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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR
A Journey Of Being On Guard
I am privileged to celebrate the 40th anniversary of my priesthood on Thursday, March 27, 2025. It's Ruby Jubilee. Silver jubilee of my priesthood was celebrated on 21st of May 2010 in my village with my family, relatives and friends. On this auspicious day of my priestly life I am happy to be the pastor of St Bernadette Church. I am thankful to God for this grace-filled life having served the people of God both in Kadapa (India) and Lafayette (US). I am indebted to both priests and the laity who were/are instrumental to carry out my priestly ministry in a fruitful manner. On this historic milestone of my priestly life, I would like to share with you some reflections, which reveal how God led My Journey of Being on Guard.
While I was doing my college studies I was asked to discontinue from seminary formation due to stomach trouble. After a surgery in 1978, I pursued the same studies and stayed in a paid hostel run by the Jesuits. I had gone for a wedding of one my relatives where my cousin, Mary, requested me to visit her home before I returned. Upon my visit to her, I was shocked when she asked me to marry her. She was wondering why I had to become a priest not marrying her. I escaped from her before she embarrassed me more and more. With firm determination I pursued my college studies with a degree in Philosophy. Then I joined the diocese of Kadapa which is in the neighboring State where Telugu language is spoken which was unknown to me.
My parents had come to the diocese for my diaconate ordination on 24th of April 1984. On the eve of my diaconate, my bishop had a grand celebration of his sacerdotal silver jubilee. While the celebration was going on, my dad expressed his displeasure for having joined that diocese. He said, "This is very dry place, looks like a desert and it is far from our home (some 300 miles); we don't understand what they speak; don't get ordained for this god forsaken place; come let us go home by the night train." I remained silent, not wishing to say anything to him. I was ordained a deacon on the next day morning. Then my parents and some of my relatives came over there for my priestly ordination on March 27, 1985. Looking at a tiny church used as the cathedral, they didn't mince words in disappointing me.
It so happened, my Bishop took up construction of a new cathedral and I was appointed as pastor of the cathedral in May 1990. In addition to being the pastor of the cathedral which had 8 mission stations, I was put in charge of supervising the construction of the cathedral. When my parents came for the cathedral dedication on February 19, 1992 they were surprised to see a massive structure of the cathedral with lots of flowers and lawn. They asked me, "is it the same place that we had come earlier; now everything looks so different and beautiful." My mind voice was: 'God writes in crooked lines.'
March 27th always falls in the Lenten season. This Thursday in the gospel, Jesus says "he who is not with me is against me" (Lk 11:23). Jesus implies that such a person is on the side of Satan. This statement speaks about the priestly life. An ordained priest is expected to be on the side of Jesus, not on Satan. A question often haunts me is - 'how I am going to be on guard against Satan so that I will be with Jesus?'
When I recall my priestly life the following things pop up my mind. I need to be on guard against Satan means doing God's works by exercising ministerial priesthood in the local church. It also means to say – 'bloom where you are planted' which remains as the motto of my priestly life. For me to be on guard against Satan involves a strict discipline. Structuring and prioritizing the time of the day, equipping knowledge on the Bible and theology, having some pastoral programs in the parish and being busy with the ministry, a strong desire to do something for the local community etc., were all part of my 40 years as a priest. On the whole, I had the work culture of being with the people, for the people, and by the people that brought me to this level.
There are many times I struggled to keep up the promise I made to God on the day of my ordination. But the good Lord always lifted me up time to time to continue serving the Lord and the people. No doubt, my personal prayer life and the celebration of the Holy Mass with devotion kept me going. And I am grateful to all those who were/are part of my JOURNEY OF BEING ON GUARD.
In the Service of the Lord,
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