AGRAGAMI INFO Vol. XXXIV - April 2020
Managing Editor : Sr. Vidya Joseph Agragami Provincial House. Nalwadi P.O, Mhasala, Wardha 442001(MS) Phone : (07152) 250213 Mobile : 9422385219 e-mail : [email protected] Chief Editor : Sr. Sally John Associate Editors : Sr. Jyotsna, Sr. Atulya Supporting Staff : Yogesh Mishra Phone : 08983631278, 09145216778
E-mail : [email protected] : [email protected]
- Published by - Sisters of St. John the Baptist and Mary the Queen, Indian Province For Private Circulation Only
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Content
Titles Page No
Editorial.….…………………………………..….. 3 Voice of Mother General….……………….…... 7 Provincial`s Inspiration….……………..….…… 9 For your Attention .….………………….…..….. 11 A Glance at our Community ……….……….... 13 Paid in Full with A Glass of Milk …..……...... 27 Laugh A While ...…....………...... 29 Prayer - God’s Fresh Air …..……………...... 32 A Gift of Ourselves in Totality ………….….... 34 One Evening ……………………………...... 35 Women in the Bible …….…………………...... 36 Simple Yet …! ……………...... 38 I Am the Clay ………...……………..…...... 39 The Easter Egg ……. ..…...... 40 Blind Love of My Mother ..……….……….…… 43 Experiencing God’s Mercy ...... 44 Love is Our Top Priority ...... 52 In The Family of God …...... 55 If I Am Gonna Die Tomorrow ……...... 57 Pano Samaj …………………………………… 59 Amazon Synod ……...………………………… 66 My Vocation Story …………………………….. 84 God Experience ………………………………. 87 Good to Know ……………………………...... 90 Bible Quiz ...………………………………...... 103 Happy Birthday & Festal Greetings ……...... 107
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Editorial
The year 2020 is going to be memorable as we will have a silent Holy Week and Easter confined to the premises of our homes. It is an unusual time we are going through, one which many of our elders or few generations ahead of us have not witnessed. In the frantic rush of achieving or conquering things, none would ever have thought of such a slow down or lockdown. A pandemic of this magnitude can seem totally meaningless. Some chance mutation sweeps across the globe, murdering thousands, tearing families and annihilating dreams. Some cities witnessing rising death toll so high as one death per minute! Many getting stranded and losing lives on the process of reaching back home. Few who do not understand the necessity of quarantine, hiding or hurling stones at the health workers. The humanity won‘t be able to look back on this as one of the most meaningful periods of our lives without the inspiration of a higher meaning which is what Easter represents. We get answer to all our uncertainties when we gaze upon the Cross where Our Lord payed the price of our sins in full! It‘s the only way we tie our moment of suffering to a larger narrative of redemption. It‘s the way we then go out and live out that story.
David Brooks, a New York Columnist beautifully writes that the virus is a test and we have the freedom to respond. Viktor Frankl, describing the harrowing
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experience of Auschwitz reminded us that we don‘t get to choose our difficulties, but we have the freedom to select our responses. Meaning comes from three things as he writes in his famous book ‗Man‘s Search for Meaning‘: the work we offer in times of crisis, the love we give and our ability to display courage in the face of suffering. The threat of virus may be subhuman or superhuman, but we all have the option to be resilient and spread the message of hope all around. This is the hope the Risen Lord brings; the hope that Good Friday will definitely be followed by an Easter Sunday and that all our troubles are but lasting a moment and a brighter and better tomorrow awaits those who are willing to believe it.
We defined ourselves so far by our degrees, careers, caste, race and culture and the virus is doing a clean sweep globally. People are compelled to reflect on deeper existential concerns and ask where our sources of resilience have been and if we have gathered any lasting treasures, that no bacteria or virus can destroy. When all alike face the same threat, a common enemy like the Corona virus forces us to look into the brighter side and see the innate goodness in each human being which becomes the greatest uniting force. Like in the past, such times of social and economic restlessness cause the unfolding of the greatest forms of creativity. The social media is witnessing this more than ever. In fact, many have rebooted their memory discs and refreshed long-forgotten relationships. Many have taken
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into hobbies like reading, writing, cooking, painting and gardening for which they hardly got time. There is a lot of healing energy that is being pooled into the treasury of the world which is passed on. There are values and morale fostered ever so strongly in these periods of crises. A stronger self emerges out of the death throes of the anxious times.
Evidently the Mother Earth breathes a sigh of relief with lesser cluttering and emission of deadly pollutants into the air and water and having more breathing space on the streets. On the frenzied search for ways to advance and amass more and more, we dug too deep into her heart damaging her lifelines and causing her distress as severe as the ARDS caused by the virus to human beings today. It is the precious opportunity we have got to pause and think of lasting ways to save the earth before she ends up in the ICU needing artificial resuscitation. We need to realize today, more than ever that all we enjoy around us is a gift from God, not to be accumulated, misused or wasted but to be cherished and taken care of!
When everything went to a slackened pace media has been active imparting information along with medical personals who are round the clock on their toes to save lives. Media is the strongest agent that connects our world within the four walls of our homes to the outer world where a lot keep happening. There is huge explosion of information about COVID- 19 these days, some of them fake and some from reliable sources. We
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need to exercise extreme caution not to gulp in everything that is forwarded or seen in the social media. False information can be more lethal than the deadly virus. No doubt the virus is spreading at an immensely fast pace. But we learn more about ourselves in these hard periods. It can cause transformation in our perspectives and give birth to a better and stronger world when this time passes.
Suffering can be redemptive as the Cross of Jesus reveals. And it is in the shadow of the cross we get strength and courage to hope for an Easter Sunday where the stones of fears and anxieties will be rolled away to welcome Jesus, the Risen Lord. Happy Easter to all.
- Sr. Sally
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Voice of the Mother General
‘EASTER - CHRIST IS ALIVE IN US!‘
My dear Sisters,
Easter is the Christ centred event that began with life from an empty womb and continues with life from an empty tomb. This is the apt description of the life of Jesus who enlivens the dead to new life and fashions things out of nothingness. If we want to follow Jesus into life, we need to enter into his death. Eternal life with God does not come as a credit that can be earned or as a result of any enhancement programme. It‘s in fact an exchange deal. When we offer our lives to Christ, we receive his life in return. This is the message Easter gives us; not an email message or a twitter message, but a living and life-giving message. It's the greatest news that human kind has ever received; not from any man but God Himself.
The deepest comfort in life cannot be found in material possessions but in meaningful communion and fraternal co-existence. What consoles us most in times of difficulties is to know that we are not alone. Easter comes with the reassurance that God cannot leave us alone and He is present with us each day. Christ is alive in us as St. Paul says (Gal 2:20).
Dear Sisters, as we are well aware, the entire world is gripped with a fearful uncertainty and an appalling
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anxiety about the fast-spreading Corona Virus, taking the foothold in all countries in an unforeseen pace. If there were ever a time for us to pull together as a family, as a congregation, as a church and as a nation, it is now when we are facing what arguably is one of the greatest public health and social safety challenges of our lifetime. The paradox is that we are asked to come together by staying apart. United we fall, divided we survive is the dictum we hear everywhere. We need to follow the directives provided by the World Health Organization and our respective governments. For us, it is a time of prayerful witnessing and fulfilling our responsibility to care for the other through sensible solidarity and pragmatic awareness. This is an extraordinary time for acts of generosity and expressions of gratitude to those in the front line, caring for the sick and those engaged in research projects trying to find remedies.
May the Risen Lord fill our lives with Peace, Health and Joy!
Sr. Arpita Mathew (Superior General)
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Provincial’s Inspiration
The deepest craving of every human being is for God. God calls lovingly but human beings are afraid and fails to respond positively. God, the relentless lover proved His love by sacrificing His only Son for the humanity. All events surrounding Easter confirm His constant love for the humankind. Jesus, in his dialogue with apostles reminded them that suffering is inevitable for resurrection. In His suffering, Jesus boldly accepts the beauteous task of loving His father‘s children as His father loves them. Yet children instead of loving in return hates him. Jesus‘ death on the Cross is a magnificent expression of His love. Calvary poignantly beholds the love of Jesus in the face of hatred. Redemption in Christ means each of us is liberated from the debt of sin and are possessed by the power of God. God brings us united in one-fold under the shadow of His Cross. Throughout the history we find people and civilizations destroying each other for worldly power and material advantages. In the event of passion and crucifixion of Jesus, the entire energy of the world moves in unison to destroy Jesus. The disciples desert, deny and betray him. Jesus is whipped, mocked and tortured and dies on the Cross. But Jesus is seen tenderly loving the humanity despite their betrayal, fleeing and denial. He stands as a paradox, extending warmth and forgiveness even to those who hate and crucify him. Jesus is not a passive victim of brutality. He continues to be active in
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two ways: He offers all that He is and does to the glory of the Father. This way Jesus proves Himself as the incarnate Son of God. Through his self-giving He pays off the debts we accumulate through our actions of omissions and commissions. In the context of the present scenario where the world is gripped by the fear of the fast spreading Corona virus, we continue to look at the Cross of Our Lord on which we find answers to all our questions. We belong to Him in life and death. May this time of Easter- the celebration of victory over death- strengthen us to face the realities of life as they come.
We are blessed with well-maintained houses with good rooms and much space, nutritious food, best medical care, time and equipment for work from home, plenty of time to pray and relax and great financial security. But many of our brethren belonging to unorganized sector and their families struggle for survival due to lack of work and resources. Matters may turn worse as powerful tend to hoard materials and hike up prices for essential items.
God has no hands but ours. As we take steps to protect ourselves from the virus, let us join the government and non-government agencies to reach out to our needy neighbours who are poor and desperate in ways that we can find. Have a silent yet very prayerful and meaningful Easter and hopeful days ahead. Sr. Vidya Joseph (Provincial Superior)
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For your Attention
Dear Sisters, We are grateful to all those who have contributed to this issue of Info. We got good response with many contribuitons for this volume. Caption session also saw many more entries.Few of the communities are very regular in giving the news report. We appreciate your cooperation and interest in Info. We expect your further co-operation and participation. Please forward your thoughts, inspirations, poems, vocation stories, inspiring and touching life events or experiences you come across even if it is in local language to the given email id or address. Please encourage the formees, students and inmates of our institutions to contribute towards Info. Let us together work for making Info better volume by volume. Kindly send the Bible quiz answers by 20th July 2020 to Sr.Jyotsna.
We are looking forward to your valuable suggestions to the editor. Kindly forward the same to the editor to [email protected]. It will be published in the next issue.
Congratulations to Bible Quiz Winners
1 Sr. Suma 100 1st 2 Sr. Anisha 98 2nd 3 Sr. Archangel 98 2nd 4 Sr. Shanti 98 2nd
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5 Sr. Sudha 98 2nd 6 Sr. Vineeta 98 2nd 7 Sr. Deepa J 96 3rd 8 Sr. Jaya 96 3rd 9 Sr. Archana 94 - 10 Sr. Seji Dainy 94 - 11 Sr. Abilipsa 92 - 12 Sr. Flora 92 - 13 Sr. Sunita G 92 - 14 Sr. Martha 90 - 15 Sr. Riya 90 - 16 Sr. Subangi 90 - 17 Sr. Anjali 88 - 18 Sr. Hemlata 88 - 19 Sr. Joshna 88 - 20 Sr. Lalita B 88 - 21 Sr. Elizebeth 86 - 22 Sr. Lucia 86 - 23 Sr. Sarala M 86 - 24 Sr. Nutan K 82 25 Sr. Roshita 80
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A Glance at our Communities
Vinay Vikas, Pune
We had a meaningful Christmas celebration after 25 days of special advent preparation, welcoming Jesus the Prince of peace. We went from room to room with Mother Mary during the advent, commemorating her search for a place for the Baby Jesus. Each individual welcomed Mary into her room in a unique way praying Holy Rosary and by a little deed of mortification. During the Christmas week we had carol singing in the campus and exchange of gifts. All formees of the campus had a get together and Christmas celebration at Maria Assunta convent along with the inmates of Mother Theresa sisters‘ home. It was a wonderful experience for all of us. 31st December was set apart to thank the Lord in adoration for His manifold blessings during the year 2019 and to seek His constant accompaniment for the coming year. Second-year novices returned after their community experience on 7th January. First-year novices had their one-month mission exposure in Sandhya Home and in Mother Theresa Sisters‘ Home. One of our candidates, Jumri Utansingh received the Sacrament of Confirmation on 7th March 2020. Wish you all a grace filled Easter!
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St. John’s school Allipur:
―God is love; His mercy brightens all paths in which we rove.‖ There was a unique celebration of Annual Day in our school on 21st December 2019 with the theme ―Love, Joy and Peace of Jesus Christ‖. The guests of the programme were Sr. Vidya Joseph- the Provincial Superior, Fr. Raju Avookaran the Forane vicar, St.Antony Church, Wardha, Fr. James the Parish Priest of Jeevan Jyoti Church, Sr. Sunanda the Assistant Provincial, Sir. Nitin Chandakhede, Sir. Yogesh Kamale, and Mr. Rohan Goyanka. The esteemed guests addressed the august audience and enjoyed the colourful celebration. Sr. Anita gave a beautiful Christmas message on 23rd December during the celebration of Christmas. Students sang Christmas hymns and there was exchange of gifts among students and teachers. Mr. Avinash Gandhi - one of the ex-students of Hinganghat School, was the Chief Guest for the Republic day celebrations. In his talk he inspired and encouraged the students to nurture positive thinking, learn one of the foreign languages and to do their best in their studies. Programme was coloured with various items like speech, dance, drama, singing and prize distribution.
St. John’s Convent Allipur:
We continue doing our regular family visits. We celebrated the birthday of Sr. Anita on 4th January in anticipation. Fr. James was the main celebrant of the
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Holy Mass which was followed by dinner. We celebrated the birthday of Fr. James on 20th January. The Canonical Visit of Sr. Vidya, the Provincial was on 5th March. She met every member of the community and we had the community meeting along with Provincial and Vice Provincial.
Vinayalaya Convent School
Annual Exhibition was celebrated with great enthusiasm on 17th December 2019 with a theme, ―Brain Rain‖. It was inaugurated by the chief guest Mr. Sushil Bansod, the Primary Education Officer. The young scientists of the school presented their models and projects exploring the knowledge on the given topics. Christmas celebration was an occasion to express our love towards Jesus. The celebration started with a meaningful prayer song followed by a short enactment of the Christmas theme. The vice principal, Sr. Sunita gave the message saying ―The more we get closer to God, the more we become his children.‖ Then she thanked the staff for their hard work and wished everyone the warmth of Christmas and grace filled new year 2020. 71st Republic Day was celebrated in all its solemnity and grandeur. The Principal Sr. Savita hoisted the National Flag. All pledged to uphold the honour and integrity, diversity and uniqueness of India. Scouts and Guides camp was held on 1st and 2nd February to develop students as responsible citizens and to instil important life skills. The programme started with
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the welcome clap presented by the campers. It was followed by all faith prayer and scout song along with flag unfurling ceremony by the Bharat Scout and Guides director Mrs. Jayshree Thool. Tent making, initial first aid in emergency situations and several drills for physical fitness were taught to the students. They learnt values such as time management and team spirit. On February 13th our students of class X along with their class teachers visited ‗Shanti Bhavan‘ an old age home run by Missionaries of Charity Sisters in Nagpur to express our solidarity with the old and desolate. The sisters and inmates were very hospitable and friendly as they welcomed us with their beautiful smiles. It was a heart touching experience for students who spent time with them singing, dancing and talking. Students also distributed some gifts and snacks to inmates. Though they spent only a few hours with them, it made them realize the love and value of caring for their grandparents and family. As a part of social activity, students‘ representatives of class X along with their teachers visited the children in ‗Asha Kiran‘, Kamptee on 15th February 2020 and donated a watercooler to the children as a token of their love and appreciation towards the needy. A farewell programme was arranged in honour of the outgoing students of class X on 18th February. The students were blessed by Fr. Jerome Pinto the parish priest of St. Martin Church giving them lighted candles. He emphasized in his speech the values
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that they must carry with them wherever they go. In their speech, students expressed their deep love for teachers and the school. Students of classes I to IV were taken to ‗Raman Science‘ centre to inculcate scientific attitude in them. Students from 5th to 9th were taken to ‗Fun planet‘. It was a wonderful experience for the students where they learnt many values like caring and sharing and gave them a new vision and a new thought. On 4th and 5th March, staff members went on a picnic to ‗Bhedaghat‘, Jabalpur, well known for the magnificent waterfalls, marble rocks which are 100 feet high located on either side of the river Narmada. Apart from relaxation and enjoyment the picnic was aimed at building up team spirit among staff members.
Ranni Community
We had meaningful Christmas celebration after 25 days of special preparation, welcoming Jesus into our hearts with lot of love and joy. On 8th December we had the feast day celebration of Sr. Amala. The Christmas celebration along with our hostellites was on 19th December. It began with a prayer service and procession carrying Baby Jesus inside the house and a small cultural program conducted by our hostellites. On 1st January the solemn Eucharist marked the beginning of the year. With heart full of gratitude for bygone year and with renewed hope we stepped in to the year 2020. we gave farewell to Fr. Reji and Fr.Jom in the month of January. On 1st February we
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celebrated the feast of Sr. Flora. The farewell for the 2nd year students were held on 10th February.
Agragami Jail Road
Christmas reminds us of love, joy, happiness and kindness. For those who believe in the Lord, every day of our existence on this earth would be as in the Christmas season. The preparation for the Lord‘s coming began on 1st December. We attended retreat in St. Antony Parish Church. 16th onwards we had novena as a special preparation to welcome the new born King. On 25th we celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ with much joy and peace. On 26th we had parish gathering at St. Antony Church, this was an opportunity to meet all families of the parish together. On 5th January we celebrated Apna Utsav at St.Antony Parish hall. Our community extended help in many activities. It was a day to reflect on the joy when we work with people as a team for the glory of God. We do not become successful people but faithful through our acts of Charity (as said by St.Mother Theresa of Calcutta). On 26th January we joined the nation in celebrating the Republic Day with zeal paying homage to the freedom fighters. Sr.Vidya Joseph (Provincial) hoisted the national flag and delivered the speech in English and Marathi. Her words of wisdom touched the hearts of parents, students and teachers. Sr. Vidya and Sr. Sunanda visited our community in February and met each of us personally. We had the community meeting at the end of the visitation.
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Premdaan
There was a series of Christmas celebrations for the residents of PremDaan. Different groups visited during Christmas season with carol singing. Sisters went from room to room singing carols and wishing them with gifts. On 25th there was a solemn Holy Mass at 7.00 am for those who could not attend the night vigil. In the evening aunties and uncles participated in the carol singing competitions. On 26th brothers from St. Charles seminary came and celebrated Christmas with our residents. On 27th sisters and candidates from St. Pauls Convent put up a wonderful programme. Brothers from Pillar Bhavan also conducted games and programmes for our sweet elders. On 31st December we had a power point presentation, highlighting events of the year 2019. A solemn Eucharist was held on New Year day. The evening was colourful when the junior sisters and our helping staff danced to the tune of latest hits, just to bring cheers and smile on faces of those in the evening of their lives. All enjoyed the programme and
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appreciated the talents of youngsters. On 6th January PremDaan completed 17 years of its existence. The day was celebrated with a meaningful Holy Eucharist. Special prayers were offered for those who toiled hard and shed their sweat for PremDaan especially in the initial stages. It was a memorable day for us when our Provincial Sr. Vidya along with Sr. Tessy came for the Canonical Visitation on 2nd and 3rd of March. Our candidate Swati completed her 12th examination. We congratulate our Sr. Clementina for her hard work in making beautiful paintings which were put up for a public exhibition. It was applauded by all who came for the exhibition. We celebrated Women‘s Day on 8th March. Ms. Sandhya Fating the Assistant Professor of Tirpude College was the guest of honour. Sr. Lissy and Ms. Pamla spoke on the occasion. Sr. Linmy stood first in the college for the first-year board exam of BSW. She is awarded with Gold medal and cash award.
St John’s, Thoothoor
On 3rd December we celebrated our community day with a pilgrimage to Kottar St. Francis Xavier church (patron of our parish), where he himself was once in the past. On our return we visited the birth place of Blessed Devsagayam Pillai. It was a prayerful yet enjoyable day. Our internal inspection team, Srs.Dhanya, Deepa and Atulya arrived on 2nd January. On first day, inspection took place in the school and next day in the convent. In the afternoon
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they went to see the new school compound at Poramkod. On their way back they visited two houses which were repaired with our financial help. We thank these sisters for their dedicated service. After Christmas holidays the school reopened on 6th January. By the grace of God all are in good health. On 9th January Sr. Manisha, our Assistant Mother General, Sr. Rupa and Sr. Ashirta visited our community. They reached in time for the Holy Mass in the parish. During breakfast we wished Sr. Rupa in anticipation for her silver jubilee. The day was spent visiting beaches, boat journey and the wind hill. On 30th January we adopted an elderly lady named Soosai Mary from our neighbourhood whose living condition was extremely poor. We gave her toilet facilities, water and electricity facilities. Her house was white washed and all junk items were removed from her room. Besides this, we provided her with meals. Now she has a worthy dwelling. The elderly woman is very happy. Our Provincial Sr. Vidya visited our community 10th to 14th February. She gave us ample time to speak to her personally. Sr. Surabhi, the Provincial councillor was also present for the community meeting. Positive elements of each sister were spelled out in the meeting. A positive approach really encouraged us and motivated us. Thank you, sister, for your interest for the wellbeing of our community. May God bless you with good health and wisdom. One day retreat was conducted for our 9th and 10th students guided by Fr.Ansal CMF. It was a grace filled day for students.
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16 of our students are getting ready for their board examination. On 26th March, Holy Mass was celebrated for the outgoing students of class X.
Kisanwadi, Kopreli
Kisanwadi centre had a memorable event as our Bishop Ephrem Nariculam made his canonical visit to 61 families of the surrounding villages. It gave motivation to enter into the advent season with special prayers and acts of charity. Bishop recommended us to conduct a medical camp in Thunoli village to bring back the dropout Christians. on 13th December, a team of doctors from Christ Hospital came for this purpose. They conducted the health camp in the village Chapel with minimum facilities. We had to bring all necessary things from Kopreli Centre as we could not even find a table from the village. We had 200 patients for the camp from the surrounding villages. They had all kinds of common ailments. All were happy as they got medicines free of cost and a proposal for concessions for the further treatment in Christ Hospital. The team were also happy as they got a good village exposure and nourishing lunch. Advent season was made fruitful with home visits, preparing children for the First Holy Communion and the Christmas carol in different villages. 20th December was a remarkable day for the St. Joseph K.G. School, Kisanwadi as we celebrated the Annual Day and the Christmas celebration in this school for the first time. The hard work of Sr. Ashrita the
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principal and Sr. Namita the teacher of the K.G School was remarkable to make it a colourful event. Congratulation to you dear sisters. Parents were very happy to see the tiny tots of Nursery, KG I, K.G. II courageously stepped on the stage for the first time in their lives. Few could not face the crowd and withdrew to take refuge in their mothers‘ laps. There was a meaningful and joyful Christmas celebration on 24th December night. Children received their First Holy Communion. Soon after the Holy Liturgy there was cake cutting and exchange of gifts among Christmas friends. It was a pleasure to see the work of the Holy Spirit to bring more than 300 people for the Christmas celebration. Young and old shared Christmas joy and the youth danced till 3 AM. Mrs. Kavita Maloth mother of Miss. Kalyani our hostellite from Hinganghat passed away at the age of 33. Mathru Vedi had a meeting on 30th December at Labantola Chapel and celebrated Christmas. Special prayers were offered for the departed souls of that village. A talk was arranged, high lightening the true meaning of death and the life after death to remove their false believes and unnecessary fears. On 2nd January we shared the Christmas and New Year joy in Labantola school and Aganwadi. Many people come to our dispensary because of their confidence in the treatment of Sr. Preeti. Sr. Jyoti continues to be active in her mission activities in the villages. She was instrumental in bringing many people to attend retreat in Sanjeevani Ashram held in February.
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Agragami School, Mhasala
Students and staff of Agragami convent School thanked God for the blessings received during the year 2019 and for the gift of a new year 2020 through a beautiful prayer service. The staff had a day of relaxation and enjoyable picnic to Bamboo Garden and Busy Land, Amravati on 11th January 2020. A seminar on traffic rules was conducted for class IX. Mr. Suresh Pawar, traffic Inspector was the chief instructor. He guided the students and told them about traffic rules and explained about road safety. On the Republic Day, Fr. Francis CMI was the chief guest and he inspired everyone with his valuable message. Various cultural programmes, march past, P.T. display with music and karate presentation marked the importance of the day. Class 8th along with their teachers attended the district Scout-Guide Camp-2020 in Ajanta School, Wardha. They excelled in all the activities and amounted to the highest number of participants. The 6th National Peace Convention was organized in Christ University, Bangalore in the month of January. Sr. Mandakini, along with a teacher and two students took part in it. Students of classes 7th and 8th had an awareness talk regarding safety by police personals from Sewagram police station. In honour of outgoing students of class 10th a farewell programme was arranged. Sr. Jessy the Principal, Sr. Mandakini, the vice-principal, Sr. Divya the Counsellor of the school and Mr. Naresh Pohane were guests of the day.
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Students were honoured with a memento representing the class. Students are now relaxing and enjoying the holidays after the annual exam. The construction of the school at Warud Road is on its way to completion. We have classrooms ready for the new academic year. Thanks to everyone for your kind support, co-operation and prayers.
Republic Day Staff Picnic Sanjeevani Ashram
God is gracious in blessing us with his abundance of benevolence in all we do. Till the lock down was announced, we were having regular one day prayers, counselling sessions and daily adorations. For the Silver Jubilee of Sr. Sally, her parents and siblings had come who were taken up by the love and care of all our sisters and the well organized and well attended Jubilee program on 18th. They extend their regards and prayers to all sisters. On 30th we celebrated her Jubilee at the community level with our patients and patients from Alphonsa Sadan FCC, Varud as special guests. Needless to say, that the day bought joy and blessings on all of us. We had three days residential retreat from 13th February. Fr.Bosco and Fr. Sunil CMF helped us during these
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days of retreat. Fr. Oswald CMI was gracious enough to come and help us with the sacrament of reconciliation. Many of our sisters including our own retreat team members were present to help us as well as to participate in the retreat. More than 150 people were present for the retreat everyday excluding the many who came for one day prayers, counselling and spiritual guidance from Fr. Bosco. A special word of thanks to Sr. Karuna and all postulants who willingly and generously helped us everywhere all through the retreat. God bless you Sr. Karuna and dear postulants. We participate fully in the lockdown confining all our spiritual and physical activities within the Ashram and realizing like all else, how blessed we can make such times interceding for the whole world and palpating in the pain of our brethren through available media. This too will pass. Let us continue to trust and pray.
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Paid in Full with A Glass of Milk
- Dr Howard Kelly
One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, ―How much do I owe you?‖ ―You don‘t owe me anything,‖ she replied. ―Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.‖ He said, ―Then I thank you from my heart.‖ As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
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Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor‘s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She began to read the following words:
―Paid in full with one glass of milk‖
Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly
****
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Laugh A While
An old man had too much to drink and came to a revival meeting. Immediately after the service, the pastor took the candidates out to the river to be baptized. The man was still pretty well ''sauced.'' The pastor took his head, shoved him down into the water, brought him up and asked, ''Did you see Jesus down there?'' The old boy said, ''No.'' The pastor took his head, shoved him down into the water, brought him up and asked, ''Did you see Jesus down there?'' Again, the old drunk said, ''No.'' The pastor took his head, shoved him down into the water, brought him up and asked, ''Did you see Jesus down there now?'' The old drunkard said, ''No, preacher, are you sure he fell in here?''
****
Prayer - God’s Fresh Air
- Pamela Castellino (PremDaan)
I used to have a Spiritual Director, Fr. Noel Molloy, a Dominican Irish Priest who once gave me five-days retreat. He spoke on ―Prayer being God‘s fresh air.‖ He advised me to take short trips to the Chapel and say a prayer like ―Jesus I love you‖ or in Advent to say ―Come Jesus come.‖
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1. Three Motivations for Prayer:
a. Because Jesus prayed. In Mk. 1:35 Jesus chose the time and place.
b. Through prayer we get strength, as we continue and persevere in it.
c. Prayer builds up the relationship with God. He becomes real in our lives.
2. Prayer is a dialogue between God and us. It is a learning to listen to God who often speaks in whispers.
a. It becomes deeper when we are aware of His Presence and we become silent. In ―Seeds of Contemplation‖ by Thomas Merton says ―physical solitude, exterior silence and real recollection is necessary for leading a contemplative life‖.
b. Prayer is a gift: All we do is disposing ourselves and letting the Spirit lead us. It is a gift of love, a deep relationship with the Lord that ―takes on a Spousal character‖ says Fr. Errol. It is only in silence and stillness we can tune in to His wave length.
c. It is a desert experience: Jesus began His public ministry only after a long period of prayer and penance in the desert. We all need this time of silence and solitude. It restores perspectives and renews the depth.
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d. It is a period of reflection. It creates an atmosphere of reflecting on our past as to how much the Lord has done and the present as to what He is doing for us now.
3. God speaks to us in six ways:
a. Creation: Through everything around us and within us, the beauty of flowers and nature, in the majesty of the heavens – the sky, moon etc, in the wonder of our own DNA that gives us our individuality.
b. Scripture: Who God is and how much He loves us in salvation history.
c. Sacred Tradition of our Church – the way the Apostles preserved Jesus‘ teaching and passed them on to future generations.
d. Through Persons ―You are thriftier than your mother‖ said a friend. A trait that I have picked up from my mother which I had not realized.
e. Through circumstances and events – the death of my father in an accident, made me realize the importance of here and now.
f. In our conscience - We discover Him in our pain and brokenness. After my Dad passed away, I could not reconcile to the fact that the Lord took him away so tragically. But a priest made me accept the fact that he had already suffered during his life time as he was a chronic
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asthmatic. He would struggle to breathe every night and I would wipe his sweat from his brow whenever he would call out to me at around 2:00 a.m.
4. Some Practical Suggestions on how to pray:
a. Choose a convenient time and place.
b. Choose a comfortable posture and breathe in and out slowly reciting a mantra like ―Jesus I love you‖. The book Sadhana by the late Fr. Tony DeMello would give you a method to enter into this silence and to be still. We are now ready to listen to him. This is a great moment of love when you bask in His gaze. Let Him inflame you with His love and tenderness. Then you will be transformed.
c. You are now ready to set afire others by your words and witness.
5. In conclusion let me share Rabindranath Tagore’s prayer that I captured on my iPhone.
When the heart is hard and parched up, come upon me in the silence of mercy.
When grace is lost from life, come with a burst of song.
When tumultuous work raises its din on all sides shutting me out from beyond, come to me my Lord of silence with thy peace and rest.
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When my beggarly heart sits crouched, shut up in a corner, break open the door my King and come with a ceremony of a King.
When desire blinds the mind with delusion and lust, O thou Holy one, thou wakeful one, come with thy light and thy thunder.
****
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A Gift of Ourselves in Totality
- Pamela Castellano
Lord give me a heart that reaches out in love,
Give me two hands that can serve those in need,
Give me a head (a mind) that can understand, reason and discern your will,
Give me two feet that can walk to places at the periphery where many live a life of emptiness, starvation and loneliness.
Give me two eyes that can see the suffering in the eyes of another,
Give me two ears that can hear the cries of those in anguish
Give me your touch that can make another whole, another feel joy and happiness.
Give me a mouth that can express a whisper of the breeze and the music of the soul.
Finally help me to immerse myself in the silence of the divine.
*****
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One Evening
- Sr. Vandana Nayak
One evening sitting by the window facing the courtyard
Looking towards green land across
Joy filled my soul.
Seeing nature dancing and glorifying God.
The cool breeze touching every single leaf
Rhythmic movements of plants delighted the heart of mine
Colorful flower petals fluttering in the wind.
Beautiful was that evening when I felt heaven came on earth
My heart took two wings to fly high
To feel His love and feel Him all around in creation.
*****
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Women in the Bible - Model for us
- Contributed by Sr. Joshna
Be a Sarah - Age doesn‘t matter, trust and believe that all things are possible in God‘s perfect time and season
Be a Rebekah - Never forget that true beauty lies within. Draw all your loved ones closer to God through your Christ-like Character.
Be a Rahab - Whatever the conditions or circumstances, believe in the power of God‘s word. Give your best to him and he will remember you and your household.
Be a Ruth - Be loyal in all your Relationships, walk the extra mile and don‘t quit when things get tough. Someday, you will see why it was all worth the effort
Be a Hannah - Never cease to pray, it will never be in vain.
Be an Abigail - Remember how each decision can turn your life around for good or bad Be wise.
Be an Esther - Be bold and courageous enough to stand for the truth, to voice your opinion and fight for the good of others, even when it means to sacrifice yourself. If God has put you in a position, it is for a purpose. Never be afraid to heed to that inner voice.
Be a Mary - Be humble and submissive. You don‘t have to be great for God to use you, you just need to obey.
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Be an Elizabeth - Never doubt what God can do, He is the God of many miracles.
Be a Mary Magdalene - Never let mistakes or the judgement of other people stop you from experiencing the joy of God
Be a Lydia - Let your homes be open, let your hands be generous; let your hearts be big enough to help anyone in need. Joy is the greatest when shared.
Be a Dorcas - Use your talents, however small it may seem. It can put a smile on someone‘s face. And be a blessing to many.
We are living in a special time. We have been wondering if there were similar situations in the Bible that could be comforting. These women came to mind in order to remain strong we must adjust to the new situation as quickly as possible. So, the best thing we can do is to trust in God for everything.
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Simple yet …!
- Sr. Flora Dhanwar
Life - 4 simple letters, yet so complicated. Love - 4 simple letters, yet so confusing. Destiny - 7 simple letters, yet so unpredictable. Feeling - 7 simple letters, yet so unexplainable. Words - 5 simple letters, yet not enough to explain. Regret - 6 simple letters, yet they never seemed to disappear. Silence - 7 simple letters, yet it can be so loud. Time - 4 simple letters, yet never seems to be enough. Sadness - 7 simple letters, yet it lingers everywhere. Pain - 4 simple letters, yet it can never be erased. Beauty - 6 simple letters, yet so hard to see. Faith - 5 simple letters, yet immeasurable. Fasting - 7 simple letters, yet it seems to be difficult to practice.
******
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I Am the Clay
- Sr. Sunita Gandhare
The more I try to give away,
The more God fills me every day.
As I empty my loving cup,
He is always there to fill it up.
He who turned water into wine,
He fills my life with love divine.
All that I am or hope to be,
Reflects the love He has given to me.
He is the potter; I am the clay,
He shapes and molds me day by day.
To be a vessel of His love,
He fills me with God above
****
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The Easter Egg
Jeremy was born with a variety of disabilities. Attending a small church, at the age of twelve he was becoming more difficult to have in the Sunday school classroom, comprised of children much younger than him. His teacher, Doris Miller, often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat, and make inappropriate noises. At other times, he spoke clearly and distinctly, as if a spot of light had penetrated the darkness of his brain. Most of the time, however, Jeremy just irritated his teacher.
One day she decided to meet with his parents after church. As they entered the empty classroom, Doris said to them, ―Jeremy really has trouble being in the classroom. It isn‘t fair to him to be with younger children who don‘t have learning problems. Why, there is a five- year gap between his age and that of the other children.‖ Jeremy‘s mother cried softly into a tissue, while her husband spoke. ―Doris,‖ he said ―there is no other class he would fit in. It would be a terrible shock for Jeremy if we had to take him out of your class. We know he really likes it here.‖
Doris sat for a long time after they had left, staring at the snow outside the window. Its coldness seemed to seep into her soul. She wanted to sympathize with them. But it wasn‘t fair to keep him in her class. She had other youngsters to teach, and Jeremy was a distraction. As
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she pondered the situation, guilt washed over her. ―Here I am complaining when my problems are nothing compared to that family, trying to meet what were probably many medical bills due to his various issues,‖ she thought. ―Lord, please help me to be more patient with Jeremy.‖ From that day on, she tried hard to ignore Jeremy‘s noises and his blank stares.
Then one day, he ran into the classroom. ―I love you, Miss Miller,‖ he exclaimed, loud enough for the whole class to hear. The other students snickered, and Doris‘ face turned red. She stammered, ―Wh-why, that‘s very nice, Jeremy. N-now, please take your seat.‖
Spring came, and the children talked excitedly about the coming of Easter. Doris told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg. ―Now,‖ she said to them, ―I want you to take this home and bring it back next week with something inside that shows new life.‖ The children responded enthusiastically – all except Jeremy. He listened intently; his eyes never left her face. He did not even make his usual noises. Had he understood what she had said about Jesus‘ death and resurrection? Did he understand to bring back the egg with something inside? Perhaps she should call his parents and explain it to them. That evening Doris‘ kitchen sink stopped up. She called her landlord and waited for an hour for him to come by and unclog it. After that, she had a crazy week at work. She completely forgot about phoning Jeremy‘s parents.
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The following Sunday, the children entered her classroom, laughing and talking as they placed their eggs in the large wicker basket on the table in the room. They eagerly waited to open all the eggs. In the first egg, they discovered a flower. ―Oh yes, life!‖ she said. ―When plants peek through the ground, we know that spring is here.‖ The next egg contained a plastic butterfly, which looked very real. ―We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. Yes, that is new life, too.‖ Next, a rock with moss on it was discovered in an egg. She explained that moss, too, showed life.
Then they opened the fourth egg. The egg was empty. Doris figured it was Jeremy‘s egg and he had not understood what he was supposed to do with it. Not wanting to embarrass him, Doris moved it to the side and was about to open another egg. Suddenly Jeremy spoke up, ―Aren‘t you going to talk about my egg?‖ Flustered, Doris replied, ―But this egg is empty.‖ He looked into her eyes and said softly, ―Yes, but Jesus‘ tomb was empty, too. So, the egg should be empty on Easter.‖ Time stopped. When she could speak again, Doris asked him, “Do you know why the tomb was empty?” “Oh, yes,” Jeremy said, “Jesus was buried there but the Father raised Him up.” The recess bell rang. Three months later, Jeremy died. Those who paid their respects at the mortuary were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his casket –all of them empty.
Source : Ida Mae Kempel in A Taste of Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul (Health Communications, Inc 2005).
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Blind Love of My Mother
- Sr. Flora Dhanwar
The 2 simple words sound so sweet and are even easy to say, but have great meaning in them. Previously I was quite unsure of the term ―Blind Love‖ but slowly I began to understand it. Blind….. what is it? And how is it blind? Many questions struck my mind! But can love seriously be blind? I say yes. I think that blind love is typically a Mothers‘ Love. From first day onwards when she comes to know that she is with a child, she falls in love with that stranger. The family rejoices, have expectations and hopes, but mother sheds tears of joy over the child in her womb. Hour after hour, day after day, month after month she develops immeasurable love for the ―stranger‖ inside her. Boy or girl, blind or deaf, fair or dark, normal or abnormal, whatever baby may be, unknown of all facts she nurtures the child and takes care of it. She isn‘t hungry but eats for the new life, she isn‘t happy for some time but smiles for the new life, she isn‘t fond of fruits but she consumes them for the new life. She sacrifices and does everything for the wellbeing of the new life. These miraculous things have happened in our lives too. We ought to thank God for the gift of our mothers!
******
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Experiencing God’s Mercy
- Sr. Suma SJB
More than ever before from 14 February 2020, my life is just an ocean of God‘s mercy. It is weeks, days, hours and moments of experiencing God‘s love and mercy in abundance. It isn‘t always sweet moments but in the bitter moments too I can see God‘s mighty hands working in me, leading and guiding me to embrace His Cross more and more closely giving me courage and strength to pass through every painful moment. God‘s ways are beyond our understanding and imagination. I hope this sharing of God experience may help someone to experience God‘s mercy in their lives and come one step closer to God.
On 4th February, 2020 while participating in the Holy Eucharist, I was greatly inspired to read the book on our founder ―Saint goes to hell‖ and do some writing. I was so surprised about this inspiration yet, I started reading it on 8 February and exactly on the 7th day after that I was diagnosed to have ‗Tracheal tumor‘. I see God’s hands intervening through our Father Founder in the 1st step of my diagnosis.
The days after that were with lot of confusion, fear and anxieties. But I was quite peaceful. I knew well that
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nothing happens without His knowledge. When I went to collect the report, doctor explained to me all about my sickness and the seriousness of it in detail. For a moment I kept silence and gathered all my strength to face life and its challenges very positively, even to face death. So, no report could beat my spirit down. I believed in Rom 14/8 - ―If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord‘s‖. I was feeling bad when others were in tears for me. From that day onwards I could feel the power of thousands of fathers, sisters and lay people praying for me. Experiencing the power of prayer was a life touching experience.
Before going to the hospital on 17th February, along with Sr Sunanda and Sr Lissy I went to ‗Krupasanam‘ - a Marian Centre in Kerala to pray. We were standing in front of Fr VP Joseph‘s room who is the director of Krupasanam. Volunteers told us not to remain there as father won‘t pray before Holy Mass. But I told the volunteer that I am a patient and I am going to hospital after Mass. She agreed. After sometime another volunteer came asking us to move out from there. It repeated many times. Finally, Sr Lissy told Fr Joseph‘s secretary that I want to get a blessing from him. So, we stood there in a group. As soon as father came, he kept his hands on my head and prayed for a moment. Immediately he took his hands and kept, one hand over my neck and another behind neck and prayed in my ears and told me with a smile on his face ‘everything will be
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alright, go courageously’. I knew well mother Mary was blessing me through her son. Father touched everyone around me and came back to me second time and made sign of the cross over my forehead, blessed me and went. It was something unusual.
Holy Mass was going on. So, Sr Sunanda and myself sat on the steps close to the altar. During communion time many sisters went to distribute communion. As I was not well, I sat there and prayed. When all the sisters came back, father came to the place where Sr Sunanda and myself were sitting and called us to distribute communion. I told him that I have no shawl to put on. He said no need to put on a shawl and asked me to distribute communion in the ‗adoration chapel‘. While I was carrying Communion to this chapel, I saw people on the way, sitting one upon the other, so packed up. They told me that everywhere Communion is distributed and so I could go back. But I told them that father has told me to go to this particular place. Under obedience I went there and a volunteer went inside the chapel and asked if there were any left out, not having received Communion. For my great surprise three ladies came out to receive Communion. It was God’s way of taking me to adoration chapel with the body of His Son.
After Holy Mass we went to the stall to buy holy things and I asked them for oil which was blessed in Krupasanam. A volunteer said it is given only to those who have taken the ‗covenant prayer‘. I told her that I am a patient and going to hospital to get admitted and she
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agreed to give me one. I received from Krupasanam all that I wished. Mother Mary was so kind to me. These were moments of God‘s grace. Ex 15/26 - “I am the LORD who heals you”.
On 18th February, I was taken for bronchoscopy. I carried a rosary in my hand till bronchoscopy room. As I was about to give it back to sisters, the assistant told me if I wished I could keep it. We are not allowed to keep anything as a usual norm when we are taken for any procedure. So, I was surprised. During the procedure it was a great blessing for me. When they were doing the procedure without any sedation rosary in the hand was my strength to suffer everything with Jesus and Mother Mary. I could see only two faces in front of me, that were of Mother Mary and of Crucified Jesus.
I got PET Scan appointment for 25th February. There was no possibility to get a date before that. But with the recommendation of Fr Walter CMI, I got a surprise call on 20th February morning to come immediately for PET SCAN. In fact, I was not prepared for it and had breakfast. So, they were in a dilemma to consider me. Yet it was God‘s grace that they took me as their last patient on that day. It was all God’s providence.
On 21st February Friday, my elder sister and family went to ‗Attapadi‘ Sehion retreat center to pray for me very specially. She prayed there at the foot of the Cross and wrote and kept special intention for me there. She wanted to meet Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil and pray for my
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intention. It was a busy day and it was not possible to meet him. Volunteers told her that she could go in any line and ask the father who is in the line to pray for her intention. So, she stood in a line. As she reached the priest, she told my name and the intention and asked him to pray. Hearing the name, immediately the priest remembered me and asked her for more details about me and he said he knew me and will surely go and meet me and pray for me. He also took the piece of paper my sister had and took her intention to Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil to pray. As soon as my sister came out of prayer hall, she told me about it.
It was a great surprise that my sister met this priest, Fr Saji Thekekaithazath CMI, serving in Canada. 1999- 2001, Fr Saji did his philosophy in ‗Darsana‘, Sawangi. In those days as a philosophy student, he played football, fractured his right hand and had operation in a private hospital in Wardha. After few days the implant came out and he came to Sewagram hospital, seeking medical help. I used to help him to get all the medical help from Ortho department and further undergo surgery and get his hand healed. So, he was ever grateful for this little deed. After he left Sewagram we had met just once. We hardly had any contact but he was a grateful priest always. Now for few years he is working in Canada and I had no idea about him. Recently he came to Kerala for an emergency leave and was in ‗Attappadi‘ Sehion retreat center, helping for the prayer services. That was how my sister could meet Fr Saji and get her
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heart desires fulfilled, reaching her intention to FrVattayil. If we pray with great earnestness, God will fulfil it through mysterious ways. Is 65/24 – “Before they call, I will answer, while they are yet speaking, I will hear”.
On 21st February Friday night I did not get sleep at all. Whole night was like a night vigil for me. I was supposed to get my biopsy and PET Scan reports on 22nd Saturday. Whole night I prayed rosary and mercy rosary one after another and prayed to Mother Mary and Jesus. I said the next day was Saturday (Mother‘s Day) and so to bless me with a favorable report. As she did in Cana, I asked her to perform another miracle in my life, so that I may proclaim her and her Son, to the world. With tears in my eyes I prayed to her to prove her love for me and increase the faith of everyone who prayed for me. She blessed me, more than I asked for. When biopsy and PET scan reports came, Mother Mary changed all my malignant reports into benign reports. She is a powerful mediator. God is great! Rom 8/28 - “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”.
On 2nd March, since the tracheal tumor was benign, doctor changed his plan of action from open surgical procedure to a closed surgical procedure. Though it was riskier and more challenging, doctor was ready to do the procedure through oral route, considering my future and the complications I may have to face. On 3rd March, when he took me for the procedure I could read from his
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face, the tension he was feeling to do this risky procedure. But I was confident that nothing would go wrong, because thousands were praying for me and for the team of doctors who were handling me. In fact, it was a miracle. Without any complication they could remove 80% tracheal mass, in just 2 hours of time. Even without sedation I could cooperate with them. Doctors were surprised with this best result. It was God who did it for me. 1Pet 2/24 - “By His wounds you have been healed”.
In those days I was suffering from severe constipation. On 7th March, at 12.30 am I told Krupasanam Mother, if she wanted me to come to Krupasanam, she had to perform a miracle in my life that day, concerning my constipation. I was going through unimaginable suffering and pain. So, unless she did a miracle in my life that day before morning, I would not come and give witness in Krupasanam. If she really loved me, she had to hear my prayers and I did all possible prayers to her that night. For my great surprise, Mother Mary answered my prayers. I was feeling much relief in the morning. She worked another miracle in my life. Jer 17/14 - “Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise”.
On 11th March, when my final report came, that too was of a benign lesion. Though the tumor contained infection, it was treatable. God is close to those who call upon him in great faith. James 5/15 - “The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up”.
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Yes, dear friends, suffering is part of our life. Small or big it is unavoidable. Every suffering unites us to the Cross of Jesus and strengthens us to carry our little crosses along with Him. My sickness taught me to stay close to the Cross of Jesus always and draw strength from Him. In sickness and in health let us thank the Lord for our very life and for all goodness that we enjoy in life. The greatest wealth that we enjoy is our health, nothing more. May all of you who read this, be inspired to care for your health and thank God every moment for your health and at the same time pray for the millions who suffer with ill health. May they all have the strength to carry their daily suffering along with Jesus. May God Bless you all!!!
******
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Love is Our Top Priority
- Compiled by Sr. Vandana Nayak
Love should be our top priority, primary objective, and greatest ambition. Love is not a good part of our life; it‘s the most important part. The bible says, ―Let love be your greatest aim‖. (1 Cor 14- 1:2) It‘s not enough to say, ―One of the things I want in life is to be loving,‖ as if it‘s on our top ten list. Relationships must have priority in our life above everything else. Why?
LIFE WITHOUT LOVE IS WORTHLESS. St. Paul makes this point: No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I‘m bankrupt without love.‖ (1 Cor 13- 3:7) Often, we act as if relationships are something to be squeezed into our schedule. We talk about making time for people in our lives. That gives the impression that relationship is just a part of our lives along with many other tasks. But God says relationships are what life is all about. Four of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship to God while the other six deal with our relationships with people. So, all Ten are about relationship! Later, Jesus summarized what matters most to God in two statements: love God and love people. He said ―You must love the Lord your God with all your heart. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these
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two commandments.‖ After learning to love God, learning to love others is the second purpose of your life.
Relationships, not achievements or the acquisition of things, are what matter most in life. So why do we allow our relationships to get the short end of the stick? When our schedules become overloaded, we start skimming relationally, cutting back on giving the time, energy, and attention that loving relationships require. What‘s most important to God is displaced by what‘s urgent.
Busyness is a great enemy of relationship. We become preoccupied with making a living, doing our work, paying bills, working only in the kitchen, involved with our own self and accomplishing goals as if these tasks are the point of life. They are not the point of life is learning to love- God and People. Life minus love equals zero.
LOVE WILL LAST FOREVER. Another reason God tells us to make love our top priority is that it is eternal: ―Theses three things continues forever: Faith, hope, and love. And the Greatest of these is love.‖
LOVE LEAVES A LEGACY. How you treated other people, not your wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth. As Mother Teresa said, ―It‘s not what you do, but how much love you put into it that matters.‖ Love is the secret of a lasting heritage. When life on earth is ending, people don‘t surround themselves with objects. What we want around us is people- people we love and have relationships with.
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In our final moments we realize that relationships are what life was all about. Wisdom is learning that truth sooner rather than later. Don‘t wait until we‘re on our deathbed to figure out that nothing mattered more.
WE WILL BE EVALUATED ON OUR LOVE. The reason to make learning to love the goal of our life is that it is what we will be evaluated on in eternity. One of the ways God measures Spiritual maturity is by the quality of our relationships. In heaven God won‘t say ―Tell me about career, bank account, and our hobbies.‖ Instead he will review how we treated other people, particularly those in need. Jesus said the way to love Him is to love His family and care for their practical needs: ―Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.( Mt 5: 8)
When we transfer into eternity, we will leave everything else behind. All our taking with us what we have done for others. That‘s why the Bible says, ―The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.‖
******
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In The Family of God
- Srs. Shanti and Nutan- (ICJ Bhopal)
“The experience of inspiration is something spiritual because it the ‗inspiration‘ of the spirit. Only the spirit can inspire.‖
We would like to share with you a piece of inspiring reflection on ‗The family of God‘ that we received in the class on ―Moral Theology‘ by Fr. Flendry Angel SAC
- God is the Father
- Jesus is the Son
- Holy Spirit is the Advocate
- We are the adopted Children of God through Jesus
- Entrance to this family is through Repentance. ―No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of Water and Spirit (Jn 3:5)‖.
- Prayer is the conversation in the family of God. But the prayer offered with wrong motive, wrong attitude, wrong spirit, in sinful state and self- righteousness will not connect us with God. It will be only a monologue.
- Love is the rule of life in the family of God; love of God and love of neighbor.
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Love of God is an absolute and whole hearted devotion to God which is expressed in drawing our self-worth from God and God alone.
Love of Neighbor is an active sympathetic attitude that takes the trouble of others as our own trouble and then decides what is good and right for the person on the basis of what God wishes for that person.
- The Confidence of the child in the family of God is that the Father knows him /her.
- The Privilege of the child in the family of God is trusting in the goodness of the Father.
- The Hope of the child in the family of God is the Father‘s Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is the active power of God, taking control of a human heart, giving it energy and direction. When a person yields his/her heart to this active power of God, the Kingdom of God is established in his/her heart.
- The Reward of the child in the family of God is the Father‘s house.
But it is deeds and not words ensure one‘s entry into the Father‘s house.
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If I Am Gonna Die Tomorrow
- Sr. Linmy Jose
If we are given just one more day to live, I think we will start living today to the full!! When we are given such a short notice, then definitely there is going to be a lot of chaos and we will try to spend maximum time with all our loved ones, unable to give enough time to anyone. Apart from all this, I believe those few hours of our lives are going to answer the many questions about life the meaning of life.
We will reflect on our past days on what did all these years and what we should have actually done! We will realize how all our desires; our passions disappear as soon as we come to know that we have only one day left to live. And suddenly all that we will need at that time is love, company of our friends, our family whom we were neglecting so far in order to achieve something in our lives that are going to be no more after a few hours.
We will realize how simple life could have been if we didn‘t burden it with our desires. We then regret why did we not live it! We always wait for a perfect time to do things we enjoy the most. ‗I will write or read a book after I finish my studies‖ ‗I will start loving after I am settled, I will go on a holiday with my friends once I secure my future with a good job‖ and the list goes on.
But we never realize that we are not here forever! Let us not wait! Let us just go ahead with our plans for
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tomorrow, today itself. Let us follow our dreams, spend time with friends! Let us not wait to tell our loved ones how much we love them.
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COVID-19
Be careful Not fearful Dispel the myths of corona scare, Imbibe correct knowledge and become aware, Follow cough etiquettes, hand hygiene and personal care, Spread no fake information when you share.
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Pano Samaj
- Sr Vandana Nayak
I Sr. Vandana Nayak, is glad to write about Pano Samaj in which I too am a part of. The Pano is one of the reserved castes of Odisha. Although people of Pano can be found in Bihar, West Bengal, and Jharkhand, the maximum population is in different parts of Odisha. They have endogamous occupational sub-groups known as Bunapano and Dhulipano. They officially speak Odiya language. The educational system of Pano is such that within 5 to 14 of age, a child mostly completes his/her secondary education. Their traditional and primary occupation is to serve as serfs to the land holding communities. However, a few of them are engaged in private business, cultivation, daily wage laborers and as musicians. They are largely non-vegetarians. Rice is their staple food. World Population of Panos is around 1,345,000. The largest religion is Hinduism (99.60%). Christianity is only 0.39% among them.
Panos form part of a large indigenous group consisting of Ganda, Domb, Pano and Tanti. It is believed that all the four different groups have common origins. The Panos of Odisha are identical with the Panos in Chotanagpore. Sub-divisions of Panos are as Jayantira Pano and Patra Panos. They are divided into a number of lineages, which regulate marriage alliances and indicate one's ancestry. They have only one gotra, the Nagasa. Their literacy rate is 22.8 percent. They use
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both modern and indigenous medicines. Traditionally the Panos communities and tribal communities had been cooperative and mutually supportive.
What are their beliefs?
The Pano worship gods and goddesses such as Mahadev and Durga. Their village deities are Lakshmi, Mongla and Jogmaya. Jogmaya is considered to be their chief deity. The Panos have presumed kinship with other communities such as the Mahaprasad, Mokar and the Maitra. They act as musicians during the worship and life cycle rituals of other communities.
There are various rites and rituals connected to Birth.
Birth is celebrated among the Pano in a big way. When a woman delivers a child, on the same day a pit is dug in the backyard of the house. This pit is enclosed from four sides using straw and grass. This is to wash the child and for all other post-natal rituals. This pit is commonly known as ‗gondakhal‘.
Immediately after the delivery, the mothers are given horse gram soup or boiled horse gram in order to supplement protein. It is believed that when a woman delivers, she is fully drained of her energy and lack protein, carbohydrates and other essential vitamins. This impacts the child‘s breast feeding. There is also another scientific aspect to this. Horse gram provides energy and it would be appropriate for the post – natal women. On 21st day of birth, the entire clothes of the mother are
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changed. They wash all the old clothes properly and clean the entire house with cow dung and mud. It is the same day the ritual of ―aankhphooka‖ or hatodekha is held. During this ceremony, the elderly will use Moha Liquor. After the rites there is distribution of liquor and some raw rice within the family. This day is known as Ekusiya. Ekusiya literally means the 21st day after the birth of a child at home. All these are done equally for boys and girls. On the day of Ekusiya the newborn child and mother are clad in new dresses. The mother holds the child in her lap. The elder women in the family help the young mother during the celebrations. Aankhaphooka refers to the ceremony of naming the child and welcoming the child to the larger community. During Ekusiya, bhoji is given to all community where they sacrifice an animal and a bit of the blood of animal is traditionally put on the forehead of new born and all children at home. There is Pitha pona meaning sharing of joy that takes place when a new born is arrived in the family. There is chua achu meaning no outsiders are allowed to get in to the newborn‘s room generally to touch or hold the baby. Chua indicates the delicate state of the child to get infections even with the mere touch of people coming from outside. Ekusiya and Aankhaphooka are the beginning of the socialization process of the child. I have observed that until the twenty first day the child is under certain restrictions after which the child is part of every functions, activities, ceremonies, rites and rituals.
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A little more information about the Rich Heritage of Gandas/Panos
- Sr. Sally
(I am adding a summary of what I found so enriching about Gandas/Panos to what Sr. Vandana has written. I got it basically from a research thesis and few other articles on Ganda/ Pano culture. For an eye that is unaccustomed to seeing and appreciating the cultures other than one’s own, many of their traditions and customs (many of which are on the verge of extinction) might look primitive or aboriginal. But when we further look and understand the meaning, its richness amazes us. Somewhere while reading, I was reminded of what Pope Francis writes about the indigenous people of Amazon and their rich heritage in his post synodal document. Understanding the culture of our sisters is basically understanding them.)
The Ganda/ Panos culture originates from its traditions, the shared history, the shared stories, the shared wisdom and most importantly the evolution of the earth spirituality. The first and most important step to understand Ganda/Panos culture is to recognise them as an ancient indigenous group. The Gandas/Panos demonstrate their culture not only through the arts and art forms, but also through multiple patterns such as festivals, life cycle, connections with the ancestors, nature, and the unseen world. Further, they also express these aspects of culture through resistance to tyranny,
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rejecting domination, refusing to be succumbed down by the power of caste and other forms of feudal relationship, as well as the resilience.
This is the richness of the shared history, culture and wisdom of the Panos across the time and geo-political space. Despite these multitudes of richness in culture, they have been thoroughly subjected to suppression and oppression. There have been multiple layers of infiltration and adulteration into their culture. In some way or other, they have also adopted several aspects of the caste dominant cultural patterns of Hindutva. The Panos had their own language, which disappeared under the overarching influence of Odia language. In mainstream Odia world, the Odia language is supposed to be the symbol of Sanskritised Hindu culture. Outside Odisha, all about the Odia culture is believed to be only Jaggannath. However, this is not true. It is quite encouraging that the Panos are in the process of re- searching their lost language and heritage.
However, there are shifts happenings in some villages, traditional symbols are being replaced by Hindu symbols. In some villages the traditional songs - adoring the nature, the ancestors and the Ganda / Pano history - is being replaced by Hindu hymns too. The overexposure to Hindu patterns by the educated and city-based Panos is turning out to be a big challenge to the overall notion of their culture. They also absorb various shifts within the Hindu patterns as a marker on their own social organisation. Such changes are happening in an abrupt manner.
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At the same time, the rural Gandas/Panos share common threads. In recent years, some Ganda youths from rural western Odisha, who are educated and learnt, have taken a new initiative to save the gandabaja, a musical tradition of this group and the cultural patterns connected with it. They have decided to explore and bring together the various groups of gandabaja artists and create opportunity for them to have a common space and gathering. However, they are determined not to drum for the dominant caste Hindus. In cultural terms, this appears to be a movement towards cultural affirmation and thereby thriving to come out of the brackets of marginalisation. For Panos, the culture is not an alien singled out component of life. It is an ongoing process; it is part of every single aspect of life. It is an organic whole. It is part of the philosophy and ideology. This philosophy and ideology are not expressed in words or languages or in theoretical terms. However, it does exist. They live it every single day. The younger ones learn it from the elders.
Spiritualism, relationship and expression of traditional values of life are the heart of their learning process. This is in contrast to other forms of learning and education in the schools. Here, these learnings and educative processes are recognised as a creative one. It is a wholistic process where the learning takes place across different spheres of human experience, including spiritual, physical, emotional and mental dimensions. It is an engagement with all aspects of life – within oneself, around oneself, and so on and so forth. It is a creative and participatory process, recognising the significance
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and validity of the past, the present and the future. Their worldview believes in a unified vision and therefore has an integrated approach, rather than the fragmented ones. There is an existence of interconnectedness of all living things. It asserts that all life is sacred and all life forms are inter-connected. Thus, human life is neither above nor below others in the cycle of life. Every living or non-living component is part of this cycle – the being – and hence it is one unit with one heart. Every single individual is a participant, contributor, co-operator, sharer, and has a primary responsibility towards life. This engagement evolves a sacred relationship with life. This is the connecting factor with land, forests, water, community, life, as well as a life-centric dynamic of the world. The rationality of such inter-connectedness builds a dynamic process, always open and willing to adapt anything that builds and sustains life. Therefore, the Ganda culture and tradition provides a larger worldview of life in an organic manner, which proves their historicity and nativity as one of the first settlers.
References : https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in
Kodesh N. History from the healer's shrine: genre, historical imagination, and early Ganda history. Comparative Studies in Society and History. 2007 Jul;49(3):527-52.
Mahananda SK. Casting/De-casting Identity; the Gandas of Western Odisha.
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Amazon Synod
Summary of Final Document
(Querida Amazonia- Beloved Amazon is a 2020 post synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, written in response to the Synod of Bishops for the Pan- Amazon region, held in Rome in October 2019. This beautifully worded Apostolic Exhortation is a must read. Below given is a summary of the document.)
Introduction
Five chapters, plus an introduction and a brief conclusion: The Final Document of the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region was released on the evening of 26 October, by the express will of the Pope. The document deals with a wide variety of topics, including mission, inculturation, integral ecology, defence of the indigenous peoples, an Amazonian rite, the role of women, and new ministries, especially in areas where access to the Eucharist is lacking.
Conversion: this is the common thread running through the final document of the Pan-Amazon Synod. Conversion is expressed with different accents: integral, pastoral, cultural, ecological, and synodal. The text is the result of the "open, free, and respectful" exchange undertaken in the three weeks of the work of the Synod, to tell the story of the challenges and the potentialities of Amazonia, the "biological heart" of the world, spread
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over nine countries and inhabited by over 33 million people, including about 2.5 million indigenous persons. Yet this region, by area the most vulnerable in the world on account of climate change caused by human beings, is on "a rampant race to death". And thus, the Document reiterates that a new direction is necessary in order to save it, to avoid a catastrophic impact on the entire planet.
Chapter I - Integral conversion
From the beginning, the document exhorts us to a "true integral conversion", with a simple and sober life, in the manner of St Francis of Assisi, to be committed to relating harmoniously with the "common home", the creative work of God. Such conversion will lead the Church to be a Church "on the move", in order to enter the hearts of all the Amazonian peoples. Amazonia's voice is a message of life expressed through a multi- ethnic and multi-cultural reality, represented by the varied faces that dwell therein. "Good living", and "doing good" is the lifestyle of the Amazonian people. This means living in harmony with oneself, with others, and with the supreme being, in a single intercommunication between the whole cosmos, in order to forge a project of full life for all.
The Suffering of Amazonia: The Cry of the Land and the Cry of the Poor
Nevertheless, the text does not ignore the many sorrows and the great violence that today wound and deform Amazonia, threatening its life: the privatization of natural
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goods; predatory models of production; deforestation which has affected 17% of the whole region; pollution from the extractive industries; climate change; drug trafficking; alcoholism; trafficking; the criminalization of leaders and defenders of the territory; illegal armed groups. On a broader basis there is the bitter story of migration in the Amazon on various levels: the traditional mobility of indigenous groups in their territories; forced displacement of indigenous populations; international migration and refugees. All these groups need cross- border pastoral care, including the right to free movement. The problem of migration, we read, ought to be confronted in a coordinated way by the Churches on the borders. A work of permanent pastoral care must, in addition, be considered for migrant who become victims of trafficking. The synodal Document invites us to be attentive also to the forced displacement of indigenous families in urban centres, emphasising that this phenomenon demands a "joint pastoral response" in the peripheries. Hence, the exhortation to create missionary teams which, in coordination with the parishes, would be able to deal with this aspect, offering enculturated liturgies and favouring the integration of these communities in the cities.
Chapter II - Pastoral conversion
Recalling the missionary nature of the Church is essential. Mission is not something optional, the text says, because the Church is mission, and missionary action is the paradigm of all the work of the Church. In Amazonia, the Church must be modelled on the Good
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Samaritan, that is, she must go out to meet everyone. She must be "Magdalene", loved and reconciled in order to announce joyfully the Risen Christ, and "Marian", that is, she must generate children in the faith, but also inculturated among the peoples that she serves. It is important, then, to pass from a "visiting" pastoral ministry to a pastoral ministry that is permanently present. For this reason, the synodal Document suggests that the religious Congregations throughout the world establish at least one missionary outpost in one of the Amazonian countries.
The sacrifice of the missionary martyrs
The Synod does not forget the many missionaries who have spent their lives in order to transmit the Gospel in Amazonia; the most glorious pages of that history have been written by the martyrs. At the same time, the Document recalls that the proclamation of Christ in the region was often accomplished in collusion with the powers that oppressed the people. For this reason, today the Church has the "historic opportunity to distance herself" from "the new colonializing powers, by listening to the Amazonian peoples and transparently exercising her prophetic activity".
Ecumenical and interreligious dialogue
In this context, both ecumenical and interreligious dialogue are very important. It is "the indispensable path of evangelization in Amazonia", the text says. On the one hand, it must take its starting point from the Word of God to initiate real paths of communion. On the other
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hand, with regard to interreligious dialogue, the Document encourages a greater knowledge of indigenous religions and cults, so that Christians and non-Christians, can act together in defence of their common home. For this reason, moments of encounter, study, and dialogue among the Amazonian churches and the followers of indigenous religions are proposed.
The urgent need for indigenous pastoral ministry and for youth ministry
The document further recalls the need for an indigenous pastoral ministry, that would have a specific place in the Church: it is necessary, in fact, to create and maintain "a preferential option for the indigenous populations", and to give a greater missionary impulse among native vocations, so that the Amazon might be evangelised by Amazonians.
Further, space must be given to Amazonian youth, with their lights and their shadows: divided between tradition and innovation; immersed in an intense crisis of values; victims of sad realities such as poverty, violence, unemployment, new forms of slavery, and difficulty in accessing education. The text notes that they often end up in prison, or committing suicide. Yet young Amazonians have the same dreams and hopes as other young people in the world - and the Church, called to be a prophetic presence, must accompany them on their journey, to prevent their identity and self-esteem from being damaged or destroyed. In particular, the Document suggests "a renewed and courageous youth
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ministry", with an ever-active pastoral ministry, centred on Jesus. Young people, in fact, are a theological "locus" and prophets of hope, they want to be protagonists, and the Amazonian Church wants to recognise their space. Hence, the invitation to promote new forms of evangelization, including the use of social media, and to help young indigenous people to achieve a healthy interculturality.
Pastoral care in the cities and for families
The final text of the Synod then deals with the theme of urban pastoral ministry, with particular attention on the family. In the urban peripheries they suffer from poverty, unemployment, lack of housing, as well as numerous health problems. It becomes necessary, then, to defend the rights of all so that everyone has equal access to the benefits the city has to offer on the basis of the principles of sustainability, democracy, and social justice. It is necessary to fight, the text reads, so that in the "shanty towns" basic fundamental rights might be guaranteed. The institution of a "ministry of welcome" should also be central, for a fraternal solidarity with migrants, refugees, and the homeless who live in the urban context. In this area, valid assistance can come from the ecclesial base communities, which are "a gift of God to the local Churches of the Amazon." At the same time, public policies aimed at improving the quality of life in rural zones are also called for, in order to avoid the unchecked movement of people to the cities.
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Chapter III - Cultural conversion
Inculturation and interculturality are important, the Document continues, in order to achieve a cultural conversion that leads Christians to go out to meet the other, and to learn from them. The Amazonian people, in fact, with their "ancient scent" - which provides a contrast between the desperation that one breathes on the continent, with their values of reciprocity, solidarity, and sense of community - offer teachings of life and an integrated vision of reality capable of understanding that all of creation is connected; and guaranteeing, therefore, a sustainable management. The Church is committed to being allied with the indigenous populations, the synodal text repeats, especially in denouncing the attacks on their lives, the predatory commercial projects, ethnocide and ecocide, and the criminalization of social movements.
Defending the land and defending life
"The defence of the land", the text reads, "has no other purpose than the defence of life", and is based on the evangelical principle of the defence of human dignity. It is therefore necessary to respect the rights of self- determination, the delimitation of their territories, and of prior consultation of indigenous peoples regarding the use of their land. A specific point is dedicated to the indigenous populations in voluntary isolation, of which there are approximately 130 in the Amazon today. Often victims of ethnic cleansing, the Church must undertake two types of action, one pastoral and another that of
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applying of pressure so that national governments might protect the rights and the inviolability of the territories of these people.
Indigenous theology and popular piety
From the perspective, then, of inculturation - that is, of the incarnation of the Gospel in the indigenous cultures - space is given for an indigenous theology and for popular piety, the expressions of which must be appreciated, accompanied, promoted, and sometimes "purified", since they are privileged moments of evangelisation that ought to lead to an encounter with Christ. The proclamation of the Gospel is not a process of destruction, but of growth and consolidation of those "seeds of the Word" in the cultures. From here, there is an emphatic rejection of "colonial-style evangelisation" and "proselytism", in favour of an inculturated proclamation that promotes a Church with an Amazonian face, with full respect for and parity with the history, the culture, and the lifestyle of the local populations. In this regard, the synodal Document proposes that centres of research in the Church should study and collect the traditions, languages, beliefs and aspirations of the indigenous peoples, encouraging an education based on their own identity and culture.
Creating a network of Pan-Amazonian ecclesial communication
In the field of healthcare, too, the Document continues, this educational project should promote the ancient knowledge of traditional medicine in every culture. At the
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same time, the Church is committed to offering health care in places where national health care programs do not reach. There is also a strong call for an education in solidarity, based on an awareness of a common origin and a future shared by all, as well as a culture of communication that promotes dialogue, encounter, and care of the "common home". Specifically, the synodal text suggests the creation of a network of Pan- Amazonian ecclesial communication; of an academic network of bilingual education and of new forms of education, and even distance learning.
Chapter IV - Ecological conversion
In the face of "an unprecedented socio-environmental crisis", the Synod calls for an Amazonian Church capable of promoting an integral ecology and an ecological conversion, according to which "everything is connected".
Integral ecology, the only possible path
The hope is that by recognizing "the wounds caused by human beings" to the territory, models of development based on justice and solidarity might be sought. This translates into an attitude that links the pastoral care of nature to justice for the poorest and most disadvantaged people of the world. Integral ecology should not be understood as a one more path that the Church can choose for the future, but as the only path possible in order to save the region from predatory extractivism, from the spilling of innocent blood, and from the criminalization of defenders of the Amazon. The Church,
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insofar as it is "part of an international solidarity", should foster the central role of the Amazon biome for the equilibrium of the planet, and encourage the international community to furnish new economic resources for its protection, strengthening the tools of the framework convention on climate.
Defence of human rights and the demands of faith
More than a political duty and a social obligation, defending and promoting human rights is demanded by our Faith. Faced with this Christian duty, the Document denounces the violation of human rights, as well as extractive destruction; takes up and supports, also in alliance with other churches, the campaigns to disinvest in extractive companies that cause social and ecological damage to the Amazon; proposes a radical energy transition and the search for alternatives; and also proposes the development of programs of formation for the care of the "common home". Nations are asked to stop thinking of the region as an inexhaustible resource, and a hope is expressed for a socially inclusive "new paradigm of sustainable development" that combines scientific and traditional medicine. It recommends that commercial concerns not be placed above concern for the environment and for human rights.
A Church allied to the Amazonian communities
The appeal is to responsibility: we are all called to safeguard God's work. The protagonists of the care for, and the protection and defence of the peoples are the Amazonian communities themselves. The Church is
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their ally, walking with them, without imposing a particular way of acting; recognizing the wisdom of the peoples concerning biodiversity, and against any form of biopiracy. The request is made that pastoral agents and ordained ministers be formed in this socio-environmental sensitivity, following the example of the martyrs of the Amazon. The idea is to create ministries for the care of the common home.
Defence of life
In the Document, the commitment of the Church to the defence of life "from conception to its natural end", and to the promotion of intercultural and ecumenical dialogue, in order to counteract structures of death, sin, violence, and injustice. Ecological conversion and the defence of life in the Amazon are, for the Church, a call to "unlearn, learn, and relearn in order to overcome any tendency toward colonizing models that have caused harm in the past".
Ecological sin and the right to potable water
The definition of "ecological sin" as "an action or an omission against God, against one's neighbour, the community, the environment", the future generations and the virtue of justice is proposed. In order to repay the ecological debt that countries have to the Amazon, the Document suggests creating a global fund for the Amazonian communities, so as to protect them from the predatory desires of national and multinational companies.
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The Synod recalls the "urgent need to develop energy policies that drastically reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and other gases related to climate change"; promotes clean energies; and focuses attention on access to potable water, a basic human right and a condition for the exercise of other human rights.
Protecting the earth means encouraging reuse and recycling; reducing the use of fossil fuels and plastic; modifying eating habits such as the excessive consumption of meat and fish; adopting a sober lifestyle; planting trees. In this context, there is a proposal for an Amazonian Socio-Pastoral Office that would work in synergy with CELAM, CLAR, Caritas, REPAM, Episcopal Conferences, local Churches, Catholic universities, and non-ecclesial entities. The creation of an Amazon office in the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development is also proposed.
Chapter V - New ways of synodal conversion
Overcoming clericalism and arbitrary impositions; reinforcing a culture of dialogue, of listening, and of spiritual discernment; responding to pastoral challenges: these are the characteristics on which a synodal conversion must be based; a conversion to which the Church is called in order to advance in harmony, under the impulse of the life-giving Spirit and with evangelical boldness.
Synodality, ministry, the active role of the laity, and consecrated life
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The challenge is to interpret the signs of the times in the light of the Holy Spirit, and to identify the path to follow in the service of God's plan. The forms of the exercise of synodality are varied and ought to be decentralized, attentive to local processes, without weakening the bonds with the sister Churches and with the universal Church. Synodality, in continuity with the Second Vatican Council, translates into co-responsibility and the ministry of all; with particular attention to the participation of the laity, both men and women, considered as "privileged actors". Lay participation, both in consultation and in decision making in the life and mission of the Church, the Document explains, must be strengthened and expanded, beginning promoting and conferring ministries "for men and women in an equitable way". The document suggests that Bishops "can entrust, for a specific period of time, in the absence of priests, the exercise of pastoral care of the communities to a person not invested with the priestly character, who is a member of the community". The responsibility for the community, it specifies, would remain with the pastor.
The Synod then proposes consecrated life "with an Amazonian face", beginning with strengthening native vocations. Within the proposal is an emphasis on an itinerancy of consecrated persons for the most impoverished and excluded. The Document also asks that formation be centred on inculturality, inculturation, and dialogue between spiritualities and Amazonian cosmovision.
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An opportune moment for women
Ample space in the Document is dedicated to the presence of women. As the wisdom of the ancestral peoples suggests, mother earth has a feminine face; and in the indigenous world, women are " a living and responsible presence in human promotion". The Synod asks that the voice of women be heard, that they be consulted, that they participate in a more decisive way in decision-making, that they might contribute to ecclesial synodality, and to take up more forcefully leadership within the Church, in pastoral councils, or "even in areas of government". Protagonists and guardians of creation and of the common home, women are often "victims of physical, moral, and religious violence, including feminicide". The text reaffirms the Church's commitment to defending their rights, especially with regard to migrant women. At the same time it recognizes the ministries entrusted by Jesus to women, and calls for a "revision of the Motu proprio Ministeria quaedam of Saint Paul VI, so that adequately formed and prepared women might also receive the ministries of acolyte and lector, among the others they are already able to carry out".
Specifically, in those contexts in which Catholic communities are guided by women, it asks for the creation of a ministry recognizing women who are leaders of the community. The Synod notes many consultations on the Amazon sought the "permanent diaconate for women", a theme very much present during the work of the Synod at the Vatican. The Document expresses the desire of Synod participants to
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share their experiences and the reflections that emerged so far with the "Study Commission on the Diaconate of Women", established in 2016 by Pope Francis, and "await the results".
The permanent diaconate
The promotion, training, and support of permanent deacons is described as urgent. The deacon, under the authority of the Bishop is at the service of the community, and today is obliged to promote integral ecology, human development, social pastoral care, and service to those who find themselves in situations of vulnerability and poverty, which makes them like Christ. It is therefore necessary to insist on ongoing formation, marked by academic study and pastoral practice, in which the candidate's wife and children are also involved. The curriculum of formation, the Synod specifies, should include themes that favour ecumenical, interreligious, and intercultural dialogue; the history of the Church in the Amazon; affectivity and sexuality; the indigenous cosmovision; and integral ecology. It recommends that formation teams be composed of ordained ministers and laity and that the formation of future permanent deacons in the indigenous communities living along the rivers be encouraged.
Formation of priests
The formation of priests should be inculturated: there is a need to prepare pastors who live the Gospel; know canon law; are compassionate, following the example of Jesus; who are close to people; capable of listening, of
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healing and consoling, without seeking to impose themselves; manifesting the tenderness of the Father. In the area of formation for the priesthood, the Document hopes for the inclusion of disciplines such as integral ecology, eco-theology, theology of creation, indigenous theologies, ecological spirituality, the history of the Church in the Amazon, and Amazonian cultural anthropology. The Synod recommends that centres for formation, by preference, should be inserted into the Amazonian reality, and that non-Amazonian young people should be offered the opportunity of participating in such formation in the Amazon region.
Participation in the Eucharist and priestly ordination
Participation in the Eucharist is central for the Christian community. And yet, the Synod notes, many ecclesial communities in the Amazon territory have enormous difficulties in accessing the Eucharist. It can take months or even years for a priest to return to a community to celebrate Mass or offer the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick. The Document reaffirms the appreciation of celibacy as a gift from God, insofar as it allows the priest to devote himself fully to the service of the community, and it renews the prayer that there might be many vocations to a celibate life. Recognising that "this discipline is not required by the very nature of the priesthood"; and considering the vast expanse of the Amazonian territory and the scarcity of ordained ministers, the Final Document proposes "to establish criteria and dispositions on the part of the competent authority, within the framework of Lumen
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gentium 26, to ordain to the priesthood suitable men who have already legitimately constituted a stable family, are held in esteem by the community, who live their permanent diaconate fruitfully and who would receive an adequate formation for the priesthood to sustain the life of the Christian community through the preaching of the Word and the celebration of the Sacraments in the most remote areas of the Amazon region". It specifies that, in this regard, "some were in favour of a more universal approach to the subject".
A post-Synodal regional ecclesial structure, and an Amazonian University
The Synod proposes a restructuring of the local Churches from a Pan-Amazonian point of view, resizing the vast geographical areas of many dioceses; grouping together particular Churches present in the same region; and creating an Amazonian Fund for the purpose of evangelization. The idea of creating a regional ecclesial post-synodal structure, organized with REPAM and CELAM, in order to take up many of the proposals that emerged from the Synod. There is a proposal in the field of education to establishment an Amazonian Catholic University, based on interdisciplinary research, inculturation and intercultural dialogue, and Sacred Scripture while respecting the customs and traditions of the indigenous peoples.
An Amazonian rite
In order to respond in an authentic Catholic way to the request of the Amazonian community to adapt the liturgy
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using their vision of the world, their traditions, their symbols and their original rites, the above-mentioned ecclesial structure is asked to set up a competent commission to study the development of an Amazonian rite that "expresses the liturgical, theological, disciplinary, and spiritual heritage of the Amazon". Such a rite would be an addition to the 23 distinct rites already present in the Catholic Church, enriching the work of evangelization; the ability to express faith in a culture of its own; and the sense of decentralization and collegiality that the Catholic Church can express. The suggestion is also made that such an ecclesial rite would complement the way in which the Amazonian people take care of the territory and relate to its waters. Finally, in order to encourage the process of the inculturation of the faith, the Synod expresses the urgent need for forming committees for the translation and drafting of biblical and liturgical texts in the local languages, "preserving the material of the sacraments and adapting them to the form, without losing sight of what is essential". Music and singing should also be encouraged at the liturgical level.
At the conclusion of the Document, the Synod Fathers invoke the protection of the Virgin of the Amazon, Mother of the Amazon, venerated under various titles throughout the region.
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My Vocation Story
- Sr. Banita Singh
I, Sr. Banita Boliar Singh, daughter of Mr. Pratap and Mrs. Sarala was born on 1st April at Tamangi village. I have one brother and three sisters. I am the second among the five children. My parents have got one of the greatest gifts, that is, the fear of God. We have family prayers every day and I used to go for Rosary in my village from house to house. I was very active in our village as well as in the Church. When I was studying in 4th standard, I was placed in a hostel run by Holy Cross Sisters. Hostel life was enriching for me because I came to know more about Jesus there. It was God‘s plan for me to see Jesus in others when I was there. One day, Sr. Prasanna was giving things to a man who had no hands. I was inspired by the generosity of the sister. I used to pray to make me like that sister, so I could also help many in need. In my mind the desire to become a sister was constantly nurtured.
After completing my SSLC, our in-charge sister called all of us in a classroom. She asked us to give our names to join their congregation. I had also given my name. But due to some reason, I couldn‘t join them. I continued with my 12th studies. After completing, I told Sr. Vandana‘s sister who was studying with me that I wanted to join the congregation and become a sister. Through Sr. Vandana I came to know more about our congregation. I shared with my parents the desire to join.
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They were happy and encouraging. Then I contacted Sr. Mandakini. I was truly happy to join and become a religious sister. When I came to Vinay Vikas, I saw so many candidates and sisters. I didn‘t know to speak English or Hindi. Slowly I learnt to mingle with all and manage things in the convent. I was always praying to Jesus to help me. Sisters‘ life inspired and motivated me to a great extent. I have learnt a lot from them. My long- cherished dream became a reality on 31st May 2014 when I made my First Profession. I have spent 5 years as a religious sister now. My present mission and my past experiences have helped me to grow emotionally and spiritually. My relationships with others and Jesus have brought me closer to Him. I am very happy with the mission entrusted to me. I receive the strength for all the activities through my daily Eucharistic participation.
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ÑfpÑbÙiÑÑr SkÑÀ mÑHÑÀj Õw - Compiled by Anjali Ekka ÑfpÑbÙiÑÑr SkÑÀ mÑHÑÀj Õw~ ¾mÑ mÑHÑÀj cÑW kÑÀ¾& HÑ´kÑÀÑj kÑsÀ kÑÀÑfþvÑѾ& DÑÑwj cÑgmÑÑryÑlÑsb DÑÑlÑÑr Õw~ kÑÀYÑÑr mÑgKÑ Õw lÑÑs kÑÀYÑÑr ÙgKÑ~ ¾mÑ mÑHÑÀj cÑW mÑHÑÀ} ÕÑsvÑs kÑsÀ Ñf}S kÑÀÑfþvÑ HÑÑfjÞÑcÑ kÑÀjvÑÑ HÑæÄlÑÑ Õw~ cÑbÑfpÑ} }byÑÑr Õw, ¾mÑ cÑbÑfpÑ} kÑÀÑs HÑÑvÑs kÑsÀ Ñf}S ÕcÑW kÑÀYÑÑr ÑfiÑjvÑÑ HÑæÄlÑÑ Õw DÑÑwj kÑÀYÑÑr GþvÑÑ HÑæÄlÑÑ Õw~ ¾mÑ cÑbÑfpÑ} kÑÀÑs DÑHÑvÑÑvÑs kÑÀÑ SkÑÀ ÕÑr jÑmlÑÑ Õw, JÑÕ Õw YÑjÑsmÑÑ DÑÑwj YÑjÑsmÑÑ ¾&µJÑj Õw~ ÑfpÑbÙiÑÑr SkÑÀ HÑJÑ&lÑ Õw DÑÑwj HÑ´ÑflÑÑfÙvÑ ÕcÑ mÑYÑÑr GmÑ ÑfµÑKÑj lÑkÑÀ HÑÕgB®ÑvÑs kÑÀÑr kÑÀÑsÑfµÑµÑ cÑW Õw~ ÑfpÑbÙiÑÑr kÑsÀ ¾mÑ HÑJÑ&lÑ HÑj ®Ñæ{lÑs ®Ñæ{lÑs ÕcÑ YÑìkÑÀ pÑÑlÑs Õw, lÑÑs kÑÀYÑÑr ®Ñ{vÑs mÑs Äj pÑÑlÑs Õw~ }sÑfkÑÀvÑ ÕcÑ ¾mÑ HÑJÑ&lÑ HÑj ®Ñæ{vÑs mÑs Äjs vÑÕÑR kÑ̳ÑÑWÑfkÑÀ KÑgÙÑ ÕcÑÑjs mÑÑLÑ Õw~ JÑÕÑr KÑgÙÑ pÑÑs ÕcÑW yÑvÑѳÑÑ DÑÑwj pÑÑrJÑvÑ ÑfÙ³ÑÑ Õw~ DÑiÑj ³ÑkÑÀÑrvÑ vÑÕÑR lÑÑs DÑÑpÑcÑÑ kÑsÀ ÙsÑfKѳÑs ÑfkÑÀ pÑÑrJÑvÑs ÙsvÑs JÑÑ}Ñ HÑ´YÑg ÑfkÑÀlÑvÑÑ YÑ}Ñ Õw~ ’DÑÑmÑcÑÑvÑ kÑÀÑs vÑÑRÙ DÑÑS lÑÑs mÑg}ÑS kÑÀÕÑB mÑcÑgê cÑW }Õj DÑÑS lÑÑs ígHÑÑS kÑÀÕÑB OÑjlÑÑr kÑÀÑs cÑÑwlÑ DÑÑS lÑÑs ÙHÑÀvÑÑS kÑÀÕÑB DÑiÑj ¾&µJÑj kÑÀÑs HÑÑvÑÑ Õw lÑÑs mÑ®®Ñs ËÙd³Ñ mÑs KÑÑsÑfpÑS, kÑ̳ÑÑWÑfkÑÀ JÑÑs mÑyÑkÑsÀ ÑfÙ} cÑW yÑmÑÑ Õw~“
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¾&µJÑjÑr³Ñ DÑvÑgYÑJÑ - kÑÀcÑÑfµÑ}Ñ ÑflÑiiÑÑ lÑÑrvÑ ÑfÙvÑ kÑsÀ ÑfµÑÑfJÑj cÑW cÑwvÑs yÑÕglÑ kÑgÀí DÑvÑgYÑJÑ ÑfkÑÀ³ÑÑ~ HÑÕ}Ñ ÑfÙvÑ kÑsÀ ÑfµÑÑfJÑj cÑs cÑwvÑs mJÑiÑ&jÑp³Ñ kÑsÀ yÑÑjs cÑW pÑÑvÑÑ~ cÑQ ÕcÑsµÑÑ mÑÑs®ÑlÑÑr LÑÑr ÑfkÑÀ mJÑiÑ& THÑj Õw DÑÑwj ÕcÑ cÑjvÑs kÑsÀ yÑÑÙ ÕÑr mJÑiÑ& kÑÀÑs ÙsKÑ mÑkÑÀlÑs Õw~ HÑÕ}s ÑfÙvÑ kÑsÀ ÑfµÑÑfJÑj cÑs HÑÀÑÙjpÑÑr vÑs mJÑiÑ& jÑp³Ñ kÑsÀ yÑÑjs cÑW yÑlÑѳÑÑ~ GvÕÑWvÑs yÑlÑѳÑÑ ÑfkÑÀ ÕcÑ HÑÑfJÑ$Ñ ÑfcÑmmÑÑ yÑÑf}ÙÑvÑ kÑsÀ JÙÑjÑ mJÑiÑ& kÑÀÑs jÑspÑ ÙsKÑlÑs Õw~ pÑyÑ ÕcÑ ÑfcÑmmÑÑ yÑÑf}ÙÑvÑ cÑs YÑÑiÑ }slÑs Õw lÑÑs ÑfpÑmÑ JÑsÙÑr HÑj HÑgjÑsÑfÕlÑ ÑfcÑmmÑÑ ®Ñæ{ÑlÑs Õw, JÑÕ ¾&µJÑj kÑÀÑs ÑfmÑbÕÑmÑvÑ yÑvÑ pÑÑlÑÑ Õw DÑÑwj GmÑ ÑfmÑbÕÑmÑvÑ HÑj HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg ÑfJÑjÑpÑcÑÑvÑ ÕÑslÑs Õw DÑÑwj GvÑkÑsÀ ®ÑÑjÑW DÑÑsj mJÑiÑ& ÙtlÑ HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg kÑÀÑr mlÑglÑÑr kÑÀjlÑs Õw~ cÑQvÑs ¾mÑ lÑÑrvÑ ÑfÙvÑ kÑsÀ ÑfcÑmmÑÑ yÑÑf}ÙÑvÑ cÑW yÑÕglÑ YÑkÑÌlÑÑr YÑÑJÑ mÑs YÑÑiÑ Ñf}³ÑÑ~ cÑgPÑs SsmÑÑ cÑÕmÑgmÑ ÕgDÑÑ ÑfkÑÀ mÑ®ÑcÑg®Ñ ÕÑr ¾&µJÑj JÑsÙÑr HÑj ÑfJÑjÑpÑcÑÑvÑ Õw~ cÑQ kÑÀ¾& pÑiÑÕ ÑfµÑÑfJÑj cÑW YÑÑiÑ }s ®ÑgkÑÀÑr ÕgB, }sÑfkÑÀvÑ cÑgPÑs kÑÀYÑÑr SsmÑÑ DÑvÑgYÑJÑ vÑÕÑr ÕgDÑÑ~ }sÑfkÑÀvÑ ¾mÑ ÑfµÑÑfJÑj cÑW YÑÑiÑ }skÑÀj SsmÑÑ }iÑ jÕÑ Õw ÑfkÑÀ cÑQ HÑ´YÑg mÑs pÑgæÄ iѳÑÑr Õ@tb~ ¾&µJÑj kÑsÀ HÑ´ÑflÑ cÑsjÑ ÑfJѵJÑÑmÑ HÑÕ}s mÑs YÑÑr p³ÑÑÙÑ yÑæ{ iѳÑÑ Õw~ lÑÑrmÑjs ÑfÙvÑ ÑfmÑmìj mÑbiÑÑrlÑÑ vÑs ¾&µJÑj kÑsÀ HÑ´scÑ kÑsÀ yÑÑjs cÑW yÑlÑѳÑÑ, ¾&µJÑj ÕcÑW ÑfkÑÀlÑvÑÑ H³ÑÑj kÑÀjlÑÑ Õw~ ¾&µJÑj ÕcÑW kÑÀYÑÑr vÑÕÑR íÑsÄsiÑÑ~ ÑfmÑmìj vÑs DÑHÑvÑs pÑÑrJÑvÑ kÑsÀ DÑvÑgYÑJÑ kÑsÀ yÑÑjs cÑW yÑlÑѳÑÑ~ ÑfmÑmìj kÑsÀ pÑÑrJÑvÑ cÑW ÑfkÑÀlÑvÑs ÙgëKÑ mÑbkÑÀì DÑÑS }sÑfkÑÀvÑ GvÕÑWvÑs kÑÀYÑÑr ¾&µJÑj mÑs ÑfµÑkÑÀѳÑlÑ vÑÕÑR ÑfkÑÀ³ÑÑ~ ÑfmÑmìj kÑsÀ pÑÑrJÑvÑ kÑsÀ yÑÑjs cÑW mÑgvÑkÑÀj cÑgPÑs GvÑmÑs yÑÕglÑ HÑ´sjCÑÑ ÑfcÑ}Ñr~ cÑgPÑs mÑ®ÑcÑg®Ñ ÑfJѵJÑÑmÑ ÕÑs iѳÑÑ Õw, ÑfkÑÀ ¾&µJÑj ÕcÑW kÑÀYÑÑr YÑÑr vÑÕÑR l³ÑÑiÑsiÑÑ~ DÑÑKÑjÑr ÑfÙvÑ ®ÑbiÑѾ& HÑ´ÑLÑ&vÑÑ kÑsÀ JÙÑjÑ yÑÕglÑ }ÑsiÑÑW vÑs ®ÑbiÑѾ& HÑѳÑs~ cÑgPÑs YÑÑr ®ÑbiÑѾ& ÑfcÑ}Ñr~ cÑQvÑs ¾mÑ lÑÑrvÑ ÑfÙvÑ kÑsÀ ÑfµÑÑfJÑj JÙÑjÑ ¾&µJÑj kÑsÀ yÑÑjs cÑW yÑÕglÑ kÑgÀí pÑÑvÑÑr DÑÑwj cÑgPÑs yÑÕglÑ DÑ®íÑ }iÑÑ~
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¾&µJÑjÑr³Ñ DÑvÑgYÑJÑ - ÑfJÑvÑÑrlÑÑ HÑÕ}s ÑfÙvÑ kÑsÀ ÑfµÑÑfJÑj cÑW HÑÀÑÙj mÑgÑfvÑ} vÑs mÑyÑmÑs HÑÕ}s ³ÑsjÑrKÑÑs kÑÀÑr HÑ´ÑLÑ&vÑÑ JÙÑjÑ ÕcÑW cÑÑiÑ&ÙµÑ&vÑ ÑfÙ³ÑÑ~ JÑÕ yÑÕglÑ ÕÑr DÑ®íÑ DÑvÑgYÑJÑ LÑÑ~ GmÑ DÑÑjÑOÑvÑÑ kÑÀÑr, ¾mÑ HÑ´ÑLÑ&vÑÑ JÙÑjÑ cÑsjÑ ÑfJѵJÑÑmÑ DÑÑwj YÑÑr ³ÑsmÑg kÑsÀ H³ÑÑj cÑW yÑæ{ iѳÑÑ~ cÑgPÑs ³ÑÕ cÑÕmÑtmÑ ÕgDÑÑ ÑfkÑÀ HÑ´YÑg kÑÀÑr mlÑglÑÑr JÑ DÑÑjÑOÑvÑÑ cÑW ÑfkÑÀlÑvÑÑr YÑÑfkÑÌlÑ lÑLÑÑ µÑÑbÑflÑ ÕQ~ HÑÀÑÙj mÑgÑfvÑ} JÙÑjÑ yÑlÑѳÑs iѳÑs mÑgmÑcÑÑ®ÑÑj kÑsÀ ³ÑÕ JÑ®ÑvÑ DÑÑwj YÑÑr cÑsjs ËÙd³Ñ kÑÀÑs HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg kÑÀÑr DÑÑsj DÑiÑ´mÑj kÑÀjlÑs ÕQ~ ’KÑìKÑìÑDÑÑs DÑÑwj lÑgcÕÑjs Ñf}S KÑÑs}Ñ pÑÑSiÑÑ“ ¾mÑ JÑ®ÑvÑ kÑÀÑs HÑÀÑÙjpÑÑr vÑs yÑÕglÑ ÕÑr ÑfJÑmlÑ=lÑ ©HÑ mÑs mÑcÑPÑѳÑÑ~ lÑyÑ cÑgPÑs DÑÑwj YÑÑr ³ÑÕ SÕmÑÑmÑ ÕgDÑÑ ÑfkÑÀ HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg cÑsjs ËÙd³Ñ kÑsÀ ÙjJÑÑpÑs kÑÀÑs KÑìKÑìÑlÑs ÕQ~ }sÑfkÑÀvÑ cÑQ HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg kÑÀÑr DÑÑJÑÑpÑ HÑÕ®ÑÑvÑvÑs cÑW DÑmÑcÑLÑ& LÑÑr~ HÑjblÑg DÑÑpÑ cÑgPÑs ³ÑÕ DÑvÑgYÑJÑ ÕgDÑÑ ÑfkÑÀ HÑÀÑÙjpÑÑr kÑsÀ cÑÑiÑ&ÙµÑ&vÑ JÙÑjÑ cÑwvÑs HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg kÑÀÑr DÑÑJÑÑpÑ kÑÀÑs HÑÕ®ÑÑvÑÑ ÕQ~ DÑÑwj mÑÑLÑ ÕÑr mÑÑLÑ cÑQvÑs DÑHÑvÑs ËÙd³Ñ kÑsÀ ÙjJÑÑpÑs kÑÀÑs HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg kÑsÀ Ñf}³Ñs KÑÑs} jKÑÑ ÕQ~ GvÕW DÑHÑvÑs ËÙd³Ñ ©HÑÑr cÑbÑfÙj cÑW mÑJÑ&ÞÑs<þ mLÑÑvÑ ÑfÙ³ÑÑ ÕQ~ ÑfmÑmìj SmlÑj lÑLÑÑ ÑfmÑmìj mÑbiÑÑrlÑÑ kÑsÀ pÑÑrJÑvÑ mÑs YÑÑr cÑgPÑs yÑÕglÑ DÑ®íÑ DÑvÑgYÑJÑ ÑfcÑ}Ñ~ pÑyÑ cÑQ DÑHÑvÑs pÑÑrJÑvÑ cÑW JÑÑHÑmÑ ÙsKÑlÑÑr Õ@tb lÑyÑ ³ÑÕ HÑÑlÑÑr ÕtB ÑfkÑÀ pÑyÑ YÑÑr cÑsjs pÑÑrJÑvÑ cÑW ÙgKÑ lÑkÑÀ}ÑrHÑÀ DÑÑlÑs LÑs, cÑQ ¾&µJÑj mÑs ³ÑÕ kÑÀÕlÑs ÕgS iÑgmmÑÑ kÑÀjlÑÑr LÑÑr ÑfkÑÀ DÑÑHÑ ÑfmÑHÑ&À cÑgPÑs ÕÑr kÑ̳ÑÑW ÙgKÑ lÑkÑÀ}ÑrHÑÀ ÙslÑs ÕÑs~ }sÑfkÑÀvÑ DÑÑpÑ cÑgPÑs ÙÑsvÑÑW ÑfmÑmìmÑ& kÑsÀ pÑÑrJÑvÑ mÑs ³ÑÕ DÑvÑgYÑJÑ ÕgDÑÑ ÑfkÑÀ pÑyÑ YÑÑr ÙgKÑ-ÙÙ& DÑѳÑs lÑÑs GvÕW cÑQ KÑgµÑÑr mÑs mJÑÑrkÑÀÑj kÑÀ©B~ kÑÀYÑÑr DÑHÑvÑÑr ÑfpÑbÙiÑÑr cÑW ÕlÑÑµÑ vÑ jÕtB~ ÑfpÑmÑ lÑjÕ ÙÑsvÑÑW ÑfmÑmìmÑ& Õj SkÑÀ ÙgKÑÑsb kÑÀÑs KÑgµÑÑr mÑs DÑHÑvÑÑkÑÀj HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg kÑÀÑr mlÑglÑÑr lÑLÑÑ cÑÑfÕcÑÑ iÑÑlÑs ÕgS DÑHÑvÑÑ pÑÑrJÑvÑ ÑfyÑlÑÑ jÕs ÕQ GmÑÑr lÑjÕ cÑQ YÑÑr ³ÑsmÑg kÑsÀ mÑÑLÑ ÑfcÑ}kÑÀj DÑÑiÑs yÑæ{lÑÑr pÑÑGBÀ~
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lÑÑrvÑ ÑfÙvÑ kÑsÀ ÑfµÑÑfJÑj cÑW cÑgPÑs ³ÑÕ DÑvÑgYÑJÑ ÕgDÑÑ ÑfkÑÀ DÑHÑvÑÑ mÑÑjÑ pÑÑrJÑvÑ HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg kÑÀÑs mÑcÑÑfHÑ&lÑ kÑÀjlÑs ÕgS cÑQ ÑfmÑHÑ&À GmÑkÑsÀ Ñf}S pÑÑrGBÀ~ kÑ̳ÑÑWÑfkÑÀ HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg vÑs ÕcÑW ¾lÑvÑÑ H³ÑÑj ÑfkÑÀ³ÑÑ ÑfkÑÀ GvÕÑWvÑs ÕcÑÑjs HÑÑHÑÑW kÑsÀ KÑÑÑflÑj DÑHÑvÑÑ pÑÑrJÑvÑ kÑ´tÀmÑ HÑj yÑÑf}ÙÑvÑ kÑÀj ÑfÙ³ÑÑ~ lÑÑs kÑ̳ÑÑW vÑÑ cÑQ YÑÑr HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg kÑÀÑr mÑsJÑÑkÑÀѳÑ& kÑÀjlÑs ÕgS cÑsjÑ mÑÑjÑ pÑÑrJÑvÑ GvÑkÑsÀ Ñf}³Ñs mÑcÑÑfHÑ&lÑ kÑÀj ÙtB~ DÑHÑvÑs pÑÑrJÑvÑ cÑW kÑÀ¾& ®ÑgvÑÑwÑflѳÑÑW kÑÀÑ mÑÑcÑvÑÑ kÑÀjvÑs kÑsÀ yÑÑÙ cÑw DÑmÑcÑLÑ& LÑÑr ³ÑÕ pÑÑvÑvÑs kÑsÀ Ñf}³Ñs ÑfkÑÀ cÑgPÑs kÑÀÑwvÑmÑÑ jÑmlÑÑ DÑHÑvÑÑvÑÑ ®ÑÑÑfÕ³Ñs~ }sÑfkÑÀvÑ DÑÑpÑ ¾mÑ ÑfµÑÑfJÑj cÑW YÑÑiÑ }svÑs kÑsÀ yÑÑÙ cÑgPÑs ³ÑÕ DÑvÑgYÑJÑ ÕgDÑÑ ÑfkÑÀ HÑ´YÑg ³ÑsmÑg kÑsÀ ÕÑLÑÑW kÑÀÑs LÑÑcÑkÑÀj, GvÑkÑsÀ yÑlÑѳÑW Õg³Ñs cÑÑiÑ& HÑj ®Ñ}kÑÀj GvÑkÑsÀ kÑÀѳÑÑx kÑÀÑs DÑÑvÑbÙHÑgJÑ&kÑÀ kÑÀjvÑÑ~ ³ÑÕÑr cÑsjÑ }#³Ñ lÑLÑÑ pÑÑrJÑvÑ kÑÀÑ mÑgbÙj DÑvÑgYÑJÑ ÕQ~
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Good to know …
Corona Virus Disease-2019
(COVID-19)
- Compiled by Sr. Sally
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a recently discovered novel Corona Virus. SARS, MERS and the new coronavirus almost certainly have common origin. One of the most recent analysis on 2019-nCoV genome found it shares 96 percent of its RNA with a coronavirus previously identified in a specific bat species in China. The current outbreak in Wuhan, China suggests an intermediate host species being likely involved other than bats. This situation seems to be a common feature of these outbreaks. Such hosts like bats or other animals may increase the viruses‘ genetic diversity by facilitating more or different mutations. Some detailed information about COVID- 19 is given below
Morphology and Mechanism of Disease Production
Why the name Corona for this Virus? Corona is a luminous envelope of plasma that surrounds the sun and other celestial bodies. It is extended to millions of
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kilometres into space and is commonly seen during a total solar eclipse. The intense temperature of the sun's corona is due to the presence of highly ionized ions which give it a spectral feature. The word Corona virus gets its name by the appearance of it like the corona of the sun. In Latin corona means crown. On a cross sectional view it can also appear like the crown of a king. What does it do to the body? Coronaviruses are enveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses, which means that their genome consists of a strand of RNA (rather than DNA) and that each viral particle is wrapped in a protein ―envelope.‖ Viruses all do basically the same thing: invade a cell and co-opt some of its components to make many copies of themselves, which then infect other cells. But RNA replication typically lacks the error-correction mechanisms, cells employ when copying DNA, so RNA viruses make mistakes during replication. Coronaviruses have the longest genomes of any RNA virus—consisting of 30,000 letters, or bases— and the more material a pathogen copies, the more opportunity there is for mistakes. The upshot is that these viruses mutate very rapidly. Some of these mutations may confer new properties, such as the ability to infect new cell types—or even new species. A coronavirus particle consists of four structural proteins: the nucleocapsid, envelope, membrane and spike. The nucleocapsid forms the genetic core, encapsulated in a
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ball formed by the envelope and membrane proteins. The spike protein forms club-shaped protrusions that stick out all over the ball. These protrusions bind to receptors on host cells, determining the cell types - and thus the range of species—that the virus can infect. The major difference between coronaviruses that cause a cold and those that cause a severe illness is that the former primarily infect the upper respiratory tract (nose and throat), whereas the latter thrive in the lower respiratory tract (lungs) and can lead to pneumonia.
Understanding the Epidemiological Significance
On January 30th the World Health Organization had termed COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak as an international emergency of International concern, known as a PHEIC, that is likely to spread further. The worldwide Coronavirus outbreak has officially been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11. In the grand scheme of things, a pandemic is the highest possible level of disease, or a measure of how many people have gotten sick from a particular disease and how far it has spread—but before a common illness reaches pandemic proportions, it has to exceed a few other levels, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Sporadic: When a disease occurs infrequently and irregularly. Cluster: A disease that occurs in larger numbers even though the actual number or cause may be
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uncertain. An example is the cluster of cancer cases often reported after a chemical or nuclear plant disaster. Endemic: A constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease or infection within a geographic area. Examples of past epidemics are the 1918 Spanish flu, the measles outbreak from 1981 to 1991, and a 2014 case of whopping cough. Hyperendemic: Persistent, high levels of disease well above what is seen in other populations. For example, HIV is hyperendemic in parts of Africa, where as many as one in five adults has the disease, and endemic in the United States, where roughly one in 300 is infected. Epidemic: A sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease—more than what's typically expected for the population in that area. Outbreak: Carries the same definition as an epidemic but is often used to describe a more limited geographic event. Pandemic: An epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, affecting a large number of people. A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. It differs from an outbreak or epidemic because it: - affects a wider geographical area, often worldwide. - infects a greater number of people than an epidemic. - is often caused by a new virus or a strain of virus that has not circulated among people for a long time.
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Humans usually have little to no immunity against it. The virus spreads quickly from person-to-person worldwide. - causes much higher numbers of deaths than epidemics. - often creates social disruption, economic loss, and general hardship.
Stages of Pandemic
Stage 1 In the first stage of a pandemic, the disease doesn‘t spread locally - cases reported are usually people who have had travel history to an already affected country. Stage 2 This is the stage of local transmission - when people who have brought the virus into the country transmit it to people they come in contact with, usually friends and family. At this stage, it is easy to trace spread and quarantine people. Stage 3 The third stage is when the source of the infection is untraceable; this stage is identified by people who haven‘t had travel history getting affected by the virus - once here spread is extremely contagious and difficult to control.
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Stage 4 Spread is practically uncontrollable and there are many major clusters of infection all over the country.
Notable Pandemics in History
In addition to HIV, which has killed over 39 million people since 1982, there have been other equally devastating pandemics in history: The Plague of Justinian of 541 A.D. was attributed to the bubonic plague and wiped out 25-50 million people in one year. The Black plague killed more than 75 million people from 1347 to 1351, if the count includes those who died in Middle Eastern lands, China, and India, in addition to Europe. The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 killed well over 50 million people in one year, including 675,000 Americans. The smallpox pandemic of the 20th century claimed between 300 to 500 million lives. Edward Jenner confirmed that cowpox provided protection against smallpox infection in 1798. In 1959, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a huge campaign to globally eradicate smallpox. In 1980, smallpox was declared eradicated - the only human disease that has been eradicated to date. The ongoing tuberculosis pandemic continues to kill over 1.5 million people annually. Despite the availability of the effective treatment, multi-drug
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resistance has staved efforts to reverse the progression of the pandemic.
A Look at Coronavirus Pandemic Positively
Amid the self-isolation which many have been forced to accept, here are some positive effects which have come from the COVID-19 outbreak. a. A Forced Slow Down We live in a word where it is all go, go, go. Hustle, hustle, hustle and even when we get downtime it‘s usually packed between other activities. With so many places closed, club and extra-curricular activities cancelled it is giving us breathing space. To slow down and catch our breath. No more rushing from one thing to another. b. Breaking Routines Having our routines disrupted by having to take time off work/school is a great opportunity to be more mindful and see where we are stuck in a rut. A great excuse to shake things up and try something new. c. The Joy of An Empty Schedule The reality is, that for us, nothing much has changed. We work and study at home, it means we will have to postpone a couple of trips here and there. But in the grand scheme of things, it‘s not a problem. So many of us complain of not having enough time and now we have all this time handed to us on a plate. What are we going to do with our time?
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d. Being More Productive Being busy out in the world doesn‘t always mean that one is doing quality work or being productive. Many are doing work from home being equally or more productive. e. Ditching the 9-5 Mindset Maybe companies will come to realise that they don‘t have to have these set-in stone times and that flexible timing makes for happier commuters… and so happier workers. f. Letting to Get Bored Getting bored is good for us, it allows us to get imaginative, to foster creativity and teaches us how to put all that to good use, whether it be writing a book, trying something new for lunch or taking time to see the beauty of created beings. g. Decluttering Since we are stuck at home, it‘s a great opportunity to dig into some of those jobs that you have been putting off! Decluttering seems to be one of those things! h. Clean hands are back in fashion Instead of cosmetics people started giving importance to soap and hand sanitizers. i. Building Community spirit People are looking for the good in others and for opportunities to do something to help others and are coming out with creative ways which is fantastic. There's
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never been a better time to stay in to savour the small moments, strengthen family bonds and other connections. j. Helping the Elderly Panic buying is especially hard on older people, some of whom are less able to get to the shops regularly. So supermarkets have responded, offering slots reserved for the elderly to make sure they don't miss out on essentials. Some banks are taking similar steps. k. Improvements in air quality As people have changed their everyday behaviours and patterns to contain or avoid the virus, there have been some subtle effects on the environment. Local businesses have been shut, factories closed, social movement restricted and transportation are brought to a halt. A study by specialist outlet Carbon Brief found that in China, carbon dioxide emissions have fallen by around 25 percent. As the burning of fossil fuels has dropped, air quality has improved significantly. l. Sing-a-long-a-lockdown People have been making their own entertainment since they went into lockdown, not least in its crowded cities, where people have been channelling their inner creativity to help pass the time.
Taking care of our mental Health
Taking charge of our mental health and capturing the small moments will help as we go further into the
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unknown, too. If we can foster positive emotions, the flow-on effects are well researched, and well documented. In fact, positive emotions are a key resource for us during the coronavirus crisis because they can do a number of things: Increase your resilience: Research has shown that when we experience positive emotions on the back of a stressful event, we bounce back more quickly and have a faster ―cardiovascular recovery‖ time – our heart rate lowers and our blood pressure stabilises more quickly when we are able to be positive. Increase your immunity: A study where people were deliberately infected with the influenza virus and rhinovirus found that those people who had more positive emotions were more likely to fight off the symptoms. People low on positive emotions were 2.9 times more likely to contract a respiratory illness in this study. Make you think more clearly: The way we feel, influences the way we think. Positive emotions boost our problem-solving abilities as well as our judgment, decision-making, cognitive flexibility and creativity. Staying positive will help us to be better at solving all the little problems that are being thrown our way right now. As governments and citizens take steps that few months ago seemed impossible, our ideas about how the world works could change rapidly. We need to build a more humane system that leaves us more resilient in the face
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of future pandemics and other impending crises like climate change. Social change can come from many places and with many influences. A key task for us all is demanding that emerging social forms come from an ethic that values care, life, and democracy. Every dark cloud has a silver lining and this is your chance to thicken that lining and take charge of your mental health so that you come out of this experience stronger.
Treatment
As on date there is no specific treatment for Corona Virus infection. Treatment for Corona Virus infection consists of symptomatic treatment. As of now, there is no vaccine available for the treatment of Covid-19 infection. Since it is a viral infection, in more than 80% of cases it recovers within few days. A small proportion may need admission in hospital/ICU if they are having symptoms of severe disease. There is no specific recommendation on diet, however one can continue to take his/her regular diet which includes fruits, vegetables etc. to stay healthy. Staying home, staying protected, keeping social distancing and practising cough and hand hygiene are the ways to prevent the infection. - Ref: AIMS Guidelines, WHO, CDC Guidelines
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Corona Diet
- Compiled by Sr. Hemlata
How to make your Immunity Bullet Proof
The news is blowing up a lot about corona virus and building up a lot of fear and stress amongst everyone. Corona virus is also known as COVID-19 which means corona virus disease 2019.Corona virus attack the lungs. ―A virus is like a parasite which takes everything from you but does not give anything back.‖
To fight with these viruses, we should have good immunity power because every flu virus infection depends upon our cellular level glucose. They love sugar. Research shows viruses thrive on glucose filled environment. So, food that are opposite of glucose should do the job of keeping the virus away. These are the good fats or healthy immune system. When you fast occasionally, your body goes on Autophagy. Autophagy is more than cleaning up microbes, bacteria and viruses does the maintenance work of the body.
It is known that Vitamin D from the sun plays a major role in body‘s immunity. Every cell has a Vit-D receptor in the nucleus. Which means the sun is really important part to build a bullet proof immune system. It is a combination of diet and sun nutrients. That‘s why some people get sick often and some don‘t. If you eat fresh food you get more nutrition compared to preserved food. So, if a person is eating preserved food all the time the
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stomach will be full but the quality of food will be poor making you nutrients deficient. Therefore, pay attention to the following points: -
. Take Zinc supplements as they support immune system . Eat nutrient food rich in healthy fat . Cover with napkin or handkerchief when you cough or sneeze . Wear mask in vulnerable areas of infection . Wash hand and gargle frequently . Drink lot of water . Avoid touching your eyes ,nose, mouth and ears . Avoid close contact with people who have cough, fever and breathing difficulties.
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Agragami Bible Quiz
(Joshua)
1. How did Joshua give the inheritance to Israelites? 2. How many kings did Joshua conquer? 3. How many times did the Israelites march around Jericho on the seventh day? 4. How old was Joshua when he died? 5. How should Israel revere and serve their Lord? 6. Name Terah‘s sons. 7. Name the cities designated for all Israelites as cities of refuge. 8. Name the city of salt. 9. Name the city that was shut up inside and out because of the Israelites. 10. Name the enemies who fought against Israel in Jericho. 11. Name the father of Gilead. 12. Name the five places ruled by Philistines that Joshua was to be possessed.
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13. Name the inhabitants of Jerusalem that Judah could not drive out. 14. Name the kings conquered by Moses. 15. Name the Prostitute whom the spies met. 16. Name the son of Aaron who was buried in Gibeah. 17. Name the three sons Anak. 18. Name the tribe who felt that their inheritance was too small. 19. Name the tribes who were send back to the other side of Jordan after the Lord had given rest to their kindred. 20. Name two tribes of Joseph. 21. To whom did Joshua say ―You are indeed numerous people and have great power and the hill country shall be yours for though it is a forest you shall clear it.‖ 22. To whom did Moses give the lands of the defeated kings? 23. What did Joshua do to the horses of Hazor? 24. What did Joshua say to Israelites while they were near the river Jordan? 25. What did Joshua see in the vision? 26. What did the commander of the army of the Lord say to Joshua to do?
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27. What did the Lord say to do with the one who has taken the devoted things? 28. What did the Lord say to Joshua regarding the book of law? 29. What did the Lord swear to the Isrealites who did not listen the voice of God? 30. What did the Rahab demand to the two men in return for her help? 31. What is written in the book of the law of Moses about building altar? 32. What was the former name of Debir? 33. What was the inheritance of Joshua? 34. What will happen if the Israelites forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods? 35. Where did Israel camp after crossing Jordan? 36. Where did Israel bury Joshua? 37. Where did Joshua build an altar to the Lord as Moses commanded? 38. Where did Joshua make a covenant with Israelites? 39. Where did Joshua send the two men from Shit‘tim? 40. Where did Joshua set up twelve stones? 41. Where did the Rahab hide the two men? 42. Which city was given by Joshua to Caleb for an inheritance?
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43. Which was the only town burned by Joshua? 44. Who acted with cunning to trick Joshua and Israel? 45. Who came to Joshua at Gilgal? 46. Who hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah? 47. Who is Hamor? 48. Who was the first born of Joseph? 49. Why did the anger of the Lord burn against the Israelites? 50. Why did the remaining congregation of Israel turn against Reubenites, the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh?
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1st May - Sr. Suma 1st May - Sr. Vishala 3rd May - Sr. Anita 5th May - Sr. Surabhi 10th May - Sr. Shalini 14th May - Sr. Pratiksha 14th May - Sr. Ashrita 19th May - Sr. Sancy 22nd May - Sr. Secunda 28th May - Sr. Vidya 31st May - Sr. Sayujya 1st June - Sr. Namita 2nd June - Sr. Prasanna 2nd June - Sr. Mandakini 5th June - Sr. Sunita K 8th June - Sr. Pooja
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11th June - Sr. Manjusha 15th June - Sr. Latika 15th June - Sr. Sheetal 17th June - Sr. Amruta 18th June - Sr. Deepa J 19th June - Sr. Nirmala 23rd June - Sr. Kusum 28th June - Sr. Lalita P 29th June - Sr. Lissy 1st July - Sr. Alka Nayak 4th July - Sr. Lalita B 6th July - Sr. Nutan K 7th July - Sr. Deepa K 7th July - Sr. Krupa 9th July - Sr. Smita 11th July - Sr. Jessy
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11th July - Sr. Prasada 17th July - Sr. Lifey 20th July - Sr. Shruti 21st July - Sr. Priya 23rd July - Sr. Ajita 25th July - Sr. Anisha 5th Aug - Sr. Jaya P. 7th Aug - Sr. Sudha 10th Aug - Sr. Sevika 12th Aug - Sr. Seema 13th Aug - Sr. Soumi 15th Aug - Sr. Vandana 15th Aug - Sr. Amali 23rd Aug - Sr. Sally 26th Aug - Sr. Rose 31st Aug - Sr. Sajita
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Festal Greetings
May 11th - Sr. Preshita May 20th - Sr. Anila May 20th - Sr. Varsha May 31st - Sr. Geeta May 31st - Sr. Sima May 31st - Sr. Seji May 31st - Sr. Sevika June 24th - Sr. Prasada June 24th - Sr. Priya June 26th - Sr. Nitya June 29th - Sr. Anima
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Festal Greetings
July 9th - Sr. Shanta
July 16th - Sr. Amala S. July 17th - Sr. Vinaya July 17th - Sr. Vineeta July 26th - Sr. Amruta July 26th - Sr. Anupa July 26th - Sr. Jessy July 26th - Sr. Kavita July 26th - Sr. Nita July 26th - Sr. Rashmi July 26th - Sr. Sneha
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Festal Greetings
July 26th - Sr. Smita July 26th - Sr. Shubha July 26th - Sr. Shilpa July 26th - Sr. Valsa July 28th - Sr. Amala R. July 28th - Sr. Lavanya July 28th - Sr. Nutan July 28th - Sr. Philomina July 28th - Sr. Soumi July 28th - Sr. Banita July 28th - Sr. Linmy July 28th - Sr. Joshana
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Festal Greetings
July 28th - Sr. Secunda th Aug 11 - Sr. Aishwarya Aug 15th - Sr. Vandana Aug 15th - Sr. Alka Aug 22nd - Sr. Esther Aug 22nd - Sr. Karuna Aug 22nd - Sr. Rani P Aug 22nd - Sr. Roja Aug 22nd - Sr. Victoria Aug 22nd - Sr. Vishala
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Festal Greetings
Aug 23rd - Sr. Ashirta
Aug 23rd - Sr. Bindu Aug 23rd - Sr. Deepa K. Aug 23rd - Sr. Lima Aug 23rd - Sr. Roselyn Aug 23rd - Sr. Roshita Aug 23rd - Sr. Sajita Aug 23rd - Sr. Sayujya Aug 23rd - Sr. Shruti Aug 27th - Sr. Savita
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Give a suitable caption to the given picture
The winner will be awarded with an exciting prize The caption should reach the editorial board by 20thJuly 2020
The Winner of the December 2019 Volume is Sr. Sudha Caption- “Perfect love casts out fear” The runner up is Sr. Flora Dhanwar Caption- “Mutual love and faithfulness towards each other”
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Silver Jubilee Celebration
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