My name is XXX. I am a Catholic and I am an Alcoholic. This is my story.

1000 days, so far, without touching a drop of alcohol. By the Grace of God. I have come to this milestone this month. Unthinkable for a typical businessman living in one of India’s fastest growing cities, who liked living the high life: Clubs, 5-star events, receptions, etc were a major part of most of my adult life till the past three years. The ostensible reason for my being at all these events, taking up memberships in all the possible Clubs in town and becoming one of the most networked people in the business circles in my City was business networking and the opportunities there-on. The actual reason why I was so regular at these events was alcohol: my poison of choice, whisky.

To cut a long story short, and it is probably, one that you have heard before till this point, is that I became more and more attracted to alcohol. After all, it had been my friend since college days at age of 18 years for almost 30 years. It transformed me from a shy introvert to the life of the party. Through all these years of my relationship with alcohol, I have never been pulled up for drunken driving nor ever had any accidents under the influence, or any problems at work. I was able to give up drinking for the normal Catholic seasons of Lent and Advent.

However, after these seasons were over, I would always make up overtime with alcohol to compensate for the period without! Slowly, a realisation that this unhealthy attraction (drinking alcohol per se is not bad, but only if done in moderation, and some of us just can’t drink in moderation!) was gaining precedence over my behavior, brought on by the pleadings of my better half, to give up this habit, prompted me to try and stop drinking alcohol not for a few days, but for life. Also, helping me make this hard decision was the first hand, experience of the problems that one of my closest college friends was having due to his own love for alcohol: DUI, Divorce, loss of custody of the kids and home – he had to face this all.

I can remember clearly my last drinking day. A Friday evening in October, three years ago. I was at a popular Club in the city and must have had quite a few pegs of India’s finest whisky. Next day, decided to stop. Joining Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – which in fact has meetings in many churches, seemed not an option for me. In the Indian context, what would people say? There might be someone who might recognise you, etc, etc. So many of these thoughts might not occur to someone in the US or elsewhere.

So, in desperation, I turned to God and my Catholic Faith to bring me out of my love affair with Alcohol. I reasoned that other Catholics and many Saints could have overcome this battle too and I could learn from them and started researching this topic.

On going through the Net, I read the fascinating account of a Catholic Irishman who lived in the last century, and had a dramatic conversion from a life of alcoholism. His name was Matt Talbot, and he holds the status of Venerable in the Catholic Church today. Matt fought off his desire to drink by initially taking a three month sobriety pledge, then extending it to six months, then a year, and finally for life. Matt overcame his temptations by attending Daily Mass, turning to life of prayer and solitude, and avoiding going to bars by frequent prayers in churches. I read that Matt was a Third Order Secular Franciscan and this made me reach out to the Franciscans in my city.

I called the Franciscan Friary and was connected to a kindly Friar who gave me a lot of literature on Franciscan spirituality and in particular on a little man from Assisi, St Francis who renounced a life of decadence and pleasure for one of poverty and penance and living as per God’s Will. Incidentally, the St Francis prayer is an integral part of AA matters even today. You know, the one that goes” “Lord make me a channel of your peace etc..”

Internet search also led me to the Pioneer Temperance Association, where members pledge not to consume alcohol via the pledge (Heroic Offering) to the Sacred Heart for the sake of excessive drinkers. This pledge was modelled on Jesuit spirituality and the devotion to the Sacred Heart made known by St Margaret Mary Alacoque (whose Feast day is today).

I reproduce the Heroic Offering here:

The Heroic Offering
“For thy greater Glory and consolation, O most Sacred Heart of Jesus, for Thy sake, to give good example, to practice self-denial, to make reparation to Thee for the sins of intemperance and for the conversion of excessive drinkers, I will abstain for life from all intoxicating drinks, Amen”.

I found great consolation in saying the Offering everyday during Daily Mass, especially at the time of the Eucharistic Offering, praying especially that this day I would not touch alcohol. I found that visiting the Blessed Sacrament before any party where I knew alcohol would be served, and saying the Pledge, would also help strengthen me get through the occasion.

Researching further, I found that Catholic spirituality had its roots intertwined with AA and has an indelible influence on the AA movement right from the early days. An Catholic Priest Jesuit Fr. Ed Dowling was one of the earliest friends and spiritual advisors of Bill W, the Founder of AA. Sr. Ignatia also started the concept of giving out sobriety medals. A recovering alcoholic catholic priest Fr. Martin was famous for the Chalk Talks series that could be found on the net and explain very simply the causes of alcoholism. Calix – an association of recovering catholic alcoholics is also a useful resource on the internet.

All these resources strengthened me and helped me come to this point of 1000 days. I have weathered parties, receptions, vacations, special events, relative get togethers, where there is free flow of alcohol, without any problems. I cannot deny that it is not easy, but have managed. I am closer to God and my family, as well as am very involved with Church and related faith activities these days, besides being a Secular Franciscan. I have much more free time to spend with my family and my prayer life and health has also improved as well as relationships with others.

Of course, life without alcohol has to be faced head on; there is no numbing anaesthetic to take away your problems temporarily. Realising the opportunities lost when one placed alcohol more important than other things also brings on regret of the past, but all this can be washed away by having a Good Confession , and resolving to make a new beginning.

Why am I writing all this down? It is just to document my search on how looking for help in my religion – the beautiful Catholic Faith has helped me overcome my love for alcohol. I hope you might find some of this information helpful, if you have a love affair with alcohol, like I did and you are a Catholic. With God, all things are possible. It does involve a change of lifestyle habits, and sometimes a change in friends too. But if Matt Talbot could do it, let us draw inspiration and follow his example.

In writing this article, I wanted to condense the past three years of my learning of using my Catholic faith to overcome my love for alcohol, with the hope that it might help someone struggling with a similar problem somewhere. By sharing this experience, I am strengthened to continue in this journey for lifetime sobriety.

God Bless and I ask you to keep me in your prayers, as I take it one day a time, With God and Without Alcohol. Because through Him, all things are possible!

XXX

The post Reflections of an Indian Catholic Alcoholic appeared first on Indian Catholic Matters.

By Fr. Joshan Rodrigues.

Halloween is around the corner, and has given life to a debate about whether it is appropriate for Christians to celebrate this day. The question may be a new one in urban India, but has been resurfacing every year in the west where Halloween has been celebrated for decades. To put the issue into perspective, Halloween has just begun emerging as a theme or festivity in urban Indian cities in the last few years. It is not celebrated as in the West with children going door-to-door trick-o-treating, but is largely confined to Halloween-themed parties for teens and young adults. Why this has emerged in the last few years is open to speculation. Could it be indirect marketing by companies who stand to profit from the sale of Halloween merchandise? We cannot say. 

Coming back to our original question, I have been asked by a few if Halloween goes against Christian beliefs, since there are a number of such articles doing the rounds. One even says (erroneously though, fake as it can get) that Pope Benedict XVI himself explicitly condemned the celebration of Halloween. Instead of just focusing on Halloween, we need to look at this question in its broader aspects. In India, we are often confronted with many such similar doubts: Is it ok to practice yoga? Is it ok to participate in Hindu festivities like Holi, Diwali and Makar Sankranti (Kite-Flying)? Is it ok to visit a temple while on a tour or with Hindu friends? Is it ok to accept prasad  when it is offered to me? Is getting a tattoo anti-catholic? Phew…the list goes on. Even the Harry Potter books were condemned by some as teaching children about witchcraft and the dark arts. 

So does the Church say anything about each of these issues? It doesn’t in particular. Because getting into the intricacies of every issue and practice that happens in the world is entering into petty legalism and a narrow outlook towards the catholic faith. So if you are looking online to find if the Church has specifically permitted or forbidden participating in the examples I’ve mentioned above, you are not likely to find anything. What you will find are ‘Christians’ or even priests on occasion, giving you their own informed opinion on these topics. But none of this constitutes official Church teaching. This is recommended, though at the end, on many questions like the one I’ve mentioned above, each Christian is called to make his/her own choice in good conscience and after having done their own research. 

So what is my ‘opinion’ on this issue? Well, the Church puts forth principles (moral, religious, ethical, etc) and then asks us to make the right choice in keeping with these principles. For example:

1. Separate the practice from the belief/spirituality/philosophy behind it. The Second Vatican Council said that there are elements of truth and beauty in non-Christian practices as well. Everything that is not explicitly Christian is not to be outrightly condemned. Can I practice yoga as a physical exercise? Yes. Can I follow and believe in Yogic spirituality? No.
2. Evaluate your own faith practices at the same time. If you have a sturdy and strong faith life, and are strong in what you believe, your faith will not be swayed. Halloween is actually of Celtic origin which was then brought to America by the immigrants. Over time, the celebration has evolved into the form we see it today. Halloween is actually an abbreviated form for ‘All Hallows’ Eve’ which means the night before All Saints’ Day. Hallow means holy or saint. Christians usually go for Mass on All Saints Day and All Souls Day, on the day following, to honour the saints and pray for the dead. Halloween is an amalgamation of these two days. So, there’s no harm in going for a Halloween-themed party. But do you also intend to go for Mass the following days in keeping with your Christian beliefs? If no, then you must take a fresh look at your faith life. Though these two days are not holy days of obligation in India (meaning you have to go for Mass), it seems strange that a good Christian would celebrate Halloween but not All Saints and Souls Day. 
3. Having said this, in keeping with the teachings of St Paul, if your decision to take part in a non-Christian practice may cause discomfort to someone close to you, then it is better to avoid it. Even if I am strong in my faith, I must pay attention to the faith of my brother or sister, whose faith may be weak.

1 Cor 8: 9-13 – “Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. By sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble.”

4. Celebrate Halloween by dressing up as positive characters instead of vampires, werewolves, witches and ghosts for a change. Why not go dressed up as your favourite saint? Some of your friends may laugh at you at first, but they will be deeply impacted by your example and you will stand out in the crowd. Not to mention that you will have brought a smile to the face of your favourite saint in heaven.

So, to sum up, each one of us must take the right decision for ourselves, keeping in mind the principles stated above. It may be different for each one of us. The Church is not the military; it is diversity in love for Christ. Keep in mind that on many important issues, the Church has a very clear teaching (e.g. abortion, contraception, the Sacraments etc). But in other cases like the ones we are talking about, we need to make our own individual choices based on a well-developed and good Christian conscience and taking into account those who look upto us as models for inspiration. 

The post Can Christians Celebrate Halloween? appeared first on Indian Catholic Matters.

Chances are that a lot of travellers, even in India, have not heard of Orchha. It is about 25 kms from Jhansi, but in the neighbouring State of M.P. Its heyday, as the capital of the Bundela kingdom, was co-terminus with the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar in Agra, about 200 kms due north.

Why the communal harmony angle to Orchha? There was the rivalry, with the accompanying wars and bloodshed, between the Hindu Bundela kingdom and the Muslim Mughal one. Yet there were some extraordinary examples of communal harmony and mutual respect.

The first example is of the danseuse Rai Parveen. Akbar was enamoured by her and summoned her to his court in Delhi. However, she declined to succumb to his overtures. To his face she said that only dogs, crows and beggars touch other peoples’ leftovers! Amazed by her loyalty to her lover King Indramani, Akbar sent her home to Orchha with due honour and respect. In those days of entrenched patriarchy and monarchy, he could easily have ordered her beheading or flogging.

The other example is of Akbar’s rebellious son Salim, who later became Emperor Jehangir. Salim sided with the Bundelas in battle, so the latter built the Jehangir Palace in his honour.

The third and most intriguing example is that of the young Badrunissa, the daughter of Aurangzeb. The emperor’s forces set out to destroy the Ram Raja Temple in Orchha. The high priest had shut the doors in anticipation of the imminent attack. When the commander ordered the doors to be opened, a young boyish person stood there, sword in hand. On removal of the headdress it was found to be the young princess Badrunissa, who was in love with one of the Bundela princes. She ordered her father’s forces to retreat and leave the temple unharmed.

Interestingly, in this Ram Raja Temple, Lord Ram is regarded as a human king and not as a deity. This corroborates the research of Padmabhushan Dr Camille Bulcke SJ, whom no less than Indira Gandhi had described as the foremost authority on the Tulsidas Ramayan. Bulcke’s research, for his PhD from Allahabad University, led him to the conclusion that the Lord Ram of Hindu mythology was not the same as the King Ram of history.

I am no scholar, to either endorse or contradict Bulcke’s research. However, it is interesting to note that Jesus himself eschewed the title “Son of God”. In the New Testament he refers to himself 72 times as the “Son of Man”. The lesson here is that divinity is not something to be grasped (Phi 2:6) or a theological definition. Jesus gradually became aware of his divine nature (self-realisation) through various epiphanies (manifestations) beginning with his temple visit at the age of 12, his baptism, transfiguration and ultimately the fusion of the human and divine in the crucifixion and resurrection, when he cries out “It is accomplished” (Jn 19:29).

There is much more to Orchha, in the architectural splendour of the cenotaphs (chhatris), fortress etc. Built on the banks of the Betwa River it has a scenic serenity. It is also a birdwatcher’s paradise. Among the exotic birds we spotted were a canary yellow weaver bird, the green bee eater, grey hornbill and the almost extinct vulture. Orchha is a designated site for vulture conservation as it is a highly endangered species under the Wildlife Act of 1972, featuring on its red list.

There’s still more to Orchha. Across the river is a pristine wild life sanctuary, where we spotted a jackal and its pup, a family of mongooses, spotted deer (chital) and langurs. The langurs had a golden sheen as compared to the ash grey ones found in semi-urban areas. At the edge of the forest is the confluence of the Jamini River merging with the Betwa.

Another positive is the courtesy and relative cleanliness. We stayed in a hotel run by the M.P. Tourism department. In the past, as a family, we have travelled to several scenic destinations and sanctuaries in U.P. and Uttarakhand (UK); invariably choosing government accommodation, as it is much cheaper than private lodgings. I can say without hesitation that the courtesy in M.P. was head and shoulders above what we have experienced in U.P. and UK.

Now to the flip side. People bathing in the river leave their litter and even soiled clothes behind. It’s not a pleasant sight. The other negative was the Sound & Light Show in the Fort. It was pathetic, just a plain narrative with some light and sound effects thrown in for good measure. The mosquitoes added to our ennui and denouement.

As an aside we bumped into a Bollywood crew shooting for the movie Bhool Bhoolaya 3, starring Madhuri Dixit, Vidhya Balan and Kartik Aaryan. What really bugged us were their bouncers trying to stop people from going close to where the shooting was taking place.

In the cenotaph enclosure I noticed that one of the gatekeepers had kept some white bunny rabbits as pets. This was in exactly the same place that I had spotted the vultures. How did they co-exist? Did not the carnivorous vultures attack the rabbits as easy prey? No. Vultures only feed on carrion. It’s amazing how nature abides by the laws of peaceful co-existence. Would that we humans became more “humane”; instead of baying for the blood of “others” in the name of religion, caste, ethnicity, gender or nationality. Being close to nature is being closer to God.

Even though my family of four spent just one day and night in Orchha it was a memorable experience, with many valuable lessons learnt; lessons that are now being shared through this travelogue.

The writer is a nature lover based in Kanpur, 250 kms from Orchha.

The post Trav-A-Log: Orchha – Symbol of Communal Harmony appeared first on Indian Catholic Matters.

Personally, I consider myself and my family liberal. My mother is Jain and my father is a practicing Hindu. Although such interreligious unions are often disharmonious due to differences in food, culture and language, this one is certainly not. As a toddler I was taught to recite the Gayatri Mantra and the Shri Vakratunda Mahakaya Mantra, I would see my grandma offering pujas every day, at the little wooden temple in her room, where there were murtis of Ganesh ji, Hanuman ji, Lakshmi Ji, a small Shiv ling and also the murti of a Jain Tirthankara that had been gifted to her by my Nanima (maternal grandmother). It was a beautiful little shrine which was decorated with my grandma’s sheer conviction as she prayed for my family and my wellbeing and often fasted too.

On every Diwali, we would have a Lakshmi puja, for which my late grandpa made all the arrangements. From fasting to ensuring that the puja took place at the right time, he was the main reason there were proper ritualistic pujas in my house.

After his passing, the Laksmi pujas and Saraswati pujas came to stop and my bed ridden grandma could no longer visit her wooden shrine and fast for our wellbeing. My mother having no idea about how to conduct a Hindu puja and my father due to a simple disinterest in rituals and superstitions, could not carry on the tradition forward. However, both of them, although disinterested in display of faith and religion, have a deep conviction in God. Theirs is an unshakable faith which they have tried to bestow upon me, not impose but simply explain that it was something that would ground me in times of crisis would be something like a stable wall to lean upon when everything around me would seem unsteady. The rest was my own choice.

However, before all this, they explained to me, the need to be a good person and at peace. According to my parents, one’s relation with God was a personal matter and in the larger scheme of things, was a secondary matter. No matter how deep a faith one has and no matter how much goodwill one has, ultimately, it’s Karmas (actions) and the humanity that one has in your heart that matters.

This is what sets a preaching believer who fails to realise that no matter what religion one follows or what faith one has, all is useless without basic humanity and kindness and a non -believer who does not bother much about faith, but is altruistic by nature and is aware that no faith or religion is worth destroying or oppressing others for.

In my surroundings I have often noticed, that people tend to associate things like ‘holiness’ with ideas of religion and tend to look down upon those who do not display acts of religious conviction openly or simply those who are nonbelievers. I have seen people oppress others in the name of religion, justify the most cruel and unforgivable acts in the name of religion and get away with it, all while forgetting that this ‘God’ must equally love all her children.

Religion is in my opinion, a reflection of society’s need to form different races of people. I may not have seen much of the world due to my age, but it has become common knowledge for me that goodness and charity done in name of religion are usually agendas with ulterior motives.

The other side of the coin includes those who are aware of the tortures inflicted by “stronger people” also known as the “ better religion” upon those who belong to the “weaker people” or the “incorrect religion’’ but since they themselves remain unaffected by the flames of the fire burning in front of them and choose to betray the oppressed by turning their backs and closing their eyes on the victims. Such people often think that they are doing the right deed, by not fighting the oppressors because they believe that a whole community cannot be sharing the same ideology.

However, they remain ignorant of the fact that soon these flames of communal unrest will engulf them too and that is when they will realise the impact of silence. It was their silence that was powerful enough to let the world forsake them and blame them for the tortures unjustly inflicted upon them. It is a fact now that for the rest of the world the loudest of screams are just same as silent pleas and so it is necessary that one learns how to fight for oneself and as a community rises against such injustices so that these fires can gradually be extinguished.

I personally believe that although rituals are necessary to a certain extent, it is important to allow individual freedom when it comes to ways of living. Oppressing and excluding others for trivial matters like dressing, income, language etc is downright wrong because if we want to unite as a community and develop over time it is necessary to have an open-minded approach.

I truly believe that this freedom and liberty to lead a life on one’s own terms without the oppressing of others is only granted in Hinduism. Especially for women, who have been oppressed globally in almost all cultures.

True knowledge of Hinduism protects women from being oppressed and allows us to be seen as more than just being subject to the authority of men.

This article first appeared at ESamskriti. Due to the universal message of the fourteen years’ old author, we are carrying this article here. She is a class X student at Apeejay School, Salt Lake, Kolkata, West Bengal. She had earlier published seven non- fiction articles in Prabuddha Bharata , which is the mouthpiece of the Ramakrishna Mission and is published from Mayavati, Uttarakhand. Prabuddha Bharata has been published from 1896.

The post A Teenager’s Views on Rituals, Freedom & Family Tradition appeared first on Indian Catholic Matters.

By Jacqueline Kelly –

Most of the things that we do in our daily lives follow procedures that come from the past. They are habits and customs that were created through the centuries and that should continue in Western Civilization with small variations according to customs of this or that people. These traditions are not linked directly to the law of God or morals, but reflect the good ways of living of different peoples. For this reason, when a great people or institution adopts, it is because its efficiency was already tested and approved for generations as a good or even excellent way to act in a concrete situation. They come from the past and have the natural tendency to continue into the future. Things become fixed in a certain way because they work well that way. One may change the custom, but only to improve it, not to destroy it. Even if they have been reduced in our days to their simplest expressions, they are still an inheritance from the past. Some of the traditions and customs are guidelines that provide ways to live and act, and have always been strong in the Christian world.

There are certain unique customs and practices which are being followed by people for centuries all over the world. The reasons for their origin are not known with certainty. April 1, is one such day. It is considered the Fools’ Day in nearly all parts of the world.

The practice of playing tricks on friends and neighbours on 1^st April is believed to have started in France after the year 1564. Before that one common calendar was used throughout Europe. According to this calendar, each New Year began on 1^st April. People celebrated this day as New Year’s Day by exchanging gifts and visiting each other. In 1564, however, Charles IX, the King of France, ordered people to adopt a new reformed calendar. According to this calendar the year began on January 1. Most people followed the King’s orders. However, there were some who did not like the idea of a change and refused to accept January 1, as New Year’s Day.

These people soon became the butt of jokes and tricks by their friends and neighbours because they continued to observe 1^st April as New Year’s Day. Their friends and neighbours sent mock gifts, invited them to fake parties and played tricks on them because they were considered fools who clung on to a discarded New Year’s Day. Since then 1^st April became the Fools’ Day.

 The theory about its being linked to the reform of the Gregorian calendar in the late 16^th century is thought to be the most widely accepted. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced a new calendar- the Gregorian calendar- to replace the old Julian calendar, for use throughout Christendom. The new calendar called for New Year’s Day to be celebrated on January 1, instead of the usual April 1, as had been declared earlier in France.

April was the second month in an early Roman calendar, but became the fourth when the ancient Romans started using January as the first month. The name of the month of April originally came from Aprillis which means ‘to open’.

April is the humour month. Small animals that hibernate usually come out of their burrows in April. The birds fly back northwards and settle down to have their families. The bees and butterflies begin to gather nectar from the first flowers of the season. In some parts of the world, it is planting time, while in other parts, it is harvest season.

It resembles other festivals, such as the Hilaria of ancient Rome [March 25] and the Holi festival of India [ending March 31]. Its timing seems related to the vernal equinox [March 21], when nature “fools” mankind with sudden changes in the weather.

We are also told that in medieval days, Kings in Europe kept people of wit and humour to play the role of Court Jesters. They played an active part in enlivening the castles and palaces dressed in special attire with a long cap and tinkling bells. These jesters are also known as clowns who, with their slap stick pranks, entertain young and old alike in circus rings. Such entertainers are also found in movies like Laurel and Hardy, the Three Stooges, etc. In India, Birbal was appointed by Emperor Akbar [1556-1562] and was one of the most important courtiers, part of a group called the Navaratnas [nine jewels]. He was a close friend of the Emperor, who appreciated him for his wit and wisdom, often involving humorous exchanges. They have become part of a rich tradition of folklore and legend.

In Germany, an April Fool prank is sometimes revealed by shouting “April, April” at the recipient, who becomes the “April Fool”.

In Ireland, it was traditional to entrust the victim with an “important letter” to be given to a named person. That person would read the letter, then ask the victim to take it to someone else, and so on. The letter when opened contained the words “send the fool further”.

In Iran, it is called “Dorugh-e-Sizdah” [lie of thirteen] and people and media prank on 13 Farvarding  [Sizdah bedar] that is equivalent of 1^st April. It is a tradition that takes place 13 days after the Persian New Year Nowruz. On this day, people go out and leave their houses and have fun outside mostly in natural parks. Pranks have reportedly been played on this holiday in the Achaemenid Empire since 536 B.C.

In Lebanon, an April Fool prank is revealed by saying “First of April Lie” in Arabic.

In Turkey, the custom is called “Nisan Baliği” [April Fish”]. Pranks and jokes are usually verbal and are revealed by shouting “Bir Nisan! / Nisan Bir” [April 1].

In Italy, it is called Pesce d’aprile.The most common prank is taping a paper fish to someone’s back. The media like to prank the public on 1^st April with silly stories, but sometimes they are the ones being pranked.

In France and French- speaking areas of Switzerland and Canada, April 1, tradition is often known as “April Fish” [Poisson d’avril]. This fish feature is prominently present on many late 19^th to early 20^th century French April Fools’ Day postcards. Many newspapers also spread a false story on April Fools’ Day and a subtle reference to a fish is sometimes given as a clue to the fact that it is an April Fools’ prank. Boulangeries, Pâtisseries and Chocolatiers in France sell chocolate fishes in their shop windows on that day.

In Belgium, April Fool’s Day is April Vis in Dutch. Possible pranks include attempting to attach a paper fish to the victim’s back without being noticed.

In Nordic countries, the Danes, Finns, Icelanders, Norwegians and Swedish celebrate April Fool’s Day. [Aprilsnar in Danish, Aprillipäivä in Finnish; Aprilsnarr in Norwegian; Aprilskämt in Swedish.

Most media outlets will publish exactly one false story on April 1; for newspapers this will typically be a first-page article but not the top headline.

In Finland, jokes are played on people in the morning, because people still haven’t realized it’s April 1. If they get away with the trick, they sing a line that translates as “It’s April, eat herring and drink dirt water on top”.

In Poland, Prima Aprillis [First April in Latin] as a day of pranks is a centuries-long tradition. It is a day when many pranks are played. Sometimes, very sophisticated hoaxes are prepared by the media, institutions and the people to make the “information” credible. Serious activities are usually avoided; every word uttered on 1^st April, could be untrue. The conviction for this is so strong that the Polish anti-Turkish alliance with Leopold I, signed on April 1, 1683, was back-dated to March 31, However for some in Poland, Prima April ends at noon of April 1, and jokes after that hour are considered inappropriate.

In Sweden, they have a special saying , “April, april dun dumma sill, jag kan lura dig vart jag vill”, which means  “April, April, you silly herring, I can fool you anywhere I want to”. If you don’t say this , then apparently the April Fool is incomplete. Swedish newpapers and television companies too, play pranks on the public.

In Ukraine, April Fools’ Day is widely celebrated in Odesa and has the special local name Humorina- [Ukrainian]. This holiday arose in 1973. An April Fool prank is revealed by saying [“Pervoye Aprelya, nikomu ne very”] translating as “First of April, I trust nobody”] to the recipient.

The festival includes a large parade in the city centre, free concerts, street fairs and performances. Festival participants dress up in a variety of costumes and walk around the city fooling around and pranking passersby.

One of the traditions on April Fools’ Day is to dress up the main city monument in funny clothes. This day has its own logo- a cheerful sailor in a lifebelt- whose author was the artist Arkady Tsykun. During the festival, special souvenirs bearing the logo are printed and sold. Since 2010, the Fools’ Day celebrations include an International Clown Festival, and both celebrated as one. In 2019, the festival was dedicated to the 100^th anniversary of the Odesa Film Studio and all events were held with an emphasis on cinema.

In the United Kingdom, an April Fool prank is revealed by shouting “April Fool” at the recipient, who becomes the “April Fool”. This custom ceases at noon, after which time it is no longer acceptable to play pranks. A person playing a prank after mid-day is considered an “April Fool”.

In England a “fool” is known by names around the country, including ‘noodle’, ‘gob’, ‘gobby’ or ‘noddy’.

In Scotland, April Fool’s Day is stretched for two days. It was originally called “Huntigowk Day”.  Gowk  being Scots for a cuckoo or a foolish person. In Gaelic would be Lἀ na Gocaireachd, “gowking day” or Lἀ Ruith na Cuthaige, “the day of running the cuckoo”. The traditional prank is to ask someone to deliver a sealed message which reads as “Dinna laugh, dinna smile. Hunt the gowk another mile”.

The next day is “Tailie Day” which is for largely harmless pranks, like pinning a sign or sticking a sign such as “kick me” on a friend’s back.

In Spain, they mark “El Dia de los Inocentes” [ April Fool’s Day is celebrated on 28^th December, the Feast of Holy innocents], during which no one can be held accountable for their actions, as the pranksters are considered innocent. The celebration also involves having a town-wide food fight, complete with military strategy and historical lore. The “Els Enfarinats” tradition is more than two hundred years old and involves a mock military-style takeover of the town, where the new rulers get to make up strange laws that others have to abide by. If they don’t, they get fined and the money goes to charity. It is also accompanied with a little dancing and flour throwing.

 In Brazil, April 1 is still the prank day of choice, and they call it “O Dia Das Mentiras” or “day of lies”. It has been popular since 1828.It is a day of spreading fake news, fake stories and practical jokes on social media and among friends to have some fun.

In Greece, they believe that if you successfully play a trick on someone on April 1, that it will bring you good luck for the rest of the year. The farming communities believe that pranks will bring a bountiful harvest and others even think that dancing in the rain on the first day of April has healing properties.

In the United States, people play harmless pranks on friends, family members and colleagues. Some popular pranks include swapping sugar for salt or setting up fake office supplies.

Apart from being a day filled with jokes and pranks, April Fools’ Day holds a deeper significance for the human race. It is a reminder that we should enjoy life as much as possible as it not only brings laughter but also strengthens social ties with our family and friends. April Fools’ Day can be celebrated in the office, schools or at home within boundaries so that it does not offend anyone.

Easter and April Fools’ Day coincided in the following years: 1714, 1725, 1736, 1804, 1866, 1877, 1888.

Since 1900, Easter has fallen on April Fools’ Day in 1923, 1934, 1945, 1956, 2018 and will happen in 2029.

The post Saved by Grace, Not by Pranks: A Guide to April 1st appeared first on Indian Catholic Matters.

In all my time as a woman and counsellor, I find that what takes the biggest beating with regard to women is SELF-ESTEEM. I find that every single woman, no matter how fabulous they look, how wonderfully they’ve done in their careers, how much they earn, etc., and their self-image is hardly ever where it is supposed to be.

A classic example of a woman who seemed to pretty much have everything one could wish for was Princess Diana! I’ve been reading about her life a lot lately. That poor woman’s self-esteem took its first thrashing at the young age of 6 when her parents divorced. Somehow, as all kids do, she blamed herself for it, went through her growing years always short of enough self-esteem to keep her down. It affected her years at the palace right up to the day she lost her life in Paris. She always looked to her near and dear ones for love and validation. She only got it from her two sons.

Why did I bring up her example, you ask? Well, wasn’t she the epitome of “having it all”? How can we mortals ever match up? I fear that all of us women have had some source or situation that has damaged our self-esteem at some point in our lives. Many of us don’t even realise that we don’t have any. But that can change and it has to change! If you ask me the reason, it’s very simple…God loves us as we are; we need to love ourselves just as He loves and cares for us!  (I Jn 4:19)

Let’s first take a look at how self-esteem is formed and how it gets taken away from us. Self-esteem is formed in a child when they are born and during the earliest days of infancy and childhood. The love and care shown by a child’s primary carers (parents, grandparents etc.) is the key to a child’s emotional growth. Any glitch here will rob the child of much needed basic love and tenderness that cannot be easily replaced later on. Has anyone in your family or friends’ circle or teachers said anything unpleasant or mean to you? Have you repeatedly failed to get somewhere in life or struggled to achieve the things you wanted to? If “yes” was your reply to these questions, then you’re not alone.

Almost all of us go through this phase at some point in our lives, early or late! Someone may have said something damaging to us and that has resulted in the inner voice that repeats those words to us every time we step up to the plate to achieve something. So we spend our lifetime trying to “prove” ourselves to others time and time again but never gaining self-esteem in the process.

Self-esteem can be defined as the way we feel about and value ourselves.

Positive or high self-esteem helps us accomplish our goals and in dealing with life’s harder challenges.

With a positive self-esteem one tends to have confidence in one’s abilities, unafraid to venture into new things. It doesn’t matter what others think of our decisions and choices. When your self-esteem is high you’re not so bothered about mistakes you make or whether people will laugh at you for them or not. You forge ahead and do what you need to do for yourself. Your communication will be more assertive rather than passive or aggressive. You will also be ok with life being unfair sometimes; you will “get over it” much faster!

Now for the bad news! Negative or low self-esteem makes it much harder for us to deal with life, relationships, work etc. We end up feeling bad about our appearance, achievements and pretty much everything about ourselves. That in turn makes us lose friends and loved ones. Negativity is contagious. Another thing with low self-image is that we don’t question others’ opinions for validity and so end up blowing in the wind. We don’t achieve major goals in life and then end up with a huge sense of failure.

But all is not lost! If I told you that you can work on your self-esteem and become more positive and healthy for your own sake, would you take it as a lifeline?

Developing self-esteem is a life-long and continuous process. This is because from time to time it does take a beating, even mine. For some of us, getting our self-esteem back can be a huge battle. But it’s worth every moment of the fight! Self-esteem is also formed through your successes and failures. Here too, you have a choice of how to respond; you can accept failure and bounce back next time or dwell on the fact that you made a mistake and give up.

There are so many ways you can increase your self-esteem. Start with your thoughts. I will think positive thoughts about myself and others. Phil 4:8 says “In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honourable.”

We all make mistakes, however big or small. The whole point is to learn from them whatever we can and move on. Instead a lot of times we beat ourselves up about it. Give yourself a second chance, always! God gives us many second chances every day! If He can, why do we end up so hard on ourselves?

Finally, do keep in mind that people around you have their own opinions and ideas about you which may or may not always be true. Evaluate their opinions and choose whether to reject or accept them. You can reject them if you choose to do so. The power is held within you.

I leave you with just one thought….self-esteem comes from inside of us and ultimately from above, based on our being created in the image of God. We hold the unique power to nurture our self-esteem. Let’s get started! In the follow-up to this article, I will talk about concrete steps you can take to rebuild your self-esteem and nurture it into the future!

Jennifer Pinto is a freelance corporate trainer, trained counsellor & Zumba® Fitness Instructor. She can be contacted at openspaces.bangalore@gmail.com

The post Low Self Esteem? Don’t Worry, You’ll Get Over It Soon! appeared first on Indian Catholic Matters.

By Jennifer Pinto.

Looking back at my life, I realise now that I was never told or taught about being fit. My mother was a runner in her school and college days, but my sister and I were never consciously encouraged to be fit or sporty. I don’t know why. If you’re anything like me, then we need to talk!

Somehow, women, once we get married and have our babies, we don’t bother much about our health and fitness. I am not referring to our looks – need to look skinny and fit into fashion savvy clothes. No. I’m talking about our health and our fitness. Why do we put it on the back burner? Why do we think it’s not important or worth taking time out for? Yes, I do know that our children and their needs are a priority. But why doesn’t our health fit into our list of priorities? Is it because of a false sense of modesty, sacrifice or servitude?  We fall sick, develop lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension etc., and then become a liability to our families, putting unnecessary pressure on them… We get onto medication and think that it will solve our problems. Wrong again. Besides, what sort of example are we setting for our kids?

If it helps you, I will share my story. I would love it if it inspires you to take up exercising on a regular basis. I had my son in 2008 and funnily, I put on more weight after his birth than during the pregnancy. Cut to two years later, in 2010 I was struggling with a heavy body and the beginnings of ill health. That made me WAKE UP. I suggest you don’t wait till then. I wanted to be healthy. I made up my mind that day, that it would be the last time I would find myself sitting around being lazy or disinterested in my own health. I wanted to live long, live happy and be there for my son and my husband! I realise now, that I was deciding to gift them my life.

While I was contemplating what to do – I hated gym because it was monotonous, disliked walking in ‘trafficky’ Bangalore – I fell upon a TV ad about Zumba Fitness. So I looked it up and found a handful of instructors in the country. Long story short, I got hooked to this form of dance fitness and eventually became an instructor myself!  I was one of the first few in the country to get certified. It’s been 10 years and counting. I’m not yet ready to stop.

Here’s where I’m leading you with my story. I would love for more women to get fit, to think about their health seriously, stop worrying about everything else on earth and start thinking about themselves for a change. It is not selfish. Rather, a continuous dependence on doctors and drugs for illnesses that could have been avoided is a drain on the peace and finances of the family. There is nothing wrong with prioritizing yourself. How do you make time? Sit down and think of pockets of time you’re wasting doing unwanted things – chatting on the phone, chastising the maid, chasing your kids around the house (I don’t know what else!). Put those minutes together and find a 30 minute slot that you can use for yourself. Now, find some form of exercise you like – walking, jogging, aerobics, Bollywood classes, badminton, swimming. Get started. When you like what you do for fitness, you will stick to it longer! I love dancing, I love music and Zumba Fitness was my solution. So find your groove and get moving! Set achievable goals. Losing 15 kilos in 3 months maybe far-fetched for some of us but if you make it 2 kilos in a month, it may look and seem more achievable. 

If you aren’t sure as to whether it is scriptural to love and take care of yourself, reflect on Jesus’ words, “you shall love your neighbour as you love yourself.” (Mk 12:31)  It follows that to be able to properly love our family and neighbour, we need to learn to love and take care of ourselves.  Our being isn’t composed of separate facets of body, mind and spirit; each independent and self-reliant. They are all integrated into the wonderful person that God has created us to be. So, illness or health in one facet affects the other. 

And in closing, let me share another little snippet of information. I hope it reaffirms that fact that God wants us to look after ourselves. Just a few months after I started Zumba session, my husband and I went for a retreat where we met a nun, who had the gift of knowledge. So we went to her for prayer and she had a clear message for me. Among other things she told us, she looked me in the eye and said, “God wants you to exercise. Don’t stop.” I was startled and amazed that the God of the Universe and our Lord Jesus Christ would have such a direct word of reaffirmation for me, for a decision I had already logically made. It was a point blank shot! So there you have it. Prioritize yourself. You are important. God loves you and wants to see you at your best! Get started, get moving and stay happy!

If you need any help or advice on how to get started, get in touch via email and I will see what I can do!

Jennifer Pinto is a freelance corporate trainer, trained counsellor & Zumba Fitness Instructor. She can be contacted at openspaces.bangalore@gmail.com

The post A Little Bit of ‘Godly’ Exercise in Your Life! appeared first on Indian Catholic Matters.

“The Pope’s Exorcist” is one of the top ten movies streaming on Netflix. As a Catholic, I found several aspects of the movie, very compelling, such as “If there is no Evil, where is the need for the Church,” a couple of quotes at the beginning of the movie, and also, “Your sins will seek you out.”

After watching the movie, I read the book on which it is based, “An Exorcist Tells his story,” by Fr Gabriele Amorth, who performed hundreds of exorcisms as the exorcist for the Diocese of Rome.

Russell Crowe has played the role of Fr Amorth very convincingly, and was ably assisted by Fr Tomas, they demonstrate that a Catholic Priest will do anything to save the soul of one, even at the cost of their own lives – very poignant.

My research showed me that Fr Edward Siebert SJ, of Loyola Productions, co-produced this thought-provoking movie and I reached out to Fr Siebert, as I think there are a lot of myths surrounding exorcism and the evil one, even among Catholics in India, and would be good to get Fr Siebert’s view on it. I was fortunate that Fr Siebert replied and was ready to do an email interview for ICM readers. Excerpts:

Dear Fr Siebert, it is very kind of you to agree to take this email interview for our readers. Can you please tell us a bit about yourself, your background, as well as that of Loyola Productions, and what led to your purchasing the movie rights to this book?

Thanks for inviting me! My name is Fr. Eddie Siebert, S.J. and I’m a Jesuit priest and filmmaker. Originally from Ohio, in the Midwest, I now call Los Angeles my home. I’ve been a Jesuit priest for 26 years. I’m currently the Rector at the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Jesuit Community and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Film & Television at LMU.

I founded Loyola Productions, Inc. (LPI) over 20 years ago to tell global stories that inform, inspire, and entertain. My goal with LPI was always to move from creating strictly Ignatian programming and into producing mainstream content. That said, I was reluctant when the opportunity arose to option the rights to Fr. Gabriele Amorth’s stories about his work as an exorcist, I remember thinking to myself, ‘I don’t want to do an exorcism movie.’ Not only is horror not really my genre, but William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” is a cinematic and cultural touchstone that is forever etched into the minds of audiences around the world. But the more we talked about getting the rights, the more I realized we could reach a wider audience with an interesting story about a real man and his mission. It was a complicated process, but we ultimately secured the rights, and we were off and running.

How hard was it to translate the main points of Fr Amorth’s book to the screen, and to get actors such as Russell Crowe interested in the project? Can you please share some details on the process, effort, and budget if possible?

We listened to a lot of pitches and finally landed on two writers who would draft the script for the film. Over a period of several months, the writers would pass various drafts to the producing team and we would give notes. This cycle of writing/notes/re-writing can seem interminable, but it’s essential: the studio will give the film a green light for production only when the script is where it needs to be.

Our goal was to be as authentic to the character of Fr. Amorth as possible, but obviously this is a work of historical fiction. The writers and the director took creative liberty to translate the characters’ internal struggles into cinematic language.

The movie theme of two Catholic Priests teaming up and using all their spiritual training to save the Soul of an affected boy is a refreshing change from the current superhero movies. Can you please comment on this aspect?

I love the buddy aspect of the film! “The Pope’s Exorcist” is very much a dynamic duo movie, with two very different protagonists thrown together to accomplish a monumentally difficult task. In our film, they just happen to be priests who play off of each other nicely. Clearly, Fr. Amorth is the veteran and Fr. Esquibel is the neophyte. Combined, they make a great team.

Could you elaborate a bit on the power of the name of Jesus and the existence of the evil one, as you have highlighted these aspects in the movie?

A basic premise of “The Pope’s Exorcist” is that Evil exists in the world and the only way to dispel the darkness is to invoke the light of Christ. While the demons in the film may seem extreme and exaggerated, they are indicative of the power of evil to overwhelm us.

Fr Edward Siebert, SJ

Can you please share some information to dispel any wrong notions or myths surrounding the rite of exorcism, the evil one’s manifestation in the world today, and necessary prayers for Catholics, such as the St Michael’s prayer, to be on guard against such attacks always, etc for our readers, based on your knowledge gained from Fr Gabriele’s works and the movie.

Although certainly dramatic and often misunderstood, the rite of exorcism is essentially a ministry of healing. True cases of demonic possession, although extremely rare, can be devastating for the victim and terrifying for friends and family. Fr Amorth’s warm personality and no-nonsense approach cut through the histrionics of demonic possession and facilitated the outpouring of Christ’s love and mercy.

Regarding prayer, in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus instructs the disciples, “This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, and do not put us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.”

It’s hard to beat this prayer (which comes from the heart and mouth of Jesus himself) for succinctness, purity of intention and breadth.

St Ignatius of Loyola has said that the evil spirit can come in the disguise of an angel of light. Can you please share some information with our readers on how we can be on guard against the evil spirit, and how we can discern if it is the good spirit or evil spirit within us?

Spiritual discernment is a fundamental element of Ignatian spirituality. Although St Ignatius certainly acknowledged the power of demonic possession, his discernment process is aimed at discovering God’s will by learning to recognise the movement of dispositions (which he called “spirits”) within us. Simply put, some dispositions lead us closer to God’s will (manifesting as peace, charity, true happiness) and some, however beguiling, lead us away from God’s will (manifesting as isolation, resentment, spiritual stultification and unhappiness.)

A wonderful way to learn more about spiritual discernment is to engage a Jesuit or Ignatian (i.e., Jesuit-trained) spiritual director. Another is to take advantage of the 3- or 7-day retreat experiences offered by most Ignatian spirituality centers.

What are your biggest takeaways from making this movie? Are there any memorable quotes or incidents you can share from Russel Crowe that happened during the making of this movie?

I’d say my biggest takeaways are to keep an open mind and to never give up. The pathway to your goal is often not the one you think it will be, so remain open to the possibilities that the Spirit presents, even if those possibilities are times of pause or what appears to be inactivity. The Spirit is always working. Patience!

Russell Crowe is a lovely man and it was great to meet and work with him. He was very alert to and respectful of the fact that he was portraying a real person with an utterly unique ministry. He approaches his craft very seriously and that was his focus during filming.

There are a lot of references to the Catholic Faith throughout the movie, through sacraments and prayers, could you kindly share what a Catholic MUST do daily in order to be away from the clutches of the Evil one?

As a Catholic, I strive to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Jesus was very clear about how to follow him: care for the poor, feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, tend to the ill and destitute, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner, and promote justice (Matthew 34-46.) This is a tall order! I believe that the surest defense against Evil is the honest effort to follow Jesus’ example and live out his call to build the Kingdom. The sacraments, liturgies, good works and magisterium of the Church are all there to guide and assist our efforts to emulate Christ and help build the Kingdom of God.

What are some favourite movies that you can recommend to our readers or further spiritual reading to get educated about the wiles of the evil one?

I’m going to stick with movies on this one because that is where my heart is: I’m most attracted to movies that, while not overtly religious, explore and celebrate the dimensions of the human experience, particularly our need for mercy, solidarity, community, forgiveness and faith.

Movies that spring to mind are:

• CRASH (2004)
• OF GODS AND MEN (2010)
• MAGNOLIA (1999)
• CALVARY (2014)
• CHILDREN OF MEN (2006)
• ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)
• TRUE CONFESSIONS (1981)

Lastly Fr can you please share a prayer for our readers to be in the Light always?

As a Jesuit, I have a particular fondness for the Prayer of St. Ignatius. You certainly don’t need to be a Jesuit to gain spiritual strength and solace from Ignatius’ prayer!

Dearest Lord,
teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve You as You deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labour and not to ask for reward
save that of knowing I am doing Your Will.

Thank you very much for your time, Fr Siebert.

The post Interview: ‘The Pope’s Exorcist’ Movie Urges Us to Invoke the Light of Christ to Cast out Evil appeared first on Indian Catholic Matters.

Bangalore Oniyavara Seva Coota (BOSCO) is a Non-governmental Organization working with children and young people in difficult circumstances ever since its inception in 1980. The society forms part of the Salesians of officially known as the Society of St Francis of Sales, a recognized clerical religious institute of pontifical right in the Church. Salesians, the Religious Congregation of men is devoted to apostolic and missionary activities inspired by Christian charity, to the service of young people, especially the poor and marginalized. The congregation draws its inspiration from its founder, St. John Bosco (also known as Don Bosco).

Don Bosco, the Friend of Youth

St. John Bosco was born at Becchi, Italy on August 16, 1815.  Hailing from a humble peasant background, Don Bosco, had a first-hand experience of the sufferings of poor youth.  “Here you are, Johnny, left without a father”, said his mother at the death of his father, when John was just two years old.  The severe famine in the region and the constant bickering of his step-brother forced his widowed mother to send the 11-year-old John to her friend’s farm house to work as a stable boy.  Only at the age of 15 he could begin his formal schooling.  With his mother’s loving support and the help of some outstanding benefactors, he was able to complete his studies.

Impetus from a dream at the age of nine, in which he realized the power and efficacy of love in transforming unruly young people goaded him onward. He decided to become a priest when he was twenty.  After six years of preparation, on 5th June 1841, the Archbishop of Turin ordained John Bosco a priest.  John Bosco became Don Bosco.

As a priest, he visited prisons and saw the sad plight of many youngsters and chose to work for them.  In the wake of the Industrial Revolution, political unrest, moral and religious emptiness that swept across Europe, Don Bosco saw the city of Turin swarming with boys, underpaid and overworked, exploited, abused and in prison.  He began boarding houses and an informal training in different trades.

Some of his boys and friends decided to help Don Bosco in his work for the abandoned boys.  He formed them into a Religious Society called the society of St. Francis de Sales, also called the Salesian Congregation.  His method of educating the young is called the ‘Preventive System’ based on Reason, Religion and Loving Kindness. He died on January 31st, 1888. Today, the society he founded has over 14,000 members working in 132 countries. Through a global network of educational and social service organizations, it currently caters to over 9 million young people worldwide.

BOSCO: Beginnings

The year 1980 was singularly significant for five Theology students from Kristu Jyothi College, Bangalore, a centre for formation for Salesians to priesthood. It was in this year that the Salesians first began to make contact and reach out to the neglected children and youth on the streets of Bangalore.  In the process, the Salesian students discovered the hardships of thousands of children/youth who struggle on the streets for survival.

Over a period of six months, the Salesian students extended their outreach and contacted a large number of children the street. Non-formal interviews, interaction and reflection pointed towards the need for an immediate intervention on behalf of the urban youth and children on the street.  After four years of intense field study and reflection, the venture came to be considered as one of the mainstream activities of the Salesian province of Bangalore.  In 1984, the Salesians began to regularize and systematize the intervention and response pattern with the young at risk.  A small clubroom at Race Course Road, Bangalore, was named Bangalore Oniyavara Seva Coota (BOSCO) and became a temporary home for both the children, Salesians and the staff.

The Salesians subsequently felt the need for a shelter home, a centre that would cater to the varied requirements of the poor and marginalized children and youth.  In July 1985, the Bangalore Salesian Society bought a two-storey building at Magadi Road, located two kilometers away from the city Bus Stand and Railway Station.  The centre served as a contact point, night shelter, training centre and as the office of the project.

The humble beginning made by the Salesian students gained momentum and more staff and volunteers joined the venture.  These included nurses, doctors, counsellors, students, teachers and facilitators who helped the field staff in their activities.  Contact points were established at various areas of Bangalore City.  Basic information- name, age, address and family background of the children whom the staff met were documented.  Programmes like counselling and medication were carried out on the street and at the city centre regularly.

Original Aim and Present Status

What began as an outreach activity has today grown into a full-fledged organization, with nine rehabilitation centers catering to children in need of care and protection. The surveillance to identify and rescue children on the street is now a round-the-clock mission, in all the strategic locations. A toll-free child help line (CHILDLINE 1098) receives calls 24/7 and the staff respond to the calls promptly. The team that works with the Police, (Special Juvenile Police Unit) helps in preventing dehumanizing treatments to children. The team strives to ensure that child-friendly treatment is provided mandatorily to the children in conflict with the law.

Advocacy measures are carried out at the government level on a day today basis, and some of the programs like open shelter and missing child search have become nationwide programs accepted and approved by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The organization from its inception has been rallying for ‘the right based-approach’ and carries out its mission upholding the rights of the young, especially the poor and marginalized. The organization has a Child Protection Policy in place, to which everyone adheres to. It also reaches to the neighborhood through innovative intervention strategies, like computer literacy program and skill training program.

BOSCO welcomes and fosters the religious values of children and young people on the street and strives in its unique way for their faith formation.  Living and performing amidst strict scrutiny and never-ending challenges, BOSCO judiciously strives to retain its core values to mould children and young people who would contribute to the noble task of nation-building.

Fr. Prasad Xavier, SDB, is currently the Director of BOSCO Life Skill Training Centre, Sumanahalli and Director of BOSCO Childline, Bangalore.

The post Bosco: Living The Legacy appeared first on Indian Catholic Matters.

At a recent seminar with philosophers at Pune University on the topic ‘Ethics of Clinical Disputes in Terminally Ill Patients’, complex and problematic hospital scenarios were described, when doctors struggle to determine the patient’s best interest. A key learning that emerged was the significance of non-clinical life decisions; choices of the patient and family that profoundly impact end-of-life situations.

Talking about death is never easy, and in our culture it is even deemed to be inauspicious. Although death is accepted as inevitable, the modalities and preferences around dying are difficult subjects, complicated by emotion and denial. Today, more than ever before, advances in medical science and technology can prolong life and postpone death, and while this is laudable in terms of medical possibilities, the individual experience may be far from ideal. Some medical interventions used to prolong life can be traumatic, devastatingly expensive and even result in harm. This is why we need to get comfortable about discussing death and expressing our choices linked to the dying experience.

To begin with, one may have to reflect and seek answers to philosophical questions about our human existence:

What does it mean to be alive?

Patients in an unconscious state can be kept alive on ventilators. Persons can be immobilized by quadriplegia, or incapacitated by advanced Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. This challenges our very understanding of being alive.

 Is ‘quality’ of life important to us?

‘Quality of life’ is the general wellbeing of individuals linked to satisfaction with life including health, education employment, wealth, religious beliefs, family, relationships, freedoms and the environment. It can be different for different persons in different situation and changes with time. Is being alive enough, or does some pre-determined quality of life matter, in clinical decisions at the end of life?

 How do we respond when the doctor says that further medical treatment would be futile?

A medical intervention is futile when it is ineffective, or without purpose. Medical futility is a situation when the clinical treatment does not achieve the goals of care for a particular patient. Doctors are not obligated to provide treatment that is futile, particularly in view of limited resources, but are expected to continue with comfort care of the patient until the end.

In end-of-life situations, goals of care are determined not only by the medical options available, but by the wishes of the patient. Respect for the patient autonomy by allowing the patient to take decisions based on information and personal choices is an ethical imperative, and medical care today is less paternalistic and more consultative, subject to consent and will of the patient. Goals of terminal care could include restoration of function, relief of pain, prolonging life or simple palliation. The doctor and patient, along with the family, may mutually decide goals of care in terminal situations.

Are we ready to face death? What is a ‘good death’?

A study by medical journal JAMA ranked the key issues that contribute to a ‘good death’ as follows:

• Freedom from pain
• At peace with God
• Presence of family
• Mentally aware
• Treatment choice respected
• Finances in order
• Feeling that life is meaningful
• Resolve conflicts
• Die at home

The study reported that most patients close to death valued spirituality, the importance of prayer and being ‘at peace with God’.

Many of us have experiences with elderly relatives who are ready to die and do not want either hospitalization or ICU care. Some view bed-confined patients, those with Alzheimer’s and progressive neurological disorders with dismay, praying they will not meet the same fate. Just as it is meaningful to consider how we wish to live, it is equally important to think consciously about dying.

While death is a moment in time, dying may be longer and more complex than we anticipate. The experiences of others can prepare us to think through our choices, discuss with family and then communicate with doctors and our near ones. We need to create spaces in our homes and our community to have these difficult conversations and share our wishes and fears. In our country, ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ orders and ‘Advance Directives’ are yet to find legal acceptance. However, it is good to record our preferences and let others know, in case we are unconscious or incapacitated, and decisions have to be taken by the family.

In some cases, one may need to appoint a friend who will take health decisions on our behalf, in case of need. When the patient’s wishes are unclear, surrogate decision makers, like children of dying parents, can sometimes disagree about what is to be done, leaving it to the doctor to decide. Often it is social reasons or fear of abandonment that make families insist on ‘doing everything’ for the patient. These situations are far from ideal, and unnecessary expensive, aggressive treatment can be avoided if patient’s wishes are known and communicated.

Another area of concern is truth telling. The family may ask the doctor not to share the diagnosis or poor prognosis with the patient, as they feel it will emotionally harm the patient and impede recovery. This form of collusion, though justified in some cases, is ethically problematic as the doctor has a duty primarily to the patient and must respect the right to know and make conscious choices about further care. Terminally ill patients may want to prepare for death, both spiritually and pragmatically, coming to terms with their mortality and setting their finances and relationships in order. Doctors have to weigh the benefits and harm to the patient in each case, and counsel the family if the truth is unreasonably withheld.

The question of organ donation may arise in terminal care, particularly with unconscious patients and accident victims. The family is in a dilemma whether to donate or not, wishing to respect bodily integrity of the patient. If every person takes this decision well ahead of time, informs the family and carries a donor card, this ethical dilemma can be resolved, and many sick patients can receive a fresh lease of life from this act of generosity.

Our beliefs about human life created in the image of God, as an invaluable gift with a purpose and destiny, worthy of respect, shapes not only the way we live but also our view about death. Faith in God and belief in the afterlife presents a different perspective of death. Understanding the patient’s beliefs and allowing reconciliation and prayer is an essential part of terminal care. The doctors own beliefs and convictions could also impact how end-of-life situations are managed. As professionals, doctors are expected to adhere to well defined protocols of care and prioritize the interest and wishes of the patient as far as possible in this area.

In the present context of medical care, we cannot afford to be complacent or diffident about end-of-life choices. At least out of concern for our family who may be left to agonize over these decisions, we have to begin this conversation about death and dying and encourage our communities to confront this discourse. It can result in better outcomes of care, ameliorate dilemmas in ICU, Emergency rooms and oncology units and assist doctors in determining the course of action that would be in the best interest of the patient.

Dr Olinda Timms is Head, Bioethics Unit (International Network of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics), St John’s Research Unit, Bangalore & Adjunct Faculty, Department of Health and Humanities, St Johns Research Institute, Bangalore. Dr Timms is also the author of the book, “Biomedical Ethics”, brought out by Elsevier Publications.

The post End-of-Life Choices: A Defining Moment appeared first on Indian Catholic Matters.