Divine Word Missionaries

SVD Mission 2000

Province
Reports
for
the XV
General
Chapter

Contents

Presentation
Four Zones
AFRAM
ASPAC
AUS
ID-
IDE
IDJ
IDR
IDT
IN-
INC
INE
INS
JPN
KOR
PH-
PHC
PHN
PHS
PNG
SIN
VIE
EUROPA
PANAM
Statistics
Index

en Español

SVD Publications
Generalate
Rome
1999

INDIA CENTRAL PROVINCE

SVD Missionary Service

1. Past and Present

In 1927 Rome invited the SVD to work in Central India, in a territory which was later to become the Prefecture of Indore. The French Capuchins of Ajmeer province, the MSFS missionaries and the Franciscan Missionary Brothers had previously been working there. They gradually began withdrawing from the territory, with the arrival of the first 2 SVD missionaries from Germany in 1932. The pioneers made Indore the base of their activities. The Indore Region was officially established in 1936.

According to the report of the then newly appointed Prefect Apostolic, Fr. Peter Janser SVD, (1935), the mission territory entrusted to the SVD covered 40,000 sq. miles, and had a population of nearly 5.5 million. The Catholics were a little over 10,000, or 0.2% of the total population, a drop in that ocean of humanity. In 1952 the Indore prefecture apostolic was raised to the status of a diocese.

At present, the members of the Province work in the five states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Arunachal Pradesh. Their services are available to 9 dioceses. The confreres live and work in 56 locations.

If we look at the place of origin of our confreres, we see that they come from 11 states of the Indian Union. The international character of the province is reflected by 5 overseas confreres from 4 nations. INC is a rather young province with 91 confreres below the age 50. Five members are below 30 years and only one is over 70. Fourteen are above the age of 65.

2. Parish Ministry - Mission Stations

When we look at the type of work our confreres are engaged in, those active in pastoral and mission work number 54. Of the 54 engaged in pastoral work, 23 are in Indore, 9 are in Khandwa, 10 in Baroda, 8 in Udaipur, and 4 in Arunachal.

The confreres working in these dioceses follow the policies and programs of the diocese, according to the contract between the Society and the Bishop. Generally the faithful are content with the workstyle of the SVD. They are appreciated for their life close to the people, their attitude of detachment and promotion of lay leadership.

On December 1995, after the positive encouragement given by the 1994 provincial chapter, we opened and administered a new station at Roing, in eastern Arunachal in the diocese of Dibrugarh. Repeated requests also came from the diocese of Tezpur to help in western Arunachal. Two confreres helped to open a new station in Seppa, western Arunachal in 1997. These two ventures are on an experimental basis for three years. At present, the Society has provided only the personnel and has not invested in land or property in these areas.

At Ogana, near Jhadol in Udaipur district, a new station was opened in 1997. At present the first missionary stays in a rented room in the town and is establishing contacts and exploring the possibilities for the future.

In 1997 we were offered to start and take care of two parishes in Indore diocese, one in Meghnagar and another in Vijaynagar. Both of these parishes grew up as part of our already existing institutions. In Meghnagar, we are running a mission oriented pastoral center and in Vijaynagar, a school and a mass media center.

3. Special Apostolates

Our special charism lies in direct evangelization at the frontiers. Our charism in indirect evangelization is expressed through our specific apostolates.

Fifty-five members are working in specific apostolates. Twenty-one are in formation, 8 in the press apostolate, 7 in communication, 6 in education, 10 in administration, 6 in inter-religious dialogue, 5 in the medical apostolate, 3 in research, 3 in the field of agriculture, 3 in the area of spirituality, 2 in the youth apostolate, and 1 in biblical animation.

3.1 Formation

The formation program is shared by all three provinces of India. There are 7 formation houses in the province staffed by 21 confreres. Two of these institutions are run for the training of a local clergy of the dioceses of M.P.

This province plays a crucial role in the formation of future SVD's since the novitiate, philosophy and juniorate stages are done in houses within the province. In 1996 we started the evaluation of our students and of the staff, based on a standard format, to monitor growth and decline during the various stages of formation. In 1996, we also introduced senior and experienced missionaries into the formation staff. The formation staff members are encouraged to attend courses of short and long duration for updating purposes.

3.2 Communications

Our printing press in Indore, although updated, has now many competitors in the city. The training of young confreres for this apostolate is going on as planned. Besides religious publications, one of the most important printing projects is the publication of the Hindi Bible. During the last few years we made our services available to other provinces. With the advent of Internet and E-mail, it has become easier to extend our services to other people abroad.

Other omunication activities in the province are being coordinated through the Satprakashan Center. To the book publishing activities, audio broadcasting through Radio Veritas, and a moderate video production facility has been added, but the thrust of the center remains that of media education.

3.3 Education

In the past, education was not considered much of a priority in the province. Although a few schools, founded on individual initiatives, were later handed over to the diocese, the first school to be administered by the province was taken up at Dohad in 1974. Another was started from scratch in Godhra in 1982. The third was founded in Indore in 1990. 1997 saw the birth of another school in Meghnagar. The last three schools have been named after our Founder. One confrere is running a diocesan college. Education is now accepted as a means of gaining contact and of instilling values.

3.4 Interreligious Dialogue

This ministry is assuming a degree of importance in the multi religious context of India. Confreres in three centers of Delhi, Khandwa and Indore are making efforts in this direction. So far there has not been much coordination in this apostolate. Although these efforts have grown out of individual initiatives, nevertheless they have brought about a better understanding between various religious groups and Christian denominations.

3.5 Research and Development

The research in the fields of Missiology Missiology and culture is promoted by Khrist Jyoti Kendra and Sanskriti. A few confreres collaborate and benefit from the studies carried out in these areas.

3.6 Spiritual Institutes

There are two institutes in the Province which cater specifically to the spiritual needs of the people. Kankria offers facilities for priests and religious who want to spend some time in prayer, recollection and retreats. At the moment, only one confrere is a resident member there. Snehalay in Indore, which is run by two confreres, specializes in serving lay people of any religious affiliation. In the near future, it is possible that more people will join these two institutes.

3.7 Bible Apostolate

This activity is gaining importance under the auspices of Divyavani. One confrere is engaged full time in this ministry, animating communities and formation houses through lectures and seminars. The audio recording of the New Testament and some books of the Old Testament in Hindi have been completed in this institution. Biblical stories in the form of cartoon books in Hindi have also been printed.

4. Vocation Promotion

Two confreres are actively involved in the promotion of vocations in the Province. They keep in touch with young people, visit them, organize orientation camps and screen the candidates. Publicity materials are printed and distributed. The quarterly Divya Darpan, in Hindi, is a vehicle of vocation promotion both for candidates to the priesthood as well as for candidates to the Brotherhood.

5. Ongoing Formation

In 1996 and 97, an annual program for the ongoing formation of our young confreres (during the first ten years after ordination or final vows) was established in the province. These were well attended and found to be beneficial. An interprovincial program of ongoing formation is organized by the mission secretary each year, during which enough time is given to evaluation and reflection. Some inputs are also provided for the spiritual enrichment of the person.

6. Care for the Sick and Elderly

Facilities are available in Indore for the sick and elderly. There is an infirmary with basic equipment, and a Brother infirmarian takes care of the sick confreres. Initially it was planned that the sick and infirm be kept in a home by themselves. Such isolation was later discouraged. Though at present only five confreres are actually infirm, we will have to come to grip with the problem of the growing number of our elderly members. We have yet to formulate a retirement policy similar to that of the North American provinces.

7. Mission Animation

The office of the Mission Secretary , which is shared by all three Indian provinces and is housed in Delhi, is a full time job. He visited all the districts of the Province in 1997. He also arranged for a mission animation program in the Province. Word India in English, and its equivalent in regional languages, has helped to raise the mission consciousness of our confreres and the lay people.

8. Brothers

This province has the largest number of fully professed Brothers (24) among the three Indian provinces. There is a cordial collaboration between the priests and Brothers in pastoral and other apostolates. They have to go through the crucial stages of their formation, viz., novitiate and pre novitiate with college studies, in this province. There is a co ordinator for the Brother formation program.

9. Collaboration with Sisters

The Holy Spirit Sisters have been working with us for some time now at the Catholic information center in Indore. They also collaborate with us in the youth ministry in Udaipur, and in the BSS college at Bhopal. We invited them to work with us at Dohad, Panchmahals District. A good number of other religious congregations of Sisters collaborate with us in this province. There is still much to be done in giving them an equal status and partnership in the various apostolates.

10. Finances

We are very much dependant on foreign resources for the running of our apostolates. During the past chapters and assemblies, financial self reliance was discussed and encouraged. We are moving in this direction. A financial planning body for the province has been in place for the last 7 years. Although we have built up funds and assets over the years, our present earnings from the reserve fund is not sufficient to meet our needs.

11. Challenges and Possibilities for the Future

• Religious fundamentalism as well as opposition to traditional mission methods are likely to increase. This calls for new approaches and methods. Applied cultural studies could help, but above all, only an inner renewal of religious life and missionary commitment will be able to withstand the onslaught of these dangerous trends.
• The influence of consumer and materialistic culture is causing an erosion of our commitment. Individualism and a personalistic way of doing things seems to be gaining the upper hand. There is need for awareness of the danger in these worldly values. This calls for an evaluation of our life style and mission methods.
• Prejudices and regionalism have been the topics of discussion on many occasions. There is a great need to confront these unhealthy trends in order to accept each other in a fraternal spirit.