January
- March 2003
Contents
In Search of a Slogan
Timothy Dunne's Dilemma
Christmas with the
Brothers
Coonoor
Provincial House
Instruments of Peace
Ignou Comes to St James
O
Rewa, My Rewa
Different
Quotes
Two Jewels in the Crown
Poor Me...!
SGC News
Emotional Intelligence
Patrician as CRI Director
In Those Days
2003-2004 Communities
Photo Album
This is the
first time the Indian newsletter has been placed on the Australian Patrician
website.
Thank you to Brother
Berchmans, Provincial of the Indian province, for enabling to this
happen.
In fact Br Berchmans
was the first of our international brethren to allow their provincial newsletter
to be included on
this website. Due to computer anomalies the Indian newsletter
ended up being the
last to be uploaded.
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EDITORIAL COMMENT
IN
SEARCH OF A SLOGAN!
After reading Bro. Aengus’ revealing article
in the Christmas issue of the Patrician Generalate Newsletter “In
Love and Confidence” I felt that the answer to what I was looking
for was becoming clearer. Though for another reason, I, too, like
Aengus, was a bit disappointed with our founder, Bishop Daniel Delany,
but had no courage to air my views. My disappointment was due to
the fact that he, unlike other founders, had left practically nothing
behind in writing for the Brothers except what he purported to have said
on certain occasions. Thus his recommendation to the Brothers at his deathbed
to “love God and live together in peace and charity”, though very
inspiring, - and in recent years has had tremendous
impact on the young minds under formation in this Province
- was not part of any written message to the Brothers
and, therefore, could pose questions as to the nature and circumstances
in which he uttered those words. Was it a fatherly rebuke to a conflict-ridden
group or was it a spontaneous and ecstatic response to what
he saw as a model community of unity and love which he wanted the
Brothers to preserve as their legacy? That our Congregation survived
all these years and continues to do so even to this day, does not seem
to indicate that it was the anguished cry of a dying man. Those words
came to us as a blessing rather than a curse, I reckon. For, if it
was the other way around, the Patricians would have dumped him in the confines
of oblivion, particularly in the event of his leaving hardly anything for
the maintenance and support of the Brothers.
But what puzzles me is this: Why didn’t
Bishop Delany leave for us something of his wisdom on our mission of education?
Most of the founders of religious orders of both men and women have
left their vision behind either in pithy sayings or written documents.
These are still able to capture the imagination of the present generation
of members. We know well enough how maxims and pithy sayings of great
men can influence the minds of people. In recent times, for instance, our
own attempts at giving titles to our General Chapter documents as “Choose
Life”, “Rejoice in Hope” and “In Love and Confidence” , with
equally pithy statements in them, have had tremendous impact on our
corporate life as Brothers and on our mission.
Today, more than ever before, mottos and
slogans have the power to inspire and motivate people beyond one’s imagination.
Business firms and manufacturing companies thrive on them. Look, for instance,
how a catchy phrase like "Dil mange more" has captured the
Indian market for Pepi! Political parties have them in their manifestos,
and elections are lost or won on the strength or otherwise of a mere slogan.
Religious Congregations and church related agencies need them to
redefine and to revitalize their mission in keeping with the signs of the
time.
At least in India, there is an urgent need
for religious orders engaged in education to redefine their mission and
to revitalize it in the light of what the church is telling us about
the role of Catholic schools in the modern world. We need to see what really
would motivate us to change our examination-oriented and result-obsessed
approach to education in our schools. For this, first we need to
“examine
critically the whole of the educational field to see where our energies
and abilities may serve the Kingdom best”. We know that mere academic
excellence is no guarantee for a purposeful and fulfilled life.
I was reading once again the Post-Synodal
Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Asia” just to see what exactly
was there in it which irked the RSS - the right-wing Hindu
nationalists. It is then that, by chance, I came across the core message
it carries: “..that they may have life and have it in all its fullness.”
(Jn. 10:10). What should be the kind of education that we need to provide
in our schools so that our students, as young people now and as adults
later, “may have life and have it in all its fullness”?
-Bro. Berchmans
Timothy
Dunne’s Dilemma
It was probably after
a long time that Timmy Dunne who is enjoying the pleasant weather of north
India at present, met Abraham Variatha, our only Swamiji and the Acharya
of Shanti Kutiram. There were no prior indications that both were
looking forward to meeting each other. But when they met, they were like
two long lost friends; both were cordial and pleasant and, at the
same time curious about each other’s ‘being and doing’ and
revelled in pulling each other’s leg.
However, after Abraham
left for his Ashram in the south - Palchuram in Kannur
district of Kerala, to be precise - Timmy became more curious
about the Swami’s Kutiram. He had only heard that Variath was living
the life of an Indian ascetic known as sannyasi or sadhu in
what is often described as a forest, but what this Kutiram meant, he had
no clue. Probably he was aware that a sannyasi usually “has no place
to lay his head” since he doesn’t own anything. He also must have heard
of sadhus and sannyasis living in caves up in the Himalayas. So at table,
while talking about the swami’s life and the three huts or ‘Kutirams’
that he has built, Timmy looked surprised. “I thought he was living in
a cave?” he wondered quizzically. When we explained to him what a kutiram
was and that, though the word meant ‘hut’ it had nothing in
common with the huts the poor of this land were seen to live in,
Timmy took it as a joke and wouldn’t believe that “Kutiram” was not really
a cave but a pucca house. We also told him that Kutiram also meant a tomb
to which he nodded as though in agreement. Whether he grasped the context
is anybody’s guess since he knows neither Sanskrit nor Malayalam.
Those who sat at
table with Timmy tried their best to convince him that ‘kutiram’ was not
a cave, but the still puzzled look on Timmy spoke for what was going through
his mind - whether we were pulling a fast one on him or whether there
was any grain of truth in what we said!
Not being
able to convince him, Timmy was, at last, advised to make a trip to the
south without delay to find out for himself all about our Swamiji’s
Kutiram.
THE
VILLAGERS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH BROTHERS
The Alundur villagers,
both young and old, had a grand Christmas celebration at Patrick Nilayam.
It was a rare occasion - the first of its kind
- for the villagers to spend the day in fun and frolic. The
young Brothers and candidates, under the leadership of Bro. Vincent George,
went all out to see that the entertainment and games they organized were
to the talent and taste of the villagers.
 |
 |
The village folk of
Alundur, Trichy, take part in the Christmas celebration organised
by Patrick Nilayam
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The
village children and youth
with some of the Brothers
at the
Christmas celebration |
The cordial relationship
the Brothers have with the people around, especially the villagers who
are generally poor, has won for the Patrick Nilayam Community and the school
the undiluted admiration and genuine affection of those
poor people.
The six-month vocational
training that is provided at Patrick Nilayam under the able stewardship
of Bro. Albert is becoming increasingly popular amongst the poorest
of the poor youth of the neighbouring villages as this training helps them
find jobs. Most of these are youngsters with no formal education. Albert
may have soon this training programme recognized by the National Open School,
Delhi, thanks to the efforts made in Delhi by Bros. Santosh and Bernard.
The Province has decided to allocate sufficient funds towards this worthy
cause.
COONOOR
St. Joseph’s, Coonoor,
which finances and runs Karunai Illam, the night shelter for the beggars,
is planning to add an extension to it as more and more old people, not
beggars, but those driven out from their homes or those with
no one to take care, are approaching Bro. Patrick who is in charge.
The Community has decided to provide more facilities for accommodating
such cases and soon Bro. Patrick hopes to have those poor ones also as
part of Karunai Illam. May God bless Bro. Francis and Community and
may their invitation card someday to join the Lord’s company at his
Banquet may include the following small but beautiful sentence of
welcome as well: “I was homeless, you gave me shelter.”
PROVINCIAL
HOUSE
 It
was a long-felt need of the Province to have a proper Provincial
House. Even Provinces of religious Congregations with far fewer members
than ours, do not seem to lack this facility: a House distinct from normal
communities as the official residence of the Provincial. It seems
to be a must symbol for all religious Congregations worth their name at
least out here in this country. Till now the Provincial was a resident
of the MSM Community. With the new extension providing more facilities
by way of single rooms, rooms large enough to accommodate as many as six
each, conference room, a proper office etc., it has now all the infrastructure
needed for a Provincial House.
In consultation with
Bro. Philip, our General, this House was officially declared as the Provincial
House of the Society of the Brothers of St. Patrick, India, at the recently
held meeting of the Provincial Council. It was decided that one of the
members of the Council would reside with the Provincial as his assistant
while other Brothers, engaged in teaching or studying or any other ministry
would make up the members of the Community.
Brothers are most
welcome, any time of the day or night, to be “our honoured guests”.
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It stretches its
branches upward and downward. The states of all things nurture the young
shoots. The young shoots are the nourishment of our senses. And below,
the roots go far into the world of men; they are the sequences of actions.
This understanding of the tree’s shape - its end
and its beginning, and its ground - is not
open to the ordinary world. The roots of that pipal tree have spread far.
With the strong axe of detachment a man should cut that tree.
Bhagavad Gita
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BROTHERS
AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS AS INSTRUMENTS OF PEACE
-Bro.
Alfred William
Brotherhood is a radical discipleship.
This call to radical discipleship challenges us to be true and effective
instruments of peace. In this article entitled “BROTHERS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS
AS INSTRUMENTS OF PEACE” I have given more emphasis to a simple but a radical
aspect, i.e., “JUSTICE FIRST, THEN PEACE”. I am personally convinced of
this fact because peace is undoubtedly the fruit of justice and love. Where
there is injustice, there cannot be peace; where there is love, there cannot
be injustice. The prophet Isaiah very clearly stresses this fact: “Peace
is the work of justice” (Is.32:17). Injustice and peace cannot co-exist.
Brothers, let us acknowledge the fact that
we have gone far away from the teachings and life of Jesus Christ, our
Friend and Brother, who preached and lived a life of justice, peace, love
and forgiveness. It is, indeed, quite disheartening to notice that we,
Brothers, are often guilty of divisions arising from caste, language and
nationality. What are our different roles as instruments of peace?
To begin with let me quote the words of
P.C.Curran: “Peace is a state of tranquility between person (social) or
within an individual’s self (personal).” Love of God and love of neighbour
can be perfected only if peace is nurtured and enjoyed by all human beings.
One who loves God and fellow human beings becomes the true instrument of
peace. We call Jesus, our brother, “the Prince of peace”. We also know
that Jesus upheld peace as one of the primary values in his life. The announcement
of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds was marked by the announcement of
“peace and good will among people” by the angel (Lk. 2: 14). In the Sermon
on the Mount Jesus promises the privilege of being the children of
God to the peacemakers (Mt. 5: 9). We Brothers are the children of God
more specially by our call to be religious Brothers, because we derive
the origin of our brotherhood from the common parenthood of God the
Father and Mother and the brotherhood of Jesus, our brother. To live up
to this call to the children of God and the brothers of Jesus, we must
make ourselves the true instruments of peace. Not only we, our communities,
our Congregation, our institutions and all those people who are associated
with us become the instruments of peace. Then olnly can we gloriously,
in one accord, acclaim that, “Blessed are the Brothers, the peacemakers,
for they are called the children of God.”
Jesus began his public ministry with the
announcement of the Kingdom: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because
he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me
to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of Lord’s favour” (Lk.
4: 18-19). St. Paul in his letter to the Romans stresses the need
of justice and peace to establish the Kingdom of God: “The Kingdom of God
does not mean food and drink, but righteousness and peace.”(Rom. 14:17)
We are called to be kingdom builders. So our specific task in establishing
God’s Kingdom is to fight for justice and peace. We need the help of the
Spirit to fulfil this task entrusted to us because “peace is one of the
fruits of the Spirit of God”. (Gal.5:22)
If we Brothers are to become instruments
of peace, we need to deepen our awareness of social realities which should
lead us in turn “to commit ourselves to the cause of the poor and the marginalized”.
As a Community we must “involve ourselves in matters related to justice
and peace and have network with competent agencies”. (From the Province
Directory and Handbook of the Brothers of St. Patrick, India, 2002). Otherwise
we become mere teachers and social workers. The reason is obvious. “If
we are to save ourselves we must learn to submit to humanity -
and quickly, And until we accept that as our task, we do not truly want
peace - only power.” (The Different Drum) Let us also look
into various possibilities of involving our students, staff and parents
to work for justice and peace.
Today our mission as God’s instruments
of peace is to raise our voice for the voiceless, to be a friend to the
friendless, to educate the illiterate, to empower the powerless, to comfort
the suffering, to bring healing to the sick, to bring consolation to the
suppressed and lonely, to be “the salt of the earth and the light of the
world” and to be brother to all human beings. Thus fulfilling God’s Will,
we can tell others proudly and happily “My peace I give to you”. (Jn 14
27) just as Jesus said to his disciples.
IGNOU
COMES TO ST. JAMES
A phone call from
Bro. Sebastian the other day has confirmed the establishment of an IGNOU
(Indira Gandhi National Open University) Study Centre at St. James’ school,
Binnaguri. It is, indeed, a rare honour for a school to have a University
Study Centre. Usually this privilege is given to regular Colleges and only
in the rarest of rare cases it is given to a high school. Binnaguri
- in fact the whole of north-east -
stands to benefit from this venture. The young people of this part of the
country, especially from the poor and the marginalized section, lack the
opportunity for a quality university education. With St. James’ rising
to the occasion to fulfil a long-felt need, now these students have the
privilege of getting a good degree even as they continue to pursue their
normal work. Only on certain days they need to attend classes or contact
programmes provided at the Study Centre.
There are reasons
for the University authorities for choosing St. James’ in preference to
any of the institutions of higher learning of either Jalpaiguri or
Siliguri. It appears that the College that was handling this Study Centre
was managing it badly. For this system to work effectively, the University
depends on agencies and institutions which are not profit
oriented but are committed to dedicated voluntary service. The way
we conduct the National Open School in the campus must have been a signal
for the University authorities to approach us. This system amply provides
us with an opportunity to reach out to the poor, the marginalized and the
underprivileged in a more significant way. Networking with agencies and
organizations that are committed to reaching out to the disadvantaged is
one of the recommendations of our last Provincial Chapter. And so, the
expenses involved in providing the infrastructure and other facilities
become part of our own contribution towards reaching out to meet “some
of the pressing needs of people in society today”.
All credit
goes to Bro. Prakash who was the first one who informed the Provincial
about the University’s request and, with the latter’s concurrence, sent
the formal application to the department concerned, and to Bro. Sebastian
and his Community for pursuing the matter with renewed enthusiasm
and taking every step towards establishing the IGNOU Study
Centre at St. James’. Apart from reaching out to the disadvantaged section
of the people of the area, a University Study Centre of
IGNOU’s status and stature also has the following advantages for the Patricians:
1. As IGNOU is known
for its high quality higher education, Brothers who want to pursue higher
studies, including Doctorate, can avail of this facility even while
engaged in teaching or administration.
2. They need not
be wasting time any more chasing application forms and hall tickets and
study material.
3. The students of
our own schools - both St. James’ and St. Patrick’s
- who cannot afford to go to big cities for higher studies
have the facility of a “Mobile College” right at their door-step.
O
REWA, MY REWA
-Bro.
Berchmans
The Story of our Rewa Venture is
a golden chapter in the annals of the Patricians in India. We went, we
saw and we conquered! Many in the beginning thought that we stooped far
too low but, even if we did, today we can say with a sense
of fulfilled ambition: “We stooped to conquer!”
Now the golden chapter of this venture
is coming to an end, (We will be out of Rewa by the first week of May)
it is worth taking a straight walk down the memory lane of the last eight
years.
The very idea of taking up a school
not owned by us, in a remote place like Rewa, had its genesis in the inspirational
thrust given by the two General Chapters of 1986 and 1992. “Option for
the poor and the marginalized” , “realize the kingdom of God among people”,
and “venture into the unknown” were slogans that managed to seep into the
consciousness of the delegates who attended these Chapters. Who could have
remained unaffected, and how long, by the following statements voiced
at these Chapters and repeated in the documents “Choose Life” and “Rejoice
in Hope”?
1. “Like Christ we are aware of the presence
of evil in the world and feel called to act for the people affected by
it.” (Choose Life)
2. “We will examine critically the whole
of the educational field to see where our energies and abilities may serve
the Kingdom best.” (Choose Life)
3. ‘We will … show ourselves eager to let
go, and enter into apostolic work which illustrates a fundamental
option for the poor in line with our earliest traditions. We recognize,
in deciding to venture like this, the essential place of prayerful discernment,
sharing of insights and measuring according to Gospel values. (Choose Life)
4. “As the future unfolds, our hope remains
secure. Because our call is to serve justly, we are ready to venture, risk,
even fail, that some good might take hold, that some hope might be shared
and that the poor might have their voices heard.”
It all happened when, one
July evening, 1994, Bro. Jerome who was then the Principal of MSM,
casually mentioned to me that there was an offer of a school belonging
to a Cement Plant owned by Jaiprakash Industries, which they wanted to
see run well and so were very keen to have a Christian religious Organization
taking it over. Jerome was asked to get more information about it and,
in two weeks time, he had the Chairman himself coming over to give a detailed
picture of the proposal.
My Council advised me to send
Jerome to Rewa to take a look at the school and, if he was satisfied, that
I myself should go and take a final look before reaching any decision.
On Jerome’s giving a very positive reaction to his visit, we fixed a date
to make a visit together. Both were received very cordially by Mr. Manoj
Gaur, the eldest son of the chairman and the then chief executive of the
Cement Plant at Jaypeenagar, Rewa. After gathering as much information
as we could about the school and the surrounding environment, and
on being satisfied with what we saw, the case was presented to my
Council for a final decision. The Council’s advice was to take over the
administration of the school but only for a period of five years to start
with.
The next important step was to meet
with the local ordinary of the place. The diocese of Satna under which
Rewa falls, belongs to the Eastern Rite of Syro Malabar Church. Mar Abraham
Mattam was the bishop then. I was told he was in Delhi Holy Family Hospital
with typhoid fever. “Thither I repaired to” to seek his blessing. He said
he had no objection to our presence in his diocese. But he warned me against
taking over the school with a statue of Saraswati right at the entrance!
When I reasoned with him that Saraswati was the goddess of wisdom and for
us Christians she was the same as Sophia, he smiled with a wink, meaning
that he was only joking with me.
Soon an Agreement was drawn up
between Jaiprakash Industries and The Society of the Brothers of St. Patrick,
India, according to which we were expected to have three Brothers in Rewa
one of whom was to be the Principal of the school. We were assured of
one complete block with four fully furnished flats for our accommodation
in the neatly planned township.
Now the big question arose:
“Who are the three to go there?” Since we were going to live among
people of other faiths, especially Hindus of the upper caste, we could
not afford to risk our image as ‘good sannyasis’ and
our reputation as ‘excellent school men’ who ‘are coming to run Jay Jyoti’.
Besides, the Brothers selected had to be also willing to go. Jerry
was the first to volunteer. MSM was just beginning to look up again,
and pulling him out at that stage would have been unfair to him and to
the school. But there was no better choice since pulling out anybody else
against his wish was not in the best interest of this venture. Having picked
Jerry, the search was then for the other two. At that time, Bros. Dennis
and Santosh were young enough to be cajoled into accepting a posting
for “a very short period of two years which will go flying!”
They were not convinced but obliged as any good religious would. God bless
them.
The Patricians took charge of the
school in June, 1995. Within months the three were able to establish a
name for themselves. The township was all agog with the excitement of having
their children attending a school under the care of “great
educators like the Patrician Brothers”. The school was no more a Company
school, but “a Patrician School” - “an extension
of Mount St. Mary’s, Delhi” as Mr. Manoj Gaur, the Managing Director
would often put it - and the students identified
themselves as “Patrician students”. If they made a trip to Delhi or
Mussoorie, they were “visiting our sister schools”.
The reaction to this new initiative
in the Province varied from ambivalence to total indifference.
Rumours such as “Brothers are breathing in cement dust, eating cement dust
and covered with cement dust”, and “we are being exploited by a business
firm”, began doing the rounds resulting in some hard questions being
put to the Province leadership at Brothers’ gatherings and Assemblies.
That this venture was in response to the call of the General Chapter to
reach out to the poor, the marginalized and the underprivileged,
did not seem to impress many. As a result, the new Province leadership
under Bro. Thanicken was faced with the challenge ‘to be or
not to be’ in Rewa. To continue means having to force unwilling Brothers
to go there. To pull out means having to break a contract midway and lose
our face. However, it was around that time that Bros. Cormac and Philip
made their first official visit to the Province as General and Vicar. They
saw things differently and their views about Rewa which they did
not hesitate to air openly, did have a positive impact to an extent. For
them the Rewa venture was the finest hour of the Province and every
Brother in the Province had, therefore, reason to rejoice as
it was a clear indication of the Province’s determination to respond positively
to the letter and spirit of the General Chapter Document “Rejoice in Hope”.
The following year, i. e., in 1996,
Bro. Antony Joseph took the place of Bro. Dennis and in 1997,
Jerome and Santosh were replaced by Sebastian and me. The three of
us (Sebastian, Antony Joseph and me) kept up the good will created
and the progress made by our predecessors. There was no doubt that the
Brothers were regarded highly. In fact, the township almost worshipped
them.
As the Province was finding it difficult
to send three Brothers, both Antony Joseph and Sebastian were withdrawn
and Mathew Chackala took their place. Though Mathew had come more for the
sake of a change of place rather than out of love for Rewa, within two
months Rewa was able to win his heart. His articles in the Patrika of that
year bear testimony to how he saw the Province’s effort at reaching
out to the poor and the underprivileged.
I had to leave Mathew behind
by the end of 1999 to be Provincial once again. The Province was fortunate
to find the right man, and a willing one at that, to take my place: Christopher
Dawes, with his long experience in PNG and raring to cast his lot once
again with the cause of the marginalized and the underprivileged,
was our man! Both Mathew and himself can surely boast of their admirable
contribution to the students of the school and the people in and around
the township. Having completed a four-year stint of hard work, Mathew was
transferred to Coonoor in 2002. His place was ably filled by the young
and dynamic Tommy.
Jay Jyoti, within a matter
of five years under the Patricians, made such giant strides that it is
today reckoned to be one of the most sought after schools in
Rewa. The Company wanted the Brothers to continue, and we renewed the contract
for another five years from June 2000. Between 2000 and 2002, it was more
than evident that we had already accomplished the task that
we had set out to achieve, namely, to empower the staff and students to
take care of themselves and the Company people to run a school as
a school and not as an industrial unit. Our outreach programme for
the poor children of Jaypeenagar was an eye-opener for the Company which
began three years ago a school for the poorest of the poor with
all the infrastructure necessary for a well equipped school.
Why the decision to pull out
before the expiry of the period of contract may be puzzling to many
considering that Rewa was beginning to sink into the consciousness of the
Province. Well, the following considerations may justify the decision:
1. The school had already reached
a standard which is comparable with the best you can possibly expect
for one in a rural setting, and our further service would have been only
for maintaining the standard which was not part of our vision when we took
up this venture.
2. Christopher had put in four years there
and was looking for a change and we couldn’t find a replacement.
Forcing anyone against one’s wish was not an option we considered.
3. For some reason, though still very warm
and cordial to the Brothers and highly appreciative of our contribution,
the administration was becoming increasingly cold to any request for enhancing
facilities in the school or for maintenance of infrastructure.
If there is any regret in our pulling
out of Rewa, it is only that we won’t be able to help those 300 odd poor
children by conducting the evening classes for them, and those five tutors
whose only means of livelihood was what we gave them as salary every month.
We are making efforts to see if this programme could be kept up. It is
all now up to the Company to say ‘yes’ since we have to depend on them
for the use of their premises to conduct classes in the evening.
DIFFERENT
QUOTES
-Acharya
Variath
The Patrika often contains, sometimes in
generous doses, quotations from non-Christian Scriptures and mystics. They
are enlightening, and I hope they are widely accepted. Perhaps an occasional
quotation from Christian spiritual classics may also be useful. Here
is the whole of Chapter 28, Book III, of THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
CHRIST
Son, take it not to heart if some people
think ill of you, and say of you things which you are unwilling to hear.
You must still think worse of yourself, and believe that no one is weaker
than you. If you walk by the way of the spirit, you will make small account
of words which fly. It is no small prudence to be silent in time of misfortune,
and interiorly turn oneself to Me without letting himself be disturbed
by the judgment of men.
Your peace does not depend on the
tongues of men, because, whether they judge well or evil of you, you not
for this another man. Where is true peace and true glory? Is it not
in Me? And he who does not desire to please men, nor fears to displease
them, will enjoy much peace. All uneasiness of the heart and dissipation
of the senses are born from inordinate love and vain fear.
And here is part of Chapter 33, Book III
CHRIST
Son, trust not your affection of the moment,
for it will soon be changed into another. As long as you live, you are
subject to change, even against your own will; so that sometimes you are
joyful, at other times sad; now at peace, then troubled; at one time devout,
at another arid; sometimes fervent, at other times lazy; one day heavy,
another day elated.
But he who is wise and well instructed
in spirit, is above all these changes, not minding what he feels in himself,
nor on what side the wind of instability blows, but that the whole inclination
of his soul may be directed towards the desired end. For thus he may remain
one and the self-same, and unshaken, by unceasingly directing, through
all this change of events, the single eye of his intention towards Me.
And this is a sentence from Book II, Chapter
1
The reason why so many things displease
and often disturb you, is that you are not as yet perfectly dead to yourself,
nor detached from earthly things.
A COMMENT
For some reason, these days, reading
THE IMITATION OF CHRIST is not considered fashionable. Some even seem to
give the impression that it is positively harmful. Although truth is universal,
its expression is influenced by the environment, education, history, language
and culture of the writer.
It is true that we do not see people
in the streets dressed like Julius Caesar or Shakespeare; but the value
of dress is same today as it was five hundred or two thousand years ago.
After all, whatever may be the changes in fashion and in the manner of
dressing, the underlying principles are the same, are they not?
It is also true that there are always
some who “give to God a tenth of even of the seasoning herbs, such as mint,
dill, and cumin, but neglect to obey the really important teaching of the
law, such as justice and mercy and honest”, and who have a “strainer for
the gnat and swallow the camel”, and there are some others who throw the
baby out with the bathwater. Yet there are also some who are sincere, discerning
and willing, and who profit from such spiritual writings. “They hear the
message and understand it; they bear fruit, some hundredfold, some sixty
and some thirty.”
P.S. Once during a conversation with a
Hindu Swami I was advised to read THE IMITATION OF CHRIST “again and again”.
Most learned Hindu holy men are very familiar with this book, and Dr. Radhakrishnan
knew the whole of it almost by heart. Thomas a Kempis writes in a style
which is familiar to the Eastern spiritual mind.
TWO
JEWELS IN THE CROWN
Congratulations to Bros. Edward Sebastin
and Solomon Alexander, two young and energetic guys of the Province,
who made their final commitment on 31 December at St.Joseph’s, Coonoor.
Rt. Rev. Antony Anandarayar, the
bishop of Ooty, was the chief celebrant. The impressive ceremony was attended
by a large gathering of Brothers, parents and relatives of the two Brothers,
the Catholic staff of the school and the friends of the Coonoor
Community. A good number of Brothers were able to be present since
the ceremony followed the Annual Retreat for the south at which some
from the north who were not able to make it at Mussoorie in June, also
participated. At the end of the ceremony, there was a sumptuous lunch for
all.
Edward and Solomon are ‘veterans’
because of their longer experience in life and in the Congregation. Edward
had already graduated in Industrial Training long before joining
the Brothers, and Solomon spent a couple of years extra before entering
the Novitiate. Edward, on completion of the inspector’s course in Vocational
Training from Chennai, found himself as the Vocation Facilitator for Tamilnadu,
while Solomon, after university graduation, went on to do his Bachelor
of Theology at the Brothers’ Institute, Bangalore. He is also undergoing
a three-year course on formation and has been recently appointed as Socius
in the Novitiate.
We pray that they live a fulfilled
and happy life as dedicated Patrician Brothers.
POOR
ME…!
-Bro. Vincent Mavelil
 It
was the beginning of winter in Mussoorie. The school, i. e., SGC,
had just closed for the long winter holidays. But, poor me, I had
my hands full with Nirmala school in full swing. The whole thing started
when my old sickness - an unusual pain on the left
leg and side - suddenly resurfaced. It was
( as I thought) the usual ‘winter-cross’ to be carried by self and nobody
else. But things turned out worse this time. I could not bear the
pain any more. Having tried all the old stunts and the advice of
the school nurse, Sr. Teresena, it was decided that I go to a hospital.
At the CMI Hospital, Dehra Dun, an MRI test was taken -
an experience to remember of spending some 45 minutes in a cave-like machine
with hands and legs tied up! Well, the result was that I was advised to
undergo an operation on the backbone. So, here was a man scared of a mere
injection being advised to undergo surgery! “No, not here,” I thought
and, with necessary permission, rushed to Kerala, my home-State, which
is very famous for Ayurveda treatment for all manner of diseases
and ailments. After all, it’s God’s Own Country! My main intention
was to escape a possible surgery. I traveled to Kidangoor, my home-town,
near Kottayam. Here I stayed with my parents and brother till X’mas. Then,
on 26th December, took an appointment with one Dr. George of the Chazhikadan
Hospital, Thodupuzha - a journey of one and
a half hours from my place. Fr. Mathew Mavelil, my uncle, Sr. Lata,
my younger sister, who is a medical doctor, and my brother accompanied
me. We reached there by afternoon and met the Doctor after a short wait.
The result of his examination was that I undergo the operation! Alas! Here
I am back to square one! The Doctor was good enough to console me by saying
that it was a minor operation and that he had handled several such
cases without any problem. After fixing the date for the surgery we returned
(me half dazed) and came to my sister’s hospital in Kidangoor. There the
three Sister-Doctors including my own sister, and the Sister-Superior suggested
that I go to a very special hospital at Kochi and consult the Doctor there.
So along with my sister I went to that hospital the next morning and there,
too, the Doctor was good enough to call for an immediate surgery. It was
going to be the next day, 28th of December, the Holy Innocents’ day!
Hence, I had no other option but to resign to the will of God and to the
Doctor’s good advice. My sister went back and informed everyone about the
decision. More and more shocking to me was the process of the operation!
Anyway, on 28th morning I was taken in an ambulance to the Ernakulam Hospital
by Fr. Mathew, my uncle, my sisters Lata and Grace & her husband, my
brother and wife, and my cousins. We reached the hospital around 10.30
a. m. and almost immediately I was whisked away to a room for X-Rays
(five of them!), blood tests, ECG, etc Then I was taken to the Doctor’s
room and the Doctor examined me, took my BP and asked me if I had
sugar. On confirmation of both (of course, the BP had gone up considerably),
he gave me a few tablets and made me sit and keep talking with my
people. As I was talking, I fell asleep. Then at 2 p. m. they took me to
the theatre straight on a stretcher. Here I could see the operation
table by the side of me. Then they put some big socks on my feet
and tied my hands to the sides and put a mask over my mouth. I felt
a terribly foul smell and could do nothing but cough twice. After
that I did not know what happened in the next two hours! At around four
I heard a shout by someone very close. I could hardly open my eyes. Barely
opening my eyes I saw the same operation table and closed my eyes
again. The next time I opened the eyes, I was once again in the same old
room with my relatives. I felt it was my second lease of life!
Thanks to all the Brothers
for their valuable prayers and good wishes for me and, in a
special way, to all those, including the Provincial, who came to
see me in the hospitals at Kochi and Kidangoor, and to our “little jawans”
and their leaders in Trichy.
SGC
NEWS
Christmas was celebrated on 19th
December together with the Dehra Dun Community and Fr. Hugh, the parish
priest of St. Michael’s church. This celebration was advanced as most of
the Brothers would be away on holidays in the sunny south.
 Grand
celebration marked the 93rd Birthday of Bro. Gerald Gannon
at St. George’s College on 31st Jauary 2003. The weather
gods had gone a bit crazy the previous night by sending down a big
down pour suddenly. However, the big day remained very clear. (Photo: Br
Gannon on the phone speaking to Br Vincent after Vincent's spine operation.
Br George Anchupankil by his side.)
There was a large gathering of the local
clergy, Sisters, and Brothers from St. Joseph’s Academy, Dehra Dun, at
the grand lunch in honour of the Birthday Boy. In the evening
there was again another gathering, this time only for the clergy and the
monks. No prize for guessing for what! Big Dinner? Of course,
you’re right! V. P. Bernard came all the way from Delhi not to miss the
occasion.
The grand Old Boy was full of beans at
the evening session, and was seen chatting on the cellphone with Vincent
in the hospital in Kochi!
EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE
-
Bro. Vincent George
Research has demonstrated
that Emotional Intelligence ( EQ ) is the true incredient of personal and
professional success. Studies suggest that it is EQ, not IQ or raw brainpower,
that serves as the foundation for many of the decisions we make, for the
functioning of the most dynamic organization and for the most satisfying
and successful lives. Emotional Intelligence encompasses social intelligence
and emphasizes the effect of emotion on our ability to view situations
objectively and thus to understand ourselves and other people. It is the
ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power of emotion,
appropriately channelled as a source of energy, creativity and influence.
For most of the century, scientists
have worshipped the hardware of the brain and the software of the mind.
The messy powers of the heart were left to the poets. But cognitive
theory could simply not explain the questions we wonder about most: Why
some people just seem to have a gift for living well; why the smartest
kid in class will probably not end up the richest; why we like some people
virtually on sight and distrust others; why some people remain buoyant
in the face of troubles that would sink a less resilient soul; what qualities
of the mind or spirit, in short, determine who succeeds?
“Emotional Intelligence” relates
to qualities like understanding one’s own feelings, empathy for the feelings
of others and “the regulation of emotions in a way that enhances
living”.
There was a time when IQ was considered
the leading determinant of success. Based on brain and behavioral research,
Daniel Goleman and other experts argue that our IQ-oriented view of intelligence
is far too narrow. Instead, Goleman makes the case for emotional intelligence
being the strongest indicator of human success. Emotional Intelligence
can be described in terms of self-awareness, altruism, personal motivation,
empathy, and the ability to love and be loved by friends, parents, and
family members. People who possess high emotional intelligence are the
people who truly succeed in work as well as play, building flourishing
careers and lasting, meaningful relationships.
Emotions are the primary source
of human energy, aspiration, and drive, activating our innermost feelings
and purpose in life, and transforming them from things we think about to
values we live. The key factor is the way we interpret our circumstances
based on our prior experiences and belief system, to either respond reactively
like a stimulus-response machine with an emotion that is outside our control
and may be inappropriate and self-defeating, or to respond proactively
with self-determined responsibility and freedom of choice. Only part of
our success in life is attributable to intellect. Other qualities like
trust, integrity, authenticity, creativity, honesty, presence and resilience,
are at least as important. These “other intelligences” are collectively
described as emotional intelligence.
The good news is that EQ can be
learned or developed; it’s not something you are stuck with. We can develop
in ways that can improve our relationships, our parenting, our classrooms,
and our workplaces. Our temperaments may be determined by neurochemistry
and long-established patterns of behaviour, our genetic and cultural programming,
but we can recover control. We could turn society on its ear if we learned
to recognize our emotions and control our reactions; if we combined our
thinking with our feeling; if we learned to channel our flow of feelings
into creative expression, an expression of love.
Emotional Intelligence plays an
integral role in defining character and determining both our individual
and group destinies. It involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’
emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use the information to guide
one’s thinking and actions. In short, to embrace the power of emotions
intelligently. It involves abilities that may be categorized into five
domains:
Self-awareness
Observing an emotion as it happens;
realizing the prior idea and conceptions that underlie an emotional response;
being opened to intuitive insights; emotional honesty; a developed sense
of integrity and authenticity.
Emotional maturity
Facing up to fears and anxieties,
anger, sadness and discontent and expressing that energy constructively,
whilst retaining spontaneity.
Self-motivation
Channelling emotional energy in the
service of a goal; openness to new ideas; the ability to find breakthrough
solutions, and to make sound decisions; resilient optimism based on competence;
sense of responsibility and personal power to get things done in accordance
with what is needed.
Empathic understanding
Sensitivity to others’ feelings
and concerns and willingness to respect their perspective; valuing the
differences in how people feel about things; the capacity to trust and
be trusted, to forgive and be forgiven.
Quality communication
Managing emotions in others through
communication based on empathy and understanding, to build mutual trust;
social skills including constructive handling of disagreements and the
ability to create and sustain friendships; leadership effectiveness.
A PATRICIAN TO
BE THE NEXT C.R.I INSTITUTE DIRECTOR
Bro. Thanicken is the next Director
of the CRI Brothers’ Institute, Bangalore. At a meeting of the CRI
Executive (Brothers’ Section) held in Bangalore on 24 January, the search
for the next Director was one of the main points on the agenda. Several
names from other Congregations, especially the Gabrielites and the Franciscans,
figured but no Patrician or Christian found a place in the list.
This lacuna was pointed out resulting in calling for nomination from
the Patricians. Thanicken’s name was accepted.
The Institute where the Brothers
do their B. Th. was one of the big dreams of the Brothers’ Section of the
CRI to realize fully. Today it has the infrastructure to have studies leading
up to M. Th. The pioneers included the Patricians and the Christians.
But somewhere down the line, mainly because of the overwhelming numbers
they had, the Gabrielites with their five Provinces and the Franciscans
with four Provinces in India, began playing the dominant role in the affairs
of the Institute. Though it was seen more as a blessing than anything
else, there was an undercurrent of dissatisfaction amongst
the smaller Congregations.
As it was felt that the Institute
could be run better by restructuring the administration, a committee was
set up last May to suggest a new structure. The committee proposed that
the Director should be different from the Principal and, while the Principal
would see to the academic side ( B. Th.) the Director, who need not
be a theologian, would be the Superior of the inter-congregational community
of Brothers who study in the institute. He also would be responsible for
the general administration of the Institute. Besides, to run the short-term
courses and seminars, there would be a Co-ordinator. The administrator
would take care of the financial affairs and the day to day
maintenance of the Institute. Following this arrangement, the Director
is our Thanicken, the Principal is a Franciscan, the co-ordinator is a
Christian, the administrator is another Franciscan, and one of the resident
professors is a Gabrielite. It is a three-year term for all.
As Director, one of the main tasks before
Thanicken is to be a good team-builder. It is here that a Patrician is
called upon to show his worth as a man capable of managing people well.
Thanicken has to deal with student Brothers from different Congregations
with varied backgrounds and formation. It will be also his task to create
a cordial working relationship with the resident staff and the visiting
professors. We wish him every success in his new assignment. Good luck,
Thanicken.
IN
THOSE DAYS
(Here are Chapters 2 & 3 of the
old Rule. Re-production of the key Chapters of our old Rule Book
in the Patrika is an attempt to show the theology and spirituality
that shaped the Brothers who are 50 and above now, and also what life was
like then as compared to what it is now.)
CHAPTER II
ON THE VOWS
7. The Brothers of St. Patrick are bound
to the special service of God by the Simple Vows, which are common to all
religious congregations, namely, those of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience.
At first these vows are taken annually for three years, and afterwards
for life, as will be explained in Part II, Chapter XXI. The Brothers by
the emission of these vows will consider themselves so bound to the Congregation
as to deem unlawful any demand to leave it, unless it arise from the gravest
reasons. The dispensation from the vows can be obtained only from the Holy
See.
8. In order to become ever more fervent
in the spirit and exact observance of their vows, the Brothers will publicly
renew them with devotion each year at the end of the spiritual exercises.
CHAPTER III
ON THE VOW OF POVERTY
9. The Brothers should keep their hearts
free from every inordinate affection for the transitory goods of this life,
and with the Apostle consider all earthly things as dross, in order to
gain Christ, Who, being rich, became poor for love of us, electing to be
born in a stable, not having during His lifetime a place to whereon lay
His head, and dying naked on a cross of ignominy.
10. The professed Brothers preserve the
radical ownership of their property and the right to acquire new property,
and they may not abdicate gratuitously the dominion over their property
by a voluntary deed of conveyance. They are, however, as long as they are
bound by vows, strictly forbidden to hold its free administration, and
they cannot enjoy or dispose of its revenue without the permission of their
legitimate Superiors. Hence, the Brothers, before the first profession
of temporary vows, must, by a deed, even private, assign, for the whole
period that they will be bound by vows, the administration of their property
to whomsoever they may select, even to the Congregation if they wish, and
dispose freely of its use and usufruct in favour of any one they wish,
even in favour of the Congregation itself, if they choose. The deed of
assignment and disposition should be made with the condition of its
being revocable; they cannot, however, revoke or modify it of their own
free choice, but with the permission of the Superior General; and this
change may not be made in favour of the Congregation, at least for a notable
part of the property. They shall dispose in the same manner of the administration
and income of whatever property which may come into their possession after
their profession, notwithstanding the vows made.
11. The Brothers, before making their first
profession of temporary vows, shall freely dispose by will of all the property
they actually possess or may subsequently possess. This will cannot be
altered without the permission of the Holy See, or, if the case be urgent
and time does not admit of recourse to the Holy See, without the permission
of the higher Superior ( i. e., the Superior General or Provincial), or,
if recourse cannot be had to him either, without the permission of the
local Superior. With the Superior General’s consent they shall carry out
all formalities required by the law of their country regarding their property.
12. Aspiring to the perfect disengagement
of the primitive Christians, and having for this purpose embraced the state
of holy poverty, the Brothers must be poor in spirit, as they are in their
profession; consequently, no one shall deem it lawful to use anything as
his own, but shall be satisfied with whatsoever shall be supplied to him
by the Community, and ready to restore it whenever it may be demanded of
him. In like manner they shall bring immediately to the Superior whatever
may have been given to them, even for their personal use, or at least,
they shall not make use of it without having previously obtained the permission
of the Superior.
13. When a Brother is changed from
one house to another, he shall not take anything with him without the permission
of the Superior of the house he leaves.
14. Whatever is too costly, needless, or
superfluous in the way of clothing, furniture, ornament, etc., must be
absolutely forbidden, as it tends to destroy the spirit of holy poverty,
and is inconsistent with that unassuming humility which should always characterize
the religious profession. When a Brother is authorized to receive money
for any purpose he shall carefully render to the Superior an account of
the amount expended, and a Brother having charge of any department, in
which money is received, shall keep an accurate account of all receipts
in a book given him for that purpose.
15. All superfluity and extravagance, even
in little things, must be carefully guarded against, not only for the sake
of economy, in itself a moral virtue, but also for a higher and holier
purpose, namely, to have something to give out of the common property to
supply the necessities of their beloved Redeemer in the persons of His
poor suffering members.
16. A Brother may not seek compensation
for services rendered by him to the Congregation. Therefore, before his
profession he shall sign a declaration to demand nothing in case of his
freely leaving the Congregation or of his being dismissed.
ARRANGEMENT
OF OUR COMMUNITIES FOR 2003 ? 2004
Dear Brother,
The following is the arrangement
of our Communities and Houses for the year 2003-2004.
ST.PATRICK’S SCHOOL COMMUNITY,ADYAR:
1. Bro. Damien Parambeth (Superior &
Vice-President of Society No. 1&3, Director, Patrician College)
2. Bro. Stan Arul Susai (Asst. & Principal,
St.Michael’s Academy)
3. Bro.Bosco A. ( Provincial Vicar &
Principal, St.Patrick’s H.S.S.)
4. Bro. Britto ( to teach in St. Michael’s)
5. Bro. Saji Vaniakizhakel (to teach in
St. Patrick’s school and the Juniorate)
6. Bro. Tony Selvaraj ( to do B. Ed)
ST.JOSEPH’S COLLEGE COMMUNITY, COONOOR:
1. Bro. M.K.Francis (Superior & Vice-President
of Society No.2, TN)
2. Bro. Mathew Chakala (Asst. & Principal)
3. Bro.Xavier Thonippara
4. Bro.Patrick Palatty
5. Bro.Felix Nathikattu
6. Bro. Tomy Varghese
ST.GEORGE’S COMMUNITY, MUSSOORIE:
1. Bro.George P.U. (Superior &
Vice-President of Society No.1 [north] )
2. Bro. Christopher Dawes (Asst. &
Dean)
3. Bro.George Anchupankil ( Principal
of SGC)
4. Bro. G.P.Gannon
5. Bro. Vincent Mavelil ( Principal, Nirmala
school)
6. Bro. Joachim Guria ( Nirmala School
& Vocation Facilitator for north)
7. Bro. Daniel Dawes
ST.JOSEPH’S COMMUNITY, DEHRA DUN:
1. Bro. Prakash Mangara (Superior &
Vice-President, Society No.2 [north] )
2. Bro.Joseph Carroll (Asst. & Principal
of the school)
3. Bro. Sebastian Poothakuzhiyil
4. Bro. Ernest Gaudoin
ST.MARY’S COMMUNITY, MEERUT:
1. Bro. Lizen (Superior &
Vice-President of the Ed. Society, SMA)
2. Bro. Paul Kallarachully
( Asst. & Principal of SMA)
3. Bro. V. P. Bernard
4. Bro. Antony C ( to do M.Th at Pune/
Prison Ministry)
ST.JAMES COMMUNITY, BINNAGURI:
1. Bro.Sebastian T. (Superior & Vice-President,
in charge of NIOS & IGNOU Study Centre)
2. Bro. Jose Punnathanayil(
Asst. & Principal, St.James school)
3. Bro. Antony Randiv ( Principal, St.
Patrick’s School)
4. Bro. Augustine Paul (Vice- Principal,
St. James’)
5. Bro. Santosh Pathippillil (for B.Ed.)
6. Bro. K. J. Antony ( for B.Ed)
7. Bro. O. J. Joseph ( for B.Ed)
SHANTI BHAVAN, BINNAGURI
1. Bro. Benedict Mavelil (Director)
2. Bro. Binnoi Lukose (Asst. &
to teach part-time in St. Patrick’s)
3. Candidates from north
PATRICK NILAYAM COMMUNITY, TRICHY:
1. Bro. Vincent George( Superior &
Vice-President of Society No.4, TN)
2. Bro. William Wormald (Asst. & Director
of candidates)
3. Edward Pasca (Principal, St.Patrick’s
school, Alundur)
4. Bro. Albert ( in charge, Vocational
Training)
5. Bro. Francis Kispota(College )
6. Bro. Gubendiran(College )
7. Bro. Bernard(College )
8. Bro. Sunder(College)
9. Bro. Marianand Lourdsamy (College)
10. Bro. Christugnana Raj Irudayam(College)
11. Bro. Amrit Kumar Minj (College)
12. Bro. Arokiadass Antony Sekar (College)
13. Bro. Earnest Martin (College)
14. Bro. Ignace Kerketta (College after
Profession)
15. Bro. Nelson Longa (College after Profession)
16. Bro. Benjamin Marandi (College after
Profession)
17. Bro. Anup Kiro ( College after Profession)
18. Bro. John Paul (College after Profession)
19. Bro. Ruban John (College after Profession)
20. Bro. Anand Elias (College after Profession)
21. First year candidates from TN
PATRICIAN HOUSE, DINDIGAL
1. Bro. Paul Parecattil ( Director &
in charge of the school project)
2. Bro. Edward Sebastin ( Asst.
&Vocation Facilitator for TN
3. Second year candidates
for +2 from TN
PATRICK NIVAS ( NOVITIATE), BANGALORE:
1. Bro. Basil Thlaikatt (Novice Director).
2. Bro. Solomon Alexander Kochuthavittu
(Socius)
3. Bro. Johnson Irudiaraj
(III year B.Th.)
4. Bro. Alfred William (III
year B.Th.)
5. Bro. Soosai Arokiaraj (III year B.Th.)
6. Bro. Jeyaseelan Savarimuthu(III year
B.Th.)
7. Bro. Arokianathan Edison
( II yearB.Th.)
8. Bro. Thomas Pushparaj ( II year B.Th.)
9.
NOVICES
ST.PATRICK’S JUNIORATE, ADYAR:
1. Bro.Jacob Vattukalathil (Director)
2. Bro. Solomon Rajarajan (Asst. &
to do B. Ed)
3. Bro. John Kampyil
4.
POSTULANTS
ST.PATRICK’S SCHOOL COMMUNITY, MANANTHAVADY:
1. Bro. Paschal Thanickel (Superior, Vice-President
of the Educational Society & Principal)
2. Bro. Dennis Marukalayil ( Asst.)
3. Bro. Pius Kaipanplackel
4. Bro. Ramesh Amalanathan ( to do B.
Ed.)
5. Bro. Naveen Francis
DELANY BHAVAN COMMUNITY, MANANTHAVADY:
1. Bro. K. M. Thomas (Director, Vice-President
of the Institute & Vocation Facilitator)
2. Bro. Christie Irudayanathan ( Asst.)
3. Bro. Joseph Veliyil
CANDIDATES
SHANTI KUTIRAM, PALCHURAM
1. Bro.Abraham Variath( Acharya)
PROVINCIAL HOUSE, DELHI
1. Bro. Berchmans (Provincial)
2. Bro. Dominic Jacob( Provincial Councillor
& Principal of Mt. St. Mary’s)
3 Bro. Augustine Muttathil
4. Bro. Joseph Njamatholil
1. Bro. A. M. Thanicken ( Director, CRI
Brothers’ Institute, Bangalore)
2. Bro. Jerome D. Ellens (General Vicar)
3. Bro. Leo Cheruvil (Kenya Mission)
4. Bro. Tom Muldowney (Kenya Mission)
5. Bro. Antony Joseph( Study in Manila)
Wishing you the very best and the
Lord’s continued blessings,
In Love and Confidence,
Bro.Berchmans
Provincial
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