A Chapel in the Mall and CMI Fellowships on the East Coast

Ever since I had been hearing about our taking over the mission named: 'A Chapel in the Mall' in 2016, I was curious to see for myself what this was all about.  But since then, I had just one occasion to visit the US, and that too, for a short stint of one month, which left me with no time to explore. However, this time, when I called up my younger confrere and long-time friendly acquaintance, Fr Amal Naduvilezhath CMI, his enthusiastic response made me determined to find some time to go to Boston, and visit with him.  His present mission partner, Fr Bijo, fresh from our Kochi province, was an added incentive for me to make the 250-mile trip,  I was trying to find the ways and

means to go there, when I recalled the offer of another good young friend, Thevara neighbour, our alumnus and the son of one of our beloved stalwart math leaders, Prof. P.O. Devassia, Thomas Plackal. Over the years, we had developed some level of friendship, and I decided to check if I could count on his offer. And he had no hesitation in confirming it. 

I realised it was a tough task - having to ride almost 250 miles to pick me up, another 250 to reach me Boston, and then drive back the entire stretch of 500 miles. However, I thought that was the best option I had.  Any mode of public transport - bus or train - was bound to cost me much more in terms of both time and money.  And perhaps, my additional agendas en route could hardly be fitted into the frame. So, though with some reluctance, I decided to bank on the offer. 

Then there was the need to get a clearance from the pastor - Fr Robbins was generous to say okay to the proposal. I decided to accompany Thomas back to Baltimore so that he could have company, and I could fit in another of my planned visits to promote academic partnerships between schools. 

October 29th, had no semblance of the warmth and joy of the Lord's day - it was a very wet wet day, with rain accompanying us all through the trip. But we managed to arrive at the CMI residence at Peabody, just around 6.30 pm. almost 1 hour and a half beyond our initial estimate. Amal and Bijo warmly welcomed us,  accompanied by the warm Indian fragrance of fish fried in coconut oil.  We did not delay in placing ourselves around the fellowship table, and being treated to pal kappa (a special preparation of Cassava in milk and sauteed thereafter). fried rice, chicken curry and King fish fried, followed by Peccan apple pie, with smooth Californian Caliveda red wine to help water it down. We continued to discuss the pathetic religio-socio-politics of our state, till Amal was almost dozing at the table. 

Our proposed morning walk was prevented by the insistent rain. And by 8 am, the duo were proving their culinary skills with standard palappam and chicken curry, and a well-blended cafe latte stirred to perfection. We went to the mall ahead of its regular opening time taking into account our need to cover the long distance with several stopovers on the way. 

The Mall - North Shore & the Chapel

On arrival, it beggarred imagination.  Where I had a structure of 2 or 3 floors, a maximum of 50 to 100 meters in length, we were presented a sprawling structure, spread over a vast area of 1700000 square feet! And to learn that such grand-scale thinking was not a new thing, but something which occurred as early as 1960, was another surprise.  But my appreciation was for Cardinal Cushing who thought that 'it was time for the Church to reach to the people out in the marketplace, rather than wait for them in the parish church'!  That was far-sightedness and entrepreneurial! 

The original Carmelites (O Carm - Order of Carmelites) of the US took up the responsibility. When they found it difficult to provide personnel for the mission, they looked for another carmelite group, and finally met with the CMIs.  Since the handing over, Fr Amal (officially, Jilson George; though I feel the name familiar to us, Amal  - immaculate - is much more CMI and meaningful!), who is a Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology has been in charge of this very unique ministry. 

I was surprised to learn that 2 daily celebrations of the eucharistic liturgy on all weekdays, are attended by around one hundred people, and there is almost a non-stop call for the sacrament of reconciliation. The chapel can comfortably seat 300 people. The wooden statues of various saints are sober. I think it is a noiseless, meaningful and beautiful ministry!  The ministry also includes the management of a shop for pious articles, which also serves as a means for sustenance of the mission, besides providing jobs for four people. 

The space is rented and monthly an amount of $11000 has to be paid, other services like power and water additionally.  It is said that the contributions of the beneficiaries and the income from the shop put together, the ministry is self-sustaining. 

We had a quick walk around the sprawling complex, which served to contribute to my daily fitness target of 10,000 brisk and vigorous steps.

Thus the CMIs have been able to have a foothold in the Catholic region of Boston in the North East of the USA. I felt proud to read the name board on the house at 30 Diane Road, Peabody- Carmelite House

 

A Detour to Walden

https://prasantamcmi.blogspot.com/2023/11/eco-spirtual-trek-with-thoraeu-walden.html

On the way to Peabody, I examined what else could be achieved at Boston - a visit to the great centre of learning, Harvard, or a visit to the location of Boston Tea Party of high-school history lessons?  Then I recalled vaguely Walden and Thoeau's experiments with 'living deliberately'.  And lo, a good search revealed that it was not all that far or out of the way to Rhode Island our next destination. 

Thomas was ready for anything, and willingly agreed to do the detour.  In half an hour we were around the heritage site of Walden Pond, an estate where the young Harvard radical, Henry David Thoreau chose to live his life 'deliberately'.  

CMIs in Rhode Island - Sherlock Holmes Parathinal & Hindi Scholar Cyriac

The combined parish of St. Theresa of Lisieux, Harrisville has Rev. Jose Parathinal, my senior confrere as the pastor.  Equipped with Indian and church law degrees, he is now appointed as a judge of the diocesan court. He is assisted by Rev. Cyriac Kalambatt, another veteran from the field of school education, who was considered an authority of English and Hindi in Bijnor region, one of the few to have obtained a regular Master's in the two languages in those times. (It happens that Parathinal and me are 2 other Hindi graduates, perhaps the only two other, besides him from those who got trained there). I recall our adventure together when he got his new Kawazaki Bajaj 2-stroke bike (which was a trendsetter in the motorbike industry in India in the 90s).  I went with him to New Tehri, riding all the way up the hill station from Najibabad, and we reached there late in the night. With Parathinal, we had the adventure of solving the mystery of the disappearing support staff and money at Damdeval (Garhwal).  It was assumed that the tribal boy from Bihar might have stolen the money and run away. The priest staying there alone didn't feel safe, and the bishop felt that he needed to be supported.  So when Parathinal arrived from a trip to Keralam, he asked him to come along, and I too was included in the team. On reaching the place after a tiring four-hour drive, Parathinal went about looking around the house in a typical Sherlock Holmes style,  and then we stepped out, he in the lead and a couple of us following. After a few hundred yards, he stopped, and observed and declared that the boy had been killed.  He referred to a foul smell and the swarming flies from under the culvert.  And he went ahead and found a heap of river stones under which was someone buried, assumably the boy. 

Though a sad story, the mystery was solved, and the police were informed and they initiated steps as per the law, and we returned without delaying much. That indicated his daring instincts at solving problems, which I think has stood by him all these years.  Later, he was asked to serve in the US, which I feel should not have been the case. However, he has left his mark wherever he has been. 

This year as the parish celebrated its centenary, he has executed a befitting jubilee memorial. This is a circular rosary garden with 10 standing marble tablets, depicting the 20 instances of the salvific mystery unravelled in Jesus. The outer ones present the joyful and luminous mysteries, while the inner ones present the sorrowful and glorious mysteries. The beautiful artwork is fully pencil sketched, and then laser copied to marble slabs.  The artist went out of his way to include among the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit at the Pentecost, the commissioner of the artwork, Rev. Parathinal as well, sporting his spectacles!  I recommended that his plans to lay a boundary for the garden around the rosary slabs be substituted with a bio-boundary, befitting the Laudato Si spirituality. 

He was keen to familiarise us with the unique aspects of the Church campus -  it is the first ever parish dedicated to St. Theresa of Lisieux, even before her canonisation; it has one of the 3 or 4 replicas of the Holy Stairs (Santa Scala - said to be the stairs that Jesus climbed to praetorium to listen to the judgement by Pilate - believed to have been transported to Rome by Constantine,  replaced by new steps in place of the ruined steps in 1520 by Pope Sixtus V, now to be found before the Lateran Basilica, and to be climbed on knees); a garden of the saints, statues of various venerations of the Blessed Mother Mary etc.  The parish campus is vast and beautiful. 

The statue of Mother Teresa has a long story to unveil - the contribution of a Hindu Doctor living in neighbourhood, who is said to have received the support of St. Anthony's 'special powers', and in return wanted to do something as a token of his gratitude. 

Fr Cyriac is yet getting familiar to the new situation and culture.  Then there was Fr Jose Mapillamattel, who happens to be a heartian of the  the 1980s vintage, and always a welcoming senior. He drove some 45 miles from the historical Narragansett to join the group.  We decided to have some lunch outside - the fancy place of the locality was 'Rice Bowl', which is a unique 'all you can eat' place, worth visiting, even if you didn't have a stomach for an 'all-you-can-eat'.  Then we learn that it is not open till evening on weekdays. We try Uncle Ronnie's Red Tavern, and there the story is repeated - perhaps, weekdays in a small town do not provide sufficient customers to keep the joints open. Finally, we find a place open at noon - a pub - Lindy's Tavern. It was a friendly place. The food was good, though not very familiar.  We had a good time, and then bid goodbye to the company. 

(Five) Hundred miles... A Long Ride Back 

Thomas proved his toughness, despite his frail frame - with just about 2 breaks - one for a power nap, and another for a cup of coffee, we went non-stop, rain accompanying us almost non-stop, and we hit St Mark's rectory in Ellicott city, Baltimore by 10.40 pm. Almost 500 miles covered in the day, and for Thomas, another 40 miles to go. 

A marvellous trip!