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Science just keeps proving the Church is right

Indiana, November, 2014: Catholic beliefs have long been challenged by that elite triumvirate of academia, media and government. Today, many of us are also finding our beliefs challenged in our daily lives — in our professional careers, our parenting and how we live.

Adult Catholics need to understand and intentionally embrace Catholic teaching with our intellects and reason. We can’t be content to believe and accept the teaching of the Church solely because our parents and teachers “said so”. In this process, we may struggle with particular teachings due to our own flaws, lack of good catechesis and other reasons.

And even as adults, our faith may be challenged when the lives and practices of people we respect and love contradict Catholic doctrine. When this happens, I try to see the relevance of my beliefs to their lives.

The values espoused by the Church can seem harsh and even unfair in our live-and-let-live ethos. It’s understandable that many today believe that the Church is out of step with the modern world and that its teachings are no longer relevant.

But what is amazing (and certainly unintentional) is the fact that modern science — which so many assume is the antithesis or even enemy of Catholic teaching — actually bears out the truth and value and relevance of what the Church has taught for 2,000 years. Here are ten examples to illustrate my point.

1. The Church teaches that pride is the root of all vices. Research studies in psychology show that narcissism and irrational thinking are on the rise, especially in our younger generation, and are creating a “community” that is disjointed, disenchanted and confused. The traits of narcissists — self-centeredness, inflated self-esteen, lack of empathy, aggressiveness — are harmful to others, to society, and eventually to the narcissists themselves.

2. The Church teaches that a valid marriage is forever and indissoluble. Science tells us that growing up in an intact family with one’s biological parents who are married to each other confers the greatest benefit to children and other arrangements result in varying degrees of social, psychological, emotional and academic harm.

3. The Church teaches that fear prevents love and that, above all, we should trust in God’s providential care and not be afraid. Studies show that anxiety is the number one psychological complaint in youth and adults (see, e.g., Cartwright-Hatton, McNicol, & Doubleday, 2006; Muris & Steerneman, 2001). At unhealthy levels, anxiety is associated with a myriad of negative health outcomes.

Jim Schroeder is a pediatric psychologist at St Mary’s Center for Children in Evansville, Indiana.

- jim schroeder

No ‘Father’, Bastar Catholic schools will have Maa Saraswati

Raipur, November 24, 2014: Under intense pressure from the VHP, the Catholic missionaries of Bastar have agreed that principals in their schools, normally referred to as “Father”, would now be addressed as “Pracharya”, or “Up-pracharya”, or “Sir”.

The missionaries have also agreed to put up photographs of “Maa Saraswati” and “great personalities who have worked for national interest” in their educational institutions.

A statement saying the missionaries agreed to the above was issued following a meeting between the VHP and the missionaries in Jagdalpur in Bastar on Sunday. It was signed jointly by Bastar district VHP president Suresh Yadav and the spokesperson of the Bastar Catholic Community, Abraham Kannampala.

The Catholics run 22 schools in the tribal district of Bastar, spread over an area bigger than Kerala.

As per the joint statement, “notice boards and assemblies of all Catholic educational institutions of Bastar” should specify that instead of “Father”, principals be addressed as Pracharya or Up-Pracharya or Sir.

The statement added, “The Catholic community expresses regret if any community, religion or society was hurt by our community.”

While the VHP has been targeting missionaries for long over issues in Bastar, and “Ghar Vapasi” programmes have been undertaken in interior villages to reconvert neo-Christians, the recent controversy began a few days ago when, during an address in Bastar, the Bishop of Jagdalpur church said a missionary school should be established with every church in the region.

The VHP immediately dispatched a letter to the Bastar Commissioner, with copies to Chief Minister Raman Singh and the Governor, saying “the address aimed to promote communalism and narrow-mindedness”. The letter also alleged instances when “Chirsitian missionaries put non-democratic pressure on Hindu society and administration on the pretext of education”.

The VHP demanded that “Father be immediately replaced by Pracharya or Guruji” and statues of “Maa Saraswati be installed”.

In Sunday’s statement, the missionaries clarified that “they have no intention” to follow the suggestion given by the Bishop.

Asserting that the statement “upholds the sentiments of Hindu students and community,” VHP leader Suresh Yadav justified the demand that principals not be called Father, saying they had been seeking it for long.

“We asked these missionaries what was the meaning of father? Father means pita. We have only one father, how can we address a teacher as father?

They said that their Bible says so, and that they consider God father. We asked them that Bible is a religious book, why do they bring it to educational institutions?” he said.

“In other English-medium schools, no one uses Father for teacher. Why only here? Addressing a teacher as father puts emotional pressure on students and their parents,” he added.

Yadav said there was no contradiction in calling Saraswati “Maa”, though. “Maa and behenji are words of respect. We address older women as mataji, younger women as behenji. Matayen aur behanen, we say before any address. But we never address an old man as pita.”

The spokesperson for the Bastar Catholic Community said they didn’t intend to hurt anyone. “We never pressure anyone to say Father. We also agreed to installing statues of Saraswati and noted personalities. We already have their photographs in our schools.”

About the Bishop’s address, Kannampala said he had given the example of Kerala where churches used to have educational institutes when that state had poor education. “There was no intention to hurt anyone’s feelings,” he said.

- indian express

Women Religious against Human Trafficking

Secundrabed, November 23, 2014: The 6th Annual meet of AMRAT was held on 7th to 10th nov, 2014 at catholic health association of india (chai), Secundrabad- Andhra Pradesh.

The participants  were 75 from India, Pakistan, Nepal  and Sri Lanka  to belonging 24 congregation. Sr. Sahaya FMM, the president of AMRAT welcomed the participants and the dignitaries. In her message she reiterated that though we belong to different congregations but coming and uniting for the common cause is marvelous. She said” our very vocation is a call for commitment to work in solidarity for the fullness of life to all, specially the vulnerable and trafficked victims (women and Children).

Sr.Jyothi, Bs, the former president and the foundress of AMRAT led the participants in prayer for the victims of Human Trafficking. AMRAT is a member of Talitha Kum (Little Girl, get up), an international network of consecrated life Against Human Trafficking, an initiative of UISG (International Union of Superiors General). Started in 2009, it has 50 women religious congregations from South Asia.

Sr. Rita Mascarenhas FMA gave the glimpse of Amrat through a short video Presentation. Currently there are 50  member congregation under the umbrella of AMRAT. Sr. Jyothi said that we as a strong hold of Religious need to work collectively in empowering these victims who are less advantage in the society. The members of AMRAT constantly felt that there is a conscious awakening in South Asian Countries to the situation of Sexual exploitation of Women and Children for commercial purposes.

Therefore this four days meet was an occasion to sharpen the understanding of the current plight with specific focus on Inter-state and Inter – countries trafficking, the Laws and Legislations on Anti – Trafficking in order to launch concrete programmes, strengthen each ones capabilities and combat the problem by networking at National and International level.

Mr. David Raj, the State Programme coordinator of UNICEF. highlighted on the legal matters on Human Trafficking. He basically focused on the “Rescue and Rehabilitation” of the Child victim.  Through his input session helped the participants to be well updated with current information and knowledge about the laws and legislations as well as the case studies strength their capabilities in handling the cases of the victims, to be effective in networking and collaborating at National and International level.

Mr. Rama Mohan from NATSAP, HELP organization focused on the trafficking in Women and Children, the pre and post rescue work. His main contribution to the participants was on the dimensions, challenges and existing response on Human Trafficking and the role of the NGOs.

Mr. S. Umapathi, IPS (Rt. Inspector General of Police) in  his session. He stressed on the importance of compulsory education of children. He also confirms that this vulnerability takes place due to lack of Education. He also highlighted on the UN Convention which was held on 13th May, 2009.He spoke with convictions and said that everyone has an opportunity to create a positive change and encouraged the sisters to work for change.

Sunitha Krishna, the foundress of “PRAJWAL” foundation. In her talk on staying Alive brought out the UN definition on Human Trafficking, the Act, Mean and Means and purpose of Trafficking and the extent and magnitude of Human Trafficking in India.

Krishnan, who has been working among slum dwellers of the city that now functions as the capital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states since 1995, said the trafficked are used for adoption, organ trade, labor, circus, beggary, domestic work, camel jockey and prostitution.

The victim of a gang-rape at the age of 15, Krishnan gave a call to equip oneself to fight these crimes with right skills and strategies. “Break our silence, break our structures, break our culture of tolerance

Sr Jessy Kurian, a lawyer of the Indian Supreme Court explained the legal provisions to combat trafficking and spoke of the implications on legalizing prostitution. “If the prostitution is legalized, trafficking would increase and it would be difficult to fight for the victims, as the traffickers may take legal protection,” As a collective action AMRAT.  The AMRAT sister’s lawyers have drafted the memorandum regarding of non legalization of Prostitution in India and have been signed by all the participants and was sent to the Prime Minister of India, The President, The National Commission for Women, Ministry of Law, Ministry of Women and Children of India.

AMRAT members have  75  successful  case stories of the victims will be documented Sr. Rita Mascarenhas Amrat Secretary said.  The members commit themselves to do the research in collaboration with other NGOs so as to work radically and bring an impact in the lives of the victims.

- Sr. Rita J. Mascarenhas FMA  (Secretary – AMRAT)

Sri Lanka: a priest who protected thousands

Sri Lanka, November 23, 2014: When Father Benjamin Henry Miller left the US as a Jesuit student priest bound for Sri Lanka in 1948, he could have not predicted the changes he would see over the next 66 years.

To those who know him today, Fr Miller is an exemplar human rights defender. But the 89-year-old remains discomfited by such accolades, declining interview requests and telling a reporter recently that he had no desire to discuss his accomplishments.

“I don’t want publicity,” he explained apologetically, after welcoming the visitor into his sparse room located inside an attic in St Michael’s College in Batticaloa.

These days, the beatific American priest moves slowly, shuffling on crutches as he gets up to answer an endless string of phone calls and descending from the attic only with the aid of a friend. But when he arrived in the eastern Sri Lankan city, just months after the country’s independence, he was agile and driven from the start.

Almost immediately, Father Miller took on a role far beyond that of a parish priest helping to build bridges between communities as educator, priest, protector and witness.

But it was when civil war broke out in 1983, that his efforts reached their nadir. As rights abuses mounted, he demonstrated against the government, security forces and several militant groups including the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

He also took to his motorcycle, traveling the nation in increasingly dangerous conditions to collect reports of disappearances, torture and killings that he passed on to local and international actors.

The same year, he founded the Batticaloa Peace Committee (BPC), providing a safe space for relatives of those attacked.

At the BPC, Father Miller helped thousands of families file police complaints and search for information on their relatives. Many were not even aware of the location of the prisons.

“Father Miller recorded all complaints from aggrieved people on violations of human rights, totaling around 8,000 cases that were forwarded to international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, and diplomats,” said Dr T Jayasingam, professor of Eastern University.

“The priest commits himself never to leave the people in their time of need,” he said.

Father Miller’s outspoken criticisms of human rights abuses were a rare beacon of truth at a time of a vast cover up.

“His work became a voice for the voiceless and the poverty-stricken whose fathers, sons and brothers had been abducted or killed, and who had been too frightened to report their suffering to the authorities but ran to the priest who accepted them,” he said.

At the BPC, Father Miller provided advice on legal procedures surrounding detention and how to locate those being held.

“It was a great relief for the people who were looked upon by the forces as suspected terrorists,” said Bishop Joseph Kingsley Swampillai, Bishop of Trincomalee diocese.

Amara Hapuarachchi, who works closely with Father Miller, said the priest enjoyed a rare “healthy respect” from security forces, which allowed him to succeed where few did.

“There was no proof of arrests therefore the priest forced the military to give a receipt to the family of victims when they arrested them and it helped to prevent them disappearing,” she said. “That is the only assurance a wife had that her husband did not disappear.”

In addition to the BPC, Father Miller formed the Council of Religions to help seek a peaceful solution to the ethnic conflict.

The integral role of Father Miller’s work has been evident time and again. When the Sri Lankan government pushed to end the war after more than 25 years, they turned to the priest as a ceasefire monitor.

Earlier this month, Father Miller was awarded the National Peace Council’s (NPC’s) Citizens Peace Award. The award, granted only to Sri Lankan residents, is given in recognition of those who “have stood up for the protection of and enforcement of human rights and fundamental rights when such rights are under threat and such action requires unusual courage and self sacrifice to do so”.

“Father Miller became instrumental in setting up forums for community leaders and religious figures to engage in dialogue with one another,” said Joe William, Chairman of NPC.

“As the conflict and its effect on the people of Eastern Province worsened, he became a repository for thousands of human rights abuses and disappearances that took place,” he said.

Though time has slowed him, Father Miller shows little intention of stopping his work. In 2009, he returned to his native New Orleans, only to quickly turn around and go back.

When he stood up to receive his award, the priest explained that he had long come to see Sri Lanka as home.

“I will never stay in the US, now this is my home town.”

- ucanews