Art/ Heritage

THE BOMBAY SEMINARY: Moving In

April 24, 1960, marked the last day in the old Seminary at Parel. Vacations that year for the Juniors (Latinists and Philosophers) was set for an uncertain period until the building at Goregaon was ready for inhabitation. The Theologians, however, returned to the Bandra House on June 14 for their annual retreat and the minor ordinations. The theologians resided at Bandra until June 26, 1960.

The excitement to begin the new academic year at the grand new Seminary was obvious. During the vacations of 1960, several seminarians offered their labor of love to transfer seminary paraphernalia from Parel and Bandra to their new home in Goregaon.

‘Groups of seminarians could be seen at various points carrying heavy steel or wooden cupboards, unloading lorries full of books, or engaged in the tedious chore of scraping shelves and beds for repainting.’ (Ratus, 1986)

By June 1960, the Seminary Fathers took residence in the new quarters. However, the date of the return for the students was postponed from June 6 to June 16, and then further postponed to June 24, June 26, and June 28. One can surely empathize with the plight of the seminarians, homesick for the seminary. Finally, on July 1 the seminarians from all parts of the city and suburbs returned with hands full of luggage but heart leaping with joy!

Spread the love ♥
       
Continue Reading
Art/ Heritage

MARY A MASTERPIECE – ‘Madonna del Prato’ by Giovanni Bellini, National Gallery, London; 1505

‘Only she who raised Christ can raise a Christian’ – Venerable Fulton Sheen

Giovanni Bellini is one of the greatest, most influential Old Masters of Renaissanceart. He was born in Venice, Italy in 1430 into a family of successful painters – his father was Jacopo Bellini, his brother was Gentile Bellini and his brother-in-law was Andrea Mantegna.

Since the start of his career, Giovanni’s paintings were primarily based on religious subjects.  He nurtured a
affinity for the compositions of the ‘Madonna and Child’, revolutionizing the image in the process. These devotional paintings were reproduced in innumerable variations by other great artists of the Renaissance including Raphael.

One such renowned masterpiece is the ‘Madonna del Prato’ or ‘Madonna of the Meadows’. Originally painted in 1505 using oil and egg tempera, in 1949 this painting was transferred to canvas, with damage in places. The painting is now on display in the National Gallery, London.

At first glance, we are captivated by the inexpressive yet serene image of the Blessed Mother. She is seated on the ground in a grassy meadow, her mantle merges with the earth. The iconography is reminiscent of the traditional Marian invocation, the Virgin of Humility. Cloaked in flowing blue and red, the Blessed Mother adores the sleeping Christ Child, her fingertips pressed together in prayer.

Spread the love ♥
       
Continue Reading
Faith

Sign, sealed, delivered – Monday, 28th week in ordinary time – Luke 11: 29-32

Luke reveals his artistry as he creates unity of this passage by linking disparate passages in verses 14-36. These are based on controversies about the source of Jesus’ kingdom power. In verse 16 preceding this text the religious establishment asks for a sign from heaven to test him; in reality they did not care for any sign but simply wanted Jesus to submit to their seal of authority. They dare to say they just need to see more but the truth is that they had already observed several miracles and did not believe.

Their demands are flatly turned down for the very Word of God had come to them and they and showed how little they desired it. So Jesus contrasts the Jewish leadership with two examples; both of whom are pagan in origin and who were considered outsiders but both of whom were able to read the signs of the time and accept the truth unlike the Jewish authorities.  Even though God had revealed so much to the chosen people of Israel these who knew so little were the ones who were responsive.

The first is the example of Jonah. Jonah was an Old Testament prophet who lived nearly 800 years before Christ and was sent to a pagan people in Nineveh, adjoining the current city of Mosul in Iraq. Jesus is contrasting the people of Nineveh with the people of His generation.

In the Gospel of Matthew, the ‘sign’ Jesus refers to is the mysterious sign of Jonah in the whale’s belly. Luke’s focus is quite different. It has to do with Jonah’s preaching of God’s word as the sign of repentance that was preached to the people which as a  consequence led to repentance. The people of Jesus’ generation don’t and didn’t. repent. They were not showing hearts of receptivity but of resistance. It becomes so clear that they weren’t looking for a reason to believe, they were looking for a reason NOT to believe.

Spread the love ♥
  1    
1
Share
Continue Reading
Art/ Heritage


HE BOMBAY SEMINARY: Panch Mala

I was taken back on alighting at Goregaon Station when a porter accosted me with “kither jane ko hai, saheb – ‘Panch Mala’?” (Where do you have to go, sir – the ‘Five Storey’s?). So the new Seminary building had already acquired a name among the local inhabitants! Doubtless, as they first gazed at the mammoth foundations, they had speculated on its possible purpose (an atomic reactor perhaps, or a new milk colony!) and as they watched it grow storey upon majestic storey they wondered how high it would rise. Now still uncertain of its function and not quite sure it wouldn’t suddenly spring another storey, they had named it tentatively “Panch Mala”.

“Panch Mala”-or St. Pius X College, to give its proper name stands on a low hillock, facing roughly north-west. About 30 acres in extent, this site was chosen for its seclusion, healthy surroundings and scenic beauty. However, within the few years that have elapsed since its purchase, of housing colonies and industrial concerns have sprung up in and around Goregaon. This puts the Seminary more into the hub of things, but the large acreage and the elevation we possess will always ensure a certain degree of seclusion. Happily, this sudden craze for building on the part of Goregaon’s citizens has robbed us neither of the healthy atmosphere nor of the grand scenery. From our eastern boundary, the Aarey Milk Colony stretches right a low range of hills which marks Bombay’s Lake District. Extensive green pastures dotted with low cattle sheds and slender “thar-gola” palms make for an atmosphere most conducive to study.

The site was first occupied by a sıngle-storeyed structure-a country-house. Till it was demolished this served as a comfortable residence for Fr. Sylvester Pereira and his assistants Bro. Zachary and Bro. Florian, who supervised the entire constructional programme.

The first important date in these records, August 22nd, 1957, is a memorable one in the history of the building. Bishop Longinus Pereira, Auxiliary Bishop, at a simple yet significant ceremony, cut the first sod. A fortnight later the digging of the foundations was begun in earnest. The hopes and dreams of our Cardinal and many another far-seeing individual were at last being realised. If the magnitude of the building operations excited the curiosity of the casual passer-by, the interest and even anxiety of those who had conceived the whole great plan and had laboured for its fulfilment can be gauged. His Eminence the Cardinal paid frequent visits to the building in the course of its construction. Fr. Rector too, when not at Parel or Bandra could safely be reckoned to be at Goregaon. We Seminarians naturally took a keen interest in our land of promise and daily after Mass we said a special prayer for “our new Seminary building”

As the construction progressed and the bare structure began to look more like a human habitation, there was a fresh upsurge of interest. The Seminary building became the proud show-piece of the diocese. Nearly every ecclesiastical dignitary passing through Bombay was brought to “see our new enterprise”. The new Seminary was privileged to open its doors, in a purely figurative sense, to two foreign Cardinals and a number of Archbishops and Bishops, before it was even half-completed-a pledge of great things to come!

The place also became a favourite picnic spot. Schools, Sodalities, and Catholic Action Groups from nearly every parish in Bombay came to see the building which they are helping to construct by their prayers and monetary aid-and they went away impressed. In the last few months particularly, the flow of visitors increased considerably, and included a number of casual passers-by who came in to inspect this curious construction.

All that now engages the attention of the builders is the many finishing touches. The compound wall is rising rapidly, and some work still remains to be done on the Chapel and the Hall. The garden has been laid out and stately lawns and flower beds are beginning to supplant the uncultivated shrub.

St. Pius X College, the dream long dreamt of by many has at last come true. To our Superiors, it represents the first stage of their plan for a great spiritual power-house destined to charge not only the diocese of Bombay but all India as well; to all those souls who have contributed towards its completion, it holds out a promise of pastors who will work devotedly for their people; is and to the local populace who first proudly named it “Panch Mala” it stands a thing of beauty, a joy forever!

BRO. PATRICK de SOUSA

(Philosophy)

(As published in the College Magazine – ‘Fraternitas’, 1960)

Stay tuned as we explore more! Please feel free to share this story with others and your story of the Seminary with us! You will get regular updates at this blog site on this exhibition.

© – Archdiocesan Heritage Museum   

Spread the love ♥
       
Continue Reading
Faith

Not who you are but what you do – Saturday, 27th week in ordinary time – Luke 11:27-28

This text is similar to Matthew 12:48-50 in which Jesus is teaching in a crowded packed home and someone tells Jesus that his mother and brothers are standing outside waiting to talk to him. Jesus replies, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” He points to the disciples and says, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”  

What do we make of Jesus’ reaction here in the Gospel of Luke? It show Jesus speaking sternly. He risks being blunt with the woman in the crowd and dismissive of his mother. Looking at the text in context this woman seems to have expressed the popular feeling. The crowds who had seen the great miracles and heard the Master’s wise and skilful reply were evidently impressed with the wisdom as with the power of this famous Rabbi.

The woman in the crowd is blown away with who Jesus is and got carried away by a moment of emotion and she shouts out a blessing to what she assumes must be a very special mother. But to Jesus there is something within those words that needs to be addressed so Jesus pulled her back to reality.

Luke’s Gospel is full of blessings, especially in the infancy narrative of the first two chapters. All kinds of people; Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Simeon, Anna – know themselves to be blessed on account of a child to be born.

In this text Jesus responds unexpectedly, not downgrading Mary, but pointing to the source of her blessedness, as her cousin Elizabeth did at the Visitation (Luke 1:42) In that sense he is not denying the blessedness of his mother but making a bigger point; “blessed rather” are the hearers and keepers of God’s word.

The meaning of the Greek term “rather” (menoun) is unclear. It appears four times in the New Testament but here it is used as a corrective; “yes, but rather.” Jesus agrees with the woman’s blessing identifying his mother as an example of one who hears God’s word and obeys it, but there is also a greater blessing available to those who believe.

Spread the love ♥
  1    
1
Share
Continue Reading