Molly Fernandes

Religious life is a treasure that we carry in earthen vessels and is nurtured by prayer and the word of God prayed together as a community.

"The scapular represents for me the comforting presence of the Blessed Mother in my life and her maternal protection each and every moment and in all situations," writes Sr. Molly Fernandes.

We are called to straighten perverse attitudes and inadequate behavioral patterns of communication, as well as straighten the warped or broken relationships in our families, communities, presbyteries and society.

The words of Jesus, "Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled and the one who humbles himself will be exalted," have guided Sr. Molly Fernandes's journey to a life with purpose. 

All of us are called to do our part in taking care of our common home in simple ways. That includes caring for people, animals, plants and the earth.

On Easter Monday, Sister Phileshin was celebrating her gift of life — a life of seeking justice for the anawim of society — when she received a heart-rending, memorable gift for her birthday.

I attended a wedding, and I was moved by the homily. I liked the three short stories I heard there. The stories spoke of the ingredients of everlasting commitment — the commitment in both marriage and religious life.

2023 is a good time to look ahead with hope (for hope does not disappoint us), to renew our resolutions to be different, and do some creative thinking with the free intelligence given by God to glorify his name.

When we accompany, it is the other person who leads the walk. We are happy to stay close, to give support, making our presence felt to encourage, motivating them when they are weary, lost and neglected.

Our mission of compassion need not involve going to far-off places outside our city. It begins first in our homes, convents, presbyteries and neighborhoods — and with our family members.

When the presence of God is no longer in us, we become weak, and the need for things, power, position and security arises. My search for God can get clouded or I can be led astray.

As parts of the body of Christ, each of us has an important role in keeping our communities in unity and harmony. A perfect example of union in communion is a tree, whose parts are interconnected and interdependent.

Started by the Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth in 1986, the Kiran Niketan Social Centre is a ray of light to marginalized and deprived migrant women in three slum areas in Sancoale, Goa, India.

Sr. Monica Coelho believes everyone deserves an education. For 21 years, she has worked to make differently abled children independent and helped them tap their hidden potential.

When Pope Francis announced the Year of St. Joseph, it befitted our hidden lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, with millions of people in troubled waters, homeless and separated from their loved ones.

On this day we are reminded — especially consecrated people — to spread the light, joy, love and peace of Jesus Christ through service, by word and example, and by being his witnesses in the course of our different apostolates.

On that first day of the first month, we needed to make promises to our good selves: I prefer the word "promise" because it has more weight and age than the word "resolution."