History of SCJ India

The planning of the congregation to be a presence in India was happened a long time ago. In the historical notes of the congregation, it is reported that in 1897 the SCJs (Dehonians) had been planning to start a house or community in India, in the Archdiocese of Bombay (Mumbai). The visitation of Fr. Leo Dehon in India in the beginning of 1911 also gave an impression of his interest to present his congregation in that country. That long dream finally became a reality! After 97 years from the first idea, to be precise in 1994, the congregation could be set up in India.

SCJ Indian Mission has a “pre-history”; before SCJs set foot on Indian soil, the Spirit was working in and through a number of people, laying the ground work for what would shortly follow. The General Chapter of the SCJ in 1985 approved a motion which asked that the possibility of a new presence in Asia should be investigated, apart from Indonesia.5 In the first year after the decision made in the General Chapter (1985 – 1986), the General Administration studied the various possibilities which presented themselves, and members of the general administration had many meetings with various religious institutes which were already working in Asia. “In 1987, after the consultation of the provincial and regional superiors meeting together in Rome, it was decided to open a mission at Mindanao, in the Philippines.”7 “However, the idea of having a presence in India was never completely abandoned.

in October 1991, the general administration, at the beginning of its mandate, discussed the possibility of the presence of two or three SCJs in India. The reason for this interest also lies in the fact that during recent years several SCJs have kept continuous contact with bishops and priests of the local Church in India and the general administration was always kept informed of these contacts.

The First Contacts with the Local Church in India

The bishop of Cochin, Msgr. Joseph Kureethara, was in favor of an SCJ foundation. Mr. Sydney Corrie and Bishop Kureethara who are indirectly involved to be a channel that opens the presence of SCJ in India. Mr. Corrie conveyed to His Excellency that the Dehonians were planning to start a Community in India. Jubilant over the happy tidings, the Bishop wrote to his old friend Bishop Joseph De Palma in Florida, U.S.A., Deovolunte, there would be a Monastery of the Sacred Heart Congregation in Cochin Diocese!. While being a Superior General, Fr. Panthegini, together with his General Council, surfaced the idea of a foundation in India at the General Conference in 1992. The Conference supported further exploration. his successor, Fr. Virgino Bressanelli, to give birth of SCJ foundation in India. Fr. Bressanelli and his Council did the research and established the first foundation. Following the suggestion or presence method given by Bishop Joseph Kureethara, Fr. Bressanelli sent two SCJs to India, to the Diocese of Cochin on October 6, 1994 which marked the beginning of SCJ India history.

After the First Contacts Come the First Steps

For the congregation, a presence in India would mean not only a response to the appeal of the Encyclical “Redemptoris Missio” for greater dialogue with the religions of Asia, but also greater contact with the richness of the culture or cultures of India. In the month of September, 1994, Fr. Andrew Ryder (chairman of the International Commission for the Missions and coordinator of the new mission in India) and Fr. Martin van Ooij (a Dutchman from the Indonesian Province) were in Rome for the final preparations. On September 24, the Frs. Ryder and van Ooij took part in a con-celebration with the Pope and after the Mass the Holy Father blessed their new mission. Frs. Andrew Ryder and Martin van Ooij left for India, At Cochin airport there were numerous people to welcome the SCJs (Dehonians), who arrived on October 6, 1994. There was Fr. Josey Kandanattuthara, who had come as the bishop’s representative, the architect Sydney Corrie and, from Trivandrum, Fr. Thomas Felix and a sister from his institute for the handicapped. The Bishop spoke of the Indian system for the formation of candidates to the religious and priestly life. Our people were able to start with six boys who were studying in the seminary of the diocese but who then came to live with our brethren. In the parish church of Mattancherry there was also a space for these seminarians alongside the parsonage. During the four weeks presence, they already got tensed and experienced crisis. From November 11 on, Fr. van Ooij was on his own because Fr. Ryder had gone back to Rome. While Fr. Ryder stated that he wanted to go back to Rome, Fr. van Ooij experienced confusion. Although he did not get an expected response from General Administration and he was given freedom by Fr. Ryder to take a choice, Fr. van Ooij was committed to stay in India and continued the mission. In the month of June, our brethren accepted the first eight students or candidates; the press, that is the newspaper Indian Communicator, published an article on June 18: “Sacred heart Community Accepts Indian Candidates!” They (our candidates) enrolled in the minor seminary of the Diocese of Cochin where they lived and followed classes, since we had no place of our own. On June 22, Fr. Carlos Suarez arrived from the Spanish Province. On the day of the feast of the Sacred Heart, June 23, the fathers renewed their vows and officially accepted the first candidates. Some 40 people were present, including the bishop and many priests.

In the month of September, the general treasurer, Fr. Emilio Ciarrocchi, visited the mission in India for a week to be present at the celebration of the laying of the first stone of our own house in Kumbalanghy. Bishop Kureethara concerned about our lacking of space for formation purpose. Therefore, he graciously entrusted to us the mission church of St. Mary, Chandiroor. Therefore, after a year in India, that is in the diocese of Cochin, our brethren had a headquarters (rented) in Chandiroor, a piece of land (owned) near the major seminary in Aluva, archdiocese of Verapoly and they had received a piece of land as a gift where they were building their own house to be used by about 30 seminarians in Kumbalanghy, diocese of Cochin. The first brother of the permanent group was only Fr. van Ooij. While Frs. Ryder, van der Wilk, DiLeo and Suarez had gone there only for a specific period. In other words, they were as temporary members for mission in India. In December, 1995, Br. Aloysius Purwoseputro (Indonesian Province) went to India. He too was to become a member of the permanent group. After the departure of Fr. Carlos Suarez, Br. Aloysius stayed with Fr. van Ooij. In January, 1996, we broke ground for our first home in India. It would be a minor seminary able to accommodate 40 students and 4 religious. It was exciting and energizing to see our first home in India going up. In February, 1996 Fr. Tom Garvey (U.S. Province) arrived for six months; he had formerly been provincial superior of the U.S. Province.

Fr. Vincenzo Rizzardi arrived from the North Italian Province. Fr. Rizzardi and Fr. Garvey became the third and ford members of the permanent group, after Fr. van Ooij and Br. Aloysius. In March, 1997, Fr. Adrian van der Wilk, joined us as a permanent member, bringing our number of permanent religious to five. It was at this time that we completed and dedicated our first SCJ residence in India. The solemn blessing and inauguration of the Dehon Bhavan took place on March 18, 1997 amidst a little bit of initial confusion. In 1997- 1998, there were three important developments. The first was the doubling of the religious community. In June, 1997, there were five SCJs. They were Frs. van Ooij, Br. Aloysius, Vincenzo Ricardo, Tom Garvey, van der Wilk; in June, 1998, the community had doubled to 10, plus Frs. Andrew Sudol, Kazimierz Gabryel, Sebastian Pits, Valerie Pilate, and Br. Leonard Zaworski, a very significant development, as this larger number added to our stability, and gave witness to the local Church that we had a serious commitment and were here to stay. The second important development was setting up a residence in Aluva for our students of philosophy and theology. There were two religious, Frs. Tom Garvey and Andrew Sudol and 10 students, 6 in first year philosophy, and 4 in theology. On 25 March 1998 was the next important event in the history of the SCJ mission in India. That was the opening years of Novitiate on Bolgatty Island, Kerala – Archdiocese of Verapoly in April, 1998, in a very suitable building loaded to us for free for 2 years by the Sisters of the Nativity, which is the blessing and opening of our second SCJ’s residence in India. Fr. Sebastian Pitz of our South Brazil Province joined us to serve as Novice Master.

The idea to be present in the Diocese of Guntur actually had already existed before the Mission Statement. Guntur is about 800 miles to the Northeast, in East-Central India. In the first year of its presence in India, which was in 1994, Fr. van Ooij was advised by Rev. Arch-Bishop of Verapolly and Bishop of Cochin, that if the mission would grow, SCJs should dare to present outside Kerala. Fr. van der Wilk moved into the minor seminary of the diocese of Guntur and became part of the staff. Fr. van der Wilk served in the diocesan minor seminary where our first year boys live and study. The next step was sending two more SCJs to Guntur and renting a rented house, later called Dehon Nilayam. The two other SCJs are Fr. Teja Anthara (Indonesian) who served as Delegate Superior for the community and formation director for our 11th grade students in rented house; and Bro. Leonard (American) who worked in the diocesan program to assist the poor in terms of both charity and justice.

In 2000, the SCJ India District got a volunteer from the Netherland Province, Fr. William van Paasen. He was assigned to replace the task of Fr. Andrew Sudol as a director of Senior Dehonian. Along with the initial task of Fr. William, the community for this program was transferred in Aluva, precisely at Seminary Padi Street, about 6 km from the community of Dehon Vidya Sadhan.

After a visit to India and conducted direct observation in Andhra Pradesh, Fr. Bresanelli approved the construction of the novitiate and the minor seminary when he met Fr. van Ooij at the International Meeting in Brazil in August 1999. The novitiate building is in Namburu village, about 15 km towards north east of Guntur city. On January 2, 2002, the two formation houses were blessed by Rev. Bishop Gali Bali, witnessed by Rev. Fr. H. Wardjito, a representative of the superior General.

Fr. Sebastian Pitz investigated theological education in the diocese of Eluru and he gave a report to the SCJ of India District administration. As a follow up, Fr. van Ooij and Fr. Teja Anthara met Rev. Bishop John Mulagada, Bishop of Eluru. Bishop and the school of theology in Eluru gave a positive answer and very welcome. At that time, the SCJ of India District sent Fr. FX Kusmaryadi as formator for the students / scholastics in Eluru. Because time was short, the Rev. Bishop John showed fatherly attitude and provided adequate shelter for the new community in Eluru SCJs. In the fourth year, SCJ of India District successfully completed construction and officially the SCJs community moved from compound of bishop house, heading a new theology house, named Christu Dehon Nivas.

At the end of 2008, the SCJ of India district sent Dn. Michael Sanil and Dn. Aji to Vasai, to be pioneers of the SCJ presence in the diocese of Vasai. After they have been ordained as priests, they still sent to Vasai. One important step taken was the establishment SCJs community in Vasai.

Historic Prospect of the SCJ India District:

October 6, 1994: Arrival of the first SCJs missionaries in India, Frs. Andrew Ryder (British-Irish Province) and Martin van Ooij (Indonesian Province)

October 25, 1994: Frs. Ryder and van Ooij entered the parsonage of Mattancherry, Cochin, Kerala and stayed there.

December 1994 Arrival of Fr. Adrian van der Wilk (Netherlands Province)

January 1995: Arrival of Fr. Richard DiLeo (U.S. Province)

 June 1995: Receiving the first group students or candidates (eight students)

June 22, 1995: Arrival of Fr. Carloz Suarez (Spain Province)

September 1995: Visitation of Fr. Emilio Ciarrocchi (General Treasurer) and laying the first stone of our first house in India, later called Dehon Bhavan.

October 2, 1995: The SCJs moved from Mattancherry to Chandiroor (Bishop Kureethara gave a bigger place for formation in the mission church of St. Mary, Chandiroor, Kerala)

December 1995: 67 | P a g e Arrival of Bro. Aloysius Purwoseputra (Indonesian Province) and departure of Fr. Carloz Suarez.

January 1996: Broke ground for our first house in India

 February 1996: Arrival of Fr. Tom Garvey (U.S. Province)

June 1996: ü Arrival of Fr. Vincenzo Rizardi (North Italy Province) ü Receiving the second group of students (14) ü Community divides in three places: 8 students (kept in the St. Paul’s Minor Seminary of Cochin Diocese, 2 SCJs and 6 students (lived in St. Mary Church, Chandiroor), and 2 SCJs and 8 students (lived in St. Lawrence Church, Edachochin)

 March 1997: Blessing and Inauguration of Dehon Bhavan House/Seminary.

June 1997: ü Arrival of Frs. Andre Sudol and Angel Gabryel (Poland Province) ü Receiving 4 candidates from Andhra Pradesh for Dehon Bhavan.

January 1998: Arrival of Bro. Leonard Zaworski (U.S. Province) for Sabbatical.

 March 1998: ü Arrival of Fr. Sebastian Pitz (South Brazil Province) and Fr. Valerio Pilati (North Italy Province). 68 | P a g e ü Rented house near Carmelgiri Seminary, Aluva for Philosophy community (Bishop Kureethara helped to give the proper place. Thus the philosophy community moved to the house and property of Cochin Diocese, side the river Periyar)

 March 25, 1998: Opening years of Novitiate on Bolgatty Island, Archdiocese of Verapolly, Kerala (rented house from Sisters of the Nativity) April 30, 1998: The first group of novices: Br. Mariano and Br. Placido

May 1998: ü Blessing and Inauguration the Philosophy house (Dehon Vidya Sadhan) ü Arrival of Fr. Teja Anthara (Indonesian Province)

June 1998: Fr. Adrian van der Wilk moved to Guntur (accompanying the students from Andhra Pradesh at St. Paul Minor Seminary of the diocese of Guntur

May 1999: ü The first profession of the first group of novices: Br. Mariano and Br. Placido ü Sending to more personnels to Guntur: Fr. Teja and Bro. Leonard. Building the SCJs community in Guntur, called Dehon Nilayam. This community lived in rented house. The members were Frs. Teja, Adrian, Br. Leonard and the students.

January 2000: ü Arrival of Bro. Yohanes Sismadi (Indonesian Province) ü Departure of Bro. Aloysius to Indonesia due to the health problem.

May 1 st 2000: 69 | P a g e The first profession of the second group of novices: Br. McQueen and Br. Mathew

June 2001: Setting up of the Mission Statement

January 2, 2002: Blessing and Inauguration of the Minor Seminary in Gorantla (Dehon Prema Nilayam) and the Novitiate Building in Nambur (Sacred Heart Ashram)

December 3, 2002: Passed away of Fr. Tom Garvey

May 2003: Arrival of Fr. FX. Kusmaryadi (Indonesian Province)

October 2003: Arrival of Fr. Agustinus Guntoro (Indonesian Province)

January 26, 2004: Priestly ordination of Frs. Mariano and Placido in Goa

May 10, 2005: Priestly ordination of Frs. McQueen and Mathews in Carmelgiri, Aluva

 June 4, 2005: Passed away of Bro. Aloysius Purwoseputra in Indonesia

January 14, 2007: Passed away of Novice Br. Thomas Reddy in Tallacheruvu

June 23, 2007: Priestly ordination of Fr. Thomas Vinod

 June 9, 2008: Priestly ordination of Frs. Aji, Sunil, Jose, Sanil, and Jijo in Pulluvila, Kerala

December 8, 2008: Perpetual Profession of Bro. Xavier Viju