One morning, as I paddled from 66 into 67, a warm cup of tea brought surprising clarity. I realized that this phase of life is not about counting years but about finally understanding them. After…
Recently, the Karnataka Jesuits Province lost one of its remarkable gems - Fr. Leo D’Souza, SJ. Known widely as a gifted botanist, he was equally admired for his compassion that supported hundreds of underprivileged students…
There are people who do not merely think theology — they live it, breathe it, carry it in the way they walk into a room and the way they sit in silence. Fr. Aloysius Pieris,…
During my maiden visit to the central provinces of India, a fascinating thing that caught my attention was the round tables in the community dining halls. As the days went by, I realized that this…
The startup company in Houston that offered Abhinav Desai a job folded after seven months. He had never imagined that he would have to apply for jobs once again, just eight months after he landed…
- The Emotional “Shadow” in Indian Formation [auth] With this article we begin a series, called ‘Listen to Young Religious!’ These are extremely relevant and revealing findings of studies done by Jesuit Scholastics or young…
Tantum Quantum, a concept derived from the ‘Principle and Foundation’ of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises, functions as the central gravitational pull of Ignatian spirituality. It anchors the soul between the lofty heights of…
1.The first thing we must do is correctly understanding who this ‘Holy Spirit’ is. Before ‘Holy Spirit’ became an article of the Creed, he was a living reality in the experience of the early Church.…
Freedom, Finally! : When I heard that I was being sent to Jnana Deepa (JD), Pune, for Philosophy, I was overjoyed. The seniors - my ‘forefathers’ - have always painted a delightful picture of Pune.…
Dilexit nos! He loved us! The story of love, the glory of love - all began with this mystery of our faith! Love was born from all eternity in the Heart of our God, made…
Having been ill, the boy had come quietly to receive medicines from the Sisters who travel through the forest villages with their mobile medical team. I accompanied them that day. I noticed the boy sitting…
Summers have invariably been hot. And, this year, the mercury is skyrocketing to unbearable levels as a consequence of dreadful climate changes. Yet, amidst these torrid times, the Conference Houses of Formation, Conference Apostolic Works…
I remember a Jesuit who, till the end, refused to forgive people who he thought were responsible for transferring him. The transfer was from the place where he served creditably for many years to a…
I watched the teens running with friends along the riverFlowing from the snows of the Himalayas,They jumped into the water, they collected pebblesThat captivated their eyes and their senses.They ate, they drank, they made merry…
Are you and I doomed to watch helplessly the eclipse of the India we know and take for granted? Or will God work a miracle to preserve what we have cherished for nearly 73 years…
‘When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed; When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost …’ You have heard this hymn many times, and, I am sure, you have sung it sometimes. Don’t you…
All the major superiors of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia (JCSA), headed by Fr Stanislaus D’Souza, along with the General Assistants, Frs. Vernon D’Cunha and M K George gathered at Christ Hall, Calicut, Kerala…
Thy kingdom come! Thy will be done! [auth] These lines from the Lord’s prayer sit again and again at the heart of discernment for me. Fr Fernando Franco, SJ introduced me to Thomas Green’s The…
The 7th Victor Courtois Memorial Lecture, organized by the Islamic Studies Association in Delhi, was held at the Millennium Hall of St. Xavier’s School, Delhi on 23 February 2024. The lecture titled ‘From Morocco to…
We are all aware of what an addict goes through. First and foremost, s/he may not be aware of the addiction or s/he may be aware of it but is not willing to give it…
This newly-minted saint has a surprising, delightful connection with Jesuits. She was raised to the altar on 11 February 2024. She is the first woman from Argentina to be honoured as a saint and the…
Every year 14 April invites us to remember Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and his unique contribution to our country. But this year Ambedkar Remembrance Day reminds us of our duties as Indian citizens, at a time…
The Synoptic Gospels contain three Passion, Death and Resurrection predictions. It is important to note that these are not just Passion predictions as they are sometimes referred to. Every one of them includes also a…
On 8 December 2016 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution, designating 26 April as ‘International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day’. [auth] The reason is that the world should never forget the Chernobyl disaster which occurred…
Mary, Ignatius, and Jesuits: Even a quick glance at the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola would amply attest to Mother Mary’s presence and significance in his call, conversion, and mission. It is therefore little…
“I had joined college but was going through one of the darkest phases in my life. Everything was happening so fast that it overwhelmed me to the point where I started panicking. I was trying…
Fr. Jose Kalapura, SJ talks of his new book A History of Patna Jesuit Mission (1921 – 2021) By Jose Kalapura, SJ Patna Jesuit Society Price: Rs. 500/- 1. What made you come up with this book?I…
Fr. S. Ignacimuthu, SJ talks of his new book The Works of Jesuits in India By S. Ignacimuthu, SJGujarat Sahitya Prakash, Anand Pages: 252 Price: Rs.220/- What made you think of such a book?I thought…
The earth was dark twice. Once at the original creation before God first created light. But later there was an even deeper darkness, on Good Friday, between the 6th and 9th hour, when we were crucifying God,…
Film: Gifted Hands (2009)Director: Thomas CarterRun time: 86 minutes Adapted from the autobiography of Dr Benjamin Carson Sr. a famous pediatric neurosurgeon, distinguished academic, and author, this biopic is a tale of faith, dedication, perseverance,…
Khejok Tulku Rinpoche was one of the diminishing numbers of “old teachers” in the Tibetan tradition. Born in the 1930s, he was installed as Abbot of the second oldest monastery, Dhe Tsang, in Eastern Tibet.…
I am the fire upon the hearth,I am the light of the good sun,I am the heat that warms the earth,Which else, were colder than a stone. [auth] At me the children warm their hands;I…
As I was returning from my visit to Sri Lanka province recently, I hit upon a book, Deep Work by Cal Newport. Attracted by the title, I picked it up from my co-passenger to have…
What do you think a young man will do, when he sees a young woman sitting in front of him in the train compartment? But what does he actually see? He sees her meticulously painted…
Fr John Felix Raj, SJ, Vice-Chancellor of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) was honoured with the JHEASA Magis 2024 award on 27 January 2024 at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata at the National Jesuit Higher Education…
Human Ecology Society (HES), Jamshedpur established by Fr. Joseph Kalathil, SJ organized an Interfaith gathering and prayer on 30 January 2024 on the martyrdom day of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The ‘Human…
The West Zone’s Service of Faith Commission, led by Fr James Vaz, SJ (GUJ), Fr Joe Monteiro, SJ (GOA), Fr Joe Gaikwad, SJ (PUNE), and Fr Wesley D’Costa, SJ (BOM), organized a 3-day seminar at…
The close bonding between the Society of Jesus and St Joseph is deep-rooted. In the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola there are six explicit references (SE 111, 114, 264, 265, 269, 270) to…
There exists, among Jesuits, a folklore of humour, handed down to them and others alike from time immemorial. In fact, what is available in the public domain may just be the tip of the iceberg…
Here are the results of the Jivan Creative Writing Contest - 2023. The contest elicited short stories from 22 young writers, from all the different regions of India. Jivan thanks all the Rectors or Superiors…
Is there an event in the Gospels that gives us a brief preview of what it will be like to see God at the end of time, and how we will be transformed when we…
Introduction [auth] Right from the beginning of the Society, the pioneers, starting from Ignatius of Loyola, saw correspondence as a means of uniting the members for effective governance. Given the difficulties of communication and travel…
“Tintintin, Yatrigan kripya dhyan dijiye, Gaadi number 16576 Mangalore ko jaane wale” [auth] He found himself running as the train’s departure was just two minutes away. As usual, the typical Indian mother’s farewell was a…
Recently I had a unique experience of searching and finding a ‘lost shepherd’ in the faraway land of Australia. My friends and I had not imagined it would really happen one day. It was a…
Initially, it was just a small group of a few college-going students and a Jesuit in a college. They called themselves a ‘guild.’ They came together, studied, informed themselves of the societal injustice and grappled…
Are Jesuit institutions still committed to provide quality education infused with Jesuit values? While some of our institutions have excelled in forming individuals who are convinced it is their mission to serve others, the pervasive…
Film: Harriet (2019). Director: Kasi Lemmons. Cast: Cynthia Erivo ,Leslie Odom Jr, Joe Alwyn, Clarke Peters, Vanessa Bell, Calloway, Omar J. Dorsey. Runtime: 125 minutes. This Academy award winner recaps the heroic life of the…
It was not good for the treeWhose only guilt was to grow tall,To grow strong, To grow straight. [auth]It was not good for the soldierWhose duty was already stained redAnd now whose heart was black.…
Br Benedict Rosario SJ, fondly known as Br. Benna, passed away at the age of 76, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering dedication and service to the Jesuit community and beyond. Born on 2 January…
Fr. George Hilarion Thakur, SJ was born on 23 July 1955, in Bettiah, Bihar. He died at Asha Deep Community, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, on 16 December, 2023. The funeral Mass on 18 December at the XTTI…
Ignatius Fernandes was my classmate in school. In fact, in our last year in school we sat on the same bench. But we did not know that we were planning to join the Society. We…
Fr. Jose Panadan was an extraordinary human: a compassionate priest, an excellent teacher and a great Jesuit companion! He was called to his eternal reward on 13 January 2024 in Ahmedabad, at the fairly young…
Fr. Leo Florent Tirkey, S.J., passed away on 13 January 2024, at Holy Cross Hospital, Ambikapur. The Funeral Mass, held on 14 January at the chapel of Christ Milan Ashram, Namna, Ambikapur, was presided over…
Fr. Lourduraj Arokiasamy was born on 12 June 1945 in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. While he was studying at St. Joseph’s, inspired by the life and works of the Jesuits, he entered the Society of Jesus…
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There is a story about emperor Akbar and his minister, Birbal. One day, when Birbal came to the court of Akbar, he found the king lost in deep thought. Birbal asked the king, ‘Your Majesty,…
Is it true that we live unloved and die unmourned? Intelligent and educated though we are, do we fail to grasp something that psychologists and psychiatrists repeatedly affirm today? We choose to live single lives,…
“‘Destruction of our environment is an offence on God and His Creation,’ says Pope Francis in his recent encyclical on ‘Laudate Deum’. Hence we have to work resolutely and unitedly for the protection of our…
Some recent statements of quite a few priests, religious and lay persons give the impression that they see Israel-Hamas war as a war between innocent Jews and terrorist Muslims. Some even go to the extent…
Several people these days, ask, perhaps implicitly, whether it is possible to fall in love with God who is beyond our senses?’ In other words, ‘Is it meaningful to have an intimate relationship with God…
Sri Lanka, nestled in the cerulean embrace of the Indian Ocean, prepares to celebrate its 76th independence day on 4 February 2024. Yet, the festive air is choked by the lingering stench of its worst…
What is it that contributes to health and happiness in the later years of life? The answer to this question is something that psychology has been searching for years. The answer is now clear, with…
Thousands of apparitions of the Virgin Mary have been reported by Christians across the world, from fourth-century Asia Minor, which is now Turkey, to contemporary California. Of all of these, the most renowned are the visions of Our Lady…
What moves the Jesuits at their core? The classical answer to this question is: “The Spiritual Exercises” of St Ignatius. But what are they about? What happens in the Spiritual Exercises? The film Ignatius -…
Something unprecedented will take place on International Women’s Day this year, 8 March 2024. The Commission on the Role and Responsibilities of Women in the Society of Jesus will complete three years of discernment and…
The context: For the past three decades, the discussion on climate change and global warming has taken center stage on the world’s platform. Ever since the 2015 Paris Agreement, limiting global temperature rise to within…
Fatima Sarah and a team of Muslim brothers and sisters from the Bangalore Chapter of the Centre for Peace and Spirituality (CPS) came to the Jesuit Formation Centre for Theology (JFCT) in Bangalore for a…
Film: Lena: My 100 Children (1987) Director: Edwin Sherin This docudrama is adapted from the memoir of Lena Kuchler-Silberman (1910- 1987), the underground Jewish resistance volunteer during the Nazi Holocaust. Her efforts helped to save…
John Chathanatt, SJ talks of a volume on Christianity which he edited for an Encyclopaedia on Indian Religions Christianity Ed. by John Chathanatt, SJSpringer Link Fr. John, is the book you edited part of a…
Fr Fio Mascarenhas, SJ talks about the new book he has co-authored with Dr. Renu Rita Silvano, OCV. The Full GospelFr Fio Mascarenhas, SJ & Dr. Renu Rita Silvano, OCV St. Paul’s, Mumbai128 ; ₹…
Born on 8 Dec 1928, at Cheranalloor, in the diocese of Ernakulam–Angamaly, Fr Joseph Chittooparambil, SJ was ordained a priest on 11 March 1958. A year after his Ordination, he joined the Jesuit Novitiate at…
Fr. Joseph Karunaidass Durairaj was born on 29 May 1946. He entered the Novitiate on 20 May 1963; was ordained a Priest on 2 May 1976 and took his Final Vows on 3 Dec 1981.…
Fr Mathew Kannadan was born on 16 December 1938, in Nedumgapara, Ernakulam District. Joining the Society of Jesus on 17 May 1958, he did his Novitiate at Beschi College, Dindigul and pronounced the First Vows…
Fr Peter Marandi was born at Dumria near Bounsi in Bhagalpur Diocese on 22 June 1946. He entered the Society of Jesus on 02 February 1970 at St Stanislaus, Sitagarha, Hazaribagh, to be a Jesuit…
Fr. Vijay Kumar Ekka, SJ was born on 24 November 1962, in Khijurbahar, and he grew up with two brothers and a sister. Fr. Ekka dedicated the major portion of his life to the educational…
Br. Xavier S. Arockiasamy (92), the oldest member of the Jesuit Community of St. Joseph’s College, Trichy, was his usual self at supper on 2 December 2023. However, the next morning, the cook who went…
Kiran is just 29. But he is a very different young man. He looks forward to a challenge. He is ready to explore closely other religious traditions. He has discovered a sense of transcendence through…
Henry Drummond once wrote a celebrated essay on love which he titled ‘The Greatest Thing in the World’. I have never met anyone who disagreed with the axiom that love is the greatest thing in…
[auth] - By Christine Evangelou And that’s the thing about hopeShe springs out of nowhereAt the glimpse of possibilityOn the breeze of a beliefThe faint chatter of faith…‘Cause hope is far mightierThan a passing pauseAnd…
The annual meet of the Province Coordinators for school Education (PCEs) was held at St. Xavier’s High school, Loyola Hall, Ahmedabad 0n 22-25 October ’23. All the coordinators, including the one from Sri Lanka, participated…
Psalm 23 is the world’s favourite psalm. With just 6 short verses it is simple and beautiful. It has won hearts for two and a half millennia. It has found its way into century upon…
Jim, thanks for talking to Jivan about your experiences at the Synod. We were happy to hear you were invited by Pope Francis to attend the Synod. How did it begin? [auth] We began with…
The JESCOM Annual Meet 2023, a gathering of Jesuit communicators, took place on 23-25 October ’23 at Dhyana Ashram, Chennai. Delegates from 15 provinces/regions participated in the three-day event, delving into the profound intersection of…
As we draw the curtains on the year 2023, the last week of every year is the most challenging one. Whether we like it or not, we somehow seem to remind ourselves of the big…
Since I happen to be the President of the Xavier Board of Higher Education, the Vatican Dicastery of Education and Culture invited me to join their conference on ‘Time for Listening”. I was one of…
It is widely accepted that it was the Greek city-states, particularly Athens, which gave to the world, as early as the 5th Century BC, a political system which is the forerunner of modern-day democracy. [auth]…
The recently concluded Synod on Synodality is historic on many counts. However, what stands out for me, as a woman, is the way the Synod participants experienced the reciprocity between men and women during that…
Ms. Candice says, “It was back in 2000 that I met Fr Cyril Desbruslais, SJ, a charismatic yet simple Jesuit. Little did I know that he would become a friend, philosopher and guide to me…
The Office of Discernment and Apostolic Planning of the Society of Jesus has published a new book on pastoral planning authored by Dr Christina Kheng, a Singaporean laywoman and planning consultant of the Jesuit Conference…
To mark the 25th anniversary of the only Jesuit institution in mainland China, the Beijing Center for Chinese Studies (TBC) gathered friends and alumni on the evening of 28 November ’23 to cherish the sweet…
The way the film opens is intriguing. It highlights the water crisis faced by the villagers. The director’s deliberate choice to start the film with this scene is a clever way to emphasize the context…
The shrine of St. John de Britto, erected at the spot where he was martyred, at Oriyur, Tamil Nadu, India has been declared a Minor Basilica by the Church. Bishop Lourdu Anand of Sivagangai read…
For me, Fr. Joe Velinkar’s, life had three strong dimensions. Dr. Joseph Velinkar the Scholar, Prof. Velinkar the teacher, and Fr. Joe the pastor. He was 93 years old and 77 years a Jesuit. Quite…
Born in Katana, Sri Lanka, on 9 January 1971, Bro. Lalith entered the Jesuit Novitiate in Dalugama, Kelaniya, on 1 July 1998. Taking his final vows in Negombo on 5 January 2020, he served as…
Fr. Vijay k. Kachhap was born at Sindri in Dhanbad District, Jharkhand on 4 September 1956. He joined the Jamshedpur Province and went for his Novitiate to Newman Hall, Ahmedabad in 1976. He did his…
Madam Ibu Gedong Bagoes Oka was a prominent Indonesian intellectual, who established the Ashram Gandhi Canti Dasa in 1976. Internationally acknowledged as a devotee of Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy, she dedicated herself to finding ways by…
Eight years ago I organized a retreat for American veterans of the Vietnam War. Many of the men and women at that retreat felt very guilty for what they had done and witnessed, and I…
Have you had the experience I had recently? I was taken aback when I heard the word ‘sexy’ while flying on the Indigo Airlines for the first time. [auth] After the initial uneasiness I realized…
Have you come across people who seriously think that these are the end times? But why would they think so? If you ask them, they will be ready with a long list of recent catastrophes,…
[auth] These are ‘the shepherds’ in His sightWho keep watch over ‘flocks’ by night;The milkman, watchman, paper-boys,Who forego many of life’s joysTo stay on watch beside their ‘sheep’,And to their tasks devotion keepThe nurses, mothers,…
Delio Mendonca talks about his book on the pioneering Indian artist, Fonseca Délio Mendonça, Fonseca, Goa, Architecture Autonomous,2022, pp. 252, images 126. (www.angelofonseca.com) What made you write this book? A good, complete book on this…
Joseph Victor Edwin talks about a book he edited on a saint who lived among Muslims Edited by Joseph Victor Edwin, Orbis Books,2022, pp. 128. Congratulations! Your book has won an award from the Catholic…
Christmas is upon us once again at a time when “the still sad music of humanity,” that William Wordsworth talked about has become a screeching scream. This is so obvious in the context of the…
His unfathomable love gently flowedAmong the least, the last and the lostThe shepherds and the Magi bowedBefore Mary’s babe, the Lord of hostsWhat have I done for the One who is born? [auth] From heavenly…
By choosing the Incarnation as the way to involve themselves in the world, the three divine persons - the Father, Son and Spirit - placed themselves at the mercy of human beings. Of the many…
In order to address the challenges faced by teachers in rural schools, CSSE (Conference Secretariat for School Education) came up with a new initiative, called TEEP (Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Program). These teachers play a crucial…
The biannual meeting of the major superiors of Jesuit Conference of South Asia held on 22 to 27 October ‘23 was hosted by the Pune province, and accommodation was provided by De Nobili College, Pune.…
The annual meeting of the Jesuit Vocation Promoters and Prenovitiate Directors (VPND), was held in Pedro Arrupe Institute (PAI), Raia, Goa, on 5-8 October 2023. Besides Fr Somy Mannoor (JAM), the new Secretary of the…
Although everyone understood the historical importance of the Synod on synodality that began in Rome on 04 Oct 2023, many wondered if it will succeed. [auth] Well, the first Session ended on 29 October. Did…
Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, Archbishop of Delhi and Fr. Stan D’Souza SJ, the President of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia blessed the renovated library of Vidyajyoti Institute of Religious Studies, Delhi on 18…
The annual Juniorate Staff meeting of the South Asian Jesuit Conference was held from Sept 19 to 21 at Vinayalaya in Mumbai. Twelve participants were present. The newly appointed CSIF, Fr Somy Mannoor, unfortunately could…
The star was hung and candle lit - M.K. George, SJ [auth] This is an old memory. To be precise, five decades old. The setting was a village in central Kerala, where life was still…
“See, I can simply say Jesuits inspire me. But I don’t feel comfortable with it because what I am in love with is your ‘mission - the service of faith and promotion of justice.’ I…
As I write this, the media are full of the sad, shocking, sickening news of the Hamas-Israeli war in the very land Jesus was born. The Ukraine war is still going on, with no hope…
A Jesuit organization took the initiative to organize a Conference to demand that the State government of Tamil Nadu, India extend to the minority schools special schemes it offers to the government schools. JCERT (Jesuit…
I have a vivid memory of the annual Christmas plays at my school, where I often found myself cast as one of the shepherds. On one occasion, I confided in my mother, expressing my desire…
Once upon a time, as all good stories begin, a young man, displaced from his village, found himself in a strange town with nowhere to stay. He was anxious, and rightly so. He was from…
Film: The Mission (1986) Director: Roland Joffé Cast: Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson, Ray McAnally, Aidan Quinn Cherie Lunghi Based on tragic historical events this movie tells the gripping tale of the Jesuit…
We are entering into the Christmas season again. The Christmas narrative tells us that the Lord was born in the darkness of a silent night, with animals for company. Was it only because his parents…
Can you think of a sadder tragic irony than this? He is hailed as ‘the Prince of Peace’. But the land, where he was born and brought up, where he wandered preaching God’s fatherly love,…
Remedios was a ‘People’s Person’: friendly; one who enjoyed meeting and talking with people. He would always begin any conversation with ‘What’s Up?’. These two words had a beautiful alchemy of endearing him to others.…
Dion died as he lived - peacefully on the morning of Sunday 24 September 2023. Dion was 78 years old and 62 years in the Society. His entire priestly ministry of 48 years was in…
Fr. John Britto Bonaventure’s’s association with Higher Education, first as a student and then as professor, research scholar and administrator, began and ended at St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli. His years of active ministry were mostly…
Fr. Joy John Arackal breathed his last at 5.00 pm on 7 October 2023, at Jivodaya Hospital, Delhi. Hailing from Thuruthy, Changanassery, Kerala, as a teenager, he had an intense desire to become a priest…
Fr. Mani V. Nedumattam, SJ was born on 18 February 1935 in a devout Catholic family. Wanting to be a missionary in North India, he joined the Patna Province in 1955. At Bettiah,northern Bihar, he…
Once I turned for guidance to the late Dom Bede Griffiths, a British Benedictine monk, who lived for many years and died at Shantivanam, also called Saccidananda Ashram, near Kulithalai in Tamil Nadu, India. As…
I arrived in Bali, Indonesia on the day before Christmas. December was a good month for Bali, with hot days, balmy nights, and long afternoons ending in spectacular sunsets. The palace of the Agung was…
Did you notice it? If you did, you deserve a pat on your back, because it shows you are a careful reader of Jivan. [auth] The first one to alert me to the mix-up…
When TV Narendran, the global CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel, was asked how big Tata Steel expected to be by the end of this decade, he said: ‘…We have doubled our production in the…
- Interview with Fr. Vincent Crasta, SJ, Superior, Sadhana Institute, Lonavla [auth] What exactly do you celebrate in October 2023? We had planned to celebrate 50 years of the Sadhana Institute in October this year. Due…
We are happy to announce the Jivan Short Story Contest for this year. The cash prizes to the winners come from a generous grant offered in 1997 by the family of Fio Mascarenhas, SJ and…
- The Founder of Sadhana Institute [auth] Mario Correia, SJ I had the privilege of meeting Fr Anthony de Mello, SJ (fondly called ‘Tony’) first as a novice in 1967, at Vinayalaya, Andheri, Mumbai. He…
The annual meet of Jesuit Novice Masters of South Asian Assistancy (JeNMaSA) was held at the Centre for Ignatian Spirituality (CIS), Beschi Illam, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, on 20 -28 August, 2023. All 14 Novice Masters…
Lisbon, Portugal became the youth hub of 2023, as it held two grand events, MAGIS 2023 and World Youth Day 2023. Youth from across the world huddled together to express their faith in Christ and…
– how a 15-year-old girl from Bihar influenced a Jesuit [auth] You may recall reading this last year. Jyoti Kumari was just a 15 year-old girl from a remote village in Bihar, studying seventh standard.…
India and the world will observe 2 October as ‘Gandhi Jayanti’, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who was born in 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat. [auth] Gandhiji’s contribution to the world and its relevance can…
Perhaps I was lucky to be born in a family where my parents encouraged us to make our own decisions. My father’s unique philosophy was that we make our own choices about our specializations, our…
[auth] Much still abides James Rodrigues, SJ (CEN) Loyola College, Chennai The Society has given me more than what I expected in my long journey. The superiors have been very kind and generous to me…
“Do I like a Jesuit? Or do I like the ‘Jesuits?’ Hmm, that’s a tough one… But is there a difference? Hmmm! I am not sure… Forget it. I have been associated with the Jesuits…
On 23 August ’23 Nicaraguan authorities banned the entire Society of Jesus from the country and ordered the confiscation of all its assets, claiming they failed to comply with tax reporting. After shutting down the Central American…
Film: Amazing Grace (2006) Director: Michael Apted. Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Romola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch, Albert Finney and others Run time: 120 minutes. Modern colonialism brought back the ancient practice of slavery in Christendom long after…
The fact I was trained and ordained and sent among Muslims nourishes my heart with joy and gratitude and gives me energy and consolation. I am grateful to God for the unmerited gift of life…
As a twelve-year-old boy I stared at my grandfather, who lay on his back on a thin carpet in his house in New Delhi, his eyes closed, his arms resting peacefully across his chest. My…
Fr John Robinson was admitted to Paramount Nursing Home, Kolkata for appendicitis. Unfortunately, he suffered a massive heart attack in the hospital and breathed his last. Robinson was born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, on 24…
Br. Francis Mathias came from a devoutly religious family. After having worked for some time as a welder, Br. Francis Mathias took a big life decision. Instead of working with metals, he decided to work…
Br. Irudayasamy entered the Jesuit Novitiate on 1 February 1961 at Beschi College, Dindigul. His first appointment was to maintain the House and Hostel at Loyola Public School, Guntur (1965-1967). When he was transferred to…
Fr. Joe Thadavanal was born on 10 April 1943 in Teekoy, Kerala. He was ordained in 1975. He was Rector of XTTI, Patna, Papal Seminary, Pune, Khrist Raja High School, Bettiah and St. Xavier’s College…
The sudden loss of Sch. Patrick Tirkey, S.J. has brought pain and tears to many, including children. Patrick was born in a loving Oraon tribal family with two younger brothers. His father is a daily…
Fr. Susai Raj remained quite active till the end of his life. Though he had a heart problem, none of us thought that he would say goodbye to us so suddenly. So, his death on…
[auth] Beneath Thy protracted blue veil52 euphoric saints call thee ‘Hail’Diverse ethos, stories, all kneeling as oneWith the triumph of Thy heavenly mission doneOnce sinners, none spurned and punishedSins and history now chiefly erasedA dream…
Jivan is our magazine. It is your magazine. So feel free to write for it. Number of words: Please keep in mind that it is the magazine of the entire South Asian Assistancy and so…
I am sure you have read the article, ‘INDIA’S SILENT READING MOVEMENT’, by Serish Nanisetti in the Hindu, which is about a ‘start up’ that began in Bengaluru and has now become a global phenomenon.…
It looks like the coming months are going to be crucial. [auth] All who truly love this great nation, - woman or man, whatever may be their religion, region, caste, race or economic status, -…
The JCSA Socii meeting, which was scheduled for July 2020 but postponed because of COVID-19, took place after three years on 7 - 9 July 2023 in Ashirvad, Bengaluru. Except Fr. Devadoss M. (MDU) who…
Introduction: How capitalism has eroded democracy [auth] In 2007 The UN General Assembly resolved to celebrate International Day of Democracy on 15 September, inviting member states to commemorate the day so as “to raise public…
Things we can do to prevent suicide. [auth] A young man, after walking quite a few kilometres through villages, met me on a Saturday evening at the presbytery where I had been staying. I asked…
On Sunday, 6 August ‘23 Sarva Astha Manch, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, organized a silent protest march in which more than 1000 participants from different religions - Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Tribal and Dalit representatives participated.…
As the dawn of Teachers’ Day approaches in India, the nation pauses to honour those who have dedicated their lives to shaping the minds and hearts of future generations. For me, this day carries a…
Many Catholic Christians imagine that Jesus was a chronically grim person. This is perhaps because they mostly look at him one-sidedly as a divine Person, forgetting that he was at the same time a truly…
It has taken so many centuries for a woman to play an important role in a Synod of Bishops. For this to happen we needed a Pope like Pope Francis, who appointed in 2021 Nathalie…
What Ignatian Psycho-Spiritual Process did for a Jesuit [auth] I used to harbor a lot of anger. I was an introvert, and a very closed person. Therefore I had a lot of problems in my…
“You go with all the excitement in the world to ‘Magis’ and are placed in an experiment you dread the most. How do you feel? Hmm… Tell Me…Ughhh! I was assigned a group that participated…
(Documentary) Runtime: 96 Minutes Producer: H M Television. The story of the Irish nun, Sr. Clare Theresa Crockett, is the tale of a dramatic faith journey. Born in a lukewarm Catholic family, in Londonderry, North…
Fr. Aloysius Vanderwall, SJ, affectionately known as Fr. Aloy, lived a life devoted to serving God and humanity. From his early days in the novitiate to his final years as the Spiritual Guide at Sneha…
The parishioners loved Augustine; he was their Pastor who built their church and the community. He was born on 15 July 1968 in Sangargalli. He did his novitiate at XTC-Desur (1992-1994), Juniorate in Kathmandu, Philosophy…
Fr Chettiyathara John M., popularly known as Fr C.M. John or Johnny was born on 29 December, 1952 at Vazhoor, Kottayam, Kerala. He entered the Society of Jesus on 09 July 1978 at Jisu Jaher,…
Fr Edward D’ Souza was a zealous, dedicated Jesuit priest who opted to work in the newly-established Jamshedpur mission. Born in Parel, Mumbai in a deeply religious family on 29 September 1936, he entered the…
Fr. Guy. F. Rajendram, (affectionately known as Fr. Guy, was a highly esteemed member of the Jesuit community in Sri Lanka. Born in 1934, he joined the Society of Jesus in 1951 and underwent religious…
Br. Irudayasamy entered the Jesuit Novitiate on 1 February 1961 at Beschi College, Dindigul. His first appointment was to maintain the House and Hostel at Loyola Public School, Guntur (1965-1967). When he was transferred to…
Fr Joseph M. Gauci Sacco was born at Hamrun, Malta, on 20 January 1937. He joined the Jesuit Novitiate on 02 October 1953. After his initial formation in Malta, he volunteered for the Santal mission…
Leslie was born on 10 February 1931 and spent his childhood in Pune. At 20, after graduating in Economics, he joined the Society of Jesus in 1951. He studied philosophy at Berchmans Kolleg in Munich-Germany.…
I landed on a small, dusty bush airfield in the middle of Western Australia. Nearby was the construction site of the world’s largest nickel refinery plant. Over 4,000 men lived and worked here as construction…
If the young Arturo Sosa met you today, do you think he would be satisfied? I think he would say “Well done” to me because I have done what I have enjoyed and that has…
I saw the full Moon a few nights ago. Now, obviously, this is nothing new. There’s a full Moon every month. In the seventy years I’ve walked the Earth I might have seen more than…
I had three novice masters in two years; one did not die as a Jesuit. He was asked to leave the Society. The man who succeeded him, touted as a very holy person, told me…
Divine presence in us is what connects all humanity with a common thread of love. It is the prime duty of all humans to let the Divine in them shine through them. We do it…
Burning fires shout the secretIt’s hate and cunning that birthed this strifeThose who laugh with hateful gleeForget that hate doesn’t win, they’ll see [auth] Wombs fear the fire and hate,Wondering if they should procreateShould we…
In March 2023, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) named three asteroids after Jesuit astronomers, bringing the total number of asteroids named in honour of Jesuits to more than thirty. The Jesuit encounter with astronomy is…
Roots and Wings - 2023 was held at Sacred Heart College (SHC), Shembaganur, Tamil Nadu from 12 April to 12 May 2023. We were 27 participants, including two Ursuline Sisters. On 12 morning Fr. Devadhas…
I have the privilege of having a CMI priest as a community member and a sojourner in my Ph.D journey. One evening, as we were involved in a friendly banter, I asked him, “How did…
I lost two of my elder brothers in a span of three years. They were in the prime of their lives. It was then that a sense of void and vulnerability became a tangible experience…
On 25 November 1949, the eve of the enactment of the Constitution, in a passionate speech to the Constituent Assembly, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, gave three unambiguous warnings: the need to give up the grammar of…
On this freezing winter morning, Fr Mariusz Han, SJ has woken to his alarm at 4 a.m. But his eyes light up instantly when he talks about his creation – his board game. Called ‘Ignatius…
Part 2 of the interview with Fr Vernon D’Cunha, Assistant ad Providentiam Why did GC 36 ask Fr. General to evaluate the restructuring of Provinces and Regions that had already taken place? [auth] The idea…
Dichotomy to Intrinsic Unity Ancient philosophers Socrates and Plato considered the body as a prison for the soul, while Aristotle taught that they function in a state of unity. Self-flagellation was recommended down the centuries…
Introduction The term 'Artificial Intelligence' was first coined in 1956 by John McCarthy, a pioneering cognitive and computer scientist. But it was the advancements in cyber technology and increased data availability in the 2000s that…
Jivan is our magazine. It is your magazine. So feel free to write for it. Number of words: Please keep in mind that it is the magazine of the entire South Asian Assistancy and so…
I should tell you about something strange and slightly scary that happened a few days ago. All through the morning chores like brushing, bathing, shaving etc, I keep listening to music. A bluetooth speaker brings…
On the occasion of Fr Stan Swamy’s second death anniversary, people all around the world gathered together and paid not only rich homage to him, but also prayed for holy boldness so that all of…
Dream, dream!Dream, even if the politicians say not to;Dream, even if the religious fanatics say never to;Dream, even if your own family doesn’t want to;Dream, dare to dream of a beautiful India! [auth] Dream until our…
Are you surprised that the guy who edited Jivan for 17 long years – from 2000 to 2017 – is back again after a gap of six years? Well, it was a huge surprise for…
One of the important events of the last academic year was certainly the defeat of the communal forces in Karnataka. With 135 seats and 42.9 per cent of the votes, the Indian National Congress party…
Ignatius truly wasA man of great discernmentWhose faith and courage led himTo inspire a mighty movement [auth] Through his trials and his strugglesHe found a path to lightAnd in the service of his LordHe showed…
Jivan is our magazine. It is your magazine. So feel free to write for it. Please keep in mind that it is the magazine of the entire South Asian Assistancy and so if your report…
About a hundred Jesuits gathered at Loyola, Spain, from 6 April to 21 May, 2023 for the Congregation of Procurators (CP 71). It is a formal gathering in which the delegates of Jesuit Provinces from…
Interview with Fr. Pavulraj Michael, SJ, on CP 71, Loyola, Spain [auth] Dear Fr. Pavul, thanks for the interview to Jivan. You attended the recent Congregation of Procurators in Spain. What was the atmosphere? Fr.…
LEAP (Leadership Enhancement and Animation Program) programs were conducted in Calcutta, Pune, Pathalgoan, Patna, Ranchi, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Jamshedpur and Hazaribagh. About 330 Jesuit School Leaders from all over the Conference participated in the programmes.…
Since his birth 532 years ago, the influence of St Ignatius of Loyola on the world and the Church has been truly phenomenal, both directly through his own writings, especially The Spiritual Exercises, and indirectly…
I was at ground zero. I saw the houses burning and the ‘homeless’ in the camps. Our own jeep was torched by miscreants on the highway for no reason and we were beaten by an…
“Attacks on Christians” is one of the headlines about the recent clashes in Manipur. It is not surprising, because many churches and chapels were attacked and there are allegations of some Meitei sacred places being…
Two recent events have parallels that are so stark that they are almost surreal. [auth] On 28 May 2023 the Delhi police dragged, arrested and charged with rioting and disorder, some of India's top women…
Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (Coimbatore) and Islamic Studies Association (Delhi) jointly organized two one-day seminars on “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” at Ooty (26 May 2023) and Coimbatore (27 May 2023). At…
The Ignatian Year (2022-23) brought forth many an initiative across the South Asian Assistancy. One ofthem was FOJET, (the Former Jesuits in Tamil Nadu). The concept invites the Former Jesuits to come together for a…
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Is it easy to do what St. Paul asks – to rejoice always and to give thanks in all circumstances? [auth] ‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in…
We, Daughters of the Cross, are required to make a month’s retreat based on the Ignatian Exercises before the final vows. The value of this directive was brought home to me powerfully in my month’s…
Film: The Least of These: The Graham Staines Story (2019) Director: Aneesh Daniel Running time: 112 minutes Cast: Stephen Baldwin, Shari Rigby, Sharman Joshy, Aditi Chengappa. In 1999 the violent death of the Australian missionary…
Fr. Braz Conceicao Faleiro was born on 8 December 1936, in Navelim-Goa. He did his Novitiate in Andheri-Mumbai, licentiate in Philosophy in Braga-Portugal and Theology in Innsbruck-Austria. He was ordained a priest in Zug-Switzerland. He…
Fr. John Misquitta was a multi-faceted personality - an educationist, theologian, pastor, socius to novice master, and dministrator. In losing Fr Misquitta, the Bombay Province has lost a great stalwart. Fr. John was a jogger.…
Alberto Hurtado, SJ, (1901-1952), in his brief (just 19 years as a priest) but eventful life, won many young souls for Christ. He is known as the one who built “Hogar de Cristo” (Christ’s Home).…
A few days ago, I was visiting my mother in the nursing home where she lives. She has been suffering from thyroid cancer and is “immune compromised,” which means that she is highly susceptible to…
On 27th October 2018, the XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops promulgated a path-breaking document ‘Young People, The Faith and Vocational Discernment’ at the end of a historic Synod on youth! The…
This will be my last editorial as Jivan editor. I am to take over another mission, requested by the Society. Being human, I feel emotional about leaving Jivan, as I enjoyed the job immensely. [auth]…
A major part of the Spirit’s activity in Jesus was the fashioning of his character. As a human being, Jesus had to grow spiritually, psychologically and physically, and he truly “increased in wisdom, and in…
India today is at the crossroads! On the one hand, with its current Presidency of the G-20, the country is desperate to take its place among ‘the super powers’; on the other hand, there are…
A Story: In a small village, a widowed mother and her son lived together. The mother worked as a gardener to support their family, and her son often watched her tend to the plants. One…
A new age will be created by the passion and power of young people. Generations after generations, young people have always been a core population of our society, on whom we shoulder our present and…
All India Catholic University Federation (AICUF) - a student movement, inspired by God, and initiated by a visionary Jesuit, has grown over the years, and is marching to step into the 100th year of its…
It was in 1993 that I first started using some verses from the Sermon on the Mount in my talks on institutional development in education: A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can…
The Jesuit Brother, Antonio Moscheni was born in the village Stezzano near Bergamo in Italy, in 1854. His natural talent for art was recognized and encouraged by his father, by sending him to the Academia…
The first prize winning short story of the JIVAN Creative Writing Contest (Short Story) 2022. [auth] Sunita gave a yellow polythene bag to Suman with three chapattis and potato ‘bhaji’ and said, “Come back on…
St. Ignatius wrote of the three classes of human beings with different levels of responses to God. This essay explores the role of “Superior” in terms of 3 classes of leadership: Forward, Status Quo, Regressive…
May is known not only for the summer heat. There is also the heat of transfers. Heat and sweat occasion grins and gloom, tears and laughter. Transfers remind me of a beautiful experience. Once, as…
The Jesuit artists of the South Asian Conference - dancers, painters, musicians, theatre, media men - came together to share and discuss on art ministries in the Conference. The annual meeting of the South Asian…
St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised a three-day workshop for All India Catholic University Federation (AICUF) State Advisers from 14th to 16th April 2023, on the university campus. Twenty five Jesuit state advisers from…
Re-imagining who one is, who one wants to be…what an exciting idea, what a courageous and radical process to undertake! That was my first thought when I read the theme of this issue of Jivan. …
Gladys Staines is one of India's most celebrated peacemakers. Her life came out purer by the test of fire. Her husband Graham Stuart Staines, her children Timothy Harold Staines and Philip Graham Staines were consumed…
(This Heart Desires For More) Who said youth are only inspired in your Jesuit Educational Institutions? Take me, for example, I was drawn to Jesuits who were in social and youth work. The first time…
When the darkness prevailed,A ghost like man sailedDeep into the deep sea.Blood like sweatFrom head to toe,Caught neither fish nor flesh. [auth] Then the sun arises from the slumberLike a lamp in a dungeon.“Cast your…
AwakeningIn the early years of the 21st century, journalists, print and social media, highlighted violence against children and vulnerable adults in different institutions run by State and Church agencies. Much of this media attention was…
In his letter dated 18th February 2023, keeping in mind the felt need of the church - namely safeguarding of minors and vulnerable adults (VA), the President of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia (POSA)…
Understanding clergy sexual offending is real and relevant today. No single cause has been identified. It is often varied, and includes victims of both genders. Susceptibility could be because of psychological, situational and organizational factors.…
The three-year Jesuit project of promoting a consistent culture of protection (PCCP) for minors and vulnerable adults is a relevant and much needed plan of action, given the increase in the varied forms of abuses…
It was in 1989, United Nations declared Child Rights in the UN Convention on Rights of the Child known as UNCRC. According to UNCRC, Child Rights are entitlements that should be afforded to all persons…
The formation of the Constitutions of the Society of the Sacred Heart for women, and the influence of the Jesuits on its development, is cradled in the dreadful turbulence that characterized France during the late…
Calvary is not the end of our Lenten journey, our goal should lead us to the resurrected Christ, and we should strive to live our daily life in the footsteps of the resurrected Christ. [auth]…
A modern and very human take on the story of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, often called 'The Saint of Second Chances.' As a brash, hot-headed soldier in a time of…
The book, ‘Religiously Political and Politically Religious’, is a series of thoughtful essays. There are 23 of them about life during the pandemic and after. The topics include the post-pandemic challenge to Christian churches, the…
Fr. John Moore SJ, was one of the first 6 Australian Jesuits to come to Hazaribag in February 1951. He was studying Hindi in Ranchi when suddenly in September 1951 he got a letter from…
As a lay and busy professional, I was captivated and awed at the incredible insights provided here about Christian prayer and the Eucharist. The dynamic role of personal prayer, and the need for active personal…
The 10th National Congress of the JAAI commenced on the evening of 10th Feb. 2023, hosted by the Jesuits Alumni Associations of Patna, in the prestigious and iconic St Xavier’s High School, St Michael’s High…
The National Education Policy-2020 (NEP) and Jesuit Higher Education: Challenges We Face, and Opportunities We Have”, was the theme of the Annual JHEASA Conference that was held in St Aloysius College, Mangaluru, from 26th January…
When I was going abroad for studies, I asked a brother in my community who had long lived abroad, “What advice would you give me, who is going abroad for the very first time?” Brother…
You have certainly heard about the ‘torture chambers’, but have you heard about the ‘torture tracks’? When the major superiors visited the Tata Motors in Jamshedpur - as part of the outing during the recent…
The spirituality of St. Ignatius has had a powerful influence in the Catholic Church over centuries. Numerous are the religious orders and varied forms of Catholic action that have found inspiration to pursue their goals…
Óscar Arnulfo Romero (1917 -1980), a pastor, prophet, martyr, is now . . . “Saint of the Americas.” In his own words, a priest’s role is not just to celebrate Mass, administer sacraments, organize catechism…
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a tricky question to dodge when you are growing up. Like most of us, my answer changed from a singer to an actor, then…
The students of the Jesuit Formation Center for Theology (JFCT), Ranchi made a pilgrimage to the shrine of the Servant of God and martyr, Fr. Herman Rasschaert, SJ to Kutungia in Simdega Diocese of Jharkhand,…
The Communication commission and Youth commission of Jesuit Chennai Province jointly organised a three-day (Feb 24th-26th) workshop on “Creating Counter Narratives” for young students, animators and teachers in Loyola College campus, Chennai. There were 30…
CARITAS AUSTRALIA launched a Project called “Khushhall Bachpan”, promoting Happy Childhood in collaboration with Caritas India, Delhi, at XISA - Xavier Institute of Social Action, Raipur, Chhattisgarh on 1st March, 2023. In his keynote address,…
All those who have been his students in the different centers, will agree and testify that Fr. Tony was there always at their service in sickness and in health, in class and on the play…
Fr. S. Arulanandam, S.J., passed away on 12/12/2022 at Sumeru Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. He had been diagnosed with cancer and was under treatment for the past few months. Fr. Arulanandam, S.J. (Fr. Arul) joined the…
Fr. Francis Britto was born in Chinna Dharapuram, Tamil Nadu, in 1947. He entered the Society for the Madurai Province at Beschi College, Dindigul, in 1964. After his First Vows and Juniorate studies there, he…
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim 4:7). The late Fr. Arun Kumar Bara was born on 9th November 1989 in Chhoti Anni village…
The Beatitudes are full of meaning affecting different aspects of life. Fr. Paul attempted to live them courageously. Fr. Paul Vaz came from a very religious, God-fearing family in a simple South Mumbai neighbourhood. The…
Fr. Robert (Bob) Menezes, S.J. was a multi-talented man with no gas about any of his gifts. He shared his giftedness generously in every way possible with no airs about it. No matter who was…
Born on 2nd August 1932 in Changanacherry, Kerala, Fr. Moolel had his schooling and completed his Intermediate studies as a university rank holder in Thiruvananthapuram. He entered the Novitiate in 1951. Years of formation followed.…
Born in a small village called Velliavilai in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, Fr. Fernandes did his primary and high school studies in a nearby town of his native place, and went on to finish his…
Fr. Dominic was born in Nagpur on 22nd July 1953. He joined the Society on 20th June 1973. He joined as a Brother and later on discerned to be a Priest in the Society. He was ordained…
Sister Nivedita (1867–1911), “the offered one to God”, is a personification of empathy and spirituality who eternally lives in the soul of India. As Margaret Elizabeth Noble, she responded to Swami Vivekananda's call, travelled to…
Who would have thought that a naïve, humble girl from an indigenous community could become the lead HR of Caritas, India? “Oops! Let’s chuck these clichéd beginnings.” “I have always dreamed of pursuing management studies…
Jamshedpur Jesuit Province has been a missionary province where the Jesuits, sent on a mission, have realized the command of the Lord to preach the Good News to the people of the land. This brief…
The impact of business on culture, the environment and stewardship of God's creation, has been recognised by Jesuit institutions for almost 500 years. From a Jesuit perspective, a business education is directed not merely toward…
Jesuit social apostolate encompasses a wide spectrum of activities and engagements - ranging from works of charity to taking sides in solidarity with historically marginalised peoples and their struggles to bring structural and systemic change…
Since the General Congregation (GC) 31, the Society of Jesus recognised the need for active Lay collaboration in promoting the educational mission of the Society, inviting lay people to be partners in the mission. Some…
Jamshedpur Jesuit Province and Jamshedpur Diocese have had a unique relationship for a long time. The uniqueness comes from the First Mission Superior, Fr Carroll Fasy's "strong belief in the Community.” He wished to keep…
The Path before the Province [auth] Legend has it that St. Ignatius of Loyola sent off Francis Xavier with the words “ite inflammate omnia,” and I guess the founder would tell us the same today…
“Our institutions are our strength”, I heard a Jesuit companion say at one of our meetings. On another occasion, I also heard a beneficiary of one of our city institutions saying: “Father, your institutions are…
It is exciting to look back on the 50 years of JYOTI (Jamshedpur Youth Organization for Tomorrow's India), a remarkable Youth Movement, and celebrate the extraordinary impact it has had on the lives of young…
India has two key social formations, the castes and the tribes. Both groups can be studied from the perspective of society (Samaj) and culture (Sanskriti). However, studies on castes largely deal with social structure and…
As a religious order in the Church, the Jesuits are a puzzle. Yet despite rapid growth, papal suppression, later revival and present flourishing, Jesuits have always been controversial to the outsider - Christian and non-Christian.…
An immortal dream, unflagging dogged determination to be the change and ray of hope for millions of eyes, an unsung warrior who created an inevitable part of history: Sr. Rani Maria-The Face of the Faceless.…
Jesuits supported the inception, development, expansion of a Congregation LDFX in the Ahmedabad Diocese of Gujarat. To express gratitude to God and to all who were instrumental in the birth and growth of LDFX, this…
As Jesus began his public ministry, he had three popular models of leadership to choose from – Patron Model, Pontiff Model and Politico Model. His temptations show his dilemma of making the right choice. As…
In a historic move, Father John Felix Raj, Vice-Chancellor of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) conferred the D.Litt (Honoris Causa) on Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, in the fourth Convocation ceremony on 6th…
St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangalore, a premier Jesuit College with a heritage of 143 years, has attained the distinctive achievement of securing A++ Grade with the CGPA of 3.67, on a 4.00 point scale in…
Magis - a word known to every Jesuit - has a unique aura when it is heard in the evergreen youth circles. It brings to mind “MAGIS” - the programme designed to give youth a…
Moved by the loving and inviting gaze of the Lord on him, Francis D’Souza left everything and followed the Lord for the unknown land of Darjeeling. He entered the Society in 1971 and after going…
Fr. John Santos was a zealous, dedicated Jesuit, ready to be sent anywhere on mission. Born in Pune on 6th May 1928, in a deeply religious family, he entered the Society on 21st June 1951.…
Fr. Peter Raj Chinnappan, the esteemed companion, friend and well-wisher of all, who made the lives of a few thousands academically bright, breathed his last at 4.00 p.m. on 28th December 2022, in Kauvery hospital, Chennai.…
Fr Benjamin Tigga was born at Sarbahala, Dhumadanr, in Chattisgarh, on 18th August 1952. He joined the Society of Jesus on 3rd December 1971 and was ordained a priest on 15th May 1984. Fr Benji…
“The answers to life’s most complex problems are simple ones; think simple and you will not complicate your life.” This quote describes succinctly ‘simple brother’ Michael Lopes’ life. He enjoyed claiming “I am a simple…
Cap enjoyed cycling, trekking and long walks. He told us that once a palmist told him that he would die on the road. We would tease him, ‘Cap, please carry your ID card always and…
During the time of St. Ignatius, there was a widespread challenge to the Catholic faith through the Reformation. Jesuits got involved in the defence and eventual restoration of the Catholic faith. This they achieved by…
Women of India, strong and bold,With grace and beauty, their stories untold.Their struggles immense, yet they rise,With courage and perseverance in their eyes. [auth] They bear the burden of home and work,With dignity and strength,…
The Sesquicentenary (150 years) of the very first Catholic Baptisms in the whole of Chotanagpur and the birth of Jamshedpur Province 75 years ago impel the Province to celebrate a festival of joy. This momentous…
Our soul is a garden, our thoughts are the seedsWe can grow flowers, or we can sprout weeds [auth] In this crazy busy world, many have taken to gardening as a relaxing and recreational hobby,…
You travel to any part of our country and you hear this unusual news: ‘it rained here recently’. ‘This time the winter was acute’. In fact, 2022 saw some of India’s wettest and warmest months…
According to the Statutes of Vidyajyoti, Art. 1, “Initiatives and activities of Vidyajyoti… are intended to promote the values of Christian tradition, and in particular, values of our time most in need – the dignity…
The documents of Vatican II recognised “elements of truth and grace … among peoples” (Ad Gentes, 9), and affirmed that other religions and cultures have “a ray of that truth which enlightens all men” (Nostra…
As Secretary of the Archdiocesan Women’s Commission of Bombay, one of my duties was to plan and organise the Women’s Day celebrations. Lent invariably coinciding with 8th March was a kind of spoiler. In time…
The book 'O God, Where Are you?' is a precious collection of short articles by M.J. Thomas, S.J., written during the course of the last five years. In it he shares his insights and convictions…
Jeevan Mendonsa’s work is very helpful in bringing together the perspective of a contemporary Aristotelian, Alasdair MacIntyre, noted in this respect for his Dependent Rational Animals, and the positions debated in evolutionary ethics. From his reading…
“The quality of Jesuit Education depends entirely on the quality of the educators in our schools”. The book by Fr. (Dr.) Vinod Fernandes SJ is truly aimed at enhancing the quality of Jesuit educationists. The…
Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, issued an apostolic letter, Totum Amoris Est (Everything pertains to Love) on the fourth centenary of the death of Saint Francis de Sales on 28th December 2022. [auth] Francis de…
The year 8th June 2021 marked the fourth Centenary of the death of Our Foundress, Anne de Xainctonge, born in Dijon, France (1567-1621) which coincided with the first “Cannonball” moment of St. Ignatius of Loyola…
The Spanish Jesuits I know who worked and are still working in the Bombay and Gujarat Provinces have come, as far as my knowledge goes, from the Spanish regions of Castile, Aragon, Catalonia, Valencia, and…
The Major Superiors of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia, in their bi-annual meeting held from 23rd to 30th October 2022 at Shembaganur, took several decisions on School Education, some of which are: paying special…
Ever since its inception 25 years ago, IISR (Indian Institute of Science and Religion) Delhi, has been organizing much-appreciated international symposiums on the latest developments in science and technology and their impact on common people.…
The Apostleship of Prayer, now known as the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and Eucharistic Youth Movement have truly come a long way. The beginning of this prayer network dates back to 1844 in Vals, France, by the Jesuits. It was…
The annual meeting of the Vocation Promoters and the Pre-Novitiate Directors of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia was held at Matigara. Thirty-eight Jesuit Vocation Promoters and Pre-Novitiate Directors took an active part in the…
Fr. Adappur engaged in constant dialogue with the secular world. Aged 96, he died in Christ Hall, Kozhikode. His convictions, opposition to communism, and sense of justice, made him a philosopher-ascetic. He presented Christian doctrines in a secular style.…
Fr. Ekka Marcel SJ, participated in a fellowship programme in Social Management in Ahmedabad in 1985, and in 1986 involved himself in training the Balwadi Activists, organizing protest rallies against the Semarsot Wildlife Sanctuary project…
Fr. Victor Eugene D’Silva was born at Bondel, Mangaluru, on 23rd August, 1942. He was the fourth among five children. He did his initial schooling at St. Lawrence Higher Primary School, Bondel. He completed his…
Fr. Ornellas Coutinho (GUJ), affectionately called ‘Orny’, was born on 6th August 1942, in Goa; joined the Jesuits on 20th June 1961, pronounced his first vows on 21st June 1963 at Vinayalaya, Bombay; ordained a…
Fr. George Nedungatt passed away on 26th October 2022 at Christ Hall, Kozhikode. Born in Peringuzha near Muvattupuzha, Fr Nedungatt began exhibiting his talents already in his school-days by organising the Marian Sodality in his…
78 years of fulfilled life, 61 years as a Jesuit and 49 years as a priest. Initially a professor of economics, his search for the MAGIS led him to the Communications ministry. Ultimately he found…
As the context for the reflections stated ahead, at the outset let me state that I have spent 22 years as an ex-Jesuit after being in formation for 15 years. The context I want to…
Desmond Mpilo Tutu (1931-2021), “Africa’s Peace Bishop,” was a man of God and of letters. A long, eventful life of this Nobel Laureate can best be summarised as an idea whose time was ripe. He…
“I think I was six years old when Fr Melchi Tigga took me to a substation where he was to preside over the Holy Eucharist. It was 13 km away from the parish. We were…
The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is at our doorstep in India with a pressing mandate for its implementation. We in the school and higher education, need to prepare ourselves to make the best of…
The New Year 2023 has already rolled in. To begin with, let me wish you a healthy, happy and apostolically fruitful New Year. [auth] Sometimes I wonder whether anything has altered with the change of…
Double Engine Government, is a good puzzleIt’s in fact a decoy for double troubleFirst trouble is democratic autocracySecond is mono-religious supremacyDestroying all the political opponentsWith state’s power for enforcementsDouble patronage for chosen religionGovernment money splurged…
Spontaneous memories of the students of the last fifty years of Vidyajyoti would vary: some may recall the buildings and the neighbourhood places like the landmark Gujarati Samaj while others remember their visits to historic…
Meet Naleena Prasheetha, the first transperson to get a graduate degree in VISCOM from Loyola College, Chennai. She has come a long way in challenging the accepted binary classification of gender. When asked about Loyola,…
The Jesuit pioneers, who entered war-torn Afghanistan in 2005, considered education to be their greatest contribution to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and returnees, after peace had been (formally) re-established in 2001. [auth] Among these…
She was born as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on 26th August, 1910, but her real birth, many believe, was forty years later in 1950, when she founded the Missionaries of Charity, among the poor, the ailing…
Seconds, minutes, hours and days,Weeks, months and years as always,Begins neither with rectitude nor gratitude.I’m a vagabond amidst thy multitude.O God with humanity, lead me on. [auth] You draw straight with crooked lines.Unfathomable might, thy…
The Directors of Novices of JCSA had our annual meeting, after two years of COVID break, from August 21st - 30th 2022, at Arrupe Renewal Centre - Jesuit Novitiate, Meghalaya. All fourteen novitiates were represented.…
The Annual Meeting of the Province Coordinators for Education (PCEs) was held at Good Shepherd Convent, Bangalore from the evening of 2nd Oct. to 5th Oct 2022, under the able leadership the CSSE Secretary, Fr.…
Rev. Fr. Arturo Sosa SJ - Superior General, has appointed Fr. Vincent Hansdak (49) as the New Provincial of Hazaribag, through his letter dated 17th November, 2022. He was born in Giridih district of Jharkhand…
“We too escaped on boat like the Vietnamese people in the video. It also made me feel sad that people have been suffering like this down the history. But there are others like the JRS…
14th November 1980, was a historic day in the annals of the Society of Jesus! Traditionally, it was the Feast of St Joseph Pignatelli – regarded as the second Founder of the Jesuits. [auth] On…
Just as the cry of the boat people of Vietnam in 1979 shocked Pedro Arrupe to initiate the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in the Society, the plight of People of Concern (PoC) fleeing away from…
Madhesh Manjhi hailed from Masaurhi which is just 30 km from Patna - the state capital of Bihar. Finding no gainful employment, he left with some of the villagers in the first week of November…
Every year when Christmas comes along, I go through an almost allergic reaction of frustration and incredulity, to the narrative that is repeated, emphasised and swallowed unquestioningly by everyone. It is so different from what…
Stories of people towards dignity In December 2019, T. Yanadhan, aged 28, born to a Sri Lankan parent living in a refugee camp in Pavalathanur, implored the district collector’s permission to kill himself due to…
Life in any form goes through change and often transformation. Human beings like other beings are gifted with evolution. Nevertheless, as human beings we are also gifted with free will and thus choose human progress…
St. Ignatius founded the Jesuit Order to face the challenges raised by the Reformation. Today we have to face totally new challenges with new strategies suitable to the times. I am suggesting four important points:…
Fr. John D’Mello was known as ‘Gamcha Father’ as he used to go around with a towel around his neck. He was also known as “Happy Birthday Father” as he used to wish everyone “Happy…
The affectionate, loving, and hard-working Vijay was born in Kerala – Mutholy, in 1943. Though baptised as Mathew, he changed his name to Vijayanand Marialayam in solidarity with the people he intended to work with.…
For the last several years, Fr. Lancy resided at St. Xavier’s High School Community, Fort, Mumbai. On Thursday, 24th March 2022 he celebrated his 50th sacerdotal anniversary. He vested in his ordination cassock which fitted…
If we google it, we know at once that esprit de corps means ‘a feeling of pride and mutual loyalty shared by the members of a group’. We wish to reflect upon the same in…
If I were to ask you, ‘have you seen or heard of LENS?’ I’m sure you would say “Yes!” thinking of lenses related to the eyes and camera. But the LENS I’m referring to is…
The universal Society of Jesus was gearing up to give recognition to the contributions made by the Brothers in its various apostolates. Therefore numerous deliberations took place worldwide. Brothers’ commissions were formed in every Conference…
A few months ago I pronounced my final vows, concluding a twenty-year period of formation as a Jesuit Brother. This formation would have been difficult to distinguish from that of a priestly scholastic, with a…
“Brothers, in the same way as Priests, are integrated into the Society by reason of the ‘one common call’ of the Lord to follow Him in living out the evangelical radicality of religious life. But…
[auth] I completed sixty years in the Society of Jesus. As I stand at the crossroads of time, my mind takes a nostalgic trip down memory lane. I retrieved in time, events and people, especially…
How digital technology has changed the way we read and write [auth] One of my Jesuit colleagues bemoaned the fact that the libraries in Jesuit houses are now just empty rooms with musty cupboards filled…
We would like to say something personal to you, dear Coadjutor Brothers of the Society of Jesus. Let it be our confession, our tribute and an accolade to you and your unique vocation. [auth] History…
The purpose of the apostolic letter “Desiderio Desideravi’ given on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul – 29th June 2022, and addressed to all, is “the liturgical formation of the people of God”. [auth]…
In 2003, she was a simple girl, the eldest among seven, from a rural village—Kezoma. When children her age were dreaming of education, she specialised in sibling management. She couldn’t afford to dream, given her…
JYMSA was officially constituted by the Jesuit Conference of South Asia in 1994. It was then incorporated in the newly approved apostolic Secretariat of Social Apostolate and Ecology. The declaration of Universal Apostolic Preferences in…
Giovanni Antonio Solinas, our new Blessed, was beatified on 2nd July 2022, in Argentina. His feast-day is 16th November. [auth] Giovanni Antonio Solinas (1643-1683), an Italian Jesuit, was massacred on 27th October 1683, in Zenta,…
“Without Brothers, the Society of Jesus would not be the Society of Jesus. Brothers embody the Jesuit call to the vowed life in an especially clear way, and they model for us ways of participating…
The annual meeting of the Province / Region Coordinators for Formation (PCFs / RCFs) and the Rectors and Superiors of the common houses of formation of the South Asian Conference, under the leadership of Fr.…
Do you know, that although all the first companions of Ignatius were graduates, the original list of Jesuit ministries did not include education? Ignatius wanted his men to be free to move from place to…
‘Have Roots first and Wings then’ is indeed a catchy concept. While we proceed to reimagining and re-founding the Jesuits, we must refuse to be the prisoners of the past, without pooh-poohing the roots of…
Pope Francis calls for a SYNOD, for all people who are active participants on the journey to the Kingdom, helping each other, as they go on. What would this mean for Jesuits? [auth] 1. ALL - concerned…
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), Asia’s first Noble laureate in literature was a polymath – a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He was the one of the greatest poets in India. Tagore believed that…
God has been so great in accompanying me all these years. I have felt His constant guidance in making me what I am today. I thank everyone who has played his or her part in…
[auth] Eternal rest they got and desirously sought,The Heaven’s Lamb along with the celestial lotGone they are to be the omniscient OneLeaving loving memories and paths under the sun. Beneath the stones they reside for…
After a grand success of ‘Waves – Story Bank’, Fr. Felix Raj’s another literary creation ‘Tides – Story Bank’ narrating different experiences of life was released. Dr. Shashi Tharoor, MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala has written…
The documentary, "The Letter: A Message for Our Earth" had its premiere at the Vatican on 4th Oct., the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. It’s been released via YouTube Originals, for anyone anywhere and…
Twenty-five years after her death Mother Teresa continues to inspire. No Greater Love, an American documentary on her remarkable life, is produced by Tim Moriarty for the Knights of Columbus, and directed by David Naglieri,…
The inimitable Jesuit practice of poverty has two entwined threads ‘spiritual’ and ‘actual’ (Sp. Ex. 98, 146), the attainment for which Grace every Jesuit intentionally and actively prays and deliberately chooses. Actual poverty is relinquishing…
The letter written on 7th August 1547 by St. Ignatius to the Jesuits of Padua, highlights the inner spirit with which one is invited to live a life of poverty. The context of this communication…
Archbishop Fulton J Sheen was a true instrument of the Holy Spirit in touching the hearts of countless people through his night-time radio program ‘The Catholic Hour’ on NBC (1930–1950), before moving to television and…
“There is no prevention; there is no cure. It is getting worse…. They brought in a holy man… but he ran away in terror,” says Lilly to the bartender, narrating her exorcism episode. Lilly, a…
Poverty as a choice [auth] In the letter on the need to examine our vow of Poverty, Fr General wrote: “It is not the lack of many material goods that we recognize Jesus poor and…
I had the privilege of getting educated in a Salesian School, and was closely associated with the Salesian Sisters and Fathers right from my childhood, and have worked in close collaboration with them. Moreover, I’m…
The dawn has come for the Society of Jesus in South Asia with the venturing of a school of Environmental Science at SJU, Bengaluru. The new university has established PG and Research Programs in Environmental…
Have we ever wondered, ‘How did Francis Xavier, and his saint-confreres (Faber, Canisius, Kostka, etc.,) pray?’ or ‘Who was responsible, under God, for training them in holiness and prayerfulness?’ The answer, of course, is that…
The world is lovely, nice and sweet;Joyful frowns, yet a painful treat.Rivers flow and flowers bloom:God made earth’s very womb. [auth] Hills and mounts, plains and valleys,Full of wonder are His alleys!Milky seas and silky…
We usually think of the vow of poverty as a matter of renunciation, and therefore something burdensome. We forget that in essence, it is a gift of joy and freedom. The vow of poverty was…
The proper understanding and prudent practice of religious poverty has probably never been easy in any age. Therefore, the Church in general and the Society in particular, has seen a sea change in the articulations…
(1907, 14th November, born at Bilbao in Spain) Joyous, you deserve, basking in Heaven sure, we revere;Noble Basque the Family you come from, we adhere;Born for higher things, Greater Glory of God held you sway,Poised to…
Years ago, when I was studying at St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore, I heard a lovely hymn being sung. It was sung in a melodious voice by no less a person than the late Fr. Cecil…
Have you read the book, ‘Revenge of Power’ by Moisés Naím? It is a must-read book. In case you have not, you may at least watch his interview on the Internet. Moisés Naím examines the…
Vidyajyoti, Institute of Religious Studies and Faculty of Theology, Delhi, has come out with a book on “No Synodality Without…” The book is the fruit of a three-day national symposium on "Journeying Together in the…
A Conference titled, “Strengthening Jesuit International Education in Times of Global Challenge” was held from 19th-21st September 2022, at Loyola University in Seville, Spain. The Conference was mainly for those responsible in promoting international student…
This is a brief review of an e-book, meant to be read on one’s computer or tablet, as millions of readers are doing today. This little volume [30 articles, 123 pages] consists of the selected…
This slim book is yet another attempt to bridge the large gap in understanding and cooperation between Christians and Muslims. It is a helpful guide to getting to know the Qur’an through thirty brief reflections…
Re-imagining the Jesuits is a discernment that has to come from the ones involved. In that sense, I am a complete outsider: a Latin American Jesuit who has never been in South Asia, who works…
Jesuits across the globe had recently been engaged in celebrations: The Universal Apostolic Preferences, the Ignatian Year of Conversion and Canonization, and the Review of the Statutes on Poverty. That was a lot to chew,…
Ever since the World Social Forum started in 2001, its slogan Another World is Possible has caught global attention. This slogan found an alluring echo across the world as it gave expression to a radical…
“The purpose of this synod is not to produce more documents. Rather, it is intended to inspire people to dream about the church we are called to be, to make people’s hopes flourish, to stimulate…
Pope Francis declared that synodality is what God expects of the Church in the 21st century. He has put his own transformative stamp on the meaning and conduct of synods, saying that a synod ought…
It was in May 2022, that I was in a synodal meeting held at the laity center of the Diocese of Berhampur, in the eastern Indian State of Odisha. More than 70 representatives from 26…
“This journey, which follows in the wake of the Church’s ‘renewal’ proposed by the Second Vatican Council, is both a gift and a task: by journeying together and reflecting together on the journey that has…
The launch of the Synod on Synodality in October 2021, came as a big surprise to many of us! Who would have expected Pope Francis to throw such an extraordinary invitation asking ‘all of the…
Recently, while looking for some books in our house library, I was told that all our libraries have been shifted upstairs, and some books have been donated to other libraries in the Province. So, I…
Pope Francis reminded the members of the Vatican Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, that consecrated life is the “Gospel” for today’s world. [auth] The Holy Father was recalling the…
Recently, Fr. Konrad Noronha SJ, the director of the Centre for Safeguarding and Human Formation, organized a Conference on gender sensitization. It was an opportunity to listen to and learn from a wide spectrum of…
When I started to jot down my thoughts and reflections, one of the phrases which is often used by one of my philosophy professors, strikes my mind: “Silence too speaks”. [auth] The silence of St.…
The International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) had its Assembly in Boston College USA, from 3rd – 6th August 2022. Thirty seven delegates from JHEASA attended the Assembly, although more than sixty delegates had registered…
The Society of Jesus has been continuously ‘reimagining the Jesuits’ throughout its history, because Ignatius wanted us to always see all things new in Christ, and hence, to be ever open to change and growth,…
When one lives in a culture of contradiction, conflict and confusion, one would surely ask: Is it possible to reimagine, recast, or be and act differently? [auth] The theme, ‘Reimagining the Jesuits’, took me to…
On his 97th birthday 27th June, Father Kunnunkal was wheeled to India International Centre, New Delhi for the celebration of his birthday by over a hundred of his former students of St. Xavier’s School, Delhi,…
In these annual letters, the Jesuits have recorded how they found the local social practices to be offensive. Indeed, these letters show some evidence to the ‘civilising mission’ undertaken by the European missionaries. However, they…
Young people the world over have grown up in an era marked by constant change, by life-threatening events like the Covid-19 pandemic, the environmental crises and by constant economic uncertainty. A young person’s self-consciousness and…
Celebrating the grand finale of the Ignatian Year, the Chennai Province along with some Jesuit collaborators, walked as co-pilgrims towards the Shrine of Adaikala Annai (Our Lady of Refuge), Elakurichi, Kumbakonam Diocese. This historic event…
Fr. Dr. S. Ignacimuthu SJ, the Director of Xavier Research Foundation at St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli Dt., and former Vice Chancellor of Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, and University of Madras, Chennai, received the Dr. A.P.J.…
Most of you must be watching the Commonwealth Games. You should listen to this story, a story of an uncommon game played in 2007 by very common tribal boys from Odisha. That victory happened also…
Clean energy and waste management are two of the biggest challenges that we need solutions to, for protecting the planet. Every ton of vegetable waste has the potential to generate about 20 kilowatts of electricity.…
Fr. Kulandairaj was fully conscious, listening and speaking till the end. On 3rd July 2022, around 8.30 pm, Fr. Anand was feeding him guava juice with a tea spoon. Fr. Kulandairaj was talking to him and others.…
The presence of more than 500 persons at his funeral, and hundreds who followed it online, are a testimony to the impact the quiet and humble Fr. Albert D’Silva had on the lives of priests,…
Fr. Anthony Samy (EOF 78/59, originally from MDU) was born in Valanthur, Tamil Nadu, on 15th August 1943. Inspired by the Jesuits of St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai, where he did his PUC studies, he joined…
For me and my Jesuits friends and those who knew him, Garriz Bapu will always be a wonderful human being and an incomparable icon for inculturation. He told me cultures and religions in India were scarcely in conflict with each other, and that the one who influenced him…
His sudden demise on 7th August 2022 saddened all Jamshedpur Jesuits and his family members. He was born on 24th May 1957, to Joseph and Angela Xaxa at Kesramal, Rourkela diocese, Odisha. He had six…
Fr. Rufino passed away peacefully on 9th August 2022, at Xavier Residence, Porvorim, Goa. He would have been 90 years old on 4th September 2022. He served people in Goa, Patna and Nepal, for a…
[auth] It was the Rathyatra decades agoIgnited a flame for the foot soldiers to go,When their fortunes were nose-diving,United them against a humanity living;Destroyed their place of worship,Shattered the beautiful friendship,Galvanized them to brute power,To…
Are you a Jesuit? If your answer is ‘yes’, then I am sure you know this well. Before the formal foundation of the Society of Jesus, St Ignatius of Loyola had tried twice to form…
The first prize winning short story of the competition of common Jesuit Juniorates. [auth] The Sun had already set and the freezing winter made the entire slum shut in and shivering. Men dared to warm…
“Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom”: A cliché has come alive for us in India! What a dream our Founding Mothers and Fathers had for our country at Independence! And we made it almost…
Alfred Lord Tennyson in his book, The Passing of Arthur, had rightly said, “The old order changeth, yielding place to new; and God fulfills himself in many ways, lest one good custom shall corrupt the…
If the intention is good; if the goal is the Common Good; if the means are good; if there is group camaraderie, loyalty and joy in the struggle; if there is determination to overcome any…
This small article is written based on my experience of engaging with Jesuit institutions - mainly social centers. I have also worked with Jesuit institutions to promote and strengthen collaboration between Jesuits and lay leaders.…
The June 2020 white paper, “An Inspirational Paradigm for Jesuit Business Education,” presents a vision for the future of business education, and the transformative effect it should have on our students and on society. [auth]…
My vision for the future is a Society of Jesus that can respond quickly to world events, a Society that is more agile to face challenges such as poverty; secularisation; the cry of the poor;…
Through a discernment process world-wide, we Jesuits have located four priorities for the future of Jesuit presence in the changing world. They do form the orientations for our apostolic involvement and in envisaging new structures.…
The International Association of Jesuit Engineering Schools (IAJES) was formed four years ago, in response to a call from Pope Francis and Fr General to foster communication and cooperation among Jesuit engineering schools. From 13th-15th…
During the week of July 3-10, nearly forty Jesuit brothers from different continents came to the Curia to share their experience of religious life as brothers. What does it mean today to be a Jesuit…
It was a proud moment for the entire Madurai Jesuit Province when Fr. Ignacimuthu, SJ, was appointed as the chief editor of “Indian Journal of Products and Resources” (IJNPR). It is a quarterly publication which…
Assam and the other states of the North-East are battered regularly by rains. Mawsynram in Megahalaya has replaced Cherapunji as the ‘wettest place on earth’. Floods and landslides are a common occurrence, leading to loss…
Vidyajyoti (VJ), Institute of Religious Studies - Faculty of Theology (1972-2022), formerly St. Mary’s College, Kurseong (1879-1971), is celebrating its fifty years - it’s golden jubilee. On 11th July 2022, the inaugural jubilee Eucharist was…
Recently, as a research scholar, I visited one of the prestigious Jesuit institutions in India and met one of the senior faculty with more than 19 years of teaching experience. (He also taught me when…
Leadership and Management (LM) are increasingly becoming interdependent, and so pose a challenge to the Church and the Society of Jesus, especially in the changing context. We are called to remodel our LM constantly. [auth]…
Recently we celebrated the first death anniversary of Fr Stan Swamy. Many paid rich tributes. The UN Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor said: “…Father Stan’s life represents the best tradition of human rights defence and social…
He came to India when he was 24. He went back to his birthplace in Switzerland when he was 85. For the intervening six decades, he was “Bacher Baba”, a man of God, who did…
Mamoon Akhtar in his 7th grade was once told, ‘If you cannot pay the fee, you cannot sit for the examination.’ But 48-year-old Mamoon today has a franchise of four schools in West Bengal, with…
Fr. Joseph Alexander – known as Joe - was born in Bettiah in a simple, devout family. Joe always lived that simplicity, led a deeply religious life - spending time with the Lord, devoted to…
Many outstanding qualities and a simple, disciplined lifestyle enabled Fr Edwin to be an exemplary figure to all of us in the Province. He was a gentleman, kind and considerate in all his dealings, a…
Fr. Susai Thomas was born on 20th December 1955, in Satharasan Patty in Sivagangai Diocese of Tamil Nadu. He was the youngest of six siblings. He joined the Society of Jesus on 21st November 1974…
Br. Joseph Ullattil was born on 10th April 1941, the second eldest among 12 children. His elder brother who was a religious priest went to his eternal reward before Br. Joseph. He has two religious…
Fr. Anthony Ryan, always called Tony, was born in Gisborne, New Zealand on 27th October, 1939, and entered the Jesuit novitiate at Loyola College, Watsonia, Melbourne, Australia, on 17th February, 1958. After completing Philosophy studies,…
Fr. Suman Minj, SJ was born to Mr Boniface Minj and Mrs Regina Kujur on 16th July, 1971, in Timkitanr village, Sale Parish, in Daltonganj Diocese. He did his Primary and High School studies at…
The Luther Moment and the Cannonball Moment [auth] Year 2021 marked 500th anniversary of two unforgettable, epoch-making moments in the Church, the first holding a special significance for the Jesuits and the members of Ignatian…
Four Centuries Ago As we look at the world today, dictatorial governments, totalitarian regimes with absolute apathy and political vendetta are mushrooming day after day, causing an irreparable loss to the labyrinth of human love.…
Fr. Christopher Kerketta was born in Champa Village, Mahuadanr, on 13th May, 1953. He did his matriculation from St. Joseph’s Mahuadanr, when I was headmaster. The one thing that struck me about Christopher was his…
Peter joined the Australian Province in 1955, having completed a degree in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics from Melbourne University. After his Philosophy he volunteered for the Hazaribag Province (then Region) where he spent the rest…
Fr. Thomas Joseph, SJwas born on 4th April 1947, to Mr. Devasia Joseph and Mrs. Thresiamma Joseph in Edathua, Kerala. He joined the Novitiate in Sitagarha on 5th July 1965. He was ordained on 24th April…
JYOTI (Jamshedpur Youth Organization for Tomorrow’s India), a youth platform of High School and Collegestudents, operating under the patronage of the Jamshedpur Jesuit Mission, completed 50 years (1971—2021) in the formation of youth, besides engaging them in humanitarian services.…
Tamil Nadu AICUF State Team with 10 energetic and socially motivated young AICUFers and 9 Deacons of CEN and MDU Jesuit Provinces (from 22nd April onwards) travelled all over Tamil Nadu from Chennai to Kanyakumari,…
Fr. Francis Kurien was born on 24th April 1953, at Karimanoor, Kerala. After completing his higher secondary education from St. Xavier’s Junior College, Trivandrum, he entered on 20th November 1970, the novitiate in St. Stanislaus…
Br. Anthony Stevens SJ was born on 18th March 1936 in Bombay to Mr. George Stevens and Ms. Mary Gonzalves. Father and Mother died when he was very small. He was then brought up in…
A life full of vitality, joy and above all, goodness, ended a little too early, just in 64 years. Kathakar Ignace departed in the wee hours of Sunday 6th March, 2022. Ignace grew like Samuel…
The Digital Jesuits have been organizing and inviting many renowned individuals for online webinars, talks and testimonies during the past two years. However, this particular online workshop ‘Learning to lead’ was a first, as it…
St. Aloysius College in Mangalore started the Aloysian Boys’ Home in 1980 as a memorial of its centenary year. It was meant as a rehabilitation home for delinquents and destitute found on the street. The…
The cannonball experience helped Ignatius take a 180-degree turn in his life. St. Ignatius in his early life looked for success and glory. After the cannonball experience he lived only for the Greater Glory of…
In the name of ‘re-structuring’ or ‘re-configuring’ itself, the Society of Jesus is ‘re-inventing’ or ‘re-imagining’ itself. As ageing and shrinking in numbers catch up with us, and diminishing vocations and increasing deaths bring us…
At Pamplona, the battle was raging,When a cannonball hit brave Captain Inigo,As he led his men and kept on fighting,For king and honour, ready life to forego. [/auth] The enemy troops, awe-struck by one so…
I am just back from the CONSIGLIO ALLARGATO (CA), the extended consult of Fr General. Incidentally, the theme that we discerned in the CA was collaboration. [auth] Collaboration is an integral part of our Institute.…
On 18th March 2022, we lost Rev. Fr. Philip Thayil, a true son of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. He hailed from Kiliroor in Kottayam Dist. He joined the Society on 31st July 1956. He studied…
Fr. Anthony Kadookunnel SJ, fondly known as Fr. K C, was born on 8th September 1928, at Erumely, Kanjirappaly Diocese, Kerala, to Mr. Chandy Cherian and Ms. Aliamma. He was fifth among the seven siblings.…
Jesus told Martha that He is the Resurrection and the Life, and the Preface of the Mass for the Dead reminds us that, “For your faithful people life is changed not taken away.” So though…
Poulose Mangai was born on 15th September 1957, at Kalady, Kerala. After serving 7 years as a lecturer in Engineering Colleges, he joined the Society on 21st June 1987. He was a man of simplicity…
Fr. Joseph Frederic Leon was born at Kotahena, Sri Lanka, in 1933; he entered the Society in 1951 in Calicut, Kerala, sailed through Shembaganur for Philosophy, and Galle, Sri Lanka, for Regency, to Louvain in…
Fr. Felix was born on 2nd July 1943, to Isidore Tellis and Elizabeth Mathias at Belman, Mangalore diocese. He was the fifth among seven siblings. Parents and one brother are already in a heavenly abode.…
Fr. Andrew left us for his heavenly abode on 21st May 2022, at Jeevan Darshan, Vadodara.He was born on 11th October 1949 at Vasai. After completing his high school studies, he joined the Gujarat Jesuit…
It is not an easy task for anyone to write a tribute of a Jesuit priest with a multi-coloured personality like that of Fr. Colman de Souza. With his simplicity of life wearing a khadi…
Fr. Ephrem was working as a psychological animator and therapist in ICTA, Kalamassery, Ernakulam, since 2015. A few months ago, he had published a book titled “OK, Not OK, Still OK!” which may be considered…
With serious cardiac and renal problems complicated by diabetes, Fr. Charles Michael passed away on 25th May 2022 after having spent about seven weeks at Beschi Infirmary, with frequent hospitalizations at St. Joseph and Vadamalyan…
Fr. Andrews Thekkekara was born on 1st July 1932, at Karanchira, Thrissur Dt., Kerala. His parents were Mr. Kochumatthew, farmer, and Mariamma, homemaker. He had mentioned in a recent video recording, that his parents as…
Joe Mattam joined the Jesuit novitiate at Vinayalaya, Bombay, and took his first vows on 20th June, 1957. After studying theology at Kurseong, he was ordained a priest at Baroda, on 17th March, 1967. After…
This year 2022 is the 75th year of our Independence, and everywhere the talk is about “re-imagining” or “re-inventing” India. [auth] Foremost among those who want a different idea of India are the BJP-RSS. They…
The meaning of reimagining one's dream as a Jesuit is to discover one's movements of the spirit in prayer, to which the spirit is calling to serve the Church and its Majesty. St. Ignatius wanted…
In September 2019 Fr. Arturo Sosa SJ, called for an Ignatian year in order to celebrate the road of conversion that led Ignatius from the agony of his room in Loyola, to seeing all things…
It is becoming fashionable to link business concepts with Ignatian spirituality in general and discernment in particular. In the recent past it began with Chris Lowney, and has gained currency with some Jesuits. It is…
John O’Malley, a noted Jesuit historian, observes, “Ignatius redefined the traditional basis of saintliness which usually involved a degree of unworldliness.” For Ignatius, reality is more important than the ideal of any kind. Yes, O'Malley…
One of the most important Ignatian tools I learned in the novitiate was the freedom we enjoy by possessing the Ignatian spirit of indifference. During the Ignatian Exercises, I kept on asking for this grace.…
(Venerable Johann Philipp Jeningen will be beatified on 16th July 2022, in Ellwangen, Germany. His feast day will be 2ndJuly.) [auth] Johann Philipp Jeningen (1642-1704) was a Home Missionary in Germany. He was revered as…
The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola is broadly referred to as a ‘school of prayer’. It provides a number of formal ways of approaching God: Meditation, Imaginative Contemplation, Application of the Senses, Repetition, Triple Colloquy,…
This book, TO SEE ALL THINGS NEW IN CHRIST, is prepared keeping in mind the Ignatian Year and its theme. It is a collection of thirteen eight-day Ignatian retreats for various groups: religious men, religious…
St. Ignatius of Loyola underwent a deep conversion following the battle of Pamplona in 1521. To commemorate this event Fr. Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, has asked Jesuits all over the…
On 5th November 1952, India received an erudite scholar, environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate, seed conservationist, ecofeminist and anti-globalisation author, namely, Dr. Vandana Shiva. Her brain-child Navdanya, is an India-based non-governmental organisation which promotes biodiversity…
She has received rape threats. Her parents are stalked constantly. When she walks on the street, miscreants pelt stones at her. Simply because she works for her community to end child marriages. Nineteen-year-old Koyel Sarkar…
Like the rich young man of the gospel, young Mathew felt the loving and inviting gaze of the Lord on him. Mathew Picha also left everything and followed the Lord for the unknown land of…
James was born on 7th October, 1944. His parents Mr Martin Somra and Mrs Seraphina Xalxo were simple but staunch Catholics who imparted a sound Catholic faith in him. He was the second among three…
Fr. Joseph D’Abreo breathed his last in Mumbai on 4th February, 2022, after a brief illness, at the age of 89. He was a Jesuit for 72 years and a priest for 60. Until he…
Fr. Vijayanand Shidonkar (Nicephero Rodrigues) SJ, was born on 19th December, 1947, in Vasco a Da Gama, Goa. He was the third of five siblings. He did his primary schooling at Mount Carmel, and High…
Fr. Conrad went to his eternal reward on 17th February 2022, at the age of 84 years, 63 of which were spent as a Jesuit. Fr. Conrad’s journey was linked to St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.…
Fr. Mathew Pullattu was born in Poovarani, Kottayam, in the diocese of Palai, on 29th April, 1935. He was a man of surprises. Even his joining the Society was a big surprise. After his B.Sc.…
As per a phrase in Kannada, Thanu-Mana-Dhana (one can help with one’s body, mind or wealth, but always only with good intention), a centurion named Saalumarada Thimmakka started the mission of planting trees along with…
A sense of the divine prevailsIn human thinking everywhere;It gets expressed in many ways -As diverse as the mind will dare! [auth] Beginning from the humble stone -To mountains, rivers, trees and shrubs;From little shrines…
How is the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 being felt at the implementation spaces of the faculty members of Jesuit higher education in India? Do they agree with its higher education discourses? Are they critical…
Richard D’Souza SJ (GOA) featured in the international news when he discovered that the Milky Way had a sibling galaxy. [auth] After graduating from St. Xavier’s college, Mumbai, and presently a staff member at the…
We still remember the first words the new Pope Francis spoke to the world from the Vatican window, “Pray for me, I am a sinner.” Later on, he has repeated these same words whenever he…
The phrase “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" summarizes the Indians’ general attitude towards humanity, nature and the Divine – in both Vedic and non-Vedic cultures. Prudent use of the resources and proactive participation in the environmental conservation is,…
Everyone can plant a tree. But very few people have made it their life’s mission to plant a large number of trees and see them grow. Trees like children need initial care; once they take…
Covid-19 has made us all realize that we are all in a global climate emergency now. The deplorable neglect we have shown to the environment has resulted not only in environmental degradation but also irreparable…
It is an enlightening claim made by some of the mystics, that creation is a voluminous book whose author is God. Nevertheless, creation is the mirror image of the Creator’s presence. The Jesuit Poet, Gerard…
The book highlights in 17 chapters, some of the basic tenets of environment management, enumerated as the “Commandments of the Nature” in the first chapter itself. Table 1 in Chapter 1 provides an ecologically sound…
The book is about bringing justice for all, especially the vulnerable – women, LGBTQIA++, tribals, scheduled castes, migrants - by capturing their voices, creating knowledge out of these voices, empowering them to challenge unfair structures…
“Father Stu” is the story of a beloved priest from Montana (USA), who served in the city of Helena for seven years before he died. The movie charts his journey from self-destruction to redemption through…
The members of the Indian Theological Association (ITA) gathered at the National Biblical Catechetical and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC), Bangalore, for their 44th Annual Meet and conference from 26th - 29th April, 2022. The theme of the conference being ‘The Pandemic…
The ISI Delhi, organized the first offline course post-pandemic on the topic ‘Critical Thinking and Social Analysis in Contemporary India’ (CTSACI). Altogether, 21 participants: Scholastics from 7 provinces, 6 DHM Sisters and one FMM Sister…
The 5th Governing Council (GC) meeting of the Federation of Jesuit Alumni Associations of India (JAAI) was held on 26th and 27th March 2022, at St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, Kolkata. As a precursor to the…
The Raipur Deanery Synodal Church meeting was held at St. Joseph’s Cathedral Church, Byron Bazar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on 28th March, 2022, where more than 30 priests were present, including about 10 laity and 30 nuns.…
For Ignatius, the cannonball gave him time to be by himself. As for me, I see moments of ‘bullets’ which awaken me to my call. It was in 2004 when I was at Sacred Heart…
In our digitalised world, where everybody is busy with social media, he has taken a road not taken by preserving folk art forms. He is a professor in a college, but he spends his time…
The Context: Hunger for Survival [auth] The Vesak festival (or Vesākha Day), also known as Buddha Jayanti or Vaisakhi Buddha Purnima, the most important religious event on Sri Lanka's calendar, which venerates Buddha's birth,…
Pope Francis, out of the sheer goodness of his heart, reversed the age-old trend of organizing synods. This time it’s not voices from the top dictating to the lower ranks. Rather, LISTENING to the raw…
Recently the veteran journalist, Mr. John Dayal, made a strange observation, saying that all religious congregations have charisms, and asked if we have a charism for our times, and opined that we need to discern…
Dust you are and to dust, you return,Proclaim Christ in your short sojourn.Exodus from the desert of despairing disgrace,Lent shall quench you at the oasis of grace. [auth] Prayer shall reach you to the Supreme…
As part of the ongoing reflection on our ministries in the Conference, the February JCSA took up the Social Action Ministry for discernment, came out with specific proposals and initiated a process to prepare guidelines…
A ‘4G’ Path to the Fullness of Life As we prepare ourselves to commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord in a world torn asunder by the Russia-Ukraine war, feeling ourselves the victims…
The scenario: Pandemic, both the first wave and the second wave, created fear and the recurring death news of our brethren gave us jitters. The statistics proved that in South Asia the highest number of…
Remembering Fr. Britto Joseph, SJ who brought health to thousands of patients across the country. [auth] John Britto Joseph was born near Madurai, Tamilnadu, into a large Catholic family. His mother, a traditional healer, was greatly respected…
The word ‘Alternative Medical Care’ brings to our minds the idea of one or more choices available to restore health or wellness that is alternative to the existing conventional system of medicine. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann…
Because I spent my entire professional life as a geriatric internist and psychiatrist, I chose to add the question of aging and old age to the suggested title "A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body." …
It was a Lenten Sunday that year. Manjula had lent her voluntary service at a blood donation camp organised at her parish belonging to Coimbatore diocese. Along with several others, she donated blood and also…
Herbal medicine has its origin in every home. The book of Wisdom says, “The Lord created the medicinal herbs which grow on the earth, and these a sensible person will not despise. The physician uses…
Doubt and disillusionment, discouragement and despair, dread and fear are emotions that are common to all of us at some point or other in our lives. When we are confronted with the death of a…
When suddenly faced with a diagnosis of a life-limiting condition, many would be completely devastated; "How could this happen; I have done nothing wrong!" they cry. Others are made of sterner stuff; "One has to…
The Commission on the Role of Women in Jesuit Apostolate observed its first anniversary on 8th March 2022, expressing its resolve to facilitate the worldwide Jesuits and their collaborators in their efforts to align themselves…
The book is a tribute to the author’s birthplace Bandra, a suburb of Mumbai. Its title is Bandra Boy, and it’s a historical novel -- or better, four short stories about Bandra’s past, starting in…
Indian Anthropology: Anthropological Discourse in Bombay 1886–1936 is an important contribution to the history of Indian anthropology, focusing on its formative period. It looks at the political economy of knowledge production and the anthropological discourse…
Rudi Heredia’s memoir, A Clown for God, a Clown for Others - a take on P. Kolvenbach’s Men of God, Men for Others - is a collection of personal anecdotes and reflections on various aspects…
On 12th March, all roads led to Loyola School, Jamshedpur wherein Jesuits, Collaborators and well-wishers, gathered together for the Inaugural Eucharist at 10.30 a.m in Loyola School, Jamshedpur, to ‘REMEMBER, REJOICE AND REIMAGINE”, as the…
The biannual meeting of Jesuits in the Science Forum of the South Asian Assistancy, took place on 5th and 6th March 2022, in St Joseph’s Arts and Science College, Bengaluru (soon to be University). Twenty-seven…
“A Call to Dialogue: Christians in Dialogue with Muslims” edited by Prof. Ambrogio Bongiovanni and Joseph Victor Edwin SJ was presented at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome on 23rd February 2022 by Prof. Bryan…
JAICARE is an acronym for Jesuit Antonyraj memorial Inter-disciplinary Centre for Advanced Rehabilitation and Education. It is the only hospital run by Madurai Jesuits. The hospital has not only a long acronym but also a…
Whenon 8 January 2022, Fr. Jose Luis Arana, was called, at the age of 91(73 years in the Society) to his eternal reward, it was not only the Gujarat province but the Universal Society who…
Fr. Viaguladasan Manickam, fondly called Fr. Vima Dasan, was born in Michaelpattinam on 23rd January 1938. He joined the Society of Jesus on 1st July 1957, and was ordained a priest on 15th March 1970. After teaching…
Fr. Jeyaseelan was born on 1st June 1952. Hailing from Sivagangai Diocese, the mission land of St. John de Britto, he was inspired to join the Society of Jesus on 1st June 1970. Motivated by…
We are all aware of the trauma Ignatius went through after the “cannonball incident,” the shattering of his knee in the battle of Pamplona against the French. Though more in a purely physical form at…
Solar Panels in the field attract the attention of miscreants, panels are stolen or damaged. This issue was identified by Pradeep Kumar (35) who was running a solar panel installation business. [auth] Generate electricity anywhere…
Is it safe for a woman to walk in a city after 10 pm? You will say, no. But what about driving an autorickshaw at night? I know, you will say, that is dangerous. You…
Though unable to hold the expanse of the mystery,This work is a microscopic view of her Calvary.This puny effort to narrate her story,I know, won’t even at least be a summary. [auth] Sorrow fills her…
I am sure you remember the famous letter of former Fr General, Adolfo Nicolás, ‘Renewal of Province Structures in the Service of Universal Mission’. Do you know that this letter is now ten years old?…
A synod is not merely an ecclesial event but a celebration of a new charism in the Church. [auth] The synod on Synodality is an even greater occasion for the renewal of the Spirit within…
That there is a ‘crisis’ in consecrated religious life is there for everyone to see. Look at the drop in entrees. Those who leave religious life are plenty. ‘Disobedience’, and ‘calls for justice’, are becoming…
My devotion to St. Francis Xavier stems from the reality that after 400 years of his sainthood he is still an inspiration, a motivation, and one that can be emulated. Because when God calls, nothing…
A Personal Reflection [auth] This may sound like an oxymoron – losing God in the religious life. One joins the religious life thinking one can come closer to God and dedicate one’s life to what…
[auth] “How were you inspired to give up a prestigious career in astronomy, supported by NASA, to enter the Jesuits?” In fact, the assumptions behind the question are mostly wrong. It didn’t happen like people…
“I don’t feel the need of vows” Margaret Rossi (name changed), an Italian laywoman, is one of the finest human beings I have ever met. She was also deeply God-centred—but not in the “traditional” ways.…
Musings On Religious Life Today [auth] I have been pilgrimaging from the self to the selfless, while working for an NGO in Mumbai for the past 25 years. Because of this particular setting, mine is…
Religious life faces serious challenges Changes in society emanate from three basic sources: State, Market and Civil Society. All three are deeply interrelated and are in a constant state of flux. A deep understanding of…
It was a hot summer noon in Bangalore. Sr Nirmala and Sr Jyothi sat with their mugs in a popular café, sipping their favorite beverages. They were discussing the prohibition of mobiles, laptops, and the…
All of us heard about Sofia, the robot who is the most sophisticated robot made till today, who is currently making tours all over the world. But have you heard of Mindar? Mindar is a…
The first JCSA meeting of the year was held online from 20th to 25th February 2022. Fr General addressed the Major Superiors of the Conference online. In his address, he stressed the importance of integration…
The Islamic Studies Association, Delhi, and the Jesuit Secretariat for Service of Faith in South Asia, jointly organized a series of webinars to celebrate Human Fraternity Day. The Human Fraternity day is celebrated on 4th…
Lucas had consistency and commitment right from his childhood till he breathed last on 27th January 2022. He was an excellent student, effective teacher, energetic principal, efficient administrator and a hard worker in the vineyard…
Fr. Lawrence Pinto was born on 20th April, 1933, the youngest among six children. After graduating from St Aloysius College, he joined the Society of Jesus on 1st July 1955; he did his novitiate at…
The Ignatian spirituality is dynamic and we are recipients of many gratuitous graces. These graces do not commence from our novitiate. When we are directed in the one month of the Spiritual Exercises, we recall…
Suraj Bai Meena began her journey in 2007 as a woman naturalist, when she was just 16 years old. Today she has completed over 7000 guided tours. [auth] “I grew up on the periphery of…
Do you know that in India 27 per cent of children are married off at an early age and live through violent and abusive lives? Can you imagine that this happens in digital India? It…
[auth] When I’m full of me and none of thee,When I’m mindless to miss thy graceful glee,When I’m crippled to reach out to my near,When I’m blind to the plight of thy dear,When I’m deaf…
We have entered the New Year 2022. All of us know that the New Year does not come with a change of a page in the Calendar. It is the result of a discovery of…
More Relevant now than ever [auth] The first week of February every year usually passes by without our taking any particular note. It is the World Interfaith Harmony Week originally proposed by King Abdullah of…
The unforgettable legacy of Bhima Koregaon [auth] “No words would suffice to thank these powerful people's lawyers Vrinda Grover, Sudha Bharadwaj and Mihir Desai who continue to remain steadfast to democratic rights, civil liberties, constitutional…
How does one describe a soul like Fr. Stan Swamy or even grasp or make sense of his life lived in its entirety? It is a mammoth challenge to integrate the essence of this larger…
The month of December 2021 for me saw Indian democracy reaching a new low, perhaps unparalleled in recent times. Just a month earlier, we were celebrating in a year that was otherwise difficult the withdrawal…
The arrest and incarceration of Stan Swamy, and his death in a Mumbai hospital while in custody during a raging pandemic, had triggered shock, outrage and sorrow singeing the conscience of those who believe in…
How does the story of Stan Swamy (1937-2021) affect our lives as Jesuits, our involvement with the civil society and the marginalized poor in a new and surprising way? Stan lived his Jesuit life true…
I am very jealous of youYou stood tall in frailtyDeath cannot hold youCoz you were always life-giving. They wished you were deadA message of intimidation to the worldThe banner of victory is unfurledNow you are…
Fr. Stan Swamy wrote a booklet titled Church and Social Justice in 1980, published by Centre for Social Action, Bangalore. Many of his contemporaries must have read it. The introduction of the book begins as…
I want to begin with lines about Father Stan Swamy which I read in the journal Vasudha sent to me by my comrade Vineet from Indore. Written by Megha, these lines defy translation. [auth] Aaj…
JHEASA Meeting, 26-29 November, 2021, XIM University, Bhubaneswar [auth] For most, the long journey to Bhubaneswar for a JHEASA Meeting on matters, naturally, of Higher Education, meant that there would be a heady roam through…
The annual meeting of the VPND was held in at XLRI, Jamshedpur from November 25-28, 2021. The meeting began with Fr. Arjen Tete, the Conference Formation Delegate, welcoming the participants. Fr. Ivan D’Souza (BOM), then,…
LIBA’s efforts of re-strategizing its future, gained further strength in the formal inauguration of the state-of-the-art LIBA building by the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu - Thiru M.K. Stalin on October 15th, 2021, in…
South Sudan is a precarious place to live. For Deborah and her seven children, it has become a dangerous one because of climate change. To feed her family, she grows groundnuts, kale and pumpkins. While…
Indian Social Institute, Bangalore, in collaboration with Caritas India, sponsored by Caritas Germany, has come out with a handbook on Community Mobilisation, titled “Development Anchored in Community Intelligence”. The handbook - published in English and…
The Consortium of minority schools in Tamil Nadu was inaugurated on 28th November in Loyola College, Chennai. About 170 leaders, consisting of diocesan education managers of the CSI dioceses, superintendents of schools of the RC…
The carrying of a Faith-propelled love in our conscious awareness, lies at the heart of our ability to coolly and courageously handle the effects of one cannonball after another, thereby growing evermore steadier as we…
Aaliya Mir, a resident of Srinagar, spends her days rescuing deadly vipers from Kashmiri homes, saving bear cubs and reuniting them with their mothers. [auth] The 42 year old former Maths teacher, with sports shoes,…
In 2005, a transwoman, Noori, who ran an NGO, called Solomon to say "I have an abandoned child, he is HIV+". Solomon was hesitant initially. Later he contacted many organisations only to get a negative…
Year after year, Christmas comes and goes, and we busy ourselves in the merry festivities that come with it. I once saw a hoarding on a busy freeway in New Jersey: Bring Christ back into…
Two historic events are taking place simultaneously on the world stage: the first is the Synod, and the second, the Glasgow ‘COP 26. Both are historic in the sense that all – leaders and commoners…
On the possibilities for Catholic politics in India [auth] Prime Minister Modi’s recent meeting with Pope Francis in Rome, prior to the former’s participation at the G-20 meet in the same city, generated huge amount…
[auth] St. Joseph is not mentioned in the Gospel of Mark. In the Gospel of John, Joseph is mentioned twice and both times only with reference to Jesus (Jn 1:45; 6:42). In the Gospel of…
Note: The beatification ceremony of Blessed Grande will be held on 22 January 2022, in El Salvador. [auth] On the solemnity of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, 6th August 1970, Father Rutilio Grande concluded his…
[auth] As students of Vidya Jyoti College of Theological studies, we annually organized Christmas and New Year Masses for the domestic workers, popularly known as Ayaa Bahnen in Delhi. They came for Christmas and New…
A lesson in effective preaching of the word of God. [auth] Looking back at our years of training for priesthood, there were three things that were not much discussed, or touched upon only in passing.…
“Lay Religious life … is … complete in itself” – (Renewal of Religious Life, 10). It didn’t take long for Jesuit General Arrupe himself to confirm that, when he said, “The Brother’s Vocation is a…
A Jesuit Christmas is profoundly simpleExtraordinary happens in an ordinary wayGod becomes Man!Heaven and Earth are now holy!(Incarnation)[auth]A Jesuit Christmas is here and nowLocked in libraries or in open oceanHe finds Him everywhere and in…
At a Christmas party he would not be missedHe was of common stock to be noticedSilent was his ways and deliberately obscureYet for two thousand years he continues to allure [auth] Nothing good came from…
(on hearing children are sold in Afghanistan) [auth]Christmas is about the CHILDTo be cuddled and treated mild.Today they are sold for foodHeartless can it get so crudeChristmas is about the ChildAngels gathered and smiledNow demons…
Waited and waited for thousand years,Yet, sought Him only in the king’s palace.Blind to look down to the lowTo see Him who came down from above. [auth] Be not, the men, closed and stubborn,But to…
O Mother! Wasn’t the incarnation a privilege?For your womb became the holy carriage. [auth] O Heavens! Wasn’t the incarnation a time to rejoice?As the Lord came down to give a surprise. O Earth! Wasn’t the…
Francis, Go set the world on fire.The only mission you did aspire,Nothing could urge you to retire,For only Christ was your life entire. [auth] Without conditions, no ifs, no buts, you left.Only your companions’ names…
Khichdi, as is well known, is a cheap and nutritious dish, a favourite in South Asian cuisine. Khichdi is also Jesuit Father Myron J. Pereira's fourth collection of essays on sacred and secular topics, and…
The human soul is still an enigma, especially its genesis, nature and evolution. Most religions, particularly Christianity, still follow essentially the Platonic view, or a variant of it. Following Platonic dualism, the traditional Christian view…
The Jesuits have been known for their intellectual contribution to the world, specifically through science. This book ‘Contribution of Jesuits to Science in India’ by S. Ignacimuthu, SJ, summarises the scientific output of 68 Jesuits…
St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, celebrated its 150 years in 2019. To commemorate this occasion, the College had organized a conference on “Jesuit Initiatives in Indian Higher Education”. This book is the outcome of this effort.…
Many youth today, and thinking adults too, find the Bible ‘weird,’ since several discoveries of science apparently make more sense to the modern mind. A fundamentalist version of Creation, Adam and Eve, etc., is no…
The bi-annual JCSA meeting was held from 24th to 29th October 2021, at Satyodayam in Secunderabad. The in-person meeting was held after two consecutive online JCSA meetings. Both Fr Vernon and Fr M.K. George were…
At a time when the world is looking to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lives, livelihoods and economies, heads of governments, people’s movements and policymakers explored the opportunity to ‘build back…
As part of implementation of the second PAP - preserving and protecting environment - the Communication Commission and Youth commission jointly organised a three-day intensive workshop on environmental writings. Around 25 Students from three Jesuit…
Fr. Amritlal Thomas Xalxo S.J., son of Tokle Joseph Xalxo and Sunita Xalxo from Shahpur village of Dharamjaigarh parish was born on 16th August, 1959. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1982 at Khrist…
Fr. Hermann Bacher entered the novitiate of the Swiss Vice-Province in 1946 and was missioned to the Pune Province in 1948, together with three co-novices, Hans Belser, Henry Volken and Dominik Zemp. After ordination, he…
Fr. Lalit Kumar Ekka, S.J. [MAP] was born in a remote village called Kendapani, surrounded by hillocks. He was among five brothers and a sister. After his primary education, he went to Loyola School, Kunkuri,…
On Sunday, 3rd October 2021, Fr Lawrence Caruana SJ (Larry) breathed his last at the ripe age of 95, at Loyola House, Naxxar in Malta. He had spent 43 years of his life in India,…
Fr Marianus Kullu entered the heavenly abode peacefully at 11.00 a.m., on 11th October 2021, in the Palliative Care Centre, Hatighisa. His funeral Mass was held the next day at St Peter’s Church, Gayaganga, presided…
Fr. Pablo Gil was the quintessential Jesuit. When he was called to his eternal reward on 20th October 2021 at the ripe age of ninety-five, he left behind a rich legacy. Pablo’s family was closely…
Br. Bernard Singh, SJ was an ‘exceptional Jesuit’ in many ways: though hailing from a Hindu family of Bihar that considers religious and caste identity as of supreme value, Baijnath Singh defied his family and…
Fr. Sebastian Thengumpallil, left for his eternal reward on 27th October, 2021. During a 35-year long ‘calvary experience’, that followed a severe attack of Guillain Barre Syndrome in 1985 at the early years of college…
After his Tertianship, Aemilianus was appointed Parish Priest of Jhingo in 1972. He wanted to be with the people. From Monday to Saturday he moved from village to village meeting people, staying with them. This…
My cannonball moment happened on a local train in Mumbai, on my way to St. Xavier’s school community. It was almost around midnight in the summer of 1982. [auth] After my tertianship in Hazaribagh, I…
By switching to organic farming, Purushottam Sidhpara from Junagadh, Gujarat, cut down his input costs by 40% and water usage by 20% while earning export orders from 10 countries. He invites potential dealers/customers to his…
Dhamodharan was a dalit child labourer who worked in a brick kiln to support his family who struggled to have three square meals a day. Today he holds a PhD degree in anthropology. [auth] Although…
(MAGIS in Latin mean ‘More and More’-one of the Ignatian values) [auth] I want ‘more and more’, ask me, ‘Why?’To try and try and reach the sky,To fall and rise until I fly,To search and…
Gujarat will remain ever indebted to the men and women missionaries from Spain. They brought us life, and life in abundance. Memories of their vibrant faces and their unstoppable dynamism flood our hearts with gratitude…
Do you know that Gandhiji was attached to three of his material possessions — a pocket watch, a pair of spectacles and a pair of two-strap slippers? Yes, he was. Each one had a special…
When the first group of 18 Gujaratis was baptized on 11th December 1893, the Spanish Jesuits had not yet arrived in Gujarat. The first Spanish Jesuit, Fr. Grau, reached Gujarat in 1921, exactly 28 years…
The universal Church is composed of local churches. In the history of the Christian revelation, the local church is not born by spontaneous generation. It is born, as Saint Paul says, “ex auditu”, by the…
Evangelization ministry among the local Gujarati population did not begin in Gujarat nor was it initiated by priests. The work was begun by the Daughters of the Cross in St. Joseph’s Convent, Bandra, Mumbai. Towards…
Prior to the arrival of the Jesuit Spanish missionaries, there was no organized mission work as yet in Gujarat. “Except for an isolated, short missionary effort from 1321 to 1324, no other effort to preach…
In the year 1893 the Propaganda Fide had issued an instruction urging the Bishops to activate evangelization work in their territories, and asked them to report in six months. This urgent request rang a bell at the…
The ‘Man of La Mancha’ is a 1965 Broadway musical adapted from a 1959 teleplay ‘I, Don Quixote’; this in turn, was inspired by the 17th-century novel Don Quixote by the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes. It is the story…
The Spanish Jesuits of Gujarat are celebrating the centenary of their missionary endeavors in Gujarat. I wish to contribute my grain of sand to felicitate them. I find myself in a unique position to do…
The Bombay Mission was entrusted to the Spanish Province of Aragon, by the Jesuit Superior General, Fr. Ledokowski, on March 4th, 1921. The first Spanish Missionary, Father Ramon Grau, landed in Anand, which was part…
This year is the 100th year of the Spanish Jesuits coming to Gujarat, a landmark year in the history of service to mankind by the Society of Jesus. Of the 95 Jesuits, 18 were Brothers.…
The journey of the Spanish Women Missionaries [auth] "Who does not dream of doing great things in life?Of leaving a blazing trail across the heavens?Like everybody else, we too had our hopes and dreamsTo make…
The first time I met Fr. Isudas Cueli was way back in 1973, when I joined the Jesuit pre-novitiate in Ahmedabad. When the pre-novitiate in charge, Fr. Castiella, asked me who my ‘spiritual father’ was,…
As we celebrate 100 years of the arrival of Spanish Jesuit missionaries in Gujarat, I recall memories from fifty years ago. I was studying at St. Xavier’s School, Mirzapur, and Fr Pablo Gil was the…
Gujarat state is ever grateful to its enthusiastic, committed and hardworking Spanish missionaries. They were\are a bundle of joy too. They lived their life joyfully and went about spreading that joy through their jokes and…
The Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles, widely known as SRA, an Apostolic Religious Congregation of Pontifical right, was canonically established on 1st July 1923, in Vienna. Fr. Antonius Maria…
THE STORY OF FORMAL LEADERSIn both secular and religious organisations leadership is expected from one or other member who has assumed formal office. The person assuming office is greeted with accolades about her qualities from…
Environment is given greater attention in the world today due to the realization that climate change and pollution are affecting our lives. The Jesuits have chosen the decennial (2019-2029) Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs) in which…
This book on prayer has something for everyone; children, teenagers, and adults. It addresses the spiritual needs of a wide variety of people who find themselves in a variety of situations in life. Fr. Learoy…
Conversation, especially one from the depth, can unite people and this is what the Conference Secretariat for Formation (CSF) experienced. The annual meeting and sharing of PCFs and Superiors of Common Houses, became an opportunity…
A Jesuit Polyglot and Scholar of Buddhism Fr. Rosario Rocha SJ, a Jesuit polyglot, scholar of Buddhism and former Provincial of Goa Province, left this world in the evening of 18th October 2021, at Rubi Hall…
Fr. Jerry Sequeira was the 5th Gujarat Jesuit victim of the dreaded coronavirus. He was an exceptionally talented person, a leader, an educationist, a formator, a sensitive care-taker and a publisher. As Pre-Novitiate Director, he…
In January 2017, for health reasons, Fr Englebert decided to return to Belgium. There were several farewell functions at the Prabhu Gisur Girja where he had spent the largest part of his apostolic life. Above…
The long life of Fr. Greg Naik of 88 years, is best captured with the metaphor of a pilgrim - Greg the pilgrim. That is who Greg was from birth until the end of his…
The Lord called Fr. Andrew unto Himself on 10th Sep 2021, when he was in Jalandhar as a member of the NAAC Committee visiting Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya. He died in his sleep. He…
I had joined the novitiate in Ahmedabad a bit late - in October, hence ended between two batches. So instead of starting the Juniorate in the middle of the year, they sent me to a…
The Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad is one of the most well-known tropical forests in India, with a wide variety of rare species of flora and fauna including the endangered lion-tailed macaque. [auth] In…
Is it possible for a few village girls to transform a backward region? You will believe it, if you meet Rinku Kumari, Nisha, Puneeta and Pinky from the villages of Shahpur Khalwapatti and Mishroli, in…
At the edge of the palm-fringed fields she stoodGazing at the flowers in gold arrayWhile the children of the neighbourhoodRomped in the stream, all beginning to play. Stooping she culled the jasmines brightAs her son,…
Common Houses of Formation, Common Apostolic Works… Do they ring a bell? That’s it. They are De Nobili College, Satya Nilayam, Vidyajyoti, ISI, Sadhana … [auth] Well, at times, we forget not only these houses…
The Holy Father Pope Francis convoked the Synod 2023 on the theme of “Synodality”. What did he mean? The popular meaning of synod is an “assembly or council of Church officials”, but the etymological meaning…
Let’s Listen while ‘Journeying Together’: Thanks to Pope Francis, the Catholic Church is in synodal mode. Many ask: What does ‘synod’ mean? Synod comes from two Greek words: ‘syn’ + ‘hodos’, literally ‘with’ + ‘path’…
A Quick Look at their Enormous Contribution to the Local Church The Jesuits of three different countries planted and nurtured the Faith in Bombay and along India’s west coast. The first were the Portuguese in…
It is said that “the most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire”. The Pamplona event where the flames of the cannon ball turned St. Ignatius from the “Knight” in Loyola to…
Conversion of St. Ignatius In the light of Psalm 23 [auth] At the stroke of a cannonballAttuned to the vocation callShedding honor, pride and all - inShepherding Lord, ‘I shall not want!’Precious castle costs nothingPasturing…
May your vision illuminate our mission of reconciliationwith your tears of pain, of conversion and of consolation,by accompanying our impulses mostly impatient,by purifying our souls swiftly penitent,[auth]by rebuilding our minds often negligent,by healing our wounds…
On God’s chosen journey he never looked backFor God’s greater glory strive bravely he didThe spirits discerning the while learned and taughtSeeking always to do the Lord’s bidAs he saw God’s love working along all…
Speaking about the Ignatian Year, Arturo Sosa, the General of the Society of Jesus stated “We desire that the inspiration of the process of personal conversion that led Ignatius to share his spiritual experience and…
It was the year 1521. The Battle of Pamplona was on. Spain had conquered part of Navarre which rebelled with backing from France. Those from Navarre captured Pamplona which was the capital of Navarre, by…
In an interview with Pope Francis in August 2013, Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, editor of Civilta Cattolica, began with an unscripted question, asking the Pontiff point-blank: “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” Spadaro notes: “The pope…
Jesuits have always been pioneers in meeting new challenges of the times. When science challenged religion, they met that challenge as scientists, and so also in the social fields as lawyers and social workers. In…
Waves – Story Bank, is Father Felix Raj’s tenth book, published by the St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata Alumni Association. The book contains 75 inspirational stories. In his Foreword Prof. Suranjan Das, Vice-Chancellor of Jadavpur University,…
The death of the 84-year-old Tribal rights activist, Fr. Stan Swamy in the judicial custody on July 5th, 2021, is considered by millions in India and abroad an institutional murder orchestrated by the Indian State.…
The Secretariat for the Service of Faith [SoF] organized a webinar on Dialogue of Life: Challenges and Opportunities in Our Troubled Times on 23rd August, 2021, with Joseph Victor Edwin SJ as the resource person. Fr. Arun Kumar SJ,…
The long-awaited dream of starting a media centre came true in July 2021, when Fr. Jebamalai Irudayaraj SJ, the first Provincial of the Chennai Province, formally blessed and inaugurated the centre in the Viscom Block…
My childhood days peppered with mischievous pranks were a pleasant memorable experience with the privileges of being the single darling son amidst five girls, to my parents. Even with their minimum income as middle school…
A retired Engineer from Bengaluru, Nataraja Upadhya has created an urban jungle on his terrace with many trees, and lots of butterflies and birds. Bengaluru is a concrete jungle now. Waiting for a hot summer,…
The school, Agasthya Ega Adhyapaka Vidyalaya, is located atop the hills within the area of the Agasthyarkoodam, which is a 1,868-metre (6,129 ft)-tall peak in the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala. You can’t reach the…
Fr. Placido Fonseca (Placie) has truly been a pioneer of child rights in India. He received the National Award for Child Welfare from the Government of India in 1985. He was also Chairperson of the…
Birth and death are not in our hands. They happen at the Lord’s appointed time. On 7thAugust at 3:10 in the afternoon, God bade Fr. C.J. John to commend his spirit in His hands and…
On 19th July, 2021, Fr Stany moved on to his Creator and Lord. Born in Mangalore, after his college studies he entered the Jesuit Novitiate in Calicut. Ordained priest, and later trained in Rome for…
On April 10th, 2021, when COVID-19 snatched away Father Varghese Paul Chollamadam SJ, in Baroda, Gujarat, he joined the luminous galaxy of Jesuits who wielded the pen with a missionary zeal in another tongue. Gujarati…
In June 1978, Jesuraj and I arrived at Ahmedabad around the same time, as pre-novices. Introducing himself, he said, “I am Jesuraj.” I asked, “What does the name mean?” He replied, “Jesus, King!” True to…
Maxim was born on 27th December, 1966, at Loretto Parish in Mangalore Diocese. His parents, Ligoury and Christine, were devout Catholics. Maxim was the younger of their two sons. He came to Gujarat in 1984…
The task of a Jesuit Principal is monumental because he has to ensure the integral formation of the students under his care. He has to see that the institution is functioning according to the Ignatian…
Let me note a few remarks on Jesuit education. It is mostly on Tamilnadu Jesuit education—though it can apply to all of India--and it is not about all grades of education, only about the University…
“Everyone who remembers his own education, remembers teachers, not methods or techniques. The teacher is the heart of the education system.” - Sidney Hook. [auth] Read More
The National Education Policy (NEP) – 2020, was released by the Central Government on 29th July with the cabinet’s approval. We immediately plunged into action and formed the National Federation for the Protection of Educational…
An 86-page book titled ‘It's High Time: Women Religious Speak Up on Gender Justice in the Indian Church’ is set to create a storm in the Indian Church. [auth] Read More
The cover story in the March 2020 issue of Jivan entitled 'Will Women's Struggle for Dignity Ever End?' by Professor Shalini, focusing on the place of women in Christian faith and practice, made an interesting…
“To be religious is to be interreligious.” This inclusive, integral insight of General Congregation 34 (130) served to widen the frontiers of interreligious dialogue in Jesuit circles. While GCs 32 and 33 focused on the…
“We all lost our hope as the fear of Corona surrounded us. I was the front-line caregiver in the Emergency Room of North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. I am the breadwinner of the family. Everyday awful thoughts, fearful…
This pandemic has been a testing time for all. Every aspect of life is challenged. We are learning from experience that to live is to make many adjustments. No permanency for anything. Nothing as before!…
What would the world be, once bereftOf wet and of wildness? Let them be left,O let them be left, wildness and wet;Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet. Inversnaid (1881) Read More
We are a fraction of the Earth. The Earth is a component of us. The pandemic has taught us that we are one of the tiniest miniscule beings on this planet trying to comprehend the…
She is a healthcare worker. Yes, of course, she is paid by the government. But she has gone beyond the normal duty to save five villages from COVID-19. Please meet Suman Dhebe, in Pune Zilla…
Environmental scientists visited and recorded the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Ludhiana and found it 275. But the AQI in the Office of Rohit Mehra at the India Revenues Service (IRS), was just 78! Read…
At the age of 28, during a crisis of faith caused by unexplainable failures three times in a chemistry examination at the University of Bombay, God entered my life in a special way. One morning…
Fr. Paul Valappila was born in Kerala. Fr Miguel Urrutia, who was vocation promoter for the Gujarat Jesuits, recruited Paul for the Gujarat Province. Paul joined the apostolic school at Loyola Hall, Ahmedabad, in 1956.…
Fr. Peter Kurukula Aratchi was from Ampitiya, Kandy and came under the influence of the Jesuits of the Seminary and of the parish. There was a group of young men who joined the ranks of…
Fr Anton Weerasinghe hailed from Elpitiya, a Jesuit Parish of Galle diocese in the south of Sri Lanka. He was born on 12th June 1939 to a family of five siblings. He was an altar…
JaMiA [Jesuits among Muslims in Asia] organized a web-conference on August 11th and 18th with the theme "The Ignatian Spirituality and Islamic Teachings/Muslim Communities in Asian Contexts". Twelve papers that were presented by Jesuits and their collaborators in…
On 28th July 2021, the progressive denizens of Jamshedpur City and its vicinity observed National Justice Day with a unique gusto and grandeur. Avidly reminiscing the incredible legacy and contributions of Fr. Stan Swamy, people…
Maharashtra Prabodhan Seva Mandal (MPSM), a Jesuit NGO, working in the Nashik district of Maharashtra, arose to the needs of the tribal communities who were badly affected by the second wave of COVID-19. Though medical…
In the Ignatian Jubilee year and on the occasion of the feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the Jesuits in Tripura have opened their first residential house and christened it as “Arrupe In”. Arrupe In is…
The book, Seven Baskets Full: The All-Embracing Lord’s Supper, my study of the Christian texts of the first three centuries was a real surprise. The Lord’s Supper was different in so many ways from the…
This slim volume packs a powerful punch. Released in June 2021, it is a report of a survey commissioned by the women's section of the Conference of Religious India (CRI), to ascertain the truth of…
The Context of Superficiality Every context provides a text for life. Today’s context of education prescribes a text of life based on superficiality and obsession with material comfort. In the world of superficiality, learning is…
In January this year the United States Capitol was attacked and vandalized by supporters of the outgoing President, who claimed that the election was “being stolen” from him. Read More
The 12th century poet-saint of Karnataka, Basavanna, in his popular Kannada poem says: “The rich will make temples for Siva. What shall I, a poor man, do?My legs are pillars, the body the shrine, the…
Were I to be electedAnd neta would become Read More
The Temple of Democracy is the new arenaIt’s holy book devoured by the hyena Read More
They (the people) were in painand it pierced your flesh…There were tears in their eyesand the agony was yours… [auth] They were not yours, yetyou pitched your tent among them…You stood with them, the oppressed,so…
Boundaries ne’er deterred youLanguage was ne’er a bar for youFragile body despite, ne’er weakened youThe Almighty ne’er abandoned you! [auth] You stood up to the powerfulYou questioned the mightyYou protected the weak, helped the needyYou…
Noble StanLeader of a jailed arrayLead us on O lead us onWe protested your jailingevery day [auth] Though the powersmenaced so nearYou did not fear,never did fearYou didn’t hide,you did not quitThis was your pledge…
Iran Culture House, New Delhi organized a luncheon to explore Shia and Catholic dialogue in Delhi. Joseph Victor Edwin SJ, Secretary, Islamic Studies Association, Delhi was invited to participate in the meeting in which Ayatollah…
Xavier University is now renamed as XIM University. On 3rd April, 2021, the Xavier University, Odisha (Amendment) Act 2021 was passed in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, renaming Xavier University as XIM University. Thus, the Gazette…
The three Jesuits pioneers of Christian-Muslim dialogue in India presented by Joseph Victor Edwin are: Victor Courtois from Belgium, Christian W. Troll from Germany and Paul Jackson from Australia. He describes their high caliber academic…
Fr. Fio is well known as a writer and preacher of biblical and charismatic spirituality. Here he writes as a ‘happy son of St. Ignatius’, to invite us to enter deeply into gospel scenes by…
Democracy is rightly defined as “the government of the people, by the people and for the people.” Real power in a democracy is vested in the hands of its citizens by the exercise of their…
The year-long curfew imposed due to Corona, turned out to be a dark period for all the educational institutions, students and those interested in learning. However, the saying ‘Not all the classrooms have four walls’…
Our world has been traumatically transformed over the last few months. On the one hand due to the Covid pandemic, we have faced an unpredictable illness, death, fear, uncertainty, loss of livelihood, and mental health…
Bagaicha means a garden in which all kinds of flora and fauna flourish. Jharkhand’s Adivasi lands are sprinkled with such gardens, the mango orchards being the prominent and distinct feature of its landscape. According to…
18th July 2021 was a landmark day for thousands of Adivasis of Jharkhand. In a statement tweeted earlier, the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (a coalition of progressive organisations, formed to facilitate efforts to defend peoples’ rights…
Stan’s death: A loss for AdivasisIn the death of Father Fr. Stanislaus Lourduswamy, popularly known as Stan Swamy, the Adivasis of India in general and those of Jharkhand in particular, have lost their friend, philosopher…
On 6th July 2021, as I blessed the mortal remains and said, “Stan, Rest in Peace”, I asked myself, what do I carry with me? I approached him with a sense of reverence. He inspired…
Theologian Jon Sobrino, lone survivor of the Jesuits martyred in El Salvador in 1989, recalled the prophet Micah in a video interview about the suffering and killing of innocent people. Journalist Elizabeth Carr also quotes…
Introduction to the Mass celebrated on 10 July 2021 by Fr. General at the General Curia, Rome in memory of Fr. Stan Swamy, SJ [auth] On behalf of the South Asian Jesuits here in Rome,…
Is it possible to give the marginalised children a future by musical instruments? If you happen to listen to Dr Luis Dias, Goa, you will realise that it is possible. He is an obstetrician and…
When we, the Good Shepherd Sisters, decided to build our new Provincialate in 2018, in Nagpur, I dreamt of a chapel which would reflect emerging spirituality. I wanted it to embrace the Universe and its…
A Tribute Read More
The onslaught of the second wave of COVID-19 and its impact in an unprecedented manner has led to disease, devastation and death. On the one hand, the impact of this virus on the physical, emotional,…
Happy Feast, St. Ignatius of Loyola Read More
It happened in 1921…. ‘Traders from other parts of India, knowing the improvidence of these simple aboriginals, have settled among them to exploit it and trade upon it. Their stocks are always well provided with…
Fr. Arturo Sosa, SJ, the Jesuit General, has called this year, 2021-2022, “the Ignatian Year”, as it marks the 500th anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Fr. General invites us ‘to see…
The first wave of Covid-19 in South Asia was still a matter of numbers. The second wave became a dreadful list of names upon names. The first wave affected those out there in the streets,…
A Bhopal auto-driver has turned his three-wheeler into an ambulance. That too, free of cost. Javed Khan from Bhopal has put his livelihood on hold, but the lives of many on an oxygen cylinder. Before…
Gujarat Woman Revives 675 Water bodies to solve Water Crisis of 5000 families in Kutch. On World Water Day (22nd March), Gazala Paul, founder of Ahmedabad-based NGO ‘Samerth’, talked about how she helped 97 villages…
Are we equal to the tasks? The Pandemic is not primarily about a virus, or a family of mutating deadly viruses. It is fundamentally about us! [auth] The first wave of the Pandemic (2020) wreaked…
(After having recovered from Covid) Read More
The celebration of the Ignatian year -- 500 years of the conversion of St. Ignatius at Loyola -- reminds us how Inigo, led by the innermost Spirit, allowed his life to take an unprecedented turn. …
Does God have a dream for our world? God certainly has one. [auth] “Let us work the redemption of the human race.” [SE 107] This statement of the Holy Trinity clearly indicates God’s dream for…
Hearty Congratulations, Fr. Tete, on being appointed the Conference Delegate for Formation for South Asia. It will be nice to hear about how you feel being entrusted with an important responsibility in the life and…
On the third floor of the Loyola family mansion –La Santa Casa- there is a room now known as the “Chapel of the Conversion”. It is believed that in those scarcely 30 square meters, Ignatius…
The Society of Jesus plans to observe the year 2021 – 2022 as Ignatian Year during which she would relive the conversion experience of St. Ignatius. [auth] The Society traces her origin, charism and spirituality…
As a young girl I remember the catechism class teacher asking me “Where is God?” I responded in faith by saying that God is everywhere. Back then, I didn’t fully comprehend the full implication of…
“The Christian of the future will be a mystic or not a Christian at all” - (Karl Rahner). That future has already arrived but not fully yet. Ignatian spirituality properly comprehended has a critical place…
The Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary (DHM), has just celebrated the bi-centenary year of the death of their co-founder, Fr. Peter Joseph de Cloriviere, a Jesuit priest, who went to his…
Every pastor is called to walk alongside the people of God, guiding them, learning from them, journeying with them in struggles and successes. [auth] Pope Francis through his life, writings and concrete initiatives, shows how…
Farmers of Yethadka, near Kasaragod, Kerala, pool money to build 16 temporary check dams on tributaries of the Chandragiri River, with available resources. An 11-metre high granite wall with water to the brim, they call…
He failed to quality for defence exams. But Silu Nayak from Arakhadu village of Odisha trains so many youth that aspire to qualify for the defence service examinations. [auth] His height was 1cm less than…
When attacked with acid she had just turned 19. The reason was that she was beautiful. A man in her village forced her for months and stalked on her. She has now a disfigured face…
Frustrated by the erratic power supply, Gitaram Kadam built a windmill and a solar power plant in Maharashtra, to help irrigate farmlands in his village. [auth] He bought a 12-acre land in the village to…
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February 2021 [auth] The JCSA had an online meeting from 22nd- 26th February 2021. It was the second JCSA meeting in a row in the online mode. The Major Superiors of the Conference along with…
The concluding commemoration of the Patna Jesuit Mission Centenary was held on March 3, 2021, at XTTI, Patna. Though, the pandemic situation did not permit any kind of elaborate celebration, it was a year-long spiritual…
During his apostolic journey to India in 1964, the first ever by a Pope, addressing the representatives of different religions on December 3, 1964, Paul VI had said “Yours is a land of ancient culture,…
Interview with Fr. Provincial, Donald Miranda, SJ [auth] Father Provincial, how do you feel as Patna province celebrates its centenary year? The fact that Patna Jesuit Mission is celebrating One Hundred Years is a joyful…
The development of social action in the Patna Jesuit Province was spectacular. The beginnings qualify as a case study for understanding the meaning of three terms which Jesuits consider as defining characteristics of their mission:…
Patna Mission, later to become the Patna Jesuit Mission, was entrusted to the Society of Jesus by Pope Benedict XV in 1919. The then General Vladimir Ledochowski commissioned the Missouri Province of the USA in…
It was 1921, and history will change for the better in Bihar. Five American Jesuits had arrived in Patna and they would make immense contribution to the life and education of the people of Patna…
We Jesuits, motivated by the deep personal love of Jesus, have a strong desire to imitate our Creator and the Lord Jesus Christ as He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. [auth] The…
I am glad to share my experiences and impressions of the Jesuits down the years. I limit my sharing to the Jesuits who came to Patna during or after the 1960s. [auth] They were given…
As the invitation to share my experience of collaboration with the Jesuits in their varied ministries of Patna Diocese came to me, the image that flashed in my mind was that of the gospel image…
Ever since I gained my senses, I have been associated with the Jesuit missionaries for my upbringing. The first Jesuit priest I had encountered was Fr. Vervaraken, who was from Belgium. Further, I had the…
I am Prem Manjhi. My father is Mr. Suresh Manjhi and mother is Mrs. Tileshwaridevi. I hail from Jamsaut, a village in the outskirts of Patna. I belong to the Musahar community, the most backward…
I can never sum up in such a short article what the entire Patna Mission means to me, nor the incredible growth that has occurred in the past 100 years. Here are a few of…
Setting a new milestone in accompanying distressed migrants to live with dignity by building a caring humanity, the Jesuit Conference of India’s premier initiative MAIN (Migrant Assistance and Information Network) has begun its operations. [auth]…
Easter is the ultimate Solemnity and greatest Feast and is the longest among the liturgical seasons. It celebrates the crowning, central truth of our faith in Jesus Christ. Easter is the most important day of…
Christian mission in Bihar is 400 years old, first begun by Jesuit missionaries in 1620, a short-lived mission, later by Capuchins from 1706-1919. In 1919, Patna Diocese was created and entrusted to the management of…
In the world of social networking, there is a postman still delivering posts to the poor people who live in inaccessible terrains. Plantation workers who live in difficult terrains in the Nilgiri Hills do not…
Kerala Woman Climbs Coconut Trees to Support Her Family [auth] The lockdown forced Sreedevi Gopalan, 25, a final year B.Ed student to return home in Malappuram, Kerala. Her father has been a coconut tree climber…
South Asian Jesuit Contribution to Contextual Methodology [auth] I. First Stirrings of Indigenization: After Vatican Council II, especially after the emergence of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) in 1974, the topic of indigenization…
South Asia remains a global hotspot where women are still considered second-class citizens: educationally backward, culturally suppressed, economically dependent and politically powerless. Discrimination against girls and women results in a high rate of female foeticide,…
South Asian Jesuit Pioneers in Interfaith Dialogue [auth] Dialogue is an indispensable ingredient of Asian Theology. Hence, I present a glimpse of South Asian Jesuit engagement with Hinduism and Islam, briefly discussing contributions of Jesuits…
South Asian Jesuit Influences in Tribal Theology [auth] Tribal theology is contextual and incarnational by nature—born out of the experience of various forms of injustice and exploitation of tribal peoples and their worldview (God-nature-human relationship)…
Jesuit Contribution to Dalit Theologies [auth] The Jesuit contribution to Dalit Theologies must be seen against the backdrop of their wrestling with Indian casteism. The endless struggles of one-fifth of the Indian population reduced to…
In the context of post-colonialism, the concept of ‘ethno’/ ‘ethnic’ is becoming popular. Especially in ‘third’ world countries, researches are done on ‘ethno-medicine’, ‘ethno-chemistry’, ‘ethno-botany’, ‘ethno-history’, ‘ethno-economics’ and so on. But unfortunately, ‘ethno-philosophy’ is an…
St. Joseph is one of the very few Saints who has two feast days to honour him. The scriptures don’t say much about this silent saint. In fact, St. Joseph does not speak in the…
“If we teach students today as we taught yesterday, we rob them of tomorrow.” -John Dewey [auth] In India today, we Jesuits are chiefly engaged in the apostolate of Education. The New Education Policy 2020…
Age old symbols and practices characterise the season of Lent. Among the symbols ash, desert and fire stand out and the triad of practices drawn from the Gospels that the church recommends are prayer, penance-fasting…
Assessing the South Asian Jesuit Role in Theologizing [auth] Sab-Jannewalla—Hindi, meaning, know-all—is an epithet jokingly used for Jesuits. Overstated though the label be, there’s some truth about Jesuit wisdom in the intellectual arena, theology being…
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What comes to your mind when you think of a government official? Bribes for a sign on your certificate? Delay in registering your sale deed? Meet Taslima Mohammed, 34, a sub-registrar working in Mulugu and…
In late 2016, farmers of Khaparkheda village in MP were surprised (or perhaps shocked) to see the farm of Laxmi Parate produce a high-quality surplus harvest of tomatoes, earning her a bumper profit. A few…
Fr. Stan Swamy, an octogenarian Jesuit priest, hailing from Jamshedpur Province, was arrested by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) on 8 October 2020. 15 January 2021 marks 100 days since his illegal arrest. [auth] The…
Jesuit Strategic communications and networking in the COVID era. [auth] W e may be experiencing one of the key global turning points of our time. This juncture, despite the serious impact it has on so…
An overnight nationwide lockdown announced on the 24th day of March, 2019 set off a series of events that confused, confounded, and challenged each one of us. That night, a maverick virus that flew into…
The ongoing pandemic is but a corroboration to Human species’ ability to adapt, adopt and evolve to any given situation. The forced incarceration of the human species due to COVID 19 has accelerated the digital…
As the world’s attention is riveted on the ‘largest protest in history’ that is being played out on the streets leading to the political Capital of India, there is a churning happening. Indian democracy is…
Articles 48A and 51A (g) in the Constitution of India spell out the imperatives for the state and its citizens, namely, protection and improvement of the environment. Article 48A states, “The State shall endeavour to…
Historians of science regard the 15th and 16th centuries as an age of reason that steered science and art to great heights. It was driven by a vision to create a new world! [auth] Moreover,…
Fr. Valles! Initially in Ahmedabad, then across Gujarat, the USA, and ultimately across continents, that was his name. Popular perception affirmed the Jesuit guru in his persona. Known among his followers as a writer with…
Online JCSA: JCSA meetings take their name from the place they are held in. This JCSA held in cyberspace, was baptized, as ‘Online JCSA’. [auth] Being an online meeting, members had to familiarize themselves with…
This 5th August (2020), the Prime Minister of India did the ground-breaking ceremony (Bhumi Pujan) for Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The Prime Minster compared the 15th August when India got freedom, to the 5th August…
Can we celebrate the feast of Christmas this year in the midst of a pandemic and the scourge of COVID-19? [auth] If our idea of celebration is restricted to physical participation at various events, then…
Stanley Weintraub in his “Silent Night: The Story of the World War-I Christmas Truce,” illustrates an extraordinary moment in the history of the world. [auth] During the first World War, British soldiers and German soldiers…
On the 29th July 2020, the Union Cabinet approved the third National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, which is aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and hopes to address the many growing development priorities…
Every time I send a copy of my webinar or a write-up on Stan’s arrest to my younger sister, the senior-most guardian of our family, she responds with a sigh, ‘hope they won’t arrest you…
Fr. Stan Lourduswamy SJ, aged 83, who was working for the Adivasis of Jharkhand for more than three decades, was taken into custody and imprisoned on October 9th in the Taloja prison in Mumbai. Along…
Ireturned from visiting the hospital, dog-tired and ravenously hungry. I collected my dinner from the hot box in the kitchen and ate in the reading room. The T. V. streamed news of the Corona situation…
The hallmark of the papacy of Pope Francis has been his persistent efforts and inexorable courage to address the issues that touch the grass-root realities of the contemporary human life, dignity, full-flowering of inter-dependent relationships,…
Yam Raj, aged 49, is a farmer by profession, and dedicates two months during the monsoons every year, to help people cross flooded rivulets in Uttarakhand, India. He literally carries travellers on his shoulders to…
Piplantri was a Rajasthan village of barren and dusty hills. From 2005, Marble mining completed its desolation. Heat and dust, water scarcity and droughts made young people migrate. Girl children were considered a curse, many…
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When Diwali comes, crackers will fill the sky. But for decades, two Tamil Nadu villages - Kollukudipatti and Singampunari - in the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu have not burst crackers during Diwali festival. The…
This farmer of Beed Dt. switched to organic fruit farming after attending a seminar. He made a fortune growing organic papaya and watermelon. [auth] Marginal small farmers do not easily experiment with alternative crops or…
A few years ago, just after I had given a quick rundown of the many international honours the Jesuit scientists have achieved for their accomplishments – 35 lunar craters, 11 asteroids, the first credited scientific…
In Conversation with the Newly appointed President of JCSA. [auth] Hearty Congratulations, Fr. Stany, on being appointed the President of JCSA. As you assume this important responsibility, what are your first feelings, rather your consolations…
We live today in cataclysmic times! If one goes by the experience of the last couple of years, and particularly since the pandemic COVID-19 gripped the world, one realises there is not much positive happening…
As Jesuit Refugee Service enters into 40 years of existence in November 14, 2020, it is not a time to triumphantly celebrate its achievements but to trace out God’s footprints and His providential accompaniment with…
Fr. A.T. Thomas received martyrdom on 24th October 1997. It is 23 years since his martyrdom. In 1996 he went to Manila, taking two years break from Dalit apostolate, to do his study. I was…
Fr. Tom Gafney was born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, on November 28th, 1932. He joined the Jesuits in September 1952, and came to Nepal in 1959 after doing his philosophy studies at West Baden, Indiana.…
Transition from one generation to the next can not only be challenging, but even be fatally dangerous, particularly when big money and other vested interests are involved. This is what happened in the case of…
From Abel to Zachariah in the Old Testament, from Christ to Stephen in the New Testament, we see martyrs who stood for their faith and truth. Saul, who guarded the blood-stained clothes of the martyr…
Fr. Herman Rasschaert was born on 13th September 1922 in the Netherlands. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in Drongen on 7th September 1941. In the novitiate he made up his mind to go to India…
What is heaven like, is a question whose answer we do not know but are keen to know. Based on the following 4 faith-linked premises, I make the following imaginative presentation of heaven [auth] Heaven…
Emilio Moscoso (1846-1897) was beatified in his birthplace Riobamba, Ecuador, on November 16, 2019. His feast-day is on 21st November, together with Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro. [auth] Emilio Moscoso was born in Cuenca, Ecuador, on…
It is always a welcome Ignatian Exercise to review our life-mission as it unfolds before us. How did the last six years unfold before the Conference of South Asia? What are the ‘moves and halts’…
Do you want to know what it means to be kind to others? You should talk to Manisha (22), a lecturer at the Nandha College of Nursing in Erode District, Tamil Nadu. She has made…
Almost every Monsoon, the Brahmaputra floods Assam, sweeping away everything they encounter — human settlements and paddy fields. In 2016, the soil erosion due to floods in Golaghat district wrecked more than 40 residential shelters and schools.…
In the year 1965, war was going on between India and Pakistan. India was dropping bombs on various targets. We were about sixty five seminarians doing theology in Kurseong on the Himalayan hills. With the…
Comments heard at the end of a Mass in a Jesuit parish somewhere in the world... Did you hear what the priest said during the announcements at the end of the Mass? The Jesuits are…
“Education is a dynamic reality; it is a movement that brings people to light.” - Pope Francis [auth] The vision of the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisions “creating the education system holistic, flexible,…
It is already eight months! Corona is still ruling the nations! So much suffering, death, and uncertainty. Many scientists, doctors, social workers, government and private agencies and individuals are trying their best to cope up…
Unlike the 2019 peace rally at Kutupalong Mega camp, when over 200,000 Rohingya refugees converged together to mark the second anniversary of their exodus from Rakhine state, the third anniversary on 25th August 2020 was…
Education has been an important tool in the hands of Jesuits almost from its very inception in 1542. Within a few years of the founding of the Society of Jesus, it became clear that one…
Three aspects of humour are highlighted here: 1. Humour softens the existential suffering and also acts as protest against injustice and discrimination; 2. It’s an antidote to what cannot be changed in life; 3. Humour…
Corona crisis has ushered in a new culture - the “online culture”. The educational system has adopted to this culture in a big way. Swapnali Sutar, a young girl of Dariste village from Sindhudurg District,…
Teacher Saritha Vijaykumar found Covid-19 lockdown a perfect opportunity to explore ways to engage children in more creative and healthy pursuits than just sitting at home and getting bored! “When the lockdown was implemented, children…
Moving into the 21st century, gender is a familiar expression in ordinary parlance besides becoming a tool of critical inquiry in key analytical questions. Though gender concerns are generally seen as synonym for women’s concerns,…
For thousands of years patriarchal attitudes persisted in human society wherein the male was considered the norm and the female as created to be at his service. Women were accorded an inferior position and were…
I have been in partnership with Jesuits in the Social Development Ministry for many years. I can proudly say that I am a product of the Society of Jesus. My family share the values and…
Ignatian spirituality is a significant source and motivation for many women religious Congregations as well as lay associations. Many Congregations include the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola with their particular practice of spirituality.…
In her book, Women at the Well: Feminist Perspectives in Spiritual Direction, Kathleen Fisher writes, “It is often said of women’s spirituality that ‘we do not yet know what it looks like’.” The same could…
This year marks a quarter of a century since the Society of Jesus issued the ground-breaking official document titled ‘Jesuits and the Situation of Women in Church and Civil Society’. The Jesuits committed themselves to…
It was in April 2017 my Provincial Fr. Sebastian Jeerakassery showed me a letter from Fr. George Pattery that Port Blair Diocese needs a Spiritual Director. He asked me whether I was ready to go…
On July 29th the Union Cabinet approved the National Education Policy 2020. It has not been presented in Parliament. To become an Act it needs the approval of the Parliament. The Minister of Education said…
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Pope Benedict XVI, addressing the 35th General Congregation in 2008, praised Jesuits as those who reach “those physical and spiritual places which others do not reach or have difficulty in reaching.” This is best illustrated by…
The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM), known as Loreto Sisters, was founded by Mary Ward in 1609. She was a resilient person of great faith and strength of character. She was labelled a heretic in her…
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A few years after twitter was launched, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had issued a justifiable guideline to its newsroom: Break news first on our platforms before tweeting. It’s no secret that today there are…
I don’t know whether Covid-19 will change our theology or our churches, but it has certainly changed our homes. Today we are thinking of God and the Church differently, and expressing our thoughts differently. [auth]…
One image that has disturbed me for the last two months is that of a migrant labourer, Ramu, who wheeled his pregnant wife Dhanwanta and little daughter Anuragini, from Hyderabad to their hometown in Balaghat,…
The Covid-19 pandemic may be best described as a disaster which began in Wuhan China and has now spread to many countries in the world. A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts…
In his recent message calling for “responsibility and solidarity”, Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, said that we all face one common threat – the Corona virus. However, he said that together we can change the…
On 23rd May in Nepal, reports broke out about the lynching of Navaraj BK and five of his friends. According to journalistic accounts, Navaraj, a 21-year-old Dalit man, along with his companions had gone to…
Born on 6th April 1884 at Laille, France, Louis Marie Lèveil was the youngest of ten children. Next to his mother, Julianee Lebine, Lèveil was very close to his sister Victoire, who sowed the seed…
Best for the Least The Bible, as the history of liberation from repression, crystallizes that the rights of the poor are the rights of God. It has now dawned on the Jesuits the realization that…
Defining moments strike us when we least expect them, especially during times of uncertainties and crises. They trigger our imagination and propel us into action. [auth] On a casual evening walk a few days back,…
After reading online on 20th January about a dangerous new virus spreading in China Shailaja Teacher, the Health Minister of Kerala asked her medical deputy, “Will it come to us?” “Definitely, Madam.” [auth] Four months later,…
Albert Einstein, who we all know as a great genius, wrote some letters to his daughter Lieserl back in 1938. He said, “Please hold on to these letters because I’m not sure that humanity is…
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The Covid-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented waves of devastation across the globe. Apart from being a threat to lives, the lockdown that followed brought misery and despair to millions of people, especially the poor. Migrant…
Then the LORD said, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people...I have heard their cries of distress... Yes, I am aware of their suffering.” (Ex. 3:7) [auth] These words that set Moses on…
The plight of migrant workers walking thousands of kilometres to their homes carrying their children on the shoulders and their meagre possession on their back, braving heat and hunger will haunt us for many years.…
“We don’t want sympathy, we want dignity; we work hard to earn our living, and we don’t beg, borrow or steal. We may be poor but we are also citizens of this country with equal…
Soon after the sudden and shocking announcement of the lockdown, and in the absence of Government help, worried and frustrated migrants began to leave for their distant homes. Images of thousands of men, women and…
Breathing is such a natural activity that we do not even pay attention to it most of the time, unless of course, we are practising pranayama or yoga. What is more, breath is free! For…
There are many ways to approach the life of St. Ignatius. [auth] One could focus on his writings, his vision, or his leadership qualities. One could trace the path of his life in chronological order,…
The COVID-19 pandemic has put governance of nations and international institutions to the test. Nations that have been able to contain the spread of the corona virus have only revealed the foresightedness of their leaders…
On April 24, the call centre of the Municipal Corporation of Kannur in Kerala had a Catholic Bishop attend the calls. Bishop Alex Vadakkumthala of Kannur was seen noting down a list of essentials requested by…
A hunter got into a thick, trackless forest chasing a deer. Soon he got lost in the forest. He roamed for three days with nothing to eat. On the evening of the third day he…
It is disturbing and depressing to learn that the corona virus cases worldwide as of now are close to few millions. People are finding ways and means to take precautionary measures. Many are also reaching…
Corona virus has destabilized millions of people in our country. The most affected are the daily wage earners and the migrants. Of these, the ‘blacklisted’ and the ostracized from society are the ‘secluded minority’ -…
India’s nationwide lockdown exposed the vulnerabilities of over 4 crore distressed internal migrants. The lockdown left hundreds of thousands of migrant workers stranded far from home without employment, shelter, food and social security. The disturbing…
Two weeks ago, we all went to sleep in one world and woke up to see another world - a world none of us had imagined in our wildest dreams; a world which made us…
May 1—The Memorial of Saint Joseph ‘the Worker’ has been observed as ‘Religious Brothers’ Day annually in the U.S. since its inauguration in 2017 in recognition of the life and ministry of brothers. [auth] A…
When the Government asked all educational institutions and other establishments to close down, one of our KG girls went back home happily. Her mother asked her why she was so delighted to come home before…
We consider the present COVID-19 pandemic as the ‘Cross of Christ’, which to humankind is folly but to God is wisdom. Amidst such an unprecedented crisis when the entire world is reeling under the spell…
Pondering over the uncertain interval between two regimes of ancient Rome, Antonio Gramsci wrote from a Fascist prison in 1929, “The old world is dying and the new world struggles are yet to be born.…
Parents in Delhi slums work in the fields and their children remain uneducated since they have no time to drop and pick up the children from school. But an informal school started by Satyendra Pal responded…
Inspired by the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Rashmii Tiwarii, an architect from Hyderabad, reuses PET bottles to construct public restrooms. [auth] Did you know the Indian cricket team’s jerseys are made from recycled PET bottles? To…
Fifty years in the life of a Mission is indeed a momentous milestone and a splendid occasion to celebrate. As the Kohima Jesuits celebrate five decades of their presence and service in Northeast India, they…
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Jesus was willing to go to his passion and death despite being afraid, only because he believed it was the will of his Father. [auth] The…
Looking back now, the story of the Jesuit schools in Northeast India has been one of unsolicited hope. Things happened unexpectedly; certainly not as the village folks had anticipated or, for that matter, even the…
In 1970, God led the Karnataka Province to send three men with very different charisms to begin the Jesuit Mission in Northeast India: an educator, a builder, and a pastor. While Fr. Stany Coelho was…
The promulgation of GC 34, D4 in 1974 helped the nascent Kohima Jesuit Mission to understand that the option for the poor should occupy the central place in the Society’s mission. The Jesuits were invited…
At fifty, one feels like ‘Janus’ (the Roman God of beginnings and transitions, usually depicted with two faces, one looking behind at the past, and the other looking ahead to the future). The theme of…
All the 13 high schools and over 25 primary schools run by the Jesuits of Kohima are located in interior villages. The concept of a boarding house attached to a school is nothing new, and…
In Kohima Region, the growing number of local vocations must surely be reckoned as a sign of God’s singular favour. God confirms our mission in Northeast India by calling young men, and he invests in…
Fifty years are gone and the next fifty are beckoning the Kohima Jesuits. Where do they stand today as they ‘Read the Past to Write the Future’? They have ventured confidently into multiple areas of…
When I asked the Kohima Region scholastics about their vision for our future, their responses endorsed my sense that the UAPs are constitutive of the next ten years. As described in the UAPs, our Region…
Celebrations are like binding knots of a community that is alive and animated, sensitive and thriving. It builds strength, invigorates a process, and enriches its potential. The Golden Jubilee celebration of Kohima Jesuit Region was…
Many symbols are part of our traditional ways of celebrating feasts. Thus we have the Christmas tree and the Easter egg. Many of our modern Easter eggs have become as barren as the unfertilized eggs…
Murukan was once an orphan left in the streets. But now he runs Theruvora Pravarthaka Association. He has rescued thousands of homeless children, elderly, and ailing people from various cities in Kerala and has given them…
We have received in our Christian Spirituality that the foundation of our relationship with God is based on, ‘Love God with your whole being and love your neighbour as yourself.’ Pope Francis through his Encyclical…
The 9th National Congress of the Federation of Jesuit Alumni/ae Associations of India (JAAI) was held from January 17-19, 2020, at St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli and was jointly hosted by St. Joseph’s College and St.…
A National Seminar on Peace and Reconciliation under JEA was held for teachers on February 15-16, 2020, at Indian Social Institute, Bangalore. It was organized by Loyola Institute of Peace and International Relations (LIPI), Kochi,…
Every step forward for women is a step forward for humanity as a whole - Pope Francis. [auth] On a sunny summer’s day in 2014 I boarded the Duranto Express at the Howrah railway station…
Somehow, the Lenten season always makes a big appeal, even though it is an annual and familiar feature. People get into its spirit and sense rather effortlessly. So much so, practically every parish community anywhere…
Isn’t it paradoxical that the joys of parenthood, the blessing of motherhood, cherished by most societies and psyches, are in orthodox biblical perspective, curse and punishment? What kind of neurosis could have stigmatized the most…
The ‘Word of God’ Sunday on January 26, 2020, coincided with our Republic Day, the day on which our Indian Constitution was promulgated in 1950. Given the present scenario of the promotion of Hindutva in…
The question that I keep asking myself is ‘how can we do justice to our ecology and make our world fit for others to live in?’ We all live in one world and in one…
A few years ago five of my Jesuit students prepared and presented an assignment during the course on Feminist Theology. They began their power point presentation with the following words: Woman cries and says,“Why did you…
The First Prize Winning Story of JIVAN creative writing contest-2019 [auth] Jyoti walked down the road in a pair of heeled slippers modern in design and matching a chic, ethnic salwar kameez set. She looked…
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You definitely remember the above two images from the 2002 Gujarat riots; one of Qutubuddin Ansari with a sobbing face and folded hands begging for mercy from an attacking mob, and the other of Ashok…
On December 20, 2018, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed a Resolution to declare 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. One may ask, “Are plants so unwell that they need global concern…
India is in a mess; the economy is in shambles! On January 20, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered the growth estimate for India to 4.8 per cent for 2019, citing stress in the non-bank…
The anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) fire lit in Assam spread to the rest of the Northeast and to Peninsular India but with different priorities. Its focus for the protesters in Peninsular India is discrimination based…
The passing of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in 2019, have stoked the embers of the identity of people and their future existence. The scale and intensity of…
Youth are challenging the iniquitous Citizenship Amendment Act. What about us, Jesuits? [auth] As persons committed to journeying with the youth, we should take part in this ongoing debate on inclusion and exclusion. As Jesuits…
The second half of 2019 (July - December) was both a very trying yet sobering experience for me. Jharkhand police was after me and I was after the police! The difference was the police acted…
Imagine a plot written by George Orwell, the India-born author of the novel 1984. This time it is 2025. It has no meaning other than two minor ones. The simpler one is that it marks…
Our Provinces work earnestly at the task of getting ‘vocations’. Among routine activities vocation promoters travel far and near to meet possible candidates, subsidise exposures to varied apostolic works, foster prayer and spirituality, try to…
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In 1992, he had just failed his class 10 examinations, and had decided to take his life. Twenty-seven years later, Murugan runs an organisation that takes care of the homeless and provides them with meals…
God’s Creation is a web: everything in Creation is linked. It is this Creation Web that sustains the Universe. [auth] Last month, GJEM (Gujarat Jesuit Ecology Mission) began creating a web of Eco Education across…
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The 50th anniversary of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES) was celebrated at the SJES Congress on 4-8 November, 2019, in Rome. The event witnessed the attendance of 210 delegates from 62 countries, including…
A two-day National Seminar was organized on 11-12 October 2019 at Ernakulam to mark the 25th death anniversary of Fr Sebastian Kappen (1924-1993). The theme of the seminar was The Emergence of Fascist Tendencies in…
The recent developments in the state of Jharkhand are a cause of concern for every citizen of India. The democratic institutions and rule of law have collapsed in Jharkhand, resulting in efforts to amend Chotanagpur/Santal…
“With globalization, the so called less important traditions, cultures, languages, and even species,” said Mrs. Sofie as introduction to the gathering of the Expressive Club in a building she owned. [auth] Her husband, a social…
A Foundational Grace The desire to learn, promote and empower languages is a foundational grace that the Society of Jesus has enjoyed from its very inception. Throughout the history of the Society of Jesus, Jesuits…
Four hundred years ago, during the time of inquisition, of forced conversions and of zealous Romanization, a Jesuit practiced enculturation. His contribution to the religious language of Goa is noteworthy and commendable. [auth] Life…
The UN General Assembly’s declaration of 2019 as the ‘International Year of Indigenous Languages’ echoed joyfully in the tribal heartland of Gujarat on 21 February 2019, when the Hon. Governor of Gujarat, Shri O. P.…
For some years now I have received Christmas cards from some friends that have no reference to Jesus. On the outer page you see a bouquet of flowers, or a tree covered with buntings; on…
A spiritual journey is a unique experience. Christmas inherently promotes spiritual growth and development, and is a time for spiritual rebirth and the dawn of a new Life. [auth] Jesus was born, and His birth…
The titular feast of the Society of Jesus, celebrated on 3rd January, is one of three solemnities in the Society; the other two are the feasts of St Ignatius and St Joseph. The importance the…
Encyclopaedia Mundarica, is the work of Fr. John Hoffmann, SJ (1857 – 1928) assisted by Fr Arthur Van Emelen, SJ. Other Jesuits working in Chotanagpur have also helped Fr. Hoffmann in this great venture. Fr.…
To, All Jesuits of the Conference of South Asia 15 Nov, 2019 POSA Circular 2019/06 Dear Friends in the Lord, Greetings of Peace! This circular brings you the responses of JCSA to the long process of…
Personally, I believe that for those who are born or live in the Amazon, the Pan-Amazon Synod was a time of kairos, for all our communities to see how much the Church, led by Pope…
Twenty one children who once begged for food and money on Kolkata’s roads now study in government schools. This is not the work of an NGO or a Government scheme. It is the initiative of…
[auth] 1) Plastic waste as school fees ‘Akshar’ school in an Assam village accepts plastic waste as fees. The school has over a hundred children and each child brings in around 25 items of plastic…
A pilgrim journey Lok Manch as a pilgrim journey that began in November 2015 has its roots in the historical experiences of the Jesuits of South Asia. The seed of Lok Manch can be traced…
Fr. John Baptist Hoffmann started the Chotanagpur Catholic Mission Co-operative Society which helped the Adivasis stand on their feet economically. They were saved from the clutches of money lenders and profiteers through this well managed…
As we celebrate 50 golden years of the Social Action and Ecology Secretariat, I am privileged to recall the last 20 years of dedicated social action of Jesuits of the Calcutta Province through ‘Udayani Social…
Jesuit ministry for environment protection [auth] Across countries we see humankind (young and old) entering into a paradigm of promoting and embracing an environmentally friendly lifestyle and spirituality. Green activism, research on climate issues, eco-friendly…
Social integration has been recognized the world over as the key issue affecting the life of migrants. Social protection measures of both central and state governments and social support from host communities could become more…
Two interventions of 2019 invite the Church and the Jesuits to serious personal and collective deliberation, action and assessment. The first is Pope Francis’ declaration of October 2019 as an Extraordinary Missionary Month. The second…
To mark the 200th anniversary of the Restoration of the Society of Jesus in 1814, Pope Francis presided over Vespers on 27th Sept., 2014, in the Church of the Gesù in Rome. “The ship of…
A Journey of Justice and Reconciliation: 50 Years and Beyond… [auth] In 1968 Fr. Pedro Arrupe on an official visit to Chotanagpur, India, entered an office in Ranchi and met Fr. Francisco Ivern, SJ, from…
A pilgrim (Latin peregrinum) is a person who wanders or travels with an aim and an objective in mind: a child of God who strives to find God in the mundane journey of life. Men and…
On 25th September, the Novice Masters of Jesuit South Asian Assistancy gathered at the Ananda Jyothi Novitiate and Retreat Centre for a week-long annual meeting. Twelve of the thirteen Novice Masters were present. [auth] On…
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Every two years since 1969, the International Congresses of Jesuit Ecumenists have provided a forum for encouraging exchange among Jesuits drawn to the ecumenical dimension of the Ignatian charism. The ecumenical dimension was evident in…
The communiqué from ARCIC III’s (the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission, Phase 3) first plenary meeting in 2011 declared the Commission’s intent to use the method of receptive ecumenism which it described as seeking “to make…
The World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly to be held in Jakarta in November 2019 has the theme “Your Kingdom Come! Our heart’s Cry - Advancing God’s Kingdom Together.” For the eleventh Assembly of World Council…
The ecumenical movement has its origin in Jesus’ poignant prayer on the eve of his death, his yearning for the unity of all - “that they may all be one as I am in you”…
In October-November 2014 the Major Superiors of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia (JCSA) met in Phesama, Nagaland, and moved by “a palpable experience of the Spirit at work among us”1 , responded boldly and…
Second repatriation attempt failed As the second and latest repatriation attempt failed to take off on 22nd August, there is now cause for more gloom and despair among the 1.1 million Rohingyas currently sheltered in…
Come October 2019 and the world will be celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (2nd Oct.) and the canonization (13th Oct.) of Cardinal Newman. [auth] What is little known, however, is the connection…
A first-aid kit containing all the emergency requirements - bandages, antiseptic lotion, cream for burns and paracetamol; with basic knowledge of administering first aid having gone through formal training, this is no ambulance or an…
Purushothaman was a technician in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Bangalore. He saw the rapid growth of industry, population, and the consequent explosion of filth in the ‘garden’ city of India! He dreamt of living…
Note: The term ‘Spring Offensive’ refers to the attacks by insurgents on the government in Afghanistan. The poem deals with the hope that the children of a conflict-ridden country place in education. More precisely, in a land where there is…
President of the International Society of Jesuit Ecumenists (Fr Markus Schmidt, the President of the International Society of Jesuit Ecumenists was interviewed on behalf of JIVAN by Fr. Cedric Prakash. Fr. Schmidt is an Assistant…
The upcoming canonisation of John Henry Newman (1801-1890) will surely be a moment of consolation and encouragement for those of us engaged in ecumenical ministry. [auth] He brings together in his own person the Anglican…
In 1974 Sula Benet, a noted anthropologist, while working in Abkhasia, shared this anecdote. She once toasted a man who looked no more than 70 and said, “May you live as long as Moses to…
Hyderabadis, listen! Want to earn from your household scrap while helping the environment? This start-up not only offers a free pick-up service, it also uses part of the profits to educate underprivileged children. [auth] Making…
Cultural diversity has emerged as a key concern in the pluralistic context of our county. Culture embraces the totality of people’s life - language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, art, etc. Homogenization of cultures has…
I have been interested, if not actually engaged, in interreligious dialogue for the last 65 years. Looking back, I am amazed at the manner in which it has changed over the years. Sharing that story…
Peter Doherty was ordained in 1968. From his earliest years in India he was taken up by the question, ‘what is the Good News for the people among whom I have come to live?’ [auth]…
The Government of India released the Draft New Education Policy (DNEP) – 2019 on 31st May for public response. India has a population of 1.3 billion and the Constitution recognises 22 official languages. The DNEP…
Violence in the name of religion is stalking the streets. The divide between religious communities is widening by the day. In the last few decades we have seen an increase in violence and the changing…
My Superiors missioned me to ‘Apostolate among Muslims’. This mission placed on me a twofold responsibility: explore, find and establish contacts with Muslims in order to help them understand the Church and her love for…
Fundamentalism and Inter-faith dialogue in South Asia [auth] The persecution of the Christian community is the single most noxious common factor among the eight states of South Asia – in Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri…
Sameeksha, Centre for Indian Spirituality at Kalady in Kerala, India, is a Jesuit āśram, an open space for a spiritual encounter between followers of different religions. It is situated on the banks of the Poorna…
Guru Nanak Dev, born in 1469, moved by compassion for his suffering people started Sikhism, to liberate his people from socio-religio-cultural oppressive systems and divisions based on caste, social hierarchy, and economic inequality in society.…
Yamada KounRoshi, one of the renowned Japanese Zen masters of our times once said, if a Christian practices Zen, he/she will become a better Christian; deep in Christianity as well as in Zen. Zen is…
This year International Yoga Day was celebrated on 21st June in many countries led by India. But there was a hiccup among Christians caused by a controversy with regard to the legitimacy of celebrating this…
This article is restricted to marriages between a Catholic person and a partner belonging to another faith. These are known as ‘Inter-religious’ or ‘Disparity of cult’ marriages. The focus of the article is on couples…
Swami Shubhananda was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1928 and named after an Austrian Jesuit priest, Fr. Angelo Barbaria, who was his father’s spiritual guide. Angelo attended a flourishing Jesuit school in Barcelona in 1938.…
Nowadays the ministry of inter-religious dialogue is referred to as the ministry of promoting inter-religious relations which enhance mutual understanding, co-operation, peaceful co-existence and communal harmony among people of different religions living side by side…
The scholastics of Western Zone attended a course on Media Training for ten days during summer in Ahmedabad. Fr. Ashok Vaghela and the Gurjarvani team effectively conducted this workshop for the 34 scholastics from all…
My first encounter with my King who is admiringly called the Great Fourth was on the basketball court. He was an avid basketball player and we were privileged to play with him on a regular…
Popularly known as the “Missile Man of India”, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam is one of the most distinguished and rarest jewels among Jesuit Alumni in India, especially St. Joseph’s College, Trichy. He was born on…
Forty years on, the morning is as crisp as it was then: a 17 year old youngster, full of trepidation and nervousness, quietly slipped into the hallowed portals of St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta, as a…
My years at St Xavier’s (1969-71) were among the happiest in my life and helped shape me definitively for the challenges that followed in adulthood. On this auspicious occasion, I join my fellow Xaverians in…
In 2013 I met Mr. Lakshmi Mittal, the Steel Baron, in London. We conferred the “Global Xaverian” award on him at a public function in the British Museum. Our interaction began with Mr. Mittal’s spontaneous,…
Walking into St. Joseph’s Boys’ High School for the first time was a bit overwhelming. It was different from the small St. Antony’s where I studied till 4th standard. I was so excited to discover…
Childhood memories are the most precious possessions of a person. Recollection and retrospection fill one’s present with valuable lessons learnt, and with the joy of contentment. [auth] The years in school were crowded with relentless…
My children and my grand children studied in various schools, but I was a student of just one – St Xavier’s School, Fort, for decades the best known Jesuit school in South Mumbai. I am…
While I was at St. Xavier’s, Mumbai, I started Akanksha. One of our first centres was located at St. Xavier’s in the boys’ hostel. We had a tiny office right under the staircase there. [auth]…
I would like to say a few words that I have long wanted to about my association with St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. I entered the College as a science student in 1950 at the young age…
‘ Mozambique’ may invoke in many minds the thought of some prehistoric monster! Far from it! It is a scenic African nation with a 2,400 kilometre stretch off the Indian Ocean on its eastern border.…
St Xavier’s High School changed me forever. From a shy, reticent, awkward young boy I metamorphosed into a bold, confident, vibrant young man. This transformation was, in large part, due to the ethos of the…
Vijay Amritraj, the tennis legend who played outstanding tennis at the international level during 1970s and 1980s is truly an epitome of the education, training and discipline imparted at Loyola College, Chennai. He attributes all…
We come across two kinds of people. The first (they form the majority of the good, the bad and the indifferent) when asked what life means to them or what, for them, are its whys…
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He is not a missionary. But he has done more than any missionary could have done. In his two decade long journey of bringing education to one of the most remote tribal regions in Kerala,…
Normally, about 600 ml water is used in a single hand wash. According to UN, about 350 ml of this is wasted. Now consider that this simple nozzle reduces the water used in a single…
If Election 2014 was about the ‘Modi wave’, then Election 2019 is definitely about the ‘Modi tsunami’ (tsuNaMo). PM Modi, who led the BJP and the NDA from the front, has ended up being recognized…
(The poem reflects the plight of many Afghan girls born in conservative families) Read More
Over 6,500 Sri Lankans and 2,100 Indians came for the feast of St. Anthony, the patron of seafarers, on 15th-16thMarch, 2019. Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalese, after years of civil war, mingle at this pilgrimage…
How a Basque diocesan priest helped many modern day Jesuits “to know, love and follow” St. Ignatius more closely and thus find God in all things. [auth] Fr. Jose Ignacio Tellechea Idigoras, a Basque diocesan…
The laconic promise “I will be propitious to you in Rome” made to Ignatius at the chapel of La Storta in late October or early November in 1537 has suggested different things to different Jesuits…
Musings on Pope Francis’s Motu Proprio [auth] Need to relight our lives “In the Light of the Master” is the title of chapter three of Pope Francis’s March 2018 ‘Gaudete et Exsultate’– Rejoice and Be…
Blessed Arnáiz was beatified in October 2019. His feast day is celebrated on 2nd July, together with the other Jesuit Saints and Blessed of the day. [auth] Even a cursory scroll down the life and…
In the very first words of the post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, “Christus Vivit”, Pope Francis, declares to ‘young people and the entire people of God’: “Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful…
The Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs) promulgated by Fr. Arturo Sosa, the Superior General of the Jesuits, on 19th February 2019 can be summarized as follows: [auth] 1. Spirituality 2. Walk with the Excluded 3. Accompany…
“Are you blind? Do you need spectacles? The ball just went above your head!” I shouted at Vincent, the goalkeeper, who refused to admit that the penalty shot was a goal. The argument became more…
Puri was the ‘epic-centre’ of the cyclone - FANI - that caused large scale destruction and an unforgettable terrible experience. [auth] Wind and rain, starting early morning around 6.00, slowly picked up velocity and force.…
The training programme for Vice Principals of Jesuit Colleges of South Asia was held from 4th to 6th May, 2019 at JMJ Residence, Sirumalai Hills, Dindigul. The programme aimed at empowering the participants holding important…
Fr. Pedro Arrupe in his letter ‘On the Preparation for Ordination’ initiating the Pre-Ordination Programme (POP) in the Society of Jesus, terms the entire month as a time of “an appropriate spiritual preparation before the…
An Art Workshop was organized by CARP (Company of Artists for Radiance of Peace), LIPI (Loyola Institute of Peace and International relations, Kerala), and GJEM (Gujarat Jesuit Ecology Mission). Nineteen professional artists from India and…
‘Discernment and Spiritual Exercises’, the first of the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAP) is fundamental because it presupposes as a basic condition the relation of the Jesuit with the Lord, his personal and communitarian life of…
The Jesuits of South Asia, two hundred plus, gathered in Pune from 25th to 28th April for a South Asian Jesuit Assembly (JESAA 2019) to explore ways to make their life and mission intercultural, viewing…
It is with sadness and helplessness caused by the tragedy on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, that brought mourning and pain to those who went to church for Easter services and to other places to…
“It is to be hoped that not even a whiff of scandal will embarrass any of our communities or institutions in the future.” Arturo Sosa, SJ | Superior-General of the Society of Jesus [auth] In…
Geographical exploration is a process that investigates the physical, terrestrial properties of a region so that one gets correct and reliable knowledge of the area. Perhaps many may be surprised to know that the Jesuits…
More than capturing our imaginations and awakening our desires, the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs), in my view, redefine and reconstruct Jesuit identity - who we are, and what we do; our being and our doing.…
On 25th September 2015, the United Nations (UN) declared the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the ‘global agenda’ to be achieved by 2030. On 19th February 2019, the Society of Jesus adopted the Universal Apostolic…
Pope Francis said, “Religions cannot renounce the urgent task of building bridges between peoples and cultures” (Speech in Abu Dhabi on 4th Feb). And this urgency was experienced as the Holy Father sent a video…
The abundance of synonyms and near synonyms in a language offers wondrous possibilities for the precise expression of diverse shades of meaning. It also reveals and makes available to the user, the word-wealth of a…
His flippant answers infuriated them. They smacked him, repeatedly punched him on the face causing him to lose consciousness, suffer a fractured cheek-bone, laceration on his cheek and bleed profusely. He ran for his life,…
I am a third year student at Vidyajyoti Jesuit College of Theology in Delhi. When I first came to Vidyajyoti, I did not have any clear idea about what theology was. There were only questions in…
The perception persists that the scientific world is alien territory for religious leaders and scholars, particularly for women. But this is fast changing, especially in the Indian Catholic Church. In this “Road Not Taken” episode…
In a city mainly known for noise and air pollution, the Parish Pastoral Council of Holy Family Church has taken a stand for ecological awareness. [auth] Fr. Vincent Vaz, the Parish Priest, has taken inspiration…
After three momentous events: the cause for the beatification and canonization of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, introduced in Rome on 5th Feb; the promulgation the UAPs to the whole Society on 19th Feb; and the meeting…
UAPs Echoing the Dynamism of the Society The Society of Jesus has been dynamic and has endeavoured to respond creatively to the signs of the times from the very beginning. The four Universal Apostolic Preferences…
Utopia? The 2019 massive exercise elections in India will peak in May with the casting and counting of votes, and the declaration of the results. This exercise flows from democracy which struggles to make sure…
Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs) were approved by Pope Francis and given to the Society of Jesus by Fr. General on 19th February, 2019. They are to guide us the next ten years to incarnate the…
We lament, together with Pope Francis, that clerical ambition for power has damaged the whole Church’s authority. For ‘power’ is what mammon offers its slaves whereas ‘authority’ or credibility is a grace that God bestows…
Emerging India provides the Church an opportunity to understand the socio-economic, political, cultural, religious, etc. possibilities and challenges around. The Church in India can play a major role in upholding the constitutional and Gospel values…
The Resurrection is a unique event. It is not the resuscitation of a dead body as in the case of Lazarus (Jn. 11.43) or the widow’s son (Lk. 7.11-14). It is a total transformation of…
The Indian General Elections 2019 have been announced and on 23rd May the nation will know who will rule for the next five years! After more than seventy years of independence, the coming elections have…
It is Pawar that empowers a village. When Popatrao Pawar was elected the Sarpanch of the village in 1990,his family was upset as it wanted him to stay in the city. “But I felt that…
In five years, he has managed to set up a beautiful terrace garden where he grows most vegetables, fruits and leafy greens. From chikoo, strawberry, papaya, guava, pomegranate and figs to vegetables - cauliflower, basil, cabbage,…
The cause of Pedro Arrupe (1907-1991) to be canonised has been introduced recently in Rome. This is an occasion to recall his inspiring life and work. [auth] He has been credited with re-founding the Society…
A wild life enthusiast, photographer and tour operator by profession, Pompayya Malemath’s (Karnataka) fascination with wildlife and plants began at an early age. He saw the scrubby patch of land bordering his property turning into…
When her parents left her in a residential school for poor children, she was just five. [auth] But Jyoti, one of seven siblings, didn’t cry over being ‘abandoned’. Even when many other girls her age…
Wide consensus exists that the existence of God cannot be established conclusively on logic or science alone. But attempts at establishing the non-existence of God on purely logical or scientific basis have been even more…
Fr. Aloysius Fonseca, who was part of the second team commissioned by the Jesuit Conference of South Asia (JCSA) to survey the possibilities of a Jesuit mission in Afghanistan, passed away in Kabul on 8th…
Soon after the Second Vatican Council (Vat. II) inter-religious dialogue reached its peak. Church documents kept encouraging Christians to enter into religious dialogue with the non-Christians. Theological periodicals published numerous articles in praise of this…
The liturgy is not simply worship but also catechesis. It instructs us not only through words, but more specifically through symbols, symbolic space and time, symbolic actions and narratives. Hence, it is very important that…
Arguably, the one most misrepresented woman in the Bible is Mary Magdalene. Her characterisation in the Gospel narratives is fuzzy, and if one only went by her legendary confused, suppressed identity, she could well be…
Teilhard de Chardin proposes a dynamic evolutionary theory in which the universe is evolving towards a final point – the Omega Point. He identifies Christ as the Omega Point in whom and towards whom the…
One could call the way of Jesus Christ, a counter-culture movement because in many ways it contrasts with what the world considers human advance or fulfilment. The opponents of Jesus who tried almost successfully to…
Udaybhai, as everyone calls him, is a unique auto rickshaw driver in Ahmedabad. The auto has facilities that are not even found in cabs. You find newspapers, magazines and other literature to read, and two…
Prof. R Vasudevan is a retired chemistry professor of a Madurai Engineering college. He has spent the last two decades researching and implementing the reuse of waste plastic. [auth] “Plastic is my resource,” he says. Eighteen years…
Rev. Fr. Benjamin Henry MILLER of the Society of Jesus arrived in Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, on 4th September, 1948 just eight months after Sri Lanka celebrated its independence fromcolonial rule. He is an American…
On 19th December 2018, over 80 ex-bureaucrats wrote an open letter to Adityanath Yogi asking him to resign as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for the following reasons: the killing of a police officer by…
It began one morning in May 1982 when we read in the newspapers that the Supreme Court (SC) had appointed three ombudsmen to study the working conditions of the 1982 Asian Games construction workers. [auth]…
When we look for a list of social scientists in CBCI, R.C Dioceses and Jesuit Directories in India or on the internet we get a curious mix of scientists of natural sciences: physics, astrophysics, chemistry,…
Bombay Province has had Jesuit intellectuals who taught the social sciences, chiefly in St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. They encouraged their students to go beyond the classroom and do ‘action-research’ that familiarised them ‘social analysis’. This…
For several decades academic studies on Adivasis in India were clouded by a perspective promoted by a prominent right-wing nationalist and academician G.S. Ghurey who, motivated by his Hindu nationalist sentiments, had stated that the…
Last year Papal Seminary, Pune, India, entered the 125th year of its service in forming and moulding priests for the Universal Church, especially the Church in India. It is the formation house for about 190…
Stephen Hawking, the Wheelchair Scientific Genius, who is almost universally acclaimed as the Second Einstein of our times, is most noted for his brilliant intellectual rationality and incredible scientific acumen. [auth] Among other contributions to…
It is indeed the ‘Christmas’ story of 2018. While India was celebrating Independence Day on 15th August, a new-born baby was found in a Chennai gutter, wailing loudly. The umbilical cord was around his tiny…
Tarumitra meaning “Friends of Trees” in Sanskrit and Hindi is a forum for students to protect and promote a healthy environment on the Earth. It was started by students in Patna in 1988 and has…
I am the woman who holds up the sky The rainbow runs through my eyesThe rainbow runs through my eyesThe sun makes a path to my wombMy thoughts are in the shape of cloudsBut my…
“I am a firm believer that the way women of colour are treated within society is a reflection of the way we treat our precious home, the earth.”1 [auth] The Warli tribes of Palghar District…
Till the age of twenty one I lived in a village and enjoyed everything rural life in Kerala could provide. Fresh water, clean air, vegetables, fruits, rice and other cereals, coconut oil, milk from cows/goats…
‘Concern for the Environment’ was one of the five themes identified by Gujarat Province as a result of the Strategic Apostolic Planning (SAP) process. The Province document, “Vision, Mission and the Action Plan” of May…
Fr. Pedro Arrupe, in his inspiring talk on ‘Art and the spirit of the Society of Jesus’ (1972), succinctly articulates the role of artists and works of art: “What was the purpose of art in…
The first year theology students of Vidyajyoti had a course on Popular Hindu Religiosity in Varanasi under the guidance of Fr. P R John, SJ, the Principal of Vidyajyoti and Fr. Jerome Sylvester, IMS, the…
Ignatius was born in the green, mountainous Basque country. He grew up next to the perennial stream Urola, in the shadow of the rocky mountains - El Izarraitz. The Basque shepherds spend much of the…
I told the students in the class, “Your grandchildren will ask you ‘Grandpa/ma, what is this thing called rain?’ and you will attempt to explain, ‘Beta, rain is like the shower in our bath but…
It was a week after Christmas; nothing more than an ordinary winter afternoon. The sky was ocean blue. I could feel a slight touch of the cool breeze on my cheeks. I felt lucky wearing…
The phone rang at 2 am. It never brings good news at that hour. A distraught mother’s voice pleads, “Father, please come. Harry has had an accident. He could have died, but he has a…
Film: Apollo 13 (1995) Director: Ron Howard Run time: 140 minutes This highly popular academy-award-winning movie recreates a memorable episode in the history of space exploration. The NASA’s manned flights into space were fraught with…
The very first meet of the Jesuit South Asian Conference Coordinators for the ‘Mission Partner Formation’ (MPF) assembled at Ashirvad, Bangalore on 14-15 March ‘26. With ‘shaping the future” as the goal of the meet,…
