“Glimpses into the Uniqueness of Recent Popes” by Rev Desmond deSouza Cssr, Media House, New Delhi, Pages 158, Price Rs 180/-. This book was released by Abp Filip Neri Ferrao of Goa and former Foreign Minister, Eduardo Falleiro, at the Mandovi Hotel, Panaji, Goa, on 13th November. Rev deSouza is a Redemptorist priest who has…

First the milk part. There was a cauldron of fresh milk kept amidst a group of people. Seeing it lying unattended one of the bystanders siphoned off some in a bottle and took it home. A second bystander wanted to drink the milk, but he was rudely pushed aside by another; telling him that he…

(Based on a presentation at the North India Convention of the Indian Catholic Press Association held at Agra on 28th September) The previous speaker was asked to present a bird’s eye view; but the topic given to me is so vast that it would require a wide-angle lens to cover it! Nevertheless, here goes. I…

Back in 2011 the then Pope Benedict, while baptising some children, had advocated that they be given “Christian” names. He frowned upon naming children after celebrities. Recently the Syro-Malabar bishops of Kerala issued a similar edict. This has me flummoxed. What exactly is a “Christian” name? Also, what is in a name? No doubt I…

A mad dog is far more dangerous than an enemy. Why? Because one is able to identify the so-called “enemy”. One can also anticipate his actions and plan counter moves, just like in a game of chess. Even military strategists play “war games” in the War Room. The same cannot be said for a mad…

There are two reasons why I enjoy watching tennis matches at Wimbledon on TV. The first is pretty obvious; they are played at a convenient time. The second is that it is a grass court that is conducive to the fast serve and volley game; so different from the baseline slugfests on the slow red…