Family. She led a life of prayer and penance
and experienced many spiritual wonders, such as bearing the
stigmata.






PAGE 25 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022











June (continued)

St. Anthony of Padua: St. Anthony of Padua was a Franciscan friar. He
was known for his excellent preaching, which both the learned and
unlearned could understand. Now, he is famous everywhere for being

the patron saint of lost objects.
Corpus Christi: The Feast of Corpus Christi, or the Body and Blood
Christ, occurs on June 16 and celebrates the Real Presence of Jesus in
the Holy Eucharist.
Sacred Heart of Jesus: The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is on

June 24 and commemorates Jesus’ tender love for humanity.
Immaculate Heart of Mary: The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
is on June 25 and commemorates Mary’s virtues and her love for God

and for man.
Sts. Peter and Paul: The feast of St. Peter and St. Paul is on June 29
and is a day of obligation. It celebrates how important these two
apostles were in spreading the Gospel to the whole world.



July

St. Thomas (Dukrana): St. Thomas’ feast day is on July 3. We celebrate
the fact that St. Thomas came to Kerala and spread the Gospel so that

we could become Christians.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel: July 16 is the feast day of our Lady of
Mount Carmel. This feast commemorates the day when Mary appeared

to St. Simon Stock and gave him the Scapular. The Scapular is a
special sacramental that symbolizes Mary’s mantle and is worn
around the neck and shows that the wearer has a special devotion to
Mary. Many miracles have been associated with the Brown Scapular.
St. Alphonsa: July 28 is the feast day of St. Alphonsa, the first saint

from India. St. Alphonsa was a Franciscan nun and lived a life of
prayer and suffering. She is known as the “Little Flower of India.”













PAGE 26 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022


April Feast Days at our Church

























































































PAGE 27 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022







Seasons of the Church












One common similarity between the various
denominations of the Christian Church is that they all
celebrate liturgical seasons. While the specifics of these

seasons differ from church to church, the seasons

typically go in a pattern of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany,
Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time. The Syro-Malabar

church follows a slightly modified version of this
pattern, with our liturgical calendar going from

Mangalavaarthakkaalam(Annunciation) to
Piravikkaalam(Nativity), to Danahakkaalam(Epiphany) to

Nombukaalam(Lent) to Uyirppukaalam(Resurrection), to
Sleehakkaalam(Season of Apostles) to

Kaithakkaalam(Growth of the Church), to Elia, Sleeva,
Moosakkaalangal(Elijah, Cross, and Moses), and finally,

to Pallikkuudaasakkaalam(Dedication of the Church). We
are currently in Uyirppukaalam, and we just finished

Nombukaalam.



What is Nombukaalam?

Nombukaalam, or the season of Lent, is a time to
commemorate Jesus’ death and the events leading up to

it. Lent in the Syro Malabar Church is celebrated for 50

days, beginning on Ash Monday and ending on Easter. In
the Latin Church, Lent is celebrated for 40 days, because

they don’t celebrate it on Sundays. The specific reason
for this number is to represent Jesus’ time spent fasting







PAGE 29 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022







Seasons (continued)











in the desert. During the season of Lent, it is common to

sacrifice something important to you, which is similar to
how Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice of His life just for
us. During Lent, we also celebrate Palm Sunday, Holy

Thursday, and Good Friday, which remind us of the

events right before and including Jesus’ death.



Then what comes after Lent?

Easter Sunday! Easter Sunday, also called Easter,
represents Jesus’ resurrection. After three days, when

His tomb was opened, no body was found! Jesus had

risen from the dead, just as the scriptures had foretold,
and just as He Himself had said. On Holy Saturday, the

day before Easter, an Easter Vigil Mass is typically
celebrated. After this mass, you can end the Lenten

sacrifices you made. Here’s a fun fact: Sundays are
important weekdays in Christianity because they are the

day on which Jesus rose from the dead.



So why do we celebrate Easter so joyfully, but not the
other days in Holy Week? We celebrate Easter so joyfully

not only because it marks the resurrection of Jesus, but
because through His death, He forgave our sins and gave

us eternal life. Thus, Easter is a time of rebirth, a time to
celebrate our new life in Christ Jesus our Lord.










PAGE 30 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022





New Altar-Servers





The new altar-servers training began on Saturday, February

26, 2022. All children in fifth grade and above are welcome

to attend. They are being trained to serve in both English

and Malayalam. There won’t be anymore altar-servers

training classes for new altar-servers this coming school

year. The next training will begin during the coming school

year. Please feel free to contact Karimattam uncle, Cicily

aunty, or Lisha aunty if you are interested.







Toastmaster/Gavel Club




The St. Thomas Gavel club is the high school version of
Toastmasters and is operating under our church’s adult


Toastmasters group. Both groups are officially affiliated with
Toastmasters International. In Toastmasters, high school


students meet together to improve their public speaking
skills and have fun with each other. Kids have the opportunity


to give both prepared and impromptu speeches, as well as
hear evaluations on how well they did. This is a great place for


them to develop their public speaking skills because they are
with a warm and welcoming community that they have


known for a long time, so it is easy to overcome the fear of

public speaking. Please feel free to contact Josemon uncle,

Edwin Joseph, or Maria George if you are interested.





PAGE 16 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022








Youth Section





















Intrested in

helping out with

upcoming Youth

events?

Reach out to the

Youth Leads!













































PAGE 17 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



Easter Egg Hunt
























































































PAGE 34 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022


Passion Play 2022

























































































PAGE 18 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



"Jesus is made to bear the Cross"


Reflection on 2nd Station of the Cross:

By Josh Joseph, Grade 11




There once was a man who was tired of the cross he had to bear. He
slogged through daily life, but eventually, he told God that he had
enough, that he wasn’t strong enough. Being the merciful God, he let
the man pick out a new one. Hopeful, the burnt out man drove over to

Costco to pick up a better one. He tried on cross after cross, and after
about two hours he found one that was just right. Elated about his
new cross, he approached the cashier to pay, but was stopped. The
cashier asked him, “why do you want the same cross you already

have?”

This story teaches me that God always provides you with the cross
you can bear, it really differs in the mindset that you approach it. But

when I reflect on this station, it’s hard for me to imagine Jesus’s
sacrifice as the worst of the worst. When we see Christ, we often see
him with His perfect hair, a halo, and a beard that’s just too cool for
TV. Most of the pictures of Jesus show us His divine nature, even

when He’s on the Cross. It’s easy to forget that He’s human too. Now
imagine Him sweating, hair caked with sand after being shoved by
the guards. Scars running down His back, filled with patches of dried
blood baked by the scorching Jerusalem sun.


Another aspect of the cross, which I’m sure many of you can attest to,
is that our cross includes many things that just aren’t our fault. For
example, my Robotics team spent hundreds of hours putting

together, stress testing, and documenting our robot, yet there was a
singular part, a pneumatic cylinder, that was completely unavailable
anywhere. Due to the COVID supply chain crisis, it was impossible to
find, but this part allowed many of our opposing teams to defeat us.

We ended up being one match away from world championships, but
because of those pneumatic cylinders, we were unable to qualify.
This wasn’t as much our fault, we put in as much effort as we
possibly could. Yet part of carrying the cross is dealing with pain






PAGE 19 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022





that’s not always your fault. Here too we find solace in Jesus. Jesus
had a similar suffering, the pain He suffered was obviously a result

of our sin, but as someone who wants to study law, this violation of
justice intrigued me. Why did Pilate condemn Jesus to die, even
though he knew Jesus was innocent? The answer goes back
centuries.


Until around 500 BC, the Pool of Siloam and nearby springs supplied
enough water for the small population of Jerusalem. But as
Jerusalem grew, these were simply not enough. Pilate, seeing this

problem, constructed the Bier Aqueduct, a marvel of architecture
that supplied water, but only to the upper city near where the
governor’s palace was located. The people were infuriated, and
historian Flavius Josephus writes about riots in the streets and

even an impending revolution. Word got back to Caesar about this,
and he put pressure on Pilate to acquiesce to the people’s desires.
It is in this political climate, that the people bring a Galilean
prophet before Pilate, shouting “Crucify Him!” Pilate was now in an

impossible position. If he let Jesus go, Judea would’ve surely
revolted against the Romans. As a result, Jesus, an innocent man, is
now forced to carry the entire world’s cross. In situations like
these, we reach out to find someone, anyone to blame. But here it’s

hard to find a single person who bears all responsibility. So often in
life, we are forced to bear the crosses of other people, or even there
are times when it seems like there’s nobody to blame. Sometimes
we turn our eyes to heaven and blame God himself, shaking our fists

at misfortune.

As we consider Jesus’s cross and our own crosses, it’s easy to
idealize Jesus and forget about His entire human side. Jesus is fully

human too, and is affected by the same political winds and
temporal sufferings that we are, if not worse. It’s a subtle reminder
that even though our crosses are heavy, it’s never unbearable. Yet,
Jesus still took up His cross without a single word of complaint. Not

just for Himself, but for the disciples that deserted Him, the women
that wept for Him, and a world that abandoned Him.







PAGE 20 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



"Jesus falls the second time"


Reflection on the 7th Station of the Cross:

By Elsa Joseph, Grade 12




It is understood that Jesus’ journey with the Cross to
Calvary has gotten progressively difficult as He carries this

enormous burden, knowing the fate that awaits him. As
Jesus falls for the second time during this station, imagine

the pain on His back, His bare feet on rocky ground, aching
muscles, a crown of thorns jabbing around His head not to

mention the unbearable heat. Despite the fall and the
physical pain He is enduring, Jesus gets back up and

continues on his way.


I think about Jesus’s walk to the cross, how everything
Jesus did in His ministry was leading up to this moment. He

knew that it wouldn’t be easy but also knew the victory that

was on the other side for the people that he loved the most-
us. Because of this, Jesus endured the cross. This hope is my
motivation to get back and carry my cross along with Jesus.

I strive to find the strength through Jesus to pick myself

back up and continue on.


We can only begin to imagine the pain that Jesus has
suffered carrying the burden of our sins.


In my life, I often fall into the temptation of committing the

same sin, falling again and again. And each time I fail, I find
it harder to get back up and keep trying. Repeating the

same fault over and over again pits us deeper into a hole
that gets harder to climb out of. The crosses on our backs

get heavier and heavier. We relate to Jesus’s fall, as we

continue to fall into sinful actions time and time again.




PAGE 21 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022





We are lucky to have a merciful God who continues to

forgive us and invites us with open arms despite our
repeated falls. Our Heavenly Father knows we will

continue to make mistakes, the same exact ones we

committed last week, but He still loves us and wants us to
repent, to show Him that we still love him and that we still
need His help in order to avoid the temptation of sin.



Even with the help of Simon of Cyrene Jesus falls for the
second time. Similarly, oftentimes we might still fail

regardless of all the support we have received from others.
In times like this, it is important to pray for strength and

guidance and concentrate on our end goal of reaching
Heaven as motivation to get back up and pick up our cross.

Each time we overcome our earthly temptations we
become closer to our Father in Heaven.


So whether or not you’re struggling in carrying your cross

lately, I encourage us all to recognize that there’s always

hope in knowing that we’re never alone in our fight home.
This is true for any cross we will have to bear. Our path to
Heaven isn’t going to be a smooth sailing journey, but

Jesus wanted us to know that no matter how many times

we fall, we still have so much to stand back up for.


To end with a prayer. Lord Jesus, we so often fall as we
carry the weight of our cross, especially in times of trial

and temptation. O, Holy Spirit, enlighten our minds and
guide us so that we can understand our sins and be truly

sorry for them. Give us the strength to not fall into
temptation, but instead, pick up our crosses and persevere

throughout our journey to Heaven.






PAGE 22 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



"Jesus Falls for the Third Time"

Reflection on the 9th Station of the Cross:


By Leo George, Grade 11




Proverbs 24:16, for though a righteous man falls seven
times, he will rise again, but the wicked stumble into

calamity. The 9th Station, Jesus falls for the third time.
Jesus is knocked down for the third and final time. The

crowd believes He won't be able to stand up again, because
His energy is nearly depleted and the weight of the Cross is

crushing His body. Despite this, Jesus musters all of His
strength, rises, and drags his Cross to the spot where He

will die. Before reflecting on our Lord’s third fall I would
first like to reflect on our own falls. Of mistakes it is often

said that the second time you make it, it's no longer a
mistake, it's a choice. The third time you make it, it isn't a

choice, it's a habit or more aptly a vice. Vices however tend

to have a life of their own and they often lead to other vices
or misfortunes and soon one’s life accelerates into a free
fall. In such situations one can often be faced with a sense

of despair and experience a lack of self-worth and of being

incapable of doing anything right. But if there is good faith
and hope there is most surely a light at the end of this

tunnel. In his journey to Calvary, Jesus has fallen, not once,
not twice, but three total times. With the weight of the sins

of the world on his back, Jesus stands back up, and
embraces the burden he must carry. We all carry our own

crosses everyday of our life, some may feel like the weight
of the world crushing our backs. We all have crosses that we

hide from everyone. These crosses we carry may be physical,
mental, emotional, or social, just like Jesus did. Jesus’s love

for us allowed him to get up and finish his journey to

meaning and purpose.



PAGE 23 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022




Oftentimes, I’ve failed to offer up my shortcomings,
failures, and sufferings to the cross. I often believe that my

burdens are my burdens alone, and that I am the only one
that can help myself, but in reality, Jesus died for me on the

cross and took up my burdens with him to Calvary, so that I

could be saved. Lord, I am furthest from perfect, and I am
least deserving of your unconditional love and mercy. You

alone keep my ship afloat and my head above water. I am

merely just a servant to your word. Help me to realize that
every high is a blessing that can be taken away instantly,

and every low is another opportunity to better myself, and

when I do fall, help me to get back up again.


























































PAGE 24 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



SUNDAY BIBLE READINGS: MAY












D A T E R E A D I N G B I B L E V E R S E S






0 5 / 0 1 / 2 0 2 2 F i r s t R e a d i n g E z e k 3 4 : 2 0 - 2 6




S e c o n d R e a d i n g
E p h 4 : 7 - 1 6



G o s p e l R e a d i n g J n 2 1 : 1 5 - 1 9




0 5 / 0 8 / 2 0 2 2 F i r s t R e a d i n g 2 C h r o 1 5 : 1 - 7




S e c o n d R e a d i n g 2 C o r 1 3 : 5 - 1 0



G o s p e l R e a d i n g M t 2 8 : 1 6 - 2 0




F i r s t R e a d i n g
0 5 / 1 5 / 2 0 2 2 T o b 5 : 1 - 1 0 ; 1 6 - 2 1



S e c o n d R e a d i n g A c t s 1 2 : 2 4 - 1 3 : 3




G o s p e l R e a d i n g L k 1 0 : 1 - 1 2




0 5 / 2 2 / 2 0 2 2 F i r s t R e a d i n g 2 K g s 2 : 1 - 1 5





S e c o n d R e a d i n g R o m 8 : 1 - 1 1




G o s p e l R e a d i n g J n 5 : 1 9 - 2 9
PAGE 31 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



SUNDAY BIBLE READINGS: JUNE






D A T E R E A D I N G B I B L E V E R S E S




0 5 / 2 9 / 2 0 2 2
F i r s t R e a d i n g M i c 4 : 1 - 5


S e c o n d R e a d i n g
1 P t 1 : 3 - 9


G o s p e l R e a d i n g L k 2 4 : 4 4 - 5 3



0 6 / 0 5 / 2 0 2 2 F i r s t R e a d i n g J o b 3 3 : 2 - 4 , 3 4 : 1 4 - 1 5



S e c o n d R e a d i n g A c t s 2 : 1 - 2 1



G o s p e l R e a d i n g J n 2 0 : 1 9 - 2 3



F i r s t R e a d i n g
0 6 / 1 2 / 2 0 2 2 E z k 2 : 1 - 7


S e c o n d R e a d i n g 1 T i m 1 : 1 2 - 1 9



G o s p e l R e a d i n g J n 1 1 : 1 - 1 6



0 6 / 1 9 / 2 0 2 2 F i r s t R e a d i n g J o n 4 : 1 - 1 1



S e c o n d R e a d i n g R o m 1 5 : 1 4 - 2 1



G o s p e l R e a d i n g L k 9 : 1 - 6



0 6 / 2 6 / 2 0 2 2
G o s p e l R e a d i n g E z e k 3 : 1 - 1 1


G o s p e l R e a d i n g R o m 1 0 : 5 - 1 5



G o s p e l R e a d i n g J n 6 : 6 0 - 6 9




PAGE 32 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



SUNDAY BIBLE READINGS: JULY






D A T E R E A D I N G B I B L E V E R S E S




0 7 / 0 3 / 2 0 2 2
F i r s t R e a d i n g S i r 6 : 8 - 1 7


S e c o n d R e a d i n g
1 C o r 3 : 5 - 1 4


G o s p e l R e a d i n g J n 1 1 : 1 - 1 6



0 7 / 1 0 / 2 0 2 2 F i r s t R e a d i n g I s 6 : 1 - 8



S e c o n d R e a d i n g 1 C o r 1 : 2 6 - 3 1



G o s p e l R e a d i n g M t 9 : 2 7 - 3 8



F i r s t R e a d i n g
0 7 / 1 7 / 2 0 2 2 1 S a m 1 6 : 1 4 - 2 3


S e c o n d R e a d i n g G a l 5 : 1 6 - 2 6



G o s p e l R e a d i n g J n 1 4 : 1 5 - 2 0 , 2 5 - 2 6



0 7 / 2 4 / 2 0 2 2 F i r s t R e a d i n g J o s h 4 : 1 - 9



S e c o n d R e a d i n g R e v 2 1 : 9 - 2 1



G o s p e l R e a d i n g M t 1 0 : 1 - 1 5



0 7 / 3 1 / 2 0 2 2
G o s p e l R e a d i n g S i r 1 0 : 1 9 - 2 5


G o s p e l R e a d i n g R o m 1 1 : 1 7 - 2 4



G o s p e l R e a d i n g J n 1 1 : 1 - 6




PAGE 33 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022



CFC-Green Army
























































































PAGE 34 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4

ISSUE 4 APRIL 2022


Birthdays!










May





Chris Thayil Gerald Sebastian Rebecca Parampettu Irene Thomas
Hannah Augustine Sofia Mathew Thomas George Niah Arun
Isabel Jinson Nikhil Joji Evan Alexander Isabelle Anto
Jonathan Navin Joseph Varghese Isabel Alvin Maria Vellara
Elise George Joanna Ajesh Dan Thomas Mia Libin
Matthew Kappil Amal Joshy Fiona Anto Prithika Satish
Dania Primal Prisha Satish Meera James Jennifer Chethalan







June





Nikhil Abraham Manav Paul Laya Paul Ryssa Sunil
Joshua Mathew Austin Kuriakose Jerrine George Rohit Chakalakal
Joseph Vellara Diya Mangan Maya Jacob Aiden Nereparambil
Joseph George Jacob Alexander Aiden Biju Norah Jerin
Michael Abraham Athony Kandavanam Diya Mathew Siona Jain
Faith Alexander




July





Norah Shaji Nevin Francy Georgi Manianchira Ann Roy

Nyan Kunnath Jaden Sebin Nina Chakalakal Alan Antony
Elizabeth Thekkanakth Christom John Vellara Jake Stephen
Kenrick Anish Prince Ethan Nereparambil Mevin Nibu
Ellen George Marissa Martin Evin Antony Daniel Joseph
Angelo Alvin Aaron Thomas Alex Antony Austin Joseph
Aimey Sebastian John Ewan Roy
Naomi George Poravanthattil




PAGE 35 EASTER EDITION | ISSUE 4