Orissa Latest

In Orissa thousands of Christians have been attacked, rendered homeless, their homes ransacked and looted and burnt down, churches and even orphanages destroyed. The details about the destruction and killing in Orissa are more than the given number as many details are not available to us since we are unable to entering into these troubled areas.

Houses destroyed – 4009

Churches and institutions demolished – 96

Residences of Priests and nuns, Training centres – 14

People Killed /burnt to death -- 38

People displaced in refugee camps – 22236

People displaced in forests and other places – 40000+

The State Government has proclaimed that everything is under control. In fact not much is known about Orissa situation to the outsiders. This is due to a well planned strategy to boycott. On the contrary, Christians are targeted in every way. The Hindu outfits have planned to totally annihilate Christians from Orissa.

Orissa Today

• Hindu fundamental groups Vishwa Hindu Parishad ( VHP) and Bajrang Dal (BD) are forcing all Christians, especially those from Kandhmal district, to become Hindus. It is not just a political agenda but a determined strategy to wipe out Christians. They follow particular pattern for this.
• The Christian Dalit and Tribals are forced to convert to Hinduism under threat. The fundamental group announces a date fixed for conversion in a selected village.
• Those Christian members belonging to the houses of that village are told to inform their family people to return from the relief camps or anywhere on that date.
• They will be asked to convert to Hinduism. They are asked to sign a document that it is done freely. If they do not accept, they are tortured and killed.
• If they become Hindus, they pay a fine of 1000 to 1500 Rupees.
• As a sign of becoming Hindu, they will be asked to destroy Christian statues, break churches and even were asked to kill the Christians who were unwilling to become Hindus.
• If they do not return, the Hindu neighbours are told that the houses, the lands belong to the Hindus. All their belongings are looted, burnt and destroyed.
• Since the Christians do not want to become Hindus, they fled to forests and are remaining in Relief Camps. There are around 23000 people in 17 relief camps. NGOs and individuals are not allowed to enter inside these camps to do any help. Medical help alone is allowed and these people are watched closely.
• The VHP and BD are specially hunting for priests, pastors and nuns and their families to be killed.
• These groups use country guns, axe, swords, bows, arrows, crow bars etc. The bodies were chopped off and hewed, people were burnt alive, buried alive, women gang raped. Some dead bodies of Christians are found in the fields, on the roads etc.
• Looting, arson and vandalization continue. The forces are mainly in the towns, main roads and are not moving to the interior. And hence crimes are freely committed by the miscreants with impunity.

Accusation

A Missionary was living alone in a mission parish. The people were so happy for what he was. Once a girl who was given a correction by him, accused him hurtfully.

The missionary did not defend himself or try to proof how innocent he was.

A few thoughts passed troughs his mind:

- when we are young we just speak out whatever we feel or think to be true even not looking at the consequence of the statement.

-the parents receive this back very badly from the retaliation of their own children.

-So the missionary realized he was enjoying the privileges of a parent.

He prayed that God may forgive and bless the girl.

Shindhu 8 — Radio Sri Chinmoy

Shindhu 8 — Radio Sri Chinmoy

Feed God's children

When we translate our care and compassion into positive action, the little we are able to do is multiplied by God's grace in such a way that it becomes more than sufficient for the need.

All that Jesus needs from us to feed the hungry crowds of the world is our “five loaves and two fish.”

Why didn't Jesus just go on and produce bread from thin air to feed the crowd? Because God needs our “five loaves and two fish” in order to perform the amazing miracle of feeding the five thousand.

God is Love

God is love, so we too are called to be love.

Our communion with God flows into communion with our brothers and sisters. And when love is put at the basis of relationships, the parish community is transformed into a communion of mutual love, and thus the communion of love that is in God is reflected in the world.

Solution to Problems

The shortest distance between a problem and the solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.

As it is

I don't put glass windows because - I love birds and don't want one to run into it and get hurt.

I don't wax floors because - I am terrified a guest will slip, get hurt and feel terrible (plus he may sue me.)

I don't disturb cobwebs because - I want every creature to have a home of one’s own.

I don't await Spring because - I love all the seasons and don't want others get jealous.

I don't put things away because - my husband will never be able to find them again.

I don't make gourmet meals when I entertain because - I don't want my guests to stress out over what to make when they invite me for dinner.

I don't iron because - I choose to believe them when they say "Permanent Press."

And finally: I don't pull weeds in the garden because - I don't want to get in God's way, He is an excellent designer!

Family Life

A happy Christian family has Christ as its centre and his teachings are the family guidelines. St. Paul enumerates some of them, such as “mercy, kindness, patience and forgiveness” (Col 3:12). The Christian values which must mark out a Christian family are summarised in more concrete terms by Dr. Paul Kelly, an orthopaedic surgeon and family counsellor, as “The Seven Cs”. They are:

-First, Commitment: a lifelong caring for the other, no matter what happens.

-Second, Communication: a willingness to take time to listen, dialogue and share one’s feelings.

-Third, Compatibility: an ability to get along, adjust and be flexible. [Understand and accept each other.]

-Fourth, Compassion: a capacity to understand weakness and sympathise with failure.

-Fifth, Confession: the readiness to say, “I am sorry”, to be reconciled and forgiven.

-Six, Conviviality: a sense of humour, to laugh at oneself and make others at oneself and to smile.

-Seventh, Children: one’s own, adopted, grandchildren or those of close relatives, with whom life and love can be shared.