Many months have passed without a common letter from me. I apologize for this but most of the reasons relate to the aging process and the reasons are often difficult to fathom. Anyway, I am aware, too, that aging brings its own blessings and, believe me, these are numerous indeed, so I have many reasons to be grateful to God and we often chat together in prayers of thanksgiving for His caring, His sharing of Himself with me and one thing I am so aware of, His daily accompaniment.

The theme for the school this year is “Right Relationships”. The themes for the past five years have had very practical results, so the theme chosen every year has become very much discussed in assemblies, in Value Education classes, and some functions, displays with posters, exhibitions, keep the theme very much in the minds of all. The students become so aware, even proud of their theme and this definitely sets goals for them  all of which  helps them mature into very responsible young men.

In about ten days from now, the winter camp for poor students of the area will have its own prize distribution function before they return to their own schools and classes. This winter, there have been over 800 students attending, many of them walking for two hours each morning to get here Everything is free for them including a hot noon lunch. Teachers from town volunteer as well as our own students going into Class 10 and 12 in March, helping out in many ways, in teaching, running tournaments, etc. and thus they get a grading for their own eventual ICSE  and ISC certificates in what is called SUPW (Socially Useful Productive Work). The Winter Camp students attend remedial classes, training in computers, in various musical instruments, spoken English, value education and stage work. Their parents are thrilled for they are fruitfully engaged all winter long. On the enrolment day in December, one mother wept and said “I never dreamt my son would ever have the opportunity to study in a school of this standard, even ever being allowed to enter its gates.”

The school this year will have a student enrolment of approximately 1400, 500 in the Boarding and 900 dayscholars. We keep expanding its infrastructure as the demands for admission are so great. Thank God I don’t have to deal with that any more for selection is a real headache for Fr. Kinley. He has established certain norms, but he spends time discussing with the parents of all applicants, so that no one leaves upset even when admission cannot be given. His shoulders are broad enough to carry this load. God always seems to provide us with the right kind of man for this responsibility.

I am always happy to correspond by e-mail with any of you. R.R. Dasgupta has established a new website called North Pointers for chatting and news. I would really like each one of you to join this as it will help to cement the fraternal bond that is already growing so strong throughout the world.The website address is mail@northpointers.ning.com  It is a very good addition to Ashok Sadhwani’s long standing website www.npalumni.org  I want to thank both of these men vefry sincerely for the labour of love they have undertaken to promote the brotherhood of our world wide alumni association.

This July there will be the 6 yearly World Union of Jesuit Alumni/ae Congress that will be held in a Jesuit College in BUJUMBURU, in the African country of Burundi. Every six years this is held in a different continent. In 1997 it was held in Sydney, Australia. In 2003 it was held in St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, India. These are to acquaint and conscientize Jesuit alumni/ae

 from all over the world in world problems that can be tackled by alumni/ae. The General Superior of all the Jesuits of the world, Fr. Adolf Nicolas, will be present and will be one of the main speakers, and I know we will all learn a great deal about what Jesuit education which we have all received invites us to be actively concerned in, to work out solutions to social and other problems that we have in our own home areas, the continual call to be men and women for and with others. This Congress will begin on July 22^nd (Registration Day) and end on July 27^th this year. If it is in any way possible for you to attend, please do not hesitate to write to me for an application form and other details. Spouses and family members will be welcome, too. I would be happy to see you taking active part and grow in understanding of what it is to be an alumnus/a of a Jesuit institution. You are cordially welcome.

In union of hearts and minds,

Fr.Van