CYCLONE, FLOODING, MIRACLE Cyclone Vardah was on a landfall path headed to Chennai, India and it did not deviate from said plan. On Monday at 10 a.m. we were beginning to feel the early stages of Cyclone Vardah and as a precautionary measure the electric current was turned off in the city of Chengalpattu where I live. Being in a low line area I was assured that the disaster flooding in 2015 where homes had 6-8 ft of water would not happen again and not to worry. However, I have learned to not take the advice of such predictions and thus began my onslaught of prayers and rosaries. I knew trusting Our Lord we would all be safe but did not know the route or God’s game plan; it is like flying blind. Once it became dark a flickering candle light and no news was the course of the next 12 hours until daylight. While trying to sleep, all I heard was the howling winds and splashing rain not knowing if the flood gate was open, the 10 ft wall built after 2015 would hold back ...

  CYCLONE 2015 TAMIL NADU My life in India 11/10/15 November 9, 2015 was the day a Cyclone hit Tamil Nadu, India leaving us without power for 16+ hours.  The winds knocked several large trees and we were not spared.  Fortunately for us there was no damage leaving us the tedious job of removing it from the outside courtyard. We spent most of the day taking photographs from the front porch.   The photograph is of me and my German Shepard, Emmanuel  under  the fallen tree.   MY COMMENTARY:  I have spent a number of blogs recently on intolerance, social justice, persecution and the like coming out of India.  I am believer that it is not likely the common man/ citizens of any country that is the problem but very often governments.  Just as adamant as I was/ am about the circumstances in India I am same the same way with the problems in the USA.  The way I write here is with the same heart I tackle my o...

SEDITION/PROTESTS This blog is written purely from COMMON SENSE.  I read some writings on sedition in general and from the angle of India and if you want to explore these writings they are found on the web. There are better authorities on this subject than me. When I read that a minstrel (from South India) wrote a song about his thoughts and dissatisfaction with the government of his state including the CM and at 2 a.m. was taken from his home and charged with sedition.  SEDITION???? In a Democratic Country???? My words was “You got to be kidding.” I went on to state to my friend SEDITION!  I who live in the oldest Democratic Country, USA with all the protest, verbal discontent, marches, and the like, 80% of the country would be imprisoned serving big time sentences.  I could NOT wrap my mind around how a Democratic Country the largest in the world touted around the world from the Prime Minister to other governments referral of India is working a two ...

INTOLERANCE /DEMOCRACY The path of the destruction of Democracy in India boils down to one thing POWER and WANTING to be the POWER of the WORLD, it will NOT HAPPEN.  The reason is simple a government CANNOT rule with an IRON FIST of INTOLERANCE.  A government CANNOT successfully plow down the COMMON MAN to satisfy this hunger of POWER.  Humanity has its RIGHTS and one is freedom of religion.  Has the scholarly government  OFFICIALS  so they say have NOT read or live through the COMMUNISTS go at this, HITLER’S big try, FASCISM’S hope as well as ancient cultures.  We now have our WORLD TERRORISTS currently vying for the ultimate POWER, the WORLD?  INDIA has a long way to go before it sees a remnant of being taken seriously because simply it CANNOT govern its own country as a DEMOCRATIC FREE SOCIETY where ALL are EQUAL. The BJP came into power with GUNS BLAZING and now has to contend with the undertows of citizens of INDIA underst...

MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity Sister Mary Prema decided not to continue the adoption services because of the new Indian government guidelines.  These guidelines go against the belief, children up for adoption should be adopted by married couples’ a father and mother if you will.  There is also the picking of a child from a group of six when the applications online is presented.  Sister Mary Prema believes that a child born is not known as should a child adopted.  The Missionaries of Charity is run by the guidelines set forth by its foundress Mother Teresa, which in their view will not be changed.  It is suggested by an India moderator on NDTV show THE BUCK STOPS HERE that the Missionaries of Charity views should change with the times.  The moderator worked hard at trying to cause a ruckus towards the sisters with her guest however, the guest being often of a different opinion of the sisters spoke with...

DR. A. P. J. ABDUL KALAM I express to the people of India and the Muslim community my deepest sympathy of the passing of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.  His life if I am to know the man comes from the many loving and sincere words of the soul and heart of his man.  What I have gleamed from the soul was about listening to the many his attributes and body of work from friends, documentaries, news stories , interviews and the like.  I cannot help but see a genuinely humble man whom God has blessed with many graces and talents that his life projected as he walk in the DIVINE WILL of God.  He died doing what he loved most in all the greatest of his life being a teacher.  He understood the future of India/world lies within the hearts of its children.    They say an era has gone how sad for the better place of India would be to continue to not only honor the man but to move in the wisdom of his words and life. I am told during his presidency India was...

Ten days I have been back home in the states for ten days now with the 14 th looming as I start to ready my journey back to India.  It has been a jammed pack going here and there visiting relatives and friends.  Actually, these last days I still have to visit my mother and a second visit to a friend.  I am enjoying their company, catching up on four years of gossip, good and bad news.  Much has changed in family and friends dynamics some shocking and some expected however, more than not sad.  Decisions made are not always wise and border on selfish causing much unrest, struggles and pain. I am staying with my son and family and I am queen for the time here; pampering feels good.  It does a mother’s heart good to see my son successful, with a very loving and supportive wife.  They both work hard, had times of struggle but now reap in abundance their sacrifice.  Their home is peaceful.  Those I have seen cook me the many dishe...

JACK IS BACK! Jackfruit is in season its origin is from Southwest India.  The fruit is a thick rubbery rind has shot blunt spines and can have up to 500 seeds.   All parts of the fruit have milky white sticky latex and only the rind and core are inedible.    The average fruit size is 35 lbs but they are often larger.  In 2010 at a Jackfruit Festival in Kerala, India 144 lb fruit was featured beating out a 79 lb Hawaiian fruit which held the Guinness book of records for years.        I personally enjoy the fruit and look forward to April the start of its season.  It is sold as is off the tree in some places but it is a bugger to cut and extract the fruit therefore, it is mostly sold 10 pieces in a plastic bag ready to eat.  You can find hawkers selling them at bus stands, toll booths or on the side of the road. WOW! I am happy JACK IS   BACK! © Linda Mary Liotino ME A SERVANT OF CHRIS...

Blessed four days Anytime I end a Lent I am bless to be given knowledge in our Lord’s direction for my life.  I find I can be off kilter in my direction in part because of impatience and my prideful resolve I know or at least I think I know His plan which is generally wrong.  Thankfully I do not mess up His Divine will as to shatter it but detour here and there.  Our Lord knows how to reign me in and I am fined tuned into hearing Him when I fast and block out the world as I did in these last four days before Easter.  Prayer is the center of my life during the noises of the world but it is in the quiet I hear Our Lord divorced of glaring injustices, sadness, and heart-breaking stories about the abuse of children.  There is religious intolerance and persecution not to mention hatred all which crowds the heart and mind. My time at POONDI MADHA BASILICA was truly miraculous in many ways one I will share is meeting children who bought a quiet innoc...

Bride of Christ As the break of a new day was beginning a cloud of destruction hovered over the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Ranaghat, Nadia, India distracting the start of this new day.  The looming cloud covered the slithering snakes as they made their way into the convent with desecration their obvious goal for this action has been taken before.  These snakes in the form of the evil and vilest of men after taking money went into the chapel and began their terror attack on the sanctuary by opening the tabernacle by force and taking the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ and strewing Him all over the floor. The second desecration came when in their evil predetermined demise they entered the place where the nuns sleep and attack viciously a 71 year old nun with evil intent and malice of forethought.  This pure and innocent soul who gave her life and purity to Christ making her His bride was treated with hatred and inhumanity.  Her Vow o...

INDIA FIRST CONSTITUTION FIRST The title’s wise words of the Indian Prime Minister Modi who is the leader of the largest Democracy in the world.  Unfortunately the Democratic government of India runs not at full compactly.  It has a way of eliminating the rights of some at any given agenda presented or trying to shrewdly pull the wool over the eyes of those who cannot understand what is going on I speak of the farmers. The globing trotting PM went to several countries to romance investors to India, which is a good thing however, the promises made to intoxicate industrialists was not in place.  Everyone with smiles wants to invest therefore, Modi needs prime land with all the transportation routes in place along with anything else, which was not there.  The arrogance was the promise it will be there thus the full court press against the farmers.   The Modi Government thought a foot on the throats of the farmers would forcibly inti...

Blessed MOTHER TERESA The unending persecutions of the Catholic Christians among members of Hindu fundamentalists with radical incorrect accusations should back their statements with proof…WELCOME TO INDIA.  Mohan Bhagwat, the chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has in his ignorance accused the work of Blessed Mother Teresa motives was a plot to convert.  If Mr. Bhagwat had any idea about the calling of the beloved Blessed Mother Teresa he would know that she and her order the MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY worked with the dying on the streets of Kolkata.  Blessed Mother Teresa gave these ignored, dying on the streets, a clean bed, binding their wounds, food, and dignity.  I know they were not in a state of mind of conversion and neither would the Blessed Mother Teresa have taken advantage to convert such suffering.  The MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY headed by her gave love and help to ones ignored or even passed by. by such people as Mr. Bhagwat....

The march What is the recourse for the citizens of Delhi to take when the injustices are perpetrated against them?   In a DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY one recourse is to MARCH and in Delhi for one reason or another the gathering of crowds to make a point is part of life however, this is not afforded to the Catholic Community in the handling of crimes against the church and the handling of them thereof.  There has been in the last nine weeks five Catholic Churches attacked the last being the DESECRATION of the HOLY SACRAMENT at St Alphonso.  This last injustice bought the Catholic Church’s priests, nuns and the faithful to the streets to MARCH against a lack of protection for the church.  The Delhi Police whom cannot file an FIR against the person or persons that committed these crimes can manage to manhandle priests, nuns and the faithful by FORCIBLY SHOVING them on a bus, which included some hitting as they are hauled off to jail.  The actions of the Ca...

IT’S NOT A PRETTY SIGHT There is a perception by some males (more than I care to think) that their penis shooting urine is the image of every women’s day, a fulfilled dream.  Sorry guys, it is not. Nothing is more disgusting to see on the side of roads, in front of a wall, or in front of your house.  How can the dignity of a human being make themselves take this action is there no shame? This action comes as no surprise in India the toilet less country.  Toilets for the public use are sparse especially if you are traveling.  Many huts or village homes do not have toilets.  It was the tradition not to have toilets in the home as they are seen to be dirty and to go out in the jungle away from the home was the better option.  However, the jungle is becoming more inhabited thus the open space is very less.   The crimes of going to the jungle (due to news  expose ) of woman/children being ganged raped, murdered or maimed is da...

 THIS WAS TAKEN AT VADANTHANGAL BIRD SANCTUARY, TAMIL NADU, INDIA BY MY FRIEND FRANCO JOSEPH.  HE ALSO DESIGNED THE BANNER! LINDA MARY LIOTINO FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF ME A SERVANT OF CHRIST MISSION   2015

SHOP UNTIL WE DROP The universal call to most especially women is shopping nothing is more accelerating.  Shopping is not always want it can be need but there is something about going around stores and spending.  This time can be spent with family and friends and it mixes well with idle chatter and or gossiping with most assuredly grabbing a bite to eat.  The smells coming from shops offering food can make you drool and making you feel as if you can eat your way throughout the whole shopping outing.  We look at the latest fashions and even try them on knowing full well that expenditure is not in the budget but for a fleeting moment we are what we put on…WOW!  At malls especially we can sit and people watch and gleam some insight in how the rest of society is doing. Children especially love to be taken on a shopping excursion for they will assuredly get goodies to eat and no doubt a cheap toy that will be broken by days end.  Balloons can be...

VALLEY OF TEARS There is no one country that is perfect; decisions are made at times causing tragic results.  Democratic countries look at their errors which at times is fueled by vengeance and or greed because Democracy is a check and balance Governance.  Justice plays a role in bringing Democracy back to its roots as well as government agencies, courts, intelligence, and parliamentary representatives.  Therefore, if a Democratic Governance is in place and developed no one person, party, group has total power to dictate over any person’s freedoms and rights.  The present party in India the BJP has some radical groups that the law turns a blinds eye too.  The poor approximately 80% are either illiterate or have had a sparse education.  They are won over by what they hear not really taking into account the consequences of a smooth talker with a charismatic personality.  They judge and make decisions that will lift them from their VALLEY O...