A Month of Rich Blessings for Our Scholastics
The month of August was a truly blessed and grace-filled time for the entire scholastic body of the Sri Lanka Province. From 6th to 11th of August, all the scholastics gathered at Manresa for a time of fraternity, service, formation and spiritual renewal. During these days, we prepared for the priestly ordination of Fr. Arul, participated in a workshop on practical bookkeeping and accounting, and enjoyed a day of fellowship and recreation at Pasikuda Beach.
One of the main activities of our gathering was the preparation for the priestly ordination of Fr. Arul. All the scholastics worked together with great enthusiasm to clean and prepare the church for this important celebration. We divided ourselves into different groups and took responsibility for various tasks. Each one contributed his time and energy to make the celebration beautiful and worthy of the occasion.
We were then privileged to participate in the First Holy Mass of Fr. Arul. It was a spiritually enriching occasion for all of us. We joined him in thanksgiving and prayer, giving thanks to God for the gift of his priestly vocation and asking the Lord to bless his ministry.The celebration became an opportunity for us, too, to reflect more deeply on our own vocation and our call to serve the Church and the Society of Jesus.
Preparation for the Ordination of Fr. Arul...
Workshop on Practical Bookkeeping...
On 10 August, we had a workshop on practical bookkeeping and accounting entries. Our resource person was Mr. T. Nirmalan, who guided us through several practical aspects of keeping accounts in our communities.
He explained some of the common difficulties and issues that we may encounter in our day-to-day bookkeeping. The scholastics actively participated in the session by raising practical questions and sharing situations that they had encountered in their communities. Through this interaction, many common doubts and difficulties were clarified.
The session was both informative and practical. All the scholastics participated with great interest and enthusiasm. The workshop helped us to appreciate that even ordinary administrative responsibilities are an important part of our mission and community life.
Session on Human Formation
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We had a short and enriching session on Human Formation with Fr. Noel Ajanthan. The session helped us reflect on the importance of emotional maturity, self-awareness, healthy relationships and personal growth in our journey as scholastics. Human formation is an essential foundation for becoming compassionate and responsible servants of God and His people.
Scholastics’ Outing to Pasikuda
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On 11th of August, the scholastics had a day of recreation and fraternity in the Kalkuda estate. The day began with the celebration of Holy Mass by Fr Sahayanathan. In his homily, he encouraged us to become available Jesuits, ready to respond generously to whatever mission the Society of Jesus may entrust to us. This simple yet powerful response expresses the spirit of availability that we are called to cultivate as Jesuits. Wherever the Lord and the Society may send us, may we always be willing to say, “Here am I. Send me.”
After Holy Mass, we went to Pasikuda Beach, where we enjoyed a refreshing sea bath and spent time together in relaxation and joy. It was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our bonds of fraternity and to appreciate the beauty of God’s creation. Later, we returned to Kalkuda, where Fr Sahayanathan generously served us a delicious lunch. His hospitality was another beautiful expression of fraternity and care. These days reminded us that our Jesuit formation involves the whole person. We are called to grow spiritually, intellectually, pastorally and humanly, while remaining available for the mission of the Church and the Society of Jesus.