Not only is June of 2015 Fr. Alex Carmel’s first time to the United States, it his first venture out of his home country of India.

Now a priest at St. John’s Church, Carmel grew up with two older and one younger brother in a small farming village of Nemili in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India.

His home was thatched, his upbringing was Catholic in a land of Hindu, and his first schooling took place under a tree where all the village children gathered, eager to learn. Starting in fourth grade, the children made the four mile trip by bike to the next town’s school until seventh grade.

Carmel was 15 years old when the bishop came to visit the village and Carmel was very curious to see him. As the bishop was greeting the children, he pointed to Carmel and asked him why not come and join the seminary.

“I saw this as receiving an invitation from God through the bishop,” Carmel said. After attending a vocational camp, he was chosen to enter seminary life.

Each state, thus each diocese, speaks a different language. The seminary was located in another state from Carmel’s home village, and he was able to speak the language but not read nor write it. This was one of his first objectives of his seminary studies. From ages 16-18 he attended the Apostolic School, a diocesan boarding house, and it was the beginning of his life away from home. His parents were not well educated and struggled financially.

“I really value a good education and want to help my nieces and nephews. These days, if you don’t have a good education, you have nothing,” Carmel said.

Carmel sends a portion of his stipend back to poor Indian parishes.

“My main goal is to concentrate on children’s studies through my stipend, gifts and other contributions,” he said.

During his 14 years of formation every class, he had to learn in English from general classes to Scripture to prayers, philosophy and theology.

“During the time of ordination to priesthood we are asked to take a motto, which we need to do after much reflection and prayer. So as I was thinking what to take. God gave me an inspiration to take this particular motto: ‘To Lead the People to the Love of God,’” he said.

In April 2009, Carmel was ordained.

“It was a joyful occasion in my life,” Carmel said, especially when able to celebrate Mass in his own village.

His first assignment was as an associate pastor in a mission diocese in a remote area of India. With Christians comprising only 3 to 4 percent and Catholics a little over 2 percent of India’s population, the parishes are very small and usually very poor.

Carmel’s next assignment was being in charge of the Diocese’s property for one year. The last three years in India, Carmel spent as the personal secretary to the bishop.

According to Carmel, it is not an easy job. Wherever the bishop went, so too did Carmel. He traveled to the camps, attended to the Masses and was the master of ceremony for the bishop. He kept track of the bishop’s appointments and correspondence work. All the Catholic churches are named after saints, and visits to the church on their patron saint day is obligatory. They visited the handicap, those suffering from leprosy and the orphanages.

“One fine day, the bishop asked me if I wanted to go to Rome,” Carmel said. He politely declined.

“I didn’t want to study, I wanted to serve,” Carmel said.

The bishop asked if he was interested in going to Germany. Again, having to spend two years studying the language, he declined. Carmel knew fellow priests who told stories of Madison, Wisconsin, and he decided to inquire about Madison. Accepted, he spent one month at the Bishop’s Center in Madison and one month in Darlington being mentored by more seasoned Indian priests on everything American.

On July 11, 2015, Carmel became associate pastor of St. Bernard Parish in Middleton. With some apprehension of this unknown place with an unknown culture and unknown people, Carmel wondered how he would be received. He need not have worried. Within three months everyone became very comfortable with the new priest and he with them.

But another change was to happen sooner than expected. With the declining health of one parish priest, there was some reshuffling of assignments and Carmel came to St. John Parish in Waunakee in October 2015.

“It was a big surprise. I was just learning things and had this sudden shift,” Carmel said. “I worked with an Indian priest and now I was the first and only Indian priest at St. John’s.”

With a larger parish and a school, Carmel wondered if he was up to the job.

“I worried if I can do all this. I never taught before,” Carmel said.

His first visit at the school, he was bombarded with hundreds of questions.

“It’s harder to satisfy children. Sometimes I don’t know the answer. It has been a learning experience I enjoy,” Carmel said.

Every week he teaches religious education at St. Mary’s Church and every month he teaches in a classroom at St. John’s school.

He has been encouraged from the beginning by the parishioners he has met.

“When I came here I said you have one more member of the family and that is how they treat me,” Carmel said. “And I like being part of this family.”

His own family in India worries and his mother always wants to know if he is eating enough. He reassures them he is in safe hands and eats what he cooks.

He appreciates the staff at St. John’s and St. Mary’s and feels they work hard and give their best to this blooming parish.

“Msgr. Gunn is a kind-hearted person and helps me in all possible things, guided and taught me,” Carmel said.

He is enthused by the Ecumenical Service for Thanksgiving where people come together to experience the love of Christ and the ability to meet other denominations and their ministers. And he is pretty impressed with living in such a historical place of being the only Waunakee in the world! He took plenty of pictures of his first snow to send home and everyone is very amazed, since the only snow they have ever seen has been in the movies.

“I don’t like cold weather but I’m getting used to it,” he said.

Carmel likes to keep busy and there is no shortage of work at St. John’s. His time is spent preparing for religious education classes, reading, performing funerals and Baptisms, and preparing for homilies.

“Making the homily is easy. It’s the stories and jokes to connect to the reading that takes a lot of time,” he said. “The Spirit of God inspires and strengthens me to give that message to the people.”

In May, he will return home for a month. As the majority of marriages in India are arranged, Carmel is hoping that his family finds his youngest brother a bride by then so he can bless the marriage.

“Nothing is permanent for a priest. No matter how long or how short I am here, even if I return to India, the people of St. John’s Parish and Waunakee will be in my heart.”

(This appeared in The Waunakee Tribune on Feb 24,2016)