SERVICE & MINISTRY

Charity is the greatest virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. The practice of all virtues is animated and inspired by charity, which "binds everything together in perfect harmony", says the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Hence Service has been the motto of our diocese right from its birth and it is always carried out through Charity.

i) Coimbatore Diocese Society.
ii) Coimbatore Diocese Pastoral Center.
iii) Coimbatore Multipurpose Social Service Society (CMSSS).
iv) Fides Education Trust.
v) Medical Fund

The Name of the Society is Coimbatore Diocese Society. It is registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860. It was registered at Coimbatore on 11th February 1922. S. No. 1 OF 1921 - 1922.

OBJECTIVES :

i) The promotion of literature and science, the diffusion of useful knowledge and charitable purposes.
ii) To provide and administer Churches, chapels, schools, hostels, houses, convents, institutes, libraries, hospitals, clubs, dispensaries and other religious, educational and charitable institutions in India.

Contact :
Msgr. Rev. Fr. John Joseph Stanis
Secretary, Governing Body,
Vicar General, Bishop's House,
Post Box No. 6, Coimbatore 641 001.
Phone: 0422 2390430, Fax : 0422 2394530,
E Mail : [email protected].

In order to foster the Renewal of the Church in the Diocese of Coimbatore, according to the clarion call given by the 2nd Vatican Council, the Late Rev. Dr. C.M. Visuvasam, Bishop of Coimbatore (1972-1979), with his acumen and foresight, inaugurated the diocesan pastoral Centre on the 15th November 1973, with 10 commissions functioning under temporary rules. Rev. Fr.Ephraem was appointed as the General and Co-coordinating Secretary. The next two years saw the birth of 4 more commissions to keep up with the parallel commissions of the set up of TNBC,14 in all. As a fruit of combined study and discussion, the statutes of the pastoral center was canonically approved and promulgated by the Late Visuvasam on the 16th September 1977 ( Ref. No. 700A/77 RD14(68)).

Purpose :
The Centre is an organization in which the clergy-diocesan & religious, Brothers and Sisters, and the Laity, conscious of their unity and co-responsibility with their Bishop, cooperate with him in the exercise of his pastoral service of his pastoral service to extend the Kingdom of God.

Aim : UNITY, WITNESS & SERVICE according the Directives of Vat II.

To achieve this aim, the following 26 Diocesan Commissions are :

1. Diocesan Pastoral Centre Director & Co-ordinator: Fr. Selvaraj
2. Evangelization - Fr. Selvaraj
3. Catechism & Moral Science- Fr. Selvaraj
4. Social Communications - Fr.Thadeaus Amaldass
5. Clergy - Fr. D. Arokiasamy
6. Peace & Justice – Fr Arun Gnanaprakasam
7. SC & ST - Fr. Arun Gnanaprakasam
8. Education – Fr Maria Joseph
9. Prison Ministry - Fr. Lourdu Alexis Xavier
10. Vocation - Fr. D. Arokiasamy
11. Liturgy – Fr. Selvaraj
12. Bible - Fr. C. Lawrence
13. Ecumenism and Dialogue – Fr. A.M. Joseph Dhanraj
14. Youth - Fr. Kirubakaranathan
15. Labour – Fr. Philip
16. Family - Fr. Selvaraj
17. Legal Cell - Fr. Selvaraj
18. Pious Associations - Fr. D. Arokiasamy
19. Prayer Groups – Fr. Xavier Claudius
20. Basic Christian Community - Fr. Selvaraj
21. YCS & YSM - Fr. Selvaraj
22. Laity Council – Fr. Selvaraj
23. Health: Fr. Selvaraj
24. Regional Director of Missions - Fr. Selvaraj
25. Women – Sr. Maria Jose Pemela
26. Holy Childhood - Fr. Selvaraj

Jeeva Jothi Ashram :

A movement of the diocese of coimbatore envisioned by Late Bishop C.M.Visuvasam to put up all commissions under one roof.The symbolic meaning of the name is ' House of life giving Light ' Which is christ Himself. Training Program, Leadership camps, Retreats and Camps,are conducted here.

The Genesis :

Coimbatore Multi Purpose Social Service Society is the official social service organization of the diocese o Coimbatore. It was established in the year 1966 and was registered as a non-government organization under registration of Societies Act XXI of 1860 with the registration number 109. Its activities in the beginning were more of charitable and the trend continued. In the year 1985, a macro level evaluation was conducted, and as a result the Society resolved to cater to the developmental needs of the women, children, small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers and the disabled. Thus CMSSS is an organizational response to the social, economic and cultural injustices, widely prevalent in its operational area in the districts of Coimbatore, Erode, Karur of Tamilnadu and Pallakad of Kerala State.

The Nature :

CMSSS has a broad humanitarian outlook by reaching out to the people, irrespective of religion, caste and language. The society was always willing to grow and branch out in to the fresh avenues of interventions.Starting from the Empowerment of rural women through people's organization, now the Society has placed hands on various programmes like economic empowerment of the poor through people's bank rehabilitation of the child labour, school out, street children and the disabled sustainable agriculture and water, land and biomass management. CMSSS also collaborates with the government in the programmes like 'Mahalir Thittam' and other schemes offered to NGOs.

Women and Children

Awareness Generation
Non Formal Education
Leadership Training
Legal Literacy
Formation of SHGs, women groups and its federations
People's Bank/ Credit Union
Skill Training
Income Generation Programme

Community Health

Health Awareness
Formation of village health committees
Promotion of herbal medicine
Home based and village based herbal garden
Medical camps & Exposure trips
Low cost Sanitation

Community based Rehabilitation (CBR)

Awareness Education
Formation of SHGs / Credit Union
Medical Camps / Assistance
Vocational Training
Government Schemes

Small and Marginal Farmers/ Agricultural Laborers

Formation of farmers group
Credit Union
Organic Farming
Animal Husbandry
Model Farms

Environment

Environment Education
Sustainable Agricultural practices, eco framing, vermin composting, bio pesticides etc
Water and Soil Management gully plugging / contour trenching, bunding etc
Water Shed Management
Desiltation / construction of check dams

Economic Programme

Savings
Rotation of Common Fund
People's Bank
Training on IGP
Self Employment
Micro Enterprises
Group Ventures

Supportive Services

Assistance to orphans
Assistance to refugees
Assistance to destitute/widows/aged
Sponsorships of families/children
Career guidance to youth
Emergency relief
Drinking Water

Contact :
Rev. Fr.DIRECTOR , CMSSS
Post Box No. 6, Bishop's House,
Coimbatore- 641 001.
Tamilnadu, South India.
Voice - 0422 - 2391831 Fax - 0422 - 2391525
Mobile - 98422 - 39152 E Mail - [email protected]

Object of the Trust :

The primary object of the Trust is, granting Scholarships for Education of Children (Boys & Girls belonging to the Diocese of Coimbatore) from poor families who cannot afford to send their Children to Colleges or for Professional and technical studies. Applications are scrutinized by the Committee and scholarships are granted from the available funds.

Chairman : Most Rev. Dr. l. Thomas Aquinas
Secretary : Msgr . Vicar General
Post.Box.No : 6, Bishop's House, Coimbatore - 641001
Tamilnadu, South India.