Sunday, October 20, 2013

CALL MEET WITH M C MICHAEL 2013

THE DRAFT MINUTES
XII MEETING ON 14TH OCT 2013 PASTORAL CENTRE, SANTHOME CHENNAI

The gathering started at 11.00 hours. Participants are Rev M C Michael former YCS/YSM[1] National Chaplain, Deepam (ex YCW/CWM[2]), Sara Christi (ex YCS/YSM), Antony Fernandez (Tony, ex DYC[3]), Gnanaraj (ex YCS/YSM, ex AICUF[4], ex AICUF Full Timer), Dr Magimai Prakasam SIGNIS[5](ex AICUF), Parimalam (ex YCS/YSM), Amuthan (s/o Jayaseelan ex YCS/YSM) and his friend. Josephraj and Armstrong excused as they have pre arranged engagements. Sheela, Pauldoss, Auxilia, A L Xavier, Adaikalasami, Rosario and others could not make it.
Gnanaraj explained the reason and context behind the gathering. The former members of YCS/YSM, AICUF, MIJARK[6], YCW and CWM wanted to share their experiences and seek support from other members. Hence, the need was felt unanimously. The first such meeting was held as a family gathering on 2nd October, 2002 in the residence of Josephraj at Chengalpattu. The meeting coincided with the consecration of Rev A Neethinathan as the bishop of Chengalpattu. He was a well wisher of many of the members and was the youth worker during the international year of youth 1985.
The II and III meetings were hosted in the residence of Gnanaraj at Aynavaram, Chennai in 2003 and 2004 respectively.
The IV gathering was hosted by Sara Christi at her residence in Pallavaram, Chennai in 2005. The gathering was a full-fledged family gathering.
The V gathering was hosted by Armstrong in Emmaus Neelangarai Chennai in 2006.
The VI gathering was held in Pastoral centre Santhome, Chennai with the help of Antony Fernandez who worked as laity secretary in 2007
The VII gathering was hosted by M I Deepam in the Fatima Church Tambaram in 2008.
The VIII, IX, X and XI gatherings were held in Pastoral Centre considering the inability of family members to attend the meeting due to education of the children.
Gathering for 12 years continuously itself is a great achievement for us who are involved in social issues at various levels and within the church.


The discussion started with the prevailing socio, political, economic, cultural and spiritual (SPECS) issues in the state. The murder of the college principal was discussed at length to ascertain what ails the youth in general and in professional colleges. It is alleged that the management demanded high donations and those who failed to pay were penalised by holding attendance and internal marks. To everyone’s horror, many students covertly support the murderous students.
It is created by the GOTN[7], educational department and business people masquerading as educationists, who have failed to train the minds of the youth. Civics and humanities in the studies are neglected totally. Moral science and scripture classes are stopped forthwith. The hand work and handicrafts classes do not exist. Physical education is not emphasised.
No YCS/YSM, AICUF in schools and colleges. NCC[8] and NSS[9] are ridiculed upon. The human aspects are totally absent in today’s syllabus. The only role model the youth gets is the negative role models from cinema. Even the family, teachers and religious leaders have failed to be role models for the youth.
Hence, we resolved that we shall share our concern with the civil society, educationists, social democrats and human rights activists, organisations which work with students.  Also we request them to pursue and lobby with powers that are concerned.
In the individual sharing Tony shared that the change in the leadership i.e. new arch bishop, has set in a halt of many programs that were going on with the former Arch Bishop. Due to alleged funds crisis, the various Commissions were denied funds for the current year. The leadership is primarily preoccupied with the funds crisis. Hence, no serious activity is going on. The same is echoed with the various lay movements like CRMI[10], AICU[11] and the National Christian Party. In some pockets of the state like Tiruchy and Chengalpattu the party is active. Also some opposition has come from the religious leaders ie ecclesia.

This has dispirited many experienced lay leader of both gender to feel had they invested the time and energy outside the church, some space could have been created in the society at large. However, they were counselled that in the welfare and orientation of the future generations, the space we have in the church should never be left vacant.

Gnanaraj shared his overseas experiences in the Arch Diocese of Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and the Metro Manila, the Philippines. The year of faith as declared by the previous pope has coincided with the Golden Jubilee of the Vatican II conference which heralded a new awakening among the catholic laity. The churches in Quezon, Sta Mesa, Quapo and Metro Manila are full of activities and the youth are in the forefront. It is heartening to see the youth of both genders have actively engaged in the church activity besides with YCS/YSM. The experiences in the Kuala Lumpur Arch Diocese Malaysia and Pulao Penang are also similar. The Tamil majority of these dioceses are active and in the forefront. The Chinese and the Malay are also not lagging behind. He suggested that the experiences of these places may be taken as boosters for those are dejected with the Tamil Nadu Catholic Church leaders. To everyone’s disgust, the church did not have time atleast to issue condemnation statement of the killing of the Christians in the church in Pakistan.

Deepam shared that the present editorial team must retain its hold on the magazine “um Vaakku”. Ic case, the entire team wishes to get out, there must be an alternate magazine. The abrupt closure of the earlier lay magazines like RAJA GURU, MAANUDA VIDIYAL, etc was discussed. However, it was felet that good cause never lacked financial sources. He asked for a meeting of the editorial team to discuss further. Tony asked for a month to convene the meet. Gnanaraj said that an appeal can be made to the laity organisations world over for support. Also, the membership can be widened to the Tamil Catholics all over the world.
The gathering went for lunch nearby hotel. The post lunch session started with the sharing of Dr Magimaiprakasam, Director, CAMERA TRUST, Chennai. He is an ex-AICUFER and was the editor of Then Mazhai, once very popular Tamil small magazine among the college students and activists. The trust is engaged in training, research and production for media education in India and all over the world both for the lay and religious. He has been one of the office bearers of the catholic print media in the international, national and state level executive committees.

He stated that family, school and religion are the three steams that make up the minds of the youth. The family being the first school and the school being the second home the role of these two streams are very important. The media has corrupted the youth, students and others. The multi Crores ad films in an essentially black coloured people live are based on one point program- to be fair is always acceptable. Further, the ads target the children to buy certain branded products of the MNCs[12] for consumption. The ads as interludes between the mega serials prepare the viewer for consumer culture. Therefore enormous efforts are needed to create awareness to discern chaff from the grain and appreciate the good and reject the bad. In the present scenario the family and school have abdicated their responsibility and blame each other. The religious forms for many decades have ceased to be the catalyst in the present consumer society. Consumer culture paves the way for Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization to creep in to local markets.  Local products are considered inferior and are not considered as status symbols.

The students are advised to study well, get a good job, and fly to America the modern Mecca/Jerusalem. The parents have no time to be with children and are always busy with making money. The schools are more worried making money than imparting education. The modern communication gadgets like mobile phones, internet and tabs have increased the vulnerability of the youth and students.

Finally Parimalam shared her experience. She has launched a health care centre at St Thomas Mount. Besides a counsellor, she has been a health adviser. She stated that her social responsibility is fulfilled thus.

Thanks giving.
Gnanaraj thanked Rev M C Michael for having agreed to come for every meeting. Special thanks was given to Dr Magimaiprakasam and Parimalam. After a brief prayer by Sara and Michael the meeting ended at 4.30 pm.

The following three issues were resolved.
  1. Draft a petition to educationists on the demoralising situation due to the evil effects of the media developing in schools and colleges
  2. To explore the possibility of launching an independent lay magazine with Tony at the editor’s disk.
  3. To launch a Knowledge Centre in Chennai with Armstrong as the person in-charge.

M C Michael 9865097601, Anthony Fernandez 9444006334/ Josephraj 9443326295/ Gnanaraj  9445393659, Sara 9283228113, Sheela 9840997999, Armstrong  9543142789, Jeyaseelan 9176747992, Dheepam 9444330393, James Victor  9443131231/04637279145, Rita Devanesan 9443710133, Rosario 9840251065, Tensingh ‚ 9444248879, Xavier 9841801028,

V GERALD, 13/10, SOUTH BOAG ROAD, T NAGAR, CHENNAI 600017 9444917397
AUXILIA PETER, 94/7, SOUTH WEST BOAG ROAD, T NAGAR, CHENNAI 600017 98402 47636
M I DHEEPAM, 22 F/1 B BLOCK, LAKSHMI APARTMENTS, TANK ST NO 1, WEST TAMBARAM, CHENNAI 600045
JOHN BRITTO  BARAKKA ILLAM, 25 SECOND ST, BISHOP DAVID NAGAR, BEHIND TSTC VELLORE 632007
A K JOSEPH KENNEDY, 495, 14TH EAST CROSS ST, M K B NAGAR, CHENNAI 600059 26736172/9380066172/9380303670
D ADAIKALASAMY, 1172, THENDRAL COLONY, 4TH ST,19TH MAIN ROAD, ANNANAGAR CHENNAI 600040 9446593667

[1] YCS/YSM : Young Christian Students/Young Students Movement
[2] YCW/CWM: Young Christian Workers/Catholic Workers’ Movement
[3] DYC: Diocesan Youth Commission
[4] AICUF: All India Catholic University Federation
[5] SIGNIS: International Catholic Print Media Association
[6] MIJARK: Young Farmers Association
[7] GOTN: Govt of Tamil Nadu
[8] NCC: National Cadet Corps
[9] NSS: National Social Service
[10] CRMI: Catholic Renewal Movement Of India
[11] AICU: All India Catholic Union
[12] MNCs- multinational corporations like Colgate,  Nestle, Samsung, nokia, KFCs, etc