October, 2023

NEWS AND VIEWS OF JESUITS IN INDIA

India Yearns for a Mahatma! Jesuits Banned in El Salvador

GARDEN

Rosary on the Rearview Mirror

By Tim Emminger

Rosary on the rearview mirror

Guide me as I travel here and there
If I should lose control
Take the wheel; save my soul

Rosary on the rearview mirror

Crucifix I hold in my hand
Lord bless me
As I travel the land

Rosary on the rearview mirror

I believe that you will get me there
My daily travels, My vacation trips
Our Father and Hail Mary’s on my lips

Feast of Our Lady of Rosary falls on 07 October

Courtesy: https://hellopoetry.com

Pic courtesy: pexels.com

 CONTENTS
PUBLISHER OCTOBER, 2023
Parmar Francis
EDITOR
M.A. Joe Antony, SJ

DESIGNED AT
AMCF, Catholic Communication Centre,
Mumbai

EDITORIAL BOARD
Astrid Lobo Gajiwala
Babitha Abraham, FMM
Cedric Prakash, SJ
Jerry Rosario, SJ
Jose Kavi
M.K. George, SJ
Marianus J. Kujur, SJ
Myron J. Pereira, SJ
Nithin Monteiro, SJ
Stanislaus Alla, SJ

CORRESPONDENTS
Victor Edwin, SJ (North Zone)
Patrick Pradhan, SJ (North Eastern Zone)
A. Irudayaraj, SJ (South Zone)
John Rose, SJ (West Zone)
Vivian Richard, SJ (Overseas)

PUBLISHED BY
Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, P.B. No. 70,
St. Xavier’s Road, Anand-388001, Gujarat.

PRINTED AT
50 GOLDEN YEARS OF SADHANA INSTITUTE
Anand Press, Gamdi, Anand-388001,
Gujarat.
Interview with Vincent Crasta, SJ 06
CONTACT FOR ARTICLES & REPORTS
The Editor, JIVAN, St. Joseph’s College,
Jesuit Residence, “It was a time of self-discovery and healing”
Tiruchirappalli - 620 002, Tamil Nadu 12
Cell: +91 7305978801 World Youth Day Special
E-mail: editorjivan@gmail.com /
jivanmagazine@gmail.com
Website: www.jivanmagazine.com Jyoti Kumari inspires Jerry
15
CONTACT FOR SUBSCRIPTION & By Jerry Rosario, SJ
CIRCULATION
The Publisher, Gujarat Sahitya Prakash,
P.B. No. 70, Anand-388001, Gujarat.
Cell : +91 94084 20847, India yearns for a Mahatma!
Ph. : 02692 240161, 17
E-mail : booksgsp@gmail.com By Cedric Prakash, SJ

SUBSCRIPTION RATES OF JIVAN If you respect women and give them a role...
19
By Janina Gomes
Jesuits:
`1000 / yearly
Non-Jesuits: At this age what do I expect...
`750 / yearly 21
Foreign:
Sharings by four senior Jesuits
US $25 (Or
`1500) / yearly
A Jesuit among Muslims
26
GSP AC details By Victor Edwin, SJ
A/C Name: GUJARAT SAHITYA
PRAKASH SOCIETY
Bank Name: ICICI Bank Seeing God in Others
Address: Flavours, Nr Bhaikaka
By Meath Conlan 29
Statue, Vallabh Vidyanagar,
Gujarat - 388120
A/C No.: 008501008925
RTGS / IFS CODE: ICIC0000085 Cover Design:

Please share your transaction As a service of information for the South Asian Jesuit Conference, JIVAN is sent to Jesuits and their colleagues,
details and postal address to collaborators and friends. Articles appearing in JIVAN express the views of the authors and not of the Jesuit
booksgsp@gmail.com or Conference of South Asia. All material sent for publication may be edited for reasons of space, clarity or
+91 94084 20847 policy. Readers are requested to donate generously towards Jesuit ministries.
READERS WRITE

The Indian Constitutions and the democratic setup are

Do we care to watch?
People are glued to their desks when they are given a
deadline to complete their projects, finish off assignments
and reach their targets. But the same self-forgetfulness is not
witnessed when it comes to admiring and caring for the nature,
a project given by nature’s creator, God.
The article, ‘The Moon and its Creator’ (Aug 23), written
by the well-known Jesuit astronomer, Br Guy Consolmagno, SJ
was really inspiring. The moon is always there. The question is,
‘Do we care to watch it?’ I think each of us should make some
time to look and marvel at the moon, the stars and the sky. It is
an easy way to feel and appreciate the omnipresence of God in
and around us, in all things.
Jackson, NSJ | Bengaluru
Grave threats to our democracy
Like the forest fire that destroys everything, the communal
fire and hate crimes rage unabated in many regions of our
nation. Marginalized minorities and impoverished sections
of people bear the brunt of the communal fires. In spite of all
this, still a large number of people are not aware of the many
dangers to our Constitution and Democracy in India. A large
number of Christians are not adequately educated in civil
literacy. As a result, we are slow to recognize the danger that
threatens our democracy and the Constitution of India.
rooted on diversity of our nation. Our country is a collage of
different religions, religious sects, languages, cultures, and
social groups. A multi-religious and multi-lingual country like
India would not survive, if the secular, democratic framework is
damaged. The existing social violence in families, communities
and the country is born of a negative attitude towards the other
and many. The systematic attempts to damage grievously the
plural nature of our reality are at the root of violence that we
have seen in Manipur and Haryana in the last few months.
We must recognize that knowledge and culture are
intimately related with each other. As there is a vibrant
plurality in culture, there is a delightful diversity in
knowledge, agricultural methods, eating habits, and religious
celebrations. Diversity shapes up peoples’ aspirations and
empowers them. The danger today is the systematic campaign
for homogenization. The ‘one nation, one language and one
culture’ ideology behind this homogenization drive creates
hatred for the other.
In the economic arena the transnational and multinational
companies combat for the control of resources. As a result
people experience a profound loss of control of their life and
resources. At this critical juncture of our national life, we could
ask ourselves how our service institutions contribute to the
diversity of cultures, the protection of the Constitutions and
preservation of democracy. It is important to be alert before it
is too late.
Joseph Victor Edwin, SJ | Delhi

Jivan Short Story Contest - 2023

We are happy to announce the Jivan Short Story Contest for this year.
The prizes to the winners come from a generous grant offered in 1997 by the family of Fio
Mascarenhas, SJ and his brother, Frazer Mascarenhas, SJ in memory of their beloved parents –
Francis and Flora Mascarenhas.
The short story contest is open to all - Jesuits and non-Jesuits, men and women, young and not-
so-young. The short-story should be original, unpublished anywhere else, in English, within 1,200
words – set in today’s Asia, highlighting people, events and trends that offer us hope for the future.

There are three prizes:

The first prize: Rs 4,000 The second prize: Rs 2,500 The third prize: Rs 1,000

1. Send neatly typed, original (unpublished) entries through email with a forwarding letter with
your full name and address and a brief description of your background to: jivanmagazine.com.
Entries will be acknowledged on receipt by e-mail.
2. The entries should reach us before 30 Oct 2023. The results will be announced in the February
2024 issue of Jivan.
3. Jivan is not responsible for any loss or damage in transit.
4. Entries cannot be returned and all entries become the property of Jivan.
5. A person can send only one short story.
6. The decision of a two-member Jury will be final.
- Editor

04 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023

 WHAT DO YOU SAY?
STANY D’SOUZA, SJ
President, JCSA
Re-imagining the Society
in South Asia
When TV Narendran, the global CEO and
Managing Director of Tata Steel, was asked how big
Tata Steel expected to be by the end of this decade,
he said: ‘…We have doubled our production in the
last ten years. We are producing 20 million tonnes.
Over the next ten years we want more than double
so that by 2030, we can be at 40 million tonnes’.
Of course, the above is the corporate
perspective and a dream. We may not agree with
and approve of it. However, do we have any dreams
for the Society of Jesus in South Asia? I think it is
an important question to ask and reflect upon.
The restored Society came to South Asia
at the beginning of 19th century. Thanks to the
daring and pioneering spirit of the foreign and
local Jesuits, we are now about 3900 Jesuits in
19 provinces and 2 regions, and are busy in 75
centres of higher education, 398 schools, and over
a hundred centres of social action and of psycho-
spiritual and pastoral work. The volume of our
work is certainly immense. However, we need
to reflect on the impact of our ministries in the
complex socio-political situation of South Asia.
We need to re-imagine and re-invent ourselves
so that we can make the Society structurally and
culturally future ready. We need to be alert to the
signs of the times so that we may be able to respond
to them. We need to collaborate and network with
others, especially the people of good will and the
organizations which share our vision and mission.
It is precisely for this reason that the JCSA, for
its October meeting in DNC, Pune, has chosen this
topic of reimagination of the Society in South Asia.
While retracing the history of restructuring in the
Conference, we want to seek and find where and
how the Spirit is calling us today to make it future
ready. We want to come up with a plan and with
certain clarity about the pathways to reach there.
Pioneering spirit is the core to the Charism of
the Society. It has driven it all along to be where
it is now. The baton is in our hands today. Let us
explore new governance and apostolic models, and
transformative programmes to move ahead. What
do you say?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
M.A. JOE ANTONY, SJ
Editor
Things hard to understand
Did you notice it? If you did, you deserve a pat on your back, because it shows
you are a careful reader of Jivan.
The first one to alert me to the mix-up in the September ’23 issue of Jivan
was Jerry Rosario, SJ, whose amazing bicycle feat during the Covid lockdown
you can read on p.15 and 16 in this issue. What is the mix-up? On p. 27 of the
September issue you see the name and photograph of Br. Irudayasamy Sebastian
(MDU) but the accompanying obituary is that of Fr. Paul Vaz (BOM). How did his
obituary get there? It is a mystery.
Fr Paul Vaz died in January 2023. His obituary, therefore, appeared in the
April ’23 issue of Jivan. I began my second innings as the editor of Jivan only
from the July ’23 issue. So nobody would have sent us the obituary which had
already been published. How can we send to our Designers something which
we never received? How can GSP print something which we never sent them?
It looks like an unexplainable mystery, doesn’t it?
As young adults, we presume that there must be an explanation for everything.
But as years pass by and you grow older and wiser, you come to acknowledge that
there are things which are very hard to understand – if not impossible.
Why would our Tony de Mello speak repeatedly of death in the seminar that
was destined to be his last? Why would he invite his brother Bill for dinner at
Fordham the night before he died? (See the article on p.7 - 9)
Why would a man so good, so great as to deserve the title of ‘Mahatma’ fail to
understand the plight and feelings of Dalits whom he named Harijans? Isn’t that
the reason why he and the architect of our Constitution, the great Dr. Ambedkar,
differed substantially on many issues? (See the article on p.17,18)
Why would men keep denying women the place and the role they deserve?
(See the article on p.19,20). Why is it we don’t hear much – in the Acts of the
Apostles or the history of the early Church - about the woman who valiantly stood
at the foot of the Cross while Jesus was tortured to death – who was there when he
was buried in someone else’s grave near a garden – whom Jesus made an apostle
to the apostles?
Why would a young tribal Scholastic, who endeared himself to everyone with
his genuine, hearty smile, die at the age of 31? (See his obituary on p.28)
I don’t know if you have read Richard Randolph’s beautiful poem titled,
Things Hard To Understand. It gives you a long list of such things:
A love letter no one reads, / a strange man no one needs, / a seed dropped
upon the sand, /a starving child in a barren land —
Why trees reach toward the sky/ and grown men forget how to cry, /why a
bird sings to its mate, / though she’s gone and it’s too late —
Why a man when he’s lost his way, / blindly stumbles on anyway, /or a
boxer too bruised to see, / still flails his arms desperately --
Why falling stars light up the sky, / though no one sees them before they die,
/ why a wild animal trapped within a cage, / slowly learns to live with its rage—
Why one cruel word can cause a heart to burst, /and strong drink can never
quench one’s thirst, / why mountain streams blindly seek the sea, /and silence
can whisper a name endlessly.
What do you think?
JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 05
COVER FEATURE - 1

50 Golden years of the Sadhana Institute

Interview with Vincent Crasta, SJ
Superior, Sadhana Institute, Lonavla
What exactly do you celebrate in October 2023? Do you have any plans for the future of
We had planned to celebrate 50 years of the Sadhana?
Sadhana Institute in October this year. Due to certain a. Family counselling.
unavoidable circumstances we will be celebrating it in b. Trauma and bereavement counselling.
December 2023.
c. Organise Sadhana courses in other parts of our
After the death of Fr Tony, the founder, what do you country. We have begun this year.
think are the milestones in the history of the Sadhana
d. Upgrade the faculty academically and add one
Institute?
more woman staff.
Maxi Sadhana was upgraded to a two-year
Formators course, accredited by Jnana-Deepa
Vidyapeeth as Masters in Psychology (MPh status).
Fr P.J. Francis gave a professional touch to the
courses, built up a good library, produced educational
videos, and improved the infrastructure for participants
and for academics.
Non- Jesuit (religious men and women) staff for
academic and administration have been introduced.
Fr. M.C.Abraham of the Holy Cross Congregation
became the Director of programmes.
Sadhana now offers diversified courses on Sufi-
mysticism, Geetha Sadhana, GESTALT, Vipasana,
and NLP.
What are the main programmes that Sadhana
offers now?
The brochure of Sadhana and our website: www.
sadhanainstitute.org provide all the details of the
programmes that Sadhana offers now.
How popular are they? Do you get enough
participants for the programmes that Sadhana
offers now?
Even during the COVID period, there was a
demand for the courses and the Institute organised
them. Those who participate in our programmes are
our ambassadors. They go and talk about how much
they benefitted. Except for GESTALT we get sufficient
number of participants.

06 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023

COVER FEATURE - 2 Mario Correia, SJ

Life and vision of Tony de Mello, SJ

- The Founder of Sadhana Institute

I had the privilege of meeting Fr Anthony de Mello,

SJ (fondly called ‘Tony’) first as a novice in 1967, at
Vinayalaya, Andheri, Mumbai. He was then Superior
scholastics change their attire to modest clothes and
asked them to keep their good clothes in a particular
room to be distributed to the poor.
of the Shirpur Mission station, in North Maharashtra. Spiritual Director
From there he would go to different places in USA and
By 1971 after serving as Rector of Vinayalaya, Tony
Japan, and when he returned, he would stop over in
was assigned to to De
Vinayalaya, give a talk to
Nobili College, Pune, as
the community, which
its spiritual director. In
we found very interesting 1972 when the process
and insightful. of searching for a new
In March 1968 Provincial for Bombay
when he was appointed Province began, Tony,
Rector of Vinayalaya, without any doubt, was
we youngsters were the top contender. But
very happy. He was very Tony, who had a very
liberal yet firm on the good rapport with Fr.
rules. His advice to us, Pedro Arrupe, SJ, the
Superior General, went
Juniors, was simple: “If
to meet him when he
you have done something
had come to Kolkata
wrong, first come and tell
(Calcutta) for the JCSA
me, before I hear from
Pics courtesy: swarajyamag.com

meeting, and convinced

others.” He did dismiss
one Junior for not
following this procedure.
Initial Phase of
Ignatian Spirituality:
As Rector of
Vinayalaya, he would regularly direct a number of
30-day-Retreats to senior Jesuits. He would also
conduct the evening prayers, which latter were
compiled into a book, Contact with God. That was
also the time he authored the book Way to God,
which became very popular all over the world and was
translated into several languages.
Gandhian Phase of Lived Poverty
Then came the phase of Gandhian simplicity and
poverty. He began this when he was at Vinayalaya. For
instance, we were offered only vegetarian meals in the
evenings. He made the Juniors, and Marathi-learning
him why he should not be
made the Provincial.
The clinching reason
was that there were not
many Jesuits trained to
be Spiritual Directors of
our Scholasticates, and as one who had been trained
for this difficult responsibility, he should be allowed
to continue to guide the young Jesuits. He did this
effectively.
Beginning of Sadhana at DNC
It was at De Nobili that Sadhana took shape in his
mind. In all 13 Jesuits, including Dick Lambert, Joe
Lovette, Fermin, Valentine, Paddy Meagher, Ronnie
Prabhu, Tony Sequeira, Jose Mekat, Joe Thayil,
Silvanus Kiro, Adrian Wavriel, Michael Fonseca, and
Bob Schmidt formed the first team. This took place
from July 1973 to April 1974, at De Nobili College,
when Fr. Lerch SJ was its Rector.

JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 07

 The second Sadhana was
from July 1974 to April 1975. This
included six Sisters, including
Srs Rekha, Anamarie, Augusta,
Ramina, Ita and Helen. Ten Jesuits
also participated in this Sadhana,
which was rated very high. This
same pattern of five Maxi Sadhanas
was followed till 1977-1978.
The then Rector, Robert
Coutinho, advised Tony to move
to some other place. Some of
the community members did
not like Tony’s style and the
interaction between priests and
nuns during the sessions! Then
Fr. Henry D’Cruz, SJ, minister of
St. Stanislaus, Bandra, offered the
villa in Lonavla for seven months
from October to April, on nominal
rent. That’s how Sadhana was
shifted to Lonavla.
Before moving out to Lonavla,
there was also Mini Sadhana, a
one-month course for Religious
men, directed by Roman Lewiski
and Philip Teresa, which continued
in De Nobili for a few more years.
The Lonavla Experience
At that time, I was in De
Nobili for a Brothers Theology
Course, as part of my Tertianship,
from where I was supposed to go
Shembaganur, Tamil Nadu for
my tertianship. But Tony and Joe
Aizpun intervened, asking Bertie
Phillips, the Provincial of Mumbai,
to spare me and send me to Lonavla
to help in setting the house. So the
Provincial asked me to go and help
for six months. Those six months
turned out to be 12 years and seven
months in Sadhana!
But there were Jesuits in
some provinces who criticized
the way Sadhana was conducted.
Therefore an enquiry commission
was appointed to evaluate the
08 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023
functioning of Sadhana. Frs Michael
Jayaraj, Feleila, and Joe Aizpun
were the commission members.
After examining the many concerns,
the commission did give a positive
report.
The sixth Maxi Sadhana, the first
in Lonavla, was held from October
1978 to April 1978 at St. Stanislaus
Villa. I came on 1 December 1978,
after the end of the Theology Course
of the Tertian Brothers. I functioned
It was a holistic
programme towards
wholeness - integration
of physical, intellectual,
emotional, social and
spiritual dimensions.
Hats off to Sadhana
Institute, all the staff and
the resource persons!
I wish that Sadhana
Institute continues
to conduct such
programmes to enrich
many more lives so that
in turn they can go out to
make others enjoy life in
its fullness.
- Regina Anthony,
Carmelite Missionary Sister
as minister and treasurer for two
months. Fr. Oscar Rosario, who was
a participant in the Maxi Sadhana,
acted as minister.
In the following Year, October
1979, a new format called Midi
Sadhana began. It was a course for
two months for 24 participants.
Simultaneously a six month Maxi
Sadhana for 12 participants was
initiated. So there were three Midi
Sadhanas of two months each,
while the six month Maxi Sadhana
continued till April. The reason was
that we had to hand over the villa to
St. Stanislaus back for their use.
From July 1973 to March
1987, Tony had conducted 12 Maxi
Sadhanas. From October 1979 to
March 1986 there were 12 Midi
Sadhanas. All of them were highly
appreciated by the participants
who affirmed that the programme
contributed much to their growth
and maturity.
In May 1987 Tony conducted
a 10-day seminar on spirituality,
at De Nobili College, Pune for a
very large group of religious men,
women and lay people. Sadly, this
was his last seminar in India. His
own sister, Grace and her husband
and some of their friends from Goa
attended this seminar. Grace told
me that Tony spoke repeatedly
about death. During these months,
from January 1987 onwards, he
complained about breathlessness.
His brother-in-law, Mr. Bismark
Martin (Biju), took him to see Dr.
Mehta in Jaslok Hospital, who
prescribed some tablets.
On 30 May 1987 I drove Tony
and Frs. Dick McHugh and Alex
D’Souza of Allahabad Diocesan
Seminary to the Lonavla railway
station. As the train, Deccan
Queen, started, I saw Tony
standing at the door of the train
and waving goodbye to me, which
was unusual. I had reached him to
the station a number of times in
the nine years we were together in
Lonavla. But never before had he
waved goodbye to me.
When he reached Mumbai, he
went straight to his sister Grace’s
house in Bandra, where Fr. Diaz
del Rio SJ, Director, Gujarat

Founders: Left to right: Mario Correia, SJ; Anthony de Mello, SJ; Joe Aizpun, SJ; Dick Mc Hugh, SJ
Sahitya Prakash, was waiting for
him to show the proofs of his book,
Prayer of the Frog. That night he
met Dick and Alex at the Bombay
Airport and they flew to New York.
The Final Journey:
On 1 June 1987, he reached
Fordham University, New York.
Fr. Francis Stroud SJ, who was
in charge of Campus Ministry at
Fordham, had lined up for him
about 8 seminars, the first one
being on 2 June.
Tony’s brother William (Bill)
De Mello, happened to be in
New York on 1 June. He lived in
Australia and had come to New
York on a business trip. Tony
invited him to Fordham that night.
Both the brothers sat at a corner
table for dinner and had a heart-
to-heart talk, laughing aloud,
looking very happy. When Bill was
about to leave, Tony asked him if
he could get him some tablets that
Dr. Metha had prescribed. Bill
I participated in the
8 months Formators
Course. I personally
experienced intimacy
with Christ, who filled
me with hope for a
better future when
I could be at ease
with myself, others,
cosmos and God. The
Course gave me hope
of experiencing the
transforming power
of the Lord, building
positive relationships,
being and doing good
to everyone
and everywhere.
The positive energy,
went and bought those tablets and which was lost, is
brought them to Tony. found again. The
Next morning, 2 June, when paschal mystery is
Fr Francis Stroud knocked at his again experienced and
door, there was no response. Francis enjoyed.
waited for some time and went
again and knocked. As there was no Sr. Prem Kumari Hansda,
response, he got someone to break CJMJ
the door open. They found Tony
dead. On 12 June Fr Stroud flew
to Bombay along with the mortal
marched forward gracefully and
remains of Tony. The last rites were
courageously, with a vision to
held at his Jesuit parish, St. Peter’s,
humanize ourselves, to liberate
Bandra, where Cardinal Simon
ourselves from the shackles of
Pimenta officiated. Tony was laid to
numerous psychological blocks.
rest on the left side corner entrance
His prime concern was to make us
of St. Peter’s Church.
all spiritually wholesome for the
For Liberating Ourselves greater glory of God and service of
When Tony died in 1987, I had fellow human beings. His life of 66
been in the Society for 20 years! I had years was a search for freedom that
lived 17 years with Tony, at different enables us to be fully human.
places like Vinayalaya, De Nobili
and Sadhana. In spite of the bitter Br Mario Correia, SJ (BOM) supervised all
infighting and internal jealously the construction work at Sadhana for 13 years.
Tony experienced from some of At present he is a member of the Jesuit
community of Xavier Institute of Engineering,
his own friends and colleagues, he Mumbai.
JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 09
NEWS - CONFERENCE
Novice Masters meet at CIS,
go on a Xaverian pilgrimage
T he annual meet of Jesuit Novice Masters of South
Asian Assistancy (JeNMaSA) was held at the Centre
for Ignatian Spirituality (CIS), Beschi Illam, Dindigul,
Tamil Nadu, on 20-28 August, 2023. All 14 Novice Masters
of JCSA were present.
The meeting commenced with the inaugural Mass
presided over by Fr Thomas Amirtham, Provincial
of Madurai. Extending a cordial welcome, he said he
appreciated the crucial mission of the Novice Masters
with the Z generation youth of today who are accustomed
to the world of social media, and whose language is SMS,
memes, reels and mind voice etc. He exhorted the Novice
Masters to accept, accompany and assist the Novices who
enter the Society of Jesus with varied multiple identities,
orientations and aspirations to discover and find their
true identity and a sense of purpose in their human and
Christian life.
In his introductory talk, Fr Amirtham shed sufficient
light on the development and consolidation of the old
and the new Madura mission. The days spent together
enabled us to gather several insights for our inward,
upward and outward journey.
Input for inward journey: The initial two days were
devoted to mull over the insights gathered for our own
inward journey in the light of the interesting input
sessions offered by Fr Wilson, OFM Cap on Psycho-
sexual-spiritual integration.
Inspiration for upward journey: We drew a lot of
inspiration for our upward journey during the Xaverian
10 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023
pilgrimage. Our flying visit to the places where St Francis
Xavier, Beschi and Henrique Henriquez laboured with
utmost dedication to spread the gospel in innovative
ways elevated our body, mind and spirit to God and
filled us with much gratitude to God and reverence for
our own Jesuit missionaries and rich Jesuit heritage.
We visit also some Marian shrines and spent some time
at the shrine of the Martyrdom of St Devasagayam Pillai.
The Jesuit communities all along the pilgrimage route
went out of their way to provide us with sumptuous
meals and splendid accommodation.
Interaction for outward journey: We spent the last
couple of days in interacting with each other, sharing
news and views about the novitiate formation, and
suggesting ways and means to reach out to the budding
Jesuits with a compassionate heart during our outward
journey with the novices. We gained a number of insights
to address the issues concerning the integral formation of
the novices in the current situation.
This memorable meet was made possible due to
the meticulous planning and execution by Fr Anthony
Inigo, the Novice Master, his Socius, Fr Anto Arputharaj
and all the novices. They left no stone unturned to make
the gathering truly an enriching experience. We are
greatly indebted to the Provincial and the Maduralaya
community as well as to Fr Michaeldoss SJ, the Superior
and Brs Santiago, Royappan, Joseph Raja, and all at Beschi
Illam, for all they did to make our meeting memorable.
John Pradeep, SJ (KAR)
WORLD YOUTH DAY SPECIAL

MAGIS 2023 &

World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon
L isbon, Portugal became the youth hub of 2023, as
it held two grand events, MAGIS 2023 and World
Youth Day 2023. Youth from across the world huddled
programmes held simultaneously across Lisbon. Both
were deeply enriching. Each participant had to choose
what to attend.
together to express their faith in Christ and solidarity The ‘City of Joy’ was where most of the spiritual
with Him. 7 Jesuits and programmes happened.
34 youth from the Jesuit It was a touching sight
Conference of India to see so many youth
participated in these two participating in the
events. Eucharist, going for
MAGIS began on confessions, participating
22 July ’23 with over in adoration services
2000 pilgrims from over with great devotion. It
80 nations. The theme made everyone see that
‘Creating a hope-filled spirituality is alive.
future’ was explained in Pope Francis’s
the inaugural Mass. arrival on 2 August was
MAGIS centered a thrilling moment for
on the ‘experience’ that everyone. Youth were
lasted 6 days. There were crying, shouting, calling
a variety of experiences at the sight of him. He
such as Faith and was the centre of WYD
Spirituality, Pilgrimage, encouraging youth to
Ecology, Art and Culture, hold on to Jesus Christ in
Social Outreach. We were all situations of life. Days
divided into groups of passed quickly, as they
25 to 30 and sent to one were filled with a lot of
of these experiences. activities.
Coming from different Every WYD culminates
nations we had a lot to with a night vigil and the
contribute from our own cultures and contexts. It was Eucharist the following morning. Many young and
very enriching. old walked 12 to 15 kilometers in a pilgrimage to the
After the ‘experience’ we returned to the main venue. The Magis youth gathered once again and
venue where our Fr. General, Fr. Arturo Sosa joined walked to the venue of the vigil. It was like many
us and interacted with us. On 30 we had the Festival rivers flowing into the sea. Everyone stayed overnight
of Nations, a colourful and vibrant cultural event of after the vigil for the closing Eucharist in the morning.
different nations showcasing a bit of their culture. The Pope announced that Seoul will host the next
MAGIS came to a close on 31 July, with the closing WYD in the year 2027.
Eucharist celebrated by Fr. General. Every one of us returned home with unforgettable
World Youth Day (WYD) began on 1 August. While memories of the two global events centered on youth.
MAGIS was more of involvement in the ‘experience’,
WYD was more of participating in different Ivan D’Souza, SJ

JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 11

 “It was a time of self-discovery
and healing”
Through our senses
The Faith and Spirituality Experience at Magis 2023
was about praying with our senses. Every day of the
experience we took one sense and we dwelt on it trying
to encounter God through these. We began with the
sense of taste and smell. It was made alive through
our meals. The next day we moved on to hearing and
appreciating the sounds through listening. On the
third day we engaged with our sight and appreciated
the beauty that surrounded us. By the time this
‘Experience’ ended, we learnt many ways to encounter
God through our senses.
Ivan Joseph D’Souza, SJ (BOM)
Bombay Youth coordinator

This girl from China

During the Magis pilgrimage to Santiago de
Compostela, Spain, there was a girl from China
who struggled to walk on the first day. But later she
walked in the front with full of energy. The main
reason was the way all of us encouraged her. Love and
encouragements are the boosters for youth to march
ahead in life. I also witnessed the joyful celebration
of life beyond all barriers like language, ethnicity…At
the end of the WYD I realized that youth are the only
We connected, shared, supported.. beacon of hope in this unjust world. Miracles happen
Broad, bright smiles and the unfamiliar words when we open our hearts without prejudices.
greeted us as we met hundreds of pilgrims during our
journey to Santiago de Compostela, the renowned Parthasarathi N, SJ (CEN)
Spanish pilgrimage destination, as part of our Magis Chennai Youth Co-Ordinator
Experiment. The shrine draws pilgrims from all over
the world, seeking spiritual growth and reflection.
What fascinated me in the Comino is that regardless of
how unfamiliar we may be to each other, in the name
of Christ and St. James, we connected, shared, and
supported each other, forming a profound spiritual
community. These fleeting encounters yielded
profound insights and enduring bonds. For me this
journey became a time of self-discovery and healing
that brought me inner peace.
Maxim Dias, SJ (KAR)
Director, KJES Youth Works,
St Joseph’s University, Bengaluru

12 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023

Hope for the future of the Church
What touched me and what gave me hope for the
future of the Church are the powerful words of Pope
Francis. He told the youth, “Don’t be afraid. Arise and
go in haste. Carry Jesus within your hearts, and bring
him to all those whom you meet! In this beautiful
season of your lives, press ahead and do not postpone
all the good that the Holy Spirit can accomplish in
you!” These unforgettable words of the Pope during
the Missioning Eucharist on 6 August 23 keep echoing
within me. At the WYD one could see that the young
Church devoutly lay before the Lord- ready and willing
for a greater intimacy, a greater love, a greater service
and all these for the greater glory of God.

Niranjan Minj, SJ (JAM)

Jamshedpur Youth Coordinator

I will forever cherish

It is WYD that made me realize that “Observing the faith of others helps us to strengthen our own faith.”
We witnessed so much life there at Lisbon - laughing, singing, dancing and merriment all around. I witnessed
exuberance, but amidst it, there was a moment of profound sanctity. At the time of the procession of the
Blessed Sacrament, a profound silence enveloped us. Every knee had knelt down, every head had bowed in
reverence. And a beautiful choir created a celestial atmosphere for prayer and worship. I will forever cherish
such a spectacular sight and the prayerful atmosphere.

Arbind Beck, SJ (HAZ)

Youth Coordinator of South Asia Conference

JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 13

NEWS - CONFERENCE

Eco-Jesuits to promote eco-consciousness

Pics courtesy: goodnewenergy.enagas.es

‘E cology is not one ministry among many others,
but rather the mission of the Society. It needs
to pervade, permeate and propel every apostolate of
ours’, emphasised Fr. Stany D’Souza, SJ, President,
South Asian Jesuit Conference, while addressing the
Ecojesuits of the conference during the online meeting
on 10 July ‘23. He suggested the following action plans
for our consideration and consultation, action and
actualization.
- We, eco-Jesuits, need to meet regularly, share
ideas, best practices, success stories, struggles, and
work together. I suggest that we evolve a brand and
give a clear visibility to the works we do. This will help
us also to partner with others.
was evolved. The focus areas of GIAN are ecology,
-We need to identify and network with
right to education, justice in mining and migration.
organizations that are already working for this cause
The fourth UAP evolved in 2019 also calls us to care
in South Asia. We need to be open to learn from and
for our Common Home.
collaborate with them.
Fr. Pedro Walpole, International Coordinator for
- We need to build ecological communities in our
Ecojesuit network called us towards: - A commitment
villages by restoring water bodies, protecting forests
which includes listening to the contexts and
and conserving natural resources etc.
challenges of ecological engagement at the Conference
- We could use Ecology as a platform for dialogue and Province levels - Collaboration: identify cross
among religions and cultures. It can be a good Conference linkages where partnership is possible. -
launching pad for our IRD (Inter Religious Dialogue) Communication: strengthen the network strategies
ministry. and processes for effective communication and civil
-As Pope Francis says, the crisis is not just ecological advocacy. He impelled us to communicate, collaborate
but also social and spiritual. We can easily integrate and connect with ecological efforts of the local
ecological mission with the social apostolate and the experience in Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs),
ministry of the service of faith. schools, parishes and civil society.
-The protection and promotion of ecology is the Fr. Xavier Soreng, Conference Coordinator for
justice for the future generation. Hence we should Social Justice and Ecology said that caring for our
integrate it in our educational apostolate. Common Home is the urgent need of the hour.
We must focus on how we can, as a unit, make our
- Of course, our spirituality lends itself towards the
actions more effective. We need to generate significant
protection of the environment. Hence, it is incumbent
awareness among the youth. We must appreciate local
on us to promote it in the ministries of the Spiritual
knowledge (traditional wisdom) of the people and
Exercises and formation.
support them.
Fr. Xavier Jeyaraj, International Secretary for Social
Fr. Lumnesh, former Coordinator of the SA
Justice and Ecology presented a global overview of
Ecojesuit network shared with us on the journey
the Society’s involvement in Ecology. In 1995, GC 34
travelled so far in the Conference by the Ecojesuit
recognised the growing ecological and environmental
network. Fr. Ignacimuthu, former VC and scientist,
problems and its impact. In 2008, GC 35 talked about
insisted on using social media in eco awareness and
‘Reconciliation with Creation’ as an essential aspect
action. Fr. Lancy D’Cruz shared with us about the four
of being reconciled with God and with other human
proposed west zone eco-networks.
beings. As a result of all these documents and our
actions, GIAN (Global Ignatian Advocacy Network) S.M. John Kennedy, SJ (MDU)

14 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023

RETROSPECT Jerry Rosario, SJ

Jyoti Kumari inspires Jerry

– how a 15-year-old girl from Bihar influenced a Jesuit

Y ou may recall reading this

last year. Jyoti Kumari was
just a 15 year-old girl from a
remote village in Bihar, studying
seventh standard.
Her father had gone to
Haryana seeking a job towards
the end of 2019. He was an auto
rickshaw driver. Lo, he met
with an accident in the early
March of 2020 and had to be
hospitalised, as he had suffered
serious injuries. Two weeks later
came the sudden declaration of
a strict nationwide lockdown.
He was forcibly discharged from
the local Government hospital
to make space for the COVID 19
patients.
News reached his family
living about 1,200 kilometers
away in Bihar and it shattered the
family. Crisis, history tells us, can
birth change. This teen-aged girl,
Jyoti Kumari, came up with an
idea which was, as expected, not
Pics courtesy: newsclick.in
well received initially. But she
managed to convince her mother
and siblings and embarked on
a dangerous journey. How a
village girl who had never gone
anywhere managed to reach Haryana safely, in spite of
the cancellation of all public transport, was by itself a How long could she stay by the side of her dad who
big story. After many a hardship, she not only reached had made the pavement his home? The government
the town in Haryana but also was able to find her dad kept extending the nationwide lockdown. Anyone else
now living in the pavement, after having been thrown would have lost all hope in such a situation. But not
out of the hospital. All this, in more than one sense, Jyoti Kumari. A master plan unfolded in her mind.
was a contemporary miracle. Out of 1,000 rupees that her father had, she managed

JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 15

to buy an old bicycle for 500
rupees. The original price of the
bicycle was Rs.1,200, but the seller,
seeing the determination of this
young Bihari girl, gave it to her for
Rs. 500.
At the dawn of 10 May 2020,
she started cycling along with her
injured dad on the pillion, who
carried his bag on his lap. It was
summer and so cycling in that heat
was extremely difficult. Every day
the two travelled from 04.30 am to
09. 30 pm, and managed to cover
over 170 kilometers. For the night
they slept near any petrol-bunk
they found on the way.
When Jyoti Kumari reached
home on 16 May with her dad,
both were terribly exhausted.
Her mother and others could not
believe it could be true. The family
and the villagers had assumed that
with hardly any money and no
transport both Jyoti Kumari and
her dad had no chance of getting
back home.
We came to know this incredible
feat, because Jyoti Kumari herself,
speaking to the media, narrated
in some detail how she managed
to bring her injured dad on her
bicycle after pedalling throughout
the day for six days.
I tell you, this news item had a
terrific impact on me. When I began
pondering over this event and also
later meditating over it prayerfully,
Jyoti Kumari challenged me
tremendously. She became my
teacher. Her discernment about
what she should do, while facing
crisis after crisis at her age, is
truly remarkable. Her hope and
determination, planning and
execution of the plan till its happy
ending are truly inspiring.
16 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023
Now let me share with you an
attempt that I made, inspired by
Jyoti Kumari. During the second
part of the last year, I had to travel
to Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) from
Chennai to visit my mother who had
to go through, quite unexpectedly, a
major surgery. Options were there
for me, including flying to Trichy
which is about 335 kms away. Flights
had resumed by then. Air travel
was recommended as the safest and
fastest way of travelling, because of
the risks posed by Covid.
But I could hear the voice of
Jyoti in me: ‘Follow me. Why not?’
Therefore after celebrating an early
morning Mass, I started pedalling
my old bicycle down to Trichy.
I stayed in public places on the way,
avoiding any parish or religious
house. I rested for a couple of hours
on the way. I didn’t eat anywhere.
I just had a cup of tea now and then.
I reached Trichy after 28 hours. I spent
a day with my mom in the hospital.
Then I cycled all the way back
to Chennai.
My attempt cannot be compared
to what Jyoti Kumari managed to
do. She covered totally a distance
of 2,400 kilometres. For me it was
just 670.
Before I began my bicycle trip, I
prayed for nine intentions, the first
of which was a speedy and complete
recovery of my mother. Believe me,
eight out of those nine intentions
were granted by God one after the
other. The way God answered some
of these prayers even exceeded
my expectations. Did prayer,
accompanied by penance – hunger,
and physical exhaustion in this case
– achieve this?
Does a real life experience such
as that of Jyoti Kumari have the
power to motivate us? Not by
itself. But it certainly can, when we
proceed to ponder in depth such
an event. Lessons that we can reap
from a ‘spirited’ consideration of
‘an anubhava’ can transform us.
In other words, experiences
are there day in and day out. But
we let them pass without trying to
extract their lessons. We generally
tend to take a bypass road and
thereby, in the process, we miss the
bus. But if we reflect prayerfully
on all the curves and corners of
rare life-experiences as this one,
then we can see the questions they
pose to us.
If a 15-year-old village girl
can do something like this for her
sick father, can’t I do something
similar for my mother? Unless we
allow ourselves, both personally
and collectively, to be challenged
by happenings around, we may
be judged by history as those who
“just plucked blackberries” even
when a bush was burning, trying
to tell us something.
Rare experiences – similar to
what Jyoti Kumari had – beckon us
to face every crisis and challenge,
and to convert the impossible to
possible. All that we need at such
times is a sustained hope that
makes us imagine what we pray
for and a strong will. We are then
sure to find a way out. We can recall
here this quotable quote, attributed
to St. Ignatius: ‘Do as if everything
depends on you and then, pray as
if everything depends on God’.
Courtesy: INI
Jerry Rosario, SJ (CEN) serves at Dhyana
Ashram, Chennai where he offers close to 25
programs a year. He is a theologian, professor,
writer, pastor, and Founder – Director of Dhaanam
for human donations and Manitham for political
participation. Jerry is a tireless blood donor and
motivator.
GANDHI JAYANTI SPECIAL
India yearns for a Mahatma!
India and the world will observe 2 October as ‘Gandhi
Jayanti’, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi,
who was born in 1869, in Porbandar, Gujarat.
Gandhiji’s contribution to the world and its
relevance can be seen in what the world leaders did
on 10 September this year. The leaders of some of the
most important countries, who had assembled in New
Delhi for the G20 Summit, began their second day’s
deliberations with a visit to the memorial of Gandhi at
Rajghat. The Prime Minister of India tweeted: “At the
iconic Rajghat, the G20 family paid homage to Mahatma
Gandhi – the beacon of peace, service, compassion and
non-violence. As diverse nations converge, Gandhiji’s
timeless ideals guide our collective vision for a
harmonious, inclusive and prosperous global future.”
Gandhi is no more; but today, India yearns for a
Mahatma!
Ahimsa (non-violence) was the cornerstone of
Gandhi’s philosophy of freedom and peace. The great
tragedy of his life was that he ultimately became a
victim of another’s hate and violence. On 30 January
1948 he was brutally gunned down as he was going
for his evening prayer meeting at Birla House in Delhi.
That night in a voice choked with emotion, the then
Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in an address to
the nation, said, “The light has gone out of our lives
and there is darkness everywhere”. There could not
have been more accurate words to reflect the pain
Cedric Prakash, SJ
Pics courtesy: mkgandhi.org
and anguish that millions of people, both in India and
across the world, felt at that terrible moment of history.
Sadly, hate and violence seem to be mainstreamed
and even legitimized in India today. So when a
gunman belonging to the ruling regime opens fire
chanting, “Yeh lo azaadi” and police reports reveal
that the gunman’s social media posts indicate that he
wants to emulate Godse, Mahatma’s assassin, there is
cause for concern.
When a Union Minister provokes a crowd saying,
“Desh ke gaddaron ko”, and the violent crowd responds,
“Goli maaron saalon ko” (referring to Muslims) that
is serious. If violence can be mainstreamed in such a
blatant manner, can the doctrine of Ahimsa stand the
test of time? Today India yearns for a Mahatma!
Satyagraha was the hallmark of the Mahatma’s
efforts to give India freedom from colonial rule.
The historic Dandi Salt March of 12 March 1930
reverberated throughout the world. At a time when
there were no social media and the television was not
even in one’s wildest imagination, Gandhi believed
that in order to attain one’s goals, people had to come
out and protest, even if one would have to pay a price.
Just as Swaraj (self rule) was the birthright of every
Indian, so was Satyagraha. In the end, it was this potent
weapon, the force of truth and the ability to protest
come what may, which brought the nation freedom.
JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 17
 Today, every effort is made to
stop non-violent protests, to stifle
voices, to throttle dissent, to detain
and even arrest, to fabricate false
charges like sedition and even to
kill some of them. To stop all this,
India yearns for a Mahatma!
Gandhi believed in freedom of
speech and expression for a more
equitable and just society. In 1903,
he brought out in South Africa
a paper called Indian Opinion
which took a stand against racial
discrimination and for civil rights.
In 1919, he became the editor of
the Gujarati weekly, Navjivan, in
which he used very strong stands
against the colonial rule! All
through he refused to stay silent.
He wrote strongly, convinced
that the freedom of the press was
paramount for the nation! For
him, communicating the truth was
essential in his quest for liberty.
The tragedy today is that hate
speeches and lies have gained
preponderance.
Some time ago, when a
comedian dared to take on in full
public view, a news anchor who
spews venom and falsehood all
the time, it is the comedian who
is punished with a fiat from a
minister of the government, even
if the act was on a private network
and both parties were private
citizens. Ironically enough, when
government ministers and officials
display even worse behaviour in
public, they do so with impunity,
because they know that they will
go scot free. This is why today
India yearns for a Mahatma!
The freedom to practice and
propagate one’s religion is a right
of the people of India, whilst
18 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023
maintaining the secular credentials
of the country. But religion is being
used today in a manipulative way
to divide, denigrate, demonize and
discriminate against the ‘other’. In
Gandhi’s Ashram, everyone found
a home in keeping with the Indian
tradition of Vasudhaiva kutumbakam
(the world is one family), a
phrase found in both, in the Maha
Upanishad and the Rig Veda. It is
also engraved at the entrance of
India’s Parliament.
Today, every
effort is made to
stop non-violent
protests, to stifle
voices, to throttle
dissent, to detain
and even arrest,
to fabricate false
charges like sedition
and even to kill
some of them.
To stop all this,
India yearns for
a Mahatma!
Gandhi’s spirituality echoed
in a hymn sung at his prayer
meetings. Ishwar Allah tere naam,
sab ko sanmati de bhagwaan. He was
inspired by John Henry Newman’s
quest for truth in the soul-stirring
prayer, Lead Kindly Light. One of his
favourite hymns Abide with Me, was
dropped from last year’s ‘Beating
of the Retreat’ ceremony. In a cruel
but calculated manner the wealth
of India’s pluralistic fabric is being
destroyed. To stem this rot, India
yearns for a Mahatma.
We need not deify Gandhi.
He went by his own understanding
of the complex Indian reality.
This is why he and Dr. Ambedkar
differed in many issues.
True, there are some controversies
about Gandhi and even certain
contradictions. But all of them pale
into insignificance when compared
to the legacy he has left to the
world. Significantly the United
Nations observes Gandhi’s birth
anniversary as the ‘International
Day of Non-Violence’. According
to a General Assembly resolution
of 15 June 2007, which established
the commemoration, the Day
is an occasion to disseminate
the message of non-violence,
through education and public
awareness. The resolution
reaffirms the universal relevance
of the principle of non-violence
and “the desire to secure a culture
of peace, tolerance, understanding
and non-violence.
Last year, the UN Secretary
General António Guterres
reminded us that Gandhi
constantly highlighted the gap
between what we do and what
we are capable of doing. On this
International Day, I urge each and
every one of us to do everything in
our power to bridge this divide as
we strive to build a better future for
all. When India desperately yearns
for a Mahatma, does anyone have
the courage to be one? Are most
Indians ready to live by the values
he lived and died for?
Fr Cedric Prakash SJ (GUJ) is a human rights,
reconciliation and peace activist and a writer. He
can be contacted at: cedricprakash@gmail.com
LISTEN TO HER!
If you respect women and
give them a role…
P erhaps I was lucky to be born in a family where my
parents encouraged us to make our own decisions.
My father’s unique philosophy was that we make our
own choices about our specializations, our career,
whether we marry or remain single, and, even more
importantly, our spiritual choices, made under a broad
framework of a good Catholic upbringing.
This prepared us to face life and to claim agency
over our own lives. When I was attracted by a Marxian
philosophy of an egalitarian society, my father did
not protest the material I used to sometimes read,
but helped me discover the delusions and deceit
of communist regimes, which are full of flaws
and excesses.
Janina Gomes
In a society where one feels compelled to choose
the pathways that conform to outdated social norms,
I never experienced any pressures from my family to
settle down, marry and raise children. In any case,
with my mental disabilities, none of those choices was
open to me.
Pics courtesy: churchofjesuschrist.org
I remained single, became a journalist, travelled
widely and read voraciously. My time abroad made
me aware of a different set of cultural values, and
that knowledge has sustained me till today. I did
experience patriarchy in my environment, even in the
Church. Hence, while I had the greatest respect for
priests and nuns, I was not blind to their many faults
and misdeeds.
JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 19
 When it came to managing a
household with only my mother as a
companion, I was often questioned
as to why I did not marry. It was
then believed that only a man
can manage a household. In the
Church, I saw the prime role
assigned to the clergy, and the
subservient role accorded to nuns
and the laity. I also saw the many
ways in which power was abused
by those in authority in the Church.
That made me adopt a critical
posture that questioned the way the
Church and society often function.
I was not a silent spectator to
what was happening in the world.
During the Emergency, I remained
an activist and protested strongly
against its many excesses. I had to
pay a price. I was not allowed to
accept a scholarship for a training
course, organized for journalists
around the world, to study the
newly formed European Union.
This ban was later reversed when
a new Government took over
the reins.
Back in India, I was in a way
forced to take a job to support my
20 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023
mother and me. I must say that in So, what I want to say now to
the offices I worked in, there was all women is not to remain silent
always an acceptance of my skills in the face of discrimination,
just the way I was. I did not submit abuse, weaponised rape and other
to decisions that did not accept atrocities, as is common in war and
me the way I was. I resisted unjust internal conflicts like the ethnic
decisions and so sometimes gained clashes In Manipur. We need to rise
as a collective force and challenge
Give women a
participatory role in all
that you do; do not leave
them out of the process
of decision-making,
whether the decision to
be made is small
Pics courtesy: comeandreason.com
or big.
every way of life in which women
are not accepted for what they are.
And finally, as a lay Catholic
woman with limited influence
a bad name for standing up for in both the Church and society,
my rights. I would like to advise all men,
Today, when I look back, I am including priests and Jesuits,
grateful to the Holy Spirit, for guiding never to take the women in your
my pathway in life, which was in lives for granted. Treat them with
many ways unique. I was thus able the respect they deserve, whether
to contribute to ‘the Speaking Tree’ at home, or in the workplace, or
column in the Times of India for 25 our institutions.
years. There I was able to express my Give women a participatory
opinions, air my grievances and to role in all that you do; do not leave
help others embrace the challenges them out of the process of decision-
of daily living. making, whether the decision to be
I am now almost 76 years old, made is small or big. If this is done,
and I am thankful that my way of women will bring to society and
life and my contributions to society the world their gifts of patience,
are accepted, though people ask me wisdom and intuitive knowledge.
often why I don’t have children and Today they may be ignored and
why I never married. their voices subdued, but for
how long?
I am now acutely aware of the
many ways women are discriminated Janina Gomes is a freelance writer with a
against. It hurts me to see many journalistic background. She is now retired and
lives at St. Charles Home for Senior Citizens,
women passively accept an unjust Mumbai. She has published 8 books, 2 of which
position in society. are books of prayer.
WORLD DAY FOR THE ELDERLY SPECIAL

At this age
what do I expect from my superiors
and fellow Jesuits?

Much still abides

James Rodrigues, SJ (CEN)
Loyola College, Chennai

The Society has given me more than what I expected in my long journey.
The superiors have been very kind and generous to me as an elderly person.
I had enjoyed a lot of freedom to live my life joyfully and meaningfully. When I
had interest in preaching retreats, the superiors always allowed me. I expect my
superior and my fellow Jesuits to understand my old age. For me, the old age is not
the time to look backwards at the past; it is a time to look forward to new adventures and
new growth. I recall Tennyson’s poem that says, “Though much is taken, much still abides…
Though made weak by time and fate, but strong in will. To seek, to find and not to yield.” I am very happy
to spend my life here in Berchmans Illam with young people. God has blessed me with good health.
I have no complaints.
(as told to A. Irudayaraj, SJ)

Authority for service

Juan Francis, SJ (BOM)
St. Xavier’s, Mumbai

I am 92 years old, 75 as a Jesuit. At this age I expect of my Superiors to be the

same as always. I have always taken the voice of the Superior as the voice
of God. Sometimes I’ve to be very attentive, because it comes as a whisper.
I pray daily for my Superiors, ranging from the top brass in the Curia at
Rome to the Provincial and local ones where I reside. I accept their authority.
All my Superiors have been approachable and understanding, though at times I
did feel and think differently from them. I have always respected my Superiors, felt
treated kindly by them, and found peace in their decisions arrived at by dialogue. I don’t remember
ever regretting having done what they wanted me to do.
I have no misgivings about future Superiors either. I expect they will continue to be fatherly,
accepting others as they are, and respecting the ideas and feelings of others, young and old.
They should use their authority to be at the service of their subjects, not for lording it over them,
knowing that their power comes from God. I am very happy to be among the Jesuits.
(as told to John Rose, SJ)

JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 21

Servant leaders – not bosses
Rex A. Pai, SJ (MDU)
Beschi Illam, Dindigul

If ‘expect’ means, ‘there should be, there ought to be or there must be like
this’, I do not have expectations of superiors, and in fact of other Jesuits too.
If ‘expect’ means, ‘it will be good if superiors had these qualities,’ then I have
some expectations. Here they are; One, who is deeply a spiritual person imbued
with the Ignatian spirit. Two, a servant leader - not a boss. Three, one who visits the
members now and then to enquire about their health. Four, one who is a good listener.
At this age, I, or anyone in my age, want to be listened to. Five, one who respects
all, including our workers and our helpers. Six, one who keeps confidentiality.
Seven, one who facilitates better relationship between our smaller community with the bigger
community. Eight, one who has concern and love for others, especially the poor, the sick and
the oppressed outside. Nine, one who encourages the community members not to waste - waste
water, or food, or electricity and so on. We are people who have taken the vow of poverty and
should be careful about using the resources responsibly. I expect that my superiors take into
consideration all these and help us grow in the way the Lord wants us to be at this age.

(as told to Thayriam, SJ)

Don’t wait for our birthdays!

Varkey Perekkatt, SJ (DEL)
St. Xavier’s School, Delhi

Immediate response to this question is that I do not expect anything

from my superiors. But on a sober mood, the answer is quite different.
Let us look at the reality. As I am eighty plus, I do to experience the
gradual closing of the doors of communication one by one: eyesight
has become blurred; hearing has become hard; smell though within
one’s reach, unable to distinguish one from the other; when it comes
to taste for food pallet feels the same tastelessness even for the best of
delicacies.
In this context I expect my Superiors to understand this reality. Such understanding can
open some of the closed or partially closed doors of communication. And finally, your parting
handshake can be an experience of warmth and brotherly concern rather than putting your
hand in icy cold water. When it comes to visiting the elderly, one need not wait for his birthday.
More frequent and informal visits will be appreciated and welcomed.

(as told to Victor Edwin, SJ)

22 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023

#HASHTAGGED
#PrayMore!
“D o I like a Jesuit? Or do I
like the ‘Jesuits?’ Hmm,
that’s a tough one… But is there
a difference? Hmmm! I am not
sure… Forget it. I have been
associated with the Jesuits for
20 years… I have met many of
them, and everyone of them has
contributed to my growth. Some
have died - God rest their souls!
Many still are actively working
for the people of God. A few, I
hardly remember meeting them.
And there are still others whom I
haven’t met. But I still feel a unique
familiarity with the Jesuits. Maybe
I like the ‘Jesuits?’ Do I? Hmm,
let’s see where this is going.
I grew up with the Jesuits
around me. Each had their charm,
but the collective effect was
transforming. While growing up,
prayer became a forced ritual. God
was too abstract, and Jesus was far
too holy and mighty to be reached.
It wasn’t fun at all. However,
praying with the Jesuits changed
my perspective of God. That was
when my pursuit to find the Cross I
could embrace began.
The Jesuits I met growing up
were prayerful and equanimous—
not all, but most were. I think that
was what I wished to become when
I grew up— an equanimous person.
Every time I saw a Jesuit pray in
the chapel with his eyes fixed on the
crucifix, wow, what a sight it was!
That sight inspires more than all
the ‘gyaan’ and the ‘preaching’ you
freely give. And it’s easy to see the
grace that flows through a praying
Jesuit into everyone he meets and
mentors. It’s transforming. I am a
living example.
Prayer was not a ritual anymore.
It was a tete-a-tete with my friend
hanging on the cross. I became
attuned to God’s word and His
will. Even during COVID-19,
when everything stopped and I
felt hopeless, I could still hold on
to my faith. I could still help my
neighbor when I was struggling.
That Jesuit retreat I took during the
COVID, especially the exercises on
contemplation, were so enriching
that I found and embraced the Cross
wholeheartedly. I would never have
found a friend in Jesus if not for the
NiMo, SJ
Jesuits. I wouldn’t have become
this Marlon who is interiorly free
and equanimous today. I owe it to
the praying Jesuits!
So, I think I am in love with the
Jesuits— the Society of Jesus and
the values it stands for! But it all
happened through the individual
Jesuits— the ones who prayed.
Amazing, isn’t it?
I wish you guys remain ever
‘prayerful.’ And the world will be a
better place. For we know where a
praying Jesuit is, an alter Christus
is born.”
I cannot but emphasize
what Marlon has expressed.
As Wittgenstein once wrote,
“Whereof one cannot speak
thereof, one must remain silent.”
And I choose to pray in silence.
Mr. Marlon J. Noronha is a
professional photographer. He
has been associated with the Goa
Jesuits since school.
Nithin Monteiro, SJ, (KAR) is currently
pursuing his Ph.D Studies in Ethics & Artificial
Intelligence at XIM University, Odisha.
Contact: m.nithin@jesuits.net.
JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 23
NEWS - WORLD

Jesuits banned, their assets confiscated

in El Salvador
O n 23 August ’23 Nicaraguan authorities banned
the entire Society of Jesus from the country and
ordered the confiscation of all its assets, claiming they

Courtesy: e
failed to comply with tax reporting. After shutting
down the Central American University, a Jesuit,

diti
on
private university founded in 1960, they have expelled

. cn
n.
co

the community of Jesuit priests from their private

m

residence close to the university in Managua. The

government has confiscated the university’s assets.
Daniel Ortega, the country’s dictator, has tried to
silence all dissenting voices in Nicaragua. He has
targeted the Catholic Church systematically for at least
five years now.

The Society of Jesus is not the first religious order
banned from Nicaragua. Last year, the Missionaries
of Charity were expelled from the country. Ortega’s
regime alleged that the missionaries are not accredited
“by the Ministry for the Family to function as a
nursery-center for childhood development, home for
girls, and home for the elderly,” nor “do they have an
operating permit from the Ministry of Education to
provide remedial education for students.”
From November 2018 to date, the Ortega dictatorship
has expropriated the goods and assets of some 3,321
NGOs. A Trappist monastery, for example, is now
owned by the Nicaraguan Institute of Agricultural
Technology (INTA), according to information the
Trappist Sisters provided local media.
A report made by Martha Patricia Molina Montenegro,
a member of the Observatorio Pro Transparencia
y Anticorrupción called ‘Nicaragua: A Persecuted
Church? (2018-2022)’, shows the Catholic Church has
been systematically targeted by Ortega’s regime, which
has unleashed an “an indiscriminate persecution
against bishops, priests, seminarians, religious, lay
groups and everything and everyone who has a direct
or indirect relationship with the Catholic Church.”
The report focuses on the social-political crisis
that broke out in April 2018 in Nicaragua. Then,
demonstrators took to the streets to protest a series
of reforms the Ortega regime implemented in the
social security system, increasing taxes and decreasing
benefits. The government responded violently to these
demonstrations, leaving at least 355 dead, according
to the report.
Courtesy: magisamericas.org
Montenegro explains that, before that April, abuses
against the Church were sporadic. But after the
demonstrations, hostilities increased.
The Jesuit university was a hub for demonstrations
against President Daniel Ortega’s controversial reform
of the national social security system in 2018. On 16
August ‘23, the regime announced that the university’s
assets had been confiscated by Nicaraguan authorities,
on grounds of being a “center of terrorism.”
A note published by Vatican News explains that
the university “slammed the accusation as totally
‘unfounded’ and called the seizure a blow to academia
in Nicaragua.”
The Superior General of the Jesuits, Father Arturo
Sosa, SJ, joined the Central American Province of the
Society of Jesus in condemning, in the strongest terms,
the closure of the university.
The ongoing effort to silence dissenting voices in
the country has directly targeted the Nicaraguan
Catholic Church repeatedly. In less than four years,
the Catholic Church in Nicaragua has gone through
more than 190 attacks and desecrations, including a
fire in the Managua Cathedral, the expulsion of the
Missionaries of Charity, and the highly irregular house
arrest of Bishop Rolando Álvarez, accused of “crimes
against spirituality.”
Courtesy: Aleteia

24 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023

MUST WATCH MOVIES Prof. Gigy Joseph

His mission was to fight slavery

Film: Amazing Grace (2006)
Director: Michael Apted.
Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Romola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch, Albert Finney and others
Run time: 120 minutes.

M odern colonialism brought back the ancient practice of

slavery in Christendom long after it had disappeared.
White colonialists, with the help of Arab-African slave
traders enslaved black peoples of Africa for cheap labour
in their colonies across the Atlantic. However there were
conscientious men who fought the evil in the West, among
whom William Wilberforce stands out.
This movie is a dramatization of his story. In the late 18th
century he fought for the abolition of slavery in the British
Empire in a struggle lasting 18 years. Along with him, his
pastor and ex-slave trader John Newton and William Pitt
are also remembered. Considered an eccentric in his time,
Wilberforce is remembered as the founder of the Bible society,
pioneer of prison reforms and animal protection, a champion
of human rights and model of Christian leadership.
18th century Britain had a flourishing slave trade feeding
the labour force in its far-flung colonial plantations. While
at Cambridge, William made friends with William Pitt. They

later went on to become distinguished members of the British
Parliament. Not a believer while young, he later confessed
that instead of his finding God, God had found him. John
Newton was his spiritual mentor. Newton had been a slave
trader with a tempestuous life behind him, and once even
been enslaved in Africa. Newton was converted in a dramatic
way. This experience inspired his writing of the classic hymn
‘Amazing Grace’ from which the movie gets its title.
Newton became a Church of England pastor, and a
campaigner against slavery, especially since he himself had
undergone enslavement. Africans kidnapped from their
countries were enchained and transported across the seas,
large numbers of them perishing of hunger and disease,
before reaching the slave markets to be sold.
Wilberforce’s powerful speech in the Parliament pleading
for abolition in 1789 followed by his introduction of the
abolition of the slave trade bill (1791) were defeated, leaving
him exhausted and hopeless. During this time he converted,
and considered retreating from public life. Under John
Newton’s encouragement as well as his fiancée
Barbara’s support, William returns to politics under the
conviction that the fight against slavery is his God-ordained
Courtesy: imdb.com
mission. William Pitt, his greatest support and
joint campaigner became the Prime Minister
-the youngest to hold that office in history.
Wilberforce used this chance to renew his fight
that lasted two decades.
Slavery supporters fought back arguing that
abolition would be economically disastrous
to Britain and that the slaves themselves did
not complain against their owners and their
treatment. Wilberforce’s public exposure of
the horror and the human tragedy involved
wins public sympathy which, finally, helped to
enact the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act 1807
with an overwhelming majority.
Prof. Gigy Joseph Koottummel was Head of the Department of
English SB College, Changanacherry. After three decades of teaching
English Language and Literature he worked as Principal of a College.
He did his doctoral work on Narratology. He is a sought after writer,
translator, columnist and actor-director of Shakespeare productions.

JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 25

EXPERIENCE
A Jesuit among Muslims
T he fact I was trained and ordained and sent among
Muslims nourishes my heart with joy and gratitude
and gives me energy and consolation. I am grateful to
God for the unmerited gift
of life and faith, for a call
to Jesuit commitment, and
a personal vocation to be
a Jesuit among Muslims.
Over the years, I have
deeply recognized that
this gift is given through
the Church, as I am a
servant of the Church in
the Missio Dei.
What does it mean to
be involved in the mission
of God among people
of other faiths? J. M.
Gaudeul has noted that the Church, in her mission to
the people of other faiths, must imitate Christ: in the
hidden life of Nazareth, in the public life of preaching
and healing, in his death on the Cross as a priest and
victim. He writes: “strangely though, this message has
reached the Church through people who had first an
experience of mission life and inter-religious dialogue
with Islam.”
Shahab Ahmed (d. 2015) in his What is Islam:
The Importance of Being Islamic presented a
reconceptualization of ‘historical and human
phenomenon that is Islam’ and invited the reader
to recognize “the capaciousness, complexity, and
… outright contradiction within the historical
phenomenon”. He termed this reconceptualised
diversity among Muslims as ‘Balkan to Bengal
complex”.
Recently, Hilal Ahmed, a social scientist with
the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies
(CSDS), one of the leading intellectual institutions of
the global south, affirms the sociological diversity of
Indian Muslims. Ahmed uses the following two terms:
‘Substantive Muslimness’ and ‘Discourse Muslimness’
to drive the point.
What is Substantive Muslimness? “Various survey-
based studies conducted by CSDS clearly show that
Muslim perceptions, views, opinions, and attitudes do
not follow any set pattern. Even we do not find any
homogeneous response to the questions related to
basic religious practices such as offering Namaz and
26 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023
observing fasts in the month of Ramzan. This Muslim
diversity underlines the fact that Indian Islam as a
lived religion is practiced by Muslims in a variety of
ways. This is what I call
Substantive Muslimness”.
The Discourse
Muslimness, on the
other hand, underlines a
different aspect of Muslim
identity. He writes:
“Classification of Muslims
as a religious minority
in purely statistical
Courtesy: indiafacts.org
terms, the description of
medieval Indian history
as Islamic rule and the
media debates revolving
around Islamic Jihad and
terrorism produce a simply and undifferentiated
image of a homogeneous Muslim community. Every
aspect of Muslim life is seen through the prism of this
discourse either to criticize Muslims for being barbaric
or to celebrate Muslim culture as a symbol of the
royal Islamic past”. Ahmed argues that the interplay
between the Substantive Muslimness and Discourse
Muslimness determines the actual manifestations of
modern Indian Muslim identity.
The last twenty-five years of engaging in the
ministry of Christian-Muslim relations, I tend to
believe the voices from the Indian Catholic Church
vis-à-vis Islam and Muslims, not infrequently, reflect
the category of what Ahmed calls as Discourse
Muslimness. What Christians feel for the Muslims in
India is often characterised by ‘indifference’ and, not
infrequently, hostility. Discourse Muslimness sets the
tone for any conversation on Muslims even among the
clergy and educated Christians.
Most Christians are not aware of the impoverishment
and marginalization of Muslims in economy, politics,
and education in India. Very few Christians recognise
a sacramental dimension. in their encounter with
Muslims (cf. Gaudium et Spes 4 and 11). There is a real
need to move away from the Discourse Muslimness to
Substantive Muslimness in Christian conversations on
Muslims which would facilitate a real understanding
of Muslims in India.
Victor Edwin SJ (DEL) is a lecturer in Theology and Christian-Muslim Relations
at Vidyajyoti Institute of Religious Studies, Delhi.
FOR THEIR REWARD
Alexander John Robinson, SJ (DUM)
Fr John Robinson was admitted to Paramount
Nursing Home, Kolkata for appendicitis.
Unfortunately, he suffered a massive heart attack in
the hospital and breathed his last.
Robinson was born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, on 24
July 1968. He entered the Society at Jisu Jaher, Dumka,
on 29 June 1988 and pronounced his first vows on 21
June 1990. After his Juniorate studies at Sitagarha, he
did his B.A. Sociology at Loyola College, Chennai,
philosophy at Pune and theology at RTC Ranchi for
two years, and another year at Vidya Jyoti Delhi. He
was ordained a priest on 02 June 2002 at St Sebastian
Church, Ellis Nagar, Madurai. He pronounced his
final vows on 02 February 2012 at St Xavier’s School,
Sahibganj.
His many assignments include Assistant Pastor at
Jibonpur, Assistant Director at Karon, Hostel prefect
Francis Mathias, SJ (HAZ)
Br. Francis Mathias came from a devoutly religious
family. After having worked for some time as a
welder, Br. Francis Mathias took a big life decision.
Instead of working with metals, he decided to work
for God. The journey he undertook from Mangalore
to Sitagarha to join the novitiate in 1962 may have
been a big leap of faith that would typify the rest of
his life.
Very early in his religious life, Br Francis was
assigned to the Teachers Training Institute, Sitagarha
where he would receive his new name. Alongside
Br. Jacub Tirkey, he worked for seven years and
ran the Teacher Training Institute efficiently. There
followed many appointments as Minister- care
taker of Jesuit houses in many places. He served not
only in Hazaribag Province but beyond it in Vidya
Jyoti Delhi, Jor Bagh, Delhi, De Nobili, Pune, and
Irudayasamy Sebastian, SJ
Br. Irudayasamy entered the Jesuit Novitiate on 1
February 1961 at Beschi College, Dindigul. His first
appointment was to maintain the House and Hostel
at Loyola Public School, Guntur (1965-1967). When
he was transferred to Loyola College, Chennai, as
kitchen in-charge at the Jesuit residence, he managed
to do his diploma in catering at the Govt. Catering
Technology College, Adyar, Chennai (1967-1968). He
thus became a trained chef who enjoyed cooking and
even more when others, especially fellow Jesuits,
relished eating the delicious and hearty meals
prepared by him with Indian, Western and Chinese
dishes. Practically, all his life, he oversaw the kitchen
either in Jesuit residences or hostels, except for a
few years he served as farm and dairy manager
at St. Paul’s Seminary and St. Joseph’s College,
Tiruchirappalli, and at Royapuram.
at St Ignatius Hostel, Sahibganj and other places.
He has also served the Province as Superior at Kodma
and Maharo, as Province Coordinator for social action,
and as Consultor to the Provincial.
Fr John Robinson was a fine person and a good
religious. Some of his assets are his simple lifestyle, a spirit
of community living, maturity and a positive approach
to fostering healthy interpersonal relationships with
fellow Jesuits, collaborators, and laity, readiness for
any ministry, be it spiritual,education, pastoral or
social, and his concern and solidarity with the poor.
He adapted himself in places devoid of comforts and
conveniences like Karon and Kodma with a desire to
serve God and His people with a compassionate heart.
May God grant Fr Robinson eternal peace and rest
with Him in heaven!
1968-2023
Stany Pinto, SJ
Clive’s House, Trichy. This shows his readiness to
serve anywhere. Francis would be the man Superiors
would choose when they looked for a good minister.
Another challenging appointment he took up was in
Bishrampur, a young mission. He was a great support
to Fr. Saju Bastian, holding many responsibilities, as
Minister, Treasurer and Hostel Prefect. Since then he
was always known as Br. Mahto.
We will always remember his smiling face as
he welcomed us. In his final years, he was the
guest master at St. Xavier’s, Hazaribag for 10 years.
The text from 2 Timothy 4:7 on his memorial
card sums up well his life. “I have done my best in
the race. I have run the full distance, and I have kept
the faith”.
1940-2023
Sushil Osga, SJ
(MDU)
Br. Irudayasamy was a great Chef, promoter of Siddha
medicine, enthusiastic gardener, and an obedient
Jesuit. In his room, in addition to cookbooks, he had
a collection of books on Siddha medicine, vessels,
containers and even a stove for preparing medicines
with all kinds of herbs he had in his garden. His garden
had also flowers which usually won many prizes in the
annual competition held at Bryant Park, Kodaikanal.
He was so obedient that even at the age of 78 he
accepted a short assignment of training the younger
Jesuits and lay staff to run efficiently the hostel kitchen at
Loyola College, Vettavalam. In retirement since 2020, he
passed away quietly on 8 June ‘23 and on the following
day, after the Funeral Mass, his mortal remains were
laid to rest at the Beschi Illam cemetery, Dindigul.
1941-2023
Patrick Ravichandran, SJ
JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 27
 Joseph Thadavanal, SJ (PAT)
Fr. Joe Thadavanal was born on 10 April 1943 in
Teekoy, Kerala. He was ordained in 1975. He was
Rector of XTTI, Patna, Papal Seminary, Pune, Khrist
Raja High School, Bettiah and St. Xavier’s College of
Management and Technology, Patna. He was the South
Asian Assistancy Delegate for formation and Director
of Navjyoti Niketan, Patna.
Fr. Joe was well known and much loved by many
people in India and abroad, especially in Bihar.
He shared his life and love with all those whom he
came in contact with. He was a wonderful community
man who enjoyed the company of others. His gentle
smile, warmth and genial presence endeared him to
1943-2023 many people.
Patrick Tirkey, SJ (HAZ)
The sudden loss of Sch. Patrick Tirkey, S.J. has
brought pain and tears to many, including children.
Patrick was born in a loving Oraon tribal family
with two younger brothers. His father is a daily wage
worker and mother a housewife. One Sunday the
catechist forced Patrick to serve the Mass as an altar
boy. It was providential that the parish priest always
made Patrick sit under the statue of Our Lady in the
church. Both these incidents were the seeds of his
vocation. The real call came with the sufferings of
his maternal aunt. She fell from the staircase and was
badly injured. She was taken to multiple hospitals, and
it was Patrick who accompanied her and he witnessed
her death. This struggle with human suffering struck
1992-2023 him. Patrick wrote, “Let my life be offered for others
because everyone lives for oneself.”
In 2012, he contacted a Hazaribag Jesuit priest who
encouraged him. But he couldn’t join that year, as he
couldn’t attend the vocation camp. He did odd works
for a year as a delivery boy and driver and cleaner of
trucks. The following year he became a pre- novice.
Susai Raj, SJ (PAT)
Fr. Susai Raj remained quite active till the end of his life.
Though he had a heart problem, none of us thought that he
would say goodbye to us so suddenly. So, his death on 9
September 2023 came as a great shock to all of us.
He was a pastor who could beautifully blend the
pastoral and the social aspects for the good of his
people. We saw this at Sasaram, Barbigha, Danapur and
Kurji. As a parish priest, he would sit and listen to the
problems of his parishioners after Sunday Mass until
he had listened to the last person. In spite of his poor
health, he carried on with his apostolic life with great
vigour and intensity.
Fr. Susai was meticulous and highly organized in his
ministry as Socius to the Provincial – a great help to the
1955-2023 Provincial in the administration of the Province for nine
years. God had blessed Fr. Susai with a sharp intellect
and an analytical mind. He could summarize the
28 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023
Fr. Joe was known for his leadership qualities. Both
the Patna province and the South Asian Assistancy made
good use of his abilities to lead and inspire. He remained
in leadership positions for 39 years. He was very creative
and optimistic. He definitely was a man of vision and a
go-getter. Fr. Joe was a motivator and a youth leader. He
was a man of wisdom, courage, deep faith in God and
dedicated service to people. He was fortunate to shake
hands with St. John Paul II, who visited Pune, while Fr.
Joe was the Rector of Papal Seminary, Pune.
Fr. Joe lived a good and intense life. He has left a
lasting legacy of love and kindness that will continue to
inspire us and the coming generations.
Jose Thayil, SJ
After the completion of pre-novitiate at Vivek Sadan,
Daltonganj, Patrick entered the Novitiate at Jisu Jaher
Dudhani, Dumka. He made his First Vows on 21 June
2016. His main motto was: ‘Bloom where you are
planted.’ Whatever work was given or any need he
sensed, he took that up and completed that without any
hesitation. He used to say, “By the grace of God, I am
living my life for others and hope I will give 100% to my
Lord.” Never did he tire of working for the wellbeing of
the community. His life was filled with enthusiasm and
grace.
He was compassionate towards all; and people came
to him to share their burdens. He had special love
for kids. His childlike heart really made people feel
comfortable with him. He was multi-talented and multi-
tasking, a good reader and a great listener. He was a man
of smiles and he smiled at all without any distinction.
Today, when I think of him, I feel that he is truly a model
for Jesuit scholastics.
Sushil Osga, SJ
disjointed ideas and thoughts expressed in groups and
make sense out of them and present it back to the group,
to the amazement of all, as a compact and intelligible
report.
He was the preferred secretary in many of our province
meetings. He placed this intellectual gift at the service
of the Church in animating Province Chapters of many
congregations, moderating several Diocesan pastoral
council meetings, parish council meetings and as a
resource person for recollections to priests and religious.
Fr. Susai lived a good and intense life. His simplicity,
humility, integrity, his frugal life-style and his years of
closeness to His Creator and Lord, will stand with us as
an inspiration for years to come. We pray that God may
give Fr. Susai Raj eternal rest.
Jose Thayil, SJ
SOUL CARE Meath Conlan

Seeing God in Others

Y oganatha is a Hindu man of around 50 years of
age. He is very strict about his vegetarian diet,
and the way he leads his life. His two great mentors
in life are his late grandfather who used to go to the
local temple as often as he could, and his own mother,
a quiet, pious lady, who, with her husband, kept and
cared for the family in their modest home. She had set
one room aside for the images of the saints and deities,
where she prayed and burned incense.
Yoganatha’s grandfather would often say, “We
came from God, live in God, and are evolving into
oneness with God.” Now a mature man of the world
and well-educated in his Hindu faith, Yoganatha
would talk about the Vedic rishis who give him
courage, saying, “God is the Life of our life.”
Yoganatha has his own prayer-room now, and
a garden of such abundance that the birds and frogs

all come there to feast and find peace and safety.
Yoganatha exclaims: “God cannot separate Himself
from us. He is the Life in the birds, the fish, and all the
animals. God’s loving presence is within us. Each day
I make a special practice of seeing God’s life-energy in
trees, birds, animals and other people.”
Yoganatha strives every day to see God especially
in other people. He says this is a wonderful philosophy.
But unless he practices it, he isn’t necessarily living or
feeling it. He says: “It is too high-minded. It doesn’t
really connect with my state of mind now. So, I employ
some simple, down to earth techniques. I look into the
eyes of another person, not at their feet or hands. I look
into their eyes, and if I look deeply enough, I will see
God Siva in there as the life of their life.”
Of course, not liking someone can make this
practice hard to do. If you are angry with someone,
or not talking to them, then looking for God in them
becomes hard. Yoganatha says he consciously sets all
antagonisms aside: “I cannot do it if I’m going through
negative thoughts about another person. I just look
deeply into their eyes, deeply enough to see God. It’s
an act of my will whereby I set aside these negative
emotions and thoughts about people.”
Yoganatha refers to the Indian custom of people
greeting one another with folded hands saying,
“Namaste!” (Namaskaaram). He says this is more
Courtesy: allevents.in
than just a cultural gesture. He explains it beautifully:
“Joining the left and right hand puts us into spiritual
consciousness in the spine. This allows us to see with
our third eye deeply enough into the other individual
and to see their divinity.” Therefore you greet the
divine in them.
From his grandfather, who too was called
Yoganatha, he learnt yet another power sentence that
has carried him through his career at university where
he studied engineering and into his professional life.
This sentence is: “We are in truth, the Truth we seek.
OM.”
But what does this mean, I asked him. He replied:
“We are in truth, the Truth we seek. This means for me
personally that I am already That which I seek,” which
made what he was saying much clearer. Yoganatha
declared: “We don’t have to wait, we don’t have to
do something. At the deepest level, we are already
the Divine.” All we need to do, says Yoganatha, is to
recognize that God is present in us and in our world.
We need to claim the gift of seeing this, sensing this.
Rev. Dr. Meath Conlan is a Counsellor and Adult Educator. He travels frequently
to India. He can be contacted at meathconlan@icloud.com

JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023 29

CARTOONS AUBREY FERNANDES, SJ (GUJ) | aubrey9@gmail.com

I am a New Testament person. I offered the

Provincial: How inspiring! Look at our Scholastics! other cheek. But that fellow is an Old Testament
They are all praying so piously. guy, who believes in ‘an eye for an eye.’
Rector: Father, they are not praying.
They are texting!

Noah made a big mistake. Jesuits are always available. Except during the
He shouldn’t have taken meals and the morning breviary,
mosquitoes afternoon siesta, and the evening walk.
into the Ark.

30 JIVAN | OCTOBER 2023

STARLIGHT
“I want to see this new world”
A s a twelve-year-old boy I
stared at my grandfather,
who lay on his back on a thin carpet
in his house in New Delhi, his eyes
closed, his arms resting peacefully
across his chest.
My grandfather, Mahatma
Gandhi, had just been shot and killed
outside the house as he was preparing
to lead an inter-faith prayer meeting.
It was a late January evening in 1948,
a pleasant breeze wafting through the
trees in the surrounding area, many of
them flowering, their fruit ripening.
I continued to fix my eyes on my
inert grandfather, believing that the
great man would rise up from the
dead. After all, Mahatma Gandhi was
the beloved Bapu, the Father of the
Nation.
There was an atmosphere of
peace, even though he’d just been
killed. Prayer songs were being sung,
flowers were everywhere. In my
childlike belief, I thought he would
get up and start walking again. He did
not, but he left behind impressions
and desires that have guided me
throughout my life.
I didn’t want to know who killed
him, to find him, or punish him. That
thought never entered my mind.
I carried forth his ideals of
overcoming hatred and injustice with
nonviolence - a difficult balancing act,
I admit.
Currently in our world tribalism
has become dominant. Tribalism
is when people retreat to their own
ethnic and religious tents. It’s a global
trend. But there has always been this
push towards common humanity
as well. So there is a clash between
this trend towards tribalism and
humanity’s longing to be understood
as a common entity.
Justice and reconciliation are
common hungers and thirst of
Rajmohan Gandhi
humanity. Gandhi symbolizes an drawing 100 people, sometimes
understanding of this, that you need 100,000 people, depending on
both justice and reconciliation, that where he was.
you have to fight and you have to
Imagine drawing large crowds
live together. You have very sharp
of Hindus and Muslims together,
differences with others, and you
then reciting verses from both the
express those differences sometimes
Koran and from the Hindu sacred
in very stern language, but you have
texts.
to find ways to live together.
I witnessed the tension and
occasional hostility at these multi-
faith prayer meetings, and learned
a life lesson about how to conduct
yourself in such situations. When
people are against you or are
attacking you, you respond in a
civil and friendly way and you do
not give up on your convictions.
That is the lesson that I absorbed
at the time.
I learned many lessons from
my grandfather, most centered
around justice, healing, and
reconciliation. Wherever there is
division, it is the duty of people like
Pic courtesy: history.com
me to breach the division, to bring
a return to trust and some kind of
partnership, and if possible, some
kind of healing. That has become
my life.
Part of me wants to see, burns
In August of 1947 India was to see, a new world, one where
becoming independent, and India ‘common humanity’ is not just
was becoming divided. Independence words. I want us all to recognize
coincided with partition, with the we are the same underneath. We
creation of Pakistan. It also coincided have different skin colors, different
with the unfortunate killings physiognomies, we belong to
involving Hindus and Muslims and different religions, we speak
also some Sikhs. Half a million to a different languages, but there is
million people were killed within two something absolutely common in
months in 1947. all of us. And I want a recognition
It was around this time I was of this.
attending the frequent multi-faith I want to see this new world.
prayer meetings that Gandhiji I may not see it in my lifetime in
conducted—meetings that brought every detail, of course not. But one
Hindus and Muslims together. These tiny step forward every day is more
prayer meetings were a standard than welcome.
feature in his life for his last 20 to 30 Rajmohan Gandhi, a grandson of Mahatma
years. He would host them wherever Gandhi, is a writer, researcher, magazine editor,
he was in the country—sometimes professor and peace activist.
3
 JIVAN, NEWS AND VIEWS OF JESUITS IN INDIA | October, 2023 | No. of pages 32 including cover.
R.N.I. New Delhi No. GUJENG/2001/5676, RNPNo. AND/320/2021-23
Licensed to Post up to 31.12.2023. Published on 8th of the Month, Date of Posting 10th of the Month, Posted at Anand H.O.

WELL SAID

Live your life as you see fit. That’s not selfish. Selfish is
to demand that others live their lives as you see fit.
- Anthony de Mello, SJ

Pic courtesy: pixabay.com

Printed by Vincent Joseph and Published by Parmar Francis on behalf of Gujarat Sahitya Prakash Society and Printed at Anand Press, P.B. 95, Gamdi, Anand - 388 001
and published from Gujarat Sahitya Prakash, P.B. 70, St. Xavier’s Road, Anand - 388 001. Editor: M. A. Joseph Antony.