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Ashok and Reeta were facing a desperate situation. Their debts had mounted, and they did not see any way to repay them.  Anxiety was written on their faces. They had no savings, and now were faced with having no means to pay their debts.

“There are times,” Ashok told me, “When I have thought of suicide. But then, how could my wife and children face life?” And he burst into tears.

“May be God is sending us this trial to bring us closer to Him,” Reeta said. “He has more power than our problems. May be, we need to pray more, and get more strength from Him.”

They were in the habit of getting up at 4.30 to pray. Now they decided to get up at 3.30 and pray for an hour—to experience God’s protection and to find a solution to their problems.

Facing Desperation

Have you ever faced desperation—really frightening situations in which you felt powerless and no solutions came to your mind?

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Quaerens

Sr Alma, whose rich and varied experience includes  being a member of the general council of her international order, and being a much-esteemed spiritual director to a number of religious and priests, shares her frank and practical views on leading a happy life.–Editor

Sister Alma, you come across as a joyful, contented and positive woman. What is the secret of your joyful spirit?

Well, Father Joe, no big secret at all. It is a simple matter. Faith in God, relationship with him, prayer, personal spirituality, etc., have been priorities of my life. As a religious, my life’s focus is on the person of Jesus, his teachings, his way of life and mission. This relationship with Jesus and commitment to his cause are central in my life, giving it full meaning and deep satisfaction. This makes me happy, contented, and grateful to God and people.

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Sr Alma HCM

Here is a realistic situation religious orders often face. Vocation promoters at times complain that the candidates they took so much trouble to recruit are sent away. The formators, however, have four options, as this article explains.

My name is Sr Rejani. I am the vocation promoter in my province.  We had a group of twelve novices. Three of them left before completing the formation. On completion of the novitiate period, two have their profession postponed and one is dismissed.  It is with much difficulty that I go around and promote vocations.  When I see the results, I feel discouraged. Would you please explain why things end up in this fashion? Is it a common phenomenon in all formation houses?

Yours is a very relevant question. Many vocation promoters, like you, feel discouraged when they have to face such a situation.  Let us look at the options open to formators. What does the Church ask us to do?

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Sr Licia SMI

The author describes—with no condemnation or contempt—the plight of miserably poor people in a slum in Colombia. Homeless, unwanted and addicted to drugs and drinks, they live in a human hell hole. Society seems them as “disposable” waste!

They are called desechables, literally meaning ‘disposables.’ It is the same word which people use for disposable plates and cups—they have been used, and now they serve no other purpose. We throw them in the trash.

That is what the hundreds if not thousands of homeless people are called in Bogotá—the capital city of Colombia. Disposables. They are the people who live in the infamous area of about four blocks by four blocks in Bogotá’s centre called Cartucho. It is the threshold of Dante’s Inferno—[Inferno in Italian means “hell.” The verses interspersed here are from the Italian poet Dante Alighieri’s world-famous classic, La Divina Commedia.–Editor]

Thro’ me the way into the realm of dole;
Thro’ me the way of endless anguish prove;
Thro’ me the way to ev’ry damned soul.
(Dante, La Divina Commedia,  Inferno, Canto III, v. 1, 2,3)

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Bro Carmel Duca MC

A married man from Nigeria speaks of his marriage as a vocation from God, and what he and wife do to make it a happy union in spite of the many challenges they have faced.

My wife, Ugoma, and I met in Abuja, Nigeria, in the last quarter of 2012. She was then studying Economics at the University of Abuja. Both of us are from the South-Eastern region of Nigeria. My fatherhood journey began on December 14, 2013, when we got married.

The Church teaches us that fatherhood is a vocation, a commitment. It should not be understood as primarily a relationship or responsibility; it is a calling from God. On getting married, I realized that I had to change a lot of things about me: the way I used to take decisions (alone) as a bachelor, my availability in my home, my associations, and so on. It was time for a complete review of my old self. Everything was about to change!

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OKWUDILI KEVIN EYA

This article tells us clearly how the social isolation caused by the lockdown can affect us, and what we can do to overcome its negative effects and stay healthy and positive.

“I am not the person I was. I don’t know what is happening to me,” Ravi emailed a close friend a few days ago.  “I find myself getting irritated quite unnecessarily. I find fault with my wife and criticise her, which I had consciously avoided in the past. I even blame her family. Two days ago, I shouted at my two children for silly things which made them cry. I am feeling ashamed of myself.”

Ravi is a top level professional, admired not only for his innovative ideas but also for his genial personality and collegial style who has been forced by Covid-19 lockdown to work from home.   He misses the office atmosphere and interaction with his colleagues at work and is yearning to be back at the office.

High Stress for Some

The extended lockdown imposed due to Covid-19 pandemic can be a stressful time for many. Ravi is not alone in what he is experiencing. Uncertain times normally lead to stress and even to feeling overwhelmed.  Everyone is going through especially uncertain times at the moment and naturally stress levels will tend to be high. And it looks likely the uncertainty will go on for a while.

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Fr JOSE PARAPPULLY PhD

CRYSTAL

It seems that I have heard the word ‘unprecedented’ hundreds of times in the last few weeks. News outlets report over and over that we are living through an unprecedented crisis, we are experiencing an unprecedented economic collapse, we are witnessing unprecedented worldwide suffering. Listening to this over and over for the last five months, the repeated words of doom and gloom can make even the most optimistic and faith-filled among us become concerned and frightened.

What is our way forward? As Catholics, I believe the better question is ‘Who is our way forward?’ In this time of crisis, we need to remember now more than ever that we must turn to Christ in this (and all things) for guidance.  God is not a mere politician or a scientist, but the Creator of the world. When Jesus came to earth, He showed His power by healing the blind and the lame, by raising people from the dead, by calming the seas, by feeding thousands with a small amount of food. Remember the words of John 14:12: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these.” We turn to God now and ask, how can we help to make the world a better place in light of the current suffering?

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Crystal and Kevin Sullivan

This article explains the implications of FORM 26AS of the INCOME TAX ACT 1961 for NGOs. A case helps to make the theory clear and practical.

Introduction

In this article we discuss the administration of TDS transactions and how to resolve difficulties faced by NGOs.

Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) is an important segment of the Income Tax Act 1961 (ITA) and the detailed provisions are found in Sections 190 to 206CA. According to these sections, an NGO which makes certain payments, such as, salary, contractors’ bills, professional fees, commission to agents, interest, winnings and prizes, rent, etc., are obliged to deduct tax at source, under certain conditions, before releasing the payments. The tax has to be deposited with the Income Tax Department (ITD) within the prescribed time. The NGO is required to furnish quarterly TDS returns in the prescribed forms and within the prescribed time and to issue a certificate in Form 16 or 16A to the person from whom tax has been deducted at source.

Keeping track of all the TDS transactions and the procedures, mentioned above, can be laborious. Thanks to computerization, the administration of TDS transactions can be done now with greater ease and accuracy.

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Fr Trevor D’Souza OFM

The true story of a brilliant businessman who was shocked into awareness—and changed his priorities radically. His recipe for happiness: Do not increase your possessions; decrease your desires.

The raging pandemic that has killed more than 2,80,000 in less than five months since its outbreak should force us to think about quite a few things. One of them, obviously, is about how we, humans, treat our fellow-residents of this planet – animals, birds and nature.

Therefore it is appropriate, I feel, to look at this man as a shining candle. Writing about him, Maneka Gandhi said, “He is not a human being. He is from another planet. They simply do not make humans like him anymore… The technical word for his species is ‘angel’.”

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Fr M A Joe Antony SJ

This month, MAGNET interviews BISHOP LUMEN MONTEIRO of Agartala, who is also the outgoing Chairman of Caritas India, the CBCI agency for providing aid to the needy. His awareness of the plight of the neediest and the ways in which the Church is reaching out will be an eye-opener for many of us.

As a Bishop and as the outgoing Chairman of Caritas India, you will be very aware of the needs of people and of the best ways of helping. What do you see as the steps the Church (in general and in India) needs to take to tackle to present crisis?

The Catholic Church is unified in its response to the call of human suffering. Caritas India, under the guidance of the Church leadership, is dialoguing with civil authorities, inter-faith leaders, regional forums, partner organisations, NGOs, CSOs, and other people of goodwill to determine the need and respond accordingly. Generally speaking, Caritas India’s focus is on the environment, migrants, marginal farmers, unorganised workers, and people suffering from other morbidities. But the magnitude of the present crisis requires a concerted focus of the collaborative effort. Hence, as the Executive Director Caritas India says, “Apart from the short-term relief efforts, Caritas is planning for the long-term response, keeping in mind the needs of the populations, local factors such as access to affected communities, and the capacity of local partners. The efforts will focus on health, education, livelihood, and skill-building of the marginalised population affected by Covid-19.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the rich and the poor, but it is the poor who have suffered the most. The poor are hungry, millions are unemployed, the economy is in free fall and people are worried and asking when it will all end. No one knows that! The challenge is for us to embrace the power of goodness, to build up our strength, to be resilient, compassionate, just, caring, sharing and helping each other. The ‘Karuna Warriors,’ as I like to call them, have waged a ‘war of love’ on the Coronavirus by reaching out to the neediest.

The impact of the lockdown is bound to be most severe for the vulnerable workers, especially poor, informal-sector workers, raising concerns for their survival. Labourers are pushed to the wall. Workers are staring at the toughest time in their lives. As it is said, more people can die of hunger than of the COVID pandemic. Disruption of the routine, social isolation and the pandemic itself are undoubtedly taking a toll on the well-being and mental health of people. There are also cases of violence, particularly against women.

International economists and Caritas International are predicting severe food shortages in several countries, especially food-importing countries of Africa. What should be done to prevent famine?

I can’t say much about this, since I do not know the actual data. But I will quickly add that Caritas India has as one of its focus areas food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture. We have been moving toward a more socially just, economically viable, and environmentally sound agriculture in alliance with civil society organizations. Caritas India’s focus has always been on the poor and excluded.

Another area that Caritas India took up which I like to highlight is Volunteerism. With the long history and tradition of volunteerism in India, Government of India’s Digital India Volunteer Programme (DigiSevak) under the aegis of Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology, is promoting volunteerism. Many I/NGOs engage volunteers in social action, developing sensitivity towards social causes and responsibility towards people and the planet. Volunteering is a powerful expression of a people-centred approach to development. There are many ways in which Caritas India promoted volunteerism. Th best examples are: ASHAKIRANAM, the cancer care campaign in Kerala; EZHUVOM IYAKKAM in Tamil Nadu; SNEHA HASTHAM in AP and TS; and ÇAN SURVIVE in Goa.  The Cancer Care Campaign is today is spread across eighty-nine Dioceses and doing much good.

What are some of your most encouraging experiences as Chairman of Caritas India?

Through the programmes supported by Caritas across Dioceses in India, I had a chance to understand the plight of the people, especially in the rural areas of the country. In fact, I came up with this idea of ‘FROM FILE TO FIELD,’ which gave me a first-hand experience of seeing and interacting with people, whom we generally call ‘beneficiaries,’ in their own settings. Because of the long distances from Agartala and my own pastoral commitments in the diocese, it was not easy to implement the plan. But I must say that in my eight years’ tenure I covered 108 Dioceses in India! It involved sacrifices, no doubt, but it was a labour of love that enriched me.

My association with Caritas India has been a great milestone in my life’s journey, giving me a lot of opportunities to reflect, explore, and take action to enhance our contribution towards changing the situations of the marginalized communities in different parts of our country.  My passion for visiting the field provided rich interactions with the community. These have been inspiring moments, meeting with simple people who have their own wisdom. I certainly received more than I gave.

I also experienced how the Catholic Church is in solidarity with the poor through its partners at the national, regional, diocesan and parish levels and the various apostolates, commissions and religious congregations. I experienced this during the Kashmir earthquake, the super cyclones, the Tsunami, the floods in Kerala, Bihar and NE, and presently with the COVID-19 pandemic. We have seen people demonstrate tremendous compassion and support during these very troubled times—a very encouraging experience indeed.

Although we (Catholics) are only 1.6% of the Indian population, our contribution and impact in education, medical ministry and social work are far beyond what a small minority can do. What are some of the things the Church in India is doing well?

In addition to the education and health ministries, which are expansive and known to everyone, our social apostolate through Caritas India and its diocesan partners is done with less visibility all over the country. It has been largely unnoticed, except in a few places. One reason for this could be that we do not advertise our work, believing in the Lord’s words, ‘the left hand should not know what the right is doing’. This can be especially said of the social apostolate. From direct experience, I know that what is being done is tremendous. But in a huge country like India, where the Christian community is such a tiny minority, our interventions are often minuscule and we are not always noticed or recognised nationally. But at the local levels there is visibility, recognition and collaboration with the Government departments.

As for what we are doing well: I think that we do all things well. Some of the areas of our involvement include: justice issues, environmental issues, action against human trafficking, human rights issues, disaster mitigation, organic farming.

How can we do even better? What do we need to change or give up or add?

We are reaching out to the unreached. This journey has been quite different, difficult, and unique in many ways. Caritas India has been engaged with different multi-layer and multi-stakeholder programs aimed at the prevention, protection and promotion of the rights of people.  I feel that this is our mission. Living this mission today means to constantly overcome divisions based on languages, ethnicities, cultures and religions, as well as the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor. Today, the mission needs to be expressed through solidarity, outreach to the poor, dialogue and sharing.

You are a religious and a bishop. How do you see the presence and contribution of religious in the Indian Church and society? What are we doing well?

Religious are a great ‘force’ in the Indian Church. Their commitment is exemplary. I am thinking of the hundreds of Religious Sisters for example, who work in very difficult situations with exemplary dedication.

When it comes to formal education, however, the story is different. It was seen as a good way to enter into rural and poor sections of India. In the establishment phase, many religious congregations found this a good apostolate. But I think what was meant to be a ‘means’ may have become an ‘end’ in itself. Too much focus is put on improving our schools. Competition with one another made many Institutions inward-looking. We begin to focus only on “my school should be the best” and use all our energy for academic excellence. As Pope Francis says, “religious are women and men who should awaken the world by their prophetic life. They have to leave the nest that contains them and be sent to the frontiers of the world, avoiding the temptations to be domesticated.” This is the most concrete way to imitate the Lord. What does it mean to awaken or stir up the world, and how do we do it in our Schools?

Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil SDB, Emeritus of Guwahati, has this profound thought: “We are accustomed to evaluating our works in terms of their calculable results, not their sign value. But, in the final analysis, it is the sign value that makes the difference. Jesus’ works of healing and feeding pointed beyond the immediate benefit it conferred (e.g., being the light of the world, bread of life, etc.,). If our works of education, health care and social transformation have no sign value, they have lost their purposefulness; they become a soul–less service. It is the sign value that makes the difference in the long term.” The purpose of missionary activity is not so much to “do something for others” as to “transform others into doers”—active participants in the saving work of God.

What do we need to do better?

We can always do more and better. As long as we see ourselves as a dynamic organisation, we will have to pause, evaluate, make new plans, and move on with new vigour and vitality. In Caritas India, our humanitarian aid response for the survivors of the natural disasters has increased tremendously, putting a lot more pressure on our team, who have always been the first to reach the disaster-affected populations and organize the relief services, sometimes even forgetting their own families.

Like any human being, you will face moments of doubt, fear, aloneness and confusion. What helps you to find strength, peace and meaning? What helps you to be a happy and positive human being, religious and bishop?

Saint Mother Teresa once said, “To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.” The oil that gives me strength and keeps me positive and peaceful comes from the Lord in my daily meeting with Him in meditation.

Moreover, I always wish to live as a positive human being even though my life is not always a bed of roses! I have experienced hardships and difficulties. But I have come a long way from my understanding that hardships mean God not caring for me.  On the contrary, as St. Paul says, “we boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings God’s approval, and his approval creates hope.  This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts.” I feel that this awareness is what has given me the energy to stay positive.

An example given by Harriet Arrow also provides an answer to your question.  She says, “The fir tree has no choice about starting its life in the crack of a rock. What nourishment it finds is often meagre, and above the ground appears a twisted trunk, grown in irregular spurts, marred by dead and broken branches, and bent far to one side by the battering winds. Yet at the top some twigs hold their green needles year after year, giving proof that—misshapen, imperfect, scarred—the tree lives.”  The analogy is clear. By accepting the facts of our own lives, we mature into beings of joy alongside our difficulties.

Another thing that helps me to be happy and positive is humour. Shusaku Endo, author of the classic Japanese novel, Silence, was a Catholic who didn’t always find his native land, Japan, sympathetic to his faith. He was misunderstood but kept his balance and good heart by placing a high value on levity. It was his way of integrating his faith with his own experience of occasional personal failure and his way of keeping his perspective on a culture which misunderstood him. Levity, he believed, makes faith liveable. He is right. Levity is what makes faith livable, because humour and irony give us the perspective we need to forgive ourselves and others for our weaknesses and mistakes. When we are too serious, there is no forgiveness, least of all for ourselves.

In his book, A Rumour of Angels, Peter Berger looked at the question of humour philosophically. In humour, he says, we touch the transcendent. “To be able to laugh at a situation, no matter how dire or tragic, shows that we are in some way above that situation, that there is something in us that is not imprisoned by that situation, or any situation.”

Mgr Lumen Monteiro is the Bishop of Agartala, as well as the outgoing Chairman of Caritas India.

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