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As we conclude this series on the historic visit of Pope Paul VI to India, Sr. Celine D’Cunha explores his deep affection for India, his legacy of compassion, and his vision for a Church rooted in dialogue and unity. As we prepare for Jubilee 2025, let us discover the timeless lessons and inspiration his journey offers us today.

On June 21, 1963, the very day of his election, when Paul VI was having lunch together with the Cardinals, a Polish Cardinal who was sitting next to Cardinal Gracious, commenting on the name chosen by the new Pope, remarked: “Now the Holy Father must go to India as Paul the Missionary”. Prophetic words indeed! On the 30th of September 1964, Paul VI communicated to Cardinal Gracious his momentous decision to visit India: “In nomine Domini, eamus“.

Indeed, he came, he saw, he met, he lived, he loved, he witnessed, he celebrated and he conquered the hearts of millions of Indians and left behind a testimony of unforgettable memories.  Back in Rome, during the General audience of December 9, 1964, he affirmed openly: “We need to form a more adequate concept of the catholicity of the Church, a broader desire for the human brotherhood and sisterhood to which it educates us and obliges us, to face with greater apostolic courage the questions relating to the presence of the Church in the world.”                  

Sr. CELINE D’CUNHA FMA

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The biennial Meeting of the International Societies of Apostolic Life (MISAL) 2024, held from December 2 to 6 at the Pilar Pilgrim Center in Goa, India, brought together representatives from 29 Societies of Apostolic Life. The event, hosted by the Society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier (Society of Pilar), centered on the theme Journeying Together: Encountering New Frontiers, reflecting the mission of the Church in a rapidly changing world. Various major superiors were in attendance, alongside Sr. Elsa Muttathu PBVM, National Secretary of the Conference of Religious India (CRI). Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, delivered the keynote address, setting the tone for the meeting by emphasizing the boundless nature of Christian love. The meeting coincided with the ongoing decennial exposition of the sacred relics of St. Francis Xavier, the Patron of Missions. Delegates described the veneration of the sacred relics as a profound spiritual experience.

Love Beyond Boundaries

Cardinal Tagle began his address by stressing that Christian love transcends all frontiers. “A frontier,” he explained, “is not just a border between territories; it encompasses civil, cultural, and even historical dimensions.” He called on the delegates to challenge their understanding of borders and to consider how these divisions often impede the universal Mission of the Church. Drawing from Jesus’ example of breaking cultural barriers, he encouraged the assembly to go beyond territorial borders and engage in mission with a heart open to all cultures, peoples, and experiences. “While we respect borders, we must embrace the universal frontier of Christian love,” said Cardinal Tagle.

 Br. Malvino Alfonso OCD

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Following the first article in this series, published in the December issue of Magnet, Sr. Celine continues her exploration of Pope Paul VI’s historic visit to India. Marking its 60th anniversary, this second article delves into the profound impact of the 38th International Eucharistic Congress, the vision of Vatican II, and the Pope’s tireless commitment to peace and inter-religious dialogue. The article highlights the enduring legacy of a Pontiff who exemplified humility, unity, and a transformative vision for humanity.

The visit of Paul VI to Bombay was a decisive success for the Catholic Church and the Indian Government. This humble Pilgrim of God got a reception – the highest manifestation of reverence, so full of cordiality and esteem, that no previous visitor to India had known. Dr. Radhakrishnan, President of India, who personally came to Bombay to meet Paul VI, said that such meetings “would ultimately result in all people working together, in a spirit of sincerity, reaching their fulfilment as members of one common family of God.” His attitude of humility and magnanimity, his capacity to be one with the Indian people won the hearts of the multitudes.

Paul VI nurtured a special affection for the enormous peoples of India and Asia. He affirmed: “In our memory Bombay will remain the symbol and compendium of the great continent of Asia, with its ancient cultures and traditions, with its immense populations, with its ardent desire for peace…We saw a most worthy humanity, innate with its millenary cultural traditions, not all Christians, but profoundly spiritual, good and kind, ancient and young at the same time…”

Sr. CELINE D’CUNHA FMA

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The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office, is an invitation to all Christians to join in the eternal prayer of Christ. Rooted in Christ’s command to “pray without ceasing” (Luke 18:1, 21:36), it provides a way to sanctify each day through praise, thanksgiving, and intercession. Traditionally seen as a prayer for clergy and religious, today it is an opportunity for everyone to ground their lives in prayer.

The Development of the Divine Office

From the earliest days of Christianity, the faithful sought ways to fulfil Christ’s call to constant prayer. Drawing on Jewish traditions of praying at set times, the Church structured the Divine Office into seven key moments: Matins (Night Prayer), Lauds (Morning Prayer), Vespers (Evening Prayer), and the minor hours—Prime, Terce, Sext, Nones, and Compline. By the ninth century, this prayer became formalized, sung primarily by monastics and clergy. Over time, as languages evolved and fewer people could dedicate hours to prayer, the Breviary was created as a simplified version for clergy and religious.

A Prayer for All: Not Just for Clerics

The Second Vatican Council recognized the need to make the Liturgy of the Hours accessible to all. Sacrosanctum Concilium emphasized that the Divine Office should not be reserved only for clergy but should be open to everyone. As Pope Francis notes, it’s not enough to simply provide the texts; the faithful must allow the liturgy to shape them.

Sr Shalini Xavier CTC

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A Beacon of Hope in Crisis

There are countless examples of St. Charles Borromeo being a Pilgrim of Hope to those suffering from natural calamities and epidemics. St. Charles helped his people see how their suffering was a participation in the Passion of Christ, but he did so in a way that offered them hope. As a servant of God and father to his people, Charles was an outstanding example of a bishop whose care for the people was tested by fire. In the 1570s, Milan was struck by a plague. This was exacerbated by a shortage of food, leaving many malnourished and more vulnerable to disease. Faithful to his episcopal motto, Humilitatis (“Humility”), he visited and comforted the sick during the plague years of 1576 and 1577, sparing no expense of his own to care for the afflicted.

Walking the Talk: A Model of Humility and Service

St. Charles Borromeo aimed to live a simple life and believed that transforming his diocese began with converting his own household. His impact was primarily through personal example rather than decrees. “Walking the talk,” he sold most of his possessions and opened shelters for the poor, including wanderers, neglected individuals, reformed prostitutes, and orphans—today’s marginalized and vulnerable groups, such as battered women and abused children. While he recognized that giving away his wealth wouldn’t eliminate starvation or poverty, he understood the necessity of sharing. He upheld the Scripture passage, “The poor you will always have with you” (John 12:8), choosing to invest his resources where they were most needed.

SR SHEILA CORDA SCB

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Recall an experience of receiving positive feedback from someone—about your gifts or character or accomplishments. How did you feel when you received it? How did it help you?

Now, recall an experience of receiving negative feedback—someone pointing out a defect or flaw of yours, or some not so pleasant aspect of your behaviour. Was it given with love and respect, or harshly, or in humiliating way? How did you feel then? Would you like to receive negative feedback in the way it was given?

Now, think of some positive feedback you gave someone else—a word of appreciation or encouragement, a sincere word of thanks for something the person did for you. What was the other person’s response? Did your relationship improve or deepen as a result?

Recall now a negative feedback you gave to someone. Was it a correction given to someone under your care—a son or daughter, a student, a formee, a member of your religious house where you were a superior? How did you give it? Calmly or in anger? After pointing out the person’s good qualities or without it? Did you give the other person a chance to explain himself or herself?

Fr Joe Mannath SDB

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“Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins. And it’s up to you to make that happen. Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world.”

— Barack Obama.

Many years ago, I remember watching a Chinese movie in which a little boy, Doggie, is cruel to frogs. He ties a large stone on the back of a frog and laughs in glee when the frog is unable to jump or move about. The master, known as “Wang Bianlian” or “King of Masks,” who had taken the little boy under his wing to train him, decides to teach him a lesson. One night, when the boy was sleeping, the master ties a large rock on his back and when the boy wakes from sleep, he is unable to stand up nor move. He starts crying and begging the master to free him. This scene is significant in the movie as it highlights the master’s effort to teach the boy compassion and respect for all living beings.

One of the core principles that underlie the emotional dimension of the wholeness paradigm is when we embrace our emotions and nurture our own and others’ emotional well-being, we are well equipped to cultivate a sense of wholeness and lead a more fulfilling life. In this issue, we shall discuss the highest manifestation of the emotional dimension – Compassion in all its richness and its significance in life.

Fr. Dr. Joseph Jeyaraj, sdb

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This is the fifth article in this series, summarizing the contents of volume 5 of the Council Notebooks, which focuses on Sacred Scripture engaging in a dialogue beyond frontiers.

Sacred Scripture is the cornerstone of evangelization, guiding the Church to continuously renew and deepen her faith. As Pope Francis asserts in Evangelii Gaudium, the Word of God must be at the heart of all ecclesial activity, nurturing and strengthening Christians to bear authentic Gospel witness in daily life. Dei Verbum, with its six chapters and twenty-six paragraphs, particularly emphasizes this in Chapter VI, which focuses on Scripture. It highlights the unique nature of biblical revelation, where God reveals Himself through dialogue, inviting humanity into fellowship (DV 2).

1. From Dei Verbum to Verbum Domini: The Enduring Importance of Scripture

Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini builds on the foundations laid by Dei Verbum in 1965. Verbum Domini summarizes insights from the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church, continuing and deepening the theological and pastoral teachings of the Second Vatican Council. It emphasizes the crucial role of Scripture in the life of faith.

Sr Shalini Xavier CTC

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There is a wise sloka in Sanskrit about how we learn. Let me give a rough translation: “Our learning is partly from our teacher, partly from our own effort, partly from our companions and partly from the passage of time.” True, isn’t it?

How educated are you?

The answer is not found in your certificates or the names of the institutions where you studied. A much better check on your level of education is how you handle life—responsibilities, relationships, challenges, let-downs.

What is the use of having a Master’s degree or a Ph. D. if I cannot relate lovingly, build up people, handle the responsibilities entrusted to me and face the ups and downs of life with confidence and serenity?

Once a colleague and friend of mine at Madras University, who used to take students for exposure camps as part of the anthropology programme, told me what he learnt from so-called illiterate people. In our villages, there are many people who know the plants and herbs around and their medical properties. They can treat various diseases by using leaves and roots and fruits. And yet, officially, they are categorized as “illiterate.” They possess much more useful knowledge than our graduates and post-graduates.

Fr Joe Mannath SDB

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In the first three articles of this section, we explored Vatican II and its significance for the Church, the active role of the Word, and the dynamic nature of tradition. Now, in this fourth article, we delve into the theme of inspiration and interpretation of the Word of God. We also examine how Ekklesia, symbolizing the Church as a community of equals, influences this process. Ekklesia, or the Church, is compared to a ship, representing a shared journey undertaken by all its members.

Ekklesia & Dei Verbum:

Ekklesia reminds us of the Church’s close-knit community and its mission as a spiritual guide. In 1965, a ship named Ekklesia embarked on a journey, symbolizing unity, marked with the date – “DV 11-13,” representing Dei Verbum, the Council’s document on Divine Revelation. Dei Verbum paragraphs 11-13 explore how Sacred Scripture inspires and guides us. During the Council, there were tensions between those interpreting the Bible conservatively and those interpreting innovatively. Think of it like a lively debate! Spanish scholar Luis Alonso Schokel urged interpreting the Bible through creative lenses, stressing the need for spiritual insight. He showed how the Spirit’s wisdom transforms us, much like a great piece of art. Alonso illustrated the Spirit’s dynamic nature with stories from Genesis to Revelation. This message is relevant today: just as past disagreements led to growth, our current struggles can inspire spiritual depth and understanding. The Spirit encourages us to face challenges, growing in faith and wisdom along the way.

Sr Shalini Xavier CTC

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