SPIRITUAL ANIMATION HELPS

(Fr. Anthony Mampra SDB)

(For private circulation among friends)

Dedicated to the grateful memory of our Salesian Pioneers in this Centenary Year
(1906-2006) of the Salesian presence in India and as a modest Souvenir of the Diamond
Jubilee of the Religious Profession of Fr. Peter Mathew, Fr.Benedict Vadacherry, Fr. John
Nedumpuram, Fr. Thomas Kollanoor, Fr.Ittyachan Manjil, Fr. Abraham Vetticad and myself
(1947- 2007). With love

PRESENTATION
My dear friends,

I am offering these pages of ‘Spiritual Animation Helps’ in the hope that they will be
helpful to you for giving talks of various kinds, to preach Homilies, Recollections, give
Conferences, ‘Good Night talks,’ etc. They are from whatever collections I had, not presented
schematically with accurate references and often not even in complete sentences. It does not
follow a ‘scientific’ methodology and does not claim originality. There has been no intention to
present a complete, systematic treatise on subjects referred to, but as the title indicates, only
some ‘Helps’ for giving talks.

The First Volume is the collection of several of my Articles that appeared elsewhere in
publications and material for conferences. The content of others is also specified. I am aware
of their unavoidable drawbacks due to the nature of the work and limited aim. The themes have
not been developed exhaustively, but matter is offered from which you can select whatever is
found useful, add, improve upon, according to the audience and thus spare time. The
‘Compilation’ (Four Volumes, to be followed hopefully by a ‘Supplement’) is meant for
‘private circulation among friends.’ Some repetitions are deliberate, since going to references
where they occur, is not always easy.

The methodology followed is a piece of advice from Card. Newman, ‘Nothing would be
done at all if one waited so long to do a work so well, that nobody would ever find fault with
it.’
I remember an author who wrote in his introduction,’ Finally I thank my little daughter
without whose help, this work would have been done in half the time.’ I sincerely thank among
others, Rev. Fr.Jose Kuttiyanimattathil our Provincial, the Rector Fr.Bosco Ponthokkan, present
and former Staff members and Novices of the Padivayal Novitiate Community for their
encouragement, in a special way Fr.Tom Kuzhipala, for his indispensable helps, Bro. Maria
Anand, and in a particular way novice Bro Dinesh, for his generous help with the computer,
Bro. M .O .Mathew for patiently reading through parts of the text. I would feel rewarded, if,
some of you, those especially who have no access to the E-mail and Internet, find these pages,
helpful in your busy ministry.

Fr. Anthony Mampra, SDB

(Don Bosco, Padivayal, Waynad, 673581)

 VOLUME ONE
The First Volume contains my Published Articles on Spiritual Themes (20) and material for
preaching Recollections (66).
VOLUME TWO
Helps for Homilies on Liturgical Feasts, Reflections, Bible Themes especially Xmas
and Easter and Feasts of Our Lord, Adoration and Prayer Services, Suggestions for some
Sunday and Weekday Homilies (Alphabetically arranged), Reflections on various themes, and
Introductions to the H.Mass, on Our Lady, her Feasts, Apparitions, Anecdotes, the Rosary,
matter referring to the Church and Papacy, other Church-related information, Statistics, Church
Suffering, Missions, Church and Science.

VOLUME THREE
A few Articles on Don Bosco our Model, details from Don Bosco’s life, a few
Anecdotes, short Biographies of deceased Salesians, especially in India, Biographical sketches
of Saints and dedicated people and models of men and women who lived for an ideal, (unequal
length), St. Joseph, a short history of Religious Life, meaning and obligation of the vows, other
integral elements of Religious Life, story of some priestly and religious vocations, on the
Priesthood, varied helps for Retreats, Formation.and Salesian life.

VOLUME FOUR
Contains numerous Religious Anecdotes, Facts, a Collection of Jokes, (General and
from Salesian life), numerous Quotes for notice boards and to illustrate talks, General and
Church-related Dates for easy reference, a few Skits, Poems, several pages of Statistical
Information, short Reflections and helpful Exercises in English.
 SPIRITUAL ANIMATION HELPS
Title Page No
Volume I
Articles 138
Conference Themes 366
Volume II
Adoration Service 61
Christ Feasts 84
Church 130
Homilies 154
Mary 150
Mass Introduction 27
Rosary 25
Volume III
Don Bosco Model 81
Don Bosco, Salesians 81
Ideals 76
Priesthood 99
Religious Life 130
Saints 100
Volume IV
Anecdotes I 103
Anecdotes II 90
Anecdotes III 142
Anecdotes IV 88
Dates 46
Humour 69
Quotes 81
Statistics 70
TOTAL 2391