The Quotation of the Week (May 31 - June 6, 2015)

A quotation of Leo Buscaglia on 'being oneself,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (A baby being himself at Bhadun Village near Dhaka: January 11, 2012) © Jerome D'Costa

The 2015 Spring in Toronto

In Autumn, aka the Fall, trees and plants shed their leaves to prepare themselves for the Winter that brings snow and frigid air. The denuded trees and plants stand in winter looking sad and lonely. 

The Spring fuses life in every tree and plant. Leaves sprout and flowers bloom as if they are in smiles. Birds and insects also participate in this joyful orgy. The Spring brings hope to every creature, including mankind.

The photos of flowers below were taken in Scarborough neighbourhood of Toronto.

Photos © Jerome D'Costa

The Quotation of the Week (May 24 - 30, 2015)

Two quotations on 'television,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (A TV remote control in Toronto: March 22, 2015) © Jerome D'Costa

Catholic Ireland Votes for the Same-Sex Marriage

A map of Ireland

Map courtesy: Magellan Geographix

Ireland, that claims to be about 84% Roman Catholic, on May 23, in a country-wide referendum, voted in majority for the gay marriage, reports the Guardian. A total of 1,201,607 (62.1%) votes were for 'yes' as against 734,300 votes (37.9%) votes for 'no' to the same-sex marriage. More than 60% of the country's population participated in the voting.

This is the first country in the world to officially vote for the change in the country's constitution to allow gay (man-to-man and woman-to-woman) marriage in addition to the traditional marriage between a man and a woman.

The Catholic Church of Ireland as always was against the gay marriage and had hoped that the Irish people would not go for the gay marriage. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin said after the vote that the Catholic Church needs to ask if it has drifted away from young people, who overwhelmingly vote in favour of the gay marriage, reports the Irish Times.

Archbishop also said: "I think really that the Church needs to do a reality check, a reality check right across the board, to look a the things it's doing well, to look at the areas where we really have to start and say, 'Look, have we drifted away completely from young people?"

He further said: "I think it's a social revolution...It's a social revolution that didn't begin today. It's a social revolution that's been going on, and perhaps in the Church people have not been as clear in understanding what that involved."

"It's very clear that if this referendum is an affirmation of the views of young people, then the church has a huge task in front of it to find the language to be able to talk to and to get its message across to young people, not just on this issue, but in general," the archbishop said.

For more on the issue, please read the following:

•  Huge Republic of Ireland vote for gay marriage
•  Ireland Votes to Approve Gay Marriage, Putting Country in Vanguard
• Irish Church approve referendum allowing same-sex marriage
•  [Irish] Churches react to gay marriage vote
• Same-sex marriage: Irish vote 'defeat for humanity' says Vatican official
• Cardinal Walter Kasper defends Ireland's gay 'marriage' decision
• Cardinal Raymond Burke: Ireland's Vote for Gay Marriage 'In Defiance of God,' Worse Than 'Pagans'
• Irish archbishop distances himself from Cardinal Burke's same-sex remarks 
• 'I don't care what they call it, I'm in favour of marriage equality' -- Father Gerard Moloney
• Priests are bucking Catholic Church leadership to support same-sex marriage in Ireland
• Ireland gay marriage: The Church's decision not to lead No campaign works a new reality
• Ireland Gay Marriage Vote: Irish Catholic Church Takes a Cue from Pope Francis, Charts New Course Amid Waning Influence
• Editorial: Ireland vote for same-sex marriage a watershed moment for Church teaching
• DignityUSA: 'Irish same-sex marriage vote splits hierarchy'
• The Consequences of Ireland's Vote for Equality
• Gay Marriage in Ireland Isn't a 'No' to Catholicism
• The Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI Poll (May, 2015)
• Is recognizing same-sex marriage Catholic? (If the people are the Church, then the Church is already reconsidering gay marriage)

(Updated on June 3, 2015)

Victoria Day Fireworks at Inglewood Heights Park, Toronto

May 18 was the Victoria Day in Canada. On this occasion Canadians participate in parades, display fireworks, and arrange other activities in honour of Queen Victoria (1837 - 1901), who once was also the sovereign of Canada. 

On this Victoria Day, we also displayed some fireworks at the Inglewood Heights Park in Toronto. Most of the photos below are a part of that.

Photos © Jerome D'Costa

The TTC Needs A Cleaning

A dead rat and a construction work jacket lying in the west-bound TTC train track in Warden Station (Photo: April 23, 2015)

 

The same rat and construction work jacket lying in the same place as above for 26 days and nights (Photo: May 19, 2015)

Both the photos © Jerome D'Costa

Yes, literally, the TTC needs a cleaning! The above photos are the proof of that. What's the difference between the first photo and the second photo above? Nothing. For long 26 days and nights the west-bound TTC rail track at the Warden Station did not undergo any cleaning.The dead rat is still there, the construction work jacket, cut into half by the running train, is still lying in the same place. This mess neither drew the attention of the train track cleaners nor their supervisors. What were they doing one wonders.

Does this mess reflect on the present situation of the TTC? A cleaning is needed indeed.

The above event was later echoed in the following write-up in the Toronto Star of May 25, 2015: Dead rat a familiar face to riders at Warden TTC station: Fixer

(Updated on January 10, 2018)

The Vatican Officially Recognizes the State of Palestine

Pope Francis greeting Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine in the Vatican

Photo courtesy: AFP

The Vatican in a new treaty recently with Palestine officially recognized the state of Palestine, reports the AP.

This new treaty, which replaces the previous one with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), mainly deals with the Catholic Church activities (centuries-old administration of certain holy places linked to Jesus Christ, charitable works, and the like) in Palestine and it also gives formal diplomatic recognition to the state of Palestine. Israel expressed its disappointment with this recognition.

For more on this, please read the following:

• Vatican officially recognizes Palestine, while Israel fumes
• Vatican recognizes state of Palestine in new treaty
• Vatican recognizes state of Palestine
• Vatican decision to recognize Palestine upsets Israeli government, Jewish advocacy groups
• The Vatican has officially recognized the state of Palestine
• Israel 'disappointed' Vatican reached agreement recognizing Palestinian State
• The Vatican Recognizes Palestine (Letters to the Editor of the New York Times)
• Holy See - Palestine Relations

The Quotation of the Week (May 17 - 23, 2015)

A quotation of Margaret Thatcher on 'woman,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Artwork (A girl child) by Mary D'Costa (September 30, 2013)

The Quotation of tlhe Week (May 10 - 16, 2015)

A quotation of Kathi Hutton on 'birds,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (An elderly gentleman feeding pigeons in College Park, Toronto: Nov. 24, 2010) © Jerome D'Costa

Catholics in Politics

                                                   Artwork by Jerome D'Costa

Pope Francis, on April 29, gave a call to Catholics all over the world to engage in politics no matter how 'dirty,' frustrating and fraught with failure it is, reports the Catholic News Service. The Pope said individual Catholics must get involved and "embroiled" in politics because it is one of the "highest forms of charity" since he seeks the common good.

For more on this, read the following:

• Catholics must be active in politics, no matter how 'dirty,' pope says
• Lay Catholics should be involved in politics, Pope says

Almost two years ago, on September 16, 2013, Pope Francis gave a similar call to Catholics to participate actively in politics for the common good. You may read the following for details:

• Pope Francis on the Reason Catholics Should Be Involved in Politics
• Pope calls faithful to pray, participate actively in politics
• Pope Francis Was Telling Catholics to Stay Politically Engaged, But Avoid Turf Battles
• Pope Francis is Correct: A Good Catholic Meddles in Politics

Some persons see Pope Francis as a skilled politician, others see him as a "leftist" one. Some others express their apprehension on in which direction his politics will lead the Catholic Church to. On this you may read the following:

• The Pope is One of the Most Skilled Politicians on Earth
• Pope Francis Is More Than a Politician
• With New Pope, a More Open Catholic Church? 
• Pope Francis, Radical Leftist?
• Don't Pick Political Fights With Pope Francis
• The Pope and Politics: Messaging Francis' Hope and Justice 
• Will Pope Francis Break the Church?

 On more reflection on the issue of the Catholics and Politics, please read the following:

• Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church
• The Participation of the Catholics in Political Life (The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith)
• Catholics in Political Life (U.S. Bishops' Conference)
• How are Catholics participate in political life?
• Religion and political affiliation
• Politics: Issues, Politicians and Holy Communion, and Voting (Catholic News Agency)
• Catholics and Politics and the J.F.K. Effect
• Catholics and Politics: The Dynamic Tension Between Faith and Power (A book by Kristin E. Heyes, Mark J. Rozell, and Michael A. Genovese, Editors)
• America's Catholic Moment, and Its New Breed of Catholic Politicians

The Quotation of the Week (May 3 - 9, 2015)

A quotation of Goethe on 'deception,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Doodle (A snake: January 16, 1995) © Jerome D'Costa