Fr Jacob Peenikkapparampil - A CMI casting his own radical mould 

Fr Jacob @ 75!! Not really believable for he doesn't really look that senior! He appears 'ordinary' in his regular kurta-pants typical of the men religious folk of catholic circles in the Northern India.  His radicality is not cast in any set mould, but characteristically his own, and perhaps, deceptively so. 

My first encounter with him, I think, it was on my brief visit to Sagar diocese, and I spent some time at the Provincial House.  I think he was on the council team, and the impact was visible.  My first experience with the support staff (kitchen or otherwise) having meals with the community!  Though as an idea, a very liberal one, and very much acceptable to me, it was my first experience of this being put into practice.  For the CMIs used to a very different culture, this would have been a radical one.  

Later, we are found to be neighbours, and almost birds of the same feather - He as the CEVA director at Kochi and I as social worker cum educator at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences.  Being on the CEVA board got to know of his acumen in planning projects with the systematic Logical Framework, and I think it was his leadership that helped CEVA to gain an expertise in this realm.  (I am not sure whether the system is still in vogue in development project circles; as far as I am concerned, I feel the framework could be relevant in almost any situation, making your actions timebound, your targets clear, and responsibilities, task and evidence cut out).  Whether CEVA maintains its expertise thus gained is also not known to me. 

His going back to Bhopal province, again seemed to have influenced the province in meticulously planning its three year programmes in a logical and time bound manner. I observed this, as it was a very rare thing to happen, and not an easy effort with a typical catholic religious administrative system in India.  (Perhaps, elsewhere, it may be effective.) I am not sure to what extent the process initiated was successful.  But the very fact that it was initiated was a remarkable step in our approach to social development. 

After this, I had no track of him, and gradually, he began to appear in the new avatar as a column writer.  Somehow, I began to get the articles.  They were topical to my mind, and of interest to me, though they were too many for me to keep track of. However, now and then, I went through some of them, and I could not but resist responding to him, as I found someone I could look up to, as a sounding board, an elder who thought on similar lines, but as in his age, so too in his thoughts and implementation, far ahead.  But I did not know where he was and nor did I bother to discover that. 

Only lately, did I come to know of his association with the Universal Solidarity Movement and Fr. Alengadan.  I made it a point to stop over at Indore USM centre on my pan-India-ride, to have a feel of the place and the people. And I am thoroughly floored!  The concept, the efforts with school children (leaders) and teachers - they enthuse me.  This is what we should do.  A great mission. And to live in an ecumenical (in a very broad sense) community, a true radical following what Jesus had asked to do, and not disregarding the 'catholic ritual backbone' but definitely making it a living breaking of the word -  it was all a thrilling experience for me. (I should write more about it later). I loved the company.  I would have loved to be part of the community. 

Back to Fr. Jacob, I am inspired and thrilled at what he is accomplishing - a regular Christian Catholic response to social realities around - through India Currents and the regional newspapers. Critically and dispassionately analysing the eco-socio-cultural phenomena in its various manifestation, and not missing the nuances and alerting those who are 'willing to listen'.  At 75, he exemplifies the combination of mature thinking and youthful agility and the sharpness of 50.  Befitting his own thinking, I trust he is becoming the 'fifth gospel'. I really can't believe that he is 75! 

I hope he has many more ... I pray the mission continues... And I hope the spark at Indore sets a fire in many more hearts. My salutations to Fr. Jacob!

पश्येम शरदं शतं                 May he witness the glory for 100 years
जीवेम शरद शतं                  Live (vibrantly) for 100 years
शृणुयाम  शरद शतं              Listen (to the divine) for 100 years
प्रब्रवाम शरदं शतं                Sing joyfully for 100 years
अदीना: स्यां शरद शतं         (Live) a 100 years without dependency
भूयश्च शरद: शतात्              Be there transcending even 100 years. 

Yajurveda 36:24