March 2015March 201502

he role and status of women in society has been a topic greatly overlooked for centuries. Women have been considered subordinate to T

men and have rarely enjoyed equal status with men in the important sectors of life. They have been treated as less human in a largely patriarchal world.

However, the role and expectations of women have changed over time. This change and growth can be seen in many ways as expressed in the legal system, human rights and fairness of opportunity. Still the numerous incidents of gender-based discrimination and violence tell us that despite many efforts we have a long way to go to see a world where men and women live as equals.

Pope Francis recently called for a greater presence of women in the decision-making areas of the church. He recognizes the need to ensure women that they are not guests, but full participants in the various spheres of the life of society and the church. Men and women tend have different qualities and attributes. These differences should not be used as tools to suppress and stereotype women. The church and society need all of these diverse gifts. Society and the church should ensure that women have choices that help them develop their talents and leadership roles.

The famous British actress and UN ambassador for women, Emma Watson, in her famous, “he for she” speech mentions that men are also victims of gender stereotypes. She points to the commonly held beliefs about masculinity and masculine ideals that force men to adopt a dominant, a g g r e s s i v e , c o n t r o l l i n g , a n d sexualized version of masculinity. These ideals of masculinity make even normal men take a defensive stand vis-à-vis gender discrimination. As Watson rightly puts it, gender issues are not just the issues of women alone; they are the issues of men also.

The question for all men of understanding and openness would be, 'how are we going to contribute to the welfare of women and their struggle for dignity?' How can we build a society which can be proud of its women? How are we going to take up this mantle so that our own daughters, sisters, mothers can be free from prejudices?

This edition of DNC Times dwells on the theme -Women. We have a number of write ups which focus on the life, the charisma, and the struggles of women. The opinion polls and poems are an absolute delight to read.

It is also an honour and a joy for us to receive article from Sunitha Krishnan and to have an inspiring interview from Teesta Setalvad. These women will ever be remembered as inspirations in the history of India for their dedicated lives and courageous acts.

Apart from this, we also dedicate a section of this issue to focus on the ongoing attacks on Christians in India.

I wish you a ve ry engross ing r e a d i n g o f t h i s edition on Women. I also invite you to break your culture of silence against any form of injustice and violence that we perceive in the world, be it against women or whoever else. Let us together strive to build a better humanity where all are cared for and respected.

The ideas expressed in this E-magazine are the opinions of individual writers.

is not responsible for any ideological conflicts.

DNC Times

The ideas expressed in this E-magazine are the opinions of individual writers.

is not responsible for any ideological conflicts.

DNC Times

EditorialEditorial

Sharath George, SJ

www.dnctimes.com www.dnctimes.com

feel blessed as I have had the honour of meeting the worst as well as the best of men in my personal and professional life.I Rescuing thousands of

women and children from sexual slavery, I have heard millions of stories of the brutality of men. Buying sex from an anonymous person gives so much of freedom and guts to do whatever one's sadistic mind can fantasize about - from pouring chilli powder into the woman's vagina, burning with cigarettes or cigars, to tying the woman to a bedpost and whipping her. Anything and everything seems possible in paid sex. I always thought that in a marriage or in a love relationship a lot of restraint is exercised. Today that too is doubtful.

I have also met the best of men on this planet. My father was my strength throughout my childhood and as a young adult. He encouraged me to follow my heart never imposing any personal dreams as expectation despite the fact that I was his favorite child and had all the qualities to make his dreams come true. In my early twenties I met my mentor and friend Br Jose, who was instrumental in guiding me to establish the proactive intervention 'Prajwala'. Br Jose was an example to all the victims we rescued that all men are not abusers. And then I met Rajesh my soul mate and husband; a secure man whose greatest happiness was and still is the growth of his wife. Words are inadequate to explain the extraordinary role Rajesh is playing in strengthening my activism and my interventions. Oneday when I was fed up with the repeated threat calls I was getting, I asked Raj 'if I am killed by these p e o p l e w h a t w i l l y o u d o ? '

The answer I got was, “It will be an honour for me if you are killed while rescuing a child." After seeing and understanding the best and the worst I am realizing more and more that there is a need to bring all the best together and create a counter movement to reduce or better still eradicate the worst.

My faith was further reinforced and received a new direction with an incident that happened on my recent trip to the US. After my presentation to a group of 200 Indians and Americans, I found one gentleman giving me strange stares. After all the participants left I found this man still sitting there. And then reluctantly he came to where I stood. Automatically I went forward to shake his hand with 'thank you' on the tip of my tongue (that is what I was doing for the better part of one hour). The man held my hand and broke down. I was bewildered and confused. And then softly he said "I have raped a lot of children. I went to Cambodia and Sri Lanka for them." I was numbed, no words would come out. How does one react to such a statement? In silence I held his hand and slowly I told him to seek help. For four days I tossed and turned, my sleep lost with this strange incident. For years I had held only anger and bitterness against all perpetrators and now I have one who is seeking my energy to heal him. What does one do in a moment like this? And then he sent me an email sharing with me how his father started sexually abusing him from the age of four, and how by the time he was seven he started enjoying the abuse, and by the age of fifteen became a powerful person in a household of eight as he was his father's pet. In his adult life he wanted to recreate the same pleasure and that is how he started abusing little kids.

This incident transformed me forever. For the first time I realized that maybe working with perpetrators is also a tool for prevention and empowerment.

Involving Men

To Be a Part of the Solution

Involving Men

To Be a Part of the SolutionSunitha Krishnan

“I am fighting for a new world order, a world where there’s no violation

of any human being.”

“I am fighting for a new world order, a world where there’s no violation

of any human bein .”g

March 2015March 201503

Article

Sunitha KrishnanSunitha Krishnan

An Indian social activist, chief functionary and co-founder of ‘Prajwala’, a non-governmental organization that rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates sex-trafficked victims into society.

An Indian social activist, chief functionary and co-founder of ‘Prajwala’, a non-governmental organization that rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates sex-trafficked victims into society.

March 2015March 2015o4

he very topic, Women and Church – is in itself

provoking and hints at a need for reflection on Tthe self understanding of the church,

especially in relation to women. Theologically, the

church is nothing but a community of disciples of Jesus

Christ. Church is also defined as the people of God.

Within this framework of the church being people of

God how do we understand the place and role of

women in the church? and the place and role of women

in the church?

Over the years and centuries, because of

several political and historical factors, the church has

taken on a very patriarchal image. To re-phrase this

image is to restore the human face of the church which

entails recovering the feminine dimension of being

church. The second aspect with regard to women and

the church is to reconstruct the structure of the church.

And here again concerning the structure of the church,

it is about deconstructing gender boundaries, for we

are aware that boundaries normally divide and

exclude. Hence we need to break down gender

boundaries and transcend them. Thirdly, retrieve

Christ's vision for the church, and this vision is none

other than that of being a community of equal

discipleship, a Church that is egalitarian and inclusive,

as Pope Francis often says.

In this regard, I believe that there is a need for

an alternate mode of authority because culture, society

and religion have determined how authority has to be

exercised in the family, in the society, religion and the

church as well. If authority is viewed as something that

is life giving, it is reciprocal and dialogical. But if

authority is understood as a kind of up-down, ladder

style of functioning, then it creates a superior-inferior,

a master-subject style of functioning in the church.

When authority is understood and exercised as an

authoritarian form of functioning, it affects the whole

structure and life of the church. It particularly affects

the place of women in the church because women have

always been viewed as being in the lowest rung of this

hierarchical structure. Here I would say, women have

something to contribute towards the understanding of

authority, especially when we look at the imagery of

motherhood.

Pope Francis speaks much about this, about

religious men and women being fathers and mothers.

We need to understand who we are as men and women,

as religious men and women, as consecrated people.

Maternity has to be understood from the perspective of

motherhood, which is life giving and relational, like

that of a mother and child. This aspect is essential for

both men and women if we want to understand the place

and role of women in the church and if we want a church

of equal discipleship. From this point of view,

deconstructing the socio-cultural and religious gender

constructs and gender stereotypes, creating gender

sensitivity and promoting an alternate mode of

authority will enable us to restructure the church as one

of partnership and equal discipleship. I think the best

example of this partnership is God himself; God

entering into a partnership with humankind.

God, our father and mother, entrusted a double-

mission command to humankind - to increase and

multiply LIFE and to protect and take care of LIFE

(Gen. 1: 26-28). He invites us to be co-creators with

Him in His plan of Creation and partners with Him in

his mission of giving life and love. With the 'Fall' when

human and cosmic relationship was ruptured and God's

life-giving mission impeded, God once again enters

into a partnership with humankind. He calls and

chooses men and women (Abraham/Sarah,

Jacob/Rachel, prophets/prophetesses, Kings/queens,

men and women leaders – Moses/Miriam, etc.) to

participate with Him in his plan of salvation. He now

invites humankind to be co-restorers of His life and

Women and Church TodayWomen and Church Today

Evelyn Monteiro, SCC

Article

March 2015March 201505

love. Jesus himself who called both men and women

to continue his Kingdom mission is a model to us. He

willed the same for the Church that he founded. If we

have to continue Jesus' Kingdom mission (Jn 10:10;

Lk 4:16-18) and fulfil God's plan of salvation and his

creative plan of sharing of His life and love, we need to

follow God's/Christ's model of partnership. This calls

for a communion model of being church, which was

given to us at Vatican II. Church as communion

implies involving women in the life and mission of the

Church; in the proclamation of the good news of the

Kingdom of God. This does not necessarily mean

preaching from the pulpit. But why not? Women can

proclaim the good news from their perspective which

will complement the male perspective. We need both

in interpreting, understanding and living God's Word.

In this context, I would like to underline that

women's experience of God is different and distinct

from that of men. Both are important, both are

significant. But unfortunately, women's experience of

God is not articulated and not even written about. This

is a significant missing link in our Christian heritage in

the church. A woman's expression of her God

experience; expression of her faith is distinct and

unique. This is an important aspect that we need to take

note of. Women's experience of God, women's

expression of their God experience, women's

interpretation of the Word of God are expressions of

the feminine ethos, which will complement that of the

male and give a more holistic understanding of being

church. Likewise, we will also have to include the

feminine dimension in spirituality, theology and

liturgy.

Another aspect of re-constructing our way of

being Church is to form women leaders in the church

and recognize their competence, intelligence,

creativity and potentiality for leadership.

As in the apostolic times, women are called to be co-

workers and co-leaders in the life and mission of the

church. St Paul has done it in his time. This somehow is

not happening in our church in India. If women are

accepted as co-workers and collaborators and not sub-

workers, it will retrieve the biblical understanding of

being church, the communion way of being church.

This would be a more credible way of witnessing to the

Kingdom of God and of fulfilling God's mission of

sharing His life and love.

The contemporary world speaks so much about

globalisation, a world that is moving towards becoming

a global village crossing boundaries of cultures,

civilisations and even gender barriers. But why is this

not happening in the church in India? The church is part

of the society; the church is part of the whole global

system. To bring about this essential change in mindset,

attitudes and gender relationship, we need to include

women formators, spiritual directors, counsellors,

professors along with men in houses of

religious/seminary formation and in philosophates and

theologates. This would ensure the feminine dimension

in priestly formation, even in human formation.

In the same vein, we also need to emancipate

and empower women, especially from the lower social

and economic strata; those who are marginalised and in

the periphery. Because these are the silenced and

forgotten women - the Dalit women, the tribal women,

the rural women; these are the women who must be

empowered and 're-membered' in order to have a

church of equal discipleship. Re-imaging the role and

place of women will enable us to retrieve the human

face of the church. This depends both on men and

women to recognise who women are and what women

can contribute towards the church and society today.

Sr Evelyn MonteiroSr Evelyn Monteiro - teaches theology( Mariology & Ecclesiology) at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune.

Women and Church TodayWomen and Church TodayArticle

Evelyn Monteiro, SCC

woman is unique in her own way just as a man is unique in his own way. Both are humans created in the image of God, and A

Jesus is the prototype of that image. Jesus had a very positive understanding of the status and role of women in society. Women cannot in every way be equal to men, nor can men measure up to women in all that they are and do. Yet, put together, they live out a beautiful and harmonious existence. Therefore an empowered woman carries herself with a smile and with an air of confidence. There is gentleness in her action, warmth in her dealing with others, and she walks the distant mile with courage. By her call to equal discipleship she does not fight or demand for her rights. Rather she stands firm for her rights not with aggression but with firmness, patience, love, and endurance. An ideal woman is a woman of doubt, a woman of q u e s t i o n i n g a n d seeking. She seeks to be a part of the Church not with her ego thrust forth, not seeking position or power, but by the fact of her being a w o m a n . H e r creativity unfolds in her power to influence not by rules but by her very quality as a woman, a sister, a daughter, a mother. She is a woman of c o m p a s s i o n , o f listening, and is one who is able to share and reflect. She has that magnetic power to attract others by her qualities and by her very being.

What does a woman look for in her male counterpart? She looks not for equality in terms of power but rather for recognition, dignity, and respect for humanity in which both women and men are complementary partners. Every man has that feminine quality in him; some have this explored better, some less. It is the integration of both sides that make a man a real man. Therefore men and women need one another as co-partners in this journey of life. The Christian feminists know that one of the principles of

feminism is to step over boundaries, to reach out, to listen, and to demand respect and dignity in the process. Feminism does not set out to create boundaries. Rather it aims at strengthening mutual respect and dignity. And only a solid spiritual life can provide this depth and strength. We need to recall and believe that God has created us in two sexes, in multiple colors, and in various parts of the globe. Yet, all own the moon. We need to realize that alone we can do nothing. Together we can work wonders.

Furthermore, what prevents a woman from being empowered is not merely the discrimination she suffers, but her own attitudes towards herself and other women. We hear so much of injustice done to women

by society. What is this society? Society is both men and women. Hence women are discriminated against not only by men but by women as well. Most of the time we easily identify ourselves with the dove, the sheep, and all that is good. We seldom realize or we're afraid to accept that we also are wolves and tigers in the places we live in. We expect men to treat us with respect , love, understanding, etc., but what about the lives we lead among ourselves? Do we really care about

the other woman's situation? We don't really care. Women ought to respect other women before expecting respect from men. Our egos at times are so stiff that we don't see or care about what is happening to other women. Due to our own preoccupations we often fail to lend other women our support and encouragement.

We sometimes ask the question, 'But what can one woman do?' The answer is, 'a woman can change the world'. If a single woman is capable of creating hell, she is also equally capable of creating a heaven wherever she is. The choice is hers.

The WomanThe WomanShe has it in her to change the worldShe has it in her to change the world

Scandiya Sanglyne, FSP

March 2015March 201506

Article

iolence against women is an extreme manifestation of the pervasive discrimination against women and violation of their human V

rights. Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls of society. In some places, these rights are institutionalized or supported

by laws, local customs, and behaviour, whereas in other places, they may be ignored or suppressed. They differ from broader notions of human rights through claims of an inherent historical and traditional bias against the exercise of rights by women and girls in favour of men and boys.

The 1981 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, signed by many United Nations member states, defines discrimination in a way that implies that women's rights are in "political, economic, social, cultural, civil" and other spheres. It denounced any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status.

Article 21 of the Constitution of India ensures the right to live with human dignity and freedom from exploitation. Very often women's right to life, liberty and equality remain a question. The Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, but often the position of women remains unequal. Women in India have long been subject to entrenched cultural biases that perpetuate the valuing of sons over daughters, who are often seen as an economic burden to families. As a result the women's rights to good health, education and leisure are ignored right from

childhood.

A generation ago women held few professional jobs and seldom ventured out alone. With women entering the workplace and becoming active, the challenges faced by them have also increased. Right to freedom and right to safety are in question for such women. 'Women in the workplace', are not just about professional women, but also the underemployed women as well as those who belong to the economically disadvantaged sections of society. Professional women in the workplace have a host of concerns, ranging from sexual harassment issues to rejoining the workplace after childbirth. Concern among the underemployed women as well as the economically disadvantaged women consists of hurdles relating to minimum and unequal pay, no job security and no benefits whatsoever.

Women may have rights but are often unable to exercise them fully due to lack of awareness of existing laws and on other hand, their legal rights are not protected as they should be. Despite equal protection of law guaranteed by the Indian Constitution to men and women, there have been relatively few cases in which women have asserted their right to equality by moving to courts. Although efforts have been made through various legislative measures to improve the status of women, the constitutional dream of gender equality is miles away from becoming a reality.

Patriarchal institutions pervade our lives, whether it be family, society, business, religious affiliation or politics. We have developed a mindset that allows men the right over women but puts restrictions on women's behaviour and interactions. Amidst the din of voices providing opinions on how to stop violence against women, we hear a lot about what women should not do or how she is supposed to behave, than what men should not do. Real change can only be effective if everyone, men and women, change their misogynist mindset. U n t i l w o m e n a r e respected and looked upon in equal terms with men in society, v i o l e n c e a g a i n s t women will continue to haunt us.

Women and RightsWomen and Rights

Reena D'Souza, SSpS

March 2015March 201507

Article

omen have been ill-treated for centuries and have often been seen as lesser humans. WI would like to focus my attention on the

attempts made by the Indian legal system and the Indian Constitution to empower women and protect them from the ongoing violence against them.

Constitutional Provisions· Equality before law for women (Article 14)· The State is not to discriminate against any citizen

on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them (Article 15i)

· The State is to direct its policy towards securing for men and women equally the right to an adequate means of livelihood (Article 39a);

· Equal pay for equal work for both men and women (Article 39d)

· To promote harmony and a spirit of common sharing amongst all the people of India and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women (Article 51A, e)

· Not less than one-third of the total number of offices of Chairpersons in the Panchayats at each level to be reserved for women (Article 243 D,4)

The Crimes Identified Under the Indian Penal Code

Special Initiatives for Women

·National Commission for WomenThis statutory body aims at studying and monitoring matters relating to the constitutional and legal safeguards provided for women.

· R e s e r v a t i o n f o r Wo m e n i n L o c a l rd

Self–Government: The 73 Constitutional Amendment Acts passed in 1992 by Parliament ensure one-third of the total seats for women in all elected offices in local bodies whether in rural areas

Legal Provisions

§Rape (Sec. 376 IPC)§Kidnapping & Abduction for different purposes

(Sec. 363-373)§Homicide for dowry, dowry deaths or their attempts

(Sec. 302/304-B IPC)§Torture, both mental and physical (Sec. 498-A IPC)§Molestation (Sec. 354 IPC)§Sexual harassment (Sec. 509 IPC)§Importation of girls (up to 21 years of age)

or urban areas.

· The National Plan of Action for the Girl Child (1991-2000): The plan of action is to ensure survival, protection and development of the girl child with the ultimate objective of building up a better future for the girl child.

· National Policy for the Empowerment of Women, 2001: This policy aims at bringing about the advancement, development and empowerment of women.

Acts Supporting the Empowerment of Women

·The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961: It aims at protecting women from the rampant bride price custom in India.

·The Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1956: It aims at protecting women from sexual slavery and exploitation.

· The Indecent Representation of Women Prohibition Act, 1986: Prohibits the representation of women through advertisements or in publications, writings, paintings, figures or in any other manner.

· The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 : An Act to provide for the constitution of a National Human Rights Commission, State Human Rights Commission in States and Human Rights Courts for better protection of human rights and for matters connected.

· Protection of Women against Domestic Violence: An act to provide for more effective protection for the rights of women guaranteed under the Constitution. This is for women who are victims of violence of any kind occurring within the family or for matters connected with it.

Laws and Legislations do not really make a difference unless someone stands up for the ongoing injustice then and there. Can you be a voice that stands against the odds to restore the rights and dignity of women in your surroundings?

To Empower Women!Legal & Constitutional Provisions for Women in India

To Empower Women!Legal & Constitutional Provisions for Women in India

Jesuraj, SJ

Know Your Law

March 2015March 201508

Jesuraj, SJJesuraj, SJ is the minister at DNC, Pune.He’s also a student of Law

March 2015March 201509

wonderful life began in my mother's womb thirty years ago. I remember my mother Aalways as being the most beautiful woman I

ever saw in my life; full of love, compassion, simplicity, kindness, sympathy, with a never-fading smile on her face. All love began there; a mother who dedicated her life to educate her children though illiterate herself. I never saw fights or chaos that could create an unpleasant home. On her face always shone a light of lovely cheer. All I am today I owe to my mother. I praise my mother who remains my truest friend of all.

Niral Deogam, SJ

he woman who inspired me to join religious life is a nun, Sr Belinda, who taught me Tcatechism every Sunday in the parish Church.

She would often ask me about my dreams. And my constant reply, which I knew irritated her very much, was to become a doctor. She would immediately reply, as if correcting me, that I was to become a priest. She even once told me that she would be the first person to receive communion from me after my Ordination. I never gave much thought then to becoming a priest. But her constant gentle reminder often mixed with humor and cheerfulness made a deep impression on my mind even without my awareness. And I think that she was the first person who sowed the seed of a vocation in me; inspired, motivated and above all trusted me to join religious life.

Sahil Gill, SJ

y mother Kamala, used to be very silent and hardworking. She instilled in me an attitude Mof hard work. “Listen to your heart and do

what it says,” these were the words of my mother when I expressed to her my desire to become a priest. She always encouraged me to take decisions in freedom and grow in it. Though our village was divided according to caste, my mother used to treat others equally and told me, “Never discriminate against others, treat everybody equally,” otherwise there is no value for your priesthood. These words of hers got rooted in my mind and made me dedicate my life to

work for the oppressed and the poor. My mother's silent encouragement always supported me to become a priest today in spite of struggles in life. I believe that she will be showering her blessings from heaven and will continue to support me in leading a meaningful priestly life.

Yesu Ratnam, SJ

t seemed like a dream. I was standing at the altar of God, stretching out my hand and saying, “This is Imy body . . . This is my blood.” YES, my call to

religious life was first nurtured in my home by my loving parents. My mother played a very crucial role in my vocation. Her role was much more significant than I can comprehend. She never pushed me towards religious life; she always prayed and supported my interest and was prepared to hear and say 'yes' to God's call. I believe that I am a better person today because of the decision to enter religious life which I made in my mid-twenties. With God's grace, I try to live each day seeing God's loving actions in the events and circumstances and in the dear neighbour. My deepest desire is to grow into the person of God that I am meant to be, and for me, the best way to be that person is to be a Jesuit.

Pradeep, SJ

What has been the Role of Women

in your Vocation to be a Jesuit?

What has been the Role of Women

in your Vocation to be a Jesuit?Opinion Poll

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March 2015March 201510

generation ago, women held few professional positions and seldom ventured out alone. ANow they are present everywhere; even in the

public and professional sector. They move out freely in public, particularly in cities and multinational companies. Unfortunately, they are also easy targets for sexual harassment and other exploitation.

In the light of violence against women I would like to delve into an attitude of women, which they inherit from their societal upbringing - “Respect precedes love”. In other words, women respect others before they begin to love. Respect and love are two different and unique feelings of human beings. Most of the time we tend to feel that love is the most qualitative and the highest feeling in an individual, which comprises all other essential elements in it.

I would think that respect is an attitude of high regard which demands certain status, good opinion, and admiration. In the modern society, love is understood as an intensive feeling of affection and care towards another person. In other words, love is a deep abiding liking for something or someone. In the present scenario, I am likely to feel that the world stands in need of respect towards women because men seem to be myopic about women concerning their exceptional attitude of respect. The feeling of love is even found in animals. We are social beings; we are not restricted to love alone but to respect the other beings especially our complementary sex. Love at the physical level can emerge from a mere empirical perception. Love at the thinking level provides one with mental pleasure and comfort, whereas respect does not emerge intrinsically towards the other either at the physical or the thinking level.

Women by nature respect first and then they begin to love. Family is the nucleus of relationship and inception of all virtues. When a child grows in the family, he or she is taught to respect parents. Women, even in times of great adversity and oppression, take the pain to respect men and run the family smoothly. I believe, quite often, the same men fail to respect these women.

From the beginning of the scientific revolution (or probably from the beginning of time), there seems to be an attitude among men to look at women as mere

objects. Our society needs introspection about the place and attitude it has towards women. This conscious process alone can aid holistic growth. There is a pressing need to cultivate respect and responsibility towards women. Levinas, the world famous philosopher said, “The other is the future.”

Only an inbuilt attitude of respect and dignity towards the complementary sex will enhance societal functioning, and will build us as a human community leading to holistic development of persons and nations.

The Exceptional Attitudes of WomenLove and Respect

The Exceptional Attitudes of WomenLove and Respect

ArticleJohn Kamilas, SJ

Unthinkable though of might,Running its own height,Tell this, think be right,Days so long to fight.

Arose once the guided spirit,Within the mind of heart,Yearning zeal to the hut,

Lurking hesitation once but.

Though willing yet not willingStill to destination kept moving,

Expectation to action kept arising,To failure, hardly even expecting.

Sir conditioned housing,Would hardly be discomforting

May be many longingIt, becoming, me, uncomforting.

The lonely fragrance to hate,And so does the room mate,

See the fate of the nightStill tougher to fight.

Could have travelled once,Such ways by chance

Must have had a glance,How to love to hate an ambience.

Place in the factorAcceptance, the other,

Be it whatever,Say not no and never.

Ways of the CrossPreetam Prakash, SJ

March 2015March 201511

he Holy Spirit is the third person of the Blessed Trinity. However, since the Spirit had no 'personal form' it tended to be forgotten for T

ages. Today, the Church reiterates that the Spirit is a person and tries to revive the devotion to the Spirit. This renewed stress now given to the Spirit in the Catholic Church is welcome, even though this seems promoted by conspicuous Spirit-devotion by the Pentecostals and other Evangelicals.

The assertion in the book of Genesis (1:26) that human beings are created “in the image and likeness of God” is central to Christian Anthropology. However, since our images of God are so closely identified with male persons - Father and Son - w o m e n a r e s o m e h o w considered as not fully imag ing God , and by extension not fully equipped to perform sacred and godly functions in the liturgical and sacramental sphere. To offset this lacuna, can we not consider the Holy Spirit as the feminine face of God? Viewing the Spirit as God's feminine face has been a subject of research and hermeneutics by many scholars.

There are similarities between the Spirit and women in the Church. First, just as the Spirit seemed to be the forgotten member of the Trinity, women in the Church seem forgotten, too. Second, just as the Spirit is shakti, power, so do women possess immense power, which most often goes unrecognized, unutilized and unappreciated. Feminine power is internal, tender, yet solid, capable of great resilience in times of trial and equipped to withstand opposition from many fronts.

The dependence of the Church only on male power and the sidelining of feminine power can analogously be compared to our human obsession with the use of the right hand and limiting use of the left hand for very few purposes. In fact, left hands at times were tied at the back to force children to eat, to write and to accept things with the right hand only. Right was right, earlier; and today, 'right is might' too.

The time is ripe to rectify our God images and reap the fruits thereof. By considering God as exclusively male, we have made ourselves unilateral, monolithic, one-sided and stiff-necked. Moreover, anybody who says anything different from what the ecclesiastical hierarchy thinks is condemned. However, the present is full of promise. We have Pope Francis at the helm: a God-realizer, spirited leader, who is much more humane than his predecessors, possessing a holistic vision, inclusive in his embrace, and careful about passing judgments irrationally.

So far, by and large, the contribution of women to Church life was limited to them being subjugated by clerics and often being given roles of secretaries to heads of commiss ions (a l l male). Till recently, the study of theology was mostly out of

bounds for women. They were regarded as secondary in sacramental action - mainly entrusted with doing jobs in the sacristy like keeping altar linen clean, arranging the flowers at mass, etc.

Just as we require both, our right hand as well as the left hand, so must the Church tap the potential of men and women. Women depict the feminine energy of God - analogous to the power of the Holy Spirit - and can be given more powers in planning, decision-making, providing life-generating and holistic perspectives to Church programmes and policies and so on. Then, just as for healthy living our body requires the cooperation of all organs, and just as our bodies operate on the yin yang dual energy principle, so will our Church be healthy, harmonious and holistic in its outlook and outreach.

The Holy Spirit and the FeminineThe Holy Spirit and the Feminine

Santana Pereira, FMA

Do send us your comments,opinions on

!Attacks on Minorities in India

!Mohan Bhagavat’s comments on Mother Teresa

Do send us your comments,opinions on

!Attacks on Minorities in India

!Mohan Bhagavat’s comments on Mother Teresa

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oseph Conrad once said, 'being a woman is a terribly difficult task since it consists principally in dealing with men.' As I reflect on J

women and the church, I think no man can fully understand a woman unless he is born a woman.

In the creation story, God created woman from man's rib – 'bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.' The same God who created Adam, created Eve. It reminds us of the dignity and equality of man and woman. Pope Francis says that the legitimate rights of women should be respected, based on the

firm conviction that men and women are equal in dignity. Unfortunately, as generations passed, women became a matter of possession, envy, power and jealousy. In Indian society we see that a woman's psychology is so set that she depends on her father when she is young, then depends on her husband in married life, and finally depends on her son in old age. She has no separate identity. She is always submissive to one or the other. Today by emancipation of women in the church we hope for the Reign of God on earth where men and women will have equal rights and dignity.

Christianity from the very beginning has paved a broad way for the emancipation of women. Jesus challenged gender prejudices at their core. He dissociated himself from the customary exclusion of women. St. Paul the Apostle too had great regard and respect for women; he presented women as equal to men. He did hold an androcentric view on the world, but he was not a misogynist. On the

contrary, St. Paul did admire Christian women, specially their leadership in the Church, and even the persecutions they had to endure. St. Paul did not reject and diminish women leadership in the early Church, but encouraged their participation in Christian communities. He showed nothing less than deep love and admiration for women at that time. Then once the church was established, tens of thousands of ordained women deacons served in parishes during the first millennium of the Church. St Remigius of Reims in 533 AD makes a mention in his last will of his daughter, the deaconess Helaria. The two local Synods in Gaul tried to suppress the diaconate of women 'for their region'. Due to socio-cultural influences on Christian society, the hatred of women began to be found almost without exception in all the major Christian theologians throughout Christianity's early formative centuries. Finally, and only very recently, Vatican II brought about many revolutionary changes. Yet a vast majority of the local churches are untouched.

The first wave of feminism began in the mid nineteenth century. A huge amount of feminist writings in huge volumes of books, monthly's, weekly's, newsletters and so on were published; but today the trend is in a dormant state. The stigma on women as inferior, physically weak, impure, objects of carnal pleasure, and so on, still continues to be as it was in many of the societies. Women were, are, and remain a mystery to be unearthed. And I hope our dream to have a society where men and women are of equal dignity is not very far ahead.

Emancipation of Women in the ChurchEmancipation of Women in the ChurchChallenging age-old prejudicesChallenging age-old prejudices

C. Ajeesh Benans

March 2015March 201512

Article

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March 2015March 201513

saint is a sign of divinity dwelling in humanity, the divinity which transcends the limitations in the world. Their lives are like a A

ray of light in the darkness, moments of joy in sorrow, and flashes of hope in despair. Every generation needs saints both men and women who can make the world a better place. After being born through the Holy Virgin Mary, God continues His incarnation through women saints who conceive him through contemplation, nourish him through prayer, and bring Him into the world through proclamation and works of charity.

Women saints have contributed uniquely in establishing God's kingdom on earth. Every woman saint has been a source of inspiration with her weakness and her strength, her vanity and humility, her ignorance and wisdom, her unbelief and belief in God. Women saints by their unique contribution have brought about changes in the mindset of the people. They dared to break some of the norms in society, much like Jesus did, in order to bring about radical changes for greater good and for God's glory. During the time of Jesus, women were expected only to listen to God's word and not proclaim it. Mary Magdalene however, was the first to proclaim the risen Christ. The Apostles did not believe her but she stood a firm witness to the resurrection. The life of St. Monica of Hippo, a married woman, is exemplary. She was not only a person of prayer and perseverance but she confronted her husband and son about their ways of

life rather than being submissive to their demands. She not only confronted but also found out means to bring about a transformation in her son, Augustine, through Bishop Ambrose of Milan. Joan of Arc, the patroness of soldiers and of France, is a good example of a brave and active woman. Being a woman she did not remain behind the walls praying and doing household chores but began her mission to unite France. She led the French army in a momentous victory at Orleans. In the

th16 century, St. Teresa of Avila showed through her life that company of women can be sought not only for their beauty and friendship but also for spiritual assistance, guidance for better living, and reformation of one's life and religious Order. It was under her guidance that St. John of the Cross reformed the Order of Carmelite priests. She not only helped St. John of the Cross reform the Order but she herself reformed the Carmelite nuns and built many foundations for the Order.

The lives of women saints have been an inspiration to many. They were new wineskins containing the new wine. Their unique style of living the Kingdom values have empowered women and enabled the predominantly male society to experience in a woman an indwelling presence of the divine. She makes the church incorporate the feminine image of God in the mystical body of Christ. Thus, communion is established in the Church through her life and the Kingdom of God realized.

George, SJGeorge, SJ

Women Saints in the Church and their Unique Contribution

Women Saints in the Church and their Unique Contribution Article

Fiona D'cruz, CM

e live in a nation where the woman is seen as a goddess and is also treated less than an animal. The reports of crimes W

against women in India such as rape, dowry deaths, abduction and molestation have increased by 26.7% in 2013 compared to 2012, in Delhi alone. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) said that in India, there were 309,546 crimes against women reported to the police in 2013, as against 244,270 in 2012.

According to a 2013 global review of available data, 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced e i t h e r p h y s i c a l a n d / o r s e x u a l in t imate par tner violence or non-p a r t n e r s e x u a l violence. However, s o m e n a t i o n a l violence s tudies show that up to 70 per cent of women have experienced p h y s i c a l a n d / o r sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner.

One can never forget the brutal rape and murder of Nirbhaya in Delhi which shocked the nation and let us not forget that the incident was just one of many similar incidents. We need to have a look at the undercurrents and the deep story behind violence against women.

a.Longing for the Divine: Having a close look at the criminals involved in these brutal rapes and murders, we come to learn that many of them are either in search of either joy or pleasure or meaning. There is also a kind of rising restlessness in the human heart today more than ever before. Constant fights in the family, dissatisfaction in personal life, increasing work load in the competitive world of today, and untold worries and tensions are possibly given vent to in the form of heinous, inhuman crimes like rape and murder. I believe that amidst all this these criminals as I said

earlier are in search of something. Will I be wrong if I say that even at the depth of such gruesome acts is a search for the divine, which is the very longing of a human?

b. Growing Herd Mentality: An increasing number of gang rape cases is also a sign that the wounded and insecure individuals find their identity in anti-social groups. Human, scared to be by himself, is developing a kind of herd mentality, where the group dictates how one's value system should be. Every human by his/her very nature is unique, but the world today is moving into an unhealthy uniformity. Isn't this

a curse o f th i s modern competitive word?

c. T h r e a t t o Complementarity: If the Indian society continues to make w o m e n i n s e c u r e through violence against them, then it will be forced to pay a heavy price. When m o r e a n d m o r e w o m e n c o n f i n e

themselves indoors, citing security issues, the nation will definitely lack the complementary view on various societal matters and that would in the long run spell disaster for society. The need of the hour is to promote complementarity by fostering equal participation of women in decision making.

The nation saw a new wave in Indian politics with the AAP sweeping the Delhi elections and Congress being totally kept out by the people of Delhi. Everyone speaks of corruption as a cause for the debacle of the Congress, but I believe that the rising rape and murder cases too contributed much to it.

We tend to see now that the nation is slowly waking up to the issues of women, which is indeed a welcome sign. Women like Medha Patkar, Sunitha Krishnan and Teesta Setalvad should serve as a source of inspiration to the women of India to stand up for their rights.

Violence against Women A Critical View

Violence against Women A Critical View

Vishwas Misquith, SJ

Analysis

March 2015March 201514

he Universal Declaration of Human Rights defines human rights as being universal, inal ienable , and indivis ible . The T

universality of human rights means it applies to every single person, by virtue of their humanity and to everyone equally, for everyone is equal in simply being human. The idea of human rights as inalienable means it is impossible for anyone to abdicate a woman's human right, even if she wanted to, since every person is accorded those rights by virtue of being human. Therefore human rights of women and girl children are an inalienable, integral, and indivisible part of universal human rights. The full and equal enjoyment of a l l human r igh t s and fundamental freedom by women and girls is a priority for governments.

Human rights are rights relating to life, liberty, equality, and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution and enforced by the courts in India. Gender based violence is a form of d i s c r i m i n a t i o n w h i c h seriously inhibits a woman's ability to enjoy rights and freedoms on the basis of equality with men. The right to life includes the right to dignity. The Supreme Court has rightly observed this fact in many of its judgments.

Violence against women, clubbed with

these inequalities & deprivations is a total denial of her human rights and is perhaps the most shameful human right violation. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture or wealth. As long as it prevails, a society cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace.

Violence against Women & the Need for Social Change

The Times of India published an extensive study on domestic violence. This study was conducted across six states and showed that “nearly 27% of the women surveyed in Maharashtra were beaten up, dragged or kicked by their husbands at

some point in their married life. This figure is a close second only to Bihar where 30% reported similar violence. The study conducted by the International Institute of Population Science, Govandi, and the Population Council of India, Delhi, included interviews with 8,052 married men and 13,912 married women in the 15 to 29 age group. The study reveals that the incidence of both physical and sexual violence is very high. Moreover, violence was reported not just in homes of the illiterate, but the experiences shockingly touched working and non working, urban and rural women equally. The torture for some begins early on,

with 23 per cent women in Maharashtra saying their husbands had forced sex with them on the wedding night itself. Not surprisingly the men who were interviewed perceived a much lower incidence of violence against women. Only 4 per cent admitted to forcing sex on their wives on the first night. 18 per cent of men admitted to beating their wives or physically assaulting them in the first year of marriage.

A smaller pilot study conducted at J.J. Hospital,

Mumbai, in September-October 2008 showed that not just domestic violence, 20% of the 100 women patient interviewed admitted to experiencing violence in the office and on the roads as well. This is not necessarily confined to physical violence but the creation of an atmosphere of terror, a situation of threat and reprisal. Violence in other words has built a hierarchical social order.

Many forms of violence against women are not even recognized as such, but rather ignored, condoned or justified by invoking religion, culture or traditional beliefs, which makes the whole effort for a violence-free society arduous and unworkable. We hear every day that many children are being raped and hung on the trees naked. On an average, every year 1200 girl children and women are raped. If this continues then what will be the future of our nation? Can our society claim real progress towards equality, development and peace? This is the big question!

Violence against Women is a Human Rights ViolationViolence against Women is a Human Rights ViolationChallenging a social hierarchical orderChallenging a social hierarchical order

Yesu Ratnam, SJ

March 2015March 201515

Article

he phrase 'contemplatives in action' is widely used in order to speak about the spirituality of Tthe Society of Jesus. This phrase was

popularized by Jerome Nadal and is certainly a succinct manner of expressing the Jesuit way of life. However, a more accurate expression of the Society's spirituality would consist in the phrase - 'Finding God in all things'. While we can certainly assume that the essence of both these phrases is the same, there is a nuanced difference between them.

In the f i r s t phrase , two concep ts 'contemplation' and 'action' are fused together. While Nadal was right in stating that we are called to be contemplatives in action, there exists the subtle risk of considering action as being secondary (or inferior) to contemplation. This danger is partially because of a limited understanding of the word 'contemplation' within Christian spirituality. It considers contemplation to be limited to formal prayer, pious acts and other external manifestations of faith. Various spiritual authors have elaborated upon this idea by using the encounter of Jesus with Martha and Mary to prove their point. Though Nadal at no point of time subscribes to this hierarchy of acts, his juxtaposition of two words having different meanings could cause a certain amount of confusion. A person may verbally speak of the unity of these two concepts, but actually live in a manner where there is a clear separation of the two.

This does not mean that formal moments of prayers can be substituted for work or a life of frenzied activity. Ignatius was very particular about the time spent in formal prayer and insisted that one ought to prepare oneself adequately for the Eucharist as well as one's personal prayer. The daily Examen was critical in Ignatius' understanding of spiritual life. A cursory glance at the Spiritual Diary is enough for us to understand the importance of formal moments of prayer in the life of Ignatius.

However, to consider moments of formal prayer as being synonymous with contemplation would be an erroneous reading of Nadal's phrase

'contemplatives in action'. Part of the confusion arises because of the association of this word with the use of the word 'contemplation' while referring to specific moments of prayer in the Spiritual Exercises. Nadal's understanding of the word 'contemplation' is far more nuanced, has a meaning which is profound, and can be better comprehended by trying to understand it within the context of the Contemplation to Attain Love (cf. Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius).

The second phrase 'finding God in all things' is a far more accurate expression of that which constitutes the core of the Society's spirituality. This is the goal of the spiritual method proposed by Ignatius and is highlighted towards the end of the Autobiography where Ignatius tells de Cámara that through the years he had grown in devotion, i.e. in an ease in finding God in all things. Devotion was not merely all that entailed popular piety, but an experience of the presence of God at all times – in the governance of the Society, social activities in Rome, conversations with various persons, fund-raising for the Roman houses, instructions related to formation and so on.

The experience of 'finding God in everything' is rooted in an Incarnational spirituality which emphasizes the presence of the laboring love of God in all reality. A Jesuit is called to participate in the action of the Spirit in today's world through a total offering of oneself. Ignatius through the Spiritual Exercises indicates to us a way in order to grow in this awareness of the presence of God in everything, and respond generously to the invitation of God in our day to day lives. The growth in a mystical awareness of God's presence and a generous response is not a mechanistic or an automatic process. It is primarily the grace of God and the deliberate effort of a person to grow in silence, reflection, prayer, discernment and action. This harmony of God's grace and the human response helps a person to slowly progress in the ability to 'find God in all things'.

Finding God in All ThingsFinding God in All Things

Francis Pudichery, SJ

Finding God in All ThingsFinding God in All Things

Jesuit Spirituality

March 2015March 201516

www.ignatianspirituality.comwww.ignatianspirituality.com

ather Ignatius' pilgrimage from earthly values to holistic liberation was entirely God centered. He would consult God at every step of his F

journey. Never did he feel that he was willing away his 'Consultation time with God', doing nothing.

1. Focus on Youth: Today, increased independence among youth is considered to be an emerging and modern trend. The younger generation all over the world wishes to be independent and they long for some kind of virtual relationship. They are not willing though to be socially concerned towards each other where commitment and loyalty in relationships is needed. I see the world being drawn towards a selfie culture (I-for-me) which appears to be self-sufficient but not soul comforting. Why don't we Jesuits orient the youth with transformational leadership to build a better WORLD, making them realize the necessity for human beings to be related to each other. All are to live in love. Why don't we make them feel Jesus through Ignatian wisdom? 2. Go to the Frontiers - Millions of refugee families from different nations and of every religious faith live through dramatic stories and carry deep wounds that will be hard to heal. Why don't we still lend ourselves

God was forming him in order to ignite the world with zeal. I am sure that GC 36 will count on God alone just as our founding fathers did; for God alone purifies our actions, intentions and desires. I pray that GC 36 becomes a platform where we learn to do away with all that destroys us – gossip about others' weaknesses, enjoyment at other's expense and infidelity to Jesuit identity. Instead, we plunge into reshaping the world where the Anawim, the neglected and the poor feel at home. Pope Francis has been earnestly insisting upon and praying for a renewal in the Church. He insists on a Church of the poor and we Jesuits can do it for the greater glory of God

John Paul Lobo, SJ (GUJ)

to the work of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)? (2014, recorded the highest number of refugees in the World).

Michael Panimaya Raj, SJ (MDU)

I see three main challenges before us which need adequate and creative responses as we move towards GC 36. These three ought to be an integral part of the apostolate and mission of the Society of Jesus.

1. EcologyThough GC 35 has given great emphasis on our response to environmental degradation, I feel that years later we are still to respond strongly and genuinely. As a culture of economic development alone as a priority in life grows, definitely the ecological crisis will also increase. Many other issues are on the rise – the water crisis, equity issues, pollution & health-related disorders, migration, environmental refugees & tribals, etc.2. Value based Education – Renewing Ignatian PedagogyWe see growing fundamentalism, terrorism, violence, hedonism, materialism and consumerism in our present world. We Jesuits having so many educational universities and centers of learning, where we have young minds that can be shaped with ethical values that would enhance personal as well as communitarian growth. This is the need of the hour.

3. Movement based Social ActionThe growing disparity between the rich and the poor, oppression and suppression, are key concerns that affect the marginalized and the poor. Unless and until the oppressed organize and realize their due rights and seek it, nothing is going to change. Our social involvement which focuses on promotion of justice must become more movement-based and should arise from conscientization of the people.

Lumnesh Swaroop, SJ (KAR)

South Asian Scholastics SpeakSouth Asian Scholastics SpeakGC-36 Special

GC 36 - ExpectationsGC 36 - Expectations

March 2015March 201517

ne fine day I was born from my mother's root. I came to the world as a tiny and gentle fellow. When I opened my eyes, I saw O

everything around me was black and white. I thought that would be the colour of those things which are really not. Later I noticed I myself was neither black nor white in complexion but a blend of both. Confused, I asked my mom and she replied with a smile, “As a new born child, you will see everything in black and white”. Some days later, I saw my relatives, all of them greenish. They told me that my name was grass, which happened to be my family name, too. Every morning I worshiped our God, mother earth, as I woke up from my deep slumber. I felt like the happiest person in the world. One day, a beautiful girl named butterfly came and sat on me. I was transported to a seventh heaven. I noticed that she was not that happy as I w a s . S h e w a s f r i g h t e n e d o f something or somebody. Her beautiful wings were shivering. I asked her for the reason politely. She said, “A two-legged animal is chasing me and trying to catch me.” I consoled her saying, “Don't be worried; I will kill it with my sharp blade body”. She smiled at my reply.

She then told me about the two-legged animal. Its hand was huge like an iron rod. Even its body, head and eye were huge. It was really a gigantic animal. This huge animal was trying to catch my beautiful and tiny lady. When its hand came close to her, I shook my head and gave her a sign to escape. She flew leaving her colours and fragrance on me. I realized that I was not 'I'. I was flying in the air for saving my beloved's life, but that was not to last long.

“Oh! My God! Save us, save us”, was the loud cry from my friends. I was frightened. With my timid voice I asked my brother, “What happened?” Even though he was well-built, sunk in the fight of

fear, he told me, “a four-legged animal, called cow, is biting and killing our people.” I saw it and it saw me too. I felt like many butterflies flying in my stomach. When the animal opened its mouth I could see all my dead friends in it. I hid myself to save my life. I almost lay flat on the earth with the help of my cousin, air. My brother was killed before my very eyes. I could not but only cry, cry, and cry.

Fear engulfed me. At times, the two-legged animals would come and squeeze me and go. Sometimes a huge rock or a stone would fall on me. Every day brought us new life. We could not spend our

life happily round the clock. At one point, I was forced to think that we were the most frightened and fragile people on earth.

However, I grew up young and energetic. I was enjoying the presence of my cousin air, my friends and the surroundings. I looked tall and I was enormously happy about

it. One day, a gigantic two-legged animal came close to me. It had a pair of glasses on its face. I had never seen such an ugly animal in my life. The cruel animal tried to catch me, but my cousin helped me escape. The second time, I was caught and it beheaded me, crushed me and sucked my blood. I died. No, No… I was actually killed.

I was brutally decimated by this unreasonable act. My body was killed but my soul wasn't. I went to God to argue with him. I asked him, “I did no wrong to those creatures. How come, then, those animals could torture, persecute, and kill me for no reason?” God answered me, “My dear Grass! I create everyone with a purpose, granting them full freedom to fulfill it. In the long run, many don't accomplish their purpose; they live as they wish only to finally meet me here with tears. Only those people who do not find any purpose in life go on to disturb others. I am extremely happy about you. You have fulfilled your purpose and so come and enjoy your new home, my Kingdom.”

I, grass, then happily sat beside God and enjoyed the rest of my life.

Purpose with FreedomPurpose with Freedom

John Paul, SJ

March 2015March 201518

Short Story

s I fixed my gaze on the body of St Francis Xavier, my thoughts went back to my novitiate days. It was a Saturday. Like every A

Saturday, I stepped onto the bus to go for my ministry. I was still reflecting over what our novice master had told us the day before. He told us about Francis Xavier's experience with a leper on the ship when he was on his way to India. Xavier was repugnant at first but later he overcame it by putting his finger into the leper's wound and licking the pus. What made him do that, I wondered.

Meanwhile I heard the bus-conductor reminding me that we had reached the bus-stand, my destination. I got down. It was all a hustle-bustle with many people, noise of the announcements and vehicles. Through all this, I made my way to the railway station, a 20 minute walk from the bus- stand, then onto platform no. 2. The booth of Bosco child-line was on this platform. This ministry was run by the Salesian fathers. My ministry there was to go in and around the railway station, look for those who have run away from their homes and take them to the residence, which was a 45 minute walk from there, where they would be taken care of.

On that day I found many boys and I had to reach them to the residence. This, I had to do several times and I was tired; not just tired, but dog tired. Finally at the end of the day I was on my way back. I stepped out of the railway station and saw this boy of 11 years old. He was crawling on the ground because his legs were polio stricken. I looked at him and he also looked at me. I looked at my watch; I was already late. Then I turned my face towards him, he was still looking at me. Should I take him or not?

Reaching him to the residence would cost me at least one hour and I would then be very late in reaching the novitiate. So I just passed him by.

I was waiting for my bus. But the look of the boy haunted me. My thoughts were not clear. Then came to me what I was thinking over during that morning while I was travelling. I tried to imagine how that leper looked at Francis Xavier. Something within me compelled me to go to him. Then I went in search of the same boy but I could not find him. Finally I spotted him at the garbage bin looking for food. I went to him and asked him to come with me. At first he resisted but when I told him that he would be given good food, he agreed.

I was walking and he was dragging himself on the pavement. I just took him on my back and carried him all the way to the residence. I waited until he had his meals. After he finished I got up to come back and looked at him once more. Then he also looked at me. This time it was different. There was a charm and a spark in his eyes when he looked at me. He found a new refuge, a new hope in life. And that look I never forgot thereafter.

Now, as I take a deep look at the body of St. Francis Xavier, the look of the boy is still in my mind.

That Unforgettable LookThat Unforgettable Look

Kamalakar, SJ

I was born and they called me a childI grew up and they called me adult

I spoke less they called me reservedI spoke a lot they called me talkativeI was open and they called me chatty

I was moody and they called me selfishI spoke against and they called me arrogant

I kept quiet they called me nutI was modern and they called me conceited

I was traditional and they called me outdatedI was simple they called me frugal

I spent more they called me spendthriftI had many friends and they called me unculturedI had nobody around and they called me immature

I was as I am they called me adamantI, now, lose my 'self' they call me WOMAN

March 2015March 201519

They Call MeWilliam Charles, SJ

Experience

March 2015March 201520

he very name DNC evokes in my mind fond memories of the four glorious years I spent there, the longest duration of any stage of my T

formation. They were full four years, without any interruptions such as going to the Province for holidays and so on.

The best thing about DNC life for me was the extensive contact with Jesuits of various Provinces,

other Congregations, and Seminarians of various dioceses in India. Among my Jesuit companions were Subash Anand, Xavier Irudayaraj, Dick Lambert, Roberge and the late Aloysius Fonseca (Jr).

In the academic field we had some eminent Jesuits as professors – Neuner, Bermejo, Hambye, Volckaert, Antoine and others. The extensive library was a real treasure trove, made all the more valuable by the ever ready service of Fr Schlegel. Opportunities for apostolic outreach abounded in the form of IHS Letters, Prem Marg, social work activities, directing CLC groups in the city, etc.

The decrees of Vatican II were just coming out then in the form of a book, but our professors were already incorporating the Council's ideas in their classes. Liturgical reforms had begun already. DNC was considered one of the experimental centres for inculturation in liturgy. There was scope for creative thinking and expression of ideas through the cyclostyled bulletin QUEST – a purely student initiative.

It was during those years that a few of us, including Stan Fernandes (subsequently DNC Rector and now Archbishop) volunteered to do the scullery

ourselves rather than blame the kitchen staff for want of cleanliness. Later it became something of a regular assignment to take turns – a thing for which many might have cursed the group that initiated the practice.

Though there was some criticism among bishops and among Jesuits too, that laxity prevailed in Pune, personally, I felt that the freedom given to us, and the responsibly used, contributed much to our growth in maturity and formation for the mission that awaited us. It was, however, not all study and no play. There was the daily rush after meals to the rec. room to get the best Domino set and the cards pack, while others, went round the house enjoying a leisurely stroll. There was no TV then. Every evening, a game of basketball (some playing, others watching from outside the refectory) or other games or a swim kept us fresh for the evening study. The much awaited cycle picnics, the adventures of scaling the heights of Sinhagad, Raigad, Pratapgad, etc., and the unforgettable quinzaine (major holidays that lasted 15 days) at Mahabaleshwar helped to keep our spirits high.

Fond Memories of DNCFond Memories of DNC

Richard Sequeira, SJDown Memory Lane

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Balamela - Saheli , GorpuriBalamela - Saheli , GorpuriWomen and Church

by Sr Evelyn Monteiro

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Sr Evelyn Monteiro

Oppression of WomenJudges 19, 1-30

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PoemPoem O Woman Divineby

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Short StoryShort Story Purpose with Freedomby John Paul, SJ

Purpose with Freedomby John Paul, SJ

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March 2015March 201521

t John de Brébeuf, a Jesuit missionary and

martyr, was born on 25 March 1593 in Condé-Ssur-Vire, Normandy, France. A brilliant

student, gifted linguist, and competent manager, he

could make things happen. Even though weakened by

tuberculosis, John joined the Canada mission in 1625.

For a quarter of a century with only a four-year break,

he evangelized the hurons in Quebec. He lived with

them, embraced their customs, mastered their

language, and wrote a catechism for them.

In 1649, the Iroquois

attacked the huron village

where John was living i.e.

where he and his converts

were martyred. John de

Brébeuf was canonized by

Pope Pius XI on 29 June 1930,

and was proclaimed one of the

patron saints of Canada by

Pope Pius XII on 16 October

1940.

Reflection

It becomes crystal

clear from the life of this saint that God does choose the

weak in order to shame the wise (1 Cor 1:27) so that

power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9) and

one can thus see the finger of God active. We often

seem to go by outward appearances and judge people

according to varying pre-set standards. Human as we

are, we are carried away by human factors. The great

prophet Samuel while searching for someone to anoint

as successor to Saul (1 Sam 16:7) and Jesus' disciples

wanting to bring down fire (Lk 9:54) reveal humans'

desperate need to be powerful or to take control of

situations. However when divine intervention takes

place in one's life, a person realizes who he/she is, and

then takes refuge in the divine. Then occurs in the

person, a desperate need to respond to the kind of love

that he/she has experienced.

Response to love takes places in different ways.

Since the focus is no longer oneself and 'for oneself', the

person moves away from one's comfort zone and

becomes ready to tread any path. The hurdles may seem

gigantic to others but for the person driven by love, it is

nothing but an opportunity. The hurdles could be

concerning language, or diet, or cultural barriers;

nothing obstructs the way as in

the case of our dear saint Brébeuf.

W h i l e h i s m i s s i o n a r y

companions found it difficult to

adapt to trying conditions, life

w i t h t h e h u r o n s c a m e

spontaneously for him. Of course

his health never supported him,

rather it troubled him for he had

already contracted tuberculosis

and for that reason he was about

to be sent out of the Society of

J e s u s . T h a n k s t o d i v i n e

providence which somewhat

preserved him and made him a channel of God's

unconditional presence among the less fortunate hurons

of Quebec.

The account of his martyrdom along with his

companions proves his spiritual maturity. While he was

being tortured in the cruelest way, his concern was

primarily for his companions and for the converts. A

simple and sick person as he was in the beginning, he

went on to become the apostle of love and charity to the

people of the huron mission, while responding to divine

love. The lesson that we can learn from St

is that we can bloom with much fragrance

despite difficulties, only when we are rooted in the

divine and constantly abide in it (Jn 15:4).

John de

Brébeuf

St John de BrébeufSt John de BrébeufSaint of the Month

Christopher E, SSS

he recent attacks on the Christian community in India are well known. The Tmain issues raised against Christians in

recent years by Hindutva organizations have focused on three topics: culture, nation and conversion.

Cultural and National Identity of IndiaInspite of the fact that an immense amount

of anthropological evidence makes India a multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-religious country, the Sangh Parivar proclaims India to be a Hindu nation (Hindu Rashtra). Today according to Hindutva ideology, to be an Indian, is defined by one's religion.

In the perception of Hindutva, the Christian mission is an unwanted and foreign body in Indian culture and civilization, and is therefore to be eliminated from the holy soil (Punya Bhoomi).

The Issue of Religious Conversion

Another important issue on which Christians are targeted is on religious conversion. Many pronouncements from various Hindutva-oriented journalists, politicians and religious leaders are intended to deliberately and systematically distort facts. They reflect a lack of knowledge of Indian history and a disregard for human dignity and freedom.

We need to analyze the issue of conversion with an open mind. The process of religious conversions has to be seen against the broad context of social change. Usually, when religious conversion is discussed in India, it is limited to the context of conversion to Islam and Christianity alone. Today in the process of forming a Hindu nation, all people other than those baptized into Christianity or belonging to Islam are simply categorized as Hindus.

Some Practical Suggestions

India is a sovereign nation. It has a written Constitution, an invaluable legacy to the Indian nation by our founding fathers. The Constitution stresses the need for protecting the multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-ethnic nature of Indian society. No religious community

can put forward the monopolistic claim that India belongs to them alone.

But today the notion of a modern, pluralistic democratic India is in danger of being forcefully suppressed. Hindutva forces are increasingly seeking to impose a strongly regimented cultural lifestyle in terms of an upper caste, Sanskritic, Brahmanic Hinduism. Anything outside their cultural orbit is denied a legitimate right to exist. Hindu fundamentalist organizations claim that tribals and dalits are “Backward Hindus” (see Ghurye, 1963:19). But the tribals and the dalits reject this superimposed identity.

The actual socio-cultural, political reality in India has to be taken seriously and given the necessary scope for development and freedom to act in the process of inculturation. The mystical and interiority traditions of Hinduism are important in the process of inculturation, but Christians need to view them critically and assimilate them selectively. The reason being, that in spite of the fact that India at times is almost choked to death with religiosity, thousands and millions of people do not have even the minimal resources for their survival. At the same time, provisions have been made for others to enrich themselves and enjoy all the privileges and comforts of life.

Tribals, untouchables (dalits) and other minority communities are struggling to keep poverty and distress from the door. They have for ages been treated with contempt and have often met with oppression. Thus, the glorified vision of India as a paradise of religion is deceptive in the face of the grinding poverty and systematic social oppression. In a civilized nation the process of inculturation also implies a responsibility to challenge oppressive and destructive cultural values.

Finally we may also point out that it is important to urge Christians to develop sensitivity on the issues of culture, nation and conversion in India. Christians in India should actively get involved in the political process to reconstruct modern India as a strong nation. The Church must collaborate with government agencies and other secular organizations to bring life and upliftment to the downtrodden of India.

Christians in Nation BuildingChristians in Nation BuildingIn the emerging political scenarioIn the emerging political scenario

S.M. Michael, SVD

March 2015March 201522

Church Attacks

had an unforgettable experience in July 2012 while probing the baptism of 63 bold Hindus embracing Christianity after taking prior I

permission from the government under the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act. As many as three vans of vocation promoters reached the church in quick succession asking for the way to the house of a girl who wanted to become a nun. The Catholic congregations' eagerness to find such people was amazing.

It is indeed another feather in the cap of Kandhamal's shining faith that persecution has increased the number of vocations to priesthood and religious life from Kandhamal. However, it is ironic that while more and more vocation promoters are now venturing into Kandhamal to increase their fold, hardly any new congregation has opened a house there after the orchestrated violence.

On the contrary, as Father Bijay Kumar Pradhan, Vicar General for Kandhamal, who died of a heart attack in 2013, had expressed his disappointment after congregations even

backtracked and shelved their grandiose plans for the district after the conflagration.Is this the prophetic witness the religious vigorously debate? When the simple folk in Kandhamal were standing up for their faith bravely, a gesture of solidarity on the part of Religious congregations would have been to open houses in the backward region sanctified by the blood of martyrs.

One of the shocking experiences from my Kandhamal engagement came in the run up to the

Anto Akkara

antoakkara@gmail.com

2013 World Human Rights Day – December 10. Ahead of a press conference at the Constitution Club in New Delhi, I contacted a Christian charity requesting them to buy some copies of my 'Kandhamal Craves for Justice' documenting the travesty of justice to meet part of the expenses. On contacting them after a couple of

days, I was told: “We are very happy you are doing wonderful work. We discussed your proposal. But there is a problem. If Modi came to power and found out that we bought your book, there could be a problem for us.”

The contrasting witness amused me. On the one hand, Kandhamal Christians sacrificed their lives and possessions for their faith in Christ. On the other hand, Christian leaders were afraid even to buy a book that chronicled the travails and heroic witness of the less privileged sheep of Christ in the Kandhamal jungles.

Should we be afraid of the changing times? Even if we are scared of the powers that be, as followers of Christ, there is no harm in standing quietly behind those speaking up for those voiceless Christians.

The valiant Christians of Kandhamal who have melted the hearts of even bigots with their amazing witness challenges us all: Stand up and be counted.

The Titus Brandsma award winning Journalist,has made 18 trips to Kandhamal has authored two

stinvestigative books: 'Early Christians of 21 Century' (on the incredible witness of Kandhamal Christians) and 'Kandhamal Craves for Justice' (on the travesty of justice).

Contact:

Anto Akkara

antoakkara@gmail.com

Prophetic Challenge from KandhamalProphetic Challenge from Kandhamal

Anto Akkara

March 2015March 201523

Church Attacks

March 2015March 201524

n unnecessary controversy is raging in the

country today created by Mohan Bhagwat, Athe RSS Chief, who a few days ago, went on

record to say that the sole aim of Mother Teresa was to

convert others to Christianity.

There is of course nothing new about

Bhagwat's utterances. It is in keeping with the ideology

of the Sangh Parivar in which the denigration of

minorities of the country is paramount. Meenakshi

Lekhi, the spokeswoman of the BJP, added her two-bit

opinion saying that Mother Teresa had been baptising

even from her death bed.

Very naturally, thousands from all over have

taken a stand in defense of Mother Teresa, praising her

good works and the profound impact she had on

millions the world over. The social media has gone

viral with people from every walk of life joining in the

chorus.

Navin Chawla, the former Chief Election

Commissioner and Mother Teresa's biographer, in an th

interview to the Times of India (February 26 , 2015)

states that he had even asked Mother Teresa directly if

she converted people. In response, Mother Teresa said,

“I do convert but I convert you to be a better Hindu,

better Muslim, better Catholic and better Sikh. Once

you have found Him, it is up to you to do what you want.

Conversion is not my work.'”

In March 1996, Mother Teresa was in

Ahmedabad. At a reception hosted for her by the

Municipal Commissioner, a man belonging to the RSS

asked her, “Why do you convert people to

Christianity?” Very humbly and gently, Mother

replied, “I have no power to convert anybody; but if

you wish to be converted, I will certainly pray to Jesus

and he will touch your life.” Of course, the man was

just dumb-founded!So raking up this controversy on

Mother isindeed a very cunning strategy to defocus our

attention indeed a very cunning strategy to defocus

our attention from some of the major problems which

grip the country today. These include the massive

protest by farmers all over against the land acquisition

ordinance which seems to have been conveniently

ignored by the media.It is an appropriate moment,

however, for the common person to reflect on Mother

Teresa's legacy to us which includes:

Compassion

Mother Teresa was compassion personified. She had

the extraordinary gift of touching almost anyone with

her heart; from the dying man on the street to the

President of a powerful country. Her love was

contagious and over the years, she succeeded in

opening many doors with this one key.

Candour

Mother was honest to the core, to the discomfort of

many! She had no hesitation in calling 'a spade, a

spade'. She was transparent and did not hide the fact

that she was able to serve the poorest of the poor only

because she loved Jesus and saw him in them.

Courage

Mother Teresa demonstrated tremendous courage in

whatever she did. She feared only God and not any

human. She was convinced that what she and her

Sisters were doing was needed. She was ready to face

any amount of obstacles to ensure that the dying, the

orphaned, the unloved and the rejected had a home to

go to.

Commitment

Mother has surely shown each one of us the importance

of commitment in order to make our world a better

place. Her unflagging commitment to the poorest of

the poor has been her hallmark all along. Her

Missionaries of Charity continue this legacy today.

If Bhagwat, Lekhi and their ilk make an attempt

to imbibe some of these qualities, India will surely be

CONVERTED!

Mother Teresa and Conversion Mother Teresa and Conversion

Cedric Prakash, SJCurrent Affairs

rs Teesta Setalvad is the Secretary, Citizens for Justice and Peace. She is a vibrant social activist, an effective journalist, and a M

living inspiration to thousands around the globe. She was awarded the Padmashree in 2007, International Nuremberg Human Rights Award in 2003, and the Defender of Democracy Award by Parliamentarians for Global Action in 2004. I find in Teesta a true Christian working for a just and humane society. She can be a living model to Christians and to women in particular, urging them to live out the radicality and humanness of the gospel.

What made you plunge into social action?

The battle for the soul of India; inclusive, egalitarian, non-violent and peaceful, is what drew me in or threw me into social action.

What is your vision as a citizen of this country?

A vibrant country needs an active, assertive citizenry; believing in its convictions of inclusive governance, willing to speak up against the politics of discrimination, hatred and violence.

How can a religious leader (in any rel igion) contribute towards nation building?

Recently at a commemorative meeting in remembrance of Dr Asghar Ali Engineer who was a mentor for us all, a friend and priest Rudi Heredia put it beautifully, “Asghar was a religious man because he was an inter-religious man.” I could not put it better. Today's India, today's world is many-splendored, rich in its diversity, the diversity being not just of faith, language and region, but of thought and belief.

A deeply committed religious leader should constantly and at all times reflect this diversity, and express faith in it. My bitter complaint is that when violence breaks out, it is persons like us who are out there in zones of bitter conflict. There was a time when this country's million zillion mini-Gandhis would be out there, demanding a stop to the violence. Where are .

these voices now? Why are religious persons coy or silent when blood is shed in the name of faith?

Do minorities have any role in tackling fundamentalism in India? How?

As citizens of this country, undoubtedly. Minorities have a role to play in supporting secular, democratic formations across all citizens, and by playing a pro-active role to ensure that the precious diversity of this beautiful land is preserved where Christ and Mohammed can be remembered and worshipped in Oriya, Marathi, Gujarati, Gond or Kunbi

dia lects ; where the vastness of the vision of the Hindu faith is not threatened or determined by hatred; and where Jayabala or Gargi or Janaki are remembered as women of strength who make Indian women what they are.

Minorities (of all kinds) s h o u l d a c t i v e l y p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h i s discourse so as to enrich and liven it.

Do you foresee any c h a n g e i n o u r educational system, in creating a better India?

Independent India's fundamental failure has been achieving our goal of 'Education as Social Transformation.' This we could have done if we had provided good primary education to all our children. Even today the state is withdrawing from education, a small (that seems large) section is getting expensive private education. What we should be doing is ensuring a common educational standard in state schools compelling the middle class to attend – a common school. Content of education also needs to be addressed. I am concerned that we do not give respect to work and force children away from working with their hands by our single focus in a just bookish education. Also in our social studies and history teaching we need to analyze text books, especially the hate driven narrow sections inserted by the politics of majoritarianism and ensure that rational and inclusive history is taught.

Exclusive Interview withTeesta Setalvad Exclusive Interview withTeesta Setalvad

Interview

March 2015March 201525

by Rayan Lobo, SJ

What do we teach the young about the first act of terror in Independent India—the killing of Gandhi on 30.1.1948? Who were his killers? Why were they threatened by a Man of Peace? Why the reluctance to teach the history of the Khudai Khitmatgars? Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan? Christianity and Islam travelled to our shores through traders from West Asia who landed in Kerala with businessmen and traders, not through force and the sword.. Yet why do we not share with the young how faiths enriched South Asia?

What do you think is the role of women in our society, living in times when their dignity and safety are under threat?

Women, as nurturers, care-givers, have always been the backbone of societies often playing dual or multiple roles: within the home and family, and stepping outside with greater r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s . T h i s experience brings great maturity and complexity to decision-making processes and contributes nuances and richness to discussions and deliberations. A society reflects itself when it is able to be comfortable and proud of the role of its girls, its women. We still have a long way to go.

What could be some ways of promoting the awareness of human rights among the least, the last, and the lost in society?

· Constant struggles for justice, better living, and peace among those and for those who's rights are denied every day.

· Mobilization of those among all sections who believe that human dignity and life are the basics of a civilized society and a mature democracy.

The battle for human rights and dignity needs to be fostered first within family and society, within institutions of education and governance, and of course fought for and demanded through our courts of Justice. The media, that is giving less and less space to the discourse for rights needs to be engaged with assertively and creatively to ensure space is created for

the furtherance of human rights.

Do you train some 'second generation' activists eventually to take over the good work done by people like you, OR would such work just come to an end after a few years?

We must reach out to the young, in campuses, journalism schools, law schools, small towns and villages where there are a whole crop of eager young minds willing to take the plunge. Genuine necessary work can never end. And a second crop will always come…

Do you think religion as such has a positive role to play in nation building or is it a hindrance?

The history of religion and faith is the history of battles for social emancipation and liberation as well. Sometimes these take inspiration from the religious, sometimes not. The important thing is that work for

social justice, equality, and emancipation must continue.

What keeps you going as a vibrant activist amidst opposition and threats?

The unshakable belief that the vast majority of Indians who breathe in each other's live traditions of syncretic faith, Buddhist, Agnostic, Christian, Jew, Sikh, Muslim are on our side. They do not believe in a Hindutva-driven India but an inclusive India, the India of the Phules, Ambedkar, Azad (Maulana), Anthony (Frank) and Gandhi.

What is your message to our readers?Write clearly, rationally, and often. Articulate a

compassionate, rational view based on facts and dialectic. Grapple with abhorrent ideas of hatred, division, casteism and communalism through the power of positive thought, argument, dialogue and action.

March 2015March 201526

Exclusive Interview withTeesta Setalvad Exclusive Interview withTeesta Setalvad

by Rayan Lobo, SJ

Diaconate Ordinations - 2015Diaconate Ordinations - 2015

The first law of ecology

is that everything is related

to everything else

The first law of ecology

is that everything is related

to everything else

DelightsDelights

Barry CommonerBarry Commoner

The April - May edition of DNC Times will be out in the last week of April.

: Mother MaryTheme : Mother Mary www.dnctimes.com www.dnctimes.com dnctimes@gmail.comdnctimes@gmail.com

March 2015March 2015

...

Bibin,MCBSBibin,MCBS