Divya Vani

VISION: 

Radiating the Word to the world…

MISSION: 

• To be at the service of the world:
• Through the promotion and proclamation of the Word
• Through Biblical Animation and formation
• Through providing an atmosphere for prayer, reflection and spiritual journey based on the Word of God.

How it all started:

Divya Vani – our Centre for Biblical Pastoral Ministry in Madhya Pradesh – committed to the promotion and proclamation of the Biblical Wisdom and Ideals – is at the service of the local churches through Biblical animation, training and co-ordination. Divya Vani, at Jatkhedi , Misrod, Bhopal was inaugurated on January 29, the feast of St. Joseph Freinademetz , 2003.  Divya Vani, and the Biblical Ministry was, until then, functioning from the Campus of St. Arnold’s Seva Sadan, Indore for several years.  The first director of Divya Vani was Fr. Joseph P. Xavier SVD, who was also the Biblical co coordinator for several years.  Fr. Augustine P. A  SVD took over from Fr. Joseph Xavier SVD as the Biblical coordinator and he continued his ministry from the premises of St. Arnold’s Seva Sadan Campus.  However, it was decided to move the center to a new central location and thus it was shifted to the present premises at Bhopal.  The untiring efforts and meticulous planning of Fr. Augustine was instrumental in establishing the present centre at Bhopal. Fr. Thomas Otttarackal SVD was also assigned to the new Centre for the Biblical ministry. .  Later Fr. Savari Rayan joined the Centre. Fr. Ryan SVD was appointed Director of Divya Vani in 2005. When he left for his Doctoral studies, Fr. Joseph Xavier SVD was again appointed the director of the Centre. Fr. P.  Prashant Lukose SVD took over as   director in 2008.

Fr. Cyriac Peter SVD joined Divya Vani in August 2009 and Br. Benjamin Kerketta in June 2010.  As Fr. Cyriac SVD was transferred in June 2011, Fr. Joseph Chetany SVD was appointed and he joined Divya Vani as Asst. director in June 2011. An IMS Priest (Fr. Prem) was a resident here for two years (July 2010- June 2012) to pursue his Masters Degree (MSW) at the BSSS.

The aim of the centre is to animate, to train, to coordinate and promote Biblical ministry in M.P. The Objectives of the Institute are as follows:

–  Animation, promotion   & training

–  Publication of Bible related material, yearly Liturgical Calendar etc

–  Providing Bible Classes

–  Conducting seminars, retreats, recollections etc.

The centre is open for retreats, seminars and courses…. In the last three years we had above two hundred people, especially religious, for retreats. We have also   had   a few Bible seminars and workshops and Bible classes for the Laity.  We had several retreats during the current year. To cater to the faithful of the area, the Centre had been organizing a recollection day for the laity once a month on second Saturdays. Later it was changed to ‘prayer – evening’ from 4.30 pm on third Saturdays. People from different parishes of Bhopal show interest and enthusiasm and interest in participating in the Eucharistic adoration and the Eucharistic celebration on those occasions. The weekly Holy Mass on Thursday evenings is also well attended by the lay faithful in the neighborhood.

In the past years, the Commission for Proclamation for M.P. used the facilities at Divya Vani for several of their regular programmes.  The Catechetical Commission for M.P.   As well the Family and Laity commission have also been using our Centre for their Regional meetings and some other programmes.

October 27, 2010 was a special day at Divya     Vani as we had the blessing of the newly constructed Grotto of our Bl. Mother Mary and the Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Anyone entering the gate of Divya Vani will be greeted by Jesus, whose hands extend in blessing to all who come in or pass by. The statue is also visible from the road in front. An advertisement board in Hindi is also put up at the entrance.  With a photo of Jesus, Our Saviour, it is an invitation to those who want to know about Jesus to contact   the staff at Divya Vani.    (‘ Mano ya na mano, Jesu ko Jano’ ). It is encouraging to note that many young non- Christian students have been coming to spend time to pray at the Grotto and in   the Chapel. On special days, like Christmas, quite many (nearly 100) come to get more information and blessings of the Lord.  Several dozens of Bible (N.T) have been given out to genuine seekers   especially in the last three years after the construction of the Grotto and the statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.   The offerings   received from the ‘offering box’ (‘dan peti’) both at the statute of Jesus and the Grotto show that Jesus and His mother have many more friends than we know…

From 2009 we have a few seminarians who pursue their graduation after the SIS course at Palda. Out of the five who were initially sent here, three were asked to discontinue in January 2011. One left during his second year and the remaining one also discontinued even though he had expressed his desire to go to the Novitiate.  Four more students joined the community in June 2010.One of them has already discontinued from September 2012. Two (or three) will hopefully join the Novitiate in June 2013.

In keeping with the SVD tradition of hospitality and in view of generating funds   we have also been keeping the place open to those who wish to use the facilities here for their programmes. NGOs, (notably World Vision) have used the facilities here on several occasions and have contributed significantly. We are also open to avail the facilities for guests as a transit home, especially groups who pass through.

The staff at Divya Vani minister to the Holy Spirit sisters   by celebrating the H.  Eucharist for them on a regular basis. The staff also help out in the different parishes  for Sunday Masses and for other spiritual needs and  also  exercise their missionary, pastoral charism  by involving  themselves   in giving retreats, spiritual guidance, confessions  and classes  in different places. In the coming year we do hope to have more regular programmes.   The brochures printed annually gives information about some of the programmes    which are conducted at Divya Vani.

In keeping with the vision and the objectives, an ambitious programme of bringing out simple, pastoral Bible commentary has been begun from December. Each Gospel ‘periscope’ is explained with an introduction, background   observation and study with questions for meditation and reflection. Starting with the gospel of mark, each chapter will be published on a regular basis   and eventually hope to cover all the gospels and the whole New Testament. The booklet is prepared both in English and Hindi. A Bible correspondence programme in Hindi for the Catholic Christian laity is also launched.  This will consist of a series of twenty six books      and the first two sets of books are already published.  While the Biblical coordinator and Divya Vani will take the leadership in organizing this, the correspondence programme will be done with the help of the Diocesan secretaries of the Bible commissio9ns of the different dioceses.

Milestones:  

January 29, 2003   Blessing and inauguration of the Divya Vani Sadan, at Misrod, Bhopal                           

Fr. Augustine, continues as the Director of the new House

Staff: Fr. Thomas Ottarackal SVD, Fr. Savari Rayan SVD (from February (2003)

June 2005 –            Fr. S. Ryan appointed Director of Divya Vani (2005-2007)

June 2007-            Fr. Joseph Xavier appointed director of Divya Vani (2007-08)

June 2008-            Fr. Prashant Lukose SVD, appointed director (2008-2013)

October 27, 2010: Blessing of the statue of the sacred heart of Jesus and the Grotto of Mother Mary.

November 2012:   Bio gas plant on the terrace with kitchen waste.

December 2012:    Paving the courtyard with interlocking tiles.

 December:            Launching of Bible Study series (Gospel according to St. Mark – Hindi and  

                               English) and Bible Correspondence Booklets in Hindi

Confreres who worked so far