Secular Citizen Vol.23 No.50 dated 15th December 2014

15 December 2014

1

Royal Christian Family

GET-TOGETHER of Brides

and Grooms

Balloon Rosary Released

for Details Contact: 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Near GPO., Fort, Mumbai 400001 Tel.: 022 - 22693578, 22654924 Email: secular@vsnl.com, secular@sezariworld.com

Jobs and Career Opportunities Local - National - International All you need to send us your CV with Educatilon, Job Experience, Salary Expected and Photograph To Email: appointment@sezariworld.com or by post, courier to: The Secular Citizen Appointments, 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Fort, Mumbai 400001

Corporate - business houses, Organisations, Small Large Offices can forward their Human Resource requirements by Email to:

require@sezariworld.com

2

The Closing ceremony of the Archdiocese of Bombay's golden jubilee celebration to commemorate the 38th Eucharistic Congress held in Bombay (from November 28 to Dec 6, 1964.) was celebrated at Don Bosco Ground, Matunga.

On this occasion Archbishop of Mumbai Cardinal Oswald Gracias and Papal nuncio His Excellency Salvatore Pennacchio jointly released balloons on the air at the end of the programme. These balloons are created in the form of a rosary, reminding the faithful to say daily rosary to deepen their faith and spread peace on earth.

38th Eucharistic Congress event was organised under the able leadership of greatest personality His Eminence Valerian Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay at the Oval Ground, South Mumbai which was filled to its capacity at that time.

15 December 2014

Advt. T ariff Tariff

A WEEKLY FAMILY FAVOURITE

Vol.23 No.50 December 15, 2014

Rs.5/-

99, Perin Nariman Street, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001.

Tel: 2269 35 78 / 2265 49 24 : 2264 0996 E-mail : secular@vsnl.com, secular@sezariworld.com Website: www.sezariworld.com www.secularcitizen.com Editor-in-chief : LAWRENCE COELHO

Editor: PHILIP MYABOO

1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456

1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456

‘Thought for the week’

There's no need to be perfect to inspire others. Let people get inspired by how you deal with your imperfections.

Contents

pg. 3 - The New Man In Christian Faith pg. 4 - India's Tipping Point pg. 6 - Reader's Views pg. 7 - Let the Spark lChoose pg 10 - Rallying lAround The Bread of Life! pg 11 - Views on News pg 15 - Thousands attend feast of St. Francis pg 16 - How to loose Weight and Become Fit pg 17 - New Rules for Cheques pg 18 - Wake up the World pg 13 - Inspiration! pg 20 - Matrimonials pg 22 - Allwyn Fernandes Passes Away

Subscriptions Rate: One year (anywhere in India) Rs. 250 Three years (anywhere in India) Rs. 700 Five years (anywhere in India) Rs. 1000 One year (outside India) Rs. 2500

E-paper Edition

sent anywhere in the world (by email) One year Rs. 600 or US $ 15 Two years Rs. 1000 or US $ 25

Cover : Let the Spark Choose (Article on pg. 7)

15 December 2014

Over all size 21.5 cms x 27cms O Print area 18 cms x 25.5 cms Full pg. back Colour (19 cms x 24 cms) Rs. 15,000 Center spread colour(39 cms x 23.5 cms Rs. 15,000 Full pg. inside Cover colour(18 cms x 24 cms) Rs. 10,000 Full pg. inner colour (18 cms x 24 cms) Rs. 8,000 Half pg. Colour (18 cms x 12 cms) Rs. 5,000

Full page B/W (18 cms x 24 cms) Half page B/W (18 cms x 12 cms)

Rs. Rs,

5,000 3,000

Small Size Ads B/W

12 x 12cms Rs. 2000 O 6 x 24cms Rs. 2000 18 x 6cms Rs. 1500 O 6 x 12cms Rs. 1000 6 x 6cms Rs. 500 Matrimonial Classifieds: O Rs. 500 per insertion (for 35 words) (includes box no.)

O Rs. 1500 for 12 insertions. (1 year The Secular Citizen FREE)

The New Man In Christian Faith

by Ladislaus L D’Souza he NEW MAN IN CHRIST, the much celebrated theme of the 38th International Eucharistic Congress [IEC] manifested itself in a firm desire in the new man to Live In the Fullness of the Eucharist, Nigel Barrett’s film demonstrating at the close of the Diocesan Congress [DC] celebrations at Don Bosco’s Grounds, Matunga, on Sunday 7 December 2014 the conviction of believer after believer exulting in being Catholic and alive! Carol Barrett did the honours of confirming that sentiment, wowing as she did the gathering with her enthusiastic rendition of the theme song I’M CATHOLIC – I’M ALIVE! With all joining in with gusto and without inhibition!

From Jesuit Fr MM Balaguer’s and Divine Word Fr George Proksch’s essaying of the IEC theme in the Indian idiom to the slick presentation on the DC theme by Fr Nigel Barrett, Director of the Archdiocesan Communication Centre, the Church in Bombay has come a long way. What lent the right sheen to the 50 Golden Years being commemorated was the sophistication in evidence. The highly modern fusion dances that had smoke and swirling skirts colour the night sky in a delightful medley that was a treat not to be missed. The genial Dr Valerie D’Souza, Coordinator of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Committee, expressed her liturgical sensibilities in the marvellous floral arrangements that gave every picture frame filmed a charm its own! Indeed, those who left a sizeable number of chairs vacant do not know what they have missed!

From the Presidential Procession to the Governor’s address, and from the polyphonic singing of the choir under the baton of the affable Mario Nazareth, Maestro of the Cathedral Choir, to the release of the gas-balloon Rosary at the end of the programme—never mind that the Cross remained firmly rooted on terra firma!—was a spiritual, vocal, lyrical, musical and physical portrayal of the human spirit alive in the Faith! The exquisiteness of the sound and the visuals, backed by the flawless diction and accent of the Master of Ceremonies (both in English and Hindi) was a rare, futuristic portrayal of talent not even dreamed possible when India’s First Cardinal, the Late Valerian Gracias, brought the country to the notice of the international community with the organizing of 38th IEC. A video collation of the ‘Circle of Life’, encompassing the inspiring Eucharistic Processions that marked parish level preparation for the golden event, the various rallies: Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers etc., the Sacraments, enthused the assembly further. A film on the Congress itself had all thrilled at the sight of our beloved Holy Father of happy

T

(Contd.. on p. 4)

3

India’s Tipping Point

W

hen Namo thundered from the Red Fort ramparts on In dependence Day that what India needed was more thunder boxes (loos) many of his admirers were askance, thinking that he had a loose hinge! Not me. I genuinely felt that it was the most exciting thing to happen since the election of Pope Francis. Let me tell you why.

A seemingly unrelated incident was the board meeting of the Kanpur Electric Supply Corporation (Kesco), held in Lucknow. There was a Rupees One Thousand Crore proposal for the long term restructuring of Kesco, One Hundred Crores for immediate upgradation of transformers and transmission lines, and a seemingly innocuous One Crore for blue uniforms for the staff. The mega projects sailed through, but the uniforms were a sticky point.

Surely not for the money, but perhaps for the idea – a brainwave of Dr Roshan Jacob IAS, the visionary District Magistrate of Kanpur, who was given additional charge of Kesco, because of her administrative acumen.

What’s the connection between Namo’s loos and Jacob’s blues? Much, much more than meets the eye.

For this I revert to the gyan that I picked up from the book “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell. Its subtitle is “How little things can make a big difference”. Significantly, it has the image of a matchstick on its cover. A (Contd.. on p. 3)

memory, Blessed Paul VI who became the first Pope in history to step foot on Asian soil! Appropriately, the Cardinal held aloft a beautiful reliquary containing a relic of the late pope, announcing that arrangements were being made for the veneration of the same in every parish in due course of time.

Alleluia!! Long live the Pope!

Long live the Church!! Long live the Faith, even as we, in one accord, trumpet to the world: “I am Catholic – I’m alive!”

4

We see defence personnel in uniform and we respect them. We also see police in uniform and we tend to detest them. If we see religious leaders wearing a distinctive dress we are inclined to venerate them. What we wear creates an environment, an aura around us. small match can cause a huge inferno.

Small is big. Astrophysicists tell us that the smallest particles that were formed immediately after the Big Bang of creation pack the deadliest punch. The particle collider at the CERN laboratory in Switzerland is 25 kms in diameter.

So small is big, powerful and effective.

Little things should never be underestimated. It is in this context that I see the loos and the blues. What their visionaries are trying to tell us is; start somewhere cognizable, to make the effect recognizable.

Gladwell’s best-seller is full of fundas and real life illustrations. The one that had a major impact on me was on how crime was arrested in New York City (NYC). To understand this phe-

Readymade Wedding Gowns, Christening Sets, First Holy Communion Dresses & All other Wedding Accessories and Thermocole Decoration, also Available at

White Rose Sharaf Manzil, 1st Floor, 650, J.S.S. Rd, 2nd Dhobitalao Lane, Mumbai 400002

Tel.: 2207 4223

Emails:davidprinters@gmail.com / bryan@vsnl.com

BY CHHOTEBHAI nomenon I will first quote some of the phrases used to describe Gladwell’s book – crossing a threshold, tipping the scales, taking off, wildfire proportions, epidemic of contagious diseases, achieving critical mass, exponential overdrive, virulent virus, stickiness; and individuals can make a difference. See where I am heading.

So let us follow the case study of how crime was arrested in NYC. In 1980 it had over 2000 murders and 600,000 felonies (crimes). Conditions in the subway transit system were chaotic, filthy, littered and the 6000 coaches were covered with graffiti. The system was also losing $ 150 million annually from ticketless travel. In 1984 there were 15,000 felonies on the subway alone, and they climbed to 20,000 by 1990.

In stepped William Bratton, and felonies dropped by 75%. How? By a change of environment. Gladwell propagates the “Broken Window” theory. A broken window on a coach is indicative of callousness, which in turn, acts as a trigger to petty crime. It sends out a message that such small things don’t really matter. The converse is actually true – they do. Gladwell claims that “crime is the inevitable result of disorder”, and the graffiti was symptomatic of such disorder or disregard; like the broken, unattended windows.

Crime, like fashion, is contagious, and disorder is the perfect breeding ground for it, claims Gladwell.

He propounds the theory that “the impetus to engage in a certain type of behaviour is not coming from a certain type of person, but from a feature of the environment”. So if we want to change societal behaviour we need to first change the environment in which we live.

When David Gunn took over as the Director of the subway system he insisted that the all-pervasive graffiti (Contd.. on p. 5)

15 December 2014

(Contd.. from p. 4) “was symbolic of the collapse of the system”. So he got cracking, ensuring its erasure during the changeovers. He was sending out an unambiguous message – the time for change had come, and he was in charge of the situation. The clean up took all of six years, but he didn’t give up.

I here recall an incident that dates back to 1986, when there was just a biweekly train to Bangalore. I arrived there in the morning and returned the same evening. Coincidentally I was in the same bogey and berth as for my outward journey. At that time I had noticed that there was a slash in the upholstery. During the changeover it had been mended. This prompt action for a “broken window” left an indelible mark on me.

Now back to the NYC subway.

Bratton cracked down on ticketless travel, “a small expression of disorder that invited much more serious crimes”.

There were then 170,000 daily ticketless travelers; eventhough the fare was a measly $ 1.25. To curb the menace Bratton gave exemplary punishment.

Instead of lengthy legal procedures, he just handcuffed the offenders and kept them at the stations for a few hours. It had its intended deterrent effect. Bratton also found that several of these “petty offenders” were also involved in more serious crime.

Seeing his success, NYC Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani appointed him as the chief of the police force. Here too Bratton began small. He cracked down on public drunkenness, urination and littering. He asserted, “Minor misdemeanours were Tipping Points for violent crime”.

From identifying the root causes of societal behaviour, or rather misdemeanour, we now move to the solutions. I have always held that if one bad apple can cause the entire basket to rot, then it is equally true that one injection can heal the entire body.

Gladwell puts it thus, “A social epidemic (contagion) can be reversed (tipped) by tinkering with the smallest details of the immediate environment”.

This is because even a “criminal is sensitive to his environment, and com-

15 December 2014

mits crimes based on his perception of the world around him”. Gladwell concludes that “What really matters is little things – you don’t have to solve big problems to solve crimes”.

So the loos and blues are not merely symbolic acts; they have a far deeper portent. They are sending out an unambiguous message – Enough is enough. Shape up or ship out. Much has already been written about the Swatch Bharat campaign, so I won’t say more about the loos, except to reiterate that it should be truly significant, and not stop at mere symbolism.

What of the blues – the uniforms?

There are three inherent qualities in a uniform. The obvious one is that it bestows a distinct identity. The second is similar, that it commands respect. The third is not so apparent, that it is a deterrent to wrongdoing. We see defence personnel in uniform and we respect them. We also see police in uniform and we tend to detest them. If we see religious leaders wearing a distinctive dress we are inclined to venerate them. What we wear creates an environment, an aura around us.

Here again the converse is equally true. Not wearing a uniform gives anonymity, and by default, the liberty to indulge in one’s passions. This is one of the reasons why sexual offences by Catholic priests increased alarmingly after the obligation to wear clerical dress was watered down about 50 years ago.

Unfortunately, today most Govt employees, including those who come to our homes, like postmen and telephone linesmen, seldom wear their prescribed uniforms. So they can easily shirk work, as they cannot be easily identified. Surprisingly, even many trav-

eling ticket examiners on trains are not in uniform. This encourages imposters collecting money on trains; or others posing as linesmen, gaining access to houses, and committing heinous crimes.

For the last 40 years I have worn a distinctive form of dress except when I am on holiday. It is a simple kurtapyjama with a wooden rosary and crucifix worn around my neck. On the one hand it bestows a distinctive identity on me (many find me an oddity), while on the other it acts as a powerful deterrent against any wrongful or immoral act.

Simply put, I can shame myself, but not the One that I signify. So I see a uniform as an inbuilt mechanism for self-discipline.

Isn’t self-discipline integral to both sanitation and progress? Can we start with ourselves – not spitting, shitting or littering in public, not breaking traffic rules, standing in line, not rushing for ice-cream and gulab jamuns at our lavish weddings, not getting into reserve compartments without proper tickets, and generally respecting the dignity of the “other”? Even small things like personal hygiene and keeping our homes clean do matter.

Else Namo’s loos and Jacob’s blues will just be so many straws in the wind. If we want to tip the scales and make a difference, let us begin somewhere. Remember that it is usually just one small addition that tilts the scale, and one small step that makes a difference. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful New Year resolve? * The writer is the Convenor of the Kanpur Nagrik Manch.

HOLY FAMILY 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.

Note: We provide FREE HOME DELIVERY to our most valuable customers.

Phone : 2827 0498 Mobile: 99695 73121

5

Crass Commercialisation Of Exposition Exposition time in Goa it seems is boom-time for people of every hue to make a fast buck capitalising on religion, and preying on the religious sentiments of the gullible. Not withstanding the huge gains to the Goa tourism dept. owing to the large influx of tourists from all over the world, even the common man stands to benefit by putting up stalls in the vicinity of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedrals, where even a candle is sold at five times the normal price and religious articles and relics, supposedly touched to the body of St Francis Xavier, are also available at exorbitant prices. Only last week I was shocked to read how some in the real estate business have also jumped onto the bandwagon, advertising flats for sale in Goa in a reputed Catholic newsweekly of Mumbai as “ St Francis Xavier exposition special offer’ at prices far above the existing rates. Poor St

6

Francis might have turned several times over if only he knew how his name is being used to commercialise his exposition.

—A. F. Nazareth, Alto Porvorim

(Late) Prof. Edward Mendonca - Birth Centenary Commemoration…

The Birth Centenary Commemoration for (Late) Prof. Edward Mendonca will be marked by the release of a book

– “Inside Myself” containing his work

by His Eminence Oswald Cardinal Gracias at an event to be hosted by the Principal, Management and English Department of St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai on Tuesday, 16th December, 2014 between 5 – 7 p.m. in the College Hall.

Prof Mendonca taught English Literature at St. Xavier’s College for many years and passed away at a relatively young age. His daughters Shanti Mendonca Santamaria and Vatsala Mendonca de Sousa have in a yearlong effort tried to salvage all his traceable work, admittedly a mere fraction that has survived the ravages of time a span of 100 years…

Eddieas he was fondly known was adored by his students some of whom even took to wearing “I love Eddie” badges at SXC… COLLEAGUES, STUDENTS, FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES OF (LATE) PROF. EDWARD MENDONCA ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND THE EVENT AND THE INFORMAL GATHERING THEREAFTER.

15 December 2014

Let the Spark Choose

A

s you go about your day, look around at everything that you use, almost without thinking.

The car, mobile phone, sunglasses, internet, aircraft, fridge, air-conditioner, the shower — you get the drift. These are no longer novel objects; we take them for granted.

Just imagine, every one of these things began as a spark in someone’s brain. What if that person or organization dismissed the idea as a fleeting thought or let it remain hidden inside for fear of ridicule or failure? Thankfully, that didn’t happen. Good for us. It is with one such a spark that dawned on the participants of the Priest Synod in Bombay in 1980 that gave birth to the formation of SCCs in the Bombay archdiocese. The formation of SCCs would get the community to function united as Mumbai has a good Catholic population which is presently aided and supported by a weak community mechanism and incentive frame work which actually encourages the community to function in a disorganized manner. After discussion on the pros and corns of the SCCs and the generation of community activities that can be either planned by-design activity or unplanned ‘we-are-like-this-only’ socio cultural aspect of how we conduct our day to day lives, especially in everyday transactions, it was put to the vote and was immediately, unanimously accepted.

Bishop Bosco Penha was then given the charge to start the SCC’s in the various parishes in the Bombay archdiocese. He pondered - which parts of the SCC’s are conducive for the progress of the community and what immediate steps can the Church take to make it start? He realized that given the complex social and economical dimensions in the community, it is not susceptible to easy solutions.

He reasoned that we all have in us special sparks of love and creativity.

These sparks are not meant to remain trapped in our hearts; they need to be released into the world, into our com-

15 December 2014

Don Aguiar Mumbai has a good Catholic population which is presently aided and supported by a weak community mechanism and incentive frame work which actually encourages the community to function in a disorganized manner. munity. That is the basic purpose of life and of starting the SCC’s or small groups who could showcase their talents, services, fellowship within the group as well as in the Church and the world at large. As we go about our lives, let’s love and create with God so that we pitch in to making life brighter, happier and more joyous for us all in the community and Church.

Keeping the above in mind, the SCC’s took shape by getting the Christians living in a certain area to form a small community which meant that people from different status – economically, financially, physically, educationally, etc - came together as a team or community to release the sparks of love and creativity with God and in turn make life brighter, happier and more joyous for them within this small community as well as unite and help their community and Church grow richer and fuller, not only spiritually but also economically, socially and culturally.

Under the very dynamic and able leadership and guidance from Bishop Bosco the SCCs grew by leaps and bounds and in turn got the Christians staying in far flung areas getting united and forming a small community and participating in Church activities and thus changed the thinking and attitude of the Christian people to that of community caring and sharing and ignited the hidden sparks in many to offer their services to their community and Church. They would never have got a chance to do so otherwise. .

Have you ever felt the sizzle of a spark in you, howsoever faint? The

SCCs gave you a chance to - let it out, become a creator. It’s not God’s copyright, you know. We can co-create.

Lessen the divine burden, eh? Well, you may not be an Einstein or Edison in the making, but perhaps a Gonsalves or an Anthony who could transform your and our lives. This brought in many talented people – doctors, lawyers, businessmen/women, intellectuals, chief executives and high ranking officers of MNC & government departments, housewives, youth as well as those who otherwise would have shied away and would not be known to offer their service to their community and their Church.

Different SCCs of parishes not only competed with one another but also cooperated and put up excellent programs in their community and Church, visited and comforted the sick and old in their community, encouraged talent and fellowship in their community and got their members to participate in Church services and activities. Regular community meetings were held in their respective communities to discuss the requirements with members being enthusiastic in wanting to help or offer their time and talent or suggest their ideas. This showed that the SCCs were growing and becoming united and strong.

So it was said - don’t kill that spark. Fan it, release it and share it.

We’re waiting, with bated breath. That was the bottom line of the SCCs until its (Contd.. on p. 8)

Margarida's

Home Made Quality Tiffins & Christmas Sweets Contact at: 9769273720 for further details.

Evening tiffins upto Jogeshwari, Malad & Goregaon

7

(Contd.. from p. 7) dynamic leader had to retire and make way for a successor. .

All organizations, companies and even countries depend on strong leadership in order to start something new, take things forward and to maintain the progress thereafter. When the strong leadership retires and hands over to a successor, the successor has to keep the same tempo otherwise the people in the organization, etc lose interest.

The same goes with the SCCs With no trained successor to this dynamic and able leader of the SCCs, our Bombay archdiocese just got another bishop to succeed. This bishop humbly and dutifully accepted and did his best to ensure continuity but lack of experience took its toll.

Before writing on strengthening the SCCs, one must answer the moral question — should the SCCs be strengthened at all? Would it be more suitable in our Bombay archdiocese interest to let it flounder and die, because presently our Bombay archdiocese has no trained successor and is unable to locate or put in place a strong and dynamic leader, and we have a parish set up of cells and associations in place anyway? Or is it necessary in our Bombay archdiocese requirements to have at least this kind of an alternative, which in turn creates competition and keeps the community on their toes?

Both arguments have validity.

Presently the SCC”s arrogance, lack of accountability, and insistence on groupism and sending quarterly reports that are well dressed to impress, makes one wonder: why should one bother at all? Also the Church teaches that pride is the root of all vices. Research studies in psychology show that narcissism and irrational thinking are on the rise, especially in our younger generation, and are creating a “community” that is disjointed, disenchanted and confused. The traits of narcissists — self-centeredness, inflated self-esteem, lack of empathy, aggressiveness — are harmful to others, to society, to the community, to the Church and eventually to the narcissists themselves. Let them stew in their own mess; what could be better retribution for repeatedly ignoring the community people

8

who gave them power??

And yet, for the long-term health of our community, we must strengthen it. Lack of accountability and insistence of groupism is what has led to problems in the present. If we kill all competition for the community, I don’t see how we will bring out the best in the Church and in our Bombay archdiocese. Also, we must understand — SCCs are amorphous, dynamic organizations that change over time. People made it change. People can and should hammer the community into the right shape. The Church in our Bombay archdiocese is no exception.

Clear thinking suggests that our Bombay archdiocese should make a distinction between SCCs and Parish Cells & Associations. The two are fundamentally different and here one is referring to the former and not the latter. Instead of embarrassing a handful, the focus should be on getting to the roots of the SCCs and making them grow significantly.

So what should be done? The number one issue of course is leadership and the role of our Church (Bombay archdiocese). The issue is perplexing because the Church (Bombay archdiocese) serves two purposes. One, with a legacy and history, the Church is the face of the community. Two, they hold the community together. If they abandon this duty, there would be a mad scramble for the throne, creating a risk of implosion and chaos.

In every parish the Parish Priest together with his assistants and religious must promote and get involved with their respective parish SCC’s. Most important the Cardinal must want to

y e l r e b m i K en i v i V

promote the SCC’s otherwise the SCC’s may not see the light of day as per the vision and spark that dawned on the participants of the Priest Synod in Bombay in1980.

The first reason — SCCs as a selling point — no longer holds. They now bring limited value in terms of community unity, etc. Whatever few bonds that exist in the SCCs now are usually due to the appeal of the local community coordinator. In fact, the bitter truth is this organization may even be negative. At the moment, the SCCs performance is not what it was in the past. Many in their community hold the view that their community is either incapable, or not interested, or doesn’t quite get the concept of the SCCs. It could all be a huge misunderstanding.

The second reason is tricky. Good leadership is still needed as the power glues the SCCs. This is why confused communities want a dynamitic and committed leadership, but only with another from the same level. Sadly, even the others from the same level may not work, with little experience, inclination or capability demonstrated so far.

What then, SCCs? In order to be solution oriented and not rub salt on wounds, here is a quick four-step solution to get the strengthening started in the SCCs. It’s drastic, unspoken but needed. Well, someone needs to bell the cat, so here goes: 1) Create a triumvirate of power: Get three young Church leaders who hold potential in terms of their capability as well as brand recognition.

Controls must be handed over to them, and within themselves they (Contd.. on p. 9)

Designer Outfits & Bridal Couture for Western and Indian Wear Kimberley Dias

303, 3rd Floor, Dadar Silver Sand Society, S.K. Bole Road, Agar Bazar, Dadar, Mumbai-400028. kim_dias@live.com / kim.dias46@gmail.com Mob: 9820259272 / 9819198232

15 December 2014

(Contd.. from p. 8) can carve out roles for each other.

Since real power is with the Cardinal, there won’t be a need to choose the super boss amongst the three.

2) Graceful handover of power: The trick is to not come across as though the present leader has been toppled.

The triumvirate should not go headon against the present leader. The Cardinal himself must anoint the three as heads of the SCCs with full freedom to run the show. The Cardinal need not exit. He can play the role of a moral keeper, speaking when needed on the margins and on high-level conceptual issues, which seems to be to his liking anyway.

3) Weeding out the unnecessary: If in the SCCs there are old, rusted and tarnished people, there is no reason to keep them. If our Pope can have the courage to remove Cardinals & Bishops, who were tall leaders themselves, in a few months, the triumvirate can definitely do some weeding out (with Cardinal’s tacit blessing).

4) Taking on the SCCs: Nobody can or has ruled without missteps. The SCCs must be hands-on and enjoys people’s trust. Thus, attacking the SCCs then will go against the community mood. However, the triumvirate can pick the genuine mistakes, fight the right battles and reclaim some lost ground.

These steps aren’t easy, and require transformation of an old organization that isn’t used to losing and changing. Our Bombay archdiocese has followed a policy of forming new

set ups whenever a problem is spotted rather than enforcing existing set ups to solve problems. The result is a community that is never sure of where it stands. Still, for the sake of our community, a cleansing is worth the attempt, anyone?

Let the spark that englightened the participants at the Priest Synod in Bombay in 1980 choose from within a)

Is our Bombay archdiocese interested in promoting a strong, progressive and united SCCs?

b) If the SCCs are required then what is the clergy and religious responsibilities and role in promoting them? c) Does the parish set up of Cells and Associations meet the needs of the community and Church or are the SCCs required to be strengthened for this requirement?. d) Should the SCCs be strengthened at all? If yes what solutions would you suggest? e) Is it in the interest of our Bombay archdiocese to now let the SCCs flounder and die? f)

In addition to addressing the above issues, what else can our Bombay Archdiocese & the Church do to strengthen and make the SCCs grow?

It is only fair that the Church (our Bombay archdiocese) as the face of the community holds the community together, especially our youth, in order for the community and Church to grow richer and fuller not only spiritually but

also economically, socially and culturally.

Our Bombay archdiocese must emerge as a torch bearer on the SCC stage through its current actions to ensure community and Church unity and progress which will make the SCCs a clear role model to emulate and not a pariah to shun. Will the Church (Bombay Archdiocese) take us, the laity, into confidence and enlighten us / respond to the above.

How we feel in a situation is decided by how we the laity and our Bombay archdiocese choose to respond to it. If things are going your way, you will certainly have no reason to be cross. But if they are not, you need not get upset about that. You can see what can be done about it and do things differently next time. And even if there is nothing you can do about it, you can learn from the experience and move on. How does getting angry or being disappointed help? It only takes away the happiness and reduces the ability to deal with the situation.

We invite readers for their response, comments, feedback, experiences, etc., in a fortnight on this important issue for placing the same before the community If the interest of the community is your concern, we welcome your views on this important issue: email it to: secular@vsnl.com / secular@sezariworld.com or by post/courier to: The Secular Citizen – 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Fort, Mumbai 400001,

Save Rs 250/- per day for 21 years & get 35,000/- per month on your retirement for lifetime & 50 lakhs for family.

For further details contact:

Mr. JOHN FERNANDES (Member of MDRT – The Premier Association of Financial Professionals) (Award in Financial Planning – India thru CII – U.K) (Member of the Chairman Club for agents – LIC)

Mobile No:- 9820253459 / 9820608034 Tel No:- 25773458 / 59 Email: johnzeena@gmail.com

U can contact for FREE POLICY SERVICING / DEATH CLAIMS/HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY

15 December 2014

9

Rallying Around The Bread Of Life!

S

by Ladislaus L D’Souza*

unday 30 November 2014 will go down in the annals of Bombay’s Church History as of great significance – a Rally of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion [EMHC] from across the Archdiocese of Bombay on Saint Paul Church Grounds, Dadar East as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations commemorating the XXXVIII International Eucharistic Congress [EC], the first ever such event to be held in the Archdiocese! What made the rally all the more significant was the fact that when India made her First Communion on that momentous occasion, there was no such ministry as the ‘Extraordinary Ministry of Holy Communion’!

The EMHC, as Barbara Craven informed through her PPT presentation, was prevalent in the early Church up to the VIII century whence reverence for the Sacred Bread gradually reached such levels by the XV century that a lay person dared not ‘touch’ the Sacred Host! In Bombay, the EMHC which was initiated under the leadership of the then Archbishop, the Late Cardinal Simon Pimenta, with much hesitation, caught on rapidly, resulting in the numbers seen at the rally! Any wonder then that our present Archbishop, Oswald Cardinal Gracias was visibly thrilled at the sight from the dais? Indeed, His Eminence’s discourse was a mini-catechesis we lapped up eagerly! The Eucharist, he said, was a Sacrament whose sign was seen in action. A memorial of the Last supper, it is a family event, uniting as it does the human family, as a whole and the Christian family, in particular. It is a ‘sacrifice’ in that it had Jesus breaking his body and shedding his blood for our sakes, and had us all transported to

10

Mount Calvary, there to be transformed.

His Eminence pointed out that the words used at the Consecration were the exact words of Jesus himself which make the Eucharist indispensable in terms of our very survival as believers.

“This is a serious ministry - I’d like you to take it seriously and not get carried away by the externals,” he exhorted, adding, “None of us is really worthy.

Yet you are all specially chosen by him to carry his sacred presence to the sick and the housebound.” To say that His Eminence was a picture of humility would be an understatement, what with no posturing on the “Priestly Dignity” that often tends to overshadow the dignity of the Eucharistic.

Welcoming the gathering, the Chief Organizer, the genial Father Barthol Barretto, Parish Priest of IC Church and Dean of the Borivili Deaner, who came in for fulsome praise from the Cardinal, reminded us that the message of the beautiful EC whose jubilee we were celebrating, was to “be a new Christian” [The New Man in Christ, to be precise), stressing that the EMHC is a link between the parish and the sick.

An important part of the proceedings was the testimony of those who were touched one way or another by the Eucharistic Lord. Biju Tampy from IC Church is a recent convert who

experienced the mighty presence of Jesus healing him of his sicknesses while attending Mass with friends. From struggling with a mouth full of ulcers that virtually threatened to derail his reception of First Holy Communion at his Baptism, he now helps people of other Faiths to understand the reality of Jesus. Juliana Chauhan of Saint Joseph Church, Mira Road, shared in Hindi how unworthy she felt of the Eucharistic Lord until, with his help, she overcame her anger. Father Denis D’Souza of Saint Paul Church was ecstatic about the ‘hospital ministry’ he was involved in, ministering as he does to people of so many other faiths apart from Catholics in the hospitals he visits at Parel. His experience bordering on the Emmaus encounter, he reminded the EMHCs that Jesus touches every sick person we reach out to. He also emphasized that anointing with oil can’t be done by anyone but the ordained and that the oil used for the anointing cannot but be the ‘special oil’ officially provided the Church to her ordained ministers. The piece de resistance was the brief sharing of the housebound 84 year-old Elsie Barrow who spoke of her encounter with Jesus in Holy Communion in the confines of her home, signing off with a cheery and fullthroated “I love you Jesus! Praise you Jesus! Thank you Jesus!”

(Contd.. on p. 17)

15 December 2014

World Cricket Jolted Normally a bouncer goes over the head but this one struck Phillip Hughes, a budding Australian cricketer, on the rear of his head. The blow was fatal enough which sent him into coma only to succumb to his injury within days. Here was a cricketer who was loved by his teammates and other cricketers, not forgetting his countless fans the world over. His career came to an abrupt end in his mid-twenties – definitely not an age to die for anybody for that matter. Had he to die from any illness, the impact would have been much less but to die on account of a bouncer on a cricket field shocked everybody.

The Phillip Hughes episode has plunged the entire cricketing fraternity into a state of disbelief. Cricketers, young and old have been pouring out eulogies – some very touching indeed.

The Indian Cricket team is in Australia to begin its tour and surely this tragedy will have some impact on the mindset of the players from both sides especially when the first bouncer is bowled in the series. Their first match against the Indians will undoubtedly be a very emotional one, especially for the Aussies.

The funeral of the cricketer in Australia saw some 5000 mourners which included among others, the Prime Minister of Australia Tony Abbott. All the top cricketers were there. How popular this young man was in his home town of Mackville in NSW Australia can be gauged from the fact that there was a total shutdown of businesses and offices at 2 pm on the day of his burial.

Some of the cricketers broke down repeatedly. The man responsible for the tragedy – the bowler Sean Abbott is the most affected guy. This nightmare will haunt him for a long time. It is hoped this will not affect his career.

Back home, India also had its share of such tragedies. The case of Nari Contractor comes to mind immediately. He was felled by a bouncer from a West Indian bowler. With no helmet those days in 1970-80s, he cracked his skull and his career came to an end. He was lucky enough to survive. The case of Raman Lamba was more tragic. He did not survive when hit on his head in Bangladesh in the next decade. Even the umpires are not safe these days. Hillel Awaskar, an

15 December 2014

VIEWS on NEWS Israeli umpire of Indian origin was hit on his neck when the ball ricocheted from the stumps. He too succumbed to his injuries a few days back. The helmets currently used must be such which protect every part of the head which can result in fatal injuries. Once standardized, no other helmet should be allowed in the interest of the game and the cricketers. At times we see even umpires have to duck when batsmen hit the ball hard towards them. It is time to think of their safety as well.

It will be a fitting tribute to this young man – Phillip Hughes if the Australia Cricket Board names one of the tournaments after him. They can even name Sydney Cricket Ground after him – Phillip Hughes Cricket Ground. This will ensure that his memory is kept alive so long as the game of cricket is played. Despite such tragic incidents, cricket still remains a gentleman’s game the world over. No other sport is as disciplined.

There are dangers with every sport – be it boxing or even hockey for that matter. As it is rightly said – the game must go on. *****

The Unholy Ones India, a land of ancient civilization, is endowed with heritage enriched by highly respected and honoured spiritual leaders like Gautama Buddha and others like him. Such great personalities have attracted millions of followers the world over and the number is growing.

Unfortunately, people’s faith in them has inspired fake Godmen who have been able to mesmerize a lot of people including highly educated people – men and women, be they businessmen, politicians or film stars. These fakes have taken advantage of the situation and digressed from their original chosen path of genuine spirituality.

Reports of Godmen landing in trouble with the law are surfacing at regular intervals. These unholy men have built empires with money extracted from unsuspecting followers some of whom also happen to be foreign nationals.

With money they have been able to exercise power with vast ashrams and other estates. Some of them have raised private armies with sophisticated arms and ammunition. They are people of

by Marshall Sequeira God and should have shunned all material things, leave alone armies and arms. Their motives are suspect. The recent events involving Sant Rampal have shown how the followers are brainwashed to be ready to give their lives for the Guru. The government of Haryana had a tough time and all the agencies spent about 28 crores of Rupees to get his arrested for production before the court where the Godman is facing murder charges. Some lost their lives.

We have a history of such indiscretions by the self proclaimed Godmen. Asaram Bapu is cooling his heels for sexual assault but he claimed impotency. This was challenged and at the age of 73, he cleared the potency test. Swamy Nithyanand, who is young in comparison, is facing charges of rape of his followers. Swami Premananda is facing life imprisonment for raping 12 year olds. Swami Sadachari was charged for running a brothel obviously amassing huge wealth out of this dubious enterprise.

Similarly Shreemurath Drivedi also ran a prostitution racket in his ashram.

Chandraswamy was charged for FERA violations and was also implicated in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination.

As if all this was not enough, we have the case of a ‘Frozen Baba in a freezer’. He is brain dead. Freezer is used generally for refrigeration not for Samadhi. It is sad that people’s faith should have been exploited by such self serving Godmen and it is time the government hounded all of them. By the way, should not the amount spent to arrest Rampal – some 28 crores be recovered from his ill gotten wealth? Similarly, some suspects also go into hiding when the law goes after them. Huge amounts are spent to apprehend them. Should the courts in such cases also make the accused pay? In fact such persons in hiding should not be given anticipatory bail till they first surrender before the authorities.

11

Christmas Cakes

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.

Our forthcoming Seminar will be held from 9 to 4.30 on 11th January 2015 at St. John School Ground, Pangala, Udupi Diocese.

Over 1000 youth is expected to participate from the entire Diocese

DIVO and The Secular Citizen 99, Perin Nariman Street, Fort, Mumbai 400001 Tel.: 22693578, 22654924 Supported and Assisted by: Parish Priest and the Organising Committee, St. John the Evangelist Church, Pangala, Shankarapura, Udupi Catholic Sabha, Shankarapura Unit Commission for Youth, Udupi: ICYM/YCS/YSM

12

Media Partner:

15 December 2014

Free Medical Camp

50 Golden Yers of 38th International Eucharistic Congress

The Senior Inspector of Police Vakola Mr. Vishal Joshi under going bone density test in the camp

Relic of Blessed Pope John Paul VI

N

Attending Dr. Rathod MOH of H/East Ward directing different medical tests in the camp

ice Community Welfare Asso ciation, Kalina under the lead ership of Mr. Johnson Therattil and Mrs. Alice Therattil, successfully conducted a free mega medical camp for Blood sugar, Blood pressure, Dental check up, Eye check up Bone Density test, Dengue test, Malaria test, ECG & BMI On Saturday 29th November 2014 at 9.00 am to 2.00 pm. Senior police Inspector Mr. Vilash Joshi from Vakola Police Station inaugurated the medical camp. About 100 police personals availed the facility.

The medical officer Dr. Rathod and his team from municipal Corporation has also participated and helped to make the medical camp a grand success. The trustee of nice community welfare association and volunteers of

15 December 2014

Lion’s Club of Kalian worked hard to make the programme a grand success. Thousands of needy citizens of Kalina constituency utilized this opportunity irrespective of caste, community and region.

CHRISTMAS TREE HANGING AVAILABLE

Contact: KEITH / DENVER 9820214832, 9819794744 Email: keith.dias03@gmail.com

13

Congratulation J.B. Moraes

Thanksgiving

I

n deep appreciation of his contribution as the President of the All Indian Konkan Parishad on the occasion of its Platinum Jubilee celebration on 87-2014, at Panjim, Goa. On account of Mr. Morais’ ill-health, it was presented to him at his residence at Chembur, Mumbai on 29-11-2014 by Dr. Chandrashekar Shenoy, when Philomena Samfrancisco was also present along with his family members.

He is founder editor of DIVO Konkani Weekly a sister publication of The Secular Citizen, established in 1995. Divo and The Secular Citizen wishing him good health and long life.

Thanks to Divine Mercy, Our Lady of Vailankani, Our Lady of perpectual Succor and St. Anthony for the favours. Praying for more favours. — Fernandes family, Santacurz East

14

15 December 2014

Thousands attend feast of St Francis

O

ld Goa: For hundreds who had pitched their tents around Old Goa’s Basilica of Bom Jesu for 10 or more days, the celebration of the feast of Saint Francis Xavier on December 3 was the calumniation their arduous pilgrimage.

The feast of the great saint this year also attracted pilgrims from Spain and Portugal, besides hundreds of thousands from India and neighboring countries.

Presiding over the Feast day Eucharist, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, said, ‘St Francis Xavier reminds us of the faith we have received and we must keep it shining in spite of the challenges we face in witnessing our faith.”

“So many of us owe our faith to him. I personally thank God because my own ancestors received faith due to his preaching. So, thousands of us have come from all parts of India, and all parts of the world, to pray before the relics of St Francis. This solemn Mass is the best thanksgiving we can give for this glorious son of Spain to us,” said Cardinal Gracias, who traces his roots to Orlim-Sacete in Goa. “Francis came to Goa nearly 475 years ago and Goa has never been the same again. After he built a community of Christians here, his successors started schools to educate the people, started small dispensaries to take care of those who were sick, started different centers to teach different skills.”

“The Gospel is the center of our lives. The faith St Francis shared with us is everything for us. Family prayers, and Scripture reading strengthens us, brings unity, peace and love in our families. Goa has the reputation of living good family life,” he added.

The Cardinal, President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, urged the gathering to build on what the saint had given by “being active in service in our villages, for our people, not only Christians but also non Christians who are brothers and sisters of one family.”

Goa, he noted, has good history

15 December 2014

of harmony among religions. “This is what we must build on through the values that St Francis Xavier taught us,” added the prelate, a member of the Council of Cardinal Advisers to Pope Francis.

While suggesting few possibilities for new evangelization, Cardinal Gracias said, “Family Life in Goa was always strong, united and continues to be so because of the prayer in the families. Prayer brings God’s blessings, prayer brings unity, prayer strengthens love. Francis Xavier gathered together families in the evening to pray together. Let us continue this tradition today.”

“May the faith Francis transmitted to us give us strength, light and courage that enables us to live fully, courageously as the true disciples of Jesus.”

Archbishop-Patriarch Philip Neri Ferrao of Goa commented the organizing team for the meticulous planning and execution of the programs for the novena days and the feast. “The government (Archaeological Survey of India) and the church team led by Fr Alfred Vaz left no stone unturned to get the things well done, “ he adde.

The Goa archbishop also appreciated the deep faith of the pilgrims who had braved all the odds and participated in the feast day Mass in large numbers.

The theme of the entire exposition is, “Celebration of faith (Eucharistic Celebration), Journey of faith( Journey to venerate the relics of St Franics), and

witness of faith (sharing the Charisms of the various religious Congregations and the various plays on the life of St Francis and Jospeh wastaking place outside the Se Cathedral.”

Augusta Dias, who lived on the corridors of the Basilica for the past 12 days, said she witnessed several miracles through the intercession of St Francis.

“My younger brother could not walk as a child. When he was three years old, we brought him here and we prayed for him, during the novena days and the Feast. He began walking. At the basilica he took his first step.”

“In September 2010 when my mother was sick my brother who had experienced the miracle of St Francis, took a walking pilgrimage from Raia to Old Goa to intercede for our mother.”

Papal Nuncio Archbishop Balsco Colaco, Archbishop Emeritus Raul Gonsalves of Goa, Apostolic Nuncio emeritus Blasco Colaco, Bishop Allwyn Barretto of Sindhudurg, Archsbishops of Portuguese origin, Bishop Carlos Azevedo (delegate of Pontifical Council for Culture) and Jose Alfredo Nobrega (diocese of Mananjary-Madagascar) concelebrated the Mass.

The administration had made elaborate security arrangements for the feast.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar greeted the people of Goa, especially Christians, on the occasion of the feast of St Francis Xavier. In his message, Parsekar said, “It is heartening to see (Contd.. on p. 16)

15

How to Lose Weight and Become Fit

(Contd.. from p. 15) that people of all faiths participate in this festival which will spread the message of oneness, strengthening the social fabric more than ever, and bring prosperity to all the communities in the state.�

The exposition of sacred relics of St Francis Xavier has been underway at the world heritage site since November 22, 2014 and will come an end on January 4, 2015.

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. 000000000100489 ISFC code: CCBL0209003 Please inform us through email: secular@vsnl.com or through phone: 22693578 after transferring the same.

For Subscription and Advertisements of

& Contact: Malad: Cyprian Albuquerque: Tel. 9821589600 Andheri: John Mendonca Tel.: 9820384060 Mangalore: Lawrence Alvares Tel.: 8123422777 Mangalore: Dr. Valerian Sequeira Tel.:9632585336

16

I

f you've decided to lose weight then stop what you're doing and first get yourself a glass of fresh juice made with fruits, vegetables or both.

It's possible that between cramming yourself with information about fad diets, the right exercise regime and calorie intake, you may have missed out on including foods that give you the essential minerals and nutrients you need.

But the right combination of fruit and vegetable juices can deal with all of that and much more.

Besides assisting with weight loss, fresh juices work really well with people suffering from certain ailments or looking to address a specific health concern 1. Detoxification, skin disorder, tooth trouble - Wheat grass juice is the way to go. Wheat grass contains Vitamins A, B, C and minerals like Ca, Mg, P , K , Na , S, Co , Zn which help treat these disorders in an effective manner.

2. Anemia - Make yourself a glass of cabbage, carrot, celery, beet root or spinach juice.

3. Anorexia - Mix some carrot juice with water or have a tall glass of chilled buttermilk. You could also include considerable quantities of apple and pineapple in your diet.

4. Arthritis, (Osteoarthritis) - Mix carrots, celery and beetroot in equal quantities and drink. You could also have half a glass of raw potato juice.

5. Asthma - Have a glass of water with lemon juice and honey.

6. Cirrhosis - You can include any or all of these in your diet. Apple, pears or pineapple juice.

7. Colitis - Have a glass or more of

papaya juice with boiled water.

8. Constipation - Use beautiful spinach leaves and use them to make a glass of juice or a bowl of soup. Also eat whole guavas and pears.

9. Cystitis - Eat those fruits: Apple, pear, grapes* and coconut* 10. Diabetes - Drink up! Celery, cucumber, onion, garlic and bitter gourd juice.

11. Diarrhoea - Tank up on some delicious orange juice*. Or have a bowl of carrot soup and eat a lot of pomegranate.

12. Hair fall - Mix lettuce with spinach and drink it as juice.

13. Fatigue - Blend beet root, carrot and cucumber and drink up.

14. Heart problems - Have some honey with water or drink amla juice.

And if you aren't already, then start to eat apples.

15. Hypertension - Include a lot of garlic in your diet. Also have watermelon juice, amla juice and cucumber juice.

16. Hypotension - All you need is a lot of beet root juice.

17. Indigestion - Two delicious solutions: pineapple juice and lemon juice.

15 December 2014

(Contd.. from p. 10) The bi-lingual input by Father Lancy Pinto on the topic LIFE was what left no one in doubt as regards the power of the Eucharist. Imagine losing one’s mother just two days before one’s scheduled ordination! A broken Lancy turned to the Eucharistic Lord who had called him into his service and wasn’t let down – “I AM WITH YOU!” The highlight of the long evening was the Adoration of the Eucharistic Lord led by Fathers Alban D’Souza and Ryan Alex, the Taize way (the audacity of the videographer standing with his back turned to the Blessed Sacrament was shocking), with Father John Lobo, the tall Parish Priest of Saint Paul’s raising the monstrance sky high in benediction over the mammoth assemblage, fittingly giving the participants a feel of having truly rallied around the Bread of Life!

Other notable features of the rally included the Prayer Dance by the youth and children of Our Lady of Salvation Church, Dadar West, which led us all in thanksgiving with an apt rendition of Dhanyawad, while the youth of Saint Michael Church, Mahim brought alive the “Do’s & Don’ts” for EMHCs. Deserving of special mention is the “Bread of Life” theme song led by the Open Secret Band that had even the Cardinal and Father Barthol in action on the dais, Caroline Fernandes’ compering skills adding the right touch! There was a surprise released by the Chief Guest, Cardinal Oswald, a new EMHC ‘Cape’, and a request to Father Barthol to organize follow-up gatherings.

In conclusion, one must say THANK YOU to all involved in the planning and organizing of this mega event.

Right from ‘parking’ and the availability of bottled drinking water at entry point to the distribution of snack boxes during the systematic deanery-wise departure of the participants, the arrangements were flawless to say the least.

May God bless all those who obviously put their heads together and their hearts into what went to make the event so meaningful in relation to the Eucharistic Congress Jubilee! *EMHC, Our Lady of Lourdes, Orlem

15 December 2014

New Rules for Cheques

A cheque is an instrument that orders a bank to pay money from an account. They enable customers to make payments without the need to carry large amounts of money The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently changed cheque-rules to tackle the rise in cheque-related fraud cases.

It asked banks to put preventive measures in place and follow them meticulously. It also issued some other guidelines in this regard. Here is what you need to know: 1) SMS alerts: The RBI asked banks to send an SMS alert to both payer and drawer when the cheque is received for clearing. Till now, SMS alerts were compulsory only for debit/credit card transactions. While dealing with suspicious or cheques of high value, banks have been asked to alert the customer by a phone call and obtain confirmation from both the parties involved in the transaction. The account holder’s bank branch must also be contacted.

2) Examination of cheques: Besides sending alerts, banks have been asked to examine cheques under UV lamp.

This is applicable if the cheque amount goes over Rs 2 lakh. Also, a mechanism must be put in place to ensure multi-level checking of cheques for amount over Rs 5 lakh. Banks are also required to closely monitor how money

is deposited or moved out from newly opened transaction accounts.

3) KYC compliance: Whenever you open a new bank account, you are supposed to go through a process called Know Your Customer or KYC. It ensures that the bank verifies information about you, thus limiting fraud cases.

So, the person writing the cheque will be compliant with KYC rules. The RBI now states that even the recipient should be KYC compliant.

4) CTS-2010 cheques: The use of 100% CTS-2010 compliant cheques should be ensured by the bank. As part of the Cheque Truncation System (CTS), an electronic image of the cheque is transmitted to the cheque-writer’s bank branch through the clearing house, along with other relevant information. It helps eliminate the need for physical movement of the cheque for verification. Thus the scope for fraud is reduced.

5) Cheque-handling infrastructure: RBI stated that high quality of equipment and personnel must be ensured for CTS-based clearing. Banks should not look at it as a mere mechanical process, but consider it as an important part of cheque-handling. The infrastructure would help banks deal with a huge volume of cheques to be processed efficiently on a daily basis and tackle frauds.

17

BCS AWARDSNominations Invited

T

he SABHA DAY of The Bombay Catholic Sabha is on Monday 26 January 2015 and as in previous years the Awards for Best Units and units excelling in Thrust areas will be given. Besides these, the Sabha honours individuals who have excelled in any particular field of activity, career, profession, service, etc with the “POWER OF ONE AWARD”.

The Sabha invites applications from Units for the Awards and nominations for “Power of One” with full particulars of the person nominated and details with attachments of the work or achievements of the individual. Kindly send the same to the office of The Bombay Catholic Sabha, St. Michael’s Church Annexe Building 1st Floor, Mahim, Mumbai 400016 before 7th January 2015

BCS FLAG Designs Invited As part of the Silver Jubilee programmes, The Bombay Catholic Sabha would like to have a Flag which could be used at important annual events. Designs are invited for the same.

Entry could be submitted in a sealed envelope to the BCS Office at St. MIchael’s Church, Mahim mentioning “FLAG Contest Design” on the cover latest by 24 December 2014. The winning entry will be awarded at SABHA DAY on 26 January 2015 and the Flag will also be displayed at the function.

“WAKE UP THE WORLD”!

W-Wake Up The World, every Consecrated soul A- Adage and motto for ‘Year of the Consecrated’!

K- Kindled by Pope Francis for everyone to evolve E- Enlivened by the Spirit, divinely promulgated U- Unique arousal by Creator Abba-Father!

P- Prayer & thanksgiving for Christians to honour T-Truth transcendent, way and the life awakening H-Happily to vivify the sleeper to always survive E- Eternally to stimulate our steps to paradise W-World, earth and Christians of goodwills O- Obey, live chaste, foregoing false riches R- Renew oneself by meditating the Gospels L- Living words to activate our conscience D- Directing people to animate our environs.

—Dr Trevor Colaso

Wedding Invitation, Christening, First Holy Communion, Mortuary Cards & Religious Goods Contact:

David & Company Sharaf Manzil, 1st Floor, 650, J.S.S. Road, 2nd Dhobitalao Lane, Mumbai 400002

Tel.: 22019010 / 2205 7394

Fax: 2206 0344 Emails:davidprinters@gmail.com / bryan@vsnl.com

KARUNA HOSPITAL BORIVLI (W) MUMBAI Tel. No. 61594698 INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR PERSONNEL MANAGER WITH EXPERIENCE PREFERABLY IN HOSPITAL INDUSTRY, HRD RELATED MATTERS, LABOUR LAWS & LEGAL FRAMEWORK ETC. CANDIDATES RESIDING BETWEEN VIRAR TO MALAD PREFERRED. 18

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

“Holy Spirit, thou who makes me see everything and shows me the way to reach the ideal. You who gives me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and are in all instances in my life with me. I, in this short dialogue want to thank you and confirm from you once more that never want to be separated from you, no matter how great the material desire may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. Amen”.

-— R. Rodrigues

15 December 2014

Inspiration!

Turn Your Dream Into A Plan

world of dreams, where you constantly think about a better future without taking any action towards getting there.

Step 4: Give Yourself a Deadline It’s much easier to hit your goals when you’re working towards a deadline.

Dreams can be powerful, encouraging and even a bit scary. A dream alone, though, isn't going to get you far. What lyou need is a plan. And if that sounds too boring, think of it this way: If you want to actually have that dream, a plan is the map that get you there.

How to Turn Your Dream Into a Plan In Five Simple Steps

E

ach one of us has plenty of dreams for your life. They might bubble away at the back of your mind. They might loom in your thoughts all day. They might even keep you awake at night.

The harsh truth is that: if you don't have a plan to back up your dream in today's world, you can plan to fail. The best plans derive from a perpetual habit of learning and building your knowledge base. Here are five steps for turning that vague dream into a concrete plan: Step 1: Write Down Your Dream How many of your dreams have you actually written down?

Perhaps the idea of committing your dreams to writing is a little frightening.

Don’t resist doing it. The act of putting something into words on paper (or in a computer document) suggests that you’re committing to it – and this can be very powerful in helping you eventually achieve that dream.

Even better, when you write something down, you’re forced to think it through. That vague dream of “have lots of money” has to become something firmer – perhaps “make $100,000/ year” or “have $200,000 in the bank”.

Step 2: Brainstorm Some Possibilities Whatever your dream, there’s more than one way to reach it. For instance, if you want to make lots of money, you could:

15 December 2014

Change careers to something more lucrative Work harder in your current job to get a promotion Go back to college and study for a degree Start up your own business as an entrepreneur Save up money and put it into a highinterest account Marry someone rich Buy a winning lottery ticket There are lots of possibilities (and I hope you can see that some of those ones are a bit more realistic than others!) When you’re brainstorming, include all the ideas that come to mind – even ones which seem silly or impractical. You might find that a “stupid” idea leads you on to a really good one.

Step 3: Pick One Clear Goal Once you’ve figured out some possibilities, come up with one clear goal. You might decide, for instance, that your goal is to change to a particular career which will give you a $80,000/ year paycheck.

Look for a goal which is perhaps challenging, but achievable. There’s no point in picking a goal which you’re convinced you can’t really manage – that’s just going to put you back in the

Again, you want to be realistic here – but don’t be afraid to challenge yourself a little. If you’ve got a really big goal, you might want to look two – five years ahead. With smaller goals, you can probably achieve them within a year.

With the example of changing career, you might decide that three years is a realistic timeframe. It’s often helpful to tie your deadline to a particular event – perhaps your 40th birthday or Christmas 2014.

Step 5: Write Down the Steps to Get You There And now we’re onto the plan itself. This is where you really get into the nitty-gritty and start turning that dream into something real.

With big goals, it’s often helpful to work backwards. So jot down everything that isw required to more towards your dream and also how do you plan to achieve it. You will soon realise that your are approaching pretty faster towards your dream.

If you have any steps which you don’t know how to complete, try breaking them down further. Figure out exactly what you need to do to achieve your dream – and you’ve got a plan which really can change your life

19

MATRIMONIALS MUMBAI : Protestant Christian Bachelor, aged 49 years, looks much younger to his age, Ht. 5’ 4”, Wt. 60 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. DMLT., working as a Section Technical Coordinater. Contact email : shashibsd_d@yahoo.co.in OR 9869117823 (Regd. No. 6253) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 29 years, Only Child. Ht. 5' 9”, Fair Complexion, Edn. S.S.L.C., Working as a Clerk.

Seeks a suitable match. Contact email : robindsouza1985@ gmail.com OR 9820527457. (Regd. No. 6128) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman catholic Widower, aged 53 years, Ht. 5’ 7”, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. HSC, having business and accommodation. Contact email : albertlobo85@yahoo.com OR 9820695110 (Regd. No. 6251) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor aged 30 years, Ht. 5’ 8”, Wt. 70 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Tech., Well settled. Contact email : bridesearch14@ gmail.com OR 9820324761 (Regd.No. 6188) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC 1st marriage annuled by the church, aged 37 years, Ht. 5.’ 7”, Wt. 80 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. HSC., Diploma in Hotel and Restaurants Management, Working in Front office Department, well settled. Seeks a simple, humble, godfearing girl. Contact email : menezes_kenneth@rediffmail.com OR 9619089645 (Regd. No. 6154) MUMBAI : Christian Bachelor aged 36 years, Ht. 5’ 8”, Wt. 85 kgs, Fair Complexion, handsome, Edn. B.Tech, Director in Software based MNC. Seeks a beutiful, cultured, well qualified girl.

Contact email : adelsib2@yahoo.com OR 9324511174 (Regd. No. 6187) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC Bachelor, aged 31 years, Ht. 5’ 8”, Wt. 64 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com. , working for Bank. Seeks a suitable match.

Contact email : joeldsouza@rocketmail.com OR

20

9833129976 (Regd. No. 6164) MUMBAI : East Indian RC Bachelor, aged 40 years, Ht.5’ 8”, Wt. 76 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.A., working as a Manager. Contact email : cardoz.clint@gmail.com OR 9833563182 (Regd. No. 6250) MUMBAI : Tamilian RC bachelor, aged 32 years, Ht. 165 cms, Wt. 67 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn.B.E. (Civil), working as a Structural Engineer (Associate). Contact email : winall2891@gmail.com OR 9920045798 / 9167710057 (Regd.

No. 6222) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC Bachelor, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’ 8”, Wt. 82 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. H.S.C. + P.G. Diploma, working on Cruise Ship. Contact email : stanlybobn@yahoo.com OR 9869332407 / 22836151. (Regd. No. 6220) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 46 years, Ht. 5’ 8”, Wt. 55 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. SSC, working as a LIC Agent Assistant. Contact : 9819266107 / 28954378 (Regd. No. 6219) MUMBAI : Goan RC Bachelor, aged 36 years, Ht. 5' 8”, Fair Complexion, Handsome, Edn. HSC pursing S.Y.Com., working as an Emigration Supurvisions. Seeks a simple, understanding, good look, smart girl. Contact email : mariyo.80@gmail.com OR 9619019991 / 982095412 (Regd.

No. 6138) AMBERNATH : Roman Catholic Bachelor 18th June 1983 Born, Educational Three and Half years Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Height 5’8’’ smart Charming with own accommodation. Working in Hotel Industry As Asst.

Manager in Mumbai Father Govt. Pen-

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

sioner, Mother I.C Nurse in Govt.

Hospital Seeks Alliance from Catholic Spinster Contact: Mrs. Severine Dias Ambernath : 9960582206 (Regd. No. 6218) MUMBAI : Telugu Protestant Bachelor, aged 26 years, Ht. 5’ 10”, Wt. 86 kgs, Fair Complexion, Handsome, Well qualified and good family background. Seeks a suitable match (Regd. No. 6153) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC Bachelor, aged 33 years, Ht. 5’ 5”, Wt. 60 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. Chartered Accountant, working as a Chartered Accountant in a Pharmaceutical Company. Seeks a sutiable Mangalorean girl. Contact email : ronaldroshan2003@gmail.com OR 9870248167 (Regd. No. 6105) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC Bachelor, aged 36 years, Ht. 5’ 5”, Wt. 55 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. 6th Std., honest, understanding, having a shop. Seeks a simple, homily Mangalorean Konkani speaking girl.

Contact email : cyrildsouza87@gmail.com OR 07738976166 (Regd. No. 6152) AHMEDABAD: Goan RC Bachelor, aged 27 years, Ht.5’6’’, Wt.64kgs, Handsome, Fair complexion, Edn: B.E (Mech), Position: Executive Operational Excellence in reputed chemical unit at Baroda. Seeks an educated fair, thin & good looking Konkani speaking girl (willing to relocate).

Contact email: sjdias@rediffmail.com OR +919825458473.

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 15 December 2014

MATRIMONIALS MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 31 years, Ht. 5’ 3”, Wt. 70 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com., working for a Bank as a Team Leader. Contact email : diana_lobo10@hotmail.com OR 9870111964 (Regd. No. 6252) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Spinster, Only Child, aged 33 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 57 kgs, Fair and good looking, Edn. B.Com., working for Banking Organisation in Fraud Dept., Contact email : annmdsouza09@gmail.com OR 8983236758 (Regd. No. 6249) MUMBAI : Punjabi CNI Protestant Spinster, aged 28 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 54 kgs, Fair complexion, Edn., B.Com., working as a FM Team Coordinator.

Contact email : minti_masih@yahoo.co.in OR 9665169956 (Regd. No. 6244) MUMBAI : Maharashtrian Protestant Spinster, aged 23 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 53 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. Diploma in Journalism, working as a Joaurnalist. Contact email : sathepanvel@gmail.com OR 9004684468 (Regd. No. 6242) MUMBAI : Parents of R.C. Spinster 24 yrs, Fair Compexion, 5’ 2”, B.Com., MBA (Fin.) pursuing her B.Ed., also working for her fly business. Seeking alliance from well qualified bachelor upto 29 yrs, preferably from business background. Reply with recent photo to : joygomes2014@gmail.com (Regd. No. 6239) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC parents invite alliance for their daughter 27 years, 5’ 4”, B.Tech (Computer Engineer) Working for MNC. Seeks well qualified and well settled bachelor with good family values. Kindly reply with

Royal Christian Family Helps In Choosing The Right Life-Partner

Serving Since 33 Years 15 December 2014

profile and recent photograph to email : dmaryln@ymail.com OR 09916087940 (Regd. No. 6223) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 26 years, Ht. 5’ 3”, Wt. 44 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., Working as a Sr. Officer in Bank. Contact email : rima.dsouza@hotmail.com OR 9920627802 / 9819602045 (Regd. No. 6217) UDUPI : Mangalorean RC Parents of spinster daughter 26 years, 5’ 4”, Height, Wheatish, B.E. in Electronics and Communications. Working as Software Professional in BANGALORE, God fearing adn family oriented. Seek aliance from Mangalorean RC Bachelors, well educated and settled, age below 32 years. Please send detailed Profile and recent photograph to email : saldanhaej@yahoo.co.in OR 0984 588 8703 and 0820 258 3452 (Regd.

No. 6216) MUMBAI : Matrimonial alliance is invited for a Catholic Spinster, aged 25 years, M.A., B.Ed., High School Teacher, Wheatish Complexion, from Catholic bachelors below 30 years of age, well qualified, financially stable, sober, preferably working in Mumbai, East Indians, Mangaloreans or Goans may mail their details to dsilva.agnes57@gmail.com (Regd.

No. 6195) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 25 years, Ht. 5’ 3”, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. M.A. (English Literature), Working as a Journalist (Asst.

Editor) Contact email : sarita.rebello310@gmail.com OR 9833157737 (Regd No. 6194) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 25 years, Ht. 5’ 6”, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn., MBA Finance, working as an Executive.

Contact email : monthi.n65@gmail.com OR 9421162148 / 7738131584 (Regd. No. 6193) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Spin-

ster, aged 27 years, Ht. 5’ 6”, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B. Pharma & MBA, working as an Asst.

Manager. Seeks a Enginer or well settled and educated. Contact email : nisha.ferns@yahoo.com OR 9870399755 (Regd. No. 6192) MUMBAI : Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 27 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. C.A., Manager Accounts in Private Limited Company, well settled. Contact email : mabelplobo@gmail.com OR 9869017398 (Regd No. 6190) NEW PANVEL : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, 30 years, Ht. 5’ 7”, Wt. 80 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., Working as a Sr. Accountant. Contacat email : slobo2283@yahoo.in OR 9819747847 (Regd. No. 6109) MIRAJ : Maharastrian Protestant Spinster, 30 years, Ht. 5’ 4”, Wt. 50 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. M.D.S., (Dentist), Lecturer in Dental College.

Contact email : dprebentisch@hotmail.com OR 02332211495 (Regd. No. 6108) MUMBAI : East Indian Roman Catholic Spinster, 25 years, Ht. 5’ 1”, Wt. 45 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com.,working. Contact email: dsdece@gmail.com (Regd. No. 6107) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’3”, Wt. 50 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., Dip. in 3D animation, working. Contact email : nisha.britto@gmail.com OR 9967366434 (Regd. No. 6063) Address your replies to :

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

Please renew your membership at lease a month in advance before its expiration date.

21

Allwyn Fernandes Passes Away, Church And Civil Society Mourn The Loss Of A Braveheart -by JOHN DAYAL

CinnamonTeal Publishing to launch 3 titles during GALF

A

LLWYN FERNANDES, veteran journalist, communication con sultant and lay Catholic activist, expired late on Tuesday evening in Mumbai after a two year battle with cancer which he fought as tenaciously as he had fought many social ills in his long and distinguished career.

He is survived by his wife Enid, children Rohini and Rohan. He is mourned by a large circle of friends in the Media, Politics, civil society and management circles, including a large number of students he mentored over the decades. His death was announced in social media by Fr Cedric Prakash, SJ, the noted human rights activist and a close friend.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

“Holy Spirit, thou who makes me see everything and shows me the way to reach the ideal.

You who gives me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and are in all instances in my life with me. I, in this short dialogue want to thank you and confirm from you once more that never want to be separated from you, no matter how great the material desire may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. Amen”.

-— M. Rodrigues

22

3 New Book Launches During Forthcoming Galf Margao-based CinnamonTeal Publishing will launch 3 new titles during the forthcoming Goa Arts and Literary Festival(GALF).

Allwyn Fernandes Allwyn Fernandes, born 1 June 1948, headed the Media Practice and conducts Media and Crisis Management Training for Edelman India Pvt. Ltd. Drawing on his 25 years of media experience with The Times of India, Mumbai, where he held several senior positions, he has been counseling a wide range of global clients on media strategy and sensitivity for almost 20 years. He headed the Communications Skills Training for company spokespersons, Crisis Management Training for senior management and media awareness sessions for key executives, helping them to understand what media is looking for and avoid needless conflict.

Allwyn conducted media training sessions for senior management of several global and Indian companies including the Tata Group, GE, Citibank, J&J, Wal-Mart, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and technology companies like Yahoo!

Besides media training, Allwyn was been involved in several crisis management situations and public affairs campaigns that involved spokespersons training. He was invited to share his experiences on "Biotechnology in Asian Agriculture – Generating Public Support" at the Asian Agriculture Congress at Manila in April 2001.

Allwyn majored in Physics-Mathematics from St Xavier’s College (Bombay University in 1969) and then did his journalism from Bhavan’s College of Mass Communication and the International Institute for Journalism in Berlin.

Mirage and other stories, a collection of short stories by Damodar Mauzo, and translated from the Konkani, Rumadful, by Vidya Pai, will be launched on the 5th of December at the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula.

The book will be launched by the eminent author, Dr. Maria Aurora Couto, following which there will be a reading by the author.

On the same day, Happy Valley Daze, authored by Peter Judd, a resident of England who spent many years in Goa during the 80s, will be launched. The book is a humourous account of the author's experiences in Goa. A Railway Runs Through: Goans of British East Africa, 1865-1980, authored

by Selma Carvalho will be launched on the 7th of December, the final day of the Festival. The book profiles various Goans and the activities they engaged in, in East Africa.

Post-release, the books will be available at bookstores around Goa and on various online stores.

JACK OF ALL STALL Reliable House for Religious Goods

Gloria Church Bldg., 263, Dr. Ambedkar Rd., Byculla, Mumbai - 400027 Tel.: 23725963, 23749358 Estd: 1951

Prop. B. D'Souza

15 December 2014

December2014 2014 15 December

23

24

15 December 2014 Published on every Monday & Posted on Monday & Tuesday of every week Posted at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Office, Mumbai - 400001.

-70/SOUTH/2014 Licenced to Post without prepayment Licence No. MR/TECH/WPP MR/TECH/WPP-70/SOUTH/2014 RNI No. 56987/92 Registered No. MH/MR/South-139/2012-14

Mr. Surendra Chauhan – + 91 9833223631 Mr. Mukesh Devle – + 91 98202 12154 / + 91 99306 99983

Eco – Safe Consulting Engineers.

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 15 December 2014 Printers: The Secular Citizen, Fort, Mumbai 400001. Editor : Philip Myaboo

24