ST JOSEPH’S PARISH – FERRARGUNG & DIYAA – LALPAHAR
ANDAMANS

The Parish of St Joseph, Ferrargunj

St Joseph’s Parish, Ferrargunj, was entrusted to the Salesians on 16 August 1998. Since then, the diocese has built a large parish Church (which is used also as a multi-purpose hall), and a presbytery with 6 rooms. Today, the parish comprises 476 families (about 2000 faithful), spread out in the main centre and in 16 surrounding villages. Mass is celebrated in each of the villages in turn every month and a half. Only 4 villages have chapels. The Parish has a Parish Pastoral Council and a Finance Committee, which meet on occasions. The Catholic Sabha (comprising all Catholics) and the Panch Pracharak (5 members from each village) each meet thrice a year. In addition, the parish runs 4 associations: Mahila Mandal (women), Purush Mandal (men), Yuva Mandal (youth) and Crus Veer (children). The first 3 groups animate the Sunday Eucharist in the Parish Church in turn and conduct their respective meeting. The Crus Veer meets every second Saturday for catechetical animation and instruction. Three catechetical shibirs (camps) were held last May, and efforts are being made to revive the Sunday catechism with the help of the practical trainee. The FMM Sisters and 1 Catechist help out in the animation of the parish in the main centre and in the villages.



Self-Help Groups

Although 4 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) were initiated in 2003, the new SURABI Self-Help Groups were inaugurated on 4th August 2006 under the auspices of the Province Programme Project, sponsored by DMOS-Comide, and animated by a full-time Salesian priest confrere as Regional Programme Officer (RPO). At present, there are 35 SHGs with 396 members and 20 lay staff, functioning in 5 substations of the parish. With a view to enable them to start up small self-employment projects and business activities, they are given awareness programmes and training in accountancy, horticulture, animal husbandry, jute bag making and coconut handicrafts, food processing and catering. Armed with these skills, they have set up a few provision stores and tea stalls, where they sell quail egg pickles and leaf plates made of the areca plant, and other items prepared by them. The various groups are occasionally taken on exposure trips to Chennai.  On 4th October 2006, the SHGs were grouped under 5 clusters with an elected President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer for each cluster. The next step will be for the clusters to form into a Federation.

Don Bosco Institute for Youth Animation Andaman (DIYAA), Lalpahar

With the sponsorship of Jugend Dritte Welt (JDW), a German agency, for 3 years (2005-2008), DIYAA began at Lalpahar, Chauldhari, a non-formal technical training project for the tsunami affected of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Under this project, 2 workshop sheds have been constructed. An administrator’s block and a hostel each for boys and girls are presently under construction. Fourteen training courses are envisaged for a duration of 3 to 6 months, of which 6 are for boys, 4 for girls and 4 for both boys and girls. Already, 40 girls have completed a 6-month course in tailoring and embroidery, and 26 boys, the 6-month automobile mechanism, and the 2 and 4 wheeler driving courses. Presently, 7 courses are operational for 80 trainees with the help of 15 lay staff. The boys’ hostel has 30 young men selected from the 13 parishes of the diocese, and temporarily housed in a bamboo shed. They have daily mass in the morning, and the rosary and night prayer with good night in the evening. Moral science and spoken English classes are given to them.

Youth Animation of the Diocese

The youth animation of the diocese was entrusted to the Salesians since 2004. This July 2006, another Salesian priest was appointed as Youth Director of the diocese by Bishop Alex Dias. At present, he is making a survey of the 13 parishes to have a firsthand knowledge of the situation and the needs of the youth groups in the diocese. He also functions as the youth animator of the parish at Ferrargunj. There is need to draw up a comprehensive 3-year plan of youth ministry that focuses on faith formation, personality and capacity building, and the social commitment of the youth. In addition, there is need also to set up of a team of animators (Priests and Sisters) and youth leaders, who will be able to implement a yearly programme of formation and animation of the parish youth groups.

DIYAA
Lalpahar, Chouldhari,
Junglighat Post
PORT BLAIR -744 101  
S.ANDAMANS
Cell – 09434267118