Comments for Indian Catholic Matters

Comment on The Influence of St Ignatius and St Francis on Franciscus by Jose Paul Chettupuzha

Jose Paul Chettupuzha — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 06:57:10 +0000

That is a contemplative and comprehensive heartfelt breviary on Pope Francis.
Well written, as usual, Tom…

Comment on Pontiff’s Last Journey: Pope Francis Funeral Mass on Saturday at 1.30 pm India Time by chhotebhai

chhotebhai — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:14:19 +0000

Of Mahatma Gandhi it was once said that future generations would find it hard believe that such a one straddled the earth. The same may now be said of Pope Francis. Humble homage to a great servant leader and lover of human kind

Comment on Francis Challenged Us When We Needed It Most by Adolf

Adolf — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 12:58:18 +0000

A piece deserving praise. Edifying. Thanks ICM for carrying such honest, and factual stories without any hype.

Comment on A Stone’s Throw by Jose Paul Chettupuzha

Jose Paul Chettupuzha — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 06:01:15 +0000

Hi Tom, Such clarity in thought can only come when you are ‘A stone’s throw away’ spending time with the Lord.
The time one spends with the Lord is timeless, in other words, cannot be defined by time.
And, Tom, why only one hour?
Ideally, one should be with the Lord always.
One should strive to survive this world within the protection of his shadow.
Live within the embrace and expanse of his love.
Our source is the Lord.
Our strength is the Lord.
And, everything is because of Him!

Comment on Weaponising Scripture by Mary Laughborn

Mary Laughborn — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:58:58 +0000

America First, India First, United Arab Emirates First. There is nothing wrong in this patriotic approach. Every Prime Minister and President first of all should look after his/her Country. I have an impression that you demonize Donald Trump. He is the first American President who put his foot down and blocked the buldozer of evil.Of course Trump is not ideal politician but at least a Christian who is not afraid to speak about Jesus. I wish Pope Francis appreciated him.

Comment on My Vacation With The Lord by chhotebhai

chhotebhai — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 07:33:25 +0000

I have had the privilege of making 2 30 day Ignatian retreats. Game changers for me.

Comment on Saint Joseph is the Silent Saint by chhotebhai

chhotebhai — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 08:41:40 +0000

The writer could also have referred to St Joseph the Most Chaste Spouse and the Worker

Comment on Hope for Vocations: The Unseen Power of the Domestic Church by chhotebhai

chhotebhai — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 13:27:15 +0000

Thank God the writer didn’t blame Vatican II for the crisis in vocations. It would also be incorrect to blame the domestic church as defined in Lumen Gentium No 11.
As a former vocation promoter myself I can say with confidence that what happens in the world outside or the church inside has a deep impact on families.
The immediate cause in India is rising income and shrinking family size. Earlier the majority of vocations came from large rural families with relatively less income. Those equations have changed.
We also need to encourage married and women clergy. The hour has come. We need to read the writing on the wall.

Comment on Nearly 28000 Unite in Faith for the Archdiocesan Walking Pilgrimage 2025 in Goa by chhotebhai

chhotebhai — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 13:14:16 +0000

Excellent spiritual journey and witness. May the Lord bless all the participants and organisers.

Comment on Derek O’Brien Urges Christian Institutions to Mobilize Alumni for Nation-Building by Isaac Gomes

Isaac Gomes — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 17:23:23 +0000

In reply to chhotebhai.

Chhotebhai is absolutely right on raising his doubts about the figure 5,400. It is 54,000 according to Mr Derek O’Brien – Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from Bengal. He stated this figure at Loyola Jesuit College – Chennai on 20th February, on the occasion of Centenary Celebration of the College. He said the Christian community (not only Catholics) runs around 54,000 educational institutions and for every 100 students 75 belong to other communities. The link of his speech is given below:
https://youtu.be/U9qgBF2wvYE

Mr Derek O’Brien also remembered Fr Jerome D’Souza who was a member of the Constituent Assembly from 1946-1950 and is buried in Loyola College campus. He dedicated the day (World Social Justice Day) and his interactive session to late Fr Stan Swamy.

Mr Derek O’Brien may espouse the cause of the 75% non-Christian students, but the cold fact is Christian students, especially the poor, are a minority in their own institutions. Our Church-run institutions have put the lofty ethos of St Ignatius and St John Bosco to the back burners and are mostly serving the privileged class. Fr Stan’s martyrdom hardly matters to them! By the way, St Stephen’s College New Delhi reserves 50% of seats for Christian students, as per the Supreme Court of India benchmark. Very soon, Church-run educational institutions will soon lose their Minority Institution tag because of the abysmally low percentage of Christian students in these schools. Already the Gujarat government has passed a law that it will have a say in the selection of both teaching and non-teaching staff in aided Minority Educational institutions. This has, however, been challenged in the Supreme Court of India by the Gujarat Educational Board of Catholic Institutions. Two questions that Christian educational institutions need to introspect on are: (1) For whom did our founding fathers/mothers establish our educational institutions? (2) Whom are we serving now (those who are persecuting the marginalised and incarcerating
activist-priests like Stan Swamy)?