Veez Global Illustrated Weekly e-Magazine.

English Weekly

Vol: 1 No: 5

February 3, 2022

Nathanael Bartholomew: The Other Apostle Who Came to India

Indian Politicians, Do Something!

It is almost time for India’s politicians to

India and come up with a blueprint to

do something concrete for the citizens of

solve them with success.

India.

Our top leaders to Panchayat

members , just concentrate on

dirty

Look at our education system; still, we are

politics to win the seats. In the name of

rolling decade old system and doesn’t go

religion, they are spoiling the peaceful

for the next step. Instead, we are filling

atmosphere and

religion to boast and to inslut other

amongs

spreading hatred

Indian citizens.

Sad part of

religions.

These politicians find only

these games is poor people in India

orange color paint to pain everything as

freely fall into their net and spoil

if there are no other colors.

surrounding communities.

If we keep

religion tied to politics, this scinario never

We have our strong constitution to follow

going to change; instead, rather grow

peace and love and to be a good citizen.

and soon peace will disappear from the

Ours is the largest democracy in the

face of India.

world.

We are known as Intelligent

people all over the world, we have Do we need gods and religion to play

knowledge, we have education we have

dirty games during elections to attract

brain, and we are smart. Only our issue is

people? For some reason it looks true in

we leave all this aside and select

India. In every recent election, our dirty

uneducated people as our political

politicians did the same thing. Creating

leaders to rule this great country; and the

enemosity amongs different religions to

result is a huge mess. Because they don’t

claim ours is the best and there should be

know what they are doing! They are very

only our religion in India, minorities

busy in preparing next election, they are

doesn’t belong to India, etc. This is not a

busy in fattening their bank accounts and

healthy game to play during election

to help their friends and family, Sad!

time.

Let us discuss current burning issues in

Dr. Austin Prabhu, Editor

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He had far-reaching influence on the people of the Konkan and Canara coasts.

Philomena Lawrence and Gilbert Lawrence Co-authors: Insights into Colonial Goa Published via Amazon in paperback and e-book.

For details about the book and authors click Insights into Colonial Goa. The early history of the Christian Church in the eastern hemisphere is not as well researched, documented, and reported as that of the Christian Church of the West.

There are numerous publications on the works, writings, and travels of the apostles and other disciples in Israel, and in the “Roman World” around the Mediterranean Sea. At best, India was identified as a nebulous place which lay “in the vicinity of the Indus River.”

The poorly informed vaguely referred to India as being located “East of Ethiopia” or “on the other side of

Africa.”

After Pentecost in 30 CE, the Apostles assembled to achieve one important purpose: Determine how to spread the teachings of Jesus, and the messages of the Messiah, especially to the Jews. Some were selected for Jerusalem, others for Galilee, others for Syria, Jordan and southern Turkey.

The issue of sending disciples to regions outside the Roman Empire presented a dilemma. There are three apostles credited with bringing the bible to the East – Thomas, Bartholomew, and Jude.

It is not widely known, even among Indians, that a second apostle -Nathanael bar (son of) Tolmai or Talmai --- came to India. There are two historical sources that report that in the 2nd century, St. Pantaenus of Alexandria, Egypt, visited India with a specific purpose: to meet Coptic Christians in the town of Kalyan / Calliana, located north of Mumbai on the west coast of India. In Kalyan, the

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Egyptian found a copy of St. Mathew’s Gospel, which had been hand-written in Hebrew by the evangelist himself.

The priceless and irreplaceable text had been left behind by St. Bartholomew. St. Pantaenus retrieved this precious book and brought it back with him to Egypt. Kalyan was home to a Jewish, and later to Coptic and Nestorian Christian colony.

In 55 CE, (25 years after the resurrection of Jesus and three years after Thomas arrived in Kerala), Bartholomew reached Kalyan on India’s west coast during the Satavahana rule of Aristakarman (37– 62); and Pulumayi, his brother, was Viceroy of the region. Other sources state that Bartholomew landed in Kallianpur in Tulu Nadu (Udipi district). Until the year 62 CE, he preached to the Jewish trading communities that had settled along the Canara and Konkan coasts in Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.

Besides the Jewish community, the apostle converted people who belonged to various castes like Brahmins in Goa and Kshatriyas in Sopara, the capital of Aparanta.

According to historian Julian Fernandes, Christian communities were established in coastal Karnataka,

Goa, and Maharashtra (Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Mumbai, Kalyan, and Thane). Some Indian sources place the center of St. Bartholomew’s evangelizing efforts in Kalyan, located near Thana and north of Bombay / Mumbai.

Bartholomew also established churches in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mesopotamia (Iraq), Parthia (Iran), Lycaonia (Turkey), and Armenia. The Armenians claim that Christianity was brought to them by Apostles

Bartholomew and Jude, who are the patron saints of the Armenian Church.

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Christian Church of the East

381-451) the Bishop of Constantinople (428-432) and Cyril, the Bishop of Alexandria. At issue was the “Christology Controversy” which dealt with the nature of Christ, as well as the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God and man. The Sassanid, as military rivals of the Romans/ Byzantium, promoted the Eastern Orthodox Nestorians rather than the Latin Rite Roman Catholics, and the church’s Catholikos seat shifted to Ctesiphon.

Until the 16th century, the Indian church was part of the Eastern Orthodox Church based in Asia, as opposed to the Western Roman Church, which was headed by the bishop in Rome, and the African Coptic Church, which was led by the Bishop of Alexandria. Initially, the seat of the Eastern Church was located in Antioch; later, it moved to Edessa, and finally to Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire. With the rise of the Parthians (247 BCE- 224 CE) and Sassanid (224-651) in Iran, the political/military capital of the Middle East moved to Ctesiphon. A schism (theological disagreement) began in the 5th century between Nestorius (c

Nestorian Archbishop, his secretary and servants.

In the 5th century, the Church of the East became entirely Nestorian with the split of the Church in Constantinople from the Rome, Alexandria (Coptic), and Greek Church. The religions of the Sasanian Empire were Zoroastrian / Parsee, and Nestorian. The Nestorian church had 40 bishoprics under the Catholikos at

According to that church’s followers, Bartholomew was martyred in Albanopolis, Armenia.

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the Sassanid capital at Ctesiphon.

These bishoprics were distributed far and wide including parts in India, Ceylon, Herat and Kabul in Afghanistan, and Patna in Bihar. The Bishopric seat of the Eastern Church, shifted to the jurisdiction of the Persepolis’ bishops in Persia / Iran; and in 8th century with changing Islamic rulers in the region, the seat moved to Bagdad; with communities scattered across Syria, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, Armenia, Kurdistan, Afghanistan, and South India.

Since the 9th century Islamization spread cross the Mideast; consolidated their rule, and the minorities in the Arab world were decimated. The Nestorians along with other minorities suffered and bishops could not support and nurture the outlying communities.

In the 13th century there were efforts at reintegration of the Roman See and Nestorians. The Christians in the Mideast who became reunited with Rome are called Chaldeans Christians / East Syriac Christians / The Church of the East. It does not appear this reconciliation reached India as there was no Latin Rite in India at that time.

Today, the Syro-Malabar Christian

groups in India after a period of being under the See at Bagdad are now in full communion with Rome’s pope and directed by local bishops. The various religious communities of the East Syriac Christians have preserved their cultural identity and religion by strict endogamy. Unfortunately, today there are less than five Bishoprics of the Eastern Christian Church in Asia, with most relocated with their congregation, who migrated to the West including America and Australia.

In the 20th -21st century, the turmoil in various countries in the Mideast forced the Chaldean groups to migrate in sizable numbers to Europe, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, along with their respective bishops and Bishopric seat. In the new land, the new immigrants rub shoulders with and even marry those from other Catholic groups, including immigrants from India. In March 2021, Pope Francis made an official visit to Iraq and visited several of these Chaldean churches in Ur, Mosul, and Baghdad, and their parishioners.

The Church in India before the arrival of the Portuguese In 345, Nestorian Christians from

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Syria, led by Thomas Cana, were fleeing persecution, and found refuge in India. They formed the Knanaya (Southists / Tekkumbhagar), while the native Christian communities, converted by the apostle Thomas, and are called the Nazranis (Northists / Vaddakkumbhagar). The west coast of India since time immemorial continued to be a place where a

mélange of races converged and were welcomed by the original inhabitants.

After the arrival of the Iberians to Goa, in the 16th-17th century, there was a partial reconciliation between the Latin Rite Catholic Church and the Orthodox Christian Churches in Kerala. Currently, the latter group comprises eight sections, including Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara, which are associated with Rome.

Large Nestorian communities were reported to exist throughout the Konkan and Canara coasts right up to the 14th century, nurtured by the

bishops and priests from Bagdad.

However, during this period, the Nestorian community in the Mideast was being decimated by the Mongols (12th-13th centuries) especially by Genghis Khan (1158-1227) and later Tamerlane (1336-1405). Beyond the 4th century, there is no other record of organized mass migration of Nestorians from the Mideast to any coastal town of India. Yet, it is very likely that Mideast Nestorians continued to arrive to India’s west coast as traders and to escape persecution and death as their homeland was undergoing turmoil and tyranny. This may explain the presence of the Mideast genetic markers in people of the west coast of India. With the decline of Nestorians in Mideast, one saw a decline of Indian Christian communities that they nurtured, by providing bishops and priests.

Conclusion Nestorians spread from Gujarat to Kerala to Northern Ceylon; and included former Jews, Jains, Buddhists, and Hindus - belonging to all caste strata, including members of the GSB, Kannadiga Brahmins, and a

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branch of the Kadamba royal family (Jain). Communities reflected their caste structure and occupation, including those involved in maritime trade. In Goa, there appears to exist a large Nestorian community in Aldona in Bardez; and Velim and Colvale in Salcete at the time of colonization.

Information on this interesting subject is still evolving, with many aspects seeing the light of day.

Thanks to St. Bartholomew, Mumbai and Goa and towns along India’s west coast had a significant Christian population prior to the arrival of the Portuguese; and the Hindus in those areas were familiar with Christian thinking, philosophy, and religion.

Julian Fernandes has suggested that the Nazareth(s) among the various Christians are descendants of the Nestorian-Nazarene community. In my own case, as a son of Aldona, Goa, I must recognize the fact that instead of being a Hindu convert, my ancestors may have converted from Nestorian to Latin Catholic. It is probable that many Aldona residents who migrated to Mangalore in the 16th-17th centuries were because of their Nestorian rather than Hindu practices. This historical background explains why some people might have

migrated for religious reasons rather that the far more common causes of migration – wars, epidemics, famines, socio-economic hardships, including the death of the breadwinner.

Philomena Lawrence and Gilbert Lawrence Co-authors: Insights into Colonial Goa Published by Kindle and Amazon as ebook and paperback The e-book can be downloaded in India.

The paperback is also available in USA, UK, EU, and Australia.

For details about the book and authors click Insights into Colonial Goa.

Philomena and Gilbert Lawrence Authors: Insights into Colonial Goa For information about the authors and the book click: → Insights into Colonial Goa. ----------------------------------------

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One more Jesuit Blessed Different Jesuit sources give different numbers of Jesuit Saints and Blessed. Approximately there are 52 Jesuit Saints and 146 Blessed (these numbers are subject to correction. Once I get the official information from Rome, I will let you know) leaving aside a great number of Jesuit Venerables and Servants of God. Today on 22nd January 2022, one more will be added to the list of Jesuit Blessed. Fr. Rutilio Grande (05 July 1928 – 12 March 1977) was murdered along with his 70 years old sacristan Manuel Solórzano and 15-year-old Nelson Rutilio Lemus on 12th March 1977 by El Salvador Army. All three of them and the Italian Franciscan priest Cosme Spessotto ( shot dead on 14th June 1980) will be beatified. Here below the life sketch of Fr. Rutilio Grande is given. It is written by Fr. Martin Maier SJ Pratapananda Naik, SJ

A signpost for the Church Fr. Martin Maier SJ

The beatification of Rutilio Grande in San Salvador comes at a time of transformation in the Latin American Church like the upheaval that followed the 1968 Medellín conference.

Beatifications and canonisations can be pointers to the way the Church is moving. On 22 January 2022 in the Plaza Salvador del Mundo in El Salvador’s capital, San Salvador, the Jesuit Rutilio Grande, who along with his lay companions, Nelson Rutilio Lemus, and Manuel Solórzano (murdered on 12 March 1977) and the Italian Franciscan priest, Cosme Spessotto (shot dead on 14 June 1980) – will be beatified.

They represent the new start the Church made after the Second Vatican Council. They represent a missionary Church that has gone to the social and existential peripheries. They represent a persecuted Church, which has produced numerous martyrs for faith and justice.

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Rutilio was born on 5 July 1928, the youngest of seven children, into a poor family in the village of El Paisnal in El Salvador. In 1945 he joined the Jesuits. He followed the order’s normal training in philosophy and theology in Venezuela, Ecuador, Spain, France, and Belgium.

Until 1972 he taught in the national ¬seminary in San Salvador, where he tried to include in formation the spirit of the Second Vatican Council and the second conference of the bishops of Latin America at Medellín in 1968, which had recognised that the level of poverty on the continent “cried out to Heaven”. In the same spirit, in 1975 the Jesuit order redefined its mission in the world as both preaching of the faith and struggling for justice. Rutilio put the preferential option for the poor at the centre of a new concept of a missionary rural ministry. His aim, Rodolfo Cardenal wrote after his death, “was to train priests who would be at the service of the people and not clerical bosses”.

Rutilio was not appointed rector of the seminary. Instead, in autumn

1972 he switched to parish work in Aguilares, a community which included his birthplace. Here, with a team of Jesuits and women Religious, Rutilio began to put his ideas into practice.

The overwhelming majority of the people in the community lived in the harshest poverty. The land was in the possession of a handful of wealthy owners. Grande often said in his sermons: “God is not far away in Heaven lying in a hammock; he is in our midst. For God it matters whether the poor are in distress or not.” His approach reflected the “popular theology” developed in Argentina by Lucio Gera, a distinct position within liberation theology that was also to be a strong influence on Rutilio’s fellow Jesuit, Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Rutilio realised that popular piety needed to be freed from magical elements and evangelised. And by reviving the November maize festivities, he showed respect for the ancestral indigenous trad¬itions while inculturating Christian faith. But the heart of Rutilio’s pastoral approach was the base communities, in which laypeople read the Bible together in small groups. They connected the

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Word of God with people’s lives by following the three-step “SeeJudge-Act” process associated with the Young Christian Workers. Rutilio trained men and women to be “delegates of the Word”, ¬messengers of the Word who in turn created new groups.

Things began to happen. When the peasants of Aguilares saw the lives they lived in the light of the Word of God, they realised that injustice and oppression are a recurring theme in the Bible, and that, through the prophets and through Jesus, God took the side of the poor. Rutilio encouraged the peasants to organise in unions and to demand their rights to a decent life and just wages. Other priests followed this example. But the shift to a preferential option for the poor taken at Medellín was far from being accepted by the whole Church in Latin America. The landowners saw these priests as a threat to their interests, and foreign priests – and Jesuits in particular – were accused of stirring up unrest and promoting Communism. At the beginning of 1977, the first priests were tortured and expelled, among

them the Colombian-born Mario Bernal, the parish priest of Apopa, near Aguilares.

On 13 February 1977 there was a protest demonstration in Apopa against the expulsion of Mario Bernal. Over 6,000 people took part.

At the end Rutilio celebrated Mass and delivered a fiery sermon. “It is dangerous to be a Christian around here!” he said. “It is dangerous to be a real Catholic! It is prac¬tically illegal to be a genuine Christian in our country.” He quoted statistics to illustrate the injustice and extreme poverty in El Salvador. Then he went on: “But we dress all this up with false hypocrisy and lavish constructions.

Woe to you hypocrites!

You go around outwardly getting a reputation as Catholics, but within you are filthy evil! You are Cains and crucify the Lord when he goes around under the name of Manuel, under the name of Luis, under the name of Chabela, under the name of an ordinary rural worker!”

Rutilio concluded with the image of Jesus returning to El Salvador: “Very soon the Bible and the gospels will not be allowed to cross the border.

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All that will reach us will be the covers, since all the pages are subversive ... So that if Jesus crosses the border at Chalatenango, they will not allow him to enter. They would accuse him, the man-God … of being a revolutionary, a foreign Jew, of confusing people with exotic foreign ideas, anti-democratic ideas … ideas against God. … they would undoubtedly crucify him again.”

Rome. But as he stood before Rutilio Grande’s corpse, Romero was shaken to the core. He asked to see the priest’s simple room and muttered to himself, “he really lived in poverty”. He decided to celebrate a Mass in the middle of the night.

He took these words as the text for his sermon: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

This sermon was Rutilio Grande’s death sentence. On 12 March 1977, as he was travelling to a liturgy with his sacristan, 70-year-old Manuel Solórzano, and 15-year-old Nelson Rutilio Lemus, he was murdered in an ambush by members of the National Guard, acting in alliance with the large landowners. The three bodies were wrapped in cloth and laid in front of the altar in the church of Aguilares. Late that night the newly appointed Archbishop of San Salvador, Óscar Romero, arrived.

Even though Rutilio Grande was a friend of Romero’s, Romero had been somewhat critical of his pastoral approach in Aguilares: there is a remark to this effect in one of his reports to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America in

Romero announced that he would not take part in any official government event until the crime of Rutilio’s murder was solved. He decided that on 20 March only one Mass would be celebrated across the whole archdiocese, in front of San Salvador’s cathedral. It was a tense situation. Fearing the large crowds who would attend, the military government did all it could to prevent the Mass. The papal nuncio, too, was against the idea.

Romero was not to be swayed. Over 100,000 people gathered for the Mass, which was broadcast on radio.

Romero thought that the murderers might be listening. “Brother criminals, we love you,” he said, “and we ask God to move your hearts to repentance, because the

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Church is incapable of hatred; the Church has no enemies.”

Grande’s greatest Archbishop Romero.”

miracle

is

The murder of Rutilio and his companions brought about a profound change in Romero, which some have described as a “conversion”. A timid, conservative bishop became a prophetic defender of the poor. Romero himself later said: “If they killed him for what he did, then I have to follow the same path. Rutilio opened my eyes.”

In popular tradition, Romero’s change of heart is described as “Rutilio’s miracle”. The beatification of Rutilio Grande is particularly important for Pope Francis, as was the canonisation of Óscar Romero in 2018. As provincial of the Argentine Jesuits, he had followed their -stories carefully. In an address to the Central American bishops during the World Youth Day events in Panama in 2019, he proposed Óscar Romero – who gave his life for his flock – as the model of a bishop. He knew the life of Rutilio Grande from the biography Rodolfo Cardenal began writing shortly after his -murder. In 2015, when he met Cardenal in Rome, Francis echoed the popular phrase: “Rutilio

Rutilio Grande’s beatification comes at a time of new movements and changes in the Church of Latin America and the Caribbean, comparable with the transformation of the Church that followed the historic conference in Medellín in 1968. At their fifth conference in Aparecida, Brazil, in 2007 the bishops called for a new missionary impetus. The drafting of the final document was co¬ordinated by the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio. It was at Aparecida that Bergoglio first became aware of the significance of the Amazon region and its indigenous population, and the threats they faced. In 2019 the Amazon synod was held in Rome; its vision of a Church with an Amazonian face ¬suggested “new paths for the Church and an integral ecology”.

A new kind of event took place in Mexico in November 2021. A sixth general conference of Latin American and Caribbean bishops was due, but the Pope suggested

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instead an assembly that would companions, and of Fr Spessotto include priests, Religious and are a signpost for the Church on its laypeople, and it was preceded by a road to social, cultural, ecological wide-ranging consultation process. and synodal conversion.

The assembly showed that the old hierarchical structures in the Church Martin Maier SJ worked as a country may have outlived their usefulness; pastor in El Salvador for two years for the Church to survive, laity and after his ordination and has taught especially women must take at the University of the Jesuits (UCA) responsibility for the Church’s in El Salvador. He has written several mission. Much of what is today on books on liberation theology and the renewal agenda of the Church in Óscar Romero.

Latin America was anticipated by Rutilio Grande. In his rural ministry in Aguilares, he called for a new emphasis on mission, for the greater involvement of the laity, for respect for indigenous traditions, and for a prophetic contribution to political and structural change.

The -Fr. Pratapananda Naik, SJ beatifications of Rutilio, his ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Voices of Concerned Catholics on the Acquittal of

Bishop Franco Mulakkal The Accused in the Nun Rape Case

in her statement are relied upon to project the survivor as a manipulator and a power hungry person who has filed a false complaint only to tarnish the image of the Bishop at the instigation of his rivals.

An adverse inference of discrepancy

30th January 2022 We, the undersigned Catholics are deeply concerned and shocked at the judgement of the Additional Sessions Court, Kottayam, Kerala, which acquitted the accused in the alleged rape case and cast aspersions on the character of the Sister survivor.

The judgement overlooks the fact that the abuser was within a fiduciary relationship of power and authority over the victim as the patron of her congregation. It does not take into account her multiple vulnerabilities as a religious nun. Minor discrepancies

and inconsistency was drawn from the fact that the Sister did not use the same terminology when describing her experiences of sexual assault to different people.

It has ignored the cultural inhibitions of the nun, and the deep mental and emotional trauma of rape survivors, which incapacitates them, making it difficult for them to re-live and verbalise their experiences of sexual assault in legally accepted language.

We would like to emphasise that while this judgement has acquitted the accused bishop, this should not deter the ecclesiastical courts from

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conducting an enquiry (Can. 1717§1) and giving the victim the right to participate in the proceedings and claim compensation for damages as required by Can. 1729 §1.

We are appalled at the callous attitude of Church leaders in India and the Vatican, who failed to respond sensitively and constructively to this grave issue of sexual assault.

The survivor nun made every effort to resolve the issue within internal Church structures (letters dated 11 July 2017 to Cardinal Alencherry, Kerala; 28 January 2018 to the Nuncio; 14 May 2018 to the Pope and three Dicastries of the Vatican) and it was only when her complaint was ignored that she approached the police. Had the Church authorities responded to her desperate pleas, the issue could have been resolved internally.

Instead, they negated her existence as a daughter of the Church by denying her the right to seek justice within the ecclesiastical family.

In his address to his fellow bishops on 22 February 2019 during the Vatican Summit on the abuse crisis, Oswald Cardinal Gracias enumerates the following reasons for "a failed or inadequate institutional response to

sexual abuse": a. "Failure to listen to victims to take their claims seriously”; b. “Not extending care and support to victims and their families"; c. "Failing to withdraw abusers from situations that would enable them to abuse other victims"; d. "Giving priority to protecting institutional concerns over and above the care of victims."

Judging by these, the Church has failed miserably in its response to the survivor nun afflicted by the crime of sexual assault.

We therefore strongly demand that: 1. The concerned Church leaders visit the traumatised nun and her companions and give them an opportunity to tell their truth; 2. Immediate action is taken to ensure that justice is done and their wellbeing is assured; 3. The survivor and the sisters supporting her, who constitute her ‘community’, be given protection and be permitted to continue to reside

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and exercise their mission in the convent at St. Francis Mission Home; 4. The Church provide these sisters with the psychological, spiritual and financial support that they require (Art.5 Motu Proprio Vos Estis Lux Mundi).

To uphold the integrity and credibility of the Catholic Church we insist that: 1. Franco Mulakkal is not given any administrative responsibilities and spiritual leadership as a Bishop in any diocese till the case is completed (Cf. Can.1395§2); 2. As bishop of Jalandhar and patron of the MJ congregation, he should be moved out of Jalandhar so that he cannot use his powerful influence to intimidate the sister survivor and her companions.

To prevent the recurrence of sexual harassment, abuse and assault it is imperative that the Church puts the necessary structures in place. We therefore demand that: 1.

There must be absolute transparency and accountability in the way sex abuse cases are handled in the Church;

2. Every Church run institution/parish with ten or more employees must have an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) as mandated by the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013, and the CBCI Norms to Deal with Sexual Harassment at Workplace, 2017; 3. The Guidelines for dealing with cases of clergy sexual abuse issued by the Vatican, and the names of the members of the Committees instituted to implement them, must be made public so that the faithful are aware where to take a complaint, the procedures that will be followed, and the kind of action that will be taken.

Women with the necessary experience and expertise must be involved in the process of receiving complaints, investigations, decisionmaking, and follow-up action.

4. Canon law and the theology of priesthood must be revised to cleanse it of elements that breed clericalism which is an enabler of clerical sexual abuse. Walking the synodal path.

Pope Francis has called the people of God to journey together in a spirit of synodality. This statement is one

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effort "to help shape a new way for the Church to understand and articulate internal selfunderstanding" (Synod 2023, Preparatory Document).

We trust that this statement will be received by the ecclesiastical leaders in a spirit of listening, knowing that we are all united and called to walk together in living our mission of truth and justice in the present times.

Dear Sister/Brother in Christ, We are sure you are aware of the acquittal of Franco Mulakkal, Bishop of Jalandhar, in the rape case involving a nun.

Many well-known women lawyers and activists have done an analysis of the judgment and opined that there has been a miscarriage of justice. You can access their views here:

Flavia Agnes, 18 Jan 2022. https://indianexpress.com/article/opi nion/columns/while-acquittingfranco-mulakkal-trial-court-putsvictim-on-trial-7728633/ Rebecca John, 22 Jan 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= T1l1uVev52o As concerned Catholics we would like to send a Statement to the Church authorities in the Vatican, including the Pope, as well as to the bishops in leadership positions in the Catholic Church in India, spelling out action to be taken by them to support the Sister survivor and to prevent a repeat of such situations.

Brinda Karat, 17 Jan 2022. https://www.ndtv.com/opinion/chara cter-assassinating-a-nun-to-save-abishop-2712869

In the interest of truth and justice we request you to endorse the attached Statement and forward it to the faithful, whether they are practicing Catholics or not, for their endorsement.

Endorsements can be made in the following ways;

Vrinda Grover, 18 Jan 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= gCoMujaqZgA

1. Sign on the google doc at the following link

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https://forms.gle/awwQmA1VJRr53rq h7 OR

§ If an Office Bearers of a Catholic Organisations, Organisation's name: § Diocese/city, country: § Email:

2. Send an email to the following address catholicwomensvoice@gmail.com

e.g. Adv. Xxxx Yyyyy MJ, President, LCWR, Mumbai, India. abcde@gmail.com

Endorsements must following format:

Looking forward to you taking a stand for truth and justice, and thanking you in anticipation,

use

the

§ Title: Adv,. Dr., Sr. § Full Name: Sisters in Solidarity. § Congregation's initials if applicable: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Procedure for Canonization as a saint in the Catholic Church Step one: Wait five years The process to make someone a saint cannot normally start until at least five years after their death.

This is to allow time for emotions following the death to calm down, and to ensure that the individual's case can be evaluated objectively.

The waiting period can, however, be waived by the Pope.

Step two: Become a 'Servant of God’

Once the five years are up, or a waiver is granted, the bishop of the diocese where the person died can open an investigation into the life of the individual, to see whether they lived their lives with sufficient holiness and virtue to be considered for sainthood.

Other religious groups in the diocese can also ask the bishop to open the investigation.

Evidence is gathered on the persons'

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life and deeds, including witness testimonies.

If there is sufficient evidence, the bishop asks the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the department that makes recommendations to the Pope on saints, for permission to open the case.

Once the case is accepted for consideration, the individual can be called a "servant of God".

Step three: Show proof of a life of 'heroic virtue’ The Congregation for the Causes of Saints scrutinizes the evidence of the candidate's holiness, work and signs that people have been drawn to prayer through their example.

If the Congregation approves the case, it is passed to the Pope.

If the Pope decides that the person lived a life of "heroic virtue", they can then be called "venerable".

Step four: Verified miracles To reach the next stage, beatification, a miracle needs to be attributed to prayers made to the individual after their death.

The prayers being granted are seen as proof that the individual is already in heaven, and hence able to intercede

with God on others' behalf.

Incidents to be verified by evidence before they are accepted as miracles.

There is one exception to the miracle requirement - a martyr, someone who died for their faith, can be beatified without a verified miracle.

After beatification, the candidate is given the title "blessed".

Step Five: Canonization Canonization is the final step in declaring a deceased person a saint.

To reach this stage, a second miracle normally needs to be attributed to prayers made to the candidate after they have been beatified.

Martyrs, however, only need one verified miracle to become a saint.

During the canonization ceremony, the Pope conducts a special Mass, reading aloud the individual's life history and then chanting a prayer in Latin that declares the person a saint.

Modern canonization ceremonies can attract huge audiences. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are expected to attend Sunday's canonization.

A day is assigned to celebrate the feast of Blessed or Saint.

On 22nd January 2022 I had promised

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that once I get the official data of Jesuit Saints, Blessed, Venerables and Servants of God, I would share the information. I requested Fr. Vernon D’Cunha the Regional assistant to the Superior General of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in Rome to provide me the official data. Today afternoon I received the reply. Till date the society of Jesus has Saints: 54 Blessed: 157 (including Fr. Rutilio Grande beatified on 22nd January 2022) Venerables: 14 Servants of God: 166

people of God. We are involved in education, parishes, retreat centres, research, justice and ecology, interreligious dialogue, training of priests and religious, prisons, refugee resettlements, healthcare, etc. The spirit behind all of our ministries is “Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam (“for the greater glory of God”) abbreviated as AMDG. You can find Jesuits in every region, in every colour and in every activity.

Kindly pray for us 16,000 plus Jesuits (priests, brothers, scholastics and novices) who are sinners and yet called to follow Jesus and serve

Pratap Naik, SJ 26th January 2022 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Renovated Don Bosco Hall to Revive Konkani Culture

- By Ivan Saldanha-Shet.

" Protect O God, the Konkani Natak Sabha....... ........Let her shine in art, virile and human Hail O hail, to Mother India be hail, Hail O hail, to Mother Konkani be hail, Long live thou, O Konkani Natak Sabha."

(Truncated.

Anthem)

Translation

of

KNS

Konkani Natak Sabha (KNS) and its home DonBosco Hall (DBH) are prominent in the city of Mangaluru and have nurthured Konkani Culture for long. Now in times that spell a need to give a facelift to Konkani and it's youth ethusiasm the renovation with more than 2.5 crore spent is indeed a great blessing .

The 70 year plus landmark Konkani

cultural icon of Mangalore, Don Bosco Hall (DBH) in it's renovated new form was inaugurated by City police commissioner N Shashikumar IPS, on Thursday, January 27, 2022; after a gracious blessing by the Bishop of Mangalore diocese, Rev Dr Peter Paul Saldanha. Fr Paul Melwyn D Souza, president, Konkani Natak Sabha presided over the inaugural programme.

Commissioner N Shashikumar very cordially said, " The goodness of people here and the richness of the culture impresses me. Such culture does not limit it self, they also act as cultural ambassadors of their land, their ideology of passing the legacy of their ancestors to the next generation is commendable and much needed in the current situation - I wish all the success. "

Bishop of Mangalore Dr Peter Paul Saldanha was emotional and stated, "I have many memories about Don Bosco Hall. I used to attend religious dramas in Don Bosco Hall. Earlier this hall was like a diamond in the crown of the city. Necessities of changing generations, the

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managing committee of the hall came up with an idea of renovating the hall. Today, we have witnessed its inauguration. On this occasion, I

congratulate its president and all the office bearers. I wish that the Don Bosco Hall will become a culture hub of the city with a good

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vision and mission."

Don Bosco Hall-DBH History : Don Bosco Hall and Assisi commercial complex foundation was laid on Sept 19, 1948, Felix Albuquerque, coffee magnate P F X Saldanha, Catholic Bank founder and many others... were the pioneer contributers, an impossible task in

those times. On Jan 25, 1950 first the Assisi complex was blessed. On Aug 19, 1951 the hall, a wonderful compliment the pride of Konkani Natak Sabha (KNS) was opened. All local communities were allowed use at reasonable fees. This DB Hall was then the most modern and largest in Mangalore, 125 feet by 50 feet which could comfortably seat

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1000 people. The total cost was pegged at more than Rs.2.2 lakhs, the Jesuits and Capuchins held their heads high. The stage here, three stages in fact, is a wonder. Simon & Co and many artists used to do the backdrops and props which were really aesthetic and imaginative.

The back stage and below stage facilities and the ' stage frount music-well' were super and allowed great feats such as the depiction of hell and many imaginative scenarios were made possible with good acoustics and sound effects.

The Assisi commercial complex was the focus of entertainment, 'a get away and hang out' -specially for the young and a great support to exploring new couples - in Mangalore of the gone by era. Now, with state-of-the-art modern revival of this complex is likely to be revive as a focal point, very convenient in the heart of future ‘Smart Mangaluru’. In the old times very popular places like, general stores, tailors, eateries, sound services, Christie's Musical instruments and classes, Law firms,

Beauty salon, and so on in one good spot .recalling those times is more than nostalgic.

This renovated complex has many modern features included with a very attractive look, good seating, sound and lighting, parking, approach and even a mini AC hall, office and so on to make it a premium facility.

In 1964, the start of competitions was a big step forward launching the future Konkani stars. It has given the community great Konkani singers, musicians, speakers and dramatists ......few names are: S S Prabhu, M P D'Sa, Simon Rasquinha, J B Rasquinha, Wilfy Rebimbus, Meena Rebimbus, William D'Souza..........Eric Ozario, Austin Prabhu, Mic Max, Melvin Peris, Bennet Pinto, Edward Quadros, Eddie Netto, Stany Mendonca, Babita D’Sa, Prem Lobo, Richie Lasrado, Norbert Periera, Babita Pinto, Prima Rodrigues, ....the list is long. This gradually became the back-bone of KNS with very strong foundations. Now a new era is at hand with blessings of the Almighty on Mangaluru and hopefully will be a bonus to Konkani culture and give it a head start once more. *********

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SOMEBODY RAPED NOBODY – MADNESS!

# chhotebhai When our kids were quite small they regaled visitors to our home with this story. “There were three friends named Somebody, Nobody and Mad. One day Somebody killed Nobody so Mad went to the police station and blurted out that Somebody had killed Nobody. The inspector was not amused and shot back – Are you mad? Yes I’m Mad said the complainant”. Imagine the exasperation of the police inspector.

I was reminded of this seemingly innocuous story after reading about

the acquittal of Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar diocese in the alleged case of rape of a nun, formerly the Superior General of a Congregation under his diocesan jurisdiction. If nobody was raped by somebody then I too am mad.

I have been following this story for the last few years and had even petitioned the Papal Nuncio for the protection of the witnesses. I have also read several articles and “comments” on the “acquittal” of him who I had nick-named Frightening Franco. A friend also sent me the 289-page judgement that I have not been able to read fully for paucity of time. Before

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going into the nitty-gritty of the judgement I have a few apt observations, more allegorical than argumentative.

There is an old English proverb – Don’t miss the wood for the trees.

Wood here means a forest. A fan of National Geographic TV wanted to see a tiger in real life; having seen so many graphic images in the comfort of his sitting room. He spent a large amount of money to fly to a Reserve Forest and went around there for three days. All he saw was the tail of a tiger in the bushes. He later posted this on his Facebook page, “What a waste of time and money.

Couldn’t see any tigers. Too much jungle”! The judge who passed the acquittal order because he could not “separate the grain from the chaff” seems so much like that armchair tourist.

The “inconsistencies” in the victim’s statements apparently obscured the reality of the alleged crime!

It reminds me of two other similar “judgements”, one in the Salman Khan hit and run case, and the other

the Aarushi Talwar murder. Salman’s SUV ran over and killed some pavement dwellers. His bodyguard, a police constable, and the sole witness, died mysteriously.

Thereafter the judge concluded that nobody ran over those hapless victims.

Similarly, there were only four people in the locked house of the Talwars, where their daughter Aarushi and the servant were brutally murdered. The only other people there were Aarushi’s parents, in the next room, with a thin wall separating them. Yet the judge could not separate the grain from chaff. So, I am mad at such myopic judgements. In Franco’s case there is also a huge dollop of misogamy.

I choose to look at the entire sordid episode from the following perspectives: (1) What is Rape? (2) What is consensual sex? (3) What is the relevance of the three evangelical counsels of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience? Finally, what should Mad people like you

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and me do next?

WHAT CONSTITUTES RAPE? This is defined under section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Before 2013 it was defined as penile penetration by force, fraud, intoxication, or misrepresentation. It now includes several other forms of non-penile sexual abuse or assault.

By all accounts, the very first encounter between the victim nun and aggressor bishop falls squarely in the present definition of rape. I would not like to titillate my readers with a graphic or pornographic description. Remember that every time the victim re-reads what she went through she is re-living that hell. So let us show her that sensitivity. As legal commentators have said, even if subsequent acts were consensual, the very first act was the crime of rape u/s 375 IPC. WHAT IS CONSENSUAL SEX? When the alleged perpetrator of the crime is in a position of power or authority over the victim, then the element of consent cannot be presumed. It is an established fact

that the bishop wielded unbridled power and authority over the victim nun. This is called a fiduciary relationship, as between a doctor and a health worker (Sec 376D), between a jailor and a convict (Sec 376C) or the person in charge of a home for women or children (Sec 376C).

We have heard of women being lured into sex with the promise of marriage and then being left high and dry. Such cases are now being treated as rape. In the cases of socalled godmen like Baba Ram Rahim and Asaram Bapu their disciples were abused but complained much later. Their complaints were sustained, and the criminals are now rotting in jail. In cases of clerical paedophilia courts in the USA have set a limitation of 30 years since the crime took place. Most of the cases now being reported in the USA and France are several years old. The victims remained in the closet for fear of social stigma or ostracisation. Courts across the world therefore do not consider a delay in reporting the crime as a

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ground for dismissing it. Yet in the instant case the judge has held the “delay” as a ground to doubt the victim’s credibility.

He has gone to the extent of questioning the victim’s motives, stating that she and her companions were unable to strike a deal with the alleged perpetrator.

What is wrong with that? It is common for the weak and marginalized to “compromise” with the powerful as they cannot fight them in a court of law, as is obvious in this case.

This raises another critical question.

Besides emotional blackmail, was there also a threat of financial blackmail and social ostracisation, thereby forcing the victim to continue pandering to the lust of the aggressor? In my humble opinion this is not a case of consensual sex, but one of exploitation thereby falling in the category of rape.

WHAT OF THE EVANGELICAL COUNSELS? There is much talk of

the Chastity/ Celibacy angle. We also need to question Poverty and Obedience. We will begin with Chastity. The IPC gives an example of Mohanlal vs State of Madhya Pradesh (1997). Normally a woman would not falsely implicate a person for the offence of rape at the cost of her character. In Indian society it is very unusual that a lady with a view to implicate a person would go to the extent of stating that she was raped.

The burning question therefore is, why would a nun accuse a powerful bishop of rape if it had not happened? It defies all logic. The only logical explanation is that there was an enduring sexual relationship, whether by allurement or consent, that later turned sour. This would mean that Franco is a sexual predator and not a celibate. On this ground alone, of moral turpitude and ecclesial indiscipline, Frightening Franco should be immediately removed from both episcopal office and the priesthood.

Next comes evangelical Poverty. If

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Franco can afford the luxury of staying in a five-star hotel and hire the most expensive lawyers, even in the Supreme Court, then where is the question of evangelical poverty?

Could the poor nun and her supporters stand up to the battery of well heeled defence attorneys?

Where is the justice?

Finally, any talk of submission under the guise of Obedience is in this case absurd. Nobody is compelled to obey an unjust or immoral order.

WHAT NEXT? Let us not wring our hands in despair. There is still much that we can do. Here are a few practical suggestions: 1. An appeal against this pernicious judgement must be proffered in the Kerala High Court.

This is the duty of the State, so we should pursue the matter with the LDF Government in Kerala.

Competent lawyers in Kerala could also offer their services pro bono.

2. The Kerala Govt should also be petitioned to investigate the antecedents and finances of the

judge. Has he been compromised in some way?

3. We must keep this case alive in the Catholic media by writing articles and letters.

4. We should strongly assert our views with ecclesiastical authorities that, even pending judicial review, there is enough circumstantial evidence for Franco to be removed from office. We should write to the Nuncio, the CBCI President, and the Apostolic Administrator of Jalandhar diocese. Their email ids are given here: Apostolic Nunciature nuntius@apostolicnunciatureindia.c om Bp Agnelo Gracias agnelorg@gmail.com Cardinal Oswald Gracias archdioceseofbombay@gmail.com Let us not give up hope in our battle for justice for the victim, for the removal of black sheep from the ecclesial community, and for greater accountability and transparency in public life. We don’t want more cases of Somebody raping Nobody and driving us all Mad! • The writer is the Convenor of

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the Indian Catholic Forum that has persistently and consistently stood

up for the reform and cleansing of the Church, the present case included.

JANUARY 2022 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Abide with Me” and “Beating Retreat Ceremony” There are 26 tunes that will be played at the Beating Retreat this year on 29th January 2022, the same as last year but with some changes and with all tunes being Indian this time coinciding with 75 years of independence.

The Indian government's decision from this year to discard a worldfamous popular hymn “Abide with Me” that has been an annual fixture at the Beating Retreat Ceremony at Republic Day celebrations since 1950 has shocked, surprised and pained every broadminded patriotic citizen of India.

The hymn, “Abide with Me”, which is said to be a one of the personal favourites of Mahatma Ganhiji, the

Father of the Indian nation.

The hymn’s lyrics were by Henry Francis Lyte (1793 – 1847). He was a Scottish poet hymn writer, and an Anglican Pastor. It is a prayer for God to stay with the speaker throughout life and in death. It was written by Lyte in 1847 as he was dying from tuberculosis. It is most often sung to the tune of “Eventide” composed by English organist, church musician, and music editor William Henry Monk (1823 -1889) in 1861.

In the past it was played by military brass bands as the last piece as the Beating Retreat Ceremony ends and the retreat buglers bring down the Indian flag on the ceremonial

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celebration.

The concerned authorities dropped this traditional hymn this year which was played as the last musical composition since 1950 by the Indian military Brass Bands during the ceremony of Beating Retreat on 29th January every year. It signifies a military tradition dating back centuries, when troops stopped fighting, sheathed their arms, withdrew from the battlefield, and returned to their camps at the sounding of the ‘retreat’.

The reasons for dropping “Abide with Me” are given as “It is a legacy of past colonialism”, “Its lyrics are understood by a limited few”, “Phasing out tunes handed down from a colonial past and including tunes that have a wider and deeper connect with the people of India in on going exercise”, “The Centre wanted to include maximum number of Indian tunes and consequently, it was decided that only Indian origin tunes will be played at this year’s (2022) ceremony on January 2022!!! If one

accepts this strange logic, then we have countless “legacies of past colonialism”. For example, Beating Retreat Ceremony, English language, democracy, political, administrative, judicial, military, education, and mass media systems, western music and instruments, movies and entertainment industry, western dress and cuisine, architecture, railways, airports, airways, allopathy, medicines and Medicare, household items, etc.

Even the very concept of “Republic India” and “Nation” is a past legacy of our colonialism. Are we ready to drop all these and use exclusively only those things which strictly belong to our tradition and culture?

Where and how do we draw a line to demarcate to identify this is “Indian” and the rest are “past legacy of colonialism”? If all the above mentioned and not mentioned foreign origin systems and things are retained as integral parts of our heritage, then why a universal song “Abide with Me” is considered as an “unwanted legacy of the past”? Who can explain to us the invention of this strange and

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unique “Indian logic”? Day by day our country and its citizens are led like a flock of sheep “from Truth to untruth, from Light to darkness, and from Life to darkness”!!!

The following two videos are of “Abide with Me”. The first one is singing with lyrics. The second one is an instrumental music of it played for the last time in 2021 at the Beating Retreat Ceremony at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force brass bands in the presence of the President of India, Prime Minister and other dignitaries.

In spite of the decision of the authorities, the meaningful lyrics of “Abide with Me” and its soul touching solemn music, the ripples it creates cannot be erased from the hearts and minds of music lovers of India by any forces. It is really sad and a matter of shame that the tradition of India since 1950 has been erased by dropping this song which was so close to Mahatma Gandhiji’s heart. Promoters of fundamentalism, pseudo nationalism, and exclusivism do not Pratap Naik, SJ 25 January 2022 care for the culture of true Patriotism.

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‘Abide With Me’ will Stay Forever!

*Fr Cedric Prakash SJ Outside the St. Michael’s Church in Mahim Mumbai is a powerful slogan. “God will always abide with me, even if I retreat!” In many ways this creative caption sums up the raging controversy on ‘Abide With Me’ that has been on prime-time news and on social media for a week now!

A recent Government (Defence Ministry) communique finds no mention of ‘Abide With Me’ in this year’s ‘Beating Retreat’ programme which will be held on 29 January as the culmination of the events on and around Republic Day. ‘Abide in Me’ has been one of the staple tunes at the ceremony since 1950 and was Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite! The spokesperson of the Defence Ministry did not offer any comment as to why this immortal composition was dropped. Plenty of unofficial reasons are being flaunted for doing so. Earlier, the Government had planned to drop ‘Abide With Me’ in 2020 from the Beating Retreat ceremony but had later retained it after a huge nationwide uproar. This time there is also a groundswell of protest. It is certain however, that the

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Government will be unrelenting besides over the years they have systematically destroyed the secular, impartial and objective credentials of the defence establishment!

‘Abide With Me’ was composed by a Scottish Anglican Henry Francis Lyte. It is a prayer to God to stay with the one praying throughout life, through trials and tribulations and even in death, it was written by Lyte in 1847 as he was dying from tuberculosis. Apparently Lyte first wrote it when he visited an old friend, William Le Hunte, who was dying. As Lyte sat with the dying man, William kept repeating the phrase "abide with me…". After leaving William's bedside, Lyte wrote the hymn and gave a copy of it to Le Hunte's family. Though there are clear Christian references: the opening line alludes to , "Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent", ( Lk. 24:29) and the penultimate verse draws on text from the Letter to the CorinthianFs "O death, where is thy sting? O

grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor 15:55), and is often regarded as a Christian hymn, ‘Abide With Me’ actually transcends the narrow confines of any religion. Its lyrics (translated into several languages all over the world) are undying and its melody so haunting!

It doesn’t need much of a ‘rocket science’ knowledge to know why the Government has decided to obliterate a song of such nostalgia, importance and meaning. Some superfluous reasons are being floated: the colonial past, indigenisation etc. They hold no water! The Government will certainly not do away with the railways or many more vestiges from colonial rule. Besides the defence establishment may even collapse were they to stop importing arms and ammunition and other military equipment like the Raffaele jets- which are ‘phorenmade’. Will our politicians and bureaucrats and other powerful vested interests stop sending their children to study abroad or mint money in flush jobs in foreign

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countries?

India today has become a land of hypocrites, self-centred bigots who are determined to destroy everything that is precious in the country: from the Constitution to democratic principles, from pluralism to Gandhian values. They really don’t care about what is happening to the country as long as their interests are served.

One person who has resolutely espoused the cause of ‘Abide With Me’ is Tushar Gandhi, the greatgrandson of Mahatma Gandhi. In a communication to me a few days ago Tushar writes, “Hello Father Cedric

this is Tushar Gandhi from Mumbai.

I am sending you an appeal I am

making to Christian clergy please help distribute it in your circles too.

Hope you are fine it has been a long time since we communicated.

An Appeal Mohandas Gandhi believed that it was the duty of every human to study and respect every religion in pursuit of this he studied the holy scriptures of every religion.

All his life, in all his Ashrams in South Africa and in India prayers were held every morning and evening. In them prayers from all religions were included and given equal importance. The Hymn ‘Abide With Me’ was one of his favourite Hymns and would be sung many a times.

After Independence after India became a Republic. Republic Day commemoration would end with the Beating the Retreat Ceremony on Raj Path on 29th January.

Marching Bands of all three Services performed several songs. ‘Abide With Me’ was always performed all these years. It symbolises the syncretic culture of our nation

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where all religions were included and given an equal status and respect. This year inexplicably ‘Abide with Me’ has been replaced.

It is hurtful more so because the next day January 30th is The Day Bapu was martyred in 1948. In his memory and as a tribute to his desire for an inclusive all embracing respectful and loving nation, Citizens of India should take it upon themselves to perform, recite or play, ‘Abide with me’ as a tribute to Mohandas Gandhi.

My Appeal to the Church is to sing ‘Abide With Me’ in as many Churches as possible all over India on 30th January this year, as a tribute to Mohandas Gandhi and as an affirmation of our Syncretic Culture and our secular belief of equal respect to all religions.

Unfortunately, today hate has taken center stage in our nation, changing the narrative of so many decades and corrupting the ideal on which our nation was founded. Gandhi said that hate must be countered solely with love a very Christian

ethic. Let us all make the singing, reciting or playing of ‘Abide With Me’ our reply to hate. Let love prevail.

Sincerely, Tushar Gandhi,” (98213366 tushar@mahatma.org.in gandhitushar.a@gmail.com )

I promised Tushar that I would do the needful (read his appeal, now going viral, above carefully and do your best to act accordingly) that is why I am writing this article with a few more suggestions: i.

On both days 29 January (Beating Retreat) and 30 January (the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination) sing/ play ‘Abide With Me’ as often as possible ii.

If there are Church Services (30 January being a Sunday) or any other assembly play/sing ‘Abide With Me’

iii. There are several renditions of the song, particularly on YouTube,

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share them on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp etc) iv. Get a choir/ensemble together to sing the song v.

Don’t stop with these two days continue as long as possible

Above all, let us not be cowed down by cowards; when we give in to them and just acquiesce to their demands – we not only lose something for ourselves, but for the people of country and for the future.

Perhaps at this juncture we need to take a cue from the words of ‘Abide With Me’

“I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness Where is death's sting?

Where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, if Thou abide with me” Yes, to fear no one, because God is with us and we will triumph! ‘Abide With Me’ will stay forever!

28 January 2022 *(Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ is a human rights, reconciliation, and peace activist/writer.

Contact: cedricprakash@gmail.com )

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Need Writers: Send your writings for

(English) to:

Veez Illustrated Weekly

veezkonkani@gmail.co

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Kodial - Smart City Vs Historicity Hype.

Yemmekere and Gujarekere in Bolar, are two prominent city water bodies in the South corner, landmarks of ancient, historical Kudla or Mangaluru, spread across several acres and have a history of more than 1800 years, the entire settlement of ancient Mangaluru which derives its name from Goddess Mahatobara Mangaladevi whose temple is situated between these two ancient tanks. The original Mangaluru stretched from Mangaladevi /Jeppu to Shree Sharavu Mahaganapathi Temple in Kodialbail. Recently it is seen to be gaining importance and high-end facilities in the Smart city face lift in progress. Indeed, it is a thrill to see and experience the plans and their execution which will hopefully be speeded up, and the Smart city work progress is a systematic and orderly manner with safety an important consideration at all levels.

Jeppu Gujjara Kere : Gujjara Kere at Jeppu in the Southern tip of Mangaluru city, this holy tank constructed by the 'Natha Cult' for Guru Mathsyendranatha; it was named 'Gurujana Kere' which latter became 'Gujjarakere'. The smart city has spent 3.70 crore to convert this spot into a pleasure spot.

A visit to the spot gives good vibes that it may be a good place to spend

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quality time for the simple citizens of the area, but the question of how and for how long the goodness of the place will be sustainable and how much effort will be contributed by the authorities, corporators and area committee to maintain this successfully - in the short time the water is seen to be polluted. Public enthusiasm is the need of the times.

The general outlook now on the spruced up Kere according to people around, is promising and the atmosphere is pleasant.

Provisions of a walled play area, children's play den with equipment, general gym type facility, seating for public, steel railings, walking/ jogging/cycling track, toilet block and so on. Hopefully draining arrangements and preventing sewage from surroundings are taken care of and well checked.

People are seen to be feeding fish and birds in the water, this needs caution and care. Security here needs some thought and traffic on

the road between Jeppu market and MphasiS/M'lore Club needs control especially at evenings.

Yemmekere - A Olympic standard Swimming pool : A very modern olympic/ international class

swimming pool has taken shape with construction work at an advanced stage and expected to be inaugurated around September 2022 - a 75th Independence gift to the city., at a budget of 25 crores.

The configuration will consist of 3 pools above ground level (see picture). Olympic standard 50 mts, Utility pool 25 mts and for children 13.8 mts. The testing for leakage is in prgress with tiling and finishing to follow.

Smart city projects have enabled

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development of such utility and beautification of historical and ancient spots of Mangalore city.

Once ready, it will enable the city to figure in the international swimming competition circuits which will bring high potential recognition. The front part ground is being developed for leisure activities and games activities are planned. There will be good space for state-of-the-art parking, technical and infrastructure for the better scheme of things.

Mangalore MLA Vedavyas Kamath said work has made progress despite difficult times and all steps are underway for a smooth completion. This will enable a boost to the sporting activities of Mangalore city in a big way in the immediate future.

First Municipality building -1866 in Old Bundar : This centuries old crumbling first Municipality office building at the end of Bundar cargo wharf, beside the Sturruck circle in a

neglected dirty area is a landmark building that has stood witness to the developments and growth of Mangalore's history.

The smart city project is in the process of preserving / restoring it along with other noteworthy relics of Bundar. The dilapidated unused building is situated on the Badriya school road from the DC office, Statebank, Hotel Gateway..leading to Bundar old wharf, loading cargo to Lakshadweep and the fishing jetty and market, 45 MCC Port ward.

The Mayor of Mangalore, Sri Premananda Shetty stated that, as per a book "Mangaluru Dharsana" published by the District authority; The Mangalore Municipality came into being in 1866. Till February 22, 1909 all official business and meetings were conducted in this very building.

The British East India Company too was in this nondescript building.

Municipality was headed then by the South Kanara district collector, Madras Presidency, it was superseded in 1979. On June

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23, 1980, the Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) came into being.

In 1984, the first civic elections of the MCC were held. Upto 1988 this old building housed some works of the MCC, the new building at Lalbagh too was developed. Now the Smart city projects are set to restore old relics in the city, so - Ivan Saldanha-Shet. watch out for more!

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Fr Ivan D’ Souza appointed Professor and Head of Mangalore Diocesan Chair in Christianity, Mangalore University

MANGALORE, JAN 27: Rev. Dr (Fr) Ivan D’Souza, a priest of the diocese of Mangalore and professor in Philosophy at the Inter-diocesan Seminary, Jeppu, Mangalore has been appointed as the new Professor and Head of Mangalore Diocesan Chair in Christainity, Mangalore University.

The newly appointed Professor and

Head of Chair in Christainity took his office on Thursday, January 27, 2022 at the Shanthi Kiran Pastoral Centre, Bajjodi in the presence of Rev. Fr Santhosh Rodrigues, Director of Shanthi Kiran, Pastoral Centre, Very Rev. Dr Ronald Serrao, Rector, St Joseph Seminary, Jeppu, Very Rev. Antony Serra, Secretary Catholic Board of Education and other

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Rev. Dr Victor George D’ Souza, the chancellor of the diocese and the outgoing Professor and Head of Chair in Christianity handed over the responsibility to the newly appointed Rev. Dr Ivan D’ Souza wished him well.

Rev. Dr Ivan obtained his Ph. D in Philosophy from Jnana Deepa Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Pune in 2018. He has been teaching Indian Philosophy at St Joseph Interdiocesan Seminary since 2018.

About Chair in Christianiity:

priests.

The Mangalore Diocesan Chair in Christianity was established on July 3, l987. It intends to study Christianity in a scientific manner on par with other branches of knowledge at the University level, using modern tools of research and analysis, in line with the best traditions of Universities in the world and with a special reference to the Indian scenario, taking into account its anthropological, sociological, cultural and spiritual 46 Veez Illustrated Weekly

heritage. The study approach will be of enlightened persons who believe inter-disciplinary and researchin the universal brotherhood of oriented in relation to Social man. It aims at working for the Sciences such as Psychology, emancipation of the less fortunate Philosophy, History, Literature, by delving deeper to the Indian Sociology and other disciplines. traditions both by relating to the The mission is to establish mainline and subaltern Fellowship, Justice, Harmony and perspectives.

Peace through an in-depth study of the Bible, through a process of Click here https://bit.ly/3H6edVq dialogue with world religions. The to know more about Chair in Chair intends to build a community Christianity at Mangalore University.

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Press Release: Lucy May WVXU host interviews Indian American on prevalence of labor trafficking

Entering America legally is heaven, but illegally is hell; proclaims activist Harold D’Souza a native of Bajpe, Mangalore.

There are approximately 24.9 million people in forced labor worldwide according to the International Labour Organization.

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Harold D’Souza said; Paying agents a hefty sum to enter United States of America illegally is actually paying for your own ‘Coffin’ and not ‘Comfort’.

But reliable statistics on human trafficking are hard to come by. As Erin Meyer, the anti-human trafficking manager with the Salvation Army explains, survivors often do not know they are being victimized.

Recently an Indian family from Gujarat froze to death on the Canadian and US Border. This family paid Rs. 65 Lakhs to enter America undocumented. Jagdish Patel, 39, Vaishali Patel, 37, and their children Vihangi, 11, and Dharkmik, 3, died from exposure due to frigid cold near Manitoba, Canada on January 19th, 2022.

"We certainly do work with

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individuals who don't self-identify, maybe they don't self-identify as being a victim. It's a very disempowering term and a disempowering concept," Meyer says. It may take survivors years to come forward.

This was the case with Harold D'Souza. He's the survivor of labor trafficking and worked without pay for more than a year before reporting the abuse. Now he is the founder of Eyes Open International and works to help victims of human trafficking.

Joining Cincinnati Edition to discuss Human Trafficking Awareness Month were Ohio Department of Public Safety Office of Criminal Justice Services State AntiTrafficking Coordinator Maria

Busch; The Salvation Army AntiHuman Trafficking Manager and End Slavery Cincinnati Coalition Manager Erin Meyer; and Eyes Open International President and Cofounder Harold D'Souza.

With award-winning news from 91.7 WVXU, Cincinnati Public Radio reaches over 250,000 listeners each week.

On January 26th Lucy May WVXU Cincinnati Edition Host interviewed international inspirational survivor advocate Harold D’Souza on; ‘Why the prevalence of human trafficking is so hard to track.

If you or anyone you suspect is a victim of labor or sex trafficking in America call 1-888-373-7888 the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

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“Re-Imagining Internationalization”

held on 21 January 2022.

St Aloysius College (Autonomous) is a 142 year old reputed institution catering quality education to the youth in this part of the country. At present there are more than 6800 students with 314 staff members.

The College has more than 20 post Graduate programs. It has number of accolades- to highlight few, it is reaccredited by NAAC with A grade

with CGPA 3.62 out of 4. The College is ranked 95 under NIRF in 2021.It is recognised as the centre for research capacity building under UGC stride scheme and also under DBT builder scheme. College is conferred star status by the DBT and recognised by UGC as college with potential for excellence.

The Internal Quality Assurance Cell

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(IQAC), St Aloysius College (Autonomous) Mangaluru in collaboration with AIACHE, organised a 2-day Conference on the theme: “Re-Imagining Internationalization” which was divided into 3 segments, Management Development Program (MDP), Faculty development Program (FDP) and Leadership development Program (LDP) The objective of this conference was to get familiarized with the aims and vision of AIACHE and devise means to come together to collaborate and network for facing the challenges of Christian higher education in the present context, especially with the implementation of NEP-2020.

AIACHE, The All India Association for Christian Education is a professional Association of more than 500 Christian higher education institutions in India. The vision of AIACHE is to give Christian institutions a recognizable character and set high ideals of life and service which will inspire them continuously to strive to meet

emerging needs and challenges.

The Principal of St Aloysius College Autonomous, Rev Dr Praveen Martis SJ has been elected as the President of the AIACHE, Karnataka Region in the General Body Meeting held in Kanyakumari from 27-29 December, 2021 and as one of the AIACHE Executive Board members (Karnataka Region) in the recently held 140th Meeting of the AIACHE Executive Board.

This Conference “Re-Imagining Internationalization” was a unique programme to explore common grounds for progressive educationists to discuss the future of NEP, to develop effective teacher training models, to strategize and build model plan to upskill and increase employability and provide internationalization in education and placements.

The conference was inaugurated on 21 January 2022 at 10.30 am in Sanidhya. The following were the dignitaries for the programme: Chief guest Ms Sameera Fernandes, Director of Ecosol Global, President Rev Dr Praveen Martis SJ, Vice

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president of AIACHE (Karnataka region) & vice principal of School of social work, Roshni Nilaya – Sr Dr Jenis Mary, Secretary of AIACHE Mr Roshan Raj, General secretary of AIACHE-Rev Dr Xavier Vedham SJ and Spearhead media group mentor and advisor, CA Valerian D’Almaida were virtually present, Registrar and Controller of examinations St Aloysius CollegeDr Alwyn D’Sa and the IQAC coordinator Mr Sonal Lobo.

Registrar and Controller of examinations St Aloysius college- Dr Alwyn D’Sa delivered the welcome address. General secretary of AIACHE-Rev Dr Xavier Vedham SJ addressed the gathering and congratulated St Aloysius College for taking an initiative in organising this conference that would train the Principal’s, Faculties and the young minds to bring new innovations in higher education.

Chief Guest Ms Sameera Fernandes in her address highlighted the significance of internationalization of higher education through collaboration, research and

entrepreneurship. President of the program, Rev Dr Praveen Martis SJ in his presidential address emphasized on the strategies to face the challenges in higher education and spoke on the importance of building networks among the colleges. Spearhead media group mentor and advisor, CA Valerian D’Almaida in his address congratulated his Almamater for this wonderful initiative in coming together as a team to build up the educational institutions in par with international standards.

The inaugural program concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr Sonal Lobo, the IQAC coordinator. The program was compered by Dr Rachael Natasha Mary, Assistant IQAC Coordinator.

Principals of 13 colleges across Karnataka and the directors of St Aloysius College (Autonomous) were present for the inaugural program.

The formal program was followed by an interactive session by Ms Sameera Fernandes. She in her talk

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explored different areas of institutional development such as quality enhancement, research culture, creative outlook and creating scholars for future. She emphasised the need for all educational institutions to adopt new vistas as education is moving from internationalization to universalization. At the end all the delegates were involved in a brain storming session to come up with their action plan to establish new standards in academic pursuit.

At the end principal Rev Dr Praveen Martis, SJ in his concluding remarks congratulated all the principals of different colleges for being a part of this conference and invited other college too to be a part of AIACHE so that more such programmes can be planned under the banner of AIACHE which will help Christian institutions reach greater heights.

The Faculty Development Program (FDP) under the theme “ReImagining Internationalization” was held on 21 January at 2.00 pm.

Around 500 faculty members were

present for the session. The principal of St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Rev Dr Praveen Martis SJ addressed the participants and welcomed them. The resource person Ms Sameera Fernandes interacted with the faculty members on various aspects like Collaboration and Partnership, Student Mobility, Faculty Policies and Practices, Administrative Leadership and Articulated Institutional Commitment. She also discussed on strategies for faculty engagement and traits for a next generation teacher.

A leadership development program was held on 22nd January 2022 from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. The resource person Ms Sameera Fernandez addressed around 300 students on Reimagining Internationalization. The audience were from various parts of the country and attended the webinar through an online ZOOM platform.

The resource person discussed regarding success and failures connecting them to the lives of eminent personalities in order to

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encourage the students to believe in side of audience and the session themselves. She raised various winded up by 12:30. questions regarding definition of The session was informative and success, where the students wish to interesting as the resource person see themselves in the next 10 years was more indulged in having a or what was their biggest encounter healthy interaction with the with failure till date. There was a students. good number of responses from the ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

M JESSY DSOUZA ASHGOURD & PRAWN CURRY KUVALO ANI SUNGTA POLOV🦐

Yummy & delicious curry prepared with roasted & aromatic ingredients exactly as Mangalorean Wedding

style Kuvalo Polov.Only difference is I have added fresh prawns instead mutton. Best to serve with boiled rice, chicken sukka, small piece of fish fry or dry fish chutney as side dish.

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INGREDIENTS: 1 Medium Ashgourd Cut, peel & discard seeds, make pieces.

15 - 20 big jumbo prawns Or small as required Cleaned & washed FOR MASALA: 1.5 cup grated coconut 4 - 5 bedgi chillies 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp.mustard 10 - 15 pepper corns 1/4 tsp urad dal {optional} 1/2 tsp ukda|Kaje rice Small ball of tamarind 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 1 onion 4 garlic cloves

▪︎Slightly roast all dry ingredients under masala, except tamarind, turmeric & coconut.

▪︎Roast 1/2 cup of coconut & 1 sliced onion, garlic, turmeric with few drops of coconut oil . Transfer plate & cool.

▪︎Grind all roasted ingredients with coconut & tamarind into fine paste.

▪︎ In cooking vessel boil ashgourd with salt until tender. Add ground masala, mix well & adjust consistency. Get good boil.Add cleaned prawns. Cook few mins & take it off.

Season with ghee & sliced onion.

Serve with hot boiled rice😋. Enjoy.

SEASONING: 1 sliced onion 1 tbsp ghee or as required

METHOD: 55 Veez Illustrated Weekly