Christmas Celebration

It is a real Christmas Joy. The whole institution came together to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The children prepared a beautiful Christmas progamme. "Salam Malekum" Peace be with you is resounded everywhere. The children know that this can be used by everyone and this was taught to the children by Fr Robert who gave the Christmas messge on the occasion. Children listened very attentively what he had to say. Children were so happy because when they went back they had Kuswar to munch. After the celebration with the chilren we had a celebration for the family members of our staff. It started with some cultural events like games and Fr John organised delicious dinner at Prerana.

Sports Day 2008-09

It was real joy for the children to prove their metal on the field. Two days of sports meet was held on December 19th and 20th for the Primary, High school and for the college students. Several events were held so that most of the children had an opportunity to exhibit their talent. On 19th we had the inaugural ceremony and the BEO, of Bangalore South, Mr Hanumantappa was the chief guest. Fr Freddie presided over the ceremony. We had few cultural events in the morning to mark the inauguration. Speaking at the occasion Mr Hanumatappa said the children need a holisitc growth. events like sport is an integral part of education. He also praised the facility the school provides for the children. Many banefactors and also the old students came to witness the events. For the closing ceremony we had Mr J Abraham, Ass Manager in BHEL Bangalore. He is an old student of Indian High School. In his speech he praised the values that he has learnt from Jesuit education. He told the students to take an active part in school activities which only will help in theie career. The children entertained the gathering through their various cultural programmes. All the children from 5th standard to PUC had a role to play. The programme was well appreciated. Fr William Sequeira the Rector was the president of the closing ceremony.

Karnataka Rajyotsava

The entire Loyola Institutions in MSJ campus came together to honour our state. November 1st being the Karnatak Rajyotsava was celebrated in our institution with great pomp. The programme started at 9.00 where the school band welcomed the guests and led them in procession to the stage. Deputy Director of PU board, Mr Marappa was the chief guest for the celebration. He was highly appreciative of the programme and the whole programme over one and half hour was about our state. The other guest we had was Mr T Krishna who is a retired engineer in BEML. He is a follower of Gandhian ideals. All the institutions like Primary, High School, College and the ITI students put up a combined programme on the newly built stage in the High School premises. Fr John D'Souza and the newly appointed ITI principal were the host party. In all that was a wonderful event.

Happy Independence Day

Fr Terence Colaco is no more.

Fr Terence Colaco passed on to the Lord peacefully at the age of 80 years having spent 60 years in the Society of Jesus. With the passing away of Fr Terry on 12th August, the Karnataka Province of the Society of Jesus loses a great Jesuit who was restless for Christ all his life. He was a man of deep faith, intense prayerfulness and total trust in divine providence. On the 13^th morning, the funeral mass was celebrated at the Chapel of St Joseph’s Boys’ High School. Fr Ambrose Pinto preached the homily and Fr Claude D'Souza gave the funeral oration. The funeral service took place at the cemetery of Mount St Joseph. Along with the relatives and friends, a large number of Jesuits bid goodbye to the mortal remains of Fr Terry. May his soul rest in peace & may he enjoy the bliss prepared by the Lord for his faithful servant.

Blessing & Inauguration of the new BasketBall Court

Last week, the new basket ball court was blessed and inaugurated. Our new Basketball court received its inaugural blessings from the hands of our Rector, Fr. William Sequeira, on 7^th August. There was a short prayer service conducted by the novices in which all the people (Architect, Contractor, Labourers, Painters etc) responsible for the completion of the work were remembered with gratitude. Thanks to the painstaking efforts of Schs. John Paul & Jossie Rodrigues who took up the supervision of the work under the guidance of Fr Dion Vaz. The novices organized a basketball match on this special occasion. A spectacular, thrilling, exciting and nail biting match was held between the novices and the senior community. Certainly, the novices were amazed to see the playing skills of the senior Fathers and Scholastics. Both the teams competed very well to give a splendid performance. The novices were on their toes cheering both the teams. The match ended with an exciting tie with 24 points each. The hero of the day was none other than Fr Jossie D’Mello as he received the man of the match award for his terrific and fabulous performance. It was a grand gala match at Mount St Joseph - the inaugural match in the new basketball court. The novices are not only elated but also delighted to have a new basketball court. Their dream to have a new basketball court has become a reality now! They are already working on their skills and strategies to become better players. All the best in your endeavour dear novices.

Young Priests’ Gathering at Prerana(MSJ)

The hot blood of the Karnataka Jesuit Province came together for sharing and reflection on 2nd and 3rd of August at Prerana (Ignatian Spirituality Centre). The gathering began with a talk by Fr Freddie D’Silva on Priestly Mission in the Society of Jesus which led us into reflection and group sharing on the joys and challenges of a young priest in modern world. In the afternoon, we had a sharing by Dr Rajaram who spoke to us about his impression about the Jesuits which made us realize that we need to be authentic to our Call. On the 3rd, Fr William Sequeira enlightened us on Psycho-Spiritual Integration through an interactive session. No doubt the need of the hour is to be integrated Jesuits. Then our Provincial, Fr Vijay Prabhu, in his address gave us some guidelines so that we may be effective and efficient in our ministries. He also shared the dreams and challenges of the Province with the young priests. Many felt that it is worth coming together for sharing and reflection & the credit goes to Fr Melwyn Mendonca who meticulously planned out every detail of the programme. All the participants thanked the community of Mount St Joseph and the members of Prerana for the warmth and hospitality.

Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola (31 July 2008)

The preparation for the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola began on a spiritual note with the novena which was meaningful, devotional, creative and participative. The themes that were especially chosen from GC 35 inspired all of us. Fr Jossie D’Mello guided the community members and the novices with the recollection points that helped us march in the footsteps of the Pilgrim Saint. On the 31^st of July, Fr William (our Rector) celebrated the Eucharist in the morning. Fr Sunil preached an inspiring homily. The beautifully decorated chapel and meaningfully arranged liturgy with the theme “Many Sparks, One Fire” set the spiritual tone for the day. Later, the novices had to sharpen their intellect which was tested by a thrilling quiz competition based on the life of St Ignatius and the Society of Jesus. In the afternoon, a Benediction service was conducted by Fr Hilario Fernandes and Sch. Alphonse for all the neighbouring Religious, well-wishers and the Diocesan Clergy. For the dinner, a large gathering of our well wishers and neighbouring Religious was present. In his brief welcome speech, the Rector introduced the new members of the community and the new ventures in the campus. Later in the evening a spectacular volleyball match was held between the Novices and the senior community. Indeed, the Novices were surprised to see the playing skills of the senior Fathers. The celebration of the feast of our Founder has certainly helped the novices to grow spiritually, emotionally, intellectually and physically. It was a grand celebration at Mount St. Joseph - the celebration of the feast of St Ignatius.

Get-together of the Loyola Institutions

It was a family get-together of the Loyola institutions (Primary, High School, PUC and ITI) at Mount St. Joseph on the occasion of the Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola. The programme began with a short prayer service conducted by the novices. Fr Freddie gave a short reflection on the Scriptural passage which was meaningful and full of insights. The Rector, Fr William Sequeira, warmly welcomed the gathering. He highlighted the role of the laity in our Institutions as collaborators and partners. Fr Sunil gave a thought provoking message and asked the staff to be partners to carry forward the vision and mission of St Ignatius. Mr Kanthraj, one of the teachers in the High School, gave the festal message on behalf of all the teachers. The whole ceremony was well compered by Sch. Alphonse Fernandes.

Kho-Kho Winners

The high school has a reason to cheer. The first sport event that was held for this academic year has raised our hopes for greater things. The girl’s Kho-Kho team has come out victorious in the event held by “Young Pioneers Sports Club ®.” It was a district level inter-school competition. The winning team has got to its credit Rs. 10,000/- cash award as well. Two of our students have got individual prizes too. One was chosen as the Best Defender and the other one as the Best All Rounder who also received a cash of Rs 5,000/-. We congratulate our children.

Getting the Parents Together

Getting the parents together was one of the aims of Fr Henry Saldanha S J. That came true on 27^th of this month. The parents of primary, high school and college were called for a gathering. The response really surprised us. In the beginning Fr Henry, the principal, explained the aims and objectives of having this meeting. The parents were asked to join their hands in building a better society. Speaking at the occasion, the acting Rector, Fr Dion said, it is not only the responsibility of the school to form the children in human values but also the parents have a greater role to play. We need citizens who spread love, peace and harmony and not violence. While addressing the parents Fr Henry S J said, we need the support of the parents who are ready to spend their time, energy and above all valuable suggestions. The parents were really impressed by the efforts of the school which was so much visible in the way they volunteered to be part of Parent Teacher Association (PTA). We are sure lot of things will happen in the days to come with the active participation of the dedicated staff as well as the parents.

Inter-Novitiate Seminar on Prayer

“Prayer and Prayer Methods”: A 3-day Inter-Novitiate seminar was organized at Mount St Joseph. 102 novices of the C.R.I Bannerghatta zone from 8 different men and women religious congregations (Holy Trinity Ashram, Holy Mary Convent, Holy Spirit Convent, Joseph Nivas, FSI Novitiate, Alverna Novitiate, La Salle Arpana Nivas & Mount St Joseph) attended this seminar. The resource persons were Frs Dion and Sunil, who along with a textual overview (theory inputs) gave us personal experiences as well as a number of practical sessions. Indeed we novices have benefited a lot from this seminar and it has redefined our approach to prayer. The best is often at the last. The seminar concluded with a panel discussion in which all the novice directors and novice

directresses were invited. They answered our doubts and problems that we generally face in our prayer life. The highlight of the seminar was the panel discussion. All the novices were nourished spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. It was time for our novices to interact with the novices of other religious congregations. Some are already looking forward to many more inter-novitiate seminars/courses of this kind! Above all, the seminar was really fruitful and full of deepening insights.

Graduates from Loyola ITI

(Contributed by Mr Prabhu Lawrence
1st year M M V student)

The management, staff and in particular junior students felt mixed feeling as we bid good bye to our graduates. The solemn graduation ceremony was held in the ITI premises on 21st July. Over 60 students from four different trades moved out of this college. To grace the occasion we had local eminent personalities. The whole day was set aside for various activities. In the morning we had matches and in the afternoon formal programme as well as cultural programmes. Students who had excelled in various field were honoured during the graduation ceremony.

Gathering Our Fruits

It was a moment of joy especially for the teachers who are serving in our high school for the last 20 or more years. For the first time the old student came to the campus with their old memories. They were really emotional as they met their teachers and proud to say what they are doing. The staff and the management felt so happy to see the giants who have made mark in the society. The dynamic Principal, Fr Henry Saldanha S J, presented his plans and it was well accepted by our alumni. Speaking on the occasion Fr William Sequeira S J said that it is our dream to see more and more students feel that this is their home . The senior most teacher Madam Kripalini, who knew practically all the students was the MC for the occasion. She remembered some of the important personalities in the present society who had come up to that stage due to Jesuit Education. The first meeting with the old students has enthused everybody in the campus. We look ahead glorious days in the near future through the active participation of our old students.

Goodbye and Welcome

The Loyola Primary School will be with out a familiar face. Sr Pushpalatha who served in the Primary School bid adieu to us all . Since her Provincial has asked her to pursue further studies it is unavoidable where she has to go away from here. In her place we have Sr Carmine Dias from Holy Cross Congregation. As we thank Sr Pushpalatha for her service, we also wish all the best to Sr Carmine. The farewell and the welcome was a grand event. The children with the assistance of the teachers put up a good programme the mark the event.

PRERANA - Ignatian Spirituality Centre, Bangalore.

Prerana (Ignatian Spirituality Centre) is buzzing with activities; just now there is a three-month Renewal Programme going on with 17 participants. Prerana is a new venture of the Karnataka Jesuit Province recently begun with the purpose of sharing the riches of Ignatian Spirituality with all sections of the People of God by means of training courses and renewal programmes for formators, formees, community animators, spiritual directors etc. Prerana specially welcomes lay people either in groups or individually particularly married couples for a quiet time together. Counselling help is available. Facilities are also available for groups and organizations who want to conduct their own Programmes. Situated just 15 Kms from Bangalore City Railway Station on a large campus of Mount St Joseph/Dhyanashrama on Bannerughatta Road, this brand new facility surrounded by rich greenery is an oasis of silence and peace and is an ideal get-away from a busy, noise-filled stressful life.

About the Courses: Four main courses are arranged - one of 3 month duration and the other three of 6 weeks each. Each course consists of different modules and concludes with a 30 day Ignatian retreat. Those who do not wish to attend the entire course may opt for one or more individual modules.

Apply to:
The Director (Prerana)
Mount St Joseph
PB 7645, IIMB Post
Bannerughatta Road
Bangalore - 560 076.
Tel: (080)32402408/26485778
Cell: 9449590034
Email: preranaisc@gmail.com

National Players at MSJ

Loyola Composite PU college is creating waves in all possible ways. 5th of July was a special day for the children as well as for the staff of this institution. It is for the first time in the history of this institution where we had International players visiting our campus and to encourage our children to take an active role in the various sport events. We had two young men i. e. Mr Raghunath and Mr Nilesh who have made our country rich through their contribution to the sport of hockey. Both of them are playing for our country. ( Both were the students of Fr Henry, the Principal). They spoke to our children saying, if you work hard you can represent our country. To encourage this sport Mr Raghunath and Mr Nilesh have promised to sponsor 30 sets of required things for hockey game. We are grateful to them for their generous support. We also had amidst us Mr Manohar Katke, (Hockey coach from the Sports Authority of India) Mr Ashfaq (Basketball coach from the Sports Authority of India), Mrs Indira (Kabaddi coach,Sports Authority of India) and Mr Boniface Lewis (former Sports Secretary, Indian High School- Bangalore). All of them spoke to our children and explained the various schemes available to a sport person. It was a great help in motivating our children. Many children have come forward to take an active part in the sports in the days to come. We are indebted to our well-wishers for making themselves available to render their services to the unprivileged children.

Welcome First Years (Entrance Day)

Our hearts at MSJ were filled with immense gratitude towards God on the 19^th of June as fifteen (Martin, Anand, Pradeep, Yesunath, Alwyn Misquith, Arvin Pais, Ashwin D’Silva, Jason Martis, Jaison D’Souza, Joel Fernandes, Prashanth Saldanha, Joyson Vas, Ruben D’Souza, Ryan Rodrigues and Rajesh Sankuru) new bright, sparkling, twinkling, charming stars coming from different places joined the Novitiate. They journeyed together fruitfully through the First Probation (It is a time for a novice to know and love God, the Society of Jesus and oneself by committing totally to Christ Jesus and His mission). It was the ‘Entrance Day’ for the freshers on the 2nd of July when they began the Second Probation in the Society of Jesus. In the evening, we had the Eucharist. Fr William Sequeira was the main celebrant. He preached an inspiring homily. After the Communion, a hymn was sung to the Holy Spirit followed by a prayer for the descent of the Holy Spirit. The freshers recited the prayer of a novice on the entrance day. Soon after the prayer, there was laying of hands on the first year novices by Frs William, Dion, Sunil and Jossie D’Mello. A picture of Jesus was given by Fr Dion to each of them. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” As the novices have taken the first step in the Society of Jesus, their presence has brought a lot of joy and happiness to our community.

Happy Birthday Dear Frs William & Arokiasamy

The MSJ Community celebrated the birthday of Fr William Sequeira (Rector) and Fr Arokiasamy (Minister) on the 29th of June. It was a great and memorable day to all the members of our community. In the evening, there was a prayer service conducted by the novices. There was a short cultural programme followed by a sumptuous meal. "Our life is like a journey on a road. Each birthday is like a milestone on the way. When we complete each mile, the milestone reminds us about the wonders and miracles that God has done in our lives. The road may be narrow and difficult but God helps us to walk on the way till the end." These were the sentiments of Frs William & Arock as they celebrated their birth anniversary in a meaningful and fruitful manner. "A heart is happiest when it beats for others." This sentence summarizes the lives of both Frs William & Arock as they are ever ready and available to serve the community and the society. May God grant them good health, success, fruitful ministry and many more years of joyful service.

“Phloem of Love" NAVATARANGA-2008

The Annual bulletin “Navataranga-2008” of the Novitiate was released by Fr Simon Furtado SJ.
Editor (Novice Lumnesh) Speaks: The world is in shambles because of globalization, corruption, poverty etc. We are suffocated with misery, suffering, weeping, helplessness and confusion. We do not know which way to go. The world waits for liberation, every creature on earth cries to us to save and redeem. Yes the world is hungering for Christ. Where is Christ then? Does He not heed to the agony of His children? Human persons are gradually getting alienated in this globalised world without having any roots at all. Human persons are fugitive in this world. We have to arise and walk like the prodigal son to the home of the Father to taste the fruits of the Life Giving Tree.
Christ is in us. This is what the Novices try to explore, experience, and in turn express and share with others. Like the 'phloem' – the food conducting tissue in the plants, each one of us is called to transport Christ’s Love to others. We are called to be wounded healers. Navataranga-2008 brings forth the rich and precious experiences of the Novices as they partake in finding God in all things and all things in God. I wish all of you to experience God’s touch as you read Navataranga. I do pray and wish that each one of you becomes a “Phloem of Love.” If you need a copy of Navataranga (limited copies available), Kindly contact us.

“PLACED WITH CHRIST YOUR SON”

(contributed by the Vovents)

Eighteen of our Novices (Derrick, Dayle, Jeevan Gomes, Jeevan James, John Baptist, Kiran, Lumnesh, Merwyn, Ronald, Sudhir and Suman in Bengaluru; Joel, Nithin and Vivian in Belgaum; Antony, Canet, Jaysheelan and Leo in Guntur) pronounced their First Vows on the 21^st of June.
“Only You, only you will I Seek,Only You, only you will I Praise, Only You, only you will I Love Because You made me to desire only You.”

This hymn was an outpouring from the depths of our hearts to the Almighty God on the day when we offered ourselves to Him. The chapel of Mount St Joseph looked heavenly amidst the angelic choir led by Fr Henry Saldanha. The presence of a large number of religious to celebrate our heart’s ‘Magnificat’ added to our joy. “Placed With Christ Your Son” was the theme of the Eucharist. Fr Vijay Kumar Prabhu, the Provincial of the Karnataka Province, presided over the Eucharist and received our vows. We express our sincere thanks to him. Fr Jossie D’Mello gave an inspiring and thought provoking homily and Fr Dion, the Novice Director, inspired us with his moving message. Soon after the Eucharist, we had a short felicitation ceremony in the community refectory to greet the vovents. During the Programme, the Annual bulletin of the Novitiate “Navataranga-2008” was released by Fr Simon Furtado. We owe a deep sense of gratitude to the Lord for His benevolence and love. We thank Frs William Sequeira, Dion, Manoj and Sunil for their encouragement and leading us to commit ourselves entirely to the Lord. We also thank all the Fathers of Mount St Joseph community for their prayerful support. Our Special thanks to our senior companions who lead us during the first year of our Novitiate and our junior companions who shared our life for the last one year. We thank them for making our vows day a memorable one. We will cherish and treasure this day all through our lives. We also thank all of you for your prayers.

Inauguration of Loyola Composite PU College

(Contributed by Sch. Alphonse Fernandes)
It is a moment of joy to the Community and to Karnataka Province as our Mother house climbs the ladder of glory. The inauguration of Loyola Composite PU College was held on June 11, 2008. We had the whole Institution coming together to celebrate the event. The event was witnessed by over 1200 people. Mr C Kanthraj (senior teacher of the school) was the MC for the event. Fr Henry, the Principal, introduced and welcomed the guests and the invitees. Fr John D'Souza, who worked hard in realizing the dream of starting the new college, spoke to us on his efforts and the way how things have shaped up in the past few months. The Chief guest for the occasion was Mr Puttana (MLC) who inaugurated the new building. He praised the Christian Institutions for the discipline and values they inculcate among the students. He has promised many things and we hope that he will be an instrument in fulfilling them as well. Fr Provincial graced the occasion and blessed the new building. Fr William Sequeira, the Rector, was the President and he too joined Fr Vijay Kumar Prabhu, Provincial, in thanking all those toiled in carrying out the plan and also to wish all the very best to the people who will be carrying it forward. The students who secured highest marks in Mathematics were honoured in the presence of dignitaries. Eight students received the honour. We thank the benefactor (under strict order we do not let out the name of the person). Few dances by the children also doubled the joy on the occasion. We thank the Jesuits who directly as well as indirectly made the event a grand success.

Happy Diamond Jubilee Dear Fr SHENOY

Jubilee bells of joy and gladness rang in the heart of Fr Frigidian Shenoy as he celebrated 60 years in the Society of Jesus. It was jubilation and celebration time at MSJ on the 8th of June. The Chapel which looked heavenly on this special occasion was full of Jesuits and the relatives of the Jubilarian. Fr Freddie D'Silva's homily inspired the entire congregation. During the felicitation programme, Fr Denis Coelho raised the toast in his usual inimitable style. The jubilee song, the LCD presentation and the dance by the novices was well appreciated by all. Fr Shenoy, filled with immense gratitude to the Lord and all people, expressed his heart-felt sentiments.

This is our Humble Invitation

Dear Friends,

It gives us immense joy to Welcome You for a special occasion. The Loyola Institutions at Mount St Joseph are marching ahead to start a PU College. Interested to know the date and the time? Please click on the INVITATION. Thank you.

SAHODAYA - 2008

(Contributed by Sch. Jason Furtado SJ)
Sahodaya (the Annual Get-together of the Scholastics) took place at Mount St. Joseph from 22nd to 27th May. Every Sahodaya makes the entire MSJ campus vibrate with life and laughter. The MSJ community is proud to host Sahodaya for the fifth consecutive year! 83 scholastics took active part whereas some of the scholastics could not participate in this programme due to their University exams. Sch. Jason Furtado organised the 5-days programme along with the other RTEC scholastics. Fr William Sequeira (Rector of MSJ), Fr John D’Souza (Administrator of Prerana) and Fr Francis Menezes (PCF) inaugurated Sahodaya-2008. The Jesuits of MSJ community witnessed the momentous inauguration programme. Speaking on the occasion, Fr Rector gave clarion call to the youngsters to be men of GC 35. Fr Francis asked us to be seekers and to find answers for the questions raised by the competitive world.
“World of today and being a Jesuit Today” was the topic for our reflection on the 23rd. Fr Cyril Desbruslais SJ conducted the session for us. He gave us many reasons why one should not be a religious, after which he divided us into groups and told us to reflect why one is still a religious. In the evening, we felicitated the new priests who were part of our fold and now gone ahead of us. Fr Sunil Ranjar offered the Holy Eucharist for us and Fr Sunil Fernandes preached a meaningful homily. Fr Melwyn Lobo gave us his priestly blessing.
On the 24th we dwelt on the topic “Jesuit Community-A community in Tension.” Fr Pradeep Sequeira enlightened us about Jesuit Community life and tried to reason out why tension exists in it. We celebrated the golden jubilee of Br Gabriel in the evening. His presence increased the beauty of the whole celebration.
“Where does a Modern Jesuit fit in, in a Rapidly Globalising World Heading Towards Mono Culture” was the topic for our panel discussion on the 25th. Fr Prashanth Madtha addressed us on the topic after which a number of questions were raised. Fr Cyril Desbruslais and Fr Pradeep Sequeira along with Fr Prashanth Madtha were present on the panel. Sch Jerald D’Souza ably moderated the discussion. Our Province delegate for GC 35 Fr. Jerome D’Souza took us to Rome through his sharing about the GC proceedings. Listening to him made us all feel proud about our mother Society.
26th was the picnic day. It was a memorable picnic to Kalathur Gardens, everyone enjoyed the day. Fr. Provincial celebrated the Eucharist for the scholastics on 27th; he also addressed us and answered our queries. The five days programme rejuvenated the spirit of companionship among the scholastics. It energised them body and spirit and all took leave to their respective places with a lot of vigour and hope though their hearts were heavy.