People come and goes, 

Thousands at Vallarpadam every day. Some intense and focussed,

 On their purpose of their visit, 

Some a general visitor,

 Some happy at the stage of their lives, And showing it, 

Some who have nothing still happy like,

Fools not asking anything, enjoying the moment of being there in their soul..

Who am I in these..

A November Sunday

Kneeling in gratitude after a long week at Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadam. The peace and joy one feels while being there inspite of life and circumstances are priceless and for that one travels miles. 

Candles. The few on the  lower right is mine. I was not particular in lighting candles at Vallarpadam till a few months ago. I thought lighting oil lamps at home was good enough. Then I got an advice from a spiritually elderly person, when one is specific about certain intentions one has to follow certain rituals and tune the mind and prayers accordingly.

Thanks giving for being able to build a house. Expressiin of gratitude and thanks for the blessings received is a great motivation for others who are in difficult situations to stay strong in their prayers. 

"There is no better prayer than having a grateful mind."

 A note of gratefulness. The best I have read on this Sunday. These are always left by the devotees in front of the Sub Altar of the church. They are deeply enriching and brings peace and joy to mind. It is also a social history of how families grow and how noble some of them are in their aspirations. I found this note very enlightening, their request for peace and harmony in the family and general well being of everyone finishing off with a request to be able to to write a note of gratitude every time they visit the Basilica. The writer probably is a piligrims who might have come from far. 

Saint Peter Nolasco

 

Saint Peter Nolasco's disciples were part of those who built the Vallarpadam Church in 1524 AD. They dedicated the church to the Holy Spirt and Made the Lady of Ransom (Mercy) as the saint of the church. Nearly 140 years later the first church was washed away in a flood, the Lady of Ransom Picture was found floating  in the Backwater by the then Prime Minister of Kochi Raja who returned the picture to the priests and donated a new piece of land to build a new church. Saint Peter Nolasco's disciples are again believed to be part of the reconstruction team. The Altar still holds the venerable picture and the Saint Peter Nolasco's congregational logo. BMV de Mercede. 

On All Saints Day and through the month of November when we remember our dead, we remember all those Saint Peter Nolasco followers along with all other souls who have been responsible for our faith and our continued existence here at Vallarpadam. 

Lady Of Ransom

Our weekly visit to your abode is our joy and delight. We pray Lady of Mercy that hear our prayers and help us with our lives. Bless all who seek your help.

Ten minutes before the 11.30 AM Mass by the Mercedarian Priests the church slowly 

filling up. That mass is usually attended by the pilgrims who visit the Basilica on a Sunday.

Our favourite from the corner shop at the turn from the highway to the Basilica on the old road. Pappadams and puttu.

All Souls Day

All Souls Day. 

In memory of our dead, they are gone but they still lives on in our hearts and will continue to live in our memory till the day we die. 

Fondly remembering those who came and lived with us, giving up their families and everything for us. May their souls Rest in Peace. 

Remembering our dead. 

The November blue sky. The specialty of the time of the year. 

Onam

The most festive day of our year. 

Thiru Onam. 

Pookalam.

The Golden morning. 

Sumptuous Sadya for lunch. 

Friends and Family. 

Picture from Forum Mall, Kochi. 

The Feast

Our Lady Mary's feast day. 

Marian Pilgrimage and it's culmination at the Basilica. 

Big Stage for an high mass. 

Orchestra practicing the whole day for the mass in the evening. 

Saint Peter Nolasco

...so they keep the Nolasco Chapel open all day at Vallarpadam. My Sunday Vallarpadam time spent there in the company of the Saint who was ready to give his life and freedom for the freedom of others. 

Isn't that sweet...to give up one's own life for the sake of others life, for their freedom. 

The listener..

...the boat was being swamped by the waves... they went and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us!"

Mt 8:23-24

We have our friends and family, still we do not tell them all the thoughts that weigh on our minds. We are afraid they may Judge us, start thinking about us in bad light, stop being in love or our friends.

But with Jesus, who lives in our hearts, we have no such fears, he listens, he cares, he consoles...he has showed us that with his own life many times over. 

It doesn't matter...

who we are, what colour we are of, what our religion, caste or tribe is. 

When the centurion came requesting Jesus's spiritual help, all Jesus looked at was his humility to come to him, his concern for his slave and most importantly his faith. 

Trust in him, he listens, he sees our hearts and he won't let us perish. Rejoice! Our help is coming. When a door is closed a window will open for us. 

Be ready to take our opportunity and work hard. 

June

Some graceful view from the Basilica in June. 

A new look picture of Lady of Ransom on the 500th Jubilee year. 

Etched in our memories as we leave the Basilica and get on with our lives wherever it is..

A lucky Sunday

Fr. Antony Valumkal took charge as the Rector and Parish Priest of the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadam in 2021 when we were reeling under the Corona induced panic and lockdown. Since then attending his Service was a blessed part of my Sunday Hours at the Basilica. Highly Educated and surprisingly humble, the Rector, won the hearts of all those who engaged with him. The History seminar he organised at the Basilica was my personal high point of his tenure. 

The Rector, church folks say, used to love his quite hour at the Lady of Ransom in the evening after the Basilica was closed to the public for the night. That Spiritual Union one can possibly achieve in deep meditation at the church dedicated to the Holy Spirit is the reason why many visit Meenakshi Amma's memory bearing Church. 

I was away when the Rector was ordained the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Verapoly and missed the event. 

Luckily, on this Sunday, while I was there at the Basilica, there was a small event at the Basilica which he attended and I could see him from a distance. 

Best Wishes and I am sure, Your Excellency, that you will miss your quite hour at Vallarpadam. 

A summer Sunday

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall never be hungry.” - Jn 6: 35

Coming to Lady of Ransom after a month.

The Altar is still under maintenance, dome above is glistening like a sky. The clouds of centuries ago.

This is the Lady of Ransom I goes to at Kanyakumari. Probably built by the same missionary fathers of the Mercedarian Order who was involved with our Vallarpadam too.

And, strange though it may sound, deep and abiding faith does result in every kind of hunger being met. Christ is indeed the bread of life!

Summer months are tough. Those who work in the sea find it difficult with the heat and phases of no wind and patches of "Cat Paws". The catch is few.

Some unlucky among us find themselves let down by their mates in these tough months.

Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."

Acts 7:60

Forgiveness comes easier when we blame the sin, and not the sinner.

Good Friday, March 2024

The Good Friday Observance at the Lady of Ransom Church, Kanyakumari. 

Palm Sunday

The temperature was only 32 degrees. But at Kanyakumari with three seas around water gets heated up quickly and warms up the land. With less wind in these months, it is rather very warm. 

Here are some pictures from the St. Roch Church at Vavathurai in Kanyakumari from the Palm Sunday. 

State of Mind

Happiness is a state of mind. It has nothing to do with our being rich or poor etc..