Secular Citizen Vol. 22 No. 38 dated 23 September 2013 by Lawrence Coelho

23 September 2013

Kerala Church Compiling Data On Big Families

Kochi: Kerala’s Catholic Church is compiling a data on big families with couples who married after 1990 and have more than three children. The move comes as part of a program launched by the Family Commission of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) two years ago to honor such families. According to the preliminary reports, there would be more than 9,000 couples who have decided not to limit the number of children to two or three. Since the number of children is more than five in a good number of families from the older generation, the church is focusing on those couples who have been married for 20odd years. The church's 30 dioceses across the state have been organizing programs to felicitate them in a bid to encourage big families. While 450 families attended the event in Pala, there were 500 couples in Thrissur. Idukki also saw 400-odd families. Our aim is to encourage responsible parenting and family welfare. “But when we started this program, there were questions from many quarters on why we are doing it. We do not want to create any disturbances to other communities," said Fr Jose Kottayil, secretary of the family commission. "We discussed the matter at the KCBC meeting recently too. What we want to highlight is the development of families, not the extension of the community," said Fr Jose. While the Catholics are taught to condemn artificial contraception, the '70s and '80s saw considerable decrease in the number. Now the concept of big families is re-emerging, feel church officials. "The church has always stood for the protection and promotion of life. And that is one reason why we honored big families. Nothing concrete has been decided about the promotion, but we might hold some awareness programs," said Fr Stephen Alathara, deputy secretary general of KCBC.

Enactment of National Food Security Bill in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

he recent National Food Security Bill passed in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have earned the goodwill of millions of Indians. The popularity of this measure augurs well the poorest citizens of our own country, the UPA Government as it is only after thoughtful and result-oriented approach that such a popular measure has taken effect even after a lots of hue and cry among the different political parties at the parliament house as well as the Rajya Sabha . This righteousness of the Bill has been further confirmed by our Hon’ble President Shri Pranab Mukherjee, giving his assent to the Bill. Irrespective of what critics might opine, Union Minister for Food & Civil Supplies Mr K V Thomas and the Cabinet can take legitimate pride from the fact that under the Bill, Government will empower communities to feed themselves, making food more accessible. That a minimum 5 kgs of food grains rice for Rs. 3 per kg, wheat for Rs. 2 per kg and pays. for Rs. 1 per kg will be available at highly subsidized rates to the rural population, literally and figuratively means that half of the urban population will benefit. This is also an answer to the threat posed by malnutrition and hunger which stares at our country’s growing population. The highlight of this piece of legislation is the fact that it means that apart from fulfillment of Congress Party’s 2009 promise to the electorate, the enactment will plug loopholes in the present Public Distribution System. Not only that, India’s Food Security Bill could possibly be one of the world’s largest food security programmes. Mr. Johnson Therattil as its Consultative member FCI from state of Maharashtra had an opportunity in one of the meeting held connected with Food Security Bill together with Hon’ble Shri K.V Thomas at New Delhi.

23 September 2013

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‘Thought for the week’

A bump in the road is either an obstacle to be thought or an opportunity to be enjoyed…it is all up to you.

Contents

pg. 3 - Working For Social ... pg. 6 - Kolkata Christian Schools Observed 'Black Day' pg. 5 - Views on News pg. 6 - Most People Singing National Anthem pg. 7 - Reader's Views pg 8 - Democracy Is Farther Away Than Ever, For South Asia pg 10 - When to Keep a Child ... pg 15 - God Or Riches : Lesson In Pragmatism pg 16 - World Wide Marriage Encounter: ... pg 14 - Be A More Productive ... pg 19 - Inspiration pg 20 - Matrimonials pg 21 - Health Benefits of Curry Leaves

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23 September 2013

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Working For Social Change In India: Issues And Challenges by Annie Fraser: You’re walking. You see a child. From only a single glance, you can tell that the child is poor. You allow yourself a few moments to look at the child, to really observe her, and to feel for her. And you keep on walking. No nation or society is without its problems, least of all India. We look at India’s problems, we think about India’s problems, and sometimes we contemplate about the solutions. But the action, or lack thereof, stops there. We simply think. Thinking is good and necessary. Thinking, contemplating and considering, these are all strong words, but they lead to immeasurable results. India cannot afford immeasurable. With support from the Leaders Accelerating Development Program, Alisha Shiledar, an engineering student from Belgaum, Karnataka, is an example of one such girl who thought, contemplated, considered and then, acted. Alisha’s journey began with one little girl named Fatima. Fatima, around 8 years old, desperately wanted to go to school. Her family being poor, Fatima had to help her mother every day, who worked as a maid. Alisha would see Fatima and seriously worried about the girl’s condition. Alisha says, “[Fatima] was innocent, but I could see her innocence diminishing”. Alisha soon understood that Fatima was not alone, and that there were many other girls in Fatima’s situation, or even worse. Alisha went to the government school near Fatima’s home in a Belgaum slum area and learned that most of the children were only attending school two weeks every month, at the most. Alisha decided to take action. At first she approached the parents of the children and tried to explain to them the importance of education, but she was greeted with opposition. Many of the parents shouted at her and slammed the door in her face. Not wanting to give up, Alisha went to the school. On Saturdays and Sundays for three months, Alisha volunteered at the school and devised fun ways to teach the children the basic skills that they were lacking, which also helped generate an interest for school within the children. But Alisha knew that helping the children wasn’t enough. She realized that ultimately, she had to convince the parents to let their children come to school. For this, the parents themselves needed to learn and appreciate the value of education. For one month, Alisha taught the parents, mostly the (Contd.. on p. 4)

Kolkata Christian Schools Observed 'Black Day' Kolkata: More than 1,000 Christian-run schools observed Sep 19 as a 'black day' and remained shut in protest against police "inaction" during the vandalism of a West Bengal school following the death of a minor girl student, the archbishop of Calcutta said. These schools comprised those the purview of the West Bengal Association of Christian Schools (WBACS), the Association of Anglo-Indian schools (more than 700) and those schools affiliated to the Indian Council for Secondary Education (ICSE) board (amounting to near about 300). "All these schools in English medium and vernacular medium in all the districts of West Bengal to observed Sep 19 Thursday as 'Black Day' and remained closed," Archbishop Thomas D'Souza told media persons here. "Schools will remained shut to protest against total police inaction to control the unruly mob, to condemn the rampant vandalism and hooliganism in a girls' school for hours on end causing trauma to the head mistress and so many lady teachers," said D'Souza, who officiates as the president of WBACS. Oindrila Das, a class 5 student of Christ Church School in Dum Dum, died Sep 11, a week after she was allegedly locked up inside the school toilet by some of her seniors who demanded money from her. A day later, the 131-year old institution witnessed unprecedented

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scenes as hundreds of people - mostly parents - ransacked the institution, holed up the principal and other teachers inside a dark room and eventually forced principal Helen Sarkar to resign. Condoling the death of the student, WBACS demanded the identification and immediate arrest of those responsible for "the criminal act of sabotage, destruction of school property, including valuable documents and the trauma caused by all". The Association also demanded "immediate and unconditional release"

of Sarkar who was arrested Thursday night and subsequently remanded to three days' police custody following protests by parents who blamed her for the death of 10-year-old Oindrila. "We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Helen Sarkar, the headmistress, who was made to tender her resignation under pressure," said D'Souza. A court Monday granted bail to the school principal who was booked under several non-bailable charges following a police complaint by the dead girl's family. (IANS)

Working For Social Change In India: Issues And Challenges (Contd.. from p. 3) mothers, basic literacy skills. In time, the parents started sending their children back to school. Now, 50 children, including Fatima, are attending school regularly. We might feel overwhelmed and powerless when India’s problems stare directly into our eyes. We may just don’t know where to start. But Alisha’s story makes us realize that we do, in fact, possess the power to do something. The reality of the situation is that Alisha is just a normal girl. What sets her apart, though, is that she realized her potential to be part of the solution. You’re walking. You’re thinking about Alisha and the impact she created. You’re thinking about that poor child that you saw earlier, and how you could help her. The time for thinking is up. It’s time to act.

23 September 2013

What Appeasement? The opposition parties, particularly the Hindutwa based ones, have been constantly blaming the government of appeasing the minority community. This is their favourite punch line which they are not tired of parroting at every little opportunity. But what they forget to realize is that while trying to please one particular community, assuming that it is true, the government is actually taking some hard / unpleasant decisions like increasing petrol / diesel prices at regular intervals keeping in mind the international crude oil prices and the weakening Rupee. These decisions, actually hit every body very hard across the board which also include the minorities. It is not easy to take decisions which impact the common man especially so close to general elections. When you sit in the opposition, you have the freedom to pontificate and sermonize with zero risk and yet, you ingratiate yourselves to the public and pretend to be the sole guardians of public good. Once, and if, they come to power, their punch line will change to – ‘the UPA has made a mess of things and we do not have a magic wand to remedy the situation overnight. It will take years [a subtle reminder that they are eligible for another term] to clear the mess’. Unfortunately, Congress and other parties do not have any shadow groups to take care of their hidden agenda. Whatever they want to do, even if it is seen as appeasement, they have to do themselves. On the other hand, the BJP has many organizations under the umbrella - Sangh Parivar, to do that like the VHP, Bajrang Dal et el. They are proxy groups which have, time and again, tried to bring the hindutwa issues to the forefront before every election that matters. The BJP does not directly do it but knows for itself that the positive fall-out of such an agenda benefits the party in a big way. If it backfires, they can always say ‘We have nothing to do with it’ – a classic case of eating the cake and having it too. Other parties are not as lucky. The BJP rightly says they do

23 September 2013

VIEWS on NEWS not play the temple card. They make someone else to do the job. To put it in proper perspective, the BJP prefers to ‘out-source’ its hidden agenda and pretend to be ‘holier-than-thou’. That is a dangerous scenario.

by Marshall Sequeira

*****

Na Mo Waiting For PM-ship Friday, the 13th proved to be lucky for one of the most controversial yet powerful leaders – Narendra Modi. To think that a man, who, the whole country [so the BJP claims] wants as the next PM, should create so much of inner dissensions is surprising. They say a guardian [L.K.] has the right to discipline. Yet, they brushed him aside in Goa and now in Delhi. Actually, it is an insult to say that he is a tall leader, mentor, guide, father figure and yet ignore him. Advani is a wounded tiger and BJP knows it. They are mortally scared of his moves from now on. He could make their lives uncomfortable. He did not bother about RSS in the Jinnah case. Does Rajnath think he will toe the line now when he has nothing to lose. He will give the BJP leadership sleepless nights. Advani, may lie low for the time being and wait for things to unfold. He knows that there are quite few in the party who are not actually happy with the meteoric rise of Modi. Sushma Swaraj being one of them has her future ahead of her. Who knows, in the event Modi failing to drum up the required support, she could emerge as an alternative with Advaniji’s blessings? If she goes vocal she would incur the wrath of the Sangh Parivar and that could spoil her chances, if any. The 75 plus group can afford to be vocal. If selection of PM candidate takes dozens of meetings per day, one wonders how much time will be required to get other parties on board to make up that magic figure of 273 and that too for Modi. They may as well begin the process now. *****

WED-LEASE An American lawyer, who specializes in pre-nup contracts, has a solution for ugly and expensive divorce proceedings. Since roughly 51% of marriages land in courts for divorce, this unique alternative has caught the imagination of at least a few people. He says couples could enter into a ‘wed-lease’ which means a man can take a woman on lease and vice versa for a pre-determined period – somewhat on the lines of Leave and Licence agreement prevalent in India. He goes on to say that both parties will have the option to ‘renew’ the agreement if it works to their advantage. This new concept is supposed to give, either party, unfettered freedom to go his/her way once the lease period expires. No legal hassles and no litigation. It sounds like you vacate the premises which you have taken on say an 11 month lease. No love lost - literally. If this succeeds, a lot of lawyers will be out of business. In the past, pre-nup agreement was viewed as a panacea for all divorce ills but the very fact that a new option had to be thought of tells a different story. Incidentally, the author of this innovative concept did not say what would be the status of children are born out of this unique arrangement. Neither does he say as to what happens to them once the lease expires. Do they become virtual orphans in this arrangement which only concentrates on the two contracting parties? The author needs to come out with a more comprehensive and viable alternative.

Most People Singing National Anthem

private business house in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, had attempted to create a new world record with over 100,000 of its employees singing the country's national anthem together at one point in one uniform on Monday, 6th May 2013. As a special and commemorative gift to the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, as 1,21,653 staff and workers of Sahara India Pariwar recited the National Anthem 'Jana Gana Mana' in unison at a place, eclipsing the current Guinness record of 42,813 persons held by Pakistan. The occasion was to attempt a place in the Guinness World Record. The patriotic fervour did not stop here, as more than one million

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staff at 4,512 offices of Sahara also sang the National Anthem together. Chairman of the Sahara Group, Subrata Roy, while addressing the gathering at a stadium in Lucknow, expressed his delight as his company's attempt to create a new world record.Roy says he espouses a philosophy of "collective materialism" and according to Sahara's website, the group shares its profits between staff, its internal fund and social development activities and has never declared a dividend. Written in Sanskritised Bangla, 'Jana Gana Mana' was first sung at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress on December 27, 1911. It was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on January 24, 1950. There were hundreds of onlookers -- men, women and youngsters from various cities of the state - who had congregated at Ramabai Ambedkar Rally Sthal, giving it a look of mini-Kumbh, as they settled down to take their final position for the record breaking attempt. Another interesting aspect of the event was the use of airborne camera to capture the images of the participants, and helping the third

party auditors in the counting and verification process. When asked what prompted them to undertake this activity, Subrata Roy, managing worker and chairman, Sahara India Pariwar, said, "When I first came to know that Pakistan is holding the current world record, I thought that it should be India, which must have it. And with a dedicated team, we faced no challenges in accomplishing this goal." Before the start of the event, Subrata Roy motivated the participants. During the event, the participants paid tributes to the martyrs, who laid down their lives for the country, by observing a two-minute silence. The male workers of Sahara were wearing a uniform of white shirt, black pants and black ties, while the women sported red saris (traditional wear). Speaking to reporters before the event started, adjudicator Pravin Patel of Guinness World Records said, "For every 50 members of the crowd, a third-party auditor is on the job to come out with the accurate number of participants." After the record was officially confirmed, Patel said that it is one of the most disciplined performances he has seen so far.

23 September 2013

Justice At Last 9 months is a pretty long and agonizing wait for speedy justice from a fast-track court involving heinous crimes committed in our country, such as the brutal rape and murder of the 23 year old woman in a Delhi bus by 5 men, which the judge rightly described as “brutal, grotesque, and the rarest of rare cases.” Kudos to the Delhi police , investigating agencies and the Prosecution for putting up crucial and incriminating evidence to nail the culprits. It is also a victory for the people of India who rallied in support of the victim in large numbers, demanding speedy justice by the court, amendment of rape laws of the country, and stringent punishment to the guilty, even to the extent of the death sentence. It is now hoped that the death sentence awarded to the 4 persons will serve as a future deterrent and safeguard for women, given the alarming 300% increase in rape cases in recent months.

—A.F. Nazareth, Alto Porvorim

Empty Promises The Congress may be a secular government, but how good is the party? The Christians and the Muslims, who have been voting for the Congress since the time of Independence should realise this. Under the Congress the country became weak since the last 67 years. It is a government full of corruption, scandals and scams, unlike the BJP and the Shiv Sena. In 2014, The Catholic Church should also advice its parishioners to

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23 September 2013

New Vatican Head Says Priestly Celibacy Is "Open To Discussion"

vote for the rightlya in the coming 2014 elections. According to me, the BJP and the Shiv Sena are also good. Some parties made false promises before elections and did not fulfil them once they won and came into power. A lot of promises before elections, but they were all empty --- not one of their promises has been fulfilled so far. Instead, things have become worse. Manmohan Singh should retire. —Jubel D’Cruz, Dombivili

Terms used in Business •. Income Tax - A tax paid by individuals to the government, the amount of which is dependent on how much a person earns from their salary and/or other sources of income. •. Inflation - Normally referring to the economy of a country. Inflation is the gradual increase in the price of goods and/or services, and the consequential devaluing of the national currency. •. Labour Law - Also know as Employment Law. Legislation which defines the legal rights and obligations of employees in the workplace. •. Market - The commercial activity of buying and selling goods and services. The customers who buy goods and services. •. Net Profit Margin - Usually expressed as a percentage, in business, the money earned after costs, expenses, taxes, etc. have been deducted.

Venezuela: Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the new Secretary of State of the Vatican, made some surprisingly frank remarks about priestly celibacy that may indicate a new openness to "the democratic spirit of the times." Pope Francis' plans to reform the Vatican and "shake up the church" have received a lot of attention, but he has not yet publicly addressed the issue of mandatory celibacy for priests. Parolin said in an interview with Venezuelan newspaper El Universal that the tradition of priestly celibacy is not dogma, or a law of divine origin, and is therefore open to discussion. He went on to note that while the church is not a democratic institution, it needs to "reflect the democratic spirit of the times and adopt a collegial way of governing." While previous popes have declared some topics closed off from discussion, Parolin's remarks may be indicative of the possibility of a greater conversation about an ancient Church tradition. Though it's not clear exactly when celibacy became mandatory for priests, the first written mandate for chastity dates back to 304 C.E., when Canon 33 of the Council of Elvira stated that all "bishops, presbyters, and deacons and all other clerics" should "abstain completely from their wives and not to have children." A definitive ruling was handed down at the Second Lateran Council of 1139, which ruled that priests were forbidden to marry. Parolin said, "it is possible to discuss and reflect on these topics that are not defined faith, and consider some modifications, but always in the service of unity and according to God’s will.” Source: Huffington Post Religion

Democracy Is Farther Away Than Ever, For South Asia

s we mark the UN International Day of Democracy on Septem ber 15, the good news is that South Asia’s colonial past is fast dimming as a memory. More than 80 percent of the population was born after the British pulled out of India in 1947. The bad news is that feudalism, hunger and increasing marginalization of poor, ethnic and indigenous groups, along with the targeting of religious groups, has blurred the vision of democracy that was shared by the eight nations who constitute the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC): Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the recently admitted Afghanistan. In this first quarter of the 21st century, SAARC nations scrape the bottom of almost every human development index, keeping company John Dayal with the least fortunate of Africa and Oceania. Many things go to make a wholesome democracy and the West is not always a good example. Race is still an issue in the US, while migrants and a growing Islamic population rouse undemocratic passions in the UK, France, Germany and Norway. Democracy is normally judged by the quality of freedom of belief, regular elections and political stability. Other important indicators are civil control over the military and the police, a free and vigorous press and judiciary, and a genuine devolution of power and resources to the most remote areas and people. Each of the South Asian nations has taken its own highly disparate path to democracy in these 65 years or so. The smaller ones have had the most

Security remains a prominent issue in most countries in the region. Pakistan has often been called the world's most dangerous place (Economist), with numerous homegrown and foreign militant groups ensconced in its tribal areas along the Afghan border. Although elections were hailed as a triumph of democracy after eight years of military rule, the parties returning to power earned venal reputations during previous stints in power. And since then, serious political differences have divided the main parties in the coalition. Lisa Curtis of the Heritage Foundation believes the political maneuvering in Islamabad is distracting the Pakistani government from dealing with growing militancy in the tribal areas. India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh each have long histories of multiparty electoral democracy; however, a few families have dominated political life in all of them. Boston Globe columnist H. D. S. Greenway writes that political parties in the region "often come to be seen as reflecting the will of one powerful personality whose successors view the party as their personal property." Relations between South Asia's democracies also remain strained. India, the largest country in the region and its longest functioning democracy, has ethnic populations that overlap with most of its neighbors. This has led to disputes over borders, frustrations over illegal immigration, and allegations of fueling terrorism in each other's countries. turbulent history. But the big ones have not been without their own travails. Afghanistan perhaps presents the worst case scenario, with daily deaths at the hands of the Taliban, tribal chieftains engaged in multiple civil wars, subjugation of women’s rights and sustained violence against religious minorities. Not that other small countries such as the Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka can lay claim to vibrant democracies and happy people. The people of the Maldives endure dictatorships and coups. Nepal, a former monarchy, has not yet learnt the rudiments of democracy. Sri Lanka’s government, egged on by the Buddhist hierarchy, gloats over the vanquished Tamils and practices brutal intolerance of civil society

and human rights defenders. Bhutan terrorizes ethnic and religious minorities behind an official policy of preserving the tiny nation’s culture. But it is in the three large countries of Bangladesh, Pakistan and India that one sees how democracy gets perverted. Of course, the three were partitioned from British India in a most bloody, two-step process. The first partition of the subcontinent in 1947 saw the massacre of an estimated 500,000 Hindus in what is now Pakistan, and an equal number of Muslims in North India. Ten million fled their homes. Then in 1971, Bangladesh separated from a militarized Pakistan in an equally macabre manner.

23 September 2013

Memories of their traumatic births continue to haunt the destiny of these nations and mar the nature of their democracies. Though it just marked its first ever democratically elected government completing its full five-year term in office, Pakistan is never more than a trigger away from military rule. The military remains the real ruler, even when the president and prime minister are elected civilians. Its political fragility and nuclear arsenal pose a threat to regional and perhaps even world security and peace. In Bangladesh, the party and government of Sheikh Hasina remain somewhat democratic. But it needs be remembered that the two other contending political entities bank heavily on an alliance between the military and Islamic groups. Christians, Hindus and Buddhist minorities cower in fear, with almost daily reports of coercion, abduction and murder. India, on one level, is a democracy success story. Elections have been regular, there have been no coups and the military is kept firmly under control. Over the years, some sort of a security

23 September 2013

net has been created for the poor through cash transfers, partial employment guarantees and the recently enacted Right to Food. The press is free, even if some do complain that television and print media champion the cause of the corporate sector which owns them, rather than the poor. But there are serious systemic aberrations. In 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed an internal emergency after she lost a court case against her election to parliament. Lasting 22 months, it was a grim reminder that democracies remain fragile and have to be nurtured. The current thrust for power by the Bharatiya Janata Party has roused fears of massive erosion in democratic values once again, impacting on Muslims, Christians and tribals if its leader, Narendra Modi, becomes prime minister. Many would, however, argue that Mr. Modi can hardly add to the plethora of laws and governance practices that have impacted on freedom of faith and the situation of minorities. Religion remains a major fault line in India. In the past year, there have been over 100 acts of violence by Hindu

groups against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh alone. Over the last 60 years, there have been more than 20,000 such acts of violence against Muslims. Violence against Christians by Hindu nationalists has been going on for about 20 years now, with the police often passive spectators. The anti-Christian violence in many areas is almost directly traced to the existence of anti-conversion laws, and a belief even in the police that evangelization is illegal. For the Muslims, the crisis is their microscopic presence in police, bureaucracy, judiciary and legislatures despite an almost 15 percent presence in the population. The feeling among these communities is one of being targeted, of being denied participation in governance, of not being real beneficiaries of the fruits of development. It poses serious questions to a country that boasts of being a socialist and secular democracy. John Dayal is the general secretary of the All India Christian Council and a member of the Indian governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Integration Council.

When to Keep a Child at Home

lthough it may seem obvious, children should not go to school when they're contagious to others, when they have a fever, or when they're too sick to learn. Childhood illnesses are spread easily when children are in close contact in the school setting. How do you know if your child is contagious? Colds are a bit tricky, since your child can transmit it to others for one or two days before his symptoms appear, and up to four or five days after first being exposed to the virus. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), colds are most contagious two to four days after original exposure (whether or not symptoms have developed), when there is plenty of the virus present in nasal secretions. The contagious period for a cold only lasts about three to four days into the illness. Similarly, people infected with the flu are contagious from a day before they feel sick until their symptoms have resolved. For children, the contagious period for the flu can last up to two weeks after they start feeling sick, even if they start feeling better before that. Most schools will send a child home if they think he or she is showing symptoms of the following conditions: Fever Chicken pox Strep throat Vomiting and/or diarrhea

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Skin infections Eye infections Parasitic infections such as lice or scabies A child with a runny nose or persistent cough, on the other hand, doesn't necessarily pose a health threat to other students, particularly if he's careful to wash his hands frequently. Children recovering from a cold should be able to go to school, as long as they're feeling okay. Note that the FDA discourages the use of cold and cough remedies in school-age children, since

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they are only 6% effective at relieving symptoms. Experts agree that the best method of infection control is simply washing the hands with ordinary soap and water. Additionally, they recommend that schools institute the following infection-control measures: faucets that turn on automatically, bathroom doors that open when you approach them, and wall-mounted dispensers of hand sanitizer. You can help your kids stay healthy by teaching them these rules: Don't share food. Don't share drinks. Don't share clothing. Throw away used tissues. Wash hands frequently with soap and water.

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Vasai : Konkani Welfare Association

Chakala : Holy Family Church

Bandra : St. Theresa's Church

Andheri East: Sacred Heart Church

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www.royalchristianfamily.com Christian Matrimonial Web Portal Amboli : Maharashtra Konkan Association

23 September 2013

St. Mary’s Parish Feast Day Was Breathtaking

Mr. Melvyn Brown and Archbishop, Thomas D’Souza The early Sunday morning air (15 Sep- Mass. tember) had the fragrance of fresh The Catholic spirit of love showed flowers circling the parish church of itself in the unlikeliest of places. An St. Mary’s, Calcutta. The bell rang to infirm lady was carried up to the first announce the feast day of the parish floor for the Mass. A gentleman told his dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Soon the wife on the steps of the church as they rush to complete the last minute prepa- waited for the Bishop’s arrival: “Let’s rations; after all, the Archbishop was have a simple breakfast when we go to arrive for the Trilingual Mass at 9 home.” He then turned around and put a.m. It would be a concelebrated high a fifty-rupee note in the hand of a des-

‘Monthi Fest’ Celebrations In Mumbai

titute woman with a child. It was a sentiment the catholic parish could endorse. Crowds of parishioners filled the pews. The church looked beautiful with colors adorning the altar and with women and girls turning out in multicolored saries, dresses, jeans and kurties along the polished pews, while the men wore strong sprays of musk and deodorant. Surprisingly, the catholic communities were very noticed in their respective places – all prepared to join in the Bengali, Hindi and English hymns. The entrance hymn was followed by the welcome address given by Father John Mohandas, the parish priest. The Archbishop, Thomas D’Souza spoke a few words in his soft and serene voice. He was happy, he said, to be at the parish Feast Day. (See pictures). Symbolic offerings were given to the archbishop from the various parish groups: the altar-servers, the parish council, the catholic women, the Sunday-school children, the S.V.P and the C.A.B. among others. It was a welcome surprise when the first parish newsletter was released by the Bishop. At the end of the High Mass a special gift on behalf of the parish was presented to His Grace by Melvyn Brown, founder of the Ambassadors For Jesus. This year’s parish Feast Day was an awesome gesture of pastoral spirituality.

Thanksgiving

I have won the litigation of our property, thanks to Our Lady of Vailankani for the favours Vasai West Barampur : St. Gonsalves Gracsia church

—A Devotee

23 September 2013

God Or Riches :

Lesson In Pragmatism In our Sunday’s liturgy (22 Sept) we are told, “ No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24).

His sympathetic spiritual mentor had a query. In a cordial manner he said, “now that your honesty to discover the truth has purified your soul for a resolution, remember the words in the gospel of Matthew: you cannot serve both God and mammon”

This generation has for decades confronted a technological revolution in its fast- paced progress, effecting finance, medicine, culture and religious comfort in many ways. Distribution of wealth and the accumulation of it have seen dark patches to the laws of justice, fairness of choices, and the privileges of equality and care of souls. The cutting edge to all this may implode, or teach us a lesson in pragmatism.

Pray. Reflect. Decide. trol, the evil chant “Be rich and richer” was bearded in silence, as crime turned a deaf ear wrapped in its make-believe world of the mundane. Justice was no longer a victory to many, assets and holdings became an absolute must, for people. It grows today, possessed by a demented demon.

A young seminarian who had been orphaned early was in his second year of priestly training to launch his life in the service of Throughout the Melvyn Brown Christ. months of learning values of the Catholic Church, the expectations and the mission – the In the Book of Amos, the prophet, con- fledgling youth had been in a state of demned the injustice and exploitation mental and spiritual conflict. His spiriof the poor. Fibres of the Mystical Body tual guide and confessor at the semiweaves a wealth of spiritual life for nary came to realize that the scholastic charity, sympathy and human respect. was in need of closure. But, on what Amos was right, we should not ma- issue? nipulate the needy or make undue use of them. The psalmist in his turn, asks A few weeks passed and the young us to Praise the Lord “ who raises the man was willing to talk about his conpoor from the dust, and lifts the needy tention. “ I was an orphan and had no from the ash heap…” (Pa.113). Be poor family experience, not of marriage, children, employment, domestic reor serve God? sponsibility, fatherhood…” he blurted, The vision of wealth blazed a trail of adding, “at the same time I want to worship for money. The desire to reach serve God, His Church and the fellowgoals in rich possessions, pride in self ship.” and a luxury life raced into every home and heart. The individual quest for This was an opportunity and a miledreams beyond the bounds of his so- stone for the seminarian to resolve his cial and economic conditions grew out burning desires. The answer would not of all proportions in the new millen- be an easy one. It was now, out in the nium. Under this canopy of wanting open. It was like having been for conownership, custody, property and confession and coming away with relief. This should remind us of the effectiveness of good parenting which is obvious and common knowledge in understanding precepts, and finally in making choices: God or riches?

23 September 2013

Problems are never devoid of solutions. The heart has its reasons. The spirit, inspires and supports with its firmness and resolve. The scholastics religious studies made him flexible and pragmatic. His mentor’s solicitous and earnest appeal to make a choice between service in the Lord’s vineyard or a life in the concrete jungle of the laity in a pastoral network and of marriage, children and domestic strife. What would it be? Three months later the young man had made a decision. He left the seminary, went out into the world, secured employment, married, and had two children. The years passed and the children grew up, went abroad and got settled. Little needs to be said of that decision….It took courage for the youth to over-come frustration and indecision to eventually pave his path for fulfillment. For the remaining years of his life he became a strong and faithful member of his parish church. His selfapostolate became an advantage to his parish ministry. He visited the sick, those in prisons and bravely spread the Word of God. In a remarkable way the choices we make in life when good, become a gift from the Lord; when bad, lives become brutally truncated. Jesus said, “ He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much ; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. “ (St. Luke 16: 1-13).

World Wide Marriage Encounter: Fathers in Love, Mothers in Love, Families in Love Dick and Patricia Alexandro came to India 40 years ago to share their couple love and transforming experience of the WWME weekend. They sold everything they owned in the US and came over to India listening to the voice of God as did Abraham in the past. What an adventurous journey of faith they embarked upon beckoning to the call of Jesus to share his unconditional love and covenantal relationship with couples, priests and religious. Fr. Peter writes “Dick and Pat spent 10 months here and I think their lives were truly blessed (even with the cross) because of their generosity towards God. They left on Valentine’s Day Feb10th 1973 because they wanted to give God a Valentine gift of their coupleness.” How can we ever thank God for the great and daring step taken by Dick and Patricia, supported by the founder Father WWME India, Fr. Peter D’Souza? On this occasion we salute them and place on record our deep indebtedness for what they are to all of us and for what they have done to light the lamp of WWME India burning so brightly till today. “We are only channels of His love and presence to each other every day through the way we communicate His love and concern” says Fr. Peter D’souza. It is befitting that the Worldwide Marriage Encounter – India, is holding a National Convention to celebrate 40 Years of WWME in India from October 13-16, 2013. The event would be conducted at Sarvodaya, St Pius X College Campus, Goregaon, Mumbai. The theme is ‘Go, Grow, Glow, - Faith and Love in Action’. His Eminence Cardinal Oswald Gracias will inaugurate the Convention. The overwhelming response from encountered couples, Priests and Religious to be part of the great event is indeed heartwarming and this would provide much needed impetus to once again to cast out into the deep. We are deeply indebted to our NET, Errol, Madhulika and Fr.

Dr. Fr. Davis George, Former NET and AET, WWME.

Vision: “Love one another as I have loved you.” – It is indeed a challenge and opportunity. Mission: Worldwide Marriage Encounter’s Mission of renewal in the church and change in the world is to assist couples and priests to live fully intimate and responsible relationships by providing them with a Catholic “experience” and ongoing community support for such a lifestyle. Melvyn for their dynamic and visionary leadership which made all of us to be part of this great event and our special thanks to ME Mumbai for translating the vision into reality. I do remember so many of our Team Couples and Priests who have generously contributed their love, time, talents and treasure without counting the cost to make WWME what it is today. The same legacy is contin-

ued by all our team members all over the country. I have been always inspired by the team couples all these years as they have been leading WWME through their relationship and the Catholic Church is lucky to have such dedicated lay leaders who have shown their love for the church in action. The encountered Couples, Priests and Religious have kept the weekend experience growing and glowing through their dialoging way of life and widening the circle of influence by recruiting many more couples and Priests to experience the weekend. We live in a world of great scientific and technological advancement. We can speak to the person on the moon easily, but we find it difficult to speak to the person under the same roof. We become strangers in the middle of a crowd. We have witnessed today a steady increase in divorce, broken marriages, broken relationships, broken dreams resulting in broken families, wounded humanity and orphaned children. Pope Francis said that Christians should be messengers of hope and joy in today’s world. And that is what marriage encounter weekend experience can offer to the world. We need to focus on the domestic Church, couple relationship, commitment in Priesthood and Religious life- in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, in prosperity and in adversity, until death do us part. Pope John Paul II said, ‘I place much of my hope for the future in Marriage Encounter.’ Later he wrote, “Love then is not a utopia: it is given to mankind as a task to be carried out with the help of divine grace. It is entrusted to man and woman, in the sacrament of matrimony, as the basic principle of their ‘duty,’ and it becomes the foundation of their mutual responsibility: first as spouses, then as father and mother. In the celebration of the sacrament, the spouses give and receive each other, declaring their willingness to welcome children

23 September 2013

and to educate them. On this hinges human civilization, which cannot be defined as anything other than a ‘civilization of love’.” – Letter to Families, no. 15 Pope Benedict XVI speaking at an audience with Worldwide Marriage Encounter leaders from across the world made strong comments in support of the movement. “Marriage Encounter, yes! You are doing such important work in our church, especially in this world we live in,” Pope Benedict said as he spoke with David & Bronny Lea and Fr. John Rate, Worldwide Marriage Encounter International Coordinating Team. The pope went on to say, “I will pray for you and your movement.” Over 75,000 people experienced the life-giving Weekends in almost 90 countries around the world. This year Worldwide Marriage Encounter is celebrating 40 years of ministry in India and Europe. It is indeed a matter of great pride that WWME is having weekends in China and Russia. Our IET Tony & Cathy and Fr. Emile, expressed the hope that Worldwide Marriage Encounter would reach even more countries in the years ahead. “The need to strengthen marriage and family throughout the world has never been greater,” they stated. Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 43years and is considered the original faith-based marriage enrichment program. The programs are continually updated to keep abreast of changes in society, and WWME now offers evening and half-day programs that are presented at parishes and other church facilities. The weekend program, traditionally presented as an overnight experience at a hotel or retreat center, can also be presented at the parish where the couples return to their homes in the evenings. WWME has a presence in over 90 countries, which makes it the largest pro-marriage movement in the world. Today the WWME programs are presented in Local languages all over the world. Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers married couples the opportunity to

23 September 2013

spend time together away from the busyness of the world to focus on each other. Fathers in love, Mothers in love, families in love. It offers tools for building and maintaining a strong, Christian marriage in today’s world. It also offers similar skills of building and maintaining a strong Priesthood and Religious Life. Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends start on a Friday evening and end on Sunday afternoon. Participants hear presentations by a couple and a priest and later write their thoughts and feelings to share in the privacy of their room. There is no group discussion. Weekends are held in various locations, including hotels and retreat centers. Worldwide Marriage Encounter is a non-profit organization and all donations from the weekend are used to continue offering additional weekends throughout the country and the world. Married couples, who want to learn more about making their “good marriages, better” can find Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends that are presented all over the world. Marriage encounter weekend can make a good marriage into a great marriage and a good Priesthood into a great Priesthood. Always two sacraments on a journey to build up a better world based on better relationships to build a civilization of love. This is the only wayLove, the way shown by Jesus. Let us revisit Worldwide Marriage Encounter Vision & Mission Statements and take proactive steps to translate them into reality of our relationships. Vision: “Love one another as I have loved you.” – It is indeed a challenge and opportunity. Mission: Worldwide Marriage Encounter’s Mission of renewal in the church and change in the world is to assist couples and priests to live fully intimate and responsible relationships by providing them with a Catholic “experience” and ongoing community support for such a lifestyle.

Business Terms and Meanings •. Economic Union - Also know as a Common Market. An agreement between a group of countries which allows the free flow of goods, services, labour, etc., between the member countries and usually has a common currency. •. Factory price - The price charged for goods direct from the factory, not including transport costs, etc. Factory Price is often quoted by retailers or in advertisements to show that products are for sale at a very low price. •. Fat cat - A wealthy person living off investments or dividends, or a chief executive of a large company who is on a very large salary, pension plan, etc. •. Gatekeeper - A person in an organisation who controls access to the people in the organisation, and/or controls access to information or goods, or even a market.

Thanksgiving

Thanks to Sacred Heart of Jesus & St. Jude for the favours granted May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, loved, glorified & praised throughout the world now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come. St. Jude worker of miracles pray for us. St. Jude helper of the hopeless pray for us. Amen, Say this prayer nine times a day for nine days.

— Ross Family, Bandra

How To Make a Good Confession

Confession is a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ in His love and mercy to offer sinners forgiveness for offenses committed against God. Many Catholics avoid the Sacrament of Reconciliation simply because we don't remember how to confess our sins. We simply don't know what to say, and are too embarrassed to ask. 1. Pick a fixed day every two weeks or every month and protect it. Frequent confession brings many graces to the sinner and creates a greater desire to grow in virtue. 2. Daily examination of conscience helps to remember sins in a more systematic way. Make a list of all the sins you have committed. 3. See this Sacrament through the perspective of friendship with Jesus Christ; even the small sins you have committed can affect the quality of this friendship. 4. Be attentive to the counsel of the priest. The Holy Spirit is usually very active in this Sacrament. 5. Spend a little time in prayer after your confession to make a concrete resolution to improve yourself. 6. Before making your confession, examine your conscience thoroughly. 7. Be sincerely sorry for all the sins you have committed. 8. Confess your sins only to a priest. Do not confess them to a lay person. 9. Resolve to amend your life. 10. After your confession, do the penance the priest assigns you. —Jubel D'Cruz, Dombivili

Be A More Productive Employee

Productivity is something which decides the future of the employee in an office. There are umpteen numbers of little things which minimize your productivity. They really can steal your time without making you realize what they do. If you carefully observe your activities in office, you can find out a set of activities which steal your time on a large scale. Read on to know how to be more productive at work. •. Turn off the instant messenger programs, mobile phones and social networking sites when you work with a deadline. Don't try to answer calls while you work on a hectic work schedule. •. Try to limit the distractions and interruption which stop the flow of your work. If you get disturbed by people chatting, tell them politely to talk in a low voice. You shouldn't get into an argument with them. It would waste more of your time and energy. •. Plan and execute a smart working pattern to start and complete the given task in a certain time. You can increase the speed of your work gradually and can maximize the amount of your work and can even make the schedule tight. •. Write your presentation points for being very brief and effective in

conferences and always try to stay within the allotted time. You should always be punctual and prepared. Learn your points thoroughly for making the right impact in the conference. •. You should take little breaks from the work. Working continuously brings monotory and adversely affects productivity. Short breaks help you to remain focused. A short walk or a chat with a friend in your office will minimize the stress and you will be working with more energy after that.

Fear of Failure When attempting something for the first time, the fear of failure can hold us back. However, if we have all the prerequisite knowledge, it might be a good idea to just go for it. And be open to making a mistake. For it is through action and feedback that we can learn. And it is by learning that we can get better.

23 September 2013

Inspiration!

Laughter

Exploring The Potential Inside You Winning is a word that is exciting to hear and great to be associated with but only a few people ever taste it. Every person want to be associated with a winner. People like stars are celebrated in society because they have emerged 'winners' in there respective field. Loosers are shuned and most times loosing is associated with shame. no wonder most people when they loose they cant withold tears. There isnt any big difference therefor between a winner and a looser. Lets look at two football teams. They all have equal number of players, had the same period in which to prepare, have same chances of scoring but only one team will be crowned. This shows that life displays the same opportunity to a winner as it does to a looser. The bible says in proverbs that the poor and the rich have one thing in common: God. this means God equips every person with 'equipment' for making it in your life and how far you will go in bring this potential out to be a victor in life is entirely dependant on you.Look at a classroom set up. The same teacher delivers the topic to all students. they have the same books to study, same duration in which to write the exam and yet they score different marks. Some settle for 40,50 and other get 90,100 percent.The difference is with the way the minds are employed to yield. Everyone sitted here is a potential winner, potential millionare, potential successful bussinessman, potential proffessor. The solution is in your hands and not in any one else's. Your background is not an issue. hey! Check out some of the most successful bussiness giants in the world, they dont have a formal educational background and yet they feed graduates. This leaves you and me with an interesting thought.

23 September 2013

Santa: I'm trying to become a vegetarian like Bengali's Banta: What all do you eat? Santa: Right now, I'm only eating seafood, like prawn, lobster and drowned chicken! *** Educational qualification doesnt equal to success. We have people with degrees and yet they are not successful. What counts is how wide you engage your mental faculties to advantage you in your pursuit of life. So the answer you have been looking for is not far fetched. its right above your neck. You have what it takes to make a difference in your life, family and country. Once you begin to think beyond your current level, begin to see beyond your nose then you will become a force to reckon with. Someone said 'opportunity is usually missed by most people because it comes dressed in an overose and looks like work'. Opportunities are lying idle every where waiting for men to open there eyes, engage their minds and explore them. Dont wait for a 100million loan to get you started in bussiness, you can start where you are and with what you have. Starting small is not wrong but staying small is not good. Some people started small and today own airlines, others also started small and today they are even smaller. You have ideas in your head that are begging to be released and explored. You have potential inside you that is wailing to be unveiled to this generation. God bless you and SEE YOU AT THE TOP.

A 54 year old woman had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. While on the operating table she had a near death experience. Seeing God she asked, "Is my time up?" God said, "No, you have another 34 years to live." Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a face-lift and tummy tuck. She even changed her hair colour. Finally she was released from the hospital. While crossing the road on her way home, she was killed by a truck. Arriving in front of God, she asked, "You said I had another 34 years to live. Why didn't you save me from the truck?" God replied. "I couldn't recognise you!"

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in Ship. Seeks a Goan girl below 32 years. Contact email : fatima16jones@gmail.com OR 26671289 / 9969488673(Regd. No. 5949) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor, age 29 years, Ht. 5’ 9”, Wt. 72 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn.B.Com., MBA, LLB., working with I.T. Co., in HR Legal. Loving, caring, sober with good manners seeks suitable match. Mangalorean, simple working in Mumbai / Navi Mumbai. Contact : 9820545508 OR email : francoroyal@rediffmail.com (Regd. No. 5943) BANGALORE : Mangalorean Catholic parents settled in Bangalore, seek alliance for son 31/5’8”, slim, B.E. Bangalore, double Masters USA, working in USA, from God fearing, good looking, slim, Mangalorean Catholic spinster, preferably working in USA, age below 29. Contact email : pgzmonteiro@yahoo.com Or Mob.: 9845417838. (Regd. No. 5940) GOA : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’ 9”, Wt. 73 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn.B.B.A., working as a HR. Executive, working in Kuwait. Contact email : gretafern@gmail.com.OR 9890656294 (Regd. No. 5936) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 38 years, Ht. 5’ 5”, Wt. 80 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. MBA, Having own Business. Contact email : cmaneckji@gmail.com OR 28928350 (Regd. No. 5931) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 33 years, Ht. 5’ 8”, Wt. 60 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. Diploma in Hotel Management, working on the ship. Contact email : marshall-

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Serving Since 32 Years 23 September 2013

9819316338 (Regd. No. 5889) MUMBAI : Goan R. C. Spinster, 26 yrs., 5’ 2”, Wt. 55 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., working as a EA to Director. Contact email : madonnamanickam7@gmail.com OR 28963423 (Regd. No. 5888) U.K : Goan R. C. Spinster, 30 yrs., 5’ 4”, Wt. 50 kgs, Fair and goodlooking, Edn. B.Sc., M.Sc., M.B.A., studied in U.K. and working as a IT Analasist. Contact email : maria.t.dsouza@gmail.com / mariatdsouza@yahoo.com OR 9096690309 / 91-95-27261969 (Regd. No. 5887) MUMBAI : Goan R. C. Spinster, 25 yrs., 4’ 11”, Wt. 53 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., LL.B., Advocate by profession. Contact email : mario.carrasco@rediffmail.com OR 98205 07447 (Regd. No. 5886) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic parents staying at Vasai invite alliance for their spinster daughter, 26 yrs, 53 kg, 5’ 3” tall, simple, slim and good looking, holding a double post graduate degree in chemistry and working as a lecturer in an Engineering College. Alliance is sought from suitably qualified Mangalorean RC bachelors upto 30 yrs, with good family background kindly reply with details and a recent full size photograph to jasmineperiwinkle7@gmail.com or Contact 9421428286 between 4 - 9 pm. (Regd. No. 5885) MUMBAI : Mangalorean R. C. Spinster, 33 yrs., 5’ 4”, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. HSC., working with MNC has an Executive Assistant to MD, Seeks a suitable well settled match. Contact : Email : cyrus_0679@yahoo.co.in OR 9820661181 (Regd. No. 5884) NASIK : Goan R. C. Spinster, 25 yrs., 5’ 6”, Wt. 55 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com., MBA, working as a Marketing Executive. Contact email : shawn.fernandes23@yahoo.com OR 9860082311 (Regd. NO. 5883) MUMBAI : Goan R. C. Spinster, 38 yrs., 5’, 3”, Wt. 55 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., working as a

Crew Logistic. Contact Email : regiferr2@yahoo.com OR 9820059399 (Regd. No. 5882) MUMBAI : Goan R. C. Spinster, 36 yrs., 5’, Wt. 53 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. HSC, working as a Crew Logistic Contact : email : maria_g23@rediffmail.com OR 9819220429 (Regd. No. 5881) MUMBAI : Mangalorean R. C. Spinster, 36 yrs., 5’ 6”, Fair Complexion, Edn. Post Graduate, working for a Foreign Bank Seeks a suitable match. Contact Email : replytosender2013@yahoo.com (Regd. No. 5879) MUMBAI : Mangalorean R. C. Spinster, 26 yrs., 5’ 4”, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. M.Sc., Micro, working as a Officer in Nationalised Bank. Seeks a suitable match. Contact Email : belindabarnz@gmail.com OR 9769485550 (Regd. No. 5878) UDUPI : Mangalorean R. C. Spinster, 27 yrs., 5’ 4”, Fair Complexion, Edn. BDS, Lecturer by profession. Seeks a suitable match. Contact Email : nerycornelio@gmail.com or 9448480469 (Regd. No. 5876) MUMBAI : Mangalorean R. C. Spinster, 30 yrs., 5’ 6”, within average build and fair complexioned, Edn. PG and MBA (HR) working as a Manager in an MNC in Mumbai, seeks a suitable match who is well educated, tall and a cheerful disposition. We are open to grooms from other denomination (East Indian, Goan, South Indian etc.,) Contact : 9892191359 / 65721172 and send details to plethora0161@yahoo.com (Regd. No. 5873) Address your replies to :

Regd. No. ROYAL CHRISTIAN FAMILY, 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001.

To Place Your Matrimonial Advertisement Call: 2269 3578 OR 2265 4924 21

Health Benefits of Curry Leaves

s varied as Indian cuisine is, the curry leaf is as indispensable ingredient whether it is in the dals of the North or in the sambars of the South. Curry leaves are believed to help hair growth. So next time, don’t pick them out of the gravy, eat them. They are yummy!.

Health Benefits 100 gm of fresh curry leaves contains around 110 calories. Clearly, no one eats the leaves for their calorific value. However, curry leaves are among the richest sources of micro nutrients, antioxidants and carotene with lots of health benefits. In fact, their carotene content is so high, that one of the state governments in southern India ordered the inclusion of curry leaf powder in the midday meal provided to children in anganwadis seeing the special benefits on health of children and adults. Curry leaf is used in ayurveda as a digestive. It increases the appetite of convalescents. Mixed juice it is a folk remedy for morning sickness, keeping health fit. Curry leaves lose much of their fragrance within days and should be used fresh otherwise the health benefiting factors are reduced. Pick shiny leaves that show no signs of yellowing or writing. A good idea is to keep a small plant in your home and pluck as you need. If you must store them, wrap the leaves in paper towels, place in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Use within two weeks.

Quick Home Remedies Mix equal quantities of dried curry leaves, lime peel, shikakai, fenugreek Attorney: Do you recall the time that you examined the body in question? Witness: The autopsy started around 8.30 p.m. on Thursday. Attorney: And are you sure that Mr. Denton was dead at the time? Witness: If he was not, he was dead by the time I finished!

seeds and green gram. Grind finely. Store and use as a substitute for soap or shampoo.

Apply curry leaves as poultices on burns. To control blood pressure, drink a glass of the juice of curry leaves thrice a day on an empty stomach (after a month, just once a day). To obtain the juice, fill mixer with washed curry leaves, add 3/4 glass water. Churn well and sieve. To this liquid, add the juice of a lemon and drink fresh. Against diarrhea, drink the juice of 15 to 20 tender curry leaves mixed with one teaspoon honey. It is said that those who are hereditary prone to diabetes should eat 10 fresh fully grown curry leaves every morning for three months as a preventive measure.

The amazing Curry Leaves The botanical name of curry leaves (Kadi patta) is Murraya keonigi. Curry leaf (Kari patta) is derived from the Tamil word ‘Kari’ or ‘a spicy sauce’. The curry plant is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to a height of six metres. These plants are found in the warm tropical climates of the Indian subcontinent. These leaves are used for reating various illnesses in Ayurveda. The various benefits of the leaves include: •. It is iron, calcium and phosphorous. It contains significant amounts of fibres, proteins and carbohydrates. •. Curry leaves aid digestion. It is

extensively used in Ayurvedic medicine for treating nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. •. Curry leaves help to flush out fats from our bodies. It reduces the level of bad cholesterol. •. Skin care: The extract of thse leaves could cure irriatations from insetct bite and minor burns. •. Hair Care: It plays important role in hair care also as it retains the black colour of the har. •. Mother care: Handful of curry leaves when taken immediately increases lactation after delivery. •. Regular intake of curry leaves either raw or as juice or in meals benefits us a healthy lifestyle.

SAHAR COLD STORAGE John Rodrigues House, Chakala, Andheri (E), Mumbai – 400099

Located on the way to International Airport, Nr Cigarette Factory Convenient for the Passengers carrying the stocks abroad.

Try our Fresh Pork Meat; Fresh Real Good Chicken; Cold Cuts; Ready to eat items; Goan Sausages; Goan, Mangalorean and East Indian variety of Masalas.

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23 September 2013

Pope Calls A Halt To Conferring 'Monsignor' Title On Priests

Vatican City: Pope Francis has stopped conferring the title “monsignor” on priests. The Italian daily Il Messagero has reported that shortly after his election, the Pope instructed the Secretariat of State to stop approving requests for priests to be given the rank of monsignor. The Pope said that the moratorium on granting the title should continue at least until October; it is not clear whether he will continue the new policy beyond that time. The moratorium does not apply to members of the Vatican diplomatic corps who are given the title “monsignor” in connection with their assignments as representatives of the Holy See. A priest is ordinarily raised to the status of “monsignor” on the recommendation of his diocesan bishop. However, all such honorary titles require the approval of the Holy See. Source: CatholicCulture

Rickshaw Pullers Keep Faith Year

Kolkata: In a rare Year of Faith activity, a Kolkata city parish organized a unique public rally and liturgical program for some 70 rickshaw pullers, all Catholics, to help them celebrate their faith.

23 September 2013

Pope Phones People All The Time, Says Vatican Official

icking up the telephone and calling people out of the blue is no big deal for Pope Francis, a Vatican official has said. Mgr Dario Viganò, director of the Vatican Television Mgr Dario Edoardo Vigano Centre, said the Pope told him that the many calls the journalists had brought to light are just the tip of the iceberg: “Good thing they don’t know about all the ones I have made!” the Pope reportedly said. In an interview with Famiglia Cristiana, an Italian Catholic magazine, Mgr Viganò said that during a recent meeting with the Pope, he asked the Pontiff about the media frenzy over reports of papal cold calls. The monsignor said the Pope looked at him amazed and said: “Tell the journalists that my calls are not news.” According to Mgr Viganò, the Pope said: “That’s the way I am; I’ve always done this, even in Buenos Aires,” where he served first as auxiliary bishop beginning in 1992 and archbishop from 1998 until his election as Pope in March. He said the Pope explained how any time he got “a card or a letter from a priest having difficulties, from a family or a prisoner, I would respond”. The Pope said: “For me, it’s much easier to call, to ask about the problem and suggest a solution, if there is one. Some people I call, others I write to instead,” according to Mgr Viganò. The monsignor told the magazine he had received several calls from the Pope and not all of them were work-related. “Once he called me at the office to wish me happy birthday.” The head of the Vatican’s television production centre said the constant stream of papal calls signalled a kind of telephonic pastoral care. Being able to hear someone’s voice allows the caller to understand the feelings of the person on the other line and get “in tune with” the person’s problems and needs, he said. Getting a call from the Pope sends a strong signal that God cares, he said. If the Pope “takes it upon himself to call me, it means I am special to him and above all in God’s heart”, he said.

RNI No. 56987/92

Published on every Monday & Posted on Monday & Tuesday of every week Posted at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Office, Mumbai - 400001.

23 September 2013

Registered No. MH/MR/South-139/2012-14

Printed and Published by Lawrence Coelho at The Secular Citizen, 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Harihar Nivas, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001. Tel.: 2269 3578, 2265 4924 23 September 2013 Printers: The Secular Citizen, Fort, Mumbai 400001. Editor : Philip Myaboo