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A young woman executive shares her experience of meeting God in silence—and how it is particularly relevant during this pandemic. –Editor

“God speaks the language of silence.” I heard this for the first time when I went for a meditation retreat and it has stayed with me ever since. I was fascinated, thrilled at how meditating on nature, on scripture, on our body can give us such insight; that we could hear Him whispering through the promptings of our heart. It is also said that when it comes to this language of silence, we aren’t fluent in it, but God masters it and therefore it necessitates that God be in control, He takes charge.

Silence—and a Chance to Move Inward

During this lockdown period, I’ve found ‘listening’ to be a theme that has been emerging for me. It started off with the reduced noise levels in the outside world due to reduced traffic. I began to hear birds chirping, the sound of nature, His creation. I was delighted to spot four varieties of birds that I hadn’t seen before outside my window! Almost like an invitation to listen, to observe!

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Pearl D’Souza

CRYSTAL

As a child growing up in the United States, my first understanding of the notion that we are personally and collectively responsible for the care of creation came when I was about six years old. At the time, it was not atypical to witness passengers in other cars throw out their trash as they drove along the highway. At the time, my understanding of “right from wrong” came from what I was taught by my parents. Shortly thereafter I started hearing them talk about the need to be respectful of our environment. What I later learned was that a campaign called “Keep America Beautiful” was founded in December 1953 by a group of nonprofit organizations, government agencies and concerned individuals in reaction to the growing problem of litter that followed the construction of the Interstate Highway System and an increasingly mobile and convenience-oriented American consumer. The original goal of the organization was to reduce litter through public education. In 1961, the idea that every individual must help protect against the effects litter has on the environment came up with the slogan “Every litter bit hurts.”  The effectiveness of the campaign can be seen today throughout the American landscape as miles and miles of roads are cleared of litter by volunteer groups who “adopt’ segments of the highway. Eventually, public education has changed this common practice of littering to something that is now socially unacceptable behavior. For me this highlights how effective it can be to tackle a widespread problem by calling on individuals to do their part to effect social change.

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Crystal and Kevin Sullivan

My name is Sarati. I am a second year novice and admitted to make my religious profession.  My uncle is a bishop and he is coming for the Eucharistic celebration. I want him to receive my vows, but my novice mistress tells me that my uncle can be the main celebrant for the Mass, but our provincial will receive my vows.  I don’t understand why my uncle cannot receive my vows.   Would you please explain?

To answer your query, let us consider the essential acts of religious profession, conditions required for the validity of the profession and who is the lawful superior to accept the vows when a bishop is present.

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Sr Licia SMI

Archbishop Thomas Macwan of Gandhinagar, Gujarat, answers our questions with a simplicity and directness that is truly refreshing. Those who know him are touched by his humanity, pastoral vision and deep convictions. Learn the secret of his joy and inner strength—and his main suggestion to religious.–Editor

Dear Bishop Macwan, please tell us something of your vocational journey: How you thought of becoming a priest, what kind of a priest you wanted to be, who inspired you in this decision, etc.

My family lived very close to the parish church. My mother woke me up daily quite early in the morning and encouraged me to go to the church for Mass so that I could serve as an altar boy. This began when I was in the third standard. My parish priest was Fr John Palau, a Spanish Jesuit with a long beard. While serving Mass, I said to myself a couple of times, “If he (my parish priest) can come all the way from Spain to serve here in India, could I not be at the altar and also celebrate holy Mass?” That was the starting point. I was at the altar daily, at wedding Masses, funeral services, Way of the Cross, adoration, rosary, every single day of the week. The final exams in the school usually were scheduled during Holy Week, but that did not matter much to me. I served at all the Holy Week services. I was rather weak in studies, but managed to clear the year with grace marks. However, I stood first in Catechism!

Later, I graduated in chemistry with a rather good percentage. My parents were teachers in the mission school in Bhavnagar. I was the eldest of six siblings. Since my family faced financial difficulties, I decided to do my part. I found employment with the State Bank, where I worked for nine years. I did not miss my daily Mass, and even served  Mass at times as a young man.

The lives of my parents had a profound influence on me. They were God-fearing, courageous, truthful, hard-working, committed and very faithful to the church. Both my grandfathers were excellent catechists. In his early years, my father too had been a catechist for more than ten years. The regular family prayers at home and catechism classes given by the Vedruna Sisters in their school strengthened the call the Lord had given to me when I was in my mother’s womb.

My parish priest was my model. He was a  good shepherd who “smelt of the sheep.” He visited families regularly; he was kind and loving,  and took spiritual care of the sick. He was seen praying; he did not keep grudges even with those who troubled him. In short, he had the heart of Christ. I experienced this at close quarters for more than twenty-five years of my life.

The seed of vocation in me was always waiting to germinate; it had never dried. I did not know what to do, whom to approach and where to go.

Then it happened. During a three-day charismatic retreat, I had a very deep experience of being touched by the Lord. My whole body seemed to be burning with fire from within. This happened in January 1979.

I joined the seminary in January 1982.  I am a priest for thirty-two years now, and a bishop for seventeen years. I always wanted to be a pastor, and God ensured that. I responded to his call!

When you look back on your life and ministry as a priest, what gave you deep satisfaction? Which part of priestly ministry did you find most meaningful?

As a priest, I enjoyed the  pastoral ministry: the celebration of the daily Eucharist in the parish and mission stations; visiting families; reconciling broken families in spite of the trouble and humiliation, which I often had to face; visiting the sick and those about to die; preparing people to receive baptism; guiding couples during the prenuptial process; going out with my community for picnics; enjoying supper with the community after the monthly community meeting once a month. There is much more, of course; but what I enjoy most is the time I spend daily with the Lord before the exposed Blessed Sacrament. I talk to Him and he listens to my prayer; and, in silence, He guides me and strengthens me with his grace

According to you, what do people, especially the young, expect from a priest?

Our youth are the backbone of the Church. They seek acceptance and recognition. They want to do something for the church because they love the church. They want the priest to accompany them, to mentor them and guide them. Appreciating the youth even in small ways makes a big difference in their lives. They look up to their priests and want to be modelled in the image and likeness of Christ.

As a Bishop, what do you see as the most important two or three priorities for the Church in India? What should we focus on? Are we doing it?

For me, there are several priority areas for the Church in India. Let me highlight some. In India, we live in the midst of pluralism: religions, cultures, ethnicities, languages, traditions, etc. This diversity is the wealth of our land. We need to preserve it in every possible way and respect the differences in other people.

We are disciples of Jesus; so we should never fight shy of doing what the first disciples of Jesus did which is so vividly described in the Acts of the Apostles. The treasure we have received is not to be stored up but to be shared with others.  Everyone else has a right to receive this treasure. All our ministries are extremely important,  but we need to give the Person and message of Christ to others.

The second priority is the empowerment of our laity and our religious sisters, who need to be given their rightful place in the Church, as directed by Vatican II.

Thirdly, we need to be more open for meaningful, respectful ecumenical and interfaith relationships. This is the ‘Laudato Si’ Year: we are mandated to care for our common home by addressing systemic issues which are destroying our environment.

To be honest, we are very far behind in each of these areas.

According to you, what is the Lord telling us—especially bishops, priests and religious—through the current socio-political situation?

The current socio-political situation in our country is bad. To add to it, the pandemic COVID-19 and the lockdown have taken a toll everywhere, especially on the poor and the vulnerable, like the migrant workers and daily wage earners. The Lord reminds us that we need to be the light of the world and salt of the earth. We need to put on the mind of Christ. Like Christ, we are called to be spiritual persons. We need to walk in truth with the courage like Christ and stand up for the rights of the poor, the oppressed, the excluded and the other vulnerable people of our land.  Pope Francis has constantly been reminding us of this fundamental of Christian discipleship. Above all, we should fear no one. Christ has promised us that He will be with us till the end of times. There will certainly be difficulties and persecution when we witness for truth and justice – but that too, is an integral dimension of discipleship.

What do you see as the main strengths and weaknesses of the Church today, especially our Church in India?

The Church in India has over the years done considerable and yeomen service for all sections of society and particularly for the empowerment of the poor and downtrodden. There has been the whole spectrum of activities: education, healthcare, rural development, social forestry, cooperatives, homes of mercy and other charitable works. These services have positively impacted the lives of millions of people, particularly in areas where no one else dared to go.

Priests, religious and laity have selflessly accompanied the poor for a more just and dignified life. During this current pandemic and migrant crisis, the Church has done a commendable amount of relief work, opened up institutions as shelters, cared for the afflicted and provided food, water and medicare to thousands everywhere.  Our laity and many of our nurses have been at the forefront. These and much more are our strengths. These services truly bear witness to Christ.

Yes, there are weaknesses and opportunities which we need to address. Among them, we need to keep our faithful in the front line; the sisters should be allowed to play their role.  Vatican II has mandated that we make our Church a people-centred Church; we need to hasten towards that goal and move out of a priest-centred and patriarchal church.

The Pope and the Vatican constantly give us directions towards a more meaningful and people-centred Church. Besides, in the CBCI and CCBI, we have several important statements in the context of ‘being Church in India today’; sadly, a lot of this remains on paper. We are often caught up in our routine matters, both administrative and pastoral, to mainstream these directives and ensure it reaches every single person in our respective dioceses.

Yes, we have a long way to go. We do have limitations; but with the Lord’s help we will surely reach our goal

How can we be more effective witnesses to Jesus today?

The best witness is to love one another as Christ loved us. In the first three centuries what distinguished Christians was the love they had for one another—which changed the history of mankind.  Our love should reach out to all sections of the society but particularly to the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed, the excluded (like our migrant workers today) and other vulnerable communities. We have to take a visible and vocal stand for justice. This is what Jesus would have done if he were physically around today! The vision of Jesus should be our vision; we need to internalise His person and message in our lives.  In the long run it will bear an abundance of fruits.

You come across as a caring, humble and joyful pastor. What gives you strength and enthusiasm?

I love Jesus and I want to make Him known. My daily time spent with Him gives me strength and zeal to serve Him without getting tired. I am extremely happy to carry out my responsibilities despite the many challenges I have to face! I do have my limitations, but I place all my trust in the Lord.

Anything else you like to share, especially with the religious of India? (MAGNET reaches all the bishops and major superiors of India, as well as thousands of religious houses, an increasing number of lay people, especially professionals, and a small, but interested readership outside India)

We all need to go back to the roots. Jesus Christ has to be our centrifugal and centripetal force: our Saviour and Master, our model, our icon and our strength. I have a humble suggestion which many  religious (and communities) are already perhaps doing: each community  needs to find at least an hour before the Blessed Sacrament daily and, whenever a member is free, she/he could spend time with the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament without  avoiding one’s own daily responsibilities. Prayer is the powerhouse of all our activities which will surely transform the Church in India. God bless you all!

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July 1: World Doctor’s Day

Doctor’s Day is celebrated on different dates in different countries across the world. Especially at this time of the Covid 19 pandemic, doctors are at times given a god-like status in every country, and not without good reason (and at times unfairly attacked). While everyone is safely ‘locked in,’ these selfless and courageous people risk their very lives to save those they serve. Their dedication and generosity helps us understand the true worth and value of the profession they have chosen. This year, Doctor’s Day takes on an extraordinary colour! Let us join hands to pray for, applaud and thank our heroes and heroines! Humanity as a whole is indebted to doctors—literally from womb to tomb.

The day is also meant to commemorate not just doctors, but the whole medical industry and its advancements. The efforts of doctors in bettering people’s lives through technology have been relentless and this day highlights these accomplishments. It is celebrated to emphasize the importance that doctors hold in our lives, and this day is meant to pay them respect for their selfless service.

The symbol of Doctor’s Day is a red carnation because the flower stands for love, charity, selflessness and sacrifice, traits that every doctor must have.

The first ever Doctor’s Day was observed on 30 March 1933 in the State of Georgia, USA. It involved sending greetings to physicians and placing flowers on the graves of deceased doctors.

In India, 1 July is observed as Doctor’s Day. The day marks the birth and death anniversary of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy (Dr B C Roy), one of the most famous physicians of India.

It was started by the Government of India in the year 1991 to pay our respects for this great physician and for all doctors in our Country and all over the world.

After our own parents, doctors (and nurses) are perhaps the greatest care-givers we will ever have. A million thanks! And may God bless you all abundantly, now and always.

July 28 World Nature Conservation Day

The World Nature Conservation Day is observed on July 28 across the world to raise awareness about protecting our natural resources.

The Earth has provided for the basic necessities of life, like water, air, soil, minerals, trees, animals, food, etc. But we should keep nature clean and healthy. People must recognise that a healthy environment is the foundation for a stable and productive society for the present and future generations. It is therefore necessary to protect, conserve and sustainably manage our natural resources.

There are several threats to nature—deforestation, illegal wildlife trade, pollution, use of plastics, chemicals, etc. Industrial development and several other factors are also responsible for the depletion of nature. Whatever we do affects the globe, because the world is one. We are all linked together. Nature must be conserved and protected. And we have to do it together!

This entails the wise management and utilisation of natural resources. Due to natural imbalances, we are facing several problems like global warming, various diseases, natural disasters, etc.

Mahatma Gandhi said: “The Earth provides enough to satisfy everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.” We have to understand the importance of saving, preserving and recycling resources, and the consequences of damaging or depleting them.

Everyone must promote environment-friendly activities daily to lead a Green Lifestyle. Swachh Bharath Abhiyaan, Project Tiger, Mangroves for the Future (MFF)—these are some initiatives that India has undertaken to conserve nature.

All this is by now common knowledge. But are we sufficiently motivated to reform our individual lifestyles? To give up our cravings for more and more, even when in the process we know that some others are getting less and less? How can we arrive at a global conscience, feel responsible personally and collectively for the harm we do, and learn to care for nature (and thus for humanity) in a better way?

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Sr Esme da Cunha FDCC

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No Place in This World
Director: Brad Castillo. Cast: Ashley Sperrazza, Hayley Castillo, Jackson Tessmer, Liz M. Day, Ashlyn Jade Lopez Anderson, Angela Winiewicz, Kinley Rice   Shannon Scott (2017. 83 minutes)

The movie focuses on the serious problem of bullying in schools that have led to shootings and suicides. It has relevance to all societies where troubled children express their frustrations in violence against each other and against themselves.

The movie narrates the story of a pair of teen sisters, Lauren and Addie, who suffer from parental neglect following their widowed mother Julie’s second marriage. Julie and her new husband have enough to get drunk on a daily basis, while the children go hungry and badly dressed to school. Out of jealousy, the mother takes them away from their loving aunt. Lauren, the younger one, is intelligent and industrious, but is constantly harassed at home by her mother and bullied by her classmates. The regular bullies are led by Kaycie, another troubled child whose mother had abandoned the family. The bullies call Lauren  “ugly” and a “loser.” They mock her whenever they get a chance. Her sister Addie takes big sacrifices to provide the little sister with just enough money from her savings to do a science project. Teachers fail to understand Lauren’s problems. A boy named Timothy makes friends with Lauren and helps her with her science project. But this incites the jealousy of the bullies further. They destroy her science project. Lauren ends her life, shocking her family, friends and the school authorities. Investigation reveals many issues behind the tragic death of Lauren. The victimser herself is a victim of emotional neglect. Dysfunctional families, parental irresponsibility, and ignorance among the young and indifference of educators are identified as the root cause of such violence. The inconsolable Addie has to undergo extreme suffering on account of the tragic loss of her sister and questions why God let this happen to her sister. However, she has a healing experience at one point during an encounter with a strange angelic old woman whom she meets in the very place where her sister died. She also has an encounter with a pastor who helps her seek solace in God’s Word. The bully girl too comes to realize the horror of her deed and seeks forgiveness.

God, Where Are You?
Director: De Miller. Cast: Wade Williams, Kibwe Dorsey, Tanya Christiansen, Tracy Goode, John Denny (2014. 97 minutes)

Professional boxer Remo (Sonny) Boone has one last fight before settling down to marriage and a happy life.  But everything turns upside down when in the heat of the game he causes the death of his opponent. He is stripped of his title, boxing license and his amassed fortune. His fiancée deserts him. His house is confiscated and Boone is literally thrown on the streets with no one to turn to for help. The impoverished and desperate Boxer scrounges for food. One night he encounters a kindly black man named Malachi Carpenter. He persuades the proud boxer to join him in the little restaurant where he provides a free meal. He directs Remo to the nearby church where Pastor Gary provides him night lodgings. But he would not hear any talk of God because he believes that God had let him down. Malachi is a patient listener and makes gentle and positive suggestions to the desperate man. He gives Remo a book titled “Gratitude Renewed,” asking him to read it and note down things that Remo feels grateful for every day. Remo is introduced to Bobby, an ex footballer who was incapacitated in a ghastly road accident that left him blind, but remains cheerful and grateful. Bobby is now a recognized music composer. Remo is once given a lift by Cindy Grey, a cheerful woman whose story is similar. These encounters gradually make Remo come to the realization that God has not abandoned him. Malachi gives him an object lesson when Remo is served uncooked breakfast, which upsets him. When Remo points out that the food is not done yet, Malachi tells him that God’s plan for him is also like this. God is not yet done with him. He introduces Remo to a Spanish lady who insists that he visit her family. It is the family of Conchola whom Remo had killed in the ring. During the visit, Sofia, the dead man’s wife, and their son tell the visitor how they have already forgiven him and that Conchola’s death was God’s plan for the good of the family. Remo soon takes over as trainer in the new gymnasium which was Conchola’s dream and he finds a new life.

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Prof Gigy Joseph

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The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World
by Jacqueline Novogratz. (Harper and Collins, 2009)

Jacqueline Novogratz is an American entrepreneur,  author  and the founder-director  of ‘Acumen Fund,’ a non-profit global enterprise dedicated to the removal of global poverty.  Novoratz’s story started with the gift of a blue sweater with an African motif painted on it. It was her favourite. When teased by her schoolmates for wearing it too often, she donated it to a store. Eleven years later, during a visit to Africa, she saw the very same sweater worn by an African boy, complete with her name tag on it.  For her it became a turning point, seeing in it a symbol of the connectedness of all humanity. She set on a global quest to study third world poverty and seek effective solutions. At first, her efforts appeared naïve and ineffectual.

In Africa she came across some ordinary but resourceful people among the poor. Their resilience, courage and enthusiasm, motivated her efforts to create ‘Acumen,’ bringing remarkable changes in Asian and African nations, including India and Bangladesh, where she was able to learn and help out with the micro financing schemes of Muhammad Yunus and G Venkataswamy, the founder of the Aravind Eye Hospital.  Novogratz’s initiative has brought new hope and life to millions of people in the third world. No one lives in poverty by choice, as the wealthy sometimes would argue. She gives numerous examples of people who do want to get out of poverty but do not know how to, or where to begin.   Novoratz lays great stress on  self-worth and dignity. Poverty often takes these away and people settle into resignation and fatalism. Corporates that invest in the third world seek profit, exploiting the local resources rather than helping people to be self reliant. Novogratz introduces the idea of  ‘Patient Capital’ instead. It means long term investments with low profit expectation and sustainability and encompassing all-round welfare. This vision took her away from her lucrative job in the Chase Manhattan Bank, to African Development Bank and then on to the creation of Acumen fund. The beautiful memoir is an assertion of human connectedness and its power to renew the world.

The Nature, Dignity and Mission of Woman
by Fr. Karl Stehlin (Kolbe Publications, 2018)

The book addresses the current cultural issues projected by secular feminism. It explains why the Christian ideal of womanhood is valid for all times and rejects the unquestioningly accepted secularist idea propagated through the media that the sexes are not only equal but “the same.”  . In secular feminism, power relations gain centrality. But the mystery of woman is a lasting value, and one can grasp it only by exploring the depths of its nature. The whole truth of the human phenomenon can be understood only when we see it as God sees it. Contrary to the ideology of women’s liberation built on an atheistic world view, the author sees masculinity and femininity as most profoundly symbolic, an expression of eternal, divine realities, an unfathomable mystery. The essence of man and woman is “spirit in flesh,” an immortal soul in a body uniquely animated by it, and rational.  The human being is God’s creation, in God and for God as “his image and likeness.” Even as their missions vary in their particulars, man and woman essentially have the same nature, standing as human beings before God, endowed with the same gifts, destined for the same goal. Human sexual identity does not determine which of the two one day will rank higher. In the world the complimentary differences are expressed in many ways. The perfect imaging of God’s inmost nature occurs, only when they unite in the indissoluble bond of love. Woman’s other-centredness is the antidote to what John Paul II called the “culture of death.” The author’s experience as a missionary in Africa proves how the virginal power of devoted lives have drawn thousands of people to the Church, sometimes in miraculous ways. Women have shaped the spiritual traditions of the church in many ways. The book recalls the great women of the Bible and of Church history, and the positive role of friendships between women and men. The modern world tempts woman to cast off her profound femininity in the vanities of the media-driven culture. It can be remedied by a renewed consciousness of her primordial powers and essential mission and a transformative encounter with Christ like that of the Samaritan woman.   Mary, strong and faithful woman, is the prototype of full womanhood.

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Prof Gigy Joseph

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THE POOR SUFFER THE MOST—EVERYWHERE
Greetings from Kentucky,  I do not tell you nearly often enough how I look forward to reading your MAGNET as it comes.  The topics are always so real.  The many challenges people in every state of life are meeting these days can be breath-taking.  Yet somehow the articles so often address them straight on and offer simple yet sometimes profound ways to walk through these struggles, to find hope where little seems evident and to trust in our ever-present compassionate God.
I had to write to you after I read the June issue.  Our entire world is suffering from this Covid-19 pandemic.  Health issues are in the forefront, of course.  But what has risen so clearly and tragically is the systemic injustices that pervade our societies.  The particulars may look different, but the foundational root sins are the same.  Social inequality oppresses such a large proportion of humanity in developed and developing countries.  We each must listen, listen, listen to the poor, to the most vulnerable today and then act in order to bring about systemic change.
I hear about and read about the plight of the migrant workers in India. Perhaps you have heard about the sin of racism in the US which is ravishing our people of coloUr to the point where we are having protests in the streets of many of our cities. These protests start out as peaceful demonstrations and too often end up in riots of violence.  Why is it that we could not hear the cry of the poor before we forced them to violence?
Good people from diverse ethnic backgrounds are pleading for peaceful but systemic change.  We here in the US must claim our privilege and our complicity in about bringing this oppression.  We must now use that privilege to bring about change.
Just thank you for this month’s MAGNET most especially.  Thank you for your introductory remarks.  They touched me deeply.
May you and your beautiful country of India find health, safety and peace.  Please pray that we here in the US may do the same and finally end over 200 years of racism.
Sharon Gray SCN
Kentucky, USA

SOFT COPY PREFERRED
Thanks for sending me the soft copy of MAGNET.  The magazine is certainly making great strides forward in excellence, content and quality with each issue. For me personally I prefer the digital version as it is very user-friendly,  practical and available at any time. The new editorial board with professionals is certainly a great step in the right direction.  All the best! Keep safe and healthy. God bless.
Fr Jose Mathew SDB
Okhla, New Delhi

POSITIVE VIBES
Thanks for the good and inspiring articles and write ups in MAGNET. It has come at a time where we are in need of positive vibrations  to face the giant of the time with courage and grit. May God be gracious to you and bless you for all your persistent and intelligent hard work towards its online publication. Prayers assured.
Sr Alphonsa Vattoly SCCG
Hyderabad, Telangana

CONGRATS!
Thank you for your mail. I liked your 7-point Programme to construct a more human Post-Pandemic world.
Hearty congrats and thank you so much.
Most Rev Susaimanickam
Bishop of Sivagangai, Tamil Nadu

Thank you very much for the current issue. MAGNET has no lock down. Congrats! All articles are every inspiring and useful. God bless you and all your efforts.
Sr Philomena Mathew MSMHC
Superior General, Guwahati, Assam.

Received the soft copy of the MAGNET, beautifully planned and edited with inspiring articles, a real nourishment for our souls. Being a former CRI president in Darjeeling and Sikkim I am more than satisfied that CRI is growing and becoming relevant in your able hands. Wishing you all the BEST in your ministry.
Fr Jagdish Parmar SJ
Bangalore, Karnataka

I appreciate MAGNET and, personally, have been a subscriber from its starting, and encouraged many to do so.  I thank you for this splendid service to the Indian/global Church.  In seminars and discussions I prefer to circulate them as needed, especially among the Clergy or the Religious in India.
Fr Stanislaus Alla SJ
Vidyajyoti, New Delhi

Thank you for MAGNET MAGAZINE. for the month of June 2020.  In spite of the lockdown and all the conveniences you have sent the copy with very inspiring and encouraging articles. We as a community will read, discuss, and make plans especially of the seven-point programme you and the team are suggesting for all committed persons, especially religious.
Sr Elsa SCC
Camp-Amravati, Maharashtra

MISSING MAGNET
I did miss MAGNET. Due to lock down we did not get any issue after the one on Lent.
MAGNET is very, very attractive. Attractive title, get up, format and appropriate choice of articles. You and your team are creative, innovative and novel in your ideas. Impeccable English and heart-touching articles. May God bless your hard labour and overwhelm all the contributors of articles with wisdom, insight, inspiration and light so that many more may be enabled to lead a joyous, peaceful and inspiring life, and be fully alive and divine.
Sr Marie Therese BS
Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh

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It is urgent!

It touches all of us.

Every one of us has a role to play.

We have no other home to run to. We need to save this earth, the one home we all share—before it is too late.

Before disasters force us to see our blindness.

Pope Francis told us all this five years ago, in the first encyclical written in response to scientific data. He is reminding us again—by keeping a whole year to focus on this life and death matter.

The cover story is written by the very person he appointed to get things moving—Fr Joshtrom Isacc SDB. Thank you, Fr Joshtrom, for helping to see what we need to see, and to plan what we need to do. We feel lucky to have got possibly the best person to write on this subject.

July 1^st  is Doctors’ Day—to remind us to understand, thank and support this band of men and women, who, right now, are under tremendous pressure, and more exposed than the rest of us to sickness and extreme fatigue. Our “Special Days” page thanks them, and then, our psychology column—a much-appreciated regular feature—presents ways in which doctors—and the rest of us—can recuperate from stress.

July 28^th is Nature Conservation Day—linked to the cover story.

Want to learn from a simple and dynamic pastor inspired by God’s love and care for the people? Meet Archbishop Thomas Macwan of Ahmedabad. He has also a simple personal suggestion to us. Religious.

At the other end of spectrum, we have young voices full of life—a young woman religious sharing her journey and a young woman executive revealing something of her walk with God.

Our regular columns are much appreciated—as they deserve to be. The appreciation that MAGNET gets owes much to our competent columnists. They truly bring us the best morsels from psychology, real life (candles), law, finance, canon law, books, movies, special days, life at the margins, a couple’s viewpoint, prayer.

By the side of all the serious stuff, you will see our “Fun and More” page. It is seen to by Sr Theresa Phawa FMA, our Associate Editor. I am sure the riddles tickle and stimulate your brain. I contribute the “ten differences” cartoon.

A piece of GOOD NEWS: The secretariat of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), based in Rome, has decided to put a link for MAGNET on their official website. With that, religious all over the world can access and read MAGNET. They find the magazine good and worth promoting. How about you?

Many religious communities are reaching out to those most affected by the lockdown—providing provisions, masks, shelter, medical care, and salaries for those who cannot come to work. Religious have always been at our best when situations seemed desperate, solutions in short supply and the world looked for generosity and courage. This is certainly one such hour.

May we be what we are meant to be—agents of hope, love and healing in a world of pain and division; bearers of Good News where is much fear and want.

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Fr Joe Mannath SDB

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Bright and Dark Sides

Have you heard of Pappan Singh?

He is a mushroom farmer in Delhi’s Tigipur village. When the lockdown started, he did not send away his workers. He provided them food and accommodation.

He spent Rs 68,000 to buy air tickets to Patna for them, and gave each of them an additional Rs 3000. He completed all their medical formalities and drove them to the airport in his own car.

There is still humanity left—at least in some of us. Or, may be, in most of us, and it can be rekindled and fanned into a flame.

Someone else travelling to Bihar was not quite so lucky.

At Muzaffarpur station, a little child was trying to wake up his mother, who seemed to be fast asleep on the railway platform. The truth is: She was dead.

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Fr Joe Mannath SDB