(Fr.Victor Piovesan teaches Systematic Theology at St.Joseph's Seminary, Mangalore. As he completes 60 fruitful years in the Society of Jesus this year, msjblog was privileged to interview him on this occasion)
Could you share with us your vocation story in brief? At the age of 13 I had joined the Diocesan Seminary of the Diocese of Trevesio(Italy). Those were years of war: joys and sufferings. I completed my Licentiate with Philosophy and Classical Maturity. During those years the Lord was inspiring me to work for Ecumenism. Directed by my Spiritual Director, I joined the Society on October 7th 1947, with the request to be sent to work for Ecumenism. But the Lord changed my plans and on June 21st 1948 when still a Novice, the Provincial asked me to volunteer for the Indian Mission. The response cost me much, mostly for my parents and the parishioners who expected to see me as a Priest. But after prayer and discernment I said my YES; and on August 1950 I sailed from Genova, together with my companion, Br. Luigi Perego, for India.
After completing my theological studies at Kurseong, I was assigned from Calicut to Mangalore Province, with the ministry of teaching Philosophy and Theology in St. Joseph’s Seminary Mangalore!
During these long years I had to face several dangerous diseases: Hemorrhage (1972), heart attack (1991), Heart surgery in Italy (1996), etc. Now at the age of 80, I am preparing for the last stage of my pilgrimage to reach my Heavenly Father!
What is the best thing about being a Jesuit?
I thank my Heavenly Father for calling me to be a companion of His incarnate Son, Jesus Christ. From the Noviciate to this day, I am enjoying being a companion of Jesus: deepening my personal knowledge of Him, experiencing His abiding presence in me, etc. My Theology has helped me to deepen my spiritual life, which is totally centered on JESUS CHRIST for the service of the Church.
What are your happiest memories about?
My Novitiate, my life in Kandy and Kurseong, my work in the Seminary, in particular my commitment to Ecumenism in Mangalore; my teaching of theological courses at IMD (Goa for 25 years), at JVD (Pune), and Vidyajyoti (New Delhi) and at the Morning Star (Calcutta).
What lessons has life taught you?
Life has taught me that true fulfillment and happiness is found in accepting God’s mysterious will, to say YES to the father, in union with Jesus through the inspiration and power of the Holy Spirit. The heavenly Father loves me as His child; hence I have no worry, but only desire to discern and accept His mysterious plan in my life.
Please share with us your dominant feeling at this moment of your life as a Jesuit.
Looking back on my life I can only thank my heavenly ABBA, my companion Jesus and my “Divine Mother”, the Holy Spirit. Of course, Devotion to our Blessed Mother Mary, and to our Saints, etc, has helped me to discern God’s plan in my life and to accept it as the best for me. Hence my feelings are those of FILIAL GRATITUDE to the Triune God who dwells within me, and of total surrender and trust in THEM for the last days of my earthly pilgrimage.
Any message to our readers?
My message is given to me by the late Fr. Ricardo Lombardi, SJ the founder of the Better World Movement, whom I met after my first encounter at the Novitiate in 1948. There he told us: “If you want to be happy and fruitful in the Society, be ready and willing to be the last in the list in the Society.” And then in Rome in 1977, while dying in the infirmary at the Gesu, he told me, “My present condition as a dying Jesuit will be more fruitful to the Church and the Society than all the discourses, the glories received in ministries. Jesus saved the world on the CROSS, and we, as His companions will contribute to His mission by filling up what is wanting in his Passion for the Church.”
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