Immaculate Conception Church at 100 Chapel Road, Pulaski, TN 38478 US - From our Pastor

Thoughts from our Pastor Oct. 2005

Thoughts from our Pastor Sept. 2005

Thoughts from our pastor Aug. 2005

Thoughts from our Pastor June 2005

Thoughts from our Pastor April 2005

Thoughts from our Pastor Feb 2005

Thoughts from our Pastor Jan 2005

The Doubting Thomas brought Christianity to India, but when he brought it, he was no longer a doubter. The Resurrection experience had transformed him, and he traveled all the way to India to speak about Jesus and die for Him. We believe that he landed in India in 52 AD. He converted many Hindus, founded seven Churches and died a martyr in Madras-Mylapore. And we are St. Thomas Christians. Christianity in India, then, is as old as Jesus Christ. We are a minority, but the Church in India is very live and vibrant.

In fact, I don't know how far back my faith goes. All I know is that my ancestors were all Catholics. My parents were very God - fearing and practicing Catholics. Of the ten children they raised, three are priests today- all three belonging to different religious Orders. When we were children we were educated in Catholic schools, ie. schools run by Catholic agencies. The CCD classes were compulsory . We couldn't imagine eating before praying. Family prayers in the evening were said on our knees, and the children had to kiss the hands of parents reverently after prayer. On bare feet we had to walk about 2 kilometres to attend Mass on every Saturday and Sunday, and that was another rule of the house. I remember my father taking me to church about 5 o'clock in the morning on priests' retreat days when we could attend several Masses at one time because the priests were saying private Masses on individual altars then. Concelebrations were unheard of.

Another nursery of vocations was our schools. The First Friday devotions, annual retreats were all conducive to religious vocations. My headmaster was a religious priest who didn't leave any stone unturned when it came to recruiting boys to priesthood. He was an inspiration to us all and was the one who planted me in Carmel among others.

Looking back, I feel strongly that vocations are nurtured in families. The examples the parents set and the climate in which children live are all very important. Where do the American children look for role models? Many of these children live in broken families. Parents practice different faiths and some practice no faith at all. Most children , no doubt, are left confused. We need more religious practice than base ball, more prayers than TV, and more spiritualism to conquer materialism in which we find ourselves wrapped up. As we pray for vocations, let us never forget vocations are nurtured, and let us pay the price for it.

Fr. Jose Kariamadam CMI