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Charis Marien Maids (CMM). Kerala - India. 19 of March

The gate of the sisters where "love, sacrifice, service"  written in Malayalam as the moto of their lives.

Those sitting: Sister Philo (superior of CMM), Bishop Peter,  Fr. Zacharias (director of CMM). Those standing: sr. Achamma,  sr. Regina, sr. Rosi, sr. Rosily, sr. Marykutty, sr. Cecily, sr. Rosamma.

Those sitting: Fr. Jose Parappillil (Provincial),  Fr. Sebastian (VG of the diocese),  Fr. Johny (Superior of SFS seminary),  Fr. Devesia Kuzhuppil (Superior of Charis Bhavan).

Charis Marien Maids (CMM) founded by Fr. James Manjackal at Athirampuzha, Kotayam, Kerala is raised canonically to the status of "Apostolic Community" by Rt. Rvd. Dr. Peter Thuruthikonam, bishop of Vijayapuram of the Latin Herarchy on 19th of March of 2005. When Fr. James started the famous retreat centre Charis Bhavan, he gathered a few young women to live in community to be the Lord's witnesses and to evangelise. This official aproval by the Church is a land mark in the history of this community. Fr. James had been to Kerala for this ocassion on the 19th. Charis Marien Maids do not take the vows of obedience, chastity and poverty but they live these evangelical virtues and comitt themselves to the Lord and to His works of evangelisation. Here are some photos

Retreat in Malayalam. Tallaght Village, Dublin Ireland. March 24 - 26. 2005 (Holy Week).

The Kerala community in Dublin  welcomed Fr. James Manjackal with a bouquet before the start of the retreat

The Catholics belonging to the Syro Malabar rite have the tradition of breaking the unleavened bread at home (Appam Murickal Service). The eldest one in the family, after reading the text on the Holy Eucharist from the Bible, gives a short instruction to the family members the need of living together in love and unity. Then the family members ask pardon to each other and reconcile. The Cross which you see on the bread is made out of the leaves distributed on the previous Palm Sunday. Along with the bread hot milk in a cup also is served. The family members received both, the bread and the milk, with open hands. Fr. James took the place of the elder and conducted the service for the participants of the retreat. This service strenghtens love and unity in the families.

Youth program "Meet your Star". Graz - Austria. 20 to 23 of March

The youngest to attend the retreat was the 90  year old Fr. Hermann Aichinger, a Salesian priest who comes for all the charismatic programs  conducted at Graz with a childlike heart!

A Charismatic youth program was conducted at Graz, Austria with Fr. James From 20th to 23rd of March. It was organized by the youth themselves. Many young people came from different countries and cities to renew their Christian lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. A mother from Capetown (South Africa) came with her three children to attend this program. There were many testimonies of inner healings and physical healings. Many young people came forward and very bodly told how they changed their lives from alcohol, drugs, smoke and immoral behaviours. Here are some photos

With Bishop Rt. Rev Charles Caruana  (Bishop of Gibraltar)

Fr. James with Aida Stagnetto the chief  organizer of the retreat in Gibraltar

Gibraltar is an independant colony of Great Britain. It has its own government, there is a governor appointed by the Queen of England, and elected Prime Minister with 11 other ministers. Gibraltar may be  the smallest diocese in the world!. It has a Bishop with six parishes and fourteen priets. Bishop Charles Caruana is a very holy, simple and affectionate man who cares his people with concern and love. He himself was taking Fr. James and Gaby, his translator, every morning and evening by his car up and down to the community centre where the retreat was conducted. Fr. James and Gaby stayed in the Bishop's house. The Bishop was with them and the organizers for all the meals. Along with other priests the Bishop too was hearing confessions during the retreat. Above 400 people attended the retreat. It is the first time Fr. James preached a retreat in Gibraltar organized by Maurice and Aida Stagnetto. People went out of the hall happy and content with testimonies of healings, liberation and infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Fr. James with Le Tampon mayor

Seeing the great faith of the people, after the Mass Fr. James called on all to come to the hall to be prayed over as he could not conduct a public healing program in such a weather conditions. However he knew that people wanted to see him and to get a blessing. There was a big rush in the hall where he was standing and praying for the people. The security had a lot of problems to control the people. He patiently prayed for each one for about four hours! He might have touched and prayed 5.000 at least!.
Photos of those moments are given below separately.

	Fr. James concelebrated and preached the sermon in the Holy Mass on Sunday 30th. of January in St. Francis de Sales Church in Tampon. La Reunion - St. Francis de Sales Church:  Click here for more photographies
	On Saturday, after the retreat was over, Fr. James and the team rushed to of St. Jean Evangeliste at Petite Ile to celebrate a healing Mass where the Church was overcrowded with people for the service while it was raining heavily outside. La Reunion - Petite Ile program: Click here for more photographies
	Fr. James had a tight program. On Sunday the 6th. he convened a youth program. In his July visit to the island he had formed a prayer group for the youth out of the retretants and they persevere in praying together. Although he wanted to meet them only during the programs he encouraged other youth also to come, so more than 200 youth have assembled to pray together and to listen to the Word of God and celebrate the Holy Mass.  La Reunion - Youth program: Click here for more photographies

As the news of the evangelization program came in the newspapers, the Consul General of India, Sohan Prakash, along with his wife Amaravathi came to Tampon from St. Dennis driving two hours to meet Fr. James and to receive his blessing. He invited Fr. James and the team to his house for an official dinner before leaving to Paris. He gave a sumptuos dinner in his house where many other distinguished guests were invited. He was very particular that Fr. James should bless his house and the consulate. Although all of them were Hindus they were insisting that he should pray over them all with the laying of the hands and the Consul General escorted Fr. James and the team to the flight. Photos are here below.

Published on " Le Journal de l'ile ". La Reunion. February 3. 2005  - Click here for the original page on the newspaper AN INDIAN PRIEST SAYS A MASS  IN LE TAMPOM IN THE PRESENCE OF MORE THAN 3000 PEOPLE The power of the Holy Spirit Between three and four thousand people were present in the mass said yesterday late-afternoon in Le Tampon by the charismatic priest Fr. James Manjackal. He had been invited by the priest Michel Rochefeuille. Preaching faith in Jesus Christ and motivating the faithful to receive the force of the Holy Spirit he announced the healing of about one hundred persons. In the huge crowd gathered on the Mary Mother of the Church Place (Jules-Bertrand Street in Le Tampon) shouts rise up. A man hanging around on his seat enters into ecstasy. A little farther a person pours a flood of tears out of her heart. Others, more moderated, reveal a shy water drop in the corner of the eye, while the rest of the crowd is praying in silence, eyes closed and hands lying on that part of their body which is hurting them or on that of their neighbour. They respond to the call of the Indian father James Manjackal who is helped by a bilingual translator (English/French). Five minutes ago he led the faithful to Jesus Christ in a hymn. He promised that the faith in the Son of God could heal them from their sicknesses. “Pray, the power of Jesus will flow in you!”, he exclaims. . “Set me free, Jesus, give me the power. Jesus! Jesus!” he repeats again. His healing prayer dures one hour in front of the all holy sacrament, this charismatic father, known and respected by all, has prepared the faithful to receive the Holy Spirit in them. “YOU ARE HEALED” He told stories of miracles. Like that of woman who took her paralysed son to Lourdes hoping for his healing. “In front of her several persons stood up from their wheel chair. But her son still was nailed to his. So she got angry. She looked to the statue of Jesus and said: “Help my child or I’ll tell your Mother, Mary. And her son stood up”, the father continues. Then he enumerated other healing experiences while never forgetting to point out the importance of faith, because in his words James Manjackal doesn’t speak of magic. He insists untiringly on the role of faith in the Holy Spirit. “We need to touch Jesus Christ by faith. If we receive the body of Christ with faith, the miracle happens!” he emphasized. Now, the only thing to know about is if miracles really happened. In any case, Father James assured it: “Marie Thérèse, Stéphanie, Marie-Agnès … you are healed. I see 77 persons who experience an alleviation of their sicknesses. I see 19 faithful free from their cancer.” In the crowd no voice was risen to confirm these affirmations. It is said that the healing can be experienced several days after the mass. But not everybody has come necessarily for this. The present Catholics who are used to go to the Sunday mass explain that they feel an unusual alleviation once the office is finished. « “Coming out from here, one feels happy. It’s like a renewal. All that is thanks to Jesus Christ”, testifies a faithful. Jean-Philippe Lutton  Photos : 1.A native of India, father James Manjackal invokes the power of the Holy Spirit for a miracle to happen (photos J.-Ph. L.). 2. Between three and four thousand persons were present in the mass. But scenes of ecstasy scarcely took place.