Author: admin
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SYNODALITY IS NOT AN OPTIONAL EXTRA
Synodality (yawn), one would have thought that it was dead and buried with Pope Francis. It’s quite probable that there are many in the church, mostly from among the clergy and hierarchy, who would be happy if that were so. They were distinctly uncomfortable with Synodality and just paid lip service to it. What is…
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THE GAP WIDENS
Two recent events have occasioned this piece. The first was the recently concluded Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, and the other was the recent visit of an acquaintance to China. Both are indices of the growing gap between China and India, like the backlog of cases in our courts. I am a sports enthusiast and…
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GANDHI THE CELIBATE
It is no coincidence that Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on 2nd October and the feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4th October. They have much in common, especially their extreme form of renunciation and humility. I am clubbing these two virtues because I don’t think that either of them can stand alone. Renunciation is…
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SCRIBES SCRIBBLE SCRABBLE SCRAMBLE
Pardon my penchant for words. On a more serious note, like a moth to the flame, I have a fatal attraction to the Word, the Word made flesh, Jesus, the Word, and “the Word was God” (Jn 1:10). I had been mulling over these thoughts from the 5th September when we celebrated Teacher’s Day. I…
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QUANTUM OF SORROWS
August has been a rather depressing and distressing month for me, despite my telling others that we should never give up hope. But this last month could best be described as “My cup of woes brimmeth over”. Some things may sound silly and mundane, but could warrant deeper reflection. For one, I like gardening. I…
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EDUCATION IN CRISIS
Two reports, hidden in the inner recesses of the newspapers, caught my attention. The first was on 14th August, the eve of Independence Day, in the Hindustan (Hindi) paper. The second was just 9 days later on 23rd August in the Hindustan Times (English). They set the alarm bells ringing. The first stated that between…
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THE CONVERSION FRAUD
Can the Christians of India, who constitute barely 2.3% of the population, force Hindus to convert, more so when almost all authorities, from the local police constable, the Executive, Judiciary right up to the President of India, belong to the majority faith? This claim is prima facie absurd, averred Dr John Dayal, former National President…
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FROM CATECHISM TO CATECHESIS
(Corollary to “From Catechism to Atheism“) The previous article was just a brief commentary on another person’s testimony, about the gross inadequacy of Sunday School/catechism classes that largely focused on stories about what happened, rather than why things happen. There was repetition but no reasoning, resulting in the inability to have “an answer for one’s…
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THE ROT IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
Isaac Gomes After 37 days of protests, slogans and student gatherings, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) led agitation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar was called off on July 25, after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned and the government accepted their demands amid the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. During a very recent media presentation Lok Sabha…
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FROM CATHECHISM TO ATHEISM
Can catechism lead to atheism? Not surprisingly, it can. I am sharing below the testimony of a Sunday School teacher of 20 year’s standing. It brought me to tears. If you too are a parent, priest, pastor, catechist, student or a critically aware young person, then please read this. I have also added some reflections…