Social Action

18th November 2017 was both a unique and a historical day for the Diocese of Shimla Chandigarh as well as for the Society of Pilar. Bishop Ignatius Mascarenhas of the Diocese of Shimla Chandigarh along with our Provincial Fr. John Fernandes were welcomed with the Angura (Himachali cap) and Himachali garlands intricately woven dry fruits and nuts. The rain and the chill did not dampen the spirit of the community as the freshly clad snow capped Himalayas embraced us in its beauty. Fr. Provincial inaugurated the newly furnished Handloom Center, locally known as Khadi Center and it was blessed by His Lordship. Each one of them was welcomed with a stole woven by the women at the Center.
The Handloom Center is presently led by Mrs. Sundermani Shukla who hails from the village of Barang around 15 kms from Reckong Peo where the Center is located. The Center is aimed at empowering women by providing them skills for self-employment and sustenance. The center has installed four Handlooms, which will provide opportunities for at least four women across the calendar year. The center is fully funded by our NGO–Society of Pilar Janseva, which provides the raw materials to the center for the production of Kinnauri linens such as Shawls, Stoles, Mufflers, Kinnauri Dress Materials, etc. The NGO also runs two more centers, a Kristjyoti Computer Center and a Kristjyoti Tailoring Center at Reckong Peo which is again taken care by the locals.
A sincere thanks to Fr. Cidloy Furtado the Director of Social Works and the entire Provincial administration for their genuine support and constant guidance towards undertaking and carrying forward of this venture. Christ being our prime motivation and goal we march humbly in his footsteps for His greater glory.

The Pilar Outreach Foundation with its Social workers : Sr. Lygia sfn, Sr. Flavia sfn and Co-ordinator Fr Savio sfx along with volunteers: Patrus, Dhraminder Rana, Royce, Melenie and Gulzar organised wellness camp for women at Kanganpur Sirsa- Haryana, on 6th of October 2017, with the collaboration of Dr. Rachna Sangwan Gynecologist, Dr Preeti Gupta Gynecologist, Dr Monika Dentist and Mrs Ravinder Tina.
It began at 4.00 pm and went on till 5.45 pm. Total 48 people of Kanganpur Sirsa-Haryana benefitted the same from age group of 5 – 65 years , including 7 men. They were given free medicine too.
At the end of the camp the Coordinator Fr. Savio sfx, on behalf of Pilar Outreach Foundation thanked the collaborators for their service and requested them for their help in the future.

The 'Xaverian Dental Clinic and Medical Centre' was inaugurated by Very Rev. Fr. Francis Carvalho (Superior General of our Society) on 20th March, 2017 at Hari Nagar, New Delhi. The center runs under the aegis of the 'Pilar Outreach Foundation'. Fr. Marden Pereira (our ever enthusiastic octogenarian member) added to the joy of the auspicious occasion of the inauguration as he volunteered to be the first patient of the centre.
It is indeed a matter of pride to have a medical unit in the capital city. Social work ministry is slowing gaining a steady momentum in our Province. Our sincere appreciation for the hard efforts invested by the Director for Social Work, Fr. Cidloy Furtado.
Dr. Yulia L. Mathias reports about the inauguration and also provides some data related to the medical facility.

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward them for what they have done” (cf. Proverbs 19:17)

Following the above teachings of the Lord, and his desire to reach out to the poor with a deep desire to work for charity, Fr. Peter Melo Fernandes (Former Provincial Superior), Fr. Maria Michael, Fr. Stephen Dias, Fr. Joaquim Miranda, Fr. Cidloy Furtado (Director of Social Work) and his board members comprising of Dr. Terry O'brien (Author of more than a 100 books), Dr. Mark Clive (Associate General Secretary, Education Institute, YMCA), Sr. Sneha(Advocate) and Dr. Yulia Mathias formed the “Pilar Outreach Foundation” in the year 2016. Fr. John Marcus Fernandes later replaced Fr. Peter Melo as the Provincial and carried forward the good work. The team had to brainstorm on ways and means to reach out to the less fortunate people. Several discussions and meetings led to the vision of having a health care centre in some part of the city which would cater to the economically weaker sections of the society where accessibility to a decent health care centre was distant at present.
With persistent visits around Jungpura and vicinities around Ashram, Fr. Cidloy along with Fr. Francis Prasad (Parish Priest of Sunlight Colony, New Delhi) chanced upon a small yet decent apartment in Hari Nagar, which he envisioned as a health care centre. After consulting with his board members and approval from his seniors, he proposed to start a dental clinic and health care centre, as the closest charitable dental clinic from that place was more than 5 kms away. The organisation with one dentist as a board member, helped him in connecting with dental dealers who also were keen on promoting charity work and subsequently helped the team in the entire set up.

On 20^th March 2017, Xaverian Dental Clinic, Hari Nagar, Ashram came into existence with the formal inauguration by Very Rev. Fr. Francis Carvalho (Superior General of the Society of Pilar). The others who graced this blessed occasion were Fr. Alarico Carvalho (Regional Superior, Agnel Region), Fr. Bento Rodrigues, Fr. Francis Prasad, members of the Society of Pilar, Pilar Sisters, Mrs. Gena Sores (Personnel Officer, Holy Family Hospital, Okhla, New Delhi), Dr. Terry O'brien and few other well-wishers. The inaugural prayer service was followed with Fr. Marden Pereira (to the delight of all those present) offering to volunteer to be the first patient of the dental clinic.

The Dental Clinic, in spite of being a charitable clinic, has all the facilities a regular dental clinic offers. The chair has been procured from Mr. Sandeep Garg which is automatic with attached compressors and a 3 way air syringe with ultrasonic scalers and airotor and micromotor attachments for cavity preparations, tooth preparations & crown and denture adjustments. Presently a manual x-ray system with a developing box was preferred for it to be economical to the patients with an option of upgradation to the RVG (a technique of digital radiography) as and when the need arises. An autoclave Brand & Model PA 12 has been placed to provide the highest level of sterilization of all the dental instruments. These instruments will be daily sterilised in disposable pouches to avoid cross contamination between patients as Saliva and Blood are major factors for spreading infections.
Presently the clinic has hired a BDS graduate from an esteemed dental college in India who will carry out the routine dental procedures. The procedures that are being offered are Restorations (fillings) in Silver as well as GIC & Composites (tooth coloured), Root Canal treatments (RCT), Crown & Bridge (Capping), Dentures – Removable (Regular/Flexible) and Complete (Upper & Lower), Teeth Extraction (Mobile & Decayed). Impacted teeth extraction (Wisdom teeth removal) will be carried out by specialists (Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon). Similarly, Xaverian Dental also offers Dental Implants by Implantologists as and when required at a subsidized rate. Another additional procedure that this clinic offers is screening for oral mucosal diseases from Oral Ulcers to Oral Cancers. If need arises, smears and biopsies will be done to diagnose any underlying pathology which may pose a danger to the patient. The patient will be then referred to the concerned specialty, for example, Dermatopathologist or Oncologist. In future, there are plans of a Pathology lab collection centre within the clinic along with visiting doctors like General Medicine, Gynecologist or Dermatologist.
We need the Lord to shower blessings upon Xaverian Dental Clinic & Health Centre to bring the Society's dreams into reality and also hope that the Society can open more such services around Delhi and India to reach out with good health services to the weaker sections of the society.

- Dr. Yulia Lawrence Mathias (Professor & HOD, Oral Pathology, SR Dental College, Faridabad)

Courtesy...... (Roshni 2017 May)

Social work apostolate in the Province received a huge boost on 23rd July, 2016 with the inauguration of the ‘Xaverian Healthcare & Clinical Lab’ at Bathinda, Punjab. The medical unit was inaugurated by Shri. Basant Garg IAS (Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda) and blessed by Most Rev. Theodore Mascarenhas sfx (Secretary General of CBCI). Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar had obliged to do the honours of inaugurating the same. However he had to respond to the ill-fated AN- 32 turboprop transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force which went missing the previous day while flying over the Bay of Bengal.

The inaugural ceremony included a prayer service led by the children of St. Xavier’s High School, Bathinda, inside the inaugurated Lab. The celebrations continued in the School with a cultural programme exalting the sublimity of social service. The programme also saw a round of felicitations to the dignitaries and a couple of addresses which acknowledged the genuine contribution of the Society in the district of Bathinda and the prompt collaboration by several Doctors in and around the city. The programme which was attended by many medical practitioners was also graced by Shri. Saroop Chand Singla (MLA Bathinda constituency) who assured the whole-hearted support from the civil administration. Rev. Theodore Mascarenhas in his spirited address highlighted the fact that the Catholic Church has and is contributing immensely for the social upliftment of thousands of our fellow citizens; often unnoticed, especially in rural areas. He urged the audience, specially the medical fraternity to collaborate with this maiden venture of the Society, in a bid to facilitate the Society’s plans for more such outlets for the under privileged. Fr. Peter Melo Fernandes, on behalf of the Province acknowledged every person for their contribution. Fr. Eulalio Fernandes (Principal of St. Xavier’s High School and LDS of the Bathinda unit) proposed the Vote of Thanks. He made a special mention of the Engineer of the project, Mr. Vishwa Bandhu and acknowledged his association with numerous projects of the Province which carry a mark of perfection and commitment.

Responding to the long felt need to strengthen our missionary dynamism in the diversity of ministries, the then Provincial, Fr. Peter Melo Fernandes had approved this project in September, 2015. He entrusted the responsibility to Fr. Cidloy Furtado, the then newly appointed Social Work Director for the Province. Fr. Cidloy methodically responded to this need. At first, he conducted a round of surveys to ascertain the need of such a facility in the area. The youth of Holy Rosary Church Bathinda and other locals helped in getting the initial surveys of the laboratories around and the many aspects linked to the same. In the meantime, Fr. Cidloy also got himself acquainted with a number of experts in the field and put forward the dynamics concerning finances and personnel. Towards the end it was the collaboration of the Provincial, the Provincial Treasurer, the Local Delegate Superior at Bathinda and the Social Work Director who together collaborated to bring forth the edifice and appoint qualified personnel in a record period of less than a year.

The Xaverian Healthcare & Clinical Lab in its efforts to grow as a premier and integrated healthcare centre is attempting to be equipped with state-of-art diagnostic machines. At present the unit has a resident doctor, 14 visiting doctors, 2 lab technicians, 2 nurses and a manager. The medical unit envisages to be recognized for its commitment to enhancing the health of its community; providing superior services to its patients, embracing clinical innovations; and most of all attempting to reach out to the poor and those lacking such facilities in the far flung villages. Keeping the poor in the heart of the venture, the medical team is committed to ensure that the poor can access the facilities at affordable prices. The Lab will very soon establish sample collection centers at farflung villages. The lab has already successfully conducted its first medical camp at Purani Dharamshala, Dobiana Basti with three doctors who volunteered to avail their services along with the lab staff. Many such camps would be conducted in the coming days, specially in poor and underprivileged localities.

This maiden medical venture has indeed opened new avenues for our apostolate. Kudos to Fr. Cidloy for materializing the project and also facilitating several other social ministry ventures. Furthering the medical ministry is indeed an uphill task. The brochure distributed to collect funds (to support the venture) and garner support from the medical fraternity aptly encapsulates our disposition: "We are not dispirited by the enormity of the endeavour we have set out to accomplish. We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the power of women and men who time and again come together to love and serve in the likeness of God."

Courtesy...... (Roshni 2016 September)

Buladawala Village
Dobiana Basti

Courtesy...... (Roshni 2016 September)

Our missionaries through many years of hardwork and experience have found an ideal way to help the village children in their education through the establishment of the Coaching centres. A teacher is employed by the Society ot give coaching to the village children after school hours. Presently the province runs around 24 coaching centres in their places of apostolate.

Bathinda – 3 Coaching Centres
Hisar – 3 Coaching Centres
Sirsa – 3 Coaching Centres
Rania – 5 Coaching Centres
Mandi Dabwali – 10 Coaching Centres

Background: The Xavieran Charitable Dispensary, Bathinda started way back in 1981 and through the services of Sr. Meena Dsouza and the collaboration of Bethany Sisters who would render their services once a week (for the initial few years) has served countless people not only from Bathinda, but also from Dabwali (sub-centre), Talwandi (sub-centre). People from different walks of life and far of places like Barnala, Rampuraful, Muktsar, Sirsa, Malout, Patiala, Kotshamir, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Faridkot etc benefited from the dispensary.

This bold and daring initiative taken years back during the tenure of Fr. Jose Vaz is praise-worthy. The Xavieran Charitable Dispensary was sought after for medicines for fever, cough, cold, sore-throat, gastric, infection, skin allergy, diarrhea, pimples, scabies, Rheumatism, abdomen pain and was well known for women who are childless and who would conceive after medication.

This dispensary also was an instrument in evangelization for Sr. Meena spoke of the aspect of faith and gave the patients pictures of Mother Mary. Unfortunately, the Xavieran Charitable Dispensary had to close down in 2014 due to the ailing health of Sr. Meena. The shutting down of dispensary after almost 33 years was no doubt a sad end, but was also a blessing in disguise and an opportunity for the Delhi Province to provide yet another level of medical facilities for the poor and the needy. And thus was born the Xaverian Healthcare and Clinical Lab in Bathinda.

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done” (cf. Proverbs 19:17)

Buladawala Village

Dobiana Basti

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward them for what they have done” (cf. Proverbs 19:17)