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A Synod Ends, A Journey Begins 


In a surprising move at the conclusion of the Synod on Synodality on Saturday evening, October 26, Pope Francis ratified the final report, approved its immediate publication, and said he will not publish a separate post-synodal document. The Pope is permitted in Canon Law to ratify the final document of a Synod of Bishops, giving more power to the assembly's "guidelines" — something that has never been done before. "I want, in this way, to recognise the value of the completed synodal journey, which through this document I hand over to the holy faithful people of God," the Pope said in a livestreamed address to synod participants in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall on Oct. 26.

The 52-page document, approved by 355 Synod members in attendance, outlines substantial proposals for Church renewal. The proposals include expanded women's leadership roles, greater lay participation in decision-making, and significant structural reforms. The final document is organised into five main sections, and calls for five forms of conversion: spiritual, relational, procedural, institutional, and missionary. The Synod on Synodality is the fifth synod of Pope Francis' pontificate. It marks the first time he has chosen to forego writing a post-synodal apostolic exhortation in favour of adopting the text drafted by the Synod participants.

While Pope Francis has declared the synodal path "completed," the document emphasises that a crucial implementation phase lies ahead. This next stage will focus on integrating synodality as a "constitutive dimension of the Church." The synodal Church "now needs these shared words to be accompanied by deeds," he said. Among the most significant proposals is a call for strengthening Pastoral Councils at parish and diocesan levels. The text calls for a revision in Canon Law, "clarifying the distinction and relation between consultation and deliberation, and shedding light on the responsibilities of those who play different roles in the decision-making process."

The Final Document calls for a new approach, no longer viewing the Church as a "corporation" with branches, but as a communion of Churches. The term "universal Church" is reframed to emphasise unity within diversity, seeing local Churches not as subordinate levels but as unique expressions of faith within a single Body of Christ. Paragraph 76 of the Final Document highlights that lay and ordained ministries should not be seen in opposition, but as complementary services within the Church. Lay ministers are not "fill-ins" for priests, but contributors to a shared mission, particularly in secularised regions where the Church embraces a community-based, rather than hierarchical, structure.

Pope Francis emphasised the need for the Church to be "a sacrament." "She is a sign and instrument of our expectant God, who has already prepared the table and is now waiting." God's grace, he said, "whispers words of love into the heart of each person." It is up to the Church to "amplify the voice of this whisper, without hindering it; by opening doors instead of erecting walls." "We must not behave as 'dispensers of grace' who appropriate the treasure by tying the hands of our merciful God," Pope Francis warned, calling for openness and humility. Calling for a faith that is a "dance in the arms of grace," Pope Francis invited the Church to live out its mission with openness, joy, and trust in God's mercy.

The Synod on Synodality, with its various perspectives, asks a great deal of everyone. It asks for a change of mentality. It asks us not to consider synodality as a bureaucratic task to be implemented paternalistically with a few minor cosmetic reforms. It calls for a rediscovery of the desire to walk together as a modality that is desired, rather than simply endured, with all the consequences that this entails. It asks us to cast off the moorings and to be daring, in the certainty that it is the Lord who guides His Church through the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

It is an image of a Church whose members are rooted – in a place, in a history, in a community, in a context – and at the same time, pilgrims, that is, on the move, searching, missionary. The horizon of the text is Mission, to ensure that "Church going forth" does not remain an institution or end up being reduced to a mere slogan, but is fully realised with the contribution of all.

(collated from various online sources)

Living for Eternity: Embracing God’s Love


As we commemorate All Souls' Day, we pray for the souls of the departed, pleading for their peaceful rest in God’s presence. This act of prayer serves as a powerful reminder of our own destiny. Death is not the end, but a transition into eternal life with God. It challenges us to consider how we live and use our time on earth to prepare for this ultimate union. Death, often viewed with fear or sadness, can also be seen as a profound connection to the divine. It serves as a bridge, linking our temporal existence to the eternal love of God.

In contemplating death, we recognise the fragility of life and the preciousness of each moment. This awareness encourages us to live fully and authentically, embracing relationships, nurturing our faith, and expressing love. Instead of viewing death as an endpoint, we can see it as an invitation to deeper communion with God and a reminder of our interconnectedness with all Creation. In this light, every farewell becomes a promise of reunion, urging us to cherish our earthly journey, while remaining hopeful for the life to come.

The path of life presents each of us with distinct challenges and opportunities. For youngsters, the pressures of building a career, forming relationships, and achieving personal goals can sometimes overshadow the deeper call to spiritual growth. However, these early stages of life are a prime time for laying the foundation of faith and fostering a relationship with God that will sustain and guide us through the years to come.

In youth, service to others can be vibrant, active and full of energy and passion. As we grow older, the way we serve God may differ, but the call to deepen our spiritual journey remains constant. At this stage, we are often challenged to live out our faith amid the hustles and puzzles of life. Whatever may be the status of our life, we are all called to the process of letting go of worldly distractions. Detachment doesn’t mean giving up life’s joys or duties, but rather focusing on what truly matters. Swiss psychologist Carl Jung’s words, “Age is a grace and a chance given to us to discover our own wealth” remind us that the wealth we are to discover is spiritual, not material. The power and grace to be aware of this is available in all of us. Spiritual wealth comes from a life oriented towards God, and it becomes more apparent as we practise letting go of our earthly concerns and focus on the treasures of the soul.

Whether in religious communities or in secular settings, we all face the temptation to hold on to power, status, or achievements. Yet, by embracing humility, we can find ways to serve others, even when our roles and abilities change over time. Those who commit themselves to serving God often exemplify how to live joyfully, despite the difficulties or circumstances. Their example reminds us that serving God is not a burden, but a blessing, guiding us closer to Him.

Psalm 90 offers timeless wisdom: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). This verse calls us to be mindful of the brevity of life, to recognise that each day is a gift, and to use our time wisely. Life is fleeting, but God’s love is eternal.

The Eucharist offers a profound connection to the experience of living in God’s service. In the celebration of the Eucharist, we remember Christ’s sacrifice—His body broken and His blood shed for the salvation of humanity. Everyone has gone through times of brokenness, whether in body, mind, or spirit. This brokenness can become a source of grace, just as Christ’s sacrifice became the source of life for us. We are invited to unite our sufferings, challenges and limitations with those of Christ, recognising that these experiences are not burdens, but pathways to deeper communion with Him.

As we honour the souls of the departed, we recognise that death is not an ending, but a sacred threshold into God’s eternal love. This awareness invites us to cherish each moment and prioritise relationships that reflect divine compassion. By contemplating our mortality, we cultivate spiritual growth and deepen our commitment to serving others. Death becomes a bridge connecting us with the living and the departed, urging us to create a legacy of love. Ultimately, may we embrace this journey as a preparation for the glorious reunion that awaits us in eternity, binding us in hope and faith.

(Guest Editorial) Sr Francina DSS is a member of the Dinasevanasabha Congregation.

I Am Mission, You Are Mission!

Fr Joshan Rodrigues


This Sunday, October 20, the Universal Church will commemorate World Mission Sunday, an annual observance instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1926 through a papal decree. Marked on the penultimate Sunday of October each year, World Mission Sunday invites us to rededicate ourselves to the missionary mandate Christ entrusted to His Church—and to each one of us. It is a moment to reaffirm our support for the Church's evangelising mission globally. Out of the approximately 3,000 dioceses worldwide, about 1,000 are missionary dioceses, relying on our support to carry the Gospel to the farthest reaches of the earth.

The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year is anchored in the Gospel of Matthew (22:1-14): "Go and Invite Everyone to the Banquet." This reflects the urgent and all-encompassing call to extend God's love to every person. The Holy Father elucidates key aspects of the missionary mandate by reflecting on pivotal words from the parable. "Go out and invite!" he reminds us, underscoring that mission is an unceasing endeavour to reach all people, drawing them into a transformative encounter with Jesus. This contrasts sharply with the familiar exhortation, "Come and see," often heard in vocational contexts.

Too often, our parish communities unintentionally become insular, focusing inward and catering primarily to the Catholic faithful within our church walls. Before we invite others to "come and see" and partake in the Eucharistic banquet that Christ has lavishly prepared for us, we must first "go and tell," ensuring that the Gospel permeates every facet of our daily lives and the lives of those we meet. The marginalised and spiritually distant must feel the ripples of mercy, joy, and love that emanate from the heart of every believer. Our task is not simply to bring the lost to the Gospel, but to bring the Gospel to the lost.

In today's world, even within our Catholic communities, there are many who have drifted from the faith. These are the gentes at the spiritual margins of the Church. Informal surveys across the Western world—and within our own archdiocese—indicate that this group is substantial and steadily growing. The causes are varied: rampant secularisation, irreligious media, an imbalanced work-life culture, poor Christian witness, failure to utilise contemporary means of communication, a lack of synodality… Whatever the reasons, Christ calls the Church to go out to these peripheries and re-evangelise.

As Pope Francis poignantly observes, "The drama of the Church today is that Jesus is knocking from within, asking to be let out! Too often, we become an 'imprisoning' Church that keeps the Lord to itself, forgetting that He came for mission and desires that we be missionaries."

However, even before we embark on the mission ad gentes (to the nations), the missionary mandate must first touch us personally—ad se. "He sent His servants to those who had been invited to the banquet, to tell them to come, but they refused to come" (Mt 22:3). Am I fully aware of the treasure of Baptism and the gift of faith I have received? Do I strive daily for a deeper love and communion with the Lord? Do I recognise that my secular life unfolds within the much grander design of the Divine, which is my ultimate destiny? Am I mindful of my duty to the broader Christian family and the global community of humanity?

Our outward missionary journey into the world must begin with an inward journey towards the heart of Christ. "The mission for all requires the commitment of all."

The Holy Father concludes his reflection by reminding us that mission must be inclusive of "everyone." It behoves us to contemplate which groups of people are often overlooked in our pastoral efforts and humanitarian outreach. In a bustling urban landscape like ours, numerous groups may fall through the cracks—the poor, the lonely, migrants and labourers, those identifying as transgender or with different sexual orientations, the working youth, inter-faith and ecumenical communities, environmental advocates… The list is endless.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:20)

Genuine Reform or Business as usual?

Fr Joshan Rodrigues


The Catholic Church's Synod on Synodality has entered its final phase. Bishops, lay experts, and even non-Catholic observers from around the world have gathered in Rome this October for a month-long assembly that could reshape the Church, its governance, and its teaching. Pope Francis, opening the session, urged participants to listen to the Holy Spirit, rather than pursue personal agendas.

The Assembly's make-up mirrors last year's: 368 voting participants from seven continents, made up of 272 bishops (mostly delegates from bishops' conferences, plus 20 curial heads and 41 papal picks), and 96 (a quarter of the total) non-bishops, of whom 54 are women (lay and religious). The "non-bishops" are delegates from the continents, plus 15 of the Pope's own selections. The number of "fraternal delegates" – who can speak, but not vote – has been upped to 16 from 12, in response to the growing interest in the other Churches in this transformation.

The method and format, too, will broadly be the same: 36 round tables of roughly 10 members in which all have equal right and time to speak, guided by facilitators using the "Conversation in the Spirit". In a new step, group reports will be synthesised by six "language tables" (two in English; one each in Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese) which will be presented to the assembly. The various reports will then be used as the basis for the final document.

It does not appear, however, that the second and concluding phase of the Synod will bring about any revolution in the decision-making structures in the Church. There will be no dilution of the role of the Bishop in matters of governance of the Local Church, nor does it seem that the laity will be given any legal/canonical mandate which will make them equal collaborators in the decision-making process, even when it comes to administrative and pastoral affairs. There is a general narrative that focuses on women and their participation in the decision-making process. However, in reality, the issue is one of clergy v/s laity, rather than one of gender. Lay men have no significant advantage over women when it comes to these roles within the Church. In fact, popular evidence points to the fact that women have a greater representation as Heads of Cells and Associations and in the SCCs at the parish level. In my own parish, 80 per cent of the parish ministries are headed by women.

This month's real challenge for the Synod may be how to manage the expectations of lay faithful across the globe, many of whom are expecting some concrete reforms to take shape in the Church after this three-year process. But is a major change in Church governance in the offing? That seems unlikely. Pope Francis himself, in his Oct. 1 remarks at the opening of this year's assembly, emphasised that "the presence at the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of members who are not bishops does not diminish the episcopal dimension of the assembly" – a reference to the dozens of laypeople and women religious participating as voting delegates.

Pope Francis, being the pioneer that he is, has ushered in many structural and administrative reforms at the Vatican; there are many more women now in governing positions in the Vatican than before his papacy. However, this synodal thrust of the Holy Father has largely failed to percolate down to the local churches across the globe. The laity's role is still largely consultative, and the final decision-making authority rests in the hands of the ecclesiastical hierarchy.

But notwithstanding these compelling issues, the Universal Church looks to the Synod with feverish anticipation and a joyous hope. The synodal process has already ushered in a seismic shift in the way the Church looks at the relationship between the clergy and the laity with regards to their vocation within the Body of Christ. The cultic priesthood and the universal priesthood of the laity have come that much closer together. There is greater aptitude for 'listening' to the concerns, even of the least and the last. Already, many new initiatives have been birthed in parishes and local churches as a result of this 'journeying together'.

The only challenge that remains is to make everyone feel accepted, listened to and empowered, so that they feel that their own voice is a part of the "cohesive voice" that expresses the life of the Church.


The Holy Rosary: A Deep Expression of Thanksgiving and Gratitude for Salvation

Fr Joshan Rodrigues


The Holy Rosary is a powerful and ancient prayer in the Catholic tradition, offering believers a way to meditate on the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. While it is often regarded as a form of supplication, imploring divine assistance for the many challenges of life, the Rosary is also an extraordinary act of thanksgiving to God. Each Hail Mary, Our Father, and Glory Be, when prayed with intention, becomes an expression of gratitude, while the meditative reflection on the Mysteries of Christ's life invites us to deepen our awareness of God's immeasurable love and saving grace.

At its core, thanksgiving is recognising and expressing gratitude for the blessings that we have received from God. The very act of praying the Rosary is a form of such gratitude, as it helps us recognise and dwell on the greatest gift of all – our redemption through Jesus Christ.

When we pray the Our Father, for example, we acknowledge God's providential care and express our reliance on Him. It's a recognition that every good thing comes from God, from our daily bread to the ultimate gift of salvation. The Hail Mary, repeated with love and reverence throughout the Rosary, is an acknowledgment of God's favour bestowed upon Mary, and through her, the world.

The repetition in the Rosary is often misunderstood, yet this rhythm of prayer is meant to deepen our meditation, offering repeated acts of thanksgiving that lift our minds and hearts to God. Just as in liturgical worship, repetition helps us move from merely thinking about God to contemplating His mysteries with our whole being. In this way, the Rosary is an ongoing hymn of gratitude, woven from scripture, tradition, and personal devotion.

At the heart of the Rosary are the Mysteries, which invite us to reflect on key moments in the life of Jesus Christ and His mother, Mary. These mysteries—Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious—are pivotal events in salvation history. By meditating on these sacred moments, we not only recall God's loving intervention in human history, but also experience deep gratitude for the way God continually acts to save and redeem.

Take, for example, the Joyful Mysteries which reflect the beginning of salvation, from the Annunciation to the Finding of Jesus in the Temple. The Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear the Son of God, is a moment filled with grace and divine generosity. Mary's humble "yes" to God's will is a profound moment of thanksgiving in itself, setting in motion the entire drama of redemption. As we reflect on these events, we are reminded to be thankful for the gift of Jesus' Incarnation, the moment when God chose to enter human history out of love for us.

The Visitation and the Nativity highlight the joy and thankfulness that flow from Christ's coming into the world. The shepherds, angels, and even the stars rejoiced at the birth of the Saviour. The Presentation in the Temple and the Finding of Jesus remind us of God's faithfulness to His promises and of Mary and Joseph's trust in God's plan. These moments urge us to thank God for His fidelity to humanity, never abandoning us, but always working towards our ultimate salvation.

One of the many creative ways of praying the Rosary is referred to as the Gratitude Rosary. The Gratitude Rosary is a unique way to pray a traditional Rosary, this time with a mindset of Gratitude. On the ten beads of the decades, while reciting each Hail Mary, think of something that you are grateful for. This could be as simple as your health, or as detailed as a memory you have from when you were growing up.

Trying to come up with 50 things you are grateful for might seem intimidating. Once you start, though, it is easy to keep thinking of blessings in your life. If you ever get stuck, take a look around at the environment you are in, and try to find inspiration there. Each bead gives you a brief opportunity to focus on that item with true gratitude.

In praying the Rosary, we not only offer thanksgiving for the events of salvation history, but also open ourselves to the grace of becoming more grateful people—aware of the blessings in our lives and the ultimate gift of Christ's love and sacrifice. Through this prayer, our hearts are attuned to the rhythm of thanksgiving, constantly returning to God with gratitude for all He has done and continues to do.

Cultivating a Culture of Peace

Fr Joshan Rodrigues


As we celebrate the International Day of Non-Violence this year on October 2, we seem to be living in a world besieged by violence. And this violence is on a continuous upward trajectory in spite of concerted efforts at dialogue by all stakeholders. Some facets of violence are more perceptible and obvious than others, such as the armed conflict currently underway in many parts of the world. But look closely, and you will find that a broader notion of violence is present in many aspects of social life, both at the global and local levels.

The World Economic Forum, in its Global Risks Report for 2024, presents the top ten risks that threaten global security and peace in the immediate future. These are categorised as Economic, Environmental, Geo-political, Societal and Technological. The greatest stated risk is that of armed conflict. UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said in his address at the Peace Bell Ceremony earlier in September: "From the Middle East, to Sudan, Ukraine, and beyond, we see bullets and bombs maim and kill; bodies piled high; populations traumatised; and buildings reduced to rubble."

To ordinary folk such as you and me, these wars seem totally unnecessary. Nations fighting over small pieces of land and frivolous issues lead to unspeakable suffering for the common citizens of this planet – innocent families, women and children, who are dragged into the theatre of war, killed, maimed, reduced to poverty, and displaced from their homes. However, these wars are fought for the egos of a few, quite often to cement their own political positions of power, at the cost of the lives of their own citizens whom they are elected to serve. The so-called global powers who have the power to bring an immediate halt to these conflicts refuse to do so, while world bodies such as the United Nations have been rendered largely powerless and ineffective, their sole purpose now only being to conduct relief operations for those affected by violence.

But moving beyond this most apparent form of violence, there are other issues that continue to push our world towards a dangerous edge. Misinformation and Disinformation fuelled by malevolent use of Artificial Intelligence in the online space is fanning the flames of hate and leading to a more fractured society. New technologies are being developed with little thought of ethical considerations and their impact on human dignity. Progress for the sake of progress pushes humanity to the peripheries, and brings profit to the centre of this technocratic culture. Cyber-crime impacts the lives of ordinary citizens, quite often wiping off their entire life savings. Cyber-bullying and trolling destroys people's reputations and emotional health, causing irreversible damage.

Violence to the Environment is another leading cause of loss of peace in our world today. Extreme weather events are on the rise, which have a severe impact on the economies of nations and families. Environmental degradation that is human-caused is quite often the root cause of poverty and forced migration, hunger and disease. Heightened levels of particulate pollution in our cities, coupled with increasing temperatures due to concretisation of urban spaces and deforestation, are impacting our physical, emotional and mental health. This is violence done to human dignity and the right to life.

One of the more pressing issues today is economic downturn, inflation and loss of meaningful employment. While good and satisfying jobs are hard to come by, the rising cost of living is impacting the health of family life, not to mention personal happiness. The slave-like conditions that youngsters often face in the corporate world, can be dehumanising and demoralising. The death of a young 26-year-old employee at EY Pune has brought this into sharp focus. It is imperative that companies and governments urgently work towards building a healthy and ethical corporate culture that places the health and happiness of the human person above all other considerations.

The solution: we need to build a culture of peace and humanity at all levels of social life. An honest and purposeful politics is at the heart of solving much of these problems that we face today. Political office and political responsibility constantly challenge those called to the service of their country to make every effort to protect those who live there and to create the conditions for a worthy and just future. Every election is an opportunity to return to the original points of reference that inspire justice, law and a culture of peace. Let us motivate and inspire our political leaders to work for a culture of peace, so that the message of that great prophet of peace, Mahatma Gandhi, may resonate powerfully amongst the peoples and challenges of our time 

A Call to Mirror God’s Way of Communication

Fr Anthony Charanghat

 

The Examiner Catholic Newsweekly, based in Mumbai and serving the Archdiocese of Bombay since 1850, stands as a bedrock of Catholic religious faith-based journalism, endeavouring to emulate the divine mode of communication God established with humanity. The call to The Examiner on the monumental event of the 175th Anniversary titled the De Quadrant Bicentennial year is to encapsulate the essence of mirroring God's Way of Communication, by incorporating the profound messages of God as revealed in Christian scriptures.

The core of these messages posit that Christian communication is a divine gift, initiated by God to unveil the existential and spiritual realms of the world He created. This foundational belief steers The Examiner's editorial focus towards illuminating God's teachings and fostering a deeper bond between humanity and the divine.

The Examiner's De Quadrant Bicentennial celebrations will have programmes conducted during the celebratory event that will display the vibrancy of the faith of the community in writing and reading Christian literature. The inauguration of the jubilee celebrations began with a prayer dance by the Holy Name School children, which was followed by The Examiner anthem, composed by Mr Tony Menezes and music arranged by Adv. Amanda Rebello and the children's choir of the Church backing the family of The Examiner to raise their hearts in thanksgiving.

Cardinal Gracias then unveiled The Examiner commemorative issue, symbolising its longevity. These moments underscore the publication's evolution and its unbroken connection to its roots and mission in spite of being an arduous journey. His Eminence, the Chief Guest and patron of The Examiner, lit the inaugural samai, marking the commencement of the celebrations. His address highlighted The Examiner's esteemed position within Catholic journalism, acknowledging its resilience and purposeful navigation through changing technological landscapes. The Cardinal's words serve as a testament to The Examiner's dedication to journalistic excellence and its role in shaping critical narratives within the community.

The Examiner event also featured jubilee memorial lectures, beginning with Fr (Dr) Plavendran's analysis of Artificial Intelligence's impact on Catholic media; his caution against uncritical adoption of technology without alignment to Catholic teaching reflects a broader discourse on maintaining authenticity in the Digital age. The next lecturer, Dr. Rochelle Almeida, Professor Emerita of The Humanities New York University,  shared her recollections on her journey with The Examiner, from a young contributor to a celebrated academic, underscoring the publication's role in nurturing intellectual and spiritual growth to great heights of excellence, which also motivated her to write an article for the successive Christmas Bumper Publication every year. It also made her realise how popular The Examiner was, as readers in various parts of the world showered encomiums on her.

The discussions extended into the regulatory and operational challenges faced by print media today, as outlined by Mr Gavin D'Souza. His emphasis on compliance and the strategic importance of accreditation in India highlighted the behind-the-scenes efforts required to maintain The Examiner's legacy.

The crowning event was The Examiner awards founded in honour of the parents of the Mascarenhas family. This year's Golden Pen award was won by Ms Nirmala Carvalho, a well-known independent journalist not only in The Examiner, but in other Christian media outlets around the globe. Mr Christopher Mendonca was the recipient of the Silver Pen award for writing on the extraordinary liturgical seasons of the year for The Examiner and for his reflections on contemplative prayer and spirituality in the Christian tradition. Ms Fiza Pathan was the winner of the Bronze Pen award for being a prolific writer and having written and published 17 award-winning books and short stories.

Amidst the celebration, The Examiner Editor's candid admission of past shortcomings revealed a humble introspection and a fervent desire to live up to the divine mission. This acknowledgment speaks of the publication's resilience and its commitment to spreading God's light through truth, justice and love, despite facing challenges. He underlined that we were unworthy vessels of clay and have been remiss in our mission to spread the brilliant light of God anchored in truth, justice and love. However, he emphasised that deep in our hearts, we are more resolved than ever that with the Spirit of God, we will labour courageously to fulfil our mission, no matter what the cost.

The editorial content's future, as led by Fr Joshan Rodrigues, promises a dynamic and forward-looking approach to faith-based journalism. His concluding words of thanks encapsulated the collective spirit that has sustained The Examiner, acknowledging the contributions of Bp Dominic Savio Fernandes, Rector of Holy Name Cathedral, the clergy, educators, contributors, and the wider community as partners in the publication's journey, not failing to thank specially the personnel of the various departments involved in giving birth to the people's favourite Examiner weekly. And also, our gratitude goes to Fr K.T. Emmanuel who compered the entire show of the evening with his sense of humour, keeping the audience riveted to the exciting story of The Examiner's uphill task of traversing from Quill to Digital.

The Examiner Journey

Scroll to Digital

Fr Anthony Charanghat

 

Ae raise our hearts on the occasion of the 175th year of the uninterrupted publication of The Examiner to give thanks to God for the gift that He has given us. Through His merciful love, the genesis of The Examiner began in the Church of India in March 1850. It has been a record of sorts, ranking among one of the premiere English publications in this country.

We do not take this occasion to trumpet the glories of our work, for we are just frail vessels of clay made from the earth, and unto dust we shall return. But praise we must: give glory to God for the wonders and marvels of His work; and loudly proclaim and communicate the grandeur of His Love.

Where do we begin to tell the story of how great the Love of God can be, greater than the ocean and the sea, a communion between God and Humanity! This is the essence of the branding of The Examiner insignia which gives us the motto, and the icon of what a religious Catholic newspaper ought to be. The above mentioned quote summarises the quintessence of what Cardinal Valerian Gracias, the first Indian editor, exhorted the subsequent editors, when he inducted them into The Examiner publication 50 years ago.

We are also beholden to our Emeritus Cardinals - His Eminence Simon Pimenta and His Eminence Ivan Dias, and our current Shepherd of the Archdiocese of Bombay, Cardinal Oswald Gracias for their support and guidance in helping us run the Catholic newsweekly.

Accordingly, the logo and motto were conceptualised to spell out the purpose and goal of The Examiner which was to unravel the Word of God in human language to be understood by the people of God – a theme well depicted in The Examiner emblem.

The Coat of Arms of The Examiner is shaped within the circle of God's embracing love. It is anchored in God, illumined on the top of a Cross by a flame spreading the light of Christ. Perched at the bottom of the Cross are two arms of the anchor on which are two pens symbolising the medium of our time - the written word, to spread His Truth, Justice and Love.

It is a religious magazine which gives primacy of place to human relationship with God. Hence, The Examiner is called to function as a mirror of God's Love revealed by His Word, who is Christ. The Examiner, being a Catholic religious newspaper, has to interpret the deeper insights of God's Word in the language of the common person.

The Examiner has employed the language of scripture to convey the message of the mission entrusted to every man and woman to fulfil their call to bring the Kingdom values on Earth. The literary genre of the language of the Bible has been extensively used in The Examiner and by our writers who were legends of yore, that has elevated the tenor and tone of The Examiner and raised it to the touch of the Divine, casting a spiritual glow that makes The Examiner so riveting.

It is interesting to observe that human religious writings are always inspired by God, especially if they mirror the revelations of God, as evidenced by the authors of the Bible. The language of the Bible has been extolled as the best literature in the world which touches the mind, moves the heart and changes the world. The Bible has been deemed universally as the greatest story of Love ever told.

We pay tribute to a galaxy of eminent writers and contributors who have embellished the volumes of The Examiner over the years with their expertise, knowledge and writing skills, who have made it a readers' delight to be found not only in many Christian homes, but also avidly read in public libraries, educational institutions and hospitals, to bring comfort and solace in the healing powers of God in their moments of pain and suffering.

Above all, the Bible is a story of Salvation realised in the redeeming life of Jesus Christ, our mediator between God and man.

I cannot fail to thank the dynamic and exuberant Fr Joshan Rodrigues, who has been a pillar of strength, upholding the edifice of The Examiner as he assisted me in editing the content and operations of The Examiner, and on several occasions, writing the leaders of the Newsweekly.

It is our sincere belief and hope that the next generation of The Examiner family will surely steer the forward march of The Examiner to greater heights into the last lap of the bicentennial. May Godspeed your journey.