Birthday Gala

All the world's a stage & all people are merely players. They have their exits & entrances and one person in his/her time plays many parts. These words of William Shakespeare beautifully summarize life. "Birthdays are feathers on the broad wings of time." They come as peak moments in life where one can sit, relax and gratefully recall the marvels that God has done. We were glad to celebrate the birthdays of Fr Dion and Novice Martin yesterday.

What is outstanding in Fr Dion’s life is that he trusts and that he can be trusted. Martin is a man of ideas that upsurge from his internal stillness and exterior silence. This is what makes them special and different. After the Eucharistic celebration, the novices were free the whole day. In the afternoon, we had a common gathering of the Novitiate community especially dedicated to the Birthday lads.

God now has a very Special Angel!

Words cannot express deep sorrow at the loss of our beloved student Kiran R; the second son to Mr. Ravi & Mrs. Manjula. He was born in an economically backward family and he left us in a gruesome death on 24.08.2009. He passed out of this world on Monday at 7 pm at St John’s Hospital trying to cope with a very painful and terrible accident. He was knocked by a Pushpak bus carrying kindergarten students of Kumaran’s School as he was riding his bicycle. The impact was such that the bicycle handle broke and pierced the boy’s abdomen which led to his unfortunate death; a precious loss to his family and to our school. Kiran who was in class 6 was more than just a wonderful person; he was so kind and considerate to us that we always welcomed seeing him at every opportunity. We can only say how much we will miss him. He was a boy passionate for drawing and gardening. He had planted many saplings in the school premises and would water them everyday before attending the classes. We know that his loss to us will not only leave a void in our lives, but also in the hearts of all those who knew him. We can barely imagine the pain his parents, relatives, friends and teachers feel now. Kiran will be in our thoughts and prayers.

Protest Rally from the Loyola Institutions

School Teachers, College Lecturers, students of the Loyola Institutions (School, College & ITC) along with the Teachers and students of Holy Spirit School and numerous parents held a rally on 26.08.2009 from 9.30 am to 11.40 am in protest against the poor infrastructure of roads and traffic security. They would not only push the government on this but also create better traffic security from Hulimavu to CK Palaya, Kottanur cross, Bannerghatta etc. The rally was held for nearly two hours from the Meenakshi Temple to Loyola ITC bus stop. The rally was attended by parents, teachers and students of Loyola Institutions and Holy Spirit School. The meeting was addressed by numerous dignitaries. The agendas were: Installation of a Traffic Signal, Humps/Speed-breakers, a Traffic police at peak hours and the construction of a Footpath.

Golden Jubilee Celebrations at our Parish

On 23 August, we celebrated the Golden Jubilee of Mount St Joseph at the Parish level. The Parishioners gathered in great numbers and the Church was full to its capacity at the solemn Eucharistic celebration by our much-loved Archbishop Emeritus of Bangalore: Rev Dr Ignatius Pinto at the 8:30 am Kannada Mass. People’s feelings out poured with praise to God for the copious blessings that they had received through MSJ. The Parish choir added significance to the festivity through their harmonious voice. Thereafter, we had a short felicitation programme thanking the Bishop for his presence amidst us. He gave away prizes to the winners of special competitions conducted by MSJ in view of the Jubilee. The distribution of sweets manifested the symbol of love and union amid the flock. The salubrious climate filled everybody with complete bliss. We place on record the hard work and meticulous planning put in by the dynamic Parish Priest, Fr Frankie Noronha, with whose support and smooth organization the commemoration of this auspicious occasion became successful.

Golden Memories: 22 August 1959 - 22 August 2009

Dear Friends,
Our hearts are overwhelming with joy to share with you all the significance of this joyous occasion. Mount St Joseph was officially inaugurated by the then Archbishop of Bangalore Most Rev Thomas Pothacamury on Saturday, 22 August 1959. It is today that this house completes 50 years of Faith and Grace. We wish all our readers a very happy and prosperous Jubilee.
As a part of the Jubilee celebrations, the Blog Coordinators invite all Jesuits of our Province and all those Jesuits from elsewhere who are Mount St Joseph Alumni to compose poems, write short stories and share with us all memorable or humorous incidents when you were associated with this Mother House.
There will also be an online Quiz competition conducted in four sets appearing on the Blog every ten days. Kindly send in your answers to these questions and creative contributions in the form of poems, short stories and memorable or humorous incidents onto our Email address: msjnov@gmail.com Attractive prizes will be awarded when we all meet on 11 October 2009, the day set aside for the Jubilee celebration. Please encourage others too to take part and make this occasion more dynamic and full of life. God loves a cheerful giver.

Golden Jubilee Celebrations

The Parish level Jubilee celebrations will take place tomorrow with a solemn Eucharist at 8:30 AM, presided by Most Rev Dr Ignatius Pinto, Archbishop Emeritus of Bangalore.

Our Rector, Fr Willie Sequeira writes: The Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Mount St Joseph, Bangalore, will be held on Sunday, 11 October 2009. There will be a Seminar on “The Society’s Mission of Evangelization in the context of Religious Fundamentalism and Terrorism” with Fr Rudi Heredia SJ as the Resource Person. The Archbishop of Bangalore will celebrate the Solemn Thanksgiving Eucharist at 5 pm, which will be followed by a brief felicitation programme and Jubilee dinner. All the Jesuits of our Province and all those Jesuits from elsewhere who are Mount St Joseph Alumni are requested to treat this as a personal invitation. Please inform us whether you are coming for the celebration or not by 15 September. You can either write to us or send an e-mail. Please give your address as well as cell number. We will be making all the arrangements for your stay in case you intend to stay for a longer time. Please remember that Mount St Joseph is your Mother House.

Inter-Novitiate Seminar: "Prayer in our Lives"

We, the Novices of the C.R.I Bannerghatta zone, were the privileged ones to be part of a three day course conducted on Prayer by Fr Bitaju at Mount St Joseph from 17–19 August. The participants to this course were Novices from Alverna, Holy Spirit, F.S.I., De LaSalle and Mount St Joseph numbering 42 in all. We discovered that Prayer is an intimate conversational relationship with God to know His will for our lives. Fr Bitaju systematically explained to us various concepts about prayer. We found answers to our questions of the why, what and how of Prayer. We realized that self-knowledge is the best way of knowing God. We were assured that there are certain moments in our lives where human capacities are insufficient and that only He can make the difference. We were taught in detail and depth about vocal, mental and contemplative forms of prayer which also strengthened our convictions about life and God. We also discussed the various difficulties that one may encounter in prayer and were able to distinctively list the symptoms and highlight a few root causes for them. We prayed through images and symbols too. We enjoyed praying for others as well. Towards the end we realized the significance of personal prayer for our own lives. We are grateful to God for the person of Fr Bitaju who shared not just his personal experiences alongside the ups and down from his prayer life but also opened the treasures of Scriptures to all of us making us realize that the Word of God is alive, active and very relevant to each one of us personally. St Augustine has rightly said, “Our hearts are made for You O Lord and they will never find rest until they rest in You.”

Independence Day at the Loyola Institutions

“I will do my best to give a better future to these poor children” was the promise made by our Chief Guest Sri Rajgopal Reddy at the Independence Day celebrations at the Loyola Institutions. After hoisting the Flag and receiving the Guard of Honour, he said that we should imbibe the values of the Father of our Nation and should be ready to stake anything for Mother India.

We had a short cultural programme after the formal function. Our students displayed a skit based on ‘sacrifice’ made by our leaders and soldiers. A few students beautifully accompanied the beats of A. R Rehman with their graceful steps while others praised our Motherland with their velvet voices. The parents of our students added more colour to the celebrations by their valuable presence.

Peoples Retreat - Spiritual Renewal

We had a day of retreat to worship God in an energizing way in our Parish. It was arranged by Fr Francis Noronha, the Parish Priest, as a means of interior preparation in view of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Mount St Joseph this year. This retreat was conducted by a group of Lay people from the Divine Retreat Centre. All the Parishioners participated wholeheartedly. There were many sessions that enlightened people and also strengthened their faith. It was a time of grace and peace for all of them. Many were emotionally freed through the healing power of Jesus Christ. This retreat has certainly nourished and quenched the spiritual hunger and thirst of our laity.

Awake to 'New Life' and 'Freedom'

We wish you all a very happy feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother. Today is also the 63rd Independence Day of our Motherland. We greet you all on this solemn occasion. We had a two-fold celebration at Mount St Joseph. The festive mass was celebrated by Fr Arock, who enlightened all of us on the significance of the Assumption of our Heavenly Mother. There after everybody gathered at the terrace to celebrate 62 years of Freedom, to salute the National Flag and to commemorate the genuine sacrifice of our freedom fighters because of whom we stand firm today. Br Vadaparam was the chief guest at this assembly. He hoisted the Tri-colour and gave the message of truth, love and service. May God bless all of us, our country India and our Leaders.

Year for Priests (19 June 2009 - 19 June 2010)

On 5 August, the Church celebrated the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the death of Saint John Mary Vianney, the Curé of Ars, who is the Patron Saint of Priests. The Holy Father has dedicated this year as the "Year for Priests" from 19 June 2009 through 19 June 2010. In this Year for Priests, let us pray that through His intercession, all Priests be renewed in the love of the Lord, in the joyful pursuit of holiness and in generous commitment to the spread of the Gospel.

Springs of Gratitude

(Sch Lumnesh shares with us his thoughtful insights about life in the Juniorate)

A metaphor that has enhanced our formation as Juniors is “The Ocean”. With its consistence, openness, universality, the ocean symbolizes the formation of a Junior allowing diverse species to live in it. An Ocean allows numerous and varied minerals to flow into it, diverse species to regenerate and exit. This makes it universal and open. It was during our Juniorate that we as Juniors tasted the minerals of various cultures, experiences and opportunities.

Juniorate has its main purpose: formation in humanities, the development of language skills both spoken and written, the study of literature, an initiation into the human sciences and the scientific culture of our times.Apart from these we were trained to acquire skills to form habits of serious study and to develop a commitment to excellence by which we are constantly driven to reach out for the MAGIS.

Our minds were open to analyze, understand and reflect critically and creatively. The progressive integration of life in the Spirit, apostolic involvement and study was deepened in the Juniorate.It was more of freedom with responsibility to grow as a person in intellectual, spiritual, affective and social dimensions. We were trained to present convincing arguments logically, forcefully and persuasively. We were instilled with the spirit of team work, friendship and transparency.

The courses offered like; art appreciation, film appreciation, psycho-spiritual integration, social analysis, eco awareness, current sciences and time management has formed us to be an all-rounder. I place on record my sincere gratitude to all the staff of Vidyaniketan, South Indian Common Juniorate, Trivandrum for their tireless and selfless service in shaping us as men for others, well equipped to face the challenging situations that surround us. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more, gratitude, makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Renewal Course at Prerana (Ignatian Spirituality Centre)

Prerana, the Ignatian Spirituality Centre, saw the arrival of seventeen young and dynamic Religious men and women from different parts of South India in order to take part in a Renewal Course organized from 15 June through 30 July. The course began on a good note through the Ice-breaking cum Faith-sharing session conducted by Fr Sunil Fernandes. The course contained the following themes: Principles of Spiritual Life, The Spirituality of St Paul, Spirituality of New Testament, New ways of being Religious today, Growth in prayer, Psycho-Spiritual Integration, Spiritual Direction, Counseling and Discernment. The services rendered by Frs Freddie D’Silva, Jossie Lobo, Ralph da Costa, Hilario Fernandes, Dion Vaz, William Sequeira, Francis Menezes and Terence Farias in making this programme a success is creditable. After a days break, the group made their 8-day Annual Retreat under the able guidance of Fr Tom Q, the Programme Coordinator for activities at Prerana.

Loyola Happenings

Sharing of Inner Movements

“Trusting in God would not make the mountain smaller, but will certainly make climbing easier. Don’t ask Him for a lighter load but ask Him for a stronger back” is the phrase which goes very well with our students. In order to lighten their inner burden that is often unexpressed and at times derails their way of going about, to set all these things right on track we have started a counseling centre under the able guidance of Fr Francis Noronha. It has been of great help to all students and they have gained a lot. Moreover they come out with smiles on their faces.

On Cloud Nine

To believe in something in which everyone believes is Belief, but to believe in something in which everyone does not believe is Confidence. Here is something for you to believe... It is the confidence of the primary students that has fetched them the Championship at the Inter-School Cluster Level sports held from 27 to 29 July. No doubt that every child who took part ran in the right track, remained honest and finally came out with flying colours. God has blessed the hard work of our children. Some of them are now preparing for the next step. We wish our lovely kids all the best …

A Red-letter Day

Truly 1 August was a Red-letter day for the Loyola Institutions. We celebrated the feast of St Ignatius. Prior to this we had many competitions where good many of our students actively took part. We began the day with a Quiz followed by a formal and a cultural programme. Fr Rector delivered the key note address while Mrs S G Prema gave the musings. As Jesuits, we are called to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives and release from darkness to prisoners. This was a golden chance for us to renew this mission of ours among the poor being one with them. Right now all children are found at their desks burning the midnight oil as they prepare for their next mission: the Exams.

"Ablaze with Christ's Love"

July 31 this year was different. Like Ignatius all his sons at Mount St Joseph Dared to be Different. The day began on a highly spiritual note. Fr Hilary Pereira was the Main Celebrant at the Festive mass. He preached an appealing homily. His focus throughout the sermon was the 'Magis' meaning 'More'… ‘All for the Greater Glory of God’ and We were set "Ablaze with Christ's Love." The presence of the whole community at the Eucharist added meaning to our celebration. A highly informative and enriching Quiz was thereafter conducted among the Novices. Creative plays adapting to the modern context on the lives of St Ignatius of Loyola (as a Nuclear Scientist) and St Francis Xavier (as a Musician) were staged. Fr Dion, our Novice Master, lead us into the Examination of Consciousness. Prizes were distributed at Lunch to all the winners of various competitions conducted in honour of our founder. Afternoon was a time for rest and recreation. In the evening the Seniors and the Novices engaged themselves in a thrilling game of basket ball. Kudos to the Seniors for their sweeping victory. The Rosary at the feet of our blessed Mother was an occasion to experience the richness of various cultures within ourselves. We recited a decade each in Kannada, Tamil, Konkani and English. We even sang a decade of the Rosary to our Lady. After Benediction and Supper we had get-together among ourselves which brought out our talents and capacities. This day was certainly special as we learnt to give ourselves into all activities, fully.