AICUF - All India Catholic Universities Federation
SH Unit - Inauguration of Academic Year Activities 2013 - Aug. 3 2013 Sat.
In my younger days, especially as a school boy at Sacred Heart's, I was very much aware of AICUF as a movement - I could notice, even as an outsider, a vibrancy in that group, with some animators from outside gathering them together. Sure, the involvement of my sister and brother would have definitely helped me being sensitive to those vibes.
My college days didn't have any such exposure or involvement. Those were the days I was struggling to grow in detachment as a virtue - with least of 'worldly' involvement. That notwithstanding, I had consciously decided to join NCC, which was something very rare for a seminarian.
Back to AICUF - a sense of being on fire was AICUF. It encouraged youngsters to find the fire within, and let it glow. Perhaps, that was threatening and the religious authorities were not all that comfortable with that. Of late, it seems to have truly liberated itself as movement with the term Catholic being very consciously employed as 'universal' or 'all embracing', rather than being confined to a religious community, termed 'Catholic'. However, it is active only in Catholic institutions of higher education in India.
AICUF generally is all about 'social committment' - being sensitive towards social issues, being concerned about 'social justice'. When AICUF unit is operational in Sacred Heart College, I consider, Sacred Heart of Jesus as its source of inspiration - for the symbolic fact of its being a Heart on Fire - a heart aflame.
I am generally inspired by the social activist's song 'ho gayi hai peer parbat si pighalni chahiye'. For this year I have two stanzas to sing and share with you:
1. aaj yah deewar pardon ki tarah hilne lagi
shart lekin thi ki yahi buniyaad hilni chaahiye.
Today this wall has begun to shake as if it were a curtain; however, the condition should be such that the very foundations have to be shaken.
In our desire and efforts for change, from the superficial and superfluous, to the foundational - structural change can happen, only when we perceive that foundation is me, or I am that part of foundation that needs to be changed.
And also becoming critically aware of the fact that 'I can change MYSELF ONLY and I ONLY can change myself'.
2. sirf hangaama khada karna mera maksad nahin
saari koshish kai ki yah soorat badalni chaahiye
My purpose is not just create some hulla-bulla; rather the entire effort is that of 'transform'ation.
From mere 'speakers' to 'actors' - people who translate what they claim into action.
May the efforts of AICUFers of SH be in that direction - being fiery people, and being the change they want to be.
This can be more effectively achieved if we focus on 'inclusive' frameworks - joining hands with like-minded people and forums - e.g., NSS, Nature club, Speakers' Forum etc. Something of that sort is already happening through the joint-operations of AICUF-REDCROSS.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus, bless us and the efforts of AICUF this year!
SH Unit - Inauguration of Academic Year Activities 2013 - Aug. 3 2013 Sat.
In my younger days, especially as a school boy at Sacred Heart's, I was very much aware of AICUF as a movement - I could notice, even as an outsider, a vibrancy in that group, with some animators from outside gathering them together. Sure, the involvement of my sister and brother would have definitely helped me being sensitive to those vibes.
My college days didn't have any such exposure or involvement. Those were the days I was struggling to grow in detachment as a virtue - with least of 'worldly' involvement. That notwithstanding, I had consciously decided to join NCC, which was something very rare for a seminarian.
Back to AICUF - a sense of being on fire was AICUF. It encouraged youngsters to find the fire within, and let it glow. Perhaps, that was threatening and the religious authorities were not all that comfortable with that. Of late, it seems to have truly liberated itself as movement with the term Catholic being very consciously employed as 'universal' or 'all embracing', rather than being confined to a religious community, termed 'Catholic'. However, it is active only in Catholic institutions of higher education in India.
AICUF generally is all about 'social committment' - being sensitive towards social issues, being concerned about 'social justice'. When AICUF unit is operational in Sacred Heart College, I consider, Sacred Heart of Jesus as its source of inspiration - for the symbolic fact of its being a Heart on Fire - a heart aflame.
I am generally inspired by the social activist's song 'ho gayi hai peer parbat si pighalni chahiye'. For this year I have two stanzas to sing and share with you:
1. aaj yah deewar pardon ki tarah hilne lagi
shart lekin thi ki yahi buniyaad hilni chaahiye.
Today this wall has begun to shake as if it were a curtain; however, the condition should be such that the very foundations have to be shaken.
In our desire and efforts for change, from the superficial and superfluous, to the foundational - structural change can happen, only when we perceive that foundation is me, or I am that part of foundation that needs to be changed.
And also becoming critically aware of the fact that 'I can change MYSELF ONLY and I ONLY can change myself'.
2. sirf hangaama khada karna mera maksad nahin
saari koshish kai ki yah soorat badalni chaahiye
My purpose is not just create some hulla-bulla; rather the entire effort is that of 'transform'ation.
From mere 'speakers' to 'actors' - people who translate what they claim into action.
May the efforts of AICUFers of SH be in that direction - being fiery people, and being the change they want to be.
This can be more effectively achieved if we focus on 'inclusive' frameworks - joining hands with like-minded people and forums - e.g., NSS, Nature club, Speakers' Forum etc. Something of that sort is already happening through the joint-operations of AICUF-REDCROSS.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus, bless us and the efforts of AICUF this year!
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