"The priests of scandals authors give the people a poisoned meal"

FATHER FRANCIS

The homily of Pope Francis in Santa Marta: "We are ashamed of those scandals, of those defeats of priests, bishops, laity?"

ANDREA TORNIELLI VATICAN CITY

"But we are ashamed? So many scandals that I do not want to mention individually, but all we know ... ". Francis Pope celebrates Mass in the Casa Santa Marta and returns to talk about the corruption in the Church. The scandals, said Bergoglio, occur because there is a living relationship with God and His Word. Thus, the priests 'corrupt' instead of giving the "bread of life", give a "poisoned meal" of God's people

The Pope, as we read from the report published by Vatican Radio , he commented on the reading of the day and where the responsorial psalm describes the defeat of the Israelites by the Philistines. At that time, said Francis, God's people had forsaken the Lord and it was said that the Word of God was "rare." The Israelites to fight the Philistines used the ark of the covenant, but as something "magical", "something external." So are defeated and the ark fell into the hands of their enemies. What is missing is the true faith in God, in His real presence in life.

"This passage of Scripture - the Pope said - makes us think about how our relationship with God, with the Word of God: it is a formal relationship? It is a relationship far? The Word of God enters into our hearts, change our hearts, has this power or not, is a formal relationship, okay? But the heart is closed to the Word! It leads us to think of so many defeats of the Church, so many defeats of God's people simply because they do not feel the Lord does not seek the Lord, seek the Lord shall not leave! And then after the tragedy, prayer, this: "But, Lord, what happened?'ve Made us the scorn of our neighbors. Ridicule and derision of those around us.'ve Made us a byword among the nations! On us the peoples shake their heads. '"

Francis then made an explicit reference to the scandals of the Church: "But we are ashamed? So many scandals that I do not want to mention individually, but all we know ... We know where they are! Scandals, some of which they charged a lot of money: right! You must do so .... The shame of the Church! But we're all ashamed of those scandals, of those defeats of priests, bishops, laity? The Word of God was rare in those scandals, in men and in women the Word of God was rare! They did not have a relationship with God! They had a position in the Church, a position of power, even of comfort. But the Word of God, no! "But, I wear a medal," "I carry the cross" ... Yes, as these bore the ark! Without the living relationship with God and the Word of God! I am reminded of the words of Jesus to those for which they are scandals ... And here came the scandal: a forfeiture of the entire people of God, to the weakness and corruption of the priests. "

Francis concluded his homily with a thought to the people of God: "Poor people! Poor people! We do not eat the bread of life, do not we feed - in those cases - the truth! And even we feed poisoned meal, many times! "Wake up, sleeper because Lord." Let this be our prayer! "Awake! Do not reject us forever, why do you hide your face, why forget our affliction and oppression?". We ask the Lord to never forget the Word of God, which is alive, that it enters into our hearts and never forget the holy faithful people of God who asks us strong meal. "

They are different and yet the headlines scandals mentioned Francis. From those related to child sexual abuse to the more strictly financial structures that have swept the men and church-related, as well as religious orders

Ignatian Spirituality

Compliments of the Season

This is to inform you about the ROOTS AND WINGS: COLLOQUIUM ON IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY organized  by JIGSA.  The theme of this year’s colloquium will be “REVISIONING THE IGNATIAN HERITAGE FOR TOMORROW”. It will be held in Dhyana Ashram, Chennai from April 16 – May 18, 2014 (date of arrival: April 15).

Kindly encourage the members of your Province to attend this colloquium which would enable them to reinterpret and revision the Ignatian heritage for our times.

Please find attached the brochure of Roots and Wings 2014 for more details.

I thank the Dhyana Ashram community for taking the lead in this Programme. The contact persons will be Fr. A. J. Thamburaj, SJ and Fr. M. Devadhas, SJ. For registration either contact mob number: 09487 580952 or send an e-mail to devadhasm@gmail.com

Wishing you a grace-filled New Year 2014

 

With kind regards,

Jossie D’Mello

Ignatian Spirituality 

Pope from reports

Yeah, the Catholic church is slowly reaching civilization.

____________________________

Edwin

Writers must be read not seen. If you want the applause, go join the circus.

On 15 January 2014 16:51, Roshni Peter <peteroshni@gmail.com> wrote:

> 1. He spoke out against frivolous spending by the Church

> 

> catholic-ew.org.uk

> 

> *The average set of cardinal’s clothes costs as much as $20,000. In

> October, Pope Francis urged officials to dress more modestly and to not

> squander such money. In the same month, he ordered a German bishop to

> explain how he had spent $3 million on a marble courtyard.*

> 

> *Source: globalpost.com

> 2. He invited a boy with Downs Syndrome for a ride in the Popemobile

> 

> [image: pope_1492085f]*Source: thehindu.com

> 

> *During a general audience, Pope Francis invited Alberto di Tullio, a

> 17-year-old boy with Downs Syndrome, to ride in his Popemobile while

> thousands watched. The boy and his father were said to be "chocked up" when

> he was embraced by the Pope.*

On Suppression and Restoration of rthe Society of Jesus

On Suppression and restoration of the Society of Jesus

Talks on suppression and restoration of the Society of Jesus

Wayne Dyer interview on ABC News Part 1 (+playlist)

Suit case

to bcc: me

The Suit case

A man died, when he realized it, he saw God coming closer with a suitcase in his hand.

 God said: Alright son its time to go.
 Surprised the man responded: Now? So  soon? I had a lot of plans...
 I'm sorry but its time to go.

 What do you have in that suitcase? the man asked.
 God  answered: Your belongings.

- My belongings? you mean my things, my clothes, my money?
-God answered: Those  things were not yours, they belonged to the earth.

- Is it my  memories? the man asked.
-God answered : those never belonged to you, they belonged to Time

- Is it my talents?
-God answered: those  were never yours, they belonged to the circumstances.

- Is it my  friends and family?
-God answered : I'm sorry they were never yours, they belonged to the path.

- Is it my wife and son?
- God  answered : They were never yours, they belonged to your heart.

- Is  it my body?
- God answered : that was never yours, it belonged to the  dust.

- Is it my soul?
- God answered: No, that is mine.

Full of fear, the man took the suitcase from God and opened  it 

just to find out the suitcase was empty.

- With a tear coming down  his cheek the man said: I never had anything???
- God answered: You did! Every moment you lived was only yours and yours alone!

Life is just a moment. A moment that belongs only to us. 

For this reason we have to enjoy this time on earth while we have it. 

Don't let anything or anyone, stop you from doing so.

- Live Now!

- Live your life!
- Enjoy every second you live!
- Don't forget to be happy, that is the only thing that matters.
- Material things and  everything else that you fought for, remain behind.
BECAUSE YOU CANNOT TAKE ANYTHING WITH YOU! 

EXCEPT GOD'S LOVE EXPERIENCED AND SHARED WITH OTHERS!

Why Indians were not admitted to SJ part 2

[contd. ]

The desire to get the church and the Jesuit Society solidly rooted on the Indian soil remained a recurring theme in Pedro Luis’ letters. The knowledge of the local languages was rightly perceived as a core issue. Working as an interpreter he was well aware of the handicap of the missionaries, and he became convinced of the need of men who knew the local language. He took pride in his knowledge of Malayalam, the local language and his own mother tongue, and the impact of his preaching in that language.

 “If we have only eight Fathers of the Society who know the language, in a short time the Serra (Thomas) Christian will be united, and for this there is no need of an income of 1000 pardaos,” he writes pungently.

 

He wrote to Fr General Claude Aquaviva:

 

Trusting in the fatherly love that you have for me, as your only Malabarese son who am in the Society longing for companions: may God forgive those who are the cause of some not being received.       

I do not know on what they base themselves. They wish to measure the work of grace – which is to persevere in religious life and make progress in it – with their opinions which are works of nature. They say that the Malabar clerics live badly; in this matter God is witness of how other people live. They may say that Peter Luis is not perfect. I reply that I am not the pinnacle of nature; there are many who, were they to be received, would be better than me. To this I say, if because of me this tempest has risen, throw me out – which may God forbid – and let there be received individuals who may better serve the Society and the conversion of souls. In conversion the local may not be excluded by reason of their language. May Our Lord put it into Your Paternity’s heart to open the door for those of India to be received”

 

Strong words indeed. And what was the ‘tempest’ that he refers to?

 

The context seems to indicate some cultural conflict that might have occurred, leading to a feeling of victimization in Pedro Luis or other sons of the soil. With regret he recalls Jorge Correa, the Parish Priest of Tuticorin, whose request for admission into the Society made to the Rector of the place and to the Provincial was not accepted. Correa-Afonso observes that Pedro’s was voice crying in the wilderness, and the admission policy of the Society in India did not change till its suppression in 1773.

 

As a result no indigenous remnant of the Society remained to respond to the call of Restoration in 1814. History would have been different if Pedro Luis’ pleas had been listened to.

 

(2) Uniting the Thomas Christians with Rome.

Work among the Thomas Christians with a view to uniting them with the Roman Church was part of the agenda if the missionaries, 

Pedro Luis reports that Fr. Alexandro Valignano, the Visitor who first came to Malabar in 1575, took interest in this group of Christians 

as it was the wish of Fr General. Accordingly, two Jesuits, Frs. Bernadine Ferrario and Pedro Luis, were assigned to the Serra to work 

among them. Pedro was sent to the Thomas Christians probably because of his knowledge of the culture and the language of the 

Serra. He joined Fr Bernadine in pastoral visits – leading prayers in churches, saying mass and preaching in Malayalam baptizing and 

hearing confessions. These visits, with the permission of Archbishop mar Abraham of the Thomas Christians, gave him enough 

insights into the situation and its complexities.

          

  Pedro Luis wrote to Fr. General more than once about te Thomas Christians in the Serra. His letter of Jan. 6, 1580 refers to an earlier 

letter on the same theme. After sharing it with the other Fathers and with the Father Visitor he writes to the General that “it would be 

good either to admit some Syrians into the Society and make them Catholics, and then His highness to make them bishops and send 

them here; or for some Brothers of the Society to study Syrian well and after being made bishops to be sent here, all this through the 

Patriarch of Babylon from whence these bishops come; it would be a very good means of fast conversions because it means entering 

with theirs and coming out with ours.” He repeats in 23 Dec. 1580: “It would be good to bring up in the seminary there in Rome half a 

dozen of those from Syria; after they become good Catholics and well learned, they could be made Bishops and sent here or 

someone in the Society with good inclinations and nature could learn well Syrian, so that he may speak very well that tongue; and if he 

came as Bishop of Serra it would be a big thing and much useful for rapid conversion.”

It shows that he had touched the chore issue, which the missionaries in general had failed to perceive, viz, the importance of liturgical 

language and the Syrian Christian culture. He also dwells on the example of Bishop Dom Ambrosio, an Italian Dominican who had 

reached India twenty-five years earlier through Persia and had made a good impact. Perhaps his views were too utopian and 

impractical, given the geo-political complexities at the time, but it shows that he had touched the core issue, which the missionaries’ in 

general had failed to perceive. viz, the importance of liturgical language and the Syrian Christian culture.

 

(3) In many of Pedro Luis’ letters the ‘pastor’ in him stands out strongly. Its creative side is most evident in his proposal on lay ministers in the letter he wrote to General on Jan 2 1589. He suggests that the Holy Father grants permission to lay men to administer the sacrament of marriage as the Fathers could not remain in Travancore because of the war. These lay ministers should be granted all the faculties of the Society of Jesus if they worked four leagues (c. 2kms.) away from their Rector. 

The radical nature of this proposal is evident if we recall that the proposal was made over four centuries ago. This is not to be dismissed as a grand idea of an armchair theologian; he knew what he was talking about, for he had been not only an interpreter but also a ‘lay missionary’ to the laity long enough. He was aware how handicapped the missionaries were not only due to the cultural dived but also because of the clericalism in the church. It is amazing that ministries by married deacons and lay ministers continue as topics for mere theological discourse even today!

 

(to be contd

Why Indians were not admitted to SJ till after the Suppression

 *   Every nation is forced to struggle with multiculturalism as inevitable in a globalised world.

 *     Pedro Luis is to be situated at the hub of the 16^th century encounter of Iberian Christianity with Indic cultural landscape 

*    The deep concerns and the lonely struggle of Pedro Luis remain silver lines. To carry that dialogue forward is our task today.

(4) Cultural Sensitivity and Social Commitment

We get an insight into the outlook of Pedro Luis from a brief narration in one letter he wrote to the General. He writes about an incident involving the uncle of the archdeacon forty years earlier: “…when he was in Cochin in the monastery of the friars of St Francis, about to get reconciled, as he was fasting without eating fish, a friar put a little of fish in a delicacy, thinking that the conversion of the entire community depended on making it eat fish. The Christian was scandalized in such a way that he went to the Serra and created such a division among us that turned into a great disaster. Because of which now, in nothing that we see of their customs, if it is not an offence to God, do we dissimulate, for thus it is a lesser evil.” Obviously he was highlighting the importance of cultural sensitivity which he found lacking in many missionaries.

He also observed the problem of money lending and its ill effect. He writes to the General that “no money lender should be given burial if he does not return the things pledged to him when they are to be returned or if he does not have them, if he does not ask for forgiveness….And many will stop being money lenders on seeing that they do not get church burial…

Significance of the Letters of Pedro Luis

Pedro Luis was a gifted and dynamic Indian missionary thanks to his rootedness in the culture of the land and his remarkable schooling in Christian missionary tradition. He was also a man with a vision and much foresight. The letters he wrote to the superiors open up a window to the dynamics and pitfalls of faith-culture encounter, especially when read in the context of post colonial studies. It would be naïve to place the letters as a mere addition to “missionary literature.”

Pedro Luis is to be situated at the hub of the 16^th century encounter of Iberian Christianity with Indic cultural landscape. His is the lone native voice in that setting, and it asserts the Indian agency in the meeting of cultures. He symbolizes the hybridist of a missionary era signalling two cultures in intimate but ambivalent interactions. It was an encounter leading to dialogue with the dominant missionary culture, and resistance in the frame of cultural exchange. Pedro Luis shows how indigenous people negotiate their hybridized identities while resisting the oppressive power of the dominant culture. Language became a handy tool for him in this venture; his mastery over the language of the missionary, viz. Portuguese, was used as a powerful instrument in resisting cultural imposition, as his letters amply testify. He took pride in his facility with Indian languages, thus assuming the role of a privileged dialogue partner. Language after all s a realm of power and control, and he put it to good use; his letters were an effective literary genre in encounter and dialogue. In this process he carved out a space for the voice of the native Christian and engaged in dialogue aimed at transforming the mission context.

It is not out of place to ask what role Pedro’s Brahminic identity played in his intervention in the missionary content. We do not find him giving any importance to his caste identity in any of his letters, except while introducing himself to the superior General. However, the constant reference to him as a ‘Brahmin convert’ in missionary correspondence looks bizarre. Some writing uses Brahmane as if it is his surname. We are not sure if the missionaries considered his belonging to a literate high caste as a positive factor in admitting him. Brahmin converts were rare in those days, and most converts came from the Parava or the Mukkuva community. That no candidate from these communities or from among the Thomas Christians was found worthy to be admitted into the Society remains a fact to be explained.

In an era of neo-colonialism in various forms, the issues that confronted Pedro Luis re-emerge and challenge us afresh. Every nation is forced to struggle with multiculturalism as inevitable in a globalised world. The church today speaks more about New Evangelization than about missionary expeditions. All these bring up the questions of faith-culture encounter and dialogue again into prominence. A look back on the 16^th century European Christianity’s encounter with Indic traditions, I believe, may throw some light on out struggles in the 21^stcentury.

Wiki concludes his monograph on Pedro Luis admiring “how he grasped so rightly the necessity of native clergy for the pastoral care of his people and for the spreading of the faith. Besides, one feels in his letters a true love for his people and understanding of their character. He is totally open to the interests of the mission and is not afraid to make his views known at the right places.

The deep concerns and the lonely struggle of Pedro Luis remain silver lines in the attempts of Indian Christians to define their identity in encounter and dialogue. To carry that dialogue forward is our task today. 

Pope on Jesuit Spirituality

After the meeting of the Roman Jesuits with Pope Francis on Jan. 3, 2014, we asked Fr. General his impressions. Here is his response.

On the third of January in the Church of the Gesù there was a Mass of thanksgiving for the canonization of Pierre Favre, one of the first companions of Ignatius and a co-founder of the Society of Jesus. Does this mean that the Society intends to continue promoting the canonization of Jesuits in order to increase the already large list of Jesuit saints?

This question seems to be unaware that in practically all Religious Orders there are one or two persons well qualified to make sure that the necessary requirements are fulfilled for the canonization of any individual who can contribute to the life of the Church with the inspiration of his or her own life. These persons, called "Postulators," study and prepare the process not only of other members of the same Religious family, but at times also take on the responsibility of lay persons or even other religious and ecclesiastics whenever their collaboration is requested. Naturally the Postulators work according to the principles or policies of their own Order. We believe that the fundamental good is the good of the whole Church and we take very seriously the fact that an individual enjoys popular devotion when we consider that person a candidate for canonization. If there exists a "popular devotion," we collaborate in the preparation so that it can be serious and well founded. Therefore, it can be said that we in no way seek to add to our list of saints in order to increase our prestige. That would be contrary to the good of the Church and for that reason unworthy of our vocation.

You wrote a brief letter to the Society after the Mass of the Feast of St. Ignatius with your impressions on the participation of Pope Francis who presided. What    would you emphasize about his participation on this occasion?

I must confess that I very much liked the observation that Cardinal Vallini made in the sacristy before the celebration of the Mass. He said that this celebration was following paths of "extreme simplification." Pope Francis entered the church on foot as we priests are used to doing - he did not carry with him the crosier, the symbol of authority and of pastoral ministry, etc. The same thing happened on the feast of St. Ignatius in July. My interpretation is that among Jesuits he wanted to manifest that the direction comes from St. Ignatius and that he himself came as a "brother among brothers" to hear the word of God and to let himself be guided by it. In fact the majority of the Jesuits present (some 346) recognized themselves in the words of the homily and felt themselves addressed by Pope Francis in the intimacy of their hearts.   

What were the central points in the homily for you Jesuits?

I cannot pretend to speak in the name of all those who heard the homily. For me there are four points the Pope touched on that invite us to pray over and plunge the depths. (1) First of all the necessity to center oneself on Christ, so essential to St. Ignatius and which explains why we carry the name of Jesus. To center oneself on Jesus in order to have his feelings, his heart - in order to empty oneself of self. (2) The Pope has defined the Jesuit as someone "restless," difficult to satisfy - even more, who will never think it is enough, that all has been accomplished, that the thought is closed. The Pope defined Jesuits as persons with an "incomplete thought," "always open," in such a way that only in the consciousness of the incomplete can we find peace. (3) The third point is an extension of the second in terms of being "men of great desires," something that touches profoundly both St. Ignatius and St. Peter Favre. Upon great desires will depend audacity, bravery, and the capacity to take great risks for the good of people and of the Church. We will not always end up on our feet, but without risk there is no life, or as the Pope says, without desires one goes nowhere. (4) The fourth point is already a theme of Pope Francis, but it stands out in the context of this Mass with us. It deals with evangelization with kindness, fraternity, and love. 

As can easily be seen, we stand before important challenges in which we must harmonize tension with interior peace, great desires with a manner that is fraternal and kindly in presenting the gospel. The Jesuit according to Pope Francis is a man in tension, conscious of being incomplete before Jesus and God, and as such longing for "something more." This tension, however, is interior and makes him always a "pilgrim for more," a man of desires difficult to satisfy. At the same time it makes him conscious of his interior lacunae, of his imperfection and his sin, of never being able to consider himself better than others, and for that reason he never sees himself as the perfect and demanding lover, but rather as being loved and forgiven "with the other."

Can you tell us something about how all this can be of influence in the celebration of the second Centenary of the restoration of the Society?

I can say with all truth that this is the style of the celebration. We want it to be a year of study and reflection. All the crises of history enclose a hidden wisdom that needs to be fathomed. For us, Jesuits, this is the commemoration of our greatest crisis. It is, therefore, important that we should learn from the events themselves, that we should discover the good and the bad in our behavior in order to revive those great desires the Pope spoke of and continue the work of Evangelization, refining our brotherhood and deepening our love.