Patna: An American Jesuit missionary who offered spiritual guidance to generations of priests, nuns, seminarians and lay people in India, died February 25 after a brief illness. He was 82.
The funeral of Fr Roman Bronislaus Lewicki is scheduled at 2 pm on February 27 at Xavier Teachers Training Institute (XTTI), Patna, capital of Bihar state, says a message from the headquarters of the Patna Jesuits.
Fr Lewicki was engaged in the ministry of spiritual guidance for nearly five decades, said Fr Jose Vadassery, Jesuit provincial of Patna, in his condolence message. He described the late missionary as “a gem of a human person and a valiant soldier of Christ. He was loving, gentle, kind-hearted, cheerful and full of hope.”
According to the provincial, Fr Lewicki “encountered physical and spiritual difficulties with faith and courage and helped others to do so.” So much so, the Jesuit superior general noted on Fr Lewicki’s golden jubilee in the Society of Jesus in 2002 that he had undoubtedly touched the lives of thousands. ““Yours has been an apostolate with multiple effect,” the general added.
Father Lewicki’s struggles in life started as a child when polio withered his right hand. He had to fight for his “near impossible” dream of becoming a religious priest and a missionary in India, the provincial recalled. His persistence and intercessions from various quarters finally forced Rome to agree to his request for exemption from established norms. Until then, no physically challenged person was allowed to become priests.
Lewicki received special permission to join the Jesuit Novitiate Milford, Ohio in 1952. He came to India four years later after completing philosophy course. He was ordained a priest in 1965 and two years later he taught at St Xavier’s Patna for a year. He was spiritual director and teacher at XTTI for six years from 1968.
In 1974, he became the spiritual director and director of Midi-Sadhana, a spirituality course, at De Nobili College, Pune, western Indian. He came to Vidyajyoti in Delhi as spiritual director and Church History teacher in 1981, a post he held for 11 years. He then returned to XTTI as a teacher and spiritual guide. In 2011, he retired from teaching and was engaged only in spiritual guidance.
On February 15 morning, Fr Lewicki fell in his room and broke his left arm while arranging his bed. He was admitted in Kurji Holy Family Hospital, Patna. Since his sugar and blood pressure remained high, an operation on the fractured arm was delayed by a few days. It was finally done on February 20. He experienced breathing difficulty in the post-surgery days. He died in the hospital room at 10:40 on February 25.
Father Vadassery recalled that Fr Lewicki had suffered various other ailments that needed surgeries. “Fr. Roman emerged from each surgery and physical ailment as a more loving and cheerful person,” the provincial said.
The provincial said Fr Lewicki had clarity, honesty and courage to encounter his own inner self and this enabled him to understand the inner world of others and help them to overcome their problems.