Fr. Ronald Veigas

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Fr. Ronald Veigas
St. Francis-Xavier Mission Kable, Karnataka, India
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St. Francis-Xavier MissionVillage of
KableDiocese of ShimogaKarnataka, India
Mass Intention Success of the Mission Appeal
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Karnataka, India
Karnataka
Diocese of Shimoga Village of Kable
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St. Matthew ChurchPlymouth NHAugust 1993
Fr. Albert Veigas spoke about young people in
his diocese of Shimoga, India who
needed financial help for their education.
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Fr. Ronald Veigas
We selected a young man Ronald Veigas, We found
out later that he was Fr. Alberts nephew.
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• Ronald Veigas was born in Mangalore. Our family
  supported him spiritually and financially from
  1993 through 2002 during his seminary training.
• He was ordained in May 2002.
• Our family continues to support him.
• He was assigned to the Saint Francis-Xavier
  Mission in Kable, India.
• He visited, on foot, all his parishioners.

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• After deciding the needs of his parish, he
  worked with the parishioners to build a boarding
  home for the 115 children of his parish so that
  they could continue their education from Monday
  through Friday without having to travel from
  their home to the school. He fed them, clothe
  them and gave them a place to sleep.

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His adopted children
During his visit, he found these children who had
been abandoned. Fr. Rony gave them a home in his
rectory.
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The Mission In IndiaDiocese of Shimoga
Feed My Lambs
Feed My Sheep
Fr. Ronald Fr. Albert Veigas
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
St. Francis-Xavier
Blessed Theresa of Calcutta
Build Up My Church
Pray for Us
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• The Mission in India is to build a new church for
  the parishioners of St. Francis Xavier Parish,
• In the village of Kable
• In the Diocese of Shimoga,
• Karnataka, India.

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• The Catholic Community there had outgrown the
  tiny, 25 year old, flood damaged structure of a
  church, which is situated in the second rainiest
  part of the world.

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The Beginning of his ParishThe first Church
had inadequate space a leaky roof
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Interior of the first Churchwith its leaky roof
One can see the puddles
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Fr. Ronys Rectory
Two rooms office/kitchen a sleeping area
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He taught Catechism in the Rectory
for his adopted children in the sleeping area.
Blankets are placed on the floor for their
bedding at night.
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School Children of the Parishwith their teachers
These are the 115 children of the boarding
home who stay there from Monday through Friday
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A Parishioners Home
No electricity No indoor plumbing Inadequate
heating Leaky roof
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The dams overflow into the village during the
monsoon season
Karnataka The second rainiest location in the
world. At times, homes and the crops are
destroyed because of the flooding
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• The people of the United States and of Karnataka,
  India were asked to share in the building project
  scheduled from June 25, 2006 through June 25,
  2007, by making a pledge from the heart
• for some of
• The Poorest of the Poor

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• Since the needs of the diocese
• are overwhelming,
• the Bishop can offer
• only minimal financial help.
• Funds must come
• from generous benefactors.

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• Fr. Albert Veigas, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish
  in Bedford Heights, Ohio is
• Fr. Ronys uncle. He, also, was a missionary
  priest in India.
• From May to August 2005, Fr. Albert hosted Fr.
  Rony in efforts to gain financial support in the
  United States.
• During the summer of 2005, Fr. Rony was able to
  raise 12,000 - 138,000 shy of the total needed
  150,000.

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The First FundraiserJune 2005
An outdoor Mass with our family and friends was
held at our home in West Greenwich RI
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St. Joseph ChurchHope Valley RI
Mass was also celebrated in this church with
family, friends and parishioners also in June
2005
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A Pilgrimage to Kateris ShrinesFr. Rony and I
visitedtwo of these shrines
National Kateri Shrine  Fonda NY Where the
remains of her village of Caughnawaga exist
North American Martyrs Shrine  Auriesville
NY Former Holy Trinity Mission in the Mohawk
village of Ossernenon
St. Francis-Xavier Mission ChurchBlessed Katéri
Tekakwitha Shrine, Kahnawaké, Québec, Canada
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• We did not visit Blessed Kateris tomb in Saint
  Francis-Xavier Church in the Mohawk village of
  Kanawaké, in Québec, Canada.
• From Fonda NY we headed to
• Plymouth New Hampshire.

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St. Matthew ChurchPlymouth NH
Fr. Rony celebrated Mass in the Church where we
were first introduced to Ronald Veigas by his
uncle Fr. Albert Veigas in 1993
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St. Agnes ChurchAshland NH
Our family has vacationed in Ashland NH since
1980. Fr. Rony and I rested a few days here.
Mass was concelebrated with Fr. Leo
Leblanc Pastor of this parish
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• Without Fr. Rony asking for financial help, we
  were able to raise 5000 from our family, friends
  and parishioners of the three parishes where he
  celebrated Mass. His demeanor and presence
• influenced their generosity.
• These people continue
• to support his Mission in Kable.

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Mission in Progress2007
The laying of the cornerstone and plaque at the
beginning of the construction took place in the
spring of 2007 with the Bishop, clergy, family
parishioners in attendance.
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Construction in the spring of 2007
The walls of the church are beginning to be
erected
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A new home for his parishioners
In addition, donations were given to begin
erecting new homes for the poorest of the
parishioners
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Festivals of Dance and Song
were held on church property to raise funds .
These could not be held in public since Indian
Law forbids the display of Christianity in
public places.
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Fr. Rony held Catechism classes
outdoors for the school children. The
parishioners accept his teachings very seriously
and religiously.
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Second Fundraiser 2007Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
Church
August 16, 2007 Fr. Gerry Sabourin Fr. Rony
Veigas
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Fr. Rony celebrated Mass atBlessed Kateri Church
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Our Family and Friends participated in the Mass
Following the Mass we attended a Luncheon in
honor and thanksgiving for Fr. Ronys Mission
Appeal.
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CONNECTIONS?

• Saint Isaac Jogues Holy Trinity Mission was in
  the Mohawk village of Ossernenon where Tekakwitha
  
• was born in 1656.
• Fr. Ronys uncle in the parish of Holy Trinity
  handles the Holy Trinity Mission Account funds
• for Fr. Ronys parish.

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• Blessed Kateris body is entombed
• in the St. Francis- Xavier church
• in Kahnawaké village, Québec Canada.
• Fr. Ronys parish is named
• St. Francis-Xavier

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• Tekakwithas mother Prairie Flower
• was in the same Pachirini Algonquin clan
• and family in Québec
• in which also was my 8th great-grandmother
  Mite8ameg8k8e .
• Both women were American Indians.
• Fr. Rony is our spiritually adopted son.
• He is an Indian.

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By October 2008
All walls have been erected. The next step the
roof and interior walls
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Christmas Blessing from Fr. Rony
May Jesus, the light of the world, envelop you
with His Radiance and Light. May He guide your
path in a special way at this Christmas 2008
and the New Year 2009.
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December 2008
The walls for the roof and some interior walls
were completed. The roof itself was next.
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New Church InaugurationMarch 28, 2009

• A Mass was concelebrated with the Bishop,
• Fr. Rony and other clergy in the new Church.
• The parishioners of St. Francis-Xavier
• participated for the first time in their new
  church.
• The Church is not completely finished as yet,
• but it will be used for Mass
• and other Church services
• while the rest of the construction continues.

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Your Help
If you wish to help with Fr. Ronys Mission,
there is a flyer with information on the table
in the social hall .
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• There is more information on my website
• http//www.leveillee.net
• St. Francis-Xavier Parish
• http//www.leveillee.net/stfrancisxavier
• Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Parish
• http//www.kateritekakwitha.org/katerichurch
• Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Website
• http//www.kateritekakiwtha.org/kateri

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My Prayer to Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

• Dear Cousin Kateri Tekakwitha,
• Flower of the Algonquins and Lily of the Mohawks,
  
• The Great Spirit, our Creator, chose you among
  all the Native Americans to be His messenger of
  love and service to His people.
• You were subjected to all sorts of ridicule -
  being called "the Christian", "the Algonquin" -
  by your people, the Mohawks. Yet you persevered
  in your undying love of Jesus and Mary above all
  else.   Lead us to this perfection of love and
  sacrifice as you did in an environment much like
  today's world of self-centeredness, greed and the
  idolatry of the material.
• You lived Jesus' message of "Love God with your
  whole heart and your whole soul, and love your
  neighbor as yourself". Please be our guide
  towards a saintly life of love and dedication to
  others.
• When we are about to give up our spirit, please
  help us to cross over into that happy hunting
  ground to share our Creator's reward that you now
  cherish with Jesus, Mary and our Great Spirit.
• Cousin Tekakwitha, please watch over, protect and
  guide us as we attempt to walk in your mocassins.
  
• Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Flower of the
  AlgonquinsLily of the MohawksPlease pray for us

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THANK YOUThe Leveillee Family
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The Mission In IndiaDiocese of Shimoga
Feed My Lambs
Feed My Sheep
Fr. Ronald Fr. Albert Veigas
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
St. Francis-Xavier
Blessed Theresa of Calcutta
Build Up My Church
Pray for Us