Archdiocese celebrates INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026

The Archdiocesan Women’s Commission celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 on March 1, 2026, at Canossa High School, Mahim, drawing over 460 participants—predominantly women, along with a supportive presence of men. Centred on the powerful global theme “Give to Gain” and the United Nations’ theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” the event beautifully reflected the spirit of generosity, service, and shared growth with justice that defines women’s leadership within the Church and society.

The day commenced at 9:30 a.m. with the graceful and lively compere, Ms Bianca Rosemeyer, welcoming the gathering. A prayer dance was performed by members of the Women’s Cell of St Jude Church, Jeri Meri. The Holy Eucharist was celebrated by Bishop Allwyn D’Silva. In his homily, he emphasised the importance of caring for Creation. He urged everyone to be mindful of the damage caused to the planet by plastic waste and environmental neglect, and called upon everyone to transform their lifestyles, and rediscover a deeper sense of purpose through responsible stewardship of the Earth.

The President, Bernadine Fernandes, in her welcome speech, highlighted that the theme of “Give to Gain” has its roots in Biblical wisdom. She reflected on inspiring examples from Scripture, including Ruth, who selflessly chose to care for her mother-in-law, and was blessed with a place in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. The Blessed Virgin Mary surrendered her personal plans in faith, and was chosen to bring the Messiah into the world. Bernadine spoke candidly about the realities faced by many women in India today, where violence often remains silenced, and the aspirations of young girls are curtailed before they can flourish. She appealed to the gathering to ensure that “Give to Gain” is not limited to a single day of celebration, but becomes a way of life—encouraging everyone to share resources - knowledge, skills, financial support, and safe spaces so that more women may rise and thrive.

Maharashtra Government must ensure  ANTI-CONVERSION BILL  upholds  Justice and Equality

Bishop Savio Fernandes

In any democracy, legislation must ultimately pass the test of the Constitution. Laws are most durable and legitimate when they protect the fundamental rights of citizens while addressing clearly identifiable public concerns. Clarity in legislative drafting, balance in regulatory approach, and fidelity to Constitutional guarantees are therefore essential to sound law-making.

As per the website of Akashvani (https://www.newsonair.gov.in/maharashtra-government-approves-anti-conversion-bill-in-bid-to-prevent-religious-conversions/) and other news reports https://share.google/BQZV0aC1qPCkM3Mqv), the Maharashtra Cabinet has cleared the proposed Freedom of Religion Bill. The legislation is apparently meant to prevent religious conversions through force, fraud, or inducement. These are legitimate concerns in any society. However, laws of this nature must be grounded in clear evidence of widespread misuse, rather than isolated incidents that could be addressed under existing criminal laws. Whenever statutory language is overly broad or imprecise, it risks extending beyond its seeming intended purpose. Careful drafting therefore becomes essential to ensure that the law addresses genuine wrongdoing without creating uncertainty or unintended consequences.

Experiences from other Indian states provide useful insights. States such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have enacted laws intended to prevent conversions obtained through force, fraud, or inducement. Supporters view these laws as protective measures designed to safeguard vulnerable individuals and preserve social harmony.  Critics, however, contend that such laws restrict personal freedom of belief, and create administrative hurdles for individuals who voluntarily choose to change their religion.   

LAETARE SUNDAY: Never too late

Lavoisier Fernandes

We are at the halfway mark of Lent. The ashes from Ash Wednesday have long faded, yet their memory lingers — a quiet reminder of the promises we made to pray more faithfully, fast more intentionally, and love more deeply.

By this point, the journey can feel less like steady progress and more like that familiar pattern: one step forward, two steps back. We began with clarity and conviction — rising earlier for prayer, guarding our words, fasting with purpose, giving generously. But somewhere along the way, consistency slipped. The Stations of the Cross were missed. Quiet moments of reflection shortened. Old habits — impatience, gossip, irritation, anger, lust — quietly resurfaced.

Instead of moving straight ahead, it can feel like we are circling the same ground. 

The Reality of Struggle

That sense of "two steps back" can be disheartening. We may look at ourselves and wonder why growth feels so slow. A quiet voice within might whisper, "You should be further by now," or "You are not good enough this Lent." And with those thoughts comes discouragement — the temptation to lower our expectations, to ease our effort, or to quietly give up on the intensity with which we began.

But the spiritual life has never been a straight line. Growth rarely moves in perfect progression. The saints themselves speak of falling and rising, of dryness and renewal, of weakness and grace. Saint Paul reminds us, "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).

The key is not avoiding backward steps altogether. It is refusing to stop walking. Laetare Sunday meets us precisely in this tension — between effort and fatigue, hope and frustration.

JOSEPH TEACHES Families to Choose Presence

Fr Dr John Singarayar SVD

The carpenter from Nazareth built a life with his hands, guided his family through uncertainty, and protected what mattered most. Saint Joseph never imagined smartphones or Artificial Intelligence, yet his example speaks with surprising clarity to families, single people, and young adults navigating our screen-saturated world. As AI promises to optimise everything from parenting to dating to career choices, Joseph quietly insists that some things resist automation. His life reveals how human presence, discernment, and courage survive technological disruption.

For Families: Protecting Attention

Joseph's family life unfolded in small spaces—a workshop in Nazareth, a stable in Bethlehem, and a rented room in Egypt. He was simply there. Present for ordinary moments: teaching Jesus to plane wood, sharing meals with Mary, and making decisions together about where to live and when to move. His greatness emerged through daily fidelity, not dramatic gestures.

This presence challenges how AI reshapes family life today. Algorithms curate children's content, smart devices monitor their safety, and screens mediate increasing portions of family time. Parents juggle work notifications during dinner. Teens scroll endlessly, their attention fractured across platforms designed to addict. Even toddlers swipe tablets before they can tie shoes.

The pressure feels relentless. AI promises solutions – educational apps, digital babysitters, and optimisation tools. Some genuinely help. But Joseph's example asks a tough question: What does your family lose when presence becomes optional, when attention scatters, when efficiency trumps encounter?

Joseph teches that family life sanctifies precisely through its inefficiency. The slow work of teaching a child to hammer a nail straight. The unproductive hours simply being together. The interruptions and detours that reveal what matters. These cannot be automated without losing their soul.

From HOPE to HOLINESS: The Francis Way of Lent 

Fr Michael Baptist Fernandes OFM CAP

A Lent Within a Jubilee of Grace

As we journey through the holy season of Lent 2026, we do so within an extraordinary moment of grace for the Church. We celebrate the Year of St Francis, marking the eighth Centenary of the Transitus of St Francis of Assisi, who passed from this world to the Father on October 3, 1226.

This is no ordinary Lent. It is a Franciscan Lent — a journey from hope to holiness, from conversion to configuration with Christ.

Eight centuries ago, in a time not unlike our own — marked by social fragmentation, moral uncertainty, superficial religiosity, and widening divides — "a sun was born," as Dante would later describe Francis. The son of a wealthy merchant became poor and humble, a living icon of Christ. The Spirit calls the Church to let that Franciscan light shine again today — through us.

Hope That Becomes Conversion

Lent is always a time of return. The prophet Joel cries out: "Return to the Lord with all your heart" (Joel 2:12). For Francis, this return began when he heard the Crucified Christ speak from San Damiano: "Rebuild my Church." His rebuilding did not begin with stones, but with his heart.

The Jubilee Year made us pilgrims of hope. Lent invites us to deepen that pilgrimage through interior rebuilding. Hope must move from sentiment to transformation. As St Paul reminds us, "Hope does not disappoint" (Romans 5:5), but it must become concrete in confession, repentance, and prayer. 

We are encouraged to promote examination of conscience evenings, catechesis on the Plenary Indulgence granted during this centenary year, and generous availability for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

From the VOTING BOOTH to the Streets of BANDRA: Why Local Politics Needs You

Trina Remedios

For many people, politics feels distant, something that happens on TV screens or during election season. But for Karen D'Mello, two-term Municipal Corporator from Bandra, politics began much closer to home. Quite literally, at a voting booth.

"I was very young, maybe eight or ten," she recalls. "My father used to help his cousins who were politicians… and we used to sit in the booth, checking names of people who came to vote. We enjoyed it."

That early exposure planted a seed. Years later, after college and a stint as cabin crew with an airline, Karen found herself drawn back to her neighbourhood; not for votes, but to solve everyday problems. Broken drain covers. Burst water pipes. Residents unsure of whom to approach.

"People had so many problems, and they didn't know the right way - whom to complain to or what to do," she says. "So, I said, okay, I'll help you."

What began through ALM (Advanced Locality Management) groups soon became a deeper commitment. For Karen, grassroots politics is about being that crucial link between citizens and the system.

"You can't expect one person to know which drain cover is broken on every road," she explains. "There has to be someone in between, and then the job gets done."

Finding Your Voice… In More Than One Language

Working at the municipal level also means navigating a multilingual city. In Bandra, and Mumbai at large, language can either be a barrier or a bridge.

"Marathi is a must," Karen says frankly. "But it's okay if you mix a little English. Even when I speak in meetings, I speak in Marathi and add a few English lines. It's manageable; it's not difficult at all." 

This should reassure young people, especially English-speaking Catholics, that language should never stop them from entering public life.