Advent Recollection 2020

On 18th December, 2020, the St Pius Community had its Advent Recollection. The speaker for the Recollection was Fr Glenford Lowe of the Salesians of Don Bosco from the Mumbai Province, a dynamic and gifted speaker.

Being in the middle of the pandemic, it was but apt to speak about life during this pandemic and hence the theme of the 1st talk was ‘My journey this year in the light of the Covid Pandemic’. He spoke of how the pandemic filled people with fear and upset their lives. People lost their jobs, many were affected mentally due to the sudden unnatural confinements and instances of family life suffering. The sufferings of the marginalized were only augmented. But yet there were some glimmers of hope amidst all the darkness. Families began spending quality time together, nature began to heal itself, people started focusing on their health and interests that they either had brushed aside or discovered newly, and most of all people came out in solidarity and stood for each other. As seminarians we are called, now more than ever, to be available to the people, leaving aside our comfort zones and self – centeredness. He spoke of how we as disciples of Jesus need to move from Essential discipleship to Matured discipleship and finally live a life of Radical Discipleship, thus becoming like Jesus.

The 2nd talk, ‘Incarnation and Sacrament of Pastoral Presence, imitating Jesus’, was centred on how we as seminarians and priests should respond to this calamity that has befallen humankind. He brought out the fact that being Catholic means having a sense of universal fraternity. This feature has been portrayed by Pope Francis in all the Encyclicals and Apostolic Exhortations of his Pontificate, especially in Fratelli Tutti, where he urges all people of good will to break down the barriers that separate us and see each other as children of the same Father. He invites all to a culture of inclusion and dialogue, something that is much needed in these turbulent times. As seminarians and future Priests, we are called to be the messengers of God, i.e. the messengers of love and peace. Just like God came out of himself and became incarnate, our vocation beckons and challenges us to come out of ourselves and be a neighbour to the least of the least, a neighbour to Christ who dwells in all.

Br. Dorson D. D'Mello

2nd Year Philosophy