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India’s Independence Day on August 15th reflects a journey of ordinary acts of courage, perseverance, and unity leading to extraordinary change. Throughout India’s struggle for freedom, countless unnamed heroes—from farmers and teachers to students and workers—made significant contributions, illustrating the power of unity and perseverance in achieving monumental outcomes. In 2024, India’s elections underscored the importance of democratic values in recovering and strengthening freedom. Grassroots stories from this election highlight the “aroma” of democracy in action, with ordinary citizens advocating for their communities and driving meaningful change. These narratives not only celebrate India’s enduring spirit but also impart valuable lessons on unity, courage, and collective action in shaping a better future.

1. The Legacy of Courageous Acts: From the Sepoy Mutiny to the Quit India Movement

The celebration of Indian Independence is inseparable from the procession of memories, resonating with inspiring stories of men and women who pushed the frontiers of human endurance to the edge of possibility. India’s journey to independence was a remarkable transformation, akin to a caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a butterfly. Spanning over two centuries, the freedom struggle was a saga of relentless determination, marked by rare and irrepressible resilience. The stories of forgotten freedom fighters who contributed to India’s independence create a moving narrative, bridging the gap between well-known and unknown heroes. This sea of stories swells with rising waves and high tides each August, leaving every Indian with a patriotic euphoria.

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Mother Eliswa Vakayil, the foundress of the Congregation of the Teresian Carmelites (CTC), was honoured as Venerable by Pope Francis in November 2023. Born in 1846 in Kerala, Eliswa’s life was marked by deep spirituality and compassion for the poor. After her husband passed away two years after their daughter Anna was born, Eliswa dedicated her life to prayer and service. With support from Rev. Fr. Leopold Beccaro OCD and Archbishop Bernardine Baccinelli OCD, she, her daughter Anna, and her sister Thresia joined the Carmelite Order, establishing Kerala’s first order for consecrated women. Her recognition as Venerable highlights her faith, resilience, and pioneering role in advancing women’s causes.

Venerable Mother Eliswa: My Inspiration

As the foundress of my own congregation, I have always felt a deep connection to Venerable Mother Eliswa. Her very life, deep communion with Jesus, love for the poor, and ability to forgive without counting the cost have inspired me greatly. In today’s world, where the true spirit of religious life can sometimes get lost, her life reminds me of what is truly important. Mother Eliswa’s dedication and love for God and others continue to touch my heart and strengthen my own faith. Mother Eliswa faced many painful experiences as the foundress of the Congregation. On the evening of Tuesday, September 16, 1890, a significant leadership change occurred due to the division of Rites in the Archdiocese of Verapoly.  All the sisters who were in leadership, including Mother Eliswa, the foundress, were unexpectedly removed from their positions and replaced by others.  Despite the deeply humiliating circumstances, Mother Eliswa chose to transcend human sentiments and responded with spiritual maturity. With quiet dignity and unwavering faith, she and her companions shifted to a small house on the convent campus the next morning, placing their future entirely in God’s hands.

SR ASHITA CTC

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St. Ignatius of Loyola was the youngest son in a noble family of thirteen children in Navarre, Spain (1491-1556). He began his “worldly” career as a courtier, gentleman, and soldier. In 1521, he suffered a severe leg wound while defending a fortress against French forces at Pamplona, Spain. During his recuperation, the thirty-year-old soldier experienced a profound religious conversion through extraordinary experiences of the Trinity, Christ, and Our Lady, manifested in visions and other mystical phenomena. God purified, illuminated, and transformed Ignatius from a knight in the service of a temporal lord to a knight under Christ’s banner in the service of the Trinity.

Conversion and Spiritual Exercises

During his recovery, Ignatius asked for some books to read. The only books that could be found were the life of Christ and the lives of the saints. Reading and reflecting on these lives deeply disturbed him at first, but gradually, he was transformed into a new person. He began to think deeply about his own life. Later, he spent several days in prayer at a Benedictine monastery, where he hung his sword before a portrait of Mary. From there, he journeyed to Manresa, near the shrine of Montserrat, where he led a rugged life for about a year. During this time, he began taking notes on his experiences, which formed the earliest stages of what would eventually become the famous handbook known as the “Spiritual Exercises.”

Fr Richard Mascarenhas, SJ

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Having cleared all the payments for my new apartment, I entered my room for the first time, and what made me leap with joy was a huge mirror on the wall. It immediately caught my attention. As life gained momentum with a busier schedule due to my taxing responsibilities, the mirror went unnoticed. However, one fine morning, I suddenly realized that the mirror on the wall had collected a lot of dirt. While cleaning my room, I thought of cleaning the mirror too. As I wiped down this life-sized mirror, my tangled mind started to unravel, leading to an unbiased analysis of my own life. I share these reflections with candidness, hoping you too may connect them to your own life.

“Behold the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.” (Isaiah: 42: 9)

The world is rapidly changing everything in and around us. From the time of our birth until now, the world has been in constant flux. We have witnessed a paradigm shift in technology: from small transistors that attracted crowds to paan shops during India vs. Pakistan cricket matches, to black and white TV sets in our locality, and now to colourful TV sets. We’ve moved from landlines to mobile phones, and from typewriters to computers and laptops in every house. Today, the information of the entire world is at our fingertips—we just need to google it, and we have it. The advancements in technology have made it possible for us to communicate with everyone, regardless of distance.

SR POONAM CJ

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The world is broken, countries are fractured, families are torn apart, and individuals are left shattered. We witness violence permeating our society, and the dehumanization of individuals is all too common. Why does violence persist in our society? Why are human beings not treated with the dignity they deserve?

Throughout history, we read about ordinary people performing revolutionary and courageous acts. These individuals stood by their values, fought for the rights of the innocent, and never expected anything in return. Today, how many of us can genuinely be ourselves, take responsibility, and honour our commitments to uphold the truth, even if it means challenging the status quo?

When we stand for a cause, nothing should deter us. In whatever small way we can bring justice to an individual or society, we must find the courage to act. Courage is what empowers us to stand up and speak out. Let us not remain passive members of an audience, content with simply clapping from the sidelines. Instead, let us take our place on the podium, boldly proclaiming truth and justice. Regardless of the obstacles, truth will always prevail.

Sr Lini Sheeja MSC

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“A good priest, sister or nun must above all else be a man or woman who is formed and shaped by the Lord’s grace, … they must be people who are aware of their own limitations and willing to lead a life of prayer, and dedicated witness to the Gospel.”

– Pope Francis

This article highlights the relevance and necessity of ‘reconciliation-centered’ formation process for Catholic priests and nuns.

As we know, 3D or three dimensional, refers to the three spatial dimensions of width, height and depth. The title of the article, ‘3D formation’, refers to a new perspective of the ‘reconcilation-centered formation’ process from three dimensions. In other words, a ‘reconciliation-centered formation’ requires the width of relationship, the height of love and the depth of compassion.   

The integral aim of the formative process is to help one to configure oneself to Christ. This configuration-process happens when one tries to answer the question, ‘why reconcile with someone’?  In fact, one reconciles to relate better. What is the outcome of a deeper relationship? Efforts to relate well increases the capacity to love. Once the capacity to love increases, a person becomes a more compassionate person, because one cannot be compassionate without love, and one cannot be lovable without compassion. In short, ‘reconciliation-centered formation’ needs to highlight awareness of relationship, love and compassion. To create this awareness in the formation process through various ways is the first step of a ‘reconciliation-centered formation’ process.

Fr Binny Marydas

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India has been enduring intense heat waves over the past few months. In 37 cities, temperatures soared above 45ºC, and nighttime temperatures remained as high as 36ºC in many areas. These extreme events, which are increasing in frequency, lasting longer, and becoming hotter, are becoming the new normal in this age.

Heatwaves: Testing Our Human Endurance

An analysis by World Weather Attribution (WWA) reveals that climate change has made the current extreme temperatures in India 45 times more likely than they would be without climate change. India now has a 10% chance of experiencing an extreme heatwave in any given year. Additionally, a World Bank report predicts that by 2030, heat stress could lead to a global loss of 80 million jobs due to decreased productivity, with India potentially accounting for 34 million of these job losses.

It is not just heatwaves; we are constantly challenged by unexpected, frequent, and intense droughts, floods, forest fires, and other calamities. Humanity is facing an unprecedented environmental crisis. Over the past few decades, we have used and abused coal, oil, forests, rivers, and seas, and now we are bearing the consequences. The climate has changed. The wound is deep, and the damage appears irreversible. Can we live in a shattered house? Impossible. The wounds need healing, and the damages require restoration.

Fr Ricopar Royan SDB

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This is the fourth article in a series on prayer written by Sr. Celine as part of the preparation for the Jubilee Year 2025. The first article focused on prayer as a spiritual oasis, the second on prayer as power, and the third on prayer as being in the presence of the Lord. This fourth article centres on prayer as listening.

We live in a world of incessant noise. Almost everywhere we go and whatever we do, we are constantly bombarded with distractions—images and sounds from TV and social media, conversations with friends and neighbours, and the activities of family and surroundings. Listening has become a lost art in our modern culture. Rarely do we get quiet time together with our families without some kind of distraction. Seeking a quiet place to spend time with God or with ourselves is not always easy. Too often, we find ourselves challenged and confused about what we should do in a given situation or what is truly the most important thing in our lives.

LEARNING TO LISTEN IS AN ART

Learning to listen is a process that involves great desire, quality time, much effort, patience, and persistence. It is demanding inner work – a desire to listen just for the sake of listening, beyond words and any personal agenda. Not many people know how to do it. Staying silent until the other person stops talking is not the same as listening, and thinking about what to say next while the other person speaks is not the same as listening either. To listen to others, we need to close our eyes, shut our lips, open our ears, and connect our hearts.

Sr. Celine D’Cunha FMA

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It is often said, “If you really want to know yourself and make progress in life, ask your enemies.” Enemies play a crucial role in our lives, offering insights into our weaknesses and keeping us alert. We have to be thankful to them for this unpaid job. They spend a lot of time and energy tracking us and informing us about our ‘areas for improvement.’ While their methods may seem harsh, we must acknowledge the value of their observations. Embracing criticism and evaluation is essential for personal growth and achievement.

As parents, teachers, animators, mentors, or formators, giving feedback is a challenging yet indispensable task that needs to be done responsibly. However, it is crucial to remember that the recipient of feedback is at the center of the process. Thus, it is our responsibility to deliver feedback with compassion and accountability, an act often referred to in religious contexts as ‘sharing truth in charity.’ Here are some guidelines to help you provide feedback effectively:

Richard Mascarenhas, SJ

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1. AI: AN EVOLVING GENIUS?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the field of computer science that focuses on creating smart machines that can learn, think, and solve problems like humans do. It’s not about creating emotional robots just yet, but about helping machines perform tasks requiring human intelligence. One key method in AI is machine learning, where systems are trained with large amounts of data to find patterns and make predictions. For instance, an AI system examining millions of images can learn to recognize objects and faces effectively.

AI has a broad range of uses and is constantly expanding. We encounter it daily, from personalized streaming recommendations to email spam filters. In healthcare, AI aids in analysing medical scans and drug discovery. Self-driving cars use AI for safer and more efficient travel. As AI evolves, it has the potential to reshape our world in ways we are only beginning to imagine, from personal assistants managing tasks to major scientific discoveries driven by data analysis. This is just the start of the AI adventure, and it’s an intriguing journey to watch. This article aims to understand what AI is and explain how AI can support peace in our world and its ethical concerns. By considering these points, we can better understand Pope Francis’s call – his message for the 57th World Day of Peace – for the creation and use of responsible AI that upholds human dignity and promotes global peace.

Talking about AI is Crucial

AI plays a crucial role in our world, making it important to understand and discuss it. (i) Rapid evolution: AI is progressing quickly. Conversations help us stay current on its abilities and limits, maximizing its potential. (ii) Shaping the Present: AI influences everyday life, from social media feeds to email spam filters. It affects fields like healthcare, transport, entertainment, and education. Open discussions help us understand its impact and make informed choices. (iii) Preparing for the Future: AI’s rapid advance could lead to major changes like self-driving cars and AI-assisted surgeries. Talking about AI today helps us prepare for these developments and plan effectively.

Fr Arnald Mahesh SDB

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