JAMSHEDPUR JESUITS Vol. 50 No. 10-11 JAMSHEDPUR, INDIA OCT-NOV 2002 OFFICIAL Appointment by Fr General Fr Mark Raper, 60, Provincial of Australia. Fr Otto Messmer, 41, Regional Superior of Russia Status Fr S Anthonyraj : Coordinator, Dialogue Commission Schs Sushil Balmuchu, Sunny Jacob, Romanus Kerketta and Polidor Kujur have applied for ordination to the Diaconate and the Priesthood. Any information leading to a better understanding of the candidates may kindly be sent to the Province curia. In preparation for the 69th Congregation of Procurators, Fr Provincial, on 27 September 2002, has convoked the Province Congregation to begin on 28 February 2003, at XLRI. The voting materials are being despatched this week. The Maryland Province, in collaboration with Jesuit Provinces in Bolivia, Chile and Jamshedpur India, has recently developed the Ignatian International Immersion Experience (IIIE) programme, an international experience of immersion and solidarity for adult laity. In view of initiating this programme, Ms Jan Sullivan-Docktar and Mr Kevin O'Brien visited Jamshedpur Province last month. Fr Carl Dincher was their guide and companion in this mission. Fr James V Keogh is completing 50 years in Priesthood on 21 November 2002. He will be landing in Mumbai at the end of October. After visiting his ordination companions (of 1952) in Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore and Chennai, he will arrive at Jamshedpur on 19 or 20 November for a Thanksgiving Mass with Fr John Deeney and a few other co-jubilarians of his from the neighbouring Provinces. He will stay with us till the middle of January 2003. Welcome Jim! Br Wency D'Souza, the Province Treasurer, will be out of station from 25 September to 4 October 2002 for his retreat and from 18 November to 6 December 2002 for the Treasurers' meeting and home visit.
On 29 October, the first death anniversary of Fr Mathew Areeparampil, his last book "Struggle for Swaraj" (a history of adivasi movements in Jharkhand) will be released in Chaibasa (Xavier Welfare Centre) at 4.00 pm. Fr Mathew, during his last years, worked on the book and completed upto the period ending 1857. When he was unable to proceed due to his illness, he asked Dr Asoka Kumar Sen, Professor, Tata College, Chaibasa and Fr Stan Lourduswami to complete the book. This book traces the detailed history of Jharkhand peoples' struggle from the earliest times to the formation of the Jharkhand State. The foreword is written by Dr Ram Daya Munda, former Vice- Chancellor of Ranchi University. Provincial's Programme - Jerome Cutinha Oct 03-04 (pm) : Amda/Basahatu - Visitation 04 (pm) - 05 : Khuntpani, Lupungutu, Chaibasa 06-08 : Rengra - Visitation 12-13 : Loyola College of Education - Visitation 18 : Yuva Jumur Mahotsav - Chaibasa 19-20 : Tepasai - Visitation 26 : Consult 29 : Fr Mathew Areeparampil's death anniversary - Chaibasa 31 : To Bhubaneswar by Utkal Express Nov 01-04 : Loyola Bhavan, HLC, Loyola School - Visitation 05 : Padanpur - Visitation 06-07 : Kendrapara - Visitation 08-09 : XIM - Visitation/Governing Board Meeting 10 : To Jamshedpur by Utkal Express 14-21 : JCSA Meeting, Ranchi 22-24 : Dhanbad
25 : To Patna by South Bihar Express 26-01 Dec : CRI Meeting, Patna Dec 02-03 : XTTI - Visitation 04-05 : RTC, Patna - Visitation CSWC, Amda NEWS FROM HOUSES The feast of St Peter Claver, the patron Saint of CSWC was celebrated on 9 September on the terrace of Claver Bhavan. In the evening a grand tea party was arranged for about 50 local leaders and officials of various departments for the first time in the history of CSWC. Again at night about 60 priests, Religious and clergy from Kolhan-Porahat and a few from Jamshedpur, gathered on the terrace for dinner. All our staff members were out on 9 September to Chaibasa area conducting awareness programme on leprosy and examining at random for case detection. To our surprise, 13 new cases were detected in different tolas of the town itself in spite of the leprosy care facilities in Sadar Hospital and also the presence of technical supportive team of Damien Foundation in Chaibasa. In preparation for the Modified Leprosy Elimination Camp (MLEC-IV) from 23-28 September, our staff members are on the move conducting IEC (Health Education & Awareness) activities in the villages and market places of Saraikela-Kharswan Dt and Khuntpani Block On 14 September, 8 Scholastics from Jamshedpur area came to Amda for a day of recollection. Greg gave his maiden talk to the Scholastics on "Prophetic Mission of the Church in the context of the exploitation of Chhotanagpur tribals". They returned to their respective places as prophets of our time to announce kingdom values and denounce anti-kingdom forces. Mike is busy creating awareness among the people, promoting Gram Sabha, attending meetings and seminars for the welfare of women and youth of Jharkhand. HLC & LB - Gregory D'Silva Sch Joshy keeps himself busy with a number of new courses and sessions at HLC: French, tailoring & embroidery, computer and Spoken English. Along with Vally, Santosh, Neeraj and Jaison, he went to Phulbani for a recollection given by Fr S Tony Raj on 24-25 August. Later,
on 14 September, he went to Jamshedpur to give to the Provincial a new computer which he himself assembled. This time HLC has admitted 690 students for the Spoken English course starting in September. IGNOU courses are also going on in full swing. With all these activities, HLC remains open even on Sundays and holidays. To know more about HLC, please log on to our new website www.humanlifecentre.com. Fr Jerry returned from Gopalpur after his retreat and conducted a couple of programmes for the teachers of HLC's seven slum Schools. Fr McGrath conducted two-day sessions for groups at Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys in Rayagara, Tega Industries in Calcutta and at the Institute of Management and Information Sciences in BBSR as well as completed his course in Personality Development and Interview Skills at HLC. After all these, he went to XLRI for a well deserved rest and health check up. Fr Oscar has been busy visiting our people in Phulbani, Tumudibandha and Rutungia. Frs Robert, Jerry and Oscar went to Baripada for the blessing of our new Centre. Fr Robert is getting ready with the accounts and eagerly.looking forward to the visit of the Revisor. Fr Joseph Njarakulam was given a touching farewell on 22 August. Numerous persons and groups in the city as well as many priests and Religious whom he has been helping would surely miss him.. Fr Provincial visited our Community along with Fr Charlie Pereira. Sch Santosh Kiro was here meeting the officials at the Secretariat to obtain permission to start the High School section at St Xavier's, Rutungia. Loyola Centre for Communication & Culture - Joshy Xavier Loyola Centre has entered into collaboration with 'Photo Mission Inc', which is an international group of prize winning Christian photographers. Collaboration includes reference to 'Photo- Mission' in our certificates and in their reference of projects to us. Fr Richard Pereira, Mumbai, sends out inspirational messages several times a week. Last week a message on anxiety and crisis came to me, was forwarded then to a friend, thence to England, then to a person in deep crisis. The final recipient said that it solved the problem - all within 24 hrs. Fr Pereira welcomes new recipients at rpereira@vsnl.com. And, weekly homily notes can be received from Joe Arroyo at jarroyo@sju.edu The first batches of students have completed courses in Graphic Designing and in Journalism. Two new batches, in Journalism and in Photography, have begun. They are still small.
George Hess went to Vizag to evaluate a collaboration proposal in mid September and a week later to Rayagada as a life member of the Orissa Association of ICSE Schools. Loyola Hospital was formally blessed on 5 September by Archbishop Raphael Cheenath, SVD, and it was inaugurated by Dr P K Acharya, Director Health Services, Orissa. It is serving the colony of Kalinga Vihar, which is reputed to become the largest new housing colony of 10000 houses in India. Sisters Wilma, Amoldine and Marina are assisted by local doctors. Loyola Coaching Centre - George A Hess Loyola Coaching Centre (LCC) which is popularly known as Loyola Hindi School all over Jamshedpur has been making steady progress in all fields. Besides shining in sports and games in the recent meets, our children maintained academic excellence in their classrooms and exams. As a result, we are getting regular enquiries for new admissions even in the off season. This year we have registered 45 students for Secondary Course with the NOS. After a lot of groundwork and anxieties, we have finally managed to register 161 students for the Foundation Course also from the NOS - courtesy DBMS! This Foundation Course, also known as Bridge Course, is equivalent to Class VIII. Since we have registered all the students from the present classes of V, VI & VII for the Foundation Course, which we expect to begin from next academic year, there will not be classes VI, VII & VIII from next year. Instead we will have one section with three divisions forming the entire batch for the Foundation Course. After passing out from this Course, each successful student will get a certificate from the NOS which is equivalent to Class VIII pass. From there the student will be able to register straight away for the Secondary Course. The advantages are twofold - those students already advanced in age will be able to save a couple of precious years and all the study materials will be provided by the NOS free of cost to the students. The anxieties and harassment involved in hunting for text books, hopefully, will cease at least for these students! It has been my endeavour to visit the houses of all the students. Since past two months Saturdays and Sundays were set apart and used for making such visits in the company of students and some teachers. In all over 350 students' homes were visited so far and graded them according to their economic conditions. The rest of the houses will have to be covered in the unfolding Saturdays and Sundays ahead. The letters 'A', 'B', 'C' and 'D' are used to grade them - 'A' for well off families, 'D' for extreme privations and poor conditions, and so on. We hope this method will help us streamline only the deserving cases in future admissions. Loyola School, Bhubaneswar - Francis Perumalil Teachers' Day was celebrated with a cultural programme in honour of our beloved teachers, arranged by the students themselves. This was followed by football and throw-ball matches and
tug-of-war between the students and teachers. On the whole It was an enjoyable day for everyone in the campus. The First Friday Mass in September for the teachers and students was officiated by Fr James Kalapura who in his homily exhorted the Christian community to constantly pray for light in their life. The same day, Fr Charles Pollet, PCF of Calcutta, and Sch Victor paid a visit to the School. Frs Mike T Raj, George Anthony, Boniface Kujur, Joe Surin, Joe Sumbrui, Sushil Ekka and Br Bene Kichingia landed here on 27 August. Tony P drove them to Phulbani for the JESA meeting. The LES Governing Body meeting was held on 8 September at XIM. Fr Charlie handed over the mantle of presidentship of LES to Fr James Kalapura. The Governing Body has accepted the proposal made by Tony P to launch the Rainbow School for Slum Children in the afternoon at Loyola premises as done at Loyola, Jamshedpur. But it would be totally different in the sense that it would cater to the needs of the slum children by networking with a leading NGO of Orissa, Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD) in so far as sharing the financial responsibility. The English medium School teachers would serve as animators to the NOS students. For Vijay's birthday, Tony, Vally and Joshy made a trip to Padanpur and doubled his joy on 5 September. The School has installed a stand-by intercom (EPABX) for office use. It really helps communication between the security at the gate and the School office. The campus beautification process is on its peak. The football ground is re-leveled with new mud while the Junior Assembly ground is all green with the new carpet grass. A team of trained tribal boys from interior Orissa, have been employed for the construction of the staff garage and for preparing grills for the Junior School building Joshy and Vally look quite fresh and active after their monthly recollection on 21 September at Loyola School. Finally, Tony went to Amda for his retreat. We wish him all the best for his journey with the Lord. Lupungutu - Vally Mendonca For the fourth consecutive year, our School team emerged as the champion in the Province Golden Jubilee Football tournament. This victory brought much joy and cheer to the Community as well as the School. Congrats to Sch Birendra who played a major role in leading the team to victory.
On 5 September, a combined Teachers' Day celebration was held for the High, Middle and Night School teachers. The Chief Guest for the day was Mr Salkhan Murmu, MP, a former student of St Xavier's. A short cultural programme was followed by distribution of gifts to the teachers and the Chief Guest. Frs Alex and Jerry are seeing to the needs of the NOS. The admission is over and the stage is set for the commencement of classes. In the second week of September, the Regents of Kolhan-Porahat had their recollection at LPG under the guidance of Fr Raphael Lakra. Fr John Deeney is back from home visit and getting involved in his work. It is heartening to see Fr Ed Nash walking around without the help of a stick and doing vigorous exercise to keep himself fit. Joe Surin, our model Parish Priest, is busy giving a new shape to the Parish. Fr Saleth made a flying visit to the Community and made sure that his presence was felt in the Community. TRTC - One of the Night School Centres is putting up a Nukkad on 'Witch Hunt' on the occasion of the first ever visit of the Chief Justice of Jharkhand to Chaibasa. The TRTC team is busy these days preparing for the forthcoming "Yuva Jumur Mahotsav" to be held from 17-19 October at Xavier Welfare Centre, CBSA. Frs Mike T Raj and Joe Surin conducted a Youth Camp from 18-21 September for the tribal youth of Anandpur Parish. Fr Cyrinus is exploring various possibilities for TRTC's collaboration with JEP. Let us hope that he succeeds in his venture. Sneh Sadan - Renny Tharappel & Cyrinus Topno With great enthusiasm, we began the new academic year at St Aloysius College. The standard of discipline at the College makes our minds and hearts to work for excellence in studies and character formation. Every Friday, the Christian students eagerly wait for Religion class and the non-christians for the Value Education. Counselling for students by experts is a new programme. With the arrival of the new Scholastics and two Seminarians, the Community is vibrant once again. Sch Sanjay Deepak Ekka was sick but recovered from his ailment. Fr Arnold Gonsalves,
Prefect of Scholastics, has been admitted to the hospital for high sugar count and BP. He needs our prayers for speedy recovery. The Eucharistic celebration on the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola was presided over by Rev Gerald Almeida, the Bishop of Jabalpur. The clergy and the Religious of the city came to praise and thank the Lord with us. The Scholastics in cassocks looked like angels while singing in unison. After the Mass, a sumptuous dinner was served for the invitees. On 15 August, the Sneh Sadan Scholastic parish team participated in a one-day inter-parish football tournament held at St Gabriel's High School, Ranjhi. In the finals, our team lost to Cathedral Parish by 3 goals. Sch Benjamin Lakra was adjudged the best player and was awarded a cash prize. Despite heavy rains, Frs Marcel Ekka (our Superior), Philemon Lakra and Oscar Tirkey were there to encourage the team. XIMB - Sunil Xess XIMB featured in a BBC programme on Indian Business Schools. Besides the history of XIMB's origin, the campus and students, it also showed shots from Abe's OB class. Congratulations to you Abe for this great PR work to put XIMB on the global map. The Minister of Schools and Mass Education inaugurated, on 1 September, the 10 cyclone shelter houses constructed by Orissa Jesuit Society and XIMB together in the super cyclone hit villages. In his inaugural speech, the Minister praised the valuable contribution XIMB and the Jesuit Fathers have made to the security and well-being of the poor people of these villages. George in his speech thanked Fr General and Jamshedpur Jesuit Society for generously funding the construction of these cyclone shelter houses. Oscar was the official photographer of the function. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of XIMB welcomed James to the Board and his first meeting followed by dinner with the members of the Board, faculty and invited VIP guests from the city. James said that he was highly impressed by the simplicity of these people and their genuine interest in the institute. James was the centre of attraction during the dinner. Clement organised an impressive blessing and inauguration function for the new Jesuit Centre at Baripada on 5 September. There were large number of priests, nuns and lay people. After the blessing and inauguration, the Bishop and Fr Provincial planted trees. It was followed by a cultural programme and lunch for all. Oscar and Abe represented the Community. We congratulate and thank Clement for all the hard work he put in to organise such a wonderful programme all by himself. With the arrival of Oscar as our sub-minister, several things in the Community have changed. For example, we have moved from discussion on management to theology. Often the topics of conversation during meals are the uniqueness of Christ, faith, salvation, heaven and so on! Thank you Oscar for bringing such a drastic transformation in the Community life.
Eric took a short break at the end of his busy first term teaching schedule to visit Kolkata for a change of atmosphere and relaxation. He is now busy with the correction. Abe and George went to Kolkata to attend the annual convention of the All India Management Association and the special "Industry Leaders Forum-2002" organised by the All India Management Association. During the convention, we also did some fund raising for our auditorium, which is coming up very fast and will be inaugurated during the Convocation in March 2003. The Governor of Mizoram, an alumnus of IIMC, visited XIMB and addressed the faculty and students. During tea, he remembered some of the Fathers of XLRI and told us that Fr Tome had offered him a teaching post at XLRI in the late 60s. XLRI - George C L The first good news from us is that Fr Joe Puli has been honoured with a special award for having written a book on the Behavioural Sciences in the year 2001(?). This award was given by the well-known Indian Society for Training and Development, the best known body of its kind in India. The award was made for Fr Puli's first book "The Nine Managerial Styles of the Enneagram". His second book on "E-Commerce" is already in the press and is expected to appear in a couple of months. Fr Puli has such a formidable capacity for work, that in addition to the large number of courses he takes in the institute, he also conducts numerous incompany programmes and consultancies for a variety of companies, management development programmes and finally is also available for retreats and other religious work. No wonder, he began to experience some heart problems and went to St John's Bangalore where he was given a thorough check-up and sound advice. Our Superior, Fr Augustine, has been appointed member of two important Jharkhand govt commissions: The State Resources Group and the Grant-in-Aid committee under Jharkhand Education Project. Finally, Fr Augustine was a member of a high-level workshop which met on 1-4 September and presented a paper on "Tribal Health Issues in Jharkhand". It might interest our readers to know that not everybody attacks us for making conversions under pretext of educating people. One of India's most eminent entrepreneurs, Chairman and Managing Director of Emphasis.Com, a well-known software company in Bombay, has widely circulated an e-mail message which he calls a Guru Dakshina for his teachers in the Catholic schools and colleges which he and five generations of his family have attended. He says, "Without the energy and the efforts of Christian missionaries, India's literacy levels would be far lower than they are and our much-vaunted scientific talent base would be much less ubiquitous". Rao goes on to recount the contributions made to linguistic, literary and cultural studies by missionaries in India, recalling the work of Beschi, De Nobili, Stevens and others. He concludes his message with the telling words, "To remain silent in these times when adharma stalks the land is to acquiesce and that would be a deadly sin. Thus the Germans who remained silent in the 30s when Hitler's
power was growing have paid a great price". If anybody wants a full copy of this wonderful e- mail message, he can apply to me. - Theo Mathias The 450th anniversary of St Francis Xavier's death at Sancian (3 December 1552) The image of Francis Xavier many have is that of a sort of 'baptism activist'. In a letter Xavier never received (as he was no longer alive...), Ignatius even gently chided the missionary for his apostolic restlessness: he could have sent somebody else to China, and remained in Goa, where as Provincial his presence was needed. Yet the activist's sense of communion in companionship is intense. It is even expressed in a way that may appear sentimental to our contemporary mentality. Most of the time he is alone, but is he? From Amboina (now part of Indonesia) Xavier is begging for the spiritual assistance of his Brothers in Europe (10 May 1546): "I have great need of your continued spiritual assistance, for from much experience I have come to know that God our Lord has, through your intercession, helped and assisted me in many toils of body and spirit. So that I may never forget you and ever have a special remembrance of you, I would have you know, dearest Brothers, that for my own consolation I have cut your names from the letters which you have written to me with your own hands so that I may constantly carry them with me together with the vow of profession which I made, because of the consolations which I receive from them. I give thanks first of all to God our Lord, and then to you, most dear Brothers and Fathers, for the fact that God has so made you that I derive such great consolation from bearing your names." After Xavier's death a locket was found suspended to his neck, which contained a small relic of St Thomas, the formula of his vows, and a signature of Ignatius which he had cut from a letter. *********** Thanks to Fr Augustine Vattamattam, the Province has a website: www.geocities.com/jamshedpurjesuits The Province e-mail ID: jsr_jjprov@sancharnet.in jjprov@jesuits.net New e-mail address of Madhya Pradesh Province: mapsj@yahoo.co.in Publication *********** Jesus and Culture (Vol. I & II) by S Kappen. Rs 275/-. For copies, please contact Fr Sebastian Painadath, SJ, Sameeksha, Kalady 683 574, Kerala.
Courses At Atmadarshan, Patna: Jan 26-31 : Integral Counselling and Psychotherapy by Frs Joe Kunnumpuram and Fr J Parakatt, SJ Feb 03-13 : Inner Child Workshop & Retreat by Fr J Kootinal, SJ and Sr Rupa, SND At Navjyoti Niketan, Patna: Jan 11 - Feb 22 : Intensive Training for Youth Ministry by Fr Philip Kattakayam and team Jan 20-30 Feb 04-12 : Self-Integration Workshop by Fr Mathew Chemplany, SJ : Advanced NLP Course by Fr Dick McHugh, SJ Across the River Br Joseph Moolacherril (GOA) died on 12.09.2002 at Mapusa 81/54 Bishop Charles Gomes died on 15.09.2002 at Ahmedabad 92/76 ANNIVERSARIES 03 Oct - Fr Edward H Dineen 23 Oct - Sch William Mendonca 10 Oct - Fr James Comerford 25 Oct - Fr Charles Vrithoff 11 Oct - Sch Subodh Kullu 29 Oct - Br Joseph M Bonello 13 Oct - Fr Anderson E Bakewell 29 Oct - Fr Mathew Areeparampil
14 Oct - Fr William N Tome 31 Oct - Br Peter Bartnik 17 Oct - Fr Edward De Meulder 13 Nov - Fr Steve Mathews 17 Oct - Fr James J McGinley 14 Nov - Fr Basil C Horo 22 Oct - Fr Carroll I Fasy 29 Nov - Cardinal Lawrence Picachy 30 Nov - Fr Palakunnel Anthony NOTE: The next edition of Jamshedpdur Jesuits will be dated 1 December 2002. Our Secretary will be away from Jamshedpur. BACK