My Spiritual Director is now a Bishop-Elect!

Bishop-Elect Sebastian Francis

On 8^th July (Sunday) which also happened to be my birthday, I came back after my community Mass and checked my email and received a pleasant surprise. Fr Moses Lui had sent an email informing me that the Vicar General of the Melaka-Johor diocese, Rev Fr Sebastian Francis has been announced as a new bishop elect of Penang Diocese (Northern state of Peninsular Malaysia).

The official announcement was made by the Vatican on Saturday, 7^th July, 2012 at 6 pm (Malaysian Time). After reading the email I immediately sent my congratulations and greetings to the new bishop-elect via email. While I was praying the Office of Readings (breviary) that morning I remembered to offer a prayer for his new Episcopal appointment.

When the new bishop-elect was a professor of Dogma in the Major Seminary of Penang, he was my Spiritual Director. He directed me since my early years of formation in the seminary. After he had been appointed as Vicar General of Johor-Melaka Diocese (Southern state of Peninsular Malaysia), the late Fr Leonard John became my spiritual director.

As Vicar General of the Melaka-Johor Diocese

Even after Fr Sebastian had became the Vicar General, I still sought spiritual advice from him. When he was in seminary he had the most spiritual sons than any other professors in the seminary. He is a man who walks with a “heart and head.” During my formation years, he helped me to overcome many uncertainties in my life. He also really built up my vocation to the priesthood with more confidence and steadiness to the present. Just before entering into the priesthood, I did my 5 day- retreat with him. During the retreat he prepared me well to accept my priesthood more lovingly and to embrace it with warmly always. Even after becoming a priest I never failed to turn to him for advice whenever I needed a boost in my priestly life. Fr Sebastian always treated me as a friend and not just as a fellow priest.

Even thought I won’t be able to attend his Episcopal Ordination, I assured him that I shall be one with him in Spirit praying for his health and his future ministry for the people in Malaysia.

The Episcopal ordination will be held on 20^th August, 2012 at the Church of St Anne, Bukit Mertajam, Penang at 5.00 pm (Malaysian Time).

Sixty one year-old Bishop-elect Sebastian’s new diocese is approximately 46,855 km per sq, with a total population of 6,500,000 people. The total Catholic population in the diocese is estimated to be around 66,000. Currently there are around 46 priests and 97 religious.

Elections, Celebrations & German Visitors

Our new 'beadle' ... Fr Joseph Kumar

At the beginning of the new semester, there will be new appointments of office bearers to look into the various needs and interests of community in Post Graduate Block (our hostel). On 28^th June, the Post Graduate students held an election for new members for the first semester of the academic year 2012/2013. Our moderater for PG block, Fr Francis coordinated the election process. He thanked the outgoing committee members for taking their respective office seriously in the previous semester. Before the election, there was a power point presentation to highlights and describe the roles and responsibility of the respective office bearers. The “beadle” or caput – head student of this year is Fr Joseph Kumar. He is one of the youngest members in our community. Other committee members were elected for the liturgy, manual labour (manulia), sports, etc.

Fr Cyril cutting his anniversary cake

After the election and discussion over a few matters, we adjourned to the refectory (dining hall) for dinner. At the end of each month, we have a get together session to celebrate birthdays and priestly anniversaries in that particular month. For the month of June, we had a very a special celebration. One of our lecturers, Rev Fr Cyril Desbruslais, SJ., from Calcutta Province, who teaches Philosophy and Latin, celebrated his 50^th anniversary as a priest and 42 years as a professor in our campus. He is a man who speaks bluntly on any issue and to the other professors and students but he always has a heart for his students. About 20 professors were invited for the special occasion.

Fr George Pattery placing the shawl on Fr Cyril

The president, Rev Fr George Pattery, congratulated Fr Cyril for his faithful service to the JDV campus as a professor and placed a shawl on his shoulder. According to Indian tradition, this symbolises a sign of gratitude, appreciation and honour to a person.

Magdalene and Benedikt

This academic year we have almost 54 members in our community from all over India. I thought that I would once again be the only foreigner at the JDV campus this academic year. Before my arrival, there was another student from German named Benedikt Winkler. This 23 year-old is a lay student of theology from Sankt Georgen, a Jesuit college in Frankfurt. He has completed his 2 years in Philosophy and 3 years in Theology in Germany. At the moment he is doing his 4^th year in Theology in our Campus. He does not have any fixed schedule or programmes but his intention is to gain knowledge and to do exploration especially in the area of interreligious dialogue, comparative theology, Asian religions and inculturation in India. His ambition is to be a journalist or director in media business, perhaps in documentary or filmmaking. Recently, Benedikt’s 19 year-old sister, Magdalene, came to visit him for a few days before she leaves for Germany at the end of July. At the moment she is doing voluntary work in a Don Bosco orphanage in Chennai since August 2011. I admire their maturity and dedication in wanting to gain knowledge and experience in a foreign land. I hope more young people, especially our Malaysian youth will seek to do something fulfilling in their lives.



Magdalene looking sweet in a punjabi suit



Back in India and awaiting "new adventures"

Since February 2012, I have not updated my blog. Many have inquired me why my blog was updated for some time. I used to tell them that I was unable to remember my password. Interestingly, one my college mates, Fr Maria Joseph, told me that he had prayed to St Anthony of Padua (Patron for lost articles) so that I might recall it soon. The next day itself I managed to discover it. Thank you St Anthony. Now my blog is back in action.

Some of you must be wondering what am I doing right now and where am I now? After staying almost 6 months in College General, Penang, Malaysia (Major Seminary), now I am back to Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth (JDV) Pune, India to continue my 2nd academic year in theological studies. I could not come back immediately after Christmas break due to certain circumstances but I was doing my distance learning from Penang with my respective lecturers for 3 months. After three months of studies via internet, there was a two and a half month summer break in JDV campus. After completing the summer break in April and May, I prepared to leave for my studies to Pune with a 6-month visa till December, 2012. I left Malaysia on 16th June 2012 with mixed feelings but I came with full confidence that I would be able to complete my studies by the end of the year.

The moment I got my visa from the Indian Embassy in Malaysia, I confirmed my ticket to fly off at once. I was thinking to myself which is the best route to reach Pune. Since it was a last minute confirmation, I decided to take a longer route to reach Pune. The flight was from Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) to Chennai to Delhi to Pune via the same airlines. However I ended up having an unpleasant trip to India. I missed my connecting flight from Delhi to Pune because the flight from Chennai to Delhi was delayed by 20 minutes. When I landed at Delhi airport, I had to rush to get my connecting flight to Pune within 15 minutes but I could not get through even I had my boarding pass with me. I argued with the airline supervisor at the Delhi airport telling them it was not my fault. At the end the airline management made arrangements for me to get a connecting flight to Pune that same night itself, and this meant a 4 hour-plus wait. However I was allowed to wait in the lounge and they provided me with a free meal and refreshments.

While waiting for the flight, I tried so many times to contact my Post Graduate (PG) Block’s Moderator, Fr Francis and a few other college mates to inform them about my delayed arrival at Pune airport, i.e. approximately at 1.30 am on 17th June. Unfortunately, I could not reach any of them. I was so frustrated and annoyed because I was afraid the main gate of the college would be closed by the time I reached there. Just a few minutes before boarding, I told myself to try for the last time so that they could inform the security guard to open the main entrance gate for me and to get my room key as well. Finally, I managed to reach Fr Francis and informed him about my arrival. I felt relieved. I was happy to hear that he had made the necessary arrangements upon my arrival in the middle of that night. If I was not able to reach him, then I would have slept in the Pune airport till the next morning. Despite the slight hiccups, I arrived at my college safely.

I asked asking myself why India is not “friendly” and why unpleasant things are happening to me when I am here. The last time when I left India, I got into so much trouble with the Indian immigration. I think I have to love India more.

This time upon my arrival, I immediately filled up the "C Form" and submitted to the Foreign Registration Office (FRO) and informed the nearest Police station. I have done my part in informing the relevant authorities that I am staying in this college till December 2012 on a 6-month visa. Fr Joseph Fernandez assisted me to get the things done within 2 days.

My classes started one week prior to my arrival. I missed the inauguration of the new academic year 2012/2013 and also the installation of the new President of JDV campus, Fr George Pattery (pic above) on 11th of June, 2012.

The weather is pretty hot and my life in college is not moving as fast as I hoped. I am slowly getting to know some of the new students in my PG block. Many of my senior college mates did enquire about me via emails. Last year December I didn’t have chance to say “goodbye” to my senior students who have gone back to their respective parishes and ministries after the completion of their studies in March this year. I hope this message from my blog will bring across my expression of gratitude to them for being my true friends during my stay last year in this college.

Oh yes! After enjoying a variety of delicious Malaysian foods especially Penang char keow teow the past 6 months, now I am back to chappati and dhall. Sigh! I think I have to love their foods as well.

My college block