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The Many Faces of Childhood
Fr Joshan Rodrigues
As we celebrate Pro-Life Day on March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, the Archdiocesan Human Life Committee has – this year – decided to focus on the plight of children, beginning from the unborn child in the womb. Children are a priceless treasure from God, and the birth of children brings joy to the world. In the Gospels, Jesus is depicted as having a special affinity for children, welcoming them and emphasising that the "kingdom of God belongs to such as these." In Matthew 18:1-5, Jesus points out that heaven will elude those who do not approach God with a child-like innocence, trust and faith.
However, history has shown us that children have not always been treated as the precious gift they are. For many centuries, political and economic systems failed to properly recognise the needs and interests of children. In many countries, their rights were limited or non-existent – leading to their enforced labour, separation from families, and routine abuse. Sweden was the first country to ban physical abuse against children – as late as 1979. Surgeries were performed on children without pain relief until the end of the 1980s, and it wasn't till the 1990s that the field of Psychology began to really understand the unique mental health needs of young people. While progress is being made, millions of children across the world continue to find that their basic rights are being denied.
A brief look at these horrifying statistics will tell us that millions of children globally continue to be denied their basic rights and human dignity. 10,000 children die each day from hunger-related illnesses, and almost half of the deaths in children under the age of five are due to under-nutrition. This is despite the fact that there is enough food on the planet to easily feed everyone. Globally, more than one billion children live in poverty, lacking basic necessities like adequate nutrition and access to clean water. An estimated 365 million children live in extreme poverty.
Globally, 1 billion children have experienced psychological, sexual, or physical violence in the past year. 244 million children and youth are currently deprived of education or left out of school. Children are also the unfortunate victims of wars and conflicts raging across the world. Nearly 200 million children are living in the world's most lethal war zones, the highest number in over a decade.
The Gaza Strip is a graveyard for thousands of children, the United Nations has said. Since October 7, 2023, at least 17,400 children in Gaza have died due to the bombardment, according to Palestinian officials. That is one child killed every 30 minutes. Thousands more are missing under the rubble, most of them presumed dead. The surviving children, many of whom have endured the traumatic impact of multiple wars, have spent their lives under the shadow of an Israeli blockade, influencing every aspect of their existence from birth.
There can be reams of pages written about the sufferings of children. Hence, I will stop here. It seems ironical that more children die today due to human-related causes in a rights-based society, than at a time when children were not recognised as worthy of rights. It is clear that much work needs to be done in the areas of stopping global conflicts, child trafficking, poverty, hunger, forced migration, and basic education and health, so that children truly find a world that is hospitable, kind, and a loving soil where they can bloom in the way that God intended. What does it say of a society that cannot protect its future, its most vulnerable – beginning from the womb?
Let us begin by eradicating child suffering around us. Let us ensure that every child in our neighbourhood and in our city has access to good education, health services and good nutrition. Surely, that's not a big ask, and it's entirely doable.
Let us ensure that our children have a childhood! While the above statistics demonstrate how millions of children are robbed of their childhood, the same could also happen in a privileged society for entirely different reasons. A pressure to succeed and size up to societal and familial expectations, over-zealous parenting, a hyper-materialistic society, replacing love with rewards, and a technology-heavy world, can all contribute to quashing a child's childhood and their dreams.
Letting children be children is a true investment in the future of our planet.
The Pedagogy of Surviving Misfortune
Christopher Mendonca
A Survivor at Siloam: (A Soliloquy)
As a Hebrew, Moses was a survivor;
he had survived Pharaoh's edict
that every newborn Hebrew boy
was to be thrown into the Nile.
He grew up, adopted by Pharaoh's daughter,
safe and secure, unlike his fellow Hebrews.
Yet he did not think his security was a thing to be clung to;
he visited his countrymen and saw how they suffered.
Undeterred by his position in the Royal court,
he was bold enough to rescue one of them struck by an Egyptian,
only to find that in so doing, his origins had been discovered.
Pharaoh was furious, and Moses had to flee to Midian.
He was once again a survivor.
Having survived the wrath of Pharoah twice,
he thought he could leave well alone,
grateful that he was still alive.
His relief was short-lived.
In the LORD's scheme of things, however,
his very survival becomes the starting point
of a new chapter in our history as a people.
In the theophany at Sinai,
he found himself, much to his annoyance at first,
being called to share the brokenness of his people once more.
The misfortunes of the Hebrews in Egypt were undeserved,
the result of a crackdown by a new king in Egypt
who knew nothing of Joseph.1
I sat by the ruins of the Tower of Siloam,
having barely managed to escape the falling debris.
Philosophical by nature, I looked for an explanation of my good fortune.
Why was I a survivor, while others, through no fault of theirs,
have to meet an untimely death?
I began to wonder if I, perhaps unconsciously,
had begun to put a spin on the misfortune of others,
judging them to be deserving of their fate,
'because they had sinned.'
Was I making their situation worse
by laying the heavy burden of judgment on them,
instead of lifting at least a finger to ease their pain?
Was the misfortune of others
causing me to be self-righteous?
It strikes me that Moses is not a paragon of virtue
even as he is called to lead a 'stiff-necked people.'
Very much like the vinedresser,
he has to put up with their 'unproductivity',
as they so often forget the wonders of the LORD
and lapse into idolatry and infidelity.
He does not cut off the unproductive branches;
instead leaves room for repentance,
often pleading with the LORD not to destroy them,
simply because the LORD is a faithful God.
In my self-righteousness,
erroneously a by-product of my supposed good fortune,
I might be precluding the others' ability to repent,
thinking that they "wouldn't have changed anyway."
If I didn't have the patience to live with others' failings,
I didn't have the patience to live with mine either,
preferring instead to measure my righteousness
by my supposed good fortune;
I was a survivor after all.
I now feel called to leave behind
the supposed privilege of being spared misfortune.
The misfortune of others is not necessarily an injustice;
on the contrary, my own good fortune could be quite 'unjust',
knowing that the good which accrues to me
is often undeserved and unmerited,
and which I am so reluctant to acknowledge.
If the LORD kept account of our sins, who would survive?2
Instead, I needed to nurture the 'remnant' of goodness
that always resides within me and others.
In his faithfulness, "the LORD does not break a crushed reed
or snuff out a smouldering wick."3
I was being called to do likewise.
References: 1. Exodus 1:8 2: Psalm 130:3 3: Isaiah 42:3
The Transfiguration: Bridging Inscendence and Transcendence
Mountains have an appeal of their own. When you are on a mountain, you have a sense of being away from it all, above it all. There can be a great sense of peace on the mountain.
Galilee, where Jesus spent most of His public ministry, was very flat in places, but it also had hills and mountains. The Gospel on the Second Sunday of Lent is set on such an elevated place. Luke tells us that Jesus took Peter and John and James up the mountain to pray. That intense moment of communion with God on the mountain had a profound effect on Jesus. We are told that the aspect of His face was changed, and His clothes became brilliant as lightning. He was transfigured. He heard God call His name in love—'This is my Son, the Chosen One,' and that had a transforming effect on Him.
Whenever we hear our name called in love, we are, in some sense, transfigured. Our faces light up; our hearts burn within us. When we encounter hostility, it registers on our faces in a different way; our features darken, as is evident by the faces from Ukraine that we have seen on our television screens in recent weeks. The disciples were caught up into Jesus' experience of God's transforming love. Their hearts too began to burn within them; they wanted to preserve this wonderful moment. Peter cried out, 'Master, it is wonderful for us to be here. Let us make three tents—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.'
Yet, this was a moment that could not last indefinitely. Jesus knew that He would have to come down the mountain. Luke tells us that Jesus was speaking to Moses and Elijah about 'his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem.' He was talking to them about His coming suffering and death. He knew that He would soon have to set His face to go to Jerusalem where he would be put to death. He would have to face into the 'valley of darkness,' of suffering and death. He was being strengthened on the mountain for the journey ahead, for the valley that had to be entered.
This was something the disciples were slow to appreciate. When the voice from heaven said to the disciples, 'This is my Son, the Chosen One; listen to him!', they were being called upon to listen to Jesus when He spoke to them about the inevitability of His suffering and death and the implications of that for themselves. They would show themselves to be very slow to listen to these troubling words of Jesus, just as they were slow to come down the mountain.
As followers of Jesus, we live our lives between the mountain of prayer and the valley where we live and work and navigate our various struggles. Like Jesus, we spend far more time in the valley than on the mountain. Yet, we need the mountain of prayer as Jesus did. We need to step back and simply be before the Lord, allowing His love to transfigure us. It is on the mountain of worship and prayer that we inhale the power, grace and truth of Jesus. It is where we listen to the Lord and allow ourselves to hear Him call our name in love. It is the place where our spiritual resources can be renewed and our moral vision clarified.
We need these moments when we become conscious of a source of life and goodness beyond ourselves, so that when we enter the valley of life, of work, of struggle, we can exhale what we have inhaled on the mountain of prayer. Jesus went to the mountain so as to bring its grace and peace to the valley. The artist Raphael's famous painting of the Transfiguration shows Jesus floating in mid-air between Moses and Elijah, glorious and splendid on the mountain. The bottom half of the painting depicts the gospel scene that immediately follows the Transfiguration in the gospel story. A father is pleading with Jesus' disciples to heal his very disturbed son. That was the situation Jesus would face as soon as He came down from the mountain. Lent is a time to journey afresh to the mountain of prayer so as to be strengthened to share in the Lord's life-giving work. We need to inhale and exhale. This is the dynamic of our lives as followers of Jesus.
(Guest Editorial) Reflections of Fr Martin Hogan
Accelerate Action by Uniting in Strength
The Global Prophet, Thomas Berry, in his book, 'The Dream of the Earth,' said, "We can never do alone all that is possible for us to do together." How true! We women are a full circle with the power to create, nurture and transform. We are strong, confident, smart, and have a caring heart. Wonderful, outstanding, marvellous, adorable are adjectives often used for us women. What we lack is the ability to collectively accelerate action – the theme for IWD 2025 for Gender Equality.
Empowered women can empower the world, because equality knows no gender, and every woman has every right and the heart of progress. We have the potential to break barriers, build bridges, inspire, lead and empower others. We keep thriving and never give up. With our diverse gifts and talents, we are, like the rainbow, wedded to our many commitments. The colours of IWD 2025 – purple for justice, dignity and loyalty to the cause, green for hope, and white for purity – are in our blood. We want to speed up progress and ensure that other women are not left behind, especially in the post-pandemic recovery.
It is our duty to demand that our leaders take action and invest in promoting women's rights and gender equality. It is our responsibility to engage media, corporate leaders, governments, community leaders, civil society and youth to take action wherever we are. We cannot allow systemic barriers and biases to impede the next generation, particularly young women and adolescent girls.
Unfortunately, in India, women's literacy rates are significantly lower than men's as 68% of school drop-outs among children are girls. According to Census 2011, female literacy is 70.30% and male literacy is 84.70%. A girl's secondary status has gone deep into the Indian conscience and psyche. From birth, she is referred to as someone's daughter, wife or mother, treated badly if she bears a girl, and even worse, if she is childless or widowed, and she is even seen as a liability, as finally she belongs to her husband's family.
Education is the entry point to access other opportunities, having a ripple effect within the family, the community, and across generations. From the Indian policy perspective, we have sound programmes like the Right to Education and the mid-day meal. To achieve gender inclusion, the education of girls is free up to Junior College. However, a conducive environment and effective mechanisms to implement the same are a tremendous challenge in India.
Poverty is one of the primary factors that denies girls access to education. She is considered a good source of free labour to manage the domestic work at home and look after the younger siblings. Trafficking and corruption have resulted in girls being blackmailed, cheated and exploited by agents. Some girls are even sold by their poor relatives. An unsafe and insecure environment is another major factor responsible for female drop-outs from school. As such, a girl is often married before puberty.
"I have come that you may have life, and have it to the fullest." (Jn 10:10). Every time a woman is not allowed to blossom and bloom to her full potential, is suppressed and denied education, we disrespect God who made us in His image, and who wants us to have life to the fullest. We need to make this a reality by daring to educate the girl child. At least, functional literacy programmes must be there in all villages. Sessions on developing women's potential and Self-Help-Groups, micro banking, etc. to boost their confidence will go a long way in promoting Gender Equality. The Church's selfless efforts to make quality education and hostels for students accessible to even the less privileged in remote interior parts of India is indeed commendable. We need to create a positive attitude and atmosphere in our society to welcome gender equity. The girl child, if educated, will have the power and potential to transform society. We still have a long struggle ahead to usher in God's reign and to work towards fulfilling His promise to all. Let us all unite, with our diverse and valuable spirits and gifts to make Gender Equality, which is critical to the development and peace of every nation, a REALITY. Happy International Women's Day on March 8, 2025.
(Guest Editorial) Dr (Sr) Mudita Menona Sodder RSCJ resides at Sophia College Campus, Mumbai, and is Coordinator of JPIC, Province of India.
Health Promotion Trust
25 years of Dynamic Preventive Health Outreach
Across the landscape of expensive curative healthcare services, which are also inaccessible in rural areas, there emerged a beacon of hope in 2009. It was then that we embarked on a journey to transform the Health Promotion Trust into an organisation that prioritises the delivery of preventive health services, with a vision to promote health for all.
The Health Promotion Trust was founded in 2000 by the late Cardinal Ivan Dias. He appointed three founding trustees: Msgr Stanislaus Lobo, Msgr Athanasius D’Cruz, and me. During the early years, a team of doctors would travel to slum communities in well-equipped vans to deliver medical care. This model of service changed completely in 2009, when we decided to transform the vision and mission of HPT. I invited a team of 52 healthcare professionals to a Perspective Planning meeting which culminated in the decision to focus completely on a preventive health approach. Since then, our goal is to bring preventive health education to the doorsteps of the urban and rural poor in the Archdiocese of Bombay.
We initiated a two-year health worker training programme; over the years, nearly 20,000 grassroots health workers received “barefoot” health worker certificates. These qualify them to disseminate health education in their communities across Mumbai, Raigad district and Dharavi Island.
Today, our scope of operations encompasses women of self-help groups, senior citizens, tribals, domestic workers, migrants, schools, commercial sex workers, individuals infected with HIV/AIDS, parish associations and NGOs within and outside Mumbai. We conduct customised trainings for the clergy of various deaneries, as well as visit religious communities. We have expanded our programmes to include nutritional support to TB patients and lactating mothers, medical camps, a Naturopathy Wellness programme for transgenders, establishment of kitchen and herbal gardens across 18 villages in Raigad district, and preventive health trainings for adolescents. We strive to focus on holistic health, alternative health therapies, and indigenous health traditions. Our hope is that every beneficiary will take responsibility to maintain his/her health. To address the immense challenges facing our youth, we have conducted a series of mental health and suicide prevention programmes in Dharavi Island and Raigad district. About 200 youth have attended our programmes.
We strongly believe that our programmes must be relevant to the needs of our target groups. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we surveyed our Raigad beneficiaries, and accordingly redesigned our interventions to meet their critical needs. Our immunity-boosting nutritional programme was a direct outcome of this evaluation.
In 2021, we solidified our focus on holistic health by setting up a Wellness Centre at the Premdarshan Community Centre on the premises of St Joseph Church, Juhu. I am very grateful to the Church administration for their support. In 2022, we established a Naturopathy Wellness Centre in Khandala, with the support of the Jesus and Mary Congregation. Here, we organise camps conducted by the doctors and therapists of National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN) Pune, under the aegis of the AYUSH Ministry of the Government of India. Till date, 24 groups of 20 members each have participated in camps at this Centre.
My team and I are very grateful to our benefactors and collaborators whose support has been crucial to our mission of expanding the scope of preventive health services. Most of all, we are grateful to God for blessing our endeavour to provide the poorest of the poor with an affordable and effective alternative to the commercial medical system – one that is based on the abundant remedies that Nature has to offer. We hope and pray for continued wisdom and grace to continue working towards good health for all.
(Guest Editorial) Fr Rocky Banz is the Director of the Health Promotion Trust.
A Red-Letter Day for the Archdiocese
Fr Joshan Rodrigues
As a gentle breeze wafted through the quadrangle and the majestic sound of bells pealing in the distance cut through the silence, a serpentine queue of white solemnly made its way through the mass of humanity gathered from every corner of the Archdiocese of Bombay to witness this historic occasion. Every heart felt an indescribable feeling of joy as the long liturgical procession made its way to the stage that had been erected for the occasion, the backdrop proudly beaming the motto of the new Archbishop – "Building up the Body of Christ."
Archbishop John Rodrigues was warmly and joyfully welcomed by the Archdiocese of Bombay as its new Chief Shepherd on February 11 (a date thoughtfully chosen by the archbishop, being the World Day of the Sick) at the Holy Name School Quadrangle. The congregation present was a microcosm of the archdiocese with priests, religious and the lay faithful present from almost every parish of the archdiocese. One of the most poignant moments of the evening was when the new archbishop blessed and prayed over a group of differently abled children and adults from the House of Charity, Versova, signalling his intent to keep the sick, the vulnerable and the weakest at the heart of his episcopal ministry.
The liturgy commenced with the reading of the Papal Bull appointing Archbishop John as the Coadjutor Bishop of Bombay. Following Cardinal Gracias' resignation being formally accepted by the Holy See on January 25, he automatically took over as the Archbishop of Bombay. In a poignant gesture symbolising the transfer of the pastoral care of the archdiocese, His Eminence Cardinal Oswald Gracias gently led Archbishop John to take his place on the 'cathedra' for the very first time.
The significance of this very visual symbolic and historical moment was not lost on those present, as well as the thousands glued to their screens watching the online broadcast. Cardinal Gracias himself elucidated this in his congratulatory speech after the Mass when he stated that Archbishop John follows in the footsteps of a long list of illustrious predecessors who have sat in that very cathedra, and ably led what many consider the leading diocese in our country, located in a city that never sleeps, a melting pot of the Indian peoples, and one that is considered to be the nation's financial and cultural capital, and a barometer of the country's progress.
Adding prestige and weight to the occasion was the presence of distinguished prelates from Mumbai's neighbours – Nashik, Vasai and Nagpur – to name a few, along with the Bombay Bishops. They were joined by Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão of Goa and Daman, and Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal. The presence of the archbishop's two brothers, Fr Luke SJ and Fr Savio Rodrigues grounded this elevated event in the faith that is born and nurtured in the family. The spiritual presence of their parents – Stanley and Corrine – loomed large over the entire evening, reminding us that every local Church is founded on the strength of its families, a place where vocations blossom, and future bishops are born.
In his homily during the Eucharist, Archbishop John Rodrigues focused on the Church's mission, the joy of faith, and the significance of Our Lady of Lourdes. He described the Church as a nurturing mother that nourishes its faithful through Scripture and unity. Reflecting on the miracle at Cana, he emphasised the newness and joy Jesus brings, encouraging the faithful to encounter Christ through the Sacraments. Marking the World Day of the Sick, he cited Pope Francis' message on hope and God's presence in suffering. He shared personal experiences of visiting the sick, highlighting the mutual blessing between caregivers and those in need. He also addressed married couples and families, urging them to reflect Christ's love amid challenges.
The evening also celebrated the outgoing Archbishop, Cardinal Gracias, who has made a permanent place for himself in the hearts of every soul in the archdiocese. He was honoured through the gracious words of both the new archbishop and the Apostolic Nuncio, who thanked Cardinal Gracias for his prodigious contribution to the Church in India and to the Universal Church. A beautiful and heart-touching video, produced by the Catholic Communication Centre, opened everyone's eyes to the colossus of a man that Cardinal Gracias has been, especially during his 18 years at the helm of the archdiocese.
A new chapter now begun in the history of the Archdiocese of Bombay, we look forward to our new Chief Shepherd leading us with spiritual strength, holiness and astute wisdom into a new age, being rapidly reconfigured by the dynamic social, political and technological changes that we see around us.
The Holistic Path to a Healthy Mind
In a world that increasingly prioritises mental health, nurturing a healthy mind is one of the most powerful approaches to attain overall well-being. Mental health is not just the absence of illness; it is the presence of emotional balance, clarity of thought, and resilience to life’s challenges.
Holistic health is an approach that integrates the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social dimensions of health, thereby viewing the person as a whole, rather than focusing on isolated symptoms. It emphasises the interconnectedness of these aspects, and how each one impacts the others. When it comes to nurturing a healthy mind, a holistic health approach considers not just mental exercises, but also physical activity, emotional intelligence, social connections, spiritual practices, and self-care—all working hand in hand to support mental and emotional well-being.
Cultivating a healthy mind is essential for leading a fulfilling and productive life. Our mental health influences how we think, feel, and behave, and plays a crucial role in our ability to cope with stress, build relationships, and navigate life's challenges. A healthy mind contributes to emotional resilience, helping us bounce back from setbacks and maintain a positive outlook, even in difficult circumstances. It improves our cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving, allowing us to make better decisions and live with greater clarity and purpose. Moreover, cultivating mental well-being strengthens our relationships with others, fosters empathy, and enhances our overall quality of life.
Some tips for nurturing a healthy mind through a holistic approach
Mindfulness and Meditation: Calming the Mind for Clarity
Mindfulness and meditation are key tools for nurturing a healthy mind. Mindfulness encourages living in the present moment, observing thoughts and emotions without judgment. It promotes emotional regulation, reduces stress, and helps cultivate greater self-awareness. Meditation, whether through guided sessions, deep breathing, or visualisation, allows for a break from the constant flow of thoughts, providing an opportunity for relaxation and mental rejuvenation.
Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and Managing Emotions
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognise, understand, and manage our emotions and those of others. High EI supports mental well-being by allowing individuals to navigate challenging emotions, build stronger relationships, and make more informed decisions. By enhancing Emotional Intelligence, we can cultivate healthier responses to stress, conflict, and difficult situations.
Physical Health: The Mind-Body Connection
Physical health has a profound impact on mental well-being. Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and proper sleep—all contribute to a healthier brain. Exercise, in particular, boosts the production of endorphins—chemicals that improve mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Proper nutrition fuels brain function, while restful sleep restores and recharges the mind.
Therapy and Counselling: Professional Support for Mental Wellness
Sometimes, nurturing a healthy mind requires external support. Therapy and counselling provides individuals with a space to process emotions, develop coping strategies, and address underlying issues that may be affecting mental health. Professional support can help individuals work through past trauma, manage stress and anxiety, and gain greater insight into their emotional landscape.
Cognitive Wellness: Stimulating the Mind for Growth
Just as we care for our physical health, it is important to engage in activities that stimulate the mind and foster cognitive wellness. Keeping the mind active through learning, reading, solving puzzles, and engaging in intellectual discussions can boost memory, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Regular mental exercises also help maintain cognitive functions as we age.
Spiritual Health: Finding Meaning and Purpose
Spirituality can play a pivotal role in mental well-being. Through religious practices, meditation, prayer or a deep connection to Nature, spirituality offers individuals a sense of meaning, purpose, and peace. Spiritual practices encourage reflection, self-awareness, and gratitude—all of which contribute to mental clarity and emotional resilience.
Social Health: Building Strong, Supportive Relationships
Social connections are integral to mental health. Healthy relationships with family, friends, and colleagues provide emotional support, reduce feelings of isolation, and offer opportunities for personal growth. Engaging in positive social interactions promotes a sense of belonging and boosts self-esteem. Healthy communication and boundary-setting within relationships also help nurture a stable and secure mind.
Self-Care: Prioritising Mental Wellness Daily
Self-care is an essential practice for maintaining mental health. It involves prioritising activities that promote relaxation, joy, and emotional balance. Whether through quiet time, hobbies, creative expression, or simply resting, self-care is a powerful tool for managing stress and preventing burnout. Taking time to care for your mind allows you to recharge and build the resilience needed to navigate through life’s challenges.
Remember, a healthy mind is not a destination, but an ongoing journey. Start with small, manageable steps, and gradually build a routine that nourishes your mind and soul. With consistency and care, you will find that nurturing your mental health transforms not only your life, but also the lives of those around you, contributing to a more compassionate, resilient, and balanced world. Together, let us create a culture where mental health is discussed and treated with the care it deserves.
Dr (Sr) Beena Madavath UMI is the Executive Director, Holy Family Hospital, Bandra West.