Ballekattuwa ~ CLARETIAN MISSIONARIES

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Ballekattuwa

Main Church in Ballekattuwa

St. Joseph Vaz Parish Ballakettuwa, Namunukula

The New parish of Namunukula was Inaugurated on the 9th o f January2004. This is a parish in the diocese on Badulla. It was carved out of the parish of Bandarawella and Passara. The inauguration and blessing of the main church dedicated to St. Joseph Vaz at Ballakettuwa By Rt. Rev. Dr. Winston. J. Fernando SSS.Bishop of Badulla Was performed on the 7th February 2004. The first Parish priest was Rev. Fr. M.M. Rajanayagam then Rev. Fr. Mervin was the successor.

We the Claretians took up the Ballakettuwa, Namunukula Parish officially on the 14^th of Decenber 2014. When we took up the parish already it was completed 10 years.

For each activity, the community plays a vital role; therefore we the Claretians with Salvatorian sisters formed a mission community in order to share the mission at our parish. Every Thursday we have community mass at the convent. Other than that every Sunday we spend little time as community after our mission at our main Church. With this unique community we are blessed to carry on our mission.

Geographical and economical set up of the Parish

It is situated in hill country of Uva Province, comes under Tea plantation. All our parishioners are tea estate workers. Some are slowly moving to urban cities for their employments and settled there. Our parishes consist of 14 substations namely.

1. Canavarala

2. Upper Canavarala

3. Kandahena

4. Bootawatha

5. Gindagalla

6. Pingarawa

7. Ballakettuwa

8. Nahvila

9. Nahvilagama

10. Gousse

11. Ella watha

12. Sutherland

13. Galptiakanda

14. New burgh

In area wise it is a big parish but we have only 116 families 375 member, all the substations are very far away from the Main church. As our Claretian definition

A son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a man on fire with love, who spreads its flame wherever he goes. He desires mightily and strived by all means possible to set everyone on fire with God’s love. Nothing daunts him; he delights in privations, welcomes work, embraces sacrifices smiles at slander,………….

We happily go to visit all the places, and give daily masses in all the places according to the fixed days. There are three chapels in our parish other places we give mass at their homes. Mostly we meet the people in the evening after their work. It is very difficult for the people to come for masses to the main church because of the distance and money. Therefore we go to their place to celebrate the mass. Even Sunday school also divided because of the practical reasons.

Our mission Activities

· Sunday mass and Catechism for children

· Daily masses

· Youth animation

· Pious association

· Altar servers animation

· Visiting the Sick

· Attending all the funerals ( All the religions)

· Teaching

· YCS

· Holy Childhood

· Pre- schools

· House Visiting

· Special seminars and workshop for students

· Cultural events in substations

· Collaboration with other religions

These are our missions at the moment. Since we are new to this parish we would like to start the missions in near future, Especially in Education and other social related missions.

Finally we would like to say it is our responsibility to build up the kingdom of God. It is really possible with God’s grace because nothing is impossible with God. Therefore we the Claretians happily doing the mission at our given mission place.