Eleazar - The High Priest of Kochi Province

Eleazar, the third son of Aaron the first high priest, came to be the successor to the office of the high priest, after the elder brothers of Eleazar, Nadab and Abihu, led the people astray, and met with their end when the earth swallowed them up.  While he is seen as a less eloquent, low profile character in the mega drama of Exodus, he plays a crucial role in his capacity as the high priest in assisting Joshua to allocate the various Israeli tribes their land and let God's laws become part of the Israeli culture, as their first high priest in the promised land. He assumes the charge of High Priest from his father Aaron on the mount Hor, as Aaron merges with his ancestors and goes back to his Creator peacefully in the presence of Moses and Eleazar. 

I was trying to track the name Eleazar, when I received the news of the departure of beloved Fr. Eleazar.  The name is more or less same as Lazarus, and would mean, the one whom God helps.  In that sense he was indeed helped and blessed by God. 

We had, so far in the history of CMIs only one CMI priest, the only unique Eleazar Vadakkumchery - who after a long wait, though not all that tedious, has joined the Lord, the Creator today (March 29, 2023), at the age of 93.  The CMI records show only one other Eleazar - Bro Edatt Eleazar who slept in the Lord in 1947, when Fr. Eleazar was still a student of priesthood. 

He had, I think, the unique privilege of having belonged to the first batch of the prestigious CMI major seminary, Dharmaram College, in 1957.  They had their post ordination course at Dharmaram.

The Dharamaram batch photograph shows a batch of nine, of whom I knew everyone except Fr. Aiden. 6 of them belonged to SH province.  Later Frs. Zeno and Anastasius opted to work in the Mysore mission and became part of that. Fr. Fischer, at a rather senior stage opted for Rajkot mission. I was there to see off Fr Zeno, Fr Sylvester and Fr Nicholas. Fr Eleazer was the last to go - he persevered till the last!! Barring, Fr. Nicholas, all the five that belonged to SH province appeared to have had their core ministry in the field of formation of priestly candidates. 

He had a stint as the bursar of Sacred Heart College soon after his ordination,  and as its Manager when he was its prior during 1981-84 period. I met him first when he came to engage a session for us during our 'vocation camp' at Vazhakulam which lasted more than two weeks. I recall his unique gestures though I don't recall much of the session. Then it was as an aspirant come home after a three year gap.  He was the prior of Thevara monastery, and he asked about the status of my vocation, and when I said something not very enthusiastic he advised me to go ahead with committment as I used to.  The word he used was 'pratibaddhata' which I had come across for the first time then. We had never met before, perhaps, he had some briefing by someone. 

The classic picture he would present is that of 'the Classical Novice Master'. I got to know about him (and other mythical characters like him Fr Simon) in that capacity, from some of the seniors who were kind of friends with me. His peculiar ways of instruction, his care etc. were matters of discussion. It was Shaji Puthenpura, who would imitate his theatrical style of presenting issues and concepts. With the typical pauses in between, which would make his expressions, taken out of context, they were amusing  (e.g., What is that the present generation lacks? The expected response  'contemplation', when introduced with his typical pause would appear like - condom -pause- pleshan). His style was to prompt the listeners to respond by posing a question. The pose is generally effective to ensure attention and participation, but it could lead to laughter for the smart candidates who get used to such features and twist the same to make fun of it. His gestures were almost like mudras of a danseuse.  I have heard that he had his coinage of 'expletives' which without being offensive or unparliamentary would convey his corrective annoyance. 

One of his great contributions, to my mind, is the grove of trees growing beside the basket ball court of what is now the primary section of Rajagiri Higher Secondary School. When he was the rector, he inspired planting them. They have now grown really big. 

When he was the counsellor for pastoral ministry, he was taken up by the enthusiasm of Br. Baiju Chennekkadan and patronised 'Godsland Tourism' as a pastoral venture and a ministry.  The idea was stupendous, the name was good (perhaps, it was Baiju's contribution, or perhaps, his own), and I had some invovlement.  However, Baiju's fantastic ideas could not be translated into real viable ventures, in spite of the attempts made and in spite of Rajagiri College providing its platform for this very innovative idea. I was struck by his openness to such ideas and interest he had shown to promote them. 

To my mind, his greatest strength was his reading on contemporary issues (newspapers and magazines like TIME), and his sermons were marked with a link to the happenings around the world - though I don't know exactly in what practical manner, but definitely that connect of preaching to the issues around the world was in him.  He saw himself as the classical preacher with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other!! (Perhaps, there is some such reference in homiletics course or about someone treated as an ideal preacher).  His habit of thus updating himself continued even when he was confined to his room.  That inquistive mind maintained, I believe, till the end. 

I observed that he was someone who was thought to possess a very fragile health condition, always requiring special care and some support of medicines, survived nine decades plus, and as he grew older, I think,  grew healthier.  But whether he could overcome those (self-imposed?) restrictions on his diet, I do not know. 

Since he became a member of Viswajyothi community, as a senior retired member, I tried to visit him at least once in a year, just to say hello to him.  But post-covid, I was hesitant.  Even then, last year, before I left for my middle-east assignment, I made it a point ot visit him, and say hello to him.  Initially, I was disappointed as I felt he didn't recognize me.  He showed some grimace and perhaps jocularly, told me, 'poda'... But then Joshy came and I entered his room, and I think he could recognize me, and we struck some common place conversation.  I assured him of my prayers. 

In my list of people for whom I should pray, I listed him too, being the senior most person of the province,  and I sensed the indicators of degeneration in him. 

And behold, he is gone! Gone well!! After having lived a very long,  well-lived life.  Having gone doing good - especially by way of educating men and women religious in the path of consecration, and as far as I know, with least botheration about making other people or systems to be corrected, rather coolly going about doing what one could do and what one could be!

Thank you, O (High) priest of God, blessed by God and was a blessing of God to many! Thank you, dearly beloved father! 

പോവുക മുറ പോൽ വന്ദ്യ ഗുരോ, വിൺ  മണവറ ചേരാൻ 

പരിശുദ്ധന്മാർ ആദരവോടെ സ്വാഗതമരുളും!

We will miss you!