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February 2011 Vol.1 No.6 ` 15 National Fortnightly for Christian Leadership February 2011 Vol.1 No.6 ` 15 SMART COMPANIONINDIA Joti Sahi on Indian Christian Art EDITORIAL Human Rights Reloaded ews is flowing in ...from Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Myan- Nmar, Palestine, India and still more, about people’s struggle for freedom, and their demand for facilitating basic needs conducive to live normal human lives. The 10 lakh Egyptians who have taken to streets demanding demo- cratic rule has turned out as a historical uprising that still is on. “Germany should put Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on trial for human rights breaches if he seeks refuge in a German hospital. Because, he represents a system in which people have been systematically tortured and abused for decades,” Amnesty International said in Berlin on 8th Feb. 2011. In the wake of the killing of an innocent youth in North Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ordered the Army to put an end to the violation of human rights. In Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other party leaders appeal to the UN Human Rights Council against Burmese junta’s decision to dissolve the National League for Democracy. In Mexico, three people are kidnapped in a suburb of Ciudad Juarez just because they happened to be the relatives of Josefina Reyes, a human rights activist murdered in northern Mexico in 2010. So there is no end to human rights violations, an omnipresent phenomenon. Human rights may mean different things to people in different situa- tions. What does human rights mean to a man who survives on less than 2000 calories a day? And yet, one third of the world’s population falls into this category. It is necessary that human rights be redefined with a clear thrust and option in favour of the disadvantaged. The real flaw in the rights’ arena is that of inequality. It is a ‘race of un-equals’. Nothing is so unjust as to share equally among un-equals. The dominant neo-liberal economic system is characterised by competi- tion and profit making. This contradicts the values of equality and co- operation which qualify human rights. The present human rights machin- ery is geared in favour of the rich and the powerful. The profit motive itself goes against any commitment to human rights. For example, while millions of dollars are spent to research on ‘Viagra’, with an eye on huge profits, there is a culpable negligence with regard to study on tropical diseases which kill millions of people in the third world countries. This is negation of the basic right to life. The primary and necessary challenge is to ensure that human rights become the prerogative of the poor. If the discourse were to turn typically Christian, Jesus affirmed and worked for the restoration of human rights to every person, especially to the weakest and most helpless. Christian ministry, to be authentic, has to pass this acid test of befriending the most vulnerable. Being a Christian in India has essentially to do with this. All the rest are but peripherals. The two cover stories in this issue place these two challenges before our read- ers. Really the nation needs a ‘conversion’ towards compassion. Dr. George Therukaattil Smart Companion India February 2011 3 National Fortnightly for Christian Leadership January 2011 Vol.1 No.6 ` 15 PATRONS SMART COMPANIONINDIA Vol.1 No. 6 February 2011 Managing Editor Dr. George Therukattil Chief Editor Dr. Jacob Naluparayil Executive Editor Sr. Leela Jose Cardinal Cardinal Executive Editor Thomas K.J. Telesphore Toppo (Online Edition) Oswald Gracias Sub Editor Sr. Virginia BS Contributing Editors Allwyn Fernandes (Crisis Communications, Mumbai), Cyril D’Souza SDB (Religious Education, Rome), Felix Raj SJ (Education, Kolkatta),Francis Gonsalves SJ (Contextual Catholicos Cardinal Theologies, Delhi),Godfrey D’Lima SJ (Social Baselios Mar Cleemis Varkey Vithayathil Activism, Maharashtra), Jacob Parappally MSFS (Dogmatic Theology, Bangaluru), Joe Andrew SDB (Media, Chennai), John Dayal (Human Rights Journalist, Delhi), Subhash Anand (Indian Philosophy and Religions, Udaipur), Virginia Saldanha (Women’s Issues, Mumbai) MCBS Provincial Design Cibin Moothedam Francis Kodiyan Photo Nias Marikar Illustrations Sathish Krishna Advisory Board Circulation Thomas Kuzhiyadichira Rev. Henry D’Souza Advertisement Shibu John (Bishop, Bellary) Rev. Steven Rotluanga Regional Correspondents (Bishop, Aizawl) Adolf Washington (Bangaluru), Joseph S. (Varanasi), Rev. Felix Toppo (Bishop, Jamshedpur) Ivan D’Silva SVD (Arunachal), Santosh Digal (Orissa), Sr. Santan Nago FS Santosh Sebastian (Gorakhpur), Shane Alliew (Kolkatta) (Superior General, Fatima Sisters, Pune) George Plathottam SDB (CBCI Media Commission) EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Felix Wilfred DR. JACOB SRAMPICKAL SJ (Asian Centre for Cross Cultural Studies, Madras) Jose Kavi Editorial Office (UCAN, Delhi) SMART COMPANION INDIA Kalpaka Bungalow National Fortnightly for Christian Leadership February 2011 Vol.1 No.6 ` 15 Perumanoor P.O. SMART COMPANIONINDIA Thevara, Kochi - 680 215 Kerala, INDIA. [email protected] website : www.smartcompanion.in Contact : 0484 - 2334766, 09447679783 Articles published in this magazine are copyrighted. Illegal copying and reproduction by any means is punishable under the copyright laws. Articles published will be made available to the readers for per- sonal use on written request. Disclaimer: Smart COMPANION is dedi- cated to providing useful and well researched pieces of information. Joti Sahi on However readers are advised to consult prior to acting on it. The views expressed by writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the Indian Christian Art views of the editor or publisher of the magazine. Smart COMPANION does not accept any liability for errors or redundancies of any nature whatsoever. All disputes are subject to the Cochin jurisdiction only. Cover: Painting by Joti Sahi 4 Smart Companion India February 2011 Smart Companion India February 2011 5 Joti Sahi on Indian Christian Art leader moulds faith matters 8 l Social Networks 24 l Corruption Pope route charts Christian Cybernauts, voy- Civil society has to wake up to corruption fanned aging the cyberspace. by injustice 22 l Lessons from WikiLeaks 34 l Seeking Truth Together This age demands transparency from all, Congregation for Doctrine and Faith meets Indian Church not exempted Theologians and Bishops 32 l Guruji of Gaunaha 40 l Logos Heroic commitment of a Patna Jesuit, to em- An inspiring exegetic journey through the Sunday power the poorest Gospels 32 l Ishvàni Kendra An Institute to equip and update missionaries news & views 32 l Homily Communication 10 l Top Ten Homily is making Faith relevant here and now Across the globe, top Christian News at a glance 33 l Top Five interviews Important Christian news across the country 42 l Final Cut 9 l Ten Questions Christian community in Karanataka confronts Bp Thomas Macwan of Ahmedabad takes the biased judgement questions 30 l Indian Christian Art regulars Joti Sahi’s limpid expose on Christian Art 3 l Editorial 6 l Readers’ Voices media 36 l Foot Prints 37 l Film: CREATION 39 l Press Month focus 1: Human Rights 38 l Future of Regional Catholic Press focus 2: Being Christian focus 2: 4 Smart Companion India February 2011 Smart Companion India February 2011 5 READERS’ VOICES National Fortnightly for Christian Leadership January 2011 Vol.1 No.5 ` 15 SMART COMPANIONREADERSINDIA ’ V OICES e thank our readers for the encouraging response to WCompanion. Due to limitation of space we are un- able to publish all comments. We select some representing different areas and topics. Please continue to get back to IN THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN VAT ICAN SLAMS NOBEL FOR ART FUNERALS WITH OUT COFFINS CHURCH & PSYCHOLOG Y us with your ‘voices’ and suggestions. Religious Women QUO VADIS ? Spirituality is the fizz Smart Companion India | July 2010 1 Editor Superb and classy Hearty Congratulations! Looks engagement in shaping Christian Many thanks for the e-copy of good! Reads good! Feels good! leadership. Companion...It is a superb initia- Feeds good! Theology, news, Fr. Santiago, tive and has class. Congratula- experience of people, reflections... Pontifical Council for Inter-religious tions. Knowing the Indian Church good mix! Hope it will reach all Dialogue, Rome quite well, I must say, this journal over India, especially in the hands Call to renewal is a very positive initiative and de- of the youth as well. Let it reflect Thanks for COMPANION. I do serves the support of all who have the grass-root life, realities and not feel it is a new endeavor to renew come to know and love the unique remain in the clouds. I hope Com- the church in our times. I promise legacy and identity of the Church panion will promote a give and all support to your initiatives. in India. take culture so that we can express Sr. Margaret Mary cj Fr.Bernard O’Connor our opinions, doubts, questions Kathmandu Canada. and insights without the faer of PR Management excels (Formerly, Under-secretary, Oriental labeling and witch hunt. Allwyn Fernandes’ column PR Congregation, Rome) Fr. Philip Kattakayam Management truly stands out. I Sisters, wake up Faith Education, Nav Jyoti, Patna. like his spontaneous, well studied I really liked the editorial. You Professional outlook and intelligent handling of vari- are making a very valid point. Re- With its innovatively profes- ous issues. That adds novelty to ligious Congregations are increas- sional outlook and contextually rel- the magazine. I find his comments ingly finding themselves jobless evant content, Smart COMPAN- sincere and can help to renew the in areas in which Governments ION promises to keep us updated, church, if Church authorities could are taking on - education, health in a reader-friendly language, in take heed. It is the voice of a lay care etc. One of the problems is matters of faith and other cur- man worth attending to. Keep up that the vital areas of catechesis rent issues, local as well as global.
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