Alter Christus

Mangalore is a city in India that I had never visited. But with the news of the Ordination to the Priesthood of a close friend of mine, I desired to be present at his Ordination. I needed to go to Mangalore.

I flew with Singapore Airlines; my first time on an almost sixteen hours nonstop flight from Vancouver to Singapore. Then, an evening departure on Singapore Airways to Mumbai, another five and half hours. The night at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, and finally, my morning departure on IndiGo airways, a domestic Indian carrier and a one hour flight to Mangalore. In Mumbai I could look forward to masala chai and samosas.

Gavin Rodrigues had been a student of mine in Goa where I have been teaching philosophy in July/August at the Dominican Institute of Philosophy. I got to know many of the Dominican Fathers and students over the years. In the case of Gavin, he accompanied me on a walk through rice fields to a town called Margau. What was meant to be a short afternoon outing turned out to be about four hours returning in the dark on time for Evening Prayer. I also learned about Gavin’s vocational discernment and his calling to Religious life.

On my way to Goa in 2018, I stopped in Nagpur to visit Gavin who was in the formation house. When I celebrated a private Mass in English, Gavin joined me and served the Mass. A prayerful silence filled the chapel.
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Deacon Gavin is by nature very obedient; our chats or video calls never interfered with his religious formation/activities/schedule. Even when he returned home for vacations, his family plans always took precedence. I realised Deacon Gavin was close to his family and attached to his mother; he knew his mother loved him very much. I hoped one day to meet his family; they sounded like wonderful people, and perhaps taste his mother’s pizza.

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