01. “What a strange name!” I wondered on the second day of my arrival at MountSt. Joseph (as a first year Novice) looking at a notice signed by one “Beadle.”
02. It was 4.30 am. Fr. Viegas got up and opened the door of his room upon hearing a few loud knocks. There was Br. Vadapuram standing at the door. Looking at Fr. Viegas in his pajamas Br. Vadapuram said with a profoundly apologetic tone - “Sooory Father, I thoooought it was toooilet.”
03. In those days Novices were sent out of the conference room quite seldom; but walkouts on the part of Fr. Master were quite frequent! “Was I angry?” he would ask on the next day. We did not know that they were rhetorical questions, not to be answered. We struggled to tell the truth…but he would answer his own question – “No! I was not angry; I was sad.”
04. Catching the thief in Mount was a 'revelatory event.' When he was finally caught we found that the main reason for several of his thefts was that his bare needs were not met. Upon catching him we found he had come to steal wearing only the stolen ‘essentials’ of one of our companions!
05. Our Beadle had a very weak memory. One day he got up at 5.30 am; rang the bell; applied tooth paste to his brush; came to the common washing place; left his brush on the sink; went into a toilet. A mischievous companion washed his brush thoroughly and kept it were it was. The absent minded beadle came out of the toilet and went straight to the sink. Upon finding his tooth brush without any paste on it, went back to the room, fully convinced that he had already brushed his teeth!
06. The absolute silence during the Long Retreat had made a Novice bottle up all his laughter. One day he saw his companion dosing in the chapel at 2.30 in the afternoon and could not control his laughter. Then many saw him running on the corridor towards toilets holding a hand on his mouth. Once inside the toilet, he burst out in laughter, only to spew out his dentures into the commode! I still wonder how he managed the rest of the retreat without opening his mouth in public!
Our time in the Novitiate was indeed exciting and fun filled. Occasionally to break the monotony we used to go on group picnics. On one such occasion the four of us went out into the countryside some distance away, laden with bread, butter, fruits and other goodies in abundance. When it was finally time to return to Mount we found that we had eaten our fill and were full to the brim, our belts groaning with heroic efforts to keep us in one piece and still there was much food left over. One from our group got a bright idea! Why not give it to the poor women who were gathering firewood in the vicinity? All of us agreed, with our hearts burning with generosity and compassion. We were always ready to sacrifice the leftovers once we ourselves were fully satiated. So we called the poor ladies and the Novice who had called them reached out into the bag and unwittingly instead of bringing out the bread loaf, brought out a big knife with his hand. Before he realized his mistake we saw the women literally fly towards their village nearby. I quickly gathered my wits, realized the danger. We were in, once the women reached their village and told their men folk what had happened in the forest. I told my companions that the only Ignatian thing to do is flee from the enemy. So we started sprinting towards the safety and security of MSJ without looking back even once, running right up to the statue of St Joseph. We were safe!
Contributed by Fr Francis Serrao SJ
One of the frequently asked questions about the new Novitiate was why it was calledMountSt Joseph when the place was almost flat. A Senior Priest arriving at the gates for the first time, took a look at the level driveway and remarked "they are certainly making a mountain of a mole hill here.”
Way back in the 1990’s there was a plan to have a Senior Jesuits Home at Mount St. Joseph but this did not find favour with a few Jesuits who thought that this place was not suited because the facilities for a good hospital were not available. With this view in mind, Pratiksha was built. Given the setup itself, the conveniences provided at Pratiksha were insufficient. There was no place for the Seniors to move around for their walks. Besides it was not very ideal for them to be placed amid all the noise in the heart of the city. The new roof at MountSt Joseph in 2005 provided extra space to the Novitiate. Space was thus made available to put this plan of the Senior Jesuits Home into action. Retired Senior Jesuits could thus move around freely because of Mount’s ample space. Interaction with the young and the old would healthily take place and the Seniors too could lend a helping hand in spiritual ministry, listen to and give talks and thus refresh themselves. Moreover, the number of Senior Jesuits increased in the Province and so this place became the best option for them.
The Senior Jesuits Home was inaugurated on 17 Aug 2008 by Fr. Simon Furtado and blessed by Fr. Vijay Kumar Prabhu, the then Provincial of Karnataka.Fr. Frigidian Shenoy was the first to occupy the new facility. In June 2009, Senior Jesuits from Pratiksha, Fr. Hilary Pereira and Br. Scaria Vadaparam moved to MountSt Joseph. Fr. Tom D’Souza was appointed as Minister of the Senior Jesuits Home.
An Ignatian Spirituality Centre in India was a felt need not only for the Jesuits but also for the Religious and the Laity to be trained in Ignatian Spirituality. The Triple Jubilees of St Ignatius, St Francis Xavier and Bl. Peter Faber were an ideal opportunity to translate this need into a reality. Therefore, this Spirituality Centre is in a way an Assistancy venture. For any meeting of a large number of Jesuits in the Assistancy, if held in South Asia or for any training programme, Jesuits are most welcome to the Ignatian Spirituality Centre.The decree in GC 35 on Lay Collaboration has provided abundant opportunities for this house to be used as a training centre for Lay Collaborators in Ignatian pedagogy. Fr Lisbert D’Souza inaugurated this house on 17 October 2007 and since then it has always been made use of by Jesuits and other religious alike for 30-day retreats, Ignatian Spirituality courses together with spiritual training and leadership.
The Loyola PU College was started on 11 June 2008. It was inaugurated by Shri Puttana, MLC and blessed by Fr.Vijay Kumar Prabhu S.J, the then Provincial of Karnataka. This college started with 58 Arts students and HEBA as their specialization. They had only five lecturers.
At present there are 205 students in four batches. They are CEBA - 67 students HEBA - 73 studentsPCMB - 13 studentsPCMC - 8 students. These are the I year batches.
In the year there is only one batch i.e. HEBA - 48 students.
The Loyola ITI began in June 1993 with both formal and non-formal courses. Apart from this, the ITI introduced programmes like Driving light motor vehicles and a Service Station with 15 students. This ITI was started for the development of the poor deserving students to bring out their skills and talents and to give them a future.
It started with only two courses of two years duration. Electronic Mechanic, Fitter Mechanic
Short term courses for six months were started sometime later; Two-Wheeler Mechanic course ,Electrician Course. Loyola ITI began with a 3-month tailoring course for village girls until March 1994. 40 girls were trained in 3 batches.At present there are 128 students and 15 staff members.
COURSES AVAILABLE AT PRESENT: Formal courses: Electronic Mechanic; Fitter; Motor vehicle Mechanic.Non-Formal courses: Auto Electrician, Driving, Computer Application, Computer Hardware, Plumbing, Electrical Wiring, Welding, Fitter, Automobile Mechanic (diesel, petrol), Mobile phone Service, Radio/ T.V Servicing.
The LoyolaPrimary school was inaugurated on 1 June 1989. The first batch of the Loyola Primary consisted only of 17 students with one classroom i.e. IV Std (Batch 1989-90)
In 1990: V Std was added with 61 students
In 1991: VI Std was added with 58 students
In 1992: A full higher primary was completed with VII Std and a total number of 59 students.
The Loyola Higher Primary started in the village of Kalena Agrahara on 12 July 1982 with 13 students (only VIII Std.) The school began in a small room of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. It was shifted to the present day LoyolaPrimary School on 4 April 1985. The school was inaugurated by the then education minister, Shri M Raghupathi.
In 1994, the school was shifted to the new building. The foundation stone was laid on 21 June 1991 by Fr Anand Prabhu. It was inaugurated on 28 January 1994 by the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri M Veerappa Moily. This building was blessed by Fr Terence Farias, the then Provincial of Karnataka.
At present the High School has 433 students and with 11 teaching and 8 non-teaching staff.
On 27 August 1957, Fr Aloysius Farias SJ took over as the Parish Priest at Chikkakammanahalli from his predecessor, Fr Renard. Bells rang, men beat drums, women sang and children screamed as Fr Farias who was garlanded entered the village. The total catholic population entrusted to him was about 500. There was an old church and a little presbytery. He taught the Catholics to live up to their faith so as to be good examples to the rest and invite them to the fold of Christ.
They were a mixed class, most of them Tigalas who spoke Tamil and Telugu. Their church language however was Kannada. Fr Aloysius Farias provided the primary needs to the people like the construction of a road to the village, portable drinking water etc. Fr Denis Alveres SJ, the next to follow, had a problem in getting children to attend school. Parents being illiterate sent their children to look after the cattle. They had only a primary school and needed Rs. 200 to run it then. The missionary had to sacrifice his personal needs to meet the needs of the mission. Extreme poverty made it difficult to preach about spiritual things for it was like flogging a dead horse. However, sometime later, there were hopeful signs where people gradually began imbibing the true Christian spirit.
Chikkakammanahalli is now a full-fledged Parish. It has a government-aided school with classes up to the higher primary section. With a generous helping hand of the Sisters of Charity, the school is doing quite well. What is encouraging is that Chikkakammanahalli mission station by which it was once known has now completed 50 years of fruitful labour with love.
These are the stalwarts who formed the First Jesuit Community at Mount St Joseph. We are happy to present to you the unforgettable contributions they have made at the beginnings of this our Home...
Fr Lawrence P Colaco: He was the Procurator of the Province when MSJ began. He managed the Finances for MSJ. A writer of his own right, anecdotes and quotes came easy to him.
Br Rubelio Calligaro:When MSJ began, he was the Infirmarian and Tailor, who came from Calicut and served in this house for eight years. He observed religious discipline with great fidelity, and with dedication he carried out his simple duties. He had great compassion for the poor,and did much to alleviate their poverty. He lived to the ripe old age of 95.
Br Scaria Vadaparam: He was the first person to be given charge of the farm and kitchen at MSJ; he was a great cobbler too. He is the seniormost member of the KarnatakaProvince and is presently residing in this house. He is a Contemplative in Action and prays for all of us. He has a fine balance of humility and humour.
These are the stalwarts who formed the First Jesuit Community at Mount St Joseph. We are happy to present to you the unforgettable contributions they have made at the beginnings of this our Home...
Fr John Cyril Pereira: He was the First Rector of MSJ from 1959-62. He went on to become the Vice-Provincial of Karnataka. He had a fine memory and had remarkable Historical Sense.
Fr Apoline D’Souza: He was the First Novice Master at MSJ. He served in this office from 1957-68 for 11 years. His prayerfulness was a great grace for the Province.
Fr Denis D’Souza: He was the First Minister at MSJ from 1959-61. He was quiet in life and quiet in death. As Minister he gave his best at the call of obedience.
Fr Austin D’Souza: He was an amiable character. He was the first Socius to the Novice Master in 1959-60.He had unique ecological interests like grafting and budding, beekeeping and rearing dogs.
These are the stalwarts who formed the First Jesuit Community at Mount St Joseph. We are happy to present to you the unforgettable contributions they have made at the beginnings of this our Home...
Fr Boniface D’Souza:The MSJ Novitiate and Juniorate was opened when he was the Vice -Provincial. He was a man of few words. He was a master builder and was responsible for purchasing this property for MSJ. Every stone of this house reminds us of him.
Fr Eligius Cantoni:He was a splendid architect who looked after the massive building structure of MSJ. He was a Jesuit who complimented eternal with temporal, spiritual with material. His long hours of work ever mingled with hours of prayer.
Br Martin Goveas:It was his solid support that enabled Fr Boniface to acquire the land on which MSJ now stands. He had an uncanny way of talking to Secretaries and Department Heads, and getting teachers approved and plans sanctioned. He spent long hours in prayer daily, and was almost fanatically faithful to his religious duties. His great friend and admirer was Bishop Ignatius Pinto, who presided over his funeral services.
Br Angelo Bignami: He was one of the First Jesuits to have lived in this house. An agriculturalist by profession, he took to painting as a hobby. He was associated with Fr Cantoni in the building of this house. The boys of BHS called him “the saint.”He died with the name of Jesus on his lips.
On 4 December, 1933 feast of St Francis Xavier transferred to this date, the new Novitiate of the Calicut Mission was inaugurated. It was named Christ Hall. The two main reasons for opening the Novitiate were that the Novitiate at Shembagannur did not have sufficient accommodation for all the Novices of India. On the other hand the ideal aimed at was a Novitiate for every mission.
The concrete task of establishing the novitiate was entrusted to Fr Beretta, the vicar of the Calicut Cathedral. Fr Aloysius Coelho was appointed as the first Novice Master.
On 12 April, 1936 Fr. Aloysius del Zotto was appointed Rector of Christ hall Fr. Martin Coelho became the new Novice Master.
The Novices and Juniors moved to the newly built MountSt Joseph on 1 May, 1959.
1991: Br Martin Goveas gave Rs 3 lakhs to build the Loyola ITI.
26 Jan 1994: LoyolaHigh School was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Karnataka Mr.Veerappa Moily.
Aug 1994: LoyolaHigh School came up with its own anthem. The words were written by Sch.Urban D’Souza and the music was composed by Fr.Cyprian.
26 Nov 1995: The first Balamela was held at MSJ conducted by the Novices.
24 June 1996: The decision to begin our own Juniorate and separate from the South Indian Common Juniorate was taken.
23 Dec 1996: The proposal was made to the Provincial to build a Church at Kalena Agrahara.
14 Feb 1997: The Provincial gave the approval to build the Church (Architect – Mr NickyThomas, Contractors - Chirag Associations.).
1997: The decision to build the wall surrounding MountSt Joseph property was implemented. It was started in 1993 and it ended in 1997 with a total of 3,913 feet.
13 Mar 1999: Fr Provincial decided that the Juniorate was to rejoin the South Indian Common Juniorate.
6 Dec1999: Kalena Agrahara Parish was inaugurated by the Provincial and blessed by Archbishop Ignatius Pinto.
31 Aug 2000: Kalena Agrahara Parish was canonically constituted as a full–fledged Parish with Fr.Maxim Rasquinha as the first Parish Priest. In July 2001, Fr Archie Fernandes took over as the new Parish Priest.
2001 Dec: The bones of three stalwarts were transferred from West Brooke cemetery to that of Mount.
Fr James Sampaoli - 14/4/1928
Fr Albert M Grossi - 09/5/1930
Fr Aloysius Farias - 12/10/1980
18 June 2002: Fr Alexis Menezes died. During his term as Rector of MSJ, the LoyolaSchool was started.
Fr William Sequeira
GOLDEN NOVICE MASTER
