Jesuit Provincial of South Asia Fr George Pattery interview.

‘Challenge is to take forward the thrust Pope is giving to Church’     Sakal Times
- CAMIL PARKHE Sunday, 22 June 2014 - 02:17 PM IST
Tags: Father George Pattery, Jnana Deep Vidyapeeth , Jesuits, Camil parkhe

Father George Pattery, acting president of the Pune-based Jnana Deep Vidyapeeth (JDV), has been appointed the Jesuit Provincial of South Asia. Earlier, he had taught at Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan in West Bengal  for 10 years and later  served as head of Kolkata Jesuit province. Fr Pattery spoke to Camil Parkhe about  his new role.

What are the responsibilities of the Jesuit Provincial of South Asia?

There are nearly 4,000 Jesuits working in 20 Jesuit provinces in this region. There are more than  100 high schools and colleges, besides many centres of social concerns.  Jesuits, the members of Society of Jesus, are mostly engaged in education at the school and graduate levels. Social involvement, especially with tribals and dalits is one of the major thrusts; so also dialogue with religions and cultures. My role  is to support these Jesuit missions in education, social involvement and spiritual animation. I will have to strengthen the common works of these provinces, especially in social involvement and formation of our men. Besides I will have to network with the international Jesuits community, especially with our headquarters in Rome.

What will be your priorities?

My priorities will be  to strengthen the three faculties of the Pune-based  JDV, Vidyajyothi  in Delhi and Satyanilayam in Chennai in their philosophical and theological studies;  to respond to the socio-political issues in South Asia and to train our men for the challenges of our mission of 'being men for others'.

What are the challenges you perceive in the present circumstances?

My challenges are to take forward the thrust that Pope Francis is giving to the church and to make visible the gospel values of compassion and gentleness, to respond to the growing religious and cultural fundamentalism and violence and to care for the poor and to receive their gift of generosity.  The patrimony that we have inherited from  our founder  St Ignatius of Loyola is  the spiritual tool of being 'contemplative in action'; it is one of the riches that we share with men and women of all religions and cultures.

Jesuits express concern over missing priest

Jesuits express concern over missing priest
- CAMIL PARKHE Thursday, 12 June 2014 - 11:07 PM IST
Tags: Jesuits, Jesuit Refugee Service, priest, Fr Alexis Prem Kumar, abduct, crime, Pune, Camil Parkhe

PUNE: Jesuits in the city have expressed concern over the fate of the fellow priest from Madurai province who has been abducted by some people while working for the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Afghanistan.

Fr Alexis Prem Kumar (47), Director of the JRS in Afghanistan, was abducted by unidentified persons near Herat on June 2.

Fr Kumar was visiting a school for refugee Afghan children when the abductors took him along with them.

There was no violence at the time of the kidnapping, sources said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction yet.

Jesuit priests have been working in several areas of Afghanistan and generally keep a low profile.

Fr Stan Fernandes, a former head of the Pune Jesuit province, had also been working in Afghanistan for the past few years.

Jesuit Refugee Service works among people who are denied human rights, or are driven out of their homeland and persecuted.

Its work consists of rehabilitation, education and counselling.

NO NEWS AFTER 10 DAYS

In an email, Fr Joy Karayampuram, spokesperson for the Jesuit Refugee Service, has said, "This is the 10th day after the abduction of the humanitarian aid worker Fr Alexis Prem Kumar. We have no information about the whereabouts of Fr. Alexis till today. We are all praying for his safe return."

 

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Fr Matthew Lederle a model for inter-faith harmony:

Fr Lederle a model for inter-faith harmony: Bishop Dabre
- CAMIL PARKHE Monday, 9 June 2014 - 04:14 PM IST
Tags: Snehasadan Ashram, Pune, Fr Matthew Lederle, death anniverasry, tributes

Pune: Snehasadan Institute founder Fr Matthew Lederle, who worked for promoting inter-religious dialogue in the country, continues to be an inspiring model in the present social circumstances, said Pune Bishop Thomas Dabre here on Sunday. 

He was speaking at a function organised to pay tributes to the Snehasadan founder on the occasion of the Jesuit priest's 28th death anniversary. The function was organised by Pragat Padvidhar Sanghatana, an organisation of Christian graduates with which the German priest was closely associated.  

Bishop Dabre said that Fr Lederle had devoted his life to create harmony among members of various communities and this spirit needed to be promoted today, especially when attempts are made to create division and tension among members of different communities. 

Bishop Dabre said that he is proud that Fr Lederle was one of the three examiners appointed by the University of Pune who had reviewed his PhD thesis on Sant Tukaram. 

Bishop Dabre also released a souvenir on the life and work of Fr Lederle.  

Among those who recalled Fr Lederle's contribution in various fields included Fr Francis D'Souza, Socius of Pune Jesuit province, Louis Kadam, SS Waghmare, J D Adhav, S N Kamble and Dr Eknath Patole. 

Remembering Snehasadan founder Fr Lederle

Remembering Snehasadan founder Fr Lederle
- ST Correspondent Sakal Times Saturday, 7 June 2014 - 10:48 PM IST
Tags: Snehasadan Ashram, Pune, Fr Matthew Lederle, death anniverasry, tributes

Pune: Pragat Padavidhar Sanghatana (PPS) will organise a function in Camp on Sunday, June 8, to pay tributes to German Jesuit Fr Matthew Lederle, founder of Snehasadan Institute for the Study of Religion, on the occasion of his 28th death anniversary. 

The function will be attended by Pune Bishop Thomas Dabre and Pune Jesuit Provincial Fr Bhausaheb Sansare.  

Bishop Dabre will celebrate mass at St Xavier Church, Camp at 4 pm. It will be followed by a function at Fr Barco hall, near St Xavier Church. A souvenir on the life and works of Fr Lederle will also be released, said a statement issued by PPS leaders JD Adhav and Pratap Pandit. Fr Lederle, along with Fr Guy Deleury, a French Jesuit and Achyutrao Apte, a social worker and a founder of the Vidyarthi Sahayyak Samiti, had established Snehasadan Ashram, an institute for interreligious dialogue in 1969. 

After his arrival in India from Germany and ordination as a priest, Fr Lederle had chosen Pune for his work. He learnt the local language, started interacting with local people and started inter-religious dialogue to help people of various communities to appreciate and understand each other.