Secular Citizen

April 22, 2013

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A Special AGM of Model Co-operative Bank held on 11th April at Xavier's Institute, Mahim. Mr. Albert W. D'Souza chaired the proceedings. The other board of directors were present on the dais. A large number of shareholders and well-wishers also present on the occasion.

CCCI Group Meets the State Governer

A small group of Christian Chamber of Commerce and Industry(CCCI) members underthe leadership of its Chairman Mr. Henry Lobo met Hon'ble Governor of Maharashtra on 8th April 2013.The group comprised Mr. Johnson Therattil, Mrs. Alice Therattil, Mr. JohnD'Silva and Mr.Felix D'Souza, Secretary of CCCI. The Group invited the Hon'ble Governer for the forthcoming Grand Christmas Celebration which will be held sometime in the month of December 2013.

Newly Created Heart Centre Inaugurated at Karuna Hospital, Borivli Karuna Hospital, Borivli has recently added a new service in the Hospital by creating a Heart Centre. It was Inaugurated by Dr. Satyapal Singh, Police Commissioner of Mumbai and blessed by Cardinal Oswald Gracias. Governing Council Member Mr. Albert W. D'Souza and a large number of invites were present on the occasion. Medical Director Dr. D. K. Bhose welcomed the guests, Medical students performed the prayer dance, Heart Specialist Dr. Ravi Bhatnagar gave the details of Heart Centre. Sr. Y. Vonne explained the Hospital service and Sr. Jacint proposed vote of thanks.

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April 22, 2013

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‘Thought for the week’

Success or failure in business is caused more by the mental attitude than by mental abilities.

Contents

pg. 4 - Rich man, Poor man Beggar man pg. 5 - VIEWS on NEWS pg. 6 - Indira govt. acted tough against Catholic bodies: WikiLeaks pg. 7 - Goa churches might lose its heritage status: legislator pg 8 - Saudi law forces migrants back to Kerala pg 9 - Pope Francis Names Advisory Panel pg 10 - Popular Devotions – How they Sustain and Promote the Faith pg 11 - How to Find Your Mr. / Ms Right? pg 14 - Multi Religious Mass Wedding pg 15 - Reader's Views pg 16 - Beware the shiny, happy, unreal world of facebook pg 17 - Pope inspires packed churches and more confession visits pg 19 - Inspirations pg 21-22 - Matrimonials

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April 22, 2013

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The Casual Attitudes of Today's Youth

The youth of our nation is also called the ‘fast food generation’. This name is given, because of the pace their lives have picked up. The youth of today is overburdened with expectations and the pressure of competition. Relationships which were considered as the most important part of life have now been placed very low on the list of priorities, and sex which was said to be the most special phase of the relationship of a married couple has now ended up becoming only a physical need.

As the youth is today is running fast to keep up with the competition, they have started to believe more in fast track relationships. They generally find somebody on some social networking website like Facebook etc. and then meet over a coffee to eventually invite them to their rooms.

Trends have gradually changed. The youth seem to have lost their emotional values, which make them take sex just as a physical need and relationship only a source to satisfy their sexual needs. To quite an extent, social networking sites, movies and mobile companies are responsible for these changing trends.

Having boyfriends / girlfriends i.e. being in a relationship has now become a status symbol. To make the maximum count of relations and that how far you have gone into a relationship, these are the factors that define how smart or attractive you are. For girls they count the number of guys who could spend money on them or pamper them and for boys the number of girls they have slept with. It is no more for the emotional needs, it is mostly to show off or the physical part.

Relationships earlier were much different than they are now. Earlier they started off by knowing each other, then small meeting on the rooftop and exchanging love letters in the college. But today, relationships start either on Facebook or places like pubs or rave parties. Earlier, relations started off by asking “ Do you love me?” or “Will you marry me?”, these questions are now been replaced by “ your place or mine?” Or “I am home alone, wanna come over?”

On the other hand, different methods of contraception have been so well advertised that our youth is learning most from it. Ipill or flavored condoms are so well known to even the sixteen year olds as if it is a part of their academics.

Moreover, a place where parents play an important role of teaching their young ones moral values and make them clear headed and sensible, parents are busy in maintaining their bank balances, status and lifestyles. They are least bothered and are just too preoccupied by their own selves.

All their time is taken up by their work or studies. They are not left with any time to take a break and spend time for their relationship, which causes the relationship to suffocate and die.

This is why every section of the youth is suffering with boredom, restlessness and emptiness, which will result in a more confused India. We need more and more clear headed youth to create a better minded India.

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Ric h m an oor m an Rich man an,, P Poor man Beggar m an man

We need to stop and listen to the cry of the people of the Slums.

The cry of people like Iracema from the slums of Brazil saying “ Sometimes I think , if I won’t have to see my children suffering as they are so often I see crying, hungry and I am without a cent to buy them some bread. And I think ‘my God I can’t face it”. A familiar plaintive mourn echoing through out the slums of Mumbai and across the globe.

The developing nations have more than 1.3 billion desperately poor people.

Protein deficiency and malnutrition can cause permanent and irreversible brain damage in the100 million children below the age of 5 years of these families.

Individually we can initiate change of the situation, but we also need local and global support and cooperation to reduce hunger, injustice and other evils, to move towards the only path to enduring peace.

Prof. Georg Borgstrom, a inter-

nationally renowned specialist in food and nutrition sciences fears that “the rich world is in direct collision course with the poor world _____we cannot survive behind missiles and bombs.”

We Christians must take the courage to seek justice for the world’s poor. The mission of Christ was not only to restore communion between God and humanity, but also re-establish communion between humans alienated from one another because of sin. Thus making it possible for all people to live as brothers and sisters, in the one body of Christ in one Father. Hence ,in this one body ,if one part of it is sick or in pain, the rest of the body will also suffer, till the initial area of pain is cured. The Book of Proverbs reminds us ‘he who is good to the poor lends to God’.

Global warming produces ‘greenhouse gases’, by which the poor suffer the most, and the rich and corrupt get richer, while the poor get poorer and poisoned.

Are you listening?

Mahatma Gandhi once spoke ‘how there is enough for everyone’s need but not for our greed’ Our Schools, by which we ( Christians) made education our mission, should not only teach Hindi, English, maths and sciences, but more essential compassion and justice.

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Article in BJP Magazine Depicting Nuns in Poor Light

Bhopal: 9/04/2013/ The latest issue of the Baratiya Janata Party run fortnightly magazine “CHARAIVETI” carried an article titled “the life of nuns in the hell of the Church” written by a Delhi based writer R L Francis. The issue has become centre of controversy in Madhya Pradesh.

A delegation lead by Isai Maha Sangh District President , Richard James presented a memorandum in this regard in the Public Hearing organized by Director General of Police Shri. Nandan Dubey IPS. The public hearing was lead by Smt. Aruna Mohan Rao, Additional Director General of Police.

The ADGP has asked the Inspector General of police, Bhopal Range, Shri. Upendr Jain to take immediate action in the complaint.

Following which a few members of the delegation met IG too later and handed over a complete file for immediate action.

The magazine is run by the committee headed by Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Member of Parliament from Indore and former Union Minister, the editor of the magazine is Anil Somitra and the writer of the article R L Francis.

Richard James said, “ the article is very distasteful and offensive, police should take action against the editor , writer of the article and president of the committee that runs the magazine.” If the police fails to take action we will move ahead with further legal action.”

Isai Maha Sangh demanded legal action against the offenders and also asked the people responsible to ask pardon form the community and withdraw the article.

—Richard James District President, Isai Maha Sangh(MP)

April 22, 2013

‘Collapse’ Of System It is a matter of shame that scores of policemen collected huge ‘haftas’ for self and on behalf of their seniors [which is not surprising] from one single person in suburban Mumbai.

The entire episode was covered in a sting operation – a mode which is becoming more and more popular to nail the culprits. This is a tip of the iceberg and if you count the number of illegal constructions / alterations which go on in Mumbai and Thane, the figure could be astounding. This is only the police department which has generally no say in building matters. The whole system seems to have collapsed.

Coming to the Mumbra building case, everybody agrees that thousands of buildings are illegal and it is shamelessly accepted. The nexus is dangerous. Since there is a lot of money in construction business, there is the involvement of underworld and anti social elements which makes things dangerous for upright officials.

The responsibility has to be accepted by those who are entrusted with the job. If they are unable to tackle it, they should opt out but you cannot sit in the chair and see things happen without any action being taken. A few have been suspended but that is not enough. More heads must roll and face criminal charges for causing death of some 74 innocent persons.

Surprisingly Sharad Pawar wants such buildings regularized. Poor people lose their money while builders with political backing go unpunished. As per reports NCP leader Jitendra Awhad had threatened forest officials and warned them of serious consequences if illegal structures were demolished. There were written complaints by the department but ignored.

The leader concerned has not repudiated the charge but insisted that he will continue doing so. Is this not enough proof of his involvement?

Should he also not be arrested for causing the death of those innocent people? *****

Urine Therapy ?

The Dy CM of Maharashtra, Ajit

April 22, 2013

VIEWS on NEWS Pawar’s highly offensive and degrading remarks on the only way out of drought was to urinate in the dams have drawn very angry protests from all quarters. Surely, the NCP cadres must be ashamed of having a leader whose highly irresponsible remarks have virtually alienated them from the farming community in the State. In future when dams overflow, you know whom to blame. Actually the NCP supremo has come up with a public apology and also distanced himself from the statement of his nephew. He cautioned party men to be careful in what they say in public. On the face of it, all his earlier advice has gone unheeded. Not a good sign for Pawar Sr. Like all politicians Ajit Pawar’s so called apology is a gimmick. By simply saying that he made the biggest blunder of his life is no apology. By making a joke of the whole thing he has added to the mental agony of the affected farmers who have the dubious distinction of resorting to suicides. Jr Pawar will have to take the blame. His decision to go on a day’s fast as a “pee-nance” for his mistake is another farce. It may back-fire.

Ajit Pawar, CM-in-waiting has virtually out of the race. He knows so much about the urine and its many unknown uses. He should be in charge of all the Souchalayas in the State – maybe we can have a separate Ministry for him. He will do a good job. *****

Modi-fied Lokayukta Bill?

After a bitter tussle with the State Governor which culminated in loss of face in the Supreme Court, the Narendra Government resorted to the only option available to it by attempting to amend the bill to make it more Government friendly. A Government which boasts of development oriented regime free from corruption should not have resorted to measures which as expected have galvanized the beleaguered Congress. By allowing the Modi Government to dilute the provisions of the bill to make Chief Justice and the Governor re-

by Marshall Sequeira dundant in so far as appointment of Lokayukta is concerned, the party has put itself in a very embarrassing position. BJP will not have the face to demand a strong Lok Pal bill at the Centre which is likely to come up soon. The UPA Government will be pleased. Their task is made much easier, thanks to Modi.

For someone who is eyeing the PM-ship in 2014, this ill-advised step will not enhance his stature but on the contrary, it will give his opponents a handle to attack him. They will tell the people that if Modi is made PM, he will become autocratic by arrogating to himself all the powers making timetested institutions toothless. Modi has earned accolades for his administrative skills with emphasis on development but this single action, at a time when he is a front runner for Prime Ministerial nomination. Even JD[U] has attacked him for this blunder and have put the BJP on the back-foot. Did Narendra Modi consult the party leadership on the issue? If so, then the party is playing games. If not, it only shows that he has scant respect for the leadership. He is already an autocrat and if he becomes a PM he will make all other BJP leaders subservient to him. Some of the leaders are rather unhappy with this prospect.

With the CAG blaming the Gujarat Government for showing undue favours to a number of Corporates, which resulted in a huge loss of over 750 crores, the BJP is again cornered because it is similar to the 2G issue – undue favours to a select few. We can expect a much sober BJP in Parliament now on. But CBI spilling the beans on Coalgate report being vetted

by Law Minister, the focus has shifted again on the Congress.

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Indira govt. acted tough against Catholic bodies: WikiLeaks

New Delhi: A recent revelation by the WikiLeaks has stated that the former Indira Gandhi government in India acted tough against Catholic bodies for resisting the compulsory sterilization program.

This was revealed after the WikiLeaks released the Kissinger Cables, a cache of US diplomatic cables.

According to a November 12, 1976 cable sent from New Delhi to the Department of State, India imposed strict conditions on appointment of bishops in the country after they opposed the mass sterilization drive.

The cable says Cardinal Picachy confirmed to a consular officer that the Catholic Church was continuing to have difficulties with the government regarding the appointment of bishops and their senior clergy members.

According to the website catholic-hierarchy.org, Picachy was born in 1916 and was appointed the archbishop of Kolkata in May 1969 and later elevated as a cardinal in May 1976.

“Within the last 30 days, MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) Vatican desk officer (Gokale) had presented to the Vatican representative in New

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Delhi a draft of a diplomatic note on which comments were requested. The note had three basic points.

All appointments to Vicar general, heads of bishops, archbishops, cardinals and directors of schools were to be sent to the GOI (Government of India) at least two months in advance of announcement. All appointments must have the full consent of the Government of India before being announced and the appointments be Indian nationals.” When queried why India was raising this matter now, he said he didn’t know but had to assume that it was “because of the Church’s successful stand against compulsory sterilization.”

The cable adds, quoting Picachy, that the 99 per cent of Catholics would stand behind the Church if the appointments were announced without the government’s approval but the Church would eventually have to suffer consequences.

Picachy told the US diplomat that they were trying to delay a reply to the government till the annual meeting of Catholic bishops. He said the matter of ‘full consent’ in posting bishops was non-negotiable and the Church could not agree to it.

Source: new indian express

Obama awards America’s highest military honour to Catholic chaplain A Catholic Korean War chaplain who selflessly pulled wounded men from enemy fire and helped his fellow prisoners of war keep a sense of hope was honoured posthumously with the Medal of Honor, America’s highest military honour, in a White House ceremony yesterday.

In paying tribute to Fr Emil Kapaun, an Army captain, President Barack Obama told multiple stories of the “shepherd in combat boots” from Kansas who voluntarily stayed behind with the wounded to face certain capture, rather than evacuate when his division was overrun at Unsan, Korea, in November 1950.

“This is the valour we honour today – an American soldier who didn’t fire a gun, but who wielded the mightiest weapon of all, a love for his brothers so pure that he was willing to die so that they might live,” the US president said.

Fr Kapaun received the Bronze Star before his capture and the Distinguished Service Cross after he died. Within the Catholic Church, he has an active cause for sainthood, having been recognised by the Vatican as a “servant of God”, a first step in the investigation of someone who is being considered for sainthood.

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April 22, 2013

Laughter

If the electricity goes: In America they call the power house; In Japan, they test the fuse; But in India, we check neighbour’s house.

If there is no electricity at neighbour’s, then it’s OK! ****** A scientist went to a drug store and asks the pharmacist, “Do you have any Acetylsalicylic Acid?” ”You mean aspirin?” asked the pharmacist. ”That’s it. I can never remember that word.” ****** During the period after the university examinations, when an unusually large number of students flunked, one of the boys went to his professor, and said: “I don’t think this is fair, sir; I don’t think I should have a zero on this examination.” ”I know it,” replied the professor, “but we do not have any mark lower than that.”

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April 22, 2013

Goa churches might lose its heritage status: legislator

Panaji: A legislator from Goa has expressed concern that the renowned churches of Old Goa would lose their world heritage status if the proposed four-lane highway passed next to these 16th century structures.

"The four-lane road would affect the heritage status of the Old Goa complex," said Vijay Sardesai, an independent legislator during the ongoing session in the legislative assembly.

He said that the state government has not taken approval of the National Monuments Authority for the proposed four-lane road, which runs nearly 100 meters away from the heritage monuments.

Sardesai said the rule makes it mandatory to have the highway 300 meters away from such monuments.

He said that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been consistently writing to the state government expressing worries over the proposed road.

They had suggested that the clearance should be obtained from National Monuments Authority, he added.

However, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said the state government will follow all the laws while constructing the four-lane road, which

is necessary to do away with the traffic.

He said that currently vehicles are using the highway running through two of Old Goa's monuments - Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral.

"If you listen to their (ASI's) observations, they will not even allow mass to happen in the churches (at Old Goa)," the Chief Minister said.

All the observations would be addressed taking into confidence the relevant authorities, he said.

Old Goa Churches complex was declared as World Heritage Monument in 1980 and thereafter ASI has been maintaining it.

Basilica of Bom Jesus, one of the church in the complex, houses relics of St Francis Xavier, the first Jesuit saint.

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Saudi law forces migrants back to Kerala Thiruvananthapuram: Mecca has been a second home to Hydrose Saidalavi for 29 years.

But the 51-year old migrant laborer returned to India last week because of a recently introduced law in Saudi Arabia that reserves 30 percent of jobs for local people.

"Now I can’t go back,” Saidalavi told ucanews.com at his home in Kozhikode in Kerala.

He is among 25,000 migrants who have already returned since 2012.

Around another 200,000 Keralites from Kozhikode and Malappuram districts are expected to return soon.

According to the state government, 656,723 people from Kerala are among the 6.5 million expats working in Saudi Arabia.

Raveendran Madhavan, who returned last week, said he was forced to leave without receiving salary for the past two months.

“We all left after the Saudi government started raiding workers’ camps. Around 700 people from Kerala are detained in deportation camps. I didn’t want to end up in a Saudi jail,” said Madhavan.

But “I’ve no regrets, I’m safe here,” said the electrician. He worked for three and half years in the eastern Saudi city of Dammam but did not save much from his 1,000 riyal monthly salary because he had to pay 200,000 rupees (US$ 3,800) for a visa.

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Madhavan said the Saudi government decided to change the labor law as a result of the Arab Spring which spread across the Arab world, toppling several regimes, including Egypt and Libya.

The law—Nitaqat--was announced at the end of 2011 and was to be fully implemented by the end of last month.

The Saudi Arabian government says something had to be done to help unemployed Saudis under the age of 30 who are unemployed, but the law has ended the dreams of many Kerala people.

“Saudi has been the most favored destination for migrant laborers from Kerala. Nitaqat is going to end that dream for many. Most of those returning to Kerala are poor and semiskilled or unskilled,” Hakkeem Lukmanul, a Kerala journalist, told ucanews.com. “It’s going to create a social crisis in the state.”

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the state government will do everything possible to rehabilitate those returning from Saudi Arabia.

“I’ve sought a special budget for their rehabilitation and submitted a proposal to the federal government,” he said.

The state is sending a highlevel ministerial team to evaluate the situation and has called on the federal government to ask Saudi Arabia to ease off on work camp raids, Chandy said.

Source: ucanews.com

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Laughter Laughter helps one to forget the worries of the future and pains of the past. When people laugh together, it brings them closer and improves their relationship. It also helps them to enhance their communication. So start laughing today! It keeps diseases away too.

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April 22, 2013

Pope Francis Names Advisory Panel at Vatican Cardinal Oswald Gracias will be among the eight high-ranking cardinals appointed by the pontiff in the advisory council.

VATICAN CITY — In his first significant decision since becoming pontiff — and a radical step toward more democracy in the Roman Catholic Church — Pope Francis on Saturday named a group of eight cardinals from around the world to advise him in governing the church and overhauling the troubled Vatican hierarchy, which has been rocked by scandals.

Although the group will not have legislative power, Vatican experts said the move was a strong sign that Francis was eager to consult widely and promote greater dialogue between the Vatican hierarchy and churches worldwide. The eight cardinals named include the archbishop of Boston and prelates from Australia, Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Germany, Honduras, India and Italy.

“It’s an epochal shift because it brings the Vatican closer to a more collegial governance,” said Paolo Rodari, a Vatican expert with the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica. He was using a term meaning a greater sharing of power between Rome and local churches in governing the Catholic Church.

That concept was central to the liberalizing changes of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, but critics said both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI consolidated more control with the Vatican. Francis’ new advisory group reverses the trend.

“For years, cardinals and others said that the Second Vatican Council sought a more horizontal government, that the pope should listen to bishops to resolve scandals,” Mr. Rodari said.

“The first big decision of this pope really is that, to convoke a governing board. It’s a revolution.”

April 22, 2013

The group’s members are

Cardinal Oswald Gracias Oswald Gracias was born on December 24, 1944 and is a Goan Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.

He is the Archbishop of Bombay (Mumbai) and was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI on 14 October 2006 to the post, and was made a cardinal in 2007. In 2010, he was elected as the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India.

After being ordained a priest in 1970 Gracias went on to study in Rome and was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay and Titular Bishop of Bladia by Pope John Paul II on in 1997. Gracias was later named Archbishop of Agra. He was appointed Archbishop of Bombay in 2006 taking over from Cardinal Ivan Dias.

In 2010, Cardinal Gracias suffered from a rare cancer and underwent surgeries and is currently said to be cancer-free though this illness affected his body making him thin. But when it comes to his role as a cardinal and priest Cardinal Gracias continues to perform all his duties.

Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Governorate of Vatican City State, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa, Archbishop Emeritus of Santiago de Chile, Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay, Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising, Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kinshasa, Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston, Cardinal George Pell of Sydney, Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa and Bishop Marcello Semeraro of Albano in the role of secretary.

“The group’s first meeting has been scheduled for 1-3 October 2013. His Holiness is, however, currently in contact with the aforementioned cardinals.”

According to Cardinal Oswald Gracias : "The secretary of state, who is the second in command, called me last Sunday to seek my consent for the appointment. This means that the Pope is looking to set up a different style of governance and reorganize the universal Church,” he said.

The cardinal added that it is a good sign that India is being taken seriously and “that our feedback is being sought.”

"When I was in Rome recently, I said India should be taken seriously and it is nice to see it happening," he said.

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Popular De Devvotions – Ho w tthe he y Sus omo he FFait ait How hey Susttain and Pr Promo omotte tthe aithh Throughout its long history the faith of the Catholic Church has been nourished, not only by official liturgical acts of worship but also by innumerable popular devotions which it has nurtured and encouraged. Undoubtedly, they are often highly impressive public manifestations of the faith of the masses and are practised with great zeal by millions of devotees in almost every Catholic home, parish, institution and religious congregation. Among these expressions of the ‘bhakti marg’ in the Church there are: a variety of novenas to the Blessed Virgin Mary, special prayers to the Saints, pilgrimages to numerous shrines; devotions to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, to the Infant Jesus, to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, to the Divine Mercy, to St. Anthony of Padua, to St. Jude; the Stations of the Cross Devotion during the Lenten Season, the recitation of the Holy Rosary, veneration of the Scapular and the miraculous medal, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and many other pious practices. During this Year of Faith, it is worth reflecting upon the vital role that all these pious practices play in sustaining the spiritual life of both the clergy and lay faithful. Are these devotions merely like magical rituals performed to obtain favours or do they promote genuine growth in the spiritual life of those who faithfully practise them? What can be done to harness their immense potential to deepen the Christian commitment and faith-life of the People of God? At the origin of each of these devotions there is generally a deep and genuine spiritual experience on the part of some saintly figure or divinely inspired community. For example, the universal appeal and spread of the devotion to the Sacred

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Heart of Jesus can be traced to the apparitions of the Sacred Heart to St.

Joseph M. Dias, S.J., Meghalaya Margaret Mary at Parey-le-Monial in France in the 17th century; the devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes to the apparitions to St. Bernadette Soubirous in France in 1858; the devotion to Our Lady of Fatima to the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima in Portugal in 1917; and the more recent Divine Mercy Devotion to the mystical experiences of St. Faustina in Poland during the early years of the 20th century. Through the faithful practice of these devotions, people not only seek divine assistance in time of need but also aspire to obtain a share in the original graces and experiences that gave rise to them. Therefore, those responsible for fostering these devotions ought to guide devotees to go beyond mere sentiment and material desires to deeper spiritual experiences by explaining their scriptural and theological foundations.

Some devotions are enormously

rich in theological content and could be ideal schools of faithformation and spirituality for ordinary people. Rooted in faith and going beyond mere reason, they can put people directly in contact with the realm of the Sacred, unhindered by the rational categories of a secularized world. The Rosary, for example, teaches simple people to use, regularly, biblical prayers like the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the invocation to the Blessed Trinity, just as the people of Israel used the Psalms in Old Testament times to sustain their faith in the Old Covenant. Reflection on the various mysteries of the life of Christ, can strengthen their faith in the plan of God and his decisive intervention in human history in Jesus Christ. Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary serve to strengthen their faith in Mary’s special role in salvation history as Mother of the Saviour, and as a type, model and Mother of the Church. Through these devotions, Mary fulfils her God-given role of leading believers to her Son and of being perceived by them as his model disciple. Her persistent message in all her apparitions is the consistent message of Sacred Scripture: Be converted, pray and do penance.

It is indeed noteworthy that those who have an authentic devotion to Mary remain staunchly faithful to the Church.

Through the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, people who are thirsty for an experience of God are able to satisfy this longing of their souls in silent contemplation before their Eucharistic Lord, whose tangible presence they experience in the midst of our busy materialistic world as “Emmanuel -- God with us”. Meditation on the sufferings of Jesus, while making the Way of the Cross during (Contd.. on p. 15)

April 22, 2013

How to Find Your Mr. / Ms Right?

Find our whether you can trust him/her: Relationships are built or broken because of the presence or absence of trust. If you find him/her a confident and are able to talk to him/her about most things, without having the slightest of inhibitions, you have earned yourself a good friend who can probably be a precipitative Mr./Ms Right.

Keep your mind open to search for him/her and positive You meet many boys/girls everyday in your life. It is hard to imagine all those as potential Mr./Ms Rights. Many times, you may get cynical that you will never find the person you intend to settle down with. The suspicion increases especially when you have faced dejection and disappointments in the past. However, if you intend to settle down someday, keep your mind open to search for him/her. Here are some tips to find your Mr./Ms Right.

Find out if he/she listens to you: This must be a consistent practice and not just a flash in the pan. A person who demonstrates patience and offers time to listen to your problems most times is the one whom you can expect to do the same even when he/she settles down with you. It has to be more of a behavioural trait rather than just a means to impress.

See if you're comfortable with him/ her: Are you at ease when you are around the potential Mr./Ms Right? If you find it extremely comfortable in his company and do not really have to pretend to be in your best of behaviour or appear to be a totally different person, you will most probably continue to be so for the rest of your life with him.

April 22, 2013

Explore your common interests: Common interests are often one of the most

important pillars to a successful relationship. You have something to begin and develop on in order to strengthen your relationship along the way. When there is a clash in basic values, your relationship may often not be successful for its is either likely to break or thrive in distaste.

If you get answers of the above questions in the affirmative, it's time to celebrate for you've fond the relationship of a lifetime!

How To Choose Your Life Partner?

Choosing your life partner is one of the most important decisions you make in your life. Your future entirely lies on the threshold of the choice you make.

Determine Your Needs

Before choosing your life partner, you need to determine your needs. You need to find out what attributes you are looking for in your life partner. Pen down a wish list of all the things you are looking for - the most important ones as well as the seemingly unimportant ones. Right from physical looks, career, financial status to moral values, etiquettes and spiritual beliefs, make a list that covers all the sectors. This way you can limit your choice.

Analyze People You Admire Evaluating people you admire would also be a good option to consider before selecting your Mr. or Ms. Right.

This would help you understand qualities that are important for you in life.

You need to find out what is that you admire in them. Is it his/her sense of humor? Is he/she extremely loyal and trustworthy? Is it his/her family background? By determining the characteristics of the person you admire, you are unknowingly or knowingly setting the mark for your ideal mate.

Personal Characteristics & Values

Though one of the most ignored sectors, determining personal characteristics and values is extremely vital.

Remember, personal character defines the future of a person. For instance, if he/she is a hardworking and persistent person, he/she is likely to be financially well off in future. A person with strong moral values is likely to be spiritual.

Take Time Limiting yourself to a specific date or a scheduled time for finding the right partner is an unreasonable demand.

Remember, it a matter of your life and your future is based on your choice.

One wrong decision and you would be regretting and repenting all your life. These things are sensitive and can take from a few days to several months. Make sure you give in all the time that you want, before pronouncing the judgment.

Trust Your Choice Remember, a person should dictate his/her needs and wants and not the other way round. Do not think about what you 'should' want. Instead, focus on what you want and desire in life. Do not be concerned about whether your desires and needs are right or shallow or unpopular. Keep in mind, no two persons can have the same needs or wants. Once you have made a choice, trust it and give in your 100% in the relationship! Good luck!

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April 22, 2013

April 22, 2013

13

Multi Religious Mass Wedding by Kalyan Diocese

In order to help the poor and needy eligible spinsters in Maharashtra, a Samuh Vivah (Mass wedding) was conducted on April 4, 2013 as part the silver Jubilee year of the diocese of Kalyan. The programme was conducted under the leadership of the Karunya Trust in collaboration

Minister, in his Inaugural Address praised the activities of the Eparchy of Kalyan in the social charitable fields. In his presidential address, His Excellency Mar Thomas Elavanal, Bishop of Kalyan briefed about the social charitable activities of the Eparchy of Kalyan and thanked everyone for their significant

50 Samuh Vivah & 30 Houses For The Needy Social-Charitable Jubilee Celebration of Kalyan Diocese with Rahel George Charitable Trust.

50 couples were selected from the state of Maharashtra, based on socioeconomic condition of their family.

The wedding ceremony was conducted according to Hindu, Dalith, Muslim and Christian marriage rituals. All the couples were provided with basic gifts and other wedding expenses in cash and kind amounting to Rs. 75,000 per couple.

People started arriving at St. Therasa’s Convent High School Ground Kalegaon, Dombivli East, Maharashtra by 6.30 am itself. A crowd of 3000 people attended the functions. After preparations and lunch, the marriage ceremony began at 2 pm. Four different religious priests led the wedding in four different places which prolonged for 2 hours. A public meeting was held to felicitate the couple which began at 4 pm. Shri.

Kodikunnil Suresh, Hon. Union Labour

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role. Shri. Johnny Joseph, Upa Lokayukta, Maharashtra and Shri.

Ramesh Ratan Patil, M.L.A. Kalyan Rural expressed that the social activities of the Eparchy are really model for various religious groups. All the speakers congratulated the organizers and

Senior officials of the traffic police department have reinstated Bandra-Khar traffic warden Anita Lobo, a day after a Mumbai daily reported her services had been terminated.

blessed the couple. Msgr. Jacob Porathur, the Vicar General welcomed and the Rev. Fr. Paul Kunduparambil, the Social Action Director thanked everyone. The other dignitaries on the dias were Rev. Fr. George Vattamattom (Convenor); Rev. Fr. Jose Kokkopuzha (Kalyan Zonal Vicar), Rev. Sr. Niles CMC (Regional Superior); Mr. M.G. Philip, Mrs. Mollamma Philip and Mr. M.G. Stephan (Trustees of the Rahel George Charitable Trust) and Mrs. Rosily Thomas (Pastoral Council Secretary). The presence of other eminent personalities from political, social & religious arena added flavour to the function. During the function, the diocese of Kalyan handed over the keys of 30 houses constructed for the poor and needy in the rural areas of Ambernath, Bhiwandi and Kalyan Taluka. This is a part of social project for the rehabilitation of the poor in the area. The function ended at 6:30 pm.

Karunya Trust is a Multi Religious NGO, registered under Bombay Public Trust Act 1950 formed in May 1998, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Eparchy of Kalyan which was inaugurated by the then Governor of Maharashtra, Honourable Dr. P.C. Alexander. Karunya trust dedicated for the upliftment of the downtrodden and the marginalized without any discrimination of caste and creed.

The community development, animation, education, empowerment and health care are the key areas of its activities. Women, children, physically and mentally challenged and aged people are its focus groups and the HIV affected and infected children and infected parents are its special target groups.

Rahel George Charitable Trust was registered in the year 2007 and has been actively engaged in discharging its social responsibility. Starting various activities in Kerala, today the trust is expanding its activities to other regions of India particularly Maharashtra where the trust is registered. —Fr. Francis Eluvathingal Chancellor

April 22, 2013

Popular De Devvotions – Ho w tthe he y Sus How hey Susttain and Pr omo he FFait ait Promo omotte tthe aithh (Contd.. from p. 10) the Lenten Season, enables Christians to view the mystery of suffering in the light of faith in the Paschal Mystery of the Death and Resurrection of the Lord. This gives millions of simple people great courage to face suffering and to make heroic sacrifices in the service of God and neighbor.

As regards faith-commitment to the values of the gospel, there are the numerous devotions to the saints, who were ‘living gospels’ for us to imitate. In Francis of Assisi, we find a sterling example of the life of the gospels, of commitment to the poor, universal brotherhood and loving care for the natural environment. Exemplary service to the exploited, the needy, the sick and those in distress can be learnt through devotion to St. Vincent de Paul, St. Peter Claver, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Alberto Hurtado and Blessed Teresa of Kolkata. Zeal for the spread of the Gospel can be fostered through devotion to great missionaries like St. Paul, St. Francis Xavier and St. Teresa of the Child Jesus. The bonds of family-life and family virtues can be strengthened by devotion to Sts. Joachim and Anne, to Mary and Joseph, and to the Holy Family of Nazareth. Almost every virtue taught by the faith can be effectively imbibed by through devotion to some saint or other, if devotees learn to go beyond mere prayers of petition to emulation of their heroic deeds which were motivated by faith.

During this Year of Faith, the ‘way of devotion’ or ‘bhakti marg’ can be a powerful means of deepening our faith and Christian commitment and of coming closer to "the One whom our heart is always seeking”.

—Joseph M. Dias,S.J., Meghalaya.

R

EADER'S

Why the Alarm?

I was shocked and dismayed to read some of the views expressed in the Secular citizen of 8th April on the actions of Pope Francis. It is perhaps after several centuries that we have now got a pope who dares to be different, or rather, who seeks to return to the pristine sources of Christianity.

From the time of Emperor Constantine in the 4th Century, Christianity, and more particularly the Catholic Church, has been too strongly identified with temporal power, pomp and show. It is high time that the Vicar of Christ imitated the poor carpenter of Nazareth, the son of man who had nowhere to la his head, to be forlorn on the cross, and proclaim with St. Peter, "Silver and gold I have none, in the name of Jesus Christ, get up and walk".

It was also disgusting to read the views of male chauvinists, posing as traditionalists, objecting to the pope washing the feet of women, fearing that it will open the doors to women's ordination. Firstly, what is wrong with women being ordained ? In what way are women less than men ? On the contrary, history is testimony, from Calvary and the Sepulcher to modern times, that it is the women who were closer to Jesus while the spineless men ran away. We must also appreciate Pope Francis' washing the feet of a Muslim. This again is refreshing contrast to his predecessor's comments on the Prophet Mohammad that only accentuated his so-called "Clash of Civilizations". WE need to here recall what I has saint in eerier articles that while the pope and kings were leading crusades to liberate the Holy Land from the Muslims, St Francis of Assisi was engaged in dialogue with the Saracens (Muslims).

It is not for nothing that Pope Francis has chosen St Francis of Assisi as his role model. We must salute and support this courageous pope who dares to be different.

—chhotebhai, Kanpur

April 22, 2013

V

IEWS

Unique gesture

by Pope Francis Eyebrows have been raised and questions asked ever since Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 juveniles at the Juvenile Detention Centre in Rome on Maundy Thursday, which included 2 young women. Damage control exercises have now begun by Vatican officials to cover up the break with the 2000- year old Apostolic tradition when Christ set us a wonderful example of humility and service by washing the feet of his 12 male Apostles and asked us to follow his example. There are apprehensions in the minds of the traditionalists in the church that the feet-washing ceremony involving 2 females is a precursor of things to come. Some also regard it to be a shrewd move by the Holy Father to placate the feminists in the church who have been relentlessly pursuing aggressive feminist themes incompatible with church doctrine. While earlier popes have not been successful in their attempts to root out feminism from the church , it is hoped that Pope Francis will take up the challenge and purge feminists from Catholic institutions , especially the convents in the US where they are posing a formidable challenge with their increasing numbers and goddess worship.

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Beware the shiny, happy, unreal world of facebook

I

keep having the same conversa tion over and over. It starts like this: “I gave up Facebook for Lent, and I realized I’m a lot happier without it.”

Or like this, “Pinterest makes me hate my house.” Or like this: “I stopped following a friend on Instagram, and now that I don’t see nonstop snapshots of her perfect life, I like her better.”

Yikes. This is a thing. This is coming up in conversation after conversation. The danger of the internet is that it’s very very easy to tell partial truths—to show the fabulous meal but not the mess to clean up afterward. To display the smiling coupleshot, but not the fight you had three days ago. To offer up the sparkly milestones but not the spiraling meltdowns.

I’m not anti-technology or antiInternet, certainly, but I do think it’s important for us to remind ourselves from time to time that watching other peoples’ post-worthy moments on Facebook is always going to yield a prettier version of life than the one you’re living right now. That’s how it works.

My life looks better on the Internet than it does in real life. Everyone’s life looks better on the internet than it does in real life. The Internet is partial truths—we get to decide what people see and what they don’t. That’s why it’s safer short term. And that’s why it’s much, much more dangerous long term.

Because community—the rich kind, the transforming kind, the valuable and difficult kind—doesn’t happen in partial truths and well-edited photo collections on Instagram. Community happens when we hear each other’s actual voices, when we enter one another’s actual homes, with actual messes, around actual tables tell-

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Internet is partial truths—we get to decide what people see and what they don’t. ing stories that ramble on beyond 140 pithy characters.

But seeing the best possible, often-unrealistic, half-truth version of other peoples’ lives isn’t the only danger of the Internet. Our envy buttons also get pushed because we rarely check Facebook when we’re having our own peak experiences. We check it when we’re bored and when we’re lonely, and it intensifies that boredom and loneliness.

When you’re laughing at a meal with friends, are you scrolling through Pinterest? When you’re in labor with your much-prayed-for-deeply-loved child, are you checking to see what’s happening on Instagram? Of course not. We check in with our phones when it seems like nothing fun is happening in our own lives—when we’re getting our oil changed or waiting for the coffee to brew.

It makes sense, then, that anyone else’s fun or beauty or sparkle gets under our skin. It magnifies our own dissatisfaction with that moment. When you’re waiting for your coffee to brew, the majority of your friends probably aren’t doing anything any more special.

But it only takes one friend at the Eiffel Tower to make you feel like a loser.

I’m a writer. I use Twitter and Facebook and Instagram and Pinterest and my blog as part of my professional life—as a way to connect with readers

and be part of a conversation that we’re creating together, a conversation about creativity and faith and writing and parenting and community and life around the table. It’s a lovely conversation, and part of my work involves reading many blogs and commenting on lots of photos and scrolling through status after status.

Some days it feels rich and multifaceted. I learn and I’m inspired. I find recipes I want to try and stories I want to live. I feel connected and thankful to be part of such an intelligent and creative internet community.

And then on some days, I feel like I have nothing to offer, like I must be the only one who isn’t a graphic designer and hasn’t yet managed to display her entire darling life online with lots of chevron and mint accents.

I feel so certain that my life is a lot less darling than other peoples’ lives.

But that’s the Internet. The nature of it. I so easily fall prey to the seduction of other people’s partial truths and heavily filtered photos, making everything look amazing. And their amazing looking lives make me feel not amazing at all.

Let’s choose community. Let’s stop comparing. Let’s start connecting.

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April 22, 2013

Pope inspires packed chur ches and more churches confession visits Vatican City: It’s the Bergoglio effect. While some scholars and websites – who were declared papists up until a month ago – continue to criticise the new Pope, whose sobriety in comparison to Benedict XVI has not gone down well with them, the wave of fondness for Francis has also not stopped.

This fondness is not down to a media infatuation: droves of people approached the sacrament of confession again at Easter, struck by Bergoglio’s words about forgiveness and mercy. Numerous Italian parish priests and ordinary priests can attest to this.?

“There has been a considerable increase in the number of people who have started asking for confession again,” said Fr. Paolo Padrini (45), parish priest of Stanzanno, a village in the Northern Italian province of Alessandria. He mentioned one elderly cateshist in particular, who following his sermon, quoted Bergoglio: “you smell like your flock… My altar boys heard the Pope’s sermon at the Casal del Marmo prison for young offenders, in video streaming and were struck by his reference to the “caress of God.”?

“A lot of people I confessed I hadn’t seen for a long time – Fr. Domenico Sirtori, parish priest of the Church of San Maurizio on Solbiate, a village in the Northern Italian province of Varese. “They told me they came because they felt they could relate to the new Pope. People had felt the Church as something distant from them. It is as if Francis had burnt away that distance, that invisible wall which the media had helped create.” ??

People really liked the new

April 22, 2013

Pope’s “bow before the crowd just after his election, when he asked them to pray for him,” Fr. Sirtori went on to say. “People were struck by the simplicity of his language, by his “good evenings” and “Enjoy your lunches”.

Many young people searched for information on Bergoglio on the web and came to the conclusion that the way he acts is not premeditated but due to the fact he is used to working with the poor.”

Fr. Maurizio Botta, an Oratorian at San Filippo Neri and confessor at Rome’s Chiesa Nuova, said Francis’ words about mercy touch “the heart deeply” but also recalled that many are “mortified by the distinction between the former and current Pope.”

And the media have placed a great deal of emphasis on this contrast.

“Pope Francis’ message had an immediate impact,” said Fr. Salvatore Vitiello, a priest from the Northern Italian city of Turin who teaches at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart.

The new Pope has not just “transmitted enthusiasm but openness of heart as well: many came to confess, inspired by the words of God who never gets tired of forgiving, words which they heard during the new Pope’s Angelus…Francis communicates through images and this has really struck people.”

Rev. Fr. Joseph P. Tauro – A Tribute

The shocking news of the sad demise of late Rev. Fr. J.P. Tauro was deeply felt by his Parishioners, friends, admirers, near & dear ones & specially by the down-trodden, sick & poor members of the Community.

Fr. Tauro was a soft spoken, gentle and a simple man of few words.

He not only preached the Gospel but, lived the Gospel. I had the opportunity of glancing the pages of “My Life, My Legacy” and was very much impressed by his involvement & leadership in various fields namely Formation of Societies, Women’s groups, Youth Associations and Community development programmes wherein he was able to teach people how to catch fish instead of giving them alms or charity. He was a man of action.

One of the greatest things, God has given to us is memory and we have abiding memories of Fr. Tauro.

During the year 1974, a panel of arbitrators with late Mr. J.H.M. Noronha, late Mr. Edmund Gonsalves, Mr. F M Lobo & late Rev. Fr. Robert D’Souza as the Chairman was constituted to arbitrate on the industrial dispute between Fr. Muller’s Charitable Institutions V/S employees. Fr. Tauro took an active role in the formulation of scales of pay & other matters. Fr. Tauro must have spent sleepless nights on getting justice to each & every one of the employees & the management.

There are many many achievements to his credit. The list is endless.

We can say Fr. Tauro lives on the good work he undertook & left behind as his legacy.

I can say Fr. Tauro is one of the few parish priests during the last few decades that have created impact on our community. I have vivid memories of the encouragement & support he gave the Xavier Industrial Training Centre, Assaigoli which was catering to the marginalised & neglected youth.

Finally, I would say everyone was touched by his love.

F M Lobo, Hon. Secretary Xavier Educational Trust (R)

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Aadhar Card

Times View: Stop this harassment It's unfortunate-and perhaps also inevitable-that a government scheme aimed at giving recognition to the citizen and streamlining administration has ended up in adding to the citizen's harassment.

The government should crack the whip on recalcitrant service providers, who have made having this card a prerequisite despite knowing that only an insignificant percentage of the population has got this card. It should also stop giving confusing and self-contradictory directives before ensuring every citizen has got an Aadhaar card.

Number Munchers Out of 120 Crore population only 31crore have registered for Aadhaar Card in India so far.

Out of 1.2 crore people in Mumbai only 88lakh have enrolled for Aadhaar Card so far.

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Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world

Jesus Christ is the one and only Saviour of the world and the Son of God. He is our Redeemer and our refuge in times of trouble.

Before the world was created, He was there along with His Father and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Bible tells us that Jesus’ mother’s name was Mary, His father on earth (foster father) was Joseph, and that He was born in Bethlehem and raised up in Nazareth, and laboured zealously with Joseph as a carpenter.

When He turned 30, He began a three-year ministry of teaching, blessing, and healing the people of the Holy Land. He also organized His Church and gave His apostles power and authority to assist in His work.

But what do we mean when we say, He is the Saviour of the world? The Redeemer? Each of these titles points to the truth that Jesus Christ is the only way by which we can return to live with our Heavenly Father in heaven. Jesus suffered and was crucified on the Cross in between two thieves for the sins of the world, giving each of God’s children the gift of repentance and forgiveness. Only by His (Jesus’) mercy and grace can anyone be saved. His (Jesus’) subsequent resurrection prepared the way for every person to overcome physical death as well. These events are called the atonement. In short, Jesus Christ saves us from sin and death. For that, He is very literally our Saviour and Redeemer. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and He will be our Lord and God forever.

—Jubel D’Cruz, Dombivili

The Famine

Precariously perched On the edge of the precipice The tiny hut looks A dot on the hill The scorching sun peeps in Through a thousand holes In the thatched roof What does it see?

Two earthen bowls - both empty!

One broken jug Half filled with water Stale, coloured, stinking A pinch of red chilli powder In a dirty saucer Two pieces of firewood In the chula Cold as mutton Thier flames long gone So also his zest for life A week's stubble on his cheek Fortnight's fever in his body Starting, stabbing with eyes At the unfeeling sky The once beautiful Greenclad mother earth Now thirsting for a drop Has drunk more of his tears Weep! Oh, heartless sky!

Weep as never before!

And let mother earth Be a smiling bride again Bathed in your joyous tears!

—J. B. Moraes Never ask a woman her age. A man, his salary, and now-a-days an engineering student, his placement.

April 22, 2013

Inspirations!

Choose A W ise FFrr iend Wise

A good friend surely will make a lasting impression on our mind and heart. Be wise, don't chose personality over character.

True friends are difficult to find, hard to leave and impossible to forget. If there are people in your life who continually disappoint you, break your dreams, are too judgmental, have different values and don't help you in difficult times...that is not friendship.

Sometimes in life as you grow, your friends will either grow or go. But never let your true friend go away from you.

Surround yourself with people who reflect values, goals, interests and lifestyles. When I think of any of my successes, I am thankful to my friends who enrich my life. If your friend has following qualities he is your true friend:

1. A friend who shares the good times and helps out during the bad times.

2. A friend is a person who knows what you are saying, even if you are not talking.

3. Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down and you are in trouble.

4. Your wise friend will guide correctly on the path of life.

5.While everybody else shakes your hand, a true friend will just hold it.

6.A true friend, are like angels who sit on our shoulders and lift our wings when we forget how to fly.

God Is Love We do not need to know everything about creation in order to have faith in God as well as love and reverence for Him. Like friendship with a human, faith in God is based on more than cold facts. Just as a relationship between friends grows as they get to know each other better, our faith in God increases as we learn more about Him. Indeed, His very existence is impressed upon us when He answers our prayers and we note the good effects of applying His principles in our life. We draw ever closer to God as we see mounting evidence that He is guiding our steps, protecting us, blessing our efforts in His service, and supplying the things we need. All of this provides powerful confirmation of God's existence and of the operation of His holy spirit. God became the creator as an expression of His endearing quality of love.

—Prof. Valerian Sequeira Santa and Banta went to a hotel. They had got thier own sandwiches from home. The waiter came and said to them, 'You can't eat your own sandwiches'. So Santa and Banta exchanged thier sandwiches!

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Thanks to St. Anthony, Sacred Heart of Jesus & St. Jude for the special favour granted — Thomas D'Souza, Powai

April 22, 2013

GROOMS MUMBAI : Keralite Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’ 9”, Wt. 68 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. U.K. Graduate, having own business.

Seeks a educated, mild natured, with a balanced lifestyle, smart, below 27 years.

Contact : email: edfernz@gmail.com OR 66998519 / 28541673 (Regd. No. 5895) MUMBAI : Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 30 years, Ht. 5’ 10”, Wt. 85 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com., + Post Graduate, well settled in Mumbai, Seeks a suitable good looking, working girl.

Contact email : riya.anthony11@gmail.com O R 8390022313 (Regd. No. 5898) MUMBAI : Marathi Converted Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 44 years Ht. 6’, Wt. 76 kgs, Wheatsih Complexion, Edn. H.S.C., working in Kuwait as a Public Relation. Contact Email: vbhabal@yahoo.com OR 9619344291 (Regd. No. 5863) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Widower, aged 42 years, Ht. 5’ 6”, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish Complexion , Edn. Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, working aborad as a Mechanic. Seeks a simple, loving, well mannered below 38 years preferably working girl. Contact Email : simondspear@gmail.com OR 9702148869 (Regd. No. 5861) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 31 years, Ht. 6’ 2”, Wt. 87 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn.MBA, Banker, well settled. Seeks a bride below 29 years, tall, prefereably Mangalorean. Contact Email : anthony.eternity@gmail.com OR Mob.: 9820863381. (Regd. No. 5842) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 28 years, Ht. 6’1”, Wt. 80 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn.HSC + Diploma in HM, working on the Ship as a Steward. Seeks a suitable match.

Email : andrea2791@yahoo.co.in OR 9821540938 (Regd. No. 5838) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 29 years, Ht. 5.’ 11”, Wt. 70 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. 1st class Dip. Auto Engg., working as a Sales Asst., Contact Tel.: 0250-

April 22, 2013

MATRIMONIALS 2348711 (Regd. No. 5799) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 37 years, Ht. 5.’ 9”, Wt. 85 kgs, Fair Complexion, Handsome, Edn. B.Sc., Hotel Mgmt., working as a Chef. Seeks a sutiable match.

Contact Email: donald_1975@hotmail.com OR 9819524121 (Regd. No. 5798) MUMBAI : Mangaloren Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 43 years, Ht. 5.’

10”, Fair Complexion, Handsome, Edn. SYB.Com., + Mgmt., working as a Shipping Manager. Contact : Email: m.ronnie2012@gmail.com OR 9819379975 (Regd. No. 5795) U.S.A. : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 41 years, Ht. 5.’ 5”, Wt. 65 kgs, Fair Complexion, Handsome, Edn. Engineering, working as a Computer Engineer, Well settled and coming from a good and decent family. U.S. Citizen.

Contact : email: goamaria1@hotmail.com OR 9930430938 (Regd. No. 5794) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 31 years, Ht. 5’, 4”, Wt. 58 kgs, Fair Complexion,Edn. MBA, working as a Manager. Seeks a suitable girl. Contact : Email: savioim40@gmail.com (Regd. No. 5763) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Bachelor, aged 29 years, Ht. 5’, 4”, Wt. 60 kgs, Wheatish Complexion,Edn. PGDBM working as a Sr. Manager in MNC Seeks a suitable match. Contact email : lewellyndias@gmail.com OR 9820467452 (Regd. No. 5759) DUBAI : Goan R.C. Bachelor, born in Bombay brought up in Dubai, aged 29/ 5’4”+, Wt. 60 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. Chartered Accountants, simple, non-drinking, non-smoking working as an Auditor. Seeks a girl simple, God fearing, with family

Royal Christian Family Helps In Choosing The Right Life-Partner

Serving Since 32 Years

values, understanding, honest, graduate, below 30 years. Contact : Email: dm252011@gmail.com OR 00971506791955 / 0097150 3093082.

(Regd. No. 5746) AUCKLAND-NEWZEALAND : Goan R.C. Bachelor, aged 29/5’8”, working in Auckland Newzealand in a Newzealand Band as a Personal Banker. Contact : Email : lester_s@windowslive.com OR 9167880847 (Regd. No. 5745) MUMBAI : RC Goan, Non smoker; non drinker, good natured Bachelor, 30 years, 5’ 6”, B.Com., Working in a back office for a multinational company. Seeks aliance from suitable girl, Roman Catholic, God Fearing; simple, educated, working, having good family values. Please Contact with photo : francis_carvalho@yahoo.com (Regd. No. 5719) MUMBAI : Goan RC Bachelor, 33 years, 5’ 11”, Wt. 70 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Education 10th std., working as a Office Assistant. Seeks a suitable match.Contact : Email : loboseby@yahoo.co.in OR Mob.: 9920023085 (Regd. No. 5717) MUMBAI : R.C. Goan Bachelor, 29 years, 6’, Fair Complexion, Education B.Com, working as Senior Executive for MNC. Seek Alliance from R.C. Goan Working Spinster of good family background. Kindly reply with complete details and recent full length photograph. Contact Email : anthonyfernandes1953@yahoo.com OR Mob.: 9765909853 (Regd. No. 5713) Address your replies to :

Regd. No. ROYAL CHRISTIAN FAMILY, 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001.

To Place Your Matrimonial Advertisement Call: 2269 3578 OR 2265 4924 21

BRIDES MANIPAL: Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, 23 years, beautiful, 5’ 3”, 55 kgs, Wheatish, Edn. MBA (HR) working as a HR Consultant. Seeks a suitable match. Contact : pam2fernandes@gmail.com OR 9900413499 (Regd. No. 5902) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC Spinster aged 26 years, Ht. 5’ 7 1 / 2”, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. MBA, working in Finance Company, Seeks a toll and suitable match. Contact email: rjf25 91@hotmail.com OR 9819001283 (Regd. No. 5793) VALSAD : Goan + Mangalorean RC Spinster, Godfearing, faithful and understanding, aged 27 years, Ht. 5’ 5”, Fair Complexion, Edn. D’Ed., BA, B.Ed., Teacher by profession. Contact Mob.: 09377099024 (12 a.m. to 2 p.m. & 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.) (Regd.

No. 5830) NASIK : Goan R. C. Spinster, 25 yrs., 5’ 6”, Wt. 55 kgs, Fair Complexion, Edn. B.Com., MBA, working as a Marketing Executive. Contact email : shawn.fernandes23@yahoo.com OR 9860082311 (Regd. No. 5883) MUMBAI : Goan R. C. Spinster, 36 yrs., 5’, Wt. 53 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. HSC, working as a Crew Logistic Contact : email : maria_g23@rediffmail.com OR 9819220429 (Regd. No. 5881) UDUPI : Mangalorean Roman Catholic Spinster, 24 years, Ht. 5’ 4”, Wt. 65 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.E. (Tele com) Working in BANGALORE. Seeks a suitable match.

Contact Email: helenandrade79@gmail.com OR 0820-2546093 (Regd. No. 5864) MUMBAI : Tamilian Roman Catholic Spinster, 25 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 52 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B. Com., (MBA), working as a International Sales coordinator. Contact

Royal Christian Family Helps In Choosing The Right Life-Partner

Serving Since 32 Years 22

MATRIMONIALS : 9819715377 (Regd. No. 5858) MUMBAI : Roman Catholic Spinster, 31, 5’ 4”, Wt. 62 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com., working as a Marine Personnel Officer in a reputed Shipping Company. Seeks a Roman Catholic Bachelor below 36 years, above 5’ 6”, minimum graduate and financially stable. Contact 9892217659 / 9769432469 Email : reni_dias1981@yahoo.co.in (Regd. No. 5851) MUMBAI : RC Spinster, aged 27 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 54 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. M.C.A., working as a Software Engineer, Seeks Goan / Mangaloren suitable match. Contact Email : natty_17@rediffmail.com OR Mob.: 9892901915 (Regd. No. 5840) MUMBAI : Goan RC Spinster, aged 30 years, Ht. 5’ 2”, Wt. 55 kgs, wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Com, employed as a Operational Analtst. Contact Tel.: 28262988 (Regd. No. 5833) MUMBAI : Mangalorean RC Spinster, aged 27 years, Ht. 5’ 5”, Wt. 68 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. B.Engg.

Doing MBA, working as an Asst. Manager.

Contact Email : edwardrebello@gmail.com OR 9869403306 (Regd. No. 5823) MUMBAI : Methodist Christian Spinster, aged 36 years, Ht. 5’ 6”, Wt. 64 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, Edn. Chartered Accountant, working as a Senior Manager in MNC. Contact email : christina_mathews@rediffmail.com OR 9820 743883 (Regd. No. 5822) KERALA : Anglo Indian Keralite Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 34 years, Ht. 5’ 8”, Wt. 65 kgs, Fair Complexion, goodlooking, Edn. Double Post Graduate working as a Consultant in USA. Seeks a well educated, good family, working in USA or willing to go to USA. Contact email: fabiotin@hotmail.com OR Mob: 09495904589 / 0471-2592182 (Regd. No. 5813) MUMBAI : Goan Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 30 years, Ht. 5’ 3”, Wt. 56 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, goodlooking and beautiful, Edn. B.A., IATA, working

as a Resv. Executive in Airways.

Seeks a suitable match preferably Goan.

Contact email : menezesgladys@hotmail.com OR 9821475898 (Regd. No. 5812) MUMBAI : Tribal Roman Catholic Spinster, aged 31 years, Ht. 5’ 1”, Wt. 50 kgs, Fair Complexion, goodlooking and beautiful, coming from a religious and decent family, Edn. B. Pharmacy, working as an Exeucitve. Seeks a educated and well settled bachelor. Email: bsmonika@yahoo.co.in OR 9867650961. (Regd. No. 5810) MUMBAI : Mangalorean Mother & Keralite Father Roman Catholic Divorcee, aged 32 years, Ht. 5’ 3”, Wt. 50 kgs, Wheatish Complexion, good looking, Edn. MBA., (Finance), working as a Jr. manager in Bank.

Contact email: pamelav88@yahoo.com OR 09966843108 (Regd. No. 5804) MUMBAI : Parents of RC East Indian Goan Spinster 27 years, 5’ 51/ ”, wheatish charming, B.E. (ECE) 2 from decent God fearing family background working as assistant manager from well reputed firm in Mumbai invites alliance from similar equivalent profession background with sober habits and good God fearing family values age 3032 years kindly reply with details profile and recent photograph to Email : bluediamondstreet@yahoo.com (Regd. No. 5796)

Address your replies to :

Regd. No. ROYAL CHRISTIAN FAMILY, 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001.

To Place Your Matrimonial Advertisement Call: 2269 3578 OR 2265 4924 April 22, 2013

Unexplained Light At Divine Mercy Chapel On Good Friday

Miracle Light at the Altar of Divine Mercy Chapel Amazing. That was the only word used by a devotee who failed to say anything more. The burst of light on the altar of the Divine Mercy at 3 Elliott Road, Calcutta, happened at 5:15 p.m. on Good Friday.

Keeping to the annual practice the statues had been covered since Maunday Thursday; and the door of the chapel was kept open from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight for pilgrims who go visiting seven to nine places of worship in the city.

On the following day, Good Friday, from 6 a.m. to 12 noon the chapel door was kept open till noon. Some 300 devotees had visited the chapel. The count was kept by the distribution of free medals and prayer cards.

The Good Friday service at St. Mary’s church started at 3 p.m. After the service I returned home, closed the door and window and went into the inner room to rest.

Around 5:15 p.m. the burst of light on the altar made me rush out.

I snatched the camera which I had used in the morning to take pictures of the devotees. After the photo was taken the light was gone in a few seconds.

It cannot be explained.

by Melvyn Brown, AFJ

Golden Birthday Wishes

22-4-1963

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22-4-2013

Golden Birthday wishes from

Wife: Flossy & Son: Noel, Jerimeri

25 Years of Glorious Wedded Life

Our other periodicals:

The Secular Citizen - ePaper DIVO - Illulstrated Konkani Weekly DIVO - ePaper www.secularcitizen.com - website www.sezariworld.com - web portal April 22, 2013

Richard Crasta - Florine Crasta, Kalwa 25-4-1988

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25-4-2013

Good wishes from

Son: Remedian & Daughter: Roslyn

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RNI No. 56987/92

Posted on Friday, Saturday and Monday of every week Posted at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Office, Mumbai - 400001.

Registered No. MH/MR/South-139/2012-14

In its service spanning over 32 years, ROYAL CHRISTIAN FAMILY has helped thousands of marriageable boys and girls in finding their suitable Life-partner from its wide data-bank of Christian Brides and Grooms from across India and all over the world

Royal Christian Family 99, Perin Nariman (Bazargate) Street, 1st Floor, (Above Mahesh Paper Mart & Dr. Kothari Clinic), Nr. CST & GPO Fort, Mumbai 400001 Tel.: 91-22-22693578, 22654924 Email: secular@vsnl.com , secular@sezariworld.com Printed and Published by Lawrence Coelho at The Secular Citizen, 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Harihar Nivas, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001. Tel.: 2269 3578, 2265 4924 Printers: The Secular Citizen, Fort, Mumbai 400001. Editor : Philip Myaboo

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April April 22, 22, 2013 2013