SOCIAL APOSTOLATE & ACTS OF MERCY
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Lk.4:18-19).
These biblical verses were taken by Jesus from the prophetic book of Isaiah 61:1-2, remind us that our mission is a continuation of Jesus’ mission on earth. Jesus’ call is not only to come to him but also to be sent by him. We are moulded by Jesus, like a potter making beautiful pot from the clay, to be sent to the world to serve the people of God aiming their integral socio-political-economic-cultural growth and development. As Pope Benedict XVI said“…the Joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the people of our times, specially of those who are poor or afflicted in any way, are the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the followers of Christ as well; there is no ordering of the society so just that it can eliminate the need for a service of love” (Deus Caritas Est, No. 28, b).
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SOCIAL APOSTOLATE
Our social apostolate encompasses charity, welfare and development modes of social work. With regard to the charity model, it is manifested through our honest response to the people’s fundamental needs including feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for and healing the sick, visiting those in prison etc. Our social welfare mode comprise of our humble services and activities targeting the poor and the marginalized sections of the society, addressing their basic necessities and amenities of lives by availing them small scale income generating projects, repair and construction of houses etc. In the development model, by imparting awareness classes, courses and training and by empowering the weaker sections of the society especially women and children to be self-reliant. Our sisters empathetically listen to the sharing of those who endure sufferings and distresses, their bitter sorrowful experiences and complex difficulties of life. By giving them adequate spiritual counseling, our sisters try to console and strengthen them spiritually and emotionally.
Imbibing the compassionate love of Lord Jesus, who travelled throughout Galilee and Jerusalem, doing well to all in miseries, our sisters help the poor, assist the oppressed, stand for the exploited and aid the needy indiscriminately without looking their caste or creed. We focus and concentrate towards their total liberation and self-reliant growth and development by adapting a social work methodology comprising of research, diagnosis, strategic planning, formulation, implementation, evaluation and follow ups. We utilize and adopt preventive, curative, rehabilitative, and developmental modules.
Our founder, Rev.Fr.John Kizhakoodan, was an excellent model in offering help to the poor, assisting the daily wage workers with compassion and uplifting the working class people. Our unique charism of ‘imparting God`s compassionate love to all’ urges us to practice this noble acts of mercy wherever our sisters serve for the people of God. At present the activities consist in giving training to the unemployed girls in tailoring especially in stitching cassocks, vestments, antependium etc, in printing related works, in manufacturing of candles, and in the production unit of making of hosts for Holy Mass etc. By engaging them in such small scale income generating industrial works the girls are provided with an opportunity to find out income for their livelihood.
To be with the marginalized sections of the society and improve their conditions as far as possible is what we aim forth through all our social interventions. Our founder is the motivating and inspiring model for us in our entire social apostolate who had given sincere and wholehearted efforts to uplift the poor people from their miseries. The hospitality and tender care of St. Martha in the gospels, who welcomed Jesus in her house and served him with love when he was tired, is the energizing source of social service activities of CSM. In all our houses we serve all those who are in need of God’s mercy and love through our humble and humane activities as though we are serving Jesus today.
Since the early days of its institution, true to the vision of the founder father, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha bravely came forward and undertook the administration of fully packed orphanages trusting fully in the providence of God. For the purpose of feeding these orphans admitted irrespective of caste and creed, quite often our sisters had to seek financial donation, contribution and other assistance by foot to various places and to the houses of benefactors and well-wishers. Till now, apart from the contributions of the benefactors, major part of the income deriving from the hard work of our sisters contribute and aid to continue those compassionate and merciful activities and social mission of CSM. With immense gratitude we place all of them in the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Spiritual Acts of Mercy :
This Spiritual Acts of Mercy are accomplished through dedicated intercessory prayers, counselling (spiritual and psychological), preparing patients (catholic) for the reception of Sacraments such as Confession, Eucharist and anointing of the sick etc. Reconciliation through forgiveness is prayed for those who are in distress, holding intense difference of opinion in their interpersonal relationships, even at the time of their illness. The compassionate love and mercy of Jesus are the two important means to solve those conflicts and hatred situations between individuals and or among their family members.
Attached to the convents of our two provinces, CSM run ‘Balabhavans’, institutions functioning with the aim of empowering and transforming the lives of orphans and underprivileged children. Our mission is to serve the poor, marginalized and unorganized sections of the society bringing harmony through promoting and strengthening them towards their growth and development. Children are the most vulnerable & the most exploited weaker section in the society. We provide shelter to the homeless, the needy and the underprivileged children, irrespective of their caste, religion, race or social background. Balabhavan provides quality education as well as meeting all the basic needs and necessities of the children. Each Balabhavan has a designated counsellor to help them to deal with the different problems faced by the children. A small picnic is arranged every year for the children.
The CSM sisters in charge of these Balabhavans are very much focused on the integral growth and development of these underprivileged children. The financial supports are from the Government, CNEWA and the local contributions from the generous people to run these centres. We have Balabhavans in St. Peter’s Balabhavan at Kokkunnu, St. Antony’s Balabhavan at Moonumuri, St. Mother Theresa Balikabhavan at Bhoomiyamkulam, Mary Rani Balikabhavan at Thodupuzha and Maria Goretti Balabhavan at Thavalam in Kerala State. And in mission centres Seva Sadan at Bahmori and St. Thomas Shanti Bhavan at Barodia in Madhyapradesh and St. Martha Convent at Diun in Arunachal Pradesh.
An Old Age Home is a roof over their heads of the elders who are destitute, sick and abandoned by family and those uprooted by disasters. Following the path of our beloved Founder, CSM is specially privileged and graced to look after those aged people abandoned and marginalized by their family members with various reasons. Surprising cost of living and scanty return on savings have almost pushed these senior citizens on roads. Elders have started walking out of their own home in search of a journey that promises peace, joy and celebration of life with a group of people who share the same adverse life experiences.
Also Insecurity, loneliness and lack of companionship, some of lives hard-to swallow problems become a daily reality for these elderly persons whose children either settle abroad, or in some other state, for better career opportunities. The senior members of society who are financially independent want to live with dignity and, above all, want to be secure. From an era where old-age homes were synonymous with charitable institutions for the indigent and orphaned elderly, CSM moved some years ago to the far more refined paid homes, where amenities were good and services like on-site medical check-ups and transport arrangements were provided.
CSM cater to the felt need of the old age home facilities either on free of cost or on pay and stay basis. We admit only aged widows who want to spend their old age time in peace of mind. We have such centres at Shanthi Sadanam at Irinjalakuda, St. George Ashabhavan at Anandapuram, Jeevajyoti at Parappukkara, St. George Jyothibhavan at Kavakkad , Maria Bhavan, Bethany Bhavan at Kolengattukara, Sneha Bhavan at Thrissur and Mary Bhavan at Thalassery.
CSM started special schools rendering great service to the differently-abled children. They are equipped for life by proper training and related curriculum. We have special Schools, namely, Ashadeepam School at Koonathara and St. Martha Convent at Bhopal. The differently-abled children are divided according to their age groups. And they are taught in reading, writing and arithmetic, and given training coaching and instruction in sports, dance, physical education, yoga, music, computer and in vocational skill-training in art and craft.
Different therapies are used for the personality development of these children. Above all, they are given spiritual and moral instructions. Through awareness programmes to the PTA, parents and teachers are prepared to accept and love these children as they are God's great blessings to them.
1. Ashadeepam Convent School, Koonathara, Palakkad(Dt.)
Realizing the complex nature of the problem of the disabled we started, Ashadeepam mentally retarded Convent School, Koonathara in Palakkad district, on 1st September, 1993 (25.08.1994…..?). Asadeepam convent school got government recognition in 2001 and Christian minority registration in 2018. Around 95 students are learning here in this school. The management and staff are working hard to bring their children to the main stream of the society. Here in the school through regular time table and life style, they try to attain self-development and self-reliance. The students won many prizes in different arts and sports competitions in district and state levels and participated in Special Olympics. They are given self-employment training in candle making, pen making, envelop making etc. Moreover there is a quality animal husbandry farm also maintained by them.
2. St. Martha Convent, Bhopal. (the details to be filled up here)
Our Founder Fr. John Kizhakoodan used to visit families and listen to people’s problems and guided their ways in the light of Christ Jesus. Following the footprints of our Heavenly Patroness St. Martha, who sent people to Jesus to tell that her brother Lazarus was sick, sisters spend time before the Eucharistic Jesus with intercessory prayers for the whole world especially for the physically and mentally sick, the abandoned and strayed ones.
Issues such as depression and anxiety can affect people of all ages, from children to the elderly. There is growing acceptance of the need for help for mental health issues. Among students there are issues of depression, anxiety, relationship problems, suicidal tendencies and substance use. On the other hand, the older experience mental health issues triggered by the loss of a spouse, the loss of mobility and failing physical health. The problem keeps him disturbed high strung and under tension and if not solved his development is hampered or stunted. The general public tends to view counselling as a remedial function and emphasizes immediate goals, such as problem solution, tension reduction and the like.
Counselling provided by CSM sisters, in its spirit and essence, aims at assisting the person to overcome his or her problems by himself or herself. Guidance given by our sisters also is the process of unfolding of a person’s innate capacities, interests, and abilities and empowering him/ her to overcome those problems faced by him/ her.
This service provided by our sisters helps people to face difficult life situations in life, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, natural disasters, school stress and the loss of a job etc. It provides the means to manage mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. Ultimately, counseling empowers people to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Some of us are very passionate like Jesus about helping others and contributing to the wellness of individuals, families and communities.