MARCHING AHEAD AT JAWAHAR MOKHADA

DIVYADAAN, JULY 1, 2010: On June 20, 2010, eighteen young dynamic clerics of Divyadaan began yet another year of their apostolate in the Jawahar-Mokhada region. It began with an orientation programme conducted by Fr. Anaclete and his team at the ‘Jungle Camp’, Walwande. The programme was well planned and conducted. It was very informative, wherein the staff by means of power point presentations and clippings beautifully summarized the aims and objectives of the Salesians in the Jawahar-Mokhada region. The brothers were guided into knowing the different tribes, cultures and festivals of the people of the region. This opened up many ignorant minds to new and amazing facts about our very own people for whom we work for. The brothers were then asked to share and evaluate their past experiences of working in that region with the people. This interaction kept the staff upbeat about the progress at various schools and took into consideration a couple of points that needed to be reconsidered and worked upon. This enriching experience came to an end with a meaningful talk given by Fr. Anaclete who encouraged and thanked the brothers for all their hard work. He also invited them to continue the good work of teaching at the various ashrams/schools in that region. He urged the brothers to be apostles of Don Bosco who wore his heart on his sleeves for his boys and maintained life long relationship with all those under his care. The brothers were grateful to the staff at the ‘Jungle Camp’ for the guidance and the help provided. They have pledged to be catalysts of change in this region thus heralding a brighter and stronger future for our country. Cl Sunil Pinto sdb

PRESENTATION OF THE 2011 STRENNA

ROME, JUNE 18, 2010: It is an historic detail, confirmed by each of the four evangelists, that from the outset of his evangelising activities (cf. Mk 1:14-15), Jesus called some to follow him (cf. Mk 1:16-20). These first disciples of his thus became "companions throughout the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out amongst us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up from us" (Acts 1:21-22).

Evangelisation and vocation thus become two inseparable elements. Furthermore, a criterion of the authenticity of good evangelisation is its ability to give rise to vocations, to see to the growth of projects of gospel living, to completely involve those who are evangelised to the point where they become disciples and apostles.

Following on from the Strenna for 2010, “Lord, we want to see Jesus”, about the urgent need to evangelise, I am making a heartfelt appeal to the Salesian Family now to feel the urgency of, the need to call others.

Dear brothers and sisters, every member of the Salesian Family, I therefore invite you to be true spiritual guides for the young, like John the Baptist pointing out Jesus to his disciples and telling them: “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” (Jn 1:36), so they can follow him to a point where Jesus, aware that they are following him, turns to them directly with the question: “What are you looking for?” and they, overcome with the desire to profoundly get to know who this Jesus is, ask him: “Rabbi, where do you live?” (Jn 1:38), and he invites them to share the experience of being with him: “Come and see”. They will have experienced something immensely beautiful from the moment they “came and saw where he was staying and they remained with him” (Jn 1:39).

Here then is the pedagogical direction we must take:

1. Return to Don Bosco:

Make the Valdocco experience our own; it creates a family environment of great spiritual worth, one of apostolic involvement and spiritual accompaniment which is sustained by intense love for the Church and the world.

Show the beauty, the appropriateness of our Salesian vocation for today and its variety: a life completely given to God in the service of the young is well worth living.

Live our lives and help the lives of others to be understood as vocation and mission. And all this as a great gift which is experienced with God at the centre, in fellowship with all consecrated men and women dedicated to the poorest and most needy.

2. Become Don Bosco for the young people of today

Be aware of the central, obvious place of consecrated persons in the carrying out of the Salesian mission. This was Don Bosco's belief and experience.

Create a culture of vocation as was the case at Valdocco, one marked by seeking the meaning of existence, with transcendence as its horizon, sustained and supported by profound values, a planning mentality, and aimed at a culture of fellowship and solidarity.

Ensure accompaniment through the quality of our personal lives, our education to love and chastity, our responsibility for history, starting them out in prayer, apostolic involvement.

Make the Salesian Youth Movement a privileged place for the journey of vocational discernment: where young people experience and show how the current of communion flowing around Don Bosco, his pedagogical values, and Salesian Youth Spirituality results in a volunteer movement and projects of life.

Fr Pascual Chávez Villanueva sdb

A NEW BEGINNING

NASHIK, JUNE 12, 2010: The Feast of the Sacred Heart and the inaugural day was an auspicious combination at Divyadaan this year. This annual academic exercise consisted of the solemn inaugural Eucharist and the inaugural ceremony.

“The new year brings new learning”, were the words of Fr. Ajoy Fernandes, vice Provincial of Salesian Province of Mumbai, who presided over the inaugural Eucharist. While stressing on the blending of philosophy with our mission he said: “Our study is the journey of life, faith and love in view of the mission.” He drew inspiration from the Holy Trinity as being a blend of presence, purpose, wisdom and love. Further he added: “Philosophy should help us reach the mountain peak along a treacherous journey from where we are able to gaze at the intricate connection of life. The invocation of the Holy Spirit is like having a torch lit in the darkness for the clarity of the mind. We may at times loose sight of our friends or may be our purpose; hence to live life we not only need a mind but also a heart. The Sacred Heart enables us to connect to these with love since it loved us first.”

After the Eucharist the inaugural ceremony of the new academic year 2010-11 took place in the academic block. Following with the lighting of the lamp, Fr. Savio D’Souza, the Rector, welcomed the gathering. Fr. Robert Pen, the Principal, then presented the academic report of the year 2009-2010, after which Fr. Ajoy released the new academic calendar and declared the year open.

The key-note speaker of the day was Rev. Fr. Edison Fernandes, who holds the chair of educational psychology in Divyadaan. He enthralled everybody with his systematic exposition of his doctoral thesis: “A Phenomenological Exploration of Discrimination as perceived by International students: implications for Formation and Philosophy”. He dealt with the issue of discrimination enumerating its various causes like culture, name, race, colour of skin etc. According to him this only results into foreign students getting stressed, overworked and depressed.

In his opinion, this sensitive issue being of much importance deals with the harsh reality of discrimination as many theories have emerged about the dynamics of discrimination but few from the perspective of the victims of discrimination. Hence he drew his own method of research which was a laborious redaction from a vast data taken from personal interviews. He mentioned that philosophy tends to neglect empiricism and thus called for a combination of empirical findings and theory. He concluded with the message for all philosophy students to “uphold a philosophical option for the poor, marginalized and discriminated”.

Cl. Denver D’Silva sdb

THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO HEAVEN

NASHIK, JUNE 7, 2010: The first year philosophy brothers of Divyadaan ensued towards Trimbakeshwar for their first picnic of the academic year 2010-11. The Staff and the students decided to go to Trimbakeshwar, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India. In order to get there they climbed the Brahmagiri - the origin of the river Godavari. It was a timely outing for the brothers to freshen up before they began their philosophical endeavours. The journey began at 2 pm in the afternoon with the brothers getting ready in their hiking attire. Reaching the holy place by 2:45 pm, the brothers climbed to the summit of the Brahmagiri. At Trimbakeshwar the brothers learnt the significance of the place. A sage narrated the story of the genesis of the river Godavari. According to him anyone who came to this place was sure to attain salvation. He stated that the river Godavari took its course from here and a dip in this sacred water would cleanse one’s sins. He gave an example of a certain sage Gautam, who, after having committed a sin by murdering a cow had bathed in this river and was washed clean. The brothers on their way up the mountain were exposed to the culture of the place; the beautifully carved caves, the staircases, the statues and the old uninhabited houses created an atmosphere of wonder. After reaching the source of the river Godavari and enjoying the cool breeze, the brothers came hopping down to head back home. As the brothers returned from their religious trek, a sense of awe gripped them as they pondered on the mystery of nature and that of the supernatural phenomenon. It was indeed an experience that they would never forget. The brothers realized that it was the faith of the people alone that helped them live on in life as they witnessed many a pilgrim trekking on to meet their God. Nelson Mudaliar sdb

LOVE CALLETH … LOVE SENDETH

MUMBAI JUNE 1, 2010 On the feast of the Visitation of Our Lady, Fr. Manuel, Fr. Santarita, Fr. Jeffery, Fr. James Tuscano, Fr. Cletus and Fr. Savio D’Souza gathered together at the Salesian Training Institute to commemorate twenty-five great years of living the Salesian call to holiness. With grateful hearts the jubilarians said, “God Tussi Great Ho!” as they echoed sentiments of thankfulness and praise to the Lord for choosing them to be humble instruments through which HE would work wonders in the lives of all to whom they would be Sent In Love. The jubilarians stated that the Lord had worked marvels in their lives. It was through Him alone that they could reach out to touch and transform the lives of many. They all believed that through these twenty-five years they had many ups and downs but the love that they received from their superiors, companions and friends encouraged them to persevere and be faithful to their vocation. They called the gathering to put their trust in Jesus and to bank on His love, for without Him they would be nothing. After the Eucharist, a short family circle was staged. A sumptous meal provided by the STI community enhanced the celebrations.

Cogito, Ergo Sum

By Fr. Aloysius Hemrom SDB

As I journey down the memory lane, the last time that I had to confront or carefront philosophical problems was in 1992, when I was invited (took a good break from Cherrapunjee or Sohra) by the Father-founder of the Integrated Training for Religious and Laity (ITLR), Rev. Fr Puthenpurakal (PV) Joseph (without ‘c’, mind you!), presently the august director of the DBCIC (in short, DB Museum), to lecture to the ITLRs on the history of Western and Indian philosophies and philosophers. It was a good revision for me after my Dimapur-days (1984-87). I enjoyed ‘philosophizing’ with the ITLRs. Now that after 17 years in the ‘philosophical limbo’, I have landed here in Divyadaan (God’s Gift), the melting pot of the Institute of Philosophy in Nashik – Mumbai Province (here the Lonergan School is going strong), from last 28 July, it is a time to find some ‘philosophical bearings’ once again after some 12 years of ‘burning candles’ and ‘putting flowers on the altar’ in the theologate (now mind you, for those who have forgotten the latest GIRM 305 which says that they are to be put around and no more on the altar).

It is interesting to note that those 17 years in the ‘philosophical limbo’, in a way, was a good thing. Now that some ‘bearings’ have been discovered, let me share with you something that may shock or may not shock you – unless you are a great ‘shock-absorber’. But the fact is, that it does exist: in some a good measure, in others somewhat a less measure, in some others the whole measure (am I too judgmental or presumptious?). And what is that ‘shocking thing’?

Cogito! It is the Cogito, ergo sum = “I think, therefore I am” (or “I am thinking, therefore I exist”), of René Descartes (31 Mar 1596 – 11 Feb 1650; Latinized form: Renatus Cartesius), the great 17^th century French philosopher, mathematician, physicist and the “Father of Modern Philosophy” in his famous Discourse on the Method IV (written in French, 1637) and in Principles of Philosophy I (in Latin, 1644). He had his followers in the persons of Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Leibniz who advocated his ‘thought’ but opposed by the empiricist school of thought consisting of Hobbes, Locke, Berkeley, andHume.

Allow me to revise together some tenets of this interesting Cartesian philosophy so as to build on the cogito principle which, I believe, has affected the very marrows of humankind (quite a tall statement and claim, you will say!) For Cartesius, there is just a single principle in life: ‘thought exists’ which cannot be separated from me, therefore, I exist. Further, if I doubt, then something or someone must be doing the doubting, therefore the very fact that I doubt proves my existence. "The simple meaning of the phrase is that if one is skeptical of existence, that is, in and of itself proof that he does exist." Descartes thus concludes that he can be certain that he exists because he thinks. But in what form? He perceives his body through the use of the senses; however, these have previously been proven unreliable. So Descartes concludes further that the only indubitable knowledge is that he is a thinking thing. Thinking is his essence as it is the only thing about him that cannot be doubted. Descartes defines "thought" (cogitatio) as "what happens in me such that I am immediately conscious of it, insofar as I am conscious of it". Thinking is thus every activity of a person of which he is immediately conscious. This Cartesian cogito principle shook up the 17th century world and in 1663, Pope Alexander VII (1599-1667) placed his works on the Index of Prohibited Books.

Now what is this cogito principle or cogitatio? To simplify further the Cartesian principle, it is this: ‘My personhood/personality (as I am) depends on the way I picture/create (think) myself, no matter whoever/whatever/whichever/however others may label/think/speak of me’. Further, ‘I am or I exist on the basis of what I think of myself and not what Tom, Dick and Harry think of me’. To put it crudely: ‘I am what I think best about myself, no matter what others think of me or speak about me’. I hope, I have succeeded in stating the principle in a sound manner and in simple terms.

How does this cogito principle work in my life? As a salesian, I have professed to follow the Constitutions and Regulations given by Don Bosco (and revised by the subsequent General Chapters) but I choose the ‘conveniences’ only and rationalize on other things because ‘I think those convenient things make me what I am – a good salesian’ and I continue my life quite happily. The ‘hard things thereof’ I think do no apply me; they apply to other ‘good salesians’. The provincial reminds me now and again the constitutional and regulatory implications in my life through his letters and circulars. The AGCs too arrive from Rome. I continue my life ‘as usual’ (as it is commonly said: ‘As it was in the beginning, is now and…), because that’s what I think it should be. There are meetings and animations conducted in the province or elsewhere, but I think they are not meant for me; they are meant ‘for the other’. I am quite happy at what I am doing in the parish, in the school, in the institution. For, that’s what I think of myself. Others may point fingers at me for not attending such programs or animations, but what I am is what I think of myself. Let others think whatever they like to think or speak! After all, now-a-days, there is freedom of thought and speech! Thus, cogito, ergo sum!

Let me muse further: There are on-going programs but I don’t think I need such programs. There are visitation reports left by the provincial/extraordinary visitor, but I know best what’s to be done because that is ‘what we think as a community’. The province-meetings are meant for the ‘jobless’. I have to ‘save souls’ for God’s kingdom (?) and ‘more souls’. That’s what I think. During the formation stages (aspirantate, pre-novitiate, novitiate, philosophate, practical training, college studies, theologate), guidelines and directions are given (especially during conferences and other interactions and meetings) but I don’t think I need them, for I know myself quite well of who I am. Besides, I am quite an expert on today’s psychology and up-to-date with the mass-media – that’s what I think! After all, formation is supposed to be personal and as a person I am quite sure of myself because that’s what I think of myself… therefore, I am!

Cogito, ergo sum! That is the reason why I have put down such musings after I have woken up from my ‘philosophical stupor’ (for my own benefit in the first place and for anyone of goodwill; Nota bene: With no malice towards anyone!). And I hope Renatus Cartesius will not turn in his grave with such cogitations of mine for reversing the ‘index’ of Pope Alexander VII!

Article written by Fr. Aloysius Hemrom

Nashik, 19 March 2010

SYMPOSIUM ON THE ENCYCLICAL: ‘CARITAS IN VERITATE’

On the 12th December 2009, the Second year students of the Salesian Institute of Philosophy - Divyadaan, as part of their annual academic activity organized a symposium on the latest encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI CARITAS IN VERITATE (Charity in truth).The symposium was co-coordinated by Cl. Evangelo D’Souza, under the guidance of Fr. Valerian, Fr. Rector sdb, Fr. Robert, Fr. Wyman and Fr. Aloysius. The three speakers of the day were Cl. Joshua Alphonso, Cl. Larsen Iyengar and Cl. Ashok Lingampalli.

The entire encyclical was sketched out in gist by Cl. Bosco Carvalho, who also enfolded the role of the church, whose prime concern is not only God, Religion and Salvation of souls but in all her being and acting- when she proclaims, educates, when she celebrates, when she performs works of charity- is engaged in promoting the integral development of each and every individual. The church is not just involved; but develops and pressed forward to achieving the well-being of all humans.

Cl. Joshua Alphonso introduced the encyclical letter of the Supreme Pontiff on the Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth. He led a brief historical survey of how the church has been active in times of trials in order to uphold the dignity of human being and empowering them through the different encyclicals down the ages. This aided the audiences to understand the perspective of the encyclical.

Cl. Larsen Iyengar presented the understanding of Rights and Duties in Caritas in Veritate. He said that the church calls each one of us to live our human vocation to love more radically and in solidarity with others by sharing our resources. The Rights are to be considered here as objective and not merely subjective. Further, he goes on to show how people are in dependent on one another in fulfilling their rights and duties which in turn brings about growth in the individual and growth in the society as whole.

Cl. Ashok Lingampalli, emphasized on the role of the church through this encyclical in challenging governments, industries, NGO’s and institutions to a reform in their works on Justice towards one another; justice that is rooted in God’s love, which enables us to continue seeking and working for the welfare of our neighbor. He also dealt upon some practical implications, as to how an individual and communities have a special role to play to bring about a change. Educators have a greater responsibility in building one’s lives and that of others on the values of the church.

The symposium proceeded further with a panel discussion and questionnaires, during which there was a certain clarifications of the terms, concepts, aspects and focus of the encyclical. There was lively participation from the part of the audiences from the various neighboring religious institutes.The symposium ended on a melodious note with the theme song composed by Cl. Nobin Narzary.