Organized by: Sunday Catechetical School, St. John the Baptist Church, Pilerne
Date: 6th July 2025
Venue: Catechetical Classrooms and Church Premises
In the sacred spirit of nurturing God’s creation, the Sunday Catechetical School of St. John the Baptist Church, Pilerne, came alive with joy, laughter, and love as we celebrated Van Mahotsav, not just as a tree plantation event, but as a festival of friendship, care, and communion with nature.
Each child, with a heart full of excitement and a plant cradled lovingly in their hands, stepped into class ready to share a part of their home, their garden, and their joy. The rule was simple yet meaningful: bring a flowering plant from your garden and exchange it with a friend. However, what unfolded was far more than a mere exchange.
Names were drawn through tiny chits, and suspense turned into squeals of delight as friends were matched. The children giggled, some shy, some bold, but all radiating a warmth that only such innocent gestures can bring. The act of giving something green, something living, created a beautiful bond. It was as though every plant exchanged carried a promise, and a little piece of home.
The glow on the children’s faces was not just from the morning sun but from a deeper light — the joy of giving. Parents watched with soft smiles while catechists gently guided the children and joined in the celebration themselves. Later, the catechists too exchanged flowering plants with one another, a symbolic act of unity, respect, and shared mission in nurturing young hearts.
Laughter echoed in the air, soil dusted small hands, and eyes sparkled with hope. It was a celebration rooted in love, blooming with joy, and watered with friendship. It reminded us all that when we plant together, we grow together in faith, in care, and community.
May the seeds sown today blossom into forests of compassion, and may each plant be a living reminder that creation is a gift to cherish, not a resource to exploit.
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
Genesis 2:15
Van Mahotsav 2025 was not just observed. It was felt, lived, and celebrated.