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Have you heard of WWA—Women of Wisdom and Action?

It is an initiative from which the whole Church in India can benefit, especially in the way we learn and teach theological subjects.

It was the title of a new and creative program held at Navjivan Renewal Centre, Delhi, on November 18-21, 2017.

It was jointly organized by Vidyajyoti College of Theology, the CRI Women’s Section and the Jesuit School of Theology, California.

An invitation was sent to women religious who had completed their doctorate or Master’s or Licentiate in a theological discipline in the last ten years.

The objective was to bring together young women theologians—for mutual knowledge and support, for increasing competence in their field and particularly their writing skills. Most of the theological writing in the Catholic Church is done by men. Women are poorly represented. This needs to change. So, too, we need more women to teach in theological colleges.

Thirty-one young women theologians attended the programme. Fr Michael Raj SJ, Rector of Vidyajyoti Theologate, gave the opening talk, and invited women theologians to teach at Vidyajyoti.

The resource persons present all through the programme were: Fr Valan SJ (Dean of Vidyajyoti), Sr. Julia Prinz (Professor at the Jesuit School of Theology, California), Fr John Endres SJ (who teaches both at JST and at the Gregorianum, Rome), Fr Joe Mannath SDB and Sr Jacinta D’Souza DHM (Vice-President of the CRI-Women’s Section).

Every participant was given the chance to make a presentation of their work, and also invited to share with the group their main concerns and interests, their dreams and intellectual passion.

Time was provided for planning some writing, together with access to library resources.

A ten-day follow-up seminar is planned for June 2018 in Bangalore. It aims at helping young women theologians to publish their work.

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Procedures to take disciplinary action

I am of the opinion that a good administrator will not give an opportunity for a disciplinary action to be taken against his employee. I don’t mean he will ignore the unacceptable behaviour of his employee. What I mean is he will make sure that corrective measures are taken at the appropriate time before the problem can escalate. Not only that; he will also create an ambience for the employee to take the necessary correction and fall in line with the rest. Thus, the administrator takes recourse to disciplinary action only as a last resort.

Any disciplinary action is taken based on the service conditions, which enumerate what will constitute indiscipline. Hence, every institution has to communicate the service conditions (discipline and other matters) to all its employees, in writing, with a copy received from them.  This is done so that the employees know what they can and should do and what they cannot and should not do.  A periodic feedback or performance appraisal, and in writing, if something is serious, is given to each employee at least once in a year and a copy of the same is kept in the files of the respective employees.

Minor and Major Misconduct:

Any breach of the normal, expected way of behavior of an employee is known as indiscipline or misconduct. An indisciplinary behavior or misconduct is of two types: minor and major.  Minor offences are those that may not be harmful to anyone, but if uncorrected may become serious.  Major offences are serious in nature.  They are those that are harmful to the authority, fellow workers or to the institution or its smooth functioning.  Normally the service conditions mention what is minor and what is major.

Actions such as reporting late for work, leave without permission, negligence, failure to be present when needed, carelessness, gossip on duty, dozing off on duty, quarrel with fellow workers, dishonesty or cheating in small matters, stealing small things, minor violation of the rules, spreading rumours, etc., are acts of minor indiscipline. The employer may have to communicate a verbal warning and give an oral  counselling, if need be. A written warning is given if the same mistake is done the second time (memo).   The employer may proceed with the disciplinary action if the same mistake is done the third time.

But actions such as dereliction of duty, willful insubordination or disobedience  to the authorities or their directives, false allegation against the authorities or fellow workers that brings disrepute to the concerned person, coming drunk to duty, unauthorized absence from duty for more than a week at a stretch, causing willful harm to fellow workers, authorities or properties of the employer, indecent behavior and sexual abuse, extortion of money or bribery or corruption, theft, fraud or dishonesty in a big way, repeated willful violation of the rules that affect the smooth functioning of the institution, inciting the fellow workers, refusal to accept a charge sheet or other communication served, etc., are acts of major indiscipline.

Awarding punishment for acts of minor misconduct: 

Where allegations of the misconduct against the employee are of a minor nature, he is called for clarification. The administrator or his authorized representative, after hearing the concerned employee, will decide if the employee deserves any punishment and if so pass orders accordingly. It is not necessary to hold enquiry in such cases. Penalties for minor misconduct can be warning, fine, passing adverse entry in service records, recovery of loss of goods, etc.

Disciplinary action for a major misconduct:

Before taking any disciplinary action, especially for major offences,  against an employee, the administrator has to make sure that he has a full understanding of the issue with accurate and impartial data supporting the allegation.  If the issue is related to alleged wrongdoing in the workplace, the administrator has a responsibility to conduct a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into the allegations. No action can be taken based on biased perceptions (prejudices), allegations or rumors. The disciplinary action procedure involves the following steps:

a) Preliminary Investigation: First of all, a preliminary inquiry should be held to find out whether a prima facie case of misconduct exists. Information may be collected from the employee himself, fellow-employees, witnesses, the aggrieved party, etc.

b) Issue of a Charge-sheet: Once the prima facie case of misconduct is established, a charge sheet is issued to the employee. A charge sheet is a notice of the charges levelled against the employee. It gives the employee an opportunity to explain his conduct. Therefore, a charge sheet is generally known as a show cause notice, given in writing and the employee too will give an explanation in writing. In the charge sheet, each charge should be clearly specified. There should be a separate charge for each allegation and charge should not relate to any matter which has already been decided upon.

c) Suspension Pending Enquiry: Depending on the gravity of charges, an employee may be suspended along with serving him the charge sheet. The various circumstances which may warrant suspension of an individual are:

When disciplinary proceeding is pending or contemplated, when engaged in the activities prejudicial to the interest or security of the institution,  where a case in respect of any criminal offence is under investigation, inquiry or trial, where continuance in office will prejudice investigation/ inquiry/trial, when the presence of the employee in office is likely to affect discipline,  when his continuous presence in office is against the wider interest of the institution, where a prima face case has been established as a result of criminal or departmental proceedings leading to the conviction, revival, dismissal, etc.

According to the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, the suspended worker is to be paid subsistence allowance equal to one-half of his wages for the first ninety days of suspension and three-fourths of the wages for the remaining period of suspensions, if the delay in the completion of disciplinary proceedings is not due to the worker’s own conduct.

d) Notice of Enquiry: In case the worker admits the charge, in his reply to the charge sheet, without any qualification, the employer can go ahead in awarding punishment without further inquiry. But if the worker does not admit the charge and the charge merits major penalty, the employer must hold an enquiry to investigate into the charges. Proper and sufficient advance notice should be given to the employee indicating the date, time and venue of the enquiry so that the worker may prepare his case.

e) Conduct of Enquiry: The enquiry should be conducted by an impartial and responsible officer. He should proceed in a proper manner and examine witnesses. Fair opportunity should be given to the worker to cross-examine the management witnesses.

f) Recording the Findings: On the conclusion of the enquiry, the enquiry officer must record his findings and the reasons thereof.Normally, he refrains from recommending punishment and leaves it to the decision of the appropriate authority.

g) Awarding Punishment: The management should decide the punishment purely on the basis of findings of the enquiry, past record of the worker and gravity of the misconduct.

h) Communicating Punishment: The punishment awarded to the worker should be communicated to him in written at the earliest available opportunity. The letter of communication should contain reference to the charge sheet, the enquiry and the findings. The date from which the punishment is to be effective should also be mentioned.The following penalties may be imposed if the employee is found guilty of major misconduct: serious warning or censure (severe disapproval of the act), withholding increment, fine, stopping promotion, demotion, suspension without pay, discharge, dismissal, vacation of staff quarter, etc., but all given in writing and the received copy to be kept in the concerned employee’s file.

Thus, in summary, we practice Jesus’ words – “Judge not and you will not be judged.”  However serious the case may be, we have to give sufficient opportunity for the employee to be heard and to defend himself.  Here we follow the principle that one is innocent until proved guilty.

In the next issue we shall discuss “the qualities needed in an administrator”.

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TOGETHER FOR A BETTER WORLD

The United Nations observes designated days to promote international awareness and action on issues vital to humanity. Most of these “UN Days” have been established by resolutions of the UN General Assembly. Schools and other institutions are in a good position to observe these Special Days meaningfully and thus increase the awareness about crucial issues.

Here we present you briefly just two special days for each month of the year. There are other special days, too, which we could not include, for lack of space. More information is found on the Internet.

January 1: World Peace Day                   

The Catholic Church keeps January 1^st as the World Day of Peace. Introduced in 1967, Pope Paul VI wanted that it be celebrated as a hope and as a promise at the beginning of the calendar. On this day, the UN Peace Bell is rung at the UN headquarters in New York. International Peace Day on 21 September was established in 1981.

January 31: Street Children’s Day

India has the largest number of street children in the world. A street child, in the strict sense, is someone “for whom the street has become his or her habitual abode and/or source of livelihood.” The purpose of the Day is to draw attention to the problems of this most vulnerable category among children.

February 20: World Day of Social Justice

The pursuit of “social justice for all” is at the core of UN’s global mission to promote development and human dignity. This Day aims at garnering global support to eradicate poverty, promote full employment, gender equity and access to social well-being and justice for all.

February 21: International Mother Language Day 

There are some 7,000 known languages alive in the world today. This Day aims at promoting the preservation and protection of all languages. It is also to encourage linguistic diversity and people’s awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions and to inspire solidarity, tolerance and dialogue.

March 8: International Women’s Day

This Day is observed to promote the just and respectful treatment of women in society, and to strive for gender parity in many areas where discrimination still exists, e.g., in payment.

March 22: World Water Day 

Though 71 percent of the earth’s surface is covered with water, fresh water remains a scarce commodity. No wonder someone has said the wars of the twenty-first century will be fought over water. This Day focuses attention on the sustainable management of water resources.

April 22: International Mother Earth Day 

The Earth and its ecosystems are our home. The Day draws attention to the interdependence among human beings, other living species and the planet we all inhabit. It also focuses on the damage done by overexploitation of natural resources and the need for sustainable development.

April 25: World Malaria Day

Globally, 3.3 billion people in over 100 countries are at risk of malaria and half a million die of it every year. World Malaria Day was established in 2007 to provide understanding of malaria and national malaria-control strategies, including community-based activities for malaria prevention and treatment.

May – First Sunday: World Laughter Day

Laughter is, as everybody knows, the best medicine. Psychologist William James has said, “We don’t laugh because we’re happy; we’re happy because we laugh.” Some studies show laughter may boost our immune system, relieve tension and help us relax. One needn’t wait till May to start taking this medicine!

May 15: International Day of Families

“Families are in crisis!” The family is the nucleus of civilization and the basic social unit of society. Stronger families, stronger societies. This Day promotes awareness of issues relating to families.

June 5: World Environment Day:

It is a day for encouraging worldwide action for our environment. It raises our awareness on environmental issues like pollution, global warming, sustainable consumption, depletion of the ozone layer, toxic chemicals, and wildlife crime.

June 14: World Blood Donor Day 

This Day, established in 2004, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products, and to thank blood donors for their voluntary, life-saving gifts of blood. Blood cannot yet be manufactured artificially; so voluntary blood donation remains vital for healthcare worldwide.

July 30: International Friendship Day

In 2011 the UN proclaimed the International Day of Friendship with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, and cultures can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. On this day, the UN wishes to involve young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures to promote international understanding and respect for diversity.

July 30: World Day against Trafficking in Persons

Every country in the world is affected by human trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit, or destination for victims. Women and children make up the majority of the victims. This Day focuses on the situation of victims of human trafficking and the promotion and protection of their rights.

August 9: International Day of Indigenous Peoples

There are an estimated 370 million indigenous people in the world. They make up less than 5 per cent of the world’s population, but account for 15 per cent of the poorest. “Indigenous peoples” is a generic term which includes tribes, aboriginals, ethnic groups, adivasis, nomads, hill people, etc. They are often powerless and neglected.

August 12: International Youth Day

Established in 2000, the Youth Day focuses on the aspirations of the young for a better society and how best to help them to reach their full potential. It reaffirms their right to quality education, health care and other basic services and promotes their active involvement in maintaining peace and harmony in the world.

September 8: International Literacy Day 

The Day highlights the extraordinary value of literacy in the life of individuals, societies and nations. Globally one among five men and two out of every three women are illiterate. India, despite its economic growth, still remains the country with the largest number of illiterate adults in the world.

September 26: International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons 

Established in 2013 by the UN, the Day asks the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament and to educate the public—and the leaders— about the threat posed by nuclear weapons and the need for their total elimination.

October 2: International Day of Non-Violence 

In 2007, the UN declared October 2 as the International Day of Non-Violence in honour of Mahatma Gandhi. Purpose: to spread non-violence through education and public awareness.

October 11: International Day of the Girl Child 

This Day promotes girls’ rights and highlights gender inequalities between girls and boys. It is an opportunity to raise public awareness of the different types of abuse and discrimination that many girls around the world suffer from. In India, the National Girl Child Day is celebrated on 24 January.

November 13: World Kindness Day

Aim: to highlight the importance of kindness, especially random acts of kindness. The idea is to be generous in thoughts and actions with the goal of collectively becoming more human. Research shows that doing acts of kindness makes one happier and people who are happy tend to be kinder.

November – Third Sunday: Road Traffic Victims Day

Each year, millions die on the roads and many more are injured. In India, over 150,000 are killed in road accidents every year—more than in all our wars put together. The Day highlights the importance of safe driving.

December 5: World Soil Day

Soil is a finite natural resource. There has been a worldwide degradation of soil resources. While 95 percent of our food comes from soil, soil scientists are raising an alarm—33 percent of our soils are already degraded! Hence the need for effective action.

December 10: Human Rights Day 

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being—regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, etc. It establishes the equal dignity and worth of every person.

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C S Lewis – The Problem of Pain.

(First published 1940; HarperCollins revised edition 2009)

Scholar, teacher, novelist, literary critic and Christian apologist, C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) is highly popular in the English-speaking world even today. The Problem of Pain focuses on the fundamental issues of evil and human suffering: Whence came evil? Is God truly good? Why did God create human beings, knowing beforehand that they would fall?

Lewis begins with a recollection of his early atheistic view of life—of the vastness of the universe controlled by chance, seemingly indifferent to human fate, purposeless and constantly moving towards dissolution and, above all, human cruelty, pain and suffering which rule out a benevolent God.  “If God were good, He would make His creatures perfectly happy, and if He were almighty He would be able to do what he wished.  But the creatures are not happy.  Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both.” The answer to the problem starts with the question: “If the universe is so bad, or even half so bad, how on earth did human beings ever come to attribute it to the activity of a wise and good Creator?”  He observes that “the spectacle of the universe as revealed by experience can never have been ground for religion: it must always have been something in spite of which religion, acquired from a different source, was held.”

Lewis explores the source of the notion of God from the experience of the “Numinous” (meaning ‘the uncanny supernatural or God’) of moral experience that are shared by all religions. But the Judeo-Christian tradition adds God into the question. Jewish tradition combines God with morality. Later in history God becomes a human being in Christ. Lewis puts forth his argument for the divinity of Christ looking at what He did and said and declares: “Either He was a raving lunatic of an unusually abominable type, or else He was, and is, precisely what He said.” A description of Christ as a ‘simple preacher’ or a ‘wise man’ etc. would be a reduction. Lewis discusses related issues, like human evil, heaven, hell, etc., in a most engaging colloquial manner that even the average reader can understand.

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Mitch Albom:

Have a Little Faith: A True Story.

Hyperion Books, 2009.

This book, coming after Albom’s bestselling Tuesdays with Morrie, is about the author’s re-entry into the world of his lost Jewish faith after a long absence. Rabbi Albert Lewis (The Reb), sensing that he is nearing death, asks Mitch to do the eulogy at his funeral. Never serious about religion, the author is perplexed by the request, but agrees. He conducts many interviews with him, which helps him understand the man deeply and also find his own way back to faith.

There is also the parallel story of African-American Pastor Henry Covington, an ex-convict and reformed drug addict. Covington is the founder- pastor of a church ‘I am My Brother’s Keeper.’  The homeless people of downtown Detroit find refuge there. But the building is in a state of decay. Over eight years, Mitch builds up a relationship with these two religious leaders. It transforms him into a true believer.

He also comes to learn that there are many paths to God. At the heart of things there is a deep unity of the human spirit that builds a community which only true faith can create. His interviews with the Reb and Covington bring him to the awareness that, although we may have lots of contacts and acquaintances, they are not a community. Community is built upon faith and deeper relationships, which make the whole humankind an extended family.

At the climax of the story, Mitch delivers the eulogy for the Reb. The mourners are also delightfully surprised by a pre-recorded goodbye speech by the Reb played at his funeral by Teela Singh, a Hindu friend, in which the Reb speaks to his friends as if he is speaking from heaven. In the speech the Reb has answers to two questions raised to him before.  One is whether he believed in God. The answer is yes. The second is about life after death, to which the Reb replies posthumously (!) ” My answer… yes.. .But friends, I am sorry. Now that I know, I can’t even tell you.” Mitch later sets up a charity meant to help the homeless people of Detroit with Covington. Ten percent of the proceeds of this book are dedicated to this purpose.

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How a married woman finds strength for her life and ministry from the way Jesus treated the apostles.

“When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered Him, “No.” So He said to them, ”Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment for he was lightly clad and jumped into the sea… When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to Him, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” (John 21: 4-7, 15)

For the last several years, I have made it a daily practice to wake early in the morning when the house is still quiet and spend time reading Scripture and praying. On the advice of my spiritual director, I have started keeping a prayer journal where I record the most significant things that are on my mind and heart and what I believe God is trying to teach me.  As I look back over the last three years, I have noticed a clear pattern of God inviting me to greater trust in His providence and greater humility.  It is as if God is trying to tell me that I am His child, to rest in His love and to stop worrying about those things over which I have no control.  One of my daily prayers is asking him to teach me to be simple like a child, satisfied with knowing His will in the present moment.

For this reason, when I recently stumbled upon the gospel reading from John 21, my heart was stirred.  In this reading, the resurrected Jesus is on the shore watching Peter and some of the other disciples fishing without any success. He calls to them, “Children, have you caught anything?” I wonder how these rough and capable fishermen felt about being called children.

In today’s world, we are encouraged and praised for being mature adults, and being child-like is often frowned upon. Yet when I apply Jesus’ words to my own life, I immediately realize that no matter how capable I might think I am, how self-reliant I want to be in my decision making, to Jesus I am but a child.  I realize with a smile how my young grandchildren offer to “help” and though they are full of good intentions and unwarranted self-confidence, their limited skills often make the work twice as difficult and take twice as long to complete. I imagine this is how Jesus feels when I muddle through some project or decision without consulting Him, thinking I have all the skills and knowledge I need to get the job done.  It is as if he has a gentle smile on His face asking me, “Child, have you caught anything?” seeing me spinning my wheels without success.  That is when I try to remember that I am not expected to understand the failures (or even the successes) which occur in our ministries or our family life. Jesus wants me to listen to His advice and cast my nets as He directs me. Often I think I know exactly what I should do to be successful, just like the disciples might have felt as experienced fishermen being told by Jesus where to cast their nets.  If I try to do things my own way, without looking to Jesus for guidance, I will come up as empty as the disciples did that day on the boat.  But knowing that the Lord’s ways are not my ways, I try to remember that He has greater wisdom and I need to trust Him.

The other aspect of the gospel verse that really struck me is the enthusiasm that Peter showed once he realized it was the Lord who was speaking to him. The passage says he tucked in his garment and jumped into the sea. He was willing to get soaked and bedraggled (dare I say looking a little ridiculous) in order to get closer to Jesus. This has me looking at my own response to having Jesus in my life and I worry that I have lost some of my early enthusiasm for evangelization.  I remember early on in my faith journey, shortly after my conversion, that I wanted to talk to everyone about my discovery of faith.  I prayed earnestly to God to tell me what He wanted of me and I would gladly follow in His footsteps. Every opportunity to spread the word about the intercession of Our Blessed Mother or the Marriage Encounter ministry was the most exciting thing I could think of doing. I was so eager to prove my love to Jesus by feeding His lambs.  Now here I am, twenty-five years later, and ponder if it is as important to me as it was in the early years.  When I don’t have the same joy as Peter does in seeing the Lord, I must question whether I am becoming selfish and lukewarm in my faith. When the joy of ministering to others is missing and all I see is the work and what I am giving up, I need to remember that the greatest joy of my life is living as a child of God.

There have certainly been times when despite my best efforts, it seems like nothing is changing for the better. Worldly standards of success, such as low participation in marriage programs, or couples who simply go through the motions in order to get their certificate in preparation for their marriage, can be emotionally draining.  At times, tiredness and frustration set in, and it is tempting for me to want to tell the Lord that I have done enough. But when I try to imagine telling Him that to His face, I realize that I am only giving a small part of what He has given me. If I ask Him how to love Him, He will keep saying the same thing… “My little child, I am not asking you to perform miracles. That is something only I can do. I simply need you to feed my lambs.”

Everyone in ministry understands that there are immense challenges in spreading the Good News. However, with the right attitude, the challenges can be exciting.  My dear husband Kevin is very good at creatively finding new opportunities to evangelize, whether it is through promotion of our local Catholic radio station or writing reflections for our church bulletin. He has the gift of remaining enthusiastic about his faith and generously sharing it with others. With him by my side, these opportunities to share our love for each other and the Lord become a joy. As a result, we have been blessed to witness conversions in marriages and in relationships with God. Knowing that we were a small part of these conversions is exciting but it can only occur when I allow Jesus to work through me and to give myself up to His requests without thinking of the cost.  I then become His child, put my hand in His, and just let Him take me to the little lambs that need His love.

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An Indian Sister working in Europe faces the challenges of a very secularized society where religion means very little to many people, especially the young. She sees the painful loneliness of many people, and looks at ways she can bring God’s love to them.

It is a great and touching moment in the life of Veronica when, she as a woman, came forward to wipe the face of Jesus covered with tears and blood. As a Missionary Sister of Mary Help of Christians working in Europe, I feel connected to that story. How?

I have been working mostly in Italian parishes. As I am involved in the pastoral care of the people, this face of Jesus covered with tears and blood comes alive to me.

From my personal experience, there are two categories of people I meet. One is the fervent and devoted people, faithful to their religious practices, who live their life in the light of faith. The other is the lukewarm and the indifferent people who seem to have no interest in religious faith and practices.

The faithful and devoted people give me a sense of joy and hope and are a source of great strength and support to work for the spread of the Gospel. Their presence, encouragement and involvement in pastoral work, as well as the support they give us, are a great source of strength for us.

For the other group, instead, religion is a thing of the past and a throw-away product. They totally and openly oppose anything that is spiritual or connected to the Church. In this sense they are a big threat for our civilization as they rob the hope and faith of our people. They ridicule and oppose religious beliefs and practices, and see no relevance in them.

We meet both these types of persons every day. The first group makes us feel that the fire of faith is still burning; the others show you how decadent faith and church practice can become. I am a witness to both types daily.

Largely, young people are the ones who tend to have little or nothing to do with faith. They are Christians only at the time of Baptism and Holy Communion. A handful of them receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. As for the Sacrament of Matrimony, it seems to be the most neglected sacrament, since young couples live together even before their marriage. Celebrating the Sacraments seems to have become merely a social custom where the emphasis is on partying. The sacredness, devotion and the relevance of the Sacraments are getting lost.

Modernity and consumerism influence all aspects of life. As a result, people generally do not have time to spare for their faith formation. Every other sphere of life is consciously taken care of, whereas what has to do with the Church and faith, gets the last place and least importance.  Many in the younger generation see religion as a relic from the past unconnected to them in any way.

In Italy (or other European countries) you can find so many beautiful chapels, churches, shrines and basilicas. But, sadly, these have become places of tourist attraction. Most visitors are interested not in prayer and God, but in art, sculpture and architecture. Many do not seem to feel the presence of God in their life. A sense of the sacred is sadly missing.

Amidst all this, my call to be a messenger of God’s love is a real challenge. It is not about any great changes that I can usher in. It is about wiping the face of Jesus in this environment and situation. I realize that I cannot change the setting nor can I glory in myself. But I can make a difference in the lives of those I meet. How can I do it in this spiritually “dry” setting, where religious practices mean so little to most people?

I believe I can and must bring God’s love to these sisters and brothers of mine in the small ways open to me. After all, the human heart is the same in all cultures and settings. People long for love and care, and suffer when they do not get it. Though materially more prosperous than most people in India, Europeans often suffer from deep loneliness and lack of family ties. Many older people have no one to talk to. They have medical insurance, but miss the tender presence of another caring human being. After all, food, phone and TV cannot fill the human heart.

So, we (Sisters) do family visits and go to meet people who are sick. We spend time with them. We speak. We listen. These are small things, but isn’t life mostly about the so-called small things? Besides, what are the really “big” things in life? What are the “small” things?

Many times, I have experienced deep joy in my heart as I realize that, like Veronica, I can wipe the face of a tired and suffering Jesus. Wiping His face was a tiny gesture, but, done with love, it meant much. No wonder we have a Station of the Cross dedicated to it.

I can wipe the face of a tired and suffering Jesus when I visit a sick or lonely person, when I listen to a troubled youngster or a depressed senior, when I spend time with a family, when I really show concern to someone who has nobody to talk to. I have found that a kind word, a smile, or listening that makes them feel understood, a word of hope, an assurance of prayer and support—all this makes a huge difference in the lives of people. We need not wait for the big occasion or any special place or time. We can bring joy and healing to people in any place, on any ordinary day.

Most people, including those who look confident and successful, are insecure, lonely and looking for someone to talk to. Many long to find someone who will listen to them without judging, welcome them when they are troubled, and have time for them when they feel lost.

So many people carry heavy burdens and face heart-rending struggles. Many are overwhelmed by broken relationships, unhappy family situations, desperate financial straits, betrayals and loss of meaning. They feel they have no one to turn to. When struck by tragedy, they feel utterly alone. Very often, their image (and experience) of the Church is that of a huge impersonal organization rather than of a caring family close to them.

Many times I have felt humbled and seen my faith deepen through my meetings with ordinary people and listening to their struggles. Behind the apparent lack of faith or religiosity, I have seen their courage, their readiness to forgive, their determination not to give up, and much goodness. I also see their deep and painful loneliness. They want to pick up the pieces of their brokenness and stand on their feet again. Obviously, these persons, who have suffered much and struggled valiantly, have more to teach me than I can teach them. I also realized that my own problems and struggles are almost insignificant—mere pin-pricks—compared to the bitter pills many of them swallow.

Here is one such experience. Rosa (name changed) felt totally lost and broken. Her husband betrayed her for another woman; her daughter ran away; there was a case against her related to property matters. In spite of such a trying situation, Rosa did not buckle. She still loved her husband and her children. She sought strength in her faith. Her perseverance in prayer and never-say-die attitude helped her overcome the obstacles one by one. Her family is once again back together as one. This is what faith and love can do for us. But we all need a bit of loving human support when we are going through the storm. This is where we can, like Veronica, wipe their tearful and bleeding face with gentleness and love.

I have also found that, to be able to do this for our suffering people, we need to be credible. For that, I need to deepen my own faith, and be as genuine and loving as I can. In reaching out to the lonely and lost, and experiencing their faith and inner strength, my faith is deepened, too.

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Last year, I presented ten suggestions for Lent (MAGNET, February 2017). We all need to do the ten things proposed in that article: Reflect, Pray, Fast, Help, Visit, Share, Apologize, Forgive, Appreciate, Read the Bible. They are perennially valid, and you can see them, if you wish, on our website (www.crimagnet.com).

This year, we try another approach. What to give up for Lent. After all, many Catholics think of Lent as the time when they give up something they normally enjoy (meat, alcohol, sweets, etc.). There are more harmful things we need to give up. Here is a list.

1. Blaming: Blaming serves no purpose. If I hit a cup on the table by mistake, and blame the one who put it there, and he blames me for being careless, nothing useful is achieved. It makes much more sense to ask: What can we do about it?
2. Gossip: When he launched the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis told a group of religious, “If we abstain from gossip during this year, it will be a great Year of Mercy.” He compared gossip to leaving a bomb at a crowded bus stand and walking away. Gossip does enormous harm, which we cannot erase.
3. Jealousy: Jealousy is common and destructive. It will destroy our happiness and lead us to harm others. The jealous person “feels” that if others are praised or liked, he/she is losing out. Hence they tend to speak ill of the person they are jealous of. The real reason for jealousy is our insecurity. If we can look at our areas of insecurity and do something about it, we learn to handle our life positively. Otherwise, we put down others, and make fools of ourselves.
4. Worry: Jesus taught us that worry is a useless emotion. Worry means: To imagine the worst possible outcome as real, and to relive it repeatedly. If I get a little pain, I imagine myself as having the worst forms of cancer, and lose out on living my life today. The positive attitude opposed to worry is TRUST. Trust God. Trust the good people in your life. Trust yourself. There are hardships, yes, but we can find a solution to most problems. Worrying (which can become a habit) serves no purpose. Trusting prayer and diligent action can solve most problems.
5. Laziness: Why postpone the hard work? Why not get up a little earlier and pray? Why not leave the desk and do regular exercise? Why not clean your room, wash your clothes and complete other chores that have been piling up? Why not leave my surroundings clean, and free of litter?
6. Addictions: An addiction is something that has become stronger than your best intentions and plans. If it is strong or lasting, you may need help. If it is taking you away from people, and hinders you from doing your duties well, it is evidently dangerous. The addiction can be to alcohol, pornography, food, TV, computer games, social media, shopping, gossip or any other destructive habit.
7. Fear: There is one sentence repeated in the Bible 365 times: “Fear not!” God does not want us to live in fear; He invites us to trust and to live in love. Fear can make us betray our conscience (as Peter did when he denied Christ). When our hearts are ruled by fear, we cannot love. A family, or a formation house, or a religious community marked by fear is damaging for the members. Love, instead, transforms the heart, gives us tremendous inner strength, and makes us do good cheerfully.

Jesus did not come among us to teach us any special diet. What he did teach and show was something incomparably more important and more beautiful: How to move from fear to love, from selfishness to compassion, from worry to trust—and to build a world where human beings see and treat one another as God’s beloved sons and daughters.

May Lent (or any other religious observance) not distract us from the essentials, but help us become what God wants us to be. A religious practice is meaningful if it helps me become a better person, and makes our earth a better home for all.

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5 FEBRUARY

FR PEDRO ARRUPE (1907-1991)

Fr Arrupe was the 28^th Superior General of the Society of Jesus, and probably the most admired General after the founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola After many years as a missionary in Japan (including doing medical service among the victims of the atom bomb in Nagasaki), he was elected General. He led the Jesuits on the path of a “faith that does justice.” He took a firm stand for the poor, and refused to yield to those who threatened to kill the Jesuits who worked for justice in places like El Salvador. A mystic who combined a deep sense of God with a courageous stand for justice, he was much loved and admired.

Here are two much-quoted statements of his that all of us can learn from:

“Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in a love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the mornings, what you will do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.”

“Today’s prime educational objective must be to form men and women for others who cannot even conceive of the love of God that does not include the love of the least of their neighbours.”

After he had a stroke, he could no longer function as General of the Jesuits. At the next General Congregation, he was wheeled into the hall, and a prayer written by him was read out: “More than ever I find myself in the hands of God. This is what I have wanted all my life from my youth. But now there is this difference: the initiative is entirely with God. It is indeed a profound spiritual experience to know and feel myself so totally in God’s hands.”

Fr Arrupe died in Rome on February 5, 1991.

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6 FEBRUARY

SAINTS PAUL MIKKI, GONSALO GARCIA & COMPANIONS (+1597)

Paul Mikki was a Japanese Jesuit and Gonsalo a Franciscan Brother from Bassein, who were martyred during the persecution of Christians in Japan in the sixteenth century. In fact, Gonsalo Garcia is the first canonized Indian saint.

They, as well as many other Christians after them, were crucified. The persecution was severe and ruthless. To identify Christians in hiding, government functionaries would round up whole villages and ask each one to stamp on a picture of Jesus or Mary. Those who refused, and their families, were executed. Some denied the faith to escape death, but many others professed their faith and died for it.

Christianity had no public face in Japan for the next two hundred years. But a number of Christians remained faithful, in secret. When a French priest was allowed into Japan in the 19^th century as the chaplain for the French community, a group of Japanese approached him and told him they were Christians.

The cross marked the history of Christianity in Japan. After the nineteenth century, the number of Christians grew. A large centre of Catholicism in Japan was Nagasaki. About ten thousand of them were killed when the Americans dropped an atom bomb over that city.

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21 FEBRUARY (BIRTHDAY)

CARDINAL JOHN HENRY NEWMAN (1801-1890)

Newman belonged to the Anglican Church, studied and held a prestigious post at Oxford University. In investigating Church history to defend the position of the Anglican Church, he was led more and more to the truth of the Catholic faith. He finally took a step that shocked his Anglican community: He became a Catholic. He later became a priest and well-known theological writer. His writings, The Grammar of Assent (about how one makes a faith commitment) and The Idea of a University (about the nature of university education) became much-quoted classics. Being ahead of his time, he was criticised in some influential church settings. Ideas which we find normal today were considered wrong or dangerous in the nineteenth century: The role of the laity, the importance of the intellectual in the church, the development of doctrine, separation between church and state, the key role of conscience. Only at the Second Vatican Council (1963-65) were Newman’s ideas really accepted by many in the Catholic Church, so much so that Pope Paul VI called the Council “Newman’s council.”

Much better known than his theological writings is a hymn Newman wrote, as he prayed for God’s guidance: “Lead, Kindly Light.” Its popular text includes these touching words: “The night is dark, and I am far from home. Lead Thou me on! Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me.”

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22 FEBRUARY

HANS & SOPHIE SCHOLL (+1943)

When Nazi power was at its height, and its murderous policies at their worst, a small group of students in Munich, inspired by their Christian faith, decided to resist. They started distributing pamphlets exposing what Hitler and Nazism were doing—the murder of Jews, the suppression of dissent, the destructive military policies.

Hans was a 23-year old medical student. His sister Sophie, 21, studied philosophy.

They were caught and interrogated.

At the interrogation, the police officer told Sophie that the government and the law came first. Sophie insisted that God and conscience should come first. At this, the officer lost his temper and shouted: “There is no God. And what is conscience?”

When they realized that the police had found them guilty, Hans and Sophie tried to take the whole responsibility on themselves, to save their other friends from the same fate. But the secret police rounded up everyone in the group.

Hans and Sophie were condemned to death.

There are at three movies about them. In the award-winning film, Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, one of the most moving scenes is when their parents are allowed to meet them for a few minutes. The father tells Sophie and Hans: “You did the right thing. I am proud of both of you.” Their mother, stroking Sophie’s cheek tenderly, tells her, “Child, you will not come through my door again. We will meet in heaven. Remember Jesus.” Sophie responds, “You, too, mom.”

Hans and Sophie and a friend of theirs were beheaded on February 22.

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“When someone comes to the door of the monastery, wishing to renounce the world and be added to the brothers, he shall not be free to enter.  First, the father of the monastery shall be informed.  He shall remain outside at the door a few days and be taught the Lord’s prayer and as many psalms as he can learn.  Carefully shall he make himself known…  If they see that he is ready for everything, then he shall be taught the rest of the monastic discipline.”

 (Rule of Pachomius, 49)

Pachomius (290-346/47 CE) was the first person in the Christian tradition to offer a systematic Rule for religious life—a Rule which included instructions about whom to admit and the method of training a novice.  The beginning of his spiritual itinerary was similar to Antony’s (Magnet, December 2017).  After being baptized at the age of twenty-one, he was trained under a well-known hermit called Abba Palamon.  Unlike Antony, who remained a hermit all his life, Pachomius set up monasteries in order to train novices by institutionalizing some stage of the solitary experience of hermits.  His first experiment in the year 324 to have an organized community life was a failure.  Though the experiment failed, he learnt that in order to successfully organize a religious community, the virtues of poverty and obedience were crucial; there could be no compromise on them.  His second attempt would be successful. Within a few years more than 9000 monks would be living according to the Rule of Pachomius.

Pachomius was the first great organizer of religious life within the Christian tradition and the success of his organization centered around three activities—liturgy, work and the community meal. Though the Eucharist was the main celebration, the synaxis or regular common prayer would be an important feature of the Pachomian Rule.  The synaxis consisted in readings from Scripture with a period of silent reflection and ended with the common recitation of the Our Father.  The work that the monks engaged in was directly or indirectly related to agriculture and was conducted in groups.  The community meal was an activity which led to collaboration among the monks and helped them grow into a close knit community.  The daily routine of prayer, work and common meal nourished their inner life and helped them cultivate a life of virtue.  Details of the manner in which community life was organized can be known by reading the three volumes of the Pachomian Koinonia, translated by Armand Veilleux (Cistercian Publications Inc., Michigan).

Though small communities existed, Pachomius gave organized religious life a totally new dimension.  His genius lay in offering guidelines to help identify persons who were apt for religious life and then provide a framework within which such persons could be formed to live a life of service.  Though religious life in common did not have the rigorous asceticism of hermitical life, it trained a monk towards a life of sharing.  The dynamics of living together and rubbing shoulders with a variety of persons helped them grow in discipline, self-examination and discernment leading to greater inner freedom.

The death of Pachomius would provoke a minor crisis.  However, the monks looked at the life of Pachomius for encouragement and fell back to the Rule as proposed by him to stabilize the situation.

As we look at religious life in today’s context, we see that the structure offered by Pachomius continues to be relevant.  Many centuries have gone by and religious life has adapted itself to a variety of differing situations.  Through all these vagaries of time, the core elements of the Pachomian Rule and the endearing personality of Pachomius continue to be an inspiration.

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This ‘Candles’ column is about people who are shining examples for us, isn’t it? Some may, therefore, be surprised at the person I have chosen this time. Raising their eyebrows, they might ask, ‘Oh, this woman? Isn’t she the wife of the richest person in the world?’ Melinda Gates is, yes, the wife of the man who was till recently the richest man in the world–Bill Gates. Friends who know the couple well say she is indeed his better half.

But, if you are surprised, it means you don’t know her enough.

Born on August 15, 1964 in a Catholic family in Dallas, Texas, U.S., she was christened Melinda Ann French. At St. Monica Catholic School she was the top student in her class. After earning degrees in computer science and economics and an MBA, Melinda joined Microsoft and played a key role in developing many of Microsoft’s multimedia products.

A few months after she joined Microsoft, Bill asked her out for a date. Melinda herself has revealed what exactly happened. “Bill said, ‘You know, I was thinking maybe we could go out—if  you give me your phone number—may be two weeks from tonight.’ And I said to him, ‘Two weeks from tonight? I have no idea what I’ll be doing two weeks from tonight. You’re not spontaneous enough for me.’ But Bill wasn’t ready to give up. He called an hour later and said, ‘Is this spontaneous enough for you?’”  She agreed to the date. After dating for six years they got engaged in 1993 and decided to celebrate their engagement with a safari in Africa.

“What was most memorable about that trip wasn’t the savanna. It was the people we met. Our time in East Africa was my first real encounter with extreme poverty. It was both eye-opening and heartbreaking. I have vivid memories of watching women walking down the street, babies on their backs, and wondering what their lives were like. What did they hope for and worry about? What were the barriers keeping them trapped in poverty? Before we left, Bill and I took a walk on a beach in Zanzibar and had the conversation that would end up changing our lives. We’d already decided to give away most of the resources from Microsoft, but weren’t sure how. Now we had a sense of purpose—and urgency.

“When we got home to Seattle, we began learning all we could about what we’d seen. We dug into the data on poverty, disease and inequality, and consulted experts who’d been working on these issues long before we got started. In 2000, we opened the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, focused on solving the challenges facing the world’s poorest people. We wanted to help find solutions.”

Through this Foundation Melinda Gates has become the first woman in the world to have given away more than $ 40 billion for humanitarian work all over the world. Along with her husband, she has become part of a movement that has supported well-researched initiatives in more than a hundred countries that face acute challenges in education, poverty, hunger and health. Asked what she felt most proud about—among a legion of worthwhile contributions across the world—Melinda said it was making life-saving vaccines available to hundreds of millions of children. “There are three million children alive today because of those vaccines.” By the year 2020, her Foundation would have prevented more than eleven million deaths, 264 million illnesses and 3.9 million disabilities by providing sustainable vaccine coverage and support. Other initiatives have focussed on fighting poverty, diseases, illiteracy and bias against women.

Melinda and Bill Gates have received numerous awards and honours for their philanthropic work all over the world, including our own ‘Padma Bhushan’ and France’s ‘Legion of Honour.’ But what do you think their greatest reward will be? The satisfaction of fulfilling a command—and a promise—by Jesus: “Give and it shall be given to you.”

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