Category: April-June 2023

The vessel ‘Congrade’ continued its journey.  A clear blue sky; a pleasant sunshine; a steady wind; a quiet sea. The captain was content. He must be around 55 years of age; A little more than 6 feet in height; a muscular physique to match his stature.

He looked at his crew. They were engrossed in their works. He nodded in satisfaction; and went in the opposite direction. Civitta Vecchia, the Italian port slowly disappeared from sight. Only the light house was to be seen. He saw in that direction with a sort of loneliness and sighed in despair. He consoled himself and turned. There…

He saw a priest looking at the sea. Why is he staring at the sea in the direction of the Orient? He was bedridden from the time he boarded the ship at Marseilles harbour, France. He was seasick. Why should he forego his rest and stand now looking at the sea?

He went near and stood beside the priest who was slightly taller than him. The priest must be less than 35. He was wearing a long black cassock.

“Father, I am the Captain of the ship,” he introduced himself and reached out his hand. The priest joyfully shook hands and responded smilingly, ‘Trincal, John Baptiste Trincal. A Jesuit priest.’

“Are you 30?”

“What would you do knowing my age?’

“I have a son who looks like you.”

“Oh, that’s why you asked my age! I was born on the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady.’

“Is that September 8?”

“Yes.”

“Year ?”

“1815.”

“So you are barely 29. Why should you leave France at this tender age? Did anyone force you?’

“Why would you think so?”

“You were bedridden. So were your other companions. Once you felt alright you have come up to the deck, without worrying about anything. You might not recover if the condition relapses. With that concern at the back of my mind, I am asking you this.’

“Shall I ask you something? While I was looking at the direction of the sea, you were looking at the port. As the captain of the ship, shouldn’t you be looking at the sea?”

“You are a priest. And you look like my son. I feel like confiding certain things to you.”

“I am determined not to return to France. I am leaving for good my parents, kith and kin, relatives, friends, my native place, country and language.”

The captain closed his eyes for a few moments brooding over his past life. When he opened them, his eyes were red. With a lot of pain he started to speak. “I was born in Marseille, France, a port city. I grew up facing the sea. Its grandeur attracted me. I would admire the ships that come in and go out with awe and wonder. I wanted to be a sailor and found a job in a ship. Gradually I grew in ranks to become a sailor. The ship would often come to this port at Civitta Vecchia, Italy. We used to stay in the ship. We would at times wander into the city. People used to say that Italian women are the most beautiful. One fine day I saw a young lady. Her laughter, style, walk, beauty, I loved everything about her. I fell in love with her. She too loved me. Every time the ship came here I saw her. Our love blossomed.”

“Did you get married?”  asked Trincal.

“Yes. We got married, and with great joy we started our life in France. We have three children. The same voyage which was sweet before marriage tasted bitter thereafter. The feeling of leaving behind my wife and children…the longing for the time we would be together again always lingered. Having to bring up the children in my absence, she faced a lot of difficulties. I would like to be with my family. But we need a steady income to sustain the family. So I continue. Now I am the captain of the ship and I get a handsome salary. But the longing to spend time with my family increases every passing year. As we started from France I was watching the harbour thinking about my family.”

Trincal grasped his hands to show he understood his feelings. He began to talk. “But my feelings are different. I am determined not to return to France. I am leaving for good my parents, kith and kin, relatives, friends, my native place, country and language. Only my body is here but my heart is in the Madura Mission in India. I am looking at that direction, waiting to reach that destination. It’s not only me but also the other eight who are travelling with me have the same mindset.”

The captain looked at him with astonishment.

Trincal asked, “When will we reach Madras?”

“When did we start?”

“On the first of March.”

“It will take a minimum of 45 days. Give or take a few days depending on the climatic conditions.’

“Then we will reach in the second week of April.”

“Yes. In April 1844 we shall reach,” chuckled the captain. He turned serious and asked with concern. “Do you know of the present situation there?”

“What we know is what we heard from our companions there.”

“Well, I have been going there for the past 35 years. I know Madras. You are travelling as a group. Isn’t it for missionary work?”

“Do you want to know?” asked Trincal looking at him with concern.

“Yes,” said the captain. Wanting to create a suitable ambience for a long chat, he called a crew member and signaled something. And he immediately rushed to the basement. When he returned to the deck he had a bottle of wine and two glasses in his hands. Handing over the glasses to the captain, he started removing the cork of the bottle using a corkscrew.

“Sorry. I have decided not to drink or smoke,” said Trincal.

“Why Father?” asked the captain.

“I used to drink or smoke once in a way. But I would like to adapt myself to the situation and conditions of the mission.”

“To drink or smoke is not wrong, provided a person is not addicted to them. I used to drink or smoke once in a way. But I would like to adapt myself to the situation and conditions of the mission. If you consider them, these seem luxurious to me. I want to stay away from them. I need to prepare myself for a tough life.”

The captain looked at Trincal in wonder and said, “No priest has so far refused wine. You seem different. I like it.”

After the server left, Trincal began to speak. “You might have heard of St. Francis Xavier – a Jesuit priest. He went to South India within two years of the founding of the Jesuit Order to preach Christ to the Paravars. Thousands of people got converted to Christianity. Many Jesuits followed in his footsteps. The area they worked is called the Madurai Mission. They preached the Good News of Christ all over the southern State of Tamil Nadu. But in the second half of the 18th century the Jesuit Order was suppressed by the Pope. Jesuits who were doing a splendid service in Tamil Nadu were wiped out completely. But another Pope restored the Jesuit Order in the beginning of the 19^th  century. The Jesuit headquarters in Rome requested the French Jesuits to serve in the Madurai Mission. In 1837, four people, namely Joseph Bertrand, Louis Garnier, Alexander Martin, Louis de Ranquet departed from France. They renamed the mission as New Madurai Mission. Many Jesuits from France followed them thereafter. All were energetic, strong, talented, aspiring youngsters below the age of forty.” Trincal’s voice broke down.

Looking at his teary eyes, the captain said, “Father, if it hurts you, you need not say anything more now.”

Trincal continued. “It’s okay. Many who went to the Mission died there at a tender age. Within five years 9 Jesuits died. In 1842 alone 7 of them died. Of the first four whom I mentioned three died. Only Bertrand is still alive. He is the Superior. He was poisoned 5 or 6 times but luckily he survived. But the poison has taken its effect and so he is physically weak. I think he will soon return to France. Tropical climate, conspiracies of the enemies, different food habits, tireless work, cholera etc are some of the reasons for their untimely deaths. The new Madurai Mission became the new graveyard for many youngsters. We were informed of this. But seven of us were ready to face death. We volunteered courageously to serve in the Madurai Mission.”

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– My 12 years in Rome

By L.X. Jerome, SJ

Experiences: A few months back INI’s editor, M.A. Joe Antony, SJ, a good friend, sent me a mail asking me to write an article for INI on my experiences in Rome. My initial reaction was an emphatic ‘no’. I told him that talking about my experiences would sound like ‘bragging’… Instead, I had suggested, I was willing to write an article on a particular topic. Joe was gracious enough to accept my view, but, later, he sent me a message: “Jerry, ideas can be got from anywhere. But only if the person is willing, we can get to know his experiences. It is easy to discuss ideas. It is very difficult to share our experiences.” He went on to say: “But experiences are more valuable as they bring us a person – not just ideas. Trouble arises if you interpret sharing as bragging. You can share without bragging.”

Joe, as most of us know, has been quite successful in editing various magazines – New Leader, JIVAN and now INI. Now I understood it is partly because he is good at persuading people to write on various topics. Count me as one more person giving in to his persuasive power. I shall try my best to share my experiences in Rome for 12 years – from 2009 to 2021 – both pleasant and unpleasant, the joys of living in the famous city as well as those experiences that shocked or saddened me.

Asked to go: In April-May, 2009, when I had completed 14 years of service as a lecturer in Loyola College, Chennai, my Provincial, Fr Devadoss Mudiyappa, literally ‘packed me off’ to Rome, saying that my services were required at Vatican Radio immediately. When I expressed my hesitation to go to another country at the age of 59, Fr Devadoss reminded me of Fr Adolfo Nicolas, who took up the ministry of leading the Society of Jesus just the previous year, 2008, at the age of 72. Later, while I was in Rome, I saw another Jesuit, who took up the ministry of leading the Catholic Church as the Bishop of Rome at the age of 77. So I learnt the simple lesson that there is no ‘retirement age’ for a Jesuit!

I learnt the simple lesson that there is no ‘retirement age’ for a Jesuit!

Contract for three years: I was given a contract to work in the Vatican Radio for three years. When I eventually left Rome, I had served there for 12 years and three months. During all those years, there was no mention of the ‘contract’. During my stay there, I met two more Provincials of my province as well as three Delegates in Rome. Whenever I brought up this topic of the ‘contract for three years’ with my Provincials and with my local authorities in Rome (Delegates, Community Superiors and Directors of work at Vatican Radio), I was simply given the assurance that ‘I was doing a good job’. Those assurances gave me the necessary energy to continue with my work. Of course, there were moments when my energy level was low. In those moments, I drew inspiration from other Jesuits who had worked in Rome for many, many years!

Canisius: I had the privilege of living at the Jesuit Residence of St Peter Canisius – which also was the infirmary for the Jesuits in Rome. It is there I met all those stalwarts who had worked for more than 30, 40 or 50 years in Rome. Many of those Jesuits were in their 80s and 90s (two of them lived beyond 100!). I could interact with many of them and learn quite a few lessons. Some of them were ageing gracefully, while some others found it difficult. I had seen many of them diminish gradually – from walking with the help of a support to being confined to the wheelchair and, ultimately, to being confined to the coffin – a great lesson for me as to how I need to get ready for my ‘second childhood’.

It is there I met all those stalwarts who had worked for more than 30, 40 or 50 years in Rome.

Learning Italian: The natural facility that children have to learn new languages was not available to me at the age of 59. I was expected to learn Italian at that age. Since I had gone there on a ‘three-year contract’, I did not push myself too much. I did not graduate from the elementary level in the Italian language. Fortunately, it was sufficient for my life in the community as well as in my workplace. But attending various meetings with this handicap was a lesson in humility!

Pope John XXIII: For the first three years (2009 – 2012), life in Rome was rather ‘normal’. I was rather ‘choosy’ in visiting various places in Italy. One of the places I really wanted to go was ‘Sotto il Monte’, a small village in the Bergamo region, where one of my favourite Popes, Pope St John XXIII was born. My visits to St Peter’s Basilica almost always ended with a visit to the altar of St Jerome, where the body of St John XXIII is preserved. Happily, I was present in Rome on the day (27 April 2014 – the Divine Mercy Sunday) when the ‘Good Pope’ John XXIII was canonized along with Pope John Paul II.

When a Pope renounced: After the first three ‘non-eventful’ years in Rome, came 11 February 2013 – the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, when the then Pope Benedict XVI announced his ‘Renunciation’. From then on, life and work in Rome were a roller-coaster ride. From 12 February, 2013, Rome was filled with journalists from all over the world. Rome became, as it were, the centre of the media world. Vatican Radio also had its fair share of media attention.

The Jesuit community where I lived also played host to many important persons – Church and media personnel. The excitement from our work station spilled over to our community – especially in the form of the ‘table talk’. Since our community is an international community of Jesuits coming from more than 15 countries, we spoke about many ‘candidates’ who could be the next Pope and the criteria to choose the Pope. The Holy Spirit made His choice on 13 March, 2013!

Memorable day: 13 March, 2013 is etched as one of the most memorable days of my life. After having completed the day’s work at Vatican Radio around 5 pm, I went back to my community, saying to myself that the chances for a new Pope being elected in the evening ballot of that day were very slim.

I was wrong. Around 7 p.m., white smoke drifted from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel where the Conclave was held. Habemus Papam! Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the only Jesuit to attend the Conclave, had been elected the new Pope! 

Pope Francis: When Pope Francis appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s Square wearing only a simple white robe and a silver cross with no other ‘extra fitting’, I felt happy. His first greeting – a simple  ‘Buona sera,’ or ‘Good evening,’ made me feel closer to him. The special ‘quality moment’ came when Pope Francis requested the people gathered at St Peter’s Square to pray for him and stood in front of them with his head bowed. Those few seconds, in my opinion, set the tone of his style of leadership. I was happy that the ‘Jesuit Pope’ had put his signature on the papacy in terms of simplicity and humility.

In the first three to four years, Pope Francis surprised me with so many gestures and statements and thus he found a way into most of the homilies I had shared in Vatican Radio. After those years of romantic fervour for Pope Francis, there came a period of mixed emotions. There were moments when I could not see eye to eye with Pope Francis. I guess a position like his has its own ‘political equations’ to resolve. Given my nature, I could see that I was slowly withdrawing from the magic circle Pope Francis had created in 2013.

This distance became critical when the case of Fr Stan Swamy captured the attention of the Indian media as well as the world media. I was expecting a statement – some statement – from the Vatican and from Pope Francis, who, in all probability, was a contemporary of Fr Stan Swamy. When there was total silence from the Pope, even after the death of Fr Stan, I was highly disappointed. To this day, I do not know why Pope Francis said nothing about Fr Stan Swamy! Well, since the Pope is also a head of State, I think I need to ‘learn’ what a Pope can and cannot say! I guess I have to go to my grave with this disappointment!

GC 36: I consider it a privilege to have lived in Rome when Fr Adolfo Nicolas stepped down from his leadership role in the Society of Jesus – 2016. I had the opportunity to rub shoulders with many delegates who attended GC 36. The way the General Congregation was conducted, especially the way in which the election of the General was conducted, gave me an assurance that St Ignatius and our predecessors have established our governance on a solid foundation. I was glad that at GC 36 the Society stepped out of the European continent to choose a leader from South America – Venezuela. Soon the Society will have to think about its leadership from other continents like Africa and Asia, and then we can surely boast of universality.

Taken from the Jesuits: One of the low points in my life and mission in Rome came when a radical change happened in Vatican Radio. Ever since its establishment in 1931, Vatican Radio was entrusted to the Jesuits. After 84 years of operating under the guidance of the Jesuits, Vatican Radio was made a part of the newly-created Dicastery for Communications in 2015.

I had worked with the Jesuit team for the first six years and then worked under the new set-up for another six years. The change of governance – first under the diocesan clergy and then under lay persons – posed several challenges.

Lay collaboration: I was aware of the Society placing more and more emphasis on lay collaboration. Collaborating with lay persons and working under lay persons are very different. With the dwindling number of our vocations, Jesuits in the U.S. as well as Europe have been facing the challenge of working with and under the laity for many years. Now, we in Asia, especially in India, need to learn this lesson sooner than later.

Number 12: Twelve years in Rome… I am reminded of some special numbers in the Bible – 7, 12, 40 etc. Each of them has a special significance. The number 12 represents the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles. The last two chapters of the last book of the Bible – the Book of Revelation (Chapters 21 and 22) – speak of a ‘new heaven and a new earth’ and the ‘new Jerusalem’. In those two chapters the number 12 appears quite a few times: 12 gates, 12 angels, 12 tribes, 12 pearls, 12 kinds of fruit from the tree of life etc… All of them serve as symbols for me as I reminisce the 12 years of service in the eternal city! These Biblical references should make you know that I spent more time reading the Bible in the past 12 years than in my entire Jesuit life. My work at Vatican Radio revolved around my radio programmes – Reflections on Sunday Readings and Bible Reflections – twice every week for the past 12 years!

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By Cedric Prakash, SJ

This beautiful prayer was read at the beginning of a webinar in February this year. The prayer was first presented by Cardinal Dearden in 1979 and quoted by Pope Francis in 2015.  The webinar, held on 3 February 2023, was organized by the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat of the Society of Jesus.  Its Secretary, Fr Xavier Jeyaraj, SJ was the person who co-ordinated this global webinar, called ‘Fraternity @ Frontiers’.

On this occasion an interactive global map of Jesuit Social Centres was launched. In an insightful address at this webinar, Fr Arturo Sosa, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, said, “We celebrate the happy coincidence of the launch of the interactive map on the eve of the Third International Day of Human Fraternity, a day on which the UN recognizes the gesture of Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in signing the important joint document on Human Fraternity, on 4 February 2019. The document invites us to make this the object of research and reflection in all schools, universities and institutes of education and training, so that it may help to create new generations that bring about peace and unity, and defend everywhere the rights of the oppressed and the least.” Fr Arturo was clear that every Jesuit, every ministry, and every single person must move beyond our exclusiveness, transcend narrowness, network and collaborate much more if one truly intends creating an impact.

It was a radical call for fraternity with those at the frontiers and with those who live on the peripheries of our dehumanized world.

It was on 21 December 2020, that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution that was co-sponsored by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt – proclaiming February 4 as the International Day of Human Fraternity. It invited all Member States and international organizations to observe the International Day of Human Fraternity annually.

The International Day of Human Fraternity commemorates the historic signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Grand Imam of Al- Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on 4 February 2019. The day highlights the principles and values of the Document on Human Fraternity, while exploring good practices towards its implementation as a pathway to building a more peaceful world.

In a message for this year’s International Day of Human Fraternity, observed on 4 February this year, U.N.’s Secretary-General, António Guterres said, “The International Day of Human Fraternity celebrates the values of compassion, religious understanding, and mutual respect. These values underwrite peace and are the glue that hold our human family together. Yet all over the world, they are being eroded. By deepening divides, widening inequalities, and growing despair. By surging hate speech, sectarianism, and strife. The fact is, we see examples of religious extremism and intolerance in all societies and among all faiths.

“These values underwrite peace and are the glue that hold our human family together. Yet all over the world, they are being eroded.”

“It is the duty of religious leaders everywhere to prevent instrumentalization of hatred and defuse extremism amidst their followers. The declaration “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” – co-authored by His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb – is a model for interfaith harmony and human solidarity. Let us all take inspiration and renew our commitment to stand together as one human family. Together, let us build an alliance of peace. Rich in diversity, equal in dignity and rights, united in solidarity”.

Guterres reiterated what Pope Francis and the Grand Imam said in their introduction, “from our fraternal and open discussions, and from the meeting that expressed profound hope in a bright future for all human beings, the idea of this Document on Human Fraternity was conceived. It is a text that has been given honest and serious thought so as to be a joint declaration of good and heartfelt aspirations. It is a document that invites all persons who have faith in God and faith in human fraternity to unite and work together so that it may serve as a guide for future generations to advance a culture of mutual respect in the awareness of the great divine grace that makes all human beings brothers and sisters.”

The document is a ‘Magna Carta’, a way of proceeding for all of humanity, provided there is the necessary political will to ensure that. The document analyses the realities which grip mankind today and provides a blueprint for all in order to address and ultimately overcome the hate, divisiveness and violence of today.

‘Fraternity’ embraces every single human in totality. It means brotherhood and sisterhood or a belief in co-existence. ‘Fraternity’ is also a non-negotiable dimension of the Indian Constitution appearing in the Preamble. A pillar of our democracy, it refers to a feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood and a sense of belonging with the country among its people. The Preamble declares that fraternity has to assure two things—the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.

On 4 October 2020, Pope Francis gave to the world his encyclical on Fraternity and Social Friendship, ‘Fratelli Tutti’ (Brothers and Sisters All). It highlighted the core teaching of every major religion in the world. Addressed to “brothers and sisters all” he stated, “Although I have written it from the Christian convictions which inspire and sustain me, I have sought to make this reflection an invitation to dialogue among all people of good will.” It provides a clear direction to all women and men, irrespective of their religious/ideological beliefs, asserting that  if we are sincere about addressing the realities of today- ‘Fratelli Tutti’ is the path we must walk together.

‘Fraternity’ embraces every single human in totality. It means brotherhood and sisterhood or a belief in co-existence.

It provides a road map for all to become more fraternal in deed. Jesus tells his disciples, “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). The encyclical emphasizes key dimensions of this witnessing. The most important of these is the assertion that “every human being has the right to live with dignity and to develop integrally; this fundamental right cannot be denied by any country. People have this right even if they are unproductive, or were born with or developed limitations. This does not detract from their great dignity as human persons, a dignity based not on circumstances but on the intrinsic worth of their being. Unless this basic principle is upheld, there will be no future either for fraternity or for the survival of humanity” (#107).

This is why we must have the courage to play a decisive role in our world of today in which hate and violence, divisiveness and discrimination, xenophobia and exclusiveness seem to gain greater traction and legitimacy. We should commit ourselves every day to ensure that all humans live in peace as brothers and sisters. We should be courageous in defending and promoting justice and the rights of all, so that in sustainable peace, we can truly live as sisters and brothers in dignity, equity and love in this our common home.

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By S. John Britto, SJ

Long tradition: The foundation of the Society of Jesus (1540) coincides with the beginning of modern science, specifically natural history.  Botanical discipline is an offshoot of natural history, which consists of research and study of organisms including plants or animals in their environment.

Jesuit scientific work in India has had a long tradition both before the suppression in 1773 and after the Restoration in 1814. Christian missionaries, as a body, were the first educated Europeans in India and pioneers in natural history as well. Owing to their Ignatian spirituality, Jesuits pursued natural history, particularly Botany, with commitment and fervor.

Jesuit Botanists in Post Restoration Era: Let us look at the Jesuit contribution to Botany in India in three geographical regions: The West coast, the Western Ghats and Shembaganur cum Tiruchirappalli Jesuit Institutions.

West Coast: Three Jesuit botanists stationed at St. Xavier’s College, Bombay, have made significant contribution to the knowledge of plant wealth in the form of Floras.

Ethelbert Blatter (1877-1934):  He left his native land to study in Germany and the Netherlands, and later for theological studies in England. In 1903, he moved to Mumbai (Bombay), India, to teach at St Xavier College and engage in the botanical research and publishing that occupied him for the remainder of his life. Although his main contributions were in British India, his books on the plants of Aden and Arabia are also important contributions to botanical literature.

Jesuit scientific work in India has had a long tradition both before the suppression in 1773 and after the Restoration in 1814.

Hermenegild Santapau (1903-1970): He was a Spanish-born, naturalized Indian Jesuit priest and botanist, known for his taxonomical research on Indian flora. He came to India in 1928 to complete his regency. Moving to London, he graduated in Botany with honours (BSc Hons) from the University of London from where he obtained his doctorate later. From 1934, Santapau worked in Eastern Pyrenees and Italian Alps collecting plant specimens for four years. After doing two years of research from 1938 at the herbarium of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, England, he joined St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai as a member of the faculty of Botany in 1940. Santapau served in many government committees. He was credited with the Latin nomenclature of several Indian plant species. A recipient of the Order of Alphonsus X the Wise and the Birbal Sahni Medal, he was honoured by the Government of India in 1967 with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award.

Some of his notable publications are: The Flora of Khandala on the Western Ghats of India 1953, 1960 and 1968; The Flora of Purandhar 1958; The Orchids of Bombay 1966.

The third one was Jean Ferdinand Caius (1877-1944).

The Western Ghats:

Cecil Saldanha, SJ (1926 -2002) was born in Mangalore on 27 December 1926. He did his M.Sc in Botany at Bombay under Fr. Santapau and did his doctorate in Botany on Taxonomic Revision of the Scrophulariaceae of the Western Peninsular India. After being assigned to St. Joseph’s College in Bangalore, he set up there the Taxonomy Center. His taxonomical field work includes four bio-geographic regions of Karnataka viz., (a). West Coast Plains; (b). Western Ghats; (c). Southern Plateau and (d). Northern Plateau.

Among his published works The Flora of Hassan District is a compact work covering the botanically unexplored area of the Western Ghats of peninsular India. Fr. Saldanha and Dr. Nicolson undertook intensive field and laboratory studies on the flora of the area. 1,700 species of vascular plants were reported. His flora had original drawings and 20 color plates.

Owing to their Ignatian spirituality, Jesuits pursued natural history, particularly Botany, with commitment and fervor.

Shembaganur & Tiruchirappalli Jesuit Institutions:

Palni (Palani) hills in the Western Ghats provided a salubrious habitat for Jesuit trainees with its training College established in 1895 at Shembaganur near Kodaikanal. Fr. J. Mallat as a Professor of philosophy at the Sacred Heart College, Shembaganur in 1891, realisied the importance of the positive sciences, and introduced a scientific culture at Shembaganur.

The Shembaganur team, consisting of five Jesuits, namely S. Munch, A. Anglade, A. Sauliere, C. Montaud and G. Rodriguez did the bulk of botanical collections during 1912-17. Augustin Sauliere, the leader of the collecting group of the flowering plants, had the collections named at Calcutta and Kew Herbaria during 1913-1914 and a duplicate set of this collection is at Kew, Calcutta, Bogor, among other centres.

A significant contribution of water colour portraits of the plants of the Palnis came from two staff members of Shembaganur: Emile Gombert (1866-1948) and Aloysius Anglade (1873-1953). Gombert made 114 orchid portraits on 36 x 24 cm sheets, often with floral parts mounted alongside. Fr Anglade executed his classic illustrations of the plants of the Palni hills (1,910 plates now bound in 10 volumes).

Owing to the tireless efforts of Fr. Anglade, the entire campus of Shembaganur became an arboretum (a tree garden), that had over 200 species, several of which had been brought from the Eastern Himalayas. Today when we are mourning the depletion of biodiversity, such an innovative introduction of species from another region forms a significant conservation measure.

Through their vision and far-sightedness, these pioneers have made a great contribution to gene pool conservation. The Shembaganur Orchidarium obviously stole the show. The more attractive ones came from outside: mostly from Kurseong, or from the Kerala forests. Over 150 species were in cultivation once; though most of these are not extant now, the illustrations by Frs. Gombert and Anglade are a comprehensive record. Fr. A. Ayraud who, while at Kurseong, had sent across live orchids for planting, looked after the Orchidarium during the long years he was at Shembaganur.

Another important contribution from the College was on the flowerless plants by another team. Arriving at Shembaganur from France in 1906, Eugene Armand, with Georges Foreau organized a team in 1908 for collecting flowerless plants, especially mosses. ‘The Foreau collection of Mosses’ is at Rapinat Herbarium of St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli. Several decades earlier Fr. Rapinat had made collections of Liverworts and had them named by Chopra (1930), duplicates of which are at the Rapinat Herbarium, Tiruchirappalli. He had assiduously built up the department of Botany of St. Joseph’s College and made several collections of plant specimens from the Palni hills and the Plains. The establishment of the internationally acknowledged Rapinat Herbarium is a tribute to his contribution to Botany.

Joseph M. Pallithanam, SJ (1915-1984) was awarded the Ph.D. degree of the University of Bombay in 1963, for his floristic work on the Sirumalai hills. This is a region of 60,000 acres, situated 25 km from Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, and 90 km from Madurai, Tamil Nadu. He authored the book A Pocket Flora of the Sirumalai hills, South India, (Rapinat Herbarium, St. Joseph’s College, 2001). Single-minded attention to research was the hallmark of his field botany.

K.M. Matthew, SJ: Under the inspiring guidance of stalwarts like Frs Anglade, Sauliére and Foreau, Fr K.M. Matthew, (1930-2004) acquired his doctorate (1960-62) on the exotic plants of the Palni hills with the guidance of late Fr Dr H Santapau S.J. During his theological studies (1962-66) at Kurseong, he explored the surrounding Eastern Himalayas as well. He developed a strong research centre in systematic botany, later called The Rapinat Herbarium.

K.M. Matthew is the Founder-Director of two complementary natural history establishments. First, the plant diversity research base, the Rapinat Herbarium, in the university town of Tiruchirapalli that has been generating first-hand scientific data for conservation research and publishing a multi-volume illustrated Flora as take-off base for applied research. Secondly, the environmental base, the Anglade Institute of Natural History, Sacred Heart College at Shembaganur, Kodaikanal in the Nature Sanctuary of the Palni hills, is where he started a massive environmental awareness generation programme for the wider community, and conservation research. As Founder Vice-President of the Palni Hills Conservation Council, he was responsible for the integral conservation management of the Palni hills, part of the Western Ghats of India and one of the 25 Biodiversity Hotspots of the entire planet.

K.M. Matthew had an aggregate of 1,449 field days and 60,644 collections. This intimate knowledge of plants in the field had been invaluable in planning for conservation research. In 1992 he was made a member of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission for plants for the Indian subcontinent. Fr. Matthew published The Flora of the Palni hills (1996-1999), a work of three volumes in five parts with 1233 illustrative plates. His mammoth publications include more than 12 volumes and 175 research papers. He had completed 21 major research projects, funded by reputed international and national agencies relating to Peninsular floristics and Environmental Education. This monumental work and the Flora of Karnataka by the late Fr. Cecil Saldanha would serve as a solid and firm foundation for the new ‘Flora of India’.

V.S. Manickam, SJ (1944-2012): Fr. V.S. Manickam SJ (1944-2012) was a renowned pteridologist in India. His chief contribution was on the ferns in the Western Ghats of South India. He was the founder-Director of the Centre for Biodiversity and Biotechnology (CBB) at St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Mention should also be made of the establishement of a Kodaikanal Botanic Garden as a Jesuit Conservatory Garden with the assistance from the government in a 100-acre area at Eettippallam, 10 km below Kodaikanal town on Kodaikanal-Madurai road. The five volume Flora of Tirunelveli Hills was one of his contributions to Flowering Plants. In addition to the Kodaikanal Botanic Garden where 230 ferns of the Western Ghats are cultivated, the Centre harbours a medicinal garden, a greenhouse, herbarium and biotechnology and phytochemistry laboratories within St. Xavier’s College campus.

S. John Britto SJ (1946–), a doctoral scholar of Fr. K.M. Matthew, collaborated with him in all his floristic works, research projects and co-authored the Flora of Tamilnadu Carnatic. After the sudden demise of Fr. K.M. Matthew, he assumed the role of Director of the Rapinat Herbarium (RHT) and the Anglade Institute of Natural History (AINH).

A major initiative after the demise Fr. K. M. Matthew is the conversion of the Rapinat Herbarium as a Virtual Herbarium and the process of bar-coding of plant species especially of RET value. This became possible by the generous funding by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

In keeping with trends of development across the world, John Britto started digitizing nearly 2,50,000 herbarium specimens. Our website has started uploading the digitized specimens following the methodology of Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, London and Central National Herbarium, Calcutta.

He is involved in also molecular systematic study on phylogeny and identification of plant species, Flora of North Tamil Nadu, and Vegetation Mapping. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, honoured RHT by permitting the establishment of a Lead Botanical Garden in AINH of Shembaganur campus. The intention of the Government was to recognize the botanical investigations of the Jesuit pioneers of Shembaganur and to take forward their contribution. This Lead Garden has started reintroducing indigenous Orchids of the Eastern Himalayas to the Palni hills as was done earlier by Jesuit pioneers.

With the financial assistance offered by the government, RHT has empowered several groups of villagers of Palni hills by imparting to them skills needed for cultivation of orchids and environmental protection.

Jesuits in related fields: Jesuit botanists like Frs Leo de Souza, Ignacimuthu and others have branched off to applied Botany in the realm of biotechnology, and Lancy De Cruz in the fields of ethnobotany and bioprospecting. Responding to the environmental challenges our country faces, groups like Tarumitra, founded by Robert Athickal, SJ in Patna are engaged in eco-education in many schools across the country. Thanks to its contributions, Tarumitra enjoys a Special Consultative Status at the U.N. from 2005.

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By D. Antony Inigo, SJ

How could we, the sons and daughters of St. Ignatius, look at Easter and understand its message for us today?

St. Ignatius of Loyola talks about the Resurrection in the fourth week of the Spiritual Exercises. He instructs the retreatants to reduce the penances, to change the prayer timings. He wants them to feel and experience the paschal joy of the risen Lord. The important image and function of the Risen Lord in the Spiritual Exercises is that of the Consoler. He brings solace and peace. This grace dispels the darkness of fear and confusion. It brings immense joy, awe and wonder at this marvel.

Apparition to Mother: St Ignatius exhorts the retreatants to contemplate the apparition of the Risen Lord to his mother. This is not reported in any of the four Gospels. In appearing to his mother Jesus acknowledges her perfect discipleship. It was hard for her to surrender to an unknown plan of God that unfolded day by day, moment by moment in ways that were hard to understand. It was indeed agonizing for her to lose the special gift of divine-human Son to that plan. Therefore she deserves this consoling meeting between her and her beloved son. She was the first to know of the incarnation through the annunciation. She brought him up till he left for his public ministry from her home. Now she becomes the first one to know the resurrection.

It is important to recognize the role of a mother and its importance. The awareness of the big sacrifices that mothers make is a grace and gift. The Lord, through this gesture, sets us an example. This meeting that fills Mary’s heart with strength and joy enables her to accompany the disciples. They were in disbelief. From these men of doubt, fear and guilt was born another mother to us, the Mother Church.

The important image and function of the Risen Lord in the Spiritual Exercises is that of the Consoler. He brings solace and peace.

Mother Church from unbelieving disciples: The unbelief of the disciples is caused by many factors like fear, anger and guilt: fear of the future, anger against the perpetrators of unjustifiable violence, guilt that they abandoned the Lord during his sufferings. This unbelief made them numb to the greatest of all the miracles – the resurrection. Their eyes were closed. They could not hear the message of the Lord reported by those whom he met and sent. They were frozen in their unbelief.

The Lord appears to them, wishes them peace, speaks to them, shows them the marks of the nails on his hands, eats with them, breathes on them the Holy Spirit, till they are convinced he is alive, that their Master is truly the Messiah whom God has raised.  They are strengthened and consoled. They are commissioned to ‘go and proclaim the good news to the whole world’. With the power of resurrection they withstood and overcame the powerful who opposed it.

Later when the disciples were admonished by the high priests and Jewish authorities for proclaiming the Risen Lord, they stood firm and fortified to face them. Those who controlled the Jewish religion could not control the disciples, after they knew that their Master has transcended death.

New People: The resurrection injected in the disciples a new energy. It made them go beyond their educational and sociological background and religious boundaries. The more we contemplate this event that is both history and mystery, the more hopeful and joyful we will become.  When the disciples had to face suffering they must have consoled one another with the message of the resurrection.

This is what we need today for all those who have faced pain, suffering, humiliation, isolation, organized and structural violence. Those who still live in darkness need this message of hope, so that they continue to work against the forces of darkness, hoping in the dawn that is about to break.

Many Mothers: Besides our biological mother, we have Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, there is the Mother Church, which is on its way to becoming a synodal Church. We have also our mother Society, and mother Earth. This connectivity to all these mothers gives us strength and comfort. In our mission journey these mothers accompany us. They form us, send us and sustain us through thick and thin. We are called to share with them the joy and fruitfulness in our mission.

This is what we need today for all those who have faced pain, suffering, humiliation, isolation, organized and structural violence. Those who still live in darkness need this message of hope, so that they continue to work against the forces of darkness, hoping in the dawn that is about to break.

Every member of the Society and the Church in some way accompanies us in our path towards resurrection. The members of these big families accompany us faithfully and generously without counting the cost.

These are like the women who went to the tomb in the early hours of the Easter Sunday. They did this in spite of the gloom and pain of Good Friday. They proactively engaged themselves with the question, ‘What next? What shall I do next?’

Thomas, however, was not satisfied by just reports. He sought the experience of seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and tasting. Jesus was gracious to respond and offer him the experience he sought. God directly deals with the devout soul. All the explanations of the guide do not satisfy people like Thomas as much as personal reflection and prayer when they themselves get to see him. Everyone has to experience the resurrection.

Peace and unity: Ignatius and the first companions reached out to the medically abandoned and socially driven out to the peripheries. By this they showed that resurrection is possible even for those abandoned by the society.

Ignatius and his friends tried to bring about peace and unity wherever they worked. It is our mission today to work for reconciliation, justice and peace. Today we are called to fight the false propaganda of the unscrupulous that projects religious differences as threats. We have to confront the outbreak of fanaticism and fundamentalism, communalism, casteism or linguistic chauvinism.

This presupposes a psychological resurrection. Only economic wellbeing is projected as growth. But an integral development includes improvement in all spheres of life of a person and the civic society. At times we too fall for the notion that those with a lot of money and influence, those who are successful in business are the ones who are blessed. We are called to use our educational institutions to shape men and women for others, those who would accept people of other religions and castes as their equals. We, Jesuits, and our collaborators are called to lead our people to experience this resurrection.

Caring for our Common Home: Easter, the festival of life, invites usto respect and care for all forms of life. The risen Lord invites us to deepen our relationship not merely with the Creator but all the creatures, all that God created even before creating humans. Blessing above all other blessings is the creation.

We must be able to sense God’s presence in the heavens and the earth, in every human, animal and bird, in mighty mountains and the lowly grass. Inspired by Ignatius, we must ask for the grace to see the glory of God revealed in everything in this vast universe.

Although in the course of history the relationship between nature and humans has been ruptured,  the Lord of life calls us to a renewed commitment towards nature – to stop all that hurts and wounds nature and to do all that preserves and conserves nature.

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Interview with Fr Vernon D’Cunha, SJ | Assistant ad Providentiam

Fr. Vernon D’Cunha, SJ, comes from the Province of Bombay (BOM). He was born in Mumbai, India, in 1956. He entered the Society on 30 July 1977 and made his final vows on 8 December 1994. A former Provincial of Bombay Province and a Novice Master, he was elected one of the four Assistants ad Providentiam at the last General Congregation.

Fr Vernon, thanks for this interview. You are one of the four Assistants ad Providentiam, who were elected by and at the last General Congregation, right?

Yes, it is the General Congregation that elects the Assistants ad Providentiam. The number is fixed at four. The delegates at the GC elect these four from among the professed of four vows. They are to be from different Assistancies, keeping in mind the General Counsellors appointed by the General, but with the freedom of the congregation remaining intact to choose other persons. (NC 364 § 1).

What do these four AaPs do?

By a decision of GC 34 d. 23 E 1 no.2, they are also General Counsellors of Fr. General (NC 364 § 3). The Assistants ad Providentiam are required to meet every three months to consider among themselves and give feedback about where we see things going well and offer suggestions for improvement. If needed, we can meet more frequently. While the Complementary Norms say that the Assistant who has been professed for the longest time should convoke these meetings, we have, for the sake of convenience, placed this mantle on the Admonitor of Fr. General, who is also an Assistant ad Providentiam. (NC 365)

If the majority of the Assistants ad Providentiam, out of love for the Society and their knowledge of it, judge that the Superior General, for a grave reason, ought to resign his office, they should advise him of this through the Admonitor (NC 366 § 1). So we, as Assistants ad Providentiam, meet at least four times a year – on an average about once in three months. We share among ourselves what we have observed and what we have heard from others about the functioning of Fr. General. On a couple of occasions, we have interviewed the Presidents of Conferences and members of Fr. General’s Council so as to gather information about the functioning of Fr. General from the wider Society.

This has certainly been helpful. After each meeting, a summary of the points that we all agree upon, or at least a majority of us agree upon, is communicated to Fr. General orally and in writing by the Admonitor. We communicate also what we are happy about in the functioning of Fr. General and things that he could be mindful of, especially in the area of his personal health.

How is Fr. General’s health?

So far, Fr. General has kept good health and has been performing well as Superior General. Hence, there has been no cause for concern or need for extra meetings on our part. In fact, it is amazing and inspiring to see the amount of work he manages to do and see how much he cares for the mission and the life of the Society.

You communicate with Fr General through the Admonitor. The administrative genius of St. Ignatius is seen in this unique position he invented – the Admonitor. But probably the Admonitor does what he is supposed to do only here – at the General Curia. How many Provincials, and how many Rectors and superiors, in your view, would respect the role of the Admonitor and let him do his duty? In most places their role is sadly restricted to being mentioned as the Admonitor in the province catalogue, isn’t it?

Well, every Socius of a Major Superior is ex-officio, admonitor of the Major Superior, unless otherwise specified or unless another Jesuit has been appointed by Fr. General for the purpose. For those who would like information on this, they could refer to the Manual for Juridical Practice of the Society of Jesus: no. 272 of this document talks about who designates an admonitor and no. 276 explains his role and responsibilities.

An admonitor, and this is one of the genial facts of our governance, is always appointed by a higher superior. Hence the admonitor of Fr. General is elected by the General Congregation. So, while every Major Superior without fail has, theoretically, an admonitor, not many of such admonitors, at least in South Asia, perform this role as expected. The reasons are understandable: firstly, it is not pleasant to do so especially because a Socius has to work very closely with a Major Superior. Secondly, there could be ignorance about what, when and how to function as an admonitor.

Every local superior is also required to have an admonitor, who functions along similar lines as mentioned in number 276 above. However, most often they are not designated by the Major Superior concerned, or if they are, due to difficulty or ignorance of how to function, they do not fulfill their responsibility as desired by the Society.

However, some do it and do it well. It is an important part of Our Way of Proceeding and our governance structure.

Do you accompany Fr General during his visits to provinces?

Sometimes. If one of the Assistants ad Providentiam accompanies Fr General, then this Assistant would normally make sure that Fr. General is not stressed out or over-stretched because of too many demands made on him by well-meaning Jesuits and Catholics.

Don’t some people refer to these four as Assistant Generals?

Yes, in some parts of the Society, Jesuits mistakenly introduce us as “Assistant General”. Firstly, this is not true. Secondly, there is no such thing as “Assistant General”. The Assistants ad Providentiam are also General Counsellors and, in the current scenario, Regional Assistants as well. So personally, I am one of the two Regional Assistants for South Asia, a General Counsellor and an Assistant ad Providentiam.

But why should we call them by this strange name which has one English word and two Latin words? Can’t we find a good, helpful English equivalent? Can’t we give to a group of English scholars this task of finding English equivalents to the Latin terms we still cling to – terms that sound incomprehensible to others, even to some Jesuits? ‘Socius’ is another such term.

Well, every group of people and every profession has their “jargon” which is natural and which members of that group or professions are supposed to understand. We are normally introduced to these terms from the novitiate itself and these get repeated over the years. However, this does not preclude from having helping English equivalents. For example, if you look at the English translation of the Manual for Juridical Practice of the Society, the term used there is, “Assistants for provident care” or “General Assistant for provident care” (see alphabetical index of this manual and no. 304, §3, 3° of the same).

The term “socius” is again part of our Jesuit jargon. A socius is much more than an “assistant” or an “executive assistant”. A socius is meant to be an assistant, an executive assistant, a friend and a companion, the hand and the memory of a Major Superior and more….all in one! It is difficult to find a term that would encompass all these in English, although some provinces, especially in the west, have tried to do so.

What is the meaning of this term – ‘Assistants ad Providentiam’? Is this how they were always called?

The term “assistants ad providentiam” signifies that these persons are specially charged with the responsibility of caring for the person and performance of Fr. General. While every Jesuit is expected to take care of Fr. General wherever he is, these four are charged specifically with this mission.

If one looks at the Constitutions (the translation of George E. Ganss, the term used is “assistants”, the Society should depute four assistants (Const. 779). The original in Spanish also uses the same term, “assistentes”. I suppose with the passage of time, and with more assistants gradually being added to Fr. General’s Council, the term became more precise since the others had this word as part of their designation e.g. “Regional Assistant”.

Apart from the duties you have talked about, can you be given other duties?

Occasionally, yes! For example, Fr. General constituted a search committee with the four of us in the run up to the appointment of a new General Treasurer. In addition, all the Acts of the Province Congregations had to be ultimately approved by the four Assistants ad Providentiam. All the correspondence that comes from the Holy See to Fr. General is passed on to the four of us.

Does an Assistant ad Providentiam have a term?

First of all, Fr. General is emphatic about the fact that no responsibility in the Society has a term. For a Provincial, the Constitutions (no. 757) suggest a period of 3 years, which can be lengthened or shortened. Normally, since an Assistant ad Providentiam is elected by a General Congregation, they hold office from one GC to another. However, if there are serious reasons, they can ask to be relieved from the office or they can be asked to resign. But the process is a bit laborious.

Tell us about your experience as an Assistant ad Providentiam, a General Counsellor and a Regional Assistant.

I have found the job a responsibility as well as a privilege. It is a responsibility to care for the person and well-being of Fr. General. It has been a privilege and an opportunity to help Fr. General in his governance. It has also been a service and a responsibility to the entire Society. I am happy to be able to render this assistance and service.

As Assistants ad Providentiam, it is neither our duty nor our responsibility to evaluate neither the works nor or the provinces and regions of the worldwide Society. This would be part of the job description of a General Counsellor and a Regional Assistant.

I have found my job as Regional Assistant very fulfilling and rewarding. It has been an opportunity to give helpful guidance to all those who seek it, especially Major Superiors. It is impossible for Fr. General to know every Province/Region and every issue that comes to his table from the Assistancies. In this, he relies on the Regional Assistants for information and suggestions regarding solutions or actions that could be taken. It is in this connection that my visits to the provinces and regions that come under me assume great importance. During these visits, I meet a number of Jesuits, in fact anyone who would like to meet me. I try to visit as many communities and works that time and distances allow.

Normally, a Regional Assistant is required to make a visit to a province/region in the run up to the appointment of a new Major Superior. After a Major Superior completes three years in office, the Regional Assistant, depending on the need, may make a visit. However, whether he makes a visit or not, Fr. General would like the performance of a Major Superior to be evaluated after 3 years in office so as to provide the Major Superior with feedback and help for the years that remain.

I must say, I have enjoyed every visit I have made to the provinces and regions I work with. It is a joy to meet and see the hard and committed work being done by Jesuits, often in difficult and challenging situations. The lifestyle of most communities and the commitment to the poor and disadvantaged are a source of much inspiration for me.

Meeting individual Jesuits is another source of great consolation. It is a privilege, a joy and a humbling experience to encounter so many Jesuits at a personal level. I often meet with communities or groups of Jesuits during these visits and this gives me an opportunity to share about major happenings in the Roman Curia, the major plans and concerns of Fr. General, important happenings in different parts of the Society etc.

These visits also offer me possibilities of meeting and thanking our partners in mission – like religious congregations, lay partners and partners of other faiths. Meetings with these partners in mission and with the local hierarchy help to get feedback about how we Jesuits come across to them and how we can improve our service.

Thank you, Fr Vernon, for your service to the Society, Fr General, and our Region. Thank you for finding the time for this interview in the midst of your many responsibilities.

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Friends,

We are happy to present to you this issue of INI, dated April-June ’23 on 1 May, May Day that calls us to remember the workers – those who labour and so are weary and burdened.

Students are not workers yet, but in these months of April and May students and teachers in India brave the heat-wave conditions in many parts of the country to prepare for and then sit for their exams. For most of them these are the most stressful months during the year. They slog, hoping that a college degree will eventually bring them a job.

This is why I was surprised to learn that the present situation in the U.S. is quite different. In an article in TIME (10-17 April 2023) titled, ‘The Point of College’, Jenny Anderson says, “Soon after the 2008-09 financial crash tanked the economy, Americans’ unflagging faith in higher education started to falter… In 2009, 70% of recent high school graduates enrolled in college. In 2021 that figure was 61.8%, about where it was in 1994.”

If 70% students enrolled in colleges about 15 years ago, it was because of a vigorous campaign that proclaimed that a college degree will enable them to work “smart” rather than “hard.” The images of a dirty plumber next to a shiny college graduate showed what the campaign slogan meant.

But now they are asking, ‘Does everyone have to go to college?’ Employers as well state governments are dropping the requirement for a college degree. According to an estimate, over two-thirds of Americans do not have even a bachelor’s degree. Why would they slog for a college degree if 1.4 million jobs would be available to workers without college degrees? In Germany and Switzerland one half to nearly two-thirds of students pursue vocational education. These men would say, ‘What if I don’t have a college degree? I have a job. If I can have a job, why would anyone want to sweat for a college degree? What I studied has earned me a job.’

Here in India the situation still favours higher education. Students are convinced that it is the college degree that would assure them of a decent job and a handsome salary. The problem is that what they are after is just a degree. Do they imbibe values? Is their faith in God strengthened? Does their college education make them immune to viruses like communalism, casteism and chauvinism? This is why the challenge all our educators face is how to make them men and women for others – how to help them see all humans are their brothers and sisters. Read Cedric Prakash’s article titled, ‘Rich in diversity, equal in dignity, united in solidarity’ in this issue. Happy reading!

– M.A. Joe Antony, SJ