Patron’s Feast Celebrated at SAC with Theme ‘Christ Is Alive, He Wants Us To Be Alive’
Feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga Celebrated at St Aloysius College with Theme ‘Christ Is Alive, He Wants Us To Be Alive’
“There is no more evident sign that anyone is a Saint and of the number of the elect, than to see him leading a good life and at the same time a prey to desolation, suffering, and trials. He who wishes to love God does not truly love Him if he has not an ardent and constant desire to suffer for His sake.”-Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
Mangaluru : The feast of St. Aloysius Gonzaga was celebrated by St Aloysius Pre-University College and St Aloysius College {Autonomous} on 21st June, 2019 at Loyola hall. Rev Dr Peter Paul Saldanha-the Bishop of Mangaluru diocese was the main celebrant of the the festal Eucharist Mass, joined by other clergy namely- Fr Dionysius Vaz S.J.-Rector of St Aloysius Institutions; Fr Denzil Lobo Sj- Former Rector; Fr Leo D’Souza Sj- Former Rector; Fr Santhosh Kamath Sj; Fr Praveen Martis Sj-Principal, St Aloysius College; Fr Clifford Sequeira SJ and Fr Vinod Paul SJ- Principal and Finance Officer respectively of St Aloysius PUC; Fr Melwyn Lobo Sj-Principal of St Aloysius Gonzaga School; were among 30 other Jesuit priests and other priests of the diocese. Nearly 3500 Catholic students of both the colleges joined in the spiritual celebration of the feast of their college patron.
While the celebrants entered the hall, melodious hymns by the College choir filled the atmosphere. The main celebrant, Rev. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha in his homily gave a glimpse of life of St Aloysius Gonzaga , Spiritual values and as youth how students can imbibe them. He said, “As a young boy, St. Aloysius always had a great desire to know and serve God, but his family life was not always supportive of this desire. He was born into a noble Italian family, and his father was a compulsive gambler. He grew up in a castle and was trained from a very young age to be a soldier and courtier, and despite the opposition of his family, he taught catechism to poor boys”.
“He encountered many holy people in his lifetime; he received his first Communion from St. Charles Borromeo and studied under St. Robert Bellarmine. As a teen, he suffered from a kidney disease which he considered a blessing, as it left him with plenty of time for prayer. At 18 he signed away his legal claim to his title and his family’s lands and entered the Jesuits. He died shortly thereafter of the plague at the age of 23, having devotedly cared for plague victims in Rome in the outbreak of 1591. He was canonized in 1726 and is the patron saint of youth, AIDS patients and AIDS caregivers” added Bishop..
Bishop further said “The things that Saint Aloysius did were done because of his belief in the reality and dynamics of the love of God: especially as it expressed in the new law of loving that Jesus demonstrated and then commanded us to do! If you want to truly experience my presence and the presence of my father, if you truly want to know what being a human being among other human beings is all about – then LOVE ONE ANOTHER, as I have loved you. This same thing Jesus proclaims in his answer to the scholar of the Jewish Law who was testing him: he tells him that the greatest commandment is to love God first, with all you’ve got; then to love others as you love yourself to prove that love! Everything is based on this, Jesus assures us!”
The highlight of the celebration was the ceremonial offertory by students. The students of 62 batches of SAPUC brought non-perishable items during the offertory which would be sent to various Jesuit mission stations. Fr Dionysius Vas Sj and Fr Clifford Sequeira Sj at the end of the Eucharist mass conveyed their festal wishes, and also thanked all those who made this feast to be celebrated in fervor and grandeur. Special compliments should be made to the St Aloysius PUC Choir of 120 members for rendering melodious hymns during the mass, which did receive applaud from the main celebrant and the audience. The entire arrangement of the feast celebration was undertaken by the Campus Ministry/students of St Aloysius PUC- a job well done!
In conclusion, following in the footsteps of St Aloysius Gonzaga, we need to give when we are able to give! According to Mathew 25:35-36, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, ….”, we should know that giving is something done voluntarily. Giving should not be done under compulsion, coercion, duress, or conviction. There are some exceptions, of course. When you do give, you are to give what you have chosen in your heart. Those who take pity on those less fortunate than us are true neighbors and care givers..
There are many reasons to give – we give in order to help fellow citizens in need, help the poor and less fortunate, people with disabilities, and even help family members in distress. All you have shall some day be given – therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors. No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. We should never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up. The place to improve the world and society is first in one’s own heart, head and hands. The joy of being able to bless and give someone you love and care, and to make them smile, is priceless. The satisfaction that comes from making a difference in the lives of others cannot be overstated.
Knowing that you have helped make someone else’s life a little brighter and better is a special feeling, and one that will last with you for a long time. And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy. So if you are looking for a way to enhance your act of sharing and giving experience, try giving back now. Let’s give to the less fortunate, ashrams, non-profit organizations, needy families and children, and others a feeling of hope, and make a difference in their lives. Lets us all follow in the teachings and footsteps of St Aloysius Gonzaga. Happy Feast to all Aloysians! As a alumnus of this prestigious college, I end this report with a prayer-
“Father, you graced St Aloysius with an overwhelming love of your Son and so made him an effective instrument of your love for those who have least. Touch us, we pray, with that some love and help us speak of that of love to others, with words, yes, but with our lives, still more. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. St Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us”
