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To celebrate the Jubilee Year 2025, the Dicastery for Evangelization has published ‘Council Notebooks’, reflecting on Vatican II.  The Indian edition, from the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, consists of 35 concise volumes, serving as a handy resource to understand the council’s significance in 20th-century Church history. Aimed at reintroducing Vatican II to younger generations, Volume I, by Elio Guerrierro, focuses on its history and reforms, featuring insightful excerpts from Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI. This article presents a summary of the contents of Council Notebooks Volume 1 for our study.

 History of Vatican II

After Pope Pius XII’s death, Cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli became Pope John XXIII. Surprisingly, in 1958, shortly after his election, he announced plans to convene an Ecumenical Council, gathering bishops worldwide. This unexpected move, declared on January 25, 1959, marked a significant departure from the norm in the Catholic Church, stirring both anticipation and curiosity.

Sr Shalini Xavier CTC

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The candle which we will place on the candle stand this month is someone who was raised to the altar on 11 February 2024. She is the first woman from Argentina to be honoured as a saint. She is the first Argentinian to be canonized by an Argentine Pope.

            Her baptismal name is Mario Antonia de Paz Figueroa, but today everyone calls her lovingly ‘Mama Antula’ which means ‘Little Mother.’ She was born in 1730 in Silipico, Santiago del Estro in northern Argentina. Belonging to an illustrious family of rulers and conquerors who were wealthy, she showed no regard for riches or social status. She was a very devout child. At the age of 15, she declared she would never marry and that she wanted to be a consecrated virgin all her life, so that she was able to devote herself entirely to God.

            Those who are truly close to God seem to quickly understand that God loves the poor. She took to serving the poor and the sick. Initially she also helped the parents instruct their children. A few women who admired her and her work soon joined her and they lived as a small community. Her spiritual guide was a Jesuit priest, Fr Gaspar Juarez. She understood that what distinguished the Jesuits was the Ignatian spirituality that was rooted in the classical work, Spiritual Exercises, written by St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Fr M.A. Joe Antony SJ

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Not Less Than You – Living and Learning with Mentally Retarded Friends (2002)

Author: Thomas Felix & K. Govindankutty

Founder Director

This engaging short book delves into the personal experiences of Fr. Thomas Felix, a visionary Carmelite priest devoted to serving the marginalized, especially those labeled as ‘mentally retarded.’ As president of the All Kerala Association for the Mentally Challenged and Director of the Central Institute on Mental Retardation, he worked tirelessly for fifty years, pioneering education and rehabilitation for the differently-abled.  The author, writing in the first person, describes this as a “short report” on his thirty years of work in the field. He includes personal experiences only when relevant to provide context and perspective. Born into a large family in central Kerala, Fr. Felix was shaped by his mother’s Catholic faith and his grandfather’s integrity. Encouraged by his parents, he embraced a religious vocation. Inspired by his mother’s compassion for a mentally challenged neighbor named Oommachen, he dedicated his life to helping the less fortunate. Joining the CMI monastery at Mannanam for seminary training, Fr. Felix’s passion for social work led him to lead the Social Action Forum in Changanacherry, prioritizing affordable housing for the underprivileged. Witnessing mentally challenged children in the parish, he founded CIMR to address their needs. He later served as president of the All Kerala Association for the Mentally Challenged, devoted to their care and welfare. Studying Management in Pittsburgh, Fr. Felix garnered support from influential figures and volunteers, including film stars, Church authorities, and political leaders. He introduced the “3 Cs” paradigm for educating and rehabilitating disabled children, promoting their integration into mainstream society. Through events like the Paralympics in Spain and the Republic Day pageant in Delhi, he showcased their abilities. Awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award in 1994, Fr. Felix’s enduring legacy continues to inspire readers in the field.

All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten (1986).

Robert Fulghum

Robert Fulghum’s timeless classic, “All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” resonates deeply with readers, encapsulating profound life lessons in simple, relatable anecdotes. Drawing from his childhood experiences and observations, Fulghum expounds on principles such as sharing, kindness, and balance, reminiscent of the teachings imparted in kindergarten. Through a collection of essays written over several years, Fulghum articulates the essence of human existence, emphasizing values such as apologizing, cleanliness, and wonder. These universal truths, encapsulated in succinct rules, transcend age and circumstance, offering a blueprint for a more harmonious and fulfilling life. Fulghum’s wisdom extends beyond individual conduct to societal and governmental realms, advocating for a return to fundamental principles that underpin human interaction. His revision and expansion of the original text underscore the enduring relevance of his message, resonating with readers across generations.  In essence, “All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten” serves as a timeless reminder of the simplicity and beauty inherent in life’s most basic truths, urging us to embrace them wholeheartedly in our journey towards personal and collective fulfillment.

Key Lessons:

Share everything; Play fair; Don’t hit people; Put things back where you found them; Clean up your own mess; Don’t take things that aren’t yours; Say you’re sorry when you hurt someone; Wash your hands before you eat; Flush (the toilet); Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you; Live a balanced life – learn, drink, draw, paint, sing, dance, play, and work every day; Take a nap every afternoon; When going out, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together; Wonder – like the seed in the Styrofoam cup, with roots going down, nobody knows why, but we’re all like that; Remember mortality – goldfish, hamsters, white mice, and the seed all die, as do we; The biggest word of all is “LOOK,” reminiscent of Dick-and-Jane books and the first word learned.

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“One death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.”

This saying, attributed to Russian dictator Joseph Stalin, carries much truth. When a person dear to us dies, we feel sad, at times even profoundly sorrowful. But when we read about the millions of human beings massacred under Stalin or other millions gassed to death by the Nazis in Germany, we may not feel moved. Such numbers can remain mere statistics.

Why include this topic in this series on “Becoming Human”?

I am trying to present briefly the key aspects of becoming human. I am presenting them in alphabetical order, in case it helps readers to remember them. Why bring in this terribly negative trait among them?

The reason is very simple: Human beings, unlike animals, can be extremely compassionate and caring, or, sadly, incredibly more cruel than any animal.

Animals do not commit mass murder or invent poison or weapons to kill. We, humans, do. Intelligence, which makes us far more powerful than animals, can be used to invent medicines or poison, construct homes for the poor or build weapons of mass destruction. Our gift of speech can be—and has been—used to speak loving words of encouragement and comfort, or to utter words of deep hatred or ruin the reputation of many.

No animal can match humans in love and compassion.

Fr Joe Mannath SDB

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Once I was present at the evaluation of a course by a group of students.  The students were very outspoken and criticized almost everything about the course.  They had quite harsh words also against the way the director handled the course.  The director, who was chairing the evaluation, sat through the whole process patiently, listening attentively, occasionally pointing out some facts without trying to justify anything.  He was in control of himself, never lost his temper, did not talk down to anyone, and said what he had to say with an effective voice.  At the end of the session, I overheard one of the students, who was rather new, asking another student: “How could you be so forthright and critical?”  The other replied more or less in these terms, “We know the director.  He is soft-spoken but tough.  He can take any criticism and will not retaliate.  He is a man of honour who wishes the good of others.”  The director, in other words, was a meek person.

What is Meekness?

            Different dictionaries describe meekness as the quality of being quiet, gentle, moderate, mild, submissive, and unwilling to argue or express one’s opinions.  The word meekness as it is used in the Bible or in the statements of Jesus (Mt 5:5; 11:29) implies much more and has nuances that are not stressed in the modern-day descriptions.

            In Mt 11:29 Jesus says: “learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart” (NAB).  Many translations use the word “gentle” in the place of meek.  The original Greek word that is translated in English as “meek” or “gentle” is praus.  We do not enter into a detailed analysis of this word here.  But according to Biblical scholars this word may be better translated as being “temperate; exercising strength under control, demonstrating power without undue harshness.”  It has to do with being considerate and not being overly caught up with a sense of one’s self-importance.  It is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest.  According to William Barclay, “There is gentleness in praus but behind the gentleness there is the strength of steel, for the supreme characteristic of the man who is praus is that he is the man who is under perfect control.  It is not a spineless gentleness, a sentimental fondness, a passive quietism.  It is a strength under control.”

Jose Kuttianimattathil, sdb

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“One of the best gifts you can give to someone, is a wider perspective. It’s also one of the best gifts you can receive.” – Unknown

In this fourth and final part of our discussion on the cognitive dimension of the Wholeness Paradigm, we shall try to understand the process by which we learn perspective-taking and also offer a simple, global scale to measure our perspective-taking capacity.

 Do we know that the world of other people is alien to us. It is almost invisible to our naked eyes. Their world is made up of intentions, beliefs, emotions, desires and expectations that we are not aware of. How many of us think about this world of others? Very few of us, I am afraid.

Even then, very few of us understand the sounds, the images, the dreams and the fears other people experience day after day. Cecilia Heyes in her book Falese belief in Infancy discusses how the capacity to imagine or decipher the thoughts, ideas and beliefs of others is very primitive in infants. As they grow up and develop all their faculties, they become proficient in understanding it.

The Three Mountains Task and Perspective Taking

The famous ‘Three Mountains Task’ of Piaget is a classic example of how to find out if the children are capable of understanding the perspective of other people. Jean Piaget, placed a three-dimensional model of three mountains on a table in front a little child. This Piagetian task was used to assess visual perspective-taking in children. A doll is placed at various locations around a three-dimensional display of three mountains. The children must indicate how the doll would see the display. If the child described only the display that he/she was able to see, we could conclude that the child could not identify the perspective of the other person. If he/she performs successfully, we can assume that the child is capable of perceiving other people’s mental states and to understand that their perspectives could be different from the child’s own egocentric perspective. As the child develops his/her intelligence and improves his/her perspective-taking ability, he/she would be considered to be maturing and developing well.

Fr. Dr. Joseph Jeyaraj, sdb

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In the touching life stories of Amin Sheikh, a former street kid turned author, and Danappa, whose journey from a rag-picker to a successful professional paints a remarkable tale of triumph over adversity, we catch a glimpse of the immense challenges faced by India’s street children.

Amin Sheikh, who wrote the book “Life is Life: I am Because of You,” shares his painful experience: “Like thousands of other kids who don’t have homes, I begged, I stole, I polished shoes. I did everything that came my way to get at least one meal a day.”  Together with his sister Sabira, they found refuge at Snehasadan, a haven for homeless children in Mumbai, under the compassionate care of Sr Seraphine and Fr Placido Fonseca SJ. Today Aman runs a library café, is a travel guide and supports other street children.

Danappa, arrived in Bangalore’s City Market at the tender age of 12, fleeing abuse from his stepmother. After four months of working as a rag-picker, he was diagnosed with Scabies. In 1980, Br George Kolashany SDB and his companions, pioneers of BOSCO Mané, rescued him. Danappa, initially resistant to staying indoors, found solace in the freedom of street life. Despite opportunities for education and work at Kristu Jyothi College, he kept returning to the streets. After realizing the value of the support offered by BOSCO Mané, Danappa eventually committed to his education, completing both school and college studies. With the guidance of Fr George Kolashany SDB, he secured a job. Danappa, now a manager at a prominent Company, not only transformed his own life but is actively involved in employing and training other street children, echoing the ripple effect of positive change. Both these stories unfold as a testament to the trans-formative power of support provided by organizations like Snehasadan and BOSCO Mané. These inspiring success stories, facilitated by the intervention of men and women religious, priests and others, underscore the potential for creating a better world for vulnerable youth.

Sr Lini Sheeja MSC

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The Thrill of Following Jesus and Making Him Known

An interview with Sr Sheeba Thomas MSI, who has been a missionary in Brazil since her youth.

1. Sr Sheeba, as a girl or as a young woman, what gripped you?

 Growing up as a girl in Kalayanthani, near Thodupuzha, Kerala, I had no grand aspirations like becoming a doctor or teacher. Born into a lower middle-class family with limited opportunities, my father worked as a farmer while my mother was a housewife. In a family of four children, my parents, despite their own educational limitations, encouraged us to excel in our studies. My mother often motivated us by saying, “If you study well, your aunty will take you to Australia.” As a result, I focused on studying, playing, and assisting my parents in their daily tasks. I was an average student. I loved going to church even on weekdays with my younger brother as my constant companion.

I’m thankful to the sisters of our parish for instilling in me a deep love for Jesus and the Church. The Church services were never dull for me. The sisters, after Mass, would guide us children on living each day to make Jesus happy—helping at home, respecting elders, including others in play, and avoiding lies, bad words, and fights. Despite my enthusiasm, I often fell short but never gave up. A cherished memory is the “Cherupushpa Mission League” in our parish, encouraging acts of service, love, and renunciation. This ignited a missionary spirit in me, inspiring a desire to support missionaries through prayer and sacrifice.

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Pope Francis urged Catholics around the globe to prepare themselves for the Jubilee year 2025 by studying the documents of the Second Vatican Council, especially its four Dogmatic constitutions. In this article, I will explore some groundbreaking themes from what is known as the most important Conciliar document on the Church itself – Lumen Gentium.

Light of the Nations

When Vatican II titled its document on the Church ‘Lumen Gentium,’ which means ‘Light of the Nations,’ it aimed to articulate the Church’s role and purpose. In the same way as Christ is the light for all nations, the Church is tasked with spreading that illuminating presence throughout the world. Instead of giving a name that would have the Church focused on itself, in a masterstroke move, the Council Fathers opted for a Christocentric title.

The Church is to Christ as John the Baptist was to Jesus. The Church is just as John the Baptist was not the Light itself, but rather a witness to the Light (Jn 1:7-9). Adopting a spiritual stance akin to that of John the Baptist, the Church echoes his words about Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

In what ways can you let Christ shine through your life and actions?

The Mystery Of The Church

God does not call us to go to church but to be his Church. The Council fathers encapsulated this understanding by introducing a chapter right at the outset titled as ‘The Mystery of the Church’. The essence of the Church extends beyond physical structures or hierarchical arrangements. Pope Paul VI, would say that the Church is a mystery or sacrament, meaning it is “a reality imbued with the hidden presence of God”.

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Cloaked in Faith and Humility: The Life of St Gabriel the Fool for Christ

Runtime: 64 minutes

Director: Efstratios Papageorgiou.

Narrator: Ioannis Seraskeris.

This documentary presents the life story of the Russian Orthodox saint and monk known as the Holy Confessor Gabriel (Goderdzi Urgebadze). Born in 1929 in Soviet Georgia, during the oppressive Stalinist era, to atheist parents in a regime that actively suppressed religion, young Goderdzi developed a remarkable sense of the divine. Despite the atheistic environment, he first heard about Christ when he witnessed two neighbours quarreling and one of them said to the other “You have crucified me like Christ.” Mystified by the mention of Christ and his crucifixion, Goderdzi enquired about this and a church warden advised him to read the Gospel. Under miraculous circumstances he got a New Testament from a stranger and within a few years learned it by heart. Against his mother’s discouragement, Goderdzi rebelled, running away to join a monastery and became a wanderer. Eventually, his mother followed suit, embracing monastic life. At the age of 26, he became a monk named Gabriel, inspired by the Greek saint associated with a miraculous icon of the Mother of God. In 1962, defying the atheist government, Gabriel single-handedly built a church in Tbilisi, salvaging sacred objects discarded during persecution. Openly defying authorities, he burned a portrait of Lenin and endured imprisonment, torture, and was declared a psychopath. Despite being banned from religious ceremonies, Gabriel practiced extreme austerities, living in a broken hen pen and going barefoot in winter. His mother joined him in the monastery, and he passed away in 1995. The documentary includes eyewitness accounts of his miracles, showcasing a life marked by unwavering faith and defiance against oppression.

The Reluctant Saint (1962) (Runtime: 105 minutes)

Director: Edward Dmytryk

Cast: Maximilian Schell, Ricardo Montalbán, Lea Padovani, Akim Tamiroff, Harold Goldblatt.

This film portrays the life of Joseph of Cupertino, a legendary saint of the Franciscan order and patron saint of aviators, astronauts, the mentally handicapped, and students. The movie blends humor and compassion in recounting Giuseppe’s life story. Born Giuseppe Desa in Cupertino during the 17th century, he faced challenges due to his simplicity and dull wit. Subject to practical jokes and cruelty, his mother tried various avenues for him, but it was his uncle, a Franciscan monk, who brought him to their friary. Giuseppe found solace tending to the animal farm there. Bishop Durso, impressed by Giuseppe’s humility, ordered him to train for priesthood. Despite struggles in his studies, Giuseppe miraculously passed his examinations, leading to his ordination. His life took a mystical turn when, during a quarrel, he displayed the power of levitation, marking the beginning of miracles. As word spread, Giuseppe’s levitation during Mass brought both popularity and trouble. Skepticism arose, and Father Raspi accused him of demonic possession. Despite an inconclusive investigation by the bishop, a dramatic climax during an exorcism revealed the true nature of Giuseppe’s miraculous abilities.

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