Father Anthony da Silva To Head Jesuits In Goa Province By Joseph Coelho, SAR News
PUNE, Maharashtra (SAR NEWS) -- Jesuit Father Anthony da Silva has been appointed Provincial for the 140-odd Jesuits of the Goa Province, July 28. SAR News spoke to Father da Silva on the issues confronting the Jesuits in Goa and their role in nation-building. Excerpts: SAR: What are the issues the Jesuits in Goa are grappling with? Father da Silva: I feel the Goa province is now poised for expansion and growth in various areas like higher education and research, social ministry and pastoral work. We have excellent manpower, thanks to the hard work of my predecessors. Of the 140-odd Jesuits in the province, more than half are in training, with very high potential. The province is grappling with issues like how better to serve the poor migrant labourers who come from the neighbouring states to Goa; how to be more pastorally involved in rural Goa; how to revive our well established pastoral ministries and how to improve our secondary and higher educational facilities so that they prepare our students for the new and emerging India. SAR: How do you view the Goa Province in relation to the South Asian Jesuit context? Father da Silva: Since Goa is the first Jesuit province in Asia and St. Francis Xavier its first Provincial, there is a natural historical claim to uniqueness in Asia. This also means that responsibility to offer the Jesuits of Asia an opportunity to rediscover their Jesuit roots and reclaim their Asian Jesuit heritage. We hope our various centres in Goa like the Arrupe Jesuit Training Centre in Raia, the Xavier Centre of Historical Research, the Konkanni Kendra, the Bom Jesus Basilica will be able to assist in this quest. The present Arrupe Jesuit Training Centre (Tertianship) offers an entry point for Asian Jesuits to connect with the Society’s foundations in Asia. SAR: How do you see the Goa Province in the State of Goa today? Father da Silva: One must bear in mind that Goa is among the smallest States in the Indian Union. However, it has a large concentration of Catholics within its borders (roughly 30%). It has an extremely well-established Catholic school network and parish communities. High literacy and high economic well-being are indicators of the strength of the State. Unfortunately, Goa has become mired in political instability and deep-rooted corruption. It is here that I see some role for the Church and the Jesuits to act as “leaven in the dough,” a catalyst bringing growth. Public life needs to be influenced with Gospel and societal values that serve the people better. The Jesuits through their intellectual apostolate in schools and research centres seem better poised to enter into the mainstream of public life in Goa and positively influence its culture. [Born of Goan parents in Uganda, Africa, in 1945, Father da Silva did his Philosophy in Munich, Germany, and Theology in Pune. He obtained first rank in M.A. Psychology from Pune University and completed his doctorate in psychology with distinction from the University of Michigan, USA. Father da Silva had been the Coordinator for Formation and Consultor of the undivided Goa-Pune Province. He has been teaching at Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pontifical Institute of Philosophy and Religion, Pune, for the past 22 years and was its Rector from 1993-1999. He is also a visiting professor at the University of Pune. His areas of study and research include psychology of religion, religion and social psychology of violence, and psychology of peace and reconciliation in societal conflicts. The Goa Province, separated from Goa-Pune Province in 1993, geographically comprises the State of Goa, Belgaum district of Karnataka, and Ratnagiri and Kolhapur districts of Maharashtra.]
