October - December 2003

Wishing the Readers of Patrika a
Merry Christmas & a very Happy New Year

Contents
Editorial - Where are we now?
Whisper in the Kutiram
The Power of One
News in Brief
Interfaith Dialogue
Forming for Multicultural/International Religious Communities
Political multiculturalism/internationality: conditions required
Sesqui Celebrations of Manor House
Who is Afraid of Binnaguri!
A Gala Event for the Formees
Wooden Jubilee Bells!!!
A Cherished Event...
Delany Bhavan's Reaction
Laughing Bytes

A valid question that comes up at times is why we  open more and more English Medium schools in preference to vernacular ones. The answer is simple:  With the present popularity that  English medium schools enjoy, even a poor man wants to have his children educated in a ‘Convent School’. Besides, with several State Governments either privatizing education or  discouraging the opening of any more Government aided schools, it is not financially viable for any religious congregation to go it alone in conducting  unaided vernacular schools. However, what should be seen as a very positive step  is the Central Government’s recent directive that all self-financing schools must have 20%  of their admissions given to poor children. If this directive is taken seriously, there is no reason why we should not have more English medium schools.  The opposition to this from  vested interests is quite understandable, but we Patricians should  see it as a better option  for reaching out to the less privileged in our midst.

  Whether we run English medium schools or vernacular ones, whether we educate the rich or the poor, what should be of great concern for all educators today is the alarming growth of  religious intolerance and corruption in the country. In spite of the great work missionary schools boast of having accomplished in the field of education, it is a sad reflection on our contribution that  India  stands today as the 86th most  corrupt country in the world, where corrupt politicians and officials get away scot-free. The Mafia-culture of corruption on one hand and religious fundamentalism on the other is  not the handiwork of the poor and the socially backward class but of those who belong to the high-born, up-market type with political ambition, many of them, unfortunately, with ‘Convent School’ background. For all our Christian zeal, we failed to lay sufficient stress on character formation of those who came to our institutions should make us search for a new paradigm in conducting schools in the future. 

   Azim Premji, the chairman of Wipro, who delivered the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Lecture two weeks ago, spoke thus: “I believe it is our responsibility to build our nation, build character and integrity in our children and the future generation. I believe the one concerted area that wittingly or unwittingly can shape the personality and character of a society is education.”  He lamented the fact that our present system of education thrived only on “churning out standardized children like ‘graded products’ in a factory” and in fostering individuals who are basically selfish and care very little for the ‘other’.   “At the end of  an education cycle,”  he went on,  “the nation ought to be looking for the kind of citizen  who has the ability to relate rationally to fellow beings and their environment, who has an inherent sense of curiosity and interest beyond his/her own life; who perseveres in the face of odds; one who is not blindly obedient but can act on the basis of independent thought and exercise judgment; one who is able and willing to continuously learn and change; one who is excited by challenges; a person who sees diversity and plurality as strengths and, above all, one who will stand firmly by a set of values which will guide him/her through life.”

  Something for us to think about and act upon.

‘Do unto others what you would like others to do unto you”. This is the law and the prophets, as Jesus said. This is also called the ‘golden rule’. And so it is. But it has a problem: its centre is ‘I’ or the ego-self. The ego-self being imperfect, the golden rule can come to be of an entirely different hue very easily. It can come to mean, although through misinterpretation, the same as ‘ If others do unto you what you would not like them to do unto you, then do the same unto them’. Which is not different from ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ and ‘Love your friend and hate your enemy’.

Jesus came not to destroy the law and the prophets but to perfect it, based on the perfection of the heavenly Father who sends the rain to fall on the just and equally on the unjust, and the sun to shine on the just and equally on the unjust. This perfection is love, which is unconditional and non-discriminatory. Therefore one whose life is based on this love loves all without distinction of friend or foe, and is not revengeful or less happy when insulted or persecuted. Such a one lives the life of the beatitudes, or at least that is his sole and deepest desire. The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Even the greatest according to the old law is less than the least in the kingdom of the Father. “ I assure you that John the Baptist is greater than any man who ever lived. But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John” (Mtt 11:11).

In Jesus Christ a Christian sees the fullness of God (Col 1:19). That is, Christ is the ego-less self. When he says “I am” it is the I AM WHO AM (Jn 8:24). To be Christ is to be I AM WHO AM. And ‘for me to be is Christ’(Phil 1:21). That is, my authentic self is Christ. Every true Christian is another Christ. Christ is within, beside and all around me. ‘Christ is all and is in all’ (Col 3:11). Christ is the true life of all. “They (Moses and his crowd) drank from the spiritual rock that went with them; and that rock was Christ himself” (1Cor 10:4). Christ is the Word, the Word that existed before the world was created, and was with God and was the same as God (Jn 1: 1-2). “The Word, the eternal life, was made known to us” (1Jn 1:2). The life of the old law is imperfect. The life of the new law is perfect, as the new law, the new life, is of the perfection of the Father and is the same as the Father. “He comes after me, but he is greater than I am; because he existed before I was born” (Jn1:15). Christ is the perfection of the will of God, and ‘When anyone is joined to Christ, he is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come’ (2Cor 5:17). “God gave the law through Moses, but grace and truth came
through Jesus Christ” (Jn 1:17).

Although the old law is of God, the purity of it cannot be maintained without the ‘grace and truth (which) came through Jesus Christ’.

Right from the earliest times of Christianity there was a tendency (it is in fact the normal human tendency) to slip back to the old law. For Christianity this slipping back was the exception that proved the rule. But when the ‘exception’ became more widespread than the ‘rule’, notably after Constantine, the diminished (diminished in numbers) ‘rule’ went into the desert and the cave (of the heart; the physical movement being a powerful statement). And we had the consecrated religious life.

The ideal remains the same, namely, dying to self so that others may have life. Religious life has always been likened to martyrdom.

In an age of reason, democracy, equality, liberation, the golden rule is likely to take on an
extra glitter, and the extra glitter is likely to be at the expense of the ‘perfection of the heavenly Father’. Has religious life too got caught in the golden trap both in the community and in the field of apostolate? Only those for whom the good things of the world are of little value since they have found something of a higher value, as far as they are concerned, can be a firm support to those who struggle for the daily bread of body and mind. The others are at best self-interested agents of social change, however noble the cause may appear. Can religious life of such and such of religious life last long? Not diminishment of numbers, but diminishment of religious spirit is what should be worrisome, although to some extent numbers may be an indicator of the spirit. A life that revolves around the principle of reciprocal altruism is not Christian life, and certainly not
religious life.

Our founder Daniel Delany said (to the Sisters), “You must seek God rather than God`s consolations”. Is it from the realization of God, or at least that as the sole and deepest desire, rather than the pursuit of God`s consolations that the religious act as prophets, evangelizers and liberators? If it is so, happy are they, for the kingdom of God is theirs. “So then, anyone who hears these words of mine (the life of the beatitudes) and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain poured down, the rivers overflowed, and the wind blew hard against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock” (Mtt 7:24-25). It is different with anyone who does not obey them, as Jesus says. And isn’t the present time a stormy period? But however stormy life may be, grace is also given in equal measure. “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Rom
5:20). “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2Cor 6:2).

Disciple: Master, may I come in?

Master:            Of course, son, come right in.

Disciple: If you can spare some time for me, I want to clear some doubts  about our last conversation on meditation.

Master: Go ahead, son.

Disciple: When creating the scene for meditation to build compassion, you gave the example  of  the monastery cat chasing a bird instead of a mouse or a rat. I thought it would have been more appropriate if the cat was depicted as stalking a mouse rather than a bird. After all, a mouse is also a small, helpless creature.

Master: Yes, indeed! However, I deliberately avoided bringing in a mouse because generally all of us have an instinctive aversion to mice and rats. On the other hand, most of us love birds and the smaller they are, the greater is our fondness for them. And it is easier to build compassion, especially in the initial stages,  with one of those lovable creatures than a mouse or a cockroach! But once the meditator has sufficiently developed compassion for all living creatures, then  it won’t make any difference to him whether it is rat or snake.

Disciple: I get it now. But tell me, Master, why not I meditate on the passion of Christ and build compassion?

Master: Who is stopping you from it, son?  There is absolutely no problem in using any scene that helps you to meditate better. But I won’t buy the belief any more that if you meditate on the Lord’s passion, you gain more merit.  For us religious Jesus’ teaching and the simplicity of his life are far more important than his passion and death or his miracles. So, instead of meditating on the passion and death per se, suppose you  contemplate, say,  on “the power of one”    -    how one individual had the power to change the course of events in human history and be counted as the greatest human being of all time, then  Jesus is a perfect subject. The positive energy that you get out of such a meditation can transform your life. 

Disciple: That is something I never thought of.  I always thought meditating on the passion and death of Christ was good for my soul. Gathering merits for heaven was behind all my prayers and meditation.

Master: No, son. Only when we make a genuine attempt to build a heaven on earth, we win life hereafter! We may fail many times over. But remember: It is better to deserve without receiving than to receive without deserving!
Disciple: Wow! That sounds great. It is….better…better to…deserve without re…receiving  than to receive without… without deserving!

Master: You got it! But it is not mine. It was said by one R. G. Ingersoll.  Let us keep to our topic, then.  As I told you earlier, we can create any scene that will  help us to acquire the quality or virtue of our choice. For most of us tangible events or persons are more helpful than intangible ones.  I’ll illustrate it from the life of a young religious who published his experience in one of the religious periodicals…I think it was in “Jivan”.  Just before his final profession he was sent to have some experience of living and working with the poor.  He was assigned to work at a construction site. As he was there, one day he saw a baby  crying. Its mother had left it  alone on a mat while she was carrying heavy loads of bricks up to the first floor.  He knew the baby was crying for milk. He also knew that the mother could not leave her work without getting a mouthful of expletives from the supervisor.  First he thought of ignoring the situation altogether as such things are  part of everyday life.  But it was of no use. The more he tried to ignore the cry of the baby, the more he felt bad about not doing anything about it. It was Christmas time. He tried to picture the baby Jesus suffering from hunger and thirst in the cradle.  That did not move him much. After all, he said to himself, Jesus’ mother was always there with him. She did not have to go working as a coolie. Then something worked in his mind suddenly. He placed his own mother in the place of the  baby’s mother. He said the moment he did that, there was a sudden and overpowering  urge to act.  The response was immediate. He went up to the woman, took off the load from her head and told her not to worry  but to go and feed her baby while he carried the bricks for her.  Later , he confided in his superior that it was the most fulfilling experience of  exposure to social reality he ever had. He said he made a vow there and then that when he had to deal with any poor or disadvantaged person in future, he would see that person as one of  his own dear ones. 

Disciple: Yes, master, how true! It is a great lesson for me, too.  In fact, I recall what my mother told my eldest brother when he objected to her giving arms to beggars on the ground that we were only spoiling them by giving alms. My mother’s response was something that I’ll never forget: “Son,” she said to my brother, “suppose your dad or I were that beggar, would you  say that?”  I saw my brother turning his face away. Later I found him with tears in his eyes. 

Master: Your mummy is surely a saintly person, son.  No wonder I see you  taking so much interest when a poor person comes to the door asking for help. I’ve often noticed that you are the first person to come running to tell me that there is a person come to see me. To be honest with you, I’ve even got annoyed with you especially when the person looked a bit suspicious or   too demanding. Now I understand you, son, better. Remember one thing: many of these people look for a word of welcome and acceptance  more than what we give them. So, whether you give or not, never ignore them or chase them away like dogs. 

Disciple: Thank you, master.  Could I ask you another question?

Master: Go on, son.

Disciple: You said a while ago about the “Power of One”. Could you tell me something more about it?

Master: Why not? You see, son, it is all about just one individual making a difference in the lives of people or nation. Jesus, Buddha, St. Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi are all just individuals who changed human history, who changed the way people thought and lived. Just imagine a carpenter’s son from a lowly village in Galilee making such an impact in the world! He succeeded in creating an entirely  new “civilization”  for humanity! 

Disciple: But Jesus was God and so it was easy for him to do what he did!

Master: Okay, to avoid a  discussion on Christology which we can have in the class, I am prepared to agree with your view for the present. Let us grant that Jesus used his divine power to influence the world and usher in a new era for humanity. But what about Mother Teresa?  A simple woman with no extra learning or university degree after her name, turning out to be such a towering personality in the  world! “Saint of the Gutter”, “Mother of the poorest of the poor”, “Ray of hope  for  the ailing world”, “Lover of the poor”,  “the Little woman with a big heart”  are but just a few of the many epithets by which she is known. All cannot be Mother Teresas or Gandhis, but all of us have the power to influence people positively or negatively.  When you take up your ministry as a teacher, you  will come across teachers with tremendous amount of positive influence on their  students. Students almost adore them for the values they uphold  -  values of honesty, integrity, punctuality, hard work, openness, approachability, respect for one another,  etc.  Some of our Brothers  through their humane approach to leadership,  innovative ideas, their gentleness  and  fairness in the classroom and their dealing straight with parents and the general public do  influence the lives of those they come into contact with. In that respect, you can say that in their own way they are using the Power of One.

Disciple: Does Sachin Tendulkar fall into this category, master?

Master: I don’t think so, son.  How is he influencing the hearts and minds of people to be good and to do good? Has his hitting sixes or scoring centuries helped  them to unleash the hidden potential in them  so as to transform their lives? Who remembers today  the  great ‘Little Master’ of yester years, Sunil Gavaskar? Who will remember the now famous Ahyswarya Rai once her beauty fades and she disappears from the tinsel world? These are heroes of today, forgotten tomorrow. They are no different from a successful executive or a famous politician whose only aim in life is to hog the limelight and line their  pockets.  But a person like Mother Teresa or Mahatma Gandhi or Francis of Assisi will remain etched in the minds and hearts of people for a long, long time.  In other words, they continue to live because the message they gave to the world continues to have meaning in the lives of people.  Let me tell you, son,  Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan  or Arundadhi Roy who set aside a major portion of  her Booker Prize money for the same cause and  joined hands with Medha, would make a far better example of the Power of One than  Sachin Tendulkar.  These two women have sacrificed their comforts and become symbols of hope for the tribal people of Narmada Valley.  And each of them, like Moses and Aaron, are leaders in their own right   -   one for her initiative in leading the Andolan against exploitation of the weaker sections of society by the powerful, the other a fearless and articulate spokesperson for the voiceless. Each using their  ‘Power of One’. 

Disciple: Don’t you think a Brother’s life has only a limited scope for this?

Master:  Not at all. In fact, a Brother with no hierarchical compulsions since he is neither a priest nor a bishop,  or  family encumbrance as he has no wife or children, is the most ideal person to exercise the “Power of One”.

Disciple: Very fascinating, Master. I am really excited today after  hearing this mantra   -   THE POWER OF ONE   -  which  I hope to make the mantra of my own life as a Brother.

Master:  Good. May God grant you the grace to persevere  in your resolve, son!

Disciple: Thank you, master. Good Day to you, master.

Master:  Good Day,  son.

Bro. Joseph Veliyil is in Thrissur undergoing Pranic and Reiki healing for his diabetes, and Ayurvedic massage for his aching bones. He is being taken care of by two buxom  masseuses, reports Bro. Thomas from Mananthavady. According to Thomas, Joseph is regaining his vitality and strength faster than expected  under these ministrations. What worries Thomas, however, is whether Joseph would  consider it appropriate to bring the masseuses also along with him  to Mananthavady so that the massage could be continued for some more time! 

It is reported that the University of Kannur has assured  permission to St. Patrick’s to open a B. Ed. College in its premises, thanks to the efforts of Bros. Paschal and Thomas. Since the land is in the name of the Institute of the Brothers of St. Patrick (Delany Bhavan), Thomas, as its Director, has an active role to play in this venture. However, there are so many other hurdles to be overcome before anything materializes. 

Construction  of the school building  for the new school, Mount St. Patrick Academy, in Pune has already begun.  Hope to have at least seven classrooms  ready by  mid-May, 2004. Bros. Berchmans, Christopher and Dominic keep visiting the site in turn. Any Brother is welcome to pay a visit to  our project there.

As Shanti Bhavan, Binnaguri, has only four candidates, Bro. Benedict has made it a mission to visit all the schools and parishes in  the tribal areas of  West Bengal, Assam and Bihar, leaving the candidates under the care of his Assistant, Bro. Binnoi.  Binnoi also takes some class in St. Patrick’s school. Three of the candidates are doing their final year of  the plus two through the Open School at St. Patrick’s.  The large campus of St. James, St. Patrick’s and Shanti Bhavan looks beautiful, thanks to  the combined efforts of Bros. Benedict, Antony Randiv and O.J. Joseph. 

The Institute of National Open Schooling, Delhi, has requested Bro. Albert to start more courses  since they are fully satisfied with the facilities we have provided for the vocational training of the dropouts at Trichy.  They have sent all the text books necessary free of cost. 

The young Brothers of Patrick Nilayam, Trichy, went on a three-day outing to Kochi, Kerala and were looked after by Bro. Paul Pareccatil’s family. The Brothers were more than pleased with  the arrangement. Both Paul and Edward from Dindigul also joined them. 

On 14th November, St. Patrick’s School, Alundur, witnessed a triple celebration    -     Teachers’ Day, Children’s Day and Honouring the teachers of the school for producing 100% pass in SSLC consecutively for the last seven years. It was sponsored by the parents. It was at the insistence of the parents that  the function to honour the teachers was organized.  The Principal and teachers were presented with Mementos and gifts by the parents. 

The grand get-together of all the candidates and postulants organized by the formation team at Chennai between 30 October  and 2 November was a rare and enriching experience for  candidates from  Kerala, Tamilnadu and north-east. Special report by Bro. Thomas appears in this edition. 

The Sesqui-Centenary of St. George’s College, Mussoorie, was celebrated between 11 and 13 October. The three-day  celebration included a ballet by the students of the school, Musical Evening with the famous Luck Ali, an ex-Manorite, One-Act Plays, Dance, exhibition on Manor House, Laser show depicting the history of Manor House, inauguration of the  Sesqui-Centenary Park  with a towering statue of St. George by the Chief Minister of Uttaranchal,  installation of the Nepalese Buddhist ceremonial bell and, finally, a sparkling   display  of fire-works.  Hundreds of past pupils with their families graced the occasion, some for just one day, some for two days and others for all three days. This edition carries a detailed report by Bro. Christopher. 

The Province can boast of its first Clinical Psychologist in the person of Bro. Antony Joseph who will be returning shortly from Manila with a Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology in his pocket from the University of Santo Thomas. We cordially welcome him back to India  and look forward to his valuable contribution in the field of  mental health and education.

Peter Bowe, OSB, of the Benedictine of Douai Abbey, England, is the convenor of Monastic Interfaith Dialogue, encouraging dialogue and interaction with other faiths in the English monasteries.  He was asked about his experience in India  and  the following is an extract from the interview he gave to “Charisms in Unity” as told by Jonathan Cotton, OSB:

Two years ago I was in South India again, and had the chance with some Benedictine monks and nuns to make an interfaith pilgrimage in and around Bangalore. We were welcomed in turn at a Jain Temple, a Hindu Temple on the outskirts of the city, a Sikh Gurudwara and finally a Muslim College.

  The Jain temple was at a busy city cross-roads; the faithful were coming, as they do each day, for morning prayers and Puja, having specially bathed and dressed in clean white clothes, some with the masks which Jains, out of respect for their sacred principle of ahimsa (non-violence), wear to prevent harming living beings in the air with their breath.  In the compact, exquisitely carved, marble temple, with a perambulatory outer raised section and an inner domed shrine open on three sides, a most devotional atmosphere prevailed. A small group of youth was singing bhajans (sacred songs) accompanied by tabela (finger drums) and small harmonium. The Jains were most hospitable: we were led around the shrines and into the inner sanctum, and Jain beliefs were meticulously explained. For Jains, like Buddhists agnostic, the gods and idols are not real in themselves, rather symbols of human attitudes, aspirations and fears, so the worship is really about one’s own integration in oneself and with the world around. Purity, right living and service of others are hallmarks of their faith.

 Next we visited the Rajarajeswari Temple where a festival in honour of the guru’s birthday was in progress. Loud drums and blaring conches, a gaily decked processional cart some forty feet high for the idol, crowds pressing all around.  Bare-chested swamis in saffron lunghis abounded, younger ones in white. One came forward to give us a smiling welcome and conduct us directly to the aged guru in the thick of the melee. One by one we squeezed through the press towards him and he received us each most warmly. Then into the exquisitely carved and decorated temple, carefully constructed in symbolic human and cosmological measure, right into the inner sanctum where a noisy crowd pressed to receive the blessing of the god with the arati-fire and the prasad (sacred food) at the hands of the brahmans, all the while low murmuring of Vedic chant punctuated by clanging bells. Given honoured places in front of the shrine, we signed ourselves with the holy sandalwood paste and red tilak. Afterwards, out in the hot sun, we were taken for refreshments to the ashram  of the monks.

  Then to the Sikhs   -   so different! We arrived as prayers, this time in Punjabi, were in progress and we squashed into the packed Gurudwara, squatting on the floor. At the conclusion we were welcomed in English and invited to share the lunch provided for all downstairs. A delicious meal of rice, dahl, chapatti, vegetable curry and curds was served to about 300 seated in rows on the floor. Afterwards we returned upstairs to hear about the simple Sikh faith. Sikhs worship the one God. The Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred Book, takes center place in the temple, and reading the scriptures together with a spirit of service comprise the core of their devotion. I was reminded of the sola scriptura of Luther, a contemporary of Guru Nanak, the Sikh founder. 

 At the Muslim College we were disappointed to find the imam we hoped to meet was away, but others welcomed us and demonstrated motions of the Muslim prayer five times a day and held a short discussion with us.
 So, at the end of the day in which we had entered into four quite different religious traditions, I found myself reflecting that the Sikhs seemed to me to demonstrate what I am more familiar with in the Protestant tradition, and the Jains, with focus on detail, on purity and on non-violent living, to mirror the tradition of some committed religious confraternities and orders. But it was the Hindus, with their powerful symbolism and lively popular participation, whom I most warmed to as closest to the sacramental tradition of my Catholic faith. I reflected that, were I not already Catholic Christian, I might well find it most natural to turn to the throbbing human symbolism  -  even sacramentalism  -  of South Indian Hindu faith to express my human longing for the Divine! The stunning ancient Tamil temples, awesome in their architectural grandeur and powerful symbolism, are deeply spiritual places. I can see that the rich treasuries of faiths other than mine not only expand my horizons and open up converse with other men and women, but more importantly also water the deep wells of my own spirit searching for God in and through Christ.

How have your interfaith encounters affected your life as a Benedictine monk?

   I have found interfaith dialogue to be immensely enriching as a monk. The monastic traditions of other faiths bear out what we treasure in our own Benedictine Rule: emphasis on listening and obedience to the Spirit, reverence for and stability in the tradition, the discipline of common life and the round of prayer/meditation, hospitality, human generosity. Indeed it is precisely at the monastic level that we have, I think, so much to share. I recall an interfaith meeting of monastic people from many faiths some years ago at Amaravati, a Thai Buddhist monastery near Hemel Hempstead in England. Monks and nuns of all sorts were there: Buddhists, Hindus, Christian, and some Sufis and Jews. We found less need to compare teachings, but rather were able to share and partake in each others’ experience of “the Divine”  -   what we Christians call God   -   and we were moved to find we had so much in common. 

You obviously have had much experience of other faiths. What would be your comment to readers of Charisms in Unity?

  My own experience is that the more I have tried to enter straightforwardly into the interfaith place the more I have grown in my own faith commitment. To meet those who committed to their own faith, to learn about theirs, to experience their rituals, meet their holy men and women, and  get to know their scriptures, receive their welcome   -   all this has helped bring me back to the fundamentals of my own faith and practice. It has helped me identify anew what is essential to my faith and what is peripheral, and to experience the Spirit working in their tradition also. I now realize in a quite new way that God works in the whole world, with and in all women and men, and that his voice is to be heard in every part and face of Christ seen every person.

  So I am convinced that the dialogue of religions is not optional, not simply a device for mutual understanding, but rather the only way to respond fully to the challenges humanity is facing in this 21st century.

(The above titled Chapter from Gerald  A. Arbuckle’s book  “From Chaos to Mission” highlights the importance of formation in multiculturalism and internationality. The following are some relevant excerpts from this Chapter which may provide us with some thoughts at our forthcoming Province Assembly in preparation for the General Chapter next year. With Brothers from different cultural backgrounds within the Province and as an international Congregation with members from multicultural backgrounds, some of Arbuckle’s views are as much relevant to the Patricians as for others  - Editor) 

  If we judge from the constitutions and mission statements of many congregations, there is a growing theoretical awareness of this need. Thus, there are expressions such as: ‘We are committed to living internationality in a divided world’; ‘Let us inculturate the gospel in our own communities first by being authentically multiculturalist’ ; ‘We are called to respect the rights of people to their culture; this applies also to people of different cultures within our congregation. We commit ourselves to train our candidates in multicultural communities’ ; ‘We commit ourselves to foster formation communities  in which representatives of several ethnic groups live together in a spirit of dialogue, justice, and charity’. But are communities in fact living according to these statements, or are the words just rhetoric and escapes into fantasy?

 The sociological study  The Future of Religious Orders Study in the United States contains disturbing conclusions about the gap between the theory and reality. For example, 96% American religious are white in a country of immense ethnic diversity; minority groups are poorly represented; ‘unconscious racism makes penetration of minority populations into rather homogeneous orders very difficult’. The report shows that older religious in particular, while believing  they are accepting of minority members, in practice are unable to adapt readily to the cultural diversity this demands.  My experience is that religious of dominant cultures usually do not lack good will towards minority groups in their midst, but, while using the language of multiculturalism and internationality, they imperfectly understand what these words mean and what attitudinal and behavioural changes they must make in consequence. Not uncommonly they are unconscious racists, freely using anti-minority stereotypes  widespread in their own culture without realizing their racist meanings.

  There can be no authentic contemporary formation programme if the challenges of multiculturalism and internationality are not squarely confronted. This means not just renewing past efforts, for they have so often failed, but refounding the formation process in religious congregations (which involves radical restructuring and attitudinal change) so that the two interrelated issues of multiculturalism and internationality are integral to planning and action.

  Multiculturalism is often an emotive word, ‘a buzzword with almost as many meanings as there are mouths to utter it.’ For many conservatives in society and restorationists in the Church, the term has come to signify a very disruptive, unsettling and dangerous force. For them diversity of  cultures is something to be at best tolerated. Peace and order, they claim, have existed in the past (and will continue to exist) only when a dominant group has insisted on conformity to a monocultural ethos. Extreme liberals also dislike the term. They claim it means either a bland ‘melting-pot’ attitude that would remove all differences, or a situation in which cultural diversity is so emphasized that any unity between cultures does not or cannot exist. Theologically, however,  multiculturalism is a  process of inculturation whereby cultures are so transformed and remade into a ‘new creation’ that they interact with one another in justice and charity in the service of  personal and community growth. 

  Bhikhu Parekh provides a helpful initial working definition that avoids the extremes of conservative and liberal theorists while respecting the theological approach:

Multiculturalism doesn’t simply mean numerical plurality of different Cultures, but rather a community which is creating, guaranteeing,  encouraging spaces within which different communities are able to grow at their own pace. At the same time it means creating a public space in which these communities are able to interact, enrich the existing culture and create a new consensual culture in which they recognize reflections of their own identity.

The definition rejects two popular definitions, namely demographic and holistic multiculturalism. The former connotes that a particular society merely contains different cultural groups; the second means that a society values cultural diversity, but gives higher priority to group-wide cohesion. The definition supports political multiculturalism. This is a social philosophy which acknowledges the legitimate concerns of ethnic groups within a society or an organization, and the need for these interests to be expressed in adequate politico-economic structures and processes. Political multiculturalists seek to establish structures that permit minority peoples by right to be fully involved in decision-making in matters that affect their lives. Political multiculturalism historically is a reaction against policies of cultural oppression. Phrases or terms such as ‘the melting-pot approach to immigrants’, ‘cultural pluralism’ and ‘integration’ are often synonymous with covert or overt programmes to destroy minority cultures by forcing them to be assimilated into the dominant culture. Multiculturalism, in these three senses, normally applies to situations within the same country. Internationality is multiculturalism in any of these interpretations as applied to relationships between cultures of separate countries.

The conditions for political multiculturalism/internationality to develop in the Church and religious congregations are outlined in the following sections

Commitment to a theology of multiculturalism/internationality

Vatican II reaffirms the Church’s commitment to support the rights of people to their own culture. (In today’s restorationist  atmosphere, however, the Council’s emphasis on this point, and the need to foster cultural diversity at the level of the local church, are downplayed in favour of a return to the Eurocentric or monocultural Catholicism of the centuries before Vatican II.)

Informed understanding of culture

 The way culture is conceptualized has significant bearing on the theory and practice of multiculturalism. An early definition of culture focused on observable phenomena (such as spoken/written  languages, foods, rules of rituals) rather than on how people feel about what they do. Research has shown the inadequacy of this definition on the grounds that it assumed that formal language was the main channel of communication. Between 80 and 90 percent of information is communicated by other means, for example, nonverbal processes comprise at least gestures, facial expressions, eye-contact and gaze, posture and movement, touching, dress, objects and artifacts, silence, space, time.  The nonverbal processes form ‘silent languages’ which are powerful means of communication.  The early definition exaggerates ethnic groups’ historical lifestyles and customs, and downplays their adaptation to the world in which they now live.

Education in multiculturalism/internationality

 The major conclusions of the Swann Report on Multicultural Education in Britain apply, not just to secular school system, but to the Church and religious congregations:

While we recognize that society and its institutions seldom change rapidly, nevertheless we cannot emphasize too strongly the urgency of the need for change where attitudes to the ethnic minorities are concerned. …The fundamental change that is necessary is the recognition that the problem facing the education system is not how to educate children of ethnic minorities, but how to educate all children….

Multicultural understanding has also to permeate all aspects of a  school’s work. It is not a separate topic that can be welded on to existing practices. Only in this way can schools begin to offer anything approaching the equality of opportunity for all pupils which it must be the aspiration of the education system to provide.

Note the emphasis: multiculturalism/internationality is to permeate all aspects of the educational process. It is not something to be added on to their education only if students happen to be interested in the topic.

 Two levels of education are required: general and particular. General education for multiculturalism/internationality involves training students to become sensitive to such issues as power and complexity of culture, and the identification of personal and cultural (including gender) prejudices/discriminations.

Particular education for multiculturalism/internationality focuses on training people for living in specific multicultural/international groups, such as is proposed for religious formation communities. Training will aim to foster in religious three levels of competency: cognitive, affective and operational. Cognitive competency is factual knowledge that a person acquires about cultural differences of members of a community. For example, when a multi-ethnic community is to be formed, its leader, with the guidance of a skilled cultural interpreter, needs to arrange an orientation programme in which all members have the chance to explain some of their fundamental cultural symbols. Explanations can avoid considerable misunderstandings and conflicts later. Some simple examples can illustrate this point:

* Visitors to Western homes from East Asia are often puzzled when their hosts keep asking them what they would like. In their own countries the host is supposed to anticipate the needs of guests.

* Japanese culture does not encourageself-disclosure among friends, but Westerners foster self-revelations even in the early stages of friendship

* Westerners are especially concerned about individual space and like to be on their own at times. But people of folk cultures (for example, from Asia, Africa and the South Pacific) which emphasize group identity and cohesion feel embarrassed when they see Westerners on their own. Out of politeness they join them, but feel rejected when their apparently lonely friends withdraw further into private space.

* Different cultural notions of time are notorious for causing intercultural tensions. Folk cultures place priority on relationships, not on time schedule; Westerners prefer to keep to time commitment, even to the extent of jeopardizing relationships.

 People with affective competency have developed the emotional and motivational capacity to contribute to a multicultural/international community with all its environmental pressures and challenges. The competency involves a willingness to learn the common language of the group and to do all that is required to foster a sense of community. People with this skill keep sharpening their own human sensors of listening, empathy and feeling. Empathetic listening across the cultural barriers is the struggle to view the world as the other does, to become more sensitive not just to the feelings of the other, but to the reasons behind them. This also involves a struggle to become aware of one’s own cultural values and prejudices and their influence on one’s behaviour. This is not an easy task. All cultures have prejudicial stereotypes of other cultures. A stereotype is a set image that one group has of others different from themselves; it is a shorthand method of handling or grasping a complex world of people, but is faulty and often unjust. Cultural stereotypes, if left unidentified and unremoved, will obstruct ability to empathize with people of another culture.

Cultural romanticism is a particularly insidious barrier to intercultural understanding. People of a dominant culture, using a traditional definition of culture, foster romantic visions of minority peoples considered to be inferior to them. These perceptions emphasize what are thought to be the exotic or strange features of these cultures, for example dances and rituals. People of the dominant culture claim it is a pity if such cultures disappear; minority peoples are made to feel like inanimate museum pieces to be called out to entertain ‘their cultural superiors’ at politically correct times and then to retire to their inferior positions once the need ceases. People with affective competency will be prepared, not just to recognize within themselves prejudices of this nature, but will want to remove them.

Operational competency refers to people’s ability  ‘to enact, or express, their cognitive and affective experiences outwardly when communicating with others’.  People with this competency use their cognitive and affective knowledge in practical and creative ways to the advantage of the community. They are bound to make mistakes but willingly seek to be corrected. 

Sensitivity to the stages of culture contact

  When  people of different cultures meet for the first time, they tend to react according to a predictable pattern. First is the fascination or ‘honeymoon’ stage, the enjoyment that comes from discovering such things as new and exciting foods or fascinating ways of acting.  The second stage is disillusionment, when people begin to find it increasingly tiresome to communicate for long periods across cultural barriers. This can lead to friction and conflict. If people keep striving to overcome the cultural obstacles to communication, they move to the third stage, namely authentic multiculturalism/internationality.

  Most people never get beyond  the second stage. Fixation at the disillusionment stage is generally inevitable for at least three reasons. First, popular literature on  cross-cultural evangelization often asserts that the evangelizer  ‘must totally identify with the culture, fully divesting  themselves of their culture of origin’. When this level of identification does not happen evangelizers become discouraged and disillusioned.  But the directive is unrealistic. It is impossible to identify fully with the feelings of another person even one of the same culture. Efforts to divest oneself  totally of one’s culture are a disservice to the people one serves and to oneself. It is only from a position of personal cultural self-esteem that one is able to give and receive from others. When one is culturally insecure or confused, then one lacks confidence to interact with other people of different cultures. No single culture has all the answers to human living.  Hence, the value and the need for multicultural/international communities in which cultural experiences are shared and new insights develop for the benefit of all.

Second, cross-cultural interaction can cause what Kalvero Oberg calls culture shock. This is ‘the anxiety that results from losing all of our familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse’. Among the symptoms of culture shock are a feeling of what Robert Taft terms  ‘cultural weariness’, manifested by irritability, insomnia and other psychosomatic disorders, a sense of loss arising from being uprooted from one’s familiar orderly  surroundings, and a feeling of impotence from being unable to relate competently to an unfamiliar cultural environment. When individuals suffer culture shock they react to people of other cultures either through arrogant ethnocentric reactions, such as racist or paternalistic comments/actions, or through culturally romantic attitudes/actions as described above when the one in shock, in order to cope with the intensely frustrating situation, and yearning for acceptance by people of the other culture, attempts to discard his/her own culture by belittling it and over-praising the other culture. 

  Third, the difficulties involved in cross-cultural communication are so many and complex at times that conflict occurs, especially at the second stage of contact. Conflict is a state of dissonance or confrontation between two forces or systems which may be expressed openly or very subtle ways. In the context of intercultural interactions, conflict is the  ‘perceived and/or actual incompatibility of values, expectations, processes, or outcomes between two or more parties from different cultures over substantive and/or relational issues’. Sometimes the methods of expressing conflict will be culturally influenced and unrecognized by people of other cultures. This further exacerbates an already tense situation. Intercultural conflict commonly begins with a simple breakdown in communication, leading to misinterpretations; if left unclarified and unmanaged this initial failure in communication causes interpersonal conflict.

  Conflicts can be used positively to improve communication. Sometimes the group itself can reflect on the cultural roots of the conflicts, but often the group and individuals are so emotionally overwhelmed by difficulties that this requires the assistance of independent cultural interpreters or counselors. Cultural interpreters are people who listen to the group and are able to explain the cultural sources of misunderstanding or conflicts. The people are left to work things through themselves in light of the information. Cultural counselors do not provide the information directly, but lead groups caught in conflict to identify for themselves the cultural causes of the tensions and discord. Both types of intervention are important, though recourse to the cultural counselor may be more effective in the long term, because people come to master for themselves the reasons for conflict.

---

St. George’s College, Manor House celebrated the Sesqui  - Centennial of its inception on the 11th, 12th & 13th of October 2003. The school was the Mecca of the Alumni, Brothers, Parents and well-wishers for 3 days of activity and a homecoming for so many illustrious ex-students. Indeed it was a memorable day in the school calendar and a moment of history revisited. The Chief Minister of Uttaranchal, Mr.Narain Dutt Tiwari, performed the opening ceremony and the celebrations got under way on the 11th October at 9.30. am  He flew in a few minutes before time in a helicopter and was duly received on the middle-flat (temporarily converted into a suitable heli-pad), by the Principal Br.A.J.George, the Brothers and members of the Alumni Executive Body. He was then escorted to the School Auditorium where he declared the celebrations open and spoke to a gathering of about 1200, about the contribution  of St.George’s College to the state and country as a whole. He was then escorted to the Sesqui Centennial Park where he unveiled the statue of St.George, the Patron Saint of Manor House in the presence of the august gathering. This finished and after tea with the Brothers and Alumni, he flew out on important assignments. The other highlights of the day were the School Exhibition put up by the students of the school and in the afternoon the School Annual Sports that featured among other events, a P.T. and Karate and Gymnastics Display performed by all the students of the school. The school play ‘Desh Hamara’ directed by Fr.Charles Vaz  was the play of the evening performed by about 250 students. It was watched by a full auditorium of parents and well wishers. On the 12th morning Rt Rev Bp. Oswald Lewis  presided over the Eucharistic Celebration of thanksgiving in the school auditorium, which was well attended by a huge turn out of Brothers, Religious & Clergy, parents and school students. It was a fit occasion to thank God for all that has been and to ask God’s blessings for the school and all that it has stood for over the last 150 years. After the Eucharistic Celebration, Bishop Oswald Lewis in the presence of Br. Berchmans Athakkad, Provincial, Brothers of St.Patrick and the Nepali parents inaugurated the Nepalese Temple Bell. It was donated by the parents of the Nepali students in Manor House, and personifies the Religious Harmony that exists in St.George’s College. On the final day of the celebrations, 13th October, the school students put up a Cultural Extravaganza directed and produced entirely by them. It was highly appreciated by all who attended it, parents, well-wishers and Alumni alike. It consisted of a variety of Cultural dances from Nepal, Tibet and the most popular Bhangra . The students also staged ‘What happened to Jones’ a rollicking comedy that was the prize winning item at the Inter House Culturals , 2002. After tea the Alumni presented a new 40-seater bus to the school, which was duly received by Br.Berchmans Athakkad and the Principal of the school, Br.A.J.George. The Provincial also inaugurated the first ever Alumni Office in the school. The culminating show of the celebration was the Lucky Ali Musical Nite, performed by the popular singer of repute, Lucky Ali, himself an Alumni of Manor House. With the well lit up and popular Gothic Façade of St.George’s College as a fitting background, Lucky Ali performed to a host of school students, parents, guests and Alumni who had turned up in large numbers. The highlight of the show however was the Laser Show, the first ever  in Mussoorie, that told the story of Manor House and which was thoroughly enjoyed by all present.  The 3-day celebrations were brought to a colourful close with a blaze of pyrotechnics that lit up the night sky of Mussoorie and beyond with the glory that is Manor House. Thus ended an era in the history of the school and began another one for the future.                                                                            - Bro.  Christopher Dawes                                                                                  Mussoorie Lower three photos: The oldest Manories light the lamp at the inauguration  -  A scene from "Hamara Desh" performed by the students  -  A section of the spectators at the spectacular Karate display

A visit to Binnaguri can be an unnerving experience. Even  though you may be going into one of the most scenically  beautiful spots with luscious tea-gardens all around and abounding in greenery and rivers of  crystal clear water, you cannot be too certain about coming back with your head on your shoulder! The Communist Government which has been ruling the State of West Bengal for the last 26 years has not only taught the workers to demand their rights, whether right or wrong, but also taken them back  to the age of thuggery which Lord William Bentick had put a stop to some 200 years ago!  Because of tea-garden workers’ undue demands as many as ten gardens have been closed. The result is that, while the union leaders don’t   have much to  worry  about , many innocent workers’ families have been reduced to utter starvation.

 The life of the Brothers in Binnaguri,  under the prevailing situation there, is far from being kushy. Besides, with the Government withdrawing the grant of DA to St. James altogether, and parents unwilling to have the fees raised, the Brothers  are  in a real fix.  Though it may not be far too difficult to make the teaching and office staff  understand the problem, the same cannot be expected of the class four employees whose philosophy  ‘work less for more pay’  cannot be questioned even by the law of the land.  Any effort by Bro. Jose to discipline them is met with  stubborn resistance. The unenviable position the Brothers  are in, is not likely to disappear for sometime to come. Unless the fee structure is  revised drastically, they  don’t see a way out of the impasse.  St. Patrick’s school,  the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), the IGNOU Study Centre and Shanti Bhavan  are going to be hit badly  if St. James stops contribution. St. Patrick’s has over 700 regular students majority of whom are very, very poor and cannot afford to pay any fees.  An interesting feature of St. Patrick’s is that, because it is a good school,  parents who  otherwise can afford but don’t believe in  gender equality, send their daughters to St. Patrick’s while their sons attend St. James! The  school has some twenty  teaching staff and three to four others.

  The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Study Centre which began operation in the campus under the able supervision of Bro. Sebastian, has already students enrolled from far and wide. Getting professors for the week-end classes is the biggest challenge Sebastian is faced with at the moment, apart, of course, from the financial crunch.  Bro. Augustine Paul helps him out with part time  lecturing.  Providing more facilities like library,  a lecture hall, computers, inter-net, software etc. is going to remain an unrealized dream for him  if no financial support is going to come from St. James or elsewhere. He is confident that, if the Study Centre is run well, it would be a big blessing for the thousands of  young people who cannot afford  or are inaccessible to a good University education in this remote part of the country. 

The much awaited Patrician Formees get-together began on the evening of 30th October in the presence of Bros. Jacob, Solomon and Thomas. Till then the candidates  on their own were widening their circle of friends among themselves   -   candidates who have come from different  formation Houses.  It was heartening to see them interacting freely with all. In the evening after dinner in the St. Patrick’s Junior school auditorium, the three-day gala event  began.  Bro. Thomas welcomed all the formees and formators and officially  inaugurated the GET-TOGETHER PROGRAMME. At this session each candidate got to introduce himself to the rest. All  were, then, presented with a file and identity card specially made for this meeting. 

On  the following day at 9 a.m. Bro. Paul Raj, S.G conducted an interactive class on Religious Brotherhood ( Brotherhood: A Blessed Ambiguity).  He pinpointed the importance of Brothers in the Catholic Church and the wonderful work they do for humanity. He said, “To become brothers of Jesus, first we must become brothers to one another.” I could see a lot of interaction going on between Paul Raj and the candidates.  Then  Mrs. Gonsalves, one of the  teachers of St. Patrick’s, talked on  ‘A lay person’s expectations of a Brother’. She was very vibrant when she shared her  very positive experiences with the Patrician Brothers. She said she felt very proud to be associated with the Patrician family. She wanted all the Brothers to be impartial when dealing with the staff in the schools. She also cherishes the openness, the family spirit and the prayer life of the Brothers.  She was not kidding when she cautioned the formees not to fall into the traps of complimentary sex when they begin their ministry in school after their vows.

In the afternoon a quiz programme was conducted from the Gospel of St. Mathew. All the formees did well scoring 60% and above marks. In the evening after tea, Volleyball and Basketball matches were conducted between the four groups that were formed the previous day.  After dinner, each formation house presented a well prepared theme from the Gospel of St. Mathew.  Some houses  enacted scenes directly from the Gospel; still others presented the theme through  present-day life situations in drama form. Anyway, it was a wonderful experience for both the audience and the participants. For many formation houses John the Baptist was an appealing and inspiring person to bring on to the stage.

On 1st November morning it was the turn of Patrician Brothers to talk to the formees. Bro. Damien spoke of his experiences as a Patrician Brother. Bro. Abraham Variath, the one and only Swamiji of ours, was also there to share his thoughts and feelings. Though his philosophical and logical thoughts were not very digestible to the grasping capacity of the candidates, it definitely made an impression  on them.

The formees were then given the topics: ‘Jesus calling’, ‘his preaching and healing ministry ‘ as themes for the Poster Competition. The outcome was superb, each trying to outdo the other. Within no time Jesus and his disciples appeared on the charts with very creative and appealing captions and pictures. It was definitely an exploration into the artistic talents of the individuals. 

In the evening football matches were conducted. After dinner the mega cultural show began with the welcome dance by the postulants from  Juniorate with lighted lamps in their hands moving rhythmically to the tune of light music. It was soothing to the mind and heart. Fr. Shaju, S. J. ,  an exponent of Bharatnatyam,  presented the life of Jesus in dance.  It kept the audience spellbound.  Then it was the turn of the Delany Bhavan candidates. Their rhythmic body movements to a fast number were fantastic. They got a  long applause.  Shanti Bhavan, Patrick Nilayam, Trichy, St. Patrick’s, Dindigul  all had their turn in presenting a wide variety of cultural items which included Dances, both classical and modern, One-Act plays, Karakattem, and Jokes! It is difficult to describe in words how the audience felt at the end.  Indeed, all the Brothers joined hands to dance with them. Which definitely strengthened the bonds of friendship and trust we have for each other.

On the following day, that is, 2nd November, after the Holy Eucharist with local parishioners, we set out on a pleasure trip to Dizzee World (M.G.M.).  Though for some it was a real dizzy experience, there was no doubt that it was a thrilling one for all!  

In the evening it was time to say good bye. I could see sadness in the face of each formee when saying good bye to their newly found friends.  I also heard them promising  to remember and pray for  each other.  The gathering surely gave them a terric feeling of oneness, the true Patrician family spirit! It was also truly a healthy and vibrant intermingling of cultures and lifestyles of people of different states. They expressed their desire that there should be more of such gatherings and the number of days to be extended. 

A note of thanks

First and foremost we thank God for bringing us safe to the place and back, and for the good time we had in Chennai. On behalf of  Formators and formees I thank the Province leadership, especially Bro. Berchmans for his support and guidance towards making this gathering a memorable event.  Bro. Jacob and community deserve a truck load of thanks for the wonderful arrangement they had made for our comfortable stay.  Thank you Jacob, Solomon, John and postulants.  I also wish to thank the St. Patrick’s community  for their encouraging presence at this gathering and their generosity  in more ways than one.  We are also grateful to St. Patrick’s school, Mananthavady, for sponsoring the Files and Identity Cards as well as other stationery items.  Someone from Mananthavady who does not want to be named, sponsored the prizes for the winners of the Quiz competition. Let me also thank all the Formators for preparing the candidates so well for this gathering. May God bless you all.

When jubilee bells are pealing away in glory at St. George’s and St. Michael’s, can St. Patrick’s, Mananthavady be far behind? Nay, we too have our share. The only difference is, when her peers are into Sesqui and Golden, she is only onto a Wooden one, that is, just ten years of her existence. As ten years is not very significant compared to the others, she is lying low waiting for something more modest.

  It may be interesting to note that St. Patrick’s is running ten. Perhaps the only feature that she can boast of is, ten years, tenth standard and a thousand and more  students. Just to update you all about the development in the campus, a new block with sufficient number of classrooms to see her through higher secondary status has been completed and the inauguration was held in the month of June. It was blessed by the local parish priest and inaugurated by Bro. Berchmans. Along with the formal opening, well furnished and reasonably well equipped labs were also commissioned. A modern computer lab to seat fifty, and a library with the seating capacity for fifty plus has also been officially opened. To fill the gap of the auditorium, a hall to seat about 500 is created in the already existing block which could be converted into classrooms or for any other at a later stage when the auditorium project gets materialized. A new basketball court is being completed. After a considerable amount of planning and work into the games facilities, the field has almost taken the shape of a stadium with steps to sit and watch from three sides and a stage at the head. Though it is not sufficient for a 400 meter track, it houses a football field and a comfortable 200 meter track.  All these when watched from the school give the appearance of a collosseum.  St. Patrick’s also boasts of a clock tower with hourly chime to bring  in a change in the locality which otherwise is quite silent. The parents, perhaps seeing the good  things being done for their children, have come forward to share the expense of the proposed auditorium partly.  The school has also been granted the ICSE examination center status. Application has been already forwarded to the authorities for  ISC status and the result is awaited. At this juncture the school gratefully remembers the founding fathers, the Provincial, those schools that generously contributed, and all the Brothers for all their generous support. At the moment, the students and the teachers are busy preparing for the impending ICSE exams as the result of it will greatly tell on the future of the school.

(Based on the Gujarat communal riots of February, 2001)

A war was waged.
Vengeance unwrapped, hatred In the name of God and caste,
took its
liberty,
Trapping the values, assassinating the 
ideologies.

The forces of the dark mobilized their
armour,
Shot its deadly spell, leaving everyone
spellbound.
Unfolded their murky plan,
Defended it as their divine call.

A hidden agenda, a Divine plan,
For the sake of few
To exploit the existence.
A free invitation for
The devilish and the reckless ones,
To eject the venom of fundamentalism
To warm up the battle.

Time and again, it rightly explores
In the escorted place of God:
Worship is worked out
Devotion is divided
Devotees are in distress,
And the gods are being
Guarded with purpose.

Caste is being culled out
And reached its culmination.
Revenge is renewed,
Prosperity is prohibited
Injustice is ignored
Holiness is held
Only in the holy places.

The breath of freedom
Was stifled off;
And humans are roasted alive;
Pushed to their destination much earlier.
A dehumanizing deed for
The unknown beings,
But unwanted security
For the unknown God.
Divine power is engulfed
By the brutal butchers;
Religious madness is manipulated.
The tottering ones are
Dragged to the voting polls.
And this hidden hypocrisy
Is unknown to many.
Let us put-off this madness
At the earliest,
Before it would wipe us off from the
earth.

We the twelve of us from Delany Bhavan would like to put on paper our thoughts on  the Get-together Programme. 

We enjoyed our journey very specially from Kozhikode as it was our first trip out of Kerala and for most of us the first long train journey ever.  We were more than happy to reach St. Patrick’s Juniorate around 5 p.m. on October 30. From the start, our experience was quite pleasant.  Though coming from different States, we could mingle well with each other and enjoy one another’s company. 

Rev. Bro. Paul Raj’s interactive class gave us a better understanding of Religious Brotherhood in general and of the life of the Patrician Brothers in particular. We were very much encouraged to continue in this Congregation by the good things Mrs. Gonsalves shared with us about her  association with the Patrician Brothers. Bro. Variath and Bro. Damien spoke to us on the life and work of the Patrician Brothers.

The Brothers conducted a sightseeing tour for us in a very enjoyable way. All the Brothers moved very freely with us and made friends with everyone of us.  The cultural programmes and Biblical presentations were also a good experience for us. The scarcity of good water in Chennai was a special experience for us and taught us the great value of good drinking water. We adjusted ourselves with the situation pretty fast.  We feel some more different items could have added to our experience.
 We loved the sumptuous meals provided throughout the programme even though the taste of coriander leaves in all curries was something we were not used to.

We wish to thank Bros. Jacob Paul, Thomas and both the Solomons for all the hard work they did for months to prepare for this get-together and saw to it that it was a great success. We shall continue to pray for each one of you and for the success of the work you are doing. Please remember to include us in your valuable prayers. Thank you all.

TEACHER: Why are you late? 
BALGOBIN: Because of the sign. 
TEACHER: What sign? 
BALGOBIN: The one that says, "School Ahead, Go Slow." 
 
TEACHER: Balgobin, why are you doing your math sums on 
the floor? 
BALGOBIN: You told me to do it without using tables! 
 
TEACHER: Balgobin, how do you spell "crocodile"? 
BALGOBIN: "K-R-O-K-O-D-A-I-L" 
TEACHER: No, that's wrong 
BALGOBIN: Maybe it's wrong, but you asked me how I spell it! 
 
TEACHER: What is the chemical formula for water? 
BALGOBIN: "HIJKLMNO"!! 
TEACHER: What are you talking about? 
BALGOBIN: Yesterday you said it's H to O! 
 
TEACHER: Balgobin, go to the map and find North America. 
BALGOBIN: Here it is! 
TEACHER: Correct. Now, class, who discovered America? 
CLASS: Balgobin! 
 
TEACHER: Balgobin, name one important thing we have today 
that we didn't have ten years ago. 
BALGOBIN: Me! 
 
TEACHER: Balgobin, why do you always get so dirty? 
BALGOBIN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are. 
 
BALGOBIN: Dad, can you write in the dark? 
FATHER: I think so. What do you want me to write? 
BALGOBIN: Your name on this report card. 
 
TEACHER: How can you prevent diseases caused by biting 
insects? 
BALGOBIN: Don't bite any. 
 
TEACHER: Balgobin, give me a sentence starting with "I". 
BALGOBIN: I is... 
TEACHER: No, Balgobin. Always say, "I am." 
BALGOBIN: All right... "I am the ninth letter of the alphabet." 
 
TEACHER: "Can anybody give an example of COINCIDENCE?" 
BALGOBIN: "Sir, my Mother and Father got married on the 
same day, same time." 
 
TEACHER: "George Washington not only chopped down his 
father's Cherry tree, but also admitted doing it. Now do you know 
why his father didn't punish him?" 
BALGOBIN: "Because George still had the axe in his hand?" 
 
BALGOBIN: Daddy, have you ever been to Egypt? 
FATHER: No. Why do you ask that? 
BALGOBIN: Well, where did you get THIS mummy then? 
 
TEACHER: What a pair of strange socks you are 
wearing, one is green and one is blue with red spots! 
BALGOBIN: Yes it's really strange. I've got another pair just like 
that at home. 

 TEACHER: Now, children, if I saw a man beating a 
donkey and stopped him,what virtue would I be showing? 
BALGOBIN: Brotherly love? 
 
TEACHER: Now, Balgobin, tell me frankly do you say prayers 
before eating? 
BALGOBIN: No sir, I don't have to, my mom is a good cook. 
 
TEACHER: Balgobin, your composition on "My Dog" is 
exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his? 
BALGOBIN: No, teacher, it's the same dog! 
 
TEACHER: What do you call a person who keeps on 
talking when people are no longer interested? 
BALGOBIN: A teacher.