With Theme ‘Listen To The Cry of The Earth & Poor’ St Aloysius Institutions celebrated ‘140th Foundation Day’ in Fervour
With Theme ‘Listen To The Cry of The Earth & of The Poor’ St Aloysius Institutions celebrated ‘140th Foundation Day’ in Fervour on Monday, 13 January 2020, at Loyola Hall
Mangaluru : Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the World”- that’s right. And for that matter whoever got education from St Aloysius Institutions have reached greater heights and have also become great assets to the Nation and also the world. The purpose of having education at St Aloysius Institutions is that every student who passes the portals of this College learns to attain the fullness of life not merely by amassing information, but also by transforming into persons with concern and commitment to the marginalized of our society. Before I go further on my report, I felt proud to grace the 140 th “Foundation Day” of St Aloysius Institutions run by the Jesuit Priests for two reasons- one being an Alumnus of this great institution where I completed my PUC and B Sc, and secondly, I salute SAC for making me what I am today.
When you look at the St Aloysius Institutions Crest, there are the letters IHS in the Centre of the rising sun. This is the abbreviation of the name of Jesus (which in Greek is written as IHSUS). That name symbolizes deepest faith in God, commitment to humanity and the readiness to sacrifice one’s life for others. The Vision of the St Aloysius Institutions of the Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society is “Empowering youth through excellence in education to shape a better future for humankind; and the Mission, inspired by the person and mission of Jesus Christ, and guided by the motto “Lucet et Ardet”,(Shine to Enkindle) to commit themselves to spread the light of knowledge and wisdom and to kindle the ardor of faith that does justice by forming men and women for others, who are academically accomplished, emotionally balanced, morally upright, socially responsible, ecologically sensitive and professionally dedicated, so that they are a powerful force for the transformation of society.
Every big tree in the world starts out small before it nurtures to its full potential, and that’s the story of St Aloysius Institutions, that could be revealed on its 140th Foundation Day. To have a sense of history, it is very important to know where this Institution came from. In 1880, the nine Jesuits of Italian and German origin who came to Mangaluru in 1878 to found a college knew that education was more than knowledge, that education was also a vision. To be a constant source of inspiration to the young entrusted to their care, the Jesuits chose one larger than any one of them-thy chose St Aloysius Gonzaga. Today the St Aloysius Institutions reflect on the very early days of this institution and how far it has come forward as a full-fledged Institution. So its time to present to God the stories of Joy, of gratitude and of fulfillment on this Foundation Day.
The motto “Lucet et ardet”(Shine to Enkindle), which is a spark that ignites other fires. Foundation Day is also a day of remembrance, a day to celebrate what has been achieved over the past 139 years, and a day to look forward to what is yet to come. It is also a day to give thanks for the developments undertaken since the last Foundation Day celebration, which includes the St Aloysius Institute of Civil Services preparing the students for UPSC and KPSC examinations; the Community Radio Sarang, which received first prize in the country for Best Innovation Programme “Antarbelaku”. St Aloysius ITI has now collaborated with TATA Motors, Hyundia, Jaquar and Godrej; the renovation of Centenary ground and the renovation of Computer Centre with 300 plus Dell computers, preserving and promoting ecology by creating a Zero waste and Green Campus.
The celebration of the ‘Foundation Day’ began with a Holy Mass concelebrated by Fr Joye James SJ -the Secretary of Jesuit Higher Education in South Asia, joined by Fr Dionyisus Vas SJ – Rector of St Aloysius Institutions and Fr Denzil W Lobo-Secretary of Mangalore Jesuits Educational Society, along with 20 other Jesuit priests of the Institution, and from outside. In his homily, Fr Joye James with his message to the Students, Faculty and Administration said, ” The theme of foundation day 2020, “listen to the cry of earth and the poor “ is most relevant and fitting. Listening is not merely a physical activity with our ears. It is a spiritual activity with the heart. God has created the world and asked human being to nurture it. But unfortunately we have exploited the earth because of our greed. This has resulted in the distraction of the environment and the imbalance of our eco system. We need to rectify with concrete action with passion and commitment.
We need to develop empathy to hear the cry of the poor. They are every where. Our faith should lead us creative action that will bring transformation in the lives of the poor. More than charity we need justice. That is what Christ Jesus wants from us. So our faith will be alive we become transformed human beings!
Rector Fr Dionysius Vas SJ in his message said, “As we celebrate Foundation Day, it is a special day when entire Aloysian family has a chance to reflect not only the beginnings of the College and its founders, but also on the significant development since this wonderful Institution’s inception. Today, we celebrate the joy of learning as we develop in mind, body and spirit, and we celebrate the bond we share with the past and present members of the Aloysian family. The globalization of indifference makes us all “Unnamed” , Irresponsible, yet nameless and faceless. We have put God back into the environment to set it right. We can awaken our hearts and move towards an “Ecological Conversion”only if we see the intimate connection between God and all beings, and more readily “Listen to the Cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” as said by Pope Francis “.
” One of collective humanity’s most important quest is the understanding of the past and its relation to the present. We have Four preferences of Jesuit Institutions for the next 10 years worldwide, they are- 1) To show the way to god through Spiritual Exercises and Discernment; 2) To walk with the poor, the outcast of the World, those whose dignity has been violated, in a mission of reconciliation and justice. 3) To accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future, and 4) To collaborate in the care of our common home. You Alumni, are the face of our institutions and our Vision of creating man and women for and with others in the larger society. You are our goodwill ambassadors in the World- and while St Aloysius College is Deemed to be University, we seek your support towards the development of the University” added Rector. During the entire Mass beautiful and melodious hymns were sung by the Aloysius Choir, which was appreciated by everyone. Following the Mass, snack packet and juice box was distributed to everyone who attended the Mass.
While concluding in my perspective- “No matter what corner of the world you are, you’ll always be proud to say ” I am an Aloysian”. This institution is the most preferred institution, and one who receives education here will be a great asset to the nation and also the world. We need to respect our mentors and teachers who led us to the right path and gave us good education. The truth is, times have changed. Long gone are the days when a teacher’s presence alone demanded respect — from students as well as their parents. Today, in a society where good morals are on the decline and self-centeredness is on the incline, teachers can’t afford to educate students the way our teachers did back in those days. Teachers have to get respect the hard way, and they have to earn it. So my humble request to the students-kindly respect your teachers and elders- you’ll feel good”.Long Live St Aloysius Institutions!