“To set the world with Eucharistic fire” This was the vision and dream of St. Eymard.
Four of our brothers, Arokia Sebastian Peter, Joseph Pillam Thambi, Velupila Suresh Babu, and Vinay Bandela Joseph professed their final commitment on 9 November 2019, and on the following day 10 November 2019 they were ordained deacons.
The Holy Eucharist was presided over by Rev. Fr. Peter Jayakanthan sss, the Provincial Superior, with His Excellency Bishop Thomas Dabre at Eymardian Scholasticate, Pune, India. We were very much pleased to have Rev. Fr. Philip Benzy sss, General Consultor and Treasurer, part of our celebrations. Doubling our joy was the presence of Rev. Fr. Dilan Fernando sss, the Superior of the Province of Christ the Bread of Life, Sri Lanka. These events were coordinated by Scholastics from Eymardian Scholasticate under the guidance of Rev. Fr. Michael Adaickalam, the Director. Mention has to be made about the presence of the members of the Provincial Council, family members, some of the members of the Province and the local superiors of the Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth and De Nobili College campuses.
The Province organized, keeping to the tradition of the Congregation, a three-month-long (August-October 2019) serious and intensive program to enable them to deepen their commitment. These sessions were conducted at Casa La Mure, our Novitiate in Goa, organized by Rev. Fr. Peter Fernandez, the Novice Master and formation in charge of the Province. During such preparation, the candidates journeyed through the life and spirituality of the founder St. Peter Julian Eymard and the mission of the Congregation. They were given a chance to study the values of Rule of Life and community life in order that the life in the mission would be more geared towards committing themselves more fully to live the Eucharistic life.
We were privileged to have four prominent SSS members from oversees, namely, Rev. Frs. Philip Benzy sss, Dilan Fernando sss, Darren Maslen sss (Provincial Consultor, UK-Ireland Province), and Justin Chawkan sss (Vicar Provincial, Sri Lanka Province), who helped the candidates to prepare themselves. Input sessions were also conducted on various topics related to our charism and mission by the members of our Province.
“Our ideal is to live the mystery of the Eucharist fully and to make known its meaning so that Christ’s reign may come and the glory of God be revealed to the world.” (ROL 1). Keeping these ideal, our four new deacons are sent to carry out the torch of St. Peter Julian Eymard to fulfill the prophetic mission, “like the mustard seed (the Church), which never ceases to grow” that they may strive to live a deeper understanding of the Eucharistic life and promote fruitful celebration of this great mystery.
Finally, the Province wishes them well along with the whole Congregation.
Father Punithan Arockia Joseph, sss
Director of SSS Media Centre
