Special Days

On 19^th December, 2011, UNO passed the resolution to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child. Since 11^th October, 2012, the Day is marked as such to bring to the fore the challenges of the girl child and empower and fulfil the human rights of every girl child by providing equal opportunity for her development.  The theme of the current year is: “Our time is now—our rights, our future.”

Social and economic discrimination, gender-based violence, inequality in opportunities and various forms of exploitation against girl children are rampant in most of the underdeveloped and developing societies and countries. Hence, the world needs to act to improve the lot of the girl child.

How do we go forward?

We can learn much from what one family in Haryana did.

Mahavir Singh Phogat, a former wrestler from Balali village in Bhiwani district, Haryana, had a dream—to win a medal for India. However, he was unable to fulfil this aspiration. He desired to bring the honour to the country through his sons. Unexpectantly, he fathered only girl children. Nevertheless, his ambition was still burning deep within. A mental change happened in him towards his daughters when Karnam Malleswari won an Olympic medal for India—the first Indian woman to do so. His dormant dream began to take visibility in his daughters. He was determined, at all costs, to mould his first two daughters, Geeta and Babita, into champions that the country would look up to.

So, the long arduous journey began. Phogat had to break many norms of the society for girls. The daughters wore shorts instead of salwar kameez; their lovely hair was cropped. To make it worse, to strengthen the girls, he compelled them to wrestle with boys. It was a battle of thoughts, beliefs and perception. The villagers ridiculed the girls. His wife opposed him; his own daughters conspired to foil his plans.  The whole proposal seemed preposterous and shameful.  Later he had to fight for his daughters with wrestling bodies at local national levels. But his dream for her daughters infused with determination and courage saw the day.  Geeta was the first woman to win a medal for India at the Commonwealth Games, New Delhi, in 2012. Together with Babita, the two have won twenty-nine medals at international competitions, not to mention the national championships. What more? Inspired by their elder wrestling sisters, two younger sisters and two cousins took up wrestling. The Phogat sisters have won hearts and more importantly, they are inspiring girls to fight to succeed. It all began with one man believing in the potential of girls.

We can learn three lessons from this true story. We can wrap the lessons under Stephen Covey’s famous Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

1. Put the First things First – Change of Mentality Towards Women: The root cause of perpetration of any form of discrimination and crime is individual and collective erroneous thinking. Until men and even women change their beliefs and notions of women, the voices of girls will be muffled; violence, exploitation and depravation will last. In the case of the Phogat sisters, it began with the change in the mind of their father. Gradually, the change caught on in the villages of Haryana and in the nation.
2. Begin with the End in Mind – Invest on the girl child for a better future: If only we realized how much women can contribute to the enrichment of families, societies and nations, we would invest more resources and provide opportunities for the development of girls who will be mothers and leaders in many walks of life. Mr Mahavir had a belief in the potentialities of his daughters. Moreover, he had a dream for them. He never ever doubted this. Belief in the power of women counts.
3. Be Proactive – Passionate Commitment to the Cause of the Girl Child: A ceremonial celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child will not do much good for numerous disadvantaged girls of the world. Life-changing steps must be taken for promotion of their good. Passionate commitment, unchartered initiatives, unhindered courage and determination is needed at all levels to transform the plight of girls. We need more Mahavirs who see and believe in the potential of girls and women.

Fr Shilanand Kerketta SDB

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International Peace Day is celebrated the world over on 21^st September.  It was established in 1981 by the UN through a unanimous resolution by the observation of non-violence and cease fire.  The aim of the celebration is to motivate countries to adopt the ideals of peace and make conscious efforts to promote peace in the world.  The day invites the whole world to commit to establishment of a culture of peace above all differences.

Today, more than ever, we are experiencing division and violence within and without. Hatred and violence in all forms are visible in personal and social media. The factors and agents of such evil seem to be gaining strength. Therefore, what the world needs is peace at all levels – personal, family, society, national and international. We need strong leaders, individuals, common people, young and old, as builders of peace.

Social and political actions in promotion of freedom, justice, equality, fraternity, human dignity, gender equality contribute greatly to the building of peace. Thus, there are many roads to peace. Here I would like to present some of these.

1. The road of freedom for all: Abraham Lincoln took a very rough road of freedom to establish peace and harmony in the United States in the midst of civil war during his presidency. When he was elected president of America, he used all his resources—mind and heart, his intelligence, courage and determination—to grant equality of right and opportunity to the African Americans by ensuring ratification of the thirteenth amendment to the American Constitution. Hereby slavery was abolished in America.
2. The road of non-violence: The father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi, fought for the freedom of India by non-violent protests against British rule. He took up the weapon of ahimsa against the military and administrative might of the English. Gandhiji has inspired millions of people to walk the road of non-violence. Prominent among them are Martin Luther King Junior, Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi.
3. The road of reconciliation: Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for twenty-eight years as a political criminal for his fight against apartheid in South Africa. For eighteen years, he was a stone cutter in the quarries of Robben Island. He was released in 1990 and was elected as the first Black president of South Africa. He had every reason to be angry and revengeful. But on assuming the office of the president, he chose the road of reconciliation. He used his persuasive skill, political intelligence and will to reconcile the races in South Africa.
4. The road of gender equality: Discrimination and violence against women and children are some of the biggest roadblocks towards peace. Hence, anyone who works against these evils is a champion of peace. This is true about Malala Yousufzai, Nobel laureate for Peace at the age of seventeen, the youngest to receive the award. Even as a teenager she became the voice of women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. For her campaign for women’s right to education, she was shot at. Through all these battles she came to be recognized internationally as the icon of women empowerment and dignity.
5. The Road of charity and service: Mother Teresa said “… the fruit of service is peace.”  She offered her life in the selfless service of the poorest of the poor and the distressed. She awoke the conscience of the world to the most needy and vulnerable. Her contribution to the world peace through her charitable services was acclaimed by the world community. Subsequently, Mother Teresa was honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
6. The road of silence, interiority and prayer: Peace begins in the heart of human beings. Great angels of peace are men and women of peace within—a fruit of profound interior life. A 12^th century Italian saint, Francis of Assisi, was truly a man of peace. He was able to live in harmony with nature. The birds and beasts, the trees and flowers, the Sun and the Moon were his brothers and sisters. Such a degree of harmony is possible only for a person who has renounced all forms of division within.

The call of Peace Day for all is to be bearers of peace in all situations and places. Every effort, big or small is needed to bring in the reign of peace. Let the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi be ours in thought and deed: “Make me a channel of your peace; where there is hatred, let me bring your love; where there is injury pardon….”

Fr Shilanand Kerketta SDB

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12 August:

International Youth Day

The International Youth Day (IFD) is celebrated annually on August 12 since 2000. The objective of the world-wide event is to invite governments, NGOs and other organizations and institutions to empower the young people and engage them in social action and initiatives for achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN proposes a theme for every IYD to focus on a particular issue that affects the world. The theme of the current year is Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages. The UNO places before the world the challenges arising of ageism—the thinking, feeling and acting that arises on account of age.

Over 1.2 billion people in the world are youth. This is a colossal human resource that can be harnessed and employed to better the world—to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. I propose a three-fold strategy for maximum utilization of youth power in the world:

1. Empower and employ through quality education: Young people need to be prepared to contribute to the world through quality education and skill training. Unemployment is very high in the third world and in the developing countries owing to lack of quality education. Education is a powerful means of empowering the young to find a respectable place in society and make a significant contribution to it.
2. Liberate through holistic education: The current reality of the major portion of youth population is enslavement of erroneous ideologies, pornography, personal and social media abuse, alcohol and substance abuse, etc. We cannot think of harnessing the youth power unless they are set free from any form of slavery. Our social, religious and educational interventions have to focus on freeing the young mind, body and soul from any form of entrapment.
3. Translate youth power into social action: The 2016 UN report gives account of the 17 ways in which the young people all over the world are bringing about changes in the societies and nations. Given the opportunity and the right motivation, the young can be a strong force for social change. Obviously, they need to be prepared adequately and accompanied in their initiatives and actions.

21 August:

Senior Citizen’s Day

World Senior Citizen’s Day, observed on August 21, is meant to create awareness of the issues and concerns of the older adults, namely, health deterioration and abuse and to recognize, acknowledge and to express gratitude to the aging generation for their contribution to the society, nations and the world at large.

Three Basic Attitudes

Here are two foundational assumptions to help us change our attitude and behaviour towards the elderly:

Focus on a person’s true worth: In the world ruled by the principle of use and throw, we need to return to the foundational understanding of a human person.  He/she is beautiful and worthwhile beyond and above his/her economic contribution or usefulness. A person is worthy of love and acceptance and care just because he/she is a human being—an image of God. The world stands in need of this supernatural vision, particularly towards the sick and the elderly.

Awareness of mutual giftedness: In one of his books, Fr Henri Nouwen, world-famous author,  talks of a young man called Adam whom he looked after. Adam was born with severe multiple handicaps, both physical and mental. He was completely dependent on others for everything—gettng up,, brushing his teeth, bathing, eating, moving. In caring for him, Henri Nouwen became deeply aware that they were gifts to each other.  Both gave and received love from each other.  The most beautiful truth of life is that no matter who a person is, he/she is a gift. The world must take pains to discover the giftedness of the elderly. In turn, the elderly have to make effort to see the giftedness of the younger generation.

Gratitude: We owe so much to the elderly and to previous generations. Whatever we enjoy and use—medicines, clothes, modes of travel, buildings, food items—are not things we invented. We owe it all to previous generations and to the older persons in our midst. We owe more than we realize or admit to our parents, teachers, employees, doctors, nurses, who have do so much for us ever since our conception and birth. We cannot pay them adequately for this. The least we can do is to look after them lovingly and gratefully, learn from their wisdom (and their mistakes) and to try to improve on that, without denying the huge capital we have become of those who are older and those who have lived before us.

Fr Shilanand Kerketta SDB

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12^th May: 

International Nurses Day

May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, “the Lady with a Lamp.” And the world, fittingly, celebrates International Nurses Day. The theme of the day for 2022 is: Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in nursing and respect rights to secure global health. The theme focusses on “the need to protect, support and invest in the nursing profession to strengthen health systems around the world.”

May we never forget the millions of nurses who fought the onslaught of Coronavirus 19. Today, it is appropriate that we think of securing their rights and respect for nurses all over the world. No payment is enough for the lives they touch and heal.

I propose three words as a way of rendering honour towards nurses all over the world:

1. Respect: Nursing is not primarily about money. It’s about service to humanity – to the broken bodies, minds, hearts and souls. It calls for sacrifice to serve day in and day out. It demands undying commitment to be at the bedside of the sick. It takes great deal of courage to face all kinds of diseases. They deserve respect, honour and justice.
2. Gratitude: A thank you note from the patient or their dear one’s can certainly lift up the spirit of nurses. They are human beings like any of us. A care-giver does need care expressed in a simple note of appreciation or a token of gratitude.
3. Vocation: For a healthy and happy world, it needs more generous young people who will offer their life in the service of humanity as nurses. The quality of life of a society can be gauged with the care given to the weakest. Millions of sick people need to know that they matter. And the world needs millions of generous young people to tell them that through health care.

I was moved to tears by the performance of Northwell Health Nurse Choir at “America’s Got Talent” Season 16 in 2021. The audition got the golden buzzer with emotional words of appreciation and affection from the judge Howie Mandel. The show capsules thousands of untold heroics and commitment of the millions of nurses. It inspires hope and carries respect and gratitude that we owe to the huge army of nurses all over the world. I suggest that you watch it too to be touched by their performance and stories.

15^th May:

International Day of Families

The theme of the International day of Families of 2022 is “Families and New Technologies.”

Social media and more importantly personal media are invading the private and hallowed space of families. Marriages are breaking up on account extra-marital affairs augmented by indiscrete use personal media; Impersonal relationships and familial disconnect are on the increase. Intimacies and close bonds of families are replaced by digital bonding and virtual relationships.

In such scenario, strengthening of family life is a sure protection against the tendency to seek refuge in the virtual world.  Relationships among siblings, parents and children need to fostered through various family moments, such as meals, prayer, dialogue, picnics, outings, etc. In addition, ground rules for the use of personal media should be laid down so that they do not encroach the sacred times of family life.

The governmental, non-governmental, religious and social institutions have to make a concerted effort to protect, promote, preserve and re-instate the pristine dignity and absolute importance of family life to provide a healthy environment for children’s growth.

Addressing a gathering of Catholic men’s and women’s association at Ranchi, Benjamin Lakra, ex IAS officer, gave three decisive tips to create a happy family:

1. Daily prayer moment as a family: God is the origin and source of a family. He unites a man and a woman in a marital union and blesses their conjugal love with children. A family needs to live by this spiritual truth and nourish itself every day through family prayer.
2. One Daily meal as a family: A family meal binds, bonds and unites members of a family emotionally and spiritually. Hence, a family must come together at least for one meal every day.
3. Welcome a guest as a family: When every member of a family welcomes a guest, respect and esteem is accorded not only to the guest, but also to every member of that family. This is a very important message for children and the aged members of a family.

Fr Shilanand Kerketta SDB

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7^th April:

World Health Day

World Health Day is celebrated on 7^th April to create health awareness world over. The first World Health Assembly was held in 1948 and the first one was celebrated in 1950. The WHD is part of one of  eleven world-wide health campaigns. It is also one of the SDGs proposed by the UNO. The WHO sponsors and organizes events and the programme of the day in collaboration with other related organizations. The theme of the current year is:  Our Planet Our Health.

Promotion of good health is founded on a number of premises. Here are some of them: Life is a gift and it must be cherished and nurtured.  God has given us life and he desires that we live to the full. A life does not belong to an individual; it belongs to a family and society. One life is at the service of other lives.

Health is a composite reality. When we think of health, we do not limit ourselves to the idea of bodily health alone. Further, health is not only about prevention or eradication of diseases. Rather, it entails total well-being of a human person. Therefore, good health is a fruit of healthy mind, heart, body and soul. In addition, environment, life-style, diet, etc., affect one’s health.

Hence, a health education programme cannot be reduced to just physical well-being resulting from sports, physical exercises and a dieting schedule. Our health education curriculum should promote an integral wellness of mind, body, heart and spirit, augmented by a disciplined and healthy life style consisting of food habits, sleeping habits, physical activities etc.

In his world-famous book The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari, Robin Sharma, a renowned motivational speaker and writer, proposes “Ten Rituals of Radiant Living”: (1) The Ritual of Early Awakening; (2) The Ritual of Solitude; (3) The Ritual of Physicality; (4) The Ritual of Live Nourishment; (5)  The Ritual of Abundant Knowledge; (6) The Ritual of Personal Reflection; (7) The Ritual of Music; (8) The Ritual of Spoken Word; (9) The Ritual of Congruent Character; (10) The Ritual of Simplicity.

The practice of these rituals could be highly beneficial for a radiant living.

22^nd April:

Earth Day

Earth day is celebrated on 22^nd April, Spring Equinox, to mark the modern environment movement begun in 1970 in USA. It is also known as International Mother Earth Day. The aim of the anniversary is to draw the attention of the world toward the environment and raise awareness about the threats to its well-being from air pollution and climate change.

The deteriorating condition of our “common home” demands high courage to protect, preserve and replenish it for the sake of all the living beings on the earth. Therefore, the theme of Earth Day 2022 is “Invest in our Planet.”

What do we invest to save our planet? Should we invest political will and power, money, collective actions at the local, national and international arenas?  Yes, we should. But, more importantly, we need to invest our mind, heart, will and spirit. Without these investments, political, social and common investment is hard to arrive at.

Let me share two examples:

Sneha Shahi, nineteen-year-old girl, is a PhD student at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru. She is studying Conservation Science and Sustainability. As a water conservationist, she works to prevent single use of plastic materials that fill the water bodies in India. Thus far she has cleared 700 kilos of plastic waste in Bangalore. Hereby, she has improved the natural habitat of crocodiles. She says, “At the end of the day, enthusiasm for the environment comes from within. A role model can just kindle the flame or help you navigate your way to a certain extent. Your passion matters the most and is the true guiding light.”

Greta Thunberg, 21, a Swedish environmental activist, was deeply affected by the climatic changes when she was barely eight years. She went into depression and suffered multi-psychological disorders.  This was the beginning of her passionate and fearless campaign to save the earth. We know about her bold criticism of the world leaders in her famous speech in United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2018. She galvanized the environment movements with her zealous commitment towards environment.

If we desire to inculcate commitment to our earth in our young people, we need to make a shift from an academic approach to an experiential one. The young minds in our schools and colleges must be provided with the experiences of the beauty, marvel, grandeur and mystery of mother earth. That is the beginning of the all investments in our planet.

Fr Shilanand Kerketta SDB

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MARCH 8:

International Women’s Day

March 8 is observed as International Women’s Day. Through the celebration of IWD, the UNO dreams of a world of “gender equality (Theme of 2022), free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.”  IWD invites all to celebrate “social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.” The day also gives a call to “raise awareness about women’s equality, lobby for accelerated gender parity, fundraise for female-focused charities.”

The reality of women in our world and in our country is far from the ideal set in the backdrop of IWD.  Atrocities committed against women are numerous. Dowry deaths, rapes, violence, discrimination, unequal opportunity, oppression, economic exploitation of women—all this continues to shame our world.

The most important action that is called for towards forming a “diverse, equitable and inclusive” society is the attitudinal change towards women. This can be done most effectively and pervasively in our homes and schools.

Here are the wonderful women who made a difference in my own life.

Mother: My mother was a very simple illiterate woman. I remember her for her patience, endurance, hard work, simplicity and sacrificing spirit. If not for her generosity, I wouldn’t be a priest today, since I am the only son in the family.

Sister: My elder sister took the place of my father. She cares a lot for me, and paid all the expenses for my education and ordination. I am always welcome in her home.

Teachers: I grew in self-confidence and learnt much, thanks to two great women teachers: Sr Dominica Lakra OSU, for her affectionate encouragement and opportunities for going on the stage, and Miss Ratna Halder, for recognizing my talents and giving me attention.

Friends: Through their affection, fidelity, care, unconditional acceptance, understanding and challenging love, they accompany me in my growth as a man and as a religious priest.

Each of us owes much to the women in our lives. Our educational policies, plans and actions at institutional, diocesan/congregational and national levels must promote gender equality and respect for women. We need to begin with young minds to bring about a change in the mentality with regard to women.

MARCH 22:

WORLD WATER DAY

World Water Day is celebrated on 22 March every year. The United Nations seeks to raise awareness in the world about two billion people currently living without access to safe water. The core focus of World Water Day is to inspire action towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Water and Sanitation for All by 2030.

In Bundelkhand region girls do not want to be married in certain villages because they have to walk a few miles to fetch drinking water.

On 19 June 2019, Chennai city officials declared “Day Zero” (the day when almost no water is left) had been reached, as all the four main reservoirs supplying water to the city had run dry.

What can we do? What can I do?

I would like to share a story of a six-year-old boy called Ryan Hreljac.

In January 1998, Nancy Prest, the class teacher of Grade I of Holy Cross Catholic School in Kemptville Ontario, Canada, described to her young students about the sad plight of lack of clean water in African villages. Her story touched the heart of a little boy of six, Ryan Hreljac so deeply that he resolved to raise $70 for a well. To achieve this, he cleaned the house, mowed the lawn, emptied the garbage bins, made sacrifices and bettered his grade to garner the needed amount. Later, upon hearing of the need to purchase a driller ($25,000) to provide more wells, he was determined to work harder. He began to talk to people to help.  He gave an interview in the local TV channel. An article was published about his dream project. Inspired by the effort of this young lad, generous people contributed the amount. A well was bored at Angolo Primary School in Otwal subcounty of Northern Uganda. It was named “Ryan’s well.” His joy was doubled when he and his parents were able to visit Otwal in Uganda and meet his pen pal, Akana Jimmy.

All, no matter who we are, can contribute to the preservation of clean water. All we need is to feel the water crisis in our heart, like six-year-old Ryan.

Fr Shilanand Kerketta SDB

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JANUARY 4:

International Braille Day

January 4 is celebrated as International Braille Day. It marks the birthday of Louis Braille, an educator and an inventor of Braille System.

Louis Braille was born on 4 January, 1809, at Coupvray, France. At the age of five, he lost one eye by accident and then the second one due to infection.

When he was just fifteen, Braille invented the system of reading and writing for the blind. Having mastered the Huay system and familiarized himself with the Charles Barbier system of communication at Royal Institute for Blind Youth, he worked for several nights to evolve his own system. Then he transcribed several books using his system with six dots. To accomplish his goal, he had to fight severely adverse conditions: ill-health (tuberculosis), bullying by his companions, mistreatment at the hands of the director of the institute, who burned all the transcribed books. The final battle was to prove publicly the efficiency of his system over that of captain Charles Barbier. Braille’s system finally saw the light of day in 1829.

Normally, we are inclined to believe that we have something to give to the blind.  The contrary is true. I realized that Louis Braille had important points to teach me. He had a dream to offer a gift to his blind companions and to the rest of the world.  And He did it. Further, he taught history, algebra and geography in the same institute till the end of his life. He was the official organist in two cathedrals in France until he died. He lived fully the forty-three years of his life.

Braille’s life touched me. He shook me out of my complacency. I was impelled to question myself about how meaningful my life is.

The world is enriched by score of musicians, artists, writers, poets, educators, sportsmen and women. Who can forget Helen Keller, Andrea Bocelli, Stevie Wonder, Ravindra Jain and several others? Louis Braille is a reminder to the world that the visually impaired have much to contribute. We cannot be indifferent to the 2.2 billion blind people in the universe. We have an obligation to provide them the possibilities of developing and sharing their gifts with the world. This is what Louis Braille accomplished.

JANUARY 24:

International Education Day

This day is celebrated to highlight the role of education in peace and development in the world.  The celebration is an effort towards achieving the SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) 4 of the UNO: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

What can I do to make education possible for all? By way of answer, here are two true storis.

Christopher, my dad, studied up to Standard Two against the wish of his father. He was beaten and starved for attending classes. When his first daughter was born, he made up his mind to educate her at all costs. He had to fight the conservative outlook of the villagers regarding girls. He made huge sacrifices to educate her. He borrowed money, fought against his wife to get her daughter admitted in a distant boarding school. To meet the expenses of her schooling, he himself carried about 50 kg of rice and 10 kgs of dal on his shoulders and walked twenty-five kilometres through mountainous terrain at least twice a year for thirteen long years. He begged and borrowed money to pay the annual fee of Rs 250 as school, boarding and science lab fees. My elder sister Teresa matriculated and became a teacher in the primary school of my village. In the thirty-eight years of her career, she taught more than a thousand students. The ripple of education stirred by my father continues even now through her students.

The second story is about Miss Erin Gruwell, the main character of the 2007 film, Freedom Writers.  In spite of her privileged background and excellent qualifications, she chose to teach at a problem school in a poor neighbourhood marked by inter-racial violence. Her students did not see the point in studying. Their life outside the classroom was marked by poverty and violence. Against all odds, employing her skills, love and patience, energy and money, she succeeded in motivating all the hundred and fifty students to graduate successfully. Her method of journal writing to help the weak students was adopted by several schools in USA.

The question worth thinking about is: What can I do to make education accessible to as many as possible?

Fr Shilanand Kerketta SDB

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Do you know the story of the Little Match Girl, penned by Hans Andersen, the Danish Master of the literary fairy tale? Here it is, in a nutshell.

On a freezing New Year’s Eve, a poor young girl, shivering and barefoot, tries to sell matches in the street. Afraid to go home because her father will beat her for failing to sell any matches, she huddles in the alley between two houses and lights matches, one by one, to warm herself.

In the flames of the matches, she sees a series of comforting visions, the warm iron stove, the lovely roast goose, the great glorious Christmas tree. Each vision also disappears as its match burns out; then in the sky she sees a shooting star, which her grandmother had told her means someone is on their way to Heaven. In the flame of the next match, she sees her grandmother, the only person to have treated her with love and kindness. To keep the vision of her grandmother alive as long as possible, the girl lights the entire bundle of matches.

When the matches are gone, the girl dies, and her grandmother carries her soul to Heaven. The next morning, passersby find the girl frozen, and express pity. They do not know about the wonderful visions she had seen, or how happy she is with her grandmother in Heaven. Despite facing cold and hunger and the apathy of the people around her, the little match girl does not lose her faith and hope.

The little girl, hungry and cold, retains her stubborn spirit of struggle for existence. But the society around her is callous and oppressive.

Are we not the same? We turn a deaf ear to the unacceptable misery and plight of the poorest of the poor, the grinding poverty of the masses in our society. We, the middle classes, try to gloss over this struggle for survival that characterizes the lives of the poor. Every day, there are millions of children in India who go hungry, do not get a square meal a day, who are stunted because of malnutrition and eke out a precarious living against the heavy odds of life.

Hungry Match Girls and Families around Us

As in the story of the Little Match girl, her visions are proof of her undiminished hope and faith in life; so also, our poor live with visions and dreams that enable them to survive, caught as they are in a web of poverty that imprisons them, sometimes for life. This sheer courage they have helps them survive; it is life looking for itself.

This Christmas I choose to reflect on the poor of the world, and especially in India. They are always the worst hit by tragedies and calamities that plague the world. Similarly, in India, the lockdown and the pandemic took a high toll of their lives. The sight of hapless migrants, walking and bicycling across hundreds of thousands of miles, to reach their villages still haunts me. But at the same time, I cannot but marvel at their courage and persistence, their struggle to survive, the hope they keep burning in their hearts and their ability to rise above despair.

Where and when will our poor be emancipated? Will our callous rich and the middle classes ever look at the problems of society through the lens of the poor and the deprived? Don’t we realize that the poor like the Little Match girl also have dreams and visions; don’t they hope that someday their situation will improve, and they will enjoy the comforts of life, which are guaranteed to the rich and relatively well-off middle classes?

This Christmas, will most of us spare a thought for the poor? Yes, there are many laudable acts by parishes and religious houses, which distribute food, rations and clothes to the less well off. Some families share a meal or give new clothes. What are you and I going to do?

What can we do for structural change? Do we give a serious thought to the fact that we sometimes serve the very structures of oppression that keep such people poor? The poor face hunger, defeat and despair every day—but do not give up. Can we think of at least a single step we can take to change their lot for the better?

Janina Gomes

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MAY 1

MAY DAY: WORKERS’ DAY

Called Labour Day or Workers’ Day, this day celebrates the contribution of workers to the lives of all of us. [The church added a liturgical feast to celebrate this day: St Joseph the Worker.] They are the first and the worst affected in any disaster or pandemic or lockdown. Pathetic proofs are all around us.

How do we treat the so-called lower sections of our society—manual labourers (cleaners, gardeners, construction workers, …) drivers, cooks, …? How they are treated in India is (sadly) very, very different from how a worker is treated (and paid) in Europe or America.

We show our character (whether noble or mean) more by the way we treat those “below” us than by how we deal with those “above” us.

Since the readers of MAGNET are likely to be employers rather than employees, may I remind all of us to treat our employees with dignity and respect. And, if we believe in Jesus, we know that one day we will be judged on how we treated the “least,” not by how we bowed before the big shots.

MAY 9:

MOTHER’S DAY

It is observed on the second Sunday in May.

A mother’s love and countless sacrifices are priceless gifts most of us take for granted. I used to ask college students during retreats, “Do you love your parents?” They would all shout, “Yes!” I would tell them: “It is too early to say who among you really love your parents. Right now, you need them. They are paying for your studies, and will continue doing much for you. Later, when you are strong and they are weak, and you do not need them, we will see who among you truly love your parents.”

Agree?

Do you really treasure your mother and what she has done for you? It is certainly more than we know or realize. Why not use Mother’s Day to do something to make her happy? What is it she needs most right now? Do it before it is too late.

MAY 12

NURSES DAY

Reason for the date: the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who transformed the care of the sick. When she went to look after British soldiers wounded in the Crimean War, she found the conditions appalling—dirty, unhealthy, without proper food and medicines. She changed all that. Her approach transformed the whole practice of nursing.

Nurses do an absolutely necessary, demanding and heroic service. Yet, in India, nurses are often not treated with respect, nor paid well.

I once asked an Indian nurse working in New York, “What do you like about living in the US?” Without any hesitation, she replied, “I feel respected as a woman and as a professional, both of which I did not get in India.”

Have you thanked the nurses who looked after you and your family members during illness? If not, why not do it today? Think of the thousands of nurses doing a fantastic service and see how you can appreciate their service.

MAY 15

DAY OF FAMILIES

Family can be the best and most beautiful experience of life—or the most miserable.

Mother, father, sisters, brothers, grandparents, grandchildren—what would life be without such close ties?

We often take our family for granted. Do we use birthdays and similar occasions to show our love for one another? Family members give us much, and need our affirmation and support.

Preachers and teachers matter; but they cannot match the influence of family.

Do you pray for your family members every day? If you are well-off, do you help poorer relatives? Is your home open to your family members? (Sadly, so many siblings become rivals and enemies, fighting over property, money and real or imagined hurts.)

Your family is not perfect; you don’t have to pretend it is. Further,  a large dose of forgiveness is essential for a happy family life.

Celebrate family. Treat your aging parents well. Help those in need. Let your children learn from your behaviour how to care for family members.

And, if you are a religious or priest, do your best to create a family atmosphere (of love, welcome, mutual help and joy) in the institutions you run. About a good seminary or religious house, those who lived there will say, even years later, “It was a home of love.”

Fr Joe Mannath SDB

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April 1: April Fools’ Day

This day is celebrated each year for centuries by different cultures, though its exact origins remain a mystery. Traditionally it is a day to play practical jokes on others.

Some historians hold that this practice dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. In the Julian calendar, the New Year began with the spring equinox, around April 1.

Those slow to get the news, or who failed to recognize that the start of the New Year had moved to January 1, became the butt of jokes and were called “April fools.”

But this explanation doesn’t fully account for the spread of April Fools’ Day to other European countries. For example, the Gregorian calendar was not adopted by England until 1752, though by then, April Fools’ Day was already well established there.

The custom of setting aside a day for playing harmless pranks is relatively common worldwide. The positive view is that April Fools’ Day can be good for health because it encourages jokes, hoaxes, pranks and belly laughs. These bring in all the benefits of laughter, including stress relief and reduced heart strain. The negative view describes these as rude and nasty. It’s difficult to believe whether a person is being serious or playing a prank on you, if it happens to be April 1.

Sometimes even the media is involved in these pranks. Stories intended as jokes may be taken seriously, or genuine news may be misinterpreted as a joke. Either way this might cause confusion, misinformation and even legal or commercial consequences.

Many different cultures have had days of foolishness around the start of April. The Romans had a festival named Hilaria. The Hindu calendar has Holi. The Jewish calendar has Purim. Perhaps there’s something about this time of year, with its turn from winter to spring, that lends itself to light-hearted celebrations.

Scan your favourite newspapers or news websites this April 1. You might find headlines that look suspicious. Perhaps some of those stories are complete hoaxes. After all, it’s April Fools’ Day.

23 April: English Language Day

Multilingualism and cultural diversity in the UN is an essential factor for the harmonious communication among peoples.

Language Days are the result of a 2010 initiative by the Department of Global Communications,  to increase awareness and respect among the UN community, for the history, culture and achievements of each of its six official, working languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish.

Numerous activities have been undertaken, from 1946 to the present, to promote the equal use of these languages to ensure that the goals and actions of the UN are understood by the widest possible public.

English Language Day is celebrated on 23 April, the date traditionally observed as both the birthday and date of death of William Shakespeare, the English language’s most famous playwright.

The language began in the fifth century when Germanic tribes from the Anglia peninsula that juts out into the Baltic Sea, invaded Celtic-speaking Britain and brought their languages with them. It slowly developed to become the language of what was once the most powerful nation in the world. With the explosion of colonialism, it spread across the world like wildfire and has since become the language of commerce in countries all over the world.

ELD celebrates this language, its history, and its oddities!

Beginning with just three tribes about 1500 years ago, English has taken on the grammar, tones, and words from every language it has come into contact with. More than 1.75 billion people speak English worldwide – that’s around 1 in 4 people around the world. English is the official language of the skies: Pilots speak in English on international flights. It is the most widely used language on the Internet and social media. English has official status in at least 75 countries, with a total population of over two billion.

There are also its variations. Canadian English, UK English, Scots English, and American English all have their own little colloquialisms and slang that differ broadly from each other!

In India, around 100 million people speak English.

One language with so many variations! And it is still considered a single language!

Sr Esme da Cunha FDCC

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