Provincial Community Day 2013

Read Time:7 Minute, 11 Second

My dear FRIENDS! I hope you don’t mind my addressing you, so.

The other day, Fr Rayappa made sure that I was coming and asked about the time of my arrival. I thought to myself. These guys are serious about the accommodation. May be they want to get some more solid cots and chairs… and then he wanted a favour. I should give this speech. After all these years I’m not sure what this speech is supposed to do. Still I accepted, because I cannot fall asleep when I am speaking. Also I find it easier to speak than to listen. You may experience that problem now!

A good confrere had this to say…in the old days of course…(You see this Rayappa and co got hold of an old goat like me to speak on this august occasion…!)After hearing many things said about the then Provincial, as you can imagine, for and against, though ‘against’ seemed to outweigh all the ‘ for’s, the good confrere made this act of faith: “If my provincial were the devil himself, I would obey him!”

I hope you will not get lost in some of the terminology : instead, appreciate the deep sense of FAITH that the confrere displayed! I’m sure you will be edified.

King Gustafson III or IV or V may be of Sweden or was it Switzerland, wanted to find out what his people really thought of him. He went in disguise. Entered a local pub and asked the man “What do you think of King Gustafson?” The man signaled him to follow. Entered an inner chamber and bolted the door from inside. Went further inside and bolted another door. And then told him in a low voice: “I like him.”

In the old days, before Vat II, (You know there were such days!) The Very Rev. Fr. Provincial was white skinned, venerable –at least looking old and grey… When he came they rang the church bell, sang welcome, kissed the hand, triumphant procession….etc. Today, after Vat II, the Provincial is not white-skinned or old or venerable- looking. He is just one of us. And what can we say?

There was this old lawyer sharing the tricks of the trade with his assistant to be. When your argument is good, speak it out clearly and dispassionately. But if your argument is weak, shout. And if you have nothing to say bang the table. Will someone get me a table please, to bang of course!

Our Fr Provincial is not a white man…He is not old and venerable…He may have his share of weaknesses and faults… He may not measure up to our demands…But there he is our leader, appointed solemnly by the Rector Major himself …and he will be there for another three years or so…with all his good will, he cannot do any more than what we individually and collectively allow him to do.

There was this ex-provincial on a casual visit to a house. Lots of small talk. As an appendix one confrere thanked him ‘ for allowing him to go for a specialization’ in studies. Promptly ‘ the ex’ answered:“ I did not want to send you. It is you who forced me to do so.” There you are! No provincial can do any more than what we allow him to do.

A year ago, may be, I found this shocking line in the D C, I think. Sushma Swaraj declared: “We decide in the morning whether the Parliament would work that day!” And she was quite proud of it!

I am a little allergic to the Provincial House and its neighbourhood. Still I had the privilege of living close for the last three years. Sometimes the heroes who came to meet the Provincial and co would share something esp. if they were a bit ‘ touched up.’ Sometimes I knew a bit of the story on the other side too. From that time I have a bit more of sympathy for all Provincials, past and present. You see the Provincial cannot speak out what transpired in there. But the others can. And quite freely. Even adding a bit of colour. Kindly don’t misunderstand me. I have not changed over to the other side. Besides at least on a day like this we are allowed to show a little love and sympathy for the Provincial, don’t you think so?

We can all pass negative comments. Say smart things. Sit in judgment on all the others. It may raise some laugh, even some uncomfortable laughter. But does it do any good? Does it contribute anything?

Have you observed what happens? If the matter comes to the ears of the one concerned, ninety nine out of hundred, he will feel many things… the least… upset, disheartened even if you are right. If it doesn’t reach his ears….worse! It is just plain backbiting. It is one of the worst things that you can do to yourself as well. Will you have the heart to do anything about something you have laughed at? You end up discouraging yourself.

There is this parish in Budapest. Fr James Cheruvathur was telling me that they celebrate many little occasions too at the village, like winning a world cup finals spot. They bring their wine and the snacks and celebrate together. On one such occasion in one such village: one clever fellow came and poured his bottle of wine. Only thing, he told himself, ‘one bottle of water will not be noticed.’ All the others poured their share of wine too…into the common barrel. When they drew the wine into glasses and drank they realized that all of them had been clever. They could not complain. But we are better off—we can sit on the side lines and complain and criticize. Only this… we don’t build anything by that… we don’t build our common brotherhood or communion.

The Americans have been very active all over the world and they guard zealously the values of freedom and democracy. In one such effort in Burma they decided that the breed of cows needed to be improved. They went and got the best available Frezian bull, air- lifted him and set him loose in a meadow full of the native cows. A lot of people were there watching the proceedings. And the bull, he just stood there quietly with his head held high at a dignified angle. He seemed to be watching things seriously. After some time one of the men who brought in the bull, went and seemed to say something to him. Then that bull was off like a shot and began earnestly to do what was expected of him. Someone was curious and asked ‘what happened there in the field’. And the man said, I told him that he was there not as an expert but that he was supposed to do the job. For the sake of the Provincial community I would request my fellow confreres to give up the expert’s chair and come down and do the job of building this community. This cannot be done by the Provincial alone or with his council, or with the Rectors….This can be done only by all of us working willingly and earnestly together to build that very elusive thing called the Provincial Community.

I have talked for quite some time now. However I have not said many things. The only thing that I’ve shared is that the Provincial cannot do anything alone by himself. It depends upon all of us to take up this responsibility and build up the Provincial Community.

I stop here because I am beginning to feel sleepy, myself. Besides, there is Fr Provincial to speak and the vote of thanks. I am sure all the needed areas will be covered.