Day 55, Oct. 4


I celebrated Sunday Mass this morning at Campion Senior High School. A driver picked me up at the Bishop’s House. This was a holiday weekend for the nation and the schools. Besides being the end of the scholastic quarter (last week was test week followed by a long weekend). Friday was the anniversary of Gandhi’s death. So, there were only adults in the chapel with a few of the boys (mainly athletes who had practice today for their team sports). The Mass went well under the guidance of an older priest who concelebrated. That part of the boys’ choir who showed up were OK but not great.
After Mass I had breakfast with one of the Montfort brothers who took over the school from the Jesuits who left decades ago. He was very good and presented a good case for using religious orders to help the poor. For the Montfort Brothers, education is their ministry and their livelihood. They know how to relate and motivate young students. For example, the brother who was leading me around was interrupted several by boys asking him for permissions. They looked up to him and respected him. That’s the kind o person I’d want my child to be guided by. Merely, giving money or a scholarship is not as good as putting a student in a caring environment.
While at the high school I as introduced to two fascinating things. On was cricket – the game. The boys’ team was practicing and they gave me some time at bat to try my hand at hitting (or whatever they call it. I thought I did well. The bowler was far more serious than the playing around I did earlier. It’s a good sport. The other noteworthy event was being taken on a tour of the high school’s zoo. They had a small number of exotic animals that I’m sure amuses the students. They certainly amused me.
Coming back to the Bishop’s House, I enjoyed a leisurely lunch with a few of the priests and a chance to do some writing as well as once gain packing for another leg of the journey (the trip must have entered its millipede stage by now). I am no headed for Dindigul. I was supposed to go by train. I checked it out and decided to go by bus. The 60 mile trip would take 2 hours and 64 cents (32 rupees) and buses let every 10 minutes. The bishop wouldn’t hear of it. Fortunately, there was a divine intervention. Quite by accident I overheard Fr. Charles saying h was going to Dindigul to present a counseling seminar to a group there. I found out when he was leaving learning it was just a hour or so later than when I planned to leave. He said he’ pick me up which he did and by evening I was having my 8th up of coffee at the virtually new Bishop’s House outside of Dindigul.
I had met the Bishop in Queens at the Love & Care shindig just before I left for India. He was most gracious. We got down to practical matters as he introduced me to his Superintendent of Schools who ha been for many years a parish priest. We became fast friends. (Days later I met the V.G. who helped design the building and who bought me my next train ticket. He verified an inkling I had right away. The place looked strangely familiar for a building I had never seen before. He told me he ha spent some time serving in Queens in the Diocese of Brooklyn. I immediately asked if he had been to Douglaston and visited the building there. He smiled knowingly an answered my next question as well. Yes, he did have that place in mind when he worked with the architect on this building. This is yet another “small world” moment. As a High School minor seminarian, I had a job at the Diocesan Building Office and ran off the plans and specs for that structure. I sort of knew my way around.