Home of Love- A Short History of the Papal Seminary, Kandy-Pune (1893-2015)

About the Book Papal Seminary, one of the oldest Catholic Seminaries for the formation of priests, has a glorious history. Over the last 123 years it has been able to train thousands of priests, sisters and lay people. Until it was shifted to Pune, Papal Seminary (Papal Athenaeum) was catering almost exclusively to the Papal Seminarians. After it was shifted to Pune, it started accepting students from other religious congregations and lay men & women also. Fondly called "The Home of Love", it has contributed creatively to both the Church and the Nation. The book, inter-alia covers a broad overview of this prestigious institution since its pioneer beginning at Kandy, facing various struggles towards its growth, consolidation & widening the developmental horizons at Pune, towards imparting training all through to the people, and continuing unabatedly its journey to the present 21st Century rightly spreading its affectionate flavor.

About the Author Fr. Merces de Melo Carlos, SJ, was a Jesuit belonging to Goa Province and a permanent resident of the Papal Seminary. He was a well-known professor of Canon Law at the Jnana- Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune, India.

Foreword It is befitting that as the Papal Seminary completes 100 years of its existence its history should be recorded. This work would mean hours of painstaking research into documents available, interviews and correspondence with former Papal seminarians and finally the compilation of a book that would make interesting reading.

The magnum opus was entrusted to Rev. Fr. Carlos de Melo, S.J., who was given just a few months to complete it. Though some might think that Fr. de Melo being a professor emeritus would have the time required, but he is as busy as any of the other professors in the Papal Seminary. He kept aside nearly all his other commitments and took up the challenge.

The term "Home of Love" which was formerly used frequently to characterize the Papal Seminary in Kandy inspired Fr. de Melo to make a "Work of Love" of what he has undertaken. I have had much experience of this in my recent visits to the Papal Seminary. His conversations were full of what he had discovered in letters and documents, on how many chapters had been written already, and what difficulties he was facing.

This book demonstrates how the vision of Pope Leo XIII in establishing one general seminary for the whole of India has been realized. So great was his prophetic thrust and the trust that on one side of the medal struck in 1894 on the occasion of his sacerdotal silver jubilee was the inscription "Filii Tui India, Administri Tibi Salutis". The sons are now bringing salvation to people in many parts of the world.

For us the saying "Bloom where you are planted" is important. But equally if not more important is to "Bloom where you are transplanted". Transfers, as we priests and bishops know, are an uprooting and transplanting, and can be painful. The transfer of the Papal Seminary from Kandy to Poona in 1955 was not different. What would become of the "Home of Love" and the "Kandy Spirit"?

The lush greenery of Kandy gave way in 1955 to the brown aridity of Ramwadi, Poona. I joined the Papal Seminary in 1955 and sensed that it was faith and obedience that prevented the professors and students from behaving like the Israelites in the desert and yearning for a return to the past.

Preface Papal Seminary is one of the Oldest Seminaries in India today. It was started in Kandy, Sri Lanka, in 1893. It is already 123 years old and it has its own wonderful history. On the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of the shifting of Papal Seminary from Kandy to Pune. I am very happy that Fr. Kurien Kunnumpuram, SJ has taken great trouble to update the history which was written by Fr. Carlos Merces de Melo, S.J. in 1993 on the occasion of Papal Seminary Centenary Celebrations. Fr. Carlos had taken great pains to bring out the history in 1993. Fr. Kurien has made some corrections of the existing history and has added one more chapter giving the history of Papal Seminary from 1993 to 2015. I really appreciate the hard work that is put in by Fr. Kurien. Fr. Kuruvilla Pandikattu, SJ and his team were entrusted with the job of bringing out the book on the History of Papal Seminary on the occasion the Diamond Jubilee of its shifting to Pune. I thank them for their efforts to bring out the updated book of Papal Seminary History.

History is very important for every individual and institution. Studying the history of Papal Seminary gives us an opportunity to come to know the great personalities who shaped Papal Seminary. It also tells us about the various attempts made over the years to form effective priests for India and abroad. The present has to be built on the past. Therefore, unless we know what has gone in the past, we will not be able to mould the present and the future in a meaningful and constructive way. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

Papal Seminary has a glorious history. Over the last 123 years it has been able to train thousands of priests, sisters and lay people. Until it was shifted to Pune, Papal Seminary (Papal Athenaeum) was catering almost exclusively to the Papal Seminarians. After it was shifted to Pune, it started accepting students from other religious congregations and lay men and women.

Four Cardinals and 72 Archbishops and Bishops have gone through the training in Papal Seminary. At present, there are one Cardinal, 23 Archbishops and Bishops and 16 Archbishops and Bishops Emeriti. We are happy that we get students from large number of Archdioceses and Dioceses from all over India.

Introduction This book is basically the work of Father Carlos Merces de Melo, SJ. On the occasion of the Centenary of the Papal Seminary, he wrote the history the first hundred years of the existence of the Seminary: 1893-1993. Now we are celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of the existence of the Seminary in Pune. The staff and the students of the Seminary thought that Fr. C.M. de Melo's book should be revised and updated. And I have been asked to do it.

As I carefully read de Melo's history, it became clear to me that it is remarkably a good book. All I sought to do was to correct a few mistakes and cut out some paragraphs which I thought were unnecessary.' I also added one chapter to the book, narrating the story of the last twenty-two years.

It is my fond hope that this revised and updated history of the Papal Seminary will appeal to the staff and students of the Papal seminary, past, present and future. I wish to thank all those who helped me in the revision and updating of this book.

I would like to place on record my grateful thanks to A. Francis for his competent secretarial assistance.

**Contents and Sample Pages**