Fr Ramesh Vanan pronounces his final vows in Bangalore

On : 2023-06-12

Another Jesuit missionary from Karnataka in British Guyana, Fr Ramesh Vanan made his final commitment in the Society of Jesus on June 11 in St Joseph’s Boys’ High School (SJBHS) chapel, Bangalore. Fr Vanan has been serving the Guyana mission since 2007.

Provincial Fr Dionysius Vaz celebrated the mass, while Fr Fredrick D’Silva preached the homily. In his homily, Fr D’Silva highlighted the significance of the day’s feast – Sacred Body and Blood of Christ. He said that the significance of the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ was that God gives and gives himself completely out of love, until there is nothing more to give. Surrender, suffering, sacrifice and service were the significant features of Jesus’ life on earth. “Jesus became Eucharist, giving himself up on the cross. Similarly, Fr Ramesh has also become a Eucharist as a missionary in the region of Guyana,” he said.

During the short felicitation that followed, Fr Ramesh Vanan and his parents were felicitated. In his felicitation message, Provincial Fr Vaz referred to two images. “When I look at Fr Ramesh Vanan, two images come to my mind. The first one is the Chinese bamboo. This bamboo does not grow for the first five years, no matter how well you take care of it. However, from the fifth year it suddenly shoots up to about eighty feet. Fr Ramesh’s growth in the Society of Jesus has been somewhat like this Chinese bamboo. The second image that comes to my mind is the statue of St Ignatius with a foot forward, signaling his missionary zeal. Fr Ramesh has shown such zeal to go to a distant zeal and be in a place where there is greater need. Those simple people long for Christ and Fr Ramesh is present there giving them Christ,” Fr Vaz said.

Fr Shantharaj, a companion of Fr Vanan, raised the toast. He highlighted some significant moments from the life of Fr Vanan. “Fr Ramesh looks serious, but he is a jovial and loving person. His missionary zeal is exemplary,” Fr Shantharaj said.

Fr Vanan thanked all those formators and others who had come into his life and had molded his life. He particularly thanked his family, in particular his grandmother. He also made a special mention of Fr Mohan Joseph SJ. “If there was no Fr Mohan Joseph, there would not have been a Ramesh Vanan,” he said.

Making a reference to his life in Guyana, Fr Vanan said that he was staying alone in a remote place. “When I see so many Jesuits living together in big communities here in Karnataka, I do miss community life. However, I know I belong to the larger Society of Jesus,” he added.

Fr Pradeep RS compered the programme. The choir was led by the staff and students of SJBHS. The Jesuit Nivas community sang a felicitation song. Fr Ronald Fernandes and Fr Edwin Anthony were present as representatives from British Guyana region. Over 50 Jesuits and other priests were present.