Session on IMCS SPIRITUALITY
By Ruki Furnando, Lay Chaplain, IMCS AP

A Reflection on IMCS Spirituality by William Nokrek, BCSM

The session on IMCS SPIRITUALITY was held at CBCB, Mohammadpur on 1^st September organized by Dhaka Archdiocesan BCSM. The session was held to let the students know about the IMCS and spirituality that are followed by IMCS. Ruki Fernando who was the former Asian coordinator of IYCS and the present lay chaplain of IMCS AP did this session.

According to Ruki, IMCS has its own spirituality. There are three identities and three major concerns. On the identity, the movement is a part of student milieu (at the tertiary education level), part of church and part of society. We need to reflect as Catholics what are impact that we have on society. We should be concerned about what is happening in Bangladesh, irrespective whether they are Catholics or students. All the student movements have their uniqueness.  There are many pros and cons in involving other communities in the Catholic movements. Impact of politics on different movements and all were discussed.

Catholic Social Teachings (CST) and other gospel teachings should be politicized and also we should spiritualize the politics. Christianity is about doing the difficult tasks. The path to heaven is not that easy, we need to suffer a lot. Forgiveness depends on the context and relationship; and it is a two way passage- the person forgiving and person asking for it. Forgiving is not an act of weakness, it’s an act of strength. Reconciliation should be done and the person should think about the wrongdoings he has done and acknowledge it. Later he should confess and thus reintegrate back to the society and aim for getting back a new life. The idea of imprisonment is not revenge rather rehabilitation. The highest law is the God’s law. The spirituality should be at the heart of the issues pertaining to politics, society and law etc. We should work with other community of students. Dialogues with the poor, the people from other cultures and people from other faiths/religions are major concerns of Federation of Asian Bishop Conference (FABC).

IMCS AP’s objectives includes student’s responsibilities in Church Mission and the world, working for justice and peace. This is done by witnessing Christian faith, methodologically integrating the Christian faith, building just society, promoting multi-cultural realities in Asia Pacific. IMCS is spiritually inspired by CST and the Gospel and it believes in the spirituality of action which says, “Faith without action is dead”.  We should live up to the social teaching by practicing it. Implementation should be done in our life through our actions. Jesus came to proclaim good news for people and freedom to captivated people. The three main message is Love your God, love yourself and love your neighbor including loving the creations of God, where we should not harm the creations. The way to enter heaven is to serve the people in whom God resides. Working for the people is to work for God Himself. We need to care for them as it says in Matthew 25:41-46. There is no point in just being religious and sharing the offerings and do no good works and serve justice. We need to be just full and righteous and Treat everyone equally as all of us are children of God.

The session ended by asking ourselves, how to build ourselves? Nourishment to spirituality comes from prayer and community who supports us. IMCS preaches the justice and preferential option for the poor. Preferential option for the poor means the equality in the eye of the laws. The people should get equal rights. The session on IMCS spirituality which was conducted by Ruki Fernando was very informative and encouraging to the students. The president of BCSM, Mr. William Nokrek and Secretary Mr. Shoshi Peris were present in the session along with other EC members of BCSM and  45 Members from 3 units of Dhaka BCSM were present here.