Jesus answered do not send them away for you yourselves give them something to eat (Lk 9:13)
At St. Louis Church in Palamaner, we operate a bread center, and with the grace of God and the support of the parish priest, Brother Jaypal OFM, as well as the parishioners and benefactors, we are able to provide food to the poor, the sick, and the elderly every day. It is a humbling privilege to serve these individuals, who are truly close to the heart of God, and we find great joy in this encounter as it allows us to witness how our provider takes care of us all.
My heart swells with both gratitude and sorrow when I see the many people lining up for their daily sustenance, encompassing individuals of all age groups. Their tragic stories of how they ended up on the streets fill me with compassion and often bring tears to my eyes.
One remarkable observation is that despite the excruciating pain and mental trauma these individuals have endured in their lives, which has left them with nothing but the streets, they display beautiful smiles on their faces. Their happiness and contentment upon receiving their daily meal serve as a poignant reminder of how we should value our own food and be grateful to God, the ultimate provider.
I thank God for calling me to the Franciscan way of life, which allows me to connect with the poor and the marginalized. When I don my novice habit, I feel a profound sense of unity with the poor. It doesn't elevate me above them but rather places me beneath them, in a position of service and love. It reminds me of how St. Francis sought to be the poorest among the poor and even exchanged his garments for the attire of a destitute man. In a similar vein, my habit compels me to not consider myself above those we serve but rather alongside and beneath them, to love as St. Francis loved, to see Christ in the hungry and provide nourishment. This act of service not only brings smiles to their faces but also fills my heart with gladness.
Br. Kevin Prakash, Novice
|
Date |
Name of the Friars |
Events |
Year |
|
01 |
Charles Mathew Kolanchery |
Birth |
1947 |
|
02 |
Joseph Raj M. |
Birth |
1975 |
| 03 | Bl. Helene Enselmini, OSC | 1242 |
|
|
04 |
St. Charles Borromeo, OFS Bl. Teresa Manganiello, OFS Charles Bernard |
Birth |
1584 1876 1963 |
|
05 |
Lawrence Simon Bala Marneni + Thomas Thannikary + Bernard D’ Silva |
Birth Birth Home Home |
1949 1962 1996 2010 |
|
06 |
Bl. Marguerite deLorraine, OSC Singarayar A. Salvador D’Souza |
Birth Birth |
1521 1970 1979 |
|
07 |
St. Didacus of Alcala, OFM Bl. Raynier of Arezzo, OFM Hemant Xess |
Birth |
1463 304 1975 |
| 08 | Bl. John Duns Scouts OFM | 1308; |
|
|
09 |
Bl. Gabriel Ferreti, OFM Saji P. Mathew |
Birth |
1456 1975 |
|
10 |
Bl. Louis Guanella, OFS Augustine Pinto + Wilbert Smit |
Birth Home |
1340 1936 2003 |
|
11 |
Bl. Mary Crucifixa, OFS Fulgence Ekka Basil S. Lobo |
Birth Birth |
1826 1964 1971 |
| 12 | Bl. Giovanni della Pace, OFS | 1433 |
|
| 13 | St. Didace d’ Alcala, OFM | 1463 |
|
|
14 |
Franciscan Martyrs of Palestine + Mark O’Rourke Salvador Drego |
Home Birth |
1391 1974 1984 |
|
15 |
Bl. Sebastian de Jesus OFM Bl. Mary of the Passion FMM + Anthony Almeida |
Memoria Home |
1734 1904 1970 |
|
17 |
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Patroness of the OFS Bl. Jeanne de Signa, OFS |
|
 1231   1307  |
|
18 |
Bl. Salome of Cracow, OFS  |
|
1268 |
|
19 |
St. Agnes of Assisi, OSC Bl. Maria Milagros, OSC Thomas Joseph +Kamal Ekka |
Birth Home |
1253 1936 1962 2008 |
|
20 |
Franciscan Martyrs of Spain Irudayaraj Fernando + Bonaventure Davis + Bishop Ambrose Y +Jesu Irudayam |
Birth Home Home Home |
1936 1966 1971 1997 2009 |
|
22 |
Franciscan Martyrs of Armenia +Joachim Tinneny |
|
1895 2009 |
|
23 |
Bl. Marie de Jesus, Third Order Regular + John C. O’Dowda Maria Ratheesh Jenive |
Home Birth |
1902 1982 1999 |
|
24 |
Bl. Timothy Trajonowski, Conv Rajesh Praveen Kumar |
Birth |
1942 1994 |
|
25 |
All Deceased of the Seraphic Order St. Humilis of Bisgnano, OFM Bl. Elizabeth of Reute, Third Order Regular Carlos Dias Tojy M. |
Birth Birth |
1637 1420 1959 1970 |
|
26 |
St. Leonard of Port Maurice, OFM Balthazar Pinto |
Feast Birth |
1751 1960 |
|
27 |
St. Francis Anthony Fasani, Conv Johnson M. V. |
Feast Birth |
1742 1969 |
| 28 | St. Jams of La Marca, OFM | Feast | 1476 |
|
29 |
All Saints of the Seraphic Order Dependent Custody Foundation,North East. Amaladass Manickam |
Feast Erection Ordination |
2008 1985 |
|
30 |
Bl. Antoine Bonfandini, OFM Prasad Papabathuni |
Birth |
1482 1970 |