WHISPERS From The EAST

In the most unexpected places and moments, one can find profound gratitude. “I’m grateful I went to jail… jail saved me,” were the words of a man who visited me this evening. He shared that for approximately 7/8 years, he was heavily involved in alcohol and drugs, including heroin. He viewed his 18-month prison sentence as a period of grace. Now, it’s been 20 months since he touched alcohol. He sees his success as inseparable from his faith in God’s strength. Although he still resides in a hostel with 18 other occupants and relies on sick benefits, he’s grateful for the experience. According to him, many others in different places aren’t as fortunate. He perceives God as in the story of “footprints.” For him, God never abandoned him. God was always with him even in the toughest times. I added that his faith in God must be coupled with diligent effort. It’s not just about praying; he also needs to strive and work hard for a better life. That’s “Ora et Labora.” “I don’t want to c...

Burnham-On-Sea Holiday Village, West Country, England By Fr Nilora SVD Never did I imagine that one day I would find myself residing in a caravan. Caravans had always been associated in my mind with the “travellers” of Ireland or the “gypsies” in other places. Yet, the opportunity I had never foreseen finally arrived. Caravan Chronicles: It all began with an invitation from my friends, my fellow parishioners, hailing from the Philippines. They asked me to join them on a holiday at the Burnham-on-Sea Holiday Village, which is approximately an hour’s drive from Bristol. Our sojourn lasted from July 17 to July 19, 2006. We comprised four families, including 12 adults and 9 children. With four vehicles, we could comfortably accommodate our group of 21 people. Thankfully, no one was double-sized, although I was often teased by my friends with questions like, “How many months pregnant are you, ’Fr?” Still, I believed I could fit into a single regular seat. Caravan Comfort: Our accommodatio...

By Nicodemus Lobo Ratu Having studied the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) process, I began to ask: "Is there any connection between the RCIA and our popular culture at the present time?" lucky enough, I found the answer in the film 'Dances With Wolves'. Therefore, it is quite understandable if I try to reflect on this film in the light of the RCIA process. One of the main issues around the RCIA is that people think that the RCIA is only a collection of rituals that will finish at the end of initation process. In fact, it is not only a collection of rituals but it is an on going process in life. This mindset, of course, comes from the trends in our culture nowadays. One of them is the 'instant culture'. Film 'Dances With Wolves' in the Light of the RCIA Process Film 'Dances With Wolves' is one of the best films of our time, which is the winner of seven Oscars in 1990. This film tells a story of an American soldier, Lt. John Dunbar...

By Nicodemus Lobo Ratu,SVD An Interesting Encounter It was rainy day in December 1999, on my way home from the Dental hospital, I came across Anthony, a middle-aged homeless man, who was sitting beside a hotel, close to Merrion's Square, Dublin. By chance probably, my feelings made me stop and talk with him. He was not an ordinary homeless because he was selling his collection of poems which was typed in very simple A4 paper. I read his poems and talked with him about them for quite a while. As an example, one of his poems, which I think describe a bit of his life: The Kid I am the kid that stands in the corner And nobody asks him to play I am the kid that stands there Looking at the world passing by I am the kid that cried out in the night And nobody heard a sound I am the kid that found out what pain was like an early age I am the kid that dreamed all dreams And not one came true I am the kid who wants to be loved And knows it will never come true I am the man that knows loneline...

In the fast-paced world of today, where technology connects us across oceans and cultures, it’s often the simple moments of connection that remind us of the beauty of human relationships. As I gazed at the screen displaying photographs of my friends from KKMK in Puncak, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing. “I wish I were there,” a British friend of mine remarked, his voice laced with envy. “Why?” I inquired, curious about the source of his yearning. His response, “They are young… I wish we had many of them here,” struck a chord deep within me. For after months spent working in a parish in Bristol, England, the absence of youthful exuberance had left me with a profound sense of “loss.” It is with gratitude in my heart that I reflect on the time I spent assisting at Arnoldus Bekasi Parish in 2004, an experience that brought me in close contact with the vibrant members of KKMK Arnoldus Bekasi. Three in One: Prayer, Charity, and Recreation My immersion into the world of KKMK b...

By Fr Nilora SVD I am but a stranger, In the realm of wonder. Alone, I wander, Through the city of Molly Malone. Yearning to converse with a sparrow, Yet unsure of the how. Longing to stroll upon the sky, Yet questioning the why. Love beckons, saying: “Come, let’s savor wine, Inebriated on potent elixir Divine. Tomorrow, a marvel much like today, Or perhaps, even more so,” it does convey. (Adapted from Isaiah 56:12).