On 25 May, in a beautiful and grace-filled Mass, the Holy Cross Novitiate in Yercaud, Tamil Nadu, celebrated the First Professions of eight novices. Fr. Gaspar Selvaraj, C.S.C., Superior of the Province of Tamil Nadu, presided at the Mass, and Fr. Lawrence D’Almeida, C.S.C., Superior of the Province of South India, preached. The celebration’s theme was “Here I Am”.

Three of the newly professed are from the Province of Tamil Nadu: Mr. Joseph, C.S.C., Mr. David, C.S.C., and Mr. Stephen, C.S.C. Their vows were received by their Provincial, Fr. Selvaraj.

Similarly, three more of the newly professed belong to the Province of South India: Mr. Benson Pereira, C.S.C., Mr. Pavanraj, C.S.C., and Mr. Firoj Beck, C.S.C. Their vows were also received by their Provincial, Fr. D’Almeida.

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Two of the newly professed are from the Province of North East India: Mr. Rikus, C.S.C., and Mr. Wanbor, C.S.C. Their vows were received by Fr. Kanikkai Jeyaraj, C.S.C., who was representing the Province at the First Professions.

The Mass was well-organized by the Novitiate team, who had accompanied the novices throughout the year: Fr. David Adaikalam, C.S.C., Novice Master, Fr. Gabriel Darlong, C.S.C., Assistant Novice Master, and Fr. James Peter, C.S.C., who lives in residence.

In addition toHoly Cross religious from all our Indian jurisdictions and the families of the novices, the Mass was attended by other friends of the Congregation, including religious from other congregations, diocesan priests, and lay women and men. All told, almost 200 people participated in the Mass and the agape meal that followed.

As the newly professed leave Yercaud to continue their formation, they have been replaced at the novitiate by 19 new novices, who were officially received on 26 May. Fourteen are from the Province of North East India, three from the Province of South India, and one each from both the St. André Province and the Province of Tamil Nadu.