Expected Competencies among Psychology Graduates

April 23, 2025April 23, 2025 selvam Articles/Chapters

There is a global ongoing discussion on developing some guidelines on the Expected Learning Outcomes of undergraduate psychology programmes, led by Susan A. Nolan (Seton Hall University, USA), Jacquelyn Cranney (UNSW Sydney, Australia) and colleagues.

The outputs of these discussions have been collected together on a new website: www.icupo.org.

They are also conducting survey among students and educators on the acceptance and application of the Undergraduate Psychology Outcomes globally. You can learn something about Undergraduate Psychology Outcome and contribute to the ongoing discussion:

Take a survey if you are student:https://clementine-sphere-mh54.squarespace.com/student-survey

If you are teacher, here is your version:https://clementine-sphere-mh54.squarespace.com/educator-survey

I was privileged to collaborate with the team in one of their publications, See: https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2025-33203-001

Easter Homily: an Event or an Experience

April 19, 2025April 19, 2025 selvam Year A

The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!
‘Alleluia’ is one expression that we hear so often during Easter. And when we hear a Catholic shouting out ‘Alleluia’ we think, they have become a Pentacostal. What does ‘alleluia’ mean? It simply means, ‘Praise the Lord’! But this praise is also filled with thanksgiving, joy and triumph. Several psalms begin and end with this expression. This is one of those expressions that has come to be used in Christian tradition in its original Hebrew expression, like ‘Amen’ and ‘Hosanna’. ‘Alleluia’ is an apt expression in the context of what we celebrate during Easter – it is simply to praise the lord for his triumph over death.
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!
The celebration of Resurrection is the first feast that early Christians ever celebrated. In fact it was such a powerful event that they […]

Sermon for the Palm Sunday – Cycle C Homily

April 12, 2025April 12, 2025 selvam Year C

The King on a Pony en route to Die
Palm Sunday (Cycle C) – Lk 19:28-40

(Before the Procession)
Today we begin the week of weeks in the liturgical calendar: the Holy Week. Today we begin the commemoration of the high points in the history of salvation: the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus – the Paschal Mystery. Today we accompany Jesus on his solemn entry into Jerusalem where he will suffer, die and rise again. Yet, this day is a day of contradictions.
The King on a Donkey’s Back
In the gospel of Luke Jesus is on this single, long journey that he started from the little village of Nazareth (Lk 4:42-44) to the capital of the Jewish world – Jerusalem. Now he is almost there nearing his destiny. It is going to be a solemn entry, almost as if a King is […]

Sermon for the 5th Sunday of Lent – Cycle C Homily

April 5, 2025April 5, 2025 selvam Year C

Grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ
5th Sunday in Lent (Cycle C) – Jn 8:1-11
Sometime back, I was participating in a training in Spiritual Accompaniment. During the days of training we also had ample time for personal prayer and reflection. One of the meaningful discoveries that I made during that week was to pray by just doodling. After every period of prayer, I would make some pencil drawings to relive my moment of prayer. I realised that these ‘childish’ drawings helped me a great deal in deepening the feelings that I had experienced during prayer. I discovered that, perhaps, doodling could be a non-verbal expression of the process of integrating our thoughts and feelings.
In the gospel passage of today we see Jesus writing on the ground, in a manner that could be considered very similar to doodling. I would […]

Sermon for the 4th Sunday in Lent – Year C Homily

March 29, 2025March 30, 2025 selvam Year C

The Good Boy and the Bad Boy
4th Sunday in Lent (Lk 15:1-3, 11-32)
Today is one of those days, when I feel, a homily might steal the gospel reading of its depth. The parable that we heard read is a much-quoted story and we are all too familiar with it. Perhaps I might just challenge that familiarity, so that the Word of God may become alive in us today.
Usually in stories and movies, there are three types of main characters: the hero and/or the heroin – the protagonist, around whom the story revolves; there is the anti-hero – the antagonist who creates a conflict which the hero attempts to resolve; and the supporting characters, who contribute to the events that lead up to the conflict and the resolution. There would also be the minor characters (like the servants), and […]