My Story ~ Ramchandran Vydianathan
February 3, 2010 by Muriella D'Silva
Filed under People of God, Testimonies
Praise the Lord, Praise you Jesus, and Praise you Abba. Dear Friends, I would like to share my encounter with our Lord Jesus in my Life My name is Ramchandran Vydianathan. I was born in a Hindu/Brahmin family in Kerala. After my graduation, I was sent to Bombay to take up a job. This is where I met my wife Bernadette.
For a period of four years, i.e., from December 1983 to December 1987, I worked in Saudi Arabia. In the year 1987 I returned back to Bombay. We got married in the church in 1990. Initially, my family did not approve of this marriage, however since I was most loved by my mother she finally agreed. I was blessed with a good job in Dubai in September that year and my wife joined me six months later. We used to attend mass once a week either on a Friday or Sunday. But I still remained a Hindu.
Detention
In the month of February 1995 at 11 p.m., while we were returning from our vacation, I was stopped at Dubai Airport by an immigration official. On asking the officer what it was all about, I was told that there was a case against me and they could not give me any further details. My wife quickly put a Rosary and a novena book of our Lady in my pocket. I was put into a vehicle at the airport and taken to the Immigration Lock-up at Bur Dubai Police Station. I was able to meet her only the next morning after she obtained information about my whereabouts. Through her I informed my company about my detention. This happened during the Ramadan season.
After a couple of days, I was shifted to a police lock-up at Al Mulla Plaza. I was detained in an underground cell. My wife managed to contact me there too and told me not to be afraid and to pray to Lord Jesus. I began to recite the Rosary and say the novena prayers in the prison. It was a prayer said in desperation; and Jesus as usual was faithful and responded to my prayer. Immediately help started pouring in. My wife used to come to meet me daily and she somehow managed to give me a small Bible.
Testimony of Stephen James Taluja - Young Sikh to Catholic Missionary
November 11, 2009 by Melody Laila
Filed under People of God, Testimonies
Son of a family of devout Sikhs, Stephen James Taluja is now a member of the U.S Maryknoll missionary institute. He tells AsiaNews about his childhood, his encounter with Christ, the Mighty God in the weakness of the cross, his “days of torment” for misunderstandings with his father following his conversion. Until the day of his ordination in which he saw with his own eyes what it “God is faithful” means.
From devout Sikh to Catholic priest. This is the story of Jaideep Singh, who recently became a Maryknoll missionary, a societies of apostolic life founded in the United States in the early 1900s. Today he is Fr. Stephen James Taluja.
Born in 1981, the youngest child of an important Indian Sikh family, the only male eagerly awaited by his parents after three daughters. Fr. Stephen talks to AsiaNews about his unique and personal story that revolves around his discovery that Christ is the Mighty God “in weakness” and the certainty that “God is faithful.”
“My mother was a very devout woman who introduced me to the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib educated us at home in the prayer and recitation of the hymns of the sacred scriptures. My father accompanied me to the Gurdwara, the Sikh temple, and he raised me in the faith of the almighty. My parents instilled in us children love for God and a sense of service to the community”.
The young Jaideep studied at St Stephen’s School in Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab. Harold Carver, dean and founder of the institute remembers the young Sikh who “excelled in sports and played in the under 19 national soccer team of the state, loved music and sang in the school choir”.
Because of the quality of his singing the little Jaideep was invited to sing at midnight Mass on Easter Eve in the local church of St. Sebastian. He was 13 years old and attending the 7th class. It was the first time he had set foot in a Catholic church making the unusual occasion even more special for the young Sikh. Today, he says: “In that night I have vivid memories of the crucifix hanging on the wall and all the people on their knees praying. I did not understand how people could pray to a weak and dying God. For me, God had to emanate strength and power. And that God was just the opposite. ” Fr. Stephen remembers “the charm of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, common prayer and the unveiling of a totally new way for me.” He left the Mass with the image of “the cross and crucified Lord” in his head as well as “emerging questions about the meaning of life.”
After that night Jadeep began a long journey. “My mother had noticed that there was something new in me and caught my initial interest in Christianity, but did not say anything.” Jaideep turned to the rector Carver, putting his questions to him. Which become more insistent, even after the events in the family life of the boy.
The sudden death of his mother made even more urgent the need to understand the meaning of life and death. Fr. Stephen speaks today of the “darkness of soul” recalling that time. “I wondered where God was in all that was happening to me, what was the meaning of life.” The patient company of Harold Carver marks the “days of torment” of the young Sikh who recalls: “At some point I began to see the connection between life and death, realizing that Jesus died and rose was the model for us.”
The memory of that period, in which anguish was followed by the emergence of faith, is for Fr Stephen motive for “pride and gratitude”. “My family had planted in my soul the seed of religion, dean Carver the seed of Catholicism and of a life spent in witness of the Gospel.”
Jaideep decides to speak with his father about becoming a Christian. “All hell broke loose. He was annoyed, angry and offended. He called my sisters to ask them for information about my new faith”. The young priest now says: “They were really heavy and unsettling days for the whole family … thus began my personal participation in the passion and crucifixion of Christ.”
On March 1, 1999 Jaideep was baptized and chose the name of his school Stephen James. “I became a Catholic in secret and for 3-4 years my family knew nothing. I did not want to hurt them even more, because my father loved me so much and yet did not understand my choices”.
The year after Stephen leaves for the United States to study computer science. He lives in New York. To earn some money he works at night at a gas station. Every morning he goes to Mass in the parish named after St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Shrub Oak. Even there, he sings in the choir and one day the director Patti Copeland introduced Stephen to the Maryknoll missionaries. The young man remembers: “Their stories of aid to the poor around the world were impressed on my young 20 year old mind”.
“For some time I felt emerge in me the innate desire to communicate with God, to devote all of myself to contemplation.” Stephen believes the roots of this impulse lie in the education he received in his home: “Being Indian, and having received from my mother and
our culture a deep sense of divinity I was fascinated by the mystical life in the early days of New York and I had thought of becoming a Trappist monk”.
In 2001, the young Indian was invited to an Easter spiritual retreat and he realises he is being called to consecrated life. Stephen enters the seminary, but does not say nothing yet to his father and sisters, “worried about the pain and stress that the decision might cause to my family.”
“It was a period of anxiety in my life,” says the boy. “I knew that my father and members of my family were mocked, scorned and humiliated for my decision to become Catholic.” Sikh culture attaches great importance to the one male in the family circle. “You have the responsibility to carry on the name of your race, to take care of parents when they grow old - said Stephen - all this and I could no longer do so because of the decision I had taken.”
The days of priestly formation pass accompanied by the torture of hurting his loved ones and especially his father. “But God is faithful,” says the young man. “I suffered, but I knew that God would give my father a reward far greater than I could hope for.” Stephen studied at St. Xavier University in Chicago, attended the Maryknoll’s Language Institute in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and for two years lived and worked in the mission of Aymara, on the Peruvian High Planes.
On 30 May 2009 he was ordained to the priesthood. Stephen’s three sisters arrive in New York: Anu, Manpreet and Jaipreet, who live in Europe and America. U.S. authorities will not grant a visa to the father. “But it was one of the happiest days of my life,” says the young priest. “My dad wanted to be with me and through my sisters gave me his blessing and the sign of his support for my choice. He wanted me to know that he was proud of me and he had reconciled with my vocation. “
On becoming a priest of the Maryknoll missionaries, the young priest began a new life and on the day of his ordination, officiated by sgr. Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, he received messages of congratulations from hitherto unknown people who had learned of his story through friends or other missionaries. “They wrote that they prayed for me, as I became a priest during this Year for Priests - says Fr Stephen - and I felt honoured and privileged to be a Catholic priest, blessed by the prayers of so many people around the world. All this has made all the stronger in my desire to be a holy priest and a missionary who serves God by serving his people”
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Written by Nirmala Carvalho for AsiaNews, used with permission.
Fred Beretta, passenger of Flight 1549, testifies
February 21, 2009 by Melody Laila
Filed under People of God, Testimonies
US Airways Flight 1549 was a commercial passenger flight from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport bound for Charlotte, North Carolina. After striking a flock of Canada Geese, the plane faced an immediate loss of thrust from both engines and subsequently ended up landing in the Hudson River adjacent to Manhattan on January 15, 2009.
Miraculously, all 155 people on board the flight survived.
The time the plane landed in the Hudson was during the 3 o’clock hour (at about 3:31 pm), which Christ told St. Faustina is “the hour of great mercy.” It was during this hour that His heart was pierced by a lance, and blood and water gushed forth as a fountain of mercy for the world. “In this hour,” He told her, “I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion.” (Diary of Saint Faustina, #1182, 1320.)
(Fred on Fox’s “The O’Reilly Factor” shortly after the Miraculous Crash Landing)
Fred Beretta, was aboard Flight 1549 and following the miraculous landing, he sent the following email to Vinny Flynn who is the author of “Seven Secrets of the Eucharist”.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Subject: Passenger of Flight 1549
Vinny,
I sincerely hope this email finds its way to you. I was a passenger on flight 1549 and my name is Fred Berretta. You might have caught a glimpse of me or heard me on CNN or Fox the night of the crash. I interviewed with Lou Dobbs, Wolf Blitzer and Bill O’Reilly and discussed the crash that night.
An Interview with Anand Mahadevan
September 27, 2008 by Melody Laila
Filed under Interviews, People of GodIndia is presently facing great communal disharmony, especially (though not only in) Orissa. During this volatile time, Anand Mahadevan, the editor of Outlook Business, wrote with great boldness and honesty about his conversion to Christianity (Click here to read it).
Greatly edified by his story & his convictions especially given the scenario, I asked Mr. Mahadevan to share some more details with our readers:
During this time of great communal disharmony, fueled by Hindu extremists claiming forced conversions to Christianity, what made you speak out about your own conversion from Hinduism to Christianity?
First, I would chose not to use the words `Hindu Extremists.’ I would prefer to refer to them as my Hindu friends, no matter how they act. I hope they see that violence and unlawfulness finds no place in the Hindu dharma. Two things made me speak up. First, there was a wrong perception that the poor, illiterate and backward caste people were being tricked or financially induced into converting. By speaking out, I wanted to break this myth and show that the rich, educated and the upper caste also chose to follow and worship Jesus. It is a personal choice. And both rich and poor, educated and uneducated, upper caste and lower caste and all mankind has a moral, and constitutional right to chose their faith. Jesus came to take away the sin of all mankind. Second, I was moved by passages from the Bible about Nicodemus. He first came to meet with Jesus in secret; in the dark of the night. But later, he stood up and acknowledged Jesus, first amidst the pharisees and he also came with Joseph of Arimathea to claim the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. I was inspired by Nicodemus and his decision to go public with his faith.
Many of the comments on your article at Outlook are anti what you wrote. Has writing the article changed you in anyway?
One of the joys of knowing Jesus is that it becomes easier to love. I have seen the many comments that have criticized me, my faith, my conversion and my decision to speak out. I respect all the people who have criticized me. I respect their right to hold their point of view. I respect their right to criticize me. Writing the article has not changed anything. What I wrote was heart felt. I wrote it in faith. And I will stand by what I wrote in faith.
(protests against anti-Christian violence in Orissa)He healed my eyes! ~ Muriella’s testimony
November 12, 2005 by Melody Laila
Filed under People of God, TestimoniesFrom the age of 11 -21, i used to wear spectacles. Then at 21, I just felt bored & tired of wearing them & so I stopped - also, rather shamefacedly I confess, some vanity was involved). And so for the past 7 -8 years I moved about and managed without them.
Recently, very often in prayer, I felt urged by The Lord to get my eyes checked. Finally on Friday November 26, 2004, my mum and Ii went off to the optician, who looked ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED when she checked my eyes and recommended I see a specialist.
Since it was not too late, we went immediately. When the specialist checked my eyes however, he announced that I have just TEN PERCENT VISION. In America that would mean that I am legally blind!
Even the specialist was amazed that I was moving about, living an absolutely normal life with no accidents or anything of the sort. I didn’t want to make him keel over, so didnt mention that off and on I also drove my family car!
I went to every God, but only Christ Saves ~ T. D. Joseph’s testimony
May 12, 2005 by Melody Laila
Filed under People of God, TestimoniesWealth
The year was 1993. I was a businessman, involved in R & D in the Film Industry, who had not only had major losses in my business, but also owed great amounts of money in loans. Though I Catholic by birth, I was not religious and had not even seen a church for over 15 years. To get myself out of my debts I tried everything. I even went to Muslim Babas and Hindu Shrines. But I did not go to the True Living God as I did not know who He was.
One night, I got up from my sleep at around three am and started saying the rosary. I was crying as I said the rosary because in addition to my huge business losses and the loans to repay, I was the only provider for my wife and three children, all of whom were in college where tuition costs are high.
“Holy communion turned into Flesh” ~ Gijo’s testimony
October 12, 2003 by Melody Laila
Filed under People of God, TestimoniesI was born in Kerela, but my parents eventually settled in Madras so I completed all my studies from there. I have an elder brother and a younger sister. I now work in Saudi Arabia.
When young, I was very active in church activities. I was an altar boy, I helped the priests and nuns in various different ways; organizing & planning church functions, doing decorations in the church etc. I also played the guitar for the church choir. I had some faith in God but it was very limited.
In 1992, I attended a retreat in Potta, Kerela (India) and I had an experience on the 4th day of the retreat during the Holy Spirit special prayer time. While I was praising the God my right hand started shivering and I experienced a powerful force which I subsequently only learned was due to the Power of Holy Spirit. This was my very first personal experience of God in my life.
My Road to Christ ~ Dr. Ezekiel’s testimony
August 12, 2003 by Melody Laila
Filed under People of God, TestimoniesI was born and brought up in a Hindu backward class community and named Sanjay. My father was a highly educated, esteemed and a dedicated person towards social upliftment in vast contrast to most politicians. He expired in 1981 after struggling with cancer for a few years leaving behind my mother and three children.
My mother though illiterate was very hardworking, determined and loving, going out of her way to help others and unable to say no to anyone when it came to helping. Her desire to see us educated and excel in the society gave her a reason to live. She worked hard and brought us up giving us the best in her capacity. As the eldest amongst her siblings, she also shouldered the responsibility of educating, getting her younger brothers and sisters married and settling them with jobs. All the family pressures, ups and downs, fears and insecurities were borne by her alone. As a young girl, she grew up in one of the remote villages of Osmanabad district in Maharashtra (India) in a thatched house and in her teenage years, managed to build a firm stone walled house in the town and then in the later years, during my medical education bought a flat in Pune, a city of educational institutions, for our ease.
Why I chose the Catholic Road to Christ ~ Tina Klein’s Testimony
June 12, 2003 by Melody Laila
Filed under People of God, Testimonies“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mat. 7:7)
My answer to the question, “Why are you Catholic?” is pretty simple - Real Presence.
I chose the quote from the Gospel of Matthew above for my title because that is basically the story of how my spiritual journey began. I was raised as a non practicing Christian. My mom was raised Presbyterian, but is no longer practicing, and my dad is a fallen away cradle Catholic. Basically we celebrated the major Christian holidays, had a Bible available to read if we wanted to, watched religion based movies if we wanted (such as “The Ten Commandments”), occasionally went to church on Christmas Eve, went to Mass with my cousins occasionally when we were over and they had to go, and that was pretty much my religious upbringing. I knew about Jesus, but all He was really to me most of the time growing up was a very nice man who lived a long time ago. I knew He was the Son of God, but I didn’t really understand the concept.
