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Trichur / Mumbai, Kerala / Maharashtra, India

Saturday 6 December 2008

Good bye to You My dear Grand Mother
You found abode near the Lord, I pray
Your absence from us does not make me sad
Rather I thank God for taking you to HIM, Holy Woman
You are there for Me and for Us near HIM.
You were so loving on this earth to each and everyone
From 5th, you continue to love us better than ever
Do remember us always and fight with HIM for us
Let us be sure that you continue to care for us better.
Your children and grand children stood near you till the end
Unable we are to see you in person and feel your love
Your words echo in our ears and your deeds in our hearts
You were a model grandma, we are sure.
The Aim of your life of suffering and joy, last 86 years
Was to sanctify yourself and to take all your dear ones to heaven
You were the last meeting point of your generations till now
You left with us strong family foundations, joining the chain strong
YOu can be proud, being a good mother and grand mother for us
We are proud of you being unique YOU for us.
GBU

Sunday 30 November 2008

Mumbai My Dear

Bombs against Terrorism

Terror, fire, fear, attack, anger, pain, negligence
Words often heard recently, Mumbai, my dear
City wounded, close to my heart and my being
You accepted me and many others more in you
From south to north, east to west of our Mother land
Mumbai, we belong to you and you are ours.

We wept with you from Wednesday, twenty-sixth
Watching TV, reading news, hearing the cries
Plagued with stories of the wounded and dead
Seeing the big hearted, generous, hard working people
And sharing the joy with survivors for a second life.

Hats off to the courageous operation of the fighters
With determination and will for our safety
A deep bow with flowers, our martyrs brave
A sincere prayer and a pat for the innocent victims.

They hurt you, scarred you, terrified you and shocked you
Tuned by the powers of evil and called to be ‘terrorists’
Blooming buds, poisoned with hatred and destruction
Forgive them God, for they do not know what they do.

Answerless and helpless we are to the questions asked
“Why do they do it and what do they gain”?
We advocate non-violence, love, peace and respect for life
It runs through my blood, shared with my countrymen.

Mumbai, do not fear, take courage and stand up
We all Indians and many others are definitely with you
Get well soon, wake up from the shock and be hopeful
The ultimate victory is ours and we will have it
This is not the end of the world, but a beginning.

Restart with bombs, a powerful weapon against terrorists
The only weapon to root out terrorism, called ‘Love-bomb’
Love the nation and love your job, duty prioritized
Let these love-bombs explode against the powers of evil.
Officials, politicians, civilians, senas, citizens, all in power,
Re-commit with love-bombs for the good of our Nation.

Tuesday 11 November 2008

St. Alphonsa, Pray for Us

Indeed it was a heavenly feeling to be part of the thankgiving celebration of the Canonization of Sr. Alphonsa at Bharananganam on 09.11.08 together with the Dr. Abdul Kalam, the former president of India, the Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation of the Oriental Churches, and many other Archbishops and bishops, other great policitians, personalities, priests, sisters and pilgrims.

I felt something special about St. Alphonsa that day. Why did God elevate this simple nun? How are so many people attracted to her tomb? What is special in her? Why is she so important?

Answers are simple:
  1. Her love for the Lord made the Lord to love her.
  2. Her suffering in her life make her a great role modal for the indian womanhood.
  3. The Christian are looking for living examples than preaching giants.
  4. The core of Christian life is seen in her
  5. She loved everyone, never commited a sin and never hurt anyone knowingly.
What a great saint we see in HER. St. Alphonsa, pray for us.

Tuesday 21 October 2008

Crisis Time

Cochin Diocese is under great Crisis. I think, lack of proper direction creates more problems. In the Church exists lot of administrative techniques to sort out these problems. I would like to request all persons concerned to sort out the related issues without making it bigger. In the church, there are possibilities for corrections, forgiveness, open discussions, silence and even punishments. I think the first thing to be done by the Bishop and the Priests is to avoid public statements. Let the responsible body enquire about what is happening and take a decision. Till then a lots of patience is required as we look forward for the good of the Church.

Proving Themselves Again

The Orissa state government shows who they are with much more clarity. They denied the possibility of paying for the re-construction of the destroyed institutions. Their reasoning and positions are not acceptable. I think, the Supreme Court has to be mediated to enforce it. The supreme court has to start a new administration of justice. Those who destroyed should be made responsibile for the re-construction. Not only the parties or governments should pay but also those who were involved should pay from their pockets. Indian politicians and their followers are to be treated with a different type of administration of justice which could be a lession for all the parties, leaders and their followers. By all means the destruction mentality should be curtailed.

Friday 17 October 2008

Kuruvilangad School

It is a really sad news on burning the Kuruvilangad School. What is happening to our God's own country, to our own Kerala? I condemn the activities, no matter who is behind the curtain. May it be anyone, but should be brought to the light of justice and be punished as per the Law. What is there in our head and in our heart? Did the Church, with all its streangth in the field of education, taught others to hate others or to detroy everything? A case should be filed against those who did it, asking to restitute the damage done. Such destruction should never happen especially against the school going children who were to study in this school.

Tuesday 14 October 2008

SAINT ALPHONSA – First Woman Saint from India

Blessed Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception from Kottayam, Kerala, India is being raised a saint on Oct. 12, 2008 at St. peter's Square, by Pope Benedict XVI. Alphonsa, who was religious of the Franscican Clarist Congregation (FCC) is the first Indian woman to be raised to the status of a saint.

Annakutty Muttathupadath, who later received the religious name Alphonsa, was born on 19 August 1910 as the fourth child of Muttathupadath Ouseph and Mariam at Kudamaloor, in the Archdiocese of Changanacherry, in the southern state of Kerala. She lost her mother when she was only three months' old. Her aunt (mother's sister) brought her up as a beautiful young lady and wanted to marry her off to a well-to-do family. However, Alphonsa wanted to dedicate her entire life to Jesus Christ like Little Therese of Lisiuex. As a culmination of her desire to dedicate her entire life to the Lord, she jointed the Franciscan Clarist Convent at Bharananganam on 2 August 1928.Even though her poor health was a great hurdle to her progress in her religious life for which the superiors wanted to send her home, she persevered in her commitment and earnest desire. After many ordeals, she took her perpetual vows on 12 August 1936. She considered her entire life as a holocaust to the Lord in which the victim would be burning slowly and steadily. Each suffering she offered as a beautiful flower in the wounds of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the end of her life, she was overwhelmed with great pain and frailty of the body, but in the midst of the excruciating pain she committed her soul to the heavenly bridegroom, peacefully reciting the names of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, on 28 July 1946.

For the faithful of India, this marks a historic first, for Blessed Alphonsa will become the first Indian woman to be declared a saint.. Pope John Paul II had declared Sister Alphonsa as Blessed on February 8, 1986, along with Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara, also from Kottayam, Kerala. Her tomb at Bharananganam, near Kottaym is visited by large crowds of faithful, throughout the year.

The first Indian saint is a Jesuit, St Gonzalo Garcia, Born in Vasai, near Mumbai and canonized in 1862. He died a martyr's death in 1597 at Nagasaki, Japan, along with St Paul Miki and other Jesuits.

Monday 13 October 2008

Canonical Age of Resignation

What is the canonical age of resignation? Is it mandatory? Or vice versa?.. i.e. He can only resign once he reached that age.

Response

The Canonical Age is something seen in the Canon Law. The Law is suggesting to the various eccelsiastical persons to retire or resign from the office once they have reached a certain age. As the question is general I find difficult to give a proper answser. There is no common age for all ecclesiastical persons. Pope, Patriarchs and Major Archbishops, Bishops of the dioceses or Archdioceses, parish priests, processors of the seminaries, and other offices of the churches have to follow the age prescribed by the Law according to the Law applicable to them. As we know, the Pope, Patriarch and Major Archbishops have no canonical age to retire. For the bishops it is 75 years.

More about resignation

Canon 44 §2. If it should happen that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office (munus), it is required for validity that he makes the resignation freely and that it be duly manifested, but not that it be accepted by anyone.
Canon 126 - §1. The patriarchal see becomes vacant at the death or resignation of the patriarch.
Canon 126 - §2. The synod of bishops of the patriarchal Church is competent to accept the resignation of the patriarch, having consulted with the Roman Pontiff, unless the patriarch approaches the Roman Pontiff directly.
Canon 210 - §1. An eparchial bishop who has completed his seventy-fifth year of age or who, due to ill health or to another serious reason, has become less able to fulfill his office, is requested to present his resignation from office.
Canon 297 - §2. When a pastor (parish priest) has completed his seventy-fifth year of age he is asked to submit his resignation from office to the eparchial bishop, who, after considering all the circumstances of person and place, is to decide whether to accept or defer the resignation.
Canon 444 - §3. Superiors (of a monastery sui iuris) who have completed the seventy-fifth year of age, or who have become less capable of fulfilling the duties of their office because of failing health or some other grave cause, shall submit a resignation from office to the synaxis, which is to accept it.The above said are the canons from the CCEO. But there are also canons in Particular Law and the statutes of the institutes. E.g. about the professors in the seminaries, it is having their statutes. So it depends on what to do you want to know.

About Retirement:

It is possible at any time. The higher authority can demand for retirement for serious reasons. Or for serious reasons, any one can apporach the higher authority for retirement. Only thing is, the resignation should be accepted by the authority.

Live-in Relations

Maharashtra Government has taken a move towards a new law legalizing the live-in relations which means giving the status of husband and wife to those who have lived together as husband and wife for a certain period of time. It can not be acceptable to the Christians as it challenges the whole definition, goals of marriage. However a better idea about the proposal is necessary to reflect more about it.

St. Alphonsa - A Saint of All Times

Sufferings are part of human life. She accepted the suffereings not as crosses of life but joy of life that brings a person closer to God and Human persons in love. A person needs deep spirituality and conviction to take life as St. Alphonsa. It is a moment of joy as she is the first one from the Syro-Malabar Church and a woman saint of Indian Church. It is a recognition that the Universal Church gives to the 2000 years Syro-Malabar Church as one of her daughter is elavated for the Universal veneration.

Vision & Mission

Vision: Be actively part of the Common Vision of the Catholic Church
and the Particular Mission of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Mission Targets:
1. Know Jesus better, having His heart and mind, grow into the perfection of the Heavenly Father and be guided by the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Learn deeply the teachings of the Catholic Church and profess and propagate them as faithfully as possible.
3. Understand and appreciate profoundly the Catholic communion of Churches especially my Mother Syro-Malabar Church.
4. Commit fully in the Global Mission of the Syro-Malabar Church especially involving in the Pastoral Care, Evangelization and the formation of the better human beings.
5. Take part in various activities with a broader outlook of the growth of the humanity with love which is the nature of God himself.