Fr. Tom Cassidy, SCJ, visited with staff at the Province Development Office on July 26th to talk about the congregation’s presence in India; he serves there as a “part-time missionary” for several months of the year.
Fr. Tom was a member of the General Council when the decision was made to begin an SCJ presence in India in 1994. However, it wasn’t until 2011 that he visited the country. By then he was provincial superior of the US Province and in that capacity was invited to attend the district ordinations.
“The US Province was –– and still is –– the primary financial support of the district’s formation programs,” said Fr. Tom. “Because of this I thought that it was important to be present for the ordinations.” Plus, the ordaining bishop would be Bishop Virginio Bressanelli, the superior general under whom Fr. Tom served as a general councilor and thus instrumental in the congregation’s decision to go to India.
“I looked forward to the opportunity to reconnect with him,” he said.
Fr. Tom said that he had heard stories about India, heard that it would be challenging for a person from North America. “People said it was too hot, the food wouldn’t agree with me.”
It was hot, and there were cultural differences, just as one would expect to find when visiting any country different than one’s own. “But I enjoyed it; I enjoy travel, learning about new cultures,” he said. “I was glad that I went.”
A year later Fr. Tom was at the SCJs’ major superiors’ meeting in Neustadt, Germany, where Fr. Thomas Vinod, SCJ, district superior of India, made a plea. Due to government regulations, long-term foreign missionaries were not allowed to minister in the country. The district had many vocations but little experience.
“I am 32 years old and I am the superior,” said Fr. Thomas. “We invite older SCJs to come and spend time with us, to share your wisdom, to help us get on our feet.”
When Fr. Tom Cassidy’s term as provincial superior concluded in 2013 he decided to take Fr. Thomas up on his invitation. He spent the first three months of 2014 in India and has been going back ever since.
Most of the time Fr. Tom is based in Eluru, where the theology program is located. Fr. Tom assists there, as well as with administrative concerns, often sitting in on the district council meetings.
Yes, it is still hot, but being the “elder” in the district Fr. Tom’s room has an air conditioner. “Which is wonderful when we have electricity,” he said, noting that power outages are just about a daily occurrence in the areas where the SCJs are located.
And while he enjoys eating foods that are local to the area, he always has a little bit of home with him: peanut butter. “I have it every morning for breakfast,” he said.
There are currently 84 members of the Indian District, just two less than in the US Province. Begun as an international mission of the congregation, Indian SCJs are now serving throughout the world in places such as Cameroon, Brazil, Venezuela and Italy. Funds raised by the Province Development Office are instrumental not only in building the SCJ presence in India, but in service to the Church around the world.
“Our SCJs in India pray for our benefactors every day,” said Fr. Tom to the development office staff, “as well as for all of you who help in raising funds for the mission.”
The district has many dreams for the future, big and small. Some of the immediate needs are basic ones: replacing windows that have been damaged beyond repair by insects, getting a new vehicle (there are few cars in the district; SCJs primarily use public transportation), and attending to other necessary maintenance. Larger projects that are still on the “hope list” include establishing an orphanage for abandoned children and building a community house near Mumbai where the SCJs have a parish.
Click here to visit the Indian District’s Facebook page.
