:: FRANCISCANS INDIA ::

Secretariat of Evangelization

Secretariat of Evangelization is an animating body to educate and promote the friars in the areas of inculturation, inter-religious dialogue, evangelization. It will create an awareness among the friars of the spirit of Missions, and will communicate to them about the missionary projects and activities of the order at the national level and conduct exchange programmes between North and South India.

The scope of this secretariat is:

To facilitate contact with the "Mission" – both within and outside the country
To disseminate information regarding missionary projects and activities in the province
To identify and train personnel for missions
To convene meetings of missionaries – at least, once a year – in view of evaluating and updating the methodology of missionary evangelization
To form a "Franciscan Missionary Union" in the province.

	Amala Das M	Secretary and Convener
	Richard D'Silva	Member
	Carlos Dias	Member
	Dominic CJ	Member

Sr. Alberra FMM a missionary from Ghana (Africa) addresses the students of Basic Formation.

The Missionary in the Land of Smiles (Thailand)


Friar. Johnson President of the Foundations of Thailand

Thai children Friar Johnson and SFO Members

Friar Johnson M.V has been working in Thailand since the last 7 and a half years. It took him 9 months to learn the Thai language and start celebrating Eucharist for the people. Seeing his pastoral work the Bishop has asked the friars to take up a parish, and friars have been serving in a new parish for the last one year.

Thailand has 0.4% of Catholics in the total population and the total Christian population will be 1.7%. The ten dioceses have all Thai bishops. The majority Buddhists are very tolerant and co-operates well with the Church related programs. The Franciscans look after a Hospice for Aids Patients. Friar Johnson said that Secular Franciscans, most of them well-educated and well placed in society are instrumental in helping the friars with the successful running of the hospice. Besides Johnson, there are three other friars – two from Indonesia and one from Brasil. This entity comes directly the Minister General.