Secular Citizen Vol.22 No.49 dated 9th December 2013 by Lawrence Coelho

9 December 2013

Report of the Conclusion of the Silver Jubilee of the Eparchy of Kalyan

atholic diocese of Kalyan, erected for the Syro Malabar Migrants living in and around Mumbai and spread within 15 civil districts, celebrated the conclusion of its Silver Jubilee Year from 7th to 10th November, 2013 at Somaiya Grounds, Sion. Diocese of Kalyan, with its hundred thousand faithful having its roots in Kerala, has been on a pilgrimage maintaining its unique identity for the past 25 years in the soil of Maharashtra. From 2007 a seven year spiritual preparation with different themes for each year, has undoubtedly made an impact in the life of the faithful.

Jubel D’Cruz completes 25 years at ‘Amar Chitra Katha’

Seen in the picture is Rajani Thindiath, editor of Tinkle Magazine awarding a trophy to her colleague, Jubel D’Cruz, for completing 25 years of service at the organization, Amar Chitra Katha Pvt. Ltd. Jubel is not only an avid reader of ‘The Secular Citizen’, but also writes for the magazine. Besides the trophy, Jubel has also received a cash award of Rs 25,000 from the organization. Says Rajani Thindiath, “Congratulations, Jubel. May you complete another 25 years in the organization, making it to 50.”

Thecelebrationsof the Silver Jubilee began from 2nd October 2012 with various spiritual, social, charitable activities conducted throughout this period. The concluding celebrations began with the Holy Qurbana, presided over by His Excellency Mar Thomas Elavanal, Bishop of Kalyan. Inauguration of the concluding celebrations of the Silver Jubilee and the Charismatic convention was done by His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai. Expressing his joy over the co-existence of the oriental Eparchy in the same territory with 5 Latin dioceses, he emphasized the need of Christian virtues like love, truth, sincerity, peace, etc. to solve many of the problems faced by the present Indian society. Rev. Fr. Mathew Elavumkal VC, Director, Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor and his team led the three days’convention. ‘Role of (Contd.. on p. 6)

9 December 2013

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Vol.22 No.49 December 9, 2013

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‘Thought for the week’

Compromise – The art of dividing a cake in such a way that each party thinks he got the biggest piece.

Contents

pg. 3 - India's Church Too Must Act On Gender Violence pg. 5 - Church? or Wedding Hall?! pg. 7 - Reader's Views pg 8 - New Age Lies pg 10 - If Women Can't Be Priests, What Can They Do? pg 14 - ICPA Jubilee Award For Josy Joseph pg 15 - Jesus Will Soon Arrive, Be Prepared pg 16 - Simple Life Saving Tips Everyone Must Know pg 17 - Why Is Only My Father’s Name So Important ... pg 19 - Inspiration pg 20 - Matrimonials pg 22 - Methods to Relieve Stress in Office

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Cover : India's Church Too Must Act On Gender Violence (See p. 3)

9 December 2013

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India's Church Too Must Act On Gender Violence

he month of December 2012 saw India aghast at the brutal assault and gang rape of a paramedic in New Delhi, who died a fortnight later. Her death, which led to nationwide demonstrations, forced the government of India to enact a comprehensive new law against rapists. The law is in place, but nothing has really changed. John Dayal Rape of Dalit women, college girls and working professionals, and sometimes of babies as young as one, have taken place with sickening frequency in India’s major cities, as well as its smaller towns. Tourism has suffered as young women from Europe, Japan and the United States have all but stopped traveling to India. New Delhi has come to be known as the country's rape capital. Rape, attempted rape, molestation and other gender violence in the work place, in public areas, and in the security of the home as custodial rape, also force themselves on the nation’s sensibilities all too often. But even in this dismal scenario, two recent incidents stand out for the sheer audacity of the crime and the social and professional status of the perpetrators. The first is the case of a Supreme Court judge, unnamed until now and reported to have since retired, who tormented a young law intern who was assisting him. She did not go to the police, but narrated her anguish in a blog, which went viral. A flustered chief justice ordered an immediate enquiry by a committee of three judges, which has since interviewed the victim. A week later, the chief justice set up a gender sensitization committee in the Supreme Court which will, presumably, be replicated in the coming days in each of the state high courts and other subordinate courts in the country. The second case is that of the Tehelka investigative magazine editor-inchief and celebrated author, Tarun Tejpal, who is accused by a young colleague of attempting to rape her in hotel elevator. Both of them were participating in a cultural “Think-fest” in the resort state of Goa, whose high profile national and international participants included Hollywood film star Robert De Niro.

(Contd.. on p. 4)

India's Church Too Must Act On Gender Violence (Contd.. from p. 3) In emails to the Tehelka managing editor, Shoma Choudhury, the young reporter, who has since quit the magazine, narrated in painful detail the shattering of her trust in her employer and his arrogance even as he wreaked violence on her. The magazine’s management failed to treat her complaint with any seriousness. Police in Goa and Delhi are now investigating the case, which has also forced the Indian media establishment to take a close look inside its own cupboard, not entirely free of skeletons. Gender violence, especially at the work place, was the focus of the Supreme Court in 1997 when the then Chief Justice J S Verma -- who authored a report suggesting radical reforms in the jurisprudence on gender violence after the December 16, 2012 gang rape of the paramedic student in Delhi -formulated what are called the Vishakha guidelines, which put the onus of a safe working environment on the employer. The code says all work places must have institutional structures to prevent or deter sexual harassment. It demands procedures for the resolution, settlement or prosecution of such acts. The guidelines also lay down a grievance redressal mechanism that mandates all companies, whether operating in the public or private sector, to set up a complaints committee within the organisation to look into such offenses. Tehelka magazine does not have such a mechanism, and by all counts, neither do Indian courts. And of course neither do religious organizations, such as the Church, which in India runs thousands of educational, medical, and social service institutions. Over the years, formal structures and people in authority in almost every religion in India have been accused by their own members, followers and others of sexual harassment or actual crimes and exploitation by those in authority. It is perhaps not in the same class as accusations against some Catholic clergy in the West, but has often been grave enough to invite po-

lice investigation. Catholic diocesan institutions and schools and colleges run by religious congregations, and similar institutions run by the Protestant denominations in the country, have often been in the news for deaths of students following corporal punishment, injuries to young boys and girls at the hands of their teachers and similar violations of the national education codes. There have also been instances of gender crimes over the years, even within the Catholic congregation. Most have been glossed over, or dismissed as allegations of a feverish imagination or a political vendetta. Even if so, there is no doubt that Church institutions across the board need to have their own equivalent of the Vishakha guidelines which will not just ensure transparency and help vic-

tims get justice and redress, but will also empower the Church to regain its moral courage to intervene in the discourse for gender justice. Its silence in recent times has impacted on its image as an upholder of human rights and justice. In the process, perhaps, it will also help the Catholic Bishops Conference of India to at last evolve and publish a code for gender justice. A draft was submitted to it a long time ago by a group of concerned religious, but not much has been heard of it since then. It is indeed time the draft is taken out of the cupboard and a code is formulated on gender justice and prevention of gender violence in organizations run by the Church, including its own offices. John Dayal is the general secretary of the All India Christian Council and a member of the Indian government’s National Integration Council. Source: ucanews

Book of psalms shatters auction record

United States: On a dark, damp and expensive Tuesday night at Sotheby’s auction house in Manhattan, one of the 11 surviving copies of the Bay Psalm Book, the first book (and the first book of Scripture) printed in English in America, was sold for the highest price ever recorded for a print book in open sale. The $14.2 million price (a bid of $12.5 million, plus fees) exceeded by more than a million dollars the $11.5 million paid for the previous recordholder, John James Audubon’s “Birds of America,” in 2010. The psalm book’s new owner is the private equity fund founder and philanthropist David Rubenstein, who called in his bid from Australia. According to Sotheby’s auctioneer David Redden, who gaveled down the sale

in two and a half minutes of concerted bidding, Rubenstein, a well-known antiquities buyer and donator, intends to lend the ancient Puritan hymnal to libraries around the country, eventually putting it on long-term loan to one of them. The buyer of the Bay Psalter (its full title is “The Whole Booke of Psalmes, Faithfully Translated into English Metre,”) wasn’t present in the hall, but the seller was. The Rev. Nancy Taylor, senior minister and CEO of Old South Church in Boston, stood smiling next to the 4inch-by-7-inch psalm book, which was nestled in velvet in a tall rectangular case. “It’s fantastic,” she said. “We’re just delighted. This means the world to us in terms of the continuation and the building up of our ministries in Boston.” Though the world record price was on the low end of estimates by Sotheby’s, which had suggested the psalter could go for $30 million, Taylor said, “In the rarefied world of some people this may not be much, but for a church, this is huge. It’s going to make all the difference in the world." Source: Religion News Service

9 December 2013

Church? Or Wedding Hall?!

o and behold! The wedding sea ... the focus being the bridal son is upon us! It’s that time of the year when the maximum couple per se with no sensitivnumber of NRIs and gulf expatriates ity shown towards the profunreturn to India to tie the knot, keeping dity of the Mass ... cameramen our parish churches busy during the season of Advent like there isn’t going ..., more like the nuptials were to be another day! Oh! The way video being held in a bird sanctuary. cameras whirr all through the Eucharistic celebration, the focus being the bridal couple per se with no sensitivity PIC is transferred and the new incumshown towards the profundity of the bent takes over, sometimes an invaMass and cameramen of every hue sive overdose of the permissive culture pirouetting in the sanctuary with nary a setting in with aplomb. And then, the remonstrative glance from the Cel- couples concerned and their families ebrant, more like the nuptials were are known to play games when it comes being held in a bird sanctuary. You to any particular rule/s. If the PIC has have a whole bunch of these profes- instructed the couple as regards cersionals literally dancing around in the tain songs not being allowed at the sanctuary, chatting and passing instruc- Mass, the couple uses vaasta to get the ok from the revered parish tions to each other, blockpriest! ing the view of the congreThis indeed is the scegation, even as they keep nario prevalent across all prompting to the bride or dioceses in India. Instances the groom to tilt their heads of the bride at a wedding or one way or other, the two the young mother or godmerrily playing to the galmother at a Christening lery! coming to Church forgetThe same is the case ting to wear either her top or with Christenings, couples whatever, thus indulging in Ladislaus L. vying with each other to have an exposition of what is not the newly baptized baby ‘ofD'Souza needed in church, be it the fered’ on the Altar, the place inners or the lack of the same, are not of the Lord’s sacrifice. Maybe our parnew, the maid-of-honour often coming ishes need to consider arranging for through as ‘made-for-dishonour’. Cerspecialists to attend to the sacrificial tain parishes have special shawls or aspect of this ‘offering’ of the infant by wraparounds for taking care of such the parents and godparents! That would probably take care of the tamasha, sillies, but their use is hardly ever enparents and godparents finally revert- forced unless the particular priest/sising to the age-old practice of placing ter-in-charge is around. To avoid such anomalous situathe child at the foot of the Altar. tions and any confusion whatsoever, True, our parishes under the its time the Liturgy Commission of evwatchful eye of the Priest-in-Charge ery diocese (the Bombay Archdiocesan [PIC] of the Parish Liturgy Team [PLT], Liturgical Commission showing the do periodically come up with guideway!) comes up with clear stipulations lines for the bridal couple and their concerning Weddings, Christenings, photographers and videographers, not forgetting the garb permissible in First Communions and Confirmations Church of which those concerned are along the following lines: also apprised by the Parish Office well in advance. Yet, it’s a well-known fact 1. Dress code - for the bride and ALL female members of the bridal/christhat these are observed more in the tening troupe in Church, what they breach. Worse is the case when the

9 December 2013

wear or refrain from wearing outside the gates of the Church compound being nobody’s problem so to say! 2.

Photography & Videography – number of ‘clickings’ permitted, number of photographers and videographers permissible (their movements minimized), positions for the personnel concerned to be identified and notified so as to ensure that those marrying as well as those getting their babies baptized or whatever realize that they are in Church and not in a studio or hall.

Music - Hymns that can be used and those that can’t be used

Baby on the Altar – education as regards the senselessness of such a practice and its debarment

Lectors – Only those who are Lectors in a given parish to be permitted to read

Enforcement – who enforces the rules in a given parish and how, and totally devoid of favouritism and influence of any kind.

The guidelines so drafted – covering several other points that might need to be covered as well - ought to be officially made known to and in all parishes of by the Ordinary of the diocese in place of the present rule of each parish framing its own rules and regulations. Clearly, what is at stake is the sanctity of the Church and its sanctuary as also of the particular sacrament being celebrated.

(Contd.. from p. 2) Family in the church’ was the theme of the first day. On the second day Mrs. Hazel D’souza spoke about the challenges faced by the young generation in the Church as the theme of the day was the ‘Youth’. The music ministry was led by Kalyan Eparchy Youth – KEY Band. The theme of the third day of the convention was ‘Missionary Call’. A ‘Missionaries Meet’ was held on 9th November at 9.30 am at the Diocesan Pastoral Centre–ARC, Panvel. 450 priests, religious and seminarians participated in the meeting in which all those who had worked and are presently working in the diocese were honoured. The last and concluding day of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations began with Solemn Holy Qurbana presided by His Beatitude George Cardinal Alencherry, the Major Archbishop of Syro Malabar Church. In his homily and presidential address, seeing the effectiveness of the Eparchy of Kalyan, the Cardinal stressed the need for the pastoral care of the migrants spread globally. The public meeting was inaugurated by Chief Minister ShriPrithvirajChavan wherein he appreciated the contributions of the diocese in the development of Maharashtra especially in the social and charitable fields through the Karunya Trust. He acclaimed that Maharashtra absorbs all the people irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, language, nationality, etc. and promised all sorts of help for the development of this minority community. Bishop Thomas Elavanal in his introductory speech explained about the present status of diocese especially in the various pastoral, social and charitable fields of the diocese. Bishop Paul Chittilapilly, the first Bishop of Kalyan remembered the initial journey in getting the diocese established. In their felicitation speeches, all praises were expressed by Justice Kurian Joseph (Hon. Justice, Supreme Court), Rt. Rev. Dr. Stanislaus Fernandes, S.J. (WRBC Chairman &Archbishop of Gandhinagar), Mar Andrews Thazhath (KCBC President and Archbishop of Trichur), Rt. Rev. Dr. John Rodrigues

(Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay), Mar Jacob Barnabas Chacko Aerath, O.I.C. (Apostolic Visitor of the Syro-Malankara Church), H.G. Geevarghese Mar Coorilos(Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Mumbai Metropolitan). Based on the 25 years of their memories,Msgr. Jacob Porathur (ProtoSyncellus) and Mrs. Rosily Thomas (Pastoral Council Secretary) shared their vision for the future. Rev. Dr. Francis Eluvathingal (Chancellor) welcomed and Fr. Justin Kallely (General Convenor)thanked everyone. The youth, children and young mothers of the eparchy prepared a Cultural extravaganza. The other dignitaries present on the dais were Mrs. Janet Lawrence D’ Souza (Vice Chairperson of Maharashtra State Minority Commission); Mr. Johny Joseph (UpaLokayukta); Shri. Jagannath Achanna Shetty (MLA - Sion Koliwada); Shri.ChandrakantHandore (MLA – Chembur); Mrs. Thanksy Francis Thekkekkara (Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Minorities Development); Rt. Rev. Dr.Abp Abraham Viruthukulangara (Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Nagpur); Rt. Rev. Dr. Bp. Lourdes Daniel (Bishop of the Diocese of Nasik); Mar Vijay AnandNedumpuram CMI (Bishop of the Diocese of Chanda); Mar Sebastian Vadakkel (Bishop of Ujjain); Mar Antony Chirayath (Bishop of the Diocese of Sagar); Mar Jose Chittooparambil CMI (Bishop of the Diocese of Rajkot); Mar Joseph Kollamparampil CMI (Bishop of Jagdalpur); Rev. Dr. Antony Kollannur (Chancellor, Major Archiepiscopal Curia of the Syro-Malabar Church); Rt. Rev. Dr.Abp Raphael Cheenath, S.V.D. (Archbishop Emeritus of CuttackBhubaneswar); Mar Joseph Pallickaparambil (Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Palai); Mar Simon Stock Palathara (Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Jagdalpur); Mar Jacob Manathodath (Bishop of the Eparchy of Palghat); Mar Joseph Arumachadath, MCBS (Bishop of Bhadravathi); Mar RemigiusInchananiyil (Bishop of the Diocese of Thamarassery); Msgr. Jacob Porathur (Proto syncellus of the Diocese of Kalyan); Mr.Babu Thomas (MPCC Vice-President); Rev. Dr. Jo-

seph Cheriampanatt MST (Syncellus and Mission Superior Sangli Mission); Rev. Fr. Thomas Kannanaikkal CMI (Syncellus and Mission Superior Chavara Mission); Rev. Fr. SajoyEthackatt VC (Syncellus and Mission Superior Ahmednagar Mission); Rev. Fr. Jose Polackal MCBS (Representative of the Satara-Solapur Mission); Adv. Malayil Joseph Kurian (General Convenor, Diocesan Inauguration Steering Committee); Mr. P.J. Mathew (KCA President); Mr. Jose Joseph (President of Kalyan Laity Movement); Mr. PKX Thomas ( President of Pithruvedi); Rev. Fr. George Vadakkethala (Working President of Diocesan Inauguration Steering Committee); Rev. Fr. JojuArackal (Presbyterium Secretary); Rev. Sr. Alice Kripa CMC (President of CRI); Rev. Sr. Blossom CHF (Provincial of Mary Matha Vice Province, Jalgaon); Mrs. Rosily Thomas (Secretary of Pastoral Council); Mrs.Eliamma Sebastian (President of Mathrusangam); Ms.Sruthi Sunny (DEXCO Member of KEY); Ms.AdnaPeyus (Catechism Student). On that auspicious occasion, Shri. PrithvirajChavan handed over the key of the 100th house built for the poor people of Kalyan Taluka; the priests of the Eparchy handed over their Organ Donation agreement forms; the matrimonial website of the eparchy was amalgamated with the matrimonial website of the Syro-Malabar Church; four printed texts were released namely - the history book titled ‘Silver Foot Prints’, the proceedings and findings of the Symposium, titled “The identity of the St. Thomas Catholic Migrants”, the Silver Jubilee Souvenir and Marathi translation of the Bible Commentary. A cake of 25 kilos was cut by the Major Archbishop Mar George Cardinal Alencherry along with Mar Thomas Elavanal and Mar Paul Chittilapilly. Prizes were distributed for the winners of the English and Malayalam essay competition on the theme of the Eparchy of Kalyan and Silver Jubilee. Silver Jubilee Mementos were distributed by 12 young priests to all the dignitaries. —Dr. Francis Eluvathingal Chancellor

9 December 2013

Voting for AAP I read with interest Eric D'sa's espousal of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) of which he is a member. He sees it as the epitome of virtue and the saviour from the "corrupt Congress and communal BJP". What he observes is partly true. Unfortunately corruption is endemic to our country, and not limited to politicians or the Congress party. Since the Congress has had the longest innings in governance, it obviously has had the maximum opportunities to put its hand in the till. But the two largest scams of which it is being accused, the 2 G and Coalgate ones, are both based on "presumptive loss", and not on actual loss. It is like saying that because Virat Kohli did not complete his centruy at Vishakapatnam India lost the match to the West Indies. To give the devil its due, it is the Congress which enacted the Right to Information Act, that has emerged as the greatest weapon against corruption. Corruption is a complex issue; The other side of the coin is dishonesty, which most Indians resort to; from manipulating the age of their children entering school, to getting a train reservation. We have scant respect for the rule of law. D'sa expects the AAP to find 545 respectable people to run for the parliamentary elections. I am sure our freedom fighters thought the same in 1947, and again after the Emergency in 1977. But we know what happened to all those "selfless crusaders". So far the AAP has been involved in protests only. It has now entered electoral politics, and is yet to prove itself in governance, which is a different kettle of fish. As of now AAP seems confined to urban Delhi. The issues it raises, other than corruption, are basically muncipal issues of bijli, sadak, paani. Even its party symbol, a broom, seems indicative of another muncipal issue - sanitation. One must wish Eric D'sa and his espousal of AAP, all the best. It must prove its mettle in electoral politics and also in governance. It is premature to coronate it as the saviour of India.

—chhotebhai Kanpur

9 December 2013

Corruption Corrodes Country A disturbing report in the Times of India, 26 Nov 2013 states The Police, Revenue and the BMC have once again topped the most corrupt departments according to the Maharashtra State Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB). The number of officials caught red-handed from 2008 to Oct 2013 are as follows: Police—457, Revenue—369, BMC — 98, Health—45, Education—45. Mumbai city’s Economic Offences Wing

(EOW) from Jan 2010 to Oct 2013 has registered 449 cases, the biggest involving Speak Asia and the National Stock Exchange Ltd (NSEL). The EOW since its inception in 1994 has recorded over 2,000 cases amounting to 12,394 crores. But this is only the tip of the corruption iceberg. Besides having the ACB and the EOW as grievance redressers, departments themselves need to have in place an internal mechanism that will be effective in dealing with corruption and bribery. A user friendly complaint filling process will also automatically act as a more efficacious deterrent. Ill-gotten assets should be seized and confiscated. Another worry is the fall in conviction rate. From 28% in 2011, it fell to 18% in 2012, and till the end of August 2013 it stood at 15%. The good Book in Deuteronomy or ‘Second Law’ or Reiteration of the Law commands: “You shall not bend the law or show partiality. You shall not accept bribes because bribes blind the eyes of even the wise, and subvert the cause of the righteous. Justice, justice alone is what you must seek….” (Deut 16:19-20).

—Dr Trevor Colaso

Thanksgiving

Thanks to Holy Spirit, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mother Mary and St. Jude for favours granted. —M. C. Fernandes, Goa 7

New Age Lies Definition: The “New Age” Movement (NAM), sometimes also referred to as the “Human Potential Movement”, is a loosely connected network of people, groups, activities and practices which, according to its adherents, purportedly foster and produce a vast array of beneficial results such as “spiritual” and personal growth, financial success, improvement in relationships, physical and psychological healing, individual and global peace, stabilization of the environment, etc.

tional aspects of our faith are redefined. Jesus Christ becomes less than what He is, God, and instead is relegated to becoming one of a number of “Spiritual Guides” or “Ascended Masters” who were mere humans who “evolved” into higher beings after discovering and using “ancient wisdom.” Indeed, the NAM promises that any individual can attain this status through “Self Realization” or “Higher Consciousness” of the fact of one’s own “Higher Self”, “God-Self”, or “Divinity”. Essentially, each individual can become God.

Background:

Forbidden Fruit:

The NAM was born in the U.S. during the rebellious 1960’s when all traditional institutions and values, especially in relation to the Church and the family were under attack. The forerunner and vanguard of the New Age was the “Peace Movement” of the 1960’s which condemned traditional morality. The NAM also drew from Radical Environmentalism, Radical Feminism and Feminist spirituality of the 1970’s which it gained popularity around the world. Today the NAM has been able to successfully infiltrate almost every major institution, both religious and secular.

Appearance of Good/ Reality of Evil: The NAM, on the surface, appears to be a good thing. It promises global peace, health, personal and spiritual growth, and environmental stability. However, the methods it promotes to achieve these goals are cleverly hidden beneath this benevolent surface appearance. A closer scrutiny reveals a dark, sinister methodology for drawing people away from the Jesus Christ and towards individualism, and the religious practices of pagans, belief in reincarnation, and the power of the “Self”. Nevertheless, the NAM, on the surface, does not deny the existence of Jesus Christ – to do so would scare off most Christians in an instant. Instead, clever syntax is applied, while tradi-

The NAM is riddled with occult and other forbidden practices which make up the “ancient wisdom”, including medium ship, channeling, divination,

Capt. Mervin John Lobo astrology, consulting spirits of the dead, tarot cards, crystals, palm reading, Ouija boards, psychic powers, Yoga, Reiki transcendental medication, rose poetry, past-life regression, etc. God spoke to Moses about such practices: “Let there not be found among you anyone who immolates his son or daughter in the fire, nor fortune teller, soothsayer, charmer, diviner, or caster of spells, nor one who consults ghosts and spirits or seeks oracles from the dead. Anyone who does such things is an abomination to the Lord” (Deut 18:10-12). “Do not turn aside to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I, the Lord, am your God.” (Lev. 19:4). “The Spirit says clearly that some men will abandon their faith in later times. They will obey lying spirits and follow the teaching of demons.” (I Timothy 4:1). Despite the clear implications of such practices, an increasing number of people are abandoning their true faith to follow some or many aspects of the NAM. People today are replacing God with evil spirits and pagan gods, just as the ancient Israelites and Egyp-

tians did during the time of Moses. The seductions are subtle, but at its core is Satan himself. He is promising, just as he did in the Garden of Eden, that the forbidden fruit will make us gods.

“No Sin, No Hell”: The concepts of sin and hell do not exist in the NAM, Reincarnation and “ascension” are the explanations given by the NAM. “Original blessing” replace the concept of original sin, and Man’s fall from grace is now termed Man’s “ascension”. The redemptive power of the cross is no longer needed, and in this way Jesus Crucifixion is no longer meaningful and can therefore be totally ignored. Some aspects of the “New Age” depersonalize Jesus Christ by referring to a “Christ Consciousness” (Eckankar) – who came through various persons throughout the ages, or a “Cosmic Christ” (Rosecrusianism).

Evil Spirits in Disguise: Satan, as well as the other evil spirits, are fallen angels who turned away from God. Yet they have the power to appear to people as benevolent. Saint Paul warns: “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” (2 Cor. 11:14). What appears to some to be a “Divine Light” is, in reality, the “Shining Darkness” of Satan. Despite the attractiveness, and apparent concern shown by these “Spirit Guides”, these spirits will ultimately lead to spiritual oppression and other forms of spiritual destruction here on Earth, and possibly serious consequences in the life to come.

Truth = Jesus Christ: Catholics and other Christians needs to become more aware of the lures and traps of the NAM in order to avoid them. We must reject the lies and false promises of Satan’s NAM, and give ourselves completely to the Truth that is Jesus Christ. Satan wishes to rule the world, but God will ultimately triumph. He alone is our hope and our salvation.

9 December 2013

Church To Let Go Institutional Approach

Panaji: The Indian Church is considering a paradigm shift from an institutional approach to a Church of communion with people following the successful completion of the first national convention of the small Christian communities (SCC). "This is the beauty of SCCs, as the church is experienced more as a communion than hierarchy. And that is the paradigm shift we want to make from an institution to church of communion," said Fr. Anthony Fernandes, a Goa diocesan organizing team (GDOT) member. The event held from Nov. 19 to 21 in Goa brought together the country's cultural diversity in a unique bonding exercise over faith and other things when a 2,000 outstation delegates participated with about 5,000 local ones. "Many of the bishops came back with a sense of joy after their personal encounters with people as a result of their visits to the parishes and even parishionersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; homes," Fr. Fernandes said. Taking stock of the three-day event, church leaders said the occasion and organization of event was a journey of growth and learning. Fr Leonardo Souza, GDOT convener, said the presence of Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, CBCI president Cardinal

9 December 2013

Oswald Gracias, archbishops and bishops, hundreds of priests and sisters and over 7,000 active lay animators, affirm that SCCs now occupy a central place for a new way of being the Church and that the Church in India intends to promote SCCs as home and school of communion for the 21st century. It was also a rich cultural interaction as the guests stayed with Goan families and enjoyed their hospitality. Church leaders said an event of this magnitude with representatives from 140 dioceses from the length and breadth of the country was held for the first time. "Goa had the privilege of hosting it and it is a big achievement in itself that we were up to the mark," Fernandes said. "We carry with us happy memories of gathering all over Goa, celebrating the Eucharist joyfully with people, visiting families, participating in the gospel sharing and exchange of experiences and partaking of a meal with them," Fr. Souza said. National services team (NST), which was responsible for the organization of the event, has expressed satisfaction after a post-event evaluation. "We will have a similar program soon at the regional level," said NST secretary Fr. Vijay Thomas.

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If Women Can't Be Priests, What Can They Do?

United States: The parish I grew up in, like many Catholic churches before it, had two centers of power. The first and most obvious was the pastor himself: Father Henkel was a formidable presence, serving our parish from before my birth until his “retirement” after my sophomore year of college—when we buried him. The other person of influence was never whatever associate pastor was blowing through, but our parish secretary, Mrs. Larison. She served our parish for two decades not only as a competent administrator but as a moderating influence when Father Henkel’s old-school grumpy streak got the better of him, usually in relation to unruly infants during Mass. One wonders how many ruffled feathers Mrs. Larison smoothed among parishioners and parents from the parish’s school in her role as the first welcoming face in our parish. Mrs.

Larison’s authority in the parish went only so far, of course, limited to the power of persuasion and occasional damage control. It’s a limit still faced by women who work in parishes and dioceses, though some have taken on more of the heavy lifting in pastoral ministry. Even Pope Francis, while he has dismissed the possibility of women’s ordination, acknowledged in his September interview in the Jesuit magazine America that our challenge today is “to think about the specific place of women also in those places where the authority of the church is exercised.?.?.?.” The pope also recently said that women were “more important” than bishops and priests, just as Mary was more important than the disciples—but he left it at that. The trouble is that ever since Pope John Paul II judged in 1994 that the church has no authority to ordain women to the priesthood and forbade further debate about the topic, there has been little movement on the other roles of women in the church. The crack in the door when it comes to ordination is so slim that Cardinal Kurt Koch, head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said in September that “it would need the authority of an entire Council even to reopen the discussion,” according to the UK Tablet. While many have hoped for a place for women in the diaconate, Koch added that it was “difficult to conceive of a diaconate for women that does not

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lead to women’s ordination as priests and bishops.” We can’t expect an ecumenical council any time soon, but we may still hope for some movement on the issue of women’s leadership beyond pious comparisons of all women to Mary, however well intentioned. Since the official exercise of church authority, as a pastor for example, remains canonically tied to ordination, and women cannot be ordained, the only option for their further participation in the leadership of the church is to untie that legal knot. Mrs. Larison’s cohort of faithful churchwomen has now given way to women who serve as parish leaders (though without the title “pastor”), diocesan chancellors, and directors of religious education. Changing or clarifying the law to allow women in positions of pastoral authority to exercise it canonically—such as naming a laywoman the canonical pastor of a parish—would be a step forward in women’s ministry in the church. Source: US catholic

Subscriptions for

The Secular Citizen

Renewal as well as New, can be sent through Bank Fund Transfer to any one of the following banks: Bank: HDFC Bank Branch : CST - Mumbai VT Account Name: The Secular Citizen Account No. 03552000006744 ISFC code: HDFC0000355 or Bank: Citizen Credit Co-op Bank Ltd., Branch : Colaba, Mumbai Account Name: The Secular Citizen Account No. 000000000000489 ISFC code: CCBL0209003 Please inform us through email: secular@vsnl.com or through phone: 22693578 after transferring the same.

9 December 2013

Pope Francis grants apostolic blessings to Archbishop Moras

Vatican City: Archbishop Dr Bernard Moras, who is on an official visit to Rome, called on Pope Francis and obtained apostolic blessings on the Bangalore Archdiocese and the people of Karnataka. The Archbishop, who is visiting the Vatican for the first time after the election of the new Pope, had a private audience with Pope Francis on Monday and presented him a fragrant sandalwood carving of Blessed Virgin Mary. He also garlanded the Pope with garlands of scented sandalwood and cardamom, all products that are synonymous with Karnataka, on behalf of the faithful from the State. Pope Francis received Archbishop Moras very warmly and gladly imparted his Apostolic blessings to the people of Karnataka, and in a special way to the people of Bangalore, particularly the clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese of Bangalore. George Cardinal Alencherry, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, was present during the audience. Bangalore Archdiocesan priests Frs Christopher Vimalraj and Cyril Victor accompanied Archbishop Moras to greet the Holy Father. Archbishop Moras is on an official visit to Rome and is accommodated at Domus Sanctae Marthae, where Pope Francis resides. Archbishop Moras, therefore, dines in the same refectory with the Holy Father

9 December 2013

and celebrates Mass with the Holy Father in the same Chapel. Archbishop Moras also had the rare privilege of concelebrating the Holy Eucharist along with Pope Francis to mark the conclusion of the Year of Faith celebrations at the Vatican on November 23.

As a consulter and member of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, Archbishop Moras is invited as a delegate to the XVIII International Conference organised by the Council focusing this year on the theme of “Care for the Elderly with Neurodegenerative Diseases.” The World Health Organization’s Director for ageing, Dr John Beard, presenting epidemiological data, expressed concern that over 36 million people in the world suffer from dementia. Professor of Palliative Medicine and Member of the House of Lords, United Kingdom, Baroness Ilora Gillian Finlay spoke of the need for early detection and holistic approach directed towards bio-socio-psycho-spiritual aspects of the patient care. The Director of the Catholic Hospital Association of India (CHAI), Fr Tomi Thomas and Dr Thomas Mathew, Professor of Neurology, St John’s National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bangalore, are among the 750 participants from 54 countries attending the International Conference at the Vatican.

Maharashtra Konkani Kala Sanstha The Maharashtra Konkani Kala Sanstha Celebrated the feast of their Patron - St. Cecelia who is also the Patron Saint of all Artistes on 17th November 2013 at Our Lady's Home, Parel, Mumbai Photographs of this event are published here (While the report of this event is published in The Secular Citizen Vol. 22 No. 48 dated 2nd December 2013 on page 9)

9 December 2013

ICPA Jubilee Award For Josy Joseph

Mumbai: Senior journalist of the Times of India, Delhi, Josy Joseph has been chosen for the Golden Jubilee Award of the Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA). The award will be conferred on Josy Joseph on December 8, 2013, the concluding day of the two-day Golden Jubilee celebrations of the ICPA to be held at St Pauls Media Complex, Bandra (W), Mumbai. Mahrashtra Governor, His Excellency, Shri Shanakaranarayan, is expected to be the Chief Guest for the award function in which, Dr John Henry Anand (79), a reputed Hindi writer from Jabalpur will receive ICPA’s Swami Devanand Chakkungal Award for the best Hindi writer. During the above public function, founding members of the Association, the Examiner, Mumbai and Deepika, Kottayam, Kerala, will be honoured. Indian Currents from Delhi will also be felicitated for its 25 years of committed journalism with courage. The ICPA, a premier Association of Catholic Dailies, Periodicals, journalists,

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news agencies and Publishing Houses, affiliated to the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), is completing 50 years of service to the Church, this year. To mark the Association’s Golden jubilee, a National Convention of Christian journalists will be held at the above venue on December 7. The jubilee celebrations will begin with a concelebrated Holy Mass celebrated by Most Rev. Chack Thottumarickal, Bishop of Indore and Chariman of the CBCI Commission for Social Communications. The convention, with its theme “Press & Nationa Building—Challenges before Christian Journalists,” will be inaugurated by Bishop Chacko, later in the morning. During the inaugural session, Preeti Sharma Menon from Delhi will speak on “Professionalism in Journalism” and Mrs Abha Singh, a social activist and advocate from Mumbai will dwell on “Journalism, a Social Responsibility.” During the post–lunch session, prominent journalists from across the country will address the gathering: Mrs Smitha Deshmukh on “Ethics in Journalism,” Lucy Gabriel on “Gender issues in Journalism,” Shri Ram Puniyani on “Fighting Communalism & Caste Politics” and Robin Shukla on “Professional Training in Journalism.” On December 8, the second day of the celebrations, Bishop Dominic Savio Fernandes, Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay, will celebrate the morning Mass. A participative session on “Mission of ICPA: Challenges and Responsibilities before Catholic Journalists” will be chaired by Fr George Plathottam, SDB, the Director of NISCORT, Delhi and Secretary of the CBCI Commission for Social Communications. It is hoped that the above session will help evolve common policies, directives, etc. that will further strengthen the bond of unity among members of the ICPA.

—Jose Vincent, Secretary, ICPA

9 December 2013

Jesus Will Soon Arrive, Be Prepared Christ had spoken of John by saying he was the one about whom it was written, “See, I am sending you my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your 3rd Sunday in Advent way before you” (Mt. 11:10). This is the t is a classic revelation of divine Gospel reading. It is all about preparaimportance, told and retold down tion. the ages: His Coming is Near; PreThe world will be transformed pare for the Lord’s arrival. Indeed, what through faith overnight when He is born. the prophets disclosed for thousands Repentant sinners will be forgiven as of years earlier came to pass. The prom- they sing praises to God and his glory. ised Messiah did arrive. Today, we Seek forgiveness, do penance and retreasure that awesome event; living it, joice as the hour draws near to celrecreating it, for the journey of Faith ebrate the birth of Christ. Disassociate never ceases. Each new oneself rom the forces of generation carries forward evil. Be reconciled with the the holy memorial of Lord God. Receive the EuChrist’s birth with all its decharist and live in harmony tails. with one another ; the day is 2013 years later. This nearer to the moment of is the third Sunday in Adgreat joy. vent. Melvyn Brown In the Book of Isaiah The outpouring of the prophet made it obvideclarations from holy men ous to all the faithful when and prophets (Old Testament) telling he said: “He will come and save people to wait, watch and prepare re- you”.(Is.35:4). The ripple effect of this verberated through centuries; re- promise widens, specifically in the inforced in meditation, prayer and de- hearts of Christians totally welded to votion. The Christ would come in the the flames of faith within their spirit. The Lord’s appropriate time as preached seriousness of this ‘ripple’ is ever comby God’s messengers. Patience was patible with the liturgy for all time. The called for – just as today we prepare in measure of spiritual values is never homage to the Messiah’s coming. transitory “ wake up and be prepared, John the Baptist was a messen- Jesus will arrive. ger of God. There was a time when Anjali was a Catholic student of class seven in the local school. She came from a poor family, her father being a porter at the village railway station. There were days of suffering, pain and worry; yet, her mother somehow always had a meal cooked for them even through some difficult weeks during her pregnancy. Now, the woman was in the last stages before delivery. The girl sat by the broken window looking out into the narrow, wet and Shop No.1, Saint Bridget’s dirty lane outside. It was raining heavily. Enclave, Vakola Bridge, But Anjali went on praying the rosary. Santacruz East, She prayed for her mother’s easy delivery and anxiously awaited news of the Mumbai - 400 055 baby. Would it be a brother or a sister for her ? What she was preparing in her NEETA TARIBAGIL / heart was to see the baby ; to be happy, MINAL PATEL to tell her friends and neighbors the 9867319632 / 9920088056 good news. In expectation of the baby’s

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safe arrival she made promises to her saint… she had preparations in mind. Like Anjali, Christians across the world pray and prepare for the festival of Christmas. Some organize concerts, music to play at home, others buy shoes and clothes, send greeting cards and rejoice to declare the birth of Jesus, the Savior. The days move fast and the moment will soon arrive. Midnight Mass will highlight the Birth of Christ. Bells will ring, for this is an important feast in the Christian calendar. Let us “…through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Heb.6:12). In the letter of James we read : “Be patient, therefore, until the coming of the Lord.”(Jas.5:7). This reminds us that the liturgy is a witness for the Messiah. Make happiness and reconciliation with friends, family and foes a peace message in preparation for His coming. Convey the motif of cheer on earth and in the whole Church.

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Simple Life Saving Tips Everyone Must Know having fits?

ruly said “Prevention is better than Cure”, but what if accident has already occurred after taking prevention too. So the best way to cope up with any accident or any instant illness is by knowing some first aid techniques. Now what exactly “Firstaid” means? It is basically an initial treatment given to a sick or an injured person before any professional treatment provided. It generally consists of some simple medical techniques which everyone should know as these techniques are often life saving.

Fits which are commonly called seizures causes involuntary changes in body movements followed by unconsciousness. Initial signs of fits can be identified if person’s body becomes rigid, followed by rolling eyes and staring expressions on his/her face. What will be your first step if someone is experiencing fits? Firstly give an immediate call to ambulance. Protect them from harming themselves. Do not let them take any sharp object. Be aware of not giving them anything to eat or drink .

How to deal when someone has a heart attack? So what you need to do is first check if the person having persistent chest pain which is spreading to his/her arms, jaw, neck, stomach or back. If yes then give an immediate call to ambulance and before its arrival make sure that the position is comfortable for them like make him/her sit on floor or lean against a wall .If there is no history of aspirin allergy to them then make them chew 325 mg aspirin slowly. Don’t leave them alone till ambulance is reached.

How to deal if someone is having a stroke? Stroke happens if the supply of blood to the brain is suddenly disrupted. It is an acute neurological injury. But how would you be able to know if someone is having stroke? Person who has a stroke experience some FAST signs like severe headache, loss of consciousness, difficulty swallowing, sudden blurred, double or reduced vision in both eyes. The first thing which you need to do is lay the person down with shoulders and head elevated slightly, keep his/her chin slightly extended. Call ambulance immediately.

How to prevent choking? At this time you just need to encourage

How to deal with asthma attack?

the affected person to clear the blockage. Give some back blows to him/her with the help of your hand heels. If the whole treatment is not working then bend the person forward by keeping your both arms around his/her waist. Put your fist below navel and check if some object is coming out of mouth. If it is not working then give an immediate call to emergency medical service. Be aware of not performing this in the case of pregnant women.

Asthma which can also described by the word “panting” is caused due to some environmental factors or it may be genetic. If someone is feeling difficulty in breathing or his/her nail beds and lips becomes grey or blue colored then he is going through an asthma attack .Coughing may also be one of the symptoms. Now the best way to deal with this is first make them sit comfortably and let them to take puff of reliever inhaler. Tell them to breathe slowly. If the inhaler has no effect till 5 minutes then give an immediate call to ambulance.

How to deal baby with chokWhat to do if someone had ing throat? Chocking is very common in the age an electric shock? It is often called electrocution which is most severe accident one can experience. Firstly give an immediate call to ambulance. Check if the person affected is still in contact with current source. If yes, then don’t touch them. Just turn off electricity at mains if reachable. And then try to push person away with the help of some non conductive material like wooden stick.

How to deal if someone is

below one as baby is just learning how to chew and swallow .Food or anything else may go wrong way . So if baby’s throat is chocked just lay the head down and try to give some back blows. Check if something is coming out of mouth. Try to clear blockage. Wait till the emergency medical service arrives by constantly giving back blows to baby. If back blows are not working then place two fingers in middle of baby’s chest and push inwards and outwards.

9 December 2013

Why Is Only My Father’s Name So Important For My Legal Existence? Why do all the forms we ever encounter ask only for the fathers’ name? Is having a father so important to a person’s legal existence? by Mayank Jain

eeping the whole debate about feminism aside, I have a ques tion to ask that’s troubling me for a long time now: Why do all the forms we ever encounter ask only for the fathers’ name? Is having a father so important to a person’s legal existence? This is the issue we have all dealt with, at some point or the other when our fathers were given more importance than our mothers as if they were the ones who kept us for 9 months and nurtured us day and night. There is no debate on a father’s role in a child’s lifetime but the over emphasis makes me sick. A friend’s observation forced me to write this post. She is a student of a premier all girls’ college in University of Delhi which is supposed to be the best in India but she found no mention of her mother’s name anywhere in any important document. This is what happens when someone with a single mother decides to fill a form for a public institution: Questions about father and his father are asked again and again until the scars of the past become wounds

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again. It is indeed a harrowing experience being asked about someone who isn’t in your life anymore and giving no importance to your mother who raised you facing all odds and still never gets to be an important part of the whole process. The picture of her admit card shows how her identity is based on his father’s name and nobody will ever identify her if she spells out her mother’s name because it’s nowhere in the document: This came as a stunning revelation to me and it stinks of patriarchy from an institution where every student is female, having the name of your father is of utmost importance. When I dug deep into my pockets and found out my own identification cards from various places, I was in for a surprise. I looked at my driving license and it had my father’s name with no mention of my mother. The story was same for my college ID card, my library cards as well as my voter ID card and PAN card. This is a classic example of hypocrisy and lack of empathy from agencies that propagate themselves as against discrimination and inequality. While this deals with emotional and social aspect of having to disclose your father’s name every time you try to get something done but it makes no sense logically too. Everyone can have only one mother while fathers can be possibly more than one. There is a need to replace that field asking for ‘Father’s name’ with ‘Parent’s Name’ and it should be done as soon as possible to stop victimization of every other child who isn’t aware of or doesn’t want to disclose his fathers’ identity. Being a girl, my friend wants to see her mother’s name on everything important too and I dream of the day when there won’t be a need for anyone to be ashamed for not having a perfect ancestry and this starts from adding that field for ‘Mother’s Name’.

Calligraphy Writing with alphabetic symbols is one of the significant advances in the process of civilization. Calligraphy has been a part of process for thousands of years. Calligraphy literally means beautiful writing. Until about 600 A.D. there were no small letters as we know them now. In India important documents are found to be lacking dimensions of excellence . How sad!

—Prof. Valerian Sequeira

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Inspiration!

Why Following Dreams Is Important

You’ll count the clock, you won’t do as well, and you’ll dread waking up in the morning. Instead, pursue your dreams! Get excited about your day, and enjoy the process of doing what you love.

Because no one is going to follow them for you: Let’s face it: no one else is going to pursue your dreams for you. Everyone has their own dreams and their own goals for what they want to achieve in life. If you don’t go for it, no one else will.

So that you can finally be happy:

A Dream, a vision, a goal, a desire, these are all things most of us know we need when we are working towards success but somewhere along the line, forgotten that is why it is so important we follow them through. Everyone always says, “Follow your dreams!” But not everyone does it. Life interjects, bills pile up, and sometimes we have to do jobs we don’t want to do just to make it through the day. However, there are a number of reasons to follow your dreams, to break the trend, and to live the life you’ve always wanted. Here they are below:

They make life worth living: Your dreams are what can get you through even the worst days. If you are struggling, your dreams are your reason to keep going. They are why you wake up in the morning and try again. They are what makes your entire life worth living.

You’ll meet other dream seekers: When you are motivated and excited about pursuing your dreams, you’ll

9 December 2013

attract other people who have the same values and interests. The more you surround yourself with high achievers, the further you’ll go. Then, when times get tough, and it’s hard to keep going, your friends will motivate you to continue achieving.

You can be an inspiration to others: If you decide to go and follow your dreams, you will give hope to others who want to do the same. You can serve as their example and their reason why they should give it a try. You can help them, coach them, and encourage them to keep going.

You can provide for your family: When you are this motivated, it’s very hard to fail. If you are very set on your dreams, and you make sure that you can make an income along the way, you’ll be able to provide for your family. Some dreams take longer than others to achieve, but that’s what makes the end goal so worth it.

Working in a job you hate makes the days go slowly:

Life without dreams is depressing. Search far and wide for yours, and make a promise to yourself that you will start pursuing them. Once you get on the path towards your goal, you will notice a distinct change in how you feel.

To prove them wrong: All of us have been around people who told us our dreams weren’t possible. Let that add fuel to your fire. Think about all the people who said it would never happen, and go out and prove them wrong.

It will make your parents proud: Sometimes parents don’t always understand our dreams or they try to sway us towards a particular one. However, if you are adamant about your dreams, and you work hard to achieve them, your parents have no reason not to be proud of you.

It will make YOU proud: Even better than making your parents proud, you will be proud of yourself! Your confidence will rise, and you’ll enjoy the excitement and the adrenaline that comes with doing something you’ve always wanted to do. 11. You only live once. Life is short. Our days are numbered, so why spend them doing something we don’t love? It’s time to make a decision to go for it.

Why should you work in a job you hate?

MATRIMONIALS MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 49 years, Ht. 5’ 4”, Wt. 85 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. SSC., N.C.T.V.T., B.Com., working as a Supervisor. Seeks a good cook, simple, religious Roman catholic spinster. Contact : 9967586814 (Regd. No. 5999) BANGALORE : Mangalorean Catholic parents based 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 IT professional working in USA, age below 29. Contact email : pgzmonteiro@yahoo.com Or Mob.: 9845417838. (Regd. No. 5940) MUMBAI : Mangalorean/Tamilian Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 30 years, Ht. 5’ 10”, Wt. 85 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com., + Post Graduate 2nd year. Seeks a suitable good looking, working girl below 27 years,. Contact email : riya.anthony11@gmail.com OR 8390022313 (Regd. No. 5898) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 32 years, Ht. 5’ 5”, Wt. 62 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. S.S.C., working as a Receptionist. Seeks a suitable match. Simple, understanding and ajustable nature. Contact : Email : mnl_gonsalves@yahoo.co.in OR 9833094187 / 64235329 (Regd. No. 5897) MUMBAI : Anglo Indian Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 28 years, Ht. 5’ 111/2”, Wt. 84 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.E., Mumbai University, having own business. Seeks a Roman Catholic educated girl from Mumbai, below 27 years. Contact : Email: snad2450@gmail.com OR 28388034 (Regd. No. 5896) MUMBAI : Keralite Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’ 9”, Wt. 68 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. U.K. Graduate, having own business. Seeks a educated, mild natured, with a balanced lifestyle, smart, below 27

years. Contact : email: edfernz@gmail.com OR 66998519 / 28541673 (Regd No. 5895) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 26 years, Ht. 5’, Wt. 45 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. BA Pursving M.A., working as a C.S.E. (MNC), Seeks a suitable match. Contact Email: clintjude2002@yahoo.co.in OR 9819394473 (Regd. No. 5894) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’ 7”, Wt. 65 kgs, light Wheatish Complexion, Edn. M.M.S. in H.R. working as a Sr. H.R. Officer. Email : contactmissmiriam@gmail.com OR 9819985128 (Regd. No. 5893) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 42 years looks much younger to his age, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 59 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. XIIth std., having own business. Contact : 9767630415 / 9175186730 (Regd. No. 5892) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 33 years, Ht. 5’ 8”, Wt. 70 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., working as a Microsoft Engineer in Bangalore. Well settled, having own house in Bangalore. Seeks a educated Mangalorean girl from good family background. Contact Email : lorettag58@gmail.com OR 9323949129 / 9867848489 (Regd. No. 5880) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 27 years, Ht. 5’ 4”, Wt. 58 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., working for Multinational Bank. Seeks a Goan Roman Catholic graduate working girl. Contact Email: miltonintouch3@gmail.com OR 02512680461 (Regd. No. 5877) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 36 years, Ht. 5’ 11”, Wt. 90 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn.

Members are requested to inform us when they are settled, so that publication of their details can be discontinued.

HSC, having own business. Seeks a tall, simple, homely good looking girl. Contact Email : ulcomputronics@gmail.com OR 40263038 (Regd. No. 5874) MUMBAI : Tamilian Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 53 years, Ht. 5’ 3”, Wt. 75 kgs, Tan Complexion, Edn. Elect. Engg., Self Employed. Contact : 9619784992 / 9833560643 (Regd. No. 5869) MUMBAI : Marathi Converted Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 45 years Ht. 6’, Wt. 76 kgs, Wheatsih Complexion, Edn. H.S.C., working in Kuwait as a Public Relation. Contact Email: vbhabal@yahoo.com OR 9619344291 (Regd. No. 5863) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Widower, aged 44 years, Ht. 5’ 6”, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish Complexion , Edn. Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, working aborad as a Mechanic. Seeks a simple, loving, well mannered below 38 years preferably working girl. Contact Email : simondspear@gmail.com OR 9702148869 (Regd. No. 5861) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 31 years, Ht. 5’, 4”, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish Complexion,Edn. PGDBM working as a Sr. Manager in MNC in Mumbai. Well settled, having own accommodation, looking for a suitable match. Contact email : lewellyndias@gmail.com OR 9820467452 (Regd. No. 5759) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 30 years, Ht. 5.’ 10”, Wt. 70 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. 1st class Dip. Auto Engg., working as a Sales Asst., Contact Tel.: 0250-2348711 (Regd. No. 5799) 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 9 December 2013

MATRIMONIALS AHMEDABAD : Goan R.C. Spinster, Wheatish, slim, good looking, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’ 4”, Wt. 49 kgs, Edn. B.A., PGDMFI, Pursuing MBA, working as a Senior Officer in Bank. Seeks a educated, well settled bachelor from decent and respectable family. Contact email : steffi8138@gmail.com / jerrypeter02@yahoo.com OR 07922162694 (Regd. No. 6004) MUMBAI : Mangalorean R.C. Spinster, fair, good looking, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 62 kgs, Edn. Post graduate (MBA), working as a Manager in MNC, Seeks a well educated and well settled bachelore. Contact Mob.: 9930441402 / 9769678734 Email: sjd0110@gmail.com (Regd. No. 6003) MUMBAI : East Indian Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 31 years, Ht. 5’ 3”, Wt. 58 kgs, Fair Complexion, good looking, smart, Edn. M.M.S., B.Com., working as a Manager - Marketing. Seeks a handsome, intelligent, well settled bachelor. Contact email : christophersequeira@hotmail.com OR 9167650179 (Regd. No. 6002) MUMBAI : Roman Catholic Divorcee, age 30 years, Ht. 5’ 4”, Wt. 56 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. M.Com/ MBA, Sr. Executive with a reputed firm, seeks a suitable match. Contact email : ritadsouza58@gmail.com OR 9323628370 (Regd. 6001) GOA: Goan RC Spinster, aged 26 years, Ht. 4’ 9”, Wt. 42 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn., MBBS, Diploma Anesthesa, working as a Anaesthestist. Seeks a well setled bachelor below 31 years, Doctor or Engineer. Contact email : judjjf1960@yahoo.in OR 8600306139 (Regd. No. 6000) MUMBAI : Mangalorean R.C. Spinster, aged 37 years, Ht. 5’ 5”, Wt. 73

Royal Christian Family Helps In Choosing The Right Life-Partner

Serving Since 32 Years 9 December 2013

kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com / MHRDM, working as an Asst. Mgr, HR., Seeks a well settled graduate RC Bachelor. Contact email : joycef76@gmail.com OR 9820665058 (Regd. No. 5998) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 31 years, Ht. 5’ 5”, Wt. 57 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. MBA, working as Marketing Manager in Bangalore, Contact email : richardathanasius@gmail.com OR 9980555027 (Regd. No. 5973) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 27 years, Ht. 5’ 5”, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. MBA, well settled. Seeks a boy below 33 years. Contact email: c_dsouza2007@yahoo.com OR 9920384736 (Regd. No. 5972) MUMBAI : Anglo Indian Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 33 years, Ht. 5’, Wt. 53 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. Graduate, working as a Web Designer in MUSCAT. Seeks a well settled bachelor. Contact email : newimage23@yahoo.com / parsjudy@gmail.com OR 0096895852514 / 9820300874 (Regd. No. 5971) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 25 years, Ht. 5’ 3”, Wt. 60 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., working as a Sales Co-ordinator. Contact email : avonquadros@ymail.com OR 9969741361 (Regd. No. 5970) DUBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’ 1”, Wt. 55 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. MA., HR, working in Dubai well settled. Seeks a suitable match. Contact email : rubybelgal@yahoo.in OR 9822487408 / 0832-2444390 (Regd No. 5966) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 25 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 45 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com., working for Travel Agency. Seeks a tall, graduate Mangalorean boy below 29 years. Contact email : reynalmarina@gmail.com OR

9773669764 (Regd. No. 5965) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 32 years, Ht. 5’ 4”, Wt. 60 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com., Sr. Stylist (Hair & Makeup). Seeks a suitable match. Contact email : dyllisd@gmail.com OR 9167560077 / 9930689139 (Regd. No. 5964) MUMBAI : RC Mangalorean Spinster, M.Com/MBA (Finance) 27 / 5’2”, talented, with strong family values & from respectable family, working for a bank in Mumbai. Seeks well qualified boy upto 32, reply with recent photo & full details to email: smileangel378@yahoo.com OR 9920424282 (Regd. No. 5962) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, 231/2 years, Ht. 5, Wt, 55 kgs, Wheatish complexion, Edn. C.A., working for MNC, Seeks a suitable match. Contact email : suzancarvalho89@gmail.com OR 9322295449 / 9769861559 (Regd. No. 5961) QATAR : R.C. Spinster, age 27, Ht. 5’ 6”, MBA, working in Qatar for an Oil Company along with her family, seeks alliance from tall, well educated bachelors (working on ship or abroadEngineers), having strong catholic values. She is visiting Mumbai in December. Contact immediately to fix a meeting. Please respond to email: vanspereira25@gmail.com OR 97466756066 (Regd. No. 5990) 5959. MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, 37 years, Ht. 5 ’ 2”, Wt, 58 kgs, Wheatish complexion, looks much younger to her age, good looking, smart, Edn. M.A. M.Com., working as a Senior Journalist. Seeks a well educated and well settled bachelor. Contact email : divinemother86@gmail.com OR 9833065385 (Regd. No. 5959) Address your replies to :

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

Methods to Relieve Stress in Office your office, why not create one? Carry the photos of your loved ones to office can actually motivate you and take stress off you. Thoughts of your loved ones have the ability to calm down your disturbed and stressed mind.

Office is more like a pressure cooker and stress keeps building up with every passing moment. As we said, we cannot get rid of stress but we can at least learn how to manage it and if not, our peers will gain an edge over us. If we really don’t know how to manage this nasty stuff, we are really going to have a hard time and the most immediate of all visible outcomes is that of “reduced productivity”.

Don’t Bother Yourself Too Much:

Ask for Help: If you are not able to understand something or if you lack knowledge in the field you are working, step up and ask your co-workers or manager. There is no reason to feel shy or to feel embarrassed. You will be asking because you want to perform well .

Prioritize Your Work Flow: Often you may have to deal with a volume of work. If you have been assigned more work than usual, don’t let the load to make you heavy. All you have to do is to prioritize the works at hand. Talk to your manager and see which one needs to be done immediately. Create a checklist. When you are working with one, don’t think of the others in queue.

Walk Around for a Minute: Your office may not have a big walking space but it will at least have corridors or hallways. Just go and take a walk. Think of food you like, light moments you spend and smile to yourself.

Never Ever Skip your Breakfast: Do you know that breakfast is THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL of the day? A hungry stomach can never concentrate. It will help you to get energy and refresh your mood. It will help your brain to function properly. Just eat some when your tummy asks for some food. Don’t ignore this. Corporate world is a war front and you cannot fight with an empty stomach.

Sit Properly: 22

There is no point laughing at this. Sitting posture is really important when it comes to office work. Your neck, back and shoulder muscles must be relaxed when you work. A wrong sitting posture will only make things work and tense your muscles. This will lead to physical stress like fatigue and pain. This directly impacts your productivity. If that happens, sit straight, take a deep breath and roll your shoulders and neck. Massage your fingers, roll your wrists clockwise and anticlockwise and stand up for a few moments. Once your muscles are loosened, get back to work.

Know How Big is Your Quilt: Office is a place of cutthroat competition. Of course you need to do better but in an attempt to do so, don’t take up responsibilities that are too much for your physical and mental capabilities. Set goals that are realistic.

Laugh Them Off: There will always be people who will try to bully you or make fun of you. They will do this either on purpose to hamper your productivity by tapping into your emotional quotient or they will simply do this for fun. Whatever be the case, you will never get an office where people like them will not show up. The best thing to do here is to laugh them off! If they are making fun of you, you laugh too! May be try to make a subtle fun about yourself or someone else among your coworkers.

Motivate Yourself: If you don’t see anything motivating in

You need to understand that in a corporate culture, there are a few things that are always beyond your control. You can simply do nothing to change them. So, why bother yourself? Often, it is wise to overlook a few things than to pull off your hair in an attempt to take control.

Saying NO is a Good Idea: Many of us have this annoying problem of not being able to say NO on someone’s face. It is kind of rude to use that negative word but in a pressure cooker like workspace, it can really help you to relive stress in office. Not being able to say ‘No’ can be a weakness and your callous colleagues will simply try to take advantage of that. They will try to dump their work on you or simply make you pay for their coffee! This will create stress.

Carry Some Humor: Well, most of us use smartphones capable of playing videos. It is always a great idea to carry some funny videos in your mobile and watch them during lunch. Laughing is a good medicine and can effectively take your attention off the work pressure. This way, your brain gets time to relax and can get a daily dose of laughter which has several health benefits. Laughter can reduce blood pressure, improve creativity and memory, increase alertness, reduce stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, increase oxygen levels in blood and improve blood circulation and more.

9 December 2013

Prayer Service For People Lost Lives While Vikhroli Level Crossing

The Bombay Catholic Sabha, Vikhroli Unit has organized prayer service for the people who have lost their lives at the level crossing on 21st November 2013 at Vikhroli. The Prayer Service was attended by a large number of parishioners and dignitaries including Janet Dsouza, Vice Chairperson Minority Commission Maharashtra State. The dignitaries spoke and appreciated for organising a unique prayer meet by the Vikhroli BCS. The meet ended with prayers & blessings by Rev. Fr. Anthony Dsouza & Rev. Fr. Simon Lopes of St. Joseph Church, Vikhroli. Further the Vikhroli unit of BCS kept the following demands before the concerned authorities: 1. Escalator at Vikhroli Bridge; 2. Ticket counter at Vikhroli East on the ground level; 3. Removal of garbage dumping near the middle footover bridge; 4. Ramp to climb the bridge; 5. Sauchalaya and 6. Advance train indicator/ monitor showing information of next suburban train.

'Hum Sab Ek Hai' by BCS Vikhroli Unit

Close to the 'Prayer Service' on Bombay Catholic Sabha, 21st Nov., the Bombay Catholic Vikhroli Unit Committee Sabha, Vikhroli Unit organised another important programme 'Hum Sab Ek Hai' an inter-religious meet on 26th November 2013 at the St. Joseph's Church School Hall, Vikhroli. In these times where the world is rife with strife and hatred, The Bombay Catholic Ssbha is trying to do its bit to evolve people towards heart-centered consciousness which develops the flow of unconditional love. It is an expression of the love of God, which exists in every part of the universe and flows through each one of us, if we but allow it. Priests from various religions expressed their views on unity in diversity. The occasion also marked the remembrance of people who have lost their lives on 26/11/2008.

9 December 2013

RNI No. 56987/92

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

9 December 2013

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

Creating future leaders in the community through the project:

‘Leaders in the Making and Reaching to the Top’ Youth are the pillars upon which a nation’s future is built. It is true that in this challenging era of globalisation, our youth must be nurtured, educated and guided towards the right path. There is a need for the youth of our community to strengthen their faith by adopting the right mindset and acquiring a wealth of knowledge. With this objectives in mind we have been conducting special youth seminars entitled ‘Leaders in the Making and Reaching to the Top’ since 10 years. So far over 8000 youth have participated and benefited in the 12 seminars which have been guided by expert resource persons. Guiding our youth as effective future leaders and shine in top positions within and outside the country is our dream which we want to turn it into reality, The Entire project is conducted absolutely Free for the participants. This appeal is an invitation specially for people who are concerned about our youth and their bright future to be a part of this project :

THE SECULAR CITIZEN

99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Fort, Mumbai 400001. Tel.: 22693578, 22654924 Emails: secular@vsnl.com / secular@sezariworld.com

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 9 December 2013 Printers: The Secular Citizen, Fort, Mumbai 400001. Editor : Philip Myaboo