THE CHALLENGE OF GLOBALISATION AND ITS EFFETS ON THE WORLD, COUNTRY, CHURCH, RELIGIOUS CONGREGATIONS

AND SPIRITUALITY

GLOBALIZATION IS CERTAINLY THE BUZZ WORD OF THE NEW MILLENIUM

GLOBALISATION, LIBERALISATION AND NEO LIBERALISM HAVE

BECOME THE MOST DISCUSSED AND DEBATED CONCEPTS OF

TODAY The essence of Globalisation: One, free, inter-connected, united and democratic world resulting in economic progress, one global economy.Free international flow of financial capital, technology, information, goods, service, labour and cultures.

THE PRINCIPLES OF GLOBALISATION

Liberalisation: Free Market economy – trade without restrictions. For eg: I.T. Companies, Super Markets, Malls. Reduction of Government regulation and the protection of the environment and safety on the job. Privatisation: The state withdraws itself from industry and business and allows private companies to manage – For eg: Education, Health Care, Airlines.Cutting public expenditure for social services like education and health care (No grants are given).Neo-Capitalism: Rich grow richer and poor grow poorer, cheap labour, de-unionising workers, eliminating workers rights. Hire/ Fire, Pink Slips.

EFFECTS ON THE COUNTRY

From the perspective of the world's poorest countries, undemocratic global governance has allowed the economic dimension of globalisation to dance to the tune of big business.

Globalisation not only distributes its favours too unevenly, but also accelerates patterns of unsustainable consumption.

Recent financial chaos may prompt world leaders to be more conscious of the complex social and environmental consequences of unrestrained markets.

Local and native enterprises are at risk . Social welfare suffers. Consumerism become the power centre.

Internet technology has revolutionised our capacity for knowledge and interaction, swathes of South Asia and Africa provide no electricity, let alone computers.

The internet, e-commerce, cable T.V. mobile phones have tremendous impact on the polity, society, culture, and every-day lives of citizens living in developing countries. Time-space compression produced by new media and communications technologies are overcoming previous boundaries of space and time, creating a global cultural village and dramatic penetration of global forces into every realm of life in every region of the world. Telecommunications is creating a global audience. Transport is creating a global village. This global culture includes the proliferation of media technologies that veritably create a global village.

Those who describe our world as a global village, in which we can understand and support each other in our increasingly common lifestyles, overlook the exclusion of many countries from the opportunities of globalisation.

The global supply chains of our supermarket culture deliver exotic year-round affordable foods, over 900 million people in the developing world experience hunger.

A more accurate representation is of an interconnected world in which the actions, and more especially the excesses, of a consumer culture impact unjustly on those unable to enjoy its rewards.

The three major contemporary crises of globalisation are global recession, food insecurity and climate change can each be interpreted in these terms.

POSITIVE /NEGATIVE

• Modern Communication links us…

• High technology presents new possibilities for knowledge and creativity…

• Progress in trade relations have been made…

• Weaker section in poverty and penury…

• Generates opportunities for a select few…

• It has increased unemployment…

• It has increased social unrest…

The country has benefited from its accession to the European Union and globalisation more than almost any other country. Twenty years ago, the deeply Catholic country was largely agricultural and considered backward and provincial, a millstone around Europe’s neck. Since then, however, Poland has experienced an almost nonstop boom.

In Poland, the exodus of workers to the developed countries for higher-paying jobs is so massive (as many as two million poles have left the country since (2004), President Lech Kaecynski had trouble finding any one to paint his apartment in Warsaw (Harold L. Sirkin : 89) But at the same time those who remain are subjected to unemployment and underemployment.

THE TWO FACES OF GLOBALIZATION: POVERTY OR PROSPERITY

INDIA SHINING On the one hand India is emerging as a Super Power but on the other hand, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh termed it as A National Shame because of the rampant starvation, malnourishment of children, dalits and others.

POSSIBLE RESPONSE OF THE CHURCH /CONGREGATION

A comprehensive understanding of these realities would enable the Church / Congregation to search for alternatives.

Identify the impact of globalisation on the marginalised and vulnerable communities, Church has always stood for the poor and the marginalised.

Accompany the oppressed communities to assert their dignity and rights.

Collaborate with youth, women, lay people, clergy, religious and others. Go ahead with the mission without any hesitation.

Caritas in Veritate (Latin: "Charity in Truth") is the third encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI

and his first social encyclical. It was signed on June 29, 2009, and was published on July 7, 2009

The encyclical contains detailed reflection on economic and social issues and problems.

The Pope points out that the Church does not offer specific technical solutions, but rather moral principles to inform

the building of such solutions.

The economic themes include an attack on free market fundamentalism, though a simplistic polarization of the free market model versus interventionist big government solutions is rejected.

There is emphasis on the need for the actions of all economic factors to be informed by ethics as well as the profit motive.

Other areas discussed include hunger, the environment, migration, sexual tourism, bioethics, cultural relativism, social solidarity, energy and population issues.

INFLUENCE ON SPIRITUALITY

Human History is a long and sad saga of partiality and discrimination, the powerful against the powerless, Brahmins against dalits, men against women. In our country partiality expresses itself also in terms of regionalism, communalism and fundamentalism.

The modern economics - political globalisation has resulted in unipolar world with a single axis. Jesus is calling us to overcome our partialities, division and discrimination and to work for freedom and justice for all.

Caritas in Veritate: Issues and Challenges1. Old Challenges: The Universal Call to HolinessThe Pope makes three important remarks :

One, charity in truth is the Face of the Person, Jesus Christ, who has fully revealed man’s vocation to love each other in truth (CV, no. 1).

Two, we are objects of God’s love, and must become subjects of grace to pour forth God’s charity and “weave networks of charity” (CV, no. 5).

Three, the locus of charity is truth, and the truth of faith and the truth of reason are distinct but related cognitive fields (CV, no. 5). The three points might be summed up in the following way. Man has a vocation to “love in truth,” which is knowable by faith and reason. Forthis purpose, man must become a vessel and an instrument of Christ’s grace so that love in truth can be given, and shared with others.

To live out this vocation, the Pope implicitly brings us back to the thought of Pope John Paul II, as expressed in the Apostolic Exhortation, Christifideles Laici (CL).

In this document, every member of the Church is reminded of his or her call to a life of holiness. Each shares a common dignity from baptism; each has the same filial grace and the same vocation to perfection (CL, no. 15).

In specific regard to the lay faithful, they share in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly mission of Christ (CL, no. 9).

What is this threefold mission, and how does it relate to our vocation as A Sister of St. Charles Borromeo?

REACHING OUT

MYS

TIC

PROPH

ET

SERVANT

IS GLOBALISATION RECONCILABLE WITH OUR CHRISTIAN CONCEPT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE?

CAN GLOBALISATION IN ITS PRESENT MANIFESTATION DELIVER SOCIAL JUSTICE, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE IN THE LOWEST STRATA OF THE SOCIAL PYRAMID?

GLOBALISATION AND JUSTICE