Archdiocesan Catholic Enquiry Centre

Psalm 150:1-6
Alleluia!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in the vault of heaven.
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him for his own greatness.
Praise him with trumpet blast;
praise him with lyre and harp.
Praise him with dance and tambourines;
praise him with pipe and strings.
Praise him with clashing cymbals;
praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that breathes sing praise to the Lord.
Alleluia!

This is indeed a very special mission because for me it also combines a lot many things together at the same time. It is more like a traditional, nourishing-spread, a thali (sample pic from the internet attached) as most may have seen.

Such mission centres are places where persons who are either troubled with questions or are deeply wounded and hurting, enter, seeking solace or answers to their situation. (Indeed, sometimes, they also visited out of sheer curiosity…) The wonder about this mission is that it involves, people interactions, creativity with what can be shared (leaflets, pamphlets, live-examples, etc), Prayer and Counselling, Q & A, fellowship, catechesis, problems and resolutions, family life, children, peoples… yes, God and humanity.

I discovered it in September 2007. It was the time of the Novena to celebrate the Nativity Festival of Mama Mary at the St Mary’s Basilica in Shivajinagar, Bangalore. I was already into writing my ‘book’ when walking towards the Church from the Adoration Chapel found me staring at some posters that described the love of Lord Jesus. I sat with Sr Clare C L, a Daughter of St Paul, who was its Directress, to understand what it is that they were doing. I was invited to visit their Centre on the 1st floor of Infant Jesus Shrine, Viveknagar, Bangalore. I did on the 5th and then there was no turning back… This mission has been working in the Archdiocese of Bangalore since 1977, but it took me so many decades to reach it.

When God decides to rebuild, there is none who can stop Him…