Message Board

Dear Friends in the Lord,

Constantine Joseph Beschi, known as tPukhKdptH, arrived in Tamil Nadu in 1710. What began as a practical need to communicate with the people, blossomed into a deep love for the Tamil language, culture, and way of life. Beschi immersed himself in Tamil literature and grammar, leaving a legacy far beyond his missionary work.

The life and mission of Beschi is a living witness to the integration of intellectual and spiritual depth in the mission. He teaches us that true apostolic service begins with listening, understanding, and entering the life and culture of the people we serve. His scholarly work did not distance him from the ordinary people. He did not confine himself to his room. He was always on the move and kept himself at the service of the people in the margins. Like Jesus, he “had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mk 6:34). He was willing to take any risk for the welfare of the weak and the vulnerable. He not only inculturated himself into the Tamil Culture but also inserted himself in the existential struggles of the people he served.

Many a time, we have a false notion that intellectual ministry is restricted to academic institutions. It is not true. On the contrary, it is demanded of us wherever we are sent. By engaging ourselves deeply with reality and committing ourselves to rigorous and scientific analysis, we are able to uncover the truth. In today’s polarized and post-truth world, intellectual depth means committing ourselves to serious reading, cultivating critical thinking, and factual presentation of the reality. It calls us not to accept easy or quick answers, be critical of false information and to engage in the demanding path of deeper reflection in order to serve the marginalized and help them find dignity, and hope.

Father Arturo Sosa, our General, reminds us that the Society’s mission demands both intellectual and spiritual depth: “Responding to the call of the universal apostolic preferences necessitates that we strive more than ever for the intellectual depth that our foundational charism and tradition demand; such depth must always be accompanied by an attendant spiritual depth. The Society is committed to the intellectual apostolate because intellectual depth should characterize all forms of the apostolate of the Society of Jesus… If we fail in this regard, the Society’s contribution to the mission of the Church will not be able to respond to the demands of the Ignatian magis.” (Letter of Fr. General- Feb. 19,2019).

Dear Friends, as we undertake our Province Pilgrimage to Aavoor, let the life of Beschi inspire us to dedicate ourselves to spiritual and intellectual depth. Let us immerse ourselves into the culture and language of the people we serve. Let not our academic qualifications imprison us in our own ivory towers. Let us renew our commitment to intellectual ministries by walking alongside the marginalized and the poor, promoting “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rm 14:17). In this way, let us respond to St. Paul’s invitation to collaborate in building the Kingdom of God just like our Servant of God Beschi.

Fr. Thomas Amirtham, S.J.,

Provincial, The Jesuit Madurai Province