Subject: 'austraLasia' #350

SALESIAN'S MOVEMENT MAKES 'CHRISTIANS'WITHOUT BAPTISM

C.M. Paul

SONADA, India (UCAN) -- A Salesian priest in eastern India says a lay

spiritual movement he began seven years ago is pioneering a new way of becoming "Christians" without Baptism.

Father George Alakulam, 71, began the Messengers of Good News (MGN) in Nepal for people of "good will" to live Gospel values. The movement, which has now spread to the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, has more than 130 members from various religions and professions who proclaim Christ in their daily life situations.

"We are talking of a new way of being Christian. A member can be a baptized person, or one who is delaying Baptism, or following any deity, or adhering to no religion at all," the priest told UCA News. He said the movement aims to enlighten people to realize that priests are not needed to sanctify their lives and to preach the Gospel.

Keya Chakraborty, a Hindu dentist and a MGN member in Calcutta, capital of West Bengal, said that "being a messenger of Good News in the immediate surrounding is something that all can do."

"Only if you have a strong faith in Christ, you will not falter," she told UCA News, adding that her faith in Christ has made her a better person.

Rajesh Jairroo, a Hindu member from Nepal who coordinates the 10 MGN units in India and Nepal, said the movement's hallmarks are the weekly prayer gatherings and monthly evaluation they do in the units.

Father Alakulam said the 10 "simple" rules he set out for members were based on St. Paul's letter to Titus and stressed that each member is "an apostle of the humanness of Christ."

The Salesian priest said members are called to imitate the human qualities of Christ, to live an exemplary family life and dedicate their services in whatever tasks they do. Members are encouraged to be humble, to pray for an hour daily with the family and to do penance once a week, Father Alakulam said.

At work, they keep Jesus the carpenter as model and set aside some time daily for proclamation of Jesus' Good News through word or example, the priest said, hoping that such movements would stem an ongoing anti-Christian campaign in the country.

Father Alakulam, who has worked for 40 years in interreligious dialogue ministry, explained that Church people "in power and authority" misunderstood the movement and posed hurdles during its initial stage. However, he said he continued to pursue the idea after he received a "message from God" during prayer. The Salesian priest said the units are self-supporting as members give more than the prescribed 1 percent of their income.

He said members such as Provin Mukhiya, a Hindu architect from Nepal, have drawn up plans to build an MGN community center, primary school and residence near Siliguri, a town in Darjeeling district.

The MGN was begun in 1993 as the Messengers of Don Bosco at Dharan in southeastern Nepal, where Father Alakulam then worked.