Rector’s Address on the Occasion of the Solemn
Inauguration of the Scholastic Year 2015-2016
St. Joseph's Regional Seminary, Allahabad, India
Welcome
Your Excellency, Most Rev. Raphy Manjaly, Bishop of Allahabad & Chairman of the Board of Bishops of St. Joseph’s Regional Seminary, Allahabad,
Rev. Fr. Soosai Mani, SJ, my dear Members of the Staff and dear Brothers,
It’s my privilege to stand before you, on the occasion of the inauguration of the scholastic year 2015-2016 to welcome each of you and to present before the community the thrust of the formation programme of the year.
First of all, I extend a hearty welcome to Most Rev. Raphy Manjaly, Bishop of Allahabad and the Chairman of the Board of Bishops of St. Joseph’s Regional Seminary, Allahabad. Representing the Board of Bishops you have been guiding us in the formation work. Your availability, approach and the special concern to each of us shows how much you feel for the Regional Seminary. Despite your busy pastoral activities in the Diocese you make sure that you have some time for the welfare of the Seminary. We appreciate your paternal guidance and encouragement to the Staff and the Students. While I thank you for accepting our invitation to preside over this inaugural function, on behalf of the entire Staff and the Students I welcome you to this solemn inaugural ceremony.
We are privileged to have Rev. Fr. Soosai Mani, SJ with us, to give the inaugural lecture on: “Sadhna: A Path to Physical, Mental, Spiritual and Well-being”. Fr. Soosai is a priest of the Society of Jesus. He has a licentiate in Spiritual Theology and has done basic counseling course from Atma Darshan, Patna and Anugraha, Dindigul. Presently, he is the Director of Shanti Sadan and the parish priest of Queen of the Apostles Church, Allahabad. We are privileged to have him as the visiting professor of spiritual theology this year. Dear Father, on behalf of the Staff and the Students I thank you for accepting our invitation to give the keynote address and welcome you to this inaugural function.
Dear Reverend Fathers, this community is privileged to have you as foramtors and professors. It’s an honor to give a cordial welcome to each of the Staff members. This year we have eight resident staff members of whom two are new arrivals. While I personally welcome the Staff members, I have a special welcome to Rev. Fr. George Stephen SJ and Rev. Fr. Camillus D’Costa to the Seminary community. Rev. Fr. George Stephen is a priest of the Society of Jesus of Andhra Province. He pursued his philosophy studies in Kodaikanal and theology in Delhi and was ordained a priest in 1983. He completed MSc in Mathematics from Madras University and taught for five years. He obtained a Diploma in Counseling in Manila, Philippines. He has been the Spiritual Director in Vidya Jyoti, Delhi and in DNC, Pune and has been preaching retreats since 1989. He has also authored three books. He comes to this Seminary with a vast experience, as a counselor, preacher and spiritual director. Dear Fr. George Stephen, on behalf of the Staff and the Students, I welcome you to the Josem family.
Rev. Fr. Camillus D’Costa is a priest of the Diocese of Varanasi. He pursued his priestly studies at St. Charles’ Seminary, Nagpur and was ordained a priest in the year 2000. After a few years of pastoral exposure he proceeded for higher studies in Biblical studies and obtained a Licentiate from St. Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bengaluru. He has worked as a pastor, professor, administrator of Nav Sadhana, Varanasi and the Rector of the Infant Jesus Shrine in Mughalsarai. With his rich pastoral as well as administrative experience, he joins us as a formator, professor and administrator. Dear Fr. Camillus, on behalf of Josem family I welcome you to the Regional Seminary.
The Seminary reopened on 4st July 2015. The Seminarians began their Annual Retreat on 5th July, guided by Rev. Fr. Rudolf Rodrigues, Director of Anugrah Ashram in Bareilly. With his enigmatic preaching and experiential life examples he rejuvenated the Seminarians to encounter Christ and become the living and visible evangelizers.
This year, we have a total of 63 theology students, with the arrival of candidates from Jashpur Diocese as well as Heralds of Good News from Mary Queen of Apostles Province, Trichy. There are 14 students in the First Year Theology, 15 in the Second Year Theology, 17 in the Third Year Theology and 17 in the Fourth Year Theology. It is a great joy to have you all, my dear brothers in this Seminary. With fraternal affection, I welcome each of you to this Regional Seminary.
Sharing of the Responsibilities
I thank the Lord for all the Blessings and the Providence. I am grateful to each of you dear Fathers for your understanding, goodwill, support, encouragement and collaboration in the work of formation. The Brothers are a special gift to this community who share the responsibility of day to day running of the Seminary. Dear Fathers, let us continue to be co-journeyers with the Seminarians and collaborators of Bishops in the work of formation. Now I wish to place before you the responsibilities of each of the Staff Members:
Fr. Ronald Tellis as Vice Rector, will be the Prefect of Discipline, Director of Bishop Hartman Missionary Academy, Manual Work
Fr. Camillus D’Costa will be Administrator (Minister, Treasurer, General Maintenance), Garden
Fr. George Thekkumcheril will be the Dean of Studies, Director of Cultural/Literal Activities & Competitions and will accompany the students of Fourth Year Theology
Fr. Vincent Nellaiparambil will be the Director of Pastoral Activities, co-editor of Milan and will accompany the students of Third Year Theology
Fr. Santhosh Sebastian will be the Librarian, Editor of Milan and will accompany the students of First Year Theology
Fr. George Stephen SJ, besides being the fulltime Spiritual Director, will be the Director of Liturgy, Secretary to the Staff Council & co-editor of Milan
Fr. Premus Ekka will be the Director of Sports/Games & Competitions, co-editor of Milan and will accompany the students of Second Year theology
Fr. Francis D’Souza will continue to look after the health of the community, Music and NITSC
Sentiments of Gratitude
Our Seminary completed 96 years in February 2015. We sent out 34 young men into the vineyard of the Lord last year and we thank God for making us partners and collaborators in this noble work.
We are grateful to the Holy Father Pope Francis for his paternal blessings and exhortations. We thank the Holy See for the guidance. We are grateful to Most Rev. Raphy Manjaly, Bishop of Allahabad & Chairman of SJRS; and to every individual member of the Board of Bishops as well as the associated Bishops and Superiors for their encouragement, support and guidance.
Our benefactors play a vital role in the smooth running of the Seminary with their spiritual and financial support. In a special way, we are grateful to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Pontifical Works of St. Peter the Apostle, Rome, Pontifical Mission Society, Bangalore and Kirche in NOT, Germany, MISSIO, Munich, MISSIO, Aachen, Institute of Missiology MISSIO, Aachen. We do assure them of our prayers.
We are grateful to the Pontificia Universitas Urbaniana, Rome to which our Seminary is affiliated. We thank Padre Giuseppe Iuliano, Director Pro Istituti Affiliati and his collaborators for the service they render. Sixteen of our students obtained B.Th. Degree from Urbaniana University last year.
The Students of First and Second Year Theology appeared for MA Part I and students of Third Year Theology appeared for M.A Part II Examinations in Christian Studies respectively through Distance Education Study, SHIATS, Allahabad. We are grateful to the Chairman, the Bishops, the Vice Chancellor of SHIATS and the Director of Distance Education for their encouragement and support.
We are grateful to the staff members, both resident and visiting, who continue to teach with dedication and zeal to form the future priests. We are grateful to the Ordinaries of the resident Staff Members for their generosity, specially, Most Rev. Peter Parapullil, Bishop of Jhansi, Most Rev. John Vadakel, CMI, Bishop of Bijnor, Most Rev. Gerald John Mathias, Bishop of Lucknow, Most Rev. Thomas Thuruthimattam, CST, Bishop of Gorakhpur, Msgr Eugene Joseph, Bishop-Elect of Varanasi Diocese and Rev. Fr. P. Amalraj, SJ.
In a special way, we thank Fr. Cyril Menezes and Fr. Louis A. Raj SJ who served this institution for ten and five years respectively. Fr. Cyril served as professor, formator, director of liturgy, minister and procurator, whereas Fr. Louis served this community as the Spiritual director and professor. We are also grateful to Fr. Leo Tolstoy who has travelled to Rome for his doctoral studies after three years of service. We thank them for their dedicated service and we are indebted to late Bishop, Most Rev. Patrick D’Souza, Most Rev. Raphy Manjaly, former Ordinary of Varanasi and Msgr Eugene Joseph, Bishop-Elect of Varanasi Diocese and Fr. Edward Mudavassery SJ for giving the services of their priests.
We are grateful to Most Rev. Albert D’Souza, Archbishop of Agra & President, Agra Regional Bishops’ Council, Most Rev. Raphy Manjaly, Bishop of Allahabad & Chairman, Board of Bishops of SJRS, Allahabad, Bishops, Priests, Sisters and well-wishers for their extraordinary concern to the Seminary with their spiritual and material support. In a special way, we gratefully acknowledge the generous financial support of the alumni and the well-wishers of the Seminary.
We also express our gratitude and indebtedness to our domestic helpers. They do their duties with devotion and joy. We acknowledge with deep gratitude the services of those who have left us and also those who continue to help us in our day to day running of the seminary.
Theme of the Year
This year, we want to be “Living and Visible Evangelizers of God’s Merciful Love”. This is the theme our Holy Father, Pope Francis, wants the entire Church to celebrate from December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016. The Bull of Indiction titled ‘Misericordia Vultus’ proclaiming an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy invites the entire Church to convert and renew her faith and become strong and effective witnesses. With the opening words, “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy” Pope Francis sets the tone for the entire document and identifies the core of the mystery of the Christian faith. It is an extraordinary year of grace and spiritual renewal (no. 3), not merely advocating gentleness, compassion, generosity and understanding but rather participating in the very way in which God loves his creatures. It is not an abstract idea, for, “mercy has become living and visible in Jesus of Nazareth” (no. 1). To encounter mercy we need to encounter a person, Jesus of Nazareth. In his Angelus Message on January 11, 2015 Pope Francis stated that there is so much need of mercy today and it is important that we live it and bring it into the different social environments, especially in our communities (no. 15).
The purpose of the Jubilee Year of Mercy is to underline that “the gift of mercy is the announcement that the Church is called to transmit in her work of evangelization” (no.). In his address to the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for New Evangelization on May 29, 2015 Pope Francis said that “New evangelization means becoming aware of the Father's merciful love so that we too may become instruments of salvation for our brothers” The Year of Mercy introduces everyone to the great mystery of God’s mercy. As do the words and deeds of Jesus in the Gospel, so too the Church’s “language and her gestures must transmit mercy, so as to touch the hearts of all people and inspire them once more to find the road to the Father” (no. 12). Mercy is the foundation of the life of the Church, and the Church’s credibility is seen in how she shows merciful and compassionate love. Mercy needs to be present not just as a word, but with the same concreteness that we see in the Gospel. Mercy is not merely refraining from condemning; it is to be generous with others as God has been immensely generous to us.
We are called to be instruments of mercy, which means that we have to open our hearts to those living on the outermost fringes of the society, overcoming our usual indifference and reaching out to those who are wounded and in need of help. It is the heartfelt invitation to each one of us to rediscover the joy that comes from the encounter with the tenderness of God’s mercy. As chosen disciples we must be touched by God’s presence. By His closeness to us, we too can show mercy to others. In a time when everything in our culture seems to conspire against faith and authentic human communion, the mission and person of Jesus can be made visible by our authentic faith and witness. Being formed to be the living and visible evangelizers of God’s mercy, each one of us during this Year of Mercy will go out to all, bringing the goodness and tenderness of God. The community will take up the corporal and spiritual acts of mercy with joy, observe a day of prayer and frequent the sacrament of reconciliation, whose effects will be shown concretely in our intentions, attitudes and behavior.
I wish you all a very happy and a graceful academic year 2015-2016. May the Lord bless us all and our Seminary through the intercession of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, our Patron.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Allahabad
Fr. Francis D’Souza
Rector
The solemn inauguration of the new scholastic year 2014-2015 was held on Saturday, July 12, 2014. It began with the Holy Eucharistic Celebration led by Most Rev. Dr. Raphy Manjaly, Bishop of Allahabad and the Chairman of the Board of Bishops of St. Joseph’s Regional Seminary at 6:30 a.m. During the homily the Bishop brought home the importance of Holy Spirit which worked wonders in the early Church and in particular in the lives of the Apostles. Moreover, he emphasized that the Holy-Spirit helps one to be a fire filled-missionary in bringing the Good-News to far reaching nations. Later at 9:30 am, the entire community gathered at the auditorium of St. Joseph’s Regional Seminary for the Schola Brevis 2014-2015. It began with invoking of the Holy-Spirit, lighting of the-lamp and a formal welcome address by Rev Fr. Francis D’Souza, Rector of the Seminary. In the welcome address, the Rector welcomed the resource person of the day Rev. Dr. Raphy Manjaly, Rev. Fr. Varghese Kottoor, C.M.I., the esteemed Staff Members and the Brothers. Moreover, the Rector presented a brief report of the seminary while acknowledging the Board of Bishops, benefactors, well-wishers who supported the seminary through various means. In particular, the Rector thanked Most Rev. Dr. Raphy Manjaly, Bishop of Allahabad and the Chairman of the Board of Bishops of St. Joseph Regional Seminary for his timely assistance and guidance to the seminary.
Towards the end of his address, Rev Fr. Rector, Francis D’Souza, publically announced the responsibilities of the staff for imparting a qualitative formation to the seminarians and set the theme “journeying with Jesus to be committed shepherds” for the academic-year and blessed and prayed for the success of the formation. Rev. Fr. Varghese Kottoor who extensively dealt and presented a paper on “The joy of the Gospel in the life of consecrated persons” by quoting the Holy-Bible, Vatican documents and other reliable sources and convinced the community that a priest is called to be a blessing as Abraham was a blessing to the nations and people. Time and again he made the community realize that a priest is grace-filled person who brings Christ’s peace to everyone. Finally, in his address, Most. Rev. Raphy Manjaly exhorted the community to contemplate the person of Jesus and become like Jesus and become channels of peace, joy and happiness. The Schola Brevis ended with the formal vote of thanks by Bro. John Meckanrow.