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Here are the new regulations of the Income Tax applicable to charitable and Religious Trusts

A new rule (17AA) titled ‘Books of account and other documents to be kept and maintained’ has been added to Income Tax Rules 1962. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has brought out a comprehensive list of records that charitable institutions that get income tax exemption have to maintain.  These Income Tax (24th Amendment) Rules have come into effect from August 10 and would be applicable for universities, medical colleges and hospitals as well.  It is said that such a move intends to strengthen the surveillance and ensure tax benefits are meant for right causes.

These new regulations would be applicable for universities, medical colleges, hospitals and any other form of charitable entities functioning under the umbrella of tax exemption under 12A or 10(23C). Thus, henceforth, all charitable institutions and trusts will be required to maintain an exhaustive list of documents to get income tax exemptions. These include documents pertaining to payments made domestically or abroad, PAN/Aadhaar of voluntary contributors, projects undertaken, loan taken or given, investments made, etc., details of which are given below:

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Fr Alex G. SJ

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A brief presentation of the Pope’s recent encyclical on the Liturgy, and how we can live it today.

          One of the priests from our community was recently transferred.  In an informal conversation which recalled his presence in the community, one of the priests remarked: “He was the backbone of the liturgy in the community.  Whether it was the mass or the liturgy of the hours, he would take time to prepare, see to every detail and animate the community with joy and decorum.  We will miss him.”

          Liturgical celebrations are a very important part of Christian life and much more so of the life of priests and religious.  And to have someone capable of animating the liturgy well is a great blessing for a community. Recently Pope Francis invited all of us to reflect on the importance of liturgy in our lives through his Apostolic Letter entitled Desiderio Desideravi. This letter was published on 29 June 2022, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.  We shall present in brief some of the key points mentioned by the Pope.  It could be an incentive for us to give greater attention to the way we celebrate liturgy.

          The title of the letter “Desiderio Desideravi” (I have earnestly desired), is taken from the words of Jesus with which the account of the Last Supper begins in the Gospel of Luke: “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15).  The Pope says that he wrote this Letter to help all of us, 1) “to rekindle our wonder for the beauty of the truth of the Christian celebration,” 2) “to remind us of the necessity of an authentic liturgical formation,” and 3) “to recognize the importance of an art of celebrating that is at the service of the Paschal Mystery and of the participation of all the baptized in it, each one according to his or her  vocation” (DD, n. 62).

• Wonder for the beauty of the truth of Christian celebration

The attitude that we ought to have in front of the Christian celebration is a sense of wonder.  We stand in awe and wonder at the beauty and truth of what happens in the liturgy.  What is meant by beauty here is an excellence that leads to a deep sense of fulfilment.

Before the Last Supper, Jesus tells the disciples: “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15).  This indicates God’s great love for each one of us.  Each person of the Most Holy Trinity desires to enter into communion with us, out of their great love for us.  Jesus gives concrete expression to this great desire by instituting the Holy Eucharist.  Through the Eucharist God and humans enter into communion with each other.  We go to the Eucharist in response to the great love God has for us, a love that made him to become our food.  Pope Francis says: “We may not even be aware of it, but every time we go to Mass, the first reason is that we are drawn there by his desire for us” (DD, n. 6).

In the Eucharist, Jesus, the eternal Son, gives himself to us, unworthy human beings, out his great love.  There is, indeed, an infinite disproportion between the greatness of the gift and the littleness of those who receive it. In front of the excellence and greatness of God’s love, his great desire to draw us into communion with him, we bow in awe and adoration.

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Fr Jose Kuttianimattathil SDB

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• “I never knew how to worship until I knew how to love.” (Henry Ward Beecher)
• “Friendship is “a kind of ‘sacrament’ of celibate love.” (Sandra Schneiders)
• “We must allow ourselves the exhilaration, genuinely felt and shown, and not just spoken about, which comes from loving and being loved. Only in this way, and through this experience, can we come closer to an understanding of a God who is defined as love.” (Francis Moloney)

Understanding Celibate Chastity

Remaining unmarried or not engaging in sex is not what celibate chastity is about. Both these are essential, of course, if one wants to practise celibate chastity. But these are not the essence of celibate chastity. At the heart of celibate chastity lies a profound mystical dynamic—a fascination with Jesus of Nazareth and what he called the “Kingdom of God.” Jesus and his kingdom become so important in our lives that everything else becomes relative, including sexual pleasure, family and children.

The Jesuit writer Peter van Breemen spells this out beautifully:

“In its final analysis, celibacy means being captured by Christ. He is our life (Col. 3, 4), fascinating us so completely that eventually we become unmarriageable. In its deepest sense, this is what celibacy means….  Celibacy does not mean that one has lost something, but rather that the celibate has found Someone.”

Another Jesuit, George Aschenbrenner, shares a similar view. He observed:

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FR JOSE PARAPPULLY SDB

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Jones shares with us in all honesty the mistakes he made that led to his separation from his wife and son, loss of his job, desperation and attempted suicide, seeking answers from astrologers and finally finding peace and happiness in the Lord

Praise the Lord!

I’m Jones, forty-three years old, an Indian married and living in Sri Lanka. I was brought up in a traditional Catholic family. I served as an altar boy, and my biggest ambition was to become a priest, which eventually changed after my school days. My two brothers and I hated drinking, since we suffered a lot with my father, who is an alcoholic. After finishing my B.Sc. degree at Chennai, I was working as a Video Editor for a TV Channel and had a decent income.

            In 2008, I got married to one of my relatives in Sri Lanka. Life was good, and nothing to complain about. In March 2014, I left my job and wanted to do my own business, which was one of the bad decisions I took. Since I was doing work from home, I had a lot of free time and I was distracted by many things after work. I started to spend more time on social media and got caught up with my addictions. I would like to mention something here, which I think will be relevant. I always had a thought that I don’t drink or smoke which is mainly projected as the sin. I thought that other addictions are not counted as sins. So, I went on with my addictions which made me stay away from the family and into my own dark world, with evil desires.

Marriage on the Rocks

My sinfulness I fell into an unholy relationship. I started lying and cheating, started fighting with my wife, and had no care, love, or happiness inside my family. I went away from my responsibilities and there was a gap building between me and my wife, and even between me and my son. I always was feeling scared about getting caught for my wrongdoing. There was no peace at all. As is it said, you cannot hide your sin for long and it will be brought to light one day. Finally, I was caught one day but then they weren’t sure whether the relationship was sure unless I admitted it. I lied then also without accepting my sin. Fearing for my life, I flew to India to be with my mother, thinking I would never return to Sri Lanka. Basically, I ran away.

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N. Jones

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Early every morning, eight-year-old Anuja (name changed) pulls a cart into town hauling water for her neighbours. When it’s full, the tank weighs about 450 pounds. After doing morning chores, the hardest part of her day begins. Instead of going to school, she goes to work in a brick factory all day long. It’s hard and tedious work, often in temperatures above 35 degrees, each family getting paid by the number of bricks they load. As Anuja’s mother was getting older and weaker and the family needed financial resources, Anuja was required to carry the family burden as she has four younger siblings.

“I wish I could go to school, but I need to make money to buy food for my family,” said Anuja in a desperate tone. “I’m afraid that I won’t be able to work enough. We owe other people lots of money. I work from six in the morning until six in the evening. But still we don’t have enough food.”. Her father died of COVID, leaving the family with a mountain of debt. And that’s how they came to the brick factory a year ago and Anuja started working. “I don’t know what to do, I wanted my daughter to be educated, so she doesn’t have to work in the brick factory like me,” said Anuja’s mother with tears rolling down her cheeks. Anuja’s dream of becoming a teacher is an impossible dream, as she is in no position to go to school. It’s hard to believe that a girl like her has to bear such a heavy burden on her tiny shoulders.

A child at this age is supposed to be on the shoulders of their parents, but it is a tragedy that a child of this age has to carry the burdens of the family on his/her shoulders. Why is there so much misery in our society? Where should a child be? He or she should be in schools, not in workplaces. Children should be playing in playgrounds, not washing vessels. Children should be doing Maths, not working in a factory. Children should eat good food, not working in fields in the scorching sun. Child labour deprives the child of her/his childhood. Are these children paid well for their work? When will our society treat children as children?

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Sr Lini Sheeja MSC

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I wish I were more of a minimalist, but I have a knack for keeping things “just in case.” It always amazes and to some extent shocks me how much stuff I manage to hoard in the time I spend in a community — books, newspaper cuttings, medicine boxes to trim into index-card-size, all types of paper for my art projects, tote bags, small plastic containers to mix my paints in  . . . . The latest fad is flash drives, hard drives, memory cards and other means of digitally saving things, and believe me, I save multiple copies on different drives. “Once bitten, twice shy,” says the adage. And I remember that day when I plugged in my 1TB external hard disc to realise it was dead. And having a dead external hard disc in my hand was definitely not a pleasant experience. I had to mentally go through files and folders trying to remember what I had saved on it and how I can retrieve the information. The initial shock and denial over, I was angry at myself for not keeping another hard drive as a back-up. And then telling myself, “A few years ago I did not know what an external hard drive was,” “if I didn’t have one, I wouldn’t have to go through such grief.”  Yes, I was depressed. I tried in vain to recover the information but to no avail. That’s when I gradually started accepting the fact that my hard drive was dead and I had to “bury” it.  Most probably Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, the Swiss psychiatrist, would have been proud of me for passing through the proper stages of grief — just to have the cycle start again . . . .

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Bro Carmel Duca MC

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“For surely I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah29:11)

As I introspected my past years, I realized that God’s call is so unique in me. I do not know from when onwards I felt an inner thirst or the desire to become a religious. This desire was within me, but I had not shared it with anyone. I was preparing myself to be the bride of Christ. I used to ask Jesus for my needs, but most of the times without asking He gave me exactly what I needed—both material and spiritual. Those experiences made a deep impression on me.

I saw that Jesus loves me so much and He understands me very well more than anyone could. He knows me through and through. Jesus has given up His life for me, why should I not give my life back to Him? I just desired only to be with Him and to do His will in my life, nothing else. My family and the parish atmosphere were very conducive and played a vital role to choose this way of life. I am very much grateful to my Catechism teachers that they instilled the seed of faith in me and introduced Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Every Sunday and also during my exams, I used to go to the grotto of Mother Mary in my parish and say to Mother Mary: “Mary, my mother, I know only this much; I am leaving the rest in your hands.” From then on, I started to receive very good marks in my studies. Mother Mary was a source of blessing for me.

Deep Desire

When I was studying in the 8^th class, I told my mother that I wanted to become a nun. She was extremely happy. Sisters of the Congregation of Jesus Mary Joseph were rendering their services in my parish. I was deeply inspired by the way they take care of the blind children. Out of this experience, arose an inspiration to become a missionary, especially to reach out to the people ignorant of Jesus. Along with my mother, I approached the superior of JMJ Convent, Athani (Kerala), and expressed my desire to become a JMJ. I was extremely happy that day. I waited to complete my SSLC and during the summer holidays, I attended the ‘Come & See’ programme for two weeks at JMJ Provincialate, Bangalore. That time, I didn’t know much English to speak, but there were so many candidates—about thirteen of them. I was taken up by the sisters’ tender loving care towards me. I returned home and my mother instructed me to pray earnestly, as it was a great decision that I was going to make in my life and, if I chose this particular way of life, I need to remain forever as the bride of Christ. She suggested that I wait for two more years. I obeyed my mother to discern my vocation. After intermediate studies, this desire was stronger in me than before, where I felt Jesus alone is enough for me; nothing else mattered.

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Sr Simy Mariya JMJ

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Karl Rahner, the famous theologian, once wrote to this nun: “If I were the Pope, I would ordain you a priest.” Sr Mary John Mananzan OSB recalls this in NunSense, her autobiography.

On 8 March 2011, the centennial of International Women’s Day, she was cited as one of the 100 Most Inspiring Persons in the World by an organization called ‘Women Deliver.’  Sr. Mary John is a prominent Filipina, who is an activist, feminist, theologian, educator, author, and an able administrator.

She was born on 6 November 1937, in  Pangasinan, Philippines. Her father was a judge and her mother a teacher. She studied at St. Scholastica’s College, Manila, and joined the Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing, at the age of nineteen. After she taught in a high school for four years, her Congregation sent her to Germany to study missiology. She studied at Wilhelms University in Muenster, where she met one of the most revered theologians of the century, Karl Rahner SJ. Even after leaving the college, she kept up a regular correspondence with him and became a friend.

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Fr M A Joe Antony SJ

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Mahatma Gandhi once said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”  Meet Sister Nicolette Rasquinha, who, as a nurse has been an incredible witness of God’s love to thousands of people at Avedna Ashram, Jaipur. A humble religious blessed with a large heart to love Jesus in the least, the lost and forsaken, Sister Nicolette radiates God’s light to all those who come into contact with her.

 Q1. Tell us a little about yourself. How long you have been a religious?

A1. I joined the Mission Sisters of Ajmer in 1968. In these fifty-four years, I have experienced God’s love and mercy in many ways.  In my initial years I had the chance of working in many rural settings where I could encounter God in His people and be a part of their life as well.

Q2. Tell us something about Avedna Ashram and your work there.  

A2. Avedna Ashram is a 100-bedded hospice that looks after the terminally ill cancer patients and is a shelter to those in distress free of cost.   During the inception of Avedna Ashram, the staff serving the patients were mostly students and were irregular with their presence due to their classes. The housekeeping and grooming staff were also few in number.  As a result, I had to be multifaceted in providing care and compassion to the patients.

Q3. Is there any incident in which you had felt God’s help in a miraculous way?

A3. Yes. There are innumerable episodes which are crisp as a newspaper in my memory.  A few did shake me from inside, but God has been kind to keep me erect to support the patients mentally and to serve them.

Once a lecturer was brought to Avedna with cancer of the nasal cavity. He was accompanied by his wife and two sons.  It was a very bad case.  Maggots were oozing out from his face, nose and mouth.  It took three hours to do the dressing, since the maggots were numerous.  As he was suffering, I took permission to pray for him since he was Hindu.  After receiving the permission, I prayed the forgiveness prayer for five minutes.  He caught hold of his wife’s hand and both cried bitterly.  The maggots kept on oozing continuously nonstop for twenty-four hours. Seeing him in such a state, I got extremely worried, but stood strong and did not make it obvious through my facial expressions.  I kept on praying to Jesus.  The next day exactly at 11 am, as we were finishing the dressing, there wasn’t a trace of any maggots.  I believe that this was God’s help in a miraculous way. He lived for nine months thereafter and then passed away.

Q4. What has been the most memorable moment of working with the patients?

A4. A patient once arrived at the ashram in terrible pain unaccompanied by any relatives or known people.  He was a bad case of oral cancer and was crying and falling to the ground with pain.  He could not eat or drink anything since the pain was profuse.  His words still echo in my mind “I am dying of pain, but I am dying of hunger!”

Another patient was diagnosed with cancer of the throat and his wife had disowned him.  Rotten maggots were falling from his wounds, and he was quite helpless.  After speaking to him and praying for nearly three months, he was able to accept the reality of the situation and became more patient with his suffering. Once he recovered, he helped me to take care of other patients out of his own freewill and he became a source of inspiration to all.  In short, if you are disturbed, share your problems with the Lord and He will give you the guidance and strength.

Q5. How does it feel to be known as the “Mother Teresa of Jaipur city”?

A5. It is overwhelming to be known as the Mother Teresa of Jaipur, but I don’t deserve it.  Sometimes, when I was very tired and had to do extra duty, I found it difficult. Yet, the title and expectation of my suffering patients and the people around inspired and motivated me to be like her.

The crux of religious life is: To bear witness to Christ by loving God and all His people.

Q6. What message would you like to give to the missionaries of today?

A6. Being a missionary means being able to reach out to everyone with love, compassion and patience.    One must be ready to do everything with joy. 

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Sr Nicolette Rasquinha MSA

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Overcomer

Director: Alex Kendrick * Cast: Priscilla C. Shirer Olivia Brooks, Cameron Arnett,  Shari Rigby,  Aryn Wright-Thompson, Denise Armstrong Jack Sterner,  Caleb Kendrick      (2019. 119 minutes)

          The movie’s title is drawn from 1 John 5:5. “Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” The movie is about what being in Christ means to the Christian—finding one’s real identity in Christ. A person’s identity is not to be determined by the prevailing cultural norms but the eternal standards set by God. Basketball coach and history teacher John Harrison faces a letdown at the point when prospects are not good for his prestigious team since a number of local families are leaving town along with their employer who is shifting the firm to another town.  John’s salary is cut by ten percent.  In her attempt to retain the sports activities in the school, the principal suggests that John raise a cross country run, though he is skeptical and disinterested.  John has the staunch support of his prayerful and patient wife Amy. Only one girl named Hannah Scott turns up for the selection.  She is an unpromising athlete in the beginning, since she is asthmatic and habitually steals things. However this becomes a life changing experience for them all. The couple takes up the seemingly unpromising task of preparing Hannah for the biggest race of the year. Hannah lives with her grandmother, who has told her that her parents are dead, though it is only a half truth. During a hospital visit, John stumbles into a man named Thomas Hill, lonely, acutely diabetic, blind and confined to bed. John learns that he had been a long distance runner and had lived a riotous life once and is now transformed by repentance. John gets tips regarding athletic coaching from the man and also comes to learn that Hill is Hannah’s father. Hannah is initially reluctant to meet her father but soon learns to forgive him and visits him frequently. In its wake she has a growing awareness of Christ and the abundance of life that He offered her. She returns the things that she stole and her life takes a new turn. She trains hard, improves her record and at the climactic moment of the State Championship race, she gets help from her dying father and afterwards she recollects how she discovered her true self. A story told with great conviction.

Penguin Bloom

Director: Glendyn Ivin *  Cast:   Naomi Watts, Andrew Lincoln, Jacki Weaver, Rachel House, Leeanna Walsman, Lisa Hensley (2020. 95 minutes)

Based on a real-life story of Sam Bloom, happily married mother of three boys who was a world traveler and a champion wind surfer, the movie tells us the story of her spirited struggle with a debilitating accident to become world para surfing champion twice. A sea loving family the Blooms is taking a holiday in coastal Thailand when Sam falls from the terrace of their hotel, sending her crashing to a concrete floor twenty feet below.  For the sportswoman this was the end of her world, confined to her bed and wheel chair with a broken spine and unable to enjoy outdoor life. Sam feels most frustrated at the thought that she is no longer able to be the caring mother that she used to be in the house.  Into this word arrives a little magpie—a nestling found by her children while paying on the beach and, against initial discouragement from the mother, they keep it as their pet. They name him Penguin on account of his black and white colours. For Sam the bird is a nuisance since it makes a lot of noise, destroys glassware, dirties the floor, etc.,  and would not have it anywhere near her. But one day she is forced to admit the bird into her room when the children are away. The bird tries to connect with her and she gradually grows to like it. Further Sam begins to identify herself with the bird. This psychological identification helps her struggle to return to life as much as possible. Remarkably the bird is very sensitive to Sam’s moods and seems to understand her situation well, informing the family in her own way, what is happening to the mother. Noah’s asking the bird whether she missed her mother strikes a chord in Sam’s heart. She begins to care for the bird and she gradually steps back into her mother’s role.  The family one day takes her for a surprise gift of a seaside trip where she is introduced to Surf coaching expert Rachel—a humorous woman who sets Sam on the path to mental and physical recovery, eventually to become a renowned surfer around the world.

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Prof Gigy Joseph

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