Live Jesus !
Samarpanaram, Saturday, March 9,2006

Dear confrere!

I come to you at a time where many of you may experience more tension and challenges as usually.

• Our young confreres in Salespuram and Samarpanaram are writing their exams.
• Our young confreres have to make a decision whether the religious life is still theirs.
• The formators are writing evaluations about the confreres in formation.
• Some of us are being transferred and placed into new situations and circumstances or communities.
• Br. Thambi has experienced the loss of his mother.
• Lent has come, and with it our journey through the desert. We commit ourselves to changes, resolutions, and areas of growth. The church confronts us intentionally with our dark sides, our hidden ‘I’, our limitations and incapabilities.
• You may add your own very private struggle here!

With that, some of you may be able to identify with Hagar, the servant maid of Abram, who had run away from Sarai and who at last ended up in the wilderness (Gen 16, 7-16). Into that desperate situation of tension and hopelessness something beautiful happens. The angel of the Lord finds Hagar – not she finds him, God finds her. It is this sentence I entrust to you this Lent. Whatever struggles, tensions, challenges and difficulties you are in, God will find you. Now that’s a change of perspectives. God will find you and will start anew with you. And he will ask you: “Where have you come from and where are you going?” Hagar has an answer to the first question, but she is not able to answer the second one. In her desperation, her panic, and her overreaction she did not know where she was going. May Lent be a time for you where you are enabled to become more and more clear about where you are heading. Happy Lent!

Let me now update you on the many things that have developed over the last few months.

• On December 31st 2005 Fr. Josef inaugurated our new house in the Philippines. Father Josef supervised the renovation of the house and is now living there. Find his new address in the updated list. In February he had a visit of his family and since March 1st an American trappist monk, who knows the Oblates from long time back, stays with him. Furthermore he is expecting the visit of Fr. Leo Bonikowski. Keep Josef in your thoughts as times of beginning always bring their ups and downs.
• On January 28th 2006 we celebrated the perpetual profession of our Br. Chandra Sekhar. The feast of St. Francis de Sales was the right occasion to welcome him into our community. Many confreres, friends and relatives had gathered for the occasion. Thank you Br. Chandra Sekhar for joining in our efforts to grow as Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in India.
• As mentioned above Brother Thambi has lost his mother on February 21st 2006. Fr. Xavier, Br Joseph and Thambi reached just on time for the funeral. Though her death was expected, she had cancer, the loss of a mother is always difficult. May I request your prayers for her and for Thambi.
• Fr. Bruzily was successful in finding a place for our “OSFS Study House for Theologians”. I am happy to inform you that on February 16th 2006 we have settled to rent a house in Jeppu. It is in walking distance to St. Joseph’s Seminary and an ideal place. I thank Fr. Bruzily for his efforts in this regard. Fr. Bruzily has now been appointed Assistant Parish Priest in Chandanakkampara. He will be there until the end of May to gain some more experience as priest. I was just on the phone with him and he seems to have settled well.
• Fr. Reji’s time in the Archdiocese of Tellicherry has ended on February 28th 2006. After a fruitful and enriching year in the Archdiocese of Tellicherry, Fr. Reji is now being assigned to Salespuram. Fr. Reji Fr. Reji will commence immediately with his studies for B. Ed. at Christ College/Bangalore.
• As mentioned earlier the Bishop of Kannur will ordain Br. Balaswamy Dande deacon on April 8th 2006 in Salespuram. We are looking forward to this great occasion. After his ordination Deacon Balaswamy is transferred to the Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam where the archbishop has consented to give him a place for his deaconate ministry. Bala will be in Vizag from April 12th onwards.
• Fr. Maichael is being entrusted to get things ready in Mangalore (furniture, bank contacts, paper work, etc.). With April 10th 2006 he is relieved from his duties in Salespuram and becomes the new procurator of Bliss in Mangalore. I thank Fr. Maichael for his year in Salespuram where he guided the brothers in Orientation as well as he looked after the finances of the house. Furthermore he will go for his MSW studies in Mangalore.
• Fr. Vincent is ending his 2 years term of work in Shivajinagar after Easter. With April 17th 2006 Fr. Vincent is transferred to the community of Samarpanaram. Fr. Vincent has done a great job in Shivajinagar. Besides hundreds of marriages he blessed, he was twice in charge of the feast in September at the Basilica and did very well in that. Now starts a new period for Fr. Vincent. We wanted to send Fr. Vincent for studies in Counseling. The University has changed its requirements for accepting students. One of these requirements is a B. Ed. Therefore Fr. Vincent will most likely be sent for his B. Ed. in Bangalore.
• Fr. Xavier is being transferred with May 1st 2006 to the community in Salespuram where among other things he will be put in charge of the brothers in Orientation. Father Xavier has served in Vissanapeta in remarkable manner. Among others, his willingness to visit the remotest villages in his parish has been explicitly acknowledged by his Parish Priest. His new work in Salespuram will challenge him, but being a community man he will easily adjust to the new circumstances.
• The advisory board decided furthermore to put me in charge of the brothers who come to Samarpanaram in order to either study +1 or BA at SFS College. Fr. Vincent will assist me in my responsibilities.
• I formally invite all of you to attend our General Meeting 2006. It will take place from Saturday May 13th to Sunday May 14th 2006 in Samarpanaram. I request all perpetually professed members living in India to be present for that meeting. I also formally request all of you to come forward with any proposals you wish the General Meeting 2006 to discuss. Together with the advisory board I will work on an agenda. Please submit to me in writing until April 15th 2006 any matters you wish to be discussed by the General Meeting. One point of the agenda will be the discussion of the proposals for the General Chapter 2006.
• Fr. Fred is being transferred to Mangalore by June 1st 2006. He is the new superior of “Bliss - OSFS Study House for Theologians”. The General Council has ratified his appointment. Congratulations and have a good start in your new community. With this assignment Fr. Fred Smuda leaves his ministry as Novice Master. I want to express my genuine appreciation to Fred for having hung in there, and for having formed our young confreres in the spirit of the Congregation. Keep doing so in Mangalore.
• With the help of Fr. Herbert Winklehner osfs I have been able to install and initiate the homepage of Oblate Asia. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Fr. Herbert for having been instrumental to the launching of www.osfs-asia.net.

• Let me update you on a few other things:

• Fr. Baiju writes lately: “I have been in Wills Hall for the last five months. I am really happy to be in this community and keeping good health. This community is really Salesian and prayerful. We are about 17 priests. All are one way or the other engaged in different activities.  Fr. Christopher Hudgin, the superior, and Fr. Bernard O’Connor, the President of the University, and all the confreres here are very supportive, generous and encouraging. I really feel that I am accepted and taken care of. Most of the time I am busy with my studies. I finished my first semester successfully and I am now in the middle of the second semester. Studies keep me really busy, and out of troubles. On Sundays, like other oblates, I go to the neighboring parishes for mass. I enjoy it for I get to know some people. Since I live in the University campus I have lot of opportunities to go for different activities in the university. It also gives me some variety in my life.”
• Fr. John Sankarathil has returned to Switzerland after having spent one month as substitute in Monaco after he had been on holidays in India over Christmas. He is now back in Düdingen and in the final stage of his thesis.
• Br. Jayaraj has started his second phase of regency in St. Dominic’s school in Attibele on January 1st 2006. A word of thanks to him for his good work in Salespuram.
• Br. Jomy has substituted Br. Jayaraj in Salespuram from January until March 2006. Thank you for your willingness to fade in competently.
• We enjoyed the visits of a few American confreres: Fr. O’Connor and staff,
  Fr. Dolan and friend and Fr. Jim O’Neill. Thanks for your visit.
• Fr. Esser is expected from May 3rd to May 31st 2006. He will give the retreat for Fathers as well as the one for scholastics. Welcome!
• The Austrian-South German Province, the bi-monthly magazine “Das Licht” and the Oblates in the South American Region of Rio Grande De Sul celebrate 100 years of existence. Congratulations dear confreres.
  

Please note down following important dates:

• April 8th: Ordination of Br. Balaswamy Dande to deacon in Salespuram
• May 1st to 3rd : Advisory board meeting of evaluation in Samarpanaram
• May 7th to 12th: Retreat of OSFS Fathers in Sanyasa
• May 13th to 14th: General Meeting 2006 in Samarpanaram
• May 23rd to 28th: Retreat for scholastics in Sanyasa
• May 30th: Renewal of vows in Samarpanaram
• May 31st: First Profession in Samarpanaram
• June 4th: Installation of the new Superior of Bliss in Mangalore
• July 30th to August 11th 2006: 18th General Chapter in Fockenfeld/Germany

Please remember in prayer and mass our deceased confreres:

PAUL SCHULER , OSFS died on December 16th 2006, in his 65th year and 42nd year of his religious profession, Wilmington Philadelphia.
RAYMOND G. COLLINS, OSFS died on January 5th, in his 81st year, the 56th year of his religious profession and the 47th year of his priesthood, Wilmington-Philadelphia.
WILLIAM H. JUERGENS, OSFS died on March 6th, in his 78th year, the 60th year of his religious profession and the 49th year of his priesthood, Wilmington-Philadelphia.

Let me add in short what has been discussed at our last advisory board meeting.

1. Internal Matter
2. Approval of minutes of the last advisory board meeting
3. SOLA desires to send three +1 brothers to Salespuram for their +1 and +2 studies. Unanimously they are welcomed to do so.
4. Discussion about the evaluations: when to turn them in: April 24th last date
5. Set up of guidelines for the brothers who will be going for BA. Fr. Sebastian will inform the brothers in writing.
6. Organizational matters for the regents and Br. John George
7. Fr. Jim O’Neill spent some time in informing us about the Chablais Mission Fund. We updated him on the situation of Oblate Asia concerning:
1. Brisson Bala Bhavan
2. Mangalore
3. Novitiate
4. School
8. Approval of Fr. Fred Smuda as Local Superior of Bliss
9. Finalization of Lease contract with Mangalore and the next steps
10. Personnel: discussion and decision about the upcoming academic year (see above)
11. Vocation Promotion – an update
12. Next meeting scheduled for May 1st at 8.30 AM to May 3rd 2006 in Samarpanaram.

Thank you, that in many occasions you have become the angel of God looking out for the lost, for the lonely, for the disturbed, for the depressed, sometimes for me. Keep doing it!

Your brother in Christ and our Holy Founders

Fr. Sebastian

PS: Find an updated version of our addresses and phone numbers attached.

DeSales-Oblates in Asia
Addresses and Phone numbers – March 2006

Name	Address	Phone
Baiju Puthussery	Wills Hall Oblate Residence 2755 Station Avenue Center Valley, PA 18034-9568 USA	001-610-282-3300 Ext-2227 Mobile: 001-267-221-2149
Bliss	OSFS Study House for Theologians Seminary view, 1st cross Jeppu 575 002 Mangalore
Bruzily Vettukallamkuzhyil	Little Flower Church Chandanakkampara PO 670 633 Kannur	0460-22 15 617 or 0944 71 16 106
John George Kadavumkandathil	St Joseph’s Interdiocesan Seminary Jeppu 575 002 Mangalore	0824-243 70 56
John Sankarathil	Provincial Residence Thaddäusheim Hauptstrasse 40 CH 3186 Duedingen Switzerland	0041 26 49 25 094
Josef Költringer	Quilo-Quilo Brgy Makina Balete 4219 Batangas, Philippines	0063-917- 922 4332
Salespuram	Vallithode Kiliyanthara PO 670 706 Kannur	0490 - 24 20 856 or 0490 - 24 21 067 or 944 - 73 64 763 (Mathew) or 944 - 73 52 556 (Maichael) or 944 – 78 23 683(Reji)
Samarpanaram	Hosur Road Chandapura PO 560 081 Bangalore	080 - 78 32 450 or 080 - 78 31 608 or 9845 - 68 98 73 (Shaju) or 9845 - 17 50 47 (Fred) or 9880 - 32 98 27 (Sebastian)
Vincent Kumar	St. Mary’s Basilica Shivajinagar Bangalore 560 051	080 - 22 86 54 34 or 9945 56 06 75 (Vincent)
Xavier Manchu	R.C Mission Vissannapeta 521 215 Krishna District Andhra Pradesh	08673 - 27 14 69 or 99850 53 634 (Xavier)

 

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