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I’m among those who firmly believe in the importance of building a strong and healthy personality and character through an internal structure rather than seeking an external structure such as a geographical solution. I often use the example of a drug addict who, even after moving to a totally new city, can quickly find the whereabouts of drug dealers in less than 24 hours.

However, Diego proved me wrong. His story challenged my perspective. Diego is one of the residents in our Hogar de la Paz in Peru, and he faces deep mental challenges. He is locked up in his own world, he does not talk or interact with anybody. Diego suffers from a condition known as coprophagia, which means that he eats his own faeces.

It comes as no surprise that very few people are inclined to approach Diego. Who would want to sit next to someone whose hands, nails, mouth, and teeth are persistently dirty and stinking? And this reluctance to engage with Diego, most likely worsens his self-isolation, pushing him further into his own fetish, to the point of self-harm. It’s as though he is caught in a vicious circle. I think it was Ionesco who remarked: ‘Take a circle, caress it, and it will turn vicious.’

Br Carmel Duca MC

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The recent Notification No. 7/2023, issued on 21st February 2023, by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) mandates the use of new audit reports, namely Form 10B and Form 10BB, for charitable and religious trusts. It is essential to determine which of these forms applies to our organization. Previously, Rule 16CC required Form 10BB for organizations under section 10(23C) and Rule 17B required Form 10B for those under section 12AB. This has now been completely changed. Understanding this change is crucial for complying with the updated regulations and managing our income accordingly.

Common Form depending on certain criteria

Rule 16CC and Rule 17B of the Income-Tax Rules, 1962 have been substituted with effect from 1^st April 2023 through the Income-tax (3^rd Amendment) Rules, 2023.  As per the amended Rules, common forms have been prescribed for organizations registered under section 12AB and those registered under section 10(23C) subject to fulfillment of certain criteria.

Fr Alex G SJ

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Many call Francis of Assisi the saint of our times, though it seems that his ideals go contrary to those of our world. However his influence on men and women down through eight hundred years is real. Often, however, he remains in the mind of many as a romantic or a pious figure, who could be taken with a pinch of salt. A critical look at his life will prove contrary to that image.

Search for a Pilgrim Spirituality

The late 12^th century was a time of experimentation in religious life. Several monks abandoned their monasteries to live individually as hermits or in smaller, isolated communities that rejected wealth, land and feudal privileges accumulated by their abbots. Simultaneously, the rise of lay poverty movements and independent preachers summoning people to penance and a reformed life led to serious consideration of precisely how one could live the Christian faith in the midst of a swiftly changing and suffering society. By the time Francis was born, the ordinary layman, by now almost completely alienated from the language and class of priests and monks, looked for a religious life that was neither clerical nor monastic in spirit and form. The spirituality of pilgrimage answered some of the needs of people seeking for God. Pilgrimages provided the laity a focus for their religious aspirations. Eventually, Francis of Assisi would hold the scriptural concept of being “pilgrims and strangers” in their world as the core value of life.

Gerry Lobo, OFM

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Every year, the Christian family (despite differences of denominations) unites worldwide in special prayer and action for the ‘Season of Creation’. The theme for this year is: “Let Justice and Peace Flow.” Season of Creation is a time to pray for nature, to act in small deeds, to commit oneself for the cause of creation and to advocate for a safe environment for generations to come. The “Season of Creation” came into existence when September 1 was established as an Annual Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. The Season of Creation is observed throughout the Christian world from September 1 to October 4. The Season of Creation concludes every year on the feast day of the patron saint of ecology, St. Francis of Assisi.

When we think of terms like ‘justice’ and ‘peace’ we associate them with people, conflicts, and so on. However, we fail to realize that these terms are applicable for nature as well. Indeed, nature is yearning for justice and peace. Anthropocentric activities have abused nature and have shaken the very foundations of nature. It is high time we realized this, before anything worse than the previous pandemic relapses. Thus, we are to become agents of justice and ambassadors of peace for nature.

Sch. Denver A. Pushpam, SJ

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The celebration of the feast of St Francis of Assisi on October 4th is relevant both to a person who likes to be deeply connected with the Divine and to a nation like India which claims to have a rich religious tradition. A life of simplicity, which emanated from embracing poverty, is one of the core teachings of St Francis. Since everyone needs to fall in love with the ‘poverty chosen’ (the poverty of spirit), and every religious community or nation needs to focus on the ‘poverty to be fought’ (unjust and imposed poverty), here we dwell on both these aspects. St Francis comments, “My dear and beloved Brother, the treasure of blessed poverty is so very precious and divine that we are not worthy to possess it in our vile bodies. For poverty is that heavenly virtue by which all earthly and transitory things are trodden under foot, and by which every obstacle is removed from the soul so that it may freely enter into union with the eternal Lord God.” In other words, God is in ‘online’ mode when our ‘inner system of being’ loves the ‘richness of the spirit of poverty’. Even though St Francis was born right into the lap of luxury, gradually he felt that there was something missing in his life. Therefore, slowly he moved away from the frivolity of mortal life and fun and joined the poor. History has witnessed a ‘spiritual revolution of detachment’ through the act of embracing poverty by St Francis. Embracing the spirit of poverty is the best way to be connected with the Divine and to initiate the steps to eradicate material poverty from the whole world, especially from our country.

Psychological Awakening

First and foremost, we are in need of a ‘psychological awakening’ to achieve the aforementioned two-fold goals – to embrace the spirit of poverty and to eradicate material poverty. Psychological awakening would mean to bring out and reframe some of our irrational beliefs in the unconscious mind regarding the phenomenon of poverty. Do we need to be ashamed of the poor people amidst us? Do we need to condemn material poverty? Unfortunately, the frames in our unconscious mind related to poverty are ugly! For a poor person, survival is a hard nut to crack. It is true that the poor people have scarcity of water to take daily bath, no nutritious food to look gorgeous, no chance to stay in a clean apartment with security measures, no money to buy suitable clothes according to the latest fashion trends or no money to splurge on shampoo, conditioners or skin creams. As a result, they can’t compete in looks with people who are well fed and well taken care of. Sometimes, even rich people hesitate to visit a slum, a squalid and overcrowded urban street or district inhabited by very poor people, due to its pathetic conditions. Recently, a ‘covering up of the poor’ tendency is surging in our country, for, some feel that the looks or the smell of the poor is not up to the standards of the rich in the country. Vasant Vihar is a diplomatic and residential sub-division of the South West Delhi in National Capital Territory of Delhi. There is a slum in the heart of Vasanth Vihar, just a stone’s throw away from huge buildings. Recently, when Delhi hosted the G20 summit, the slum was covered with green netting on scaffolding. The Coolie Camp fell on the travel route of the G20 leaders. It is reported by many media personnel that those green curtains were part of the beautification project of the central government ahead of the G20 summit in September 2023. The poor or the poverty scene was covered with a green veil, upon which the posters of G20 and national leaders were hung. ‘Denial’ of the existence of the poor is a kind of defense mechanism. Something is true, yet the person continues to deny its existence or truth because it is too uncomfortable to face. ‘Denial strategy’ keeps us away from addressing a problem or making the needed change. To eradicate poverty, we need to ‘reframe the ugly frame of the poor in the unconscious’ into a ‘beautiful frame.’ Acceptance of a reality is the beginning of a positive change. Let us accept the ‘beautiful poverty’, which many ‘gurus’ accept voluntarily, with the conscious and unconscious mind.

Fr Dr Binny Mary Das

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The National CRI team visited Manipur from August 22 to 28, 2023.
The Team members: Sr. Elsa Muttathu PBVM, (National Secretary); Sr. Mary Scaria SCJM, Sr. Subeshna SJC, Br. Sunil Britto CFC. The Archdiocese of Imphal facilitated the visit.
The purpose of the visit was to show support and solidarity to those affected by violence, understand their needs, and meet with members of religious communities who have endured pain and hardship and still continue to serve the affected people in the region. The National CRI team dedicated time to listen to their stories and share in their emotional pain. They visited some affected districts, parishes that were destroyed, various Kuki camps, two Meitei camps, and religious communities. They had the opportunity to witness the dire situation firsthand as they toured approximately nine different camps. What they found was a reality that is both heart-wrenching and alarming.
The Camps
The conditions in the Kuki camps for displaced individuals are deeply concerning, with over 200 people crammed into limited spaces and minimal privacy. The severe shortage of basic amenities like toilets is causing sanitation and dignity issues, leaving emotional scars on the inhabitants. Children are growing up in these harsh and uncertain conditions. Women have endured miscarriages because they had to walk and run long distances through the forest to reach safety.

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Did you read about the historic event that took place in a village called Markowa in Poland on 10 September 2023? For the first time in the history of the Catholic Church an entire family of nine was beatified on that day – the husband, the wife and their seven children. Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, presided over the beatification Mass.

Józef Ulma, the head of the family, was born in 1900 in Markowa. As a teenager, he was active in the Catholic Youth Association. In 1935 Józef married Wiktoria Niemczak who was also from Markowa. She was a talented amateur actress.  During their nine years of marriage, the couple had six children. Józef loved to take pictures of his wife and children and the photographs show the deep emotional bonds among the members of the family.

The Ulmas were deeply religious and were active members of their parish. Their family Bible had two verses underlined. The first one was “For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?” (Matthew 6:32). Then you see the title of chapter 10 of the Gospel of Luke underlined in red:“The Good Samaritan.” And next to it is a note with a single word: “Yes.”

M.A. Joe Antony, SJ

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As I have moved well into my sunset years, there are not many people left, great leaders who I still admire. But my long lasting admiration of Mahatma Gandhi made me, the other day, once again access the internet and search for little vignettes and incidents from his life, which make him seem not only a great leader who led the country into freedom but also one who was simple to the core, truthful to the end, a great agent of reconciliation, but also a fighter against injustice, who lived and worked in solidarity with common people and had a puckish sense of humour.

It is these few incidents in his life that I want to share in this article selected from the book: “Everyone’s Gandhi.”

All For A Stone

Many people know that instead of soap, Gandhiji used a stone to scrub himself. Very few people, however, know how precious this stone, given by Miraben, was to Gandhiji.
This happened during the Noakhali march, when Gandhiji and others halted at a village called Narayanpur. During the march, the responsibility of looking after this particular stone, along with other things, lay with Manuben. Unfortunately, though, she forgot the stone at the last halting place.
“I want you to go back and look for the stone,” said Bapu. “Only then will you not forget it the next time.” “May I take a volunteer with me?” she hesitantly asked.  “Why” he asked.”
Poor Manu did not have the courage to say that the way back lay through forests of coconut and supari, (betel nut) so dense that a stranger might easily lose his way. Moreover, it was the time of riots. How could she go back alone?

Janina Gomes

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5th September is Teachers’ Day in India. All of us joyfully and gratefully remember our own teachers and other teachers all over our country. From an early age, we are drawn to or influenced by various teachers at home or at school. There are many kinds of teachers – some are truly dedicated to their students, while others just wait for the salary, some for the tuition at home, and others for the students in and outside the campus. Amid these differences, there are teachers who inspire us to discover our true selves. This day transforms into more than just Teachers’ Day; it becomes a Teach Us Day, reminding us of those who guide us towards self-discovery.

Learning is crucial for intelligence and intellect to flourish. It is a symbiotic process – one entity learns while another imparts knowledge. Our entire upbringing is based on the mutual relationship between learning and teaching, a fundamental part of our daily lives.  In Sanskrit, the term for teacher is guru, where “gu” signifies “one who dispels” and “ru” means darkness. A teacher, therefore, guides us out of ignorance into light. To evolve beyond our inherent limitations, a teacher is essential. As September arrives, students gear up to honor and express gratitude to their teachers, marking the cherished occasion of Teachers’ Day.

Richard Mascarenhas SJ

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“This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.” These divine words resonate with the purpose of revealing the significance of Jesus in our lives. They embody encouragement, acceptance, and the path to personal growth, making a difference in our world.  Listening plays an important role in learning and it is one of the skills in counselling.  I remember my professor saying, ‘Be attentive in my class.  If you listen well, you need not strain much’. Indeed, active listening is the ability to receive, interpret and integrate messages in our day-to-day living.

However, the art of listening demands deliberate effort, time, energy, and patience. It is a conscious act that I’ve personally harnessed to foster self-awareness. As a formator, listening attentively to the challenges and struggles of my charges, I’ve discovered that when parallels exist between their experiences and mine, a process of purification unfolds, guiding me toward improved self management. Hence, through effective listening to others we learn to balance ourselves.

St. James, in his epistle, implores us to ‘be quick to listen,’ urging us to employ our senses in understanding our surroundings. He adds ‘be slow to speak,’ highlighting the value of interpreting what we’ve absorbed. This art of effective listening is also essential for developing relationships serving as a catalyst for problem resolution.  In essence, the heavenly injunction to listen to the Son, combined with the virtues of active listening, encapsulates the profound connection between understanding, personal growth, and harmonious interactions.

Reflecting upon this theme, I sense the necessity for three distinct modes of listening to infuse purpose into my existence.

Sr Benny D’Cunha UFS

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