Vol. 16 No.

10, October 2008

from the provincial’s desk...

A ROMAN VISITOR: FATHER LISBERT D’SOUZA, REGIONAL ASSISTANT AND
COUNSELOR TOFR. GENERAL WILL VISIT OFFICIALLY THE GOA PROVINCE
First, the Goa Province heartily welcomes Father Lisbert! In fact, this will be a kind of homecoming
for Father Lisbert since he hails from Aldona, Goa. Fr. Lisbert will arrive at Jesuit House, Panaji
on November 03, 2008 and will complete his visitation of the Province on November 15, 2008.
Details of his schedule have been sent to all our communities.

We in the Goa Province should look at this Visitation as a time of grace and special blessings. Fr.
Lisbert, in his capacity as the Regional Assistant for South Asia, advises Fr. General on all matters
connected with this Region. Hence he needs to know all the Provinces in the Assistancy with
some degree of depth. As he states in his letter, ” the purpose of my visit is for me to get to know
persons, communities and apostolates first hand, so that I can better advise Fr. General; also to
bring from Rome news and encouragement to Jesuits and their colleagues.” Besides, meeting
Superiors, Directors of Works and Heads of Commissions Fr. Lisbert will also make himself available
to meet individual Jesuits of the Province. So kindly do not hesitate to request for a personal
meeting when he visits your community.

In the light of GC 35 and the various efforts we are making in the Province for a renewal of life
in the Spirit as well as of our apostolic works, I see the Visitation of Fr. Lisbert as very timely. In
our recent Renewal Programme at Raia under the guidance of Fr. Paul Vaz, where 40 Jesuits
participated, the desire for change and the willingness to work towards it was palpable. It was
an occasion to re-visit our own Jesuit vocation and identity and listen to the stories of our
companions who have been journeying with us over the years. It was moving to listen to the
achievements of the Seniors and to witness the enthusiasm of the younger Jesuits. Finally, a
Visitation also affords us an opportunity for a self-critical reflection on who we are, what we do
and what we should be doing better in view of the feedback that Father Lisbert will provide the
Province.

I request the Superiors and every community member to welcome Father Lisbert warmly both
with your presence and your interaction with him in the community.

Anthony da Silva SJ
Provincial
APPOINTMENT BY FR. GENERAL
Fr. Wojciech Ziólek, 45 years old, Provincial of the South Poland Province. He succeeds Father
Krzysztof Dyrek.

PROVINCIAL’S PROGRAMME
• October 07 – 10: XTC, Desur: Province Renewal Programme

• October 14 – 15: Xavier Retreat House, Baga: (Not in Raia) Meeting of the Superiors
• October 16: Jesuit House, Panaji: Consult

• October 17 – 19: VJ, Delhi: Visitation

• October 21 – 29: Patna: JCSA Meeting

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Vocation Camps:
Fr. Joseph Cardozo, along with his team, has planned three vocation camps during the Diwali
holidays. They are as follows. October 20 - 21 for the students of std. VII, October 22 – 23 for
the students of std. VIII, and October 25 – 26 for the students of std. X. All are kindly requested
to encourage boys from your institutions, parishes, and neighbourhood to attend these camps.
Kindly contact Fr. Joseph for more details.

Join Us As Mediators Of Peace:

In the context of ongoing atrocities against Christians all over India, the Jesuit Scholastics at
Satyanilayam, Chennai have launched a SOCIAL AD CAMPAIGN, with the hope of making ‘a little
positive difference’ through these social ads. They have named this campaign as JUMP: Join Us
as Mediators of Peace. Do visit the blog-spot, www.satyanilayam.wordpress.com and give your
comments and share your ideas. Let us be mediators of peace!

Xvii Jesa Convention 2008:

All Jesuits involved in Social Action in South Asia are invited to participate in the JESA Convention
at Don Bosco Institute, Kharghuli, Guwahati from October 14 to 16, 2008. The theme of the
Convention is: GC 35: Its Challenges for JESA in South Asia. To know more about the Convention
and Programme schedule visit: www.jesaonline.org/jesacon.html

SARVAJAGATIK VIRAKTA, SAUNDATTI

Fr. Thomas Chenakala, coordinator for Kannada Mission, inaugurated Tailoring classes
in Sarvajagatik Virakta Math in Saundatti on September 04, 2008. He has generously
donated two sewing machines for these classes and we are grateful and thankful to him
for the same. Ten girls have registered for these classes. This course will definitely help
the girls earn their livelihood.
Ladislaus Rego SJ
PROVINCE RENEWAL PROGRAMME AT RAIA

Once again, we were proud to be Jesuits, when

we went through the nuances of the GC35 and
made it relevant to our context. Time and again
we went down memory lane to trace the graced
history of our province and this filled the air
with awe. We realized our many stories, forming
one history; many sparks, making one fire.

Fr. Paul Vaz (BOM) and our own Fr. Rosario

Rocha were the main resource persons and
their systematic organization along with the
Provincial’s team was well appreciated. The
sharing in our smaller groups was something each
one cherished. The meaningful Eucharistic
celebrations were a great prelude to what would
unfold during the course of the day. All this
called us to be, in Fr. General’s words, persons
with depth. And if we go back in time we recall
that the last time the province met at this same
place, the hills of Raia were on fire, but this
time our hearts and lives that were on fire.

Varun Rodrigues SJ

SATYA NILAYAM, CHENNAI

The recent attacks on our Christian brethren in Orissa evoked a tremendous response
from all the Chennaites. There was a rally held outside Loyola College campus in
which people formed a human chain, our brothers included. There was another rally
on September 7 called by the Archbishop which involved a ‘relay fast’. Our brothers
were part of that too. At S.N. we had a special adoration service where we prayed for
the suffering in Orissa. On the academic front, the three of us (Jimmy Mendes,
Jovito D’Souza and Audrick D’Mello) did extremely well in our first internals. We
were a part of the annual cultural festival of Loyola College - Ovations. Audrick took
part in some of the competitions.

Apostolates are going on well. Jimmy has involved himself in a parish besides his
apostolate in a school. The first year Scholastics have also taken over the offices in
Satya Nilayam. Jimmy is part of the Satya Nilayam Cultural Club (SNCC). Jovito is in
charge of the computers I am the MC (Main Co-ordinator) in the Chapel.

We are now getting ready for a whole month of exams - the second internals and the
semester. We are also involved in the e-campaign to show solidarity with our suffering
brethren in the various parts of the country, called JUMP (Join Us as Mediators of
Peace). Audrick is a part of the core committee of the campaign. We are trying our
luck at picking up a foreign language in SN through the language classes. Audrick
and Jimmy are studying French while Jovito is busy with Spanish.

Audrick D’Mello SJ
ST. PAUL’S, BELGAUM

Keeping in mind the thrust towards the integral

development of the students, St. Paul’s High
School students participated in various social
awareness meetings. Whether it is drug
addiction or AIDS awareness, the students
pitched in. In sports the Football team brought
accolades by winning the Royston Memorial
Cup, Kalyani Cup and Fr. Eddie Memorial Cup.
Some students also excelled at the district level
athletic events. Sumant and Sukrut both SSLC
students of St. Paul have participated in a state
level debate competition “Verbattle” in
Bangalore. Rs. 50,000/- was collected as a
collection for the flood affected victims of Bihar.

The poor results of the Catholic students in the exams prompted Fr. Gerald Furtado to hold a
meeting with all the Catholic parents. So on two
weekends the parents were called to discuss and
chalk out the best possible steps to help our
students. The meeting began with a solemn
mass followed by an interactive session with the
parents. The frank and candid discussion did
bear fruit. With a core team in place it has been
decided to begin intensive classes for all weak
students during the holidays. The violence in
Karnataka has led to an extension in the
community. We now have a posse of policemen
in our campus.

Newton Sequeira SJ

ST. IGNATIUS CHURCH, SANGARGALLI

Sangargalli has no medical facilities, not even a medical shop. In the last few years we have
over five persons who have had strokes, a high number for a small village.

So the Sisters arranged a doctor to come and talk to the women on health and cleanliness
and the causes of ill health in the village especially through bad hygiene. He also talked to
the women about the importance of attending to the first signs of cancer among women
and what signs to watch for in their health.

We also organized with the help of the ex-students of a particular batch of St. Paul’s a one
day free medical camp for all the people for the village. Three doctors and two assistants
attended to the adults and children. One doctor was for general medicine and gynaecological
problems, another a child specialist and a third was an ophthalmologist.

We found that a large number of the villagers need help for corrective vision with the help
of glasses. Some need cataract surgery. Our next camp will be for these particular problems
with the help of the Rotary or Lions Clubs of Belgaum.

Agnelo Pinto SJ
ST. BRITTO’S, MAPUSA

The Maths and Science Club of St. Britto High

School organized an Inter School Quiz
Competition for the students of Standard VIII
and IX. In all ten schools participated.
Saraswath Vidyalaya High School bagged the
trophy while St. Mary High School was the
runner-up. The distinctive feature of the Quiz
was the visual round using the power point
programme. Mr. Ratnapal Salkar, a retired
teacher from the neighbouring school was
the guest of honour. In his speech he praised
the Maths and Science teachers for hosting

the Quiz. He said that such activities build

scientific attitude in the young minds which
go a long way in the making of the young
scientists. Fr. Apollo Cardozo, the
headmaster of the school presided over the
function.

St. Britto’s Social Services Students visited

Provedoria, Old Aged Home, Mapuca on
September 19, 2008 and rendered valuable
services to the inmates and also helped in
cleaning the surroundings. Mr. Pavan and Mr.
Fairoz were in charge of the programme.

Apollo Cardozo SJ

TERTIANS AT KANDY

Fifteen enthusiastic Tertians (11 Indians and one each from Japan, Korea, Spain
and Thailand) led by our Tertian instructors, Frs. John Joseph (AND) and Priyo
(Indonesia), have plunged into the mystery of the man Ignatius, while slowly getting
a taste of the history and culture of Sri Lanka. This is the land where Asia’s great
missionary, Bl. Joseph Vaz, toiled hard for the faith.

We have reflected on the Autobiography, Diary and Letters of Ignatius, shared our
insights and simultaneously, heard the echo in our own autobiographies. The Sri
Lankan socio-cultural, religious and historical context tip-toed into our hearts
through the efforts of a local diocesan priest and a young Buddhist monk and also
during our visits to the Elephant orphanage, Kandy seminary, Mother Teresa’s home
for mentally challenged children, a botanical garden, the Temple of the Tooth
(believed by the Buddhists to house the tooth of Buddha) and other Buddhist temples
nestled in this paradise of virgin flora and fauna.

During our overnight pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Sri Lanka, we were
fortunate to spend time with the great Asian Theologian, Fr. Aloysius Pieris, who
inspired us by his work and new way of being Church. We met many of the Sri
Lankan province Jesuits at a mass and dinner organized after their province retreat
on G.C. 35. Br. Victor Campos and I request your prayers when we make our Long
Retreat during the month of October.

Roland Coelho SJ
ST. PAUL’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BELGAUM

The community college, while not being busy with

the bomb squad, has been functioning smoothly. The
demand for the Basic English course and computer
skills is average while the Medical Transcription
course has many takers. As if this was not enough,
SPCC has commenced with a new course.

The process began last year, when the Community

College was seeking to reach out to the village girls
who had dropped out of school or college. September
1 saw twenty young ladies walk into St. Paul’s Community College to pursue their dream of becoming
Assistant Nurses and standing on their own feet. Initially after staying in the outreach centre of the Jana
Jagran, they moved to a bungalow provided by
Fr. Joe Chenakala.

They attend classes in the campus of St. Paul’s

Jesuit House, picking up the basics of Nursing
and a little English. After a month, they will work
in various hospitals and clinics in Belgaum for
their morning practical, and return in the
afternoon for theory classes. Two professors from
the Civil Hospital Nursing College have begun
training the students in the necessary skills, while there are two trained nuns who are there to guide the
process. We need your prayerful support for this new venture.

Santosh Vaz SJ
LOYOLA, MARGAO

On September 18 the Loyola students put up a Gospel Music Concert in the Gomant Niketan
auditorium, Margao in association with Travco a travel agency. The main coordinator was Fr.
Cedric Fernandes. He was accompanied by Mr. Rene, a teacher in the school. It was a
grand success. All who came appreciated the work and the talents of the boys. This venture
would not have been possible without the collaboration and the cooperation of the teachers,
parents, friends and benefactors. The principal, Fr. William Rodrigues and the teachers are
playing their role in bringing out the best in their students. Sch. Shawn D’Souza is the latest
addition to our community. He is pursuing his engineering studies at Shri Rayeshwar Institute
of Engineering & Information Technology, Shiroda.
Raul D’Souza SJ
BIRTHDAY WISHES

TSKK, PORVORIM OCTOBER

17 – Raul D’Souza
TSKK conducted a Project Methodology Course on August 4, 2008 for the 22 – Jose Changanacherry
second year and the third year B. A. students of St. Xavier College, Mapusa. 24 – Jose Silveira
Sixty students were present for the course. Fr Pratap Naik and Shilpa 30 - Denzil Fernandes
Salvi of TSKK were the resource persons. On August 9, Fr. Pratap Naik
NOVEMBER
was invited by the Tourism Department of Goa to speak on the topic:
06 – Edwin L. D’Souza
Faith in God gives meaning to our lives. Fr. Pratap Naik has recently written
- Ronnie D’Souza
a Konknni article Jezuchi Sobha (Society of Jesus) for the World Konknni
14 - Augustine Trinidade
Porichoy Kox (Konknni Encyclopaedia).
Pratap Naik SJ