Christmas holidays

This morning after the b'day Mass of Fr C. Thomas and breakfast, the Brothers left for their Christmas vacations. They went happily and hope they return too happily. They conclude their holidays on January 8, 2011 - that's full three weeks.

Christmas crib

Here's the Christmas crib prepared by the first year students. It looks good and has been made with much care and without much fuss. Economical by way of time as way as money. Well done, Brothers!

COMMUNAL HARMONY

COMMUNAL HARMONY

By L. Jerome Immanuel

“All human that liveth have features same

But their future depends on their cast and name

All even though share same flesh and blood

Some are kept under the feet, some over the head.”

The lurking dangers to world peace and the scare of humanity is the narrow communal feelings like caste, creed, languages and communities which once come up to make life better but now the same is making life bitter.

India is a country of heterogeneous people where there are different categories of communities such as racial communities generally including Aryans, Dravidians, Anglo-Indians and aborigines, lingual communities such as Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarat, Marathi, Oria; religious communities such as Hindu, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. In the midst of all such diversities there is a underlying unity among people.

This unity is many a times disturbed by some anti social elements and political self seeks who are fanning narrow communal feeling in order to meet their own self interest. They arouse communal emotions leading to communal riots, communal discord and communal disharmony.

Children who are born innocent of any malice, hatred or communal feelings are injected by the venemonous poison of communal hatred, religious patriotism, dislike towards the other customs and most harmful is the prejudices and stereotypes depicting the other casts and religions in ill light. The parents and surrounding and some times even the education system injects this feelings into the innocent minds of children.

We cannot expect our today’s children and tomorrows citizens to live in communal harmony if we teach them self gratification nationalism, religious patriotism etc… Instead children can definitely be used as the torches to light the light of communal harmony and religious tolerance. For this we need to build logical and analytical thinking in them a mentality to challenge the wrong beliefs and everything that is inhuman.

 the education is not only about leaning subjects but helping the child to think and se for themselves to accept or not to accept which is being given true education helps the individual to think of their impact on society as a whole . The current system is only making future employs by making children working hard and secure high grades.

Most communal discord stems from the fact that people grow up with wrong information about other groups that they are lazy, or promiscuous or violent or whatever this generalization are called stereotypes. The down of such stereotypes in the minds of people indicate that loophole in their education.

If we peep into the lives of famous communal agitators then we see their childhood was spent in wrong surroundings and anti religious environmental. Teachers should make their teaching as the tool to make today’s children as tomorrow’s better citizens. Communal broad mindedness, love for other religions, cast and creed should be developed. Making human life full virtues as the goal of each child. Relenting from using any violence on children for wrong reasons mainly such as for their colour caste or creed.

“Our present writes our future

Make communal disharmony never a part o f nature

See every human as gods own creature

Then we can repair this world’s communal puncture.”

MY MOMENTS IN THE LEARNING LAND

MY MOMENTS IN THE LEARNING LAND
by L. Jerome Immanuel

Dressed in an attire common to a troop 
Little legs landed among a large group
whole room filled with the rhythm of moanings
none would heed to teachers pleadings and warnings


Tears dry and cheers grow among peers
in the flood of childish pranks is washed all fears
repeating the teacher with a smile, becomes fun
bunking the homework and playing in the sun.


Cannes of teacher and mending of parents causes hurt 
lies are said for the bashes to avert
unable to bear the pressure and pain.
the little heart undergoes much strain.


From riddles to ratios, rhymes to reigns
loads of knowledge, our growing brain gains
sometimes utterly fail, sometimes cleverly pass
at times applauded on dias, at times out of the class.


We learn the world by turning the pages
from the sceptres, physcicians, scientists and sages
Here we learn to love and hate, to destroy and cteate
these moments in learning land wrote our fate.


Teachers make us feel loved and wanted
appreciate the good and negotiate the unwanted 
if they be a model and not a cruel critic
little love given will make learning quick


"Pink and fresh" with innocence in them
when moulded with care have joyous tale to tell 
bind in love not in chains of labour
let their sparkling eyes invent and crate future.

A RAY OF HOPE

A RAY OF HOPE
by L. Jerome Immanuel

They were problems which seemed to see my end
They were times when whole world seemed my enemy
In all these times within me was a glowing friend 
Which never burned out till I was set free


Tears made me weak and helpless
Comments made things worse
low always was my head in the mess
life I just felt was on me a curse


When I became an enemy of my self
this useless body I wanted to kill
all ears to my voice went deaf
by dying i thought could I pay life's bill


God I knew was at a distance
from my life full of sin and shame
it seemed so from my depressive lens
for return of me was God's aim


I used all my strength to crawl up
but all my trials ended in vain
climbed till the brim fell back in the clump
no medicine I found could soothe my pain


There shone a light by the end of the tunnel 
which filled the darkness with a ray of hope.
There within me was a man so subtle
like to a falling climber a saving rope


Out of the ditch am I standing on ground 
with the help of the world in my life that shone 
never will I leave the salvation found
showing others the love which on me was shown.

Annual Debate 2011

We had the annual Debate this morning and the theme of discussion was 'Lokpal bill is the solution to Corruption in India'. Somehow, as in the last four years, the team 'against the motion' won the debate with just 10 points more than their worthy opponents (the total being 277). The debate was moderated by Fr Joseph Anithottam the Parish Priest of Kondadaba. Srs Prasanna and Abilasha, our immediate neighbours, were among the judges for the debate. Fr C. Thomas, the present spiritual director and Fr Devadas, our former spiritual director too were present as judges for the occasion.

The eight speakers did their best in presenting their arguments which were well supported and interspersed by the informative videos and presentations prepared by Fr Wilson, the Principal. Thanks to his zealous efforts, the debate had a particular quality of its own. The floor discussion which followed the talks was vibrant with each group trying to get the better of the other. Of course, given the nature of the theme, Anna Hazare was the focus of the whole discussion. Finally not going by the numerical result of the debate, the fact that corruption needs to be uprooted was the unanimous voice.

The speakers for the motion highlighted the following issues: Lokpal being an effective and transparent tool in modern administration, an additional help for the wearied middle class man, the advantages of speedy justice and accountability that Lokpal promises and so on. Those arguing against the motion pushed forward their arguments to prove that through Lokpal bill, Anna Hazare and his team, are trying to form a parallel government or an unconstitutional body, that the hidden agenda behind this so-called 'second freedom struggle' is to topple the government, that what is needed is not a new body but a reformation within existing structures...
Thanks to Fr Wilson and the Rainbow group which organised and prepared for this annual feature of the Seminary.

Feast, prizes and graces!

On the solemn occasion of the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the prizes for the first semester 2011-2012 were distributed to the Brothers. Though the second semester commenced in the third week of October, the prizes were delayed for some reason or other. The prizes were handed over by Fr C. Thomas, the spiritual director, Fr K.T. Jose, the Rector and Br Sateesh, the regent. Practically each of the Brother received a prize or another, either as an individual or as a member of a growth groups. The prizes awarded were for the several activities and competitions organised during the first semester of the academic year: Marian month activities (games, skits, singing, essay writing, drawing and Marian nite), Sports day events (track and filed events and indoor games), vocabulary tests and the Biblical nite competitions.

Earlier in the day, most of the Brothers undertook a pilgrimage to the Ross Hill, to obtain graces from Our Lady on this her feast day.

... say it with hay

This Advent season, the community has adopted a unique and practical way of reminding and preparing itself for the coming of the Lord. With the title, "Your good deed for the day; say it with hay," the idea is this: For every good deed you consciously and joyfully do, you drop in a straw (just one) at the altar, anytime. At the end of the Advent season, the straw thus collected (a representation of the good deeds done in the Lord's honour) will be used in the crib, in the exact spot where baby Jesus will be placed.
Just another way of reminding ourselves of the need to prepare - and that too worthily - for the Lord's b'day!