During my pre – New year tele- chat with my younger brother Rev, Fr. Dr. A.G. Leonard S.J. Former Principal, St. Joseph’s college, Trichchirapalli, and presently Minister in Arulanandar college, Karumathur, Madurai district, it came to my knowledge from him that there are a few letters of Jesuit parish priests of Kamuthy available in the Archives at Shenbaganur which will throw more light on the parish than what I have written in the GLOBAL PARAVAR on 9th April 2012.
While thanking him for the information, I requested him to get copies of these and send them to me for appropriate use. He informed me that he would; but as soon as he is comfortable with electricity supply.
Nevertheless, he sent me over mail Four sheaves—One containing names of all the Jesuits interred in the Loyola college Cemetery, Madras, and the Other three, Obituaries left by fellow Jesuits on FR. VARIN s.j, Fr. MAHE s.j, and Sch.IVOR CUTHBERT SNELL s.j, These are culled from Caritas magazine – 1957 and 1959.
The note on Sch. Snell was by Fr. Lawerence Sundaram s.j who was my English Professor from my P.U.C.to my M.A. and who gave me the job of English lecturer on the very next day of my completing my M.A, University Examination in St. Joseph’s College, Trichirappalli – and who later unhesitatingly sent me off the college, the moment I mentioned to him that I would be preparing for the Union Public service Examination, while being on the staff of the English department, saying only two firm sentences ;-
1) “NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS – TEACHING AND PREPARING FOR EXAMINATIONS’’. And NONE CAN RIDE TWO HORSES.
2)’’ I CANNOT SACRIFICE THE INTEREST OF MY STUDENTS FOR YOUR SAKE’’
But yet, the Father was so kind to me that he put me back as lecturer the very next day I completed my Union Public service commission examinations even without my asking.
He was always proud of me and never hesitated to tell anyone while introducing me to them, that he had taught three generations of our family –my father , me , my brothers and my daughter. Yet, while handling the department as HOD, he never wavered in his decision. He packed me off. It was very bitter then. But now to recollect, what a great good he had done to me by forcing me out of the college!
All these appointments and reliefs were made without any appointment order or relieving order – a fact that one cannot dream of these days! So much so, that when I meet Young Jesuits from St. Joseph’s I quip ‘’Still I have a lien With St. Joseph’s college and I can claim my professorship in the college at any time!”
The other note was on Fr. Mahe s.j.in whose name the once vast play ground of St. Joseph’s still exists though now shrunk in size and shape by a clutter of buildings.
The Note on Fr. Mahe s.j. was by Fr.F.X.Frohely s.j. who I, as a student remember, as a very old priest frail and weak, with spectacle on his nose and yet saying mass at 4-45 am in one of the side altars of St. Joseph’s College Church with a magnifying glass in the trembling hand ,to support his failing sight to read the big fonted Missal specially designed for old priests like him.
Fr. Frohely s.j. in his Note on Mahe has said as follows on the formation of Tuticorin Diocese which I thought I should share with you, as it reveals how the Jesuits held our ancestors close to their heart.
”In January 1923, news came from Rome that preparations were to be made for the creation of a secular diocese along the Fishery Coast. Accordingly, all the parishes on the coast from Vembar to Edindagarai were placed under the immediate jurisdiction of Rev. Fr. Louis who was appointed at the same time Vicar General. This entailed a complete re- shuffling. All the Jesuit fathers were to be withdrawn from the parishes of the Paravas and to be replaced by the members of the secular clergy, and this somewhat unpleasant task fell to the lot of the superior of Palayamkottai (Fr.Mahe.)
It was with a heavy heart that the Jesuit missionaries bade farewell to the dear children of St. Francis Xavier, among whom they had worked for many many years.
On 11Th June of the same year FR. TIBURTIUS ROCHE was nominated by the Holy See as the First Bishop of the new Diocese of Tuticorin.”
With the creation of Tuticorin Diocese, the Jesuits moved away from our parishes. With the growth of new educational institutions in our territory, we have become a rarity in Jesuit institutions. In the Jesuit order itself we, the first Roman Catholics in Tamil land are only a handful.
by A.X..Alexander