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Sahana vavatu sahana bhunaktu saha viryam karvavahe …: “Let us live together, let us eat together, let us do deeds of valour together.” These lines from the Katha Upanishad, uttered in the context of students gathered together to learn, remind us that the physical realities and necessities of life and the intangibles are inextricably linked. They are particularly apposite for educators in the present scenario, both world-wide and in our country. Education has become the last bastion of quality, integrity, justice, compassion, values. Even when these are crumbling everywhere else, it is expected that educational institutions should enshrine these virtues, should live by these principles.

It is a heavy responsibility that we shoulder, especially when we think of those for whom education is a longed-for but distant dream. The grant-in-aid system certainly makes it possible to make education more broad-based, but it carries its own challenges – overflowing classrooms, overworked teachers, admission policies dictated by the state, government and university influence brought to bear on admissions as well as evaluation processes, and many more. How does one continue to impart quality education, continue to ensure that education is more than rote-learning, is indeed empowerment? The new National Education Policy has outlined a road map towards excellence, but there are a number of aspects of it that are a cause for concern. These will need serious attention if our educational institutions are to survive and continue to provide the kind of dedicated service that has been our hallmark. Nor is this all: for all those who are involved in tertiary education as a service, this is increasingly a challenge, since we are faced with a rapidly morphing world. We need to take a number of elements into account in considering this.

Sr Ananda Amritmahal RSCJ

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Are we really educators who make a difference? Here are six tips for making that difference.

If to be Christian means to have ‘Christ in,’ then Christian education is a ‘Christ-in’ education—one in which Christ is seen more than heard, practised more than preached. This means that the educator must have ‘Christ in’ before he/she can give ‘Christ out.’ To have Christ in means to see Christ everywhere. How can we make this happen?
Perhaps, the first step is to visualise Christ in others—students, staff and parents. “I see Jesus in every human being,” said St. Teresa of Kolkata, “I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must wash him and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus.” This is to be a mystic daily. It leads us to desire deeply their good and to bless them from the heart. Tshering Palden Thinley, a Bhutanese Buddhist alumnus of our college, remembers the respect, cordiality and acceptance she experienced which soothened the initial apprehension she had about joining a Catholic college outside her country.
The second is to bring into the campus the ‘joy of the Gospel’ through one’s joyful life manifested in a smile. I can still see the smiling eyes of Sr Cyriac CMC of happy memory, who taught us science in middle school. The contents may be forgotten, but not her smiling countenance. A smile does the magic of putting others at ease. “We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do,” said St Theresa of Kolkata.

Fr Tomy Augustine SDB

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“Heaven lies about us in our infancy,” sang the poet Wordsworth. It need not be for all infants. Each and every baptised child has a right to Christian education. From the security of a home, when the child is transported into a nursery school, the parents expect the child to grow up into a healthy personality. The school starts playing an important role in the life of this growing child. In olden days, in the case of Catholics, admission in a Catholic school run by educated priests and nuns was considered to be a great blessing. When it was time for a Catholic girl to get married, the advertisement in the matrimonial column ‘convent-educated girl’ was highly appreciated by the bridegroom’s party. Girls and boys educated in Catholic schools and colleges had special qualities. They were spiritual, and they appreciated the values inculcated in them in Catholic Institutions.
Today, in following the established process of admission, institutions face rigid constraints and all Catholic students do not get access to Catholic education.

Inspiring Pioneers
As a child, I had the good fortune to study in one of the leading Catholic educational institutions of Kerala, St Teresa’s Convent School, Kochi, run by the Carmelite Sisters. The majority of nuns at that time were Europeans. They were all well versed in the art of teaching, singing, dancing and all other extra curricular activities. Great importance was given to the Catechism classes everyday. The holy nuns inculcated in the students the values of Jesus Christ. Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and attendance at Holy Mass on special feast days was looked forward to with great longing. Everyday a short passage from The Word of God was read and explained by the sister in the Catechism class. The holiness, kindness and love of the sisters was so transparent that we sat awestruck at their demeanour and the words of wisdom. This much is ‘emotion recollected in tranquility’ about those good old days – that is, about seventy years back!!

Professor Kunjannam Andrews

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Part II of the discussion on mental illness presented in the previous issue.

Two Cases
Edward came to therapy because he could not get along with his wife. He believed his wife does not want him to be happy. “She does everything possible to make sure I am not happy,” he said. “I am most unfortunate to have married her. She is ruining my life.” As an example, he narrated how his wife would deliberately rattle the dishes in the kitchen so that he could not sleep. He believed that she is actually the devil in disguise. As he unfolded his story in subsequent sessions, it became quite evident that he had misgivings not only about his wife, but about almost everyone around him as well. He believed, for instance, that all South Indians were against him because he was a North Indian and were trying to get him into trouble. The woman he worked with at the office was deliberately plotting to get him dismissed from the job. Auto-rickshaw drivers were honking as he passed them on the road to deliberately annoy him. His cousin was turning his aunt against him. His mother-in-law was sending him bad vibes, so that he would get sick and die….
Maryann was brought to therapy by her husband. He had been noticing strange behaviours in her for a year. She believed that building contractors in the town were out to poison the water supply. She had to protect people against them. God had chosen her specially to do this. She alone had the power to thwart their attempts. She does this with her own specially concocted water that she carries around wherever she goes. She intrudes into the houses of her neighbours and blesses them, assuring them that they will be protected from an impending disaster. She would also see very big ants and scorpions and other dangerous creatures swarming the houses—her own and the neighbours’. When she visited homes, she would point to these non-existing creatures and warn the family to be wary of them. Her actions have alienated the neighbours and affected her family relationships. These beliefs and behaviours began a year earlier, when her husband, who was in the construction business, faced some serious setbacks. Some developers had cheated him, and he suffered a huge loss. The family was thrown into acute financial distress….
Both Edward and Maryann were suffering from Schizophrenia—Edward with paranoid delusions, and Maryann with paranoid and grandiose delusions, as well as hallucinations.

FR JOSE PARAPPULLY SDB

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ANIMATION
“He is the life and soul of the community.” This is the observation I heard, just last week, about a priest in one of our formation communities. This is the meaning of animation – being the ‘life and soul of the community.’
In fact, the word ‘animation’ comes from the Latin word, ‘anima,’ which means soul, life. The superior has to be for the community what the soul is for any living being. What does the soul do for a living organism? The soul does mainly three things: i) it gives identity; ii) it gives unity; iii) it gives dynamism (life). As long as the soul is present, an organism manifests these three characteristics. Once the soul leaves, it loses these characteristics. Take the example of a human being. Till a particular moment we say he/she is alive, that is, he/she is a human being and has a name (identity); every part of the person is glued together and works together for the good of the whole (unity); and the person has vivacity, energy (dynamism). After a particular moment, we say he/she is dead. He/she becomes a corpse (loses identity); each part disintegrates (loses unity) and becomes inert (loses life). Like a soul, the superior has to give identity, unity and life to the community and its members.
The superior guarantees the identity of the community in two ways: i) The superior is the steward of the charism of the congregation and of the vision/ mission of the community. The superior ensures that only those things that promote the charism and mission are pursued by the members. ii) It is said that, over a period of time, every organization takes on the characteristics of the one who leads it. The superior cultivates in himself/herself those characteristics that are in keeping with the charism and mission, so as to be able to bequeath that to the community.

Fr Jose Kuttianimattathil SDB

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In continuation of the Finance column in the February issue, this article explains “objective clause” more thoroughly.
The “object clause” forms the heart of the Memorandum of Association (MA) or Trust Deed (TD). The main reason for the entity coming into existence is to carry out the purposes/objects laid down in the object clause. The objects should be drafted in a very simple, clear and unambiguous language. The objects should clearly portray the intentions of the subscribers to the MA and the settlor of the Trust. Much attention and thought should be invested in drafting the objects.

OBJECT CLAUSE UNDER THE INCOME TAX ACT
Under the IT Act 1961, it is necessary for the entity to be registered under sections 10(23) and/or 12A to be designated as a notified or approved entity. This registration entitles the society or trust to file its return as a charitable / religious / public utility entity and avail the benefits thereunder. The registration under the above sections is granted based solely on the objects of the entity. The income tax officials will thoroughly examine the objects and then classify the entity as charitable / religious / public utility. Once this registration is granted, then the entity acquires the identity and tag noted in the certificate. As 12A is a basic registration, the classification it receives matters.
Once the 12A registration is completed, the entity is obliged to utilise its funds only for carrying out the objects noted in the MA and TD. An entity cannot utilise its funds for objects not mentioned in its object clause. An entity cannot subsequently enlarge the scope of objects, on its own accord, without first amending the object clause.

Fr Trevor D’Souza OFM

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John was brought for psychotherapy by his wife. She said John was no longer the man he had been. He was refusing to go to office. He preferred to stay in bed the whole day. He had been very active and used to exercise daily. Now he has stopped all that. He takes bath only occasionally, and does not shave. Sometimes he talks of killing himself. She said she is scared he might do something drastic. That’s why she forced him to come for therapy. While the wife narrated all this, John sat slumped on the couch.  When the therapist asked him if he had anything to say, he just sat there silent…. In later sessions the therapist learned that John, who had been a very successful businessman, had made a disastrous investment decision, was on the verge of losing his business, and threatened with lawsuits.

Sr Dolores, 55 years old, was no longer her usual self. An excellent and well-appreciated teacher, she began to lose interest in teaching. Homework books began to pile up. Never one to miss community gatherings, she was now late even for prayers. She wasn’t eating much, and complained that she would often get up in the middle of the night and be crying for no reason. She complained of chest and stomach pains. Several visits to doctors and a number of tests found no organic (physical) reason for her pain.  On the physician’s recommendation, her provincial superior referred Sr Dolores for psychotherapy. The psychotherapist learned from the provincial superior that, about a year ago, a close friend of Sr Dolores, another sister in her congregation, had died in a jeep accident. During the course of therapy, Sr Dolores disclosed that her father had died in an accident when she was a junior sister. She had not been able to go home at that time and was not present for the funeral.

FR JOSE PARAPPULLY SDB

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Ambivalent like life itself, our family is the cradle of our happiness—and our unhappiness. Although its impact on our personal development is not irreversible, given the helplessness and vulnerability of the newly born baby, as well as of the child and the adolescent, our early experiences get recorded in our memory and stay on for decades, either as “Guardian Angels” or as “Demons” that can help or destroy us, without our being aware how long they have been there, or even why. They stay on, however, making us believe that we are responsible for our past and our future, while, as a matter of fact, this freedom we dream of is largely a fantasy.

Home as Heaven

When our home is a heaven, as J. W. Chapman would put it, then our adult life is a backpack full of resources. If our experiences were of affection, of unconditional love, of adequate parental models, and of norms and guidelines that taught us to relate with mutual respect, our personal development proceeds on a smooth road towards worthwhile goals, and that, too, without too much waste of fuel. We may even think, with a bit of arrogance, that it is all our merit, but this is a minor fault, because, given the love we received at home, our links with the past will be full of gratitude, and our links to the future will be about caring for the next generation. This way, we also contribute to life by spreading goodness around us.

Professor Adelina Gimeno

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Priya: What a Childhood!

Priya’s was born at a construction site. Her parents were illiterate manual labourers. Her mother had to return to work a few weeks after Priya was born. She carried Priya to her work place, nursed and attended to her needs during her breaks.  Being saddled with household duties and heavy work at the construction site, the mother had very little time to bond with Priya during her infancy and toddler years. In addition, Priya’s father was an alcoholic, who spent all his earnings on drinks. Though not abusive, he did not provide for the needs of the family; and hardly ever interacted with Priya. Priya grew malnourished. On a few occasions, when she was left unattended at home, she was sexually abused by a stranger. This happened when she was just six years old.

In her childhood, Priya’s family was constantly relocated to different construction sites. Thus, Priya did not have a stable home; nor could she be admitted to a regular school. She was occasionally tutored by NGO workers, but did not have a steady early education. Thus, when she was later admitted to a municipal-run school, she was unable to follow her teacher, or to read or to write. Her classmates looked down on her, since she was always restless, dreamy, unable to cope with her studies, and kept a distance. Disheartened, Priya dropped out of school in standard IV. Her mother then entrusted her with household work and care of her younger siblings.

Priya lived in make-shift sheds amidst unhygienic surroundings at construction sites; and sometimes did not even have a single wholesome meal a day. Her mother was unaware of vaccines. Thus, Priya was often ill, suffered from skin rashes and digestive ailments

Fr Ajoy Fernandes SDB

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Every legal entity (Society or Trust) is established by its promoters to carry out certain set aims, goals or objectives. The promoters have in mind a certain purpose to be achieved and this purpose is called as the objective/s of the entity.  The purpose or objective is the reason for bringing the entity into existence. The object clause is very important and constitutes the heart of the constitution (memorandum of association or trust deed) of the entity.

Charitable & Religious Purposes

The Societies Registration Act 1860 was promulgated with an intention to enable members of the public to carry on literary, scientific and charitable activities by registering themselves into a Society.  These activities included the promotion of literature, science, fine arts, diffusion of useful knowledge (including political education), charitable and religious purposes. The “charitable purposes” were: relief of poverty, education and other purposes beneficial to the community. “Religious purpose” covered the advancement of religion (Hindu Public v. Rajdhani Puja Samithee AIR 1999 Supreme Court 964). Accordingly, a society can be registered for carrying on any or all of the following objectives: military orphan fund; promotion of science, literature, fine arts; diffusion of useful knowledge; foundation and/or maintenance of public libraries or reading-rooms, public museums and galleries of paintings and art; collection of natural history, mechanical and philosophical inventions, instruments, or designs.  These objects or purposes mentioned above are only illustrative and not exhaustive.

“Charitable”: Meaning and Seven Areas

The word, “charitable” has been widely defined, and is understood in many ways. The Gospel or Christian understanding of charity is very broad and captured in the all-embracing statements, such as, “love for neighbour” and “whatever you do to the least of my brothers / sisters you do it unto me.” The Supreme Court (in the case Lokashikshna Trusts Vs CIT) stated “Charity denotes altruistic thoughts and actions with the object of benefitting others, without benefitting oneself.” Further, various laws and courts in India have, from time to time, clarified the understanding of charity through the legal framework and decisions. Hence the legal understanding of the concept of charity is different from a personal or religious understanding. The legal definitions and decisions and not my personal or religious understanding will be the final word on charity, and this will be applicable to a Society or Trust.

Fr Trevor D’Souza OFM  

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