Editorial

Information

Pope Benedict XVI onSt. Francis de Sales

A Letter of Fr. Mermier toFr. J. M. Dupont in Yanam

St. Francis de Sales onGod’s Spiritual Providence

A Glance into our Past (4)

Fransalian Quiz (5)

SFS Life in Pictures

Salesian Thought

Editorial

A constant request that we happen to hear fromour acquaintances and friends is for Prayer. Inthe recent horrific cloud bursts and floods in

Kerala people have been requesting for heavenly interventionthrough prayers. I am told that the parents asked their childrento pray the rosary during the day before the common eveningprayer. And the children took in right earnestness the request oftheir parents. Seen this aspect from the Congregational point ofview we have been praying for the success of the 20th OrdinaryGeneral Chapter since February 01. 2017 to February 13, 2019.

Saint Francis de Sales goes a step further: not that we pray whenwe are confronted with problems but begin the very first momentsof awakening with prayer. During his studies in Padua SFSdeveloped a spiritual program to maintain a healthy balancebetween things sacred and secular, a simple, practical and downto earth program to help him to live in the world without being ofthe world. He called this rule of life that he developed for himself

– 2 –

his “Spiritual Exercises” a title strongly inspired by the influence of his Jesuit education andspiritual formation. The “Spiritual Directory” as it is called today helps us to see ourselvesand others and the entire created order through the mind, heart and eyes of God, thuschallenging us to treat ourselves and one another with profound respect and reverence,even in the midst of the give-and take, the ups and downs of daily living.

In this issue of the DSM Quarterly we see the mind of our Founder, Servant of God FatherPeter Mary Mermier in making use of the Spiritual Exercises during the Retreat: the purgative,illuminative, meditative and unitive ways. It is to be observed not only during the retreat butin the daily meditations, he exhorts Fr. Dupont and his companions. We also see the earlyapostolate of the pioneer missionaries, more particularly the developments that took placeduring the time of Msgr. Jean Marie Tissot (1863-1886). It must be greatly appreciated thezeal of the pioneering missionaries in undertaking various apostalates to make the Vicariateof Visakhapatnam self-sufficient.

Fr. Joseph Thazhathukunnel msfs

Answers to the Fransalian Quiz (5):

01. God's grace and Cross

02. Ronsard

03. At the age of six

04. A period of ongoing formation

05. Perseverance

06. Himself

07. Placing oneself in the presence of God

08. Theodore de Beze

09. To choose of Spiritual Director

10. A little bouquet of devotions

11. Invocation, Imagination, Reading foracttion, Decsion, Surrender

12. Fr Jacques Martin, Fr Joseph Lavorel,Fr Jean Marie Tissot, Fr Jean Thevenet,Bro Pierre Carton, Bro Sulpice Fontanel

13. Basilica of the Visitation, Annecy

14. Prayer

15. When it is impartial & unselfish

INFORMATIONMy dear Confreres,

A new whatsApp group is started by DSM Resource and Animation Centre,Hyderabad inorder to promote the Salesian Spirituality. The posts to this groupmust be exclusively Salesian in character.

We humbly request you to give the DSM Bulletins to all those who followthe Spirituality of St. Francis de Sales and all those who work in collabarationwith us in your Mission Centers and Institutions, including the Fransalian Asso-ciates. - Directors of DSM, Hyd.

Pope Benedict XVI on St. Francis de SalesSt. Francis de Sales is anexemplary witness ofChristian humanism, withhis accessible style, withwords that at times havethe touch of poetry, hereminds that man bearsinscribed in his deepestself nostalgia for God andthat only in him is foundhis true joy and mostcomplete fulfillment.

(Continued from the Last Issue)

To Philothea, the fictional recipient of his “Introduction to the Devout Life” (1607), Francisde Sales addressed an invitation that might have seemed at the time revolutionary. It is theinvitation to belong completely to God, living his presence in the world and the tasks ofone’s state in fullness. “My intention is to instruct those who live in the city, in the conjugalstate, in the courts (…)” (Preface to “Introduction to the Devout Life”). The document withwhich Pope Leo XIII, more than two centuries later, would proclaim him Doctor of the Churchinsisted on this extension of the call to perfection, to sanctity. He wrote there: “(true piety)has penetrated to the throne of the king, in the tents of army head, in the praetorium ofjudges, in offices, in shops and even in shepherds’ huts (…)” (Brief “Dives in misericordia”Nov. 16, 1877)

Thus was born the appeal to the laity, that care to consecrate temporal things and sanctifythe every day, on which the Second Vatican Council and the spirituality of our time insist.

He spoke of the ideal of a reconciled humanity, harmony between action in the world andprayer, between the secular state and the pursuit of perfection, with the help of God’s grace,which permeates the human and, without destroying it, purifies it, raising it to the divineheights. To Theotimus, the adult, spiritually mature Christian to whom he would address afew years later his “Treatise on the Love of God” (1616). St. Francis de Sales gives a morecomplex lesson. It supposes at the beginning a precise vision of the human being, ananthropology, man’s “reason,” in fact the “reasonable soul,” was seen as a harmoniousstructure, a temple articulated in more spaces around a center, which, together with thegreat mystics, he called the “summit,” the “point” of the spirit, or the depths of the soul. Itis the point in which reason, having passed through all its degrees, “closes its eyes” andknowledge becomes altogether one with love (cf. Book 1, Chapter XII). The fact that love, inits theological, divine dimension is the reason for being of all things, in an ascending ladder

– 3 –

that does not seem to know fractures or abysses. St. Francis des Sales resumed in a famousphrase: “Man is the perfection of the universe, the spirit is man’s perfection; love is theperfection of the spirit, and charity is the perfection of love” (ibid., Book X, Chapter 1).

In an epoch of intense mystical flowering, the “Treatise on the Love of God” was a true andproper summa, as well as a fascinating literary work. His description of the itinerary towardGod starts from the recognition of the “natural inclination” (ibid., Book 1, Chapter XVI)inscribed in man’s heart to love God above all things, despite being a sinner. Following themodel of sacred Scripture, St. Francis de Sales speaks of the union between God and man bydeveloping a whole series of images of interpersonal relationships. His God is Father andLord, spouse and friend; he has maternal and nursing characteristics. He is the sun of whicheven the night is a mysterious revelation. Such a God draws man to himself with bonds oflove, that is of true liberty: “because love does not force or have slaves, but reduces everythingunder its obedience with such a delicious force that, if nothing is as strong as love, nothing isas lovable as his force” (Book 1, Chapter VI).

We find in our saint’s “Treatise” a profound meditation on the human will and the descriptionof its flowing, passing, dying, to live (cf. ibid., Book IX, Chapter XIII) in complete abandonmentnot only to the will of God, but to what pleases him, to his “bon plaisir,” to his approval (cf.Ibid., Book IX, Chapter 1). At the summit of union with God, in addition to the raptures ofcontemplative ecstasies, is placed the reappearance of concrete charity, which is attentiveto all the needs of others and which he calls “ecstasies of life and works” (Ibid., Book VII,Chapter VI).

Reading the book on the love of God and even more so the many letters of direction and ofspiritual friendship, one perceives what an expert St. Francis de Sales was on the humanheart. To St. Jane of Chantal, he wrote: “(…) here is the general rule of our obedience, writtenin capital letters: DO ALL THROUGH LOVE, NOTHING THROUGH CONSTRAINT; LOVEOBEDIENCE MORE THAN YOU FEAR DISOBEDIENCE. I want you to have the spirit of liberty,not the kind that excludes obedience- this is freedom of the flesh – but the liberty thatexcludes constraint, anxiety and scruples” (Letter of Oct. 14, 1604). Not for nothing, at theorigin of many paths of pedagogy and spirituality of our time we rediscover the stamp of thisteacher, without whom there would be no St. John Bosco or the heroic “little way” of St.Therese of Lisieux.

Dear brothers and sisters, in an age such as ours that seeks liberty, even with violence anddisturbance the timelines of this great teacher of spirituality and peace should not be missed,a teacher who gave to his disciples the “spirit of liberty,” the true one, as the culmination ofhis fascinating and complete teaching on the reality of love. St. Francis de Sales is an exemplarywitness of Christian humanism, with his accessible style, with words that at times have thetouch of poetry, he reminds that man bears inscribed in his deepest self nostalgia for Godand that only in him is found his true joy and most complete fulfillment.

(Given by Pope Benedict XVI (emeritus) as a Catechesis at the General audience held in Paul VI Hall on March2, 2011, in the Vatican City).

– 4 –

I am much pleased with your news. As a proof of my fatherly affection for you, in my firstletter to you in your Indian Station, I propose to speak to you of the Spiritual Exercises of theRetreat. It’s in these exercises that the soul is purified from all strains acquired in our dealingswith the world and the duties of our apostolate. The awful sentences of the Divine Judge aremade for all men: “Woe to the world for its scandals!” and St. Paul, “Man doesn’t know if heis worthy of love or hatred”.

Hence, our need to examine ourselves, consider the state of our conscience in all its duties.Hence, the necessity and the difficulty to know, among so many dissipations, which is themain affection that animates our actions: if it is the will of God, the zeal for the salvation ofsouls and for our own sanctification. Hence, the difficulty of discerning by which spirit weare lead and driven to action. “If you live by the Spirit, you must walk in the Spirit!” (Gal V).The holy exercises, using the helps offered in the 1st week, dealing with the purgative life,helps us to achieve this knowledge. We learn to know our faults, our unruly affections thegoal of our life, the means to reach it, our vocation and the means to fulfill it… etc.

To succeed in the work of this first week, the first part of the purgative way, which St. Thomasand others call the life of the beginners, we need, besides the spirit of prayer, recollectionand contrition, we need to study the additions. Leaving aside the repetitions due to lack oftime, we must take up everything from the Spiritual Exercises, even the colloquies. When Imake an exception for the repetitions, I am far from thinking that we can omit them all,since these repetitions strengthen our meditations.

A Letter of Fr. Mermier to Fr. J. M. Dupont in Yanam

– 5 –

(Annecy, 15. 06. 1848)

WWWWWith an arith an arith an arith an arith an ardent desirdent desirdent desirdent desirdent desire to leare to leare to leare to leare to learn ton ton ton ton toknow and love Jesus Christ,know and love Jesus Christ,know and love Jesus Christ,know and love Jesus Christ,know and love Jesus Christ,

we must continue to practice thewe must continue to practice thewe must continue to practice thewe must continue to practice thewe must continue to practice theannotations, the additions,annotations, the additions,annotations, the additions,annotations, the additions,annotations, the additions,

the meditations on the mysteries,the meditations on the mysteries,the meditations on the mysteries,the meditations on the mysteries,the meditations on the mysteries,the rthe rthe rthe rthe repetitions, the colloquies,epetitions, the colloquies,epetitions, the colloquies,epetitions, the colloquies,epetitions, the colloquies,

the various ways of prayerthe various ways of prayerthe various ways of prayerthe various ways of prayerthe various ways of prayer,,,,,the discerthe discerthe discerthe discerthe discernment of spirits.nment of spirits.nment of spirits.nment of spirits.nment of spirits.

That’s not all. A missionary more than anybody else is convinced that Jesus Christ is notknown in the world, that he is no loved. It’s his martyrdom. Christ’s life is still a scandal? (1.Cor). What must be apostle do? The evangelical man, the Disciple of Jesus Christ, he wholike St. Paul must preach Jesus Christ. He must say with him: “I know nothing but Christ andHim Crucified”.

This is the subject of the 2nd week, the illuminative way. Yes, illuminative, as it makes usknow the light. It is light itself. “In your light, we shall see the light”.

How important are these exercises. But let us pay attention to this. With an ardent desire tolearn to know and love Jesus Christ, we must continue to practice the annotations, theadditions, the meditations on the mysteries, the repetitions, the colloquies, the various waysof prayer, the discernment of spirits. During this week, we must make the election. We mustrenew, correct, perfect the election. Great is the value of this little book.

During the 3rd week, the soul purified and enlightened by the previous exercises, in order tostrengthen its election or resolution meditates on the sufferings and humiliations of JesusChrist. The careful consideration of the travails of this divine leader fills the soul with courageand determination against itself and all the obstacles to its resolutions.

Finally, the 4th week unites the soul to Jesus Christ and through its own spiritual resurrectionmakes it participate in the state of Jesus after the Resurrection. It says then with St. Paul: “Ilive, not I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. IV, 20).

The soul is thus established in this happy repose, by the meditation and contemplation ofthe glorious mysteries of Our Lord Jesus Christ, his Resurrection, his apparition, his Ascension,the coming of the Holy Spirit, the glories of Mary, and finally by repeated contemplation ofDivine Love.

As in the first two weeks, we must carefully follow the principles, rules, and advices indicated.This Book is a true spiritual catechism, the book of spiritual childhood, of growth in perfection,the summary of the three ways, purgative, illuminative and unitive.

It ‘s not only during your annual retreat that you must use these Spiritual Exercises. Comeback to it often in your daily meditation. We priests rarely receive the gift of contemplation.We must use the hand pump to get a few drops of this living water.

At the end of this important conversation with you, my dear confreres, I must invite you tothank the Lord with us for all the marvelous favors He has granted us for the departure ofour four missionaries.

Fr. Peter Mary Mermier(Annecy, 15. 06. 1848)

– 6 –

Sermon of St. Francis de Sales on God’s Spiritual Providence

Be Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect

All are called to perfection, since Our Lord was speaking to all when He said: “Beperfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect” [Matt. 5:48]. But, in truth, we may well saywhat is said in the holy Gospel: “Many are called, but the elect are few” [Matt. 20:16].There are many who aspire to perfection, but few attain it because they do not walk asthey should-ardently, yet tranquilly; carefully, but confidently; that is, relying more on theDivine Goodness and His Providence than upon themselves and their own works. We mustbe very faithful, but without anxiety or eagerness; we must use the means that are givento us according to our vocation, and then remain in peace concerning all the rest. For God,under whose guidance we have embarked, will always be attentive to provide us withwhatever is necessary. When all shall fail us, then God will take care of us, and then all willnot fail us since we shall have God, who must be our all.

The children of Israel had no manna until they had run out of the flour from Egypt. Thiswill be my second point. God would sooner work miracles than leave without assistance,either spiritual or temporal, those who trust entirely in His Divine Providence. Yet He wantsus, for our part, to do all that lies in our power. That is, He wants us to use the ordinarymeans to attain perfection. If these should fail, He will never fail to assist us. As long as wehave our rules, our constitutions and persons who tell us what we ought to do, let us notexpect God to work miracles to guide us to perfection, for He will not do it.

We must not think that God tests us in order to lead us to evil, for that simply cannot be[Jas 1:13]. He tests His most beloved servants so that they might prove their fidelity and lovefor Him, and that they might accomplish great and shining works, as He did with Abrahamwhen He commanded him to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac [Gen. 22:1-2]. Thus, He sometimestests His servants in their confidence in Divine Providence, permitting them to be so languid,so dry and so full of aridity in all their spiritual exercises that they do not know where to turnfor relief from the interior weariness which overwhelms them.

– 7 –

He tests His most beloved servants sothat they might prove their fidelity and

love for Him, and that they mightaccomplish great and shining works,

as He did with Abraham whenHe commanded him to sacrifice his

beloved son Isaac.

– 8 –

A GLANCE INTO OUR PAST (4)(The Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales in India from 1845 to 1890)

Attempts to form native clergy :Following the specific instructions of Propaganda Fide, it had been the prime concern ofNeyret to foster native vocations to priesthood. The zealous prelate however was really unableto find enough candidates as the number of native Christians in the Vicariate at that timewere only a handful. Even among the so called natives, there were hardly any indigenousChristians barring a few Tamils. Strictly speaking the Tamils at the military stations were notexactly the “sons of the soil” as they came from outside the Visakhapatnam Vicariate. Neyretwas however determined to do whatever possible to encourage local vocations. The VicarApostolic did recruit some candidates for priesthood both from the Tamil community as wellas from the Irish community. In a report he sent to the Supreme Pontiff dated 18 October1860, Neyret wrote that he had already then four students of theology from within theVicariate among whom two were of foreign origin while the other two were indigenous. Thefour students were Anselm Chelvum, Marian Thomas, Guillaume Power and Patrick Wall thelatter two being Irish origin.

Neyret’s zeal for local vocations immediately met with serious obstacles as the question of“caste” was a lively point of discussion in the ecclesiastical circles at that time. Msgr,Charbonneaux, the Visitor Apostolic to Visakhapatnam in 1862 asked Neyret to stop takingany “pariahs” as candidates for the Priesthood. Charbonneaux thought that admission of“pariahs” to priesthood would endanger the chances of winning the higher castes to theChurch. Moreover, the Visitor Apostolic was afraid that many new Christians would notapproach the sacraments when they recognize their priests as “pariahs”. Neyret thereforestopped recruiting candidates from the low-castes. The Vicariate was deprived of anopportunity of developing a truly local Christian community in that early period. The Vicariatewould recover from such sorry state of affairs only in the 1920’s. It is an undisputed fact thatNeyret, the first Vicar Apostolic of Visakhapatnam was a magnificent missionary prelate whosincerely believed in fostering local vocations as a necessary pre-requisite for any genuinemissionary endeavour.

Msgr. Theophilus Sebastian Neyret: an appraisalIn the year 1862 the Vicar Apostolic had set out on a long journey towards the north-westregion of his Vicariate. His destination was Kamptee. The prelate was accompanied by twoSisters. The travelers took a new route in order to save the distance by half. The ChiefCommissioner of the newly formed Central Provinces offered the prelate the facility of awood burning streamer by the river Godavari. After a few days of sail the missionaries werein great trouble. Crossing several stone barriers in the river was tiresome. Quicksandsprevented their speedy advance. Several times the travelers took to walking along the riverbanks often getting completely drenched in the heaven monsoon showers. Want of fuel forthe streamer and scarcity of food for them further complicated that daring venture. They

– 9 –

reached Kamptee on 30 October 1862 exactly after 52 days of leaving Yanam. The VicarApostolic could not recover from the shock of that killing journey. Nyret died on 5 November1862 at Kamptee at the age of 61. His tomb lay in front of the main altar of the church atKamptee.

With Neyret’s death, the Vicariate had incurred a loss of 11 precious lives. Neyret the firstVicar Apostolic was undoubtedly a saintly man endowed with an unparalleled missionaryzeal and charism. In terms of numerical growth, Visakhapatnam Mission was never a greatsuccess during the episcopate of Neyret. However, Neyret did succeed in establishing atleast two “local Christian communities” namely that of Surada and Palakonda. Yet, Neyret’sgreatest contribution was perhaps his apostolate among the existing Christian communitiesat different military centres. The Vicar Apostolic initiated a process of Christian renewal inthose communities stabilizing them in faith and charity. The many schools he opened invarious parts of the Mission did enrich the Christian communities as well as the non-Christiancommunities and opened new channels of contact between the missionaries and the localpopulation.

Bishop Baud has stated that at the time of Neyret’s death there were resident priests inabout 12 centres. Neyret had even arranged to send missionaries to places like Cuttack andJabalpur as early as 1855 and 1587 respectively. He was sincere about building up a localchurch that he seized the first opportunity to recruit and train native candidates to priesthoodand religious life. He founded an indigenous congregation for women religious. Schools,orphanages and boardings were opened in important centres. The Vicar Apostolic successfullysought and acquired the help of Saint Joseph’s Sisters of Annecy.

Nyret as the founder and first Vicar Apostolic of Visakhapatnam did in fact lay the foundationof a number of future dioceses that would spring up in the ancient Vicariate. We would dowell here to take note of the fact that places like Berhampur, Cuttack, Aurangabad, Nagpur,Jabalpur and Raipur have become today the seat of either an Archbishop or a Bishop. Toeach of those stations Nyret had assigned missionaries well before the year 1862. Apartfrom Neyret himself, the missionary stalwarts like Dupont, Seigneur, Lavorel and Avrillonstand out most prominently for their indefatigable zeal and endurance in the work ofevangelization of natives during that the initial period. Moreover, Tissot and Thevenetnotwithstanding their apostolic zeal and exemplary lives have left for posterity some of theimpressive churches designed and built by them in those first years.

The pioneers had done their work faithfully and diligently even when set against theHimalayan task of venturing in evangelization of a vast area with a population of 22 millionsouls living in conditions most primitive. As against all ill-equipped, insufficient andinexperienced missionary personnel, the pioneers’ only investment was good will and asincere apostolic commitment. The missionaries did make mistakes but never was generositylacking in them. Faith in providence and a sincere zeal for souls were the hallmark of themissionary apostolate in Visakhapatnam during Neyret’s episcopate.

– 10 –

The Vicariate of Visakhapatnam (1863 – 1886)

The Catholic Hierarchy in India came into existence in 1886 with the immediate result thatall the ecclesiastical provinces until then known as Apostolic Vicariates were at once raisedto the status of full-fledged dioceses. Further, the year 1886 also witnessed the first everdivision of the ancient Visakhapatnam Vicariate and thereby the birth of two distinct diocesesnamely the diocese of Visakhapatnam and the diocese of Nagpur.

Msgr. Jean Marie Tissot

We shall see the MSFS apostolate of Msgr. Jean Marie Tissot who put his heart and soultoward the overall development of the Vicariate. Tissot was among the first batch of MSFSmissionaries who arrived in India in the year 1845. Following the death of Neyret, Tissotbecame the second Vicar Apostolic of Visakhapatnam. He was consecrated at Bombay byMsgr. Stein, the Vicar Apostolic of Bombay on 4 April 1864. After his consecration, immediatelyhe went on a pastoral visit to each of the stations in his Vicariate. Tireless in his efforts ofpioneering in evangelization, Tissot had displayed an extraordinary endurance and vision inany sort of work he undertook in the Vicariate.

The flow of missionaries from Annecy

From the year 1863 up to the year 1886 the Visakhapatnam Vicariate received regular dispatchof young missionaries from Annecy. The uninterrupted missionary enforcement from Annecyat that time was however never sufficient to meet the increasing demands of the apostolate.The numerous deaths among the missionaries during that period further handicapped themissionary expansion. The diocese of Annecy sent 28 men religious and 31 women religiousin that period, all valiant missionaries who were to spent themselves up in the distant missionof Visakhapatnam.

We shall take note of the number of deaths among the missionaries in Visakhapatnam duringthis period. Eight priests and one lay brother died at Visakhapatnam between the years1863 to 1886. The Vicariate also incurred the loss of 15 religious sisters during the sameperiod. Hence the number of deaths among the missionary personnel rose to 24 whereasthe number of missionary personnel available during the said period was 48 religious sisters,41 priests and 8 Brothers, i. e., a total of 97 missionary personnel. Deducing the 24 deaths,the figures would come down pitifully to 73 missionaries including the religious sisters workingin the Vicariate in the year 1886. Adding up the number of missionaries who lost their livesin Visakhapatnam in the period from 1845 up to 1862 we have a total of 113 missionarieswho had arrived in the Mission field within a span of 41 years.

Msgr. Tissot’s efforts towards economic self-sufficiencya) The Farm at Thana:

Having been the Vicar General for a long time, Tissot was well aware of the pitifuldependence of his new Mission on the generosity of people abroad even for the daily

– 11 –

sustenance of his priests. Therefore immediately after his consecration Tissot went toNagpur looking for ways and means to evolve a project that he hoped would graduallyserve to support the upkeep of his infant Mission. The Prelate was convinced that a largeagricultural farm would be the ideal project for a Mission like Visakhapatnam.Subsequently Tissot received a favorable offer of a vast property at Thana, a small villageabout 34 kilometers from the city of Nagpur. Thus in 1864 the Missionaries of SaintFrancis de Sales acquired at Thana a large property extending over 6 square kilometerswhich had at least 300 hectors of cultivable land. The missionaries soon commencedthe work at Thana both to improve the farm as well as to establish a Christian communitythere. The missionary trio who initiated the project was Lavorel, Thevenet and Balmand.

However Lavorel who started constructions at the new farm could not withstand themerciless weather of Thana and soon fell a victim to the jungle fever. While being takenon a bullock cart to Kamptee the veteran missionary breathed his last on 5 November1865. Balmand had brought a few orphans from Kamptee with the hope that anorphanage could be started at Thana. But soon the orphans caught the fever whichresulted in man deaths. In spite of such major set-backs, the missionaries did not losecourage. In 1872 Benistrand did succeed in converting some of the native Protestants ofThana to Catholicism. The new converts were soon disappointed when the expectedmaterial gains from the missionaries were not forthcoming. The so-called Catholics soonwent back to their old ways. The project at Thana therefore had to wait for better daysuntil very late. The farm began to make steady progress under the management of a laybrother by name Francis. Brother Francis, a native of Madras, and an ex-military manidentified himself with the challenging task and brought up the farm to a certain level ofprogress. Francis being an indigenous and man of faith and religious commitment wasable to mingle well with the local population. Francis contributed much to the realChristian presence at Thana and died there after 35 years of faithful service in 1898 andtherefore he could be considered the architect of the” farm at Thana”.

b) The” Saint Joseph’s Farm” at Visakhapatnam

The Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales right from the beginning of their apostolate inIndia operated chiefly from two centers namely Visakhapatnam and Kamptee. Msgr.Tissot felt that a similar farm should be started in Visakhapatnam. Fr. Richard who wasin charge of Saint Aloysius school in Visakhapatnam came up with the suggestion thatthe Mission would do well to acquire immediately “the swamp” situated to the west ofthe Visakhapatnam town in order to make of it an agricultural farm. Msgr. Tissot bought79 acres of “swamp” land in 1867 and 1000 acres of “swamp” land in 1869. Two violentcyclones in 1870 and 1876 left the entire farm in complete desolation and ruin. Tissot’sdream of having a farm for the economic support of the Mission never came to realization.The farm project paved the way for the missionaries to identify themselves with thenatives.

– 12 –

c) Social welfare and relief works

The second half of the 19th century was a period of frequent natural calamities in Indiaand the territory of Visakhapatnam was no exception. The Missionaries saw the sadplight of the people in the Vicariate with famine and pestilence. The missionaries withthe limited resources and personnel did their utmost to alleviate the sufferings of thepoor. They opened orphanages across the Vicariate where they sheltered large numberof poor boys and girls giving them food and clothing besides free education. Medicalcare was extended to many victims of cholera and such epidemic diseases. Manymissionaries risked their lives by involving themselves in relief operations.

According to a report on Visakhapatnam Mission in 1873 the Vicariate possessed at thattime seven orphanages, 27 schools, 7 churches and 18 chapels. The missionary personnelat that time consisted on 23 priests, 28 brothers and 58 religious sisters of whom 18were natives. The catholic population in the Vicariate at that time was around 10, 000.In 1878 large number of people sought refuge at the mission farm. In 1879 many orphangirls and a few missionaries died of cholera at Kamptee.

d) Beginnings of a pilgrim centre at Visakhapatnam

The year 1866 marked the beginnings of a pilgrim centre at Visakhapatnam in honor ofMary the Mother of God when Msgr. Tissot purchased a bungalow and property on ahilltop and dedicated it to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. The Hill is popularly called todaythe “Mary Konda” or the hill of Mary but is officially known as Ross Hill. The Ross Hillsituated in an excellent elevated position at the very entrance of the modernVisakhapatnam Port was at first in the possession of a certain W.H.Ross, who built abungalow on the hill top but he sold it to an English man who in turn sold the propertyto another and finally it came under the possession of a certain Achaiah Naidu. Sincethe house and property went into several hands, it got the title of a “haunted house.”Msgr.Tissot purchased the bungalow and the property in the year 1865. After the necessaryalterations and renovations Tissot arranged to erect a temporary altar in the newlyacquired house. The first Holy Mass was offered in the house on 15th August 1866.

One day in 1876 Tissot stood on the hill-top in prayer and meditation and made a vow todedicate the place to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart so that the Mother of Mercy wouldprotect the town from further cyclones and calamities. Subsequently Tissot arrangedfor a solemn Eucharistic Celebration on the hill on 1st May 1877. The colorful ceremonieswere attended by a large number of people from the surroundings. On that occasion theVicar Apostolic had blessed a beautiful state of Mary which was brought from France.Tissot placed the state in the central hall of the till then “haunted house”. From then on,the people began to come in crowds to pray before the statue of the Mother of God and

– 13 –

protector of their town. The “haunted house” was now a haven of the poor and sufferingin and around the town of Visakhapatnam. Tissot’s ambition was that Ross Hill shouldbe a place of pilgrimage for the entire Vicariate. Eucharist was celebrated more frequentlyfrom the year 1878. The feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8th December becamethe day of annual pilgrimage. Today Ross Hill is well known all over Andhra Pradesh andTelangana. The popular devotion to Mary on that forlorn hill did indeed help theproclamation of the gospel. Msgr. Tissot’s efforts of developing such a pilgrimage centrereveal the missionary ardor and charisma he possessed.

(to be Continued)

Fransalian Quiz (5)01. According to St. Francis de Sales, which are the two pillars that support a

priestly vocation?

02. Who was the favourite Franch author of SFS?

03. At what age, SFS started his schooling ?

04. How could the experience of SFS at Chablais be called ?

05. What was the underlining quality of SFS while prcticing the virtues ?

06. Whom did SFS blame duirng the apparent failure in his apostolate ?

07. According to SFS, what is the first step in the preparation for meditation?

08. Who was the head of the protestant church in Geneva during the bishopricof SFS?

09. What was the first concern of SFS as he entered Padua ?

10. At the end of each meditation, what does SFS tell us to make ?

11. What were the five-fold parts of SFS' spiritual exercises ?

12. Who was the first Missionaries who landed in India in 1845 ?

13. Where does the mortal remains of Fr Mermier rest ?

14. What is spiritual rest according to SFS?

15. According to SFS, when can our love towards our neighbours be true?

– 14 –

– 15 –

For details contact:desalesmermier@gmail.comwww.msfstoday.org

Fr. Joseph Thazhathukunnel msfs, DirectorCell: 09902012114thazhathukunnelj@gmail.com

Fr. Baviri Suresh Babu msfs, Co-DirectorCell: 09052204483babufr2014@gmail.com

Printed at : S.F.S Printing School, Visakhapatnam-530 002. Ph. 0891-2565101

For Private Circulation Only

DSM Bulletin is your bulletin. We need your comments, observations,suggestions for its improvement. Write in short to the editors at the earliest.

Salesian Thought

Do everythingfor love,

and nothingthrough force.

Love obediencemore than you

fear disobedience.I want you to havethe spirit of liberty!

- Letters of St. Franci de Sales