You are receiving the E-version of The Herald free of charge.

You are welcome to donate generously towards keeping this weekly going. Thank You.

VOL. 148 (CXLVIII) NO. 37

kOLkata

SEPtEMBER 21 - 27, 2012

Idinthakari cries for Justice cries for life! Fight against m i g h t y p ow e r s , p o l i c e b r u t a l i t y, calculated murders... the >> p. 10 struggle goes on.

Rs. 5/You may Kiss the Cross now A novel custom in a Croatian town helps couples to be faithful to each other - no divorce >> p. 12 or separation...

INSIDE>>>
Editorial : Sea Riders to the
What makes the fight for survival of the people meaningful? >> p. 04

Anglican Cathedral becomes Catholic The Popes invi-tation to the Anglicans to join Catholicism is beginning to bear fruit, and a proof is Orlandos Cathedral. >> p. 07

Centre-spread : Popes Visit to Lebanon The Three day visit of Pope to Lebanon was significant in the life of Church in Mideast. Capturing the spirit of the visit. >> p. 09

News Capsules
I love my Church, says TV anchor
In a rare public moment out of character, actor Stephen Colbert told students at the Jesuit Fordham University on Friday that he loves the Roman Catholic Church no matter its human flaws. The host of The Colbert Report talked about his faith in a discussion on humor and spirituality. I love my church warts and all, he said, before an audience of about 3,000 cheering students

TIMEs Vatican II reporter tells inside stories of the Council

vations of Kaiser, Archbishop Thomas DSouza of Calcutta pointed out that the Councils deliberations were built on the four pillars - on liturgy, divine revelation, Lumen Gentium and Gaudium est spes, and all other declarations were built around them. One of the outcomes of the council was a quest for deeper understanding of herself, and others, especially the poor, which is still going on, the prelate observed. Kaiser arrived at Kolkata from the USA on Sept. 14. He is on a lecture tour in India, on the fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of Vatican Council II, coordinated by Jesuit Father Gaston Roberge, in collaboration with Signis India.

Dengue Claims a Catholic girl

An 18 year old Catholic g i r l died of dengue i n Kolkata, e v e n as the casualties in the city due to the killer-disease is on the rise. Ruby Lucy Roy died of dengue, Sept. 5, two days after it was diagnosed. A student of Auxilium School in the city, Ruby was initially admitted in a private nursing home, and later shifted to government-run Nilratan Sarkar Hospital, When her situation became critical, she was put on ventilator at Mission of Mercy Hospital, where she died.

Church condemns antiIslam movie

Church leaders in Faisalabad attheweekendaddedtheirvoices to those of enraged Muslims in condemning an anti-Islamic film which has sparked a wave of violence across the Muslim world. The Diocesan Commission for Interfaith Dialogue issued a statement on Saturday, expressing outrage over the controversial movie Innocence of Muslims.

Jesuit Father Gaston Roberge addressing the gathering, while Sunil Lucas, Fr Dominic Savio, Archbishiop Thomas DSouza and Robert Kaiser look on.

By Julian S Das Kolkata, Sept. 15 : To get to know the dynamics and the content of discussions during the Second Vatican Council, the press-persons had to divice their own mechanism, said TIME magazines reporter for the Council. Robert Blair Kaiser was addressing a motley group of Christians and people of other faiths at St Xaviers College, Kolkata, Sept. 15, on Steps to a Church of the people for the people. Kaiser highlighted the importance of this council in relation to other councils in the history of the Church. Since the procedings of the Council was out of bounds for the press, we had to befriend bishops and cardinals to extract news about the deliberations in the aula, Kaiser revealed. Sometimes Kaiser invited American and Indian bishops to his house for dinner, and they ended up discussing about the deliberations. During the later part of the council, there were about

Protesting Sri Lankan Presidents visit

A man set himself on fire in Tamil Nadu to protest a scheduled visit of Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse to India later this week. The condition of Vijayraj, an auto-driver, is stated to be critical. Political parties in the state too have described the Sri Lankan presidents visit as unaccep-table. Earlier this month, a group of 184 Christian pilgrims from Sri Lanka were attacked in Tamil

70 people joining for Sunday dinner at his house in Rome, which included over 30 bishops attending the council, he said. The Vatican Council II has presented us two images - the people of God and pilgrim Church, which gives a modest view of the Church, said the Jesuit-turned journalist. Looking at the impact the Council has on the life of the Church, he pointed out that the church has not changed much after the council, with such papal encyclicals as Humanae Vitae, which went against the general trends which were corroborated by the Church at the initial stage. In an effort to assert the papal authority, the Pope had gone against Vatican appointed Family Planning Com-missions proposals, he pointed out. In the light of the recommendations of the Council to for m peopleoriented Church, Kaiser said, We need more accountable Church and bishops, and we do not need top-down Church anymore. Responding to the obser-

Page 2

The Herald

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

DIOCESAN
Vol.148 (CXLVIII) No.37 Kolkata Sept 21 - 27, 2012 E-mail: clherald@gmail.com Office: 10, Government Place East, Kolkata - 700 069. Phone: 033-2248-1457 Visitors: Ezra Mansion, 1st Floor, Suite 4 (next to Great Eastern Hotel; above VIP / Kanpur Leather House)

Catechists learn to share faith

the senses in order to make memorizing and living out the same easier. Sandra Singh shared testimonies showing how staying close to the sacraments and persistent faith can be the driving force leading to miracles and how verbalizing the word of God with conviction into situations makes the impossible possible. Fr Dominic Gomes opened the eyes of participants to understand what faith is and aroused their desire to grow more in it, citing Porta Fide (Door of Faith). Us i n g a Pow e r Po i n t presentation he brought alive the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) into Classrooms, Parishes and Homes. He also showed how this can create a deep love and passion for our faith. Fr Anthony spoke on how the media can play a vital role in teaching Catechism. The Seminar came to a close with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Kaiserograph?

Full Page Inside Rs 8000/Half Page Back Cover Rs. 6000/Half Page Inside Rs 4500/Quarter Page Back Cover Rs. 3000/Quarter Page Inside Rs. 2500/Box Nos. Rs 50 extra Advertisements booked against prepayment. SUBSCRIPTION RATES Annual Subscription: Rs 225/Life: Individual: Rs 6000/Life: Institution: Rs 8,000/Foreign Annual Subscription (Airmail): Rs 1500/- (US$50/-, 35/-) Subscription Mailing Address: THE HERALD, 10, Govt. Place East, 4, Ezra Mansion, KOLKATA - 700 069. INDIA

Full Page Back Cover Rs. 10000/-

ADVERTISEMENT RATES Classifieds: Rs 15/- per word Display: Rs 60/- per col. cm.

Participants at the Catechetical Seminar on Sept. 9 By Sandra Singh The Catechetical Commission of the Archdiocese of Calcutta, headed by Fr Dominic Gomes and team members, Salesian Fr Anthony, Loreto Sr Bernadette, Pamela Rayan, Lillian Gomes and Sandra Singh conducted a Seminar on the theme, Come, Ignite your Faith on Sept. 9, at St Anthonys School, Kolkata. Fo r t y- o n e C a t e c h i s m teachers from various Schools and Parishes attended the training program. A PowerPoint presen-tation on prayer service leading to how tradition, the Word of God, are linked together with the teachings of the Church, believed and lived by everyone to guard their faith. Pamela brought out the simple aspects of faith and how we can enhance it in our lives. Lillian presented a lively learning experience on techniques and methods, on how faith handed down must be embedded through

No, if you look for the word in the dictionary, either printed or digitial or virtual, you would be disappointed not finding an entry. This is the word coined by Jesuit Father Gaston Roberge to honor and falicitate TIMEs reporter at Vatican Council II, and who was present in Kolkata to speak on the Council and its impact on the Church. A film scholar, Fr Roberge took this idea from the French film scholar and theoretician Andre Bazin, whose students coined the word Bazinograph in recognition for the volumninous writing that he had left behind. Fr Roberge said that given the prolific writings that Robert Blair Kaiser had done, it is fitting to honor him with this word.

NOTE TO WRITERS
All material may be edited for the sake of space, clarity or editorial policy. Features, Articles should not exceed 600 words, while reports should be within 300 words. All submissions should be made through email. Reports should accompany appropriate photographs. Deadline to submit articles is Sunday, for reports Monday evening, a n d f o r a d ve r t i s e m e n t s Tuesday 12 noon.

Governor releases Jesuit Economists book

By Koushik Hati Kolkata: The Governor of West Bengal had released a book on economics authored by the principal of a Jesuit college in the City of Joy. T h e G o v e r n o r, M . K . Narayanan released the book, Disinvestment in India - Trends, Problems and Prospects, by Jesuit Father Felix Raj on Sept. 11, at the St Xaviers College auditorium. Fr Felix is the principal of Jesuit-run St Xaviers College in Kolkata, and teacher of economics in the college. Ca l l i n g t h e b o o k a n extremely well conceived and a technically near perfect t r e a t i s e , t h e G ov e r n o r suggested, despite not being an easy read, the book should be made an essential read for under-graduate and post-graduate students of economics. He handed over the first copy of the book to Fr Jeyaraj Ve l l u s a m y, Prov i n c i a l o f Calcutta Jesuit Province. account the authors research over three years and looks at the trends, problems and prospects of the divestment process in India over the last three decades. In his introductory chapter, Father Felix redefines development in terms of liberalization, and goes a step forward from Amartya Sens definition of development as freedom. For him development is a continuous process of creation, a never ending process, a permanent cultural revolution, in other words, a praxis. He d e s c r i b e d h ow h e has completed the study by undertaking 15 Public sector enterprises those went for strategic partners and having a comparative data supported analysis of disinvestment of a profit making and of a loss making enterprise. The 458-pager is dedicated to the authors father, late S.A. Susai, who had been a teacher for 45 years at St. Michaels School, Sengudi in Tamil Nadu.

NOTE TO READERS
We w e l c o m e y o u r comments on the articles and reports published in The Herald. They may be published under Letters to the Editor. Letters should be on issues and themes discussed in the weekly and may not be of general nature. Letters may be edited for space or clarity.

Author Fr Felix Raj, Governor K. R. Narayanan, Jesuit Provincial Fr Jeyaraj Veluswamy. In a l i g h t e r ve i n , t h e governor added : I thought Principals never wrote books; they made students read them. He described Father Felix Raj as a thorough acade-mician and an able administrator, and hoped the Jesuit priests contri-bution will help the nation and the policy makers. The book is based on Fr Felixs research on disinvestment in public sector enterprises in India. Disinvestment has been a burning issue in our country over the past three decades, said Father Felix. As an economist, I was very interested in the process. The book takes into

Please note:
The views or opinions presented in The Herald are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Publisher.

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

The Herald

CHURCH IN INDIA

Page 3

All faith people condemn saffronization of text books

By Francis Rodrigues Mangalore: Nearly 1,500 secular thinkers and teachers have condemned what they alleged was the gradual process of saffronization of school textbooks in Karnataka. The participants from all major religions in India attended a day-long seminar Sept 16 on the theme saffronization of text books and subaltern voice in Mangalore. Ev e n t h o u g h w e a re helpless with regard to the teaching of the saffronized text books in the schools we feel very sad to do that, said Rosy DSouza, a teacher and a participant at the seminar. She said that saffroni-sation is a gradual poison that makes Hindu children feel superior and Muslim and Christian children inferior. The state is ruled by proHindu Bharatiya Janata Party. The state education department introduced the new history and social science text books for 5th and 8th grades. Next year, the books will be introduced in other classes too.

LEARN LAW EASILY (NO.45)

PROF. J. SUNIL SARKAR (Senior Advocate)
INTERNATIONAL LAW (on CTBT- Nuclear Weapons)

Fa t h e r J . B. Cra s t a , a Catholic priest, said that the new textbooks teach children t h a t c h u rc h e s i n In d i a , especially in Karnataka, were built by the British. It is we who have built the churches as expression of our faith. The textbooks are turning the very history, the priest said. Indudara Honnapura, a journalist, said that instead of curing the untouchability, which is the biggest cancer of Hinduism, the state government is making children the victims of their experimentation of saffronizing the

textbooks. Mohammad Ilias Thumbe, state president of the Popular Front of India, said the politics and the administration are a l re a d y s a f f r o n i z e d a n d now it is entering the school campus. We should burn all the text books which brand certain religious minority as terrorists and certain minority as intruders into India from the west and prepare totally secular new text books, said Thumbe. The seminar was organised by 45 secular associations belonging to different religions in Mangalore. www.ucanindia.in

Ads against Center bothers citizens

Ahmedabad: A group of concerned citizens of Gujarat has expressed dismay over the state-sponsored advertisements against the federal government. T h e f re q u e n t a d v e rtisements both in electronic a n d p r i n t m e d i a by t h e state (as part of its political campaign) against the Central G ov e r n m e n t i s l i k e l y t o generate a culture of violence, said a press statement. The advertisements claim injustice by the federal government in allocating natural gas at higher prices to Gujarat, in comparison to Delhi and Mumbai. The advertisements, which portray the alleged injustice as a slap to the state, came just as the assembly elections campaign was gather ing momentum. The assembly elections in the state are due later this year. www.ucanews.in

Regional youth at Mothers Tomb

By Fr Gnana Peppin The souther n zone of West Bengal & Sikkim Region comprising of four dioceses had an Eucharistic cele-bration at Mothers Tomb on Sept 15, organized by Regional Youth Director Fr Gregory Monteiro. Some 25 youth were present to express their respect to Blessed Teresa of Kolkata. Fred Marshall Schwartz spoke to the youth on Morality in thought, words and actions. Frs Indrajit Sardar and Gnana Peppin celebrated the Holy Eucharist. It was followed by a visit to Sishu Bhavan, childrens home of the Missionaries of Charity sisters, a little away from Mother House in Kolkata.

Qs.351 What is CTBT and its effects? Ans. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (on Nuclear Weapons), ended in 2010 at Prague . It has not yet come into force, as 38 States including India, have not ratified it although 179 States signed it. Qs.352. Who first proposed to ban the testing of Nuclear Weapons? Ans. In 1954, the then Indian Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, followed by President Eisenhower in 1958 and Chairman Krushchev in 1963 proposed the ban on testing of Nuclear Weapons. Qs.353. Why is CTBT yet disputable? Ans. Because of USA and Russia. Out of 2080 nuclear tests so far, USA conducted 1054 and Russia (including former Soviet Union) conducted 715, while India conducted only 6. France, UK, China, South Korea and Pakistan had their own shares of testing either underwater or outer-space or in the nomans-island-atmosphere. Hence CTBT for non-proliferation of nuclear materials, has been dismissed as hypocrisy . Qs.354. Why then is CTBT being tried at all? Ans. The UN is endeavouring to convert the world-militaryspending into economic and social expenditure, which is often described as turning guns into bread. Qs. 355. When was the first nuclear weapon used in warfare? Ans. On August 6 and 9, 1945 over Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively, in the form of atom bombs developed by physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer at Manhattan Project of the USA . Thereafter on August 12, 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced the surrender of Japan, with over a lakh corpse. Qs.356. When can the next nuclear war take place? Ans. Possibly never. Nuclear weapons are preserved for balance of power through balance of terror, as these weapons are scrambled for deterrence rather than aggression. Qs.357. What is WMD? Ans. Weapons of Mass Destruction including biological and chemical weapons, which is now the aim of North Korea since the year 2006, finding a loophole in the Treaty of CTBT. The fall of Soviet Union and the liberalization of China left North Korea economically and politically isolated, and so it is now trying to gamble with its fourth largest standing-army in the world. Qs.358. In what way the UN is still trying to have CTBT enforced? Ans. Through PTBT (Partial Test Ban Treaty) with 30% reduction on SORT (Strategic Offensive Reduction Treaty) and 74% on START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), to satisfy both the old and new Nuclear Clubs.All the above Treatises allow preservation of existing weapons for Power-Testing, concerning only Peace and Environmental aspects. Qs. 359. What are the present Nuclear-Ethics? Ans. a) Use it for construction and not destruction, (b) for self-defence, (c) to reduce the risk of war, and (d) innocence must not be harmed. Qs 360. What is Contempt, Defamation & PIL cases related to Mamata Bannerjees statement in the W.B. Assembly? (EXTRA) Ans. Irrelevant. That 20% of the Judges take bribe is an open secret, indirectly confirmed by Chief Justice Barucha of Supreme Court of India, in one of his speeches in 2001. Renowned authors have commented on Judiciary-Corruption in several of their treaties, the most glaring one being The Godfather by Mario Puso. Mob: 9831963988 Email: jssarkartm@vsnl.net Website: www.jssliptm.com Facebook: profjssarkar@gmail.com Twitter : profjs_sarkar

Page 4

EDITORIAL
Letter To The Editor
Vol. CXXXXV No. KOLKATA January 16 - 22, 2009 Vol. 148 (CXLVIII) No. 37 KOLKATA SEPTEMBER 21 - 27, 2012

The Herald

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

Thakurnagar celebrates parish feast

Clergy-Laity divide
I am not a scholar or theologian. I do not pretend to refute the main argument of the author. In fact I agree with the main thesis Yet as reading it, especially the passage where Haag quotes Haring to say, The Church of the first three centuries did not know...... either the concept or the reality of a clergy, I could not help thinking of the great Ignatius of Antioch, who wrote (and died a martyr) early in the second century. In his letters to the Churches of Trallia, Magnesia and Philadelphia, he urges them to follow the bishops and the presbytery. He names two of the bishops and presbyters (priests}. He himself was very conscious of his authority as bishop of Antioch and that of Polycarp as bishop of Smyrna. The author of the article does not seem aware of the great Blessed John Henry Newman and his work on development. No one will deny Newmans scholarship and integrity. He was surely aware of the history of the early Church and of errors in Catholicism. Yet though he was an eminent Anglican and would probably have become a bishop, leaving all these he converted to Catholicism. Fr R. H. Lesser Udaipur

Riders to the Sea

Idinthakarai in Tamil Nadu government as ransom, to is once again in the news; fulfill their selfish motives, the voice of the fisher folks dare to topple the democratic procedures, silencing the adjoining the nuclear reactor cry of the poor, forcefully had fallen on deaf ears of the disre-garding the safety and Supreme Court, which had wellbeing of the people. We had refused to give a stay order to seen this happening in the case load fuel to the reactor was in of the people involved with preparatory stage. Narmada Banchao Andolan, Most of the protesters are s p e a r- h e a d e d by Me d h a unlettered voiceless men and Patkar, Koel Karo movement in women, who feel their life Jharkhand, protesting against could be ruined if something the Koel-Karo Hydel Power unto-ward were to happen in plant. the reactor, not to mention In each of these movethe adverse effects the reactor ments, the government had could have in their environs, taken the role of going ahead especially in the sea which had with the mega projects disrebeen providing bread and butter garding adequate compenfor them for generations. sation packages to those who Police forces, especially the would lose their ancestral notorious Rapid Action Force, homes, livelihood, and hope of had been deployed to smother a better future. It is interesting the voices of protest of this to notice that in most of the peaceful movement. Governpeoples movements, which is ment is determined to go ahead a-political, and non-religious, with the loading of fuels, so that taking the path of Gandhian the first part non-violent of electricity protests. India needs T h e generation development, but it government could begin. cannot bring prosperity h a s t h e The Atomic mechanism Energy Regulato the nation, if it is a n d tory Board in wrought by bloodshed s t r u c t u re s August had to thwart of innocent men and given clearance the voices of to load fuel into women. the peoples one of the two crying for reactors, and help, and it is thanks to a the Madras High Court had handful of committed men reiterated the decision. But and women, their cry might all that the protestors plead not go in vain; at least part of with the government is that all their rightful demands might safety measures are completed find realization. before the power generation India needs development, process begins. Questions have but no development can bring been raised by the protestors prosperity to the nation, if about the government not development is wrought by completing the safety steps. bloodshed of innocent men There are two important and women. The people who issues that are operative in the had voted the political leaders Kudankulam protests : one, and who wield unlimited and the high-handedness of the uncontrolled power should government to take the interests also have the power to dethrone and lives of innocent people for them when the leaders turn granted in the name of greater deaf ears to their cry for help. national interests, in this case If public opinion is created providing electricity to powerto protect and safeguard the starved Tamil Nadu and other interests of the less fortunate parts of the country, and two, masses, who plead for justice, the voice of the hapless men can any citizen with good and women claiming justice conscience refuse to listen through peaceful protests being to their cry? What is today branded as anti-nationals and Kudankulam may tomorrow be Baruipur? Can we hear the anti-developmental agents cry of the people standing at and subjected to torture and knee and neck deep water fall violence. into our ears? Do we feel their It is not the first time that heart-beats drumming on our a handful of muscled and ear-drums? moneyed people, holding the

By Fr Gnana Peppin Ho l y Cro s s Fe a s t w a s celebrated at Thakurnagar on Sept 16 with great fanfare. Par ish pr iest Fr Michael Adesar, has visited all the families of the parish, within four months of his arrival and had helped them to have a meaningful celebration of the parish feast. People from three subce nt e r s assembl ed f o r a concelebrated Eucharist on the feast day.

Dean of North 24 Parganas Fr Anthony Rodrick, was the main Celebrant, who exhorted the people saying, Jesus rules the world from the Cross. May the cross of Christ be our pride that we may boast in it. This will inspire us to carry our daily crosses and follow Him. The youth organized a short cultural programme. Diocesan Youth Director Fr Gnana Peppin had prepared the youth and the Children on the eve of the Feast with some video presentations.

Protesters clean vandalized Church

Tirunelveli: The anti-nuke protesters brought water from the sea and cleaned the church in Idinthakarai village in Tamil Nadu that was desecrated by the police. The protesters suspended their agitation against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant for a day on Saturday. They had launched a water protest by jumping into the sea, just 500 metres away from the nuclear facility, and forming a human chain to protest fueling of uranium in one of the reactors of the plant. The protesters claimed that the police entered the St. Lourdes Church in the village and desecrated the church and the statue of Mother Mary. After the cleaning was completed, special adoration was conducted in the church, The protesters refused to accept the body of A. Sahayaraj, who died Friday after sustaining head injury during the jal satyagraha (non-violent water protest). Even as the police filed a case of suspicious death, the protesters alleged that the victim, scared by an Indian Coast Guard aircraft flying at low-level, fell on a granite boulder and died. They demanded registration of a murder case against the pilot. Source: thehindu.com

Junior Herald
Four pages of pull-out with The Herald taking you to the world of youth - by the youth, for the youth... with your favorite quiz, cartoons, youthspeak, Sudoku, career guidance, competitive exam guide, etc. A MUST for every Christian youth!

Re-launching Shortly

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

The Herald

CHURCH IN INDIA

Page 5

Christian burial ground in proposed heritage list

Mumbai: The 145-yearold Christian burial ground in Mumbai has found a place in the proposed heritage list of the citys municipal corporation. The 35-acre Sewree C h r i s t i a n C e m e t e r y, established in 1867, is billed as the largest Christian burial ground in Asia. The corporations list proposes to grade the burial ground, as II-B precinct, giving it protection from changes in its layout and usage laws. We have already lost a fourth of the cemeterys original acreage to encroachments. Protection under heritage rules will thwart any attempts to grab cemetery land, said Reverend Graham Engineer, a former member of the Sewree Cemetery trust. Historian and archivist Benjamin Nasib said the burial ground was originally a horticultural garden. Nasibs 1995 study on the cemetery was published in the Indian Church History Review, a journal brought out by church history buffs. After a petition from the Anglican, Scottish and Roman Catholic Churches for a large cemetery, the botanical park was shifted to Byculla to make way for a burial ground, he said. The cemeterys famous graves include that of F.W. Stevens, the architect of

Anti-Islam film: protests spread in India

New Delhi: Protests against the controversial American anti-Islam film spread in India with agitators targeting the US consulate in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. A crowd of 1,500 people from the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam and a few other Muslim outfits targeted the mission yesterday. They pelted it with stones, burnt the American flag and pictures of President Barack Obama and damaged CCTV cameras, a police booth and instruction boards for visitors. Iron railings and paintings on the buildings compound wall were ruined. In Jammu and Kashmir, authorities placed top separatist leaders under preventive detention to maintain law and order as protests against the film gained momentum in the valley yesterday. Protests were held after Friday congregational prayers outside many mosques and shrines in the Valley against the movie Innocence of Muslims, uploaded on social networking site Youtube recently, officials said. Shouting slogans against the filmmaker, hundreds of protesters took to streets in Maisuma, Budshah chowk, Court Road, Lal Chowk and Jamia Masjid areas, police said. Meanwhile, the Imams (Muslim clerics) during sermons in

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in the city. The cemetery includes graves of people who died in the 1944 dock explosion, epidemics and attacks by wild animals. Prominent members of the Christian community associated with the nationalist str uggle, including Kaka Baptista, too are buried in the ground. In one corner of the ground is a monument dedicated to Italian prisoners of war who died in Mumbai during the World War II. Across the world, historic cemeteries are finding a place in the itinerary of tourists. An international news magazines recent listing of attractions in the worlds great cities included Romes NonCatholic Cemetery where poets

Shelley and Keats and buried, and Buenos Airess Chacarita Cemetery, which is the resting place of poets, painters and tango composers. The Sewree cemetery, too, gets visitors, especially those on a mission to trace graves of ancestors. Engineer said the burial ground is important to the Anglican Church as many missionaries and educators sent by the church are buried here. I was surprised when we had visitors from the UK, Canada, the US and Australia. We h a v e m e t i c u l o u s l y maintained records of burials and if the visitors have the names and probable dates of burial, we can track down the graves they are looking for, said Engineer. Source: dnaindia.com

Shillong priest to be expert at Synod of bishops

By Sr Lissy Maruthanakkuzhy

Shillong : Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Fr Thomas Manjaly as Expert for the forthcoming XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the

theme New Evangelization for transmission of Christian Faith which will take place in the Vatican City from October 7-28. Fr Manjaly from the Archdiocese of Shillong had served as the Chancellor of the Archdiocese. He has a Masters degree in Sacred Scripture f r o m Po n t i f i c a l B i b l i c a l Institute, Rome and Doctorate in Biblical Theology from Pontifical Urban University, Rome. Over twenty-five years he has been teaching New Testament mainly at Oriens Theological College, Shil-long, where he has held the offices of Dean of Studies and Registrar, Librarian, Director Oriens

Publications. At the national level, he was Secretary of the CBCI Commission for Clergy and Religious and CCBI Commission for Proclamation, and member of the CBCI Commission for Bible, Catechetics and Liturgy and CCBI Doctrinal Commission. Along with his teaching, he serves as the Chief Editor of Oriens Journal for Contextual Theology, Secretary of the Northeast India Regional Bible Commission and Deputy Secretary of the Northeast India Regional Bishops Council. Since 2009, he is also a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission in Rome.

the mosques appealed to people not to indulge in vandalism of public property during their protest. It is our right to protest against this heinous act aimed at hurting the sentiments of the Muslims. However, we should not indulge in vandalism as we will causing harm to our own property. We shall remain peaceful, said a priest at a mosque in Lal Chowk area. Heeding to the advice of the clerics, the protesters dispersed peacefully. Police said that barring a minor stone-pelting incident at Red Cross Road near Lal Chowk, the situation across the valley was peaceful. Earlier in the day, police put the entire top brass of the separatist groups including chairmen of both faction of Hurriyat Conference - Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq- and chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Mohammad Yasin Malik in preventive detention to maintain law and order. All political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have condemned the video. The video, which was posted on youtube, shows Prophet Mohammed as a womanizer, buffoon, ruthless killer and child molester. Islam forbids all depictions of Mohammed. The Hindu / oneindia / edition.cnn.com

Page 6

The Herald

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

INTERNATIONAL

Christian candidate clocks up votes kNOW YOUR SCRIPtURE: BIBLE StUDY 49 despite smears
By Ruma Ray
By Ryan Dagur, Jakarta Seen as a curtain-raiser for the national elections in 2014, the election of the governor of Jakarta heads for its second round run-off on September 20. It is a contest that has captivated the nation. But government ministers felt the need this week to appeal for a fair fight, as this campaign will possibly be remembered above all for its negativity. The candidates are incumbent governor Fauzi Bowo who pairs with Nachrowi Ramli and Joko Widodo, the mayor of Solo, Central Java, who pairs with Basuki Thahaja Purnama. Purnama is a Chinese Christian who has endured a smear campaign in recent weeks and is routinely heckled at public events. One of his main tormentors has been Rhoma Irama, a well known singer and preacher. In July, he delivered a stinging anti-Purnama sermon which led to him being investigated by t h e Jak ar t a E l e ctions Supervisory Committee. I believe in the Quran. I just told the truth. It is my job to tell the truth to Muslims, he told local media. There were some raised eyebrows when the committee ruled that Rhoma had caused no violation, as his sermon was given outside the campaign season. But the attacks against the non-Muslim candidate did not stop there. Before last months Eid celebrations, copies of a pocket book Apa Kata Alquran tentang Memilih Pemimpin? - What Does The Quran Say About Choosing Leaders? were widely distributed. The book echoes the generally held Muslim clerics view that Muslims should not vote for Christian or Jewish leaders. At the same time, a twominute video titled Koboy Cina Pimpin Jakarta - ChineseIndonesian Cowboy Leads Jakarta was uploaded on YouTube. The footage aimed to intimidate Chinese( Part 3. Please read the Biblical Text of Gen 27 along with this article to gain a proper understanding) The actual high drama of Jacob deceiving the old and almost blind Issac is intensified by the expression of the doubt and amazement of Issac But Isaac said to his son, How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son? Then Isaac said to Jacob, Come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not. The voice is Jacobs voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau (27,20-22). But the the trick of the mother-son duo succeeds perhaps on the benefit of doubt He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esaus hands; so he blessed him (27,23). This particular segment of conversation ends with the decisive comment that it is because Issac failed to recognize Jacob masquerading as Esau, so he blessed him (v.23b). But there seems to be an apparent hitch that initiates in the very following verse where Issac again questions, And he said, Are you really my son Esau? He answered, I am (27,24). This apparent repetition is not to be seen as a conflation of two different sources of writing into the story as was thought to be earlier. But it is in reality a part of the same one literary piece which employs high degree of literary skill and technique. The comment at the end so he blessed him v.23b is what is technically described as proleptic summary of what is to follow, that is, it summarizes in anticipation that which is to be narrated in details soon after. It is to say that because Issac did not recognize Jacob, he proceeded with the benediction ritual of identifying the person, And he said, Are you really my son Esau? He answered, I am (27,24) before the actual conferring of the benediction, as explained in the last issue. This ritual is then followed by the actual eating and drinking of the food and drink Then he said, Bring it to me, that I may eat of my sons game and bless you. So he brought it to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank (27,25), in order to reinvigorate the father who is to hand over to his first-born the family heirloom through the exclusively reserved blessing. The conferring of the blessing then follows in vv.27-29. The benediction ends Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you! (27,29b), reminding the reader of the blessing which YHWH conferred on Abrhm in Gen 12,2-3. The family drama however heightens with the subsequent entry of the real first-born, Esau, on the heels of the departure of Jacob, without one meeting the other (vv.30-31). Despite Issacs reaction to the deceit, he can but only affirm the irrevocability of the blessing, and I have blessed him? yes, and blessed he shall be! (27,33). Esaus bitter cry and appeal for a blessing only meets with the affirmation of the deceit by Jacob (27,34-35) followed by a play of words in Hebrew on the name of Jacob and deceit (both having the same root yqb) as well as the terms my firstborn right and my blessing (both having common root brk) in v.36: Esau said, Is he not rightly named Jacob (yaqob)? For he deceived me (yaqYbeni) these two times. He took away my birthright (bYkorati); and look, now he has taken away my blessing (bikarati).
RUMA RAY holds Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome, where exegetical research is done in the original languages of the Bible. Prior to the Licentiate, she completed her Bachelor of Theology from the Salesian Seminary, Kristu Jyoti College, Bangalore. She is actively engaged in taking up classes and giving seminars on the various Books of the Bible and on Catholic Theology.

Indonesians in the state capital. We, young people who save Jakarta, order all ChineseIndonesians not to exercise their rights to vote in the second round of the gubernatorial election or. said a man with a blurred-out face. The video, which was later taken down, also included images of riots in 1998 when thousands rallied to oust former president Soeharto and targeted properties and business owned by Chinese Indonesians. During the rioting, more t h a n 1 , 5 0 0 p e o p l e w e re reportedly killed and there were more than 80 cases of sexual assault against ChineseIndonesian girls. More recently, the Young

Jakartans Front blitzed Jakarta with posters which read Quran orders: voting for Muslim leaders is an obligation, voting for non-Muslim leaders is prohibited. No n e o f t h i s s t o p p e d Purnamas partnership with Widodo from winning 43 percent of the first ballot in July, indicating a level of popularity that will pose a serious threat to Governor Bowo in the next round. Ridwan Saidi, who commentates on cultural issues, said religious and ethnic slurs will not affect voters. These attacks will generate public sympathy for Jokowi and Purnama, he said in a television talk show. www.ucanews.com

Chinese Catholics say church was destroyed by arsonists

Members of the congregation in a small city in central China say their church may have been deliberately burned down at the end of last week. The church had been the only building left in Caibang village near Xiantao City, Hubei province, after it held firm when developers paid off locals to move out last year to make way for new apartments. A local Catholic layman who declined to be identified accused developers of burning down houses in the area when the inhabitants were out, forcing them to accept compensation so construction could go ahead. Nobody shows any concern about such an evil practice, she said. Father Zhang Wei, a young priest of Hanyang diocese, reported the fire in his blog. He claimed that the developer did not offer compensation to the Church as promised, which would have allowed it to move to another site. The wooden altar was burned to the ground while the roof was gutted by fire. Unless flammable liquids were sprinkled in the church, it would not have ignited easily, he said. He added that worshippers we re f o rc e d t o a b a n d o n t h e C h u rc h a f t e r E a s t e r celebrations this year, when authorities cut off water and electricity supplies to the house. www.ucanews.com

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

The Herald

Page 7

LITURGY

Anglican Cathedral in Orlando becomes Catholic

by Kathy Schiffer Its been five years in the making, and on September 1 6 t h e Ca t h e d ra l o f t h e Incarnation in Orlando, Florida will become Catholic. At a Mass of Reception a t 1 0 : 1 5 a . m . S u n d a y, September 16, the Cathedral of the Incarnation, which was formerly associated with the Anglican Church of America, will become the Parish of Incarnationjoining about twenty other former Anglican or Episcopal congregations to be accepted in the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, the personal ordinariate established as a home for Anglican conver ts to Catholicism in the United States and Canada. Mo n s i g n o r Je f f re y N . Steenson, a former Episcopal bishop who now leads the Personal Ordinariate, will confirm the parishioners as Catholic during the Sunday service. Bishop John Noonan, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando, will participate in the liturgy, but the Parish of Incarnation will not become part of Orlandos diocese. Carol Brinati, spokesperson for the Orlando Diocese, explained, While we recognize them as part of the Catholic church, they have their own services. We share our beliefs, but everything else is separate. The impetus for many former Episcopalians and Anglicans who have sought entry into the Catholic Church h a s b e e n t h e i n c reasing liberalization of the Anglican Churchwhich has in recent years broken with tradition by ordaining women and gays as bishops and accepting homosexual marriage. In July 1980, Pope John Paul II, responding to requests received from some priests and laity formerly or actually belonging to the Episcopal Church in the United States, had decided to make a special Pastoral Provision for their reception into full communion with the Catholic Church. The Pastoral Provision provided a mechanism by which married, former priests coming from the Episcopal

SUNDaY REFLECtIONS SUNDaY REFLECtIONS

Twenty-Fifth Sunday: 23-Sept-2012

To be great you must make yourselves least of all.

Wisdom 2: 12, 17-20 James 3: 16- 4: 3 Mark 9: 30-37 Today one of the games most people play is one-upmanship. Everyone seems to want to reach the top to show others that they have made it and that they are better than others. To prove that they are better than others, people go to great lengths to prove their superiority. Greatness is equated with strength and power. But often, it is the weak and insecure who display their power to hide their weakness. Jesus reveals that the least is the greatest in Gods eyes! The first reading from the book of Wisdom reminds us that often the just man has to endure suffering not because he has done evil, not because he has sinned but precisely because He is walking the path of justice, the path of truth, the path of God. Because of his upright life others feel threatened, others feel uncomfortable, others feel guilty and challenged and so they retaliate, they hit out at the just person who stands for God and His values. When I am in the presence of lawless persons, of people who live according to worldly standards, does my life confront them? If I am truly a person committed to God, I do not have to sit in judgment over people, I dont have to necessarily point out their wrongdoing, my life itself, the way I live, the way I act, should speak loudly of the values I believe in. The silent witness of the prophets life spoke more loudly than his words! In the Gospel we have a juxtaposition of two different situations, two value systems. As they come down the mountain, Jesus tells his disciples that he will have to suffer, he will be handed over to the mob and put to death. The disciples heard what Jesus related, but they do not understand, and do not want to understand what Jesus is speaking about. In fact while Jesus is talking of being powerless in the face of suffering and death, they are talking of who is the greatest of all! Here we have a confrontation of values and life styles. For Jesus what mattered was real power: the power to submit to Gods will, the power to submit to others, not to exercise power but to be helpless and trust in His Fathers power rather than his own. To drive the point home, Jesus says, If you want to be first in Gods kingdom, you have to be ready to be servant of all. In other words, if you want to be the greatest, then you have to be the least, the servant, the one who does not give orders but does what he is ordered. Gods ways are not our ways; Gods values are so different from ours: to be powerful, you have to be weak! The disciples still do not understand the point that Jesus is trying to make. Jesus dramatizes His message. He takes a little child present, sets him in the centre of the group puts his arms around the child embracing the child and says to his disciples: Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me, welcome not me but the one who sent me. What is the point Jesus is making through this enigmatic statement? Jesus in todays Gospel once again affirms his readiness to give up all power, to submit to death itself, the ultimate loss of the power of life. In embracing the child, Jesus is embracing weakness, is affirming his choice of being on the side of the powerless, who believe not in their own strength but rely totally in the power of God. Are we ready to embrace weakness to experience His power in our lives? Dr Charles Mayo, with his father and brother founded the world famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester. One time a group of European medical experts were guests of Dr Mayo at his home. According to the custom, the guests placed their shoes outside their bedrooms to be polished during the night. Dr Charles was the last to retire. As he went to his room he noticed the shoes. It was too late to wake up any of the servants. With a sigh he gathered up all the footwear, hauled them into the kitchen, and spent half the night polishing them. Fr Jude Botelho judebotelho@yahoo.co.in

Church could be ordained in the Catholic Church, and personal worship communities could be created which would be allowed to retain elements of the Anglican liturgy. And in November 2009, Pope Benedict XVI issued the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, an unprecedented invitation for Anglicans to become Catholic in groups or as parishes. Anglicanorum Coetibus

established the canonical structure for the personal ordinariateswhich serve like dioceses, but which are national in scope. Currently three personal ordinariates have been established: the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter (serving the United States and Canada), the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham (in England and Wales), and the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross (in Autralia). www.patheos.com

Friday 21 September Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13 Saturday 22 September 1 Corinthians 15:35-37.42-49; Luke 8:4-15 Sunday 23 September TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Wisdom 2:12.17-20; James 3:16 4:3; Mark 9:30-37 Monday 24 September Proverbs 3:27-34; Luke 8:16-18 Tuesday 25 September Proverbs 21:1-6.10-13; Luke 8:19-21 Wednesday 26 September Saints Cosmas and Damian, martyrs Proverbs 30:5-9; Luke 9:1-6 Thursday 27 September Saint Vincent de Paul, priest Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Luke 9:7-9

Page 8

The Herald

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

POPES VISIT TO LEBANON

CHRISTIANS OF THE MIDDLE EAST! HOW CAN WE FAIL TO PRAISE GOD FOR YOUR COURAGE AND FAITH?
Vatican City, 15 September 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday evening in the Greek-Melkite Basilica of St. Paul in Harissa, Lebanon, Benedict XVI signed the PostSynodal Apostolic Exhortation of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, Ecclesia in Medio Oriente. The basilica forms part of a complex which includes a major seminary and a house for writers who study the sacred texts and translate documents of the Magisterium into Arabic. Since 1909 it has also been the headquarters of the Missionaries of St. Paul. The Holy Father was received by His Beatitude Gregorios III Laham, Patriarch of Antioch of the Greek-Melkites. Following the entrance chant in the Byzantine rite, the Pope paused to venerate the icons conserved inside the basilica. Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, then pronounced some words after which the ceremony continued with the initial chants in the Maronite rite. Following the readings Benedict XVI delivered greetings to the patriarchs and a group of Oriental and Latin bishops, to Orthodox, Muslim and Druze delegations, as well as to representatives of the world of culture and civil society, and the Greek-Melkite community. The happy coexistence of Islam and Christianity, two religions that have helped to shape great cultures, he said, is what makes for the originality of social, political and religious life in Lebanon. One can only rejoice in this circumstance, which must absolutely be encouraged. I entrust this wish to the religious leaders of your country. Providentially, this event takes place on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a celebration originating in the East in 335, following the dedication of the Basilica of the Resurrection built over Golgotha and our Lords tomb by the Emperor Constantine the Great, whom you venerate as saint. A month from now we will celebrate the seventeenhundredth anniversary of the appear-ance to Constanthank Him for the flame of His infinite love which you continue to keep alive and burning in these places which were the first to welcome His incarnate Son? How can we fail to praise and thank Him for your efforts to build ecclesial and fraternal communion, and for the human solidarity which you constantly show to all Gods children? Ecclesia in Medio Oriente makes it possible to rethink the present in order to look to the future with the eyes of Christ. By its biblical and p a s t o ra l o r i e n t a t i o n , i t s invitation to deeper spiritual and ecclesiological reflection, its call for liturgical and catechetical renewal, and its summons to dialogue, the Exhortation points out a path for rediscovering what is essential: being a follower of Christ even in difficult and sometimes painful situations which may lead to the temptation to ignore or to forget the exaltation of the cross. It is here and now that we are called to celebrate vessels of clay ready to be filled to overflowing by divine gifts more precious than gold. This is more than simply picturesque language: it is a pressing appeal to act concretely in a way which configures us ever more fully to Christ, in a way which helps the different Churches to reflect the beauty of the first community of believers. Ecclesia in Medio Oriente provides some elements that are helpful for a personal and communal examination of conscience, and an objective evaluation of the commitment and desire for holiness of each one of Christs disciples. The Exhortation shows openness to authentic interreligious dialogue based on faith in the one God, the Creator. It also seeks to contribute to an ecumenism full of human, spiritual and charitable fervour, in evangelical truth and love. The Exhortation as a whole is meant to help each of the Lords disciples to live fully and to pass on faithfully to others what he or she has become by Baptism: a child of light, sharing in Gods own light, a lamp newly lit amid the troubled darkness of this world, so that the light may shine in the darkness. The document seeks to help purify the faith from all that disfigures it, from everything that can obscure the splendour of Christs light. For communion is true fidelity to Christ, and Christian witness is the radiance of the paschal mystery which gives full meaning to the cross, exalted and glorious. Fear not, little flock, and remember the promise made to Constantine: In this sign you will conquer! Churches of the Middle East, fear not, for the Lord is truly with you, to the close of the age! Fear not, because the universal Church walks at your side and is humanly and spiritually close to you! It is with this hope and this word of encouragement to be active heralds of the faith by your communion and witness. ... God grant that all the peoples of the Middle East may live in peace, fraternity and religious freedom! May God bless all of you!

Pope to Mideast Youth: Dont Taste bitter Sweetness of Emigration

By Kathleen Naab BEIRUT, Lebanon, SEPT. 15, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Before a vast and enthusiastic crowd of young people this evening in Lebanon, Benedict XVI voiced a strong appeal to end the emigration of Christians from the Holy Land, opposing the trend that has decimated the native Christian population of the region and that is expected to continue to diminish it. The Pope concluded his second day in Beirut with the youth encounter, offering his

tine of the Chi-Rho, radiant in the symbolic night of his unbelief and accompanied by the words: In this sign you will conquer! There is an inseparable bond between th e cro ss and the resurrection which Christians must never forget. Without this bond, to exalt the cross would mean to justify suffering and death, seeing them merely as our inevitable fate. For Christians, to exalt the cross means to be united to the totality of Gods unconditional love for mankind. It means making an act of faith! To e x a l t t h e c r o s s , against the backdrop of the resurrection, means to desire to experience and to show the totality of this love. It means making an act of love! To exalt the cross means to be a committed herald of fraternal and ecclesial communion, the source of authentic Christian witness. It means making an act of hope! In examining the present situation of the Church in the Middle East, the Synod Fathers reflected on the joys and struggles, the fears and hopes of Christs disciples in these lands. In this way, the entire Church was able to hear the troubled cry and see the desperate faces of many men and women who experience grave human and material difficulties, who live amid powerful tensions in fear and uncertainty, who desire to follow Christ - the One Who gives meaning to their existence - yet often find themselves prevented from doing so. At the same time, the Church was able to admire all that is beautiful and noble in the Churches in these lands. How can we fail to thank God at every moment for all of you, dear Christians of the Middle East! How can we fail to praise Him for your courage and faith? How can we fail to

Emperor Constantine the victory of love over hate, forgiveness over revenge, ser vice over domination, humility over pride, and unity over division. In the light of todays Feast, and in view of a fruitful application of the Exhortation, I urge all of you to fear not, to stand firm in truth and in purity of faith. This is the language of the cross, exalted and glorious ... capable of changing our sufferings into a declaration of love for God and mercy for our neighbour, ... of transforming those who suffer because of their faith and identity into

own reflections after listening attentively to presentations given by a young woman and a young man. The Holy Father began by telling the Lebanese youth -and their guests from Syria, the Holy Land, and other places of the region -- that it is a great honor to live in the part of the world that witnessed the birth of Jesus and the growth of Christianity. It is also a summons to fidelity, to love of this region and, above all, to your calling to be witnesses and messengers of the joy of Christ. The Bishop of Rome a c k n ow l e d g e d t h e m a n y difficulties that plague the re g i o n , s u c h t h a t yo u n g people face instability and lack of security, as well as unemployment. But not even unemployment and uncertainty should lead you to taste the bitter sweetness of emigration, which involves an uprooting and a separation for the sake of an uncertain future, the Pope said. You are meant to be protagonists of your countrys future and to take your place in society and in the Church.

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

The Herald

Page 9

POPES VISIT TO LEBANON

Archbishop (gently) corrects pope on Arab Spring

By JOHN L. ALLEN JR Beirut Its not often during a papal trip that a Catholic bishop and one of the popes official hosts actually corrects the boss, or at least strikes a slightly different note, but it happened Saturday night to Benedict XVI in Lebanon vis--vis the most important movement in this part of the world, the Arab Spring. Last night, Benedict visited the headquarters of the Maronite church, by far the largest of the seven Catholic churches in the country, to celebrate a youth rally that drew an estimated 20,000 young Lebanese, mostly Catholics but with some Muslims in the crowd as well. Prior to Benedicts speech, the crowd heard from several figures, including Archbishop Georges Bou-Jaoude of Tripoli, a Maronite, who heads up t h e l a y a p o s t o l a t e h e re. Bou-Jaoudes brief welcome included a slightly different take on the Arab Spring than that offered by Benedict himself on Friday, in remarks to reporters aboard the papal that in itself the Arab Spring is a positive thing. Its a desire for greater democracy, for greater liberty, greater cooperation and a renewed Arab identity, the pope also said, calling the movements in the Arab world a very positive and healthy thing, also for us Christians. To be sure, Benedict went on to add that theres a risk that the present push for liberty may forget tolerance of the other. Moreover, the pope has repeatedly stressed the importance of religious freedom and the need to build societies which respect minority rights throughout his three-day trip. Fur ther, its not as if Bou-Jaoude were explicitly responding to Benedicts comment. His welcome was prepared days in advance, well before he had any idea what the pope might say to reporters. Still, Bou-Jaoudes take on the Arab Spring inescapably came off as slightly less rosy. Perhaps not accidentally, Bou-Jaoude is the archbishop of Tripoli, in Lebanons north, where on Friday Muslim aftermath should the Assad regime implode -- in part because some elements among the rebel forces have reportedly adopted the motto, Christians to Lebanon, Alawites to the grave! Jesuit Fr Samir Khalil Samir, an Egyptian who teaches in Rome and Beirut, and whose views on Islam carry weight in the Vatican, recently declared that the Arab Spring is no more, claiming that its been hijacked by Islamist groups, including in his homeland. In that sense, the slight but significant contrast between the papal line and the archbishops the verbal difference between positive and healthy, and so-called perhaps captures the ambivalence that many Christians across the region presently feel.

Lebanons President Michel Suleiman welcoming the Pope in Beirut.

plane. Speaking about Lebanons youth, the archbishop said: They know they are called to rebuild their countr y together on a sound footing after long years of war lived in Lebanon for decades. Its the same feeling of young people among our Arab neighbors after the upheavals facing their respective countries during the so-called Arab Spring, who are hoping that this is really a spring. Thats a somewhat more skeptical note than the line offered by Benedict, who said

protestors smashed a Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Hardees, and later tried to storm a government building, leaving one person dead and several wounded. Tripoli has also been the scene of sectarian violence between Shiites and Alawites in recent months. In reality, Bou-Jaoudes caution probably comes closer to capturing the sentiments of many Christians across the Middle East, many of whom fear that the Arab Spring may turn into a Christian winter. Recent history illustrates its not a hollow concern. In

Iraq after Saddam Hussein fell, in some ways its become open season on Christians. According to the Hammurabi Human Rights Organization i n Ir a q , s o m e 9 0 0 Ir a q i Christians were killed between 2003 and May 2012, while 200 were kidnapped, tortured and ultimately released for exorbitant ransoms. While there were 1.5 million Christians in the country prior to the First Gulf War in 1991, today the high-end estimate is 450,000. Many Christian leaders in places such as Egypt and Syria worry it may be their turn next that the fall of a dictatorial regime will not usher in vibrant democracy, but rather chaos and a rising fundamentalist tide, with Christians bearing the brunt. In the run-up to the papal visit to Lebanon, Fr. Rafic Greiche, spokesperson for the Catholic Coptic church in Egypt, stressed that the countrys Christians understand that many Muslims have been offended by the obscure American movie attacking Islam which has been cited as a pretext for the violence thats spread across the region this week. In the same breath, however, Greiche complained that the Muslim world rises up whenever anyone insults Muhammad, yet Christians in Egypt appear to be open season. After the fall of Mubarak, the Salafis and the Muslim Brotherhood have filled the newsstands and shops with newspapers, magazines, books that contain entire passages against Christians each week, he said. Magdi Cristiano Allam, an Egyptian-born convert to

Christianity whos a prominent Italian figure and member of the European parliament, recently said: If we are to assess the Arab Spring by its fruits, we must conclude that it is not a good tree, claiming it has emboldened Islamic terrorism. In Syria too, many Christian leaders worr y about the

benedict XVI Arrives in Lebanon as Pilgrim of Peace

By Junno Arocho BEIRUT, Lebanon, SEPT. 14, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI landed this afternoon at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut at the start of his threeday visit to Lebanon. T h e Ho l y Fa t h e r w a s welcomed by several dignitaries including Lebanese President Michael Sleiman, His Beatitude Bechara Boutros Rai, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, along with other members of the government admini-stration and parliament. T h e Po p e g re e t e d a l l present and began his journey to Lebanon with words of gratitude, as well as recalling President Sleimans visit to the Vatican in February of last year where he took part in a blessing of a statue of St. Maron in the Vatican. [St. Marons] silent presence at the side of St. Peters Basilica is a constant reminder of Lebanon in the very place where the Apostle Peter was laid to rest. It witnesses to a long spiritual her itage, confir ming the Lebanese peoples veneration for the first of the Apostles and for his successors, the Pope said. T h e Ho l y Fa t h e r a l s o acknowledged that one of the main reasons for his trip is to participate in the consigning of the postsynodal apostolic exhortation of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, Ecclesia in Medio Oriente.

Page 10

The Herald

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

CHURCH

PHOTO FEATURE

Administering Church Property

By Fr Anand Muttungal In the past few years, the issue of making a Christian Property Board in the Country has picked up momentum. The Catholic hierarchy which holds major portion of Christian property has come in open to protest against the debate. A few years ago the Commission for Minorities in Madhya Pradesh shot into controversy, when it came out with a proposal to bring all Christian properties (gifted and leased) under the proposed board. It was welcomed by a few people. The entire issue was placed in the background of selling of properties belonging to a few non-catholic Churches in some parts of the Country including Madhya Pradesh. The then Church leaders realized black hands of fundamental organizations to bring Christian community under their thumb. So when the issue reached its peaks the Catholic Church approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court and later Supreme Court to stop the efforts of the alleged RSS supported Minority Commission Member to recommend the State Government to make Christian Property Board like that of the State Waqf Board. The case was later withdrawn from the Supreme Court due to the statement made by the Minister In-charge of Minority Welfare in the State Assembly that the Government had no plans to make any such body. Meanwhile the Christian member in the State Minority Commission completed his term as member. The issue went into oblivion till he was reaching the end of his second term as member of the commission. This time he used his cards well by roping in one of the top Christian religious head through a close door meeting. It is clear from their statements that the religious head had given green signal to prepare the draft. Some trusted sources say that the Commission Member has promised to keep off the Catholic Church out of the said act but how could there be two standards for Catholics and Non-Catholics in the same State under the same Constitution. Isai Mahasangh, which spear-headed the protests in the state, had clarified that it is firm in its stand and it would not allow any attempt by the BJP led State Government to interfere in the administration of the Church properties. Indian Law is very clear that all properties owned by individuals and societies are to be governed by rules and regulations existing the Country. If any person makes false documents to sell off the Church property, there are strict laws to stop them. Even if we agree with the Minority Commission to make a draft and hold discussions to reach a consensus before presenting the Bill, it will not be good for the Christian community because based on any Act wide interpretations and misinterpretations, use and misuse take place. The laity is not in favor of any attempt by the Governments to interfere in the administration of Church property. The growing support from the laity has to be seen as the growing disappointment of the laity who look for a collaborative approach from the Church in its administration and use of wealth and property. Church officials do not make any serious effort to come out with a better formula to make administrative reforms within the Church. It is the need of the hour to evolve a better system. In Europe and in some other continents the financial administration is done by the clergy and laity together but here spiritual and material administration are placed in the hands of one person. The laity when questions bad administration is termed a rebel and when a clergy questions, he is disobedient. Whistle blowers are thrown out to be persecuted; the Indian Church is doing the same mistake as the European Church did years back. It is time the Church think of collaborative administrative system, for they are the people of God, whom the hierarchy is called to serve.

Idinthakarai cries for Justice, Cries for Right to Life

The cry of the fisher men and women of Indinthakarai had fallen on the deaf ears of the government, for whom the lives of these people are dispensable on the altar of greater common good! These people have dared to challenge the government for a better tomorrow not only for their children, but also for every Indian. Jesuit Fr Shailendra Boora captures the mood at the anti-nuclear agitation in Idinthakarai. The pictures are self-explanatory - telling the tale of utter helplessness, fighting against mighty powers, police brutality, spiritual grit with which they support the cause. The Herald salutes the spirit of Idinthakarai.

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

The Herald

HARD TALK
Dharma, The buddha Way
By Thich Nhat Hanh Dharma is what the Buddha taught. It is the way of understanding and love - how to understand, how to love, how to make understanding and love into real things. Before the Buddha passed away, he said to his students, Dear people, my physical body will not be here tomorrow, but my teaching body will always be here to help. You can consider it as your own teacher, a teacher who never leaves you. That is the birth of Dharmakaya. The Dharma has a body also, the body of the teaching, or the body of the way. As you can see, the meaning of Dharmakaya is quite simpleit just means the teaching of the Buddha, the way to realise understanding and love. Anything that can help you wake up has Buddha nature. When I am alone and a bird calls me, I return to myself, I breathe, and I smile, and sometimes it calls me once more. I smile and I say to the bird, I hear already. Not only sounds, but sights can remind you to return to your true self. In the morning when you open your window and see the light streaming in, you can recognise it as the voice of the Dharma, and it becomes part of the Dharmakaya. That is why people who are awake, see the manifestation of the Dharma in everything. A pebble, a bamboo tree, the cry of a baby, anything can be the voice of the Dharma calling. We should be able to practice like that. One day a monk came to Tue Trung, the most illustrious teacher of Buddhism in Vietnam in the 13th century, a time when Buddhism was flourishing in Vietnam. The monk asked him, What is the pure, immaculate Dharmakaya? Tue Trung pointed to the excrement of a horse. This was an irreverent approach to Dharmakaya, because people were using the word immaculate to describe it. Even though we say that it is immaculate, pure, that does not mean it is separate from things that are impure. Reality, ultimate reality, is free from all adjectives, either pure or impure. So his response was to shake up the mind of the monk, for him to cleanse himself of all these adjectives in order to see into the nature of Dharmakaya. A teacher is also part of the Dharmakaya because she helps us be awake. Dharmakaya is not just expressed in words, in sounds. It can express itself in just being. Sometimes, if we dont do anything, we help more than if we do a lot. We call that non-action. It is like the calm person on a small boat in a storm. That person does not have to do much, just to be himself and the situation can change. That is also an aspect of Dharmakaya: not talking, not teaching, just being.
Times of India/Speaking Tree

Page 11

Secrets of Living Long

By Dr Shigeaki Hinohara

At the age of 101, Shigeaki Hinohara is one of the worlds longest-serving physicians and educators. Hinoharas magic touch is legendary: Since 1941 he has been healing patients at St. Lukes International HospitalinTokyoand teaching at St. Lukes College of Nursing. After World War II, he envisioned a world-class hospital and college springing from the ruins of Tokyo; thanks to his pioneering spirit and business savvy, the doctor turned these institutions into the nations top medical facility and nursing school. Today he serves as chairman of the board of trustees at both organizations. Always willing to try new things, he has published around 150 books since his 75th birthday, including one Living Long, Living Good that has sold more than 1.2 million copies. As the founder of the New Elderly Movement, Hinohara encourages others to live a long and happy life, a quest in which no role model is better than the doctor himself. Dr Hinohara in Japantimes: Energy comes from feeling good, not from eating well or sleeping a lot.We all remember how as children, when we were having fun, we often forgot to eat or sleep. I believe that we can keep that attitude as adults, too. Its best not to tire the body with too many rules such as lunchtime and bedtime. All people who live longregardless of nationality, race or gender share one thing in common: None are overweight For breakfast I drink coffee, a glass of milk and some orange juice with a tablespoon of olive oil in it. Olive oil is great for the arteries and keeps my skin healthy. Lunch is milk and a few cookies, or nothing when I am too busy to eat. I never get hungry because I focus on my work. Dinner is veggies, a bit of fish and rice, and, twice a week, 100 grams of lean meat. Always plan ahead. My schedule book is already full until 2014, with lectures and my usual hospital work. In 2016 Ill have some fun, though: I plan to attend the Tokyo Olympics! There is no need to ever retire, but if one must, it should be a lot later than 65. The current retirement age was set at 65 half a century ago, when the average life-expectancy in Japan was 68 years and only 125 Japanese were over 100 was unfortunately proven right when members of the Aum Shinrikyu religious cult launched a terrorist attack in the Tokyosubway. We accepted 740 victims and in two hours figured out that it was sarin gas that had hit them. Sadly we lost one person, but we saved 739 lives. Science alone cant cure or help people. Science lumps us all together, but illness is individual. Each person is unique, and diseases are connected to their hearts. To know the illness and help people, we need liberal and visual arts, not just medical ones. Life is filled with incidents. On March 31, 1970, when I was 59 years old, I boarded the Yodogo, a flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka. It was a beautiful sunny morning, and as Mount Fujicame into sight, the plane was hijacked by the Japanese C o m m u n i s t L e a g u e - Re d Army Faction. I spent the next four days handcuffed to my seat in 40-degree heat. As a doctor, I looked at it all as an experiment and was amazed at how the body slowed down in a crisis. Find a role model and aim to achieve even more than they could ever do. My father went to the United States in 1900 to study atDuke University in North Carolina. He was a pioneer and one of my heroes. Later I found a few more life guides, and when I am stuck, I ask myself how they would deal with the problem. Its wonderful to live long. Until one is 60 years old, it is easy to work for ones family and to achieve ones goals. But in our later years, we should strive to contribute to society. Since the age of 65, I have worked as a volunteer. I still put in 18 hours seven days a week and love every minute of it.

years old. Today, Japanese women live to be around 86 and men 80, and we have 36,000 centenarians in our country. In 20 years we will have about 50,000 people over the age of 100 Share what you know. I give 150 lectures a year, some for 100 elementary-school children, others for 4,500 business people. I usually speak for 60 to 90 minutes, standing, to stay strong. When a doctor recommends you take a test or have some surgery, ask whether the doctor would suggest that his or her spouse or children go through such a procedure. Contrary to popular belief, doctors cant cure everyone. So why cause unnecessary pain with surgery I think music and animal therapy can help more than most doctors imagine.

Celebrating 100th Birthday in October 2011

To stay healthy, always take the stairs and carry your own stuff. I take two stairs at a time, to get my muscles moving. My inspiration is Robert Brownings poem Abt Vogler. My father used to read it to me. It encourages us to make big art, not small scribbles. It says to try to draw a circle so huge that there is no way we can finish it while we are alive. All we see is an arch; the rest is beyond our vision but it is there in the distance. Pain is mysterious, and having fun is the best way to forget it. If a child has a toothache, and you start playing a game together, he or she immediately forgets the pain. Hospitals must cater to the basic need of patients: We all want to have fun. At St. Lukes we have music and animal therapies, and art classes. Dont be crazy about amassing material things. Remember: You dont know when your number is up, and you cant take it with you to the next place. Hospitals must be designed and prepared for major disasters, and they must accept every patient who appears at their doors. We designed St.Lukes so we can operate anywhere: in the basement, in the corridors, in the chapel. Most people thought I was crazy to prepare for a catastrophe, but on March 20, 1995, I

Page 12

The Herald

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

FOCUS

You may kiss the Cross

A new tradition in a Croatian town is keeping wedlock intact for years, thanks to the role that the Cross plays in not only bonding, but also in retaining the marital bond between couples. No wonder the town has not experienced even a single divorce or separation in years! We l i v e i n a time that is very difficult on marriages. Due to our failures to properly prepare our young people for marriage many enter the commitment of marriage w i t h o u t c o m p l e t e understanding and sadly bring with them impediments that ultimately result in annulment. In America many young couples have a tangible fear of ever getting married. With the divorce at 50% young folks today do not want to relieve the nightmare of divorce that they, themselves, have already endured as a child. Reflective of this, it is estimated that 60-75% of couples today live together before getting married. As a result (and ironically), many begin with higher odds for divorce by cohabitating before taking their vows. Data now reveals that by the time couples do decide to marry, many have lost the mental and psychological ability to cross over from the mentality of living together to making the lifelong commitment necessary to get through the hard times of marriage. Evidently some couples are taking steps and adopting new traditions in order to strengthen their marriages from the start. This new practice comes from Croatia where the cross is placed at the center of the wedding ceremony. In America the priest or minister traditionally says You may kiss the bride after vows are exchanged. In this new tradition, newlyweds instead hear, you may kiss the cross. Sister Emmanuel explains this Croatian tradition: Now let me tell you about a most beautiful tradition the Croatian people have for marriages. In the town of Siroki-Brijeg, not one single divorce has been recorded among its 13,000 inhabitants. Not one single family has broken up in living memory. The priest blesses the crucifix, which takes on a central role during the exchange of vows. The bride places her right hand on the crucifix and the groom places his hand over hers. Thus the two hands are bound together on the cross. The priest covers their hands with his stole as they proclaim their vows to be faithful, according to the rites of the Church.... the bride and groom do not then kiss each other, they rather kiss the cross. They know that they are kissing the source of love. Anyone close enough to see their two hands joined over the cross understands clearly that if the husband abandons his wife or if the wife abandons her husband, they let go of the cross.. And if they abandon the cross, they have nothing left. They have lost everything for they have abandoned Jesus. They have lost Jesus. After the ceremony, the newlyweds bring the crucifix back and give it a place of honor in their home. It becomes the focal point of family prayer, for the young couple believes deeply that the family is born of the Cross. When a trouble arises, or if a conflict breaks out, it is before this cross that they will seek help. They will not go to a lawyer, they will not consult a fortune-teller or an astrologer, and they will not rely on a psychologist to solve the problem. No, they will go straight before their Jesus, before the cross. Theyll get on their knees there and in front of Jesus; they will weep their tears and pour out their hearts, and above all exchange their forgiveness. They will not go to sleep with a heavy heart because they will have turned to their Jesus, the only One who has the power to save.... They know that Jesus is holding them in his arms and that there is nothing to be afraid of, and their fears melt away in their kiss to Jesus. www.loveoffering.com

Hard pressed diocese appoints lay ministers for funerals

The appointment of Catholic lay people to preside at funerals could signal the start of a trend.
Unit e d K i n gdo m: T h e Archdiocese of Liverpool has become the first diocese in England and Wales to commission lay people to preside at funerals. Archbishop Patrick Kelly formally commissioned 22 lay ministers to celebrate funeral ceremonies in an effort to relieve pressure on priests who sometimes must celebrate move after the archbishop consulted with its members and examined the 1990 Order of Christian Funerals. The document calls for the lay ministers to preside at funerals when clergy are unavailable, Archbishop Kelly explained in an article in the Tablet. The document, he said, also recommends that a Mass be celebrated for the deceased at

Does Herzegovina enjoy a special favor from heaven? Is there a magic formula that keeps the demon of division at bay? The answer is very simple: For centuries (because of the pressure from the Turks and then the Communists) the people suffered cruelly as their Christian faith was always threatened. They knew through experience that salvation comes through the Cross of Christ. It does not come from disarmament plans, from humanitarian aid or peace treaties, even if these things may bring limited benefits. The source of salvation is the Cross of Christ! These people possess a wisdom that does not allow them to be duped over questions of life and death. That is why they have indissolubly linked marriage with the Cross of Christ. They have founded marriage, which brings forth human life, on the Cross, which brings forth divine life. The Croatian marriage tradition is so beautiful that it is beginning to take hold in Europe and America! When a young couple is preparing for marriage, they are not told that they have found the ideal partner. No! What does the priest say? You have found your cross. And it is a cross to be loved, to be carried, a cross not to be thrown away, but to be cherished. If the fiancs were told this in France (or America!), they would be struck dumb! But in Herzegovina, the Cross represents the greatest love and the crucifix is the treasure of the home. When the bride and groom set off for the church, they bring a crucifix with them.

seven or more funeral Masses a week. The move was announced through a brochure, Planning a Catholic Funeral, published recently by the archdiocese. The brochure described a funeral as the communitys main celebration and prayer for the deceased. This could be a funeral Mass but it may be a funeral service led by a lay funeral minister or a deacon, it said. Vocations in Liverpool declined sharply in recent years, and the archdiocese projected that the number of priests will decline from 170 to 100 by 2015. Lay ministers already preside at funerals in some parts of the world where no priest or deacon is available. The decision by Archbishop Kelly represents the first time such a step was authorised by the Catholic Church in England and Wales. The archdioceses Council of Pr iests suppor ted the

the earliest convenient time. In some of our parishes in the diocese priests are being asked to celebrate over 120 funerals each year, Archbishop Kelly wrote. That does not neatly work out at two or three times a week, he wrote. Some weeks there can be six or seven. Archbishop Kelly said that the lay ministers some of whom are drawn from the roster of Eucharistic ministers, catechists and religious sisters would receive continuing support and training to ensure that the service they provide is of the best quality and was not seen by Catholics as second-class. Source: Catholic Herald

Renew your Subscription to the Herald!

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

The Herald

Page 13

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

SHORT STORY
by Maxine Trottier

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Little Dog Moon

Early one morning, the sun rose over the tops of the mountains in Tibet. Pale light spilled across the valley and tinted the walls of an ancient monastery with soft rose. The monks who lived there had been up for many hours, chanting and praying. Now they went about their tasks and the sounds that fill busy mornings everywhere drifted into the thin, mountain air. Tenzin stepped outside to sweep the stairs. A little dog followed him. There were other dogs in the monastery, but this one, Moon, had claimed the young monk as her own. She followed him down shadowy halls or lay close, as still as a small, stone lion, when he shut his eyes in prayer. At night, when Tenzin settled in his narrow bed, Moon curled around his feet. There in the monastery, life was filled with peace. Like all the monastery dogs, Moon wandered the hillsides. With her heavy coat she did not mind the wind or cold. Her wide, flat feet carried her over the ground in winter. Tenzin would watch her climb higher and higher until finally she disappeared beyond the rise. He did not worry. She knew the mountain paths better than any other dog. Each day passed, quiet and calm. Then one evening, as Tenzin sat thinking near the monastery door, he heard a sound. Moon heard it as well. She lifted her head and stared into the darkness. Slowly, two children walked out of the mist. Tenzin had seen such children before, though few were this young. They tried to cross to the freedom that waited in Nepal. Hurrying through the night, they hoped to slip past soldiers who guarded the border. Are we there? asked the girl who held tightly to a little boys hand. Are we in Nepal? No. Not yet, answered Tenzin, unable to tell them the journey was still long and dangerous. As Moon sniffed their legs, he led them inside. The monks brought the children to the fire. Hot soup was served and the girl talked quietly as she ate. Their mother had sent them away many days before. alone with an ache inhis heart where once peace had been. Days became weeks. Summer turned into fall, and when winter came, the monastery was locked inits icy hold. One chilly, spr ing morning, a small shape w a l k e d s l ow l y d ow n the slope. Tenzin raced forward to meet Moon. He g a t h e re d h e r u p and carried her home to the monastery. The monks rejoiced as they stroked and petted Moon. Her coat was dirty and matted and the pads of her feet were sore. As Tenzin scratched her ears and neck, he felt something. Beneath the dogs long hair was a roll of cloth. Tenzin untied it and shook it loose. The pr aye r flag, he whispered in surprise. With Moon and the monks following, he went outside. He carefully fastened the flag to a line so that it would catch the wind. Late that night Tenzin lay in his bed. Moon was curled around his feet, quiet but w a t c h f u l . Su d d e n l y, s h e lifted her head, listening to something that only a dog might hear. It was a sound as sweet as the distant laughter of happy children, a sound as soft as a mothers smile. The sound drifted away like smoke into the darkness. Little dog Moon lowered her head and closed her eyes. And wrapped in peace once more, she and Tenzin slept.

Love of Nature
by Sr bridget Chelladurai, SCC Human beings form a part of cosmic unity, which includes the plant kingdom, animal kingdom and inanimate. Disturbance in any one necessarily affects the life of the other. In this unity, each one has a particular role to play. Many years ago, humans and nature coexisted in harmony and kept the universe in perfect balance, but the picture is quite different today. We did not live in the technologically sophisticated world we do now. We needed to connect to nature on a much more personal level because it was integral to our very existence. Humanitys very survival depended on listening to and feeling our connection with nature. We relied on plants for our medicine, used stars to navigate and tilled the land using animals to plant our crops. Food chain begins with nature. Human beings are the most selfish of the entire cosmos. They would do anything in order to satisfy their ego, selfishness and greed. According to the creation story in the Bible, human beings were the custodians of creation, but they turned out to be its destroyers. This has brought out imbalance in the cosmos resulting in tsunami, rapid change of weather, sea invading into land, flash floods, droughts, water scarcity, earthquakes, and other natural calamities. In years past, almost everything people needed was tied to nature. These days, while nature is still present in our life, there is certain disconnect for people. This is especially true for those of us who live in suburban or urban environments. We have pills for our headaches, GPS units to navigate and we get our crops from the supermarket. There are many benefits in getting back to nature. Researches have shown that being connected to nature decreases stress levels and stimulates healing. Newer research has even drawn the conclusion that it makes people wholesome! A series of studies posted on the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin suggests that immersion in nature brings individuals closer to others, increases creative energy, whereas human-made environments make people more interested in selfish or self interested ends. When you immerse yourself into nature, you get a feeling of being part of the universe, of belonging to something bigger. St Francis of Assisi was a role model, who appreciated nature by giving it honor and dignity, as equal to the human beings. He could call brother sun and sister moon and was able talk to the plants and flowers. Our master Jesus Himself was a great lover of nature. His teachings and preaching were often based on nature the lilies of the field, the birds of the air, the crops in the field, the weather, the rain, the mountain, the sea, and the wind. How can we bring about balance in nature? Gaze at the gorgeous sunrise, listen to the chirping of the birds, and experience the cool breeze of the morn! Reduce the use of fan, air conditioners, instead have more of ventilators. Plant more of flowering plants and fruit trees in the backyard. Stop buying disposable cloths for cleaning. Instead get some soft cotton cloths. These can be easily washed and then re-used over and over again Avoid products with excess packaging; instead buy everything from spices to rice at bulk food stores. Return your organic waste where it belongs: the soil! Rather than sending banana peels, grass clipping, etc. to the municipal dump, start a compost pit instead. Protect nature, and nature will protect you. Being ecofriendly today calls for a new level of greener thinking from what you choose at the grocery store to how you commute to work every day. Be a lover of nature, creating a healthy body and a healthy mind, to create a healthy society. Love Trees! Love Animals! Love nature!

You must cross the mountains and leave Tibet, she had said. There you will be free. She dressed them in layers of heavy sweaters and put thick socks on their feet. She knew her children should leave in winter when the passes were not so carefully watched, but she feared they would be lost forever in the cruel storms and deep snow. You must keep this close to your heart, said his mother. She folded the prayer flag and tucked it deep within his slope. You must not use the mountain road. We know no other way, the girl told him. Perhaps not, but Moon does, answered Tenzin. He knelt down to stroke the long hair away from the little dogs eyes, Take them. Show them the path. Mo o n l o o k e d u p i n t o Tenzins face for a moment, then she started off toward the mountains. He saw Moons small head turn to look back at him. Then they were gone. Each day Tenzin scanned the hillsides, but he did not see Moon. He prayed and went to his studies. At night he slept

Parables for our Times

Out of Place
A little old lady answered a knock on the door one day; to be confronted by a well-dressed young man carrying a vacuum cleaner. Good morning, said the young man. If I could take a couple minutes of your time. I would like to demonstrate the very latest in high-powered vacuum cleaners... Go away! said the old lady. Im broke and havent got any money! and she proceeded to close the door. Quick as a flash, the young man wedged his foot in the door and pushed it wide open... Dont be too hasty! he said. Not until you have at least seen my demonstration. And with that, he emptied a bucket of horse dung onto her hallway carpet. Now, if this vacuum cleaner does not remove all traces of this horse manure from your carpet, Madam, I will personally eat the remainder. The old lady stepped back and said, Well, let me get you a fork, cause they cut off my electricity this morning for non payment.

Page 14

The Herald

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

COMMUNICATION

The Herald Reporters Guide

By Julian S Das

Sources of News ideas

In the previous part, we had pointed out that a news is something which is special, interesting, capturing an angle which is often missed out or overlooked. An ordinary, annual, or customary event does not qualify to be a news, unless the reporter finds some-thing novel or innovative in the event. In this section, we shall deal with where one could find news which may of great interest and importance to the readers. In other words, we shall point out the primary sources of Church news, which The Herald would be happy to publish. Important and interesting news can be found anywhere, and quite often they may be found in the most unlikely places, where we would often not expect to find a churchy news. But first let us enumerate the most obvious sources of Church news. In journalistic parlance, a report is often referred to a story, and the reporter is in fact the story-teller. Therefore one should not confuse here between a news story and a short or long stories! Perhaps a reporter can ask himself or herself this basic question : Does my family have a story, which the Christians in different parts of India would be interested in reading about or knowing about? The general tendency is to look for stories out there, while we might have some very good stories from our families. Some years ago, I had a wonderful story-idea for a feature from my family. My mother had been an illiterate all her life. She could barely manage signing her name. But as soon as she was elected the president of the Legion of Mary unit in the parish, she realized she had to read reports, and maybe invited to lead prayer for the group. Therefore at the age of 65 she began to read and write. And guess, who her tutor was! My father. This would have made an interesting story for a Christian paper or magazine. The title of the story could have read something like this : Pious

Group makes 65 year old lady to learn reading and writing. Often we take things for granted, and do not pay sufficient attention to what is going on around us. Perhaps now and then we could churn some very interesting news stories right from our homes, if only we know where to strike the chord! Friends and family circles could also be good sources of news, which may interest readers. We might get some interesting news from friends and relatives during our casual talk or chat. Imagine one of my friends casually telling me, Do you know our parish priest is going to lead our football team against the CNI team? This is an interesting story, because priest leading a football team is not common, and the readers might be interested in knowing more about this interest, and how he began, and how many matches he won, whether he had won any cup or medal, etc. A keen reporter should attune his or her ears, to pick up from so much of talking that our friends do with us that which might have the potential to interest others. Parish notice boards, or Church announcements can provide enough and more avenues for picking up events and news, which may have something novel and innovative. If the priest announces at the end of the Sunday mass that five Jesuit brothers would be staying in five different families as par t of their immersion experience, this announcement should tickle an eager reporters brains. This could become an interesting news story about Jesuit training, why they chose such and such families, what is the purpose of the immersion experience; what

sort of families these brothers come from all these information can give some interesting facts about the brothers. P i o u s asso-ciations and different groups that operate in the parish could give some veritable news stories. For instance, St Vincent de Paul Society, which often helps the poor and the needy of the parish had decided to distribute coconut saplings instead of clothes to deserving families of the rural parish could be an interesting news. Or if the Legion of Mary group distributes rosaries to all Catholic families of the parish, that could make news, as to what prompted them to undertake this novel method. Or if the parish council has decided to negotiate with the local panchayat about laying of the road leading to the Church, this could be interesting too. Another important source of news could be the local television channels and local newspapers. The reporters of

the television and newspapers most often have their regular beats, and therefore get a lor of news, from our own parishes and Church institutions, which we might not be aware of. It is a good idea to take cue from the television and local newspapers and choose different and interesting angles from the news idea. Here is a novel way how Fr C M Paul had got an idea for a news story (which he had posted in his blog) about the Herald editor giving free classes in News Reporting, after reading the first part of the series. If the local paper had mentioned that one of the victims of dengue, who died in the recent past, is a Catholic girl, then a Christian reporter could collect more information about this small piece of information to provide a larger and human-interest story. Some other sources of story ideas include, the Churchrun institutions, schools, social centers, dispensaries, convents, religious houses, religious formation houses and more importantly the Arch/Bishops House. It is important for an eager

reporter to keep in touch with them, collect all necessary information well in advance, so that they do not miss the important events. An updated contact list of all important persons who could provide interesting news should be with the reporter all the time. (To be continued)

NOVENA PRAYER TO ST. JUDE

O Holy St.Jude, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power come to my assistance. Help me in my present urgent petition. In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. Three Our Father, three Hail Mary and three Glory Be. St.Jude pray for us and all who invoke your aid, Amen

Gift Subscriptions
Gift The Herald to someone you love and care for only Rs 200 per year. Send his/her address, along with Rs 200 either by MO or by Cheque, drawn in favour of The Herald! Those who Gift 5 or more Subscriptions of The Herald will get one Subscription absolutely FREE for a year! Rush in your requests TODAY!

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

The Herald

Page 15

THE HERALD CLASSIFIED

CAB Auxilium regrets having unintentionally hurt sentiments of any parishioner on account of the article on CAB Auxilium Cricket Camp (Herald issue Apr 27- May 3, 2012). The camp will commence again after the monsoon is over. All CAB units are invited to join in.

To Steve Jobs with Love

Intellectual Property Rights and Information Technology Supreme Court Bar Association, New Delhi (Life Member) International Council of Jurists, U.K. (Member) International Association of Democratic Lawyers, U.S.A. (Member) LAWASIA, Australia (Member) CHAMBER Asian Front of Human Rights, Kolkata (Member) nd 3A, Garstin Place, 2 Floor, Bar Association High Court, Calcutta (Member) (Behind Nicco House) Alipore Bar Association, 24 Parganas South (Member) Kolkata 700 001, Free Legal Advice for Christians West Bengal (India) Mob: +91 98310 79390, +91 93311 33339 Monday to Friday

Francis Samson Correa (Advocate) LL.M

With Best Wishes From:

Rates for Publication of Prayers

For Prayers upto 100 words, including the Title : Rs 750; For Prayers upto 150 words, including the Title : Rs 1,000. For Prayers more than 150 words, additional Rs 5 per word would be charged. For pictures or photos along with the Prayers, Rs 150 per photo or visual.

Charismatic Inner Healing Retreats

Open exclusively to the Religious Women

BRIDE WANTED
Seeking Christin R.C Girl, Graduate with the Age of 24 - 28, for a 30 Years Software Egg. Working abroad. Ph. 033-25900873 Mob: 9831267992

From Monday 12th (5.00 pm) to Saturday 17th (8.00 am) November, 2012 From Monday 17th (5.00 pm) to Saturday 22nd (8.00 am) December, 2012 At Basilica Retreat House Bandel, Hooghly.
For Registration & Details: Director, mob 9836134421, 9433572948 Email: jpchalil@gmail.com MSMI Sisters of Kulathuvayal Team, Mob. 9163581270

LEGAL ADVICE
AT KOLKATA St Teresas Church (Moulali) St Marys Church (Ripon Street) Mahabirsthan (Siliguri) Call : S. De (Advocate) Mob: 9830076490

FOR COST EFFECTIVE ADVERTISEMENTS CONTACT THE HERALD at 033-22481457 during weekdays

Good furniture for sale Hurry 9051013065

Page 16

The Herald

SEPTEMbER 21 - 27, 2012

THE HERALD CLASSIFIEDS

ROLAND YAMAHA KORG CASIO FENDER TAMA JBL

MUSIK MESSE
Email :musikmesse@hotmail.com, www.musikmesseindia.in C. GOMES Ph : 22280011, 22280402, 9883212657
guitars, keyboards, drums, guitar processors, v-drums, speakers, amplifiers, mixers, mics , sound cards, DJ Gear, midi keyboard, studio monitors, headphones,

Novena to Our Lady of Fatima

At Fatima Shrine, P. 63, Scheme 52, CIT Road, Kolkata 700 014

8, Lenin Sarani, Kolkata 700013

Flag Hoisting : 4 October, Thursday, 2012, at 5.45 pm

5th October To 13th October 2012
Theme : Faith-A Gift and a Challenge to share in the life of the Trinity By Rev. Fr. Joseph Ivel Mendanha, C.Ss.R

We provide turnkey solutions : SOUND, LIGHTING, STAGECRAFT, ACOUSTICS, SEATING, PROJECTION, AC for AUDITORIUMS, SEMINAR HALLS, AV Rooms

IBANEZ ZOOM NX-AUDIO PIONEER M-AUDIO BOSS SHURE

St. Augustines Day School Kolkata 22294094 Admission Starts for L.K.G.
(Morning And Day Session 2013-2014)

Join Us at

Barrackpore 25928470 Shyamnagar 25862464 Admission Starts for Nursery

(Morning And Day Session 2013-2014)

Every evening including Saturday and Sunday (Rosary, Holy mass, Novena, Homily and Benediction) 6.00 P .M.- Rosary 6.15 P Holy Mass .M. 6.45 P Novena .M.

Feast Day
Sunday 14th October Feast Day 6.00 A.M. Holy Mass (Bengali) 7.15 A.M. Holy Mass (English) 8.15 A.M. Holy Mass (Bengali) 9.30 A.M. Holy Mass (English) 4.00 P.M. Solemn Procession, followed by Holy Mass

Situation Vacant
An experienced M. Sc. (Maths) B. Ed. teacher, preferably lady, required immediately. Apply with credentials to Loreto House, 7 Middleton Row Kolkata - 71 St Judes School, Kidderpore has a vacancy in the junior classes for qualified teachers. A walk-in interview for those interested at 3, Dr Sudhir Basu Rd, Kolkata - 23

Printed, Edited and Published by Julian S Das, on behalf of Associates Catholic Newspapers, W.B., from 10, Govt. Place East, Calcutta 700 069 and printed at The Statesman Commercial Press, 6, Munshigunge Road, Calcutta 700 023