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This is the 24^th year of my priestly life. It feels as if I was ordained yesterday, so quickly have the years passed. What springs forth from my heart after more than fifty years of life and twenty-four years of priestly ministry is a deep sense of gratitude to God.

I had spent thirteen years in active pastoral ministry, and ten years as editor. In another two years I shall be completing twenty-five years of priestly life.

Seminary Influence: Learning in Freedom
Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee, Chennai, is my alma mater. It was a place of significant learning and growing. I was not a very clever student, but the seminary made me grow in intellect and integrity. There was a lot of freedom to think, raise questions and try new ventures. Fr Joe Mannath was one of my professors. Fr Joe’s teaching was the most enjoyable, as it was packed with knowledge, humour, life-values and, above all, a space for dialogue between the teacher and the students.

Learning was encouraged even outside the class room. It was also a time of emerging new trends: Liberation Theology, Feminism, Dalit Theology, etc. It led us to involvement with the poor. The study of theology was done while understanding the life of the people. The professors were open to change and dialogue. I thank Fr Joe and other for inspiring me. That has made me what I am today. It taught me to think and act with freedom and responsibility.

Theology of the Common people

Soon after my ordination, I was appointed as an assistant priest at St Thomas Mount, Chennai. The faith of the faithful was a great source of learning for me. What sustains the Catholic families is their faith and trust in the Lord. I was touched by their unquenchable longing for God, the spirit of endurance in times of trouble, the never-decreasing hope of the people of God even when things seemed very dark and disappointing.  Youth participation, catechism, children’s involvement, contribution of pious associations, dedication of the choir, amazing response of people for every liturgical function—all these regular activities helped me deepen my faith.

One day, after Mass in the morning, a mother with her two children came to the church. She looked frightened, and wept inconsolably. “Why are you crying?” I asked her. She said: “My husband left us a couple of days back, I am driven out of the house, our debt is beyond our ability, I do not know what to do. Where can I go now and with my two children?” I said, “You have come to the right place. This is the house of God; He will protect you. Go inside the church and pray for some time and we shall see what can be done.” I too prayed. To my surprise, two FMM Sisters reached there just then. I asked them if they could help. The Sisters took the family with them. They gave the mother a job in their school, and admitted the children in their school. The husband returned home after seven years.  Now the children too are settled well. There is a dawn to every night.

Celebrating Faith and Life

Some of my companions who despised the faith of the people and spoke of liberation have left their priesthood because they found no meaning in the faith of the people. I enjoyed celebrating the faith and life of people. The faith and goodness of the people have taught me precious lessons. Here is one touching experience.

While visiting the homes of the parishioners, I met an elderly woman who was seriously ill. She seemed to be on the point of death. After some months, however, I saw her in the church. I could not believe my eyes. She was healthy. She thanked me for the prayers. I said, “God has blessed you with good health. . Pardon me because I thought you would not recover soon.” She then said, “Father, God has given me good health again. I will be admitted in the hospital for a surgery next week. Please pray.” I asked her, “Why?” She replied, “My son-in-law became blind due to an accident, I am going to donate my eyes to him.”  I could not control my tears.  I said, “Mother, your love is great and your faith is strong.”

Felt Loved; Never Lonely

Till today, I have not felt lonely in my priestly life. There were moments of trouble and struggle, but never did I experience any feeling of hopelessness. Sorrowful moments, like funerals, made me cry many times. Experiencing loss, pain and sorrow made me understand the mysteries of life.

The people loved me dearly. Once, when there was some trouble around, and some opposing forces (not Christians) threatened to attack me one night, my parish elders and youth stayed with me day and night giving me protection. Even now, when I think of it, I become emotional.

The grace of God came to my aid, especially in moments of sorrow. I have lost my elder sister and my dad. The days when I was with them in their sickness, the parish community stood by me. The feeling that a community is there to support me was really comforting. Prayer life is the key for our consistency in our mission. More than helping others to pray, I felt the need of prayer. Every obstacle in my life was broken by the power of prayer.

Whenever I began something in the parish or in my personal life, it was always with prayer. I never gave up the hope in doing God’s work. When I began the church construction, the resources were very limited. But in a miraculous way, the church was completed. It was so with every effort. I began many projects with nothing, but ended with great success.

Unexpected Call to Media Ministry

Like a phoenix, the New Leader had risen to great heights through the hard work and professional journalistic touch of Fr Joe Antony SJ, its former editor. He served as editor of the magazine for twenty years. Now, the Archbishop wanted me to be the new editor. As a preparation, I did the Diploma in Journalism at Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, and took up the post. I was frightened when I took charge. But the Lord’s nearness has always given me strength.

Besides publication of The New Leader Magazine, we have also published forty books under “New Leader Publications.”

The era of cyber intelligence has unlocked many opportunities for knowledge. Communication and networking are made easy. While it is true that we have more possibilities to create a better world, there is a danger that we become mechanical and impersonal, that our relationships become more virtual than real, more commercial than communal, our hearts crowded but empty, our minds brilliant and not wise, our lives busy and not purposeful, our needs gratified and not satisfied.

Catholic journalism is a challenging ministry which should have the professional touch of the secular journalist on the one hand and the evangelizing concern (spreading the good news) on the other hand.

I find media work interesting and meaningful. Spreading stories of good-news—hope, humanity, justice and equality—is what the world needs today. While the secular media is flooded with violence, sensationalism, glamour, commercialism and individualism; the ministry of story-telling with a difference—with a positive slant, touching the goodness of every human being—is the need of the hour.

When we venture to do little things which are beautiful – pleasing to God and profiting human race – the world becomes a better place to live in. If we can become a little more kind, a little more generous, a little more caring to the poor and needy, a little more loving and forgiving, a little more tolerant, a little more humble and selfless, a little more holy and honest, then, I am sure that this world will turn out to be a home where God dwells with us. He is Emmanuel, God with us.

Fr Antony Pancras, a Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore, is the Editor and Publisher of The New Leader, an international Catholic magazine established in 1887. He is also a musician and writer, with a book and 300 songs to his credit.

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Fr Antony Pancras

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DECEMBER 1

St. Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916)

Imagine a pleasure-loving, indisciplined young aristocrat who was thrown out of the army for insubordination (he insisted on keeping a mistress), explored the Sahara at age 23, and then…fell in love with God. He was fond of food and drink, and his friends in the army called him “piggy.” For one of his birthdays, the drinks were brought in a small truck! He always enjoyed going against orders. No one who knew the young Charles de Foucauld would have predicted what he would become.

Charles walked into a Catholic church one night and asked the priest: Give me the faith. The priest told him to kneel down and confess his sins to God. Charles, who had always done the opposite of what anyone ordered him to, knelt down and made his confession. Then, at the priest’s request, he received Communion.

He was a changed man from that day. He would later say that once he knew God exists, he could not do anything other than live for Him.

He went to the Holy Land. Studied the life of Jesus. Became a Trappist for three years. Left. He did not want the security and safety of the monastery. He wanted to live as Jesus had lived. For this he (a French aristocrat!) became a servant in a convent in Nazareth. Became a priest. Went to Africa, where he lived alone, seeking God. He wanted to develop a form of contemplative life which would proclaim Jesus from the rooftops, but not in words, but by deeds. He was killed by Tuareg rebels.

He died an apparent failure, with nothing accomplished and no followers. Decades later, Fr René Voillaume and four companions went from France to Africa to live the life that Charles de Foucauld had dreamt of. Out of this group would come the Little Brothers of Jesus and the Little Sisters of Jesus.

I found a small community of Little Sisters in Varanasi, just above the shore of the Ganges. I have met the Brothers. They live and work, as Jesus did, among the people, doing the ordinary jobs that most poor people do. Charles de Foucauld had written: “We must respect the least of our brothers and sisters, mingle with them, become one with them.”

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DECEMBER 2

Sr Maura Clark, Sr Ita Ford, Sr Dorothy Kazel and Miss Jean Donovan  (+ 1980)

A tragic and heroic story.

They were US citizens who volunteered to work among the poor in El Salvador. The year: 1980. Archbishop Romero had been murdered for speaking up for the poor and for justice. These three Sisters (two Maryknoll nuns and an Ursuline) and their lay helper knew the risk involved in taking a stand for the poor.

They knew the danger. They refused to run away. Just a few days before their violent death, Sr Ita Ford wrote to her family what it means to be poor in El Salvador. It was more than just poverty. It meant you could be kidnapped, tortured and killed. The same fate, they knew, awaited those who worked for the poor.

 Jean Donovan, the lay volunteer, was just twenty-seven, from a rich family, who had completed a business degree. She could not tear herself away from the poor children among whom she worked.

Dorothy and Jean went to pick up Maura and Ita at the airport. They were never seen again. Soldiers dressed as civilians stopped them. Took them away. Raped two of them. Killed them by shooting them in the head. Buried them in a shallow grave. Farmers found the grave, and informed the church authorities. Their bodies were exhumed; that is how the world learnt of the murder.

They did not die for professing the Christian faith in theory. (In fact, those who did the killing in El Salvador considered themselves Christians.) They translated their faith in Jesus into a stand for the poor. That is what led to their slaughter. Those who worship money and power brook no opposition.

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DECEMBER 7

St. Ambrose (339-397)

If you had lived in Milan at the time of Ambrose, you would probably have exclaimed: What a man! What an extraordinary bishop!

In fact, the emperor whom Bishop Ambrose confronted for his massacre of innocent citizens, did public penance as Ambrose had told him to. He said this about the fearless bishop: “I know no one who deserves the name of bishop, except Ambrose.”

Who was Ambrose? Why is he so admired?

Son of a high-ranking official in the Roman empire, Ambrose had become governor of Milan, the imperial capital. The local church was strongly divided between Catholics and Arianists (a heretical group). As the two groups met for the election of the new bishop, the strife was so severe, the governor intervened to keep the peace. So impressed was the crowd that they shouted: “Ambrose for bishop!”

Ambrose, totally shocked, tried to run away and hide. When discovered, he finally acquiesced. He was not yet baptized. So, in a few days, he was baptized, confirmed, ordained a priest and made bishop of Milan!

He became a model bishop and a very courageous pastor. He gave away his property, cared for the poor, and studied at night. He learnt the Bible assiduously and became an outstanding preacher. In fact, a still more famous churchman was impressed and influenced by his preaching—St. Augustine.

As for courage, he opposed Emperor Valentinian’s order to hand over a church to a heretical group. Imperial troops surrounded the Cathedral, with Bishop Ambrose and the faithful trapped inside. Ambrose would not compromise his stand, which was: The emperor is in the church, not over it. The emperor yielded.

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DECEMBER 9

Bl. Juan Diego

The pictures of Our Lady we are used to seeing, even in India or other Asian countries, are pictures of European women—often friends of the Italian or German or Dutch artists who painted those images. We are so used to seeing such images that we think of Mary as a European woman, which she was not. (The same goes our common portraits of Jesus.)

Have you seen pictures of Our Lady of Guadalupe? She is no European. She has the dark complexion, features and dress of the native Mexicans of the sixteenth century. How did this come about?

It goes back to a poor “Indian” (Native American) of Mexico, who, one day, on his way to church saw a young woman, who asked him to go to the bishop and tell him to build a church. The bishop, of course, refused to take this poor man (Juan Diego) seriously. This happened again, and once again the bishop did not relent. He further told him that he would listen, if the lady gave him a sign.

The sign came during the next visit. The maiden appeared once again to Juan Diego, showed him roses to take to the bishop—it was not a season for roses—and told him to collect them. Juan gathered the roses in his cape, and went to meet the bishop. When he opened his cape to give the roses to the bishop, both found the young woman’s image imprinted on his cape. This is the image venerated as Our Lady of Guadalupe.

A church was built on that spot, and has become a magnet attracting millions of pilgrims.

It was the time of the Spanish conquest of South America. The Spaniards treated the native inhabitants cruelly, despised them, and never saw them as human beings like themselves.

Our Lady appeared to one of the despised “dark” persons, not to a European colonizer. She assumed the appearance of a native woman, not that of the ruling colonizers. She spoke to Juan Diego in his dialect, not in the language of the conquerors (Spanish).

Juan Diego was a weak and frightened man, a nobody in the church or society of the time. Mary would speak to him tenderly, telling him: “Do not be afraid or upset. Am I not here, I who am your mother? Are you not in my lap? Let nothing upset you.”

The Church honours Juan Diego’s memory on this day.

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In this article, the author explains how a hopeful and optimistic attitude promotes happiness and even better physical health.

Through careful planning and years of hard work, Rajan, 47, had built up a thriving textile business.  He had just invested a good amount of money to improve his facilities when an accidental fire destroyed all that he had built up. He was devastated.

The fire gutted his business, but not his spirit. Recovering from the shock, he was determined to rebuild his business. He was confident he could do it. Instead of brooding and lamenting over his loss, he set about finding ways and means. He first approached the insurance company. He was told it would take some time before he would be reimbursed.

He then approached a bank for loans. It refused. He went to another … and another, and kept going from bank to bank. They all refused. He realized he was not going to get the loans he needed. But he did not give up. He knew he would find a way.

And that way was selling his large house and surrounding land and moving into a small apartment with his family. With the money from the sale, he started his business again on a very small scale. Meanwhile he received remuneration from the insurance company. Slowly the business expanded and today ten years later, his business ventures are thriving.

Rajan lived with hope. He believed he would succeed and he worked hard to make his dream come true.

Hope is the conviction of having a meaningful future despite obstacles and also choosing the path to make that future real.

Persons high on hope have visions of who they want to be and what they want to accomplish in life and are able to motivate themselves; they feel resourceful accomplishing their objectives.

Hope and optimism go together. Optimism provides us with a faith that the future is going to be bright, that we can accomplish our goals, whatever they may be. When in a tight spot, we reassure ourselves that things will get better.

Hope includes practical pathways to realize the bright future we envisage. We persist in seeking goals despite setbacks and obstacles. We are also flexible enough to find different ways to get to our goals or to switch goals, if needed.

Two types of thinking

This is the understanding of hope provided by C. R. Snyder, the leading psychologist exploring hope. Snyder and his colleagues have come up with what they call the “Hope Theory.” The theory holds that hope involves two types of thinking: agency thinking and pathway thinking.

Agency thinking refers to an individual’s determination to achieve his or her goals despite possible obstacles; pathway thinking refers to the ways in which an individual believes she or he can achieve these personal goals.

Agency thinking reflects the self-referential thoughts of success in one’s endeavor. High-hope persons embrace such self-talk phrases as “I can do this” and “I am not going to be stopped.”

Pathways thinking involves generating an effective route to a desired goal. When that route does not bear the desired fruit, high-hope persons are able to create alternate routes and persist until desired outcomes are realized. Hope calls for will power, says Snyder.

Not wishful thinking

Hope, thus, is not mere wishful thinking, an illusion. It is real. It involves having goals and working towards realization of those goals, despite obstacles. Hope calls for determination and commitment. Hope was aptly expressed in Barack Obama’s famous election slogan. “Yes, We Can!” But then he had an army of committed volunteers working hard to make the dream come true.

The twin dimensions of hope presented by Snyder and colleagues – agency thinking and pathway thinking – are illustrated in the beautiful Gospel story of healing of the woman with the hemorrhages (Mark, 5, 24-35). This woman, who had been suffering from chronic hemorrhages over a period of years, had spent her life savings on doctors in hope of healing, but with little positive outcome. Yet, she did not give up. She persisted in her hope that she would be healed. She took an alternate pathway to healing. She believed that if she could touch Jesus’s garment she would be healed. In spite of the hurdles before her, she made her way to Jesus and touched the hem of his garment. And she was healed.

Benefits of hope

A large body of research shows that hope promotes health and happiness. Hope buffers people against a number of physical and mental problems and helps people heal faster and easier. Individuals who maintain high levels of hope when battling illness significantly enhance their chances of recovery. They remain appropriately energized and focused on what they need to do in order to recuperate. Persons with high hope also engage in more preventative behaviors (i.e., physical exercise) than those with low hope.

Research shows that optimistic persons are less prone to depression, anxiety and anger, and more likely to experience life satisfaction, positive physical and mental health, self-esteem, ability to adapt and cope in various situations and longer life.

One research that followed 1,300 men in their 60s over a ten-year period found that the more optimistic men were about half as likely to develop heart disease as the more pessimistic men.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana assessed the cardiovascular health of more than 5,100 adults aged 45 to 84. They had participants complete surveys about their mental health, levels of optimism and physical health. It was found that the most optimistic participants were twice more likely to be in far better cardiovascular health than their pessimistic counterparts. Optimists had also significantly lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Studies have also shown that a health care professional’s positive expectations that raise the patient’s level of hope can have a concrete impact on the health of the patient.

Why placebo works

Hope is a major ingredient in “placebo’ studies. In such studies one group of people are made to believe that they are being given a very effective treatment (when in reality they are not), while another group is actually given an effective treatment. Results often show that both groups benefit. It was the belief (hope) that they would benefit that led to improvement in the first group.

In general, people who possess hope and think optimistically have a greater sense of wellbeing, in addition to the improved health outcomes outlined above. Hope evokes positive emotions and reduces negative ones. Hope has been found to release endorphins which create a pleasurable mood and a feeling of wellbeing.

Hope is a high motivator and facilitates success in one’s endavours. Hope has been found to relate to higher achievement test scores among students. Athletes with high as compared with low hope perform significantly better in their events.

Living hopefully, thus, leads to health and happiness as well as success in life. It would be worthwhile for us to cultivate hope which calls for fighting a pessimistic outlook on life and developing optimistic attitudes and working persistently toward goal realization.

INTROSPECTION

• Do I generally have an optimistic or pessimistic outlook on life?
• Do I easily give up when I face obstacles, or do I persist in my efforts until I succeed?
• Do I tend to persist with unsuccessful pathways or to create new pathways that will lead to success?

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In Ashley Anderson and Jacob Mann’s animated short film, Extinguished, attraction is literally represented as a flame right where a person’s heart beats in his or her chest. A young man’s fire goes off when his feelings for a girl he likes are not reciprocated. Later on a pretty new neighbour moves in. Looking at her, he again feels the flame burning inside his chest.

The characters help us identify with the guy, who can’t seem to avoid every imaginable embarrassment every time he interacts with his crush.

Thinking of the way attraction sometimes messes with our ‘rational self’ reminds me that often “the greatest mistake we human make in our relationships is that: we listen half; understand quarter; think zero and react double.”

Are there, then, some ‘concrete’ ways that help us have more control over our life when we feel strongly pulled towards another person, even sexually?

Can celibates or those whose commitment requires some form of abstinence experience attraction in a way that is fulfilling and yet coherent with their respective obligations?

The following ‘5 Dos’ can help us to at least ‘keep calm’ and possibly grow through the fire of attraction.

1. Know It’s Normal

The first thing we need to realize is that it is completely natural for human beings to be emotionally or physically attracted to each other. Just because we are in a marriage, or in a commitment that requires celibacy, does not turn off our hormones!

2. Be Aware of What’s Happening

Fr Andrew (name changed) had come to visit. I liked him but had never given it a thought. After he left, another Sister told me: ‘Hey, what’s going on with you?’ I said: ‘Nothing. Why?’ ‘When he was here, you were laughing loudly, looking very happy…’ I felt annoyed with her. What was she talking about? Later on, reflecting, I had to admit that yes, I liked Fr Andrew more than others.

At fist realizing that we like someone feels scary! Where will this take me? What will happen to me, my life and my commitments? What will the person or others think about me?

Acknowledging attraction is one of the hardest do’s. However, thinking or pretending that we are above it is more likely to lead us to ‘fall’ than the attraction itself. The good news is that acknowledging and taking responsibility for our feelings is in fact liberating. It helps us become aware that we can actually do something about it.

3. Make a List of “What’s at Stake…”

If I were to act on my feelings, what could be the consequences? Am I truly ready for what might result?

Another way is to imagine this happening to someone else. For example, I can ask myself: How would I feel if I found out that someone I love and respect had a serious crush on someone besides their spouse and acted on their feelings? How hurt would I be? How hurt would their spouse be? How would it impact their family?

4. Starve the Feeling

This means to keep my mind busy with something else.  How? By occupying my mind with something I am passionate about; dedicating myself to whatever is entrusted to me; caring for the people I meet and work with; being physically active.

5. Talk It Over

Talking about our feelings with someone trustworthy and wise is another way of acknowledging the problem and getting clarity of mind. And supposing we do not have such a person, writing what goes on within has a similar effect, but we will not get useful feedback.

Conclusion

We cannot expect to remain undisturbed by attraction. It is and will remain an unsettling experience. However, the turmoil it brings need not end in a tragedy. On the contrary!

May we learn to see the beauty of feeling alive through it. May the desire to be close to another person teach us to share ourselves and learn from another.

If this experience, by making us experience our vulnerability, teach us to understand others, how can it not be a blessing? Don’t you think so?

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Katherine got the worst fright of her life and the deepest sense of peace on the same night.

She was on a small ship crossing from mainland Italy to Sardinia, where her family lived. The sea was stormy, and the night was dark.

Another young woman who shared her cabin, got scared, and ran out of the cabin to be with friends elsewhere.

Katherine had been vomiting, and felt too weak to move.

In the middle of the night, the ship stopped—in the middle of the sea. She did not know what was happening. She remembered, to her horror, that another ship had sunk around the same spot just a week earlier.

Katherine did the only thing she could do—she started praying.

She recited the Rosary.

Then, to her surprise, an unexpected sense of calm settled on her. With each “Hail, Mary” and “Holy Mary,” she found herself becoming less and less scared, more and more confident.

She would tell me later: “I had said the Rosary so many times in my life, often without thinking of the words. That night, I realized what I was saying: I was asking for Mary’s protection at the present moment (“now”) and at the hour of death—the only two moments we are sure of. If God protects me during these two moments, that is enough for me—right now and when I am dying. I was not scared any longer.”

For Thankam, my third sister, God became more real after the worst tragedy of her life. Her husband Joseph, a man of remarkable integrity and goodness, and apparently in perfect health, died suddenly. I will not understand the anguish my sister must have gone through at this unexpected and heart-breaking loss. He was 52; she was in her forties. Their five children were all in school.

“I could not eat or sleep,” she told us. She was getting weaker and weaker, and felt overburdened by Joseph’s death and the heavy responsibility that now lay on her shoulders. She would lie awake at night, unable to bear the sorrow and unclear about how to manage her family alone.

Then, one day, she did something that changed her. This is what she did.

“I told the Lord: ‘I am tired of rowing this boat all alone. Now, you take over the boat; I am going to sleep.’ I told Him that, and lay down, and slept.”

That was the first good sleep she had after Joseph’s death.

The pain remained, of course; raising five children all alone is no cakewalk for a widow. But she was able to sleep.

The Lord was now rowing her boat.

Later, she would tell us often: “If things are going well, it is not because of our smartness, but by God’s tender mercy.”

When things go well, don’t we often (foolishly) attribute it to our smartness, and forget the loving arms that hold us tenderly and provide for us?

What we need to pray for is not to be sheltered from storms, but to have the strength to face them.

How we find rest is not by withdrawing from the struggle, but by inviting the Lord to take charge more fully. He often waits nearby, too delicate to get too involved, because we may have preferred to keep him out. Tragedy—or what appears to be that—may be a hidden invitation to us to open our eyes and see how fully we are cared for, how tenderly held, and never, never forsaken.

As a friend—a woman religious whom I know for years—told me when she was diagnosed with cancer, “God has always been so good to me. I cannot doubt his care now.”

May we see beyond the turbulence and the smallness of our boat—and grasp the strong arms guiding us, and rowing for us. They will lead us to where we are meant to go.

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I was thrilled to meet her and her partner in April this year in Kodaikanal, the popular hill station in Tamil Nadu.  I felt happy and grateful I could meet the well-known human rights activist whom I have written and spoken about quite a few times.

The steely woman activist, Irom Sharmila Chanu, known as the Iron Lady of Manipur, had undertaken a hunger strike for sixteen years, protesting the army’s atrocities and demanding the repeal of a draconian law that gave the army total impunity. Manipur in North East India has suffered from years of violent insurgency. The Indian government had to declare Manipur as a disturbed area in 1980 and send the army to control the violence. It invoked a law passed in 1958 to tackle insurgency in the seven Northeastern States, called the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). This Act grants security forces the power to search any home or premises without a warrant, and to arrest anyone and to use deadly force if there is “reasonable suspicion” that a person is acting against the state.

For a long time the local people and human rights groups have been accusing the army of blatant human rights violations, even rape and murder. So even as a young girl, Sharmila was a civil rights activist, engaged in peaceful protests against the army’s excesses. On November 2, 2000, in a town called Malom, ten civilians who were waiting at a bus stop were shot and killed by the army.  Deeply agitated by ‘the Malom massacre,’ the 28-year old Sharmila began her hunger strike on November 5.  Her demand was that the Indian government should repeal the Act (AFSPA) that makes the army kill innocent civilians with such impunity. She vowed not to eat or drink, not even comb her hair or look in a mirror until AFSPA was repealed.

As her health deteriorated rapidly, she was arrested by the police for ‘attempting to commit suicide’ and was force-fed through her nose. But several people and rights groups from all over the world supported her and her demand. In 2010, she won a lifetime achievement award from the Asian Human Rights Commission. In 2011 the ‘Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign (SSSC)’ was launched, but the government did not yield.

Seeing the utter futility of her heroic hunger strike for sixteen long years, she finally decided to change her strategy. She ended her strike on 9 August 2016 and announced she would contest the State’s assembly elections. She got just ninety votes! She quit politics, but vowed that her fight for justice would continue.

In 2009, a man entered the lonely, painful life of this activist, declaring his love for her. Desmond Anthony Coutinho, a British citizen of Goan origin, reading a review of Sharmila’s biography, Burning Bright, by Deepti Priya Mehrotra when he came to Bengaluru in 2009 and seeing her pictures, fell in love with her. He met her in 2011 and later began writing to her, and sending her books and CDs of films. The police made it difficult for him whenever he tried to visit her and once even arrested him. The locals, who wanted her to be a martyr, did not like the idea of her getting married.

When I met them in April, Desmond seemed keen on marriage, as he wanted to give a new life to the woman whose sixteen years of starvation had damaged her digestive system. But she, the iron-willed activist, found it hard to make up her mind.  Finally, thank God, love triumphed. I was happy to hear that in a quiet and simple ceremony Desmond and Sharmila got married on 17 August. After the ceremony, Desmond told the reporters, “I have been waiting for her for the past seven years. She has given me a new life.” Who was giving whom a new life?

It was clear that marriage would not smother the activist in the frail, fearless woman. She declared her fight for justice would continue and that she would speak up in all possible forums for the people of Manipur.

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NOVEMBER 3

MARTIN DE PORRES (1579-1639)

The injustice and cruelty meted out to him would have made a lesser man bitter and vindictive. Martin, instead, rose from poverty and humiliation to care for the neediest with love.

Son a Spanish nobleman of Peru, and a freed slave woman of African or local descent, Martin had the features of his mother. His father walked out on the family, leaving the wife to support the family, which she barely managed. He lived in an orphanage for a while, and then was apprenticed to a barber—a profession that included medical work, including minor surgeries. The prevailing laws prevented children of African or native stock from joining religious orders. Martin joined the Dominicans, therefore, not as a professed member, but as someone doing menial work. Later, when he was admitted as a lay brother, a companion called him a mulatto (mixed race) dog, and others ridiculed him as an illegitimate child.

Soon people realized that this Brother was extraordinarily kind and caring, and a very effective and compassionate healer. He would carry very sick people with festering ulcers, place them in his own bed, and care for them. When criticised, he answered: “Compassion is more important than cleanliness.” Once when his superior reprimanded him for bringing in sick people, Martin answered in all simplicity, “Please instruct me. I did not know that the precept of obedience is more important than that of charity.”

Gradually, the criticism and contempt gave way to profound admiration for a holy man of God whose heroic charity seemed to have no limits. People spoke of his miraculous powers—of healing, of bilocation, of reaching the sick although the doors were locked, of getting animals to obey him. By the time he died at age sixty, most people of Lima hailed him as a saint.

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NOVEMBER 4 AND 18:

RAISSA (1883-1960) AND JACQUES (1882-1973) MARITAIN

Both were brilliant seekers, with a passion for poetry, art and social justice. They met at the University of Paris as young students, fell in love, and married. So keen was their search for meaning that they decided: If we do not find meaningful answers within a year, we will end our lives.

This search led them to philosopher Henri Bergson and to novelist Leon Bloy, through whom they discovered the Catholic faith, and the wisdom of that towering genius, Thomas Aquinas. Jacques would later be known as the most outstanding Catholic lay intellectual of the twentieth century, who would receive from the hands of Pope Paul VI the Vatican II document on the Church in the Modern World.

Raissa, an intellectual and a mystic like her husband, remained more in the background, supporting his work. By mutual consent they took a vow of celibacy, and decided to help each other on their God-search.

Jacques would later be a professor at Princeton University, the French ambassador to the Vatican, and a much-acclaimed intellectual.

Raissa died in 1960. Here is a charming quote from her journals (which show her as a true mystic): “I love the saints because they are so lovable, and the sinners because they are like me.”

She and Jacques had decided that, when one of them died, the other would join religious life. Those who knew them thought Jacques would join one of the more “intellectual” orders. Instead, he joined the Little Brothers of Jesus, and lived with them in a slum near Toulouse, France, until his death in 1973 at age 91. One of the simple convictions of this great intellectual was: “We do not need truths that serve us; we need a truth we can serve.”

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NOVEMBER 16

IGNACIO ELLICURIA SJ AND COMPANIONS

On the night of November 15-16, 1989, towards morning, a unit of the Salvadoran army entered the campus of the University of Central America (UCA), found the Jesuits, took them out to the lawn and shot them dead. They murdered also a maid who worked on the campus and her daughter. Why?

Fr Ellicuria and the other Jesuits, in being faithful to the Jesuit Society’s decision to promote a faith that does justice, had spoken up against the structural injustice of Salvadoran society. The military government saw them as the brains behind the uprising of the rebels, and decided to eliminate them.

Father Ellicuria, rector of the University, believed that the university must respect its historical reality, and hence identify the intellectual base of an unjust society that denies rights and freedoms to the majority, educate intellectuals with a conscience, and train them to act ethically. Far from supporting violence, he wanted to bring the warring factions of El Salvador to a common table for discussion. This is not what those in power, and the super-rich whose interests they served, wanted.

” El Salvador’s civil war was brutal…the vast majority of the estimated 75,000 people who died were innocent and unarmed men, women, children, and even infants. Government forces, especially the U.S.-trained Atlacatl battalion, participated in dozens of documented massacres including… the UCA murders. The Commission concluded that the Salvadoran government and military were at fault for 85% of the human rights abuses during the war.” (Matt Cuff, blog on August 20, 2014)

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NOVEMBER 29

DOROTHY DAY (1897-1980)

When Dorothy Day died in 1980 at age 83, she was perhaps the most admired member of the American Catholic Church.

What a life she had! Born into a middle class family and baptized into the Episcopalian Church, she gave up all religious practice as a young woman. She joined anarchists and communists and found religion as an obstacle to the social change she craved for. She lived with a man she loved, Forster Battingham, and became pregnant.

She also felt herself more and more drawn to prayer, and to the Catholic Church.

She was extremely happy to be pregnant, and even happier after the birth of her daughter, Tamar. She wanted to get Tamar baptized in the Catholic church, but Forster would not hear of it. He was against having children and totally opposed to religious practices. Dorothy realized that she had to choose between her religious faith, which was becoming stronger, and the man she loved, who would leave her if she joined the church.

After much prayer and struggle, she joined the Catholic Church. Forster left her.

A key struggle for her was: How to combine religion with social action for justice? How to bring together love and justice.

With the encouragement of a visiting French thinker called Peter Maurin, Dorothy started a newspaper called The Catholic Worker. To practise the kind of radical faith she wrote about, she started the Catholic Worker Houses, which would welcome the poor. There are 120 such Houses in the US today.

Apart from praying, writing about the poor, Dorothy Day took part in protests and sit-ins, was arrested, watched by the FBI, and even shot at. She had great admirers and staunch critics. Here are some of the convictions that led this passionate woman, who prayed much, took the vows of poverty and chastity, lived among the poor, was fascinated by the spirituality of St. Therese of Lisieux, opposed government policies that seemed to her unjust, and wrote much.

“The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us. When we begin to take the lowest places, to wash the feet of others, to love our brothers with that burning love, that passion which led to the cross, then we can truly say, ‘Now I have begun.’”

“I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least.”

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As said in the previous articles, any Public Legal Entity is created for a public charitable activity with no profit motive and even if there is some profit, it is reinvested in the same Entity to promote its objects and not distributed among the members.  We have three kinds of Legal Entities:

1. Trust:

A Trust is registered under the Indian Trust Act, 1882/Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950.  The Trust Deed is executed on a non-judicial stamp paper and then registered in the Sub-Registrar’s Office of the Registration or Charity Commissioner’s Office, with the Trust Deed and a minimum of three Trustees. It has the Board of Trustees and the executive committee or Managing Trustee.  All Trustees have equal power and authority. The Trust Deed is the constitution based on which the Trust is run, whether it is relating to its objects or rules and regulations. Registration under the Trust Act has national validity and hence it can operate throughout India.

Once the Trust is formed, no further document is to be submitted to the registering authority, but the Trust is expected to maintain its Minutes Book, Attendance Register and decisions taken in the form of resolutions. However, if the Trust falls under the authority of the Charity Commissioner, then the Change Report and the Annual Audited Accounts are to be submitted to his office.  There is no provision for the transfer of the Trustees, because they are democratically elected or appointed as per the provisions in the Trust Deed.  A Trustee cannot receive any payment or any privilege from the Trust or from any of its activities/institutions. However, he may receive payment or honorarium for his professional service or consultancy.

 Normally, a Trust cannot be wound up; it is irrevocable.  Here the change of Trustees may be easy and the cost factor may be low, but the level of transparency may be low. It may be difficult to change the place of the registered office. On the whole, a Trust is easy to form and run, but difficult to wind up.

2. Society:

A Society is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.  It is registered in the Registrar’s Office or the Charity Commissioner’s Office, with its constitutional document of the Memorandum of Articles of the Association and Rules and Regulations and a minimum of seven General Body Members and five Governing Body Members.  Here the Board Members will have a hierarchy in the execution of their power and authority. The Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations (By-Laws) is the constitution based on which the Society is run in relation to its objects or rules and regulations.

The registration of a Society is done in one particular state and hence it can operate only in that state.  After forming the Society, it is expected to submit the list of the Governing Body Members to the Registrar every year. Besides, the Society is expected to maintain its Minutes Book, Attendance Register and decisions taken in the form of resolutions. The Governing Body reports to the General Body, which has the supreme power to make or alter any policy decisions.   Once formed, the Society functions more democratically and elections are held.  There is no provision for the transfer of the Governing Body Members, because they are democratically elected.  A Board Member cannot receive any payment or any privilege from the Society or from any of its activities/institutions.  However, he may receive payment or honorarium for his professional service or consultancy.  A Society can be wound up and its assets can be passed on to another Society with similar objects. Here the cost factor may be low, but the change of the Governing Body members may not be easy and the level of transparency is also low.  It may be difficult to change the place of the registered office.  On the whole, a Society is a bit difficult to form and run, but easy to wind up.

3. Section 8 Company:

A Non-Profit/Section 8 Company is created to promote a particular cause, like a religious cause, child labour cause, environmental cause, helping the old age cause, etc.  It is registered under the Companies Act, 2013.  It is registered in the Office of the Registrar of Company, with its constitutional document of the Founding Document (Memorandum and Articles of Association) and a minimum of two Directors to form the Board of Directors and five members forming the General Body of Directors. In the Western Region, a company too falls under the jurisdiction of the Charity Commissioner.  Here the Board Members will have a hierarchy in the execution of their power and authority. The Founding Document is the constitution based on which the Company is run in relation to its objects or rules and regulations. The registration of a Company is granted by the Central Government, and hence it has validity at the national level.  After forming the company, it is expected to submit the change report, annual returns and audited accounts every year to the Charity Commissioner. The Companies Act demands specific provisions to have at least one Annual General Meeting and four Board Meetings every year.  Besides, the Company is expected to maintain its Minutes Book, Attendance Register and decisions taken in the form of resolutions. The Governing Body reports to the General Body, which has the supreme power to make or alter any policy decisions.   The Governing Body members are elected by the General Body. Once formed, the Company functions with a hierarchy of power and authority.  There is provision for the transfer of the Directorship.  The General Body of the Company may approve payment to the Directors. A Company can be wound up and its assets have to be passed on to another Company with similar objects. Here the change of Board of Directors may be easy and both the cost factor as well as the level of transparency is high.  It may be easy to change the place of the registered office.  On the whole, a company is difficult to form and run, but not so difficult to wind up.

Essential Elements:

Whichever type we may choose, all are eligible for 12AA, and they should have these essential elements:

1. a) No profit motive: Central to the concept of a Public Charitable Trust is the fact that the Trust, with its entire property and income, exists for the benefit of the public, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, etc., and hence the Trustees have no profit motive at all. This means that at no point of time can the Trustees or their relatives or friends  have a share of the profit or income of the Trust, nor can they even avail any of its services free of cost.
2. b) Use of the Property and all Income only for the objects of the Trust: Here, the Trustees have an obligation to use the entire property and income of the Trust only on the objects of the Trust, spelt out in the Trust deed, for the benefit of the beneficiaries for whom the Trust has been set up.
3. c) Activities in line with the objects: The purpose of the Trust is already spelt out in the form of objects of the Trust in the Trust Deed. This would mean that the Trust can have only those activities which are in line with its objects. Now, according to the recent Finance Bill of 2017, if a Trust modifies its objectives or purpose, it has to get a fresh registration for exemption from income tax.

The next article will deal with matters regarding employees.

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KEVIN SULLIVAN

Each year, as the summer months wind down, Crystal and I head off to enjoy an extended vacation with the hope of renewing our appreciation for each other and preparing to face the prospect of a long, cold winter which awaits us in our hometown shortly after our return.  This year we headed off to one of our favorite destinations, Germany, where Crystal’s only uncle lives. We are not ‘big city people’; so most of our sightseeing is limited to small towns and villages we encounter as we travel about by automobile, train or boat. Coming from a relatively young country like the United States of America, I am always enthralled with the history we experience as we walk through villages that have been around for several centuries. As we enter these villages we always seek out the local Catholic church (and an occasional Protestant one as well) where we take a few moments to offer prayers of thanksgiving to God as well as petitions for the well-being of family and friends. Entering each of these Catholic churches, no matter how large or small, we experience an environment that is (in one feature or another) spectacular, awe-inspiring and breathtaking. Such was my experience the day we entered one small church in a village in southern Germany.

We had visited this church to venerate a relic of the Precious Blood of Christ. Yet once we were inside, it was the beauty and the majesty of the tabernacle that captivated me. As I knelt down to pray at the Communion rail my eyes and my soul were drawn to the beautiful tabernacle that soared above and overwhelmed the modest original altar of this humble church.  It was arrayed in gold with golden rays spreading out from behind it, providing a majestic and glorious framing. I could not recall seeing anything nearly as spectacular anywhere in our years of visiting churches throughout the world. The phrase “giving glory to God” occupied my soul as I gazed upon this stunning sight. It was truly beautiful. My thoughts were immediately drawn back through the centuries to ponder the farmers and craftsmen who nearly five hundred years earlier were inspired to create such a magnificent home for the repose of the Blessed Sacrament.  Who were these people, who in such times of scarcity and struggle would pour so much of what they had to create such a powerful witness to their faith in God? I could only imagine an immense outpouring of gratitude that must have been in the hearts of those who were called to choose to execute such a glorious structure.

I must admit that the longer I meditated on this beautiful tabernacle, the more I longed for a return to those days when people were unabashed about their desire to glorify God.  Modern Catholic churches in the United States, especially those built since Vatican II, have been severely toned down when it comes to majesty, statuary and the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. In fact there are many churches where the tabernacle has been located off to the side or even out of the sight of the congregation. Some have no art or statues. Of course I am aware that there is always the tension of presenting an ostentatious display of wealth in face of the ever present overwhelming needs of the poor. I know that tension existed five hundred years ago. Yet, like those who have come before us, something seems right about holding nothing back in an effort to glorify God and give thanks to Him for the life we are given.

While I fully appreciate that buildings, structures and displays don’t affect the reality of the Real Presence of Christ in the tabernacle or in my life, I can not help but reflect on the role of beauty in predisposing me to the majesty of God and His unconditional generosity and love that I found so often displayed in all of the magnificent little churches as well as cathedrals in Europe.  In all of these displays I experienced the faithful witness of artisans, farmers and craftsmen who lived centuries ago. It challenges me to think not about the beauty and grandeur that may be missing from many of our churches today, but to consider what I am doing to give witness to the beauty of our Catholic faith to those I encounter in my daily life.   I can’t build magnificent altars or exquisite statues in order to show my belief in a great and glorious God. Yet, I can give witness by living a more admirable life by trying to bring the joy and peace of Christ alive by how I love and care for my dear Crystal and our family. I can reflect God’s unending generosity by giving graciously of my time, talent and treasure in my parish and in my community.  While my life may never seem as grand, glorious and majestic as that beautiful tabernacle in a small church in Southern Germany, inspired by it I can strive to bring a little more of beauty to life in the world through how I live and love as a follower of Jesus and always be on the lookout for the beauty of God’s presence.

CRYSTAL

Before we left home, we had a family situation arise which caused me concern and sorrow, and I knew that my only recourse was to turn to God in prayer for a peaceful resolution. As we visited each of the churches, I would seek out, and always find, a statue of the Blessed Mother with a small collection of candles which could be lit to add to the prayer intention. What comfort I felt as I found ‘my mother’ waiting for me in each church, reassuring me of her intercession no matter how far away I was from home. I find this one of the most appealing aspects of our faith, to be able to attend Mass or simply to go into a church and pray in a foreign country, not always understanding the language spoken, but always understanding the promise of God’s presence in our lives. Like Kevin, I am so grateful to the men and women who have given so much of their earthly treasure in order for us to enjoy a small glimpse of the heavenly treasure that is available to us through our faith.

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Melville looked discouraged when he came in. He was in no mood for jokes this evening, and came straight to the point.

“I’m already in my third year of college,” he said, visibly annoyed at himself.  “And I still don’t know how to study.  Can you teach me a good method of study?”

A good method of study—that is what thousands of others like Melville are looking for; and they don’t seem to find any.

What Melville does not know is that experts have found good solutions to his problem. Psychologists and educationalists have developed effective methods of study and scientific work. The best findings can be described under the “SQ3R METHOD OF STUDY.” Using this method, we can spend less time studying, and get better results.

What is the SQ3R Method?

It is a method of study you can use everyday. Once you make it a habit, you will get much more out of the time you spend studying or reading.  It can be used for all subjects.

“SQ3R” is, of course, a code.  It means: “Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Revise,” Each of the five words stands for an important part of the method.

1. SURVEY

First, survey the matter to be studied.  This is done very quickly – in anything from a few seconds to a few minutes.  If it is a book you have to read, your survey covers the preface, the table of contents, the conclusion and, in case they are given, the main summaries of each chapter.  Your aim at this stage is to get a general picture of the whole book.  If you have to study a chapter or article, look through the main titles and subdivisions.  This takes only a few minutes, or even less than a minute.  Make sure that at this stage you get the purpose and the structure of the book or article.

2. QUESTION:

Questions help you to be an active reader.  They prepare the mind for intensive reading and push distractions out.  Secondly, they help you to find the answers better and faster.

What do you do at this stage?

You already have an idea of the structure of the work.  Ask yourself what problems the author is trying to solve in this book or article or chapter.  At times the author himself tells you these questions, or the teacher may have explained them in class.  At other times, you have to discover the questions on your own. As long as the problems are not clear to you, much of your study will be boring and unproductive.

Write down the questions (problems).

3. READ:

Stage two (Question) has prepared you for attentive and profitable reading. Don’t just read; look for answers to your questions.

How fast must you read?  That depends on the subject, the kind of book or article you are reading.  You cannot read a technical article published in a scientific magazine at the same speed at which you read a non-detailed text. A good student adjusts his/her reading speed to the material in hand.

An essential, often forgotten activity at this third stage is note-taking.  If you want to analyze or retain what you read, you have to take notes—even if you do not plan to keep the notes afterwards.  (This is all the more important when you listen to lectures.)  Note-taking forces you to be attentive, to sift out the main points from the secondary, and to concentrate on the more important words and ideas.  Studies done by experts show that students who take notes (on what they read and on the lectures they attend): (a) are more attentive and understand the subject better, (b) retain it more effectively, (c) perform better in examinations and interviews.

Here is a common mistake—and a dangerous assumption. It would be wrong to conclude that what I read is “above my head,” just because everything is not clear at the first reading. Study is work! Reading a text book (understanding it) is different from reading the cricket score or hearing a story.  A  few notes made carefully during the reading can make all the difference between boredom and enthusiasm, clarity and confusion. 

4. RECITE:

The second R of the SQ3R method stands for “recite.” It is not a question of rote memory, or word-by-word recitation. A word-by-word recitation is necessary only in some special cases, such as language study (learning new words and phrases), or memorizing anatomical or botanical terms, or studying a poem by heart.

In all other cases, what is recommended is that you must be able to outline the substance of the passage.  All that you need to do is to pause at the end of your reading and check whether you recall the main ideas in order.

This can be done in three ways—mentally, orally or in writing. Oral recitation (by oneself or to someone else), or writing is more effective than mental recall. Develop the habit of writing; you will remember what you jot down long after you have forgotten what you read.

5. REVISE

All you need to give to this fifth step are a few minutes of your study time.  Revise in order to make sure that you remember.  You need not read the whole matter over and over again. Go over those parts of the book or article where you found gaps during your recitation. Check your grasp and recall by reciting it.

What makes study boring and time-consuming for many is the practice of half-hearted (and often distracted) reading done mechanically once, twice or even three times.  Instead of the tedious, unproductive drudgery, the cleverer student budgets one’s time, works attentively rather than half-heartedly, and follows the SQ3R method of study.

A SIXTH STEP

The SQ3R method has a marvellous complement in a sixth step, if and when you have the opportunity for it.  This sixth step has a very short name: USE.

Use the knowledge you have gained. It is the surest way of reinforcing knowledge.  This can be done in any of the following three ways.

• Teach the subject: The best way to learn a subject is to teach it.
• Study in groups: When you discuss and explain the points to each other, you notice the gaps in your knowledge, and help the mind to get a stronger hold. In addition, common study cuts down on boredom and increases concentration. A mistake students often make in group study is to get a brighter student to do the talking. It is this student who will benefit most from the discussion. If group study is to be effective, all must take turns in explaining the subject.

(c) Work out exercises on the topic you have covered: When you cannot use your knowledge in either teaching or group work, this is a good plan to follow, especially with subjects such as mathematics or learning a foreign language.

At this stage, it is useful to remember a general principle of psychology that it is not work that tires us, but boredom, worry, and lack of motivation.

Summing up the whole procedure, we have: SQ3R, plus U. Study, Question, Read, Recite, Revise and Use. The difference between excitement and boredom does not lie mainly in the subject matter; it is found chiefly in one’s attitude to work.

Do you want to make study more interesting, more rewarding, more enjoyable? If so, be an active student – a student who does not “put up with” study, but makes sure that the time spent on study bear fruits. And the best way of making study bear fruit seems to be the SQ3R method. Try it and see for yourself!

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