Fr Arockia Rayappan – Some more of our own Christ’s faithful have spared their valuable time to share their perspectives with the readers of the Indian Catholic Matters on the invitation of our Beloved Pope Francis to study the fundamentalistic themes of the documents of the Second Vatican Council in preparation for Jubilee 2025. Father Dr. Kuruvilla Pandikattu, S.J., is an author and a Chair Professor of JRD Tata Foundation on Business Ethics at XLRI, Jamshedpur, (India), Professor of the Faculty of Philosophy at Jnana Deepa – Institute of Philosophy and Theology, and formator of m ..read more

Santhiya Philomone csc – Readings: Acts 12: 24 – 13: 5; Jn 12: 44-50 In the first reading, we witness that the early church was directed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Despite facing persecution and challenges, the apostles remain steadfast in their mission, preaching the word of God fearlessly. As they pray and fast, the Holy Spirit guides them in discerning the next steps in spreading the gospel. The reading reminds me of the importance of relying on the Holy Spirit in my life and faith journey. Just as the early Christians sought guidance through prayer and fasting, I am called to cultiva ..read more

Verghese V Joseph – Fr Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist, dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of the marginalised and oppressed in India. His unwavering commitment to social justice and human rights earned him the title of the country’s oldest prisoner charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his alleged role in a Maoist conspiracy. Swamy’s death on July 5, 2021, while still in custody, has sparked outrage and calls for justice from human rights organisations and individuals around the world. Swamy was born on April 26, 1937, in Tiruchira ..read more

Philip Raj A csc – Readings: Acts 11: 19-26; Jn 10: 22-30 The liturgy of the word invites us to reflect on the theme, “Listen to the voice of the Lord and follow him.” The early Christian community faced persecution. As a result, they were scattered in different places, but they never stopped talking or preaching about Jesus. They listened to the voice of the Lord, and the hand of the Lord was with them to strengthen and encourage them to spread the good news. Amidst persecution, a great number of people accepted Jesus as their saviour, and the number of believers kept growing day by day. In t ..read more

By Fr Arockia Rayappan – For Pope Francis, a Jubilee is a religious event of great spiritual, ecclesial, and social significance in the life of the Church. As a special gift of grace to God’s people, the jubilee celebration is principally characterised by the remission and forgiveness of sins, particularly by way of indulgence, i.e., a full expression of the mercy of God as interpreted by the Catholic Church. The Jubilee in the Catholic Church is distinguished as ordinary and extraordinary. It is ordinary when it is celebrated after a customary twenty-five-year period. The celebration of an o ..read more

Eedara Vamshi csc – Readings: Acts 11:1-18; Jn 10:1-10 Today, both readings invite me to experience the unconditional love of God. In the first reading, St. Peter sees a vision that is the sign of God accepting the Gentiles for the first time into the early Christian community. Peter is initially hesitant to associate with the Gentiles due to cultural and religious reasons but experiences a transformative revelation from God through a vision of unclean animals being declared as clean. Peter learns that God shows no partiality and welcomes all who fear him and do what is right. In today’s conte ..read more

Fr Eugene Lobo SJ _ Acts 4:8-12; 1 John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18 Today is Good Shepherd Sunday and Vocation Sunday and the word of God presents us with two images, the Children of God and the Good Shepherd.  In today’s gospel passage, Jesus emphasises the self-sacrificing element in his own life: that he is the good shepherd who is laying down his life for his sheep.  He contrasts the good shepherd who owns the sheep to someone who is simply hired to look after them.  The scriptures tell us of the extraordinary love of God for us, which has taken in Jesus the form of a good shephe ..read more

M L Satyan – In recent times, there has been a noticeable trend of prelates engaging in various issues, particularly concerning the upcoming parliamentary election in India. They have taken on the role of instructing people on matters of sin, Christian identity, right and wrong, and even influencing voting decisions. This article delves into several instances where prelates have been vocal on political matters and raises questions about the extent of their involvement. Here are a few examples: Last month, I came across a circular by the Tamil Nadu Bishop’s Conference that highlighted the conti ..read more

M L Satyan – In recent times, there has been a noticeable trend of prelates engaging in various issues, particularly concerning the upcoming parliamentary election in India. They have taken on the role of instructing people on matters of sin, Christian identity, right and wrong, and even influencing voting decisions. This article delves into several instances where prelates have been vocal on political matters and raises questions about the extent of their involvement. Here are a few examples: Last month, I came across a circular by the Tamil Nadu Bishop’s Conference that highlighted the conti ..read more

Dr. A. Magimai Pragasam – Trichirappalli: A dynamic two-day workshop titled ‘Storytelling in the Digital Age’ was recently conducted on April 12-13, 2024, at the Kaviri Communications Centre in Trichirappalli, Tamil Nadu. Organized by Madha Television, the workshop aimed to cultivate a socially responsible and dedicated group of young media enthusiasts equipped for the challenges of the digital era. The workshop catered to 45 young participants and delved into various aspects of content creation, storytelling techniques, short film production, cyber activism, and pastoral reflections on social ..read more