Fr. General Visits India

The flight of Fr. Ornelas Carvalho, Superior General of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, and Fr. Paul Sugino, General Councilor, who oversees the Asia Zone of the Congregation, arrived at the Cochin, Kerala, airport at 9:00am. Fr. Kusmaryadi, SCJ India District Superior, and Fr. Aji greeted them upon their arrival at the airport.

They received a warm welcome at Dehon Vidya Sadhan, SCJ philosophy community, according to the traditions of India, with the gift of a garland of flowers, Arathi, an Indian blessing, and the breaking of a coconut, for luck. The brothers sang a melodious welcome song.

Fr. General celebrated Mass for the welcoming SCJs at Dehon Vidya Sadhan. Then, at 3:00pm, even after the long journey of Fr. General and Fr. Sugino, they went to the Sacred Heart philosophy college to participate in the Mass of Inauguration, which opened the new academic year. There were nearly 20 priests from different communities who came for the Mass. A small reception took place afterwards.

Fr. General and Fr. Sugino are conducting a formal Visitation of the SCJ India District, which he is required to do according to the SCJ Constitutions. After the next day’s scheduled India District Council meeting, the two guests from Rome will proceed to visit every SCJ community, to meet with individual SCJs, District Commissions, and students.