prajwalana - 7

PPPPPrajwalanarajwalanarajwalanarajwalanarajwalana

I am bad or rather lazy at researching a placebefore I travel, tending just to show up and see whathappens. When you travel this way, what typicallyhappens is that you end up spending a lot of time inthe middle a of crowded station feeling confused,looking at people to choose the right person to giveyou the direction. But in India the moment you areout of a train the first people to welcome you areeither auto or taxi drivers. Before them you need toappear as if you are a local man and that you arecoming to your own place. But I have never learnedhow to arrange my face into that blank expressionthat is so useful when travelling to unknown placesthat ‘super relaxed’, ‘totally in charge’ expressionwhich makes you look like you belong there,anywhere, everywhere. As for me, when I don’t knowI look like I don’t know, when I am excited or nervousI look excited or nervous, when I am lost my faceshows it. My face is a transparent transmitter of my everythought. And I have other bodily weaknesses too.The moment I get into a bus my head starts spinning,stomach starts aching and within the next fifteen minutesI puke. I threw up many times when I travelled andhad to face the angry faces of my co-travelers. Despiteall this, travelling is the great love of my life, becausemany of my lessons I have learnt while travelling.

Let me share with you one of them. Recently Iwas travelling from Hubli to Bangalore. As usual I wasunprepared for the journey. I had not reserved myseat, so I had to travel in the general bogie.

With all the jumping, pushing, stamping, kickingand shouting I managed to secure a seat for the next12 hours of my journey. We were ten in the beginningand could sit comfortably; slowly our numberincreased to eleven, twelve… and reached fourteen.I sat sandwiched between an old man on one sideand a fat man on the other. This old man looked extragrumpy. The whole compartment smelt coconuttyand salty, coconut from the hair oil of the old manand salty because of the sweat of the fat one.

At the next station around twenty peoplewriggled in, into an already full compartment. Amongthem was a Muslim couple with three children - twoboys and a little girl (Muslim from their attire). Themoment she entered, the woman placed her bags

You Remain My Heroabove our heads on the rack andwhile doing so she stamped myfoot. A Hot flush began in mystomach and reached my face butI said nothing.

She asked the old man tomove a bit to make place for her children. The oldman looked at her as if she was asking for a share inhis property! Actually there was no place at all. Thethree children were cute and the little girl with a pinkdress was extra cute. I liked her eyes. I fought thefeeling before it took control of me and took themobile as if I received a call. The woman tried askingothers but got similar responses. So the couple andthe three children had no choice but to remainstanding.

As the train picked up speed vendors pressed inselling snacks and soft drinks. Many around us boughtthem and began munching. Some opened their foodpackets. I too took out my box full of chips and nutsand began eating, not daring to look at the others.Almost an hour passed. The train did not stopanywhere. The children were still standing. Thewoman was still busy trying to secure a place for them.

The atmosphere was very tense, unfriendly andcold, but in the next few moments the atmospherechanged with a single act of love.

Looking at everyone eating, the woman broughttwo packets of cream biscuits for her children andgave them to her eldest son. He opened one of themand shared it with everyone beginning with the oldman. With a charming smile he forced people to take.He offered it to me too. Opening the other packet hegave it to his little sister, brother and his parents; atthe end one remained which he happily ate. Guiltknotted within me. I felt very small before that littleboy. I guess everyone felt the same because withinminutes someone offered a seat to the little girl andthe little boy. I made the elder boy sit on my lap.People exchanged their eatables with the children.It was a happy journey thereafter…

Oh Boy! Wherever you are, you remain one ofmy heroes.

Sch Prashanth Sequeira SJ


”You can muffle the drum, and you can loosenthe strings of the lyre, but who shall command theskylark not to sing?” says Kahil Gibran. Indeed one ofthe deepest longings of every being is freedom. It isfreedom that helps us to grow and makes us what weare. It is the ultimate goal of every human person, inother words, “liberation.” I would describe it as ajourney towards one’s own interior self, being ableto be in touch with the core dimension of oneself.

I understand freedom as courage to be myselfwhere I am not overburdened with the tension ofhow I appear to others or how others perceive me. Iaccept myself as I am with all my strengths andlimitations. I am able to be at home with myself. Ienjoy being what I am without trying to pretend whatI am not. I may encounter a lot of limitations whichare unavoidable as I grow up, but then I handle themwithout letting myself down. Everyone has some‘givenness’ in life, which may be limited. But when Iam free, my givenness which may be limited can be astarting point to make my life beautiful out of what Iam given by God. Hence I believe that freedom is ademanding vocation to be true to oneself. I alsounderstand freedom as dying to one’s ego. Thus I amno more a slave to my egoistic feelings. No more do I

become the slave of mythoughts and feelings; rather, Icontrol them. I learn to gobeyond my selfish desires.

In my opinion freedom andresponsibility complementeach other. My freedom enablesme to be responsible and in theact of being responsible I walk towards the goal ofattaining freedom through my dedication. Freedomas for me is a joyful commitment. I never think thatfreedom is a license to do anything that I like. Ratherit is responding to the call of one’s innermost being.Freedom is a means to become what we are supposedto be. It is a creative energy that helps one to face lifeboldly by not being attached to persons, things andpossessions but by being the master of oneself. VictorFrankl once said that the greatest freedom of humanbeings is freedom to make meaning. No matter whatsituation life may offer me, I gain the best from it.Freedom is also a foundation where true love buildsup. Love always grows in freedom. True freedom alsoprovides lots of self-control by not giving a chance toyield to ones temptations, greed and selfish desires.Erich Fromm says, “there can be no real freedomwithout the freedom to fail.” Freedom helps a personto accept failures and to learn from them.

Freedom is the essence of becoming human. Itis a path to transformation by the concrete realizationof one’s goals. Attaining freedom is an ongoingprocess. No one is born free. But as we walk thejourney of life it is our attitude and will power thathelps us to be free. Freedom demands struggle,challenges, pain, sacrifice; but the fruits of freedomgive us lifelong bliss and a joyful living. So, I stronglybelieve that freedom is a source of strength to livelife to the full.

Sch Ashwin Cordeiro SJ

My Understanding of Freedom


At first St.Ignatius wanted towin over theworld. He wantedto impress aqueen with hisskills. He dreamtthat his ambitionwould be fulfilled.He fought in thebattlefield againstthe French. Herehe could notdefeat theirpowerful army.Ultimately, helanded up in bedwounded and

broken. This phase of his life transformed him frombecoming a soldier of the world into a soldier ofChrist; from Inigo to Ignatius.

Mother Mary with the child appeared to him.After recovery, being short legged he surrendered toJesus with all his sins and drawbacks. God came tohim every now and then with lights and consolations.He started realizing all that he had done against God’swill. He attended to his heart that was broken andpeeled off. Jerusalem was his only dream to comeback to Jesus. However, things became clear for himas he moved forward. He travelled long journeys. Inall his goodness he began to preach to people hecame across. Many false accusations were levelledagainst him. The church authorities did not allow himto preach further. He felt the need to study. However,elementary education paved the way for him to havea clear idea of philosophy and theology. He was aman on a journey with Christ carrying the cross. Thespirituality he taught impressed a lot of those whocame to him.

The University of Paris was everything to Ignatiusto do his master’s and to gather men and women forothers. He met Francis Xavier there; Peter Faber was

Ignatius Inspires Me!!!his source of inspiration. Theman we now call St. Ignatius ofLoyola went on to found one ofthe most influential religiousorders of priests in the Church,namely, the Society of Jesus, itsmember known as the Jesuits.

Perhaps St Ignatius’greatest contribution to theChurch, in terms of spirituality, is the SpiritualExercises. During a personal retreat in a cave atManresa, Spain, where he spent several months inprayer purifying his soul of inordinate attachmentsand seeking God’s will for his life, Ignatius conceivedthe Spiritual Exercises as a method of contemplationand discernment.

The process of my life in the Society has been aninteresting one as I follow the path of Ignatius. It hascontinued to build in me a pattern for modernconcerns. I am able to live up to the Discernment ofthe Spirit with reason and faith. There is a completeenrichment in my way of proceeding. Thus things arechanging worldwide between the cross roads. Myheart is entering into the heavenly court of love andfreedom. The 32nd General congregation mentions “AJesuit is a sinner yet called by Christ as Ignatius was.”This is faith’s long journey into a Jesuit’s heart.

I think fidelity to one’s Jesuit vocation impliesfidelity to the vision of La Storta. By this inspiration Iwish to measure the complete authority of Christcrucified. My treasure and my constant prayer is: ThatI may see Him more clearly, love Him more dearly,and follow Him more nearly.

As I move forward with this inspiration of StIgnatius, I zealously desire to turn totally to God, tobe faithful in doing His will after the example of Christ.My life is incomplete if I do not come out of theinordinate attachments that bind me. I desire to servethe poor and the needy as Ignatius did.

Sch Ashwin D’Silva SJ


Once a father asked his little daughter Karen,“Dear, would you give me the necklace that was giftedto you on your birthday?” The little girl with a sadface refused her father’s request and said, “I wouldgive any of my play items to you but not this, becauseit is very dear to me.” The father with a gentle smilekissed her and left the place. After three days thesame little girl was at her father’s door. She had tearsin her eyes. She went close to her father andembraced him and opened her palm where there wasthat same necklace and she said, “Dad, I love you morethan this, take it for yourself.” The father drew her tohis side, kissed her on her forehead, opened a newjewel box and presented to her a new costly diamondnecklace. He said, “I LOVE YOU MORE THAN THESE…”

When we lose ourselves in unconditionaluniversal love we are totally free. Freedom is notmerely a social agenda to be fought for but an innerself to be realised. The key word for freedom is LOVE;to love everything as it is.

Ignatius beautifullydescribes freedom in theSpiritual Exercises as‘Detachment.’ The one who isfully detached from the worldand from oneself can love asGod loves. Freedom is above allto love oneself as one is and toaccept others as they are.

When the little girl was free to give what shethought she loved the most, she received moreabundantly in return that which was beyond herexpectation. Freedom multiplies love betweenpeople. When we are not fully free, we fail to tastethat love. Many times we get stuck to tiny things thatrestrict our own freedom. “Are there things in yourlife that have restricted you from being free and fromloving others?”

Sch Ashwil Lobo SJ

Freedom to Love

“Education is not preparation for life;education is life itself.”

John Dewey

“Education is the key to unlock thegolden door of freedom.”

George Washington Carver

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am afree human being with an independent will.”

Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

“I did then what I knew how to do. Nowthat I know better, I do better.”

Maya Angelou

· A humble Jesuit - a rarity!· A Jesuit Pope - an impossibility!· A humble Jesuit Pope - a MIRACLE!

“I have never let my schooling interferewith my education.” Mark Twain

Laugh!!!

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow.Learn as if you were to live forever.”

Mahatma Gandhi


Children spend more time in school than athome. What happens in the school? Here, muchdepends on the teacher. The school may provide agood environment with pleasantly decoratedclassrooms, attractive pictures on the walls, teachingaids etc. But if the teacher does not attempt to realizeand accept responsibility to foster mental health andmake students competent on the one hand andhumane and compassionate on the other theneverything else will not be of much use. Studentswhom we find in school are basically eager and theyhave the aptitude to learn what is good, provided wecreate an atmosphere for them to grow.

There is a beautiful metaphor that compareschildren to seeds. Every seed has the potentiality togrow into a mighty tree. But every seed does notactualize it potency, because it doesn’t get propermoisture, good soil, adequate manure and sunshine.Similarly every child has potentiality unlimitedqualities to become a true human-being. Like a seed,they too need a favourable atmosphere to actualizetheir innate power. Therefore we have every onus inthe school to create a suitable atmosphere for a childto grow mentally healthy. In this regard, teachershave to play the role of a farmer who creates aconducive atmosphere for every seed to grow.

Mental health is a state of well-being in whichan individual realizes his or her own abilities to copewith the normal stress of life. Promoting mentalhealth and wellbeing of students is a vital part of thecore responsibility of a teacher. Therefore teachersmust create a supportive school environment that isconducive to learning.

Recent researchers enumerate some of theareas that affect the mental health of children. They

The Role of a Teacherare poverty, harassment,embarrassment, anger andrejection. Other barriers thatwere identified include fear ofbeing stigmatised, fear ofhospitalisation, issues of trustand confidentiality, stigma,perceived loss of esteem, lackof social connectedness, lack ofknowledge of how and whereto seek help as well as low mental health literacy.

Teachers have a unique relationship with youngpeople and are often persons who help them to openup their secrets. Addressing social and emotionalwellbeing more explicitly in pre-service training,particularly in secondary education, may help earlycareer teachers to feel more confident about creatingsupportive environments, participating in whole-school programs and responding to troubled youngpeople. It may also aid teacher retention by ensuringthat these aspects of their role are not unexpectedand unduly stressful.

Teachers also play an important role inpromoting mental health and wellbeing, and in doingso preventing or reducing the risk of mental ill-health.Research demonstrates that in connection to a school,a significant relationship with a trusted adult and self-efficacy skills are important protective factors thatreduce the risk of mental ill-health.

Limited mental health power among childrenwho are not able to cope with life situations isgrowing day by day. It is a sure indication to usteachers to take proportional measures to ensure thewell being of a child who is under our care. It can thusreduce the stress a child goes through while growingup. So a teacher is not just an educator but a constantcompanion who walks along the mental growth of achild. It is the teacher who helps the child to haveconstructive coping efforts to undertake difficultsituations in their personal lives. Let us as teachersbecome effective communicators to foster healthyrelationships. Let us become untiring persons workingtowards the wholesome growth of a child. Let us beinstruments of gentleness to mould children to live ahealthy balance life, and thus ensure every child inour class / institution to grow up as a holistic person.

Sch Bartholome SJ


Freedom is a gift, a precious gift after life itself.It is earned during the course of life. It is a slowprocess and it needs time and patience to perfect it.Thus, it is a long process wherein I learn to be free. Itis precious and fragile. It enables me to be ‘myself’,gives me my worth and dignity. It makes me specialas I am. It gives me the courage to commit myself to acause, to love everyone and even to say ‘no’ to something.

Freedom is a deliberate choice to be true to myinner self. This pre-supposes that first of all, I acceptmyself as I am in freedom and I own up my actions, tobe responsible for myself, for my strengths andweaknesses. It is to know that I can be myself. Freedom isthe spontaneous expression of my true self. It doesn’tmake life easy but makes it worthwhile.

Freedom also involves control and realizationto be a master of the self. Self control implies thecontrol of senses, not to suppress them but guidethem towards a goal that is set for my life. Withoutbasic control over self I cannot be human. If totallythrown into passion, there is no freedom to grow andcherish. When I am master of self and allow others tobe theirs, we all flourish in freedom and humanitybecomes more humane.

My Freedom implies that I am ‘free from’ myselfish motives so that I am ‘free for’ others. Thisenables me to be committed to a cause, to a person,to a group or to an issue. My freedom helps me to

The Gift of Freedomstand for the cause ofsomebody or something andeven to that of my enemies. Myfreedom makes me responsiblefor the other especially the lessfortunate. So, freedom is theresponse to the world outside.This gives us true peace.

Freedom presupposesresponsibility, that I use the given freedomresponsibly. It also presupposes that I do mistakesand I let others too. As I fail in responsibly makinguse of my freedom, so too I respect the freedom ofthe other, even in committing mistakes. I respect thefreedom of the other, just as God does. True freedomlies in accepting and cherishing differences anddiversities existing in the other. This lets each onegrow in his or her way.

Freedom is painful and risky. Freedom demandsthat I choose for my life out my free will. My use offreedom may land me up at times in trouble. My freechoice or decision may fail me. I need the courage toown it up. Freedom demands so much. Without riskthere is no glory. This aspect of freedom makes itunique and makes me courageous to take decisionsfor my life and own it responsibly.

Freedom is a spiritual longing, because humansare spiritual beings. It can’t be quenched by any otherthing. It’s a spiritual openness from my part, aninternal disposition, and a self-surrender. Deepestfreedom of humans is the freedom of the soul and noone can take it away, it is expressed through otheraspects of our lives. This experience is the greatestof human experience.

Finally freedom calls us to be different, to takethe less travelled path. It is a call to go beyond,transcend and grow from what we are now. It is inand through my freedom that I am able to go to thefrontiers, explore myself and others, broaden myhorizon. Human freedom is fulfilled not only in theability to choose but to choose that which is ofcommon good. In simple words true freedom implieschoosing the best possible good.

Sch Vishwas Misquith SJ


The perennial question that has been disturbingme is: Why is that the people who study in Christianor other good institutions, later on don’t showelegance and respect? They seem to excel in studies,but their personality never gets groomed. They turnout to be communal men and women in society. Theyseem to show a different face and speak and workagainst the values of secularism. They criticize theservice of minorities though they have benefittedfrom their very institution.

I think that the fault is in the system of valueeducation which is isolated and taught as a differentsubject. I believe we need to think beyond valueeducation as a separate subject inprinciple, because I observe thatstudents have an aversion to suchseparate classes. Their interestlevel is in subjects thatincrease their grade.Therefore why not give valueeducation as part of those verysubjects when taught. Everylesson can end with anapplication for life or an exploratoryvalue. It all depends on how a teacher helpsa student to apply it to his/her life. Students must begiven time for personalising what is taught.

The present generation, influenced byglobalisation of various kinds, needs to be givenvalue-based subject learning than a separate subjectcalled value education. Wouldn’t a child rememberand enjoy the lesson that speaks of the values of lifethan a mere boring and isolated value education class?Why can’t teachers moderate each session so as todiscuss, at the end of that lesson, the values that canbe imbibed from the learning of that lesson or topicor issue?

Eg: From Maths – Students can learn the valueof transparency, accuracy, accountability and honesty.These values can be stressed in relation to societyoutside which is drowning in the sea of corruption.

From History – A student can learn that inpersonal life too, the past has an effect on the way

Value-based Subject Learningwe live. But one can also learnlessons from past events andimprove one’s life. Everyperson has gains and failures asthe rulers had. Everyone makesmistakes. Responsibility is thecore value. Every ruler tried hisbest. So we too should try togive our best to society.Stalwarts teach us to be likethem at least to some extent. Future generationsshould remember the good deeds of each individual,not the conquests.

Civics – A student can think how he/she cancontribute to the country at that concrete

level.

Geography – A studentcan learn to respect land,

water, air and other naturalresources. Respect for nature is

learnt not only from science. Asense of wonder at the cosmos can

be developed in geography. Even ananalysis how Tsunamis and landslides can

be prevented can be worked out. Land issueslike – mining (sand, coal, mineral), quarrying, borewell deaths etc. can be discussed. Waste managementor waste separation can be discussed as a value to beimbibed or a personal responsibility to be accepted.

Languages (Eng, Kan, Hindi …) – Our way ofspeaking a language speaks of ourselves. Languageshelp us to build relationships. The words we use mustbe appropriate and modest. The more we read richliterature the more we learn. Today people expressviews that hurt other religions. Politicians makeirresponsible remarks. We must express ourselveswell. Our expression in literary form must be for thegood of society, not to harm others. We mustcommunicate good ideas through writing andspeaking, beneficial for all.

Botany – Plants teach us that what makes a goodtree is the sap within. The variety of leaves in a plantteaches us to wonder at our uniqueness. Even an

contd...


individual plant teaches us volumes of lessons. Acactus can teach us that letting one’s roots deep isimportant to survive and gain nourishment in timesof adversity. A creeper can teach us that we need thehelp of others to move on in life. A flowering plantcan teach us the value of generosity and happiness.Today growing of crops has become a business.

Physics – We must devise technologies that helppeople. We must discover ways and means to saveenergy. The poor should benefit from the discoveries.Various laws speak about principles for life.

Chemistry – We need to cooperate and help eachother in building up society like the elements andcompounds that share electrons and form strong andweak bonds. We need to complement each otherthrough our interaction. Value of sacrifice, sharing,giving and bonding are evident.

Zoology – It teaches a student to respect animals.The way animals adapt themselves to environmentis an insight for us. They too sometimes exhibitfeelings of some kind. An ant works hard. A bird findsits way to build a nest in spite of our destroying it.The way a honeybee lives and the way it chooses theright place is a wonder in itself.

I think this model of teaching every subject witha moral for life will be remembered by the student inthe exam and beyond it. This approach may not beeasy. It demands a lot from the teacher and also anadequate atmosphere in the class for personalisingmatters. Even an assignment on the practicality ofthe value for life can be given. Our mode of Educationneeds a change. Variety and personalising will benefitthe student-centred approach.

Sch Lancy Fernandes SJ

There lived a rich man in a city. He hadtremendous wealth and he possessed many costlythings. In his house he employed a 16 year old boy tolook after the cleanliness of the place. The boy wasvery poor and he worked hard, day and night. But therich man would not pay him anything for the work hewas doing. Whenever the boy approached him, hewould get arrogant and angry and all that the boy gotwas a severe beating. The man had no respect for theboy’s human dignity.

One evening the little boy recalled his ownfamily background. Theirs was a low caste family; hisfather had taken a loan from a high caste man to dig a

Freedom to Livebore well. When he could notrepay it in due time, the highcaste man seized everythingfrom this poor family. Theparents of the little boy becamehis slaves, and the boy was soldto a wealthy man in the city. Asthe boy came to realize it, hemet one of the honest socialworkers and shared his entire life story with him. Thelatter promised the boy to help him and his family.He confronted the rich man and the high caste fellow;he had to undergo many risks on behalf of the boyand his parents, besides working relentlessly for thiscause. Seeing his determination, both the rich manand the high caste person tried to bribe him. Whenthe honest social worker stood firm in his resolve,they turned against him and hiring some goondas,they secretly finished him off.

In this present world, do all people have thefreedom to live? Do the rich and the poor, the highand the low caste experience the same degree offreedom? Do you and I have the freedom to live byhelping each other? As we go through this story, dowe realize the value of freedom to live? Let us try tomake ‘freedom to live’ every human being’s wealthand property.

Sch Preethesh Misquith SJ


I fondly remember some of the beautifulexperiences I had while pursuing my primary andsecondary education twenty years ago that revolvedaround the walk to the school, play with the mates,some naughty adventures and as a result beatingsfrom teachers and of course the learning of lessons.Though we were frightened of the teachers becauseof their cane, we respected them, for they passed onto us something more than what the regular subjectswould provide. Even today whenever I visit my nativeplace, I make it a point to visit my teachers. Thingshave changed over the past twenty years.Commercialization of education has reduced all stakeholders to a mere commodity to bebought and sold. Last month, I waswonderstruck and overcome with disgustto read the story in the newspaper of ateacher raping a 6-year old girl in aschool in Bangalore. If this incidentmade headlines in the newschannels, there are many moreatrocities and cases of harassmentagainst students taking place thatare being swept under the carpet inthe schools. Today many teachersare worried about their fat salaries, buthave forgotten their responsibilitytowards the child in shaping him/her to become aresponsible human being. In this context we need toask a question: Is teaching a profession or a vocation?In this post-modern era where information andcommunication technology has reached at its bestwith 3G and 4G, information reaches the studentbefore the teacher could step into the class. Studentsare ready with questions before the discussion of aparticular topic begins. In this context where doesthe teacher stand? If this trend continues, do we needteachers at all? The answer is simple: if teaching isreduced to a profession, then in my opinion we donot need teachers; machines can very well do thejob. But teaching is more than that; it is a work of art.Once we recognize that teaching is a basic human artrather than a professional practice like medicine orlaw, it goes beyond the mere transfer of information.

Each religious traditiondefines a teacher in a uniqueway. In the Hindu tradition wehave the concept of Guru, onewho dispels the darkness ofignorance. In Teravada Buddisma teacher is the source ofinspiration on the path toenlightenment. For usChristians, Jesus Christ is our true teacher. Jesus wasteaching, preaching and healing. These were thethree main aspects of His ministry. Teaching shows

Jesus’ concern for understanding;preaching shows his concern for

commitment; and healingshows his concern forwholeness. We are called to

imitate Him and follow in Hispath to bring home the valuesof the Kingdom.

Despite these deepinsights from various religious

traditions of our own land, wehave moved far away and have

reduced education to a business.Vocation, on the other hand, is a

theological word. It has been defined as acareer with a spiritual calling from deep within. It isimportant that other people recognize and confirmyour vocation, but ultimately it is something verypersonal, concerned with the core values you believein. Unless a teacher considers teaching to be avocation there is no remedy to the presentcatastrophic situation. Teachers have a hugeresponsibility to bring out the best in every student.They are like beacons of light guiding the student.We need teachers who walk along with the students,encouraging them to ask difficult questions andinspiring them in their search for meaning. This ispossible only when a teacher considers teaching tobe a vocation and commits himself/herself to attainthe goal.

Sch Norwin Pereira SJ

Is Teaching a Profession or a Vocation?


I am in a dark room alone. I am afraid of hearingstrange sounds from the walls. The noise is so strongthat it pulsates my body. I am horrified because thereis no way out. I hardly see things around me. Besidesbeing lonely, I also feel that somebody is near me.

As the days passed, I was curious to know theperson beside me. I took courage and stretched myhands. All of a sudden, I heard the person ask, “Whoare you?” I said, “I am… you need not be afraid.” Iasked the person, “How did you come inside this darkroom?” The person answered, “I do not know, thisseems to be a strange world.” I discovered from thevoice that the person was a girl. Then I asked her,“How do you feel?” She answered, “I feel just as youfeel here!” Gradually my fears disappeared. Wesupported each other and talked about the dark room.

One day the room shook dreadfully. I wastroubled and thought that the room would collapse.We hugged each other and prayed. Surprisingly, theroom was able to bear up. I exclaimed, “Miracle! Weare saved by God’s grace.” But a horrible scream heardoutside the room echoed in my ears for a long time. Iasked the girl, “What happened to the room?” shereplied, “It might be some kind of a quake.” I heardthe girl groaning and asked her, “What happened toyou?” She exclaimed in pain, “I am hurt by the quakeof the room!” I was not able to control myself when Iheard the groaning of the girl in excruciating pain,because she was my only source of support in thedark room. There was no first aid to treat her. Irealized that this mysterious dark room was not safefor us anymore. Therefore, I started to plot a way toget away from the room.

One day the darkness in the room seemed veryunusual. We were distressed and agitated. In themiddle of the night, we heard somebody whisperingoutside the room saying, “We should kill the girl.” Wewere deeply shocked as anxiety overwhelmed us. Thegirl started fainting. She exclaimed sadly, “What haveI done? What will they get by killing me?” I wasspeechless for a moment and consoled her by holdingher face in my hands and wiping her tears with myfingers though I could not see.

It was a horrifying time especially for Rose forthat was her name, because the plot to kill her waswhispered behind the walls again and again. To oursurprise we also heard a mild voice, “I will not let you

kill the girl.” Rose heard this andbecame very confident to faceany situation. She cried out,“Ah! I would like to see theperson who wants to save me.”

The room started tocontract swiftly. I said, “This willbe the end of us.” I took hold ofRose, but she slipped. She wasgoing away from me. As shewas disappearing through the wall, I saw her tiny legsat last. I was able to hear her cries for help, but I washelpless. Without delay I was also dragged to the walland I saw a beam of light becoming brighter andbrighter. I blissfully said, “I am going to the placewhere Rose went.”

I suffered a terrible pain in the stomach as I waspushed out of the dark room. I burst out with a loudcry, I could not stop crying and all of a sudden I startedto breath. I could feel huge fingers holding me. WhenI opened my eyes bit by bit, I saw four peoplesurrounding me with a mask on their face. They hadstrange instruments in their hands. They seemed tobe harmless, as they smiled at me. I hastily turnedaround to look for Rose. She was just beside me. Iwas happy to see her and thanked God for saving us.Then I saw the eyes of my mother filled with love andcompassion. I also saw deep scars on her face whichbothered me a lot. Amidst all the difficulties andstruggles, my mother hugged Rose and me to herbreast.

Suddenly, my father came in. The nurse laid meon his hands. He was very happy to see me, but notRose. I looked into his eyes and asked, “Why did youhurt my mother and Rose?” But he did not reply. Thenurse laid Rose on my father’s hand. He was feelinguneasy. She too looked into my father’s eyes andasked, “Why do you hate me daddy?” Immediatelythe stony heart of daddy started to melt. He startedshedding tears. The gentle and innocent look of Rosetransformed my father. He started loving her.

Finally, my sister was named ‘Rose’ because ofher red cheeks and I was named ‘Michael’.

“Security of every girl child lies on the shoulderof every man.”

Sch Joseph Jerald SJ

In the Dark Room


Tiresome was the journey so longThat made Him thirsty and forlornAt Jacob’s well he sat aloneTo rest a while and move beyondWater to draw, came a woman by noonTo fill herself with sustenance to liveGive me a drink, oh woman, asked HeFor He needed it badly to continue the journey A Jew you are and ask me for a drink!Don’t you know - Jews are at loggerheads with us?If you’d only known the Man asking for the drinkYou’d have asked Him, He would’ve given you living water Sir! The well is deep and you have no bucketIs it possible to get water?Water you drink makes you thirsty againThe living water brings thirst never again Give me that water Sir!That I may not come here againHe told her all that she had ever doneBaffled was she at the man He was Oh! A prophet you are, I see it for sureYes, the Messiah is yet to comeAre you the one, oh stranger?I am He, the Messiah, who sets you free

Sch Calvin Michael SJ

The Stranger Who Set Her Free

“They changed our church into a mosque, ruinedhistoric museums, destroyed a monastery andmanuscripts that were 1000 years old. Iraq is gone.Iraq is finished. We’re finished. It’s impossible for usto go back,” says an Iraqi Christian. The Body of Christsuffers today. Militants continue to demand thatChristians should leave, convert or die. Few weeksago, Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul, which is alsothe site of the ancient city of Nineveh, was the firstcity to receive the ultimatum. It now stands empty ofChristians. It’s a time for us to wake up and seriouslyreflect about our faith. How deep is our faith in JesusChrist? How do we give witness to the people wherewe live? As a follower of Jesus when I see our brothersand sisters suffering, can I ever keep quite? We needto reflect how effectively we can respond to this

situation? Perhaps the mostpowerful thing we can do is: topray. What we need is the graceand strength to accept His planfor us. Let us therefore believein the power of prayer. Let ussincerely pray for God’sprotecting hand to be with themso that they may experience Hisprovision at this time of distress. May this experiencelead us to feel solidarity with the suffering Church ofChrist. May these martyrs of the 21st centurystrengthen our faith and make us fervent Christiansto bear witness to the person of Christ.

Sch Dheeraj D’Souza SJ

The Suffering Church


Education happens in various forms ofcommunication. Parents explain ideas to theirchildren, friends talk and share, people demonstrateskills to each other, craftsmen pass on trade secretsto new colleagues and teachers teach young peoplein schools and colleges. It happens all through lifefrom womb to tomb. There isn’t a deadline forlearning. Therefore the question that arises in ourminds is whether education is to be limited to schoolsand colleges? Should schools and educationnecessarily be linked to each other? Einsteinsummarises the whole process of learning as,“Education is what remains when we have forgotteneverything that has been learned at school.”

It is worth remembering the Latin root of theword ‘education’, educere which means ‘bringing out.’One’s inner talents and skills are cultivated, nurturedand brought forth for a wholesome development. Ifeel that present day schools are distancingthemselves from this thought and compelling thepupil to develop a ‘culture of acquiring.’ Students arebusy acquiring grades and degrees for a lucrative joband career. In this context imbibing values for life isout of the question. Therefore the outcome of schoolsseems to be the creation of a generation which ishighly individualistic and egoistic. Hereby I would liketo suggest a progressive education instead ofthe formal one.

Formal education has been passed on forcenturies now. Its core theme has been to pass oninformation. Its main idea is to transfer knowledgeand wisdom of our culture and civilization. All throughthis the teacher remains as the sole authority. Pupils

Education: Formal v/s Progressivehave a passive role to play. Hereteaching becomes the heart oftransmission and the process oftransmission is education. Onthe other hand, progressiveeducation stresses the child’sdevelopment from within. Itbelieves in the ability of thechild to think critically. It ischild- centred and focused on problem solving.Learning becomes natural, and happens all the timeand not merely within the four walls. Humans havean instinct for learning like a child who learns to talkwithout any teaching at all. Children get anopportunity to think rather than being told what tothink. All need a learner friendly environment just inorder to unfold themselves.

A teacher’s role in today’s educational systemshould be that of a facilitator. The teacher has a greatresponsibility of accepting the pupil and givingpersonal attention to all. He/she has to deal with ‘onepupil at a time’ and assess the growth. It’s in the handsof a teacher to bring out the uniqueness of a child.Every pupil should be made to feel loved andaccepted. It’s also the duty of a teacher to createinterest and involve the pupils in a task or a subject.Many believe that ‘learning by doing’ has a greaterimpact. It results in the development of ‘intrinsicmotivation’ among the pupils. One who is intrinsicallymotivated knows the ‘what and why’ of learning. Thesatisfaction of working with others helps to progressin cooperation. As a result, development comes fromwithin and the student-teacher relationship getsstrengthened. Along with this value-based educationhelps us to ‘bring out’ the integrated self of the pupil.This educere will no doubt create an ideal society.

When learning forms a person to be an integratedhuman being, the school should be playing a vital rolein this process. The school creates an atmosphere forthe pupil to develop a culture of learning for life andnot just for grades, degrees and career. Thereforeeducation and school should join hands to ‘bring out’the best in the pupil for a better tomorrow.

Sch Cyril Castellino SJ


A novice (who had recently got a pair of spectacles) when asked by his companion, Why are you notwearing your glasses during morning and evening prayers? replied, “You know, thedoctor told me that I should wear them always except while sleeping.”

Another Novice went to the Master and said that he had sore eyes. Master askedin the reason why his eyes were paining and the Novice replied, “ I strain my eyestoo much in order to discover Jesus in my fellow Novices.”

Sch Prajwal Vincent SJ

Today education plays an important role in thelife of an individual. Education not only shapes butalso prepares one to face the future. If someone isrespected, it is only because of the qualification theperson has. Therefore education is an indispensiblepart of human life.

Thomas Alva Edison can be a model foreducation. His teacher considered him a useless child,because he was a slow learner. In school, the youngEdison’s mind often wandered, and his teacher, theReverend Engle, was overheard calling him “addled.”This ended Edison’s three months of official schooling.He recalled later, “My mother was the making of me.She was so true, so sure of me; and I felt I hadsomething to live for, someone I must not disappoint.”His mother taught him at home.

Education must not be restricted to the fourwalls. I salute some of our institutions where studentsare allowed to learn from the class room as well asfrom outside. As a result students grow happier andhealthier. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “Byeducation I mean an all round drawing out of the bestin a child and a man - body, mind and spirit.”

What is the need of formal education? DanielWebster would say, “If we work upon marble, it willperish; if we work upon brass, time will efface it; ifwe rear temples, they will crumble into dust; but ifwe work upon immortal minds and instil into themjust principles, we are then engraving that upontablets which no time will efface, but will brighten to

Education: To Form A Complete Personall eternity.” Formal educationtruly brightens the eternity. Itgives sufficient knowledgeabout various aspects of humanlife.

Undoubtedly today’seducation seems to havemissed the mark. Education isso commercialized that it has become nothing butmere business. To me personally if one’s knowledgedoes not help in one’s day-to-day life, it is sheerrubbish. When the students go out into the worldafter completing their studies, the syllabus taught inthe classroom becomes outdated. With our entiresyllabus if we are able to help our students to imbibesome values which will build a better tomorrow, thenit is worth having formal education.

Who is my maker? Does my basic education havevalue in today’s reality? If you are a teacher: Do mystudents learn from me some basic values along withthe prescribed syllabus? Do I learn from myobservation, or is my knowledge limited merely tomy books?

Sch Anush D’Cunha SJ

Ha Ha Ha!!!

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not includethe freedom to make mistakes.”

Mahatma Gandhi


At the time of Independence there were closeto almost 19 universities and 591 colleges with around0.2 million registrations. It’s no longer the case today.It has changed drastically with 261 universities, over8,361 colleges and over 8.5 million enrollments. Eachday new colleges and universities are beingestablished. The growth story has been absolutelysignificant. On one hand, India stands as having oneof the highest numbers of higher educationorganizations in the world, on the other hand it is oneof the backward countries with respect to trainingparticularly in the higher education sector.

Looking back to the time of the British rule, wefind that access to school and university educationwas limited then. The university system inheritedfrom the British is currently undergoing rapiddiversification and expansion. The reservation systemis promoted in the country to promote the educationof lower castes and tribals which were traditionallyturned out from instruction. During the fourthdimension of British rule, technical education was notimported in India and the British were indifferent toindustrialization, however, currently to bear out thecountry’s planned economic growth throughindustrialization technical education is now promotedacross Indian Universities.

In addition to several universities, severalspecialized national centers of excellence have beenset up to offer training in engineering, appliedscience, management, medicine, legal philosophyand several other areas. Not merely this, currentlyseveral governmental bodies have been institutedto supervise the evolution of education in the countryand to find out the education standard. Despite themassive addition of universities and enrollment ofscholars, the percentage of the population havingaccess to education is significantly lower, which is areason to worry about.Globalization is seen1. Increasing number of students going overseas to

analyze.2. Many exchange programs are contracted with

foreign nations.3. International growth of need of education and

marketing curriculum.

India – Globalization in Education4. Campus recruitments and

effect of import and exportcoeducational services.

5. The speedy development ofthe technology as madeeducational level very high.

Likewise the dedicationand passion in education amongpeople are falling. Today, manycampuses are empty. The employment scale of theworld is so low that people feel that whatever theystudy has no worth. Today time is money and howcan we find money for education is the new thoughtprevailing in many new creative thinkers. The valueof education today is for survival and not for thegrowth of wisdom and knowledge. When areinterviewed, people for any job the questions posedbefore them are simple general knowledge one.Today’s training is only bookish rather than being anexperience based one. What we need today is thepedagogy that helps us to make good choices.Education in the globalized world should not becomeprimarily market oriented, rather life promoting.Today our education is education of capitalism andnot of an anthropocentric spiritual- psychologicalgrowth enhancing one. Macaulay’s English educationbrought to India western thinking, similarly today oureducation has become a western rooted capitalistoriented one. If such education continues in India inthe long run our education system will become onlymoney making and money will be each one’s life goalthan drawing essence of educational values.

To sum up, today learning by prioritizingemployability over responsibility towards immediatecommunity and society and becoming a lifelonglearner only for the sake of his/her survival becomesa consumer or a customer of packaged learningcommodities. Thus there is and must be a strikingshift with regard to the concept of a learner who isinvolved in the process of education caused byglobalization. Today others controlling the self inmaking a choice must be reduced. Make theindividuals autonomous by freeing him/her from allthe traditional regularities, mechanisms in choosing andconsuming the kind of education that he/she wishes.

Sch Royston Pinto SJ


If there is one aspect I holddear in life, it is discernmentproposed by St. Ignatius ofLoyola. This process enablesone to have a deep knowledgeof oneself with divineassistance. None on earth can

claim absolute mastery over oneself as we aremortals, prone to failures and defeats as we moveon. This is no exaggeration. But if we intend to comeout of our defects, Discernment is the way that canlead us to what we are destined to become.

Discernment is a process whereby we realizethat our ambitions tally with that of our Creator. Intoday’s gadget and technology freak world, peoplehave absolutely lost the sense of discernment to seekdivine intervention. The modern world believes thatwith technology anything can be achieved. Though itmay be true to a certain extent I am sure it can’t assurecomplete success in the endeavor that the person isundertaking. It is only the grace of God that makes aperson live the fullness of life.

Life according to Ignatius must be used to praise,revere and serve God to the best of our ability. Howcan we do this if we turn a deaf ear to the promptings

Once Raju met his old friend Ramu, who appeared very sad.

Raju: Ramu, Hi! What’s the matter, why are you so sad?

Ramu: Raju, I had won Rs 1000 last week.

Raju: Its good news, isn’t it? Then why are you sad?

Ramu: To keep that money I did not have a purse.

Raju: That’s not a reason to be sad. Why don’t you buy a purse?

Ramu: I did buy one. That’s how I have a purse now, but no money to put in it.

Sch Nithin Coelho SJ

What I like most in St Ignatius

of the Spirit? It is the Spirit of God that leads us onthe path eternal. Thus, Discernment becomes handyto know what exactly is expected of us. This makes usstay better prepared to face all the odds that keepdiverting us from our aim.

I admire this great contribution of Ignatius,through which one can know God’s plan. Godapproaches every individual differently; this is whatIgnatius tells us through Discernment. Hence no lifeis the same. Everyone has a specific plan in the sightof God and He reveals it to those who earnestly seekfor it. The revelation of God to us throughdiscernment makes us ever brighter in our ministryand apostolate.

Sch Avinash Lobo SJ

Humour


What is education? What kind of learning takesplace in our schools? Whom did we inherit it from?What is the outcome of such an education system?What is going to be the future of Learning? In whatway can we be different? These were the questionsthat crossed my mind when I began reflecting oneducation. You must be familiar with the story of ablind man who was begging by the roadside with asign board... I am blind, please help! A poet who waspassing by turned the sign board and wrote... Today isspring and I cannot see! If we change our strategy inlife lots of things can happen. Education is not simplygoing to a school and digesting what is being spoon-fed there. It must foster learning. We are in theinternet age and most of our learning takes placethrough downloading; in fact, teachers are also busydownloading... their notes into the notebooks of thestudents. Can our strategy change at the verygrassroots? Education, according to JidduKrishnamurthi, is learning that takes place in thecontext of self awareness. Hence discipline is animportant pre-requisite for learning. Learning is nottheoretical - what is found in books; rather the wholemovement of life itself is learning. Education,therefore, is enlightening oneself in and through thewhole process of learning.

In our schools today we learn to read, to write ina beautiful handwriting and to do complexarithmetical calculations in our heads. We also learnabout social reality and the nuances of languages.Partly I agree that this is essential, but we need tounderstand that this is outdated. This kind of aneducation system is wonderfully constructed, but arewe really in need of it in this post-modern world oftoday where people are being replaced more andmore by machines? We have reached the stage wherewe can teach ourselves through the various mediaavailable. Will we need to go to these schools in thefuture? Will our schools be mere babysitting unitswhile the parents are away working with thesecomplex machines? Our present system ofexaminations is not the only way to foster learning.Indians learnt the present system of education fromthe British, but they have moved far ahead and weare still lagging behind. Education will become thesame old boring mechanical dictation and rotememorizing kind of thing in the future as it is now ifwe do not think of a new strategy.

Self-Organized Learning Environments (SOLE)Sugata Mitra proposes a

new creative method calledlearning from the cloud. He callsthis method SOLE, a SelfOrganized Learning Environment.It is creative and it is different;however, it cannot bedownloaded and implementeddirectly into our context; certainadaptation is necessary,especially for India. As the method itself explicates,learning is self organized; but this is not possiblethrough the cloud as in our context where we strugglefor roti, kapda, makan, bijli, pani, swasthya itself.However, this method has fostered some new insightsinto me. We need mentors, not so much teachers.Inputs and classroom discourses ought to give way topresentations, reading, reflection and self-learning.That will surely create awareness and will in the truesense, educate.

With the things that we have at hand what canwe do differently and creatively? I propose that in aclassroom setup itself the teacher can be a mentor,not spoon-feeding their students, but rather drawingout knowledge from them. Can we focus on thestudents teaching themselves through the variousmeans that are available in today’s world? We maynot be able to implement this method with a bottomup approach, but certainly we can try the top downmethod, from our universities to our colleges, thento our high schools and then through our elementaryschools with varied intensities. Fostering educationthrough this method will certainly have an impactover a rather longer period of time. But can we makea beginning? For our elementary schools we can startright away with the teachers themselves changingtheir language of teaching. How much do we makeour students think? Can our teaching language enableour students to be creative, imaginative andwonderstruck with learning? Can we foster asearching mind? In the words of Steve Jobs, can webring in our students a hunger for learning i.e. to say...Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish... keep learning by beingcreative. That will surely be a positive step towardscreating a Self Organized Learning Environment whichwill let learning happen.

Sch Ryan Rodrigues SJ