Do the important thing

 While driving, I witnessed an accident between a motorcycle and a motor car. Although it was not a major accident, the motorcyclist had his little daughter on the pillion. Naturally, any rider would be angry and react to the situation. However, this rider was not reactive to the situation but proactive and remained calm and went on to comfort his daughter by hugging her. 

This is an extraordinary experience of controlling one's anger and doing the first important thing in life. Our immediate reaction to anger is to vent it on the opponent. This is a way natural way humans behave in a situation of anger. Anger is a normal human feeling in which a person allows his mental stability to be normal just like the physical body has a mechanism to heal itself. How do one deal while angry is an important question or what does one first do when angry? When angry, a person has ample choices but a person must make the right choice and deal with anger. Like the rider in the aforementioned example, one can be proactive and remain calm and sort out the important matters first and then can deal with other unimportant matters. 

Pandemic and Church

 Pandemic is a blessing in disguise

The Church is the communion of the minds and hearts of the people of God. Although COVId 19 pandemic made the Churches close their doors and cancel Eucharistic celebrations, as a blessing in disguise, the pandemic gave a sense of the universality of the Church. The Churches across the world took to an online platform to celebrate the Eucharist. People of God now had the opportunity to witness the celebration of the Eucharist across the world through online platforms. While browsing online platforms, people could access the Eucharist any time of the day from different countries and languages. Notwithstanding the frustrations from not attending the Eucharist physically, it has helped people of God to feel a sense of belonging to a universal Church unlike formally typically confined to countries, cities, and villages. The online platform also helped us to pray together without borders, one such example would be prayer and reflection by Fr James Martin SJ on Fridays.  Everyone was affected by the pandemic and hence also made us realize that we are all together in this struggle as human beings and as people of God. 

Forgiveness is the only way forward

 The Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is laid to rest in Cape Town, South Africa. I would like to express a short tribute to the Archbishop, a true hero, and a true leader. It was when I was studying theology I was motivated to learn about and from this true hero. His ever-living legacy can help us to be true leaders. In his book, ‘No Future without Forgiveness’, Archbishop argues that we would not know how to be a human being at all, except we learn this from other human beings. We are bound together in what the Bible calls ‘the bundle of life. Our humanity is caught up in that of all others. We are human because we belong. We are made for community, for togetherness, for family, to exist is a delicate network of interdependence for no one can be human alone. Archbishop was key instrumental in an unprecedented attempt at healing a nation when he was named Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission by President Nelson Mandela. He succeeded to heal a wounded nation through forgiveness. For him, there is no humanity without forgiveness and forgiveness is possible only through peaceful coexistence. He upheld social harmony, friendliness as the great goods of which social harmony is the summum bonum – the greatest good. The teaching of Jesus, ‘to love your enemies’ is personified in the Archbishop, for he expressed, ‘if you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends but talk to your enemies’. He walked the talk and was hailed as a humble true leader, in other words, he was a true servant leader. 

Forgiveness is not forgetting but remembering - remembering not to hit back but to pave a path towards forgiveness. Forgiveness is innate to human beings but hatred is also innate to human beings. It is important to make forgiveness our way of life so that hatred can be overwhelmed by forgiveness. Every religion teaches forgiveness and no religion teaches hatred but for self-interest, hatred becomes a way of life. The world might teach us to hatred but humanity teaches us to forgive. "Eye for eye will leave the people of the world without any eyes". If forgiveness did not exist, humanity would have become extinct. Forgiveness is a way of life in our own families when our children make mistakes, we forgive them but could we not follow the way of life with everyone around us. Archbishop through his life and teachings insisted that people need humanity more than anything in these times. 

As former President of USA, Obama called, Archbishop was a true ‘moral compass’ to everyone around the world especially to leaders and aspiring to be leaders. Archbishop expressed that ‘God’s dream is that all of us will realize that we are family that we are made for togetherness, for goodness, and for compassion.’ Although our world is a beautiful place, we have certain elements of evil and hatred that permeate our society for the selfish motives of the wicked few. These wicked few continue to sow the seeds of hatred so that their agenda is fulfilled at all costs. We need leaders like Archbishop Tutu to recognize and uproot these elements of hatred not through hatred but through dialogue and inclusion. This is the only way forward to a better world if not our world will have more hatred than good because hatred multiplies and leads to more hatred. Leaders in our society such as government leaders, CEOs, managers, and religious leaders must take examples from the Archbishop and embrace his life and teachings. 

I experience therefore I am

Most job application criteria require experience apart from formal qualifications. I have wondered why this is necessary especially when someone is applying for the job for the first time? Unless a person has a job, it is impossible to get the necessary experience.  
Philosopher Aristotle compared the mind of an infant to a blank clay tablet, "tabula rasa" on which experiences leave their mark. This could be applied to adults as well because experience is the best teacher in life. Growing up is a journey that we have to undertake every day of our lives and this journey will bring ample opportunities to experience the specific way of life. As we journey this life, our life is a blank clay tablet that has to be written as we experience situations and instances in life. It is important for any one of us to go through this journey as it unfolds. There are bad and good experiences as the consequence of learning, however, the goal of this journey of experience must be a good experience. The majority of people experience good things in life and this is crucial for our growth and for our happiness. 
The experience leads to knowledge and knowledge and not vice versa. Knowledge from the experience helps us to perform and conduct ourselves well. For instance, unless one has experience of heat, one will fail to recognize the fire. Experience teaches us lessons in life; lessons to cope with life and persevere in endeavors. Our mind craves to have positive experiences and rightly so we will have ample opportunities to fulfill this craving. Despite the negative experiences we can choose to embrace only positive experiences because it is in positive experiences we find our happiness. 3
We could experience pain in the form of feelings in the mind. This painful experience will make us resilient towards the specific situation and help us to cope with it. On the other hand, joyful experiences will propel us to strive to stay in that experience and also help us to constantly seek positive experiences in life. This is important for our existence and a form of the coping mechanism of life without which we will find ourselves delusional or psychotic. Experience conditions our behavior in life. For instance, a criminal commits a crime due to his past experiences of life and most criminals have a negative experience in their early life. 
We experience there we exist and if not for the experience we would be fish out of water. This is one of the important reasons why employers look for experience from the candidates of job. Basically, employers are seeking the knowledge they gained from the experience at the job. It is crucial that we gain as much experience as possible in our everyday lives. Let us strive to experience so that we can cope with life and learn traits of life. 

COP 26 too ambitious

How many of us are aware of the emission of carbon from our own vehicles that we drive every day. We witness this as we step on the road. As we know most combustion vehicles emit a certain percentage of carbon. Be that as it may, some motor vehicles are atrociously emitting smoke into the atmosphere. How can we address the important and urgent issue of emission?  

A number of world leaders gathered in Glasgow to discuss a serious issue of climate change. Pessimistically the Conference of Parties had ample effect on the populace of the world. It seemed optimistic as the grand opening with promising speeches by some of the key leaders including Prime Minister of Barbados and Prime Minister of United Kindom. Thereafter, all other speakers and presenters had a mouthful to speak and advise how we can control climate change within the next 30 years or so. Verbose and vocal presentations boosted the hopes of people and left to think all of us need to do something before it is too late. 

The COP26 took some ambitious steps towards protection of the nature, which is welcome news for many countries. Although some of the steps were unrealistic, they made an impression among all the attendees of the conference. Deforestation, reduction of carbon footprint, and use of electric vehicles among other important topics discussed were of crucial importance. Scientists and academics opined their views of how climate change is affecting humans and animals. Some of the ambitious decisions taken at COP26 could be considered long-run gaols which will take time because of its feasibility such as non-fossil fuel use. 

However, if the leaders addressed the immediate issue of emission from fossil fuel usage on our vehicles and industries. Although there are measures and commissions to monitor the emission, oftentimes they are ignored or shown a blind eye. We can witness the dark smoke from some of the motor vehicles which impact humans directly and nature Every country needs to address this issue urgently and penalize the perpetrators of carbon emission both private motor vehicles or large industries. It would have been helpful if this was done as an immediate measure to control climate change. It is not too late as we are still in the mood for COP26, we can control climate change with immediate monitoring of carbon emission from domestic and industrial burning of fossil fuels.  

Stress without stress

I had met a person who was so distressed and almost on the brink of a mental breakdown. When inquired I discovered that he was being pressured by his manager who is not only incompetent but also disrespectful towards the staff. I realized from this person's situation that talents are brushed aside by incompetent leaders and hence organizations suffer. Most often, employees go silent for this reason who bury their talents. This eventually leads them to be unhappy and distressed. 

Many persons spend most of their active time at their workplaces and spend significant time with their colleagues. The time spent at work is important and it can determine a persons' behavior outside. The jargon, leave work at work is not applicable to day-to-day situations. How many persons have a bad day at work and this badness spills in the home where the family has to take the brunt of it all? Besides, persons have to comply with organizational expectations. Often the staff is burnt-out, not due to work but dealing with the poor leadership and disgruntled colleagues. Persons leave organizations for reasons such as poor leadership. 

It is significant to note one's own mental stability to cope with challenges at work. What can you do when you are super stressed at work? How do you cope with challenging situations? 

1. Talk to a trusted person: It is important to talk to someone you trust who can sift through your situation and guide you in a proper direction. 

2. Confront your superior: Although you might come across as insubordinate it is important to confront your superior but do it amicably. 

3. Represent yourself: Often you find your ideas are not respected however, it is important to represent yourself and express your ideas. 

4. Put it in writing: Oftentimes, we tend to do things word-of-mouth but it is crucial to document every conversation you have with your superior.

5. Have a hobby: Any good hobby will offset distress at work; walk in the park, music, dance, reading, take your dog for a walk. 

6. Take a break: It is important to take a break while you are distressed. 

7. Quit: The last resort should be to quit that is if nothing works out and you have other alternatives, move on to better opportunities. 

Managing stress at work is important and must be your priority because it can ruin your entire day and entire life. One has to find his own way to deal with stress. We might suggest a few guidelines but individuals have to devise their own way to cope with stress. 

Anger is a disease

 I was going to a packed market and the parking was completely full. I managed to get a little passage on the side of the main road, so I pulled over my car to park. To my unpleasant surprise, there was the person who was reserving the passage for his little roadside shop which is not legal. As soon as I pulled over, he started throwing mean curses towards me. I was completely baffled and was upset. Despite the upset, I kept my calm and talked to the angry person asking him to allow me to park for a few minutes only. He went on and on with his potty mouth. I realized there is no benefit in arguing with an angry person so I moved away to park somewhere else. There are several other instances that persons have been angry and used potty mouth. 

I tell this story to enumerate how anger breeds anger and if both parties behave in anger there, there will be violence. The anger breeds anger and leads to violence. Often we see angry people with long faces who have been unhappy and upset in life. All of us have experience of persons behaving angrily towards us. It is noteworthy to mention anger is a disease that needs a cure. I asked myself the question, why are people angry? I have not gotten any satisfactory answer to this question, however, I have discovered for myself that anger is something that can be controlled and cured. 

The following are helpful tips 

1. Shut up: When angry you shut up instead of shutting another person down. 

2. Calm down: let your demeanor be calm while angry, and then you can clarify the issues that made you angry. 

3. Close your eyes: when you realize that you're getting worked up close your eyes and wait for the anger to wind down.

4. Do not react: when your opponent throws curses, you do not react rather wait for the person to calm down to clarify the matter. 

5. Accept your faults: If it is your fault, accept it. 

6. Humble yourself: it is important for you to humble yourself when you are angry. This will help you to see who is wrong and who is right? 

7. Walk away: It is important to out the fire before it blazes so it could be helpful to walk away from the heated situation.

These tips might sound archaic and a sign of weakness. However, no angry person can win a battle. It is in the calmness you can conquer yourself and others. So let us be careful and help angry people be normal. This way we can eradicate this disease of anger. 

Keep animals off the road

 

This is not an unorthodox subject matter as this has been in the news a long time. It is disheartening to see animals crisscrossing on our busy roads. Most times the animals on our roads are unattended by their owners. It is inherently wrong in two counts, namely, it is unfair for the drivers to face this daily ordeal and some occasions it is fatal. On the other hand, it is unfair for the animals to be in the dangerous zone and should they be killed, they die a painful death. Animals, such as, horses, cows, sheep and including dogs obstruct traffic during the wee hours of morning and afternoon. Drivers have to maneuver in order to dodge these animals. It is detrimental and fatal at nights and on rainy days when visibility is low. As we know, some drivers speed but not all the road accidents are due to speed. Some instances, persons of goodwill do assist in corralling unattended animals off the road. As I appeal to drivers to be careful on our roads, I kindly urge authorities to take this matter seriously and human lives are protected and saved at all cost. I also kindly urge animal owners to keep animals off the road for the safety of the animals. 

COVID 19 and Climate Change

 

COVID 19 and Climate change

In the recent surge of COVID 19 in India intrigued me to think if climate change contributed to COVID 19. To concur with my curious mind, Time magazine published an article on the same subject. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive director of research and advocacy at Centre for Science and Environment in Delhi expressed that impact of pandemic can be higher in polluted regions where people’s lungs have already been weakened due to long term exposures to polluted air and hence making major Indian cities vulnerable. Another paper published in the journal Cardiovascular Research found that chronic exposure to particulate matter – a type of pollution that results from a mix of chemicals that come from sources like smokestacks and fires – is likely linked to some 15% of global COVID-19 deaths. Although particulate matter does not just come from fossil fuels, but the study’s authors found that more than 50% of air pollution-linked COVID-19 death are specifically connected to fossil-fuel use. Therefore, metropolises have experienced rapid spread of virus than suburbs of India.

Our nature is integral facet of human body and has everything to contribute to our wellbeing. People in cities crave for fresh breath in the countryside. This might sound like nature excursion but there much truth to it that human body is connected to the nature. The air and food that we consume determine our health as well. As we thank the nature for the fresh air that Guyana’s rich oxygen-laden rainforest, we shall make every efforts to preserve and protect to continue to breathe and eat healthy.

Jerri Dias
Georgetown

Near Yet Far: A Pandemic to Remember

 COVID-19 Pandemic has created havoc globally. There are several studies that have been conducted as relates to the physical and psychological effects of Pandemic. Those effects are devastating and will remain for many years to come. Economic devastation is mindboggling and will take years to recover from this economic fall. Ample ink has been spilled on these topics of immediate concern and hence, states and organizations have come forward to address them with almost hastily. Therefore, I would like to focus our attention on two other aspects of human need and they are social and spiritual effects.

The human need to interact and mingle with others is necessary for our growth and evolution. Peaceful coexistence is possible if all persons engage in proper social contacts. The growth of the child largely depends on the society where children learn the traits of life and besides they gain knowledge from each other's experience. Likewise, adults socialize at work or otherwise which bonds them to live peacefully and hence evolve as whole human beings. Spouses and family members feel the effects of social distancing to reduce the spread of the virus. Family members are skeptical to touch each other which is natural because families want to protect each other. These effects are serious and will have a longlasting impact on individual growth. These impacts also might lead to human disasters such as enmity, quarrels, and alienation of others. Persons treat others with less dignity and respect due to distancing. Touch plays a significant role in the physical and psychological growth of individuals. This basic sense of touch has been curtailed due to the virus. It might take years to break this new normal of untouchability. 

Humans are spirit and body. Spiritual needs of humans fulfill other needs that are tangible. Although spiritual needs are not merely religious based but also inner peace emanating from the conscious. For many person spirituality rooted in religions as an impact on human growth and evolution. Worship places have been shut their doors. Persons have been denied access to their worship places by this deadly virus. Their right to a relationship with God has been trampled and destroyed. This will have effects on families and society. The relationship between God, humans, and the environment has been disturbed and will take years to bring them to perfect unity. The distance has been widening as the COVID virus is taking its toll around the world. Many have lost their loved ones and in retrospect, they have asked questions such as 'where is God?, why God is silent? why is God allowing this? is there, God?' 

In conclusion, I suggest that all of us reflect, ponder, and share our own struggles in fighting this virus. Human growth depends on all aspects such as physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and environmental. As our healthcare workers strive to help in combating this deadly virus, I urge everyone to focus on life and growth holistically. Help those who are struggling with their social and spiritual relationships. It is crucial to focus on these aspects so that humans grow and evolve as a perfect human person. The human being is possible only through a blend of all essential aspects. I appeal to find ways and means to bring this blend and help each other in this noble task. 

Carnival

I would like to express my views on Carnival through the research of Dr. Lynne A. Guitar Ph.D. of Dominican Republic. She has earned much accolade for her research and findings on several cultural anthropology. Guyana proudly held its first Carnival last weekend. Hence, I am intrigued to express a brief viewpoint on the topic for two reasons, namely, Christian roots of Carnival and its significance today. In Ancient Greece and Italy, long before the emergence of Christianity, people whom we call pagans today had wild celebrations centered around the winter and spring solstices, and spring and fall equinoxes, celebrations that the people did not want to give up, even after they became Christians. The Catholic Church, therefore, adopted many of the celebrations, overlaying them with Christian meanings. For instance, the wildly licentious feast called Saturnalia, dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture, and to the god of wine, Bacchus, a festival that used to be celebrated around the longest night of the year (December 17 under the old calendar), became the Roman Empire’s celebration of Christmas on December 25. The licentiousness of the pagan celebration was postponed until the week before Lent began, around the time of the spring equinox. The new springtime celebration came to be called carnival or carnaval from the Latin wordscarnis(“flesh” or “meat”) and levare(“to leave off”), because immediately after the carnival festival came the time of Lent, 40 solemn days of penance and sacrifice, which included not eating meat as well as the renunciation of other pleasures of the flesh. Most of the medieval carnival festivals climaxed on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent officially began on Ash Wednesday. (In Latin, Shrove Tuesday is mardisgras.) Although the word “carnival” originated with this pre-Lenten celebration, the celebratory style of masking, inversion and grotesquerie came to characterize other festivals as well; as a result, some scholars specify the pre-Lenten carnival with the term carnestolendas. As Christianity spread, so too did the celebration of carnival—it spread across Europe and eventually to the Americas, carried there by European conquistadors and colonists.

Carnival in the Caribbean has a complicated beginning. It is tied to colonialism, religious conversion, and ultimately freedom and celebration. The festival said to have originated with the Italian Catholics in Europe, and it later spread to the French and Spanish, who brought the pre-Lenten tradition with them when the y settled in Trinidad, Dominica, Haiti, Martinique and other Caribbean Islands. Historians believe that French settlers would have brought the tradition of Carnival with the Fat Tuesday masquerade in the 18^th Century. This eventually evolved into heterogeneous culture. Hence, dress, music and dance become the primary ingredient for the celebration after the emancipation in 1934. It is important understand and learn the history of what we celebrate.

Lent: Finding Happiness

There is a tale about a king who was unhappy. He had everything, and yet he could not figure out the cause of his unhappiness. His doctors tried many therapies and failed to find a cure for the king’s melancholy. Finally, the king’s astrologer told him that if he wore the shirt of the happiest man in his land, he would be happy. The king sent his ministers all over the land, but every person seemed to have some discontent brewing in her/his life.

One day, when the king went hunting in the forest, he found a man whistling while chopping wood. The king inquired: “My friend, would you like a better job or more money?” The woodcutter replied: “No. I have a good wife and children, a job I enjoy, and a roof over my head. I have all that I need.” The king realized that this was the man he was looking for; unfortunately, the man did not own a shirt!

This tale inspires and challenges us. The first disciples left behind their families, boats, nets, and homes, and followed Jesus. In contrast, the rich young man rejected Jesus’ invitation to discipleship and “went away sad, for he had many possessions.” Peter begins to say, “Lord, we have given up everything.” In other words, “What’s in it for us?” Gently, Jesus helps his disciples understand that they have given up their human families, but now they receive another community that is new and very different—a community that is centered on the will of God. Perhaps Peter was helped to remember an earlier moment when Jesus said: “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Fr. Joachim SJ Laid to Rest. A priest for all.

It is with heavy heart I account on the funeral and burial of Fr Joachim D’Mello SJ. St. Francis Xavier Church in Port Morant welcomed the mortal remains of Fr Joachim. It was on Sunday, 26 January; Fr Joachim was laid to rest at this parish cemetery. The funeral proceedings of Father commenced in the dismal afternoon with pouring tributes from family and friends who had come from across the world. Everyone eulogized Father for his dedication, availability and cheerfulness in the mission that is entrusted to him. Fr. Ronald Fernades, Jennifer Hickel, Thelma Roach, Gibion Moonsammy, Michella Abrams and others related to the goodness that Fr Joachim exhibited during his 18 years of long tenure in this part of the world. His niece, Ms Reyna Sequeira expressed with utmost sadness that her uncle ‘Tika’, as they would call him, walked the talk and gave his entire life in the service of God. She, along with, Fr Jaochim’s brother and cousin travelled from England to pay their last tribute. People also travelled from Barbados, Lethem and Georgetown to bid farewell to Fr Joachim.  

The funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr Chris Llonos, the superior of Jesuits in Guyana and Jamaica. Fr. Paul Martin preached a fitting homily by comparing how St. Francis Xavier, an ardent missionary who went to India and whose incorruptible body is laid in Bom Jesu Cathedral in Goa, from where Fr Joachim hails. He expressed it was time for Fr Joachim to serve Guyana as did St Francis Xavier in India. He also remembered his commitment and availability lead him to hinterlands, coast lands and other Caribbean islands. 

Thereafter, he was laid to rest in the parish cemetery next to Fr Kuruvilla who died a few years ago. Both, Fr Joachim and Fr Kuruvilla served in this parish for a long time hence it was proper that they be laid to rest in the parish. 

If I may recall his unceasing service as a jovial priest for all; Fr. Joachim has been serving in the lengths and breaths of this country. People will remember him as a ‘priest for all’ or ‘a jolly-good priest’. He served as priest in Rupununi for several years where he started honey-culture and carpentry. He encouraged the people in Lethem to do the same. This was his unforgettable contribution besides being an inspirational pastor. As a director of Guyana Human Development Centre in Port Mourant, Berbice, Fr Joachim encouraged the students to take-up vocational skills training such as cooking, cake baking, pedicure, computer skills and so on. He also persuaded the local boys to be trained in basketball and personally trained a team at the center. This center trains school drop-out students in various skills and hence, they are better equipped to take-up jobs or start small business. In these small ways, he touched many hearts. Fr Joachim has also served in St. Pius X parish Church and Jesuit head-quarters in Queenstown. Most persons will relate to him as ‘a priest for all’ because of his service to all. He also had a pleasant and soothing personality that won many friends. He preached with conviction. I have lost a good friend and I pay tribute of gratitude for all the service he rendered to the people of Guyana. Most people who share same sentiment as myself and he will missed by the Jesuits of Goa, Guyana, and close family and friends. He is gone suddenly but lest we not forget that God has a plan for each one of us. I personally would like to thank Fr Joachim for inspiring me through his service in small ways. He was indeed faithful in small things. I will end this account with one fitting quotation from Fr. Joachim, “always appreciate positives and leave negatives to God to deal with.”

Originally published on Catholic Standard on 31 January 2020.

Jerri Dias 

Georgetown

Job Opportunities

A friend of mine expressed his disappointment when she was not successful in the job interview. She was an experienced and high qualified for the position, yet the organisation gave job opportunity to a less experienced and less qualified person for the position. The person was selected merely based on influence of nepotism or as I call it 'someone knew someone.' 

A dilemma is cast in my professional life as to how an organisation should hire an employee. Every organisation has freedom to select who they want but it is imperative to keep the interest, core values and mission of the organisation while making selections. If an organisation makes selection based on friendship and nepotism, it is most likely that organisation will not perform as it should. An organisation may overlook a talented candidate since it favors candidates that have influence. This poses a serious concern in a developing society where professional or highly talented people are left back since they have no influence in the hierarchy. 

My own take on this matter is, an organisation must be non-biased while selecting candidates. This requires courage to face influential people on the higher part of the hierarchy. Most multi-million organisation have non-biased and fair selection of candidates to suit their employment needs, this makes these companies bloom and thrive. They choose the best talent by overlooking whether a candidate knows someone in the hierarchy. It is important that even small scale businesses practice this rule, the rule is, not someone knows someone rather someone knows no one. 

Mangalore Diocese: An open letter

Dear Bishop, priests and Sisters of Mangalore Diocese

I am writing this letter with utmost sadness and disappointment in the way you teach Catholics in Mangalore diocese. I have recently left priesthood because of various reasons. This has left a permanent scar in my heart. I cannot talk to my parents anymore and everyone who celebrated my triumph as priest has told me to go to hell. I am like dead person for them. I have been hearing all sorts of rumors and hurtful things in the last few years. I am not going to illustrate anything but you know exactly what happens when someone leaves priesthood or religious life.

I have become untouchable and cast away from society. This is the price I have to pay for being a Catholic, in fact belonging to a religion that I had clue about. While I was baby I was baptized without one clue what I am getting into. I am not going to discuss theological issues and my difficulties in believing in any crap from theology. I believe in God and I am a spiritual person and I live a good life. I lived a good life as a priest and I will continue to live that life. I want to bring it to your attention only human dimension and not theological discourse. As human, how can any living person can remain without loved by someone? I am not interested in the crap that Jesus will help us when we are in need of emotional and sexual help. I am also disheartened for many things in the Church. But I will not enumerate anyone of them. Each one of you knows what I am talking.

My family has abandoned me because I am no more priest now. They celebrated my priesthood saying I will bless their family weddings, and funeral etc. I don’t want to give up my entire life to bless wedding and funerals. If you teach family is the domestic church, why would any family abandon their own son? Why don’t you teach that leaving priesthood is not a curse or end of the world or not shame to family? Leaving priesthood must be taught as any other divorce or nullity crap. I heard all good things about me as priest but now I hear only bad things. It is high time that narrow-minded Mangalore Catholics be taught right thing about Jesus and His Church and stop with crap teaching about priesthood and religious life. How can it be a curse on me when I leave priesthood? Will my God disown me and destroy me because I left priesthood to marry the person I love? God created love between man and woman. He did not create curse at all.

I want you to open you horizon and come out of your little bedroom and little chapels and see the real world. I want you to open up your minds and hearts. Priesthood must be considered like any other profession/job and not sacred crap. I think priesthood must be like any other thing. In fact priesthood has easy and joyful life except for sex, even that some of you might get it. I just want you to teach love and not hatred about God. God does not hate anyone, whether ex-priest or divorcee. He loves everyone equally. It is the middlemen who teach about God from their perspective teach hatred. I want you to stop this. I want you to circulate this letter and I will follow up with this letter with my expositions on theological difficulties to believe in Church crap. But mind you, I am very spiritual and fully loved by God. You may say, I am crazy or lost marbles or want to settle score but please do know that I am fully settled person in life and I have a wonderful family of my own.

Yours sincerely

Ex-priest (labeled as)

Listen to the Survivors

The last two months have been crucial time for the church and women. After the much awaited sex scandal by the clergy report was made public and the sex allegations against USA supreme Court nominee Bret Kavanaugh, it has become very clear that victims or survivors must be heard against any sort of gimmicks of the powerful.
Invariably, the church leaders met with each other to propose what is the best way forward after these revelations. It seemed like the church leaders yet again failed to keep the survivors as the priority rather they made the institutional priority not to endanger the reputation of the church. Reputation of the church is in crisis at the moment marred by sexual abuse by it's clergy.
In the case of Bret Kavanaugh, it is clear that the leaders are quick to assume power to confirm this judge to the supreme Court, rather than listening and investigating the allegations of sexual abuse towards multiple women. It is the way the powerful would like to protect and promote the predators to high positions. 
Every survivor must be infuriated at this atrocious move by the powerful few. It is a way to control and suppress the voice of the survivor. Me too movement has taken a deep root among the victims of sexual abuse. It has helped to bring down male chaunist ego. The church and state leaders now have the task to listen carefully to the people on the pew and on the streets as to what they have to say about the sexual abuse. The change is coming but slowly. The change is hard and painful for both, powerful and survivors. It is important not to give up in this struggle for change.

Positive Theology

In my early formation of belief in God was that of a policeman. Sin was always on the forefront of any faith formation. Topic of sin was made relavant with ample examples both from the Bible and from our day today life. There was a moral yardstick to control and prevent one from sinning. Idea of punishing God became our daily bread. For instance, if we don't eat as children, God would punish us or if we didn't do our homework, God would punish us. God was more like a negative figurehead that helped parents and teachers to ease their burden of teaching and guiding children.
The punishing God impacted my adult life as well creating certain fear. Sin and God became parallel. Infinite and loving God was limited to a policeman God. We must move away from this kind of God. We must move from punishing God to prosperous God. That is, God of punishment to God of prosperity. Imagine how does a mother care for her child in times of struggles and joy. A mother will be living and caring to her children. The action and behavior of children surpasses mother's love for them. Our God is like a mother who's love and care surpasses our weakness and struggle. In other words, sin must surpass God's goodness and mercy. That doesn't allow us to hurt each other because God is love and God expects us to love each other. If God loves us he expects us to love others. So there is no room for sin in a positive theology. Positive theology must do away with sin and propose only prosperity. There is no place for negativity in the God of positivity.

Indigenous Artifacts Destroyed

It was a sad day for those who love to research and admire artefacts, documents and artworks to witness it reduced to ashes on September 2 at the National Museum of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. The destruction of indigenous artefacts and research documents, including relics of tribes that are considered extinct, represented a far more personal blow for the descendants of Brazil’s oldest inhabitants, who have spent decades fighting to preserve their heritage and ancestral lands. The museum contained a collection of thousands of indigenous artefacts pertaining to hundreds of ethnic groups. This collection gave insight into understanding indigenous roots. It has given the indigenous people identify in the national and international arena.

Having lived in Brazil and in Aishalton, my heart goes out to the indigenous people who painstakingly try to uphold their ancient culture and history. I appreciate the hard work and commitment that some people display to safeguard the identity of indigenous people through artefacts and documents of yesteryear. The collection of these artefacts and documents can empower their fight for identity and lands. When this is all gutted in the fire, what is left of them now? There is only ash left of it at the smouldering museum ground. As I sympathize with everyone who has felt the loss of the museum in Brazil, I wish to appeal to everyone to be extra careful in safeguarding the ancient artefacts and documents especially that of our indigenous people. These ancestral properties could give great and significant insight into the culture, history, language and importantly identity of those people in our contemporary world. 

Fr Jerome D'Souza the Statesman

My bewitchment in the early politics and founding of constitution of India lead me to write this tribute to Fr Jerome D’Souza. There are multiple kinds of literature on this great personality, but I am embarking on this write up lest we forget the contribution made by Fr. D’Souza during the birth of Independent and Republic India. I will not be able to discuss everything that Fr. D’Souza did for the welfare of India, but I would like to draw your attention towards his contribution as a parliamentarian of the independent India that includes his main input into the Constitution of India.

Fr. Jerome D’Souza is a Jesuit priest who was missioned with many important tasks as an educationist.  He was a professor of English Literature along with heavy responsibilities as the principal and rector successively in two colleges for fifteen years between 1935 to 1950. His involvement in Madras University affairs brought him to the public domain with an excellent talent as a public speaker and orator. This brings him to the attention of the political leaders such as C. Rajagopalachari, who sponsored Fr. Jerome’s election to the Indian Constituent Assembly. He won the regard and respect of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru because of Fr. Jerome’s talent as a speaker, as a master of many languages, as an educationist of repute and person of balanced judgement uncommitted to partisan politics by the very nature of his profession as a religious priest. He was selected four times as a member of the Indian Delegation to the United Nations and once to UNESCO. Nehru sought Fr. Jerome’s advise on delicate and behind-the-scenes negotiations with the French Government on the transfer of Pondicherry and other French territories in India. His expertise helped the Holy See and Indian Government in the diplomatic intervention about to Portugal’s exercise of the Padroado or Patronage in ecclesiastical appointment in India.

Fr. Jerome’s love for education and later his involvement in the constitution of India as a representative of minority group comes from his native birthplace of suburbs of Mangalore. His birth and childhood happen between Kinnigoli and Mulki which lies on the highway from Mangalore to Udupi. He was born on the 6^th August 1897. His childhood was spent at his maternal place called Sagar Bhavan in Mulki. He had four brothers and one sister. A great deal of walking had to be done either for school or church. His mother made sure that her children are educated. One incident that Fr Jerome later recalls that he came home without going to school and explained to his mother that it is a holiday for Hindu festival. When mother enquired this was not true, Fr Jerome was tied to a bar in the kitchen. But he escaped by asking his three-year-old sisters to cut the rope using a knife. He triumphantly appeared before his mother in freedom and compared himself to Christ bound and scourged. He was complemented later in life for the love of many languages. He did this by self-learning and could speak six languages with ease; Konkani, his mother tongue, Marathi, Tulu, Hindi, Urdu, Kannada, Tamil and English. His early schooling took place in St Aloysius College. Although he had an opportunity to study in London, he decided to stay in St. Joseph’s Trichy since he has come to like Tamil culture. After his studies, he comes back to teach at Joseph’s as a lecturer in English in 1920-1921. This was the turning point in the life of Fr Jerome when he decides to join the priesthood in the order of Jesuits in 1921.

Member of the Constituent Assembly: pro-minority

Fr Jerome is well remembered as the member of Constituent Assembly apart from all other titles and positions that he held. It is with pride I can say he is the beloved son of an infant India for Fr Jerome’s contribution to the making of India’s Constitution and of the significant and vital role he played in the drafting of those sections of the Constitutions which affected the Minorities. While he was serving as the principal of Loyola College, Madras, he was elected as one of the 39 members from Madras by the Legislative Assembly without any canvassing for votes. The then Chief Minister of Madras State Mr C. Rajagopalachariar asked Fr Jerome to serve on the Constituent Assembly as one of the Christian representatives. He entered the Assembly on the 9^th December 1946. Fr Jerome made friends with many leading men and women of the country and was became a witness to all that he was and had received as an educationist, a priest and a religious. It was a great opportunity such as is given to very few in history.

Fr Jerome worked at the Constitution from 1946 to 1949. He his main concern was with the safeguarding of fundamental rights and minority rights: the right to profess, practice and propagate religion, to all citizens freedom of education, freedom of association etc. Fr Jerome sums up his work as follows,

 “When fundamental rights were made justiciable, that is when any violation of them by individuals or governments could be challenged in a court of Law, the Christians felt that the safeguard of preserving minority rights by reserving special seats for them in the Legislatures on the basis of their population, was no longer necessary and that in the interests of national integration it was best to merge with and become part of the general electorate.”

 Fr Jerome, apart from these fundamental and minority rights, took part in almost all other discussions which led up to the drawing up of the Constitution of India. The above fundamental and minority rights have been discussed in the Constitution in detail. This sums up Fr Jerome’s key contribution to the drawing up of the Constitution.

Fr Jerome at the United Nations

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru nominated Fr Jerome as the member of the Indian Delegation to the UN for the first time in September 1949. His task to serve the country did not end after the drawing up of the Constitution but his expertise was needed by the country to represent at the UN. It was a joy for Fr Jerome to represent the country among other four members and they were from Madras and from South Kanara District which was part of Madras Presidency. He went to Rome to learn first-hand information from the Vatican on certain international problems and to brief Superior of the Jesuits. Hence, he flew to New York on September 19 on a UN Mission.

It was the fourth session of the General Assembly of the UN in 1949 that Fr Jerome attended as one of the Indian Delegation. One of the key aspects that stood out at the UN Assembly was that the presence of a Catholic Priest from India which evoked a good deal of surprise – a pleasant surprise. People in Europe and American were not aware of the numbers and position of the Christian Community in India. It was an opportunity for the whole world to hear about Christian Community in India and particularly happy to learn the attitude of the Christians in the national struggle, of the guarantee given to them and other minorities in the Constitution and o the number and importance of Christian educational and social works in India.

During this UN Assembly President Truman also announced that Russia possessed atomic weapons and must bring into immediate and urgent importance the work of the Atomic Energy Commission. One can grasp the significance of this UN Assembly and its vital discussions surrounding important issues such as atomic weapons. This could also remind us of the struggle between Russia and America even to date. He was also on the Indian Delegation of the UN at Parish session in 1951-52 in which he addressed the French Canadians with fluent French. He was four times selected to be a member of the Indian Delegation at the UN.

In conclusion, as we remember Fr Jerome’s contribution to India as a priest, religious, educationist and statesman in the context of social and political events, let us draw two important lessons from his life. Firstly, India will always remain a cradle of religions, whether majority religion such as Hinduism and minority religion such as Christianity. Fr Jerome’s contribution must help us to be tolerant towards other religions because it is in respect for other religions to make India a true secular yet unique country. India has had its share of division and violence but in our contemporary India, we have the responsibility to respect and uphold each other’s rights that Fr Jerome’s worked in the Constitution.

Secondly, India needs to promote academic excellence irrespective of religion or political affiliations. Fr Jerome was a Catholic priest, principal and religious yet he was a statesman who did not take political sides. His neutral yet people-oriented opinions elevated him to the person he was. India cannot ignore intelligent and genuine opinions because those opinions are not biased and will help to build India. India has a long way to go in this regard since India has been silencing genuine voices from the University benches. Long live Hindustan, Jai Hind. 

Church in China

This week has seen one of the blatant violation of religious freedom in China. The Chinese government has been destroying crosses, burning bibles, closing churches and forcing Christian believers to sign papers renouncing their faith as the crackdown on religious congregations in Beijing and several provinces intensifies. The suppression of religious freedoms is part of an official campaign to “Sinicize” religion by demanding loyalty to the atheist Communist party and removing any potential challenge to the party’s power in the country.

The anti-religion campaign affected not only Christian denominations. Around 1 million Uighurs and other members of Muslim minority groups in the country's northwest have been detained in indoctrination camps where they are forced to denounce Islam and profess loyalty to the Communist Party. Hence, it is obvious that communist ideology is rampant and has been robust in instilling it.

According to Chinese laws, religious believers are allowed to worship only in government-sanctioned congregations. But many millions of Christians belong to underground or house churches that ignore government regulations. Religious persecution is not new to the Chinese Christians. They have been persecuted for a long time but imminently after 2012. As Christians, we have the duty and responsibility to condemn any form of violation of religious freedom. We can reach out to the Christians and other religious people who have to practice their faith in fear and trembling. We are blessed to live in a free country where one can go to Church without any fear and trembling but think of those Christians who go to Church with fear. I am aware the best way to reach out to them now is to pray for them during our Mass, rosary and such. But if you think of any other way we can reach out to them, feel free to share with each other about it.

Source: Fox News