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Pope Recommends Silence to Allow Reflecting, True Communication
VATICAN CITY: "When messages and information are plentiful, silence becomes essential if we are to distinguish what is important from what is insignificant or secondary."
Benedict XVI offered this reflection in his message for World Communications Day, which he dedicated this year to the theme "Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization."
He spoke of the need for a balance between silence and word: "When word and silence become mutually exclusive, communication breaks down, either because it gives rise to confusion or because, on the contrary, it creates an atmosphere of coldness; when they complement one another, however, communication acquires value and meaning."
Silence "gives rise to even more active communication, requiring sensitivity and a capacity to listen that often makes manifest the true measure and nature of the relationships involved," the Pope said.
Referring to the Internet as a forum for questions and answers, the Holy Father noted that "people today are frequently bombarded with answers to questions they have never asked and to needs of which they were unaware. If we are to recognize and focus upon the truly important questions, then silence is a precious commodity that enables us to exercise proper discernment in the face of the surcharge of stimuli and data that we receive."
"Ultimately," he suggested, "this constant flow of questions demonstrates the restlessness of human beings, ceaselessly searching for truths, of greater or lesser import, that can offer meaning and hope to their lives. Men and women cannot rest content with a superficial and unquestioning exchange of skeptical opinions and experiences of life -- all of us are in search of truth and we share this profound yearning today more than ever."
Silence, moreover, is what we need to speak to God, the Pope recalled.
"If God speaks to us even in silence, we in turn discover in silence the possibility of speaking with God and about God," he said.
"In silent contemplation, then, the eternal Word, through whom the world was created, becomes ever more powerfully present and we become aware of the plan of salvation that God is accomplishing throughout our history by word and deed," the Pontiff continued.
He concluded: "Word and silence: learning to communicate is learning to listen and contemplate as well as speak."
Albertian Institute Science And Technology (AISAT) at Kalamassery, the new Engineering College of Archdiocese of Verapoly, was blessed by His Grance Archbishop Francis Kallarakal on August 31, 2001, Wednesday at 4.00 pm. Personalities from different walks of lif attended the blessing ceremony. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Alex Vadakumthala, the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Verapoly, welcomed the gathering. Rev. Clement Valluvassery, the Manager, proposed the vote of thanks. Prof. Babu T. Jose, the Director of AISAT was thanked and welcomed to the Albertian Family in the short meeting followed by the blessing ceremony.
 
His Grace Archbishop Emeritus Cornelius Elanjikal passed away .................
His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Cornelius Elanjikal, the Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus of Archdiocese of Verapoly, passed away on August 7, 2011 at 7.30 am. He was under treatment at Lourdes Hospital, Ernakulam for a couple of weeks due to lungs infection.
His funeral ceremony will take place on August 9, 2011, Tuesday, at St. Francis Assisi Cathedral of Archdiocese of Verapoly, at 03.00 pm. The mortal remains of His Grace will be exposed for paying homage at the Cathedral and St. Albert’s H. S. School Grounds on August 8 and 9, 2011 respectively. His mortal remains will be laid to rest in the crypt of the Cathedral.
The late Archbishop was born in Kara, a village near Kodungallur in Trichur district, in Kerala on September 8, 1918. He had his school education at Mount Carmel School, Kara and St. Albert’s Higher Secondary School, Ernakulam, and his seminary studies at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Mangalapuzha, Aluva and Collegio Urbano de Propaganda Fide, Rome. He obtained doctorates in Philosophy and in Canon Law from the Urbaniana University, Rome. He was ordained priest on March 18, 1945 in Rome.
He served as the assistant parish priest at Mount Carmel Church, Chathiath (1950), secretary to the late Archbishop Joseph Attipetty (1951), assistant parish priest at St. Francis Assisi Cathedral, Ernakulam (1954), Rector of the St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary, Ernakulam (1956), Pro-Vicar General of the Archdiocese (1961) and Vicar Capitular (1970).
He was appointed the Bishop of Vijayapuram on February 15 1971 and was consecrated on April 4, 1971, at St. Albert’s Grounds, Ernakulam together with the late Archbishop Joseph Kelanthara by His Eminence Simon Cardinal Lourdusamy. His Holiness John Paul II transferred him to Archdiocese of Verapoly as its Archbishop on February 11, 1987 and was installed the Metropolitan Archbishop of Verapoly on March 19, 1987. He received Pallium from His Holiness John Paul II on June 29, 1987. He retired from the office on August 5, 1996.
Most Rev. Dr. Cornelius Elanjikal was the President of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) from 1989 to 1992. He was also the President of the Kerala Regional Latin Catholic Bishops’ Council (KRLCBC) from 1987 to 1996. He is the author of nearly a dozen books as well as hundreds of articles. His book, ‘Concept of God in Upanishads” is well known. There are over five hundred Christian devotional songs in Malayalam, the vernacular language of Kerala, to his credit.
During his Episcopal ministry, both at Vijayapuram and Verapoly, his top priority was the work of evangelization and deepening the faith of his flock. He always maintained a good relationship with leaders of other religions. The hallmark of his endearing personality was his simplicity coupled with kindness. He left an indelible mark of unflinching loyalty to the Holy See and the doctrines of the Church. He was a man of God who offered his life for the uplift of the downtrodden and the disadvantaged.
 
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