3rd March, 2013, the monthly family
meeting was being organised in ‘Kripa’, Vasai. The hall was packed to the full.
Rev. Fr. Seraphinus welcomed the parents, relatives and friends of the in house
patients. The internship students namely Mansi Parekh, Bhakti Chheda, Manisha Bagal, Kavita
Mitalia, Shabnam Shaikh, Hiral Pandya interns of Maniben Nanavati Women's College, Vile Parle, Mumbai studying MA
in Counselling Psychology, spoke about the imperative
mission of the family members in the life of a recovering alcoholic. This was
further substantiated and emphasised by Mr. Bosco D’ Souza National Program Director in his welcome address also introduced the core team of Kripa Vasai
consisting of Fr. Seraphinus, Mrs Jean
Pereira, Fr. Cyril D’Souza, Fr. Andrew Jadhav
along with the staff who work behind the scenes round the clock to the
gathering.
Rev.
Fr. Joe Pereira Founder Managing Trustee of ‘Kripa Foundation’ highlighted the
combination of ‘faith and reason’ as an indispensable component of recovery for
both the recovering alcoholics /addicts and their relatives. He spoke of the
need of surrendering oneself to his Higher Power and remaining faithful to the
12 step programme. Further he said that every human being is been divinely
configured and therefore has to actualize this divine potential letting aside
all pride, arrogance and self-deception,
so that one becomes a fully human being. He elaborated on the combination
of various models of recovery used in Kripa.
The
audience well spell bound as and one could see tears rolling as Fr. Joe Pereira
ended his session to the singing of slokas “Sarva Dharma Prathana” ( Prayer of
all Religions by Acharya Vinoba Bhave.)- in Sanskrit.
It was indeed a joy to see the baffling look of
the family members mixed with bewilderment and shock at their own family
members (now reflecting transformation phase) and shedding the joyful tears as they
met. The family members of inmates expressed thanks to Fr. Joe, Mr. Bosco and
all the staff of ‘Kripa’ Vasai for this wonderful meet. Kripa family in turn expressed a big thanks to
God for His ‘Kripa’, Grace upon all of us for enabling us to be capable of
serving our fellow human being.
Submitted byFr. Cyril D'Souza
Kripa Vasai
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