Dnc Times-September-2016

Of the many inspiring quotes of Mother Teresa,

“Helping hands are better than praying lips” is

the one that I like the most. Yes! She inspired

the world not by her prayer but by her service to the

humanity in particular to the neglected, the broken, the

wounded, the abandoned etc. Thereby, she has become a

teacher for the whole of humanity. Filled with the joy of

her sainthood, the DNC Times team is glad and

privileged to dedicate this edition of DNC Times to St.

Mother Teresa as “Mother Teresa – A teacher for

Humanity”.

Different experiences of Mother Teresa have

been reflected and highlighted in this magazine. Fr.

Cyril focusses on

how she inspired the

world throughout

her life. She became

an Indian in her heart

and mind. She read

the signs of times

and did what was

n e e d e d f o r t h e

people of India ,

e s p e c i a l l y o f

C a l c u t t a . H e r

experience was such that she was no longer serving

humans but Jesus Himself. This realization kept her

going amidst all difficulties.

It was a call within a call for Mother Teresa. She

was willing to walk in the path that was shown to her by

God knowing that it wouldn't be easy. She faced

challenges perennially, yet she didn't give up. She broke

open not only the boundaries of a convent but also those

of culture becoming the mother of the poor and the

orphans. In spite of her constant prayer and ardent

service to the poor, she also had a spiritual dryness within

her and Arul Rayan draws a lesson for all of us form her

dark experience of her soul. The issue also focusses on

Teachers day and Mother Mary. Both Mother Mary and

Mother Teresa are teachers for humanity. They taught a

spiritual lesson for the world through their very lives.

Mother Mary set a perfect example for humility by the

very way she surrendered herself completely for the Will

of God. Bengal Mother taught us to be compassionate

and merciful to the suffering and the needy. Both of them

taught that it is not money and power that foster life but

love. Love for God and one another is the fuel for the

world to function. However, this love is a challenge

which we all need to face. It is a challenge because it

requires our entire

being and we need to

be ready to give

ourselves fully as

our mothers.

We knew that in

recent times Mother

Teresa 's self less

s e r v i c e w a s

c o l o u r e d w i t h

religious identity.

D e s p i t e t h e

assumptions and allegations of some fundamental

groups, her care and service for the sick and the poor are

undeniable. Let us not just admire at St. Mother Teresa

but become like her so as to bring forth the change that

the world is in need of. We shall become teachers for

humanity through our generous service to its growth. I

hope this magazine reaches its desired destiny wherein

the fire within you is awaiting a rekindling.

rd( Bosco is a 3 yr student of philosophy at JDV)

02 sEPtEmBEr 2016sEPtEmBEr 2016sEPtEmBEr 2016

EditorialEditorialEditorial

Have a Fruitful Reading

Amal Bosco SJ

so many desperately poor and abandoned people led her

through a long dark night of the soul, but she learnt to

mature in her faith and soon many young girls from India

and all over the world sought entrance into her order,

which made very severe demands on their lifestyle. They

had to live in almost the same impoverished conditions as

those they served. Many volunteers from all over India

and the world, not all of them were believers in God and

many non-Christian Brahmin girls too, came forward to

collaborate with her sisters in their work among the

slums and gutters and ghettos of the world, not caring that

they sullied their high caste hands with the blood, filth

and pus of the lower classes.

She will be canonized by Pope Francis on the

anniversary of her being called to the Lord, this year.

Like any charismatic person she was very demanding,

often even dictatorial to her sisters, to the extent of

deciding how many chapattis

t h e y w e r e t o h a v e f o r

breakfast, not allowing them

to change the routine of their

Homes for the Poor and Aged

by even five minutes without

her express opinion. She was

of ten quoted as te l l ing

aspirants or volunteers who

asked too many 'Why-

questions!' "You are not here

to question the rules but to observe them!" But for all that,

she was universally loved with a tender affection by all

her sisters. She is most remembered for her words, "I am

by birth, an Albanian, by citizenship an Indian, as to my

calling I am a Catholic nun, I belong to the whole world

but my heart belongs totally to Jesus!"

She transformed the lifestyle of every convent

(Cont’d on Pg. 14 )

Agnes Gonxhe Bojaxhui, more popularly

known to all over the world as "Mother Teresa

of Calcutta" and one of the most recognizable

women's faces on the planet, was born in Skopje

(Albania, then under the dominion of Macedonia) on

August 26, 1910. When she died in Calcutta, as an Indian

citizen, founder of the Order of Missionaries of Charity,

distinguished by their simple blue-bordered saris, on

September 5, 1997, she had become almost a household

word and universally loved for her work among the

poorest of the poor, not only in Calcutta, but all over the

world. Royalty from Europe and from the world over

attended her funeral in what was now called Kolkata and

the ceremony was televised by Doordarshan and relayed

across the globe.

Her parents, Nikole and Dranafile, were what

we'd call middle class people but she learnt from them to

always have a heart, like the

family table, open to the poor

and the needy. Later, she

joined the Sisters of the

Institute of the Blessed

Virgin Mary (more popularly

known as the Loreto nuns)

and travelled to Dublin for

her formation. She was sent

to India to teach in one of

their schools for the elite, but

began to feel a call in her heart to work more directly with

the homeless, the destitute and those who died unloved

and unattended on the streets of the former capital of

British India.

She had to wait until 1950 to get canonical

approbation for her Order and was most grateful to many

Jesuits of the Calcutta Province who supported her

spiritually in her work. Needless to say, her labors among


Fr Cyril SJ

Mother Teresa, a Teacher for HumanityMother Teresa, a Teacher for HumanityMother Teresa, a Teacher for HumanityArticle

ost teachers would agree that it is very

Mdifficult to teach a class of 50 students for

two to three hours at a stretch. But this man

from Galilee taught thousands of people at a time and all

through the day. His way of life had an impact on every

nook and corner of the regions of Galilee, Judea and

some parts of Samaria.

The teaching and preaching of Jesus, though very

simple had a commanding impact invariably on

everyone who listened to it. In fact, Jesus was not even a

qualified teacher. Dr. James Allan Francis in his book,

'The Real Jesus and Other Sermons,' describes Jesus as a

man, born in an obscure village to a peasant woman,

visited no school or college, held no degrees, but

captured the hearts of people. Gandhi, when speaking

about Jesus says, “To me, he was one of the greatest

teachers humanity has ever had.” And so it is interesting

to know why and how the teachings of Jesus have a

lasting impact till today.

� Horne, in his book, 'Philosophy of Christian

Education,' says that, it is his conviction, purpose and

mission oriented attitude that made him a powerful

teacher. Though His 'Why, What, and Whom,' played a

vital role in His success, the 'How' of His teaching makes

him really special. Three techniques of Jesus come

across to me as very powerful. (i) Parable or Storytelling,

(ii) Asking questions (iii) Repetition.

(i) Parables of Jesus�

Why do films and story books interest us more

than mathematical derivations? It is because they are

pictorial, easy to grasp and our senses can cherish them.

Jesus also used pictorial stories and everyday events to

explain most of his abstract concepts. Therefore, His

teaching had a great impact. (Lost Son, Lk 15:11-32) But

when Jesus used abstract concepts like “I am the bread of

life” (Jn 6:35), he became a failure to the extent that His

own disciples leaving him (Jn 6:35). Moreover, His

parables reflected daily activities of the simple folk.

(ii) Asking Questions

� The Dialectical method is very effective in

teaching a concept. Socrates used this method to trigger

the Youth of Athens. Jesus did likewise. In the Bible, we

often see Jesus throwing questions at the crowd or to His

disciples or particular persons, thus making them search

for an answer.

(iii) Repetition

Repeating an activity, a process or a detail leaves

an indelible mark in one's memory. Jesus often repeated

His concepts. He emphasized His concerns repeatedly

such as the love of the Abba Father, the values of

Kingdom, a conversion of heart and mind, His Paschal

Mystery and so on! He used different parables to explain

the same concept.

He knew very well the Why, What, Whom and

How of His teaching. His purpose was not only to take

the people back to the Father (Abba), but also to make

them realize that they were also beloved children of

Abba, Father. Therefore, his core methodology of his

teaching can be summarized into two words: 'Love and

Compassion'. He touched the dreaded lepers, interacted

with outcast Samaritan woman and the list is endless.

That is why, Jesus remains a role model for every

teacher till today. Because not much of his words but his

attitude and overwhelming love towards people inspired

everyone. As Jesus did, let our lives become a method of

real teaching.

There has never been, and there will never be, another

human who has been more successful than the humble

Teacher, Jesus Christ - Monica Johnson

(Clement is a former student of MPh at JDV)


Fr. Clement SJ

Methodology of JesusMethodology of JesusMethodology of JesusArticle

reporter once asked Mother Teresa how could

Ashe get up each morning facing the

overwhelming poverty of Calcutta and

continue her work. For which, Mother responded "God

does not call me to be Successful. God calls me to be

faithful." This is the most essential lesson we get to learn

from Mother, seeking God and God alone in all things.

When we look into our own lives we all seek God but

often seek some other things or someone else in life too.

Can we call it being faithful or successful? In life we

often tend to run after success forgetting to admire life's

beauty itself. This calls us to take the Example of Mother

Teresa and follow Christ who was meek and humble.

In the Bhagavad - Gita Arjuna is given the

secretive knowledge of 'Nishkama Karma' i.e. doing

ones dharma without expecting any reward by Lord

Krishna. Therefore, our work should be such that neither

the pleasure of it nor its pain must affect our actions. This

attitude was the hallmark of Mother Theresa. In an

interview with the Times Magazine she once said, “I am

like a pencil in the hands of God. God does the thinking.

God does the writing. I'm just allowing myself to be used

by Him.” This attitude won her many prizes, like the

Nobel Prize, the Bharat Ratna etc. for reaching out to the

poor and those most in need. In the midst of all this she

remained humble without taking any credits for herself.

In her religious life too, she lay back pondering where her

God was, and sensed a lot of spiritual consolations as

mentioned in the writings 'The Dark Night of the Soul.' In

spite of all this she remained patient in times of inner

turmoil and showed humility when successful,

cherishing faithfulness the virtue of the fruit of the Holy

Spirit.

The inspiration to be faithful to God than being

successful is very Scriptural. Mother made the scriptures

come alive in the streets of Calcutta being an Alter

Christus to those in need and to the suffering. Even those

dying found God through Mother. In the scriptures we

have the examples of Joseph, Daniel, Barnabas and

others who focused on doing God's will irrespective of

success or failure. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus

prays to his Father that the cup be passed from Him. He

does not get what He asked for, yet He remained faithful

to the mission of dying on the Cross. Mother too like St

Paul can say, “I have finished the race that was given to

me.” In life Mother never credited any claims for her

great success but remained faithful to Christ's mission,

serving all by being merciful to them all.

Striving for success isn't wrong, but we can't

expect total guarantee in all our endeavours too. We have

many saints who have failed in their lifetime to convince

people of what they did but now are looked up to as

models. St. Therese of Lisieux, a cloistered Nun is known

today for her spirituality of 'doing little things with great

love.' St. Alphonsa spent most of her life in a sick bed and

is now the first woman Saint from India. St. Paul, who

persecuted the Jews and Christians, became the follower

of Christ to preach Christ to all, holding all things as loss

and rubbish before the value of Christ's knowledge,

valuing Christ as his only gain.

Choosing faithfulness over success can sound as

a resignation when we live in a society that is constantly

striving for success and successful people. Thus it is hard

to take the less beaten path to live our life devoted to our

work and with a spirit of indifference to success and

appreciation. But when we begin to practice this

theology of work we see the Kingdom of Peace being

established within ourselves as Mother Teresa did.

st(Rejin is a 1 Yr student of Theology at JDV)


Called To Be Faithful Not SuccessfulCalled To Be Faithful Not SuccessfulCalled To Be Faithful Not Successful

Rejin Joseph SJ

Article

“ If you can’t feed a hundred people,

then feed just one.” - St. Teresa

he Role of a teacher in the life of Human beings

Tis marvelous and unavoidable. In fact behind

every successful person, there is a teacher who

is involved directly or indirectly in transforming the

person and shaping one's abilities. For some, the world is

an unknown history but for those who are molded

according to the principles of their teachers, make

history. A good example of this is that of the recent ended

Olympics silver medalist P.V. Sindhu who has made

history because of her dedicated teacher and coach

Gopichand. We have several more examples of teachers

inspired success. In line with this, William Arthur Ward

says, “A mediocre teacher tells, a good teacher explains,

a superior teacher demonstrates, and a great teacher

inspires.”

In this regards the Church holds Mother Mary as

an important teacher of life. She teaches every Christian

to walk on the values of life being obedient to God in faith

and love. Though Mary might not have taught in any of

the synagogues of that time, she inspires humanity by her

simple faith in God and readiness to do His will. Being an

ordinary Jewish girl she remained obedient and faithful

to God, to her parents, to the traditions and to the laws.

Mary teaches us to believe in God's providence,

whenever He choose us for something she is a model for

us to say, “Let your will be done,” i.e. to say a total

surrender to participate in God's plan of salvation and

future. She does not teach us anything extraordinary but

her life teaches us to walk in the path of the Lord

embracing all the crosses that come on the way and do

extraordinary deeds in an extraordinary way.

Mary's sensitivity towards the needy and concern

for the helpless makes us ponder and act according to the

need of the hour. This attitude comes from the core of the

human heart that affects the mind with reason to act

instantly like Mary. Her sensitivity makes her fully

present to the reality, teaching us to be in touch with our

own realities and to be aware of our interior movements.

She calls us to be attuned to the music of the heart, to

show empathy towards the needy and to extend a helping

hand to the distressed like she did to her cousin Elizabeth

by rushing to greet her to help her. There were many

instances where Mary showed great love and affection to

the anavim. It is therefore evident that as a teacher

Mother Mary teaches us to be affectionate towards the

poor and the needy whom we meet in our daily lives.

The important aspect in every teacher is to

accompany the learners in their growth. Mary does it

faithfully by accompanying the apostles and all the

believers in leading to the Father through His son Jesus

Christ. Normally it is believed that a distinction is

maintained between the teacher and the student but in

case of Mary, she does not exalt herself so much rather

with humility she becomes one with the believers. A

person grows healthily when accompanied by an

experienced person. The presence of Mary in the journey

towards the Father makes it more relevant and

meaningful to all who invite Mary to be with them. It has

been the experience of the Apostles and the Saints who

implored Mary to accompany them in their faith journey.

Thus, they were able to sustain the sufferings and pain

meted out to them with a joy in their hearts. Being a

Mother of Sorrows accompanying Jesus at the Cross, she

teaches us to bear pain by believing in the Resurrection of

Life. With the support of Mary, we get enormous strength

to face the challenges of the world and walk in faith with

convictions. Mary through her very life inspires us to do

God's will, affects our hearts to be sensitive and

accompanies us in our journey towards reaching the

Calvary of our life, thus being a motherly teacher.

st(Bosco is a 1 Yr student of theology at JDV)


Mother Mary: A TeacherMother Mary: A TeacherMother Mary: A Teacher

B. Bosco SJ

Article

“If you judge people, you have no time

to love them.” - St. Teresa

have just completed the course on Prophets. As I sit

Idown to write about 'the dark night of the soul' of

Mother Teresa, there is a tendency to compare

Mother – as she is fondly remembered, with what I have

studied and reflected about the call narratives and

mission of the prophets. I have willingly given myself

into that tendency because such a comparison, illumines

'the dark night of the soul' of Mother comprehensively to

me.The call narrative of any prophet involves four

stages. (a) God calls (b) God commissions (c) The

prophet protests and (d) God responds to the protest of

the Prophet.

Having gone through some literature on the 'dark

night of the soul' of Mother, I perceive these four stages

evidently present in her life. God called her on

September 10, 1946, while riding a train to Darjeeling to

make a retreat; Mother heard a call within a call. God

commissioned her to give up her life with the Sisters of

Loreto and follow Christ into the slums to serve Him

among the poorest of the poor. I look at the experience of

'the dark night of the soul' of Mother as the combination

of the third and the fourth stages of the call. Mother had

protested to God about her inability to find Him, and her

spiritual dryness and the feeling of being abandoned.

However, the covenantal God who called her remained

faithful to her and Mother to Him till the end.

It seems at some point during their lives many

saints have suffered what St. John of the Cross called 'the

dark night of the soul' St. Therese of Lisieux too,

experienced a 'night of nothingness.' John of the Cross

and others wrote poems and spiritual canticles to

describe their sufferings in God's absence and their

frustrated longings for the embrace of His love. Mother's

book of private letters, 'Mother Teresa: Come Be My

Light' revealed that she endured years of feeling

abandoned by God and an intense spiritual dryness.

Fr. Joseph Neuner, SJ, her confessor suggested to

Mother, that the feeling of abandonment and spiritual

dryness was to intensify and aid her vocation to the

rejected poor of India and the world. These feelings

mirrored Jesus' feelings in the Garden and on the Cross.

Mother wrote to Neuner, “If I ever become a saint - I will

surely be one of 'darkness.' I will continually be absent

from heaven - to light the light of those in darkness on

earth.” Strengthened in the furnace of suffering, she was

ready to continue her mission until the end of time.

God answers those who cry to him. When Israel

cried out Yahweh heard them (Ex 3:7) and liberated them

from slavery. Only those who have faith in God cry out to

Him out of helplessness and a believer's lament of the

absence of God. “My God, my God, why have you

abandoned me” is not the cry of the atheist; it is the cry of

the psalmist and of Christ. It is the cry of a believer. 'The

dark night of the soul' is not about doubt; it is about

enduring, faithful, unquestioning love. God's love is

'wombish.' Mother was precious in His sight and He

loved her. She did not fear as He was with her (Isa 43:3-

4). God accompanied her in the hungry, the naked, the

homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers and all those

people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for

throughout society, people who have become a burden on

others and are shunned by everyone. She was the Good

Samaritan par-excellence (Luke10:37). Hers was a

simple faith that resided in her deep desire to see Jesus in

every human being. She said, “I say to myself this is

hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus; I serve

because I love Jesus” (Mt 25:35). Mother's life is a

testimony that emboldens us to go and be merciful like

the Father, trusting in His love, for God does not call the

qualified, He qualifies those whom He calls (Ex 4:10-

13).

rd(Arul Rayan is a 3 Yr student of theology at JDV)


The Dark Night of the SoulThe Dark Night of the SoulThe Dark Night of the Soul

S. Arul Rayan SJ

Article

am just a pencil in the hand of God,” says the 4 feet

Iand 11 inches woman, St. Teresa of Calcutta. The

woman, in an inexpensive white sari trimmed in

blue, whole-heartedly served the poorest of the poor. She

brought cheerful smiles on the faces of the poor and made

their life joyful. Responding to a greater call within her

call, she closed the pages of her first congregation,

“Loreto” and opened a new page in her life called,

“Missionaries of Charity” that has gone on to become a

home for the destitute and the needy. She enriched the

lives of many in every nook and corner of Calcutta by her

loving care. She also accommodated the people who had

makeshift homes for their livelihood. She immensely

loved them and lived like them, her entire life.

However great may her service be to humanity,

she always considered herself as a humble instrument in

the hands of God. The more she grew in her familiarity

with God, the less she knew God, the infinite mystery. To

her, the sky was the limit. Since she identified Christ with

the poor, she also became poor for Christ. She was truly a

poor for the poor.

� Mother Teresa began her works of charity to the

poor in a broken, filthy, un-electrified house in Calcutta.

To feed her children, she went out to the streets to beg.

One day, a man spat on her palms when she was begging.

Her reply to that man was, “this is for me, now you give

something for my children.” Many a time, she was

humiliated and mocked by people. She had never reacted

to these but merely digested them. Today, her

congregation, “Missionaries of Charity,” is well known

all over the world for their tireless service to the poor.

Over the years, her congregation has provided numerous

special opportunities to the poor for their well-being, but

even now the life style of these sisters remains as simple

as that of Mother.

� Being a Jesuit from the Calcutta Province, during

my novitiate formation, I had the opportunity to do my

hospital experiment for a month at Shanti Nagar, a home

for the lepers, run by the Mother Teresa Sisters. I was

asked to clean the wounds of the lepers. As I was

cleansing their wounds, I could not tolerate the smell. As

a result, I could not serve wholeheartedly for a few days.

By all means, I wanted to overcome such hate feelings

towards them. I asked one of the Sisters, Sr. Maria for

guidance in this regard. She was a medical doctor from

Spain. She requested me to participate in their prayer

service. They came together to the Chapel for prayer five

times a day and I took part in it. Day by day, my prayer

life with the sisters brought me greater strength which in

fact led me closer to serve these lepers better. Then, I

shared this experience with the sister and she said,

“Prayer is one of the greatest means to love, serve and

become like the poor.” She went on to say that prayer

gives them the strength to see the image of God in face of

the inmates. Perhaps that is the reason why Mother

Teresa spent an equal amount of time for service and

towards prayer. Her prayer life enlightened her to

become poor for the poor.

� To serve the marginalized in society, one needs to

become spiritually poor like Mother Teresa in order to

render our little service with great love.rd(Oscar is 3 Yr student of philosophy at JDV)


A Poor for the PoorA Poor for the PoorA Poor for the Poor

Oscar Daniel SJ

Article

Teaching is an art and the teacher is an artist. As

an artist enjoys drawing on his canvas mixing it

with the best combination of colours so does a

teacher who love to teach his/her students! Teaching is

not just a mere profession; rather it is something that goes

beyond a Profession. It is not about the salary s/he gets,

but it is about his/her true passion for reaching out. Salary

is to make a living but teaching is to make good and

responsible citizens who will transform the nation and

lead the world towards peace and harmony.

� A teacher has a large impact on students' lives

beyond the four walls of a classroom. S/he teaches more

than what is given in the text books; s/he teaches from

his/her life experience. S/he makes her lessons come

alive by making her class interactive and by engaging

students in the classroom as much as possible. S/he tries

to bring positive energy into a classroom. A teacher might

encounter struggles in his/her own life but when s/he

enters the class, s/he leaves them behind and gets

involved with the students who are more important to

him/her than his/her own problems. Positive energy is

contagious; and it is up to him/her how to spread it.

Teachers’ attitude towards their students should

be like that of a mother. There is a great responsibility

that comes along with the profession of teaching. First, is

to make a difference in the lives of his/her students by

making them feel secure and safe when in a classroom.

The second, is to make the students feel loved and

accepted because a teacher might never know what is

going on with his/her student outside of class. Thirdly,

s/he has to be in touch with the parents, in order to know

his/her student better and thus cater to each of them

individually. Fourthly s/he has to be positive with the

students so as to encourage them. Encouragement helps

the students to take more initiatives and do their best in

studies.

A good teacher is first a student and then a

teacher. Teaching is always a two way process. A Teacher

should have the love for knowledge and a love for the

development of others. S/he learns while s/he teaches. In

the process of teaching s/he discovers his/her own self.

S/he expands his/her own horizons of understanding

about life. The most important is to be humble enough

even to accept corrections from students; being ready to

listen to their views etc. Like the student, the teachers

also need to work hard in order to prepare for the class for

the next day. They should ever strive to make their class

more effective by simplifying the contents and adding

more examples. They ought to handle difficult times with

courage and patience. They must always maintain a

standard for themselves as well as for their students.

� A teaching profession is at times demanding and

exhausting, although it is meant to be an enjoyable and

rewarding career. One should opt for this profession only

if s/he loves children and has passion for teaching. Thus,

the profession of teaching demands more than just

imparting knowledge.

st(Ravi is a 1 Yr student of Philosophy at JDV)


Ravibhushan SJ

Teacher Beyond ProfessionTeacher Beyond ProfessionTeacher Beyond ProfessionArticle

“ What can you do to promote world peace?

Go home and love your family.” - St. Teresa

The entire world has celebrated the canonization

of St. Teresa of Calcutta on September 4, 2016.

Though all of us might have participated in

different sorts of its external celebrations, as true

Christians we also need to imbibe the values which

Mother had lived in her life. Here I emphasize on an

important value which St. Teresa of Calcutta upheld

throughout her life. I admire her courage to go beyond the

boundaries of the times she lived in. this virtue of hers

becomes quite relevant in our times where people are

confined to their selfish zones and where others are not

respected and cared for.

Mother Teresa was a member of the Loreto

Convent and was appointed as a teacher in the school. In

the course of time, she met many destitute on the streets

of Calcutta and felt compassion for them. Realizing that

her call should not be confined to the safe walls of the

Loretto convent, she moved on from her convent and

started working for the poor on the streets. This daring

step later made her the 'Mother of Destitutes' in Calcutta

and the 'Founder of the Missionaries of Charity.' In order

to understand her courage, we need to understand the

times that she lived in. Her move was nothing less than a

leap into the dark. Uncertainty had overshadowed her

future. Still she committed her entire life to the hands of

God for the sake of serving the poor and the deprived. It is

easy to say that I have faith in God when everything goes

�

well and is under my control. But am I courageous

enough to discern the will of God in my life and to

r e n o u n c e a l l m y s e c u r i t i e s f o r i t ? ’

‘A call within a call' has been a well said catch

phrase. We all have different calls. Some of us are called

to family life, some others to religious life and still others

to priestly life. But we need to find out the uniqueness of

each call at a personal level. St. Teresa of Calcutta though

a religious (in general), discovered her uniqueness (in

particular) as the 'Mother of the Destitutes.' Often in our

lives, we tend to walk on the paths which others have

trodden. Even in religious life, we continue to walk on

paths, paved by our respective founders. But it is very

important to find a new constructive way for ourselves

and at times even to walk alone. If Mother Teresa had

remained in Loreto Convent she would have lived a

secure and protected religious life, like most of us do. But

her daring step, led her to the grassroots of society and to

become the 'Mother' for many who were deprived of and

are not cared for. As a result the Church and the entire

world without any discrimination of religion, caste and

creed now admire and venerate her for the selfless

services she has rendered to humanity.

Let us try to imbibe the courage of this great saint

to break the boundaries of the social stereotypes and

structured compliance. We should never forget that if we

wish to live like mother, we have to start from Christ who

was merciful throughout His life. We need to be inspired

by Christ to see His face in our fellow beings.

rd(Ebin is a 3 Yr student of Theology at JDV)


Beyond the Boundaries Beyond the Boundaries Beyond the Boundaries

Ebin Orathel CST

Article

“lonElInEss AnD tHE FEElInG oF BEInG

unWAntED Is tHE most tErrIBlE

PoVErtY.”

- st. tErEsA

You want to know how to learn a new

language?” Once asked Fr. Hector (former

POSA) to a band of scholastics who were

preparing to go to the villages and he said, “Fall in love

with the people.” We all laughed because we did not

understand what he meant. Falling in love with people is

one of the most important factors we need when we want

to enter into their lives and know their worldview. This

was what made Mother Teresa fruitful in her work with

the poor. Her motivation to do so much was possible only

because she understood what true poverty is and fell in

love with the poor. Her words express it best, “we think

sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and

homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and

uncared for is a greater poverty. We must start in our own

homes to remedy poverty of this kind.”

Once in the crowded neighbourhood of Kolkata

(City of Joy), Mother Teresa picked up a man dying from

the dirty street. He was a Hindu temple priest left

deserted to die because he was sick and nobody wanted to

attend to his needs. When he recovered he asked Mother

Teresa, “Why do you care for me, a dirty deserted

person?”She just smiled at him. Her love for the poor had

no bound of caste, creed, religion, race or colour. To her,

every person was the same without any distinction. This

gave her great respect from this Hindu temple priest and

among the Hindu neighbours

living around her.

Her love for the poor

was wholesome, expressed

in every sphere of life. When

she walked out from her

Lore to Convent in the thevening of 17 August, 1948,

she dressed in a white sari with blue stripes. She was a

Headmistress but when love enclosed her she became a

poor Bengali woman. Jesus had said to her, “I want

Indian nuns, victims of My love to be Mary and Martha,

who would be so very united to Me as to radiate My love

to souls. I want free nuns covered with My poverty of the

Cross... You will dress in simple Indian clothes or rather

like My Mother dressed - simple and poor... Your sari will

become holy because it will be My symbol.” Stuti Das

explains about the significance of the sari: White - stands

for truth and purity.The three blue borders signify the

vows that the nuns of the Order take: the first band

represents Poverty, the second Obedience and the third

broad band represents the vows of Chastity and of

wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor. The

Cross worn on the left shoulder symbolises that for the

Missionaries of Charity, Jesus on the Cross is the key to

the heart.

Mother Teresa spent her entire life caring for the

poor and the deserted without any limit or restriction. She

is a true model for the world which still struggles with

poverty, physical and spiritual. She did exactly in deeds

what many have said in volumes about inculturation, to

fall in love with the people we serve. She has shown us

how to fall in love so that we will be fruitful in whatever

endeavour we look forward to in our life.

st(Khathing is a 1 Yr student of Theology at JDV)


A Loving Bengal MotherA Loving Bengal MotherA Loving Bengal Mother

C M Khathing SJ

Article

I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this

is a hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is a sick

Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must

wash him and tend him. I serve because I love Jesus.”

- St. Teresa

The moment I think of Mother Teresa the first

thing comes into my mind is the poor. Her life is

associated with the poor and she sacrificed it totally in the

service of the poorest of the poor. She became one with

them; and in looking after them she became a mother to

them. But a question arises in my mind, why do we call

her 'mother of the poor?' There are many people who do a

lot for the poor but only she can rightly be called 'mother

of the poor.' The only difference is the way Mother Teresa

responded “a call within a call”. She became a mother to

them by what she was to them. She understood her

mission i.e. she became aware of her true identity as a

child of God. Mother Teresa had reflected over her life

through prayer and so she could claim that she belonged

to the whole world. She treated the poor as though they

were part of her own existence and being. She did not

categorize them by caste, language, race, religion or any

other categories. She served unconditionally and

lovingly. Her attitude of openness helped her to love all

human beings. She believed that serving humanity is

equal to serving Jesus Christ.

Like any mother, during the dark periods of her

life she did not give up. She continued her efforts to

alleviate poverty and suffering around the world. She

was at unrest seeing the misery of the poor. In those dark

moments she faced many difficulties but she pushed

herself forward. She did not give up the work of Jesus.

She surrendered herself to God in deep faith. This in a

way helped her experience the pain and suffering of the

poor and destitute. She did not bother of herself while

serving the poor. Her goal was clear and in all the

frustration and painful time she kept responding to God's

call.

Mother Teresa truly deserves to be called the

mother of the poor not because of founding the

missionaries of charity, but she accepted the life style of

the poor and served bounteously till her last breath.

People called Mother Teresa a “living saint” while she

was alive. Today, with joy we all are celebrating her

canonization, which she deserves the reward for her faith

in God, her commitment and love for poor.

This is possible because she paid attention to the

voice of God and let that interior transformation take

place. It is necessary for us that as long as we exist as

human on this earth to try to pay attention to the voice of

God. There is a constant process to go into the depth of

our hearts. We need to keep searching for meaning in our

lives. That would help us know what will bring us true

happiness. Sometimes we live our lives without any

meaning in it and that makes us more depressed. Mother

Teresa did not get the name Mother for no reason. She

earned it by letting God lead her all throughout.

rd(Jayanti is a 3 Yr student of Philosophy at JDV)


Jayanti SJ

Mother of the PoorMother of the PoorMother of the PoorArticle

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truely endless.”

- St. Teresa

am indebted to my father for my life but to my

Iteacher for living it well,” said Alexander the Great.

Teaching is an 'art' and it is a noble profession. The

role of a teacher is very important in society. S/he has

myriad duties to perform. A teacher has a lot of scope to

influence the students. Students are deeply affected by a

teacher's love and affection. They are influenced by a

teacher's character, competence and moral commitment.

A Teacher becomes a role model for the students.

Students try to imitate their teachers following not only

the teacher's life style and etiquette but also at times even

the way the teacher communicates and acts.

We can understand the importance of teachers

through the example of a building. Only an architect

would know an entire building, its strengths and

weaknesses. A teacher is like an architect who knows the

students well. S/he has all the necessary knowledge to

shape the lives of the students, to mould and nurture it

appropriately according to each individual's need.

On the other hand when we reflect on the relevance of the

role of the teacher in the present context we are

flabbergasted. The office of being a teacher has lost its

dignity today due to corruption. It is unfortunate to see

that those who are not capable and competent much less

skillful get into the teaching profession through corrupt

means. They become lethargic and make the education

system as a profit making business. We also see that some

teachers see themselves inferior to other professionals

like doctors, engineers, advocates etc. This causes them

to lose interests and get frustrated with their job and thus

they end up being less committed.

Amidst all this we can still find competent and

sincere teachers who consider their job as sacred and give

themselves completely for the growth of the students.

Such teachers are models of faith and piety. They are

responsible, show positive concern towards the students;

participate actively

in the welfare of

society by creating

right consciences

in the students.

They accept the

students with love

and correct them too. They are just and upright. These

qualities in a teacher help them to be better instruments in

forming young minds and hearts.

Parents too expect a lot from teachers. They

desire that their children get good education from a

teacher. Parents are also teachers in one sense. They

teach their children even before they start going to the

school. Children learn a lot of things at home. Both

parents and teachers are equally responsible for the

growth of a child. In recent times there have been some

strained relationships emerging between teachers and

parents due to various rules and regulations regarding the

rights of the children. Parents-teachers associations

established in schools are bridge builders between them

so that they come to a common consensus and owe their

respective duties and obligations towards the overall

development of the children.

Today the cyber world has become a substitute

for teachers. Internet in this sense should not be seen as

an obstacle rather as an added means to enhance the

growth of a student. Teachers must equip themselves to

help students to make use of the internet adequately and

appropriately. The two are not in opposition but

complement one another. There can be no substitute for a

teacher. A teacher's role in the life a student becomes an

inevitable growth factor. Dr Radhakrishnan says, “True

teachers are those who help us to think for ourselves.”

nd(Raja is a 2 Yr student of Theology at JDV)


Relevance of Teachers TodayRelevance of Teachers TodayRelevance of Teachers Today

Francis Raja SJ

Article

In 1948, Mother Teresa left the landscaped confines

of Calcutta's Loreto convent for the teeming streets

to devote herself to caring for the poorest of the

poor. It was a heavenly summons. God was calling her to

give up the comfortable world of the Loreto convent to

live and labor in the slums of Calcutta to cater to lepers,

unwed mothers, discarded infants, the ill, the insane, the

retarded, the dying. It was a call with a call. I would like

to see this call as a call to 'do justice' according to its

Biblical understanding.

The Hebrew word for “justice,” mishpat, occurs

in its various forms more than 200 times in the Hebrew

Old Testament. It means giving people their rights or

what is due to them. Amos was one such prophet who

spoke against the social injustice of his time and

castigated those who were responsible for it. Caring for

the sick widows and strangers reflects the character of

God who is the God of justice. In the book of proverb we

read, “If you insult the poor, you insult the Lord.” and “If

you give to the poor, you give to the Lord.”

A yardstick to evaluate justness or misphat of a

society is how we respond to these groups. When we

neglect 'justice' to the people, it is not called merely a

lack of mercy or charity but a violation of justice, of

mishpat. God has a soft corner for those who are on the

fringes of society and the created being in turn should

have the same. That is what it means to 'do justice.'

The Bible remains the source of divine revelation

and power that can sustain us as Christians in our search

for God. If we are to remain faithful to this source, the

concept and call to justice are inescapable. When we try

to bring the periphery to the center we do justice because

we give all human beings their due as creations of God.

Doing Justice is not merely doing right over wrong, but

generosity and social concern especially towards the

least, the last and the lost of the society. St Teresa of

Calcutta, Pray for us.

rd(Wilson is a 3 Yr student of Theology at JDV)


Wilson SJ

Mother of JusticeMother of JusticeMother of JusticeArticle

and religious house. Thanks to her, every decent person

realizes more clearly that he or she has to do something

for the under-privileged and broken. Her charism is to

pick up the effects of an unjust and sick society. Others

must complete and complement this with working to put

an end to the causes of the same unjust and sick society,

sometimes a more difficult and dangerous goal!

(Fr Cyril is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at

JDV)

(Cont’d from Pg.03)

Mother Teresa, a Teacher for Humanity

1. Mother Teresa went beyond boundaries in serving

others, how has it affected the idea of religion amidst

diverse religious practices in India?

“We saw this at her funeral. Everyone was there.

The faithful of other religions are drawn to mother's

selfless example. India a country with diverse religions

has a love and great respect for mother. Everyone saw the

sanctity shown by mother, even in their own religious

concept bringing unity among all.”

2.Your life style and way of life emphasizes more on

“being the healing presence to

others” can you tell us how this

idea impacts your works?

“Mother saw mercy, as a

way of life, which she followed first

and foremost in her community of

nuns and then in her relationship

with others: this is our lifestyle,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y l o v e a n d

forgiveness, being the healing

presence to others. We follow the

example of our Mother in our daily

lives and works, making others feel

loved and cared for.”

3. Given the 'motto' of your congregation, and the

work you are doing, how do you motivate youngsters?

Is the number dwindling or increasing?

“What we give to the poor and to people we meet

along our path, is above all Jesus Christ and his love: we

are merely his instruments. It is the love of Christ that

sends laborers into his harvest field. As the numbers are

dwindling all over the world in terms of vocations, we too

are facing it, but have been getting vocations faithful to

their call. I see Mother Teresa allowing every man and

woman to see and be touched by God's mercy through the

acts of love and mercy.

4. What is your personal experience, encountering

Mother Teresa?

“I have known Mother from 1980, she was a very

down to earth person, very simple in her lifestyle, would

share the dormitory with other sisters, eat meals together,

and never tolerated being treated differently than others.

She lived her religious life so much with joy that we all

wanted to be close to her. Even when sick she would be

the first to be in the chapel to pray and participate in the

Eucharist. This gave her the strength to give Christ to

others all throughout her daily life.

I was impressed by her way of life

and still hold close the crucifix she

gave me on my first meeting with

her.

5. Mother being so humble and

simple suffered darkness in her

s p i r i t u a l l i f e a n d f e l t

disconnected from God, what

have you to say about it?

“I am in awe knowing this

fact that Mother went through the

dark nights of her soul. Even today

I am not able to understand it nor

can I explain what it would have been for Mother to go

through the depth of this suffering internally. I think a

soul who has not experienced it (the darkness) will not be

able to understand what it is. This is a mystery of the

spiritual life. Souls who know about it can connect with it

and associate with it, but souls who do not know about it

stand before a mystery.”

6. How do you see the presence of Mother living even

after her death?

“All throughout her earthly life she never did

anything to lead others to herself, but only to Jesus and


Mother Teresa the Icon of MercyMother Teresa the Icon of MercyMother Teresa the Icon of MercyInterview

Mary. Even now after her death Mother is still present

amidst us praying for us and reaching out to those in

need. She intercedes to Jesus to give us the grace to carry

on her mission standing by the side of every person and

working with them, whatever their religion or

nationality, wherever we are, for the sake of humanity,

trusting in the grace and mercy of God always.”

7. What made Mother Teresa win over the hearts and

mind of people in this world?

“It was Mother's vision of the world that

everyone is infinitely loved by God, and that everyone is

meant to love and to be loved by others. The insight that

Mother had for the people of the world was that the

moment people realize their own worth and being loved

by God, they would not be at peace. This insight of

Mother Teresa made her win over the hearts and minds of

people in the world.

8. How do you see yourself in the shoes of Mother as

the general of the congregation?

It is a great responsibility to fulfill. I can only

think of going forward by the grace of God and the

blessing of Mother and others. I see how God is using me

in a different way giving me inspirations to meet the

demands of our daily lives and the needs of our sisters

accompanying them.

9. What is the need of the hour as Mother is made

Saint Teresa of Calcutta?

“As we see before us a world wounded by

violence and shrouded in gloom, Mother accompanies us

along our path so that the light of Christ may illuminate it.

It is sad to see acts of terrorism causing infinite suffering

and sorrow. God made us for love and peace, not for war

and hatred. Though Mother loved the people of Calcutta,

it would be more correct to say, that mother loved the

individual sufferer and wanted to make a difference in

each individual's life. The need of the hour is to love and

bring peace in humanity.” Mother would say, “If I can do

something, then I must do it.”

10. What was the dream of Mother Teresa that you as

General would like to fulfill?

“Mother Teresa had a dream to open a

Missionaries of Charity Centre in China. This wish was

not fulfilled in her lifetime. But we hope that, God

willing and if the conditions allow it, we would be happy

to make it happen one day.”

(Interview collated by Sch. John Fernandes S.J. from

various internet sources.)


Art By Wilson SJArt By Wilson SJArt By Wilson SJ

It is therefore time to stop gathering around

chilled Bisleri bottles in conference halls or sit reclined in

air conditioned seminar rooms and discuss global

warming and ecological crisis. We, in De Nobili College,

Pune along with the Tarumitra team here, are exploring

ways to unearth our affection and attachment to the

Earth. The past few months were brimmed with activities

that could subtly influence all dimensions of our growth.

A few of them follows;

Reconciliation of Spirit with Nature

Henceforth, sandals are not the be removed when

one approaches the sanctum sanctorum but while

entering the garden to water a dying sapling for the

Almighty had decided to play hide and seek in the

meanest and the least attractive, tiny sapling. We once set

our altar before our Pope Francis herbal garden in DNC

on the anniversary of the Laudato Si and that Eucharist

indeed made us realize that the 'whole Earth was the altar

and we were offering the labours and sufferings of the

world on it' (Teilhard de Chardin). On the first of

September we responded to the call of the best of apostles

of creation of today, Pope Francis and prayed along with

the Orthodox tradition, for creation. Now, we know that

our spirituality is a spirituality of the soil and mud.

Reconciliation of Labor with Nature

Christ is not just a cosmic person but a cosmic

tree. Remember John chapter 15. St. Ignatius would

suggest that a seeking even among the puniest of them

all, will unmistakably unveil the Almighty laboring in

them. In the month of August we had DNC Vanmahotsav,

a tree plantation drive. We all planted a sapling that day.

Itwas raining cats and dogs buts not powerful enough to

deter us. That day we knew that soiling our hands was

away of reconciling our labor with creation and thus feel

that Magnificence dwelling in them. Going organ ic is a

well appreciated pro-nature initiative that's catching up

momentum in the field of agriculture. We also maintain

an organic farm here under the leadership of our minister

Fr. Jacob, along with our scholastics and coworkers.

They assure us with the good yield that chemicals are not

the gods of advanced agricultural practices but eco-

centric methods that do no harm to the larger web.

Reconciliation of Lifestyle with Nature

We are responsible for keeping promises to our

younger generation. But though we are living in a rented

home we have proved to be very poor caretakers of it.

Think of all the waste generated each day! Some cities

produce amounts if not segregated and disposed can

make Earth a dump yard in a year. In DNC, we thought

we should not preach until we practiced. So, we have our

waste segregated now. We segregate at the source- in

each one's room; then the biodegradable are moved to the

newly built vermipit and the non-biodegradable to be

disposed with the municipal garbage truck.

Reconciliation of World to Nature

We need to work until 'they beat their swords into

plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.' The

DNC Tarumitra members go to schools in Pune to

conscientize children about the alarming plight of our

earth. We set up eco clubs and the children's enthusiasm

is an inspiration and boost for us to continue this work.

We also maintain noticeboards in DNC that tell ourselves

here how imperative it is to do ecology than speak

ecology. To conclude a poem of Tukaram will be helpful.

He, a mystical poet, is aghast at the knowledge of God

dwelling in creation;

Lo, God is sprouting on the tree branches, God is

spreading fragrance in flowers, God is quacking in

ducks, God is barking in dogs, and most of all God is

sitting in meditation in human hearts!

nd(Sch Nikhil is 2 yr Student of philosophy at JDV)


Reconciliation with Creation at De Nobili College, Pune – Formed to be Eco-ambassadors

4 I's to Students (Imparting Inspiring Innovative Idea) Pune Youth Ministry also Known as PYA is a De

Nobili College Apostolic Ministry focused in orienting school students in and around Pune city. This apostolate

runs from June to September when schools conduct indoor programmes due to the monsoons. This academic year

we were able to reach out to 12 schools in Pune. The topics covered during the orientation cum personality

seminars were personality development, morals and ethics, social and media awareness, cyber crime, ethical use

of internet and social media, management techniques, parent – child relationships, relationship and friendship,

feelings and emotions, career guidance and choices and recollections for Christian students. The team consisted of

students from Philosophy and Theology who were good at motivating the students to achieve their goals and make

a better living in the future. Inspire, push, and get going is what makes the students take the leap to success.

Pune Youth Ministry

Panchsheel Nagar is a new slum ministry taken up by the DNC brothers at the request of Mr. Raj, the area

leader. We cater to nearly 25 to 30 students from Monday to Friday for an hour, helping them with subjects like Maths, rd th

English, Science and Marathi. The students are mainly from std 3 to 9 studying in various English and Marathi

medium government schools. Two scholastics go daily for an hour to be with children and monitor their studies

carefully. The daily attendance sheet is kept in order to have the record of the regular students, who then are later

rewarded. In our visits to the children's homes we understanding of the family background and also the social and

economic situation. It is an opportunity to interact with people of the other faiths too. This type of involvement has

brought us very close to the people in the slum and we can see the difference whenever we are present there.

18

Panchsheel Nagar (Education & Family Visits)

sEPtEmBEr 2016sEPtEmBEr 2016sEPtEmBEr 2016