Dear Brothers in the Philippines, Monaco, Bangalore and in Vallithode!
Happy Independence Day!
It is August 15 and I am sitting in front of our computer in our house in Vallithode. I don’t mention the weather! You know it is raining. After my trip to the meeting of Major Superiors in Fockenfeld I come to greet you and to report a little bit about where things are.
1. Meeting of Major Superiors
As usual this meeting has been filled with good personal exchanges with many confreres from all over the world. I can report that India seems to be an important issue for all of them. They are happy about the developments, are happy about our growth and at the same time seem to be concerned about what is going on in their part of the world. No wonder, there are only a few scholastics left in the so called first world, and our confreres have to struggle and ask themselves a lot of questions. As you can see from the report I gave at the meeting, I told them that we share similar issues as they do but on another level. This means while our confreres seem to be confronted with the consequences of what I call our challenges, for us it is a goal to address these issues in formation in order to allow ourselves to grow properly. If you have any thought or commentary on that feel free to let me know!
2. Vocation Promotion
Many of you were involved in one way or the other in vocation promotion last year. I would like to evaluate last year’s efforts and I am therefore requesting each confrere involved in this matter to answer following questions in writing. Please be as specific as possible:
- What did I do for Vocation Promotion last year?
- What did I like about last year’s efforts to promote vocations?
- In which areas vocation promotion could be improved?
- How should we do it next year?
I believe many of you have good ideas or suggestions. I do hereby thank every confrere who contributed in whatever way last year. You know numbers cannot measure such efforts. But we are happy to have 17 candidates this year here in Vallithode and altogether 36 in several Minor Seminaries. Please be so kind to send to me your answers until the end of September.
3. Vallithode
You might be interested how things are going on on the construction site. One cottage is almost ready, I have to fight for the last details and am optimistic to move in at the end of the month. The watertank is finished, the septic tank almost. We are waiting for a few good weather days in order to be able to concrete the slope roof of Cottage 2 and 3. The centering is finished for that purpose. Cottage 4 and 5 do almost not exist (only some concrete work has been done here). The main construction experiences delay because of the weather, but they started to dig the foundation for the kitchen and the ground structure in concrete has been waiting for a while for more. The generator room is almost finished, some electricians should come soon. But the most important thing is that we are within the given timeframe on one hand, on the other hand we are all keeping fine. Fr. Baiju, who is studying for his B.Ed. and Br. Bosco are a tremendous support, it would not work without them.
4. Koothupuzha
As mentioned before we do have 17 candidates this year and so far things are going on well. Let me tell me their names: P.D., Shinto, Bineesh, Shaji, Shijo, Dennis, Jinto, Siju, Jimmy and Jino are from Kerala, James, Christuraj and Christudhas from Tamil Nadu and Bala, Rayappa, Mareddy and Swamy from Andhra. You met some of them. Until the end of August we will be staying at Koothupuzha, then we will move. We will move since we experience the lack of communication as a major problem. In our house in Koothupuzha there is no phone, we are well installed, have enough space, and still it is not ours. The IMS Fathers are wonderful hosts, the daily travelling for me from one place to the other is challenging. Today, of course we celebrated Independence Day in a proper way by hoisting the flag. Freedom is the keyword of this day for me; freedom and the proper use of it the challenge for India, but for everyone else as well.
5. Fr. Shaju
Coming back from the meeting I was absolutely delighted to see how well Fr. Shaju is doing. Though some bruises can still be seen after this accident, it is all that is left. Thanks be to God! As I write these lines I am almost sure Fr. Shaju has been accepted as student of psychology with the Montfort Fathers and is about to begin a new period of formation. All the best!
6. Fr. Josef Koeltringer
Fr. Josef is still in Austria but about to move to the Philippines by the end of the month of August. Here, for all who want to write to him his address and phone number. I wish him all the best for his sabbatical, which he is about to start and hope he is keeping in touch with us.
Santo Domingo Parish
537 Quezon Ave., Quezon City
P.O. Box 3992 Manila
Philippines
Tel.: 0063 2 7432124
Fax: 0063 2 7408422
Email: koeltringer@osfs.at
7. Fr. Sankarathil and Fr. Ceresko
I do receive on a regular base emails from both. It is always good to hear from them as well as to know that the Indian confreres are much in their thoughts and prayers. Thank you Fathers! Both are busy with “Languages”! One is teaching, Fr. Ceresko gives some time consuming Hebrew classes and Fr. John keeps working on his French. Fathers you are also in our prayers!
8. Other business
Many of you do already have an email address. Please be so kind to let me know your email address, so that we can also communicate via computer. Please make me also aware of any changes of your email address if occurring.
Fr. John Dolan is in the States for one month for a health check as well as for some much deserved holidays. He should be back at the beginning of September in Bangalore!
I have not received any news from Bruzily so far. I hope this letter gets to him somehow!
Dear confreres, I know that some are preparing for their mid-term exams. Keep hanging in there! God bless you!
Fr. Sebastian
Fr. Sebastian
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