Six of our Postulants along with their Master, Fr Varghese Gnailan, were given a warm and affectionate welcome by Fr Provincial and the Members of the Provincial house on their arrival at our Provincial House on Tuesday, 20 February 2024. The scope of their visit to the campus, which was a part of their one year postulancy programme, was to offer the Postulants an opportunity to witness, share and participate in the Pauline life and mission as it is lived and carried out here in Mumbai.
Together with their lived experience in the campus, several short and interactive sessions covering some of the key areas of our life and mission were organized for the group animated by Paulines and experts from outside. The climax of their ‘experience and exposure’ was an evening spent together with members of both communities at our dining hall where we could freely meet and greet, interact and share with everyone present. During the dinner, one of the senior members told one of the postulants ‘you are our joy and you are our hope’. Indeed they are our joy for the present and our hope for the future! It was really interesting and at the same time inspiring to hear from them about their dreams and desires for the future. Savio Panmei (Manipur) said that he wants develop his talents for music and even create a department for music in the area of our apostolate when the time comes. While Wedneson Goyari (Assam) said that he was thrilled to visit our creative sector and that triggered in him a genuine desire to become a writer/editor.
Undoubtedly it was an unforgettable experience for the Postulants as they were given the opportunity to ‘see, hear, feel and smell’ the ‘Paulineness’ of a Pauline and a Pauline community and for the members it was a rejuvenating experience having a young group in formation among us although only for a short while. We wish our Postulants a happy and fruitful Pauline journey as they are preparing themselves to begin their year of Novitiate shortly. Happy journey, Brothers!!