Nathaniel Hawthorne's the 'great stone face' elaborates on an age old theme. People await the coming of the wise one who will lead them and bring an era of prosperity. In the story the people sought this 'ray of hope' in one whose physiognomy bore a marked resemblance to a rock formation. However, in a stunning turn of events quite contrary to the general feeling of an outsider taking the reigns of administration, 'Ernest' a common villager around whom the story revolves turns out to be the prophesied one.
'No prophet is accepted in his own country', says Jesus.To me a 'prophet' in today's jargon would be a missionary. Hence in one's perennial desire for a dynamic pastor one looks out to the horizon. As the old adage goes the 'grass is greener on the other side'. No wonder we would welcome an outsider in great pomp while the one who is among us we push to obscurity.
There was once a great feast in the village. The village leader declare that the feast being a community affair everyone was to contribute a minimum of one glass of wine to provide for the night's festivities. One miserly villager debated that if he put a glass of water into the barrel it wouldn't make a difference to the quantity of wine that would be there at the feast later that day, imagine the consternation of the chieftain when turned on the faucet of the wine barrel and out came water.
I fear this too may be our predicament if we don't 'pull up our socks', because Jesus commissioned us to go out and proclaim and not to await the Good News. Hence, we can gain inspiration from a quote by Zig Ziglar on our line of action, "If it is to be it is up to ME".

Nathaneal George.SDB

As the cardinals gather for the conclave in Rome which will begin tomorrow, it is but right that we as Catholics and seminarians, and moreover, as members of the missionary group offer them our prayerful support. The church as we know is under attack from various corners. In theses trying times the leaders of the church greatly need our prayers. Let us ask our Blessed Mother Mary to be present with the Church through her powerful intercession. Let us also pray that the perennial presence of the Holy Spirit as promised by Christ may strengthen the church so as to be a credible witness of Jesus to the world of today.

Don Bosco tells his Salesians, “No efforts should be spared when the church and the papacy are at stake.” As missionaries, our mission is to be at the service of the church. Right now the church needs us. Let us support our mother Church by our prayers.

Nazarius Kharkongor.sdb.

In today's consumeristic world the society tells us to be tough for might is always right. But as today's gospel portrays it, can we accept our faults and still be strong.
Ronald Vaz.

Fr. Mauro Casarotti S.D.B. (1917 – 2007)

The second of two sons, Fr. Mauro Casarotti was born on 17^th May, 1917 at Casalbuttano, Cremona, Italy to Carlo Casarotti and Maria Generali. He lost his mother when he was barely a year and a half and was brought up by his aunt. His elder brother Romolo became a diocesan priest and was present at the canonization of Don Bosco. He brought home 2 volumes of the life of Don Bosco which the young Mauro read earnestly. Having just completed his studies to be a school teacher, he decided to give his life to Don Bosco as a missionary. He joined the Salesian missionary aspirantate at Ivrea and was later asked to go to Japan, but God had other plans for him. Two Salesians who were chosen to go to India felt sick and when the aspirant Mauro was approached to be their substitute, he jumped at the offer, not knowing the difference between India and Japan.

Fr. Mauro Casarotti, fondly known as ‘Fr. Casa’ lived with and learnt from Salesians who had actually lived with Don Bosco and he knew the Salesian spirit well and having a deep love for Don Bosco he attached great value to his own Salesian vocation. The Salesianity he picked up rubbed on to others especially those who came in touch with him. In Don Bosco’s time, a boy would think that Don Bosco loves him more than others, and in a similar tone, the pupils of Fr. Casa felt personally, the love and concern of a genuine father. He was truly a Salesian at heart who knew his father Don Bosco well and would recall several unpublished episodes in the life of Don Bosco which he heard from his superiors. He was not a static old timer of a Salesian, having attended the Special General Chapter in 1971, which called for a rethinking of Salesian dynamics, he had the ability to reflect on Salesian Spirituality and apply it in his own times. This wealth of Salesianity he imbibed he passed on to others especially during his years as formator. He was wont to say to young Salesians, “Once a Salesian, always a Salesian” and at other times, “Be a good Salesian, or no Salesian at all, Sempre con Don Bosco, always with Don Bosco”. Being a community man, he was dutifully present at community moments of prayer and was concerned about everyone in a very personal way, be they confreres or boys.

Fr. Casa often called himself a ‘failed missionary’. In his own words, “My original dream was to work in the Indian missions, riding on horseback with a bucket of water, baptizing people. But that was not to be”. However he loved India, the land of his adoption, as is seen in his decision to opt for an Indian citizenship in 1953 and his love for local vocations the fruit of which was his buying of the land in 1957 at Lonavla, a house which was to groom local youngsters for the Salesian life. He also picked up a fair bit of Tamil and Hindi. His pioneering and missionary heart saw him at the helm as leader in various capacities. He served the congregation as provincial of three different provinces, Calcutta, Gauhati and Bombay; and as Rector at Matunga, Yercaud, Lonavla, Panjim and Poona.

At a more personal level, he was deeply sensitive and emotional, discreet and kind. He was easily hurt by certain misgivings he saw and the comments he heard. However he was very fatherly especially to young Salesians. It is said that whenever he came to know that some young Salesians had arrived, he would leave his room, seek them out, and give them a warm embrace that was characteristic of him. He was deeply saddened at the misdoings of young Salesians, but would charitably forgive them saying, “after all, they are youngsters”. In his heart they knew that there was room for each of them.

As a confessor, he was a wonderful minister of God’s mercy. He was one who could easily empathize with a person’s problem and he sometimes seemed more moved than the penitent himself. One his penitent (now a Salesian priest) testifies, “He really meant a lot to me, one of the few confessors I was comfortable with. He was the incarnation of God’s compassionate and forgiving love. He would consolingly say, ‘remember you are a human being, angels are only in heaven”. Being aware of his own weaknesses, he was a confessor who dealt with his penitents at a very human level.

The Province of Bombay is indebted to Fr. Casa for his work of propaganda especially at the Shrine office at Matunga. He looked after the Italian correspondence during the later years of his life. Italian benefactors were often overwhelmed and touched by his warm and personal letters. He was a channel of Divine Providence. Having few wants himself, he would often be upset at unnecessary wastage and excesses by confreres. But having a large heart, he kept himself from corrections of this kind and suffered silently.

During the evening of his life, he became hard of hearing and would often spend his time in silent recollection and prayer. Bishop Valerian D’Souza called him a “wonderful fruit of the Salesian society”. Being a faithful son of Don Bosco whom he loved all his life, he breathed his last on 20^th July, 2007. Aged 90, and having spent 68 years in India. A man so human and holy.

What we can take from the life of Fr. Casa, is his humanness, his gentle and kind ways and his deep love for Don Bosco. Having gone through trying times himself, let us remember his words in moments of uncertainty and doubt, “We are in GOD’S HANDS, and they are GOOD HANDS”.

The Missionary is moved by Faith

          Every one of us has a desire to become a missionary one day somewhere in an unknown land. We all praise and admire the great works of missionaries. The life of great missionaries is what we sometime take a lot of interest to know about and, to imitate. But have we ever given a thought to the fact that there is some internal force which moves a particular missionary to do what he does. We might glorify the deeds of missionaries; however we must not forget that a person is a missionary because of his mustard-seed like faith in God. Yes, it is his faith in almighty God which moves a missionary to do great works of charity for the people of God and even for the enemies of God.

            Each missionary expresses his desire to become a missionary and go to the remotest place because of his belief in the Lord. He listens to God’s voice speaking to him, calling out his name to do His will. Thus a missionary becomes a messenger of God because of his faith and in return, God makes him the instrument of faith to the others.

            Faith, as everybody knows, is one’s total surrender to God and to His infinite will. It is this aspect of faith that leads a person to empty himself, his selfish motivation and to generously offer himself in the service of others. Faith is what makes one’s relationship with God stronger based on mutual understanding and love. And we can see this same attitude in a missionary.

            This year we celebrate the Year of Faith, so it becomes essential for all of us  to look at the life of different missionaries who have toiled hard and worked zealously for the cause of spreading the Kingdom of God. We can see in them the aspects of mystics, prophets and servants of God, always working tirelessly to give Jesus to others.

-Cl. Aristo Andrat

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AREN’T WE MISSIONARIES OF LOVE?

            Love existed since the beginning. It was manifested in the unity of the Holy Trinity. The Father’s love for the son and that of the son towards the father is symbolically expressed in the birth of the Holy Spirit. God created man out of love. God later sent prophets and messengers to communicate his love. When no one would believe in this message that ‘He is love’, he sent his only son as a complete manifestation of his Love. He himself is Love. When dying on the cross for our salvation he gave the fullest expression of the Father’s love.

            The Prophets and messengers were truly the missionaries of love who cried out for the people’s repentance to return to the merciful God. Jesus, though God, came in humility to sacrifice himself for our sake. We are all called to follow Christ in this example of humility and self-gift. We become missionaries after the heart of Christ to proclaim the Good News that “God is LOVE”. We make the word of God incarnate in our lives and we become authentic and credible witness to the ‘message’ and to ‘him’ whom we are proclaiming.

            What we require is to daily meditate, assimilate and interpret God’s word. Likewise, in the light of God’s word reading the signs of the time we interpret our present life situation. We totally give of ourselves to the service of the poor, the marginalised and we cry out against poverty and injustice. We defend and promote Human dignity and respect. We must be missionaries of love, denying one’s own self for the work of God in the service of others.

                        Nazarius Kharkongor SDB

Nelson Mudaliar
TO RADIATE GOD
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The community of Divyadaan celebrated the community day on 8^th of November,2012. The theme chosen was – ‘United in Love to radiate God.’ This theme is in keeping with the Letter of Rector Major exhorting us to be Mystics, Prophets and servants all embodied in the person of Christ.

As 11^th November draws near, my thoughts went on a ride to explore what it really means to be  a Missionary. Various insights came to my mind, I shall put forth those ideas in the form of a story.

The Abbot of a certain monastery called a novice just after tea. He requested him to get ready to come with him to preach in the village nearby. The novice washed his face, packed his haversack and carried a Bible along with him. The Abbot waited patiently for his novice at the entrance. The novice filled with exuberance approached the Abbot. The Abbot looked at his novice, smiled at him and said, “My dear, all that is needed is you, yourself.” The novice kept everything inside and accompanied the Abbot. The novice inquired about the topic that he was to preach on the Abbot ignored this request and started marveling at the beauty of fields that they were crossing. They exchanged pleasant greetings along the way. In a solitary place, under the cover of a Banyan tree, the Abbot together the novice sat down to pray. A family asked them for tea to which they accepted. They chatted with the family. As they proceeded further they helped a farmer gather his hens. And then they started back to the monastery.

The novice was surprised since the Abbot didn’t keep his word of preaching in the village. The Abbot somewhat sensing this complimented the novice, “You’ve been good you will become a very good preacher.” “But, Master we didn’t preach today.” “We did, my son, we did!”Nelson Mudaliar

This is what a Missionary is! Someone great said, “Preach, preach, preach always preach but use words only when necessary.” For me to be a Missionary (which I hope and pray to be) is to Radiate God through my life.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
Nelson Mudaliar

. . . . just but a winded key

    Everything that is created is a known reality. Man knows the earth that he lives in is an arena of blessings. These blessings he has renewed to enumerate in some fields a thirty fold produce, in some a fifty fold produce while in some a hundred fold blessings. He has come to learn of the nature of all bodies. Even the sun and the moon in the Milky Way galaxy are no longer mysteries to him.

    His domain and knowledge extends even over exotic creatures like the skunk, ibis, skua and the Aardvark. And his creative power has architectured monumental townships like New York city and Naples. Well, why go far? You could count on our very own ‘garden city’, Banglooru as one of his Noble metropolises that ever existed.

    The world is but a toy winded on this spring called MAN. This toy is made to run by the winding effect of man. His beauty and goodness is unwounded in so many marvellous ways. However, like man in life we too are called to acknowledge amidst all the wonders the silent hand that is winding us to create a better world in the mIlky way, aArdvark and noble Metropolises called I AM.

-Chris Ferreira