We never know how or why God calls us, unworthy though we are, to consecrate our efforts and energies for His purposes.
I must have said these words hundreds of times during the past fifty years, either to myself or to those who bothered to ask me how I became in 1936 the first Rector of the Seminary of the Bombay Archdiocese. But it was, if anything, a partial and very general response. The real answer might sound a little dramatic, but I’ll say it because it is not only real but really dramatic.
On Ascension Thursday, May 28, 1936, at about six in the evening, as l was saying my second vespers, the Tertian Instructor came over quietly and whispered in my ear, “See me after your prayer.”
My head buzzed with images of all sorts as minutes later, I stood knocking at his door. What could have gone wrong, I asked myself. Did I break something in the kitchen? Was I in for a ‘culpa’? When the door opened, I realised to my relief that it was none of these that interested the Instructor.
Standing there, tall as a tower, he delivered the verdict, in a voice that was clear and a manner that was real. “You have been appointed.” he said, “Rector of the Bombay Archdiocesan Seminary.” And before I could react, he added “Father General has exempted you from the second half of your tertianship. You have three days to pack.”
Fr. Warner D'Souza is a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Bombay. He has served in the parishes of St Michael's (Mahim), St Paul's (Dadar East), Our Lady of Mount Carmel, (Bandra), a ten year stint as priest-in-charge at St Jude Church (Malad East) and at present is the Parish Priest at St Stephen's Church (Cumballa Hill). He is also the Director of the Archdiocesan Heritage Museum and is the co-ordinator of the Committee for the Promotion and Preservation of the Artistic and Historic Patrimony of the Church.
