In Mysuru this Christmas season, the air was filled not just with traditional carols but laughter that flowed free and expressions as pure as one can get because it came from ‘special’ children. The Mysore Diocesan Commission for Health organised a soul-stirring Christmas, making the season of joy an event that testified to inclusion, dignity and unending hope. It was more than just an annual tradition, but a living display of the conviction that each child is a unique and loved part of God’s tapestry.
The celebration which was conducted on Dec 14, 2025 also conveyed a central message expressed by Bishop Francis Serrao SJ of Mysuru that every child is “precious in the sight of God and a living message of Christmas”. His remarks set the stage for an afternoon in which everyone made certain these amazing kids felt how deeply loved, respected and included they are.
The True Spirit of Bethlehem – Seeing Christ in Every Child
There was a simple but profoundly moving prayer service to start the event, returning it to its spiritual heart. Quickly followed the highlight of the day: cultural performances by special children themselves along with students from partner institutions.
These performances were a thunderous refutation in a world that assesses worth by capacity. The kids took the stage displaying their skills with infectious passion and impressive ease. There were high-spirited dances, melodramatic skits and real joy that swept the whole audience along. Those performances were not just entertainment, they were affirmations of self, a showing off of the special strength and voice each child had inside her. The sincere and heartfelt gratitude of the assembled priests, religious, volunteers, parents a101001 2500 nd well-wishers expressed the fact that for now all the bars of society had been broken down and only appreciation and love was left.
The presence of Emeritus Bishop Thomas Antony Vazhapilly and Estelle D’Souza, Regional Secretary of the commission added a tone to silence that this is an institutional commitment.
Memoir of a Life in Five Dogs: A Living Testimony to Faith, Courage, and Love
Bishop Serrao in his stimulating speech saved the best for special and for their parents. He called their lives a “living reflection of faith, courage and love,” noting that each day their lives epitomize the true meaning of Christmas “more powerfully than words.”
This was echoed by Estelle D’ Souza, who addressed children directly telling them words that raised their self-esteem. Every child “is lovingly from God,” she said, and children should put their confidence in themselves and remain true to their purpose. Her message was a powerful reassurance: not only are they loved and cherished, but they never are alone at all. To parents who struggle each day to keep their kids safe and happy in a world that is design for them, they sounded both soothing and energizing.
The event beautifully illustrated the profound message that the Nativity — the humble, world-transforming arrival of a vulnerable child — is a direct call to make “surely there was room” for those who are marginalized and overlooked. Then the dignity of every life, irrespective of its abilities or disabilities, becomes at the heart of the Christmas message.
The afternoon ended on a merry note with prize giving and select Christmas presents, refreshments and socialisation. It was a physical expression of love and cemented the heavy message of the day. The party did more than provide a happiness high: it established a memory of collective optimism and inclusion, underlining the belief that the very best present at Christmas is respect for human dignity in all its presentations.
The well-planned event by the Mysore Diocesan Commission for Health, is a prime example of how institutions can go further than charity to become advocates of real inclusion. It was a reminder that the most moving, most compelling Christmas story is one made real by the way we commit to one another.
