Mother Teresa and I

 

 

 

 

Mother Teresa and I

- Fr. Cedric Prakash sj *

 

Like many others, the world over, I have had the privilege to interact closely with Mother Teresa on several occasions.  Each time I was simply overwhelmed by this amazing woman! 

 

As I reflect on her many characteristics, what struck me most are:

 

·        Her Compassion

Mother Teresa was compassion personified. She had the extraordinary gift of touching almost anyone with her heart; from the dying man on the street to the President of a powerful country.  Her love was contagious and over the years, she succeeded in opening many doors with this one key.

 

·        Her Candour

Mother was honest to the core, to the discomfort of many!  She had no hesitation in calling 'a spade, a spade'.  She was transparent and did not hide the fact that she was able to serve the poorest of the poor only because she loved Jesus and saw him in them.

 

·        Her Courage

Mother Teresa demonstrated a tremendous courage in whatever she did. She feared only God and not any human.  She was convinced that what she and her Sisters were doing was very much needed. She was ready to face any amount of obstacles to ensure that the dying, the orphan, the unloved and the rejected had a home to go to.

 

·        Her Commitment

What Mother has surely shown each one of us is the importance for commitment in order to make our world a better place.  Her unflagging commitment to the poorest of the poor has been her hallmark all along.  Her Missionaries of Charity continue this legacy today.

 

As we celebrate the memory of this great Saint on her Centenary, a fitting tribute to her would be to try to emulate at least a tiny bit of the characteristics she radiated while on this earth.

 

 

 

 

 

(* Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ is the Director of PRASHANT, the Ahmedabad based Jesuit Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace.)

25^th August, 2010

 

 

Address: PRASHANT, Hill Nagar, Near Kamdhenu Hall, Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad – 380 052

Phone: 79   27455913, 66522333
Fax: 79  27489018
Email: sjprashant@gmail.com     www.humanrightsindia.in

 

Prayer for the Millennium Goals

 

 

 

Prayer for the Millennium Goals

 

In a world where so many go hungry,

        Let us make the fruits of Creation available for all.

In a world where one billion of our brothers and sisters do not have safe drinking water,

        Let us help the waters run clear.

In a world where so many children die so young,

        And so many mothers die in childbirth,

        And so many families are ravaged by disease,

        Let us bring health and healing.

In a world where women carry such heavy burdens,

        Let us recognize and restore the rights of all.

Let us join together, with a new sense of global community,

A new awareness of our need for one another

And for this fragile planet,

To meet the clear challenges of the Millennium Goals,

To bring hope as substantial as bread,

To make human dignity as visible as wheat in the fields.

Article - "Freedom"- From What? - by Fr. Cedric Prakash sj (August 15th 2010)

 

"FREEDOM"- FROM WHAT?

-         Fr. Cedric Prakash*

 

The little slum child thrust her hand into my stationary vehicle, at the signal stop, clutching a dozen or so plastic tricolours; "buy one" she begged, "for Rs.5.00 and if you pay Rs.10.00, I will give you three".

 

The irony and the tragedy of the situation could not be lost! This little girl, not more than ten years, should have been in school.  And here she was desperate to earn some money and perhaps help supplement the meagre earnings of her family.  What does the Right to Education mean to her and to perhaps millions of other children all over the country who really have no access to any kind of education?  Is she a beneficiary of the 'Save the Girl Child Campaign' or one of the 'Garib Kalyan Melas' on which the Government spends so much merely on publicity and fanfare?  How about the laws for the Prevention of Child Labour – is there a political will to ensure its implementation? These and many other questions hit me simultaneously.

 

The reality becomes even more frightening as one is caught in the whirlwind of what is happening all around: scams, scandals, insecurity, and violence. For the little girl out there, the corruption in the run-up to the Common Wealth Games might mean nothing and she might not be aware that tonnes of food grains are rotting in several parts of the country and providing a feast for the rodents. The fact is that the grain which is being allowed to rot is rightfully hers. A recent directive of the Supreme Court has ordered this. Perhaps this little girl is related to one of those, who get into our gutters to clean them. An in-depth study highlights the fact that forty-one sewerage workers in the last four years have lost their lives in the sewers of urban Gujarat.

 

As for the plastic tri-colors, she desperately wants to sell, she is blissfully unaware that plastics, such as these, are not permissible in many parts of the world and also in some parts of India. All she wants to do is to earn a few bucks as she tries to capitalize on my sense of 'patriotism'.

 

Patriotism? For what? Does mere flag- waving ensure 'freedom'?

 

I hesitate once again as she begs a final time. Her freedom has been bought several times over. Should I attempt to buy it-once again? The signal turns green…She quickly runs to the side of the road…

 

(*Fr. Cedric Prakash sj is the Director of PRASHANT, the Ahmedabad based Jesuit Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace.)

PRASHANT   (A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace)
Hill Nagar, Near Kamdhenu Hall, Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad - 380052 

Phone:   27455913,  66522333  Fax :   27489018
Email: sjprashant@gmail.com     www.humanrightsindia.in

 

Happy Feast of St Ignatius Loyola

 

 

 

                                                                                                          31^st July 2010
"Dearest Lord,
teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve You as You deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labour and not to ask for reward
save that of knowing I am doing Your Will".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate Ignatius

With

Compassion for others

Courage in adversity

Creativity whilst frontiering

Contemplation in action

Commitment to the very end

 

 

                                   HAPPY FEAST

                             Dear Friends in the lord

                                   Warm wishes & Prayers,

                                    Fr Cedric Prakash sj

- - - - - - -     - - - - - - - -    - - - - - - -   - - - - -
PRASHANT   (A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace)                                                                              
Street Address : Hill Nagar, Near Kamdhenu Hall, Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad - 380052, Gujarat, India
Postal Address : P B 4050, Navrangpura PO, Ahmedabad - 380 009, Gujarat, India

 

Phone : 91  79   27455913,  66522333
Fax : 91  79  27489018
Email: sjprashant@gmail.com     www.humanrightsindia.in

 

STATEMENT ON THE MURDER OF GUJARAT RTI ACTIVIST AMIT JETHAVA

 

 

 

 

 

        Prashant             . A  Centre  for  Human  Rights, Justice  and  Peace

                                                         Post   Box   No.   4050,    Navrangpura,   Ahmedabad  380 009,    Gujarat,    India

                                                                            Tel. :    +91 (079)  66522333,   2745 5913         .         Fax :   +91 (079)  2748 9018

                                                         Mobile :   9824034536 .  e-mail : sjprashant@gmail.com

                                                                           www.humanrightsindia.in

 

 

 

 

STATEMENT ON THE MURDER OF GUJARAT RTI ACTIVIST AMIT JETHAVA

 

 

We condemn the brutal murder of RTI activist AMIT JETHAVA who was shot dead in Ahmedabad, last night. 

 

Our heartfelt sympathies to his widow and his two children and pray that they have the strength to bear this great loss.

 

Amit was well known in RTI circles and took up several environmental issues in and around the Gir Forests.  His most recent PIL was on illegal mining in the Gir and in this connection he has also named powerful ruling politicians. 

 

This murder is a clear indication that vested interests, including politicians, will stop at nothing in Gujarat. It is high time that civil society in the State come out in large numbers and protest the rot that is overpowering the State.

 

 

 

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj

Director

 

21^st July, 2010

THE DARK NIGHT CONTINUES...by Fr Cedric Prakash sj

 

 

THE DARK NIGHT CONTINUES…

- Fr. Cedric Prakash sj *

 

 

The night of June 25^th / 26^th 1975, is undoubtedly, the darkest night in the history of independent India.  That night emergency was declared. Fundamental rights were suspended and the freedom of the press was gagged.  Several stalwarts including opposition political leaders were arrested and a pall of gloom enveloped the whole country. 

 

The twenty one months that followed, saw brutal repressions on every front; when emergency was lifted on March 21^st, 1977, the country heaved a sigh of relief and like the post-World War II period, the people of India said "NEVER AGAIN". This was clearly demonstrated by the fact that Indira Gandhi was crushingly defeated in the Parliamentary elections which followed.

 

However, we never seem to learn from history….in several parts of the country "a state of emergency" still rules and most of the time, those on the receiving end are the poor and the marginalized like the adivasis, the dalits and other vulnerable communities.  In the last few years, the country has seen great "economic leaps" for a section of its people.  This is evident from the many ways the consumerism culture has managed to have a stranglehold on several, very particularly those living in the urban areas.  The mining and the industrial lobbies seem to have a 'hay-day' with hardly any consideration for the thousands of tribals who are displaced in order to satisfy their profiteering.

 

Glaring examples are also found in Gujarat: those who stand up for the rights of tribals and dalits are intimidated and harassed and are very conveniently branded as "Maoists".  In spite of advertisements appearing in the Bihar dailies recently, the situation of minorities in Gujarat leaves much to be desired; many minority institutions are now subject to all kinds of queries by local authorities demanding that they submit their "weekly receipts of foreign money" to the local police officials!  In the name of development, mega projects continue to displace several thousands. Gujarat's Freedom of Religion Law is perhaps the most draconian one in a democracy, the world over, which curtails freedom of belief and expression of an ordinary citizen…. The list is endless indeed! 

 

For many in India, the dark night continues….Can we not learn from history?

 

25^th June, 2010

 

(* Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ is the Director of PRASHANT, the Ahmedabad based Jesuit Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace.)

 

 

PRASHANT   (A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace)
Hill Nagar, Near Kamdhenu Hall, Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad - 380052, Gujarat, India
Phone : 27455913,  66522333
Fax :  27489018
Email: sjprashant@gmail.com     www.humanrightsindia.in

 

STATEMENT TO HALT COMMUNAL VIOLENCE IN AHMEDABAD 260510

 

Prashant     A  Centre  for  Human  Rights, Justice  and  Peace

                             Post   Box   No.   4050,    Navrangpura,   Ahmedabad  380 009,  Gujarat,    India

                                      Tel. :    +91 (079)  66522333,   2745 5913 .   Fax:   +91 (079) 2748 9018                                                            

                             Mobile :  9824034536 .

                             e-mail : sjprashant@gmail.com   www.humanrightsindia.in

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATEMENT TO HALT COMMUNAL VIOLENCE IN AHMEDABAD

 

 

 

26^th May, 2010

 

 

The recent communal violence in Shapur and surrounding areas, of Ahmedabad city is a hard reminder that tensions continue to simmer between the two communities and can erupt for any flimsy reason.

 

We call upon those directly involved to stop this violence immediately and to help maintain peace and harmony.  Above all, we request that nobody falls prey to the rumour mill.

 

We also call upon the police and other authorities to book all those responsible for this violence, and to ensure security and peace for all citizens of the city.

 

 

 

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj

Director - PRASHANT

 

 

STATEMENT ON THE SENTENCING OF DGP RATHORE 250510(REVISED)

 

 

 

 

 

  Prashant                                         A  Centre  for  Human  Rights, Justice  and  Peace

                                                         Post   Box   No.   4050,    Navrangpura,   Ahmedabad  380 009,    Gujarat,    India

                                                                            Tel. :    +91 (079)  66522333,   2745 5913         .         Fax :   +91 (079)  2748 9018

                                                         Mobile :   9824034536 .  e-mail : sjprashant@gmail.com    .   www.humanrightsindia.in

 

 

 

 

 

 

25^th May, 2010

 

 

STATEMENT ON THE SENTENCING OF  DGP RATHORE

 

The decision of the Sessions Court to sentence former Haryana DGP S.P.S. Rathore to one and a half years in jail for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra is definitely not sufficient, but needs to be seen as a significant step in the cause of justice.  In some small way, Ruchika and those who are fighting for justice for her seem to be vindicated.

 

Rathore has always been a very powerful person with high connections everywhere.  He definitely thought that he could get away with the molestation of the teenager Ruchika in 1990 which ultimately led to her suicide three years later.  The suicide was clearly the result of harassment and even torture for her and other members of her family by Rathore.

 

The sentence given is in fact too lenient but it should come as a deterrent to police officials all over.  The duty of the police is to protect the common man and NOT to victimize him.  The Sohrabuddin case in Gujarat where top police men are involved in killing innocent people in 'fake encounters', is a point in case. 

 

Civil society and very specially leaders from all walks of life, must come out clearly and loudly to defend the rights of all and very specially to maintain that all are equal in the eyes of the law. 

 

Hopefully, the sentence on Rathore will be further enhanced if he appeals to a Higher Court.

 

 

 

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj

Director, PRASHANT

A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace