Even as the next E-newsletter is ready for dispatch, I wish to draw your kind attention to the following:

On 19 March 2013, more than 500 people of the ‘Right to Food’ Campaign who had gathered at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, rejected the National Food Security Bill 2013 that had been passed by the cabinet of the UPA Government.

The 5^th Adivasi cultural festival and competitions were organized at SHAKTI-Legal aid and Human Rights Centre, Songadh, Tapi Dt., Gujarat,  on 9 and 10February 2013. The programme was  jointly planned and organized by  Adivasi  Mahamandal  Charitable Trust,  Adivasi Sarvangi  VikasSangh  (of  Nizar, Uchhal, Songadh,  Vyara,  Mandvi,  Mangrol and Umarpada) and SHAKTI LAHRC, Songadh.

In his Palm Sunday homily, on 24 March 2013, Pope Francis referred to Jesus’ Resurrection as a conquest - a triumph over evil. In Pope Francis’ own words, the evil includes:  “Wars, violence, economic conflicts that hit the weakest, greed for money, power, corruption, and divisions, crimes against human life and creation! And our personal sins: our failures in love and respect towards God, towards our neighbour and towards the whole of creation.” The new Pope went on to assert that the evil was conquered “with the force of God’s love... with his (Jesus’) resurrection.”

Women’s Day is an occasion for women to review their status and conditions against human rights standards and against their own aspirations. It is also an occasion for women to come and to become aware of their potentials and to press for a better standard of living, for equality and dignity.

Everyone was shocked when recently the Maoists had tied bombs to the dead bodies of jawans in Latehar. The media highlighted this for days together. It deserved condemnation and rightly so. Why did they do it and from whom did they learn that type of cruelty?

Our Commitment to the Making of a Vibrant Democracy in India

Thirty Jesuits of India with some of their collaborators, invited by the JESA Secretariat, met from 15^th to 17^th March 2013 at the Indian Social Institute, New Delhi to deliberate on the future of our mission in the changed environment of the Indian state and to identify areas and methodologies for effective interventions and collaboration with institutions, movements, citizens and civil society.

The Secretariat of Jesuits in Social Action (JESA) organised a deliberation at the Indian Social Institute, New Delhi, from 15^th to 17^th March 2013. Thirty Jesuits working for social justice across India, along with a few of their collaborators, deliberated on the future of their mission in the changing environment of the Indian state and sought to identify areas and methodologies for effective interventions and collaboration with institutions, movements, citizens and civil society.

In the name of the Society of Jesus, I give thanks to God for the election of our new Pope, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., which opens for the Church a path full of hope.

Praised be God, for He has blessed us with a new Pope! A month ago the entire Church was plunged into shock and utter disbelief when Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI announced his resignation. However, the election of the new Pope has enabled the Church to recover from the shock. Indeed it has brought immense joy to the world for more than one reason. Pope Francis’s election is marked by many distinctions.

JESA wishes our friends the gift of HOPE in the NEW YEAR. “Hope is one of God’s greatest gifts to all of us because it is the magic that inspires us to keep trying, learning, loving and living.” In this New Year, I wish to place the following suggestions to the consideration of my fellow Jesuits so that JESA could effectively be taken forward:

Here are a few announcements of programmes that are being conducted in different provinces. Those who are interested could participate in those programmes.

Kolkata, October 16: A strong contingent of 200 representatives from Udayani Social Action Forum, Kolkata, joined a strong crowd of five thousand people on World Food Day with demands that they have been raising since 2^nd October as part of Right to Food Yatra!