The Chungair (Flat Basket)

In our culture, the Chungair holds a central place in a family. It is like a sacred vessel that holds chapaties (roti, bread), our main food prepared from wheat flour. One Chungair binds and strengthens the family in ties of love, unity, sharing and togetherness.

Theological Symbolism
(Divine Providence - Deus Providebit)
In the scripture, the Chungair symbolizes blessings of life in abundance. It speaks of God's Providential Love for us. Though the Chungair may be ours, it is God who provides us with our daily bread and all that we need to be at His service.

Sacramental Symbolism
(Date et dabitur vobis – Give and shall be given you)
The Chungair symbolizes the openness of the family from which flows our social life and the family Eucharist. From it we distribute graces which give the experience of reciprocal sharing, It signifies the sacrifice of the parents who toil hard to provide bread for the family.

Covenantal Symbolism
(Cor Unum Anima Una - One heart and one soul)
The Chungair gives the sense of communion. In our culture, the
Chungair reveals the traditional values of fidelity, love and oneness. As at the Altar, we celebrate the Lord's Supper, "Do this in memory of me," when we sit around the Chungair, we do the same.

The wheat aound the Chungair signifies that it is our major crop. As a
grain of wheat has to die to yield fruit in abundance, which when ground and kneaded into dough, provides bread that gives life. Similarly, we need to die daily to self in order to give life to others.

The flame with the emblem in the centre of the Chungair, 'DEUS CARITAS EST' was the symbol for our centenary year in 1997. This symbol continues to invite us to keep alive the fire of God's love in our hearts and bear witness to it through our Spirit and Charism evermore fully.