What is a Blog?

A blog is a frequently updated online personal journal or diary. It is a place to express yourself to the world. A place to share your thoughts and your passions. Really, it’s anything you want it to be. For our purposes we’ll say that a blog is your own website that you are going to update on an ongoing basis. Blog is a short form for the word weblog and the two words are used interchangeably.

Here are a couple of other definitions:

“…the first journalistic model that actually harnesses rather than merely exploits the true democratic nature of the web. It’s a new medium finally finding a unique voice.”–Andrew Sullivan

“[a] collection of posts…short, informal, sometimes controversial, and sometimes deeply personal…with the freshest information at the top.”–Meg Hourihan

Taken from: http://blogbasics.com/what-is-a-blog/#ixzz3eRBU44MV (29 June 2015)

Philip, don't cause a revolution now!

Br. Philip Neri D'Sousa, belonging to the Province of Panjim, passed away on 24th June. He was just 54. I knew him first here in Nashik, then in Guwahati -- when he worked in our Province for four years. He passed away due to a health condition, in which the bone marrow was not producing enough cells, so he was under treatment for the last one year. Mainly, from time to time, he had to undergo blood transfusion. During one of his routine treatments in the hospital, Philip passed away. I was shocked to receive the news of his passing away. I travelled to Goa to attend the funeral service, held on 26th June.

Philip's love for the poor and the downtrodden was no secret. He got categorised a social activist, and he was one too. He had obtained many a favour for the people in the various places he worked. For instance, at Sulcorna Philip had worked for the less fortunate children by way of inspiring the villagers to start a boarding for them. Then he had obtained a bus service to the faraway places. He conscientized the people with regard to the evil effects of mining. And a few other things. And of course, he got into troubles.... big troubles!

When in worked in our Province, in Umswai and Amkachi he continued with his social uplift and even revolutionary interventions. Among them is the obtaining of an examination centre for Umswai, for otherwise the students were walking four hours to their nearest examination centre.

For all these, Philip didn't earn a good name. He was a controversial figure. He was not popular neither among the goverment authorities nor among the confreres. But he had a few close friends both within and without the Congregation. Notably, he was a close friend to the Chief Justice of Guwahati.

In his eloquent and realistic homily at the funeral, Fr. Ian Figueiredo, Provincial, spoke highly of him and also of the difficulties and misunderstandings that Philip had got into. It was a very touching one too (he almost broke down at an occasion)--I couldn't avoid the tears welling up in my eyes. Fr. Ian ended on a humorous note (paraphrased): "Hope Philip doesn't cause a revolution in heaven, hope he rests in peace."

Philip, thanks for all that you have done, especially for the least, the lost, and the last.... I didn't have an opportunity to thank you. Do intercede for us.

Seeking Prestige

Fr. Sidney Mascarenhas ofm shared a beautiful thought at today's Mass at Divyadaan. Reflecting on Sarai's gesture of sending her maid Hagar to sleep with Abram, Sidney said that Sarai's act was one of seeking prestige. But what happened was that there arose jealousy and envy.... When we seek prestige in our actions, we land up in trouble. Our plans come to nothing, they crumble at the weight of our "self-seeking." I can add that if our plans are just human, without involving the divine, then our projects are bound to fail. What are my plans today? Are they for prestige and self-seeking or are they in line with God's designs? Bend my heart to your will, O God.

Blogs of Third Years 2015-2016

1. godfreypatil.blogspot.com
2. liptonpatil.blogspot.com
3. xaxasdb.blogspot.com
4. nesterfurtado.blogspot.com
5. isidoreptl.blogspot.com
6. felusdb.blogspot.com
7. lawrancevincent.blogspot.com
8. arvindminj.blogspot.com
9. liptonsdbblogspot.com
10. martinrltsdb.blogspot.com
11. rnldzkbz.blogspot.com
12. kujur17sachin.blogspot.com
13. jacksonat.blogspot.com
14. rahul22rodrigues.blogspot.com
15. vinaygsdb.blogspot.com
16. 11cdjs.blogspot.com
17. swithinmoraessdb.blogspot.com
18. fernandesrobcap.blogspot.com
19. thomaninama.blogspot.com
20. nareshmurmu.blogspot.com
21. ianpintosdb.blogspot.com
22. maxsheles.blogspot.com
23. aj10sdb.blogspot.com
24. nirdoshsdb571.blogspot.com
25. nelsdb.blogspot.com

A Beautiful Quote.....

Leave your country

Pope Francis was in Turin yesterday. He remembered the many saints that the city of Turin has produced... first and foremost he remembered Don Bosco. (Land of wines and land of saints.... His grandparents were from this region - region of Piedmont. “Grandson of Turin.” That’s how he called himself.) He visited Valdocco, the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians. There the Holy Father spoke without the prepared text (he gave the prepared text to the Rector Major for circulation) and talked from the heart…. about how his family was very close to the Salesians, even if he eventually became a Jesuit. And he admitted he was educated by the Salesians in the heart… and appreciates the skills, training, values and education that the Salesians continue to give to the jobless youth and those in need.

“Leave your country...”

In first reading we heard of Abram’s vocation story. “Leave your country, your kindred and your father’s house for a country which I shall show you.” A beautiful passage to remind ourselves of our own vocation stories. How do I want to respond to his call today?

“Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never the log in your own?”

There is a story about a California woman who had a pet parrot. She became extremely irritated by the hacking cough of the parrot. When this distressing symptom persisted, she took the bird to a veterinarian who checked the bird and found it to be in perfect health. Then, listening to the woman who brought the bird, the veterinarian discovered that instead of having some exotic disease, the parrot had merely learned to imitate the raspy “barking” of its cigarette-smoking owner. When the lady was informed of this, she was greatly surprised; but the insight (rather the inverse insight) that she gained was eventually helpful to get rid of her bad habit of smoking.

So often we are highly critical of others without realizing that what we dislike in them is really a reflection of our own sins and failures. We hate in others what we have discovered and dislike in ourselves. Jesus says the same thing in another way when he calls us hypocrites. He advises us to apply the standard we use to judge others to ourselves.

Anthony and Francis

News of deaths. Anthony Thekkel and Francis Kharjia have gone to their eternal reward. I might have met Francis, who belonged to the Mumbai Province, but I don't remember him well. It was a great shock to the Mumbai confreres, because it was a sudden death. Probably he succumbed to a massive heart-attack. But Anthony, belonged to the Guwahati Province.. I've known him well. He was my Assistant (Regent) for some time at Bosco Mount, Tura. A person whom I'll remember for his maturity. The last few years of his life, he was suffering a lot.... with a very rare disease: "stage 4 pulmonary sarcoidosis with end-stage lung disease." He was not even 49 years old when he died. Can't believe he's no more. Though we expected this, we can't believe this has happened. So soon he's gone to his eternal reward. Lord, without you mortal frailty can do nothing!

Thinking of artificiality....

Artificiality. I think this is one of the most important things that we religious need to fight in ourselves. Who came to meet you? What did you speak? You never inform me... you have so many phone calls... you have so many visitors... Accountability? Responsibility? Where will you end up?

Internal matters... our community life... outsiders have no right to even comment. Get into the rut? = Fall in line.....

We religious sometimes forget that we are human -- maybe that is the explanation of artificiality here. You must have heard about so many occasions when people are asked to clear the premises or when they not entertained “because it is our prayer time.” “It’s our prayer time don't disturb us.” “We have community activities so don't come now.” “We want to be apostolic, but we have our timetable.” “Don’t touch our siesta time.” “Give us a convenient apostolate.” “Our apostolate should be without any troubles.” These are some of the statements that we must have heard. [I don’t underestimate the discipline of the religious community or the time set for community or privacy or other common works, but when we are too much worried about a structuralised life to the detriment of simple, human, ordinary life then we become artificial.]

We need to allow the Spirit in us to be flexible and take us where/wherever He wishes us to go, not just where we have planned to go.

(Written a few years back....)

How tempted...!

How tempted am I to pray this! 

Lord, give us cheap labour! 
There are so many buildings in our Province. 
To fill these structures, 
we need young men. 
We have so many works to be done. 
So, Lord, give us cheap labour! 
We don`t demand much from them, 
but only work! 
They only need to fill up the many houses we have. 
We`ll not disturb them with our love, 
and furthermore, we won`t ask them to love us back. 
So, Lord, give us cheap labour!

(Published earlier at http://donboscoindia.com/english/bis/articles_default_ms.php?yr=2009&mn=12&articleid=120&pno=1&articleidlist=,122,120,, 17 December 2009.)

Back being a student – A Good Way to Be(gin) Teaching

The following is an improvement of what I wrote to a struggling teacher-friend of mine, with my experience of being a student again. Perhaps it will be useful to some. Perhaps to some practical-trainees.

Back being a student is torturous? Maybe!

Sitting in a class, trying to understand something out of it? Not a total failure.

Back being a student helps one to be a better teacher, or at least try something different.

Here is an outcome of a set of some boring lectures... (Some advice for me and for you, if you are ever going to teach. Or, in other words, this is what I’d like to tell myself.) These are only some practical (stray) points, some do’s and don’ts while you are in class as a TEACHER (or while you are teaching). Not exhaustive, obviously. But why not give them a try...

The suggestions are in the second person to make it sharp, or blunt as some would say it.

1. You are transparent. Your authenticity and your concern for the students (not for the syllabus) is that which is noticed first.

2. When you prepare your lesson for the day, prepare a five-minute creativity for the lesson (even if it is not related to that particular lesson). That could be a value game, a two-by-two sharing, a stretching exercise, a some-kind-of-scribbling on a sheet of paper, a riddle or a story, even a valuable distraction...

3. Use the blackboard (whiteboard or any teaching aid – flexibility needed...). Don’t write everything on the board, but do write something. And please, do not use the margins of the board – use the centre (lest the points you put remain only in their marginal consciousness, or at the fringe of their memory).

4. Talk. But with lots of pauses and silence in between. (Don’t merely lecture.) Talk in an informal way.

5. During class read, use reading materials or books, repeat by-hearted theories,... but all these to the minimum.

6. Try to feel with the students. And do think along with them (even if you are teaching mathematics or a dry science subject of theories galore).

7. Don’t ever try to control the class. See those wonderful persons called students with a certain sense of wonder and reverence... they will be your leaders one day.

8. Be human. Be honest. Don’t ever feel shy to say that you don’t know and learn many things from the students. Be firm – that’s being moderate (neither over strict nor over indulgent). But also be forgiving.

9. Appreciate always. Don’t flatter. True affirmation and appreciation is person-building.

10. Make the students talk, not merely by asking questions (that’s needed), but all the more make them ask questions, prompt them to put forward their opinions or oppositions in a polite way, involve them in short discussions (even if the point can be made directly without a discussion).

11. Use simple sentences. Don’t use complex or compound sentences (unless it’s the lesson of grammar on compound sentences) when you explain something. Use more verbs (when nouns can give way to them).

12. Correct them. Only privately. Even if one claims that the horse on a chessboard moves only two paces. Correct them indirectly – make them see the point.

13. Accept gifts only in class. Material gifts (I mean, of commercial value) are to be discouraged.

14. Use images, schemes, figures, order... (e.g., use numbers for titles or chapters or points – possibly Arabic numerals).

15. Make the students review or summary of the previous in their language (with their understanding). Not necessarily in the beginning.

16. Don’t always wear black. (I’m sorry if you are a monk or a nun with a black habit – exception, I suppose.) Use some lively and gentle colours.

17. Teach them how to learn always. Show them truly that you learn every time and especially from them.

18. Teaching is giving knowledge – but that’s only one part of education. Give them good values. Make them search for correct answers.

19. Ask them to dream, even in class.

20. Winning = Losing = Life .... Kipling’s wise words: If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster / And treat those two impostors just the same... (That’s part of a wonderful verse “If” by Rudyard Kipling.)

21. Be friendly. Extra kind if possible.

22. Be more informal. Break the linearity (now and then, at least) giving way to circularity (not merely physical arrangement of chairs).

23. Give home-works (assignments, projects, term papers, problems to be solved), but review them. Don’t used red pens for your observations and comments and ticks.... use green or some other colour which tell the students to move forward. (By the way, red is dangerous.)

24. Your activities at your class should be in a relaxed speed (even if you are a fan of Michael Schumacher or Shoaib Akthar).

25. Those names above there are not updated... but otherwise, be updated with the latest on your subject (what’s relevant).

26. Finally, a little home-work for you: please read the "If" of Rudyard Kipling or "Desiderata" of Max Ehrmann or "A Quick Story" of Elizabeth Silance Ballard or another wisdom passage. (I’ll review your response.)

An after-thought: BEING and BEGIN are spelt with the same letters. Let us begin anew. Let us be new.

(Published earlier at http://donboscoindia.com/english/bis/articles_default_ms.php?yr=2010&articleid=133&pno=1&articleidlist=,136,135,134,133,132,131,129,128,127,125,, 3 November 2010.)

A Difficult Idea

When I was young, teachers taught me to learn Mathematics. Not merely did they teach Mathematics. They taught me to use my fingers and count. And mind you, 4 + 3 = 7 is a difficult idea and that too for a child. But I learnt to master my addition by drawing lines or using match-sticks. Now, I wonder why my teachers are only concerned with teaching Economics. If only they can teach me to learn Economics…!

My youngsters, similarly, find spirituality and sanctity as beautiful ideas, but still difficult ideas. I find it so easy to teach spirituality or speak about holiness. But my young ones keep wondering if only I can teach them to learn spirituality and holiness.

They, the young, want to use their fingers and understand what it means to be generous, to be sacrificing, to be prayerful. They don’t want from me an exposition of sanctity. They want to see, touch and feel in me a kind and holy Fr. X, or a spiritually deep Br. Y, or a prayerful and self-sacrificing Sr. Z.

And, wow, this is Lenten time -- a beautiful season for me to start, to start yet again for my Lord!

(Published earlier at http://donboscoindia.com/english/bis/articles_default_ms.php?yr=2010&articleid=125&pno=1&articleidlist=,136,135,134,133,132,131,129,128,127,125,, 19 February 2010.)

Silence and the Word

Christmas is a time for celebration; a celebration that very often could turn noisy, distracting and meaningless. But, in fact, the celebration of Christmas is for an event that happened so silently in history.

We celebrate the event commemorating that the Word became flesh: the Word of God - the Second Person of the Trinity - taking flesh among us. But how did this Word come into this world? The Word came to the world silently. The Word was born into the world in an almost obscurity. Far from the city lights... Far from the noise of the crowds... Far from the important people of the nation... Far from whatever that was `loud.` The Prince of Peace was not born in the royal palace, as the King`s son. He was born of a simple woman, in an obscure location, with a poor foster-father. He revealed himself to those who were considered the least, and to those who were not of the region. Moreover, he chose to remain silent for 30 long years after his coming to the world.

Don`t we need some silence to realize the importance of such an event in history - the revealing of the mystery of God... With so much noise around us, how often we fail to meditate the Word. How often do we forget to keep ``all these things`` in our hearts and treasure them.

We need silence. To listen to the Word we need silence. The `wordy` world around us teaches us that silence is empty and hollow, and we tend to believe it. Silence then is equated with weakness. Sometimes we are afraid of silence: because it could reveal to us our emptiness, our hollowness, our meaningless actions, our anger and lust, our restlessness, our sadness, our loneliness, our eccentrism [decentredness], ...  Silence could reveal to us our true selves. O how dangerous silence could be! Isn`t this why we our time for silence and meditation is filled with background music?!! Or is this why we tend to animate our silent community meditation with words and songs and even actions?

When there is no silence we tend to think that our words are important, and thus even neglect the true Word (of God).  Very often we realize that our words are not healing enough, that there is no depth in our words. But it is silence that offers this depth. A healing word can only be spoken in the context of profound silence and reflection. A comforting and compassionate word can be offered only in the context of a silent meditation of the Word of God. May the Blessed Virgin, Mother of our Saviour, teach us the importance of silence to store ``all these things`` in our hearts, to ponder and treasure them all our life.

(Published earlier at http://donboscoindia.com/english/bis/articles_default_ms.php?yr=2010&articleid=136&pno=1&articleidlist=,136,135,134,133,132,131,129,128,127,125,, 18 December 2010.)

FB Impressions

I have a confession to make. I am a reluctant latecomer to the universe of Facebook. I was very hesitant to join FB... not that I didn’t like the concept of FB but it looked (still does look) strange for me. At the same time, I cannot but admire the marvellous technological creativity behind FB or MySpace and the various social network services on the net with the capacity of an almost ‘infinite’ and ‘universal’ range of contacting people (provided they are part of the service).

But it still looks strange. Some reasons (both personal and “impersonal”) for such an impression: for instance, in FB you are a Friend or not a Friend in relation to the other. So, it is kind of diluting the idea of friendship. Of course, there is no distinction between close friends or good friends or just friends.... or just mere acquaintances. I should say that there exists a kind of narcissism in the exploits of a FB-like technology. In other words, there is (at least sometimes) an unhealthy or exaggerated perception of oneself in relation to others. For example, for a moment or two I wanted to compare myself (being a newcomer) to others with regard to the number of contacts [=friends] that I have. I thought that to have 100 ‘friends’ is a good start, until I realized that some of my friends ordinarily do have 800 or more friends.. or at least 400.

Some more strange things. FB once prompted me to suggest Friends to one of my Friends, because he is new to FB. What does this mean? Suggest friends to him or help him use the technology of FB so that he can get Friends (old, new, ...)? And what about the many built-in vanity games (e.g., Give hears and Receive hearts)? And there are many other unnecessary and strange modules that is part of the package of MySpace or Orkut or any other web network.

Most of the websites are free services and earn their revenues by way of advertising. But at what cost? The commercial and attractive outlook of these facilities have brought many an evil into our lives.

In the context of cybercrimes and other abuses of the social technology, there are many who have irreversibly affected their future in terms of their career and employment. Their personal details, the frank or imprudent sharing of their views or having posted their ‘unbecoming’ photos on the net, their association with some anti-social elements, etc., have made their own lives troublesome.

Forget about the explicit evils or the extremities of imprudence, what about cyber-addiction? Or at least vanity. Or simply ‘a waste of time.’ Has humanity created a Frankenstein out of these creative technologies? We need to take some time out to reflect on the enduring implications of the ultra-modern technologies.

Strange though it might be (or even dangerous), this is the language that the young speak today, the language of a MySpace or an Orkut or a FB. I believe the debate should be one of how we use them (not that whether we use them). The question is whether we are aware of its positive and negative impacts or not. The older generation which include the formators, the parents and other guardians are relatively illiterate or uneducated with reference to computer technology and therefore are unable to speak the language of the young. This is really unfortunate. So, I’d say that the responsibility for a better and safe use of the net lies also with the elderly generation. A summary banning of all that is in vogue is not the way forward. Formators and formees, parents and children, guardians and wards, the old and the young all need to be part of a responsible use of the networking facilities.

FB, Orkut, MySpace, Twitter, and Blogs, Chats, and Buzz, and Skype and Voip, and numerous other web-based social network services tell us that we are all connected. There is a positive and progressive consciousness of an internationalism and inclusivism, that has never been so strong. Computers and i-Phones and other technological advancements have come to stay. The challenge, as before, is to take captive every thought (every technological advancement) to make it obedient to Christ (cf. 2 Cor 10:5).

(Published earlier at http://donboscoindia.com/english/bis/articles_default_ms.php?yr=2010&articleid=135&pno=1&articleidlist=,136,135,134,133,132,131,129,128,127,125,, 30 November 2010.)

The Magical Broom

One should be forgiven for thinking that the magical 67 out of 70 at Delhi elections for AAP was a positive step forward in terms of sanity returning to politics and governance, until the unimaginable happened. The heroes become the villains, the champions become the ordinary mortals, vengeance and legalism and self-importance (egoism!!=proving one's worth) prevail over better policies for the "ordinary person." A beacon of light fizzles out into thin "storm." If ever one understood the term "implosion"! Wherever has the "magical broom" disappeared?