DNC Times - April -May 2015

April - May 2015April - May 201502
he devotion of believers is drawn towards
Mother Mary, a humble handmaid of God.As
Ta kid, I often felt at home with Mother Mary,
just as any kid would feel with a mother. I often
admired her as a loving mother, who had the privilege
of following her son so very closely. Besides that,
Marian devotion in the family helped me grow under
her care and protection. There are thousands of
families around the globe, just like my family, for
whomMarystands asamodelof strength.
Mary's journey in our salvation history from
Bethlehem to Calvary was in loving obedience to
God's will. This obedience and acceptance of God's
will with a whole hearted 'yes' makes her a model for
every believer. Let's not forget that she was the first
disciple of Jesus. One cannot speak of salvation
history, without mentioning the name of our heavenly
mother. Will I be wrong if I say that our salvation
history is incomplete without mentioning the name of
Mary?
Down the ages,
Mother Mary is seen as
someone who witnessed the
sufferings of Jesus and stood
by him. Today, she stands in
solidarity with all believers
who suffer in various ways.
She was a mother who
accompanied her son till the
cross and thereafter she
stayed with the disciples and
offered her comforting
presence. I believe, that
even today, Mother Mary
still stands as a source of
comfort to suffering
humanity.
Today, the world and especially India is struck
by the aggressive wave of fundamentalism. The
ongoing attacks on Churches and other minority groups
in many ways is uncalled for, especially, in a country
like India, which for long has been known as the cradle
of world religions. Ghar Wapsi and other such
ideological threats have no doubt created certain
amount of confusion in the minds of Christians in India.
We are in need of a Christian response to the socio-
politicalandreligiouscrisisofourtimes.
The present edition of DNC Times focuses on
the topic – Mother Mary and also sheds some light on
the aspect of the Christian response to the attacks on
minorities. The variety of write ups and opinions will
help us to look at the issues from various angles. I am
sure, the write ups from Mr John Dayal, Mr Ram
Puniyani and Fr Dominic Emmanuel not only inspire
butalsochallenge.
In these troubled times
of ours, I believe that
Mother Mary can and
will be an inspiration to
us. The woman from
Bethlehem, who faced
the reality of her times
boldly, with a deep sense
of faith and courage, is
an example to us today.
As Mary stood by her
son till the end, we
religious, on this earthly
journey need to stand by
the faithful, with a
hopeful glance on the
Masteroftheuniverse.
EditorialEditorial
Vishwas Misquith, SJ

he sweetest memory that I have is of a day in
my childhood when my mother knelt before
Tthe lady who holds her wounded son on her
lap. I was looking intently into my mother's eyes; they
began to swell with tears. She then gently pointed me
towards the statue, her tears running down and
cooingly whispered in my ears, “She is your mother
baby and she will protect you.” Even now, I have not
been able to fathom the meaning of my mother's sighs
but I do know that she cried before a Mother who
understands.
There is always an ideal self which we would
love to be. The ideal and the reality are perfectly
merged in Mary, the Mother of God. The message of
the annunciation paraphrases her as a woman “full of
grace.” The role of Mary is not merely passive in the
Annunciation, but an active one. Her fiat was an
unconditional surrender to the mystery which had not
yet unfolded. In theAnnunciation, Mary stands as the
paramount pinnacle of self surrender to God's ever
unfolding wisdom. It is a surrender which stems out
fromthecoreofhumanfreedomandlove.
The most beautiful blessing a woman can have
is to be a mother. Mary went with haste to meet her
cousin, Elizabeth, who had been blessed in her
advancedagetobeamother. Themeetingpointoftwo
blessed souls turns out to be not only the “Pentecost
before the Pentecost,” but also the first Eucharistic
procession:MarycarryingJesus inherwomb.
In the Magnificat, the blissful response of her
holy soul is seen in the thanking and the acceptance of
virtues without any egoism. In our present day culture
of individualism and consumerism it is very difficult to
understand and accept the counter cultural example
shown by the Mother of God: being nothing in order to
beeverythingor beingaslavetobeaqueen.
The wedding feast at Cana is one of the few
incidents in the Gospel in which Mary is mentioned. It
is interesting to note that rather than the host it is Mary
who has taken the initiative to inform Jesus that the
wine is over. Mary stands as a woman who knows her
son's heart and a beautiful miracle is seen when the
water pots are filled and brought to Our Blessed Lord.
Richard Crashaw describes this magnificently when he
says, “The unconscious waters saw their God, and
blushed.” Invite Mary to your life and you too will
definitelyfeelthedifference.
Mary's life is a silent accompaniment of Jesus
and as the gospel puts it, “She treasured all in her heart.”
She accompanied her son to the cross with heroic
silence even as tears streamed down her cheek.
Although her heart was pierced, she never uttered a
word.
Mary is ultimately a woman of strong faith and
charity. She was there at the 'Pentecost' before the first
Pentecost i.e. the Visitation and also at the Pentecost in
which the missionary outburst took place.The imitation
of Mary will certainly help us to follow Christ. As a
loving mother who lovingly gazes on her child, Mary is
with us throughout our lives. She is the shortest way to
Jesus Christ. Thus, Mary stands before us a woman par
excellenceandbeyondcomparison.
03
Mary – A Woman beyond ComparisonMary – A Woman beyond Comparison
Article
Tinu Francis, SJ

t is undeniable that Mary is the most powerful
figure of veneration in the Christian tradition.
IMarian devotion has a central place in the
Catholic Church as well as in the Eastern Orthodox
tradition. Pope Francis speaks of the evangelizing
power of popular piety in Evangelii Gaudium. To
retrieve this evangelising power of popular Marian
piety and of popular Marian devotion, we need to re-
discover the Mary of the Gospels to understand who
she was and her unique role in God's plan of salvation.
We need a paradigm shift
in our understanding and
veneration of Mary: from
the domesticated Mary to
the dynamic woman she is
in God's salvific plan; from
popular Marian piety and
devotion to popular
Marian spirituality and the
mysticism of the Marian
people (Ref. Pope Francis,
EvangeliiGaudium).
In order to make
this shift we need to
understand Mary from an interdisciplinary perspective
which was given to us at Vatican II - Chapter 8 of
Lumen Gentium, namely, from the biblical,
Christological, ecclesiological, anthropological,
ecumenical and pastoral perspectives. This paradigm
shift and inter-disciplinary approach also entails re-
reading Marian dogmas and doctrines, and re-situating
them within the framework of Mary's dynamic
participation in God's work, especially in his salvific
work forthehumanandcosmiccause.
The four Gospels present Mary as the ordinary
Jewish womancomingfromthetownofNazareth.But
we cannot deny the fact that she was a historical
woman and from this insignificant background, the
Gospels also present her as a woman of faith, a perfect
'anawim of Yahweh,' especially for her openness,
receptivity and her active participation in Jesus'
Kingdom mission – from Cana to Calvary and at
Pentecost. This woman of the Beatitudes and of the
Magnificatisamodelof perfectdiscipleship.
I believe that there are times when we have
denigrated Mary by associating her with very passive
virtues. However, when we try
to re-read and re-interpret all
the Marian scriptural texts,
using the exegetical and
hermeneutical methods, she
comes across as a dynamic
woman of courage who was
empowered with God's grace.
These Marian texts bring out
the power of womanhood very
significantly, which express the
spirituality of womanhood, the
spiritualityofhumanhood.
Mary is also a woman of
solitude, a pondering woman. This pondering woman
is not one who is passively silent, but someone who
enjoyed and relished being in the presence of God,
being always attentive to His will in silence and in
solitude. This was her God experience - her spirituality,
which is very meaningful for us, particularly in the
chaotic and challenging context of our times today,
wherethecultureof speed,noiseandviolenceprevails.
To conclude, Mary is not merely someone whom we
admire and have a need-based devotion to, but rather
she is someone who inspires us to imitate her in her
discipleshipandherspirituality.
04
Article
Evelyn Monteiro,SCC
A Dynamic WomanA Dynamic Woman

e can proudly affirm that Mary is the
model for our Church today. This
Wassertion is the result of our different
experiences. A strong foundation for such a claim also
comes from our experience of Marian devotions,
pilgrimages, shrines and the numerous titles in honour
of Mary namely, Mary
a s c o n s o l e r a n d
comforter, Mary as
i n t e r c e s s o r a n d
provider etc. However,
the main reason for
such a belief is her
c o m m i t t e d a n d
voluntary participation
in God's plan of
Salvation. In this short
article, we shall turn
our attention to how
Mary co-operated in
the Will of God and
how she becomes the
Modelfor theChurch.
Mary's main
concern was to do God's Will and to lend a hand in
fulfillingGod's planof Salvation.This was her call.We
also observe in Mary, kindness, affection, humility,
compassion and the ability to listen. Boldness and
dynamism are also important facets of her life. Her life
was also Theo-centric, Christo-centric and Ecclesio-
centric.
Firstly, Mary's life was Theo-centric because
of her 'Yes' to God's invitation to Divine Motherhood.
It was disconcerting and challenging in the Palestinian
context and yet she responded positively with total
freedomandenduringwill.Thus,herroleinGod's plan
of Salvation was to give birth to Jesus, the Son of God.
Secondly, Mary's call was unique because it was
Messianic and Christo-centric. She involved herself in
the Mission of her Son, Jesus Christ. Discipleship,
emerges as her key attribute in the events of Cana (Jn
2:1-10) and at Calvary (Jn 19:25-27). Her discipleship
which involved her belief in Jesus Christ as the
Revealer (Sign) and the Revealed
(Glory) began at Cana and
culminated at Calvary. Lastly,
Mary was present at the birth of the
Church. She was also present with
the Apostles at Pentecost. Thus,
being a perfect disciple of Jesus,
she actively participated in God's
plan of Salvation. She is therefore
presented as an embodiment of
faithandprayerintheChurch.
Vatican II shows Mary as a
model or type of the Church (LG
63). She was faithful and
committed to her call. She
completely involved herself in
fulfilling God's Will. She did not
run away from the mission of her Son, Jesus Christ. Her
selflessness, obedience, discipleship, suffering, her
surrender to God and her faith in doing the will of God
show us how Mary played a courageous role in
collaborating with God's plan of Salvation. The Church
also draws strength from Mary in preaching God's
Word and administering the sacraments, particularly
Baptism, in celebrating the Eucharist and in forgiving
sins. That is why Mary is the Model for the Church
today. Our responsibility in approaching Mary as our
Model is to instill in us her dynamic qualities such as
discipleshipanddoingtheWillofGod.
05
Article
Mary – The Model for the Church TodayMary – The Model for the Church Today
Jerald Ramesh

other Mary holds an important place in the
Catholic Church. After God and Christ she
is considered the most important person inMthe whole universe. But the Protestants have a different
view about Mother Mary. Some early Protestants
veneratedandhonouredMotherMary.
Protestant views on Mother Mary
Often Luther is criticized for matters which he
did not mean. Martin Luther did not reject Mary but he
only challenged the exaggerated devotions to her.
Luther held fast to the belief that Mary was a perpetual
virgin and was the Theotokos, Mother of God. With
regard to the Assumption of Mary, he stated, that the
Bibledidnotsayanythingaboutit.
John Calvin and Zwingli see the important role
of Mary only at the birth of Jesus and not afterwards.
Therefore, according to them, undue importance must
not be given to her. However, for the Catholics, Mary
has played an important role in the life of Jesus from
His birth right up till His death.Thus, although the idea
of respect and high honour was not rejected by the first
Protestants, the aspect of honouring Mary still remains
a matter of debate. Marian devotion must take us closer
to God and towards one another. According to the
Roman Catholic Church, we believe that Mary played
animportantroleinGod's planofsalvation.
Mary is our Beloved Mother
In the Gospels Mary is presented with different
titles. Mary is presented as the Anawim of Yahweh, a
womanoffaithandtheMotherof thecommunityof
disciples. In theActs of theApostles, Mary is presented
as a courageous and a committed woman who stood by
thedisciplestilltheendof time
When Pope Paul VI issued the Apostolic
Exhortation Marialis Cultus, his intention was to
encourage Marian devotion in the context of liturgical
reform. Pope John Paul II's Encyclical, Redemptoris
Mater, addresses the role of Mary in the mystery of
Christ, Mary as the Mother of God and he also speaks of
Mary's maternalmediation.
.
Mary as the Model for the Mission of the
ChurchToday
In Mary, we see who the church is and how to be the
church. She is the model of discipleship because of her
involvement with Jesus' mission. Mary discerned and
discovered the voice of God amidst the daily struggles
of everyday life. Mary's openness to God was paralleled
byheropenness toothers.
We as Religious need to follow the example of
Mary's Motherhood and take care of the least, the lost
and the last. I believe that the best way to venerate and
honour Mary our Mother, is by imitating her in our
everydaylifeof contemplationandaction.
I would like to conclude with the words of an
Orthodox prayer. She is “a space for the spaceless
one”.
06
MARY – Different UndestandingsMARY – Different Undestandings
Women’s Section
Monica Cardoza, Fdcc

n my religious life, when I think about a great
supporter and helper in this life, the first name that
Icomes to my mind is Mother Mary. She is a good
companion to me in all the realms of my life as she
gives me strength and perseverance to remain faithful
to Jesus. Whether it is happiness or sorrow Mother
Mary helps me to follow Jesus in all these
circumstances. She is able to do this because she is the
first disciple who followed Jesus faithfully till the foot
of the cross. Therefore, she can understand all our
worriesanddifficulties.
Seban Jacob, MCBS
he memory of certain persons evokes more
feelings than words in me. One such very
Tspecialperson inmylifeisMotherMary.
Mother Mary represents the motherly
dimension in my spiritual life. I associate her with the
feelings of compassion, love, patience, gentleness,
empathy and understanding. She offers her motherly
affection whenever her name crosses my lips in prayer.
I can hardly overlook the role of Mother Mary in my
lifeandinmyvocationtothereligiouslife.
The life of Mother Mary is an example of
outstanding faith and trust in God, even in the face of
impossible hurdles and mounting worries. She teaches
me to reflect the light of God like the Moon that
reflectstheraysfromtheSun.
Praveen Martis SJ
y favorite verse in the Bible is beautifully
sheltered in Isaiah 49:15. Perhaps, my love
Mfor Mother Mary could be best expressed in
thisveryverse.
“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that
she should have no compassion on the son of her
womb?Evenifthesemayforget,yetIwillnotforget
you.” After the twin tragedies that splintered my heart,
absurd questions of existential reality haunted me
endlessly. I became a recluse with nobody to pour
outmy mixed feelings. During such an unpredictable
state, I took recourse to reciting the Rosary. Being a 12
year old kid, every day I greeted her with a volley of
questions. My emotional maturity was just getting
molded. My devotional piety was growing suspiciously
well. With the humility of a child and the uncertainty of
a teenager I prayed fervently to Mary. Slowly I realized
that she could be my confidant. Gone are the days when
I used to pray to her only when faced with problems.
Today, I remember her as I walk along the graveyard in
the dark and traverse the thick woods alone. As I
advanced in age, my reflections too deepened. She is
myprotectorandguide.Sheis mymother.
Pelevito Kipfe SJ
Opinion Poll
Who is Mother Mary for you?Who is Mother Mary for you?
ForaLotMoreForaLotMore
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Music : Marian Song
by Virendra, SJ
Music : Marian Song
by Virendra, SJ
Videos :Videos :
Mother Mary
by Evelyn Monteiro, SCC
Mother Mary
by Evelyn Monteiro, SCC
Photos :Photos :
Attack on Minorities
by Anto Akkara
Attack on Minorities
by Anto Akkara
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Ministry
Santal Ministry
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Construction Workers
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07 April - May 2015April - May 2015
DNC Scholastics SpeakDNC Scholastics Speak

evotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is an
integral part of the Catholic Faith and is by
Dfar the most popular devotion in the
Catholic Church. The growing number of Marian
shrines and pilgrim centres and a large number of
pilgrims honouring the Blessed Mother are an
indicationthatsheistheonemostsought after.
One wonders
why there is such a
great attraction
towards the Blessed
M o t h e r c u t t i n g
across religions,
regions, language
and cultures. If one
looks carefully, one
realizes that in the
Blessed Virgin Mary
is seen a powerful
mediatrix, a Mother.
Thus, a devotee who is in distress due to personal,
social or financial problems or any other crisis will
find it easy to approach the Blessed Mother and pour
outhis orherheartatherfeet.
Diversity, variety and plurality of expressions
in devotion to the Blessed Mother form yet another
factor. Devotions are simple in nature, flexible and
devotees can express their devotion according to their
cultural conditions and patterns. Devotees feel at
home expressing their faith in a way that is within their
means and according to their culture. Thus, a South
Indian shrine of Our Lady of Vailankanni in Tamil
Nadu will have devotional expressions very different
from those at the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in
France. Even within India, the expression of devotion
attheMarianshrineatOur Ladyof HealthatHariharin
Karnataka is very different from those at the shrine of
Mount MaryinBandra,Mumbai.
Physical healing and psychological solace are
yet other factors. Many women in India won't even be
permitted to go out of their homes for picnics to villas or
resorts due to financial or social conditions. Marian
Shrines while providing an opportunity to pray to the
Blessed Mother, provide a place of relief to spend time
as a family in a
leisurely way far from
one's home, work and
localsurroundings.
It is important
to note that devotion to
the Blessed Mother
attracts a large number
of devotees cutting
across regions and
r e l i g i o n s . T h e
devotees, therefore,
tend to perceive Mary in their own way and from their
own religious, social and cultural perspectives. Though
doctrinally one cannot approve such a belief, the fact
remains that people do find in her strength, solace and
support intimesof distress.
Some Christian groups are criticalabout Marian
devotion. They hold that devotion to the Blessed
Mother is a form of idol worship that reduces the
importance of Jesus, and the sacraments in the church.
However, for Catholics the place of the Blessed Mother
is that of an interceding, caring, comforting mother. She
does not replace sacramental life in the Church but only
enhances it. Thus, Marian devotions provide a holistic
expressionof faith.
Analysis
08
Popular Marian Devotions
A Critical Outlook
Popular Marian Devotions
A Critical Outlook
Lawrence Fernandes, SJ

What's in the name?” is the swan song of a
senior Jesuit whom I admire. Those words
“triggered in me a process of reflection, till I
bounced into a name in a book that I was reading in the
section, 'acknowledgement'. That name led me down
memory lane to an event that had taken place over a
quarter of a century ago. The name of the person is
CharlesRonan,aJesuitpriestof Chicagoprovince.
It was the time of my studies in Loyola
University. I was staying in a parish and attending
classes. I was paying for my studies with the meager
stipend that I was receiving from my ministry. Since
the Course fees were exorbitant, I was experiencing a
financial crunch. With the available money, I was able
to buy a manual type-writer to do my class projects.
Mind you there were no laptops then! But then to my
utter dismay I realized that the instrument was faulty.
Consequently, it was a challenge for me to submit
projectson time.
At this critical juncture, I could only express
my struggle to God in prayer. Then, all of a sudden, to
my utter surprise I come across, Fr Charles Ronan,
who inquired about me, found out about my plight, and
offered me an electronic type-writer. My joy was
inexplicable. I could not believe what was happening,
as I had heard that in the US where capitalism is
worshipped, nothing comes free. His words, “Use this
type-writer as long as you want,” further comforted
me. With this new instrument my projects were
completed soon, and I was able to find time for
reading, reflection and relaxation. That event has been
etched in my memory and I have not forgotten about it
till today - neither the person nor his most charitable
deed for a Jesuit companion of another nationality
whomhehadnotmetbefore.
Thatincidenttriggeredinmefurther
reflection. In the book of Isaiah we read those touching
words of Yahweh, “I have called you by name, you are
mine.” (Is 43/1) It means that God has a name for each
one of us and it contains God's unique purpose and
dream for us and that we belong to Him from the
beginningofcreation.
Every name that we utter in our daily discourse
triggers off either good or evil images, depending on the
name. The name of Jesus immediately brings to our
memory the image of our Saviour and Lord, friend and
companion. Similarly, the name of Mary evokes the
images of mother, Mother of Jesus, Mother of God and
ourmother.
For us Jesuits, the name Loyola immediately
triggers off every memory connected with Inigo our
Founder, his origins, life, and ministry. It also evokes
our own graced history, identity, and mission. During
this year, as we celebrate the bicentenary of the
restoration of the Society, we are struck by the fact
about what the Society of Jesus meant for 23,000
Jesuits who became the victims of the decree of
suppression. For the first time, they realized their love
for the name of the Society of Jesus - that cherished
Institute which was a 'pathway to God' was truly a
motherineverysense of theword.
It is really a grace, blessing and privilege to
belong to this august company which bears the name,
Society of Jesus. This name gives us our identity,
meaning, purpose, orientation and in that name 'we live,
move and have our being' (Acts 17/28). How lucky we
are to belong to this Society which bears the name of
Jesus!
Jesuit Spirituality
09
What's in the Name?What's in the Name?
William Sequeira, SJ
Teach us to give
and not to count the cost.
Teach us to give
and not to count the cost.
St Ignatius of LoyolaSt Ignatius of Loyola

believe that the upcoming GC needs to help us
confront the culture of hatred with renewed vision
Iand extend our solidarity with the afflicted. Pope
Francis' letter to all Consecrated people speaks about
waking up the world, and going out to the existential
peripheries. It may be apt for us to reflect on this
insightdeeply.
In the Indian context, particularly since we see
Hindutva elements gaining grounds, it is time for us to
restructure the way our Provinces operate.
Our
influence in the political sphere has not been adequate
andIbelieveit's timetorethinkourstance.
Rozario Mosahari (RAN)
y deep desire is that the upcoming GC 36
takes up the aspect of formation and
Mengages in a seriously deliberation on this
issue so as to give it a new thrust and thereby make our
long formation relevant in preparing men for our
challengingtimes.
The other aspect is the growing emphasis on
the universal dimension of our mission and the focus
on reviving the dying society in certain parts of the
world. While we focus on the universal dimension of
the apostolate, we may end up sacrificing the local
context. Serious thought needs to be given in this
direction.
Bala Kiran Kumar (KAR)
e live in a world where the poor seem to
have no means to live a decent life and
Wthe rich are least bothered about it. In
such ascenario,whatcanweJesuits doaboutit
We are in
the midst of political, social and cultural change.
especially since we continue to run some of the best
Educationalinstitutionsinthecountry?
We Jesuits have already started networking and
collaborating with people who share our charism.
However, a special focus on collaboration in the
Educational apostolate, especially at the level of
primary education is the need of the hour. We need to
find ways and means to work effectively to educate the
poor given the fact that the pro-capitalist rich care too
little about the poor. It is through education that we can
kindle the fire among the young. May all of us be guided
by the spirit to become enkindling educators in and
throughGc36.
Arul Rayan (GUJ)
Struggles, problems and dissent have always existed in
our world.
The
GC should focus on how well we combat the dissent of
the people be it communal, political, social or
psychological given the present day situation. We don't
require a bigger Catholic Christian graveyard but a
place 'where people live in unity as brothers and sisters'
(Psalm133:1).
Michael Pugal (MDU)
The rising selfishness within human hearts is
leading to chaos and is constantly threatening life.
South Asian Scholastics SpeakSouth Asian Scholastics Speak
GC-36 Special
GC 36 - ExpectationsGC 36 - Expectations
10
Speak Up !
Video Talk by Anto Akkara
Speak Up !
Video Talk by Anto Akkara
www.dnctimes.comOnly on : www.dnctimes.com

he flower that blooms in the morning and
fades in the evening isn't really bothered
Tabout how long it lives. A bird that flies
freely in the sky or the fish that swims without worry,
hardly thinks about the what and how of tomorrow.
Wearehumanbeings.How canwebelikethem?
I used to get terribly tired as I moved from
house to house, trying to learn about the life of the
simple poor people living in the rural areas of
Bangalore. As part of my studies, I went for a rural
exposure programme to Gowrenahalli, one of the
poor villages in Anekal, Bangalore, for 20 days.
Moving from house to house and listening to the
stories of the lives of the people, of their pains and
struggles, of their unfulfilled dreams and aspirations,
was truly a unique experience that will remain in my
mind for long. Whenever I met someone who was
struggling I kept repeating, “These things will pass
away; your life situation will change.” In return, the
people used to thank me for the hope and assurance
that I had given them and appreciated my help
saying, “You must be a man of deep faith.” Deep
within, I used to feel happy, as my ego was getting a
boost.
On that Tuesday, as I was walking in the hot
sun, I came across a small hut, where an aged lady
and her daughter lived. Gowramma, a 67 year old
lady, welcomed me to her small hut, where there was
hardly anything to sit on. As we began our
conversation, Gowramma opened the pages of her
life. She had lost her husband years ago. Somehow,
inspite of the dire poverty she was in, she had
managed to get two of her three daughters married.
Herlifewas nothingbutasaga ofsuffering.
As Gowramma was quite weak and not able
to work, her last daughter, somehow managed the
house bydoingodd jobs aroundthevillage.
I did feel the pinch of poverty when Gowramma told
me, “We do not take coffee, tea etc. We are poor. We
don't have money for all this.” Later, I realized that they
were living by eating Raagi balls and water twice a day.
During our conversation, I could sense the tears that
Gowrammawas tryingtohide.
Talking to Gowramma, I learnt that she had
absolutely no one to support and help her except her last
daughter. But the last daughter's marriage had been
fixed and she too would be going away soon. Listening
to her, I was sure that none of the three daughters were
in a position to take care of her. I was haunted by the
question of Gowramma's future. I was struck - What's
next? My mind was overwhelmed with the questions of
hertomorrow.
After composing myself, although I felt I
should not, I still asked, “Gowramma, what about your
future? Who will take care of you? Who is there for
you?” She burst into tears. The tears that she was
trying to hide, flowed like flood waters. I was taken a
back for asking such a question. May be this question
was hauntinghertoo.
Trying to sympathize, I thought of repeating the
same slogan, which I used to do in other houses. But…
Moments later, gathering herself, Gowramma opened
her mouth, uttering, “The God who gave me this life,
will never let me down.” There was a tremor in her
voice and tears continued to flow from her eyes, but her
words were filled with tremendous amount of faith.
Deep within my being I realized that I was meeting not
Gowramma,butMaryofthegospels.
Returning from the house of poor Gowramma, I
made a short prayer, “Lord, give me the faith like that of
thispoorGowramma.”
She Taught Me Faith!
She Taught Me FaithShe Taught Me Faith
Rayan Lobo, SJ
11
Experience

12
fter a month in DNC in 1981, there was a
telegram from the late Fr Roche, S.J., St.
AJoseph's College, Tiruchy stating,
“Congratulations, Orange Grade”. It was the good
news that I had secured an outstanding grade in
MathematicsinmyM.Sc. degreeexaminations.
While at the University, my higher studies were
motivated towards scoring maximum marks in the
examinations. Except in the paper onAstronomy I had
never scored centum in other papers. Would this
happen in Philosophy too? An Indian Philosophy
Professor sarcastically pulled me down because I was
alreadyaPG student.
At DNC I had decided that rather than studying
for examinations I would study for life. Some used to
boast that without attending classes one could easily
pass the examinations.The only condition was that one
had to know a few choice phrases and ideas of the
Professor. Some used to show off their ignorance
without reading the necessary books. Some used to
speak highly about the Mass without participating in
the Eucharist. Some used to be out of the campus most
of the time either because they were socializing or
because of social work. I always admired the sincerity
and honesty of being accountable to the Living Group
or theProvinceGroup.
While at DNC, a unique opportunity befell me.
There were two girls in the tenth standard who were
unable to pass only in their Mathematics paper in the
Board examinations. Inspite of receiving tuitions they
had been unsuccessful in three of their attempts. I
decided to take up the challenge of teaching those girls.
I slowly started discovering the mindset of the girls and
tried a different approach. Every day, in the afternoon,
after my classes at DNC, I used to go to one of their
houses for an hour long session on mathematics. A
systematic approach without losing the nuances of the
fundamental concepts made the girls feel confident
about doing well in their examinations. Amidst their
naughty adolescent behaviour, those girls started loving
mathematics and came out with flying first class marks.
This was perhaps the first indication that I could
become a good teacher. I can never forget the term
papers on 'Symbolic Logic' in the first year guided by
the late Fr. M. Gnanapragasam, S.J. and on 'My
Philosophy of Hope' in the second year guided by Fr
CyrilDesbruslais, S.J.
Down Memory Lane
Albert Muthumalai, SJ
My Life at DNCMy Life at DNC
Please NotePlease Note
The opinions expressed in this magazine
are the opinions of the writers’ themselves.
DNC Times is not responsible for any
ideological differences.
The opinions expressed in this magazine
are the opinions of the writers’ themselves.
DNC Times is not responsible for any
ideological differences.

13
t Peter Canisius was born in 1521, in
Netherlands. His father was Jacob Kanis and
Shis mother was Ægidia van Houweningen,
who died shortly after Peter's birth. He was sent to
study at the University of Cologne, where he earned a
Master's degree in 1540, at the age of 19. It was there,
that he met Peter Faber, one of the founders of the
Societyof Jesus.
Through his and
writings, Peter Canisius became one
of the most influential Catholics of
his time. He was an influential
teacher and preacher. However,
when he was offered the post of
in 1554, he simply
declined in order to continue his
t r a v e l l i n g a n d t e a c h i n g .
Surprisingly, he had to serve as
administrator of the
for one year, until a new
bishop was appointed for it. On
account of his preaching and
constant travel he became known as
the SecondApostle of Germany. His
preaching was said to have been so convincing that it
attracted hundreds of Protestants back to Roman
Catholicism.
Canisius was by in the
year 1864, and was later and declared a
st
on 21 May, 1925 by
.
Reflection
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was
filled with shouts of joy; then it was said among the
nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” Ps
124:1-2.
preaching
Bishop of Vienna
Diocese of
Vienna
beatified Pope Pius IX
canonized
Doctor of the Church Pope Pius
XI
Indeed the Lord is active but he needs us as
instruments to bring about conversion or the desired
change in all of us.We have seen a number of saints who
co-operated with God and went out of their way to
respond to His call in an effective way. In other words,
they let their light shine and multiplied the talents which
were given to them. However, the beauty of the saints is
that they do not take credit for themselves. They do not
desire the limelight; rather they
attribute everything to God. In my
opinion, this is the secret of all the
saints who did everything and yet
attributed it all to God. This reveals
the depth of their spirituality - we all
need to revolve around God and not
viceversa.
Reflecting over St. Peter
Canisius' tremendous ministry, it
reveals that he is a person who made
God the centre of his life.That is why
he was able to let go of his comfort
zone and be always on the move, to
the extent of declining the post of
Bishop of As we have begun
the year of consecrated life with the fantastic theme,
“Wake up the World” it is a challenge for all of us.
Before waking the world, we need to be awake and alert
inourspirituallife.
It is good to question ourselves, “In all my
dealings do I project the Lord or myself?” Further, we
could ask, “Is it the Lord's doing or Rev. Fr…./Rev.
Sr…'s doing?” If St. Peter Canisius were to answer
these questions, he may repeat the words of Jesus,
“Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit.”
(Jn 15:5). Where do I abide? Is it the self or my post or
my comfort zone? Let us wake up the world but let
peoplesay,“TheLordhasdonegreatthingsforus”.
Vienna.
Saint of the Month
Christopher, SSS
St Peter CanisiusSt Peter Canisius

14
hough baptized when I was three months old,
I have not always been a practicing or even a
Tparticipating member of the Indian Church.
For decades I was out it, and continue to be a critic. I
do not have the courage to claim that I am part of those
who seek to reform it from the inside or from the
outside. I came back to the Church not only because of
personal and existential reasons but also because of a
growing ideological and perhaps a theological or
spiritual understanding of the love that Jesus Christ has
for the most helpless, the most vulnerable whose
voices are often silenced. On many occasions, I have
realized that I too, am weak. This gives a very potent
meaning to my witness of Jesus as my Saviour, even if
it is not perhaps in consonance with the manner that the
Charismatic and Pentecostal movements would have
it. This also gives urgency to my support and defense
of the Catholic Church in particular even as I struggle
to understand and cope with the many weaknesses and
follies of its leadership and the frailty of its lay
members.
As I come closer to completing 50 years as a
grassroots worker, researcher, documenter, activist
and social advocate( not a lawyer), I am convinced that
the Church can grow into being not only an
ombudsman but a critical element in the collected
conscience of the nation in all its diversity, plurality,
contradictions and inequities. I was first made aware
of this in 1975, at the height of the State of Emergency
was imposed by the then Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira
Gandhi and which in reality was administered by her
second son, Sanjay Gandhi, who became the extra-
constitutional centre of authority and ran a fiefdom
with his coterie of officials, politicians and lumpen
thugs. Almost all social and empowerment activities
that could be proscribed had been outlawed. Dissent,
therighttoexpressionandtherighttoassociationwere
severely constrained. Researching the impact of the
government's Satellite Instructional Television
Experiment in the villages and forest hamlets of Central
India, I came across scholastics and young clergymen
still working with the common people and fearlessly
associating with trade union activists. I see small
groups of priests and nuns continuing to work with the
common people across the country, defying the police,
local thugs, political groups that want to negate the
socialism and the secularism enshrined in the
Constitution.
I have, however, also seen senior church leaders
bow to the powers of the day, negotiate protection and
privileges, defend the rich and the powerful who defy,
insult nature and defy laws of the land in their pursuit of
lucre, and become a part of the ruling dispensation.
Faced with occasional violence by religious or political
extremists, or government persecution, their
supplication is to be spared because of their historic
contributionineducationandhealth.
I would hope that the church, its leadership and
its clergy, particularly the young, would be interveners
in the social, economic and development discourse, the
process of law-making and be watchdogs of the
criminal-justice system. I hope that The Church can be
the Conscience of the nation and when required, the
Voice of the voiceless. This is what this country of a
billion poor, even if it has 200 million rich and middle
class people needs. This will require a deeper, even
theological, understanding of citizenship. It will also
require the courage and spiritual strength that can come
fromacomprehensivesurrendertoGod.
John Dayal
Being the Nation's Conscience
Not Merely a Service Provider
Being the Nation's Conscience
Not Merely a Service Provider
Minority Issues
John DayalJohn Dayal
Human Rights Activist, especially in case of
religious minorities. Member of the Nation
Integration Commission.Co-founder and secretary
general of All India Christian Council.
.

15
he last two decades have seen an increase in
the attacks on Christians. Earlier these attacks
Ttook place in remote villages but lately they
are also taking place in cities. The biggest
manifestation of this was the burning alive of Pastor
Graham Stewart Staines along with his two innocent
nd
sons on the night of 22 March, 1999 in Keonjhar,
Orissa. We also witnessed the intimidation of the
Christian community in the Dangs, Jhabua and other
places in Rajasthan where massive Kumbhs were
organized by RSS-VHP-Vanvasi Kalyan Ashrasm.
The pretext of the murder of Swami Lakhsmananand,
by Maoists, was used to
unleash the massive violence
in Kandhamal in August
2008, in which close to a
hundred Christians were
done to death. Many
Churches were vandalized
and massive displacement
took place when thousands
of people had to leave their
home and hearth. Recently,
in the wake of Delhi
electionsnearlyfivechurcheswereattacked.
The perpetrators of most of these attacks have
links to Hindutva organizations, which are a part of the
RSS, or the Sangh Parivar. The Wadhva Commission
report pointed out that the murder of Graham Staines
was done by Rajendra Pal, alias, Dara Singh who was
an active worker of the Bajrang Dal. Primarily, these
attacks have been in Adivasi areas, where the
propaganda that Christians are converting through
coercion, allurement and what not is very prevalent.
This in turn, prepares the mindset for violence. This
further leads to polarization amongst the communities
along religious lines. In many of these areas, RSS
sponsored SarswatiShishu Mandirand Ekal
Vidyalayas have also been set up. The communal
polarization and the cultural educational intervention
by RSS affiliates is aimed at the agenda of making a
Hindu Rashtra and undermining the Indian
Constitution, which upholds Liberty, Equality and
Fraternity.
So how do we begin to articulate our response to
these attacks? One must realize that it is a political issue
and not a religious one. It is not a fight between Hindus
and Christians or Muslims and Christians. It is part of
the political agenda of a Hindu Rashtra being passed
down the line which has created hatred at the ground
level. The response has to be holistic. We need to start
by countering the spread of a
false bogey about Christian
missionaries and counter ideas
about Christianity being a
foreign religion. To unravel the
truth behind this propaganda we
need self-knowledge about the
truth and we need to take this
further to the communities
through lectures, seminars,
discussions and college and
schoollevelprogrammes.
There are many Christian mission schools
where millions of students study. We need to train the
teachers of these schools and colleges so that these
teachers will further educate their students. We can also
think of approaching the authorities of educational
institutes so as to introduce some small reading material
which brings the truth about the role of Christian
missionaries in India. Such an endeavour will highlight
the values of love and amity between different religious
communities. The values of humanism will thus be
brought forward and National integration will be
promoted. We also need to be in solidarity with the
victims of other communities and support the Human
rightsof allthepeople.
Combating attacks on Faith
What do we do?
Combating attacks on Faith
What do we do?
Ram Puniyani
Minority Issues

16
irst of all, let us remember that attacks on
Christians are not exactly new. Back in the
F1950s, there was a Justice Niyogi Committee
set up by Jawaharlal Nehru to look into the allegations
of conversions by Christian missionaries. The
controversial report submitted by Justice Niyogi did
blame Christians and is often quoted even today by the
right wing Hindu fundamentalists to accuse Christians
of the so called 'conversions'. The then government of
Madhya Pradesh had also passed an anti-conversion
bill way back in 1967. Right now such anti-conversion
laws exist in six states of India and as it turns out,
alleged 'conversion of the poor Hindus' is the main
grouse raised by right wing
Hindu fundamentalists against
Christians.
In such a situation, the
response of Christians in
general and religious in
particular should be to equip
ourselves with correct
information on the one hand
and the courage to stand for
our fundamental rights on the other. We must then find
ways and means to disseminate this information and
assert our rights, using various media, particularly the
boon of social media, wherever possible, focusing on
thefollowing:
1)That according to the official census the population
of Christians has come down from 2.6% in 1971 to
2.33% in 2001, especially in a country which is
decidedly poor. This proves that the allegation of mass
conversion of the poor is a false propaganda by certain
section of society against Christians with the purpose
ofcreatingawedgebetweenHindus andChristians.
2)That the RSS has an agenda of creating India as a
HinduRashtra(atheocraticstatebasedon Hindutva)
on the line of Pakistan, which was created for
Muslims.In such a Hindu nation Muslims, Christians
and Communists are considered, not only as enemies
but where these would be treated as second class
citizens,notenjoyingtherightsavailabletoHindus.
3)That we are all citizens of India with equal rights that
'We the people of India', have given to ourselves
through our Constitution and that all our leaders take
their oath according to the Constitution of India and not
by anyother'holy' book.
4)That the preamble of our Constitution clearly states
Indiatobea'secular'and'socialist'state.
5)That Article 25 of
the Constitution
guarantees to every
citizen to practice,
p r o f e s s a n d
propagate one's own
faith, thereby giving
each one a right to
choose the religion of
one's choice.
6)That Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of
Fundamental Human Rights again grants everyone to
chooseandpracticeareligionof one's faith.
7)That as religious we who have professed to sacrifice
our lives, will not be afraid or cowed down by external
forcesthataretryingtopush theminoritiesinacorner.
8)And finally, remembering that suffering and the
Cross are part of our Christian life, we will continue our
struggle with faith in the Lord Jesus, who could
challenge the authorities because he stood for truth and
was inspiredby love.
Minority Issues
Dominic Emmanuel SVD
Towards a Christian ResponseTowards a Christian Response
To the ongoing attacks on MinoritiesTo the ongoing attacks on Minorities

Can youshare withus your vocationstory?
There is not much of a vocation story in my case.
Perhapstwothingsareworthmentioning.
1. We were a large family of ten children- seven boys
and three girls. My father sometimes used to invite our
parish priest to have dinner with us. On one such
occasions, the parish priest put his hat on my head and
remarked that I would one day become a priest. From
then whole family expected me to be a priest. I have
often wondered whether my vocation is from God or
fromtheparishpriest.
2. When I was studying at the
S.H. College, Thevara,
Ernakulum district of Kerala, a
Carmelite priest took the
initiative to recruit me for the
Society of Jesus. I still wonder
why he didn't ask me to join the
Carmelites.
Can you share with us an
unforgettable event or
experience that has shaped and affected your life
deeply?
I cannot think of an experience or event that affected
my life deeply. But my three year stay in Europe has
exerted deep influence on my life. I spent most of the
time in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is in
Europe that I clearly discovered India and my
Indianness. I had a strong realization that I am really
different from the Germans and the Austrians. This is
the just thing that happened to me. The second thing is
that I came across many Catholics (theologians
included) who thought very differently from me. This
made me aware of the relative value of all faith
articulations.Thethirdthingisthatitis inEuropethatI
began to relate to women in some depth. I had a few
good women friends. Their love has promoted my
growthinavarietyof ways.
What was your vision as a young man religious life
and whatis ittoday?
I am not sure if I had a clear vision when I just joined the
society. My mother told me that life in the society is
difficult and Jesuits send away many young people
even after many years. A Muslim friend of mine in the
college told me that the life of a priest can be very
lonely. I myself felt that
obedience will be quite
difficult for me. None of these
things prevented me from
joiningthesociety.
Who is the person/saint
you admire the most and
why?
When I was a novice I did not
like St. Ignatius. My hero was
Francis Xavier. I admired his
adventurous life. Gradually I
discovered the greatness of St Ignatius. I am deeply
affected by his experiential approach to the spiritual
life. Nevertheless Francis of Assisi is the one saint I
admire most. His simplicity, radicality and closeness to
naturearethingsthatappealtomegreatly.
What is your opinion about thechurch today?
I don't think that the church today is the church of Jesus'
dreams. In many ways it has been influenced by the
valuesoftheworld-power,wealthetc,.
What do you think could be the unique Indian
contributiontothechurch atlarge?
Among the many things which India can contribute to
theChurchIshallhighlightjusttwo.
Exclusive Interview
with Kurien Kunnumpuram, SJ
Exclusive Interview
with Kurien Kunnumpuram, SJ Interview

India can show the importance of God-experience.
Indian religions lay great stress on God experience.
Way back in 1964 Pope Paul VI said in Mumbai to the
Indian people, “You are people that has sought God
with a relentless quest.” In 1999 Pope John Paul II in
Ecclesia in Asia suggested that the church be more
firmly rooted in the experience of God. The other thing
is that India can teach the Church is that God alone is
absolute.Thiswillrelativizeeverythinginthechurch.
What isyour opinion about PopeFrancis?
I have a great appreciation for Pope Francis. It took the
church more than 500 years to choose a Jesuit as Pope.
And he takes the name of Francis ofAssisi.That choice
was a statement of his intention to be like St Francis-
simple, courageous and with a great love for the poor.
Because of Pope Francis the Catholic Church has
become a little more credible and attractive to lots of
people.
What istheroleofMother Mary inyour life?
My relationship to Mother Mary has changed over the
years. When I was younger I used to recite a lot of
prayers in her honour. Now I try to imitate her
especially in her humility, total surrender to God and
her great courage.As a young woman she was asked by
God to be an unwed mother in a rural
community. It took a lot of courage for her to
say,'yes'. I amverymuchinspiredby this.
What is your message to the readers of DNC
Times?
I would like to share three reflections with you.
I have often asked myself: how do I make sense
of my Jesuit priesthood? What makes it
meaningful to me in the honest effort to walk in
the footsteps of Jesus who said, “I have come
thattheymayhavelifeandhaveitabundantly.”
It has been my earnest effort to be a life-giving and
growth-promotingperson.
The other thought I have is that even though we
are about 4000 Jesuits in India it is becoming
increasingly difficult to find a person who can be a good
Provincial or a good Rector of a common house or even
good professor in the faculties of philosophy or
theology. Why do we fail to nurture outstanding
Jesuits?
Athird thought is that the Society will probably
will die out in Europe and in America in the next two
decades.And we are not growing in many parts of India.
What of the future? Is it possible for us to make serious
efforts to form a large number of lay people in Ignatian
spirituality so that the charism and mission of the
societywillnotdieoutinIndiaandintheworld?
18
GerardMesterGerardMester
Transl:Aneesh,SJTransl:Aneesh,SJ
Exclusive Interview
Exclusive Interview
Kurien Kunnumpuram, SJKurien Kunnumpuram, SJ
Jesuit priest and a well known Indian theologean.Jesuit priest and a well known Indian theologean.
He is a Professor of Theology( retd.)He is a Professor of Theology( retd.)
He is also a prolific writer.He is also a prolific writer.

DNC Times - April -May 2015

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