Daily Archives: April 21, 2017

National

For the Indian Church, yoga is not needed to experience the divine

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The Syro-Malabar Church, one of the three rites of the Catholic Church in India, has issued a note to its clergy, saying that “Yoga is not a means to experience the divine, although it may contribute to physical and mental health.” In the statement, the Church’s Synod of Bishops recognises the important role yoga plays in Indian culture, but adds that it “must be considered as a physical exercise, a posture to concentrate or meditate.” By contrast, “the divine experience does not need any particular posture.”

For former Synod spokesman Fr Paul Thelakat, yoga is “acceptable and useful for concentration, meditation and for the holistic well being of body and mind. However,” he told AsiaNews, “the Synod does not consider yoga as a mythic or esoteric short cut to the spiritual life.”

In India, yoga is a required subject in schools. Every year, on International Yoga Day of (21 June), education in schools takes a back seat to yoga events and initiatives.

In the recent past, some Indian activists and intelle-ctuals have claimed that the observance is mandatory, forcing students to sing Hindu hymns and mantra. This limits freedom of worship among minorities and represents a lack of “sensitivity” towards Christian and Muslim students.

The note, signed by Card George Alencherry, head of the Synod, clarifies the position of the Church in the matter. The “God in whom we believe is a personal God,” it reads. “God is not some-one who can be reached through a particular post-ure.” For this reason, “It is not quite right to think that the experience of God and the personal encounter with the Lord is possible through Yoga.” In view of this, “every one should take utmost care to avoid getting into those prayer groups and spiritual movements which are against the Catholic faith and do not recognise the official teachings of the Church.” In fact, the “Synod does not consider yoga as a mythic or esoteric short cut to spiritual life,” Fr Paul Thelakat added. The “Catholic Church teaches the ways of self-purification and union with God are found in asceticism and prayer.”

Asian

New pastoral centre for isolated Korean Catholics

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Chunchon Diocese realized a long-term dream when it opened a pastoral centre to offer faith education and cultural events to Catholics living in this isolated area of South Korea.
The diocese held the blessing ceremony for its Yeongdong Catholic Pastoral Centre in the coastal city of Gangneung’s Juminjin harbour on March 31. Bishop Lucas Kim Un-hoe of Chunchon presided over the ceremony.

The seeds of Catholic faith were sown in Yeongdong some 100 years ago. However, as most of the pastoral events were held in Chuncheon, the city where the  diocese is based, Catholics from other areas could not join because the diocese is divided by two mountain ridges. Bishop Kim said, “This area lacks venues for education and it was hard to offer programs here. The new centre will appease the thirst of the faithful.” From April, the centre will offer classes on the Bible, Catechism and a reading forum. It will also offer monthly lecture programs.

International

Odd Text from Cardinal Sarah Is Often Praiseworthy, Some-times Questionable, Unfortunate and Downright Mistaken

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Over the weekend, Cardinal Robert Sarah, who runs the Congre-gation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, argued in a message sent to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the publi-cation of the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum by Pope Benedict XVI that those promoting a “modern liturgy” had caused disaster, devastation and schism by trying to reduce the Mass into a “simple convivial meal.”

Here Fr Anthony Ruff, who is a Benedictine monk and liturgical expert, gives his opinion on the text. “This is an interesting, rather odd talk by Cardinal Sarah. It is at times praiseworthy, at times questionable, and at times unfortunate and downright mistaken.

But Cardinal Sarah attaches excessive weight to Summorum Pontificum as if it is the fulfilment of Vatican II, when it is contrary to the intent and clear directives of the Vatican II liturgy constitution. His claim that Vatican II did not abandon the Missal of Pius V is simply mistaken.

His interpretation of Vatican II in general is questionable, for it emphasises only continuity (which of course is there) and underemphasises how much rupture is involved in the liturgy constitution’s paradigm shift.

It’s unfortunate that Cardinal Sarah is so unrelentingly negative about the liturgical reform. It seems that in his mind the reformers have brought only “disaster, devastation, schism, destruction, self-destruction, liturgy wars, and superficial, devast-ating subjectivism.”

It would be good if he could study the reforms more deeply and understand, for example, what “mystery” means in Catholic theology, or how “sacrifice” and “meal” are not opposed to each other in some sort of zero-sum game.

And this is odd: Cardinal Sarah strongly supports Liturgiam Authenticam and the botched new English Missal. That’s a risky move when his boss seems to be going in another direction.”

Uncategorized

Kerala Bishop issues dress code for women

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A Catholic bishop in Kerala, southern India, has urged girls to avoid wearing outfits shorter than knee-length while inside the church. In a pastoral letter, Bp Mathew Anikuzhikattil of Idukki has women to keep special clothes to wear for prayers and rituals.

The pastoral letter was published in the latest edition of the diocesan bulletin. The bishop, who will turn 75 on September 23, also wants parents to teach their children to respect and obey Church authorities and expecting mothers to take part in prayers.

“Baptism of newborns should be conducted within eight days of their birth. The ceremony should not be delayed for weeks and months in the name of grand celebrations,” said the letter. The bishop also asked parents to give Christian names to their children, including their pet names. Parents, he added, should not blame priests and nuns in front of their kids, which would in turn affect children’s inclination toward divinity.

The Syro-Malabar prelate also urged parents not to encourage their kids to go after material gains. “Many young Christians choose married life without purity and this is reason for lack of faith,” he said. He also urged parents to restrict the use of social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp.

Father Jimmy Poochakkat, official spokesperson of Syro Malabar Church, supports the bishop’s letter. “There is proper dress code to be followed by women even in Vatican. The bishop’s instructions are in good faith and it will help girls to feel safe and secure when they are out in public or face the audience while reading out the Holy Bible inside the church,” the priest explained.

Bishop Anikuzhikattil was embroiled in a controversy last December when he issued a pastoral letter asking Christian couples to produce children till the end of their reproductive capacity.