Socio-Economic & Pastoral Survey 2011, Latin Archdiocese of Trivandrum

Socio-Economic & Pastoral Survey 2011, A Report and Analysis…

Latin Archdiocese of Trivandrum

At long last, that is almost after 75 years after being part of a diocese/archdiocese of our own we have accomplished the feat of knowing ourselves, our strengths and weaknesses, through a survey! A big thanks to all concerned for this great but belated accomplishment. Now it is published and made available… But I wonder whether it will reach the people who really matters! I would very much like that this be made available in the public domain in Malayalam for people to know and respond accordingly. Till that is in place a summary in their own words with its salient features won’t be an extravaganza…

‘…one fifth of the families are both homeless and landless, while majority of the families live in very small plots of land and small houses.’

‘…the educational and employment conditions of the families and people are far from desirable…a sizable section does not care for their children’s studies… unprecedented attention is required to address the problems in education sector… (as) education is closely and directly related to all other aspects of life and work… Integrated long term and short term programs are required to address this issue.’

‘The literacy rate is 90.61% which is below the Kerala state average (93.91%). Since this is definitely a cause for concern… very urgent and intensive planning may be done to enhance the education levels. Only educated people will get more gainful employment and income, which alone will enhance their asset base including land and house and social status… at the root of all negative situations… this low level of education is found.

‘…a sizable section depends on public toilets… while a substantial section goes to open air for defecation.’ (needless to say that this especially adds to the self-esteem of people).

While 11.38% avail drinking water from nearby houses, 6.76% get it from public well and 4.57% even purchase it. 78.53% of this last category is seen in a particular parish of a forane…

‘…a large section of people (40.21%) does not have any place to drain their waste water. It implies that they just let go their waste water in the open space. This has to be read with the revelation that the largest section (39.03%) dumps their solid waste into the open air and another large section throws away their waste into the water sources…, mostly sea and streams or unused wells and ponds. When their immediate environment is polluted, the nearby water sources are polluted… The most important reason behind is the lack of responsibility and civic sense…’

[The concluding remarks in Chapter 3, Findings and Recommendations]

Compassion and Charity:

Compassion and Charity:

Paul in I Cor. 13 asserts that without charity nothing is of any worth. And he concludes that chapter saying that: ‘And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.’ Yes, there is no doubt that charity is what the ailing soul, the grieving soul needs. But it only consoles, not cures. And there is better way, of prevention. ‘Prevention is better than cure.’ But those who live on the trade of cure may not really like prevention which might leave them jobless.

Here, I remember a scene from Jose Saramago’s ‘The Gospel According to Jesus Christ’. Presenting a conversation between God and Satan at the background of Jesus’ impending death, Satan proposes a treaty [to bid no to his evil ways so as to save God’s son from death and people from damnation. But astonishingly God doesn’t accept it saying: ‘You should receive me into Your Heavenly Kingdom, my past offences redeemed by those I shall not commit in future, that You accept and preserve my obedience as in those happy days when I was one of Your chosen angels, Lucifer, You called me, the bearer of light… if You… grant me… pardon… then Evil will cease at once. Your son will not have to die… Good will prevail… all will end as if it had never been… No, I neither accept nor pardon you, I much prefer you as you are and, were it possible, I’d prefer you to become even worse than you are… Because the Good I represent cannot exist without the Evil you represent… if you were to come to an end, so would I, for Me to be Goodness, it is essential that you should continue to be Evil…’

By extension, suffering is what makes the church or for that matter any religion relevant. So, it can’t, rather should not eradicate suffering for its survival. Hence, what it could do at the most is charity and only charity which has all its bye-products…! Here people may point out the great examples of Mother Teresa and other good Samaritans in the manner of Jesus… But these people conveniently forget a serious, rather persistent attitude of Jesus (biblical tradition) towards wealth, the rich and his admonition to his disciples while sending them to preach the Kingdom: ‘Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.’ (Lk 9:3). ‘Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals…’ (10:4). ‘…do not be anxious about your life… nor about your body… Look at the birds of the air… your heavenly Father feeds them… Consider the lilies of the field… even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these… your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.’ (Mt 6:25-33). Do not these and any number of other instances in the gospels prove beyond doubt that Jesus wanted a permanent solution for all sufferings calling it the ‘reign of God’ for which needs repentance. This is what the Pope highlights in his encyclical ‘The Joy of the Gospel’ suggesting a structural change against the structures of evil rather than mere charity…

Church was all along comfortable with charity and towards this end institutions were built, congregations were created, not really bothering to mind what the consequences were other than the temporary relief then and there. However, there wasn’t any sign of decrease in poverty and suffering for the poor. In fact the chasm between the rich and the poor is widening day after day and the reign of god remains a rather distant promise still!

The good news for the church is that the new pope is out rightly outspoken from the very beginning for the cause of the poor saying that no amount of charity would usher in the dawn other than a structural, radical change in the management of wealth. This was what his recent encyclical ‘The Joy of the Gospel’ proposes.  

The new free trade and open market let the flood gates open against the poor of the world facilitating the rich grow richer at the sweat of the poor. liberal economic policy dictated the markets to feed the greedy at the cost of the poor becoming poorer. In the cut throat competition and unilateral price fixation,

ക്രിസ്തുമസ്-നവ വത്സര ആശംഷകൾ!

മനസ്സുകളിൽ മഞ്ഞുതുള്ളിയായ്
മറ്റൊരു ക്രിസ്തുമസ്...
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നമ്മുടെ ഇടയിൽ വന്ന ദിവസം...

ആചാരമാണ് ഇന്നത്‌ വിശ്വാസികൾക്
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വിരുന്നാണതു സമ്പന്നർക്ക്
വിശപ്പിന്നും ദരിദ്രർക്ക്...

സ്നേഹ-സൗഹൃദങ്ങളുടെ ദിനം
സ്ഥല-കാല പരിമിതികളെ
അതിജീവിക്കാനുള്ള കാലം
സ്നേഹം പങ്കുവയ്ക്കാം
ഈ കുറിപ്പിലൂടെയെങ്കിലും...

എന്നും നല്കിയ സ്നേഹത്തിന്,
സൗഹ്രുദത്തിനു, കരുതലിന്
നന്ദി പറഞ്ഞാൽ മതിയാവില്ല
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അത് ആശംഷയായ് പ്രാര്തനയായ്
പകർത്തട്ടെ ഈ കുറിപ്പിൽ...

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വേണ്ടെന്നു തോന്നുന്നു, മാറ്റി വയ്ക്കുന്നു
ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടെങ്കിലും പൊറുക്കണം
അല്പം വൈകുമെങ്കിലും ഇ-മെയിൽ
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ഇവിടം ദൈവരാജ്യമാക്കാം...

തുടർന്ന് വരുന്ന നവ വർഷം-2014
സമൃദ്ധിയുടെ, സമാദാനത്തിന്റെ,
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എല്ലാവർക്കും, വിശേഷിച്ച് ഇല്ലാത്തവർക്ക്
പ്രതീക്ഷയുടെ വർഷമാവട്ടെ...

ക്രിസ്തുമസ്-നവ വത്സര  ആശംഷകൾ!

സ്നേഹത്തോടെ,

പങ്കി

Prophetic intervention is what matters, not any cosmetic touch...

No cosmetic attempt but a thorough prophetic intervention is the need of the hour…

Jesus is the son of God, the Christ for the Christians. It was ‘…in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians.’ (Acts 11:26) Before that they were said to be ‘belonging to the Way’ (9:2). Paradoxically there are no ‘Christians’ as such today but only Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants and so on. Schism was always there, from the very beginning itself! Though dogma was projected as a ground, it was in fact for power and possessions. In the process Jesus was drowned in dogma which petrified into rituals.

In the same length Jesus identified himself with the Father (Jn 14:9), he did identify himself with the ‘least of these my brethren’ (Mt 25:40). He was very categorical of his mission, ‘the son of man also came not to be served but to serve…’ (Mk 10:45) He was conveniently made priest, king and what not to justify the greed for power and possession in the church… He who thundered, ‘… you shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade’ (Jn 2:16) is made everything else other than a prophet!

However, the real Jesus could be traced back from the gospel accounts which themselves are the product of the churches though. Being a prophet in the tradition of John the Baptist and other prophets of old he was very much perturbed/ troubled seeing the misery of ‘the poor’, a term to include ‘all the oppressed, all those who are dependent upon the mercy of others.’ (Jesus before Christianity p. 45)

The signs of our times demand prophetic intervention as in the time of Jesus… ‘Scandals have rocked the Churches and undermined their authority. For many people today, all religious authorities seem to be exclusive, divisive, and oppressive…’ (‘Jesus Today’ p.27). As projected by the vested interest people, common good is not against the interest of the individual, but is ‘always in the best interest of the individual too...  Such of them make it illegal for a poor person to ‘steal’ a loaf of bread but perfectly legal for a rich man to hoard more food and other resources than he or she can ever make use of…’ (p.42).

 The ego (the self-centered self, the ‘I’) imagines itself to be the centre of the world, judging everything in terms of how it affects ‘me’ and only ‘me.’ It is possessive and often manifests itself as an insatiable desire for money and possessions… The unbridled ego wants to control its world: people, events, and nature. Hence, the obsession with power and authority. It compares itself with others and competes for praise and privilege, for love, for power and money. This is what makes us envious, jealous and resentful of others. It is what makes us hypocrites, two-faced, and dishonest.’ (p.47)

The church can’t be the mystical body of Christ, as is claimed. ‘…though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.’ (Phil 2:6-8). Like the grain of wheat he died and bore much fruit by way of resurrection. (Jn 12:24) The persecuted church, the poor church was in fact fruitful whereas the patronized and powerful church was shrinking gradually though quantitatively there seemingly was growth due to expansionism carried out through scandalous and murderous crusades.  

Jesus’ exhortation to rely upon the loving providence was conveniently ignored amassing enormous and excessive wealth while millions were starving and were exposed to the elements having no roof over their head. Making his saying very true: ‘…where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also’ (Mt 6:21) the church is basking itself in the warmth of its enormous wealth. What is the justification of sky-scraping churches and cathedrals besides palatial residences for priests and bishops when any number of people has nowhere to lay their heads like the ‘son of man’? Is it not an affront to Jesus who felt compassion for people who had nothing to eat… and may faint on the way’ (Mt 15:32) to enjoy sumptuous meals when one out of every eight person goes hungry?

When the church accepts the sweat money of the so called ‘labour suppliers’ without any scruple for building churches is she not acting like the scribes and Pharisees whom Jesus blamed in Mt 15: 4-6?

For many people today, all religious authorities seem to be exclusive, divisive, and oppressive…’ (‘Jesus Today’ p.27).

Amidst the scandals that ‘have rocked the Churches and undermined their authority’ comes a Pope giving some rays of hope with his unusual simplicity and audacity to speak his mind so spontaneously. But for divine intervention, will his papacy be able to cleanse the accumulated garbage ever since the Constantine patronage in all possible areas of the church? The institutional infrastructure with necessary theological base is not that easily penetrable before a good willing pope. Will he have the spine to withstand it? Can he really challenge the systems and inspire the personnel who man them?

Even the renewal introduced by the Vatican II could not hold water for long! What a council could not accomplish, will a well meaning pope do? The transition from prophetic discipleship, the way, to priestly and kingly church is so rooted that it looks almost impossible for a reversal. Attempting to correct the delinquencies retaining the flawed base would amount to do the impossible. Whatever be the justifications, institutional church is not at all compatible with the authentic teachings of Jesus. Only after dismantling it could anything be done seriously and honestly. All else would only be cosmetic.

There is no question of compromising and tolerating the status quo even with the pretext of being realistic. That would amount to abandon the prophetic spirit and surrender to the royal priestly traditions. Even those congregations inspired by the very Francis have conveniently abandoned their poverty and simplicity to the institutional buffer zones. 

இரயுமன்துறை புனித லூசியாள் திருவிழா

இரயுமன்துறை புனித லூசியாள் திருவிழா

இரயுமன்துறை புனித லூசியாள் திருவிழா 

கொடியேற்று (04.12.2013, புதன்):
பங்கு, பங்கின் வளர்ச்சி மற்றும் இறை விசுவாசம்
எசாயா 12:1- 6('மீட்பருளும் ஊற்றுகளிலிருந்து அகமகிழ்வோடு தண்ணீர் முகந்து கொள்வீர்கள்...')
யோவான் 14:6-14 ('வழியும் உண்மையும் வாழ்வும் நானே... என்னை காண்பது தந்தையை காண்பது ஆகும்...)

பங்கு: இயேசுவின் சீடர்கள் 'புதிய-கிறிஸ்தவ, கடவுளின்- நெறி' (திருத்தூதர் பணிகள் 9:2; 18:26; 19:23)யினர்.
இதுவே 'மீட்பின் வழி' (16:17)என்றும் கூறப்பட்டது.

சீடர்கள் 'கிறிஸ்தவர்கள்' எனப்பட்டது 11:26 அந்தியோக்யாவில்...

திருச்சபை: மத்தேயு 16:18- பேதுரு = பாறை, பாறைமேல் திருச்சபையை கட்டுவேன்...
அ.ப 8:1- எருசலேம் திருச்சபை; 8:3 திருச்சபையை அழித்து வந்தார்...
14:23 ஒவ்வொரு திருச்சபையிலும்...
20:28 திருச்சபையை மேய்ப்பதற்கு...கண்காணிப்பாளர்களை...

சீடர்கள் சித்திரவதை படுத்தப்பட்டனர்...
தலைமறைவாகினர்... பாதாள கல்லறைகளில்...
வெளி உலகிற்கு வந்தது கான்ஸ்டன்டைன் பேரரசர் ஏற்றுகொண்டபிறகு...
தொடர்ந்து அதிகாரம், அந்தஸ்து, ஆட்சி என்றெல்லாம் கிடைக்க அரண்மனை, பேராலயம் என எல்லா வசதிகளும்...
அதிகார வட்டாரங்கள் - ஆட்சி பகுதி- மறை மாவட்டம், வட்டாரம், பங்கு என...

பங்கின் வளர்ச்சி: வசதிகள் அல்ல, மாறாக அவசியங்கள் நிறைவேறும் நீதியான அமைப்புக்கள்... சமத்துவமும், சகோதரத்துவமும் நிலைநிற்கும் நிலை ...

விசுவாசம்: கடவுளில் என்பதைவிட சகோதரரில்... அயலானில்...
நம்பிக்கைக்குரியவர்கள் ஆவோம்...

தந்தையோடு தம்மை இணையாய் ஒப்புவித்தவர் மனிதர்களோடும் அவ்வண்ணமே செய்தார்..

மனிதனை நம்புவது கடவுளை நம்புவதாகாதா? அவனை நம்பாமல் கடவுளை நம்ப இயலுமா?

[முதல் வடிவம் மட்டும்... 02.12.2013]

Christ the king...!

Christ the King

Feast at Vettucaud (Mass for the Youth) Tuesday, 19^th Nov 2013)

Introduction:

The feast of Christ the king of late has become so popular that it is given the status of a regional feast with the district administration declaring the afternoon of the ostentatious flag hoisting day as holiday. The crowds on Fridays, irrespective of religious affiliations, give testimony loud and clear of its growing popularity..! People certainly must be experiencing the solace Jesus promised to those who are laid with the burdens of life.

With the usual fanfare we have commenced the feast with the colorful flag hoisting ceremony. And it is the fifth day dedicated for the younger people of our parish as well as the region, especially the pilgrim population.

As pilgrims and devotees, you must all be eager to listen to the glories of Christ the king and thereby to submit yourselves to his reign of love and peace. Bear with me, if you can for having come here not to incense your piety, but to explore with you the rational foundations of the title ‘king’ in the light of the gospels.  At this juncture, I would like to request you to lend your ears for something not necessarily pietistic or even faith bound. Let us wade through the muddy waters of history, theology and the like to reach to the pure and pristine waters of the original message.

King:

Do we know that both ‘Christ’ and ‘king’ are only titles? The title Christ has become so identified with Jesus that the one stands for the other! Christ or the anointed one or the redeemer, savior is what his disciples felt Jesus to be, especially after his ‘resurrection’: “…God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36) This was the first preaching. This same Peter who answered Jesus that he was the Christ. And Jesus charged them to tell no one about him (Mk 8:29-30).

Christ is a title which may go well with God. And what about kingship, a lesser status attributed to God. [Incidentally remember the story of Napoleon snatching the crown from the Pope who was supposed to crown him and place it on himself!] So, there is no credit in calling Christ a king.

In Jesus God dwelt among us ‘doing good.’ (Acts 10:38) He ‘did not count equality with God… humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.’ (Phil 2:6-8) He told us that ‘You are the light of the world…’ (Mt 5:14) in the same vein as he claimed to be the ‘the light of the world.’ (Jn 8:12) He taught us to call God ‘Our father…’ (Mt 6:9) He called us ‘friends.’ (Jn 15:14-15)

The title, Christ the king is not seen in the gospels but for the following: the assembly of the elders…, both chief priests and scribes accused Jesus of claiming to be “Christ a king” (Lk 23:2) and his challenging the position of Christ being the son of David (Mt 22:41-45).

In few instances Jesus was said to be the king of Jews. The wise men from the East coming to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews”? (Mt 2:2) At the trial the governor asked Jesus, “Are you the king of Jews?”(27:11). John in 19:19 speaks of a title Pilate wrote to be put on the cross; it read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.”

In fact he never wanted to be a king, even when people wanted to make him one after the multiplication of bread in John 6:15. When the governor asked him, “Are you the King of Jews?” he said to him, “You have said so.” (Mt 27:11) Moreover his very vision of life is that of service quite contrary to that of any king’s.

When Samuel didn’t subscribe to the Israelites’ demand for a king of their own God directs him to anoint one after warning them of the fallouts of having a king I Sam 8:10-18. Jesus would be the last person to be one such king, however generous he may be.

We have made of Jesus many things which he never ever dreamt even in his wildest of dreams. Was it not the same the Satan placed before him at last and Jesus stoutly denied to be wooed down by such a temptation even (Mt 3:8-10)?

It was only in 1925 Pope Pius XI instituted the feast of Christ the king, may be to justify kingship when it was almost crumbling down after the World War I, practically leaving only four kings and that too in the playing cards? A church thrived in the monarchy must be feeling insecure… May be to retain power she needed a strong symbol, unassailable, to safeguard her interests in the institutions around…

Prophet:

Jesus who withdrew from being made into a king (Jn 6:15) and who denied of any kingship comfortably claimed to be a prophet: When the people were astonished at the words and deeds of him who was so familiar with them and took offence at him, Jesus said: “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and among his own kin, in his own house.” (Mk 6:1-5)

When some scribes and Pharisees wished to see some signs from him, Jesus answered, “…no sign shall be given… except the sign of the prophet Jonah…” (Mt 12:38-39) At his entry into Jerusalem all the stirred city’s exclamation the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.” (Mt 21:10-11) “… And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” (Mk 6:15) The two of them heading to Emmaus in their conversation with the visitor answered him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people…” (Lk 24:13-19) The multitude after having been fed from the five loaves and two fish said, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!” (Jn 6:5-14) A prophet could never be a king…

Youth was Jesus when he laid down his life as a symbol of total self-giving as an antidote against the evils of selfishness/sinfulness. This prophet lived just for 33 years only, a life worth lived… He was at the prime of his youth…

At thirty he appears from nowhere at Jordan to receive baptism from John. With that commences his ‘public’ life of profound compassion for the poor which invited him to strong bonds of solidarity with them eliciting enough of controversies culminating in his crucifixion at Calvary at the age of thirty three, the peak of his youth!

Jesus being a sensitive youth was moved by the abject poverty, neglect and sufferings of the masses. The scriptures call them the ‘anawim’/poor of Yahweh. It was to deliver them that God came down seeing their affliction, hearing their cries, knowing their sufferings. (Ex 3:7-8) Economic constraints were certainly there, but what pained him was their shame and disgrace.

It was his great compassion which led Jesus to mix socially with the ‘lowest of the low’ and identified himself with them. Quite expectedly he set out to liberate them from every form of suffering and anguish… This he exercised through his healings, feedings and feastings and forgiving.

We, the youngsters have no different role than that of Jesus in his youth which consummated with his penultimate sacrifice for the liberation of man from selfishness…

Demographically, today’s India is at its youngest best and has the power to meet any challenge with the collective consciousness and effort of all people, especially young people like Jesus in his days.

Supreme value of youth is incalculable and indescribable.  Youth is the most creative, productive and daring of all life.  The way in which one utilizes this period will decide the nature of the years to come ahead.  Happiness, success, honor and good name all depend upon the way in which it is lived in the here and now. The world has put its faith in you; the elders keep their hopes in you. You can’t but be great.

The essence of true success (not as against failure) is what you make of yourself. It is the conduct of life that you develop, the character you cultivate and the type of person you become... Successful life is one that succeeds in producing an ideal individual, a noble man.  Success is not measured in terms of what all one obtained but of what you become, how you live and what you do.  

Ours is the time when youth is alert and aware and provoked by the happenings around and the stark reality of no values. We are facing incredible challenges:

·         Violence

·         Hunger(1/8) and illiteracy

·         Health and hygiene [dismal sanitation-open defecation- toilets first, temples next]

·         Mobile phones vis-à-vis toilets

-      Youth, A time of maximum creativity and productivity…

-      Time for ideal living and living for others… ‘Youth is not synonymous with wisdom but it is always synonymous with honesty and sincerity.’ [-Annie Mascareen – 1902-1963 - felicitating the new speaker A. M. Thomas on 19.05.1951]

-      Time challenging the inequalities and injustices of life… [Annie resigned when one of her cabinet colleagues was found corrupt… speaking on ‘Payment of Salaries and Allowances Bill 1951, on 20.09.1951 she advocated for a simple life style for the members when the poor are suffering…]

-      Time with maximum energy and great adventurism… (Sanju V. Samson…)

Vivekananda:

·         Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached…

·         Give ourselves a noble reason to live, a lofty ideal to live for and a higher state to reach within the boundaries of human existence.

·         Cultivate and nurture the ability to ‘feel’

Supreme value of youth period is incalculable and indescribable.  Youth life is the most precious life.  Youth is the best time.  The way in which you utilize this period will decide the nature of coming years that lie ahead of you.  Your happiness, your success, your honor and your good name all depend upon the way in which you live now, in this present period.

I wish you to be great.  The world has put its faith in you.  Your elders keep their hopes in you.  Now youth means to place your firm confidence in yourself and exercise your hopeful determination and resolution and willing good intentions in this beautiful task of self-culture.  This will truly bring supreme satisfaction and fulfillment not only to you, but also to all concerned.  The shaping of your life is indeed in your own hands.

The essence of true success is what you make of yourself. It is the conduct of life that you develop, it is the character that you cultivate and it is the type of person you become.  This is the central meaning of successful living.  Therefore, you will see this important matter is not so much a question of success in life ( Jivan – Me-  Safalta) but rather it is success of life. Such successful life is one that succeeds in producing an ideal individual, a noble man.  Your success is not measured in terms of what all you obtained but in term of what you become, how you live and what actions you do.  Upon this point reflect well and attain great happiness. 

Robert Kennedy: ‘Youth, rather than a period of life, is ‘a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the life of ease.’

Chinmayananda: ‘Children (youngsters) are not vessels to be filled, but lamps to be lit…’  Youth are not useless, they are used less…

As a pot is known by its content, like milk pot or honey pot, so too a nation, a community is known by its people, especially the young people.

Rumi: ‘Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.’

 ‘Genetics load the gun; life style pulls the trigger…’

-      India is a young nation with its teeming young population…

-      All these many hearts need to beat as one…

-      what really need to be programmed are not the computers, but human minds…

-      For change one needs to be

§  Physically fit

§  Emotionally strong

§  Intellectually refined

§  Culturally rooted

§  And spiritually uplifted.

Abdul Kalam: Why are our leaders harping on our ‘backwardness always? Why are we so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great people.

Strength:

Fighting the elements

Traditional expertise than mechanized

Colachel war

Politics:

·         Annie Mascareen (1902-1963) [Constituent Assembly of India/ Minister/ MP]

·         Lourdammal Simon (1912/ Minister of Fisheries 1957-62 Manakkudi

Bureaucrats:

·         Maria Desalphin IAS 1970s (Rubber Board Chairman/ Ambassodor)

·         Nanjil Kumaran IPS Chennai Commissioner of Police (Now an Asst. Commissioner…)

·         Cyril (Archeology Dir., Pondichery)

Industrialists:

·         Richard Fernandez (Industrialist-Plastic ‘Family Plastics)

·         Johnson S (Pretech)

·         JPR (Muttom Port)

·         Cletus Francis (Media industry - Deepika)

Education:

·         University - Sathyabama/

·         Colleges- Arts and Science, Engineering, Nursing etc

Scientists:

·         Scientists (Betty etc)

·         Mathematicians (Wilfred, Sabu etc.)

Artists:

·         Art (Cinema-William D’Cruz, Vijaya Kumar)

·         Painting Jayan…

·         Music (Arulappan)

Literature:

·         Literary men (G R Edmund, Berguman etc.)

·         Theologian (Fr. Felix Wilfred)

·         UN speakers (Fr. Edwin, on ‘Neighborhood communities, etc…)

Sports and games:

·         Cricket (Sanju Samson)

·         Foot ball (Thomas Sebastian etc.)

·         Shuttle badminton (Gloria Xavier)

Crew:

·         Pilots, Captains and engineers in ships

·         IT and other capabilities and foreign migration

·         Diocesan/Religious heads…

·         Huge investments - Multi-crore churches, halls, rectories and shrines…!

·         VSSC/ISRO, Titanium, Airport, and now Vizhinjam Container Terminal

·         Rather exclusive right over the sea and its resources

·         Shark hunting

·         Cured fish exporters/ seafood processing

·         Rajakkamangalam Port (Village Trust)

·         Abdul Kalam **Matha Amirthananatha Mayi ***Vyasan

They all struggled in an unfriendly and challenging environment. Now, favorable environs could be provided as in a laboratory situation for much higher contribution…

Weakness…

Illiteracy (Trivandrum-coast- along with Malappuram)

Dependency (Kept insulated from the main stream…)

Health and hygiene (open defecation/Karumkulam Panchayat)

The recurring in-fights and the ensuing litigation and so on…

Celebrations, and now the heavy dowry system

A Valiant People:

Fighting with nature so directly and consistently

Colachel War – a victory of its kind with a European force…!

Pope Francis:

Unemployment for youngster and abandonment for the aged are the most worrying realities of the day.

When God sends the prophet Jeremiah, he gives him the power to “pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant” (1:10). It is the same for you. Bringing the Gospel is bringing God’s power to pluck up and break down evil and violence, to destroy and overthrow the barriers of selfishness, intolerance and hatred, so as to build a new world.

The Church needs you, your enthusiasm, your creativity and the joy that is so characteristic of you. 'Do not be afraid!' When we go to proclaim Christ, it is he himself who goes before us and guides us. When he sent his disciples on mission, he promised: 'I am with you always' (Mt 28:20). And this is also true for us! Jesus does not leave us alone, he never leaves you alone! He always accompanies you.

“Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die.” 
― Herbert Hoover