There have been times when the Christian community celebrated Christmas with peaceful heart. Gone are those days when we thought of Christmas as times of peace, joy and happiness. The carol singing was considered as taking the message of peace and joy that come with a birth of Christ to the people but the recent happenings of violence against the carol team in different parts of county and the threat calls issued by the hard-core Hindu fundamental organizations have made it an event inviting troubles and violence. Under this circumstances the question comes to our minds is that, will the Christianity that has faced numberless persecutions throughout the history stop preaching the message of peace? Will these acts mindless violence force the Christians from doing charity and humanitarian services as demanded by Christ?How much truth is there in the allegation of forced conversion of people belonging to the economically weaker sections, very specially tribals and scheduled caste? The Christians in most of the states are very minuscule minority which has no politically voice. The number of families in most village churches can be counted on fingers. So how will the powerless Christians force the villagers to get converted to Christianity? The churches in these villages are mostly very shabby and runs in small rooms which silently proclaim the bad economic condition of the churches and families associated with it. How could one justify the allegation of alluring Hindus with r
A friend of mine who is a former Jesuit priest and clinical psychologist and a severe critic of the Church, had called me early morning one day. This was the day after Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church in March 2013. The new Pope-elect had also taken the name ‘Francis’ after St Francis of Assisi who is known to the Catholic World as the ‘second Christ.’ My friend sounded very excited. He told me that the Holy Spirit seemed to be still working in the Catholic Church! I had to remind him that the Church of the crucified and risen Christ has always been guided by the Holy Spirit in spite of Popes and Bishops and people like him and me.On the day of his election as the Pope, I had said a silent prayer thanking God for the gift of Pope Francis to the Church and the world at this particular juncture in history when both the Church and the world are threatened by violent forces of consumerism and materialism. Last four years have been years of great challenges for Pope Francis. He has been working very prayerfully, tirelessly and fearlessly to wake up the Catholic Church from the spiritual inertia and moral slumber that she had fallen into. He has been trying to bring Christ and His Gospel of love and peace back to the heart and centre of the Catholic Church once again.Pope Francis today is both adored and opposed by a large number of people all over the world. He is now facing serious challenges from a number of conservati
The courts must publicly acknowledge that the Babri Masjid was torn apart in broad daylight while the executive and judiciary watched, and that those behind the demolition went on to be elected as the rulers of the country.The faith of Muslims “in the judicial system must be restored.” This is what Justice Liberhan had to say on the eve of the Supreme Court’s final hearings in the Ayodhya title suit case.This is a challenge before the judiciary. And the executive as well. Knowing well that the voice of Muslims does not count anymore in this secular nation, it is essential that there are non-Muslims like Justice Liberhan to talk about their concerns. And nothing like a retired judge to remind the judiciary of the largest religious minority’s expectations from the institution.It may be said loftily that justice is done not to satisfy a community, it is done to uphold certain principles. But history says something else. Let us not talk about it at this stage. Let us not recall the embarrassment of the Supreme Court when a chief minister openly flouted his own undertaking before the court to protect the Babri Masjid. Its might was demonstrated by keeping the man in the custody of the court for a day. That was it.Or, the naivety of the court when it allowed the request of a symbolic karseva at the spot which was almost the Babri Masjid, accepting at face value an undertaking that the Masjid would not be harmed.Or, the complicity of the officers who, des
A prayer campaign for seven ‘innocent’ Christian convicts of Kandhamal languishing in Jail for nine years was launched at Kochi on October 15 at a seminar on ‘What happened in Kandhamal?’ Along with journalist who has spearheading campaign for justice for Kandhamal’s ‘innocents,’ six participants from the Jesus Youth professional forum wearing white shirts held out posters of the prayer card around the digital screen displaying portraits of the seven convicts as the prayers were recited in both Malayalam and English.“Faith must lead to action. Each Christian has a duty to raise one’s voice and pray for the seven innocent Christians in languishing in jail for nine years,” urged Akkara, journalist author who has virtually proved the innocence of the seven Christians with his investigative book ‘Who Killed Swami Laxmanananda?’The seven Christians from remote Kandhamal district in Odisha State of India have been languishing in jail following the mysterious murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23, 2008. These innocent Christians - six of them illiterates - were convicted in 2013 for the murder touted as a Christian conspiracy.Following the Hindu leader’s murder, nearly 100 Christians had been killed and 300 churches and 6,000 Christian houses plundered and torched in unabated violence that continued for weeks, rendering 56,000 Christians homeless. Hindu masses - most of them illiterate - had been incited to take revenge on the Chri
Pollution is now a common term, that our ears are attuned to. We hear about the various forms of pollution and read about it through the mass media. Air pollution is one such form that refers to the contamination of the air, irrespective of indoors or outside. A physical, biological or chemical alteration to the air in the atmosphere can be termed as pollution. It occurs when any harmful gases, dust, smoke enters into the atmosphere and makes it difficult for plants, animals and humans to survive as the air becomes dirty. For an enlightening educational and awareness PowerPoint Presentation on AIR POLLUTION click the link http://infantjesusjogeshwari.in/gem-ppt-32-air-pollution/.You can use this PPT to bring awareness on this important issue for various groups like school/college students, church groups, NGOs, Hsg society members etc. Infant Jesus website also contains various resource materials like GEME-Newsletters, 40 PPTs on various environmental topics, Eco quizzes, puzzles, group games, Bible Quizzes, Bible study articles, Faith/liturgy articles, quizzes etc.Fr Felix Rebello
