Jesuit Community
Dear Friends,
Warm loving greetings from The Province Sammelan Steering Committee (PSSC). As you may know by now Fr. Provincial has called for the Province Sammelan and it has been scheduled for 28, 29 and 30th of April this year at Loyola Hall, Ahmedabad. We envisage the Sammelan to be the culmination of a process beginning from now and beginning at the level of each community. We shall have the intermediary stage at each of the seven zones (Sabarkantha, North Gujarat, Ahmedabad. Anand, Baroda, South Gujarat and South-South Gujarat). The spirit of the Sammelan is indicated by its theme:
“Rooted in the Past
United in the Present and
Marching towards New Frontiers”
We shall try to capture the three dimensions of the theme at all three levels – Communities, Zones and Province. As a way of actualizing and concretizing this we are proposing the following:
COMMUNITY LEVEL:
For practical reasons we have grouped the houses of the Province into 30 units. (The list is being sent to each house.)
· We suggest that on each day of each month the whole Province prays for a specific community (as mentioned in the list) for its members and its various ministries. We suggest a couple of prayer formats. [See appendix below]
· We are also planning to send to each community a box of “Birthday Reminders” with photos and few details of those celebrating the Birthday.
[Someone in the community could take the responsibility of reminding the community by putting the “Prayer Reminder” and “Birthday Reminder” on the Notice Board.]
· We suggest that each unit meet once a week (the day to be fixed by the members) to celebrate Eucharist together and to share life and fellowship meal.
· We suggest that each unit have a file of “Personal Profiles” which could be updated every year. [Please, find a model attached.] The first page of the file would be the profile of the community – the history and the mile-stones of the community, description of the various ministries etc.
· We suggest that each unit go for a picnic once or twice in a year TO AN OTHER JESUIT COMMUNITY in the Province.
· Create the space and opportunity for each member to be heard, understood and accepted.
SAMMELAN PRAYER
The Preparatory Prayer is to ask God that all my intentions, actions and operation may be ordered purely to the service and praise of the Divine Majesty.
The First Prelude is composition of place: to see myself part of the whole GujaratProvince: its parishes, mission stations, schools, houses of formation, social work centres, college…
The Second Prelude is to ask our Lord for what I want and desire: in the present prayer it will be to ask the Lord to raise the morale of the GujaratProvince beginning with me
· The First Point will be to contemplate the Positive Aspects of the Province
· Number of Jesuits working in the Missions and number of villages covered.
· Number of Schools working for the poor
· Role of elite schools to establish the presence of the Church in society’s power centres.
· Social Work in slums and villages.
· Scientific work and higher education in the College
· Efforts of the Province to train Jesuits and diocesan priests.
· The administrative work of Brothers and Priests without whose help the Province would not be able to function.
A colloquy will follow thanking the Lord and each Jesuit for the work he is doing and asking the Lord to help all of us to see beyond our own ministry the vision and mission of the Province. Yes, because fragmentations notwithstanding, there is a vision and a mission.
· The Second Point will be to examine the process of our Disagreements.
· Inevitable Frictions
· Caste conflicts: Kalol vs. Kheda; Adivasis vs. Kheda
· Ministry conflicts Pastoral vs Social Work; school vs. Parish.
The Colloquy will be to ask the Lord that we may see these conflicts as a sign of vitality – an antithesis that should lead to a higher synthesis. Ask the Lord to help us rise up even above our praiseworthy commitment to and identification with our ministry to see the main thrust of the Province.
· Personal conflict of interests. The power and perks of the Principal vs. the others; same PP vs assistants; ‘plum assignments’ vs ‘punishment postings’
· One ethnic groups vs. the others (real or imaginary)
Ask the Lord for true self-knowledge and courage to acknowledge before the Lord our failures and limitations. Grounded in humility, trust that the Lord will help us to transcend personal weaknesses to be effective instruments of His Peace and Love.
· The Third Point will be to dwell on those points where I felt greater consolation in the above exercises trying to see the Gujarat Province as a wonderful enterprise of the Spirit working through all too human instruments.
End with a colloquy:
· Asking the Lord that I may not so much see my limitations as the work the Holy Spirit is accomplishing through me. And thank God for it.
· That I may dwell more on what my fellow Jesuits accomplish than on their weaknesses and frailties and thank the Lord for each one of my fellow Jesuits – specially those I like least.
· I shall specially thank the Lord for those who have preceded us in our work, those who are already retired and those who have gone already to their reward.
· I shall ask the Lord that seeing the global impact of the Gujarat Province in its various ministries (education, pastoral apostolate, social work, and the administrative work and formation efforts required to maintain the Province) I may thank and praise HIM. I shall also ask Him that I may experience deep inner joy at the work of the Holy Spirit.
THE BENEDICTION
From Tony D’Mellow’s WELL SPRINGS, p.229
(slightly adapted)
Today I choose to pray for the members of ------------- community.
But how shall I impart to them
the gift of peace and love
if my own heart is still unloving
and I have no peace of mind myself?
So I start with my heart;
I hold before the Lord
each feeling of resentment, anger, bitterness …
that may still be lurking there,
asking that his grace will make it yield to love someday
if not right now.
Then I seek peace:
I list the worries that disturb my peace of mind …
and imagine that I place them in God’s hands
in the hope that this will bring me respite from anxiety
at least during this time of prayer.
Then I seek the depth that silence brings,
for prayer that springs from silence
is powerful and effective.
So I listen to the sounds around me …
or become aware of the feelings
and sensations in my body …
or my breathing in and out …
First I pray for people whom I love.
Over each of them I say a blessing:
“May you be safe from harm and evil,”
imagining that my words create
a protective shield of grace around them.
Then I move on to people I dislike
and people who dislike me.
Over each of them I say this prayer:
“May you and I be friends some day,”
imagining some future scene
where this comes to pass.
I think of anxious people whom I know …
people who are depressed …
To each of them I say:
“May you find peace and joy,’
imagining that my wish for them becomes reality.
I think of people who are handicapped …
people who are in pain … and say:
“May you find strength and courage,”
imagining that my words unleash resources
within each of them.
I think of lonely people:
people lacking love …
or separated from their loved ones …
and to each of them I say:
“May God’s abiding company be yours.”
I think of older people who,
with the passing of each day,
must face the reality of approaching death,
and to each of them I say:
“May you find the grace to joyfully let go of life.”
I think of the young …. and recite this prayer:
“May the promise of your youth be met
and your life be fruitful.”
Finally I say to each of the people I live with:
“May my contact with you be a grace for both of us.”
I come back to my heart now to rest awhile
in the silence that I find there …
and in the loving feeling
that has come alive in me
as a consequence of my prayer for others …
PERSONAL PROFILE
NAME: IRUDAYARAJ
DATE OF BIRTH: 10 DEC. 1948 PLACE OF BIRTH: MADURAI, TAMILNAD
FATHER: MANICKAM (+) MOTHER: KULANDAI THERESE
BROTHERS AND SISTERS: [To be contacted in case of emergency]
SR. SYRIA MARY, OSM -- 095977 27565
FR. AMALADOSS, OFM -- 0999 481 4827
SR. MARIA MICHAEL, OSM – 094343 77988; 032223 25771
ANTONY (+)
MR. BRITTO-AMALI (IDHAYAN, UDHAYAN, ANGELINE) – 094861 00763
MR. JOSEPH-STELLA (JONES, AMALA) – 098434 65051
MR. EUGENE-SELVI (RAJESH, SUNDAR) – 099948 64317
MR. JOHN-SAHAYAM (REYMA, JOENA) – 099947 98196
1963: Completed Elementary School in BrittoSchool, Madurai
Joined as a candidate to become a Brother of the Sacred Heart
Left after a year and joined the apostolic school in Madurai to become a priest.
1966: Completed High School studies in St. Mary’s, Madurai
1967: Completed Pre-University Certificate at St. Joseph’s, Trichy
Came to Gujarat and joined the pre-novitiate, Ahmedabad
1970: Completed B.Sc. (Maths) and
Joined the Novitiate (one year in Ahmedabad & one year in Mumbai)
1972: Joined the Juniorate in Ahmedabad (Two years: Gujarati & English)
1974: Taught Maths for one year at St. Xavier’s, Anand
1975: Philosophy, Pune (Two Years)
1977: M.Sc. (Maths) – GujaratUniversity (Two Years)
1979: Theology, RTC, Ahmedabad (Three Years)
1982: Ordained to Priesthood (2nd May)
One year pastoral experience in Zankhvav
1983: Rome – Licentiate in Biblical Studies (4 Years)
1987: Began teaching in the RTC, Ahmedabad
1989: Tertianship in Kodaikanal & Three month Sadhana Course in Lonavla.
1990: Final Vows in the Society of Jesus (22nd June)
1999: Began Doctoral Studies in Scripture at Vidya Jyoti, Delhi (Six Years)
2005: Resumed teaching in GVD, the Regional Seminary, Sevasi
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