Tag Archives: SCJ

Pongal: a celebration of thanksgiving in India

Posted on January 16, 2017 | 1 comment
Fr. Michael with members of the Franciscan Sisters of Aloysius Gonzaga during the Pongal celebrations

Fr. Michael with members of the Franciscan Sisters of Aloysius Gonzaga during the Pongal celebrations

Fr. Tom Cassidy is back in the Indian District where he spends several months each year assisting with formation and administration. As in the past we will share excerpts from his journal on the US Province blog. On Sunday he wrote:

Saturday was a day of mixing ancient and modern traditions. For me it began with Mass at the Holy Family Brothers’ minor seminary just down the road from us. I usually say Mass on Saturdays and Sundays since I now have an international drivers license and can drive myself to and from. It was good to get back as I enjoy the enthusiasm and fine singing of the young men, probably ranging in age from early to late teens. Following Mass and breakfast (my usual Indian breakfast of bread and peanut butter) I headed out for my walk. Getting it in early was a necessity given the plans for the rest of the day.

The community was preparing to celebrate the Tamil Nadu Pongal festival. [Pongal is a festival of thanksgiving] I believe it’s the first time our Christu Dehon Nivas community in Eluru is celebrating it. Fr. Michael Augustine, SCJ, our rector, was born and raised near Chennai in the heart of Tamil Nadu (the state). I’m not entirely sure we would have gone to the effort if it were not for the sisters’ postulant community next to our Nambur novitiate as both Sister James and Sister Augustine (the house superior) and their postulants come from Tamil Nadu and did much of the necessary work that goes into this harvest festival. While the feast comes out of the Hindu tradition, Christians have made adaptations to it.

Our local Pongal celebration began just a tad late as the sisters took the opportunity to visit the Holy Land, a local representation of the important religious sites and events in the life of Christ, run somewhat like an amusement park or museum. Our own Fr. Joseph Kasmir, SCJ (assistant novice master and treasurer of our Nambur community) served as their driver and took part in our house celebration.

Making the Pongal rice

Making the Pongal rice

Usually Catholic celebrations begin with Mass but the most important event of Pongal is the cooking the Pongal (a rice dish). A special pot just for the occasion is prepared and decorated; our own Br. Mary Babu Kota, SCJ (3rd year) decorated our pot with floral designs. As the Pongal cooks to perfection participants do a dance around the Pongal pot and when all is ready our Pongal pot was led in procession as the community processed into our temporary chapel. The Mass was celebrated in Tamil with Fr. Michael as our principal celebrant. It followed the Indian Rite.

Fr. Michael is the only Tamil-speaking priest in our local community but he was able to get some of the concelebrants to dip their tongue into Tamil during the division of parts that take place in the Eucharistic Prayer. The introduction to the Mass was prepared by Br. Shaba Dennis, SCJ (3rd year) who also speaks Tamil while the homily was shared by the postulants of the Sisters of Aloysius Gonzaga. They prepared (in English) a brief history of the Pongal feast while Fr. Michael added how it has been adapted by Christians. A good example is that that Sun God is seen as Jesus the Light of the world and just as the sun is necessary for human existence so Christ is to the salvation of the human family.

Upon the conclusion of Mass it was time to eat our Pongal and begin our cultural program. It was a departure from our usual performances as we not only had dances and skits by our Christu Dehon Nivas brothers but also by the Franciscan Sisters of Aloysius Gonzaga postulants.

 

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Is there a patron saint of copy machines?

Posted on September 20, 2016 | 1 comment
Fr. Tom and the students after the blessing

Fr. Tom and the students after the blessing

Fr. Tom Cassidy writes from India:

In the Catholic Church there seems to be a prayer and a blessing for everything and everyone (including animals who will be blest in many parts of the world on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4th).

Yesterday our new copy machine was delivered. The house has been without one since before I first came to Christu Dehon Nivas in 2013. The brothers [students] who get 300 rupees a month [about $4.50) pocket money to take care of personal needs, recreation, etc., have been paying 1 rupee a page for anything they need copied for school. At the first community meeting before the opening of the school year the request was made for a house copy machine.

To make a long story short I heard about the need and when I was given money from two residents at Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake for India I suggested to Fr. Michael Augustine, SCJ, (our rector) that it be used towards the copy machine. Their gift came to just under 50,000 rupees [about $750].  Fr. Michael Benedict, SCJ (district treasurer) said that the district could cover the difference.

Indian Catholics believe in having just about everything blessed, especially if it is new.  Thankfully, as I noted at the beginning, there is a blessing for almost everything, and if you can’t find one you can create one.

Since it was our donors at SHML who were instrumental in getting the new copy machine Fr. Michael asked me to bless it. In the Church ritual book there is actually a “Blessing of Technical Installations or Equipment.”

Fr. Tom blesses the new machine

Fr. Tom blesses the new machine

I asked Br. Manish Nayak, SCJ (2nd year) to do the reading as he and I were going to do the blessing of the new clothing shop in Vempadu, during last week’s inauguration of the our new house but that got postponed as the room wasn’t ready. It’s now on our future to-do list when called upon. There was a rather long reading that Manish prepared for the occasion and since he didn’t get a chance to deliver it in Vempadu I thought it fitting he do the reading for our copy machine blessing.

I’ll briefly quote from the blessing service’s introduction: “Through the work of our hands and the help of technology we cooperate with the Creator to improve the earth as the dwelling place of the human family. By our efforts to bring the work of creation to perfection, we contribute to the advancement of society and carry out Christ’s mandate to follow him in serving one another in love. Let us, then, bless God as we use these products of technology [our new copy machine] for our advantage and never forget to offer praise to him, who is the true light and the fount of that water which springs up to eternal life.”

Though I won’t mention the names of our two benefactors from Sacred Heart at Monastery Lake here, I did let the brothers know who they are and asked them to pray for them and their needs. So often our generous benefactors are like ghosts to are the recipients of their kindness, i.e., unknown to us.  When you can put a name or a face to the generosity of others I think it is more meaningful.

The machine is located in the brothers computer room; all four computers are wired to it. The next model up allowed for a wireless connection but the expense was beyond our capabilities. Laptops can be brought to the room and manually connected when printing is needed.

So in closing, we are most grateful to the generosity of others for making life and education here at Christu Dehon Nivas not only better but in ways that will aid in our spiritual, educational and human interaction and communication.

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Seminarian “jumps in” to ministry in Brazil

Posted on September 15, 2016 | Leave a comment
Frater Juancho's youth team from the Ecce Venio camp

Frater Juancho’s youth team from the Ecce Venio camp

Ecce Venio!!!

Frater Juancho Castañeda Rojas, SCJ, just began his ministry year in Brazil. All students do at least a year of ministry prior to their final profession of vows. Frater Juancho writes:

Jumping in!! Yes, that was the way how my ministry began in Brazil. I could never have imagined that I would have such amazing experiences only two days after my arrival in Brazil. I am grateful to experience a new culture, new language, and a new community whose members have been really welcoming to me.

“Juan, would you like to participate in the Ecce Venio Camp?” was the question that would change and give direction to my journey in Brazil. “Ecce Venio” [Behold, I come] –– many times I have heard that phrase and understood it as a pillar of our Dehonian charism. Because of the purpose of the camp I cannot reveal the activities that we did, but I can say it was not what I was expecting at all. It was more intense than I thought it would be, filled with many challenges that required strength, team effort, trust, and abandonment.

Ecce Venio Dehonian cross

Ecce Venio Dehonian cross

I was able to feel the energy of all the participants and the leaders of the event. It was really amazing to be among this group of young people who had the desire to feel the presence of God in their lives. But most of all, it was wonderful to feel the presence of God in their lives through Dehonian spirituality. Seeing so many people wearing Dehonian crosses as a symbol of identity was really encouraging to me. It was just as encouraging as the experience I had in Poland at World Youth Day where I was able to see and feel Dehonian spirituality being alive in them and carried out by young people there.  

Tears, fears, lack of trust — not only in others but the lack of trust we have in ourselves —  these were the feelings we had when we faced challenges. But joy, satisfaction, courage, humility and abandonment were the feelings we shared after accomplishing all of the challenges. And the faces filled with joy and marked by tears of happiness were stronger than the physical pain and tiredness we all felt.

At the end of the camp, all of us received the Dehonian cross on which was engraved the phrase “Ecce Venio.” What a beautiful gift of identity and what a wonderful way to start to live Ecce Venio as part of our lives and spirituality as Dehonians.

I really have to admit I was super-tired after this camp. But the physical feeling did not take away the overwhelming feeling of renewal of my spirituality as a Dehonian. That was because the camp gave a stronger meaning to what Ecce Venio really means. It was an amazing experience and as someone helped me remember, most of the best experiences in our lives are also the most tiring or painful.

This is how my pastoral year has become not just a learning experience about our ministry and mission in Brazil, but also a spiritual experience of learning more about myself and deepening the meaning of Ecce Venio in my life guided by the spirit of abandonment in God’s will.  

The full group of participants at Ecce Venio

The full group of participants at Ecce Venio

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Fr. Ed joins Dehonian youth at WYD

Posted on July 28, 2016 | Leave a comment
Justin Ed Juancho

Frater Justin, Fr. Ed and Frater Juancho

Fr. Ed Kilianski, SCJ, arrived in Kraków on Saturday to join the group from Our Lady of Guadalupe, Houston, at the World Youth Day activities. Fr. Ed wanted to attend WYD not only because of its significance in the Church, but also because of the significance of the group from the US Province: Fr. Ed had been pastor of OLG until his election as provincial superior in 2015. Most of the young adults in the group are people whom he knew as children at the parish, people whose families he was well acquainted with when he was pastor. 

From Krakow Fr. Ed writes:

They have been keeping us on the go since I arrived on Saturday evening. There are more than 250 Dehonian Youth from approximately 19 countries including the U.S. and Canada. There is an amazing spirit among them. Many new friends have been made across cultures and borders. On Monday, Fr. Heiner celebrated Mass and gave a talk on mercy. He had the youth in the palm of his hand.

Ed and group pray

Praying during the Dehonian youth gathering

Tuesday we went from the seminary in Stadniki to Kraków. Thousands of young people are in the city from around the world. The spirit among them is incredible! Lots of singing on the streets and greetings among the nations. Each group carries its national flag. Whenever we passed a group from the U.S. there was always the chant of “USA, USA!!”

Wednesday morning the Dehonian Youth walked to the first and only parish church of St. John Paul II. In the afternoon they had  workshops on mercy and Dehonian Spirituality in language groups, followed by a cookout at the seminary in Stadniki. On Thursday we gather again in Kraków to welcome Pope Francis.

The SCJs from Poland have been most welcoming to us all. There is an excellent spirit of fraternity and community. I feel truly blessed to have this international opportunity with our confreres from around the Congregation. It has also been fantastic to be with the group from Our Lady of Guadalupe. Br. Andy has done an amazing job of organizing the pilgrimage for them.

 

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Back in India

Posted on January 17, 2016 | Leave a comment
Cassidy arrival 3

Fr. Tom sips from a coconut as part of the welcoming ritual.

After a week in the Philippines, where he will return in a few months to assist with the ESL program, Fr. Tom Cassidy, SCJ, is back in his second home of India. For the past two years he has done extended stays in the country assisting the SCJ district with administration and formation. He writes after taking the train from Chennai to Vijayawada Junction.

Cassidy arrival 2

Fr. Tom receives the bottu from Br. Hari as a sign of welcome

“This is the first train trip in India that I’ve taken by myself,” writes Fr. Tom. “I’m was an AC six-tier bunk car sharing it with two men and a family of three. These sleeper cars are not all that comfortable for daylight travel but everyone makes the best of it.

“My flights from Manila and Singapore to Chennai went very well. We landed in Chennai about 20 minutes early and getting through passport control and customs was a breeze.

“Fr. Vimala Thiyagarajan Soosainathan, SCJ, superior and formator of our Dehon Jyothi community, was there to greet me, along with a young potential candidate from Sri Lanka. The three SCJs who live at the district house were all gone so the task of collecting me fell to Fr. Vimal. The two of them stayed overnight at the district house and brought me to the train, well actually put me on the train, earlier this morning. I’ll see Fr. Vimal next week when the district council meets with Fr. General and Fr. Stephen Huffstetter, SCJ, the general councilor chosen to be responsible for India._

“The drive from our district house to the central train station took about 45 minutes. Traffic was light as today is a holiday. According to Fr. Vimal it is a day when animals are dressed up. I don’t mean put clothes on them but rather some artistic touches are given to the animals along with a good bath.

“As many of know, Chennai was hit by terrible flooding last December; the water is long gone but the scars for many people are still there. I was reading in the paper this morning on how hard hit day workers were due to lost wages along with little or no assistance coming from the government. Thanks to a generous donation from our general administration and a number of provinces, including the US, the district will be helping people near our two communities in repairing their homes due to the water damage they received.

“The roads around our district house were never very good and have certainly gotten worse from the floods. Fr. Vimal explained that the reason the district house suffered from flooding even though it is on relatively high ground was due to the need to release water from a nearby lake or reservoir that then inundated the district house neighborhood.”

Cassidy arrival 5

A “Hearty Welcome Back Dear Fr. Tom!”

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Christmas travels bring SCJ in touch with province’s past

Posted on January 8, 2014 | Leave a comment
One of the international Nativity sets on display during Fr. Tim's visit to the Montréal community.

One of the international Nativity sets on display during Fr. Tim’s visit to the Montréal community. This crèche is from Africa.

Fr. Tim Gray, SCJ, is a member of the formation team at the Dehon Formation Community in Chicago. Recently he reflected on his holiday travels, travels that took him from a former SCJ seminary in Pennsylvania, to visits with fellow SCJs in Canada, where he once ministered. He writes:

I began a two-week swing through the Northeast this Christmas. I stopped to visit family, friends, and also SCJ confreres. Three visits of note were in Honesdale, Pa., Toronto, and Montréal, Quebec.

While in Honesdale I visited the Hnatko family, who are well known to many SCJs. They lived at the building at Kilroe for over a year as caretakers before it was sold. It was so good to see Marge and much of the family; they send their greeting to all the SCJs. [Editor’s note: the building to which Fr. Tim refers was at one time the location of one of the province’s seminaries.]

The former Kilroe Seminary now houses the Himalayan Institute

The former Kilroe Seminary now houses the Himalayan Institute

Of interest to even more SCJs is the status of the building at Kilroe. It continues to serve as the headquarters of the Himalayan Institute, a center for growth and healing, which has used the building since 1979. It is absolutely fascinating to me how familiar it still looks! Very little has changed – the person giving me the tour pointed out how durable both the building and the furnishings have been.  Almost all the original equipment in the kitchen and laundries is still in service. There are still chairs from the visiting rooms, in colors that have since come back into style!

Fascinating is that the building continues to be filled with people dedicated to a spiritual life, who spend months or years living in the same conditions as we seminarians did – simple rooms, common baths and toilets, common meals, sharing in housework and other chores. Almost all the work is done by volunteers – there are only a handful of paid employees. The irony, of course, is that they abandoned their center in the Chicago area to move to Honesdale just as we SCJs were doing the opposite. It surely brings a strange mix of feelings to see such familiar surroundings in the service of God, much different than the one we lived in the 1950s and 60s, and yet so perennial.

After spending Christmas with my father and my sister’s family in Maine, I drove to Montréal to enjoy the great hospitality of the SCJs there. Fr. Claude Bédard looks and sounds great [Fr. Claude recently underwent treatment for cancer.]. He expects reconstructive surgery, but it will not prevent him from singing in two operas this spring. All others are fine. I was totally amazed by the collection of Nativity sets from around the world they have collected over the years! I took as pictures of as many of them as I could – I lost track at around 55. It outdoes the Christmas display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. I’ll share the pictures with anyone who is interested.

Fr. Tim Gray

Fr. Tim Gray

I continued through icy conditions to Toronto, which was devastated by the storms. Our parish lost power for one day; many people were out for a week! The house on High Park feels very different with only three regular residents: Fr. Peter McKenna, Fr. George Coppens, and new arrival Fr. Antonius Purwono, from Indonesia. Fr. Jim Casper, Fr. Willyans Prado Reposo, and Fr. Aegi Warsito are in residence at St. Thomas More parish and return only for the weekly meal. I’m sorry I missed the chance to visit the parish; Fr. Aegi assured me that they would have found a Mass for me to celebrate in Spanish! The parish is massive: 7,000 families, very multicultural. A wonderful SCJ ministry.

So Happy New Year to all, from all, and back to work.

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