CCI-India will launch a national study of internal migrant workers, a media training program and the creation of a Cardijn Media company, the National Team has announced following its meeting at Trichur, Kerala this week.

The 15-17 May meeting undertook an extensive review of the movement's activities in India and the steps taken since the National Council in November 2011.

CCI Secretary General MJ Ruben reports that the team adopted a multi-pronged approach to build CCI in India and to promote Cardijn, including the following:

1. A survey on the living and working conditions of internal migrant workers:

To be undertaken in 6 phases viz. (i) Finalisation of the objective and guidelines; (ii)data collection; (iii)analysis of data collected; (iv)consultation to discuss the outcome of the survey and to plan action with the field workers, experts, sociologists, organisations working on migrant issues and CCI leaders and animators; (v)publication of the survey and the last phase (vi) will be the action part (representation, lobbying and sensitization on the issue).

SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) tool will be used for formulating guideliens and analysing the data collected.

Two fulltime workers from CCI will be appointed for two to three months to conduct the survey in 6 major cities in India (Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad).

One hundred families/individuals will be contacted during the survey in each of the six cities. Besides the six cities, CCI members will also take up the survey in their own areas.

2. Media and Social Media Training

Two programs are to be held in Secunderabad from 7-11 July 2012.

3. Cardijn Media

It was also decided to register Cardijn Media as a company. Six people have already agreed to subscribe for 10,000 rupees of shares.

Under the proposed statutes, 50 per cent of any profits will be donated to CCI.

Among other decisions CCI - India formally decided to affiliate with the Cardijn Community International.

National Team member Jomon Cherussery was coopted as national treasurer following the resignation of Monica Mascarenhas.

It was also decided to open up for individual memberships with an undertaking by new members to endeavour to launch new CCI teams in their local areas within twelve months of their joining.

[caption id="attachment_165" align="alignnone" width="465" caption="L to R: Fr RV Mathias, Fr Thomas Joseph, CCI Convenor MJ Ruben"][/caption]

CCI International Convenor M. J. Ruben and CCI Asia-Pacific Coordination member from India Ms Glynis Joseph met Fr. R. V. Mathias, former International Chaplain of the IYCW on Thursday, March 31 in Chennai, India.

This interaction is part of the initiative of the Cardijn Community International (CCI) to reach out to as many former animators and leaders of Cardijn movements in order consolidate their experiences.

Fr. Thomas Joseph (92 yrs), YCW/CWM Chaplain in India from 1950 was also present during this meeting.

Recalling his days as International Chaplain, R. V. Mathias narrated his encounter with the Sisters of Charity (Mother Theresa’s order) in Egypt who lived along with and served the workers’ community who did scavenging jobs in gutters amidst piles of garbage dump. It is impossible for any ordinary person to stand that stench even for a minute, he said

“Pure love combined with dedication was the motivation for those sisters”, Mathias continued, “Which is very much needed in all spheres of life today”.

Expressing his deep anguish at the competition, greed and false values promoted among the people, particularly the youth, R. V. Mathias stressed the need to work with real commitment based on love as the driving force in whatever field we are placed.

Fr. Mathias appreciated the efforts of CCI to promote Cardijn’s spirituality, vision and methodology.

Fr. Thomas Joseph agreed with Fr. Mathias on the need to re-orient the formation of the clergy in seminaries by offering them real life challenges just as the lay people.

Fr. Mathias offered his services as a resource person for any training sessions CCI would organise for animators. After his services at the Arul Anandhar Theological College at Karumathur, Madurai in south India, Mathias is on a sabbatical for a year now and is engaged in research besides conducting awakening retreat sessions for seminarians.

CCI International Convenor M. J. Ruben briefed Mathias about the forthcoming General Assembly in Bangkok in July and the CCI initiative to float a global forum to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of Vatican II. Ruben requested R. V. Mathias to document his experiences as his testimony which he agreed to do.

M. J. Ruben

CCI International Convenor,
Chennai, India
March 31, 2011