Category: October-Dec 2023

By Sahayaraj Stanley, SJ

Some books make you smile, some make you frown, and some make you think deeper and give you a cerebral rejuvenation! The Revenge of Power by Moises Naim belongs to the third category.

Moises Naim is a distinguished Venezuelan writer. In 2013, the British magazine Prospect listed Naím as one of the world’s leading thinkers. Moises Naim served as the editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine for 14 years (1996-2010). A former Minister of Trade and Industry in Venezuela, and Director of its Central Bank, he served also as the Executive Director of the World Bank.     

His book, The Revenge of Power has a subtitle: How Autocrats are Reinventing Politics for the 21st Century. The book begins with this compelling portrayal: Free societies all around the world face an implacable new enemy. This foe has no army, no navy; it comes from no country we can point to, on a map. It is everywhere and nowhere, because it is not out there, but in here. What is this new enemy? Naim says that the answer is power, in a malignant, new form.

The book has 11 chapters, excluding an interesting introduction and an afterword. The chapters are divided into two main parts. The first part, consisting of four chapters, deals with the three ‘P’s, namely, Populism, Polarization, and Post-Truth. The second part consists of 7 chapters. They talk about a world made safe for autocracy.

Naim’s exhaustive analysis goes through the maze of corporate power, anti-politics, mafia states, and criminal governments. He also elaborates on how the pandemic helped the autocrats to consolidate power, and the last chapter zeroes in on the five battles that we need to win to safeguard democracy.

Naim makes us see the gradual shift in world politics towards autocracy. What is alarming is that this phenomenon is not restricted to one geographical area or in one particular country – it is the world over!

Naim makes us see the gradual shift in world politics towards autocracy. What is alarming is that this phenomenon is not restricted to one geographical area or in one particular country – it is the world over!

Leaders across the globe, from Putin to Modi, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez to Hungary’s Victor Orban, Brazil’s former President, Jair Bolsonaro to Turkey’s Erdoğan, all play or have played this same power game of manipulating people. Naim calls these megalomaniacs the ‘3P Autocrats’.

Who is a 3P Autocrat? 3P autocrats are political leaders who reach power through a reasonably democratic election and then set out to dismantle the checks on executive power through the above-mentioned 3Ps – populism, polarization, and post-truth. As they consolidate their power, they cloak their autocratic plans behind walls of secrecy, bureaucratic obfuscation, pseudo-legal subterfuge, manipulation of public opinion, and the repression of critics and adversaries. When their mask comes off, it’s too late.

Populism projects them as messianic leaders. This 3P leader is everywhere; he occupies the public space – front and centre, developing a deeply personal bond with his followers that shields him from the formal, lawful demands for accountability. Stealth and spectacle work together to deceive people. A meticulously planned strategy is used to create a ‘fandom’. These crazy fans identify themselves with the 3P luminary. What is more dangerous is the hatred they build for the other party, which sows dangerous seeds of polarization in society.

Naim lucidly points out how the 3P Autocrat works, hands-in-glove with the mega tech companies that wield their influence far and wide. When the power and prowess of the digital giants are used to spread disinformation, embedded fake news, and tools of sheer propaganda, then gullible citizens become their innocent victims.

Naim writes that one of the most sophisticated subversive is the invention of GONGOs. A GONGO is a government-organized non-governmental organization. Naim says that today there is a mushroom growth of fake NGOs, and many of them are GONGOs. Don’t we have plenty of them in India?

People of the Lie is one of the famous books written by the psychiatrist, Scott Peck. He writes about the ‘evil’ nature of this category of people. In Revenge of Power, Moises Naim writes: “Politicians lie….they have lied since time immemorial! The art of ‘lying’ gets sophisticated in this century with other types of digital mastery and a knack for maligning and mudslinging with bits, bytes, and pixels. Reality is reconstructed and we are forced to live in the post-truth era!”

As they consolidate their power, they cloak their autocratic plans behind walls of secrecy, bureaucratic obfuscation, pseudo-legal subterfuge, manipulation of public opinion, and the repression of critics and adversaries.

Naim points out that in the twenty-first century, new autocratic regimes typically emerge not by toppling democracies via force but by posing as democracies! This is an absolute abuse of power and office, and a nosedive and democratic backsliding! Naim points out that the 3P power is a malignant form of power, incompatible with the democratic values at the centre of any free society. It hides until it no longer needs to hide. Then it strikes. And by the time this type of power sets aside the cloak of stealth, it’s often too late.

In the last chapter, Naim writes about the strategy to win back the soul of democracy. In the opinion of Naim, we need five battles to win:

1. The battle against the Big Lie. People should be taught to sift truth from lies – We need digital hygiene to be informed and responsive citizens.

2. The battle against criminalized governments. We need to expose the planned ‘reputation laundering’. We need to find out fake charities, and other mechanizations of these autocrats, name them, and shame them.

3. The battle against autocracies that seek to undermine democracies. We need to make collective, mutually supportive commitments to stand up for democracy.

4. The battle against political cartels that stifle competition. We need to ensure fair and lawful political competition and insist on impartial courts and checks on executive power.

5. The battle against illiberal narratives. We need to keep telling people that the rhetoric of the 3P autocrat is shallow and hollow. This hollowness could give us an opening we must exploit to convince people once more of the promises of democracy.

The book ends with a cautionary note. Naim says, “Winning the war against 3P autocrats will require the revolutionary courage and creativity that gave birth to modern representative democracy in the first place. If we fail, we’ll bequeath our children and grandchildren a world that gradually drifts away from the principles of freedom and self-government that ought to be their birthright. And so, win this war we must”.

Revenge of Power has become popular with Jesuits all over, for the simple reason that the Jesuit General, Fr. Arturo Sosa made a reference to this book in his address on De Statu Societatis at the recent 71^st Congregation of Procurators, held in Loyola, Spain. In my view, this book is a must-read for anyone who cares for the future of democratic countries. All those who want their freedoms guaranteed by a democracy should read this book to become aware of the malicious shenanigans of autocrats who allure people into their shoddy snares and devour them without mercy. Obviously, one who sups with the devil should have a long spoon and needs to know how to destroy the devil before devouring the soup!

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By Dhanapalan Rayer, SJ

“Greet people first!”

I was only one week into my time in Zambia, and I found myself walking down the corridor of the school administration building. The school’s Headmaster asked me to go to the staff room and find a teacher named Mr. Banda. I entered the staff room and, not knowing the teachers by name, I had to call out, “Is Mr. Banda here, please? The Headmaster is looking for you.”

Mr. Banda inquired, “How are you, Father?”

“I’m doing well, thank you,” I replied.

I then asked him, “Are you Mr. Banda?” Without waiting for his response, I added, “The Headmaster wishes to speak with you.”

To my surprise, Mr. Banda posed another question, “How are the other priests at the community house?”

I answered, “They are doing well.”  Then I repeated, “The Headmaster is calling you.”

He said, “It’s alright. I heard you say that the Headmaster is looking for me. But you should greet people first. Engage in conversation, ask them how they’re doing, and then you can deliver your message.”

I promised, “Okay, I’ll do that.”  Then I proceeded to say, “The Headmaster is calling you.”

This interaction was a revelation for me. “Greet people and talk to them” became a life-changing approach for me in Zambia. I started conversing with people, whether they knew me or not. Remarkably, for the past 27 years, no one has reacted negatively.

A smile for every mile!

Zambia stands out as one of the most welcoming countries I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. ‘A smile for every mile’ was the slogan of Zambia’s national airline, and it perfectly encapsulates the warm reception one receives here. The people greet you with radiant smiles, reminding us that peace often begins with a simple smile. Zambians are renowned for their love of peace and harmony.

A unique handshake

Another remarkable experience I’ve had is the traditional Zambian handshake. Zambians have a distinctive and meaningful handshake. It begins with the standard handshake, followed by a unique step where they clasp each other’s thumbs and shake. Finally, they conclude with a third handshake, all in quick succession. This three-step handshake not only reflects their warm and welcoming nature but also conveys a sense of closeness, as the firm grip in their hands makes you feel connected.

The people greet you with radiant smiles, reminding us that peace often begins with a simple smile. Zambians are renowned for their love of peace and harmony.

‘The bearded mouth…’

I am deeply intrigued by the Zambian tradition and culture, particularly their profound respect and regard for their elders within the family. As the end of the school term approached, I would ask the students about their holiday plans. The recurring response was that they intended to spend some time visiting their grandparents. Parents echoed this sentiment, often stating that they would drive to the village and entrust their children with their grandparents. This strong bond between generations is heartwarming.

Allow me to share a poignant memory from years ago that remains vivid in my mind. I was enjoying my evening in the school’s football ground area when, in the distance, I noticed two young boys following each other while pushing a wheelbarrow. As they drew closer, I could see that one of the boys had tied one end of a rope around his waist and the other end to the wheelbarrow, allowing him to pull it. The second boy was gripping the wheelbarrow’s handles, maintaining control. At first, I assumed they were merely playing. However, as they approached, I realized there was an elderly man lying inside the wheelbarrow. These two boys were on a noble mission, taking their grandfather to the mission hospital because they had no other means of transportation. It was a remarkable testament to the compassion and creativity of these young boys, who, despite their tender age, had ingeniously found a way to ensure their grandfather received the necessary medical care. I left the location with a heavy heart, burdened by emotions.

In Africa, there is a proverb that wisely proclaims, “The bearded mouth does not lie.” This saying underscores the inherent trustworthiness of elders, who draw upon their wealth of life experience when they speak. In any social gathering, the words of the elders carry substantial weight and influence, owing to the profound respect and wisdom they bring to the discourse.

Raised his fist in the air!

In the very first week I spent in the classroom, the students were exposed to a multitude of accents—Canadian, Polish, Irish, and American. However, the one accent they struggled with the most was my Indian accent, and I, in turn, found it challenging to understand theirs. My task was to teach mathematics, and together, we made every effort to bridge this linguistic gap.

One day, a student brought his mathematics notebook for grading. As he tackled a problem, he made an error halfway through. I marked it as incorrect, and he was visibly upset. He returned to his desk to rework the problem but made another mistake, this time with only 25% of the question remaining. I had to mark it as incorrect again. Clearly, he wasn’t pleased with the X marks on his paper. He tore it up and started over, carefully working through the problem.

These two boys were on a noble mission, taking their grandfather to the hospital because they had no other means of transportation.

This time, he was confident he would succeed. When he brought it back to be graded, he expected a checkmark. However, there was still some anxiety on his face. As I held his notebook, I examined his work up to the halfway point, looking at his face to gauge his feelings. I added a checkmark, but then I paused, and his expression changed. He thought I was going to put another X. Instead, I placed a large checkmark. In that moment, he raised his fist in the air  and exclaimed in our local language, Tonga, “Ndayijanaa!” which means “I got it!” He repeated it several times and sat down, elated.

That was the first Tonga word I learned. This experience enlightened me. Every time I step into the classroom, I remind myself that my goal is for the entire class to say “Ndayijanaa!” and that is my aim and desire. When I stand before 40 students, those 80 eyes are eagerly looking up at me, ready to learn something new. My duty is to make them say “Ndayijanaa!”

That experience from my first week of teaching has guided me for the past 27 years. I am profoundly grateful to the Lord for enlightening me through that experience and for enabling me to maintain that spirit all these years.

My students have been wonderful teachers, helping me improve my communication skills and teaching me the nuances of asking questions effectively.

Singing and dancing for God:

Once I celebrated the Sunday Mass at the local parish church, where I adhered to our customary 12-minute sermon, allowing me to conclude the Mass in just one hour. Following the service, the priests and altar servers gathered outside the church to greet the congregation. As they exchanged greetings, I couldn’t help but notice their surprised comments: “Father, you finished fast, ah…ah… !”

With a curious smile, I responded, “Are you pleased that I finished quickly?” They replied with a mix of admiration and disbelief, expressing their thoughts with more “ahs”. Sensing their uncertainty, I asked for clarification, saying, “Im not quite sure I understand what you’re saying.” Finally, a gentleman explained that both the sermon and the Mass were too short. This made me realize that my approach had left some desiring a longer service.

However, my visits to this church have nurtured an appreciation for their music, singing, and dancing. The congregation possesses angelic voices, and the whole congregation would sing Gloria wonderfully well. It is indeed a truly heavenly experience. The graceful movements of their dances during the service are a sight to behold. (Although I’ve developed a desire to join in their dancing, I must resist, as it may lead people to believe I’ve suddenly developed some peculiar fits!)

Towards transformation:

I can keep on sharing more and more about my experiences in Zambia, where I have spent a significant part of my life. Over these 27 years, I have seen my pupils making tremendous efforts. Despite the limited opportunities available to them, these pupils have consistently strived to make the most of their circumstances, and I am proud to say that the Jesuits are continually working to provide them with more opportunities. “An untuned guitar is no better than a piece of wood.” I hope and pray that the pupils in our school as well as all the pupils of Zambia will continue to ‘tune’ themselves constantly. By doing so, they will become more efficient and effective, ultimately contributing to the transformation and progress of this country and the entire African continent.

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By S.M. John Kennedy, SJ

Why?

We have only one earth to live in, to care for and to share with our future generations. But we indulge in unrestrained exploitation and destruction of the rare resources of Mother Earth for quick profits. We live an unchecked life of luxury and consumerism, causing the emission of enormous chemical wastes and industrial toxins. In agriculture we resort to disproportionate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, unethical experiments to produce genetically modified vegetables. As a result our earth and its environment are terribly polluted and contaminated. Air, water and food on which we depend for our sustenance and subsistence are all tampered with. The earth is dangerously deformed and becoming increasingly unfit for the sustenance and continuance of life.

The mode of development, being followed or blindly enforced is at the heart of today’s ecological crisis. We use science and technology as instruments to dominate and exploit nature. A capitalist, consumerist economy, industry and social organization promoted by the affluent countries and the powerful elite in the Third World countries determine the quality of environment we create. This leads to a few accumulating wealth and the poor and the earth becoming helpless victims.

Global Ecojesuit network was evolved and is involved in addressing this huge challenge of ecological crisis and take up eco-restoration activities through networking with other groups with similar aims.

Background

Fr. Pedro Arrupe was elected the 28^th  Superior General of the Society of Jesus on 22 May 1965. He appointed Fr. Francisco lvern SJ as the first advisor of social concerns in September 1968. He became the first Secretary of Jesuit Socio-Economic Development Secretariat (JESEDES) in 1969.

GC 32, 1974, Dec. 4 declared in the document on ‘Our Mission Today’ that ‘the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice is one of the principal degrees for social commitment’. Following this, JESEDES was renamed as ‘Social Secretariat of SJ Curia’ in 1980. JRS (Jesuit Refugee Services) was started on 14 November, 1980 as an extension of Social Secretariat of SJ Curia. In 1992, this secretariat was renamed as Social Justice Secretariat (SJS). With the birth of Global Ignatian Advocacy Network (GIAN) in 2008, SJS was renamed as Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES). As a part of SJES, GIAN has four networks for Ecology, Mining, Migration and Education. In 2018, fulltime coordinators for each network were appointed in all the Jesuit Conferences.

The Birth of GIAN

In 1995, recognizing the ecological problems of the world,  GC 34 recommended to Fr. General (D. 20) to make a study and orient the Society of Jesus in its mission. At the invitation of Fr. General, the then Social Justice Secretariat (SJS) made a study and published its results in “We Live in a Broken World: Reflections on Ecology” (Promotio Iustitiae 70/1999).

In 1995, recognizing the ecological problems of the world,  GC 34 recommended to Fr. General (D. 20) to make a study and orient the Society of Jesus in its mission.

In 2008, reflecting on the context and challenges faced, GC 35 called to establish right relationships with God, one another and creation (D. 3). It invited everyone to reconcile with creation and “move beyond doubts and indifference to take responsibility for our home, the earth” (#31). To do this in an organized and collaborative way, the GC invited the Jesuits to “build bridges between rich and poor, establish advocacy links of mutual support…” (#27). 

Taking the invitation to establish advocacy links seriously, the Social Justice Secretariat organized an “Ignatian Advocacy Workshop” in El Escorial, Spain (10 – 16 Nov 2008). It was in this workshop, that the Global Ignatian Advocacy Network (GIAN) was born, with the understanding that ecology will be its main focus.

GIAN – Ecology

The term ‘Ecojesuits’ stands for Global Ignatian Advocacy Network Ecology (GIAN-Ecology).  It is the global ecology network of Jesuits and collaborators seeking integral ecology through facilitating and enabling dialogue that includes the voices of local communities, indigenous peoples, faith leaders, farmers, policy makers, economic experts, and more.

Goals of Ecojesuit Network

The main goal of this network is to facilitate engagements among Jesuit social, educational, pastoral institutes, as well as other religious congregations and the Church to address Laudato Si’s broad call for action. In order to achieve this, the following actions are undertaken: 

* Promote local-global cooperation: Dialogue to discern, with the scientific community and with belief systems, on the role of values and civil society in achieving effective change;

*Accompany regional actions: Collaborate to encourage links with regional networks and with diverse stakeholders

* Support local initiatives: Network to strengthen local efforts in ecological conversion.

The main goal of this network is to facilitate engagements among Jesuit social, educational, pastoral institutes, as well as other religious congregations and the Church to address Laudato Si’s broad call for action.

The Functioning of the Network

Ecojesuit is a part of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat. Planning, execution, and evaluation is done together with the six Jesuit Conferences and partners. The Secretariat facilitates and guides discussions in monthly dialogues or meetings with Ecojesuits globally or with Conference Coordinators and their teams. Further evaluation in terms of project reporting is done by the Secretariat.

Ecojesuit Network of South Asian Conference

South Asian Conference’s Ecojesuit Network is a part of the SJES of the Conference. Fr S.M.. John Kennedy SJ (MDU) is the Conference coordinator for the Ecojesuit network. Each Province in the Conference has one Province Ecojesuit Coordinator with a few Jesuits and others as Ecology Commission members. Conference Coordinator animates and guides in the evolution and implementation of the action plans of the Provinces. He also regularly connects with the province coordinators and conducts meetings to share and plan together.

Zonal coordinators

For effective coordination of our works, four zonal coordinators have been appointed: South Zone: Fr. Antony Samy, Central Zone: Fr. Prabhat Kennedy, West Zone: Fr. Antony Suresh, and North Zone: Fr. Basil Toppo.

Action Plans of the Provinces

Here is a list of the action plans of the Jesuit provinces of the South Asian Conference for 2023-2024:

The collated summary of the action plans under different categories:

I. Community, Institution and Energy related:

* Reduce consumption – practice the principles of refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle
* Efficient waste management

* Plastic and pollution free campus

* Adopt alternative and natural energy sources

* Simple, eco-friendly personal and community life style

* Integrated natural resources management

* Courses on Environmental science

* Training eco-audit teams and executing eco auditing

* Resource team for eco-awareness and eco-spirituality

* Making our campus a biodiversity campus

* Promote sustainable development through regeneration of natural resources by mobilization, promotion of non-conventional energy and judicious use of natural resources especially water, forest and land

* Promote environment-friendly practices in all our institutions

* Build biogas cum toilets for rural families

II. Awareness/Motivation to students and our people in our various ministries

* Organize competitions and encourage creative presentations

*Reconnect to nature by exposure visits

* Promote tree plantation, protect the planted trees

* Promote gardening and horticulture

* Display relevant awareness materials in and around our campuses

* Organize cultural programmes, debates etc.

* Produce and disseminate clippings, snippets, short videos etc.

* Propagate through the social media

* Promote indigenous food, medicines

* Organize eco- week celebrations

* Create awareness and conscientize communities for conservation and regeneration of natural resources, sustainable livelihoods and participation in the care of the commonhome

* Make use of our already existing eco-centres like Anglade Institute of Natural History at Shembaganur in Kodaikanal, Xavier Solar at Irudayakulam in Tirunelveli dt., Tarumitra in Patna, Eco-watershed management training centre at Hivrekorda etc.

*Promote awareness on climate change and COP 28

* Form and strengthen of the eco clubs

* Conduct cultural activities, assemblies, exhibitions on this

* All celebrations and festivals to have this theme

* Motivate farmers to take up organic/natural farming

III. Spirituality

* Promote meditation, Ignatian spirituality

* Organize eco-retreats, eco-liturgies, recollections

* Prepare, publish and distribute resource materials

* Set eco-spirituality network to bring about a true indepth ‘conversion’ and transformation in attitudes of individuals, communities and institutions regarding creation

* Use ecology as a platform for dialogue among religions and cultures

IV. Agro-ecology

* Promote organic farming

* Support farmers and natives

* Organize organic farming workshops, farmer schools

* Promote environment inclusive agricultural development

* Ensure the efficient management of land and water resources

* Propagate of biodiversity centres at different spots

V. Networking

* Network with the already existing eco activists, NGOs and peoples’ movements

* Identify and attend to the local ecological issues

* Create eco care centres

* Organize eco justice campaign, rally

* Involve in advocacy and policy level interventions

* Promote the best eco-practices

Why is this urgent?

Addressing the ecological concerns is our livelihood issue. It is now or never. If we do not intervene and act now, we will not have a healthy life and sustainable environment. There will be no safe home for the future generation of humans. Hence, let us collectively get involved in the protection of our Mother Earth. We all flourish or perish together.

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By James Kulvi, SJ

Children’s Day, celebrated in India on 14 November every year, is a good occasion to reflect on what we Jesuits offer children and what we should offer in today’s situation.

Before coming to what we have offered children in the past, let me emphasize what we need to offer them today as a priority – protection from all forms of abuse. We are well aware of the disastrous consequences of the clergy abuse scandal that erupted a few years ago. The Church lost its image and followers. Many dioceses and religious congregations paid a huge price. Therefore it is heartening to see that the recent General Congregation understood the importance of protecting minors and vulnerable adults. Fr. General has insisted that all the Jesuit provinces come up with policies and strategies that would ensure the protection of children from sexual abuse.

Jesuit schools need to ensure that children are free from also emotional and physical abuse. They need to deal sternly with teachers who tend to vent their anger on helpless children. Teachers who habitually resort to physical punishments should be handed over to the police, so that they come to face the legal consequences of their behaviour.

The founder of the Society of Jesus, St. Ignatius of Loyola, did not specifically direct his attention towards children in a way modern gurus would; but his principles laid the foundation for how Jesuits should serve and nurture children. Ignatius called the Jesuits to follow and imitate their Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

Jesus had a deep love and concern for children as portrayed in the Gospels. Jesus welcomed and embraced children. He also affirmed their worth and preciousness. He urged his disciples not to stop children from coming to him and declared that “the kingdom of God belongs to such as these”. He received them with kindness, respect, and love, setting an example for the people around him to follow. His interactions with children emphasized their innocence and importance.

Let me emphasize what we need to offer them today as a priority – protection from all forms of abuse.

Jesus frequently employed simple anecdotes and allegories that youngsters could readily grasp. His parables concerning the Lost Sheep, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan, etc retain their power to enlighten and inspire.

The teachings and actions of Jesus continue to deeply influence the Jesuits. By following the teachings of Jesus, Jesuits work for the welfare, education, and spiritual formation of children in schools, parishes and boarding houses.

One of the main pillars of the Jesuit contribution is education. Over the centuries, Jesuits have believed it was their mission to start schools and universities wherever they worked. Through these they have sought to promote academic excellence and character building. These institutions have made a significant contribution to the world and have shaped generations of students into refined individuals.

Jesuit schools and institutions worldwide are committed to delivering exceptional education that goes beyond academic excellence. The objective is to form well-rounded individuals with analytical thinking, ingenuity, and a sense of societal responsibility. Through a meticulously crafted curriculum and extracurricular activities, Jesuit education nurtures a yearning for knowledge, persuading children to explore diverse fields and disciplines, and cultivating an enduring passion for learning. Jesuits try their best to forge ‘men and women for others’.

Jesus had a deep love and concern for children as portrayed in the Gospels. Jesus welcomed and embraced children. He also affirmed their worth and preciousness.

As educators, Jesuits believe in the power of education to shape young minds and instill human values and ethics in children. Jesuit schools and institutions strive to provide a holistic education that promotes not only intellectual growth but also moral development. Therefore, in their dealings with children, Jesuits are called to foster an environment where children are encouraged to think critically, cultivate compassion, and engage in service to others. Such an environment emboldens children to examine, explore, question, and discover.

The Jesuit model of education emphasizes care for the individual and imparts values of justice, empathy and concern for fellow humans. Through their educational apostolate, Jesuits must continue to embody the teachings of Jesus and strive to create a nurturing environment where children are empowered to reach their full potential academically, spiritually, and socially.

A hungry child cannot learn anything. Therefore the Jesuit schools in some States in India offer free breakfast to poor children. They support the noon meal scheme initiated by some State governments. At the time of the Covid lock down almost all Jesuit schools made it a point to reach out to the families of poor children and provide them with the essentials, so that none of them had to face starvation.

Jesuit superiors are expected to give priority to ‘cura personalis’ – caring for the individual. This calls the Jesuit educators providing individual attention and support to every student, acknowledging the distinct strengths and requirements of each student. They are inspired to facilitate the personal development and overall well-being of their students and teachers.

Jesuit schools enable children to become aware of social problems and inspire them to actively participate in social justice initiatives. They try to address the needs of children with learning disabilities, or those living in poverty, or conflict areas. In many of the schools students are made aware of the basic human rights and the rights our Constitution give us. Some Jesuit provinces, because of the fear that certain political forces may undermine the Constitution, have doubled their efforts to make their students understand the merits of the Indian Constitution and all the rights it guarantees to citizens.

The Jesuit schools come up with what might help in the spiritual growth of their students and staff. They offer Masses to Catholics on the First Fridays and feast days. While Catholic students attend Mass non-Catholic students are given classes on value education. They organize also annual retreats for both students and the staff. Some schools try to follow the Ignatian pedagogy, which draws inspiration from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Some schools have tried to implement a version of ‘the Examen’ in their schools. The last 15 or 20 minutes of the school day are set aside for a review of the day in an atmosphere of silence. Some Jesuit schools have a ‘Magis Club’, that try to promote vocations to priesthood or religious life.

In the light of threats to unity that come from divisive politics Jesuits need to underline inclusivity and diversity, ensuring that children from different backgrounds, and cultures, feel safe, included, and assisted in their institutions. This approach cultivates appreciation and respect for those who are different. This would imply that Jesuits should provide opportunities for students of other faiths too to pray and celebrate.

Bearing in mind the new challenges today’s children face, Jesuits must strive to actively help them become aware of the dangers posed by addiction to drugs or alcohol. They must organize lectures, videos or films that can help the students escape these evils that try to enslave them. Occasions like the Children’s Day and the Teachers’ Day should remind us Jesuits that as educators we should strive to provide children with a nurturing ambiance that helps their all-encompassing growth – physical, intellectual, spiritual, and ethical. We must create an environment where children can attain not merely literacy and knowledge, but also faith, wisdom, empathy and kindness.

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By Alangaram Arockiam, SJ

End inequality!: Years ago, when I was a parish priest, I visited one of the sub-stations of my parish two weeks before Christmas. The Catholics there wanted to have an urgent village meeting soon after the Mass. The bone of contention was whether or not to share the drinking water from the village well with the Dalits of the village. After a few had spoken for and against sharing water, a woman stood up and said, “If we don’t share the drinking water with the Dalits, this year Jesus will not be born in our village.” There was dead silence for a moment. Then the village leader declared that for the first time they will allow the Dalits of the village to draw water from the village well.

Christmas that year must have been unique to those people, as it indicated a change of heart and an end to discrimination. At last all in the village were children of one God.

Go to villages!: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” This was the question posed by one of the disciples of Jesus, named Philip. Philip thought so because Nazareth was a poor, remote village.

We tend to look down on our villages, because of the conditions that prevail in villages.  Most villages have neither safe drinking water nor a decent health care centre. There are no good schools. Even if some villages have a school, they lack the basic facilities and quality education. Villages don’t offer adequate employment opportunities. This is why most villagers migrate to cities, looking for a good job or good education for their children. Gandhi once said that India lives in its villages. Even today they are the heart of India.

Christmas that year must have been unique to those people, as it indicated a change of heart and an end to discrimination. At last all in the village were children of one God.

But God ordained that Jesus should be born in a village, grow up in a village and live in a village for so many years before he begins his public ministry. This action of God tells us that we should care for our villages and help the villagers get all they need for a life of dignity. Therefore Christmas should lead every politician, every leader in politics, the society and religion, to go to villages and explore what they could do to improve the life of the villagers.

Fear not!: Before announcing the good news, the angel Gabriel told Mary not to fear. When Gabriel said she would conceive and bear a son, Mary was perplexed and confused. How could she, a virgin, become pregnant? But the angel explained to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…” (Lk 1: 35). Having listened to the angel, Mary trusted in God.

Today, if we take a good look at our world, we cannot but be afraid. The furious floods, the wild fires that destroy humans and homes, earthquakes, tsunami, our world becoming hotter and hotter, the senseless wars, and forced migrations, make us humans confused, worried, and frightened. During such catastrophes we pray to God that God may send God’s angels who will comfort us and give us courage. Therefore this is another Christmas message we need today much more than in the past. We need to hear God’s angel tell us, “Fear not!”

Love your world to save it!: When St. Irenaeus (130-200 AD) was made the Bishop of Lyons, Gnosticism became dominant. It denied the truth of the Gospel, saying that Christ did not take a human body and did not suffer a bodily Crucifixion and Resurrection. It taught that anything connected with matter was evil and had to be hated. So the saying went: ‘Hate the body and the world’.

This is another Christmas message we need today much more than in the past. We need to hear God’s angel tell us, “Fear not!”

To fight that dangerous heresy Irenaeus developed an incarnational theology and said that God sent God’s Son who became a human person through the mystery of Incarnation. Thus, Christmas, the feast that celebrates God taking on a human body, became a powerful weapon in the hands of Irenaeus to fight Gnosticism. Christmas teaches us to love our body and the world in order to save them. Every Christmas, therefore, should remind us to love this sinful, conflict-ridden world so that we do everything we can to heal it and make it whole.

He has come looking for you!: In the world of nature ants go in search of anything that has sugar, butterflies fly in search of flowers that can provide them honey, all rivers move towards the sea and so it is only natural that humans go in search of God to receive God’s grace and love. But the birth of Jesus Christ is something truly astounding in the sense that God comes in search of us. The reverse of the ‘natural’ happened at Christmas. ‘God has come in search of humans’ is the Good News of Christmas.

We too are favoured!: God’s angel Gabriel greets this virgin in Nazareth, a village of Galilee, saying, “Greetings, O favoured One, the Lord is with you” (Lk, 1: 27 -28). She becomes the ‘favoured one’ because she would carry in her womb our savior, Jesus Christ. Today, we too deserve such a greeting. We become the favoured people, because we receive in the Eucharist what Mary received in her womb – the Son of God.

We are enabled to receive the Word made flesh by God’s mercy and forgiveness. We can imagine being greeted with the angelic words, “O, favoured ones, the Lord is with you.”

The Holy Spirit will come upon us too!: Every day during the Eucharistic celebration the priest blesses the bread and wine and prays to God the Father to send down the Holy Spirit: “Therefore, O Lord, we pray: may this same Holy Spirit graciously sanctify these offerings, that they may become the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for the celebration of this great mystery, which he himself left us as an eternal covenant”.

The ordinary bread and wine need the Holy Spirit to be transformed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Similarly, we who receive Jesus in the Eucharist, need the constant action of the Holy Spirit, if we have to become like Jesus. To think like Jesus, feel like Jesus and act like Jesus we need the power of the Holy Spirit to fill us and guide us. Christmas reminds us to pray to the Father to send us his Spirit to sanctify us.

But sometimes, since we are merely sinful and weak humans, we wonder if we are worthy of the Holy Spirit. Are we really worthy of being filled by the Holy Spirit? Such thoughts and feelings fill us with fear, confusion and desolation. At such moments we need to hear the angel Gabriel say:  “For with God nothing is impossible” (Lk 1: 37). These consoling words of the angel would give us courage, confidence and clarity.

John the evangelist confirms this: “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” (Jn 1: 12). If we believe in him and follow him, God will give us the power to become God’s children. Therefore the feast of Christmas comes with several messages. We need to recognize them, and ponder over at least some of them.

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My dear friends,

We are happy to make the latest issue of INI, dated Oct-Dec ‘23, available to you on 14 November ‘23 – the day which is celebrated here in India as ‘Children’s Day’. This day in November is the birthday of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who, as the first Prime Minister of India, served the nation in that position for 16 years. If India continues to be a working, vibrant democracy – quite unlike its South Asian neighbours – it is thanks to his mindset and actions. A secular humanist and a social democrat, Nehru was committed to parliamentary democracy and secularism.

He was quite fond of children, who loved to call him “Chacha Nehru” (Uncle Nehru). M.O. Mathai, the talented Malayali, who was Nehru’s Private Secretary, wrote in his book, My Days with Nehru, “Nehru saw in their (children’s) innocent faces and sparkling eyes the future of India. He was convinced that no amount of money spent on children and their mothers was too much, and that it was a sound investment for the future.” In an interview he gave to a journalist in 1958, Nehru said, “I have always felt that the children of today will make the India of tomorrow, and, the way we bring them up will determine the future of the country.”

No wonder Nehru wanted his birthday to be celebrated as ‘Children’s Day’.

While this month calls us to think of children, December leads us to a Child – the God-Child, born in a stable, to a virgin and was announced by a heavenly choir of angels and visited by poor shepherds and persistent wise men from the East. 

This Child grew up and lived in a land that has been turned today into a gory, bloody battlefield by unscrupulous terrorists and an army that knows no restraint. This Child, who is hailed as ‘the Prince of Peace’, would want us to think of the children in Israel as well as the Gaza Strip. Having been subjected to such terrible, traumatic experiences for more than a month now, what will they be when they grow up? May the Children’s Day and Christmas make us keep thinking of and praying for these hapless, helpless, innocent children! 

– M.A. Joe Antony, SJ