home

Love can bring hope and create miracles in the midst of desperation and misery. See what a group of concerned Sisters and their co-workers are doing in Asia’s second largest slum, situated in India’s swanky capital city.

You enter Sangam Vihar in the heart of Delhi and see this shocking scene. All around you are thousands of dilapidated huts, most of them “tents” made of gunny bags and sheets of plastic that serve as the roof over the head for many, many families. You have just entered the second largest slum in the whole of Asia. It is found in India’s capital city, which boasts of a swanky new airport with three terminals rated as the best airport in the world in its category, posh residential areas and much wealth.

I enter from one edge of the slums. Here comes Lalitha with her four children, taking them to St Gianelli Social Service Society (GSSS) headed by Sr Ema, belonging to the Sisters of Our Lady of Garden.  Lalitha’s two boys, both below ten, are rag-pickers.

“Are you happy to go to school?” I ask them.

With a mischievous smile, one boy says, “Yes,” while his brother says, “No.” One said he is happy to go “because in the school we play; we dance, study and eat a tasty meal served by our Sisters.” The other said, “I too feel happy, but I cannot attend the tuition classes in the evening. I have to go to faraway places to collect rags. I find it hard to study.” Both the boys are telling the truth.

I ask Sr Ema about this. She tells me that the Centre runs classes for the slum children from 11 am until 1 pm. From 3 pm to 5 pm, they offer free tuition for the regular school-going children.

The sisters started this centre in 2007. It provides free lunch to 120 slum children. The meals are sponsored by a scheme called “Bread Noida” run by the IMS Fathers.

Brilliant Kids
“These children are very intelligent and creative,” Sr Ema tells me. “I love to work with them.  They feel quite free with us. They are ready to give any programme any time. They can give items on the spot. You play a song from the CD, and they dance joyfully.  Ask them for a skit, and they act out their reality.”

Comparing these children to the students in the so-called “normal schools” in which she has worked, Sr Ema says, “I have worked in some of our schools. For any programme we train our students for days together and yet we feel anxious whether they will perform right. Here, instead, we do not need to give them any practice. Our children manage any programme boldly and creatively. I admire their tremendous talent and energy.”

“What activities do you do with them?” I ask her.

“We conduct rallies, mostly to create awareness on health issues, education, children’s rights and leadership. We have found that the Children’s Parliament is the most effective way of making them aware of their rights and teaching them how to demand their rights. Here, the most essential or disturbing issues are discussed.  This is the way their voice is heard in the Children’s Manifesto for 2019 (CM2019).”

Speaking about the Children’s Parliament, one of the staff, Mrs Godhambary, says “We have divided the whole group into five units comprising of thirty-six children. Each child is given the responsibility of heading a ministerial position,  like health, home, finance, education, environment, etc. Last month, with our help, the “Health Minister” organised ‘Beti Bachavo, Beti Padavo’ rally with a hundred children which drew the attention of their parents and CM2019.

Another staff member, Mr Gaurav, says “Every month we conduct a health camp on health and hygiene issues. Max Hospital, Delhi, sponsors this programme. Doctors from Max come and conduct necessary tests and administer medicines free of cost. The children and their parents enjoy this programme as they display different issues of health and hygiene through puppetry and street play. We have one Dr Pearl rendering free medical service to women.”

Coming back to GSSS, it has seven staff members. Sr Ema wishes they were better paid, but the centre is not financially self-sufficient. She is full of praise for a Catholic man from the parish who pays Rs 16,000 every month towards staff salary.

I am struck by what Sister tells me about a certain Mr Govind. He works for Childline in Indore. Sr Ema looked after him when she worked among street children in Khandwa. He says, “She is my mother.” He gives her credit for his life and achievements. He has no one to call his own; so, he works for the children who have no one. They remind him of his own childhood.

A girl called Ashwini is doing her 12^th standard. She started coming to GSSS eleven years ago Even now, she continues to visit the Centre. She tells the Sisters: “Without you, study would have been only a dream for me. Here I could study, and also look after my younger sisters and brother.” Her three siblings are also studying at the Centre.

A Muslim girl called Praveen Sheikh had a great desire to study, but her parents did not want it. The efforts of GSSS brought her to the sisters. Now she says, “I will study not only up to the 8^th standard. I will do my 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th.” She is determined to complete school. “She has become courageous and decisive,” adds Mr Gaurav proudly.

For Sr Ema, GSSS is not the first experience of working with the poor. Earlier, she was in Khandwa, MP. Together with another Sister called Ambika, she noticed the rag pickers, runaway boys, children of unwed mothers, drug-addicts and pick-pockets at the railway station.

What to do for these children, who seemed to have no one to turn to, and no home to call their own?

The two Sisters started to meet them on the railway platforms. They attracted them with songs, games and offering them hot meals prepared in the Convent and serving them on the railway platform.  The boys seemed happy to enjoy the company of the Sisters. Slowly, the Sisters approached the railways authorities, and asked them to lend them a room with a toilet. Seeing the good work of the Sisters, the authorities readily agreed. They gave them a room on the platform. The Sisters brought some plates, boxes and carom boards and other play material. The boys found a home for a shelter, warm food, some entertainment. Each child was also given a trunk in which they could keep their belongings. One key of the trunk was given to the child and another was with the Sisters. As the boys started trusting Sisters, they even handed their earnings to the Sisters, or kept it in their boxes. They now had something to call their own. More than that, there were people who cared about them. Further, they had a place for taking bath and for washing their clothes—“luxuries” they had never had before.

Later, these children were shifted to a government-run day care centre nearby. The Sisters were allowed to take care of the girls.  When the number of boys and girls increased, the Sisters began their own Nava Jeevan Children’s Home. The Railway authorities, the Police and other government officials were very co-operative. They would send boys and girls to this Children’s Home. Everything had to be done according to the Government rules, of course.

Nav Jeevan renders day and night care to the children. It has taught and cared for 1500 students so far. With the initial training offered by Nav Jeevan, these children are  sent to neighbouring schools. Many of them study in English Medium schools. Nav Jeevan Children’s Home run by the sisters of Our Lady of the Garden takes care of the expenses of these children.

Sr Ema did her Post Graduation at the Indore School of Social Work. She has now worked among street children, rag-pickers and slum dwellers for twenty years.

I ask her: “What makes you feel at home in this ministry?”

She tells me, “From my initial formation days, I had a dream of teaching poor children. I felt this calling in my heart. I am happy here.”

(The photos show life in Sangham Vihar—adults, children, “houses,” cooking, working.)

---

Sr Celine Vas BS

To subscribe to the magazine, click Subscribe

One of my favourite stories from Antony de Mello’s books is the following.

While a Mullah was in prayer, a woman tripped over him and continued her errands without even stopping to apologize. Later on, the same day, the Mullah met her again and berated her for the rudeness with which she had behaved with him. The woman seemed astounded. She went on to explain her surprise: “Sir, I was worried sick for having lost my husband! If I could not even realize I had tripped on you, such a respected Mullah, how then could you possibly notice me, a peasant, while being in conversation with God?”

The first person who comes to my mind as this story’s quintessence is Regina.

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

---

Sr Marie Gabrielle Riopel SCSM

In this article, Kevin Sullivan, an experienced lawyer, and involved in ministry to couples for years, speaks of the wonderful difference retreats have made in his personal and family life, and how spiritual retreats differ in impact from the corporate “retreats” given by experts. What we do AFTER the retreat makes a huge difference.

RETREATS MORE POWERFUL THAN PARISH MISSIONS

As you read this, the Lenten season is well underway. In our parish and throughout the United States, Lent brings with it the possibilities of parish missions and retreats. Many of our fellow parishioners will attend and the mission will be the talk of the parish for at least the next three or four days. I am somewhat reluctant to confess that I am not a big fan of parish missions. Don’t get me wrong: The few missions I have attended over the years have always been wonderfully preached and informative, encouraging and even inspirational.  The problem is that, while I find them satisfying, engaging and even at times entertaining, they have never had the life-changing impact of the powerful full retreats I have been blessed to participate in over the years. Well! You might ask, whose fault is that? That’s a good question to which I am inclined to answer “Mine, of course. ” Why is it I get so much more from a good retreat than I do from a great parish mission?

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

---

Crystal and Kevin Sullivan

1. Understanding What It Is

I was 47 at the time and at the peak of my life and professional work. It suddenly dawned on me that I was giving my best without great visible returns. My professional life was taking up my total energy. I began to question the meaning of my life and work. I was surprised at the gnawing feeling of loneliness and hunger for intimacy.  I realised, in a somewhat shocking way, that what I was missing was a husband and children, a family of my own.  To compound the situation, I fell in love.

The flood gates of my repressed need for intimacy were now thrown open and the pressure to move into an intimate relationship and raise a family of my own was intense. These experiences forced me to think seriously about my religious vocation.

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

---

Fr Jose Parappully SDB

The inspiring story of a simple Buddhist monk whose disciples and admirers are found all over the world.

His name is hard to pronounce. It is much harder to spell his name correctly. His appearance is in no way impressive. He is short, bald and puny. And he is ninety-two.

But he has disciples from all over the world. Thousands call him simply ‘Thay’, which means ‘Teacher’ or ‘Master.’ His teachings have brought peace and hope to thousands of people.

Thich Nhat Hanh was born in Vietnam in 1926. At the young age of sixteen, he entered a Buddhist monastery. After being trained, he was ordained a ‘Bhikku’ in 1951. Soon he founded the Van Hanh Buddhist University in Saigon and the School of Youth for Social Service (SYSS), which trained young Buddhist peace workers to go to villages and establish schools, build clinics and rebuild villages.

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

---

Fr M A Joe Antony SJ

2 April : World Autism Awareness Day

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that begins early in childhood. Caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, it is a life-long condition with no medical cure.

It affects communication, speech, gesturing and listening. Autistic people see, hear and feel the world differently. Early signs of autism can be detected at the age of 2-3 years. If a child does not make eye contact while speaking and does not respond when called by name or gestures, then a doctor should be consulted immediately.

Signs of Autism can include:

• Repetitive movements, words or phrases as well as limited interests or activities;
• Avoiding eye contact or physical touch. Over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light, colours, temperatures or pain;
• Learning disability or speech delay in a child;
• Getting upset by minor changes;
• Ongoing social problems that include difficulty in communicating and interacting;
• Difficulty in understanding facial expressions and tone of voice.

Once one learns about this neurological disorder, it is easier to break the stigma around it, to understand it and behave sensitively with the person. Screen time (use of electronic devices such as TV, mobile, tablets) should be kept at a minimum. Instead, the child should be given toys, books and interactive home-based situations.

As of 2016, autism affects about one child out of 68. It is estimated that one out of 42 boys will end up being diagnosed with autism. Boys are five times more likely to have the disorder than girls. In India, 1 in 89 children suffer from Autism. This disorder affects males and females of all races in all parts of the world.

Access to assistive technology at an affordable cost, can reduce the barriers to their participation on an equal basis with others. But more than 50% of these persons who need assistive devices are not able to receive them.

Let no one be left behind. “Let us reaffirm our commitment to promote the full participation of all people with autism, and ensure they have the necessary support to exercise their rights and fundamental freedoms.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres

6 April International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

This is an annual celebration of the power of sport and sports organizations to drive social change and human development, to foster peace, reconciliation and understanding.

Sport can promote tolerance and solidarity among the participants, fans and people all over the world. Historically, it has played an important role in all societies, be it in the form of competitive sport, physical activity or play.

The United Nations defines the right of access to and participation in sport physical education and play as a Fundamental Right for all. But this has often been ignored or disrespected.

Sport as a universal language can be a powerful tool to promote peace, tolerance and understanding by bringing people together across boundaries, cultures and religions. Its intrinsic values such as teamwork, fairness, discipline, respect for the opponent and the rules of the game are understood all over the world and can be harnessed in the advancement of solidarity, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.

Sport programmes permit encounters on neutral territory and in an environment where aggression can be controlled, regulated and transformed and hence facilitate reconciliation between opposing parties. Although sport alone cannot stop or solve an acute conflict, it represents a flexible and cost-effective medium for post-conflict relief work and peace-building as well as conflict prevention.

The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace promotes healthy lifestyles and focuses on giving as many people as possible access to sport. It is a passion shared by women and men across the world and promotes physical well-being and social empowerment. It is a powerful instrument to nurture the values of solidarity, responsibility, respect, honesty, teamwork, equality, motivation and self-esteem, including everyone, even the most disadvantaged, including refugees and migrants.

Physical inactivity leads to an estimated 3.2 million deaths every year.

We must do everything to support sport. Make sport for all a reality, and leave no one behind.

---

Sr Esme da Cunha FDCC

To subscribe to the magazine, click Subscribe

Be Still and Know that I am God
Director: David Kirkpatrick and Amy Reinhold. 2006. Run time: 93 minutes

This movie addresses the contemporary world directly in terms of Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”    It provides a series of reflective insights by people from various walks of life—authors, media personalities, and pastors. It guides us on how to live our inner life fully through contemplative prayer as an antidote to the sickening, hectic frenzied life style of today. It takes us through seven sections dealing with the subtopics: 1) Contemplative Prayer 2) Cloud of Witnesses 3) Being Still 4) Small Groups 5) Alone with The Lord 6) The Sound of Stillness 7) Contemplative Verses. Silence is a radical thing. Body heals better in silence, says Katherine A Brown Saltzman of UCLA Healthcare Ethics center. It makes us deal with ourselves and demands change and surrender. One of the speakers notes that there is a difference between Eastern and Western approaches to silence and meditation. In Eastern practice, meditation must lead to annihilation of the self. But in the Western (Christian) approach, it is “escape into God” and drawing inspiration from his word.  Being  ‘holy’  means attaining wholeness and health. We are afraid of quietness because it would demand confronting oneself. Contemplative prayer is not getting away from the world’s problems but a vital preparation to energize and to mend the world.  In silence and contemplative prayer, we feel “Cherished by the Father.”  He is with us and draws us to him. He gives us rest and we receive energy to do things. The word of God breathed into the human is ‘alive’ in the world today. First it was the spoken Word of the Old Testament; then it became flesh in Jesus and now speaks to us through the scriptures.   When we get involved with the world, life is lived in chaotic rush. But when we step back to seek his help, he lines up everything. Silence is possible and is to be practiced in the family and the church too. The film tells us the why and how of it. Ginny Owens provides the theme song which was inspired by the collective trauma which she shared after the 9/11 tragedy.

Risen
Director: Kevin Reynolds. Actors: Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth and Cliff Curtis, Maria Botto. 2016.  Runtime: 107 minutes

Risen is an engaging Biblical fiction based on the events that follow the crucifixion of Christ. It narrates the drama of the struggles of Centurion Clavius, a Roman Tribune who supervised the Crucifixion.  Tribune Clavius helps Pontius Pilate to successfully suppress a violent uprising in Palestine. He is assigned to oversee the Crucifixion of Yeshua (Jesus) along with two thieves on Calvary. When the Body disappears from the sealed tomb while the drunken soldiers were asleep, he is under orders from Procurator Pontius Pilate to investigate the case and forestall any claims of a miracle by the followers and avoid another possible uprising in Jerusalem. Pilate knows that such an event would cost him the favor of Tiberius Caesar.  Clavius and his aide Lucius interrogate the guards at the tomb whose report he cannot believe. The centurion goes to Calvary and searches for dead bodies and brings an unidentified dead body to Pilate claiming it to be Joshua’s, but it is not confirmative. Clavius then seeks out Mary Magdalene and Apostle Bartholomew who confess their loyalty to the Messiah but cannot help him locate the body. Clavius and Lucius follow Magdalene to the Apostles’ hiding place.  He breaks in.  Here Clavius the agnostic encounters the Risen Christ at the moment when Jesus asks Apostle Thomas to touch his wounds and be convinced of his Resurrection.  It turns Clavius’ life upside down. As he says later: “I have seen two things which I cannot reconcile: A man dead without question and that same man alive again.” He joins the disciples to go to Galilee as per Jesus’ instructions.  But Lucius confronts him on the way for his disloyalty to Rome. Clavius disarms him and sends him on his way.  In Galilee he witnesses the miracles of the resurrected Lord and talks to him and believes. He is also witness to the Ascension. His allegiance to Rome is broken. In the closing sequences Clavius is seen confessing his faith and admitting that his life has changed.

---

Dr Gigy Joseph

To subscribe to the magazine, click Subscribe

During the past several months we have paused to reflect upon the great spiritual figures who influenced Christianity from apostolic times to the end of the first millennium.   They came from a variety of cultural, political and social backgrounds but went on to shape the foundations of the Christian faith.  On analyzing their life and works, four points stand out.

1. Genuine seekers of the truth: The nineteen persons highlighted in the past issues of Magnet emerge as genuine seekers of the truth.  Some of them, such as Pachomius, Ambrose and Augustine, accepted Christianity as adults, while others were born in Christian families.  Irrespective of their infancy and upbringing, they had a deep quest for God and travelled across countries and continents in search of the truth.  Cassian and Germanus would stand out because of their arduous journey into the deserts of Egypt in order to be taught by the spiritual guides (Abbas).
2. A deep personal experience of God: Though they were drawn by the life and witness of other individuals and communities, the ultimate source of their commitment was their own personal experience of God.  Such was the impact of this experience that they could not but share this experience with others.  Symeon the New Theologian would speak of the need of undergoing a second baptism whereby one’s faith is personalized and one’s entire life is moved by the foundational experience of God.  This inner experience led to varied external expressions in the form of theological dogmas, establishment of religious orders, social commitments, political involvements and so on.
3. Struggles/Persecution: Discipleship and struggles were intrinsic to the lives of all the great figures.  All of them experienced internal as well as external struggles.  If the internal struggle was emphasized in the life of Antony of Egypt, Cassian, Evagrius and Augustine, the external would be emphasized in Ambrose, Chrysostom, Maximus, Benedict and Gregory.  The inner and external struggles transformed them into shining witnesses for the community and led others to emulate their example.  They faced exile, tortures, humiliations, mutilations and even death in order to bear witness to Christ.
4. Transformation: The personal transformation of these individuals led to a transformation of the context and society they lived.  Their spiritual depth made them interiorly attuned to the invitation of the Spirit as well as the deception of the false spirit leading towards a heightened sensitivity to what was taking place around them.  They responded to the poverty, suffering, ignorance, political machinations, discriminations and religious hypocrisy by responding with discernment, prudence and courage.  Their lives reveal to us the unity of an authentic spiritual life – i.e., a unity of growing intimacy with God, along with a commitment to the poor and marginalized

The first millennium reveals the changing contours of Christian spirituality.  The first phase consisted in understanding martyrdom as the climax of commitment.  With the passage of time, martyrdom would be interpreted differently. The Desert Fathers and Mothers would understand Christian perfection in a more nuanced manner.  This would be a period of great spiritual insights and many of the core elements that make up a systematic understanding of Christian spirituality even today would find their origin during this period.  The solitude of the desert led these great persons towards an inner journey and their insights were articulated in a systematic manner.  While it can be said that the choice of individuals and their insights in this column of Magnet cannot be considered exhaustive, they offer us a glimpse of the wisdom contained in the tradition of Christian Spirituality.

The second millennium would throw up new contexts leading to new and creative responses.  Though the challenges were new, the great individuals and movements of the second millennium allowed the lights of the past and the ever new impetus of the Spirit to guide them towards a renewed and progressive realization of the Kingdom.

---

Fr Francis Pudhicherry SJ

To subscribe to the magazine, click Subscribe

“Silence isn’t empty. It is full of answers.”

The Alchemist
by Paolo Coelho. (1993)

One of the most popular novels of recent times, The Alchemist tells the story of Santiago, a young shepherd from Andalucia in Southern Spain, who goes on a quest for a treasure in the Egyptian desert. He has a recurrent dream that unsettles him about a treasure hidden near the pyramids of Egypt. A gypsy fortune teller interprets it for him and prompts him to go to Egypt. He meets a learned English man who is searching for the secret of alchemy that can turn lead into gold and also about elixir that can cure all diseases. Santiago also falls in love with a chaste Arab girl Fathima.  He grows in his understanding of the mysterious power of nature and the “soul of the World” is revealed to him. The key moment of his journey is when he meets a two hundred years old alchemist who is a magician. The old man teaches himself understanding . He gains the power to communicate with the forces of nature and with the “Hand That Wrote All.” An old woman whom he meets tells him that God speaks through dreams “… dreams are the language of God. When he speaks in our language, I can interpret what he has said. But if he speaks in the language of the soul, it is only you who can understand.”  The Alchemist accompanies him through Arab lands to a Coptic monastery where he demonstrates how to turn lead into gold and shares some of the gold with Santiago. He soon reaches the pyramids and digs in the designated place for treasure. Here desert bandits rob him of his gold and force him to dig for more. Nothing is found and Santiago is beaten almost to death.  When he tells them that he had dreamed of the treasure, they mock him. One of them tells him that he had a dream of treasure buried in Santiago’s village church near the sycamore tree. This is where his dream first occurred to him. He returns home to find it and longs to share it with his helpers on the way, including Fathima, his sweetheart.

The constant theme in The Alchemist is to pursue your dreams by following your heart’s desires, overcome fear and face the ups and downs of life as they come. Life is a journey and we must stay focused on it. Besides, the things that we seek in order to enrich our lives are not things that are far away, but can be right under our feet.

The Practice of the Presence of God (1693)
By Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection

 The book is the posthumous compilation of the letters and conversations of the man whose real name was Nicholas Herman (1605–91). Herman started his career as a soldier. A battle wound left him lame for life and badly damaged his soul. Back from the war, he took up work as a cook for a lord. He had experienced a spiritual conversion at eighteen years, but had chosen to ignore it. Nicholas observed a leafless tree one  winter. He envisioned that it would soon put on leaves, blossom and bear fruit in time. He was able to read this as a sign of God’s providence and power. It made a deep impression on his soul. Nicholas joined the Order of Discalced Carmelites in Paris at twenty-four with the religious name “Lawrence of the Resurrection.” He spent the rest of his life there doing humble jobs, like cooking and cleaning. His spiritual wisdom became famous and many troubled souls including brother monks and lay people sought his counsel. He devoted his life to the cultivation of a keen sensitivity to the presence of God in everyday life. This  is the running theme of this book.

 Love of God became the end of all his actions and aspirations; even flipping an omelet in the pan or picking up a straw from the ground became an act of love. His life was devoted to “seeking Him only and nothing else, not even gifts.” He writes: “That in order to form a habit of conversing with God continually, and referring all we do to Him; we must at first apply to Him with some diligence: but that after a little care we should find His love inwardly, excite us to it without any difficulty.” His vision is at once charmingly simple  and profound. Henri Nouwen comments that it “is not just a nice idea for a seventeenth-century monk but a most important challenge to our present-day life situation.” Brother Lawrence  does not ignore the struggles and sufferings that one has to undertake in the process of seeking God’s company.  One thing that he shares with his readers is this insight: “We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”  “He does not ask much of us, merely a thought of Him from time to time.” The book tells us that sanctity is not a remote and difficult thing for ordinary people living in ordinary circumstances; spiritual depth can be sought in the ordinary, everyday life.

---

Dr Gigy Joseph

To subscribe to the magazine, click Subscribe