DEHON JYOTHI COMMUNITY

During this new academic year of 2008-2009, the SCJ India District started a new community for the Senior Aspirant formation. Actually, this program is not new. It has been present since the beginning of the SCJ presence in India, 1996. But during the recent two years, the program ran together with minor seminary at Dehon Bhavan. This year, after discernment and consideration, it was decided that the Dehon Espirants progam should be by itself.

We rented a house, close to the Dehon Vidya Sadhan community, about 3 kilometers away.

The name of our house is Dehon Jyothi, which means, "the light of Dehon,"
This rented house is in a very convenient area,
because it is close to the market, hospital, and main road,
and for sure, we can easily get any kind of transportation: auto-rickshaw, tax, and bus.

This is the front side of Dehon Jyothi. There are two bedrooms for formators, and three bedrooms for our aspirants, the chapel, dining room, kitchen, a classroom, library, and five bathrooms. On top, there is the possibility of using space for other activities.

These are the community members of Dehon Jyothi. We are two SCJs, and 14 aspirants from 4 states: 6 from Andhra Pradesh, 4 from Tamil Nadu, 4 from Kerala, and 1 from Karnataka.

In this house, we build a vision as follows:

The Dehon Jyothi community is a formation community of candidates for religious and priestly life. During the year long program, the candidates discern their vocation, and deepen their baptismal commitment. They learn more about what it is to be authentically human, Christian, and Dehonian, striving to be open, in readiness, and sharing in a spirit of hospitality.

Daily, we meet to discuss topics of interest,
as well as the international and Indian news that we watch.

By that activity we try to fulfill our mission, to grow intellectually, spiritually, and culturally. This first year, importance and urgency is given to the study of the English language, which is the SCJ community language in India.

Our chapel is the place where we deepen as spirit as followers of Fr. Dehon:
"our whole vocation, our purpose, our duty, our promises,
are found in these words: 'Ecce Venio' and 'Ecce Ancilla.'"

Sports is one of our human formation programs.

It supports the candidate in his efforts to grow into a fully mature human being. The candidate should be guided to practice what will contribute to his good health. And it should be part of the daily routine of every candidate.