official - Jamshedpur Jesuits

statements that reported the contrary, when I had to come from Lonavla to Bombay for
special medical tests.
- R Tony Raj
LOYOLA NIWAS, JAMSHEDPUR
In the very first week of October, the combo of Alex Mascarenhas-Eric Cassel were on
the road to Dhanbad – logging in miles on the newly acquired SLV Bolero for the
Province Development Office and giving an opportunity for the newly appointed driver
for the Curia, Prem Ekka, to test his skills. Prem came through with flying colours!
Alex made an exhaustive study of the weaknesses in the MoU‟s of our six Branch
Schools carrying the brand name of De Nobili. After a preliminary round with George
Fernandes, Director of Branch Schools and Saby Puthenpura, Principal of the Main De
Nobili School, we had a very pleasant session over a cup of tea with the GM of Welfare,
Eastern Coalfield Limited. Being a former student of St. John‟s, Ranchi, it was easy for
him to understand our mission. As he remarked so well, “Our business is to dig out coal.
Your business is to run schools. So, we will be prepared to look at the suggestions with
regard to this, even to drawing up a fresh MoU”. So far, so good!
Hardly had he returned from the Dhanbad mission than Alex took off to Pune to attend
the week-long COJET Meeting.
On October 9, our US-Returned duo of Jerry Cutinha and S. Tony Raj, briefed the
Provincial and his team on the fruits they had gathered from their three-week-visit to the
US, seeking ways and means of effective and supportive collaboration between Maryland
Province and Jamshedpur. It was mind blowing; spelt hope and a promise of better times
to come.
During the four days of the GC Convention 35 for the Central Zone hosted in XLRI from
October 15 - 18, John Guidera found himself alone at Loyola Niwas. He used the
occasion to spend quality time with Gus Welch in Mercy Hospital. JFG took time to get
his vericose veins treated by Dr Lakra, to visit Gande Dungri and to finally catch up with
an old acquaintance in West Bokaro, Fr Ken McNamara. Eric took time out after the
Convention to make his Annual Retreat in Loyola School. During that period, Gus
Welch passed away. Jerry Cutinha, a man known for planning out things to the last
detail, realized we were unprepared. From this experience he left for the files of the
Socius an almost exhaustive TO DO LIST when death unexpectedly knocks on our
doors. Jerry is away living out his role of PCF and meeting our Scholastics in our
Houses of Study – south bound and then west-bound. He is expected back on the night of
November 18.
- Eric Cassel
LOYOLA SCHOOL, BHUBANESWAR