Bhubaneswar: Deacon Narendra Singh is all set to become the first Jesuit priest from Kandhamal district in Odisha, the scene of the worst anti-Christian violence in modern India.
Bishop Sarat Chandra Nayak of Berhampur will ordain the 35-year-old seminarian for Calcutta Jesuit Province on December 30, at St. Teresa Child Jesus’ Church, Kotama.
Jesuits, or the Society of Jesus, entered Kandhamal in 1993, at least 12 years before the tribal-dominated district witnessed months-long attacks against Christians that killed at least 90 people and rendered more than 50,000 homeless.
Currently, Odisha, the eastern India state has ten Jesuit priests. Seven of them are from Sundergarh district under Rourkela diocese, two are from Sambalpur diocese and one from Gajapati district in Berhampur diocese.
Deacon Singh, also known as Punim, is the first one from Kandhamal, which is under Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archdiocese. He hails from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish of Alanguri village near Bamunigam town.
The news of the ordination in the Year of Mercy has cheered Catholics in Kandhamal.
“There is incredible happiness in all of us priests, nuns and people in our village and the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar,” Father Augustine Singh, president of diocesan priests’ association of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archdiocese, told Matters India.
Others noted that the Jesuit priest’s ordination is taking place at a time when the Church in Odisha is marking the birth anniversary of the first Catholic priest from the eastern Indian state. Late Father Pascal Singh, a diocesan priest, also hailed from Alanguri parish.
“I have no words to express how happy I feel that my brother is going to be a Jesuit priest. It is all by the blessings of God and the hard work of my brother,” said William Singh, the deacon’s eldest brother.
“I wish he becomes a priest for others, especially for the needy. Let his life reflect the dedicated life of late Fathers Pascal and other priests from our village. May he keep up the good name of our village,” he added.
Narendra is the fourth of five children in the family (three sons and two daughters). His parents — Laxman Singh and Petronila Singh – are no more.
Invitation card
He traced his vocation story to his primary education. “Whenever the teachers used to ask me, ‘What would you like to be in the future?’ my spontaneous answer was, ‘I would like to be a priest.’”
Although he cannot recollect what drew him to religious life, he recalls that he had a natural inclination toward priesthood “right from my childhood.”
“It is the undeniable that the priests and religious of my village have inspired me. I have often dreamt of becoming one like them.” he told Matters India.
“Hailing from a village of priests and religious has been a great blessing,” he added.
HE owes his Jesuit vocation to late Anil Singh from his village, who had joined the Jamshedpur Jesuit province.
“I feel extremely glad and satisfied to have joined the Jesuits. When I am asked to speak of the best decision of my life, I always speak of my decision to join the Jesuits.”
He was hesitant initially as he had heard that the Jesuit life was “a bit because of the long formation. However, I had deep faith in God’s grace, guidance and providence. I was made aware that perseverance is one of the essential factors in any religious life. And I believed (and still believe) that nothing is impossible when we trust in God.”
He also said the Society of Jesus has given him tremendous scope to discover his potentials. The responsible freedom he enjoys in the congregation has made him mature and sensitive to others’ needs.
His hobbies include writing novels, short stories, skits and plays, acting, art, playing tabla, and drums. He started his education from his village primary school and then Government High School at Bamunigam. He joined the Society of Jesus in 2000.
He did Philosophy in Pune and Theology in Delhi. He was ordained a deacon on February 14.
Some Jesuits now work in Odisha managing six parishes, 14 schools, one University and three non-formal education centers. The first Jesuit priest to work in Kandhamal was Fr. Jerry Kujur in Tumudibandha in May 1993. The first Jesuit house in Cuttack-Bhubaneswar was Loyola Bhavan, Bhubaneswar in July 1985.