Church’s
Response toMillennium
Development Goals
A Contemporary
Opportunity to Promote Human Development
Message
From The Chairperson
Dear Sisters
and Brothers,
This year,
the Justice Sunday message focuses on the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). The eight MDGs, which contain eighteen targets
and forty-eight indicators, emanate from the Millennium Declaration
that was adopted by 189 heads of state at the United Nations
Millennium Summit, in September 2000. The benchmark being1990,
the goals are to be achieved by 2015.
The eight
MDGs are resonant of the Biblical precepts and the social
teaching of the Church that accentuate the love of neighbour
and underscore the individual and collective obligation to
facilitate the development of ‘each person and of the
whole person’.
In a
fast growing economically powerful India, every third person
lives Below Poverty Line, Every second child is malnourished
and every third girl child is unable to complete eight years
of schooling. While gender equality remains a far distant
dream in India, the cancerous caste system endangers holistic
development, despite 63 years of independence. The MDGs aim
to reverse these situations. It is hoped that achieving the
goals will put us on a fast track to a world that is more
just, more secure, and more peaceful.
With
only five years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
has called on world leaders to attend a summit in New York
on 20-22 September to accelerate progress towards the MDGs.
Seeing in the UN Millennium Campaign a ccontemporary opportunity
to promote human development, the CBCI Commission for Justice,
Peace and Development found it fitting and imperative for
the Church in India to join the Millennium Campaign.
At this
Justice Sunday, I appeal to each member of the Church in India
to urge and pressurize the governments and the leaders to
keep their promise and to make sure the MDGs are achieved
before the deadline. Let us “be part of the generation
that puts an end to poverty”.
+ Bishop Yvon Ambroise
Chairman,
CBCI Commission for Justice, Peace and Development
Suggestions
for Justice Sunday Liturgy
Introduction
Dear Sisters
and Bothers,
Every
Eucharistic celebration is a commemoration of Jesus’
martyrdom for the cause of God’s Kingdom. And, it is
also an invitation for us, his believers and followers, to
rededicate ourselves to the same cause. Today’s liturgy
has a very special significance as the Church in India observes
Justice Sunday – a day that beckons us to renew our
commitment to the cause of justice.
On seeing
the situation of indigence and hunger in which people of his
time lived, Jesus was moved to pity and compassion. He envisaged
a new society, the Kingdom of God, which was and is a negation
of all negatives and which would be inherited by the poor
themselves (Lk 6:20-21).
Likewise,
with a vision to end poverty, hunger, disease and environmental
degradation that affect the lives of billions of people around
the world, the heads of government of 189 countries signed
the United Nations Millennium Declaration, at the United Nations
Millennium Summit in September 2000, and committed themselves
to attaining eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by
2015.
The world
has the money, resources and technology to achieve these Goals.
But, governments have to take urgent and concrete action now.
It’s up to us to make sure leaders follow through on
these commitments. At this Eucharistic celebration, let us
pray to God that He may strengthen and enable us to accomplish
this contemporary duty.
Penitential
Rite
Celebrant: We are sorry, Lord, for our failure
to share your compassion for the underprivileged and the disadvantaged.
Lord, have mercy!
Celebrant:
We are sorry, Christ, for our failure to comprehend your vision
of God’s Kingdom, which is a new society where every
one will enjoy fullness of life. Christ, have mercy!
Celebrant:
We are sorry, Lord, for our failure to understand that our
faith in you demands an unflinching commitment to the cause
of justice and to the cause of building a new and just society.
Lord, have mercy!
Opening
Prayer (Celebrant):
God of justice and compassion, you created all that is required
for the humankind to lead a happy and contented life. When
man’s depravity engendered deprivation, diseases, discrimination,
disparity – all of which are hostile to human dignity
– you sent your only Son,
Jesus
Christ, in order to heal the world and to transform it into
a new society where every one will savour the fullness of
life without discrimination. Help us, God, our Mother and
Father, to participate in the ongoing liberative mission of
your Son. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever
and ever. Amen.
Liturgy
of the Word
Reading
I: Nehemiah 9:1, 5 & 19-21
(Introduction: The passage from the Book of Nehemiah demonstrates
how God affirmed and satisfied the needs of the Israelites.
The same passage is also an assurance to us today that He
will take care of us in such a way that we will lack nothing
– on account of His compassion.)
Reading II: Galatians 3:26-29
(Introduction: Apostle Paul states that by virtue of our faith
in Jesus Christ we become Children of God and that there can
be neither division nor disparity among us. This second reading
challenges us to shed all practices of discrimination. It
is time we met this challenge!)
Gospel
Reading: Matthew 25: 34-40
(The entry into heaven depends on our actions and on our attitude
towards the needy and the marginalized. In other words, God
comes to us in the form of the poor, as Daridranarayana, as
God incarnate in the poor)
Outlines
for Homily
1. Bad
News (Facts we cannot ignore):
There are currently 260 million people in India living below
the official poverty line (BPL) of Rs 12 per day (Govt of
India).
More than a third of the scheduled caste and almost half
of the scheduled tribe population live below the official
poverty line
There are more than 200 million malnourished people in India
(UN estimates) including around 70 per cent of India's rural
populations.
The country is home to half of the world's malnourished
children – more than in Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to a UNESCO report (2005), India is officially
home to the most illiterate people in the world.
The Government estimates that there were about 95 lakh students
out of school in 2005.
Amongst Scheduled Castes and Tribes, the dropout rate between
Class 1 and 10 is 73%.
Only 8 per cent of seats in Parliament are held by women.
As per the 2001 Census there are currently just 927 girls
under 6 years for every 1000 boys, marking a decline from
945 in the last decade alone.
The number of rapes per day has increased by nearly 700
per cent since 1971 (National Crime Records Bureau).
2.7 million Children under 5 die every year. At 58 deaths
per 1000 live births, India's Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)
is worse than many countries in Sub- Saharan Africa. One
out of ten Indian children will not reach the age of 5.
India has the largest number of maternal deaths in the world.
UN agencies report that maternal death is 41 times more
likely in India than in the US
NACO estimates, there are at least 25 lakh (2.5 million)
people infected with HIV in India (2006).
In 2006, 16.7 (1.67 million) lakh malaria cases were reported
in India, i.e., one in about 630 persons.
In India 18 lakh (1.8 million) tuberculosis cases occur
annually, accounting for one-fifth of the world's new TB
cases and two-thirds of the cases in the South-East Asia
Region
If greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase at their
current rate, leading to a global temperature rise of 4-5°
C, scientists have predicted that the South Asia region
will be faced with 12.5 crore climate migrants.
By 2025, the per capita availability of water is likely
to slip below the critical mark of 1,000 cubic metres.
About 4 in 5 households in India and over half of schools
do not have toilet facilities.
2.
Good News:
In 2000, leaders from 189 countries signed the United Nations
Millennium Declaration and made a commitment to achieve
eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. The signatories
are duty-bound to keep their commitments.
The
Millennium Development Goals are:
1.
Eradicate
extreme poverty and hunger
2.
Achieve
universal primary education
3.
Promote
gender equality and empower women
4.
Reduce
child mortality
5.
Improve
maternal health
6.
Combat
HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7.
Ensure
environmental sustainability
8.
Develop
a global partnership for development
India is one of the 189 signatories. India’s commitment,
if honoured well, will make a world of difference in the
situation of its people.
The MDGs have been integrated into an increasing number
of national development plans. A recent example: the Right
to Education Act that came into effect from 1 April 2001
promises free and compulsory education up to class VIII
for children aged between 6 and 14 years
The world has enough resources for the realization of MDGs.
Achieving the goals – of course, they are attainable
goals – will put us on a fast track to a world that
is more stable, more just, more secure and more peaceful.
The developed world has made a promise to transfer 0.7%
of GDP in development assistance. (The developed world has
to be pressurized to honour the promise.)
“The
commitment to pursue the MDGs was again confirmed on other
important occasions, such as the Monterrey Conference in
March 2002 and the Johannesburg Summit in August 2002.”
You
and I can contribute to the achievement of the MDGs by mounting
pressures on the governments and on the leaders to honour
their promises.
3.
Catholic Social Teaching on Development:
True
to the teaching and example of her divine Founder, who cited
the preaching of the Gospel to the poor as a sign of His
mission, the Church has never failed to foster the human
progress of the nations to which she brings faith in Christ.
The
development We speak of here cannot be restricted to economic
growth alone. To be authentic, it must be well rounded;
it must foster the development of each man and of the whole
man.
He
(man) has the right to bodily integrity and to the means
necessary for the proper development of life, particularly
food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and, finally,
the necessary social services.
Collaboration
in the development of the whole person and of every human
being is in fact a duty of all towards all, and must be
shared by the four parts of the world: East and West, North
and South.
Adhering
to the values of Christianity is not merely useful but essential
for building a good society and for true integral human
development.
4.
Biblical Reflections:
God’s
compassion as well as providence was such that for forty
years He sustained the Israelites in the desert; they lacked
nothing. (Nehemiah 9: 19-21)
Jesus not only proclaimed, “Blessed are you who hunger
now, for you will be satisfied” (Luke 6: 21), he also
fed thousands of people (Luke 9: 12-17).
The
Gospel today urges us to show compassion to the marginalized
and disadvantaged brethren in our society and clarifies
that whatever we do to them is rendered to God Himself.
Jesus
asserts that the arrival of ‘the year of the Lord's
favor’ would be marked by good news being proclaimed
to the poor and the release of the oppressed (Lk 4: 16-21)
Placed
in this context, St Paul’s words (Galatians 3:26-29)
would only mean that having no division nor discrimination
nor disparity among us is yet another mark of ‘the
year of the Lord's favor’.
Reading the signs of the time, we have reasons to believe
that the year 2015, the deadline for achievement of MDGs,
will be ‘the year of the Lord's favor’.
Prayers
of the Faithful:
Celebrant: God sent His only Son, Jesus, into
this world that we may have fullness of life. However, we are
confronted with misery and misfortune. Let us raise our supplications
to God who hears us and who can change any situation in our
favour;
Intercession 1: God of justice, we pray for
those who are suffering extreme poverty and hunger, and especially
for women and children who are very vulnerable. Comfort them
and enlighten our national and international leaders that they
may judiciously utilize earth’s resources for the eradication
of extreme poverty and hunger. Response:God of life, guide our steps
to the fullness of life.
Intercession 2: God of love, we pray for those
children who do not have access to the portals of education
and knowledge. Lord, enable the leaders to ensure free and quality
primary education to all children in order that the children
may be empowered. Response:God of life, guide our steps
to the fullness of life.
Intercession
3: God, our Creator, you made man and woman as equals
complementing each other. Help us realize that belittling girls
and women is against your will and wisdom. Bless our efforts
to appreciate and uphold gender equality in our family, in our
neighbourhood and in all spheres of life. Response:God of life, guide our steps
to the fullness of life.
Intercession
4: God of love, your Son, Jesus, said that Your Kingdom
belonged to the children. Help us and our governments to share
your love for children by providing them nourishment and care
so that child mortality will be brought to a quick end. Response:God of life, guide our steps
to the fullness of life.
Intercession
5: God, our Mother, help us value motherhood and also
enable us and our governments to improve maternal health and
to end maternal mortality rate. Response:God of life, guide our steps
to the fullness of life.
Intercession
6: God of life, we pray very specially for those who
are infected by HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB and other diseases. Heal
them as well as guide their kith and kin to accept them and
assist them to recovery. Response:God of life, guide our steps
to the fullness of life.
Intercession
7: God of all creation, help us understand that it
is on conservation of nature that the continuity of human race
depends. Enlighten us and our governments to ensure environmental
sustainability. Response:God of life, guide our steps
to the fullness of life.
Intercession
8: God of life and love, bless our Pope, our bishops
and all the pastors that they may intervene at the local and
national and international levels to foster and strengthen a
global partnership for development and facilitate the realization
of the Millennium Development Goals within the stipulated time.
Response:God of life, guide our steps
to the fullness of life.
Celebrant:
Almighty and ever-loving God, please hear the prayers of your
children and bless all our yearning and craving for the fullness
of life that Your Son promised for us. Help us consciously pursue
those things that will ensure joy and peace for all humankind.
We make our prayers through Christ, our Lord. Amen
Offertory
Prayer:
Lord, we come to you with these bread and wine which are the
result of the hard work of the poor and the marginalized. We
offer each of them to you that you may transform their lives
as you change these gifts into your son’s body and blood.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen
Post-Communion
Prayer:
God of love and compassion, bless your children and Your Son’s
followers that we are and enable us to become aware we are responsible
for one another. Nourished by this Eucharistic meal, may we
strive for the development of each and whole human person and
commit our lives for the cause of a new society where everyone
will enjoy fullness of life. We ask this through Christ our
Lord. Amen
3.
Suggestions For An Effective Justice Sunday Day Observance
1.
Involving the Parish
Involve the youth in the liturgy and make them prepare the
prayer of the faithful, offertory procession etc.
Translate the MDG pledge in your local language and distribute
it widely to all people and read it together at the end
of the liturgy and other suitable occasions.
Make a social apostolate team in the parish that will engage
in sustained efforts to mobilize local support for MDGs.
Launch a signature campaign at the parish/diocesan level
urging the Government leaders and officials to honour their
promises regarding MDGs.
2.
Involving the society
Organize Inter-religious meeting and ask the religious leaders
to discuss the issues found in MDGs
Invite Government officials and involve them in your future
plans for your locality
Popularize
the MDG pledges in school and colleges. Encourage them to
renew the pledges in assemblies.
Involve
the local, Regional and National media (Newspapers, journal,
radio, and TV) to publicize your campaign programmes.
Demand
MDGs be mainstreamed and integrated into local development
plans.
3.
Involving in the Global Campaign
Visit
http://endpoverty2015.org/en/about to join the UN Millennium
Campaign and be part of the generation that puts an end
to poverty.
Get involved in the “Stand Up 2010” mobilization.
(From 17-19 Sept. 2010) September 18th, 2010, Stand Up,
take Action, Make a Noise for the MDGs.
Register
your “Stand Up 2010” event at www.standagainstpoverty.org
in order to apply pressure on the Heads of Governments who
will gather for a UN Review Meeting in September 2010
Sign the 1 Billion Hungry (1BH) Petition: http://www.1billionhungry.org/
Ending
hunger is an achievable objective, not a dream. For things
to change, political leaders need to make it their priority.
Join the signature Campaign in order to pressurise politicians
4.
Ten Pledges On Millennium Development Goals
1.
I
pledge myself to demand proper implementation of Right
to Food Schemes in order to eradicate extreme poverty
and hunger through
2.
I
pledge myself to make sure all children attend school
3.
I
pledge myself to ensure gender equality and empowerment
of women in my home, community and society
4.
I pledge myself to demand proper implementation Child
Development Schemes in order to prevent child mortality
in my community and society at large
5.
I pledge
myself to ensure for Maternity Benefit schemes to the needy
and end maternal mortality in my society
6.
I pledge
myself to ensure proper health-care policy to combat HIV/AIDS,
malaria, TB and other diseases
7.
I pledge
myself to think globally and act locally and ensure environmental
sustainability
8.
I pledge
myself to be part of a global partnership for Development
9.
I pledge
myself to demand prioritized focus on Development of the
poorest and the marginalised people.
10.
I
pledge myself to be an instrument of peace based on justice
in my thought, word and actions.
Foot notes:
1.
The
CBCI Commission for Justice, Peace and Development appreciates
the assistance of Fr Maverick Fernandes, Executive Secretary,
Council for Social Justice & Peace, Goa, csjpgoa@gmail.com,
and that of Mr Antony Arulraj, Advocay Officer, Hotline
Delhi, hotlinedelhi@gmail.com,
in preparing the Justice Sunday Message this year.
2.
This
Liturgy is recommended by the CBCI Commission for Justice,
Peace and Development for use on Justice Sunday, 22 August
2010. The Parish Priest and the local liturgical committee
can make suitable additions or alterations to make the
liturgy more meaningful.
