Happy Republicday

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of Independent India, in his special message to his countrymen, on the birth of the Indian Republic, said:

"We must re-dedicate ourselves on this day to the peaceful but sure realization of the dream that had inspired the Father of our Nation and the other captains and soldiers of our freedom struggle, the dream of establishing a classless, co-operative, free and happy society in 'his country'. We must remember that this is more a day of dedications than of rejoicing - dedication to the glorious task of making the peasants and workers the toilers and the thinkers fully free, happy and cultured."

JESUIT COMMUNITY: CREATED FOR JOY- John Paul

JESUIT COMMUNITY: CREATED FOR JOY

‘For the body is one and has many members and all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also in Christ.’ (1 Cor. - 12:12)

As Jesuits we gather together in community in service of the Lord and of our fellow men and women. In our lives, in community we are friends in the Lord. The Phrase ‘Friends in the Lord’ has increasingly stood out in the recent years. It has been the topic for discussion at the General Congregations, national and local level meetings and every time new ideas and new feelings have emerged out of it. Personally I believe that Jesuit communities are creation of joy and created for joy. We, as friends in the Lord ought to create joy. If we do not do so, then we cannot be friends in the Lord.

St. Ignatius of Loyola has very beautifully used the phrase ‘Friends in the Lord’, which Fr. Pedro Arrupe brought to light once again to express in succinct form the character of the men who were at the origin of the Society as a religious community and what ought to be the character of those who followed them.

In the contemporary world we talk of friends and friendships more than ever. Friends are generally born out of friendships and without this experience of friendship, being merely friends is unthinkable. Experiences bring two souls together. In this secular world we are called to be religious. As religious and as Jesuits, what meaning do we give to friendship or the phrase ‘friends in the Lord’? To me, friendship within the Society of Jesus is both an experience and a gift. It is first and foremost, an invitation from God to become a member of the Society which, as the Formula of the Institute says, is for those who have entered the Society a pathway to God (Formula #1). When we accept and know that it is an invitation from God, we also realize that it is a companionship within the Society which draws us to the Lord who has created that union.

Every morning when I wake up, I say to myself: I wish to live this day in the present and more fruitfully, with genuine smile as I encounter the other companion of mine. I wish to discover that companionship/friendship at every step. Then I recall the fact of my past life. I know theoretically that companionship is something I discover, cherish, extend and value from the encounters that I have day by day with others. Like every human being, I too have discovered and realized that I am fallible, fragile. Therefore, I need God’s grace to strengthen my very self. In other words, I have failed to be instrumental in my doing and being in the community. I have failed to create joy, happiness, peace, and love in the community. Every time I failed, I interrogated myself: Can I be communitarian? Can I be the peace-bearer, just, joy-giver, happiness-emitter in and around my community? I introspect for answers. Though unsatisfied, I rest in Him who can help me and only then I draw the satisfaction as he deems it possible. Logically speaking, a lot is possible for the divine, if not everything.

I would like to dwell upon, three important points which primarily shapes the lives of every Jesuit:

1.) The routine of everyday life and together.

2.) How can my superior and other companions enrich my Jesuit life?

3.) My life in the Jesuit body.

1.) The routine of everyday life and together:

Routine life is not ritualistic; it is rather a pattern which directs life. When I observe my routine what feelings take place in my interior being is very important. Perhaps I faithfully observe it, and I fair well with people who love and care for me. Certain reciprocity is been created. It is a human need. However, as to the routines of everyday life in community, there is a common human need for a gradual deepening of relationship and the need for time and opportunities where I can grow in the knowledge of the other.

Building community is a process. It is not a product. It is through this process, I ought to become a means and an end of the creation of Joy. This gradual rhythmic process of friendship in the Society of Jesus takes time like other religious or lay persons and this demands a certain amount of freedom.

I sometimes am led to bewilderment about the way we go about in life. We live, work, pray, play, eat and share much together in our communities. We also spend a lot of time together doing the perfectly ordinary and simple chores. We brush shoulders with one another which at times create humour or friction. I believe that these ordinary realities of our life and existence can give us a variety of structures for developing our friendship in the Lord, if we know how to use them.

Learning to live together as good friends indeed, is a better way to be creators of joy. We need to accept the fact of living together, learning from one another’s joys and sorrows, work and play, prayer, laughter and above all the beautiful image of God which is present in every one of us. We can grow in trust of each other, when we feel the intimacy and love, respect and reverence for one another. This factor is the need of the hour.

2.) How can my superior and other companions enrich my Jesuit life?

We all are on the lookout for an exemplary personality. We try to emulate that model and enrich our living. In the Society of Jesus, there are innumerable personalities of that caliber. They are exceptionally good, humble and guiding. The past glory of the society is wonderful. In the present too, we are gifted with such persons. However, we cannot bask in the past glory. What is the present and real situation in and around me/us?

Community is alive only when there is union of hearts and minds between the superior and the subjects. No doubt, misunderstanding, frictions, jealousy, anger come in the way of goodness. Proper discernment, spirit of brotherhood and forgives, sense of belongingness to one another should enable us to transcend our human weakness. Years of training, Gaining knowledge and growing in wisdom should enable us to be humble, polite and considerate towards others. Besides, the fact that formation is life-long remains the reality, whether we are aware/unaware of it or accept it or be judgmental.

It is not simply a matter of orders being given on one side and being obeyed on the other. In our Constitutions # 667, Ignatius says ‘The superior should also leave some matters up to them when it appears likely that they will be helped by this and other times he should go along with them in part and sympathize when this might seem best.’ At the depth of the Constitutions, Spiritual Exercises, Spiritual Diary, Autobiography and the Letters there is an atmosphere of mutual trust, respect and love between the superior and the subjects because that is the emotional bond that makes it possible for the Society to hold together. Superior often makes the ultimate decisions where and when it pleases or displeases the subject. But when superior has to do so, he needs to try to employ love, modesty and charity that the Constitutions talk about. When there is success at the decision-making level, it means that we do pray for one another but if at all he fails to discern the will of God and in the decision-making process, there must be the spirit of forgiveness and healing. It makes us more trustworthy.

A few months back, there was an article in the Jivan based on the community life which logically reasoned out how community can be a hindrance to ministerial life. I do not wish to agree or disagree with the views of the author. The author has put forth his own perspective. To me, the apostolate I am part of, speaks volumes of my routine life. When individuals take up the ministry as the part and parcel of community activity, it builds-up the community spirit. Apostolate is the felt-learnt-integrated and shared experience. After all the goal of the society is to be at the service of humankind: for the poorest of the poor. Jesuit friendship in the Lord, our union with one another and our apostolate can tremendously enhance each other. By living together, we learn that our lives contain joy and pain, success and failure, the experiences of wisdom or foolishness, tolerance or bias, courage or fear, forgiveness or enmity. We need ultimately to remember that we are gifts to one another. This is felt when we speak simply to one another of what has been part of our ordinary living.

May be at the end of our life we will be rewarded not based on the degrees that we gain but the kind of life we live as human beings and as Jesuits.

3.) My life in the Jesuit body

We need inner transformation to live a worthwhile life in the Jesuit body. To find happiness when I converse with the other, I need to be open to changes. The spiritual ups and downs, the consolations and desolations, all become part of me when I accept them as an experience to be transformed into a better Jesuit.

In the technological world, electronic gadgets rule us. Cell phones, I-pods, radios, Laptops, flights, cars etc. own us. Perhaps we come over and turn on the television to hear an important news item but do not notice others. In other words, I fail to talk to a companion who is there by my side perhaps reflecting on something or experiencing inner turmoil. Much could be said about the human experiences of conversation, about its context, about our own experiences of it, about scriptures, reflections, dialogue, prayer etc. However, if my practical Jesuit life is not exemplary enough, then I should make an attempt to seek guidance from others. For, God is joy, happiness and love. In him we live, move and have our being.

To do justice to the topic: Jesuit community is indeed created for joy. Here we necessarily need to think and feel out of the box. We may not be able to perform what Francis Xavier or Ignatius of Loyola did. But if Francis Xavier was won over by Ignatius by those simple, humble and yet powerful biblical words- ‘what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but suffers the loss of his soul!!?’- We too can enthuse one another, win each other over, help transform to be better human beings and Jesuits.

To converse with one another, we need sympathy. For, the soul of conversation is sympathy. This can happen only when the person is deeply interested in the other. Along with sympathetic heart, we need attentiveness and broadmindedness. It is much easier to speak than to listen. Often, we ignore the fact that in conversation we give birth to new ideas which enhances the growth of the community. We often fail in our community life; we fail to see the good in another’s views. Therefore, if we genuinely listen to another’s views and cull out the goodness then we truly will build Jesuit communities. We become the bearers of joy, peace happiness and prosperity.

The future is in our hands, the future of our lives, our work, our Society, ourselves. We as individuals and communities can answer how fruitful have we been in our communities? What do I need to learn and unlearn? What more can I do to be a communitarian, creator of joy? Effort is ours. A genuine effort will not be frowned upon and left unanswered. God will always take care of our needs. Let us be the creator of joy and happiness, peace and prosperity in our Jesuit communities.

Doot centenary postage stamp release

According to the notification received the Department of Posts (Philately Division), Government of India will nationwide release on 15th January, 2011, a commemorative postage stamp in honor of the Doot Centenary Year. A Stamp Releasing Ceremony will be held in Loyola Hall,Ahmedabad on 15th January at 4 pm. All are cordially invited to this historic function.

Welcome and Goodbye! -- John Paul Lobo

Every time we remember to say "thank you", we experience nothing less than heaven on earth." - (Sarah Ban Breathnach)

It took Many of us by surprise when Fr. Richard Lopes was appointed as the PCF of Gujarat province. He is a young man who has traveled extensively (but only a few countries) and who is filled with unique and yet rich worldview- of the Society of Jesus and the world in general - will lead the Scholastics towards holistic growth, from now on. Welcome Fr. Richard and wish you all the best!. We truly believe you will do a wonderful service and Scholastics will love your presence which would enable them to give themselves magnanimously.

Heart-felt gratitude to Fr. Lawrence Dharmaraj who had been tremendously committed towards the holistic growth of us, the future priests of this least Society of Jesus. His practical life is an inspiration to us at our every step. He has awakened us from our dogmatic slumber, revived our spirit and no doubt, encouraged and nourished us spiritually. As some one has said rightly, the achievement of your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to it. Fr. Lawrence has shown it in practice. Being a techno-savvy, he has contributed a lot in terms of webs and blogs. Various assignments and spiritual matters which he updates on the Scholastics’ blog has become a spiritual food to many of us. Due credit to you Fr. Lawrence. We assure you of our prayers as you serve the need of the province as Socius to the Provincial. May God bless you!

By

John Paul Lobo

Gujarat Sammelan 2011

Interview with Father General on Europe

Father General

Following up on the Comments on Europe. The interview with Father General on Europe (see Electronic Bulletin n. 21, October 20), has aroused considerable interest both within and outside the Society of Jesus, but has also raised some doubts. We therefore turned again to Father Nicolás for some clarification.

Q. Your comments on Europe after some visits to your men in the Continent have elicited interest and wonder; they also came immediately after your visits to Belgium and Switzerland, are they the fruit of these two visits to European Jesuits?

A. Not in the least. As a matter of fact I sent the answers "before" those visits. They do not even refer to what I have seen in my encounter with Jesuits. They are more of a general character and express how I am affected by the European way of speaking about problems, issues and people after having lived 48 years in East Asia, which certainly has a different tradition in this regard.

Q. Are you concerned that some Europeans would consider your words too blunt and even unfair to many Europeans, who are certainly not proud or arrogant, but simply make use of direct and assertive language?

A. I guess that this is the risk of every statement that affects groups of people. I would certainly be concerned if my words are taken as a negative judgment on European peoples, which certainly they are not. I insist on saying that this is the way I am impressed, affected by a way of speaking that used to be mine. Maybe it is still mine. I am also aware that the languages are built and structured differently. European languages are basically centered on the topic under consideration. They assert or deny, explain or dismiss, clarify or develop an idea, an opinion, a conviction. East Asian languages leave much more space for attention to the persons in dialogue. You do not answer primarily to the topic in question, but to the person asking, and there are plenty of additions at the end of a statement that make this statement softer, fallible or a matter open to discussion and to other opinions. The fact is that the subject matter is usually not defined or denied at every step, but remains open to contrary opinion, further search for nuance, or simple error. This evidently helps to keep everybody on board without feeling ignored, denied or dismissed from the conversation.

Q. Is there anything that can be said about these impressions?

A. It is always very difficult to tell others what to do, when one is not sure (as I am not) that one has made the needed changes. I can only speak from my experience and how I had to learn a new way of speaking, that is prior to and goes beyond learning another language. In other words, I had to learn to speak always with great respect for the 'other' person, persons or groups, with whom I am speaking. This is not something I could learn overnight; it takes years to change habits that we have developed from our early childhood. I have to say that, more often than not, it is not a matter of personal effort or acquiring some diplomatic skills; it is best learned by becoming aware of how comfortable and pleasant it is when people address each other in this respectful manner, when the person is more important than whatever ideas we might have about things.

The second thing I had to learn through the years in Asia was to be more honest with my own doubts and insecurities. It is more real, and, consequently, more helpful in human interaction to let our ignorance and uncertainty show. There are very few things about which we know something. Speaking with such awareness opens up possibilities for others to help us, to instruct us, to contribute with their experience and knowledge where ours fall short. This simple fact does marvels for personal communication and smooth interaction. If you call this "humility" then I have to say that humility is very good for inter-cultural communication.

Q. You make it sound like human communication can be helped by a certain amount of spirituality.

A. Thank you for understanding my words like that. This is exactly what I think can help us most in our complex and difficult world. There was a time when I thought that knowing languages was enough. Then I learned that being clear and even accurate about what we are talking about was even more important. Later I learned that knowing the cultural background of the persons we meet was paramount for real communication. It is in Asia where it dawned on me that communication begins and deepens when we become able to welcome the other person from the heart and, as they are, strong or weak, settled or vulnerable; and that if there is no love, it is hardly possible to communicate. In other words, the skills of communication can be acquired and trained; but the event itself is much more an art into which one grows in humility and love, than a technique that one can master and be proud of. The similarities with spiritual growth are many and very deep. I am extremely grateful to Asia for introducing me to such a discovery.

From the Curia

New Province Decreed. On November 26, 2010, the feast of St. John Berchmans, Father General approved the Decree to officially unite the Chicago Province and the Detroit Province into a single apostolic entity, now known as the Chicago-Detroit Province (CDT). The new Chicago-Detroit Province will officially take effect on January 1, 2011. Father Timothy P. Kesicki is Provincial of the new Province.

Happy New Year!