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We, priests and religious, should be good and exemplary teachers. I think it was St John Bosco who, in dealing with the young, realized how important it is to be a loving teacher and invited all the formators to be good and exemplary teachers in forming the young minds and hearts. Here is a letter written (I found it recently while preparing a message for Teachers’ Day) by a student to her teacher– Fr Richard Mascarenhas SJ

1. Be a human being, not just a teaching machine.
2. Do not teach only a subject, but rather teach us students.
3. Let me feel that you are interested in me as a human being not just a number in your notebook.
4. Do not judge me only by the marks I get in my tests, but rather by the effort I make.
5. Do not expect of me what is beyond my talent or power, but give me more encouragement from time to time.
6. Do not expect me to think of school and studies as the greatest pleasure of life. They are not, at least for me.

Fr Richard Mascarenhas SJ

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1. The difference we are called to make
   1. Be a soothing and healing presence: As religious or priests we need to be a soothing and healing presence to others, especially in our workplace. Sadly, some of us become dictators, cruel and heartless bosses, adding pain and sorrow to those who approach us with helplessness. Since we see the brokenness everywhere, it is our duty to spread healing through our kind words, empathetic gestures and sincere moral (and if need be financial) support and strive to be in the midst of the suffering humanity.
   2. Be with the people: Some of us seem to have forgotten to visit the houses of the people. Instead we live a comfortable and luxurious life inside our institutions. Therefore, we are less respected today. It is when we go to people with a large heart, listening ears and a blessing on our lips they feel free to approach us. When they see a glimpse of Jesus in us, we gain respect. Then, boys and girls may be attracted to our way of life. People should see us walking like Jesus to meet people without discrimination and with a joyful and compassionate heart.
   3. Be women and men of prayer: We religious or priests are called first and foremost to be persons of prayer. We are given special privileges to pray in the morning and evening and attend the Holy Eucharist everyday. But we don’t find change in ourselves. Today we see many lay men and women who spend hours in prayer and spread the good news. People flock to them for healing, rather than come to religious or priests. I need to ask myself: Why am I a religious or a priest today? What is the purpose of my call? Am I really true to my call?

2. The difference I have made

As a religious, I was posted in different fields.  I spent most time in the formation ministry I feel happy and contented to have done this service.

1. 1. As a formator, I have come across a few formees who had been victims of sexual abuse. I spent a lot of time with them, dealing with the issues through therapy and constant accompaniment. The main skills I used were empathy, non-judgmental attitude and unconditional acceptance, accompanying with positive feelings and by healing prayer sessions. These sessions were meaningful to me as well as to them. It made them love and accept themselves and build their self-esteem. Though some of them have left the congregation, they still are in contact with me and remember with gratitude the help they received.
   2. Being a counsellor, I spent a few years counselling school children on various issues. Here is an incident I like to recall. A child was suffering from lack of self-confidence, unable to face anyone directly or in the crowd. When he came to me for counselling, he used to sweat all over. The sweat would drip on the floor and even wet the place. I was very patient and kind towards him, accepted him as he was with continuous positive strokes and with the “Circle of Excellence” (an NLP exercise). The regular sessions brought tremendous changes in the child. At present he is able to look at others with a smile, freely communicates with others and is comfortable in facing the crowd.

Such experiences make me happy and grateful to God for being able to do little things for the needy.

Sr Sunitha Fernandes UFS

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1. How to make a difference

We should consider each individual as precious gift from God.  We need to respect and uphold the dignity of the other without looking at a person’s caste, colour, religion or intellectual quotient. We are called to instil the values of Christ and see in them the image of God. We need to become leaven in the dough even though our number is less. Our simple style of life and the way we go about and relate to people should be free of self-interest.

Our vowed life obliges us to be balanced, live in the spirit of poverty, putting on the attitude of Christ in our service. Our prayer life is also a boost for us to evaluate our own action and have a change in our attitude. Our service should be self-less and only for the good of people. Like Jesus, our master and model, we need to understand the unexpressed feelings of the people. The smile which we give to the people with whom we live and work is a sign of our God experience which brightens the life of the unwanted and the neglected, children in our boarding houses, the elderly, the  mentally challenged, the people in prison , the sick, the lonely. Each individual is unique and special, and  we need to give a listening ear to them. We religious need to give more importance to the spiritual wellbeing of people, specially through the sacraments, taking part in the liturgy meaningfully. Above all, we are called to be more human in our dealings.

2. The difference I tried to make

As a religious for twenty-five years, I feel happy about the way I worked with the mentally challenged people for one year—that, too, as a  junior sister. That was the best part of my life I can say. Though I am not a professional nurse, I could take care of them with love and affection. Though I have faced insults and abuses from them, I had sincere love towards them. Once, when a lady disappeared from the house, I was terribly upset, felt helpless and worried. I went in search of her for many days. Finally, when I found her, my joy was really boundless. When I look back on this incident, it gives me immense joy and satisfaction.

Another case: I taught in a school as my first real job. I did my best to teach the students entrusted to my care—not just the lessons, but values for life. Now when they visit me, they tell me: “You taught us to stand on our own feet. We can never forget you. You are the best teacher we have come across and our favourite one.” I feel happy about it when I hear this from them. As the famous quote says “The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates and the great teacher inspires.” This is what I am called to. Thus I can make difference in the lives of my students by moulding  them  to be good human beings, and promoting their all-round development.

When I noticed that one of them needed to improve his/her behaviour, I would them for a personal chat, and meet with their parents to solve their problems. This was the case of one student who was irregular in coming to school.  I visited his house, spoke with him about his future. He came back to school, and passed high school with a good grade. So, I have seen that we can make a difference if we take a real interest in our students.

Sr Latha Crasta SCCG

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It was a ‘Drawing Competition’ for the Primary School children of one of our Convent schools.

The topic: My teacher.  A child had drawn a Nun standing in front of a class:  serious, and with a ruler (scale) in her hand.

Unfortunately, this is what many of the laity might see in us, religious and priests: administrators, disciplinarians, in-charge! They have to meet us in our ‘office,’ and our meetings with them are on ‘official stuff.’

Or as ‘disciplinarians’! We may appear rigid and cold even with our own staff. I know I am generalizing. But at times we do come out as stiff and unapproachable, with no time for patient, compassionate listening or accompaniment. As our numbers dwindle, there will be fewer and fewer of us in our Institutions, and even these will be pinned down to such starchy posts!

How would it feel like for our students, teachers, patients, nurses, workers, the laity at large, if they could just casually ‘bump into us,’ find us relaxed, with time to spare, and willing to share with them some ‘niceties,’ which could pave the way gradually for what they want to share with us in confidence, of their everyday joys and sorrows?

How beautiful it would be if they could see in us a friend, interested and willing to converse with them. A person of God who would enlighten and guide them, someone they could turn to for guidance, and understanding! Someone who is familiar enough to visit them in their homes, to spend a moment of prayer with them and to enquire how they are getting on! God’s protecting shadow, to whom they can spontaneously turn in times of need or perplexity!

Tired and Business-like Supervisors

Instead, most of us seem so tense, overworked, time-conscious, tired and business-minded.

Somehow, we tend to give the impression of not trusting others in our workplace. We want to see, do or supervise everything ourselves. The others feel watched. We unconsciously take on a ‘superiority’ stand, a know-all attitude that only creates a distance between us and others. We seldom seem to involve them in our decision-making. They just have to take orders from us and ‘report’ to us. These attitudes keep them at a distance. Can we call this ‘shepherding’?

Honestly speaking, was this what we were dreaming of when we first felt drawn to the priestly or religious life? Were these the type of religious or priests whom we held as models and whom we wanted to emulate? Persons whom we could trust, confide in, consult. Persons who would neither use nor abuse us! Reliable, spiritually minded, other-centred persons who would guide our steps to God! Persons who showed that they had time for us; who loved, cared for and were available to us.

Sr Esme da Cunha FDCC

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1. The difference we, religious, can and should make  

Most people are looking for spiritual leadership in uncertain times. Therefore, as religious and priests, we not only need to engage in various services we provide for people, but do it as an expression of our faith in the Triune God revealed to us through the life, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This implies three things.

Firstly, a religious must be a man or woman of prayer with a personal encounter with God. It is only when we have this deep personal encounter with God, that we will be able to share this encounter with others and lead Catholics and people of other religious traditions to a similar encounter with the Divine.

Secondly, men and women religious need to accompany and serve the people entrusted to our care in collaboration with other men and women of goodwill. In this regard, we need to be humble to walk with other people and organisations doing similar work, so that we may not only improve the quality of our work, but also reach out to a larger number of people. People look up to religious men and women to be a prophetic voice calling for justice, equality and social harmony.

Finally, religious men and women have to be counter-witnesses in a consumeristic society by living eco-friendly lives and promoting an ecologically sustainable lifestyle in response to the call of Pope Francis to “care for our common home.” The two or three activities or areas I consider most urgent and relevant is the promotion of social harmony and ecological sustainability.

Religious life and priesthood can be relevant in these modern times only if religious and priests are able to communicate their faith in God through spiritual leadership in accompanying and serving people while promoting justice, social harmony and ecological sustainability.

2. The difference I think I have made

I think I have made a difference to the lives of a few people. I recall a couple of instances in my life. In the first instance, while I was Assistant Parish Priest at Rosary Church in Ajara, in Kolhapur District of Maharashtra, I used some money gifted to me to financially support the professional education of some village youth. With this help, they have become professionals working in reputed companies in India. As a young scholastic (seminarian), I volunteered to work with the people’s movement Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) for a couple of months, when I accompanied them in their struggle for justice and just compensation. Later, as a young priest, I completed a study on the status of rehabilitation of the Sardar Sarovar Dam oustees, which was used as an authentic document in the case in the Supreme Court. Though they lost the legal battle, it was due to such struggles that the Government of India passed a new law on rehabilitation and resettlement in 2013, which has benefitted a large number of people displaced due to development projects.

Fr Denzil Fernandes SJ

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We, members of religious orders and clergy, claim to have made this choice to follow Jesus more closely. We are offered a long, expensive and specialized formation for this. In the simplest terms, following Jesus means to walk through the world as He did, as a loving, compassionate healer, centred on God’s will and not on power, glory and comfort. People who deal with us on a day-to-day basis make out pretty soon whether we are genuine in our quest or have wandered from it. The following ten mini-articles look at the dangers, failures, inspiring examples and wise choices we see in real people. We can open our eyes and learn. May we become good human beings others can learn from.

1. Do Not Become Worse, please!

She was young and smart and pretty. Being good at studies and good-looking as well, she was expected to study, get married and have a career. But, to the disappointment of her family, she told them she wanted to join the convent. The main reason was the inspiring example of one of the sisters who had taught her. The parents didn’t like the idea, but, seeing her determination, finally gave in. She went as a candidate to the congregation she wanted to join.

Fr Joe Mannath SDB

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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:

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.

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:

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.

N. Jones

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