Thanks to Philosophy!

I concluded my classes at KJC this afternoon. On the whole it was good. I had come prepared for a lower level IQ of the students but the average level of the class seems satisfactory. I was most happy that I could trigger reflection than passive reception among them. In their vote of thanks too they made a special mention of this. Luckily the subject content too is not too heavy or much and that permitted me to 'side-track' and let questions and doubts emerge from all the students.

Looking back at my own philosophical studies at Yercaud and Nashik, I'm happy that my professors encouraged in me this love for philosophy and reflection. I know not how else would my life be if not for philosophy...

A goal beyond Ordination...

This evening I found myself enjoying the play 'Witness to Hope'... a play being put up here at KJC, Bangalore on the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption and Independence day. Since I would miss the real show, I sat for the dress rehearsal this evening. Moreover, I never really 'watched' a play so far. Being in formation houses, I was always involved in the play or drama, so never really got to sit back and watch one. However, I wish to watch a real commercial play in a theatre someday. Perhaps the next time in Bangalore!!!

As for the play 'Witness to Hope', it is based on the life of Pope John Paul II. It is scripted rather decently, though not without some glitches (technical, factual and dramatic). As I watched the play what emerged strongly was once again my pet idea that the real passion of visionaries is something much beyond the here and now. For Carol Wojtyla, priesthood was only a means to a higher goal... for him it was to spread love and hope to all humanity, especially to his Polish people torn apart by violence and hatred. As I had the opportunity to give the goodnight to the community here, I shared the same message: have and know the goal of your life and do not have such petty goals as ordination/Priesthood or Perpetual Profession.

Why acquire knowledge?

The several heated interactions with the students during the class on Ancient Western Philosophy have been very realistic and enriching (at least to me, and hopefully to the students too). One such was the one we had this morning. It all began with the whole question of why to learn, why at all to acquire knowledge? Discussing Plato, I opened up that question to the students and asked them to answer from their own personal contextual perspective. At first there was total silence. Then slowly a few of them started giving some holy and pietistic answers, most of which fell apart the moment I asked them a second question based on their own answers. Surprisingly they really had no answer or rather, I would like to think that they 'could not think of an answer'. And then came the bolt out of the blue: They asked me for an answer!! But I had my answer: to make myself useful to others and meaningful to myself. Whatever does not fit in these parameters, is not really my cup of tea or immediately required issues that I need to tackle or spend my energies on. I really want to make the most of this life, the opportunities I'm blessed with and the possibilities laid out before me. I know that I do not really make everything work for me but at least I need to make an all out effort.

I really believe that unless and until each one has a worthy answer to questions such as these, one will be going around in circles and wondering why isn't any progress or growth taking place.

In life than in death

The discussion and arguments at the staff table are really down to earth and lively. This afternoon speaking about one of them, a senior confrere narrated that when he was the director of a national institute, there was a Sister with whom he was not getting along well. With great difficulty he got her Provincial to move her out of the institute. As she left the institute, bitter and angry, she threatened this Father that her soul would haunt him after her death. The Father gently replied, "It's not your soul, after your death that I am afraid of but of you when alive!!"

Formation only for formees?

Speaking with Cheryl yesterday, I asked myself a question. It was during our discussion regarding the whole process of 'facilitation' that an NGO wishes to organise as part of its empowerment programme. Transposing that idea into our formation sector, I realised that most often, we the formation staff think that we are in the formation house 'to form others'. What about our own formation? Should not the formation process, which we coordinate and expect to touch and form the students, impact us formators too?? Why do we shield ourselves from the 'formation' we claim to give to our students?

Frontline foot Soldiers of the Church

Tomorrow is the feast of the front line foot soldiers of the Church... the Parish Priests. Certainly more than the religious or any other form of clergy, the Parish Priests are the ones who really are the face of the Church, interacting with the faithful people. Hence more than qualifications and feelings a Parish Priests needs to have insight and prudence... when to say, what to say and how to say. That's a rather difficult task given the fact that this is not something that books and all the years of formation (including those numerous term papers and assignments one does) can really equip us with. This is something that comes with patient learning, picking up threads from elders and experienced people and having a deep inner conviction about one's own vocation and love for it.

May John Mary Vianney, the patron of all Parish Priests, grant us all that grace!
Miss being at home in Kondadaba for this feast day!

Instructions for liturgical music

Fr Dominic Veliath gave a few tips regarding liturgical singing to the Brothers here at KJC, Bangalore this evening. (I was wondering who would, though this is only my third day here). To those accompanying the singing, he instructed that they practice beforehand the hymns they are to accompany the next day. Their main job is to sustain the singing, not over run it or show off their musical talents. For the community (singers) he instructed that we listen to the accompanying music and sing with the beat.

I certainly need to tell this (especially the instructions for those accompanying) to my guys at Kondadaba. As it is they would like to play to the galleries and secondly telugu hymns have preludes and interludes that are at times longer than the hymn proper!

Hands free day!

One of the things I learnt from Bala during my visit to his place last evening: rather than roll up your pants at the heel, roll them up at the waist to prevent them from sliding down your narrowed waist!! I have been struggling to keep my pants in place and not slide down my narrowing waist (thanks to the strict diet of getting over jaundice) since the past one and half months. I stopped using a belt soon after my school days itself. So I always ended up 'uplifting' my pants after every couple of steps. Now following Bala's tip, I had a 'hands free' day today!!

With Bala at his home and studios

This evening turned out to be a very relaxed and enriching one. I'm glad Cheryl came by and I also got to meet her friend Bala. He is an artist and I'm glad I met at least one in my life! Bala came across to me as a simple down to earth guy. No pretenses. No double faced talk. No craze for creating impressions... just being a friend... open, sincere and free. I liked him for that. Of course, it was great again talking and exchanging ideas with Cheryl. I also met Deborah, a student of Bala from the US. Being one from another continent, I was taken up by her sense of observation and interest in things, which we often do not notice or do not care about. As Bala was showing Cheryl and myself around his new studio, Deb was lost in watching a small girl who had got a puppy. She was inseparable from the little cute one, so was Deb from the two of them!

I also got to see some of Bala's works and gratefully he did not discuss art or sculpture and all - I would have been totally at a loss. We met his parents too

Back at KJC, Bangalore

I'm right now in the place where I first began to blog and am also sitting in the very room when I started this blog... Fr Joy's office at KJC, Bangalore. I'm here to take a course on Ancient Western Philosophy for the first year Philosophy students. They are 48 of them from 6 different congregations including three sisters. I had the first four hours this morning and it was fine... not all that bright and intelligent but not as dull and dumb as I had mentally prepared myself.

The best part of the class this morning when I asked them where Greece was... and there was no answer. During the break one of them came up with answer: in the cycle!! Well I have another four days to go and let's see what more they come up with.