August 11-12 Rev. M. S. Selva Raj will be speaking to us during all the Masses on the weekend of August 11/12. The Kumbakonam diocese sets concrete and meaningful goals for a New Evangelization in the Third millennium, like:

1. Construction of 20 more new parishes, each with a new church and rectory. At present, there are 89 parishes and 641 missions-stations. But the people are quite unable to support the church, for such pressing pastoral projects.
2. Construction of convents for those parishes which do not have one. Most of the diocesan schools are entrusted to nuns. Now there are 501 nuns in charge of catechetical, educational, medical and social ministries throughout this rural diocese, thus educating the children in the Catholic faith and helping the people, particularly the poor, for their integral development.
3. The diocese provides buildings and infrastructure to schools in remote villages.
4. Recruitment of young men in the seminary, since the rural diocese abounds in vocations to priesthood and religious life.
5. Education of 2000 very poor or orphan children from remote villages every year by providing them with free board & lodge.

The diocese is trying to materialize these missionary goals, depending on the availability of funds. Every year, an average of 50 young men and women go out of this diocese to other missions throughout India and other parts of the world to serve God and His people as missionaries. The mission and spiritual prospects of Kumbakonam diocese are bright but its needs are pressing. 60% of its Catholics are depressingly poor. Therefore, your fervent prayers and generous help are earnestly requested for building the KINGDOM of GOD, in and through the diocese of KUMBAKONAM, INDIA.