Live Jesus !
Samarpanaram, March 2007

Dear confrere!

I t has almost been six months since you last have heard from me by means of a letter. You know that I have been away for quite a while. It is in very good spirits that I have returned. I was already longing to return and am now prepared to continue my work and life with you in India.
While I was away, I went also to Brazil to celebrate the promotion of the South American Region to a Province. The experience there was enriching, encouraging, and moving. Let me share three aspects of the celebrations that touched me most.

• Hospitality

The warmth of the South American (and Haitian) confreres and the population of Rio Grande do Sul was overwhelming. We were on a one-week trip visiting places where Oblates used to work or still work. At times villages with car convoys, their drivers using their horn frenetically, welcomed us. People took time to spend with us, to show us around, to make us feel at home. The confreres of the hosting province kept looking after us, treating us well, almost reading our needs from our eyes. I do mention this because hospitality is a value that I want to hold up before us. Having experienced it touched me, and it invites me to make a permanent effort to increase my hospitality towards others. I’d enjoy it if we could help each other in that matter. India, you, has already taught me a lot in that regard. I suggest that among many other things that we are undertaking during lent, we can actively cultivate virtues rather than avoid mistakes. It is quite Salesian to focus on the virtues opposite to our weaknesses and to practice them. Hospitality can be one of them.

• Simplicity

One of the really “simple” experiences during our journey was the day when seven of us travelers were put together in one room for the night. I was delighted to witness how uncomplicated things went. Yes, we had snoring competitions in the rooms: “Fr. Alberto from Ecuador won in my room”, but it was good to have such an experience. It challenged me to keep looking for simplicity in my life. So many things in my life I take for granted. Simplicity in life style can be taken up by every one of us on a daily base. We may not always be on the same page, at the same level, but everything that encourages us to grow in simplicity is an encouragement to a Salesian way of life. I don’t know if our confreres planning the trip in Brazil had this in mind, I however was inspired in that way and am grateful for that challenge.

• Salesian Footprint

The most moving experience for me however, was a small gesture that our confreres did at every single place that we stayed at. At the end of mass, the parish priest or the person in charge of the parish would receive from the Provincial a small statue of Saint Francis de Sales. It was like leaving a Salesian footprint behind. And again an inspiration for our day-to-day life: to leave a Salesian footprint behind. Nothing else really matters, if people that meet us, come to know us, are being ministered by us, realize this Salesian footprint left behind by us. I felt encouraged by this gesture and would like to encourage you that there is nothing else that really matters in our way of life as Oblates of St. Francis de Sales other than leaving a Salesian impression behind. What sounds easy is a real challenge. Let us also in this regard be models and confreres who help each other to grow. As a sign of remembrance of that “Salesian footprint” I brought three statues of St. Francis de Sales from Brazil with me, one for each community. They shall remind us of our mission.

And now let us take a look at our future together The advisory board met on March 10 and 11 2007 and I am now happy to announce recent decisions.

• The advisory board and the General Council have unanimously approved Br. Chandra Sekhar Pinapati to receive Holy orders. On March 31st 2007, at 6.00 PM, Most Rev. Dr. Ignatius Pinto has agreed to ordain Br. Chandra Sekhar Deacon in Samarpanaram. For us in India it is again a chance to celebrate and to give thanks for the vocation of our confrere. We are looking forward to that occasion.

• It has been a long set goal for us in India to establish a Novitiate community. Last year we changed our formation program in a way that allowed us to look more precisely into that matter. It is in May 2009 that our next novitiate will start. That leaves us with almost two years of time to make final arrangements. The last year was a long year of reflection and discernment. We were looking at the issue under different aspects, Fr. Vincent and a team discussed parameters and possible places for a novitiate and did a lot of homework. Later Fr. Xavier looked deeper into the situation. Our financial situation kept us on hold. However, it looks like that things have now fallen into place. The Swiss confreres have decided to help us substantially. With their help, and with funds that we had set apart over the last years we were in a position to make a decision at the last advisory board meeting. We have looked at different places in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. At last it is within our financial possibilities and meeting almost all of our envisioned parameters (e.g. other formation communities around) that we have decided to proceed with the establishment of a Novitiate community in Eluru/Andhra Pradesh. The General Council has approved our decision. The Bishop of Eluru has welcomed us wholeheartedly. And now it is up to us to put that decision into concrete pieces of land and buildings. I would like to thank the Swiss confreres for their generous help. I want also to thank Fr. Vincent, Fr. Xavier and all others who have contributed their insights. May God continue to show us his way.

• As a first consequence of this decision, the advisory board has decided to ask (Deacon to be) Chandra Sekhar to work as Deacon in the Diocese of Eluru. Being there he will be able to assist in different kinds of matters regarding the establishment there. Together with Fr. Xavier I will be visiting the Bishop of Eluru by the end of March and will then be able to communicate a proper address of Chandra.

• As a new academic year is about to start I am happy to announce following changes of personnel for the coming year:
• Fr. Bala Swamy Dande is assigned to Salespuram. He will be the treasurer of the community and in charge of the Orientation brothers. His term starts on April 25th 2007.
• There will be two regents working in Salespuram during the next academic year. The others will be sent for their regency to the North East of India in cooperation with the MSFS.
• Fr. Xavier Manchu is transferred to Samarpanaram. He will be the Treasurer of Samarpanaram as well as the director of Brisson Bala Bhavan. His term starts on May 27th 2007.
• Fr. Reji Choorakunnel will remain in Samarpanaram. He is put in charge of the Candidates (BA students and +2 students) beginning with May 27th 2007 and will be assisted in that regard by Fr. Xavier. Furthermore he is free to look for some teaching experience in a school in Bangalore after having completed his B.Ed. by the end of March 2007.
  

• Fr. Baiju Puthussery will complete his studies for M.Ed. by May. He is given permission to gain some experience in the field of teaching and administration in a school in the States for one year. Furthermore Fr. Baiju is called to generate some income for our community by the way of teaching. There is an option for a possible second year, but it will depend, among other things, on our need for personnel here in India next year.
• Fr. Shaju Kanjiramparayil is permitted to go for his doctoral studies in Psychological Counseling in the United States. A place has not yet been finalized.
• Fr. Sebastian Leitner has been approved as the Superior of Samarpanaram and will be in charge of the Philosophers. The General Council has approved his appointment. The commencement of his term has yet to be finalized.

And here a short summary of what was discussed at our last advisory board meeting.

1. Approval of Minutes of last Advisory board meetings.
2. Report Fr. Sebastian.
3. Report from Salespuram (Fr. Mathew, Fr. Xavier).
4. Report from Bliss (Fr. Fred).
5. Report from Samarpanaram (Fr. Shaju).
6. Assignments for the next academic year.
7. We discussed different things regarding the General Meeting
1. Election of a new advisory board for the coming 2 years
2. Would it be wise to introduce a clear amount of pocket money for Fathers?
3. Fr. Sebastian Leitner will give a report.
4. Proposals related to the General Chapter. The minutes of the General Chapter 2006 will be made available for everyone at the next general Meeting in May.
5. Formation Program
6. Who will lead through the proceedings of the Chapter?
8. Our annual retreat will be for all of us together (Fathers and scholastics) from Sunday, May 20th until Friday, May 25th.  Fr. General is giving the retreat.
9. General Meeting will take place in Samarpanaram from Saturday, May 26th to Sunday, May 27th. All shall participate in the retreat and in the General Meeting. I request anyone who wants to make a proposal to the General Meeting to send this proposal to me not later than April 20th 2007.
10. Renewal of vows will be as usual on May 30th. Theologians can do it in Bliss!
11. Visit of Fr. Leon Bonikowski (Wilmington-Phil. Prov.) from March 11th to March 25th.
12. Visit of Fr. Stéphane Raux (French Prov.) from March 18th to April 6th.
13. Visit of Fr. Aldino Kiesel, Superior General, from May 12th to May 31st 2007.
14. We talked about the future of Fr. John Sankarathil and await some more information.
15. Fr. Maichael, Fr. Xavier and Fr. Bala Dande will attend an Accountancy course at the Friary from May 28th to June 2nd.
16. Report regarding Formation Program Paper
17. Next meeting of advisory board will be on:
1. Formation program (1day)
2. General Meeting (1 day)
3. Evaluation of professed members (2 days)
4. Budget (1 day)
   and will take place from April 27th 2007 8.30 PM until May  1st 4.00 PM at the latest in Samarpanaram.  The evaluation reports of all should be turned in by April 20th to Fr. Sebastian.

18. The need for a well in Samarpanaram arose because of drought. The digging of a new well was granted. Meanwhile sufficient water has been found.
19. Computers for Brisson Bala Bhavan and Samarpanaram were requested and approved
20. Fr. Shaju will be in charge of formulating and coordinating the report of the director of formation as well as the report of the formees to the Meeting of Major Superiors in the States.
21. Possibility of a vehicle for Brisson Bala Bhavan (pending).
22. UPS system at Samarpanaram.
23. Salespuram requested an additional computer.
24. Fr. Sebastian will make contact with Tom Dailey regarding computers and online program.
25. We discussed the possibility of establishing a one-month English course in Salespuram offering our knowledge, using the facilities, providing our qualities to people around us. Fr. Mathew was encouraged to pursue this line, to gain experience. May be another program than English could be offered. May be this one month (April15 to May 15) course could be worked out in cooperation with DeSales University. Besides that Fr. Fred, Fr. Sebastian and other could work as resource persons. Mathew will see if the program can be launched this year, otherwise he is encouraged to do next year. It would be a means of utilizing our resources and to generate income as well as to do something for the people living around us.
26. Salespuram requested the building of a permanent place for cooking with firewood.
27. Salespuram requested to put up a structure for workers. It was discussed and more information requested.
28. People around Samarpanaram have asked if we could have a parish in Chandapura. It is true that more and more people are coming for Sunday mass. However we feel a lot of investigation has to be done. The parish priest, the Bishop should be involved. As a first step of reflection Fr. Sebastian will contact Fr. Kozhuppakkalam.

Please remember in your prayers and in Holy Mass our deceased confreres.

Name	Status	Age	Deceased on	Prov. of Origin
Maccarinelli, Ilario	Priest	82	October 19th 2006	Italian Pr.
Testa, Emilio	Priest	80	November 8th 2006	Italian Pr.
Konstanty, Francis J.	Brother	80	December 20th 2006	Wilmington Pr.
Wojnicki, Richard J.	Priest	52	January 1st 2007	Wilmington Pr.
Connolly, John P.	Priest	77	January 17th 2007	Wilmington Pr.
O'Neill, John P.	Priest	77	February 10th 2007	Toledo Pr.
Schelich, Anthony T.	Priest	69	February 28th 2007	Wilmington Pr.

Please do also pray for the departed soul of Mr. Alex Simon, former member of our community, who passed away unexpectedly on December 24th 2006 during Christmas Mass in Chennai.

• Congratulations to Fr. Michel Tournade osfs who has commenced his third term as Provincial of the French Province on January 24th 2007.
• Congratulations to our confreres from the South American Province for becoming a Province.
• Congratulations to Fr. Michael Moore osfs who has become the first Provincial of the South American Province on February 3rd 2007.

Now is a special time for Vocation Promotion. We all are responsible for the success of this year’s efforts. Please make sure to include efforts in that area into your schedule. It is important that not only the designated Vocation promoters but also all other confreres, ordained or not, professed or not, give themselves fully into this task. Please support Fr. Reji and Fr. Bala Swamy.

It is my duty to inform you, that Br. Bala Swamy Pasala, Br. Mandoz Antony, Br. Biju Simon and Br. Jobish Mathew have left the Congregation for personal reasons during the last couple of weeks. Keep them in your prayers as well.

One more thought: Treasure hunting!

As I mentioned at the beginning of my letter Saint Francis de Sales keeps calling for practicing the opposite virtues to what we may have discovered as weakness or area for improvement. May I suggest one more option in that context? Go for a treasure hunt! Everyday, when you get up, resolve to find something good, worthwhile and precious within you. At the same time look for such treasures also in others: your confrere, your neighbor, you student, your classmate, the person sitting next to you in the bus, the person knocking at your door. Easy? No! Challenging? Yes! Worthwhile? Absolutely!

Finally I encourage you to send to me any information you want to be published on our web-site. I will make sure it gets there. Feel free to check it under http://www.osfs-asia.net . I would also appreciate if you want to update the information given on our congregational web page: http://www.desalesoblates.org to inform me about changes e.g. regarding your email id or phone number.

I do not want to close before greeting all our young candidates in Salespuram and Samarpanaram, our young confreres in Samarpanaram and Bliss, Br. Jayaraj and all Fathers who are in the middle of exams. God be with you during that time.
I want also to greet Fr. Josef and Fr. Bruzily in the Philippines who are setting up the parameters of our foundation there. I am looking forward to visit them along with our Superior General in the beginning of May.
I greet our other confreres, those living abroad, Fr. John Sankarathil and Fr. Baiju, and of course Fr. Bala Swamy Dande in Visakhapatnam and Fr. Vincent and Br. Jayaraj in Bangalore. Greetings!

For the upcoming celebration of Easter I do wish you that you may experience the Risen Christ in your heart! God bless you!

We remain in St. Francis de Sales

 

Fr. Sebastian Leitner osfs

 

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