Frs. Ken Thorson & Jim Bleackley, OMI
Visit to India & Kenya
The trip to India was a whirlwind. From the moment, we landed in Chennai on December 22nd until we left for Kenya on December 31st, Fr. Ken Thorson & I were constantly on the move. The first day, we traveled by car to the Aanmodaya Ashram in Kanchipuram. The Ashram, which began in 1992, is a centre for Indian Christian Spirituality & Inter- Religious dialogue. Its goal is to provide a sacred space, a congenial atmosphere of silence and solitude where people of all walks of life, young & old, without any discrimination of caste or colour, creed or code, race or nationality, gender or religion, could come and spend time in quiet silence or meditation and/or engage in a dialogue of life, or just be and resume their life’s journey. A group of Oblates, along with other “Seekers” both men & women, live a life characterized by deep interiority and simplicity, a life which reflects the Ashram life of India. This is an important ministry in a country where the 24 million Christians (2.3%) face many restrictions and persecution in their efforts to share the gospel message because Hindu radicals view Christians as outsiders. While the source of persecution for Christians in India depends on their location within the country, most of it comes from a variety of Hindu radical groups and organizations, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Shiv Sena and Vishya Hindu Parishad (VHP). Hindu radicals also dominate the central government in New Delhi.
Fr. Chinnappan, OMI – Director of Ashram visiting a temple with Fr. Ken Thorson.
Fr. Chinnappan Maria Susai, the Director of the Ashram, welcome us with a prayer and a blessing and after a refreshing cup of tea, guided us to several temples in the city of Kanchipuram, a place famous for having more than a 1000 temples. After the tour, we stopped at the Oblate parish in the city to visit the foundational mission of the Province which this summer will celebrate its 50th anniversary. After lunch, we returned to the Ashram to explore the site and talk with Fr. Chinnappan Maria Susai about the history and importance of this ministry. The next event on our schedule was a visit to one of the Province’s Scholasticate, but I was so exhausted by jet lag that I asked that we return to the provincial house so I could rest.
India Provincial house
The next day, it was back to the airport for a very early morning flight to Guwahati, which included a four-hour stop over in Kolkata. Instead of waiting at the airport for our next flight, we hailed a taxi and visited the tomb of Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Kolkata). The ride though the narrow streets was hair-raising; people, bikes, motorbikes, cars, and trucks all claiming the same limited space by simply honking their horns. To me it was total chaos, but our driver managed to quickly navigate his way without hitting anyone. Mother Teresa’s tomb was a quiet place of prayer where I asked for a safe taxi ride back to the airport.
Mother Teresa’s tomb
After landed in Guwahati, we drove to Silchang and stayed over night at the Don Bosco School, which that evening was the venue for an outdoor Christmas party for 1000 students. The music & singing over the loud speakers were deafening, but I was so exhausted I went to bed early and slept though the whole thing.
After an early morning Mass on Sunday, it was back in the car for a long drive to Lad-Lakadong, a small northern India community where we celebrated an outdoor Christmas Mass. The whole community consisting of 25 Catholic families came together to prayerfully celebrate the birth of Christ. The only commercialism was a person dressed as Santa, who showed up to give candy to the children; a prayerful space untouched by the dehumanizing values of our secular world.
The next day after morning prayer, village elders, Ken & I visited the donated land where the community hopes to build a rectory and a school, truly a daunting task for a small community with limited resources and few employment opportunities, but I’m sure their determination & vision for a better future for their children, with some financial help from foreign donators will complete this project.
Village elders showing the donated land for the future school and rectory.
After thanking the people for their hospitality it was back in the car for the long return trip to Silchang in order to continue our northern travels to Ramsapathar to visit the newest mission of the Oblate Province of India. Like most missions in India, the two Oblates are trying to expand and improve the small school, which is an important evangelizing ministry allowed by the Government, but not always appreciated by their Hindu neighbours.
Then back to Silchang, Guwwahati and Chennai, to prepare to spend two days with the Oblate students who were attending the annual BOSOM meeting in Perambakkam It was a joy to be with the 80 students in formation and to share with them the history, ministry and vision of OMI Lacombe Canada.
On the only free day of our trip, Ken & I decided to visit the family of an Oblate working in Canada. We flew from Chennai to Madural, and than drove to Paramakudi to meet and have lunch with Fr. Susai Jesu’s family. After an enjoyable meal and a short excursion to visit another Oblate parish & school, it was time to return to the airport for the flight back to Chennai.
Fr. Susai Jesu’s family
Fr. Susai’s nephew and niece
Fr. Susai Jesu’s sister, third from the right.
On our last day in India, Ken & I met with the Provincial Council of the India Province to talk about how OMI Lacombe Canada might collaborate with them. Together we talked about the challenge and invitation of the 36th General Chapter to implement the vision of Interculturality thought-out the Congregation. In a rapidly changing world where many people see the other as a stranger and a threat, it is vital for society and church to shift from monocultural to intercultural. As an international congregation with Oblates from all over the world working and ministering together we have communities who could witness to the real possibility of people of different cultures and languages but a common faith and vision being able to survive and thrive for a purpose beyond any individual whim or comfort and be a sign of the Realm of God.
Fr. S. Chinnappan, OMI – Provincial of India Province with Fr. Jim Bleackley, OMI.
The Provincial, Rev. Fr. S. Chinnappan, OMI was wondering if OMI Lacombe Canada would be open to receiving financial requests for their ever increasing formation cost and a number of building projects. He was also interested in an exchange of personnel; younger Oblates from India coming for a few years to share in our ministry in Canada and for older members of our Province to be a stable presence for the younger Oblates in India, especially for those in formation. Everyone at the meeting agreed this kind of collaboration and mixing would enrich both Provinces and the Congregation.
Leaving for Kenya
Ken & I left India on the evening of December 31st and welcome the New Year at the airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia along with about 1500 people in a very limited space. Thankfully, at 1 am, we found 2 empty chairs and didn’t have to sit on the floor for seven hours while waiting for our early morning flight to Nairobi. It is the only time in my life that I stay up all night to celebrate the beginning of a New Year, and hopefully I will never do it again.
In the afternoon of January 1st, we landed at the Nairobi airport and met Fr. Gerry Conlan, OMI, who drove us to Kisaju Parish, where we were warmly welcome by Gideon Rimberia, Joseph Magambo and Praveen Selvadurai. It was good to be in a place that felt like home and have an opportunity to rest & relax before beginning our Kenyan visitation.
Every year in January, members of the Provincial Council spend a few weeks in the Kenyan Mission. It is an opportunity to visit the missions, the parish organizations, and every Oblate involved in this ministry in order to have a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the Oblates and faith communities under their care. By listening to their concerns we hope to find ways of how OMI Lacombe Canada might collaborate with them as they deal with last year’s political upheaval and the ongoing drought conditions which have hurt the Kenyan economy, causing hardship and poverty for many families in the country.
Even though 2017 has been a difficult year, the outstations of St. Paul’s Church in Kisaju continue their fund raising efforts in order to complete church projects. For example, when meeting with leaders of St. Bernada in Olturoto, we heard about their desire to provide clean drinking water for the village. So far, they have managed to dig a bore hole and are now collecting money to build the water tower in order to complete the project. I admire their determination, but without financial support from abroad it is going to take many years for them to complete this project.
From Kisaju, we journey to Kionyo and gathered with St. Stephen Parish on Sunday to celebrate with the Oblate Associates who are renewing their commitment for another year and welcoming four new members into this group. They are young adults keen to embrace the chrism and spirituality of St. Eugene de Mazenod and support the ministry of the Oblates in Kenya.
Renewal of commitment of Associates in Kionyo
The next major event was the Kenya Mission Gathering in Nairobi-Karen, where for several days the Oblates met to review past decisions of the Mission, listen to the reports from the Mission Superior & the Mission Treasurer, and discuss and explore different ways to challenge students who are presently in the formation program. Realizing that the general election has divided the country, the group affirmed the need to be engaged in the healing process by working for justice, peace and reconciliation.
The challenge of self sustainability of the Mission at a time when the formation cost are increasing due to the large number of students and the need for new facilities are signs of a young mission in growth. As they continue to expand it is good to see the leadership of the Mission continue to lay strong foundations for the future regarding their Oblate identity, style and mission.
At our final meeting with Fr. Fidele Munkiele, the Superior of the Kenyan Mission, we affirmed and thanked him for his ministry of leadership, and once more promise the support OMI Lacombe Canada for this young growing Mission.
After a month of travelling, it was time to return to Canada and share our insights and experiences with all who have a special place in their heart for the Kenyan Oblate Mission.
By Jim Bleackley, OMI
