Adios Arun

Keep smiling

Today was the feast day of the nativity of John the Baptist and painfully significant day for the Bombay Jesuits as we lost one of the best amongst us — Fr Arun de Souza SJ. Besides being our provincial and rector or superior of many places, he was always a life long teacher. A teacher whom the college students loved and appreciated. That is a rare achievement. And a human being with a heart for the poor. The responsorial psalm of the feast day mass has the beautiful antiphon

I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

I think Arun understood it so well for his own life and helped many others to understand the same. His ways of helping others to understand this reality may not be always super conventional or extreme pious ways, but he did it.

1. By his smile — Everyone appreciated his smile. There are people writing in social media stating that they have never seen him without a smile. A simple, unique, accessible way in which a great sociologist and professor helped others to understand that all of us are wonderfully made.
2. Teaching others to think — Yes many of his students said this of him— he taught us to think; think into the intricacies, subtleties, perspectives of life, to ask deeper questions which may make lives better. In the short and long run, it helps us to understand the wonderful creation of me and others in a singular way (not in a generalized way)
3. He was human — A comment uttered by a few Jesuits. Let me blunt and clear; Jesuits won’t say this so easily about a provincial. Despite all the toughness of the decision making, he always had that human touch and deep love for the poor. It can’t be forgotten. Arun was implicitly telling us that despite your struggles, you are wonderfully made; or that you are loved in the brokenness.

Even in my personal life, he was at the significant office of provincial when significant decisions were made for me

1. To do my licentiate in philosophy before my theology, which helped me to choose that direction of teaching philosophy as a call within the call of my Jesuit life.
2. To study theology in France, for which I thank him. Much more than the opportunity of studying in a foreign country, the methodology and perspectives they offered were really helpful and really formed my pastoral and teaching ministry.
3. To have my ordination in Kerala, which was surely more travel for the provincial etc, but more convenient and greater joy for my family.
4. To do my diaconate ministry at Orlem. I was already appointed at the seminary, but he allowed me to check into the possibility of a diaconate ministry in a parish. I always cherish the experiences from Orlem.

Many things that happened in my last seven years were significantly influenced by him, and I always felt he acted as God’s instrument in making these decisions happen for me in this way and I am grateful to God for him.

If we can’t follow everything from him, atleast let us think a little more, be a little more human and surely smile a lot, smile really from the heart.

Adios Fr. Arun de Souza SJ