preview

ROME, May 9, 2022 — With song, prayer and ritual, leaders of women’s religious congregations from around the world concluded five days of meetings in Rome on May 6, affirming their commitment to the process of synodality and embracing a journey of vulnerability that they believe is vital for the renewal of the church, religious life and their own communities.

The pledge was a culmination to the May 2-6 plenary of the International Union of Superiors General, during which numerous sisters, theologians and speakers voiced their support for Pope Francis’ vision of a synodal church that embraces its early historical roots, affirms the need for diversity, listens, and is more welcoming to those on society’s margins.

The 23-word commitment, spoken in unison by the 520 sisters attending the plenary in person and silently by another 200 or so who attended online, reads: “I commit myself to live vulnerable synodality through service as a leader, animating it within the community, together with the people of God.”

The plenary brought a strong sense of communion among the sister-leaders participating, UISG President Sr. Jolanta Kafka of the Claretian Missionary Sisters said in an interview after the gathering ended.

Kafka said she needed more time to reflect on the plenary but that there was a clear call for a paradigm shift in the approach to leadership — for transformation, not just change. The shift is to be more respectful, more inclusive and less hierarchical.

“Always, the plenaries give light” that lasts, she said.

Chris Herlinger, Gail DeGeorge, Christopher White

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

“One of the most common questions I get is: ‘How hard was it to get through prison?’  It was not very hard; but the hardest thing for me was being homeless. When all your friends are gone, your families are not around and all you have is drug addiction, a needle that goes in your arm, drugs that take away your feeling that you’ve been running for years, that was hard. Feeling hopeless was hard; full of guilt, full of shame, depressed to the point of committing suicide was hard,” says the hero of our article Tony Hoffman, journeyed from Prison to Olympics, from drug-addict to a professional speaker.

Tony’s BMX (Bicycle Motocross, a special bike meant for racing and tricky riding) career started in high school, as he was a top-ranked BMX amateur with multiple endorsements. As a native of Clovis, California, where he attended Clovis High School, Tony started drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, and using prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and Oxycontin. His life took a turn for the worse as he became addicted at such a young age, losing everything.

An Unforgettable Night

This is Tony’s most vivid memory and he would never forget this moment. He walked into Nate’s (Tony’s friend, who died that same night due to a drugs overdose) room and said that he needed a sleeping bag and he will sleep on the street that night. For the next six months he slept on the street. He slept behind dumpsters, so people couldn’t find him. He slept in dirt fields, so people couldn’t find him. He was never ashamed of himself.

Sr Lini Sheeja MSC

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

Background

Canon 1280 requires that every juridic person should have its own finance council, or at least two counsellors, who are to assist in the performance of the administrator’s duties, in accordance with the statutes. The following guidelines are provided to assist administrators at various levels.

Role of the Finance Council

It is the competence of the head of the Organization to administer the goods and represent the Organization in all legal matters and not that of the Finance Council itself. The Finance Council does not have the task of administering the finance, but it only collaborates with the concerned Organization in the administrative management of its finances in accordance with the law. Thus, the Finance Council shall not be considered the legal owner of Organization’s assets.

But the Finance Council is meant to assist the Organization in the administration of its financial resources. An active, well-formed Finance Council is a key element for promoting the financial health of the Organization, assuring accountability, and assisting the Organization with its temporal responsibilities.

Canon 537 makes the Parish Finance Council a mandated body having an advisory and consultative role with the pastor:

“Each parish is to have a finance council which is regulated by universal law as well as by norms issued by the diocesan bishop; in this council the Christian faithful, selected according to the same norms, aid the pastor in the administration of parish goods with due regard for the prescription of canon 532.”

Applying the same principle, every Catholic Organization is required to have its Finance Council, both by adherence to the Code of Canon Law and by local norms issued by every diocese or religious congregation.

Fr Alex G., SJ

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

“I am tired of listening to corrections.  I’ve been working in the office for so long – preparing projects, writing reports, doing the accounts.  So far, I have never heard a positive word from sister.  She speaks only to correct and that too with a sour face.  When I am hearing only negative remarks, from where will I get the energy and enthusiasm to do my best?  If she cannot find anything else that I do well, she could at least tell me that after mopping the floor I wash the mopping cloth well.  At least that would be an encouragement.”  This is what I heard from a qualified and highly competent lady working in the office in one of the Christian institutions.

As part of the ministry of leading a community, the superior may have to give corrections occasionally.  Let us examine how this can be done effectively without making the others resentful.

Part of Being Generative

            Some superiors think that their main duty is to lead the community by watching out for mistakes or misbehaviours  and correcting them.  This is not right.  The main duty of the superior is to be generative, not to correct.

Fr Jose Kuttianimattathil SDB

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

Janet first met Florette at a gathering of the parish Ladies Club. She was a newcomer to the parish and had joined the club only recently. She was immediately attracted by the charming personality of Florette and moved toward her. The affirming and delightful way Florette welcomed her floored her. She felt drawn more closely to Florette and was feeling very good to be with her. They spent quite some time talking apart from the others and Janet was deeply impressed. Janet felt she could spend the whole evening with her. After a while, Florette told her, “It is such a delight talking to you. We must meet for coffee by ourselves soon” and moved away to someone else who was showing interest in her. The afterglow from the conversation smoothed over Janet’s disappointment that Florette had left her suddenly without introducing her to anyone else.

The invitation came the very next day. And they met on a few more occasions. Gradually Janet began to get irked and tired of Florette’s self-focus, as she realised more and more that Florette was not really the person she thought she was. She recognised the shallowness and superficiality of character and her tendency to get irritated whenever Janet said something that was not very appreciative of or not focused on Florette. Soon Janet drifted away from the relationship and felt good about it.

Janet had fallen victim to the impression creation art that those suffering from the histrionic personality disorder are so good at.

FR JOSE PARAPPULLY SDB

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

In the past thirty years or so, I have given seminars on “Psycho-Sexual Integration and Celibacy” to a few thousand religious all over India. We look at the meaning of human sexuality, its God-given beauty, power and impact, and ways of becoming mature women and men. We then go on to examine the meaning and implications of this somewhat strange choice some of us make, namely, life-long celibacy, which implies saying No to two of life’s deepest and most life-giving experiences—spousal love and parenthood. The meaning of this way of life is less and less clear today, not only to those of other faiths, but even to Catholics, since many married people do the kinds of work and spiritual services that celibates do.

Two big socio-economic changes have affected the number of celibates drastically: smaller families and higher standards of living. When families were larger—with five to ten children—it was no big deal for a family that one or more daughters or sons chose celibate priesthood or religious life. When the number of children is two, parents—even devout Catholics—are not keen that the kids choose religious life or priesthood. This has happened all over the world.

Of the three vows Catholic religious make, the most striking is celibacy. It really makes us clearly different from most human beings. As for poverty, most of us do not really live poor lives of deprivation. Our living standards are comfortable, like those of the middle class, and, at times even the upper middle class. We are financially more secure than most people in India.
As for obedience, every person—whether a bus driver or manager in an IT firm—is under some form of authority. It is celibacy that sets us apart.

Young religious who attend college are generally bombarded with questions from classmates: “You don’t like girls/boys? Won’t you miss sex? Don’t you want to have children? How can you live like this? Come on, this is not possible! You look normal; why don’t you marry? You can do social work as a married person; why stay single?”

Very understandable questions. Normal and sensible.

1. HUMAN SEXUALITY

1. Sexuality—my being a man or a woman—affects us in the way we think, behave, relate, and even pray. We exist as women and men, not as pieces of furniture with no emotions. There is no moment of the day when I am not a man or woman. My being a man or woman is not restricted to any particular activity, but constitutes what I am.

2. Sexuality is at the root of some of the most beautiful and central realities of life. Without it, we would not have a family, or mother and father, brothers and sisters. Much of the world’s art and literature are inspired by man-woman love. The two deepest and most lasting emotions human beings can experience are man-woman love and parental feeling. Both are rooted in sexuality. When I say that God created me, what I mean is: God endowed my mother and father with normal bodies and sexual passion. Hence, we should never refer to sexuality or marriage as something negative, or lower, or less holy.
3. There is no evidence that more prayerful persons have weaker sexual feelings, or that those with stronger sexual feelings are not spiritual. Just as a good and generous person can struggle with hot temper, a deeply spiritual person can have strong sexual feelings. On the other extreme, just because I have no great sexual battles, I need not be a good celibate; I may be mean, cruel or cold, or wallowing in mediocrity.

4. Men and women differ in the way they experience sexuality—and the ages at which sexual feelings are most intense. Most men—seminarians, for instance—experience strong sexual desires in their teens and twenties (and later). Many women—candidates and young religious, for example—can join the convent without experiencing strong sexual feelings, and find that, years later, when they are in their 30s or 40s, and already in their final vows, they experience stronger sexual feelings than they did in their teens or twenties. They need help and guidance, and a safe setting to understand what is happening, and how to grow through it. This longing need not mean that the woman made a wrong choice. But she needs someone to talk this over with, to learn to integrate sexuality in her celibate life, or to make other choices, if that is better.

5. Cultures differ very much in their understanding of what is right and proper in sexuality or man-woman relationships or modesty. If a religious or priest works in a culture different from the one in which he grew up, he/she needs to understand that culture, rather than judge it by the criteria of one’s original culture. What one culture considers normal may be unacceptable in another setting (e.g., dating). What one group abhors may be more accepted elsewhere (e.g., children born out of wedlock).

6. Individuals differ greatly in the intensity of their sexual feelings. Just as two women or two men can differ in intelligence or humour or cheerfulness, they can differ in sex drive. We need to understand and help individuals.
7. More persons—especially women—have been victims of sexual abuse than earlier believed. Sexual abuse (sexual activity of an adult with a minor) takes place mostly in the family, and has very serious emotional consequences. Much of it is covered up by the family. According to the estimate of the Indian Ministry for Women and Children, 53% of children in India are sexually abused. This is a very high percentage. More people need healing than we think. Many survivors of abuse are afraid of speaking about it.

8. Gender equality is a question of justice, and a measure that will benefit all of us. Both in society and in the church, women are still not treated as respected equals. A recent survey in India showed, for instance, that a significant number of both men and women approve of marital violence by the husband in certain situations! Our formation houses should include good courses on women’s issues and feminist contributions.

9. We all need to relate to both men and women. Without such normal contacts, we are emotionally mutilated and increase, rather than diminish, problems in celibate living. More and more settings—of both studies and ministry—are mixed, and this is a healthy change. In this new setting, we need to train celibate men and women how to develop healthy relationships that make them open to more and more people. In training programmes for religious, for instance, I prefer a mixed group any day over an all-male or all-female group.
10. SPOUSAL LOVE AND PARENTHOOD are among life’s best things, and a holy vocation. You need very good reasons for saying No to them, and staying single. Just to teach or be a nurse or do social work or write accounts or be a principal—none of these jobs is a good enough reason for choosing celibacy. Plus: just staying single to do some work is not the meaning of celibacy. What is it, then?

Fr Joe Mannath SDB

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

By its very nature, any charitable trust is a legal body created to serve the public. A public trust does not belong to any particular individual or the group of office bearers (trustees). Being a public trust, all assets and funds are meant for the benefit of the beneficiaries of the trust. Trustees are mere custodians or administrators of the assets and funds, and not the owners. Hence, they are expected to demonstrate the highest form of accountability and commitment to perform their duties with personal integrity. This implies an inherent obligation to conduct all affairs of the trust transparently and above reproach. This is the only way to gain public trust and confidence.  Therefore, trustees are to exercise their office with utmost sincerity and care, xo that their only concern is the interest and well-being of the trust and not their personal benefit.  The interest and well-being of the trust must be the top priority and all purchases and sales of goods and services must be for the benefit of the trust and its beneficiaries, and not for one’s own benefit.

What is Conflict of Interest?

In the context of the trust, “conflict of interest(s)” is a situation in which a trustee, who has the responsibility for promoting the interest and wellbeing of the trust, is faced with another competing interest (self-interest) benefitting oneself at the same time.  The former is called a fiduciary interest and the latter a competing interest. A situation when a trustee is faced with the fiduciary interest as well as the competing interest leads to conflict of interest. A conflict of interest arises when we are required, in our official capacity, to decide on something in which we have a private interest. It could be a situation in which we are in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in our official capacity as a trustee or head of an organization. For example, we are on the decision-making board and one of our family members or friends is an applicant for a job there, or one of them is bidding for a big contract.  It can also be a situation where we want to buy a property from or sell the trust property to our relative.  It can also be a situation when we want to buy supplies from our relative’s shop or company. Thus, we can see that conflict comes when decisions must be taken on issues in which the decision-giver and the decision-seeker are overtly or covertly related or associated. A conflict of interest is not, in and of itself, either unethical or illegal, for we find ourselves in a conflict of interest, not for any action of our own. What matters here is how we handle the situation. Hence, being faced with a conflict situation in itself means nothing. There’s nothing wrong with being in a conflict of interest. What is important and crucial is how we deal with it. It all depends on what choice or decision we make. It’s best to avoid conflicts when we can, disclose them when they occur, and keep ourselves off from the relevant decision if possible.

Fr Alex G. SJ

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

 “I was on the verge of leaving the congregation,” said Brother Ajeesh, recalling the weeks after the death of this father. “My father died three years ago, leaving behind my mother, my elder sister and me.  My mother is a housewife and my sister was yet to be settled.  According to the traditions of our place, it was now my duty to look after the family.  In fact, many suggested that I leave.  But one of the priests in the community where I had done my regency would call me almost daily and encourage me.  The provincial too would call me often and support me.  If not for their support and encouragement, I would have left.  Now, three years later, my sister is well settled, and my brother-in-law is such a good person that he takes care of my mother as if she were his own mother.  Things could not be better.”  What helped Ajeesh to outlive that difficult time and persevere was encouragement.

What is Encouragement?

            The word “encourage” is made up of en + courage, that is to “make” or “put in” “courage, heart.”  So, to encourage literally means to “cause or create courage, to hearten.”  To encourage is “to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence” or “to stimulate by assistance, approval, etc.”   When we reflect, we realize that what prevents us from attempting or doing something is either fear or lack of confidence.  There may be in us fear of failure, of ridicule, of rejection, of punishment, of the unknown, or of the future.  And often we lack confidence in ourselves, in our abilities, in our strengths, in others, in the system.  Thus, the fear of failure prevents us from doing something new. The fear of ridicule prevents us from sharing a new idea. The fear of rejection prevents us from trying new friendships. Lack of confidence in ourselves prevents us from taking new initiatives; lack of confidence in others prevents us from attempting common ventures.  We realize that it is often lack of confidence in ourselves and in our abilities that prevent us even from making the effort to correct or improve ourselves.

To encourage is to do whatever is needed to enable persons to overcome fear and lack of confidence. Encouragement takes two forms: supporting someone who is struggling, and affirming someone who has accomplished something.

            With encouragement, people are able to do things which they ordinarily might not do.  With encouragement, children are able to study better, community members are able to correct themselves, team members are able to give their best.  With encouragement, people reach their full potential and blossom.  Without encouragement, they remain underdeveloped and stunted.

This places a huge responsibility on each of us: “Could it be that those around me have not reached their full potential because I have not encouraged them sufficiently?”

 Fr Jose Kuttianimattathil SDB

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

Ronald is a midlevel manager at a private firm. Though very competent at his job, his colleagues and subordinates find him very reserved. He communicates very little with them and shares little information about himself. He often accuses them of trying to scuttle his promotion possibilities. He feels they are jealous of him. When anyone at office points out any failure on his part, he holds them responsible for those same failures and makes counteraccusations. He maintains a kind of closed, defensive and mistrustful position with them, as well as with those above him in the chain of command. This happens all the more if he perceives that they are a threat to his independence. Moreover, his tactlessness and attitudes of superiority, arrogance, and grandiosity antagonize people around him.

He is suspicious of his neighbours. He frequently keeps a watch on them secretly and maintains a distance from them. He suspects his wife of infidelity and accuses her of not loving him but other men. He does not like her socializing with anyone. When he returns home from any trip outside, he sniffs the air to pick up any trace of men’s perfumes and scrutinizes the room for telltale signs of the presence of men in the house….

Ronald’s brief profile shows him as suffering from paranoid personality disorder.

DYNAMICS AND CHARACTERISTICS

1. Suspicion

Inordinate suspicion is the distinctive feature of the paranoid personality disorder. Those who suffer from it are unwarrantedly skeptical and mistrusting of the motives of others. They look for hidden meanings and motives in others’ behaviour. They tend to interpret even innocuous incidents as signifying hidden or conspiratorial intent. This they do especially with those who do not appreciate them or criticise them

FR JOSE PARAPPULLY SDB

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

I received a call from my godmother on 20 January 2022, my birthday. After greeting me, she narrated a pathetic life story of a twenty-two-year-old-lady who lost her husband during the pandemic. Sharon (name changed) hailing from Thoothukudi, Tamilnadu, lost her mother at a young age. They were three children at home. Her alcoholic father had given her in marriage at the age of sixteen. Sharon was blessed with three children. She had to borrow a big sum of money to treat her husband when he was ill. Her husband succumbed to the Corona virus after few days. Sharon was burdened with Rs 1.25 lakhs in debt when her husband died.

When Sharon was sitting and crying with a heavy heart in St Quiteria’s Church, my godmother noticed her. Going closer to her, she enquired about the reason for her tears. After listening to her, she called me and narrated Sharon’s life story. I received Sharon as my greatest birthday gift and sent a message to our prayer group, asking for help. A lady by name Laura from Mumbai, whom I had never met  or ever spoken to, messaged me saying she would like to help. I sent her Sharon’s account details and, to my surprise, Laura sent Rs 45,000/- to help Sharon. Many other friends too came forward and we cleared her debts in a week’s time. We bought a tailoring machine for her. Today, Sharon lives happily after having cleared her debts. There are so many Sharons who need to be reached and be helped. If such families are not helped, financial burdens make some of them to end their lives.

Sad Statistics

Around 1.89 billion people, or nearly 36% of the world’s population, live in extreme poverty. Nearly half the population in developing countries live on less than $1.25 (about Rs 100) a day. India is a developing nation. Although its economy is growing, poverty is still a major challenge. It has around 84 million people living in extreme poverty, which makes up six percent of its total population as of May 2021. COVID 19 pandemic has pushed millions of people into poverty. The poorest in the world are hungry, have much less access to education, have no light at night regularly, and suffer much from poor health.

Sr Lini Sheeja MSC

To read the entire article, click Subscribe