Welcome Address
Dear Friends,
It gives me immense joy to welcome each and every one of you to our 44th College Day Celebrations. Our Chief Guest today is Rev. Fr. Francis Pinto of the Redemptorist Order, whose association with Morning Star goes back many years. Fr. Francis has been instrumental in preparing our future priests to become effective ministers and proclaimers of the word of God, one of the central facets of their priestly formation, to make it the programme of their lives. Fr. Francis, we are delighted to have you with us and look forward eagerly to your further partnership in the formation of our future priests.
Inauguration of the New Academic Year 2011-2012
The highlight of the Inauguration programme of the New Academic Year 2011-2012 was the blessing of the new Library on 29th June, 2011, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. On that same day, Fr. Vincent Aind was announced as the new Acting Rector of Morning Star, replacing Fr. Franklin Menezes, to whom we gave a fond farewell. Fr. Vincent, who was a former Rector of Morning Star, held the fort for four months in addition to his other responsibilities as Dean and Principal of the College Department. It is truly fitting that we today extend a special word of gratitude to him for his extraordinary generosity, zeal and commitment. More than that, I want to say a special thank you to him on my own behalf and that of the whole community for his unconditional cooperation, nurturing attitude, personal guidance, and often forbearance, during the last few grace filled and sometimes arduous months of my Rectorship. Fr. Vincent continues to be a source of wisdom and guidance to me. Thank you, Fr. Vincent.
Some Transfers and new Faces on our Staff
Fr. Leo Jeyeraj was transferred to the Propadeutic Seminary at Amghata and Fr. Prodip Mondol of the Redemptorist Order was appointed to take his place as Priest-in- Charge of the Quasi Parish Rupantor. For the first time, six young men from the Redemptorist joined First Year Philosophy and he was deputed to animate them as well as the rest of the class of the First Year Philosophers. Earlier, we said farewell to Fr. Henry Bright of the order of the Precious Blood, as well as Sisters Elsie and Stanly of the Sisters of St. Ann, Chennai, who had served as sturdily for two years. We were very happy to welcome Sisters Janet Sudha and Prasanna to take their place.
We welcome Frs. Sebastian Rodrigues and Sisir Khan as our new Spiritual Fathers; Fr. Harry Emmanuel OMI (Oblates of Mary Immaculate) to our Philosophy Department. In the course of the year, Fr. Innocent Toppo joined us as our new Minister, replacing the ever reliable Fr. Susai Manikam, who held the fort for six months. Later in the year, we were particularly happy to welcome Fr. Santanam, who returned to Morning Star after his doctoral studies in France. Sr. Magdalen DSA was transferred and replaced in the Catering Department by Sr. Purnima DSA. Morning Star now has a Resident Staff of twenty-one including four religious sisters. Seven religious Congregations word hand-in-glove with our Diocesan Clergy, a model of collaborative servant leadership, a microcosm of the Universal Servant Church.
Highlights of the year
At the onset of the Academic year we had 229 students on our rolls including 52 men and women religious. On November 16th, 2011, after their Comprehensive Examinations and Pastoral Course, 30 of them including Sr. Catherine of the Daughters of the Cross, were awarded their B.Th Degrees. They have departed to become priests in the course of the year.
The University undergraduate (BA) results of our Philosophers, while not being overly spectacular, were nevertheless immensely gratifying, as, with very few exceptions, their overall performance was satisfactory. The vast majority of our then Third Year Philosophers completed their BA degree successfully and are now in Regency, the next stage of their Priestly formation.
After a gap of three, 13 of our new priests returned to their Alma mater on January 12th for the New Priests’ Day. It was truly a memorable occasion to join them in prayer and wish them well at the onset of their priestly service in the Church.
On January 15th following a tradition established by Fr. Franklin, we organized a day for our well- wishers and Benefactors, and were overjoyed when nearly seventy-five of them turned up. The collaboration of our benefactors in the work of our formation of our future priests will be one of our top priorities in the coming years.
Formation of the Christian Laity
A need has long been felt, and expressed by our Christian Laity themselves, that Morning Star Seminary should take the lead in Laity Formation. Some members of our Staff have been taking in the Bible school of the Archdiocese on Saturdays, both at Archbishop’s House in English and the new Church of Mother Teresa in Matkal, Dum Dum in Bengali. Four years have passed since the inception of this programme. With some modifications, we hope that this will be soon be recognized as a Certificate Course, thanks to the initiative of Fr. Romus, our Dean of Theology, a vital first step in a new venture of Laity Formation. For the second time at the beginning of the season of Advent, participants in this Bible School have come to Morning Star for a day of Recollection, and we hope to continue and institutionalize this wonderful apostolate of laity formation in the Seminary.
Conclusion
Emblazoned on the stage curtain is the theme of today’s College day: Protect Nature, Prolong Life. In his College day report of 2011 exactly a year ago, Fr. Franklin had highlighted some of the measures undertaken by us to make our campus an environmental model. Today can be said to be the climax of this great venture. CARE FOR THE EARTH AND GOD’S CREATION IS TRULY A NEW WAY OF BEING A MISSIONARY TODAY. St. Paul tells us in Romans 8: 19-222 “ For the Creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God, for the creation itself was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope………” Fr. Franklin wrote, “Students who study here for three or four years or some for seven years, when they go back to their dioceses will carry with them this awareness and sensitivity for the environment and become catalysts in bringing about a change in the areas of their apostolate. This can unite people of all religions and tribes in a singular effort of saving the earth.”
Yes, the road ahead will be long and strenuous. We have taken a first step in an arduous journey. We are sure that Jesus, and you, dearest brothers and sisters, will enable us to finish the job.
God Bless You All
(Fr. Patrick Walsh s.j.)
