Accompaniment: India

Michael Miller, MSC. I visited the Indian Union to represent the Superior General to mark the Erection of the Indian Province (official date: March 15, 2024) with celebrations on March 15 and 16, on the occasion of the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Fr. Jules Chevalier, MSC, and to be present at the diaconate ordination of three MSC as well as at the dedication of the Chevalier School in Bangalore.
I arrived early on March 11 at Bangalore airport and was met by Fathers Darwin and Joseph Paul Raj. The following day, after recovering from jet lag, Fr. Tijo John and I travelled by car to Mysore, visiting the Chamundi Hills, Buddhist and Hindu temples, as well as several Catholic churches. We were hosted by Fathers John Peter, Gerald, James and Julius at the postulant house. In the evening, we took a short trip to the KRS dam and the nearby flower garden under restoration. The giant dam holds back the water that supplies Bangalore. The next day, Tijo and I travelled to Coorg, doing more sightseeing at Abbi Falls (no water), the Bird Forest (birds in cages) and a Buddhist temple. We left for Bangalore the next day. The following evening of 15 March, at the Chevalier Bhavan MSC house, the MSC who were arriving for the celebrations, and I gathered in the Provincial chapel where I shared a reflection on Fr. Jules Chevalier, and then we spent time in adoration.

On Saturday, March 16, Fr. Michael Huber, MSC, provincial of SDA, flew into Bangalore airport in the early morning to participate in the celebrations. The grand celebration began at 7:30 am at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart parish with the Eucharist presided by Bishop Peter Machado, who ordained three MSC as deacons, Vinodh Kumar, Sesu Raj R. and Karthik Raja Sekar. After communion, in the name of Fr. General, I read the Decree of the establishment of the Indian Province. Following Mass, the Bishop, Fr. Darwin, Fr. Huber, and I cut the ribbon at the front door of the Chevalier Academy to officially dedicate the beautiful new centre of education. The school community invited everyone to a typical Indian breakfast, and then the pre-kinder and kindergarten children entertained their parents and guests with songs, poetry, and dances.
I presided and preached at the 9:30 Mass at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart parish on Sunday. We had a delicious lunch at the MSC Sisters’ house, and in the evening, we visited the professed MSC in Richmond Town. Fathers Joshua, David, and the eight professed students were accommodating hosts, serenading us with some typical songs before sitting down to share a delicious dinner. On Monday, Tijo and I flew to Kerala to see our three novices at the novitiate. Fr. Dominic Gleeson, MSC (AUS), accompanied them on a 30-day retreat. Tijo and I visited a Hindu temple, several centuries-old Catholic churches, and a synagogue in Kochi, whose history goes back to the first-century Jerusalem diaspora. Kochi is a coffee-producing area, which reminded me of my years in Colombia among the coffee plantations on the mountainsides.
I enjoyed my first experience in India, with many lasting impressions and memories. Incredible India! The MSC are very dedicated to living and sharing the MSC charism in their many ministries. The future for the newest MSC province is bright and promising. May they be faithful to Fr. Chevalier’s charism and vision.