SDB West

Volume XXVIII, Issue 6, April-May 2011

2011-04-25T21:45:00.000-07:00

Editorial: Talent, Art & Culture

2011-04-25T21:43:00.000-07:00

You can’t miss the banner announcing the Creativity Workshops as you enter the Matunga Campus. This talent development programme, initiated by Peter Gonsalves well over a decade ago, has grown to be the most popular service offered by Tejprasarini. Eager youngsters, with determination written large across their faces, excitedly troop into the campus and passionately immerse themselves into the music, dance, acting and other classes. Come the summer vacations and these workshops are brimming with young people happily developing their talents. A great way to spend the holidays!

And what about us Salesians? Could we also not set aside some time during the holiday season to brush up our own talents?

Down the years, certain talents or skills were considered to be of great value in Salesian life—they were in fact the defining elements of our culture. Today, unfortunately, these skills are on the brink of extinction and in some cases have even totally disappeared from our lives.

Take music for example. Music has grown to be a massive industry the world over, with youngsters being its chief clientele. And not only are youth consumers of music, they are also the crafters and creators of it. I am overawed by the children who often give performances here in our city, finding their way with grace and ease through complex Bach and Beethoven compositions. So why aren’t we attaining similar standards of perfection? Why aren’t we producing Isaac Sterns and Arthur Rubinsteins from among our Salesians? No, I don’t buy the argument that it is sufficient for us to know just enough music to keep the kids entertained—to strum the guitar at a picnic or to accompany the singing in church. That is not an exhibition of our modesty; it is but an excuse for our mediocrity. It is time we get our musically talented young Salesians to work their way through Trinity College examinations and emerge as maestros in the musical arena.

And the art of writing. I recall Fr Arokiam, our Regional, at a recent meeting talking about the power of the novel and its influence on the thinking and behaviour of people. We Salesians should consider writing novels if we want to reach a large audience, he suggested. Certainly a ‘novel’ idea! But good writing doesn’t just happen—it is an art that needs to be painstakingly perfected. The free moments that the holidays afford us would be an excellent time to put pen to paper and embark on our literary pursuits. And yes, we live in fortunate times when we don’t have to chase publishers—it is enough to launch your own blog and post your works there. And if we work hard and long, we will certainly have a Rohinton Mistry or an Amitav Ghosh rising from our ranks.

Reviving these ‘lost arts’ will not only keep alive the ‘Salesian culture’ but also enable us to be ‘cultured Salesians’. I have always admired the refinement and grace of the Parsees. Undoubtedly their elegance comes from their prolonged exposure to the arts. Immersing ourselves in music, theatre, literature and the other arts will definitely have a similar refining effect on our personalities.

Cultivating our talents, mastering the skills, growing into cultured persons—now that is more than a holiday agenda, but the holidays are the best time to begin.

Savio Silveira sdb

The Stuff of Writers

2011-04-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

Ian Doulton sdb

Among the many photographs of Don Bosco preserved in the central archive there are some that those who knew him, considered as the truest representation of the saint. They were taken on March 16, 1886 by Angelo Ferretto for the Genoa firm of Gustavo Luzzati when Don Bosco was over seventy years of age. He was on his way to Spain at the time, and had stayed a few days at the Salesian school of Sampierdarena (Genoa). In this portrait Don Bosco’s eyes have a brightness about them that fascinates and impresses the viewer. It is hard to believe that when these photographs were taken Don Bosco was practically blind – he had lost sight out from his right eye, and his left eye was weak and barely functioning [1] . When he posed for the famous Luzzati photographs (mentioned above) Don Bosco was practically blind. It appears that by that time he was suffering from irreversible macular degeneration—but managed withal to write. In spite of being plagued with near blindness and other handicaps, Don Bosco never stopped working untiringly at the apostolate of the written word—making use, in his later years, of helpers to further his efforts. The output is enormous. Both Pietro Stella and Francis Desramaut have compiled lists of books and pamphlets authored by Don Bosco and published over the years 1844-1888, lists that run to hundreds of titles. Stella [2]lists 403 titles of books and pamphlets in their various editions in various languages. Desramaut [3]lists 145 titles: 108 signed or claimed by Don Bosco; 37 attributed to Don Bosco – quite an achievement by a person so handicapped!

For the sake of my article, I am inclined to envision him as exhausted and old with tired eyes squinting slightly as he struggles to read what he has just been writing. He bends down again and his pen rages across the paper as he writes by the light of a lamp in his first floor room at Valdocco. He writes with the fury of a prophet, his pen scarcely keeping pace with his thoughts.

Just observe the urgency with which he wrote to the Salesians in 1885: “I beg and beseech you therefore—do not neglect this important sector of our mission (spreading good literature). Begin by working with the young people that Providence has entrusted to you; and then by word and example inspire them to be, in their turn, apostles for the spreading of good books.” He felt urged to write and publish what he wrote for all kinds of people, for peasants, paupers and princes, for the intelligentsia and the clergy but most importantly for his boys who eagerly lapped up whatever he wrote. How blessed the reader to have been able to connect with so prolific a writer!

He would write while he was sitting in shaky stagecoaches as they trundled through the towns of Northern Italy or he would busy himself correcting proofs of The Catholic Readings while taking the train from Turin to Pistoia and Piacenza with Fr. Costamagna. [4] Occasionally gazing out of the window…he was not admiring the countryside but only slowing down his trend of thought and if he closed his eyes it was to rummage through his treasure chest of words for one that would precisely fit the idea he wished to put into words. No lazy verbs, no vanilla adjectives. His sentences were graphic and concise. Immorality and squalor, bourgeois decadence and highhanded aristocracy certainly upset him and he wrote compulsively in order to protect his youngsters from becoming victims of this dangerous and unstable environment. At times he might have been very tired, frustrated and even upset but he was never confusing in the way he let his thoughts leave his pen. They were meant for his boys (and simple folk) so they had to be, not just readable but interesting. He wasn’t writing some learned tome, he was writing to grip the hearts of his boys and his Salesians. He wasn’t crafting encyclicals; he was inspiring souls, admonishing the wayward, addressing issues and solving problems. Probably he did not realise it, but as he wrote about the issues of his time, his writings would affect future generations. While he was writing he made certain that he addressed himself above all, to his boys and his Salesians in the various communities of his fledgling congregation, his main aim being “the salvation of their souls.”

An Early Start

Just think of little Johnny Bosco, a young stable boy at the Moglia farmstead of Moncucco who spent his spare moments reading.[5] And whatever he read sank into his mind, firing his little soul with thoughts about his future mission – the care of youngsters. While he was in Chieri and working as bartender’s assistant, he slept every night beneath the staircase at Café Pianta but not before he had read a few pages from a book that his spiritual director had given him. Obviously his craving to read led to his urge to write. We wonder if God could not use us to do the same.

Don’t we know a couple of confused youngsters, maybe on our college campuses, in our parish youth groups or at our holiday camps? And have we not felt that yearning within our hearts to see things turn out right for this “most vulnerable part of society”? For so many other social and personal reasons haven’t we, at least mentally, written articles, blogs or even stories? Maybe not as prolific like Don Bosco, or Fr. Lemoyne, Fr. Braido or so many others, even our very own Fr. Chavez whose letters we so unanimously hail as moving, relevant and powerful? We’re not unlike them, because, we, like them, have that yearning to serve youngsters that so tempts us to take up the pen or turn on the PC.

Begin with a thought

Admit it; we have had our moments of inspiration, sandwiched between hours of perspiration, for sure, but we have had our moments—mystical moments of pounding heart and pounding keyboard. We have felt the wind behind our backs and sensed a holy hand guiding ours. We, like our Creator, have beheld our creations and declared, “It’s good.” (Or, at least, “It’s not so bad.”) And we have asked: Is this our call? Our assignment? To use words to touch young lives and shape youthful souls? Our first attempts may frighten us. Many of us might dread a writing assignment, but gradually we will come to cherish this labour of putting words to our ideas and pen to paper so that our thoughts may give life and our words may take flesh. Sometimes with a notebook nearby I have waited for a thought, at other times I have just retreated with pad and pen and waited until something happened…and it did.

Believe me, with such desire and commitment, something is bound to happen and before you know it your pen will be flying across a page or your fingers will fling themselves recklessly over a keyboard as your thoughts flow. And then is there any sweeter moment than the writing of your final sentence?

An Influential Task

Actually there is: the appreciation thereof. When someone comes up to you and tells you that what you wrote touched them ‘spot-on;’ while another photocopied your article to pass it on to friends and yet someone else asked for a soft-copy to be able to send it on to friends abroad. You will then feel it was all worth your while. But then comes the suggestion from someone: why not write for publication? You might be a bit amused because you never dreamt you would ever hear such a suggestion. It’s one thing to write. It’s quite another to be read.

I believe that good words are worth the work. Well-written words can change a life. Why is this? Because words go where we never go— across continents like Africa, Australia, Indonesia…and descend to depths you’ll never believe fathomable, into the personal lives of those who needed just a thought to help them make a choice.

Think of this:

Readers invite the author to a private moment. They clear their schedules, find the corner, switch on a bedside lamp, turn off the television or just glance through your ‘opus’ while taking the train or sitting at an air terminal. They set the table, pull out the chair and invite you: “Come, talk to me for a moment.” It’s an invitation of a lifetime.

Admit it. Your writing is needed. This generation needs the best you can write and the clearest thinking you can render. Pick up the pens left by Don Bosco, Fr. Lemoyne, Fr. Braido…or even our very own Fr. Pascual Chavez. They have shown what writing can do.

The Birthday Cake!

Have you had an experience of going shopping for something, say for instance a birthday cake for a confrere? The administrator knows you’re in town and calls you and you say: “Of course.” But when you get back you find that you’ve bought all the other unnecessary stuff but simply skipped the “birthday cake!”

You forgot the big item. The one thing you promised you’d get – the birthday cake! How embarrassing!

Might we make the same mistake? In an effort to write well, let’s not forget the subject we’re tackling. In an effort to be creative, let’s also be clear.

The most important point – the birthday cake! The early Christian writers remembered it. They made certain that every reader received the unparalleled revelation, the defeat of evil, the beauty of truth, goodness and love. They didn’t forget the cake! Don’t forget it. Entertain, inform, inspire, engage, thrill and stir, but amidst your plots and word-pictures, don’t forget the cake! All our predecessors from Don Bosco right down to our present Rector Major didn’t, they delivered.

Conclusion – Writing from Life

What’s most important is that they wrote with their lives first. They lived the message before they wrote it. Our Salesian writers didn’t inhabit ivory towers or quarantine themselves in a world of un-asked questions. They were truly Salesians with dusty tucked-up cassocks from the playgrounds..., perspiration dripping down their foreheads…and hearts burning with a desire to pass on the fire that burned in their hearts. Like Don Bosco himself, today his sons still respond to a real world embroiled in real problems, with real words. We must do the same.

As Salesians are we not lovers of the young? Loving the grumpy ones, the grubby ones, the hungry ones and those struggling with issues too huge to handle alone; so it’s time to write and write with clarity. Good writing is clear thinking. Don Bosco was his own editor. He auditioned his stories to fit the manuscript. Good writers do this. They tap the delete button to distill the writing. Make every word earn its place on your page. Reread your masterpiece until you’ve thrown out all that stinks.

Ernest Hemingway espoused re-writing: “I rise at first light, and I start by reading and editing everything I have written to the point where I left off. That way I go through a book several hundred times, honing it until it gets an edge like a fighter’s sword. I rewrote the ending of ‘A Farewell to Arms’ 39 times in manuscript and over 30 times in proof trying to get it right.”[6]

And isn’t our aim to put forth the best article possible? We want to offer good stuff so we put forward only our best contribution. Don’t give up. Be stubborn with your standard. Stay faithful in your intent. Don’t begrudge the hard work. It is noble work!

[1] Cf. G. Soldà, Don Bosco nella fotografia dell’800 (Torino: SEI, 1987), p. 183-186]

[2] Cf. P. Stella: Gli Scritti a stampa di S. Giovanni Bosco (Roma: LAS, 1977), p. 25-79

[3] Cf. F. Desramaut: Don Bosco en son temps (Torino: SEI, 1996) p.1369-1381

[4] Mons. James Costamagna, Writings and Life in Salesian Spirituality, edited by Eugene Valentini, LAS Rome, 1979

[5] Cf. G.B. Lemoyne: The Biographical Memoirs of St. John Bosco Vol. I (English Edn.) p. 147

[6] (Readers’ Digest, October 1968, “I Remember ‘Papa’ Hemingway,” by A. E. Hotchner, p. 151.

My Tryst With Music

2011-04-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

Kenneth Pereira sdb

Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night begins with the immortal words: “If music be the food of love, play on!” Well, whatever music may mean to lovers, my tryst with music inclines me to regard it more as the food of discipline and soulfulness.

One of the things that I noticed early in my childhood is that some people have music in their blood while others simply don’t. And I would discover, by and by, that with music go a whole cluster of other virtues such as gracefulness, rhythm, feeling, expressivity, perseverance and discipline. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that there is an intrinsic connection between these virtues and musicality. But I cannot help noticing that musically gifted people also evince these virtues in a remarkable measure.

During my primary school days, the ‘singing class’ was an inalienable part of our school timetable. It was here that I discovered—to my puzzlement—that there were companions in my class who were tonally insensitive. If our music teacher asked them to sing ‘higher’, the only outcome was a ‘louder’ version of the same melody, lustily rendered in falsetto. I guess they wouldn’t be able to appreciate the difference between C sharp and B flat beyond the one liner: “If there’s a banana peel on the road and you don’t C sharp you will soon B flat!”

My parents were never professionally into music. But yes, they did possess an innate musical sensibility. They combined beautifully whenever they sang duets at parties and get-togethers. Well, when I was about eight or nine years old, they must have realised that I was musically inclined, and so decided to give me the opportunity that they had missed in their childhood: to hone my musical talent by learning to play a musical instrument. So one day, when they asked me which instrument I would like to learn, my first choice was the piano! (Our ‘singing class’ teacher played it so well!) Alas, our home was too pokey to accommodate a piano—electronic keyboards were unheard of in those days. So I settled for the violin. It was my second choice then, but has become my first love today. My younger siblings were more into sports, and so never pursued music with the same rigor as I did; nevertheless, they too proved to be naturally talented in music, and always carried away prizes at singing competitions.

Mastering the violin was one of the most formidable experiences of my life... and even now, I cannot say that I’ve really ‘mastered’ it. In my earlier years of violin study, I had to bear up with a lot of disparaging remarks from friends and family. Some of them told me that my violin sounded like a cat in agony. Others found the piercing notes of the violin downright irritating. But encouragement also came from a few quarters. They told me that the violin is the king of all musical instruments, and that if I could master it, then I too would be a king of sorts. But it was only when I was exposed to good violin music (on LPs and cassettes) that I realised what I was up to. The music of Paganini and Sarasate, outstanding in brilliance and pyrotechnics, beckoned me to invest my time and my energies in a ‘labour of love’ that I too might be able to achieve such artistry.

Looking back at all those years, I realise on hindsight that my romance with the violin has disciplined me more than any external authority could ever have done. Every musician knows how important it is to have precision in intonation, economy in one’s choice of notes, and accuracy in keeping timing. Cutting corners alla buona is simply unthinkable. No wonder so many musicians are accused of being (tyrannical) perfectionists!

While ‘cold blooded’ perfectionism seems to be a recurrent trait among many musicians, mercifully—and ironically—there is also the other side of the coin: soulfulness. Good music is more than a matter of technique; it is an art. It calls for a good measure of ‘emotional’ intelligence. While on the one hand my favourite violinists have ‘wowed’ me by their virtuosity, I also notice that these same musicians have been able to stir the depths of my soul by the emotions that they evoke through their rendition of other pieces. As a violinist myself, I can candidly say that music has helped me experience a wide gamut of emotions, for one cannot possibly put forth on the violin what one does not feel deep within his heart. Perhaps no other musical instrument can touch the human heart as profoundly as does the violin. I think I owe it to my training in music that I have become such an emotionally sensitive person!

There’s another side to music that I discovered when I became a Salesian: its tremendous potentiality to generate goodwill and friendship. Perhaps this is what Don Bosco had in mind when he said that a Salesian house without music is like a body without a soul! Have you noticed how a stiff and formal atmosphere loosens up when people begin to sing? And the moment a familiar ‘filmy’ tune is struck on an instrument, the youngsters there present go gaga over it, and are all eager to make friends with the player!

Speaking for myself, I can confidently say that music has been my lifeline among alien people. The first time I went to Gujarat in 1982, I did not know a word of Gujarati, but I had carried my violin along... and the moment I started playing it, I knew that I had won the hearts of the people who had gathered around, with curiosity and expectancy, to hear me. With the ice having broken already at that point, moving deeper into Gujarati culture was not as daunting as it first seemed. I had a similar experience the first time I went to Italy to do my theological studies as a cleric.

On a more organised level, music has a tremendous pedagogical value. Salesians who have put up musicals and operettas would surely vouch that they were able to galvanize both staff and students to a collaborative effort, involving multiple skills: dance, drama and music. But why think of operettas only? Even putting up a good choral piece in four voices can be just as exhilarating an experience!

In this regard, Don Bosco is seen to be a man of deep wisdom and insight. He encouraged the setting up of a musical band in every Salesian house. The idea was not simply to lighten the atmosphere with music—a gramophone player would have sufficed for that! Don Bosco realised that music educates! Firstly, it gives youngsters a medium in which to channelize their energies and their creativity in a healthy manner. Secondly it inculcates discipline. Playing in a band or in an orchestra demands teamwork, sensitivity to others, and focused attention on the conductor, even as one plays from his own score. At times it demands the ability to play a merely supportive role with ‘oompahs’ all through, while someone else shines, playing the lead melody.

How sad it is to find that in many of our houses the band has fallen silent, and band instruments have been either sold off or given away. Five-piece beat groups may be able to rival a band in sound output, but they can never achieve the pedagogical fruits of a full-fledged wind and percussion band. I yearn for the day when participatory music evinces a revival in our Salesian houses, when Salsians will be eager to invest their time, their talents and their energies in training youngsters to sing and make music. Would that we experienced at gut level the profound truth in this prayer-song sung by ‘ABBA’ in yesteryears:

Thank You for the music, the songs I’m singing. Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing! Who can live without it? I ask in honesty, what would life be? Without a song or a dance what are we? So I say, “Thank You for the music... for giving it to me!”

Theatre: Creating Persons of Culture

2011-04-25T21:31:00.000-07:00

Isaac Arackaparambil sdb

It is said of Ben Kingsley, the versatile film-star, that Ben realized his dream to become an actor, thanks to the encouragement he received from his parents. Fr. Hedwig Louis in his book God Here and Now narrates that when Ben was young, he was inspired by his father who was a doctor, and wanted to go to medical school. However, the summer after he graduated from high school, he attended a Shakespearean play, Richard III, and got totally absorbed in it. During the performance Ben began to imagine himself in the role with such intensity that, drained of energy, he fainted. After the show his parents picked him up at the auditorium and informed him that he had been given an appointment for an interview at medical school. But Ben said to them, “This is where I want to be. This is what I want to do.” His father looked at him thoughtfully, then said, to the future star of Gandhi: “All right. I will encourage you.” And thus Ben got started on his illustrious acting career.

In theatre, Ben discovered the medium in which he could realize the complete or at least a satisfying measure of his self-expression. One of the manifestations of inner confidence in individuals is the ability one has of expressing oneself. Too many interviews are failed and job opportunities lost, because of the inability of individuals of expressing themselves appropriately. A lot of misunderstandings occur in relationships because of the inability of individuals to express their points of view in a way that is understandable to the other. Effective leadership rests on the shoulder of confident self-expression. Entire nations are shaped by the ability of their leaders to express their vision in a way that moves its governments and citizens to adopt and execute whatever leads to the fulfilment of that vision. Religious congregations were founded by charismatic leaders who had an unlimited dose of self-expression up their sleeves.

Self-expression is a vehicle that stands good in any circumstance of life. When one learns the art of self-expression, one also finds it easier to cultivate the capacity to understand others in their forms of self-expression. And if one is in possession of both these skills – one: of self-expression, and the other: of understanding others in their expressions of themselves – one becomes a cultured human being. Jesus was the most cultured human being on earth, and he used this strength in ministering to all the people who came to him. He brought them health and wholeness because of these traits which he cultivated as he grew in the school of Joseph and Mary. As Salesians it is absolutely important for us to hone both these skills. Only then can we call ourselves cultured. Otherwise we stand to remain mere informed individuals with our degrees and qualifications, but without a proper sense of judgment and understanding, and worse still we lose the art of being human. We fail in ministry.

Theatre provides the platform from which an individual can develop his or her skills of self-expression to a measure that builds inner confidence. Don Bosco knew best that youngsters need platforms for self-expression. No wonder he encouraged, games, music, theatre, and numerous other forms of expression that found place in his educational style. In my experience in youth ministry, I have found that the majority of the youngsters I have interacted with manifest a sense of fear in expressing themselves in public forums. They often need to be coaxed out of their shells, fears, inhibitions, and blocks that are posed by their peers in order to stand out and make a statement. My own inner confidence grew thanks to the opportunities I was given to act, sing and recite on stage. If it were not for theatre, I would not flower into the personality I have shaped myself into today. My own experience of growing in confidence, thanks to theatre, made me make the platform of theatre available to the youngsters I was put in charge of during my practical training, among my classmates during the student years of theology, and even now as we train our aspirants at Kapadvanj. I have seen people growing not just in confidence, but also in team spirit, relationships, discipline, multi-tasking, alertness, diction, expression, smartness and all other trappings that make one an expressive and confident person.

Theatre also provides the ropes that assist individuals to come to a fair understanding of others in their expressions of themselves. In fact theatre dramatizes the dynamic between expression and understanding. In theatre one sees that scripts that are ‘fossilized’ within the pages of a book come alive in the characters that play out the message in those scripts. The more one exposes oneself to the medium of theatre, the more one begins to understand the drama of human communication, the ah ah of human tragedy, the ha ha of human comedy, the la la of human melody, the saga of human history, and the jigsaw of human mystery. It helps both artists and audience to enter into an intellectual dialogue in which perceptions to life and issues are challenged. It stirs sentiments of patriotism as well as passions that spark revolutions for causes that need to be addressed. It makes available a space for relaxation and a sense of wonder amidst the stress in life. In short theatre reminds society of its humanity.

Theatre has helped many a nation preserve its culture especially when cultures faced the threat of annihilation from enemies. The story of Pope John Paul II tells of how as a young man, Karol Woytela dedicated time to theatre and was also instrumental in taking the theatre underground during the onslaught of the second world war, for the sole purpose of preserving and promoting Polish culture which was on the brink of eclipse due to the repressive policies of the Nazis. A similar story repeated itself in Sarajevo. During the war which broke out in Bosnia-Herzegovina in mid 1992. It was the Youth Theatre directed by Nermin Tulić that fully participated in the defense of the city and culture against aggression and primitivism.

Theatre has helped not only to preserve culture, but it also depicts how life styles have changed, while also subtly being responsible for those changes. Hence, if we as educators happen to keep ourselves out of touch with this dynamic medium, we gradually loose touch with the reality of the young who today are the most dramatic of human beings, and who not only script but enact theatre on the stage of life. Hence we need to get back to viewing theatre, appreciating this form of art and promoting it in our settings. It is consoling to observe that in some of our schools and formation houses we have carried on the tradition of putting up plays on auspicious occasions. But we seem to be happy doing the same old musicals and plays in cycles. We need to summon our creative sides to write new scripts, compose new songs and stage plays that are not limited to the classics but those that speak the idiom of our times.

We have got to be participants in the drama of life by immersing our intellects in the ongoing dialogue with the changing culture of our times, especially when the culture being created by popular media goes against the spirit of the Gospel. We as Salesians need to enter main stream media and promote the values of Christ’s kingdom by creating value-themed-theatre, songs, movies, and invest in making the gospel more attractive than the attractions that absorb this techno savvy generation of youngsters in our day. In doing so, I believe we will be growing to become cultured as persons in the first place, and effective as God’s ministers to his people.

I propose the following in order to promote theatre in our settings:

1. Create theatrical resources on the lines of the twelve diamond values launched by Fr. Glenford Lowe through AVEC.

2. Have a media club of interested Salesians who are not necessarily in the media commission, who could come together with lay collaborators and youth, and have a media production workshop in English as well as in the vernacular, on contemporary issues, biblical plays, music videos, power point presentations, documentaries and whatever else, to generate a value-projecting-media as a response and counter culture to the damaging influences of the evil and sin promoted in popular media today.

3. Have a Province Year for Theatre just as we have International Years dedicated to some issue. During this year we could celebrate Theatre by making it a point to watch theatrical performances when staged in the cities. We could create new theatrical resources and present them in various venues during the year. You could add your suggestions.

4. Collect all the original theatrical productions that have been put up around the province in the yester years, and make videos of the same for wider distribution.

5. Have a system in which when any institution makes a theatrical presentation, the entire presentation is video-graphed professionally so that the efforts are not lost and more over, so that the efforts need not be repeated if one feels that a recording should have been done in retrospect.

6. Make a province or regional library of theatrical material, audio, video, script, costumes, backdrops, light and sound equipment so that every house has access to these whenever they need to make a presentation. It would also generate a sense of solidarity in the region/province, and save on replication of expenses if every institution desired to have all the equipment.

May Don Bosco who saw it wise to offer to the young a medium of expression through theatre, help us preserve and promote this legacy for the growth and benefit of our own beings into cultured humans, and for the integral growth of the young.

Expressions of Art

2011-04-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

Michael Bansode sdb

I can tell you that art plays a large part in making our lives infinitely rich. Imagine, just for a moment, a world without art! Art gives us insights into our being, fills our emotions, and helps us understand reality. Art gives us a way to be creative and it is through art that we express ourselves. For some people, art is the entire reason they get out of bed in the morning. Therefore, you could say that art makes us more thoughtful and well-rounded humans.

On the other hand, art is such a large part of our everyday lives that we may hardly even stop to think about it. Look at the desk or table you are sitting at right this minute—someone designed it; it is art. Our shoes are art. Our coffee cup is art. All functional design, well done, is art. So, we can say that art is something that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Art is in a constant state of change, and change is a very important element of our lives. To change is to grow. Our culture changes and our language too, keeps changing. Such constant change is part and parcel of our lives.

It can also be said that art is subjective, and means something different to each person.

While all the above statements contain elements of truth, they are largely based on opinion. And my frank opinion is that there is art in everyone’s life. But I must say this—many things that were originally necessities have now been developed into forms of art. The desire to create something special is characteristic of the artistic process.

What is the connection between beauty and art? Art is not just beauty; it also emphasizes reality. Sometimes, art may remain inaccessible because it requires some background knowledge in order to be understood. In fact, not all art can be considered beauty—it may not always be ‘pretty’. So what does art do for us? The answer will be different for each person. But it is important to know that art requires no language in order to be understood.

Why do I talk about art? That is because it has fascinated me all my life, and in a way, it rules my life. Whenever I see the paintings of other artists (e.g., Ravi Varma, John Fernandes, Sr. Claire) I learn a lot from them, and they have inspired me in many ways. Artists like Angela Trinidade, Marie Pinto, Sr. Genevieve, Jyoti Sahi and Sr. Claire have contributed much to the popularization of Indian Christian Art. I too, feel that it is my responsibility to contribute something to the church through my art. I have realized that paintings can handle many subjects that would otherwise leave us mystified.

There are many types of paintings, but personally, I prefer realistic art, and I find the life of Jesus to be the best and most enriching subject. I am constantly trying to create realistic pictures of Jesus and the context he lived in. I believe that realistic art is an easy book to read, and an exhibition of such paintings that I once held in Bangalore was well-appreciated. On the other hand, I also believe that abstract art can convey broader ideas and perspectives, and I have created a few pieces in this style.

Much of my interest in and love for art developed in the Salesian congregation, and many Salesians have encouraged me in this field. Today, whatever I do invariably contains art in some fashion; art adds meaning to my life and is an integral part of it. I try to convey this through my paintings, some of which are as follows.

The painting of the Nativity depicts the new-born Jesus and his parents in the foreground, with the eyes of Mary and Joseph focused on the child. The vast expanse of the city of Jerusalem is in the background, seen as if through a window. The moon shines bright over the pillar and post where the new born King is born, showing that this is his house and home, not the manger which is popularly depicted by other artists. We are forced to contemplate head-on the primordial event of the birth of the creator.

The scene is awash with shadows and hues of dark purple and grey, indicating that Jesus is the birth-light of creation, the best fruit of God’s masterpiece. Jesus wrapped in white swaddling clothes is the center of the scene, while the landscape conveys meaning and also serves as an attractive component.

Shyla Coutinho, a mother and catechism teacher, declared that this painting expressed ‘caring and concern’. The magic of Christmas and the arrival of the Saviour is conveyed to the entire nation, which is seen in the background. Paradoxically, a tiny baby comes to rescue the whole of Israel and the Jewish Nation.

Similar to this midnight vision of Christ is the painting of the Last Supper, which takes place in twilight. Normally, supper is eaten at sun-down, unlike what we see in many paintings of the Last Supper. I am trying to depict Jesus and His apostles reclining in the hours of evening sunset. There will be lamps to illumine the faces of the relaxing apostles celebrating a memorable meal before the Passion commences, before Jesus enters the Garden of Gethsemane to prepare His chosen ones for the agony of His crucifixion.

In conclusion, I feel that even today, art is one of the most powerful means of communication. Unfortunately, many of us have an attitude that sidelines art. There are quite a few in our province who have been using art to communicate, but there are others who don’t. Let us start trying to enter and understand the wonderful world of art.

Volume XXVIII, Issue 4, December 2010 - January 2011

2011-01-09T00:09:00.000-08:00

Editorial: New Year, New Avenues

2011-01-09T00:07:00.001-08:00

Savio Silveira sdb

The recent months have seen the passing away of two of our great stalwarts, Br. Ludvik Zabret and Br. Thomas Putur. Both were outstanding persons, who have left an indelible mark on the history and culture of the Mumbai province. They were phenomenal personalities, men of deep convictions, extremely passionate Salesians. Both had strong and definite ideas, and spoke their minds vociferously at every given opportunity. They were persons with a clear focus on the Salesian mission, with absolutely no hidden personal agenda. They laboured long hours and believed that others too should do likewise. They were both giants in their field of work, men who spent a lifetime fulfilling their chosen ministry. And they were both path breakers.

Br. Ludvik was a pioneer in every sense of the word. From the waste-lands of Sagayathottam to the wooded-lands of Sulcorna, and finally on to Nashik, he undertook the daunting task of converting these rough and rugged tracts into flourishing farmlands. This type of work itself was new. Agriculture, at least in these parts of the world, was not considered a typical Salesian activity. And yet he plunged decidedly into it, realizing that this was the need of the place and the necessity of the hour. The harvest was not always plentiful, but that did not deter him. He had literally put his hand to the plough and was determined to keep plodding ahead. Well, even today there may still be no convincing conclusion to the debate whether we Salesians should engage in agriculture, that too in commercial cultivation, but one thing is amply clear – with over half our labour force engaged in agriculture, this is not a field we can shy away from.

Br. Thomas was not only a path breaker, but he also broke the stereotype image of the Salesian Brother as someone who should only confine himself to the technical workshop. Tracing a different path for himself, Br. Thomas walked the academic corridors for well over three decades, not just as teacher, but as leader of these institutions. And not only did he break new ground, but went on to climb to the peak of the ground he was standing on, earning himself a PhD in Education. While his demeanour may have led some to dismiss him as traditional conservative, he was in fact progressive and farsighted, pushing for the establishment of educational institutions in the rural areas of our province, advocating the need to train teachers in the use of child psychology, and insisting that students should be assisted to chart out a clear career path for themselves before they leave school. Today, much of this may sound commonplace, but thirty years back these were novel, and even revolutionary ideas.

As the old adage puts it, ‘if today we can see far, it is because we have been sitting on the shoulders of giants’. We have had men who had the ‘audacity’ to look beyond the horizon and the ‘recklessness’ to actually forge a path to towards it. But now those horizons have been reached, those thresholds crossed. And we cannot endlessly celebrate those past achievements. The world around us is constantly evolving and we have to keep pace with it. Changing situations throw up fresh challenges that demand relevant responses. It is time to break new ground, to tread new paths. We need to be ‘giants’ today, persons who are willing to boldly walk down new avenues.

New Approaches to Formation

2011-01-09T00:02:00.000-08:00

Ashley Miranda sdb

Formation is a topic that always generates a lot of heated debate. The recently held Seminar on the Personalization of Formation is a tangible testimony of this truth. It was wonderful and heartening to see how passionately and enthusiastically different confreres expressed their views about the current state of formation and what needs to be done to set things right.

One viewpoint that comes up repeatedly whenever formation is discussed, be it in a formal setting like that of a seminar or at informal table conversations, is the one that holds that the current crop of young Salesians is just not up to the mark. There seems to be something lacking in them and they don’t simply match up in terms of commitment, hard work, love for the young, spirit of self sacrifice, openness to learning, care for the community, good manners, and spirit of faith. Those who express this view may have good reasons to do so but letting our experience of a few young Salesians colour our attitude to all of them does not help us. This attitude is neither Salesian nor helpful. Surely, we have got to be honest but that doesn’t mean that we must let ourselves become slaves of pessimism. Salesian honesty is an honesty that is backed by a strong faith, not only in God but also in our confreres, especially our young confreres. If we believe in their goodness and help them believe in their own potentialities we can make things happen; we can bring about not only change but revolution.

When it comes to formation, as we can only expect, there are many different approaches. We are all Salesians and share in the same charism but as human beings we have our own temperaments, our sensibilities, our perspectives on life, and our own particular relationship skills. These particularities are bound to show up in the way we approach formation. Yes, there is the Ratio to guide us but all directives need to be interpreted and given flesh in real life situations. In the attempt to do so differences are bound to arise. They are not altogether unhealthy provided, of course, we do not work at cross purposes. Provided we do not seek to dismantle, because of our own pettiness, what has been built up in some previous stage.

One approach to formation is the top-down, ‘Do as you are told’ approach. In this approach the formators have the central place. They know what is good for those in formation. They have the overall vision and they give directions which the one in formation is expected to follow. Here the focus is on conformity, on following directives to the letter, on obedience, on accepting without asking too many questions. In theory, very few see virtue in this approach, but in practice, this approach is quite popular. It is an approach that both formators and those in formation are quite comfortable with. Provided formators are not too whimsical and inconsistent, this approach has the advantage of clarity. Those in formation know clearly what is expected of them. Formators too have clear criteria on which to evaluate those in formation.

Another approach to formation is one that seeks to test ‘gold in fire’. The logic is that in order to get people to grow we need to keep them on their toes and call a spade a spade. Salesian life is not easy after all and if we can toughen up our young Salesians early in life then by the time there are in active ministry hopefully they will have it within them to face the challenges of the aposolate. This approach does strengthen some, but when taken to the extreme, breaks some others. Of those who are broken, some opt out of the Salesian life, while others stay but they tend to be bitter and carry their bitterness into all their relationships and into everything they do.

Yet another approach is one that seeks to create a ‘loving supportive family’ in which the young Salesian feels affirmed and accepted and helped to grow. Understood wrongly, this approach could do a great deal of harm. Excessive mollycoddling and treating young Salesians with kid gloves may only serve to weaken them and insulate them from the real world. Overprotection from the challenges and crosses of life may end up creating big babies who need constant and excessive affirmation to be able to do anything. If not constantly acknowledged these young Salesians could begin to sulk and act like victims. Love and affection must foster freedom and responsibility. Love that smothers and creates narcissists is something we need to be wary about. A fourth approach is that which makes the ‘rule supreme’. Every initiative, every decision, every strategy is guided by the rules. The mantra is “fit in or ship out”. The young Salesian is evaluated on his ability to follow rules, or more precisely on how adept he is at not breaking them. While it is true that rules are for our good and they ensure to a certain extent fidelity to our charism, an approach that deifies rules ends up producing Salesians who are either too rigid or too smart for their own good and the good of the province and its apostolate.

One could speak of other approaches as well, but we could bypass them for now and go right away to consider two approaches which are very much the need of our times. One that stresses ‘personalization’ and the other that seeks to foster ‘integrated immersion.’ Both these approaches go hand in hand. In fact, one calls for the other and vice versa.

The ‘personalization’ approach is one that places first responsibility for formation on the young Salesian himself. No one can form him; at best formators and others can contribute to creating an ambient conducive to personal responsibility and formation. But it is the young Salesian who in the ultimate analysis has to take personal responsibility for his growth and life understood as ‘discipleship’; as a close following of Jesus Christ. The presupposition here is that the one in formation may be young but he is not a child incapable of making decisions or taking responsibility for his growth. The formators do have an important role in this approach but not as people who have the difficult task of taking care of irresponsible and malicious boys. Instead formators are called to see themselves as mentors entrusted with the delicate task of guiding conscientious and motivated young men eager to live the Salesian life to the full and give themselves wholeheartedly to the mission. In the personalization approach the young Salesian is helped to view himself as one who is called personally by the Lord. This call is one that invites a personal ‘yes’ on the part of the young Salesian. No one else can say ‘yes’ to the Lord in his stead. The ‘personalization approach’ focuses on the inner world of the young Salesian. The one in formation is helped to look inside himself, to accept himself honestly, to work on his weaknesses and immaturity, to build up his convictions, to strengthen his conscience, to act with personal convictions and to assume responsibility for his own growth.

The ‘Immersion’ approach is one that requires a close inter-collaboration between formation guides and those in formation. Going beyond concepts of ‘us’ and ‘them’, formation guides introduce those in initial formation to concrete life experiences that expose them to the pains and difficulties of the poor and the young, that challenge, that raise questions, that call for a response on our part as Salesians. This could happen through means of study seminars, symposiums, exposure camps, live-in experiences, etc. during the years of formal studies in the initial years of formation. Village or slum experiences are not something new. They have great formative value, provided however, they are followed by formal moments of reflection and introspection. An experience that is not backed by reflection is not an experience at all. When reflection is absent, formators and those in formation tend to make the mistake of thinking that because they have spent a few days in villages or slums they really know what the poor are going through. Without reflection these experiences become just another ‘feather in our caps’ or a ‘trophy in our cupboards’.

In the ‘immersion’ approach to formation care is taken not to insulate the one in formation [in our case the young Salesian] from the cares and the vagaries of life. Formal formation structures are required and serious study may also require a certain isolation from the hustle and bustle of the street. But immersion would require that the young Salesian is abreast with what is happening around him, in the state and the country. He needs to know not only what is happening to young people but also to all categories of people in general. Sometimes, the extent to which not only our young Salesians but also we who are older are oblivious of what is happening in the world around us is really alarming. In our formation settings especially, we have got to foster good habits of keeping in touch with the news in the papers, television and other contemporary media. We have got the encourage the habit of serious reading, not only on issues of academic interest but also those that have political, social, religious and ethical significance. I am of the view that the ‘immersion approach’ needs that our young Salesians are given the reasonable opportunity to manage finances – both their own and that of the house they belong to. They need to know that money does not come easy and that rising costs usually mean a decreased spending capacity. If they are really given the opportunity to be involved in the budgeting of limited resources in a house and making decisions on how to spend money, I am sure we would have less wastage of food, better care of community belongings and greater conscientiousness when it came to personal expenditure.

In addition to what has been said so far, I think, the ‘immersion approach’ to formation would require that young Salesian be given not only information about but also the actual possibility of participating to the extent possible in the whole gamut of initiatives characteristic of the apostolate of our province. The Salesian apostolate has undergone an evolution over these years in terms of the people we reach out to and also in the kinds of work we are involved in. But many view, practical training for example, as a time of assisting boys in the dormitory, study hall and at games in a boarding setting. Assisting, understood as ‘being qualitatively present’ is something that our charism demands not only from the practical trainee but from all of us. And if our charism has evolved to included settings that go beyond the almost mandatory boarding in each Salesian house of the past days then formation at the stage of practical training but include experiences besides that of keeping the order in formal boarding setups.

By way of conclusion, I would just like to say a few words on the rationale behind the ‘immersion approach’. The ‘immersion approach’ draws its inspiration from the great truth of the incarnation. Out his great love for us, Jesus the son of God, chose to become one like us. Instead of loving us from afar, he immersed himself totally in the drama of human life. This immersion expressed itself in his amazing ability to sense what exactly was happening in people’s hearts, his sensitivity to their anxieties and struggles and his immense compassion for the last and the lost. Formation that combines ‘immersion’ with ‘personalization’ would make a deep impact not only in the lives of our young Salesians but also on the quality of the life and apostolate of the province as a whole.

GreenLine

2011-01-08T23:55:00.000-08:00

Savio Silveira sdb

Climate Catastrophe

The unprecedented environmental destruction that the world has witnessed during the past century, and more especially during the last few decades, is already having disastrous effects on our life. We can no longer talk about ‘Climate Change’ as something that will happen in the future; rather, it is ‘Climate Changed’. What we thought were prophecies for the future are now reports in our daily newspapers.

Take the recent ‘onion crisis’, for example. The unbelievable and almost vulgar price of Rs. 100 for a mere kilo of ordinary onions may have set a new Guinness record, but it was not an achievement that called for a celebration. Rather, as the tweet going around said, ‘sky rocketing onion prices have literally brought tears to the eyes’. So why are we paying a kingly price for this poor man’s food? ‘Unseasonal rains have caused havoc across the nation. Onion crop being sensitive to water has been damaged leading to the shortfall in supply and resulting in high prices,’ explained Changdev Holkar, an onion farmer from Nashik in Maharashtra, who is also a director at the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India. This year the monsoon extended well into November and this was not conducive to harvesting of the onion crop. Unseasonal rains, damaged crops, rising prices. Simple logic.

And talking about the rains, the monsoon pattern has drastically changed over these past few years. While in 2009 the monsoon played truant and the country was subjected to long dry spells during the traditionally wet season, in 2010 it was a swing to the next extreme – the rains held the country in their soggy embrace well beyond the normal monsoon period. But if India was bad, Pakistan was worse! While we grumbled about the incessant rains, Pakistan literally struggled to keep afloat as it was battered by torrential downpours. One fifth of the country was submerged underwater and its famous Indus River reached its highest water level ever recorded in the 110 years since regular record keeping began.

So what brought on this deluge? Scientists from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, were categorical in their assertion that rising global temperatures were behind the floods. ‘There is no doubt that clearly the climate change is contributing, it is a major contributing factor’, said Ghassem Asrar, Director of the World Climate Research Programme. He also pointed out that the atmospheric anomalies that had led to the floods in Pakistan were also directly related to the same weather phenomena that caused the record heat wave in Russia and flooding and mudslides in western China. Speaking on the same issue, R K Pachauri, the Chief of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that won the 2007 Nobel Prize, warned that there is ample evidence to show an increase in the frequency and intensity of floods, droughts and extreme precipitation events worldwide. He further cautioned that, ‘The floods of the kind that hit Pakistan may become more frequent and more intense in the future in this and other parts of the world’. That prophecy has just come true in Australia, where over 20 towns have been submerged by the December floods in the state of Queensland.

The writing is clearly on the wall. And if we are not convinced by reading ‘the signs of the times’, there are several well researched documents that we should begin reading.

A recent report, ‘Climate Vulnerability Monitor 2010: The State of the Climate Crisis’, that was released simultaneously at London and Cancun on 3rd December 2010 paints a bleak scenario. It states: ‘The artificial heating of our planet fuelled by human activities already interferes with earth’s delicate climate leading to effects that are dangerous for people and nature. The alarming rate of change and spiralling effects of heat, wind, rain, deserts, sea levels, and other impacts on the world’s populations leave a human toll of 350,000 deaths every single year’.

Weather disasters will lead to sever adverse impacts on habitat, livelihoods and health. According to this report: ‘An estimated 350,000 people die each year due to major diseases and health disorders related to climate change. Unless measures are taken, by 2030 climate change will increase its toll to more than 800,000 deaths per year.’ India is one of the countries that will be badly affected by climate change related health problems. The report states that: ‘In absolute terms, India is the country that will face the highest number of excess deaths due to the health impacts of climate change. It alone will carry more than a third of the total global health burden.’

However, this report also reminds us that: ‘Climate change is the most urgent challenge of our time. The future of the environment and the life it supports rests on the decisions we take over the coming years. This represents an enormous responsibility on our shoulders, which is not only a burden – but also a tremendous opportunity for us all.’

Our Response: GreenLine

The Mumbai Salesian Province is keenly aware of this ‘enormous responsibility’ and ‘tremendous opportunity’ that climate change poses to us. Traditionally, we have been involved in a host of environment conservation and enhancement projects. But the present crisis demands a more focused and resolute response. Hence, our Provincial Chapter 2010 decided that we would begin a new ‘Grey to Green Initiative’ as one of the priorities of the province. Accordingly, in October 2010, the Development Office launched a new initiative called GreenLine to take forward different environmental projects.

GreenLine works on the premise of ‘Greener People, Greener World’. The focus is not so much on launching ‘green projects’, but rather on increasing the Green Quotient (GQ) of people. GQ is defined as the degree of environmental consciousness within a person which determines how much one cares, understands and is determined to do something favourable for the environment. Most often people are just not aware of the environmental crisis the world is facing, or at the most they have a superficial idea about the same. Or even if they are conscious of the gravity of the situation, they are at a loss on how to contribute towards the solution. GreenLine seeks to address this gap – it aims at providing comprehensive information on environmental issues and practical ideas for involvement. It is a platform that brings together individuals, institutions and organizations to share possibilities and plans. It is movement that creates ‘greener people’ who in turn will create a ‘greener world’.

Green Schools Campaign

As its first project, GreenLine has launched the ‘Green Schools Campaign’. This campaign aims at educating children on their responsibility towards the environment and to offer them the opportunity to actually be involved in ‘greening’ projects. The participating schools are being assisted to enhance the green projects which they may have already begun, or to launch a new green initiative that would be relevant and beneficial to the school and its neighbourhood (example: Waste Management, Water Recycling, Organic Gardens, Eco Club, etc). This campaign is being held from October 2010 to March 2011, and is open to all schools, for students up to Std. X, within the Mumbai metro area. The performance of the participating schools will be judged on the following criteria: Relevance of the project being implemented by the school; Creativity of ideas used in this project; Participation of teachers and students; Impact of the project on the school and neighbourhood environment; Sustainability measures woven into the project to ensure its continuity. At the close of the campaign, the ‘greenest school’ will receive the ‘Maschio Foundation GreenLine Award’.

Zegarb Campaign

Next on the anvil is the Zegarb (Zero Garbage) Campaign. This campaign will be launched in June 2011 and will involve various schools in the Mumbai metro area. Mumbai generates close to 7,000 tonnes of waste per day; of this approximately 5,000 tonnes is mixed waste (biodegradable and recyclable), while 2,000 tonnes are construction debris and silt. Unfortunately, since we neither have good personal habits of waste disposal, nor does the municipality have an efficient system of waste management, the entire city has degenerated into a garbage cesspool. ‘We are 50 or 60 years behind the US and European nations in treating garbage and implementing waste technologies. Mumbai is even behind Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka,’ declares Almitra Patel, a garbologist who was on the Supreme Court committee that framed the Municipal Solid Waste Rules for the country, and a person who has spent the last 12 years studying garbage disposal.

The Zegarb Campaign aims at training students in proficient and professional methods of managing the waste they produce – be it paper, plastic, glass, e-waste or other biodegradable materials. The end result will not only be that zero garbage goes out of the school, but the school will also earn revenue from the waste it produces. Recycling garbage has another critical benefit; it reduces the wasteful use of resources, since the same materials get reused. Enlarging the impact, we hope to then take the campaign to the homes and housing colonies of the students. Organizations like the Centre for Environmental Research and Education, Daily Dump and Stree Mukti Sangatna that have the expertise in waste management will be consultants to this campaign.

Conclusion

Beyond campaigns with schools, GreenLine is looking at an involvement with corporate bodies and civil society organizations. Creating a greener world requires the active commitment of all the stakeholders. Eliciting this commitment and translating it into relevant action, that’s the mission of GreenLine.

Connect All

2011-01-08T23:44:00.000-08:00

Barnabe D’Souza sdb

Why Financial Inclusion?

In a world driven by a cash economy and international flow of capital, the majority of the poor still remain excluded from financial services. Financial services have failed to adequately reach poorer populations for a number of reasons, including: inadequate infrastructure; perceptions that lending to the poor is too risky to be commercially viable; inhibiting regulatory and legal environments; and limited understanding and awareness of financial services by the poor. Financial services, including savings and deposit services, credit, payments and transfer services, and insurance, are increasingly being seen as important to poverty reduction and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus opined that all the poor really need is a little capital to start climbing the economic ladder. Yunus' approach is echoed by other social entrepreneurs. Give somebody a handout, they say, and he will feel and act like a helpless beggar. Give him a loan, and you treat him (or, in most cases her) as a responsible business partner.

Financial services can offer the poor mechanisms to stabilise livelihoods, stimulate economic development, finance reconstruction and facilitate renewed remittance flows. Access to financial services can also promote social inclusion, provide identity and build self-confidence and empowerment, in particular among the marginalized. When there are more poor in the labour force earning a reasonable income, benefits flow to their children in improved standards of wellbeing and educational attainment. Where they have the capacity, the opportunity and the skills to earn an income, the poor raise not only the quality of their own lives but also the lives of those around them. The ripple effect goes beyond the immediate family into the community. Suddenly they have the means – and the power – to break the poverty cycle. They are driven to free their families from a hand to mouth existence, and to put aside some capital for emergencies.

“Our family income of Rs. 7,000 would get over by the middle of the month. My husband would spend the money on drinks for himself and his companions. I was helpless to do anything. I tried robbing from his pockets when he was in a drunken stupor and hide the money in my pots and pans, under the mattress, in my children’s clothes etc. But he always found it and then would beat me. Then I tried to hide from him the actual number of houses I was working in (as a domestic) - in a bid to save at least some of the money that I was earning. But eventually he would find out the truth and turn his anger on me and my children. I had to send my children to beg on the streets and they stopped attending school. We tried to manage on what they brought in but soon we had to turn to borrowing and perpetual debt. Now we are constantly paying back various debts. How can I get out of this trap?” lamented 32-year old Savita, a basti dweller.

It was in response to such questions that the Don Bosco Research Centre launched its Financial and Social Inclusion initiative via its Connect All Network.

What is Connect All?

Connect All is a network of developmental organizations created to achieve a vision of total inclusion. The realm of financial and social inclusion is seen as a means of not only building up financial capital but also to ensure protection of assets owned by the marginalized. The goal is to ensure that all marginalized citizens of India are included in one or the other government mainstreaming and poverty alleviation programmes; this is best done through the wide range of NGO Networks across the country, networked through Connect All India.

Instruments of Identity- A Tool to Access their Rights

Most traditional identity instruments such as Ration Cards ( which enables the poor to obtain food grains through the Public Distribution System at subsidized rates) are regarded by the state as non universal, provide insufficient information, and are non verifiable. Obtaining a ration card required some proof of identity such as birth certificate or school leaving certificate, which the poor did not possess since they were born at home (and so were not registered with government bodies) and many never attended school (having to work in their village farm instead). The new instruments based on biometrics system are identity proofs that can be used to ensure consumer access to banking, insurance as well as government schemes. These instruments are seen by Government of India as essential for strengthening livelihoods strategies of poor households.

Three major elements form the essence of this conceptual framework-:

v People (especially poor people) they are actors who labour and have agency

v Assets and capabilities- leverage people’s agency by making people’s actions more effective and increasing the returns to their labor

v Institutions which establish people’s obligations and their claims on assets and capabilities

The Connect All Network aims:

Ø To reach out to those sections of the society who have been excluded from Government programme and/or are not serviced by formal financial institutions

Ø To strengthen networks with NGOs which need support to reach out to the excluded communities and groups they have been working with

Ø To work on financial and social inclusion by disseminating information on government projects and programmes, build capacities of all stakeholders; undertake research, documentation and policy analysis.

Enhancing Fiscal Capital

Biometric door-to-door mobile banking is a pro-poor move towards greater transparency.

v No Frills Biometric Bank Accounts: Taking the view that access to a bank account can be considered a public good, in 2005, RBI directed all banks to offer at all branches the facility of ‘no frills’ account to any person desirous of opening such an account. This account has a zero balance, there are no KYC (Know Your Customer) documents required to open this account. It can be operated by an NGO or any other private person/ handicapped person/ kiosk on a Commission basis. It has just two hand held machines, one a mobile phone and the other a finger printing biometric device (25% smaller than a credit card machine) and also a voice recorder- so the person speaks into the machine as to how much he is withdrawing or depositing. Only he/she can withdraw the money personally through fingerprint authentication thus eliminating the possibility of cheating. Such mobile banking is taken to the doorstep of the poor and enables money to be transferred from anywhere in India. This facility allows the family budget to be stretched to the end of the month and beyond, frivolous spending is reduced or even cut out (as in Savita’s case, page 2). If there is no food in the house, the lady of the house can go and withdraw a small amount (Rs.30-40) to buy what she requires, without sending her children to beg. This ensures that they go to school and are kept off the streets.

v Income Generation: Tie ups with some industrial centers (MIDC) have ensured that they outsource their semi-skilled jobs of packing, sticking, labeling, etc. to poor and vulnerable groups who earn about Rs.100 to 120 a day in urban areas and save it in their no frills accounts. Similar activities are being carried out in rural areas.

v Government Policies: There are several Government policies for those Below Poverty Line, the urban and rural poor, like Rozgar Yojnas, employment guarantee schemes, medical schemes, disaster related schemes, development schemes etc which only partially reach the people. Connect All has begun researching procedural systems to help obtain these for the poor in urban and rural areas.

v Insurance Policies: SEBI has given a mandate to several Insurance agencies to design programmemes especially for the poor. Under the Education Plan Yojna for students from Classes 8 to 12, they have to put in Rs. 50/- per month, the State and Central Governments put in a matching amount so that after 4 years (after Class 12) the student has the money to pursue graduation studies should he so desire. There is the pension scheme by UTI – wherein any poor person can put in Rs. 100-200 or more per month anywhere after the age of 18+ upto 58 years, after which he gets a pension every month on his capital amount. Hence the poor farmer has security in his old age. There are several policies like these that Connect All are negotiating with the issuing companies, and delivering it as a package to NGOs in different parts of India.

v Assets Valuation: Helping the poor and marginal segment get their live stock valued by the bank enables them to obtain credit for it, multiplies the livestock, farm produce, small scale businesses etc. as the poor are enabled to bargain from a point of reference of possessing/owning assets.

Social inclusion involves the removal of institutional barriers and the enhancement of incentives to increase the access of diverse individuals and groups to assets and development opportunities through documentation and instruments of identity such as:

v The PAN Card: It provides access to a bank account, helps to obtain organized employment, obtain access to Government funds as well as other documents like the Voters card, the Ration Card, Passport etc. Through a tie-up with UTI, the main Pancard issuing authority of India, Connect All is helping NGOs to help the poor in remote regions to make their Pan cards at the Government rate (so they are not cheated by agents) and obtain access to further fiscal capital.

v The UIDAI: The Government of India is mapping the 1 billion plus residents of India through a biometric Unique Identification Number (UID). Through a tie-up being worked out with the chief executive of UIDAI, Connect All is getting NGOs to access their services and help the rural poor get access to all other proofs of identity. The Unique Identification Number is a transparency instrument for good governance and helps to track whether Government funding has reached the poor directly. Criticisms on confidentiality and procedural issues are being addressed.

v The Medical Benefit Card for the Below Poverty Line (BPL): It helps the poor get 50% off on their medical bills, but most are not aware of this benefit. When they get ill, they borrow money and remain entrapped in indebtedness their entire life. By facilitating the procedure for obtaining this and other cards, the NGOs are able to reach out to those most in need.

v The Senior Citizens Card: This card helps those above 65 years get 50% discount on electricity, water, transport, medical payments etc. There are some agencies appointed to do this for the rural and urban poor. Connect All has built up contacts with these agencies to help the poor obtain these cards.

There are other documents such as the Postal ID Card which operates in some states of India, and which can help obtain other identity documents. With over 350 million people who are below the poverty line, the Government has been introducing several schemes in a bid to alleviate their poverty, but ineffective implementation means that the benefits do not percolate to the poor as envisaged. Hence these cards are a way of helping the poor get access to these benefits.

Specifically financial and social inclusion is expected to have the following outcomes:

Ø Improve access of marginalized to banking and insurance services

Ø Build skills in savings, budgeting and asset management

Ø Improve access of Self Help Groups to credit facility

Ø Reduced borrowing from informal money lenders, peth pedhi, chit funds and lessening of indebtedness

Ø Improve access of marginalized to government poverty alleviation programmes

Ø Reduce rural seasonal migration, family disintegration, increase children studying in village schools etc

Ø Increase livelihood assets, capabilities and networks of poverty groups

Ø Reduce the number of people living below poverty line.

Ø Conclusion

Financial and Social Inclusion is a long term programme which requires an ongoing investment and input from all the stakeholders. An investment climate geared to pro-poor growth and creation of financial and social capital leads to lateral development. The GDP growth cannot be ascribed to the efforts of just a few business houses and a corporate sector that has a vertical perspective to development with its concentration of wealth at the top rung. It is a methodology to bring about collateral development, without leaving out those at the bottom of the ladder.

For us Salesians, it is another perspective on individual and family development with its macro dynamics at reducing poverty, migration, urbanization and family disintegration while simultaneously enhancing youth dividends by increasing education, skilling opportunities and keeping children out of early labour and off the streets, an effort towards a just society, wherein the poor obtain access to what is deservedly their right.

Ludvik Zabret (1923-2010)

2011-01-08T22:46:00.000-08:00

Ivo Coelho sdb

When I was asked me to put down something about Bro Ludvik, I thought I would write from memory. Bro Ludvik was a sort of legend among us when we were young. We had heard some vague stories about his younger days, so whenever we met him we would invariably ask him about his escape from Yugoslavia. His first reaction was to get angry. "Stupid fellows, why you want to ask about that?" Then a pause. Then he would start his story, in bits and pieces. I don't remember the details any more, but I think as a young man he escaped into Italy after some use of violence, which he was either ashamed of or else found too dangerous to talk about (we must remember that Yugoslavia continued to be Yugoslavia for many years that Ludvik was in India. The dismemberment of the country took place only very recently). I have the impression that Ludvik had already made his novitiate and profession when this happened. I think I recall him telling us that the Rector and council of the aspirantate had decided to send him away. The Rector called him and told him to go. But Ludvik simply told him he would not go. And he stuck on, made his novitiate, and professed as a Salesian Brother.

Interestingly, all this is confirmed by Ludvik himself in an account written at the request of Fr Ivan Rodrigues (Ivan was collecting material for the famous Missionary Animation Notes of our province some years ago). The account is written in his own inimitable English, and he was quite aware of this, for at the end of the account he writes: “I do not know English had no time in the begining to seat [sit] and studi I know only what I learn as children learn by hearing.” I have resisted the temptation to touch up the spellings and the grammar: best to hear Ludvik talking directly.

But let’s begin from the beginning. Ludvik was born to Joseph Zabret and Rosalia Borc on 9th August 1923 at a place called Topole in what was then and is now the beautiful little country of Slovenia, tucked in to the north-east of Italy and south of Austria, and surrounded by Croatia on the other two sides. He was baptized two days later, on 11th August 1923, at Menges.

Salesian Vocation

My memories are interestingly confirmed, in greater detail, by Ludvik himself. This is what he writes. “When I was 5 years old my father told me, nex year you are going to school and here are to [two] rabbits and to [two] pegions. There is a hip [heap] of planks, what you will sel it will be your poket money, I will not give you a peni. From that time I have always money in my poket.

“When I was 10 year old my mother took me everiyear to wher the Salesians have a shrine of M.H.C. of feast day in May everiyear. I liked the seting and cheerful boys everiwhere. When I finished 8 years of elementary school and got marks sheet in mai hands I went for a interview with the Salesians. How?

“At the age of tirtheen on every Sunday with mother went to parish church 5 km away from our village to be free to atend house work. We where a big Family of 11 members. On Sunday after Sunday mas in the parish Mamy would cook for the big family and I would care for animals minveil rest of the family would go for 10 h. mass.

“I had independent poket money so in 6 h. parish mas I sleept [slipped away] from the church at the end of mas without mother noting it run 2 km away railway station and tok the train to capital wher there was shrine of Mary H.C., I met the administrator of the salesian House ho askt me what I wonth [want]. I said I wish to be accepted to the Institute. He anser, you so smal nothing doing, come some years from know and we shal see now you are to [too] smal. If you give me good food I will grow big as you. That enseteld [unsettled] him. O.K. here is the list of cloths required and you can come when you want but in company of Father or Mother. Late afternoon I reached home. My Father said nothing only wolk to me bent me on his nee and gave mi a good trashing, you will never go to Salesians. Mother was not advers. After 3 weeks all the requred [required] was redy, my Father has send me to the Salesians with the words ‘go, after one week you will be back.’

“Tovrts the end of the noviciate nov. Master cold [called] me after night prayers and told me ‘tomorrow morning Bro so-and-so will take you to the station we are sending you home because you have no vocation you are not for us.’ Discusins lasted till one oclok in the night. He said go to rest tomorrow we shal see. Next day I met him several times but said nothing. After night prayers cold me again. ‘House chapter has a meeting and all agreed that you go home.’ I am not going home was my reply. Discuson gone on till 2 h. in morning. ‘You are exeptionaly stubon [stubborn] may be somthing can be made out of you.’ My companions profesed on fiest of Our Lady 5 of august. I had prolonged noviciat and profesed on the fiest of Christ the King on 20 of October 1940. The Lord had mercy on me.”

The records of the province of Mumbai indicate that the young Bro Ludvik worked in the vegetable gardens (1940-41) and then on farms at Lisiefe (1941-43) and Bostary (1943-44). In 1944-45 he is listed as doing military service and then in the concentration camp. Once again we turn to his own account of what happened in those years, when the Great War began. Some of his sentences defy construction; I have left them as they are, because I think they reveal the strong emotions behind the experiences even at a distance of 60 or 70 years.

The War and the Escape

“On year 1941 started world wor 2 our small Slovenija was dividet by Germany, Italy and Hungary. Simultanesly also Komunist revolution. Ker so komunisti in night [the Communists came in the night] from homes taking influential people and in ju[n]gle shot them ded. Slowly the tretened [threatened] men organized themselfs and the night spend together in one place to defend themselves with arms not to be kiled.

“Salesians in Capital have hired a casel with hundred acres of land to produse food for confreres in capital where every thing was ration an where wore starving. So 2 priest and two coadjutor Brothers to start to produce some food. Becose many priest were kild in parishes extra priests was going on sunday to diferent parishes for holy mass. This was year 1943. We had a good crop of potatos (8 wagons) plus maze and plenty of hay (2 tausend tons).

Here, as we come to the core of his story, Bro Ludvik’s account gets really convoluted: “On 8 sept 1943 Italy capitulated to American and British forces. Comunist forces agried to help them to go bak to Italy after the communist defetit only comunist forces. [This part is not clear. I think the Communists were fighting against the Germans, so they were on the Allied side.] So our farm was atakt [by Communists] on 12 of september 1943. Avery night boy and young man come with there guns to spend the night in the castle to defend themself from communist atac. Italians military gave canons to communist in stem so level all anti-comunis forces. [??] Casel where we tuk refuge was leveled on 19 september 1943. As prisoner of communist we were in smol groop of 30 or so to work as and ordered. German occupaing forces have started ataking these comunist camps in the jungles. After 3 day in the jungles haiding without food we vere marched on a makadom road towards east. A motociclist came from oposit direction and asket our comandant where we are going. We have no mashin gun, he ansered; for these cats you do not need mashin gun. We were ol tide up two and two with barb vires. On both sides of the road were jungles. So we wer led some distanz in to jungle and made sit down in a cirkle. Ol day we where siting in cirkel hands tied with barb wire two by two. In the evening comandant gave order to commandant gards to take plyers and tide [tighten] the vires on hand that may not come loose. Later on have come to know that he was curir [courier] for anticomunist forses. He was goin from place to place in old wornout jacket and old agriculture tools. When he was captured by comunist patrol was saing, ‘I am going to work in the fields.’ So he was mobilised in comunist forces. By Divine Providence he was commandant [guard?] smol group that was garding us and to him comandant of comunist forses [told] to titen the barb vire wit which we were tied. With plyers. Hi neld [knelt] behaind each of us and vispered I am going to loosen the vire. When I give the signall you jump on the gards. When he finished went up to comandant saluted and reported ‘I have caried out your comand’ and spraied comandant and politcommissar with tomy gun. It was night. We jump up, gards surendered at ones and started to run away. Sudenly we so [saw] in distance a fire and when we come near we so [saw] they were distributing food, thik rice with meat inside. A voce came ‘Dise are cetnik, a diferent organisation of anti-comunist.’ So we were not afreed to take the food. Litle furder on was a smol fire and a tol oficer standing there. So I aproched him but before I reach him sudenly fire blesed [blazed] up and I notice he is not a chetnik but a comunist becose he has a comunist star on his cap. An I slept [slipped] away no body notist us. That is how the Lord gave us food after 3 days, if I new [knew] that they where comunist I would never have aproched them. God in his goodnes has fed us. Glory to God!!! We run in the night for our life. We were 5 in numbers, 2 Salesian Bro. and 3 young men from near by vilage wher was our agricultural big Farm, to produce food for the Salesians in town where every thing [was] on rations was burned up.”

So this is Ludvik’s life and death experience, something that I believe marked him all through. The pain was not lessened by his awareness of the ‘Realpolitik’ played by the Allied forces, and it is good to let his remarks be on record: “Eventualy I landed up in Italy. May compinions in Slovenija have not been so fortunate. After the victory of Tito in Jugoslavia the anti-comunist forses [this is incomplete]. After the victory of Tito the British have helped the anti-comunist forces that have taken refuge in Austria. The British sent them bak with pritensed they are sending thro tunel to Italy have send them one tunel thro Alp to Titos Jugoslavia. So 20,000 Jugoslavians were send back to Tito and were put to dead in mines tunels of Kocevje. 20,000 young men oll thanks to British.”

In Italy and Spain

“In Italy after surendering to British army [we] were put in concentration camp. Our Rector Major has made a rekqest to American General Aleksander and Salesian prisoners of war wher were alowed to travel to Salesian house in Turin.” Bro. Ludvik seems to have been assigned to the Cumiona Agricultural School near Turin, where he spent the year 1946. “After one year Provincial of South India Rev. Fr Carreño came to Turin and invited me to come to India that was December 1947.” Fr Carreño, a Spaniard (Basque, really), was provincial of the Southern province, which was later to become the Madras province. Ludvik seems to have gone to India via Spain: in 1947 he is listed as a refugee in Spain, and in the same year, as having arrived at Don Bosco Kotagiri, India.

Sagayathottam

In 1950 Bro Ludvik was assigned to an unfruitful waste of a huge piece of land at Uriyurkuppam in Tamil Nadu, which he transformed into Our Lady's garden: Sagayathottam. He had made 'super-8' movies of the transformation, and used to show them to us in the days when we still had 8mm and 16mm movie projectors. He is still writing about these movies to Fr Ivan Rodrigues in 2004: “My apostolate in India will send you video casete so you can see for yourself. I hope you will recived it in month of May. Casete is made of films on ‘Super 8’ 20 years bak and put on video casete 2 year bak.” He seems to indicate that he has also sent these, or else a narrative, to the Provincial Archives in Mumbai: “This story I have nareted on casete in India may be some where in archive in Bombay. If you have some friend in Bombay he may fish it out.” I don’t think Ivan ‘fished it out’ – but as Provincial Secretary he is certainly now in a position to do so, which I hope he does. But returning to Ludvik, besides being an agriculturist, he was also into communications, though I think he would have thought dimly about joining our contemporary associations of communicators.

Sulcorna

In 1965, after 15 years in Sagayathottam, Bro Ludvik was sent to join Fr Giuseppe Moja at Sulcorna, in the southern-most jungles of Goa, where a benefactor had donated 200 acres and more of virgin forest land. Once again he worked wonders on the land, planting cashew trees and sugarcane. He brought several of his workers from Sagayathottam to Sulcorna, and if Sulcorna is what it is today, it is thanks to the hard work and creativity of Ludvik and his group of dedicated workers from Tamil Nadu. Several of us still remember the damming of the river at various places, the low 'bridge' over the river (paralleled much later by the 'high' bridge), the unique irrigation system, the large well dug a little away from the river to take advantage of the ground water all year round, the abundant pineapples and the wonderful pineapple wine, the chickoos as large as cricket balls, the endless plantations of cashew trees, the large mangoes, and the fields of sugarcane.

But marketing expert he was not. His forte was growing things, and growing them in abundance. Marketing – he had the disadvantage of his white skin. I am told that he had to let go of his produce, both at Margao and later at Nashik, at throwaway prices. People would simply not buy from him, and wait for him to get fed up, by evening, dump his produce, and return home.

And of course Ludvik was a hunter. And he had his hunting stories: the huge female wild boar that he had disturbed, and that almost gored him to death; the many magnificent golden-maned Indian bisons that had the misfortune of disturbing him and his fields, so that some of them now adorn the walls of the old residence at Sulcorna....

Nashik

From Sulcorna, after exactly 15 years, Bro Ludvik was sent in 1980 to the newly set up novitiate house at Nashik – from farmation to formation, as some wag would say – where again he transformed the land into a farm, with grapes, rice, wheat, a piggery and a dairy. There are photos in the Divyadaan chronicles of the vines hanging heavy with grapes, there are memories of young novices putting on several kilos and added visible inches to their height thanks to the healthy and abundant food. And of course there are the Ludvik stories: If you don’t eat it, I will give it to the peegs; if the peegs don’t eat it, I will give it back to you. Or the super-abundant guavas and the guava jam that came on the table every single day of the year, till it came out of the ears and the noses, in the laments of the people of Israel in the desert. Or the formation tips in typical style: Don’t pat the goat, man, tomorrow you will be patting the gurls.

Back to Goa

Bro Ludvik remained in Nashik about 7 years. In 1987 he went to Lonavla, and in 1988 he returned for a brief stint to Sulcorna as assistant farm manager. In 1992 he was administrator in Fatorda, in 1994 in the new house at Loutolim, and in 1997 he came to the delegation house at Odxel. These must have been difficult years for him. Either the farms or the jobs he had were small compared to Sagayathottam, Sulcorna, and even Nashik. The wonderful hams and wines and liqueurs would still appear, but the expenses would be too heavy for small houses to bear, given that the incomes were almost nil. But one impression remains uppermost in my mind: Ludvik was a man of prayer. He had his faults, his defects, his temper. But he prayed. He laughed at the then current philosophy of self-fulfilment: feel fool, fool feel, he would say in his typical way, dismissing it as nonsense. He was convinced that religious had to pray, and that their lives had to be filled with God.

Home again in Slovenia

Reasons of health led him to return, in 2004, to his native Slovenia, where he was assigned to a lovely house for senior Salesians. I had the fortune of seeing his homeland during GC25. He was on home leave, and he made arrangements with the provincial of the place to bring Romulo and myself over to Slovenia. We went by train to the border, where he had come to meet us; then we drove into Slovenia. I can't forget the pristine beauty of the place, and above all the food: tables groaning with food at breakfast, then again the same spread at the mid-morning break, and then lunch, and then supper: hams, sausages, salamis, vegetables fresh and pickled, butter, bread, coffee and milk, cheese, and even a shot of the local grappa – both for breakfast and for the mid-morning break. I began to understand then Ludvik's love affair with food. Good food, home-grown, fresh if possible, preserved when not: these are things that any Slovenian values, because the land is covered with snow half the year; the other half is for growing and storing. So Ludvik did what he knew best to do: he grew food, he knew how to prepare it lovingly and preserve it when he had to, and he enjoyed doing it for his confreres, his community, his friends. And he did it as a man of God, a man of prayer, a man without pretences or agendas. He was all there, for you to love or to hate.

Another great example of the life of a Salesian Brother: a life lived fully, unpretentiously, without unnecessary complications, in faith, in hope, and in the love that comes from God and enters into our lives till it takes them over completely and draws us to him.

God bless you, Bro Ludvik. And thank you for the blessing that you have been to us in this land of your providential mission.

Volume XXVIII, Issue 2, August-September 2010

2010-08-13T09:27:00.000-07:00

Editorial: Young Changemakers

2010-08-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

Savio Silveira

An organization that has greatly impressed me is Youth Ventures. What is amazing about this organization is that they pick up ordinary youth, largely from underprivileged communities, and transform them into highly committed leaders. And this is achieved, not by randomly flinging bits of pious advice at them, but rather, through a well designed year long process of training and mentoring. The youngsters who participate in this programme are enabled to launch their own Venture – a project that creates real social change. Youth Ventures believes that this changemaking experience is transformational, it leads to a fundamental shift in self-belief; the youngster who saw himself as just another ordinary person is now convinced that he can be a changemaker, a leader in society.

Take Ashok for example, who lives in one of Mumbai’s largest slums, Babasaheb Ambedkar Nagar Colony. He realized that many of his childhood friends had dropped out of school and taken to drugs and alcohol. Ashok was determined to ensure that younger boys would not be trapped in this same situation. Hence, he launched a Venture called Oscar, a football club for boys who had dropped out of school or were at risk of dropping out. Oscar provides these boys the opportunity to train, play, and compete with other local teams. However, to be a member of the club, each boy must attend Oscar’s informal classes twice a week, which help develop maths, Hindi, English, leadership, and life skills. Through this Venture, Ashok has got many dropouts to re-enrol in school and complete their education.

Then there is Priyanka, who was fed up with the garbage strewn all around her neighbourhood. She launched her Venture, Pradushan Mukti, to combat this menace. Her efforts to raise awareness on waste management have targeted every segment of the community. She educated school children, got them excited to become ambassadors of the environment, and used their artwork for poster campaigns. She mobilized these kids to take to the streets and march for awareness. Priyanka also motivated older community members to champion this cause. The Bombay Municipal Corporation took notice of her project and asked Priyanka to submit a proposal on how to create a clean community. Thanks to her efforts, the BMC has covered all open drains, increased the number of garbage collection points, and allocated funds to fight pollution in the community.

And not just city youth, even young people in the villages are enthusiastically participating in Youth Ventures. Ukesh launched Hamaro Adhikar to motivate people participate in the village Gram Sabha. He started by making the villagers aware of the importance of the Gram Sabha, highlighting its value and the need to be a part of it by conducting a play on Gram Sabha. In just a year, he and his team, through the Gram Sabha were able to provide electricity to a nearby village, help tribal farmers, get employment for people in the village and even get a school built in the village. Thanks to his work, the villagers have become aware of their rights and are now confident of approaching the administration on various issues. Looking back at the past year, Ukesh recalls his most memorable moment: ‘I had gone to the District Collector for the issue of forest land; I was leading twenty-five people. All of them were praising me and I felt proud to lead them’.

As the International Youth Year takes off and as we press ahead with our Youth Ministry, creating youth leaders, changemakers in society, should rank high on our agenda.

Salesian Youth Ministry: A Holistic Perspective

2010-08-13T09:22:00.000-07:00

Glenn Lowe sdb

At the very outset, if you are in search of a proper definition of ‘Spirituality’, forget about it. Search engines on the internet will give you over five million hits to define ‘Spirituality’ and over eleven million entries for a ‘Definition of Spirituality’. I don’t intend to give you another one. Like each one’s fingerprints, each one does possess a unique ‘spirituality’ expressed and lived out in the daily bustle of life.

Pope John Paul II rightly acknowledged Don Bosco as a ‘Master of Youth Spirituality’. As Salesians journeying with the young, we cannot but be proponents of Salesian Youth Spirituality (SYS), a style of educative holiness which prompts every young person each day to grow in Christ, the perfect man, by developing his interior dynamic forces towards maturity of faith.

Salesian Youth Spirituality can best be understood in the following perspective: The adjective ‘Salesian’ distinguishes the project from other proposals offered within the Church. The adjective ‘youth’ underlines the fact that this proposal refers to young people and has the characteristics of youthfulness even when it is lived out by adults, as is the case for the Salesians and the Sisters. The noun ‘spirituality’ attempts to reclaim a serious and challenging commitment based on the tradition of discipleship. Finally we are saying that we want the ‘Salesian’ and ‘youth’ aspects of our spirituality to encourage us to live that gospel radicality that has been the mark of so many Christians before us (RM, AGC 334).

Looking at the present scenario we live in, with the whole focus on ‘Holistic Growth’ and the body-mind-heart-soul paradigm, I would like to focus on the Nazareth Home, the Valdocco Experience, the UN programme for Education in the twenty first century and the four needs of people as proposed as Steve Covey and fit the entire growth process within the Preventive System.

1. The Nazareth Home: (Lk 2: 52)

Jesus is lost, found and then taken home. In one line, Luke explains Jesus’ Nazareth experience for the next eighteen years: He increased in stature (Physical Quotient – P.Q.), wisdom (Intelligence Quotient – I.Q.), favour with God (Spiritual Quotient – S.Q.) and favour with people (Emotional Quotient – E.Q.). Spirituality is about this ‘increase’ in the four dimensions of life: the Body-Mind-Heart-Soul). Salesian Youth Ministry ought to be a reliving of this Nazareth experience where the young people are invited to experience this ‘increase’. There is no spirituality without this total increase.

2. The Valdocco Experience: (Salesian Constitution 40)

In the Salesian Constitution, Article 40 we read: Every Salesian Institution must be a Home that welcomes, a School that educates, a Church that evangelizes and a Playground where friends can meet. Don Bosco, the master of youth spirituality, uses the four metaphors ‘home’, ‘school’, church’ and ‘playground’ that are to be the paradigms for this holistic growth. In today’s world, Home is anywhere where one belongs, School is about building minds with vision, Church is about creating a soul space that bring meaning to life, and the Heart is about living the quality of love expressed in relationships.

3. The United Nations: Learning: the Treasure Within

The report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century was presented in 1996. Simply speaking, the Commission felt that education throughout life is based upon four pillars: learning to do, learning to know, learning to live together and learning to be.

Viewing Education in a broader perspective, the UN chose to focus on holistic formation once again. Learning to do (Physical Dimension), Learning to Know (Intellectual Dimension), Learning to Live together (Social Dimension) and Learning to Be (Spiritual Dimension). Learning is no longer viewed as just a function of the brain. Learning must be a ‘Body-Mind-Heart-Soul’ connection.

4. Steve Covey: The Four Basic Needs of Every Person

For too long, humanity considered food, clothing and shelter as the basic needs of every person. Steve Covey, in Seven Habits of Effective People, rightly proposed the ‘4 Ls’ as the basic needs of every person. These four needs are: to Live, to Learn, to Love and to Leave a Legacy. Effectiveness is seen in the fulfillment of these needs.

The need to Live (the Physical Dimension), the need to Learn (Intellectual Dimension), the need to Love (Social Dimension) and the Need to leave behind a Legacy (Spiritual Dimension) are basic and the quality of one’s life is directly proportional to the fulfillment of these needs.

5. The Preventive System:

Pope John Paul II in his letter to the Salesians for the 1988 Centenary wrote: ‘The originality and boldness of the plan for a “youthful holiness” is intrinsic to the educational art of this great Saint, who can be rightly called the “master of youth spirituality” ’. John Paul II reminded us again in his message to the GC23: ‘an aspect that calls for your careful study is “youth spirituality”... it is not sufficient to rely on the simple rationality of a human ethic...We must stir up deep personal convictions which will lead to a life commitment inspired by the perennial values of the Gospel’.

When we look at holistic formation in the environment of the Nazareth Home, the Valdocco Experience, Education in the twenty-first Century, and in the needs of an Effective Person we see a very close link between all the four dimensions. To increase in only one dimension at the cost of the other three is no growth at all. Salesian Youth Spirituality is about nourishing all these four dimensions: the Physical, the Intellectual, the Spiritual and the Social.

In all this, where does the Preventive System come in? Don Bosco’s educative system is holistic to the core. The Preventive System stands on four pillars: Presence (Home: physical dimension), Reason (School: Intellectual dimension), Religion (Church: Spiritual dimension) and Loving Kindness (Heart: Social Dimension).

To enable our youth to mature into God-fearing people and responsible citizens, we cannot but propose our Salesian Youth Spirituality.

More than Just Football: Infusing Salesian Youth Spirituality through Youth Group Ministry

2010-08-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

Ajoy Fernandes sdb

The Spiritual Tradition of Don Bosco and Salesian Youth Spirituality

Don Bosco has bequeathed to us a simple, but rich spiritual heritage. The spiritual tradition he has passed on has become a way of life for many Salesians and young people who have passed out through the portals of Salesian institutions.

· Through moments of prayer as well as youth ministry, Don Bosco constantly maintained a close union with God.

· By patiently pursuing his apostolic goals amidst trials and obstacles, he showed us how we could ‘carry our daily crosses’ and live life with determination, joy and optimism.

· He insisted that his students do their daily duties in an extraordinary way.

· All his efforts were geared towards making his boys honest citizens and good Christians.

Youth from all over the Salesian world gathered together in Rome in the year 2000. Drawing inspiration from Don Bosco and the spiritual tradition they saw lived out in different Salesian institutions, they crystallized Salesian Youth Spirituality into seven propositions. Three of these elements have a self-reference; three have an ‘other-directed’ orientation; and one is centered on God.

Self

1. Celebrate life in happiness (Joy and Optimism)

2. Fulfill daily duties well

3. Accept the Cross (A ‘death’ that leads to Life)

Others

4. Live out one’s vocation and mission in life

5. Participate in the life of the Church

6. Participate in Social and Political activity

God

7. Live constantly united with God

Salesian Institutions: School, Home, Church and Playground

Don Bosco wanted every Salesian institution to be a School, Home, Church and Playground. These are symbolic terms that go far beyond the institutions they literally represent. These four aspects facilitate holistic human growth as they represent the development of the Intellect (Intelligence Quotient), Heart and Emotions (Emotional/Relational Quotient), Spirit (Spiritual Quotient – S.Q.) and Body (Physical Quotient – P.Q.). The seven elements of Salesian Youth Spirituality (SYS) either encompass, or permeate these four dimensions.

Living out Salesian Youth Spirituality through Groups

Youth spontaneously team up with their peers. In addition, most institutions accomplish their goals and tasks through group activity. Groups dedicated to liturgical animation, sports, music, intellectual, cultural, or social activity are part and parcel of any Salesian institution. These groups provide an excellent opportunity to live out as well as pass on the Salesian Youth Spirituality. The SYS could sometimes be passed on through explicit instruction. However, SYS is most effectively communicated, when it is lived out in concrete ways through the life of different groups. I have had an opportunity to pass on the SYS to a group of band players. However, I will illustrate how elements of SYS can be passed on through a group as seemingly ‘mundane’ as a football team when we look at youth ministry through the lens of the four dimensions: School, Home, Church and Playground.

Salesian Youth Spirituality: A Football Team Format

School

Schooling in its broadest sense has to do with orienting, shaping or training the mind. Thus, much schooling can be done even within the context of a sports group. This can happen on the playground where education focuses on learning the rules, skills and sense of the game. All this calls for intelligence and focus, and discipline demanded by steady and regular practice. When all these are pursued with diligence, they help concretely live out one element of SYS—‘doing one’s daily duties well’.

When in a spirit of true sportsmanship players are taught to respect their fellow-players as well as opponents; to maintain their position on the field; and to play by the rules of the game, they are schooled in a vital lesson in life: indulging in fair-play and respecting others’ boundaries. This is a way of evangelizing on the playground. Remotely, it paves the way for making persons respectful and honest citizens.

Persisting through regular exercise and practice schedules makes demands on one’s commitment; and may be physically tiring and painful. However, painful drilling helps develop stamina and skills that enable players to handle a game with ease. Amidst it all, when players concretely experience the progress they have made, they come to realize that their painstaking efforts help them develop into skillful sportspersons. Implicitly, they learn a bigger lesson in life — that carrying one’s daily ‘cross’ inevitably leads to small ‘resurrections’—expressions of a more abundant ‘life’.

Teams do not always win. Amidst losses, when players continue to give of their best while orienting themselves towards victory, they adopt a mental stance that helps develop a healthy optimism.

Young players often aspire to become like the football ‘stars’ they admire. Talking about football as a professional choice opens up an avenue for getting young persons to reflect on their place and calling in life.

Thus, schooling on the playground focuses on learning the skills, sense, and rules of the game; developing discipline through consistent and regular practice; imbibing the true spirit of sportsmanship; optimistically pursuing victory while struggling with losses; and discerning one’s calling in life. Implicitly it helps players imbibe vital elements of SYS such as respecting other persons, doing daily duties well, carrying one’s daily cross, and living life optimistically.

Home

‘Home’ is a symbol for the relational or interpersonal dimension of one’s personality. Many interpersonal lessons are learned on the playground.

When students learn to respect the positions of others on the playground, and learn to play as a team, they live out a vital exercise in cooperation. Cooperation and understanding on the playground is then easily transferred to real-life situations.

· When a team follows the directives of their coach, they learn to open themselves to the guidance of more experienced individuals. Implicitly, they are schooled in a healthy respect for authority.

· When the more-talented players help and support the less-talented players, they develop a healthy sense of concern, and hone their nurturing skills.

· Players who learn to care for and maintain their grounds, develop a sense of healthy belonging and responsibility, and implicitly learn to care for their environment.

· While teams aim to win a game, success may not always come their way. Training children to rejoice in success without growing arrogant and to handle failure without breaking down is an important lesson for life. A sense of group responsibility and support can contribute towards this end. Implicitly, children learn to rejoice with each other amidst success, and to support one another in moments of failure and difficulty in real life situations.

· Many outstanding players have been known to reach out to the needy through some form of social activity. In doing so, they extend the bounds of their home beyond the playground. Players of a team can express this in various ways such as playing for a cause, coaching other children in their school or neighborhood, or refereeing at a class or school tournament. These little exercises help them develop a healthy sense of altruism and service. They implicitly learn to be contributing citizens of the world.

Through these little lessons in life, children learn to live meaningful and emotionally healthy lives. Implicitly, they are schooled in the art of participating in Church, humanitarian, social, and political activity—expressions of the spirit of a ‘Home’. This helps concretely pass on another element of SYS.

Church

‘Church’ symbolically stands for the Spiritual Quotient that a person needs to develop. Martial Arts training in the East was often part of a spiritual quest. Trainees were taught to draw energy from a source beyond themselves. Martial Arts training was sometimes used as a means to dissolve the Ego and to attain enlightenment. Beginning a game with a prayer is a way of teaching players to draw strength from a source beyond themselves. Ending a game with a prayer of thanksgiving is a way of acknowledging that all that one learned during the practice session was a gift from God. Offering up one’s play to God as an expression of devotion helps develop continuous union with God. It is now an established fact that prayer helps better the quality of life. Within a prayerful context, the playground becomes a ‘sacred sanctuary’. This is easily noticed when players are engrossed in their game, where the ego is set aside, and the pursuit of victory takes a second place to selfless immersion in the game.

Playground

Players at a game develop physical strength and stamina. A well-oxygenated body makes for greater mental and emotional calm and focus in all aspects of life.

The playground is a place of play. When players manage to get beyond learning techniques to indulging in free play and expression, they are able to play creatively and with deep delight.

The attitudes developed through the three dimensions of School, Home and Church get deeply embedded not just in one’s mind, heart, and soul. They also get ‘stored’ in the body, making for calmness and serenity in life.

Conclusion

Lessons learned theoretically run the risk of becoming an ideology. An ideology that is proclaimed may not always be lived. Spirituality on the other hand is a way of life. Life is deeply interrelated; it does not consist of watertight compartments. The spirituality that is implicitly imbibed and learned experientially through a sports group will overflow to other aspects of the person’s life as well. When a group dedicated to sports learns much more than kicking a football, the playground becomes a school of life, a home, and a sacred sanctuary.

Groups can be of varied types: altar servers’ groups, a band, a choir; a recreational, theatre, study or social group. Group experience offers many opportunities for passing on the SYS. This article was intended to provide a starting point and an inspiration towards this end. Once an educator understands and imbibes the principles of SYS, he or she can pass it on through youth group ministry in inspired and creative ways.

Youth Ministers: Challenges, Opportunities and Difficulties

2010-08-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

Cleophas Braganza sdb

Don Bosco’s pastoral zeal was mainly directed toward migrant youth, who were easy targets of exploitation and abuse in the big cities during Italy's industrial revolution. In most developing countries, migration from villages to metropolises still continues. The new-found prosperity in the economy and industry lures many young men and women to the cities, where they seek a better future. They plunge into an ambience of frantic haste, pressure to perform and exacting standards which promises quick gains, recognition and a rise in social status.

However economic prosperity brings with it a host of problems for young people. As they grow up, they sometimes lack the presence, care and affection of their parents who are busy trying to provide for them. Frustration in a parent's career has negative repercussions for the other members of the family. Some of these youngsters end up as failures themselves—school drop-outs who easily become antisocial elements, addicts, get involved in illegal activities or run away from home to earn their living. On the other hand, even those who succeed academically, find themselves at great risk, because they have to remain away from home for extended periods for study or for work. Since they have easy access to money and other resources, they tend to experiment (without responsibility or commitments) with substances, relationships and their own lives. They might achieve financial stability, but end up morally disoriented, searching for meaning in life. All these are young people in need of a caring heart, a listening ear and a guiding hand.

The Salesian, like Don Bosco, draws inspiration from Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who leaves the 99 sheep in the fold to seek the stray one (cf. Jn 10). He seeks, through his pastoral ministry, to lead the young person to a personal experience of God’s love, which alone can be the foundation of a holistically mature personality. This is possible when he appropriates the attitudes of Jesus towards those in need: a compassionate non-judgemental attitude, listening to and trying to understand the experiences of the young in need, together with constant availability and willingness to accompany them even at the cost of personal sacrifice.

In today’s world, parents and educators find it difficult to make demands on those in their care, because they feel that they might become unpopular or that their relationship might be strained. The story of the young man who comes to Jesus asking what he should do to gain eternal life (cf. Mt 19:16-22) sheds light on what an educator ought to do. Jesus, on hearing that the young man is already observing the Law, makes a further demand: ‘Go, sell your possessions and then come, follow me!’ The young man is sadly unwilling to do so, but Jesus does not water down the criteria for attaining perfection. Educators need to realize that throwing challenges to the young is essential to help them achieve all-round maturity. Some particular areas in which the young need to be challenged in order to facilitate their growth are:

—The building and maintaining of healthy interpersonal relationships
—Learning to appreciate the diversity and richness of God's gifts to them, and becoming generous enough to share them with others
—Being courageous enough to risk making commitments of increasing duration and seriousness in life.

The desire to succeed at all costs, to create a reputation for oneself is one that could tempt not just the youth, but even those who engage in youth ministry. There is a danger of ‘hijacking’ the pastoral agenda by replacing it with our own, of proclaiming not Christ, but ourselves! Jesus sent out disciples ahead of him and gave them instructions on how they were to proceed (cf. Lk 10:1-16). The apostle is ‘the one sent’ on a mission, not his own, but that of ‘the one who sends’ him. This awareness serves a double purpose: in good times, recalling that it is the Lord who uses him as an instrument to carry out his mission effectively; and in moments of difficulty, not giving in to discouragement or despair, knowing that the Lord supports and accompanies him.

Another element that can diminish the effectiveness of youth ministry is the apparent lack of common purpose among those who should work together. Already in the early Church, Paul reminded the Corinthians that they shouldn’t be attached exclusively either to Apollos or to himself, since both are servants of the same Master (cf. 1Cor 3:4-11,21-23). This admonition can very well be applied to the Church, to the congregation or to the local community. Many are the instances when painstaking individual efforts go in vain due to lack of proper planning or collaboration or continuity; and the youth are the worse off for it. On the other hand, the ministry produces results surpassing our expectations when a common programme of goals, methods and strategies is drawn up, and when there is collaboration in its execution.

There is need of working in synergy, both within the ecclesial framework as well as with others who share the same ideals and goals. While the congregation defines the general outlines and the framework for youth ministry, it is the prerogative of the province and the local communities to define the concrete areas of work and the plans for particular initiatives. If the communities and the individuals responsible for youth ministry are not taken into confidence during this process, or they themselves choose to ignore what has been decided together, then as a consequence there is a colossal waste of time, energy, personnel and resources. This occurs due to either a competitive duplication of initiatives, or a dispersion of efforts by different individuals or groups working at cross purposes.

‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few’ (Lk 10:2). Those of us who engage in youth ministry need to become increasingly aware of the wide range of needs that the youth present today, while not forgetting that we are servants sent by the Master to tend to His harvest. In order to lead the youth in our care to greater maturity we need to offer them challenges to which they can respond with generosity and creativity. Since ‘the labourers are few’, we need to optimize the use of our time and other resources through careful planning and through working in synergy for the greater glory of God and the salvation of youth.

Our Rural Trailblazer

2010-08-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

Chris Valentino sdb

After having worked for twenty-four years in Ahmednagar, Br. Alex Gonsalves has moved on to a new assignment. During these long years, he founded Bosco Gramin Vikas Kendra and undertook Watershed Development in over twenty villages. We thought it fitting to do an article on this man who can definitely be called the pioneer of rural development work in the Mumbai Province. ~Editor

In these days of furious frenzy over ‘saving our planet’, ‘keeping track of the deteriorating ozone layer’, ‘rapid climate change’ and ‘going green’, it has become fashionable for us to mouth relevant quotes on making an impact for the preservation of our ecological systems. As we continue to live and move and have our being here in this ever-changing climatic scenario, it is a fad to state that in some way (however small it may be), we are trying to make a difference in our lifestyle and contribute to a greener planet. Now, why anyone would think of this half a century ago is a question that doesn’t occur to us. In fact, some of us who’ve grown through this half a century perhaps believe that this pattern of thinking couldn’t or needn’t have originated twenty five years ago because everything was as it should have been, at least on the ecological front. How wrong we were and how very incorrect we still are!

Besides those who were busy making careers, trying their luck at something futuristic, or even those who had ventured into the just emerging computer arena, there were others —Salesians—trying to make a niche in the youth scene with playground activities or camps and other events. For those of us who were serious about social work, our focus was on street work, slum development and evening classes. It somehow never occurred to most of us (I wonder whether it still does) that youth work could also mean community development, rural development or even plain ecological consideration.

In the field of rural development, community development and rural social programmes, there is one name that shines bright from among a galaxy of Salesian stars in the Mumbai province. Yes, it is the name of the man we have come to recognize as Br. Alex Gonsalves. This is a name which has been hailed and lauded at the local, national and international platforms but sadly downplayed within our family. Is it a case of ‘a prophet is never recognized in his own country?’ Perhaps. Perhaps not. Yet it is difficult to speak of the involvement of the Salesians of Don Bosco in rural community development without the explicit mention of Br. Alex Gonsalves. What moved the man to do what he ventured to do with little support from those at the helm or very little acceptance of his work? What goaded him on, kept him going and still spurs him on to this different mission? It is best to get some quips from the man himself. This article is precisely a journey down memory lane, beyond the surface into the nooks and crannies, peeping behind stony rocks and emerging into the streams of the gushing life-force that is Br. Alex.

When you meet the man the first thing that strikes you is his ability to smile. The other evident characteristic is his soft-spoken nature—no intimidation, no snobbishness, and no airs. This is really admirable in someone who has won local, national and global recognition. Br. Alex has been the motivating and driving force behind a series of initiatives, schemes and community development programmes not only in those areas of Ahmednagar District where the Salesians function, but also in areas beyond the geographical boundaries of his work. Under the creative management of Br. Alex, Bosco Gramin Vikas Kendra (BGVK) has been the recipient of notable awards. These include the General Championship Award for rearing the Best Female Goat of Barberi variety at Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Ahmednagar in the State level Goat Exhibition cum Competition; the Vanashree Puraskar from the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 2000; Dr. Cardinal Simon Pimenta Worker Award; the Gram Vikas Bhushan awarded by the Bigar-Sheti Nagari Sahakari Patsantha, Ahmednagar; and the prestigious National Ecology Award (Indira Priyadarshini Vruksha Mitra Award) in the year 2005.

Speaking about his many interventions for and with the people of 22 villages and more than 72 Self Help Groups (SHGs), Br Alex says that his MSW degree did not prepare him for this work. How then did he implement numerous self-employment schemes for individual farmers, Integrated Watershed Development Programmes, cattle rearing, poultry farming, adult literacy programmes and pioneer a Rural Development Centre that specializes in Integrated Watershed Projects and Training for Skills in Village Sustainability? With simplicity that oozes from within, he says ‘I did not achieve this merely by studying the MSW degree. My initial experience at the farmland in Sulcorna (South Goa), my consistent background reading of managerial and other leadership/motivational literature coupled with the knowledge acquired in my childhood as a young boy playing and working in the fields has proved very helpful in this regard’.

He further goes on to state, ‘My only concern all along has been to help the poor farmers capitalize on the readily available resources at hand, namely, land and labour. Right from 1986 till date, that alone has been my endeavour. Hence I have not achieved this simply by studying in a classroom setting, but I have had first-hand experience in the farm, have faced water-shortages, have struggled with finances and have asked myself “what is the way out?” ’ In seeking and initiating solutions, Br. Alex has managed—despite the odds stacked against him—to set up BGVK, a massive undertaking that affects society constructively. BGVK’s work area now covers 22 villages, 26,000 hectares of land, 24 crores of additional income generated, and over 72,000 direct beneficiaries.

When quizzed about the general reaction from confreres, Br Alex smiles and says, ‘There have been many who have stood by me, there have been many who never understood and who still don’t understand this as being appropriate Salesian work and there have been still others who have largely remained indifferent’. On being prodded a bit further, he confides, ‘When I began, I was told to find my own resources and fund the entire project expecting no financial help, and I did just that. But later, I felt that this is not my work; it is the work of everyone, of us all and so now I am happy in my present state. Perhaps it is now time for me to relax a bit and look at other pastures’.

Br. Alex categorically states that it was his primary aim to prevent soil erosion, increase the irrigated area and agricultural production. ‘That is precisely why we did tree plantation, afforestation works, horticultural plantation, farm bunding, constructed nallah bunds and check dams, ventured into money-saving, banking, income-generation, poultry projects, goat rearing, and making of household products’, he adds. Beginning with scepticism, indifference and reluctant support in the semi-arid, parched village of Dongargan, and gradually progressing with hope, prayer and greater participation to the villages of Bhoire-Pather, Ratadgaon, Agadgaon, Ranjani, Mathani, Ghat-Deolgaon, Pimpalgaon-Ujjaini, Kaudgaon, Khandke-Deogaon, Sasewadi, Sonewadi, Prewadi, Kolhewdi, many rural households have benefitted tremendously.

The local impact was such that BGVK and its principal mover garnered sufficient mileage to be approached by agencies and other groups for training, lead management and coordination of similar enterprises. The successful organization and coordination of the Maharashtra Social Forum was a golden feather in his cap, which further enhanced the status of BGVK as a formidable stakeholder in rural social transformation. The man who dreamed and spearheaded the organization is mighty pleased with the laurels he and his collaborators have rightfully earned. But the success story neither terminates nor restrains his enthusiasm and zest. Br. Alex says ‘I never worked for recognition. I knew that God wanted me to do something different. One needs to continue doing one’s work selflessly in a spirit of genuine service to the community and the results are bound to follow’.

As a parting shot, Br Alex says, ‘Many young Salesians are now seriously interested in this type of apostolate, but they focus either on the social aspect or on the aspect of economic viability. Both need to be stressed, since that is what this type of participatory community development entails’. The smile lingers; a Salesian who knows what he has endured and what he has achieved. Surely the amchi mathi, amchi maansa apostolate is a landmark watershed in the historical evolution of Salesian intervention for a better society.

Volume XXVIII, Issue 1, June-July 2010

2010-06-19T01:28:00.000-07:00

Editorial: From Grey to Green

2010-06-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

Savio Silveira

The discussion was on garbage bins.

The pleasant spring weather in Rome, complemented by a generous serving of good Toscana wine, had led us into a passionate discussion.

‘Just think of the number of garbage bins you see all over the place here’ pointed out Peter Gonsalves, ‘and compare it, for example, with our own school campuses back in the province. It’s quite a task just locating a bin!’

My mind travelled back to our school campuses, and in particular, to the recess scene. Hundreds of kids, hungrily gorging themselves on chips and biscuits and what have you, and then blissfully flinging the empty packets around. And after the bell has summoned these litter-vending machines back to their books, out comes a battalion of peons, armed with an assortment of clean-up gear... and launch a surgical attach on the grisly garbage. Voilà, says the school management, behold our immaculate campus!

Bah!

So what are we teaching our students? That they can litter the world as they brashly cruise along and that someone else will come by to clean up their mess? Is this the education we are so proud of? It certainly is time that we begin straightening out our skewed up systems. And for a start, let us ensure that the children are not allowed to enter the classroom until they have personally picked up every bit of litter and carefully consigned it to the bin.

And talking about bins, it is high time we introduced colour-coded bins in our campuses to educate the children on segregation of garbage. Across the world, colour coding of litter bins has been in vogue for years—white for paper, blue for plastic, green for organic matter. Segregating garbage is the first, and easily one of the biggest steps in efficient waste management. We don’t need sophisticated technology to resolve our garbage woes; all we need is simple common sense and discipline.

But relegating garbage to its appropriate bin is not the end of the story. If anything, it is the beginning of a new chapter, especially for the garbage. The big words today in environmental care are ‘Recycle’ and ‘Reuse’. While recycling the Blue bin may need professional help, the Green and White bins can easily be managed by the students. The organic waste can be converted into compost which can then be used in the school gardens. The waste paper can be fashioned into a huge range of products. If these recycling processes appear bewildering, don’t panic: many pages of know-how on garbage recycling are available on the internet. And if further assistance is needed, there are many organizations that would willingly come to the school and train the students in these processes.

And what the children learn at school is not meant to remain confined to the school. Once they have perfected the art of garbage management, recycling and reuse, they can introduce the same in their housing colonies and neighbourhoods.

Insignificant as they may seem, the garbage bins hold the solution to many of our environmental concerns. And so, with the new academic year already here, it’s time we get working on the bins. That will definitely be huge step forward on the road from grey to green.

Green Resolutions for the New Year

2010-06-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

Michael Fernandes sdb

As Indians, we have a sense of the sacred, a sense of wonder and awe. An openness and surrender before the mystery of creation is a prominent feature of our culture. Reverence for nature is a sacred tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, the times seem to be changing. We no longer look at the earth with respect; rather, we look at it as yet another commodity to be exploited. This indiscriminate and senseless exploitation of the earth is endangering our very existence and yet we seem oblivious of this alarming fact. As educators, it is our responsibility to turn the tide and restore our respect for nature. At the start of this new academic year, I would like to propose a few practical ways in which we as individuals and institutions can care for the earth in our own settings.

We can make ecology and eco-spirituality a component of our formation programmes.
Make use of IGNOU correspondence diploma courses on environmental sciences.
Study government policies on SEZs (Special Economic Zones) and be vigilant about industrial development plans that may impoverish the earth.
Promote the use of alternative energy sources such as solar and wind energy.
Include ecology and ecological concerns in our budgetary preferences.
Participate in movements to safeguard creation and to fight against environmental pollution.
Develop herbal gardens.
Ensure green cover over at least 30 % of our lands.
Use CFL lamps or LED lights as much as possible.
Avoid the use of plastic bags, cups, wrappers, etc.
Introduce and install solar heaters, lights and cookers.
Display posters on roads and in institutions for building ecological awareness.
Develop organic vegetable gardens and get students involved.
Provide environmental thoughts for the day on our notice boards.
Organize special eco-liturgies and prayers.
Form eco-cells in our schools and parishes.
Use nature-friendly decorations.
Name plants and trees to promote nature education.
Harvest rain water effectively.
Set up an ecological park in the province: Karjat could be a good possibility.
Maintain gardens in each house in the province and set up greenhouses wherever possible.
Cultivate plants that are beneficial for health, such as tulsi, neem, drumstick, curry patta, karela, pumpkin, etc.
Participate in the annual celebration of World Environment Day on 5^th June.
Cultivate vermiculture pits in our campuses and avoid the burning of wastes.
Give saplings instead of garlands to chief guests and dignitaries.

God has created the earth and entrusted it to us, to tend and care for it (Gen 2:15). At the start of this new academic year, let us resolve to take great care of this fragile gift that God has placed in our hands. Protecting nature, sustaining its beauty and respecting its biodiversity are values that must find a prominent place in our educational enterprise.

‘Respect Me!’: Our Surroundings Cry Out

2010-06-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

Isaac Arackaparambil sdb

As a little boy in the seventh standard, I was greatly interested in beautifying the wasteland in front of my house. So I would spend my free time digging, weeding, and levelling the rough and rat-holed terrain of the plot close to my home. It looked very repulsive with weeds and shrubs growing wild, and it had an arrogance that defied my instinct to act. ‘I’ll make a garden’, I thought to myself, and behold, there was me breathing a happy sigh at the splendid transformation of an uninviting jungle to a welcoming flower bed. While I was tending that home-grown beauty, my elation was interrupted one morning by a parcel of garbage that landed right on my head, courtesy a neighbour who lived three floors above. Reflecting on that episode, I say to myself today that my neighbour’s thoughtlessness was not an assault on me but an act of grave disrespect to the very surroundings that enveloped her existence.

Travelling by bus one day, I saw a young mother attending to her two kids, a boy and a little girl. Having bought them some tea she stepped off the bus to get them some wafers. On her return, the little children had finished drinking their tea, and the boy asked her, ‘Mum, what should I do with this empty cup?’ It was a disposable plastic cup, and bang came a spontaneous answer from the educated mother, ‘Throw it out of the window!’ I looked on aghast at her thoughtlessness.

A few years ago as I was being treated to an ice-cream by a friend, I was looking around for a garbage-bin to dispose the paper cover of the ice-cream cone. Finding none, I asked the shop keeper if there was a dustbin around. His answer horrified me. He said in Gujarati: Aare kaie pan nakidejo ne. Akha Bharat kachra peti che!—meaning, ‘Throw it anywhere! The whole of India is a garbage bin’.

Call it callousness, call it insensitivity, call it thoughtlessness; the fact is that even the vast majority of our educated citizens in India today don’t consider environmental cleanliness a virtue. Besides, considering the fact that defecating, urinating, spitting and snorting in the open are acceptable, and that the railway authorities are satisfied with merely providing private space for nature’s call, unconcerned that their toilet outlets open towards the tracks, we have a structural snag when it comes to cleanliness issues.

Nevertheless, there is no use blaming structures until each individual takes personal responsibility for ensuring a clean and green India. The issue is not one of beautifying our earth for beauty’s sake, but one of restoring to her the dignity which God vested in her at creation. Once that dignity is restored as a proactive choice by each one of us, nature will reciprocate and return that respect by ensuring that we live healthy and free of diseases caused by our own gross neglect.

As educationists we have a wonderful opportunity to create a mindset or a spirituality of eco-cleanliness. I would like to propose a few ways in which we could create this mindset and introduce our students to such spirituality.

1. Why not have a different kind of school picnic—a passenger train picnic? Let’s take our students on a train journey by day. Any destination will do, provided we have a whole day at our disposal. What’s important is not the destination; what’s key is the journey itself. And what do we do on this journey? We and our students in uniform become salespersons for environmental cleanliness. Create a factual and attractive script on the theme, make enacted presentations, picture presentations, presentations of scientific and statistical facts on the ills of uncleanliness, presentations on alternatives to the culture of thoughtlessness—approach the theme from all angles and make it as exhaustive and convincing as possible.

Have the students go from compartment to compartment with paper bags, asking passengers to dump their organic and inorganic waste in those bags. At the end of the day, have them give the waste products to recycling agencies or even to our eco-house at Karjat. This would be a good follow up to the noble investment in this hard and humiliating work. Students would see firsthand the wonders of recycled processing. Besides, they would pick up values of cleanliness, responsibility, humility and purposeful action. An indispensable preceding activity to the entire train picnic project is a training programme on eco-cleanliness which could be taken up as a value-education project for the year. Of course we need to ensure the necessary permissions from civic authorities, rope in the media, get the consent of parents et al.

2. Why not accompany certificates and medals at sports day presentations with saplings to the winners? Every sapling, if tended and allowed to grow, adds to the density of oxygen cover in the environment.

3. Why not encourage students to gift saplings to their friends on birthdays instead of buying expensive gifts?

4. Return to cycling or walking—especially when travelling to nearby places—instead of using vehicles, thus reducing carbon emissions.

5. Motivate students from the same localities to form eco-clean up teams and brain-storm how they could influence the cleanliness of their respective areas. They could be trained to set up recycling plants for organic and inorganic waste materials collected from their neighbours.

6. Expose students to NGOs already professional in the field of ecological conservation so as to enthuse them in creating an eco-preserving mindset.

7. Teach them to write letters to civic authorities and exercise their pro-active energies especially in the face of slackness on the part of municipalities with regard to basic hygiene.

8. Encourage them to make a personal commitment to carrying a friendly bag / pouch to dispose off their own sweet or wafer wrappers, instead of littering the surroundings.

9. Train students to conduct eco-cleanliness workshops for people living in slums and get the civic authorities to act in that direction.

10. Make your school the leaven of transformation by being concerned about ecological issues within a suitably demarcated radius. This could involve establishing an eco-club, making an ecological survey, discerning need-based interventions, and generating the civic will to execute these relevant interventions.

The task is daunting, but it is also compelling given the gravity of ecological abuse and thoughtlessness among the educated masses. We need to partner with willing organizations and those already in the know and, if need be, engineer research opportunities by creating a vision for ecological cleanliness and conservation. If we are ready to work beyond the parameters of the stipulated syllabus by allowing tuition classes to do our job, we can boldly spend time on issues that matter for an ownership of character and a celebration of healthy human existence. Tuition classes are here to stay. Our teachers need to be trained in alternative syllabi. We as educationists and institutions have to reinvent ourselves. Are we ready?

A Green Prayer: Contemplating the ‘Ecological Mysteries’

2010-06-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

Glenford Lowe sdb

The ‘Ecological Mystery’ begins with the breath of God blowing over every void and chaos. Life begins with a sacred breath. Darkness is scattered and light pervades. Creation is more than just an ‘intelligent design’ or the faulty miscalculations of a DNA stand. Life is the greatest of all mysteries and to really understand it, we would first have to love life and the giver of all life!

God is madly in love with the world. The sacred scripture wraps it all up in the profound statement found in Jn 3:16, ‘God so loved the world’. Loving his handiwork that he found very good, God entrusted it to us lesser mortals. He gave us ‘power over the work of his hands’. It is only deep love that allows one to surrender power to one’s subordinates.

Power, if not handled with care, can often enslave, destroy and dominate. Misdirected power cannot love. Misdirected power breeds on greed and de-creates. Misdirected power only leads to more void and chaos…an ‘ecological disaster’ waiting to happen. Power, if not channeled properly, becomes in fact, powerless. The really powerful are the ones who can love and breathe life. Humanity can only become powerful again if we too, as one, can ‘so love the world’. The ‘ecological mystery’ is a deeply divine-human adventure. God and humanity must come together to ‘so love the world’. Grace and human responsibility need to interplay once again to ‘renew the face of the earth’.

Prayer can be a good place to start this renewal. Prayer doesn’t change things; prayer changes people, and people change things. To re-new the world we need this interplay of touching heaven and transforming earth. While we struggle through warmer days and colder nights, drier summers and melting snowcaps, devastating cyclones and shattering quakes, erupting volcanoes and fast depleting springs, extinct flora and fauna and the doom of a world that will fast end…we make a ‘green prayer’.

Yesterday, while sliding my fingers over the rosary beads and with raindrops gently falling, it dawned on me that I could make a ‘green prayer’, a new green rosary that invites me to contemplate the ‘ecological mysteries’ of a God so loving the world and inviting me to responsibly love it in return...

First Ecological Mystery: Contemplate on ‘God CREATING the world and finding it GOOD’ (Gen 1–2:4)

Second Ecological Mystery: God LOVING the World so much, He gifts His son Jesus’ (Jn 3:16)

Third Ecological Mystery: God CALMING the World with His Word (Lk 8: 22–25)

Fourth Ecological Mystery: God PROVIDING for the World, we need have no worry (Lk 12: 22–33)

Fifth Ecological Mystery: God ABIDING in the World with us always (Mt 28: 18–20)

Join hands with me to contemplate this ‘green prayer’. Green prayers make green fingers and many ‘green fingers’ can turn everything ‘grey to green’. Go Green in prayer: it makes you powerful; it will make you responsibly love again ‘the world so much’.

Volume XXVII, Issue 6, April-May 2010

2010-04-24T03:57:00.000-07:00

Editorial: On Hobbies and Holidays

2010-04-24T03:55:00.000-07:00

Savio Silveira

‘So, what are your hobbies?’ she asked me.

I was travelling with a visiting donor, and in between discussing Europe’s changing policies on development aid and India’s declining position on the human development index, she posed an occasional unrelated question.

Hobbies? Yes, I had almost forgotten that normal people dedicate some of their time to creative and relaxing activities that help maintain the serenity and sanity of their lives.

Realizing that she was expecting an answer, I hurriedly handed out a cliché response: ‘Reading’.

‘Oh, that’s nice’, she replied. ‘So, what are you reading at the moment?’

Luckily, ‘Three Cups of Tea’ has been lying on my table for the past few weeks and so I had an available answer to offer. But as I did a quick memory scan over the past several months, I regretfully realized that I had added no more that two or three titles to the repertoire of books that I had read. This was certainly a far cry from the days when I voraciously devoured at least one book a week.

‘And besides reading?’ she asked. Her questions were getting difficult; it would have been easier if she had stuck to interrogating me on the social cost benefit analysis of the projects we currently had in hand, or the sustainability measures we planned to weave into the new projects that we would be embarking on.

‘Gardening’, I mumbled, and immediately regretted having said that.

‘Gardening? Really? So do you take care of the gardens in the campus?’

It was the Easter season and I was not particularly in the mood of lying. But what could I possibly tell her? That the last time I had actually stuck my hands in the soil were some fifteen years back while at KJC in Bangalore?

‘And theatre?’ she asked. ‘I though you once told me that you liked watching plays.’

It has been such a long time since I watched a play, I can’t even remember the last one I saw. I muttered a few unintelligible sounds and then pretended to clear my throat, while desperately praying that she would end this agonizing conversation.

‘It’s wonderful that you manage to keep up with all your hobbies’ she complimented me. ‘You know, I firmly believe that hobbies not only work wonders on your personality, but they also improve your work productivity.’

I suddenly began to feel uncomfortable. What was she hinting at? Had the fraying ends of my persona begun showing, or had my work output declined drastically? Someone had once told me that not only was she an authority on project management; she was also an expert in human resource development. So was she gently prescribing a few therapeutic measures to mend the defects she had diagnosed in me?

Maybe she was, maybe she wasn’t. In any case, the holiday season is here and it affords me the much needed time to return to my long lost hobbies.

The Refined Art of Living

2010-04-24T03:52:00.000-07:00

Ian Doulton sdb

‘Living in style’ is not the prerogative of the affluent. It is your interest in your own ‘personal development’ that will accrue from all the effort you make to contribute to your own refinement and will make of you a valuable asset to the community, the province, the congregation and society at large.

One of the greatest experiences any of us can hope to have, especially as priests and religious, is the effect our influence has on those around us. To persuade someone that we have a good idea, to persuade someone to listen to us, to offer some effective advice, to be able to influence someone to follow a way of life, is not just an awesome experience but also an opportunity to affect another life. Influence is one of the greatest of life’s experiences. At whatever stage we are in life, be we novice, cleric, student, priest or brother we have all, in some respects, the opportunity to influence someone else. The key is to develop the skills to do this. It is one thing to do it casually, to do it haphazardly and quite another is to do it on purpose, by learning the skills. This is only possible if we have some clear ideas - but how do we acquire these clear ideas? How do we develop a truly exceptional life that will influence others?

In order to influence someone, strive to live a truly exceptional life. It is when you cultivate acquired tastes in the arts, literature, history, music, culture and other such disciplines that you learn to live uniquely and so influence the lives of others. You may employ all the strategies of personal development and reach the top of your field but if you neglect refining yourself, you miss the opportunity to influence people by the person you are, and by what makes you ‘tick.’ Cultivating a uniquely refined life is not to be mistaken for living the rich and famous lifestyle. They throw a lot of money around and try to buy refinement and culture but the rough edges of that superficial sophistication soon begin to show. Culture, refinement and finesse are not bought they are acquired with industry and perseverance. In short, do not imagine that it is out of place for a religious to be refined and even cultured. In fact, if there is one category of people that needs to cultivate a unique culture of refinement, it is us religious. How are we to influence people unless we are refined, competent and cultured? If we are not so, we would at best be mediocre and we would possibly be pitied by those we serve because of our lack of refinement and culture. Actually we are blessed with an education, access to so much information and such tremendous opportunities but what do we have to show for it? We need to tap into this vast storehouse of resources to cultivate a refinement that is unique to each of us. Even a person of modest traits, talents and average intellectual acumen can design for himself a life that is uniquely refined. Were our counterparts in the world placed in our situation they would eagerly exploit the resources we possibly leave lying around for want of motivation or direction. Therefore, let us not fool ourselves into believing that we are ‘poor religious’ and so are dispensed from this quest when there is so much that we have been ‘given.’

One of the earliest lessons that I learned in this regard was from a wise old professor who told our class: Don’t just learn how to earn, learn how to live! And that’s what refinement is all about - learning how to live. It is one of the great challenges of life: being happy with what you have while in pursuit of what you want. I have found it a practice well worth exercising with skill, given the opportunities that are afforded us. Now consider this, some of us are blessed with several talents and qualifications and everything else but there is nothing that urges to use what we have learned or acquired in the service of those we work with or work for, thus leaving us disgruntled, dissatisfied and disillusioned instead of feeling satisfied, fulfilled and happy. Others have all the opportunities going for them but they have trouble finding joy in what they do. It is not what you have and how much – it is what you do with what you have and how you do it. Many of us can do much with the little we have while others practice the laid-back attitude of letting life slide while simply hanging on for the ride. That is why our ministry sometimes suffers for a lack of vision or we fail to have an impact on our people due to the paucity and the poverty of our ideas. Dare then, to think big and work towards grasping the opportunities that come your way everyday and in the process, experience the joy that comes from the awareness of the greater person that you are becoming.

If you want to effect some change you need some inspiring ideas – and these ideas are not that far away. Here’s a good catch phrase: everything you need is within reach. The famous Bible verse is useful even to approach this subject: “Seek and you will find” – meaning by that, if you seek, you will find. We don’t find what we need we find what we search for. Needing is not the prerequisite for getting value. In order to be someone who desperately needs you must be a person who desperately seeks. Only if you seek, if you try, if you take the trouble to go out and ask, if you listen, there are ideas within your reach, and these ideas are life-changing. There is nothing as powerful as an idea whose time has come; an idea for effective teaching, better organizational or managerial skills, an idea for your ministry, for a project or for your good health. All you need is the refinement of a single idea to impact your life. At this point, you probably have time to yourself, it’s the holidays and it’s time to go and gather treasure, resource and skills. Once done, it won’t take you long to notice a significant difference in the person you are becoming.

Quit complaining about the state of things in your community, your confreres, your education, your surroundings, your opportunities, they are all part of the fabric necessary to weave the tapestry of your life. Start making changes; process and evaluate whatever you imbibe during this time. You cannot imagine what can happen in the short span of a summer vacation. Do yourself a favour; develop yourself little by little, your style of perceiving, giving, sharing, enjoying and refining yourself. It’s not the amount that counts, but the refinement with which you choose to live your life. This quest will eventually lead you to influence those around you and it is reserved for those who are willing to study and practice the finer things of life. Mortimer Adler, the philosopher said: If we don’t go for the higher tastes we will settle for the lower ones. It is a worthy quest - to develop an appreciation for refined tastes; an appetite for the unique things of life. Study this art and reach for the best. All you are expected to do is to do the best you can in the time available to you.

About a decade ago we could have been excused for not finding enough opportunities to better our skills but today we have been blessed with several avenues and with the internet, that ‘worldwide’ gateway, we are presented with so much that is on offer. For us, in the city of Mumbai there are so many opportunities available and - as the saying goes - they are ‘only a click away.’ – With an eye to offering you something constructive this summer I thought I would offer some of my ‘web’ ramblings:

Music, Theatre and Drama
Staging plays is an integral part of Salesian pedagogy, our educational system and an effective means of conveying a message but sadly most of our skills have been handed down to us from a senior confrere to a junior…and with very little imagination or creativity. There is so much else available if we only look a little beyond our own surroundings. At www.ncpamumbai.com you will find the entire programme of performances available at one of the many theatres on that campus. Find out what suits your tastes and your timing and make a booking. Expose yourself to the arts and culture and see what it does to you. Some of the ideas you pick up at the performances or workshops could better the quality of the plays you stage and besides, you would meet interesting people who would probably be more than willing to lend you a hand.

To study drama and theatre techniques also visit: www.prithvitheatre.org and you will find their summer workshops and other training sessions that are organized at other venues in the city too. They also have a schedule of programmes throughout the year with titles that might suit you. Never think you are the last word on musicals or theatre or that what you have achieved so far is good enough. It’s a question of extending yourself and raising the bar for yourself and your institution’ but it’s all a question of taking that first step.

Teaching and Learning English and Library Facilities
The British Council (both in Mumbai and in Pune) offers courses in the teaching of English. Since most of our city schools have English as a medium of instruction and many of us teach English, it would be a good idea to acquire some new methods and skills. Visit www.britishcouncil.org and find out what’s on offer in a city near you. In this connection there are courses in personality development and public speaking or if you are interested in conducting language courses. You could visit www.indoamericansociety.org and see how they do it. Take part in one of their workshops or seminars and then try them out.

A Sense of, and a respect for, History and Culture
Wherever we find ourselves, it is always a sign of culture and refinement to have a sense of, and a respect for the history and the culture of the place. We would do well to find out details of the history of the place where our institution is located. For instance, in the city of Mumbai there are guided tours called ‘Fort Walks’ or ‘Heritage walks.’ If you care to take a walk that is guided by someone who knows the city and its history visit www.bombayheritagewalks.com. All you have to do is to book a Sunday morning ‘Fort Walk’ whenever it is available. There are certainly similar ventures in other cities where we work. It could be an opportunity to visit parts of the city that you may have never explored before.

Remember, it’s not the amount, it’s the imagination - it’s the style. Just be aware of how easy it is to put some refinement into your life. Make sure you don’t pass over these opportunities or you will miss out on something that could enhance your perception of the city in particular and life in general. It would certainly help you to live your life in a more refined manner. Again, I need to clarify that ‘living in style’ is not the prerogative of the affluent. It is your interest in your own ‘personal development’ that will accrue from all the effort you make to contribute to your own refinement and will make of you a valuable asset to the community, the province, the congregation and society at large.

III

One last point: a life of refinement is also life of balance. Make sure you give equal attention to all the dimensions of your life. The good life is an acquired discipline, a determined quest and a constant exercise. The good life comes from a sense of refinement and it is developed regardless of anything else. It provides you with a constant sense of joy in living which will fuel the fires of commitment towards all the disciplines that you embrace and all the fundamentals that make life fulfilling and worth living. What is wealth without character, industry without art, quantity without quality, enterprise without satisfaction, possessions without joy? Become a person of culture in order to be an asset to the community, the province, congregation and the world at large. Become a person of unusual substance who brings an added measure of genius to yourself, to the work you do, to the next generation and the generations that follow so that they will be the beneficiaries of the treasures you bequeath to them. That is ‘influence!’

The concluding story
In conclusion here is the story of a man who took a pile of rocks and in a couple of years turned it into a beautiful garden? A few years later a man toured the garden and he thought it was fabulous but he wanted to make sure that the gardener didn’t take all the credit so when he had an opportunity to meet the gardener after the tour, he shook his hand and said: “Mr. Gardener, you and the Good Lord have this beautiful garden here!” He said this to get his point across. The gardener said: “I understand your point, sir. If it wasn’t for the seed and the soil and the miracle of the seasons and the sunshine and the rain…,” he said, “certainly there wouldn’t be any garden here at all. But…” he added, “you should have seen this place a few years ago, when God had it all to himself!” I like the punch line, and the reason is that we do have a part to play to help work our own miracle. I hope that what I have said above has given you a little nudge to work some new miracles in your life - beginning this summer.

Understanding and Managing Stress

2010-04-24T03:17:00.000-07:00

Ajoy Fernandes sdb

Having arrived a month earlier than the start of the academic year in the Philippines in 2001, I sought admission to a brief Pastoral Counseling program at a hospital. I read a chart in the director’s office, and told her that I manifested the symptoms displayed on it. She looked at me with deep compassion and said: “Then you must be highly stressed.” Come to think of it, I was entering a doctoral program in Psychology, and I did not know that I manifested symptoms of stress, burnout and depression! I gradually realized that in order to deal with stress, I needed to understand what it is, its symptoms, how it is generated and addressed. This article attempts to do just that in a brief and summary fashion. However, those interested in learning more about the intricacies of this topic would need to get in touch with more detailed literature.

Origin and Terminology
The term stress was first employed in a biological context by the endocrinologist Hans Selye in the 1930’s. According to him, stress is an inappropriate response to a real or imagined physical or emotional threat or stressor. Stress involves the interplay between the one’s mental state, nervous and immune systems. Thus acute stress affects an organism in the short term; chronic stress over the longer term.

Stages of Stress
Selye identified three stages of stress: alarm, resistance and exhaustion.
· At first, the body responds with alarm to a stressor. Adrenaline is released to bring about a fight-or-flight response together with some activation of the HPA axis, producing cortisol. This may result in sweating, raised heart rate, hyperventilation, tensing of muscles etc.
· If the stressor persists, the second stage of resistance begins. The body attempts to cope or endure the stress by releasing hormones from several glands adapting to the demands of the environment. In doing so, its resources are gradually depleted.
· When all of the body’s resources are eventually depleted, the body is unable to maintain normal function. This is the third stage of exhaustion. If stage three is extended, long term damage may result, as the capacity of glands, especially the adrenal gland, and the immune system is exhausted and functioning is impaired. This can result in illnesses such as ulcers, trouble with the digestive system, and cardiovascular problems, along with other mental consequences such as anxiety and depression.
· Burnout is a psychological term for the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest. It seems in some ways to be the psychological correlate of Selye’s third stage of biological exhaustion. In the 1970’s Maslach and Jackson proposed that “burnout” involves three dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism and inefficacy. According to them, the antithesis of burnout is “engagement” which is characterized by energy, involvement and efficacy. Some researchers and practitioners have argued for an “exhaustion only” model that sees that symptom as the hallmark of burnout.

Common Stressors (sources of stress)
Negative stressors depress functioning especially when acute, or extended over a period of time. Some common stressors can be categorized as follows:
· Physical/ Environmental: sensory inputs such as pain, loud sounds, bright light; natural calamities etc.
· Psychosocial: conflict with persons; breaches or loss of relationship such as and deaths, expulsions, rejection, divorce; pressure to compete; failure etc.
· Life experiences such as insufficient sleep due to exams, project deadlines; lack of control over environmental circumstances such as food, housing, health, freedom, or mobility; conflicts of choice; daily irritations and hassles, etc.
· Adverse experiences during development such as prenatal exposure to maternal stress, childhood physical, emotional or sexual abuse etc.
· Life Transitions – (focus on Mid-life transition): sensing the passing of youth amidst societies that espouse a “culture of youth” (Elliott Jaques); confusion of life goals due to mid-life re-integration of previously unattended potentials and data of consciousness (Jungian-inspired); review of personal stagnation and lost opportunities to contribute to life vis-à-vis struggles to find meaning and purpose in life (Erik Erikson); ongoing/ past unresolved issues or losses coming to the fore.

Individual Differences in Response to Situations
Persons respond differently to their circumstances. What is stressful for one individual may be energizing for another. For instance, one person may be excited by the prospect of getting into an argument; another person could be totally paralyzed at the mere suggestion of doing so. Some may simultaneously handle several tasks with ease. Others may find handling even a single task stressful. Thus, personality or personal choices and preferences have a role to play in determining what one finds energizing or stressful. Personality-related stress has been extensively researched, but is beyond the scope of this article.

Indicators of Stress/ Burnout
Persons often continue to endure/ cope with stressors that persist in their lives unaware of the toll it takes on them. Thus, it is important to be aware of the indicators or symptoms of stress (which often overlap with symptoms of anxiety and depression). These symptoms may occur independently or in conjunction with other symptoms:
· Cognitive: - poor judgment, a general negative outlook on life
· Emotional - excessive worrying, moodiness, irritability, agitation, inability to relax, feeling lonely, isolated or depressed
· Physiological: aches and pains, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, rapid heartbeat
· Behavioral – insufficient or excessive eating/ sleeping patterns; social withdrawal, procrastination or neglect of responsibilities; increased alcohol, nicotine or drug consumption; and nervous habits such as pacing about or nail-biting.
Many theories list negative outcomes related to burnout such as:
o Job function: reduced performance, output, etc.
o Health related outcomes: increases in stress hormones, coronary heart disease, circulatory issues
o Mental health issues: anxiety, depression, rumination, cognitive impairment, anger, psychosomatic illness etc.
Psychologists Herbert Freudenberger and Gail North have theorized that the burnout process can be divided into 12 phases, which are not necessarily followed sequentially. However, this might be more characteristic of Type A persons or those with a Conscientious or Compulsive personality style.
· A compulsion to prove oneself; Working harder; Neglecting one's own needs; Displacement of conflicts (the person does not realize the root cause of the distress); Revision of values (friends or hobbies are completely dismissed); Denial of emerging problems (cynicism and aggression become apparent); Withdrawal (reducing social contacts to a minimum, becoming walled off; alcohol or other substance abuse may occur); Behavioral changes become obvious to others; Inner emptiness; Depression; and Burnout syndrome.

Measuring Stress/ Burnout
Personality is thought to play a role in one’s ability to deal with stressors. Thus, tests like the Trier Social Stress Test attempted to isolate the effects of personalities on ability to handle stress in a laboratory environment. Other psychologists, however, proposed measuring stress indirectly, through self-tests. Stress tests help determine the number of stressors in a person’s life. Burnout tests assess the degree to which the person is close to the state of burnout. Combining the results of stress and burnout tests helps researchers gauge the likelihood of a person experiencing mental exhaustion.

MANAGING STRESS
Stress management is the amelioration of stress and especially chronic stress, often for the purpose of improving everyday functioning. Stress management strategies are consonant with the models from which they are derived, as indicated below. Other strategies cut across, or are independent of theoretical models, and are mentioned in the last part of this section.

Transactional Model
Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman suggested in 1984 that stress can be thought of as resulting from an “imbalance between demands and resources” or as occurring when “pressure exceeds one's perceived ability to cope”. Thus, in this model, interventions include identifying stressors, enabling persons to perceive them as challenges rather than threats, and providing persons with strategies to help them cope with stressors or increasing their ability to do so.

Health Realization/Innate Health Model
The health realization model focuses on the nature of thought. In this model, stress is thought to result from appraising oneself and one's circumstances through a mental filter of insecurity and negativity. On the other hand, a feeling of well-being results from approaching the world with a "quiet mind," "inner wisdom," and "common sense". This model proposes that helping stressed individuals understand the nature of thought—especially providing them with the ability to recognize when they are in the grip of insecure thinking, disengage from it, and access natural positive feelings—will reduce their stress.

Organizational Model
Tracy in her study aboard cruise ships describes organizational burnout as "a general wearing out or alienation from the pressures of work". "Understanding burnout to be personal and private is problematic when it functions to disregard the ways burnout is largely an organizational issue caused by long hours, little down time, and continual peer, customer, and superior surveillance".

In sync with this model, Maslach and Leiter postulated that burnout occurs when there is a disconnect between the organization and the individual with regard to what they called the six areas of work life: Workload, Control, Reward, Community, Fairness, and Values. Resolving these discrepancies requires integrated action on the part of both the individual and the organization. A better connection on workload means assuring adequate resources to meet demands as well as work/life balances that encourage employees to revitalize their energy. A better connection on values means clear organizational values to which employees can feel committed. A better connection on community means supportive leadership and relationships with colleagues rather than discord.

Common Techniques of Stress Management
Stress derives from many areas of life, and stress relief comes in many forms. While some people like using one favorite tool for stress relief, many experts feel that the most efficient approach to stress relief is one that attacks stress from several different directions, utilizing an overall 'plan of attack' for stress relief. Techniques of stress management vary according to the theoretical paradigm adhered to, but may include some of the following:
· Understanding the source of stress and its manifestations; developing skills for coping; and putting them to use in daily life.
· Developing positive coping strategies like solution-focused coping; getting a positive perspective on one’s circumstances; accessing formal and informal social support networks; engaging in prayer and meditation, etc.
· Managing time effectively helps regulate stress by achieving greater control over one’s circumstances. Time management encompasses a wide range of activities towards accomplishing specific goals such as planning, allocating, setting goals, delegation, analysis of time spent, monitoring, organizing, scheduling, and prioritizing.
· Saying “No” to demands that exceed one’s ability to handle even within a well-managed time schedule helps prevent burnout.
· Engaging in de-stressing activities on a regular basis, such as:
o Fun activities or hobbies.
o Ingesting natural relaxants like herbal teas and aromas.
o Engaging in regular physical exercise boosts the immune system; helps prevent heart disease and depression, and maintain positive self-esteem.
o Deep abdominal breathing promotes a sense of relaxation and well-being. It is marked by expansion of the abdomen rather than the chest when breathing; and is considered a healthier and fuller way to ingest oxygen.
o Progressive Muscle Relaxation - tensing and releasing various muscle groups - helps release tension stored in the muscles. Post-tensing feelings of warmth and lightness in the muscles, gives way to a state of mental relaxation.
o Spending time in nature, or even looking at scenes of nature with "effortless attention", such as clouds moving across the sky, leaves rustling in a breeze, etc., helps promote inner quiet and attention.

CONCLUSION
Getting a perspective on one’s sources of stress; developing awareness of one’s physiological and mental reactions to stressors; identifying symptoms of acute/ chronic stress; adopting effective models/ strategies to de-stress; often go a long way in effectively managing stress. When unable to manage this process on one’s own especially when coping with chronic stress and burnout, accessing professional services may be a viable option.

Rediscovering Philosophy

2010-04-24T03:12:00.000-07:00

Ivo Coelho sdb

Some years ago Savio Silveira and Anaclete D’Mello had casually said to me that Divyadaan should organise some sort of summer updating courses in philosophy, so that confreres could keep up with the latest happenings in philosophy. I had thought it a good idea at the time, but was sceptical whether there would be any takers. But Savio can be persistent, and has approached me once again with this idea, this time to write about it, so here I am.

The first area for updating would certainly be postmodernism, a word that has become quite fashionable already, like hermeneutics was a few years ago. We use it, we read it everywhere, but what exactly might it mean? It might be helpful to get a grip on this. We could begin by dropping names: Jean-Francois Lyotard and Jacques Derrida in France, Richard Rorty and John Caputo in North America, Gianni Vattimo in Italy – each of these worthies has left / is leaving a body of work that is making an impact not only in philosophical academia, but also in theology. But the roots of postmodernism go back at least to Friedrich Nietzsche and Martin Heidegger. One way of describing postmodernism is to say that it challenges the hidden assumptions of modernity. Modernity had exalted individual subjectivity; postmodernity is reminding us that the ‘I’ is not as independent and as primordial as Descartes had thought it to be. Remember Heidegger saying awful things like ‘The world worlds’ and ‘Language speaks’? If you still find that awful, perhaps you should attend an updating course on postmodernism. Language is, in many ways, prior to the individual who speaks a language. But postmodernism also challenges the powerful in favour of those on the margins; pokes fun at the idea of the supremacy and invincibility of pure reason (there is, in fact, no such thing!); exalts ‘superficiality’ over profundity; and has a profound mistrust of the ‘large stories’ (which it calls metanarratives), in favour of the little stories and the piecemeal picture. Among the leading experts in postmodernism here in India we have our very own Stanislaus Swamikannu, SDB, at present provincial of Chennai: Stanislaus has a doctorate on Derrida from Belgium, and he says he was attracted to postmodernism because he feels it is the (only) way to philosophize in favour of the marginalized, the Dalits, the subalterns. I am not quite sure myself of the ‘only’; but postmodernism as the contemporary effort to overcome the shortcomings of modernity is certainly something that needs paying attention to.

Then there is virtue ethics. This is an extremely interesting development in the field of ethics. The ethics that I learnt, that most of us have learnt, was largely a morality of individual actions. It centred on asking questions like, Is abortion wrong? Is contraception wrong? Is premarital sex wrong? Virtue ethics reinserts the human act within its context, and that context is the habits or virtues of the person, her character, her education, upbringing, friendships, social and cultural context, history, tradition, and, ultimately, religion. Such a way of reconceptualising ethics is quite the rage just now, and, interestingly, the movement seems to have begun outside Catholic circles. One of the great names associated with virtue ethics is Alasdair MacIntyre, who, though born Catholic, drifted into agnosticism, discovered Aristotle, and then Aquinas, and eventually the Catholic faith. MacIntyre is considered by some at least, interestingly, a postmodern, and people like Rorty have great respect for him. Several major Protestant thinkers have also espoused the cause of virtue ethics, people like Stanley Hauerwas, for example. The wave seems to have reached Catholic circles rather late, if I am not mistaken; but there is a major Catholic figure who also happens to be a Salesian, Giuseppe Abbà of the UPS, Rome. Here in India we have several experts on the matter, including our very own Fr Ashley Miranda, and perhaps two or three others. But by and large, virtue ethics has still to penetrate Indian ecclesiastical circles and seminaries, while the secular philosophers in India have probably not even heard of the term. But I think the movement is wonderful: a rediscovery of Aquinas, from outside traditional Catholic circles, as really having taught a virtue ethics, a holistic ethics rather than an ethics of the isolated act.

I would add also the whole topic of the revision of Indian Philosophy. Given the current climate in India, I think it is important to realize the cultural underpinnings of the type of Indian philosophy that has been taught in Catholic seminaries in India in the last 40 years or so. The curriculum of Indian Philosophy in Divyadaan, for example, is largely what we have inherited from Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune, which means that it is largely Brahminical, even though the nastika darsanas such as the Carvakas, Jainism and Buddhism are not absent. It is only in Contemporary Indian Philosophy that people like Kabir, Tukaram, Mahatma Phule and Ambedkar find a place. This state of affairs can and must be revised. The whole historical, cultural, social and economic context, for example, needs to be introduced. This will certainly bring in the question – now so controverted thanks to the efforts of revisionist historians – about the Aryans and the Dravidians, whether the Aryans were really invaders, or whether, as the Hindutvavadis are trying their best to show, they were as original to India as the Dravidians. It also means that the exclusive emphasis on Indian ‘philosophy’ will have to be balanced through an introduction of important elements in Indian culture such as Chanakya Kautilya's Arthasastra and his politics; the vastly influential Laws of Manu; the whole area of Indian aesthetics; the non-written subaltern elements; the contributions of the Muslims to Indian culture; the interesting dialectic between Muslim, Hindu and European elements that Dalrymple has just begun to unearth in his White Mughals and The Last Mughal; and of course the whole area of the strictly religious, which tends to be left out of Indian ‘philosophy.’ And by 'strictly religious' we should not assume 'Hindu' – keeping in mind the cauldron of religiosity that India used to be, with the Nandas and Guptas being Jains, Asoka clearly Buddhist, and so on. It is sufficient to remember that Jain and Buddhist monuments dot the length and breadth of the country – with the Pandavlene and Chambarlene in Nashik, Karla and Bhaja in Lonavla, the Kanheri caves in Borivli and the still visible stupas in the marshes off Nala Sopara, and of course Ajanta and Ellora, just to mention Maharahstra alone. The whole of South India was Buddhist at some point of time: Buddhism was exported into Burma from off what is now the coast of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, and there is even a group of people in Burma called the Telangs.

As for Lonergan, he is not really popular, and seems to evoke extreme reactions – extreme admiration or extreme rejection. But there is a growing group of Lonergan scholars, both in North America and in Europe, especially now that some 15 volumes of the Collected Works have been published. Not many might know that Lonergan is philosopher, theologian and economist; two of the Collected Works volumes are, in fact, on economics. The theology is mostly Latin notes that he composed for students, in Christology and Trinity; these are being translated, and, despite the archaic pre-Vatican format, contain gems and promising developments for the future of Christian theology. But Lonergan’s most important contribution lies in the area of method. All his life he was trying to meet the challenge of incorporating history into Catholic theology, or, more familiarly, the problem of how to integrate the vast mass of exegetical and scholarly studies into traditional dogmatic and systematic theology. His answer was his theological method; but he himself realized that the method was relevant not only for theology but for the whole of knowledge. Basically Lonergan recognizes that no one can today pretend to completely master any single discipline, and that therefore teamwork is essential. His contribution lies in proposing that the collaboration be organized not by dividing the field of data, but by subdividing the process from data to results. The specializations of the future, he proposed, should be functional specializations rather than field specializations or subject specializations. But Lonergan scholars are still at the phase of coming to grips with the method; efforts to apply the method are still few and far between, though there is the redoubtable Philip McShane who is spearheading the application. The forthcoming issue of Divyadaan will feature one such effort: functionally specialized efforts in the field of economics. Hopefully, also, Divyadaan will be hosting a conference on economics in September 2010.

Speaking of economics, Amartya Sen would certainly be someone to be studied. Strangely, once again the name that comes to mind here is Fr John Alexander, SDB, of the province of Chennai, who has a doctorate on Sen and Martha Nussbaum.

But hermeneutics itself, with its vast impact on contemporary theology, would be an area to be explored, with its roots going back of course to classical Western antiquity, but with the peculiar turn given to it by Heidegger and Gadamer who made it a way of philosophizing rather than merely a method for the interpretation of texts.

Clothing For Liberation

2010-04-24T03:08:00.000-07:00

A Communication Analysis of Gandhi’s Swadeshi Revolution

Peter Gonsalves sdb

We live in a ‘forest of symbols’. Our environment is suffused with meanings that crave our attention – some more powerfully than others, some more intelligently designed to achieve their ends. Some symbols inspire, others debase, most are mediocre.

There are a few rare symbols, however, which are imbued with the capacity to energise millions in the pursuit of sublime goals. They invite a commitment that draws their adherents to a calling far beyond themselves, to total dedication even to the point of giving their lives. My purpose is to explore one such symbol in a defining moment in history: clothing, as used by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869–1948) throughout his archetypical non-violent campaign to liberate India from British rule.

Through his Swadeshi Movement Gandhi chose to dress and clothe his fellow countrymen and women in a specific type of cloth called khadi. This choice was not fortuitous. Through it he wanted to eradicate unemployment, but also empower, unite, and liberate his people from centuries of foreign domination. The choice gave to clothing, a conventional form of nonverbal communication, a historical, political, economic, social, psychological, cultural, and moral significance that had no precedent and has no parallel. In terms of scale, context, method, and consequence, the dress revolution he initiated transformed a disunited and submissive mass of over 383 million people into one independent nation, free from imperial control – a phenomenon that heralded the beginning of the end of British imperialism across the world. Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, was so moved by the impact khadi had on the masses that he extolled it as the “livery of India’s freedom”.

Yet, it must be admitted, Gandhi’s insistence on spinning and wearing khadi, was one of the most misunderstood initiatives he had undertaken. When he proposed the ‘spinning franchise’ at the All-India Congress Committee in 1924 – that Congress members spin yarn instead of paying their regular membership fee – Nehru, the then AICC secretary, was among those who was deeply angered to the point of submitting his resignation. Motilal Nehru, his father, marched out of the hall with a good number of followers just before the proposal was put to the vote.

There were discordant voices from articulate members of society as well. Aurobindo Ghose called the spinning franchise “a tremendous waste of energy.” Rabindranath Tagore thought that in deciding to use or refuse cloth of a particular manufacture, Gandhi was trespassing into economics, a field he was not competent to deal with. Nirad C. Chaudhuri considered the Mahatma’s demands “extreme…crude and irrational.” Even Samuel Evan Strokes, an American missionary, a good friend of Gandhi and an enthusiastic spinner himself publicly declared: “Not only my reason but all my instincts, […] rebel at the idea of a spinning franchise.”

In this book I argue that a nonverbal communication perspective on Gandhi’s sartorial choices may help us see what his contemporaries were, perhaps, unable or unwilling to recognize: the symbolic potential behind the home-manufacture and exclusive use of khadi for Indian unity, empowerment and independence. I therefore intend to analyse Gandhi’s use of cloth and clothing not merely as functions of bodily protection, adornment or identification, but also as symbols of liberation.

The chapters are horizontally, theoretically and vertically structured. The first presents Gandhi’s diverse communication skills in a broad sweep. It serves as a backdrop to the essays that follow, but it can also open up new possibilities for further research in Gandhian communication. Chapters two to four are detailed analyses of Gandhi’s evolution in the personal and social use of clothing from the perspective of Western communication theories. The theoretical frameworks underpinning these studies are the semiotics of Roland Barthes, the anthropology of performance of Victor Turner, and the dramaturgical analysis of Erving Goffman. These three chapters that form the bulk of the book are as demanding as they are rewarding: demanding in terms of technical language, rewarding for the new insights they offer on Gandhi and swadeshi. The book concludes with a brief in-depth presentation of what may be called a ‘Gandhian approach to symbolisation’ for socio-political change.

As to the reason for my research on Gandhi’s symbolic use of clothing: I have always been fascinated by the power of nonverbal communication to change the hearts and minds of audiences in ways that spoken and written words cannot. As an educator, I was amazed at the extremely sophisticated levels of audio-visual creativity that impact young minds; so I decided to promote mass media literacy among teaching staff in Indian schools. The manual, Exercises in Media Education was a practical response to this deeply felt need.

The more I was drawn into an all-India media education network, the more I felt the importance of emphasising quality over technique. It was not enough to appreciate mass media critically, or to learn the skills of employing them creatively and profitably. The multi-polarised Indian ethos needed principled communicators, ready to encourage a unity in diversity and the promotion of equal dignity for all citizens. The violent communal riots that accompanied the 1990s well into the new millennium only strengthened my resolve to redesign a media education for peaceful and responsible citizenship.

I did not have to look far for an appropriate model. I had always admired, although superficially, the courage of that one diminutive individual who brought down an Empire by the strength of his truth. As soon as the opportunity presented itself I plunged into a three-year historical and communication analysis on Gandhi’s atypical choice of a ‘clothing for liberation’.

It is my hope that this study, now graciously accepted by SAGE Publications, be a modest contribution to the growth of peace communication research throughout the world.

Volume XXVII, Issue 5, Feb-March 2010

2010-02-27T23:59:00.000-08:00

Editorial: A Plea for better Systems

2010-02-27T23:50:00.000-08:00

Savio Silveira

It’s Chapter time again!

The final countdown for PC2010 has already begun and in just a few days we will be huddled together in the hallowed halls of Lonavla, solemnly charting out the future of our province.

So what phrase should we use to define this triennial exercise that whips up enormous amounts of intellectual and emotional energy, and swallows up inordinate amounts of time and resources? The Dickensian ‘Great Expectations’ or the Shakespearian ‘Much Ado About Nothing’? But we can decide that later.

As I look at the pile of PC2010 documents on my table which were presented to us by the Moderator at a recent meeting, my mind drifts back to PC2004, the Chapter I had the responsibility of steering. Those were exhilarating days! The PSP process had reached a crescendo; its findings were meticulously dissected and debated at endless Commission meetings and then painstakingly crafted into precise and persuasive documents. And after these documents had been reviewed, revised and redrafted by the Chapter, they were put to vote, article by article, section by section. Voilà...we heaved a collective sigh of relief, patted our backs on a task well accomplished, and jubilantly broke out into a song of gratitude. The province had been placed on the definite path to progress!

In an attempt to relive those poignant moments, I pulled out the province ‘Handy Kit’ from the shelf that carefully preserves those precious documents. As I eagerly leafed through the pages, I suddenly experienced a sinking feeling. All that fervour and frenzy of PC2004, those great expectations....was it just much ado about nothing?

Take the Madhya Maharashtra region for example. Our Salesians working there are constantly complaining that it is a neglected region, that the province has no plan for its growth, that it has witnessed no expansion beyond the borders of the Ahmednagar district. But the astonishing truth is that the documents contain a detailed plan for its development. And the Young at Risk sector, we keep lamenting that this sector is limping, with the province at large refusing to engage in it. And yet those same documents declare that every urban Salesian community will assess the situation of street and slum kids in their vicinity, and draw up an action plan to address it by July 2004. The Gujarat region... an Institute of Professional Education at Amodar, a Youth Hostel at Banswada...

The issue is not that we have failed to fulfil these commitments, but that we don’t even remember that we actually drew up these plans!

The reason for this sorry scenario, I would believe, is the absolute lack of good accountability systems. And yes, the non existence of sanctions. In any other place, heads would roll, pay cheques would take a cut, or at least a warning letter would be issued. But within the sacred space of our religious life, accountability and follow-up systems are yet to gain importance.

So could PC2010 please put in place a serious accountability system? Or is this too much to ask for?

Beginning a New Chapter

2010-02-27T23:49:00.000-08:00

Michael Fernandes sdb

In just a short time we will be having our Provincial Chapter based on the theme: Return to Don Bosco with a Planning Mentality. Many of us will have many expectations from the chapter and will look forward to push some of our ideas on the floor of the chapter. We have met in communities and discussed issues and responded to the questionnaires sent to us. These have now been formulated into working documents for the chapter.

What would I expect from this chapter? In the first place I wish that we really return to Don Bosco. Both on the personal and community level we need to be faithful to our vows, moments of prayer and life in communities. This would involve following our personal plans, the community plans, the giornos, active participation in meetings, being present with the young, and a personal renewal of our lives. We have to come close to Jesus the Don Bosco way, by attending renewal and updating courses, retreats and taking responsibility for our personal growth.

Secondly, we have been talking of expansions in areas of the province. Two areas where we need to expand and give a good thrust are: firstly, moving into the Marathwada region that boarders Ahmednagar; and secondly, the YaR apostolate. For nearly twenty-five years we have worked in the Ahmednagar region and not moved to the equally poor areas of Aurangabad, Pharbani, Jalna, Beed etc. These districts figure on the list of the 100 poorest districts in the country and its literacy rate is the lowest in the State. BGVK has initiated some work in a few of the villages of Beed district, but the land we have since 1983 (Parbhani) and 1992 (Aurangabad) has been left unattended all these years. On the YaR front, the work has to be given a greater push, with more small centres coming up to attend to the growing needs and the various categories of the marginalized. Positive interventions should be made in the lives of the disadvantaged using the rights based approach.

Thirdly, I would envisage a good financial plan for self sufficiency in the houses and contributing to the needs of the province. Each house should work out ways and means of being self sufficient. The houses must optimize the use of their classrooms, buildings, playgrounds, halls, etc. There are volunteers, local benefactors, past pupils, companies and other donors who would like to help us if we present good projects. These need to be tapped. We cannot depend on the province for our needs most of the time. Proper budgeting, overseeing the works we do, looking for government funding, having recourse to agencies, projects for sponsors, justifiable spending, will help us manage our resources well.

Fourthly, we need to train the lay collaborators and members of the Salesian Family to assist us. Involving them as the animating nucleus will help us carry on our works in the years to come. These lay people should be trained in one of our centres and be conversant with the spirit, principles, methods and procedures we have in our institutions. Eventually they can collaborate with us more actively and even run some of our works. In some centres of higher learning, technical education and in social communications, they are already helping in a big way.

I do not know what turn the Provincial Chapter will take. It will largely depend on how well we discuss issues, accept suggestions, take up responsibilities, and be willing to carry out the projects owning responsibility for them. If we think wisely, discuss concretely and deliberate constructively, we will be able to see things happen in the coming years that will make our confreres and province revive and grow.

Challenges for Youth Ministry

2010-02-27T23:48:00.000-08:00

Ajoy Fernandes sdb

The Youth Pastoral scene of our province is complex. We work in different settings in urban and rural areas: colleges, schools, technical institutes, boardings and hostels, shelters, parishes, youth centers and oratories. Further, there are different dimensions to youth ministry: education and culture, evangelization and catechesis, groups and movements, and vocation ministry. This Provincial Chapter aims at drawing up a structural plan that will indicate a thrust for our province over the next six years. Based on consultations with Salesians in various forums, I propose four areas of focus that might help operationalize the dimensions of our apostolate amidst concrete opportunities or challenges in our settings.

Educating the Marginalized to Life and Livelihood
DB-Tech India has helped access government schemes for training and obtaining employment for rural and urban youth who live below the poverty line. The challenge consists in creating backward linkages to youth in villages and slums; motivating them to access our training programs; scouting for areas of employment that are currently in demand in community, industrial and corporate settings; creating modules to match these skills together with life-coping skills; and fostering employment linkages.

Rural Catechesis and Evangelization in Urban Contexts
Many rural Catholic children in Maharashtra and Gujarat live far from their parish, attend government schools, and have limited access to a Catholic upbringing. The challenge is to create basic catechetical modules in the vernacular and impart them during the course of periodically scheduled camps, with follow-up in the villages. In the urban sector, evangelization could focus on creating among our school and college students an awareness of the needs of marginalized populations; and fostering outreach programs. Such initiatives would hopefully enable our students to think and act in socially responsible ways amidst the neighbourhood and future work situations.

Animating Groups and Movements with the Salesian Youth Spirituality (SYS)
We have groups such as altar servers, choirs, youth groups, sodalities, scouts, past pupils etc., functioning in various settings. We need to animate these groups across the province in a phased, organized and consistent manner by disseminating the SYS among i) Salesians, ii) collaborators and youth animators, and iii) youth groups; organizing regular meets; and camps and rallies at the local, regional and provincial levels to initiate a Salesian Youth Movement.

Fostering and Accompanying Vocation Candidates
A shift from vocation recruitment to vocation promotion and accompaniment consists in: identifying boys and collaborators amidst our various groups and outreaches who display a liking for our spirituality; inviting them to participate in our programs; accompanying them and their families through a discernment; and animating them together with other interested candidates before inserting them into our aspirantate or formation structures.

Conclusion
The challenge for the next six years consists in enhancing initiatives undertaken in the areas mentioned above by setting up adequate mechanisms; and establishing concrete targets and time-frames towards achieving our goals. Finally, we need to mold our systematic efforts into a movement in the service of youth, the Church and our Nation, in the Don Bosco Way.

Formation of Formators

2010-02-27T23:45:00.000-08:00

Ivo Coelho sdb

The editor has asked me to put down my expectations of PC2010 on a single topic, such as that of formation.

My expectations are simple: I think the province should take seriously one master line of action in formation: formation of formators.

True, the Department of Formation in Rome has issued a letter on this topic, and has also conducted a longish course for select formators quite recently in Kolkata. However, it is also true that, when it comes to specifics, my impression is that the main issue tends to be skirted, or at least not dealt with at the depth that it deserves.

What I mean to say is that formation of formators is not so much a matter of attending more courses supplying an intellectual output. It has to take the shape of a practical experience, a therapy, and skills training.

By 'practical experience' and 'therapy' I mean probably the same thing: the first step in formation of formators is 'personal growth,' cleaning up one's own basement, undergoing therapy for oneself, becoming aware of one's own problems, tendencies, characteristics, personal history, owning it, and doing what one can to move towards healing. This may also require that formators access spiritual direction for themselves.

By 'skills training' I refer to training basically in personal counselling, formation skills, and spiritual direction. Training in counselling involves learning to listen (not only to words but also to what is not said, to feelings), give feedback, and so on. Training in what I am calling 'formation skills' would involve learning the art of 'participatory formation,' personalization, helping formees own the aims and processes of formation. Training in spiritual direction will build on these skills, but has a quite different finality: that of helping a person discover and follow God's will in his or her life; or, put differently, helping a person to put on the mind of Christ.

And by 'formators' I mean not only those confreres residing in places like Pune and Nashik, but also each Rector, and why not, each future Rector. We need to keep reminding ourselves that 'formation' includes not only 'initial' formation but also 'ongoing' formation.

But I think we should not also bite off more than we can chew.

So I would be happy if PC2010 can work out some system to ensure that a certain number of confreres receive preparation for the specific work of formation.

And there are excellent resources available in our own country: I am thinking of places like Atma Darshan, Patna; Atma Darshan, Andheri - Mumbai; Sadhana, Lonavla; NVSC, Pune; perhaps our own Don Bosco Renewal Centre, Bangalore; and so on.
Inviting someone like Selvaratnam, OMI from Sri Lanka to conduct courses for formators (and not merely lectures) would be a very good idea; and if he is unable to come to India, why not, we could think of sending people to him in Sri Lanka. It would be a worthwhile investment. Or again, there are people like Sr Cynthia Gonsalves, FMM, who I think has either finished or should be finishing her term of office as General Councillor of her congregation. Cynthia used to be a valued resource person at the then DBYP, Bangalore, and I remember she gave us an excellent 10 day formation of formators course in Hyderabad.

Why the Provincial ‘Chapter’ does not make it to Book form

2010-02-27T23:44:00.000-08:00

Adolph Furtado sdb

There certainly is a logical flow to the whole business, but is there any logic left in what we do? We open a chapter, but then we cannot conclude it. Here is a synopsis of the book that might have been.

The Provincial convokes the eagerly awaited Chapter.

The Council seriously deliberates on the appointment of the Moderator, and sometimes, when they see the need, a deputy too.

Rectors at their annual meeting debate the thrust of the Chapter with great earnestness.

A Preparatory Commission for the Chapter is constituted, with just the right mix of youth and experience, not forgetting the equations of regional balance. Commissions create series of documents for debate and deliberations.

Local communities get into gear, ensuring that grass roots consultation is strictly adhered too. Delegates are elected, creating invisible but palpable degrees of acceptance and rejection among Confreres.

Finally, all the members of the Provincial Chapter assemble together - mostly with great enthusiasm. This is often accompanied by some with an air of self-importance that seems at times disproportionate to the fact that some members were elected after multiple attempts, in a very tired ballot.

The Chapter gets underway. Inside the hall, a series of debates take centre stage, in turn, seriously heated and seriously humorous. There certainly are equal amounts of hot air and cold stares. Everyone stays assuredly focused on the topic at hand. Syntaxes and nuances are assiduously deliberated upon…

Much paperwork gets accomplished and many passions are aroused as the voting comes closer.

Everybody that is anybody elaborates on his experience and expresses his knowledge with great élan.

The feeling that a new era is dawning reverberates in the air: it rejuvenates and almost re-founds the province, if not the congregation.

At the end, most members are most enthusiastic about having achieving the desired goals.

The much needed ‘feel good factor’ has been eminently achieved.

Everyone goes home with good feelings.

And when they reach home, they do exactly as they please.

The End.

Are we willing to change?

2010-02-27T23:43:00.000-08:00

Ashley Miranda sdb

GC26 has invited us Salesians to return back to Don Bosco. Now, returning back to Don Bosco to rediscover who he was is a commendable thing. Celebrating the person of Don Bosco, feeling proud of his achievements and that of his Salesian congregation over these last 150 years since its founding is perfectly legitimate. But we need to remember that we want to go back in order to be able to go forward with new enthusiasm and energy; in the words of Khalil Gibran, we seek to rediscover our roots in order to find our wings. Returning back to the back is a common sense strategy, remaining there is sentimentalism.

GC26 challenges us to trust the power of Providence as deeply as Don Bosco did and launch out exploring new frontiers in the service of the young, those at risk, the Church and the world at large. It suggests to us that we need to focus not only on what we do but how we do it. Specifically this means viewing the young not merely as beneficiaries of our work but as partners in their own development and growth. It means moving from the welfare model in our apostolate with the poor and the marginalised to one that focuses on their basic rights as human persons. GC 26 invites us to prepare ourselves for the challenges ahead by taking personal responsibility for our own formation, paying special attention to the formation of our young confreres, strengthening our bonds as community especially through an attitude of openness to the word of God, a commitment to community prayer and the joyful celebration of the Eucharist, and seeking to make the Salesian family not just a collection of like minded persons sharing the same sympathies, but a vast movement of persons committed to the integral welfare of the young.

The province of Mumbai had its first session of its Provincial Chapter 2010 on October 1st, 2009. The second session is scheduled for February 22nd to February 27th, 2010. In the intervening time the various commissions set up during the first session met a number of times to work together and formulate documents containing objectives and lines of actions connected with various aspects of our life and apostolate as Salesians of the Province of Mumbai. Working drafts of these documents have come in and the first impression one gets is that a good amount of serious work has gone into their formulation. During the second session of the chapter we hope to put these documents together into one cohesive whole and come up with an Overall Provincial Plan for the province to guide its life and action over the next six years. The chances are that we will put together a fairly decent document that will give us much satisfaction.

The question is what happens after the Overall Provincial Plan is formulated and put in place? The real yardstick to judge the success or failure of PC2010 will not be how smoothly the discussion went or how elegant our document was. Instead what we do after the chapter will determine whether PC2010 was time well spent or just an unethical waste of precious time, paper and resources. The question we need to ask ourselves now before the second session of PC2010 and surely after it as well is do we feel the need for change? What is it we are willing to change? Are we willing to make the sacrifices necessary and pay the price, if any, of change? Going forward, discovering new frontiers, exploring new horizons demands first of all an openness of mind and heart, the courage and the discipline to accept the challenges that these new frontiers place before us.

Hopefully PC2010 will not merely give us another document that occupies a quite space in our offices or becomes one more addition to the volumes in our libraries. Instead may PC2010 be an expression of our desire to rediscover the spirit of Don Bosco in our own day and our courageous willingness to reinterpret His charism anew for the young and the marginalized.

The ‘Right’ Approach to Development

2010-02-27T23:40:00.000-08:00

Greg Almeida sdb

In earlier times there seemed to be close to no connection between Human Rights and Development programmes. However, today, this has clearly changed. We realize that, both, Human Rights and Development programmes aim at promoting well being and freedom, based on the inherent dignity and equality of all people. In fact, this close connection between the two has led to the emergence of the Rights Based Approach to development. The Rights Based Approach is fast becoming the most preferred method to development work since it is people centred, it has large scale impacts and is sustainable.

A key element in this approach is Empowerment and Participation. Looking back at our development works in Gujarat and M.P, one notices that we only met with a limited amount of success during the past years. For example, the SHG programme had a very narrow focus: saving and lending. The group members were busy with their petty affairs and hence the groups did not make any significant impact on their villages.

It was only after we took up the ‘Governance Project’ in June 2009, that we have begun to see new life and energy in these groups. There is now much stress on the Empowerment and Participation of people in Panchayati Raj Institutions, especially in the Gram Sabhas. The Governance Project aims at empowering rural communities to participate fully in local self governance and thereby access the institutions and policies that are meant to serve them. Several steps have been taken during these past months to ensure the proper implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in the villages where we are working. The next challenge is to make the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan function in these villages.

Thanks to the Governance Project, we have started moving away from the Charity model and towards the Empowerment model of development work. With the people getting empowered, village leaders and government officials like the Sarpanch and the Talatis are now realizing that they have to perform their duties and also become accountable. The Social Audits that were recently carried out in many of our villages have been a wake up call, both, to the people and the leaders. Even school children have been made aware of their rights and have begun participating in the Gram Sabhas and other village meetings.

The time has definitely come to make the Rights Based Approach the ‘official method’ of all the development works taken up in our province and the forthcoming Provincial Chapter would be a good time to deliberate on this issue. It is only when people are truly empowered to participate fully in local governance that our villages and our country will be on the sure path to development.

Value Education In Youth Ministry

2010-02-27T23:38:00.000-08:00

Isaac Arackaparambil sdb

On the eve of New Year 2010, I was in Pransla, a remote village about 65 kms away from Porbandhar. The Universal Solidarity Movement of Value Education for Peace (USM) of Fr. Varghese Alengaden and team had invited me to give a talk at their 41st KNIT INDIA programme. It is an annual national meet where schools all over the country which are associated with USM send their students for a USM family live-in, and it serves as a follow-up to the activities initiated by this movement in these schools. There were 11 schools that came from places like Nanital, Uttarakhand, Allahabad, Agra, Secundra, Lucknow, Ujjain, Raisen, Vidharba, Ahwah and Jolikot. It was a beautiful experience where I witnessed first hand the fruits of USM ministry with youngsters. They were students from 7 to11 standards belonging to diverse faith traditions of India. What impressed me most was the enthusiasm, the maturity, the motivation, and the focus of these school going youngsters. The entire programme was geared towards inspiring enlightened leadership and responsible citizenship. The students reciprocated our inputs with openness and eagerness to make a difference. They were concrete in their resolutions for self-transformation with a dream to transform the world. Their own testimonies of personal transformation in the process of cultivating the spirituality of this movement ever since it was initiated in their schools, served as great inspirational value for all the participants.

I have been actively involved in the ministry of value education since the last three years in my capacity as director of our animation centre Amrut Dhara in Gujarat. My humble assessment of the receptivity that I experience from the students and teachers of our own schools is that they tend to be very distracted and unfocused. It would be unfair to blame them for this, and is an invitation for us to do a little soul searching. My observation is that we do, and we get our teachers to do a lot of activities with our youngsters (sports, drama, music, tuitions, coaching, homilies, good morning and good night talks, value education classes, etc) but they often end up as activities with no clear focus. The students may pick up skills that help them become confident and expressive, but it does not necessarily determine whether they are able to articulate a vision for life. Value education is treated as one more academic subject for which exams are conducted. After conducting value education seminars, and teacher training seminars, I keep wondering what the effect is on our own students and teachers. I often get the feeling that our own students and teachers, unlike others, do not really value the programmes but go through the movements as though one more programme was organized, one more good morning or good night talk was delivered, and ‘we had to sit through it’.

What we need in our province, is to clarify our vision by which we have a clear cut agenda as to where we want to take our youngsters, in this case those who are schooling in our institutions. The same can be said of all kinds of ministry. We need to create systems of follow up specially in regard to value education or other training seminars, something like the KNIT INDIA programme. We have been tying up with companies as a follow up to the training we give in the technical sector of our work. We have roped in experts to guide us while going through the PSP-PRA process. These are bold and valuable initiatives and are bearing very good fruits. The need of the hour in my opinion is to tie up with people who already have follow-up systems in place when it comes to the domain of vision orientation and value education. One such partner I would like to suggest is the Universal Solidarity Movement of Value Education for Peace. Since our PC 2010 intends to draw up the structural plan for the province for the next 5 years, a good initiative would be to invite the USM to animate us at all levels: confreres, teachers and students. The province of Calcutta has already moved in this direction. What’s stopping us?

New Frontiers in Vocation Ministry

2010-02-27T23:37:00.000-08:00

Brian Moras sdb

‘Vocation ministry’ aims at enabling every young person understand what God wants him/her to do in his/her life. Within this broader spectrum, our vocation ministry focuses more specifically on helping young people understand if God is calling them to the Religious or Salesian way of life. Today, responding to this ‘Call’ has become challenging for a variety of reasons: for example, the families are generally getting smaller with just one or two children, especially in the cities. But in spite of this, we believe that God is still calling people to religious life. We are also looking for quality vocations in a time of scarcity. In my experience, we need to focus more on the following approaches to be effective in this ministry:

Community Service, Volunteer Movements
Religious life by itself is service oriented. We will need to give our youngsters an experience of service, generosity and sacrifice. This would help them to reflect on a deeper level and discern God’s call for them. They could be made to help out as Volunteers for a week at least, in-service ventures, examples of these could be: the evening study classes/ following up the studies of the weaker boarders/ helping out with street children/ volunteering for a month in the rural areas of Ahmednagar or Gujarat. The key is to guide them during these processes and help them to reflect on these experiences together with the group.

When a youngster has this meaningful experience, the chances are that he may discover a liking to this ministry and possibly discern God’s call to this way of life. This would work wonderfully with senior youngsters (post X and working youth).

‘Each one, get one’
We need youngsters from our own parishes and institutes to join us. For this we need to help them discern God’s plan in their lives. For the last six years our track record has been poor; just one or a maximum of two youngsters joining the Aspirantate at Lonavla, and that too from just a few of our Parishes and Institutes.

We have heard it so often, “Every Salesian is a Vocation Promoter”. The good thing about this is, ‘it is true’, and our Vocation by itself has this dimension. I have been reminding my confreres in the Provincial House. “Follow up at least one probable vocation for the year”, and they have promised to do their bit!

It would be ideal if we could be spiritual guides to these youngsters, without using this terminology. We need to meet them for a meaningful chat every month and check on their progress, i.e., apart from meeting them in class, on the corridors and on the playground. A visit to their family would complete the process. The Rectors would need to remind the community members about this obligation.

A Community member responsible for Vocations
It would be very important to have a member of the community (need not necessarily be the Rector) who scouts for vocations in the locality . Studies show that congregations who work for Vocations, get the maximum numbers. We would also need to keep in mind that God calls the unqualified and qualifies them for the mission. Jesus had a preferential love for the simple and the unqualified. Most of his followers were ordinary fishermen. Today too, the best youngsters rarely join us; it is usually the simple and the average youngsters who do. In this ministry focus more on the simpler youngster and empower him.

At the National Level, for some years now, we have been having Inter Provincial vocation camps, wherein Vocation Promoters from other provinces can come to the guest province (with due permission from the guest province provincial) and scout for vocations. This phenomenon is not known to most in our province. At the ‘National Vocation Promoters and Directors Meeting’ at Chennai in November 2009, we had a discussion about these camps and the protocol that needs to be followed.

We have also realized that there is a possibility of getting post X and XII vocation probables from the Trichy and Chennai Provinces (Two attempts had been made earlier by our Province, but have failed to bear fruit due to various reasons). The good news is that the Vocation Directors of these Provinces are open to this possibility, though they have some recommendations.

I believe it would be healthy to recruit good youngsters from these regions. If they fit in well, they could enrich the group with their commitment and enthusiasm. A mixture of cultures in the one common mission is always healthy. We are also fortunate to have confreres in our Province, who are willing to try recruiting youngsters from the Chennai and Trichy provinces. This would imply that we need to be open to accommodate these youngsters at Lonavla.

As scripture says,
How will they know unless they hear,
How will they hear unless someone tells them?
It’s time to move more daringly in challenging youngsters to answer God’s Call.
As history shows us that we either ‘Evolve or we Erode’.

PC 2010 @ Don Bosco.org

2010-02-27T21:41:00.000-08:00

Ronald Menezes sdb

Come February and we shall be having our Provincial Chapter. Our focus this time will be “Going back to Don Bosco”. A fitting theme indeed as we celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the founding of our Congregation. As I look forward to the forthcoming Chapter and the decisions that would effect us for the next six years, it is my earnest desire that this Chapter would help me and all of us in the province truly to “Celebrate Don Bosco”. I would like to, “Celebrate Don Bosco in his Prayer, Celebrate Don Bosco in his vision and mission, Celebrate Don Bosco in his love for youth”.

In this article however, I would like to focus on “Celebrating Don Bosco the Internet Way”. A reflection on the Social Communication Ministry in our province.

Article 6 of our Constitutions lays emphasis on the fact that, ‘Social Communication is one of the priority fields for the Salesian Mission’. Don Bosco realized that a consecrated Salesian life would be useless if it could not be communicated and proposed to others. He used the means that were available at his time viz., the print media to provide valid means of knowledge and formation, for realizing at the same time an effective process of education and evangelization, and for involving young people themselves as apostles in the spreading of good books.

Forty years ago, Len Kleinrock, UCLA, who sent the first message on September 2, 1969, wrote: “I am not surprised that the Internet provides anyone the ability to connect….I am surprised at how far the Internet has penetrated every fabric of our lives and society”.

A mission tool that we have today in this area of Communication is the Internet. Given the possibilities it offers and its efficacy, not to engage in proclamation using the Internet would be a grave loss. Not only do we speak of being the message but also carrying forward the message to as many as possible in the most effective and powerful manner as possible. However, this entails that we as communicators are convinced ourselves of the message that we are “communicating”. Or else there will be no difference between a non-Christian operating the Internet and us, Salesians doing the same.

The Church has now recognized its interactive nature in communication. The Church considers the Internet as a gift of God. Hence, we do not view the Internet only as a source of problems; we see it as a source of benefits to the human race. Some of the possibilities and parameters in cyber ministry today are:

Blogs: it has everything that you can look for in a newspaper. Sometimes, even more. Once you log into a blog site, you become a blog journalist! It is an apt forum to share your faith with others, and enrich your own in return. Faith needs to be shared and transmitted. It is active, conscious and alive.

Websites and Mobile: a website is an apt tool to communicate with people from all walks of life and reach out to a wider network in one’s ministry. We could also introduce gospel ministries through emails. There are yahoo-groups and gmail-groups available to send to a selected group of email subscribers on topics. It is an interactive forum for sharing one’s views and news on a particular topic that is fixed by the group.

SMS is an easy way to begin the SMS ministry in the cellular world. It is the world of the young today. With a little investment in the network, one can send free SMS to quite a number of mobiles realizing much good work among the young (Word Of God a day, a thought a day, food for thought etc.)

Standardized homilies with stories and incidents happening all over the world have become popular due to the Internet. The first part of these Internet homilies are useful to interpret and understand the Word of God, but to apply it to ‘this’ people, local homilies are important. The priest needs to apply the Word of God to his people here and now.

A major drawback is that the Internet is not available to all because it requires electricity, a computer and at least, a telephone connection. However, the number of Internet users is fast growing, even in India, thanks to the multiplying Internet cafes across the country. The major bulk of Internet users are young people, and this is natural given the newness and technological back up of the medium. Internet is going to be with us in a big way before long, just as TV invaded the Indian homes after the 70’s.

Our Provincial Chapter would do well to put in place what Fr. Veechi said a long time ago (AGC 370, p.24ff) viz., to put in place an adequate formation process in the area of social commu

nication; if our skills do not keep pace with the changes, sooner or later we shall be left behind. It appears as though we are already lagging. What is required therefore is:

A basic Formation: to train every Salesian of our province to be able to make good use of the new media and to be able to do so in a discerning manner.

For animators and workers in the education and pastoral fields: training not merely in the ability to use the media skillfully but imbibing a sense of inculturation, of education and pastoral action within the new culture of the media.

Formation for specialists: some confreres and lay people must be prepared in the field of social communication to provide expertise, help and guidance where needed.

I must admit that this article has a bias to the urban setting. We need to keep in mind that the medium must appeal to the audience, and if street theatre and puppet shows get the message across in a rural setting, the Internet can take a back seat, even as we enter the 2nd decade of the 21st century.

Finally all of us, and especially those involved in media apostolate, must keep in mind that possessing technologies does not make us good communicators. On the contrary they can be a hindrance to real communication. That is why it is said, ‘more the media, less the communication’. Many of us possess valuable technological gadgetry for personal use, but hardly for apostolic purposes. No technology, however brilliant, can substitute committed manpower. Education through modern technology cannot do away with basic values of truth, love, service and justice. Without a deep commitment to the cause of the people, to evangelization and proclamation of the Word of God, modern technologies can only confuse and divide.

EVOLVE or ERODE: The ‘S’ Factor

2010-02-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

Glenn Lowe sdb

Chapters come… Chapters go. What remains after everything else has faded away will be what I call the ‘S’ factor. Every Congregation/ Organization passes through four stages of development. Through 150 years the Salesians have gone through three such stages: SEED – TREE – FOREST. Then what? What has the fourth stage in store for us?

Stage ONE is the Entrepreneurial stage and the focus is on Viability. In Salesian terms we call it the SEED stage. A dream, a passionate Johnny Bosco backed by a divine intervention and Salesian life is born.

Stage TWO is the Emerging stage and the focus is on Credibility. In Salesian terms we call it the TREE stage. Recognized by State and Church the small band of Salesians becomes ‘leaven’ in the world of the Young.

Stage THREE is the Established stage and the focus is on Stability. The thick of the FOREST is seen in our expansion across the globe. The vast movement of peoples in the Salesian Way.

Stage FOUR is EVOLVE or ERODE. The focus is on vulnerability. Return to roots and Mission or crumble. This Provincial Chapter must be a call to rise to a higher purpose or perish. It is here that the ‘S’ factor will determine our course. ‘S’ for ‘Significant Salesians’ or ‘Superficial Sons’
PC2010 must be an avenue for us as a province to make ‘S’ choices:
To shun the ‘Spectacular’ and choose the more ‘Simple’ ways of reaching out
To move out of our ‘Stagnation’ and ‘Stretch for more Surprise’.
To abandon our ‘Superficial’ activities and get started on ‘Spirited’’ apostolate
To seek less the quest for ‘Success’ and attract more ‘Significance’
To reduce the ‘Sound’ barrier and love more ‘Silence’ that leads to reflection
To realize the weakness of ‘Single’ mentality and believe in the strength of ‘Synergy’
To reorganize our ‘Support-based’ works to become ‘Sustainable’ movements of peoples
To give up our ‘Selfish’ interests and generate more ‘Stewardship’
To bask in the ‘Sunshine’ of a daring future rather than dwell in the ‘Shadow’ of our past.
To discover that amidst the ‘Secular’ we can touch the ‘Spiritual’
On a personal level, love for more ‘Sobriety’ than a ‘Superfluous’ lifestyle
And finally, ‘S’ for ‘Salesian Spirituality’ … the essence of it all.

Our Rector Major says, “We should never forget that young people are not a pastime for us nor a work to be done as quickly as possible and in any old way. Young people are our mission, they are our raison d'etre, our ‘theological place’ (cf SDB C. 95), they are our way of experiencing God and our sanctification, since they are part of our inheritance.” He continues, “It is about going to meet them, their needs, their aspirations, meeting up with them gladly in their daily life, being attentive to their appeals, ready to know their world, give life to their activity and involvement, awakening their sense of God, proposing to them ways to holiness according to Salesian spirituality (cf GC 26).

In the absence of these ‘S’ factor choices, the forest will soon be DE-FORESTED. Cynics tell us that the life span of any congregation is just 200 years.
Is this chapter going to be a ‘SAVE the SOCIETY’ campaign or better still can we “SPIRAL the SOCIETY” to a higher plane of living and being Salesian?
YES we CAN. ‘S’ we can … ‘S’ we can

Youth Services Today… Are We Wired?

2010-02-27T21:36:00.000-08:00

Chris Valentino sdb

It is always a sticky situation fraught with great risk when trying to jot down a few points on a topic which is close to so many hearts, especially more so when speaking about ‘the category’ for our existence, moving and being as Salesians. However, since this opportunity has been accorded me, I willingly seize it to put forth what I perceive as the direction our youth work must now take… considering the fact that very soon the PC2010 will be officially upon us, if not already!

Thinking of the emergent developments in the world today and particularly their impact on the youngsters of today, I personally feel that it is high time we begin thinking on a possible course of action with set targets, plausible solutions and newer mindsets. A clear policy, a coordinated effort, a process of animation with appropriate settings and the inevitable outcomes need to be urgently studied and implemented. The need of the hour is to ask ourselves: What makes an effective youth worker and how could I help the young people to enjoy their life, while raising their expectations and aspirations?

The world of today is caught in a flux… youngsters are in a transition phase… traditional models of security and value are fast collapsing in a massive heap. There is a perceivable mismatch between established models of transition and the actual transition that is taking place… attitudes, characteristics, experiences are all going in for a toss! Significant socio-economic changes coupled with political unrest are throwing up increasing uncertainty, unpredictability and risk. The shaping of young minds is no longer what it used to be a few years ago. There is now a strong-emphasis on the ‘live-earn-spend-save-spend-die’ lifestyle which only adds, increase pressures and expectations. The speed at which things are happening is, well, just to use the phrase that most youngster use these days – awesome! Perhaps ‘our icebergs are melting?’

Hence, my young friends are indeed living in a changing world. It is changing for me and it is definitely changing more for them. Each new day brings newer discoveries, newer innovations, newer possibilities of living than did their parents and elders. The things that matter are career, doing well, earning money (however that may be), having a steady income, developing friendships (includes one-night stands, no compulsion-quick-fixes), and most importantly just enjoy, party, live (if not, die instantly)! Invented identities, virtual selves, online personalities… it can go on and it can only get more confusing for those among us who are not willing to catch up!

Hence, as a youth worker, as an educator I would want to create pathways, an environment where identities are respected, where there is health, well being, physical and emotional safety. I would look at a paradigm shift, a perspective shift, an intervention model that would seek to understand, empathise and ultimately help.

Perhaps our ability to bridge the gap or narrow the divide between our policy v/s our practices is the only answer. Perhaps all the while we have followed the ‘top-down’ intervention model… the time has now come to implement the ‘bottom-up’ interventional model. We can’t simply go on with our dichotomous models of functioning and educating. Or perhaps we may need to combine these models, and thereby effectively affect our youngsters while empowering, encouraging and guiding them.

In this respect, when we look at the Youth Ministry in our province it is not only or it need not only be ‘youth-fests,’ ‘altar-servers rallies’ or some type of gathering whereby we can pride ourselves or pat ourselves, feeling elated that we have achieved some success! We ought to look beyond these, far beyond mere gathering of youngsters for some game or activity. What are the processes we have evolved or what are the interventions that we have pioneered or are we just flogging some dead horse as youth work?

A few pointers would help:
§ Every institute must engage in introspection, with regard to specifics such as target group, projectible outcomes, scalable deliverables and the changing perspectives.
§ Youth Development ought to be our priority. Perhaps it needs to be completely unshackled from its confused, unclear, chaotic and oftentimes vague processes. Clear strategies and the pertinent methodologies need to be defined.
§ At some level, the young people with and for whom we work need to be taken into consideration. We have to involve our parents, teachers, etc. to create systems for implementation and education, beginning with commensurate training and processes which will include our young people right from the planning stages to the final outcome stage.
§ Eminently sustainable activities that will lead to livelihood skills and better livelihood need to be focused on.

Perhaps the positive form of our prevention system is promotion. Promotion can be the new prevention if we understand it as the effort to advance positive youth development. Can we not promote wellness, optimization of development assets? Can we not promote the essential qualities of life: bonding, resilience, life-competencies, self- determination, self-efficacy, clear positive identity, belief in future, recognize pro-social involvement, spirituality? We are called to preventive intervention, which in a newer parlance could mean promotive intervention. Why not? New forces are emerging… let us look at new beginnings, structural changes and perspective shifts. Whether it be the categorized aspects of Higher Education, Catechesis, Human Rights, Neighbourhood Apostolates and the Young-at-Risk or the broad spectrum of youth in general, we definitely need a rethink!

Formation Of Hearts And Minds

2010-02-27T21:24:00.000-08:00

Valerian Pereira sdb

As a Province, we are very much concerned with the dearth of vocations. Naturally, the decrease in numbers has evoked a great deal of discussion, and theories abound as to why young people are not enthused by religious life. Some suggest that young people are too self-centered, too materialistic, unable to make a lifetime commitment. Others suggest that parents have failed to pass on the faith adequately, failed to encourage their children to consider vocations to religious life. To lay the blame on one or the other is rather unfair. I propose that as we prepare for the Provincial Chapter, we should engage in a little soul searching. Let us be grateful for the numbers we have and let our formative environments help them develop as mature men in service of the Church.

When I think of the term ‘formation’, what immediately comes to mind is the seeking to prepare men/women to be bridges for, not obstacles to, the spread of the Gospel. The identity to be fostered in the candidate is that he/she becomes a man/woman of communion, that is, someone who makes a gift of self and is able to receive the gift of others. Here one needs integrity and self-possession in order to make such a gift. The capacity to be fostered is the affective ability to engage in pastoral leadership with Jesus as the model Shepherd. Hence our formation and our formative environments should have the following characteristics:

Formation that Helps Personalization
Human formation programmes should begin with the assumption that the candidates have the potential to move from self-preoccupation to an openness to transcendent values and a concern for the welfare of others; a history of sound and rewarding peer relationships; an ability to be honest with themselves and with others; and an ability to trust the Church and the agents of formation. Formation should be geared to enable the candidate make sound prudential judgments; develop a sense of responsibility and personal initiative; develop a capacity for courageous and decisive leadership; an ability to establish and maintain wholesome friendships; and an ability to work in a collaborative, professional manner with men and women, forgoing self-interest in favour of collaborative efforts.

Formation towards Creating Human Communities
As religious, our mission suffers due to divisions created by us on the basis of caste and linguistic narrowness. What makes me a religious is not just the common ownership of goods, or my being unmarried. What makes me a religious is my being an agent of communion, reconciliation and forgiveness wherever I go. Can our formation work towards this aim?

Formation to Leadership
Our culture promotes ‘authority figures’ and ever so often these figures resent being challenged or criticised. Unthinkingly, we could bring into religious life paternalistic or autocratic patterns of behaviour and define obedience in terms of the “subjects” doing what the “superior wants”, rather than build a community of adults seeking to discern the common mission and fulfil it responsibly. Many superiors fear criticism and challenge, and feel threatened by persons who think differently. Religious communities often have an unwritten agenda to stay immature, in perennial adolescence, and worship mediocrity rather than excellence. Could we give an honest reflection to this task of walking with our candidates rather than directing them?

Formation to Mission
Very often we claim to know what the poor need, take decisions for them, give them what we think they need. They are generally not consulted about what we want to do for them. Don’t we assume that we know better about what is good for them? Isn’t it time to consult the poor, learn from them, treat beneficiaries as subjects of decisions rather than as objects of charity? This demands a change of perspective in us, and will lead to big changes, both personal and structural, in our works.

Formation to Justice
Our formation is devoted towards bandaging the wounds of the victims of the system, rather than to challenge and change the system. Can we reflect with our candidates on ways to network, challenge and change unjust social, political and religious structures?

Formation to Affective Maturity
Our formation should aim towards the affective maturity of the candidate. Certain habits or skills are necessary instruments on the path to effective and healthy celibate chastity, and these are to be encouraged in our formative programmes. Among these habits and skills are appropriate self- disclosure, a cultivated capacity for self-reflection, an ability to enter into peaceful solitude, vigilance over one’s impulses and drives, and a capacity to give and receive feedback.

Formation to Simplicity and Honesty
Human formation should cultivate a spirit of generosity, encouraging the candidate to become a man for others and to curb expectations of entitlement. Manifestations of undue materialism and consumerism in behaviour should be confronted and corrected. The formation programme should articulate the distinctive qualities of simplicity of life appropriate for one preparing for religious life. Simplicity and Honesty are particularly important in our own age when human needs and desires are so consciously manipulated and exploited.

In conclusion,
I believe that our candidates do have their faults, but on the whole, this generation of young adults are generous, spiritually hungry, seeking truth, and longing for community. They too desire to answer the universal call to holiness. We should also accept that our candidates are a cynical, “show me” generation, looking for the reality beyond the rhetoric, platitudes and religious jargon. They are turned off by people who ‘talk the talk’ without ‘walking the walk’. Our formation should convey the message that we are much more than just a well-intentioned social-service organization that supports the individual good works of their members. We are rather God-centered communities that enthusiastically act in the name of the Church, and promote through our works for the young the universal call to holiness.