Special Articles

As St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute in Bangalore prepares to mark its Golden Jubilee, it stands as a beacon of academic excellence and spiritual growth. Over the years, the Institute has played an instrumental role in the formation of clergy and religious for the Church’s Mission. With deep gratitude for God’s blessings, the unwavering support of the Board of Bishops’ Administration, and the dedication of its esteemed faculty, St. Peter’s is a testament to the power of faith-based education. The year-long Golden Jubilee celebration will unfold in three distinct phases: the inaugural event on January 10-11, 2025; an international alumni conference in September 2025; and the grand culmination in January 2026. To truly appreciate the significance of this milestone, it is essential to look back at the rich history and achievements of St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute.

A Glimpse into the History of the Seminary (1778-1976)

The history of St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute traces its roots back to 1778 when the Seminary was first founded at Pondicherry by the Foreign Mission Society of Paris (Missions Étrangères de Paris – MEP). Initially known as the Grand Séminaire, it was later renamed St. Joseph’s Seminary in 1790. Over the years, it evolved and gained prominence, becoming St. Joseph’s Provincial Seminary in 1899. In 1934, the MEP transferred the Seminary to Bangalore and renamed it “St. Peter’s Provincial Seminary” as a gesture of gratitude to the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle, which had made significant contributions toward the construction of the seminary building.

FR DR JUDE NIRMAL DOSS

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In this article, I continue with the other three agreements based on the book named The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. I had previously written on the first agreement: Be Impeccable with your Word.

DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY

When someone hurls words at you, whether praise or poison, they are not defining you; they are revealing the landscape of their own world. Every insult, every judgment, every assumption they make about you is born from the script of their own internal story written long before you ever appeared in their frame.

Picture a vast cinema with multiple screens. You enter one and find yourself on the big screen, starring in “The Story of You.” It is your movie, and you are the director, the producer, the lead actor. The supporting cast? They are characters moulded by your perspective, fitting into roles you’ve assigned them. The Superior who never quite understood, the friend who betrayed, the formator who inspired, you see them not as they are, but as you believe them to be.

Now, step into another theatre, your Superior’s film. You recognise the faces, but the roles are unfamiliar. There you are, a character in her movie, behaving in ways you don’t recall, shaped by her script. You move to the next cinema, your Provincial’s movie. Only to find yourself yet again a different version, shaped by their beliefs, their experiences. You go to the next theatre, and the next, and after watching all the movies of the people you know, you realise that everyone distorts the characters in their movie.

Br Sunil Britto CFC

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Bicentennial bells ring, our hearts thrilled,

Memories rise, and spirits awaken,

As we salute Blessed Mary Theresa Scherer.

The bicentennial commemoration of the birth of any great person is a reminder of the enduring legacy that has been left behind.  In the year 2025, we honour a remarkable person, whole and holy – Blessed Mary Theresa Scherer, the Co-foundress of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross Ingenbohl, Switzerland. Her indelible impact on life and work continues to inspire and resonate deeply within our collective consciousness. The seeds planted two centuries ago still bear fruit in the lives touched, minds inspired, and hearts transformed. It is with immense gratitude that we share with our readers the inspiring life, admirable personality, and deep spirituality of Blessed Mary Theresa Scherer. This first article in the series will explore the significant milestones in her life, while the next two will delve into her personality, spirituality, and the enduring impact of her spiritual legacy.

Sr. Tessy Churanadu SCSC

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Joseph Buzzetti, a Salesian lay brother, was one of Don Bosco’s early helpers. He was a hard-working and generous man, but also impulsive in his decisions. When some of the boys in Don Bosco’s care became Salesians, and were given responsibilities, Brother Buzzetti felt that he was not as important as before. He did not like the new setting, in which his role was not as prominent as before. Being impulsive, he decided to leave, looked for work outside, and found a job. He then went to Don Bosco to wish him good-bye.

He told Don Bosco that he did not like the new changes, and that, being unhappy, he had gone out, found a job, and wanted to wish Don Bosco good-bye.

Don Bosco listened to Buzzetti’s impulsive outburst. Then he told him, “Joseph, I am glad you have found a job. Although you have a job, there will be hardships at the start.” Then, opening the drawer of his desk, he added, “Joseph, you know this desk better than I do. Take from it whatever you need. And whenever you need something, don’t hesitate to come and get it.”

Looking at the young man lovingly, the saint added, “Joseph, we have been friends. I hope you will not forget me.”

Jospeh Buzzetti burst into tears. He never left. He stayed with Don Bosco and worked hard for the boys.

Fr Joe Mannath SDB

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While discussing the social dimension of wholeness, we mentioned how people need to practice interconnectedness, justice, equality and cultural inclusivity in order to be socially well-developed. Yes, these are indeed important elements of the social dimension but there is one particular quality that is absolutely essential to this dimension which we have termed as CONTRIBUTION. Similar to the highest qualities of the previous three dimensions, it is the contribution that a person makes to the society which characterises and defines a holistic person. In the following image, you can notice all the four highest qualities of the dimensions we have discussed so far.

Contribution is the Pinnacle of Social Dimension

The wholeness paradigm proposes Contribution as the highest expression of the social dimension because it embodies so many essential characteristics of a person’s social living. Firstly, contribution fosters a sense of belonging, purpose, and connection between various kinds of personalities. It helps people move beyond self-centered concerns, leading to meaningful and effective sharing in the needs of others. Socially conscious people cannot but offer their support and collaboration wherever there is need. Among the many examples of great personalities such as Saint Mother Theresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Archbishop Oscar Romero, I shall refer to one significant person as a model of the contribution that an individual can make to change the society.

Fr. Dr. Joseph Jeyaraj, sdb

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The Italians have a saying: ‘After a fat pope, a thin pope,’ which essentially means that different men bring their own styles, personal qualities, and perspectives to the issues they face. Their understanding of the Petrine ministry is shaped by their unique life experiences.

The Pope, by God’s infinite imagination, is a man for his times. The Catholic Church throughout its history has had different popes, having different personalities, but always with an underlying continuity through the Magisterium (Ordinary, Conciliar and Pontifical Magisterium). We believe that the Church is not a political Institution, nor an Amazon-like corporation headed by a white-robed CEO, but a divine body guided by the Holy Spirit speaking through the living Magisterium, albeit made up of men and women with human imperfections.

On 17th December, Pope Francis will have celebrated his 88th birthday, whilst the Catholic Church continues into the 11th year of his pontificate. Whilst thanking God and reflecting on this Papacy, what comes to mind is the beautiful metaphor of Pope St. John XXIII, on the opening of the Second Vatican Council, where he proclaimed – “open the windows and let in the fresh air.”  I would go a step further and add that Pope Francis in the last 11 years has not only built on the legacy of Vatican II and his predecessors but is also repositioning the Church by constantly challenging it to “think out of the box” but also simultaneously encouraging it to be rooted in the deposit of faith – continually guided by the Holy Spirit, so that the fresh air further circulates into all rooms, consequentially opening Church doors in an invitation to the heavenly wedding banquet    (Mt 22:1-14), welcoming everyone(the Catholic Church is for “todos, todos, todos”  – everyone, everyone, everyone).

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Jesus’ teachings and Christian moral principles can look easy and even superficial when seen in the wrong light. No long prayers, no special diet, no special dress, so special place for prayer.

What makes discipleship hard—at times even heroically hard—is the way we are asked to treat one another.

To love our enemies, to do good to those who harm us.

One of the hardest parables of Jesus is the one about the unforgiving servant. The king forgives him an incredibly huge debt. But then the same servant treats a fellow servant who owes him a small sum very harshly. Hearing this, the king gets furious, has him arrested and thrown into prison.

As an inspiring Catholic wife and mother used to say about her sons who caused her much pain through alcoholism and irresponsible behaviour, “How can I complain about my children’s ingratitude when I have been so ungrateful to God for His great and never failing blessings?

In my latest book, It’s Him!, I have a chapter on forgiveness, called “The Hardest (and the Best) Part.” In it I give several true stories of heroic forgiveness.

Fr Joe Mannath SDB

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We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”

– Jimmy Carter (President of the USA from 1977-1981).

            In the previous issue, we discussed the social dimension from the viewpoint of interpersonal relationships between individuals and within the community. However, the social dimension of wholeness is made up of broader aspects such as, CULTURE, JUSTICE, EQUALITY and ECOLOGY. These are integral elements of wholeness which are not often emphasized by priests and religious both in their personal life style and in their ministry. In fact, we are proficient in differentiating people based on their culture, language, caste, colour and creed. Prejudices, biases and assumptions are generously utilised to make rules and norms that are exclusive rather than inclusive.

Are we a Melting Pot or a Beautiful Mosaic?

We consider diversity as a threat and therefore, fail to see differences as a gift, and what is more, we fail to benefit from them. Conversely, the opposite attitude that a religious should imbibe is to welcome these differences as a treasure to be cherished. Maybe, the following questions would introduce us to the theme we would like to discuss here.

At the community level:

• Do you live in an intercultural or ethnic community with confreres and sisters hailing from a cultural group different from yours?
• How do you feel when you find yourself living with a community member who thinks and acts very differently from what you are accustomed to?
• Do you feel Excited? Fed up? Irritated? Tolerating? Confused? Or Adjusting? Accepting?

At the level of province or Region:

• How does your Province/Region deal with diversity and cultural differences among its members?
• Are the intercultural differences appreciated and cherished in your province?
• Are there subtle or strong tension or polarity between locals and foreigners, majority and minority groups, and elderly and young?
• What are the common prejudices held about the various groups and how do these prejudices affect the fraternity of the Province/Region and its mission?

Each of these questions are profoundly self-reflective and transformative if we choose to reflect on them in the right spirit. If we do this through the lens of interconnectedness, we would understand that Culture, Justice, Equality and Ecology are, indeed, integral elements of wholeness.

This concept is very well echoed in Fratelli tutti, wherein Pope Francis extends a meaningful invitation to everyone saying, “Let us dream, then, as a single human family, as fellow travellers sharing the same flesh, as children of the same earth which is our common home, each of us bringing the richness of his or her beliefs and convictions, each of us with his or her own voice, brothers and sisters all” (FT, no. 8). The value that we are invited to learn is Love for Society, with all its richness and limitations.

Fr. Dr. Joseph Jeyaraj, sdb

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India has the world’s largest number of Catholic religious—about 131,600, belonging to 399 religious orders, with 1025 major superiors. The religious communities (houses) in India number about 19,400. All this without counting the secular institutes.

In 2016, I presented a plan to the National CRI executive to start a magazine which today’s religious would find useful and appealing. I was asked to prepare a sample issue. I did. The executive loved it, and approved the idea.

To get the magazine registered with the government is a long and laborious process. I felt thrilled when the government department approved this title (Magnet) for our new magazine. It took over a year of work to get the registration completed.

Why take so much trouble to have a magazine registered?

One: An unregistered magazine is not seen as a real publication, but simply as a newsletter, or matter copied from elsewhere.

Two: We save enormously on postage. If Magnet were unregistered, the postage per issue would be Rs 7. Registered, it costs only 50 paise.

Most publications pay the writers, especially if they are competent and well known. Magnet has an excellent team of regular writers, who contribute regularly and DO IT TOTALLY FREE. This is a huge asset.

Magnet has another precious asset, often unrecognized: international consultants who give regular feedback on the magazine. They are highly qualified persons from various countries, who do this service free of charge.

Joe Mannath SDB

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The thick white creamy layer on a cake often seduces the customer into purchasing the cake only to discover on cutting it, he or she was thoroughly cheated. The real cake is buried deep into the cream. The cream is only an attractive coffin entombed with white marble slab soon to be decayed! Such is the picture of Christmas for thousands. It has been an annual indulging in fun and frolic, food and drink, regardless of the enormous expenditure on all spheres and regardless of human predicament which surrounds daily life. Numbing one’s senses towards human wounds, affliction and despair on the faces around is what often Christmas is made of. It is turned into a mere cream in the name of the cake! There ends the story of the profound and immense birth of the child who had a precarious birth, passionate life, painful death and glorious resurrection. Limiting oneself to a cream-surfaced happy-comfort, the “Great Story” disappears quickly from the scene leaving the human interior empty and wasteful. Christmas is turned into an illusion each passing year, moving away from  Christmas as a life-reality. It has become the celebration of the white cream rather than the delicious cake!

Occurring on the threshold of the Holy Year 2025, Christmas this time can regain its original significance of a new hope to humanity by the practice of human rights as the thick war smoke hovers over the Middle East nations and Ukraine leaving thousands dead or displaced, in injury and pain, even as the responsible parties in the conflict are not willing to find a peaceful solution to provide hope for a better future. The Child of Christmas Himself was born as a pilgrim, with the insidious enemy Herod plotting to eliminate Him, threatened by what he perceived as a powerful and arrogant presence. However, the “Hope of the world,” born in a manger among the animals was determined to live on, on the road all His life as a stranger and pilgrim. He wished to be with those who live the experience of people on the move—the migrants, refugees, and unemployed—seeking a bit of physical comfort in a world that is self-enclosed and attached to attractions. As opposed to the spectacular, the Child whose nativity we celebrate willed to be a ‘Pilgrim of Hope.’ The birth of this Child points out the evils in our society: communalism, hate crimes, violence against people. It is a time to look beyond one’s needs, to cross borders of one’s interests, embrace empathy and bridge the divides among people. It is a time to be purified of our ego and focus on a wider world of human beings whose struggles never seem to be ending.

Gerry Lobo, OFM

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