DNC TIMES December 2015

02 December 2015December 2015
us down, it is the voice of God. When we allow our
conscience to take charge we get the grace to bear misery
and wrongs with patience and the capacity to build
bridgesbasedonlove.
'Y' represent 'YES' to God's Mercy, accepting
JESUS within and to let go our sinfulness and to be
rejuvenated with the grace of MERCY to act Mercifully.
Therefore let us focus on that aspect we wish to fix to
makespaceforGod.
The Theme of this edition
'BEING MER – CI – FUL'
emphasises the act of 'BEING' and
'SEEING'. When we see so much of
injustice, wretchedness, intolerance
and crimes, are not our hearts moving
with MERCY to ACT? The Message
we accentuated is, don't just SEE but
ACT in your own limits. Lancy's
article will take you into the depth of
being Merciful through the
highlights of the Papal Bull
'MISERICORDIAE VULTUS'. As
we are aware that Pope Francis,
having seen the Miseries of
marriage, has proposed a New 'Moto
Proprio' the knowledge of it is elucidated by Fr. Jose
Charimel as a Tribunal of the Church. We have Sr. Helen
voicing her views on the Document on Mercy from
feminist perspectives and Sr. Usha focusing on the
'Healing Presence of Ours' through an interview. The
articles have a blend of the season of advent, incarnation
and Ecology, the idea of phenomenology, deeds of
Mercifulness, stories and Poems to deepen your
experience of reading. Wish you a knowledge filled
readingandHappyChristmas.
nd
is a 2 yeartheologystudent atJDV,Pune.)(John
December 2015December 2015
r.Paul Madej in his speech to the Good News
Center in Utica preparing them for Advent said,
F“We must give an Acronym to every week of
Advent focusing on concrete ways of doing something,
and the Acronym is M.E.R.C.Y.” Pope Francis in his
declaration of the year of Mercy too says, we need to
open our doors to the Christian value of being merciful as
God is merciful. We have to come out of selfishness and
welcome God's mercy to flow
through our lives to others. This act
reminds me of the carol, “Last
Christmas” as it goes, 'Last Christmas
I gave you my heart the very next day
you gave it away.” So friends this
Christmas open your heart, to be kind
andmerciful.
The Theme of our edition is
on MERCY so I thought let me
highlight the Acronym as Fr. Paul
Madej has explained. 'M' of the
Acronym 'M.E.R.C.Y' stands for
'Motivate', due to the lack of mercy
there is violence around us, so how
are we to motivate ourselves and
otherstoshow actsofmercytoday?
'E' is to eliminate. One needs to eliminate the sins
within us and put on the splendor of God forgiving
ourselves and others even those who persecute us. In the
present world ofTerror and fear we need to eliminate fear
andputoncouragetofaceitwithMercy.
'R' is to rest in the Lord through prayer, laughter,
obedience and relationships. God is merciful and just,
rest in the Lord and one will find peace and harmony
even in turmoil and disasters.As the Lord says, “Come to
meandI willgiveyourest.”
'C' is Conscience.Theconsciencewillneverlet
The EditorialThe Editorial
John Fernandes, SJ

authorizes all priests (otherwise reserved to the Holy
See) to forgive the sin of abortion for 'those who have
procured it and who with contrite heart, seek forgiveness
for it'. He ensures that the suffrages of the Church obtain
forthemtheindulgence.
While the reality of abortion could be an outcome
of a mutual decision between a man and a woman, the act
of abortion itself holds a female accountable
significantly since it occurs within her physique. In the
words of Pope Francis, she suffers the 'scar of the
agonizing and painful decision deeply in her heart'. In
dealing with this crucial concern, the Pope has
walked/walks the talk of the Jubilee of Mercy. The
Church/we is/are left with the mission of being a means
of mercy, i.e., addressing feminist concerns of
subordination and oppression several sections of people
especially women suffer and envisioning
For, “wherever the Church is present, the
mercy of the Father must be evident”. In other words,
her/our credibility is seen in how she/we shows/show
merciful and compassionate love through works of
mercy overcoming usual indifference and reaching out to
those who are wounded/ perpetrators of offences and in
need of help. Mercy needs to be present not just as a
word, but with the same concreteness that we see in the
Gospel
Conclusion
A feminist perspective of the implementation of
the Jubilee of Mercy would solicit not merely advocating
for gentleness, compassion, generosity, understanding,
and non-judgemental attitude but also 'being merciful as
our Father is merciful' (Lk 6:36) that is, participating in
God's love for God's creatures. It is to feel responsible for
the other, to desire the well-being of the other and
translate the feeling into action. May one and all
experiencewholeness duringthisJubileeof Mercy.
(Sr Helen is a guest lecturer at JDV, teaching
Theology of Human Person and Feminist Theology)
possibilities for
both individual and collective resistance to such
atrocities.
.
his brief exposé deals with three concerns,
namely, preliminaries on the theme, elucidating
Tthe grapple to implement the decrees of the
Jubilee of Mercy, and a feminist perspective regarding
theimplementationof thedecrees.
Preliminaries
The idea of 'Mercy' comes from a Trinitarian
aspect of God's forgiveness and compassion endowed on
humans through the Holy Spirit.Wherein the Church as a
seat of mercy is an alternative where true justice – that is,
mercy– is proclaimed,lived,andpursued.
Grappling with the Implementation of the Jubilee of
Mercy
The decrees pertaining to the implementation of
the Jubilee of Mercy have been illustrated more clearly
by Pope Francis in his exhortation to individual bishops
concerning the object of the Bull – enabling the Church
to be the Face of Mercy. The Church/we is/are invited to
manifest the Face of Mercy of the Trinity through
spiritual and corporal works. These logically framed
decrees, which are wretched realities of our world, await
the light of day. The Pope exhorts to resume these works
by 'reawakening our conscience, too often grown dull in
thefaceof poverty'.
AFeministPerspective...
A true feminist – focusing on the disadvantaged,
the downtrodden –, the Pope considers the suffering
and broken society, the sick, elderly and alone, the
incarcerated, the diseased..., and declares them to be
beneficiaries of the Church's spiritual and corporal works
of mercy. In particular, he highlights a specific category
of people experiencing an existential and moral ordeal –
those suffering the torment of the sin of abortion. While
duly underlining the seriousness of the act of abortion
('murder' according to Pope John Paul II, cf. Evangelium
Vitae 58) and highlighting its underlying facets –
'agonizing and painful decision' and 'the belief of several
women that they have no other option', Pope Francis
Implementation of the Jubilee of Mercy
A Feminist Perspective
Implementation of the Jubilee of Mercy
A Feminist Perspective
Analysis
HelenDantis, ufs

descend from above (Cf. Sp.Ex. [235-237]). Ignatius's
mysticism is primarily a mysticism of open eyes. This
spirituality is at the root, of his pioneering vision of
religious life which is radically apostolic, of finding God
in all things and all things in God. Ignatius's spirituality
is also deeply incarnational that sees the reality as
permeated by divinity. Taking the cue from this T. de
Chardin would say, “By virtue of Creation, and still more
the Incarnation, nothing here below is profane for those
who know how tosee”.
A Cherokee poem inspires us to
open our eyes, ears… our outer and
inner senses in order to evolve a new
visionofreality.
The man whispered, “God, speak to
me.”
And a meadowlark sang. But the man
didnothear.
So the man yelled, “God, speak to
me!”
Thunder rolled across the sky. But the
mandidnotlisten.
The man looked around and said,
“God,letmeseeyou.”
Astarshone brightly.Buthenoticeditnot.
And themanshouted,“God,show meamiracle.”
And a life was born. But the man didn't feel the pulse of
life.
So, themancriedoutindespair,
“Touchme,God, andletmeknow thatyou arehere!”
WhereuponGod reacheddown andtouchedtheman.
Butthemanbrushed thebutterflyawayandwalkedon.
Mysticism of open eyes is required not only to
reach out to our suffering brothers and sisters, but also to
carefor our commonhome.
(Rolphy teaches Spiritual Theology at Pontifical
Gregorian University, Rome)
I sought my soul, but my soul I could not see.
I sought my God, but my God eluded me.
I sought my brother, and I found all three.
- William Blake
The root of the word 'mystique' is from the Greek
my- which means close - to close the eyes and the mouth
in order to see the unseeable and say the unsayable. A
mystic is one who has a glimpse of the incomprehensible
vision of absolute reality by closing the eyes, i.e., by
looking inwards. But the
incomprehensible transcendence is
also immanence, Immanuel, God is
with us and in us.The transcendence of
God is such that it can manifest itself in
the here and now, to anyone and
anywhere – Incarnation. This is the
theological basis for a mysticism of
openeyes.
It is J. B. Metz who introduced
the concept of the mysticism of the
open eyes. For him it is not just a
romantic idea encountering God in the
good, true and beautiful. The scriptural experience of
God is more a mysticism of open eyes than of closed
eyes. It goes beyond one's personal relationship with
God and touches the suffering of others. Mystical
experience is not a question of having extraordinary
visions, but attaining a new vision of reality that grasps
God astheultimatesourceandfoundationofallthatis.
The illumination by the river Cardoner infused in
St. Ignatius of Loyola a new vision of reality. “…
everything seemed new to him” (Autobiography [30]). In
the last contemplation of the Spiritual Exercises,
Contemplation to Attain Love, Ignatius invites the
exercitant to consider how God dwells in creatures, how
God labours and works for me, and how all good things
Mysticism of Open EyesMysticism of Open Eyes
Rolphy Pinto,SJ
Article

grandeurenvironmenttoo.
Yahweh says “I have heard the cry of my people”.
This indicates that the cry of the humanity is heard. On
the other hand, there is no concrete pioneer, as in the case
of humanity, to show the path how to comprehend the cry
of the mother earth as she is degraded her dignity, even
spilt into fragments day by day through monstrous
attitudes of human beings, who are supposed to be the co-
creators. One feels pride at his/her mighty deeds.
However, death is not only caused to one being on the
earth but also to the environment. Because, each one has
a role to play in his /her life time that cannot be replaced
by others. Even if, he/ she is
replaced by someone, the
replaced person has double
responsibility towards
oneself,othersandnature.
' P u n e Ti m e s
M i r r o r ' d a t e d o n
18/11/2015 illustrates the
story of two dogs, Athena
and Zeus, in which Zeus
was barking continuously
for two days until it got
help forAthena who had got stuck in a chain link barrier.
If a dog, considered as less dignified creature, had so
much mercy for its own kind, what about us? Actually,
our eyes are encrusted due to either the mentality of
having extortionate things rather than being more in life,
or the influence of instantaneous attitude in all the sphere
of life. In spite of the lesson from Zeus, if we persist in the
way we do now, no one wards off us in the future. Hence,
It is the time to decide fast a strategy to transform our
attitude towards oneself, others and nature to sustain life
ontheearth.
nd
(Leo is a 2 year philosophy student at JDV, Pune.)
ercy' can be expressed or experienced in
and through the acts of compassion,
Msympathy, forgiveness, pity, etc.
Humankind, among all creations, is endowed with
mercy. Keeping it either active or dormant depends on
the individual’s desire. This article delineates the
eminent stalwarts, whose mercy have brought life to
others and indicates further how this aspect is gradually
fadinginhumankind.
Emmanuel Levinas, a renowned philosopher,
often describes mercy as the face of the other that makes
one neither to be a voluntary, active receiving of the
o t h e r, n o r t o b e a n
i n v o l u n t a r y, p a s s i v e
imposition. To welcome the
face of the other is to enter
into a relationship in which
the possibility of ethical
commitment arises.To cite an
example, it is the face of the
sufferings owing to lack of
morality and injustice that
enkindled the fire of mercy
among the Trinity, resulting
in the salvation of human kind in and through Jesus
Christ. This spirit is passed on to few. For instance,
centuries later, it is the face of the destitute, the hopeless
and the helpless on the road side that stirred up Mother
Theresa's consciousness, and in turn she agglomerated
them and sheltered them with love and concern. Though
being merciful is innate to us, yet few are bound to be in
passive imposition. For examples, the rich man and the
poor Lazarus in the Bible and the barbaric and brutal
atrocities against the weaker sections today, especially
the child abuses and abuse of the rights of the tribals. As
the years go by, the aspect of mercy should not be limited
to humanity alone but to be extended towards
Mercy Brings LifeMercy Brings Life
S. Leo Arockia Raj, SJ
Article

perspective. St. Francis felt a deep kinship with all of
creation, addressing them as “brother” or “sister,”
firmly believing that everything came from the same
creative Source (God the Creator). Indeed, St. Francis'
r e s p e c t f o r
creation appeared
t o h a v e n o
boundaries. It is
said that he once
removed worms
from a busy road
and placed them to the side so that they would not be
crushedunder human traffic. According to him, a lack of
compassion for animals/creatures leads to a lack of
mercy towards humans. “If you have men who exclude
any of God's creation from the shelter of compassion
and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with
theirfellowmen,” hesaid.
According to the Islamic faith, the Prophet
Muhammad was the embodiment of mercy; he showed
compassion to all, including animals, tiny insects and
creatures. He also treated the environment with respect
and mercy. He taught his followers that animals/
creatures were part of God's creation and they should be
treated with dignity, due care and respect. According to
Jainism, “Ahimsa” or Non- Violence is one of the
ethical codes playing a vital role and it is at the 'heart' of
the religion itself. It is a virtue based on Universal love
andmercytowards alllivingcreatures.
Finally, my humble and earnest request to
humanity is that everyone must strike a balance in their
treatment of animals and all living creatures knowing
well that they (all living creatures) are put on this earth by
the Creator for our own support in the process of
maintaining environmental relations, equilibrium,
and peace on this beautiful blue planet. As a matter of
fact, they are not at the same level like human beings;
(Cont’d on Pg.7 )
n my point of view, being merciful towards living
creatures is one of the greatest virtues of humanity
Ion the face of the earth. Being merciful implies not
only towards living creatures, but also towards one's own
fellow beings and even towards one's own enemy as set
forth by our own Lord Jesus Christ. Mercy unfolds the
limitless environmental relations with all the living as
well as non- living beings in the whole of universe. Thus,
'mercy' can be considered as the doorway to
reconciliation and peace leading to cardinal virtues
such as love, hope, and charity among all the living
beings. Hence, 'mercy' is the essence of the whole
humanity and the overflowing healthy feeling of
kindness and gentleness pouring out from one's core of
the heart. Furthermore, it is a positive attitude that helps
one come out of his/her comfort zones and feel one with
all the living beings so as to strengthen the environmental
relations.
As we already know that there are basically two
distinct schools of Christian thought: The Aristotelian-
Thomistic School and the Augustinian- Franciscan
School. The Aristotelian- Thomistic school teaches that
animals/ creatures are here for our pleasure and they have
n o i n d e p e n d e n t
purpose. We can eat
them, torture them in
laboratories and do
whatever we feel like
doing with them for
our survival. Most
modern Christians
embrace this form of
t h e i r r e l i g i o n .
H o w e v e r t h e
Augustinian- Franciscan School teaches that all living
beings are brothers and sisters under God's fatherhood.
Based largely on the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi,
this platonic worldview fits neatly within the vegetarian
Ajay Bara,SJ
Mercy towards Living Creatures/
Environmental Relations
Mercy towards Living Creatures/
Environmental Relations Article

and give help to those in need. We live in a world of
human need. There are physical needs emotional needs,
and spiritual needs. We live in a world of sin. People hurt
each other, neglect responsibilities, fight, argue, and do
as they like. These sins create many more needs, the need
for cleansing, comfort, healing, security, love, and
forgiveness. In this world there are offenses, sin, abuse,
oppression, and atrocity; because of which we find
suffering, miserable, wretched
people as long as we are in this
world. We are to look out for
those who are sick, out caste, or
lonely and to have mercy on
them.
Let us rediscover these
corporal works of mercy, to feed
the hungry, give drink to the
thirsty, clothe the naked,
welcome the stranger, heal the
sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. And let us
not forget the spiritual works of mercy, to counsel the
doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners,
comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear patiently
thosewho do us ill,andprayforthelivingandthedead.
st
(Showry is a 1 year theologian at JDV, Pune.)
lessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain the
mercy” (Mt5:7). The joy of being merciful
Bmeans to be moved with compassion towards
the needy. Merciful God loved the world so much and in
his richness and compassion he sent his only begotten
Son to redeem the world with love. He is the merciful
father. It is seen in the parable of the prodigal son, and the
womanwho was caughtinadultery.
The root of mercy is love
and this love never looks for any
reward, but the good of the one
who is in need. Mercy puts no
condition on its way. The
experience of love being
reciprocated is beautiful, but it
should not become a criterion for
us to act. Age, gender, caste and
creed are no barrier for mercy. A
child of a tender age can be as
merciful towards others as an elderly person in his/ her
eighties; a man can be as merciful as a woman; a Muslim
or a Hindu can be as charitable as a Christian. Now the
time has come for the Catholic Church to take up the
joyful call to mercy once more. It is time to return to the
basics and to bear the weakness and struggles of the
brothers and sisters. Mercy is the force that reawakens us
to new life and instills in us the courage to look forward to
the future with hope. Therefore one has to experience the
joy of giving, sharing, and sacrificing. It is a joy of
looking into those faces where hope has been renewed,
faith has been restored, and gladness and joy have
replacedgloomandmisery.
We need a particular way of seeing. In a needy
world, we easily train our eyes to look for what we want
from others instead of what others may need from us. We
need the eyes of Jesus to look at the needy with mercy to
respond to the human need, move among the suffering,
The Joy of Being Merciful
(What Does It Mean “Being Merciful”?)
The Joy of Being Merciful
(What Does It Mean “Being Merciful”?)
B. Inna Showry,SJ
Article
(Cont’d from Pg.6 )
neither should they be treated cruelly and mercilessly. It
is humankind's responsibility to see that they meet the
basic needs for survival- food, water, and shelter. We
must see to it that they are not overburdened, abused, or
tortured. If we do so it will surely result in God's wrath
andjustpunishment.
nd
(Ajay is a 2 year philosopher at JDV, Pune )
Mercy towards Living Creatures...Mercy towards Living Creatures...

Jesus' merciful attitude when he advises the woman not
to sin again and to go in peace. “He defends the sinner
from her enemies; he defends her against an unjust
condemnation”, he continued, “Mercy is the way in
whichGod forgivesour sins”.
As his followers, what is our response and
mission in today's world? Are we reflecting this same
mercy and compassion of Jesus in our life? When we
look into our world, we see that it is divided by hatred,
and torn apartby wars etc. Look at the "inhuman" attacks
on Paris venues which left at least 129 people killed and
hundreds injured, and the displacement of people in
Syria. The saddest thing is that these things are done by
human beings created in the image and likeness of God.
How can we justify and understand these things? Forget
about the world outside. Are we moved by the suffering
of our own brothers and sisters in our families,
communities, institutions and neighborhood? Can I be
that 'Incarnation', of God who dwelt among His people,
by radiating God's mercy and compassion? Can I forgive
my sister, brother or friend who has hurt me? But how can
I become one if I myself am in need of forgiveness and
mercy? We know it is not easy, but this is the challenge
placed before us, as being followers of Christ who has
shown us throughHis own lifethatitis possible.
As we are in the season ofAdvent, a great time of
mercy, let us be open to the invitation of our Holy Father
Pope Francis who says, “Dear brothers and sisters, let us
be enveloped by the mercy of God; let us trust in his
patience, which always gives us more time. Let us find
the courage to return to his house, allowing ourselves to
be loved by him and to encounter his mercy in the
sacraments. We will feel his wonderful tenderness, we
will feel his embrace, and we too will become more
capableof mercy,patience,forgivenessandlove”.
nd
(Sr Clara is a 2 year theology student at JDV, Pune)
od is Love and it was this very Love that
impelled God to become one of us. 'And the
Gword became flesh and dwelt among us'
(Jh.1:14a).Thisisthemysteryof theIncarnation.
In the beginning, God's first plan was to create us
in His own Image and Likeness because He had a desire
to share His infinite love with us. He did create us, but we
rejected Him and fell into sin. So, God has to go a step
further to redeem us with even greater act of love. He
goes even to the extent of giving Himself to become one
among us, just to redeem us. I would consider this
“Incarnation”anactof God's mercy.
God's mercy becomes especially visible in and
through Christ. He assumed our frailty, weakness and
limitation, and moved by our suffering. He reached out to
us and healed our wounds of hatred, unforgiveness, and
our anxieties by his Mercy and compassion. We see the
tangible example of God's mercy and forgiveness in the
life of the woman caught in adultery. On the one side we
have the Pharisees and the elders, sinful and self-
righteous, in a hurry to condemn her. On the other side we
have Jesus, sinless yet merciful. He condemned neither
the women, nor the others. He just made them know
themselves and their own sinful ways. We all know what
happened afterwards. They all left, starting from the
eldest. Pope Francis says that this episode shows us
Incarnation an Act of God's MercyIncarnation an Act of God's Mercy
Sr. Clara, fsp
Article

these situations was nothing other than mercy. We also
realize that Jesus Christ is the face of the Father's mercy
in the very words of Jesus when he said, “Be merciful as
yourheavenlyfatheris merciful(Lk6:36).
Pope begins by mentioning that the practice of
mercy is waning in the wider culture. By saying “Mercy
is the very foundation of the Church's life” (No.10), he
means that in all the pastoral activity, preaching and in
her witness to the world the church must manifest its
credibilityinshowing mercyandcompassionatelove.
The Bull concludes (No. 23 – 24)
with the mention of Mary and her
hymn of praise, sung at the
threshold of the home of Elizabeth,
which speaks of the mercy of God
that extends from 'generation to
generation' (Lk 1:50). We too are
included in those prophetic words
of the Virgin Mary. The Pope says
that it must be a source of comfort
and strength to us as we cross the
threshold of the Holy Year to
experience the fruits of divine
mercy from the heart of the Trinity.
Yes, this year is the time to allow
our hearts to be touched, says the
Pope. When confronted with evil deeds, even in the face
of serious crimes, it is the time to listen to the cry of
innocent people who are deprived of their property, their
dignity,theirfeelings,andeventheirverylives.
rd
(Lancy is a 3 year theologian at JDV, Pune.)
ercy' is a theme dear to Pope Francis. Pope
Francis has convoked the Extraordinary
MJubilee Year of Mercy throughout the
Church through the bull, Misericordiae vultus (Face of
mercy – merciful like the Father). This Holy Year will
open on 8 December 2015, on the Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception and will close with the liturgical
Solemnity of Christ the King on 20 November 2016. In
my opinion, this year is a call for us to rediscover our
`Christianness' or Christian ethos by first having the
experience of God's mercy so as to be
'Missionaries of Mercy.'
The Pope says that 'mercy' is
not an abstract word, but rather a face
to recognize, contemplate and serve.
It reveals the very mystery of the
Most Holy Trinity. Mercy is the
ultimate and supreme act by which
God comes to meet us. It is the
fundamental law that dwells in the
heart of every person who looks
sincerely into the eyes of his/her
brothers and sisters on the path of life
(No. 1). According to the Pope, in
mercy, we find proof of how God
loves us. God always gives his entire
self freely and asks nothing in return. He comes to our aid
wheneverwecallupon him.
God the father in the history of Israel was
merciful and patient. In Ex 34: 6, God revealed himself to
Moses as merciful and gracious, slow to anger…..Mercy
was the bridge that connected God and humans. Jesus
too, in his lifetime, was an epitome of mercy (Nos. 7 - 8).
Jesus felt compassion for the crowd (cf. Mt 9:36), the sick
who were presented to him (cf. Mt 14:14), the enormous
crowd who is hungry for the word (cf. Mt 15:37), and the
pain of the widow of Nain What moved Jesus in all of
LancyFernandesSJ
Misericordiae Vultus
Year of Mercy - A Call to be Missionaries of Mercy
Misericordiae Vultus
Year of Mercy - A Call to be Missionaries of Mercy
Article
Let Church always be a place of
Mercy and Hope, where everyone is
Welcomed,
Loved and Forgiven.
Let Church always be a place of
Mercy and Hope, where everyone is
Welcomed,
Loved and Forgiven.
-Pope Francis

I see here, there, everywhere,
My mother earth cries for mercy.
Whispering in my ears with pain for my hand.
This mother earth soothed all creatures of hers with
love.
Now, she is filled with strife.
The tunes of trees die away,
The fragrances of flower taken away,
She desires help from kind beings.
She longs for love and compassion.
Poor, poor, poor! This mother,
Helpless became in midst of helpful technology.
Searching this mother for a kind battle,
Asking us, will I be saved by your kind act?
Her food became tasteless; water's color became pure
less.
Animals became homeless at home.
The beauty of mother is snatched away.
She knocks at heart of kindhearted,
This mother earth could sense her forthcoming death.
She is abused, distorted and overused,
Human being is slaughtering this mother for selfish
purposes and greed.
Though, her love was boundless for humanity,
Alas! She experienced human's brutality.
Suffocated this mother cries for mercy and kind act.
Alas! Will I have future?
Who would stand by me?
Oh! Where are you gracious beings?
Save me, I am a harmless mother,
Have mercy on me………!
st
(Jayanti is a 1 year philosopher at JDV, Pune)
ercy! It's beyond my life experience. What
is it? Where does it come from; where it
Mgoes; how is it mentally and spiritually felt.
Expect nothing in mercy ……… but let it flow, let it
happen as it may! God's Mercy gushes like honey and
milk, so is the fusion of mercy that lies in one's life .There
I see my life flowing everyday in that direction. I let
expectation pass through without any feelings, but I will
be there, there and then, I feel....The fusion of mercy,
gushes in and through me in silent breeze; feel the mercy
fragrance. So you too would like to have the very
experience of mercy filled moment, be there as you are,
natural in style and speech, stand strong…..stand
tall….stand calm and you will find the gentle touch of
mercyreshapingyour personalityinstyle.
It can neither be seen nor can it be heard but only
experienced in the silence of one's heart. One will not
realize it, but you will find the result of it from within- a
sort of satisfaction of being merciful to someone. If you
have worries, anxieties, and fears, just tear open your
heart, throw it into the deep ocean and forget it; the very
moment in life, fusion of the limitless mercy will start
filling you up, refreshing and revealing the fullness of
life. It comes in silence by other’s deeds and touches our
beingfromwithin.
God's mercy and forgiveness go hand in hand
within one's heart. So in a way one is always protected
under his wings of mercy like a duckling being protected
by her mother's warmth from all danger of life. Mercy is
built, broken and rejected yet MERCY remains an
unruffled thing. Once in mercy, it's forever, there are no
boundaries, no gate, no barriers and no limit but it goes
beyond all things bringing JOYin all. In the silence of my
heart when I explored the inner space there landed mercy,
my dry land soften, as it flowed within filling the
greeneryof lifefor apilgrim.
(Cont’d on Pg 11. )
Fusion of MercyFusion of Mercy
GilbertSJ
Have Mercy, Oh! ManHave Mercy, Oh! Man
Jayanti, SJ
Poetic Prose

The villagers didn't have any other income. It
was then I had felt something. A woman who saw how
little I had collected smiled at me, unique as that of a
mother. What she had collected was for sure more than
two- folds of mine. Though she had five mouths back at
home to feed with the money earned on that day, she
voluntarily and willingly gave me one-third of what she
had collected. To be true it was not less at all. She did this
to me not because she felt pity on me and so she shared,
but because she wanted both of us to be happy at the same
level.
Mercy is not about giving something out of pity
or forgiving someone out of magnanimity. It is an
intimate feeling of sharing that springs forth out of love
that we have for someone. When you are merciful, you
don't merely feel happy or great or proud, rather you
make the other feel one with you, replenished. You make
the other feel ensconced in you so much that s/he is not
going to merely treasure it in her or his heart rather being
inspired to do so to as many people as possible. That was
what happened to me and that was how I felt it. Yes!
MERCYisgivenbirththroughintimatesharing.
st
(Jayaseelan is a 1 year philosopher at JDV, Pune.)
ERCY!” What is it? Does it inherently
mean the presence of two sides where one is
Minevitably at a higher level owing to status
or possession of things, and the other is obviously at a
lower level because the latter has less when compared to
that of the former? Or is it 'Divine Forgiveness'? Or is it a
word to be used only in 'Divine Conversations'? It can't
be of any of these, can it? What is it, then? What does it
meantomeorhow do Ifeelit?
I, along with my batch companions, was in
Kodaikkanal for my 'month-long work experience'. As
the very name indicates, we are supposed to 'work, earn
and make our both ends meet with that hard-earned
money'. We stayed in a small village and the people over
there were very simple, loving and caring. It was with
them we went to work. Having had the experience of
farming in my village, I was hopeful of doing it well. I
was supposed to collect coffee seeds. The more you
collect the more you earn. I was naughty and playful that,
at the end of the day, I had collected very little compared
to that of the villagers who were with me. As a result of
my present performance, the estate owner stopped me
from working from the next day onwards. I never thought
of it and didn't feel the pinch of it. But the villagers would
experience it because of me, for it was on their
recommendationthatIhadbeenallowedtowork there.
Jeyaseelan,SJ
Mercy – An Intimate SharingMercy – An Intimate Sharing
(Cont’d from Pg. 10)
'The Mercy'.... silent is she... searching for a mild
land, space where she can be filled with grace but
couldn't do so because of unwanted filth of life. Both
Mercy and Grace came together to me overshadowing
and filling me within the divine arms, I lost completely,
completely lost, not able to perceive things. Then I
realized the divine spark blazing upon my heart and this
iswhereMercyworkedsmart.
(Gilbert is doing one year certificate course in
theology at JDV, Pune.)
Experience
Fusion of MercyFusion of Mercy

for the programme. The hostlers were sitting with their
parents, while Vijay was sitting alone and was reminded
of his parents. Being overpowered by his uncontrollable
loneliness, he came out of the hall and sat in a lonely
place,thinkingof thefond memoriesofhisparents.
The people in the hall were enjoying every
programme. The next programme was the address of the
chief guests. Mrs. Lakshmi came forward and addressed
saying that she and her husband had come for the
programme in spite of their hectic schedule because their
own son also was staying in the same hostel.All the faces
were filled with curiosity to know who their son would
be. She said that it was Vijay.
Immediately Vijay's friends
looked for him in the hall but
could not find him. They came
out and found him sitting alone.
They told him that his parents
had come. Vijay angrily replied
not to fool him. They took him
forcibly to the hall. On seeing
Vijay, Mrs. Lakshmi said “May I
have my son Vijay on the stage?”
He went onto the stage
reluctantly. She asked him “Do
you remember me”? He replied
“No”. “We were the ones to whom you gave two pockets
of food in the bus stop” she said.Then he remembered the
incident, yet confused. She started saying that she had
lost her only son in a recent bus accident and was looking
for a compassionate son to take care of them in the future
and so they disguised themselves as beggars. Standing
near her husband she told Vijay weeping, “Son, will you
take us as your parents”? He immediately prostrated in
front of them and cried. The whole crowd gave standing
ovationtotheirmercifulacts.
nd
(Richard is a 2 year philosopher at JDV, Pune)
n a happy and joyful mood, Vijay and his friends
came out of the theatre.As they walked towards the
Ibus stop, his friends were making fun of the
humorous scenes in the movie. Vijay, departed from
their fun, was deeply thinking of the parents' love for
their son in the movie. Having reached the bus stop, they
saw a shabbily clothed elderly couple asking for alms,
saying that they had not eaten anything for two days.
Hardly anyone including Vijay's friends paying attention
to them, Vijay's sight fell on the face of them. Meanwhile
the bus had arrived and his friends hurriedly boarded the
bus. Vijay was in a dilemma whether to board the bus or
help the couple. He decided to
stay back to help them. Having
asked the elders to sit in the bus
stop, he went to a hotel, bought
two pockets of food and gave
them. They were very happy.
Tears rolled down on their
cheeks and asked him, “When no
one bothered about us, how
could you alone pay attention to
us?” He replied that they
reminded him of his parents and
started narrating the story about
his parents who recently died in a
road accident. From then on whenever he saw any elders
in need of help, he started helping them as much as he
could. Giving his address, he asked them to approach him
whenever they needed any help. Then he bade them
goodbye and got into a bus. The elders left the place with
joyfultears.
A week later, Vijay's hostel was in full swing in
preparing for the parents' day celebrations. The
management had invited Mr. Chandra Shekar and Mrs.
Lakshmi, a well renowned couple in the district to be the
chief guests. All the hostellers had invited their parents
John RichardSJ
Mercy Makes MerrimentMercy Makes Merriment
Short Story

our being. If it is lacking in human being then there will
be no meaning in differentiating ourselves with other
being.Animals fight for food and breed but human being
fight for greed and domination.They have the capacity to
forgive and live together, yet they fight for power and
authority.
Mercy is the source of nurturing and nourishing.
Through domination people destroy life or manipulate
life. Mercy teaches us to promote life. In our daily
findings we will encounter mercy as a life giving source
rather than a life taking entity, because it is forgiving and
allowing others to grow in virtue
which unites all together. It
enables us to regain our original
self or genuineness. Thus it's the
seat of wisdom, like the blind
man of Jericho. It gives one the
innersighttoseeeverything.
An act of mercy is a home
coming experiencing. It allows
other human beings to feel at
home with ourselves. We
remove the so called borders of
separation which keeps others
away from us on the basis of richness, space, intellect,
status and life style. A dominating culture brings
disharmony among humans and spoils the peace from
within. He or she is at ease with animals and other
technological equipments but not with his own brothers
and sisters. Today we need to ask ourselves a question –
can I be a merciful human being? What are the obstacles
in my life which blocks me from being merciful? Can I
contribute something in the life of others and make this
earth beautiful by the act of mercy?The answer to these is
withinus so let'sbegintobemerciful.
nd
(Nirmal is a 2 Year philosopher at JDV, Pune)
ur life is bound by space and time. We are in
the era where everybody wants to be a dictator,
Odominator or king. When we look at our
history, after the evolution of human being, we find
humans very genuine and realistic, but with the progress
of science and technology purity and originality of
humans has been lost, for it is overturned by reason.
Today the cultures of hybridization, fast food and rapid
growth, have taken over human life. As a result the
humanness of the hybrid humans is getting drained off
and the civilized are becoming non-human. The recent
terrorist attack in Paris, growing
intolerance in India and many
rape cases give us the picture of
theuncivilizedhybridhuman.
A s t u d y o f
phenomenology gives us three
kinds of domination.The first is-
domination in globalization- it
shows apparently a bright
picture of unity, equality and
l i b e r t y, t h e ' i n n e r ' o f
globalization shows that it offers
the ideal setting for the powerful
to dictate and control the powerless majority. The second
is – domination through 'ready-made' – it takes away the
thinking and doing capacity. People are being made
incapable to act and to think, as ready-made short-cuts
are available in the market. The third is – domination
through money- it is the source, the means and the goal of
all domination. Money is having – the foundational and
universal stronghold. Money creates tension between
beingandhaving.
Our reflection thus is to show how mercy could
be the counter culture of phenomenological– domination
over human beings. Mercy should be the very nature of .
Phenomenological –
Domination Over Human Beings
Phenomenological –
Domination Over Human Beings
Nirmal Kullu, SJ
Article

other as Jesus did, “Father Forgive them for they know
not what they are doing.”There are many valuable quotes
and passages from the Bible which illustrate the
forgiving attitude of God towards the human race. The
bible is a our source which leads us in the path of Jesus
who is thesymbolofcompassion.
Personally I feel great of being merciful.All of us
have some way or the other experienced the joy of being
kind. It reminds me of our Saviour who is ever merciful at
a l l t i m e s . B e i n g
compassionate and loving is
becoming Christ. It's
entering to the aura of bliss.
We express kindness in all
circumstances and in all
spheres of our life. It's not
that one has to forgive the so
called grievous crime, rather
in ordinary things and small
mistakes. It has the same
effect as the big one. We become Jesus when we show
mercy for all the inconvenience done to us and to our
family members. Let's be aware of this fact.The LORD is
good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
(Psalms145;9)
nd
(Savariappan is a 2 year philosopher at JDV, Pune)
e merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
(Luke: 6; 36) The virtue which is very familiar
Bto all the religions, is Mercy. Many attributes
dedicated to the word 'Mercy'. It is a religious jargon
which many people do not understand fully. It is an
attitude or a grace that has to be cultivated and
understood in real sense. All of us have experienced the
mercy from one another from our childhood. Receiving
and being compassionate are important aspects of all
people.
The basic question is
why one should forgive the
other if the other has committed
a grievous crime against you
and your family? What is it to
be forgiving? The answer is -
Jesus is the model of
forgiveness. We inherit his
quality of being merciful
because we are made in his
likeness. Do we have any instances of forgiveness? Yes,
absolutely there are many lived examples in our church,
i.e. Pope John Paul II, family of Rani Maria. Not only
these great people did it but also humble and the faithful
do it in their day today lives. Being merciful is a grace to
thehumanity.
The joy of being compassionate and merciful is
evident in our lives. Some of us are aware of being
compassionate and some do not give much importance to
it. The fact that we are humans is being merciful. It
generates love and confidence in others to alter their
lives. It is shown by all and expressed in different forms.
In all the stages of our lives we experience forgiveness of
the other as well as we have been kind to others. It's a
divine feeling when you show mercy to the other. All of
us are gifted and given the grace to forgive. It is a natural
law if one forgives you; you need to forgive the
What is it Meant to Be Merciful?What is it Meant to Be Merciful?
Savariappan M
Article

be caught up with something to do. When we enter our
streets vehicles are fast, drivers are so impatient with the
traffic signals for the loss of time. On the railway station
people are fast, otherwise they may not reach to their
office on time. Why to say more! Even in the case of food
we have so called 'fast food' now. Thus in every realm of
our life we are witnessing this fast culture. We seek for
fast solutions, quick answers, calculations and so on but
have forgotten to respect the other as other i.e. being
merciful towards others. Amidst the fast activities of the
day s/he is having no time for others. Thus the 'fast'
culture is a hindrance to us to be merciful to others.
What shallwedo?
For me the greatest challenge to be merciful is
being merciless to the self. Addressing the European
Parliament Indian former president Dr. A P J Abdul
kalam once said, “When there is righteousness in the
heart there is beauty in character. When there is beauty in
the character there is harmony in the home.When there is
harmony in the home there is an order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation there is peace in the
world”. Every change or difference comes out from the
decision of the heart. In the
case of mercy the greatest
change that we can make is
by being merciful to oneself.
Quite often we are enslaved
in the strict convictions and
wrong prejudices and as a
result we become so rigid
and strict to ourselves. The year of mercy is an invitation
to come out of this enslavement by being merciful to
ourselves. If anyone wants the world to be merciful to
him/ her, then s/he should be merciful to self and to
others.Lettheyearofmercybeginfromour hearts.
rd
(Sebastian is a 3 year theologian at JDV, Pune)
he world we live in is fast developing, making
us witnesses of a fast-smart culture. This has
Tmade our lives easy and luxurious developing
human intelligence to grow towards a greater vision of
horizons. Amidst all this, humans have lost their dignity
and values, respect and concern for the other, sex
conscious so much so brutally killing the new life and
attacks on humans. The aspect of mercy is being
deteriorated in human minds. In this context, the year of
mercy announced by Pope Francis gets its importance.
Hence it is fair enough to look back into our own lives
andreflectonthechallengestobemerciful.
Growing SelfCentrism
In this modern world people are bothered about
themselves and least bothered about the other. This
makes them strangers in their own localities. One doesn't
know the person next door, so much so that when an
outsider seeks information they shrug their shoulders
being ignorant of their neighbours. This growing culture
of self - centrism and self-sufficiency hinders human
beings to go out to the other and to be their Good
Samaritan.
Moving….Moving….FastMoving
We live in a 'fast food' culture. Everywhere
everyone is busy with so many things. Everyone seems to
The Challenges of Being MercifulThe Challenges of Being Merciful
Sebastian MCBS
Article

welisteningtoGod's constantcallwithinus?
I think if Jesus were living, he would have to go
through the passion again. He must have been seeing the
thorns of every person's pride come piercing, fiercely
stabbing deep into his entire body. He must have been
seeing the lashing whip of mankind's ugly lip whipping
him,strippinghim,of his humanity.Woundinghim,
Withtheirthoughtsof hatred,
Withtheirthoughtsof jealousies,
Withtheirwords thattearthetruth,
Withtheirwords thatspreadunkindness,
Withtheirword thatspreadgossip andhopelessness,
Withtheirdesirefor theworldlypleasure,
These challenge the followers of Christ today.
The world is sick and affected with many diseases. There
is AIDS, there is Cancer, there is corruption and there is
eternal violence. But who is there to heal this voiceless
world? Don't say 'WHO' but we human beings have to
take up the challenge of healing our world today. The
future lies here with us. God calls us to be the healer of
thisbrokenworld,
Tobetheagentof peace,
Tobetheagentof Joy,
Tobetheagentof love,
Tobetheagentof mercy,and
TobetheMessenger ofGod
So arewereadyfor it?
Then, let us be the
agents who live Mercy and
Love to the family, friends, society and the world so that
our world will be God's dwelling and happy place to live
in. Let us be the first ones to respond to this invitation to
bemerciful.
st
(Amos is a 1 year philosopher at JDV, Pune)
od's call to Humansis that of Love and to share
his mission to build a better society. God
Gdoesn't call us, to love our own life and forget
the others, neither does he calls us, to love the riches and
forget the poor in the world. Instead he calls us to love all
equally.
The act of living 'Mercy' is nothing but radiation of
Christ in us, “love your neighbor as yourself”
(Mk12:3). This command of Christ depends on our
intimacy with Him.The deeper the relationship the better
we are attune to God's mercy and love. Blessed Mother
Teresa, St. Peter Claver, and St. Martin of Tours are
few examples of those who have been living mercy in
their lives. At the end our life, we won't be judged by the
number of diplomas or the amount of money we
collected or the greatness we have achieved, instead we
will be judged by our acts towards the other. As Jesus
said, "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I
was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you
tookmein.”
When we see a destitute lying on the street, a hungry
child seeking for a morsel to survive, a blind struggling to
cross the busy streets, a homeless shivering in cold and
running for shelter, what happens to us? Are not our
hearts moving to help.........Is there anything that strikes?
What would Christ do in a similar situation? Are we
attunedtothisunconditionalloveandmercyof God?Are
Acts of Living MercyActs of Living Mercy
Alshedai Amos, SJ
Article

model of body includes all life forms, indeed all matter
on our planet”, and thus the “body is a model that links us
with everything in the most intimate way”. Even Indian
philosophy says that the five elements of nature are
immanentin everything. Focusing on the person of Jesus,
he became one like us who eats the
grains of the field, breathe the air,
and drinks the water. Through
incarnation he embraces entire
biodiversity.
God saw that all He had created
was good. So when God said to till
the earth and take care of it (Gen
2:15) it not only attributed to
farming but God's expectation that
we take responsibility for the entire creation alike. We
must not be careless and wasteful as we fulfill this
charge. God was careful in making this world so we too
arecalledtobemercifultowards creation.
In the recent encyclical “Laudato Si” Pope
Francis beckons us to be faithful stewards and protectors
of the environment. He says “Let us be protectors of
creation, protectors of God's plan inscribed in nature,
protectors of one another and of the environment”. At
this season of Advent let us pledge to nurture, care and
protect our nature. This would be the best way to
welcome Christ to be born in our hearts and in nature.
Through incarnation we receive the blessings. It is given
to us in and through Christ. In and through Christ the
universe and all of us have been brought together in love.
Let us manifest the glory of God which is put within us
forthebetterfutureandhealthypresent.
rd
(Cyril is a 3 year theologian at JDV, Pune)
s rational beings we cannot deny the reality
that we are integral part of the ecosystem.
ARight from our birth till our death we live on
the earth and go back to the earth. God did not create us in
isolation but put an intimate bond between human beings
and the earth. Adam was made out
of soil. Here Adam stands for entire
human race embracing all. God is
revealed through His creation. He
took the ultimate step towards
fellowship with humans through
incarnation in the Person of Jesus
his son, tobuildunionof hearts.
The full meaning of creation
was revealed only in the coming of
Jesus Christ through whom and for whom the world was
made (Jn 1:1-4; Eph 1:3-14). Jesus the author of the first
and new creation became flesh to give Creation its
meaning, plan and purpose as scripted in Bible.
Whatever came to be found has life in him? It is in and
through the word all that is outside of God comes into
existence. Thus Job 33:4 and Psalm 104:30 speak of
God's Spirit being present in creation and Colossians
1:16 Jesus God's Son, at work in the creation. Hence
'Incarnation' not only proclaims Jesus is God, but also
makes humans intended to be brought into the fullness of
G o d i n C h r i s t .
Therefore we are all
integral part of the
economic plan of God's
creation and are called
'co-heirs' withChrist.
D i v i n i t y
merges absolutely with
Humanness through Incarnation. It is specifically and
creaturely Human. According to Sallie McFague “The
CyrilRaj SJ
Incarnation And EcologyIncarnation And Ecology
Article
(All the butterfly images in this magazine were drawn
nd
by Sch.Praveen Martis SJ, 2 year philosopher at
JDV, Pune)

1.Howdo you interprettheideaof mercytoday?
I would define Mercy as loving kindness to all
human beings, and creatures with love and care for
creation. For me, mercy is my own heart's reaching out to
the other in need or in difficulty. In situations of
misunderstanding I put myself in the place of others and
reach out in love and compassion.
Not being unforgiving but being
sympathetic.
2. How do you see your works
different from the other
organizations doing social
work?
Conscious concern and
impartiality in my dealing with
humans; love of animals and
creatures (ferocious, poisonous or
mild) and care of the earth. This is
based on a desire to search for God
as a reflection of our persevering
commitment to our personal call
andtoourmission.
3. Your life style and way of life emphasizes more on
“being the healing presence to others” can you tell
us how this ideaimpactsyourworks?
Being nonjudgmental, nondiscriminatory, and
caring in my relationships with humans and having an
attitude of caring for God's creatures are my emphasis.
God's universe is filled with wondrous amazement,
beauty, complexity, immensity. My life concerns being at
home with self, my womanhood & others and the
constant search for God, relating to God in everything
andineveryone.
4. Given the 'Motto' of your congregation, and the
work you are doing, how do you motivate the
youngsters? Is the number dwindling or
increasing? `
The motto of our congregation is "Being a
healing presence at the heart of a wounded world." It is
not the kind of work or the amount of work done but that
it is done with joy and willingness of heart and soul. This
I experienced as a young girl and over the years have
imbibed it from the older sisters.
It's true that the numbers are
dwindling but for us we always
had a small number of people.
Therefore our formation is an
integral-person-oriented one
where everyone is given the time
that is needed rather than
hurrying with the years of
formation.This has made people
return with a greater enthusiasm
and deep conviction of their call,
whereas some were able to make
a decision of life and choose the
worldly living. It's God who
calls us and in an encouraging
milieu will nurture us with the grace if one is prayerfully
unitedwithhim.
5. Your sisters are known for their services, “with a
healing touch” What makes you so merciful in
yourservices?
We pray that God helps us to be persons “with a
healing touch” for that is the 'Joy Of Healing'. What
makes us merciful is our own vulnerability and of the
other. My being at home with ourselves and our call gives
us the joy and strength to reach out to the other in love and
care. Our personal prayers, the constant search for God
and seeing His face in others has been our greatest asset.
The action –reflection- action model in our daily lives
makes us introspect our motives and goals in being a
healingpresencetotheother.
Interview with Sr. Usha Gaikwad, MMSInterview with Sr. Usha Gaikwad, MMS

and for the works we do, especially our work for the poor
and the underprivileged. We are to be the backbone,
educating them to face the dominators and to fight for
their rights. These are God's special concern and
therefore ours too. The urgent need today is to forget the
dividing (sects/rights/ego) factors and to be united as one
body of Christ (human beings/human family) witnessing
the Good News of Christ. “Blessed are the poor in spirit
fortheirsistheKingdomofHeaven.”
8. Your mission is that of Jesus, “Having mercy on
those neglected” What gives you the strength to
work daily being gentle and kind towards these
people?
The people we work for are not against us. It is
those in power who are.To see the 'Face of Christ' in them
is difficult. To pray for them is necessary and for
ourselves. The Eucharist and my personal prayer life
enable me to honor value and respect each individual in
particular and life in general helps me to be the 'Face of
Christ'.
Personal Note: The life of ours is a challenge, yet with
the Grace of God I have enjoyed working in the Hospital
especially with the newborns and Children. It has given
me immense joy and satisfaction caring for them and
being the presence of healing in their life. The journey of
having accompanied the Postulants and Sisters in
Temporary Vows (STVs) has enriched me and made me
learn a lot from them too. Being an instrument of God's
love in accompanying the young women of our
congregation in their sacred journey has developed me
holistically.
(Sr Usha is the Director of Holistic Health Program,
Holistic Health Centre Bibwewadi, Pune which is run
by Medical Mission Sisters.)
The spirit of our foundress Mother Anna Dengel
invites each of us to be 'fire and flame' and it has been a
motivating force. She says "Our vocation is so beautiful
to live for the glory and honour of God." Therefore our
day to day life in the community and the wider
community invites us to accompany and challenge each
other in a gentle and loving way. The missionary spirit of
the congregation, the pioneers and all those who have
gone before us encourage us to go beyond preferences, to
surrender in faith, and to trust in God who is always
present and thus be flexible, and open to life with
compassion.
6. Can we say that the value of mercy towards others
is on a generaldeclinetoday intheworld?
I can say for sure that our media world
emphasizes that which is negative, disastrous, and
devastating. The positive and the good acts get covered
up due to what's
being projected
by the media.
So we who are
attuned to the
m e d i a a r e
i n f l u e n c e d
more by the
negative than the positive. This is affecting the young
minds that automatically get this message and in a subtle
way hampers their perception of things. The change is
too fast that one is pushed into it unknowingly and subtly.
And yet we come across people who continue to be
merciful to those in psychological, social, spiritual and
physicalneeds.
7. In the present scenario, what do you think is the
greatest need that must be given attention by
followersof Christ?
Weneedtobecourageoustostandforwho weare
Interview

II.ProceduralRules
1. Preliminary Investigation: The tribunal has to
understand and gather all information prior to the case
for judicialprocess.
2. PROOFS:
a) Declaration of Parties: If the confessions of the
parties have full proof with documents then the judge
can proceed with the judgement, whereas earlier the
judge use to wait for witnesses after witnesses to get
solidproof tonullifythecase.
b) Role ofAssessors: In an eparchy a single clerical
judge is to employ 2 assessors of upright life expert in
human sciences, approved by bishop for the task, and in
case of an anomaly of a psychic nature one needs to
confirmevidencesandproceed.
3. THEDECISIONANDAPPEAL:
a) OneAffirmative decision is sufficient:The new
law abolishes the mandatory appeal to a second
instance tribunal, also of fees. There are institutions of a
shorter process for few cases who have proper proofs to
take decision. The sentence gets enforced after 15days
andallowspartiestogetmarriedunless prohibited.
b) Appeals without any foundation: Once the
Tribunal of higher instances has passed the prosecution,
a college of judges is established that hears appeals of
others and confirms the sentence of the prior instance.
In few instances the Major Archiepiscopal Ordinary
tribunal has competence for appeal. Further dilatory
appeal can come from anyone who refuses to accept the
appealofnullity.
4. Tribunal Fees: Earlier the Tribunal would charge
fees for nullity but now Pope is asking the church to do
itfreeshowing mercy.
5. Particularroleof Bishops:
a) The role of the synod of bishops is to bring about
reform of matrimonial procedures into reality, prepare a
handbook to help people understand the proceedings
andtoprepareministersfor tribunal
ood News, Good News, the procedure for the
Annulment of marriage in the Catholic Church
Ghas been shortened by Pope Francis and is
going to be in force from the 8th December, 2015. Many
of the Church tribunals feel it is a radical change and will
take time to get accustomed to. Yet, the Pope being
merciful towards those struggling with their marriages
has come up in consultation with his council these two
'Motu Properios' namely (Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus and
Mitis et Misericors Iesus). This article explains the Motu
proprio concerning the Eastern Church as I am a tribunal
ofit.
The entire Motu Proprio is divided into the actual
legislative changes and the Procedural Rules which spell
out the ways in which cases are to be heard. Here is a
comparisonbetweenthe newandtheoldpatterns.
1. Role of the Judge: Earlier the Judge would do
everything to bring the parties together, whereas now
he accepts and studies the case before which he is told
that the marriage is irreparably failed and conjugal
living can't be restored. Thus he hears the petitions and
passes sentence.
2. Competence: Earlier the tribunal of the place of
marriage celebrated, or either place of the parties
having domicile or the place where the majority of the
proof are, could take charge, but now the parties need
notbeinthesameterritories,nor thejudicialvicarof the
respondent's domicile grant permission nor must the
respondent be heard before the case. It's in the hands of
the clerical Judge where the petition is filed who takes
thedecision.
3. Eligibility of Lay persons to serve the Judge: Two
or more lay are allowed provided the Clerical Judge
presidesoverthecase.
4. Choice of Grounds: There has to be selection of
Specific grounds formulated by the Judge having heard
theappropriatepersons.
Revolution of Tenderness – The New
'Motu Proprio'
Revolution of Tenderness – The New
'Motu Proprio'
Fr.Jose Chiramel
Article

executive nullity: There need not be twofold decisions
in favor of marital nullity, instead the moral certitude
attainedbyoneJudge is sufficienttopass sentence.
2. Single Judge under the responsibility of
Bishop: A single clerical Judge under the Bishop is
placed in first instance who guarantee's alertness of
matterproposed.
3. The Bishop is the Judge: In-spite of Greater
responsibilities the Bishop is the Judge and has to offer
himself not appointing delegates of curia to judicial
functioning.
4. Increased Brevity in Legal Process: In cases
which seem to be straight and has proper evidences and
facts the Bishop himself being the pastor and shepherd
is tojudgethecaseandgivehis consent.
5. Appeal to the Metropolitan See and Apostolic
See: In cases of higher irregularities the Roman Rota
Tribunals can take the proceedings to pass a sentence
withbetterprospects.
6. The Proper role of Bishops Conferences: The
right of the Bishops to organize judicial powers
constitutestotheparticularchurchtheBishop belongs.
Conclusion: Thus the motu proprio Mitis et Misericors
Iesus has made the procedure more accessible, less time-
consuming, simplified proofs, reduced the number of
witnesses and charge free. The reform has shown
revolutionary tenderness towards all, yet parties will
have to present enough solid evidences to allow the
process move smoothly and faster. Thus Pope Francis in
a radical way has simplified the proceeding of Nullity of
marriage and given a new hope to those trying to build a
better world of peace and harmony, yet it will not be
easier as truth have to be proven with conscience and
moralcertitude
(Fr Jose is the president of Major Archiepiscopal Tribunal.
This abridgedversion is prepared byJohn Fernandes, SJ)
(For Further detailed reading follow the Link,
http://www.dnctimes.com/the-motu-proprio-mitis-et-
misericors-iesus-for-the-eastern-churches/)
. b) The judicial role of the eparchy Bishops is to
administer justice, however he can appoint tribunal
personnel to administer justice. In shorter cases the
Bishop Eparchy himself has to nullify the case,
however there are a few conditions for same. Finally
knowing the disparity of people the Pope envisions the
shorter process of nullity to the Bishops who as pastors
have more ability and validity to do so as shepherd of
theirflocktoknow andlistentotheirmaster.
6. PersonalOptionof theshortercases:
a) I think it is to avoid the protraction done with
cases, making people to wait for years, so 45days of
proceedingstonullify.
b) The petitions pointed must have the rite, grounds,
sign anddateofthedomiciletoproceedwiththenullity.
c) Petition should have an outline of facts, proofs,
anddocumentsofindication.
d) The Judicial Vicar determines & carries out
instructions with the help of assessor, defender of bond
andinstructortoissue thesentenceof nullity.
e) A person has right to appeal to the Pope through
theRomanRotaforbetterclarification.
7. Proceduralsteps inshorterprocedures:
a) Request for Nullity of marriage has to come from
oneoftheparties
b) A Preliminary inquiry is held to get better
understandingandgatherinformation
c) A written petition has to be given with proofs,
documentsandsignedwithdates
d) The Judicial Vicar has to confirm that the
marriageisirretrievablybroken
e) If the petition has some merits then the case is
validandcanbeproceeded…
III. Certain Criterias as laid by Pope Francis based
on expertsstudies
1. That therebeonly onesentenceinfavourof
Article

Art GalleryArt Gallery
Wilson Kujur SJ

DNC TIMES December 2015

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