Mission News from Fides
Dinajpur, Bangladesh – The inter-diocesan seminary “Jisu Dhyana Niloy” in the Diocese of Dinajpur, in northern Bangladesh, was attacked recently by a group of local Muslims. Bishop of Dinajpur, Msgr. Sebastian Tudu, said he was “shocked” because “there is no reason for the gesture.” The militants, members of a local Islamic group, forced the door, devastated the furniture and started beating some of the 25 seminarians. They suffered minor injuries. The police were alerted and the Bishop will file a complaint. Today, Rector Fr. George Gomes brought the students temporarily to another place.
The Bishop explained that, a few hours before the attack, there had been a conflict between Muslim and tribal families in a nearby village. After the fight, the Muslims, for no apparent reason, went to the Seminary and attacked. The Church in the diocese, remarked Bishop Tudu, “is very involved in the pastoral care of human development, education and development of tribal communities.” The Bishop appealed “for disputes to be resolved through dialogue and for peace to be maintained in our region.”
The seminary “Jisu Niloy Dhyana” is a “preparatory institute”, which offers a time of deepening and vocational formation for the students who have finished the minor Seminaries, before continuing their studies in the major Seminary. It welcomes an average of 20 students per year, from all the dioceses of the country, who are accompanied in a path of human, psychological and spiritual development. In past years it received economic aid from the Pontifical Society of “St. Peter the Apostle” that finances the activities of about 900 seminaries around the world. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 06/07/2013)
Mission News from Fides
Dinajpur, Bangladesh – The inter-diocesan seminary “Jisu Dhyana Niloy” in the Diocese of Dinajpur, in northern Bangladesh, was attacked recently by a group of local Muslims. Bishop of Dinajpur, Msgr. Sebastian Tudu, said he was “shocked” because “there is no reason for the gesture.” The militants, members of a local Islamic group, forced the door, devastated the furniture and started beating some of the 25 seminarians. They suffered minor injuries. The police were alerted and the Bishop will file a complaint. Today, Rector Fr. George Gomes brought the students temporarily to another place.
The Bishop explained that, a few hours before the attack, there had been a conflict between Muslim and tribal families in a nearby village. After the fight, the Muslims, for no apparent reason, went to the Seminary and attacked. The Church in the diocese, remarked Bishop Tudu, “is very involved in the pastoral care of human development, education and development of tribal communities.” The Bishop appealed “for disputes to be resolved through dialogue and for peace to be maintained in our region.”
The seminary “Jisu Niloy Dhyana” is a “preparatory institute”, which offers a time of deepening and vocational formation for the students who have finished the minor Seminaries, before continuing their studies in the major Seminary. It welcomes an average of 20 students per year, from all the dioceses of the country, who are accompanied in a path of human, psychological and spiritual development. In past years it received economic aid from the Pontifical Society of “St. Peter the Apostle” that finances the activities of about 900 seminaries around the world. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 06/07/2013)
Stories from the Missions
Christ the King Seminary
Christ the King Seminary is owned and run by the Archdiocese of Nyeri, Kenya. Men come from all of Kenya to study in three schools of formation — Spirituality, Philosophy and Theology — within one compound. Currently, there are 242 men studying there for the priesthood.
The annual cost of the education that they receive is about $1200 per student. This year, 28 will be ordained to the priesthood and 39 to the Diaconate. The men work at the compound cleaning, painting and farming to help support the seminary.
When they are not busy with their studies and work, the seminarians enjoy sports which they not only play amongst themselves but also compete against neighboring institutions.
The seminarians and their faculty depend upon the St. Peter Apostle Society for their educational support.
Recently, Christ the King Seminary released a CD of their choir. Click below to see and hear them praise the Word of God in song and dance! Please pray for these men as they study to become priests, ordained for the universal Church.
To purchase the full CD, with all proceeds going to the Seminary, please contact: [email protected]