SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP is a Christian Movement to bring to practice the social message to and for the poor revealed in the Sacred Scriptures.

SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP means the Fellowship of those whose life experience every day becomes the practical realisation of the social message of Jesus to and for the poor. They understand and are convinced of the Divine Message To and For the Poor, and consequently are inspired to serve Jesus in and through the poor.

The members of the SSSMILE Fellowship listen to the Word of God and live the message in their concrete life-situations. They strive to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to let the oppressed go free through a fellowship based on Sacred Scriptures' Social Message Into Living Experience abbreviated as SSSMILE.


SSSMILE Fellowship, aiming at its sublime goal, has two complementary aspects:

• Prayerful listening, reflection as well as discussion on the biblical texts containing social message to and for the Poor.


• Putting the revealed message into practice in concrete life situations.

SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP as a movement is the result of prayerful study, reflection and discussion of the texts of the Sacred Scriptures containing the social message To and For the Poor revealed in the Sacred Scriptures. It is Fr.Antony Plackal, a member of the Vinvcentian Congregation in Kerala, India, who first introduced the idea of "SSSMILE".

The idea first occurred to Fr. Antony Plackal when he was doing his doctoral dissertation on the biblical text of the Beatitudes in the Gospel of St. Matthew. The concept of happiness revealed in Jesus' message of the Beatitudes attracted him very much. Real happiness, he felt, creates a smile on the faces of people.

Beatitudes promise happiness to the poor, to the hungry, to the thirsty and to those who suffer in many ways. Fr.Plackal visualized the smiling faces of the poor and of the hungry and of those who suffer in many ways. The message of beatitudes made him enthusiastic, as the text reveals a way to make the poor happy and smiling. This was how the word "SMILE" really impressed his mind.

The text of the Beatitudes in the Matthean Gospel is the introduction to the whole "Sermon on the Mount". In the Biblical Studies the Sermon on the Mount is abbreviated as SM. "S" and "M" are also first letters of the word SMILE as well. Fr.Plackal thought that the real smile could be obtained if one puts into practice the message of the Sermon on the Mount. This inspired him to realize that the word SMILE is the sure result of as well as the abbreviation for SERMON ON THE MOUNT INTO LIVING EXPERIENCE.

The fact that the Lord relates the message of happiness contained in the Sermon on the Mount, especially in Beatitudes, to His social message of loving and helping the poor, is revealed more emphatically in the description of the Last Judgment as written in the Gospel of Matthew 25:31-46.

In this background Fr.Plackal saw SMILE as the result of and abbreviation for the SOCIAL MESSAGE INTO LIVING EXPERIENCE. However, the social message to and for the poor as revealed by Jesus has to be seen in the background of the Old Testament also. Therefore, Fr. Plackal added "SS" indicating Sacred Scriptures' to SMILE. Thus he created the "SSSMILE" as an abbreviation for SACRED SCRIPTURES' SOCIAL MESSAGE INTO LIVING EXPERIENCE.

REALIZATION OF THE IDEA
Fr. Antony Plackal shared the idea of SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP with the General and Provincial Councils of the Vincentian Congregation. He also proposed activities related with this idea. Being approved, Fr. Plackal began to put the idea into practice.

Accordingly, the idea of SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP was first introduced in the neighborhood of the Vincentian Generalate at Edappally. Some of the leading lay men of the locality showed interest. And they came together for a serious study and reflection on the theme of SSSMILE. As a result of that study and reflection of the passages of the Sacred Scriptures containing social message, it was decided that an organisation called SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP shall be started. And thus, SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP officially started functioning as an Association with by-laws and organisational set up, on 24th July 1994 at the Vincentian Generalate, Edappally. This was a combined effort of the Vincentian Fathers and an enthusiastic group of laity living in the neighborhood of the Vincentian Generalate. This has happened as an outcome of prayerful study, reflection and discussion on the texts of the Sacred Scriptures containing the divine social message to and for the poor.

After a period of two years' experimentation of SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP as an Association, it was found that the people appreciated the programme very much. It was really encouraging. Now as an Association it has more than 100 member-families in the General Body. Through the study and reflection of the social message of the Bible the people involve themselves in community service, helping and caring for the poor.

SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP IN FORMATION HOUSES

The programme of SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP was introduced in all the Formation Houses of the Vincentian Congregation so that the new members of the Congregation might get used to it and promote the programme among the people. The Seminarians, inspired by the social message of the Word of God which they read and reflected upon, visit the houses of the poor and try to understand their problems. The Seminarians also collect funds for helping the poor. This programme has enabled the Seminarians to grow more deeply in accordance with the charism and ideals of St. Vincent de Paul in helping the poor.

SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP IN VINCENTIAN HOUSES

The unit of SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP at the Vincentian Generalate, Edappaly, where it originated as an association, is on the path of progress.

A unit of the SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP was established in the Vincentian House, New Delhi on 29th June 1996. The priests and the Seminarians in Regency are working in this programme. The SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP programme in New Delhi has involved itself in three areas of activities: slum ministry, jail ministry and village ministry.

Attached to one of the Novitiate Houses of the Vincentian Congregation at Nedumkunnam, Kerala, a unit of SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP has been established in collaboration with lay people of the locality..

.In 1997, SSSMILE FELLOWSHIP was approved by the General Chapter of the Vincentian Congregation as a special programme through which the social ministry of the Congregation may be carried out.

Members of the SSSMILE Fellowship reach out to the poor, the needy and the less privileged and work with them for their well-being:

The first unit of SSSMILE Fellowship at Vincentian Generalate gets involved in:

• Housing-help to the poor
• Education-help for the less privileged
• Marriage help for poor girls
• Medical help for the poor

De Paul SSSMILE village:

• De Paul SSSMILE Village is a rehabilitation home for the homeless, the destitute and the abandoned children and elderly.
• All the children are educated in School and encouraged to study up to the highest level possible. Thus they are enabled to obtain a job and live with self sufficiency in the society.
• The elderly are taken care of providing them food, cloth, shelter, medicine according to their needs.

Through the various units of SSSMILE Fellowship the following activities are organised:

• Home for the homeless
• Education for the less privileged
• Vocational Training for the youth
• Medical care for the poor
• Prison ministry - rehabilitation of the ex-convicts

De Paul Sadan (Vincentian House Vikaspuri):
This is a SSSMILE Fellowship center in the capital city of India.

• A home for street children
• A home for outgoing inmates of jails
• Child-line for helping children in need
• Rehabilitation Centre at Ujwa, New Delhi

The Theology of SSSMILE Fellowship has strong BIBLICAL, ECCLESIAL and VINCENTIAN foundations:

Biblical Foundation
SSSMILE fellowship has its biblical foundation. The members of the fellowship, being inspired by the social message of the Sacred Scriptures, build up with great zeal a human family of universal brotherhood. This family of God's children is the marked sign of realization of God's Kingdom on Earth by mutual sharing of the love and at length, becomes privileged to listen to the resounding voice of the King on the Throne: "Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matt 25:40)

Ecclesial Foundation
SSSMILE Fellowship lays its ecclesial foundation on the historic reality of the Church, which reveals the untold joy of unity, charity and equality cherished among the early Christian communities. The members of the fellowship, being enlightened by the vision of the Gospel, are urged to respond to the social challenges of the day. Their sharing of love changes the face of the earth, as the Acts of the Apostles echoes: "the community of believers was of one heart and mind, ….There was no needy person among them…." (Acts 4:32-34)

Vincentian Foundation
SSSMILE Fellowship is firmly based on the Vincentian Charism. The Fellowship is a meaningful statement of Christian living today, following the way of St Vincent de Paul, a great Saint and social reformer of the 16th century, the father of the poor and the heavenly patron of all charitable activities in the Church..

Biblical Exegesis of biblical texts that contain Social Message, i.e. message revealed to and for the poor

Acts 2:41-47; 4:32-37 Gen 42:50 Exod 22:21; 23:3.6.11 Lev 25:8-55 Deut 6:4-9 Deut 14:22-29 Deut 15:4-11 1 Sam 2:7-8 2 Sam 12:1-2 Tob 4:7-11, 13-14, 16-17 Esther 9:20-28 Job 5:15; 24:4-9; 29:12-16; 30:25; 31:16; 34:28; 36:6 Psalms 9:18

Psalms 72, 82 Psalms 41:1-3 Proverbs 14:20; 19:7; 22:7 Proverbs 14:31; 17:5; 19:17 Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:6 Sir 4:1-10 Sir 13:18-23 Sir 29:12 Isa 3:14, 15; 10:1-4 Isa 58:3-12 Isa 61:1-3 Ezek 18:1-32 Gal 2:10.