CSsR Bangalore

Annual Retreat 2018: Province of Bangalore (Ranchi, Jharkhand: India): The Province of Bangalore organized Annual retreat for the year 2018, in two places: Jharkhand and Bangalore. The first retreat took place in Ranchi, the capital city of Jharkhand State (one of the states in northern India), in a Diocesan campus called Social Development Centre (SDC), from 8th to 13th July. We were 24 retreatans present, including the Provincial Superior and the Vicar, and the rest as it were representing the whole Province of Bangalore or even country: Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.

The retreat guide was, a well known- international figure, our own confrere - Rev. Fr. Juventius Andrade C.Ss.R., a man with wide experience. With his expertise in the scriptures and experience as the (former) General Consultor (for 13 years), he helped us in the retreat by sharing his faith and spirituality and challenged  us with Conviction and Courage and yet yet with great Compassion. The theme of the retreat was "Abundant Redemption - Abandoned Poor", which is an extract of our sexennial theme, "Witnesses of the Redeemer: In Solidarity for Mission to a wounded world". 

We sincerely thank Rev. Fr. Juvy, who happily accepted to preach the retreat to his own brothers, all because of his love for the Congregation. The reteat ended on 13th July with the Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Juvy C.Ss.R.

We appreciate and are grateful to you dear Fr. Juvy. God bless you.

We the Redemptorists celebrate the feast of Nithya Sahaya Matha (Mother of Perpetual Help) on 2nd of February every year for the convenience of our parishioners who are mostly poor agricultural labourers. However, this year we celebrated the feast on the actual day itself which is on the 27th of June.

Fr. David celebrated the Holy Eucharist and broke the word of God for us. Fr. Vijayanand, the Parish Priest also joined the celebration. About 300 people, young and old were present for the celebration which was celebrated at 6.30 p.m.

It was amazingly spiritual and many people were touched by the decorations. Especially the shrine of Mother of Perpetual Help was adorned with beautiful flowers. After the Holy Mass one of our parishioners arranged a sumptuous breakfast for all the people. It was both, a spiritual celebration and a celebration of oneness among the people of God. Amma (means Mother in Telugu) please intercede for us !

MARTIN CUSHNAN

Here are some personal musings and memories of Fr. Martin. As far as my memory goes, Fr. Martin has been my friend for a long time.

Socius in the Redemptorist Novitiate at John Armstrong Road: My first encounter with Fr. Martin was as Socius in my Novitiate at John Armstrong Road in Bangalore. He was very gentle and accommodating. He taught us how to speak correct English, good manner in addition to plumbing and the housekeeping skills. He did much for the Initial Formation in the Bangalore Province.

Advent to India: Fr Martin came to India with other young Irish confreres.  He was the only Irish confrere who had not passed through the Juvenate in Ireland. 

Multi-faceted Person:He was a multi-faceted person with multiple skills. He took up a paramedical course from St. John’s Medical College and from Vellore hospital in Tamil Nadu. He did all this because of his love for young people especially in villages, in order to help them in preventive healthcare measures. I still remember him making a chart in the Juvenate in Bangalore of simple remedies for cough, colds, fever and intestinal parasites. All this was beneficial for the juvenists and pre-novices he was in charge of. 

Education of the youth: Education of the young was very much in his heart. He was a great lover of the poor and organised funds for their education. Together with the late Fr. Konrad Souza, He recruited many young boys from Andhra, though most among who  left the Redemptorists and joined the Diocese in Vijayawada in Andhra and continue to serve as good priests.

Postings in India: He was posted in the Bangalore Juvenate at Sadupadesa, Bolarum and Tenali . Due to his constant visiting the poor in the hot sun of Andhra, he contracted skin cancer on the top of both his ears and underwent treatment for the same.

Vernaculars We hear a lot of talk about inculturation today. But in those Pioneering days, Quite a few Irish confreres took the trouble to learn one Indian Language and to preach in it. Fr. Andrew Mcgahey learnt Malayalam! Fr. Stan Mellet and Fr. Joe Morgan learnt perfect Tamil and preached in it. Fr. Eddie Cleary learnt Hindi and was based in North India most of the time, while Fr Martin was one of the Irish pioneers who took the trouble to learn Telugu and minister in that language and continues to  so till date.

As we celebrate his Diamond Jubilee, we have a lot to thank God for Fr. Martin Cushnan being part of the Bangalore Province and contributing so much to our beloved country, India.

Francis Pinto C.Ss.R.