Very happy that my school - Cardinal Gracias High School, Bandra (E), Mumbai - has received paperback copy of my book, "Who am I? I am I ..."

Last updated on 4th Mar. 2019

Yesterday, 9th Oct. 2018, I was able to confirm that one of the two schools that I studied in, Cardinal Gracias High School in Bandra (East), Mumbai, has received paperback copy of my book, "Who am I? I am I - Ultimate Existential Reality Answer; Vedanta; God and Science conversation", https://pothi.com/pothi/book/ravi-s-iyer-ultimate-existential-reality-answer-vedanta-god-and-science. I was informed that it would be given to the principal, Rev. Fr. Sabu Thomas, O. Praem. I requested that my covering letter email also be provided to him along with the book. Note that I had organized printing and sending of the book on 28th Sept. 2018.

I am very happy that I could do this small act of gratitude and love towards the school where I studied from 7th standard to 10th standard from June 1974 to March/April 1978. [I had earlier thought it was three years but the School Leaving Certificate photocopy below shows it was 4 years.]

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I have very fond memories of the years I studied in this school. I had a lot of Christian school friends (most would have been Catholic I guess but I am not sure) and also Hindu and Sikh school friends (currently don't recall Muslim school friends then). There was a church (which probably is still there) next to the school in the same campus. I have visited it a few times out of my own interest but without any coercion whatsoever.

Though it was managed at the top level by Catholic priests and had many Christian teaching staff, I don't recall even one incident where I felt that Catholic or Christian beliefs were being forced on me, in any way. In fact, the school offered Sanskrit as an optional language to study, which I think I studied for 3 years. I still recall the Rama Ramau Ramaha Sanskrit grammar part that I was taught there by a very dedicated Sanskrit lady teacher (a Hindu, if I recall correctly). [For more on the grammar part, see https://sanskritinstitute.wordpress.com/sanskrit/ .]

The morning prayer, if I recall correctly, was the Hindi prayer song: Humko man ki shakti dena, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbchuCfqBls (4 min. 29 secs) from the Hindi film Guddi.

At that time I was not aware of this background but on digging up info. about my school in the somewhat recent past, I came to know that the school is associated with the Norbertine Canonry of Jamtara, near/in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh (India). Now this Norbertine mission is associated with Holland (Netherlands). I knew that there is some Holland connection even when I was studying in that school as one of key administrators was reported to be from Holland, as per my recollection of matters which are over forty years old! But I do not recall knowing about the Norbertine Canonry of Jamtara in Jabalpur and its strong connection to the school.

What I do recall is that at least one of the Catholic priests who were school teachers, was well versed in Hindi, and actually taught us Hindi - Fr. Vijay (Anthony Jones), who became principal in the last year of my study there. He was an Indian and perhaps was originally from Madhya Pradesh or surrounding Hindi speaking states.

Some info. from http://www.canonryofjamtara.com/index.php/page/details/47/st.-norbert-abbey-jabalpur :

The first three Norbertines arrived on Indian soil in 1923 as Missionaries from the Abbey of Berne, the Netherlands. Their field of ministry was located in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. In 1929 they took up Jabalpur region for their apostolate. They concentrated mainly on the development of the people of Mandla District (M.P) through parochial, education and health care activities.

--- end small extracts from www.canonryofjamtara.com ---


Some information about my school from its website, https://cardinalgraciashighschool.org/

Cardinal Gracias High School was founded on 12th June 1961 and has been managed by the Norbertine Fathers since 1964. The Nortbertine Fathers vowed to seek Christ by living in common, sharing all things in holy poverty, and dedicating themselves to ministering to God’s People.

...

[Vision]

The main purpose and object of the school is to make your child a good, honest, diligent and industrious, self reliant and resourceful, honest and truthful, just and fair in dealing with all, ever keeping the joy, that God gives to sinless hearts, and sharing joy with others, please help us in this great and noble task.

“Children cannot be made good by making them happy, but they can be made happy by making them good”.

--- end small extracts from cardinalgraciashighschool.org ---

Ravi: The motto of the school was, and continues to be, "Truth Expels Darkness". If I recall correctly, this motto was part of school uniform, badge or something else that students would see every day. I am quite sure I would have internalised this motto as part of my value system, at least to some extent.

During my student years, Fr. Samuel was the principal for first 3 years (1974-75 to 1976-77) of my studies there. The last year (1977-78), the principal was Fr. Vijay (Anthony Jones). [https://cardinalgraciashighschool.org/about-us/principal-speak/principals/]

Another important administrator (manager) was Fr. R.D. Bent, who if I recall correctly, was from Holland and was a white person. My recollection of him was that he had a reputation of being a kind man. But Fr. Bent did not teach, as far I can recall. Fr. Vijay who taught Hindi was feared by us as he could be pretty strict (for our good, I am quite sure). But I don't recall fearing Fr. Bent - perhaps that's because he did not take school periods/classes. Perhaps that made Fr. Bent a more kindly figure to us schoolkids than priest-teachers like Fr. Vijay. Fr. Bent was probably the first white person I saw - just saw and not really interact with - on a rather regular basis. [https://cardinalgraciashighschool.org/about-us/principals-managers/]

The history of the school is provided here: https://cardinalgraciashighschool.org/about-us/history/.
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Readers may want to visit my post: Very happy that family of administrators of my first school (later closed) - (Jayakar's) English High School, Dadar (E), Mumbai - has received paperback copy of my book, "Who am I? I am I ..." https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2019/03/very-happy-that-family-of.html, 4th March 2019

[I thank canonryofjamtara.com and cardinalgraciashighschool.org, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above small extracts from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]