When COVID-19 shuttered church buildings, after a brief period of bewilderment and thoughts on how to reach out pastorally to our flock, we moved Masses online, figured out different communication technology platforms like ZOOM and Google Meet, and then used them to connect to parishioners and have virtual meetings and fellowship. This period saw many…
From Netflix’s ‘The Crown’ to the Crown of the Rosary
The final episode of Season 3’s ‘The Crown’ streaming on Netflix, concludes with a powerful scene between the characters of Queen Elizabeth II and her younger sister Princess Margaret. The contrast between the two couldn’t be more striking – Elisabeth a paragon of poise, steadfastness and strength, and Margaret, a simile of desolation, brokenness and…
The Social Dilemma
“I put a spell on you… Because you’re mine. And I don’t care if you don’t want me… I’m yours right now.” Nina Simone The deep and soul-clutching lyrics of Nina Simone’s song ‘I put a spell on you’ play hauntingly in the background, as we see a young college-going Ben completely hypnotised by the…
Faith Formation in Lockdown time
How parents can use available resources to build the faith of their families (especially of their children) in spite of the lockdown. This article is authored by Adele Pereira, who describes herself as an ordinary Catholic mother from Mumbai, enjoying an extraordinary life following Jesus. When you stood in front of the altar on…
What’s in Your Hand?
I recently came across a TED talk by Rick Warren who is a best-selling author, ‘A Purpose Driven Church’ being one of his most recognised in Church circles. It’s a dated but timeless reflection, which I think is even more relevant in our own time. Few articles impress me, this was one of them, hence…
Ten ways the post-COVID Church will be different
“Household churches” – Post-Easter, we have been listening (to the Acts of the Apostles) about how the earliest groups of Christians came together and worshipped in small gatherings in various homes of the believers. They not only prayed together, but also looked after one another through a common sharing of resources. The lockdown has exposed…
Taking your Parish into Cyberspace
I’ll get straight to the point. The COVID pandemic has ‘disrupted’ how we function as Church. As the lockdown is continuously extended (and no one can honestly say that the lockdown will be lifted by such-and-such date), parishes are beginning to rise from their slumber and realise that they need to do something to reach…
Shazam! is the most Catholic Superhero Movie of 2019
You may roll your eyes when I tell you that every Catholic must go see “Shazam!” this week. “Please stop trying to see religion in every movie, Fr Joshan!” Maybe I overdo it. But if there’s one movie that’s got ‘Catholic’ written all over it in 2019, this has got to be it! Shazam is…
The Least of These
It was late January, 1999. Churches all across Odisha were under severe protection and no Christian in the state was untouched by fear for their own safety. The reason for this was the shocking murder by the burning of Graham Staines and his two sons by a radical religious group. Religious tensions due to missionary…
DUMBO
One of Disney’s all-time favourite animated classics “Dumbo” (1941) comes back to new life with director Tim Burton’s quirky and imaginative live-action remake, which is sure to make the adults feel nostalgic. Disney is on a roll, with remakes of all its old classics in the pipeline, sure to bring in audiences both old and…
Musings in Catholic Land 