MISSION THRUST
CST Mission in Punjab-Rajasthan is a creative convergence of faith and culture. For the past five decades, hand in hand with the dioceses and other religious congregations, the Theresians have been instrumental in facilitating proactive exchanges between the cultures of Punjab and Rajasthan and the Christian faith. For instance, the title ‘Covent School’ has become a trademark of quality education which is relatively a new evolution in the cultural lexicon of these lands under the influence of the Catholic Church. At the same time, the incorporation of the famous Langar Sangath (common meal) of the Sikh tradition into the Church practices is a gesture of culture-enriching faith.
Melas (Church Feasts) permeate a festive mood not only over a parish but also over its entire vicissitudes elevating it to the status of a cultural feast! All the same, the Christian message of self-sacrifice is very sensible for the Sikh brethren as the example of the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru offers them a fitting parallel to associate with. Such a give-and-take rapport between faith and culture in the land of Punjab and Rajasthan obliterates any thoughts of CST Mission one without the other. Celebration of faith is by default necessarily followed by the celebration of culture. Thus, the mission thrust of the CST Mission embodies the embeddedness and encounter of the Christian Faith with the cultural plurality and diversity of Punjab and Rajasthan.