PEACE JPIC INDIA. Vice Provincial Speaks... Passionists for Ecological Action, Charity and Education

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1 PEACE JPIC INDIA Passionists for Ecological Action, Charity and Education A c t W i t h W o r l d V O L U M E 1, I S S U E 1 M A R C H - M A Y March 1 st Zero Discrimination 3 rd World Wild life 8 th International Women s 20 th International of Happiness 21 st World Poetry 21 st International of Forest 22 nd World Water 24 th World Tuberculosis 24 th International for Right to truth and for dignity of victims 25 th International for Remembrance of the victims of Slavery April 2 nd World Autism Awareness 4 th International for Mine awareness and assistance in Mine action 7 th International for World Health 21 st World creativity and Innovation 22 nd International mother s 23 rd World book and copy right Vice Provincial Speaks... The Launching of the JPIC India digital Magazine PEACE Dear Brothers and Sisters, Greetings of Peace! With this brief note I am happy to bring to your kind attention the launching of the digital Magazine PEACE under the initiative of the JPIC department of our Vice Province. This magazine will be published tri-monthly. The major focus of this initiative is to help us become more aware of issues related to the area of JPIC and to give us a forum to share experiences and initiatives already taking place in our various ministerial commitments. We all know that matters of JPIC are very much at the heart of our Charism, because we believe that the power of the Cross offers us the power to discern and alleviate the burden of suffering endured by the poor and marginalized of our world (General Chapter 2006). In addition, the ecological crisis of the world we live in invites us to work in safeguarding and defending the creation. Furthermore, the General Chapter of 2012 urged us to promote the study and deeper awareness of the social doctrine of the Church and the themes of JPIC in initial and on-going formation. It is with this in mind that the Passionist JPIC India has decided to come up with this digital magazine. Therefore, I kindly request all of you to extend the much-needed support and encouragement to this initiative. Formators please make sure that a printed copy is put on the community bulletin board. Your valuable suggestions are earnestly solicited. 29 Day of remembrance for victims of Chemical war fare With every good wish, Paul Cherukoduth, C.P. Vice Provincial

2 Look upon the face of the Crucified, who invites you to follow Him. He will be a Father, Mother everything to you. P A G E 2 St. Paul of the Cross May 1 st Worker s 3 rd Word Press Freedom 10 th World Migratory bird 15 th International of Families 20 th World Bee 22 nd International for Biological of Diversity Church on Justice and Peace Pontifical Council for Integral Human Development Within a month of his election as Pope, Jorge Bergoglio constituted a special group of advisers apart from the various Dicasteries who have the role of advising the Pope on matters which come within their competency. This group of Cardinals which has come to be known as the C9 is tasked with two things: to help the Pope reform the Roman Curia and to help him govern the Church. Having worked together for several years, the C9 group of Cardinals came up with the suggestion of downsizing the Roman Curia by clubbing together of several Pontifical Councils to form just one Dicastery. The direct fruit of this work was the emergence of a new Dicastery on 1 January 2017 called: Pontifical Council for Integral Human Development. With this, the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers, Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples (Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil of Verapoly was the Secretary General of this Dicastery) have come to be suppressed. Hence, matters relating to JPIC now come under the jurisdiction of this new Dicastery. Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana is the prefect of this Dicastery. JPIC PASSIONIST A Passionist heart, holding within its deepest recesses our Crucified Lord. No empty cross here, but rather one holding the Crucified One with an indigenous face, symbolizing all the people of world. Free, unshackled with a burning passion for Justice, a passion for Peace (dove) and for Ecology (the tree and the planet): JPIC, in our Passionist Charism.

3 V O L U M E 1, I S S U E 1 P A G E 3 OCKHI Death Vs life Tears Vs smile An Ockhi Stripped Poonthura As a child, I grew up hearing the most adventurous and audacious stories about Sea. Learning to swim or going for fishing in the Sea was one of my greatest childhood dreams. My grandfather often reminded me that Sea is the Fountain of fortunes and Sustainer of our life. Even he jogged my memory that Sea is a loving mother (Kadalamma) and in deed, is the manifestation of God. It was beautiful to see my kith and kin coming from the Sea with hands full of fish and heart full of happiness. Since then I was taught to admire Sea with Love and Owe. But all these admirations ceased, when Ockhi the unexpected Voyager visited our coastline to satisfy its hunger with the life of many of my fellow brethren. The question remains unanswered in the hearts of many: whom to be blamed?? Should we blame the mother (Sea) who fed us from the time of our ancestors? Or the Government that is least bothered about the life and security of fisherman (my) community? The name Ockhi was given by Bangladesh which in Bengali means eye. It is the deep depression in the south of Kanyakumari and west of Sri Lanka, intensified and resulted into this cyclonic storm. According to Skymet, the cyclone was moving at a speed of 38 kmph, was located at Latitude 7.5 N and Longitude 77.5 E, around 95 km south of Kanyakumari, 180 km southwest of Thiruvananthapuram. The wake of December witnessed heavy lashes of rain in parts of South Kerala (Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram districts) as well as adjoining districts of south Tamil Nadu such as Kanyakumari, Tutukudi and Tirunelveli. The people were advised to stay indoors. Many educational institutions in the states were shut down owing to terrifying cyclone. The break down of power and communication lines added more to the misery of the people. Poonthura, a traditional catholic community in south Kerala with 3600 catholic families, whose main and the only source of daily bread is fishing, was in no way spared by this manic cyclone. Ockhi claimed the lives of 36 of my fellow brethren and among the 397 who were left stranded in the sea, 42 are of my community. The people who never spelled out fear are now terrified to face Sea. Famine and hunger are frequent scenes at every home now. Tears with loud mourning, of every mother/wife is echoing everywhere. Charity provided can not replace the loss. People with hope look for their loved ones to be back still. Your generosity would be appreciated and PEACE promises you that it would reach them Rajan George C P

4 PEACE ANNALS P A G E. 4 JPIC in INDIA Justice, Peace and Integration of Creation has a great history in in Catholic Church. These values are very close to the charism of the Congregation of the Passion and the heart of each and every member of the Congregation, who keep alive the passion of Christ and love the crucified ones. The pursuit of justice, peace and integrity of creation permeates all aspects of our lives. We the Passionists consider and include these as criteria when discerning our relationships, ministries and commitments. In doing so, all our choices will be marked by Gospel values and the love for Christ and crucified one of to. The Indian Passionists are venturing into the commission of JPIC in the concrete manner through taking up the activities for Justice, Peace, and integration of creation under the umbrella of PEACES (Passionist Educational Agricultural Charitable and Ecological Society). As a start and beginning, the society looks forward to commence with the educational support scholarships for ten children attending schools. And every year these admissions will be renewed and another five eligible candidates will be accepted as the beneficiary of the sponsorship programme. The society will be providing awareness programmes on social justice and matters with regard to Ecology. It is a humble beginning of Indian Passionists which needs prayer and support from every member of the Paassionist family for its success. We consider it as a great blessing to commence on the work for this cause in this great season of Lent; a season marked with prayer, fasting, and charity; a pathway leading to union with God, oneself,the neighbour and the creation as a whole. In this season of Lent we seek your prayers for the success of this endeavour. Every generous contribution, small or big, which you could make to the society s activities will be a great help in its first step. Let us join our hands together to work for Justice, Peace, and Integration of Creation.

5 PEACE MIRROR PAGE.5 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink naked and you did not clothe me... ( Mtt. 25:42,43) 27 year old Madhu, a resident of tribal settlement in Attapadi, Kerala was roughed by the mob after they allegedly found stolen food items with him. Madhu was said to be mentally unstable and hardly ventured outside forest settlement. He was dragged out of a cave which he had made his shelter and paraded in public blaming him for all the recent theft in the area. He was then stripped and roughed up by the mob as people clicked SELFIES and made videos out of it. Madhu was later handed over to the police. His condition worsened on the police vehicle and died on the way to hospital. For our insensitiveness towards the poor and the naked, For our coldness towards the shabby and the homeless, For our self centeredness and inaction... God Forgive us... PEACE IN ACTION Minor Seminarians Rending Their Hands... JPIC Seminar for Minor Seminarians PEACE JPIC India, Passionists, Munambam Beach Road, Pallipuram Ernakulam, Kerala, India. peacejpicindia@gmail.com For private circulation only