History of Compassionate Missionaries
Through the promulgation of a decree dated April 5, 2007, Archbishop Vincent Michael Concessao, Archbishop of Delhi established in the Archdiocese a Pious Public Association of Clerics called The Compassionate Missionaries. Thereby he approved the Statutes of the Association drawn up by its founder Fr. Ravindrajain and his associates as well as the life and labour of Compassionate Missionaries towards achieving the aims and objectives of the Association.
By his decree the Archbishop had owned up the Association for the Archdiocese of Delhi of which he was the Ordinary. Subsequently, he on behalf of his successors agreed to ordain and incardinate the candidates of the priesthood specially called by Christ for the mission the Association proposes to proclaim, practice and live. The Candidate must fulfill all the formal trainings of the Priesthood in an institute of philosophy and theology for the period of training approved by the Holy See.
The Compassionate Missionaries are a group of young men who wish to dedicate themselves to God and live and serve their fellow human beings as a Society of Apostolic Life.
The Pious Association of Clerics consider Fr. Ravindrajain of the Archdiocese of Delhi as its founder and Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana of the Apostolic Diplomatic Corps as its Ecclesiastical Adviser.
Fr. Ravindrajain was born in Pune on May 3, 1957. As early as 1964 when he was a mere seven-year old boy he used to burn with love for missionary work. His first experience and call came when he personally took a leper from the street to the Missionaries of Charity House in Pune for the dying destitute. The man died in peace in the comfort of a home. Thereafter he began to believe in his call.
From Pune, Ravindrajain travelled to Kolkata where he joined the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa M.C. He joined the Congregation of Missionaries of Charity for men and professed the four vows as a M.C. Brother (Besides Poverty, Obedience and Chastity, the Missionaries of Charity take a fourth vow of unconditional charity). He worked closely with Mother Mother Teresa both in Kolkata and Mumbai for15 years, taking care of street children, leprosy patients, dying destitute and prisoners. He was the Superior of Missionaries of Charity Home in Borivli, Mumbai.
The tremendously challenging call he experienced in himself was not satisfied especially when he realized as a Religious Brother he could not administer the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation. When he worked among the Prisoners and among the destitute people in the streets as a Brother, he was challenged by some for whom he worked to give them more than the physical nursing and healing; they wanted the sacraments.
He made his charism known to Mother Teresa M.C. who kept his request for ordination in her mind.
In January 1991 Archbishop Alan de Lastic was installed in New Delhi as the Archbishop of Delhi. There was a long standing friendship and cooperation between him and Mother Teresa. He was associated with her as a priest of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. When Pope John Paul II ordained him in Rome she took it a point to attend the ordination. Thereafter she was in constant touch with him as Auxiliary Bishop of Calcutta and later as bishop of Lucknow. In 1992, she wrote to Archbishop Alan and said she was sending him a “special gift”. In her own characteristic way she almost directed him to take Ravindrajain under his wings and ordain him a priest. The Archbishop who had had a good laugh at Mother’s “gift” wasted little time to send Ravindrajain to a seminary and ordain him dispensing with a few of the formalities associated with priestly training. Archbishop Alan de Lastic ordained Bro Ravindrajain on May 30, 1995.
Archbishop unaware of the dream the young Levite nursed in himself send him for pastoral assistance to parishes. Archbishop at the turn of the millennium died in Poland. Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao knowing the dream of Fr. Ravindrajain released him from the obligations of Pastoral Ministry but to do the Pioneering Charitable mission to the Street boys, Women without shelter, Dying Destitute. The time was June 2001.
The notion of a Pious Public Association of the Clergy for the work of the shelterless, the hapless and the most vulnerable took shape in the streets and New Delhi Railway Station platforms. Ravindrajain has made Kashmere Gate as his headquarters. His Pious Association has been heading towards becoming a Religious Congregation. The first step was provided by Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao and the Archdiocese of Delhi.
Through the promulgation of a decree dated April 5, 2007, Archbishop Vincent Michael Concessao, Archbishop of Delhi established in the Archdiocese a Pious Public Association of Clerics called The Compassionate Missionaries. Thereby he approved the Statutes of the Association drawn up by its founder Fr. Ravindrajain and his associates as well as the life and labour of Compassionate Missionaries towards achieving the aims and objectives of the Association.
By his decree the Archbishop had owned up the Association for the Archdiocese of Delhi of which he was the Ordinary. Subsequently, he on behalf of his successors agreed to ordain and incardinate the candidates of the priesthood specially called by Christ for the mission the Association proposes to proclaim, practice and live. The Candidate must fulfill all the formal trainings of the Priesthood in an institute of philosophy and theology for the period of training approved by the Holy See.
The Compassionate Missionaries are a group of young men who wish to dedicate themselves to God and live and serve their fellow human beings as a Society of Apostolic Life.
The Pious Association of Clerics consider Fr. Ravindrajain of the Archdiocese of Delhi as its founder and Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana of the Apostolic Diplomatic Corps as its Ecclesiastical Adviser.
Fr. Ravindrajain was born in Pune on May 3, 1957. As early as 1964 when he was a mere seven-year old boy he used to burn with love for missionary work. His first experience and call came when he personally took a leper from the street to the Missionaries of Charity House in Pune for the dying destitute. The man died in peace in the comfort of a home. Thereafter he began to believe in his call.
From Pune, Ravindrajain travelled to Kolkata where he joined the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa M.C. He joined the Congregation of Missionaries of Charity for men and professed the four vows as a M.C. Brother (Besides Poverty, Obedience and Chastity, the Missionaries of Charity take a fourth vow of unconditional charity). He worked closely with Mother Mother Teresa both in Kolkata and Mumbai for15 years, taking care of street children, leprosy patients, dying destitute and prisoners. He was the Superior of Missionaries of Charity Home in Borivli, Mumbai.
The tremendously challenging call he experienced in himself was not satisfied especially when he realized as a Religious Brother he could not administer the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation. When he worked among the Prisoners and among the destitute people in the streets as a Brother, he was challenged by some for whom he worked to give them more than the physical nursing and healing; they wanted the sacraments.
He made his charism known to Mother Teresa M.C. who kept his request for ordination in her mind.
In January 1991 Archbishop Alan de Lastic was installed in New Delhi as the Archbishop of Delhi. There was a long standing friendship and cooperation between him and Mother Teresa. He was associated with her as a priest of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. When Pope John Paul II ordained him in Rome she took it a point to attend the ordination. Thereafter she was in constant touch with him as Auxiliary Bishop of Calcutta and later as bishop of Lucknow. In 1992, she wrote to Archbishop Alan and said she was sending him a “special gift”. In her own characteristic way she almost directed him to take Ravindrajain under his wings and ordain him a priest. The Archbishop who had had a good laugh at Mother’s “gift” wasted little time to send Ravindrajain to a seminary and ordain him dispensing with a few of the formalities associated with priestly training. Archbishop Alan de Lastic ordained Bro Ravindrajain on May 30, 1995.
Archbishop unaware of the dream the young Levite nursed in himself send him for pastoral assistance to parishes. Archbishop at the turn of the millennium died in Poland. Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao knowing the dream of Fr. Ravindrajain released him from the obligations of Pastoral Ministry but to do the Pioneering Charitable mission to the Street boys, Women without shelter, Dying Destitute. The time was June 2001.
The notion of a Pious Public Association of the Clergy for the work of the shelterless, the hapless and the most vulnerable took shape in the streets and New Delhi Railway Station platforms. Ravindrajain has made Kashmere Gate as his headquarters. His Pious Association has been heading towards becoming a Religious Congregation. The first step was provided by Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao and the Archdiocese of Delhi.