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Properties are bought for a particular purpose of the Registered Society.  Broadly speaking, they may be for educational, social, religious or agricultural purposes, depending on the objectives of the society.   Whatever category they belong to, properties, as well as the income from them, are basically used for the society’s objectives.  Depending on the available resources, some societies may have just enough land for their own use, some a little extra and some others more than what they need.  Here we are concerned about those societies who have just enough land for their own use and those who have excess land and have left the excess unused.  Whatever the case may be, there is a possibility in many cases to use the land for some additional purpose for the benefit of the society at large or to earn some extra income for the Society. This article explores such possibilities.

In the urban areas, many have given up agriculture for various reasons, such as, non-availability of labour, financial unviability, lack of knowledge of farming, etc.  Even in rural areas, many farmers have given up farming due to one of the above reasons or simply due to lack of water for irrigation.

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Fr Alex Gnanapragasam SJ

An experienced senior collector at Delhi customs had been observing a Naval officer for years. He found it hard to believe that someone could be so upright. No bribes. No smuggling. No putting down others. No seeking favours. When praised, this officer would often respond that the credit should go to someone else. He helped others silently, with no fanfare. His former students revered him. He was evidently brilliant, and, with a sparkling sense of humour, fun to be with.

After years of silent admiration, the customs official told the Navy commander, who was a Catholic: “I have been observing you for years. Whenever I praised you for something, you tended to give the credit to someone else. What if I tell you that you are the finest human being I have ever come across?”

Many others who knew this man felt the same way. I knew him very well. He has been a great inspiration in my life.

Isn’t this the best that a person can aspire to—to become as fine a human being as we can be?

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Fr Joe Mannath

JOY IS ALWAYS ATTRACTIVE
Bishop Agnelo Gracias

‘Holiness’ is an abstract term.  I prefer to answer in the form of three qualities I would expect to find a holy person: (a) Pliability to God: a growing self-surrender to God, a person possessed by God; (b) Compassion: Holiness must lead us to reach out to others, especially those in need or suffering; (c) Joy: The Christian life is ‘joy in the Holy Spirit’ (Roman 14:17).  This joy keeps on growing until the end when Jesus says to each of us: “Enter into the joy of the Master” (Mathew 25:21).

As for persons living this: Yes, more than one person! To mention two or three:

+ My former rector, Fr. Daniel Ferrando, who exemplified love.

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What follows are personal replies to five questions we put to special invitees:

1. What do you understand by holiness today?
2. Have you known anyone who lives this today?
3. Who is your favourite saint? Why?
4. Do you agree with Pope Francis that “holiness is not the privilege of a few, but the duty of everyone”? Are we (especially religious and priests) living this out?
5. How to make holiness appealing to the young?

I asked twelve persons, most of whom I know personally. I trust their genuineness.

Their replies have been honest, down-to-earth and rewarding to read.

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Fr Joe Mannath SDB

In his Apostolic Exhortation “Rejoice and be Glad,” Pope Francis suggests practical ways of achieving holiness in our daily life. “Holiness does not mean doing extraordinary things, but doing ordinary things with love and faith,” he says.

Saints: Our examples:

The saints who once were besieged human beings, are examples for us to keep moving despite our sinful nature. They guide us in our daily imitation of Christ. They teach us to persevere in the race towards reaching the goal set before us—holiness.  This is not a tag attached to a bishop, a priest or a religious. It is a call to everyone.

We find these examples in our own parents, community members, friends other loved ones or even persons whom we never bothered to pay attention to in our communities, society and in our streets, who live very ordinary way of life with love and great sacrifice. Pope Francis calls them “the saints next door.” In the same way we are called to be holy by living and fulfilling our ordinary lives with love and joy; for “There is no sadness in holiness.”

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Summary by Sr Theresa Phawa FMA

CRYSTAL

A couple of months ago, my spiritual director asked me if I wanted to be a saint. Of course, my spontaneous answer was an enthusiastic “Yes!” He then went on to ask me if I really wanted to be a saint, enough so that I would still say ‘Yes” if he said sainthood would necessitate giving up something I really enjoy, such as drinking wine. How quickly my enthusiasm for sainthood faltered once I realized that sacrifice of a favorite beverage might be necessary.

Thankfully, that conversation was an exercise in determining my desire for holiness rather than an actual request for that particular sacrifice. But it spurred an internal, ongoing search for identifying whether I really wanted to be a saint, or simply ‘wanted to want’ to become a saint. It is humbling to realize how difficult it is to honestly answer that question. I can wholeheartedly agree that more than anything else, I want to be loved by God and others. I have also long believed that at the end of our lives, we will be judged on how well we have loved. So, the only link that must be made between the two is how fervently we are willing to put aside our natural inclinations for comfort and selfishness and pride, and focus instead on the desires God has for us. The big challenge is to keep alive in our minds and hearts the awareness that living truly holy lives is worth the cost.

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Crystal and Kevin Sullivan

OTHER DETAILS TO VERIFY:

5. Check the Topography of the land. Topography gives the physical features of the land, whether it is situated on an elevation, cliffs, mountains, slope, valleys, ravines, etc. As far as possible, it is best to avoid these.  We can check this with the help of Google Earth.  Here it is also worth checking if the said land is located in a flood zone, rain catchment area, etc., and avoid such locations.

6. Check if the Public Utilities are available:  If all the above conditions are favourable, then we have to check if the necessary public utilities are available close by.   Public utilities can be many, depending on the purpose of the intended usage of the land. Most common among them are access road and transport facility, electricity, water, sewage, gas, telephone, etc.  It is very important that the land under consideration has a common public access road, without which we may never be able to use the land for anything. In case of no access road, strategically, it will be wiser to buy the plot for the access road first and then buy the inside land for the intended purpose.  Other amenities, such as school, hospital, shops, etc. can also be considered.

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Fr Alex Gnanapragasam SJ

EIGHT ESSENTIALS FOR A RELIGIOUS SUPERIOR

There is much writing on leadership today. Plenty in print and on the Net. There is no doubt that, in any organization, whether secular or religious, the leader makes a huge difference Think of Pope Francis or any head of state or head of government. Attractive vocabulary (Transformative Leadership, Servant Leadership, etc.) is not enough. We need persons who truly help the group to reach its goals effectively and in a lasting way.

Who is a leader? Definitions abound. I prefer the simplest one: A leader is someone with followers. A good leader is someone who helps followers to reach the goal or perform a task. Thus, there are always two elements to keep in mind when we talk of leadership: a group of persons and a task (or tasks) to be performed. The art of leadership is to be truly concerned about the persons in one’s care, and to get the tasks (or goals) achieved.

There are many ways of talking about leadership. Basing myself on what I have learnt from observing leaders (both religious and secular), from some experts and books, as well as from my own experience, I plan to present the essentials of religious leadership under eight heads. To make it easier for the reader to retain the matter, I am organizing the article this way: One point under heading 1, two points under heading 2, three under heading 3, etc.

Ready? Here we go!

1. Only One Leader!

A seminarian once told me about Father Rosario Krishnaraj, a charming and wonderfully inspiring Salesian priest whom I knew well: “After meeting Father Rosario, I believe more in Jesus. Many things I had heard about Jesus I find in him…

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Fr Joe Mannath SDB

‘Having all, Leaving all, Finding ALL in all!’

Herein I find the KEY underpinnings of my vocation story, synonymous with my life’s journey. To write about this love-story gives me a rush of “spiritual adrenalin” which is difficult to control or direct!  For how can a tiny finite mind capture Infinite Love and confine it to words /expressions that pale in significance before It? Nevertheless, I offer this feeble attempt of mine as a song of Glory and Gratitude to One who continues to “spoil” me with Love through the ups and downs I face, to the extent of allowing me an overwhelming Joy in finding All, my All!

Having all…

In my early childhood I remember having a totally happy, carefree life; the earliest memory of myself is at age 2, dancing with my doll. I had it all…the priceless gift of BOTH parents who incarnated for me Unconditional Love, together with four siblings, two older and two younger, who were great companions. I lacked nothing.

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Sr Manisha Gonsalves RSCJ

CRYSTAL

Here in the United States, there is a witty comeback when someone is acting bossy and trying to take charge of a group. We might say, “Who do you think you are, Mother Superior?”  While said in jest, this is a recognition that the role of Mother Superior is such that only one person is responsible for making the decisions and applying the rules that affect many. Whether those decisions and rules are appreciated or scorned, the role of a leader is important to maintain consistency and harmony in the community.

As a lay person, I have a different appreciation for the title ‘Mother Superior.”  I am a mother and in that sense consider myself the ‘superior’ of my children or grandchildren, not in intelligence or morality or worth, but in my understanding of what my responsibility is toward their growth.  As a mother, I believe that my role is to take the ‘less formed’ individuals whom God has given into my care and serve their needs.  Clearly, how this plays out in the lay world is very different from what happens in religious communities.  But, in both circumstances, I believe that the leadership role is one of service to others, exalting the other rather than oneself.  As Pope Francis has encouraged us: “Let us never forget that authentic power is service.”

Striking Similarities

Members of a religious community take vows of poverty, obedience and chastity. No such vow is required of a lay person.  However, speaking as a Catholic woman who is married and who has raised children and is helping with grandchildren, I do see some striking similarities in our roles.

For example, I see that the vow of poverty can be similar to the need for a mother to be poor in spirit. Any woman who has ever raised children knows full well…

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Crystal and Kevin Sullivan