 Opening of a new Novitiate for the Delegation of India: The new Novitiate known as "La Salle Arpana Nivas" (La Salle House of Consecration) was officially opened on June 12th in a Eucharistic celebration presided over by the  Archbishop of Bangalore, Ignatius Pinto, in the presence of practically all of the Brothers of the Indian Delegation who had travelled overnight from Madurai and Keesara, distances of approximately 450 km. During the celebration, three Novices, Brs. Martin, Joachim and Johnson, who had recently completed their Novitiate in the PARC Novitiate in Lipa, Philippines, made their First Profession in the presence of their families. This was followed by the acceptance of 10 Postulants into the new Novitiate by Br. John Fernando, President, and Br. Mark Murphy, Delegate. The inauguration ceremony concluded with a cultural presentation and celebratory meal attended by Brothers, the families of the newly professed and invited guests.  Among the guests were representatives from many nearby Religious Congregations along with Br. David Hawke (Regional Co-ordinator and Chairman of PARC), Br. Michael Broughton (Area Co-ordinator of Singapore) and Br. Aidan Kilty (Formation Secretary) who represented Br. Superior and delivered a message on his behalf.
The establishment of the Novitiate in Karnataka means that the Brothers now have communities in three Indian states. Most of the Delegation apostolates continue to be located in the south of Tamil Nadu, within a few hours drive of the State capital, Madurai, where the Delegation centre is located on the Boys' Town property. The Novitiate is located in a large house in a rural setting, sufficiently far away from the local village to guarantee some privacy.
 In his congratulatory message to the Delegation, Br. Superior expressed the joys and the hopes of the Institute at the opening of the new Novitiate in the following words: ".Brothers, the cry of joy in our hearts today is also a resolute declaration of hope, above all, hope in the future of the Lasallian mission in your country. While we may sometimes feel overwhelmed by the staggering educational needs of young people, not just in India but also throughout Asia, the opening of the Novitiate signals yet another reason for hope, humble as it may be, in the face of those needs. After all, wasn't it Jesus who taught us to believe in the power of the mustard seed?..." |
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