“There is no point of waiting for the priests and religious for missionary works and rendering pastoral care to the newly evangelized Catholics or educating the catecumens”, said Bablu Marma (39) a participant representing Marma tribe of Chittagong Hill Tracts from St. John’s parish which is situated in Khagrachori hill district. “It is a major baptismal responsibility of us to educate catecumens and also help own catholic community by building joyful participatory local church”, he added.
105 participants including priests, religious & laity from 11 parishes of the diocese participated in the diocesan pastoral assembly focusing the pastoral theme “My parish, my joy!” on 19-21 January 2017 in Banderban pastoral centre. The assembly is presided over by the diocesan bishop ordinary Most Rev. Moses M. Costa, csc. The superior general of SMRA sisters (Dhaka archdiocesan congregation) Sr. Mary Minoti, SMRA, provinical superior of RNDM sisters in Bangladesh Sr. Supriti Bibiana Costa, RNDM & superior general of LHC sisters (Barisal diocesan congregation) Sr. Esther Bapary, LHC were also present as oberservers.
The assembly followed the catholic action ‘see-judge-act’. So the discussion opened by parish reporting of the last year’s pastoral plan implementation, followed by the pastoral paper presentation of this year by the bishop ordinary on the next day. At the end parish pastoral plan as well as coordinated diocesan plan is worked out by group workshop. The input session by the bishop ordinary is enriched by five panel speakers.
The annual pastoral meeting ended by the concluding mass in which all the participants professed a mission prayer together.