AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM

“Praise the Lord for all His wonders to me!” captures Fr. Aloysius inner sentiments as he celebrated his 60th year of the First Religious Profession on the 24th of May, 2020. He renewed his religious vows to live the Evangelical Counsels and to labor for the salvation of souls as he follows the footsteps of Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and in the spirit of our father and founder St John Bosco.

Fr. Corlis Gonsalves sdb, the Rector of BBH while celebrating this moment of grace and blessing thanked the Almighty for the gift of Fr. Aloysius Furtado (Alu, as he is fondly known among his near and dear ones) to the Salesian Congregation. He thanked Fr. Alu for the inspiration and motivation he is to the younger generation and congratulated him for his faithfulness and fidelity to God for these fruitful years. Especially, for his service among the young through the gift of music and choir – the saying of St Augustine goes well with the gift of Fr. Alu being an instrument to God “singing is twice praising the Lord.” Then Fr. Gonsalves invited everyone to gather around the Jubilarian. The celebration calls in measuring stick of these years of consecration, a look back and a look forward, a time for an accounting of your years of Religious Profession. As he cut the cake, the melodious song “AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM” (all for the greater glory of God) reminding him the promise he made to God on that memorable day in the beautiful hilly terrains of Yercaud, as he said yes to the Lord by his first religious profession. Warming up his heart in singing congratulations with the young confreres around the table in fellowship with the sumptuous and delicious agape.

It was on this day 60 years back, when a teenager as he was Fr. Furtado professed for the first time to remain obedient, poor and chaste “for the Greater Glory of God” as a Salesian in the Yercaud Novitiate, Salem district of Chennai under the blessing and protection of Mary Help of Christians and St. John Bosco. Reminiscing the good old memories he shared, “We need to be witnesses to the commitment and fidelity of God’s love for the young. Thank you, dear and loving God, for this life of love I have been given for the past 25, 50, and 60 years living as a Salesian of Don Bosco. Today I count the blessing which the Lord has showered on me - my Salesian vocation, Salesian communities, family, and friends; and all the dear people whom I have walked with throughout my ministry. May God continues to provide me with good health so I can be of service in bringing God’s message to his people, to lead me in holiness, and to be a sign and bearer of God’s love to the marginalized youth. I am very grateful to God and each day as I go on living, I feel more indebted to his love, his blessings, his graces, and care for me.”

Fr. Alu has been a person who lives simply, cares deeply, loves generously, and speaks kindly to and about others, prays steadily, and is open and willing to do God’s will. We believe the gifts and talents that we see in him are the fruits of his parents‟ nurtured love, joy, compassion, prayer, and hard work and the formation received by the Salesians. This I Believe, has been the strong foundation that has enabled me to grow strong in faith and live joyfully in his religious life and reach out in love to so many over the years.

While congratulating the jubilarian for his commitment, dedication, and answering God’s call to serve the young the Don Bosco way he said, “We are all reminded that jubilees are milestones on the journey of life and jubilarians serve as reminders of God’s fidelity all through. They have by their very lives tried to spread the fragrance of God’s love, compassion, mercy, joy, and healing to the people in the various places and communities they have ministered. Every person has a vocation, a call from God, a call to holiness. The challenge is to identify your call, which is very personal to each one of you.”

Sharing with the young Salesians the jolly good times he had and the struggles and the sacrifices they underwent as young missionaries to build the province of the Salesian province of Mumbai he promised the Salesian that God will surely bless you if you continue to work for the Greater Glory of God. We thank God for the gift of Fr. Alu to the Salesian Congregation and the Church for his years of selfless sacrifice and joyful service. “May the God of peace furnish you with all that is good and may he carry out in you what is pleasing to Him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13.21).

Aloysius inner sentiments as he celebrated his 60th year of the First Religious Profession on the 24th of May, 2020. He renewed his religious vows to live the Evangelical Counsels and to labor for the salvation of souls as he follows the footsteps of Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and in the spirit of our father and founder St John Bosco.

Fr. Corlis Gonsalves sdb, the Rector of BBH while celebrating this moment of grace and blessing thanked the Almighty for the gift of Fr. Aloysius Furtado (Alu, as he is fondly known among his near and dear ones) to the Salesian Congregation. He thanked Fr. Alu for the inspiration and motivation he is to the younger generation and congratulated him for his faithfulness and fidelity to God for these fruitful years. Especially, for his service among the young through the gift of music and choir – the saying of St Augustine goes well with the gift of Fr. Alu being an instrument to God “singing is twice praising the Lord.” Then Fr. Gonsalves invited everyone to gather around the Jubilarian. The celebration calls in measuring stick of these years of consecration, a look back and a look forward, a time for an accounting of your years of Religious Profession. As he cut the cake, the melodious song “AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM” (all for the greater glory of God) reminding him the promise he made to God on that memorable day in the beautiful hilly terrains of Yercaud, as he said yes to the Lord by his first religious profession. Warming up his heart in singing congratulations with the young confreres around the table in fellowship with the sumptuous and delicious agape.

It was on this day 60 years back, when a teenager as he was Fr. Furtado professed for the first time to remain obedient, poor and chaste “for the Greater Glory of God” as a Salesian in the Yercaud Novitiate, Salem district of Chennai under the blessing and protection of Mary Help of Christians and St. John Bosco. Reminiscing the good old memories he shared, “We need to be witnesses to the commitment and fidelity of God’s love for the young. Thank you, dear and loving God, for this life of love I have been given for the past 25, 50, and 60 years living as a Salesian of Don Bosco. Today I count the blessing which the Lord has showered on me - my Salesian vocation, Salesian communities, family, and friends; and all the dear people whom I have walked with throughout my ministry. May God continue to provide me with good health so I can be of service in bringing God’s message to his people, to lead me in holiness, and to be a sign and bearer of God’s love to the marginalized youth. I am very grateful to God and each day as I go on living, I feel more indebted to his love, his blessings, his graces, and care for me.”

Fr. Alu has been a person who lives simply, cares deeply, loves generously, and speaks kindly to and about others, prays steadily, and is open and willing to do God’s will. We believe the gifts and talents that we see in him are the fruits of his parents‟ nurtured love, joy, compassion, prayer, and hard work and the formation received by the Salesians. This I Believe, has been the strong foundation that has enabled me to grow strong in faith and live joyfully in his religious life and reach out in love to so many over the years.

While congratulating the jubilarian for his commitment, dedication, and answering God’s call to serve the young the Don Bosco way he said, “We are all reminded that jubilees are milestones on the journey of life and jubilarians serve as reminders of God’s fidelity all through. They have by their very lives tried to spread the fragrance of God’s love, compassion, mercy, joy, and healing to the people in the various places and communities they have ministered. Every person has a vocation, a call from God, a call to holiness. The challenge is to identify your call, which is very personal to each one of you.”

Sharing with the young Salesians the jolly good times he had and the struggles and the sacrifices they underwent as young missionaries to build the province of Salesian province of Mumbai he promised the Salesian that God will surely bless you if you continue to work for the Greater Glory of God. We thank God for the gift of Fr. Alu to the Salesian Congregation and the Church for his years of selfless sacrifice and joyful service. “May the God of peace furnish you with all that is good and may he carry out in you what is pleasing to Him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13.21).