Friday, July 14, 2006

Mumbai Blasts Insurance-Compensation Information

Information about Making Compensation/Insurance Claims


Cassandra Nazareth in Borivali is working with a group of people who are helping others in the city find information about the procedures involved for victims and their kin to make insurance/compensation claims.

This page will be updated with the necessary information provided by her as and when it becomes known/available. We hope that it will save concerned persons the trouble of from running from pillar to post.

Notes

  • The state govt has already paid Rs 15,000/- to each of the deceased at the time of handing overt he body.

  • The state Govt has declared a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh to each of the deceased. Officials are visiting each house and verifying the death by taking signatures of 2 witnesses from the building. Contact person for Borivali area is Mr. Rahul - 9869255113 (mobile)

  • The Railways has declared a compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs to each of the deceased.Contact the third floor office of the Special Accident cell (Tel. 22035516). Second floor office above Churchgate station. They have also published the Guidelines for claims are published in most of the leading dailies. (See Page 23, Times of India, 14 July)

  • A list of the insurance agencies will be provided here shortly

  • Papers needed by the insurance company in case the deceased was a policy holder:

    Claim Form: Some companies have this attached to the policy itself. Others will send you one OR you may request for one with your agent.

    Death Certificate: Since issuing of death certificates take time, most insurance companies are doing away with this requirement and are instead accepting the letter/post-mortem certificate issued by the Railways. This is the paper one would have received while being handed over the victim's body.

    Nominee : Most policy holders would have specified a nominee in which case the nominee has to go to the insurance company with proper identification.

    Where no nominee was specified, the heir/next of kin (wife, father, mother, in that order) may approach the insurance company with proper identification and proof of relationship with the deceased which will have to be submitted to the company. In this case some companies will ask for a "letter of no objection" from the other heirs. This letter has to mention the name of the person chosen on their behalf to receive the insurance.

Help us collect more information

If anyone needs more information OR has more information about compensation/insurance claims procedures, kindly contact Cassandra Nazareth at 98202 24450 OR email cassynaz@gmail.com

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Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 5:58 PM 0 comments

Caritas International Decries Bombay Killings

"Violence must not lead to more violence": secretary of Caritas Internationalis decries killings in Bombay

BOMBAY July 13, 2006 (Agenzia Fides) - The danger is real: the recent bomb attacks in Bombay could stir up inter-religious hatred and unleash violence and retaliation. In a message of solidarity with the Indian people Caritas Internationalis says it is praying for the victims and their families and hopes violence will not lead to violence and acts of revenge.

"I want to express our horror at the bombs that killed so many innocent people in Mumbai on Tuesday" said Duncan Mac Laren, secretary general of Caritas Internationalis, in a message of solidarity with the India people at this tragic moment. "Every day we are faced with lives being blasted apart by ideologues. This makes our work for development, peace-building and reconciliation all the more urgent and important". He voiced his hope that violence would not beget violence or unleash retaliation on more innocent people in India.

The Catholic community in Bombay has been mobilised to show solidarity with the people affected. The administrator of the archdiocese Mgr Bosco Penha asked parishes and schools to put their structures at the service of the suffering families.

In the meantime investigators into the attacks say the Islamic path appears ever more likely. Indian security officials have suggested that the Bombay bombings bore the hallmarks of Lashkar-e-Toiba, a Kashmiri militant group operating from Pakistan. A Muslim organisation banned in India, the Students' Islamic Movement (Simi), is the latest group to deny involvement in the attacks.

Bombay police revealed that it although it knew the city was a target it had no means of preventing the attacks. The governor of the state of Maharasthra, of which is the Bombay capital, has offered a reward of 50.000 Euro for information which leads to the identification of the Bombay bombers. In the city daily life has resumed with schools and offices open and trains running regularly. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called on the country to unite in the fight against terrorism. (PA)

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Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 5:37 PM 0 comments

Thursday, July 13, 2006

AICU Condemns Kashmir, Mumbai Blasts

Christians condemn bomb blasts in Kashmir and Mumbai

The All India Catholic Union (AICU), the largest association of lay Catholics in India, expressed condemnation and sorrow over the series of explosions that rocked Mumbai (formerly Bombay) Tuesday, July 11, 2006. The following press statement was issued July 12 by the union president, Dr. John Dayal.

Terrorists, Religious fanatics strengthen each other

The minority Christian community in in India is shocked at the wonton loss of life in the bomb blasts in Kashmir and Mumbai. Innocent people have been targetted in the mindless violence which is designed to create distances between communities. Our hearts go out to the victims, the injured and the relatives of the dead as we pray for peace and courage in the face of this dastardly conspiracy.

It is our experience that these dark forces of fanaticism strengthen each other in a mutual frenzy of disseminating hate and intolerance. The nation must be united in defeating them wherever they exist.

We, the tiny Christian community of India, are ourselves victims of such terrorist elements. Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat, which are citadels of the Sangh Parivar.

We have repeatedly sought the immediate attention of the Central and State Governments to ensure that this violence is brought to an end and adequate measures taken to instil security and confidence in our community, especially people living in remote areas, pastors and church workers.

The delay in government action goes to encourage the vicious hate mongers of the Hindutva brigade who seem to fear neither police nor administration as they vigorously incite anti-Christian feelings in the State. The recent announcement by Sri Vishwesha Tirtha Swamiji of the Pejawar Mutt that the pontiffs of Hindu mutts would meet in Tirupati on 15 July 2006 to chalk out strategies against the activities of Christian missionaries, would only serve to worsen the situation. This statement of forced conversions is absolutely false, motivated and part of a design to attack Christian community through out the nation by instigating innocent masses thereby to create commotion and unrest in the State and nation.

It is ominous that Andhra Pradesh, once a peaceful state, has now become an active laboratory of Hindutva. Recent months have seen the cold-blooded murder of five pastors, (Daniel and Isaac Raju - Hyderabad, Sydney David - Laxetpet, Yesudas - Siddipet, Prem Kumar - Nizamabad), attacks on various churches, vandalisation of the Bible and other religious objects, stepped up campaign against Christian nurses and nuns in hospitals and increased religious policing portend unpleasant times for the Christian community who are involved in education and medicare.

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Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 11:54 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

NEW DELHI: PM's Address to the Nation

Prime Minister's Address to the Nation.

The following is the text of Dr. Manmohan Singh's address to the nation following the bomb blasts in Srinagar and Mumbai on Tuesday July 11, 2006.

Address to the Nation - Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India

July 12, 2006
New Delhi

Friends,

Yesterday, the people of Mumbai and Srinagar once again endured the trauma of terrorism. The nation stands by them in this hour of grief.

I pay tribute to all those who showed courage and humanism in responding to the cowardice of terrorists.

Your resilience and resolve will triumph over the evil designs of the merchants of death and destruction.

This is not the first time that the enemies of our nation have tried to undermine our peace and prosperity.

These elements have not yet understood that we Indians can stand united. That we will stand united. They have not yet understood that we will never let them win.

I salute the people of Mumbai and Srinagar for the speed with which they have returned to normal life today. This is living proof of our contempt for terrorism.

I commend the good work done by the police, the security forces, railway staff, firemen, medical personnel, government officials and others in responding to the tragedy.

I commend all our citizens for the concern they have shown in this hour of distress. My heart goes out to those who have lost their loved ones. We will do all that is possible to help each of the families in distress.

Mumbai stands tall once again as the symbol of a united India. An inclusive India.

Let me say again, no one can make India kneel. No one can come in the path of our progress. The wheels of our economy will move on. India will continue to walk tall, and with confidence.

Let me assure you that the Government will do whatever is required to deal with the challenge at hand. We will win this war against terror. Nothing will break our resolve.

Brothers and sisters, I urge each one of you to remain calm. Do not be provoked by rumours. Do not let anyone divide us. Our strength lies in our unity. Let us stand together as one people, as one nation.

Jai Hind.

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Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 8:12 PM 0 comments

Mumbai Terrorist Attacks - Pope's Telegram

TELEGRAM FOR TERRORIST ATTACKS IN INDIA

VATICAN CITY, JUL 12, 2006 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano has sent a telegram to the appropriate ecclesiastical and civil authorities in India for the recent terrorist attacks on eight trains in the city of Mumbai, which caused the death of at least 170 people:
"Deeply saddened by the news of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI assures all affected of his spiritual closeness in prayer. While deploring these senseless acts against humanity, the Holy Father commends the many deceased to the loving mercy of the Almighty. Upon their grieving families and the numerous injured he invokes the divine gifts of strength, consolation and comfort."
TGR/BOMB ATTACKS/SODANO:MUMBAI VIS 060712 (120)

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Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 7:28 PM 0 comments

Mumbai Blasts - Church Appeals For Peace

Church People Appeal For Peace As Blasts Rock India's Largest City

July 12, 2006

NEW DELHI (UCAN) -- Church leaders in India joined people across the world in condemning the July 11 bomb blasts that claimed many lives in Mumbai, the country's commercial capital.

"I don't know what happened to this city and why it is being targeted. This is a city of dreams and one should not shatter it," Bishop Bosco Penha of Bombay, current administrator of Bombay archdiocese, said while expressing shock at the loss of innocent lives in the blasts.

Bombay is the old name of Mumbai, capital of Maharashtra state, 1,410 kilometers southwest of New Delhi. The archdiocese, the most populous in India, covers the entire city, where a string of explosions created chaos during the evening rush hour. The Press Trust of India news agency said that as of July 12, police were reporting 190 people dead and 625 injured.

The blasts occurred within a span of 20 minutes at the Bandra, Borivili, Jogeshwari, Khar, Mahim, Matunga and Mira Road railway stations on a 60-kilometer western commuter line, the city's lifeline.

As the blasts ripped apart train compartments, mangled bodies of passengers were hurled out and survivors, many of them bleeding profusely, jostled to escape, leading to chaotic scenes.

Shevlin Sebastian, a Catholic journalist, told UCA News he left the Mahim station less than 20 minutes before the blast. He speculated that with train cars carrying the maximum number of passengers during the peak travel time, the number of casualties could exceed what has been reported.

No one has claimed responsibility for the blasts so far, but police suspect Islamic groups fighting for the independence of Jammu and Kashmir, India's northernmost and only Muslim-majority state, are behind the incident.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) condemned the blasts and appealed for peace and harmony.

"We appeal to all the affected people to maintain calm and equanimity at this hour of sorrow and grief so that the nefarious designs of the antisocial elements can be defeated," CBCI spokesperson Father Babu Joseph said in a press statement.

Bishop Penha commended the people in Mumbai for extending help to the blast victims. Speaking with UCA News July 12, the prelate said he has asked all archdiocesan parishes to put their facilities at the service of the needy. "Each parish, depending upon its geographical area, will do its bit to help in whatever way it can," he added.

In a July 12 appeal addressed to priests in the archdiocese, Bishop Penha called for special prayers July 15 and 16 in all parishes for the blast victims and their families. He also asked the parishes to offer special thanks to the city's transportation services, civic and police departments for their "commendable service to the public" after the blasts.

"They are always at the receiving end of criticism. A little more appreciation and gratitude to these services seems called for. We must also appreciate the numberless 'Good Samaritans,' who reached out to people in need," the statement noted.

Bishop Thomas Dabre of Vasai confirmed that the fatalities included two Catholics from his diocese, which was part of Bombay archdiocese until 1998.

The bishop noted that more than half of Mumbai's 18 million people live in shanties. "If they do not get to work, they lose their wages, which no one who lives hand-to-mouth can afford," he said, adding that "life must go on despite such a mindless and barbaric act."

Rail service reportedly has been fully restored.

The blasts shocked people around the country.

In the eastern state of Bihar, Bishop Victor Henry Thakur of Bettiah has called for special Masses and prayers for the victims and their families.

"It is our Christian duty to pray for the victims of violence anywhere in the world," the prelate told UCA News, noting that thousands of people from Bihar work in Mumbai. "God forbid! Some of the victims could be from our state too. So I am really concerned and shocked," he said.

Lay groups in Mumbai are organizing their members to provide assistance.

Joseph Dias, general secretary of the Catholic Secular Forum, announced that his group "will coordinate with other agencies for relief work" as an initial response. "For the long run, we will come out with a disaster management plan to be prepared for these calamities."

Bombay Catholic Sabha (council) has alerted its members to prepare a list of blood donors, since government hospitals where the victims were admitted have reported inadequate supplies of blood. Council president Dolphy D'Souza has urged the government to shift the wounded from government hospitals to those managed by the Church and other private agencies. "What is important now is to save lives and, to be frank, the ill-equipped government hospitals may just not serve that purpose," he said.

Among other Christian groups in the country that have reacted is the Global Council of Indian Christians, an ecumenical forum. It condemned the "barbaric attacks on the innocent citizens" and urged people to work with "greater determination to isolate the hate mongers" and restore peace in the world.
END

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Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 6:57 PM 0 comments

7/11 - Mariza Testifies to God's Protection

How God Protected Mariza and her Family

Mariza Ferrao, a Konkani Catholics member recounts how God protected the entire family in the series of bomb explosions that rocked Mumbai 7/11

It was just a normal day for me yesterday as for anybody else until the incident of the serial blasts.

After office, I was invited to another Prayer Group at Wadala about four stations from my place in Dockyard, to conduct a workshop on Praise and Worship. The travel there was smooth since we went by road.

At about 7:15 we got a call from London informing us about the blasts in Mumbai but we had no clue of what, where and how.

The service started at 7:30p and finished by 9p. The whole time I only kept praising and thanking God and intercedding in tongues for all that was happening in Mumbai. It was only later that we got to know of the serial blasts that took place all over.

The train service that I use on harbour line was all ok and so I could reach home by 10. After reaching home I got to know that my Mother-in-law who had gone to Santacruz the previous night was home by 4:30. My husband developed a stiff neck and so did not go for his night shift. My sister-in-law who is a teacher, was travelling to Andheri but after learning of the incident, got off the train at Mahim and proceeded home by bus.

I praise and thank God for keeping me and my family safe and so too the people I know - my friends, neighbours, relatives, colleagues, etc.

The sights that we saw on TV was terrible.

I can only glorify and thank God for taking care of each one of us. I was very peaceful and calm in the midst of all this turmoil beleiving that the Lord is in control. I also realized that when we say yes to do something for his kingdom, then we will also experience his protection. It is the power of prayers and the protection of the precious blood of Jesus that kept us safe.

Let us continue to pray for all those who have gone through tremondous suffering with the loss of family members, or those injured or those shocked through this incident.

Let us praise and thank God for those who have hurt us through these blasts and ask the Lord to bless them and heal them.

Let us pray for the authorities to help and guide all the victims.

Posted by Mariza Ferrao

If you have a testimony to share, post it to konkanicatholics(at)gmail(dot)com

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Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 5:12 PM 0 comments

Bishop, CBCI Condemn Mumbai Rail Blasts

Bishop, CBCI Condemn Mumbai Rail Blasts

Serial Bomb Blasts In Mumbai (formerly Bombay) 7/11
Picture Courtesy: Reuters

MUMBAI June 11: Over 140 have been reported dead and more than twice the number injured after a series of explosions ripped through packed commuter trains compartments in India's commercial capital Mumbai (formerly Bombay), during rush hour this evening.

As many as eight blasts have said to have occured between 6pm and 6.30pm at Mahim, Bandra, Matunga, Borivili, Mira Road, Jogeshwari, Bayander and Khar when people from offices were returning home.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) condemned the bomb blasts "which has caused so much of damage and created panic among the people" and called it "the handiworks of anti-social elements".

Bombay Archdiocesan Administrator, Bishop Bosco Penha expressed deep shock over the blasts. He condemned the violence and condoled the huge loss of life. "We convey our heartfelt condolences to those who lost their near and dear ones in these terrible blasts and pray for the deceased," the Bishop said.

Bomb blasts are not new to India's biggest commercial city. Since 1993, Mumbai has witnessed many major and minor bomb blasts. It is suspected that the explosions were pre-planned and similar to earlier ones.
END

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Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 12:01 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

OLD GOA: Guides Banned Inside Basilica

Guided Tours Banned From Xavier Basilica, Guides Upset

July 10, 2006

OLD GOA, India (UCAN) -- A recent ban on tour guides inside Bom Jesus Basilica in Old Goa, which holds the relics of Saint Francis Xavier, has brought relief to some people but dismay to guides and others.

The basilica rector maintains that the ban, which took effect July 2, will help maintain decorum and a sense of reverence inside the 401-year-old church, but guides, tourists and even some priests say the decision is unfair.

The historic church, a World Heritage monument located in the one-time capital of the former Portuguese colony of Goa, 1,910 kilometers southwest of New Delhi, attracts hundreds of tourists and pilgrims daily.

Jesuit Father Savio Baretto, the rector, said basilica authorities decided to keep the guides out following complaints from local devotees that tourists behave disrespectfully in the building.

The priest recounted that not long ago a guide picked a fight with a local devotee who resented the commotion tourists were creating. That incident started him thinking, he said, and "after a month we decided to ban entry of guided tours." The new rule allows guides to speak to their tour groups outside the basilica or in the foyer, but not beyond that.

Father Baretto also lamented that tourists often would barge into the basilica during religious services. Some visitors of other religions also would queue up for Communion, he added. Catholic Church rules allow only baptized Catholics to receive the Eucharist.

The Archeological Survey of India (ASI), which oversees the maintenance of the building, agreed to the ban and will prepare signboards asking visitors to maintain silence and decorum inside, according to the rector.

Father Almir de Souza, who previously worked at the basilica, welcomed the ban. "It's a sacred place," he explained, adding that tourist guides "tell a lot of rubbish." He suggested the Church train Religious and priests to be "tour guides" so they can explain the significance of the various objects inside the basilica while maintaining a sense of sacredness within the church.

Father Moreno D'Souza, a senior priest attached to the basilica, acknowledges that the number of tourists has increased significantly over the years. "At any given time, there are at least two or three groups of over a hundred each" inside the basilica, and "the end result is a shouting match," said the Jesuit priest, who was basilica rector for several years.

He also said tourists often rush to receive Communion out of great devotion, but do not necessarily know what the Sacrament really means. In one instance a local devotee discovered a tourist trying to take "the consecrated host home as a relic," but the matter ended without incident "after the consecrated host reached the priest, who consumed it."

Nonetheless, the former rector and his confrere Father Verissimo Coutinho feel the ban is harsh.

Father D'Souza maintained authorities should allow the guides inside the basilica, since it is a national monument. Father Coutinho described the ban as "going a bit too far" and indicative of "our conservative" background. In his observation tourist guides "know they are approaching the Blessed Sacrament" and behave appropriately. "I do not see anything wrong for guides having tours in the basilica, provided they provide correct information."

Catholic pilgrim Avelin Sebastian told UCA News the ban is unfair. "We have traveled distant lands and come to see this great place of Christianity, and now we have to leave without a proper explanation of the things we have seen. It's unfortunate," said Sebastian, who came from Pondicherry, a federally ruled territory on India's southeastern coast.

Santosh Naik, a government-approved guide, said the ban "has equated them with touts," or unscrupulous salesmen. "We know the sanctity of the place has to be maintained and we tell the tourists the rules and regulations before entering the basilica," the Hindu guide explained to UCA News. But because of language problems, he continued, some tourists fail to follow the instructions. "We are now penalized for no fault of ours," he complained.

Narayan Sawant, another Hindu guide, pointed out that it is difficult to explain everything to a hundred people in the foyer. He said tourists want a guide to explain the significance of an object when they come to it.

END
Republished by Konkani Catholics with permission from UCAN (www.ucanews.com )

Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 10:36 AM 0 comments

Monday, July 10, 2006

Goa Church for Voluntary HIV Testing

Church in Goa Advocates Informed Consent in HIV Testing

In view of the proposed legislation of the Goa State Government to make HIV testing mandatory before marriage, the Church in Goa, considering the risk of unintentional injury, hopes rather that the need for intensive marriage preparation courses and adequate professional counselling leading to voluntary HIV testing by couples be stressed. The statement issued by the Goan Archdiocesan Council for Social Justice and Peace follows.

The alarming growth rate of new HIV infections, especially in young people, has moved the Government of Goa to propose the introduction of a legislation that will make premarital testing for HIV mandatory.

The Catholic Church, ever conscious of her responsibility towards society, has consistently shown special concern for those who suffer and are in distress, and has sided with those denied their human rights and dignity, accompanying them in their struggles to secure justice.

This social attitude is clearly expressed in the opening sentence of The Church in the Modern World, a document released by the Second Vatican Council, which reads: “The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of men of our time, especially of those who are poor or afflicted in any way, are the joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the followers of Christ as well.”

The Church in India is deeply concerned about the increasing rate of HIV infection in the country and she has been intensely mobilizing her resources to curb its further spread, joining hands with like-minded groups countrywide. Indeed, as a fruit of a serious reflection on this issue over the past few years, she has come out with an official “HIV/AIDS Policy of the Catholic Church in India,” last year. This document clearly states that the Church’s approach to the problem is guided by an all-rounded view of the human person as someone created in the image of God and endowed with a God-given dignity and inalienable human rights.

In this context, the Church stands firm in her belief that the traditional teaching of sexual abstinence before marriage and faithfulness within marriage are the keys to the control of HIV infection. At the same time, she acknowledges that human failing and resultant sexual transgressions as well as other modes of transmission of the virus often end in the infection of innocent, unknowing and unsuspecting people. She is therefore committed to provide prevention education to all, especially the youth and the vulnerable, so that they can make informed, responsible and meaningful choices that will protect them from being infected with HIV.

With this in mind, and profoundly anguished at the threatening spread of HIV infection in our State, the Church in Goa has been taking various measures for an extensive education of the society at large, beginning with school and college students. She has established shelters for HIV patients and, most importantly, has engaged herself, through one of her Centres, in intensive counselling of couples preparing to get married. The latter exercise has borne fruit in many of these counselled couples voluntarily opting for HIV testing, as part of their marriage preparation.

Now, in view of the proposed legislation of the State Government to make HIV testing mandatory before marriage -- and keeping in mind that the best intended actions can often carry the risk of unintentional injury that negates and makes such actions ineffective -- the Church in Goa has consulted a number of individuals working with different organizations as well as experts in Medicine, Morals, Law and Sociology, to analyze the various implications and consequences, if such legislation comes in force.

In the process of these wide-ranging consultations, some important points emerged, which call into question the proposed legislation and merit a serious consideration by all. Chief among them are:
a) The unpredictability and false security arising from a negative test conducted during the window period;
b) The extensive infrastructural set-up required at various levels (professionalism in counselling, testing and care of those found positive) and the enormous expenditures involved;
c) The prevailing tendency towards corruption in official circles, making false testing and certification a high probability;
d) The difficulty in maintaining confidentiality in case of a positive detection.
The UNAIDS policy statement on HIV Testing strongly recommends that voluntariness of testing must remain at the heart of all HIV policies and programmes, both to comply with human rights principles and to ensure sustained public health benefits. The same policy is incorporated in the guidelines of NACO (National AIDS Control Organization) which state that HIV testing should only be voluntary, with pre- and post-test counselling.

Respecting the conscience and the freedom that every person has, the Church in Goa advocates the principle of informed consent and voluntary testing with counselling support, while she rejects any form of unethical testing practices that offend the dignity of the concerned individuals. She hopes, therefore, that any proposed legislation in this regard will rather stress the need for intensive preparation courses before marriage and adequate professional counselling that will in turn lead to Voluntary HIV Testing by the couple preparing for marriage. Such measures, she believes, should definitely help in the promotion of a healthy and a compassionate society, wherein the true value and dignity of the human person is safeguarded and genuinely respected.

Archbishop’s House, Panjim, Goa, July 8, 2005.

Issued by the Council for Social Justice and Peace
(Archdiocese of Goa and Daman)

Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 10:29 AM 0 comments

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Church Above Script Controversy: Fr Loiola

Church is above controversy of scripts: Fr Loiola

NT News Service

Mapusa, July 8: The Church in Goa has refused to be drawn into the controversy over the latest demand to accord equal status to Konkani in the Roman script. The demand has come from the South Goa Member of Parliament, Mr Churchill Alemao who has revived the Konkani Porjecho Avaz for the same purpose.

The Town and Country Planning Minister in the Pratapsing Rane government, Mr Atanasio Monserrate and others have also reiterated the demand. When asked whether the Church supports that demand, the spokesman for the Archbishop of Goa, Fr Loiola Pereira said that “the Church is all for the advancement of Konkani, but it is above the controversy of scripts.”

Fr Loiola said that Konkani is the official language of the state of Goa and also the official language of the Church of Goa. It is the language of our ministry. All our churches have Konkani masses. All our books are in Konkani. But the Church is above the controversy of scripts, Fr Loiola said.

Source: Navhind Times
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Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 7:41 PM 0 comments

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Cardinal Ivan Dias' Farewell Speech - Full Text

Cardinal Ivan Dias' Farewell Message

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus:

I am deeply grateful to the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI for appointing me Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. It is the missionary department of the Holy See entrusted with the propagation of the faith in areas where it has not yet taken firm root. It co-ordinates the pastoral activities of over a thousand ecclesiastical units in the five continents, with about 2,400 bishops, both in active service and retired.

A decade of pastoral service

November 8th next would have been the tenth anniversary of my appointment as Archbishop of Bombay. I thank God for the many graces he has showered on the Archdiocese during the past decade. Since gratitude is the memory of the heart, permit me to recall some highlights of this period: the visit of the statue of Mary of Nazareth in 1999; the erection of the diocese of Vasai and the appointment of its shepherd Bishop Thomas Dabre; the promotion of Archbishop Oswald Gracias to the See of Agra; the ordination of the first permanent deacons. There was also the institution of the Day of the Consecrated Life (February 2) and the Pro-Life Day (March 25) and the setting up of memorials for the unborn children in our cemeteries. The great event during my tenure of service was the 2001 Archdiocesan Synod and its follow-up organism BASIC; the recent Mid-Term Synod Assembly which emphasised the need of a holistic spirituality permeating, in particular, the family, the youth and the marginalised; the Archdiocesan Consultation on Education and the subsequent constitution of ACTIVE; the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Federation of Centres of Community Organisations. I gratefully recall also the establishment of the Conference of Diocesan Priests of the Archdiocese of Bombay (CDPAB), the institution of the Community Welfare Fund, and the activities of the Small Christian Communities and Centres for Community Organisation all over the Archdiocese.

During the past decade we gave due importance to dialogue within the Ecumenical Fellowship of Christian Bishops in Mumbai, as well as to inter-religious dialogue where persons of diverse religious traditions participated in an exchange of ideas, common action plans and experiences. I shall recall our meetings with nostalgia and I wish both the dialogues a fruitful continuation in the years ahead.

We have also had occasions to show our solidarity during the emergency caused by natural disasters, like the earthquakes which struck Gujarat in 2001 and Kashmir in 2005, and the terrible deluge which fell on a large part of the Archdiocese and even beyond its borders, leading our parishes, schools and other institutions (e.g. Centre for Social Action) to take many heroic relief and rehabilitation initiatives. A few days ago we inaugurated one of the three housing complexes we have built in Raigad district for the tribals/adivasis who were victims of landslides caused by last year’s apocalyptic monsoon floods. On this occasion, we made it clear that the project – as all the health, educational and social projects of the Catholic Church in the country – had no ulterior motives whatsoever and no conversion strings attached to it.

In the spirit of Our Lady’s Magnificat we can truly say: The Lord has done marvellous things for the Archdiocese of Bombay during the past ten years. Holy be His Name!

Special thanks

I want to thank my venerable predecessor Cardinal Simon Pimenta for his warm friendship and fraternal benevolence towards me. I thoroughly enjoyed the cordial fellowship of my Auxiliary Bishops: at present, Bishops Bosco Penha, Percival Fernandez and Agnelo Gracias - and, before them, Bishops Ferdinand Fonseca, Thomas Dabre and Oswald Gracias. I have appreciated their close collaboration as they shared with me the joys and concerns of the Archdiocese as Zonal Bishops and in-charge of various pastoral sectors of the faithful, while shouldering responsibilities at the national level as well.

I thank the diocesan priests and the religious men and women for their pastoral zeal in the parishes and in the fields of education, health and social welfare. May God continue to shower abundant blessings on their dedicated service to the well-being of the nation, and especially to the poor and the marginalised.

I wish to commend the edifying piety and fervour of the laity, their deep devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist and their filial love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. In particular, I thank God for the Blessed Sacrament Adoration Chapels in almost all our parishes which are visited by so many persons from morn till night, as also for the spread of the Divine Mercy Devotion in the Archdiocese. I laud the laity’s increasing involvement in the affairs of the Church and their active participation in the Archdiocesan, Deanery and Parish Pastoral Councils, in associations, movements and ecclesial communities, in committees and in catechetical, liturgical and other ministries. I admire their zeal and enthusiasm and I pray that their endeavours to make faith flow into action may gather momentum, both individually and community-wise, as the years go by.

As everyone knows, no Bishop can pretend to be perfect or to accomplish everything during his tenure of office. I am aware that my ministry in your midst may have had its lacunae and I am conscious of my limitations and shortcomings. I beg pardon from all those whom I may have unwittingly hurt, offended or scandalised in the exercise of my pastoral duties. I ask them to pray for me. There are also initiatives which could be considered an unfinished symphony to be carried on by the new shepherd which the Holy Father will give to the flock in Bombay. I wish him God’s choicest blessings and assure him of my prayers

Farewell Message

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: I was very happy to have been able to serve the diocese of my birth for almost a decade. As I leave the Archdiocese and my dear Bharat Mata for my new assignment:

I have a dream: that this wonderful megapolis of Mumbai and the whole Indian sub-continent may progress and flourish in human, humane and spiritual virtues, and that the overall progress of its citizens may be gauged, not so much by the economic sensex, but rather by the rise and fall of their civic sense and moral values.
I have a dream: that India may have an abundance, not only of political parties and politicians but, above all, of statesmen and women, who are outstanding in moral integrity, who place the well-being of the whole nation before their personal, party and petty interests, who are known for their noble intentions and their selfless love for the poor and the marginalised, persons who are ever alert and ready to combat the three evils which pose a constant threat to harmonious living among the citizens of India: viz. communalism, casteism and corruption.

I have a dream: that the thirst of India’s teeming millions, who yearn to be led “from untruth to truth, from darkness to light, and from death to immortality” (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 1.3.28), may be quenched at the divine fountain of living waters, Jesus Christ Our Lord, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the Light of the World. Because Christ loves India and India needs Christ.

Conclusion

Sisters and Brothers: As I prepare to begin my new assignment in Rome, I earnestly beg you to keep me in your prayers, so that, true to my episcopal motto Servus (servant/slave), I may continue to labour tirelessly and selflessly in the Lord’s vineyard for His greater glory and for the spread of His Kingdom to the four corners of the earth. On my part, I assure you of a special memento every day at Holy Mass and during the recitation of the Breviary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Holy Rosary.

God bless India, our beloved Motherland, and God love you all!
Your affectionate shepherd In Corde Mariae

+Ivan Cardinal Dias
June 27, 2006

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Friday, July 07, 2006

INDIA: CSF Petitions to Restart EWTN

Catholics Seek Government Help to Resume Religious Channels

June 28, 2006

Mumbai (ICNS) -- A Catholic group in Mumbai has sought government intervention to help restart telecast of two religious television channels that were ordered off the air in India.

The Catholic Secular Forum submitted a memorandum to the union minister for Information and Broadcasting P. R. Dasmunshi and minister for Affairs Minister A. R. Antulay on the issue.

The forum said the ministers’ intervention is needed for legally telecasting Islamic religious channel Q TV and Catholic channel EWTN all across India.

The two channels were ordered off the air after they failed to register with I&B ministry before the May 11 deadline set by the ministry.

Even though some cable operators continue to show these channels, it is illegal as per ministry’s orders, a forum press release said.

“It is shocking that even though explicit channels like Fashion TV, known for their frontal nudity have been banned, they continue to be telecast and damage the moral fabric of the country, while the government browbeats those religious channels, who do not protest much,” forum general secretary Joseph Dias said.

“Such a move can easily be seen to be discriminatory on religious grounds, as there are many Indian channels for the majority faith, while almost none exist for Catholics or the Muslim community,” the release said.Source: ICNS

Supplementary Comments:

On speaking to Victor Satish, one of the corporators of EWTN in India, it was learnt that the channel does not have any resident staff in the country, only volunteers. Hence a lack of sufficient communication with the office of EWTN's Regional Director for the Asia-Pacific region in the Philippines is understandable. However the registration request with the I&B Ministry was later complied with, but permission to restart legal telecasting in the country is still awaited. - Konkani Catholics

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Thursday, July 06, 2006

GOA: "Povitr Pustak" Accompanies Memorandum to President

"Povitr Pustak" Accompanies Memorandum to President

PANJIM, July 6, 2006: The first copy of the Konkani Holy Bible ("Povitr Pustak") in Roman Script and a copy of RENOVAÇÃO (RENEWAL) No.12 of June 16-30, 2006, showing on its front cover the Bible's blessing ceremony officiated by four Bishops, accompanied a letter to the President sent by the All Goa Citizens' Committee for Social Justice and Action seeking "official recognition for Konknni written in Roman Script on par with Konknni written in Devanagari script," which is already recognised in the Official Language Act of Goa.

"The very fact that Goa Archdiocese published 60,000 copies as the First Edition of the Konknni Bible in Roman Script, and plans a second and a third edition of the same to take the total to one lakh copies, is adequate to declare to the whole world that Konknni written in Roman Script is in use by 'a substantial proportion of the population of a State [Goa, in this case, who] desire the use of language spoken by them to be recognised...'," the letter said quoting article 347 of the Indian Constitution.

"This evidence" would provide "convincing proof" in favour of a Presidential Notification declaring official recognition for Roman Script Konknni "to fully satisfy the long-awaited desire and aspirations of the people of Goa."

The President was also sent 56310 certified area-wise statements of signatures obtained from supporters representing the districts of North and South Goa, Tiatrists, Goans in Bombay, Pune and Banglaore, and NRI Goans.

A tiny video-film of 15 to 18 minutes viewing-time showing Catholic ceremonies following Roman Script texts - starting with the feast of St. Francis Xavier at Bom Jesus Basilica in Old Goa and ending with the blessing of the Roman Script Bible, a ceremony attended by large sections of believers at the Se Cathedral in Old Goa - was also enclosed as further proof of the "widespread use of Roman Script Konknni."

The Citizen's Committe also enclosed a map of Goa showing 159 Parish Churches, 462 Chapels, 171 Catholic Social Institutions, 278 Schools and Colleges, which it said "discloses the enormous power and reach of Churches and Institutions under the Archdiocese of Goa in all matters from life to death."

Posted by Austine J. Crasta at 11:37 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

INDIA: Feast Of Saint Thomas Observed

Indian Christians Observe Feast Of Saint Thomas

July 4, 2006

NEW DELHI (UCAN) -- Special Masses, prayers and pilgrimages marked the feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle in India.

"St. Thomas Christians," who trace their faith to the saint, celebrate the feast on July 3. These Christians belong to the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Catholic rites and various factions of the Orthodox Church, all based in the southern state of Kerala. Tradition says the saint landed on the Kerala coast in 52 A.D and introduced Christianity to India.

The two Oriental Catholic rites and the Latin rite, which European missioners introduced in the 15th century, make up the Indian Catholic Church.

St. Thomas Christians believe the apostle established one small and seven big churches in Kerala before going to the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu and being martyred in the year 72 at Chinnamalai (little mount). That site is near Chennai, the Tamil Nadu capital, 2,095 kilometers south of New Delhi.

According to Father Joseph Muttumana, a Syro-Malabar priest, devotion to Saint Thomas has been growing. Speaking with UCA News July 4, the priest said more people now attend church and undertake pilgrimages on the feast day.

Varkey Thomas, a Syro-Malabar layman, says the feast "is very important for Christians in Kerala as it reminds us about our rich tradition and faith." Thomas attended the morning Mass in the Kerala capital of Thiruvananthapuram, 710 kilometers southwest of Chennai.

The feast is a day of obligation for the Oriental Catholics, and their churches in Kerala conducted special programs.

Special Masses and other prayers also were conducted in cities outside Kerala where St. Thomas Christians live in large numbers.

Delhi archdiocese has personal parishes for Oriental Catholics. Some of these offered morning and evening Masses to accommodate office workers who wanted to join the prayers. Besides Mass, the personal parishes held Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament accompanied by recitation of the litany of Saint Thomas. Some of the parishes organized special dinners, or agape, after the evening prayers, which lasted nearly two hours.

Christians also observed the feast by undertaking pilgrimages to places associated with the saint. Hundreds of people attended Masses at San Thome Cathedral in Chennai, which holds the saint's tomb.

In Kerala 6,000 people attended Mass at St. Thomas Church in Malayattoor, the only shrine in India given international status by the Vatican.

The parish priest there, Father Varghese Njaliath, told UCA News 3,000 people trekked to St. Thomas Mount, a hill near the shrine. Tradition says the saint prayed there before going to Chennai.

Hundreds of Catholics joined a pilgrimage Changanacherry archdiocese organized to Niranam, where the saint established a church. Addressing the people, Archbishop Joseph Powathil of Changanacherry urged Christians to absorb the saint's courage to face threats against their faith.

In Thiruvananthapuram the ecumenical United Christian Movement (UCM) organized a seminar on "modern challenges of Christians today" for the feast day. According to UCM spiritual director Father Joseph Samuel, an Orthodox priest, the ecumenical group has celebrated the feast with various programs for the past 18 years. The movement began in 1953.

Father Samuel said they chose this year's theme to inspire all Christians to meet the challenges now facing Christ's mission in India.

Jiji Thomson, a civil servant and a member of the Orthodox Church who addressed the seminar, urged Christians to forget their differences and work for Church unity.
END
Reproduced by Konkani Catholics with permission from UCAN(www.ucanews.com)

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