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Editorial
Contents Editorial ..................................................... Pope’ S Homily: The Canonisation Of St. Teresa. 03 04 The Highest Award Mother Teresa A Teacher...................................... 06 Mother Teresa & The Rosary................................09 Media Focus On Mother Teresa............................10 St. Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa) used to Borduria Celebrates Mother’s Canonization....... Dergaon: God’s Own Village.................................. First Communion At DB Parish Tinsukia........... ‘International Social Media Day’ …...................... PT Brothers’ Recollection …................................. Shower Of God’s Mercy …..................................... 12 13 14 14 15 16 humbly say, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Yes, may be her work and that of the MC Sisters, Brothers and voluntary co-workers, Salesian College ‘Mercy Not Revenge’..................17 has been only a drop in the ocean of countless Science and Arts Exhibition...................................18 suffering humanity. But it has been a mighty drop Stakeholders Attend ‘Focus Group Discussion’..19 which has sent strong ripples across the global DB Alumni Day At DBHSS Dimapur..................20 ocean touching its shores with a tangible impact. In A Lighter Mood..................................................20 And people cutting across all barriers of caste, Dibrugarh: “Centre of Salesian World”................21 colour, creed and nationality have recognized that drop and its source. Signs of recognition and appreciation have taken the form of different Editor national and international awards for the Fr. Jonas Kerketta sdb ‘compassionate mother of suffering humanity’ or Sub - Editor Fr. Joseph Thuruthel sdb the ‘Saint of the gutters’. We can name some of those from the long list of 124 accolades: Padmashree Award (from the President of Design & Lay Out Fr. Christudoss sdb Publisher India) August 1962, Ramon Magsaysay Award 1962, Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding 1969, Pope John XXIII Peace Prize January 1971, John F. Kennedy International Fr. Provincial Award September 1971, Jawaharlal Nehru Award Don Bosco Provincial House for International Understanding November
PB. 40, Dimapur -797112, Nagaland 1972, Templeton Prize for “Progress in Religion” Circulation Manager Fr. Chittissery Joseph sdb April 1973, Nobel Peace Prize December 1979, Bharat Ratna (Jewel of India) March 1980, Order of Merit (from Queen Elizabeth) November Editorial Team Fr. R. K. G. Nicholas sdb Fr. Christudoss sdb Fr. Paul Panii sdb Fr. Kulathunkal Joseph sdb 1983, Gold Medal of the Soviet Peace Committee August 1987, United States Congressional Gold Medal June 1997. Of course, the greatest reward given to Mother Teresa is from God himself, namely, eternal happiness in heaven. Jesus has certainly Printing fulfilled his promise, “For truly I tell you, whoever
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Rainbow Advertising, Guwahati-1 gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ by no means will lose Editorial Office the reward” (Mk 9:41). On her part the universal Bosco Communications Catholic Church has bestowed on her the greatest
Provincial House, Dimapur, Nagaland honour possible, by officially declaring her a saint +91 -9436062842 under the title: St. Teresa of Kolkata. St. Teresa of
Email: frjonassdb@gmail.com Kolkata, pray for us!
Fr. Jonas Kerketta sdb Dimapur Links: Sept. - Oct. 2016 /3
The Christian life, however, is not merely ex tending a hand in times of need. If it is just this, it can be, certainly, a lovely expression of hu man solidarity which offers immediate benefits, but it is sterile because it lacks roots. The task which the Lord gives us, on the contrary, is
“Who can learn the counsel of God?” the vocation to charity in which each of Christ’s (Wis 9:13). This question from the Book of disciples puts his or her entire life at his service, Wisdom that we have just heard in the first so to grow each day in love. reading suggests that our life is a mystery and that we do not possess the key to understand ing it. There are always two protagonists in history: God and man. Our task is to perceive the call of God and then to do his will. But in order to do his will, we must ask ourselves, “What is God’s will in my life?” We heard in the Gospel, “Large crowds were travelling with Jesus” (Lk 14:25). Today, this “large crowd” is seen in the great number of volunteers who have come together for the Jubilee of Mercy. You are that crowd who fol lows the Master and who makes visible his concrete love for each person. I repeat to you the
We find the answer in the same passage of words of the Apostle Paul: “I have indeed re the Book of Wisdom: “People were taught what ceived much joy and comfort from your love, pleases you” (Wis 9:18). In order to ascertain because the hearts of the saints have been re the call of God, we must ask ourselves and un freshed through you” (Philm 1:7). How many derstand what pleases God. On many occasions hearts have been comforted by volunteers! the prophets proclaimed what was pleasing to How many hands they have held; how many God. Their message found a wonderful synthe tears they have wiped away; how much love has sis in the words “I want mercy, not sacrifice” been poured out in hidden, humble and selfless (Hos 6:6; Mt 9:13). God is pleased by every act service! This praiseworthy service gives voice of mercy, because in the brother or sister that to the faith and expresses the mercy of the Fa we assist, we recognize the face of God which ther, who draws near to those in need. no one can see (cf. Jn 1:18). Each time we bend down to the needs of our brothers and sisters, we give Jesus something to eat and drink; we clothe, we help, and we visit the Son of God (cf. Mt 25:40). Following Jesus is a serious task, and, at the same time, one filled with joy; it takes a cer tain daring and courage to recognize the divine Master in the poorest of the poor and to give oneself in their service. In order to do so, vol
We are thus called to translate into con unteers, who out of love of Jesus serve the poor crete acts that which we invoke in prayer and and the needy, do not expect any thanks or rec profess in faith. There is no alternative to char ompense; rather they renounce all this because ity: those who put themselves at the service of they have discovered true love. Just as he Lord others, even when they don’t know it, are those has come to meet me and has stooped down who love God (cf. 1 Jn 3:16-18; Jas 2:14-18). to my level in my hour of need, so too do I go 4 / Dimapur Links: Sept. - Oct. 2016
to meet him, bending low before those who have lost faith or who live as though God did not exist, before young people without values or ideals, before families in crisis, before the ill and the imprisoned, before refugees and immi grants, before the weak and defenseless in body and spirit, before abandoned children, before the elderly who are on their own. Wherever someone is reaching out, asking for a helping hand in order to get up, this is where our pres ence - and the presence of the Church which sustains and offers hope - must be.
Mother Teresa, in all aspects of her life, was a generous dispenser of divine mercy, making herself available for everyone through “light” which shone in the darkness of the
many who no longer had tears to shed for their poverty and suffering.
Her mission to the urban and existential peripheries remains for us today an eloquent witness to God’s closeness to the poorest of the poor.
Today, I pass on this emblematic figure of womanhood and of consecrated life to the whole world of volunteers: may she be your model of holiness! May this tireless worker of mercy help us to increasingly understand that our only criterion for action is gratuitous love,
her welcome and defense of human life, those fered freely to everyone without distinction of unborn and those abandoned and discarded. language, culture, race or religion. She was committed to defending life, cease lessly proclaiming that “the unborn are the weakest, the smallest, the most vulnerable”. Mother Teresa loved to say, “Perhaps I don’t speak their language, but I can smile”. Let us carry her smile in our hearts and give it to
She bowed down before those who were those whom we meet along our journey, es spent, left to die on the side of the road, see pecially those who suffer. In this way, we will ing in them their God-given dignity; she made open up opportunities of joy and hope for our her voice heard before the powers of this world, many brothers and sisters who are discouraged so that they might recognize their guilt for the and who stand in need of understanding and crime of poverty they created. tenderness.
For Mother Teresa, mercy was the “salt” Courtesy: Vatican Radio which gave flavour to her work, it was the Courtesy: Vatican Radio, 4 Sept. 2016 free from every ideology and all obligations, of Dimapur Links: Sept. - Oct. 2016 /5
