WELCOME TO ssvp !
“CHARITY IS THE CEMENT WHICH BINDS COMMUNITIES TO GOD AND PERSONS TO ONE ANOTHER”
The Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health, Khairatabad. As we look back with gratitude the five decades of dedicated service, a journey walked with the support of committed members, benefactors and spiritual directors touching the countless lives of the needy, this is indeed a testament to a milestone achieved.
The society was started in our Parish, on the 8th December, 1974 on the solemn feast of the Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary at the initiation of our founders Bro. T. Chinnapa and Bro. Andrew Anthony along with the first spiritual director Rev.Fr. Y.M. Joseph to walk on the path of our founder Blessed Fredrick Ozanam.
The society raised its funds by way of donations & subscriptions to extend monetary help to the poor parishioners. A list of beneficiaries was prepared and services were granted in cash and kind. Six annas was given to each beneficiary per month. Text books, note books & uniforms were given to the poor students of the parish. Rev. Fr. C. Arogyam the then Parish Priest contributed Rs.600/- every month to the society to carry out the charitable services.
A coffin box project was started by the society to help the very poor parishioners, the coffin boxes were hand made by the society members.
In the year 1976 a charitable Homeopathy dispensary was started by one of the founder member Dr. P L S Prasad Rao, RMP (Homeopathy). Patients from the parish and locality irrespective of their religion received treatment. The dispensary was certified as the best charitable dispensary in the twin cities.
The society celebrated their Silver Jubilee on the 19th December, 1999, marking their 25 years of dedicated service to the parish community. The society continued their dedicated services for a good many years after the Silver Jubilee, thereafter, due to the dwindling number of members and unavailability of funds, the activities slowed down. Mr. Bhagyanathan, present President and Mr. Arokianadan, were the only two members who kept the society working with the little funds they received.
The year 2019-2020 when the Covid pandemic struct the world, it was a turning point for the society and a big change took place. It all started with Mr. Anthony John Benedict (Naveen) had a spare bag of rice and wanted to give it to the poor, it was then, that he remembered the society of St. Vincent de Paul services to the poor. He didn’t stop there but, right away along with two other members Mr. Harry Johnson & Mr. Angelo Micheal contacted Mr. Bhagyanathan & Mr. Arokianathan to revive the activities of the society.
Thus, the three energetic members were welcomed into the society and with the guidance of Mr. Bhagyanathan they took over the activities with commitment pooling in money from their own resources providing food packets and necessary help to the poor during the peak time of the pandemic.
These generous deeds will be remembered and blessings assured from the almighty. God loves and blesses a cheerful giver.
The first service to the poor was distributing grocery food packages and for stocking these supplies they required a room they approached the then Parish Priest Rev. Fr. G. Aragoswamy who allotted a room to them in the old school building.
The number of beneficiaries were increasing with the pandemic situation. They had to think of a way to raise more funds, that’s when the idea of a religious article stall sprang up. The Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Micheal Selvaraj provided a space near the veneration chapel where now the stall stands. The space was given, the stall was built, but they didn’t have funds to purchase the religious articles, then came the idea to join a chit fund, whereby it was possible to start up the stall. The stall was inaugurated on the 4th June, 2021. The profits from the stall goes towards some of the services provided to the beneficiaries.
With the society activities expanding new members have joined and now we are a lucky number of 13 strong dedicated Vincentian family of members, out of which three of them are active youth members.
The society provides rations to all its beneficiaries twice a year for Christmas and Easter. As per the rule of the society five poor families are adopted and ration is provided to them every month.
The society has started a monthly financial allowance to four handicapped children. In some cases, school fees for some very poor orphan students are paid.
The Society members visit the sick parishioners and extend necessary help.
A free medical camp was conducted on 20th January, 2024 which was open to all irrespective of caste or creed. The camp was sponsored by Aashrayam Hand of Hope & End Time Saviours. Besides the free check-ups, free spectacles and medicines were given. A large number of patients turned up to avail this facility as per our register the number crossed 250.
Another very noble service the society has taken up is to pay for the funeral expenses for those poor parishioners who cannot afford. The society has so far helped to pay for about 10 funerals.
As a kind gesture the society started serving tea and buns/biscuits on first Saturday of every month after the 6.00 a.m. mass to the pilgrims who come to our shrine, the pilgrims have appreciated our gesture and we now have sponsors for the tea and buns every month. Good deeds never go unnoticed.
The feast of St. Vincent de Paul is celebrated every year on the last Sunday of September, beginning with holy mass and a short programme thereafter lunch is served to all the beneficiaries.
As we look ahead to the future, focusing on our vision to be committed to the cause we stand for to help our less fortunate community. Let us unite and continue in the footsteps of our founder Fredrick Ozanam, spreading love and hope to those who are most in need and restore their human dignity. May we always strive to keep up the spirit of humility, piety, generosity, charity, loyalty, unity, progress and peace turning the coming years into diamond & platinum.
In the words of Jesus let us follow: “what so ever you do to the least of your brother that you do unto me”.
Meeting Timing
Every Saturday – 9 AM
Location
SSVP Office, Ground Floor,
Pilgrim Quarters Building
