Indian bishops mourn prominent lay leader’s death

he Catholic Bishops’ Conference George Menezes carenhas recalled. of India (CBCI) has mourned “He loved the Church with all his the death of George Menezes, a heart. He rendered services as a mem- Tformer member of the Pontifical ber of the Pontifical Council for Laity, a Council for Laity who was best known for Member of the “think thank” of Federa- his writings and humor. tion of Asian Bishops’ Conferences and Menezes, former president of the President of the All India Catholic Union,” All India Catholic Union (AICU), died on the prelate says. September 9 in Mumbai at Bandra, after Bishop Mascarenhas says the Indian prolonged illness. He was 88. Menezes served India as an Indian Air Church had not always agreed with what CBCI secretary general Bishop Theo- Force officer and as a diplomat with the In- Menezes said, but “we were absolutely dore Mascarenhas described Menezes dian Embassy in Paris. He had joined the sure that he loved the Church and want- as “one of the ’s beloved, (BJP) and became ed the Church to love and be loved.” courageous and illustrious sons.” a member of its national executive. How- Menezes died at his home in Bandra, “A prominent Journalist, award win- ever, he left the party after a short while a suburb of Mumbai. The funeral service ning writer, inspirational speaker and a when he found it incompatible with his was held on September 11 at St Andrew’s divergent thinker, Menezes served God principles. In a “hard-hitting letter” to the Church in Bandra. and humanity with full dedication and then BJP president Lal Krishna Advani, Menezes was best known for his writ- love,” the Church official said in a press Menezes lamented the way things were ings and his humor. His popular books release issued on September 11. being dealt with in the party, Bishop Mas- are ‘Pardon, Your Middle is Showing,’ ‘The Naked Liberal,’ ‘One Sip at a Time.’ Celebrating the Guinness World Records recognition Menezes, who hailed from the island of Diwar, but lived in Mumbai. He is sur- vived by a son and a daughter. Mourning Menezes’ death the Catho- lic Association of Goa hailed him as “an outspoken lay conscience of the Catholic Church in India.” Association president Edwin Fonse- ca highlighted his work on compassion and concern for human rights especially against acts on Christians in Orissa, Kar- nataka and elsewhere in 2008. “George always fought for peace in India, stress- ing on the need to uphold the Constitu- tion’s multi-religiosity and multi-culture,” Fonseca added. “Pardon, Your Middle is Showing,” a collection of Menezes’ literary efforts had appeared in The Times of India, Indian Dr. A. F. Pinto, Chairman, Madam ing for donation. This was verified by Express, The Illustrated Weekly of India, Grace Pinto, MD and Mr. Ryan Pinto, the authorities of Guinness World Debonair and Home Life. It carried illus- CEO Celebrating the GUINNESS Records and was declared as a re- trations by Menezes’ fellow-Goan, Mario WORLD RECORDS recognition with cord. Speaking on this achievement, Miranda. young Ryanites Madam Grace Pinto said, “ We are His admirers compare Menezes to grateful for the vision that Lord Je- English writer and humorist P.G. Wode- The Ryan International Group of In- sus Christ has given us to nurture re- house. stitutions was recently recognized for sponsible and compassionate future In his writings Menezes poked fun at its efforts for charity by none other citizens of the world.” Ryan Schools himself. The harassed father, the bald- than the GUINNESS WORLD RE- are well-known for providing holistic headed Lothario, the drunken delinquent CORDS. The Group’s school in Shar- education to students and undertak- and the peril-prone writer are familiar jah received this accolade for partici- ing large scale initiatives to reach out facets of Menezes characterization. Me- pating in the world’s largest charity to the underprivileged to build social nezes admitted in the book that he had donation for the poor. The students responsibility amongst them. “a highly fertile imagination.” collected over 205,122 items of cloth- —RONIDA Courtesy: mattersindia 2 19 September 2016 Advertisement. Tariff Over all size 21.5 cms x 27cms  Print area 18 cms x 25.5 cms Full pg. back Colour (19 cms x 24 cms) Rs. 15,000 A National family WEEKLY Center spread colour(39 cms x 23.5 cms Rs. 15,000 Vol.25 No.38 September 19, 2016 Rs.5/- Full pg. inside Cover colour(18 cms x 24 cms) Rs. 10,000 Full pg. inner colour (18 cms x 24 cms) Rs. 8,000 99, Perin Nariman Street, Fort, Mumbai - 400 001. Half pg. 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(1 year The Secular Citizen FREE) Contents Climate Change pg. 3 - Climate Change by Don Aguiar pg. 4 - Missing the Saint for the Miracles remember the first time I heard about the climate change problem, and it gave me a pg. 5 - Voice of the People very uneasy feeling. It was way back in 1987. pg. 7 - Girl Child Day I Some people then asked if all this talk of climate change was just a device: while oth- pg. 8 - Closing the Floodgates on ers said that they didn’t care about it. The world is not something that is only outside us: the world is within us too. WE ARE THE WORLD. There is an old proverb; tomorrow never Surrogates comes. But the old proverb has only been a proverb, tomorrow has kept coming. It may pg. 10 - now Saint not come as tomorrow: it will always come as today – in that sense the proverb is right. But Teresa today the situation is totally different: tomorrow really may not come

pg. 11 - Views on News The daily news reminds us again and again of the importance of this message. I’m filed pg. 14 - Mangalurean Mariner in with morbid fascination as I read each news report of shrinking ice, or species migrating daring rescue towards the poles or prediction of much of the world’s landmass turning to desert. And I’m intensely curious about what’s going to happen in the next few years. pg 16 - Obituary: George Me- nezes All of our countries will be affected by a changing climate. But the world’s poorest people will bear the heaviest burden—from rising seas and more intense droughts, shortages of pg. 17 - Poems water and food. We will be seeing climate change refugees. pg. 18 - Book Review pg 20 - Matrimonials Climate change which is related to Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing the Earth’s climate.

There is great debate among many people, and sometimes in the news, on whether global Subscriptions Rate: warming is real (some call it a hoax). But climate scientists looking at the data and facts One year (anywhere in India) Rs. 250 agree the planet is warming. While many view the effects of global warming to be more Three years (anywhere in India) Rs. 700 substantial and more rapidly occurring than others do, the scientific consensus on climatic Five years (anywhere in India) Rs. 1000 changes related to global warming is that the average temperature of the Earth has risen between 0.4 and 0.8 °C over the past 100 years. One year (outside India) Rs. 2500 The increased volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released by the E-paper Edition burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, agriculture, and other human activities, are believed to sent anywhere in the world (by email) be the primary sources of the global warming that has occurred over the past 50 years. One year Rs. 600 or US $ 15 Two years Rs. 1000 or US $ 25 Scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate carrying out global warming re- search have recently predicted that average global temperatures could increase between Cover : Missing the Saint for the 1.4 and 5.8 °C by the year 2100. Changes resulting from global warming may include rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps, as well as an increase in occurrence and Miracles: severity of storms and other severe weather events. (Article on p. 4) (Contd.. on p. 22) 19 September 2016 3 Missing The Saint For The Miracles

the camera work was pathetic. I was fter watching the canonisa- pulled out all the stops for the funeral, watching BBC and an Indian channel tion ceremony of Mother Te- beamed live to millions across the in English. Where they were getting the resa on TV on 4th Septem- world. live feed from was anybody’s guess. Aber, I don’t­ know whether to Other than the occasional panoramic yawn with ennui, or bang my fists with There was a picture of her posing shot of the majestic colonnades of St angst. I was not particularly enthused with Mother Teresa. The tall, beautiful Peter’s Square, the camera kept pan- about Mother Teresa being declared young woman on the one hand, and ning on the faces of non-entities in the a Saint, as I believed that, her human the frail, stooped one covered from crowd, most of whom were fanning shortcomings notwithstanding, she head to toe on the other. She was themselves with the booklets to beat was always a living saint, and did not even more beautiful, as in Malcolm the heat. require any “miracles” to prove it. Her Muggeridge’s words “something life of total commitment, compassion beautiful for God”. Mother Teresa was I had hoped to see something truly and service was a miracle in itself. more than just beautiful, she was be- catholic (universal) with a spicy In- atific. Yet the State sought to match dian flavour. All we got was bland I first met Mother Teresa in 1967, the pageantry of the British. Unfortu- continental fare, minus any flair. I ex- when my mother had invited her to nately, the worldly beautiful and the pected to see an Indian dance troupe, our hometown, Kanpur. I then spent divinely beatific can be contrasted, like Charles Vaz had once presented several hours driving her not compared, nor com- before Pope John Paul II. I expected around town to select a peted with. to see some Indian liturgical customs place for her sisters to stay. like aarti, and some hymns in Hindi/ She has had meals at our One of the two enduring Bengali. All we got was one short home; and when my moth- (not endearing) images prayer in Bengali. One of the read- er complained to her about from Mother Teresa’s fu- ings was in Spanish, and a prayer for me in 1971 she called me neral was the gun salute persecuted Christians was in Chinese over for an hour long tête- by an army contingent. I (rather indiscreet). à-tête. In 1967 itself I had felt it totally incongruous noticed an intensity in her to fire a fusillade in honour by chhotebhai * I did not see the camera pan on our eyes, while she silently of a Nobel Peace laureate. Foreign Minister, Shushma Swaraj, thumbed her rosary beads. The other image was when who later met the Pope; nor on Mam- She seemed to be in direct communi- communion was being distributed. A ta Banerjee who reportedly walked in cation with the Lord above. foreign diplomat pointedly made way a two-kilometre long procession; nor for Sonia Gandhi to go ahead of him, on Arvind Kejriwal, with or without his But this piece is not about Mother Te- but she remained transfixed to her cough and muffler! India was muffled resa per se. It is specific to the canon- chair. She goes to temples and dar- and muzzled at the canonisation. As isation ceremony presided over by gahs, but was loath to receive com- an Indian and as a catholic (universal- Pope Francis at St Peter’s Square at munion in public. I wondered. ist) I was sorely disappointed. the Vatican. My thoughts flew to two earlier “mega events” connected with Fast forward now to the beatification Even the commentary was pathetic. her. The first was her State funeral in by Pope John Paul II. The Pope was Because I know a little Latin and the Kolkata in 1997; and the second was not just frail, he was almost immobile, order of the Mass, I knew what was her beatification ceremony by Pope slumped in St Peter’s Chair. He was going on. For the majority of the uni- John Paul II, a few years later, at the also inaudible, with slurred speech. It verse it was a meaningless ritual, like Vatican. I had seen both on TV, and was pathetic. Here was an event that Mother Teresa’s sombre funeral. There found a sickeningly familiar pattern. was being attended by over 3 lakh pil- was no joi-de-vivre, no spontaneity, grims, and being watched by millions nothing. The only digression from the Her funeral took place just a few days across the globe. It turned out to be a prepared text was Pope Francis say- after that of Princess Diana. The latter no-go, no-show missed opportunity. ing that he still felt more comfortable was a tall young woman who looked with saying Mother Teresa, rather than even better in short dresses. Her life With a more pragmatic and liberal Saint Teresa. I am on the same page was cut shorter in a tragic road acci- Pope Francis now in the hot seat, I as him on that. dent that ended her failed marriage. expected a much more innovative The British royalty, known for its pag- canonisation. It was not to be. It was The total lack of creativity was evi- eantry, perhaps with a tinge of guilt for an encore of a sonorous, sombre having failed its glamorous princess, ritual in Latin, a dead language. Even (Contd.. on p. 15) 4 19 September 2016 Missionaries of Charity, in an interview to ZENIT, has given us unique titbits of her private life. She was responding to how the figure of Mother Teresa helps under- stand that Christianity is a religion of peace, in spite of religious intolerance towards them.The German nun noted 'Mother' becomes a and experience the same experience. how at her funeral faithful of all reli- They can estimate and judge the out- gions were drawn to Mother’s selfless Saint come of your vibrations and may try example and sanctity. She called her to interfere with your vibrations and an ‘icon’ of unity, tolerance and love. Millions of people across the globe dishonor the reality of non interfer- She revealed how in 1980, she will be watching the canonisation cer- ence by offering their opinion to af- was touched when Mother gave her emony of Mother Teresa 'live' on Sep fect you. But their opinion matters not a crucifix. She never did anything to 4, from the Vatican. While Mother was under all circumstances that prevail. lead others to herself, but only to Je- deeply religious like all nuns, what A thousand people may push their sus and Mary. Even in her old age, sets her apart are her 'works of char- strength on you by their vibrations she tried to be the first one in the cha- ity'. Mother had great faith and her and yet it would not interfere with your pel. Mass always empowered Mother works are testimony of her faith. "For aura and mind. But if you push them to serve the poorest. what good is faith without works?" back by retaliating then you are allow- She was our Mother and teacher! says the Bible. ing the negation of all that is in pro- She guided us how to live life in a prac- While Catholics and people of oth- pulsion towards you from their power tical way, through the high demands er faiths rejoice and celebrate the can- of indulgence. You begin to get af- of total surrender and trust in God’s onization of Mother Teresa in various fected and this stance weakens your divine mercy!She lived her religious ways, a small church in Malad East placement in vibration. Often one life with so much joy and enthusiasm. (St Jude's church, with just 800 pa- succumbs to the impact. But if you do She always had this contagious smile, rishioners) seemed to have captured not push against their force meant to which I believe was her gift to Jesus the real essence of Mother's mission flow towards you then you are allow- and the world. in life, by undertaking to do 'works ing those people pushing against you She highlighted Mother’s obedi- of charity' . The entire parish will be to affect their own vibrations. In that ence – if a doctor prescribed medi- involved all through the day cooking progression they are affecting what cine, she took it like an obedient child. and distributing food to the poor--a happens to their own vibration. They This humility portrayed her true pov- truly fitting tribute to the Mother. are , because of the law of inverse erty, sharing her pain and sufferings reciprocity affecting their own point with those around her. —Prof Robert Castellino of attraction. This does not affect you. Rather than one saying, she loved Mumbai You are on safe grounds unless YOU the people of Kolkata, it would be retaliate and push against them. Then more correct to say, she loved the in- all hell breaks loose and all what hap- dividual sufferer, even the least (cf. Mt. pens will depend on the strength and 25:40). It is the Law vigor inside you that may help your —Dr. Trevor Colaso Got to know about a very strange formidable self to stay on a safe pla- teau depending on the strength of (Now temporarily at Memphis, but true symbiosis of the law of retali- Tennessee, USA). ation and the impact of revengeful ap- their vibration settling on you and to plication vis a vis human interaction in what extent is the focus. everyday life and living. Cardinal urges We are all beings that are in con- —Rtn. Calwyn D’Abreo tinuous vibration. Each human ver- austerity during tebrae vibrates differently than the other neighborly human species. It is Rare Personal ceremonies an experience that is entirely yours to contain and dispense with. It is con- Glimpses of Cardinal , head tinuous according to your feelings of the Syro-Malabar Church has and the progression of your mind ac- Mother Teresa! asked bishops, priests, religious and tivity. Another person cannot vibrate lay people to adopt a life of simplic- the same as you are under normal cir- On 2nd Sept. 2016, prior to her ity, saying that luxury in the church cumstances. They cannot experience canonization, Sr. Mary PremaPierick, should be seen as a violation of the the current superior general of the the same drift. Nor can they imitate (Contd.. on p. 6) 19 September 2016 5 (Contd.. from p. 5) celebrate their feast. In Goa the Feast more powerful/less powerful, etc, are of Our Lady of the Mount (Old Goa ) negated since such service to God rights of the poor. Ceremonies such is celebrated on Sunday 11th Sep- does not allow the building up of an as ordinations of priests and bishops, tember, which is appropriate being ego or pride in the server , but instead weddings and funerals should not be- the first Sunday after the birthday of causes a spiritual uplift, as the benefit come extravagant celebrations. Every Mother Mary. In Bandra however the to the receiver is seen as only as a by- such event should consider the "poor- fair starts from Sunday 11th Septem- product of the endeavour. This forms est of the poor" in society, he said. ber and will goes on till Sunday 18th the basis of the Ramakrishna mission The Syro-Malabar church , has a September which is the feast day. which runs several hospitals, dispen- following of about 4.5 million believers While one feast (in Goa) may be seen saries and educational institutions and is in full communion with the Ro- as spiritual, the other appears to be with the noble intention of serving man Catholic church. They account purely commercial.. God in human beings. Saint Mother for nearly one-fourth of Catholics in —Prof Robert Castellino Teresa ‘s selfless service to the poor- the India and are the second largest Mumbai est of the poor , the homeless, and the denomination after the Latin Catho- lepers was also similar, because she lics (total Catholic population in India saw Christ in every suffering human. is about 20 million). Worldwide, the Syro-Malabar church, headquartered Mercy and —A. F. Nazareth at Ernakulum is the second largest Prudential Palms Eastern rite Catholic church after the compassion as Ukrainian Eastern Catholic church. Incidentally, in the Syro-Malabar rite service to God the sacraments of Baptism Chrisma- Prison Ministry In this jubilee year of mercy ob- tion (confirmation) and Holy Eucharist served in the Catholic church , we are administered on the same day to Sunday are all called upon to treat our fellow infants or pre- school children. How- beings with compassion and mercy On 14th August, the Catholic ever, only a piece of the consecrated since God our loving Father is merci- Church celebrated Prison Ministry Host is given to the child. Thereafter, ful and we are all God’s creation and Sunday. This should be an occasion Holy Communion is given only after consequently his children. This idea for parishes to help the prisoners in the child reaches the age of reason. is however different in Hinduism as the prisons located within their par- Though this practice may seem told to us by Swami Shantatmananda ishes to live a respectful, meaningful, extreme from our point of view, the , a monk of the Ramakrishna mission decent and fruitful life. Regular visits Syro-Malabar church's exhortation in . According to him, Sri Ra- should be made by the parishioners to abjure ostentation during religious makrishna, the great Hindu mystic , and console the innocent prisoners ceremonies is commendable and is taught that man being an insignificant who are false convicted. Eucharistic the need of the hour . Today virtually creature as tiny as a worm , can never ministers can also administer Holy Eu- all sacraments are accompanied by show compassion to fellow beings , charist to Catholic prisoners and pray lavish celebrations. While Baptisms, because what we call compassion is for them. Similarly prisoners could First Holy Communion and weddings only service of God in man. Every hu- be taught self employment schemes are are now de rigueur, ' Death An- man is a manifestation of God. Hence which will help them to lead a decent niversaries ' are also gaining ground all activities of compassion are done and meaningful life once they are re- with 6-course meals. And now, even, with the idea of serving God in the leased from the prisons. 'month's mind masses' are becoming human being. When this done , all celebratory with food packets being ideas of who is superior or inferior, or —Cajetan Peter D'Souza discretely handed out after prayers at the cemetery. Cardinal Alencherry has come down heavily on use of firecrackers HOLY FAMILY COLD STORAGE and loudspeakers during religious John Rodrigues House, Chakala, Andheri (E), Mumbai – 400099 festivals as the faithful are unable to Located on the way to International Airport, Nr Cigarette Factory pray in peace and tranquility. The Convenient for the Passengers carrying the stocks abroad. cardinal has also expressed himself Try our Fresh Pork Meat; Fresh Real Good Chicken; Cold Cuts; against trade on church premises dur- Ready to eat items; Goan Sausages; Goan, ing festivals (the Bandra fair, which has Mangalorean and East Indian variety of Masalas. become very commercial, is a case in point ). Bandra locals are against Note: We provide FREE HOME DELIVERY the fair as it causes immense incon- to our most valuable customers. venience to the public for 8 days. All Phone : 2827 0498 Mobile: 99695 73121 Bandraites they want is one day to 6 19 September 2016 GIRL CHILD Day - Someone’s Daughter is SHE!

ndia is no country for daugh- Those were the days single moment berating ters’ they say! The harsh truth when the demand for their only wonton son or is, with Patriarchy exercising a housemaids from ‘back feeling responsible for the rigid rule on the country’s mi- home’, who lived and sad plight of someone’s ‘I worked in homes was at daughter. What happened lieu, India’s daughters have been re- duced to being either ‘Paraya Dhan’, its peak. Since religious to the child-woman af- beasts of burden or sex objects. They centres engaged in edu- ter that is so sad that we are always someone’s daughters but cation and social work would hang our heads in not mine. build numerous contacts shame! Till today, I shud- But these daughters of with the poor der to think how we exploit India are celebrated as a and needy, it our fragile little girls if they gift to mankind by some is easy for them are someone else’s chil- communities, on occasions to persuade a girl or two to dren. designated for this purpose. come to work in the city. The second incident is as heart- It is but most appropriate to And if the employers are breaking as the first one. A woman celebrate the gift of girls on related to them, the maid is from the North-East of India was found the Nativity of Mother Mary, handpicked and promised loitering in tears at the roadside in this the pot of gold at the end of city by a house worker. Starving and Mother of God and all hu- by Vera Alvares mankind. She, who bore the rainbow! With total trust filthy, the woman was neither articu- Jesus, nurtured him, taught in the garb of the religious, late nor convincing enough to explain and cared for him to silently follow parents hand over their kids to the her story. Gradually what emerged him to Calvary with a sword piercing ‘sister’, as it happened in this case! was a pathetic story of ruthless cru- her heart at the sight of her beloved So it was that a little girl from a elty-- she had been thrown out of a Son is the true woman of substance. backward hamlet in the State of Kar- celebrity household without a penny Hers is a life, lived as an exemplary nataka was ‘transported’ to the city after being accused of thieving and daughter and mother, to be venerated to work as a ‘maid’ in the small flat, she had nowhere to go. and emulated by us! the residence of a family of three, The irony of it was that the mistress “Day of the Girl-Child” is celebrat- parents and son, a college student of the manor was a well-known Catho- ed in the Archdiocese of Bombay apparently running wild. This some- lic, moving in the higher circles of so- during the week around the birth of body’s daughter was a lively, happy ciety. The house-worker who found Mother Mary, with special prayers and and enthusiastic child who learnt the her took her to her own mistress who programmes focusing on the role of a housework and adopted the family readily accepted her into her own woman in society. Oral tributes with- as her own in no time at all. Working household, and the destitute found out any action to reinforce a change parents did not spare much time for food, a corner to curl up and nothing in India’s attitudes and superstitious their son or the poor girl. For this ig- more. Over a period of time, her fran- beliefs have so far not yielded any no- norant child, growing up turned out to tic appeals to all and sundry to look ticeable improvements in the fate of be a novel experience at the hands of for her two teen daughters who had the girl children in the country. the only teacher available to her- the been brought to the city by a distant A look at the reality that is India to- depraved college student. She was relative, reached the right ears and day will shake us out of our compla- abused. Not knowing any better she efforts were made to look for the two cency. It is accepted widely that girls was convinced that ‘this’ was the way girls. Though one of them was locat- are a burden to the family. Therefore it happens to all and there was noth- ed, the girl had made her own life in they receive hardly any education, ing wrong in it. The mother, a teacher the company of men and refused to nutrition, care or attention, living on herself was blissfully unaware of the take responsibility for the mother. And the fringes waiting to be married off to happening and maybe chose to turn a the senior is toiling somewhere, lost in rich old men or trafficked, used and blind eye at her son’s misdemeanour. the statistics of exploited women that abused! It is not confined to the rural, The innocent child, far away from the India refuses to acknowledge! illiterate folk but practiced in educat- safety of her own home had grown Numerable instances of girls work- ed, sophisticated urban areas behind into a woman and also, a mother-to- ing endlessly to support the family or closed doors. be! sacrificing their desires and ambitions The following two eye-witness ac- When the parents came to know to care for the aged parents tell a story counts are two of the many incidents of her condition, they swiftly dropped of the tenderness within a daughter’s that may prompt us to take a new look her like a hot potato, despatched her heart. How then is this ‘someone’s at how we treat our girl children. in a jiffy to her village and her parents. daughter’ not mine to love and pro- This Catholic couple did not waste a tect? 19 September 2016 7 Closing The Floodgates On Surrogates

When the MCs established their Shi- by chhotebhai shu Bhawan in my hometown, Kanpur, about 50 years ago, I was a frequent Surrogacy has been in the news, be- visitor. Many abandoned and orphaned cause a bill to close the floodgates on children were lovingly cared for. At that the surrogates is being introduced in time there was a stigma attached to Parliament. More than the issue of sur- adoption, and ironically, till just a few rogacy itself, what really opened an- years ago, Christians did not have the other floodgate was the statement of right to adopt, till an amendment in the Shushma Swaraj, Minister of External Juvenile Justice Act. The MCs brought Affairs, that gay couples would not be the matter? up these children, and even arranged allowed to go for surrogacy, as it was their marriages. I myself have been against our Indian ethos. I studied the 50-page CARA docu- god father to several of them. ment, with special regard to Prospec- I chanced upon an interesting debate tive Adoptive Parents (PAPs). There is Then the tide turned. Whether it was on surrogacy on a leading English TV no reference to gay couples whatsoev- changed lifestyles, career options, channel. One of the suggestions made er. Section 5 on the eligibility criteria of or indiscriminate use of artificial birth by a doctor panellist was that surroga- PAPs states that they should be “phys- control methods – there was a sud- cy be brought under the purview of the ically, mentally and emotionally stable” den spurt in infertility of couples and Central Adoption Resource Authority (5a). It expects such a couple to have a corresponding demand for adop- (CARA), as it was a Govt body with all “at least two years of stable marital re- tion. Initially the first choice was for a the necessary infrastructure and ex- lationship” (5f). The “consent of both boy child. That prejudice soon disap- pertise, so there was no need to estab- spouses is required” (5e). However, it peared as well, and there was a long lish another body for surrogacy. CARA also states, somewhat contradictorily, waiting list for adoptions. Whether by would suffice. that PAPs, irrespective of their marital rule or discretion, I am not sure, but status, and whether or not they have the MCs only entertained those PAPs I did not sleep that night because I had their own biological children, can who were medically confirmed as be- studied the CARA document on adop- adopt a child (5b). Couples with more ing infertile. And they did not entertain tion promulgated on 17/7/2015, by the than four children would not be eligible those who already had children. That Ministry of Child Development; but as PAPs (5j). was a fair proposition. could not recall its various provisions. Though surrogacy and adoption are The PAPs are expected to register on- Another procedure followed was to not quite the same thing, they address line in Schedule 5. They must declare look for a physically compatible child. the needs of the same section of so- their status as “single/ spinster/ widow/ In one case we had to locate a child ciety – the childless couple. I wanted widower/ divorcee/ separated or mar- with mongoloid features like the PAPs, to check out if gay couples were also ried couple”. There seem to be many from a distant State. Two children, at banned from adoption, for whatever anomalies here. For example, a sepa- most, were shown to the PAPs. Even reason. rated singleton is still legally married. photography was prohibited, to pro- Then how can such a person adopt tect the identity and confidentiality of Readers may recall that when the without the consent of the spouse (cf the children. Unfortunately, the new CARA guidelines were issued last year, 5e)? guidelines have turned things upside the Missionaries of Charity (MCs), on down. Now everything is online, and the advice of some bishops, took the The guidelines stipulate that the PAPs PAPs are allowed to view the profiles moral high ground and decided to sur- should have compatibility (1.15). They of up to six children, as per their own render their licences as adoption cen- also state that “the child’s best inter- preferences. I would here fully agree tres, because some of the provisions ests shall be of paramount consider- with the MCs that this would amount of the new guidelines militated against ation” (3a). One could presume this to compromising the confidential- their religious beliefs. One of the ma- rightness of intention in a childless ity of the child, and a grave injustice. jor objections of the MCs was that gay couple. It would be difficult to establish Given India’s penchant for boys, and couples had been given the right to this in the case of singletons, divorcees “fair and lovely”, these guidelines are adopt. This would be against the Indi- and separated persons. Would such loaded against the girl child and those an “ethos” propounded by Swaraj, for persons be looking at the “child’s best of swarthy complexions. surrogacy, just as it was against the re- interests”, or their own vested interest ligious “ethos” on which Mother Teresa of security and social acceptance? Whether the MCs, with their wealth of founded the MCs. What is the truth of (Contd.. on p. 9) 8 19 September 2016 (Contd.. from p. 8) Now let us see the effects of these al- bearing 2. Altruistic surrogacy, where truistic surrogacies. When Hagar con- the parties are known to each other, experience and depth of commitment, ceived through Abraham she became would be a conundrum, raising more should have challenged these unfair conceited “and her mistress counted questions than it answers. Anonymous (pun intended) guidelines; instead of for nothing in her eyes” (Gen 16:4). surrogacy, as presently practiced, is a meekly surrendering their licences, is Resenting Hagar’s conceit, Sarah ill- safer option, especially with the built now of academic interest only. How- treated her, resulting in her running in safeguard of DNA testing to verify ever, now that the floodgates for surro- away (cf Gen 16:6). Altruism indeed! progeny 3. One should understand the gates are about to be closed, and the Childlessness does cause anguish, anguish of childless couples, and not procedures could come under CARA, and even rivalry, as evidenced in the pontificate to them. we needed to revisit the entire issue. sisters Leah and Rachel, with their re- spective slave girls thrown in for good Now let us examine the Catholic The word “surrogate” literally means a measure. Some of the statements that Church’s response to surrogacy. Oth- substitute. In the given context it refers they make, and the names that they er than personal opinions, there is very to the implantation of an embryo from give to their children, are telling. Leah little official teaching to go by. The CCC a couple, for whatever reason, in the named her first son Reuben, which was brought out in 1992, a time when womb of a third person, a substitute. meant “Yahweh has seen my misery” bishops and moral theologians would The debate on the surrogate is till rag- (Gen 29:32). When Rachel’s slave girl not have known much about it. There ing. The Govt’s proposed legislation is Bilhah bore a child Rachel proclaimed is only one passing reference to sur- against any form of commercial sur- “God has done me justice” (Gen 30:5). rogacy. It states, “Techniques that en- rogacy, as is the norm now, and will Similarly, when the second child was tail the intrusion of a third person (sur- only allow altruistic (unselfish) sur- born she said “I have fought a fateful rogate uterus) are gravely immoral. It rogacy through close relatives. Imag- battle with my sister and I have won” betrays the spouse’s right to become a ine somebody’s sister-in-law opting to (Gen 30:8). Later, when she had her father and a mother only through each be a surrogate!! Blood relations are own biological son she said “God has other” (CCC 2376). I find this a contra- loath to donate blood to “blood rela- taken away my disgrace” (Gen 30:23). diction in terms. On the one hand we tives”, what then of surrogacy? talk of the right of parents to have chil- In the more celebrated case of Sarah dren, and then deny that right through In the Bible we find that Hagar, the we find that God uses even more ex- surrogacy, which is scornfully referred Egyptian slave girl of Sarah, is the traordinary means for her to conceive. to as a third party “intrusion”! Howev- first substitute (surrogate) mother. We In a divine apparition at Mamre, when er, in the instant cases of Sarah, Leah, know that she was barren and there- Abraham was already old, and Sarah and Rachel, there was situational eth- fore asked her husband Abraham to was long past menopause (cf Gen ics, and third party intervention (not take Hagar and father a child (cf Gen 18:11), the divine apparition says that intrusion). The CCC further contradicts 16:1-2). Abraham’s grandson Jacob Sarah would conceive a child, Isaac. itself when it states that “a child is not also followed the path of surrogacy, as a right but a gift. Only the child pos- both his wives, Leah and Rachel (who Let us now move to the New Testa- sesses genuine rights” (CCC 2378). were sisters) were barren. In turn both ment, where Jesus is questioned about This is the theatre of the absurd. Which of them gave their respective slave Moses permitting divorce. On the one celibate old males in boardrooms have girls Zilpah and Bilhah to Jacob to bear hand he upholds the indissolubility of made these rules for young couples children for them (cf Gen 30:3-13). marriage, while on the other he makes in their bedrooms? Were the effected a calibrated statement “It was because parties ever involved in this legislative What lessons can we learn from these you were so hard hearted, that Moses process? biblical surrogacies? The first is the allowed you to divorce your wives” anguish of the childless person. Abra- (Mat 19:8). Is this a case of situational Let me draw another parallel. In his ham says to God “What use are your ethics, where the specific circumstanc- time Jesus performed many miracles gifts, as I am going away childless, es determine the law, and not vice like curing leprosy, blindness deafness since you have given me no offspring” versa? Had not Jesus himself said that etc. Many of these are now curable (Gen 15:2). Rachel echoes similar an- the Sabbath was made for man and through advances in medical sciences, guish. She was jealous of her elder not the other way around (cf Mk 2:27)? the modern miracles. Science is also sister Leah, who had children by then, Will law makers, constitutional or ca- God’s gift to the human race. So if sci- and said to Jacob,”Give me children, nonical, pay heed? entific procedures are used to perform or I shall die” (Gen 30:1). Are these old miraculous treatment, are they to be wives’ tales (pun intended)? Not so. From the above instances I dare to condemned? If, in situational ethics, The Catechism of the Catholic Church draw a few conclusions: 1. There can moral aberrations like sleeping with (CCC) promulgated on 11/10/1992 never be hard and fast rules, or wa- slave girls could be condoned, the takes due cognizance of these an- ter tight compartments, when dealing same principles should apply in sci- guished cries (CCC 2374). with deeply personal issues like child (Contd.. on p. 10)

19 September 2016 9 (Contd.. from p. 9) entific procedures that puritans would Mother Teresa is now Saint Teresa consider “gravely immoral”. other Teresa’s selfless and doned by their families. Blessed with When will we stop pontificating? The untiring service profound empathy, recently held Laity Synod had raised Mto the poor of unwavering commit- great hopes that the genuine issues of the poorest, orphaned ment and unshakable married people – like divorce, infertility, and sick people on the faith since young, she surrogacy, family planning etc would streets of Calcutta, now turned her back to the be addressed. It was a complete let Kolkata will be remem- worldly pleasures and down. All we got were pious platitudes, bered by every Indian. focused on serving like this old howler, “Physical sterility is It is gratifying to note mankind ever since not an absolute evil. Such childless that Pope Francis, the she was 18. After years couples should unite themselves to the Head of the Vatican has of service as a teacher Lord’s cross, adopt a child, or perform recognized her charita- and mentor, Mother Te- demanding services for others” (CCC ble services to human- resa experienced a call 2379). Ouch! That hurt. ity and declared her a by Jubel D’Cruz within her religious call, saint on September 4. which changed her While writing this article I heard Anu- September 4, 2016 was course of life complete- priya Patel, Minister of State for Health, also Mother Teresa’s 19th death an- ly, making her what she is known as (who belongs to my hometown, and niversary. today. Founder of the Missionaries of studied in a Catholic school here) state Charity, with her fervent commitment that poor women should look for gain- With the canonisation of Mother Tere- and incredible organisational and ful employment, and not “sell their sa as a saint, India now has six saints managerial skills, she developed an bodies” for surrogacy! It sounded like of her own. They are — St Gonsalo international organization that aimed she was comparing this to prostitu- Garcia, St Alphonsa, St Kuriakose towards helping the impoverished. tion. Shame. It looks like the Govt and Elias Chavara, St Euphrasia Eluvath- For her service to humanity she was the Catholic Church are on the same ingal, St Joseph Vaz and St Mother honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize page when it comes to surrogacy, and Teresa. in 1979. insensitivity to individual aspirations or feelings. Mother Teresa will always be remem- Mother Teresa, even though she has bered for what she said and what she been declared a saint by the Catholic While welcoming the Govt’s endeav- did while on this earth. She started Church is still a Mother to us. She will our to regulate (not control) surrogacy, her work with no money, depend- be remembered for her good deeds especially to protect poor women from ing only on God to help her. Mother for years to come. exploitation by avaricious doctors; I Teresa and her followers nursed the would conclude by saying that just sick and dying, taught street children, Subscriptions for as in CARA the child’s interests are gave shelter to the homeless, cared paramount, so too in surrogacy, the for the unloved and the lonely and prospective parents legitimate desires proclaimed the Word of God to one Renewal as well as New, can be should be considered sacrosanct. As and all. The rich and the poor alike sent through Bank Fund Transfer to any for the Catholic bishops, it is time that have felt explicably drawn into the one of the following banks: mercy of God's tender embrace by they became more sensitive to ground Bank: HDFC Bank her example as a follower of Jesus realities in the family, and involved the Branch : CST - Mumbai VT Christ. Her selfless love is a powerful actual stakeholders in any process Account Name: The Secular Citizen example of what it means to love oth- of legislation. It is easy to close the Account No. 03552000006744 ers as Christ loved us and a sign that floodgates on unbridled surrogacy, ISFC code: HDFC0000355 God still loves the world today. but it it could open up a much bigger or floodgate of exodus from the Church, Bank: Citizen Credit Co-op Bank Ltd., Clad in a khadi sari with its three with affected parties saying, “I care Branch : Colaba, Mumbai blue line border, Mother Teresa along two hoots for a church that does not Account Name: The Secular Citizen with her sisters of the Missionaries care for me”. We could, quite literally, Account No. 2090031000000489 of Charity became a symbol of love, be throwing the baby out with the bath ISFC code: CCBL0209003 water, a flood of it. care and compassion for the world. Mother Teresa was a ray of hope for Please inform us through email: * The writer has for years been many, including the aged, the desti- [email protected] or through phone: involved in marriage, family and tute, the unemployed, the diseased, 22693578 after transferring the youth counselling the terminally ill, and those aban- same. 10 19 September 2016 Cracks in the RSS The Goa outfit of the RSS has re- VIEWS on NEWS volted to form a political party to fight sainthood to Mother Teresa shows their the BJP in Goa – unbelievable. The RSS insecurity. She does not need a certificate which was formed in 1925 in the wake from anyone much less the RSS. The BJP of Hindu – Muslim riots, was known for though not very comfortable with extreme its disciplined cadre. Its hold on its mem- posturing is nonetheless not distancing bers was complete. The word of the Sar- itself totally with the basics of nationalism by Marshall Sequeira sanchalak was final as politics was never and patriotism as defined by the RSS. na also tried to draw Nepal into its fold on its agenda. Hindu unity was its focus It is surprising that the organization which saw some aberrations in Indo-Ne- so much so that their ultimate aim was which considered its own saffron flag su- pal relations. The same ploy was used ‘Hindu Rashtra’ till Dattatray Deoras took perior to the tricolour until Sardar Patel for Maldives and even Sri Lanka. That over and he permitted members to be forced them to accept the supremacy of was a dangerous situation for us. actively involved in politics. Even when the national flag over its own as one of the Keeping the potential of China in the BJP came to power in the last de- preconditions for lifting the ban on RSS. mind, perhaps India did not want to cade of the 19th century it had to tread They are questioning the loyalty of other take it head-on and preferred to play with caution when it came to challenging minority. The RSS refused to hoist the down the frightening situation. When the authority of RSS. Whatever the differ- national flag within its complex in Nagpur China failed to rein it Pakistan on terror- ences, were discreetly discussed within for over 52 years [from 1950 to 2002]. On ism issue and to make things worse it the four walls. Nothing came to light in the eve of independence, the Organizer, announced huge investment package the open. Even when questioned by the its mouth piece wrote - “The people [read running into several billions of dollars. media about the parallel seat of power, Congress] who have come to power by India woke up and decided that enough the BJP skirted the issue as just imagi- the kick of fate may give in our hands the is enough. First it signed the strategic nation. tricolour but it will never be respected and defence agreement with the USA which The recent revolt in the Goa outfit has owned by Hindus. The word three is in it- jolted China. India kept the pressure on sent shock waves in the RSS because self an evil and a flag having three colours and befriended Vietnam much to the dis- never before the authority of the Sar- will certainly produce a very bad psycho- comfort of China. sanchalak was ‘challenged’. Even pow- logical effect and is injurious to a country”. When Modi met the Chinese leader- erful men like L.K.Advani had to meekly Actually, they wanted the saffron flag to be ship they mellowed down and agreed submit to its diktat [and even resigned] hoisted on the 15th August 1947 instead to work closely with India. The Indian in the face of Jinnah controversy. Even of the National Flag. Their real agenda of a PM did not take the bait but instead told in matters of government formation the Hindu Rashtra will remain their focus and them in no uncertain terms what exactly RSS has a big say, their denials notwith- it will not change. India feels about China’s covert support standing. A relatively small man – Subash ***** Velingkar, Head of the Goa outfit openly to Pak which is encouraged by it and defied the RSS. The culture is changing. Growing Chinese intran- feels it can continue with its agenda of More and more of its followers appear to sigence cross border terrorism. Even dragging be getting suffocated. Differences over With the dismantling of the erstwhile its feet in matters concerning the glob- English in schools may not be the real Soviet Union, the Super Power was se- ally named terrorists is viewed by India reason. Significantly when the Goa outfit verely dented, leaving the United States very seriously. revolted there was no counter movement more powerful than ever. India while main- Narendra Modi’s parting shot was a to suppress the defiant group. Normally, taining cordial relations with Russia, it be- master piece. He warned both Pakistan there would have been reactions. Does gan moving towards America to counter and China – one for spreading terrorism it mean that more and more members of the growing threat perception from China. and the other for supporting it. This mes- the RSS who have been forced into sub- Undoubtedly, China has taken the place sage coming in the presence of G-20 mission are finding a whiff of freedom to of USSR with its growing economic and leaders must have hit both the countries defy the authority? This could be just the military power in this region which does hard. Now that India has decided to hit beginning. Wait and watch! not augur well for India. back, it will not slow down and the com- Ever since the BJP came to power, China on the other hand, seeing India ing months especially in the USGA the the RSS is behaving as if they are the move westwards, substantially increased matter will be brought up more forcefully sole guardians of nationalism and they its stake in Pakistan with military, econom- and expose the duo globally. With the will decide on the parameters. The is- ic and other assistance. In doing so, Paki- likes of ISIS and other outfits like Boko sues like love jehad, cow protection and stan which is literally bankrupt, stands to Haram the world is concerned about the other such sensitive areas are brought gain while China gets a foothold which it future. These heartless people are capa- into focus again and again knowing fully can increase at will. They have a right to ble of doing anything. It is in this context well that such an approach will further do so but if the intentions are dubious, that terrorism in any form is to be elimi- alienate the minorities. But that is what then it is a matter of concern particularly nated globally. they really want. The controversy over China’s growing presence in POK. Chi- 19 September 2016 11 Monti-Fest & Konkani Day Celebrated at Mira Road

Konkani Manyatha Divas was cel- offered ‘Paanpode Udaak’. Mr. Digo Lawrence Coelho was felicitated on ebrated by St. Joseph’s Konkani Rodrigues, President of the Associa- the occasion. Welfare Association, Mira Road on tion welcomed the gathering. Fr. Mel- 08.09.2016 at Community Hall of St. wyn D’Cunha (Spiritual Director of the Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Law- Joseph’s Church. Program started association and Parish Priest of St. rence Coelho expressed his gratitude with a welcome dance. Mrs. Hilda Joseph’s Church), Fr. Joseph Mar- towards Konkani people of Miraroad. Serrao, Member of the Association tis (Rector of St. Joseph,s Seminary, Fr. Joseph Martis said he is very hap- Mangalore) Mr. Lawrence Coelho py to know about St. Joseph Konkani (Editor of Konakni Weekly ‘Divo’), Sr. Welfare Association and praised St. Serena (Superior, Holy Cross Sisters, Joseph’s Konakni Welfare Associa- Mira Road), Sr. Superior of Ankur, Mira tion for the good work it is doing in the Road along with Mr, Digo Rodrigues, field of Konani. He asked the gather- Sofia D’Sa, Mr. Lawrence Mathias, Mr. ing to teach the culture and values of John Crasta, Mr. Arun Noronha inau- Konkani to our children. Fr. Melwyn gurated the function by a unique way emphasized that Konkani should be i.e. by symbolic harvesting the new like our shadow, wherever we go, our crop. Two minutes silence was ob- language should follow us. served for all those Konkani writers, actors and all who worked for it. Mr.

12 19 September 2016 Merit holders (children of Associa- Joseph Martis conducted the prayer tion members) in SSC and HSC were in traditional way. Thereafter Noven Learn anywhere honored. Prizes were distributed to was distributed to all. the winners of Talent Competition President of the Association, Digo anytime held on 21.08.2016. Rodrigues, invited all to the Dinner by traditional way ‘Jevnak Udak’. Vegi- From your own PC, Laptop, Members of the association and tarian ‘Jevan’ (Dinner) was on the ba- Tablet or from Smartphone. their children entertained the crowd nana leaf and Lavdate was sung by Acquire new skills with jokes and songs. During the the members of St. Joseph’s Konkani occasion small kits ‘Rooma Badyak’, Welfare Association. Mrs. Sofia D’Sa, These and many more Courses ‘Clinic 420’ and ‘Bill Problem’ were Secretary of St. Joseph’s Konkani are available: enacted. Welfare Association, Mira Road of- fered vote of thanks. l How to write music notes The second part of the Program was Mr. Arun Noronha compared the pro- l Learn the Art of Fruit Carving ‘Noven Jevan’ program in traditional gram beautifully. l Paper Quilling Art way. Before the ‘Noven Sevnche’, Fr. l Learn How to Draw l How to choose Your Career l Cake Making Art l Tailoring Course l Nursing Training l Course on Trigonometry l Learn Mathematics l Learn Algebra l Public Speaking course l How to Groom Yourself l Effective Time Management l How to Remember - Memory Power l How to grow business l How to write a Business Plann l The Secrets of Motivating your Staff l Negotiation Skills l Learn Sanskrit Language Fermino Decorators l How to run Tally ERP l Learn Party Dance l Learn PHP Mysql & Caterers l Learn Sanskrit l Learn Konkani We Specialise in Weddings, Communions, Christenings & Social Gatherings, l Travel Tourism Corporate Events. l Chartered Accountant l Inspiration from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam l Effective Time Management We Offer Wedding Packages With An Open Air Ground In… l Amazing Science Experiments l Bridal Makeup ST. PETER’S KG GROUNDS (BANDRA) l Bindi and Kajal Making Art CAPACITY -450-500 CROWD With Parking. l Be a Good Administrator l Basic Electronics ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI GROUNDS (BANDRA) NEAR MT. MARY’S STEPS l Candle Making Art UPTO 1000 CROWD WITH PARKING l Cultivating Positive Attitude l Customer Service Course l How to be a Proud Indian For Hire Of Chair, Table, Crockery, Mandaps, Stages And Lightening. l Learn How to Crochet l Art of Creating Wealth Specialist In Monsoon Sheds & Wedding Setups. l Getting out of Debt

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19 September 2016 13 Mangalurean Mariner in daring rescue

ope Francis has frequently who were given shelter fore and men urged the international com- were asked to stay around in mast munity to take serious ac- the house. Ladies who were preg- Ption over the deadly surge in nant and mothers with infants faced a migrants attempting to cross the dan- difficult time so they were given safe gerous Mediterranean Sea. Pope's space secure and comfortable. Soon appeal came after a large number of some order and peace settled and boat people lost their lives at sea. sailing for Sicily port in Italy made progress. The crew arranged to serve At that point in time, it was unnoticed ‘Kitchdi’ made of rice and lentil, and here though the international press other food by the enthusiastic cook was all praise; a Catholic master from store of food available. It was merchant mariner rooted in Manga- a hard task serving the famished and luru, was instrumental in saving 510 Capt. Joshua Peris Bhatt large number of ‘guests’, it was be- lives in the Mediterranean off the Ital- low decks as the sea hard turned very ian coast. Capt. Joshua Peris Bhatt took over and a miraculous profes- choppy, splashing on the entire main is our unsung hero, against odds he sional operation unfolded unbeliev- deck. Capt Bhatt said, “The boat peo- took on board his ship 'CS Caprice' ably. The old boat was tilting with peo- ple's attitude was indeed a gratitude these sinking humans saving chil- ple all around. Fear was in all the 20 to the Almighty, “ A medical emer- dren, women and men. The rescue crew and in most of the 510 miserable gency, a Syrian lady was gasping story is a thriller. He has been lauded souls – it seemed that only a Supreme for breath, arrangements were made by print and electronic media, even power was guiding. Capt Bhatt went with the Rome medics and soon she local TV and radio has aired his story, on to explain, the pilot ladder was low- was air lifted by an Rome ambulance let us look at it in brief now. ered, the weather and sea were get- helicopter. Team work won, it was all ting rough, the distressed boat was thanks to crew, divine force on board Daring Rescue in the made fast with ships line fore and aft and the Campbell shipping manage- Mediterranean : and the crew commenced embarka- ments concern at all times all went A soft spoken, tough, kind, Sea dog, tion of the dazed people. Firstly the well. merchant navy master mariner, the crew calmed them with reassurance Captain Joshua Peris Bhatt and his and got the ladies and About our heroic Captain: terrifc crew of 20, of the kids on board . About ten Capt. Joshua and his parents Law- bulk ship ‘CS Caprice’ ladies were pregnant and rence Peris Bhatt and Juliana lived saved a boat load of 510 a few mothers had infants long in Attavara following their illus- refugees in distress. In in arms, they managed trious ancestors, in the Ruzai Parish. Capt Bhatt’s own words: carrying them and climb- Born 29th May 1982, Joshua had “ CS Caprice, with a bulk ing the rope pilot ladder; his first education in Roshini Nilaya. load from Liepaja ,Latvia then it was the men’s turn Primary, high school and college was heading to her desti- to get on to the vessel. CS studies were done in famous St Aloy- nation Umm Said in Qa- by: Ivan Saldanha-Shet Caprice was the lone angel sius College. Capt. Joshua is one of tar, on October 22, 2014 of mercy on the vast blue three siblings. Capt. Joshua married at 1.50 pm Local Time, a black waters of the Mediterranean his admirer, Sonia Monica Fernandes distress call from Malta Radio Control high seas, saving all 510 human lives, from a well known Bendoor family on Centre informed that a boat carrying the drifting wreck was abandoned. 29 December 2008, they are blessed more than 500 people needed to be with two children Jude and Jordan rescued not far from our course. I Capt. Bhatt goes on, the survivors bouncing with mischievous energy contacted Malta RCC and confirmed were on board CS Caprice, cooks and intelligence. the distress message, sea was get- and steward produced hot tea to ting rough and the distressed boat keep the people warm and distributed Young Joshua joined the Training was listing precariously. I contacted milk packets for the babies and kids. Ship, ‘TS Jawahar’, Colaba, Mumbai my ship owners who made it very Malta advised CS Caprice to pro- for pre sea training. After completion clear that we had to save them, ‘save ceed towards Sicily, near sixty hour of pre sea training in the year 2004 all at any cost’ our commitment was sailing. The situation was explosive completed cadet-ship and cleared final, we plunged into readiness”. handling a huge desperate crowd of 2nd officers exams in the year 2005 humans with a small crew. Women Soon divine courage and confidence (Contd.. on p. 18) 14 19 September 2016 (Contd.. from p. 4) sentiments, but not knowing how to articulate them. Canonization of denced by the choice of the liturgy, that of the 23rd Sunday of ordinary Among the few Indians that I did spot Mother Teresa time! The First reading, from the Book were Cardinal Oswald Gracias of of Wisdom, and the Second from St Mumbai (one of the Pope’s 8 special Celebration Paul’s letter to Philemon were totally advisors), Abp Thomas D’souza of irrelevant. The Gospel from Luke on Mangalore diocease Kolkata, who were beside the Pope at the cost of discipleship could easily the altar, and Cardinal Telesphore To- have been misinterpreted because pno from Ranchi. A minor miracle was of the emphasis to hate one’s own, to spot Bp Patrick Nair, retired bishop in order to become a true disciple of of Meerut, now settled in Dehradun. Jesus. Horrendous. What message I say miracle because when I first were we conveying to the non-Chris- met him about 40 years ago, he told tian world? me, with a twinkle in his eye, that he never went to Rome, not even for the As a proud Indian, minus the jingois- mandatory Ad Limina visits. He would tic nationalism, I always look forward perhaps have preferred playing his to watching the Republic Day parade. guitar for the orphans, cycling around My eyes well up with tears and my Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul Dsou- the parish, or playing basketball with heart swells with joy. What enhances za Bishop of Mangalore diocese his seminarians. So what miracle now the parade is the lucid running com- blessed the Statue of Mother Te- brought him to roam (pun intended)? mentary, especially when Rene Si- resa at Mother Teresa convent falnir. mon did it. Imagine watching a crick- Grand procession was begin at Moth- The last time that I had met him he et, football or tennis match without a er Teresa convent at 4.15 PM with a told me how he had almost lost his vi- competent commentator? If nothing, short prayer service and blessing of sion in his one good eye. Then some the Vatican could have hired out of the statue. of Mother Teresa’s sisters brought him work and party comicator, Navjyot M o t h e r a swab of cotton that had some blood Singh Siddhu! He would have spiced T h e r e s a of Mother Teresa’s on it. It had been it all up. convent Su- picked up from an operation theatre perior sister where she had a surgery earlier. Bp Today the medium is the message. Bernadette Patrick applied this swab to his eye, Without the medium there is no mes- welcomed and Alleluia, he could see again. May- sage. After watching the canonisation the gather- be Pope Francis should have called the only message that I came away ing. Around Bp Patrick up to the podium to give with is that the monolithic Catholic 500 people his testimony. Church seems stuck somewhere in joined the the European Middle Ages. What a holy pro- Miracles and mismanagement apart, wasted opportunity to highlight the c e s s i o n Mother Teresa is a Saint in every sense work, the mission and the motivation soon after of the word. For me she is an embodi- of Mother Teresa. Opportunity doesn’t the blessing ment of Christian virtue, compassion say “knock, knock, knock”. It only of the statue. and renunciation. As in the last judge- strikes once. Procession witnessed the devo- ment all that counts is what we did for tion of the people who were part of the least of the brethren (cf Mat 25). I Perhaps this is why commentators this great ceremony. hope not to miss that. kept harping on the two “miracles” In memory of this event Falnir that facilitated Mother Teresa’s canon- road was renamed as mother Teresa * The writer has been associated with Mother road. Mr. J R Lobo MLA of Manga- isation. The healed persons were not Teresa and her sisters for the last 40 years. present, nor their testimonies given. lore inaugurated the board by open- This lent grist to the mill, that how ing the name board cover. In the could one go by miracles that could Jack of All Stall mean while balloons were left to sky not be scientifically established be- Reliable House for in memory of mother Teresa. yond reasonable doubt? Can we Holy Mass was celebrated at Mi- blame them for missing the Saint Religious Goods lagres Church. Inaugural of 2 books for the Miracles; as the adage goes, Gloria Church Bldg., 263, Dr. Ambed- in memory of Mother Teressa and our lady of Fathima was conducted “Don’t miss the wood for the trees”. kar Rd., Byculla, Mumbai - 400027 Do you now understand why I have so soon after the mass. much angst about the canonisation? Tel.: 23725963, 23749358 Many others may be sharing similar Estd: 1951 Prop. B. D'Souza Photo and news :Roshan Madtha 19 September 2016 15 No Longer Naked, But Liberated (George Menezes 10/4/1928 – 9/92016) the presidentship of the AICU was looked upon as a crown of thorns. OBITUARY George willing donned, and subse- quently adorned it. At the time he was an Executive Member of the BJP, which he termed a political experiment. He now felt that this was incompatible with his new role as the NP of the AICU. He

George Menezes immediately relinquished his position by chhotebhai * in the BJP. That was the naked liberal in him. Two years ago I did a review of the The first time that I actually met book “The Naked Liberal“, on anthol- ing on has broken our hearts, and we George was a year later, when he ogy on George Menezes, written by sure know where to find him, for he came to Kanpur to conduct the first Selma Carvalho. I enjoyed reading has gone ahead of us into Galilee (cf ever North Indian Laity Training Pro- the book, and also writing the review; Mk 16:7). And lest I forget, there were gramme. He was brutally naked about because it was a labour of love for more than the imaginary three mourn- what he believed to be true, and lib- someone I loved, cherished and re- ers at his funeral celebrated by Bp eral in understanding ground realities spected. Perceval Fernandes at St Andrew’s in both Church and society. The pro- Now he has crossed to the other Church, Bandra, on 11th September. gramme was called Effective Christian shore and will probably be surprised Though I am familiar with George’s Leadership (a term that I have contin- to find himself no longer, “naked”, for writings, his humour, his persona and ued to use in my own training pro- he will be covered with “the grammes over the last robe of righteousness” (cf 30 years). How effective Rev 7:9), with a halo teas- the training was is evi- ingly resting on his bald denced by the fact, that pate! St Peter would not even though north India have been surprised to hardly counts for any- find George Menezes at thing in the real politick the Pearly Gates, but by of the Catholic Church, George, I am sure that he it produced 3 NPs for the would have been pleas- AICU – myself from 1990 antly surprised to find - 94, Norbert D’souza of himself up there, and now Jhansi/Lucknow (1996 beaming down on us with - 2000), and Dr Remy a wily wink. Denis of Gorakhpur Now that he has been (2008 - 2012). As one liberated from his suffering body (he his family, I will here restrict myself to of the recommendations of that pro- was in the ICU of Holy Family Hospi- his role as a lay leader of the Catho- gramme Remy was also appointed a tal, Mumbai for quite a few days) he lics. It was way back in 1986, when member of Uttar Pradesh Minorities will be even more liberal, experiencing I was attending the Annual General Commission. The fruit was there for the glorious liberty of the children of Meeting of the All India Catholic Union all to see. God (cf Rom8:21). (AICU) for the first time, in what was I have never forgotten his gems Towards the end of the anthology then Calcutta. The organization was of wisdom. Talking about leadership there is a chapter “Watching my own going through a rough patch and he said a rider was galloping through Passing Away”. It is a naked liberal’s leadership crisis. It was through the a village when a villager asked him flight of fancy about his own funeral. intervention of late Bp Patrick D’souza “Where are you going?” The reply In typically self-deprecating humour of Varanasi, that George’s name was came fast and furious, “Don’t ask me, (indicative of a wise and humble per- proposed for the National President as the horse where it is taking me“! It son) he portrays only three persons at (NP). Ironically, George himself was would have sounded silly, had it not his funeral - a frustrated money lender, not there, but Antony Vellara the in- been true of so many of our leaders in a jilted lover and a cop looking for the defatigable Secretary General of the various fields. He then asked us if a dead body! Now that the chapter has AICU lobbied hard for George, and he bald man like himself could be a mod- closed I daresay that there are many of got elected in absentia. At that time us who are indebted to him, his pass- (Contd.. on p. 19) 16 19 September 2016 Statue of Jesus Saint Mother Teresa (A Tribute to her “call within a call’ on 10th September, 1946) Christ vandalised in (Dated 5th September, 2016, her Feast Day) S - ‘Saint’ of the gutters, she was called by the world’s laity Mumbai after A - Actions sublime and divine were indeed of God’s beauty canonisation of I - Inspiration for individuals to follow her ways so secure N- Nobel Peace Prize and a Bharat Ratna bestowed on her Mother Teresa T -Testimony on tablets of flesh and blood to always endure

M- ‘Mother’ to destitute and dying of any caste or country O - Offerings of shelter to outcasts of society and all sundry T -Treasures of water and food for the thirsty and hungry H - Humility and holiness, the heritage she left to behold E - Enthusiasm and joy was her abounding charity for souls R -Righteousness and reverence inscribed as honor rolls

T - ‘Teresa’ means ‘summer harvest’ she wore as vestment E- Eyewitness to misery, she cast aside her inner raiment R - Rosary in hand, a renewal of the sick, a healing garment E - Embrace was so very tender, a reflection of Jesus’ Light S - Service to the least and lost, she brought them in sight Mumbai: A statue of Jesus Christ was A- Angel of Divine Mercy, true love and a future ever bright vandalised by unknown persons at Juhu —DR. TREVOR COLASO (Now temporarily at Memphis, TN, USA). Tara road in Mumbai on Sunday. An NGO called the Watchdog Foundation has also claimed that a police officer tampered with evidence related to the incident. A Mother’s Birth, matters the most! The NGO has demanded that the po- lice officer be also booked along with the Who can deny the fact, attackers, reported CNN-News18. That a best mother’s birth, matters the most? “Even if all the churches were de- Didn’t Mary’s birth turned out to be the best? stroyed, would people stop their work of It gave the world its saviour, the Redeemer Christ! mercy and compassion? The fundamen- She was most humble and pure in God’s sight, talist agenda never works,” Father Francis By God’s choice, she was gracefilled and blest, Gonsalves, theology expert, told CNN- Though married, became the Virgin-Mother of Christ, News18. Thus shone like a precious diamond the rarest! This incident is being reported on the At her birth, the world rejoiced along with joachim-Ann, day when Mother Teresa, the nun whose Seeing the girl-child, heaven smiled with joy and satisfaction, work with the dying and destitute of Kol- In her birth, world saw the down of its redemption, kata made her a global icon of Christian The world rejoiced, hoping for its forthcoming salvation! charity, was made a saint. “We too rejoice Mary at your birth, Her elevation to Roman Catholicism’s And hail and greet you for it’s worth! celestial pantheon came in a canonisation But we ask you, to think a while of this earth, mass in St Peter’s square in the Vatican ‘Do all rejoice at all girl-children’s birth?’ that was presided over by Pope Francis in Some girl-factus’ are aborted before birth, the presence of 100,000 pilgrims. Some girl-children die, before they begin to live on earth, “For the honour of the Blessed Trin- Some die at the hands of others, for many-a-reason, ity… we declare and define Blessed Tere- Some are abused or killed for pleasure and fun! sa of Calcutta (Kolkata) to be a Saint and While growing, many face neglect or torture, we enroll her among the Saints, decreeing Some are forced to indulge in sex and ugly pleasure, that she is to be venerated as such by the As if they are born only to suffer, whole Church,” the pontiff said in Latin. Thus they end their life on the sacrificial altar! The ceremony came a day before the O Mary, on their your Birthday, 19th anniversary of Teresa’s death in Kol- “Happy Birthday Mamma Mary!” we say, kata, where she spent nearly four decades Strewingflowers around you, we sing and pray, tending to the poorest of the poor. Come to the aid of all girl-children today! —Sr. Marie Ange, Bethany Convent, Bendoor

19 September 2016 17 (Contd.. from p. 14) Fundamentals Of The Faith and chief officer in 2008 and got pro- Understand and Defend Your Faith moted to chief officer 2010; clearing By Peter Kreeft lievers with razor-sharp weapons of the the Master Mariner’s exams he got ST PAULS – ISBN 978-93-5015-261-4 – mind and engage unbelievers in a lov- his four stripes as ‘Captain’ in 2013. Pp 328 – Rs 300 ing duel, making for a win-win situation He is a valued part of Campbell ship- across the spectrum! No mean ambition ping company Ltd. NASSAU. BAHA- If understanding the Faith and living it this coming as it does from a Calvinist MAS; with 16 ships mainly bulkers is a delightful task enjoined on us by turned Catholic whose springboard to sailing worldwide. our Baptism, talking about it and de- conversion was the result of his own fending it with conviction is investigation into the Cath- He has since received many awards the twin-challenge posed olic Church’s claim tracing and recognition, one early award, not only by our Confirmation itself to the early Church. ‘CMA’ ( Connecticut Maritime Asso- but, in large measure, by the From being suspicious of ciation. New York USA), recognizing fact of our belief in the Eu- the Catholic Faith he has the humanitarian initiative in the face charist, the high-point of the gone on to become one of of grave danger. Indeed it is a mat- its staunchest defenders as Church’s liturgy. And helping ter of exclusive pride that Bendoor's is evident from the contents us to fulfil both obligations very own Mariner was Captain of the admirably is this book by an of this volume (and of nu- Ship and also it is a matter of pride author who has the knack of merous other best-sellers for all, that St. Sabastian was surely finding the clear and to-the- that have made him one of point analogy that brings the most read authors of a force on the ship too. This rescue alive many ancient and our times), the first section is widely reported by marine sourc- orthodox principles of the Book Review of which concerns itself en- es and web sites. A publicity shy Capt. Joshua Peris Bhatt who was in Catholic Faith which in turn by Ladislaus L tirely with the ‘Fundamen- so seize you as to make you tals of Christian Belief’ (pp Mangaluru after receiving much ap- want to share them with all D’Souza 13-176). From being suspi- plause has personally given inputs, and sundry! Indeed! FUN- cious of the Catholic Faith he is wished many more great sail- DAMENTALS OF THE FAITH is a book to becoming one of its staunchest de- ings on the high seas. that considers all the fundamental ele- fenders as is evident from the contents ments of Christianity and Catholicism, of this volume (and of numerous other explaining, defending and significantly best-sellers that have made him one of MALAD (W) - ORLEM linking their relevance to our life and the most read authors of our times), the the world’s yearnings. A solid and or- first section of which concerns itself en- thodox resource in Christian Apologet- tirely with the ‘Fundamentals of Chris- 1-BHK 697 sq.ft. Rs. 55,76,000/- ics, to say the least! Or a condensed tian Belief’ (pp 13-176), Peter Kreeft 2-BHK 923 sq.ft. Rs. 73,84,000/- version of the Church’s Catechism if has sure come a long way! 2-BHK 1200 sq.ft. Rs. 1,26,00,000/- you please! 3-BHK 1600 sq.ft. Rs. 1,68,00,000/- Deserving of special mention is Kreeft’s Under construction projects. Loans ap- treatment of the three Theological vir- There is no gainsaying the fact that proved by the banks. All modern ame- tues, viz. Faith, Hope and Love in Sec- though not meant to be a complete nities. Podium Parking. Possession by tion II (pp 181-204) that discusses the treatise of the Church’s Theology, the March - 2018. forty-six essays that make up the three ‘Fundamentals of Christian Living’. In sections of this book do foray into key his own words, “Faith, hope and char- areas of the field where rages the great- ity are, quite simply, the three greatest BORIVALI (W) - est battle ever fought, the battle for the things in the world. We cannot possi- I.C. COLONY mind and soul of the human person, bly over-emphasize their importance. Together they make up the “one thing the very image and likeness of God. 1-RK 325 sq.ft. Rs.53,00,000/- Again, not intended to be a bold, path- necessary” (p 181). breaking thesis as such, all content of 1-BHK 540 sq.ft. Rs.80,00,000/- this book is essentially a clear, pointed That the Church is communitarian is 2-BHK 790 sq.ft. Rs.1,22,00,000/- affirmation of the ancient and orthodox significantly borne out by Section III Faith of our Fathers, the true essence which dwells on the ‘Fundamentals of 3-BHK 1500 sq.ft. Rs.1,90,00,000/- of which the minds of very many young Christian Community’ (pp 269-326). believers have simply failed to grasp. Notably, in this section are discussed Resale Flats. certain essential characteristics of the The one avowed objective FUNDA- Catholic Church that distinguish her MENTALS OF THE FAITH doubtless from Protestant churches whereby VINOD GUPTA purports to fulfil is to reach out to both there’s no identity crisis for the indi- sides of the war zone, i.e. to arm be- vidual reader, rooted as he/she is in the 9820045619 very fundamentals of the Faith! 18 19 September 2016 (Contd.. from p. 16) el for a Brylcreem ad? His not so obvious answer was “Yes, this is what will happen to your pate if you don’t use Brylcreem”. The man was brilliant, converting ad- versity into an opportunity. Another endearing gem was that a public person was public property to be used and abused. How true of Effective Christian leadership. He told us the story of the hen and the pig. They passed a shop selling farm fresh eggs and bacon. The hen boasted of how it gave its eggs for others to con- sume. The pig retorted that its own commitment was to- tal, for without dying we could not get its bacon. Thanks George, you gave us the bacon and the eggs. Let me now tell an anecdote that probably nobody knows. The next AGM of the AICU was being held in 1988. Nobody expected George to not stand for re-elec- tion. As a result nobody filed any nomination, George, the naked liberal, included. At the time he was away in France. Trust him. I then “conspired” to have his nomi- nation papers “sent” to France, and get them submitted in time! Else we would have had a constitutional crisis Kenny’s 1st Devotional (9th Audio) on our hands. After two terms he felt that it was time for Album - Ave Maria change. Back then nobody wanted to don the crown of will be available with: thorns as the NP of the AICU. He chose me in 1990, as his handpicked successor. After a long line of eminent and venerable personalities Divo Offie, Fort : 9820473103 – Members of Parliament, Chevaliers and Professors, Piedade Mendes, Fort : 9920694134 from the Catholic bastions of the south and the west; Examiner Book Shop, Fort here was a 39 year old northerner, a college dropout, on whom he bestowed the mantle of leadership. I believe Cosma & Co., Dhobitalao that I lived up to the trust that he reposed in me. Rodrigues Stores, Jer Mahal, Dhobitalo George gave us our bacon and eggs, taught us how Jack Of All Stall, Byculla, to hold the reins of the horse, and a lot more that would Thompson (Manoj), St. Michael Church, Mahim make this obit too long. It was he who gave me the Gable D'Souza, Victoria Church Mahim KISS for my writings. He had said, “Keep It Short Stu- pid”! As he now enjoys the heavenly repast I wish the Tej Prasarini - Don Bosco, Matunga Naked Liberal Au Revoir, till we meet again, up there St. Paul’s Publication, Bandra (W) hopefully. Prathnalaya, Bandra (W) *The writer Read succeeded Lion’s Club, Stores (Lydia), Bandra (W) George Carrie Fernandes, Sakinaka : 9892844433 Online at: Menezes as www.sezariworld.com/the-secular-citizen-and- AICU Joe Wallace, Marol : 9820852002 divo-issues.html National Felix D’Souza, St. Anthony Church, Malwani or President www.issuu.com/secularcitizen from 1990 to Chic Cold Storage, Borivali (W) 1994 Charles D’Cunha, Borivali (W) : 9867853986 Saby Fernandes, Borivali (W) : 9892006128 Ad. 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19 September 2016 21 (Contd.. from p. 3) As far as time is concerned, there are two is- The more connected I feel with the envi- sues. Firstly, greenhouse gasses live a long ronment around me, the more I want to do It's not necessarily going to be of biblical life in our atmosphere. So not only are we something to help. As the wonderful bird- proportions, but our living conditions are suffering from the actions of the past few song I hear touches my heart I feel a great at risk of deteriorating somewhat with the generations, we won’t see the benefits of our connectedness with this beautiful Earth and effects of global warming, which is why it's own efforts for another 100 years. Secondly, I want to protect it. These birds can’t fix the so important to do something about it. The although the changes have been gathering climate, but we can. Climate change is giv- world of the next generation will be likely to pace lately, they are still relatively slow as far ing humanity a great hefty push towards be less healthy, more dangerous and less as we humans are concerned. consciousness and it’s an opportunity that pleasant to live in. we can’t afford to miss. Time is speeding Lately I have come to see climate change up. Climate change also allows insects and other as an opportunity for great coming of age disease carriers to migrate farther north and for the human race. In order to solve the So growing up on all fronts will be needed to higher elevations, potentially introducing complex and multidimensional problems to solve the problems. And this has to hap- diseases such as hantavirus and Dengue fe- we are now facing, there will have to first be pen to the majority of individuals. This awak- ver into new areas. In general, insects and a tremendous shift in our understanding of ing seems to typically be a process of four rodents are the key vectors of disease, and ourselves and our place in Existence before stages; denial of the problem, then apathy, they love disturbance. They do very well we can acknowledge the problems – this is then choosing to be part of the solution and when there are droughts and floods, etc. already happening to a certain extent. Sec- finally taking action. The last one is the most ondly a great growing up process will have difficult. I’ve talked to many people who ac- Heat waves, the spread of infectious disease to happen, as we finally take responsibility knowledge the problems but think nothing and winter weather anomalies are the three for the problems we have created. of flying around regularly or of driving 45 big [climate-change issues] directly for hu- minutes to work and back each day alone man health. But the pests and diseases that There can no longer be such a concept as in an SUV. Indeed it took me quite a while affect livestock, wildlife, agricultural and ma- an “act of God” Since mankind first started after learning about these issues just to do rine systems are also going to affect public cultivating crops the climate has been get- the easy things: signing up for green energy health in very profound ways because that's ting gradually milder due to the small in- at home, getting efficient cars, riding the bus what provides us with life-support systems, crease in greenhouse gases that agriculture to work. meaning air, water and food. produces. This wasn’t a bad thing at all in the beginning, since it enabled modern civi- The Stern Review that came out recently, Extreme heat, for example, affects the circu- lization to develop as ice ages were avoided. written by top economist of the UK, made latory system in ways that tax those who al- However since the industrial revolution this a point of the tremendous need for interna- ready have problems regulating blood flow. emitting of greenhouse gases has speeded tional cooperation. The report concludes Night-time temperatures that don't drop sub- up exponentially, with the result that the cli- that reducing the risk of climate change re- stantially from midday highs put extra stress mate has started to change dramatically. quires collective action. It requires coopera- on the body. tion between countries, through international Now that science has proven that we are frameworks that support the achievement of When humans get hot, their hearts beat changing the climate, we cannot see our- shared goals. It requires a partnership be- faster and their bodies attempt to cool off selves anymore as passive spectators: tween the public and private sector, working by sweating, which calls for increased blood we will have to take responsibility for the with civil society and with individuals. It is flow to the vessels near the skin andde- climate and learn to manage it for the long still possible to avoid the worst impacts of creased blood flow to vessels around major term benefits of ourselves and all other climate change, through strong collective organs, species on Earth. We can’t blame God action starting from now. anymore or plead ignorance. Our scien- As the world begins to see a greater number tific instruments tell us that we are doing of weather extremes, state and local public it. We broke it and we have to fix it. Save Rs 115/- per day for 16 years only health departments need to fortify their pub- & get Rs. 23 lacs lumpsum TAX FREE lic-health tracking systems and know where So growing up on all fronts will be needed Maturity/Rs.15000 per month as Pension their vulnerabilities are, to solve the problems. And I feel that this for entire life. Investment eligible as TAX has to happen to the majority of individuals. With more carbon dioxide in the air, allergy I’ve noticed in spiritual circles a certain at- SAVING as per sec. 80C under Income Tax. sufferers and people with asthma also may titude that is along the lines of “I’m going to Lumpsum Maturity is TAX FREE have a hard time. The higher carbon counts put all my energy into spirituality and not For further details contact: appear to favor ragweed growth and make bother with this problem. We’ll all meet on poison ivy not only more prevalent but more Mr. JOHN FERNANDES another planet if this one becomes unvi- (Member of MDRT – The Premier Association of toxic as well, able’. There is a certain truth to that, but for Financial Professionals) me it shows a great lack of compassion and (Award in Financial Planning – India thru CII – U.K) connectedness. WE ARE THE WORLD and (Member of the Chairman Club for agents – LIC) Konkani Lovers Read if we cannot look after this planet, then we Mobile No:- 9820253459 / online at: will destroy the next one too. This attitude 9820608034 Tel No:- 25773458 / 59 www.sezariworld.com/the-secu- sounds like apathy disguised in a New Age Website : johnlic.com lar-citizen-and-divo-issues.html wrapper. Awaking must be our priority. Liv- Email: [email protected] or ing in a sustainable way is an integral part of You can contact for FILING OF INCOME TAX www.issuu.com/divoweekly that awaking, not something separate. RETURNS. FREE POLICY SERVICING / DEATH CLAIMS/HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY etc. 22 19 September 2016 19 September 2016 23 24 Published on every Monday Dt. 19-9-2016 & Posted on Monday & Tuesday of every week 19 September 2016 Posted at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Office, Mumbai - 400001. Licenced to Post without prepayment Licence No. MR/TECH/WPP-70/SOUTH/2016 RNI No. 56987/92 Registered No. MCS/100/2015-17 Reach Greater Heights With Our eLearing Courses Leaders in the Making and Reaching to the Top Simply Register at www.limrt.com limrt is short form of Leaders in the Making and Reaching to the Top eLearning is the new way the world is learning today. Learners now need not visit the four walls of classrooms. It's now outdated. eLearning reaches you where you are. What ever may be your subject or topic of interest, you can learn anywhere at any time from the top class world experts from your own Smartphone. Tablet, Laptop, or PC. www.limrt.com offers you a large num- ber of courses. Visit the website and simply register and we will guide you. Website: www.limrt.com Email: [email protected] Good Proposals, wide choices Catholics and Christians of all Denominations have Registered Hundres have found their suitable match from world over Royal Christian Family for registration Logon to: 99, Perin Nariman Street, 1st Floor, Fort, Mumbai 400001 Tel.: +9122 - 22693578, 22654924 www.royalchristianfamily.com Email: [email protected] Serving for over 35 years

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