Dear Rev. Fathers and Brothers, Prayerful Greetings to you from Chavara Hills, Kakkanad. There is an awakening in CMI community. Many feel the heat and thirst for deepening our interiority. The young generation seems to be very positive to the inner call and shows tendencies for a renewal and transformation. I am sure Blessed Chavara intervenes in our personal and community lives. Many communities have started off 40 days preparation with daily one hour adoration (40 hours adoration). Dharmaram and other formation houses have decided to have only vegetarian food for the next forty days. Our members go to the parishes, celebrate mass and give message on Blessed Chavara. In educational institutions, Chavara message is communicated through quiz, speech and other cultural competitions. Some schools have already completed visiting families of the students and staff and distributed the Nalla appante chavarul to every family. Social Apostolate departments in all provinces have worked out varied programmes to reach out to the poor, the sick and the homeless. Rev. Fr. Cherian Thunduparambil, postulator and our members in Rome are working hard to make the canonization events (vigil service on 22nd , canonization function on 23rd and thanksgiving mass on 24th November) a time of great blessings. I am extremely happy about the preparations our members are making individually and collectively for the great event of canonization. This is an opportune time to communicate the legacy of our founder to the extended CMI families. We shall make sure of the participation and involvement of all our stakeholders in the canonization celebration to be held in Rajagiri Valley at 1.30 p.m. on 29 th November, 2014. 1. Canonization – National Thanksgiving function - of founder is primarily an event for CMIs and CMCs though it is conducted under the banner of the Indian Church. Hence all our members in Kerala and good number of

representatives from the mission shall attend the Canonization celebration to be held at 1.30 p.m. on 29th November, 2014 at Rajagiri Valley, Kakkanad. 2. We shall invite parents and family of all the members (aspirants, novices, scholastics, brothers and Fathers) to attend the Canonization National Thanksgiving Day to be held at 1.30 p.m. on 29 th November, 2014 at Rajagiri Valley, Kakkanad. Hence I request all our members to give a personal invitation by a letter or a telephone call to our family members to attend the function and harvest the blessings. 3. All the members of our institutions (educational, cultural or social) and ACMI members and their families shall benefit during this historic time. I remember the way the relic of St. Don Bosco was taken to the entire world for veneration. Students, staff, parents and alumni of their institutions were invited and they really celebrated it. In the same way, every head of the institution shall invite the parents and students to attend the events of Canonization National Thanksgiving Day to be held at 1.30 p.m. on 29 th November, 2014 at Rajagiri Valley, Kakkanad. The provincial council, especially the educational councilor shall make it a point to coordinate the participation of educational institutions in each province for this great event. 4. Invitation has been already sent to all the bishops, parish priests and religious houses. Now every province shall make it a point to give a personal invitation to all the bishops (Syro Malabar, Syro Malankara and Latin), parish priests and the religious, and parish community in their respective territory. The details have already been forwarded to the provincials. 5. We shall remind all the priests to bring the vestments for celebration of the holy mass.

6. All our members shall make use of all available media to communicate the event of canonization of our beloved founder and the National Thanksgiving day function at Rajagiri Valley. 7. We shall make sure that the banners are displayed in the prominent place of every parish, retreat centre, religious house and institution so that people will get the details and correct information. I am optimistic and hopeful that with our fervent prayers, collective and coordinated efforts, we shall make sure the canonization event becomes a grace filled event for the universal Church, particularly the Church in India. Thanking you

Fr. Paul Achandy CMI Prior General