ASCLA WEST QUINQUENNIUM – 2023
“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity”
(Psalm 133:1)
ASCLA West Quinquennium – 2023 took place at Divya Darshan Renewal Centre, Kolkata from 1st to 5th December 2023. This event was hosted by the independent Claretian delegation of Kolkata. 69 young Claretian missionaries from India and Sri Lanka (St. Joseph Vaz independent delegation) participated in it. Seven missionaries from the province of Chennai attended the program.
The main objectives of the program were to share and evaluate their lives, and to plan out for the future commitment. The renowned resource persons for the programs were Fr. S. Vincent Anes, CMF, former provincial of Chennai province, Fr. Anthony Partrick Paul, the parish priest of Barrackpore and Fr. L. Antony, CMF, the prefect of formation of Kolkata independent delegation. The sessions enriched the participants to immerse themselves in the reality in order to respond to the challenges of today as Claretian missionaries. The inputs challenged the participants to return to the original call to serve rather than to be served imitating the model of Jesus, the servant leader par excellence. Finally, the participants were invited to introspect their effectiveness in their mission. The get-together instilled in the participants clarity and commitment for their apostolate. On the last day of the gathering, the participants had a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata. They also enjoyed visiting Indian Museum, Victoria Memorial and Eco Park. Thanks to the encounter, they all returned to their respective communities with vivid memorable memories and greater enthusiasm and zeal as Claretian missionaries.