✨A Prayerful Beginning – Vidyarambham
This Sunday, our mission family gathers in a special way to pray for our children—our dear
“Benjamins”—as they begin their new academic journey.
We joyfully celebrate Vidyarambham, the traditional blessing at the start of the school
year, asking the Lord to fill our children with wisdom, discipline and joy in their studies.
May they grow in knowledge and virtue, guided always by the light of Christ.
“Be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” (2 Chronicles 15:7)
Thanksgiving for GCSE & A-Level Students
We also pause to thank God for the excellent results of our GCSE and A-Level students. Their
success is a fruit of hard work, dedication and the prayers of their families and parish
community.
As they move forward into higher studies and new opportunities, we ask the Lord to
continue to bless and guide them. May they always remain rooted in faith, courage, and
gratitude as they step into the future.
🕊 In Prayerful Solidarity – Tragedy in Minneapolis
Even as we rejoice, we also carry sorrow in our hearts for the children who lost their lives in
the recent school shooting in Minneapolis on the opening day of school.
We lift up in prayer the innocent victims, their grieving families and all who are wounded by Success
violence. May the Lord, who is the Prince of Peace, heal hearts and bring an end to such
suffering.
Feasts of the Week
St. Monica & St. Augustine
This week, the Church celebrated two great saints whose lives continue to inspire families
and young people today.
St. Monica is remembered as a mother of steadfast faith and perseverance, who prayed
tirelessly for her son Augustine. Her tears and prayers bore fruit in his conversion. As one
bishop consoled her: “The child of those tears shall not perish.”
St. Augustine, once far from God, encountered Christ and became one of the greatest
theologians and saints of the Church. His life shows us that no heart is beyond the reach of
God’s grace.
Together, these saints remind us to never give up on prayer, especially for our children and
loved ones. Parents and youth alike are encouraged to trust that God’s mercy is always
greater.
Saint Euphrasia – The Praying Mother
Our Syro-Malabar community also rejoices this week in celebrating Saint Euphrasia
Eluvathingal (1877–1952), lovingly called the Praying Mother.
For nearly 50 years at St. Mary’s Convent, Ollur, she lived a life of prayer, humility and
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Countless people sought her intercession, and her life
continues to inspire us today. She was canonised by Pope Francis in 2014, a testament to
her holiness and enduring spiritual impact.
She once said, “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”
May her example inspire us to cultivate gratitude—for God, our parents, teachers and all
who guide us on life’s journey.
A Call to Families and Youth
As we step into this new academic year, let us:
- Pray for our children and youth, that they may shine with faith and wisdom.
- Look to the saints—Monica, Augustine, and Euphrasia—as companions in our journey of
faith.
Together, let us entrust this school year to the Lord, with confidence that His grace will lead
us forward.