Page 21 - Y Mind

Interview With Fr. Charles Rodrigues SJ

As a lay person, I had gone to Chicago province
to do my graduate studies and after my studies, ou have a new assignment to accompany
I was working there. And so while I was doing Ythe Scholastics of your province. Congratu-
my graduate studies, I felt stronger desire to ex- lations! What are your dreams and visions for
plore the Society of Jesus and being there I could scholastics?
hardly explore the Society here. So I got to know Men by and large of the province come from the
the Society there much better. I did come down school and universities run by the Jesuits. So
here for a few weeks to see if the Bombay Jesuits they are well qualified and well educated, talent-
will be a better fit. But having lived there, having ed men with good energies. So I see my role,
got more familiar with their ways of formation, I my hope and vision is that I take multiple talents
felt that the Chicago province would be a more of these young men and I channelize them into
natural fit for me. I was very blessed with the for- working for the greater glory of God and for the
mation experience. But I also love the Bombay good of the Society. Some of them may have
Jesuits and Mumbai! their own ideas of how to do things or what they
would like to do. Part of our Jesuit formation is
hat are your future plans for your apos- to set aside our goals and ideals and to see what
Wtolate? is the greater good of the Society. It is challeng-
I hope doing Ignatian retreat ministry in some ing but there is a hope to take this energy, this
form. I have been appointed as the PCF. It will be great raw material that the Lord is giving us and
largely directed to the men in formation guiding to channel it for his greater will and glory.
them, accompanying them and advising them
to what courses of formation is best for them, lease share with us a message to the Jesuits
as we know by the recent Universal Apostolic Pof India and for us the juniors of Vinayalaya.
Preferences. I will be centering on our spiritual- For this message, I have to refer to our former
ity and there will be some opportunity in using general late Adolfo Nicolas. After he passed
them, be it in our schools, colleges, universities away, the Society of Jesus issued a letter that
retreat centers or social outreach programs. talks about some of the distractions he mentions
can be applicable to India. We are caught up in
ow has the Covid - 19 pandemic affected our small networks like our language groups,
Hyour ministry? our caste, and the people from our own prov-
It has done some good things. I just gave a ses- ince that we lose sight of the bigger picture and
sion to some 300 teachers. It was ‘the Ignatian the society. We may speak the language from my
spirituality’ in the time of Covid. I explained to region, and relish the same food. But we have
them of how Ignatius after his leg was broken he to cherish and celebrate the bigger picture, the
went through his own lockdown experience. He larger Society. Only then it will really keep us
couldn’t go where he wanted to go, couldn’t do down, it will keep our focus narrow and father
what he wanted to do. The only place he could Nicolas calls this a key distractions in the society
go was inside himself. I told the teachers that this today. So the message I want to give today is, I
is a great opportunity for us. Yes we are disori- want you to read his letter because it talks about
ented by Covid. All our previous proceedings are media and the market with a profound wisdom
questioned. We need to reorder our priorities and take it to your heart. It is inspiring. This is
and respond accordingly. Yes, we need to make how spiritual conversation has to be cherished
meaningful choices to make a real difference to and enriched.
our social life. Earlier it was only to the audience Thank you Fr. Charles for your generosity by
I could give a session but now it is online which sharing your insights and experiences. We wish
requires much more work and creativity or else you all the best, safe journey to the US. We are
the presentation is more flat and boring. praying for you.

Young Minds 2020 20