For those who don’t know or don’t remember, these passages from Sacred Scripture will help put things in perspective:

And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray from Sacred Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born. “Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” (Mt. 26: 21-25) …. While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him. “Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend. “Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. (Mt. 26: 47-50)

Powerful and real passages from Sacred Scripture of how the ‘kiss of Judas’ was actually the very opposite, of what a ‘kiss’ is actually meant to symbolise. Jesus, who believed and lived ‘the truth’ never minced words when he took on the powerful of his times:  the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the Pilates and the Herods and all those who laid heavy burdens on the poor and marginalised. He referred to them as ‘a brood of vipers’, and ‘whitened sepulchres. In the Gospel of St Mathew (23:1-12) we read, “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’s seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it, but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others, for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honour at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father, the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted”.

Every year, the leaders of the world’s seven largest economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan. United Kingdom and the United States (the European Union is also part of this group) meet to discuss economic and political issues at the Group of Seven, or G7, Summit. These annual events are organised and hosted by a different member each time. They met in Apulia Italy from 13- 15 June this year. The host also invites some other countries as guests to this summit. This year, Italy invited Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine and the Vatican City to the summit. South Africa was also invited but declined because of the change in government there. So, twelve other countries were also present including the heads of the UN and major international financial institutions.

The highlight of this G-7 Summit was the presence of Pope Francis, who addressed them on ‘Artificial Intelligence’ and its effects on humanity. It was historic, that a Pope would participate in such a summit and in fact give a path-breaking speech which found prime place in the final communique of the Summit!

As the Pope was wheeled into the hall of the Summit on 14 June, he was given a rousing ovation by the World leaders and others gathered there. Some of them personally greeted him with the civility and decorum, which is befitting when one head of State greets the other! Towards the end of the line was Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. Taking the Holy Father off-guard, Modi bent down and gave the Pope what resembled a bear-hug! Such acts are just not done! Despite the fact that he was on a wheelchair, the Pope literally had no choice, but remained courteous enough to accept the hug! Fortunately, most of the world media, did not highlight that hug- though sections of the Indian ‘godified’ and ‘modified’ media did so!

Those who know Modi and his dramatics, will easily agree, that his hugging the Pope has nothing to do with Pope Francis! Modi is fundamentally a showman, an opportunist, who loves photo-ops, glaring at cameras and at times even insisting that the cameras focus only on him! There are many examples to authenticate this! For example, some time ago when he had to meet his ailing mother in Gandhinagar, he did not step out of his car, till the cameramen (who were late) had arrived and taken their positions inside the house! Unfortunately, for him, this time, he was unable to look into the cameras, whilst hugging the Pope!

Modi has gone on record saying that he has invited Pope Francis to India! He also said this, after he met Pope Francis in the Vatican late October 2021. Since then, the Government of India has not extended an official invitation to the Pope to come to India! Modi could have easily ensured that but did not do so! Modi is a master in making promises, in bluffing and manipulating things to his advantage. Unfortunately, in the past ten years and more, many have fallen prey to his false promises, mastery of words and in his unparalleled skill in deflecting from real issues that plague the country!

Millions of Indians (Christians and non-Christians) would be delighted if Pope Francis actually comes to India. There is no doubt of that! Besides Pope Francis, given his penchant for the poor and the marginalised, the excluded and the exploited, will need to have his visits planned; both the hosts and the organisers would do well to include the following visits in the Papal itinerary:

• to Manipur: to bring solace to the Kukis and other victims there, who still are at the receiving end of a brutal, violent, insensitive regime. Most of the victims are Christians and/or tribals.
• to Jharkhand: the Adivasi heartland of India- to see how the indigenous peoples of India are being deprived of their legitimate jal-jungle-jameen.
• to West Bengal: to meet with those Bengalis who came into India more than fifty years ago during the Bangladesh war of Independence and are now being treated as illegal migrants.
• to UP: where Muslims are the victims of a bull-dozer raj, just because they do not toe the line, or some meat is apparently found in their fridge.
• to Taloja jail, where there are still some incarcerated in the Bhima-Koregaon conspiracy case; his own Jesuit brother Fr Stan Swamy was the victim of an institutional murder on 5 July 2021.
• to the coastal region of Trivandrum where thousands of indigenous coastal people have lost their livelihood because of the Adani port.

Besides, Pope Francis will have many other concerns which he would like express, these could include:

• On the Freedom of Speech and Expression: of how writers, intellectuals, human rights defenders are being subjugated in the country
• On the Freedom of Religion: of the draconian anti-conversion laws being brought in by this Government particularly in the States they govern (Rajasthan planning one now)
• On the way this Government treats refugees and migrants particularly the Rohingyas – whom Pope Francis addressed as his brothers and sisters
• On the Government’s Environment record which is one of the worst in the world
• On the fact that a few rich are becoming richer at the expense of the poor
• On the quality of political life in India and the fact that democracy is meticulously being dismantled
• On the growing unemployment in the country

Pope Francis will have his plate very full if and when he is invited to India- and if he actually comes!

Modi would not have understood the significance and importance of the four gifts which Pope Francis presented him with in the Vatican in October 2021. They were also about ‘good governance’ and what a good ruler should be doing today!

When Pope Francis addressed the G-7 Summit on 14 June on ‘Artificial Intelligence’ he spoke rather strongly saying among other things, “This is precisely where political action is urgently needed. The Encyclical Fratelli Tutti reminds us that “for many people today, politics is a distasteful word, often due to the mistakes, corruption and inefficiency of some politicians. There are also attempts to discredit politics, to replace it with economics or to twist it to one ideology or another. Yet can our world function without politics? Can there be an effective process of growth towards universal fraternity and social peace without a sound political life?” …. Our answer to these questions is: No! Politics is necessary! I want to reiterate in this moment that “in the face of many petty forms of politics focused on immediate interests […] ‘true statecraft is manifest when, in difficult times, we uphold high principles and think of the long-term common good. Political powers do not find it easy to assume this duty in the work of nation-building’ much less in forging a common project for the human family, now and in the future”.. My reflection on the effects of artificial intelligence on humanity leads us to consider the importance of “healthy politics” so that we can look to our future with hope and confidence. I have written previously that “global society is suffering from grave structural deficiencies that cannot be resolved by piecemeal solutions or quick fixes. Much needs to change, through fundamental reform and major renewal. Only a healthy politics, involving the most diverse sectors and skills, is capable of overseeing this process. An economy that is an integral part of a political, social, cultural and popular programme directed to the common good could pave the way for ‘different possibilities which do not involve stifling human creativity and its ideals of progress, but rather directing that energy along new channels” 

Not sure if Modi was listening to Pope Francis or if he did listen, whether he understood the significance of what was said particularly in the context of present India! Interestingly, the final communique of the G-7 speak of many things besides Artificial Intelligence, they include Ukraine, Gaza, Africa, Climate change, migration – but there is practically no reference to India or the role the country could be playing on the world stage today!

‘Humbug’ is best described as false talk and behaviour, deception!  The hug from a humbug says it all!

(Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ is a human rights, reconciliation and peace activist/ writer. Contact: cedricprakash@gmail.com )

The post The Hug of a Humbug! appeared first on SabrangIndia.

November 3, 2022, was a special day. On that day, Pope Francis began a four-days historic visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain, where he was given an exceptionally warm welcome. From the time he arrived in Bahrain, he set the tone of his entire visit, by asking the Government of Bahrain to guarantee human rights to all and to abolish the death penalty! Bahrain is ruled by a Sunni monarchy which has been accused of discriminating against the country’s Shiite majority. The words of Pope Francis are certainly music to the Bahraini Shiite dissidents, who are harassed and detained, subject to torture and sham trials; some of them have been stripped of their citizenship or sentenced to death for their political activities.

Pope Francis however, kept his best for the pathbreaking address he delivered to a gathering of the Bahraini Royalty, Government authorities, the Diplomatic Corps, religious and civil authorities and other eminent citizens. Using the time-tested symbol of Bahrain’s ‘tree of life’ as a metaphor, Pope Francis struck a chord with the august audience. He said,“here, where the waters of the sea surround the sands of the desert, and imposing skyscrapers rise beside traditional Oriental markets, very different realities come together: ancient and modern converge; tradition and progress mix; and above all, people from various backgrounds create a distinctive mosaic of life. In preparing for my visit, I learned about one outstanding “emblem of vitality” in this country, which is the “Tree of Life” (Shajarat-al-Hayat). I would like to take it as my inspiration for sharing a few thoughts with you. The tree itself is a majestic acacia that has survived for centuries in a desert area with very little rainfall. It seems impossible that a tree of this age has been able to live and flourish in these conditions. According to many people, the secret is to be found in its roots, which extend for dozens of meters beneath the ground, drawing from subterranean deposits of water.

He went on to focus on the need and importance of ‘rootedness’ saying, “Roots, then. The Kingdom of Bahrain is committed to remembering and cherishing its past, which tells of an extremely ancient land, to which thousands of years ago peoples came, drawn by its beauty, due especially to the abundant springs of fresh water that gave it the reputation of being a paradise. The ancient kingdom of Dilmun was thus called “the land of the living”. As we ascend from those vast roots – which spread over more than 4,500 years of uninterrupted human presence – we see how Bahrain’s geographical position, the talents and commercial abilities of its people, together with historical events, have enabled it to take shape as a crossroads of mutual enrichment between peoples. One thing stands out in the history of this land: it has always been a place of encounter between different peoples”.

Pope Francis then lauded the composite, multi-ethnic, multi-religious fabric of Bahrain which has overcome the risk of isolation.  He added for good m measure and very emphatically, “Let us think instead of the Tree of Life, your symbol, and to the parched deserts of human coexistence let us bring the water of fraternity. May we never allow opportunities for encounter between civilizations, religions and cultures to evaporate, or the roots of our humanity to become desiccated and lifeless! Let us work together! Let us work in the service of togetherness and hope! I am here, in this land of the Tree of Life, as a sower of peace, in order to experience these days of encounter and to take part in a Forum of dialogue between East and West for the sake of peaceful human coexistence. I thank even now my travelling companions, especially the representatives of the religions. These days mark a precious stage in the journey of friendship that has intensified in recent years with various Islamic religious leaders, a fraternal journey that, beneath the gaze of heaven, seeks to foster peace on earth.” For him then, one has to embark on that fraternal journey for sustainable peace!

One cannot help but draw a parallel with another ‘tree of life’.

In the very heart of the city of Ahmedabad stands the Sidi Saiyed Mosque named after its builder. The most exquisite craftsmanship in stone carving can be seen in this mosque which was built around 1572.  The distinguishing features of this mosque are the ten intricately carved stone windows (jalis), apparently created by a master stone craftsman from Abyssinia. The 20th-century Indologist and art historian, Vincent Arthur Smith described these jalis as the “most artistic stone lattice-work to be found anywhere in the world.” One of the windows depicts the ‘tree of life’ with delicate inter-twining of the branches of a tree.  For years, this motif was the symbol of Ahmedabad and in fact, of Gujarat. It symbolised and 

represented all that India meant and stood for: diverse cultures, faiths, languages, traditions, peoples; everything which indeed constituted a great civilization. The idea and the reality of India: very different but deeply united.  A unity in diversity.  A unique tapestry, inter-woven with multi-coloured hues as the rays of the sun and the moon pierce the gaps of the window. A delightful experience: a marvel, simply magnificent and without parallel!

Yet on the other hand, some  many years ago, when the Hindu right-wing Government took controls of the reins of power in Gujarat, one of their first decisions was to ensure that this replica of the stone trellis was no longer used as a symbol for or of Gujarat and of Ahmedabad.  They quickly replaced it with the replica of a temple.  In one stroke, that move underlined the tectonic shift in the mindset and attitude of the regime that controlled Gujarat: exclusive not inclusive; myopic not visionary; petty not large-hearted! Gujarat gave to the world Mahatma Gandhi and his twin doctrine of ahimsa and satyagraha. This was now being throttled beyond recognition. The pluralistic fabric, the diversity and the communal harmony which characterised Gujarat, has slowly and systematically given way to bitter division, hatred and violence. Religion is now used as a tool to manipulate people for petty political gains. The intricacy and the beauty of the ‘tree of life’ was and is being poisoned at its very roots

In another recent move that belongs to a realm of tragic irony, the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM-A) on November 3, officially announced a change of its more than sixty-years old logo! The original logo had the famed ‘Tree of Life’ on it. The new logo has some kind of tree, which is ‘okay’; the word ‘Ahmedabad’ has been dropped whereas the Sanskrit text ‘Vidya viniyogadvikasa ‘(development through the distribution or application of knowledge) has been retained! Some months ago, when the changed version of the logo was unveiled, it sparked off a controversy with 45 faculty members signing a letter to the top officials of the institute saying they were not consulted about the new design before it was approved. Over 1,000 IIM-A alumni, at that time, also started a petition to retain the 60-year-old logo that is inspired by the “Tree of Life”. One certainly does not need to be a rocket scientist or for that matter a management guru, to understand why the IIM-A top brass, has now calmly succumbed to the political rhetoric currently holding sway in the country and distanced itself from any symbol that comes from the traditions of a minority community! Such a Shame!

Pope Francis has given a road-map, not only to those who listened to him in Bahrain, but to every human on this earth! He strongly said, “let us return to the Tree of Life. In the course of time, its many branches of varying size have produced abundant foliage, thus increasing the tree’s height and breadth. In this country, it was the contribution made by so many individuals from different peoples that enabled a remarkable increase in productivity. This was made possible by immigration. The Kingdom of Bahrain vaunts one of the highest levels of immigration in the world: about half of the resident population are foreigners, working in an evident way for the development of a country in which, despite leaving their native countries behind, they feel at home. At the same time, we must acknowledge that in our world unemployment levels remain all too high, and much labour is in fact de-humanizing. This does not only entail a grave risk of social instability, but constitutes a threat to human dignity. For labour is not only necessary for earning a livelihood: it is a right, indispensable for integral self-development and the shaping of a truly humane society”.

There can be no life on earth, if the culture of death continues to grip humanity. Pope Francis did not mince words as he calls for an end to war and to the building of peace! “Second, the Tree of Life, whose roots that, deep in the subsoil, furnish vital water to the trunk, and from the trunk to the branches and then the leaves that give oxygen to creatures, makes me think of our human vocation, the vocation of each man and woman on earth, to make life flourish. Yet today we increasingly witness lethal actions and threats. I think especially of the monstrous and senseless reality of war, which everywhere sows destruction and crushes hope. War brings out the worst in man: selfishness, violence and dishonesty. For war, every war, brings in its wake the death of truth. Let us reject the logic of weapons and change course, diverting enormous military expenditures to investments in combating hunger and the lack of healthcare and education. I grieve deeply for all these situations of conflict. Surveying the Arab Peninsula, whose countries I greet with sincere respect, my thoughts turn in a particular and heartfelt way to Yemen, torn by a forgotten war that, like every war, issues not in victory but only in bitter defeat for everyone. I especially keep in my prayers the civilians, the children, the elderly and the sick. And I beg: Let there be an end to the clash of weapons! Let there be an end to the clash of weapons! Let there be an end to the clash of weapons! Let us be committed, everywhere and concretely, to building peace!”

The ‘Tree of Life’ 

is then, much more than an emblem or logo; it is a metaphor and a direction: a way of proceeding. It is a journey: of rootedness to the depths and of branching out, to embrace all particularly those who need to be embraced! 

It is life in all its fulness –in short, it is ‘synodality’ which needs to be lived today!

The author is a human rights, reconciliation & peace activist/writer.

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If it was to be about optics and strong messaging in soft syntax, the Vatican meeting of Pope Francis with visiting prime minister Narendra Modi has fulfilled it purpose. Mr Modi has probably insinuated himself into the good books of a section of Catholics in poll bound Goa and church stronghold Kerala. And Mr Modi finally has invited the Pope to visit India. No dates, but Indian church hopes it will be  before 2022 is over. 

The official visuals of the 55 minute meeting show Mr Modi, sporting a well-styled mid-length beard, performing his practiced manoeuvre of a hug with the Pontiff. Francis smiles and reciprocates. Gifts are exchanged and after which the two move on to a desk for a formal talk. With interpretation, the actual talks take perhaps 20 minutes. But there is some triumph in that it exceeded the scheduled 30 minutes. 

But did the Pope tell Modi of his concern at the persecution of Christians and Muslims, the  curtailment of human rights and civil liberties, and the desertification of the Constitutional landscape? And did Modi repeat his party’s charge that Christians disturb the peace by fraudulent conversions, Muslims are anti national, and civil society seditious? Not in these words. The Jesuit who is now Pontiff  has his own words for the occasion. 

Modi himself would not go beyond tweeting “Had a very warm meeting with Pope Francis. I had the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues with him and also invited him to visit India. @Pontifex.” His gift, officials tweeted, were a silver candelabra, and a book on India’s initiatives in Climate Change initiatives. Fitting gift, that book, for the Papal meeting is on  side-lines of the summit on that impending crisis, and the Pope’s own  oft voiced concern on what mankind has done to its home, the planet earth. 

It is in the Pope’s gift that optimists and activists seek meaning, and home. Francis gave a circular bronze casting illustrating the biblical verse “The wilderness will become a fruitful field”, a quotation from the Old Testament Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter  32, verse 15. 

No one is, of course, expecting miracles. Not even those who ensured that the Vatican, and Italian, media give comprehensive coverage in recent days to the gross violation  of human rights and religious freedom in India. Reports carry the action of non-state and state actors, including the Sangh Parivar, and  prosecution and investigating agencies currently cracking down on individuals and groups in a finely choreographed black opera. 

There will be no withdrawal immediately of the central investigations of a cardinal’s books, or an assurance that a lesser bishop will be absolved of  serial sexual assault. FCRA regulations are not expected to be softened. And the  state of Uttar Pradesh, ruled by an Indian pontiff no less, will not suddenly ask Sangh cadres to stop beating up pastors, assaulting nuns, and young Muslim men. 

But the Pope and his senior curia, such as his secretary of state who also met Mr Modi, are no doubt acutely aware of the Indian situation today even as the National Human Rights Commission or the National Minorities Commission who continue to be in a state of denial. The media has strongly spoken of the atmosphere of xenophobia. 

The Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue in its greetings on Deepavali, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue speaks of the need for solidarity and fraternity. It hopes the festival will “light up” lives, even in the midst of the anxiety and uncertainty arising from the pandemic. 

“Both Christians and Hindus, can bring the light of hope in people’s lives in such challenging times”. There have been silver linings of solidarity and fraternity. The power of solidarity through assisting the needy, more so with an interreligious character and responsibility, gives visibility to the light of hope. Bringing light together in people’s lives through interreligious solidarity also validates the usefulness and resourcefulness of religious traditions in society,” the statement said. 

“It is incumbent upon religious and community leaders to nurture the spirit of fraternity among their followers with a view to helping them walk and work together with the people of other religious traditions, most especially during crises and calamities of every kind,” the Council statement concluded.

It is the verse illustrated in the bronze casting that theologians in the human rights family see refences to a hope of better governance in the land. It is, of course, not exactly the Raj Dharam mantra that the then prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee sought to remind the then chief minister of Gujarat in the 2002 pogram against the Muslim community. The Pope doesn’t speak in such language. Jesus himself spoke in parables. The connect resonates. 

In the mouth of the Prophet Isiah, the most prolific predicter from the age before the birth of Jesus,  is the vision of an age of peace and prosperity after the end of the prevailing tribulations. As explained by a Biblical commentary,  the beginning of the chapter says “That magistrates should do their duty in their places, and the powers answer the great ends for which they were ordained of.” 

And on the 12^th verse, the subject of the gift, the Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament says it gives a comprehensive prophesy of hope, “the destruction of the false would be followed by the realization of the true.

 “Until the Spirit is poured out over us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as the forest. And justice makes its abode in the desert, and righteousness settles down upon the fruit-field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the reward of righteousness rest and security for ever. And my people dwells in a place of peace, and in trustworthy, safe dwellings, and in cheerful resting-places.”

What more can people hope for, even those who do not believe in Abhramic Deity and prophesies of the Old Testament. To the believer, this is a chastisement of all that injures the people. 

The following is  Chapter 32 of Isiah in the Old Testament, which makes for salutary reading for everyone, Christian’s including:

.The Kingdom of Righteousness 

32 See, a king will reign in righteousness

and rulers will rule with justice.

2 Each one will be like a shelter from the wind

and a refuge from the storm,

like streams of water in the desert

and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

3 Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,

and the ears of those who hear will listen.

4 The fearful heart will know and understand,

and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.

5 No longer will the fool be called noble

nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

6 For fools speak folly,

their hearts are bent on evil:

They practice ungodliness

and spread error concerning the Lord;

the hungry they leave empty

and from the thirsty they withhold water.

7 Scoundrels use wicked methods,

they make up evil schemes

to destroy the poor with lies,

even when the plea of the needy is just.

8 But the noble make noble plans,

and by noble deeds they stand.

The Women of Jerusalem

9 You women who are so complacent,

rise up and listen to me;

you daughters who feel secure,

hear what I have to say!

10 In little more than a year

you who feel secure will tremble;

the grape harvest will fail,

and the harvest of fruit will not come.

11 Tremble, you complacent women;

shudder, you daughters who feel secure!

Strip off your fine clothes

and wrap yourselves in rags.

12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,

for the fruitful vines

13 and for the land of my people,

a land overgrown with thorns and briers—

yes, mourn for all houses of merriment

and for this city of revelry.

14 The fortress will be abandoned,

the noisy city deserted;

citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever,

the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks,

15 till the Spirit is poured on us from on high,

and the desert becomes a fertile field,

and the fertile field seems like a forest.

16 The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert,

his righteousness live in the fertile field.

17 The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;

its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.

18 My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,

in secure homes,

in undisturbed places of rest.

19 Though hail flattens the forest

and the city is levelled completely,

20 how blessed you will be,

sowing your seed by every stream,

and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.

The post Sparse statements, but Pope’s gift to Modi speaks volumes appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The hugs looked warm, though it was evident that it was a courtesy call, a formal meeting between two Heads of State. This is the first time Prime Minister Narendra Modi  and Pope Francis have met. The photos went viral quickly, and so did the news that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited Pope Francis to visit India soon. They also exchanged gifts, as the cameras captured every smiling moment.

It is reported that the Pope gave PM Modi a circular bronze plaque with the Biblical verse “The wilderness will become a fruitful field” (Isaiah 32:15). Prime Minister Modi gave the pope a silver candle stand and a book outlining India’s commitment to tackling climate change. PM Modi’s invite to Pope Francis on Saturday may also result in a trip that was supposed to have taken place years ago. The last Papal visit to India was of John Paul II, in 1999. In 2000, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had met Pope John Paul II in the Vatican. According to reports, the Vatican had not accommodated for Papal trip to India in 2016-2017. Pope Francis was in the neighbourhood as it were, and visited Myanmar and Bangladesh instead.

Now PM Modi himself shared the news of a possible papal visit, “Had a very warm meeting with Pope Francis. I had the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues with him and also invited him to visit India”.

Had a very warm meeting with Pope Francis. I had the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues with him and also invited him to visit India. @Pontifex pic.twitter.com/QP0If1uJAC

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 30, 2021

The Holy See Press Office Communiqué, was formal and brief in its recap of the Pope’s audience with the Prime Minister of India. It said, “Today, 30 October, the Holy Father Francis received in audience, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Mr. Narendra Modi. Subsequently, in the Secretariat of State, the Indian Prime Minister greeted His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States. During a brief conversation, the cordial relations between the Holy See and India were discussed.”

As reported by SabrangIndia, the news of anti-Christian violence has preceded Modi’s Vatican call. Even before the Vatican officially confirmed the meeting, information portals of the headquarters of the universal Catholic Church had carried a long report on the survey of churches in Karnataka. The Archbishop of Bangalore, Peter Machado, had denounced the survey as likely to fan further persecution at the hands of militant and violent extremists. The PM has been urged by the Church to use his power to see that these elements stop attacking communities, churches and educational institutions. The latest such letter to Mr. Modi was written by Bhopal Archbishop Leo Cornelio who said the prime minister must “take effective steps to contain rising violence against Christians.”

Will Pope-Modi meet lessen the hate Indian Christians have been subjected to?

Now that the meeting is over, the big question remains: will this meeting, in any way, mitigate the hate and violence that Indian Christians have been subject to, especially since 2014?  

According to Fr Suresh Mathew, Editor, Indian Currents weekly, “(The) meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pope Francis could be deemed a courtesy call. But what the nation looks forward to is its impact on the battered religious freedom in India and how far the Modi govt would protect the constitutional guarantee in this regard. More than photo ops and polemics, what matters is the ground reality. Hope the one to one discussion between the two would have a sobering effect on the Hindutva forces in the country which are going hammer and tongs against minorities in India.”

However, he also warned that even though the meeting between PM Modi and the Pope was a courtesy call, “it could be exploited for electoral advantage by the BJP in Goa and Manipur” and that it may “also give leverage to the Pro BJP Christian leaders in the South who spread hatred between minority communities.”

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Will Karnataka soon enact a tough “anti-conversion law”?

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It is now official. The Kerala Catholic Bishops Conference has confirmed that Pope Francis, known to the Catholic community of the world as the Holy Father, will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Vatican this Saturday, October 30. It is a courtesy call by Mr. Modi, who will be in Rome for a scheduled international conference. The meeting will take place reportedly at 8.30 P.M for 30 minutes.

The high-profile scheduled meeting of US President Joe Biden with the Pope, has invited global interest because of the issue of a woman’s right to have an abortion, and the Catholic Church’s stringent pro-life policy. A Modi-Francis meet will get eyeballs on the issue of persecution of Christians in many states in India. The custodial death of octogenarian and ailing Jesuit Fr Stan Swamy is much too recent to have receded from anyone’s memory. It was the Modi regime that incarcerated the activist priest known in India and the world for his outstanding work on the rights and dignity of India’s indigenous peoples (Adivasis).

The Vatican is acutely aware of the human rights and freedom of faith situation in India. Even before the Vatican officially confirmed the courtesy call of Mr. Modi, the information portals of the headquarters of the universal Catholic Church had carried a long report on the survey of churches in Karnataka. The Archbishop of Bangalore, Peter Machado, had in a press conference denounced the survey as likely to fan further persecution at the hands of militant and violent extremists.

And Mr. Modi himself has been urged by the Church to use his power to see that these elements stop attacking communities, churches and educational institutions. The latest such letter to Mr. Modi was written by Bhopal Archbishop Leo Cornelio who said the prime minister must “take effective steps to contain rising violence against Christians.”

No one really expects a miraculous end to the persecution of religious minorities in India after this meet. The Indian government simply does not acknowledge international criticism of its human rights situation. Its persistent defence has been that India has a secular Constitution, and it has institutions such as the courts, the National Human Rights Commission and the minority commissions as guarantors of the rights of citizens. It ignores even the criticism from the United Nations (UN) that the constitutional institutions have themselves suffered massive erosion during Mr. Modi’s term in office.

The Christian community makes up make up 2.3 per cent of India’s 1.3 billion population, and can be said to politically influential in Goa, Kerala and three small states in the North East, namely Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya. The rest of the population in most of these states (except Kerala where the Muslim minority is also a significant factor) are mostly Hindus.

Much is being made of impending elections in Goa with the BJP hoping that Modi’s meeting with the Pope will appease the Catholic voters, who make up a quarter of the state. The BJP has been in power for many years, but with the Congress, AAP and Trinamool Congress in the fray this time, BJP hopes that weaning away even a section of the Catholic vote may help it retain power.

Insiders say that the Indian government pushed hard for the visit to the Vatican to happen, with Kerala Bishops playing a key role. And yet, Mr. Modi has for seven years resisted repeated requests by the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) to invite the Pope on an official visit. Pope Francis, who has come as close to home as Sri Lanka, is said to be keen to meet the Christian community in India.

From Modi’s point of view, it would have been strange for him to spend three days in Rome without making a courtesy visit to the Vatican which is in reality not much bigger than a district of Rome though it is a sovereign state with Pope Francis as its Head of State. Though it is not entirely clear which back-channel interlocutors made this courtesy meeting possible, but several important Malayalee leaders of the BJP, including a state governor, have been intermediaries between the Kerala church and the Prime Minister’s office.

Mr. Modi, had to listen to US vice president, Kamala Harris, stress democracy and human rights when he called on her during his United Nations visit. The Pope may not be so direct, perhaps, but his position on human rights, freedom of faith and expression, are well known. He is a Jesuit, and the community is passionate about issues of development, rights and justice. Fr Stan Swamy, who was unjustly incarcerated by this regime was a Jesuit too.

India has been indicted in various international indices for its human rights record, and in particular for the persecution of Muslims and Christians.

The Indian Christian community is not expecting an immediate change in the ground situation or the Sangh Parivar and BJP attitude. It does hope that the judicial process will uphold the rights of all minorities, as also those of Dalits and Adivasis amongst whom the Church works.

The September October season has seen the most vicious attacks and curbs in the Christian community, apart from the continuing debasing of the much larger Muslim population.

The Bhopal Archbishop wrote to the prime minister just two days ago, on October 26– days after Hindustan Times had announced Mr. Modi’s Vatican visit. “Very recently certain individuals and groups have stepped up a hate campaign against minority groups, especially Christians,” he said.  

He pointed to the harassment of two Catholic nuns in the Mau district of Uttar Pradesh on October 10. A Hindutva mob took the Ursuline Franciscan Sisters Gracy Monteiro and Roshi Minj from a Mau bus stand to the nearest police station accusing them of illegal religious conversion. They were kept in the police station for over six hours without any formal complaint. [This was carried by Sabrangindia in an exclusive interview with the Nuns.]

In this letter, Archbishop Cornelio also cited the hate speech case of BJP legislator Rameshwar Sharma, who appealed to Hindus in a speech to “stay away” from Christians and Muslims, stressing that contact would destroy Hindus. Such public discourse from elected representatives seemed to be a “deliberate attempt to whip up communal hatred against minority communities is a matter of great concern for everyone.”

Rising religious fundamentalism and hatred, the prelate said, is “a threat to the growth of the nation,” the Archbishop wrote to Mr. Modi.

Various Christian organisations, including UFI, United Christian Forum and Persecution Relief have documented 305 attacks on Christians spread over 21 states since the beginning of the year. BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 66 incidents followed by Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh (47), tribal people’s Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-ruled Jharkhand (30) and BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh (26), according to data collected since January. Karnataka, another BJP-ruled state in the south, also witnessed a spurt in violence against Christians with 32 incidents.

Will the October 30 meeting, in any way, mitigate the hate and violence that Indian Christians have been subject to, especially since 2014?

Related:

Madhya Pradesh: Mob gives Catholic school 15 days to install a statue of goddess Saraswati

Over 300 attacks on Christians reported this year, over 2000 women, Adivasis and Dalits injured

Survey of Churches, anti conversion laws only empower radical mobs: Archbishop Peter Machado

Chhattisgarh: A dead woman’s ‘ghar wapsi’ before final rites were allowed

Will Karnataka soon enact a tough “anti-conversion law”?

The post News of anti-Christian violence precedes Modi in Vatican call appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On a historic visit to Iraq, including regions that were once occupied by Islamic State (IS) militants, Pope Francis said, “Fraternity is more durable than fratricide, hope is more powerful than hatred, peace more powerful than war.”

“… we say no to terrorism and the manipulation of religion.”
 

God can bring peace to this land. We trust in him and, together with all people of good will, we say “no” to terrorism and the manipulation of religion. #ApostolicJourney #Iraq

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) March 7, 2021

Addressing the global scourge of terrorists using “god” or “religion” to justify hate crime, the Pope added that fraternity and hope “can never be silenced by the blood spilled by those who pervert the name of God to pursue paths of destruction.”

The Pope has been on an Apostolic Journey to Iraq, that concludes today, March 8.

According to reports in the BBC, Pope Francis visited parts of northern Iraq that were held by Islamic State (IS) militants, and he prayed at the ruined churches in Mosul, the former IS stronghold. The IS had unleashed horrific violence in the area in 2014. This is the first ever papal visit to the country and the Pope’s first international trip since the Covid-19 Pandemic put the world in lockdown mode. 

On Sunday, the Pope was in Mosul’s Church Square, now in ruins,  where he prayed “for the victims of the war with the Islamic State group, which left thousands of civilians dead”, reported the BBC. The Pope said the exodus of Christians from Iraq and the broader Middle East had done “incalculable harm not just to the individuals and communities concerned but also to the society they leave behind”. 

According to Vatican news, at the end of Mass celebrated in Iraq’s northern city of Erbil, Pope Francis met Abdullah Kurdi, whose three-year-old son Alan, drowned with his brother and mother off the Turkish coast in September 2015 while trying to reach Europe. The image of the child’s lifeless body lying on a beach had shaken the world. The child became a symbol of the tragedy of migrations forced upon innocent citizens caught in the terror plots. 

A statement released by the Holy See Press Office on Sunday revealed that the Pope was “able to listen to the father’s pain for the loss of his family and express his and the Lord’s deep participation in the man’s suffering,” via a translator. The report added that Kurdi expressed his gratitude to the Pope for his words of closeness to his tragedy and “to that of all those migrants who seek understanding, peace and security when they leave their countries at the risk of their lives”.

Pope Francis also met the President and Prime Minister of the Autonomous Region of Iraqi Kurdistan and offered a “Prayer of Suffrage for the victims of the war in Hosh-al-Bieaa”.  

The Pope said, “The tragic diminution of Jesus’ disciples here and across the Middle East does incalculable harm not just to the individuals and communities concerned but also to the society they leave behind. Indeed such a richly diverse cultural and religious fabric as this is weakened by the loss of any of its members, however small. As in one of your intricately designed carpets, one small thread torn away can damage the rest.”

He added, “Today all of us raise our voices in prayer to Almighty God for all the victims of war and armed conflict. Here in Mosul, the tragic consequences of war and hostility are all too evident. How cruel it is that this country, the cradle of civilization, should have been afflicted by so barbarous a blow, with ancient places of worship destroyed and many thousands of people – Muslims, Christians, Yazidis, who were cruelly eliminated by terrorism, and others – forcibly displaced or killed!”

As he prayed, he shared his thoughts, “If God is the God of life – for so he is – then it is wrong for us to kill our brothers and sisters in his Name. If God is the God of peace – for so he is – then it is wrong for us to wage war in his Name. If God is the God of love – for so he is – then it is wrong for us to hate our brothers and sisters.”

However, the historic visit, that sends a strong message of peace and denounces religion-based terrorism, may not have been widely broadcast in the region itself. Media watcher Laith Marouf, shared over social media how it was telling that the Pope’s visit “is getting almost zero attention from Imperialist media globally and regionally; while the media of the Axis of Resistance are covering it wall to wall.” 

It is really telling how the visit of the Pope of Catholicism to Iraq, is getting zero attention from Imperialist media globally and regionally; while the media of the Axis of Resistance are covering it wall to wall. Here are a few things to consider on why. 1/

— Laith لَيث (@LaithMarouf) March 7, 2021

According to his observations, “Even the main Christian satellite stations in the Arabic world, mainly funded by the CIA, are covering only his sermons & avoiding his political messages.”

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Hindu Nationalism: From genesis to present ruling dispensation

The post We say no to terrorism and the manipulation of religion: Pope  appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“With shame and repentance,” went the Pope’s grave words, “we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives.”

What is left hanging in the air is any system of defined accountability, one characterised by an ancient institution mothballed by secrecy and obfuscation.  In the pointed words of Irish abuse survivor Marie Collins, “Statements from the Vatican or Pope should stop telling us how terrible abuse is, and how all must be held accountable.”

The Pope had been given a prompting this month, a nasty reminder he acknowledged in his note.  “Even though it can be said that most of these cases belong to the past, nonetheless as time goes on we have come to know the pain of the many of the victims.”  The Pennsylvania Supreme Court had made a near 900 page grand jury report investigating clerical sex abuse of minors public, a digging enterprise spearheaded by the Pennsylvania state Attorney General Josh Shapiro.  The grizzly bounty came to 301 accused priests, with some 1,000 victims throughout the state, and even then, it only covered six of the eight dioceses in the state.

The details read like chillingly lurid pornography: a priest in the Diocese of Erie who “fondled boys and told them he was giving them a ‘cancer check’”; a priest in the Diocese of Allentown who impregnated a 17-year-old and “forged another pastor’s signature on a marriage certificate”.  What also accompanied such acts of molestation was the divine remit: victims were assured that their sexual provision was part of a broader Godly purpose.

The exploits of some of the accused resemble catalogues of brutal overachievement.  Rev. Edward R. Graff, who served in the diocese of Allentown for 35 years, could add scores of victims to his repertoire. Much of his conduct was executed on the premise that he was “an instrument of god”.

After the abuse comes the vast apparatus, the doctrinally directed cover-ups that warn of continuing offending behaviour while still keeping matters bolted and in-house.  The report notes the point.  “What we can say, though, despite some institutional reform, individual leaders of the church have largely escaped public accountability.  Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it all.  For decades.”  Within the church itself, church officials received protection and succour. “Monsignors, auxiliary bishops, bishops, archbishops, cardinals have mostly been protected; many, including some named in this report, have been promoted.”

Matters have been particularly heady in the field of child abuse accusation this US summer.  Cardinal Theodore McCarrick resigned his cardinalship after accusations of abuse from adult seminarians and children.  On the other side of the planet, one of the Vatican’s highest ranking officials, Australia’s Cardinal George Pell, is busy battling charges of historical sex abuse.

Resistance to prodding from the secular world remains trenchant in some branches of the Church. In Australia, despite the passage of legislation breaching the sacred seal of the confession, priests have openly stated that they would sooner go to prison than reveal the contents of a penitent’s confession, even if it discloses instances of child abuse.  Church business remains resistant, defiantly so.

To that end, the shaking measures of legal action may be one of few mechanisms to ensure accountability.  Criminal prosecutions have tended to rarely succeed; issues of evidence and the passage of time often condemn them.  Civil lawsuits, as Timothy D. Lytton of Georgia State University argues, might have more prospects of success.  This, however, will face bars imposed by the statute of limitations. “Unless lawmakers across the country pass reforms to extend or suspend the statute of limitations in their states, I believe that the church will never provide a full accounting of the scandal.”

The language of Pope Francis can be misconstrued as healing and resolving.  It does neither.  The Church sprawls and continues to exist with its own rationales, its basis of functioning. It was the world’s first operational corporation, its crimes and infractions as much to do with that logic than anything else.  Until its approach to the powerful clerical class is reformed, the abuses will continue in the shadow of misused divinity.

Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge.  He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne.  Email: bkampmark@gmail.com

Courtesy: https://countercurrents.org
 

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Pope Francis said the death penalty, can never be sanctioned because it ‘attacks’ the inherent dignity of all humans. AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, file

But in spite of his definitive statement, Pope Francis’ act will probably only deepen the debate about whether Christians can support capital punishment.

As a Catholic scholar who writes about religion, politics and policy, I understand how Christians struggle with the death penalty – some cannot endure the idea and others support it as a way to deter and punish terrible crimes. Some Christian theologians have also observed that capital punishment could actually lead to a change of heart among criminals who might repent when faced with the finality of death.

Is the death penalty un-Christian?
 

The two sides

In its early centuries, Christianity was seen with suspicion by authorities. Writing in defense of Christians who were unfairly charged with crimes in second-century Rome, philosopher Anthenagoras of Athens condemned the death penalty and wrote that Christians “cannot endure even to see a man put to death, though justly.”

But as Christianity became more connected with state power, European Christian monarchs and governments regularly carried out the death penalty until its abolition in the 1950s through the European Convention on Human Rights. In the Western world, today, only the United States and Belarus retain capital punishment for crimes not committed during wartime. But China, and many nations in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa still apply the death penalty.

Support for the death penalty is falling worldwide. World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, CC BY-SA

According to a 2015 Pew Research Center Survey, support for the death penalty is falling worldwide. However, in the United States a majority of white Protestants and Catholics continue to be in favor of it.

Critics of the American justice system argue that the deterrence value of capital punishment is debatable. There are also studies showing that, in the United States, capital punishment is unfairly applied, especially to African-Americans.
 

Christian views

In the Hebrew Bible, Exodus 21:12 states that “whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.” In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus, however, rejects the notion of retribution when he says “if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

While it is true that the Hebrew Bible prescribes capital punishment for a variety of offenses, it is also true that later Jewish jurists set out rigorous standards for the death penalty so that it could be used only in rare circumstances.

A 2010 photo of a victims advocate Ann Pace who supports the death penalty. AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

At issue in Christian considerations of the death penalty is whether the state has the obligation to punish criminals and defend its citizens.

St. Paul, an early Christian evangelist, wrote in his letter to the Romans that a ruler acts as “an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” The Middle Ages in Europe saw thousands of murderers, witches and heretics put to death. While church courts of this period generally did not carry out capital punishment, they did turn criminals over to secular authorities for execution.

Thirteenth-century Catholic philosopher Thomas Aquinas argued that the death penalty could be justified for the greater welfare of society. Later Protestant reformers also supported the right of the state to impose capital punishment. John Calvin, a Protestant theologian and reformer, argued that Christian forgiveness did not mean overturning established laws.
 

The position of Pope Francis

Among Christian leaders, Pope Francis has been at the forefront of arguing against the death penalty.

The letter accompanying the Pope’s declaration makes several points. First, it acknowledges that the Catholic Church has previously taught that the death penalty is appropriate in certain instances. Second, the letter argues that modern methods of imprisonment effectively protect society from criminals. Third, the letter states that this development of Catholic doctrine is consistent with the thought of the two previous popes: St. Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

St. John Paul II maintained that capital punishment should be reserved only for “absolute necessity.” Benedict XVI also supported efforts to eliminate the death penalty.

Most important, however, is that Pope Francis is emphasizing an ethic of forgiveness. The Pope has argued that social justice applies to all citizens. He also believes that those who harm society should make amends through acts that affirm life, not death.

Jesus’ message was of forgiveness. Brandon, CC BY-SA

For Pope Francis, the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of life are the core values of Christianity, regardless of the circumstances.

This is an updated version of an article first published on April 27, 2017.
 

Mathew Schmalz, Associate Professor of Religion, College of the Holy Cross

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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The message of Pope Francis has four inter-related parts: (i) what is “fake” about fake news? (ii) how can we recognize fake news? (iii)“the truth will set you free” (iv) peace is the true news. In many ways, these parts are self-explanatory, but Pope Francis consistently emphasizes the non-negotiable dimensions of communicating truth and countering ‘fake news’ stating, “I would like to contribute to our shared commitment to stemming the spread of fake news and to rediscovering the dignity of journalism and the personal responsibility of journalists to communicate the truth.”

This is Pope Francis’ fifth Communications Day message. In 2014, his theme was ‘Communications at the Service of an Authentic Culture of Encounter; in 2015, it was about family and love; in 2016, on mercy; in 2017 on hope and trust and this year on truth. There has been a clear method in what he has been trying to communicate to the Church and to the world. His opening statements for this year’s message perhaps summarizes the thrust of his ‘spirituality of communications’, “Communication is part of God’s plan for us and an essential way to experience fellowship. Made in the image and likeness of our Creator, we are able to express and share all that is true, good, and beautiful. We are able to describe our own experiences and the world around us, and thus to create historical memory and the understanding of events”.

The Media Revolution has redefined the way people think and behave. Millions of people all over the world are ‘wired’ all the time: glued to the television or through the internet either on a computer or through a latest gizmo. It is no longer an exaggeration to say that we live today in a ‘virtual village’’ However sadly as Pope Francis says, “in today’s fast-changing world of communications and digital systems, we are witnessing the spread of what has come to be known as ‘fake news’”.

Lies, falsehoods, half-truths, exaggerations, disinformation, myths- the whole range in fact constitute what is known as ‘fake news’. Both traditional media and modern media are used effectively to spread such news. Pope Francis says succinctly, “spreading fake news can serve to advance specific goals, influence political decisions, and serve economic interests”; and he is right on spot. We experience this all the time. In the recent run-up to the Karnataka elections, we saw the amount of ‘fake news’ being dished out mainly by the right-wing elements. PM Modi in keeping with the ‘feku’ tag given to him went to town spewing lie after lie.

Fortunately, India is also blessed with several researchers, analysts, intellectuals and other effective communicators who were able to produce in no time very effective media presentations to counter these falsehoods. Significantly, these past few days a poster showing the Pm with the words ‘Lie Lama’ went viral on social media; printed posters of these apparently were also plastered in several areas in Delhi. A ‘fake’ letter attributed to the President of the CBCI on the ‘lingayat’ issue also naturally created a furor.

Across the world, several politicians and others with vested interests are known to propagate ‘fake news’. Even in the America of today so many fall trap to the tweets and rhetoric of their President. Take for example the recent case of the nuclear deal with Iran; inspectors who are closely monitoring Iran unequivocally state that the country has not reneged on its promises; besides every other party (country) who is signatory to the deal has no reason to suspect Iran. However, falsehoods are foisted on gullible people. One can cite several other examples of how truth can get convoluted by so-called leaders with   falsehood dished out.

Strangely enough, several Church personnel also are trapped in the web of ‘fake news’. Very often, particularly on social media one receives plenty of ‘forwards’; without caring to check the veracity of some news- like “Pope Francis to resign” ; “Christian Pastors going to be killed in Afghanistan” etc., -one happily goes on spreading them. Pope Francis rightly asserts, “fake news often goes viral, spreading so fast that it is hard to stop, not because of the sense of sharing that inspires the social media, but because it appeals to the insatiable greed so easily aroused in human beings”. He challenges all to counter this saying, “yet preventing and identifying the way disinformation works also calls for a profound and careful process of discernment. We need to unmask what could be called the “snake-tactics” used by those who disguise themselves in order to strike at any time and place”.

The core of Pope Francis’ message is that we have to be communicators of truth. “That is why education for truth means teaching people how to discern, evaluate and understand our deepest desires and inclinations, lest we lose sight of what is good and yield to every temptation.” He is convinced that only when we take a stand for the truth will we truly foster a “journalism of peace,… that is truthful and opposed to falsehoods, rhetorical slogans and sensational headlines…a journalism less concentrated on breaking news than on exploring the underlying causes of conflicts…, a journalism committed to pointing out alternatives to the escalation of shouting matches and verbal violence”.

It is no state secret that those who take a stand for truth, who foster a journalism of peace, have often to pay the price: they are sidelined, denigrated, false accusations are foisted on them and some even killed.  In January 2004, the  General Assembly of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) meeting in Thrissur, produced a path breaking statement, ‘Called to be a Communicating Church’ in which they highlighted “that  media have a prophetic role, indeed a vocation: to speak out against the false gods and ideals of the day materialism, hedonism, consumerism and narrow nationalism” . The statement also called for a Pastoral Plan for Communications; sadly, precious little has been done to ensure that “God’s plan for us” is mainstreamed! World Communications Day 2018 should galvanize us to revisit that statement, to vivify that call to be a communicating Church and to ensure its implementation. The message of Pope Francis is inspirational and challenge enough to   get our act together.

Pope Francis concludes his message with an adaptation of the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi,
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. 
Help us to recognize the evil latent in a communication that does not build communion. 
Help us to remove the venom from our judgements. 
Help us to speak about others as our brothers and sisters. 
You are faithful and trustworthy; may our words be seeds of goodness for the world: 
where there is shouting, let us practise listening; 
where there is confusion, let us inspire harmony; 
where there is ambiguity, let us bring clarity; 
where there is exclusion, let us offer solidarity; 
where there is sensationalism, let us use sobriety; 
where there is superficiality, let us raise real questions; 
where there is prejudice, let us awaken trust; 
where there is hostility, let us bring respect; 
where there is falsehood, let us bring truth. 
Amen.
 
We would do well to internalize this prayer and to act: to counter the fake news of today and to be communicators of truth because only the TRUTH WILL SET US FREE!
 

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What does it mean for a pope to apologize? AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

In times past, a personal apology from the pope would have been close to unthinkable.

Popes can make mistakes

Catholics believe the pope is the successor to the Apostle Peter, one of the first followers of Jesus. But Peter was a flawed human being: When confronted by a crowd, he denied his association with Jesus three times. Afterwards, according to the Gospel of Matthew, Peter “wept bitterly.”

For Catholics, Peter’s experience shows that even those specially chosen by God have deep-seated weaknesses for which they must show sorrow.

Popes are not always right in what they do, but their errors have been admitted only years – sometimes centuries – later. In 1992, for example, John Paul II apologized for the Catholic Church’s condemnation of Galileo that happened over 350 years earlier.
Once rare, papal apologies increased under the reign of John Paul II. While those apologies admitted that the Church made mistakes, they did not ask for forgiveness for past popes.

Church history on apology

In the middle ages, popes were not inclined to apologize at all, or even accept apologies. Most famously, in 1077 A.D., Pope Gregory VII initially rejected King Henry IV’s apology concerning a dispute over who had the power to appoint local bishops. The pope forced Henry, then the king of the Holy Roman Empire, to wait in a blizzard for three days before accepting him back into the Catholic Church.

This dismissive attitude gave way to soul-searching during the Second Vatican Council, a seminal meeting that modernized the Church, held in Rome from 1962-65. One of the most important issues Catholicism had to confront was its historical persecution of Jews. Thousands of Jews were killed as Crusaders made their way to Jerusalem. Jews were expelled from Catholic Spain in 1492. And most horrible was the Holocaust, or “Shoah,” the organized slaughter of over 6 million Jews, which occurred in Christian-majority nations during the Second World War.

In one of the council’s most important documents, Nostra Aetate, the Catholic Church rejected the idea that Jews were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Nostra Aetate also established a foundation for a more cooperative and respectful relationship between Christians and Jews.

In 1966, the Church moved to apologize for centuries of distrust between Catholics and Protestants, when Pope Paul VI gave his ring to Michael Ramsey, the head of the Anglican church – the 100th archbishop of Canterbury – as an offering of reconciliation.

Pope John Paul II. AP Photo/Alik Keplicz-file

Pope John Paul II gave many apologies, but usually on behalf of the Church for what was done centuries ago. Most notable was the “Day for Pardon” in March 2000, that asked forgiveness for a series of sins, including those “against the dignity of women and the unity of the human race” and “actions against love, peace, the rights of peoples, and respect for cultures and religions.”

But many remember how Pope John Paul II remained largely silent on the issue of clerical abuse because it “did not fit with his image of the Church,” according to Australian bishop Geoffrey Robinson. In a 2002 address to American cardinals, John Paul II did say he was “greatly grieved” that priests “had caused such suffering and scandal to the young,” but he stopped short of offering a personal plea for forgiveness.

Following John Paul’s example, Pope Benedict XVI stated in a 2010 letter that he was “sorry” that Catholics of Ireland had “suffered grievously” because of the “abuse of children and vulnerable young people.” But he did not apologize for lack of Vatican oversight over Irish bishops and priests.

Perhaps the closest parallel to Pope Francis’ apology was Pope Benedict’s expression of regret over “reactions” to his address in 2006 at the University of Regensburg, Germany, where he seemed to criticize Islam.
 

What is Pope Francis doing?

Fully accepting that the pope is a fallible human being can be somewhat of an emotional struggle for Catholics. While the pope – also called “The Vicar of Christ” – is considered to be infallible when he formally makes a statement about Catholic doctrine concerning “faith and morals,” the pope certainly makes mistakes in his priestly service and personal life.

Francis, however, is not shy about admitting his own fallibility as a pope and as a person. In fact, he said in a 2013 interview:
 

“I am a sinner. This the most accurate definition. It is not a figure of speech, a literary genre. I am a sinner.”

With that statement, Pope Francis was saying that he – a leader of 1 billion people – needs forgiveness and mercy too. And mercy and forgiveness have been the central themes of his pontificate.

Of the many responsibilities of a pope, chief among them is being a teacher. And when Francis apologized to the people of Chile and to victims of sexual abuse, he also was teaching the rest of us how to admit our sins as a first step in making things right.

Mathew Schmalz, Associate Professor of Religion, College of the Holy Cross

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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