Prutha Goa

What is the allure of Our Lady of Vailankanni that makes Catholics and people of other religions throng to her shrine? Is it only the hope of having problems solved and intentions answered? To many it may seem just that and perhaps their understanding of religion and spirituality is so vague that it limits them to a narrow outlook of what a site of pilgrimage represents. Vailankanni is a tiny town in the Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu and it has earned the title of ‘Lourdes of the East’ for its intentional resemblance to the world renowned pilgrimage centre of France. The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health is built in the Gothic style of architecture with a high dome and majestic Gothic spirals. Goans make up quite a considerable number of the pilgrims besides people from other Indian states. The construction of the basilica is based on the premise of three miracles which do not have the approval of the Holy See and were carried forth through oral tradition. Nonetheless the mirac

By Fr Shannon Pereira, SJ A human person is not just a biological being. He or she also has a spiritual aspect which animates the body. This spiritual element, though it remains unseen, plays a pivotal role in shaping human life. It infuses the work we do, the relationships we build, the family and society we live in, with meaning. In order to be complete human persons, we have to satisfy both these elements that are engraved in us: the biological as well as the spiritual. Neglect of either of the two creates a crisis – a depression. More so, when the spiritual element is neglected, life becomes mechanical and depressive. We know of ways to nourish the body but often times are unaware of paths to nurture the spiritual element in us. This pathway to nourish our spiritual life is called ‘spirituality’. And just as there are many ways to look after our physical body, there are a number of 'spiritualties’ to take care of our spiritual life. We have to discover which one is best suited