Greetings One & All,
This is to take you through one of the most important and meaningful projects.
The Ignatian Year Housing Project was initiated by Fr. Agnelo Mascarenhas SJ, Provincial of Pune Jesuit Province and the Task being given to Fr. Francis Patekar SJ, Principal, St. Vincent’s High School & Junior College, Ex-Officio VOBA & PCA-Pune Province, to reach out to the Vincentians through its Alumni, to generate funds, for building homes for 10 Poor, needy & deserving families in two hamlets (Bhosarmal & Malwadi) of Parner Taluka, Ahmednagar District, at a cost of Rs. 2 lakhs per home, totaling Rupees 20 Lakhs.
During the visit to Bhosarmal & Malwadi villages, the members were appalled to see the condition of the houses that families were living in. The mud houses were in shambles, in some cases, the height of the entrance door was less than 3 feet and so the family living in it had to literally bend to enter the house, the area inside the house was approximately 6×6 feet, life was difficult for a family of four and more to live under these conditions.
The houses and the families identified by Social Centre, Ahmednagar, under the dynamic leadership of Fr. Siju Varghese SJ, Director. SCA were absolutely in need and the project took off as on 25th January 2021 with laying of the foundation stone and the Bhumi-Pooja was done by the hands of the Provincial Fr. Agnelo Mascarenhas SJ, in the presence of Jesuit Dignitaries and villagers of the respective hamlets.
The housing project falls within the jurisdiction of the Pune Province, the Vincent’s Alumni we’re convinced that they Vincentians must move forward and look beyond their own Alumni by reaching out to the less fortunate in the best possible way, in giving the marginalised a decent home to live in.
The project to raise funds amounting to Rs. 20 Lakhs was started on Sunday, 5th December 2021 and was accomplished on Tuesday, 13th September 2022 through the kind generosity of Vincentians worldwide stretched across several batches its Alumni (VOBA), Vincent College Alumni (VINCA) and Well-wishers from all over.
The construction work is completed and the 10 families are happy and cheerful as we could see the joy on their faces during our 2nd visit to the hamlets, for the formal inauguration on Sunday, 26th February 2023 they have moved in to their new home.
In recognition of the efforts put in by the above like minded Benefactors and Influencers, a grand felicitation program was organised on Saturday, 4th March 2023 and was presided by Fr. Agnelo Mascarenhas SJ as Chief-Guest.
Presenting Photos of the Felicitation Programme.
God Bless all who made this possible
Jesuit Alumni
Richard Fernandes
Project Secretary (IYHP)
“VINCENTI DABITUR”