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He Took, Blessed, Broke And Gave Consecration of Nashik Archbishop Cricket For Peace Religious Leaders Bat For Harmony
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BANGALORE Final Statement of Indian Catechetical Association at the XII General Body Meeting 2008 Fifty-two participants gathered at NBCLC, Bangalore, for the XII General Body Meeting of the Indian Catechetical Association, from February, 2- 4, 2008, reflected and prayed together over the theme: Catechesis as Retelling the Story of Jesus. They were inspired by the words of Pope Paul VI, in Evangelii Nuntiandi who said that modern men and women listen more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if they do listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses (EN, 41). They acknowledged that the mission entrusted to them as catechists is threefold: that is to proclaim the Good News of Christ, to interpret His message in relation to the concrete life situations of today and to bear witness to him through the authenticity of their commitment to Gospel values. In this annual meeting, we chose to focus our attention on our call to retell the story of Jesus as it is actualised in our personal lives as well as in the world around us. To carry out this mission, we wish to make use of all the means of communication at our disposal and thus adopt a media mentality. This responsibility of ours to reveal Christ as present and active not only in the Church, but also in the world, is all the more urgent as the people of today are longing to give meaning to their lives before they acquire a knowledge of faith. Hence we consider our main task as catechists, to help Christians to have a personal encounter with Christ so that they may be prepared to bear authentic witness to Him. Jesus, deeply rooted in his Abba experience, was open and listened to happenings in nature and in the lives of the people of His time, which made Him not merely a unique story-teller, but a unique story Himself. That’s how Jesus could transform lives of countless people and continues to transform many more provided we ourselves are authentically and integrally touched and transformed by His Greatest Story Ever Told. We realise that Christian discipleship is first of all an experience of faith and then becomes a joyful message, a new possibility of life to those who hear it from within their own experience of life. We see this taking place in the story of Jesus. To make the Word of God ‘echo’ (dhvani) at the core of every human being, Jesus relied on a catechesis of journeying in the power of the Spirit with his followers and thus realises the Reign of God. Naturally, the catechesis of ‘dhvani’ or echoing embraces a narrative method of persuasion, understanding, waiting, reception and dialogue. We too are called to retell and reinterpret the Gospel in and through our common journey as fellow pilgrims towards the Reign of God. We have come to realize more deeply that the life of every human being is precious to him/her and that our transformed lives can echo more powerfully than our words. In the process of retelling the story of Jesus, we hear the dhvani of the passion and death of Jesus in the eye-witness account of hardships inflicted recently upon the disciples of Jesus in Orissa. We denounce violence in any form on any side and with great concern we express our profound solidarity with the afflicted. We pray that the persecuted Christians and their leaders may continue to echo forgiveness and reconciliation as the committed witnesses of Jesus and His Gospel.
PUNE Collaboration between priests and sisters: obstacles, challenges and expectations A Study Circle entitled “Collaboration between Priests and Sisters” was organised at DBYC Pune, on February 26, by Cl. Agnelo Dongarkar, Cl.Ashwin Macwan and Cl. Santaremend Lopes, under the guidance of Fr. Edison Fernandes, as part of their theological studies. Cl. Agnelo introduced the topic and welcomed the speakers and participants. The speakers for the evening were Fr. George Stephen SJ, Fr. Tony SJ, Fr. Vishwas Pereira sdb, Sr.Media MCJ, Sr. Maggi FMA, Sr. Ansi Dominican Sisters, Sr.Casio Holy Cross, and Sr. Mary Cherian FMA. Fr. Edison Fernandes was the moderator. The speakers shared their views on the subject and stressed the need for collaboration, especially in the present times where net working is the order of the day. After the speeches, there was a PowerPoint presentation of a research conducted by Cl. Ashwin, Cl. Agnelo and Cl. Santaremend. The general aim of the research was to investigate the obstacles, challenges and expectations of religious in working together. 50 religious (Priests, Sisters and Theology Students) had responded to an open-ended questionnaire during the research. The presentation was followed by an open discussion and questions on the topic.
GANDHINAGAR Modi Govt withdraws Freedom of Religion Bill The rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party-led Gujarat government, March 10, withdrew the controversial Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill 2006, which the State governor had returned to the Legislative Assembly for reconsideration in August last year. Governor Naval Kishore Sharma in his message to the Assembly had said that the contents of the Bill violated the Indian Constitution. The motion to withdraw the Bill was put to vote March 10 and it was passed unanimously by voice vote. The amendment to the Bill proposed to allow conversions among followers of different sects of the same faith as well as between Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. The Freedom of Religion Bill, which was enacted in 2003, makes it mandatory for a person to take permission from the State authorities before converting to another religion. Gujarat has in recent times witnessed communal flare-ups in which hundreds of Muslims and scores of Christians have been killed or injured. Human rights and peace activist Jesuit Father Cedric Prakash termed the withdrawal of the Bill as “another smoke screen act”. In a press release, March 10, Father Prakash said the fact that such a Bill was considered in the first place was indicative of the government’s unconstitutional behaviour and its insensitivity to the religions of India. “It is thanks to the fact that the Governor of Gujarat refused to give his assent to this amendment that the government had no choice but to announce its withdrawal.” “The original Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003, however, still remains! Almost five years after its promulgation, the government has not been able to cite a single instance of ‘forced conversion’ in the State. Moreover, it has not yet framed the byelaws / rules which are necessary for the implementation of this Act,” Prakash, the director of Prashant, a peace and human rights organisation, said. “If the Modi government is serious about protecting and respecting the rights of its citizens, it should withdraw the Act of 2003 in its entirety immediately,” he said.
PONDICHERRY Two Catholics Die In Police Firing, Leaders Condemn Police Firing Two Catholics died in police firing at Eraiyur near Elavanasurkottai in Ulundurpetin Pondicherry Archdiocese on Sunday, Mar. 9. When a section of people objected to a protest by Dalit Christians and ransacked their houses, police opened fire killing two persons. The dead are: M. Periyanayagam (40) and Mahimai (30). The All India Catholic Union has condemned “in the strongest terms” the police firing on Catholics. The Catholic Union has sent its condolences to the families of the dead persons and demanded that the families be given full compensation by the government. Also, the organization has demanded an enquiry into the circumstances of the police firing and the transfer of concerned Police and Civil Administration officials from the area whose inability to gauge the growing tension between two groups which resulted in a confrontation.
KERALA Malankara Church favours AIDS Test The Syro-Malankara Catholic Synod has agreed in principle to request men and women aspiring to marry to undergo a medical test, including an HIV/AIDS examination, in accordance with the Canon of the Church. The three-day synod, which concluded here March 7, stressed the need for asking marriage candidates to undergo a medical test to ensure they were free from contagious or dreaded diseases like HIV/AIDS, the chancellor of the Trivandrum Archeparchy, Father Antony Valiyavilayil, told SAR News, March 8. Answering a question on the mode of enforcement of the decision, Valiyavilayil said the test was not mandatory, as it would affect human rights. Discussions would be held as to how to enforce the decision without contravening the existing law the land, he added. The chancellor said the Church could only exert “friendly pressure” on the prospective brides and grooms with the will and consent of their parents, as the test was only for their safety and security. He said there were several instances of brides and grooms getting entwined in “untieable knots” without getting time for proper investigation before the solemnisation of marriages. This happens especially when prospective grooms employed abroad came home on leave and needed immediate solemnisation of marriages, he added. If medical tests are conducted, marital breakdowns could be avoided, he said adding that it was girls who often fell prey in many unfortunate cases. “We are now trying out medical tests on a trial basis,” the chancellor said. Premarital counseling is already a pre-requisite in the Catholic Church. AIDS awareness is an important part of the programme of the Church with a view to stabilising the family life and avoiding breakdown of marriages as far as possible, he said. The other issues the Synod expressed concern was over the “activities and statements” of certain people that threatened the secular fabric of the State. It also supported the decisions taken by the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Conference on issues pertaining to educational reforms.
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