Happy by Forgiving and Deciding to be Happy
Fr Abraham Kadaplackel SDB, 89 years (popularly known as Fr K V Abraham),
Spiritual Director, Salesian Theologate, Kavarapettai, Chennai,
former Rector, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Chennai.
Father KV, you are known as a happy and contented person. What is the main reason or what are the main reasons for your contentment?
No ill-feeling against anyone, and praying daily for those who may have hurt me. Accepting myself as I am. I am from an economically poor background, but I was blessed with extremely good parents and a good family. Another gift: Enjoying a sense of humour.
Looking back, can you share with us some of the persons who inspired you most, and what you learnt from each of them.
Fr. Med, Fr. Murphy, Fr. Dennis, Archbishop Arulappa.
Fr. John Med SDB (was Rector of the Aspirantate, then provincial): His great, sincere, sacrificing love for us, aspirants. His great love for Don Bosco and the Congregation, His exemplary life.
Fr. Joseph Murphy SDB (was Principal, Sacred Heart College, Tiruppattur): Cheerful, simple life-style, genuine love and concern for the poorer college students. He never went to bed without asking pardon even of the youngest aspirant, whom he might have shouted at during the foot-ball game.
Fr. Dennis Duarte SDB (was Dean of Studies in the Aspirantate): A strict disciplinarian (of the forties), but very kind and helpful. Many of us remember him with great gratitude.
Archbishop Arulappa of Madras-Mylapore: He accepted his poor family background. He had genuine love for priests, especially those in difficulties. He was convinced. He had a deep spirituality. …
NOT RETIRED FROM LIFE!
Sr Mariazinha Carvalho PBVM lives in Goa. She was principal of Sacred Heart Matriculation School, Chennai, and then a missionary in Zambia
Several people asked me, “Sister, have you retired?” I stopped to think and ask myself, “Retired from what?” From religious life, ministry, living fully???? Certainly, not from living life fully!!!!
The issue of ageing did not dawn on me until February 2007, in Zambia, when I was diagnosed with cancer. Being “Number 8” on the Enneagram, I’ve always been an independent person. When I was diagnosed with this illness, I thought to myself, ‘If so many people have cancer, why can’t I be one of them?’
It is only when I began the treatment, after the surgery, at AIIMS, Delhi, that I felt I was totally dependent, and that was not at all easy!!! I had so many people attending to me, my family, the sisters and others. Throughout my therapy (radiation and chemo) of over six months, I never gave up being positive, telling myself, ‘All was well, all is well, all will be well.’ This I attribute to the grace of God, not myself. It was possible only due to Divine intervention. I have experienced being at death’s door eight times—three drowning incidents , one bus accident, three car accidents and the last one was on Christmas Day 2007, when all thought I was almost dead after the fifth cycle of chemotherapy. Someone remarked, ‘Eight means wait !!!’ …
FROM MOVIES TO GOD,
FROM POLITICS TO MEDIA MINISTRY
Bro Jesudass Amirthan SSP
Executive Secretary, NARBI
Brother Jesudass, you come across as a joyful and optimistic person. What is the secret of your joyful spirit?
There was an extraordinary intervention in my life by Jesus: I failed in my SSLC in 1972, became a farmer in my village, entered politics at the insistence of our village elders, became a member of Congress Party, joined Kamaraj and Jayaprakash Narayan’s Satyagraha Movement, which sent me to Poonamallee (Chennai) jail! Later got employed as a junior Clerk in Poonamallee.
Finally, in 1976, something happened that changed me. I went to Dhyana Ashram, Mylapore, Chennai, for an annual retreat for the youth.
There I encountered Christ face to face, and distinctly heard Him calling me by name. He pursued me even when I escaped from the encountered sight to the Chapel and shut the door, but He walked in, through the locked door and gave me a capturing smile. That was my road to Damascus, a ‘Hound of Heaven’ moment. It is this extraordinary encounter with Jesus, and His constant presence in me, that has made me an optimistic person with joyful spirit.
You must have faced hardships and tough situations. What gives you the strength to face and overcome them?
After the extraordinary experience of Jesus which I have just mentioned, I knew I am called for an extraordinary life, but I did not know where to go and what to do. After the youth retreat at the Dhyana Ashram, I went to the Connemara Government Central Library in Chennai. There I found an adverisement at the back cover page of Katholikka Sevai, a Tamil Catholic magazine. The announcement was from Society of St Paul and it captured me: “Young man, do you want to preach Jesus through Modern Means of Communication, like Cinema, Radio and Television?”
I had failed in my SSLC mainly due to cutting classes and watching movies in theatres. Now an opportunity was knocking that I can preach Jesus through Mass Media such as Cinema, Radio, and Television etc. In June 1976, I entered Society of St Paul to become overnight an apostle of modern means of communication.
To my surprise, I found no movies to see, no television to watch, no radio stations for preaching. That very night I went to the chapel, closed the doors and windows , and asked Jesus to come and explain the predicament. It was almost midnight.
Jesus came (I felt), and explained that it was true that these modern things are not there in India, but he assured me that all these things would be realized in and through me, and that He would equip me for that. …
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